Contact information
The Partnership office is open on Monday through Friday, mornings
or afternoons. Please call to find out when it is open. The office
number is 01793 874221. The office e-mail is:
wspartnershipoffice@gmail.com
The address for correspondence is:
The Partnership Office, Holy Trinity Church, Shaw Village Centre,
SWINDON, SN5 5PY.
For items for the next edition of Partnership News please
send them to the office no later than 20 October.
The editor’s e-mail address is:
wspartnershipoffice@gmail.com
The Partnership web site is http://www.wswinlyd.org.uk
.
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In Partnership
October
2013
Consequences,
Have you ever played this simple game? Just requiring a pen and
paper, you create a story one line at a time. The lines as follows.
1. Adjective for man
2. Man's name
3. Adjective for woman
4. Woman's name
5. Where they met
6. He wore
7. She wore
8. He said to her
9. She said to him
10. The consequence was… (a description of what happened
after)
11. What the world said
Then the story is read (for example):
Flamboyant Sonny met sparkly Kim at the bowling alley. Sonny
wore a sky blue leisure suit. Kim wore a sandwich board. Sonny
said to Kim “During the last storm, we had a little party in the
mud.” Kim said “he wasn’t that into me.” As a consequence, the
beatles got back together. And the world said “Somehow, I think I
saw this coming.”
Complete nonsense! In the game you write the first line, fold over
the piece of paper, pass it to your neighbour and the next person
writes the next line; you’re not in control of how the story ends. A
game of laughter and enjoyment, this silly game has helped me
reflect that as a result of all our actions there are
Consequences.
This month the partnership council will reflect on the responses
each Church has given to the ISR report. By now you will know we
have one Church that wants to leave the partnership after many
years.
The Partnership council will reflect upon this and of course will
assess as best we can, the consequences for the whole
partnership. We will analyise all of the responses from across the
partnership as a whole. There will be many questions and fewer
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THE FILLING STATION
feeding the hungry on the streets
Registered Charity No 1072429
Please reply to:
Angus Macpherson, Treasurer
3 Greens Lane, Wroughton, SN4 0RJ
Tel: 01793 812259. e-mail: macpherson.angus@btopenworld.com
There are around 20 people sleeping “out” this week
in our town. Could your Church help us collect
12,000 tins?
The Filling Station operates on Thursday evening supporting homeless
people who have no home and are (or have been or shortly will be)
sleeping rough . We deal with the homeless on the streets, typically
young, single . Many have mental health or addiction issues.
As you will know, we also give out a bag of tinned food, provide basic
toiletries and some clothing and blankets. We average about 60 clients
each evening. Unless we are given the tins at Harvest time we have to
buy them. We spent £4,600 last year
Suggested items to donate: Peaches or Fruit, Baked Beans with
sausage, Rice Pudding, Tuna Chunks, Corned Beef, Soup, Spaghetti /
Ravioli.
Also: Razors, Roll-on Deodorant, Shampoo, Shaving Cream, Loo Rolls
Household Candles
If you would like further information, or someone to talk to your Church
about the work, please do contact me (tel:07836591122)
Donations can be delivered (by prior arrangements) to Legge House,
Wroughton or we may be able to collect if necessary.
Thanks for your support.
Angus Macpherson
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Without your shoebox, there will be no Christmas
presents for these children
In the run up to Christmas this year, hundreds of thousands of
people throughout the country, from every community and all
walks of life, will be packing shoeboxes of gifts for needy children
overseas. Last year more than a million shoeboxes were sent.
Operation Christmas Child (OCC) explains: “Every box is a
precious gift for a needy child overseas, wrought out of heartfelt
desire to show compassion, to express love and to share
something of God's love for us and his greatest gift to us: Jesus.”
But there’s more to it than shoeboxes – there is also a
programme, The Greatest Journey, aimed at helping local
churches overseas to reach as many children as possible with the
Gospel. Since the programme began worldwide in 2009,
1,710,993 children have enrolled in the programme, 665,332
children have made decisions to follow Jesus Christ, and 711,088
children have committed to pray for/share their faith with family
and friends.
OCC explains: “We are working to give every child receiving a
shoebox from someone in the UK the opportunity to take The
Greatest Journey, free of charge, with no strings attached.” The
Greatest Journey is very applicable for children, with pictures and
short stories from the Bible.
But it starts with a shoebox, through Operation Christmas Child.
For more details on how to pack a shoebox this year, visit:
www.operationchristmaschild.org.uk/getting-started. For more
info on The Greatest Journey, visit www.samaritanspurse.org.uk/the-greatest-journey.
answers at this stage as we step into the unknown, but we will
make a decision.
In the Bible, Jonah when asked by God to go to the people of
Nineveh, pondered, cogitated and he eventually decided (actually it
reads as if it was quite a quick decision) that he didn’t want to go.
As a result there were stormy, fishy consequences for him and
those around him.
When eventually he went and the people responded to God’s
message, he couldn’t understand the consequence that God gave,
once the people of Nineveh had repented. He had planned within
his own mind the consequences that the people of Nineveh should
face. God had even given him an inkling as to what they might be,
he wasn’t going to allow this change of heart. The fact that the
people of Nineveh were blessed and saved was a consequence he
didn’t want to recognize.
Please, Please don’t miss understand me. I am not saying in our
context anyone has disobeyed God or that Jonah is compared to an
individual or Church or the partnership itself within our context, what
I am trying to say is that there are consequences in the decisions
we make.
We might have in our minds the consequences as we have seen
and heard the results of others, we might envisage them on our
individual Churches and the partnership as a whole and we might
be disappointed with the end result (the recommendation that the
partnership council puts before the meeting on the 24th of
November).
What is certain is that there will be consequences for all involved
some we will know, some we won’t, however I pray that God will
bless us all at this time as we continue this process and our
Journey with God.
Clive
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Street Pastors Commissioning
Regular activities
2nd Sunday each month
Messy Church
13 October
4-5:30pm @ Shaw
Every Tuesday
Bell Ringing
7-9pm St Mary’s Bell Tower
4th Tuesday each month
Lunch Bunch
2nd Wednesday of each month
09 October
2pm @ St Mary’s Stable Room
Every Thursday
Toothill Tinies
10-11:30am @ Toothill
1st Saturday of each month
Men’s’ breakfast
Many thanks
Tina Clements
Street Pastor
22 October
Noon @Toothill
Mothers Union
I would like to invite the churches to the Swindon Street Pastors
Commissioning service to be held on 11th Oct at the Gorse Hill
Baptist Church in Swindon. The event will start at 7.30pm and
finish around 10pm, there will be 4 / 5 people being commissioned.
05 October
Synod weekend retreat
Bookings are still being taken for the Synod weekend retreat - 1113th October at Abbey House, Glastonbury. Taking the theme
‘Landscapes of the Spirit’ the weekend will be led by Appleseed, a
Quaker initiative combining head and heart learning with simple
arts=based response activities. Download the information and
booking form from the website or request a copy from the Synod
Office.
Crossing London – come along on 11 October
8:00am @ Toothill
2nd 3rd & 4th Saturday each month
Puppets Alive
9:00am @ All Saints
The Crossing London initiative, London’s biggest united mission for
more than 20 years, is holding a ‘Vision Night’ of worship, prayer
and commitment on:
Friday 11 October at Methodist Central Hall Westminster
(doors open at 6.30 for 7.30).
10 years ago: on 19th Oct 200, Mother Teresa was beatified by Pope
John Paul II and given the title Blessed Teresa of Calcutta.
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Roy Crowne, Director of HOPE, as well as Incognito, Hillsong and
Andy Frost will be amongst those taking part in the service.
Complimentary tickets from www.crossinglondon.co.uk/launch
Page 21 of 24
Sticky Faith National Tour
2 October - Freshbrook Church 7-9.45pm cost £8
Lifelong disciples of Jesus - that's we want for the children and
young people we know. So why do many give up on their faith in
their teenage years? What strategies can we employ so that faith
matures rather than dies? Research from the Fuller Youth Institute
suggests that it's never too early or too late to start developing a
faith that lasts - Sticky Faith. The evening will look at the research
and its conclusions and explore the implications for us as parents,
teachers, youth and children's workers so we can help children and
young people develop a faith that will last a lifetime.
More info from Freshbrook Church Office on tel 873050 or from
LianneS@scriptureunion.org.uk
The Christian Institute National Tour
Tuesday 15 October –
Swindon Evangelical Church,
Devizes Road, Old Town.
A meeting to inform and encourage Christians to be salt and light in
our society. Issues addressed will include the new law redefining
marriage, religious liberty and GM babies. For instance, how can
Christians stand for the biblical definition of marriage and what legal
rights are there for church, teachers, individuals in the work
environment.
More info tel 541153 and www.christian.org.uk
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Bishop Lee’s Letter
The Partnership – the future
Health, paradox and gift
Consultation and decision making process
On return from his holiday Bishop Lee received the news that he has
Hodgkin Lymphoma, a cancer of the lymphatic system. He has used this
month’s message to share the news more widely. I asked God for strength
that I might achieve; I was made weak that I might learn to obey. I asked for
health that I might do great things; I was given infirmity that I might do better
things. I asked for all things that I might enjoy life; I was given life that I
might enjoy all things.
Each church in the Partnership has considered the 4 scenarios set
out by the ISR.
The churches will discuss the scenarios and bring
recommendations to the PC meeting on
Almost despite myself, my unspoken prayers were answered. I suspect
these lines from Pete Scazzero’s ‘Daily Office’ are going to be ones I shall
return to often in the coming months. As someone touted as one of the
fittest bishops in the Church of England it has been something of a paradox
to be spending so much time in the care of the NHS.
07 October 7pm at Toothill.
I received news of my latest health challenge after two wonderful weeks’
holiday in the Canary Islands – but it did not come completely out of the
blue. In the summer of 2012 I had an enlarged lymph node removed from
behind my ear. The pathology report revealed nothing sinister and it was
counted as a ‘reactive’ lymph node. At the time of that investigation
ultrasound scanning showed that I had another enlarged node deeper in the
neck but that, too, appeared reactive rather than malignant.
The ISR report, and our clarifications, is posted at
http://wswinlyd.org.uk/council/meetings/2013-07-13-ISR-readout
By June of this year it had increased in size to be noticeable on the skin and
this time clinical investigation revealed it to be cancerous: Hodgkin
Lymphoma, also known as Hodgkin’s Disease, is a solid tumour that begins
in the lymphatic system and if untreated will spread to other organs.
When my lymph nodes were first being studied last year I remember sitting
in an unnervingly empty waiting room before an ultrasound scan of my
neck. It was a moment when I became acutely aware of my mortality. The
thought “this could be the beginning of the end” went though my mind and
with it a definite cold shiver, a feeling of frailty, and a sense of the
implications for those I love. I acknowledged those feelings to myself and to
God, recognising that experiencing the reality of the situation was healthy
and probably a gift.
A year later, sitting outside the Consultant’s Office and waiting to hear the
results of my biopsy, I had a copy of ‘Cycling Plus’ in my lap. I opened it to
find a piece by Geoff Thomas, the former professional footballer who
overcame leukaemia and became a prolific cyclist and fundraiser. This felt
very much like God preparing me for what I was about to hear. In the event,
it is good news that I have Hodgkin Lymphoma rather than another tumour
Page 6 of 24
The Partnership will consider the final recommendations at an
Extraordinary General Meeting on 24 November 2.30pm at Holy
Trinity Shaw.
All Saints Lydiard Millicent - Quiz Night
At 7.30pm on Friday 11th October there will be a quiz held in
Lydiard Millicent Parish Hall in aid of the new washroom facilities for
All Saints Church. . Coffee, tea and yummy cakes and other
refreshments will be available. No charge will be made although a
recommended donation of £2.50 per person would be appreciated.
Teams need to be of 4-6 people but if you cannot get a team
together please come anyway and we will find a space for you. For
more information or to book a team please contact Tricia Roberts
on 01793 772417 or tricia.f.roberts@gmail.com
Puppets Light Party
In All Saints Church, Lydiard Millicent on October 20th at 5pm
Page 19 of 24
since Hodgkin’s is a better understood malignancy with an effective
treatment regimen and good prognosis.
That both of the enlarged nodes have been visible has also been a blessing
– I had no other symptoms and have been in extremely good health of late
so there was no indication of any underlying disease. The not so good news
is that the first line of treatment involves four cycles* of chemotherapy in the
Great Western Hospital in Swindon followed by a short course of
radiotherapy in Oxford. Although this is highly effective the drugs used have
a number of side effects, with weakening of the immune system holding the
most potential danger.
Having three months of Extended Study Leave scheduled to begin in midSeptember is mostly another gift but I am naturally very disappointed
(‘gutted’ would be more accurate!) to have to cancel all the arrangements I
had put in place. I had planned to start my ESL by riding from John
O’Groat’s to Lands End, raising as much money as possible for Leadership
Development in Uganda in the process. I also had planned visits to a
number of bishops and their dioceses to learn lessons for growth from their
experiences. By God’s grace I pray these are now on hold rather than
history.
The chemotherapy has been set to begin on Wednesday 4 September and I
have no idea how it will leave me feeling as people respond differently.
Fatigue is an obvious side effect and the risk of infection makes it necessary
to absent myself from public ministry. The plan is to engage as much as I
can from home and the office, following medical advice and ensuring I have
plenty of rest and appropriate levels of exercise.
As the treatment and its impact unfold I will be better placed to know what
is wise, desirable and sustainable. I am very conscious of the impact on Liz,
my family, and others who love and care for us and know you will be very
concerned for them as well as for me.
Bishop Mike and his senior team have been hugely supportive already. We
shall be grateful for your prayers over the coming weeks and months.
Perhaps as you pray for us you would remember in prayer those unnamed
and unknown people of our diocese who do not have the care and support
around them that we do.
+Lee September 2013
See more at: http://www.bristol.anglican.org/2013/health-paradox-andgift/#sthash.3PwnvfZ1.dpuf
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The 20th century witnessed a widespread revival of interest in Francis.
Sadly, some films and books caricatured him as only a sentimental
nature-lover or a hippie drop out from society. This ignores the real
sternness of his character, and his all-pervasive love of God and
identification with Christ’s sufferings, which alone make sense of his life.
Two ancient, and many modern English churches are dedicated to him.
The Canticle of the Sun
by Francis of Assisi
Most high, all powerful, all good Lord! All praise is yours, all glory, all
honor, and all blessing. To you, alone, Most High, do they belong. No
mortal lips are worthy to pronounce your name.
Be praised, my Lord, through all your creatures, especially through my
lord Brother Sun, who brings the day; and you give light through him. And
he is beautiful and radiant in all his splendor! Of you, Most High, he bears
the likeness.
Be praised, my Lord, through Sister Moon and the stars; in the heavens
you have made them, precious and beautiful.
Be praised, my Lord, through Brothers Wind and Air, and clouds and
storms, and all the weather, through which you give your creatures
sustenance.
Be praised, My Lord, through Sister Water; she is very useful, and
humble, and precious, and pure.
Be praised, my Lord, through Brother Fire, through whom you brighten the
night. He is beautiful and cheerful, and powerful and strong.
Be praised, my Lord, through our sister Mother Earth, who feeds us and
rules us, and produces various fruits with colored flowers and herbs.
Be praised, my Lord, through those who forgive for love of you; through
those who endure sickness and trial. Happy those who endure in peace,
for by you, Most High, they will be crowned.
CHILDREN, DISCOVERING JESUS AND
BECOMING HIS FOLLOWERS, TODAY
SATURDAY 30TH NOVEMBER 2013 WOTTON BAPTIST
CHURCH, WOTTON-UNDER-EDGE, GLOUCESTERSHIRE
Be praised, my Lord, through our Sister Bodily Death, from whose
embrace no living person can escape. Woe to those who die in mortal sin!
Happy those she finds doing your most holy will. The second death can
do no harm to them.
Praise and bless my Lord, and give thanks, and serve him with great
humility.
(translated by Bill Barrett from the Umbrian text of the Assisi codex.)
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04 October - St. Francis of Assisi (1181 - 1226)
St Francis is surely one of the most attractive and best-loved of all the
saints. But he began by being anything but a saint. Born the son of a
wealthy cloth-merchant of Assisi, Francis’ youth was spent in fast-living,
parties and on fast horses as a leader of the young society of the town.
Then he went to the war between Assisi and Perugia, and was taken
prisoner for a year.
By the time of his release, Francis had changed. Perhaps his own
suffering had awakened him to that of others. In any case, he
abandoned warfare and carousing, and began to help the poor and the
lepers of his area. Then one day a voice which seemed to come from
the crucifix in the small, semi-derelict church of Damiano Assisi ‘Go and
repair my house, which you see is falling down’.
This religious experience was a vital turning point in Francis’ life: Jesus
Christ became very real and immediate to him. His first action was to
begin repairing the church, having sold some of his father’s cloth to pay
for materials. His father was not amused, in fact he was furious - until
Francis renounced his inheritance and even his clothes by his dramatic
stripping off in the public square of the town. The Bishop of Assisi
provided him with simple garments, and Francis began his new life.
His inspiration was always religious, not social, and the object of his
quest was always the Crucified Christ, not Lady Poverty for her own
sake. Francis rebuilt San Samiano, and then travelled as a pilgrim. His
compassion for the poor and lepers became famous. Soon disciples
joined him, and they set up a communal life in simple wattle and daub
huts. They went on occasional preaching tours. (Not until later did they
become an Order whose theologians won fame in the Universities.)
In 1219 Francis visited the Holy Land, and his illusions about the
Crusaders were shattered. He went on to seek out the Sultan, and tried
to convert him. Back home, he found his Order was now 5,000 strong,
and growing. Francis stepped down as head, but continued to preach
and was immensely popular. He died after a prolonged illness at 45, and
was canonised in 1228.
Francis’ close rapport with the animal creation was well known. The
story of his preaching to the birds has always been a favourite scene
from his life. He also tamed the wolf of Gubbio. This affinity
emphasises his consideration for, and sense of identity with, all
elements of the physical universe, as seen in his Canticle of the Sun.
This makes him an apt patron of nature conservation.
Page 16 of 24
Christian bookshops burned in Egypt
Two Bible Society bookshops in Egypt have been attacked and
burned by angry demonstrators in the recent violence there.
The attacks happened when security forces recently moved in to
break up protest camps in Cairo. The bookshops, in Assuit and
Minia, two of the largest cities in southern Egypt, were completely
destroyed.
Ramez Atallah (General Director of Bible Society in Egypt),
explains: “These were both beautiful, fully-equipped bookshops.
The attackers demolished the metal doors protecting the
bookshops, broke the windows and set the bookshops on fire.”
Thankfully no staff were injured, but Ramez said it was
“heartbreaking to watch on TV this bloodshed between fellow
Egyptians unfolding before our eyes” – and added that, “the very
vast majority of Muslims are peace-loving people who want the
Christians to continue living as co-citizens in Egypt.” Sadly, 15
churches and three Christian schools were also targeted.
But demand for Bibles is still very high, and so Bible Society will
continue to trade from local warehouses until the shops are
restored. To raise the money to do this, Bible Society has put out
an urgent appeal for supporters to raise £12,000 online. If you
would like to help, please go to: www.biblesociety.org.uk and click
on Appeals.
Name
Vicar (benevolently): “And what is your name, my little man?”
Small boy: “Well, that’s the limit. It was you who baptised me!”
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Preachers Day 2013
An invitation to all worship leaders and preachers...
Come and discover new ideas for introducing the Biblical Parables
in Worship.
After a brief introduction as to how we might use and understand
the parables in the 21st century, the day will include workshops on
the use of puppets, music, drama, storytelling, poetry and art to
enhance the worship experience and offer new perspectives to
these familiar stories from the Bible. Bring the parables to life in a
new way through creative arts.
Saturday 16th November 2013
10.00am to 4.00pm
Taunton URC
Bring your own lunch, drinks provided.
To Book your place please phone or e-mail Dinah at the Synod
Office no later than Thursday 7th November 2013
Telephone: 01823 275470 or email: secretary@urcsouthwest.org.uk
Prayer and Commissioning Event
We would love to invite you to join with us in praying for our
local schools and supporting the students and staff within
them.
Monday 14th October 2013
7:30pm – 9.30pm
Refreshments from 7pm
At Christ Church, Swindon
Cricklade Street, Swindon SN1 3HB
Everyone is invited to come and join with us in prayer and in
this act of commissioning.
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Church Services in the Partnership
All Saints, Lydiard Millicent
Date
06 October
Time
Form
8:00am Communion
10:30am Morning Service followed by Baptism
13 October
8:00am Bible Sunday
10:30am Bible Sunday All Age
20 October
8:00am Communion
10:30am All Age
6:30pm Evening Worship
27 October
8:00am Communion
10:30am Communion
6:30pm Illuminate
Morning prayers each weekday (except Tuesday) @ 9:00am
Communion each Thursday @ 10.00am
Toothill
Date
06 October
13 October
20 October
27 October
Time
10:30am
10:30am
10:30am
10:30am
Form
Harvest Service
Communion
Morning Service
Morning Service
Westlea
Date
06 October
13 October
20 October
27 October
Time
10:00am
10:00am
10:00am
10:00am
Form
Morning Service
Harvest Festival
Communion
Swap
St Mary’s Lydiard Tregoze
Date
06 October
13 October
20 October
27 October
Time
10:00am
10:00am
10:00am
10.00am
Form
Morning Service
Communion followed by Baptism
Family Service
Communion
Holy Trinity Shaw
Date
06 October
13 October
20 October
27 October
Time
10:30am
10:30am
10:30am
10:30am
Form
Communion/God.com/SS
Communion
Morning Service/God.com/SS
All Age
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