WELCOME

WELCOME

Welcome to your Summer edition of the Tower Magazine. We hope that there is a little something for everyone to find interesting or enjoy.

As usual, if you wish to have an article published in the next edition, please send it to the parish office, maybe you are going somewhere ‘different’ for your holidays and you want to share your experiences or if you are new comer to All Saints or a teenager amongst use and wish to share your views simply get in touch.

We would also like to thank all of you who support this magazine in whatever manner, be it through submitting articles or advertising through it and very importantly a big thank you to all of you who subscribe to it. If you are not already a subscriber but wish to become one then you will find subscription forms in the church, alternatively, contact the Parish Office.

Many thanks and enjoy!

Parish Office

RECTOR REFLECTS

Dear Friends

The last few weeks have brought significant changes to our life as a church. Easter well behind us brought the annual meeting at which we appointed our church wardens. Alan Emberson was officially elected for the first time (he had replaced Geoff earlier this year, who is now in France). Alan has given copious amounts of time to the care and maintenance of our building as well as being an almost constant figure at the back of church during services making sure things are running as smoothly as possible. We are also delighted to welcome Phillippa Taylor also elected for the first time as church warden. Phillippa has been a regular member of All Saints all her life and has been an outstanding Sacristan (someone who makes sure that all the resources, bread, wine, linen etc are ready for services as well as encouraging and training new servers) for over four years. Phillippa brings many gifts and qualities as church warden; she has relieved Alan of duties such as the rotas and will be developing her role in the coming months. The role and responsibilities of a church warden are many and varied and I think we are extremely privileged to have two extremely capable, trustworthy and faithful church wardens for the year ahead. Please pray for them and support them in their demanding role.

As well as this good news the last few weeks has seen the very sad and sudden loss of David Johnson. The list of roles and organisations both in and outside the church that David had been and was currently involved in are more numerous than most realise. David was a much loved and faithful member of the church. He served as church warden and was currently chair of our finance committee and the parish green project as well as being the mine of information that many of us turned to when; we needed to know how something had previously been done or what had happened or who to go to. David of course would have been lost without Anne and our love and prayers go out to her and her family at this time.

The last few weeks has also seen the temporary loss of Stephen our curate. As he approaches the end of his deacon’s year and his priesting at the beginning of July he has been travelling to churches near and far. Together with members of the congregation and choir he has been hunting out good ideas and practice that help churches similar to ourselves grow through mission and ministry. This ‘Thriving Church Project’ as we have named it has been well worth while and instructive. At our Church away day (which will be reported on in full in our next edition) we will be hearing the results of this adventure and preparing our vision for the future in time for our funding campaign in September and October.

All Saints is a growing church. Over the last few months we have seen significant ways in which God has been at work in people’s lives; the ‘learning and fellowship opportunities’ have encouraged people to get to know new people and to explore their faith. People have been exploring difference ways in which God is calling them to serve in the church and in the community. We have seen an increase in people regularly coming to church and a greater diversity of ages taking part in our services. These are all vital and fundamental signs of a healthy church. We would like to encourage all of these even further with opportunities and a welcome for all ages; be you 4 months, 14, 40 or 94 years as well as supporting those of you at home. A healthy church community needs everyone; we also need the financial resources to enable this to happen. All Saints is careful with its money but we are facing such financial constraints that we are unable to maintain our growth without growth in financial resources. For this reason, even in this difficult financial climate for many, we are holding a funding campaign in the early autumn. I urge you to read Bob Porter’s article on the campaign and to pray sincerely about how God is calling you to support ministry and mission in our community.

I hope and trust that you enjoy all the articles in this edition of ‘Tower’ and I would particularly like to say thank you and welcome back to Jackie Mulroy who has been on sick leave. I am sure that you will all notice the difference with the smooth running of the church office. I would also like to wish you are very good summer and holiday if you are able to get away with plenty of rest and relaxation in the love of God.

Rachel

NEWS FROM THE PEWS

News from the pews this time seems to be rather dominated by news of those who are, or have been, missing from the pews.

Ken Dobson made a good physical recovery from the injuries associated with his accident but it was realised that he would be unable to continue his independent life at Hudson Street. He is now living with his son in Shepshed and has periods of confusion. However, we do hope to see him at one of our services soon.

Someone else who has been missing but is now back with us again is Joan Ward. Joan has had two periods in hospital to have two new knees. Due to her indomitable spirit and faith she had made an excellent and speedy recovery and the brave bionic Joan is active as ever – thank goodness.

Two of Joan’s side-kicks (I’m sure that they won’t mind being referred to like this) who are missing are Nell Parsons and Margaret Lampard – both now tend to be housebound and we send our love and affection. Another member of Joan’s team has had a period of difficulty with the need for an eye operation and again we send our love and affection to the Fox family.

Ann Brandon’s family commitments prevent her from rejoining our services.

Carl Milner and Maureen Exon, two faithful members of our congregation have endured spells in hospital. Carl for an operation and Maureen for a more protracted period. We send them our prayers and love for speedy recoveries to good health.

Jackie Mulroy has also been missing not only from the pews but also from the Parish Office. She has had to endure a period of protracted illness followed by major surgery. We are delighted to see that she also is back in circulation and the Parish Office is starting to return to normal function.

One person who is and will be sadly missed from amongst us is David Johnson. We were all shocked and saddened by David’s passing and he will be sadly missed not only by the whole church community but also across the whole town.

Throughout his life David continued his family’s commitment to the church. Serving (and I do mean) serving in many different capacities. He has served faithfully as a church warden, chairman of the finance committee, Secretary to the Parish green project etc and he was a faithful and regular worshipper as well as representing the Deanery on the Diocesan Synod. He worked tirelessly to liase between the Church and Fearon Hall and advised so many in different areas including many charities. Along with his wife Ann, was a life long supporter of the Scout movement. He was also a member of the Masonic movement. Beyond all this he was very much a family man cherishing his children and grand children.

David’s hand was on the handle of the tillers of many ships of good intention sailing through waters of modern society and they and we have greatly benefitted from his advice, guidance and experience.

We send our love and commiserations to Ann and his family.

On a more positive note we send our congratulations to Kay on her confirmation, Martha Wildig on gaining her Black Belt in Karate and Dee and Joanna on their marriage.

We welcome new members to our congregation and as I compile this report swine flu is making its presence in the town and I hope that we can escape the worst ravages of the pandemic.

The wartime phraseology ‘Coughs and sneezes spread diseases, trap them in your handkerchieves’ remain true with the current situation with the addition that the swine flu bug can live for awhile in your handkerchief so it is better to use a tissue and dispose of that carefully so as to limit the spread of the infection.

All good wishes

Derrick Hewitt

VIEWS FROM THE PEWS

A COUNTRY RAMBLE

All is peaceful, there’s not a sound

As I amble along the country ground

My dog by my side

Sniffing the verges,

Here nature’s gifts are all around.

Ewes with their lambs I spy as I pass,

Two horses then seen nibbling the grass.

A blackbird whistles

His mate answers back,

Buttercup flowers bright as brass.

Cows stand gazing chewing their cud,

The hedgerows now have burst into bud,

A mouse in the bracken

Causes Toby to bark,

A rabbit scampers into the wood.

Bluebells and daisies are by the way,

A songbird begins to sing his lay.

A pheasant starts up

And runs for his life,

It’s good to be alive today.

By Beryl Ballard

FACEBOOK CONVERSATIONS

I include below the script of two Face book conversations I recently engaged with. Face book is a social networking site on the internet; it allows me to keep in touch with old friends – in this case Feta Simon, an Anglican minister in Uganda that I met whilst at college in Durham. As you will see from the script, Face book allows for conversations across continents between people who have never even met but who have a friend in common. Conversations tend to be a mix of nonsense and meaning, of misunderstandings and connections, of self proclamation and of shared discovery. In the two conversations below I sound like a rather serious Anglican minister. I did ask feta Simon if I could publish our conversations, immediately below is his answer:-

‘Dear Stephen, Glad to know of this and go on to put this in the parish magazine. My friends and I will be eager to read the magazine.Pray with me as I seek financial resource to return to Durham to do MA Christian Theology (Sept 2009) from the department of Theology and Religious Studies. We are fine and greetings to your parish members!Grace and Peace to you.Feta Simon’

11:45am Stephen

It is a windy and rainy day here. I am planning a study on the difference between being guilty of sin and feeling guilty of sin. What you up to?

11:48am Feta

Just came from class, listening to discussions on justice, faith, good and evil

11:49am Stephen

That is a huge set of topics -must have been some discussion.

11:50am Feta

Yah, with LAW STUDENTS, I help tutor, so I was left with the choice to engage with the what freedom really is

11:51am Stephen

And what is freedom? In a neat sentence?

11:51am Feta

In a country like mine struggling with issues on ethics and justice, the will to share honestly with others

11:54am Stephen

People in my country think they are free because they can shop. People in my country think they are free because they can drive a four wheel drive. People in my country think they are free because they can live life without regard to God

11:56am Stephen

Freedom is to live as God intended - how is that for a short definition?

11:58am Feta

Yah, the change in tone is from individual gain to shared values as inherited, taught and willed with mutual accountability; to each other and God

11:59am Stephen

Freedom is held in communion with God and each other.

12:00pm Feta

That’s right and it's not isolation to doing without others, including God

12:02pm Feta

Another turn is when you place the Law and freedom to interface

12:04pm Feta

I must admit I have learnt a lot and thanks for edifying me this afternoon.

12:05pm Stephen

'Yah' - I like that affirmation - it is very African 'YAH'! Well, I say 'yes' brother, be free in Christ!

Feta

Thanks, for Paul writes, it was for freedom that Christ has set us free..., and its calm, very bright over head sun and cool breeze and the rain clouds seem to gather...

Feta Simon Thinking on whether dead people have a world view!

Afya Norbert at 08:28 on 11 June

Wow that is an advanced thought! But I think the dead have no world views since they have no life... I think so because I believe our world views come due to our interest in the life we have. I also think without life goes the interest in the nature of the world and the interest in the fate of the world and its inhabitants. But then I can't help but wonder what the dead think about during the course of their deadliness?

Jennipher Amanie at 08:30 on 11 June

That should be your research when you reach eternity....may be elder bro Jesus will help...bse I have many unanswered mysteries for those big guys up there too...

Palm Tumwebaze at 09:43 on 11 June

I am sure they do. If asked they probably would base their view on the tales they'd tale. Visit heaven with a tape recorder, trust me, you'll not believe your ears.

Matovu Moses at 10:04 on 11 June

If they are dead, they have no view. Otherwise, they are not quite dead.

Matovu Moses at 10:05 on 11 June

On second thought, there's only one way to find out.... any volunteers?

Feta Simon at 10:06 on 11 June

Pam, is it possible to visit this heaven without going through death? Having said that, should I really find answers to unanswered questions or should the wisdom of time sort us out? Also being dead is another state in our experience of reality. Thus I must begin to tag the inherited tale of the living dead in this in sorting whether dead people have a world view.

Stephen Gamble at 14:12 on 11 June

From beyond the great divide you can see for ever.

Feta Simon at 16:14 on 11 June

Amazing to read this, but Moses, what if the mode of language of the dead is silence? And Stephen what is the great divide, is it death? And I gather that being able to see from this great divide is the possibility of a view, and how best can we chronicle this?

Stephen Gamble at 22:38 on 11 June

The great divide between temporality and eternity bridged by our Lord. Humanity gains glimpses of the eternal through divine revelation, but are we perhaps speaking of that time between now and then - of resting in peace? In heaven surely the 'dead' are more alive than us poor souls in this broken world?

Feta Simon at 07:31 on 12 June

Good and thanks for that clarity, and how would you reconcile these shared thoughts with the biblical view on judgment? Especially the resurrection of the body as in the apostle’s creed; as opposed to the dead Christ rescued from the Hades!

Stephen Gamble at 11:26 on 12 June

I believe I shall stand clothed in my own flesh before the incarnate Christ and touch with absolute wonder His wounds held out to me in love and then I shall understand His judgment. Then I shall finally see.Is that what you are asking?

Feta Simon at 05:23 on 13 June

That is a great one Stephen...remembering human frailty in the Hands of the God of Heaven and Earth.

Posted by Stephen Gamble

HOLIDAY FUNNIES

This is from Thomas Cook Holidays - listing some of the guests' complaints during the season.

"I think it should be explained in the brochure that the local store does not sell proper biscuits like custard creams or ginger nuts."     "It's lazy of the local shopkeepers to close in the afternoons. I often needed to buy things during 'siesta' time - this should be banned."     "On my holiday to Goa in India , I was disgusted to find that almost every restaurant served curry. I don't like spicy food at all."     "We booked an excursion to a water park but no-one told us we had to bring our swimming costumes and towels."     A tourist at a top African game lodge overlooking a waterhole, who spotted a visibly aroused elephant, complained that the sight of this rampant beast ruined his honeymoon by making him feel "inadequate".   A woman threatened to call police after claiming that she'd been locked in by staff. When in fact, she had mistaken the "do not disturb" sign on the back of the door as a warning to remain in the room.     "The beach was too sandy."     "We found the sand was not like the sand in the brochure. Your brochure shows the sand as yellow but it was white."     A guest at a Novotel in Australia complained his soup was too thick and strong. He was inadvertently slurping the gravy at the time.  

MEDIEVAL BAPTISM

Baptisms took place within days of birth, the baby being borne into church by the midwife and the godparents. The priest met them in the porch and having asked the sex of the child, placed a boy to the right and a girl to the left. The baptismal party would bring along salt for the first exorcism; some of it was placed in the child’s mouth and prayers said, after which the infant’s forehead was signed twice with a cross. After spitting into his left hand the priest moistened the child’s ears and nostrils in emulation of similar actions by Christ when healing the deaf and dumb man. He then made the sign of the cross on the child’s right hand: ` may you remain in the Catholic faith and have eternal life for ever and ever`. Amen. Invited by the priest to `Go into the temple of God`, the party now entered the church and gathered round the font. On behalf of the baby the godparents renounced Satan and all his works and the priest, after dipping his thumb into holy oil, signed him with the cross on his breast and on his back between the shoulder blades. Stripped bare and with his head turned east and his face turned north the child was rotated three times and each time plunged completely in the font, in rhythmic response to the words `God the Father, God the Son and the Holy Spirit`. A senior godparent then lifted the child out of the font and the infant was signed by the priest on the top of his head with the most holy of oils, chrism. The baby was then put into its chrisom, a piece of cloth or hooded robe covering head and body, which the child had to wear until it was returned to the priest by the mother attending the churching ceremony. A lighted candle was then placed in the infants right hand to the words, `Receive a burning and inextinguishable light ` after which the godparents were enjoined to bring the child up in the Christian faith.

An extract from Roy strong’s book ‘A little history of the English Church’.

Submitted by Jacqui Gamble as a reflection on change and tradition in the Church.

THOUGHTS ABOUT ASCENSION

In my previous writings, I have explored the meaning of Christmas and Lent/Easter. This article explores my view on the meaning of the Ascension.

In terms of its importance the Christian faith, Ascension ranks alongside the other big festivals of Christmas, Easter and Pentecost. However, less prominence is given to this festival and it is my belief this is because there is very little mention in the scriptures about this earth-shattering event. This is unfortunate because through His ascension, Jesus changed the world forever.

In St Luke’s Gospel we get a description of this event, but more attention is paid to the effect the Ascension had on those left behind than on the event itself. This is not unreasonable given that a massive transformation occurred in the lives of the Disciples. Life would now be totally different for them. The underlying message of the Ascension lies in its power to transform our lives also as it tells us to have absolute faith in the church of Jesus Christ.

This message is instructive as it establishes that God’s kingdom will be triumphant in the end.

This is the truth of the crucified, risen and ascended Lord.

Anon from the pews.

THE BIBLE IN 50 WORDS

God made

Adam Bit

Noah arked

Abraham split Joseph ruled

Jacob fooled

Bush talked

Moses baulked Pharaoh plagued

People walked

Sea divided

Tablets guided

Promise landedSaul freaked

David peeked

Prophets warnedJesus born

God walked

Love talked

Anger crucified

Hope died

Love rose

Spirit flamed

Word spread

God remained

LAUNDE ABBEY

LAUNDE ABBEY GRAND RAFFLE 2009

Tickets for the Launde Abbey Grand Raffle 2009 are now available.  If you would like to help us by selling some raffle tickets, to boost the Save Launde Abbey Appeal fund, we would love to hear from you.  

 

To make the job a little easier there are some great prizes, including a Spa Day and lunch at the beautiful Eden Hall Day Spa in Nottinghamshire; Sunday Lunch for 2 at the Garden Hotel in picturesque Uppingham; An exclusive trip in a Gladstone Carriage followed by a visit to lovely Burley House near Stamford; A delicious Coffee, Lunch and Tea at Launde Abbey for 2 people and many more prizes too numerous to mention.

The draw will be made at 4.00 pm on Monday, 31st August 2009 at the Launde Abbey August Bank Holiday Open Weekend.

For more information please contact the General Office at Launde on 01572 717254 or visit the website www.launde.org

VIOLIN AND PIANO RECITAL

On Saturday 8th August at 7.00 pm

In Aid of the Launde Abbey Appeal there will be a Violin and Piano recital, followed by a Pimms Reception, on Saturday 8th August. The venue for the recital will be the Church of St James the Greater, London Road. The recital will be given by acclaimed violinist Stuart Johnson, who will introduce and play a varied selection of pieces, including some ever-popular gypsy music. He will be accompanied by the talented pianist Abigail Johnson. The short recital will be followed by a Pimms Reception in the church hall, where you will have the opportunity to meet Stuart and Abigail and mingle with your friends.  The cost is £8.00 (£4.00 for children under 16). Tickets are available from the Church Office (open weekdays 09.00 – 12.00), tel: 0116 254 2111 or via e-mail:  office@stjamesthegreater.org.uk.

More details available from the Church Office (see above) or from Caroline Beardsmore, Convenor of the Charitable Giving Committee, St James the Greater. Tel: 0116 259 6341 (evenings)

RETREATS AND QUIET DAYS:

3rd – 9th August 2009

Painting Holiday

Led by Jan Burridge

Launde is a perfect setting for drawing and painting, set in the most peaceful and idyllic countryside, providing rolling landscapes, architectural and floral subject matter.  Beginners and the more experienced artist are both welcome.

Price:  £415.00, including all meals and accommodation.

24th – 28th August 2009

August Working Holiday for the Fit and Healthy

The Working Holiday will involve prayer, learning and working around the Abbey.  The work, either in the Abbey or in the gardens, will be done under the direction of the Warden or other members of the Abbey staff.  There will also be plenty of time to relax and enjoy the company of fellow ‘workers and provides the ideal opportunity for all those taking part to have fun while also giving to this wonderful retreat house.

Price:  £125.00 (adults) and £75.00 (under 16s), including all meals and accommodation.

11th – 13th September 2009

A Benedictine Spirituality of Work

Led by Father Dermot Tredget

In this guided workshop we will consider various ways in which work has been integrated with spirituality.  The setting, in the beautiful surroundings of Launde Abbey, allows time for peaceful reflection.

Price:  £175.00, to include all meals and accommodation.

28th September – 2nd October 2009

A Retreat for All in Ministry:  Nurturing the Contemplative Dimension of Discipleship and Outreach led by Philip Roderick

In a hyperactive world, can we learn again the art of pausing to take stock, to draw breath, to re-source ourselves in the restfulness and creative energy of God?  This retreat, open to all in ministry, will build a provisional community around a rhythm of prayer, study and physical engagement with the delight of the outdoors.  The time will allow space for solitude and belonging.

Price:  £275.00, including all meals and accommodation

QUIET DAYS AND DAY COURSES

Launde Quiet Days:  On Mondays  3rd August 2009 and 7th September 2009

Launde Abbey Quiet Days are held monthly and are open to everyone.  The outline of the day is usually as follows: - coffee at 10.00 am, followed by a talk, a short service in the Chapel and lunch.  In the afternoon there will be a second talk, Holy Eucharist followed by tea and cake at 4.00 pm.

Price:  £25.00 for ‘Friends of Launde Abbey’ and £30.00 for others, including coffee, lunch and tea.  Everyone is welcome.

Holistic Quiet Day

18th September 2009

Led by Jane Franklin

This quiet reflective day will provide space for those attending to rest, relax and pray, with an opportunity to explore and experience complimentary therapies within a day of Christian meditation.

Price:  £45.00 per person, including coffee, lunch and tea.

FAMILY EVENTS

Sunday Afternoon Teas throughout July and August

Make a sunny summer afternoon more special with a delicious afternoon tea in the gardens at Launde Abbey.  Teas will be served every Sunday until 23rd August from 2 – 4 pm.  Coach parties welcome by prior arrangement. 

£3.50 per person.     

Friday, 28th August 2009

Open Air Jazz on a Summer Evening at Launde Abbey

with the Fearless Hiss and Boo Jazz Band

The Fearless Hiss and Boo Jazz Band are back to entertain and delight us again, after a very successful evening earlier this year.  Please bring tables, chairs or a rug and your own picnic (including drinks).  Doors open 6.00 pm.  Jazz starts at 7.30 pm.  Ample free parking. 

£10.00 per person in advance or £12.00 on the night (children under 12: £5.00 in advance or £6.00 on the night.

August Bank Holiday Launde Open Days - 29th, 30th and 31st August 2009

Come along and enjoy the fun atmosphere at Launde over the August Bank Holiday weekend with a Circus and Carnival Extravaganza from 11.00 am until 5.00 pm each day.  There will be fun for all the family with plenty of attractions, circus workshops, Punch and Judy, jugglers, craft fair, rides and entertainment, not to mention the delicious, home made cakes, coffees, lunches and afternoon teas that will be available throughout the weekend.  This weekend will be crucial in the fund-raising efforts for the Save Launde Abbey Appeal, so come along and support the Abbey and make a great weekend of it.  There will also be a Car Boot Sale in the Abbey grounds on the Bank Holiday Monday, again from 11.00 am until 5.00 pm.

Entrance £5.00 per car, including all occupants.  All proceeds towards the Save Launde Abbey Appeal.

Bank Holiday Car Boot Sale – Monday, 31st August 2009

Clear out the clutter and help Save Launde Abbey.  The Car Boot Sale takes place between 11.00 am and 5.00 pm so there is no need for you to get up in the middle of the night to set out your stall.  £5.00 per Car in advance or £7.00 on the day.  Trailers and vans extra.  Strictly no traders.  Setting up from 9.30 am.  Sell all your unwanted goods in the beautiful Abbey gardens and enjoy a fun day out with the family.

ALL FAMILY EVENTS ARE BEING HELD IN AID OF THE SAVE LAUNDE ABBEY APPEAL.

For more information on all of the above events, please contact the General Office at Launde on 01572 717254 or visit the website:  www.launde.org.uk

Thank you for your continued support of Launde Abbey.

Best wishes.

Suzanne Page

Customer & Marketing Administrator

Help Save

Launde Abbey

Ken Godfrey’s

Central Jazz Band

“When the Saints

Come Marching In”

St Leonard’s Church, Swithland

Saturday 5th September 2009

Tickets £15.00 • 6:30pm

Call us on 01572 717 254 to book

Cheques to Friends of Launde + SAE

Wine & tasty bites

Promoter: dg music

FROM THE PAST

Later medieval Rectors of Loughborough

1509-1527 Master Geoffrey Wren (continued)

In his will dated 4th March 1527 and proved the 7th February 1527/8 by his brother, Christopher Wren (P.C.C) Geoffrey Wren stipulated:

“My body is to be buried in the College Church of Our Lady, St George and St Edward now newe Wyndsore afore John Dons Chappell.” (i.e. in the north aisle under the sixth arch)

On his tombstone there was a brass bearing his effigy and around the edge an inscription, also in brass:

“HIC JACET HUMATUM CORPUS VENERABILIS VIRI MAGISTRI GALFRIDI WREN QUONDHAM HUJUS COLLEGHII CANONICI NECON ILLISTRISS-QUI OBIT QUINTO DIE MENSES APRILIS, ANNO DOMINI MILLESIMO QUINGENTESIMO VICESION SEPTIMO, CUJUS ANIMAE PROPICIETUR DEUS. AMEN.”

At his feet:

“SUB SAXO PONOR, ET VERMIBUS ULTIMIS DONOR, ET SICUT PONOR, PONITUR OMNIS HONOR.”

This tomb and brass have now disappeared.

In spite of all his preferment’s the only legacy he left to the church was IIIs IIIId. There were bequests to various named individuals; to his godchildren; to his brothers, William and John Wren; and to his brother-in-law, William Ryplingham. His Household servants were to have “a monethes borde after my decease and to every of them a quarter wages.” “My best fether bed in my house in London with the appertenances and two mattresses with the appertenances and the hanginge of the said house” were bequeathed to Master Anthony Wyllytt together with twenty pounds over and above the bequest aforesaid (i.e. XIs.)

His brothers William, John and Christopher Wren and his nephew, Thomas Wren, son of his brother William, were appointed executors and the will was witnessed by two Canons of Windsor, Richard Sydnor, who was also Archdeacon of Totnes, and Gamaliel Clifton who afterwards became Dean of Hereford.

The South Lodge at Windsor where there was a window bearing Wren’s Coat-of-Arms has now disappeared – a wren holding a trefoil in its claw, and his motto

“TURBINIBUS SUPEREST COELO DUCE PRAESIUS”

His arms were: Argent a chevron sable between three lion’s heads erased purple, on a chief gules three cross-crosslets or.

It seems highly unlikely that Geoffrey wren ever visited his rectory in Loughborough, the work being done by the “curatus” and other priests attached to the church. In the Proceedings before the Bishop’s Commissary in 1526 – for non-residence and in respect of dilapidations for Loughborough there is the following entry:

“Loughborow – GALFRIDUS WREN RECTOR IBM. MORAM FACT. IN COLLEGIO DE WYNSOR ET FIRMARIUS IBM. HET FESTUS NATIVITATUS SCI JOHIS PX AD REPAND PARIETES ET OBLIGATUS EST PRO EISDEM REPARIONIBUS. GALFRIDUS WELGETT P CUR ET FIRMARIUS IBM.”

In 1527 seven assistant clergy are mentioned at Loughborough, viz.

“Thomas Leach, curatus

William Fishpoole

John Taylor, secondary

William Cook

William Sharpe

Thomas Walker

William Kyppes”

Some of these priests from their signatures on local wills.

It was not uncommon at that time for a parish to have a non-resident incumbent for over ten years, especially if the benefice was a lucrative one, and the living at Loughborough was worth £26 annually. Where the incumbent was a non-resident the parish priest or “curatus” left in charge had little or no supervision, and was frequently reported for misdemeanours. This was obviously the case in Loughborough where the work of the parish was being shamefully neglected, for in 1509 the parishioners had complained about the curatus, though no specific complaints were listed.

However, in 1518 when Bishop Atwater made his visitation there were more complaints against the curatus of Loughborough, who preferred to go fishing and fowling and was given to games and jokes rather than visiting sick parishioners. He allowed them to die without receiving the sacraments, nor did he see that their children were baptised, telling the other stipendiaries to administer the sacraments and other duties. Also he was averse to “prick-song” (descant singing rather than plain chant) which he said was a chant ordained as a result of pride. The offending curatus may well have been Sir Thomas Leech, who in 1515, when the plague had visited Loughborough, had witnessed the will of Geffrey Salesbury, writing “Sir Thomas Leech p’rych off Loughorow and no moo for ffer off the plage off pest.” (i.e. parish priest of Loughborough and no more for fear of the plague of pestilence.)

Affairs within the parish do not seem to have been any better, for in the Correction Courts in 1523 John Young and Margaret Maytgood were charged with disturbing divine service. Both were suspended and excommunicated. Young was subsequently dismissed with an admonition, but Margaret Maytgood, who was a persistant offender, was ordered to do public penance in the church during divine service.

In 1524 the Church Wardens of Loughborough had been obliged to sue Robert Hoden in respect of a sum of XXs. due to their church, a portion of the legacy left by Hoden’s Father. He was ordered to pay within a fortnight.

The Court Book of Richard Parker 1523-5 also states that the masters of the fabric of the bell tower of Loughborough sued Christopher Wylland in respect of dues withheld from the church.

One other important event which occurred in Loughborough at this time was the death of Ralph Lemyngton in 1521. He was another of the town’s great benefactors whose will provided for the founding of a chantry in the Parish Church, and for two priests to serve it. Sir Thomas Crosby was to sing for him and he was to be paid ten marks a year while he remained Lemyngton’s priest; he was also made supervisor of Lemyngton’s will and was bequeathed 40 shillings and a “black gowne”. Crosby had certainly been attached to All Saint’s Church (then called “The Church of St Peter and St Paul”) since 1512, when he had attested another local will.

1527-1533 Robert Fabyan alias Clerke

Robert Fabyan had entered Cambridge University. Emden states that he was a questionist admitted on the 14th March 1489 and determined on the 24th February 1490. The Grace Book A states that he was incepted and was admitted in 1491 and also became M.A.

On the 15th August 1505 he was admitted Rector of Toddington, Beds, until his death. Fabyan had also been granted a Papal Dispensation to hold two incompatible benefices, i.e. Todyngton, diocese of Lincoln on the 1st April 1507 and Garbyllam, diocese of Norwich on the 10th April 1527, which he resigned.

Robert Fabyan alias Clerke M.A. was presented by Lady Elizabeth de Vere, Countess of Oxford, the widow of John de Vere, late Count of Oxford, to the Parish Church of Loughborough, diocese of Lincoln, vacant because of the death of Master Geoffrey Wren, the last Rector there. Mandate given at the Temple, London, on the 19th April 1527. He was admitted by Thomas Clerke, the Bishop of Lincoln’s proxy, and was instituted in the same.

Robert Fabyan had died by February 1534

By Margaret Baker

CURATE’S CORNER

This quarter’s Curate’s Corner is written in the often underrated literary form of ‘ramblings’, a form ideally suited to attempting to communicate particularly personal thoughts and feelings.

Some Ramblings on the Reordering of my Soul.

Recently someone, I forget who, asked me how I was preparing for my ordination as Priest. I was a bit lost for words, I must admit my intention had been to turn up at the Cathedral on the day and I assumed the Bishop would take care of the rest. I then thought somewhat indignantly that several years of wrestling with the idea of ordination before actually putting myself forward and then the lengthy selection process followed by my BA in Theology and Ministry at Durham would surely count as substantial ‘preparation’ for ordination as priest. Not to mention my year as a Deacon standing by Rachel in the work of the Parish and at the Communion Table.

However, the question would not let me go, so I E-mailed my Spiritual Director and asked him what to do.

For those who do not know, ‘Spiritual Directors’ are wise and experienced individuals in the church who one may visit on a regular basis in order to discuss personal spiritual development. I would recommend a Spiritual Director to anyone.

Anyway, he telephoned me to say he had no idea what I should do; honesty is a very important quality in a Spiritual Director, although he did suggest perhaps reading through the ordination service.

On seeing that I had to take matters into my own hands I arranged to spend a Quiet Day at St. Mary’s in Charnwood, I took along copies of the Eucharistic prayers and some prayer books and my violin. Thus I spent the day in prayer interspersed with playing my violin. If I am to pray for any length of time by myself I find that music inspires me greatly and becomes a part of my prayers.

I also arranged to go and see my Spiritual Director to make my confessions, another practice that I would highly recommend. If you are determined to change your ways, then accountability to another person is a big help with motivation, and also it helps to hear that God forgives - even if you truly believe that He does.

I also went to visit the Precentor at the Cathedral, Canon Stephen Foster. He went through with me his thoughts on presiding at the Eucharist, which helped me begin to think clearly for myself.

Still the question would not go away, what am I doing to prepare for ordination as Priest this July 4th? Perhaps the question persists so much because it is not quite the right question, thought provoking as it is. A better question is ‘what is God doing to prepare me for ordination?’ If there is no good answer to that question then I had better remain a Deacon.

Often I find my response to the difficult questions asked of me by life follows the pattern of my response to that question of preparing for ordination.

Firstly I am a little blank, and then I assume things must be all right as they are and this is then followed by a sense of indignation that I should be asked the question at all. Finally, when I realise that there is a valid question to be answered, I ask someone else in the hope that it will save me having to think too hard.

Being a basically responsible but slightly donkey-like fellow I will eventually get round to taking action myself, and only then do I think to do that which I should have done first of all – to ask God what He makes of the question. Thankfully, God is as patient as we are wrong-headed.

He is often at work despite of us rather than because of us.

Of late He has been reordering my soul, and I am only just beginning to understand this. By ‘reordering’ I mean something like that process by which churches are reordered for contemporary Divine Worship. For instance, Nave altars are put in and pews taken out, kitchen areas are added and changes made to accommodate disabled people, clergy and congregations wrestle the modern world into medieval buildings, this is reordering of sacred space for the proclamation of the gospel in today’s world. God is wrestling changes into the sacred space of my soul to make it fit for Divine Worship in this time. Not that I am particularly Medieval in my attitudes, but I can see that some of the ways and means from my secular life would not serve well at the Lord’s table.

Also, I am having to learn to live with the man I actually am as compared to my ‘ideal’ of a priest. Ambition and expectation constantly contend with everyday failings and weaknesses. God calls me to be myself and let the Holy Spirit grow me into the priest that He wants me to become. I am less patient.

I think it may well have been Rachel who asked the original question about preparation. My year as a Deacon serving as a Minister of the Church has demanded more rigorous reordering of my soul than all the theological reflection of my degree ever caused me. I am preparing for my ordination as Priest, but that is nothing compared to the preparation being worked by God.

QUOTES

‘Whether a man be an etcher or a thatcher, or a jeweller or a gardener is of little consequence…what matters is that he works and that he does his work well; for Art is doing the thing well’. 

C.R.Ashbee – Designer

"Liturgists are sent to try the Church so that, when there is no overt persecution, the faithful may not be denied the merits of suffering."

(Anon.)

"The Bible is forceful and consistent in its main theological claim. That claim concerns the conviction that the God who creates the world in love redeems the world in suffering and will consummate the world in joyous well-being. That flow of conviction about the self-disclosure of God in the Bible is surely the main claim of apostolic faith upon which the church is fundamentally agreed."

Walter Brueggemann – biblical scholar

FAVOURITE PRAYERS

I carry a cross in my pocket

I carry a cross in my pocket,

A simple reminder to me,

Of the fact that I am a Christian,

No matter where I may be.

This little cross is not magic,

Nor is it a good luck charm,

It isn’t meant to protect me,

From every physical harm.

It’s not for identification;

For all the world to see;

It’s simply an understanding,

Between my saviour and me.

When I put my hand in my pocket,

To bring out a coin or a key,

The cross is there to remind me,

Of the price He paid for me.

It reminds me, too, to be thankful,

For my blessings day by day,

And to strive to serve Him better,

IN all I do and say.

It’s also a daily reminder,

Of the peace and comfort I share,

With all who know my Master,

And give themselves to His care.

So I carry a cross in my pocket,

Reminding no one but me,

That Jesus Christ is Lord of my life,

If only I’ll let Him be.

I got up early one morning

I got up early one morning,

And rushed right into the day,

I had so much to accomplish,

That I didn’t have time to pray.

Problems just tumbled about me,

And heavier came each task,

‘Why doesn’t God help me’, I wondered,

He answered, ‘you didn’t ask’.

I wanted to see joy and beauty,

But the day toiled on, grey and bleak,

I wondered why God didn’t show me,

He said, ‘but you didn’t seek’.

I tried to come into God’s presence,

I used all my keys at the lock,

God gently and lovingly chided,

‘My child, you didn’t knock’.

I woke up early this morning,

And paused before entering the day,

I had so much to accomplish,

That I had to take time to pray.

Don’t give up

When things go wrong as they sometimes will,

When the road you’re trudging seems all uphill,

When the funds are low and the debts are high,

And when you want to smile, but you have to sigh.

When care is pressing you down a bit,

Rest if you must, but don’t you quit,

Life is queer with its twists and turns,

As every one of us sometimes learns.

And many a failure turns about,

When he might have won had he stuck it out,

Don’t give up, though the pace seems slow,

You may succeed with another go.

Success is failure, turned inside out,

The silver tints of the clouds of doubt,

And you can never tell how close you are,

It may be near when it seems so far.

So stick to the fight when you’re hardest hit,

It’s when things seem worst that you must not quit.

Contributed by Maureen Exon

And finally….

Dear God, so far today I’ve done alright.  I haven’t gossiped, I haven’t lost my temper, I haven’t criticised or moaned. I haven’t been snappy, grumpy, nasty, selfish or over-indulgent. I am very thankful for that. But in a few minutes, Lord, I’m going to get up out of bed, and from then on, I’m probably going to need a lot of help....Amen. Anon.

KIDS CORNER

JUDAS ASPARAGUS

A child was asked to write a book report on the entire Bible. This is what the child wrote; I wonder how often we take for granted that children really understand what we are teaching???  The Children's Bible in a Nutshell

In the beginning, which occurred near the start, there was nothing but God, darkness, and some gas.  The Bible says, 'The Lord thy God is one, but I think He must be a lot older than that.  Anyway, God said, 'Give me a light!' and someone did.  Then God made the world. He split the Adam and made Eve. Adam and Eve were naked, but they weren't embarrassed because mirrors hadn't been invented yet.  Adam and Eve disobeyed God by eating one bad apple, so they were driven from the Garden of Eden.....Not sure what they were driven in though, because they didn't have cars.  Adam and Eve had a son, Cain, who hated his brother as long as he was Abel.  Pretty soon all of the early people died off, except for Methuselah, who lived to be like a million or something.  One of the next important people was Noah, who was a good guy, but one of his kids was kind of a Ham.  Noah built a large boat and put his family and some animals on it. He asked some other people to join him, but they said they would have to take a rain check.  After Noah came Abraham, Isaac, and Jacob.  Jacob was more famous than his brother, Esau, because Esau sold Jacob his birthmark in exchange for some pot roast.  Jacob had a son named Joseph who wore a really loud sports coat.  Another important Bible guy is Moses, whose real name was Charlton Heston.  Moses led the Israel Lights out of   Egypt and away from the evil Pharaoh after God sent ten plagues on Pharaoh's people.  These plagues included frogs, mice, lice, bowels, and no cable.  

God fed the Israel Lights every day with manicotti.  Then he gave them His Top Ten Commandments. These include: don't lie, cheat, smoke, dance, or covet your neighbour's stuff. Oh, yeah, I just thought of one more: Humour thy father and thy mother.  One of Moses' best helpers was Joshua who was the first Bible guy to use spies.  Joshua fought the battle of Geritol and the fence fell over on the town.  After Joshua came David.  He got to be king by killing a giant with a slingshot.  He had a son named Solomon who had about 300 wives and 500 porcupines.  My teacher says he was wise, but that doesn't sound very wise to me.  After Solomon there were a bunch of major league prophets.  One of these was Jonah, who was swallowed by a big whale and then barfed up on the shore.  There were also some minor league prophets, but I guess we don't have to worry about them.  After the Old Testament came the New Testament.  Jesus is the star of The New.  He was born in   Bethlehem in a barn. (I wish I had been born in a barn too, because my mom is always saying to me, 'Close the door! Were you born in a barn?' It would be nice to say, 'As a matter of fact, I was.')  During His life, Jesus had many arguments with sinners like the Pharisees and the Democrats.  Jesus also had twelve opossums. The worst one was Judas Asparagus.  Judas was so evil that they named a terrible vegetable after him.  Jesus was a great man.  He healed many leopards and even preached to some Germans on the Mount.  But the Democrats and all those guys put Jesus on trial before Pontius the Pilot.  Pilot didn't stick up for Jesus.  He just washed his hands instead.  Anyways, Jesus died for our sins, and then came back to life again.  He went up to Heaven but will be back at the end of the Aluminium.  His return is foretold in the book of Revolution.  

 

NOT TO BE MISSED

It was Father’s Day, and Eric and his wife, Susan, had invited his Father and Mother to spend the day with them. Their two children, Irene and Richard, were delighted that their grandparents would be with them.

After a lovely meal, they were all relaxing on the lawn; it was a hot, sunny day. Suddenly, Irene looked up from the puzzle she was doing and asked, ‘Granddad, was there a Father’s Day when you were a boy?’ ‘Goodness, no!’ He replied, ‘at least I can’t recall one, I don’t think Fathers expected a day of their own with presents and things.’ Irene said, ‘well, was there a Children’s Day?’ Granddad thought for a minute, then said, ‘no, I don’t think so, oh, er, yes, well I suppose it was a Children’s Day, but not on one certain day, it was every Sunday in June and July each year.’

Grandma opened her eyes and said, ‘what are you talking about? A Children’s Day? On Sundays? Each year?’ Granddad turned to her and said, ‘surely you remember, how we practised singing, being dressed in news clothes, on our best behaviour, and the church being full of people?’ Grandma smiled and said, ‘you’re going back a good many years now, yes, you’re right, it was a Children’s Day. The Sunday School Anniversary, didn’t we all look forward to it, Mums, Dads, Grandparents, Aunts, Uncles, neighbours and friends all came to that service.’

Richard chimed in, ‘were all the village people there in the church, or did some have to stand outside? Because if they did, they wouldn’t hear anything!’ Grandma answered, ‘no, not all the village came, and we had two churches, three Methodist chapels and a Baptist chapel. Each one had their own Sunday School, so the anniversaries were spread over two months. To get a seat, you had to go half an hour before the service started!’

Granddad carried on the story, ‘we started practising the hymns six weeks before the day, after four weeks we practised in church with the organ, oh it was loud, we couldn’t hear ourselves singing! Then last week we practised with the choir and it all worked well together. If you had a good singing voice you were allowed to sing a solo or duet! Other boys would give out the service booklets, or read a section from the Bible, or take the collection plates round. ‘

Grandma said, ‘we paraded in twos from Sunday School to our seats in church, the youngest children sat in little chairs at the front. They had their own little choruses to sing, they would be looking for their parents and would wave to them when they saw them. Everyone was very good, and so proud to be part of the church.’

Granddad laughed, and said, ‘I remember one Sunday when it was raining, inside church our teachers took our raincoats, when we came out after the service all the coats got mixed up and had to be sorted! We went home for tea then rushed back to do it all again for the evening service. Truly it was a grand day for us, we sang with such enthusiasm, and the people were happy to listen to us.’

Irene said, ‘I could sing for you’ and Richard chimed in, ‘I could say something!’ Grandma looked surprised, ‘well, that would be lovely, what would you sing?’ Irene said, ‘well, I don’t know many hymns, but I think I know all the words to Away in a Manger.’ ‘Alright,’ said Grandma.

So Irene sang the carol and they all clapped, then Richard said, ‘I can only think of one verse, here it is:

Thank you for the food we eat

Thank you for our puddings sweet

Thank you for the birds that sing

Thank you God for everything!’

‘That was very nice from both of you,’ said Granddad. ‘It shows that you both have a good memory.’ ‘I know what we will do,’ said Irene. ‘We will learn a hymn and a prayer for when you come next time, then we can sing and say them together.’ ‘That would be excellent,’ said Grandma, wiping a teardrop from her eye. ‘We will look forward to that.’

By Beryl Ballard

A STORY OF ST PATRICK AND THE SNAKES

Long, long ago in ‘oul Ireland, the snakes used to creep around, they’d hang from the trees ... nip at your knees...and slither and slide on the ground.

The natives they ran ‘roun’ in loin cloths and had names like Seamus and Rose and ‘cos they always went barefoot, they usually got bit on the toes.

Wee Seany would fancy a dander...he’d stand and admire a nice lake, an yon sneaky wee serpent, would creep up and take a great lump from his bake (face).

Now over across the coul (cold) water, there dwelt a wee Welsh lad called Pat, he tended his sheep..beside them he’d sleep..he was lonely and yearned for a chat.

He’d heard of the folk o’er the water, it was said they’d the ‘gift of the gab’, if he took himself over to visit, perhaps he’d not feel quite so sad.

That night high up on the hillside, wee Pat finally knew what to do, he had a vision, he’d go on a mission, and hopefully he’s taste Irish stew.

He’d also convert all the heathens, he’d tell them all about God, he knew that they’d laugh, think him crazy and call him a silly oul (old) sod.

Next morning he set off for Ireland, the crossing it made him feel ill, but when he first glimpsed lovely Erin, he felt through his body..a thrill.

Pat travelled all over the country and finally he settled in Down and before very long, Pat came to be known, as a preacher of fame and renown.

One day he stood on the pulpit and held a wee shamrock up high and he told the gathered assembly, ‘Believe in God – you’ll never die’.

An’ he used that tiny green shamrock, to tell them of God and His Son and if they would only be Christians, they could still go about and have fun.

At that moment a bold asp came calling, just as Pat was preaching good news, it took a great leap at Pat’s face and settled to have a good chew.

Our Paddy he lifted his Crozier, he bate (beat) thon snake to the ground and roared ‘Get out of Ireland ye Divils’ and never again come around’.

So into the sea the snakes scrambled as Pat held an asp by the jaws an’ cried, ‘This is the land of the shamrock, you’ll find lots of your kind in Oz!’.

Today Ireland’s famous for whisky and for tales of Brian Boru and even for Daniel O’Donnell and especially for Irish lamb stew.

Nowadays we never go barefoot, ‘cos we now have shoes on our feet, and can go for a stroll in the country and NO snakes are we ever to meet.

It’s all thanks to that man name o’ Patrick, who came here when he was a lad, he’s the Saint of our land, he brought us to God, and for that we’re eternally glad.

Published with the full permission of the author – Hazel Phillson

FUNDRAISING

What does the All Saints Parish Church mean to you?

Is it a place where you go to worship, or to seek fellowship by meeting old friends or a place to bring the children to celebrate Christmas or Easter or perhaps a place to celebrate a baptism, wedding or say farewell to a loved one. All of these uses are important and form a major part of our ministry and mission to the parish and the community.

However, none of these events could happen without the existence of the church building and it is on this theme that I write today.

For several years now, our expenditure has exceeded our income due largely to a fall in income from regular giving. This year the deficit is expected to run to about £20k. If the present trend continues the work of the parish church will not be sustainable, with the sad consequence of the church being closed. This statement may appear alarmist but it is a realistic appraisal of our current financial situation.

It is clear that the present situation cannot continue, and if we are to maintain and promote Ministry and Mission at All Saints, we have to find ways to secure the future of this church. We do have an opportunity to do something to address this and earlier this year, your PCC (has) unanimously approved the mounting of a fundraising programme in order to redress this financial deficit.

Commencing at the end of September we propose to run a four week campaign aimed primarily at persuading all the people on our current parish list to either review (increase) their giving to the church or to consider (commence) making a regular financial commitment to the church. We also intend contacting all the organisations that use the church and local businesses who may want to give something back to the community. The aim is to achieve an annual increase in the income of the church over the next four years. Hopefully, this (We also hope the) high profile campaign will encourage more people to participate in regular worship and attend (help increase the number of regular worshippers at) our weekly services.

The Fundraising campaign will be guided with help from the Diocese.

This represents a major challenge for All Saints Church, your support is vital if we are to return the parish church back to a sound financial basis and secure its place as God’s house for the foreseeable future.

Thank you.

Rev’d Rachel Ross - Bob Porter

DAY BY DAY

June Report

At the halfway point of the year, the Day by Day scheme has raised a total of £2,604. This means we are well on the way to achieving the target figure for the year of £5,000.

A huge thank you to all of you who continue to support the scheme and also to the new donors who have helped us achieve this very welcome and creditable total.

We still need new donors, in order to maintain the very important support this scheme provides for the Parish Church.

If you are interested and require further information please either contact the Parish Office on 01509 217029 or by email on office@aswht.org. Alternatively, you can speak to me, Bob Porter, in church every Sunday morning.

Please help if you can.

FROM THE PULPIT

Sunday 28th June 2009

Pray….

Rachel has asked me to speak on my thoughts about what it means to be a Priest. I am not a Priest; I am a Deacon, God willing I shall be ordained as a Priest on the 4th of July at Leicester Cathedral, so I can not as yet speak from experience but only from my observation of Priests at work and from a theoretical understanding.

At Theological College they were very keen on getting us to write earnest essays about such things as the meaning of Priesthood. Like all good students the information I learned at college almost immediately vacated my head the day I left University. When Rachel recently asked me about my conception of Priesthood my answer was punctuated by lots of ‘erms…’ and slow chin rubbing.

So for my sake and for yours I am going to start with the basics.

At present I am a Deacon in the first year of my Curacy serving as a Minister of the Church of England.

So you can call me variously a Deacon, a Curate or a Minister.

A Deacon is a person ordained by the Church to preach, teach, evangelise, to help the needy, to lead worship and to assist the Priest at the Eucharist. Ordination simply means to appoint to a sacred ministry. The word Deacon derives from the Greek ‘diakonos’, meaning a ‘servant’ or ‘one who waits on tables’. The book of Acts in the bible refers to the appointment of Deacons to assist the Apostles in distributing the charity of the Church.

Significantly, a Deacon is not permitted to bless in the name of the Church, thus the key distinction in terms of function between a Priest and a Deacon is that a Deacon should not speak the words of consecration at a Eucharist or give an absolution in response to a confession of sin. This distinction begins to explain what it means to be a Priest.

But first let me explain the titles ‘Curate’ and ‘Minister’. A Curacy is a training position; it is like an apprenticeship in that it involves learning on the job under a master. The first year of a Curacy is usually as a Deacon; the next two are usually as a Priest. So for the next two years I shall be a Priest serving my Curacy.

Just to complicate matters, once ordained as a Deacon, a person remains a Deacon for life even when they are ordained as a Priest. Every Priest should retain the attitude of a servant because they were first ordained as a Deacon and remains a Deacon even as they serve as a Priest.

For instance, when I preside at a Communion in this church it is intended that Rachel will serve as a Deacon in the service, even though she is the Rector and has authority over me. Priests never stop being Deacons, or servants of the Church, and exercise that role when required.

The word ‘minister’ also means ‘servant’. All clergy are ministers of the Church; we are here to serve you by serving God as best we can.

So far we have considered, the term ‘Curate’ – a training position, ‘Deacon’ and ‘minister’, both meaning servant, and have begun to think about what it means to be a ‘Priest’. Now I am going to explain one way of understanding the idea of a ‘Priest’. There are many understandings of Priesthood, some of them contradictory; I am going to give you one that I find useful.

One of my fellow Curates tells the story of a young Priest appointed to his first church. The church was in a run down part of New York, the sort of area that people tried to move out of. The church itself was problematic; they had a big church building and a dwindling congregation. In the past there had been a large congregation, but that was before the church going population had moved out of the area to be replaced by recent immigrants.

The new Priest struggled to bring any life to the church; he worked in a hard and determined way but frustratingly made no progress. At length, while presiding at the Eucharist, he collapsed from physical and mental exhaustion. At this point people from the congregation stepped over to the communion table and lifted him up; they supported him through the Eucharistic prayer and the distribution of the bread and wine. According to the Priest in future years it was evident that it was from this point that the church began to thrive.

I think this story illustrates that being a Priest is about the ‘Body of Christ’.

Here are two meanings for you to hold on to in your Christian life.

The Body of Christ, the Bread of Heaven and the Cup of Salvation, held out for you at the Communion, and the body of Christ, the assembled people of God – the Church in this place. Both consecrated by the presence of the Holy Spirit.

At Pentecost the Holy Spirit flowed into the life of the Church and gave it breath.

At the Communion table we call upon the Holy Spirit to be active. Through the Priest the Church prays, ‘pour out your Holy Spirit as we bring before you these gifts of creation; may they be for us the body and blood of your dear Son’.

Through the Priest the Church continues in prayer,

‘As we eat and drink these Holy things in your presence, form us in the likeness of Christ, and build us into a living temple to your glory’.

The Church is a living temple born at Pentecost and renewed through faith at the Communion table.

The Anglican Church is truly a Pentecostal Church.

The Communion is the point where these two meanings of the ‘Body of Christ’ meet. At the Lord’s Table we receive what we are - ‘the Body of Christ’.

Saint Peter, the rock on which Jesus built His Church, wrote in his first letter,

’You also, like living stones, are being built into a spiritual house to be a holy priesthood, offering spiritual sacrifices acceptable to God through Jesus Christ.’

And he continues;

‘You are a chosen people, a royal priesthood, a holy nation, a people belonging to God, that you may declare the praises of him who called you out of darkness into his wonderful light.’

The Body of Christ, the Church, continues the priestly work of Jesus. We are a priestly people, charged by Christ to bring the gospel to people in word and action.

A Priest is an expression of this corporate priesthood; a Priest speaks and acts as a representative of the priestly body. A Priest enables communion and is enabled by communion. A Priest articulates in Word and Sacrament the Holiness present in the Body of Christ.

The picture of the exhausted Priest propped up by his congregation at the communion table is an excellent picture of the interdependence of the Ministry of the Priest and the Ministry of the Church. Did you know that for the first few centuries of the Christian Church the entire congregation raised their hands in prayer during the Eucharistic prayer? It is a pity we have lost that tradition.

A Priest enables the collective life of a church and is enabled by the collective life of that church; the communion is the great symbol of this synergy.

As an aside, as the Church is made up of both men and women it seems to me right that the Priestly expression of the collective life of the Church should be made up of both men and women. And at this point it may also be useful to throw in that familiar but ill-defined word, ‘vicar’. The term ‘Vicar’ is derived from the word ‘vicarious’, to stand in for someone. In Roman Catholic theology the Priest stands in for Christ, and thus the maleness of Christ, it is argued, requires male Priests. However, in Anglican theology the Vicar stands in for someone far less exulted than Christ, in Anglicanism the Vicar of a Church is acting on behalf of the Bishop who has the ultimate care for all the churches in the Diocese.

There is a sense in which a Priest as the representative of the Church stands before God vicariously, but that is as a representative of the Church that is peopled by both men and women. In any case, personally I would rather be understood primarily in terms of my common humanity rather than in terms of my gender.

I appreciate that this has been a hard sermon, containing a lot of religious language and subtle ideas that may be difficult to grasp at first hearing. I am also aware that some will have thought deeply about these matters and come to different understandings of what it means to be a Priest. Please don’t hesitate to tell me if you understand Priesthood differently, the Anglican Church is a diverse church – and may it always be so, I don’t mind being told that I am wrong or that I have made no sense. This sermon will be available on the All Saints website.

To close I shall give you one more picture of Priesthood contained in a story.

After an ordination service the father of one of the newly ordained Priests commented favourably on the service to his son, he particularly liked the part where the monks, along with some Priests, gathered round his son at the point of consecration. His son was pleased but a little puzzled, there had been no monks participating in the service. He suggested that, as his father was unfamiliar with ordination services he had perhaps misunderstood. Priests had gathered round to pray, but no monks.

The father described what he saw, the garb of the Priests he correctly identified and distinguished from the garb of a monk. He had seen monks gather around his son even though there were none to be seen. The son could not help reflecting that the Cathedral had once been a monastery.

Now I am not telling you a ghost story, neither do I propose to venture an explanation for what the father saw that day, but I will say this, consecration flows from the holiness present in the body of Christ and I firmly believe in the Communion of the Saints, the idea that we are one body united in Christ through both time and space. In a building like ours you can feel that those who have gone on before are praying for us as we sometimes pray for them. Priesthood unites the prayers of the Church both past and present.

As a Priest promise I will pray for you, I ask that you also pray for me, for my ordination, and as I stand at the Lord’s Table pray with me.

Amen.

Revd Stephen Gamble

HOMILY – ALL SAINTS EVENSONG

5th July 2009

Readings:OTJeremiah ch 20 v 1-11

NTRomans ch 14 v1-17

Introduction

One of the things that being semi retired enables me to do is to indulge myself doing daytime things that I really like during the week. As an example, Helen and I have a monthly visit with a retired Baptist friend and his wife. He lives some distance away in the countryside to the north Midlands. It is in the middle of nowhere. His problem has been a difficulty finding a church – of any type – which is welcoming. He was happy to report when we last met that he has found one. He has now encountered a different situation – the services only appear to provide teaching of a very shallow nature. One reason he really values our meetings is because we spend around three hours discussing, arguing, agreeing, agreeing not to agree, a wide range of topics around Faith, religion and allied subjects. We all find these exhilarating; especially as we have a rule that we all accept that the other person’s point of view is valid for them.

At home we have termed this lack of quality input as the Milk and Meat syndrome. As part of our human development we start out life needing the Milk diet and then gradually we move to a more solid Meat diet – with apologies to any vegetarians present. Some churches give only superficial teaching – the milk part of the diet. There are others that give a more thoughtful and deeper teaching – the Meat part of the diet. As an extreme example, I once attended a bible camp where the main speaker was given about an hour on each of 6 nights to develop the theme about the Names of God – those hours shot past and I can still remember whole chunks of the teaching today.

It is not as if either type of input is exclusively the right one, what we need is a properly balanced diet.

NT Reading

In view of the fact that our ‘Friends Meeting’ was very recent, perhaps you can imagine my amusement when I read our New Testament reading for today. The eating theme again. Culinary programmes seem to abound on Television so perhaps we should create a programme called All Saints Kitchen.

In this reading, in addition to the eating habits we are also being focussed on being judgemental.

Meat and Vegetables

Acceptance is a basic part of our Christian life. And here we are being commanded to accept those of all levels of Faith.

“Accept him whose faith is weak, without passing judgment on disputable matters.” We are being instructed. Notice the bit here about the disputable matters.

Christians new to faith may have different views about some of the facts which present themselves in the Bible. They often have not been exposed to the wider variety of opinion which some of us may have been.

In this reading these Christians are those who only eat vegetables (again apologies to the vegetarians amongst us). From the Jewish point of view this is not a balanced diet – it is missing an essential ingredient.

Of course the inference here is that the people whose faith is strong have the full diet of Meat and Vegetables – but here we have the beginnings of a possible problem. Some of those who feel they have a strong faith consider that the Christian journey has certain milestones. One or two of the milestones are reasonable; others are not, in my opinion.

Some very evangelical churches think that you are not a Christian unless you have been baptised by Total immersion after you have accepted Jesus into your life. The next milestone is to ask if you have been blessed by the Holy Spirit in an obvious way, and then can you pray in tongues or even sing in tongues. These churches often preach about not being judgemental but being judgemental is implicit in having milestones.

Conclusion

We all need a balanced diet, and we clearly must not look down on those who do not. Often, unfortunately, those on the Milk diet or Vegetable only diet as per the reading today, do not know they are missing the richness of the Meat.

Of course there is a limit to how much Meat can be served up in the main services that take place in a church. And, to keep in with the All Saints Kitchen theme, often much of this meat requires marinating which as we know can take some time.

In my experience it is necessary to obtain this meat by studying the bible or other significant books. Whilst it is good to do this on a regular basis at home, one often gets great benefit from joining a group and learning from each other. This way we are exposed to a much wider range of thought – there have been number of times when what something said by a group member has resulted in me saying – gosh, I have never looked at it from that point of view before – a jump in my understanding of the reading. This is called Synergy – or 2 + 2 = 5.

Last week I was given a yellow booklet from here called Learning and fellowship opportunities at All Saints and I spotted two opportunities for group study.

The first was a group for looking at the book The Shack. This book, which is a good read, raises many points all worthy of discussion on their own including a very good description of the Trinity. There is a group discussing this book which has its first meeting on the 19th July, here in Church at 4pm.

Secondly there was something about Growth Groups. We already have groups on a Wednesday Mornings and afternoons. It proposed that we have one in the Evening some time.

Why not consider joining one of these groups and look at scripture and faith in a safe non-judgemental environment with others who nearly always become more than acquaintances. These groups are also a good way of building up the Body of Christ in our parish and can lead us to a deeper knowledge of God’s role for each of us.

Martyn Davison

REVIEWS

GREAT COMPOSERS

The following accounts of Mendelssohn, Haydn, Purcell and Handel were given by Edith at our Choir concert earlier in the year.

Mendelssohn, Felix

200th Anniversary of his birth

Born a Jew in 1809, he grew up in Hamburg and had written many symphonies and other works by the time he was 15. He was an accomplished pianist, organist and composer. He travelled widely and was very welcome in Britain, particularly when he wrote and conducted the oratorio Elijah for the Birmingham Festival of 1846. By this time he had relinquished Judaism and become a Christian. He composed many religious words, including St Paul, Hymn of Praise and Hear my Prayer, from which ‘O for the Wings of a Dove’ is taken. He also arranged many of the works of the then neglected J S Bach, whom he greatly admired. He died at the age of only 38 at Leipzig in 1847.

Like Purcell, Mendelssohn was a child prodigy, brilliant not only at music but also painting, poetry, sport and languages. He travelled widely including going to Scotland. Not very impressed however, he said of the inhabitants ‘they brew nothing but whisky, fog and foul weather’. Mendelssohn became friendly with Queen Victoria and was Prince Albert’s piano teacher for a short while.

Taken from:

‘The Friendly Guide to Music’, Darren Henley

‘Bach, Beethoven and the Boys’, David Barber

Haydn, Joseph

200th Anniversary of his death

Son of a musical village wheelwright, Haydn was born in 1732 and became a choir boy in the Cathedral of Vienna. After his voice broke, he took pupils to make a sparse living. Gradually he won a position of more importance and comfort. At that time, musicians usually had a patron and for 30 years Haydn was Kapellmeister to the Esterhazy family, controlling orchestra, choir, soloists and opera performances. He became recognised as the greatest composer of the period and greatly influenced his younger contemporaries, Mozart and Beethoven. He visited this country twice, in 1791 and 1794, to great acclaim. His works include symphonies and oratories, string quartets and masses, but on a smaller scale. He also arranged the Austrian National Anthem as a hymn tune. He died in Vienna in 1809 and memorial services for him were held in all the principal European cities.

Haydn’s compositions have more nicknames than those of any other composer in the history of music. Take his symphonies, for example: The Clock, The Surprise, The Hen, The Farewell, The Schoolmaster. He couldn’t stop composing: over 100 symphonies, a dozen masses, 52 piano sonatas, 84 string quartets, 20 operas…and by the way, 160 pieces for an instrument called the baryton, a cross between a cello and a guitar. Clearly, he had to have something to keep him out of his house at night!

Purcell, Henry

450th Anniversary of his birth

Purcell came from a London musical family. He was born in 1659 and became a boy chorister of the Chapel Royal. At 18 he was appointed composer to the orchestra of the Chapel, and at 21, the organist of Westminster Abbey at a fee of £10 p.a. He composed a great deal of secular as well as Church music. He had a younger brother who was also a composer and organist and his son became organist of St Margaret’s Westminster. He died in London in 1695 aged 36.

From a very early age, Purcell was clearly brimming with musical talent. The composer John Blow graciously stepped aside to allow Purcell to succeed him as organist at Westminster Abbey. Another job he collected was ‘keeper, maker, mender, repairer and tuner of all regalls, organs, virginals, flutes, recorders and all other kinds of wind instruments.’ Music which Purcell composed following the death of Queen Mary was performed at his own funeral a year later.

Handel, George Frideric

350th Anniversary of his death

Born in 1685, George worked as music initially against his father’s wishes, and became a violinist in the orchestra of the Hamburg Opera. At 21 he went to Italy and acquired a great reputation as a keyboard performer. He went back to Germany as Kapellmeister to the Elector of Hanover but soon left for London where the Elector later followed as George I of Britain. When opera – of the 18th century Italian variety passed out of vogue, Handel turned his attention to oratorio and composed on many Biblical themes, such as Israel in Egypt, Joshua, Samson and Solomon an of course, the Messiah. He also wrote smaller works like Coronation Anthems of which ‘Zadok the Priest’, still used at coronations, is the best known. The hymn tune ‘Gospel’ and ‘Lord I trust Thee’ are examples of the shorter compositions still used today. He died in 1754 aged 74.

Handel was grumpy and muttered constantly to himself in German. He had atrocious table manners and was a greedy eater. He was notoriously rude to other musicians; once when his soprano, Cuzzoni, disagreed with him he held her out of the window and threatened to let go until she saw things his way! When a tenor named Andrew (actually Gordon) threatened to jump on Handel’s harpsichord, the composer said ‘tell me when and I will advertise. More people will come to see you jump than to hear you sing!’ Despite these shortcomings, Handel composed incredible music.

‘A Musical Celebration’

By the Choir and Orchestra of All Saints with Holy Trinity, Loughborough,

Directed by Dr. Peter Underwood.

Saturday 9th May 2009

The ‘Musical Celebration’ of the anniversary of four great composers held at All Saints Church attracted an audience twice the average size of a Sunday morning congregation and at least half the average age.

The evening’s concert was divided into four parts, the first celebrating Mendelssohn, the second Haydn, and then following an interval with refreshments, Purcell, and finally Handel.

Each section was given a preface by Edith, who explained a little about the biography of each composer and added amusing anecdotes from their lives.

Audience participation was encouraged by the singing in each quarter of a hymn that the composer had a hand in creating. This helped create community feeling in the church, as did the verbal contributions of the choir before certain numbers. In introducing the evening Dr. Peter Underwood proved himself almost as mercurial from the lectern as from the keyboard.

Of particular delight in the Mendelssohn section was Katy’s brave solo in ‘O for the wings of a dove’, and Howard’s elegant ‘Lord God of Abraham’. The entire choir sang with great joy in Haydn’s ‘The Heavens are telling’, and the orchestra played the ‘St. Anthony’ theme with careful dedication. Given the generosity of spirit that graced the evening it would perhaps be quibblesome to point out that the theme was probably originally adapted by Haydn’s pupil, Pleyel.

Purcell recommenced the concert after the break for refreshments. It is not usual for a music review to comment on the interval, but the cakes must not be allowed to recede into history without an accolade, they were delicious and I endeavoured to sample as many as is seemly for a clergyman to do so in public.

The evening ended with music by Handel. I was particularly delighted to hear Dr. Underwood’s performance of the variations from Handel’s G minor organ concerto; the rippling scales of the final variation were dispatched with both precision and vivacity. Claire and Andrew sang movingly in ‘O death, where is thy sting’ and the choir joined them for an uplifting rendition of ‘Lord I trust in thee’.

After the final hymn, ‘Now thank we all our God’, there was sustained and well deserved applause.

Stephen Gamble.

SOMALIA NEWSLETTER 26th MAY 2009

Bill Brookman has been invited to advance the peace agenda in Somalia by the United Nations Development Project (UNDP).  He will train, and possibly lead, a team of Somalis who will organise cultural events, form pro-peace groups, educate, support and advance the wishes of beleaguered and decent Somalis who wish to see Somalia restored to stability.

The situation in Somalia is unstable and, it appears, worsening; and the capital Mogadishu is unsafe.  Consequently Bill Brookman’s exact brief is fluid at present.  The UNDP HQ in Hargeisa, (sometimes spelt Hargeysa) northern Somalia was bombed in October 2008 and two staff were killed.  As a result UNDP staff there are restricted to two personnel but the town is now regarded as safe. Bill will join this staff and train the national team there.

This team has yet to be recruited and will be part of a national non-government organisation (NGO) which will then operate in Mogadishu .

This project will be a challenge to Bill compared to his previous similar project in Haiti.  His brief then was to recruit and lead a Haitian NGO, Caravane de la Paix, which successfully operated within the capital Port-au-Prince’s five notorious slums closed to UN staff.  In these slums the teams negotiated directly with the gang leaders.  The situation in Mogadishu is worse with the whole city a no-go area.  Culturally the project is challenging.  Somali culture is predominantly poetry.  Visual representation can inflame Muslim fundamentalism.  Solutions have to be found.  In spite of this, street events, football championships, music, art, photography, public meetings, posters, bill-boards, radio, television, school visits, the strengthening of local peace and cultural groups and, of course, poetry will need to be considered.   Bill will also use the methodology developed in his recent project writing a manual enabling children affected by armed forces and groups, so-called “child soldiers”, to resist recruitment and successfully rehabilitate..  This was commissioned by the International Labour Organisation (ILO) in 2008.

The plan is for Bill to spend 2 to 3 weeks in Hargeisa in July 2009, and then return there in the autumn spending a total of about 3 months in the region.  The UN does not have a mission in Somalia but 16 UN agencies, projects and programmes comprise the UN in Somalia, many operating from Nairobi, Kenya.  Bill may work there though this is 2,000 miles from northern Somalia.

Bill will be supported by Bill Brookman Projects, comprising administrative and technological assistance from Bill Brookman Productions Ltd.; The Bill Brookman Foundation which will assist with logistics, public information, research, financial monitoring and security; and the Young Foundation Group, young people who will monitor and learn from the project as well as disseminate information.

Bill Brookman Productions has recruited extra staff to remain operational and of course the splendid team of staff, free-lancers, young people and volunteers will make sure we continue our efforts unabated.  We hope we will not lessen our commitment to Extended Schools, the UK government initiative promoting accessibility and arts in schools.

The latest plans can be found by clicking on the Bill Brookman Foundation website www.billbrookman.co.uk/foundation > Present Projects > Somalia.

A regular newsletter is planned for friends and a more infrequent one for organisations. (To unsubscribe, just ask).

Bill will also write a subjective personal blog: http://billbrookman.blogspot.com/ and will record an audio diary for BBC Radio Leicester.

CONTACTS

RECTOR

Revd Rachel Ross

212780

CURATE

Revd Stephen Gamble

219545

CHURCHWARDENPhillippa Taylor

556552

Alan Emberson

269359

READERS

Derrick Hewitt

261909

Val Taylor

217029

Martyn Davison

561050

ADMINISTRATORJackie Mulroy

217029

BELLRINGING

Tower Captain

Jennie Higson

260234

CHURCH MUSIC

Organist

Peter Underwood

217029

Orchestra

Barbara Nunn

828204

CHURCH CONTACTS

Secretary to PCCAnne Johnson

556083

Treasurer

John Richards

556357

CHURCH SCHOOL

Head Teacher

Lisa Milbourn

263430

FEARON HALL

Centre ManagerZoe Whetherly

230629

COMMUNITY POLICE

PCSO Peter Kershaw

0116 2222222

PCSO V Patel

“ “

The Parish OfficeFearon Hall, Rectory Road01509 217029

Loughborough, LE11 1PL

office@aswht.orgwww.aswht.org

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