Priory News, March 2006

From the Curate

The first pure white blooms of snowdrops pushing their heads up through the dark, wet earth, the glorious gold of the daffodils braving the bitter March winds, the dazzling brightness of the sun as the days begin to lengthen...all these things serve to raise our spirits and to shake us out of the tedium of our clock-dominated, man-measured time. Spring is with us, and summer days not to far around the corner!

As the journey through the year unfolds, the lengthening of the days (hence Lent, the season) is also the time for thinking about where we are in 'spiritual time'...in our relationship with the eternal Creator and Saviour of All. While the ashing ritual of Ash Wednesday is a potent reminder of our own mortality, the days that follow, rather than being a time of gloom, a time of giving up', are ideally a time of giving to' ...of giving time to God ...A time for loving more, for giving more, for being more resolute in the face of temptation, wherever the Holy Spirit throws light on our individual weaknesses.

May this time of lengthening be also a time of strengthening... for change!

Readings for March

1st March, Ash Wednesday:

• Evening: Isaiah 58: 1-12; 2 Corinthians 5: 20b - 6: 10; John 8: 1-11

5th March, 1st Sunday of Lent:

• Morning: Genesis 9: 8-17; 1 Peter 3: 18-end; Mark 1: 9-15
• Evening: Genesis 2: 15-17; 3: 1-7; Romans 5: 12-19

12th March, 2nd Sunday of Lent:

• Morning: Genesis 17: 1-7, 15-16; Romans 4: 13-end; Mark 8: 31-end
• Evening: Genesis 12: 1-9; John 8: 51-end

19th March, 3rd Sunday of Lent:

• Morning: Exodus 20: 1-17; 1 Corinthians 1: 18-25; John 2:13-22

26th March, 4th Sunday of Lent, Mothering:

• Morning: Numbers 21: 4-9; Ephesians 2: 1-10; John 3:14-21

House Groups

• Lent Study: Fridays at 10am at the Vicarage
  (Other Lent Groups are studying the same course in the other churches)

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

• House Group: Every Wednesday, 7.30 pm at 45 Crowson Way, Everyone welcome

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

"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.

N o t i c e s

Ash Wednesday Eucharist:

a service for the beginning of Lent

The service marking the start of the important penitential season of Lent, the period of preparation for Easter, will take place on Wednesday 1st March, at 7.30pm as usual. It is a service which recalls God's instructions for right living and expresses our sorrow for the disobedience of humankind. As an expression of sorrow for our own sin and that of the whole world it includes the optional imposition of ashes. This little ritual is the making of the sign of the cross in black ash or the forehead of the worshipper as part of the general confesssion. (The ash, incidentally, is made by burning palm crosses from last year's Palm Sunday service: it makes a fine black ash ideal for the purpose.) All are encouraged to attend this service, whether you wish to receive the ashes or not, as an important element in preparing the celebrate the great festival of Christ's resurrection at Easter.

A quotation taken from the Christian Aid website:

'After the last tree has been cut down; after the last river has been poisoned; after the last fish has been caught; only then will you realise that money cannot be eaten.'

The Healing Service

HEALING AND THE MINISTRY OF THE CHURCH

An historical note.

The New Testament shows that healing was a prominent feature of the ministry of our Lord. Subsequently, the gift of the Holy Spirit to the Church included the ministry of healing, healing that it carried on in the name of and in recognition of the lordship of Jesus.

Though information for the earliest centuries of Christian history is limited in quantity, there is sufficient evidence to show that healing (including laying on of hands and anointing) was carried out at least until the eighth century in line with the practice outlined in James5: 14-16. A prayer to be said over the oil was included in the 'Apostolic Tradition' of Hippolytus (Rome, circa 215 A.D.); the Council of Toledo stipulated that the oil should be consecrated by a bishop as successor to the apostles.

A change in practice seems to have begun through ministry to the terminally sick; the rite then included penance and reconciliation which was often delayed until death because of canons restricting activities of penitents (with a view to preventing further lapses). As anointing and laying on of hands came more and more to be associated with the final stages of life, its use as a sacrament for healing was eclipsed.

The change was given further impetus in the ninth century when a major liturgical collection included prayers for the sick with those for the dying and the rite of final reconciliation; the prayers were amended to delete references to physical healing and to speak only of remission of sin and spiritual salvation. The transmission from a rite of healing for the sick to a last rite for the dying was now complete!

In the sixteenth century, Luther was happy to regard anointing as a sacrament of the Church although others rejected it. A rite for anointing and the laying on of hands was included in the 1549 Prayerbook but was omitted from the 1552 and 1662 versions, so its use was effectively discontinued. Communion of the Sick was retained, but provision made for a celebration at the bedside. In an age when sickness was likely to end in death, the emphasis was more on preparation for one's final journey than on recovery.

It was not until the end of the nineteenth century when the picture began to change. The Liturgical Movement led to greater interest in what had happened previously in the life of the Church. As early liturgies were recovered, it was acknowledged that rites for healing should be separate from those for reconciliation and for the dying. In the Anglican Church, Percy Dearmer and others revived the practice of laying on of hands and anointing in the pastoral care of the sick and campaigned for the right to reserve from the communal celebration to administer to the sick at home.

Reservation for the sick was envisaged in the proposed 1928 Prayerbook and formally provided for in the 1983 rite 'Ministry to the Sick.' The practice of a communal celebration to include laying on of hands and anointing was also reintroduced; this understanding is the basis of the services of healing included in Common Worship 'Pastoral Services' and similar services are to be found in the new Methodist liturgy 'Methodist Worship'.

A FINAL REPLY TO PAUL ATKINSON

Dear Sir

I have read Paul Atkinson's letter in the Priory News of December. I understand all that he had to say and where he was coming from. I admire his sincerity and the enthusiasm with which he promoted his convictions. I agree with, or at least have sympathy with, much of what he said but not all.

I would like to add to what he had to say, that we should always bear in mind when we come to church we are presenting ourselves to the greatest Person in our lives and should show Him the respect He deserves by dressing accordingly. While on the subject of respect, I also think the church would do well to consider, in its own endeavours to fill the pews, that we might not be in danger of encouraging a certain over- familiarity or mateyness with the Almighty. We are reminded that God is not to be mocked.

I must point out that I am a septuagenarian and for the greater part of my life have adhered to the Book of Common Prayer and now nothing else will do. So I feel there is a certain gulf between Paul Atkinson and me and because of this there is little to be gained by continuing with this correspondence as we both have deeply held positions. We travel in the same direction, although along separate paths. Agreement would be difficult, but a tolerence of and respect for each other's opinions must remain paramount.

I thank God that in the Priory we have a church which embraces us all, including the few to whom the Book of Common Prayer meant so much.

I wish Paul Atkinson well.

Sincerely,

Donald Stables (alias Incognito)

News From The Tower

The ringers annual dinner was held this year at The Rose Inn, Frognall on the 27 January when some 20 ringers and their guests enjoyed a very pleasant evening.

Our A.G.M. was held on the 3 February when decisions were made on other forthcoming events such as our annual barbeque and evenings out. Our foreseeable expenses such as replacement ropes and any other equipment that may be required in the next financial year was also discussed.

Having had our hand bells refurbished we are concentrating some of our practice effort into the handling and correct ringing of hand bells. We also have one 6 year old regular member who, because of his size, is not capable of handling the church bells. By keeping his interest in hand bells we hope to retain his enthusiasm until such time as he is big enough for the "Big Bells".

GOOD NEWS FOR LOCAL TRAVEL

COOKING WITH MARGARET

TOFFEE APPLE PUDDING

• 2 Small eating apples, peeled and cut into small diced pieces.
• ½ oz Butter
• 1 tablespoon of Golden Syrup
• 2 oz Soft Margarine
• 2 oz Brown Sugar
• 3 oz Self raising Flour
• 1 Egg
• 1 tablespoon Milk 2

Melt Butter in a small pan then add Golden Syrup and heat gently until it looks like toffee, (this should not take long). Add apples to mixture and cook gently.

Take Soft Margarine, Brown Sugar, Self raising Flour, Egg, Milk and beat together.

Grease a 1 pint pudding basin and place apple mixture in the bottom, then spoon in the sponge mixture on top. Cook in microwave for 3½ minutes, leave to stand for 2 minutes then turn out. Will serve 3-4 portions with cream or custard.

This can be cooked by the conventional method of steaming.

Registers for January 2006

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