The Green Spire

The Parish Magazine ofSt Andrew, Orford with Longford

October 2016

School News 2From the Vicar – autumn, creation and stewardship 3What’s on in October 5 At the Cathedral this month 6Who’s On in October 7Greenbelt Festival 2016 8What the PCC decided… 9Church and School together events 10Parish finances – a new record 11Christian Aid News 12The Christmas fair 13Notice Board 14Snippets from the Church Times 17Doris Jepson RIP 18All Souls Requiem 19As I see it – by Churchmouse 20Praying for the world-wide Church 22From the Registers 26Prayer Intentions for October 28

1

The Green Spire is published monthly. Copies are 35p per month, or £3.50 for a year’s subscription – normally payable in January. Enquiries about advertisements welcome.

2

School NewsThe long-expected visit by inspectors from Ofsted took place at the end of September. It’s two years since the last visit and a lot has happened in the meantime. Visually, there have been plenty of improvements to the building and grounds but more importantly, there have been many improvements to the way things are done. Attendance has improved, children respond to the high expectations placed on them and school is a well-ordered and happy place to learn. Standards has risen dramatically at all levels. We are pleased with all that’s happened and we hope the inspectors share our belief that we are a good school. We hope to be able to let you know the outcome next month.

It has been a joy to welcome the whole school to church on Tuesday mornings for worship. We’ve also welcomed a few members of the church to share that special time. The final ‘worship in church’ will take place on Tuesday 18 th

October and then revert to school for the winter. You are most welcome to join us either in church or in school. We intend returning to church on Tuesday mornings in the spring.

Children from Year 4 made a visit to Fiddlers Ferry this month. Not only do children love going out to various places, but it enhances their learning in many ways. It can be applied in most subject areas and every last drop of benefit is squeezed from our trips.

Parents’ staff and governors were invited to a training day concerning radicalisation and extremism. The aim was to raise awareness and prevent children being ‘sucked in’ to something they don’t understand until it’s too late. We were reminded that radicalisation extends beyond religious fundamentalism and includes right-wing group and animal activists. It was well attended and really made us think.

Preparations are under way for Harvest. We are joining the church in supporting the local foodbank and look forward to coming to church for our Harvest festival service. Do come an join us – it is being led by Years 2 and 4 this year and we’ll also be in church on Sunday 9th for the church’s Harvest service.

3

From the Vicar:Living where we do, half way between the equator and the pole, we enjoy changing seasons. It might seem a little odd but I really like autumn. I think there are a number of reasons for this.

A few years ago, we went to Derbyshire for a few days. It had been quite a wet summer and the trees had kept every last leaf. All of a sudden, in mid-October, they stated to colour and change. We visited the Amber Valley and both sides of this immensely beautiful landscape was aglow with the most amazing golds and oranges. I don’t think I’ve ever seen anything quite like it.

At this time of the year, the Church celebrates our unique relationship with the earth, the most notable being Harvest Thanksgiving. [As an aside, I have to say that I particularly like calling it a thanksgiving as it reminds us ‘town-folk’ not to take for granted the produce that comes from the land.] It is a time to recognise that all the produce we enjoy – food, water, fish and many more – are the gift of a generous God even though we have to work with him to bring them to fruition.

In addition to being thankful, Harvest reminds us that not everyone is as fortunate as we are. Over the years, we have supported a number of projects that try to help some of these people live in dignity and with sufficient food or clean water. This year, our focus is on the Foodbank which aims to support people in this town who presently do not have enough to eat, often through no fault of their own. I hope we will give them the support they deserve.

I think it was the sheer beauty of that Derbyshire valley that made me realise just how wonderful and intricate the world we live in really is. To get that effect, a number of different features have to come together – features that no one person or group could possibly engineer, no matter how clever they are.

Scientists are constantly finding new ways in which the elements of creation fit together. So many things are dependent on one another and if we take one away, everything else suffers. That might seem obvious today but as recently as fifty years ago, only a few people had made the connection and they were mostly written off as ‘eccentric’. Our understanding of

4

the natural world has blossomed thanks to the work of scientists and ecologists.

There has been a blossoming of knowledge in many areas of life including medicine. The suggestion of a disease-free world within fifty years still feels unlikely, but not so long ago would have been considered wishful thinking to put it mildly!

Knowledge too is a gift from God. We are learning to build on the discoveries of former scientists and technologists and also to collaborate more closely. The result is an ever accelerating trend to greater knowledge. And the brains and deductive power that feeds this process comes from God who uses us to work with him. Our hope is that each of these steps forward will be for the greater good of humankind and the world on which we live. While that may not always be the true driving force, it should still be our aim. Channelled in the right direction, that disease-free world is probably more likely than once thought.

The breadth of creation is quite awesome. We’ve had some really clear nights recently and even with the light pollution we experience it’s surprising how many stars and planets are visible to the naked eye.

If you go out into the dark countryside, or look at photos taken from space telescopes, the true magnitude of the ‘created world’ is staggering.

There is, though, another world that is just as amazing though more difficult to see. I’m thinking about bacteria, viruses and living cells. We tend to think of bacteria as harmful, and some are, but they are an essential part of daily life and many are necessary to processes like digestion. There is some very clever work going on using cells to improve life as new cures for genetic illnesses come within reach.

Of course, all these things need close monitoring to ensure that they are used for good and do not inadvertently produce new problems and fears. Those who work on these ground-breaking frontiers of science need the critical support of people of faith to ensure that only good comes out of their discoveries.

The world we live in is a truly awesome place and autumn reminds us of the immense beauty and intricacy of it. It is time to thank God for the wonder of creation and pray that we might be good stewards of all he has given us.

Michael Raynor5

What’s on in October...

Sunday 2nd THE NINETEENTH SUNDAY AFTER TRINITYOctober 10.00am Sung Eucharist

12 noon Holy Baptism

Friday 7th 9.15am School Harvest Festival in church – all welcome 7.30pm Scout sleepover and Hike

Saturday 8th 6.00pm Harvest Supper in the Hall

Sunday 9th HARVEST THANKSGIVING10.00am Sung Eucharist

with children and families from school 6.00pm Choral Evensong

Thursday 13th 8.00pm Thursday Ladies’ Club meet at the vicarage

Saturday 15th 1.00pm Wedding of Jonathan Harrison and Chloe Robinson

Sunday 16th THE TWENTY-FIRST SUNDAY AFTER TRINITY10.00am Sung Eucharist12 noon Holy Baptism

Friday 21st 2.15pm Afternoon Tea – with church members and Reception children and parents

Sunday 23rd THE LAST SUNDAY AFTER TRINITY10.00am Sung Eucharist

Thursday 27th 8.00pm Thursday Ladies’ Club meet at the vicarage

Saturday 29th Overnight – clocks go back 1 hour

Sunday 30th ALL SAINTS’ DAY10.00am Sung Eucharist

Sunday 6th THE THIRD SUNDAY BEFORE ADVENT6

November 10.00am Sung Eucharist12 noon Holy Baptism 6.00pm Commemoration of All Souls Requiem

There are regular weekly celebrations of the Eucharist (Holy Communion) on Wednesday evening at 7.00pm and Thursday morning at 10.30am. Celebrations on Saint’s Days are published on the Sunday sheet. All are welcome.

At the cathedral:Families are invited to the cathedral on Monday 24th October from 11 am to 3pm for a fun-day with Derby Mouse. It is free and everyone is welcome. There will be a range of art and craft activities, a chance to have a photo with Derby Mouse and children eat free when accompanying a full paying adult.

The cathedral will be closed to visitors on Wednesday 26th October for the day as filming is taking place. There’s no hint yet as to what is being filmed but we’ll let you know as soon as we find out!

On Thursday 27th and Friday 28th October starting at 10am, there’s a singing club for boys – a chance to learn singing techniques and musicianship in one of the finest settings in the country.

The cathedral shop is now selling a wide range of Christmas books, gifts and accessories including Christmas nativity sets. They can be bought online if you have access to the internet and can be posted out. The web address is https://www.cathedralshop.com/

Details of Christmas at the cathedral in next month’s edition of Green Spire.

7

Who’s on in October …

2016 SIDES-PEOPLE READER INTERCESSOR OFFERTORY2 Oct M. Greatorex

H. Smythe A. Gorman K. Rowan M. EllisonZ. Zahorcova

9 OctHarvest

I. AppletonM. Harrington School School School

16 OctTri 21

J. DevereuxM. Ellison M. Harrington W. McKinnon M. Greatorex

H. Smythe23 Oct

Last TriL. GiblinF. Greatorex Don Miller M. Harrington J. Brookman

C. Muir30 Oct

All SSB. BoscoeB. Glover M. Brown M. Brown C. Worrall

R. Worrall6 Nov3 Adv.

M. GreatorexH. Smythe W. Reddish N. Lee A. Gorman

M. ParkerAll Souls

– 6pmVolunteers please J. Raynor Fr Michael

F. Greatorex

2016 TEA ROTA COUNTING COLLECTIONS

2 Oct M. Harrington / L. Manfredi V. Carter / J. Raynor9 Oct B. Boscoe / B. Glover B. Boscoe / B. Glover

16 Oct M. Ellison / volunteer23 Oct F. Greatorex / L. Giblin I. Appleton / M. Ellison30 Oct M. Harrington / L. Manfredi V. Carter / J. Raynor6 Nov B. Boscoe / B. Glover B. Boscoe / B. Glover

2016 READ ON WEDS EVE HALL CLEANING

2 Oct N. Lee (5 Oct) C. Worrall9 Oct D. Kirk (12 Oct) Fr Michael

16 Oct Fr Michael (19 Oct) J. Devereux23 Oct N. Lee (26 Oct) C. Worrall30 Oct D. Kirk (2 Nov) Fr Michael6 Nov Fr Michael (9 Nov) Fr Michael

8

GreenbeltGreenbelt is a Bank Holiday Christian Festival that has a long history. It recently moved from a racecourse to a new venue in Northamptonshire and despite fears that this might be an adverse move seems to have done quite the opposite and widened its appeal. There is a rich mix of worship and discussion, and a chance to meet new people and exchange ideas in a convivial, enjoyable setting. Among the many speakers was the Archbishop of Canterbury – a first visit for the Archbishop. The music is varied and the whole family is catered for with special events aimed at young children.

Among the more serious and thought-provoking events, discussions ranged from designer babies led by a professor from the University of Winchester to climate change led by veteran activist Bill McKibben. Abdel-fattah Abusrour, born in a refugee camp in occupied Bethlehem showed how he uses theatre and the arts to help young people tell their story as part of what he calls “beautiful resistance” giving young West Bank Palestinians a way to oppose occupation which does not involve taking up arms. Syria, fostering, Black Britain, Brexit and immigration all got an airing.

The Archbishop of Canterbury was interviewed as part of the Sunday morning Eucharist. In his opening remarks, he said, “The Church needs fewer meetings and more parties.” The previous evening, after torrential storms, campers were entertained by a Brass Band from New Orleans that led the party spirit.

In a separate interview with Channel 4’s Gogglebox vicar, Kate Bottley, Archbishop Justin was taken to heart by many of his audience. He spoke with true humility in an often amusing way. He said he spent a lot of his time feeling a fraud, and God’s calling to be an Archbishop made him “seriously doubt the infallibility of God.”

Safeguarding and LGBT (Lesbian, Gay, Bisexual and Transgender) both figured during their discussion and the Archbishop said they were two issues that kept him constantly awake at night. He spoke of being ‘constantly consumed with horror’ at the way the Church had treated gay people and admitted that he couldn’t see a way forward at that moment (referring to the divisions in the Anglican Communion).

It wasn’t all hard work though. There was plenty of comedy – organised and impromptu, magic shows and games on the field. Greenbelt 2017 will be held on the August Bank Holiday from 25-28th August.

9

What the PCC decided…

The PCC met in mid-September principally to consider plans for the Legacy Initiative. Ruth Tormey of Christian Aid was due to address the PCC but due to family circumstances was unable to attend. Fr Michael and Ruth had met over the summer and produced a draft plan which he presented to the meeting.

It was suggested that the initiative would start in early 2017 and run through to Will Aid Week in November. Given our current giving situation, giving and legacies would be addressed together. Ruth has agreed to visit on at least five occasions and will preach at the Parish Eucharist. Fr Michael will then follow up some of the themes in the following weeks. The whole exercise will be underpinned by prayer – the first topic to be considered. There will be a short Bible study course in the autumn and possibly a meal together over the summer. In early autumn, we may hold a solicitor’s surgery and there will be a Thanksgiving Service in mid-October.

The meeting returned to business, approving the minutes and looking at the new ‘action log’. The welcome leaflet needs finalising and those eligible were encouraged to complete the online safeguarding training soon.

Wendy gave an update on our Church School partnership. The Big Brekkie was swell supported by church members. A number of dates set for the coming term were shared and it was agreed that we would both work on raising food for the Warrington Foodbank at Harvest. School families will be invited to the Harvest service (and Supper) and St Andrew’s Day. The school choir will sing at the Carol Service. Messy Church is planned for 22nd November and children and parents of Reception children will be invited to afternoon tea in the Hall on 21 st October. Members were encouraged to visit school for both special occasions and regular worship times.

The meeting updated itself on the Growth Planning Framework 3 and there is progress to report in most areas. This will continue to be reviewed at future meetings. A brief discussion around the Summer Fair concluded that it would be worth changing the date next year to avoid clashing with other similar events across the town.

10

Fr Michael gave the financial report. The only area for concern is the level of giving which has dropped dramatically over the past twelve months or so. The draft budget was confirmed and a six-monthly review carried out. The predicted shortfall in 2016 excluding income from the Charity Shop is about £5,600. The PCC agreed to rationalising our deposit accounts and a second-hand photocopier will be bought shortly.

Under any other business, members were reminded of the forthcoming Quinquennial Inspection when our architect visits and lists work that may be necessary to keep the church in good order. Family tickets will be available for the Harvest Supper. Plans for the Christmas Fair were discussed.

The PCC will meet again on 15th November, 24th January and 7th March. The Annual Meeting is set for 23rd April.

TAPS Plumbingfor all your drips, leaks

and installations. Free EstimatesNo call out fee.

please call Kit on 01925 271301 or 07932 721848

Church and School events On Friday 21st October, we have invited parents of reception children to join us for afternoon tea in the Hall starting at 2.15pm. The children will probably sing a song and there may be photos of their first few weeks. They’ve really settled in well. Please come and help us – it’s a great opportunity to meet the families of our new additions and forge links that we hope will last.

Messy Church will be held on Tuesday 22nd November where our theme will be music. There will be lots of musical activities as it’s St Cecilia’s Day – the patron saint of music.

The Christingle will take place on Thursday 8th December at 6pm.

11

Parish finances show record level of givingThe generosity of churchgoers from across the country is highlighted in the latest parish finance statistics. The latest figures for giving published by the Church of England for 2014 show a record level of planned giving across the 12,000 parishes that make up the Church. The average weekly gift from all planned givers exceeds £11 for the first time and those who can gift aid their giving convert that to over £15 per week.

Dr John Preston, the Church of England's national stewardship adviser, said:"These financial statistics reveal an underlying financial health in the church which is encouraging… Parishes were able to claim record levels of Gift Aid, with a significant part of this increase arising from use of the Gift Aid Small Donations scheme. It is also pleasing to note that legacy giving was the highest yet."

The Rev. Steve Pierce, Director of Learning and Stewardship at the Diocese of Liverpool commented, "Well over half of unrestricted PCC income comes from the generous giving of church members and the Gift Aid that follows it. It is encouraging that once again, giving has increased and huge thanks to all those who faithfully give to their church.”

Not surprisingly, costs have also increased. In that same year, they rose by £28 million – approximately 3%.

In school, we are encouraged to ‘benchmark’ our finances against those of similar schools. The idea is simple and helpful. By comparing our income and expenditure with others in a similar position to ourselves, are there lessons to be learned that will make us better?

Looking at this year’s figures for St Andrew’s, those who are able to gift aid their envelope contributions averaged just over £5 and non-gift aided contributions were £4.

The problem with statistics is that this simple and crude comparison isn’t really comparing like with like. The national figure includes people from every parish in the country, wealthy or not. But it does show a trend and illustrates the PCC’s intention of looking at giving and legacy income next year. In the meantime, a

12

big thank you to everyone who faithfully and sacrificially contributes to the life of our church. It is much appreciated.

Christian Aid news

Hurricane Matthew has swept through Haiti, leaving a trail of devastation in its wake.As Haiti's frightened people emerged from shelter, the damage to their homes and livelihoods became clear. Thousands have lost their homes, corn and banana crops have been flattened, and livestock have been swept away.

Hundreds of people have died and cholera is a major fear. The death toll is rising as emergency workers slowly gain access to remote areas that have been cut off by the storm.

The southwest of the country has been hit hardest, with flooding there described as 'truly catastrophic'.

Prospery Raymond, our country manager for Haiti and Dominican Republic, said people will need a lot of support to recover. 'They'll need essential items such as hygiene kits and blankets, cash and materials to rebuild their homes, as well as seeds and livestock.'

The main bridge linking the southern peninsula to the capital has been destroyed, hampering efforts to reach affected communities. But our staff in Haiti are determined to assess the damage there and find out what people’s needs are.

Over a quarter of Christian Aid’s resources are spent on emergency aid relief but it’s not enough for a crisis as big as this in a country as poor as Haiti. We will be looking for ways we can help in the next few weeks.

13

The Christmas FairOnce the nights start drawing in, it’s time to prepare for the Christmas Fair. On Saturday 19th November at 1pm, we open our doors once again in the hope of raising funds while providing our customers with an enjoyable afternoon.First, please make a note on your calendar. It makes a real difference to see everyone there supporting OUR fair.Grand Draw tickets will be on sale shortly. We have been given an additional £50 to increase the first prize to £100 – well worth winning! But it’s no good having a bumper prize list if we don’t sell more tickets. Please be sure to take some books of tickets and sell them to family and friends. And while you are selling, invite them to come to the fair. To have to Hall full of people on the day makes everyone feel it was worth coming out.Offers of £5 for the first prize (we’ve still the other £50 to raise) would be most welcome. There will be a list in church.The Bottle Tombola always does well and beryl would appreciate a mix of bottles – some small and some big – to fill her stall. The same is true for the Prize Tombola- prizes may be passed to Margaret.We’ve also found that Christmas gifts and accessories are popular at this time. We’d like to put on a Christmas stall but need stock. If you can help, please bring them in a soon as possible please.On the day, we love home-baked cakes and biscuits for the cake stall Generally, smaller cakes are the ones that sell first. Many thanks.

14

St Andrew’s Charity Shopevery Wednesday

from 10.00am to 3.00pm in the Hall

Drop-in for tea and toast. Carer’s advice desk most Wednesdays

15

Warrington FoodbankOffer a vital service to the people of Warrington, providing food parcels to help families and individuals over a short-term crisis. These crises are not normally the fault of the individual but may arise through bureaucratic errors in the payment of benefits, unexpected redundancy and the like. Our Harvest

appeal will hep the foodbank to continue this valuable work.

RotasA copy of the new rota can be found on the church notice board. It runs from the beginning of October to the end of January and covers the period over Christmas. If you normally help in one or more areas, please check the dates and arrange a swap if you are unable to take your turn. It really helps if these changes are clearly marked on the notice.

Church cleaning takes place on Thursday morning, usually from 9 to 10.30am We still need a couple of extra pairs of hands. Please have a word with Beryl Glover or Fr Michael if you’d like to know more. Thank you.You may have noticed that the tea rota is also short of at least one volunteer. It comes up just once a month and doesn’t take very long to complete. Again, please speak to Fr Michael or Faith Greatorex if you might be able to help.

Charity Shop Clearance SaleThanks to everyone who helped at the Clearance Sale in July. It raised £102, which is not quite as much as last time but a valuable boost nonetheless. We will be holding another shortly. As it depends on having plenty of furniture to sell, we cannot give a date as yet. Once we have enough ‘stock’, we will fix a date. Please watch the Sunday sheet for more details.

The Carol Service and ChristingleIt’s always nice to know early the dates of these special Christmas services. Please make a note on your calendar and keep the dates free. The Christingle Service will take place on Thursday 8th December at 6.00pm and the Carol Service at 6.00pm on Sunday 18th December.

16

Fridge and Freezers Washing Machines

Dishwashers Cookers etc

The Christmas Grand DrawWe have been given a donation to raise the value of the first prize to £100, making it extremely attractive. There will also be the hamper, a bottle of spirit (whisky, gin or similar) and many other prizes. Contributions of £5 to make up the balance would once again be appreciated.

To make the most of this generous contribution, we need to sell lots of tickets and that means that everyone should try to sell as many as they can. Please don’t leave it to someone else. We need to sell at least fifty extra books before we move into profit! Tickets should be ready straight after Harvest. Please start selling straight away. Thank you.

A brighter future?Church cleaning takes place on Thursday morning, usually from 9 to 10.30am Thanks to three faithful souls, we enjoy a clean church. However, it is a big job for them and they would appreciate some help. If you would like to help but can’t make it on Thursday, it will be possible to come in at another time by mutual arrangement. Please have a word with Beryl Glover or Fr Michael if you’d like to know more. Thank you.

The Harvest SupperWill take place on Saturday 8th October at 6pm in the Hall. It will be a fish and chip supper followed by a quiz. Tickets (£4 for adults) will be available in church.

Andrew MercerDomestic Appliance Repairs

01925 42384007723 967564

andymercer22@gmail.comwww.andrewmercerdarepair.co.uk

17

The Great North Run 2016Our congratulations to Warren Forster on completing the Great North Run in September. It must have been a perfect day for supporters, but possibly not quite so ideal for runners, as the temperatures soared to 27 degrees (80 degrees in ‘old money’). Warren showed signs of sunburn just waiting for the race to begin!

Starting in Newcastle, the race takes place over 13.1 miles, finishing at the coastal South Shields. Warren completed the race in 3 hours and 3 seconds and was the fastest entrant in his age group. He was just one of 57,000 runners who took part and 41,000 of them finished the race. Warren raised £395 in sponsorship for his nominated charity, Macmillan Cancer Support.

Before the race, Warren had the chance to meet Mo Farah and have a word with the gold medal athlete. Warren is bringing to church some photos and other trophies of his special day later this month.

Greenwood and Grasmere gazetteWe’ve been given a copy of this newsletter and will display it in church. Here are a few of the items in the current edition.

There is a weekly Luncheon Club that meets every Monday, Wednesday, Thursday and Friday at Radley Common Community Centre from 9am to 1.30pm. There’s lunch, arts and crafts, music and sing-along, dominoes and free Bingo included in the £4 charge. More information and to book a place, please contact Maureen on 07880 766717. Transport can be arranged at an additional cost.

The Radley Hair and Beauty Academy offers a range of treatments from level two and three students from the college at affordable prices. There are sessions on Wednesday morning, Thursday afternoon and Friday mornings. You can book an appointment by ringing Warrington Collegiate Beauty on 01925 494336

There’s a monthly bingo session at Greenwood Community Centre on 26 th

October, 30th November and 21st December. Doors open at 6.30pm.

18

Snippets from the Church Times“No matter how family is reshaped or redefined by social change or circumstance through the centuries, it remains ‘a gift from God’ and a source of hope”, the Archbishop of Canterbury said at a service to mark the one hundred and fortieth anniversary of the founding of the Mothers’ Union. The MU has spread across the whole Anglican Communion and plays an important part in social care in many provinces.

A new stained glass window has been installed at Hereford cathedral to commemorate the seventy-fifth anniversary of the SAS (Special Air Service) which is based in that area. The memorial will be mounted in a specially designed golden sandstone sculpture and is called Ascension.

Church school education was in the news in September with a sermon by the Archbishop of Canterbury encouraging schools to prepare their students for an uncertain future and to give them the best possible chance in a changing world. The C of E’s education department has been trialling a new project What If which aims to promote Christian virtues in a new and exciting way.

It is just ninety years since the first Choral Evensong was broadcast by the BBC for the very first time. For eight years, the service was broadcast exclusively from the Abbey before taking to the road. (Westminster Abbey was less than a mile from the BBC’s studios at Savoy Hill on the Strand). The programme, broadcast on Wednesday afternoon and repeated on Sunday, attracts 25,000 listeners – almost a quarter of the worshipping population in the Church of England today.

Tenuous shoots of peace are starting to appear in the Central African Republic. After political unrest which saw rival factions assume control, a new government has been in place for a hundred days with ‘relatively few violent incidents’. Christians and Muslims are working side by side to foster peace and harmony. And in Kenya, a scheme called Colour in Faith aims to paint churches, mosques and temples in yellow - a neutral shade that expresses a common humanity and is a symbol of light.

A new biography of the Rev W. Awdry entitled The Thomas the Tank Engine Man has just been published. The author, Brian Sibley, describes Awdry’s stories as coating the ‘pill of moral comment with the jam of joyous adventures. It is published by Lion (ISBN 978-0-7459-7029-5)

19

Doris Jepson

After almost a lifetime of poor health, and being an established name on the prayer list here at St Andrew’s for many years, Doris died peacefully at the end of September.

Doris was born in Sankey Bridges in 1930. She was one child in a large family who eventually were rehoused in Longford. Doris attended St Margaret’s School but missed almost a full year’s schooling after a nasty dose of rheumatic fever which left her with severe heart damage which was to restrict her activities for the rest of her life. Recounting her life, Doris remembered seeing the plane dropping its deadly cargo over Thames Board in the second world war – and finding nobody believed her until news finally spread. Doris returned to Sankey Bridges to help her sister Ellen bring up her children while Ellen’s husband was on active service.

At fourteen, Doris went to work for the Royal London Insurance thanks to her maths teacher who had seen Doris’ ability with numbers. The family moved back to Orford when Doris was twenty-one and Doris had to pass the front of Bill’s house every day. This was particularly difficult as she had to stop every few paces to catch her breath and she found Bill looking out at her – something Doris found disconcerting to say the least. Eventually Bill persuaded her to go with him and the rest was history!

Despite severe warnings, Doris became pregnant with Roger and spent most of her confinement in hospital. Sometime later, she had major heart surgery which improved her life and she had a second son, Tim, with the doctor’s blessing. They moved into Mardale Avenue in 1957 and Doris immediately bacme one of the founding members of St Andrew’s. Once established, she joined the St Andrew’s Players, famous for its pantomimes. Doris loved those days and looked back with great affection.

In 1972, Doris returned to work for the Royal London but had to leave in 1974 for yet more surgery. She then became the school secretary at St Ann’s School for the next fourteen years.

Two moments stand out in Doris’ life. In 1980 1nd again three years later, Doris and Bill had two granddaughters – Ruth and Hannah. Holidays in Cornwall were superseded by visits to the Lake District. On one occasion, Doris was still at the

20

bottom of the hill and suddenly became aware of the presence of the Lord at her side. She knew at that moment the depth of her faith and the strength it brought her. Many times after that, when she was feeling ill or down, that moment gave her the peace and strength to carry on.

Life without Bill was never quite the same. She underwent further surgery in 2001 and survived against all the odds. Supported by Tim and Roger, friends and neighbours, and a sense of humour that allowed her to laugh at herself, Doris never gave up. Looking back, she felt she’d had a good life and that her condition hadn’t been the burden she once thought it might. She never thought of herself as courageous but there was a quiet, steely determination throughout her life.

Doris looked forward to the day when she and Bill would be re-united. We pray that they might now rest in peace and rise to glory.

Professional Floristry for All Occasions

Soft Toys, BalloonsPlants and Cards

Deliveries

Amanda MorrisonStation Road, Great Sankey Tel/Fax: 01925 728973

All Souls RequiemAll Souls Day falls on 2nd November – a Wednesday this year. It is an opportunity for the Church to remember faithful souls who have now passed into glory. Here at St Andrew’s, we invite the families of all whose funerals have taken place in church over the past twelve months together with those whose funeral has been taken by Fr Michael this year. The service will be held on the evening of Sunday 6th November at 6pm, and there will be a list in church for names of anyone you

21

MISS DAISY’S

would like to be remembered in our prayers that evening. Families will be invited to bring a candle to the chancel during the service.

22

As I see it …by Church Mouse“Seasons of mists and mellow fruitfulness

Close bosomed friend of the maturing sun.” To Autumn by Keats

“Autumn’s a bit late this year.” Signed Granny Mouse. “usually by now you could count on a bit of a scuffle through the fallen leaves, and even a few nuts!”

“Don’t talk to me about nuts,” grumped Grandpa Mouse, “these young mice are driving me nuts … and crackers!”

Granny Mouse laughed. “You know you love them really – and if it wasn’t for them our life would be really dull. Wasn’t it nice to see them all in church for the Harvest. I thought the singing was lovely.”

“And that’s another thing,” grumbled Grandpa Mouse, “Harvest! I can remember when us mice could expect lots of lovely fresh fruit and veg laid out on the steps and windowsills for Harvest, and now it all comes in tines – and no one thought to bring a tin opener, even if we mice could use one! I bet those young mice don’t even know what Harvest is all about.”

At that moment, a group of young mice came dashing in. “We’re going with school to the Foodbank,” they

squeaked excitedly. “We’re going to take all those tins and packets to give to people who really need help.”

“There you are,” said Granny Mouse, “out of the mouths of babes and mice…!”

Grandpa Mouse smiled benevolently. What more could he add? These young mice were something else. They were in to everything. Only A week or two ago, Fr M had invited someone called Archie Tec to visit the church and had got out the scaffolding tower. After he’d gone home that first evening, one of the young ones remembered their RE lesson that morning when Mrs Gorman had been telling them about the Tower of Babel. It was all too good to be true – their very own Tower of Babel right there in church.

Without giving it a second thought, they were off, climbing as quick as they could. What a time they had. It was only when Millicent came in and told them it was bedtime that they finally came down and rather

23

reluctantly went to bed. They were worn out!

The next day this Archie Tec chap came and he went up the tower too. Perhaps he’d heard about the Tower of Babel too. He started prodding the walls and then he got a tape measure out before taking pictures with his camera.

Then it was time to take it all down again. The young mice couldn’t wait to help. They shinned up carrying a rope between them and as fast as Fr M undid a piece, they’d got it tied up and were lowering it down to the ground. They didn’t realise Lily was watching from across the road – although I’m not sure she would have seen the mice – just Fr M. Anyway, it wasn’t long before it was

all stowed safely away and Fr M was really thankful for their help. He was so pleased that he gave us all the stubs of some old candles out of the drawer – and a packet of chocolate digestives to say thank you. You should have seen Grandpa Mouse’s face when they brought the biscuits home.

“well,” he said, “that makes up a little for all those tins and packets we couldn’t eat.” A smile quickly returned to his face as he nibbled a biscuit with his beloved little ones. Oh, and in case you hadn’t guessed, it wasn’t Archie Tec who visited, but the architect!

Churchmouse

Praying for the world-wide ChurchPrayer is central to Christian discipleship. At its best, prayer needs to be informed. It illuminates our prayer when we know for whom we are praying and what their situation is. Sunday by Sunday (and day by day), Anglicans

24

around the world take it in turn to pray for one another, following a two-year cycle. In our worship in church, we join together with fellow Anglicans in praying for the people of those dioceses. Here are the Churches and dioceses that will be mentioned on the Sundays this month:

Sunday 2nd October: The Church of the Province of West Africa

The Church of the Province of West Africa is a growing Church – literally. Missionary work in Ghana in the mid-1750s. Christianity spread to neighbouring countries and in 1951, Accra, Lagos, Niger, Sierra Leone and the Diocese of Gambia and Guinea joined together to become the Province. Some additional dioceses joined in the following decade or two and some, notably the Church in Nigeria moved out to form their own province. By 2914, the Province settled down to include 17 dioceses, 11 in Ghana and six more in neighboring lands.

The Church faces several major issues at this time. There are moves internally to create a province comprising just the dioceses within that country. Talks are underway and there must be concerns among the dioceses that will have to look for ‘new homes’. The country is also experiencing considerable civil unrest and Christians find themselves in the minority at this time.

Sunday 9th October: The Church of the Province of the West Indies

Imagine a church where individual congregations and dioceses are separated by hundreds of miles of ocean and you start to get a picture of life in the Church in the West Indies. The Church took root in the West Indies as a result of colonisation and achieved the status of self-governing province in 1883.

There are now two mainland dioceses: Belize and Guyana, and six island dioceses - Barbados, Jamaica, the Bahamas, the North-Eastern Caribbean and Aruba, Trinidad and Tobago, and the Windward Islands.

Within the Province, The Jamaica Church Missionary Society is the recognised missionary agency of the Diocese of Jamaica and the Cayman Islands. The society focuses on evangelisation with special attention to daily human needs.

25

The society was established in 1861 as a subsidiary of the church, intended to target those sections of Jamaica's "hard

to reach" population. For many years the mission stations established and maintained by the society provided the only means of reaching the masses of the population with Christianity and basic education.

Great emphasis is being placed on training personnel for an indigenous ministry. The island locations and scattered settlements make pastoral care difficult and costly. A 24-hour prayer vigil took place last month at St George’s Cathedral on the Windward Islands as the people of the diocese were asked to pray for their “parish, archdeaconry, diocese and nation.” We join with them in prayer on Sunday 9th.

Sunday 16th October: The Church of Ceylon

The Church of Ceylon is the Anglican Church in Sri Lanka, as an extra-provincial diocese of the Archbishop of Canterbury. It was established with the appointment of its first Bishop, James Chapman in 1845 as the Bishop of Colombo. Until 1950 it consisted only of the Diocese of Colombo but a second diocese was established at Kurunegala in that year.

26

The Church of Ceylon, with around 50,000 members, is the third largest group of Christians in Sri Lanka, after the Roman Catholic Church with 1,600,000 members and the Methodist Church in Sri Lanka.Within Ceylon, there has been a movement to unite the traditional Protestant Churches into one body, namely the Church of Sri Lanka.

Sunday 23rd October: Iglesia Episcopal de Cuba

The early days of the Episcopal Church in Cuba were difficult as only the Roman Catholic Church had the right to evangelise there. Missionaries from the Episcopal Church in the United States arrived in the late 19 th century. It was in 1968 that it finally became an autonomous diocese.

Once every three years, the diocese plans its strategy for the coming triennial, the latest being devised in 2013. In order to achieve their maximum potential, much of the diocese’s efforts and resources were put into training church leaders for community development. Individuals, with leadership potential were identified and trained to spread the gospel across Cuba. This will be done by enhanced Christian education, biblical-theological training offered to different ecclesiastical and non-ecclesiastical groups and vulnerable sectors of the community. Support for this work comes mostly from the Church in Canada and the United States as partners in mission.

Sunday 30th October: Bermuda

27

Cathedral of Christ the Living Saviour, Colombo

On its opening webpage, the Anglican Church in Bermuda writes: “The Anglican Church of Bermuda is as much a part of our Bermudian culture as the beat of the snare drum from the neighborhood Gombey troupe; or the refreshing taste of a sweet loquat in season. In fact, the Anglican Church has been a part of the Bermudian way of life from the very beginning. Aboard the Sea Venture on that fateful journey in June 1609, was a Priest of the Church of England, Rev. Richard Bucke. Thus the ties between Bermuda and the Anglican Communion have a long, rich history.

As the national religious body for the beautiful island of Bermuda, the Anglican Church hopes to offer the same tranquility, serenity and peace that can be found in the scent of salt water, the view of the sunset and the sweet singing of the bluebird. We welcome you into a safe and Godly environment, where a love for Jesus Christ is supreme and service to others in the power of the Holy Spirit is paramount.”

In his recent letter to the diocese, the bishop encourages the faithful to pray for the people of Bermuda and the wider world. He highlights three areas of particular concern. First, there is a need for more vocations. A special service on 23rd October will be part of a campaign to raise awareness and help members to think about their vocation in the Church.

Race and the Church. A small group has been looking at the issue of race in the Church but with a different focus. This is under the banner Rooted in Faith: the contributions of black Anglicans to the life and ministry of the Church in Bermuda. They are gathering photos and stories to illustrate the contribution of black Anglicans to the Church in Bermuda. The Rev. Rose Hudson, Chaplain to the Speaker of the House of Commons in London, addressed the diocese last month about her experiences both in the West Indies (she grew up in Jamaica) and England and also the whole issue of race in the scriptures.

Following an indecisive referendum on same sex marriage and civil unions, there is a real need for healing. The Church has an important part to play in this process.

28

Holy Baptism:

4th September: Charlie Jake CrozierAria-Noelle Kate DanielsCraig DanielsJenson Thomas LucasLola-rose Susan MillerLachlan Joshua Stanger

Holy Matrimony:

3rd September: Stephen John Smith and Claire Emma Kelsall24th September: Daniel Michael Wilson and Jenna Chris Wakefield

Funerals:

6th September: Wilfred Hatton7th September: Joyce Johnston

13th September: Beryl Elsie Stokes15th September: Doris Jepson28th September: Sarah Jane (Jean) Chadwick

Communicants and Collections: 2016 Sunday

CommunicantsMidweek

CommunicantsLoose

Collections £PlannedGiving £

4th Sept 30 7 161.82 398.9111th Sept 27 7 24.40 130.7518th Sept 24 4 12.00 134.1025th Sept 30 7 17.63 141.05

D

onations

We would like to thank everyone who has made a gift or donation to our various funds recently. Our special thanks go to:

From the Registers

29

General Fund In memory of my Joyce from Wilf Delooze In memory of Wilf Hatton In loving memory of Audrey Kirk on the first anniversary - 22nd

September - from David, Nigel, Geoff and families In loving memory of Mum, Doris Jepson, and with thanks from Tim and

Roger From Mary Scarsgill Verger's fee – 4 funerals and a wedding

Flower Fund In memory of Wilf Hatton from his family In memory of Edward and Paul from Faith Wedding flowers (2)

Elle and EsseHair and Beauty Lodge

Unisex Hair Salon

LYNETTE and SUE

Lodge Lane, BewseyWarrington

Tel: 01925 232282

A policeman saw a car drifting across lanes, not fully under control, so he pulled it over. The driver wore a clerical collar. After checking his driving licence, the policeman saw a bottle on the passenger seat. “What’s that?” he asked. “Water,” replied the driver. Looking at it closely the policeman said, “That’s not water, that’s wine.” The driver replied, “Hallelujah, would you believe it, he’s done it again!”

Prayer Intentions for October

Sat 1st St Stephen's Avenue Those training for ministry

30

Sun 2nd THE NINETEENTH SUNDAY AFTER TRINITY (Proper 22)Mon 3rd Hunter Avenue United SocietyTue 4th Thirlmere Avenue Our serversWed 5th Chiltern Place Students returning to collegeThu 6th Crowe Avenue St Rocco’s HospiceFri 7th Hastings Avenue St Paul, PenkethSat 8th Toll Bar Place Warrington Foodbank

Sun 9th HARVEST THANKSGIVINGMon 10th Grisedale Avenue The Children’s SocietyTue 11th Cotswold Place Bishop RichardWed 12th Howson Road Earthquake victimsThu 13th Clough Avenue Archbishop JustinFri 14th Chiltern Crescent Warrington HospitalSat 15th Patterdale Avenue Jonathan and Chloe’s wedding today

Sun 16th THE TWENTY-FIRST SUNDAY AFTER TRINITY (Proper 24)Mon 17th Newhaven Road The Bible SocietyTue 18th Cotswold Road Aleppo in SyriaWed 19th Windermere Avenue Golden Gates Housing AssociationThu 20th Ambleside Crescent Residential and Nursing HomesFri 21st Pentland Avenue St Margaret and All HallowsSat 22nd Buttermere Crescent Our Sunday School

Sun 23rd THE LAST SUNDAY AFTER TRINITY (Proper 25)Mon 24th Bowness Avenue Mission Aviation FellowshipTue 25th Borrowdale Avenue Archdeacon RogerWed 26th Brathay Close Bible charitiesThu 27th Currans Road GPs and their staffFri 28th Horseshoe Crescent Christ Church, PadgateSat 29th Harvey Court The Anglican Communion

Sun 30th ALL SAINTS’ DAYMon 31st Keswick Avenue Alternative Hallowe’en parties

31