| Editor: Sonia Marshall | Layout: Dave Merchant | Web version: Mark Warrick |
Photographs of some parish events are available in our Photograph Album elsewhere on the site
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It was great to welcome the Bishop of Grantham to Deeping St James recently to confirm eleven members of our church into adult, communicant membership. Two adults and nine young people, mostly from our Pathfinders group, took for themselves their baptismal promises, turned to Christ and promised to resist evil in the world.
(Photo in our on-line album)
It was an occasion when we could all review our own commitment at the start of a new year. Membership is a fairly vague issue in the Church of England. On the one hand everyone has some sort of stake in their parish church, and anyone who lives here is allowed to vote for the Churchwardens, for example, or to join the electoral roll of the church (are you on it? If not, it will soon be reviewed and if you join it you can attend and take part in our annual meeting on 7th April). Baptism is our actual initiation ceremony, of course, and confirmation is an adult affirmation of that initiation.
There are many ways of expressing our belonging to the church, and for many, reading this very magazine is one such expression. There is attending the services, especially the Holy Communion, more or less frequently, there is belonging to the Planned Giving Scheme (and that, too, is about to be reviewed), or belonging to one of the societies or fellowships affiliated to the church. For the housebound our Christian service often comes down to private prayer and occasionally receiving Holy Communion at home.
For all, though, the important thing is a belief and trust in Christ and the following of his way of self-sacrificing love for God and for neighbour. To help you in that way of life your parish priest is available and glad to be asked!
Sonia Marshall and family would like to thank all who sent and gave condolencies on the death of Sonia's father, Herbert Gunn.
Their sympathy was much appreciated over a sad time.
Easter, when we celebrate Jesus' resurrection from the dead and the New Life he gives to us all, is the central celebration of the Christian faith. Prompted by our Worship Committee's consideration of the way services have been attended over the last few years the Parochial Church Council has been giving much thought about how we might best celebrate Easter.
For the past few years the Easter Candle has been lit at the Easter Eve Ceremonies, with the renewal of Baptismal vows in the traditional way, but with Holy Communion held over until the 08:00 or 10:00 service the following morning. Fewer and fewer people have turned up on Easter Eve and the service has become unsustainable. Yet this night, of all nights, when our Lord conquered death, deserves to be celebrated in some special way. Some consideration was given to a midnight service as we have at Christmas. Many churches hold their main service at down on Easter Day. The PCC agreed that what ever we did there should be one major celebration of Easter combining the renewal of vows, the lighting of the Easter Candle and the celebration of the Easter Communion. This should be for everyone and on this one Sunday of the year everyone could come and celebrate together.
It was decided therefore to try this year having just one Eucharist on Easter Day, to be held at 09:00 and to which the usual 08:00 and 10:00 congregations are invited instead of your usual services. It will begin with the New Light and ceremonial lighting of the Easter Candle and the Renewal of Baptismal Vows and will be completed by the Holy Communion, all within one service.
If this works well and is popular, then perhaps we have found the formula for celebrating Easter for some years to come. (If not, then the PCC will think again in time for next year.) I hope you will find it an exciting occasion on which to celebrate all that God has done for us in Christ, to thank him for doing it and to dedicate ourselves once more to his service in response to his great love for us. So, put it into your diary now: Sunday 20th April, 09:00: Easter Eucharist!
You can always put ideas and suggestions to your Vicar and Churchwardens or to any member of the Parochial Church Council, but the opportunity to participate fully in the running of the church and to hear reports from the Council about what has been going on over the past year is at the Annual Parochial Church Meeting, to be held this year on Monday 7th April at 7.30pm, with light refreshments and an opportunity to chat informally, too.
To attend the meeting you must be on the church Electoral Roll, and this is being revised between 8th and 22nd March in preparation for the meeting.
Our Annual Report is being prepared and we hope to publish it in good time before the meeting so that you can come armed with useful questions and suggestions. If you lead a committee or group within the church fellowship, please let the Vicar or Simon Marshall have a few words about your activities over the past year for the report by 24th February to ensure their inclusion. It would then be good if you could have a few words to say at the meeting about what your group is planning for the coming year, as well as being ready to answer any questions.
Meanwhile, as always, please keep praying for your parish church and its work, and in your prayers consider whether God may be calling you to some ministry such as the PCC, Churchwarden or some other office, or whether you should be suggesting such a ministry to someone else.
Sunday 22nd December was a full and exciting day for the church's children! In the morning, after the 10am service we all gathered in the church hall for the Explorers, Climbers and Scramblers Nativity Play, which was enjoyed by all who went, and was greatly enjoyed by the children who took part. Thanks are especially due to Johanna and Ian who prepared and organised the play.
In the afternoon the Explorers, Climbers and Scramblers had their annual Christmas Disco Party, which was also great fun. Thanks are due to everyone who was involved in this huge effort, and to all those who contributed food for the party. The children and their friends are made to feel very welcome at our church and really have a great time. Thanks.
(Photo in our on-line album)
When you feel down and under pressure, ask Jesus to lift your load and enable you to take a step up! 'Come to me, all you who labour and are overburdened, and I will give you rest...' Matthew ch. 11. V.28
One day a farmer's donkey fell down into a well. The animal cried piteously for hours as the farmer tried to figure out what to do. Finally he decided the animal was old and the well needed to be covered up anyway. It just wasn't worth it to retrieve the donkey.
He invited all his neighbours to come over and help him. They all grabbed a shovel and began to shovel soil into the well. At first, the donkey realised what was happening and cried horribly. Then, to everyone's amazement, he quieted down. A few shovel loads later, the farmer finally looked down the well and was astonished at what he saw. With every shovel of soil that hit his back, the donkey was doing something amazing. He would shake it off and take a step up!
As the farmer's neighbours continued to shovel soil on top of the animal, he would shake it off and take a step up.
Pretty soon, everyone was amazed as the donkey stepped up over the edge of the well and trotted off!!
Story courtesy of Centrepoint Outreach News, Centrepoint Outreach, Belmont House, 15 Red Lion Street, Boston, PE21 6PZ. Tel 01205 360900. Centrepoint are urgently in need of: Towels; Mens Jeans; Sleeping Bags; Single Bed Sheets and Saucepans. Call the above number if you wish to help.
Do you realize that the only time in our lives when we like to get old is when we're kids? If you're less than 10 years old, you're so excited About aging that you think in fractions. "How old are you?" "I'm four and a half!"
You're never thirty-six and a half. You're four and a half, going on five!
That's the key. You get into your teens, now they can't hold you back. You jump to the next number, or even a few ahead. "How old are you?" "I'm going be 16!" You could be 13, but hey, you're going be 16!
And then the greatest day of your life . . . you become 18. Even the Words sound like a ceremony . . . YOU BECOME 18. . . YEARS!!!
But then you turn 30. Oooohh, what happened there? Makes you sound like Bad milk. He TURNED, we had to throw him out. There's no fun now, you're just a sour-dumpling. What's wrong? What's changed?
You BECOME 21, you TURN 30, then you're PUSHING 40.
Whoa! Put on the brakes, it's all slipping away. Before you know it, You REACH 50 . . . and your dreams are gone.
But wait!!! You MAKE it to 60. You didn't think you would!
So you BECOME 21, TURN 30, PUSH 40, REACH 50 and MAKE it to 60.
You've built up so much speed that you HIT 70! After that it's a day-by-day thing; you HIT Wednesday! You get into your 80s and every day is a complete cycle; you HIT lunch; you TURN 4:30; you REACH bedtime.
And it doesn't end there. Into the 90s, you start going backwards; "I Was JUST 92." Then a strange thing happens. If you make it over 100, you become a little kid again. "I'm 100 and a half!"
May you all make it to a healthy 100 and a half!!
Although not recognised as a Saint, this month we feature a modern martyr from the regime of Idi Amin
Janani Luwum was born in 1922 at Mucwini in East Acholi in Uganda. His father was a convert to Christianity. As a boy Janani spent his time herding the family's cattle, goats and sheep. His father could not afford for him to go to school until he was 10 but then Janani worked hard and went on to teacher training. Janani was converted in 1948 and he was priested in 1956. Early on his leadership skills became apparent and he was chosen to do a one year course at St Augustine's College in Canterbury, UK. After working in parish workand theological college he returned to Britain to study at the London College of Divinity, returning to Uganda to become Principal of Buwalasi. In 1966 he became Provincial Secretary and in 1969 he was consecrated bishop of Northern Uganda.
In 1974 Janani Luwum he became Archbishop of Uganda, Rwanda, Burundi and Boga-Zaire. Three years previously Colonel Idi Amin had overthrown the Government of Uganda and established a military dictatorship. Amin's regime became infamous around the world. Archbishop Luwum often went personally to the office of the dreaded State Research Bureau to help secure the release of prisoners.
Tension between Church and state worsened in 1976. Religious leaders, including Archbishop Luwum, met to discuss the deteriorating situation and asked for an interview with Idi Amin to share their concern. The President reprimanded the Archbishop. But Archbishop Luwum continued to attend Government functions. One of his critics accused him of being on the Government side and he replied: "I face daily being picked up by the soldiers. While the opportunity is there I preach the Gospel with all my might, and my conscience is clear before God that I have not sided with the present Government which is utterly self-seeking. I have been threatened many times. Whenever I have the opportunity I have told the President the things the churches disapprove of. God is my witness."
On 5 February 1977 the Archbishop's house was raided. On 8 February the Archbishop and nearly all the Ugandan bishops met and drafted a letter of protest to the President and asked to see him. A week later, on 16 February, the Archbishop and six bishops were publicly arraigned in a show trial and were accused of smuggling arms. Archbishop Luwum was not allowed to reply, but shook his head in denial. The Archbishop was separated from his bishops. As he was taken away Archbishop Luwum turned to his brother bishops and said: "Do not be afraid. I see God's hand in this."
The next morning it was announced that Archbishop Luwum had been killed in a car crash. The truth was that he had been shot because he had stood up to President Amin and his Government. The Archbishop was killed just a few months before the centenary celebrations of the Church of Uganda, an anniversary which marked the martyrdom of Anglicans in Uganda nearly a century before. At a memorial service Janani Luwum was proclaimed the first martyr of the Church of Uganda's second century.
Cook pasta in boiling salted water, according to packet instructions. Three minutes before the pasta is cooked, tip broccoli in and continue to boil. While pasta is cooking gently heat the oil in a large frying pan or wok. Tip in the chicken and fry, stirring occasionally, until the chicken pieces are cooked and golden, about 8-10 minutes, adding the garlic for the last 2 minutes.
Mix the mustard with the orange juice in a small bowl. Pour the mixture over the chicken and gently simmer for a minute or two. Drain the pasta and broccoli reserving 3 tablespoons of pasta water. Toss the pasta and broccoli with the chicken, stir in the pasta water and the almonds, season well and serve.
This is only an extract from some of our magazine. Residents of Deeping St James can subscribe to the printed version.
Copyright © 2003 Deeping St James PCC