£1 March 2018
Pott Shrigley’s Church & Parish Magazine
Easter Weekend at St Christopher’s
Good Friday (March 30th) Service at St Christopher’s (10am) Service of reflection to remember Jesus’ death on the cross. The service starts at 10am with hot cross buns served afterwards. Good Friday Walk (after the service) Join us for a walk and a picnic after the morning service. Bring your own bite to eat and we’ll enjoy it together in the beautiful Pott Shrigley countryside. Curry at The Viceroy (5.30pm meet, 6pm eat) Come for a delicious curry at the Viceroy in Bollington (22 Ingersley Road). Everyone welcome! Booking essential – please contact Anne Murphy (07891 953919) for reservations. Prices: Adults £13, Children £6. Easter Day (April 1st) Come and help us celebrate the wonderful news of Jesus’ resurrection. Holy Communion (8.30am) Family Communion (10.45am)
David’s Deliberations Dear friends, On the Way In our morning service on 4th March a number of our young people will be confirmed. They have been preparing for it together over recent months, and have put a lot of thought and care into their decision: St Christopher’s can be very proud of them. Through confirmation each one will express their own personal Christian commitment, and their determination to continue and grow in their faith. In the service, Bishop Libby will pray for them:
their Confirmation we pray for those making this public declaration of their intention to be faithful followers; but we should also pray for ourselves, that, wherever we are on the road, we too will have the grace to continue travelling forward. Studying the route Of course, Jesus’ followers are also sometimes known as ‘disciples’ – learners. One thing which delights me at St Christopher’s is that so many people have a lively and engaged attitude to learning more about their faith: rarely do I preach a sermon without someone afterwards wanting to talk to me about what was said and many of our members take the opportunity of one or other of our four home groups as a place where faith can be shared, deepened and better understood. We explore together, making discoveries as fellowtravellers on the road.
David Swales
May God, who has given you the desire to follow Christ, give you strength to continue in the Way. Amen.
Before the word ‘Christian’ had even been coined (Acts 11.26), believers were known as ‘Followers of The Way’ (Acts 9.2). Christian believing does not mean agreeing to a set of rules, or accepting a philosophy: it means setting out on a journey, being a follower. And that journey is life-long: all Christians are pilgrims, travellers; none can say they have ‘arrived’ and have no further to go. At
If you would like to join one of the groups, or just to know more about them, why not have a word with me? Starting Out But even the longest journey
This Edition Pg
Content
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David’s Deliberations
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High Crosses, Iona Abbey
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JJ Greenhough, Pott Shrigley Soldier
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Pott Shrigley Church School, 12 Months On!
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Lent Poem
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“Your Vote, Your Council”
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Flix in the Stix
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Missionary Matters
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Tales from a Canoe
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What’s in the Offering?
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Childhood Days, 1930-45
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PCC Ponderings
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Coffee Break
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Mothers in the Bible
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The Persecuted Church
26
Chores & Chains
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Recipe: Orange and Almond Cake
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Services
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Sidespeople
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From the Registers
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Regular Church Activities
March 2018
continued → HotPott - March 2018
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starts with a single step: if you have never started that journey of Faith, it is never too late to do so! One of the things which we are always delighted to do at St Christopher’s is to help those who would like to make that journey, but feel they need a bit of guidance and support to get on the right path.
Again, if you would like some help or even just to talk it over, please be in touch. Your friend and vicar, David
High Crosses, Iona Abbey Our front cover this month features Iona Abbey with a replica of St John’s Cross; the original St Martin’s Cross is pictured on the inside back cover and the other of the only three complete early crosses that remain, St Matthew’s, is positioned close by. These free standing High Crosses were carved in the 8th century; in the Middle Ages over 1,000 stood on the island. Such crosses were very popular in North Britain and Ireland; the craftsmen at Iona Abbey produced some of the most beautiful and intricately carved Celtic crosses in Scotland.
the temptation of Adam and Eve. At a time when books were expensive and rare, high stone crosses helped to communicate the gospel to a largely illiterate population.
Kath Matheson
All of these three crosses were constructed from large pieces of granite slotted together with mortis-and-tenon joints. The sides of the crosses are elaborately decorated with vines, ornamental circles, flowers and scenes from the gospels; some of the earliest images of the Virgin and Child come from Iona, such as the scene at the centre of the St Martin’s Cross. The west face of the St. Martin’s Cross depicts Daniel in the lion’s den, while the east face of the St. Mathew’s Cross shows Page 4
Iona Abbey was founded in 563 A.D. by St. Columba (Columcille, an Irish prince) and 12 companions; it became renowned throughout Europe as a monastic school of Christian learning and pilgrimage and was mainly responsible for the spread of Christianity throughout much of Scotland and northern England. It is believed that the famous illuminated manuscript, the Book of Kells, was produced in whole or in part at Iona Abbey. The monastery was abandoned in the 9th Century after a series of Viking raids. The present abbey, housing Benedictine monks, and a nunnery, housing Augustinian nuns, was built around 1200 by the sons of Somerled, ‘King of the Isles’. Pilgrimage to St Columba’s Shrine continued to thrive, though monastic life on Iona ended with the Protestant Reformation of 1560. There are many places on the tiny island of Iona to remind us of the presence of one of HotPott - March 2018
the most important figures in Christianity in Britain, and his subsequent influence. St. Columba was said to have his writing cell at Torr an Abb near the abbey; St. Columba’s Bay, where according to legend the saint and his companions first landed, lies in the south of the island; Carn cul ri Eirinn, the ‘hill with its back to Ireland’, was where Columba climbed to make sure that Ireland was not visible and Martyrs’ Bay was where 68 monks were massacred by Vikings in 806 A.D.. The 12th century chapel of St. Oran (said to be Columba’s uncle) contains some medieval grave monuments of many early kings of Scotland, as well as kings from Ireland, Norway, and France. The abbey (but not the nunnery) was restored in the 20th century and remains a
place of pilgrimage. The Iona Community, formed in 1938, has revived the abbey’s long tradition of work, worship and teaching. Their website states: ‘The Iona Community is an ecumenical Christian community of women and men who seek to live out the Gospel in a way that is radical, inclusive and relevant to life in the 21st century. What we share, expressed in many different ways, is an experience of the liberating power of Jesus Christ, and a commitment to the personal and social transformation that springs from the vision and values of the gospel.’ Although they have establishments on Iona and the neighbouring island of Mull, the community also has a centre in Glasgow, where their work with young people and their publishing house are based.
John James Greenhough, Pott Shrigley soldier. John Greenhough was born on 26th November 1897 and baptised at Pott Shrigley Church on 23rd January 1898. He was the son of Robert and Sarah Elizabeth Greenhough (nee Kirkham). Robert died in 1899 at the age of 27.
by then living at Walker Green Cottage, Shrigley Road. She also received £20.11s.6d accumulation of pay including £4.10s.- War Gratuity. Editor’s note- If anyone knows the whereabouts of a photo or picture of this soldier, please contact magazine@pottshrigleychurch.org.uk or mikeakerman@hotmail.com
Mike Akerman
In 1901 Sarah was living with her parents, James & Frances Kirkham, in the village, together with her three children (John, Elizabeth, age 5 and Ethel, age 2). By 1911 they had moved to Jacksons Brow.
During 1917 John enlisted in 9th Battalion, Manchester Regiment at Macclesfield and was drafted to France where he was killed on 23rd March 1918. According to documents held by the Commonwealth War Graves Commission, he was initially buried by the German Army at Premont Communal German Extension Cemetery, but after the War was reburied at St Souplet British Cemetery, about 25 Km from Cambrai. He was awarded the British War Medal and Victory Medal, which were sent to his mother who was HotPott - March 2018
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Pott Shrigley Church School, 12 Months On! A little over 12 months ago, our fantastic The school’s first priority was to stop and little school was faced with the threat of reverse the exodus of pupils caused by the closure; this would probably have led to the threat of closure. Secondly, it needed to loss of the village hall. attract pupils for a new The school, village hall reception class which, and St Christopher’s prior to defederation, Chair of Finance and Resources, Pott Church are at the the school did not have. Shrigley Church School hub of Pott Shrigley’s Subsequently, school community. Probably more important is the set about a vigorous marketing campaign, fact that pupils would have been denied a held a number of open days and sought type of education that would be hard to find opportunities in the press and media to anywhere else: personalised learning in small promote the school. Since March 2017, pupil classes, which allows pupils to grow and numbers have grown throughout the year thrive in a caring school family. groups and we have five pupils in our current reception class. This year there has been such With the support of the whole community, a demand from prospective parents that the parents and staff, closure of the school school is over-subscribed for the September was stopped. Very soon afterwards, the reception class intake! federation between school and neighbouring
Gareth Winstanley
Bollington St John’s School was dissolved. ‘Defederation’ required the immediate appointment of a new interim head and a completely new governing board, the majority of whom had no previous experience as governors, and had no real idea of what was expected of them. Nevertheless, they all had one thing in common: a desire to see the school succeed. Over the past 12 months, staff and governors have faced many challenges and have worked relentlessly to secure the school’s future; this has only been possible with the support and generosity of so many people.
Some major improvements were needed to provide the right learning environment for the new reception class; these included the creation of a dedicated play area and new toilet and washroom facilities. The play area was made possible when adjacent landowners Messrs Wainwright and Simcock kindly agreed to sell the extra land needed. Over the summer holidays the new playground and washroom facilities were put in place. Much of the work was funded by the village hall trustees and additional funds donated by St. Christopher’s Church. To help reduce costs, a band of volunteers rolled up their sleeves and got stuck in.
The fact that the school had been federated with Bollington St. John’s for approximately nine years brought its own challenges. Assets and services had been shared across both schools and joint policies and procedures had been adopted. Separation has been a little like ‘Brexit’! Play area Page 6
We are glad to say that with a lot of hard HotPott - March 2018
work the two schools have managed to ‘untangle’ themselves and we look forward to both schools being able to thrive. If Pott Shrigley School was going to survive, it needed to prove itself financially viable. This was no easy task since school funding for the academic year is based on the number of pupils on the school register the previous October; the threat of closure saw pupil numbers drop dramatically at the relevant time. Subsequently governors and staff had to make considerable savings whilst at the same time providing a level of teaching and welfare expected by pupils and parents, as well as making improvements to the playground, classroom and washroom. With the generosity of the community, PTA and others, including one of our governors being able to source equipment at little or no cost, this has been achieved.
holding a social event at the village hall to celebrate the success of the past year and to give parents, staff and community the opportunity to find out more. Pott Shrigley Church School is unique, and hopefully it will be here for another 500 years! Finally, saving the school and ensuring its future has been a real team effort by parents, staff, governors, village hall, church and the wider community. There are far too many individuals to mention but to everybody, a big ‘THANK YOU’; the school is eternally grateful! Ed: And huge thanks to Gareth too, who has worked tremendously hard for the school in the last 12 months.
The increasing pupil numbers mean school will be looking to increase the teaching staff in September and to appoint a new full time teaching head. Over the last 12 months so much has been achieved and there are still lots more plans to continue improving our school. In the next few weeks the school governors will be
Is this a Fast, to keep The larder lean? And clean From fat of veals and sheep? Is it to quit the dish Of flesh, yet still To fill The platter high with fish? Is it to fast an hour, Or ragg’d go, HotPott - March 2018
New Classroom
Lent
Or show A down-cast look and sour? No: ‘tis a Fast to dole Thy sheaf of wheat And meat Unto the hungry soul. It is to fast from strife And old debate, And hate; To circumcise thy life.
To show a heart grief-rent; To starve thy sin, Not bin; And that’s to keep thy Lent. By Robert Herrick (17th century poet and cleric)
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“Your Vote, Your Council” CHEVRON BEND After the accident that occurred here in December, Cllr. Wray was able to identify the car as a white, 2012/13 Volkswagen Golf Type R fitted with special Ispiri alloy wheels, one of which was in such small pieces the vehicle must have needed recovery. Highways were informed. John O’Reilly, general manager at Shrigley Hall Hotel has said the hotel’s insurance company has been informed. GAS LAMP – Can anyone help???? The village gas lamp is failing to operate; Cllr. Boulton raised the issue at the Poynton Area Community Partnership (PACP) meeting where Liz Osborn, the deputy clerk at Poynton, agreed to try to find her contact from the Bristol area where they have lamps and possible expertise on their repair. The clerk will do some research to try to find a local expert. If anyone knows of someone who is qualified and capable of repairing the lamp please get in touch with the clerk.
Walker. The vehicle seen was an 03 plated silver Citroen van, the same model and colour as this photo and was potentially ‘up to no good’! PC Walker thanked our parishioner for the details and said the men were known to the police for previous offences of poaching. There has also been disturbing activity concerning incidents where sheep have had their throats mauled on Bakestonedale Moor: this will be reported to the police. Any information/sightings relating to the van and or the mauling/attacking of sheep in the area should be reported to our Rural Police Officer Ric Walker (PC 4522), Macclesfield Police Station. richard.walker4522@cheshire.pnn.police.uk And even more news of crime: at about 14:30hrs on 7th February a recently stolen van was abandoned near Simpson Lane. Two males made off in an unknown car having removed tools from the stolen vehicle first. The police are making enquiries forensically, but please let Rob Simpson, Community Sergeant, know if you have any information about this incident. 01606 363478 robert.simpson@cheshire.pnn.police.uk
Alison Greenwood
BE AWARE!! On his return from the last council meeting a parishioner approached two men with dogs who appeared to be behaving suspiciously by the quarry on Shrigley Road; they were asked what they were doing and were informed by the parishioner that there are reports of sheep rustling in the area. They drove off but the parishioner submitted their details and van registration to PC Richard Page 8
RURAL POLICING UPDATE An update from our Rural PC Ric Walker: Off road motor vehicles have been highlighted as an ongoing issue in locations where they are not authorised i.e. private land, farmland and protected sites and we are targeting those who choose to ride in these locations. We are not encompassing those who legally ride the authorised routes and we encourage those who do to continue and enjoy the routes to ensure they remain open. We have HotPott - March 2018
had plenty of feedback and meetings from off road organisations encouraging our enforcement to tackle the few who give legitimate riders/drivers a bad name. We have recently had covert off road motorcycles enforcing in the rural areas, and motorcycle seizures have taken place where offences have been established. Patrols have been upped in known locations and evidence gathering commenced. From this, seven offenders were arrested and accompanying motorcycles seized in an operation in Grimsby, Humberside. This goes to show people will travel far and wide to our area, but also goes to show we in turn will travel to them if they commit offences in our area. We have had some successful court cases recently under the Deer Act and Daytime Poaching. This has all primarily been assisted by you, the public, reporting suspicious incidents. So thank you, keep reporting to Police. Vehicles have been seized/ removed off the roads that are linked to hare coursing and poaching offences. We still want to know about suspicious vehicles entering farms; we have recently successfully linked incidents and enquiries are ongoing into highlighted individuals. Operation Lambswool has begun to reduce livestock attacks and thefts. We have teamed up with Cheshire East Council and Peak District National Park to promote and enforce the issue. We have produced a small number of signs and leaflets should people require them. A recent report of a livestock attack was investigated and a positive result achieved. PLANNING APPLICATION 17/6440M Park Cottage, Shrigley Park, Pott Shrigley, SK10 5SA Demolish existing conservatory on rear of property and construct new larger orangery as per drawings. The council had no objection to this HotPott - March 2018
application. PENDING NP/CEC/1017/1044 Cophurst Knott, Shrigley Road, Pott Shrigley SK10 5SE Listed building consent . Replace window casements/sashes with exact match windows fitted with double glazing which looks like single. The council had no objection to this application. DATE AND TIME OF NEXT MEETINGS The next parish council meetings will be held on Monday 5th March 2018 and Monday 9th April at 8pm in the village hall. *** Behold the Man He stands condemned, speaks not a word The crowds resolve that He should die, Forgetting all His miracles Hosannas turn to ‘Crucify’. They haul Him to the judgement seat, Pilate and Herod now become friends, Enemies no more but one in mind Together involved in Messiah’s end. Herod mocks Him as a king Pilate washes his hands of blame, The crowd now shout out for His death But He knows it is for this He came. ‘It is finished’ is the cry, The curtain rent, a way made in Upon the Cross the victory won Behold the Man – it’s Christ our King. by Megan Carter
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Spring 2018
7th March – Victoria and Abdul 4th April – Murder on the Orient Express 2nd May – Hidden Figures 6th June – Paddington 2
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Missionary Matters I have written to the McCleans to ask for some up-to-date news of their evangelistic activities in Thailand and to assure them of our continuing support and prayers, but so far no reply.
and Helen’s second mum her 91st; they keep in touch via FaceTime - but it’s not the same as being there. Both have faced challenges since arriving back in Malawi: Megumi was confronted with their car refusing to start and with DIY issues (not his forte!) in the house and outside, while Helen was back working in Member Care right away. A family who arrived in Malawi when Helen was in the UK found the going difficult and are returning to their home country permanently. Helen needs more time and resources to upgrade her ministry of support and encouragement. Megumi got back to the Evangelical Bible College of Malawi in time to attend the grading meeting, where he learnt the results of the other teachers’ assessments of his students for next term, which starts on March 12th. He will be teaching ‘Doctrine of man, sin and salvation’ and ‘New Testament Survey’ in the local language (Chichewa) to first year students. Since the arrival of the rains, the electricity cuts still occur daily, but are less prolonged than previously. Please continue to pray about the tax issue: the government has decided missionaries must pay income tax, but Megumi doesn’t know how they will determine their taxable income and therefore what impact this measure will have on their finances.
John Ryley
Megumi and Helen Fazakerley arrived back in Malawi after a somewhat eventful 24 hour journey via Amsterdam and Nairobi - Megumi left his backpack containing their laptops at home and didn’t realise until they had reached Manchester Airport. Fortunately they were early enough to phone a church friend who managed to get it to the airport just in time! They are settling back in Blantyre, but are finding it hard to have left family behind. Megumi’s mum has just had her 80th birthday
*** Some people are scared of church like they are scared of helicopters – they are frightened of being sucked into the rotas *** People like criticism just keep it positive and flattering *** HotPott - March 2018
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Tales from a canoe Teasmaid for a camper….. I was camped on a site close to two of our more senior canoeist members, the canvas of their tents marked and faded as testimony to many years in contest with the elements. I don’t know how many expeditions, or in how many countries, these two canoeists had paddled together but they were almost a legend in the canoeing world. In no time we got chatting and were comparing tents, canoes and equipment. Gretel was explaining how much she liked her tent and how she appreciated her early morning cup of tea. ‘Look, Deryck, Hans is very good to me. He makes the tea and passes it to me through this special hole (pointing to the tent’s ventilator) so that I don’t have to open the door flaps!’
Of course there are nudist camps in this country, but not as many as on the Continent. I think our climate dictates some clothing – modesty has nothing to do with it. Even openair swimming pools seem to be disappearing.
Dek Davie
Isn’t that sweet! nudes….. Such modesty is not always the case. Some commercial holiday firms take groups of beginners down the Danube. Having just learnt how to paddle in a reasonably straight line, groups are suddenly afflicted with a rash of multiple collisions! They have just reached an area where strange scarlet walruses lie, each stranded on a towel. Surely they can’t all be retired colonels and squadron leaders sunning themselves? It is strange how they retain their ‘face fungus’ handlebar moustaches almost as an indication of their rank! I suppose they can’t find anywhere to pin their medals! Page 12
Irish Giants…..
During a few years’ residence in Dublin I was active with local paddlers and with a sub-aqua club. We were concerned to find suitable life jackets for canoeists, those for sailing or fishing being too bulky. Inflatable life jackets (Mae Wests) as used by the RAF suffer the same fault: they won’t fit in a canoe when fully inflated. (The answer seems obvious: let half the air out. But if you wear it like that and go in the water, the jacket allows your head to sink whilst holding your bottom well above water! Unfortunately there seem to be very few people able to breathe through that part of their anatomy!) We failed to find anything suitable (there are plenty available in these modern times!) but discovered that wetsuits made of neoprene solved a lot of our problems. Neoprene is
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buoyant and can hold a thin layer of water against the skin which, when warmed by body heat, is good insulation. We made our own suits following tailors’ patterns and tried them out at the ‘Twenty Foot’, our nearest sea cove. This is just south of Dublin and is reached from the road by a track leading through the rocks. It is one of our favourite sea coves, although it appears to be the most restrictive as regards to who is allowed to swim there. On the rocks is roughly scrawled in white paint: TWENTY FOOT GENTS ONLY. There must be some big lads in Ireland! and modesty If you managed some time on the beach this summer you may have noticed the struggles some people have while dressing and undressing? As canoeists have more experience in this than most, perhaps we should run courses? Some years ago, whilst paddling in glorious sunshine from one bay to another, I saw ahead of me the most
marvellous sandy beach. It had attracted so many family parties that I would normally have paddled elsewhere as I like my privacy. On this occasion however, tired and thirsty, I could not resist the sight of the ice cream van in the distance. My clothes were in my waterproof bag under the canoe deck, out of reach without standing up. In a small kayak floating on frisky little waves? No! I got out and stood in the shallow water, allowing the front of my spray cover to drop, looking like a Scotsman’s kilt but shorter! Ignoring all else – including grins from elderly ladies asking what I had under my kilt – I half floated, half dragged my canoe towards what was really important: that life saving ice cream (and of course I have a waterproof wallet in my buoyancy jacket!). Did it matter who thought me improperly dressed?
Guild Goings On Mary Currell opened the February meeting in the absence of Georgina, who had been in hospital and also had a medical appointment. We pray for her speedy recovery. There were apologies from Eileen and Peter Frecknall, Joan Clews and Geoff Parker. David Swales then led us in a prayer for Ash Wednesday before reading from Matthew’s Gospel chapter 25.
a pilot with the organisation, gave a very powerful and moving account of the work done by the M.A.F. which was founded by two R.A.F. pilots in 1946 and has now grown to serve world wide. Thank you, Peter, for opening our eyes to the excellent work done by the organisation.
Our speaker then took over: Peter de Bourcier, a former training captain for Mission Aviation Fellowship (M.A.F), a Christian organisation which flies light aircraft and helicopters to all parts of the world. They provide aid to areas devastated by natural and man-made disasters where normal land transport cannot reach. Peter, who was also
The ‘Bring and Buy’ raised a good £33 – well done everyone.
Eileen Stratford
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Thank you also to Sheena and Judy for providing the mouth watering refreshments.
The next meeting will be in church on Wednesday 14th March at 2.30 p.m. when we have a visit from our old friend Keith Yearsley.
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Childhood Days, Within Living Memory 1930 - 45 The first home that I actually remember was in Manchester where, as most children did in the early thirties, I took things as they came with almost unquestioning acceptance. We always had ‘farm’ holidays; I dimly remember Ashford-inthe-Water in Derbyshire and Staintondale in Yorkshire; the latter most probably because it was farthest away, took longer to get there, and I was car-sick! No anti-car-sickness pills then, barley sugar was considered the remedy. I also remember that particular farm because of its two-seater earth closet – terrifying by day or night! Strangely, when Brian and I were first married in 1951, we had no mains water so we were right back to the old earth closet and we pumped all our own water by hand – even for the cows in winter – for nearly two years.
she was eight, and my sister was born there, I managed to be born in Lancashire and became Cheshire-bred. Most families have country forbears, and so it was with us, and I readily integrated into fields, woods and farms with energy and joy.
Muriel Schofield
When I was six we moved to Wilmslow and life changed. It was still a real village then, and there was a farm just down the lane from which our milk was delivered to us by pony and trap carrying huge, shiny milk churns with lovely brass lids and quart, pint and gill ladles, all shining bright. I was sometimes allowed by the milk-girl, Olive, to ‘drive’ the horse. Mary was quiet, rather staid, and, I suspect, not in the first flush of youth; she was easy to drive because she knew exactly at which house to stop, and firmly did so. Tiggy was young, rather boisterous and my best treat because he inclined to skittishness and I had to produce a good deal of bravado to cope with him as I was really rather scared that he would take off, plus me. Although my father was London born and bred, and my mother had lived there since Page 14
There were no school buses pre-Second World War and so, at 8 years of age, I walked the mile to the village and caught the regular bus to Macclesfield, then walked from the bus station to the County High School, with the same routine reversed in the afternoons. It is sad to think that nowadays this would not be considered a safe thing to do. I was twelve when the war came and Pa joined the Local Defence Volunteers, later called the Home Guard. Because of Fairey Aviation at Ringway and Wilmslow’s proximity to Manchester, we had Ack-Ack guns at Morley, quite near our home; we did have one large bomb one night, which fell in Water Lane and everybody took cover. Daddy and two others, Home Guard or Air Raid Precautions (ARP) wardens, were patrolling our road, conveniently near to home, and when it fell instinctively flung themselves down. When all became quiet they became aware of an odd smell; most of them were ‘old’ soldiers and immediately thought of gas. As it turned out, one of them had fallen in the border of thyme, which Pa used to edge his flowerbeds! They all trooped, midst laughter inside, and Mother, my aunt, sister Joan, Kim the dog and myself came out from under the very substantial dining-room table. We girls were sent to bed, but I daresay the grown-ups had tea laced with a little something. HotPott - March 2018
Later, when I was nearly fourteen, we moved to Macclesfield and though I hated leaving the village, I soon found another farm to go to, and it had a pony and trap. The parish church had (and I believe still has) a thriving Young People’s Fellowship, and many of us from this joined the Voluntary Land Club. We cycled out on fine evenings in spring and summer, and weekends in all seasons, to various farms and nurseries to weed and plant and feed calves and poultry. It was at this time that we young folk learnt to walk properly. We had a marvellous young curate as our leader – of course, all of us girls thought we were in love with him – who took us on wonderful hikes in the surrounding hills, and up there, in any weather, the war seemed quite remote until he was called up and became a chaplain in the R.A.F. When we reached the Upper Fifth we could,
water the Thermos flasks which were kept in readiness in the school air-raid shelters. We did this before school each weekday morning. The shelters backed onto fields by the canal with, of course, a sturdy railing fence between the fields and the school grounds; we thought it terribly naughty to meet and chat up two King’s School boys over the fence! In spite of war, and G.I.s in the town, how very sheltered (no pun intended) and innocent our youth was. I was fourteen when Mother had to do some kind of war-work, so she went to the Inland Revenue Offices; by then Daddy was with the Ministry of Supply, attached to the Royal Ordnance Corps, and my sister was in the National Fire Service, so I learnt to shop and make the rations spin out with self-taught cooking. Everybody lived, so I must have managed. So many of us did all of these things as a matter of course and I do not remember many teenage tantrums, although we did kick against the establishment from time to time and there were certainly some things I did not tell Mother, but, because of war, despite our innocence, we did grow up enough to pull our weight. I still think that milk ladled out of those lovely, polished, brass-lidded churns tasted the best. *** A little boy’s prayer: “Dear God, please take care of my daddy and my mummy and my sister and my brother and my doggy and me.”
with our parents’ consent, ‘fire watch’ at school, one pupil with two teachers. Although, luckily for us, very little happened, it did make us feel we were contributing a little to the war effort. Another job taken on by two of us was to refill with fresh boiling HotPott - March 2018
“Oh, and please take care of yourself, God. If anything happens to You, we’re gonna be in a big mess.” ***
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his
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Across
Coffee Break
1 Arouse (Song of Songs 2:7) (6) 4 Extinguish (Isaiah 1:31) (6) 8 ‘“They — — ,” you will say, “but I’m not hurt!”’ (Proverbs 23:35) (3,2) 9 Unhappiness (Nehemiah 2:2) (7) 10 Jewish (7) 11 Dirge (anag.) (5) 12 ‘A truthful witness gives honest — , but a false witness tells lies’ (Proverbs 12:17) (9) 17 Paul quoted from the second one in his address in the synagogue at Pisidian Antioch (Acts 13:33) (5) 19 ‘Do not use your freedom to — the sinful nature’ (Galatians 5:13) (7) 21 ‘As you can see, he has done nothing to — death’ (Luke 23:15) (7) 22 Name applied by Isaiah to Jerusalem (Isaiah 29:1) (5) 23 ‘All the people — — one man, saying, “None of us will go home”’ (Judges 20:8) (4,2) 24 Lazarus, who was carried by angels to Abraham’s side when he died, was one (Luke 16:20) (6) Down 1 Appalled (Job 26:11) (6) 2 ‘In an — to escape from the ship, the sailors let the lifeboat down into the sea’ (Acts 27:30) (7) 3 Expel (Acts 18:16) (5) HotPott - March 2018
5 ‘But I have a baptism to — , and how distressed I am until it is completed!’ (Luke 12:50) (7) 6 ‘Of the increase of his government and peace there will be — — ’ (Isaiah 9:7) (2,3) 7 Hurry (Psalm 119:60) (6) 9 ‘For I desire mercy, not — , and acknowledgement of God rather than burnt offerings’ (Hosea 6:6) (9) 13 One of its towns was Sychar, where Jesus met a woman at Jacob’s well (John 4:5) (7) 14 Shouting (Acts 7:57) (7) 15 Arachnid (Isaiah 59:5) (6) 16 One of Paul’s first converts in Philippi was Lydia, a — in purple cloth (Acts 16:14) (6) 18 Donkeys (5) 20 Raked (anag.) (5) Page 17
The Persecuted Church Buddhism is often thought to be a peaceful religion but in January 2018 Sri Lankan Christians were the targets of multiple instances of persecution. The National Christian Evangelical Alliance of Sri Lanka recorded several attacks on services. During a New Year service a group launched fireworks at the building and shouted obscenities, on January 7th a church roof was damaged when stones were thrown at it and on January 17th a Christian funeral service was disrupted by 500 Buddhists who refused to allow a Christian to be buried in the cemetery. After the mob attacked police, they bowed to pressure from locals and the burial had to take place 15km away under police protection. On January 19th a local Land Officer, backed by another local official, ordered a church pastor to stop holding services and threatened to reclaim church land if he refused. The pastor did refuse, so the officials contacted a local Buddhist monk and told him ‘the monks could now decide the course of action’. Christians comprise eight per cent of the population in majority-Buddhist Sri Lanka and the country’s constitution gives ‘foremost place’ to Buddhism. Christians face frequent persecution, often from local Buddhist monks, while authorities discriminate against them, commonly claiming (falsely) that churches are legally required to register to hold services. Although the government in Egypt has paid to restore some churches, Christians meeting in unlicensed premises may Page 18
still face violent local opposition. In January, a local court handed down only a suspended sentence to Muslims who attacked an unlicensed church while the Christian owner of the building was fined the equivalent of £14,400 for allowing meetings there. Similarly, 15 Muslim defendants were given one-year suspended sentences for destroying the interior of a church near Giza in December and assaulting the Christians meeting there whilst the Coptic Christian who owned the building was fined £14,600. Although the church was not officially licensed, believers had been gathering there to pray for 15 years and a recent government ruling stated that Egyptian Christians would be officially allowed to hold meetings in buildings pending recognition as places of worship. New religion regulations came into force in China on February 1st as part of a government crackdown on ‘extremism’. The updated regulations increase government scrutiny of religious literature and websites, require registered religious organisations not to ‘use religion to harm national security, disrupt social order … or [do] other harm [to] national interests.’ Also, religion must not be used to ‘spread extremism’ and ‘sites established for religions’ activities [must be] in harmony with the needs of urban planning.’ The changes appear to leave Christians, particularly those in registered churches who are legally allowed to meet, in a more vulnerable position. Authorities have demolished several churches in the last two months, while accusations that Christians are undermining the state continue to be used as a pretext to arrest and jail believers. Hundreds of homeless Santal Christians in Bangladesh will soon move from makeshift tents into brick homes, thanks to Barnabas Fund supporters; thousands more of this HotPott - March 2018
persecuted community still need to be re-housed. The desperately poor Santal Christians were evicted in 2016 by the police, who together with some local Muslims caused the Christians to flee by setting fire to their wooden shacks. Three Christians died in the attack and an estimated 6,000 were made homeless. The first phase of the building work on 48 one-room homes is about 25% completed; the two-storey design means more can be fitted onto the site, which is a secure plot of church-owned land. Two-thirds of the required sanitary work is also finished; only the painting remains to
be done on the renovated school building. A site for the second phase of approximately 50 homes (plus necessary sanitation) has been identified. Please pray that this work will be completed efficiently.
Mothers in the Bible With Mothering Sunday fast approaching, we are reminded of the joy and responsibility of being mothers. There are many mothers mentioned in the Bible; here are just four. Genesis tells us that Eve was created by God (Yahweh) by taking a rib from Adam. Eve was the Mother of all creation, the very first wife and mother mentioned in the Bible. She was inquisitive, with a hunger for knowledge, but tragically succumbed to the serpent’s temptation to eat the forbidden fruit, and to even share it with Adam. As the mother of Cain, who killed his brother Abel, Eve was the first woman to ever experience the loss of a child. The lesson from Eve is that ‘the wages of sin’ really is death and that disobeying God’s laws only leads to sorrow and loss. Hannah was the mother of the great prophet Samuel (see 1st Samuel). Hannah had been infertile, so at the temple she prayed in desperation that if God gave her a son she would give him up to become a priest. Hannah was blessed with Samuel, and when he was weaned (around three years old) Hannah gave him to Eli to be raised as a priest. Hannah went on to have five more children. Hannah reminds us of the HotPott - March 2018
importance of persistence in prayer, and of how richly God can answer our prayers. The book of Ruth tells of how Ruth, a Moabite woman, chose to turn to the God of the Israelites. Ruth told Naomi, her Israelite mother-in-law: “Where you go I will go, and where you stay I will stay. Your people will be my people and your God my God. Where you die I will die, and there I will be buried. ..” She went on to marry Boaz and her son Obed became the father of Jesse, who was the father of David… an ancestor of Jesus. Ruth reminds us that our backgrounds need not affect our own choices in life, and that fidelity and faithfulness will be blessed. Mary was a virgin who conceived her Son by the Holy Spirit. The miraculous birth took place when she was betrothed to Joseph and had accompanied him to Bethlehem where Jesus was born. Mary’s life stands for purity, faithfulness and wisdom. She reminds us of the importance of obedience and willing surrender to God’s will, however inconvenient it may sometimes be for us. Mary had her priorities right: ‘I am the Lord’s servant’ (Luke 1:38) and ‘let it be to me according to your Word’ (Luke 1:34). Page 19
9th 13t Marc hA h pri l
SPARKLING AFTERNOON TEA FROM £9.50 PER PERSON
TO BOOK CONTACT US ON 01625 575757 or email reservations@shrigleyhallhotelandspa.co.uk pott Shrigley, nr Macclesfield, Cheshire, sk10 5sb
Chores and Chains Cleaning Rota Please contact Yvette 0161 439 9979 March 2nd March 9th March 16th March 23rd March 30th April 6th
Mr & Mrs Akerman Mr & Mrs Ferguson Mr & Mrs Currell Dr A Davies Mrs Harper, Mrs Plant Good Friday service 10am Miss Bunting; Mr & Mrs Stratford
Tea & Coffee Contact Carole on 01625 820533 March 4th March 11th March 18th March 25th April 1st
Carole & Rita Bunting Malyan family Yvonne & Rita Barrow Mr & Mrs Akerman Doreen H, Jean F & Margaret R
Flowers Contact Gill: 01625 829819 March 4th March 11th March 18th March 25th April 1st
Vacant Rita Bunting in memory of her Mum Vacant Vacant Easter Day
Donations towards Easter flowers would be most gratefully received. Please speak to Gill in church or phone 01625 829819
Forthcoming weddings Contact - Pam: 01625 575010 or Kath: 01625 574983 April 28th 1pm Craig Taylor & Rebecca Carr We wish them joy in their preparations.
Page 26
HotPott - March 2018
Recipe of the Month Orange and almond cake
This is a recipe my mum sent me and was raving about how nice and moist this cake is and how easy it is to make, once you have boiled your oranges.
quarters and removing the pips.
Kim Swales
I made it for the first time last week and the kitchen smelt wonderful whilst it was cooking. Very simple to make and if you omitted the 1 teaspoon of flour and used gluten free baking powder, it would be ok as a gluten free cake. Happy baking! Ingredients 2 large oranges 1 teaspoon butter 1 teaspoon plain flour 6 free-range eggs 250g/9oz ground almonds 250g/9oz caster sugar 1 tablespoon baking powder Method 1. Wash the oranges thoroughly. Bring them to the boil in a large saucepan of water and gently cook for two hours. 2. Preheat the oven to 175C/325F/Gas 3 and butter and flour a 23cm/9in cake tin. 3. Leave the oranges to cool, before slicing in
4. Pulp the oranges in a food processor.
5. Beat the eggs and gradually stir in all the remaining ingredients, including the orange pulp. Pour into the cake tin and cook for about an hour, until the cake is golden in colour and has risen. 6. Transfer to a wire cooling rack, keeping the cake in the tin. When the cake has cooled, carefully remove from the tin and serve cut into slices. *** It was Palm Sunday, but because of a sore throat, young Johnny stayed home from church with his grannie. When the family returned home, they were carrying several palm fronds. Johnny asked them what they were for. “People held them over Jesus’ head as He walked by,” his father told him. “Wouldn’t you know it,” Johnny fumed, “the one Sunday I don’t go, and He shows up.” *** The minister greeted a young lad at the church door one Sunday morning, and was impressed when the lad explained that though his father was going fishing, his father had insisted that his son come to church that morning. “And why is that, my boy?” The lad replied, ‘Dad said he didn’t have enough bait for both of us.’ ***
HotPott - March 2018
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March 4th. Confirmation 8.30am 10.45am
Services
Holy Communion 1 Corinthians 1:18-25; John 2:13-22 Holy Communion
David Swales Bishop Libby
11th. Mothering Sunday 8.30am 10.45am
Holy Communion Luke 2:47-49; Mark 3:31-35; Family Service John 19:25-27
David Swales Anne Murphy & David Swales
18th. Annual Church Meeting 8.30am 10.45am
Holy Communion Hebrews 5:5-10; John 12:20-33 Morning Worship
David Swales
25th. Palm Sunday 8.30am 10.45am
Holy Communion Philippians 2:5-11; Mark11:1-11 Morning Worship
David Swales
30th. Good Friday 10.00am
Service of Reflection
April 1st. Easter Day 8.30am 10.45am
Holy Communion 1 Corinthians 1:18-30; Luke 24:1-12 Holy Communion
David Swales
All readings are from the lectionary and will be the same at 8.30 and 10.45 unless otherwise indicated.
n’t t o D rge fo
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HotPott - March 2018
Sidespeople and Prayers March 4th. Confirmation 8.30am 10.45am
Prayers
Mr. K. Ardern Mrs. E. Harper + Mr. & Mrs. P. Frecknall Extra Readers: Mr. M. Akerman + Mr. R. Gem
Anne Murphy
11th. Mothering Sunday 8.30am 10.45am
Miss G. Mosley Mr. S. Heathcote + Mr. I. Currell + Mr. I. Malyan
Children
18th. Annual Church Meeting 8.30am 10.45am
Mr. & Mrs. R. Stratford Mr. R. Gem + Mr. D. Gem
Gartons
25th. Palm Sunday 8.30am 10.45am
Miss G. Mosley Mr. M. Akerman + Mrs. C. Taylor
Mathesons
30th. Good Friday 10.00am
April 1st. Easter Day 8.30am 10.45am
Mr. K. Ardern Mrs. E Harper + Mr. I. Malyan + Mrs. E. Buffey Extra Readers: Mr. D. Gem
Pam Cooke
Annual Church Meeting: to be held after a shortened 10.45 service on March 18th. This is YOUR opportunity to hear more about the work and life of St Christopher’s, and to ask any questions you may have about our church family. We need to further the work of Christ in our community, so please come to discuss how this may be achieved, and what you think our priorities should be.
From the Registers Wedding
Congratulations to: 3rd February HotPott - March 2018
Marc Rutter & Sarah Wetton Page 29
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. CRECHE - Held during the 10:45am service in the tower vestry. HOME GROUPS - Five 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 Adlington - Monday 8:00 - 10:00pm, 2 Wych Lane, Adlington; John Ryley, 829595 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 21st February, 2017. All telephone numbers are prefixed with 01625. Please give corrections and additions to magazine@pottshrigleychurch.org.uk.
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HotPott - March 2018
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 Duncan Matheson, Church View Cottage, Pott Shrigley, SK10 5SA
574983
dmmpott@yahoo.co.uk 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
maryandivan@btinternet.com David Garton, as above Weekly Bulletin:
573492
David Gem, Ridge Hall Farm, Ridge Hill, Sutton, Macclesfield, SK11 0LU
01260 252287
davidgem@gmail.com Electoral Roll and Safeguarding officer:
Kath Matheson, Church View Cottage, Pott Shrigley, SK10 5SA
574983
Tower Captain:
Duncan Matheson, as above
574983
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
kmmpott@yahoo.co.uk
georginawray@btinternet.com Children’s Ministry:
Anne Murphy, 14 Silver Street, Bollington, SK10 5QL
575768
annemurphy1214@gmail.com Praise and Play:
Celia Fraser, Rose Cottage, Bull Hill Lane, Rainow, SK10 5TQ
665054
celiaxfraser@gmail.com Parish Council Clerk:
Joyce Burton, pottclerk@btinternet.com
Wedding Coordinator:
Pam Cooke, weddings@pottshrigleychurch.org.uk
575010
Head Teacher:
Paul Quirk, Pott Shrigley Church School SK10 5RT
573260
head@pottshrigley.cheshire sch.uk Website:
Tess Phillips, 26 Hurst Lane, Bollington, SK10 5LP
574768
www.pottshrigleychurch.org.uk info@pottshrigleychurch.org.uk PCC Members:
(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, Ivy Mosley, Anne Murphy, Kath Matheson.
This directory was updated on 18th November 2017. Please give corrections and additions to magazine@pottshrigleychurch.org.uk