october parish magazine

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St. Peter’s Church Magazine

October 2015

HARVEST FESTIVAL at 6.30pm SUNDAY 4th October 2015

Preacher - The Most Reverend Richard Clarke,

Archbishop of Armagh and Primate of All Ireland

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Harvest Thanksgiving Sunday 4th October 2015

Our Harvest Thanksgiving services will be held on the first Sunday in October – 4th. At 10.00am, there will be a Parade Sunday Eucharist, followed by a BBQ beside the Bier House. At 6.30pm there will be a “traditional” Harvest Thanksgiving Service with well-known harvest hymns.

The special preacher at the evening harvest will be the Archbishop of Armagh and Primate of All Ireland, The Most Revd Richard Clarke.

Dr Clarke was elected as Archbishop in October 2012, and prior to that he was Bishop of Meath & Kildare, just outside Dublin.

He has written a number of books which have been well received. In “A Whisper of God” (2006) he wrote of how the Church needs to translate “the cold knowledge of doctrine into active love” and how the Church must be inclusive and welcoming. Again, he wrote, “The Church cannot be just for the convinced and certain…but must welcome those who are able to find resonances – however faint and whispered those echoes may be – with what it is saying of God in Christ”.

We are delighted that he has accepted the invitation to St. Peter’s, and he will be warmly welcomed. Actually, his parents met in Birkenhead and his father, also a vicar, proposed in Liverpool Cathedral!

Sunday 4th October is also Back to Church Sunday, so please invite friends and neighbours to the Evening Harvest.

‘Every minute, every day, people suffer and lives are lost needlessly because of a lack of safe water and sanitation. Help end this global crisis and transform lives.’ The collection at the Harvest Services will be for Water Aid please use the blue envelopes in church. www.wateraid.org

http://www.wateraid.org

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From the Editorial Team

Sunday October 4th is going to be a very important date for the diary. As you may have noticed on the front of the magazine our Harvest Thanksgiving is being held in the evening at 6.30pm when we are very privileged to have The Most Reverend Richard Clarke preaching. The 10.00 am service is a parade service and there will be a BBQ afterwards.

The whole day is ‘Back to Church Sunday’ so do invite friends/neighbours to come and share in this special time.

One of the problems of preparing the magazine is the need to ensure plenty of notice is given for future items, events and special occasions. With Christmas racing towards us can we ask you for any information for the magazine to be sent early for the November edition. We will do all we can to include it.

Please have a look at page 9 where there are details of the Just Voices Concert to be held in Church on Saturday November 14th. No tickets required, donations please at the door on exit. The concert proceeds will go to ‘Save the Children Child Refugee Crisis Appeal’.

As we have virtually come to the end of the holiday season we would be interested to hear about any churches you have visited which are worthy of mention or were special to you.

Best wishes from the Editorial Team

Please note that the deadline for the November 2015 edition of the magazine is Friday 9th October 2015

Please email contributions if possible to [email protected]

The magazine is an important means of outreach and keeps everyone informed and in touch with the life of St Peter's Parish. The Magazine is now free though it would be appreciated if you would like to give a donation towards production costs. If you would like a magazine delivered to your home please contact the Parish Office.

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Dear Friends,

I must begin this letter by saying a very sincere thank you to so many who have sent cards, meals, flowers, chocolates and the many prayers that have been said during my recent illness. Thank you to our group of retired clergy, who with Ted, covered all the services. Ted and I have been overwhelmed by your generosity and kindness and we really do appreciate it. I certainly hope that by the time you read this letter I will be getting back to normal and will be back enjoying life in St Peter’s. Illness is never welcome and it was just very unfortunate that I picked up some kind of a virus – never fully identified as apparently I am a ‘medical mystery!’ So in the process I had a full medical and it is also good to be told of lots things that you don’t have! So I am on the road to recovery and thinking about all the events that will be happening in parish life this autumn but first to a packed October. The first focus is our Harvest Thanksgiving and “Back to Church Sunday” – Sunday 4th October. There will be a Harvest All-Age Parade Service at 10.00am, followed by a barbeque in the Church grounds.

THE FIRST VISIT OF AN ARCHBISHOP TO ST PETER’S In the evening, at 6.30pm, we will be having a Harvest Thanksgiving Service when the special preacher will be The Most Revd Richard Clarke, Archbishop of Armagh and primate of the Church of Ireland. Ted and I have known the Archbishop for many years and he is an excellent preacher. And I am told it is an historic occasion as St Peter’s has never had an Archbishop to visit before.

The Social Committee is also putting on refreshments after the evening service. Again, dual spiritual nourishment! I’d ask everyone to make a special effort to bring a friend along, and we’re arranging a form of service that will give everyone a chance to participate and sing along. It will be a non-Eucharistic service with well-known harvest hymns so please spread the word to your neighbours and friends. There are invitation cards in the church which you can use to encourage others.

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CLERGY FROM GERMANY COMING TO VISIT Many years ago a link was set up by the Revd Mark Boyling with a group of German clergy. This link has been maintained and on the weekend of 10th/11th a group of clergy from Germany will be visiting the Deanery. Two of the clergy will be staying in the Vicarage and will worship with us at the 10am Eucharist when we hope they will share with us some of their experiences. Then at 6pm there will be a united Deanery Service in Holy Trinity Church with Bishop Paul to which everyone is invited. STEWARDSHIP SUNDAY

Sunday 18th October is Stewardship Sunday and our preacher will be Revd Steve Pierce, Director of Learning and Stewardship for Liverpool Diocese. We thank Mike Fletcher, Caroline Speakman and Shirley Potter for all the hard work

that they have put into the Stewardship Renewal Campaign. We don’t always like to talk about money and sometimes it is hard to ask for volunteers but healthy finance and the hard work of volunteers keep our parish alive. We have so much to be thankful for in St Peter’s but we can never be complacent, so a regular Stewardship Campaign every five years or so is very important. BEREAVEMENT SERVICE On the last Sunday in October at 6.30pm there will be a service for all those who have been bereaved and would like to remember loved ones. This service is different from previous years in that it will be a simple service of prayers, readings and hymns and is open to everyone regardless of how long ago their loved one may have died. So a busy October lies ahead but our first focus is on Harvest Thanksgiving Sunday. Please spread the word, especially for the evening service as the church is promoting this time as “A Season of Invitation”. So let us in St Peter’s be bold enough to invite friends and neighbours to join us.

Anne

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ST PETER’S CHILDREN’S DATE LIST Sunday Club / W.O.W. /

Children’s Hotdog Service / Fishy Club

& All-Age Parade Service October to December 2015

OCTOBER

Sunday 4th Harvest All-Age Parade Service

Wed 7th W.O.W. pre-school service (2pm)

Fishy Club starts again (3.15 – 4.15)

Sunday 11th

Sunday Club

Wed 14th Fishy Club

Sunday 18th Sunday Club

Wed 21st Christmas Shoe Box Appeal (2.30pm)

Sunday 25th Hotdog Children’s Service (12noon)

NOVEMBER


Fishy Club (3.15pm)

Sunday 8th Remembrance Day All-Age Parade Service

Wed 11th Fishy Club (3.15pm)



Sunday 22nd

Sunday Club


Sunday 29th Hotdog Children’s Service (12noon)

DECEMBER

Wed 2nd

Fishy Club (3.15pm)

Sunday 6th All-Age Parade Service




Christmas Eve Christingle Services - 3pm / 4.30pm / 6pm

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Sunday Club meets on two Sundays each month.

Children start in church (10am) and then move to

the Bier House for lots of fun. All children are

welcome, though it will be designed for the

younger age group (up to Year 2).

Worship on Wednesday designed for pre-school

children. A short service followed by

refreshments. The children from Trinity St

Peter’s Nursery and Reception join us for this

service. Everyone is very welcome.

This is a new service for children and young

people once a month at 12noon. A short service

followed by hotdogs in the Bier House.

ALL-AGE PARADE SERVICE

This is a service for everyone and designed for children. St Peter’s

uniformed organisations also attend (Beavers, Cubs, Scouts,

Explorers, Brownies and Guides).

FISHY CLUB

This Club is our afterschool bible club for

children in Years 3 to 6 of primary school. ‘The

Fishy’ reminding us of St Peter’s job as a

fisherman. There is a varied programme and each

Club begins with a drink, chocolate and games followed by an

interactive session. We would like to encourage children from all

primary schools to join us as they would be very welcome. We meet

immediately after school on a Wednesday. ___________________________________

For further information on any of the services and activities please contact –

Vicar, Anne Taylor 872824 [email protected]

Parish Office 871171 [email protected]

www.stpetersformby.org

mailto:[email protected]


http://www.stpetersformby.org

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Over the weekend of 8th- 9th August we celebrated the 125th anniversary of the foundation of Mothers’ Union by Mary Sumner

in 1890. On Saturday the 8th there was a service in St. Paul’s Church, Fazakerley, followed by a barbecue lunch generously hosted by St. Paul’s in the church hall garden. On the following day, Sunday the 9th, the Revd Chris Quine preached at the 10.00 am service at St. Peter’s at which we marked Mary Sumner Day and Deanery branches paraded with their banners.

On 18th August the Mothers’ Union Wave of Prayer opened with a short service and tea in the garden of Deanery President Beverley Boden in Blundellsands. This year cards are being given to MU members individually, listing wave of prayer link dioceses world-wide for which we are asked to pray.

Our autumn programme opened on 3rd September when Janice Atfield gave us a fascinating glimpse into her family background and childhood, living in the Park-Keeper’s lodge at the Botanic Gardens in Churchtown where her father was a horticulturist. On 9th September we held our annual Beetle Drive. This was a fun evening much enjoyed by those who took part.

The annual Deanery prayer meeting will take place at 2.00 pm on Tuesday, 29th September, at St. Michael’s Church, Dowhills Road, Blundellsands. On Thursday, 1st 0ctober, the annual Mothers’ Union enrolment service will be held at 2.00 pm in St. Peter’s when new members will be enrolled.

We are always very pleased to welcome new members. If you are interested in joining the Mothers’ Union please ring Eleanor on (01704) 874112.

Finally, our congratulations to Adele and Geoffrey Dickinson and Margaret and Bill Thorpe on the occasion of their diamond weddings in September.

Eleanor

Southport Foodbank Update The foodbank’s recent Newsletter thanks all those who have supported the foodbank over the last three years in it’s increasing

work. The demand for their services is currently running at 6.3 % up on the same period in 2014. The list of current shortages includes biscuits, tinned tomatoes, tinned vegetables and small items of sweets, chocolates and nuts which they like to include as “treats”. Finally, from October, retail outlets will legally have to charge 5p for each carrier bag that they supply. The foodbank believe that they are likely to experience a short term shortage of bags - any you can spare will be much appreciated - they can be left in the box in the church porch. Many thanks for your continuing support. Glyn Jones

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St Peter’s MU Celebrates Mary Sumner Day

On 9th August, St Peter’s MU welcomed members and guests from other MU branches and celebrated the life and work of it’s founder Mary Sumner. Branch

and Deanery banners were paraded, and MU members led the prayers and readings. After the service, parishioners were invited to join MU members for coffee and cake. Many thanks to everyone who supported us on our special day, especially Revd Chris Quine, and Revd Jeff Engel, MU Chaplain Emeritus.

Just Voices Concert I always liked barbershop style singing but thought that it involved four portly chaps in stripey aprons and boaters, so didn’t think for a minute that I would ever be involved in that type of singing myself. Two years ago, however, I saw an article in the local paper about a Ladies Barbershop Choir in Southport who were putting on a 3 week Introduction to Harmony Singing Course with the intention of recruiting some new members. The course certainly worked and I, along with several others from Formby, have been members of Just Voices ever since. We meet every Monday evening in Southport, singing a wide repertoire of both contemporary and traditional songs at festivals, weddings, celebrations and fundraisers, led by our musical director Sharon King.

We are looking forward to singing at St Peter’s Church on

Saturday November 14th at 7.45 pm and hope that you will come along and enjoy our concert. And remember ….we are always keen to recruit more ladies who can sing, so do let us know if you

are interested. Sonia Greenyer

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My Journey Brought up in a Rectory the possibility of ordination was always at the back of my mind but it was not until the second year at university while reading Theology that I made an explicit commitment. This was after I had had a profound experience of God’s love while praying over the gospel of John. King’s College London was followed by Cuddesdon Theological College near Oxford.

My first curacy was at St Aidan’s in Leeds which has a magnificent mosaic by the Welsh artist Frank Brangwen in its basilican chancel . For my ordination retreat I visited the community at Taizé in France where I met, among others, a priest from Leeds who had just returned from Italy. He had stayed with members of the Focalare Movement which seeks to live a spirituality of unity according to Jesus’s prayer “may they all be one” (Jn 17:21). This spirituality has played a significant role in my ministry and it was at an ecumenical gathering in Rome that I met Carol.

As curates do I ran youth clubs and was nominated Deanery Youth Officer which led to the first Iona Youth Pilgrimage, the first of four over the years of my ministry and one of the most enjoyable aspects of it. From other parishes I also led adult groups who stayed at the Abbey. These pilgrimages always had a profound effect upon the Christian vision of the participants and therefore they were one of the most worthwhile experiences of my ministry.

For my second curacy I went to St. Wilfrid’s Church at Harrogate. After four years I was given the incumbency of the Church of the Holy Spirit in Beeston Hill. It was a parish of 50% Bangladeshi Moslem population. The church was significant for me, chiefly because I married Carol there in 1979. Our wedding day was unforgettable partly for the organist’s failure to find the organ key and the efforts of my best man who had to saw his way through the lock with my small hack-saw. Everything else went to plan. The following year David was born on no less a day than Pentecost Sunday, our Patronal Festival. The presiding bishop continued with the morning service of Confirmation after the presentation of the candidates and I just managed to return after David’s birth for Choral Evensong at which a retired Bishop of All Australia (Sir Philip Strong) was preaching.

The introduction of the Alternative Service Book in 1980 caused some distress in a church that didn’t want to move anywhere especially not into the 20th C. and the bishop offered me a post in a Team Ministry in East Leeds, but not before our second child, Clare, had been born in 1982. The Seacroft Team was a parish of some 40,000 people with five area churches of which I was responsible for St. Luke’s. The church

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building was dual purpose so the local karate club used it during the week and we had to put the chairs out every Saturday night. The church hall was also fully used every weekday.

This was the first parish where I started a service of prayer for Wholeness and Healing. This happened as a consequence of a nun who had come to lead Holy Week for us saying that she felt the presence of Jesus with us when I prayed for a sick person in hospital and had I thought of starting a ministry of healing prayer.

After eight years at St. Luke’s Seacroft we considered a move to be nearer my parents who were both in their eighties and living in Norwich. The benefice of Martham with Repps-cum-Bastwick is positioned on the Broads north of Great Yarmouth and only two miles from the North Sea. We moved on St. James’s day, 25th July 1990. After four years two more fine though tiny Anglo-Saxon churches were added to the Benefice: no curate, no retired clergy, no Readers, at least to start with, and four PCCs. Establishing a Ministry Team was my first major task. The second was meeting the opportunities presented by the new Millennium and the consequent grants available. As a result we installed two floors of facilities in the medieval tower at Martham and repaired and rehung the bells.

It was from Norfolk that we started the first of our overseas pilgrimage tours starting with Israel in 1993. However running four parishes as the only ordained person prevented further excursions until we took a group from Derbyshire to Turkey in 2006. From then we have led groups nearly every year to many different destinations around the Mediterranean and India.

Fourteen years hence the children had completed their schooling and, as my mother had died in 2002 aged 92 and Carol’s parents were increasingly infirm, we decided to move nearer Lancashire. Repton in Derbyshire provided a very fine church with Anglo-Saxon crypt and large Victorian vicarage. There were two other churches in the Benefice, St. Mary the Virgin Newton Solney and St. Saviour’s Foremark which had been built in 1662, the year of the Prayer Book of Charles II. My predecessor had stayed 21 years and most of the people were passionate for change – a rare occurrence. There was also an opportunity for further church development work. I had promised Carol that I would retire at 65 so after 7 years in 2011 we moved to Ainsdale-by-the-Sea.

My journey is far from over as I continue ministry but at a very different pace. The best part of parochial ministry is undoubtedly the great variety of experience with different congregations, schools, hospitals, industry (I was an part-time industrial chaplain in Harrogate and Leeds) and the enormous privilege of ministering to people at times of great sadness and joy.

Peter Paine

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“On Opening our Magazine . . . ”

… and flicking through, as one does when having a

quick bite of breakfast between 8 and 10 am services on

a Sunday, I came across two eye-catching articles. The

one, “God’s new Business Plan,” concerns the

Archbishop of Canterbury’s desire to see the Anglican

Church increase its presence in the country of its birth

and some of the various responses and reactions that his

numeracy in expressing his desires and concerns has

provoked. The other, “Balancing Act,” contributed by Rod Jacques, is inviting us

to take a wider, and perchance a more balanced, view of the impacts of past

leaders, and thereby develop a more considered view of what may be desirable in

the direction of future actions.

Whether we measure their “profit” in pence and pounds or pleasure or pride in

achievements, we should remember that the continued existence of most

organisations depends on their having sufficient resources to meet liabilities.

Governments, on the other hand, do not. Certainly, the Church of England, though

Established, is not thereby protected from the threat of bankruptcy, so it should not

surprise us that a numerate Archbishop pays some heed to the Church he leads

being able so to do, whether in the upkeep of our portion of “God’s housing stock”

or of those in its full-time employment, now that “glebe” has ceased to refer to

land which allows the growth of food for an incumbent’s sustenance.

In his book “TOOLS FOR THINKING: Modelling in Management Science” ( an

excellent introduction to Operational Research, by the way ) my friend Michael

Pidd talks of “rocket scientists,” who do things by numbers, and ”poets” – who are

concerned with qualitative description of human relationships where numbers must

be seen as irrelevant; he describes ways of working with both. Good Operational

Researchers, however they come to its practice, need to have some of both

attributes to be able to take the balanced view that Rod Jacques is encouraging us

to strive for.

Some critics clearly fall into one of Michael’s two categories – and seem to lack

the will to explore the other. Remarkably, one “unnamed” voice decries the idea of

a “talent pool” ready for office as it “doesn’t have a theology”. ( I ask- “What were

the Apostles?” ). In the article John Spence’s advice is reported in terms of seeking

goals and marshalling resources. I suggest that in those terms we should be

looking at all the skills and useful attributes that we, as the Church’s people, may

bring to its service, even in small ways, and that, as a first step in seeking goals to

set, by doing a bit of basic Marketing Research ( as the Institute of Marketing

would put it ) – and in self-criticism ask ourselves – “What business are we

in?” ( and “…seem to be in, to others”? ) and of the world outside our doors “What

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are your needs?” in search of what we do do that may meet, and what we don’t do

that we could do, to help meet those needs.

On Thursday 3rd September, the Lectionary reminded us that it was the Festal Day of

Saint Gregory, the “Not Angles but angels” Pope. His life, as a Roman patrician led

him to serve as Prefect before a change in his circumstances caused him to give up

his possessions and enter a monastery. Developing in the service of the Church, he

moved on to be sent in an ambassadorial role to Constantinople. Later he returned to

his monastery before being elected Pope, in which role the skills he had acquired

through life not only enabled him to give strong leadership in the administration of

Church affairs but to be relatively successful in negotiations with the Lombards,

Franks and Visigoths then attacking from the North, leading to the preservation of

the Church whilst emerging from the collapse of the Roman Empire. We are asked,

though, to celebrate his life for his undoubted abilities as a Teacher of the Faith.

Since starting to think about commenting on these articles, the very sad news reports

of drowned children as well as reports of clamouring for asylum for refugees via

“social media” have resulted in policy changes being forced upon our Government.

We should all pray that the apparent “opening of doors” will not result in more

people fatally falling prey to the amoral traffickers in misery.

John Ryan BEREAVEMENT SERVICE

The end of October and beginning of November is a specific time of remembrance. A time to remember all those who have gone before us,

not just the ‘big’ saints that are mentioned by name in the Bible and in history, but the many saints – with a small ‘s’ - that we have known in our own lives; those who have helped us, encouraged us, inspired us, and those who, maybe as parents and family members, made sacrifices for us.

Our annual service for those who have been bereaved will be held at 6.30 pm on Sunday 25

th October. We will be remembering all those whose funeral was

connected with St Peter’s over the past 2 years and also there will be a sheet in the porch to add further names to be read out in remembrance during the service. For many this is a comforting service and a tangible way of remembering those who have died. This service is different from previous years in that it will be a simple service of prayers, readings and hymns. As we take time to remember, candles will be lit in memory of loved ones.

This service will not be in the context of Fauré’s Requiem which will be held on Sunday 22

nd November.

There will be refreshments after the service and everyone is very welcome.

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Aegean Odyssey Tour of Rhodes, Patmos and Kos led by Revd Peter and Carol Paine

We were very fortunate indeed to be part of a group from various parts of the country to accompany Peter and Carol on their thoughtfully planned tour. We visited the Greek islands of Rhodes, Kos and Patmos and took the ferry across to Bodrum in Turkey, all with the aim of visiting and exploring the historical and religious aspects of this part of the world.

Our adventure started on Rhodes where we stayed near to the heart of the old city. Starting at the modern port with its waterside cathedral, we were driven up to the ancient Grecian Acropolis, Odeon and athletic stadium where the ruins have been sympathetically restored to conjure up the atmosphere of the pre-Christian era. From here we descended to the old city area, which has changed little since the days of the Crusaders. Our tour took us around the narrow streets to visit the castle of the Crusaders. We then obtained a better understanding of life under the Crusaders by walking around most of the elevated city walls. Then we visited the Grand Master’s palace with its outstanding mosaics.

The following day we visited the town of Lindos which is famous for the remains of the largest Acropolis outside Athens, situated high above the old town. A steep ascent enabled us to enjoy the remarkable architecture which has been much modified over the millennia.

In a traditional Ottoman dwelling, we had time to explore the amazing painted icons in the local Church. Our third day on Rhodes was a fascinating tour of the more hidden parts of the island which included one the local monasteries where we were fascinated to chat to one of the monks about his life and

beliefs.

Our next island, Patmos, was a total contrast. We could feel the tranquillity and atmosphere of this most spiritual of islands. The highlight of our stay was a visit to the monastery of St. John and to experience the ambiance of the sacred Cave of the Apocalypse where St. John the Theologian is believed to have received his vision from heaven that he recorded in the Book of View of Lindos and Acropolis

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Revelation. Peter explained in more detail the background and meaning of this difficult book. Our own Eucharist for Trinity Sunday was celebrated for us by Peter in the open air, on a secluded patio of our hotel. Trinity Sunday in the Anglican Church is Pentecost Sunday in the Orthodox calendar and we were honoured to be invited to attend one of the daily offices of the Orthodox monastery. The experience will remain with us for the rest of our lives.

Although the service was in Greek the atmosphere and the chanting of the office were spiritually uplifting. We could not have been made more welcome.

The island of Kos provided a contrast to the peace of Patmos. We stayed in Kos Town, close to the harbour and old town area. This was a much busier place as its main income is from tourism. However, a short drive from the bustle took us to the ancient hospital of Asklepion where Hippocrates developed the foundation of modern medicine. On the beach at Kefalos there was an opportunity to relax and swim, as well as test the very hot thermal springs.

An early boat trip the following day took us to Turkey and the port of Bodrum where the fine Crusader castle had been sympathetically restored. We also visited the site of the tomb of King Mausolus, the original mausoleum and one of the wonders of the ancient world.

On our final day, we were guided around the remains of the ancient Roman settlement which reminded us of the ruins at Pompeii. The Roman area was extensive and included a theatre, villas and temples and housed some amazingly well preserved mosaics. It was a pity the current financial position meant the whole area was in need of maintenance. From there we toured Kos’s Crusader castle before having our final taverna lunch and catching our homeward flight.

Cave of the Apocalypse and monastery of St. John the

Theologian on Patmos

Monastery of St. John the Theologian on Patmos

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During our whole odyssey we were treated to a tour of history from ancient Greek through to Roman, Crusader, Ottoman, Italian and British occupations, up to modern times and visiting the sites of two of the five wonders of the ancient world (the Colossus of Rhodes and the Mausoleum of Halicarnassus).

Thank you to Peter and Carol for such a memorable and spiritually uplifting experience. We know what a huge amount of planning must have gone into making this such a wonderful experience. Do please consider joining Peter and Carol next year when they plan to visit Armenia, the first state to adopt the Christian faith in the fourth century (301 AD). We hope to see you there!

David and Glennis Poole

Crusader castle at Bodrum

Armenia tour 2016

Peter and Carol Paine would like to invite you to join them on a tour of Armenia in 2016.

The dates are 16th to 23rd September, 8 days on a full board basis. The tour is arranged by Worldwide Christian Travel and will cost £1398 which includes

accommodation in a 4* hotel, flights,

air-conditioned coach, English speaking guide, all fees and gratuities.

If you would like a full brochure please contact Peter or

Carol on 01704 809517 or by email to Peter: [email protected] or write to

Beachway House, 27 Stratford Close,

Southport, PR8 2RT. We do hope you will be able to join us.


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NEW APPOINTMENT FOR OUR AREA DEAN In order to reduce the heavy burden of administration falling on the shoulders of our two diocesan Archdeacons, the Bishops’ Council has recently announced the creation of four Archdeaconry areas in the Liverpool Diocese to enable a greater focus on mission, pastoral and strategic engagement. Such changes will take place later in November this year after the retirement of Peter Bradley, presently Archdeacon of Warrington.

Our present Archdeacon, Ricky Panter will take responsibility for a smaller Liverpool area than at present, and the diocesan boundaries have been redrawn for the appointment of 3 new Archdeacons responsible for Knowsley and Sefton, St Helens and Warrington and Wigan and West Lancashire.

The aim is to create more manageable areas which can then become places where the Archdeacons can form and support good and close relationships with their parishes. The new boundaries will be based on local authority areas to make more sense to the wider public.

Our present Area Dean, Pete Spiers, currently Vicar of St Luke’s Church, Crosby, has been appointed to take responsibility for the Knowsley and Sefton area, which of course includes St Peter’s. Many parishioners will recall that Pete’s father, Graham who was the Archdeacon of Liverpool for many years, led St Peter’s during a period of interregnum during his retirement.

We wish Pete every success in his new position.

OPEN DAY Tuesday 6th October 2015

You are welcome to visit Jospice anytime from 2pm – 6.30pm

Come and meet the staff, have a look around the hospice, view some of the well kept archives from the last 50 years.

HOSPICE CARE WEEK 5th – 11th October

Hospice Care Week is an annual week of activity to raise the profile of hospice care across the UK.

St Joseph’s Hospice, Ince Road, Thornton, Liverpool L23 4UE

0151 9243812 www.jospice.org.uk

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Science or Fiction?

Science has done so much for us over the past hundred years in medicine and in 100 other ways. It has also given us weapons of mass-destruction and many ways of turning people’s lives upside down. Fiction has given us films which portray futuristic wars with mass destruction in them ( I don’t watch them!).

I thought of The Exodus the other day when I watched the poor refugees leaving their homes and wandering to Europe from their homelands in the Middle East. I don’t know who is leading the people of Syria and farther afield to Europe, but they are all looking to the West for a better life than they had back home. They have left home, family and friends behind to look for peace and prosperity on our shores.

We may ask why they want to come to Europe and Britain? It is because we are comparatively peaceful and prosperous and our standard of living is an improvement on theirs at home. Women in particular want their freedom. Many of them in their homeland are refused education and are practically slaves, whereas here we are all one and have our franchise to vote for our way of life.

After the Partition in India, when our politicians decided to give the people freedom there was chaos and mayhem and many of the people came to Britain for peace to live their lives as they wished to. That generation opened businesses, worked hard in our factories and prospered. They were glad to have escaped violence and to live in peace with us, their benefactors. The second and third generations of these asylum seekers seem to be the ones who are agitating for trouble, and who are influencing young people to rebel against our laws.

As Christians we must be hospitable and welcoming to our fellow human beings, who ask for our help and for refuge with us, but we must be more vigilant in our religious life and make sure that we are not taken advantage of in future.

Not many of us still remember the fear of invasion during the early 1940’s, during World

War II, but we all pulled together. We stayed together and prayed together and suffered many hardships because of the deprivation that war caused us, so I, for one, can appreciate the reason why so many people want to come to our peaceful, affluent country to live.

Moses gave us the laws that God gave him many years ago. They were needed, I am quite sure, in the long trek across the Middle East when so many travellers were seeking asylum away from Egypt. Not a lot has changed down the ages has it? Ordinary folk, wanting to live in peace have to be up-rooted now and then to look for a better way of life.

Moses Laws still apply today, with a few more added by our politicians, but we must see that they are the only way for our land to be united and at peace. We must all do our share of welcoming those in distress, but like Moses and his Asylum-

Seekers of the past, we must all make sure that we and they all keep the laws of this wonderful, welcoming land if peace is to prevail here.

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SHOEBOX EXPRESS Helping You to Help Operation Christmas Child (OCC)

You may already be familiar with the Operation Christmas Child (OCC) scheme. Participants Christmas-wrap a shoebox and fill it (with stationery, toiletries, toys, games, clothing and sweets) for a needy child in Eastern Europe or Africa at Christmas. This usually involves studying the scheme small-print and tearing around the shops in the lead-up to Christmas to assemble the necessary (and permitted) merchandise at full Christmas prices.

“Shoebox Express” is our name for an OCC assistance project. Our goal is to make it easy and inexpensive for you to participate in the OCC scheme. We shop throughout the year to purchase items when they are at their cheapest, rather than in the weeks leading up to Christmas when they are often most expensive. We buy only items that are permitted by the OCC scheme, using wholesale and retail sources. Volunteers knit hats and glove puppets. We collect and cover suitable shoeboxes with Christmas gift wrap and then bring everything together in one place to deliver you a one-stop-shop.

At the Shoebox Express event you can choose from a wide range of ready-covered shoeboxes (these are all free of charge), fill them with a full selection of suitable gifts from across all categories: stationery, toiletries, clothing, sweets, toys and games. Our prices start at 5p and no item costs more than £1. We charge only what we have paid, rounded to the nearest 5p to make the adding up easier!

This year, Shoebox Express is coming to St Peter’s Church. We hope you will join us for what is both a heart-warming and relatively low-stress event! If you have children, or grandchildren, please bring them with you. After all, what could be better than seeing our children involved in the giving as well as the receiving this Christmas?

If you’re short on time, we also offer ready-filled shoeboxes at £4.50 each. These contain a full selection of items from all the recommended categories, wrapped in Christmas paper and appropriately labelled.

St Peter’s Church Hall, Paradise Lane - Wednesday 21st October 2 - 6 pm

If you can’t make this date, you are also welcome to visit Shoebox Express at Elbow Lane Methodist Church Hall on 3rd October (10am – Noon and 2pm – 4pm). If you have any questions please contact [email protected]


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CHURCHES TOGETHER in Formby, Altcar and Hightown

NEW YEAR STARTS

Since our magazine’s last edition closed for press, “Churches Together” (CTiFAH) have held their AGM, on 15th July last, and the first meeting under our new Chairman, John Nelson (St Luke’s), on 7th September. St Michaels and All Angels demurring, it is our turn to provide a Vice-Chairman. After discussion with our Vicar after the AGM, John Ryan has taken on that role again.

The AGM praised the success of the Pentecost Party, and St Michael’s were thanked for their invitation to another happy Midsummer Evensong. Other churches are asked to extend invitations to similar events, (details to Dympna, CTiFAH Secretary) such as Father David Gamble’s ordination’s silver jubilee celebration or our Patronal Festival Lecture or Harvest Festival.

Future CTiFAH activities include “Flu Jab’s” refreshments (Monday 12th & Tuesday 13th October), support for the Christmas Light switch-on (Sunday November 22nd, 2 – 7 pm) and the Nativity play (Saturday 12th December). Expect calls for help with all these.

Amongst activities involving CTiFAH people, the Sefton Pensioners Advocacy Group forum (22nd September) and Formby Hub HubFest (5th October, “British Legion”, 12-3 pm) events were promoted. The Sefton Abolition Group will be holding a Christmas Fair in the Luncheon Club after the Nativity play. The School Assembly Team visits St Luke’s Primary school weekly, and plans to make monthly visits to St Jerome’s school. Dementia Awareness training organised for local businesses was well received.

We also need a new Treasurer. David Manning-Fox, since he kindly succumbed to my Chairmanly persuasion has been serving in that role, ever since. Thank you David, from CTiFAH, and myself, for many years of excellent service.

Under “Any Other Business” we discussed responses to the migrant crisis, and the possibility of their being housed in Pontins, Ainsdale. Our new Chairman is introducing one or two innovations. He is starting a regular report in the Champion on “Churches Together” activities.

John Ryan St Peter’s Representative and Vice- Chairman, CTiFAH

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Name of the rose

Some years ago our then vicar was describing the difficulties experienced during baptism services in interpreting some of the more unusual names given by parents.

His most challenging was “Spindonna”. At the last moment he realised the mother was repeatedly saying “ It’s pinned on her.”

L. Pollock, Sutton Coldfield

Did you know that being in Church is the safest place to be?

32% of fatalities occur in hospitals.

Motor accidents account for 20% of all fatal accidents.

17% of all accidents happen in the home.

14% of accidents occur to pedestrians.

16% of accidents result from travel by air, rail or water:

HOWEVER, ONLY 0.0001% of all accidents occur in church.

Obviously the safest place to be is worshipping in your local church!!!

THE PRIEST AND THE PILOT!!

A minister died and waited in line at the Pearly Gates with an airline pilot. St Peter addressed the pilot, “Who are you, so that I may know whether or not to admit you to the kingdom of heaven?” The guy replied, “I’m Peter the Pilot, retired Ryanair Pilot.”

St Peter consulted his list. He smiled and said to the pilot, “Take this silken robe and golden staff and enter the kingdom.” The pilot entered heaven with his robe and staff. Next it was the minister’s turn. He boomed out, “I am Brian, pastor of Saint Mary’s for the last 43 years.”

St Peter consulted his list. He said to the minister, “Take this cotton robe and wooden staff and enter the kingdom.” “Just a minute,” said the minister. “That man was a pilot and he gets a silken robe and golden staff, and I get only cotton and wood. How can this be?” “Up here, we work by results,” said St Peter. “When you preached – people slept. When he flew – people prayed.”

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EMAIL DIRECTORY We would like to create a parish email directory which would be used once a month to send out dates for the month and also when a special event is coming up. If you would like to be added to the email list please send an email to [email protected]. Email addresses will only be used by St Peter’s and not passed on to anyone else and each email is sent as a Bcc so no one can see the full List. This is a way to help us keep in touch.


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32

.

THIS SUNDAY THING

There was a lot of debate over the summer about the proposal to extend shopping hours on Sunday. Whereas small shops can open all day on Sunday, larger stores are restricted to 6 hours.

Churches, unions and small businesses said that such a change would be a “recipe for chaos.” “Keeping Sunday special is essential to the fabric of society,” they declared, championing a day of rest and recreation.

The division of the week into 7 days pre-dates Biblical times and goes back to Babylonian practice. The Jews inherited the 7 day week when they settled in Canaan around 1200BC. But, reflecting on the parable of creation in Genesis, the Jews made the Sabbath, the seventh day, a special day of rest as “God rested on the seventh day from all the work he had done…. And blessed and hallowed it”. (Gen 2:2, 3)

Primarily the Sabbath, Saturday, was a piece of social legislation, giving everyone, including animals, a day of rest and cessation from toil.

Later in their history, the Sabbath also became the day for worship in the synagogue, and when the legalists got busy, the day became surrounded by prohibitions and rules.

Christians, however, began to keep the first day of the week, Sunday, as their special day to remember and commemorate the resurrection of Jesus. It was the day they met for worship. One of the early service books dating to around 100AD puts it like this, “On the Lord’s Day come together, break bread and hold Eucharist”.

At first, Sunday for Christians was not a day of rest. Their worship, holding Eucharist, had to be fitted in to the working day. It wasn’t until 321AD when the Emperor Constantine, the first Christian emperor, passed a law which laid down that work must stop on the Lord’s Day, although agricultural work was permitted to save crops and avoid disaster.

Slowly the two concepts of Sabbath and Sunday became conflated, though in origin they were two different days for two different purposes. And even though the reformers of the 16th century emphasised the distinction between Sabbath and Sunday, their identification continued, especially in Victorian times.

The pendulum has perhaps, swung in the opposite direction in modern times. For

33

many Sunday is indistinguishable from Saturday and is just part of the weekend.

So what can we say about Sunday? I think there are three aspects to be considered.

First, it is “the Lord’s Day”, as it became known by the end of the 1st century AD. And still the first duty for Christians is to “come together, break bread and hold Eucharist”. ‘The Lord’s people in the Lord’s house around the Lord’s table on the Lord’s day’.

The other two aspects are Rest and Recreation.

During the French Revolution, the revolutionaries abolished everything to do with religion, including Sunday. Instead they tried to introduce a decimal week – a 10 day week – retaining one day for rest. It didn’t work and the health of the nation began to suffer. We are somehow programmed by nature to need at least one day of rest every seven days. The Chinese have a proverb that says that the bow that is always taut soon ceases to shoot straight!

Today we make a virtue out of being very busy and one modern disease is TATT – Tired All The Time. We need to make time for rest and leisure. Not to do so is not a virtue but bad time management!

Recreation: The rule for the Sabbath was to ‘do nothing’. But the Sabbath is not Sunday, nor are the rules about the Sabbath rules for Sunday, whatever our Victorian ancestors thought. Recreation is re-creation, mentally, physically and spiritually, and the wise person programmes recreation into their week. It is a religious thing to do.

So what about extended opening hours on Sunday?

The early Christians had to work on Sunday, but they also made time for worship. The origin of the 8.00am communion service on a Sunday was to allow the servants of the ‘big house’ to fulfil their religious obligations before returning to make breakfast for their masters and mistresses.

Not every church has a daily service, though most have a mid-week Eucharist, so religious obligations can be fulfilled.

If not for religious reasons, there are practical reasons for the existing arrangements to be maintained.

It’s important for families to be able to spend a day together. During the week, that is not always possible with children in school. Will extended opening hours really mean more revenue? Most of us have only a certain amount of money to spend, and surely there are more than enough hours already in which to spend it!

As was famously said during a General Synod debate, “Surely the way forward is the status quo!”

Ted Woods

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Baptisms, Weddings & Funerals

These can be arranged through the Vicar.

Confirmation 2015

Parish Confirmation.

For those under the age of 18 and adult candidates

Sunday 15th November at 6.30pm in St. Peter’s Church,

Formby. Confirmation preparation will begin in October.

Visiting

The Vicar would appreciate being notified if anyone is in

hospital or ill at home; or of other visits that might be required.

House Communion

If you are unable to attend church and would like Holy

Communion at home please let the Vicar know.

This can be a source of comfort and strength.

Service of Wholeness

A monthly service of prayer and anointing. This is a reflective

service in the context of a Eucharist where ministry is available

and prayers may be requested for those whom we know who

are ill.

St. Peter’s Church was originally “The Ancient Chapelry of Formby,

St. Peter Apostle and Martyr.” It dates from the 12th century and was situated very

close to the sea. St. Peter’s was part of the Parish of Walton, which is why the

Rector of Walton is still our Patron. This chapel became “ruinous” and a new

church, on the present site, was built in 1746 and consecrated on 19th July 1747.

35

DATES FOR YOUR DIARY – OCTOBER 2015 1st Thursday 2.00pm Mothers’ Union “Annual Service” in Church followed by refreshments in Bier House 2nd Friday 6.30pm First Friday Eucharist 4th Sunday Harvest Thanksgiving 10.00am Parade Service – for all ages 6.30pm Harvest Thanksgiving Special Preacher: Richard Clarke, Archbishop of Armagh 7th Wednesday 2.00pm WOW service (for pre-schoolers) 3.15pm Fishy Club begins again 10th Saturday 2.15pm Wedding of Mike Skelley & Victoria Ashcroft 11th Sunday 19th Sunday after Trinity 10.00am Sunday Club 6.00pm Joint Deanery Service at Holy Trinity led by Bishop Paul 14th Wednesday 3.15pm Fishy Club begins again 18th Sunday Stewardship Sunday 10.00am Preacher: Revd Steve Pierce Sunday Club 6.30pm Service of Wholeness 21st Wednesday 2 - 6pm Christmas Shoe Box Appeal 25th Sunday 21st Sunday after Trinity 12 noon Children’s Hotdog Service 6.30pm Bereavement Service

36

From the Church Registers - Baptisms

6th September Max Jorden Smallwood

son of Jorden & Jane

13th September Logan George Cowen-Carr

son of Paul & Lisa

6th September Isabella Grace Burness-Todd daughter of Colin & Lindsey

30th August Ada Grace Postlethwaite-Connolly

daughter of Tony & Laura

30th August Savanah Elizabeth Wilson-Hills

daughter of Lee & Sarah

23rd August Henry Peter Knowles

son of Peter & Lindsey

6th September William Isaac Dean

son of Matthew & Joanne

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From the Church Registers

Renewal of Marriage Vows & Happy 50th Wedding Anniversary

10th September 2015 David & Carole Bell

They were married at St David's Church, Childwall

Congratulations to David and Glennis Poole

50th Wedding Anniversary They were married at

St. Philip’s Church, Wolverhampton on September 4th 1965

We would like to include the announcement of births, engagements and special anniversaries etc so please let us know – [email protected]

Interment of Ashes

20th Aug Kenneth Guy

29th Aug Anne Mayor

3rd Sept Sandra Cottrell

15th Sept Dorothy Habgood

Funerals

6th Aug David Chatterton

7th Aug Michael Johnson

25th Aug Michael Williams

3rd Sept Niccola Downey

9th Sept Winifred Humphreys

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Ch

urc

h S

erv

ice

s Sundays

8.00 am Holy Communion (1662) 10.00 am Parish Eucharist (Coffee afterwards) 12.00 noon Baptisms (as arranged) 6.30 pm Choral Evensong 6.30 pm Service of Wholeness – 3rd Sunday of each month

Weekdays Morning Prayer 9.00 am Monday, Tuesday, Thursday, Saturday 11.00 am Wednesday Eucharist (Coffee afterwards)

6.30 pm Eucharist 1st Friday of each month

A Prayer for the Refugee Crisis Heavenly Father, you are the source of all goodness, generosity and love. We thank you for opening the hearts of many to those who are fleeing for their lives. Help us now to open our arms in welcome, and reach out our hands in support. That the desperate may find new hope, and lives torn apart be restored. We ask this in the name of Jesus Christ Your Son, Our Lord, who fled persecution at His birth and at His last triumphed over death. Amen from the Church of England website

october parish magazine

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