£1 March 2019
Pott Shrigley’s Church & Parish Magazine
David’s Deliberations In the middle of February we held a prayer vigil at St Christopher’s. It was part of a wider ‘Call to Prayer’ which I made, inviting people to pray for God to show our church the right way forward for our church building (the letter, entitled ‘Unless the Lord builds the house….’ is still available in church and on our website). And so, through the day, there were people praying continuously in church – and I know that many others have been responding to the call to pray in their own time and in their own way.
Most Christians feel themselves to be ‘not very good’ at prayer. I certainly do: too easily distracted; struggling to truly believe that it makes a difference; always something more pressing to do…. Jesus knew this when He said: ‘... if you have faith as small as a mustard seed, you can say to this mountain: “Move from here to there,” and it will move’. For the outcome doesn’t rely on our prowess as pray-ers, but on the power of the One to whom we pray.
David Swales
As Christians we believe that if we want to know God’s blessing, His guidance, His help for ourselves, for others, for our world, then prayer is vital. It is hard to explain why, and less still how, it works but it has something to do with the fact that God calls us to cooperate, to ‘work together’ with Him: such is the value He puts on each one of us, such is His grace and humility, that He allows Himself to rely on us – on our prayers and also on our acts of service – to get His work done in this world while at the same time He calls us to rely on His ability to change things, and indeed to change us. HotPott - March 2019
He also knew that we can support one another’s prayers: ‘if two of you on earth agree about anything they ask for, it will be done for them by my Father in heaven’. And that is why praying with others, as well as alone, is so important – for instance in our weekly gathering (7pm, Tuesday) where we join together in our prayers for the church and the world. Most of March this year falls in the season of Lent. I for one will make it my Lenten discipline to persevere with prayer, hoping that, with practice, I’ll get better at it! Your friend and vicar, David
This Edition Pg
Content
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David’s Deliberations
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Better to Try...?
5
News from Pott Shrigley Church School
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Pott Shrigley CC Centenary 1919-2019: The Formative Years
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A Complicated Man
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From Van Rouge to Vin Rouge
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PCC Ponderings
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Your Vote, Your Council
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The Perfect Setting
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Praying 'On the Hoof!'
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Flix in the Stix
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The Suffering Church
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Mouse Makes
19
Coffee Break
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Missionary Matters
25
The General Data Protection Regulations (GDPR)
29
Recipe: Seabass with Vegetables
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What's Wrong With Having Time?
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Chores & Chains
32
Services
33
Sidespeople
34
Regular Church Activities
March 2019 Page 3
P.S. Another good resolution for Lent is to get to know the Bible better. Please help yourself to a copy of ‘Books of the Bible; my Notes and Reflections’. This lovely book introduces you to 12 books of the Bible, has space for your own notes and thoughts, and even some seriously cool colouring! It is ideal for adults, for families, for younger people –and there are enough copies in church for everyone to have one.
Better to try…? Do you know how to use the defibrillator mounted on the village hall wall? Or how to do cardiopulmonary resuscitation (CPR)? A few weeks ago, when we were in Bollington library, a Community First Responder (CFR) was demonstrating CPR on a Resusci Anne manikin. We stopped to watch and were offered the chance to attend a two and a half hour course, Heart Start, sponsored by the British Heart Foundation. It's brilliant. This one was held in Bollington Community Hall but they are held regularly across the area.
Anyone can attend, no previous knowledge required. You are taught how and when to use CPR and how to tell the difference between a heart attack and a cardiac arrest (the heart stopping completely), as well as briefly touching on the best way to treat choking or bleeding until help arrives. Ian Stoner is the Bollington CFR and he told us how very well equipped Bollington is with defibrillator machines and how to access and use them. CPR is hard work, but if it manages to keep the blood circulating to the brain until an ambulance arrives it can increase the patient’s chances of survival. The defibrillator machine will instruct you every step of the way and in Bollington you are never more than 200 metres from one. One of the Pott Shrigley defibrillators is situated to the right of the main door to the village hall, the other is on the wall of Green Close Chapel. Editor For more information on available courses contact Ian Stoner 0771 264 7357 or Ian@bmcfr.org. We hope we never have to use it, but as Ian said: ‘What have you got to lose?’ Better to try than stand helplessly by.
Reg and Jean Ferguson
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A grand opening, bouldering, sacred places and a call for gardeners; news from Pott Shrigley Church School Dear all, Our main news this month is that we have finally, spectacularly, opened our new adventure play area! We had a grand opening ceremony with our mayor, Jon Weston, officially opening the play area, followed by tea and cake for all. The children are
Joanne Bromley, headteacher
absolutely delighted with the equipment and have already benefitted much from the extra exercise and fun it provides. We have also been active every Friday afternoon down at The Substation in Macclesfield, where we use a bouldering wall and yoga studio. The children at Pott Shrigley should be ready to climb a mountain by Easter!
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As part of our RE topic on sacred places, we all visited St Christopher’s in January to look at church, why it is special and what we could find in there that makes it a sacred place. You can see some pictures of the lovely drawings we sketched whilst we were there below. After Easter we are embarking on a new gardening project for which we have secured a small science grant. Are there any keen gardeners out there who are interested in volunteering their time for a gardening club at school? If anyone is interested, please contact the school office on admin@pottshrigley. cheshire.sch.uk I look forward to seeing you all at the next family service.
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Pott Shrigley Cricket Club Centenary Year: 1919 – 2019 The Formative Years: part two Last month we left PSCC in 1921, when Colonel Lowther from Shrigley Hall had just been made president. The story continues with tales of success in the league and remarkable (by today’s standards) scores.
Graham Hackney The early years saw the club playing so called ‘friendly’ cricket against a mixture of local 2nd and 3rds XIs of the larger clubs, plus works teams such as Hovis, Scraggs, A.V. Roe, Oak Grove, J. Ogdens, Langley and Christys. If you were lucky, the uneven pitch had been mowed that morning or just before the start. As you would expect, the bowlers always dominated, with low scores being the norm. You didn’t have to be quick, but it helped. This was illustrated by a typical match at home to Langley 3rd XI in 1922 which saw Pott struggling to score 36 all out, with Holland for the visitors having the remarkable return of 9 for 21, but Shrigley’s bowlers were undaunted: E. Crompton with 6 for 5 and Frank Tinsley taking 4 for 3 saw Langley crumble to 14 all out. The 1928 season saw us join the re-shaped Adlington League, but before any cricket had been played it was announced that our president, Colonel W .G. Lowther, had passed away after a period of poor health. A new president was found close by at Pott Hall in Mrs. Sarah Elfrida Higson, whose husband Peter had been a parish councillor until he also tragically died the year before. Mrs Higson, who helped to start the Rose Queen tradition in Pott, stayed on as our president for two years, also replacing husband Peter on the parish council before leaving to live in Windermere. However, she left the family name behind by presenting Page 6
the league with the Higson Trophy for the second division winners, which she had the pleasure of presenting to Pott Shrigley the following year, and the Higson Challenge Cup. Yet another step forward for female rights. Her short tenure was to be followed by two much longer serving presidents: George M. Swindells (1937-1948) and Thomas V. Ruddin (1949-1961). 1928 also proved to be a breakthrough year on the field of play as all the hard work began to pay off. The second XI gave us our first taste of success by winning the second division championship; no silverware this time but Mrs. Higson made sure that didn’t happen again. In the following four seasons, Pott Shrigley dominated both divisions by winning Division One three times and Division Two twice. In the fourth year 1932, we had two teams in Division One: Team B came top and team A runners up. To top it all off, in 1933 we won the Challenge Cup. Walter Hough led the way at Adlington hitting the first score over 50, his 54 helped Pott to a record score of 129. After his tea, he then took five wickets and, with A. Wainwright getting the other five, Adlington were sent back to the pavilion for 62. Joe Fisher, a fine strike bowler, was now HotPott - March 2019
regularly taking five and six wickets, both home and away. His best return was 8 for 34; he also took 7 for 17 against a League Select XI. Other outstanding performances came from Walter Hough, who took six wickets in six consecutive balls, all bowled; Les Hough six wickets for one run and Ted Lidbetter and Frank Tinsley both frequently putting in ‘man of the match’ performances.
Arthur Shepley & Gervaise Coe
Team spirit must have been at its best. This was shown in a tale recounted by 79 year old Arthur Shepley and Gervaise Coe (78), both of whom played in the late 1930s and 40s. Batting second at Adlington, Arthur’s ‘duck’
was his third in a row. When he reached the boundary, he tore his boots off in a fit of temper and tossed them under the pavilion, vowing never to play again. By the following week he was having second thoughts so cycled all the way back and crawled underneath the pavilion to recover his boots, he cleaned them up and carried on playing! Gerv was the local postman who said it was the Cheshire air and his round that kept him fit. Arthur and Gerv both ‘starred’ in another low score away to Stockport Parish when Pott were rolled over for the grand total of four, two of which were extras and the other two runs – you’ve guessed it – scored one each by Arthur and Gerv. Both insisted there were no arguments after the match and their overriding memories were of playing in a happy friendly atmosphere. The last score line is not much worse than some of the England team performances in the W. Indies recently! We look forward to hearing more stories of PSCC as their centenary year progresses.
A Complicated Man... Have you ever read the Narnia series of books by C.S. Lewis? If not then I suggest you hot foot it to the library and borrow them. You
Jean Ferguson will find them in the children's section, but don't be fooled. Lewis was one of the most prolific and respected Christian authors and thinkers of the 20th century. Narnia brings to life all facets of the human condition and the redeeming nature of God. The Secret Country of C. S. Lewis by Anne Arnott is a gem of a find hidden in our book corner. Like the Narnia series, it is a book written for young people but with a universal HotPott - March 2019
appeal to those of us who may struggle with a more scholarly biography of this complicated man. Anne Arnott explores his sad childhood, the difficult relationship he had with his father and his reluctant journey into faith from convinced atheist to committed Christian. Whilst only a short book, it brings to life this fascinating man through his writings and letters to his many friends. Page 7
From Van Rouge to Vin Rouge Regular readers have already been treated to tales of Keith the post’s fabulous holidays. Here’s the last instalment, at least until his next exotic trip…
jewels and wearing the largest sunglasses I had ever seen, had boarded the plane carrying a small dog, which sat on the seat next to her.
My third flight was also on Concorde, although this time it was with Air France. I had organized the previous trip some 12 months before Margaret and I got together and I think she felt left out somewhat. The holiday, which became our honeymoon, was exactly the same as before (and a similar price), the only difference being that we flew back from J.F.K. to Paris where we stayed for two days before returning to Manchester (and reality) on an Air France Boeing 737.
The flight to Paris was slightly longer than to London, so we had about 15 minutes to spare after the food and drinks service. As the plane was only just over half full, we were able to visit the cockpit and talk to the flight engineer and take photographs. On returning to our seats, Margaret decided to visit the toilet (to check out the various perfumes and eau de colognes on offer I think); when she emerged, she was astounded to notice that in such a short time we had travelled from daylight into darkness!
The interior of the Air France Concorde was not quite as plush as the British Airways’ aircraft: it did not have leather seating and had a different colour scheme. The food, however, was just as magnificent. The Air France Concorde Lounge at J.F.K did not have the large picture windows overlooking the aircraft, but again the choice of complimentary food and drinks was plentiful. The take off from J.F.K was just as spectacular and unnerving as on the B.A flight, except that on this trip there were only 62 people on board – Paris was obviously not as popular a destination as London. Much to our amazement, a little old dear, dripping in
Keith and the QE2 Page 8
Before landing, I contacted one of the stewards to ask him if he could get the flight crew to sign our menu as we happened to be on our honeymoon. 'Non,' he said and instead produced a proper certificate which, after fixing his tie and putting on his jacket, he announced he would get them to sign that instead, which they did. That certificate is now framed and sits alongside a signed photograph of us and the Captain of the QE2, Robin Woodhall. So there we have it. My claim to fame: my first three flights ever were all on Concorde. There is Business Class and First Class but there has
Keith and Margaret HotPott - March 2019
only ever been one Concorde Class. I think Keith’s claim to fame was really that he was the Pott Shrigley postman! Fantastic to hear of his travels, so often the source of envy on the doorsteps of Pott. Editor.
Learn more about St Christopher’s: an evening in church with the church recorders, 15th March – 7 for 7.30pm. Over the last couple of years volunteers have been coming to St Christopher’s to record, in detail, the contents of the church. This project is now almost complete and David Griffiths, who leads the project, has offered to give a talk about the work of church recorders, and, in particular their findings at St Christopher’s. Those of us who have observed the team at work know how detailed their recording is, including trips to the bank to see the church silver and up to see the bells – few in the congregation have ventured so far! Church Recording is a function of the Arts Society. It promotes recognition and preservation of our rich artistic heritage by recording the contents of places of worship of all denominations. The contents are described in detail and their history researched. The material is compiled into a book with illustrations, a copy of which is presented to the church. This promises to be a fascinating evening. Light refreshments will be available from 7pm. Although you are most welcome to just turn up on the night, it would help the caterers if you could let Duncan Matheson know if you are coming – see him in church, or sign the list at the back of church or telephone 574983.
*** A minister, known for his lengthy sermons, noticed a man leave during the middle of his message. The man returned as the service concluded. Afterwards the minister asked the man where he had gone. “I went to get a hair-cut,” was the reply. “But,” protested the minister, “why didn’t you do that before the service?” “Because,” said the man, “I didn’t need one then.” *** HotPott - March 2019
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PCC Ponderings The first PCC meeting of 2019 took place on 22nd January. There were 16 members present. An ongoing issue from recent meetings has been the need to finalise the paperwork to comply with the current legislation on data protection. Kath Matheson had circulated the latest versions of two documents – a data privacy notice, describing how the personal data the church holds will be processed and used, and a consent form which individuals will complete if they wish to give permission for church to contact them by email, phone or post (or all three!) and how they want their own data to be used. The documents were approved in principle with very minor changes suggested.
As the church accounts run to the end of December 2018, Peter was able to give us an overall view of the church finances. Subject to some minor adjustments, the current position is that payments exceed receipts by £27,775. Whilst this trend is a worrying one, we need to take into account some large items of expenditure – in particular repairs to the stonework and roof which have amounted to approximately £30,000 over the year.
Ros Johnson
In his report, the vicar thanked all those who had contributed to the running and staffing of the Christmas services. The four Carols by Candlelight services were particularly successful; attendance figures at the carol services over the last three years, compiled by Mike Akerman, showed 521 (2016), 564 (2017) and 702 (2018). Even allowing for some double counting, where the same people attended more than one service, these results are really gratifying. There were also higher numbers at the Christmas Eve and Christmas Day services in 2018 than in previous years. Peter Kennedy, the treasurer, gave notice of an increase in the amount due in 2019 for our Parish Share, which is the annual sum due to Chester Diocese and is over and above all other church costs, such as heating, lighting, repairs etc. The new figure is an eye-watering £54,665 – or £4,555 per month. This increase represents a rise of 2.5% on the 2018 figure. Page 10
On the subject of building works, some plastering needs to be carried out above the Lowther pew, where damage was caused by a leaking skylight. David Garton has adjusted the fit of the new door at the top of the tower, however recent wet weather means it needs readjusting! (Huge thanks to David. Keeping the church intact is like painting the Forth Bridge!) Two issues affecting the churchyard have been considered recently. The vicar, Duncan Matheson and the two churchwardens have looked at solutions for providing disabled access to the grounds. This has been required for some time and really needs to be put in place now, rather than being tied into the church room project. One option is to create a new opening in the churchyard wall to the left of the lychgate, leading to a ramp which would be paved or covered with tarmac. Another option is to build out through the lychgate over the cobbles, but this is more difficult as the church does not own the cobbled area. The second topic being considered is a new space for depositing cremated remains. An area was identified near the churchyard wall opposite the school. This is at present covered by rhododendrons, which would have to be cleared. Permission HotPott - March 2019
would have to be obtained from the diocese but the issue is non urgent as there are a number of plots remaining in the area currently being used. Two working groups reported their findings to the PCC. The first was considering whether the church should be open at certain times and the conclusion was that it should be open, but un-manned. More work is needed to look at the practicalities and to investigate the security aspects of this. The second group has been considering the case for the church room. A new scheme has been drawn up which would make the room a bit larger than previously planned and it would be sited further away from the church, down a glazed corridor. This would address some of the concerns raised by planners and would have less visual impact on the current church building. As part of their research, the group visited similar projects in other parishes. The team looked purely at the merits of the project as a whole in deciding whether the room should go ahead, and the
consensus of the group was that it should. Rough cost estimates have been compiled but the group has not looked in detail at financial aspects, which are, of course, important as the project will be expensive. Some members of the PCC felt the fund-raising required may detract from the other functions of the church. All PCC members felt that if it’s God’s will that we build the room, He would make it possible for the funds to be raised and that in this, as in all things, we should seek His will. Before taking a final decision, members were asked to make this issue a serious focus of prayer, both on an individual basis and in groups.
*** At Sunday School the children were learning how God created everything, including human beings. Little Josh was especially intent when the teacher told him how Eve was created out of one of Adam’s ribs. Later in the week his mother noticed him lying down and looking scared. “Josh, what is the matter?” Josh whispered “I have a pain in my side. I think I’m going to have a wife.” *** HotPott - March 2019
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Your Vote, Your Council Footpath closure progress
The council supports this application.
Footpath PS4 on the Gritstone Trail has been closed for several months because a foundation stone has slipped from under the donkey bridge. The concern that this very old bridge might be replaced by a modern one has been solved! Success: the funding has now been secured to carry out the work to reinstate the original bridge. Much of the money has been raised by voluntary contributions; the remainder will come from council funding.
18/6119M Location: 3a Moorside Cottages, Moorside Lane, Pott Shrigley, SK10 5RZ Proposal: Variation of condition 2 on application 14/2798M. Detail: The internal layout and elevational treatment of the proposed replacement dwelling have been altered to suit an upsidedown layout. The proposals also incorporate the proposed single storey outbuilding which has been deemed lawful under 18/4876M.
Thank you! The parish council would like to express gratitude to the residents of Sherrowbooth who have reinstated the gate on the footpath at the side of the cattle grid on their property, thus making pedestrian access far easier. Planning Applications 19/0048M and 19/0049M (listed building consent) Location: Shrigley Hall, Pott Shrigley, SK10 5SB Proposal: Refurbishment of the existing spa including new external pool, new mezzanine floor to old gym and refurbishment works to hotel reception 19/0383M & 19/0385M (listed building consent) Location: The Croft, Pott Shrigley, SK10 5SA Proposal: Extension and alterations including demolition of existing single storey extension and conversion of existing garage to habitable accommodation Pending 18/4950M Location: Normans Hall Farm, Pott Shrigley SK10 5SE Proposal: Conversion and extension of workshop building into five residential dwellings. Page 12
19/0383M Proposal: Extension and alterations including demolition of existing single storey extension and conversion of existing garage to habitable accommodation Location: The Croft, Pott Shrigley, SK10 5SA After this was discussed, the council decided to leave this application to the planners to check whether it met the requirements of the original permission. 18/6085M (listed building consent) Location: The Croft, Pott Shrigley, SK10 5SA Proposal: Replacement of rotten window frames and repair perished leading, re-using glass. Flush light to centre. The council supports this application. NP/CEC/1118/1098 (listed building consent) Location: Sherrow Booth Manor, Bakestonedale Road, Pott Shrigley. Proposal: Erection of orangery. The council supports this application. Date and time of next meetings The next parish council meeting will be held on Monday 4th March 2019 in the village hall.
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The Perfect Setting One Sunday afternoon in January, Pam Cooke and I attended our third ‘Weddings Fair’ at Shrigley Hall Hotel.
David Swales In the grand surroundings of the William Turner Suite, our stand included the excellent leaflet prepared for us by Steve Murphy and Jo Hadfield Gem: ‘St Christopher’s Church, Pott Shrigley; the Perfect Setting’ and other helpful literature. In addition, this time we looked very professional with our superb banner (thanks again to Jo). Throughout the afternoon, a number of prospective brides and grooms (and parents) stopped by to ask more about what is involved in getting married in their local church, or, indeed, at St Christopher’s. We took our place alongside many businesses promoting their goods and services: all there to persuade couples that their special day would not be truly special without their particular offering: photography, gowns, floristry, cars, of course; but also neon signs, pick and mix sweets, and whatever else you might imagine. A wedding day is, of course, always special and I believe it is not always made more special by spending more money on it. With this in mind, you may wonder why we feel it appropriate to take part in a commercial wedding fair. The answer is simple: we need to get the message out there that the Church is still the best place to get married. In my earlier days as a vicar, and for generations before, couples had little choice: unless you opted for a register office, you had to get married in church. Now, quite rightly, couples have a free choice, as a range of venues is licensed HotPott - March 2019
for weddings. However, this has had an unintended consequence: the widespread belief that for most people a church wedding is not an option. It is assumed that only local residents living in the parish or existing church members can be married there: in fact, the Church of England, which now as much as ever is there to serve the whole community, wants to promote and support the institution of marriage by marrying people in church and welcomes any opportunity to discuss this with couples. Another false belief is that with its historic buildings, professional clergy, bellringers, organists, choirs and so-on, a church wedding will be a much more expensive option – while in fact it can cost less than paying for the registrar to attend a hired hotel room. And, of course, a church is a real, living, breathing community space with a history, a heritage and a hope, whereas a wedding venue is just that, no less, but no more. So, as you can see, we do need to get out there and spread the word that the church is, indeed, the ‘Perfect Setting’! PS: Very many thanks to Shrigley Hall Hotel for often telling couples about the lovely, welcoming church down the road, and also for welcoming us to their wedding fairs – including their very own in-house ‘Weddings Open Day’ on March 10th. Page 13
Praying ‘On the Hoof’! Audrey is on the rota for leading prayers in the services at St. Christopher’s and writes about one of the prayers she used in January.
Audrey Bomford Leading prayers in church is always a privilege, and there’s (usually) time to prepare – to read and think about what’s going on in the world and in our community so we can unite in pouring out our thanks and requests to God. But what about the rest of the day, the night, the week? St. Paul urged the Greek church in Thessalonica to ‘Pray without ceasing’. That might have been all well and good for Paul you may think. After all, he had time. He was making tents for a living and travelling a great deal by boat, on foot… or literally, on the hoof! Even in chains and in prison – chatting with God at any time seemed to come naturally to Paul. But when I think of how frequently I reach for the mobile - I have no excuse! Some Lent intentions to pray more may be in our minds, so how about ‘five-a-day’ with a difference?
(instead of the mobile) – and pray for others too, by replacing ‘me’ with the name of someone else. As an after-thought, if you’re passing fields of sheep and lambs, cattle and calves, or even just grass, pray for those who labour all hours working on the land, caring for everything on the hoof! Circle me O God, Keep hope within, Despair without, Circle me O God. Circle me O God, Keep peace within, Keep turmoil out, Circle me O God. Circle me O God, Keep calm within, Keep storms without, Circle me O God. Circle me O God, Keep strength within, Keep weakness out, Circle me O God. By David Adam
The final prayer that I used in church in January was for ourselves. It is adapted from ancient Celtic prayers and called a Caim, or circling prayer. Like the over and under weaving patterns of Celtic knotwork which have no end, these prayers signify the endlessness of God’s love for us, now and in eternity. The prayer is easy to memorise, so during Lent why not use it to replace some of those ‘mobile’ moments and reach out to God Page 14
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Spring 2019
13th March - A Star Is Born Members will be voting at this screening for the films to be shown in the following three months
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The Suffering Church Whilst we should always remember that Christians continue to be persecuted in many places, it’s good to report four items of good news this month. At the end of January Pakistan’s Supreme Court dismissed a petition against the acquittal of Aasia Bibi, the Christian who spent eight years on death row after accusations of blasphemy were made against her; the court found widespread inconsistencies in the evidence given by her accusers. Aasia, together with some of her family, appears to be under house arrest currently, though the government has said she could leave Pakistan ‘in the medium term’; her daughters are already living in Canada. Please pray for the whole family, that after this long ordeal they may find a life together in safety. Pray too for the judges, legal representatives and others who supported Aasia, as they are all at risk of significant harm from radical Moslems who seek to suppress other religions by any means possible. 135,000 Christians attended an event during the papal visit in February to the United Arab Emirates (UAE), a startling occurrence in a region where Christian worship is highly restricted and can only be done in private, where Christians converting from Islam risk imprisonment for apostasy and where evangelising Muslims or preaching ‘against
Papal Visit to UAE
Islam’ carries a prison sentence of up to five years. The Christian population in UAE is growing extremely quickly, mainly due to an influx of Christian workers, and is estimated to number over a million. The country has recently gained a new cathedral and 16 new churches. The 48-hour papal visit to the UAE is unprecedented for the Arabian Peninsula and may signal a softening attitude towards the Christian community. Pray that this tolerance may spread to the other countries in the Arabian Peninsula.
Aasia Bibi
In Bulgaria, representatives of minority religions, including members of the Bulgarian Evangelical Alliance, lobbied hard for the defeat of a proposal put before the national parliament to limit evangelising, ban worship outside officially recognised buildings and restrict church leader training. Religious groups would also have needed 300 members before being officially recognised. Christians gathered in Sofia on three consecutive Sundays in November 2018 to protest against these oppressive measures. The proposals were not agreed by parliament. A pastor of an evangelical church in Sofia spoke of his relief that the law was not changed to discriminate against Christians and followers of other minority religions. He also said: ‘We are fully aware that this would not have happened
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without the strong international support and prayers that questioned the intentions of our lawmakers and the strong and consistent protesting and lobbying within the country’. Praise the Lord for answered prayers! Pray too that the Bulgarian constitution, which states: ‘The practising of any religion shall be unrestricted’ would continue to be upheld in the future.
Christians protesting in Sofia
In January, work began to build a new church in one of Egypt’s ‘fourth generation’ cities, New Alamein; this city is designed to accommodate three million people and to be a gateway to southern Europe from North Africa. Church leaders thanked President alSisi for allocating the land, which confirms his intention for new towns to include churches as well as mosques. On 6 January, the Coptic Church’s Christmas Eve, the president attended the opening of the cathedral in Egypt’s new administrative capital; Mr. al-Sisi expressed his support for Christians: ‘You are our family, you are from us, we are one and no one will divide us’. The Egyptian government has continued the process of legalising church buildings: 508 applications were approved in 2018 but progress is slow, with more than 3,000 churches still waiting to be registered. Although Christians are treated more favourably under the current Egyptian regime, the opening of a governmentrecognised church is sometimes used as a pretext for violence against Christians in rural communities such as al-Kumeria where a church building was attacked and forced to close shortly after it received official recognition. Please give thanks for
the progress that is being made in Egypt and continue praying for Christians there.
Coptic Pope with President al-Sisi
Algerian Church in a Tent
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Christians in Algeria continue to face persecution. We have previously reported that government officials had closed some church buildings on somewhat dubious health and safety grounds, but more recently police also forced a congregation of 300 out of the tent they were using for worship after their church building was closed. The officially recognised church had been open for five years and has a powerful ministry to local Muslims. Officially non-Muslim religious groups in Algeria are required to be registered to conduct services and are restricted to using approved locations to do so, but previously the authorities usually allowed registered (and sometimes non-registered) Christian groups to meet without specific permission. However, a number of churches have been shut down since the start of 2018, either for alleged breaches of health and safety regulations or because authorities claim they are not properly registered. Please pray that these church buildings will be re-opened and that the government will show a more tolerant attitude towards Christian activities.
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HotPott - March 2019
Coffee Break
Across 1 These letters come between Romans and Galatians (11) 9 ‘You will not — me to the grave’ (Psalm 16:10) (7) 10 King of Moab to whom the Israelites were subject for 18 years (Judges 3:14) (5) 11 Town possessing mineral spring (3) 13 Mede (anag.) (4) 16 High-fidelity (abbrev.) (4) 17 He succeeded his father Rehoboam as king of Judah (1 Kings 14:31) (6) 18 A son of Simeon (Genesis 46:10) (4) 20 Controversial religious book of the 1970s, The — of God Incarnate (4) 21 ‘He has received from the Father the promised Holy Spirit and has poured out what you — — and hear’ (Acts 2:33) (3,3) 22 ‘You — me together in my mother’s womb’ (Psalm 139:13) (4) 23 Edit (anag.) (4) 25 ‘Who has believed our message and to whom has the — of the Lord been revealed?’ (Isaiah 53:1) (3) 28 Abraham’s brother (Genesis 22:23) (5) 29 ‘When Mordecai learned of — that had been — , he tore his clothes’ (Esther 4:1) (3,4) 30 Sympathetic (Proverbs 11:16) (4-7) Down 2 ‘That was why his parents said, “He is — —; ask him”’ (John 9:23) (2,3) 3 Integrated Services Digital Network (1,1,1,1) 4 4 ‘Saul has slain his thousands, and David his — of thousands’ (1 Samuel 18:7) (4) 5 Concept (John 8:14) (4) 6 ‘Do we, then, — the law by this faith? Not at all! Rather, we uphold the law’ (Romans 3:31) HotPott - March 2019
(7) 7 Industrious (2 Timothy 2:6) (11) 8 ‘I pray also that the eyes of your heart may be — in order that you may know the hope to which he has called you (Ephesians 1:18) (11) 12 ‘Out of the same mouth come — and cursing’ (James 3:10) (6) 14 This was how many of the Jewish leaders described Jesus (John 10:20) (3) 15 Vitality (Job 20:11) (6) 19 He urged David to kill Saul at Hakilah (1 Samuel 26:8) (7) 20 ‘So for a whole year Barnabas and Saul — with the church and taught great numbers of people’ (Acts 11:26) (3) 24 ‘Hear, O Israel: The Lord our God, the Lord — — ’ (Deuteronomy 6:4) (2,3) 25 Parched (Matthew 12:43) (4) 26 ‘In the image of God he created him; — and female he created them’ (Genesis 1:27) (4) 27 Disparagement (Psalm 15:3) (4) Page 19
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Missionary Matters
Johnny McClean enjoyed teaching the pastors, youth and women’s ministry leaders at the Karen Baptist Convention last month; readers may remember that the Karen tribe is mainly Christian and hails from Myanmar, where the authorities persecute them. The convention was good but Johnny found the curried tadpoles somewhat of a problem! At the end of January, Ann asked on Facebook for prayer for Bangkok. Over the past weeks they have experienced severe air pollution – a problem every year when they are burning the fields, but this year worse and longer than usual. The government announced a two day closure of all schools in Bangkok and the surrounding provinces; Ann posted a photo of a teacher and class of children all wearing masks, possibly from her school as they remained open but kept the children indoors all the time. Although the members of the McClean family are not frequent communicators (they are probably too busy!), don’t forget them in your prayers.
baptised on March 4th, which is also the date of the church’s 12th anniversary. In Malawi, Semester 1 at the Evangelical Bible College (EBCoM) has finished and Megumi Fazakerley, who teaches there, managed to mark the exams and essays and submit the results to the academic dean on time. The next semester begins on March 11th, so Megumi is busy preparing his teaching in addition to getting ready for a visit from the National Council for Higher Education during the first week of term; their report will determine whether EBCoM can continue to function legally – so good preparation for the visit is vital. Megumi’s wife Helen has attended a seminar on trauma healing, a prelude to a full week of training in April. She is still helping the new personnel co-ordinator as well as mentoring other missionary workers.
John Ryley
Pray for Lek (who helps the McCleans in the house) that she may be a good witness for Jesus in the slum where she lives and that her two daughters may come to faith; for Sompon who faithfully delivers a sermon every Sunday in her church while they hope for a trained pastor; for Asef, Sarah and their daughter Maya that they may be able to get to Canada as refugees; for Ann as she teaches at the International School and acts as key stage 3 leader; for the McClean children Matthew, Bethan and Joshua that they may keep the faith and be good witnesses at school, where they are the only Christians in their classes; and for Johnny and Pastor Pramote as they lead the church and its work in the community. Pray too for Khalil, an Afghan Hazara refugee schoolboy who will be HotPott - March 2019
Daughter Mary is in Malawi with her boyfriend Trev for a couple of weeks. She left Malawi in 2013, so has been re-visiting many favourite places from her childhood; a mango tree she planted as a seed is now nearly four times her height! Daughter Elizabeth has survived her first month in Canberra, Australia but has not started nursing yet as she has had to re-apply for police clearance and renew a lot of her paperwork application; hopefully she will be able to start work by the end of the month. She is sharing a house with two other ladies, is settled in a church and is making friends but is finding the extreme heat a problem for her asthma and allergies; perhaps the course she has joined to learn Japanese will prove a distraction! Son Joshua and his girlfriend Nadine are due to visit Malawi in March. Exciting and busy times for the whole Fazakerley family; please pray that they continue to feel God’s presence and peace in their daily lives. Page 21
HotPott - March 2019
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8th 12t Marc hA h pri l
The General Data Protection Regulations (GDPR) After a good deal of gnashing of teeth and torn out hair, the PCC has complied with the above regulations by publishing a Data Privacy Notice which explains (among other things) how we process and use personal information, the legal basis for doing this and your legal rights with respect to data protection. Consent forms are available at the back of church for all those who wish to allow some or all of their personal information (name, postal and email addresses, telephone number) to be processed by the PCC of St Christopher’s. Although this may sound rather alarming, the regulations are designed to keep everyone’s personal information safe and only used either with a person’s consent (for example having personal contact details on the church website, weekly news sheet or in HotPott) or if there is a legitimate interest (like having a flower or coffee rota on the notice board at the back of church) or if it is required by law (for example to compile the electoral roll or to administer the gift aid scheme). Although the regulations seemed rather opaque in places, the PCC has always been clear that it is most important we keep everyone’s information as securely as we can – password-protecting computers, using locked cabinets, shredding paper documents when finished with, not keeping information longer than we have to etc – and we will continue to make every effort to do so. You all have the right to see what information we keep about you and you can withdraw or change your consent at any time. I understand that having to complete a consent form to allow us to continue to put contact details on the back of HotPott, or on the weekly news sheet may seem heavy handed, but we need to comply with the regulations – so if I approach you with HotPott - March 2019
a consent form in hand – don’t shoot the messenger!! Please don’t hesitate to have a chat with me, or with any PCC member if you would like to know more about this. Kath Matheson: 07944 624 832/01625 574893 kmmpott@yahoo.co.uk Church View Cottage, Pott Shrigley, SK10 5SA *** The Cold Caller I sit me down for evening food After a day at work The phone then rings, I think, “How rude! “I’ve barely raised my fork!” “I’m sorry to disturb you, sir,” (Now that’s a fearful lie!) “But I would like now to confer “About your PPI.” I try to be a Christian, real. And, though it isn’t fair To interrupt my evening meal, I really mustn’t swear. So, if the chappie wants to chat Well, that is fine by me: “I have good news for you in fact – “Christ died to set you free!” Usually I hear a click And then there’s no-one there But then I follow up this trick By offering a prayer: “Dear Lord, I thank you very much – “I can resume my food “But in your mercy, would you touch “His heart, and do him good?” By Nigel Beeton Page 25
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HotPott - March 2019
Recipe of the Month Seabass with Vegetables
Chris Bowes has kindly supplied this month’s recipe. Chris tells us that this is a recipe all fish lovers out there should try – it’s very easy to prepare and the flavours are lovely. Enjoy!
Gather the foil around the fish, drizzle with olive oil and dry white wine and fold the edge up to form a package.
Lay the seabass fillets on foil and season.
Bake at 200°C for 10 – 15 minutes or until the fish flakes easily with a fork.
Spread the fish with pesto and top with grated carrots and courgettes.
Serve on a plate with the juices poured over accompanied with vegetables, mash or rice.
n’t Do get r fo
“Your magazine needs you.”
Please send your contributions to
magazine@pottshrigleychurch.org.uk no later than midnight on.....
Sunday, 17 th March www.pottshrigleychurch.org.uk
What's Wrong With Having Time? Why do we feel under constant pressure to cram more and more activities into our lives, and then to keep everything going at a frenzied pace? Why do we have to live like hamsters on a wheel? If ever we slow down, or falter, there is always that little voice in our head which accuses us of being idle – or inadequate. We admire people who seem to endlessly juggle family, work, hobbies, sports and whatever else in their lives. But why? Why is it so good to never have time to stop and think and just BE? Why is risking burn-out HotPott - March 2019
and complete exhaustion something to be admired? This Lent, why not prayerfully try and discern what is really worthwhile in your life. There is no need to charge from one thing to another, hoping to find some meaning in it all. Remember, at the end of the day, the hamster gets nowhere. From ParishPump Page 29
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HotPott - March 2019
Chores and Chains Cleaning Rota 1st March 8th March 15th March 22nd March 29th March 5th April
Mr & Mrs Ferguson Mrs Plant Miss Bunting, Mr & Mrs Stratford Mrs Meecham, Mrs Winstanley Mr & Mrs Akerman Mr & Mrs Ferguson
Tea & Coffee
Contact Carole on 01625 820533 3rd March 10th March 17th March 24th March 31st March 7th April
Elizabeth & Christina Helen & Kim Ros & Sheila Peter & Eileen Carole & Rita Bunting Malyan family
Flowers
Contact Gill: 01625 829819 3rd March 10th March 17th March 24th March 31st March 7th April
Vacant Vacant Vacant Vacant Rita, in memory of her mother Vacant
Forthcoming weddings
Contact - Pam: weddings@pottshrigleychurch.org.uk The next wedding is on 25th May 2019.
From the Registers Baptism
We welcome: 20th January Lara Rey Bird HotPott - March 2019
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Services March 3rd 8.30am 10.45am
Holy Communion Holy Communion‡
2 Corinthians 3:12-4:2; Luke 9:28-43a
David Swales David Swales / Lynne Bowden
Holy Communion Morning Worship*
Romans 10:8b-13; Luke 4:1-13
David Swales
Holy Communion Morning Worship & Baptism‡
Matthew 28:16-20; Acts 1:9-11
David Swales
Holy Communion Morning Worship*
Genesis 2:4b-9,15-25; Luke 8:22-25
Lynne Bowden Lynne Bowden & Najib Bajali
Holy Communion Family Service‡
2 Corinthians 3:12-4:2; Luke 9:28-43a
David Swales David Swales & Anne Murphy
Holy Communion Holy Communion‡
Philippians 3:4b-14; John 12:1-8
David Swales
10th 8.30am 10.45am
17th. Annual Church Meeting 8.30am 10.45am
24th. 8.30am 10.45am
31st. Mothering Sunday 8.30am 10.45am
April 7th. 8.30am 10.45am
All readings will be the same at 8.30 and 10.45 unless otherwise indicated. ‡ Junior Church * Youth and Junior Church
Date For Your Diary – 17th March 2019 Annual Church Meeting It’s time to come and find out what’s been happening behind the scenes at St Christopher’s. Hear about the building works, the fund raising, and what the PCC has been up to. See how much money it takes to keep the church going, and how it is spent. Ask questions and have your say on future plans. The annual meeting will take place in church on Sunday, 17th March after the 10.45 am service. Looking forward to seeing you there.
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HotPott - March 2019
Sidespeople and Prayers March 3rd. 8.30am 10.45am
Prayers Mr. K. Ardern Mrs. E. Harper + Mr. & Mrs. R. Ferguson
Pam Cooke
Miss G. Mosley Mr. C. Potter + Mrs. C. Taylor. Extra Reader: Mr. D. Davie
Gartons
Mr. & Mrs. R Stratford Mr. R. Gem + Mr. M. Akerman
Sandy Milsom
Miss G. Mosley Mr. & Mrs. R. Ferguson
Pam Cooke
Mr. & Mrs. R Stratford Mr. S. Heathcote + Mr. I. Currell + Mr. I. Malyan
Children
Mr. K. Ardern Mrs. E. Harper + Mr. & Mrs. R. Ferguson
TBC
10th. 8.30am 10.45am
17th. 8.30am 10.45am
24th. 8.30am 10.45am
31st. 8.30am 10.45am
April 7th. 8.30am 10.45am
Good Friday Curry Date and time: Friday, April 19th 6.00pm Venue: The Viceroy, 22 Ingersley Road, Bollington Prices: Adults £13, Children £6 Selection of curries, rice & naan bread. Everyone welcome! Enjoy good food and good company. Booking essential – limited places (first come, first served). Please contact Anne Murphy (07891 953919, email annemurphy1214@gmail.com) by Monday, April 8th to reserve a place. Payment on booking please – cash only as The Viceroy no longer accept cheques. The mind is like a television… when it goes blank, it’s a good idea to turn off the sound. HotPott - March 2019
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Weekly:
Regular Church Activities
JUNIOR CHURCH - Children of three years and older - held during the 10:45am service. Meets in church for the first part of the service and then goes over to the village hall for Bible stories, songs, craft activities, prayers and fun. YOUTH CHURCH - (Year 6 and above) - generally 2nd and 4th Sunday of each month. CRECHE - Held during the 10:45am service in the tower vestry. HOME GROUPS - Four groups offering fellowship, worship and Bible study: Daytime - Monday 10.30am, The Vicarage; David Swales, 575846 Rainow - Monday 8:00 - 9:30pm, New Hey Farm, Rainow; Sheila Garton, 573492 Pott Shrigley (North) - Tuesday 8:00 - 9:30pm, 3 Green Close; Sally Winstanley, 574545 Bollington - Wednesday 8:00 - 9:30pm, 14 Silver St, Bollington; Anne Murphy, 575768 PRAY TOGETHER - Tuesday 7:00 - 7.45pm in the tower vestry; Yvonne Foster, 576419 PRAISE AND PLAY - Children up to school age. Thursday 09:30 - 11:30am in church for stories and activities; Celia Fraser, 665054 BELL RINGING - Thursday 7:30 - 9:00pm, meet in the bell tower; Duncan Matheson, 574983 Monthly: CHURCH GUILD - Fellowship, speakers, outings and tea. Meets the second Wednesday in the month 2:30 - 4:00pm in church; Georgina Wray, 615547 The list above was last revised on 16th February, 2019. All telephone numbers are prefixed with 01625. Please give corrections and additions to magazine@pottshrigleychurch.org.uk.
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For commercial or private advertising, please contact us for free advice and very reasonable rates: magazine@pottshrigleychurch.org.uk
When you think about it, Moses was the first one to download files from the cloud, using a tablet.
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HotPott - March 2019
Directory Priest-in-charge:
Rev. David Swales, The Vicarage, Spuley Lane, SK10 5RS
575846
vicar@pottshrigleychurch.org.uk Readers:
Dr John Ryley (Reader Emeritus), 2 Wych Lane, Adlington, SK10 4NB
829595
Parish Assistant:
Gillian Mosley, 129 St Austell Avenue, Macclesfield, SK10 3NY
829819
Churchwardens:
David Garton, New Hey Farm, Macclesfield Road, Rainow, SK10 5UU
573492
veronagartons@btinternet.com David Gem, Ridge Hall Farm, Ridge Hill, Sutton, Macclesfield, SK11 0LU
01260 252287
davidgem@gmail.com Verger:
Stan Heathcote, Lilac Cottage, Spuley Lane, Pott Shrigley, SK10 5RR
PCC Secretary:
Ros Johnson, 54 Shrigley Road South, Poynton, SK12 1TF
875902
rosalindjohnson44@hotmail.com PCC Treasurer:
Peter Kennedy, kennedyp@tuckerssolicitors.com
Gift Aid & Planned Giving:
Sally Winstanley, 3 Green Close Cottages, Pott Shrigley, SK10 5SG
07850 740335
Organists:
Mary Currell, 61 Crossfield Road, Bollington, SK10 5EA
574545
sjwinstanley.ps@gmail.com 573735
marycurrell61@btinternet.com David Garton, as above
573492
Andy Phillips, 26 Hurst Lane, Bollington, SK10 5LP
07881 358976
andyphillips@totalise.co.uk Weekly Bulletin:
David Gem, as above
01260 252287
Electoral Roll and Safeguarding officer:
Kath Matheson, Church View Cottage, Pott Shrigley, SK10 5SA
Tower Captain:
Duncan Matheson, Church View Cottage, Pott Shrigley, SK10 5SA
574983
kmmpott@yahoo.co.uk 574983
dmmpott@yahoo.co.uk Pastoral Care Team:
Kim Swales, The Vicarage, Spuley Lane, SK10 5RS
575846
Church Guild:
Georgina Wray, 14 Paladin Place, Bank Close, Macclesfield, SK11 7HE
615547
georginawray@btinternet.com Children’s Ministry:
Anne Murphy, 14 Silver Street, Bollington, SK10 5QL
575768
Praise and Play:
Celia Fraser, Rose Cottage, Bull Hill Lane, Rainow, SK10 5TQ
annemurphy1214@gmail.com 665054
celiaxfraser@gmail.com Parish Council Clerk:
Joyce Burton, pottclerk@btinternet.com
Wedding Coordinator:
Pam Cooke, weddings@pottshrigleychurch.org.uk
Head Teacher:
Joanne Bromley, Pott Shrigley Church School, SK10 5RT
573260
head@pottshrigley.cheshire.sch.uk Website:
Tess Phillips, 26 Hurst Lane, Bollington, SK10 5LP info@pottshrigleychurch.org.uk
PCC Members:
574768 (please prefix numbers with 01625)
Dr John Ryley, Duncan Matheson, Sally Winstanley, Peter Kennedy, Ros Johnson, Andy Phillips, Pam Cooke, Eileen Buffey, Ian Clarke, Mary Currell, Mike Akerman, Sheila Garton, Ian Malyan, David Garton, Sandy Milsom, Gill Mosley, Anne Murphy, Kath Matheson, Chris Day.
This directory was updated on 12th August 2018. Please give corrections and additions to magazine@pottshrigleychurch.org.uk