HotPott Summer 2023

Dear friends,

For many of us the months of July and August signal the possibility of a change of pace. The longer summer days and the plans for holiday or recreation of one kind or another are part of the annual rhythms we have become accustomed to. Even if we are not going anywhere, many of our clubs and societies close for a few weeks, creating gaps in our diaries. The juggle of the school run stops for a while. For students, the gruelling months of exams are over. However, for gardeners, whilst the lawn may need mowing there is weeding to be done; for farmers, whilst the hay needs getting in the animals need feeding. And we still have a sense of waiting for the glut of autumn.

It’s good to have changes of pace and to be mindful of the fact that the time God gives to us is precious and sacred. We all have an inbuilt need to rest. We were created to need a sabbath every week and for longer breaks each year. God did not intend for us to run full pelt 24/7.

Now I know that for some, the demands of caring for family members does not make it easy to take breaks. For others their

jobs may speed up during the holiday period as tourists stream in. And for yet others they may be filling in with childcare for grandchildren. However, this does not take away the need for us to find ways to rest and recuperate when we can. It may mean we need to think about creative ways of getting help or planning times when we can get the rest God intended us to have.

This need to intentionally change pace is not just a need, it is a command and a promise from God. The command comes in Exodus 20:8. ‘Remember the Sabbath day by keeping it holy. Six days you shall labour and do all your work, but the seventh day is a sabbath to the LORD your God.’

Why did God command that we take time off each week? It is a signal to us and to God that we realise where our strength to do anything comes from. It’s evidence that we place our faith in God and not in our own abilities, strength and determination. We were not designed to act like machines. We are living mortals with physiological, psychological and spiritual needs that can only be met by rest.

10 The Vulcan XH558

14 The Road to Hope…

16 Mouse Makes

17 Coffee Break

18 Recipe for Summer Slimmers

19 Pott Shrigley Rose Queen

23 Suffering Church

31 Missionary Matters

35 Recipe: Rich Lincolnshire Plum Bread

37 From the Registers

Lynn Caudwell

The promise comes in Matthew 11:28-30 where we read: ‘Come to me, all who labour and are heavy laden, and I will give you rest. Take my yoke upon you, and learn from me, for I am gentle and lowly in heart, and you will find rest for your souls.’

Notice how this verse does not talk about needing to do something difficult before Jesus offers us the promised rest. It’s only as we rest in Him that we can take on His yoke, because He does not want it to be a heavy burden but wants our souls to be at rest even amid our service to Him.

This helpful quote from Cole Arthur Riley says: ‘Rest is not the reward of our liberation, nor something we lay hold of once we are free. It is the path that delivers us there.’ (Taken from This Here Flesh: Spirituality, Liberation, and the Stories that Make Us.)

If we want this freedom, we also need to notice the quality of our rest. We will not get the best from our holidays or breaks if we take our restlessness with us. Our addiction to technology is something this generation must acknowledge. So let me encourage you as I encourage myself, to take some time over the next two months to switch off your devices. Let us notice the difference in the quality of our conversations with each other and with God. Let us go at the pace of a walk and smell the flowers.

If you are looking for some inspiration, I can

recommend an author who learned the hard way, after a phase of burn out, to stop and feel again the freedom of going at the pace that God intended. Her name is Ruth Haley Barton, and whilst I have all her books the latest one, Embracing Rhythms of Work and Rest (InterVarsity Press), is one I intend to read over this coming summer. Why not join me?

Have a blessed and restful summer, Lynn.

PCC Ponderings

The PCC met on Tuesday May 16th in the village hall. This was Rev. Lynn’s first meeting since her installation as priest-in-charge.

The PCC welcomed both Lynn and Annie Palace as new members of the PCC; Annie has taken responsibility for health and safety at St Christopher’s, for which the PCC are most grateful.

The usual PCC topics were discussed including buildings, finances, data protection, safeguarding, health & safety and fundraising. In addition, the meeting received its first vicar’s report since the interregnum.

The meeting heard that the parish council have received three quotes for repairs to the lychgate and are in discussion with the church architect about the proposal. The working group discussing chancel furniture is to reconvene with Lynn as a member; changes in the way communion is distributed may influence how the chancel furniture is laid out and the group will take this, and other factors, into consideration so that there is optimal use of the rather restricted space. The proposal for mortar repairs, required to satisfy the church’s five-yearly (quinquennial) inspection, have been approved and are out for tender. Permission to carry out the necessary lightning conductor repairs has been requested from the archdeacon. (Repairs now completed! Editor.) Actions from the recent fire risk assessment are being progressed, in particular a means of alerting bellringers to a fire below them on practice nights when no one else is in the building. The energy survey identified some areas where electrical running

costs could be reduced. Since then, we have installed more energy-efficient external floodlighting. We were pleased to learn that gas usage (our major energy cost) appears to be more efficient than average.

Options for maintaining the vicarage garden were discussed, in particular the mowing of grass and an area for visitor parking. An area inside the secondary gateway had been gravelled in the past but has subsequently become overgrown; this has been cleared and will be relaid with the recent delivery of gravel you may have seen piled near the vicarage. As previously reported in HotPott, it is expected that the school minibus may be parked here from time to time.

In her first vicar’s report, Lynn shared some of her ponderings as a newcomer to St Christopher’s, using her experience of how some other churches do things. These included increased involvement of members of St Christopher’s in our services and how we, collectively as a church, discern what God is calling us to. She also had a couple of questions relating to finances for the consideration of the PCC: firstly, having a Gift Day in our church calendar, when we consider or review our giving of both money and skills/talents/gifts to the church and its work and secondly, requesting a contribution to church funds from funeral collections. Not surprisingly, as a new priest-in-charge, she asked about our church contact list. We don’t have one! But somehow we manage to get in touch with each other and with those who come to us for baptisms, weddings, funerals,

Sheila Garton

etc.. Such a list, or database, would need to comply with GDPR, and be set up and kept up to date by someone. Is this something we should put in place?

The current financial position is healthier than in 2022, with receipts matching payments so far this year. While the trend continues to be outgoings exceeding income, it is good to

note that in the short window since the start of the year, these are in balance. As reported elsewhere in HotPott, the Swish sale was a real success, raising £540 – thank you to the fundraising team and their helpers for a great evening.

The next PCC meeting is to take place on Monday, 3rd July.

Don’t miss out on the Church in the Pub…

Arriving at The Cotton Tree a couple of minutes late on Wednesday 31st May, the first meeting of Church in the Pub was just beginning.

Lynn Caudwell

As I walked into the room reserved for us, I must admit that I was very surprised to find there was nowhere to sit… the room was already full of people talking and laughing together. I ended up perched on an open barrel of rolled up dog mats next to some people from St Oswald’s Bollington; some of St John’s Adlington congregation were nearby, but on another table.

We began with a prayer. Still more people tried to come in but had to move to a table in another room. There was a sense of excitement and joy that we were gathering as three churches in such a visible way. After a while some cards with discussion starters were distributed across the tables and we were soon talking with people about our lives, our faith, world affairs and ethics. The questions were open ended and helped us to get to know each other a bit better. We also had a chance to look at some newspapers and pick out things to pray about.

The feedback I received was that it was very encouraging to meet people from other churches. Some knew each other from

different walks of life without realising they also went to church. It was good to talk about our faith and to have a chance to ask each other questions. The fact that we met in public was a very visible display of the community of faith that exists in Adlington, Bollington and Pott Shrigley. We must have seemed like a happy crowd that others may want to meet!

We do hope and pray that as we continue to meet monthly, we will be able to welcome those who are interested to explore more about God and faith. This was a gentle but encouraging start, and we will continue to adapt Church in the Pub as necessary: do come along if you are interested to hear more about this unfolding story.

The next meeting will be on Weds. 28th June at 8.00pm in The Cotton Tree. See you there?!

Others enjoyed the event too:

‘It was good to have the opportunity to meet up with people from other local churches on a social level and to discuss and explore our faith with each other. It was interesting to meet some people who I knew previously but didn't realise were Christians.’

‘I wasn’t expecting Church in the Pub to be so well attended. The room allocated to us was packed full of people, and late comers spilled out into the bar area. It was good to meet and relax with other local Christians. All the Christians from St Oswald’s and St John’s churches that I chatted with were previously unknown to me.’

‘I thought it was a good start for what could,

or should? be, a long-term project. Nancy from Bollington had brought along resources as 'icebreakers' which helped St Oswald, St John & St Christopher people to get to know each other. There was some conversation with people in the pub which, with prayer and God's help, could develop into bringing the Gospel to our neighbours.’

So be on the lookout for the next few dates…

A good afternoon out…

Saturday 10th June saw four of St Christopher’s bell ringers relaxing in the sunshine, enjoying good company in the delightful setting of Nether Alderley church yard, and partaking of delicious beef burgers piled high with cheese, bacon and salad followed by scrumptious cakes. Some indulged in the real ale, the more sensible (or possibly less adventurous) among us drank tea. There was a bit of bell ringing too – all our ringers acquitted themselves well and can be really proud of their performance in the striking competition of the East Cheshire branch of the Chester Diocesan Guild of Church Bell Ringers, which was the published reason for the get-together. We didn’t have the six ringers required to make up a full team, so made up a scratch team with two friends from St George’s Stockport.

Onwards towards next year, and putting a full team in for the competition…

Kath, Yvonne, Anna, Anne, Duncan, Andrew outside Nether Alderley Church

Onward on the Trans Pennine Trail –

Conisbrough to Hessle

We last saw Lydia and Simon leaving Conisbrough (of Kilner jar fame) and heading for Doncaster, the next city on their journey along the Trans Pennine Trail…

Lydia and Simon Potts

Leaving Conisbrough we skirted Doncaster, just making time to stop for lunch at The Glass Strawberry Café there, and headed north towards Selby. This scarcely populated Yorkshire/ Lincolnshire border area is very flat with big open skies and has a continental feel with fields of bright yellow sunflowers and hamlets of cottages with red roof tiles. We followed the New Junction Canal – although it wasn’t anything like the canals we are used to, being dead straight and impossibly wide. The dimensions of the canal, and its metal swing bridges, allowed the passage of 300 tonne coal boats from the South Yorkshire coalfields up to the Humber via a short stretch of the Ouse at Goole.

When we booked our accommodation at Snaith, a small town just south of Selby, we were amused to find that the large rambling townhouse was called the Old Chip Shop. Little did we know that the bedroom of this

sprawling property turned out to be above the new chip shop in the town! The house was Victorian and had a walled garden with a peach tree; it was opposite Snaith Priory of St Laurence, the oldest part of which was 12th century. The priory was a small cell of two Benedictine monks under the jurisdiction of the much larger Selby Abbey. It is thought to have been a pilgrimage site for the followers of St Ethelreda (founder and abbess of Ely Abbey), and until the 1860s was a ‘peculiar’ church (like Pott chantry, not under the jurisdiction of the diocesan bishop) and had its own consistory (ecclesiastical) court (unlike Pott chantry, as far as we know).

The trail took a circuitous route north to Selby then south-eastwards following the Ouse towards the Humber. As we ate up the miles we could see an immense structure in the far distance, the Humber Bridge. At Blacktoft the Ouse and Trent empty into the vast Humber estuary; the area was scarcely populated and we barely saw a soul here as the path meandered through miles of reed beds with just the odd tiny settlement until we reached Brough.

The bird life on this stretch was spectacular

Sunflower field on Yorks / Lincs border

Snaith Priory of St Laurence

with regular sightings of marsh harriers over the reed beds and barn owls hunting in fields nearby. We took the opportunity to go a little off track to see some rarities while we were in the area, these being a white-tailed lapwing at RSPB Blacktoft Sands and a breeding pair of black-winged stilts and their young at Potteric Carr.

We finally reached the vast Humber Bridge at Hessle, Yorkshire and took a detour, crossing counties across the Humber to a fascinating town called Barton-upon-Humber on the North Lincolnshire bank. Barton-uponHumber was famous for rope making, the original rope works was opened in 1762 and

made rope for shipping. They also made the ropes used in the conquest of Everest. The old rope works, now called The Ropewalk, is the longest Grade II listed building in Britain – it has a ¾ mile long pan tiled roof. It now houses Ropery Hall, a contemporary theatre, plus a craft shop, art gallery, sculpture garden and fabulous vegetarian café. Walking beyond The Ropewalk, there are fantastic views of the elegant Humber Bridge.

Just below the bridge is another tourist attraction, The Old Tile Works. This part of the Humber estuary is rich in clay and was the largest centre in Britain for brick and tile making in the 17th century when thatch was gradually being replaced with more permanent materials. Handmade roof tiles, plant pots and garden ornaments are still made here, by a couple of very skilled potters using traditional methods and clay from the banks of the Humber. The next instalment of this very enjoyable series will see Lydia and Simon reach their destination…

A little boy had spent all afternoon playing outdoors, and accidentally left his jacket at the end of the garden. When his mother realised this a couple of hours later, she told him to go back and get it. But by now the garden was dark, and so the little boy hesitated. “Don’t be frightened,” she said. “The Lord is out there too.”

That gave the little boy an idea. He opened the back door and called softly: ‘Lord, please could you pass me my jacket?”

View of the Humber Bridge

Potter at the Old Tile Works

The thunderous roar of the Vulcan XH558

The Avro Vulcan is an iconic example of British aerospace engineering and was one of the RAF V bombers trio (the other two being the Vickers Valiant and the Handley Page Victor) that made up the UK’s strategic nuclear strike force (known as Bomber Command Main Force, or V Force) in the 1950s and 60s.

Jackie Bennett

The Vulcan, built in Woodford and named by its manufacturer A. V. Roe & Co after the Roman god of fire, was the first successful large delta-wing aircraft and had a unique combination of good load carrying capabilities, high subsonic speed at high altitudes and long range. As a bonus, it led directly to the development of Concorde and the space shuttle; post war innovation made British aviation technology the envy of the world. The Vulcan was described as ‘a flying work of art’. It has a massive wingspan and was powered by four Rolls-Royce engines.

XH558 made its maiden flight from Woodford on May 25th 1960. Now named Spirit of Great Britain, it was one of 136 Vulcans produced at Woodford between 1956 and 1965. XH558 was mainly based at RAF Waddington in Lincolnshire, but also spent time at RAF Finningley, South Yorkshire.

Vulcans carried the UK's first nuclear weapon, the Blue Danube gravity bomb; designed as a deterrent, the Vulcan was equipped to deliver its bombs as far as Moscow. However, improved Soviet air defences reduced the Vulcan’s effectiveness so the Royal Navy took over the nuclear deterrent role in the late 1960s, though the Vulcans continued to carry nuclear weapons in a tactical role until the end of the 1970s. However, this did

not see the end of the Vulcan’s usefulness. Woodford Aerodrome staff to the rescue – after some modification and restoration (including using parts rescued from museums and scrapyards!) and training of air crew, the Vulcan became capable of conventional bombing missions and played a vital role in Operation Black Buck during the Falklands War in 1982. The Black Buck combat missions saw the planes fly 3,889 miles from Ascension Island to Stanley on the Falkland Islands. On May 1st 1982, a single Vulcan (not our XH558) flew over Port Stanley and bombed the airfield there, achieving a direct hit and rendering it unusable by Argentinian fighter aircraft.

XH558 was the RAF’s longest serving Vulcan, and the last to retire from RAF service in 1993, a career spanning 33 years. One of the reasons for her longevity was that XH558 had spent a considerable time grounded due to a contretemps with a seagull when taking off for a maritime sortie from RAF Scampton in November 1975. Although the seagull came off considerably worse, a very large hole was blown right through XH558’s starboard wing and the subsequent major repairs grounded her for many years, so although XH558 was the earliest Mk.2 Vulcan to enter RAF service,

Vulcan bomber XH558 'Spirit of Great Britain'

she had actually flown considerably fewer hours than most of her contemporaries. From 1985 XH558 performed at air shows as part of RAF’s display flight, the last being at RAF Cranfield on September 20th 1992. Due to costs, the Ministry of Defence could not justify maintaining the aircraft for display purposes and the Vulcan display flight was discontinued.

In 1993 the XH558 was bought by the Walton family. A study looking at the feasibility of restoring XH558’s airworthiness concluded that it was and the Vulcan to the Sky Trust was formed to raise the necessary funds. XH558 returned to flight in 2008 and performed at air shows until funding issues and the mechanical challenges posed by the aircraft’s age forced her into retirement in 2015, when she flew a final national tour in October.

My husband Norman was a great enthusiast for air shows, especially at Woodford, and always enjoyed hearing the roar of the Vulcan. As a wonderful tribute to Norman, my family arranged for his name to be engraved on a plaque fitted, with others, beneath Vulcan XH558’s huge delta-wing. Whilst the Vulcan is no longer allowed to fly, its legacy lives on, and the Vulcan to the Sky Trust continues to maintain Avro Vulcan XH558, to tell the story of the RAF, its people and the Cold War based around the V-Force and to inspire future generations to help maintain the United Kingdom’s historic role at the forefront of innovation in aviation.

Avro Vulcan XH558 is located at DoncasterSheffield Airport, visitor tours are available. https://vulcantothesky.org/

Norman Bennett and name plaque beneath wing of Vulcan XH558

Last flight of the Vulcan, October 2015, from Long Lane Credit: Graham Hackney

Class 3 consider the Lord’s Prayer

Our Class 3 children have been looking indepth at the Lord’s Prayer and what the words mean to us personally. We talked about what the prayer teaches us and how we can ‘live it out’ in our lives today.

Mrs Willis

We then wrote a simple version for our buddies in Class 1 and shared them before one of our worship sessions. I was so proud of all the children in this meaningful and reflective session.

Thank you for these wonderfully thoughtful versions of the Lord’s Prayer. Editor. * * *

It was the five-year-old boy’s first trip down to the Communion rail at church. Fascinated, he watched the vicar place a wafer in the palm of each person kneeling before him. When the vicar reached the little boy, he ignored the child’s out-stretched palm, and laid his hand on the child’s head in a gentle blessing instead. The boy, utterly bewildered, whispered to his father in a piercing voice; “He’s put it on my head!” * * *

Two students from a theological training college decided to spend part of their holiday in the countryside doing outreach. They stopped at an old farm house and proceeded up the path through a group of screaming children and a washing line heavy with wet clothes. When they got near the door, the woman of the house stopped scrubbing the steps, brushed her hair and perspiration from her brow, and asked them what they wanted. “We’d like to tell you how you can live forever,” they answered.

The exhausted woman hesitated for a moment, and then replied, “Thank you, but I don’t think I could stand it!”

The Road to Hope…

‘Children are forced to flee, scattered across camps and host villages. They are missing school because of insecurity. That’s why we are so proud of Roads to Hope. Our van travels to students who can’t get to school. We’ve been able to put a smile on people’s faces. We’ve organised coaching among our community leaders and teachers. Parents are so grateful. Many children in the region have witnessed terrible conflict and violence.’ Hassan John, Roads to Hope coordinator.

In 2021, St Christopher’s PCC decided to send funds to the Humanitarian Aid Relief

Trust (HART), specifically to their Roads to Hope: Education in Emergencies project in the Anglican Diocese of Jos in the Middle Belt of Nigeria, a region we often read about in HotPott’s Suffering Church articles, including in this edition; schools continue to be targeted (mainly by Islamist terrorists),

many children and adults are killed, suffer life-changing injuries or are abducted. The concept of the Roads to Hope: Education in Emergencies project is simple: when it is unsafe for children to travel to school, school and educational resources are taken to the children. The project was designed to provide flexible learning opportunities for thousands of these children displaced by violence across Plateau state and southern Kaduna, with remote villages targeted by armed militia being prioritised. The project is managed and run by local people. The Roads to Hope project has reached nearly 10,000 children across 25 villages in Plateau state and southern Kaduna since its launch. Within the last year, 700 children have enrolled in Roads to Hope reading clubs and extra-curricular activities designed to provide crucial learning opportunities that many students have missed due to insecurity. The project recruits local schoolteachers who live alongside the children in displacement camps, having fled violence in their own villages. Whilst the teachers are willing to work for free, the project provides them with a salary. This is crucial to allow teachers to focus on their lessons rather than sourcing food. They provide lessons in maths, English, Bible studies and personal hygiene.

St Christopher’s was delighted to be able to fund the provision of a mobile classroom, plus its running costs for the first year; David Gem gave more details about this in an interesting article which appeared in the

March 2022 edition of HotPott.

After receiving project funds for the Roads to Hope education van in February 2022, the Anglican Diocese of Jos was unable to withdraw the money due to inflation causing a lack of available foreign currency. Three months later, Hassan John was able to get the funds out of the bank and select a van for modification. Throughout the year, workers were periodically forced to stay home amid escalating violence and lockdowns, causing another three months delay. However, by late September 2022, a van fully equipped with books, pens, a whiteboard, an LED monitor and a solar-powered generator was ready for operation. It has evidently been put to excellent use ever since: ‘We want to say a big thank you to … St Christopher’s Church [for providing] another education van to villages in Nigeria. The smiles and excitement on the faces of young boys and girls as they receive these educational materials is just enormous. It can’t be explained. We want to express our gratitude for what you have done and what you continue to do. We pray that the Lord will continue to bless and keep you. Thank you so much.’ Hassan John, Roads to Hope Coordinator.

Thanks to HART for providing the above update, and for doing such excellent, innovative work in difficult circumstances. Thanks too to David Gem for liaising with HART. If you would like to find out more, please visit: https://www.hart-uk.org/

A minister whom I know of uses a standard liturgy for funerals. To personalise each service, he enters a ‘find and replace’ command. The computer then finds the name of the deceased from the previous funeral and replaces it with the name of the deceased for the upcoming one.

Not long ago, the minister told the computer to find the name ‘Mary’ and replace it with ‘Edna’. The next morning, the funeral was going smoothly until the congregation intoned the Apostles’ Creed. “Jesus Christ,” they read from the pre-printed programme, “born of the Virgin Edna…

Coffee Break

Across

1 Relating to the Jewish day of rest (10)

7 Point of view (Matthew 22:17) (7)

8 20th-century Brethren philanthropist whose construction company became one of the UK’s biggest, Sir John — (5)

10 Girl’s name (4)

11 Peter was accused of being one in the courtyard of the high priest’s house (Luke 22:59) (8)

13 The fifth of the ‘seven churches’ (Revelation 3:1–6) (6)

15 ‘Now the famine was — in Samaria’ (1 Kings 18:2) (6)

17 Banned by the seventh Commandment (Exodus 20:14) (8)

18 Insect most closely associated with itching (1 Samuel 24:14) (4)

21 Bantu tribe which gives its name to tiny landlocked country in southern Africa (5)

22 Familiar material in churches that use an overhead projector (7)

23 Last book of the Bible (10)

Down

1 The young David’s favourite weapon (1 Samuel 17:40) (5)

2 ‘Your vats will — over with new wine’ (Proverbs 3:10) (4)

3 Once yearly (Exodus 30:10) (6)

4 Milled it (anag.) (3-5)

5 Region north of Damascus of which Lysanias was tetrarch (Luke 3:1) (7)

6 Comes between Philippians and 1 Thessalonians (10)

9 Lake where the first disciples were called (Luke 5:1–11) (10)

12 Abusive outburst (8)

14 Are loud (anag.) (7)

16 Printing errors (6)

19 ‘Take my yoke upon you and — from me’ (Matthew 11:29) (5)

20 Jacob’s third son (Genesis 29:34) (4)

Late for a meeting and unable to find parking, I pulled into a spot behind a church. It was only after I’d got out of the car that I spotted this sign: “No parking. Forgiveness is our business, but don’t make it harder than it already is.”

Recipe for Summer Slimmers

C is for calories, unseen foe, if you want to lose weight and progress is slow think through your C foods, take charge, take control, be positive negative - just say NO.

Chocolate or custard, cookies and cake; cream on your coffee or Cadbury’s flakes; croissants and crisps or crumble with coke, all help to put weight on, obese is no joke.

Conquer the cutlery consider the size, take teaspoons, small forks, and always use knives; in shops fill the trolley where fresh fruit is found; avoid biscuit aisles with your eyes to the ground. Back home resist nibbles, put items away In cupboard or cooler and never display; for eyes are the tempter, resistance is low If you’re tired it is harder to just think NO.

C’s can be companions, nutritiously good carrots, cucumbers and cauliflower cod; But the smaller the plate and the slower the chew Will help you lose weight and maintain the new you!

by Audrey Bomford

Friends sympathized as our curate complained that her back was really sore from moving furniture. “Why don’t you wait till your teenage son gets home?” someone asked.

“Well, I could,” our curate replied, “but the couch is easier to move if he’s not on it.”

“People get nervous when they think that they have to call me ‘my Lord’, said an Irish bishop. “Especially the poor nuns.

One was giving me a cup of coffee. As she pushed the sugar bowl towards me, she said, ‘How many lords, my lump?’”

* * *

Pott Shrigley Rose Queen 2023

The morning rain clouds did nothing to dampen the spirits of the Rose Queen setteruppers, and indeed the rain played itself out in time for the sun to shine on the Pott Shrigley Rose Queen Fete and the Shrigley Stag Fell Race. Sienna McKie and Ieva Heathcote, our Rose Queen and Rose Bud, looked suitably regal, and their attendants also performed their roles admirably; it was lovely to see our retiring Rose Queen, Paige Price, accompanying them. Geoff Parker performed the crowning ceremony with aplomb… though didn’t look as pretty as the royalty present. Rev. Lynn Caudwell opened the fete with a prayer, and then invited everyone to join in singing two worship songs; the children were already experts with the songs and the accompanying actions – the school staff present were pretty good too!

Retro Casino did their first set –and were as entertaining as we remembered from their appearance last year. Wonderful music to listen to. Sadly the dog show had been cancelled earlier in the week, in anticipation of the sunshine beating down and causing all our furry friends to overheat, but a new entertainment had been devised… a duck race on the village stream, which fortunately had been swelled sufficiently by the recent rain to provide an exciting contest. And the other fun stuff was also going on… delicious barbecue food, cream teas and cake, tombola, raffle, PIMMS, hair braids, games and lots more, including, of course, the beer tent.

Meanwhile, the Shrigley Stags and Stagesses had set off, and some

returned with amazing speed – Lucas Parker was the first back, congratulations to him and well done to all those who took part.

Thanks to all the many folk who made the Rose Queen Fete happen, to everyone who came and enjoyed themselves, and of course to Sienna and Ieva, who reprised their roles at the All Age Worship Service on Sunday – and what a blessing that service was to all who attended!

Roll on next year!

See centre-spread and back inside cover for a collection of photos from the Rose Queen event

The Suffering Church

In Nigeria more Christians are killed for their faith than in the rest of the world combined; at least 11,000 have been killed since 2015, and moderate Muslims and security forces have also died. This mostly affects believers living in the Muslim-majority north and Middle Belt, but it is spreading south. Although all civilians are subject to threats and violence, Christians are often specifically targeted because of their faith. Boko Haram and the Islamic State West Africa Province (ISWAP), for example, want to eliminate the presence of Christianity in Nigeria, which in a land of 216,700,000 where 46% of the population profess the Christian faith, is a lot of people! Christian women and girls in northern Nigeria, and increasingly further south, are vulnerable to persecution for their faith and gender –they are frequently targeted for abduction, sexual assault and forced marriage by armed groups. This is what happened nine years ago, when Boko Haram abducted 276 girls from a school in Borno State. Around 170 girls have subsequently escaped, been rescued or

released and two more of them were rescued by the Nigerian military in April 2023. Both women were forced to marry Boko Haram fighters three times during their captivity and had five children between them. Please pray for those who remain in captivity, and for their captors, that they would have a change of heart; please pray for appropriate support to be available to those who have escaped. Although many Christian women are attacked, men and boys are often specifically targeted by extremist groups, with the aim of destroying livelihoods and stifling Christian population growth. Christians are dispossessed of their land and their means of livelihood, and many live as internally displaced people or refugees. Terrorist attacks killed more than 100 Nigerian Christians in Plateau State on 16 May, including the family of a baby, Precious, who survived despite her wounds. Approximately 1,000 extremist militia simultaneously burned the houses in several villages of Mangu County, which caused more than 20,000 people to flee in search of safety, adding to the vast numbers already displaced. A senior Christian leader in Plateau State told Barnabas that aid was in short supply with so many looking for safety. Please pray for all the innocent victims of these attacks, especially for those who suffer because they believe in Jesus Christ.

Baby Precious who survived two bullet wounds, Nigeria; Barnabas

Borno state schoolgirls abducted nine years ago, Nigeria; Amnesty international / Getty images

In Libya six Christians who were arrested separately earlier this year are facing the possibility of the death penalty as apostates for having converted from Islam; they are also accused of proselytizing others in this Muslimmajority country. The six were charged under the penal code which stipulates the death penalty for anyone promoting views that aim to ‘alter fundamental constitutional principles, or the fundamental structures of the social order’ i.e. overthrow the state. Anyone found in possession of books, leaflets, drawings, slogans or anything else that supports such a cause is punishable by life imprisonment. Libyan security officials stated that the arrests aimed to ‘stop an organised gang action aiming to solicit and to make people leave Islam’. One of the six Christians is a 22-year-old woman who released a video explaining her conversion to Christianity at the age of 15. A seventh Muslim-background believer was sentenced to death for apostasy in September 2022. Libya’s interim constitution of 2011 declares Islam the state religion and sharia (Islamic law) the principal source of legislation, but it also guarantees non-Muslims the freedom to practise their religion. Please pray that the authorities understand that Christianity is not a threat to society. Pray that the death sentence will not be carried out in any of these cases.

In Pakistan a Christian woman and a Muslim

man working in the Punjab were arrested and charged with blasphemy in April after they burnt some discarded waste paper they had removed from a storeroom they had been asked to clear. As both workers are illiterate, they did not realise that some of the pages contained verses from the Quran. School pupils and residents in the district raised the alarm and informed the police. Pakistan’s blasphemy laws stipulate life imprisonment for desecration of the Quran. Less than two weeks later in the same district, a Christian wedding photographer and the Muslim couple who hired him were also accused of blasphemy after Khurram Yousaf was asked to take photos of the newlyweds at a Muslim shrine; both he and the couple were accused of desecrating the site by a member of the shrine’s management who reported the incident to the police. Khurram is now in hiding. Please pray for our Christian brothers and sisters and other religious minorities, all of whom are particularly vulnerable to accusations of blasphemy, that such charges would be dropped.

And now for some good news from Iran!

In June HotPott we were asked to pray for Iranian Christian converts Homayoun Zhaveh and his wife Sara Ahmadi who were imprisoned for their involvement in a house church. In May Tehran’s appeal court acquitted them. The judge said that there was nothing suspicious about

Catholic priest and Anglican pastor in cathedral in Tripoli, Libya; Religion News Service

Blasphemy protests, Pakistan; Opindia

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the Christian activities of Homayoun and Sara, that gathering with other Christians was legal and entirely 'natural’ and having books about Christianity was merely 'an extension of their beliefs’. This ruling is highly significant. Christian worship in Iran’s majority language (Farsi) is forbidden, as is any Christian evangelism. Farsi-speaking Christians are often charged with ‘acting against national security’ for their activities in unofficial house churches. This has been a long road for Homayoun and Sara, who were originally arrested and detained in June 2019; they have been in and out of prison since and have had two previous applications for a retrial rejected. Praise the Lord for the answer to persistent prayer with their acquittal, and for the insight received by the appeal court judge. Pray that they will recover fully from their ordeal, and that Homayoun receives the treatment he needs for his Parkinson’s disease. Pray that this ruling will be a precedent that allows more Christians to be released and prevents others from being targeted by the authorities.

With thanks to Barnabas and Open Doors for the information contained in this article.

Caleb the Midnight Milkman

In the tribute we paid to Rita Bunting in the June edition of HotPott Caleb the Midnight Milkman was mentioned; I was intrigued. As Caleb is not a common name, I considered the chances of someone being able to identify this mysterious character were quite high. HotPott readers did not disappoint… in fact so much so that I’m still gathering and collating the information. More to come in the September issue of HotPott…

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Thursday, 10th August

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Proof reader next month is Caroline Booth

Sara Ahmadi and Homayoun Zhaveh released from prison, Iran; Barnabas

Missionary Matters

By the time you read this, Johnny and Ann McClean, who normally live in Bangkok, will be in the UK having a family holiday in Northern Ireland and attending their son Matthew’s graduation from Belfast Queen’s University.

John Ryley

Please pray for all those students who are unable to graduate because industrial action by university staff has meant their exam papers are not yet marked; pray too that an equitable solution is found to this longstanding dispute. Younger son Joshua will then spend a couple of weeks in Norwich with his sister Beth while mum and dad attend the Keswick Convention. Ann and Joshua will then fly back to Bangkok for the start of the new school year (and a new school for Ann!) whilst Johnny goes to the UFM (their mission) conference and moves Beth to a new house in Norwich before flying back to Bangkok on August 3rd. Pray for Pastor Pramote during the McCleans’ absence as he takes complete responsibility for their New City Fellowship Church. There is no news of the Afghan refugee K who has settled in Australia now, while the McCleans’ other Afghan refugee friends, A, S and M, wait for a date from the Australian authorities before they can make their own move to the Antipodes. Please pray that a moving date comes soon! M has just graduated from kindergarten and will start grade 1 in August; attending this Filipino-run English-speaking school has helped M’s confidence, skills and English a lot but it is not cheap. The McCleans are very thankful for those who help them support this lovely family each month. And now news of someone at the other end of the age range! Grandfather Taret lives in a small shack about

five minutes’ drive from their church. He is in his 70s, lives alone, and until last Monday was blind as he had cataracts in both eyes. He could be treated for free but was left in the dark because he had no one to take him for treatment. Previously he did not have a bathroom or electricity. Church members have helped: through contacting the head person in his community Grandfather Taret got a bathroom; Pastor Pramote put in electricity and lighting and the foundation now pays a neighbour, Bom, to wash his clothes and help him with his eye medication. Grandfather Taret is now clean and has clean clothes and a clean house as Bom got to work while he was in hospital. Overall, the change in his living standards is huge. Praise God for Grandfather Taret’s successful operation. Pray for his continuing recovery. Pray for Bom who has alcohol problems but a heart of gold. Pray for both Grandfather Taret and Bom, that as they hear the gospel they will see Jesus.

Grandfather Taret

Pott Shrigley Village Hall Bar

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

11th14thJuly

August

Megumi and Helen Fazakerley will be coming to the UK from Malawi in September for a six-month home assignment, and are eagerly anticipating sharing life with their family for a few months. In October their daughter Mary will marry Trevor; it will be wonderful for the whole family to be together for this, unlike at daughter Elizabeth’s wedding in Australia a couple of years ago, which they could only follow online – when Megumi walked her down the aisle on Elizabeth's iPad! Hopefully Megumi and Helen will visit St Christopher’s one Sunday in the autumn. Megumi writes: ‘At the end of May, we marked the 30th anniversary of our arrival in Malawi. We enjoyed a special fellowship gathering which a couple of our long-time friends had kindly organised for the occasion. Many things come to our mind as we look back, which help us to shape our perspective on the future. We don't know how many years are left for our service in Malawi, but we don't want them to be a mere continuation or extension of what has been. Please join us to pray that our remaining time in Malawi will count for God's Kingdom (rather than someone's idea of mission, in the form of vision statement, strategic focus, development plan, etc.).’ Although not currently teaching at the Evangelical Bible College of Malawi (EBCoM), Megumi was asked to help with the database he had devised for keeping students' personal and grade information. Megumi hopes that EBCoM will become more independent as they develop the skills they need to run a modern college. I mentioned before the Japanese girl Yuki who had come to faith in Malawi and was returning home to a nonChristian family for a visit. Megumi writes: ‘Thank you for praying for Yuki, the Japanese

girl we tried to help get prepared for her first home visit after making a choice to follow Christ. We heard that her time at home has gone well, reconnecting with family, friends and a local church... She is scheduled to come back to Blantyre to continue her work with a small Japanese NGO (running projects for constructing classroom blocks for schools in a rural district). Two interns are expected to join her shortly. Helen and I are prayerfully waiting to see how the Lord might orchestrate for a regular (weekly?) social occasion with informal Bible study/discussion. Please pray that the Lord will work in the hearts of those new interns, so that they may be open and interested in meeting to discover what the Bible has to say.’

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30th anniversary fellowship gathering for Megumi & Helen

Recipe of the Month

Rich Lincolnshire Plum Bread

HotPott readers will know that Lydia and Simon Potts have recently walked their way along the Trans Pennine Trail, coming across many regional culinary delights in the process. In Barton-upon-Humber, the wrapping paper at the gift shop alerted them to Lincolnshire Plum Bread: what is believed to be the definitive recipe is printed on it. Apparently, some families had two versions, an everyday one and a special occasion one. It was traditional at Christmas time to make 12, each loaf to be given away to friends to signify 12 happy months in the forthcoming year.

The wrapping paper may well have the definitive recipe, but this one from The Hairy Bikers and BBC Good Food looks much nicer –and they are acknowledged, with thanks, as the source of this delicious bread.

Ingredients:

225g (8oz) prunes, pits removed, roughly

chopped

50g (2oz) currants

50g (2oz) sultanas

150ml (5fl oz) Earl Grey tea

450g (1lb) strong plain flour, plus extra for flouring

125ml (4½fl oz) milk

6 tbsp soft brown sugar

110g (4oz) butter melted, plus extra for greasing

2 eggs, beaten

1½ tsp ground cinnamon

1½ tsp ground allspice

½ tsp vanilla extract

¼ tsp salt

15g/½oz dried yeast

To serve

Butter

Lincolnshire cheese

Method

Place the dried fruits into a bowl and pour over the Earl Grey tea. Mix well and set aside to soak

for 10 minutes.

Meanwhile, sift the flour into a large bowl. Prepare a large loaf tin by greasing and flouring the bottom and sides.

In a separate bowl, whisk together the milk, sugar, melted butter and eggs until well combined.

Add the spices, vanilla extract and salt and whisk again to combine.

Add the dried yeast and whisk again to combine.

Add the sifted flour a little at a time and whisk until all the flour has been incorporated into the mixture and the mixture comes together as a soft dough.

Strain the soaked dried fruits and discard the tea. Add the soaked fruits to the dough and knead for 3-5 minutes, or until the dough is smooth and elastic and the fruits are well combined in the mixture.

Transfer the dough to a clean bowl, cover with a clean tea towel and set aside in a warm place for 1-2 hours, or until doubled in size (proved). When the dough has doubled in size, turn it out onto a lightly floured work surface and knead briefly. Transfer the dough to a large loaf tin and set aside for a further hour to rise.

Preheat the oven to 190°C/375F/Gas 5.

When the dough has risen, bake in the oven for 40-50 minutes, or until golden-brown. Set aside to cool in the tin.

Allow to cool before slicing.

To serve, cut the plum bread into slices and serve with butter and cheese.

A fascinating exploration of Cheshire's historic churches, both the well known and those waiting to be discovered by a wider audience.

Advance Information

CHURCHES OF CHESHIRE

DAVID PAUL

The Hill, Merrywalks, Stroud Gloucestershire, GL5 4EP www.amberley-books.com

The county of Cheshire has a rich and varied past which is reflected in its historic churches. In Churches of Cheshire , author David Paul explores a selection of the most interesting churches across the whole of the county. The buildings range from a church located in the heart of the city of Chester to market towns, villages and remote locations, and represent the many different architectural eras and styles to be found in Cheshire's churches. The book covers a cross-section of churches throughout the county, both well-known and those waiting to be discovered by a wider audience.

This fascinating picture of an important part of the history of Cheshire over the centuries will be of interest to all those who live in or are visiting this attractive county in England.

MARKETING, PUBLICITY, PRESS

• Will appeal to those interested in the history of Cheshire

• Review coverage in local press and media

THE AUTHOR

David Paul is a well-known local historian and author, who has written a number of books for Amberley on places in the North West and West Midlands and elsewhere. He lives in Widnes.

BIBLIOGRAPHIC INFORMATION

Publication: July 2023

Price: £15.99

ISBN: 9781398110595

Size: 234 x 165mm

Binding: Paperback

Extent: 96 pages

Illustrations: 100 illustrations

Rights: World, all languages

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Customer Service

Amberley Publishing

The Hill, Merrywalks, Stroud, Glos. GL5 4EP T: +44 1453 847800 F: +44 1453 847820

E: sales@amberley-books.com

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St Christopher’s Pastoral Ministry

For pastoral support, a listening ear, a home visit, Holy Communion at home, prayer support or if you have a baptism enquiry

please contact the pastoral ministry care team via Anne Murphy.

email:

pastoralteam@pottshrigleychurch.org.uk

telephone: 07891 953919

From the Registers

Wedding

Congratulations to:

20th May Michael Eaton & Sylvia Coleman

Forthcoming Weddings

We wish them joy in their preparations:

5th August Jack Maddock & Nicole Capper

12th August Frederick Burrow & Emily Wray

Funerals

Our thoughts and prayers are with the family and friends of:

18th May Darren Alan Flood aged 45 years

24th May Philip James Simcock, aged 88 years

Church Cleaning (July)

7th July Reg & Jean

14th July David & Joy

21st July Shirley & Christine

28th July Sally & Yvonne

4th Aug (wedding noon, 5th)

11th Aug (wedding 2pm, 12th)

18th Aug

25th Aug

1st Sept

& Sue

& Mary

• All services underlined in blue will be streamed live on our Facebook Page & YouTube channel. During the summer from 23rd July until 3rd September inclusive the streaming team will be taking a break so no services will be available online.

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

Junior Church * Youth Church (at 6pm) ** Youth Church (at 10.45am)

Directory

Parish Council Clerk: Joyce Burton, pottclerk@btinternet.com Wedding Coordinator: Pam Cooke, weddings@pottshrigleychurch.org.uk

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

(please prefix numbers with 01625)

PCC Members: 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, Annie Palace, Kath Matheson, Chris Day, Reg Ferguson.

This directory was updated on 25th May 2023.Please give corrections and additions to magazine@pottshrigleychurch.org.uk