12/14 december

Christmas Servicespage 7

The Parish of Holcombe and Hawkshaw - December 2014

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Notice SheetsIf you have any announcements for inclusion in the leaflet which is given out at services eachSunday:

Contact: Alex Percy - [email protected]

Editorial: Stephen Newhouse - [email protected]. 01706 412657Copy to can be handed to Stephen Newhouse, Michael Burton at Holcombe, Alex Percy

Emmanuel Church Centre or to Margaret Yates at Hawkshaw, or can be handed in at any serviceby the

10th of the month prior to publication.Note: The editor would be grateful for copy by e mail, or on disc, but typed or hand written

contributions are always welcome.

All correspondence will be assumed for publication unless you specify otherwise. Contributions maybe edited. Ideas and opinions expressed in contributions are not necessarily those of the editor.

Emmanuel Church,Holcombe,

Ramsbottom,Bury,

Greater Manchester.BL8 4NB

Emmanuel Church Centre

&

Canon Lewis Hall,Longsight Road,Holcombe Brook,

Ramsbottom,Bury,

Greater Manchester.BL8 4DB

St Mary,Hawkshaw,

Bury,Greater Manchester.

BL8 4JN

Rev. Paul Sumsion,The Vicarage,Bolton Road,Hawkshaw,Bury,BL8 4JN01204 888 060.

SMALL GRANTSAVAILABLE

Do you know anyone struggling to meetessential needs? Help may be available.

Visit this website for further information.http://www.bbrtrust.co.uk or contact

Rev. Paul Sumsion 01204 888060

http://maps.google.co.uk/maps?q=53.623887,-2.3282&num=1&t=h&sll=53.624701,-2.328842&sspn=0.006295,0.006295&gl=uk&ie=UTF8&ll=53.623823,-2.328265&spn=0.006249,0.022638&z=16


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Dear Friends,During the past month I had the greatprivilege of visiting Israel/Palestine on apilgrimage with the three bishops, about tenclergy and fifty lay members of the Dioceseof Manchester. I found it a most inspirationaltrip on a variety of levels. I rememberthinking on our first night by the shore of theSea of Galilee that this was the same bit ofwater that Peter fished at all night and caughtnothing… and right there in the blackness waswhere he didn’t catch it! (a sort of reversefishing tale…).

One of our destinations was the town ofBethlehem. We found a cave where shepherdswould have looked after their sheep in timesof old. We saw sheep on the hillside opposite.And we visited the place of Christ’s birth.

When Mary and Joseph made it toBethlehem they found the place busy andcrowded… in that respect it hasn’t changed.But now there is an Orthodox church plantedover the site of the stable, and down in thecrypt a star on the floor marks the place whereGod was born as a baby. With the bustle ofpilgrims, travellers and officials this crowdedbasement would now be a place where the innkeeper might now have said, ‘Sorry, no roomhere either…’, and yet it marks the start of

Jesus’ earthly pilgrimage to bring peace tothe world. As Paul puts it in Romans 5: ‘Wehave peace with God through our LordJesus Christ’.

Leaving Bethlehem through acheckpoint in the forty foot high concretewall we were reminded that there is a wayto go before peace on earth is seen in everysense. Yet at Christmas we remember thatas God walks with us on earth he has cometo bring a peace that the world cannot give.

The Advent Sunday prayer puts it likethis:

Lord Jesus, light of the world,Born in David’s city of Bethlehem,Born like him to be a king:Be born in our hearts at Christmas,Be king of our lives today. Amen.

With my prayers for every blessing andpeace with God this Advent & Christmas.

Revd. Paul Sumsion

Lord Jesus, light of the world

http://maps.google.co.uk/maps?q=53.623887,-2.3282&num=1&t=h&sll=53.624701,-2.328842&sspn=0.006295,0.006295&gl=uk&ie=UTF8&ll=53.623823,-2.328265&spn=0.006249,0.022638&z=16


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3rd December

BirinusAn apostle to West Saxons

With the national HOPE initiative spreading,hundreds of our churches are currentlyinvolved in mission across the UK. If it istough going at times, we should spare athought for poor Birinus, a priest fromLombard, who was sent here on his own 14centuries ago. Pope Honorius 1 gave him thedaunting task of being the apostle to Wessex.

It was about 635 that Birinus first sailedacross the Channel. He planned to convert allof Wessex, and then press on into theMidlands, where no Christian preacher hadever yet been. But once he began his ministryin Wessex, Birinus found the West Saxons sopagan that he decided he had better just stayamong them.

So Birinus began his ministry, endlesslytravelling around Wessex, and preaching towhomever he encountered. Gradually hebecame known, and his message began toseep through.

Then a great breakthrough occurred: theKing of Wessex, Cynegils, asked Birinus forinstruction in the Christian faith. His daughterwas going to marry Oswald, the Christianking of Northumbria, and for political reasonsCynegils now wanted to convert. So Birinustaught and baptised Cynegils and his family,and in return they gave him the Romano-British town of Dorchester as his see, andBirinus became the first bishop of Dorchester.

It was an excellent strategic move:Dorchester was on a main road and river inthe centre of an area of dense Anglo-Saxon

settlement. From his new ‘headquarters’,Birinus spent his last 15 years going on tobuild many churches around Wessex, and tobaptise many people. Towards the end of hislife Birinus dedicated a church at Winchester,which later became the ecclesiastical centre ofthe kingdom. (There is no record of Wessexbishops at Dorchester after 660.)

Any lesson in all this? Bloom where Godplants you, and be faithful to your calling,however tough things may look at first.Birinus’ obedience and faith plantedChristianity in a key part of Britain, and sohelped shape British history for centuries tocome.

Light travels faster than sound... which is why most people appear brilliant until you hear them.


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THE GREAT WAR: AND THECONSEQUENCE WAS . . .Some of you will remember the old partygame of ‘Consequences’. Armed with penciland paper participants added various steps to asequence of risible events, culminating in therequirement to answer this question: ‘And theconsequence was?’ Well, mostly that wasanother laugh, but in real life consequences ofour actions are not always funny, andsometimes they are disastrous. The world is fullof unexpected consequences, personal, socialand political.

That seems to be the story of the end of theGreat War. The guns fell silent on 11th

November 1918, but the consequences of thatappalling conflict have rumbled and echoed onthrough the history of Europe ever since. Theproblems seem to have stemmed from the‘peace process’ itself. After the Armistice, therewere months of negotiations culminating in theTreaty of Versailles, which was finally signedon the 29th of June 1919.

The conditions of the Treaty, largelydictated by the victorious Allies of course, wereintended to ensure that Germany would be inno position in the foreseeable future to embarkon military aggression. Kaiser Wilhelm was togo into exile. The German army was to belimited to 100,000 men, with no artillery, tanksor aircraft and her navy reduced to only eightsea-going ships - with no submarines. TheRhineland would be occupied by the Allies forfifteen years and Alsace-Lorraine was returnedto France.

Other parts of Germany were ceded toPoland and all the overseas territories wereshared between the Allies. Probably worst of allwere the swinging financial reparations whichGermany had to pay for the damage she hadinflicted on Belgium, France and elsewhere.

Effectively, theGerman economy wasleft in ruins.

Very soon, this ledto the collapse of theDeutschmark.Hyperinflationfollowed in the earlyyears of the nineteen-twenties. By 1923 aloaf of bread cost two billion marks! Theweek’s pay devalued overnight and familieswere literally starving. Not surprisingly therewas public disorder and strikes, and America -the only major economy to survive the warunscathed - felt bound to come to her rescue,pumping money into the German economy.

The Wall Street Crash of 1929 put an end tothat, paving the way for an unscrupulous andambitious politician called Adolf Hitler to offeran authoritarian way out - National Socialism,as he called it. Singling out the German Jews as’the problem’ - he’d learnt that tactic 20 yearsearlier in his native Austria - the hideous era ofthe Hitler Youth, the Nuremberg Rallies,Kristallnacht and Belsen began. Hitler built theautobahns and made the trains run on time, buthe also prepared a whole nation for war and didhis best to eliminate the Jewish peoplealtogether.

And the consequence was? Well, take yourchoice, but the Second World War is the mostobvious, and the mass emigration of Jews totheir old homeland was another. There was,perhaps, a better consequence, too. At the endof World War II Churchill demanded‘Unconditional Surrender’ by the Axis powers,but he also counselled ‘magnanimity invictory’. The lesson of 1919 had been learnt.Germany and Japan were defeated, but nothumiliated, and the world now is a rather saferplace . . . as a consequence.

Computers are like air-conditioners: both stop working, if you open windows.


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2nd DecemberAdvent service at Hewlett Court

4th DecemberDiocesan Advent Carol Service

1.15 pm St Ann, Manchester.

16th DecemberLunch at Sykeside

Country House Hotel.12 noon for 12.30 pm.

24th DecemberCrib Service,Emmanuel Church

commencing 2.30 pm.

IN JANUARY the year’s subscriptionsare once again due!

Please pay the delivery person whenthe January edition is delivered.

Remember the Diocesan Magazine“Crux” can also to delivered eachmonth. Find out what is happeningthroughout Manchester.

Annual Rates: Messenger: £3.60 Crux: £3.00

6th DecemberSaturday

Reception with mince piesand sherry

7.00pm for 7.30pm

Words andMusic forChristmas.

Entertainment for theChristmas period.

A Parish EventEveryone welcome

£4.00Canon Lewis Hall/ Emmanuel

Church Centre.

Tickets: at each Worship Centre.

TEAM: Together Everyone Achieves More.


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Sunday 21st December6.30pm - Carol Service

Emmanuel, Holcombe.

Wednesday 24th December2.30pm - Crib ServiceEmmanuel , Holcombe.

6.30pm - Carol ServiceSt Mary, Hawkshaw

11.30pm Holy Communion (1662)Emmanuel, Holcombe.

Thursday 25th DecemberChristmas Day

9.30am - Holy CommunionEmmanuel Church Centre.

9.30am. - Family Communion St Mary, Hawkshaw.

10.00am. - Family CommunionEmmanuel, Holcombe.

Matthew 1:21-23 She will bear a son, and you shall call his name Jesus, for hewill save his people from their sins.” All this took place to fulfil what the Lordhad spoken by the prophet: “Behold, the virgin shall conceive and bear a son,and they shall call his name Emmanuel” (which means, God with us).

Sunday 14th DecemberMessy Church 3.30pm

Come celebrate the joy of the season! This Christmas we invite you to join us to remember again the great story

of Christ’s birth and to meet him in worship.We hope you will be able to join us at the following events and services.

Monday 15th December2.00pm Carol ServiceEmmanuel Church Centre.

When the power of love overcomes the love of power, then the world will know peace. (Jimi Hendrix)


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Hunger threatens toundermine Ebolaquarantine measures

The risk of hunger and malnutrition withinEbola-hit communities in West Africa isthreatening to undermine the effectiveness ofquarantine measures and, with it, the widerEbola response, warns Christian Aid.

As the rate of infection continues to rise,Christian Aid is calling on the internationalcommunity to address the problem of foodinsecurity for over a million people inquarantine in Sierra Leone. As Christian Aidexplains: “If you are a parent with hungrychildren, then you have no choice but to thinkabout your day-to-day survival, and in orderto survive, families in Sierra Leone are havingto break quarantine in order to earn moneyand buy food.

“Governments and aid agencies mustrecognise that quarantine will only beeffective if those who are isolated areguaranteed a sufficient and constant supply ofnutritious food and clean water.” The WorldFood Programme has begun providingemergency food assistance to over a millionpeople across Guinea, Sierra Leone andLiberia.

Can you help? Go to:www.christianaid.org.uk/emergencies/current/ebola-crisis-appeal

A prayer for thoseinfected with EbolaIsaiah 45:1-7

Lord of life,The death rate is too high, the survival rate

is too low.Open the doors to life to those infected,Close the gates of death to those on the

threshold.

You are the Lord and there is no other.May those who grieve hear you call them

by name,Beckoning them to an abundant life that

seems so distant just now,Form light out of this darkness, make weal

out of this woe.

You are the Lord and there is no other.From the rising of the sun and from the

westWe know that there is no one besides you.In your mercy, hear these our prayers we

can utter,and those that are beyond words.

You are the Lord and there is no other.Amen.

My troubles melt away before a fervent prayer – like snow before the sun. St John Vianney

www.christianaid.org.uk/emergencies/current/ebola-crisis-appeal




9Those who can't laugh at themselves leave the job to others.





10

Grange Over Sands

25th - 27th September

2016There are three kinds of people: those who can count, and those who can't.


11Toothache: the pain that drives you to extraction, even on Christmas Day.

It’s that time ofyear and we aregoing on touragain.

As well as ourusual weeklyassembly at

Holcombe Brook Primary, on the 9th

December, we are also performing at St.Mary Primary, Hawkshaw at 9am and then atEmmanuel Holcombe Primary at 11am.

If you would like to join the “team” in theNew Year, there is a planning meeting on

5th January at Emmanuel Church Centre at10am.

Speak to Sheila Partridge 01204 882459or Gwyneth Settle 01204 884310 if you need any information.

Church rulesSix year-old

Angie and her four-year-old brother Joelsat together for theChristmas concert inchurch. Joel keptgiggling andwhispering until hisbig sister had had

enough. “Be quiet in church!”“Why?” Joel

demanded. “Who isgoing to make me?”Angie pointed to theback of the church andsaid: “See those twobig men standing at thedoor? They’rehushers.”

Father ChristmasOf course, I had expected that by the

age of seven it wasinevitable thatmy son wouldbegin to haveseriousthoughts aboutFatherChristmas. Sureenough, one daynear Christmas he suddenly said: “Mum, Iknow something about Father Christmas,the Easter Bunny and the Tooth Fairy.”Taking a deep breath, I asked him what thatmight be. “Easy,” he said, “They are allnocturnal.”


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1st Tuesday(2nd December) 7.30pm.

32 Moorway, Hawkshaw

1st Tuesday(2nd December) 10 - 11am.


2nd Thursday(11th November) 2.00pm


3rd TuesdayNone this month


Monday 15th December2.00pm Carol Service

Emmanuel Church Centre.An opportunity for Hall users,

congregation, neighbours and friends toworship and celebrate together.

Hall Things Brightand Beautiful

You are invited to a

MurderMysteryEvening

at the Canon Lewis Hallon New Year’s Eve 2014.

There will be food, dancing,Murder and Mystery – but

B.Y.O.B

7.30pm until late.Tickets £9 or £7.50 concessions.

Children welcome and free entry ifsitting on laps. BYOB but all guests willget a free glass of fizz at midnight. [email protected] for more details.Hope to see you there.

“Hall Things Bright and Beautiful” is aCommunity Gardening Project, dedicatedto improving and developing the landaround Canon Lewis Hall in HolcombeBrook.

Check out the Facebook page for moreinformation and photos.

Hall-Things-Bright-Beautiful-CLH


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Prayer FocusThe year has rolled round again to December with Adventand Christmas to celebrate!The first heralding one of the greatest events in history and theother acknowledging the birth of Christianity.

We are all wiser with hindsight and we therefore have the privilege as recipients ofsuch Good News to know and begin to understand where our faith was born, literally.Jesus was a Jew but one so special that He lived life, not as a high profile prophet butas a very ordinary man, experiencing life at the cutting edge. As a babe, He wasconceived in circumstances that were controversial to those around. He became arefugee as an infant and no stranger to rebuke as a teenager (when He went missing forthree days on a return pilgrimage from the Temple in Jerusalem).

His ministry ruffled quite a few feathers among the priesthood and He questionedauthority when it strayed from His Father's intention. But His history and ministry arealive and as vital now as when He first attracted attention with His preaching, teachingand example.

As we prepare for His coming birthday on December twenty fifth, with all itsexcuses for parties and exchange of visits and gifts, we perhaps need to spend a fewquiet times in Advent in prayer and reflection about how His message affects us andour attitude towards living today.

Maybe we could ponder its significance by being open to the thought that,

Jesus isn't just for Christmas. He is for Life ------ with a capital L. Gloria.


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9.30am Holy Communion CW(2 Peter 3 v8 - 15a; Mark 1 v1 - 8).

Rev’d Robert Airey.

Thursday 11th December 2.00pm Holy Communion

Rev’d Paul Sumsion.

Sunday 28th December The First Sunday of Christmas

9.30am Holy Communion CW(1 Corinthians 1 v26 - 29;Matthew 2 v13 - 18 ).

Rev’d Robert Airey & Michael Burton.

Sunday 7th December The Second Sunday of Advent

Sunday 21st December The Fourth Sunday of Advent

9.30am Morning Worship (Communion) - Groups(Romans 16 v25 to end;Luke 1 v26 - 38 ).

Rev’d Paul Sumsion & Rev’d Robert Airey.

Sunday 14th December The Third Sunday of Advent

9.30am Morning Worship(1 Thessalonians 5 v16 - 24;John 1 v6-8 & 19 - 28).

Rev’d Paul Sumsion. Messy Church at Emmanuel, Holcombe this month only.

Thursday 25th December

Christmas Day 9.30am Holy Communion CW

(John 1 v1 - 14;John 1 v1 - 14 ). Rev’d Vic. Fletcher.

See page 7 for other services and events


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Emmanuel, Holcombe

8.00am Holy Communion 1662(2 Peter 3 v8 - 15a; Mark 1 v1 - 8) Rev’d Paul Sumsion.

11.00am Family Service(Mark 1 v1 - 8). Michael Burton & Rev’d Robert Airey

11.00am Holy Communion 1662(1 Thessalonians 5 v16 - 24; John 1 v6-8 & 19 - 28)

Michael Burton & Rev’d Paul Sumsion.

3.30pm Messy Church followed at 5pm by Christingle Service. See page 7 for details.

11.00am Family Service with Baptism. (Luke 1 v26 - 38), Michael Burton.

6.30pm Carol Service (Readings: TBA). Rev’d Paul Sumsion & Rev’d Vic. Fletcher.

11.00am NO SERVICE at Emmanuel.





Thursday 25th December2.30pm Crib Service (M.U.)

11.30pm Holy Communion CW(Titus 3 v4 - 7; Luke 2 v8 - 20 ).Rev’d Robert Airey & Michael Burton.

Wednesday 24th December Christmas Eve


Christmas Day10.00am Family Communion

(John 1 v1 - 14;John 1 v1 - 14 ). Rev’d Robert Airey.


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10.45am Family Communion(2 Peter 3 v8 - 15a; Mark 1 v1 - 8)

Michael Booth & Rev’d Paul Sumsion.

6.30pm Evening WorshipJane Fletcher & Richard Byrom.

10.45am Family Service(Matthew 2 v13 - 18). Richard Byrom & Ethel Houghton.

6.30pm Night Prayer Richard Byrom.

St. Mary, Hawkshaw

10.45am Holy Communion with groups(Romans 16 v25 to end;Luke 1 v26 - 38) Rev’d Paul Sumsion & Jane Fletcher.

6.30pm Prayer & Praise Ethel Houghton & Jane Fletcher.




10.45am Morning Worship with groups(John 1 v6-8 & 19 - 28) Jane Fletcher & Richard Byrom.

6.30pm Holy Communion (CW)Rev’d Vic. Fletcher & Michael Booth.



Christmas Day 9.30am Family Communion

(John 1 v1 - 14;John 1 v1 - 14 ). Rev’d Paul Sumsion

6.30pm Carol Service.Rev’d Paul Sumsion & Rev’d Vic. Fletcher

Wednesday 24th December Christmas Eve


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Afternoon FellowshipCanon Lewis Hall, 2pmDetails: Elizabeth Lofthouse 01204 886732Usually 2nd and 4th Mondays8th Dec. Christmas Celebration - Music with

John Edwards.

The Cellar Youth Group(Years 7 & 8) in the Cellar,(Hawkshaw Church)at 7.30pm to 9.00pm. Thursdays

'Excell' youth groupYears 9 + 10 (Hawkshaw Church)Mondays 7.30pm till 9.00pm

Choir - ThursdaysEmmanuel Church, Holcombe - 7.30pm.

Drop-in - Mondays Canon Lewis Hall.10am - 12 noon each week.

Explorers after School in HawkshawChurch on Thursdays.Details from Penny Hanley 07870 578 632

A l t

Mothers’ Union - Contact: Romey Simpson.Usually 1st & 3rd Tuesday of each month at2.00 p.m. in Emmanuel Church Centre.

See page 6 for details

Prayer Meetings Reflective prayers:Tuesday 2nd December 10 - 11am E.C.C.

Parish prayers:

Tuesday 2nd December 7.30pm. St. Marys.

Holy Communion

Thursday 11th December 2pm. E.C.C.

Quiet MorningNone this month

Singing Practice HawkshawIn church before service 10am.

Travellers (Adult & Toddler)Canon Lewis Hall - Every Wednesday

1.30pm to 3.00pm in term time.

Please check your copy of the Weekly Noticesand/or with the particular person responsible,as events and times can and do change.

Diary -December

Summerseat Garden Centre Reflections for Advent on parables.

2nd, 9th and 16th December at 10am



18


19

Angels from therealms of glory!

Angels will be making an appearance onstreets and in night-clubs across the countrythis Christmas.

Not the dressed in white, halo and wingtype you see on Christmas cards and inNativity plays but more like the 'here to helpyou' type!

Street Angels first landed on the streets ofHalifax in West Yorkshire in November2005. With a vision to do something withinthe weekend of the night-time town centre,that had gained a Wild West of WestYorkshire reputation, a few local Christiansset out to open a ‘safe place café’ on Friday’sand Saturday's between 9pm and 3am.Amazingly 50 people also turned up to help,and the group took flight out of the cafe intothe town centre to help and connect withthose out and about.

The scheme worked - hundreds of peoplereceived help, violent crime was reduced by42% in the first 12 months and the StreetAngels became a massive part of the answerin changing the culture of Halifax towncentre.

Other towns started to look at StreetAngels for themselves. By 2008, ChristianNightlife Initiatives (CNI) Network waslaunched to support and resource anything thechurch was doing to reach out to the night-time economy. We discovered a group inBelfast who had put a table out serving hotdrinks since 1995, and a group in Dundeepatrolling the centre since 2000.

CNI Network linked projects now operatein 120 towns across the UK and in Spain.Each week we are out with flip-flops,lollipops and water offering safe people andsafe places to the tens of thousands of peoplewho enjoy a night out. We are there foranyone - those wanting a chat, the vulnerable(be it elderly people leaving a theatre to ayoung person waiting for the last bus home),the homeless, those who work in town centresat night as well as the clubbers. These angelicteams are making the difference and havechanged a culture - recent reports show thatover the last decade alcohol related violenceand A&E admissions have reduced year onyear.

So as you sing "Angels from the realms ofglory" this Christmas spare a thought and aprayer for those teams of Angels on thestreets, in the night-clubs and in the parkswho are modern-day shepherds watching overthe flocks by night!

For more information and to downloadthe eBook visit: www.cninetwork.org.uk

A few years from now we are more likely to be disappointed by the things we didn’t do than the things we did do.

Silence is GoldenA friend enjoyed visiting the peaceful life

of the countryside. One evening, when hewas enthusiastically telling me about hisbucolic trips, he switched on his taperecorder, saying 'You're going to hear one of

the loveliest recordings I have ever made.' Iwaited with curiosity but couldn't hear asound. 'There's nothing on it to hear' Iexclaimed impatiently. 'That's just it,' he said'You can't imagine how difficult it is to find aplace where you can record silence like this.


20 A bad attitude is like a flat tyre - you’ll get nowhere until you change it.

Emmanuel HolcombePrimary

Wednesday 17th December

Carol Service7pm in Church

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

Continuing the celebration ofour 150th anniversary:

Wednesday 7th January -Victorian afternoon tea

at 2pm

Friday 9th January1:30 pm

Service of thanksEmmanuel Church,

Holcombe.

Your chance to own abeautiful metal penwith a high-shine

finish and silicon nib,ideal for smartphones

and touch pads!

The parish name isengraved on the

barrel.

Ideal stockingfiller.

Available at eachworship centre.

£2.50


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Jeriatric JazzThanks to all who supported thisevent.

“Another wonderful, entertainingevening!”

With special thanks to the small groupwho brought it all together and made ithappen.

As a bonus the evening made a netprofit of £292.99 .

Christmasgreetings. Once again each worship centre will be

organising a board or tree branch for peopleto put their Christmas greetings on and thendonate money they would have spent tocharity.

This year the parish will be supportingBarnabus.

Barnabus is a Christian Homeless Charitybased in Manchester. It started over 23 years

ago with justone manwalking thestreets, givingout food anddrink to thehomeless.

It nowoffers a lifeline

to 600 homeless and vulnerable people eachweek, many of whom have severe addictionsor mental health issues.

“We support their physical, emotionaland spiritual needs and do all we can to helpthem get back into mainstream society. Wehave received the 'unsung heroes' Queensaward for Voluntary Service, but we do notreceive any government funding, we relyentirely on donations”.

Jennifer Burton would like to thank the56 box holders who raised £1221.70 for theChildren’s society.

If you would like to join the box schemejust contact Jenny, (01706 822664), or askat any service for details.

The sooner you fall behind, the more time you'll have to catch up.


22

Parish Finances If you missed the talk given by David

Lomax at recent services, (or perhaps youwould like a reminder), here is a summary.

“A big thank you”Firstly a big thank you!, on behalf of the

P.C.C, for all your weekly and monthlygiving to the parish.

Our annual income is around £100,000,made up of giving, gift aid, donations,interest, fundraising, rental income, magazine,fees and others.

Where do we spend it?Parish share, mission, expenses, insurance,

water, energy, maintenance, cleaning,services, etc.

Over the past few years we have receiveddonations, grants and legacies that have beenused towards projects in the churches.

For instance the new heating system inHolcombe Church, the car park re-surfacingat Church Centre and the re-decoration atHawkshaw. These projects plus several morehave made our churches more comfortableand more appealing for visitors.

We also allocate 10% of our regular givingto support mission work such as WycliffeBible translators, Homestart and the twochurch schools in the parish.

Now a Big ask!However, over the last few years there is

one obligation that we have not been able tomeet, our Parish Share. This year we will fallshort by around £20,000!

The Parish Share is used to fund Diocesecosts and activities of which a major part isclergy stipends, the pensions of retired

Parish Shareamount paid

Parish Shareamount requested

The word listen contains the same letters as the word silent.

www.easylundraising.org.uk/causes/theparishofholcombeandhawkshaw



23Tomorrow: one of the great labour-saving devices used by your sibling today.

The GiftBy Graham Kendrick

A Christmas Partyfor Jesus.

The Gift is being presented in Ramsbottom on

7th and 14th December, at 1pm and 2pm.See pewsheets and local press for details.

ministers and for training. Our parish hasbeen beneficiaries through Vic, Jane andEthel & our pastoral ALMs.

Where possible, the P.C.C. would like ourregular outgoings to be met from regularincome, leaving fundraising events for specialprojects.

It is important that we make every effort tobridge this shortfall. We are one of the fewparishes in he diocese that hasn’t met its’Parish Share. Our income from regular givingtook a hit during the financial downturn andhas not yet recovered. It could do with beingaround 20% higher.

Could you review your regularcontributions? This is the mostsignificant part of our annual income.

If you are a taxpayer please ensure thatyou Gift Aid your contributions. This is asimple process that we can assist you with.

We also have registered the parish with“easy fund-raising” which gives acontribution of your spend to the Parish, whenyou purchase from popular internet sites. lfyou use the Internet, please register.


You might also consider leaving a legacyof a proportion of your estate to the parish inyour will. We can point you towards helpwith this also.

Response/ standing order forms areavailable at our churches or on our website.

Thank you for giving this your prayerfulconsideration.

David LomaxP.C.C. Treasurer




24

A good read

What Matters MostBy Brian Draper, LionHudson,£7.99If you feel thatyou arehurtlingthrough life,pouringenergy, moneyand time intothings that maynot matter inthe end – andyou want toSTOP – thenthis book is foryou. It willhelp you find the space to discover WHATREALLY MATTERS to you – and how tointegrate it more fully into your daily routine,so you can LIVE LIFE to the fullest extentpossible.

This might involve challenging the beliefsthat hold you back, or letting go of shattereddreams. Draper encourages you to embark ona “stop doing” list, to go more slowly,become aware of what you can hear and see,smell, and touch – and to pay attention tothose spiritual essentials that will nourishyour soul, bring a smile to your face, and joyto your heart.

The Child of ChristmasBy Sophie Piper and SophyWilliams, Candle, £4.99This delightfulkeepsake book tellsthe gospel story of thenativity simply andfaithfully, to evoke allthe wonder ofChristmas night.Author Sophie Piper ismuch respected for hercharming retellings of Bible stories. In thisbook her lyrical text combines with softpastel illustrations by Sophy Williams toproduce a book that is full of colour andwarmth, and evocative Christmas cheer.

My Own Little Christmas StoryBy Christina Goodings andAmanda Gulliver, Candle, £3.99This sweet,simple andsincereretelling of theChristmas storyis perfect forthe under 5s,introducingthem to thegreat story atthe heart of the festival and its message oflove. Its price point makes it ideal for gift oraward-giving at Christmas time.

Secret: something you tell to only one family member at a time.


25

On why Carol Services are so dangerousThe Rectory

St. James the LeastMy dear Nephew Darren,

So: you are excited about being invited toplan your first Carol Service. The dangersinvolved are only slightly less than beinginvited to judge the best cake made by theLadies’ Group. You seem to have no idea ofthe lifelong offence you will inevitably cause.In decades to come when you will either be aseasoned old clergyman – or more likely adouble glazing salesman – you will beremembered as “the Curate who offended MrsSmith.”

First, you have to decide which groups aregoing to be represented to give the readings.If the Brownies were asked last year, then ithas to be the Cubs this time. But don’t forgetthat every third year, the Boys’ Brigade mustbe asked, or they will take their revenge andget their flag tangled in the nave chandeliercome Remembrance Sunday. If someonerepresents the choir, then over a four yearperiod, all four voice parts must be called on– and if the organist isn’t asked on the fifthyear, then all hymns subsequently will beplayed at double speed and with one versemissing. Should one person have been invitedto read for two successive years, then theirannual appearance thereafter will be taken asan inalienable right for the rest of theirlifetime – and probably longer than that. Todrop them may well invoke legal proceedings,

Then there is the batting order to beconsidered. Someone from the church councilwill take it as a deliberate slight if they areplaced lower in the order than a representativeof the Men’s Fellowship and no self-respecting bell ringer would voluntarilyfollow a brass cleaner.

If you donot specifywhere theyshould readfrom and howthe readingsshould end,then a form ofecclesiasticalinflation willhappen. If thefirst readerspeaks from the chancel step, the next onewill go to the lectern; after the sanctuary andpulpit have been utilised, the final reader willprobably ask you to move so he can take yourplace. The variations on “Here endeth”, “Thisis the Word of the Lord”, and “Thanks be toGod”, are endless and will increase in lengthas the Service progresses. The final readerwill probably end with a lengthy exegesis onwhat he thinks the passage means, correctingwhatever you said in your sermon.

I once made the mistake of not telling allreaders which Bible translation to use. One,an Old Testament expert, therefore decided toread in Hebrew. Not to be outdone, anotherread her Gospel passage in Greek –apologising beforehand that it may not be aperfect rendering, as she was spontaneouslytranslating it from the English. And some sayChristians are not competitive.

You have two alternatives: either repeatlast year’s Service without any alteration,saying that it could not be improved, ordesign your own – and then take Christmasoff.

Your loving uncle,

Are unripened oranges called greens?


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Readers: Mr. Michael Burton, 01706 822664. Mr. Richard Byrom 01204 883110. Mr. Michael Booth 01204 884648.

Mrs. Ethel Houghton 01254 704758

Church Warden: Mr. Michael Booth. 01204 884648. Mr. Stephen Newhouse. 01706 412657.Deputy Wardens:Emmanuel: Mr. Colin Gaskell and Mr. Derrrick Latham.Emmanuel Church Centre: Mrs. Alex Percy, Mr. Alan Goldsmith and Mrs. Wendy GoldsmithSt. Mary, Hawkshaw: Mr. Ray Houghton and Mr. Eric Shortt.

Hon.. P.C.C. Secretary: Mrs. Judith Horrocks,(P.C.C. Minute Secretary: Mrs. Claire Baggoley).

Hon.. Treasurer: Mr. David Lomax . Assistants to Treasurer: Mrs. Jenny Burton and Mrs. Judith Horrocks.

Gift Aid Secretary : Dr. Peter Lockett .Electoral Roll Officer: Mrs. Sheila Partridge, (Assistant Hawkshaw: Margaret Yates).Child Protection Officer: Penny Hanley, (Assistant: Rev. Robert Airey).Standing Committee: Rector, Churchwardens, P.C.C. Secretary and Treasurer.

Other members to be decided by the P.C.C.Finance Team: Treasurer, Assistant Treasurers and Gift Aid Secretary.

Booking Secretary: Emmanuel Church Centre & Canon Lewis Hall: Mrs. D. Mangham 01204 886771.

or Wendy Goldsmith 01204 883086.Emmanuel Church Centre: (not always manned) 07554 195157.Booking Secretary: St. Mary, Hawkshaw

Mrs. Penny Hanley 07870 578632

Rector:Rev. Paul Sumsion,The Vicarage,Bolton Road ,Hawkshaw, Bury ,BL8 4JN01204 888 060.

Associate Minister:Rev. Robert Airey

01706 224743.

Associate Minister:Rev. Vic. Fletcher

01204 882750.


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Will you bebuying

Christmaspresents online?

Visit “easyfundraising” andsearch for the company you like.

There are thousands of retailersin the scheme and simplyregistering and then buyingthrough the scheme can earn theparish

1% to 5% of what you spend, at no extracost to you.

Another way ofsupporting is by

“Textgiving”

Simply text HAHO21followed by the amount,(£1, £2, £3, £4, £5 or£10) to 70070 and wereceive the full amountand the call is free to you.

Earn cash for us when you shop online

Free and simple to use, just register ateasyfundraising.org.uk

Over 2000 retailers - Amazon, Boden,John Lewis,

£42 has been raised since setting upthe scheme, but we need moremembers, 10 member at present.

If you become a member and use“easysearch” the Parish gets 0.5p

for each search you do!

Visit:http://www.easyfundraising.org.uk

and search for: The Parish of Holcombe and

Hawkshaw.

If you are in the planned givingscheme thanks are offered for yourcontinued support.If you are not in the scheme pleaseconsider joining. New envelopes will beissued for January. It is an easy way tomake your regular donations through theenvelopes or directly through your bank,even when you can’t attend church eachweek and at the same time allows thechurch to claim money from the Tax man.Contact: Peter Lockett, 01204 886746,(Holcombe). In recent times the numberof people in the scheme has fallen fromover 100 to around 50.

12/14 december

Documents

parish of holcombe

holcombe brook

peace tothe world

wehave peace

place wheregod

paul sumsion

orthodox church plantedover

stephen newhouse