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May
2003
The
Easter Anthems
Christ
our passover has been sacrificed for us:
so
let us celebrate the feast,
not
with the old leaven of corruption and wickedness:
but
with the unleavened bread of sincerity and truth.
Christ
once raised from the dead dies no more:
death
has no more dominion over him.
In
dying he died to sin once for all:
in
living he lives to God.
See
yourselves therefore as dead to sin:
and
alive to God in Jesus Christ our Lord.
Christ
has been raised from the dead:
the
firstfruits of those who sleep.
For
as by man came death:
by
man has come also the resurrection of the dead;
for
as in Adam all die:
even
so in Christ shall all be made alive.
The
Easter Preface from ‘Common Worship’
It
is indeed right, our duty and our joy,
always
and everywhere to give you thanks,
almighty
and eternal Father,
and
in these days of Easter
to
celebrate with joyful hearts
the
memory of your wonderful works.
For
by the mystery of his passion
Jesus
Christ, your risen Son,
has
conquered the powers of death and hell
and
restored in men and women the image of your glory.
He
has placed them once more in paradise
and
opened to them the gate of life eternal.
And
so, in the joy of this Passover,
earth
and heaven resound with gladness,
while
angels and archangels and the powers of all creation
sing
for ever the hymn of your glory.
From
the
Ministry Team: May 2003
I
am writing this in the middle of Lent, the day the clocks went forward.
You
will be reading it after Easter, looking forward to the feast of the
Ascension.
I write looking out on to the daffodils in my garden but by the time
this is
published they will be gone. With the daffodils also come the memories
of my
Dad, whose last words to me were: ‘Your daffs are beautiful love’.
Three days
later, he too was gone.
Time.
What a strange thing it is. It marches relentlessly on but still
somehow
catches us by surprise so that we wonder what happened to yesterday, to
last
month, last year. We constantly worry about it; when we’re young we
can’t wait
to be older yet when we’re old we keep returning to those golden days
of our
youth when the world seemed to be a better place.
As
Christians however, there are two days about which we should never
worry. One
of those days is Yesterday. With all its cares and anxieties, with all
its
pains and losses, with all its faults and mistakes, yesterday has
passed
forever. We cannot unsay anything we said or undo anything we did. All
that
yesterday holds of life, of wrongs, regret and sorrow is now in the
hands of
God.
The
other day we should not worry about is Tomorrow, especially in these
difficult
days of war and tension. Tomorrow is as far beyond our mastery as was
yesterday. We know that whether the sun will rise in a rosy dawn or
hidden
beyond dark and heavy clouds, it will nevertheless rise. Tomorrow, like
yesterday is in God’s safe keeping.
That
leaves just one day of the week ... today. We
can fight the battles of today, we can make the most of
its opportunities, we can find strength enough to carry today‘s
burdens. The
difficulty comes when we try to add to those, the burdens of yesterday
and
tomorrow. Today is the day when we can do the best we can, value each
moment as
it comes and try to live as God would have us live.
I
have in my kitchen a small plaque which contains some words from an
ancient
Sanskrit poem. I reproduce the whole poem below as it sums up admirably
what I
am trying to say:
Look
to this day, for it is life, the very life of life. In its brief course
lie all
the realities and truths of existence; The joy of growth, the splendour
of
action, the glory of power. For yesterday is but a memory, and tomorrow
is only
a vision, but today well-lived makes every yesterday a dream of
happiness, and
every tomorrow a vision of hope. Look well therefore, to this day.
With
my love and prayers,
Joyce
Green
You
may have heard announced in church that at the end of May Joyce will
officially
retire from her Reader Ministry. She is not leaving the parish, we are
glad to
hear and will still be greatly involved in its life and ministry though
in a
different capacity. Although Joyce will finish her duties at the end of
May, her
last sermon will be on Sunday 13th July and after the service there
will be an
opportunity to thank her for her ministry here.
Fr
Neil
Saint
Faith’s
Holiday Club Fr. Neil
For
many years now, S. Mary‘s Waterloo has run a holiday club for some 60+
children
during the first week of the Summer holidays. It is great fun, so say
the
children! The helpers look forward to Friday night when it is all over!
However
we must enjoy it because we would like to run another one here at Saint
Faith’s
during the second week of the summer holidays. Many of the adults who
help at
S. Mary’s have agreed to help with one at Saint Faith’s but we do need
other
offers of help, please! It will be primarily for the young members of
our
Church, Sunday School, Uniformed Organisations and, we hope, those who
live in
the immediate area of the Church. If you wish to offer help please
speak to me
soon as all adults will need to be ‘police-checked’ in order to comply
with the
PCC’s ‘Protection for All’ policy. In all honesty, you will enjoy it.…
Trust
me, I‘m the Vicar!!
Sunday
4th May at 6pm
May
Devotions to the Blessed Virgin Mary
Festal
Evensong, Procession
and Benediction
Preacher:
Fr. Gregor Cuff
(Vicar,
S. John’s & Christ Church, Waterloo)
followed
by refreshment
Sunday
11th May
Vocations
Sunday
Preacher
at the 11am Sung Eucharist:
The Reverend
Madalaine Brady (S.
Maelog’s, Llanfaelog)
We
shall pray on this day for more Vocations to the priesthood
as
well as for those in training and preparing for Ordination,
including
Denise MacDougall.
Thursday
29th May
Ascension
Day
6.30am
HIGH MASS
followed
by breakfast in the Vicarage
7.30pm
Holy Eucharist (said) with hymns
Joint
PCC Away Day
Saturday
24th May at Saint Luke’s, Formby
Fr. Neil writes:
As
you will have seen in the Diary of Events there is an Away-Day for the
PCC.
This is nothing new, we have one each year. This year, however, we are
joining
with S. Mary’s. The idea came for this came from an evening in October,
a PCC
meal with informal discussion, and the subject of ‘the Church in the
future’
was discussed. There are
many important issues to be covered
and it was felt that as most churches are
addressing these
questions we should join forces
with S. Mary’s and have a joint venture.
So that all members of the congregation are put in the picture, the
format for
the day is as follows:
9.15am
Holy
Communion and Homily:
‘Decisions,
Debates and the Deanery Setting’
Preacher:
Canon David Parry (Area Dean of Bootle)
10am
Coffee
10.15am
First
Session: ‘Mission, Maintenance and Money Matters’
with
presentation by Ian Leadbetter,
Liverpool
Diocesan Resources Department
11.30am
Second
Session: ‘Where Have All the Younger People Gone?’
led
by Fr. Paul Robinson, Vicar of S. Thomas‘s Lydiate
(who
runs workshops for the Diocese on youth work)
12.45pm
Lunch
(we bring our own - drinks provided)
1.30pm
Final
session: ‘Where do we go now…?’
led
by Fr. Mark Waters
We
are starting slightly earlier than usual and hope to finish earlier
than usual
(previously 4pm!). However, as I‘m sure those elected to the PCC will
appreciate, these are important areas of church life that we are
discussing -
they are not trivial matters or matters that we can address in half an
hour. I
do ask you all to pray for the success of this day, and for those who
are
coming to assist with it. On your behalf there is a lot of hard work to
be
done, not just on this day, but in the months and years ahead. You have
elected
your PCC to serve the parish - please pray for them as they seek to
fulfil this
important task.
The
Saint Faith’s
Connection
Further to our
publishing some
details about the church of St Faith and St Laurence, Harborne, last
month,
George Smith adds a footnote.
There was, he
reminds us, briefly
a closer link between the two churches. Dennis Bury, a former curate
here at St
Faith’s, left us in Autumn 1972 to go on a course at Aston University,
Birmingham. He and his family lived in Harborne and attended the church
of St
Faith and St Laurence, where Dennis helped out. It is indeed a small
world.…
Table Sale Joyce Green
This
year‘s sale will be on Saturday 14th June at 12-30 p.m. Once again we
are
appealing to you for items to sell in aid of church funds.
Almost
any (small) items will be acceptable, but not items of furniture. Toys,
bric-a-brac, china, glassware, video tapes, etc are all items which
will sell.
Please keep hold of them until the week of the sale and then we can
arrange to
pick them up if necessary.
Thank
you for your help, let‘s hope we can make a few hundred pounds again
this year.
Sunday
1st June
Saint
Mary’s
Patronal Festival
10.30am
FESTIVAL EUCHARIST
followed by BBQ lunch
Celebrant
and Preacher: The
Right Reverend Ian Stuart
At
S. Mary’s we took the decision last year to move our Patronal Festival
from 8th
September (The Birthday of the BVM) to 31st May (The Feast of the
Visitation of
the BVM to Elizabeth). This means there is some space between the two
Patronals
in the United Benefice rather than having both within a month of each
other! As
usual there will be no service at S. Faith’s on this day and we shall
celebrate
jointly at S. Mary‘s. What is the Feast of the Visitation, some may ask?
The
book ‘Exciting Holiness’ (collects and readings for Church of England
festivals) says:
‘The
church today recalls the visit of Elizabeth to her cousin Mary, as
recorded in
Luke’s gospel. The celebration of the feast first occurred at a
Franciscan
Order General Chapter in 1263 but quickly spread throughout Europe.
Since it is
a celebration clearly described in the gospel, the churches of the
Reformation
were less inclined to proscribe it as they were other Marian feasts,
particularly as it was the occasion for Mary to sing her great hymn of
praise
in honour of her Lord and God. Just as Luke sees John the Baptist as
the last
of the prophets of the old covenant, he uses John‘s leaping in
Elizabeth‘s womb
as the first time John bears witness to Christ as the promised Messiah.
Thereby
he links the old covenant with the new. He seems to be saying that just
as the
old covenant clearly points to Jesus, so does its last prophet, yet to
be
born.’
Retreating to
Yorkshire
David
Jones
A Parish Weekend away at an
isolated country
estate in Yorkshire sounds very attractive - but in silence? There is very little silence in our
modern life so perhaps we need to make the most of it.
So it was that a
group of us
headed for Parcevall Hall at the delightfully named Appletreewick near
Skipton
for a two night stay at the Diocese of Bradford‘s Retreat Centre. To quote the Centre’s booklet, the Hall
‘offers the comfort of an old house, the peace of a rural situation and
the
scenic beauty of Wharfedale’.
The theme for the
weekend was ‘Escape
to Captivity: Religion and the Christian Way’ and was led by Fr.
Michael
Channell from Cirencester. After
dinner on Friday, we started the silent period which lasted until lunch
on
Sunday. No television, no mobile
phones. Bliss!
The retreat
focused on a series
of addresses, the first of which was based on Luke 15, vv 11 to the end. We had five addresses in all and the
others were based on:
Philippians 3, vv 7-14
Mark 4, vv 35-41
Ephesians 6, vv 10-18 and
John 21, vv 15-19.
We had a Eucharist
on Saturday
morning and Compline in the evening, concluding with the Eucharist on
Sunday
morning. The services took place
in the Hall’s chapel.
Saturday afternoon
was free and
most of us took the opportunity to explore the countryside, go walking
or go
into Skipton itself (only a few miles away). Half
a dozen of us went off to Bolton Abbey (the Duke of
Devonshire’s estate) alongside the River Wharfe where we enjoyed a
brisk walk
in the spring sunshine and explored the Priory Parish Church. We have the photographs to prove it!
We were very well
looked after
with good food and comfortable accommodation and the weather was
glorious. But the weekend was much more
than
that. It was a time of reflection,
of prayer and of being in communion with our fellow Christians. Not
everyone
found the silence comfortable but, for me, it worked and gave me time
to
pause.
Last year, our
retreat leader
told us that he tries to hang pictures round the walls of our mind‘. It‘s a lovely idea and it works very
well. I‘m already looking forward
to next year‘s Retreat. Come and
join us.
October Flower
Festival
Mary Crooke
There
will be a meeting on Thursday 22nd May at 8pm in the Upper
Room to plan our forthcoming Flower Festival. It is a long way
off, but
things need to be set in motion.
We
will need, as well as lots of flower arrangers, people to help
with publicity, fetching & carrying, some cleaning and minor
carpentry.
During the festival itself stewards will be needed, and also
refreshment
providers.
Do
please come along and bring your ideas and suggestions.
POEMS
FOR EASTERTIDE
A
selection of less familiar
poems to mark the Queen of Festivals
Oh Death where is thy Sting?
The
tomb, the tomb, that
Was
her core and care, her one sore.
The
light had hardly scarleted the dark
Or
the first bird sung when Mary came in sight
With
eager feet. Grief, like last night's frost,
Whitened
her face and tightened all her tears.
It
was there, then, there at the blinding turn
Of
the bare future that she met her past.
She
only heard his Angel tell her how
The
holding stone broke open and gave birth
To
her dear Lord, and how his shadow ran
To
meet him like a dog.
And
as the sun
Burns
through the simmering muslins of the mist
Slowly
his darkened voice, that seemed like doubt,
Morninged
into noon; the summering bees
Mounted
and boiled over in the bell-flowers.
‘Come
out of your jail, Mary,’ he said, ‘the doors are open
And
joy has its ear cocked for your coming.
Earth
now is no place to mope in. So throw away
Your
doubt, cast every clout of care,
Hang
all your hallelujahs out
This
airy day.’
W.
R. Rogers
Easter
Folk-Song
To
hear a far cock crowing
At
midnight is not well:
When
up and crew the black cock.
The
demon plumed with hell,
The
night before Good Friday
Great
tears from Peter fell.
Its
malice and its gloating
Went
through him like a sword
Recalling
how the third time
He
had denied his Lord.
But
the cock of Easter Sunday
Crowing
at first light,
The
white cock plumed with heaven,
Gold
sheen among the white,
Sets
every bell-throat singing
And
heart’s bell with delight.
But
none sang more than Peter’s,
Who
knew so well, so well
His
risen Lord forgave him
And
the black cock down in hell.
Geoffrey
Johnson
Words
for a
Resurrection
Each
pale Christ stirring underground
Splits
the brown casket of its root,
Where
from the rousing soil upthrusts
A
narrow, pointed shoot.
And
bones long quiet under frost
Rejoice
as bells precipitate
The
loud, ecstatic sundering,
The
hour inviolate.
This
Man of April walks again —
Such
marvel does the time allow -
With
laughter in His blessed bones,
And
lilies on his brow.
Leo
Kennedy
The
Resurrection
I
was the one who waited in the garden
Doubting
the morning and the early light
I
watched the mist lift off its own soft burden
Permitting
not believing my own sight .
If
there were sudden noises I dismissed
Them
as a trick of light, a sleight of hand
Not
by a natural joy could I be blessed
Or
trust a thing I could not understand.
Maybe
I was a shadow thrown by one
Who,
weeping, came to lift away the stone
Or
was I but the path on which the sun
Too
heavy for itself, was loosed and thrown?
I
heard the voices and the recognition
And
love like kisses heard behind thin walls.
Were
they my tears which fell, a real contrition?
Or
simply April with its waterfalls?
It
was by negatives I learned my place.
The
garden went on growing and I sensed
A
sudden breeze that blew across my face
Despair
returned, but now it danced, it danced.
Elizabeth
Jennings
Easter
Morning
Most
glorious Lord of life, that on this day
Didst
make Thy triumph over death and sin
And
having harrowed hell didst bring again
Captivity
thence captive, us to win;
This
joyous day, dear Lord, with joy begin,
And
grant that we, for whom Thou diddest die,
Being
with Thy dear blood clean washed from sin,
And
that Thy love we weighing worthily,
May
likewise love Thee for the same again;
And
for Thy sake that all like dear didst buy,
With
love may one another entertain.
So
let us love, dear love, like as we ought;
Love
is the lesson which the Lord us taught.
Edmund
Spenser
Easter
Rise,
heart; thy Lord is risen. Sing His praise
Without
delayes,
Who
takes thee by the hand, that thou likewise
With
Him mayst rise:
That,
as His death calcined thee to dust,
His
life may make thee gold, and much more, just.
Awake,
my lute, and struggle for thy part
With
all thy art.
The
crosse taught all wood to resound His name
Who
bore the same.
His
stretched sinews taught all strings, what key
Is
best to celebrate this most high day.
Consort
both heart and lute, and twist a song
Pleasant
and long:
Or
since all musick is but three parts vied
And
multiplied;
O
let Thy blessed Spirit bear a part,
And
make up our defects with His sweet art.
George
Herbert
In Memory of a Small
Boy
Margaret
Haughton
A
few weeks ago I heard the devastating news that Emmanuel Dzantenge had
been
drowned in a flooded earthworks pit near to his school, following
torrential
rains. Never has a small boy touched the hearts of so many people in
his short
life.
We
first met the Dzantenge family in Mtunthama, Malawi, in 2000, where
Frank is
the priest in charge of All Saint’s Church. During our visit Rachel,
their
twenty month old daughter, died of malaria. Now they have lost their
remaining
son, who indeed was an exceptional child. Not only was he outstandingly
intelligent, at seven he had gained grade four in school, which meant
his
classmates were averaging an age of probably twelve upwards, but he was
caring,
loving and above all the happiest child I have ever met.
We all looked forward to great things
for Emmanuel and for Malawi, as we believed he had the ability and care
to help
improve the conditions in his country, as he grew older.
Emmanuel
came to England in December 2001 with his parents Frank and Eunice, on
a trip
of a lifetime, and many in St Faith’s, where we of course support them
through
the Medic Malawi project, will remember his happy presence.
Now
all we, and his devastated parents, have, are the treasured memories of
Emmanuel; particularly when he and my small grandson ran, chased and
laughed,
playing in the energetic way natural to small boys and after just a
short time
of meeting Charlie referred to Emmanuel as ‘my friend’.
I
know that Frank and Eunice take comfort in knowing that friends
throughout this
country join with them in their grief and welcome the support of our
prayers.
Emmanuel’s
laughter will ever ring in my head.
From his bed of pain, Fr Dennis, who now has
time to read The Times
from cover to cover, has sent us what he terms this unusual ‘Thought
for
Ascensiontide.’
Pope Endorses
Saint’s Aerial Ecstasy
Richard Owen
writes for ‘The Times‘ from
Rome on an entertaining story, which was not datelined April 1st. (Ed.)
The Pope has
endorsed the cult of a 17th
century ‘flying monk’, declaring St Joseph of Copertino to be a ‘model for our times’.
In a message
marking the 400th anniversary
of the birth of St Joseph, the Pope said that the Franciscan friar, who
was
said to amaze congregations by levitating and flying through the air,
was
spiritually close to our times. He is the patron saint of aviators and
students.
The son of a
carpenter, St Joseph was born
in 1603, allegedly in a stable, at Copertino, and was ordained in 1628
despite
being so illiterate and simple-minded, according to contemporaries,
that he
walked around with his mouth open all the time, earning him the
nickname ‘the
Gaper’.
His reputation for
flying brought Vatican
disapproval and he was forbidden to say Mass. But he found refuge in
monasteries and churches and became famous for his ‘flights’.
Witnesses record
that after falling into
an ecstatic trance, St Joseph would utter a loud cry and soar into the
air,
sometimes flying down the nave and sometimes flying out of the church
and
across the hills for several miles.
He was put on
trial by the Inquisition,
but when he flew over the heads of his inquisitors, the judges referred
the
case directly to Pope Urban VIII. The Pope dropped the case after
apparently
witnessing an ‘ecstatic flight’. Numerous important people, including
Frederick, Duke of Brunswick, and Prince Casimir of Poland testified to
having
seen the flights.
After his death in
1663, he became the
object of a popular cult, was beatified in 1753 and canonised in 1767.
Fr Giuli
Berrettoni, curator of St Joseph‘s sanctuary, called him one of the
great
enigmas of all time. He said the lesson for the modern world was ‘that
we, too,
must fly towards Heaven’.
Prayers
of
Thanksgiving
for
the
Resurrection
Lord
of all life and power,
who
through the mighty resurrection of your Son
overcame
the old order of sin and death
to
make all things new in him:
grant
that we, being dead to sin
and
alive to you in Jesus Christ,
may
reign with him in glory;
to
whom with you and the Holy Spirit
be
praise and honour, glory and might,
now
and in all eternity. Amen.
Almighty
Father,
you
have given your only Son to die for our sins
and
to rise again for our justification:
grant
us so to put away the leaven of malice and wickedness
that
we may always serve you
in
pureness of living and truth;
through
the merits of your Son Jesus Christ our Lord,
who
is alive and reigns with you,
in
the unity of the Holy Spirit,
one
God, now and for ever. Amen.
Almighty
Father,
who
in your great mercy gladdened the disciples
with
the sight of the risen Lord:
give
us such knowledge of his presence with us,
that
we may be strengthened and sustained
by
his risen life
and
serve you continually in righteousness and truth;
through
Jesus Christ your Son our Lord,
who
is alive and reigns with you,
in
the unity of the Holy Spirit,
one
God, now and for ever. Amen.
From the
Registers
Holy Baptism
6
April Ashley-Jane
Brownbill
Holly-Mo
Brownbill
daughters
of Robert and Helen
Ethan
John Trodden-Harrison
son
of Sean and Susan
Ambria
Matthews
daughter
of Calvin and Donna
Sean
Alexander Trodden
son
of John and Tina
A Poem of Light
O
Light invisible we praise Thee!
Too
bright for mortal vision.
O
Greater Light we praise Thee for the less;
The
eastern light our spires touch at morning,
The
light that slants upon our western doors at evening,
The
twilight over stagnant pools at batflight
Moon
light and star light, owl and moth light,
Glow-worm
glowlight on a grassblade.
O
Light Invisible, we worship Thee!
We
thank Thee for the lights that we have kindled,
The
light of altar and of sanctuary;
Small
lights of those who meditate at midnight
And
lights directed through the coloured panes of windows
And
light reflected from the polished stone,
The
gilded carved wood, the coloured fresco.
Our
gaze is submarine, our eyes look upward
And
see the light that fractures through unquiet water.
We
see the light but see not whence it comes.
O
Light Invisible, we glorify Thee!
A Message from
Fr Dennis
Recovery from hip
surgery, and the
inevitable restrictions and frustrations that ensue, has been a most
humbling
experience, and has provided a personal learning curve comparable to
none I
have known. Throughout this period I have been profoundly conscious of
God’s
grace, and of being surrounded by many thoughts, prayers and good
wishes which
have sustained me and for which I am enormously grateful.
The cards, gifts,
telephone messages and
visits have provided an immense and invaluable source of strength,
cheer, encouragement
and support. I look forward to being back in harness‘ at both church
and
school before long, and greatly appreciate the kindness, care and love
showered
upon me by so many, not least the dedicated nursing staff of
Wrightington
Hospital and the wonderful sisters and care staff of Ince Blundell
Hall. Thanks
be to God.
FOOTNOTE(!) Readers will be glad to hear of Fr Dennis‘s
successful
operation and good recovery. Since moving to Ince Blundell Convalescent
Home he
has been cossetted in the most opulent surroundings imaginable, and
predictably
well fed and watered. His drinks cupboard is legendary, as is the stock
of
sandwiches in a secret cupboard for those little between-meals snacks.
As the
irreverently-captioned photosn at the back of church show, he is being
waited
on hand and foot... We look forward to his return at Eastertide. Ed.
Is
this the Word of
the Lord? Fr
Neil
On
four Mondays in June we are having a series of Bible Studies relating
the
Scriptures to contemporary issues. Bible studies aren’t everyone’s cup
of tea!
How many of you read the scriptures regularly? How many of you
understand what
is read in Church each week? Are you bothered? The Scriptures together
with the
Sacramental life of the Church form an important part of our lives. And
yet it
is so easy to dismiss parts of the Bible because we feel they have no
relevance
to life as it is today.
I
remember going to celebrate mass at a Church south of the river
(Thames). One
of the set readings in the ASB for that particular Sunday wasn’t very
Politically Correct. I can’t remember what it was, possibly something
S. Paul
said about women in church - anyhow it doesn‘t matter. The PCC of that
particular church had decided that S. Paul at best hadn’t really said
whatever
it was he allegedly said, or at least he meant something different!
Aren’t some
people clever! And so they decided not to say ‘This is the word of the
Lord’ at
the end. Let’s be honest - there are many parts of the scriptures we
might like
to avoid or ignore. But they are there. There is a difference in ‘not
liking’
and ‘not understanding’. It is a dangerous thing just to lift words out
of the
scriptures and take them literally. That is why Bible studies are
important.
They try to help us understand the setting, the history of the people
at the
time and their culture, and of course the difficult task of applying
that to
our world today.
Sadly,
the scriptures are used and abused. In any debate, both sides of the
argument
will seek to back up what they say with references to Holy Scriptures.
The fact
that both sides of any argument can find specific quotes from scripture
to back
up their claims - that in itself tells us what a complex business
understanding
the scriptures is.
In
any major debate, the Church of England has not just taken words of
Scripture
alone in an argument; she has always approached debate from three
directions.
Scripture, Tradition and Reason. We have to approach the Scriptures
with
humility. Much as we hate to admit it (especially when we have a vested
interest in a particular matter) we might have it wrong! It is alleged
that the
current Archbishop of York (who does not himself ordain women to the
priesthood
but does not deny others doing so) has said over the that matter, ‘I
know where
I stand, but the marvellous thing about the Christian faith is that I’m
allowed
to admit when I have got it wrong!’ Perhaps if we had a bit more
humility when
debating a particular issue the Church might be a more charitable place!
More
details of these Bible Studies will be published in next month’s
‘Newslink’ but
for the moment please put the dates in your diary and watch this space.
Any
offers of a venue most welcome.
Monday 2nd, 9th, 16th & 23rd June at 8pm.
Saturday Open
Days and Recitals
The
2003 series of Open Days and Recitals at St Faith‘s begins on Saturday,
April
26th and continues weekly throughout the summer. The church is open
from 11.00
am to 1.00 pm (although only until the end of the recital on April
26th) and
refreshments are on sale. The free recitals for the first few weeks are
given
by:
Stephen
Hargreaves (organ)
April
26th
Neil
Preston (classical guitar)
May
3rd
April
Johnson (violin) & friends
May
10th
Tayo
Aluka (bass)
May
17th
James
Firth (piano)
May
24th
Iain
Harvey (organ)
May
31st
There
are still some gaps in the catering/welcoming rotas for these events:
please
sign up the list at the back of the church if you can help.
Autumn Fund
Raising
There
will be an open meeting on Monday 1st May at 8pm to make plans for the
Autumn
Bazaar and Auction. All are welcome. Come along with your suggestions
and
ideas. New people particularly welcome - please don’t leave it to the
same
people each year. We need fresh ideas and fresh offers of help, please!