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The Priory and Parish Church of St James, Deeping
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I am not an expert on sport by any stretch of the imagination, but I do wonder whether the decline in the ability of English teams to pull off international success (Manchester United excepted!) is connected with the elevation of individual players to "star" status. While the talent of each player is important, also important is their working as a team, and this, it seems to me, was brought home firmly in the university boat race this year, where the team which supposedly had the stronger members did not win. Rowing of all sports needs its team members to pull together: it is where the expression arose, after all.
It is the same in society, too, and in the Church. Wherever there is disagreement, and there often will be, it is necessary for some decision to be made which will become the policy for all the people and to which, for the time being, all will adhere for the good of all, even while continuing to campaign for change. In the Church we each offer our talents to God for use in the team effort to build his Kingdom, and for some of us that includes being involved in the synods, councils and committees which make the decisions. For all of us it is important to pray for those who do make decisions about the way the team effort will be directed, and it is also important to make our own views known to those who make decisions: if they do not know what you think, they cannot take your views into account! Much of this also applies in society at large, which is why it is important to use your vote in elections both local and national and to ensure that your councillors and MP are aware of what you think.
For Christians there is a special importance to acting together, for we have our Lord's command to love one another that the world may believe. Social events are important in helping us to achieve the coherence necessary for effective Christian life, and our worshipping together is also important. This year St James's Day falls on a Sunday, 25th July, and our patronal festival Eucharist will be sung at 10:00 as usual for a Sunday. Following the service, weather permitting, you are invited to bring a picnic to the Vicarage lawn for lunch at 12:00. This is a day when we can celebrate together the life of our own congregation as we remember those who have been here before us and p ray for our mission in the future, the direction it should take and the part we can each play.
4th July, 5th after Trinity:
10am Romans 7: 15-25a; Matthew 11: 16-19, 25-30
11th July, 6th after Trinity:
10am: Romans 8: 1-11; Matthew 13: 1-9, 18-23
6pm: Philippians 1: 20-26; John 9: 1-7
18th July, 7th after Trinity:
10am: Romans 8: 12-25; Matthew 13: 24-30, 36-43
25th July, St James the Apostle
(patron of this parish):
10am: Acts 11: 27 - 12: 2; Matthew 20: 20-28
With the recent growth in the number of families with young children attending our church, the Parochial Church Council has given some thought to how parents whose children stay with them in the morning service can be helped to care for their children while worshipping. Although attempts have been made to re-start the creche, this does not seem to have met the need. Most children over three years old attend one of the Sunday groups, but a few do not and there are increasing numbers of children under three, too, whose parents wish to stay with their children.
We have been granted permission by the Archdeacon to try a re-arrangement of the pews at the back of the south aisle which will provide a safe area where children may play quietly during services, supervised by their own and each others' parents. Some toys will be provided, and display boards for the work of the Sunday children's groups and of the children who attend the new "Praise and Play" mid-week service. If this proves to be a success, then we may apply for the necessary Faculty to make it a permanent feature of the church. It would be useful for the PCC to receive the comments of members of the congregation, both those who have children who make use of the facility and those who do not.
The experiment is complicated by the way the pews are fitted aound the heating pipes, preventing them simply being lifted and moved, and skilled volunteer labor is necessary to get the task done. One or two pews will be stored in the Vicarage coach house and two or three moved to create a roughly square space, for which a carpet is needed to make the area quiet and comfortable. If you have a carpet to spare which might be suitable, the Vicar would be pleased to hear from you!
As many will know, the roof to the chancel at the Priory Church is in a poor state. It has been thoroughly examined by our architect and we know that the timbers are in good condition but that the slate covering is so bad that it needs complete replacement. Mr McFarlane, our architect, has proposed replacing the slates with stainless steel coated with terne, which weathers to a dull grey colour, and the PCC has agreed to this and obtained the approval of the Diocesan Advisory Committee for the Care of Churches (DAC). At present efforts are being made to secure grant aid for the work so as to leave something in the fabric fund to pay for improvements needed to the electrical and, if possible, heating systems. Once the source of funding has been determined, the Faculty process can be started and, assuming the Faculty is granted, work can begin. The PCC has already been granted 10% of the cost by the Deeping St James United Charities, for which we are very grateful, and is awaiting a decison from Marshall's Charity trustees, who meet on 22nd July to consider our project (no doubt along with many others!). Their surveyor visited in late May and seemed impressed both with the building and the work of the church, but the charity has many calls on its funds and we shall just have to await the trustees' decision. You may like to pray that they may have wisdom in their deliberations.
Meanwhile the PCC has been able to engage a craftsman to repair the oak louvres in the tower, which will remove the unsightliness and potential danger of their present condition.
Taken with recent improvements to the churchyard paths by our friends at South Kesteven District Council, improved lighting at church and church hall and the newly-resurfaced car park, these building works should ensure that the church and its environment will be in very good condition as we begin a new century and a new millennium.
Since this is the only Deeping St James local publication, it was thought that it might be useful to readers if a brief report of the proceedings of the Parish Council were included each month, especially now that our Vicar is an elected member of the Council.
My first Parish Council meeting was an interesting experience, quite unlike any other council or committee on which I have served. If you think the Church of England is old-fashioned you should see the Parish Council. I was also surpised at the extent to which clear divisions were apparent within the Council, with two quite disticnt parties: not "right" versus "left" exactly, and I cannot put my finger on what the members of each side had in common with one another, but that they fairly consistently each voted the same way! Since it was only the Labour members who had declared their party allegiance on the ballot paper it is had to guess at the politics of most of the others. As Vicar I try not to get involved in parties or groupings, of course.
This being the first meeting of the Council following an election, there was the necessary signing of acceptance of office to be completed and the election of Chairman and Vice-chairman, Councillors Ray Auger and Phil Dilks being chosen respectively. Representatives on various local Committees and quangos were chosen, and two procedural motions by Cllr Dilks occupied much time. Although it seems a waste of time to spend so much of it discussing the way a Council works, it is to be hoped that Cllr Dilks's ideas for dealing with applications for grant aid and with Town Planning matters will save time and lead to greater administrative effectiveness in future.
One matter which did affect the Parish Church was a proposal to erect a fence across the end of the churchyard to prevent people cutting across the grass to get to and from the path which leads past the cemetery and playground. The Parish Council has asked the District Council to provide such a fence as part of its maintenance obligation, and to cut a long and complex story far too short, the PCC would not support a Faculty application for a chain-link fence, which was all the SKDC would offer. When this was communicated to the Parish Council one councillor was furious with the PCC for colluding with the corner-cutting which he saw as "sacrilege". I was able to defend the PCC robustly, although, as ever, I thought of all the best lines when I got home, such as "Is it really the Parish Council's job to fence the churchyard?" and "Why did you not ask our opinion first?"
The next meeting is shortly after the deadline for this edition of the magazine, and I shall try to keep you appraised of what is going on. Meanwhile, the meetings are open to the public and begin with an "open forum" at which the public may raise issues, so do come along and see your local democracy in action!
Saturday and Sunday, 31st July/lst August afternoons 1pm to 5:30pm
A joint venture by the churches of The Deepings to help fund our Millennium celebrations.
The event is primarily a garden trail with refreshments, plants and produce for sale. Guides to the open gardens will be on sale from early July In the church, priced at £2.00.
There will also be other attractions for all ages to enjoy. These include a display of miniature gardens, a competition for the tallest sunflower in The Deepings, and horse-drawn carriage drives.
For very young children there is a "Teddy Bears" treasure trail, and families can compete In the alphabet quiz around the gardens.
On the Saturday evening, at The Georgians, there will be a buffet dance, with a floral theme, with tickets at £7.00 each. If you would like to be involved, or could provide us with plants or garden produce to sell - or If you would like more information, please contact Judy Robinson on (01778) 343383.
My love and thanks to all who joined in prayer for my mother (Margaret Walker) who died on the 20th May 1999.
They gave both Mum and I strength and hope during the difficult time leading up to her death. We both felt the benefits in so many ways, and I am left with the blessed assurance that she is re-united with Dad and her Heavenly Father.
May this knowledge also bless you.
In His Love
Pat Feek
"HIS POWER IS MADE PERFECT IN WEAKNESS"
2 Corinthians 12 v 9
(Continued from last month)
Our current spending level (excluding the special pensions support from 1998 - 2002 of up to £65 million to help parishes and dioceses take on the cost of funding clergy pensions) is now much closer to the sustainable rate than it was. The willingness of parishes to pay a greater proportion of the cost of ministry has freed the Commissioners from the need to achieve unsustainably high levels of income. This has enabled us to change our investment strategy to concentrate on providing the necessary growth in our investments to pay for our long-term expenditure commitments. We have made significant progress but largely due to taxation changes on dividends for charities, our expenditure is still slightly more than we estimate that we can afford over the long term. Despite this. we do not plan any short term changes to our spending until after our actuaries (who advise us on long-term spending and investment plans) conduct their next major review of our fund in 2000. We remain committed to paying up to £65 million of transitional pensions support and to paying £20 million per annum in parochial ministry support. Our actuaries advise that our plans are unlikely to lead to an adverse consequence for our long-term financial position. In due course. however, we will need to reduce expenditure or improve investment returns further to close this gap.
In summary, the changes that have taken place in the last few years in the way in which the Church's ministry is financed, made possible by the generosity of parishioners. have helped to ensure that the Commissioners will be able to continue to provide support for the neediest parts of the Church not only today but in generations to come.
Catherine Skinner
Corporate Affairs Officer
The parishes of Deeping St James and Market Deeping have both lost a great person in the sudden death of Efrys Jones, and it was good that both communities were well represented at his funeral at St Guthlac's on 28th May. Here we knew him principally as a long-serving member of our choir, and with the general shortage of men serving in church choirs he will be very sorely missed.
Efrys was one of the first people I met when we came here nearly two years ago and I chatted with him about his career in teaching, since he had picked up the connection we both had with Spalding, where he was the first head of St Paul's School. It was only when talking to his widow Olive after his death that I found out how much he had also contributed to community life, especially through the Parish Council in Market Deeping and voluntary organisations. There is plenty for which to be thankful in having met Efrys Jones, and there is also plenty for which to be thankful on behalf of the community to which God gave so much through this one saint.
Mark Warrick
The season of summer feasts - particularly for us on the 25th as we celebrate St. James the Great - our patronal festival. Push the boat out but stay cool with Summer Salmon Salad...........followed perhaps with strawberries and cream?
Ingredients:
Dressing:
Method:
Cook pasta in boiling water until just tender. Rinse in cold water and drain.
Line a large serving plate with lettuce leaves and spoon over pasta. Arrange salmon, celery, eggs, olives and capers over the pasta.
Place all dressing ingredients together in a screw-topped jar and shake well until well mixed.
Pour a little dressing over salad and serve any remaining separately.
N.B. The dressing may be kept refrigerated for about a week.
Serves 4.
We welcome to the Lord's Family:
We commend to God's keeping:
Also John Norman Holland (66) and Roger Harold Witherington (59) whose funerals were held at Peterborough Crematorium on 7th May and 25th May respectively.
This is only an extract from some of our magazine. Residents of Deeping St James can subscribe to the printed version.
Back issues are available on line as follows:
November 1997;
December 1997;
January 1998;
February 1998;
March 1998;
April 1998;
May 1998;
June 1998;
July 1998;
August 1998;
September 1998;
October 1998;
November 1998;
December 1998;
January 1999;
February 1999;
March 1999;
April 1999;
May 1999.