Issue No. 6 February to April 2014

Transcription

1 Issue No. 6 February to April 2014 Welcome to the sixth edi on of the Newark and Southwell Deanery Newsle er. Dear All, For many in church life the respite following Christmas and Epiphany is already a memory. The Chris an Calendar will soon lead us to Shrove Tuesday and Ash Wednesday, signalling the beginning of the Lenten season. As we all know Easter will seem for many only a hop, skip and jump way. It is against this familiar backdrop the work of the Deanery proceeds. In January Rev. Stephen Morris was licenced at St. Mary Magdalene, Newark, where he will join colleagues Rev. David Anderton, Rev. Sam Tredwell and Curate Rev. Judith Pollard, thereby bringing the Newark team to full strength. Our thoughts and prayers are with Stephen and his wife Jean as they se le into Bede House and into Newark life. For many the peniten al season of Lent falls into regular and almost expected rou nes of services, courses, retreats and other projects they are all part of the mix. There is something about organised discomfort which a empts to engage and develop challenge that can become somehow expected, even safe. Using the gi of Lent leading to a place of real spiritual growth is an amazing opportunity, but can become stylised and even rou ne. We would very much like to know what you are planning to do? Please contact the Deanery Office with any plans you have in your parish or group so that different ways in which lent is used can be shared. This year we have Deanery Elec ons and there will be changes to personal circumstances was an unusual year for me with the discovery in late November that I had Leukaemia. Preparing Christmas events and services and yet not sharing the Christmas gi with my church family was a very different experience, as has being out of ac on for Epiphany and Candlemas. I hope to be back for Easter and picking up the threads very soon. I s ll have some specialist appointments to go, we are very posi ve about the outcome but it is a case of wai ng. Kris na and I have been extraordinarily touched by the many le ers, cards, s and calls wishing us well. They have all made the experience of chemotherapy, recovery and hopefully remission bearable. Revd David Milner Area Dean of Newark & Southwell Deanery h p://southwell.anglican.org/about-us/deaneries/newark-southwell-deanery-home/

2 Selston to Elston I, Revd Elizabeth (Liz) Murray was licensed at Elston Church in this Deanery on October the 13th last year. My parishes are: East Stoke, Elston, Kilvington with Alverton, Staunton with Flawborough, Shelton, Sibthorpe and Syerston, with 7 open churches (and churchyards) in all. I am a No inghamshire lass, brought up in the village of Selston in the coalfields of West No inghamshire, on the No inghamshire/ Derbyshire boarders; real Ey up me Duck country. I went to Grammar School in Eastwood, and due to an enthusiastic English Literature teacher had read all yes all of D H Lawrence s book by the time I was 16: actually most of the (talked about) content went way over my head. I began my working life in the textile industry, in the laboratories, and a ended Trent Polytechnic (now No ingham Trent University), day release for 4 years to gain a Licentiate to the Textile Institute in Analysis and Textile Testing. I worked in the textile industry for 25 years, with a few breaks as I had a family. Rebecca is now 30 and William 25. I met Robert Murray, my husband, at work, he had trained as a Dyer in the Woollen Mills in the Sco ish Borders and had travelled to No inghamshire via Cumbria as the textile industry declined in Scotland. We both continued to work in Textiles until the decline in this area in the late 1990 s, and after this Robert worked as a Training and Quality Consultant and I studied for and gained a Degree in Social work. I had a ended church since childhood, my mother sending us to Sunday School at the local Free Church the Church of Christ, at the age of 12, along with a few friends, I took up Bellringing at the Anglican Church of St Helen s Selston to gain my Girl Guide Campanology Badge. I then joined the choir (a racted by the boys in the choir), and have worshipped in the Anglican Church since then. Just after being married, Robert and I were CYFA leaders, taking the young people on many camping holidays, such as Royal Week in Cornwall then later to New Wine. In the early 80 s at St Helens Selston, for two weeks we had students with us from Ridley College Cambridge who were on Mission Weeks, in this they would look at the work of the church and challenge us in our mission. One of the students had challenged Robert and I on why we led the Youth, asking, was it for us, was it for the children, or was it for God? I think this awoke both mine and Robert s faith and challenged us in our service of God. Intertwining around each other, we both held responsibilities in the church (but not at the same time), such as Church Warden, Worship Leaders, Home Group leaders and Lay Readers. Robert was ordained in 2000 and we served God in the Parish of Annesley with Newstead, and then in Brinsley with Underwood as Robert took the post as Priestin-Charge. I was working in Social work and Advocacy for people with learning difficulties, and also in the Mental Health services, I had felt the call to ordination for a while and in 2007 I began my studies at EMMTC, thus being ordained in Sadly in February 2008 Robert was diagnosed with bowel cancer, and after treatment and short time of remission he died in July His ashes are sca ered in his beloved Scotland, on the farm by the river Tweed where he spent his childhood. I was just going in to my last year of training for ordination, and with great support from family, friends, the people of the parish, Bishop Tony and Archdeacon Nigel Peyton, plus many others, I continued to live in the Vicarage at Brinsley and when ordained served my Curacy in the parishes of Brinsley with Underwood and Eastwood. I am now se led in Elston and beginning my new ministry in this area. I thank God for his guidance throughout my life, and trust Him for my future as I serve Newark and Southwell Deanery. Love Liz

3 The Reverend Sheila Dixon It is with great sadness that we report the death of Reverend Sheila. Sheila s quiet, spiritual and prayerful presence was a great blessing and an inspiration. We extend our sympathy to her family and friends. Sheila came to the Su on Benefice in 1997 and worked amongst the parishioners and with the four churches encouraging their growth. Her visits to the schools were of great benefit as she had a particular gift for working with children. In 2005 she took on the Norwell Benefice as well, bringing the number of parishes under her care to eight. This was an enormous challenge and responsibility; she worked tirelessly to bring the churches together and set up the Group Council so that the church wardens could plan together. She retired in 2011, but her ill health and its necessary treatment delayed her move to Malton in Yorkshire. Sadly she had very li le time to enjoy this much anticipated return to her native county before the ravages of cancer took her life far too soon. We remember her with affection, and with respect. There will be a service of thanksgiving to celebrate her life on Sunday 9 February at 6.00pm in All Saints Church, Su on on Trent. You are all warmly invited to this service. Balderton Printing Service Canon Tony Tucker at Balderton con nues to offer a prin ng service at great rates. Please contact him on tonytucker57@gmail.com or for a quote and for more informa on. Feeding the world in the future: can we do it? Lecture by Professor Tim Benton Thursday 13th March at 7 for 7.30pm in Southwell Minster All welcome, admission free Professor Benton will outline the challenges for food security (providing enough food for all) and the difficulties of doing it on less land, with less water and with climate change being a really potent force. He will discuss that sustainable production is needed to protect future generations and that this is itself a challenge and will end with discussion that for the most part the solution is for us to change our eating habits and demand less and waste less. In essence he will discuss the quotation by Professor Tim Lang: the rich have to eat less, and differently, to allow the poor to eat more, and differently. Professor Tim Benton is the UK Champion for global food security Newark & Southwell Deanery Synod At the next mee ng on Wednesday 5th February at 7 for 7.30 pm, at the Parish Church of St Andrew s, Caunton an item on the agenda will be Vacancy in See Consulta on This mee ng is open to everyone.

4 Dear Readers, Recently I agreed to write this Lenten Reflec on - I'm not sure this was very wise! Lent is a difficult subject because its meaning I think has 'gone dead'. For years in parishes I have known people have always been faithful to this old tradi on, but many I feel have sat in the pews politely listening to me talking about it while thinking, 'We believe in being posi ve, not nega ve, by taking things on, not giving them up'. When something 'goes dead' on people, how do you bring it alive again? Its like Chris anity has 'gone dead' with the general popula on, and as Jesus said, 'If salt has lost its flavour, throw it away! (Luke 14 v 34) Or is there another approach? We can only live our faith 'by our lights', by the level of insight, understanding, belief and commitment that we have. And we can only encourage any par cular spiritual prac ce if we ourselves genuinely find it life giving, as opposed to feeling obliged to keep it going. doing God's work. This if we are using this aright is a work of the Holy Spirit, and therefore cannot be nega ve. In our light hunger pangs resul ng from giving up junk food, biscuits etc, we are helped to have an empathy with those who are hungry because they have no choice. The emp ness inside us is a mere hint of the reality others are going through, and this mild discomfort is a means to reach out to others far more powerfully in prayer than otherwise. Empathy and compassion were keynotes of Jesus' ministry, and were the opportunity for his Father's healing power and work to be done. Surely fas ng used well can never be nega ve. And there is no reason at all why people cannot do both a mild fast and take up some extra Chris an ac vity. And then of course, we think about Lent leading up to Jesus' Crucifixion. Our sin, and sins, were laid on Him (Isaiah 53 v5). So again, aware of our slight emp ness when we usually like to enjoy a biscuit or whatever, can be a tool for us as we think about what we have done by 'thought, word and deed', or even by omission. Lent of course is taken as a parallel with the forty days fast of Jesus in the wilderness at the beginning of his ministry. During this season of fas ng, we are in par cular aligning ourselves with the fear and grief of Jesus as he approached his terrible death on the Cross. And tradi onally, we are also expressing the realisa on that the sin that we do and carry is something that costs, that causes harm to others and to ourselves. And that we are sorry for it. And by fas ng in this way, Easter Day with its feas ng and celebra on following the fast brings home so powerfully the reality that Jesus who was dead, is alive! This is my par cular 'take ' on Lent, my par cular 'light': that to choose to make oneself hungry in a fast, is NOT the nega ve that people assume it is a powerful spiritual weapon and part of the armoury of prayer in And for Lent, or for fas ng in general, fas ng was a primary tool used for the evangelisa on of Europe it is a way of saying to the Lord, 'I do mean what I say, what I am praying for, this means so much to me.' The nagging emp ness in a light fast like Lent or a more serious fast in very short bursts, can be used as a powerful aid to prayer. (But always avoiding any possible risks to our health.) Lent of course in Old English means 'Spring' And as we know, Spring brings such wonderful new life a er the death of Winter. If we can take up Lent in its fullness knowing what we are doing, then the awareness of Resurrec on and the prayer power of Lent is something for which to thank God. Revd Richard Seymour-Whiteley The Northern Lights Cluster The Deanery s Newsletter This is your newsle er. A way of communica ng with each other. To make it successful we need to receive your offerings. The deadline for the next issue is 15th April. Please send in your entries to nsdeaneryoffice@gmail.com or by post to Mrs Louise Riley, The Rectory, 3 Marsh Lane, Farndon, Newark, No s, NG24 3SS

5 Flog It! comes to Southwell Minster If you ve ever wondered how much your car boot sale bargains or loft clutter might be worth, now is your chance to find out. Flog It, the popular BBC One antiques programme presented by Paul Martin, is coming to Southwell Minster on Thursday 30th January The Dean of Southwell Minster, the Very Revd John Guille and the Bishop of Sherwood, the Rt Revd Tony Porter have confirmed they will be bringing along some of their own items for valuation and possible auction. See full release at New Minster Exhibition reflects WW1 theme Artist and priest, Jean Lamb held her last major exhibition eighteen years ago in Southwell Minster and now, in honour of the centenary year of the outbreak of the First World War, she has chosen from her sculptures and paintings work to reflect the theme. See full release at Vacancy in See The process of identifying the next Bishop of Southwell and Nottingham has started. It is hoped as many church members as possible will be encouraged to attend, to join the debate and help in the important task of appointing the right person to lead the Church in Nottinghamshire. Each session will start with prayer followed by an explanation of the process. There will then be discussion on what skills and gifts the next Bishop will need to lead the diocese in the transforming mission of God. The consultation events, which start at 7pm (unless stated otherwise), are as follows: January 15: Nottingham St Jude, Mapperley; January 28: St Giles, West Bridgford; February 4: Worksop St Anne February 5: Caunton, St Andrew, 7.30pm (as part of Newark & Southwell Deanery Synod) February 19: St John s Centre, Mansfield. Holy Land May 2014 There are two places left on the parish pilgrimage being organised by the Revd Andy Nicolls at St Mary the Virgin & All Souls, Bulwell. A single man and a single woman are sought to round up the twin room allocations. Sites in Israel, Palestine and Jordan will be visited between 12th May - 23rd May Cost 1730pp. Full itinerary available on request. Please contact the Revd Andy Nicolls if interested. Time to Talk Day 6 February 2014 On Thursday 6 February, as part of a national advertising campaign it is aimed to get more people talking about mental health than ever before. The campaign aims to show that It s the little things which make a big difference when it comes to mental health such as having a cup of tea and a chat. And on Time to Talk Day we re encouraging people to do just that. The Time to Talk Day is an ideal time for organisations to get staff talking about mental health and highlight the mental health support you offer employees or other work you have been doing to address mental health in the workplace. What you can do - A cup of tea and a chat. Time to Change will be providing Time to Talk tea bags, and if there is one thing your organisation can do to support Time to Talk Day it s to get staff talking over an organisation-wide tea break (or do this in teams). There will be a conversation starter on each tea bag and we will also be providing other supporting materials including a myth/fact quiz to help get people talking about mental health. These free materials will be available in January, so register your activity on the Time to Change website now and you will be alerted when you can place an order: Mental Health Awareness Guides: recruiting the pioneers Many of you will recall that Mental Health Champions were endorsed by Bishop Paul at the 2013 Diocesan Conference. In response to the feedback Opening Minds, decided to re-name the champions Mental Health Awareness Guides (MHAGs). This helps to clarify their role, which includes: enabling all members of the church community to welcome, understand and support people with mental health problems and their carers ensuring that when we have mental health problems we can be as fully involved in church life as we wish. The MHAG is not expected to address the spiritual or psychological needs of individuals and their carers themselves but may help to signpost them to other sources of help. Opening Minds is now seeking to work with about twenty pilot churches to identify the training needs of Mental Health Awareness Guides We anticipate training will be offered to this group and the first wave of Mental Health Awareness Guides in the early summer We hope to attract participation from a variety of churches with both large and small congregations. We would like to include rural and town parishes as well as those within the city. To ensure their effectiveness in the role, the MHAG should have the support of both their church leader and PCC. Opening Minds thinks it is helpful if the MHAG has personal experience of mental health problems. We would be grateful if you could send names of those interested before the end of February to Catriona Gundlach ( catriona@southwell.anglican.org). The launch event will held on March 15th (9.30 for pm) at The Vine Community Centre, Bobbers Mill Road, Nottingham, NG7 5GZ For more information please go to southwell.anglican.org/mission-ministry/seeking-justice/ mental-health/ or contact Opening Minds opening.minds@southwell.anglican.org

6 Riverside Parishes of North and South Muskham, Kelham and Averham : Palm Sunday the service begins at 10.30am at North Muskham church followed by a procession (with a donkey) to North Muskham Methodist Chapel North Muskham. There will also be a service at Averham at 11am again with a donkey. Monday 14 April at 7pm there will be a service of night prayer and meditation at Kelham, and a similar service at Averham on the 15 April and North Muskham on the 16 April; all at 7pm. Thursday 17 April at 7pm we shall have a Maundy service in the North Muskham Methodist Chapel followed by a Tenebrae service and stripping of the altar in South Muskham Church. Good Friday there will be a 'hot cross bun' service at 10.30am in North Muskham church and at 2pm in Averham church will be a meditation on the Stations of the Cross. Saturday 19 April in South Muskham Church at 8pm will be a Service of Light. Easter Sunday services begin with a service at 7.30 on the riverbank at North Muskham, followed by a 10am service, with the choir, at 10am in North Muskham Church and at 11am there will be an Easter service in Kelham Church. Save the Date!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! Saturday 27th September 2014 We have Bishop Tony visiting our deanery during the day and evening. More details to follow in the next newsletter South Scarle church refurb provides worship place and community space After months of closure, St Helena s Church, South Scarle, is re-opening its doors as both a refurbished place of worship and a community centre. The Bishop of Sherwood, the Rt Revd Tony Porter is presiding over the official dedication and blessing on Sunday 2 nd February at 12 noon. It will be an informal village event, followed by a buffet lunch, to which all are welcome. See full release at St Giles' Church, Edingley. All Age Services last year which are themed to be appropriate to the Church Calender and are well attended. We are pleased to report a very successful All Age Service to celebrate Plough Sunday when a local farmer David Brown made available one of his tractors in the field opposite the church which has been ploughed and sown with winter wheat. The service was followed by a Coffee Morning in The Old School Room (serving as the Village Hall) which is undergoing a renaissance to bring it up to standard. Our next all Age Service will be on February 9th at 9.00 a.m. to celebrate Candlemas followed by a Coffee Morning. Following this on March 9th at 9.00 a.m. 1st Sunday of Lent, a coffee morning will follow, no doubt pancakes will be available!

7 ASH WEDNESDAY March 5 th 8pm. A reminder that all are welcome to the Eucharistic and imposition of Ashes at Southwell Minster. ST MARY S CHURCH BLEASBY SOUP AND CHEESE LENT LUNCHES WILL BE HELD IN THE VILLAGE HALL, GYPSY LANE, BLEASBY, ON SATURDAYS 15TH AND 29TH MARCH AND 12TH APRIL FROM P.M. ALL PROCEEDS TO CHRISTIAN AID. EVERYONE WELCOME. The Friends of Holy Trinity Rolleston and Rolleston Village Hall Committee present Some Useful 2014 Dates for your Diaries A Quiz Night with Supper in Rolleston Village Hall on Saturday 8 th February at 7.30 pm With famous Quiz Master Mr Clive Wisdom of The Crown Inn 10 Tickets/Reserva ons available from: Bryan Northcote Julian Ellis Julian Richardson The Crown Inn Please book in advance. Supper: Pie and Peas with a Vegetarian Op on with bar Deanery Synod Meetings 5th Feb St Andrew s. Caunton 3rd June St Nicholas, Tuxford 16th October The Great Hall, Southwell Minster Churchwardens Visitation Service 21st May at Christ Church Newark Deanery Service 17th May at St Paulinus Ollerton 5.30 pm followed by Faith Supper Deanery Social Event 5th July Cream Tea in the Great Hall followed by Evensong at The Minster Deanery Confirmation Service 15th October 7.30 pm Holy Trinity, Southwell Deanery Roadshows - Watch this space for three events next year. They will headline Diocesan and Deanery vision - Living Worship, Growing Disciples and Seeking Justice Easter Services in the United Benefice of Farndon with Thorpe, Hawton & Cotham Maundy Thursday 7.30 pm Holy Communion St Peter s, Farndon Good Friday 2.00 pm Final Hour St Peter s Farndon Easter Saturday 7.00 pm Service of Light St Michael s Cotham Easter Day 9.30 am Easter Communion All Saints, Hawton am Easter Communion St Lawrence, Thorpe 6.15 pm Easter Communion St Peter s Farndon Check out Southwell Minster s website for more informa on org

8 Deanery Prayer The following churches are in vacancy in our deanery at the moment. If you would like to support them by a ending any of their services please contact the deanery office for more informa on on service mes. Please hold them in your prayers Most merciful God, our creator and redeemer, in bap sm 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 North & South Muskham Kelham Averham Useful Contact Information CMJ (UK) The Church s Ministry Among Jewish People This is an Anglican Mission Society based at Farnsfield, working to bring the Gospel to the Jewish people and teaching the Church about the Jewish roots to our faith. Saturday 1st March am to 5.00 pm (Coffee from am) Revd Lucy Cleland, Chaplain to the Bishop chaplain@southwell.anglican.org Diocesan Day Immanuel, God with us Mr Nigel Spraggins, Chief Executive Ce@southwell.anglican.org Archdeacon David Picken David.Picken@southwell.anglican.org Mrs Jo Padmore Executive Personal Assistant Jo.delves@southwell.anglican.org at St Helen s, Burton Joyce Lunch can be provided for 3. For further details contact the main office on or Jane janem@cmj.org.uk Newark & Southwell Deanery Leadership Team Area Dean: Revd David Milner Lay Chair; Mrs Penny Peterson Treasurer: Mr Mike Wilson Deanery Administrator: Mrs Louise Riley Deanery Office: 3 Marsh Lane, Farndon, Newark, No s, NG24 3SS Tel: nsdeaneryoffice@gmail.com Hours of Opening: Mondays, Tuesdays and Thursdays 9.30 ll 3pm