Warning: include(../topbars.php): failed to open stream: No such file or directory in /home/winchco/public_html/winchcombe/magazine/viewissue.php on line 97 Warning: include(../topbars.php): failed to open stream: No such file or directory in /home/winchco/public_html/winchcombe/magazine/viewissue.php on line 97 Warning: include(): Failed opening '../topbars.php' for inclusion (include_path='.:/usr/lib/php:/usr/local/lib/php') in /home/winchco/public_html/winchcombe/magazine/viewissue.php on line 97

In February's magazine:

In our Foreword, Hanna Woodall reflects on the church as the "Body of Christ", following which Nikki Arthy introduces a new Team initiative – Children & Communion.

There's our usual PCC News, and a reminder of the promises we made at last month's inuaguration of our new partnership with Winchcombe Methodist Church.  As ever, we have Music Notes as well.

The Prayer for the Month was written by David Adam – "God in All".  The sixth in our series of articles about 'Worship in our Parish" features our weekly 8.00 am Holy Communion.

One of our church-members recalls an encounter with a dangerously drunk young woman:  more than a little merry.  And finally, another would-be writer reflects on the difficulty of putting pen to paper, or fingers to keyboard, and actually writing something.

 

THE BODY OF CHRIST

One of the great Bible metaphors for the church is Paul’s image of the ‘Body of Christ’. Last month at St Peter’s we had our wonderful inauguration of the formal partnership with Winchcombe Methodist Church whereby two different communities successfully negotiated a way of keeping their individual identities as well as building a wider, more inclusive community.

On the whole people don’t want to be isolated – they want to belong.  But the great fear of belonging to a community is that our individual identity will somehow be swallowed up, that we will be assimilated and homogenised. Yet it’s obvious that God loves diversity – we just need to consider the myriad of species on earth.

Expressing individualism and demanding the rights of the individual (remember Thatcher’s infamous dictum – ‘there is no such thing as society’) have been the driving force in our secular culture. I often look at the Burger King tray mat that I’ve kept, in dismay, because it peddles the myth that the individual is ‘the king’ ‘the almighty ruler’ (that’s what the tray mat says we are). Whatever the individual wants s/he should get. It’s a right, a given. Whatever the individual wants, s/he should have; this is the premise on which all advertising is built.

Even in some Christian circles it’s the individual’s expression of faith and the individual’s experience of God that is the most important thing.  Without the discipline of liturgy and the deep structures of corporate worship we can degenerate into a bunch of individuals having our individual time of devotion in the company of one another. That’s why there are so many modern worship songs that use the personal pronoun ‘I’, you hardly see a ‘we’ in some contemporary worship.  It’s all about how ‘I’ feel.

The ‘Body of Christ’ image is so perfect because it both celebrates our uniqueness and affirms our collective identity. It emphasises our interdependence, with Christ at the head and the need for our individual selves to be shaped by God through others, as pebbles are shaped on the beach. We are a community which could not function without the gifts and contribution of individuals.

‘God has arranged the members in the body, each one of them, as he chose. If all were a single member, where would the body be? As it is, there are many members, yet one body.’ (1 Cor 12: 18-20)

Paul uses this image with particular focus on the spiritual gifts God has given to each of us. They may be very different gifts, but they all have one source and that is the uniting factor, for it is God ‘who activates all of them in everyone’. Diversity is rooted in unity.

Communion, the Eucharist, is the place where our uniqueness and our place in the Christian community are most profoundly celebrated. God offers us nothing less than himself through the bread and wine in order to build his body on earth. We come as individuals and offer ourselves to be united to Christ and one another by sharing these holy gifts. Through the Eucharist we are transformed because God never leaves us as he finds us but encourages us to grow as individuals and as a church.

‘Though we are many we are one body because we all share in one bread.’

                                                                                                *  *  *  *  *  *  *  *  *  *

This month we’re having a ‘Treasure in Clay Jars’ service where church-members can focus on what gifts God has given them which may be used to further his kingdom. For Christ has no hands or feet but ours…we must be his body on earth.

Hanna Woodall

CHILDREN & COMMUNION

Things we have heard and known, things our ancestors told us. We will not keep them from our children; we will tell the next generation. Psalm 78:3-4

In the coming months, Winchcombe Team parishes will be discussing the issue of children receiving Holy Communion before being confirmed. This is in line with the House of Bishops agreed guidelines (1997) and Bishop Michael’s encouragement within this diocese. It will provide a wonderful opportunity for us all to reflect on our understanding and appreciation of the Eucharist.

We have set up a working party to explore this further.  We’ll have a series of sermons on the Communion with an opportunity for discussion afterwards.  A ‘Question & Answer’ paper will also be available and further articles will appear in the magazine. We look forward to working with parents, children, Junior Church leaders and all members of our congregations.

This is not a new issue. It has been under debate for many years. In the early years of the Church, Baptism and Confirmation were administered together. To this day in the Orthodox Church, babies are baptised and confirmed at the same time and immediately receive Holy Communion. The separation of baptism from the admission to Holy Communion began for the Church of England at its separation from Rome in the 16th century. In 1549, the first Book of Common Prayer stated that you could only receive Holy Communion if you had been confirmed. Three years later, the second Prayer Book added another condition: you could only receive Holy Communion if you were confirmed and also if you could recite the Catechism (how many of us can do that now?!)

By the year 1662 when the Book of Common Prayer as we know it appeared, the condition had changed yet again. If you wanted to receive Holy Communion you had to be confirmed or to “be ready and desirous to be confirmed” (and there is no mention of the catechism). In other words confirmation ceased to be a pre-requisite for receiving Holy Communion. That is still the official position of the Church of England today.

‘Times change and the gospel is best presented in ways which address the issues of the age. Our aim is that through receiving the bread and wine, our children may be better helped to understand God’s love for them, such that they may be formed by that love as they grow into adulthood.

After the consultation process, each PCC will take a decision as to whether to allow children within the parish to receive Holy Communion before confirmation, should they and their parents so wish. When a PCC decides this, the Bishop’s permission is sought. Children will then be invited to take part in a preparation course before being admitted to Holy Communion.

Do feel free to speak with members of the clergy or working party if you have any questions. Representatives from Winchcombe Parish on the Children & Communion Working Party are: Bishop Peter Firth, Fliss Hall, John Sutcliffe and Hanna Woodall. Please keep this issue in your prayers. May the Holy Spirit guide us all as we seek to proclaim God’s unconditional love to our generation.

Nikki Arthy

PCC NEWS

Bob Pragnell has done sterling work to produce the Environmental Policy for the Parish.  An up-dated action plan detailing work for 2007, and the possibility of applying for an eco-congregation award early in 2008, was welcomed, subject to continued re-assessment in the light of experience.  Many of the recommendations are simple and low-cost.  Bob, as Environmental Officer, will produce more detailed information and costs where an initial capital investment is recommended.

The Treasurer presented the estimated fourth quarter financial figures, showing a likely deficit on the year in excess of 5%.  The draft budget for 2007 therefore received very detailed consideration.  In the light of the discussion the Treasurer will prepare revised figures for approval at the February PCC meeting.  A crucial factor relates to the extent to which we decide to pay the already budgeted sum towards Teacher’s House.  However the Parish Share is now frozen at £70,852, and this should continue to be the case for some years.

The churchwardens reported that installation of the improved storage facilities in the Choir Vestry in St Peter’s will begin shortly.  A plan for improvements to the North Path (from Back Lane) to the church is making progress, and repairs to the north wall in the churchyard should be completed shortly.

At Christchurch, Gretton the conclusion of the bat season (bats being a protected species) means that woodworm treatment of the beams can begin.  The chancel now has some heating which is good news for all who lead worship in the church in the winter months.  The cracks in the building are a continuing cause for concern.  The recent quinquennial inspection has recommended that readings should be taken.  It was agreed that remedies should be put in place as a matter of urgency and the churchwardens were authorised to obtain necessary estimates. The church at Stanley Pontlarge will now sometimes be locked as a security measure following the installation of the organ.  

Sue Crownshaw, who has been Electoral Roll Officer for 16 years, has retired.  Di Hill is her successor.  Martin Shurmer has retired as a Foundation Governor at Winchcombe Abbey School.  Prayers were asked for the appointment of a new Head for Winchcombe Abbey School to replace Martin Hannant who retires this year.    

Ann Sutcliffe

A NEW PARTNERSHIP

On Sunday 21 January we celebrated the launch of our new partnership with Winchcombe Methodist Church in a joint service, attended by, amongst others, John Went (Bishop of Tewkesbury), Ward Jones (Chair of the Bristol Methodist District) and Alison Evans (County Ecumenical Officer).  We celebrated Communion together at St Peter’s (John Partington & Elaine Rawlings sharing the presidency) and then moved in procession to the Methodist Church for an exchange of promises and the signing of a declaration – followed by lunch.

These are the promises we made:
•       to move through co-operation to clear commitment to each other to express our unity in Christ and in common evangelism, service to the world and pastoral care;
•       to engage in joint prayer and learning and from time to time in joint worship so that we may know and value each other and seek God’s will for us;
•       to publicise and promote our Church life and worship by joint means;
•       to develop ecumenical partnership between ordained and lay ministries through prayer, learning, consultation and collaboration;
•       to co-ordinate planning and the use of resources;
•       to ensure that each ordained or lay appointment although made by the appropriate denominational procedures is made with the needs of the Partnership in mind and in consultation with partners;
•       to review progress annually;
•       to celebrate achievements and aspirations in a united act of worship and rededication marking the anniversary of the signing of this agreement.
      
In a sense we’ve done the easiest bit – just as getting married is easier than staying married.  But we have high hopes that in the years to come we’ll see many good things flow from our newly-formalised partnership ... and it will all be in the continuing context of a flourishing ‘Churches Together’ organization in Winchcombe.

 

MUSIC NOTES

It is with great sadness that we learned of the death of Philip Adlard on 28th December.

Philip was a much-valued member of our tenor line until his illness prevented him from attending.  We miss his voice, of course, but much more than that – his humour, sense of fun and adventure, and his keen and ever-challenging intellect are all much missed from the Choir.

Philip had a deep love of music, and was a keen orchestral and chamber-music player as well as being an able singer. Keen to embrace the new as well as the old, he very much enjoyed the music of Messiæn.  He was a very modest man, and many may not have been aware of the depth of his expertise as a forester.  Travel in some relatively remote regions of the world, and quiet enjoyment of the beauties of nature, perhaps helped to give him an excellent sense of proportion.  One always knew that he was entirely genuine, true to himself.  Many of us have enjoyed numerous very relaxing barbecues, hosted so generously by Philip and his wife Sue, in their beautiful bluebell wood.  The atmosphere generated on these occasions somehow said it all: they were aware of the things that really mattered.

The church was packed for the service of celebration of Philip’s life on 6th January; it was very good to be able to say a final goodbye to him in the company of so many of his friends.  Our very best wishes go to Sue.

                                                                                              *  *  *  *  *  *  *  *  *  *  *  *

The Choir will have a busy February, both socially and musically.  We will be singing at former chorister Fiona Byng’s wedding on February 3rd.  The adults’ dinner is to be held at the Cleeve Hill golf club on the 9th, and twenty of the juniors are to go skating at Swindon Links Centre on the 10th.  This will be followed by Radio Winchcombe Songs of Praise being recorded on he 11th.  The normal pattern of church services will be maintained otherwise, but our choir practices will include much attention to the music for our Gloucester Cathedral Evensong on Sunday March 4th at 3pm: Call to Remembrance - Farrant, the Stanford in C setting of the Magnificat & Nunc Dimittis and Balfour Gardiner’s Evening Hymn...we are hoping to make a magnificent sound, so do put the date in your diaries!      

Fiona Brown

PRAYER FOR THE MONTH

As we watch the unfolding of new growth Ann Pedley chooses this prayer to express our rejoicing in all around us.

David Adam encourages us to perceive the beauty that surrounds us through our God-given senses.  With the acknowledgment that these awesome things all stem from our Creator, our appreciation becomes a prayer of praise for His glory.                                                                                


GOD IN ALL

Lord let us know your presence
Your power in every living thing
In all creatures may we perceive you
That your great glory may be seen.
Glory in every sunrise and the cloud
Glory in the seaweed and the sand
Glory in the waves’ roar and the quiet
Glory in the stars and in the moon
Glory in the meeting of friends
Glory in the encounter with a stranger
Glory in our homes and in our loved ones
Glory in each journey and arrival
Glory in our being and in ourselves
Your glory in all of your creation
For you Lord fill the universe
Glory, glory O Lord to you.

(Taken from “Island of Light” by David Adam pub SPCK)

 

8.00 AM HOLY COMMUNION

We’ve a wide range of opportunities to worship in our parish, and each month in this magazine we’re looking at a different service.  If you’re not yet a church-goer, why not come along sometime?  There’s no pressure whatever to come frequently (or ever again if you don’t like what you find!) or to do anything you don’t want.

Most larger parish churches have an early service of Holy Communion.  There’s an opinion that it’s a relic of the days when the servants would be encouraged to worship at a time which wouldn’t get in the way of their domestic duties, though how true this is isn’t clear. Another school of thought emphasized the importance of fasting before Communion – and fasting while asleep is the easiest sort of fasting!

At St Peter’s we welcome a congregation of about twenty each Sunday at 8.00 am.  Some are ‘regulars’, for whom this is their regular service; others are coming because they’ve commitments later in the day and don’t want to miss the opportunity to worship.

The service is quiet, and lasts about half an hour.  Twice a month it follows the old 1662 ‘Book of Common Prayer’ order (on the second and fourth Sundays, when there’s no BCP service at Stanley Pontlarge) and twice a month it uses a traditional-language version of the modern ‘Common Worship’ service, giving more scope for seasonal and other variations.  It’s generally said, rather than sung – though three or four times a year we sing a couple of hymns.

From time to time we invite the congregation to stay afterwards for coffee and croissants, and as well as enjoying each other’s company it’s a chance to talk about the service itself.  Various changes have resulted from these conversations:  we’ve doubled the frequency of BCP services, moved the leading of the service to the chancel step, and (most recently) agreed to use the Lady Chapel in the winter.

Why not come and join us? It’s a delightfully quiet and reflective time of worship – and if you’re going out for the day it makes an excellent start to things.

 

A LITTLE MERRY?

One of our church-members reflects on a recent late-night encounter.

Let’s call her Emily: she lies soaking wet in her own vomit.  It’s one in the morning and I’ve just collected my daughter from waitressing.  One of her colleagues and I cover Emily as the rain sluices down.  Her friend reels across the road – also totally ‘smashed’.

We call the ambulance, since Emily is semi-conscious and too heavy to lift; she’s a big girl of 23 years. When the ambulance rolls up ... by now 1.30 am ... we manhandle Emily on to a stretcher and into the ambulance. The crew tell us that she is the sixth drunk they have attended to that night...

So where are we when this (true story) unfolded?  Bristol, Cheltenham?  No – Cowl Lane, Winchcombe, on a cold wet December morning shortly before Christmas.  And as we wait for the ambulance at least five other drunks lurch by goggling at the scene.

Many things go through my mind – why should the ambulance crew have to deal with someone who has inflicted this on themselves?  What happens to a ‘real emergency’ case while they are dealing with this drunk young woman?  Why did a Winchcombe establishment sell such a quantity of alcohol to someone, and allow them to leave – barely conscious and dangerously pissed.  Also how kind the waitress was that stopped and didn’t pass by but stayed with this drunk, even though she’d worked all evening ... and where is the personal responsibility?

A drink is great – but not like this.

James Derounian

WRITING SOMETHING

February. Not quite spring, and with New Year recent enough to remember any Resolutions you may have made. Made and broken perhaps. I don’t make resolutions, as they seem to set me on a route towards failure. Resolutions are often about giving up something bad, so that we have to spend each month contemplating calories, nicotine or units of alcohol. Well, I have re-marketed New Year Resolutions and turned them into New Year Ambitions. A more positive experience. Something to aim for and achieve. Sometime. No need to worry if not achieved by February, there’s the whole rest of the year left.

One year my ambition was to learn to crochet. I bought a hook and some chunky cheap wool and borrowed a book from the library. A few weeks later I had a bright, wobbly edged scarf. Job done. Pat on back. Ambition achieved. No need to make a crocheted item for every month of the year, one was enough.

This year my ambition is to write. Writing currently occupies very little of my life. As a schoolchild it was different. I frequently had wrist-ache from writing essays, articles, stories and descriptions. I worried about neat handwriting and grammar. Now I only write Christmas and birthday cards, letters to schoolteachers and lists. Concentrating on handwriting is only necessary when filling forms and trying to fit each black ballpoint letter into its own tiny box. I think about grammar only when writing an absence note to an English teacher; I sweat over whether to finish the letter with “yours sincerely” or “yours faithfully” then cowardly opt for “regards”. Of course my writing skills sometimes get called upon to help with homework. A recent English assignment which Daniel thought very boring filled me with excitement.  He was struggling to rewrite parts of Lewis Carroll’s Jabberwocky and I found it impossible to restrain myself.  I took over, animated and excited by the challenge of producing original alternative alliterations.

So could 2007 be the year I start my literary career? I don’t think I’ll give up the day-job just yet. I recognize that having never attended a creative-writing class nor entered a short-story competition I am fuelled by 90% enthusiasm and only 10% expertise. My only regular writing task has been to produce the annual family Christmas newsletter where I try to bring distant family and friends up-to-date with the previous year’s events in an original manner. One year, in an attempt to avoid the format of boast-by-post, I wrote it in the style of Bridget Jones’s Diary. So, a description of our family camping trip to France read:
Aug 13th     Rough ferry crossing. Arrive at campsite and put tent up in semi-dark. Tell kids that parents’ bad mood will be gone tomorrow when sun is shining and sky is blue.
Aug 14th   Raining and strong winds. Am accused of lying about weather and pre-holidays sales pitch: “There’ll be lots of English kids for you to play with”.

I guess it fulfilled the brief: light-hearted and slightly interesting. It was a success too: accepted by the editor (me), and the publisher (also me). No financial rewards but a sense of achievement –  and I did hear, via someone else, that I received critical acclaim form a distant Aunt. What more could a debut writer want?

So having taken that first step on the long ladder which may lead to success and having written my first 667 words, whom should I approach to publish them? The odds are stacked against me. Thousands of would-be writers fail to have their work printed and have to cope with massive rejection. I’m not very good at coping with rejection so I’d better not aim too high at first.  I know, I’ll try the Parish Magazine.

PS I got B+ for the English homework.

Margaret Collins

Close this window

If you came to this page via a search engine or a link from a website outside of the Winchcombe Team, follow this link to return to the magazine page.