We aim to be ~ a growing fellowship of believers ~ warm in welcome ~ reverent in worship ~ gracious in witness ~ and joyfully serving God and our community ~ The presentation of Christ in the temple - Andrea Mantegna (1460) (See article on page 7) Parish Hall... Worship and Concert Space... School Room... Function Room... Meeting Place... Community Resource… ...all rolled into one! Hire Prices: Hall and Chancel - £12 per hour Chapman Room - £9 per hour The Whole Centre - £20 per hour Discounts available for community organisations, charity fundraisers and regular bookings Thank you to all our generous page sponsors Please support our advertisers
Transcript
We aim to be
~ a growing fellowship of believers ~ warm in welcome ~ reverent in worship ~ gracious in witness ~
and joyfully serving God and our community ~
The presentation of Christ in the temple - Andrea Mantegna (1460) (See article on page 7)
Parish Hall... Worship and Concert Space... School Room... Function Room... Meeting Place... Community Resource…
...all rolled into one!
Hire Prices: Hall and Chancel - £12 per hour Chapman Room - £9 per hour The Whole Centre - £20 per hour
Discounts available for community organisations, charity fundraisers and regular bookings
Thank you to all our generous page sponsors
Please support our advertisers
ETHEROW CENTRE BROADBOTTOM
Providing sport and leisure activities for people with disabilities.
Hire our large indoor arena.
Contact Claire Bibby 01457 763758
Lymefield Outdoor Learning Centre Workshops • Parties • Meetings
Contact Jane Redshaw on 07470 001261 or info@ lymefieldcentre.org.uk
Run for the community by the community
MOTTRAM COMMUNITY CENTRE Church Brow, Mottram
• Two large halls and stage • kitchen • soft outdoor play area children’s parties, meetings, etc. Contact Janis Bond on 01457 763504
BROADBOTTOM COMMUNITY CENTRE Need to find a venue for an event, a party or a regular group activity?
Tameside Council www.tameside.gov.uk Councillor Janet Cooper 01457 763319 Councillor Chris Buglass 0161 342 3021 Longdendale Town Council 0161 342 2346
Member of Parliament Jonathan Reynolds MP, 0161 367 8077 [email protected]
Tameside Local Studies & Archives 0161 342 4242 Hattersley Library, in the Hub 0161 342 2552
COMMUNITY CONTACTS IN MOTTRAM PARISH
Friends of Mottram Parish Church Ian Roebuck 01457 763179
The Magdalene Centre Broadbottom - see back cover.
Churchwardens David Russell 01457 765165 Dejan Melovic 07763962477
Churchwardens David Russell 01457 765165 Dejan Melovic 07763962477
Readers John Walker (Emeritus) 01457 763292 Allen Standeven (Emeritus) 01457 857331
Community Groups & Charities - advertise free on our notice boards Email: [email protected]
I have had lots of time recently to sit and think, and it has struck me how much time we invest in planning our journey through life. Our plans can be open, transparent and hon-est, or we may err into dubious behaviour if it seems to be of advantage to us. One of the most common is fiddling our tax return with some creative accountancy - how does that hurt anyone? Some may make false benefit claims. The truth is that we are inclined to take advantage where we can even if our actions are somewhat questionable. Throughout February the Church is preparing itself for Lent which starts with Ash Wednesday on 26 February. Lent, of course, is the time when Jesus was tempted by Satan. Why did Jesus allow this to happen? Well I would suggest that the God made flesh had to be seen to be tempted just as we are - but not by fiddling His tax or cheating the wine merchant. No, He met with Satan for some God-sized challenges and Satan was denied. Jesus proves it is possible to live a stain free life, yet we think we are doing well if we manage to give up alcohol or chocolate for 40 days through Lent. As we prepare to deny ourselves during Lent, penances do little to make the world a better place. Let us consider how we might truly give up something precious to us - our time. Our usual efforts, whilst commendable, do little for the world and our local community. So in the next few weeks why not put in preparations to enable you to carry out a venture on the edge of our comfort zone? If Jesus could outface Satan for us, can we not step out in confidence? How about making a meal each week for an elderly neighbour living alone? Or volunteering at a local hospital, school, scout group etc, or babysitting for a young neighbour so they can have some “me time”? As a part of our Lenten preparations let us pray for a fulfilment of God’s purposes in our life’s journey.
Sunday 23 Sunday before Lent 8.30am Holy Communion (Common Worship) 10.30am Holy Communion Wed. 26 Ash Wednesday 7.30pm Holy Communion with ashing, Joint service with St Barnabas here at St Michael’s.
Mottram Parish Magazine www.mottramparish.org.uk
Funerals
Thursday 19 December 2019 Pamela Meadow
Friday 20 December 2019 Ivy Higgins
Monday 30th December 2019 Katherine Elwood
Burial of ashes
Sunday 1 December 2019 Elsie Yarwood
Flowers
12 January Epiphany 1 In memory of Bill Radford
16 February 2nd before Lent Annica Ingham
Would you like to pay for the altar flowers for a special occasion or anniversary? If so, please contact:
Kath (01457 765690), Judith (01457 762362) Sue (0161 368 2706) or [email protected]
Flag Flying
Monday 2 December 2019 In loving memory of Mildred Beaver
Friday 20 December 2019 Birthday memories of Ken Stringer
Monday 30 December 2019 In loving memory of Katharine Elwood
Tuesday 14 January 2020 Happy 80th birthday to Stella Leeming
Friday 31 January 2020 91st birthday memories of Norman Baines
Saturday 8 February 2020 65th birthday of the guy that puts the flag up.
Sunday 9 February 2020 80th birthday memories of Albert Fenton.
Would you like a flag flying for a special occasion or anniversary? Contact Tony Kershaw on
Contacts for arranging baptisms, thanksgivings, weddings, wedding blessings and funerals can be found inside the front cover.
February brings the beginning of Lent ... Peace and love are always alive in us, but we are not always alive to peace and love. – Julian of Norwich
NOTICE BOARD Community Groups and Charities
You can advertise on our notice boards - it’s free! Contact the magazine editor - details inside the front cover. Deadline for the March issue is Monday 17th February 2020
Walking With The Walkers
Come and join us in the great outdoors, for fresh air, a bit of exercise and good company. Meet at the Church gates. Our walks are mostly on Saturdays, but our new programme includes a special scooter/buggy/family -friendly walk on a Sunday afternoon. Pick up a printed
programme in church or visit the parish website at www.mottramparish.org.uk
WANTED! Holy Dusters to assist Jacky, Brenda, & Paula on Friday mornings
Just come into church between
10.30 and 11.30am
any Friday and
volunteer.
New walkers always welcome. Car share if necessary.
We meet on Sundays 6.30 - 7.45pm
At the Magdalene Centre Broadbottom
SEE YOU THERE!
8 February 10am Quarry Bank Mill and Styal Easy 4 miles, flat, led by Mark 07849 172288
22 February 10am Brown Knoll and South Head Hard 6 miles, led by Tony & Chris 01457 765350
MORE NOTICES
February 2020 page 3 sponsored by The Friends of Mottram Church
Mottram Parish Magazine www.mottramparish.org.uk
The Trefoil Guild
Meets on the 3rd Thursday
of every month at
Mottram Community Centre,
Church Brow, Mottram.
Meeting time 7.30 - 9.00pm
20th February International Evening
Open to anyone over 18 years old sympathetic to the aims of Guiding
Most Fridays 10.30–11.30am Church open. (Chapel available for private prayer.)
Sundays 8.30am Holy Communion. (10am Join us for a short time
of prayer before the service.)
10.30am Sunday Service (crèche in church).
Every week at St. Barnabas, Hattersley:
Wednesday 10.30am Shared mid-week Communion.
Silver Sunday Service Usually on the 2nd Sunday of the
month .
3pm at Balmoral Nursing Home. All are welcome to come along and join in the worship. Next service:
Sunday 9th February.
Melyncourt Drive Hyde Road Back Moor Mottram Moor Shaw Street William Ford House Market Street Temperance Square Market Place Jackson Street
A prayer for the Middle East: Heavenly Father, when we see devastating images of war and hear the inconsolable cries of those who have lost homes, liveli-hoods and loved ones, our hearts break. In the face of so much suffering and despair, come Lord Jesus and help me to see with your eyes, hear with your ears, think with your mind, speak with your lips, walk with your feet, love with your heart, so that I can reach out with your hands and be a future-maker to my brothers and sisters in Palestine, Israel, Lebanon, Egypt and Syria. Raise up leaders in the Middle East who will turn from violence and seek your ways of peace that they may act justly, love mercy and walk humbly with you, our God. We pray this in Jesus’ name, Amen.
Mottram Parish Magazine www.mottramparish.org.uk
A prayer for the parish vacancy
God, who in generous mercy sent the Holy Spirit upon your Church in the burning fire of your love: grant that your people may be fervent in the fellowship of the gospel, that, always abiding in you, they may be found steadfast in faith and active in service; through Jesus Christ your Son our Lord, who is alive and reigns with you, in the unity of the Holy Spirit, One God, now and for ever.
We're sure that most of you will know of the death in December of our good friend Katharine Elwood. For those of you who didn't know her, she was - amongst other things - Secretary of the Friends from 1996 - 2009, a PCC member, and Reverend Philip Burrows' administrative assistant.
The family of Katharine Elwood would like to thank everyone who attended her funeral and helped to celebrate her life, on Monday 30th December. Rev'd Callum Boothroyd kindly conducted the service and it was lovely to see many of her friends in attendance. Katharine's ashes will be interred in the Memorial Garden in due course.
Katharine as admin assistant, hard at work in the office.
A cartoon from 2012 by Ian
NOTICES (FURTHER CONTINUED)
Mustard Seed Group
This group has been meeting for 30 years(!) for Bible study in each other's homes.
All are welcome - please contact Monica Powell on 01457 763035 if you'd like to join us.
Monday Book Group
Grab the opportunity to read and discuss the bible with
like-minded people.
We meet at 2pm, usually on the third Monday of each month at the home of Jean and Peter Hey, 21 Tollemache Road, Mottram.
The meeting lasts for about an hour. Please note that date of next meeting has been changed to: Monday February 24th 2pm
For more information talk to Allen Standeven (01457 857331) or Claire Bibby (01457 763758)
The Magdalene Centre, Broadbottom Saturday 15th February 7.30pm
Featuring the true-life story of Henry Irving, first knight of the theatre, and his lifelong obsession with the great classic of Victorian melodrama ‘The Bells’ Nominated for ‘Best New Writing’ Buxton Festival Fringe 2019 Written and performed by Mike Brown Tickets ring 01457 865278 or [email protected] Or tickets from Polly Brown in church on Sunday morning.
Tickets price £6 (£3 children) (In aid of Mottram Bell Fund and Mottram Church Charities)
Mottram Parish Magazine www.mottramparish.org.uk
February 2020 page 8
The very first Valentine card: a legend
The Roman Emperor Claudius II needed soldiers. He suspected that marriage made men want to stay at home with their wives, instead of fighting wars, so he outlawed marriage.
A kind-hearted young priest named Valentine felt sorry for all the couples who wanted to marry, but couldn’t. So secretly he married as many couples as he could - until the Emperor found out and con-demned him to death. While he was in prison awaiting execution, Valentine showed love and compassion to everyone around him, including his jailer. The jailer had a young daughter who was blind, but through Valentine’s prayers, she was healed. Just before his death in Rome on 14 February, he wrote her a farewell message signed ‘From your Valentine.’
So, the very first Valentine card was not between lovers, but between a priest about to die, and a little girl, healed through his prayers.
MAGAZINE PAGE SPONSORS
A few pages still have no sponsor. Only £20 for the year. You can sponsor on behalf of an organisation, in memory of a loved one, under your own name or anonymously. If you are already a sponsor and don’t see your name on a page please let me know whether you wish to renew your sponsorship. If you have renewed and don’t see your name , please tell me and I will sort it out.
Holy Days - Candlemas The 2nd of February is the Feast of the Presentation of Christ in the Temple, also known as the Feast of the Purification of the Virgin, or Candlemas.
The earliest reference to a celebration of this feast is provided by the intrepid pilgrim nun Egeria. When she visited Jerusalem in the years 381-384, she reported of a solemn ceremony with a candlelit procession to the Church of the Resurrection and a sermon on Luke 2: 22.
Evening Prayer on Candlemas, 2nd February, marks the end of the season of Christmas and Epiphany in the Western Church calendar and the poet Robert Herrick (1591-1674) recalled how on this day Christmas decorations of greenery were removed from people’s homes.
The story we are celebrating is found in Luke 2: 22-40. Mary and Joseph bring the Christ Child to the Temple in Jerusalem 40 days after his birth to dedicate him to God, according to the religious laws and traditions of the day.
They meet Simeon, who had been promised ‘he should not see death before he had seen the Messiah of the Lord’ (Luke 2:26). We still use Simeon’s prayer of thanksgiving at Evensong - it is the Nunc Dimittis.
In his prophecy about the Christ Child, Simeon said he would be a light for revelation to the nations – the reference that probably inspired a tradition of blessing beeswax candles in churches on this day.
The prophetess Anna, who was in the Temple too, also offered her prayers and thanks to God when she saw the Child Jesus. But Simeon also warned Mary that a sword would pierce her heart.
With Candlemas as the feast that prepares us to move from Epiphany to Lent – that bridges the seasons of Christmas and Easter – I cannot help but hold together the twin images provided from Simeon’s words to the Mary who cradled the Christ Child in her arms as she brought him to the Temple and the same Mary who cradles the Man Christ in her arms when he is taken down from the cross.
The Mary that must have wondered about the meaning of Simeon’s prophecies and promises about her son is soon reduced to weeping over his dead body. How could she have known that death meant anything other than the end? Could there be any hope after this?
We know there is. We live in the light of the Resurrection. The candles of Candlemas remind us why we have Christmas candles. There is no meaning to Christmas unless we understand the meaning of Good Friday. And Good Friday has no meaning unless we have Easter faith. Candlemas links the lights of Christmas and the light of Easter; it links Incarnation and Resurrection.
And so, “let your light shine before others, so that they may see your good works and give glory to your Father in heaven” (Matthew 5: 16).
(Slightly abridged, reprinted by permission of the author) - Canon Patrick Comerford Canon Patrick Comerford’s award-winning online journal on Anglicanism, theology, spirituality, history, architecture, travel, poetry, beach walks and more is at http://www.patrickcomerford.com
The Children’s Society wishes to say a big ‘Thank you’. The final amount raised by the Christingle and collection boxes for 2019 was £921.64. Many thanks to everyone who participated in the Christingle and collection boxes - it was a great effort, and is a very fine contribution to this long established charity.
Chris Poyser
Friends of Mottram Church Annual Spring Concert
Saturday 28th March 2020 in church at 7.30pm The Kinder Concert and Youth Choirs
The Choirs were set up in 1991 by former professional opera and concert singer Joyce Ellis. Joyce was awarded the MBE in the 2014 New Year’s Honours List for her work with the Kinder Choirs. They perform a huge variety of songs including hits from musicals and shows, pop, classical and jazz. Do join us, in church on Sat. 28th March. It promises to be a great evening!.
Under Construction Under Construction’s brilliant Christmas ‘Giving Tree’ made an impressive £53 this year.
For those who aren’t familiar with the concept - instead of buying mountains of Christmas cards, you choose one of the artistic paper baubles made by Under Construction (lots to choose from), write a message on the back and hang it on the tree. Your donation goes in the basket underneath. The members of the youth group all thought about which charity they would like to support and this year voted to send the money to Reuben’s retreat. They are hoping to visit Reuben’s retreat soon to hand it over.
302512
ASPINALL WRIGHT Solicitors and Notary 65 High Street West, Glossop
Tel: 01457 854645 Fax: 01457 854640
Web: www.awandco.co.uk Email: [email protected] Offer general legal services to the Glossop and Longdendale community
Mottram Cricket Club Join us on match days during the season Facilities available for Birthday Parties (21st etc) Christenings, Wedding Receptions & Funerals.
Room Hire also available Please contact Social Secretary Tracy Woolley Tel: 0161 406 9205 or mobile: 07962 070013
Very reasonable yearly or one-off rates. 400+ copies delivered locally plus online edition in colour. Please contact Chris Poyser 0161 366 0931 or Polly Brown 01457 865278 [email protected] for more information.
Diocesan News#EverydayFaith across the Dicoese of Chester
Find out how you can attend the Lay Conference 2020
Feb 2020
Our events Book via Eventbrite, or go to: chester.anglican.org/events
15 to 17 May 2020 - SwanwickLay Conference 2020
�������� �� � �� ��� ���� ��������� �����out our faith every day of the week, not just Sundays. For more information, go to: chester.anglican.org/lay-conference-2020
30 April 2020 - RuncornNew approaches to Bible reading
Telling and retelling the story. This is a day to help those who would like to develop the skills to facilitate new approaches to reading the Bible with others. Led by Sue Richardson.
28 February 2020 - Church House, DaresburySafeguarding Training
Leadership Module - Compulsory training for clergy, licenced lay workers, parish safe-������ �������� ������ ������ ��� ������missional leaders.
�������������� ����������������������Praying for the diocese
A meeting to pray for the diocese, the Crown Nominations Commission, and the �������������������������������������������Chester.
05 February 2020 - Foxhill, FrodshamA Rocha/Eco Church insight day
Are you passionate about helping churches to engage with Eco Church and A Rocha UK’s wider work of getting individuals and churches to care for God’s earth?
Chester Diocesan News8
is worth the risk.”Chris’ care and pa-
tience eventually led to the student attending the prayer group and nearly two years after �������������������������door of the lunchtime Christian union, she was baptised.
Chris Jarvis is a Youth Worker in Bebington and leads a Christian union group at a local school. It’s an opportu-nity to eat together, play games and use some of the lunch hour to discuss a topic from a Christian perspective.
Chris says relation-ship and patience is im-portant to his ministry.
One student with no connection with the church, came along to the lunchtime gather-ing with some Christian
friends. After a period of months getting to know her and building up a friendship, Chris gently invited her to attend a prayer group. She didn’t come, initially.
To Chris, the social stigma attached to be-ing a young Christian in school can be a bar-rier. He says: “To take you up on an invitation ��� �������� ������� ������� ���� ���� ����� ������a young person has to trust you and know it’s going to be a safe place. They have to know that accepting an invitation
Chris Jarvis, Youth Worker, Bebington
7Chester Diocesan News
������������������� ��������������� ���������� ��on the importance of living out our faith everyday of the week.
How m a n y p e o p l e do you encoun-ter each
day? People who live in your home, work in your workplace, shop where you shop, or pass you in the street. We are often so pre-occupied that we often just ignore oth-
ers, intent on our own business. Yet Jesus said ‘Love your neighbour as yourself.’ Part of our vocation as followers of Jesus is to try to see peo-ple as he sees them – as people God loves and cares for.
“One of the real joys for me over the last few months has been work-ing on something called
“
What is God’s plan
for you today?
Archdeacon Mike Gilbertson
Chester Diocesan News2
“So much of living out our faith in everyday life is re-
ally about Jesus’ command to love our neighbour as
ourselves.”
‘Setting God’s People Free’, or ‘Everyday Faith.’ This is an initiative to en-courage all of us to de-velop a clearer sense of Christian identity in eve-ryday life, and increased �������� ��� ��������our faith in everyday life. So far, we’ve been working with a group of around twenty pilot par-�������������� ��������few months we will be looking to encourage as many other parishes as possible to join in. The Lay Conference in May, ‘Not Just Sunday’, is all about this. Please do sign up, and watch out for more about ‘Every-day Faith’ very soon.
“So much of living out our faith in everyday life is really about Jesus’
command to love our neighbour as ourselves. I was struck by the way that one of those twenty pilot parishes, St John’s Great Meols, had found that focusing on eve-ryday faith had led to what they called ‘deep-er kindness.’ Relation-ships within the church became deeper, and the congregation found new ways to show the love and grace of God to the local community, ���� �������� �� �����for refugees. Elsewhere
in this CDN you can read inspiring accounts from two Christians in the diocese, Jenny McKay and Chris Jarvis, about how God has used them in everyday life to reach others with his love and ���������!������"�����#�
“I wonder what ways God has in mind for you to live out your faith in everyday life. Why not ask him what that might look like?”
Archdeacon Mike Gil-bertson
3Chester Diocesan News
How do you live out your faith day to day?As Christians, we are called to live out our faith through our words,
������������ ����!�����"�$ ��������%�%�����&���� ������'�(� �conversation at work, the way in which we engage with a stranger in the street, or choosing to say nothing at just the right moment.
Two people in the Diocese of Chester share their thoughts on how they live out their faith day to day.
The Revd Dr Jenny Mc-Kay, Great Budworth
Jenny is a self-sup-porting minister in a secular setting: her workplace.
She heads up a team of 12 veterinary pathol-ogists working in a lab and sharing all of the normal ups and downs a workplace brings.
Jenny says: “People know I’ve trained to be a priest and they do tend to ask about pastoral things. I’ll have conver-������� �� ���� ��"���room and I’ll ask them about their weekend. It
opens up the opportu-nity for deeper conver-sations.
“It’s important that as Christians we’re con-������������������to share our faith every day of the week. I would encourage all Christians to look for those oppor-tunities to share what
you believe. You can bring it into conversa-tions quite casually by simply telling someone you went to church on Sunday – sometimes that’s all people need for them to ask ques-tions and start a conver-sation.”
Jenny greeting tourists outside the Cathedral at her ordination.
At the Lay Confer-���� $%$%�� �� ���� ��-plore how we can en-courage each other to ����� ���� ���� ������ ���-dently every day of the week, Not Just Sunday.
The aim is that eve-ryone who attends, feels encouraged and equipped, and leaves with: • a clearer sense of their
Christian identity in everyday life, individu-ally and collectively;
• �� ��������� ���-����������������������everyday faith; and
• an idea of how the gathered church can resource everyday faith.
John Mason, Chair of the House of Laity in the Diocese of Chester, says: “Join us as we address ������ ������ ��� ��-plore together the ways in which we can rise to the missional challenge before us and lead the Church into growth.
“We sincerely hope your parish can be rep-resented at what will be an uplifting occasion. At the Lay Conference in 2017 around 100 parish-es attended, we’d love ����� ����� ��� ��� �������to 200 parish represent-atives this time around.”
What is it?The Lay Conference is what it says on the tin and is held every three years. This year it will have a focus on encouraging and �&�������������������������������������-ly every day of the week, Not Just Sunday.
Who is it for?It’s for any lay church members. Those with a formal lay ministry do attend, but we would encourage anyone to come along as their parish representative. It is a time to learn, have fun and share with others from all walks of life.
When and where is it?It will be held over the weekend of the 15 to 17 May 2020 at The Hayes Conference Centre in Swanwick, Derbyshire.
Next steps The diocese has agreed to meet the cost of one room per parish, including full board. Speak to your PCC Secretary and let them know you’d like to attend on behalf of your parish.
5Chester Diocesan News
Not Just Sunday: #EverydayFaith
The diocesan Lay Conference is held every three years, but it’s not just for people in licensed lay ministry, all lay members of our churches are encouraged to attend as a parish representative.
Su n d a y m o r n i n g is a time to draw closer to God, and
��� ��(���� �� ���� ��!�gone by and the week to come. Many of us leave church with a spring in our step; the fellowship ��� )��� �� ��� ������-�����������������������us with the hope and encouragement we need to live and share ���� ������ ���������with others.
However, harnessing ����� �������� ��� �����it sustains us and guides our words and actions and identity through the whole week, doesn’t come easy to everyone all of the time.
