The Parish Magazine

for the church of

St. Mary Magdalene, Clitheroe

May 2009

“Not the Vicar’s Letter.”

         Dear Friends,   

              To-day I am putting aside my usual hat marked K.W. and donning one called  N.T.V.  As K.W. I  generally  expect to write something about Christians overseas, their difficulties and dangers, their courage and their joyful faith. I think it is good for us to turn our thoughts and prayers to people and places outside our own church and parish.

         But to-day my thoughts run back more than 30 years when I first entered St. Mary  Magdalene 's Church as a visitor just looking in to see the building. There were three ladies arranging the flowers. One of them came across to me and said a few words of welcome, offered help if needed and returned to her task. That, I thought, was the ideal reception - welcoming but not intrusive. I hope and believe we are still a welcoming church,  and at least trying to get the right balance between the people who like silence and those who perhaps are rather lonely and are glad to find companionship.

       Leaping forward in time I come to a day in January this year to that great meeting place, the supermarket, where I met a lady whom I have known a long time who belongs to another church in the town. We spoke briefly, both in a hurry, but as I listened I felt impelled to say, "Would you like us to put your name on our prayer list?"  She said "Yes, please." and we parted. A few weeks later I had a lovely letter from her in which she thanked us and told us:"I am feeling very much better. Your prayers have been a real support to me. -------It was a providential meeting that day in Tesco's wasn't it?"     

     At least to some degree I hope we can be seen as a welcoming church and a praying church' and I know very well that St. Mary's is a ministering church. Our people minister individually in a thousand different ways, of which I can see only a tiny fraction, though I have often been deeply grateful to be a recipient of your ministry to me. Many others are too.

      There is, however, one area which causes me some surprise at St. Mary's. I am thinking not so much of the priesthood but of the lay ministry of Lay Readers and Pastoral Auxiliaries. Why is this parish not producing more people who feel they could serve God in one of those ways? We do have several people who perform a greatly valued service to the church by taking Holy Communion to the housebound. To be a P.A. is mainly an extension of that work together with other ways of helping the vicar in his care of the parish.  Do think about it! You know that  if we do anything for the Lord He always repays us double.                                                                                                                       

Kate Wallwork

MAYOR’S SERVICE

SUNDAY JUNE 7^th 2009

It is a number of years since the Mayor of Clitheroe has held the Mayor’s service at St. Mary’s.

The new Mayor, Councillor Mary Robinson, has kindly invited our own Canon Jim be her chaplain for the year. It was therefore decided to hold the Mayoral Service at St. Mary’s on Sunday the 4^thJune at 11a.m.

We shall hold our usual Parish Communion Service at 9-30 a.m. as we did on Palm Sunday.

As a church we are more than happy to be involved in the life of our town and community and we hope our regular worshippers will be able to support the Mayor and the Civic Authorities.

During her year of office the Mayor’s Charities will be focussed on youth and we hope that young people will be involved in the service. It is hoped the service itself will reflect the life of our town and community which we treasure and which we pray will continue to flourish, with the help of God.

One Friday in Eternity

The story was told, but I was there – I felt it all

I heard the hate and power of a crowd stirred up. The deviousness of people in authority as they manipulated that crowd.

I saw the fear, the betrayal and the guilt of Peter as he denied Jesus three times.

The journey to the cross was long and painful and I sympathised with every step.

As the sound of the last nail being driven home faded I was confronted by the carpenter trying so hard to justify his part and the soldier making off with his spoils.

But to witness the heartache and desolation of a mother as she sees her son die, to listen as Mary Magdalene pours out her innermost feelings and to feel the despair of a friend as he watches death come. What feelings of grief I feel.

But then the words of Jesus filled air and I knew – he suffered all that for me.

So thank you Linda Ainsworth, Bill Ashton, Jean Brennan, Patricia Duxbury, Ann Goodbody, Tony Goodbody, Derek Holmes, Peter Houldsworth, Barbara Hunt, Howard Riley, Peter Shepherd, Suesi Windle, Martin Windle and Producer Sheila Dewhurst you took me exactly where I needed to be.

“Were you there when they crucified my Lord” sang Patricia from the lectern.

Yes I was there – One Friday in eternity.

Brenda Chatburn

ST. MARY MAGDALENE LADIES GROUP

As reported last month, the Ladies Group are starting off the month of May with a bang – I mean, of course the Spring Fair which will take place on Sunday May 3^rd at 10.45am, immediately after Family Communion Service, in the main hall of St. Mary’s Centre.   We look forward to welcoming everyone to the usual assortment of stalls and of course, coffee and biscuit, all for the princely sum of 50p. Per person.

Back to normal, the first meeting in May will be Corporate Communion on the 12^th of the month, and we look forward to welcoming Peter Shepherd to take the service; then on the 26^th of the month Peter Hennigan will be joining us to talk about the history of Houghton Tower – making a fascinating afternoon for us all.

For those members who we have not seen for a while, a reminder it is time to sign up for the annual summer lunch.  This is a fairly “new” annual event, only in it’s second year in fact, but is proving a popular addition to the Ladies Group Calendar and will take place on June 9^th at the Calves Head, Worston.  If any member who cannot attend the meetings would like to join us on that date, please ring Jean, Pat or Kathleen to arrange meal and transportation.

The Ladies Group meet in the Mutual Room of St. Mary’s Centre at 2.15pm on alternate Tuesdays, and will be pleased to welcome any visitor or new member who would like to join us for a friendly chat with tea and biscuit - all following some excellent entertainment by our varied list of speakers.

Jean Duck, Chairman.

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ST. MARY MAGDALENE LADIES GROUP SPRING FAIR, ST. MARY’S CENTRE

SUNDAY, MAY 3^RD 2009 - 10.45AM – 12-NOON.

COFFEE & BISCUIT 50P.

Many stalls – Cakes, Tombola, Books, Bric-a-brac.

Tombstone Tales: The Draper

“In Memory of …the above named John Stewart who departed this life on the 19^th of April 1860 aged 80 years”

John Stewart is buried with several of his family to the north west of the church. His name sounds Scottish and he may well have been of Scottish descent, but he was born in Ireland about 1780, crossed the sea to Scotland at some time between 1807 and 1811 and by 1824 had settled in Clitheroe where he made, if not his fortune, at least a comfortable living. He was a linen and woollen draper, and his first business premises were in Black Lane, now King Street. By 1829 he was in Market Place, and in 1834 had moved a little way up the hill into Castle Street. According to the census of 1841 he lived in Parson Lane, and possibly his shop was there too. In his will he left nine properties including

“A house with shop, garden, shippon and two pig coles in Parson Lane, Clitheroe, with the garden adjoining Railway Road.”

The shop is still there, next to the former KwikSave car park. It’s boarded up, but you can see the date 1840 over the side door which led through a passage to the garden – on which the various KwikSave buildings now stand.

John Stewart married his wife Mary while still in Ireland and they had three daughters. Their first daughter, Martha, was born in Ireland but Mary and Annabella were born in Scotland. Martha married and emigrated to America where she also had three daughters, but her husband, surnamed Kelly, died and she returned to England to live for a time at least with her parents in Parson Lane.

Daughter Mary married Richard Bracewell, a Clitheronian, in St. Mary Magdalene’s in 1831. Richard was a block cutter, probably at Primrose Mill; but when his father-in-law retired he seems to have taken over the drapery business, albeit rather reluctantly, as the 1851 census describes John Stewart as “Retired Draper” and Richard Bracewell as “Block Cutter and Draper”. Richard and Mary had twelve children, of whom four died before the age of 10 and Mary herself died at the age of 55 in 1867. By then there was no more room in the churchyard grave, and she was buried in the cemetery. Her husband Richard went to Accrington to live with their son William, a tinplate worker. What happened to the drapery business? I don’t know, but there was a Henry Bracewell, Linen and Woollen Draper, in Moor Lane in 1865.

Daughter Annabella married William Ramsbottom, landlord of the New Inn in Parson Lane. At that time there were two inns side by side – the Castle kept by the Herdman family in the building above the New Inn, and the New Inn itself. Annabella and William had six children of whom two died in infancy. William himself died in 1852 at the age of 39 and for some time Annabella continued to run the inn, though by 1861 she described herself as a “Retired Innkeeper”.

John Stewart’s wife Mary died in 1848 at the age of 64 and it was after that that Martha and her daughters returned from America to live with John in Parson Lane. When he drew up his Will in the late 1850s he was able to style himself “John Stewart of Eastham House, Clitheroe, Lancashire. Gentleman”. Eastham House today is the Ginger Pumpkin design studio in New Market Street behind the New Inn, and according to the census of 1871, eleven years after John Stewart’s death, his daughter Annabella lived there with her two unmarried daughters Mary Ann and Dinah.

The properties mentioned in John Stewart’s Will included the shop and three other houses in Parson Lane, two houses next to the Independent Chapel in Shawbridge Street (both still there), one other house, and two leasehold cottages. It seems his journey to Clitheroe from Ireland via Scotland was worthwhile in a material sense, but attended by sadness as his wife and several of his grandchildren died before him.

Patricia Duxbury

Curate’s Corner

‘Pray’, wrote St Paul to the Church at Thessalonica, ‘without ceasing’ (1 Thess 5: 17). This commission was taken so seriously by an anonymous 19^th Century Pilgrim that he wandered from one holy place to another throughout Russia and Siberia trying to find how to do it: “It was this text, more than any other, which forced itself upon my mind, and I began to think how it was possible to pray without ceasing, since a man has to concern himself with other things also in order to make a living……I heard a number of very fine sermons on prayer; what prayer is, how much we need it, and what its fruits are; but no-one said how one could succeed in prayer. I heard a sermon on spiritual prayer, and unceasing prayer, but how it was to be done was not pointed out.” (‘The Way of a Pilgrim’; published in English in 1930). If you do not know this small, very accessible and much loved classic of Russian Orthodoxy, and are intrigued to know how the Pilgrim found the answers to his questions (including the practice of the ‘Jesus Prayer’), then it is well worth tracking down and reading. But whatever prayer is, it ought to be the centre of Christian life, both individual and corporate. It is something we engage in, in a number of different ways (thanksgiving/eucharistia, intercession and so on), every time we come to church (and at home: do you use this magazine’s prayer diary, for example?). But just what is it we are doing – or what do we think we are doing – when we pray? Furthermore, is prayer an activity which is best left to a religious elite – those who are, or appear to be, spiritual athletes – to do properly, whilst the rest of us struggle on, not quite sure what we are getting ourselves involved in; and sometimes spending our lives worrying about it? This month, and continuing next month, I intend to explore some of these questions, trying to show that prayer ought to be as natural as breathing for us (hence the unceasing bit – just try not breathing unceasingly!), and suggesting that we often tend to make the act of praying more complicated than it really is. Of course, we would also do well to reflect on Archbishop Michael Ramsey’s response when asked how long he prayed for every day: “Two minutes; but I spend an hour preparing!”.

So what is prayer? As I have said, no doubt many times before, the most formative influence on my own theological development has been the great Scottish Anglican philosopher and theologian, John Macquarrie, who died a couple of years ago after a long and productive life, in which he wrote a number of enormously influential books. Born and bred a Presbyterian, Macquarrie joined, and was ordained into, the Anglican Church (via the Episcopal Church when he was teaching in America) and spent the bulk of his working life – turning down the offer of a Bishopric en route - as the Lady Margaret Professor of Divinity at Oxford. He was a great personal friend of my first incumbent (now deceased, but someone once described as the best Bishop the CE never had), and I had the privilege of meeting Fr. John (and ‘sitting at his feet’) on two or three occasions. In 1972 he published a small, but profound book: ‘Paths in Spirituality’; and it is on his insights that I base the remainder of this article.

Macquarrie began the second chapter of ‘Paths’ with a provocative statement: “Prayer is at the heart of all religion, but for many Christians prayer has become something of an embarrassment”. How, he asked, does prayer fit into to a modern (we might, today, say ‘post-modern’) world of science and technology? Is it simply childish; a psychological crutch for the weak-minded (Freud’s charge): those who can’t cope with the realities of life? Not at all: prayer is basically quite simple; it is an aspect of something we do all the time – “prayer is thinking”! Macquarrie explains: “While many people have become doubtful about the value of prayer, no one in an age of science and technology and planning questions the value of thinking”. What with research, ‘think-tanks’, computers as ‘thinking machines’, and so on: “Thinking is as much in fashion as prayer seems out of fashion”. Is prayer, then, just the same as ordinary every day thinking? Well, of course not: it is not just ‘utilitarian’ thinking (problem solving, for example) although some seem to treat it as such; neither, says Macquarrie, is it a substitute for the “hard thinking and hard work by which we must solve our problems”. Rather prayer involves us “in a different kind of thinking, a thinking that is essential to human fulfilment; [and] without this prayerful thinking, all our other thinking, however efficient, falls short of fully human thinking…” So Macquarrie identified four kinds of thinking that is, or can come to be prayer: thinking that is passionate, compassionate, responsible and thankful. We will consider each kind of prayerful thinking next month.

Prayer Diary – May 2009

1^st	Philip and James, Apostles. For all sent out to proclaim the Gospel.
2^nd	Athanasius, Bishop. 373. For all who teach the Faith.
3^rd	Easter 4. For all who live on Ribblesdale Avenue.
4^th	For local politicians and for truth and honour in politics.
5^th	For our armed forces.
6^th	For all in Clitheroe Hospital.
7^th	For all who work in the fire service.
8^th	Julian of Norwich, spiritual writer, 1417. For all who witness to the love of God.
9^th	For our fellow Christians in Clitheroe.
10^th	Easter 5. For all who live on Pimlico Rd.
11^th	For all collecting for Christian Aid.
12^th	For all nurses
13^th	For a generous response to Christian Aid Week.
14^th	Mathias the Apostle For all chosen by God to undertake great tasks.
15^th	For those in need of Christian Aid.
16^th		Caroline Chisholm, social reformer, 1877. For all who work to improve the life of others.
17^th		Easter 6. For all who live on Waterloo and Holden St.
18^th		Rogation Day. For all farmers.
19^th		Dunstan, Archbishop, 988. For the Primates of the Anglican Communion.
20^th		Alcuin, abbot. 804. For all Christian teachers.
21^st		Ascension Day. For those whose lives need lifting to God.
22^nd		For those who find it difficult to love.
23^rd		For all considering God’s call.
24^th		Easter 7. For all who live on King St and King Lane.
25^th		The Venerable Bede. 735. For all Christian scholars.
26^th		Augustine, Archbishop, 605. For the Archbishop of Canterbury.
27^th		For children who live in poverty.
28^th		Lanfranc. Monk. 1089. For all who contribute to the spiritual formation of others.
29^th		For the unemployed.
30^th		Josephine Butler, social reformer, 1906. For all dedicated to eradicating poverty.
31st		Pentecost. For all who live on Eastham St.

Christian Aid Week is May 10-16.

  Be the lifeblood: keep hope alive.

Christian Aid are promoting many new ideas for raising money and also encouraging people to donate regularly by direct debit. This makes it easier for them to support their regular partners and respond rapidly where ever help is needed rather than waiting to see what the envelopes produce in May. For more information please visit www.caweek.org.

Our ecumenical group in the Ribble Valley continues to be successful with house to house collections and just having church people going from door to door gives out a very positive message about Christian people.

Hopefully most of our regular collectors will be able to help again this year in the usual way, but we need more new people. If you are a little wary of knocking on doors - that's fine, I'm happy if you could just deliver the envelopes -the more the better. Other people cann then collect on more streets having saved time by not delivering as well. 

If you live outside our parish and know that you didn't receive an envelope last year (or you don't get one this year) please let me know because  collectors are sometimes ill and unable to complete or just not available. But if you let us know we will do our best to do something about it. If an envelope goes through every door the household then has the opportunity of sending a donation.

Please sign up on the list at the back of church ASAP and ask other friends if they'll help as well, try going out in pairs one on one side of the road & one on the other and know that you are doing a marvellous job.

Thanks

Sue Shepherd 01200 425053

How to use the church building.

I have been pondering for some time on Peter Shepherd’s sermon regarding the financial state of our church, the need for further income and the fact that we are consistently unable to make ends meet. At the time I looked round the congregation and guessed that there were 5 people under the age of 60. So with the present financial climate how many of us would be able to increase our giving and to what extent?

I have been helping with the Toddler Group and in February we had to come out of the lower hall due to its state. Whilst I know it is thought we will return there, I am sure if Social Services did a risk assessment there would be a negative response. The children and mums are now using the vestry and whilst it is much cleaner and cosy, it isn’t big enough. The children want to play in the church and I’m sure God would approve if not the P.C.C.

Woolworths have closed, partly due to the Credit Crunch but mainly due to the fact that they didn’t move with the times. Unless we do something, I can see us following suit. Surely we could remove all or half the pews, replacing them with chairs and making the church pay for itself, by the church being available for meetings such as U3A., Civic Society, toddler groups etc. It would cost money to do this but do you not have to speculate to accumulate? In London many of the churches are open during the day for concerts, lectures and meetings and a place to get a cup of coffee.

Lastly, do I hear a sigh of relief? By opening up the church as with the Toddler Group we just might attract people into the church realising that it isn’t as scary as they thought and they feel comfortable there. As a Health Visitor I come across many young people who were appalled at the thought of going into a church, and somehow we have to try to overcome this aspect, as well as the financial one. Opening up the church could be the answer if the vicar sees it that way too.

Lorna Vaccaro

Fresh Expressions of Church

Once a year the archdeacon sends to churchwardens a document called “Articles of Enquiry” which asks a range of questions about how the parish has addressed a number of issues during the year.

Last year one of the questions related to “Fresh Expressions of Church” i.e. how we had tried to reach out to people on the borderline of faith. I had an inkling about what this meant and I knew from discussions with fellow churchwardens in the deanery that some churches had attempted various experiments in making worship more accessible to people on the verge of faith. Indeed Philip and Peter had tried a different type of non-eucharistic worship at Saint Mary’s. However, we had had little success.

“Fresh Expressions” had meanwhile become a distinctive movement in the Church of England and together with the Methodists an organisational structure had been created to promote it. Norman Ivison, associate minister at our neighbours Saint James is a staff member of the group. I was encouraged to read a small library of books on the topic, yet I retained the impression that all this was more to do with churches of an evangelical persuasion such as Saint James and not very applicable to churches of a more sacramental tradition such as Saint Mary’s.

However I did take on board that Archbishop Rowan Williams, who is very much my kind of churchman, had enthusiastically allied himself to the movement whilst he was still Archbishop of Wales and even more so since moving to Canterbury. There must be something in it for us.

The people at “Fresh Expressions felt so too and that a church that was evangelical was only half a church so, together with a group called “Affirming Catholicism” of which archbishop Rowan had been a founding member, plans were set in motion for a National Day of Pilgrimage in Coventry Cathedral in December aimed at cementing the links between “Fresh Expressions” and the catholic tradition of the Church of England.

Our invitation to this came on the day our PCC met with Bishop John of Burnley and Archdeacon John and we were encouraged by them to respond positively. So Peter Shepherd and I travelled to Coventry to join over 500 other of a similar persuasion; priests, lay-folk and a good number of bishops.

The day began with an inspiring Eucharist using to the full all the modern visual effects and ended in a service of Benediction such as, according to the service sheet, had led John Macquarrie to faith many years ago. His little book on a lay theology had enthused me when I was a lot younger and helped expand my conviction nurtured here at Saint Mary’s by Stanley Birtwell and others to believe and experience that a sacramental religion was the surest way towards the fullest grounding in our faith.

Archbishop Rowan’s address at the Eucharist was an inspiration stressing as it did that evangelism was not the private preserve of the evangelicals but went hand-in-hand with the great strength of the Church of England which is its being both catholic and reformed. This so resonated with my sure belief that in offering our enriching vision of the Kingdom, particularly when we get our new, young and (I hope) vigorous parish priest in Andrew Froud, will lead us in inviting our community in Clitheroe to join in the wealth of our tradition not in looking nostalgically to the past but finding together a way forward into a new and invigorating future for all in this town.

It’s given us food for thought and I look forward to helping bring about for my part the fullness of God’s meaning for our common future.

Colin Scott

Special Events at Blackburn Cathedral Feb 23rd

I first met Canon Chris Chivers in South Africa two years ago. He was then on the Staff of St. George’s Cathedral, Cape Town and we had attended the 7.00 am Eucharist which was taken by Archbishop Desmond Tutu. We then subsequently learned that Canon Chivers had returned to England and had been appointed Canon Chancellor at Blackburn Cathedral where we eventually renewed our acquaintance.

Since his appointment he has been instrumental in building bridges between the Cathedral and the Asian Community in Blackburn Diocese. In this work he has forged a strong partnership with s prominent lady member of the Asian community, Ms Anwar Anjum, who now holds an official position at the Cathedral, that of Dialogue Development Officer. The success of the Cathedral’s inter faith mission is without question due to the strength of this partnership. Over the last two years the Cathedral has organised a series of interfaith events which have been very well supported by the Asian community.

Significantly, younger members have been particularly prominent, with many students from Blackburn and Accrington Colleges attending.

This background gave an added interest to an event which the Cathedral had organised on the topic of Guantanamo Bay. The afternoon consisted of brief introductory talks by three guest speakers, two of whom had either been in Guantanamo Bay itself or had experienced the then U.S. Government’s policy of ‘extraordinary rendition’, whereby individuals can be arrested and flown secretly to various locations throughout the world where ‘extreme interrogation’ is routine practice. Their accounts were predictably harrowing. The third speaker was a young U.S. soldier who had been a guard at Guantanamo Bay. Inevitably several questions were directed at him. He maintained that he had never personally taken part in anything that could be regarded as ‘torture’ but, like many other young soldiers there had been distressed by the little he had been allowed to see and hear. The occasion was important for several reasons . Firstly the Cathedral had shown itself willing to host a forum on a highly controversial subject. Secondly, during the Question and Answer session it was noticeable that the questions from the Muslim members of the audience were thoughtful and measured- surprising perhaps in view of the emotive nature of the subject. Thirdly amongst the large audience there were about 200 Muslims of all ages male and female who did not appear to feel in any way uncomfortable in an Anglican cathedral. Many indeed remained behind in the Cathedral for some considerable time at the end of the session. As evidence therefore of one area of community ‘bridge building’, the occasion was very encouraging. It was a valuable reminder too of the Cathedral’s willingness to engage with the world in which we live with all its problems!

My Favourite Hymn

When I was asked what my favourite hymn was I thought it would be easy but I found it difficult to select just one, so I have chosen three hymns that really mean a lot to me.

“Praise, my soul, the King of Heaven” I love, as it reminds me of my school days when we sang it during assembly. It seems as though we are really praising the Lord as we sing it.

Next, I just love the words of “I heard the voice of Jesus say, ‘Come unto me and rest’. The words feel very personal to me and sound so inviting and peaceful.

Finally my third hymn and possibly my favourite would be “What a friend we have in Jesus”. It was a big favourite of an aunt of mine who died recently. What better friend can we have than Jesus, always there for us, to listen when we need him and who loves us without question.

Angela Simpson

An Interesting Day

One advantage of living in a large multicultural city is the possibility of observing or being involved in unfamiliar customs. We were fortunate enough to be invited to several Asian weddings when we lived in Birmingham. The invitations were made by work colleagues.

In the early 1970’s we attended a Sikh wedding ceremony. We were invited by the bridegroom. Sometime before the actual ceremony the couple had a civil wedding at the Registry Office. The religious ceremony was held on a Sunday. We first went to the bridegroom’s house at 8.00am. The British ladies were classified as “honorary” men so that they could attend all the ceremony. Both “honorary” men and gentlemen were requested to wear hats. If you did not possess a hat a knotted and clean handkerchief would suffice. All “men” then moved on to the wedding breakfast which consisted of starters such as samosas followed by extremely sweet desserts.

After breakfast we were taken by coach to the temple. Here the bride and groom were seated on a dais inside a canopy which was richly decorated with coloured silks. The bride was dressed in a beautiful sari and was wearing a mass of gold jewellery. The groom was dressed in a smart suit and wore a bright red turban. Various speeches were made in Punjabi which were translated for us by one of the groom’s uncles who had been assigned to help us understand all that was going on. During the ceremony everyone in the congregation was given a piece of pastry which was very soft and extremely sweet. We felt that this sharing was very reminiscent of our Holy Communion service. Unfortunately, we were given large portions which we could not eat. We wondered what we could do with the remainder, however, we were not alone. A group of men armed with paper bags came round to gather up the remnants from almost everyone present.

When the ceremony had finished the present giving began. We had been asked not to make a collection for our colleague at work but he did not explain why. The present giving was all made in cash. The bride and groom, still seated on the dais, held each corner of a piece of material about the size of a bath towel and the guests dropped their gift into the cloth. There were about 200 guests so the present giving took quite a long time.

Following the ceremony only the “men” went on to the reception where the meal consisted of classic Indian curries followed by very sweet desserts. The only drinks available were rum and coke usually drunk together. The meal lasted nearly two hours.

When the reception was over we boarded the coach again and returned to the bridegroom’s house. Here only Margaret was introduced to the bride who sat in a corner surrounded by her female in-laws. The groom’s sister was delighted to explain all the wedding customs from a feminine viewpoint to a Christian lady and she insisted on making a cup of tea in the English way.

Finally, all the ladies and “honorary” men were given a sari and all the men were presented with a new shirt. By now it was mid-evening and we returned home tired having greatly enjoyed a most interesting day.

Margaret and Jim Stephenson

The first nine months

or

‘The Tale of a newly made Vicar’

Reflection is a key part of Christian life – or at least it should be. As I moved into the New Year and beyond I took time to draw breath and take stock of my time so far at St. Peter’s at Salesbury. As I write this article I can’t quite believe it’s now been nine months since I first arrived there, but what a rewarding and challenging experience it has been. Five years ago I would have been incredulous at the thought I would be ordained never mind actually serving and ministering in a parish, but God certainly makes His plans for us come to fruition - as hard as we may resist them.

What has happened over the last nine months? I’ve baptised babies and not dropped one, and at the opposite end of the spectrum I’ve buried the dead and in both cases been thankful for the opportunity to share in the lives of those for whom these rites of passage were critical. I’ve prayed a lot – which is good, led much public worship and delivered a good number of sermons. I think my most memorable sermon was the one I gave on Ecclesiastes and an old friend of mine who came to the service told me rather mischievously and in sombre tone, but with a ‘twinkle’ in his eye, that he had been ‘suitably chastened’ by the experience – result … I think!!

There have been numerous PCC meetings, house groups and pastoral visits. I have spent time in the wonderful day school in the village and marvelled at the extent of the technology they have in the classrooms, as well as how good school dinners have become. I was shamelessly ‘volunteered’ to be Father Christmas at the Christmas Fayre and after ‘Ho-ho-ho-ing’ about 125 times to each of the children who came to see me, I admit to succumbing to Victor Meldrew tendencies – the tipping-point was when two young lads, who must have been at least fifteen or sixteen years old, came to the grotto – I’m afraid I gave them short shrift - thankfully we made a substantial sum for charity and church funds.

I am blessed with a wonderful training incumbent whose only complaint is that on three occasions I have been mistaken for his Bishop and I have received a wonderfully warm welcome from the congregation and many messages of support and encouragement from them, and indeed form many others. I also receive regular calls via my mobile, from a St. Mary’s parishioner who I’m afraid has to remain anonymous. Most often the calls are at ridiculously early hours, quizzing me on the life of a curate, generally berating me, yet in his uncultured way, supporting me. I do hope your new Vicar realises who his new neighbour will be (oops ... sorry Howard).

I have also been fortunate enough to be placed for what is called my Initial Ministerial Education with Peter Shepherd who openly and generously gives of his time, hospitality, energy and intellect to guide a number of us through our first few years of continued study in our formation as priests, so the links with St. Mary’s are still there in many ways. There have been many highlights, but perhaps the special times are spending time with people and spending time in the Church.

Having had some time to reflect, I heartily recommend it, as difficult as it may be in our busy world. As you approach the arrival of your new incumbent, no doubt with great excitement, anticipation, perhaps even a little apprehension, I hope and pray you will all take time to reflect on what it is God has in store for you as individuals and as a Church family. It has been said that ‘Peace is born of silence, because silence is the threshold where the soul meets God’ – beautiful words and a wonderful concept. I urge you to remember this in what will undoubtedly be a busy, but rewarding time ahead.

Blessings to you all,

Andrew

PARISH REGISTERS

HOLY BAPTISMS

‘We welcome you into the Lord’s Family’

29^th Mar MOLLY GRACE BURGESS daughter of

Stephen Burgess & Emma Haworth

12^th Apr THOMAS PAUL BROWN

son of Robert & Catherine Brown

12^th Apr RIHANNA ROSE NEMATOLLAHI daughter of

Alex Nematollahi & Helen Bridge

12^th Apr IMOGEN ZENA BRODATY

daughter of Mark & Natasha Brodaty

12^th Apr MAX ANTHONY BRODATY

son of Mark & Natasha Brodaty

MARRIAGES

‘Living together in faith and love’

3^rd Apr JOHN ASHE & EMILY CROFT

FUNERALS

‘The Lord is full of compassion and mercy’

24^th Mar ERIC WHITEHEAD Aged 77 years

Unusual Journeys of Faith 21^st and 28^th March 2009

“From Wanderer to Pilgrim.”

Rev Marie Crook, NSM priest at Over Darwen St. James and Hoddleston St. Paul

Marie introduced her talk by saying it was about a very ordinary person and an extraordinary God, about a journey with a God who showed faithfulness and patience, about “footprints in the snow”* and the experience of being carried. But Marie is no ordinary person.

She had a Catholic upbringing and was educated at a convent junior school where she was confirmed. But she married an Anglican husband and chose to leave the Catholic Church. One day in church she felt a great “presence.” This was quite different from her experiences in catholic churches where she had never even spoken to the priest. This was her first experience of God, a god who was very patient and waits for the right time and place.

At about this time she was invited to attend a meeting of Women’s Aglow (see http://www.aglow.org.uk/), a Pentecostal movement transcending denominational boundaries. The worship was wonderful but even more wonderful were the silences. “She was hooked.” She met Jesus and fell in love with Him. This was the beginning of her wandering. She knelt down and asked God “Where would you like me to go?” This took place two weeks before Easter and she experienced Good Friday for the first time in an Anglican church. There she discovered that not only did she love Jesus but in turn Jesus loved her.

The vicar asked her to consider being a lay reader. It took her six months to decide. She argued with God and explained why it was not possible for her to become a reader. God said “My grace is sufficient.” So Marie said “Yes.”

Then she was called to ordination. But that is another story.

The notes above cover some of the things Marie said. They do nothing to convey her extraordinary nature and bubbly personality. Her faith is her whole life. She would be a wonderful person to know, nearly as wonderful as knowing Jesus.

*This is a very well known story about a man at the end of his life looking back on his journey with God through the snow. There were two sets of footprints for most of the way, but at times of sorrow or distress there was only one set. To God he said “Why did you leave me when I needed you most?” To which God replied “In those times of sorrow and distress I carried you.”

“From Politics.”

The Revd. Canon Dick Cartmell gave us a most uncomfortable message.

Whatever halting words I am able to write below will do nothing to convey his overriding passion. An avowed socialist and a member of “Old Labour” his sympathy is always for the underdog. Whether it is the leper peering through the squint at St. Peter’s Heysham or the mason crafting a stone for Lincoln Cathedral he put them way ahead of the Dean and Chapter.

He likened our journey through life to the mystery tours which used to be arranged by the railway companies. You can never see where you are going but when you arrive you can see that the hand of God had been guiding you.

He was born in Blackpool to a fishing family and brought up in Fleetwood. He remembers sitting on his father’s shoulders at a Remembrance Sunday service. His father stormed out of the service raving about the people who pretended that they knew what war was like but didn’t.

Dick had a fairly unhappy childhood during which he was made to attend elocution lessons and play the violin. Having failed most of his exams he went to sea as an assistant cook – not a great success. The cook was no good at cooking unless he was drunk which indeed he was most of the time.

Strange things began to happen to Dick. He began to go to church in Blackpool because he liked singing, but he was careful to leave during the final hymn so that he never got to know anybody. In spite of himself he was moved by the sermons and sensed that the vicar was speaking to him personally. He eventually spoke to the vicar who told him it was not he who was talking to him but the voice of God.

He got involved in the Fylde Community Service who distributed clothes to people who needed them and helped with gardening and decorating.

There is a gap in the narrative here because he was eventually ordained and seconded to Durham Prison. There he met people who had lead horrendous lives but he learned from them about the nature of God.

The talk ended abruptly leaving me at any rate rather shaken.

We listened to a CD with songs about the stonemasons and the lepers.

You should have been there.

Tony Goodbody