October 2020 - St Elphin's Chronicle - Vol 132 Price 30p
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The Parish Staff For all enquiries during the interregnum please contact Arnold Wright To book in for attending Sunday Worship please contact Kathryn Hayes Reader Emeritus Mr R Whitticombe 01925-564408 3 Franklin Close WA5 8QL Church Wardens Mr A Wright 01925-821048 5 Kinsale Drive Locking Stumps WA3 6LX Miss K J Hayes 01925-656790 8 Charlton Street WA4 1LX Websites: St Elphin’s: http://www.warringtonparishchurch.org Diocesan Website: http://www.liverpool.anglican.org Cathedral Website: http://www.liverpoolcathedral.org.uk www.facebook.com/warringtonparishchurch Please do visit and ‘Like’ our Facebook page so you can keep up to date with events and services in our church and ‘share’ this with others whom you connect with on social media. Live streaming of Morning and Evening Prayer from Liverpool Cathedral can be found at: https://www.facebook.com/LiverpoolCathedral
Bishop Paul's Autumn Letter to the Diocese Blessed be the God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ, the Father of mercies and the God of all consolation, who consoles us in all our affliction, so that we may be able to console those who are in any affliction with the consolation with which we ourselves are consoled by God. For just as the sufferings of Christ are abundant for us, so also our consolation is abundant through Christ. If we are being afflicted, it is for your consolation and salvation; if we are being consoled, it is for your consolation, which you experience when you patiently endure the same sufferings that we are also suffering. Our hope for you is unshaken; for we know that as you share in our sufferings, so also you share in our consolation 2 Corinthians 1:3-7 Dear friends, It’s a new season. Many of us have returned from holiday, though others are still looking forward to taking some time away in the coming weeks. But for all of us the Summer is giving way to the Autumn - an Autumn like no other, as the virus continues to shape and affect us all, personally and corporately. At this time of transition I wanted to write to you all in the parishes, schools, chaplaincies and fresh expressions that make up the family of our Diocese. In the passage above St Paul writes of the consolation God gives “in all our affliction”. For him of course the focus was chiefly on the affliction and the persecutions that marked his life as an apostle, and marked his churches too. But with a wider vision he goes on to speak of our ability, as Christians touched by the love of Jesus, “to console those who are in any affliction...” Famously the word “console” or “comfort” (parakleseōs) recalls the Holy Spirit, the Paraclete, the Comforter. It is in the power of the consoling Spirit of God that Christians come face to face with affliction.
And we live today in the midst of affliction. The churches have been afflicted, as the whole world has, by the virus. Things that we hold dear cannot be done as we would wish. Habits have been broken, and new possibilities must be found, and are indeed being found, in every place. But it has not been easy, and every local church community has been stress-tested, thrown back on the grace and resources of God as it has sought the right way to live. More widely the affliction of the virus has opened fault-lines in the world. The fabric of our common life has coarsened and become angry. So-called populist politicians across the world are encouraging fear and even violence in people, so as to profit from it. In short the stress of living with the virus has eroded patience and forbearance, within the Church as well as beyond it. In such a world I pray that we, members of the Diocesan family, may be people who know the Spirit, the Consoler – those who are then able to console those who are in any affliction with the consolation with which we ourselves are consoled by God. The unchanging calling of this Diocese, especially in affliction, is to be counter-cultural. We are called to resist the temptation to go with the turbulent flow of stress and anger, the temptation to afflict one another further. Rather we are called to live a life of consolation that will extend kindness and selfless generosity, will resist anger, will turn away from spite. We are to offer ourselves as instruments of love, in gratitude for the freely-given salvation that we have received in Jesus Christ. We do this by personal lives of holiness, and by partaking in the struggle for justice and for the dignity of all humans beings, made in the image of God. The resources God gives us for this are as they have always been: the indwelling presence of Christ by His Spirit; the wisdom and love of the Christian community; the capacity to pray to learn from Scripture, to struggle for justice. All this is summed up for us in Liverpool Diocese in the words of our Rule of Life. We say that we are called and sent by God - called to pray, read and learn; sent to tell, serve and give.
In affliction we are driven more and more on these resources, because apart from God we can do nothing. This Autumn I commend our Rule of Life to each and all of you, even as I seek to live it out myself. In the chapel here at Bishop’s Lodge, sitting before the candle which burns night and day for you, I ask God to give you, each one, the strength to bring consolation to the afflicted world. I said a moment ago that things we hold dear cannot be done as we would wish. This applies to the way we must worship at this time, as well as to our ability to “bring one friend” into the company of Jesus and to gather together as believers to enjoy one another’s company and to learn together. It is hard to do these things well. The temptation is to give up, or to deny the truth of the trouble we are in and whistle optimistically in the dark. But this is not a time for shallow optimism, which in any case is not a Christian virtue. Instead we’re called to hope - to live “knowing that suffering produces endurance, and endurance produces character, and character produces hope, and hope does not disappoint us, because God’s love has been poured into our hearts through the Holy Spirit that has been given to us” (Romans 5:3-5) With this in mind I want to underline for you two aspects of our Rule of Life in this season. We are called to pray, and for some time in the Diocese we’ve said that the heart of this call is to pray the prayer that Jesus taught us, the Lord’s Prayer. So as Bishop I give the Diocese a charge this Autumn - pray daily, pray the Lord’s Prayer daily, and in addition pray our Diocesan prayer daily. As you do this, pray explicitly for one another, thanking God for all your sisters and brothers in the Diocese, for this community of parishes and schools, some 60,000 people - thanking God that you are part of a bigger family. Loving Father, by your grace we long to see more people knowing Jesus, and more justice in your world.
Help us to live as your disciples in the power of the Spirit and to work to your praise and glory. We are called to pray, then, and we are sent to give - to give our lives to God as we follow, as disciples; and as part of that to give our share of what is needed to sustain the life of the Church. We live in hope for a future which we cannot imagine – but a future in which we will care for, and provide for, one another. Liverpool Diocese has been remarkable for the way in which its people have responded with real financial generosity in lockdown and beyond. But for many church communities the stress of affliction includes the stress of not knowing how we will pay our way in the future, not knowing how the future will look, not knowing whether there will be a future. In this area too we are dependent on God. Whatever your own circumstances, please pray that God will show you the right way to give generously, so that all may be helped. The Bible asks us to bear one another’s burdens and so to fulfil the law of Christ. Called to pray, sent to give. In the midst of uncertainty and worry, please lay hold especially on these things as the Autumn unfolds. And as you do so, be sure of prayers - from me at Bishop’s Lodge and from Bishop Bev, from our Cathedral church, from all our colleagues in the Archdeaconries and at St James’ House who sustain and administer the life of the Diocese, from the other churches and schools and chaplaincies in your Deanery, from our ecumenical partners across the region, and perhaps most of all from your friends and neighbours in your own community. And in addition to all this earthly prayer I remind you that you are surrounded by a great cloud of witnesses, of angels and of people alive in Christ, people who through the ages have overcome affliction and given consolation in their own generations, all by the power of God who lives yesterday and today, and for ever. In 2 Kings 6 we read of Elisha, surrounded by an enemy army, whose servant was afflicted by anxiety and terror:
The servant said, “Alas, master! What shall we do?” Elisha replied, “Do not be afraid, for there are more with us than there are with them.” Then Elisha prayed: “O LORD, please open his eyes that he may see.” So the LORD opened the eyes of the servant, and he saw; the mountain was full of horses and chariots of fire all around Elisha. This is a time of affliction. It is for such a time as this that the Church was made, because God so loved the world that he gave his only Son, because Jesus has died for us and we are free to live for Him, because “just as the sufferings of Christ are abundant for us, so also our consolation is abundant through Christ.” May God bless you, and all your community, in your ministry as the future unfolds. +Paul Our Diocesan Prayer Loving Father, by your grace we long to see more people knowing Jesus, and more justice in your world. Help us to live as your disciples in the power of the Spirit and to work to your praise and glory. Amen. Annual Church Meeting Please note that the Annual Church Meeting postponed from April 27th will now take place in Church on Monday 19th October at 7.30pm. Face masks must be worn and we will not be able to supply refreshments afterwards as we usually have. It would be helpful if you could let Sylvia Wright know if you will be attending so that we have an idea of numbers so that we can ensure social distancing measures.
Lockdown Reflections The last ‘normal’ Eucharist’ Ann and I attended at St Elphin was the 15th March when Father Mike Finley presided over a well-attended and really lovely service at which hymns were joyfully sung - memories! Unfortunately it was the last traditional St Elphin Eucharist held to date. The reality of the Corona Virus epidemic then became apparent and our lives changed quite dramatically. I have to say in the weeks that followed life became almost surreal as we tried to comprehend quite how a virus could have such a profound impact on our lives - how dare it! Could it really have come from a market place in a small town in China? Where is our Heavenly Father when he is most needed? Self- preservation became our immediate priority. The questions kept coming and the answers were, at best, slow coming back. In simple terms the Corona Virus had taken us all completely by surprise and, maybe, we had been caught napping? After all Pandemics are not exactly new but perhaps Corona has demonstrated we had become complacent. The Lockdown began with a period of partial chaos, Churches closed abruptly. Baptisms, weddings (sadly including our Daughter’s) Church funerals were all cancelled or postponed. We have been unable to pay due respect to some of our highly regarded church family members who sadly have recently passed away. Pubs, restaurants, gyms, non- essential shops, theatre’s and cinemas all closed. Panic buying set in and essential items became hard, if not impossible, to come by. The long forgotten corner shop came into its own - the one near us fortunately remained remarkably well stocked. Most of our supplies came by on line shopping which we were fortunate enough to be able to access. The corner shop literally being the only place either of us cautiously visited in over 3 months. Churches fortunate enough to have access to tech savvy people were able to move to on-line services and St Elphin has been grateful to Lee Marsh, supported by a few readers, who recorded weekly services. We should certainly not underestimate Lee’s great efforts in this respect. These services were unfortunately only viewable by persons with access
to Facebook and/or YouTube. Technology has certainly played a valuable part in our worship over recent months and we have to be thankful for that. However on a more positive note early ways of getting back to a more normal lifestyle and safely working alongside Covid-19 are emerging. They are essentially based on common sense and include hand washing and sanitising, face masks, avoiding unnecessary contacts and segregation. Trial services have been held at St Elphin using these and other precautions and I have to say having attended two they were lovely services and we felt very safe and reassured. On the basis of this success they will hopefully now continue until November. Our thanks are very much due to Kathryn Hayes and her team of helpers who have been instrumental in getting this underway. It hasn’t been easy and they’ve done a superb job. Covid-19 and the lockdown has proved a very difficult and testing time for all churches. St Elphin, having been in Interregnum, means a difficult time has been even more difficult due to the absence of a Rector. In Interregnum the Church Wardens assume the Rectors responsibilities in addition to their own duties. I know for absolute certain Arnold Wright and Kathryn Hayes have had far more tricky issues to deal with during this period than they really should. Issues around the unoccupied Rectory having proved particularly troublesome for them. They have been supported in various ways by a small group of helpers and their input has not gone unnoticed and is much appreciated. I would however mention Wendy Bailey, our Treasurer and Dianne Rothwell who reclaims all the Gift Aid on our planned giving. During lockdown St Elphin has faced a sustained period of financial outgoings exceeding income and together with the Church Wardens they have been literally juggling funds to make ends meet. I particularly want to commend to you our Church Wardens for their unfailing dedication and commitment to their posts in this time and also a big thank you to those who have supported them. We have to be realistic and accept Covid-19 is here with us for the duration. However we can look forward to the Induction of our new Rector, Revd Canon June Steventon, by Bishop Beverley Mason on the 11th November. Quite how Covid restrictions will impact on this service
remains to be seen. We hope and pray June will receive a traditional St Elphin welcome, soon feel “at home”, and will find the inspiration to lift our spirits and, in time, she will have the opportunity to restore the wonderful Eucharist we last celebrated in St Elphin on the 15th March. June, unfortunately, joins us at a particularly difficult time and must be afforded as much support and cooperation as is possible. To conclude on a positive note. There are some encouraging reports emerging suggesting good progress is being made with the development of a vaccine designed to protect us against Covid-19 and in our daily prayers we must, in addition to Canon June, remember those wonderful scientists beavering away in their laboratories and pray they will make that final breakthrough we all so desperately hope will come. Chris Bean Please note that due to the current Covid-19 restrictions the Induction service for Canon June will not be held in Church and final arrangements will be given in November’s magazine. Lent Appeal 2020 Obviously due to lockdown we never got round to collecting in the Leprosy Mission donation boxes at Easter so have decided to continue the appeal until the end of October. If anyone still has one please can you bring it to church or let Dianne know and she will collect it from you.
As we have not been able to hold any fundraising activities this year or take part in a Christian Aid Week, no money has been collected. If anyone would care to contribute to the charity could you send a donation to Wendy Bailey, at 25 Audre Close, Great Sankey, WA5 3NH, who has already got some donations to send off to Christian Aid. They would be very welcome, thank you. Church Flowers We have obviously not required flowers in church during lockdown but even before this difficult situation arose funds were very low and the cost of flowers increases all the time. We have decided therefore to purchase one or two arrangements of silk flowers and one has already been purchased and already placed in church. These are not cheap and donations towards them will be gratefully received. Lots of churches now have them and we will still have fresh flowers in church for festivals and other special occasions. I am sure they will look fitting for our church. (Photograph attached) Sylvia Wright
Pause for Thought with Norma Fox I say… to everyone… not to think of himself more highly that he ought to think. Romans 12 v 3 A man who had a high opinion of himself stepped on a coin operated weighing machine that dispensed a card giving his weight and comments about his personality. After reading the card he handed it to his wife and said, ‘here look at this’. She took it and read it aloud ‘you are dynamic, a born leader, handsome and much admired for your personality’. Giving it a second look she added ‘hmm, I see it got your weight wrong too’. Nothing so mars the happiness and stunts the growth of God’s people as egotism, conceit and self-indulgence. This concentration on the ‘Big I’ may show itself in several ways. There is a sinful pride of nationality, of social status or of mental or physical superiority. Self-pity is a more subtle form of self-importance. Some people always feel sorry for themselves and are easily hurt if they are not pampered. We all need Paul’s admonition not to think too highly of ourselves. We should accurately measure our God given abilities and strengths. Recognising that God gives them to us to be used for His Glory, we should be grateful for them. If you want to live and please God, then live for His Glory, not your own, He gives grace to the humble. Wise is the person who would rather give honour than receive it.
St Elphin’s 50/50 Club The results of the September draw are as follows: 1st Nancy Jones 2nd Mr & Mrs P Brooks 3rd Margaret Sefton 4th Albert Froggatt £125.00 went to church funds The next draw will take place on Sunday 25th October and payments must be made by Sunday 18th in the draw. Any payments made after that date will be assumed to be for the following month. Any cheques should be made payable to ‘St Elphin’s 50/50 Club’. New members are always welcome. Janet
Face Masks I wear the mask that you can see As much for you as I do for me To the guidelines I adhere Not because I live in fear Of the virus I may share If my mask I fail to wear Though no symptoms I display I choose to wear My mask each day In the places I’m told to do To protect myself As well as you For you never know The masks we wear Could save a life Simply being there Karen Wilson
October 2020 Unfortunately, due to the current crisis we are still unable to meet together but we are united in prayer with our brothers and sisters across the world. God saw all that he had made, and it was very good. Genesis 1:31 God of all peoples and nations, we praise you for the wonderful differences of colour and culture, of creeds and clans, that make up the human race. God of all flora and fauna we rejoice in the manifold beauty of your creation; of scents and sounds, of pattern and design that make up the natural world. God of all gifting and talent we praise you for the riches of skills and abilities; of music and arts, of crafting and science that enhance our lives together. Lord of heaven and earth, we celebrate the diversity of your wondrous creation. All you have made is very good; we bless your holy name. Amen There before me was a great multitude that no one could count, from every nation, tribe, people and language, standing before the throne and before the Lamb… And they cried out in a loud voice: ‘Salvation belongs to our God, who sits on the throne, and to the Lamb.’ Revelation 7:9-10 God of all peoples and nations, we pray that through your wondrous grace we may be a shining example of unity in diversity. May differing styles of worship and diverse doctrinal stances, shared in mutual humility, enrich and bring spiritual depth. May sharing of vision and distinctiveness of mission, outworked in a variety of ways, empower and bring great joy. So, hope may be given to a complex world in the name of Christ. Amen
We remember with gratitude the unbroken Christian witness throughout the centuries, which has stayed strong even through times of hardship and persecution. We pray that this example will be an inspiration to us as we seek to stand firm in our faith in our own time. Please keep in touch with each other by telephone or email and let me know if anyone needs additional help. Wendy Bailey Tel: 725943 wendy_bailey@hotmail.com Final call for 2021 diaries and Christmas cards. If anyone has access to the internet the latest Mothers Union Christmas cards can be viewed via the Mothers union shop. If anyone would like anything please let me know as a combined order will save on postage. Also, if anyone cannot view online but would like to order something please let me know. Baptisms No Baptisms until further notice Tea / Coffee No Tea and coffee until further notice Mothers’ Union Thank You Key Workers Appeal Since 1965 Mothers’ Union has run the “Away From It All” (AFIA) programme of experiences and holidays across Britain and Ireland and has helped many families rebuild relationships that had become strained, fractured or even been kept apart.
Most of us had our lives turned upside down in a matter of days due to the COVID-19 pandemic. We had to come to terms with restrictions on everyday activities, such as seeing family and going to Church and School. Many of us also had to become technology gurus overnight and reinvented our dining tables to be our new offices! It was an adjustment for us all. But while all this was happening, an army of individuals were keeping us all going – from shop workers to care workers, refuse collectors to bus drivers, nurses to delivery drivers. Without them, our lockdown would have been so much harder. They ensured we were as safe as possible, often putting themselves at risk in the process. We now want to say a huge thank you for all they have done, which is why we have used all our experience from AFIA to launch our Thank You Key Workers Appeal in order to recognise those who have continued to go above and beyond to help others. While all the work our key workers have done has been a triumph of compassion and care, it has meant a great deal of personal sacrifice – including the very important quality family time. We want to provide similar AFIA day experiences and short breaks for key workers to help them rebuild family connections and togetherness. We especially want to provide this for families who have been kept apart or who are on low incomes, so they will be prioritised. The appeal officially launched on the 5 July and we have been working hard to increase awareness of it outside the Mothers’ Union movement, so that we can not only raise vital funds but also raise the profile of the amazing work we do through AFIA every year! You can find out more about the appeal at www.mothersunion.org/thank-you- keyworker-appeal and we invite you to share this link with anyone you think might also like to say thank you to a key worker. You can also nominate a key worker that you think really deserves an opportunity such as this. To apply or nominate please visit: www.mothersunion.org/thank-you- keyworker-appeal
Church Finances for 2020 Last year I started to provide details of the income and expenditure monthly. It is difficult at the beginning of the year to see the trend so I have included 2019 figures for comparison. Month Income Expenditure 2019 2020 2019 2020 January 4,774 5,252 7,619 8,083 February 4,042 6,701 6,457 5,757 March 10,807 5,494 7,812 7,923 April 9,368 8,887 8,028 7,263 May 5,807 4,937 9,054 5,189 June 9,279 3,565 8,997 5,542 July 9,230 2,351 7,397 5,523 August 4,523 8,732 7,587 6,065 Sept 10,857 8,121 Oct 6,185 6,619 Nov 7,657 7,525 Dec 9,130 9,932 Total £91,659 £45,920 £95,148 £51,867 Expenditure over income circa £6,000 by Aug 2020. £4,000 of the income in February and March was wedding deposits and April and Aug includes a £5,000 donation each month. £2,547 owing to Diocese and £7,211 wedding deposits held in general account. Many of you have contacted me during this crisis to pay by cheque of bank transfer and for that I thank you. Although our income is well down on the same period last year to the tune of circa £22,000 our expenditure has also been reduced but only by circa £11,000. During this emergency the church still has expenses to pay. If you are able please contact Wendy Bailey about continuing to pay your donations by cheque, standing order or bank transfer. Wendy Bailey, PCC Treasurer Tel: 07963 021172 Wendy_bailey@hotmail.com
Your Church needs Funds Four simple ways to donate Cash on Plate Weekly Envelope Scheme Please speak to Arnold Wright if you would like a box of envelopes Bank Transfer Please speak to Wendy Bailey for our bank details Parish Giving Scheme Please ask Wendy Bailey for more information or a starter pack Please speak to Dianne Rothwell if you are able to gift aid your donation
St Elphin’s Prayer List All those who are ill: Daisy Easton Charlie Delooze Carol Shaw Margaret Lomax Doreen Ross Graham Belton Beryl Delooze Brenda Hill Nancy Wild Kath Whitehouse James Orford Siobhan Campbell Leslie Campsie Carol Lewis Geoff Dunn Gary Martin James Flitcroft Kristina Czimbor Mary Currie Logan Austin Trevor Edwards Beryl Dell Margaret Rimmer Sue Waddleton Barbara Eden Martin Fiske Hilda Henshaw Ruth Froggatt Dennis Davies Those who are bereaved of: Joan Davies We also pray for anyone suffering from Covid-19 or those who have died as a result of the virus.
Donations: General Fund In thanksgiving for another years blessings, Norma Fox 5.00 Anonymous Donation 200.00 Anonymous Donation 5000.00 In loving memory of our friend Pat Cairns from Joyce, 40.00 Betty, Carol & Chris Donations received in memory of Sandra Kirk: Remembering Sandra, a lovely lady from Norma Fox 5.00 Remembering Sandra from Dianne 10.00 In memory of Sandra from Margaret Sefton 10.00 In loving memory of Sandra from Ron & Maynard 20.00 In memory of Sandra from Wendy Bailey 10.00 In memory or Sandra from Nancy Jones 10.00 In memory of Sandra from Irene Fryar 10.00 In memory of Sandra from Sylvia and Arnold 20.00 Happy memories of Sandra from Mary and Sue 20.00 In memory of Sandra from Barbara Barrett 10.00 Christian Burial & Cremation in September 4th Sandra Mary Kirk Age 72 Service at Walton Lea
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Group times have changed: Thursday 8.15am 9.30am 10.30am 5.00pm 6.00pm 7.00pm Friday 8.15am 9.30am 10.30am. New member sessions are 11.30am Thursday & Friday 8.00pm Thursday All have to be booked in advance For more information please contact Mike on slimmingworld.co.uk 0344 897 8000 Tel 07867 531764 Hospice Shops Birchwood 01925 825561 Mersey Street (Furniture) 01925 650800 Sankey Street 01925 575780 Hood Manor 01925 629494 Latchford Village 01925 415414 Longford Street, Warrington 01925 411626 Lymm 01925 758057 Stockton Heath 01925 602932 Readers are encouraged to support our Sponsors who have given generously towards our costs.
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