C o n t a c t
The Parish Magazine
Dates for your diary
The pattern for Services each week is shown on the back cover .
1st - St Philip & St James, Apostles
4th - Third Sunday of Easter
Readings: Acts 9:1-6(7-20) Jn 21:1-19
4th - International Dawn Chorus Day
The day to rise at dawn to listen to the sweet music of different birds.
5th - Early May Bank Holiday
5th to 11th - Deaf Awareness Week - see page 29
8th - 80th Anniversary of VE Day - see page 25
11th - Fourth Sunday of Easter
Readings: Acts 9:36-43 Jn 10:22-30
11th - Annual Parochial Church Meeting at 11:15am After the Morning Service.
11th to 17th - Christian Aid Week - see page 29
12th - International Nurses Day
Held on the birthday of Florence Nightingale, the focus this year is on the wellbeing of nursing staff.
12th to 18th - May - Mental Health Awareness Week - see page 31
14th - Saint Matthias the Apostle
17th - Eurovision Song Contest Final in Basel, Switzerland.
18th - Fifth Sunday of Easter
Readings: Acts 11:1-18 Jn 13:31-35
19th - Dunstan Archbishop of Canterbury, 988 - see page 26
24th - John and Charles Wesley Evangelists, Hymn Writers, 1791 and 1788 - see page 27
25th - Rogation Sunday (Sunday before Ascension)
Readings: Acts 16:9-15 Jn 14:23-29
26th - Spring Bank Holiday
29th - Ascension Day - see page 25
29th to June 8th - Thy Kingdom Come
The 10th anniversary of the global ecumenical prayer movement inviting Christians to pray for more people to come to know Jesus.
29th - Oak Apple Day (or Restoration Day) Commemorating the 1660 restoration of the English monarchy.
31st - The Visit of the Blessed Virgin Mary to Elizabeth
31st - Friends of St Mary’s Churchyard Working Party - 10am
Barnabas – A Very Likeable Disciple
Canon Paul Hardingham considers the difference a person can make.
This month we remember St Barnabas, whose real name was Joseph, a wealthy Levite from Cyprus. However, he was better known by his nickname which means ‘Son of Encouragement’ (Acts 4:36). Throughout Acts we see him encouraging others in different ways.
Barnabas was an example of generous giving (Acts 4:36-7), when he sold property and offered the money to the church for those in need. In the midst of a caring and sharing community, he was singled out as a symbol of generosity. Are we known as somebody who is generous to those in need around us?
Barnabas later encouraged a new Christian in the person of Paul (Acts 9:27). After Paul’s conversion and knowing his reputation, Barnabas came alongside him and brought him into the fellowship of the church. Are we ready to help those who are new in the faith to find a place in our church?
Finally, Barnabas was sent to the church in Antioch where he ‘saw the evidence of the grace of God’ (Acts 11:23). It was a church which brought Jewish and Gentile believers together for the first time. Like Barnabas, do we rejoice when we see God doing new things in people’s lives? Are we also willing to embrace these things and facilitate change?
Encouragement is one of the spiritual gifts in the New Testament (Romans 12:8). It can be greatly undervalued, but it is crucial in growing the church. Like Barnabas, will we nurture gifting; strengthen the doubters and those tempted to give up; show generosity to God’s people and beyond the church; alongside strengthening people to move beyond their own comfort zones to help those in need?
Let’s be prepared to ask the following questions: ‘Are there people alongside us who will encourage us?’ and ‘How can we be encouragers to others?’
Sweet dreams
Do you, or don’t you? Many of us feel reluctant to admit that we would like to do it, even if usually we do not. Have a snooze after lunch, that is. A 20-minute nap seems to work wonders – studies find that people awake feeling refreshed, with their energy levels renewed and with a much-improved mental focus.
But getting the chance to have your kip is rarely easy, as most work-places in the UK frown on workers falling asleep on their desks. How different from the Far East, where in Vietnam workers drape themselves over their scooters to sleep, or where in Tokyo and Hong Kong businessmen often sleep in public places. The Japanese even have a polite term for it: inemuri – ‘being present while asleep’. Dropping off to casual sleep has been recorded in Japan since the 10th century.
Some UK companies are sympathetic. One CEO of a major advertising company agrees that “a powernap mid-morning or mid-afternoon sets you up for the rest of the day. You are much more alert, and it also promotes creativity.”
(Would any reader like to share some of their more unusual places to sleep or would anyone at St Mary’s confess to having even dozed off in church?!)
07842 443686
The story behind the hymn: ‘Alleluia, Alleluia! Give Thanks to the Risen Lord’
Not many university students are able to write Christian songs which become worldwide hits, but Don Emry Fishel managed it with his Alleluia No. 1. Nearly 50 years on, it is loved and sung by millions of Christians worldwide.
Fishel wrote it in 1971, while he was a student at the University of Michigan and also music leader of a Roman Catholic charismatic community based in Ann Arbor, Michigan. These were the days of folk songs and guitars, and Alleluia No. 1 fitted the prevailing mood perfectly. Written in E Major, it is ideal for guitar accompaniment.
Mr Fishel became a freelance flutist, flute instructor and composer. He was publications editor for the Word of God and Servant Music for a number of years and then worked in computers for 25 years. In 2008 he moved to Nashville and returned to music, teaching the flute.
Alleluia No 1 was Fishel’s first song, written “rather quickly, in about an hour.” It had four verses to begin with, but a fifth verse (which became the third verse) was added later, as he prepared for baptism. As Fishel explained, he wanted the line ‘We have been crucified with Christ; now we shall live forever’ “to be the centre of the song.”
Alleluia No. 1 was first published in the UK in Sound of Living Waters, in 1974.
Alleluia, Alleluia, Give Thanks To The Risen Lord Alleluia, Alleluia, Give Praise To His Name
We Have Been Crucified With Christ Now We Shall Live Forever
Prayer for Ascension Day
by Daphne Kitching
Dear God, our loving, sending and almighty Father,
Thank you that because Jesus died, rose and ascended into heaven, You were able to send your Holy Spirit to empower Your disciples then and today.
That, equipped by that same Spirit, we can confidently work for Your kingdom to come on earth, as in heaven.
Lord, in these strange, topsy- turvy days, where earthly rulers terrify and destroy and disappoint, we rejoice that You are the Sovereign Lord of all things, and all times, and all places.
You, our God and Father, truly reign. We are Your people. We are secure within Your love and protection. Thank you that at the name of Jesus every knee shall ultimately bow - and we pray, thankfully in His name, Amen.
From The Archives
"Sumer is icumen in" says the old song and summer is the time for holidays, days out and garden parties - like this one held some years back and shown in photographs from the late Trevor Beighton’s collection.
Bank Holidays
David Pickup, a solicitor, considers the merits of another bank holiday. Therefore, do not let anyone judge you by what you eat or drink, or with regard to a religious festival, a New Moon celebration or a Sabbath day…. (Colossians 2:16)
There were Jewish public holidays in New Testament times such as Passover. As Palestine was also occupied by the Romans, there were festivals and public games in honour of the Emperor as well. This caused a problem for Christians, because Roman Emperors were thought to be divine. Christians have often struggled with questions about what to join in and what to avoid. St Paul seems to be saying do not worry too much about what other people think about what you join in and what do not touch. These things are not important compared to what we have in store for us. (Which is like a really good holiday!)
I think we need at least one more Bank Holiday. Currently they are eight. Try to count them! I think we need another in October, to tie in with the school half term. Other parts of the UK have different holidays. The King decides which days are holidays. In past years we have had extra ones.
Although it is a public holiday, there is no legal right to have the time off. You have to rely on your contract or employment conditions. There is a right to 5.6 weeks annual paid leave, but bank holidays are included in that total. The law about Bank Holidays really just says the banks don’t have to work and that means most people do not have to work.
As always this is light-hearted guide and always get proper professional advice.
Bank Holidays: New Year’s Day, Good Friday, Easter Monday, May Day, Spring Bank Holiday, August Bank Holiday, Christmas Day and Boxing Day.
Why You Need A Holiday
They are more than an indulgence – a holiday can be vital for your health and mental well-being.
Here are five reasons why:
1) Better sleep: after two or three days on holiday, most people average an hour more of good quality sleep. And deep sleep improves problem solving and cell repair.
2) More vitamin D: Our bodies make this in response to sunlight. It is important for bones and immunity, but one in five of us are thought to be deficient.
3) Help your heart: Researchers at Syracuse University in New York found that those people with the lowest risk of heart disease had taken their full annual leave in the past year. Conversely, infrequent holidays led to a greater risk of coronary heart disease.
4) Reduce stress and get your energy back: As one doctor explains, living under stress “is like squirting steroids into your body every day”. Stress triggers the production of cortisol, which lowers your sex hormones and affects your thyroid. Your hair will thin and your energy decrease. For the best rest, take an occasional complete break from your work mobile and emails.
5) Time together – spend quality time with your nearest and dearest. Build some more happy memories. At the end of our lives, few of us look back and wish we had spent more time in the office.
One tip about holidays: several short trips rather than one big one may be even better for your health.
‘God
in the Arts’
by the Revd Michael Burgess, this time looking at ‘The Last Supper’ by Dirk Bouts.
A meal to remember!
When we gather with other Christians to celebrate the Eucharist and to make our communion, we are remembering that special meal Jesus shared with His disciples on the eve of His arrest and death. But do we always appreciate what we are doing? Sometimes the monotony of repetition and distractions will get in the way. We fail to recognise Christ’s gift at communion for what it truly is.
In the 15th century the prosperous burghers of the Flemish town of Louvain commissioned the artist Dirk Bouts to paint a special altarpiece devoted to the Eucharist for the church of St Peter. Dirk Bouts, with his imagination, portrayed the Last Supper in a room looking out to his own town of Louvain. The faces of the servers in the room and the cooks looking through the hatch were modelled on the burghers who commissioned the work.
Other faces are modelled on theologians at the new university who visited the artist. They wanted to ensure he kept his theological feet on the ground while his imagination took flight. And so around the scene of the Last Supper, Bouts has painted Old Testament scenes foreshadowing that holy communion: Melchizedek offering bread and wine in return for Abraham’s offering, the eating of the first Passover, the gathering of the manna in the wilderness, and Elijah wakened by the angel to eat and drink before setting out for Horeb. Signs of sacrifice, the Passover of the old covenant, daily food and food for the journey – all key aspects of the communion we celebrate and share in.
Just as the theological faculty reminded Dirk Bouts of all these facets, so the artist is reminding us of the richness of the distinctive meal we have as Christians. When we see the bread and wine taken up and offered, we remember not only the Last Supper, when Jesus fed His disciples with the sacrifice of His life, but those occasions when God reached out to feed His people of old. We rejoice that the food our Lord gives us in the Eucharist feeds us now and enables us to make our journey through life to the eternal banquet offered in the heavenly kingdom.
‘The Last Supper’ by Dirk Bouts It is found in the church of St Peter in Louvain.
'God in the Sciences’
by Dr Ruth M. Bancewicz, Church Engagement Director at The Faraday Institute for Science and Religion in Cambridge.
Can Science Prove God Exists?
To risk sounding like a smart aleck seven-year-old, technically speaking you can only prove things mathematically. If you need to know that one plus one equals two, don’t go to a chemistry lab. The natural sciences only deal with things that can be observed and measured. Science has been so successful that it’s tempting to get carried away, valuing science above any other kind of knowledge, but there are other ways of knowing that are equally important. For example, art conveys ideas, experiences or emotions that provoke us to think or do something in response.
In fact, to find answers to any of the really important questions about meaning and purpose that affect us throughout our lives, we always have to go beyond science. Some scientific data might help define the question, for example a farmer facing a drought would probably like to know some details about the current weather patterns and the availability of seeds for more hardy crops before she can start asking “What is the point of trying to grow anything at all?” But in the end, she is asking a deeper question – and so are the rest of us when we go through any significant experience in life.
So rather than asking “Can science prove God exists?”, what about: “Are the findings of science compatible with the existence of a purposeful Creator?” For many scientists today, the answer to the second question is yes. They have investigated the Bible’s descriptions of the life, death and resurrection of Jesus Christ, and found that they make sense. They have discovered that they can interact with God – especially in prayer – and that this faith has changed their lives.
Professor Christine Done, an Astrophysicist at Durham University, writes, “for me the more we know about the vast, yet intricate and beautiful Universe we live in, the bigger and more awe-inspiring is the God who made it all.” (Thinking About: The Big Bang, https://www.cis.org.uk/resources/thinking/)
Some go even further, making statements like this: “the way the universe exhibits an ordered structure, which is open to science to investigate, points to a mind behind it.” (Revd Dr Rodney Holder, Astrophysicist, in Longing, Waiting, Believing (BRF, 2014)
The question “Can Science Prove God Exists?” turns out to be a category error – trying to use science to answer a non-scientific question. On the other hand, many scientists think there is enough evidence from a wide range of sources to warrant belief in God.
Miscellaneous observations on life
I certainly think that belief in God did give shaping and pattern to life for which I can see no conceivable substitute and to that extent my life is poorer than that of a believer. - Marghanita Laski
It was:
ALL IN THE MONTH OF MAY.
* 1700 years ago, 20th May to August 325 that the First Council of Nicaea was held in what is now Iznik, Turkey.
* 1300 years ago, on 26th May 725 that the Venerable Bede died – see page 14
* 200 years ago, on 7th May 1825, that Italian composer Antonio Salieri died.
* 150 years ago, on 1st May 1875 that Alexandra Palace in London was officially opened. It became the home of BBC television in 1935.
* 125 years ago, on 17th May 1900 that Mafeking was relieved – see page 14
* 90 years ago, on 19th May 1935 that T. E. Lawrence (Lawrence of Arabia) died in a motorcycle accident, aged 46. Also 90 years ago, on 25th May 1935 that Sir Frank Watson Dyson, British Astronomer Royal (1910-33) who introduced the Greenwich time signal, died.
* 80 years ago, on 1st May 1945 that German radio reported that Adolf Hitler had died a hero’s death fighting, but in fact he had committed suicide. Also 80 years ago, on 8th May that VE Day took place. – see page 15
* 75 years ago, on 13th May 1950 that the first Formula One World Championship race was held, at Silverstone. Also 75 years ago, on 23rd May 1950 that Martin McGuinness, Irish republican politician, was born.
* 60 years ago, on 21st May 1965 that Sir Geoffrey de Haviland, British aircraft designer and engineer, died.
* 50 years ago, on 12th May 1975 that Jonah Lomu, New Zealand rugby player was born. Also 50 years ago, on 27th May 1975 that Dibble’s Bridge Coach Crash in Hebden, North Yorkshire took place killing 32 people and injuring 13.
* 40 years ago, on 13th May 1985 that Brothers in Arms by Dire Straits was released which became the first CD album to sell over a million copies. Also 40 years ago, on 29th May 1985 that the Heysel Stadium Disaster took place in Brussels. 39 football fans were crushed to death during rioting.
* 30 years ago, on 1st May 1995 that the World Health Organisation published its first annual survey of global health; on 10th May that British Minister for Northern Ireland, Michael Ancram, met Sinn Fein representatives in their first formal meeting in 23 years and on 13th May that British mountaineer Alison Hargreaves became the first woman to reach Mount Everest’s summit unaided.
* 25 years ago, on 4th May 2000 that Ken Livingstone became the first Mayor of London and on 7th May, Vladimir Putin was inaugurated as President of Russia.
* 15 years ago, on 2nd May 2010 that the EU, European Central Bank and International Monetary Fund authorised 110 billion Euro bailout loan to Greece; on 6th May that the British General Election resulted in a hung parliament and a coalition Conservative/Liberal Democrat government was formed on 11th May.
* 10 years ago, on 22nd May 2015, that the Republic of Ireland became the first country to hold a referendum on whether same-sex marriage should be legalised. It voted to approve, and same-sex marriage became legal in Ireland from that November.
The Venerable Bede – the father of English history by Tim Lenton.
1300 years ago, on 26th May 725, the Venerable Bede died. This English Benedictine monk, historian, linguist and teacher is known as “the father of English history.” He helped to popularise the idea of dating years from the birth of Christ (Anno Domini – AD).
Bede was certainly born into a well-to-do family, but we have no details except that he was sent to a monastery – Monkwearmouth in Northumbria – at the age of seven. He later moved on to Jarrow under the tutelage of Abbot Ceolfrith, both of them surviving the devastating plague of 686.
He was never a great traveller, preferring to spend most of his life studying and writing in Northumbria, except for visits to Lindisfarne and York. He completed about 60 books, most of which have survived. Not surprisingly, he was considered the most learned man of his time.
Bede was ordained a deacon at the early age of 19 and became a priest when he was 30. He was known for his devotion to prayer, for studying the Scriptures and for his faithful observation of the monastic discipline. His most famous work is the Ecclesiastical History of the English People (Historia Ecclesiastica Gentis Anglorum), which is widely relied on as historical source material.
He was particularly interested in the academic discipline of computus – the science of calculating calendar dates, particularly, and controversially, the date of Easter. The word ‘computer’ stems from this work. Bede was also a skilled translator, and he made the writings of the early Church Fathers accessible to the English people.
Bede died at the age of 61 or 62 at Jarrow and was buried there, but his remains were later moved to Durham Cathedral. He was declared a Doctor of the Church by Pope Leo XIII in 1899.
The Siege of Mafeking
– defying the larger army by Tim Lenton.
It was 125 years ago, on 17th May 1900 during the Second Boer War, that the 217day Siege of Mafeking was relieved by 2000 British forces and South African volunteers.
Colonel Robert Baden-Powell, who led the forces defending Mafeking during the siege, later became a national hero, and founded the Scouting movement.
Mafeking, now known as Mahikeng, is 870 miles northeast of Cape Town and 160 miles west of Johannesburg. In 1899 it consisted of a rail station and a collection of low houses and stores made of mud and roofed with corrugated iron on rocky ground. The name means ‘Place of Stones’.
Casualties on both sides amounted to 463, but although the eventual relief of the siege was a morale boost for the British, it was felt by many that the whole episode had been unnecessary: the British could have broken out if they had made the effort, and the Boers could have taken the town if they had really wanted to.
The British commanders had been given a deadline to surrender by Boer general Piet Cronje on 16th October 1899. They ignored it, although the garrison was greatly outnumbered, but the Boers (with General Snyman replacing Cronje) never pressed home their advantage, and the British held on, defying predictions by politicians on both sides.
There were no more than 1000 defenders in Mafeking, dependent on starvation rations, and their attackers numbered up to 8000. The outcome of the siege made the British commander, Colonel Robert Baden-Powell, into a hero at home, where several streets were renamed Mafeking.
A decade later Baden-Powell founded the worldwide Scouting movement, after writing the book Scouting for Boys, which emphasised honour, duty, comradeship, loyalty and faithfulness, with the motto “Be prepared”.
Remembering
VE Day - 80 Years On by Tim Lenton.
80 years ago, on 8th May 1945, VE Day took place – marking Victory in Europe at the end of World War 2. It was celebrated as a public holiday, and came exactly a week after German radio announced the death in action of Adolf Hitler.
In reality, Hitler had committed suicide on 30th April. His successor, Grand Admiral Karl Dönitz, quickly negotiated an end to the war with the Allies – at the same time trying with some success to prevent as many Germans as possible from falling into Soviet hands.
Field Marshal Montgomery accepted the unconditional surrender of German forces in the Netherlands, north-west Germany and Denmark at a ceremony near Hamburg on 4th May. All German forces then surrendered to Supreme Allied Commander General Eisenhower on 7th May at Reims, France. Soviet leader Josef Stalin had his own ceremony, in Berlin.
The announcement that the war had ended in Europe was broadcast to the British people by the BBC late on 7th May. It was decreed that there would be a national holiday the next day, and the stage was set for huge celebrations. Prime Minister Churchill had been assured that there was enough beer in the capital, and commemorative items, including VE Day mugs, were quickly produced.
St Paul’s Cathedral held ten consecutive services giving thanks for peace, each one attended by thousands of people, and churches throughout the country rang their bells. The Royal Family played a central role, appearing eight times on the balcony of Buckingham Palace while huge numbers of people flocked down The Mall.
In the United States, VE Day coincided with President Harry S Truman's 61st birthday: he dedicated the victory to the memory of his predecessor, Franklin D Roosevelt, who had died of a stroke less than a month earlier. But both Truman and Churchill pointed out that the war against Japan had not yet been won. That final victory was still more than three months away.
Of course, the end of a war could never be neat. In Europe the last known shots on the Eastern Front were actually fired on 11th May, and on 25th May the battle of Odžak ended in a Yugoslav Partisan victory. Tragically, in French Algeria, Muslims celebrating the end of the war (some also peacefully protesting for independence) were “inexcusably” massacred by colonial authorities and militias – leading eventually to the Algerian War nine years later.
Praying
with the prayers of the Bible by the Revd Dr Herbert McGonigle, formerly principal of the Nazarene Theological College, Manchester.
Praying in the Silence of the Heart:
‘O Lord of hosts … if you will give me a son …I will give him to the Lord all the days of his life.’ (1 Samuel 1:11)
Three ‘C’s will help us to grasp this most personal and moving prayer.
First, the prayer’s context. Hannah was the childless wife of Elkanah, who had sons and daughters by his other wife, Peninnah. As she longed for a child, she was taunted by ‘her rival’ (see v.6) who reproached her for being barren.
It doesn’t take much imagination to understand how miserable and lonely and useless Hannah felt. Although Elkanah loved Hannah, his well-meant sympathy, “Am I not more to you than ten sons?” (v.8) was hardly calculated to ease her pain! Making the annual pilgrimage to the Tabernacle at Shiloh, Hannah was ‘deeply distressed, prayed to the Lord and wept bitterly’ (v.10).
This is the Bible’s first record of a woman praying. We can be certain that godly women, long before Hannah’s time, had prayed but this is the first mention in Scripture of a woman praying.
Secondly, the prayer’s content. Above everything else, Hannah longed to have a son. “O Lord of hosts, if you will look on my affliction and give me a son, I will give him back to You in service all the days of his life” (v.11). It was a cry from the heart. A lonely wife, longing for a child, taunted by her rival, and not really understood by her husband, poured out her very soul in grief.
And it was all done without spoken words! As her lips moved, Eli the priest, misreading the signs, rebuked her for being drunk (v.14). There are times when the burden of our heart is so great that no words can express it, but how comforting to know that God hears us!
Thirdly, the prayer’s consequences. The Lord graciously answered Hannah’s distress and a year later she was nursing her baby son! (vv. 21,22). Hannah’s dark night had been eclipsed by a glorious morning. Grief and sorrow had given way to joy and delight but as she cradled her infant son, Hannah did not forget what she had promised the Lord.
In token of His faithfulness, she named her son Samuel, meaning, ‘asked of the Lord’ (v.20). Some time later, Hannah took Samuel to Shiloh and presented him to Eli, fulfilling the promise she had made to the Lord. Hannah’s dedication of Samuel is a reminder to all of us not only to give thanks to God for answered prayer but also to carry out whatever vows or promises we’ve made to Him.
Hannah’s words to Eli are so full of praise and gratitude to God that they need no comment. Let them inspire thanksgiving in our hearts. “For this child I prayed …therefore as long as he lives he is lent to the Lord” (v.28).
A little Swedish girl was walking with her father one night under the starry sky, gazing intently up at the glories of heaven. At last she said: “If the wrong side of heaven is so beautiful, what will the right side be like?”
What’s the Big Idea?
An Introduction to the Books of the Bible: Ecclesiastes Canon Paul Hardingham continues the series on the books of the Bible.
‘Meaningless! Meaningless!’ This is how the book of Ecclesiastes begins (1:2), as it examines the futility of human experience ‘under the sun’. The author is named as ‘The Teacher’ (1:1, Hebrew qoheleth), traditionally identified with King Solomon. Although focusing on life in the physical world, the book ends with, ‘Fear God and keep his commandments’ (12:13).
Ecclesiastes reminds us of the limitation of human wisdom, which cannot find meaning and purpose without God:
Our strivings ‘under the sun’ can only lead to disillusionment (1:5–11). Therefore, we need to accept the life God gives us and enjoy it to the full.
Wisdom is given to those who please God (2:26). Such wisdom cannot solve all problems (1:16–18), or secure enduring reward (2:12–17). We cannot control our immediate future, resulting in uncertainty (6:12), and there are difficult questions about life and death itself (9:1–3). In response, we need to understand our human limitations before God.
God has ordered all things in their time; things we cannot change or fully anticipate: ‘There is a time for everything, and a season for every activity under heaven’ (3:1–15).
However, the world is not fundamentally chaotic or irrational, as it is ordered by God: ‘He has made everything beautiful in its time. He has also set eternity in the hearts of men; yet they cannot fathom what God has done from beginning to end.’ (3:11). We should remember our Creator when we are young before the infirmities of advanced age stop us from enjoying the good things of life (12: 1-8).
In summary, Ecclesiastes shows us how to live meaningfully and joyfully by placing God at the centre of our life, while trusting and obeying our Creator.
Ninevah and Nivea
David Pickup, a solicitor considers the problem of getting his words mixed up… He prayed to the Lord, “Isn’t this what I said, Lord, when I was still at home? That is what I tried to forestall by fleeing to Tarshish. I knew that you are a gracious and compassionate God, slow to anger and abounding in love, a God who relents from sending calamity.” Jonah 4:2
I have a problem with the book of Jonah in the Bible. He seems to pop up often in the Bible readings set for Sundays. You remember the story in the Old Testament about the man who was given a mission to go and preach to a city. Jonah did go off but completely in the wrong direction. He ended up inside a whale, then repented, and then went to the city.
My problem is the name of the city, which was Ninevah, but I always get muddled with the name Nivea. Silly me I suppose, but that is me and the more I try to get the right name, the wrong word pops up in my brain. Ninevah is a gentle skin cleanser and moisturiser, and Nivea was a huge, wicked city in the Middle East. (I hope I did not get that the wrong way round).
I visited the British Museum recently, and went to the Assyrian galleries, more by chance than anything else. I have been to that museum many times, but I do not think I had been there. The marvellous sculptures brought the Bible stories to life. They are so vivid and dramatic. You can visit them in person or look up the galleries online.
It is a wonderful story and great for Sunday school children and adults of all ages. It tells of the importance of repentance. Jonah had to learn the hard way that God’s love is for everyone and every place, even Nivea.
How to keep ground coffee fresh
The battle rages: just where IS the best place to store your ground coffee?
Sainsburys, Morrisons, Asda, Marks & Spencer and Ocado are among the supermarkets that advise you keep fresh ground coffee in a fridge or freezer after opening.
But Tesco, Waitrose and Harrods advise that you store ground coffee and beans in a cool, dry place such a kitchen cupboard.
Many coffee experts warn that storing your coffee in the fridge is wrong because coffee easily absorbs aroma, moisture and flavours, and can be tainted by fish, meat and cheese.
Martin Isark, founder of the Can I Eat It website, laments: “So much coffee is spoilt by poor storage, which makes the coffee producers want to weep...”
Paul Rooke of the British Coffee Association adds: “Coffee, like many food and drink products when exposed to air, will deteriorate. Cool and dry are the key words; the ideal storage is in an inert, airtight container stored in a cool place.”
THE WAY I SEE IT: Telling The Time
Canon David Winter wonders whether he wants even more time ….
I was having a little button problem with the ATM. A message appeared on the screen. ‘Would you like more time?’ I clicked the ‘yes’ button, eventually collected my cash, and spent the rest of the afternoon thinking about that profound question. Well, would I? As an elderly man, do I really want more time, or am I content to face the fact that time is the raw material of our lives and eventually it runs out?
We exist within a framework of time: days, weeks, months, years. We can’t imagine life without it, and yet God, the Creator, is eternal, He simply and gloriously exists. That’s his Name – ‘I AM’. So if the end of time for us is to be with him, will we at last be free from its tyranny?
Most of my working life was dominated by time, so that seems a pleasant prospect. But in an unpredictable world our hearts break for those who lose a child or who die as we say ‘prematurely’. Sometimes those of us of riper years feel a kind of guilt: why not us? Thankfully, age will not be an issue in heaven. God doesn’t grow old. There will be no more dying, young or old. Like Him, we shall just sublimely be.
All of that, of course, is a matter of faith, and may seem irrelevant to those whose immediate concern is living in the here and now. But time simply ticks on, and one day that question may arise: Would you like more time? It’s easy to answer when life is full of promise, or as yet unfulfilled goals. It’s not quite so simple when early onset decrepitude threatens. For me, every hour of life is a gift of God, so it’s still the ‘yes’ button until a wiser hand intervenes: ‘your time is up”.
Beware The Use-By Date
Nobody likes to throw food away, but if you ignore the use by dates and go by smell alone, you can risk serious illness.
So warns the Food Standards Agency. In a recent study, the regulator found that half of us do not always check use-by dates.
Many of us still smell the milk to see if it is still okay, and even Theresa May, the former Prime Minister, has admitted to scraping the mould off jam in order to cut waste.
The agency has warned that some Britons who actively ignore use-by dates could risk being hospitalised. Use-by dates are carefully calculated by assessing bacteria on food which could multiply to make them ill.
A spokesman for the agency said: “It’s great that consumers are trying to minimise food waste, but there are lots of ways to do that without gambling with your health, such as planning your meals ahead of time, checking what you have in the fridge that is close to its use-by date, and freezing food right up until the use-by dates.”
Sadly, there are around 2.4 million cases of food poisoning each year, and 180 deaths.
Happy 1700th Birthday, Nicene Creed!
This month, 1700 years ago, one of the most important meetings in the history of the Christian Church began in the Bithynian city of Nicaea. It began in May 325 and went on until the end of July 325.
The Council of Nicaea was convened by the Roman Emperor Constantine, and he had an urgent job for the Christian bishops to do. He wanted them to spell out as exactly as they could the core beliefs of the Christian Church, especially with regard to the person of Christ.
Constantine had good reason to do this: a man called Arius of Alexandria was spreading the idea that Jesus Christ was not divine, but instead was a created being. Such a belief, if accepted, would have changed the very heart of Christianity.
After three months of hard work, the bishops at Nicaea had prayerfully and carefully written down as exactly as they could the core beliefs of Christianity. It became known as the Nicene Creed, and it has been the bedrock of orthodox Christianity ever since.
The Nicene Creed is unique in that is the only Christian statement of faith that is accepted as authoritative by the Anglican, Roman Catholic, Eastern Orthodox, and major Protestant Churches.
The Nicene Creed
WebelieveinoneGod,theFather,thealmighty, makerofheavenandearth,ofallthatis, seenandunseen.
WebelieveinoneLord,JesusChrist,theonlySon ofGod,eternallybegottenoftheFather,Godfrom God,LightfromLight,trueGodfromtrueGod, begotten,notmade,ofonebeingwiththeFather. ThroughHimallthingsweremade.
ForusmenandforoursalvationHecamedown fromheaven;bythepoweroftheHolySpiritHe becameincarnateoftheVirginMary,andwas mademan.ForoursakeHewascrucifiedunder PontiusPilate;Hesuffereddeathandwasburied. OnthethirddayHeroseagaininaccordancewith thescriptures;Heascendedintoheavenandis seatedattherighthandoftheFather.Hewill comeagaininglorytojudgethelivingandthe dead,andHiskingdomwillhavenoend.
WebelieveintheHolySpirit,theLord,thegiverof life,whoproceedsfromtheFatherandtheSon. WiththeFatherandtheSonHeisworshippedand glorified.HehasspokenthroughtheProphets. Webelieveinoneholycatholicandapostolic Church.Weacknowledgeonebaptismforthe forgivenessofsins.Welookfortheresurrection ofthedead,andthelifeoftheworldtocome. Amen.
Thy Kingdom Come celebrates 10 years
Thy Kingdom Come (TKC), to be held this year 29th May to 8th June, is a global ecumenical prayer movement that invites Christians around the world to pray, from Ascension to Pentecost, for more people to come to know Jesus.
“This year we're very excited to be celebrating the 10th year of Thy Kingdom Come!” says a spokesman.
Since it began in May 2016, TKC has grown from a dream from the Anglican archbishops into a movement which unites more than a million Christians in prayer.
TKC is now held in nearly 90% of countries worldwide, across 85 different denominations and traditions. The aim everywhere is the same: that friends and family, neighbours and colleagues might come to faith in Jesus Christ.
“Specifically, we again invite each and every Christian across the globe to pray that God’s Spirit might work in the lives of five people who have not responded with their ‘Yes’ to God’s call.”
Whether you have joined in ‘Thy Kingdom Come’ before now or not, you are warmly invited to take part & join in for this 10th anniversary of worldwide prayer.
And for this 10th year, the focus will be on the Lord’s Prayer itself. As the TKC website explains: “The 'Our Father' prayer transcends the ages - uniting people across different denominations, generations and nations and we believe now more than ever, we need to pray 'Thy Kingdom Come' - over our homes, communities, nations and our world.”
More info at: https://www.thykingdomcome.global
Why children find pencils difficult
Here is an unexpected problem: children are struggling to use pencils these days, because the excessive use of touchscreen phones is damaging their dexterity.
Now paediatric doctors, handwriting experts and orthopaedic therapists are warning that although kids may swipe a screen, they no longer have the hand strength and agility to learn to write correctly when they start school.
It seems that the traditional skills of writing, drawing, painting, and cutting-out boost fine motor skills and co-ordination. But now ‘children coming into school are being given a pencil but are increasingly not able to hold it, because they do not have the movement skills,’ says a paediatrician from the NHS. ‘They need to manipulate playdough, hold scissors, scribble with pencils, and so develop muscles in their shoulder, elbow and wrists.’
Nigel Beeton writes: May sees the 80th anniversary of VE Day - Tuesday, 8th May 1945. In my own family, a great uncle (Keith Emmerson) had died in Italy in March 1944, and my wife's uncle (Alexander Rae) had died in Belgium in October. These recent bereavements muted the celebrations, to say the least. This year, we have 80 years of peace in the UK to celebrate, though once again the shadows of war darken the sky...
The Bells Rang Out In England
The bells rang out in England And songs of heartfelt joy, But ‘midst the cheers were bitter tears For each lost man and boy.
The six long years of fighting Had such a dreadful cost In blood and sweat and mortal threat And countless lives were lost. It now, at last, had ended –In Europe’s shores at least; Our people brave feared not the grave To slay the Nazi beast.
The lessons learned stayed with us For eighty peaceful years. Yet now, again, some brutal men Are raising wartime fears. We should be celebrating This coming VE Day; Yet not at ease, but on our knees For lasting peace, we pray.
Ascension Day
‘When Christ went up to Heaven the Apostles stayed’ Gazing at Heaven with souls and wills on fire, Their hearts on flight along the track He made, Winged by desire.
“Earth is one desert waste of banishment, Life is one long-drawn anguish of decay.
Where Thou wert wont to go we also went:
Why not today?”
Nevertheless a cloud cut off their gaze:
They tarry to build up Jerusalem, Watching for Him, while thro' the appointed days He watches them.
They do His Will, and doing it rejoice, Patiently glad to spend and to be spent:
Still He speaks to them, still they hear His Voice
And are content.
From a poem by Christina Rossetti
The God Who Answers Prayer
by
Megan Carter
There is a God who answers prayer Who intercedes before the throne, The Son of God who ever cares, Do not believe you walk alone.
When life seems hard, no answers come
He knows the path that you now tread Believe on Him though all seems lost He knows about the tears you shed.
We trust in Him who knows all things
And lift our prayers to heaven above Our confidence is all in Him Encompassed by unfailing love.
There is a day when all is clear A day when we all understand That all our lives but marked a way That led us to the Promised Land.
May
19
th - Dunstan
The abbot who restored monastic life in England
Dunstan (909-988 AD) stands out as an example of what just one person can achieve when they follow the call of God on their life.
Dunstan was born near Glastonbury, of a noble family with royal connections and church connections; his uncle was Archbishop of Canterbury. But in 935, at the age of 26, he was accused of ‘studying the vain poems of the pagans’ – and expelled from court. He nearly married, but instead made private monastic vows and was ordained a priest by Elphege, bishop of Winchester. Dunstan felt God’s call on his life and responded. That decision was to shape English history.
Not at first, however. For Dunstan began his priestly life by simply returning to Glastonbury and living as a hermit. He painted, embroidered and did metalwork. But when in 939 Edmund became king of Wessex, he recalled Dunstan and made him abbot of Glastonbury. The monastic life of the country was all but dead: the Danish invasions and the hostility of local magnates had seen to that. Dunstan set out to change all this, and went on to restore monastic life in England, under the Rule of St Benedict.
Down the years, Dunstan saw kings come and go: Edmund, Edred, Edgar, Edward. Under King Edgar Dunstan was made bishop of Worcester in 957, bishop of London in 959, and Archbishop of Canterbury in 960. Thus was born a fruitful collaboration between King and Archbishop which was to reform the Church in England. Monastic orders began to thrive once more. After the Conquest, the days of Dunstan would be looked back on as the ‘golden age’.
Dunstan was zealous for the faith. He taught, prayed, fasted, repaired churches, acted as judge, inspired national laws of the land, made sure taxes were paid, and encouraged his monks in their manuscripts and prayers. He remained active right to the end of his life: he preached three times on Ascension Day 988, and died two days later, on 19 May, aged nearly 80.
They wrote of him: he was without doubt “chief of all the saints who rest at Christ Church’ (Canterbury). It has been well said that the 10th century gave shape to English history, and Dunstan gave shape to the 10th century.
May
24th -
John & Charles Wesley: Let’s Sing a Hymn
by Canon David Winter
Later this month the Church calendar celebrates the lives of John and Charles Wesley. John’s great gift to the Christian cause was the little matter of founding the world-wide movement known as Methodism. His brother Charles had an equally profound impact through his hymns. He actually wrote over 6000, most of which aren’t sung nowadays, but among the ones we do still sing are all-time favourites – ‘Love divine, all loves excelling’, ‘O for a thousand tongues to sing’. ‘Jesu lover of my soul’, ‘Hark the herald angels sing’ – and scores more.
40 years ago almost everybody knew quite a lot of hymns, but sadly that’s no longer true. Traditional hymns aren’t usually sung at school assemblies, not even in church schools, and while the audience for ‘Songs of Praise’ on BBC TV is substantial, most of those watching are over 50.
With only about ten per cent of the population even irregular church-goers there is inevitably a lack of familiarity with hymns of any kind. Christmas carols are an exception, as is ‘Jerusalem’ and ‘Amazing Grace’, because they are frequently heard outside church.
Singing hymns is a wonderful experience at its best – just ask a Welsh rugby crowd singing ‘Bread of heaven’! It seems a pity to lose it.
It’s not a bad idea to take ten minutes and think what is your favourite hymn, and why – ancient or modern doesn’t matter. Then try singing it in the bath or under the shower – a very purifying experience.
WORDSEARCH
A Prayer for Ukraine
Lord, we pray for Ukraine, a nation in which 70% of the population call themselves Christian. You, Lord, make wars cease to the end of the earth; you break bows, shatter spears, and burn shields with fire [Psalm 46:9]. And so, we ask you now to save the lives of many people in Ukraine. De-escalate this crisis. We hear of wars and rumours of wars (Matt. 24:6], but you Lord are our rock, our fortress and our deliverer. Our hope is in you. And so we address the nations now. In the name of Jesus we say: “Be still and know God! He is exalted among the nations; He shall be exalted in the earth [Psalm 46:10]. Kyrie eleison – Lord have mercy.
Solution on Page 38
Ascension
Ascension Day falls on Thursday, May 29th this year and with Ascension in mind this prayer is from the Gelasian Sacramentary, a book of Christian liturgy written sometime between the sixth and eighth centuries. It contains the priest's part in celebrating the Eucharist.
O God, we give you thanks that your Son Jesus Christ, who has shared our earthly life, has now ascended to prepare our heavenly life. Grant that, through coming to know Him by faith on earth, we may come to know Him by sight in heaven.
Deaf Awareness Week –
5th to 11th May
Deafness is more common than you might think. According to the Royal National Institute for Deaf people (RNID), one in three adults in the UK are in some way deaf. That means that more than 18 million adults in the UK have some degree of hearing loss or tinnitus.
And it gets worse. Over half the population aged 55 have hearing loss. 80% of people over the age of 70 have hearing loss. An estimated 1.2 million adults in the UK cannot even hear most conversational speech without hearing aids.
How does this work out in local churches? Statistically, it means that in every congregation of 100 members, there will be 14 people with hearing difficulties.
As this month brings Deaf Awareness Week, why not ask the people with hearing loss in our church how they can be helped to hear better in church. This might include:
¨ Installing a loop system, or making sure the one already installed is still working well.
¨ That there is clear visual access to the pulpit and lectern, so that people can lip-read. (Move the flowers and candles?)
¨ Make sure that the speakers do not walk away from the microphones while speaking.
¨ Use some printed and visual media as well as just audio in church communications.
The following websites may be useful in learning more: RNID - www.rnid.org.uk, Deaf church - www.deafchurch.co.uk & Signs of God - www.signsofgod.org.uk
Christian Aid Week - 11th to 17th May
This annual week invites Christians in the UK to help fundraise by holding community events and taking on individual challenges. This year you might like to consider taking on the ‘70k in May Challenge’ by traveling 70k during May, in whatever way you want. Invite friends and family to sponsor you or even complete the challenge with you. More info at: https://shorturl.at/3yJBH
HEADLINES
‘Assisted Dying’ Bill fails to protect the vulnerable, Bishop of London warns
The Bishop of London has warned of the ‘serious risk’ that people would opt for ‘assisted dying’ because they felt they were a burden. She said the risks of this happening would be multiplied by the pressures on the NHS and social care – if the Bill comes into force. **
Response to Welfare Reform announcements
Following the government's recent welfare reform announcements, The Archbishop of York, The Rt Revd Martyn Snow, and Canon Alice Kemp have each expressed their views on the potential impact of the proposals.
Archbishop Stephen acknowledged the fiscal challenges faced by the government but emphasised the importance of addressing the underlying causes of ill health and worklessness. **
Taking action on climate change is the ‘right thing to do’
Acting to prevent global warming and biodiversity loss is the ‘right thing to do’ and a sign of Christian compassion for those who are suffering as a result of the climate crisis, the Bishop of Norwich, the Church of England’s lead bishop for the environment, said recently.
**
First bishops for racial justice appointed
The Bishop of Kirkstall, Arun Arora, and the Bishop of Croydon, Rosemarie Mallett, have been appointed by the Archbishop of York and the Bishop of London as joint lead bishops for the Church of England on racial justice.
Bishop Martyn calls for intercultural approach to LLF
Martyn Snow, the Bishop of Leicester and lead bishop for the Living in Love and Faith (LLF) process, has released a new book in which he says: “Despite the great depths in our disagreements over Living in Love and Faith, I believe there is still a longing for unity among most of us in the Church of England.
**
Archbishop of York leads fifth anniversary of National Online Service
The Church of England’s National Online Service has recently marked its fifth anniversary, with a special service led by Archbishop Stephen Cottrell.
Since its launch during the first COVID lockdown, the service has become a key lifeline for worshippers unable to attend church buildings.
**
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.
Mental Health Awareness Week - 12
May
In May we observe Mental Health Week, at a time when sadly many of us, as a nation, are struggling. Roughly one in four of us now experience a mental health problem every year.
According to the Health Foundation, for young people aged 10–24 a staggering 45% are experiencing mental health disorders.
While the medical profession is helping with medication and medical care, many Christians are also deeply concerned.
As one theologian, Professor John Swinton, has said: “Mental-health professions play a significant part in the healing process for people. Most people, however, are not acutely unwell… they live in ordinary communities, and work out their lives amid family, friends, society and church. It is there that the Church can offer important gifts and insights.
“The central intention of the Gospels is to enable people to come to know God, and to live with God for ever. Within this perspective, mental health is not the absence of symptoms or distress, it is assurance of the presence of a loving God who cares.”
There is plenty of emotional and mental pain in the Bible: just read the Psalms of lament, which express sorrow and desolation. (They include Psalms 3, 6, 13, 22, 28, 42, 44, 56, 57, 71, 77, 86, 88, 102, 120, 130, 137, 142.) Here you will find desolation and sorrow – but also hope and assurance that at the end of all things, God is still there for those who turn to Him.
The Bible assures us that God will “never leave you or forsake you” (Hebrews 13:5). As Jesus told His followers: I will not leave you as orphans, I will come to you” (John 14:18)
The Bible reminds us that we should not be surprised by deeply painful times in our lives, as these are not outside the experiences of people who know God. However, it assures us that He will draw close to us (James 4:8) and that “in all things God works for the good of those who love him” (Romans 8:28).
Farewell to George Foreman – boxer and preacher
Warm tributes were paid to the Christian US heavyweight boxing legend George Foreman, who died aged 76 on 21st of March.
The two-time heavyweight champion of the world became a Christian in 1977, three years after his famous match with Muhammad Ali, known as the ‘Rumble in the Jungle’.
Born into a poor single-parent family of seven children in Texas, Foreman dropped out of junior high school, but was able to turn his life around through Job Corps, which helped him get into boxing.
Foreman proved to be a natural: at only 19 he won the heavyweight boxing gold medal at the 1968 Olympics in Mexico City.
After this, he turned pro, and then won 37 straight matches on his way to face reigning champion Joe Frazier in Kingston, Jamaica, winning by technical knockout.
It was after a defeat in 1977 that Foreman had a profound experience of Jesus Christ, and was converted. Aged 28, he abandoned boxing and became a minister. He founded The Church of the Lord Jesus Christ.
Foreman boxed again in 1987, to raise money for a youth centre he had founded. He then won another 24 matches in a row. His last match was in 1997, when he ended his career with a record of 76 wins and five losses.
In 1985, he married for the fifth time, to Mary Joan Martelly. He had five sons - all called George - five daughters, and two adopted daughters.
In March his family posted on Instagram: "Our hearts are broken. A devout preacher, a devoted husband, a loving father, and a proud grand and great grandfather, he lived a life marked by unwavering faith, humility, and purpose.”
US Evangelicals not happy with Trump
US President Donald Trump has angered some US evangelicals because of his recent cutbacks on foreign aid.
Now the humanitarian branch of the US National Association of Evangelicals is urging the government to reinstate funding grants lost in the recent executive order cuts on USAID.
Although other US Christians are also critical of Trump, the evangelical voters are a core demographic of Trump’s supporter base – which makes criticism from them unusual.
World Relief, the humanitarian branch of the National Association of Evangelicals, has now urged the US government to “follow through on other past grant commitments and to resume continued funding for lifesaving humanitarian programmes.”
Good idea!
Have you ever been just sitting there, and all of a sudden, you feel like doing something really nice for someone else? That could well be God, prompting you through the Holy Spirit.
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 using Glebe land for allotments.”
My dear Nephew Darren
I hear you have joined the committee which wants to convert the waste land between the abandoned soap factory and canal in your parish into allotments – although I would have thought there were holier sorts of conversions you could have concentrated on. I am sure you will soon be caught up in arguments which make that little disagreement over an apple in the Garden of Eden seem quite trivial.
Some years ago, we similarly decided to let part of our Glebe land become allotments; the outcome was not wholly as may have been anticipated. Colonel Wainwright saw it as an opportunity of re-living his War years and was only just restrained from digging trenches around his plot; no doubt he would have offered to play football with neighbouring allotment holders on Christmas Day.
It caused some surprise when the Earl of Stowe applied for a plot, but it has become something of an attraction to see his daily procession, preceded by his gardener pushing the wheelbarrow, the under-gardener carrying the tools and following him, his butler with the newspaper, a deckchair, and a flask of coffee. He then settles down for a comfortable hour while occasionally supervising the work, once reports on the local hunt have been read.
Miss Simpson managed to unite everyone in communal outrage by using her plot to encourage fluffy bunnies, darling foxes, and sweet squirrels. She seemed to be particularly grateful to everyone else for providing fruit and vegetables for their happiness. Resolution was only achieved when she was convinced to grow potatoes, helping the Colonel in his War Effort. Fortunately, he did not ask her to arrive equipped with the regulation gas mask.
Our local architect seems to spend most of his time beautifying his garden shed, rather than growing produce. With its gothic arched windows, Norman tower and flying buttresses, I do wonder if he may have spent rather too much of his time renovating ancient churches. Neighbouring plot-holders look forward to the agricultural equivalent of the Dissolution of the Monasteries.
I am sure you will find you have committed yourself to many hours of unnecessary work. Just make sure you get a percentage of their produce for your Harvest Festival.
Your loving uncle, Eustace.
Curate
As the enthusiastic curate was preparing to move on to his first church as a vicar, a parishioner asked him what he thought had been his main contribution to the life of the church. He replied: “People here didn’t know what sin was until I came.”
WORDSEARCH SOLUTION
Why universities would never give God a PhD
1. He has had only one major publication, and it wasn’t even in English.
2. It had no references.
3. It wasn't published in a refereed journal.
4. Some even doubt He wrote it by Himself.
5. Okay, He created the world, but what has He done since then?
6. The scientific community has had a hard time replicating any of His results.
7. He never applied to the ethics board for permission to use human subjects.
8. He rarely came to class, just told students to read the book.
9. Some say He had His son stand in for Him, to teach the class.
10. He set only 10 requirements, but all of His students have failed the exam.
And Finally …. Understanding church language
PROCESSION: The ceremonial formation at the beginning of the Service, consisting of altar servers, the celebrant, and late parishioners looking for seats.
RECESSIONAL: The ceremonial procession at the conclusion of the Service, led by parishioners trying to beat the crowd to the carpark.
RELICS: People who have been going to church for so long that they actually know when to sit, kneel, and stand.
USHERS: The only people in the parish who don't know the seating capacity of a pew.
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