HotPott May 2023

Dear friends,

On the evening of Easter Monday Simon and I were relaxing in our sitting room and reflecting on an excellent Easter weekend of many delightful and new experiences.

The Good Friday reflective service (complete with delicious hot cross buns afterwards) was followed by the annual Good Friday walk: 60 of us rambled in bright sunshine up to the Garton’s farm where we stopped for a picnic and took delight in the beautiful New Hey lambs. Later, the excellent food and hubbub of good conversation rounded off the day for those of us who gathered for the now traditional curry night at the Viceroy. A stroll up White Nancy on Saturday was another first for our family. On Easter Day several visitors joined us for Easter family communion.

On Easter Monday I joined kindred spirits at the Bollington Dippers for my first Cheshire wild swim. (Anyone interested in joining me in this please let me know!) In the afternoon we said goodbye to my sister and family then settled down for a quiet evening in front of the TV.

After an incredibly full and varied weekend we were not expecting

any extra new experiences, but in the fading evening light, out of the corner of my eye I spotted a big shape cross the sitting room window, quickly followed by two more shapes. A few seconds later I realised that three sheep had wandered into our garden and were very happily munching our lawn. They were not keen to leave, so after a few phone calls we decided to let them munch till morning.

After a restless night with the wind howling and the rain lashing down, I opened the curtains and looked out onto the morning. Imagine my surprise when I spotted two sheep and two new lambs! The third sheep was nowhere to be found. Some quick phone calls and a knock on the neighbour’s door helped us locate the owner, and within minutes James Dumbleton, his young son Charlie and farmer Harold Wainwright had arrived. Harold found the third sheep hiding in the bushes and saw that it needed attention. Charlie was quick to kneel and skilfully deliver the last lamb. We were all struck by the phenomenon of three sheep deciding to go together to a new place just hours before giving birth to their

3 Dear Friends

5 Poem: Pott Shrigley Bluebells

5 Keeping tabs on your tabby…

6 Trans Pennine Trail: Broadbottom to Conisbrough

8 Still Searching for Geoffrey…

12 Thy Kingdom Come

13 Your Vote Your Council

15 Marshalls required...

16 Mouse Makes

17 Coffee Break

18

27 Missionary Matters

31 From the Registers

31 Flix in the Stix

33 Recipe: Banoffee Tart

Lynn Caudwell

new lambs. Even the experienced farmers were scratching their heads and remarking on how unusual and surprising it was. We of course felt very blessed and will never forget our first Easter weekend in Pott Shrigley!

All this caused me to think about how much God wants to surprise us with new things, to lead us into new places and experiences. The Bible continually reminds us that God is in the business of bringing new life and causing things to flourish even in the most unfavourable circumstances, even amid a storm.

One of my favourite books of the Bible is Isaiah, a book probably written whilst the Israelites were in exile in Babylon, stuck between the past and the future with little hope for what lay ahead. However, from within that situation Isaiah wrote some of the most uplifting passages of scripture. From chapter 40 onwards a note of hope starts to sound in the prophet’s voice – even though the Israelites were over 1,000 miles from home.

In Isaiah 43:19 we read: ‘Behold I am doing a new thing; now it springs forth, do you not perceive it? I will make a way in the wilderness and rivers in the desert.’

Given the season we are in, the use of the

word spring here is very appropriate. It suggests that things will happen through God’s ultimate power, not because we have engineered them. God asks us to live with hope that He can, and will, surprise us by the way He restores things that are lost and brings new life out of the most unfavourable situations.

As we live through the spring season here in Pott Shrigley, we should ask God to show us the new things He has in store for us as individuals and as a church. Some of us will be facing some personal challenges right now and may need to ask God to show us how He can bring spiritual healing and restoration into our lives. Some of us will be so busy getting on with our lives we are not expecting anything new. Some of us may have longings to see new things happen in our families, in the church or in our country. As the season of new birth explodes around us with every new lamb, with every bluebell and fledgling bird, let us allow ourselves to grow in hope that God is doing a new thing with us all and let us expect to be surprised.

With my love and prayers

Lynn

Keeping tabs on your tabby…

New English laws now make the microchipping of cats over 20 weeks old compulsory; owners have until June 2024 to microchip their cat and keep their contact details up to date in a pet microchipping database. If found not to comply, owners will have just 21 days to put things right or face a fine of up to £500. There are exemptions for community and feral cats.

All Silk Cat Rescue cats are microchipped and registered before homing irrespective of age but if you have a Silk Rescue cat (or any other sort!), and have moved home or changed telephone number, please make sure your contact details are correct with the database your animal is registered with.

But most important of all, keeping details up to date vastly increases the chance of reunification if your family member strays.

Farmer John has kindly offered to sell framed copies of his poem. Please let Lynn or Kath know if you’d like one.

Further adventures on the Trans Pennine Trail: Broadbottom to Conisbrough

We started our walking adventure on the Trans Pennine Trail in Southport and now we pick up our walk from Broadbottom, near Hyde.

Lydia & Simon Potts

Climbing away from Cheshire and following the Longdendale Trail over the Woodhead Pass, we passed high above a series of reservoirs: the Longdendale Chain, which supplies water to Greater Manchester by damning the River Etherow.

Climbing still further, and with magnificent views of the Pennines, we reached Windle Edge, which at 420m is the highest point on the trail. Crossing Dark Peak moorland, it was clear that the moorland birds were surprised and startled by our presence: snipe, skylarks, curlew and red legged partridge all made a welcome appearance.

Climbing down from the moor, it was easy to follow the Upper Don Trail, a straight riverside path following the River Don. Our first

overnight stay was nearby in Holmbridge, at a lovely three-storey house with library and open fires. Calling at Holmfirth the next day we were lucky enough to happen upon the farmers’ market where we purchased local honey and homemade humus, cakes and flat breads before continuing our journey.

Back on the trail, we skirted Penistone and reached a little hamlet called Oxspring where we picnicked by a beautiful 17th century packhorse bridge; we were later to learn that this was a favourite place of Dek Davie, a beloved former member of St Christopher’s Church. Dek had also told us to visit

Looking down the Longdendale trail

Holmfirth farmers' market

Red-legged Partridge

Wentworth village, an unspoilt ancient estate village associated with Wentworth Castle. Another fascinating attraction in the area is Cannon Hall Farm, where visitors can learn more about a working farm before visiting the shop and garden centre.

Back on the trail and walking from Penistone along the Dearne Valley, very soon we passed south of Barnsley towards Rotherham. Despite the wildflowers around the factory units the landscape became industrial and rather bleak for several miles, but then we

came upon RSPB Old Moor reserve and café, it felt like an oasis in the desert. God’s natural beauty is rarely far away: ‘He has made everything beautiful in its time.’ (Ecclesiastes 3:11.) The volunteers at the reserve were fund raising by having a book sale and selling tomato plants in their lovely courtyard. We ate an ice cream in the heat of the day and enjoyed the peace there. Old Moor was built on a former colliery, Wath Manvers Colliery, and 700,000 tonnes of polluted earth was removed to create the wetland site.

Walking beyond the industrial units of Rotherham and still following the River Don, Conisbrough town was soon in sight, with its imposing Norman castle and fascinating history. The castle was built by a trusted supporter of William the Conqueror, William de Warenne, Earl of Surrey, shortly after the Norman Conquest. Although Conisbrough Castle inspired Sir Walter Scott’s Ivanhoe, the town of Conisbrough is more famous for John Kilner of the Kilner glass family. He was the owner of the Conisbrough glass works, where the famous Kilner jars were made from 1863. Because of the high temperatures generated by the furnaces, it was an extremely dangerous place to work. The factory closed in 1937.

We skirted the old factory grounds, which are now a children’s holiday camp.

Our next major town would be Doncaster.

Packhorse bridge, Oxspring; Wikimedia

Wentworth wheelbarrow Wentworth

Still Searching for Geoffrey…

The story of how a late-medieval chantry chapel laid the foundations of today’s community of Pott Shrigley and the church of St. Christopher could only be told by assembling disparate strands of information to be found in many old documents. These documents are a rich collection of charters, deeds, wills, family papers and government, church and court records; some are published but most lie largely unnoticed in county and diocesan archives, libraries and the National Archives.

The document at the heart of it all has been ‘the will of Geoffrey Downes’, co-founder, with Lady Joan Ingoldesthorpe, of the Pott chantry. Geoffrey’s original will of June 1492 was last heard of in the late 18th century, having been held by the Warren family at Poynton during the intervening centuries. Fortunately, what appeared to be a long extract from Geoffrey’s will was published in two Cheshire county histories in Victorian times. (It was supposed that the 19th century historians had had access to an earlier handwritten copy of the original complete will made before it disappeared from Poynton). The publications of this extract, assuming that is what it was, dealt only with Geoffrey Downes’ endowment of ‘Our Lady of Downes chapel’ and his instructions for how it should be run. There was nothing about Geoffrey himself: who his friends, family and executors were, who had inherited the part of his property that he had not given to the chantry or where he wanted to be buried. Imagine the sharp intake of breath when, a few weeks ago, a National Archives online catalogue posting revealed ‘Copy of will of

Geoffrey Downes, founder of the chapel, date 1492’ could be viewed at the Chester Archives in Chester. Kath and Paul, once again ‘in search of Geoffrey’, headed over to Chester. This is what they found…

Kath: ‘It was an exciting moment when Paul told me that Geoffrey’s original will might have turned up; I knew he’d spent many long hours searching sources I’d never heard of, so why had the will pitched up now? Was it really what we (and many before us) had been after all this time? I live in awe of Paul’s expertise and diligent ferreting, so was honoured to join him on a trip to an old factory down by the River Dee, otherwise known as the Chester Archives. Online passes ordered, appointment made and document requested we drove to Chester, speculating about what we might find. Paul explained that if it was Geoffrey Downes’ long-lost original will in which

Paul Bowden & Kath Matheson

Deed of 1492 with the Downes seal

he’d settled all his final affairs, we would probably see several tightly folded pages of thick parchment. It would be written in 15th century script, with the language somewhere between Middle English and Modern English and not an easy read. Paul had brought his top-of-range magnifying glass, complete with LED lights (!), to try to help with that. Arriving at the archives we were given our instructions (wash your hands, hold documents at the corners only) and pointed to a table where Geoffrey’s will was waiting for us inside a yellow folder. Approaching the table felt like a moment from an Indiana Jones movie: was some fabulous discovery about to be made?

Were we Raiders of the Lost Ark?’

Paul: ‘As Kath opened the file I immediately saw that this was going to be interesting but not what we had been hoping for. The document comprised two large sheets of paper (not parchment) and was covered in immediately legible writing, thus indicating that although the ink was faded to sepia with age, the document was from the late 17th/ early 18th century. As we read through, it quickly became clear that this was a transcript of the 15th century document, made two centuries or more after Geoffrey had died but before the original was lost. More than that, its content was almost identical to that published in the Victorian histories and, most significantly, it was not an extract from a will but a full copy of the document which dealt

just with chantry matters written by, or on behalf of, Geoffrey Downes in 1492; therefore, what the Victorian historians published was also not an extract from a will. My longheld suspicion started to be realised: what everyone had called the ‘will of Geoffrey Downes’ was not a will at all, and never had been. It was, in modern parlance, a ‘lifetime expression of wishes’ Geoffrey addressed to the trustees to whom he had already transferred the endowment for the Pott chantry, and solely concerned with how he wanted the chantry to be run during the rest of his life and after his death. It was all about the chantry, and nothing to do with Geoffrey’s other property and estate and how he wanted that disposed of after his death. Whether Geoffrey ever made a ‘real’ will we do not know and probably never will. Although there is a hint in a later letter of attorney from June 1528 (see below) that Geoffrey had, at some point, made a ‘last will and testament’ this was not the document we were now looking at. At that point I felt the trip to Chester had been worth making, if only to clear this up.’

Kath: ‘I felt somewhat disappointed that Geoffrey’s will remained as elusive as ever, but when Paul spotted a note at the bottom continued

The magnifying glass with LED

Cheshire Archives

of the transcript we were both intrigued. Paul summoned up his undergraduate Latin (that explained why I couldn’t read it – it was written in Latin!), and translated: “Exhibited, admitted and approved at the Visitation of the King at Manchester in the 8th regnal year of King Henry VII.” Even Paul struggled with “Manchester” but a passing archivist deciphered it in a trice. The note indicated that the clerk who transcribed the original document in the late 17th/early 18th century knew, from other papers now lost or from folk-memory, that Geoffrey’s wishes for the chantry had been formally presented in his so-called will to King Henry VII when he came on a royal progress to the Northwest in 1493. Geoffrey, and no doubt Lady Ingoldesthorpe too, had secured a sort of royal stamp of approval on the founding of their chantry at Pott. However, we wondered why Henry had visited Manchester in the days when it was hardly even a village…

Whilst Paul was doing clever things with the Latin note, I was idly searching the archive database, which now holds all the Downes family papers, for all things Geoffrey Downes, especially the chantry. Wow! What a haul. Now we really were back to the late 15th and early 16th centuries. References noted and paper slips completed, we strolled into Chester for lunch whilst the extremely helpful archivists brought up for us a stream of extraordinary and fascinating documents. The

first was a deed of 1492 executed by Geoffrey Downes “Gentleman of London” appointing his “cousin”, Robert Downes, lord of Pott Shrigley, as steward of the Downes chapel and chantry. And what a find! 15th century English script on parchment with Geoffrey’s seal in wax, beautifully preserved, showing a stag, the armorial bearing of the Downes family! I couldn’t quite believe that I was allowed to handle such a precious document, one that Geoffrey himself may have handled 530 years previously.’

Paul: ‘For me, the most remarkable of these new finds in the Downes’ papers was a letter patent (effectively an ordinance) from the Consistory Court of Canterbury of 1494, being “...a recognition of Geoffrey’s foundation of the Chapel of the Blessed Virgin Mary of Pott...” and, extraordinarily, placing the chantry under the exclusive jurisdiction of the Archbishop of Canterbury. For whatever reason, in the years immediately before his death Geoffrey managed to place the Pott chantry and community under the special protection of both the sovereign and the Primate of England. In an unusual and circuitous way, Pott chantry seems to

Note relating to the visitation of Henry VII at Manchester

Wow!

have been made a sort of Royal Peculiar, connected to St Peter’s Prestbury and its clergy but outside the jurisdiction of the Bishop of Lichfield and Coventry. And in two documents, a deed of May and a letter of attorney of June 1528, we found what appeared to be a list of the trustees to whom Geoffrey had, in the 1490’s, entrusted his endowment and management of the Pott chantry. What a roll call of local gentry families: the Downes of Pott and Taxal, the Warrens of Poynton, the Fittons of Gawsworth, the Davenports of Bramhall, Winford and Henbury, the Arderns, the Suttons of Sutton, the Leghs of Lyme, the Hydes of Norbury, the Worths of Tytherington, the Shrigleys of Beristall and, over by the Goyt on the boundary of Cheshire and Derbyshire, the Jodrells, the Staffords and the Shallcrosses – all speaking to the communal and social importance of Geoffrey’s and Joan Ingoldesthorpe’s foundation in East Cheshire and across the two adjacent forests of Macclesfield and the Peak.

The deed of 1 May 1528 (to which Geoffrey’s younger kinsman, Rev. James Downes, rector of Wickhambreux in Kent, being still alive, was one of the parties) refers to various of the properties in Cheshire which Geoffrey had given as part of his endowment to the Pott chantry before he died. It also told us that Geoffrey had transferred land he owned around Glossop to the trustees of the chantry. Although we already knew the

chantry enjoyed income from land on the Isle of Thanet in Kent, the 1528 deed revealed that the land was in the ancient parish of St. Laurence-in-Thanet, around which the town of Ramsgate grew up. Furthermore, we had supposed that this far-flung landholding had come to the chantry from Lady Ingoldesthorpe, whose property empire included swathes of East Kent, but the deed appeared to show this investment in Kent had been made by Geoffrey himself with the help of his circle of Cheshire associates.

As we pored over the documents, further evidence of where Geoffrey sat in the Downes’ family tree was revealed. Contrary to the Victorian county historians’ writings, we had established early on that our Geoffrey Downes was not the brother of the Robert Downes, lord of Pott Shrigley who married Emma Booth, died in 1495, was buried in St Peter’s Prestbury, is mentioned in Geoffrey’s “will” and was made the steward of the chantry (see HotPott April 2022). Now we had more information: a charter of 1472 names Geoffrey as brother of Thomas and John Downes and son of an older John Downes, which makes Geoffrey a first cousin once removed of the Robert Downes referred to above and puts him at the thin end of one of the more junior branches of the extended Downes family. This latter supposition was reinforced by other documents we saw, which suggested that John Downes and his sons owned a farm and land near Bollington, continued →

St Laurence in Thanet Church, Ramsgate, Kent; Visit Thanet Geoffrey Downes & Joan Ingoldesthorpe

indicating that their circumstances were probably modest with their most valuable asset being their Downes’ family connection. It is remarkable that Geoffrey even received an education and extraordinary that he rose to national prominence as he did.’

Kath: Whilst Paul was peering at parchment and Early Modern English writings, I returned to the database, fascinated by the place names contained in the documents we saw.

Several references were made to a property or enclosure in Bollington/Pott called “Asshenholmes” or “Axenholmes” - not seen on the tithe maps, nor on modern maps, so if you know it please tell us! But when names such as “Birchincliffe”, “Beristall” and, in a deed of the 1520’s “Bakestone” dale and its road appeared, it gave me a real sense of continuity from Geoffrey’s time to ours.

Kath’s and Paul’s recent visit to the Chester archives brought new surprises and revealed more about the work of Geoffrey Downes in Pott Shrigley and of his life and family background. It did not tell us any more about what happened to him around the time of his death in 1495 nor what became of the rest of his larger personal fortune and estate. For this we need to return to what is in the National Archives where more research has been done and from which there is more to say – in the next article to come – in the search for Geoffrey.

Thy Kingdom Come (TKC, 18th to 28th May)

For several years the St Christopher’s church family has joined millions across the world in the prayer movement Thy Kingdom Come. It runs from Ascension Day to Pentecost, and the basic idea could not be simpler: it is to encourage all Christians to pray that God will work by His Holy Spirit to bring people to believe in Jesus. Simple enough – and vital, too: now, more than ever in this increasingly uncertain world, people need to know the hope He brings.

As in previous years, there will be a range of materials available to help us focus our prayers during those 10 days. Printed materials for all ages will be available in church. Or, of course, you may prefer to use the TKC app on your phone for daily prayers, reflections, readings and videos, every day from 18th to 28th May; the same material is available via a daily email.

At the end of the launch video Bishop Michael Curry prays: ‘Thy kingdom come, Thy will be done on earth as it is in heaven. Therein is a prayer that God’s will and God’s dream might be realised in our time and in our lives. May God hold us all in those almighty hands of love.’

https://www.thykingdomcome.global/

Berristall

Your Vote Your Council

Condolences: Keith Meecham

In early March we received the sad news that Keith Meecham, a former parish councillor, had passed away. Keith, who was a wellknown village resident, served on the council from 1996 to 2019 and for many of those years he was also chair of the Village Hall Committee. The parish council send their sincere condolences to the family.

Alison Greenwood

John Goodman’s retirement

In recognition of his 15 years of service, the parish council presented John with a lovely engraved modern glass vase. As a councillor, John contributed so much: he played an integral part in the creation of the footpath map, was instrumental in the negotiations over the repair of the donkey bridge, played a significant part in saving the village school (no mean task!) and, in relation to the Poynton Relief Road, advocated for schemes to protect the tranquillity of Pott. John

remains involved in ensuring the many other footpaths in Pott Shrigley are maintained in a condition suitable for us all to enjoy.

We will all miss him at our meetings, but he is only around the corner! We wish John every good wish for his retirement from the parish council.

Highways

Changes:

• The fingerpost previously placed at the junction of Street Lane & London Road is likely to be resited near the new roundabout. It is unlikely to point down Street Lane, so there is no point in replacing the Pott Shrigley arm on the post.

• The kerb by the village hall to be extended for a short distance funded by the ward councillors’ allocation in the next financial year. The warning cones and sign have been removed by someone unknown. Highways have been informed. Cllr Basford will discuss attaching a lorry marker board to the village hall with the chairman of the village hall.

• Double yellow lines at Spuley Lane and Pott Hall now completed.

John Goodman retiring

Keith Meecham continued

Pending:

• Repair of culvert outside Pott Hall.

• Remedial resurfacing of Shrigley Road from Green Close to the aqueduct.

• Modifications to the chevron bend by Shrigley Hall.

• Collapsed wall Bakestonedale Road. The ward councillors will investigate the pending issues, all of which have been ongoing for a considerable time.

Pott Shrigley website

This is not a suitable project for a pupil at a local high school to do so Cllr Lancaster is willing to try to create the site herself.

Defibrillator in the phone box

A quotation of £521 plus VAT for completion of the required work was unanimously agreed. Gareth Winstanley is kindly cleaning and repainting the box.

Lychgate

Cllrs Basford and Wray have drawn up a list of specific elements needed to make the repair and the required three quotations for the work are in progress. The clerk has contacted insurers to answer the PCC concerns about Public Liability.

Planning

Application NP/CEC/0123/0103

Sherrow Booth Farm (Manor), Bakestonedale Road, SK10 5RU. Listed building consent. Erection of a summer room. The council has no objection in principle to this.

Decision appeal 21/4435M

Heatherdale Farm, SK10 5RZ

This appeal was dismissed.

Decision 22/4479M

Nab Cottage, SK10 5RT

Two storey and single storey side extension. Refused.

No change for following applications:

22/4648M 3A Moorside Cottages, SK10

5RZ Demolition of single storey elements of existing dwelling, construction of replacement dwelling, with detached outbuilding and associated works (renewal of planning permission 19/1988M). The alteration comprises changes to the approved windows and rooflights due to the evolution of the design, no additional development is proposed. As there has been a multiplicity of changes to this planning matter, approval or otherwise of these changes is left to the Cheshire East Planning Department.

22/4892M Blakehey House, SK10 5SE

Proposal: Installation of an insulated slate roof in the conservatory to modulate the temperature within the room. The council has no objection to this application.

Nab Quarry, SK10 5SD

21/1251M Resubmission for the regularisation of warehouse storage buildings and demolition of existing shed and replacement with two-storey office building.

21/1283M Separate application for warehouse for MRI Polytech.

22/2879M

New office/reception building to replace the existing temporary mobile unit.

22/0078M (11.01.22) Woodside, SK10 5SA

Two storey rear extension; new photovoltaic array on south facing roof; detached workshop/storage area; create a dropped kerb to provide vehicular access to driveway.

NP/CEC/0222/0213 & NP/CEC/0122/0080

Keepers Cottage, SK10 5RZ

New agricultural barn & demolition of existing property and rebuild.

NP/CEC/0322/0436 Moorside Quarry, SK10

5RZ

Siting of one residential caravan following removal of plant and container storage; erection of three additional stables following removal of the existing caravan.

22/2809M & 21/6042M

10 & 11 Normans Hall Mews, SK10 5SE

Rear extension along the party wall boundary to give a garden room to each property.

Annual parish meeting & next meeting

All parishioners are welcome to the annual parish meeting which will be held at 7.30pm on Monday 15th May 2023. This will be followed by the next meeting of the parish council.

Marshalls required…

Fancy an afternoon in glorious countryside? Fancy yourself in a Hi-Viz jacket? Want to say you participated in the Stag Fell Run without all that strenuous training and running? Well… now you can. Marshalls are required on the afternoon of June 17th to enable the smooth and safe running (sorry, couldn’t help myself) of the Stag Fell Run.

If you are able to help, please contact Pete Kennedy on 07850740335 or fell run organiser Paul Bartle 07976553498.

Marshalls will be given orders & safety briefing on the day. And their Hi-Viz jackets.

Don’t forget!

Annual Parochial Church Meeting on 21st May…

Our annual opportunity to meet as a congregation to review the life and mission of St Christopher’s, and to contribute to its future plans, is happening after the 10.45 morning service on 21st May. Please put the date in your diary and make every effort to attend.

Following Bishop Mark’s challenging sermon at Lynn’s licensing service, both as individuals and as the family of St Christopher’s we all need to get out of our comfort zones and bring the good news of Christ to those who are yet to meet Him.

So… there is plenty to talk about, and your views need to be heard!

Please do join us.

Coffee Break

Across

1 ‘Therefore let us — passing judgment on one another’ (Romans 14:13) (4)

3 ‘I — — these persons here present’ (Marriage service) (4,4)

9 According to a prearranged timetable (Numbers 28:3) (7)

10 Group of eight (5)

11 The cell into which the Philippian jailer put Paul and Silas (Acts 16:24) (5)

12 — Taylor, pioneer missionary to China (6)

14 Otherwise known as the Eucharist, Breaking of Bread, the Lord’s Table (4,9)

17 ‘So that after I have preached to others, I — will not be disqualified for the prize’ (1 Corinthians 9:27) (6)

19 Attend to (3,2)

22 Approximately (Acts 4:4) (5)

23 Tea rite (anag.) (7)

24 Rule of sovereign (8)

25 Test (anag.) (4)

Down

1 The name of the street where Judas lived in Damascus and where Saul of Tarsus stayed (Acts 9:11) (8)

2 ‘The playing of the merry — , sweet singing in the choir’ (5)

4 ‘We have been saying that — — was credited to him as righteous’ (Romans 4:9) (8,5)

5 Dr Martyn — Jones, famous for his ministry at Westminster Chapel (5)

6 Port at which Paul landed on his way to Rome (Acts 28:13) (7)

7 Observe (Ruth 3:4) (4)

8 Minister of religion (6)

13 ‘I am — of this man’s blood. It is your responsibility’ (Matthew 27:24) (8)

15 ‘Greater love has no one than this, that he — — his life for his friends’ (John 15:13) (3,4)

16 Archbishop who calculated that the world began in 4004BC (6)

18 ‘No one can — the kingdom of God unless he is born of water and the Spirit’ (John 3:5) (5)

20 Establish by law (5)

21 Product of Gilead noted for its healing properties (Jeremiah 46:11) (4)

Thinking about advertising in this magazine?

For commercial or private advertising, please contact us for free advice and very reasonable rates: magazine@pottshrigleychurch.org.uk

God leads the Children of Israel through the desert…

Last month Grace, Sienna and Toby of Class Three at Pott Shrigley Church School brought us the stories of Moses’ early life and the plagues in Egypt. This month we have five more excellent pieces of work detailing the journey the Children of Israel made through the desert and Moses’ close relationship with God. Once more God’s unconditional and everlasting love for His people is seen as the story progresses…

The Exodus Story

by Johnny W

Moses incredibly spit the red sea the slaves was amazed the slaves pradle walked for the red sear when they got to the ether said they crashed the army. They started their journey and the Hebrews started to lose hope. The next morning, they found white food that tasted like honey and a flock of birds that they roasted. The very next day they were nearly there. Moses climbed the mountain and thunder crashed. The Hebrews were safe as they were down the hill. God wanted to see that Moses would NOT give up, or would He?

When Moses got to the top of the hill God wanted him to get the two tablets of the Ten Commandments.

The Hebrews were impatient so they gathered all the gold that they had to make a Golden Calf that they worshiped. When Moses got down to the bottom of Mount Saini, He was in disbelief and God forgave the Hebrews and they all went to the Promised Land together.

They all followed the Ten Commandments which God wanted them to follow.

The story of Moses

by Sienna

When the Hebrews were running pharaoh changed his mind and sent his men to chase them however when they hit the red sea Moses lifted his staff and the red sea split in two, when they reached the other side Moses banged his staff and the red sea closed on the Egyptians. When they were walking the Hebrews complained that there was no water and no food. However god heard them and sent them a flock of quails and a fire to cook them with, a loaf of bread that tastes of honey and a rock full of water. When they were there Moses climbed a mountain to talk to god and god gave him the Ten Commandments on stone tablets. When Moses returned he checked the Ten Commandments and found that you should only worship god and saw that they had melted their jewellery and built a golden calf to worship. Moses was furious at this so he broke the golden calf and snapped the stone tablets in rage. However he made a new one and forgave them. And with that, they were free to build a home.

Moses

by Grace

Moses led his people to safety he reached the red sea and banged his staff down on the shore and the seas parted. He led the Hebrews through when all the people were safely across trapping the Egyptians who had followed. The Hebrews travelled in the desert for weeks and slowly they began to run out of food . All the Hebrews begain to dout why Moses bought them here .One day the people woke up to find lots of white food that tasted like honey all over the ground and a flock of birds flew over head for them to cook and eat . The people needed water so God told Moses to strike his staff on a rock so he did and water came out..

Moses

by Sophie

Moses took the Hebrews to the red sea and he used his staff to split the red sea to pass the sea then it came crashing back together crash!

But they ran out of food so they stopped for the night. The next morning there was food everywhere some taste like sweet honey. the Hebrews were very happy. One day, God told Moses to climb that mountain and he did. When he got to the top he got some stone tablets that said some rules but when he came down the Hebrews were praising a golden calf.

Moses got angry and broke the golden calf and the stone tablets. God told him to calm down and climb the mountain again to get more stone tablets.

When he got back down the people praised him and started to worship God. They listened to Moses and God forever more.

The story of Moses

by Toby

Moses was told by god to get the Hebrews to a safe place. He parted the sea and led them through. The people did not have any food so God had supplied them with enough to survive. Moses climbed up the mountain through a storm just to see them worshiping a calf.

He broke the 2 tablets and got angry. God said climb the mountain and you shall find 2 more tablets. Moses climbed up again and got the 2 tablets again.

The Exodus story taught me to always follow God.

CROSSWORD SOLUTION

The Suffering Church

A church in Ondo State, Nigeria, reopened on Easter Day, 10 months after at least 40 worshippers were killed in an attack in June 2022. In a sermon to mark the reopening, Bishop Jude Arogundade called on the government to do more to prevent such attacks: ‘Almost on a daily basis we hear people being killed in their tens and hundreds,’ he said. 'Many people have even forgotten what happened in this church ten months ago, because many more [attacks] have happened without the world paying attention.’ Give thanks for the reopening of the church. Pray that a solution is found to bring an end to armed attacks against civilians, including persistent Islamist attacks on Christian communities.

Also in Nigeria, a worshipper was killed, five were wounded and a pastor and three members of his congregation were kidnapped by suspected Fulani Muslim extremists who attacked a church in Benue State during a prayer vigil being held in the early hours of Palm Sunday. Pray that our Saviour will be close to the bereaved and to the families of

the Christians kidnapped during the attack. Ask for healing for the wounded.

In Iran, Christian couple Homayoun Zhaveh and Sara Ahmadi were informed on Easter Day that their third application for a retrial has been accepted by the country’s Supreme Court. Homayoun (who is serving two years for membership of a house church) and Sara (serving ten years) will have their case reviewed by Tehran’s appeal court on 9th May. Homayoun has advanced Parkinson’s disease and Sara is his main carer; both have been in prison for eight months already. Pray that the Lord will strengthen and sustain them as they prepare for the appeal. Ask that, by His grace, they will win the case and be granted immediate freedom.

Renewed violence in the Christian-majority Democratic Republic of the Congo has left 10,000,000 people in urgent need of humanitarian assistance. Armed gangs, including the Allied Democratic Forces (a jihadi group affiliated to Islamic State) have driven farmers across North Kivu, South Kivu and Ituri provinces from their lands and homes, which means they have been unable to plant for the next harvest. More than 600,000 people have been internally displaced since violence escalated in June

Bishop Jude Arogundade, Ondo, Nigeria; Catholic Herald

Sara Ahmadi & Homayoun Zhaveh, Iran; Barnabas

2022. Ask God to intervene to halt the rise in violence. Pray that farmers will be able to return to their fields to plant the crops needed to feed His people. In Peshawar, Pakistan, Kashif Masih, a Christian, and two others – a Sikh and a Hindu – were shot dead in late March. The shootings were claimed by Islamic State Khorasan Province, an extremist Islamist group active in Pakistan, Afghanistan and Central Asia. Pray for the safety of all minority religious communities in the area and ask that our Christian brothers and sisters, especially Kashif’s widow and three children, may know the Lord’s peace in their hearts.

Wuwih William Gemuh, a senior Bible translator in northwest Cameroon, was kidnapped and later killed by gunmen after facilitating a workshop in March. Keyeh Emmanuel, General Director of the Cameroon Association for Bible Translation and Literacy, said: ‘We are working to bring comfort to the

family and colleagues at this very difficult moment. We invite you to be in prayers for us and for Wuwih’s family.’ Pray that Wuwih’s wife and six children will be greatly comforted as they mourn. Ask that his colleagues will receive courage and wisdom as they adjust to the void left by Wuwih, and for their protection from harm.

At least 10 people were killed and 20 injured in Myanmar when the military (Tatmadaw) made air strikes on the village of Khuabung in Christian-majority Chin State on 30 March. Local sources said that there was no military action in the vicinity, and the military were clearly targeting the civilian population. Ask that God will give His peace to those who lost loved ones in the assault, and that those injured will recover fully. Ask that He will restrain those intent on attacking Myanmar’s Christians and bring about lasting peace.

Thank you to Barnabas for the information in this article.

Home struck by jets, Khuabung, Myanmar; Radio Free Asia

Wuwih William Gemuh, Cameroon; Wycliffe

Street vendors in Peshawar, Pakistan; AP news

Displaced family in DRC; United Nations

Missionary Matters

Johnny McClean has been reflecting and praising God on his return to Bangkok after two weeks away with Langham Preaching in Chiang Mai and with City to City (a church planting and renewal resource) in Amphawa. 35 preachers are now equipped to be better at faithfully, clearly, and relevantly preaching God's word and 11 church planting teams are working all over Bangkok to bring more churches into existence.

John Ryley

Johnny is particularly encouraged by a lawyer who is church planting in the middle of a busy community, using his skills to help people and thus build bridges into the community for the gospel. In Amphawa City to City participants took a night-time boat to see the fireflies, a wonderful reminder that God calls us all to shine like stars; please pray for the preachers and church planters to do just that. Compared to Christmas, Easter is often overlooked in Thai churches so this year New City Fellowship Church (which the

McCleans attend) tried to make Palm Sunday, Good Friday and Easter Sunday special days for their church members. A recent influx of children often makes Sunday School noisy, wriggly and chaotic, but it was a blessing on Good Friday and Easter Day for the teachers to see one or two children from not-yet believing families hearing the Easter story for the first time. Please pray for each precious child the Lord has entrusted to Ann and the other teachers to share the Good News of Jesus with each week, and pray for the Sunday School team too, that their teaching would be effective.

Johnny has asked us to give thanks for the sense of fellowship and worship generated at their church over the past weeks in both working practically on the church building and in celebrating Easter. Prayer is needed for those still on the fringes to return to regular worship and to be fully engaged in the life of the church, for home groups to flourish and become a real place of spiritual nurture and care and for Johnny and Pramote (the church pastor) to have wisdom and discernment as they lead the church and deal with some difficult pastoral issues. Johnny will be in the UK for seven weeks in the summer; Ann will be here for a shorter time. Pray that Johnny and Ann will be able to

continued →

Easter at New City Fellowship church, Bangkok

Fire-flies at Amphawa, Thailand; Thesmartlocal

Pott Shrigley Village Hall Bar

2nd Friday of every month, 6.30 'til 10.00pm

12thMay

9thJune

encourage and support Pramote and his wife Ling especially in the next few weeks as they lead the church and raise their family; pray for the Lord to raise up men in the church who will be willing to serve and lead. Pray for discernment for Johnny and Ann as they balance their many missionary, professional and family commitments, and for them to get some rest and spiritual refreshment in the coming months. Pray too for smooth running of all the practicalities of the family’s visit to the UK.

Megumi and Helen Fazakerley have written from Malawi in the aftermath of Cyclone Freddy: 'Thanks to the generosity of many, both inside and outside the country, the government and other organisations have been working in disaster relief by repairing infrastructure and distributing food, clothes, etc.’ In this, SIM Malawi is working alongside Malawian Christian organisations. Maize is in short supply, and with so much being channeled to aid, some prisons are struggling to secure enough. Man does not live by bread alone of course and since before Freddy the incidence of suicide and other mental health issues had been increasing as more people experienced stress beyond their ability to cope and give up on life. The cyclone disaster has added to the problem. Please pray that faith in God will grow in many to express itself as unshakable hope even in the face of unspeakable suffering.

Helen is feeling in limbo as SIM is changing the way that health coordinators share information; the old system has ceased to function with no sign of a replacement yet. This means that a significant part of Helen’s international work is no longer happening. Please pray for resolution of this issue, and for Helen to have confidence to learn the new system, whenever it arrives. In the meantime, she reports that caring for the health of the Malawi team ‘is a piece of cake’! Megumi has finished his study guide for Romans for their

church and has started one on Matthew’s Gospel. Megumi is also providing support for a Japanese girl who became a Christian a few months ago but her parents are finding it difficult to understand or accept her decision, and she is wondering how to respond to their many questions and concerns. Megumi is helping her to prepare for a month-long trip back to Japan in May. Apparently, although quite a few Japanese people decide to follow Jesus while abroad, when they go home the majority struggle to keep following Him in the context of life in Japan. Please pray that the time Megumi and this lady spend together will help her to put her roots down firmly into Christ, so that she can withstand a more challenging environment.

Megumi & Helen

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Recipe of the Month Banoffee tart

Mary is always on the lookout for recipes for HotPott and came across this one in the Salvation Army newspaper War Cry.

Mary Currell & the Salvation Army

Banoffee tart is one of several recipes in The Victory Programme Recipe Book 2023, which was produced as part of the Victory Programme, a six-week course run by the Salvation Army and built around three main areas: cooking, budgeting and growing. It was inspired by the community spirit and resourcefulness created during the Second World War. The course is aimed at vulnerable adults facing homelessness or struggling with life skills, older people who are lonely and families where children are entitled to free school meals. Participants cook tasty (but cheap) meals together, which helps them make friends and increases their confidence. Advice is given on budgeting and meal planning; seeds, tools and gardening advice are also available to encourage people to grow vegetables.

Ingredients

175mg butter

45g caster sugar

Salt

1 egg yolk

250g plain flour

300ml whipping cream

400g can caramel

2 ripe bananas

Method

Preheat the oven to 200C/400F/Gas Mark 6.

In a large bowl, cream the butter, sugar and a pinch of salt with a wooden spoon until light and fluffy.

Add the egg yolk and a little bit of flour and combine. Add the rest of the flour and mix until it just holds together. If too stiff, add a couple of splashes of water, but don’t mix the dough too much.

Bring together into a ball, wrap in cling film and put in the fridge to rest for an hour.

Roll out the dough on a floured worktop to the thickness of a pound coin and place in a 25cm pastry flan tin, pressing it in well.

Put some silver foil in the tart and fill with baking beans or uncooked rice to weigh down. Bake for about 15 minutes, take the foil and baking beans/rice off, then return to the oven for another 7 minutes. Allow to cool for 30 minutes. Meanwhile whip the cream until it holds its shape well.

Once the pastry is cool, trim the excess. Spread caramel on the bottom. Slice the banana into coins and layer them on the caramel. Top with some whipped cream. Grate some chocolate over, if desired, to serve.

Serves 4.

The Victory Programme Recipe Book 2023 can be found at

https://www.salvationarmy.org.uk/sites/ default/files/resources/2023-02/FINAL VP

Recipe Book 2023 version.pdf

May 7th. King's Coronation

• All services underlined in blue will be streamed live on our Facebook Page & YouTube channel.

• A recording of each live-streamed service will be available from the services page of the church website:

Junior Church * Youth

(at 6pm)

Church

Rota

Revised Electoral Roll

The revised church electoral roll, together with a list of names of those added or removed from the roll since the last annual meeting, will be put up on the noticeboard at the back of church on 6th May 2023.

Please feel free to inspect it! If you have any questions about this, please don’t hesitate to contact me:

Kath Matheson, Electoral Roll Officer 01625 574983/07944 624 832

kmmpott@yahoo.co.uk

Directory

Praise and Play: Situation Vacant

Parish Council Clerk: Joyce Burton, pottclerk@btinternet.com

Wedding Coordinator: Pam Cooke, weddings@pottshrigleychurch.org.uk

Head Teacher: Mrs Anne-Marie Willis , Pott Shrigley Church School, SK10 5RT

head@pottshrigley.cheshire.sch.uk

Website: Tess Phillips, 26 Hurst Lane, Bollington, SK10 5LP info@pottshrigleychurch.org.uk

PCC Members:

(please prefix numbers with 01625)

Dr John Ryley, Duncan Matheson, Sally Winstanley, Peter Kennedy, Jean Ferguson, Andy Phillips, Pam Cooke, Ian Clarke, Mary Currell, Mike Akerman, Rebecca Roth-Biester Sheila Garton, David Garton, David Gem, Anne Murphy, Kath Matheson, Chris Day, Reg Ferguson. This directory was updated on 19th March 2023.Please give corrections and additions to magazine@pottshrigleychurch.org.uk