Priory News, April 2007

Deeping St James Parish Church Magazine

Photographs of some parish events are available in our Photograph Album elsewhere on the site

To:

• Scripture readings for Sunday
• Archive of past editions of Priory News
• Cooking with Margaret

Mark Warrick

To see your reading in advance without having to mark your bible pages, you can copy your reference and paste it into the recently-improvedoremus Bible Browser (or type in your reference) and print out the reading. The translation used in church is the New Revised Standard Version, which is the default version on oremus.

1st April, Palm Sunday:

• Morning: Luke 19: 28-40; Isaiah 50: 4-9a; Philippians 2: 5-11; Luke Passion

5th April, Maundy Thursday:

• 19:30: Exodus 12: 1-4, 11-14; 1 Corinthians 11: 23-26; John 13: 1-17, 31b-35

6th April, Good Friday:

• 10:30: Isaiah 52: 13 - 53 end; Hebrews 10: 16-25; John Passion

8th April, Easter Day:

• 09:00: Isaiah 65: 17-end; Acts 10: 34-43; Luke 24: 1-12
• Evening: Isaiah 43: 1-21; 1 Corinthians 15: 1-11

15th April, 2nd Sunday of Easter:

• Morning: Acts 5: 27-32; Revelation 1: 4-8; John 20: 19-31
• Evening: Isaiah 53: 1-6, 9-12; Luke 24: 13-35

22nd April, 3rd Sunday of Easter:

• Morning: Acts 9: 1-6; Revelation 5: 11-end; John 21: 1-19

29th April, 4th Sunday of Easter:

• Morning: Acts 9: 36-end; Revelation 7: 9-end; John 10: 22-30

Home Groups

• Bible Study: Fridays at 10 am at 91 Manor Way
• House Group: Every Wednesday, 7.30 pm at 45 Crowson Way - Everyone welcome

Priory Prayer Group

Owing to circumstances, the Priory Prayer Group has, for the time being, ceased its regular fortnightly meetings.
We must pray to our Lord that a way will be found for it to again provide the parish with a power house of prayer.
Bernard Babb

Notices

Worship for Holy Week and Easter

Palm Sunday 10:00 service begins with a procession from the Vicarage - please go to the church first to collect your books and palm cross.

The Eucharist will be celebrated at 19:30 hrs on Monday - Wednesday in Holy Week and on Maundy Thursday. The Maundy Thursday celebration is a commemoration of the Last Supper and includes a re-enactment of the foot-washing, a recollection of the New Commandment to love one another, the Lord's Supper itself and Jesus' troubled prayers in the garden before his arrest. Attendance at this service is especially recommended.

The Good Friday services are a form of the Way of the Cross for children at 09:30 and then, while the children are at their Good Friday Actvitities, the Good Friday Liturgy with Proclamation of the Cross and optional Holy Communion from the sacrament reserved at the previous night's celebration.

Services on Easter Day are the Eucharist at 09:00 with lighting of the Paschal Candle and Renewal of Baptismal Vows, and Festal Evensong at 18:00. Traditional Easter hymns are included at both of these services and on the Sundays that follow.

ROSE AND SWEET PEA SHOW GRAND RAFFLE

Plans are well in hand for this annual event which will be drawn on the afternoon of Saturday 30th June. I am in the process of finalising the major prizes but would be very grateful to receive others as we like to be in the position of being able to offer a wide variety to appeal to as many people as possible. The Fairtrade basket was very popular last year so I would like to produce something similar again. If anyone has a suitable basket, box or tray which they could donate for this I would be most grateful.

If you are interested in joining a small group to help organise and run the Raffle please let me know. It's a varied project, and not too time-consuming, and would benefit from new ideas and approaches.

PRIORY COFFEE GROUP

At the AGM on 8th March funds were allocated to the following:

• Visually Impaired Group £ 100-00,
• First Responders £ 100-00,
• Deepings Men's Group £ 100-00,
• Church Spire Lighting £100-00,
• Church Youth Activity £100-00
• Church Hall Refurbishment £ 300-00.

All monies will be given out at the next meeting on 17th May. Other meetings are Afternoon Tea 19th July, Coffee Morning 13th September, and the Advent Coffee Morning on 29th November.

Alison

ANNUAL MEETINGS

By the time you are reading this the new Church Electoral Roll will be in the process of compilation after the closing date for applications. It will be published on Easter Eve, 7th April, for everyone to check that their entry is accurate. It will be displayed in church for a while before and after main services and otherwise will be available for inspection by arrangement at the Vicarage.

The Meeting of Parishioners for the Election of Churchwardens takes place in the Church Hall on 23rd April after the St George's Day Eucharist (which is 19:00 in church), about 19:30. It will be followed immediately by the Annual Parochial Church Meeting which is for members of the Church Electoral Roll and will include an opportunity to ask questions and to participate in the running of the church, to stand and to vote in elections to the Parochial Church Council, and to hear about progress during the past year.

The Archdeacon's Visitation this year, at which our churchwardens are sworn into office, takes place at St Martin's Church in Stamford on Tuesday 15th May at 20:00, with refreshments available from 19:15.

You may like to think about whether God is calling you to some particular role in the local church, and to pray for those who are in positions of authority within our church. The following notes may help you.

Parochial Church Council (PCC)

Purpose: With the Vicar and Churchwardens to see to the running of the Church in the parish and to promote its mission and ministry.

Frequency of meetings: 8 per year. Normally on Monday evenings at 7.30 or 7.45 pm in the Vicarage

Membership:

• · Any ordained person licensed to the parish
• · Churchwardens, Elected annually before the PCC elections
• · Any Readers licensed to the parish
• · Members of Deanery, Diocesan or General Synods, Elected every 3 or 5 years (GS)
• · 9 Elected members (as determined by the last annual meeting)
• · Up to 2 co-opted Members if the PCC so decides

Committees of the PCC

Mission

Purpose: To identify and recommend to the PCC criteria for parochial mission giving and to identify and recommend agencies against those criteria for annual grants. To identify educational opportunities concerning mission, especially in relation to the missionary agencies supported by the parish. To arrange fund-raising events for mission.

Frequency of meetings: 2-4 per year

Membership: At least 1 PCC member plus up to 4 others

Worship

Purpose: To recommend the structure and style of the parish´s collective worship. To establish the detailed provision of structure and rite and ensure that all recommendations are implemented effectively.

Frequency of meetings: About 4 per year

Membership: Vicar: Other licensed ministers: Musical Director: Organist: Representative of Children´s work: A Churchwarden: PCC member: Member of the congregation not on the PCC

Pastoral

Purpose: To consider the pastoral policies of the parish and to make recommendations to the PCC. To undertake detailed consideration of the practical pastoral requirements in the parish and to ensure that appropriate action takes place.

Frequency of meetings: About 4 per year

Membership: Vicar: Other licensed ministers: 2 PCC members: 2 or 3 members of the congregation not on the PCC

Fabric

Purpose: To review the fabric of the church and churchyard and to make recommendations about the requirement for and urgency of repair, maintenance and new work. To ensure that the agreed work is carried out in a timely and satisfactory manner.

Frequency of meetings: About 6 per year

Membership: A Churchwarden: 2 PCC members: 2 or 3 members of the congregation not on the PCC

Social

Purpose: To identify social opportunities in the life of the Church and to organise the provision of appropriate events. To respond to the opportunities for enhanced fellowship and outreach identified by other groups within the Church by providing refreshments, meals etc

Frequency of meetings: About 6 - 8 per year

Membership: 1 PCC member plus volunteers

Churchwarden

Two elected at the Annual Meeting of Parishioners which immediately precedes the Annual Parochial Church meeting. They are the Bishop´s officers, but share with the Vicar and PCC the responsibility for the mission and ministry of the church in the parish and for the maintenance of the church building.

No-one may normally serve more than six years without a break of at least two years.

Qualifications: Baptized; Actual communicant; On the Electoral roll; 21 years or over; Not convicted of particular offences

Powers and duties:

• To ensure that collections are properly accounted and used
• To ensure that the building is maintained
• To keep order and decency in church and churchyard, especially during worship
• To hold the title to moveable goods of the church and keep an inventory thereof
• To be sequestrators, together with the Rural Dean, in the event of a vacancy in the benefice
• To use their best endeavours to encourage parishioners in the practice of true religion and to promote unity and peace among them

News From The Tower

Ron Willson

The bells were rung on the 23rd March in memory of our friend and fellow bell ringer, Ron, who died on the 9th March after a long illness.

Both Ron, who was 76 at the time, and his wife Daphne started ringing 8 years ago and quickly became members of the ringing band supporting us on Sundays and at our social activities. Ron had one of those mischievous twinkles in his eye and a wonderful sense of humour. His background was musical and included working in a music shop and running his own band, which led to him unanimously being voted as conductor of the hand bell band.

Unfortunately he was taken ill some 10 months ago and has been nursed by his devoted wife Daphne for most of this time.

At this time your prayers and thoughts are asked for his loving wife and family.

Do you still want to hear the "Bells" on a Sunday, for Weddings and for those other "Special" occasions.

Would You Like To Help Ring The Bells?

Are over the age of 11.

Would like to help preserve an ancient English tradition?

Have rung in the past and would like to take up ringing again?

Why not join our lively team of ringers on Friday evenings from 7.30 to 9.00pm.

Apart from the ringing of the bells, we also hold social activities outside the tower. These include an annual barbeque and dinner and trips out for other functions.

All are welcome.

Ringing practice and tuition is held most Friday evenings throughout the year.

For further information:- Contact Richard on 01778-343498 or Brenda on 01778-424644

MISSION MATTERS

Easter Craft Fair

The Craft Fair on Saturday 10 March was a great success, thanks to all your wonderful support in every way. We raised a net total of just over £400 for church Mission. Hopefully this will become an annual event.

The food box for the hungry and homeless on the streets of Peterborough is still at the back of church each Sunday. Again we are grateful for your support and would ask that this continues. People are hungry 52 weeks of the year!

The next date for your Diary will be Saturday 7 July when we will be holding a Car Boot Sale on the John Eve Field, Market Deeping. More details on that nearer the time.

CHURCH LADIES FELLOWSHIP

The annual fund raising lunch was held on Friday 16th March when 50 members and guests enjoyed a lunch prepared by Margaret and served by the committee. The lunch and raffle raised £ 182-00 for funds. Our thanks to all who supported the event.

News from Explorers, Climbers and Scramblers

Recent Sunday morning sessions have focused on the fact that our God is merciful and provides for his people. This was demonstrated when we saw him at work in the lives of Jonah and Ruth. The story of Jonah's adventure is always popular with the children and Climbers and Scramblers enjoyed making models of the big fish throwing Jonah up on the beach - all the noisier thanks to some extra long (and loud!) party blowers.

Good Friday is on the 6th April and we would like to thank all those who have kindly donated items for the activities which will follow the Children's Service in Church. We do hope that as many of the congregation of the Good Friday Service as possible will be able to join us in the Hall afterwards for 'Seasonal Refreshments'.

Explorers (7 - 11), Climbers (5 - 7) and Scramblers (under 5) are on holiday now but will meet again on Sunday 11th September at 9.50am in the Church Hall. New members are always welcome. Please contact Andrea (Climbers and Scramblers) on 344926 or Alison (Explorers) on 345890 for more details.

BISHOP'S LETTER

Let's agree to differ

"We are the Easter people, and Hallelujah is our song!"

This early testimony to the fundamental importance of Easter for the Christian Church has ensured that belief in the Resurrection remains central to our identity as Christian people. We are Easter people before we are anything else.

Yet the different accounts of the Easter story in our four Gospels testify to the various ways in which this unique event was experienced and communicated. And so it has continued down through 2000 years. Even in our understanding of the Resurrection we are a diverse people, with many and various stories to tell about how the Risen Christ has encountered us on our journeys, at our prayers, about our business and in our homes and gardens – just as he encountered the first Disciples in all these ways on and after that first Easter Day.

As Easter people we are a diverse people discerning and developing our grasp on that new reality which exploded from the tomb to change the world for ever. This reality, with its extraordinary breadth and depth of meaning must be both an encouragement and a reassurance as we seek to deal creatively with difference in our chronically divided world.

We do well to note these words of wisdom written by Doctor George Sabra of the Near East Theological Seminary in Beirut:

"The hope is that Christians come to realise that the only way forward in the ecumenical journey is the recognition and full acceptance that diversity is not only a fact, but the very essence of Christianity: our Christian Holy Book is made up of many books; the creation accounts are two; the divine covenant is more than one; the Gospel is fourfold; the earliest Church is a group of local Churches; Jesus, the Son of God, has two natures; and, most importantly, the one God is triune. Wither shall we Christians flee from plurality and diversity? Christianity is, at heart, a school of diversity."

Almost a year ago, failure to deal creatively with diversity almost destroyed Beirut even as those words were being written. The way we live together with our differences – whether in the Anglican Communion, the ecumenical movement, our relationships with those of other faiths or our local communities – will be crucial to our credibility as Easter people with Hallelujahs on our lips and in our hearts.

+ John Lincoln

This is only an extract from some of our magazine. Residents of Deeping St James can subscribe to the printed version.