Issue No. 9 November 2014 to January 2015

Transcription

1 Issue No. 9 November 2014 to January 2015 Welcome to the ninth edition of the Newark and Southwell Deanery Newsletter. Dear All, This letter falls into three parts - a reflection of events and work done by the Deanery and delivered via the Deanery office; a thank you to clergy who have moved on; and thirdly, thoughts about the coming months. I cannot remember a busier time. June saw Newark & Southwell Deanery s Annual General Meeting and the appointment of new officers. Penny Peterson retired and Mike Wilson was elected as the new Lay Chair. At that meeting the House of Clergy and Laity present voted for the membership of a new Standing Committee. At the beginning of September a Cream Tea was held in the Great Hall at Southwell Minster following its recent refurbishment. The acting Dean, Canon Nigel Coates, welcomed everyone and folks then tucked into scones, cream, jam and cups of tea. From comments made subsequently a good time was had by all. As part of a Diocesan wide plan, at the end of September, Bishop Tony Porter spent the day in the Deanery. He supported three major events: football for young people using the facilities at Tuxford Academy in the morning; a presentation, bible study and time of extended prayer, concluding with tea and cakes, at All Saints, Hawton, during the afternoon; and in the evening a musical and social event, music being provided by young people from Southwell Minster School and Tuxford Academy and hosted by Revd Andrew Porter at Holy Trinity, Southwell. Bishop Tony Porter concluded the proceedings with a presentation. Together with a Deanery Confirmation Service at Holy Trinity, Southwell and a Bereavement Course at St. Peter s, Farndon, led by Revd Ian Lambert, there has been a considerable amount of activity. I am extremely grateful to all those who provided refreshments along the way for all of our events. The last three months has seen a number of comings and goings. Four clergy have left their present posts - three of those have left the deanery. Revd Clare Goode has left her post with the West Trent Group and moved to a church in Nottingham. Revd Colin Wall has left churches in the Tuxford area for the Riverside Group. Revd Christine French has just left the Beck and Tent Group to go to Kirk Hallam in Derby Diocese and finally Curate to Newark Team Ministry, Revd Judith Pollard, is leaving to begin her ministry in Norwich Diocese. They have all served the deanery and diocese to the best of their abilities and we wish them well in their continuing journeys. During the coming months there will be further events which will engage with different groups and individuals in special ways, further growing the identity of the Deanery and enabling people to use it appropriately. In 2015 there will be a Deanery Service. If you have any ideas about how this should look please do let us know at the deanery office. Bishop Tony is likely to spend a day in the deanery again next year. We would also value your thoughts about how this might look. The Deanery Newsletter This is your newsletter. A way of communicating with each other. To make it successful we need to receive your offerings. The deadline for the next issue is 15th January. Please send in your entries to nsdeaneryoffice@gmail.com or by post to Mrs Louise Riley, The Rectory, 3 Marsh Lane, Farndon, Newark, Notts, NG24 3SS All at the deanery office wish you well as we gear up for Remembrance services in November and, of course, Christmas. Due to the number of vacancies within the deanery, Louise, Michael and I will be busy making sure that, where possible, there is appropriate cover for all services and support ministry generally throughout the deanery. In Christian Love, David Milner

2 A Message from the Archbishop of York, John Sentamu The nights are getting longer and darker and the light and colours of autumn are dimming. We are now entering the dark time of the year, but we live in the hope of the light of the world, as we approach Christmas. As we read in our physics books, the things we see around us are seen through the action of light striking and reflecting off the surface of objects. Without light there would be no sight. There would be no information for the brain to process. The use of sensory deprivation - particularly of sight, by the use of blindfolds, hoods, blackout rooms is a longstanding form of torture. Without sight our sense of reality trembles. Our brains have no data to work on, nothing to interpret. Sight is either generated by a luminous object, like the sun, or by an illuminated object which reflects the light cast by a radiant object. Please don t be offended if I say that we are not brilliant in ourselves; we are not like the sun; rather, we are illuminated objects like the moon. We can only make our presence visibly known by reflecting light to the eyes of those who look our way. It is only by reflection that we, as well as most of the other objects in our physical world, can be seen. As Christians, the radiant light of God is the source of our life and our understanding; but our reflected light is also essential to the sight of others. At Christmas the radiant light of God was made visible to humanity in his Son, Jesus Christ, through his birth, life and death. What was Word, was made flesh so that all could see and know the good news. Communication of the gospel is by seeing as well as by hearing. This double strand runs through the Bible: image and word, vision and voice, opening the eyes of the blind and unstopping the ears of the deaf. Jesus is the Word of God and the Image of God. The Word became visible and the Image audible. And if we live in that light, reflecting it in everything we say and do, then the world s darkness will be put to flight. Like Superman eyes, our light comes from within and not from outside. The fire of God s love burns in our hearts and his glory is etched on our faces as we delight in him, and worship him in truth and witness to his love in word and deed. Light came into the world with Jesus Christ. A light which enables us to know what real life is; and as we reflect that light, we show others what Christ is like. We become a light which helps others to find the way into the very life of God. At Christmas we are reminded that God invested himself in the most unpromising way in humanity at its weakest and most vulnerable. We are reminded too that the coming of God offers us the opportunity to begin anew, for our sins to be forgiven and for those beams of self-righteousness to be removed from our eyes by God. This grace is freely given and joyfully unregulated. It calls us to active compassion. And its endless supply in a constantly demanding world offers us all a route to a more hopeful future. Offering us forgiveness for past sins, new life in the present, and hope for the future.

3 A little ride around the north part of the deanery. I have taken part in the Nottinghamshire Historic Churches Trust annual ride and stride event for a number of years, usually visiting the east of the Trent area through Newark and then down to Bingham. This year, on September 13 th, I planned a different route visiting as many churches as possible in the top half of the deanery and made sure I had a camera with me. So, having parked my car in Tuxford and full of enthusiasm off I set visiting St Nicholas s first before signing in at the Methodist Church. The weather was good for cycling - not too warm, not a lot of wind and not raining. However, what I had never really appreciated during my many car journeys around this area was the number of inclines in this area. The first I encountered was when I cycled out of Tuxford toward West Markham - but there was relief as I free wheeled towards All Saints. This was followed by a longish ride to Walesby and an interesting discovery of the Mausoleum Church of All Saints at Milton which I never knew existed.! Walesby, St Edmund was followed by Kirton, Holy Trinity and then after a long incline, a stop at Egmanton to look round the Church of Our Lady. Onwards then to Moorhouse Chantry Chapel through Laxton, St Michael the Archangel before reaching the steep incline towards Boughton. The ride down was excellent but to my horror I missed St Matthew s Church. My association with Boughton goes back quite a while when I visited the Convent along with Mrs Darby (Bishop Richard s wife) when we were involved in a community project; I thought that the nearby church building was not C of E so did not have it on my list. My apologies and I will make amends. My journey took me past the churches of St Paulinus and St Giles in the new and old parts of Ollerton before I rested for lunch at Wellow, St Swithin. Refreshed, I tackled the hills leading to Kneesall, St Bartholomew (toilet break) before a lovely stretch of open straight road which took me to Ossington where the Church of the Holy Rood nestles well in the country! It was good to visit on the eve of Holy Cross Day! By now the inclines were beginning to take their toll but I kept arguing that what goes up must come down but this did not seem to happen with these roads. Norwell, St Laurence was next with some delightful pictures by the local school children to welcome riders and striders and then onto Caunton, St Andrew, where I possibly made a poor decision. I decided to cycle down (actually up, up and up before down) to South Muskham, St Wilfred and onto North Muskham, St Wilfred. It was good to see the Wilfreds but an hour later my body was regretting that extra distance. However, I was now on my homeward stretch cycling along the path alongside the A1 to Cromwell, St Giles, across the bridge to Carlton-on-Trent, St Mary the Virgin (which is not identified on the diocesan map in the Church History Project book) before reaching Sutton-on-Trent, All Saints. By now I was very tired and it was nearing the end of the official event so, any attempt to visit any other church communities not on my route back to Tuxford were abandoned. So, a slow ride up to Weston, All Saints was followed by an even slower ride back to Tuxford, St Nicholas and to my car. It was a long, tiring day but really enjoyable visiting so many buildings and communities; thank you to all who provided refreshments and words of encouragement. I tried to leave a calling card saying I had visited as the lay chair of our deanery of Newark & Southwell. I am in training to visit other parts of it next year. I think I cycled well over 50 miles though it seemed more with all those inclines! Michael Wilson Lay Chair

4 AVERHAM BELL EDUCATION AND RESTORATION PROJECT The Grade I church of St Michael and All Angels Averham is believed the oldest church in continuous use in Nottinghamshire, with the lower part of the tower being of Anglo-Saxon origin. The tower contains a peal of six bells cast by Thomas Mears II at the Whitechapel foundry in They were considered to be the second most needy of restoration in the Diocese, of 5 or 6 bell towers. There have been at least five unsuccessful attempts to restore the bells in recent years, most recently for the millennium. Interest was reignited in 2007 as a result of the Parish Plan when a number of villagers volunteered to learn to ring, without knowing that the Averham bells were unsuitable for teaching. Ian Hasman and Paul Raithby, ringers at Winthorpe, kindly took it upon themselves, initially at Winthorpe and subsequently at North Muskham. St. Wilfrid's Church South Muskham Christmas Craft Fair Saturday 29 November 10am-12noon Village hall, South Muskham A variety of craft stalls plus home made preserves, cakes, gifts, tombola, raffle and books. Admission 1.00 includes tea/coffee and a mince pie. Accompanied children under 10 free. All proceeds towards the maintenance of our ancient church. The bells were removed in May 2012 by the Power Station team in front of an audience of local schoolchildren and local television news cameras (see and returned in late During this time the new bellframe was installed, tower floors renewed, the clock mechanism replaced and dials regilded, the west window restored, electrics renewed and new access stairs installed throughout the tower. This was only made possible through the generosity of local residents and companies, grant funding and the voluntary labour provided by Staythorpe Power Station and local volunteers. The Heritage Lottery Fund gave a 29,700 grant. Students from Newark College assisted with welding a new steel bellframe and Lincoln College constructed new louvres. What started, in cash terms, as a 40,000 bell restoration project ended up as an 80,000 restoration of the tower and bells, with well over 100,000 work undertaken once voluntary labour and materials was taken into account. The church was full for a service to rededicate the bells at the end of June 2014, the theme of which was God s faithful provision, with the opportunity to ring afterwards. This was followed by an open morning held in early July when over fifty visitors came to see the bells rung, tour the tower and try bellringing for themselves. A number of villagers have started to learn how to ring on the bells, which bodes well for the future. Martin L Cooper Project Co-ordinator, mlcooper2@gmail.com Volunteers for The Nottingham Winter Shelter The Nottingham Winter Shelter is recruiting volunteers for this year s night shelter during the winter months - when churches work together from November to March to provide warm safe shelters in church halls for Nottingham's rough sleepers/ homeless people. Accommodation and support services was found for 166 people who stayed last winter thanks to a dedicated team of staff and 89 volunteers. To volunteer please contact Denis Tully denis.tully@emmanuelhouse.org.uk or telephone: Follow them Facebook nottinghamwintershelter Further details: the Revd Liam O'Boyle , liam.o'boyle@southwell.anglican.org Everyone Welcome SUTTON ACOUSTIC EVENING Saturday 13 December OOpm at All Saint Sutton on Trent Admission 3.00 various types of music including some Christmas Favourites All welcome

5 Sharing the caring of depression and dementia A special event for World Mental Health Awareness Week held at St Paulinus Church working in partnership with the Rosewood Involvement Centre, New Ollerton Trinity Hall & Holy Trinity Church Besthorpe Taste of Europe Saturday November 15 th 7.30pm Come & sample the taste of European food and drink Quiz Raffle Tickets from: Sue Butler Tel: Rosie Smith Tel: Proceeds to Holy Trinity Church project to restore our railings On Tuesday 7 th October, St Paulinus opened its doors to people from the local community and surrounding areas to learn together, to improve our understanding and knowledge about dementia and depression and to consider how communities, including faith communities, can work together to support people suffering with dementia and depression. It was hoped that people would leave feeling inspired, resourced and enabled to play our part in raising awareness and reducing stigma about mental health. Professor Mike Cooke CBE, the Chief Executive of Nottinghamshire Healthcare NHS Trust (pictured above) and Archdeacon David provided keynote speeches and we heard 3 powerful personal stories from carers of loved ones suffering with depression and dementia. There were information stalls from various organisations which people browsed around at the beginning and end of the event and there was a question and answer time where all were able to contribute to the discussion. Right from the off, St Paulinus was buzzing and the church was soon full. People have been saying we should do more of this and many of these were surprised to hear that 1 in 4 people will suffer from mental health problem in the course of a year. It was a great opportunity to network and show what can be achieved when we partner together. Many remarked that the event was stimulating and interesting and people did leave inspired. The event even got a mention at the recent Diocesan Conference at Swanwick! Events such as these build community and show how our church buildings can be used for mission. Many thanks to all who supported this event and especially to the unsung heroes who made this event possible and the success that it was. Revd Zoe Burton St Giles, Balderton, Printing Service Canon Tony Tucker at Balderton continues to offer a printing service at great rates. Please contact him on tonytucker57@gmail.com or Collingham Singers will be celebrating St. Cecilia's Day, with a concert at St Cecilia's Church, Girton, on Saturday 22nd November at 7.30pm. Tickets 5 and include a drink and "nibbles", please phone Sally ( ) or Samantha ( ) for tickets.

6 11 & 7 Feb 2015 Parish Employment Responsibilities Seminar. 9.30am-12.30pm. Details and to book: , gill.wahlers@southwell.anglican.org Are you thinking of getting your Will written? Will Aid November is Will Aid month, and to get your Will drawn up by a local solicitor for free, in return for a voluntary donation to charity, you need to make an appointment now! To find participating solicitors near you go to the website hwww.willaid.org.uk/will-makers. It is recommended that you make an appointment as soon as possible, because solicitors' Will Aid appointments diaries are already filling up fast. For further information please contact: Steve Cumberland , Parish Share stevec@southwell.anglican.org What is it for? Primarily it is to pay the stipends of our priests, along with their housing and pension provision. Secondly, it pays for the relatively small number of staff at Jubilee House. In other words a very high percentage of parish share is used to pay people, but does not include the Bishops or the Minster staff. This diocese pays its clergy a little below the recommended levels. Some Useful Dates for your Diaries Forthcoming Deanery Synod Meetings 4th February venue tba 8th June venue tba 6th October venue tba Deanery Standing Committee Meetings September 17th 2014 November 12th 2014 January 20th 2015 March 18th 2015 May 14th 2015 July 7th 2015 September 16th 2015 November 12th 2015 Deanery Confirmation Service Saturday 12th July 2015 St Mary s Newark What if we don t pay our share? Not paying means the resources for paying clergy will be restricted which will then reduce the number of stipendiary priests employed. We don t get a whole priest to ourselves now? I wonder when churches in the deanery, with the exception of 1 or 2, can remember when they had their own individual priest? In our deanery of 72 churches we have just 12 stipendiary priests. The majority of parishes share the ministry of one priest. This pattern will not change. Whilst there is a steady stream of women and men going through the training and ordination process it will only enable us to staff the deanery at the present levels. The cost of a priest is around 50,000, (covering stipend, housing and pension provision). Although in some benefices and groups this is achieved, in many they are unable to pay their allotted share. The less money overall that the deanery pays against the total share asked of it by the diocese, the more difficult it is for the diocese to staff the number of posts now available. What to do? The Lord s teaching in the Parable of the widow s mite gives direction but it is not easy. We all have pressures on our finances but perhaps we all could take stock and look at our giving to enable the Lord s work to continue by paying our full share. Is there an alternative? The alternative of no priests ever for some parishes is the answer and do we want that? Shrine of Our Lady of Walsingham Revd Ian Lambert accompanied a group of people from the United Benefice of Farndon with Thorpe, Hawton & Cotham, to the Anglican Shrine of Our Lady of Walsingham on Thursday October 2nd. The Shrine occupies an island site in the village of Walsingham, fivemiles from the north Norfolk coast. Close to the ruins of the original medieval Priory (destroyed in 1538) the present-day Shrine was gradually created from 1931 from derelict farm buildings and cottages with a brand new Shrine Church in the south-east corner of the site. For more information visit

7 Messy Minster! Come along for Messy Church at the Minster! The first Friday of Month, in term time: Fri 7th Nov, 3.30pm-5.30pm Fri 5th Dec, 3.30pm-5.30pm Fri 9 th Jan 2015, pm Fri 6 th Feb 2015, pm come straight from school, and it s OK to arrive late! Messy Minster! is a new monthly event for families; it s for both children and adults together. Messy Church is a fun and relaxed experience of church for people of all ages to be creative, make crafts, eat together, and share a time of informal worship Messy Minster! meets in Trebeck hall, next to Southwell Minster. Its free of charge - there will be opportunity to donate something at the end, to cover drinks or food, if you wish I m looking forward to welcoming you - please come along and help us get messy! Fr Matthew For more information please contact Fr Matthew, frmaskey@btinternet.com or tel: Family events and services at Southwell Minster Children s Church - meets during the 9.30am Sunday Eucharist, all year during term time. Come along and have fun while you learn Christmas Services always popular, come along for the very special atmosphere at the Minster Christingle: Sun 7 th Dec, 5pm The Crib Services: Christmas Eve (24 th Dec), 11am and 2pm Playful Cathedrals: Sun 1 st Feb-Sun 8 th Feb. Exhibition of children s art celebrating creativity and the Church. On display in the historic Chapter House at the Minster Messy Church Celebration: Feb 7 th 2015, 2-4pm. Join us in the Minster for this County-wide celebration of all things Messy Church! Easter Day Sun 5 th April 2015, 9.30am celebrate the biggest day in the Christian Calendar at the Minster, and join in our popular annual Easter Egg Hunt in the Archbishop s Palace gardens. Rogation Sunday 10 th May 2015, 10.30am celebrate nature and the environment with this family service which involves a fun walk up to Brakenhurst and the blessing of animals. Pentecost Sun 24 th May 2015, 9.30am today is the Birthday of the Church, come and help celebrate the gift of the Holy Spirit and our gifts too! Check out Southwell Minster s website for more information At The Minster

8 St. Giles Church Ollerton December 12 at 7.15pm QUIZ NIGHT Please come & have some fun at our Quiz Night on Friday 7 th November at Kilvington St. Mary s Church from 7.30pm, teams of four six. Delicious supper provided plus a bar for wine & beer. Tickets are 8.00 each and all profits to St Mary s Church. Don t delay book today! Tickets: Alexandra Norman Concert of Music for Christmas arr: by Barbara Marriott and Martin Yates, admission 5 to include our famed refreshments! *************** IN THE UNITED BENEFICE OF FARNDON WITH THORPE, HAWTON & COTHAM Sunday 2nd November 2.30 pm Thanksgiving for completion of church project Service, All Saints, Hawton Sunday 9th November am Remembrance Service at Farndon Village Hall Saturday 29th November 2.00 to 5.00 pm Christmas Fair & Carols by Candlelight All Saints, Hawton Katie Allen Norwell Christmas Festival St Laurence Church, Norwell Special Opening afternoon on Saturday 13 December pm Traditional displays, arrangements, activities, crafts, music and refreshments Service of Nine lessons and carols at 6.00pm on Sunday 14 December The church will be open to see the displays and arrangements until Christmas. For more information ring Don t forget to advertise your Christmas Services & Events at achristmasnearyou.com nearer the time!! Film Night Wednesday 26th November 2014 Location: St Michael s School, Farnsfield Time: 7.30 pm NEWARK PARISH CHURCH 7 th CHRISTMAS TREE FESTIVAL 6 Dec Dec Over 100 trees decorated by local schools, organisations & businesses. Opening times: Saturdays 9.30am pm Sundays 11.00am pm Weekdays 10.00am pm Entrance: Adults 2 Children 20p Refreshments, Christmas cards, Raffle, Stalls FESTIVAL SONGS OF PRAISE - 14 Dec at 6pm Cost: 5.00 wine available Sunday 30th November 4.30 pm Advent Carol Service, Saturday 6th December 7.30 pm WW1 Christmas Concert, All Saints, Hawton Saturday 13th December 7.00 pm Paul Jackson Concert Sunday 14th December 9.30 am Christingle, All Saints, Hawton am Family Service with Nativity Presentation, Wednesday 17th December 6.00 pm Carols on the Green, Farndon Thursday 18th December 7.00 pm Carol Service, All Saints, Hawton Sunday 21st December am Carol Service, St Lawrence, Thorpe 4.30 pm Carol Service, Christmas Eve 4.00 pm Christingle, 8.00 pm Christmas Eve Eucharist, St Michael s, Cotham am Christmas Eve Eucharist, Christmas Day 9.30 am Christmas Day Eucharist, All Saints, Hawton Sunday 28th December am United Benefice Service, In The Deanery

9 The following churches are in vacancy in our deanery at the moment. If you would like to support them by attending any of their services please contact the deanery office for more information on service times. Bleasby, Halloughton, Hoveringham, Morton, Rolleston, Thurgarton, Upton, Sutton on Trent, Carlton on Trent, Norwell, Ossington, Cromwell, Caunton, Tuxford, West Markham, Weston, Normanton on Trent, Marnham. Please hold them in your prayers. Deanery Prayer Most merciful God, our creator and redeemer, in baptism you called us to be members, one of another as witnesses to your saving power. Grant that, united in your love, and confident in your promise to be with us always, we may be led by your Holy Spirit, to be your living body in this deanery, through Jesus Christ our Lord. Amen Revd Greg Price We are pleased to announce that Revd Greg Price will be the new Priest serving the churches of Tuxford, Weston, West Markham, Normanton on Trent and Marnham and of course Tuxford Academy. We will keep you posted about the time and date of his licensing. Deanery Treasurer Needed For some time Mike Wilson has been the Deanery Treasurer. Having been appointed the Lay Chair he needs to relinquish the role. It is not an onerous task and we hope that someone will be prepared to take it on. Mike will be pleased to speak with anyone interested about what is required. Useful Contact Information Revd Lucy Cleland, Chaplain to the Bishop Mr Nigel Spraggins, Chief Executive Archdeacon David Picken Mrs Jo Padmore Executive Personal Assistant For Stats for Mission Returns and On-Line Data entries: Mr Fraser McNish Prayer Time: Newark Team Ministry are pleased to announce a weekly time for prayer, which will be held every Tuesday at the Parish Church of St Mary Magdalene from to 1.00 pm. You are warmly invited to join members of the Newark Team as they pray for the Newark Team Ministry and wider community St Peter s Farndon also hold a Time for Prayer at 9.15 am every Tuesday before their am Holy Communion Service. All welcome Newark & Southwell Deanery Leadership Team Area Dean: Revd David Milner Lay Chair; Mr Mike Wilson Treasurer: Vacant Deanery Administrator: Mrs Louise Riley Deanery Office: (Mon/Tues , Thurs 9-1) 3 Marsh Lane, Farndon, Newark, Notts, NG24 3SS Tel: nsdeaneryoffice@gmail.com