NEWSLETTER
AUTUMN 2013
READERS' COUNCIL
DIOCESE OF BLACKBURN
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Contact Information for the Readers’ Council
Warden
01254 503417
Mrs Mandy Stanton
mandy.stanton@blackburn.anglican.org
Deputy Warden
01772 433790
Mrs Sue Champness
suechamp@btinternet.com
Secretary
01253 725552
Mr David Matthews
davidrmatthews@hotmail.com
Acting CMD Officer Dr Margaret Ives
01524 67346
margaretives@btinternet.com
What’s Where in this Newsletter
Warden's letter
Secretary’s Report
CMD and other Courses and Conferences
Reports on events
Book Reviews
News and Views from Readers
In Memoriam
Deanery Reports
Newsletter Editor
015242 62936
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page 6
page 8
page 10
page 16
page 26
page 31
page 40
Ann Dawson
nanda67@btinternet.com
My thanks to all who have contributed to this issue, do keep sending me
material as and when you can. The deadline for the Spring Newsletter will
be Friday December 7th . I prefer contributions by email attachment but
will also be happy to have anything by post to:
Well House, Lowgill, Lancaster LA2 8RA .
As you see this is something of a bumper issue and I have needed to edit
material slightly more than usual in order to fit everything in.
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Our new Warden, Mandy Stanton, takes up her post on August 27th
and will be based in the Diocesan Office; she gives a brief
introduction to herself here. Our Deputy Warden, Sue Champness,
has been Acting Warden during the vacancy and so she has written
the ‘Warden’s Letter’ for this edition of the Newsletter.
from our new Warden:
Who is Mandy?
I was born in Birmingham and have spent most of my life in the
Midlands, but am looking forward to moving to Lancashire and
discovering a new part of the country. I currently live in Sutton
Coldfield with my husband, Peter, and a very spoilt cat.
In 2002 I was licensed as a Reader in Birmingham, and the main
focus of my ministry has been preaching and leading worship,
particularly All Age and informal services. Birmingham Diocese
has been pursuing a ‘Transforming Church’ programme for
churches to rediscover their vision and set their priorities, and
I have led that process in our church.
I have been involved in planning and leading training days for
existing Readers, and for the last three years I have been a tutor
on the Birmingham Diocesan Reader training programme,
as well as helping to train lay people to lead small group
discussions and Bible study groups.
I am a member of the Mothers’ Union and occasionally sing in the
church choir; in my spare time I enjoy walking, reading, and visiting
historic houses, and I recently fulfilled a long held ambition to go
hang-gliding. I am very much looking forward to meeting and
working with all of you.
Mandy Stanton
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from the Acting Warden (outgoing)
Dear Fellow-Readers,
It was wonderful to see such a good turnout for our Spring
Conference in March, when we heard something of the vision of
Bishop Robert for the future of Reader ministry, as reported
elsewhere in this newsletter, and also said farewell to our outgoing
Warden Amma Sue and to Pam Daunton, stepping down from her
role as CMD officer for the time being. Thank you to all of you who
gave so generously towards the gifts we were able to present them
with (flowers and garden vouchers, and a statue for Amma Sue),
which were much appreciated. I hope to see just as many of you at
our autumn conference on October 12th at St Cuthbert’s, Lytham –
see enclosed details.
Since March I have had plenty of extra plates to keep spinning as I
have taken on the role of Acting Warden. I knew there would be a
certain amount of work to do in planning the autumn conference
and licensing and sorting all the paperwork involved in arranging for
the admission of such an encouragingly large group of new
Readers. However, at that stage there were no confirmed
candidates to begin training this September, although one was ‘in
the pipeline’. After a rush of late applications, we now (at the time
of writing, mid-July) have two confirmed new candidates and three
other applicants awaiting a selection panel!
At the licensing service on October 12th we also hope to welcome
two Readers who are transferring to our diocese. One of these is
the Mission to Seafarer’s chaplain Geoff Moore, who has moved to
our diocese to take up a new chaplaincy position for the North-West
ports of Lancashire and Cumbria. If any of you are interested to
learn more about the work of the Mission to Seafarers, I’m sure
Geoff would be happy to hear from you.
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Other planning we have done as a Reader Executive is towards two
events in 2014, also advertised elsewhere in this newsletter, for
which we trust you will note the dates and plan to attend if you can.
We are testing out a new venue and time of year for our Reader
residential weekend, which will be at the Monastery of our Lady of
Hyning at the end of February, and then in May a group of our
counterparts from our link diocese of Braunschweig will be visiting
us. Both these events will offer opportunities for learning and for
fellowship with other Readers,which we trust will be of benefit to all
who get involved.
An even more important date to have in your diary is the triennial
relicensing on October 4th 2014. This has been postponed by a
year in anticipation of the arrival of our new diocesan Bishop,
whose installation will take place on October 19th, the week after our
autumn conference this year.
With so much going on, it was with some relief that I learned of the
appointment of Mandy Stanton as the Lay Ministry Development
Officer for our diocese. Mandy will just be preparing to take up the
Warden of Readers role as part of this new full-time position around
the time that you receive this newsletter.
I am delighted that this role has been filled by someone who brings
a depth of experience of Reader ministry in another diocese, as well
as being a Reader herself, along with a clear vision for the
development of lay and collaborative ministry more widely.
These are exciting times for our diocese! I hope that you are
feeling excited and enthused by the opportunities your Reader
ministry affords to strengthen the faith of fellow-believers and,
together with them, to reach out to those who do not yet share our
faith, with the tremendously good news of the gospel which has
been entrusted to us!
Sue Champness
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from the Secretary:
143 Annual Report Forms [from 191 Readers, Licensed and PTO
– 74.8 %] duly arrived at secretarial HQ. Audrey Ashbridge and I
carried out a collation of the information.
During 2012, Readers were no less in demand than before. Over
2,000 sermons were preached [by the 143] and 1,500 nonEucharistic services were led. Other areas of ministry in which we
engaged were wide and varied, ranging from Bishop’s Council to
Blackburn Cathedral Development Company, from Messy Church
to deputy mayoral duties.
Equally impressive has been the extent of our reading. A lengthy
compendium of books is now available (just ask me, ideally by
email) and, with a little more organisation, this catalogue will
provide the newsletter editor with the opportunity to acquire reviews
from individual Readers. Suggestions concerning CMD topics were
also plentiful and have been referred to the Executive Committee.
Thank you for this wealth of information.
Your Report Form for Advent 2012–Advent 2013, personally
addressed, is enclosed with this newsletter. To maintain a record of
services led etc, and to commit the details to the Report Form, is a
condition of service within the Bishop’s regulations. I would urge all
Readers and PTOs to complete and return the form this year in
order that our records may become even more accurate.
In April, the Acting Warden and I attended the Central Readers’
Council AGM at St Mary’s Church, Primrose Hill, London. The
address given at this meeting by the Chair of CRC, the Rt Revd
Robert Paterson, Bishop of Sodor & Man, can be found on the CRC
website (www.readers.cofe.anglican.org). And not only that, careful
scrutiny of several photographs reached by a second link will verify
the presence of your Blackburn representatives ! The meeting
concluded with time sufficient for us to take the short, easy walk to
the top of Primrose Hill. This high point gives a view of the London
landmarks that can be recommended.
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The CRC website provides many other useful details. The new
Reader logo badges, rather unflatteringly represented by the
artwork on page 23 of the Spring issue of The Reader magazine,
are now available in their three sizes.
Next year, the National Readers’ Conference and the AGM are to
be combined during the weekend of 4th-6th April at Kents Hill Park
Training and Conference Centre, Milton Keynes. It is anticipated
that an option simply to attend the AGM will be made available for
those who are not able to or do not wish to attend the full weekend.
An aspect of communication – or, rather, the lack of it – has come
to the Executive’s attention. We have remained unaware for too
long of some significant events in the lives of Blackburn Readers.
These might include, for example, promotions or awards. When
informed of the death of one of our number, Audrey Ashbridge will
send a card to the family, and Ann Dawson will arrange for an
obituary paragraph to appear in the next newsletter. In particular,
I would ask Deanery Secretaries to be mindful of this small duty.
Several Readers have recently joined the ranks of the ordained
ministry. At Petertide, Revds Chris Coupe, John Mountain, Tracy
Swindells and Stuart Tomlinson were priested; Judith Kirkham and
Helen Leathard became deacons. Our congratulations and prayers
for their future ministries must go to them.
Finally, I look forward to welcoming Bishop John and Mandy
Stanton, our Diocesan Lay Ministry Development Officer and the
new Warden of Readers, to the Admission and Licensing day at St
Cuthbert’s Church, Lytham on 12th October. I hope that all Readers
will make every effort to be present at this occasion. Twelve
candidates are to be added to our number, and there will be at least
one transfer. Think on: Lytham, a sunny Autumn Saturday, fresh air,
fellowship and chances to meet, … in words that the younger
generation might use, ‘What’s not to like ?’
David Matthews
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CMD and other Courses and Conferences
Ethics II
The follow-up session will now be held on Saturday, 7th September
at St.Cuthbert's Church Centre, Fulwood, Preston, 10.00 am to
3.30pm. This is primarily intended for newly-licensed Readers, but
anyone interested is welcome to attend. Further details from
Margaret Ives (margaretives@btinternet.com or tel.01524 67346).
Autumn Conference and Licensing
The Autumn Conference and Annual Service of Admission and
Licensing for new Readers will take place on Saturday 12th October
at St Cuthbert’s, Church Rd, Lytham, FY8 5QL.
The Conference begins with tea/coffee between 10.30 and
11.00am, after which there will be two speakers on Mental Health
issues, before lunch at 12.30pm. A short business meeting will
follow this, after which Readers robe for the Licensing Service
which begins at 3.00pm.
It is to be hoped that Readers from all parts of the Diocese will
come along to this event to support our new colleagues and/or take
part in our Autumn Conference.
Further details are on the sheet included with this Newsletter.
Braunschweig visitors 2014
The next group visit of our Lutheran counterparts to our Diocese
has been scheduled for 5th-9th May 2014. They will be staying at
Whalley Abbey and so we shall not be looking for host families.
We shall, however, need some help to defray transport costs
around the diocese, and I should be very grateful if any Readers
with cars could contact me about this. The programme has not yet
been finalised, but is likely to include visits to Blackburn, Hyndburn,
Lancaster, and possibly also to the Christian Healing Centre at
Muncaster.
Margaret Ives (margaretives@btinternet.com)
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Residential weekend at Hyning Hall, Carnforth
There will be no residential weekend at Whalley Abbey this year.
Instead, we shall be trying out a new venue and Hyning Hall, near
Carnforth, has been booked from 28th February to 2nd March 2014.
The weekend will be a Bible study one to be led by Dr Derek and
Mrs Audrey Newton of the Overseas Mission Fellowship. Further
details to be announced.
If you would like to register an interest in attending this event,
please contact Margaret Ives as Acting CMD Officer for further
information.
Midday Prayer
The Whalley Spirituality Team wishes to establish daily midday
prayer at Whalley Abbey. We are looking to form a rota of
volunteers who would be willing to lead this short service in the
chapel. Readers in particular are being asked if they can commit to
one day a month. If you can help please contact Revd Gill Dyer for
more information: 01254 824679
Spiritual Direction
The diocese is committed to forming a team of trained spiritual
directors within the diocese. If any one is interested in this ministry
as a director they should contact Gill Dyer: 01254 824679 or Toby
Webber: 01254 248234.
The next training course ‘Exploring Faith Accompaniment’ will run
from January to July 2014. This includes two evenings a month and
a residential weekend in each of February and June. A leaflet with
full details is available from Gill or Toby or you can email
sisterjudithocmm@btinternet.com who will email you a copy.
The application form for the course is enclosed with this newsletter
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Reports from Conferences and Events
Spring Conference 2013 - mini-priest or missionary pioneer?
My title, but for me it sums up the message of the conference.
The given title was ‘The Future of Reader Ministry in the 21st
Century’. Bishop Robert Paterson (Diocese of Sodor and Man)
is the Chair of the Central Readers Council, and his message
was strong. In the morning session, ‘Disciples and Minister’, he
argued that within the ‘public commissioned accountable ministry’
we as Readers have a particular calling, which is to take the ‘theo
logos’, the word of God, out into the world. When Reader ministry
was set up in 1866, it was essentially for the purpose of pioneering
outreach ministry.
He went on to explore the meaning of ‘diakonia’. In St Paul’s time
this would have referred to a person in high office, pursuing a
specific function, and mandated by a superior. He suggested our
roles encompassed the three ‘C’s
 Christological – taking to the world the person and work
of Jesus Christ
 Charismatic – we are gifted for ministry
 Constructive – we are to build up the body of the church
through the Good News of Jesus Christ
He went on to explain the difference between the concept of the
‘ministry of all believers’ and licensed ministry, arguing that the
word ‘ministry’ was overused. A phrase that struck home for me
was that ‘ministry is the servant of mission’. Discipleship meant
‘to take (the News) out there’. We are in the apostolic tradition,
followers of Christ. We are ‘the body of Christ’. Bishop Robert told
us that St Paul meant more than just the Eucharistic community; he
was referring to the ‘seven days a week’ witness of that community
through what they did outside their worship place.
Many younger people today see the churches as irrelevant.
The churches were like sweet tins. When you opened them you
found only ‘fudge’ and ‘humbug’!
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The church needs to SERVE, not just to offer church services.
As Readers we should be
 Bringing Christ into our conversations
 Bringing the word of God to the world
 Working outside the institutional church
 Free to be ‘out of order’ – we are Lay – outside Holy Orders
 Moving freely between ‘church’ and ‘world’
 Helping people engage with Christ
 Building a congregation’s theological literacy
 Answering ‘what must I do to be saved?’ Stimulating by our
behaviour other people to ask ‘why are you different?’
The morning session finished with a review of the role of Readers
as ‘flexible; adaptable; worship leaders; voluntary workers; leisure
orientated’. We were NOT church administrators; and the only
roles that overlapped with the ordained ministry were preaching,
and teaching.
After a break for lunch we returned for the afternoon session ‘An
Exciting Future’. Bishop Robert challenged us with the question
‘What is the church for?’. Legally the PCC of a church is a
charitable trust, which must therefore show public benefits.
The ‘vine’ must produce ‘fruits’. We are told to love God, and love
our neighbour. A church that is inward looking only is not a church
at all. True ‘church’ is what happens when the impact of Jesus
draws people together. The church is for God, and for the world
‘that God so loved’.
The church’s proper agenda, then, is the ‘Apostolic commission’.
We need to stop repairing and redefining the institution, and to be
looking outwards. A church that only looks in on itself ‘needs to
die’.
Reader ministry is the ministry of and from God to serve, and
committed to the church to do that serving, working to draw people
into relationship with God the Holy Trinity.
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Bishop Robert sees the future as a series of overlapping ministries,
collaborative and mutually supportive. He suggested these might
include catechists, chaplains, evangelists, pioneers, pastors,
readers, teachers, church social workers, youth workers, and
spiritual directors. He emphasized the need for proper and ongoing
training for these roles, based on a national curriculum, with a
common core component.
He finished by commenting that the church did not need more
‘generalist lay vicars!’ Nor should the clergy delegate to lay ministry
those jobs that are more properly theirs. Our calling IS NOT to do
their job. The right to minister belongs to God, not just the church,
and the church calls out from its number those who are to minister
for God.
The day, for me both inspiring and affirming, ended with us sharing
Holy Communion together. For those who have not been to a
conference recently, please do consider going. My experience is
that they are always interesting, inspiring and worthwhile.
My thanks to all the organisers, and especially to Bishop Robert for
giving us his expertise and his time.
Andrew Hicks (St Lawrence with St Paul, Longridge)
Further reflections on the Conference:
Each session of the Spring Conference ended with a discussion
time in small groups for which Bishop Robert provided some
questions to get us thinking. I find them very thought-provoking
myself, and thought it might be worth reproducing them in the
newsletter for people to ponder further:
1 a) How can we develop our own discipleship?
b) How can we develop the discipleship of others?
c) What do I treasure about being lay?
d) What special gifts do I bring for building bridges between
Church and world?
e) In what variety of ways do I use my theology ('God-talk')?
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2 a) In what ways is my ministry fulfilling the purpose of the
Church?
b) How does my ministry relate to the ministries of others?
Sue Champness (Deputy Warden of Readers)
Diocesan Music Day 2013, John Bell
Notes from the day:
Church music, the act of singing together, is now profoundly
counter-cultural. It's free, co-operative, not competitive,
participative, not just performing. The church is the only
organisation that expects you to sing – and God instructs us to do
so. Singing is free and anything free is now completely countercultural. Listen to any conversation on a train or bus and it will be
about the price of or cost of houses, cars, iPods … (And since this
talk, the Arts Minister has talked of promoting the arts 'because of
what they can earn …')
Church singing is co-operative, not competitive. You learn to listen
to others, to work with them not against them, to modify your own
vocal output to fit in with the rest. Contrast this with the entire
business (and TV 'talent' show) approach of 'you have to be, have
to have, the best, to beat your neighbour.'
Christian singing is participative, not just performing. Choir and
congregation are in it together - and we all doing it not for who else
is present, but for God. (Check out many references in the psalms,
including 108 v1; 138 v5; 147 v1; 149 v1; 150v5).
Singing is a counter-cultural, even subversive activity for all these
reasons, and for some of the words we sing. This is thoroughly
biblical: Jael/Deborah / Magnificat; the psalms again.
Negro Spirituals were totally subversive (Steal Away, Go Down
Moses) and in South Africa: Sia Hamba. But positive also: 'God
Welcomes all' – sung in an HIV hospice.
A final example, Primary school: 235 in school choir (5 go home for
lunch!) Discipline much better.
Ian Wells (Holy Trinity, Tarleton)
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Preaching in a Multi-Media age
David Wilkinson and Kate Bruce
This was staged at the cathedral after David was asked to preach
there, and so it was a Sunday afternoon in June, and obviously not
convenient for most clergy or Readers as we all fitted into a small,
hot committee room for this very challenging session.
David is Principal of St John's, Durham, and Kate works at St
Cuthbert's, and they both teach preaching.
The 90 minute session was based on material that could be used
for a whole day and so was very meaty and full of thought.
The core of it was really the use of imagination in preaching, staying
faithful to the word, but letting it be heard in today's society.
As with other recent preaching sessions, Story loomed large.
(After all, this is how Jesus did it: and had the best sound bites.)
We were pointed once again to the fourfold analysis of personality
(Sensory, Intuitive, Affective, Intellectual) and the value of putting
ourselves into another corner from the one we're most comfortable
with.
One useful list was of habits of mind:
1. Noticing deeply
2. Embodying experience through senses and emotion
3. Questioning why, what if, what then ...
4. Making connections – linking patterns to prior knowledge and
experience
5. Exhibiting empathy
6. Living in ambiguity – more than one valid point of view
7. Creating meaning – interpreting, synthesising
8. Taking action, reflecting and assessing.
There was a longer list of ways of developing the imagination taken
from Barbara Brown Taylor's The Preaching Life, which I must look
out for. And another appearance of that splendid phrase: Fail Well.
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I've suggested to the Canon who arranged this that he might like to
get someone to talk about how to preach the social gospel to
people who stop listening or moan afterwards if you mention
anything about politics.
Ian Wells (Holy Trinity, Tarleton)
Simple Faith Margaret Silf (Tabor Saturday Session)
Margaret Silf is a writer and speaker, best known for her knowledge
of the Ignatian tradition of Spirituality. When I saw she was
returning to Tabor I booked at once, I would have whatever her
topic was, since her last visit was so effective.
This time, she was addressing what it means to be a person of faith
today. She opened with an observation I had missed: in the Tabor
prayer room, when you sit or kneel to face the altar, on the left wall
is an image based on Alpha, on the right wall, one based on
Omega. We, the world, are in between. Then she said firmly: this is
a day full of questions, not answers. Her handout, when we got it
later, was entitled Beyond Belief. She, and we, were addressing
profound questions beyond mere intellectual assertions of credal
faith.
She's recently published an introductory guide to Simple Faith
which covers much of the same ground, and which I review in this
issue, and so here are a few points that struck me especially.
Faith would say 'Yes' to mystery.
As the fish can't sense the water unless they are out of it,
we are swimming in God, even if we don't realise it.
Conversion is ongoing.
Jesus says follow me, not worship me.
Worship God. Follow Jesus. Empowered by the Spirit.
Two additional thoughts for the CMD officer: can we book her for a
(non-licensing) conference? And whether we do or not, can we hold
a non-licensing conference at Tabor? Especially for a quiet day, as
it has the atmosphere of prayer now so hard to achieve at Whalley .
Ian Wells (Holy Trinity, Tarleton)
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Book Reviews
The Christlike God John V. Taylor
(SCM Press 1992) ISBN 0 334 00179 X
I salvaged this book from the our retiring vicar's collection and I
hope that it is still available. John V. Taylor explores how we
acquire our idea of God and whether we live with an unexamined
stereotype which may inspire great loyalty and give comfort but can
become an unchanging idol rather than a living God. He is
surprised that non-believers also seem to have a pre-packaged
idea of God and that people simply assume that everyone knows
what the word means.
The rants of the likes of Richard Dawkins and others include
preconceptions of what God is. These are echoed by the press to
mock religion and belief, but the image isn't queried. And if these
ideas: Supreme, Supernatural, All Powerful, All Seeing, Perfect,
and responsible for everything that happens - are examined or
challenged, the faithful and the faithless both take exception.
Taylor begins with looking at how children acquire an idea of God,
examines revelation, the Indian, Classical Greek, Jewish and
Christian traditions. He then delves deeply into the Christian
concept of God. ‘The church has prevaricated for two thousand
years rather than accept the implications of the gospel concerning
the nature of God. The words, ”He who has seen me has seen the
Father”, attributed to Jesus in the fourth gospel, are not a claim
about him but a declaration made about God.’ (p140).
Taylor analyses both Old and New Testament texts to examine
concepts of mercy, divine steadfastness, patience, judgment.
He also examines the risk and pain of creation - of making
nothingness and godlessness real possibilities - as his creatures
grow towards freedom and self-determination.
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‘A God who relies on the risks of potentiality for making and
sustaining the universe and who copes with every reverse and
disappointment with an unwearying ad hoc “Where shall we go from
here?” is not a God of all certainty but of hope.’ (p194).
‘What God is eternally is limitless self-giving love. For no other
reason than that, this universe and, for all we can know, an infinite
succession of universes, has received its being. And in every act of
letting-be, God's will has been voluntarily subjected to becoming
God's precarious hope.’ (p195).
Taylor gives detailed consideration to Christ's crucifixion, suffering,
the Trinity, and prayer. His idea of God is summarised in the title of
the book. But it is worth taking the journey with him in this thoughtful
work.
Canon Andrea Titterington (St John the Baptist, Broughton)
A Tale of Two Preachers Gary Jenkins (Grove Spirituality Series
S121 £3.95 pbk) ISBN 9781-1-85174-830-3
The subtitle “Preaching in the Simeon-Scott Tradition” summarises
this short booklet very well. As in all Grove publications, a text of
just 25 pages can be read through at one sitting – and then reread
more than once. Gary Jenkins links these two men, over 150 years
apart, by their approach to preaching: ‘Both were leaders, both
were preachers, and both sought to train a new generation of
preachers.’
Both used systematic preaching through all of the Bible; both
emphasised the starting point was the Biblical text, not any other
system of thinking; both embodied what has become the main
approach to expository preaching. Indeed, both came close to
saying ‘“Preacher” is synonymous with “Bible expositor.”’ But unlike
less effective exponents, neither Simeon nor Stott reduced
everything to a similar sounding near lecture.
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Simeon noted 'the spirit of the passage should pervade your
discourse on it: tender, compassionate, indignant.' Stott noted
'Two obligations in expounding (the text): faithfulness to the ancient
word; sensitivity to the contemporary world.'
In chapter 3, the author considers some objections to this preaching
style, including: Too Biblical to be relevant? Is the 'Dominant
thought' too dominant? Too cerebral? Too masculine? What he
does not address is the choice of texts: if you preach through the
Bible book by book, passage by passage, how do you relate to the
Christian year? What if you are halfway through Corinthians 1,
addressing sexual immorality, when what your congregation really
needs to hear NOW is teaching about money in both public and
private life?
Although he mentions being open to the Spirit, he doesn’t say how
this is compatible with a preaching scheme that publishes sermon
titles months ahead. But this pamphlet is well worth reading, not
least for the modern analysis that showed too few sermons had a
discernible point .
Ian Wells, (Holy Trinity, Tarleton)
A shorter version of this review is appearing in The Reader
Honest to God: 40 years on Editor Colin Slee (SCM press 2004),
and Still Honest to God?(April 2013 issue of ‘Modern Believing’)
‘This will I do, my dying Lord, I will remember thee.’ Remembering
plays an essential part in the experience of everyone, not least that
of Christians. Our devotional memories are kept alive through our
reading of Scripture, through our worship, through our awareness of
the communion of saints.
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Because our faith is rooted in the events of a particular time and
place this concern for memory is no surprise. But if our concern for
memory hinders us from scanning outside the world of the Church,
then we may find that those outside our parish life cease to
understand us, cease to see us as important. We may come to
seem out of date, stuck in the mud of outmoded ideas.
I start this short review in this way, because the two collections
chosen both ask us to look back, but also to look around. When I
write a review for the newsletter I always keep a question in mind.
What sort of use does the book have for busy Readers?
Is it a title that will quickly give us fresh ideas for next Sunday’s
sermon? Is it a title that will help us to dig over and refertilise the
soil in which our faith grows?
These two titles do not fit easily into either of these options: they are
collections of essays inviting us to recall the year 1963, when a
book ‘Honest to God’ by John Robinson, Bishop of Southwark,
exploded on the scene . It caused outrage, it caused excitement. It
hit the media; its first edition sold out in weeks, and it has never
been out of print since. Some of its readers wanted the Bishop to
leave the church, others thought that, at last, a bishop had
produced a book inviting them to move to a faith which is credible.
The first collection, ‘Forty years on’ appeared in 2004. The
introduction by Colin Slee reminds us of the circumstances and first
effects of ‘Honest to God’: it also reminds us how much our Church
has changed since that explosion. The other essays vary in
difficulty and interest, but each helps us to understand better what
Bishop Robinson’s purpose was: to help restate the truths of the
Faith in ways to which twentieth century people could give their
allegiance. So the idea of a God ‘up there’ or ‘out there’ had to go:
what could these phrases mean in a universe our understanding of
which had changed so radically. (Yuri Gagarin, just back from his
first space flight, had told us that he could not find any god ‘up
there’.)
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Likewise the idea that moral rules had simply to be accepted
without relating them to their context had also to be challenged.
Issues about, say, contraception were about to explode as technical
advances presented us with new possibilities.
The memorial sermon by Eric James can be read on its own.
I have included the second item (from the April edition of ‘Modern
Believing’) at least in part because of its date – this year. There are
six chapters, each by a different author, and each giving us further
reflections on the impact of Bishop Robinson’s (the reluctant
radical’s) work.
The chapter titles – such as ‘Worldly Holiness’, or ‘Recasting the
Mould?’ - give us guides as to what we may find useful for our own
needs. The essay on ‘The New Morality’, by Samuel Wells, Vicar of
St Martin in the Fields spoke strongly to me.
I hope that readers find at least some of these jottings useful.
I wanted to write about both collections, but I have found it
impossible to do this in a straightforward review. Many ideas have
got into the market place from John Robinson’s original book, but
these two collections remind us that, half a century later, his
questions and attempted answers can still help us to preach to
people who live in a culture that challenges our faith.
Jim Garbett (Lancaster Priory)
In the Midst of Life Jennifer Worth
(Phoenix pbk £7.99) ISBN 978-0-7538-2752-9
I was recommended this by another Reader. It's by the author of
the series that starts with Call the Midwife, recently turned into a TV
drama series that played down her connection with an Anglican
order. But, as you can tell by mentally completing the quotation
from which the title is taken, this is about the other end of life.
And, as some online reader reviews have commented, it's not
nearly as easy a read.
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It takes experiences from her life in dealing with the dying, all of
which pre-date the Liverpool Care Pathway, now being killed off
itself, and contrasts them with more modern thinking. She includes
short biographies of Elizabeth Kubler-Ross and Cicely Saunders,
who in the US and the UK respectively, transformed thinking about
approaching death.
Some of the individual stories are heart rending, but I particularly
commend the short narrative ‘The Broom Cupboard’. This true
story contrasts superbly with the Parable of the new barns on which
I will have preached by the time you read this.
There are also helpful technical discussions including that about the
right times to do, and to refuse, resuscitation. My own mother, in a
residential home, was given hospice conditions and was able to
quietly refuse all food (except when I took the sacrament) until she
passed on.
I've just had the Tabor autumn programme, and on November 2nd
their Saturday session is Those we love are never really lost to us
(A day for those who have lost a loved one through bereavement.)
Ian Wells (Holy Trinity, Tarleton)
Christianophobia – A faith under attack Rupert Shortt
(Rider Books, 2013, pbk £9.99) ISBN 9781846042775
This timely book is a wide ranging report on the persecution of
Christians worldwide and describes the specific problems faced by
those in eighteen different countries, across four continents.
The countries include many we will have been aware of, such as
Pakistan, Iraq and, more recently, Egypt, but also rather more
surprising ones such as Turkey, Belarus, and Venezuela.
Although I knew that many of my fellow Christians faced
persecution I did not realize, until I read this book, just how
widespread that persecution was, nor how horrifying it could be.
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I found the descriptions of the suffering of Christians, especially
those who had converted from the recognized faith of their country,
quite harrowing. Many of the countries involved have ‘freedom of
religious expression’ written into their constitutions but interpret that
in a very narrow and exclusive way – you can only practice the
religion approved by those in power.
The author acknowledges that he has not set out to give a
comprehensive account of the subject but rather ‘an overview of the
landscape by turning the soil in twenty or so representative places’.
Nor does he assume that Christians have always been blameless,
indeed it seems that no religious group can be wholly absolved from
persecuting those with a different faith to their own; even religions
which are generally thought of as peace loving, such as Buddhism,
are not exempt.
He does, however, distinguish clearly between the genuine practice
of religion and a religio-political ideology, something that is perhaps
particularly relevant to Islam at present but which can be applied to
every other faith too.
He uses ‘Christianophobia’ to describe the persecution of Christians
even though he acknowledges that it is a rather elastic term, like
‘Islamophobia’, which might imply a passive dislike rather than the
actively hostile ‘Anti-Semitism’, for example.
He also makes it clear that the persecution described in the book
goes far beyond the irreverent jokes, casual blasphemies, atheistic
insults or secular legal judgments which are seen as offensive to
Christians here.
Nevertheless he quotes a sobering analysis made by the Goodwill
Ambassador of the World Evangelical Fellowship which was
prompted by oppression in Burma but which could be applied more
generally.
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‘Persecution seems to pass through three phases. The first is
disinformation. This begins more often than not in the media.
Through printed articles, radio, television, and other means,
Christians are robbed of their good reputation and their right to
answer accusations made against them.
Without trial they are found guilty of all kinds of misdemeanours.
The public opinion that easily results from being constantly fed such
disinformation will not protect Christians from the next step, which is
discrimination. Discrimination relegates Christians to a second class
citizenship with poorer legal, social, political and economic standing
than the majority in the country.
The third stage is persecution, which, once the first two steps have
been crossed, can be practised with impunity without normal
protective measures taking place. Persecution can arise from the
state, the police or military, extreme organisations, mobs,
paramilitary groups, or representatives of other religions’ (p174).
This book is not a comfortable read but it is certainly an informative
and enlightening one and I would particularly recommend the
author’s introductory and concluding discussions. In the latter, for
example, he reflects on the secular belief that religion is a greater
cause of conflict than all the other elements, political, cultural, social
and economic, which can and do disrupt human inter-relationships.
Ann Dawson (East Lonsdale)
Simple Faith Margaret Silf (DLT 2011, £4.99)
ISBN 978-0-232-52794-0
This was commissioned by DLT as the introductory book to a series
called Simple Faith, but in the USA this first volume was also given
that title. In just 64 pages and fifteen sections, she outlines the
questions we should be asking ourselves about our faith.
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The section titles sum it up beautifully:
1. Who is God for me? 2. Relating to God.
3. ‘God is love’ – could this be true?
4. Certainty or Mystery?
5. Does life have any meaning?
6. Where is my life centred?
7. Who is Jesus?
8. Following Jesus.
9. Entering the Gospels in prayer.
10. Can my life make a difference?
11. Faith is as faith does.
12. Journeying alone, journeying together.
13. I want to ask God … 14. I need to ask myself … 15.I believe …
This would be a superb gift to any adult enquirer, and could be used
as the basis for an open-minded study group. It encourages
creative thought about God, not passive acceptance of human
tradition about Him and if you know someone like the person who
turned up at one of our churches in Leyland deanery a while ago,
saying: ‘I was converted by someone attending the Free Methodist
church taking me there, but a few years on I need something
deeper …’ then this could be the book for them.
Ian Wells (Holy Trinity, Tarleton)
Your Money and Your Life Keith Tondeur and Steve Pierce
ISBN 978-0-281-06238-6
Some Readers may have attended the ‘Giving with Grace’
presentations held in Preston and Nelson in June. One of the
speakers, Revd Steve Pierce, who is responsible for stewardship
and education in the Liverpool Diocese, is co-author of this book.
In this time of austerity, when many parishioners may be struggling
with debt, redundancy, the threat of homelessness, etc, this is a
useful resource for help and hope.
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There are chapters on budgeting, credit/debt, saving, giving,
helping children to manage money, and the ethical use of money.
The book is based upon Biblical teaching and personal experience.
It is easy to read and has useful guides and tools. As stated in the
Preface: ‘The Bible's teaching on wealth and possessions can be
challenging....the subject of money isn't an easy one.’ And ‘It may
surprise you to learn that there are around 2,300 verses in the Bible
on wealth and possessions, compared to around 500 on faith and a
similar number on prayer.’ (p5)
Although it may not seem as relevant to Readers as books on
theology or Biblical exegeses, I believe that the topic is increasingly
important. Even in affluent parishes it may surprise us how many
people are worried about money, and the effect on lives can be
devastating. Also, if your church is involved in stewardship
campaigns, this book has excellent guidance on the topic of giving.
The Biblical characteristics of giving are obedient, loving, joyful and
expectant. ‘Giving isn't God's way of raising money. It's God's way
of raising people.’ (p68)
The book is linked to the website: www.stewardship.org.uk/ymyl
and has many useful addresses. We may not often be called upon
to preach about money, but this is an excellent resource if we are
required to do so and/or for pastoral work.
Canon Andrea Titterington (St John the Baptist, Broughton)
Sounding the Seasons (Seventy Sonnets for the Christian year)
Malcolm Guite, 2012 (Canterbury Press £9.99)
ISBN 978-1-84825-274-5
Two years ago, the Church Times published some sonnets for the
Stations of the Cross and pointed us to the website of author
Malcolm Guite, where they all were. This Holy Week I downloaded
them and used them - as the author encourages us to do. The
response from those attending was very positive.
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The site also mentioned this forthcoming book, so I ordered it, and
what a good use of a tenner. It includes the Stations, the Great O
Antiphons, and all the key points of the Christian year. They are
exceptionally good, and highly commended by Rowan Williams
among others. I've since used a number of them on our pewsheets, and opened and closed my Trinity evensong sermon with
his sonnet for Trinity. They are meant to be read out loud, and the
book includes suggestions on use within the Ministry of the Word,
and indexes for Scriptural References, and for the Church Year.
Malcolm Guite is a poet, priest, and singer-songwriter, Chaplain of
Girton College and Associate Chaplain of St Edward, King and
Martyr, Cambridge, where these were first used. His website is also
stimulating. I can only say, if you have a spark of poetry within you,
get it, read it, use it. Those of us who have tiny bits of creativity
within us recognise the shining best when we see it. This is the
shining best and deserves wide use.
Ian Wells (Holy Trinity, Tarleton)
News and Views from Readers
‘Out of Africa’
In 2004, St. Michael and All Angels Church, Much Hoole,
celebrated the Transit of Venus, acknowledging the connection
between Jeremiah Horrox, the Parish, and his correct prediction of
this amazing event in 1639. As a result of the celebrations the
church raised a large amount of money and decided to support
various charities. One of these was the Okorom Tidi Diek
Community Development Project and so began a partnership which
has done so much in this area of Eastern Uganda, to help a rural
community to grow.
The first gift enabled them to begin the building of a school; the
original structure had blown down during a very heavy storm so the
children were being taught sitting under the trees.
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St. Michael’s congregation continued to support the community
each year and when the school was completed they began to build
a church.
In July of this year the new church - Church of Uganda - was
dedicated, to St. Michael and All Angels, to celebrate the link with
Much Hoole. To make this occasion complete, the Rector of Much
Hoole, Revd Derek Baines and his wife, Revd Sharon, accepted an
invitation to visit. My own involvement both with Tidi Diek and Much
Hoole goes back to my childhood (Much Hoole) and to my time in
Uganda with CMS (Tidi Diek).
The Church is still not completed but there is now a roof on and we
can worship there. The week before the ceremony the area still
looked like a building site with rubble everywhere, both inside and
outside the building. There are no windows or doors, just the
spaces for them to go.
21st July was the day of the Dedication and when I got to the
church I was amazed at the transformation. The children from the
school had cleared away all the rubble and filled in the trenches,
and the ladies of the village had sealed the floor using a mixture of
earth and cow dung and it looked very good (cow dung does not
smell when used in this way and is very hard). There were
decorations and flowers everywhere and the desks from the school
had been brought so that people could sit down. Invited guests
included the Bishop, Thomas, and diocesan clergy, the local
Government officials, and the Minister for Teso Affairs, the
Honourable Christine Amongin, representing the President.
The ceremony was wonderful, beginning with us processing three
times round the church singing (in Ateso) ‘We love the place O
God’. Bishop Thomas then prayed for the church and Revd Derek
cut the ribbon allowing us to enter. Then prayers were said where
the Font, Lectern. Prayer Desk, Pulpit and Altar will be and then we
sang and prayed.
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It is difficult to describe the service - singing, prayers, the sermon,
by Revd Derek, speeches by the visitors and time given to Bishop
Geresom, the retired Bishop but still a great force for the Lord in
Teso. He did a fund-raising which lasted an hour! By the time he
had finished enough money had been pledged to pay for the
cementing of the floor and there was much laughter and rejoicing.
The final speaker was the Honourable Christine and then, four
hours after we started, we went for lunch. The food was provided by
the community, everyone had worked so hard for this very
important day and I think it will be remembered for many years to
come.
The Church is part of a group of four now, attached to the
Cathedral. There is a ‘resident’ Lay Reader, Mary Oluka, who
organises the weekly services and the monthly prayer day, and
clergy from the Cathedral team visit for Holy Communion days and
Baptisms. There is enough land to build a house for a priest to be
based at the church so we pray that this will happen in the future.
Okorom Tidi Diek has been able to do so much because of this link
with St. Michael and All Angels, Much Hoole. The love, worship,
witness and encouragement which we all shared at this very special
time are a source of blessing to us all.
Elizabeth Swarbrick (St Thomas, Garstang)
‘Called to Serve’
What does that mean to you? Parishioners often seem to think of
the Reader as a deputy to the clergy, purely church-bound.
However, I understand that in the early days Readers were ‘outfacing’, called to serve God in their local community.
Shortly after being licensed I retired, aged 60, from my job at
Hyndburn Borough Council and within four months had been
elected a Councillor at a by-Election. This was something I’d
wanted to do for a very long time but the opportunity wasn’t open
to me as long as I was a paid officer of the Council.
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Along with Ward responsibilities came appointments to the boards
of several charitable bodies based in Hyndburn (Accrington area)
and also to three school governorships, all C.E. primary schools.
I’d already volunteered as a National Trust room steward at
Gawthorpe Hall, Padiham, and had my elderly mother to care for,
so my life was more than busy – but that was what I wanted.
Well-meaning people at Church are sometimes surprised that I
don’t ‘compartmentalise’ my life and that I will readily deal with
residents’ issues over coffee after our Sunday morning service.
The majority, however, are only too glad that I’m accessible.
Once, when sharing the Peace, I was even asked by a family how
they could get a Blue Badge for their grandma who had just come
out of hospital and was now an invalid! I’m really happy that people
can approach me in this way because I feel that this is an essential
part of my ministry.
In early May last year I was asked if I would become Deputy Mayor
of Hyndburn Borough Council for the coming year. Although I really
wanted to do it I was in a quandary because my 92-year-old mother
had just gone into hospital and I didn’t know what the outcome was
going to be. I knew I could no longer care for her at home but she
was reluctant to go permanently into residential care. A few weeks
later my mother died and so I felt that the Deputy Mayor position,
and even more so the expectation of becoming Mayor in May 2013,
gave me a new focus in my life.
Then, on 16th May this year, I was appointed Mayor at the Council’s
AGM and two days later enjoyed my ‘Mayor-Making Day’. This
included a Civic Service at St James’, Accrington’s town centre
parish church, conducted by Fr Lawrence Carson-Featham. I chose
the hymn ‘Brother, sister, let me serve you’ to express the way I felt
about my role.
In my speech in the Council Chamber I explained that being Mayor
wasn’t really about wearing designer clothes and big hats, or about
fine wining and dining!
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The essence of it for me is to be able to get out into the community,
to be seen in all Hyndburn’s townships and villages, and to meet a
cross-section of citizens from business, schools, sport, voluntary
organisations, etc.
Since taking office I find that people really appreciate the Mayor and
Mayoress attending their events. I also communicate via my
Facebook page, ‘Mayor of Hyndburn’, where my daily blog (diary)
and photos attract a lot of followers. One person thanked me for
‘sharing my special year’ and a young girl said I was ‘well cool’ and
‘trendy’ because I had my own Facebook page. Not bad at age 64,
I thought.
On my visit to a Royal Garden Party at Buckingham Palace on 6th
June I was introduced by a Council colleague to the Archbishop of
Canterbury. My friend thought I should meet him as I was both a
Mayor and a Licensed Reader. I told the Archbishop about an
engagement on Sunday 8th September at St Bartholomew and St
John, Great Harwood, when I’m leading and preaching at a Service
of the Word, dressed in Reader’s robes and wearing the mayoral
chain. He thought this was wonderful and said I should be sure to
get a photo as it would be worthy of the ‘Church Times’!
The people of the Oswaldtwistle Benefice Churches – St Paul’s,
Immanuel & All Saints – are very supportive of me in my role as
Mayor, and my Vicar, Revd John Holland, acts as my Chaplain.
I have a monthly column in the church magazine to keep
parishioners up-to-date with my mayoral activities.
‘Called to Serve’ – what is your calling as a Reader? We are all
called to be ‘salt and light’ out there in the ‘big wide world’. So if
your form of ministry is somewhat unconventional or different, don’t
worry, God has a special role for us all. May he help us all to listen
to his voice and respond to our own particular calling.
Judith Addison (St Paul, Oswaldtwistle)
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In Memoriam
John Halsall
(John died in early September 2012 but we did not know of this
when the Spring edition went to press.)
From the address given at his funeral by Revd Les Collinson:
My first contact with John was a short letter he wrote to me when I
arrived in 2000, saying that he was the Reader in this church and
he would do as little or as much for me as I wanted. He was the
only Reader here when I came, although we subsequently gained
Chris and Carol, but there was no escaping the fact that we all
considered John to be our senior Reader. He has served faithfully
and well in this capacity since the late 1980’s until just over a year
ago.
We have lost a much revered elder-statesman, whose memory will
live on for the many who loved John and who enjoyed and
benefited from his preaching, teaching and fellowship, not to
mention his practical help in various ways. For, being an electrician
at heart, he saw to the many ailments of neighbouring washing
machines, televisions, fuse boxes and power cuts cheerfully, and
often to his amusement as to the magnitude of the problem and the
simplicity of the solution.
John was born in Hindley, near Wigan, 75 years ago, being
educated at Hindley & Abram Grammar School which greatly
improved his life’s chances, compared to those of his own father’s
generation.
He had wanted at one time to join the RAF but ended up serving his
time as an electrician, which trade he followed all his working life.
Serving an apprenticeship at Norweb he worked on large projects
such as the new floodlighting at Bolton Wanderers’ Burnden Park in
the late 50s – a glamorous contract to a young man.
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He spent what would have been his National Service as a ‘Bevin
Boy’ in the local coalfields, which he always recounted as a most
valuable experience, and where he met many good friends and
characters. Later he began work as an Engineering Surveyor with
Eagle Star, which was his principal occupation. He travelled the
entire region of what was old Lancashire before the county
boundary changes, together with the Isle of Man, with Kim the
Westie guarding the car in all weathers. There were also spells in
Northern Ireland during the troubles, perhaps the only time that he
and his wife Edna were parted.
John had moved to Darwen in 1952 where he later married Edna,
having met her at a dance. They were blessed with twin boys,
Graham and Michael, two worthy sons of such a Christian
gentleman, four grandchildren came along in due course.
John was a true man of God. His faith was everything and came
across loud and clear. Equally this church meant a huge amount to
him. When the ‘Welcome Room’ was built John spent many hours
of hard work in ensuring that everything would be just right.
However, he was not all work and no play and had a dry sense of
humour.
He loved DIY and gardening and he supported Rovers faithfully,
with just one condition: he would never go to a Sunday match.
Edna and John loved going to Keswick each year, clocking up 30
years of attendance at this teaching and worship meeting which
was their spiritual home, apart from St Barnabas. John will be sadly
missed by his family and by all who have known him.
Derek Swann was remembered in the Spring Newsletter but Brian
Hitchen gives some additional material here.
It was in the early 1990’s that three Christian would-be Readers met
for the first time, guided by the Revd Ian Robins. Tom Pilkington,
Derek Swann and Brian Hitchen met with Ian more or less every
fortnight for two consecutive years.
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It was an intensive course, but so enjoyable! We were privileged to
meet in Ian and Gertrude’s home where Ian led us with great
preparation, consideration, theology and a thoroughness that has
meant so much to the three of us over the last 20 years or so.
The three of us continued to be in occasional contact over the
years, and always when we met there was much laughter and
serious discussion shared amongst us.
One realises how splendid and well organised our personal and
collective ‘Readership Education’ was when, for instance, as our
conversation turned to past times with Ian, comments such as ‘one
of the best experiences of my life’, ‘there was always such
encouragement’ and ‘it was all good’ sprang so readily to mind.
‘Thanks be to our God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ’.
Derek for some time worshipped at Southport St James before
becoming a Reader at Mawdesley-with-Bispham St Peter, where
the Revd David Reynolds had taken responsibility for the living in
February 1987. David found Derek to be of great help, and speaks
with experience of and thankfulness for Derek’s thoroughness,
spontaneity, sensitivity, encouragement and ever-welcoming
attitude in his work as a Reader, he obviously has many memories
of Derek and particularly of the Church’s trip to the Holy Land.
Derek and his wife, Joan were a devoted couple over very many
years, and he found her death, several years before his own, very
hard to bear.
Margaret Bleazard’s death was noted in the Spring Newsletter but,
at that time, we had no further information, Malcolm Brewer writes:
A packed church of hundreds, plus an extensive overspill onto
the road outside church was ample testimony to the love and
affection held for Margaret by so many. She was licensed on
October 19th,1996 at St Matthew’s church in Preston and served
as Reader at St James’ church, Clitheroe, until she became
Reader Emeritus 3 years ago.
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A teacher by profession, she began her career in Slaidburn then in
Accrington and for over 20 years at our own school at St James.
Margaret served not just at church but in the wider community
where, with the help of her husband, Alan, and a number of caring
and dedicated friends she started a ‘Furniture Store’ through which
many needy families were helped. Although this proved hard and at
times stressful the store was open for business for 10 years. She
touched with love and care so many lives.
Her health was failing over the last 3 years but she nevertheless
took some services and was busy preparing to preach on the
Sunday when her illness finally beat her. We miss her in countless
ways.
Pat Spurin (1932-2013)
Canon Tom Bill, Rector of St Peter, Burnley, writes:
Pat’s long and active life was dedicated to the service of almighty
God, through a ministry of teaching, preaching and godly example.
From her earliest days she wanted to be a teacher and a
missionary and the happiest times of her life were spent in Kenya,
where she loved and was loved by generations of children and
adults alike, as she imparted to them the knowledge and love of
God. She revelled in her African name of Mama Nangulu.
She married Richard in 1962 while they were in Kenya, where he
also was a missionary, and they worked tirelessly together for the
Gospel. Their children, John Mark and Helen, were born in Kenya.
It was a joy to share with them all in the celebrations for their
Golden Wedding and Pat’s 80th birthday last year.
On their return to the UK in 1973, Pat and Richard served in
parishes in the Guildford, Liverpool and Birmingham dioceses,
before coming to Blackburn in 1991, to St Leonard’s, Padiham.
While there, and afterwards, Pat was heavily involved with the
parish school and indulged her love of the use of drama to teach
and inspire the children.
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In time she was licensed as a Reader and came to work and
minister at St Peter’s, Burnley, where successive incumbents found
her assistance and encouragement to be particularly valuable. She
was a dependable and capable colleague, always ready to assist
where she could, and she loved taking services and preaching,
which she did almost to the end.
In 2009 Pat was diagnosed as terminally ill with a rare form of
cancer and became increasingly immobile as the pain took hold of
her. Yet her optimism and great faith never left her and enabled her
to keep going, despite the difficulties and the treatments she had to
endure. Pat was a wonderful example of Christian faith to all who
knew her and was sustained always by prayer and Bible reading.
Just a few days before she died she told me how much she was
looking forward to leading the worship the following Sunday, and
she had her sermon prepared. Sadly, that was not to be, and Pat
passed peacefully away at home, surrounded by her family, in the
early hours of Sunday 13th January.
Pat’s epitaph, if there were to be one, is the verse from 2 Timothy
4:7, which she asked to be read at her funeral, ’I have kept the
faith’. Pat will be fondly remembered and much missed.
Pauline Wood
Sue Young writes:
Pauline died on the 5th February 2013 in St. John’s Hospice,
Lancaster. She was 72 years old. Born in Yorkshire, following her
time at Ilkley Grammar school, she joined the Bank and there met
her future husband who also worked in the Bank. They married
when Pauline was 19 years old, and they celebrated their Golden
Wedding Anniversary in 2010.
She and Jim moved home and area several times due to Jim’s job,
and they finally settled in Bolton le Sands with their now grownup
children, Kathryn and Peter.
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Her family life was close and she enjoyed being a mum and in due
course a grandmother of five. She loved singing and was a
member of the Guiding movement, eventually becoming a District
Commissioner.
Pauline’s spiritual journey began many years ago, having been a
member of the PCC and becoming Church Treasurer. It was in the
1990’s when she began to feel restless and wanted more
involvement. In 1994 on 11th June, after talking to our then vicar,
the seed that had been planted long ago became a reality and she
received the invitation to train as a Reader. She served our Parish
of Holy Trinity faithfully for many years.
As her ministry developed and matured she helped lead a Silent
Prayer Group and her intercessions were always prepared and
delivered with great sensitivity. She particularly loved preaching
and she prepared and prayed from her heart. She kept a spiritual
journal over many years, discovering for herself how her life with
God was maturing.
As a treasured friend, I will always remember Pauline as someone
who was totally trustworthy and loving, non judgemental, and who
would somehow always find time to phone or send a card with
thoughtful encouraging words at special times.
When she was diagnosed with cancer in January 2012, she was
truly inspirational as she underwent treatment and later surgery,
accepting with grace and dignity her final journey, home to God.
And in that place beyond the pain,
Beyond the shadow and the rain,
Someday we’ll take the path you trod,
And find you, hand in hand with God.
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Edwin Ashworth
From the address given by Revd Mark Williams at Edwin’s funeral:
Edwin died on April 24th, he was born in Burnley almost a century
ago, and I am told that on the day he was born he was not expected
to live, but his mother, determined that he should survive, cared for
him and nursed him to full health, to enjoy the long and fruitful life
he has had.
Gaining a scholarship to Burnley Grammar School, his parents
saved hard to support him through university in Manchester, where
he studied for a degree in Modern Languages, particularly German
and French. Having graduated, Edwin returned to Burnley to find
work in what would be now the social services, before being called
up during the war as an officer in the RAF.
It was during this time that Edwin began working at Bletchley Park
and became one of the famous code breakers of the Second World
War. However, faithful to all that he ever did, Edwin never talked
about his time there, it almost being a secret from his family, finally
rewarded only recently with a thanks from the nation for the work
that he and his colleagues had achieved during the war effort, and
the many, many lives he had saved through his work.
Edwin returned from the war and began his teacher training in
Westminster College before moving back to Burnley where he met
Kathleen, who had also served in the RAF, and they were married,
having three children and later two grandchildren.
Edwin began teaching languages at Townley School and then
moved to be headmaster of Back Lane School until it closed down,
when he moved to be head at Rose Hill school, where he remained
for the rest of his teaching career. Remembered there for his firm
but fair attitude, he sought to inspire pupils to achieve greater things
and broadened their horizons particularly by taking children abroad
to the Baltic, Russia and western Europe, wishing to give to them
the experiences he had gained as a young student travelling to
France and Switzerland to improve his own language skills.
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He had a long association with St Matthew’s and could remember
seeing the old church razed to the ground, himself passing with his
mother and alerting the fire brigade. With the rebuilding of the
church after the war, Edwin began an involvement that lasted for
the rest of his life. Meeting Kathleen here too, and being married
here, beginning his Reader training, and his faithful ministry of
preaching and leading worship, not only in this church, but all
around the deanery and beyond, being one of the first Readers in
the Church of England to nurture this role and make it his own.
It is a testimony to him that this church today boasts a continuing
Reader ministry the envy of many other places.
One of my great regrets here at St Matthew’s is that I never knew
that younger Edwin who had brought so much inspiration to so
many: pupils, teachers, other Readers and congregations; but even
in his latter years the sparkle in his eye when I would bring
communion, and even, I would like to think, as I blessed and
anointed him for the final time, a glimmer of recognition of the
heaven that was to come.
I am sure all of us have little doubt that the words he now hears
echo the lifetime of devotion he has shown.
‘Well done thou good, and faithful servant, enter now into the joy of
the heavenly kingdom’.
Alan Webster
From the address given by Canon Bill Greetham at Alan’s funeral
on June 17th:
Last Monday evening I officiated at a Communion service in
Arkholme Church, and because it was the eve of St. Barnabas’s
Day I used the Collect and Readings for that day, with the passage
from the Acts of the Apostles containing what I think is the loveliest
description of an individual in the whole of the NT. Luke describes
Barnabas as ‘a good man, full of the Holy Spirit and of faith’. In the
peace of an Arkholme evening I thought that was a fitting
description of Alan Webster – he was ‘a good man, full of the Holy
Spirit and of faith’.
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In an age of rather meaningless superlatives I think that little
adjective ‘good’ can mean such a lot. Alan was a good man.
He was born in Arkholme, a member of a large and close-knit
family, and he was involved with the Church from those days
onwards. He was educated at Lancaster RGS. before going to
St John’s College, York, to train as a teacher. He then returned to
Red Rose country to marry Jean and take up teaching posts in
Lancaster before coming to Hornby as Head Teacher and then
moving to his final post as Head in Halton.
There is no doubting that Alan was a man of faith, and that faith
was nurtured by the Holy Spirit at work within him. The Church was
a part of his life from the very beginning and for over 50 years he
has served it as a Reader - not to mention chorister - and Readers,
have given, and continue to give, such distinguished service to the
Church, as Alan has done here. But it doesn’t stop there, he gave
tremendous service to this community, including the re-organization
of the Village Institute.
Alan loved sport. In younger days he had played rugby for both
Vale of Lune and Kirkby Lonsdale, and cricket for Kirkby Lonsdale,
and he was a member and passionate supporter of Lancashire
County Cricket Club. He also enjoyed his visits to the other Old
Trafford to watch Manchester United. But I’m sure Alan’s family will
remember him above all as a family man, a man who loved
gardening, building the occasional wall and having a project to get
his teeth into. A man who loved words – I gather on one caravan
holiday, and the family loved caravan holidays, all were encouraged
to speak in rhyming couplets. The family tell me too that Alan had a
liking for cakes and puddings to finish a meal – something ‘to top it
off with’ So how can I ‘top off’ these thoughts? I do it with the
heartfelt thanks of all of us here today for a life well-spent; thanks
for his enormous contribution to education, church and the
community here; thanks to Almighty God for the hope in which we
commend Alan to his Creator today. I do it with well-known words
from Scripture ringing in our ears – ‘Well done, good and faithful
servant. Enter into the joy of your Lord’.
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Joyce Waddington (1935-2013)
Michael Cooper writes:
Joyce was born and brought up in Burnley in a devout Baptist family
and she soon developed a strong faith. In the 1970s she started to
worship at All Saints Habergham (now All Saints with St John the
Baptist, West Burnley). She soon became a regular member of the
congregation and before long joined the Mothers’ Union. She later
served two terms as Enrolling Member and held office in the
Deanery as well.
Joyce was always keen to share her faith with others and soon took
up the running of the Junior Church. She also led Lent Study
Groups and, more recently, Confirmation classes. She was an
excellent seamstress and was involved each year in making
dresses for the Junior Church Queen and her attendants.
She also helped to make the purple altar frontal for use at All Saints
during Advent and Lent.
Joyce trained to be a Reader and was justifiably pleased when she
finally completed her training and received her licence. She had a
number of health problems, especially in recent years, and although
this made her frustrated at times her determination to remain an
active member of the church never faltered. Indeed she had agreed
to take the Sunday morning service at Wellfield on the last two
Sundays in July, when the Vicar was on holiday, but sadly her
death on July 16th prevented this.
It was particularly appropriate that the Gospel reading on the
Sunday after Joyce died was the story of Martha and Mary because
Joyce embodied the best of both these well known sisters. Like
Martha she loved doing things for the church and for other people,
but like Mary she loved to spend time in the presence of our Lord,
and she always had time to listen in a caring and non judgemental
way to anyone who wished to share their problems with her.
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Deanery Reports
Blackpool
We have met twice since my last report. At our first meeting we
decided to chat amongst ourselves about the different ministries
that we were involved in and discovered that we covered a wide
variety which included chairing various committees, being involved
in youth and children’s work, chaplaincies in schools, prisons,
hospitals and the like, leading house groups, being on various
committees within the Diocese of Blackburn and being involved in
music groups or choirs in our own churches. This proved to be an
encouragement to the few who meet and spurred us on to serve
God in whatever he was leading us to do.
For the second meeting, in June, we invited Pam Wilding to come
and share with us her experiences of many years of work in various
parts of Africa. We opened up this meeting to many of Pam's
friends who wanted to hear her speak about the way that God led
her to each post in turn. She was engaged in secretarial work
initially, but then moved on to setting up schools and churches and
being involved in the ministry of the Gospel. She was made a
deacon by her bishop and later on was ordained as part of the
ministry team in various places.
We were really encouraged by the way that God has used her to
minister to people in poorer conditions than those we find ourselves
in. It was suggested we leave a plate at the back for those who
attended to make donations to send to the children of Africa, for
which we collected £50.
On a down side I have to mention that only 3 Readers have
attended these last two meetings, with not many more at previous
ones. Peter Ennion (Chaplain) and I have discussed this and have
decided to suspend our meetings until our new Warden could look
at ways around this and see how we can encourage Readers to
attend meetings put on for their benefit and involvement.
Ken Andrew. (Bispham. All Hallows.)
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Burnley and Pendle
There is little to report in the way of Deanery meetings and
activities. Sadly, we have had three recent deaths among our
members, Pat Spurin, Edwin Ashworth and Joyce Waddington,
Michael Cooper (Burnley West, All Saints with St John Baptist)
Lancaster and Morecambe with Tunstall
We have had two enjoyable meetings so far this year.
In February Jean Pearson, one of our members, gave us an
inspirational talk on the pilgrimage she and Bishop Geoff had made
to Santiago de Compostela . We were pleased to see again our
friend Yvonne Tomlinson, whose ill-health has kept her from recent
meetings, as she looked after the visual side of the presentation.
In June we held our annual Social Evening, where spouses are
invited, so there were nineteen of us rather than the usual dozen or
so. Over the last few years we have moved around our churches for
this summer meeting and this year we began with Holy Communion
in the recently remodelled church at Yealand. Then the hardier
members walked to St Oswald’s, Warton, whilst the rest drove
there, giving them time to look around the church and Old Rectory
until their rather damp colleagues arrived. We ended with our usual
and splendid Jacob’s Join supper.
For our Autumn Meeting, on October 23rd, we shall be visiting the
Friends Meeting House in Lancaster.
We have missed the input of Helen Leathard at our meetings this
year but send her our very best wishes in her new role as a deacon.
Ann Dawson (East Lonsdale)
Poulton and Garstang.
Our year began with a very interesting talk by Elizabeth Swarbrick
whose pastoral work in caring for the terminally ill is known to many
of you. Elizabeth gave us much to think about as she raised our
awareness of grief, not just in the person who is losing a dear
relative or friend, but in the patient themselves.
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I think it fair to say, that none of us had considered that the dying
patient might also grieve. They grieve for the life they are losing and
the friends they will see no more in this life. Their grieving follows
the same pattern as those who are preparing for their death, going
through the stages of shock and anger and finally acceptance.
Elizabeth also suggested that Christ on the cross showed these
same stages of grief as he moved towards his death. Everyone was
fascinated by the talk and were left wanting to hear more about this
subject.
Our final meeting of this year took place in the garden of
St.Thomas' vicarage on a lovely summer evening in June.
After a glass of wine or juice, we caught up with life in our various
parishes, naturally focusing on fundraising and the problems of the
shortage of clergy. As our evening drew to a close, we celebrated
an informal Eucharist together and shared quiet prayer for one
another. We look forward to our next meeting on 29th October,
when Bishop Geoff will speak to us about "Sharing the Story".
Judith Robson (St John the Evangelist, Little Thornton)
Whalley
In June we had our summer meeting. Earlier on in the year we
decided that we would like to know more about the Jewish way of
life as our knowledge was very limited. One of our readers, Jilly
Farthing, organised the meeting and, as we are a very small group,
we opened the meeting up to our congregations.
Jilly writes:’ Pastor Frank Andrews, leader of Hyndburn Christian
Fellowship and author, spoke to members of the Whalley deanery
in June with the title ‘ the relationship of Jews and Christians then
and now’. His talk was very informative, covering the reasons why
the Christian church in the first centuries became separated from
its Jewish roots. His knowledge and love for the Jewish people was
inspirational. To hear of Jewish and Arab believers today working
together to break down the prejudice and barriers to unity was so
encouraging.
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He showed us, through the scriptures, that God has plans for his
Chosen people and the land, and why we should pray for them.
Pastor Frank is willing to speak to any other church groups who
may be interested in the Hebraic roots of Christianity. Please ring
J Farthing on 01200 428202 if you wish to know more.’
I have welcomed a Reader into our group. As Samlesbury is now
linked with St Mary's, Mellor, and St Leonard's, Balderstone, under
the leadership of Amma Sue it is now in our Deanery, so Pam
Daunton, the Reader there, has moved over to Whalley Deanery.
We hope that she will be able to join us at future meetings.
Lynda Leadbeater (St Paul, Clitheroe)
Changes to the listing of Deanery Secretaries and Chaplains:
(If you need a copy of the full listing as given in the Autumn 2012
edition, please email me at nanda67@btinternet.com )
Revd Richard Marshall is no longer Chaplain to Blackburn with
Darwen Deanery.
Lynda Leadbeater (Whalley Secretary) has a new email address:
lyndaleadbeater@aol.com
as does Judith Robson (Poulton and Garstang Secretary), hers is
now judithrobson2@gmail.com
Dates for your Diary
October 12th
Autumn Conference and Licensing
December 7th
Final copy date for the Spring Newsletter
December 14th Deadline for returning Annual Report Forms
February 28th
Residential weekend at Hyning Hall
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