MagazineMagazineMagazine December 2016 January 2017

St Peter’s Church, Hale £1

Come and join us at St Peter’s this festive season

4 December 10am Toy and Gift Service All Age Holy Communion with parade 11 December 11.30am Toddler Nativity Service 18 December 6:30pm Nine Lessons and Carols 24 December 4pm & 6pm Christingle Service 11:30pm Midnight Holy Communion 25 December 10am All Age Holy Communion 8 January 11.30am Toddler Service

29 January 6:30pm Taizé Service

Get in touch! Vicar: Revd Keith Addenbrooke 0161 928 4182 vicar@stpetershale.org.uk Curate: Revd Robin Pye 07794 122 602 RevdRobin@stpetershale.org.uk

Churchwardens: Keith Neal 0161 980 3343 Vicki Wells 0161 928 2974 churchwarden@stpetershale.org.uk Parish Office: 0161 928 3374 Jayne Tomlinson / Sarah Taafe office@stpetershale.org.uk open Mon-Fri 9.30am-12.30pm www.stpetershale.org.uk

Follow us @StPetersHale

The Registers: November 2016 Those who have been baptised Albert Munnery Margot Blacklock Max Wiltshire Those who have died Geoff Wilkes Joan Nott Audrey Jackson Alexander MacCaig

Those who have been married Brogan Denton and Charles Stratton Enquiries for Baptism, Confirmation, Wedding or Funeral services please contact Jayne in the Parish Office Tel: 0161 928 3374 E: office@stpetershale.org.uk

St Peter’s Hale Travelling Posada Set This year why not take our posada set home with you for the night? Mary and Joseph start their travels around the parish on Advent Sunday 27 November. There is a sign up sheet at the back of church, or phone the parish office on 0161 928 3374 to book your slot to host this beautiful hand carved wooden nativity set from Bethlehem.

The painting on the front cover of the magazine is Adoration by Alison Hutchison . She is a local Christian artist who also created the Wounded sculptures for our Lent reflection this year. Please visit her website www.thejesusdoors.com

The Vicar writes...The Vicar writes...The Vicar writes... Revd Keith Addenbrooke Revd Keith Addenbrooke Revd Keith Addenbrooke

What will you remember 2016 for?

There were big events: the Rio Olympics and Paralympics, the EU Referendum – and the shockwave that shook British politics afterwards. Then there was the US Presidential Election. How about the United Nations International Year of Pulses 2016? Perhaps that wasn’t your first thought, but 2016 has been dedicated by the UN to raising awareness of the nutritious

value of pulses and their contribution to sustainable agriculture. In the ever-changing world we live in, it’s often in the simpler things that we can find true and lasting value. This is something the UN has recognised, but I’ll admit it had passed me by. Perhaps there’s a lesson for me in that.

As Christmas approaches, with traditional celebrations alongside contemporary festivities, the timeless quality of the Christmas story continues to speak to us: the account of the birth of Jesus, born in poverty in a shelter behind an inn, reminds us still that God comes to be with us in vulnerable humility, with none of the privileges a king might demand. It’s a simple tale, but one we never tire of hearing, for it has truth and everlasting value. Transcending the complexity and sophistication of our 21st-century world, the wondrous account of God come to be with us remains as moving and as meaningful as ever.

Who was first to be told the news? Shepherds tending their flocks. How was the news celebrated? In Luke 2:14 we’re told of a heavenly choir of angels praising God – singing, I would suggest, the first Christmas carol. Who sang the second? Maybe it was the shepherds themselves, returning from Bethlehem glorifying and praising God (Luke 2:20)? Music and song plays an important part in our Christmas Celebrations, as it seems it always has done. When we have something to celebrate, we have something to sing about. However you spend Christmas, feel free to turn the music up!

May I wish you all a peaceful Christmas and blessed 2017. Yours, in His Service,

Keith As the year closes I would like to offer a big ‘thank you’ to the team who produce our magazine, sourcing articles, editing and styling the content, and working with our advertising partners to deliver a publication full of interesting information, thought-provoking reflections and reports on some of the many things taking place in and around St Peter’s. A lot of work goes on behind the scenes, and I ’m grateful for the time and effort put in. Thank you.

Worship with us December 2016 Sunday 4 December 2nd Sunday of Advent 8.30am Holy Communion - BCP 10am Toy & Gift Service All Age Holy Communion with parade 6.30pm Evensong - BCP

Sunday 11 December 3rd Sunday of Advent 8.30am Holy Communion - BCP 10am Holy Communion with Sunday School 11.30am Toddler Nativity Service 12-2pm Advent Adventure in St Peter’s House 6.30pm Evensong - BCP

Sunday 18 December 4th Sunday of Advent 8.30am Holy Communion - BCP 10am All Age Morning Prayer 6.30pm Nine Lessons and Carols

Saturday 24 December Christmas Eve 4pm Christingle Service* 6pm Christingle Service* 11.30pm Midnight Holy Communion

Sunday 25 December Christmas Day 8.30am Holy Communion - BCP 10am All Age Festival Communion 6.30pm No evening service

(Wednesday 28 December No Holy Communion) * Christingle entry by free ticket only. Available in church after 10am Sunday services or weekday mornings from the Parish Office (9.30am till 12.30pm).

Worship with us January 2017 Sunday 1 January 1st Sunday of Christmas 8.30am Holy Communion - BCP 10am All Age Holy Communion 6.30pm Evening Worship

Sunday 8 January 2nd Sunday of Christmas 8.30am Holy Communion - BCP 10am Holy Communion with Sunday School 11.30am Toddler Service 6.30pm Choral Evensong - BCP Sunday 15 January 2nd Sunday of Epiphany 8.30am Holy Communion - BCP 10am Morning Worship 6.30pm Holy Communion with prayer for healing Sunday 22 January 3rd Sunday of Epiphany 8.30am Holy Communion - BCP 10am Holy Communion with Sunday School 6.30pm Evening Worship Sunday 29 January Candlemas 8.30am Holy Communion - BCP 10am Holy Communion with Sunday School 6.30pm Taize

Morning Prayer will resume on Monday 2 January 2017 9am and take place every Monday, Tuesday, Thursday and Friday in church. Join us each Wednesday at 10am for Holy Communion (BCP) in St Peter’s House Chapel followed by morning coffee.

Focus on

A word from the choir

By Lucy Nattress

Away from the rattle and clang of seasonal noise on popular radio and in commercial outlets, we treasure services when we can sing Christian carols in harmony. The good will reverberates around us. Every year I seem to have a favourite carol. Last year the words and music of Darke’s ‘In the Bleak Mid-winter’ seemed especially to resonate. Recently I find myself regularly humming the Polish carol, ‘Infant Holy, Infant lowly’, adapted by E.M. G. Reed. The short rhythmic phrases, especially in the third line, as they modulate and move up a tone each time, seem to urge the shepherds, and us, to greet the Lord of all.

Voice By Jane Addenbrooke Sing to the Lord a new song; sing to the Lord, all the earth.

Sing to the Lord, praise his name; proclaim his salvation day after day.(Psalm 96:1-2)

Voice Music is an exciting Christian ministry working with groups of young people in

several centres, from Stockport to Liverpool and the Wirral. In September we were

thrilled to launch a Voice group here at St Peter’s, and we’ve been meeting

fortnightly on Monday evenings to sing together throughout this term. We

currently meet as one group, from 7pm to 8.30pm, and welcome new members

aged between 8 and 18. An interest in music is all that’s needed!

Voice gives young people the chance to make outstanding music whilst exploring

and expressing faith in Jesus. It was founded in 2010 by Simon Smith after a group

of young singers and musicians put on a concert of modern Christian music at their

local church, and enjoyed it so much they wanted to carry on. Voice now offers

several choir and orchestra groups, runs residential weeks at Easter and in the

summer holidays, and gives young people the chance to record high quality albums

of the very best in contemporary Christian music. Some older members have also

been encouraged to write, perform and record their own songs. Several times a

year, the different Voice groups come together to worship God in a concert-type

setting. These have included open air concerts and a concert in Liverpool Cathedral.

Music in Church this Christmas

By Ellie Slorach

One of the highlights of the job of musical

director is choosing the music for the

services – in particular, the music for the

Advent Carol Service and Nine Lessons and Carols. There is so much glorious music

written for this time of year, so the decisions can be tricky! The top priority in

choosing the pieces for these services is the text: it must reflect the themes and

meanings of the readings that surround it. After that, I have to think practically

about the choice of piece: do we have the right voice parts in the choir for a certain

piece and will the choir enjoy singing it! Then—finally—it comes down to personal

preference. Here are a couple of my favourite pieces from each of this year’s

services and some reasons why I chose them:

This is the truth sent from above – Vaughan Williams

(Introit for our Advent Carol Service)

This is a simple verse setting with a very beautiful harmonisation. A piece with many

verses such as this can offer opportunities for us to play around with how we

perform it. For example, we may all sing the first verse but choose to have only the

women or only the men sing some other verses. You may even hear some humming!

Ring out, wild bells, to the wild sky, The flying cloud, the frosty light;

This carol moves me more and more every year I sing it. Percy Fletcher's setting is so moving and hopeful. The words are as pertinent now as when first written by Tennyson. Adrienne Davies

Music @ St Peter’s

Hullabaloo By Michael Grindrod

Who are Hullabaloo? Those present at the Gala Lunch at the end of Young @ Heart week will know that we are a group of gentlemen of a certain age who have fun singing together.

How did we happen? Among a vast range of other activities, the Wilmslow Guild (www.wilmslowguild.org) offers a range of Singing for Fun classes, one of them for male voices. A couple of years ago a group of said males – of similar age and outlook – decided that they would like to meet up more often than once a week during school terms, to widen their repertoire, to – hopefully – improve their standard, to enjoy each other’ s company and even, perhaps, to perform in public!

Crucially our choir mistress – a somewhat younger, very energetic and extremely professional American! – was up for the challenge and the project ‘blossomed’ into Hullabaloo.

Now, in our distinctive T-shirts but still operating under the aegis of the Guild, we have been delighted to perform at a range of venues in the area – Age UK, open air markets, care homes, even the odd pub and now at St Peter’s Young @Heart week. Our repertoire covers a range of easy listening pieces – sea shanties, spirituals, songs from the shows and several, courtesy of our director, with a beat which belies our years. We positively encourage audience participation. We very much hope you enjoyed the Hullabaloo. We certainly did and if any gentlemen, of a certain age, feel that their voices need exercise and would like to have a bit of fun – please get in touch.

Voice Junior Choirs are aimed at children aged 8 to 11, while the

Youth Choirs and Orchestra work with secondary school pupils.

Members are encouraged to develop their own Christian leadership

skills and several members of Voice now regularly help run events

as part of a core team and a junior leaders’ team. A Summer

Residential Team training day was held at St Peter’s Vicarage in July,

and the team are returning in December for another day in Hale.

To find out about our Voice

Group, get in touch with me

on 0161 928 4182, or check

out the Voice Music website:

www.voicemusic.org.uk. We

have several copies of the

latest Voice CD, This is

Living ,for sale for £10 if you’d like to give someone an inspiring gift,

or just to listen to as you worship God yourself.

Let all mortal flesh keep silence – Bairstow

(After the first reading in the Advent Carol Service)

One of the reasons I love this piece is its opening. It begins with just

the tenors and basses singing in unison in a very low register. It’s

extremely quiet and mysterious; almost trembling in character. The

middle section is triumphant and uplifting, in complete contrast to

the beginning. Finally, the end repeats the musical material from the

opening but now with all voice parts. Bairstow’s musical setting is an

ingenious reflection of the text.

In Dulci Jubilo – Pearsall

(After the third lesson in the Service of Nine Lessons and Carols)

This is a particular Christmas favourite of mine. The upbeat pulse and

lilting melody are joyous and festive. The text in this setting is

macaronic, as it includes both Latin and English words.

Jesus Christ The Apple Tree – Poston

(After the sixth lesson in the Service of Nine Lessons and Carols)

This setting begins with the upper voices in unison outlaying the

melody that is harmonised in different ways in the following verses.

The second verse continues in close harmony with just the upper

voices, followed by two verses with all voices. The final verse comes

unexpectedly: opening with the original melody in unison once

again, it becomes a canon, with each voice part entering one after

the other. This is a simple but beautiful ending.

Musicians needed! If you were in church at 10am on 20 November when we had no choir or organ, you will have heard Revd Keith accompanying our singing on the euphonium. All agreed he did a great job. If you too have any musical talent, do not be shy, just let it shine. The clergy or wardens will be glad to let you know when you can play at one of our services.

Hale Post

Office

For that

special card

or gift

233 Ashley Rd

Hale

0161

928 0326

Advertisement Page

Reach lots of local homes and support

St Peter’s Church Contact Vicki Wells

0161 928 2974 for rates

Advertising space in this publication is sold in good faith and St Peter’s Church take no responsibility for the quality of goods or services offered.

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Hello! From

Ellie Slorach

I grew up in the East

Midlands and went to

secondary school in

Loughborough. I began my

musical life with my mum

teaching me the piano aged

four; I went on to learn the oboe and have singing

lessons. During my sixth form I attended the Junior

Birmingham Conservatoire each Saturday. I read music

at the University of Manchester (2012-15) and after

graduating, I knew I wanted to stay in the area! I began

working for the Opera North Education Department as a

vocal delivery artist and I took on the role of musical

director for Hallam Choral Society in Sheffield and the

Preston Orpheus Choir. I also direct my own choir,

Kantos Chamber Choir, which is based in Manchester.

This year I started studying at the Royal Northern

College of Music on the Masters conducting course with

Clark Rundell and Mark Heron. The course is brilliant and

has already offered me fantastic conducting

opportunities. I’ve also started working for the Hallé as

the assistant director of their youth choirs and as a

conductor for their corporate choir scheme. I live very

close to the universities in Manchester with two friends

from my university course. In my spare time I enjoy

running and recently ran the Greater Manchester half

marathon. I also enjoy cooking and baking, especially

recipes from my Good Food magazine subscription…!

I’m very excited to be the musical director at St Peter’s.

With so many churches forced to cut their choirs these

days, it’s fantastic to see the St Peter’s choir, with its

long tradition, playing such a key role in the worship at

church. I’ve felt so welcomed into the community and I

was delighted to join the choir for its weekend away to

sing Evensong at Carlisle Cathedral at the end of

November. I’m also really looking forward to the music

the choir will sing in the Advent Carol Service and Nine

Lessons and Carols.

We are always looking to recruit new members so if

you’re interested in singing with us, do feel free to direct

any questions my way!

God chose a little Virgin Maid to bear the Infant Lord

He could have found some other way She might have borne Him in a day. He might have come a man to earth And saved the suffering of His birth. A girl God chose to take the part And bear the Christ-Child ‘neath her heart’ The greatest gift that God could find, To pay to all our womankind. So that from that day unto this A Mother’s pain is turned to bliss, And every woman, bad or good, Is hallowed by her Motherhood, Because God chose a little maid To bear the Infant Lord.

Sheila Murray

St Cecilia, patron saint of music

Blessed Cecilia, appear in visions To all musicians, appear and inspire: … (W H AUDEN)

Saint Cecilia, the second-century Christian martyr honoured in W H Auden’s poem, has inspired generations of musicians, poets and artists. Many stories have grown up around her, including an account of her death, by which she is said to have been struck three times on the neck with a sword but lived on for three days – time enough to petition the pope to consecrate her home as a church. Certainly, there has been a church dedicated to her in Rome since the fifth century. It was the heavenly music Cecilia is said to have heard, and sung in her heart, on her wedding day that gave rise to her status as patron saint of music and musicians.

She is particularly revered as the patron of church music, and Masses were given in her honour throughout the Middle Ages. But it was only after 1584, when she was named patron of the Academy of Music in Rome, that her reputation spread. Since then, many composers have dedicated works to her, from Scarlatti, Purcell and Handel to Gounod, Herbert Howells and Benjamin Britten – who set his friend Auden’s words to music in his Hymn to St Cecilia.

St Cecilia is usually depicted playing the organ, harp, lute or viol although such instruments would not have been recognisable to a second-century Roman. Raphael, Gentileschi and Rubens have her playing; but in the church of St Cecilia in Rome a marble statue by Carlo Maderna shows her prostrate in her martyrdom.

Mary Graham

St Peter’s Parish Office: 0161 928 3374 www.stpetershale.org.uk

Salford Van collections & donations for St Paul’s Church, Salford

The St Peter’s Salford Van Team collections of larger items such as furniture will now take place fortnightly. To arrange a collection please call one of the Van Team on the numbers below.

Please remember not to leave any articles for collection in St Peter’s House as there is no available storage.

Please contact a van team member if you wish to donate any items or have any queries. Norma Entwisle - 0161 980 3043 John Nattrass - 0161 928 2679 Phil Parker - 0161 980 7939

St Paul’s Church, Salford

Faith@home Every newspaper I have looked in recently is full of talk about hygge (pronounced hue-gah) and how we need to live with this in mind. For those who haven’t heard of this new buzz word, it originates from Denmark and although there is no direct translation, it basically means a feeling or mood that comes from taking genuine pleasure in making ordinary, everyday things more meaningful, beautiful or special. We all need a bit of hygge in our lives!

Each period in the Christian calendar creates hygge in our lives – we just need to remember to make time to stop in our busy lives and appreciate things a little more. Advent is one of those times: it is all about preparation and getting ready for one of the most exciting things – the birth of Jesus. In church, this is done through advent wreaths: lighting a different candle every week to mark each of the four Sundays of Advent, ending with the Christ candle on 25 December as well as the special services building up to Christmas Day and of course, the Christingle. It’s all about getting ready for the big day. On a recent trip to the supermarket, my daughters were directing me over to the advent calendars, telling me exactly which ones they wanted… chocolate, obviously! On asking them what the point of these calendars was, they explained it was to countdown to Christmas. So looking forward to something is part of the preparation, but there is so much more we can do..

This year, as my children are a little older (five and seven) and can follow instructions a little better, we are creating our own Lego advent calendar whereby each day, they will open our homemade calendar (from last year – hygge can be recycled!) and follow a miniature set of instructions. The end result will be a miniature Lego version of the nativity scene. We will do this together, as a family – by the candle light from our own advent wreath (another previous creation!)

This way, we are preparing every day, remembering what we are preparing for, and becoming more and more excited as a result. Advent + hygge = faith@home

Jemma Edwards

On Sunday 4 December 10am we hold our annual Toy Service to which you are all invited. At this special service we ask for everyone to bring new and unwrapped toys, gifts and books for boys and girls of all ages (from toddler to teenager) to go to children in care in the Trafford area. At this special time of year where the focus is on families so many children are in care in our local area. Our contact at Trafford Fostering Service, Julie Jones wrote to the Parish Office last week and her comments were ‘Last year’s donations were amazing and we were overwhelmed by the generosity of your congregation. Once again the number of looked after children in Trafford has risen and your help at this time of year makes a huge difference to the Children, Families and Wellbeing service.’ So please when you are doing your Christmas gift shopping please buy an extra gift and make a big difference to a child’s Christmas. If you are unsure what to buy contact the Parish Office 0161 928 3374 for ideas. The age group that gets overlooked the most are the teenagers so a book, CD or board game might just make a young person’s Christmas. All the donations are collected by Trafford on Monday 5 December so if you can’t make the service bring your gift in anytime to the Parish Office and we will make sure the children get them with your blessings.

Make a child smile this Christmas