CROSSLINCS News from around the Diocese of Lincoln www.lincoln.anglican.org
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March/April 2019 – Free
Share with us in a modern-day pilgrimage As featured in the November/December 2018 issue of Crosslincs, Journeys of Faith is a series of pilgrimages in our diocese. Alan Wilson looks ahead to the next pilgrimage in the series, which will begin in Epworth. Throughout history, people of all religions and faiths have set off on pilgrimages to various places of worship, including Lincoln Cathedral. These pilgrimages not only involved an outward physical expedition, but also an inner spiritual
journey as participants searched for meaning and purpose. Inspired by those early pilgrimages, Journeys of Faith is a set of three pilgrimages facilitated by the National Lotteryfunded Lincoln Cathedral Connected project to celebrate social justice and religious freedom. Journeys of Faith guides people through three separate routes across our diocese to Lincoln Cathedral, with each offering the opportunity to think and talk about spiritual issues and reflect on life itself. (Continued overleaf...)
INSIDE...
INSIDE...
Tackling climate change together
Struggling to find space?
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PAGES 10 & 11
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Crosslincs is produced by the Diocese of Lincoln
The submission deadline for the next issue is 1st April 2019 Editor E: crosslincs@lincoln.anglican.org Communications Officer The Revd Adrian Smith T: 01522 50 40 37 M: 07885 99 99 07 E: adrian.smith@lincoln.anglican.org Diocesan Offices Edward King House, Minster Yard, Lincoln LN2 1PU T: 01522 50 40 50 E: enquiries@lincoln.anglican.org www.lincoln.anglican.org www.facebook.com/Dioceselincoln www.twitter.com/CofELincoln Instagram: diocese_of_lincoln The Bishop of Lincoln The Right Reverend Christopher Lowson T: 01522 50 40 90 E: bishop.lincoln@lincoln.anglican.org The Bishop of Grimsby The Right Reverend Dr David Court T: 01522 50 40 90 E: bishop.grimsby@lincoln.anglican.org The Bishop of Grantham The Right Reverend Dr Nicholas Chamberlain T: 01522 50 40 90 E: bishop.grantham@lincoln.anglican.org Diocesan Secretary The Revd David Dadswell T: 01522 50 40 32 E: david.dadswell@lincoln.anglican.org PA to the Diocesan Secretary Kay Clayton T: 01522 50 40 32 E: kay.clayton@lincoln.anglican.org The Archdeacon of Stow and Lindsey The Venerable Mark Steadman T: 01522 50 40 39 E: archdeacon.stow@lincoln.anglican.org The Archdeacon of Boston The Venerable Dr Justine Allain Chapman T: 01522 50 40 39 E: archdeacon.boston@lincoln.anglican.org The Archdeacon of Lincoln The Venerable Gavin Kirk T: 01522 50 40 39 E: archdeacon.lincoln@lincoln.anglican.org
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Share with us in a modern-day pilgrimage
(cont’d)
In October of last year, a group of ‘modern-day pilgrims’ set off from St James’ Church in the historic parish of Louth and made their way to Lincoln Cathedral. This was the first pilgrimage of Journeys of Faith, and the aim here was to bring people together, with participants encouraged to reflect on the spiritual paths they were taking as they traversed the physical path of the pilgrimage. Since its launch, the pilgrimage guidebook has been extremely popular. It refers to the various stops along the route and the people associated with them, and offers thoughts, prayers and readings intended to prompt participants to think about their own journey with God. The second pilgrimage – from Epworth to Lincoln The launch of the second pilgrimage, which spans three days, will set off from Epworth on Wednesday, 27th March 2019. Epworth was chosen as the starting point for one of the three journeys as it is the birthplace of the Wesley brothers, John and Charles. Whereas the Louth journey had ‘uprising’ as a theme and saw pilgrims collect psalm numbers in a ‘pilgrim passport’ en route, the Epworth journey will invite pilgrims to collect Wesley hymn numbers at each stop. Beginning at Epworth Wesley Memorial Church, the journey will see participants walk, cycle, motorcycle, drive, take buses and even travel on horseback on their modern-day pilgrimage, paying homage to the Methodist ‘circuit riders’ who would ride circuits on horseback to deliver sermons. On their way to Lincoln Cathedral, pilgrims will stop at 15 churches and other points of interest, including The Old Rectory, where the Wesley brothers were born in the early 1700s. In addition, and although not an official stop on the journey, pilgrims will be encouraged to make a short detour on stage two of the journey to visit Gainsborough Old Hall. One of the country’s best-preserved medieval manor houses, the Hall was visited by Richard III, Henry VIII and John Wesley. Later, a further highlight of the Epworth journey will be the magnificent Stow Minster, before pilgrims end their journey at Lincoln Cathedral. The Journeys of Faith Guidebook: A Pilgrimage From Louth-Lincoln is available in the cathedral shop and via the cathedral website, and the Epworth guidebook will be available after the launch on 27th March. Journeys of Faith can be enjoyed at any time, by anyone of any age and of any faith, and can be completed by foot, car, motorcycle, bicycle or any other form of transport. More details are at https://lincolncathedral.com/worship-music/journeys-of-faith
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Climate change conference Tackling climate change together at both a local and a global level The Diocese of Lincoln and the University of Lincoln are to host an international conference on climate change... The conference, titled Moana – Water of Life: Navigating Climate Change For Planetary Health and to be held from Friday, 30th August to Sunday, 1st September 2019, will involve two days of lectures and workshops shaped around the disciplines of science and theology. There will be a service in the Cathedral on the final day, followed by a lunch at Edward King House. Bishop Christopher says, “For decades we have been aware of the science of climate change. The challenge now is to move from knowledge and understanding to action. This conference allows us to learn more about the issues and decide how we can respond to them.” The conference will explore how water can give life and also take life with the extremes of too much water and not enough water. An aim of the conference is to launch the diocesan environmental policy that will identify how we as individuals, and as a diocese, can care for God’s creation for generations to come. An important part of the conference will be to explore climate change with our link diocese of Polynesia. Invitations are being sent to representatives, and students from St John’s Theological College in New Zealand will also attend. Readers of Crosslincs will recall that Bishop Christopher visited Polynesia in 2016 and 2018. He saw first-hand the effect of rising sea levels on the islands. He was impressed with the commitment from the younger generations to protect their home for future generations. Bishop Christopher believes the participants from Polynesia will help develop our understanding of climate change. “The rising waters of the Pacific are a threat to life but also a source of life and we face the same issue here in Lincolnshire with too much water and not enough water. We are all interconnected, and I hope by exploring this issue with local businesses and landowners, our link diocese, and the University of Lincoln, we can contribute to the global conversation on climate change,” says Bishop Christopher. Speakers at the conference will include Professor Elisabeth Holland from Fiji. Her dedication and passion led to the honour of being named co-recipient of the 2007 Nobel Peace Prize shared between the Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change (IPCC), of which she was a member, and Al Gore for their work on climate change. There are two
other speakers from Oceania. Archbishop Winston Halapua, the former bishop of Polynesia and Primate of the Anglican Church in Aotearoa New Zealand and Polynesia, will speak on his experience of climate change. Dr Emily Colgan, from Aotearoa New Zealand, will speak on reading scripture in the context of climate change. There are two speakers who will provide a perspective on climate change from the Episcopal Church of the United States. Bishop Marc Andrus, the bishop of California, led the Episcopal Church delegation to the United Nations conference on climate change last year, and Lynnaia Main, the Episcopal Church representative to the UN. Professor Mark Macklin, Head of the School of Geography at the University of Lincoln and Director of the Lincoln Centre for Water and Planetary Health, will speak, plus his colleague Professor Edward Hanna. Professor Hanna says the conference will provide ways that people can respond to concerns around human effects on climate change: “This collaboration with the Diocese of Lincoln helps to raise awareness on the issue of climate change and its effects both locally and internationally. A key focus of my research is the Greenland Ice Sheet, and I have seen first-hand that this vast mass of ice is melting and shrinking in size. Rising sea levels and more extreme weather arising from climate change will affect people around the world and so each of us needs to play a part in finding solutions to this growing problem.” The charge to attend the conference will be £30 per day and £50 for both days. Students will be able to attend for free. There will be a special conference dinner held in the Cathedral Chapter House on Saturday night costing £50. Accommodation is available at the University of Lincoln for £49 per person per night. For more details please contact the bishop’s office via wateroflife.conference@lincoln.anglican.org The carbon footprint of the conference will be calculated and offset with a tree planting project in Lincoln. DIOCESELINCOLN
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Welcome and hospitality Are you and your church ready for the tourist season? Fran Bell, Church Development Officer, looks ahead to the warmer months and opportunities for churches to extend a warm welcome to visitors from near and far... More people want to visit churches than you might think. The recent ‘Great Interpretations!’ project from the National Churches Trust included the use of digital counters at some churches in order to gain a better understanding of footfall through the door. The numbers who came through the door over a four-month period were into the thousands, even in remote places, and during the Lincoln Christmas Market in December 2018, visitors lit some 20,000 candles in Lincoln Cathedral. Following the launch of the Louth to Lincoln Cathedral ‘Journeys of Faith’ Pilgrimage in October of last year (as featured in the November/December 2018 issue of Crosslincs), the second route, between Epworth and Lincoln Cathedral, will launch at the end of March, with another route from Boston to Lincoln Cathedral to be added later this year. The churches along the route display a logo for pilgrims to find, and they also offer places to pray and to ponder about the journey. All churches have a story to tell and something to offer both the visitor and the local. Is your church ready to do this? Ecclesiastical Insurance has updated its guidance note about opening churches and, subject to sensible precautions, prefers church buildings to be unlocked during daylight hours. As Ecclesiastical’s website states, ‘There is no impact on the church insurance premiums if a church is open during daylight hours and proper risk assessments have been completed’. W W W.LINCOLN. ANGLIC AN.ORG
It could be helpful to try and look at your church building with fresh eyes and see what the visitor might see, both inside and out. If you haven’t done so already, there are various things that you can do at low cost or no cost to make your church building more appealing, including keeping the churchyard and porch tidy, clearing clutter, ensuring that signage is welcoming and perhaps offering refreshments, including having a dog bowl outside. If your church is locked, you are missing out! A rural church in this diocese leaves simple refreshments for visitors, who are often walkers using the nearby Viking Way. They had attracted over £300 in donations before the summer season last year. The use of online and text-giving services enables the visitor, who is more likely to have their smartphone with them than a £5 note, to send you a donation with the Gift Aid attached. There are various services available but unless you sign up, this option of additional income will not be available to you. More information is available from the Parish Resources website at www.parishresources.org.uk/digital-giving The Church Buildings Team is currently putting together a booklet with details of each church in the diocese. This booklet will help people to discover our church buildings as fascinating places to explore and which also offer opportunities for spiritual refreshment. It would be wonderful if we became a diocese that is known for its open churches and strong welcome. For further help and information, please contact me on 01522 50 40 18 or via email at fran.bell@lincoln.anglican.org
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Celebrating our churches Looking to the future in Algarkirk A major fundraising campaign is underway in Algarkirk as part of efforts to preserve the church of St Peter and St Paul and provide new facilities for the benefit of all... The Algarkirk Major Project Group (AMPG) has launched a new campaign to raise £300,000 to save the endangered church of St Peter and St Paul in Algarkirk, near Boston. The money is required as match funding now that the ‘mini cathedral of the fens’ has been awarded £1,789,100.00 by the Heritage Lottery Fund. In looking ahead, AMPG Chair, Di Reid, has said, “If we are to save this church for future generations, and make it a valuable resource for the local community, then this is a challenge we have to meet.” It has been over five years since local people came together to form the AMPG and raise the money needed to repair this important building; to maintain the church as a place of worship within the village; to conserve and interpret its scheme of Victorian stained glass and interior decoration, which is one of the finest examples of Gothic revival in the country; and to re-establish the church as a resource for the community, which will include improving the facilities. They have been supported by the diocese; Lincoln University; Heritage Lincolnshire; the local community; the Community Payback Scheme; and their parish priest, Fr Paul Blanch.
“Thanks to National Lottery players, we can hope that this church can be a source of spiritual inspiration and a focus for village life for many years to come” The grant represents 68% of the total project cost: the remainder needed will have to be generated through further fundraising and volunteer activities. Much, it is hoped, will come from major charitable organisations, but about a third will need to come from smaller, individual donations. The renovation and conservation work is expected to take about three years to complete, and the AMPG are inviting the community to rally behind them. “We have now been given permission to start the work on the church,” Di Reid has said. “At the moment specialists are tackling dry rot in the church – itself a massive undertaking. After all the hard work involved in getting approval for the grant, finally getting permission to start, being able to recruit the contractors and project manager, and so on, is
tremendously exciting. We are very grateful to the Heritage Lottery Fund for their support, but we need more volunteers of all ages, and fundraisers to join us in saving this amazing building. We know how close the stained-glass windows are to being lost forever. There are urgent problems relating to the structure and the decoration of the building that need to be addressed quickly if this historically and architecturally important church is to be saved. Hopefully, this spring will see the start of the work needed to solve those problems, but we have a huge challenge ahead.” In speaking about the project, Fr Paul Blanch has said: “Thanks to National Lottery players, we can hope that this church can be a source of spiritual inspiration and a focus for village life for many years to come. I cannot praise enough all those whose hard work has brought us this far. The church is here to serve the community, but it needs the community to continue to support the project if we are to make the most of the opportunities offered here. I am delighted to now be part of the project to preserve this wonderful building and all that it represents.” According to the Diocese of Lincoln Church Buildings Department, ‘This is a Grade I-listed building of national significance. It is a large Fenland church, the earliest parts of which date from the late 12th century, with phases of development following in the 13th, 14th and late 15th centuries. Between 1850 and 1854 the church was extensively restored by R.C. Carpenter, who collaborated with the famous Victorian designers J.G. Crace, Hardman & Co. and A.W.N. Pugin to produce a stunning scheme of decoration in the chancel. Later, a substantial scheme of stained-glass windows by the important nineteenthcentury manufacturers Clayton and Bell was installed’. More details are available at www.algarkirkchurch.org.uk DIOCESELINCOLN
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Transforming lives Going for growth and sharing a message of love and hope It has been announced that the Diocese of Lincoln has been awarded £2.67 million from the Church of England’s Strategic Development Fund (SDF) to help transform lives in its urban centres over the next five years... The funding will enable three existing churches to become ‘resource’ churches to promote growth across greater Lincolnshire. A resource church is a church with a track record in growing its congregations and which wishes to share its learning with other churches by ‘giving away’ its leaders for the benefit of other churches. The three churches that will become resource churches are: St Swithin’s in Lincoln, St George’s in Stamford and Lincoln Cathedral. These churches begin to represent the diversity in geography and Anglican traditions present across the diocese. Churches in urban centres have been chosen as attendance in these areas is generally lower than in the diocese as a whole therefore potential for growth is the greatest.
“We hope that everyone will want to be part of this exciting journey” The plan for growth across the diocese centres around the development of future church leaders through the resource churches who will go on to lead new or revitalised churches of which there will be eight in total in the diocese’s urban areas over the next five years. Speaking at the time of the announcement, Bishop Christopher said: “When I was appointed as bishop of Lincoln I started to lead the diocese in a new direction in which we would reverse what was seen as a culture of decline in our congregations and give the diocese a new focus. This investment is key to that. We hope that everyone will want to be part of this exciting journey. “The churches we have chosen as resource churches have the potential to be successful in reaching out to their local communities and we want to spread that success to other areas. There has been significant growth in numbers at St Swithin’s and St George’s in recent years and Lincoln Cathedral, which has stood W W W.LINCOLN. ANGLIC AN.ORG
Lincoln Cathedral is looking to be a leading centre for catholic mission.
as the mother church of the diocese and region for almost 1,000 years, is keen to increase its profile across the historic county in social justice and be a leading centre for catholic mission.” Bishop David, the Strategic Lead for Mission in our diocese, said: “We are delighted that our application for funding has been granted. At the heart of our plans is our belief in our local churches and their power to transform lives and communities with their message of love and hope. “We have chosen to focus on our urban centres with this funding as it will give the most people possible the opportunity to explore faith, find hope and experience community through their local church. This project sits alongside our other investment in continuing outreach and mission in our 630 churches across the diocese – with £10 million in additional funding from diocesan resources being invested across the next four years.” The projection of growth is that each resource church will grow initially to a Sunday attendance of at least 500 people. The new or revitalised churches will aim to grow to a congregation of at least 150 people and become self-sustaining within five years. In early 2019, the diocese will begin a period of consultation with key stakeholders to determine the locations and timings of these new Christian communities. More information will follow.
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Learning together Marking the first anniversary of learning communities Richard Steel, Mission Team Leader, offers an update on the first year of our learning communities and some of the findings that have been made to date... The diocesan strategy, from which the learning communities project stems, looks at 12 different areas of church life, with a focus on parish growth. This growth may be reflected in terms of numbers, but equally important is growth with regard to the depth of our faith, and the confidence with which we share it, and also the level of loving service that we offer in our local communities. In order to support and encourage one another in this, we encouraged all of our churches to be part of a learning community. These are groups from different parishes, or benefices, who come together several times a year to take part in a reflective forum, to exchange ideas, receive input and develop talent. Everyone I have spoken to has been very positive about them. There is an openness and an honesty about what has worked well and what has worked less well, but the attitude of all those I have spoken to can be summed up by one comment – “we’re very pleased to be a part of this”. All three groups going at the moment (Market Towns, Housing Developments and Rural) have opted for a Saturday morning meeting, three times a year. Two meet for breakfast, the other has met a little later and finished with lunch. Food is clearly a key element.
The first meeting is always about the people getting to know one another and introducing their parishes/ benefices. This helps to build trust. All the groups move around the different members of the community, each getting an opportunity to host and thus offer hospitality. The communities have found it helpful to build-in pauses for quiet reflection, certainly at the end of the morning, but perhaps elsewhere too. Not times of formal worship as such, although sometimes there is a short form of Morning Prayer, and perhaps simply silence. One group is encouraging every member to write down some things to take away and reflect on further: something they’ve learnt; something they’re going to do as an individual and something they’re going to explore further as a church. That people know what they are committed to is key. People have found it helps to try and go beyond the ‘usual suspects’ as members so as to increase the range of voices and topics, and to have a good proportion of laity going along with their clergy. People have appreciated sharing stories of good news, good practice and learning with and from each other. One very interesting comment was “Are we sharing ideas, or sharing learning?”, while another participant has offered the following reflection: “Overall, what we’ve done has been very positive, and we realise that we need to know more about each other and our communities, and the perceptions they have of us. In order to grow we need to look at some barriers that prevent this, even if we don’t see them.” More churches are currently exploring joining this growing movement. Might you like to join them? DIOCESELINCOLN
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This Time on Monday “I consider my job a faith vocation” The Revd Annabel Barber offers the fourth article in our series that introduces us to some of the people in our diocese and the impact of faith in their daily lives... Some of us might only meet on a Sunday, but on Monday we all take the gospel message into our daily lives, making a difference to our homes, workplaces and communities. We have been asking people what they will be doing at ‘churchtime’ on Monday, and we caught up with Melanie Carroll, who runs Unicorn Tree books in Lincoln Central Market. Annabel: Melanie, please could you tell us about yourself? Melanie: I am the owner/manager of Unicorn Tree Books, which is both a general bookshop and Lincoln’s Christian books and church resource shop. That is part of my vocation and faith calling. I am also a trustee on a couple of charities, I’m the Chair of the Booksellers Association’s Christian Booksellers Group, and I’m involved with things to do with everyday ordinary cycling (not sport!). On the church side of things, I’m a fresh expressions type and so I’m the Facilitator of Lincoln Forest Church (which meets on the fourth Sunday of each month), I’m a Companion in a dispersed community called Contemplative Fire, and as part of that I also lead a monthly Contemplative Fire Lincs In The City session at St Mary le Wigford Church in Lincoln. Finally, I call St Michael’s Church in Waddington my parish church! Annabel: How will you be spending your Monday? Melanie: If it is a day off it will involve rest, probably a cycle ride and a photo trip. But most often it’s getting up and going to work. Once there, this involves the usual work of any retail establishment, but I get to journey with people a little through helping them with book choices, or just being a listening ear. Bookshops are a special kind of place, where we can feel at home or safe, and find hospitality and welcome. So the bookseller can become a friend and confidant. I am privileged and blessed to share times of great joy and great sadness with many people as they come in for books or cards. I consider my job a faith vocation. Annabel: How and when did you first come to faith? Melanie: I’ve never not had faith. I grew up in a Catholic, Anglican, and Methodist family, attending worship in all of these churches, and this assured that wherever I was, God was too. There were times when God and I had our moments (or I had my moments!) – but then I only had to look at my Bible to know that those times of doubt were just the seeds of changing faith and growth. W W W.LINCOLN. ANGLIC AN.ORG
Annabel: What difference does your faith make to your life outside of Sunday? Melanie: I live out my faith daily through my job, through the groups I’m active in and the conversations I have. So I do church seven days a week. Sometimes it’s explicit in that it’s liturgically focused, but at other times it’s about community, prayer, intercession, active contemplation and action in life. Annabel: What about the other way round? How is your faith affected by the work that you do? Melanie: It’s a whole person thing, I can’t strip my work from my faith or my faith from my work. Every action I do is conditioned by my faith. What was it St Benedict said? ‘To work is to pray’. Annabel: What do you pray about, and can we pray with you? Melanie: That can be anything, and especially depending on who comes into the shop and what their needs are. So I ask God to hold up those in pain, fear, loneliness and loss, and to touch those blessed with joy, and life, and change. I ask for blessings and peace for all, for wisdom in the mighty, and grace in the meek. I also pray for the environment, for the world at large, and for our place in the vast cosmos of God’s grace, and for family and friends. You can indeed pray with me. I welcome and rejoice that when we enter prayer we are one big interconnected family, so please do pray with and for me, for the shop, for the people I serve, and that I continue to do all I can to serve God seven days a week. Annabel: Thank you, Melanie. We will remember you and the people you serve in our prayers.
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Announcements The Revd Michael Ongyerth has been appointed Rector of the benefice of the Elloe Fen group (House for Duty). The Revd Sam Durant has been appointed Rector of the benefice of Skellingthorpe with Doddington. The Revd Christine Goldsmith has been appointed Rector of Leadenham Plurality. The Revd Terry Bardell resigned his licence as Priest in Charge of Chapel St Leonards with Hogsthorpe and Mumby with Cumberworth with effect from 16th February 2019.
The Revd Nick Munday has resigned his licence as Rector of the benefice of South Lafford with effect from 6th April 2019. The Revd Peter Hopkins will retire from his post as Rector of the benefice of Barrowby with Great Gonerby with effect from 27th April 2019. Please join us in praying for all of these people. Details of current vacancies in the diocese are available at www.lincoln.anglican.org/vacancies
PRIZE CROSSWORD
Set by Ariq
Solution to the crossword in the last issue. Winner: Mrs A. Combes, Moulton.
To enter the Prize Crossword: Please send completed entries to Prize Crossword, Crosslincs, Communications Office, Edward King House, Minster Yard, Lincoln LN2 1PU. Closing date: 1st April 2019. A photocopy of the completed crossword is acceptable. The editor’s decision is final, and the prize will be a faith-related book.
Across
Down
12 Put up an alternative border (5) 13 Would copycat little devil resonate about act (11) 16 Weather current circumstances (7) 18 Bird hanging on an easterly (7) 20 Leander trained for academic (7)
1 Indian recipe author (4) 2 Poet’s last word when void is contemplated (5) 4 Pagan symbol, yet were removed to churchyard (3,4) 5 Prediction of prospect (7) 7 A makeshift sweet (5) 8 Faked German song (4) 10 Piratical joker? (7,4) 12 ‘The seconds were piling up’ (5,2,4) 14 Laces need adjusting for size (5) 15 Cunningly Sally lost a place. I heard why in the midst of it (5)
22 Awful fur sale is a no-no (7) 1/6 How terrible! Dud flare blew 23 Severely questioned cod? (7,4) 27 Nothing empty in egg (5) up (8) 3 Not just any long thread (5) 29 Praise former road charge shortly (5) 9 Have less energy to start 30/32 Where celebrities occasional chaos (5) demonstrate conversation (4,4) 11/28 A joker, and Henry briefly 31 Terminal poem (5) moreover (6)
17/19 Flier came unstuck (6) 21 See mammal perform in pods at zoo (7) 22 Red left Dad confused and looking the worse for wear (7) 23 Sounds like Yorkshire town is full of spirit (5) 24 Young birds come out of opening (5) 25 Invaders met one at the start of defence (4) 26 Current starts from lots of water (4)
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Prayer and reflection Struggling to find space? Follow Jesus into the desert The Resilient Disciple offers an invitation to take a ‘journey from adversity to maturity’. The Ven. Justine Allain Chapman, Archdeacon of Boston, has spoken to Crosslincs about the pilgrimage behind her new book...
Many people will identify with how she was feeling – that she needed more space and time to be alone, away from the constant demands of daily life such as emails and domestic tasks; but with four children at home and a fulltime job how was taking time out going to happen? “It was a struggle to get away,” Justine says, “but I needed space and time to think and after all, many people, including Jesus, have gone into the desert and have found solace and purpose.”
“I learned to trust the rhythms of the desert and to hold on, not lose hope and extend my patience and endurance” Although Justine found the desert ‘vast and beautiful’, there was another very real struggle to survive. “You can only take what you can carry into the desert so that was one rucksack and a sleeping bag. There is no tent, you sleep al fresco. I couldn’t laze about because I had to survive the extremes of temperature. The nights are very cold, and during the day I needed to find shelter from the sun and wind. Part of my retreat also involved three days of fasting and being completely solitary so I had to manage that experience too.” Pay attention to beauty “I can still see the intense colours of the desert – the piercing blue of the sky against the reds and yellows. But it could also quickly look bleak and then unfeeling. I could easily imagine dying there and not being noticed. But you can’t see that beauty without pondering the gift it is to you, and that you need it. W W W.LINCOLN. ANGLIC AN.ORG
Image: @ElizabethArgyll (Twitter)
Could you survive in the desert? The extreme changes of temperature as day turns to night? Days of fasting and solitariness? That’s what a pilgrimage to the desert would represent, and is what Archdeacon Justine experienced for eight days during her retreat in Egypt a few years ago, which inspired her to write The Resilient Disciple.
“The desert taught me that when I look over the landscape of my usual day and it feels barren, if I pay attention there will be gifts I can receive. When surrounded by beauty, I can expand and remember who I am, a creature in the presence of the creator who is fulfilled and filled with wonder by the beauty of nature and creativity. So now I do try to watch the sun for a moment if it is rising or setting, to buy or gather flowers for the table to keep me seated and paying attention as I finish my tea.” Finding space “Finding space, both mentally and physically, is a process I have to work at and struggle to make happen. I find it’s useful to go for a walk or do a bit of knitting to ponder a situation rather than being lured into reacting without consideration. “Crossing a physical threshold, leaving behind gadgets and daily demands, frees us to attend to a deeper place within us. Yes, thoughts can crowd in but by paying attention to them can help us find the space where we can be free to discover who we are or where we are at. In the desert I found that observing my thoughts and feelings as I lived through the extremes of temperature taught me much about the cycles my mind and emotions go through.”
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Theology and learning Image: @ElizabethArgyll (Twitter) ‘The art of kintsugi (‘repairing with gold’) not only restores cracked objects but makes them even more beautiful than before.’
Pay attention to the cycles and seasons “These changes in heat and cold taught me much about my ability to cope with fear, discomfort and even to learn a bit about perseverance and hope. When the sun was up I was so hot and weary that I thought I would never be cool again and then, when it got dark, I was both scared that I got so cold and also because I couldn’t see a thing until the moon and the stars appeared. “I learned to trust the rhythms of the desert and to hold on, not lose hope, and extend my patience and endurance. Back home I am more aware of my mood throughout the seasons of the year.
“If you struggle to get space, Lent is a good time to embrace that difficulty. To follow Jesus into the wilderness of the desert for 40 days and 40 nights will deepen your experience. Paying attention to beauty in the moment will be a gift in itself, affirming your humanity. It will invite you to cross that deep threshold so that you can be open to yourself, your struggle and to God, and having found the space, find it life-giving.” The Resilient Disciple is published by SPCK.
Lincoln Theological Network
Sharing in prayer and worship
LTN is to host the following lectures later this year:
The monthly diocesan prayer diary is published as a downloadable document on the diocesan website at www.lincoln.anglican.org/sharing-in-prayer
Saturday, 7th September at 3pm – ‘Anti-Clerical Views and Theological Thought: William Blake’s Visionary Christianity’ (Dr Sibylle Erle, Reader in English Literature in the School of Humanities at Bishop Grosseteste University, Lincoln). Friday, 18th October at 7pm – ‘Preserving the Penultimate: The Church and Healthcare’, As seen through the eyes of Dietrich Bonhoeffer and Albert Schweitzer (Dr Robert Mark Jaggs-Fowler, Physician, PhD student, and ordinand). To be held in the Chapter House at Lincoln Cathedral, tickets are £5 and will be available on the door.
We are aware that not everybody has online access to the diary, and so printed copies of each edition of the diary may be obtained by calling John Leach on 01522 50 40 50 x4108. In addition, the Homilies Project offers homilies for Sunday (or weekday) worship. Each week’s material is based on the Gospel reading from the Common Worship lectionary, and has details of the day’s readings, the Gospel reading in full, a brief homily and questions for discussion. More details may be obtained from John Leach or www.lincoln.anglican.org/the-homilies-project
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Children & Youth Ruby becomes bishop for a day! David Dadswell reports that there was a ‘rival bishop’ in the diocese just before Christmas – at least for one day... Bishop Christopher welcomed Bishop Ruby (pictured right) and all the choir from St Andrew’s CofE Primary School, Woodhall Spa, into the Edward King House (EKH) drawing room for a conversation about Christmas and being a bishop. This was before they joined the staff of EKH for their Carol Service in the Chapel of St Hugh, which Bishop Christopher led with a bit of help from Bishop Ruby. The EKH Carol Service is a highlight of the diocesan office’s year, with readings offered by staff and carols for all to sing. St Andrew’s choir helped lead the singing and also gave us two songs of their own to add to the richness of our celebration and our preparation for Christmas. We would like to offer a big thank you to Mr Whalley, the staff and all the pupils for the joy they brought, the rehearsing they had done and the energy that they put in on the last day of term. This contribution is another example of the quality of our church schools in the diocese.
Coming soon... don’t miss out
Encouraging young people
As featured in the last issue, The Big Night Out is to be held at Lincoln Engine Shed on the evening of Friday, 7th June 2019. A night for youth groups to share in a time of worship with live bands, plus games, refreshments and lots more, do get in touch with us for more information. A Networking Forum is to be held on Saturday, 30th March at St Peter’s Eastgate in Lincoln (10am–2pm, with lunch provided – please contact Jonny Bell for details), and Youth Groups can attend this year’s Spring Harvest event in Skegness on 17th April at a special discount rate (please contact Charlotte Bloom for more details). Jonny and Charlotte are the diocesan Children & Youth Team. Jonny is available on 07816 41 61 49 or via jonny. bell@lincoln.anglican.org Charlotte is available on 07908 70 38 64 or via charlotte.bloom@lincoln.anglican.org
As Jonny Bell reports, Youth Alpha is an interactive series that helps young people to explore the basics of the Christian faith. It is a free resource that combines videos and small-group discussions to help engage young people in some of the big questions of life.
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This resource can be used in a school environment and young leaders have the opportunity to take over the leading of the course. To date we have been able to facilitate the staging of two Youth Alpha courses that have been run by young people at William Farr CofE Comprehensive School in Welton. Here, two sixthform students have taken on the responsibility to plan, promote and run the course for their peers, with some guidance and advice from myself and Charlotte Bloom. Described as ‘an interactive series (13 episodes over nine weeks) exploring the basics of the Christian faith’, Youth Alpha provides a safe space for questions to be asked and for meaningful conversations about faith. For more see https://alpha.org/alpha-youth-series/
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Thy Kingdom Come 2019 Join the ‘global wave of prayer’ Following on from the introductory article in our last issue, here we learn of some of the planned events and resources relating to this year’s Thy Kingdom Come... Now in its fourth year, Thy Kingdom Come has united over a million Christians from more than 65 different denominations and traditions, in more than 114 countries, to pray for evangelisation. This annual event takes place between Ascension and Pentecost, which this year will be from Thursday, 30th May until Sunday, 9th June. An ecumenical prayer movement, in England Thy Kingdom Come has the support of the main heads of denominations and network leaders, including: • Archbishop Justin Welby – Archbishop of Canterbury and President of Churches Together in England (CTE) • Cardinal Vincent Nichols – Archbishop of Westminster and President of CTE • Archbishop Dr John Sentamu – Archbishop of York • His Eminence Archbishop Angaelos – Coptic Archbishop of London and President of CTE • The Revd Michaela Youngson – President of Methodist Conference (2018–19) • Gareth Powell – Secretary of Methodist Conference • The Revd Dr Hugh Osgood – Moderator of the Free Churches Group and President of CTE • The Revd Lynn Green – General Secretary of the Baptist Union of Great Britain • Pastor Agu Irukwu – Chair of Redeemed Christian Church of God UK and President of CTE • Nicky Gumbel (Vicar of HTB and pioneer of Alpha) • Pete Greig (founder of 24-7 Prayer) • Paul Harcourt (National Leader of NewWine) • Gavin Calver (Chair of Spring Harvest and Director of Mission at Evangelical Alliance). During the 11 days, Christians will pray for people they know and love to come to faith in Christ (‘pray for five’), and for their communities. They will gather in small groups, as part of church congregations, in families or as individuals to pray. Churches will organise a variety of events and activities, some of them ecumenical, including prayer walking, 24/1 or 24/11 continuous prayer, prayer stations, and special services and Beacon events. New developments set for this year include: • Trafalgar Square – on Pentecost Sunday there will be a celebration in central London to mark the end of
Thy Kingdom Come 2019. Thousands of Christians are expected to gather for the service, which will include contributions from different denominations as well as attendance from high-profile Christian leaders, including Archbishop Justin Welby, bishop of London Dame Sarah Mullaly DBE and Cardinal Vincent Nichols. Worship on the day will include worship leader Matt Redman and the Kingdom Choir, who rose to fame as a result of their spectacular performance at the Royal Wedding. • New website – there will be a new website and there will be encouragement for Christians to ‘light up the world in prayer’. The website and an accompanying app will be ready in March/April. • New resources – resources will include a Novena, Morning and Evening Prayer, the Prayer Journal, plus a new family resource, the Family Prayer Adventure Map, which will be printed and distributed to schools. • New language additions – resources are available in eight languages, including two new additions for this year, Arabic and Urdu, in response to demand. More languages will be added this year, including Italian. As highlighted in the last issue of Crosslincs, a special Beacon event is planned for Lincoln Cathedral for Saturday, 8th June 2019. The event will run from 10am until 12.15pm, with an optional Eucharist at 12.30pm, and it will feature several groupings from around our diocese and include many different ways of praying. In addition, and for the last half-hour, we will be gathering together for the official launch of the Community of St Hugh, our diocesan community of prayer. More details may be obtained by contacting John Leach on 01522 50 40 50 x4108 or by sending an email to john.leach@lincoln.anglican.org DIOCESELINCOLN
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Opportunities to serve Would you like to become a volunteer with re:shape? re:shape is a charity that specialises in leading a community response to sexual harm. Crosslincs hears more about their work and an appeal for volunteers... The overall mission of re:shape is ‘No More Victims’. At the time of writing, the charity was looking for more volunteers to help them rehabilitate offenders back into the community, and particularly in the south of our diocese in the areas around Boston and Spalding. The role of volunteers is to form ‘Circles of Support and Accountability’ around the former offender [former offenders are referred to as ‘core members’ (CMs)]. CMs are referred to re:shape mainly by the police and probation service but referrals are also received from other services. Volunteers play an important role by supporting CMs to re-integrate back into the community through both support and accountability.
“Our volunteers are amazing people who make a huge difference to the lives of our core members, helping them change their lives for good” CMs have to be committed to the Circle and to accept that they want to live a life free of offending. As many have recently been released from prison they might feel anxious and stressed about being away from their usual structured environment and feel that they might be at risk of reoffending so as just to return there. The assessment is carried out by the re:shape coordinator, not with the volunteers. The coordinator is aware of the CM’s full history and when assessing volunteers for the Circle they will be told brief details of their offending so they can say whether they wish to be involved in that Circle or not. The volunteers will then be matched to the CM. Once the Circle begins there will be a disclosure meeting where the CM will disclose his offending history to the volunteers. As part of the criteria the CM has to admit his offending and will discuss it with the volunteers. Each CM is assigned four to five volunteers who help them to rehabilitate back into the community. This could include helping them with their CV to find work, giving W W W.LINCOLN. ANGLIC AN.ORG
advice on budgeting and managing their finances, and enabling them to make contacts with social groups, all with the aim of reducing social isolation, which is a key factor in re-offending. Every meeting with the CM must have three volunteers present, with each meeting lasting two hours (one of which is spent directly with the CM). Volunteers come from a variety of different backgrounds but it is essential that volunteers are emotionally resilient and are empathic. They must also be committed to supporting the CM whilst holding them accountable for their behaviour. Volunteers receive full training and ongoing support to enable them, in turn, to support and appropriately hold to account the CM. With reference to the role played by volunteers, Nicky Linn, Lincolnshire Interventions Coordinator with re:shape, has said: “Our volunteers are amazing people who make a huge difference to the lives of our CMs, helping them change their lives for good.
“Our Circles are there to protect communities and to stop there being further victims” “We started in Lincolnshire in 2016 and most of our volunteers are still working with us. A lot of people may find it hard to understand what motivates people to work with sex offenders but many people see now that they cannot stay in prison forever and have to be rehabilitated into community. Our Circles are there to protect communities and to stop there being further victims. Importantly most offenders do want a new start and to be a better person and we can help them achieve that.” More details are available at www.re-shape.org.uk
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Safeguarding training Safeguarding training in your area Lucy Russell, diocesan Safeguarding Training Coordinator, offers details of forthcoming safeguarding-related training events that are set to take place across the diocese... The safety and wellbeing of the most vulnerable in our society lies at the heart of the Gospel we are privileged to share. Our churches should be places of security and safety for all. As those who share in the public ministry of the Church, we bear a responsibility for ensuring that our own care for the vulnerable is well informed, and meets the standards required by the diocesan policies for the safeguarding of children and adults at risk. Safeguarding training is mandatory; it is delivered in the church context and requires delegates to take part in a safeguarding training session at least once every three years. Renewal of authorisation, permission to officiate (PTO), and the take-up of a new position in the diocese also require the appropriate level of safeguarding training to be met. Who should attend the Foundation Module (C1&2)? Authorised lay ministers; pastoral assistants (e.g. those who take Holy Communion to the housebound unsupervised); children’s and young people’s workers; Parochial Church Council members; other volunteers (anyone else not qualifying for the Leadership Module). Who should attend the Leadership Module (C3)? The Leadership Module training is mandatory for clergy who hold the Bishop’s licence and are in employment; Readers who hold the Bishop’s licence; clergy and Readers with PTO (whether they are retired or not). This training module may also be beneficial for safeguarding coordinators and churchwardens. To book a place on a training course please contact Lucy Russell on 01522 50 40 57, Gemma Smith on 01522 50 40 68, or email safeguarding.training@lincoln.anglican.org C1&2 Foundation Training 2019 Wednesday, 20th March 2019 – Kirton Holme Hall, Kirton Holme (2–5pm) Tuesday, 26th March 2019 – St Mary’s Church, Horncastle (1.30–4.30pm) Tuesday, 26th March 2019 – St Mary’s Church, Horncastle (6–9pm) Wednesday, 3rd April 2019 – Church Hall, Reepham (1.30–4.30pm)
Saturday, 6th April 2019 – Priory Church, Deeping St James (9.30am–12.30pm) Tuesday, 9th April 2019 – St Mary’s Church, Horncastle (1.30–4.30pm) Tuesday, 9th April 2019 – St Mary’s Church, Horncastle (6–9pm) Saturday 27th April 2019 – Christ Church, Stamford (9.30am–12.30pm) Monday, 29th April 2019 – Trinity Centre, Louth (6–9pm) Tuesday, 30th April 2019 – St Swithin’s, Lincoln (6–9pm) Saturday, 11th May 2019 – All Saints’ Church, Barrowby, (9.30am–12.30pm) Wednesday, 15th May 2019 – Church Hall, Branston (9.30am–12.30pm) Saturday, 18th May 2019 – St Hugh’s Church, Old Brumby (9.30am–12.30pm) Tuesday, 21st May 2019 – Upton Church, Upton (6–9pm) Saturday, 1st June 2019 – Pickworth Village Hall, Pickworth (9.30am–12.30pm) Monday, 10th June 2019 – Gosberton Church Hall, Gosberton (6–9pm) Saturday, 15th June 2019 – St Mary’s Church Hall, Long Sutton (9.30am–12.30pm) Wednesday, 19th June 2019 – St Peter & St Paul Church, Kirton in Holland (6–9pm) Tuesday, 16th July 2019 – St Matthew’s Church, Skegness (6–9pm) Tuesday, 17th September 2019 – St Mary’s Parish Hall, Mablethorpe (6–9pm) Wednesday, 2nd October 2019 – St Barnabas Church Hall, Barnetby (6–9pm) Saturday, 5th October 2019 – Trinity Centre, Louth (2.30–5.30pm) C3 Leadership Training 2019 Thursday, 11th July 2019 – St Hugh’s Church, Old Brumby Thursday, 18th July 2019 – St Botolph’s Church Hall, Boston Friday, 26th July 2019 – Cathedral Centre, Lincoln Friday, 18th October 2019 – St Hugh’s Church, Old Brumby Thursday, 14th November 2019 – St Botolph’s Church Hall, Boston. The Leadership Training days are all scheduled for 9am until 4.30pm. See also www.lincoln.anglican.org/training DIOCESELINCOLN
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CALENDAR JUNE
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APRIL
Saturday, 23rd March (7.30pm). Boston Choral Society presents ‘Music from Lincolnshire’ at the Unitarian Chapel, Spayne Road, Boston PE21 6JT (the chapel is visible from John Adams Way but is accessed via York Street, near the football ground; parking is available on Spayne Road or in the car park near the chapel). The programme includes ‘The Land’, composed by Patrick Hawes and with words by the Revd Canon Andy Hawes, describing the four seasons of the year in and around Gedney, plus music by John Taverner, William Byrd and Philip Marshall. Tickets are available at the door (£8 each including light refreshments) or £7 if booked in advance via www.bostonchoral.com Call 01778 44 02 34 for more details.
Saturday, 27th April – Monday, 6th May (10.30am–5pm). St Mary’s Church in Sutterton (PE20 2JH) is holding its annual flower festival. The theme is ‘scarecrows and their partners’. Also to include refreshments and lunches, plants, bric-a-brac, flowers, etc. There is disabled access, parking and toilet facilities. ‘Come and see the scarecrows in a world of flowers’. Church details are at www.suttertonparishchurch.co.uk MAY
Saturday, 25th May – Monday, 27th May (11am–5pm). 31st Tathwell Fine Art Exhibition at St Vedast’s Church, Tathwell, Louth LN11 9SR. Admission: £2. To include over 150 words of art, plus crafts, books, plants, refreshments, etc.
Friday 21st June (7.30pm). An Evening of Jazz & Soul with Saxophonist Snake Davis and his band at All Saints Church, Church Street, Gainsborough, DN21 2JR. The programme will include ‘a wonderful mix of soul, world funk and jazz classics, always melodic, always soulful, with original material plus Snake’s take on the all-time greats by Otis Reading, Junior Walker and Michael Jackson’. Tickets are £15 & £12, with free admission for a child under 14 years and accompanied by an adult. Tickets are available locally from All Saints Church Café, Horsleys Furniture Store or at wegottickets.com For more forthcoming events in the diocese see www.lincoln.anglican.org
Image: Push Creativity
Churches festival is set to include a ‘Sconeathon’ in 2019 An extra attraction will feature in this year’s West Lindsey Churches Festival. Crosslincs hears more about what is planned in the event’s 23rd year... Step into history for free this May and indulge in Lincolnshire’s first ‘Sconeathon’, as 95 churches and chapels open their doors amidst the stunning Lincolnshire Wolds and West Lindsey landscapes. The West Lindsey Churches Festival offers an opportunity to explore a wide range of heritage sites covering many periods and styles, including Grade I-listed buildings and fascinating historic objects of national importance. Church volunteers are this year putting on what is claimed to be Lincolnshire’s first ‘Sconeathon’, where scones of every variety will be being freshly baked for visitors to sample, in around half of the churches taking part. Unusual scone combinations, such as chilli and chocolate, will be on offer along with those created from secret family recipes, plus, of course, W W W.LINCOLN. ANGLIC AN.ORG
the classic fruit or cheese varieties. The challenge is to taste as many types of scones as possible over the four days, sharing photos on social media using the hashtag of ‘#LincsSconeathon’. Highlights will include the Riby St Edmund’s ‘Sconeoff’, an exhibition tracing local scone ingredients at St Helen’s at Willingham by Stow, plus twice-baked and gluten-free scones at St Mary’s Claxby. The festival will also offer visitors delicious homemade lunches and organ trails with live music recitals. The festival will take place over two weekends in May (11–12th and 18–19th), and is made possible by over 700 volunteers. For the latest information please see the festival website at www.churchesfestival.info DIOCESELINCOLN
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