Priory News, February 2006

From the Vicar

This month is a brief spell of ordinary time between the seasons of Epiphany and Lent, starting just after Candlemas and ending with Shrove Tuesday. But this year it is far from being a time when nothing is happening. On Tuesday 14th February in Southwark Cathedral in London, the Ven Tim Ellis, at present Archdeacon of Stow and Lindsey in the north of the diocese of Lincoln, will be consecrated as Bishop of Grantham, suffragan for south of the diocese. Bishop Tim will be welcomed to our diocese in his new role at a service at Lincoln Cathedral on Sunday 19th February at 3.45pm. We look forward to meeting him in due course when his duties bring him to our deanery.

Locally, we plan to begin confirmation classes soon for both adults and young people interested in exploring their Christian faith with an option to be confirmed in May – the date will be established later, presumably when our new Bishop has settled in! If you are aged over 11 (no maximum age!) and are not confirmed but are either ready to think about making a commitment to Christ, or already know that you want to make that commitment, then please let the clergy know and we can make sure you are included. It does not matter whether you attend church every Sunday: it is about a relationship with God in Christ, of which belonging to the local church is one important part, but only a part.

One way in which you might explore whether you wish to make this commitment would be to join the forthcoming Alpha Course. It will run on Thursday evenings and Friday afternoons from the beginning of February until about Easter and everyone is welcome, whatever their level of faith. It is very much about exploring the meaning of life and may or may not lead you to seeking confirmation, but if it does you will not need much further preparation and there would still be time to prepare you for the May confirmation service.

For some, then, a busy month! Please hold in your own prayers Tim as he prepares for his new ministry and all those who are considering their faith and preparing for confirmation.

Readings for February

5th February, 4th Sunday before Lent:

• Morning: Isaiah 40: 21-end; 1 Corinthians 9: 16-23; Mark 1: 29-39
• Evening: Numbers 13: 1-2, 27-end; Philippians 2: 12-28

12th February, 3rd Sunday before Lent:

• Morning: 2 Kings 5: 1-14 (08:00 only); 1 Corinthians 9: 24-end; Mark 1: 40-end
• Evening: Numbers 20: 2-13; Luke 6: 17-26

19th February, 2nd Sunday before Lent:

• Morning: Proverbs 8: 1, 22-31; Colossians 1: 15-20; John 1: 1-14

26th February, Sunday next before Lent:

• Morning: 2 Kings 2: 1-12; 2 Corinthians 4: 3-6; Mark 9: 2-9

House Groups

• Bible Study: Fridays at 10am at the Vicarage

• Priory Prayer Group: 9th and 23rd February at 19 Ascendale

• Prayer & Study Group: Every Wednesday, 7.30 pm at 45 Crowson Way, Everyone welcome

N o t i c e s

We welcome members of the Guide movement to the Priory Church on the afternoon of 26th February for their Thinking Day service.

Pancake Party

This year's Shrove Tuesday Pancake Party will be held on Tuesday 28th February in the Church Hall. Please add your name to the list at the back of church if you wish to attend

Lent Course 2006: WHERE IS GOD...?

A five-session course with booklet and 80-minute audio tape or CD, featuring Archbishop Rowan Williams - Joel Edwards - Patricia Routledge - Pauline Webb - Dr David Hope

The course this year is being run ecumenically, and details of dates and venues will be available separately in good time. If you would like to host or lead a course please contact the Vicar by 5th February

"York Courses have gathered yet another fine team for yet another stimulating course ... No wonder tens of thousands of people - from Britain and overseas - use these ecumenical courses year on year." - Dr David Hope

"Over the years, the York Courses have proved a huge success, and deservedly so. The format works brilliantly." - Church Times, 21 January 2005.

The Healing Service

The Church's healing ministry springs from Jesus himself, through His care and compassion for those in need and his power to heal them.

Many people wonder what the Church's role in healing is today. What, for instance, does our monthly Healing Service offer? Does it involve strange, esoteric rituals? Is it full of lamentations, or, perhaps, American style fervour, both of which most of us would find at best, uncomfortable, and at worst, totally alien.

As one who attends the Healing Service as often as possible, let me assure you it is none of these.

The service is simple, uplifting and welcoming. It is usually held on the second Sunday of each month, at 6.00 p.m., and takes the form of a Communion service, with the laying on of hands for healing for those who wish to receive it. This just involves kneeling at the altar, where Mark and Sonia place their hands on your head and pray for healing. You can go for yourself, or for someone you know.

During the intercessions there is the opportunity to pray aloud or in silence for those in need. For me, this is a deep and moving part of the service, where I feel especially close to God and to everyone present. If you decide to attend a Healing Service, I hope it will bring you strength and comfort too.

Bet Washbrooke

AN APPEAL FOR THE LEPROSY MISSION

After 25 years Bernard and Sybil Babb have informed us that they will be retiring from being the link person and co-ordinator for the Leprosy Mission. We do not want to lose this important connection with one of out most deserving charities and we ask for a volunteer to take over the role of co-ordinator.

Bernard assures us that the job is not at all onerous and will not take up much of your time. If you feel that you could take on this task we would be grateful if you would contact Bernard or Sybil either in church or on 343956.

Stop Press:
The collections for the Leprosy Mission during 2005 raised £295.20. Bernard and Sybil Babb would like to thank all who contributed.

News from Explorers, Climbers and Scramblers

The New Year began with the theme 'In God's Power' when we looked at the lives of two Leaders of God's People - Joshua and Gideon - who initially felt that they were not up to the job. However, they trusted God to help and guide them on a daily basis, just like we do, and they went from strength to strength. The children really enjoyed acting out The Fall of Jericho in the Church Hall (with piles of orange boxes rather than the Hall walls themselves this time!), and making angels from balloons to remind them of Gideon's special visitor.

A new venture for us last year was the St James's Workshop which we held on the Sunday nearest to St James's Day. Pilgrims to the shrine of the Church's Patron Saint, St. James, in Northern Spain are presented with a cockle shell (or scallop) as a sign of their achievement, so some of our activities were based on this symbol of St James. We hope to run a similar venture this year so if anyone has any cockle or scallop shells which they could donate, or any craft ideas based on them, we would be most grateful. I know July is a long way off, but we shall need to start planning before too long!

Explorers (7 - 11), Climbers (5 - 7) and Scramblers (under 5) meet every Sunday morning (except during the Summer holiday period) at 9.50am in the Church Hall. They join older worshippers in Church for their blessing, final hymn and refreshments. New members are always welcome. Please contact Andrea (Climbers and Scramblers) on 344926 or Alison (Explorers) on 345890 for more details.

What it felt like being in the Church Nativity Play

Daniel Wadsworth:

I was a king, and I felt scared when I had to do my bit, and was worried that I might get the final song (and the actions) wrong. However it went very well after all, and we all enjoyed singing the songs. We had been practising singing the songs for ages, and we played the music every morning going to school in the car.

Tom and Rebecca Wadsworth:

We played in the orchestra, Adam and Ed transposed the music to suit the clarinet and saxophone, which was quite a lot of extra work for them to do. We practised around five times before the show.

Clare Wadsworth:

The performance sounded really good when all the instruments came together, and the children enjoyed being on the stage, and singing the songs together.

CARRY ON WORSHIPPING!!

(With apologies to Sid James et al)

Those of you who think that the church goes about its merry way without the hint of difficulty would be well advised to reconsider that opinion, if recent weeks are anything to go by! The well-oiled machine that is Deeping St James Priory Church seems to become gremlin infested at the most recent services.

Midnight Mass was wonderfully well attended, and the service was of an excellent standard. However the first part of it was slightly confusing as Mark announced a different hymn to that which we were all expecting, and also to what the choir were singing. Not very helpful when you think about it, and he is still trying to blame the choirmaster!! Still, the New Year dawned bright and clear. And during the first Sunday Eucharist of the year all was going to go well. Apart from the fact that as the service was starting Mark realised that he didn't have his reading glasses. It was fortunate that he was able to make a surreptitious visit to the vestry during the procession and collect them, so that the entire service did not pass as a hazy mist.

Then, later, whilst Sonia was leading the Intercessions, Mark became aware of a certain amount of whispering and shuffling amongst others of the main party. Looking forward, it was then apparent that shortly before we got to the consecration of the Bread and Wine, and the subsequent serving, there was one minor problem. All the required silverware – chalices, plate, etc. was still safely locked away in the safe! Minor panic ensued, as Mark realised that he had no way of getting his safe keys to anyone discreetly, in order that the items could be fetched, and time was of the essence. As Mark pondered, Martin Fisher was considering sidling up the side of the church to the back and dashing to the church hall where the children's groups were in full swing, to relieve Richard of his set of keys. Fortunately, Richard arrived at that moment, and he and the servers rushed to get the silver from the safe. Which unfortunately is not something that can be done quietly, involving as it does much clanking and creaking of floorboards etc., and it would not have been surprising if someone had suspected that we had particularly audacious burglars in the building! Eventually, with as little disturbance as possible, the Communion silverware was delivered to the altar, and normal service was resumed. For now.

Obviously, all the problems were behind us now, and the rest of the year's services would be trouble free. And so it proved for the first half of the Eucharist on Jan 8th. It was at this point that as the sides-persons were taking the offertory up to the altar, anyone of sharp hearing in the vicinity would have heard the whispered comment of one of them – "I don't think there's any wine in this, it feels too light'. Sure enough, an empty wine flagon was duly delivered to the altar party, and Mark set about making the most of the emergency supply that is kept just in case of a sudden influx of congregants. Unfortunately, this is not the largest of quantities, so as Mark tried to divide it up between the two chalices, it was somewhat unevenly distributed as well as considerably diluted. It is most impressive that in the short time since her ordination, Sonia has managed to perfect her own miracles, since it seemed to anyone partaking of wine from Simon that she had turned wine into water!

We can only presume that things are going to run smoothly once more in the future – although it does have the advantage of providing some of us with something to write about!

COOKING WITH MARGARET

SAUSAGE & PASTA SAUTÉ

• 6 Thick pork sausages,
• 1tbs seasoned flour,
• 1 small onion,
• 1 tbs sunflower oil,
• 1 oz butter,
• 4 rashers bacon,
• 7 oz can peeled tomatoes, including juice,
• 1 tbs tomato purée
• 1 tsp mustard,
• ¾ pt chicken stock,
• 1 tsp Worcestershire sauce,
• 1 tbs sherry,
• 2 oz mushrooms sliced,
• 8 oz pasta shapes eg. Spirali.
• Seasoning.

Cut each sausage into 3 or 4 pieces. Coat them in seasoned flour. Gently fry the onion in the oil and butter, together with the chopped bacon for 2-3 minutes.

Add everything else, cover and cook gently until the pasta is just tender – approx 20 minutes. If too moist, take the lid off and boil to evaporate some liquid.

Serve with crusty bread and mixed salad.

Registers for December 2005

MARRIAGE: We congratulate:

• 23rd: Richard Edward Fox and Salvina Carmelina Balaam
• 24th: Stephen Colin Fear and Louise Sears

FUNERALS: We commend to God's keeping:

• 10th: David Paul Willott (34)
• 16th: Jane Aveling (54)

In memoriam

At the funeral in church of the late David Willott on Saturday 10th December, over £290 was collected for charity in David's memory. Thanks to all who contributed.