JANUARY 2018 Price 50p Concord Magazine

www.parishofmorpeth.org.uk

O Come let us adore Him

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“This little light of mine….”

Last week the Concord group met to discuss articles for the New Year’s edition. As we started to discuss the theme Val suggested I write an article about what I see as being the focus for 2018. As we talked about calling and being lights of Christ, Sally was reminded of a song she learnt as a child called “Jesus Bids us Shine”. it goes like this “Jesus bids us shine with a clear, pure light, Like a little candle burning in the night; In this world of darkness, we must shine, You in your small corner, and I in mine.” It reminded me of a song I learnt as a youngster called “This little light of mine, I’m going to let it shine” in fact it inspired the whole Concord team so much that we held hands and sung the whole song three times. Sorry they didn’t, it’s my warped sense of humour , but it did inspire me to write about what I see God calling us to be as His church here in Morpeth. It’s the little candle bit that inspired me. We are all called to be lights for Christ and I think some folks think that some people are bigger candles than others but I’m not sure it’s about the size of candle. In fact I’m sure it not about size! It’s quantity. There is a lovely story of a friend of mine who went to a dinner party and started playing with the small tea lights on the table he thought it might be nice to gather all the lights together and make them into a large circle in the middle of the table. Not being a man of science he did not realise that by placing all those small little candles together makes one great big flame! Apparently he was forgiven although the dinner table still bears the scars! I think we are all small tea-lights for Christ but together be can be a bright shining beacon, a fire for Christ and I believe that God is calling us to shine brighter and bolder, but most importantly together as family.

“This little light of

mine, I’m going to let it shine” in

fact it inspired the

whole Concord team so

much that we held

hands and sung the

whole song three times”

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My Father used to say that it’s hard to see the whole story from the valley. Sometimes you need to climb a mountain so that you can see the whole picture. The view from the mountain top is just amazing but you cannot live up there so you can only spend a little time to take a peek then to come down and tell everyone what you have seen. Recently I took a little walk up that hill after our Concord meeting and from above I could see some amazing things. Last week I sat with 17 people who had been on 3 Alpha courses in the parish. (not including the Youth Alpha being run at St James). The week before we had our FEAST (Friday Evening And Spiritual Treasure) with members of the parish from their 20’s, 30’s, 40’s, 50’s 60’s, 70’s and 80’s!

At Tea-time church we had encouraged families to come and sign in for baptisms and two weeks ago we had 5 couples with their children waiting to be signed in, who stayed and enjoyed the shared tea with the church families already there. Last week I had the privilege of spending time with our young people who were leading all our

Advent services at St James, such faith and such talent. I joined Brian who has been leading the new 9.30 service at St Aidan’s, God’s people growing God’s church for His kingdom. The week before that our FMC (Financial Management Committee) were giving thanks that we had so far paid £7392 for Mission giving. We also gave thanks that we will pay our parish share in full for 2017 which has not happened since 2004. So from the mountain top God has blessed us abundantly but the call I think is that we all can still burn a little brighter. We might, I suspect, all still feel like a tea-light but we can still burn brighter. How do we burn brighter? By seeking God a little more by feeding our hearts and souls. I hope that over the coming year we can together learn more about God; be challenged to do something new that we never thought we could do. Sign up for Alpha,; join a home group; attend FEAST; sign up for the new Lent course; join the Julian Group; start a group to study the bible. Whatever it is let’s just make sure our prayer is “Lord, let me shine, let me shine, let me Shine! Amen. G Bless Simon

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Hope this finds you well. Love, greetings and wishes for Christmas blessings to all the wonderful parishioners of your St James’ Morpeth. I really enjoyed my time with you and the gracious hospitality provided by the Michies! Thought you might like to see the article and photos of our recent Advent procession. Advent Procession at St James’ Morpeth, New South Wales St James’ Morpeth held their annual Advent Procession on Sunday December 3. This is the 17th year that the Advent Procession has been held at St James’, under the musical direction of Margaret Nichol. The St James’ Choir was augmented by people from the local community and other choirs. The service included many hymns, some sung by the choir, others by all who gathered. Readings from the scriptures, and writers such as D H Lawrence, all helping us to prepare for the celebration of the birth of Christ. God bless you all, Love Jeni Wood-Eggins

NEWS FROM ST JAMES, Morpeth, new south wales

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SOMEONE OUT THERE MUST BE ‘DEADLY’ AT

PRESBYTERIAN When you rearrange the letters

BEST IN PRAYER ASTRONOMER When you rearrange the letters

MOON STARER DESPERATION When you rearrange the letters

A ROPE ENDS IT THE EYES When you rearrange the letters

THEY SEE GEORGE BUSH When you rearrange the letters

HE BUGS GORE THE MORSE CODE When you rearrange the letters

HERE COME DOTS SLOT MACHINES When you rearrange the letters

CASH LOST IN ME

ANIMOSITY When you rearrange the letters

IS NO AMITY ELECTION RESULTS When you rearrange the letters

LIES-LETS RECOUNT SNOOZE ALARMS When you rearrange the letters

ALAS! NO MORE Z’S A DECIMAL POINT When you rearrange the letters

I’M A DOT IN PLACE ELEVEN PLUS TWO When you rearrange the letters

TWELVE PLUS ONE MOTHER-IN-LAW When you rearrange the letters

WOMAN HITLER NEW DOOR When you rearrange the letters

ONE WORD

Copied from the magazine of St John’s Church, Seaton Hirst

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MORPETH ECUMENICAL JUSTICE AND PEACE GROUP

Over the last year or so, a number of Christians in Morpeth have felt moved to come together around issues of social justice and peace. A member of the St. Robert’s congregation, Mick Quille, who was inspired by a course on Catholic Social Teaching, contacted other churchgoers and initially co-ordinated the development of an ecumenical group. All the churches in Morpeth are now represented on the group by people bringing their desire to practically act out their Christian beliefs and values, by nudging the town towards a more peaceful and just society, where everyone is working together for the common good. We believe we can help achieve this mission through individual and collective acts of charity and community support, by raising awareness , and by tackling the structural causes of problems in the community. An initial meeting was held in November 2016 where interests, backgrounds and ideas were shared. The aim of the group was decided as ‘to raise awareness and take action about social issues and problems locally from a practical, spiritual and Christian perspective.’ Since then we have held meetings approximately every 2 months. They can be summarised as follows:- 1. January 2017. Discussions by members on refugees, poverty, ethical shopping and investment led by Mary Ord, and the environment. A briefing on the problem of refugees, clarifying the pathways for donations, distributed to churches for us in newsletters etc. 2. February. Following the Poverty Lunch at the Methodist church, a

meeting of Christians concerned to take action locally was called. The group became an anti-poverty sub-group of the Justice and Peace Group and has been developing two strands of work. One is supporting some activities in Stobhill (eg projects based at St. Aidan’s and the community centre), and the other is an initiative to improve the incomes of poorer working people through a Real Living Wage project (see below).

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3. March. Talk and discussion led by Dr. Golding on the environment and climate change, followed later in the year by a litter pick organised by Janet. 4. June. Talk and discussion on Northumberland Credit Union led by Nic Best, and circulation of information to local churches. 5. August. Talk and discussion on refugees led by Maura Illingworth. In November a collection was made around Morpeth churches for people to donate surplus/old coats and deliver these to the Newcastle Justice and Peace Refugee Project in Summerhill. 6. October/November: Discussions on the Real Living Wage, and the

development of an initiative led by Paul Hopper, Mick Quille, Mary Ord and other members of the anti-Poverty sub group. Meetings have been held with Churches Together, the Chamber of Trade, the MP, Morpeth Herald, town councillors etc., and a leaflet and plan has been produced for ongoing discussions with local employers and residents.

In January 2018 we are planning a talk on the current refugee situation. This will be followed on Sunday 11th February by a Poverty Lunch at St Aidan’s Church, where we plan to hear some people sharing their story of what it feels like to live at the margins in Morpeth. These margins could be financial, social or due to mental or physical ill-health. The group is open to new members joining who broadly share Christian values and who wish to be involved in prayer, discussion and action, individually and collectively, on justice and peace issues. Meetings currently take place in St. George’s URC, and members’ houses. The group can be contacted by e-mail at morpethjandp@gmail.com or telephone chair Tony Woods, on 07443525399.

Almighty God, you have given all peoples one common origin, and your will is to gather them as one family in yourself. Fill the hearts of all with the fire of your love and the desire to ensure justice for all our sisters and brothers.

By sharing the good things you give us, may we secure justice and equality for every human being, and a human society built on love and peace,

through Jesus Christ our Lord. Amen.

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Growth: in numbers, spiritual commitment, and service

Many of us have heard of LYCiG. Some have heard others speak of LYCiG, Some think they know what LYCiG is, many of us are not sure. A lot of us have been praying the LYCiG prayer regularly. The diocese is putting great emphasis on Growing Church Bringing Hope; part of that focus is on Leading Your Church into Growth (LYCiG). A small group from the parish attended an introductory course in May and a follow up session more recently. The LMDT (Local Ministry Development Team) has been tasked with catalysing growth in the parish. There are three aspects of growth that are important: growth in numbers, growth in spiritual commitment to Jesus, and growth in service to our community. To help the parish decide together how we do this, we propose to invite all members of the congregation to a LYCiG Local Course. We want to give all parishioners the chance to attend and take part in the process of setting the vision for growth in the parish. There are six sessions: 1. Our Focus (Committing ourselves to growth in service, spiritual growth, numerical growth, mission and evangelism) 2. Our Plan (Developing a strategy for growth and doing it: prayer, presence, proclamation, and persuasion) 3. Our culture (Developing a community of invitation, welcome and hospitality: how do we establish a warm, loving and welcoming church community) 4. Our calling (Telling our story and helping people meet Jesus) 5. Our journey (Growing and going deeper as followers of Jesus: developing a heart for ongoing Christian discipleship, how to walk more closely with Jesus). 6. Our Heart (Developing worship that helps the church to grow).

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Following completion of the course the LMDT will review the ideas put forward, discern the shared vision that has come out of the meetings, consult with PCC and plan a way forward for our parish. This would be a good thing to do during Lent; accordingly we are planning on running the six LYCiG Local sessions starting on the first weekend in February. You can either come on Saturday mornings at 10am or Sunday evenings at 6pm. The Sunday sessions would replace the normal Sunday evening services for February and the first two Sundays in March. Each session is 90 mins. The last session would be on Sunday 11th of March (Mothering Sunday). We want as many people as possible to be involved in the process of setting the vision together and holding that vision and then making it happen. So we hope that as many members of the church congregations would feel that this is something they would want to do and would want to feel called to do, so please come along and join in. Hope to see you there. Jeremy Cooper Put this date in your diary:

First session Saturday 3rd February 10am; St James’ vestry Or Sunday 4th February 6pm; St Aidan’s

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Deanery Synod News

Last month’s Concord had a round up of the Deanery Mission Weekend. The weekend was in essence a chance to try out some ideas in preparation for Bishop Christine’s planned mission week in 2018. At a recent Deanery Synod meeting a presentation on some work undertaken by the Church of England set me thinking about mission and growing the Church. The speaker, Judith Sadler, asked members of the Synod to list what why they came to church. Then we were asked to list what we thought young people looked for in their ‘perfect’ church. The results made interesting reading. For example ‘Modern’ was only 9th on the young adults’ list of priorities. Top of the list was ‘Friendly’ with ‘Non-judgemental’ second. Friendly is a feature that all ages are looking for. Judith then presented a list of what influenced young adults’ decision to attend church. While, perhaps understandably, ‘my personal faith’ was top, a ‘sense of community’ and ‘sense of belonging to a church’ came second and third respectively. To me this suggests that we should not be seduced by thinking of congregations in age groups. Intergenerational relationships are very important, creating a culture of an inclusive and supportive church. What matters to all generations is how friendly we are in encouraging both existing and new or potential members of church. As the Parish and the Diocese begin their preparations for the Mission Week perhaps we should begin by asking: What do we want from the Mission Week? Why is this important? How will we know if the week has been successful?

Sally Keith

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When you see geese on their annual migrations flying in a "V" formation, you might consider what science has discovered as to why they fly that way.

As each bird flaps its wings, it creates an uplift for the bird immediately following. By flying in a "V" formation, the whole flock adds at least 71 percent greater flying range than if each bird flew on its own. People who share a common direction and sense of community can get where they are going more quickly and easily, because they are travelling on the thrust of one another. When a goose falls out of formation, it suddenly feels the drag and resistance of trying to go it alone and quickly gets back into formation to take advantage of the lifting power of the bird in front. If we have the sense of a goose, we will stay in formation with those people who are heading the same way we are. When the head goose gets tired, it rotates back in the wing and another goose flies point. It is sensible to take turns doing demanding jobs, whether with people or with geese flying south. Geese honk from behind to encourage those up front to keep up their speed. What message do we give when we honk from behind? Finally - and this is important - when a goose gets sick or injured and falls out of the formation, two other geese fall out with that goose and follow it down to lend help and protection. They stay with the fallen goose until it is able to fly or until it dies; and only then do they launch out on their own or with another formation to catch up with their own group. If we have the sense of a goose, we will stand by each other like that. Author not known

GOOSE SENSE IS GOOD SENSE

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In praise of the Remnant

I hadn’t seen her for 30 years, when she had been a member of the Church Youth Club. Now, as an adult, she was one of a faithful few who were keeping the same church going. Thinking I would pay her an encouraging compliment, I said she was part of the Remnant. When her face fell, I realised that, for most people, ‘remnant’ is how you describe leftover pieces of material which fabric departments have no use for and sell at bargain prices. But in the Bible, the ‘Remnant’ is a term of great honour. It describes a dedicated minority who remained loyal to God, when others were falling away. God relied on them to represent Him, and He honoured their commitment. It underlies the story of Noah, when only a few were saved from the Flood. It recurred when Lot escaped from the destruction of Sodom, and again when Elijah grumpily complained that he alone remained faithful, although he was one of a minority of 7,000 loyal servants of God. The prophets taught that, despite the apostasy of the majority, God would keep hold of a minority; special messengers would confirm that His purposes could not be thwarted. In the New Testament, John the Baptist took up that role, and preached the uncompromising message that repentance is required if people mean business with God – the right pedigree or great wealth is meaningless to the Almighty. God doesn’t need large numbers to fulfil His purposes. Jesus said the Kingdom of Heaven is like a tiny bit of yeast which transforms a large quantity of flour to produce bread. What does that say to the 21st Century, when the success of a movement is measured by the number of its adherents? “Not by might, nor by power, but by my Spirit”, says the Lord Almighty. The Ven John Barton

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HOME FREED: the theology of decluttering

Goal! ‘Forgetting what lies behind, I press on towards the goal’. (Phil 3:13) An important aspect of spirituality is to live in the present, without letting the past hold you captive, or the future make you anxious. But in a house full of clutter, paying close attention to what is immediately in front of you may be the last thing you want to do! Heaps of clutter demand attention, because it occupies the space you need to work in, because it hides the important thing you are looking for, because it is difficult to keep clean, because you literally risk falling over it and injuring yourself if you don't pay attention. The desire to clear clutter and live more simply can be strong, but people often don't know how to begin. Just throw it all away and start again? There may be treasures buried in the junk! (And anyway, recycling is more responsible than simple disposal.) For the past decade, I have been helping people to declutter their homes and also to organize what they want to keep. No matter how the process ends, decluttering always begins the same way – we set a goal. What are you aiming to achieve? What will be the end result? Your goal provides motivation, a sense of purpose when the mess is at its worst. With no goal, you might just move stuff from one place to another, without sorting through it. One room is cleared, but another is newly cluttered! So, it is better to go through things by type – shoes, tools, pans, books, and so on – rather than room by room. For example, do you really need 20 pairs of shoes, and eight screwdrivers? If your goal is to keep only things you use at least once every year, then the answer becomes easier. Often clutter is inherited. Although you don't really want it, there is a sense of obligation, guilt, or fear of what might happen if you give anything away. So, part of your goal could include a change of attitude. Pray you will be able to see things for what they really are. Pray for wisdom as you choose what to keep. Pray that you can open your hands to let go of what you do not need. Pray for perseverance until your goal is reached. Remember that clutter is as much in the mind as in the home. Then begin. Gather your possessions into ‘like’ groups, and look at each thing in turn. Make positive choices. How will this possession help you to reach your goal? Surround yourself with beautiful, useful things that make living in the moment a joy and a delight. Take the rest down to the nearest charity shop – where they may well go on to light up someone else’s life.

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RISK ASSESSMENT HEALTH AND SAFETY

AND OTHER VERY IMPORTANT AND SERIOUS STUFF EVERYONE NEEDS TO KNOW

FOR THE HOLIDAY SEASON AND BEYOND

1. All members of the congregation planning to dash through the snow in a one horse open sleigh, going over the fields and laughing all the way, are advised that a Risk Assessment will be required addressing the safety of an open sleigh for members of the public. This assessment must also consider whether it is appropriate to use only one horse for such a venture, particularly where there are multiple passengers.

Please note that permission must also be obtained in writing from landowners before their fields may be entered. 2. To avoid offending those not participating in celebrations, we would request that laughter is moderate only and not loud enough to be considered a noise nuisance.

3. Benches, stools and orthopaedic chairs are now available for collection by any shepherds planning or required to watch their flocks at night. While provision has also been made for remote monitoring of flocks by CCTV cameras from a centrally heated shepherd

observation hut, all users of this facility are reminded that an emergency response plan must be submitted to account for known risks to the flocks.

4. The angel of the Lord is additionally reminded that, prior to shining his/her glory all around, s/he must confirm that all shepherds are wearing appropriate Personal Protective Equipment to account for the harmful effects of UVA, UVB and the overwhelming effects of Glory.

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5. Following last year’s well-publicised case, everyone is advised that Equal Opportunities legislation prohibits any comment with regard to the redness of any part of Mr R Reindeer. Further to this, exclusion of Mr R Reindeer from reindeer games will be considered discriminatory and disciplinary action will be taken against those found guilty of this offence.

6. While it is acknowledged that gift bearing is a common practice in various parts of the world, particularly the Orient, everyone is reminded that the bearing of gifts is subject to Hospitality Guidelines and all gifts must be registered. This applies regardless of the individual, even royal personages. It is particularly noted that direct gifts of currency or gold are specifically precluded, while caution is advised regarding other common gifts such as aromatic resins that may evoke allergic reactions.

7. Finally, in the recent instance of the infant found tucked up in a manger without any crib for a bed, Social Services have been advised and will be arriving shortly!

MERRY CHRISTMAS and HAPPY NEW YEAR TO ALL PROPERLY ACCREDITED AND SUITABLY CERTIFIED PERSONNEL OF ALL FAITHS SOME FAITHS NOT VERY MUCH FAITH NOT REALLY SURE WHAT IT’S ALL ABOUT FAITH OR WHATEVER. No angels, horses, sheep, shepherds, Kings of the Orient, reindeer or Infant Messiahs were harmed in the making of this article. Please remember to recycle responsibly and put your bins out on the correct day. Thank you.

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Do you believe

in strong committed marriages?

That committed

relationships breed happy

families? Morpeth Deanery will be running marriage preparation events (1 day) for couples

getting married in our area.

We are setting up a team of enthusiastic volunteers to:

Be a contact for marrying couples Speak on the courses

Administrate Help with catering

Welcome new couples

Come along to St Aidan’s Church, Stobhill on Saturday January 13th from 10am-12noon to learn more.

Contact Morpeth Parish Office 01670 503326, morpeth.parish@btconnect.com

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New Year Message by Minnie Louise Haskins

And I said to the man who stood at the gate of the year:- "Give me a light that I may tread safely into the unknown."

And he replied :- "Go out into the darkness and put your hand into the Hand of God. That shall be to you better than light and safer than a known way."

So, I went forth, and, finding the Hand of God, trod gladly into the night,

And He led me towards the hills and the breaking of day in the lone east.

John McPhillips

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THE BEAR NECESSITIES Many thanks to those people who helped knit polar bears for the residents of East Riding Care Home this Christmas. Last year I gave little wooden cats and included a cat

in the Christmas story. This year I included a polar bear and gave residents one each. The residents loved them. I couldn’t have knit over 30 bears on my own so I am so grateful to everyone who helped. If anyone would like to help with the third Thursday in the month church service I would love to hear from you. Residents at East Riding are often frail yet love to sing the hymns and to gather together, once a month, for prayer. Thanks must go to Gina Fleming and Roy Beasley for their loyal support of the residents but we could really do with some extra help. Please get in touch. Pat Fuller (Rev’d) Chaplain to East Riding Care Home.

Some of the content of Pat Baker’s article “The Future of Our World” in the December 2017 edition of Concord is additional material which includes a short extract from a separate document entitled ‘Wartime Miracles and a National Scandal”, which was compiled

and distributed to parishes earlier in the year by an organisation called ‘Strengthen the Faithful’for perusal by PCC Members . We should have pointed this out in the December magazine, but hope you will accept the editor’s apologies for the oversight in this edition. Many thanks Val Pope

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Where to start on this journey of prayer? If you’ve got out of the way of praying and want to reconnect, it can be difficult to know where to start. Perhaps though, like setting off on any journey it’s best to start where we are! You may like to check out what kind of prayer are you naturally drawn to. Here’s what I mean:

Sometimes it is easy to be unaware that you are already pausing for moments in the day to think about God. You may find it helpful to recognise if you are pausing during: a coffee break, commute, school run or other routine activity.

You may not be thinking a prayer or praying a request, but rather putting aside what you are doing for a few moments to gain a different perspective. Perhaps you are allowing the beauty of creation to sink in. It is a good idea to start by noticing the prayer that you already do because this is the prayer that God has already initiated in you. Remember Jesus says, “You did not choose me, I chose you.’ John 15:16 Also, the types of prayer that we already use are those that we may find helpful to build on. So for example: If you already say the Lord's Prayer, it may be that you will wish to build on that. You might like to explore saying it at different times in the day, or slowing down the prayer and thinking about each line. If formal set prayers seem foreign to you, perhaps simply talking to God is more your style and it’s a time to focus on listening as well as talking.

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Or if you are so full of busyness, and occasionally need to stop, maybe surrendering to God in the silence is more your thing. The point is to recognise what God is already doing in your life, and to start to explore from there, building on the existing work of the Holy Spirit in you and so develop further your relationship with God. Jack Zavada, puts it like this God calls us into a relationship with him, so it might help to recognise what types of prayer you are already familiar with and find helpful. Then, to ask God for help and experiment with new ways of praying, based on what you are drawn to. Lord, help me to pray as I can, not as I can’t. Amen. Jeremy Cooper

Some Good news at last!

2017 has been a very challenging year in the Pope household. As many of you will know, it started for me last January with a hip replacement under sedation, which was a bit traumatic and then got worse when Dave was diagnosed with an inoperable tumour which meant chemoradiotherapy, followed by major surgery

in November and some uncertainty about what would happen when the pathology results came back. Today we saw the Oncology Consultant and got the best news we’ve had for a long time. Clear results from the biopsies and a short course of adjuvant chemotherapy in tablet form in January, using the same drug he took earlier in the year and which gave him no nasty side effects. I’m afraid I did the “I just scored a goal” jump-up-and-down dance when we came out of the clinic and Dave hasn’t stopped grinning yet. Thank you to all the members of the parish family who have upheld Dave in prayer this year. We are so grateful to all of you. God bless you all for your kindness and may 2018 bring all of you and those you love joy, peace and happiness. Val Pope

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Social and Mission Group 2018 plans

Officially Burns night is 25th January, but we in Morpeth will celebrate on Sunday 28th at the Riverside at 7pm., with haggis , of

course, or chicken or a vegetarian option. The haggis will be piped in and someone, as yet unspecified, will ‘address’ it as is the tradition, before we toast it with ‘a wee dram’ (of something). We are planning a Table Quiz, based on all things Scottish, so start your homework now! The raffle will have a Scottish theme, so contributions of shortbread, something tartan, or similar, would be much appreciated by Muriel Harris. There will be a chance too to win a bottle of whisky. The charity to which all profits will go is Mighty Oaks, who provide such a worthwhile service in and around Morpeth, particularly with their Coffee Waggon, which is not in good condition! Sign up on the lists are at the back of the churches, or let Janice Parks, Nancy Flitcroft or Pauline Ferguson know if you’ll be coming, and your choice of food. Cost is Adults £10, and under 10s £6.

Advance notice for Sunday 18th February - pop it in your diary – Pate and Pudding evening in the Rectory, supporting PCDC. The next meeting of the group is on Monday 8th January at 6pm in the Rectory. We’d love to see you there – all are welcome.

If you do not feel you want to be ‘on the committee’ but are willing to help at events, please let us know, extra hands are always useful. Susan Wallis for the Group.

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And, Lo! The people of Stobhill saw once more one live donkey and another that was stuffed with kapok. Also some men dressed in silks; the well known star-on-a-stick and a very small purple dinosaur. Great was the joy and jubilation as the crowd awaited the Holy Birth, with the small dinosaur and Not-the-Baby-Jesus dressed all in pink.

And the angel said unto them, “ Fear not! The Holy family has been temporarily delayed at Stobhill Bait Shop, but see, we have many shepherds and their children, who are wearing traditional tea towels and wellies. Let us sing a seasonal carol and stamp our feet, which will keep us warm while we wait for them. Verily I say unto you, they will not be long.”

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But the Keeper of the Bait Shop did wax wroth and refused Joseph entry unto the premises, whereupon the Purple King remonstrated mightily and cancelled the order for fifteen Doner Kebabs and six cans of Pepsi. “Move away from my shop, you Effete Silken King!” cried the Keeper, “ and take those donkeys with you! It’s a health and safety issue and I fear the Council will revoke my food licence.” And Joseph and the Kings and Shepherds and sundry livestock did depart from him.

And Mary did say unto Joseph “There is no stable. There is only straw and what, pray, are you going to do about it? And another thing, could you possibly ask the Donkey Keeper to get the donkey to stop sniffing the Infant King?” And the Lowly Shepherd asked the Effete Silken King if he could have a sneaky bite of his kebab, but alas it was all gone. And Joseph contemplated all that had come to pass and dreamed of a warm tropical island in the Caribbean and was glad.

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From the Parish Registers

Baptisms

December 10th Ayana Wakeman

Weddings December 16th Michael Derek Close & Lyndsay Pettigrew 22nd Brendan O'connor & Anne Ballentyne

R I P

November 2nd Derek Martin Gales 6th Maurice Waters Dorothy Black 13th William (Bill) Hedley Thomas 14th William Edgar

December 1st Derek Alan Wills 11th Brian Hersey 13th Susan Hodgson 20th Anne Wilkinson

31 The Parish Cycle of Prayer for January

1st Naming of Christ Let us worship Jesus in the freedom of the Spirit

2nd Gather the nations to be one family

3rd That people can take refuge in the Lord

4th Help us to judge the world and its people equally

5th Remember that God’s steadfast love is everlasting

6th Epiphany That the Lord will have compassion on all people

7th Baptism of Christ That we are born again by water and the Spirit

8th May we behold your glory face to face

9th Fill the hungry with good things

10th Let us heed the Lord’s words

11th Lead us from darkness into light

12th Benedict Biscop For the Bishops of Northumbria

13th Blessed are those who put their trust in you

14th Epiphany 2 Fill us with your Holy Spirit

15th Help us tro defend the humble and needy

16th Bring us to your glory

17th O Lord teach me your wisdom

18th Give thanks that we are loved by God

19th For those who are trafficked as slaves

20th That we can save others from exploitation

21st Epiphany 3 Call us to be signs of peace in the midst of violence

22nd Hear our cries for those whose voices are silenced

23rd Teach us that to give is to receive

24th Bless all those who raise children

25th Conversion of Paul Help us to recognise the light of Christ

26th Renew us with your heavenly grace

27th Holocaust Memorial Day Give us courage to speak out

28th Presentation of Christ May we present ourselves with pure, clean hearts

29th Help us to see the signs of wonder in the world

30th Give me an ear to hear the needs of others

31st Help us to dispel the darkness of ignorance

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SUNDAY SERVICES FOR JANUARY 2018

January 7th Baptism of Christ St James 8.00am Holy Communion St Mary 9.30 am Family Communion St James 11.15am Simply Worship (Non-Eucharist) St Aidan 9.30am Service of the Word St Mary 6.00pm BCP Evensong January 7th Epiphany St James 8.00am Holy Communion St Mary 9.30am Simply Worship (Non-Eucharist) St Aidan 9.30 am Family Communion St James 11.15am Family Communion St Aidan 4.00pm Tea Time Church St James 6.00pm Evening Worship January 14th Epiphany 2 St James 8.00am Holy Communion St Mary 9.30am Family Communion St Aidan 9.30am Service of the Word St James 11.15am Family Communion St Aidan 6.00pm Healing Service January 21st Epiphany 3 St James 8.00.am Holy Communion St Mary 9.30am Family Communion St Aidan 9.30am Family Communion St James 11.15am Family Communion St Aidan 4.00pm Tea Time Church January 28th Epiphany 4 St James 8.00.am Holy Communion

Please see pew notes for details of services

No Evening Service on 4th & 5th Sundays Please check the weekly pew notes for any alterations

or amendments to services

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Please hand your completed form in to Kathleen Simpson, or give it to one of the Churchwardens. Alternatively, you may send it to the Parish Office

(address on the back cover of the magazine) if you wish.

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PARISH YOUTH COORDINATOR Mrs Val Cowan Tel: 07887 594161 PLAYTIME PLUS Mother and Toddler Group (St Aidan’s) Every TUESDAY & Wednesday during term time from 9.30 am—11 am in St Aidan’s Church, Stobhill Contact: Mrs Pauline Ferguson Tel: 518642 Tea Time Church on the second & fourth Sunday of the month at 4pm in St Aidan's (Contact parish office 01670 503326) PARISH SUNDAY SCHOOL & JUNIOR CHURCH Contact: Dr Lindsay Gilfillan Tel: 07736108772 'Family Events' once a month at Morpeth Methodist Church (Contact 01670 511078) BOYS BRIGADE (Manchester St. HQ) Revd Simon White (Captain) Mrs Val Cowan (Chaplain) Tel: 07887 594161 Tuesdays: Anchors and Juniors from 6-7.15 Company Section from 7.30-9.

GUIDES, BROWNIES & RANGERS Rainbows 2nd St James Monday All Saints School 3rd St Mary's Tuesday Abbeyfields First School Brownies 2nd St James Monday All Saints School St Aidan’s Wednesday Parish Hall 3rd St Mary’s Tuesday Abbeyfields First School Guides 2nd St James Wednesday All Saints School

Further information from: Elizabeth Kelly Tel: 01670 783434 112kellyhpl@aol.com BEAVERS, CUBS & SCOUTS Low Stanners HQ 4th Morpeth Beavers- Monday & Thursday 4th Morpeth Cubs - Tuesday & Thursday 4th Morpeth Scouts Monday & Wednesday Morpeth Methodist Church 6th Morpeth Beavers- Thursday s- Thursday 6th Morpeth Scouts- Thursday Explorer Scouts- Friday Further information: Clive Rich 01670 511623

YOUTH ORGANISATIONS

YOU CAN ADVERTISE IN CONCORD £33 for 1/3 page £55 for 1/2 page £66 for 2/3 page £99 for full page

You supply your chosen artwork/logo and copy and your ad will appear in

eleven editions of the magazine (July & August is a double issue) Contact Dave Pope for details

Tel: 01670 519520 Mobile: 07714143640 email: dpope@morpethnet.co.uk

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PARISH OFFICE (ALL GENERAL ENQUIRIES) The Parish Office, St Aidan’s Church, Shields Road, Stobhill, Morpeth NE61 2SA Tel: 503326 Email: morpeth.parish@btconnect.com Web: www.parishofmorpeth.org.uk Monday—Friday 9.30am to 12.30pm Beacon Community Worker: Fliss Tunnard flisscommunitymorpethparish@gmail.com PCC SECRETARY Mrs Val Pope Tel: 07710233251 Email: val@litnotes.co.uk MINISTRY TEAM (PASTORAL ENQUIRIES ONLY) Revd Simon White (Rector) (day off Wednesday) The Rectory Cottingwood Lane Morpeth Tel: 01670 517716 email: rev.simonjhwhite@gmail.com Revd Jeremy Cooper (OLM )13 Curlew Hill, Lancaster Park (Tel.511593) (Mon, Fri & Sun) email: JeremyLCooper@aol.com Revd Beth Rookwood (Curate/Pioneer Minister) 3 Stobhill Villas, Morpeth NE61 2SH Tel: 07496672011 revbethrookwood@gmail.com Revd Rachel Hudson (Curate)Tel: 01670 503529 revrachelhudson@gmail.com (Thurs-Sun—day off Wed.) READERS Mrs Vivienne Sommerville Tel: 513181 Mrs Wendy McKenzie Tel: 510311 Mrs Harriet Gilfillan Tel: 07736 108771 Mrs Janet Hedley Tel: 514117 Mrs Val Cowan Tel: 07887594161 Mr Chris Hudson Tel: 07739348386 Mrs Muriel Harris Tel: 515579 (Reader Emeritus) CHURCHWARDENS Mr Stuart Michie 518057 Mrs Carol Reed 513017 Mr John Whitbread 223241 Mrs Mary Ord 518123 FABRIC COMMITTEE (Chair) Mr Dave Pope Tel: 519520 email: dpope@morpethnet.co.uk

FINANCE & RECORDS Gift Aid Sec.: Mrs Barbara Wheeler Tel: 519664 Planned Giving: Mr David Pope Tel: 519520 Electoral Roll: Mrs Kathleen Simpson Tel: 518209 MUSICAL DIRECTORS St Mary: Mr Colin Davidson Tel: 513381 St James: Mr David Pope Tel: 519520 St Aidan: Mr Roy Beasley Tel: 514149 MOTHERS UNION Mrs Pauline Young Tel: 511407 MENS’ GROUP Mr Cyril Meehan Tel: 512879 PARISH MAGAZINE (CONCORD) Mrs Val Pope Tel: 515806 val@litnotes.co.uk Miss Pat Baker Tel: 503429 Revd Maureen Chester Tel: 514569 Mrs Sally Keith Tel: 515098 MAGAZINE DISTRIBUTION Mr Eric Fisher Tel: 515401 (St. James) Mr Noel Common Tel: 516208 (St Aidan) Mrs Val Langston Tel: 510779 (St Mary) CHILDREN’S SOCIETY COORDINATOR Mrs Dorothy Tully Tel: 513928 CHAPLAINCY TEAM LEAD CHAPLAIN: Revd Jeremy Cooper Tel.511593) (Mon, Fri & Sun) email: JeremyLCooper@aol.com

PARISH DIRECTORY

Pinewood Drive Lancaster Park

Morpeth Northumberland

NE61 3RD Tel : 01670 512803

Head Teacher Mrs K Halliday

Chair of Governors Mr Brian Hedley (Mitford Church)

01670 514836 hedleys@outlook.com

http://www.morpethallsaints.com/