o n t a c t
The Parish Magazine
Risen Christ, you filled your disciples with boldness and fresh hope: strengthen us to proclaim your risen life and fill us with your peace, to the glory of God the Father.
Dates for your diary
The pattern for Services each week is shown on the back cover .
April 2025 is World Autism Acceptance Month It is an opportunity for everyone to come together and raise awareness, foster acceptance, and create a society where autistic people are supported, understood, and empowered.
1st - April Fool’s Day
2nd - International Children's Book Day
Bringing awareness to reading and to how essential it is in moulding young minds of the future.
3rd - Richard of Chichester - see page 26
6th - Fifth Sunday of Lent
Readings: Phil 3:4b-14 Jn 12:1-8
13th to 20th - Passover
Commemorating the liberation of the Israelites from slavery and their exodus from Egypt.
13th - Palm Sunday
Readings: Phil 2:5-11 Lk 22:1-14-23:56
17th - Maundy Thursday Communion Service at 7.00 pm. No midweek morning service. Clergy are at the Derby Cathedral.
18th - Good Friday
The annual Walk of Witness will this year begin at St Andrew’s Methodist Church at 10.00 am and proceed up Bath Street to St Mary's, where there will be the Ilkeston Churches Good Friday Service at 10.30 am. Also in St Mary’s, Last Hour at the Cross at 2.00 pm.
18th - World Heritage Day
Fostering appreciation, protection, and promotion of our shared cultural and natural heritage.
19th - Holy Saturday
20th - EASTER SUNDAY
The Ilkeston Churches Dawn Service at the Dale Abbey Arch will be at 6.00 am , please park quietly at Carpenter’s Arms if attending. Easter Celebration services in St Mary’s at 8.00 am and 10.00 am.
Readings: Acts 10:34-43 Jn 20:1-18
21st - Easter Monday
23rd -St George - Patron of England, c.304
25th -Mark the Evangelist
26th - Friends of St Mary’s Churchyard Working Party - 10am
27th - Second Sunday of Easter
Readings: Acts 5:27-32 Jn 20:19-31
With Jesus in Paradise
Thoughts on the Crucifixion by Rev William Mather, a retired vicar, and also an artist of some repute. This reflection is accompanied with one of his paintings.
This is not a nice picture. In fact, it is pretty horrible. But then that 2004 film, The Passion of the Christ was pretty horrible. It was controversial for its goriness and violence. Yet the director Mel Gibson deeply wanted it to be true to life, without any sugar-coating.
I would very much like to think that this painting might have a similar effect.
At first glance, it is gory in the extreme. Two men nailed to crosses with blood pouring down their arms, bodies and legs. A horrible sight. Terrible pain. Barbarism from 2,000 years ago.
But wait a minute. Look at all the people. Why are they there? What are they thinking? Am I there as well? And the background of high-rise flats and buildings – that’s today. Also, what are the bright shafts of light flashing down from the top right side? Is there something else going on? If so, what?
Let’s remind ourselves of the story. It’s from the Bible and about the murdering of Jesus, nailed to a cross alongside two criminals. Only one of them is shown here but Jesus was not a criminal. He was innocent. He was indicted under fake charges that he was trying to foment insurrection and become King. The authorities decided crucifixion was the best way to stamp out His revolution.
The crazy thing was that He was saying things like we are all sinners and all deserve to die for our sins. Even more, He said that He would die for our sins – instead of us – so that like the Old Testament sacrifices of animals, we could be washed clean by his blood. Crazy or not, people believed Him and began to follow Him in huge numbers.
But a lot did not believe, particularly those in power. Killing Him was their solution. Now He is on the cross – nails in His hands and feet; blood everywhere. But amazing miracle, one of the criminals does believe. He says to the other criminal that the two of them are “being punished justly, for we are getting what our deeds deserve. But this man has done nothing wrong.” Then he calls out: “Jesus, remember me when you come into your kingdom.”
Jesus replies: “I tell you the truth, today you will be with me in paradise,” (Luke 23:42).
And that’s what this painting is about – the moment of heart realisation, belief and faith.
It is the moment that has given hope to millions of people. It is the moment that Jesus brings life and new life to anybody, however bad or hopeless they feel.
It is the moment of being washed clean by His blood on the cross, and moving into His wonderful kingdom of freedom and forgiveness.
It’s for all of us, wherever we are in that crowd. It’s for all of us wherever we live, whether high rise flats or the Highlands. It’s only then that the true light of Jesus begins to shine into our lives.
From there we can walk freely, faithfully and forgiven into the future – with Jesus in the world and then, in Paradise.
Easter Inside Out The story as if you were there
By David Kitchen, BRF, £12.99
AcclaimedstorytellerDavidKitchen reimaginestheEasternarrative throughavariedcastofcharacters, fromMaryMagdalenetoCaiaphas. Ifyouwanttounderstandwhomight havebeenwhereanddoingwhatas theEasterstoryunfolds,thisbook givesyouanswers.Italsoletsyou sensewhatitcouldhavebeenlike tobeoneofthoseinvolvedinthe twistsandturnsofoneofthe mostextraordinarystoriesin thewholeofhistory.
Spring Harvest – more than 10,000 expected this year
AprilbringsusSpringHarvest–theannualcross-denominational conferencewhichattracts thousandsofpeopleeveryyear totwoButlin’sresorts.
ItisheldovertheEasterperiodin Skegness(7th to11th)and Minehead(14th to18th).Itisalso live-streamedfromMinehead.
Fordetailsofthisyear’s gathering,includingspeakers andworshipleaders,goto: https://www.springharvest.org/ events/news/spring-harvest-home2025
Last month I appealed for donations towards the costs of producing “Contact” magazine and now I would like to say a big thank you to all who responded. Your help is greatly appreciated. GarthNewton(Editor).
Servanthood
by Lester Amann
How do we say goodbye to someone who we have known for many years and enjoyed their company? We arrange a farewell party!
When Jesus prepared to leave, it was very different. He arranged His last meal and it was no party. His disciples were in for a shock. Jesus brought His friends together and then said one of them would betray Him! He then said Peter would deny Him.
Although Jesus was the host and should have been honoured, He changed His role and became a servant. He got up from the meal table, removed His outer clothing, and wrapped a towel around His waist. Jesus humbled Himself and washed the feet of His disciples, much to their dismay and Peter’s objection.
Jesus showed humility and bestowed honour onto the disciples. They were to do the same, to serve others. They were to learn, as we do, that in God’s service it will often be a humbling and sacrificial experience. Jesus said “I have set you an example that you should do as I have done for You” (John 13:15)
Prayer for April 2025
by Daphne Kitching
Living Lord Jesus,
We, your Easter People of today, thank You for the Easter People of the Gospel accounts.
For the women, who loved You so much that they went to the tomb, early in the morning, while it was still dark. Thank you especially for Mary, who wept, then rejoiced, then ran to tell the others, “I have seen the Lord!”
Thank you for Thomas, who doubted, then devoted his life to You, his Lord and his God; for the disciples who ate breakfast on the beach with You; for Peter, who was forgiven and re-commissioned by You. Thank You for them and Your witnesses through all generations. Thank you for Your true and living written Word, proclaiming You, our true and living Lord, who lived and died and rose again to offer us forgiveness and life.
Thank you, Lord that because You live, we have hope and assurance, whatever challenges the world might bring. Christ has died Christ is risen Christ will come again Hallelujah!
From The Archives
"Go to the village there ahead of you, and at once you will find a donkey tied up with her colt beside her. Untie them and bring them to me."
Matthew 21:2
Palm Sunday 1998
Once again we’re dipping into the archives with another selection of photo’s kindly donated by Doreen Beighton from her late husband Trevor’s collection. These were all taken when, to the delight of the children in Sunday School, “Jasper Carrot” was the guest of honour at the Palm Sunday Service on April 5th 1998.
It’s hardly the London Marathon, but it could save your life
If you go for a run just once a week, it could be enough to cut the risk of your early death by up to a quarter. A recent analysis of nearly a quarter of a million people has found that those who head out regularly for a jog – no matter how fast or how far – had far lower death rates.
In fact, it seems that any amount of running can be linked to a 27% reduction in mortality from any cause. This includes a 30% lower risk of heart death and a 23% reduction in the chances of dying from cancer.
Even one run a week of less than 50 minutes is enough to have a significant impact. And there was no evidence to suggest that doing more than this confers any greater benefit. The study was carried out at the Victoria University in Melbourne and published in the British Journal of Sports Medicine.
Meanwhile, according to Public Health England, four in ten of us aged 40-60 fail to manage even a brisk 10-minute walk once a month.
This year’s London Marathon will be run on Sunday, April 27, 2025
‘God
in the Arts’
by the Revd Michael Burgess, this time looking at ‘The Kiss of Judas’ by Giotto
‘In a grove lit only by a kiss’
Holy Week, as its name tells us, is the most important, holiest week in the Church’s year, when we follow Jesus from His triumphant entry into Jerusalem, to the Upper Room, to Calvary and to the garden of the tomb. As we make that journey each year, we are not just remembering past events. We are celebrating how eternity touched Jerusalem in that first Holy Week and how eternity can touch our lives now.
To create that impact and that realisation, the week is brim-full of colour and variety in its worship, full of action and movement, full of processions and music. But we might think it is a week with very little silence.
Yet the silences are there if we look at the Gospels closely. We enter an upper room and catch our breath when Jesus announces a betrayer. Peter denies our Lord, a cock crows, and a bleak stillness falls on that scene. In the palace Jesus stands accused, no words are spoken, and the governor wonders in the silence. And there is silence by the cross until the ninth hour. The silence does fall during Holy Week, punctuating the crises of these tense days. It is conveyed with dramatic force in this Gethsemane scene: Peter Firth’s poem describes it as ‘a grove lit only by a kiss.’ The painting is by Giotto, ‘The Kiss of Judas,’ and is part of an amazing series of frescoes he painted for the Arena Chapel in Padua from 1305-06.
At first glance it is a scene of frenzied activity: burning torches wave in the sky, weapons are wielded, and a ram’s horn blown. The cohort of soldiers advance on Jesus, and Peter tries to defend Him by cutting off a soldier’s ear in his anger. One of the religious leaders points to Jesus in the centre of the painting.
And it is there that the tragic stillness falls as our eyes focus on the eyes of Jesus: that steady, discomforting gaze into the eyes of Judas the betrayer. Judas’ cloak seems to engulf Jesus, but it cannot blot out the look of our Lord.
The face of Judas is troubled, and the look of Jesus seems to burrow deep into that anxiety, beneath the surface into his heart.
In Holy Week they are eyes that look out to us. The face of Jesus is turned in our direction, saying, ‘Yes, you may follow Me in the heady excitement of Palm Sunday. But will you also follow Me into this garden, on the way of My cross to the foot of Calvary, and beyond to the empty tomb of Easter morning?’
‘The Kiss of Judas’ by Giotto Reprinted by kind permission of the Arena Chapel, Padua
'God in the Sciences’
by Dr Ruth Bancewicz, (Faraday Institute for Science & Religion in Cambridge)
How Can a Christian be a Scientist?
I used to ask this question as a student. I wondered, who could make it in the world of science and still hold onto their faith? Soon enough I met a good number of successful scientists who were sincere Christians, some of whom were at my own university. So, what do people like this make of the opportunities and challenges that a life in science holds for a Christian?
Science is an exercise in observing and measuring things in the world, and coming up with general principles about the way things are. Exploring the world is a great thing to do to express our gratitude to the Creator. There is a sense of awe and wonder that comes when we expand our minds and our horizons by discovering things about the universe can feed into our worship.
Of course, there may be things in science that some Christians don’t want to get involved in because of what they believe. But there should also be ethical issues that make them want to get stuck into new research that will help people, protect creation, or tackle injustices. I am glad to see that many senior scientists do their best to find appropriate ways to make their own faith visible, so that people like my younger self can find role models and mentors.
Another helpful thing about science is that although our beliefs may at times affect what we notice about the world and how we interpret our data, they shouldn’t affect the outcome of experiments themselves. This means that a scientist can be respected by her colleagues for doing good work, regardless of what she believes and what her colleagues think of that worldview.
In my work at The Faraday Institute for Science and Religion, and my involvement with Christians in Science, I have the privilege of meeting a great number of scientists who are also Christians. One of the most famous living biologists is Francis Collins, who was Director of the project to decode the whole of human DNA. He wrote that it is “possible for the scientist-believer to be intellectually fulfilled and spiritually alive, both worshipping God and using the tools of science to uncover some of the awesome mysteries of His creation.” (Francis Collins, The Language of God: A Scientist Presents Evidence for Belief (Simon and Schuster, 2007)
Looking forward through Lent to Easter ...
Good Friday, in a way...is not Good Friday at all. It is Black Friday - a very Black Friday. It is Good Friday only in the sense that we know Easter will follow. – J E Lantz
The world cannot bury Christ. The earth is not deep enough for His tomb, the clouds are not wide enough for His winding-sheet. - Edward Thomson He Himself was forsaken that none of His children might ever need to utter His cry of loneliness. - J H Vincent
Who delivered up Jesus to die? Not Judas, for money; not Pilate, for fear; not the Jews, for envy; but the Father, for love! - Octavious Winslow
It was:
ALL IN THE MONTH OF APRIL
à 250 years ago, on 18th April 1775 that American silversmith and folk hero Paul Revere made his famous midnight ride on horseback from Charleston to Lexington to warn residents that the British were about to attack
à Also 250 years ago, on 23rd April 1775 that British artist J.M.W. Turner, was born. Known for his landscapes and turbulent marine paintings.- see page 14
à 175 years ago, on 16th April 1850 that Madame Marie Tussaud, French artist known for her wax sculptures, died. Founder of Madame Tussaud’s wax museum in London. - see page 14.
à Also 175 years ago, on 23rd April 1850 that William Wordsworth died. A Romantic poet, he was Poet Laureate from 1843-50.
à 150 years ago, on 1st April 1875 that Edgar Wallace was born. This British writer, playwright and journalist was best known for creating King Kong.
à Also 150 years ago, on 17th April 1875 that the game of snooker was invented by Neville Chamberlain, a British army officer stationed in India.
à 125 years ago, from 14th April - 12th November, that the 1900 Paris Exposition, a World’s Fair, was held. Nearly 50 million people visited Paris that year.
à 100 years ago, on 10th April 1925 that F Scott Fitzgerald’s novel The Great Gatsby, was published.
à 80 years ago, from 1st April to 22nd June 1945 that the Battle of Okinawa, Japan took place. The largest amphibious assault in the Pacific War, it was an Allied victory.
à Also 80 years ago, on 30th April 1945 that Adolf Hitler, Austrian-born German Nazi Party Leader, Chancellor of Germany (1933-45) and dictator (1934-45) committed suicide along with his wife, Eva Braun.
ALL IN THE MONTH OF APRIL cont.
à 70 years ago, on 5th April 1955 that Prime Minister Winston Churchill announced his retirement because of failing health. He was succeeded by Anthony Eden on 7th April.
à Also 70 years ago, on 10th April 1955 that British nightclub hostess Ruth Ellis shot and killed her lover, David Blakely. On 13th July she was hanged at Holloway Prison, the last woman to be executed in the UK.
à Also 70 years ago, on 18th April 1955, that Albert Einstein, German-born American theoretical physicist, died. - see page 15
à 65 years ago, on 1st April 1960 that Dr Martens boots went on sale in the UK.
à 50 years ago, on 4th April 1975 that Microsoft, the computer software/hardware company, was founded by Bill Gates and Paul Allen.
à Also 50 years ago, on 23rd April 1975 that US President Gerald Ford gave a televised speech in which he announced that the USA’s involvement in the Vietnam war was over, and all US aid to South Vietnam had ended. The war itself ended on 30th April.
à 40 years ago, on 21st April 1985 that Brazilian racing driver Ayrton Senna won the Portuguese Grand Prix. It was the first of his 41 Formula One wins.
à Also 40 years ago, on 23rd April 1985 that the Coca-Cola Company changed the formula of Coca-Cola and launched New Coke. The public were out-raged, and the original formula was restored within three months.
à 30 years ago, on 4th April 1995 that Kenny Everett, DJ, comedian and TV entertainer, died. Known for his zany humour, characters and sketches.
à Also 30 years ago, on 19th April 1995 that the Oklahoma City bombing took place, killing 168 people and injuring 500 more. Timothy McVeigh convicted of the bombing was executed in June 2001.
à 25 years ago, on 12th April 2000 that Queen Elizabeth II awarded the Royal Ulster Constabulary the George Cross in recognition of its collective and sustained bravery during the Troubles in Northern Ireland.
à Also 25 years ago, on 22nd April 2000 that the ‘The Big Number’ change took place on the UK’s telephone system. Many area codes were updated or replaced, and new ones created.
à 20 years ago, on 2nd April 2005 that Pope John Paul II died. Succeeded by Pope Benedict XVI on 19th April.
à Also 20 years ago, on 9th April 2005 that Charles, Prince of Wales, married Camilla Parker Bowles, who gained the title the Duchess of Cornwall.
à 15 years ago, on 20th April 2010 that BP’s Deepwater Horizon oil platform in the Gulf of Mexico exploded, killing 11 workers.
à 10 years ago, on 2nd April 2015 that the Gorkha earthquake took place in Nepal. Nearly 9,000 people were killed, 22,000 injured, and 3.5 million made homeless.
The paintings of J.M.W. Turner by Tim Lenton.
It was 250 years ago, on 23rd April 1775, that ground-breaking British artist J.M.W. Turner was born. The London-born watercolourist and printmaker transformed the established methods of painting, sweeping aside classical preoccupations of form and order.
Joseph Mallord William Turner, known in his time as William Turner, was a child prodigy born to a modest lower-middle-class family. He enrolled at the Royal Academy of Arts when he was 14 and exhibited his first work there a year later. He was a controversial figure, prone to depression and eccentric ideas, such as having himself tied to the mast of a ship during a storm so that he could experience what he wanted to paint.
Nevertheless Turner, who never married but had two daughters by the widow Sarah Danby, had many admirers and supporters from the outset. He travelled widely, particularly around Europe in 1802, and worked in the open air on detailed pencil sketches which he then turned into paintings.
One of his supporters was the MP and artist Walter Fawkes of Farnley Hall, near Otley in Yorkshire, and Turner returned to the area frequently to paint. He was also a friend of the Norwich School artist and clergyman Thomas Daniell.
Turner was certainly not a conventional Christian, but he had attended a Methodist Sunday school as a child and had a deep belief in God as Creator, which he reflected in his use of light in landscapes. Many of his paintings had Biblical themes. Considered one of the most influential artists of all time, Turner is pictured on the £20 banknote, and this year sees a twelve-month festival of events and exhibitions across the UK to mark the 250 years since his birth.
The genius of Madame Tussaud by Tim Lenton.
Some 175 years ago, on 16th April 1850, Madame Marie Tussaud, a French artist known for her wax sculptures, died. She was the founder in 1835 of Madame Tussauds wax museum in London. Born Anna Maria Grosholtz, she was taught wax modelling in Paris by Philippe Curtius, from whom she inherited two wax museums. Imprisoned as a royalist during the French Revolution, she was given the job of making death masks from heads freshly removed from their bodies by the guillotine.
Her subsequent marriage to François Tussaud was not a success and she moved to England, where she toured for over 30 years with her collection of wax models until she found it a permanent home in Baker Street, London, where it became extremely popular: Charles Dickens described it as “more than an exhibition an institution”. Her grandson Joseph Randall moved it to its current location on Marylebone Road in 1883.
The extensive exhibition is now operated by Merlin Entertainments and has locations in cities across four continents. The waxwork figures depict prominent people from many fields, including three Popes, Martin Luther King and Billy Graham. But it has not been without controversy: in 2004 a Nativity scene using “celebrities” – including David and Victoria Beckham as Joseph and Mary, Graham Norton as a shepherd and Kylie Minogue as an angel – was roundly criticised by the Roman Catholic Church in particular, and removed after it was damaged in an attack.
Wax figures of gods were used in funeral rites in ancient Egypt; the Greeks and Romans also used them in religious ceremonies, and dolls for children were also made of wax. In the Middle Ages, churches sometimes received votive or thanks offerings of wax figures.
Remembering
Albert Einstein by Tim Lenton.
Seventy years ago this month, on 18th April 1955, Albert Einstein, the German-born theoretical physicist, died. Considered the most influential physicist of the 20th century, he is known especially for developing the special and general theories of relativity. He formulated possibly the best-known theory in the world – the special theory of relativity (including the iconic equation E = mc2) – in 1905 while working as a technical expert, third class, at the Swiss Patent Office in Bern. He went on to become widely known and admired as a physicist of genius. He died in his local hospital in New Jersey of a haemorrhage, having become an American citizen. He was also a Swiss citizen.
Einstein’s family were secular Ashkenazi Jews. He was never convinced that God intervened on a personal level, regarding such an idea as naïve. But he had a firm belief in God as creator and sustainer of the universe.
He had an ongoing and never settled debate with Niels Bohr, the Danish theoretical physicist, about the way the universe was described by quantum mechanics, holding that chance could not be behind it because “God does not play dice”.
Einstein was clear that he was not an atheist – more a “religious nonbeliever”. He was disappointed in the end by his failure to prove non-randomness and to come up with a unified field theory by including electromagnetism in his geometric theory of gravitation. He did receive the 1921 Nobel Prize in Physics for his theory of the photoelectric effect.
Not long before he died, he wrote in a letter to physicist David Bohm: “If God created the world, His primary concern was certainly not to make its understanding easy for us.”
Albert Einstein was married twice and had three children by his first wife, Mileva Marić. He also played violin – hence the subtle reference to him “playing electric violin” in Bob Dylan’s Desolation Row.
The coming Judgement Day
The Ven John Barton reflects on God’s mercy and judgement.
As the Nicene Creed puts it, “He will come again in glory to judge the living and the dead, and His kingdom will have no end.” This phrase echoes numerous passages in the Bible. Here’s one: “I saw the dead, great and small, standing before the throne, and books were opened. Another book was opened, which is the book of life. The dead were judged according to what they had done as recorded in the books.” We get one go at this.
In the British legal system, there is an unusual provision for the Court itself to appoint a Counsel to represent a defendant who doesn’t have one and is facing serious charges. Something like that is implied in some of the biblical descriptions of Christ’s intervention on behalf of humanity: Jesus Himself is described as our Advocate: “But if anybody does sin, we have an advocate with the Father - Jesus Christ, the Righteous One.”
The late Lord Hailsham, a distinguished lawyer who became Lord Chancellor, was asked how he would face God when he died. “I will throw myself on the mercy of the Court,” he said.
On Good Friday, the most sacred day of the year, when God’s justice and mercy are intertwined, I take heart for myself and the whole human race by meditating on this text: “There is one God and one mediator between God and mankind, the man Christ Jesus, who gave Himself as a ransom for all people”. [1 Timothy 2]
On Easter Day when church bells ring out to celebrate the Resurrection of Jesus Christ from death, we do not forget the immense cost of God’s perseverance with us, for Christ’s body continues to bear the scars of Crucifixion. Nor is this the end of the matter.
Mystery of the Passion
Norma Banton of Silverfish Jewellery considers Easter
"I am the resurrection and the life, he who believes in me though he were dead yet shall he live" John 11:25
It would have been hard on Good Friday for anyone to imagine the glory that was coming on Sunday morning. On Friday the situation seemed hopeless: Peter denied Christ three times; Judas committed suicide; the other disciples scattered in fear; Jesus prayed until His sweat became drops of blood; on the cross He cried out ‘My God, My God why have you forsaken me?’ The sky turned black as He died, the curtain in the temple was torn in two and Mary's heart was pierced. All of this suffering bought our salvation, our healing, our peace and our eternal life. Because through His blood we are transformed into the sons and daughters of God!
The mystery of the 'passion of Christ' is almost incomprehensible, but whatever you are facing today I want to encourage you that Jesus has already paid the price for that....If we are sad 'Jesus wept', and He bought our joy. If we are sick, He purchased our healing. If we are troubled, He bought our peace. And for all the wrong things we have done, He bought our redemption from sin. We have been bought with a great price, and we are His.
What’s the Big Idea?
An Introduction to the Books of the Bible: Proverbs Canon Paul Hardingham continues the series on the books of the Bible.
‘The Book of Proverbs is an anthology of sayings (‘mishle’) that are generally attributed to Solomon (Proverbs 1:1), who uttered 3000 proverbs (1Kings 4:32). The purpose of these oracles is ‘for attaining wisdom and discipline’ (1:2). Solomon was concerned that people, especially the young, would understand ‘the sayings and riddles of the wise.’ (1:3-6). His guiding principle is that ‘The fear of the Lord is the beginning of knowledge.’ (1:7).
To give an idea of the recurring themes in the book, here are a few examples: Knowing God: ‘The fear of the Lord is the beginning of wisdom, and knowledge of the Holy One is understanding’ (9:10).
Guarding Our Speech: ‘A word aptly spoken is like apples of gold in settings of silver’ (25:11).
Marital faithfulness: ‘May your fountain be blessed and may you rejoice in the wife of your youth’ (5:15-20).
Our Work: ‘Go to the ant, you sluggard; consider its ways and be wise!’ (6:6-11).
Dangers of Strong Drink: ‘Wine is a mocker and beer a brawler; whoever is led astray by them is not wise’ (20:1).
Justice and Honesty: ‘The LORD abhors dishonest scales, but accurate weights are His delight’ (11:1).
Underlying these sayings is a conviction about God's omniscience, ‘For a man’s ways are in full view of the LORD, and He examines all his paths’ (5:21); providence, ‘Many are the plans in a man’s heart, but it is the LORD’s purpose that prevails’ (19:21) and goodness, ‘The LORD is far from the wicked but He hears the prayer of the righteous’ (15:29).
Proverbs reminds us that God is concerned with the way we live today. ‘Wisdom is the art of living skilfully in whatever actual conditions we find ourselves’ (Eugene Peterson).
Nominal Christians
Peter Brierley considers the numbers of Christians who rarely go to church. The phrase “nominal Christians” was moderately popular about 40 years ago, and the concept long before that, but it has grown out of fashion. When measured across the years the numbers of such have dropped, from some 9% of the UK population in 1980 to 7% by 2010 and likely 6% by 2020. A “nominal Christian” was defined as someone who was a church member, believed in God, but who never (or hardly ever) attended church.
But they were still included in church rolls, and only really discounted when they actually died. Active church members, however, who did attend church have also declined, from 8% in 1980 to 4% in 2010 and probably to 3% by 2020, showing the [possibility that regular church attendance at one stage may become “nominal” at another, for example, through ageing, ill health or moving house.
However, other elements are at work. Many new people have joined the church in the last few years. The Research and Statistics Department of the Church of England reports 42,000 new joining the church every year between 2000 and 2015. That’s a lot of people, but unfortunately more now leave than join (24,000 a year die, and 17,000 move away and do not always join a new church).
Many of the new people, especially if they are under 50, are reluctant to become a “member”. They prefer the freedom of being able to go anywhere, as it were, rather than being tied to a particular church, even if they invariably attend the same one! People are also more reluctant to commit” themselves to organisations in our current climate, fearing restrictions on their personal liberty of choice rather than duty.
In 1994 Grace Davie wrote a book with the subtitle “believing without belonging” and this seemed to strike a chord with many. They believed in God but didn’t want to belong to a church or even attend.
The History of the PCC
The Revd Peter Crumpler, a Church of England priest in St Albans, Herts, and a former communications director for the CofE
And we know that all things work together for good to those who love God, to those who are the called according to His purpose Romans 8:28
When you next attend a PCC meeting, you could say “Happy 104th Birthday!” to your colleagues. It is 104 years since The Parochial Church Councils (Powers) Measure 1921 which was an important stage in the birth of PCCs.
During the First World War army chaplains found that many men who thought of themselves as church goers were ignorant of the basics of religion. This led to a new interest in mission for the church. There were national days of prayer during the war and in 1915 there was a National Mission of Repentance and Hope. The public were more in the mood for victory than repentance. After the Armistice there was a desire for change in the national church and this led to a discussion about the links with the state.
There was a concern that Parliament was often slow to enact laws for the church and many people felt the national church should have more authority to govern itself. The setting up of Parochial Church Councils was part of that process. In the past a lot of local secular administration had been the responsibility of churchwardens in the vestry meetings. Gradually their functions were passed to local councils. Most of their remaining powers were transferred to PCCs by The Parochial Church Councils (Powers) Measure 1921.
The purpose behind these new councils was to give the laity a more prominent role in parish life to go alongside the deaconry, diocesan and national councils which became the synods and have an important role in church life. Some conservative clerics were concerned at this reform and felt that congregations would pick and choose clergy or object to a new incumbent chosen by a patron. The process of starting PCCs to share in decision making in parishes was widely accepted but a few older incumbents and those in more rural areas, failed to do either out of reluctance or ignorance.
A leading churchman in the reform movement was William Temple who became leader of the ‘Life and Liberty movement’ which hugely influenced the move towards democratic government in the Church of England. He was Bishop of Manchester in the 1920s, Archbishop of York from 1929 to 1942 and Archbishop of Canterbury (1942-4).
He had been a secretary of the National Mission of Repentance and Hope in 1916 and became chairman and joint leader with H. R. (Dick) Sheppard of the Life and Liberty movement. 'We demand liberty for the Church of England' he declared at a meeting in July 1917. One difficult issue was what level of commitment to church life enabled a person to be eligible to serve on a church council. It was decided that anyone on the electoral roll whether they attended services or communion regularly could participate. The then Bishop of Oxford resigned over the issue because he thought that councils must only be made up of committed regular communicants.
The next Bishop of Oxford in his monthly diocesan magazine endorsed the principle of democracy and reassured people that it was a not negative step or would limit the powers of clergy or wardens. He encouraged the congregations to consider how to use each other’s gifts. In Aylesbury the idea of the new PCCs had been discussed as early as 1918. It was felt that they would support the clergy particularly with financial issues.
It is strange to think that the proposal for clergy and congregation to work together for the benefit of the church could be controversial. The birth of PCCs was a major step in the life of the church. I wonder what the next 104 years will bring?
“All
you who pass by….”
The Ven John Barton visited York Minster on a Good Friday … For Good Friday, the morning service at York Minister was offered online for everyone to see, anywhere in the world. It’s the most solemn day of the year. Hymns, readings, prayers: all focussed on Christ’s death and its benefits for humanity, for all time.
A hundred or so people were in the congregation, alongside choir and clergy. Towards the end, the Archbishop of York carried a large replica cross from the back of the cathedral to a stand at the front. People were invited to come forward in silence, to venerate the cross, in the way they chose. Many came and knelt, or stood to pray, or touch the wood in memory of Christ’s suffering and death.
While this was going on, the entrance doors remained open, and scores of visitors wandered round that great building. A number stopped briefly to look at what was going on; some appeared bemused. One man wearing a baseball cap lifted his video camera for a few seconds to record a snapshot of what was happening, then moved on. A teenager ran from one side of the Minster to the other and then disappeared out of sight.
It was an extraordinary mixture of reverence and irreverence. Should the doors have been closed while the service was taking place? Then one remembered this was a commemoration of the actual Crucifixion, which was also witnessed by a cross-section of the human race. A handful of disciples, mainly women, were nearby; others perhaps observing from a distance. Curious onlookers stared. Some just passed by. Telling verses from the Old Testament are often recalled on Good Friday:
“Is it nothing to you, all you who pass by? Look around and see. Is any suffering like my suffering that was inflicted on me, that the Lord brought on me in the day of his fierce anger?”
This was the day when Christ pronounced absolution on us for our ignorance, saying “Father, forgive them for they don’t know what they are doing”. When we hear this, we feel both ashamed and revived, for we know this is what it cost Him to allow us another go at living as we should.
Nigel Beeton writes: The 12th April sees the centenary of the birth of Oliver Postgate, whose distinctive voice brought us such magical tales as 'The Clangers', 'Pogles Wood', 'Noggin the Nog', 'Ivor the Engine' and 'Bagpuss'. His was literally the voice of our childhoods:
The Magic World of Oliver Postgate
Born 12/4/1925 – Died 8/12/2008
The Clangers on their planet, the Pogles in their wood In Oliver’s bright kingdom we children had it good!
Smallfilms brought us joy, and spoiled us all for choice With ev’ry charming tale told by Oliver’s fine voice.
In Wales’ top left corner a small green engine puffed And Ivor was the engine’ s name, he whistled and he chuffed. He kept a dragon’s egg within his fire so hot Which Jones the Steam his driver never seemed to spot!
A stuffed cloth cat called Bagpuss still figures in our dreams; He was pink and baggy, a bit loose at the seams! We met the king of the Northmen - Noggin the much-loved Nog, And the Pogles were a family who lived in a hollow log.
Green soup and blue string pudding which all the Clangers eat Provided by a soup dragon who lives beneath their feet! So thank you Mr Postgate for all that you have done To bring such joy into our lives and fill them full of fun!
Who are the most generous Christians?
Those who attend church and read their Bible at least once a week.
So says Stewardship, in its 2025 Generosity Report. Stewardship, which manages charitable donations from church, charities and individuals, has found that, in donating an average of £314 a month, not only do ‘committed Christians’ give away almost five times the UK monthly average, but they experience “the most joy” from doing so.
Stewardshop’s recent survey found that ‘Committed Christians’ give an average of 11.6% of monthly income, ‘Practising Christians’ give 7.99%, ‘Churchgoing Christians’ give 5.30%, and ‘Cultural Christians’ give 0.84%.
The C of E’s National Adviser on Giving and Income Generation, Jonathan de Bernhardt Wood, points out: “The more we realise that everything we have is a gift from God, the more we are able to give it away,” he said.
Photo of plaques on Chandos Road Broadstairs, Kent ©ÊPhilipÊHalling
The prayers of Hippolytus (c 190 –c 236), though he lived in the third century, profoundly influenced 20th century liturgical writers. He was a priest in Rome who was deported to Sardinia during a persecution, where he died. His hymn for Easter was widely used throughouttheWesternChurch.
Easter, our Marriage Ceremony
You have protected us, Jesus, from endless disaster.
You spread Your hands over us like wings.
You poured Your blood over the earth, Because You loved us.
The anger which we deserved You turned away from us And restored us to friendship with God.
The heavens may have Your spirit, paradise Your soul,
But the earth has Your blood. We celebrate the coming of your Spirit always:
The Spirit leads the mystic dance throughout the year. But Easter comes and goes. Power came from heaven to raise You from death,
So that we and all creatures could see You.
All living things gather round You at Easter.
Thee is joy, honour, celebration, delight.
The darkness of death is driven away. Life is restored everywhere.
The gates of heaven are thrown open. In You, risen Jesus, God has shown us Himself,
So we can rise to Him as gods. The gates of hell are shattered.
In you, risen Jesus, those already dead rise to life,
Affirming the good news of eternal life. Now Your promise has been fulfilled. Now the earth is singing and dancing. Easter is our marriage ceremony. At Easter, dear Jesus, You make us Your brides
Rising up by Janet Reeve
Rising up from out of the grave, Our Jesus Christ who came to save, Save lost souls like you and me, Pure and wise for us all to see.
Now I'm rising from my times of trial, It's been a long and tedious while Since I have felt the urge to move, Move forward with the Saviour's love.
With help from people in the know Willing and able to assist me so, “One step at a time” is what they say, “You'll reach your goal on one fine day”
“When will that be?” I cry out loud, “I feel I'm under a thick, black cloud, Stuck, waiting for the rain to fall, Stuck, Lord, so unto you I call”.
My faith, once weakened, becomes strong,
Belief and prayer help me along, Along the path to stronger health, Spurred on by Jesus's powerful self!
An after-Easter prayer by
Elsie Campbell
Don’t leave our Lord amidst the lilies Within a hallowed sphere
Don’t praise Him only in your churches
In Easter hymn and prayer… Keep Him beside you through The business of ordinary days, In the common place encounters Along the humdrum ways.
Our Master told us very simply What He would have us do He taught: “Love one another Even as I love you.”
Jesus Christ:
No other man has ever humbled himself so greatly; and no man has ever been more exalted as a result.
April 3rd - Richard of Chichester - more clearly, dearly and nearly
Ever wonder where the prayer … ‘May I know thee more clearly, love thee more dearly, and follow thee more nearly, day by day’ comes from? Richard of Chichester, a bishop in the 13th century, wrote it.
He began life as Richard de Wych of Droitwich, the son of a yeoman farmer. But Richard was a studious boy, and after helping his father on the farm for several years, refused an advantageous offer of marriage, and instead made his way to Oxford, and later to Paris and Bologna to study canon law.
In 1235 he returned to Oxford, and was soon appointed Chancellor, where he supported Edmund, Archbishop of Canterbury, in his struggles against King Henry III’s misuse of Church funds. After further study to become a priest, Richard was in due course made a bishop himself. He was greatly loved. He was charitable and accessible, both stern and merciful to sinners, extraordinarily generous to those stricken by famine, and a brilliant legislator of his diocese.
He decreed that the sacraments were to be administered without payment, Mass celebrated in dignified conditions, the clergy to be chaste, to practise residence, and to wear clerical dress. The laity was obliged to attend Mass on Sundays and holy days, and to know by heart the Hail Mary as well as the Lord’s Prayer and the Creed.
Richard was also prominent in preaching the Crusade, which he saw as a call to reopen the Holy Land to pilgrims, not as a political expedition. He died at Dover on 3 April 1253. In art, Richard of Chichester is represented with a chalice at his feet, in memory of his having once dropped the chalice at Mass! One ancient English church is dedicated to him.
And, of course, he is author of that famous prayer, now set to popular music, which runs in full:
“Thanks be to thee, my Lord Jesus Christ for all the benefits thou hast given me, for all the pains and insults which thou hast borne for me.
O most merciful redeemer, friend and brother, may I know thee more clearly, love thee more dearly and follow thee more nearly, day by day.”
London Marathon 2025 – Sunday 27th April
Last year’s London Marathon attracted more than 53,000 runners, which made it the world’s biggest annual one-day fund-raising event EVER. It also raised a world record-breaking amount of £73.5 million for charities.
The route is 26.2 miles long. Greenwich and Blackheath is the starting point, and then the route takes in Woolwich, Greenwich, Bermondsey, Tower Bridge, Limehouse. Canary Wharf, Isle of Dogs, Westminster Bridge, Great George Street, Birdcage Walk, Buckingham Palace and finally to the iconic finish line on The Mall.
It is all a far cry from the first London Marathon back in March 1981, when 6,747 people ran, and which did not raise any money specifically for charities.
Chichester Cathedral & St Richard statue
©ÊRichardÊWilliamÊThomas (cc-by-sa/2.0))
AQuiz for Easter
(ThisÊisÊbasedÊonÊMatthewÊ27.ÊAnswersÊonÊpageÊ38)
1. Who planned to have Jesus executed?
2. To whom did they go for help to ‘catch’ Him?
3. What did they give in return for Jesus?
4. What did they do with Jesus?
5. What did Judas do then?
6. What did the governor ask Jesus?
7. What was the name of the other prisoner?
8. Why did Pilate wash his hands?
9. Who helped Jesus carry His cross?
10. What was the written charge?
11. When did darkness come over the land?
12. What did Jesus cry to God?
Across
1
CROSSWORD
‘Again Peter denied it, and at that moment a began to crow’ (John 18:27) (4)
3 Fetters (Job 33:11) (8)
8 Perform on a musical instrument (1 Samuel 16:23) (4)
9 Paul describes it as ‘the third heaven’ (2 Corinthians 12:2–4) (8)
11 Loyally (Deuteronomy 11:13) (10)
14 Hens? Me? (anag.) (6)
15 Not visible (Matthew 6:6) (6)
17 Predicted site of the final great battle (Revelation 16:16) (10)
20 Jacob’s youngest son (Genesis 35:18) (8)
21 One of Zophar’s eleven sons (1 Chronicles 7:36) (4)
22 For example, London, Paris, Rome (8)
23 United Society for the Propagation of the Gospel (1,1,1,1)
Down
Solution on Page 38
1 Favourite church activity: Fellowship round a (3,2,3)
2 Divinely bestowed powers or talents (8)
4 Pile together (1 Thessalonians 2:16) (4,2)
5 Commanded to justify (John 8:13) (10)
6 Timothy’s grandmother (2 Timothy 1:5) (4)
7 Killed (Psalm 78:34) (4)
10 One of Graham Kendrick’s best-known songs, King (3,7)
12 Indecency (Mark 7:22) (8)
13 Unceasing (Jeremiah 15:18) (8)
16 He prophesied ‘the abomination that causes desolation’ (Matthew 24:15) (6)
18 British Board of Film Classification (1,1,1,1)
19 Pans (anag.) (4)
Sweet cravings
The good news is that some experts now say you don’t really need to opt for sugar-free or diet drinks, as they don’t tend to help you with weight loss or in avoiding diabetes. The bad news is that the reason for this is that even diet drinks still trigger sweet receptors in your brain, making you crave food.
And so, one expert from Imperial’s School of Public Heath observes: ‘Far from helping to solve the global obesity crisis, artificially sweetened beverages may be contributing to the problem and should not be promoted as part of a healthy diet.’ A glass of water, on the other hand, is definitely a good idea.
Easter Story Biscuits for young children
Prep. Time: 20 minutes, Total Time: 1 day
Ingredients:
110 grams of pecan nuts
5 grams vinegar
3 egg whites
1 pinch salt
200 grams sugar
large plastic bag
wooden spoon
tape Bible
Instructions:
Preheat oven to 150C
Place pecans in the plastic bag and let the children beat them with the wooden spoon to break into small pieces. Explain that after Jesus was arrested, He was beaten by the Roman soldiers. Read John 19:1-3.
Let each child smell the vinegar. Put vinegar into mixing bowl. Explain that when Jesus was thirsty He was given vinegar to drink on the cross. Read John 19:28-30.
Add egg whites to vinegar. Eggs represent life. Explain that Jesus gave His life to give us life. Read John 10:10-11.
Sprinkle a little salt into each child's hand. Let them taste it and brush the rest into the bowl. Explain that this represents the salty tears shed by Jesus' followers, and the bitterness of our own sin. Read Luke 23:27.
So far the ingredients are not very appetising...
Add sugar. Explain that the sweetest part of the story is that Jesus died because He loves us. He wants us to know and belong to Him. Read Ps. 34:8 and John 3:16.
Beat with a mixer on high speed until stiff peaks are formed. Explain that the colour white represents the purity in God's eyes of those whose sins have been cleansed by Jesus. Read Isaiah 1:18 and John 3:1-3.
Fold in broken nuts.
Drop by teaspoons onto non-stick baking parchment-covered baking sheet. Explain that each mound represents the rocky tomb where Jesus' body was laid. Read Matthew 27:57-60.
Put the baking sheet in the oven, close the door and turn the oven OFF. Give each child a piece of tape and seal the oven door. Explain that Jesus' tomb was sealed. Read Matthew 27:65-66.
GO TO BED! Explain that they may feel sad to leave them in the oven overnight. Jesus' followers felt despair when the tomb was sealed. Read John 16:20 and 22.
On Easter morning, open the oven and give everyone a cookie. Notice the cracked surface and take a bite. The cookies are hollow! On the first Easter Jesus' followers were amazed to find the tomb open and empty. Read Matthew 28:1-9.
Miscellaneous Observations On Life
The purpose of a child's full name is so he can tell when he's really in trouble. Never buy a car you can't push.
City life: Millions of people being lonesome together. – Thoreau Conference: The confusion of one person multiplied by the number present. – Anon
Commuter: A person who has a complaint of longstanding. – Anon
Never drive faster than your guardian angel can fly. – Anon
This is not my bald patch; it’s a solar panel for brain power. – Anon
Why was the Easter bunny upset? He was having a bad hare day. What is Easter Bunny’s favourite kind of music? Hip-hop, of course! What do you call a rabbit that can tell a good joke? A funny bunny.
HEADLINES
Applications invited fornew expanded £5 million conservation fund for churches
Applications for grants to fund the conservation of special church objects such as stained glass, paintings, bells, organs and clocks in churches have been opened. They are part of an expanded £5 million scheme administered by the C of E. **
Church of England launches National Survivor Participation Framework
The Framework is a guide for all Church bodies and any victim or survivor who currently participates – or wants to participate – in the safeguarding work of the Church. **
£2m funding announced to support clergy with financial wellbeing
The C of E is providing a £2 million grant to the Clergy Support Trust, an independent, national charity which supports clergy with financial, health and wellbeing needs.
**
No, we're not banning ‘gluten-free’ bread or ‘non-alcoholic’ Communion wine
Contrary to recent reports following a question asked by a General Synod member, the Church of England is not banning ‘gluten-free’ wafers nor ‘non-alcoholic’ wine at Holy Communion.
**
Final report of Archbishops’ Commission for Racial Justice published
The Archbishops’ Commission for Racial Justice (ACRJ) has published its sixth and final report. It was charged with monitoring, and supporting the implementation of the 47 recommendations of the Archbishops’ Anti-Racism Taskforce.
**
Five
-minute parking rule is scrapped
Last year a motorist in Derby was taken to court by a private parking company because she had not paid within five minutes of arrival. The British Parking Association (BPA) and the International Parking Community (IPC) have now stated that in privately owned car parks, which have fixed camera monitors, no driver should be issued a ticket for a delay in paying, so long as they pay before they leave. However, the AA and RAC are sceptical.
**
More details about each of the above News items and more can be found online at https://stmarysilkeston.co.uk/ on the Latest News page.
More News: Ukrainians in desperate need of help
As Ukraine recently marked the third anniversary of the Russian invasion, charities have warned of the desperate need for humanitarian aid for the country. An estimated one in three people in Ukraine have been displaced by the war. Roughly 3.6 million have been internally displaced, while 6.5 million have fled the country. 90% of these refugees are women and children.
The children remaining are also traumatised, with schools destroyed, homes bombed, and an ongoing lack of food. As World Vision warns: “The emotional burden faced by Ukrainian children cannot be overlooked.” One Ukrainian mother says simply: “We see death. We see destruction every day. There’s too much pain and sorrow.” Russia launched its largest-ever drone strike on Ukraine on the eve of the anniversary.
Church massacre in the DRC
There’s been a mass killing in a Protestant church in the Democratic Republic of Congo (DRC) More than 70 bodies were recently reported to have been found. Many were tied up, others beheaded. Women, children and the elderly were among the dead.
One aid expert in DRC doubts the attack was specifically Christian persecution. Instead, it could have been that these people were too weak to travel with the marauding Allied Democratic Forces (ADF) who would have wanted reinforcements or forced war labour. Vatican News has described this rebel group as being “notorious for its violent tactics.” The massacre came, it reported, at a critical moment for eastern DRC.
Justin Welby is still living at Lambeth Palace
Justin Welby and his family will live in their private apartments until the summer. The former Archbishop of Canterbury was forced to step down after a report found that he had failed to take appropriate action against John Smyth, who has been called the most prolific sexual abuser in the history of the C of E. It is hoped that Welby’s successor will be appointed by the end of the year.
A New Chapter for Cotmanhay’s Funeral Home
Families in Cotmanhay will continue to receive the same trusted care and support they always have, as their local funeral home begins a new chapter under the M.A. Mills name. While the name may have changed, the familiar team remains in place, ensuring that the compassionate and professional service that the community values is unchanged.
Previously operating under A.W. Lymn The Family Funeral Service, the Cotmanhay funeral home is one of three branches recently rebranded as M.A. Mills. This transition allows the funeral home to offer a more cost conscious, streamlined service while maintaining the same high standards of care, attention to detail, and respect for families during their most difficult times.
Julia Carty, an experienced funeral director with more than 30 years in the profession, will oversee the M.A. Mills branches, ensuring that local families continue to receive the highest level of service. Julia expressed her enthusiasm for this new era: “Our team in Cotmanhay remains dedicated to the families we serve. This rebrand allows us to provide the same trusted support with a simplified approach that suits many families today.”
A.W. Lymn remains the parent company, upholding its long-standing values and commitment to quality. Importantly, all prepaid funeral plans arranged through A.W. Lymn will be honoured, offering families complete peace of mind.
With the same familiar faces and the same dedication to compassionate service, Cotmanhay’s funeral home continues to be a comforting presence for the community. The team is always available to provide guidance and support, ensuring that local families receive the care they need with dignity and respect.
Sharing the Easter story – with the help of an egg
There are 80 million Easter eggs being sold in the UK this year, but The Real Easter Egg is unique.
It is the only one which has a copy of the Easter story in the box, is made of Fairtrade chocolate and which supports charitable projects.
There are six types of eggs to choose from. Each Real Easter Egg comes with an Easter story in the box, the stories range from simple guides to 24 page activity book versions. So, buy a 2025 edition Real Easter Egg this Spring, and encourage others to give one to their loved ones, a school or sponsor a food bank donation.
The 2025 Real Easter Egg is not available in any supermarket, but the full range can be ordered at www.realeasteregg.co.uk, or by calling 01925 877004.
The Real Easter Egg is made by The Meaningful Chocolate Company which was 'crowd founded' in 2010 by thousands of churches and church schools which pre-paid for the manufacture of The Real Easter Egg. Since then more than two million eggs have been sold, and £420,000 raised for charitable causes.
Editor: Revd Dr Gary Bowness’ tongue-in-cheek letter from Uncle Eustace, the elderly Anglo-Catholic vicar to his nephew Darren, a low-church curate recently ordained, is “On why the C of E should never combine parishes”
My dear Nephew Darren
I suppose it had to come, but combining parishes is now firmly on the agenda for our villages.
I had always wondered what the first Earl of Stowe was trying to prove, building a church here in 1347 to accommodate 800 people when the total population has never exceeded 250. In the short term – which in this village is measured in centuries - it seems to have been to house the tombs of his 13 successors. I now realise it was to make uniting with adjoining parishes in the 21st century more difficult. Clearly the first Earl had formidable foresight. None of our neighbouring churches seem too keen to share their reserves to help maintain our cathedral-sized building.
The threat of the closure of St Herve the Bard has, inevitably, caused outrage – not so much from its regular congregation of three, but from all those in the village who would never think of attending. People do so like to have a church not to go to.
The church of St Bregowine, built by a wealthy parishioner in the 19th century because she did not like the high church practices of the parish church of St Iwig, is refusing to re-unite, even though the two churches stand only 100 yards apart, in a village with a diameter of 300 yards. If only they could get over the trauma of seeing the incumbent putting water in the wine on Easter Day in 1894.
(Although it must be conceded that the Bregowinians were equally affronted that when the daughter church opened in 1895, they found that the Iwigers had provided no brass troughs at the end of the pews for umbrellas. That they have subsequently refused to install them has only compounded the offence.)
Meanwhile St Plegmund is in discussions with the Church of South India as a way of avoiding uniting with anyone. Should it happen, I will be interested to see what travelling expenses the new incumbent claims. It will be difficult to tell when the present incumbent resigns, as he has not been seen at a clerical meeting for the last 30 years. Some of my colleagues suspect he is mythical, that a bloodless coup took place in the 1980s and that the church is now entirely run by the Mothers’ Union.
The church of St Maximus of Constantinople in our nearest town has rather grandly offered to take all of our churches under its wing, but as a parishioner has pointed out: how could we possibly consider joining with a parish that fought on the other side at the Battle of Bosworth in 1485.
In the meantime, we will serenely carry on, as we seem to have done for the past six centuries; parish mergers and reductions in numbers of clergy seem to be of less interest than debating the suggestion that we change the brand of coffee served after Services.
Your loving uncle, Eustace.
CROSSWORD SOLUTION
Answers to the Easter Quiz
1. AllÊtheÊchiefÊpriestsÊandÊelders
2. Judas
3. 30ÊpiecesÊofÊsilver
4. BoundÊHimÊandÊhandedÊHimÊtoÊPilateÊ theÊgovernor.
5. ThrewÊtheÊmoneyÊintoÊtheÊtempleÊandÊ hangedÊhimself.
6. AreÊyouÊtheÊKingÊofÊtheÊJews?
7. Barabbas
8. ToÊproclaimÊthatÊheÊwasÊinnocentÊofÊ Jesus’Êblood
9. SimonÊofÊCyrene
10. ThisÊisÊJesus,ÊtheÊKingÊofÊtheÊJews
11. FromÊnoonÊuntilÊthree
12. MyÊGod,ÊmyÊGod,ÊwhyÊhaveÊyouÊ forsakenÊme?
And Finally …. God’s army
Good Friday
I was standing in line at the bank when there was a commotion at the counter. A woman was very distressed, exclaiming, "Where will I put my money?! I have all my money and my mortgage here!! What will happen to my mortgage? You can’t do this to us!"
It turned out that she had misunderstood a small sign on the counter. The sign read:
WE WILL BE CLOSED FOR GOOD FRIDAY.
Dewey was in front of me coming out of church one day, and the minister was standing at the door, as he always is, to shake hands. Suddenly he grabbed Dewey by the hand and pulled him aside. The minister said sternly, “Dewey, you need to join the Army of the Lord!"
Dewey replied, "I'm already in the Army of the Lord, Pastor."
The minister retorted: “Then how come I don't see you except at Christmas and Easter?" Dewey replied in a whisper: "Well, I'm in the secret service."
St Mary’s Church, Ilkeston
Who’s Who
Priest In Charge:
Revd. Andrew Baguley
St. Mary’s Vicarage, 63B Manners Road, Ilkeston. DE7 5HB
email: revandrew@baguley.net
Tel: 07421 053654
Churchwarden & Verger:
Sue Attenborough
Tel: 0115 930 4140
Churchwarden & Verger:
Carol Gregson
email: cj.alexgreg@outlook.com
Tel: 07427 444260
Bell Ringing
Contact: Richard Barnett
Tel: 07803 121703
email: richard@rappec.co.uk
Friends of St Mary’s Churchyard Working Party at 10am on the last Saturday of each month from March to October
Cantelupe Centre:
Tel: 0115 932 1329
cantelupecentre@btconnect.com
Associate Priests
Our thanks go to
Revd. Helen Bridger and Revd. Dr Francis Bridger who assist by leading services at St Mary’s on the 1st and 3rd Sundays of the month as well as services at either St Mary’s or St John’s on the 5th Sundays and also at the midweek services.
Services
The monthly service pattern is as follows:
Sundays: 8:00 am Traditional Communion, 10:00 am Family Communion
Children’s Club
2nd & 4th Sundays: during 10:00 am service.
Thursdays: 10:00 am Communion Service in St Peter’s Chapel.
Please see the website for the latest updates
Contact Magazine: Editor - Garth Newton magazine@stmarysilkeston.co.uk Website: www.stmarysilkeston.co.uk