CROSSLINCS News from around the Diocese of Lincoln www.lincoln.anglican.org
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January/February 2018 – Free
Learning Communities to go live with launch service After some 18 months of discussion and preparation, the Learning Communities are set for launch, with the first round to get underway during February and March. So as to provide the Learning Communities with an official launch and to set them in a foundation of prayer and worship, Bishop Christopher is calling people to come together for a special service at Lincoln Cathedral on Saturday, 3rd February 2018 (this will begin at 11am and will then be followed by a lunch).
This occasion will offer a great opportunity for as much of the diocesan family as possible to come together and celebrate our commitment and also the great variety of our contexts for mission that are to be found in greater Lincolnshire. To symbolise something of this, many of the elements of the service, such as the music, the readings and the prayers, will be led by people from churches from around the diocese, and Bishop Christopher will preside at the Eucharist. (Continued overleaf...)
INSIDE...
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Big Night Out – news of a new event
Preserving and developing buildings
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Crosslincs is produced by the Diocese of Lincoln
The submission deadline for the next issue is 1st February 2018. Editor E: crosslincs@lincoln.anglican.org Communications Officer The Revd Adrian Smith T: 01522 50 40 37 M: 07885 99 99 07 E: adrian.smith@lincoln.anglican.org Diocesan Offices Edward King House, Minster Yard, Lincoln LN2 1PU T: 01522 50 40 50 E: enquiries@lincoln.anglican.org www.lincoln.anglican.org www.facebook.com/Dioceselincoln www.twitter.com/CofELincoln www.flickr.com/Dioceseoflincoln
Welcome...
At the beginning of this new year, we look forward in hope and expectation as we gather for the launch of our Learning Communities and seek to share good news from around the diocese together. Enjoy the issue. Adrian Smith
Learning Communities to go live with launch service
(Continued)
In recent months, members of the diocesan senior staff have accompanied the Revd David Dadswell and the Revd Richard Steel at meetings to discuss the new diocesan strategy and Learning Communities. As has been stated at these meetings, the parish and parish growth must be at the centre of all that we do. As the diagram shown below illustrates, the strategy encourages churches (and other groups around the diocese) to look at 12 important areas of church life with a focus on parish growth. Some of these might seem more spiritual, with others more practical, but all are important for our life and witness, and all will contribute in significant ways to growth.
The Bishop of Lincoln The Right Reverend Christopher Lowson T: 01522 50 40 90 E: bishop.lincoln@lincoln.anglican.org The Bishop of Grimsby The Right Reverend Dr David Court T: 01522 50 40 90 E: bishop.grimsby@lincoln.anglican.org The Bishop of Grantham The Right Reverend Dr Nicholas Chamberlain T: 01522 50 40 90 E: bishop.grantham@lincoln.anglican.org Interim Diocesan Secretary The Venerable Mark Steadman T: 01522 50 40 32 E: interim.diosec@lincoln.anglican.org
This growth might be reflected in terms of numbers, but equally important is growth with regard to the depth of our faith, and the confidence with which we share it, and also the level of loving service that we offer in our local communities.
PA to the Diocesan Secretary Kay Clayton T: 01522 50 40 32 E: kay.clayton@lincoln.anglican.org
In order to support and encourage one another in this, we are encouraging all of our churches to be part of a Learning Community. These will be groups from different parishes, or benefices, who will come together several times a year to take part in a reflective forum, to exchange ideas, receive input and develop talent. It is our belief that people learn best when it is with, and from, people in a similar context to their own, and so our Learning Communities will come together from within six ‘character areas’ (the six main types of settlement in the three counties of the diocese): rural; coastal; urban; market towns; suburban villages; and housing developments.
The Archdeacon of Stow and Lindsey The Venerable Mark Steadman T: 01522 50 40 39 E: archdeacon.stow@lincoln.anglican.org The Archdeacon of Boston The Venerable Dr Justine Allain Chapman T: 01522 50 40 39 E: archdeacon.boston@lincoln.anglican.org The Archdeacon of Lincoln The Venerable Gavin Kirk T: 01522 50 40 39 E: archdeacon.lincoln@lincoln.anglican.org
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Looking ahead, individual Learning Communities might have a life of two to three years (or longer, if the group wishes) but this framework for delivering the strategy is a long-term project, as people join new communities and we learn in new ways. As the launch in February will demonstrate, all of this must be undergirded with prayer, and so as the opening prayer used at our recent meetings says: ‘As we come together to discuss how we might become a learning diocese in your service, we pray, Lord, that we may learn from each other, and above all from you.’
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Sharing in mission Coming soon: Big Night Out – an event for young people Plans are underway for a shared evening event for members of youth groups from around the diocese. Charlotte Bloom and Jonny Bell share what’s in store at this evening of ‘networking, socialising and epic fun!’ At the time of going to press the date for this free event was still to be confirmed, but we are looking forward to welcoming young people in Years 6–13 to the first Big Night Out in the nave of Lincoln Cathedral. The evening is set to include some live music, worship, prayer spaces, games, inflatables, candyfloss, popcorn and opportunities for quiet reflection, and we’re hoping that young people will feel really encouraged to come and share in this very special occasion. The 2018 Big Night Out will be a pilot event and the hope is that this will become an annual gathering (details of the date and how to obtain free tickets will be published soon). We are delighted to be able to meet in Lincoln Cathedral, which stands as a beacon in the city and is renowned regionally and further afield as a place of excellence in worship and also warmth in its offer of welcome and hospitality. We look forward to opening the doors of the cathedral at the Big Night Out so that young people throughout the diocese may come and share in a special night of prayer, praise and celebration.
Meet the Children & Youth Team Charlotte Bloom is currently the Chaplain at William Farr C of E Comprehensive School in Welton, which is near Lincoln. She has worked with children and young people for more than 15 years, and she mainly serves in the Stow and Lindsey Archdeaconry. Charlotte may be contacted on 07908 70 38 64 or at Charlotte.Bloom@lincoln.anglican.org Jonny Bell joined us from the Diocese of Norwich and he is the Rising Generations worker at St Swithin’s Church in Lincoln. As well as this role, Jonny currently provides support mainly in the Lincoln Archdeaconry, and he may be contacted by email at Jonny.Bell@lincoln.anglian.org Charlotte and Jonny will be pleased to hear news of children and youth projects that are happening in your local area, and they will also be writing in future issues of Crosslincs.
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Celebrating lay ministry Are you looking to learn? Sally Buck, Warden of Readers, looks back at a study day for lay ministers that offered fresh energy and encouragement to go and share stories of faith... A group of around 30 lay ministers, both Methodist Lay Preachers and Anglican Readers, gathered together for a day of study that was titled ‘Proclaim the Faith Afresh in Every Generation – Reflecting on the Missional Aspects of Our Calling’, which was led by the Revd Richard Steel (the Diocese of Lincoln’s Mission Team Leader). It was acknowledged here that 150 years ago, Reader ministry was re-introduced into the Church of England and in Wales as a world-based ministry. Readers were those who interpreted the Word of God among people living predominantly on large urban estates. Over the years, lay ministries have become much more church based. Therefore the challenge of our study day was to think of ourselves – not only those in licensed or authorised ministries – but also all Christian people as those who spend our lives integrated into our local communities and who have skills and abilities to teach the faith to others, to enable people to meet with the living God, either for the first time or in a fresh way for a different time in their lives. We were reminded that ‘It is not the church of God that has a mission in the world, but the God of mission who
Thy Kingdom Come 2018 Individuals, families and churches are being encouraged to participate in Thy Kingdom Come 2018. This ‘global wave of prayer’ will again take place in the days between Ascension Day and Pentecost (10th–20th May 2018), and help and resources will be provided to facilitate a vast variety of events and ways of being involved (these will be made available at www.ThyKingdomCome.global) Events in 2017 in our diocese included a display of prayers in a church that was created by local schoolchildren; a youth camp; a 55-mile prayer walk through the Deanery of Lawres; a full day of events in the South Cliff Group; prayer stations at St Mary & St Nicolas Spalding; and a prayer room hosted by Churches Together in Deeping St James. We plan to feature news of events for 2018 in future issues of Crosslincs. W W W.LINCOLN. ANGLIC AN.ORG
has a church in the world’ (Tim Dearborn in Beyond Duty: A Passion for Christ, a Heart for Mission). Our faith story is one of a generous God and what we share is Good News. To help us to know how to share that Good News with others it is helpful for us to spend time learning more about the background of our faith, through history and scripture, gaining understanding of others’ experiences of God and meeting with people from different traditions so as to find out how their expression of the core beliefs of the Christian faith differs from, and enlightens, our own understanding. If you would like to consider ways in which you might learn, either with the possibility of training towards a licensed lay ministry as a Reader with the Lincoln School of Theology or less formally and locally, leading to qualification as an Authorised Lay Minister, or simply for the enjoyment of learning from others in a study group, please do not hesitate to contact a member of your local ministry team or the diocesan ministry team at ministry@lincoln.anglican.org Don’t forget: on Saturday, 27th October 2018 there will be a Celebration of Lay Ministries in Lincoln Cathedral.
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Serving through sport Supporting others at the Invictus Games The Revd Mary Vickers and the Revd Peter Vickers look back at an opportunity to serve as chaplains at the 2017 Invictus Games in Canada... A lot of major sporting events include a team of chaplains as part of the support package. Mostly all self-funded volunteers, chaplains are seen as giving added value for the athletes, coaches and support staff, and we were delighted to work with other chaplains at the 2017 Invictus Games. For the first time in its relatively short history, the 2017 Invictus Games in Toronto, Canada had a chaplaincy team. Like all sports chaplaincies, we weren’t, as some people think, there to pray for victory or to thrust faith at people. As in any setting, chaplaincy is there to provide faith support, but it also provides holistic and confidential pastoral care in a way that is relevant and appropriate to the context. So, as at other major sporting events that one or both of us have served at, the team is made up of both faith and sports experience. In terms of the Invictus Games, it was also important that at least some of the chaplaincy team had experience of working within, and for, the armed forces.
Members of the Christian Chaplaincy Team at the 2017 Invictus Games.
Competitors at the Invictus Games are all wounded, injured or sick armed forces personnel and, unusually for major sports events, family members are actively encouraged to attend alongside the athletes. As a result, the presence of family members added yet another dimension to this multi-faceted chaplaincy. Otherwise, the experience for the 550 athletes was the same as any other international sporting event – they were there to represent their country and to win!
“The Invictus Games didn’t mark the completion of the journey... it began the next phase of further travelling” Having overcome almost insurmountable injuries and conditions to take part, it would be fair to say that the athletes were already winners, but that for them wasn’t enough. Having travelled the journey through injury and diagnoses, and through training and selection, to get to Toronto, the Invictus Games didn’t mark the completion of the journey. Although a major landmark on the way, it began the next phase of further travelling. It is in this atmosphere that the chaplains worked, walking or sitting alongside athlete and family member alike as a companion. As chaplains we offered a listening ear to those who wanted to talk; we prayed for them all and we prayed with all those who requested prayer; we acknowledged their journey so far; we encouraged them in their next steps; and we continue to pray for them as we are all scattered across the world once again. DIOCESELINCOLN
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Listening together How do we begin to plan a fresh expression of church? The Revd David Bartlett, diocesan Fresh Expressions Enabler, looks at how to start a fresh expression... The answer is simply listening. It is a core theme that runs throughout the values and thinking behind fresh expressions of church. We listen to the church, we listen to the community, we listen to God for how to proceed. It forms the backbone of our discernment, both in preparation and in context. A phrase used by the former Archbishop of Canterbury, Dr Rowan Williams, and which is thought to have been first used by John V. Taylor, is ‘Finding out what God is doing and joining in’. We do this by listening. 360° listening To be open to hear God’s leading in mission we need to think multi-directionally. We listen to: • • • • •
what is happening in the world and in society and in our own community the people in our group and team and church partners in other churches and in society the scriptures and the stories of the church down the ages the insights of prayer and reflection and attending to what God is saying.
A culture of listening helps us to see what God is doing (missio Dei), it inspires and shapes our vision, it informs strategy and helps identify the good news for your area and how to engage with the community. In listening we are seeking to hear God’s heart for the people around us and the community that we are called to serve. When we listen well our love for those we serve will grow and their experience of being loved will deepen. Listening is therefore a thread that runs through any mission activity, and along with reflection it helps to refine and develop the endeavour. This might be summarised as: • • •
listening for mission to shape what emerges continuing to listen to refine engagement learning from experience to spark new vision.
If you would like to explore how you might listen in your local community, please do get in touch with me by email at david.bartlett@lincoln.anglican.org We are also interested in hearing of examples of fresh expressions in the diocese.
New-look A Church Near You website goes live As Crosslincs was heading to press, the new-look A Church Near You (ACNY) website received its official launch. The website allows visitors to find a local church, and churches are being encouraged to use the site to share their weekly and seasonal services at the click of a button courtesy of the new design, features and easy-to-use editing experience. This site is said to receive over 13 million page views annually and is one of the Church’s most popular online resources (particularly in the last 72 hours before Christmas Day), and so the launch was timed to coincide with the #GodWithUs Advent and Christmas campaign.
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The team behind the website have asked churches to check that the information listed about their church is correct by finding their page and logging in (existing usernames and passwords will work – these can be reset, if required). If churches spot an error that can’t be edited at a local level, then it is possible to report an issue by going to ‘More information’ and clicking the ‘Report an issue’ button. Help is also available from the diocesan Commnications Officer, and the website may be found at www.achurchnearyou.com
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Serving the community Horncastle Matters has community at its heart As Linda Patrick explains, a new publishing venture in Horncastle seeks to share news and information for the local community... A new community magazine has recently been launched in Horncastle, aimed at providing local information and advice to every resident in the town. Produced by the Horncastle Group of Churches Together, its aim is to connect with every resident, and in particular the vulnerable and the elderly. The Revd Charles Patrick, Rector of Horncastle St Mary’s, helped to spearhead the initiative and he has explained the reasoning behind this new venture: “During my time in my previous parish at Middle Rasen and Barkwith, we produced a really good parish magazine that was well received and appreciated by all. It provided the church with a platform to inform residents about its activities while also allowing local groups the chance to share their news. I wanted to replicate the success of Middle Rasen and Barkwith’s Community Spirit here in Horncastle.
“We want to reach out to every member of the community, to make sure that all our residents are aware of what is on offer in Horncastle” “The task, however, was harder. Horncastle is bigger, many more copies would have to be printed if we wanted it to go to every household, funding was more challenging and the whole magazine was going to have to be larger so as to be able to have the impact on the town. Having spoken to people involved with the existing parish magazine, and with ministers of the other churches, we soon realised that there were people willing to bring to the table the enthusiasm and the skill to create our own parish magazine.” And so Horncastle Matters was born! It has taken us about 18 months to get from that very first planning meeting to where we are now, producing our first full 28-page edition. We now have a lot of expertise on our team, all giving their time freely to see this community magazine succeed. Grants have been secured to cover funding for the first
Celebrating together – the official launch of Horncastle Matters magazine.
edition and advertising space is quickly being taken. We will be relying on grants for the first few editions, but the aim is then to be self-funding, with advertising covering the costs. Our young people are distributing the magazine, and this is providing them with work experience. The focus of the magazine is primarily to provide valuable information and advice about issues that are affecting our residents. We particularly want to make sure that the lonely, vulnerable, elderly and families of the town are aware of all that is on offer. This witnesses to the central Gospel message that the Church is a caring body offering loving service to all within the community, and this is key to the publication. It will be produced quarterly and will be distributed free of charge to every household within the parish. We want to reach out to every member of the community, to make sure that all our residents are aware of what is on offer in Horncastle, whether that is information about the many clubs and societies that operate in the town, or advice from the Town Council and information from our schools and Health Service on specific matters. Perhaps Councillor Brian Burbidge, the Chairman of Horncastle Town Council, best described the outlook of the magazine at the recent launch, when he stated that “This is something for the community, produced by the community, and what can be better than that.” DIOCESELINCOLN
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Reflections Tertiary Franciscans celebrate Francistide together in Lincoln Angela Morfett-Jones reflects on the gathering of the Lincoln Area of the Third Order of the Society of St Francis (TSSF) to celebrate Francistide... The Lincoln Area of the TSSF celebrated Francistide with a Eucharist, a Renewal of Vows, an Admission to the Noviciate and two Life Professions. This was followed by lunch and an informative and interesting presentation offered by our guest speaker, Peter Dixon (Novice Guardian for the European Province of TSSF). The Francistide meeting was held at Holy Cross Church in Boultham, Lincoln, at the invitation of the incumbent, the Revd Canon David Osbourne, and we also welcomed visitors from the Nottingham and South Derbyshire TSSF Area to this special meeting. The Revd George Parrott (TSSF Area Minister) presided at our Eucharist, and the Revd Sarah Lawrence (Lincoln Juniper Convenor) preached on Ecclesiasticus 50. Thirty professed members and one novice renewed their vows and presented their Personal Rule of Life at the altar. Eileen Byrne, who was presented by the Revd Jenny Dumat (Novice Guardian), was admitted to the Noviciate, while Steve Bacon and I were presented by the Revd Margaret Brewster (Area Novice Guardian) and Joan Smith (Novice Guardian) as we made our Life Profession.
St Francis by Dorothy Woodward
During his presentation, Peter Dixon spoke of the aims and principles of the Order and of the practicalities of adapting members’ Personal Rules of Life to each individual’s circumstances. The aims of the TSSF are three-fold: to make our Lord known and loved everywhere; to spread the spirit of love and harmony; and to live simply. We welcome enquiries about the life of the Order, and further information on the TSSF may be obtained by contacting the Revd Margaret Brewster via email at m.brewster789@btinternet.com
Following on from the publication of ‘Come and see’, a poem by Allan Lewis of Spalding in the November/December 2017 issue of Crosslincs, we were pleased to receive this second, related piece of work from the same author... After After they heard the angels sing And ran to Bethlehem To see if it was true; After they returned to their flocks Then what did the shepherds do? After they saw the guiding star And went to Bethlehem The new-born king to view; After they returned to the east Then what did the magi do? W W W.LINCOLN. ANGLIC AN.ORG
After you’ve heard the carols sung Of joy at Bethlehem And the Christ Child born for you: After you’ve turned to the everyday Then what are you going to do? As we seek to share good news around the diocese, we are pleased to receive items for possible publication in this magazine, in the fortnightly e-bulletin and on the diocesan website. See page two for contact information.
Announcements The Revd David Oxtoby has resigned his licence as Incumbent in the benefice of Sutton Bridge and Tydd St Mary with effect from 17th January 2018. David is to serve as Team Rector of Rayleigh Team Ministry in the Diocese of Chelmsford. The Revd Cameron Watt (Assistant Curate, St Nicholas Newport, Lincoln) is now Acting Incumbent of The Graffoe Group for the duration of the Rector’s maternity leave. The Revd Louise Vincer has been licensed as Interim Minister of Humberston. Louise has recently served as Developing Discipleship Programme Coordinator. The Revd Pamela Reeves has been licensed as Associate Rector of The Wolds Gateway Group (half-time). The Revd Anna Sorensen has been appointed Rector (Designate) of North Beltisloe. Anna has recently served as Priest-in-Charge of the Billingborough Benefice.
The Revd Julia Clark has been licensed to serve as NSM Associate Vicar of the Benefice of Brumby, and the Revd Kay Jones has been licensed to serve as Priest-in-Charge of New Clee, St John and St Stephen in Grimsby. The Revd Dr Paul Overend has been appointed Chancellor of Lincoln, one of the residentiary canons at the cathedral. Paul has recently served as Lay Development Officer and Assistant Diocesan Director of Ordinands in the Diocese of Norwich, and as a tutor in spirituality and ethics with the Eastern Region Ministry Course. In addition, Will Harrison (Deputy Diocesan Secretary) has been appointed Chapter Clerk and Administrator of Lincoln Cathedral. We have also been pleased to welcome the Revd Jayson Rhodes as Chaplain to the Bishop of Lincoln, and the Rt Revd Dr Nigel Peyton has been commissioned as Honorary Assistant Bishop by the Bishop of Lincoln.
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Too apt to become chips (6) Pullover and, with 23D, a 1A (6) Must be grubby when agitated (4) Well known 23D b. 1841 (4,6) Elbows out, hands on hips (6) Everlasting and outside with unknown quantity inside (8) I meddle with tree fern (9) From which 4A, 23D, 10A and 1Ds are obtained (4)
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16 Daddy (4) 17 Active chap who may be a striker (9) 21 Cheesy pasta (8) 22 Dark beery baggage handler (6) 24 Shakespeare’s play from Plutarch’s Lives (10) 25 Goya confused by meditation (4) 26 Often written in metres (6) 27 Annulled if rung twice (6)
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L B S R S E A U Q U E V M U G V E B E E H I R L A N T A K E S L E A G I Z E M I N D S A G P S H I N G M E O I V L E R F E E B L A O N I C A L P U R N E D S G
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Solution to No. 22
PRIZE CROSSWORD No. 23 Set by Kettlebird 1
Winner of Prize Crossword No. 22: Jill Gibb, Deeping St James. To enter: please send completed entries to Crossword No. 23, Crosslincs, Communications Office, Edward King House, Minster Yard, Lincoln LN2 1PU. Closing date: 1st February 2018. A photocopy of the completed crossword is acceptable, if you prefer. Editor’s decision is final. The prize is a faith-related book.
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1 What Cinderella’s coach becomes at midnight (7) 2 Pole carved by N. American Indians (5) 3 Strip when one becomes airborne (4,3) 5 Chooses (6) 6 Underground vermin with needles? (5,4) 7 From which sails are hung (4,3)
8 They stop the flow (13) 14 Stress gives me a pH measurement (9) 16 Vegetable broth it’s hard to see through fog (3,4) 18 Counterstroke (7) 19 Inflicted retribution (7) 20 Worn by priest without ties (6) 23 4A blue blooded 1A (5)
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Open and welcome Preserving and developing our church buildings for all to share The diocesan Church Buildings Team offers more details on a day conference to be held in April, plus news and information on sources of advice and helpful resources... Last year saw some significant changes in the way that grant funding might be sought for community projects, re-orderings and church repair projects. With the reduction of grant-funding budgets and more competition from secular projects, parishes can find themselves overwhelmed by the task of applying for grant funding and struggling with the planning of a project and its subsequent management. It is with this in mind that we are pleased to say that help is at hand. On Saturday, 21st April 2018 the diocesan Church Buildings Team will host a conference titled Repair, Rebuild, Rediscover: Effective Church Building Projects. This conference will offer attendees a greater understanding of how to put together a funding strategy for church building projects. The day will be of particular benefit to those who need to undertake a repair project following a quinquennial inspection or those who are seeking to use church buildings for wider community projects. The day will also be of help and interest to those who might have only the first inkling of an idea about the possible development of a church building but who don’t yet know how to take it further. The conference will be held in the Robert Hardy Building at Bishop Grosseteste University in Lincoln from 10am–4pm. The format of the day will provide a morning session that will consist of a wide-ranging selection of short talks from national heritage organisations, the Heritage Lottery Fund and the Church Buildings Team at Edward King House.
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In the afternoon there will be a series of three workshop sessions: how to apply for funding; project management; and understanding church heritage (an important component of many grant applications). These will be arranged so that all delegates will be able to attend each one. The day will also include a number of stands from grant-funding organisations and national and local heritage organisations, which will offer an opportunity for discussion with these people and how they might be able to help with a particular project. Various members of diocesan staff will also be on hand to offer advice and guidance relating to their area. The conference is free to attend and includes lunch. Places may be booked online now via Eventbrite (please see goo.gl/f5ZLqE) or alternatively by contacting Fran Bell, Church Development Officer (T: 01522 50 40 18; E: fran.bell@lincoln.anglican.org) or Matthew Godfrey, Historic Churches Support Officer (T: 01522 50 40 48; E: matthew.godfrey@lincoln.anglican.org) Places are available on a first come, first served basis, and so please do book soon so as to avoid disappointment. Open Welcome: A Toolkit For Rural Churches Recently published by the Arthur Rank Centre, Open Welcome: A Toolkit For Rural Churches is a useful resource and conversation starter. Written with Methodist churches in mind, the ideas apply across the denominations (remember, however, that some work might require faculty permission, such as painting). The toolkit includes several case studies offering examples of where churches and chapels have opened up, enabling the visitor to engage with the story of the building, receive spiritual nourishment and have a cup of tea. The toolkit can be obtained online at goo.gl/TDX14R
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Offering hospitality We also have some printed copies available from Edward King House. To request a copy of the toolkit and/or to discuss the possibility of opening your church building up more often, please contact Fran Bell (T: 01522 50 40 18; E: fran.bell@lincoln.anglican.org). Crossing The Threshold – a step-by-step guide to developing your place of worship The Diocese of Hereford has relaunched the Crossing The Threshold toolkit. This is a very helpful resource, and especially if you are considering more community use within the church building or are about to undertake a repair or re-ordering project. The easy-to-use chapters guide you through the processes involved, and each chapter starts with a prayer and includes case studies and links to further resources, before concluding with useful checklists and top tips to make sure that you have considered everything required. Even if you are not sure where to start, this toolkit will help make the sometimes daunting world of building projects and community engagement seem less threatening and easier to understand. It can be found at goo.gl/ApW1L8
New Tricks Older Adult Music Workshops New Tricks Older Adult Music Workshops is one of the many programmes that is facilitated by soundLINCS in order to establish, grow and sustain music-making groups for older adults. With many styles of music workshop available, such as All Abilities Singing, Indian Hand Drumming, Samba, Gospel, Jazz, Brass, Orchestral, Folk, Rhythm and Blues and Percussion, it is said that participants have regarded the sessions as ‘stretching’, ‘fun’, ‘challenging’, ‘helpful’, ‘inspiring’, ‘friendly’, ‘sociable’, ‘involved’, ‘enjoyable’, ‘enlightening’, ‘encouraging’, ‘relaxing’, ‘informative’, ‘well-paced’, ‘sensitive’, ‘eye-opening’, ‘active’, ‘different’, ‘inclusive’, ‘light-hearted’, ‘varied’, ‘demanding’ and ‘dynamic’. Those interested in joining a group, starting a group or offering a venue that might host workshops for free, are asked to visit the soundLincs website at www.soundlincs. org/project/new-tricks/ soundLINCS may also be contacted directly by calling 01522 51 00 73, via email at info@soundlincs.org or by post at: soundHOUSE, 18 St Martins Lane, Lincoln LN2 1HY.
A warm welcome to Bo The Boston Church Mouse The Parish of Boston has published its long-awaited book for children, Bo The Boston Church Mouse. Following a competition to find an illustrator for the title, the work of Yanna Lawson has taken pride of place on the book’s front cover (shown right) and features throughout alongside Victoria Buxton’s written story. The book’s story centres on Bo, a small mouse that is trying to find a new home in Boston. It is said that Bo’s story is intended to highlight, in a gentle way, the need to treat all people with love, kindness and care, regardless of the country of their birth. Speaking at the time of the publication of this new work, the Revd Alyson Buxton, Team Rector of the Parish of Boston, has said: “The whole team at the Stump are very
excited to be welcoming Bo to the family as he begins his adventures with us.” The book, which is priced at £11.99, is available for purchase from the gift shop at Boston Stump, and details of the latest news, events and activities in the parish may be found at www.parish-of-boston.org.uk DIOCESELINCOLN
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Nature and nurture Caring for our nesting birds In this second of two articles on birds in our churchyards, the Revd Les Batty, an Assistant Priest in Grantham and eco-theology lecturer at Lincoln School of Theology, looks at our responsibility for the protection of nesting birds...
Among those ‘red listed’ birds that can be found nesting in God’s Acre are song thrush, mistle thrush, spotted flycatcher and house sparrow, and among the ‘amber listed’ species are swift, house martin and dunnock. These species merit our special consideration when it comes to managing our churchyard habitats. It is important to note, however, that all birds are legally protected under the Wildlife and Countryside Act 1981 (and subsequent amendments), and especially in the breeding season. We therefore need to be aware of the law relating to activities that we undertake that might affect them, and it is an offence, with certain exceptions, to intentionally: • • •
kill, injure or take any wild bird take, damage or destroy the nest of any wild bird while that nest is in use or being built take or destroy an egg of any wild bird.
Photograph is © LWCS W W W.LINCOLN. ANGLIC AN.ORG
Photograph is © Nev Gurnhill
Several species nesting in our churches and churchyards are listed as Birds of Conservation Concern, either as being of High Conservation Concern (Red list) or of Medium Conservation Concern (Amber list). Not all of these would be considered ‘rare’ in the conventional sense, but they have been listed on the basis of a variety of criteria, including a rapid or prolonged decline in population size.
So, it would be breaking the law to go ahead with work on churchyard vegetation or a church building, knowing that there is a nest there that could be damaged. One exception is that ‘it is not illegal to destroy a nest, egg or bird if it can be shown that the act was the incidental result of a lawful operation which could not reasonably have been avoided’. This means that any urgent and unforeseen need that arises during the nesting season, for work that might risk damaging nests, is covered by this clause. What is not covered, however, is the situation in which the need has been known about for some time and therefore could have been resolved outside of the breeding season. Works on church buildings and churchyards should be preceded by an inspection so as to ensure that no birds are nesting there – and particularly during the breeding season, which is mainly March to August. Inspections can be done by first watching for bird activity at the site for at least half an hour and then by closer inspection. If an active nest is found, the works should not go ahead unless they cannot reasonably be avoided and could not have been foreseen. Other exceptions, and further details on the law concerning wild birds, can be found on the RSPB’s website: https:// www.rspb.org.uk/birds-and-wildlife/read-and-learn/ birds-and-the-law/ Further information and advice is available from the national Caring for God’s Acre Project, based in Hereford Diocese (see www.caringforgodsacre.org.uk), and at www.lincswolds.org.uk/library/churchyards.pdf
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Supporting one another Working to help people to live independently in their homes The Bishop of Lincoln is president of Lincolnshire Home Independence Agency, an award-winning charity. Crosslincs invited the charity to share something of its work to help people have peace of mind at home... Lincolnshire Home Independence Agency (LHIA) helps people who are facing illness, disability and the effects of advancing age to live independently in the homes they love. For over 11 years, we have been providing a range of services including home adaptations, improvements and repairs, information and advice, caseworker support and daily living aids to keep people safe and well and out of hospital. We adapt homes to help people negotiate steps and stairs, access kitchen and bathroom facilities, avoid tripping and slipping hazards and get on with their daily lives safely and with confidence. Adaptations include grab rails and stair lifts, access ramps and level access showers/wet rooms, and complex work such as property extensions and conversions.
“A member of our friendly team can look at your situation in detail and discuss key issues with you, including timescales and funding sources that you might not even have considered” We can manage the whole project on the customer’s behalf, which means taking care of planning permission, building regulations, surveys, plans, tendering and budgeting. We will seek to minimise disruption to a person’s routine and we use only Trusted Traders (contractors who have been independently vetted) so as to offer peace of mind. People with disabilities might qualify for a grant called the Disabled Facilities Grant (DFG), a government grant that covers a range of home adaptations. Our customers include people in receipt of a DFG and people who pay for the adaptation themselves. If you are not sure whether you are eligible for a DFG or how
best to meet the cost of an adaptation, please call our free advice service. A member of our friendly team can look at your situation in detail and discuss key issues with you, including timescales and funding sources that you might not even have considered. In addition, we deliver home improvements and repairs, including handyperson services, which can help to keep homes warm, safe, secure and fit for purpose. It is also possible to take advantage of information, advice and extra support from a caseworker to help with problems associated with illness and disability, including money worries, social isolation and transport. Caseworkers visit customers in the comfort of their own homes and here they can help to identify issues and work with them to achieve solutions. Finally, our new daily living aids online shop can supply more than 3000 daily living aids, which are designed to make eating and drinking, grooming, personal care and life in general easier. Items include over-bed tables, bath boards, shower seats, toilet raisers, key safes and grab rails. If you are unsure of what you need, you can take advantage of a free product advice service. For further information, please call our friendly team on 01522 51 63 00, email us at info@lincshia.org or visit our website at www.lincshia.org DIOCESELINCOLN
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Noticeboard Calling all altar servers... Carol Hill offers some introductory information on the Guild of Servants of the Sanctuary, and issues an invitation for new members to get involved... If you are an altar server, you might be interested to hear about the Guild of Servants of the Sanctuary (GSS). The GSS is an association of altar servers in the Church of England, and also the Church in Wales, with some overseas organisations located in several other countries. Its objectives are as follows: • • •
to raise the spiritual tone of altar servers to promote the conscientious performance of the duties of altar servers to encourage more frequent attendance at the Holy Eucharist, in addition to times of duty.
Membership is open to anyone who is an altar server in the Church of England and who ‘accepts the catholic faith and practice’. The Guild is organised into local chapters, each overseen by a committee, plus a chaplain, who is a priest, and thus a ‘priest associate’ of the Guild. Chapters meet regularly for fellowship, either at a Guild Office (psalms and canticles sung in plainsong chant) or at a Eucharist.
Campaigning together to seek to end gender-based violence Patsy Moore reports that in late November 2017 a small group of Mothers’ Union members walked from Lincoln Cathedral to St Benedict’s Mothers’ Union Centre on the High Street to make a stand against gender-based violence. It is reported that at least one in three women globally will experience some form of violence in their lifetime (source: World Health Organisation), and Mothers’ Union aims to raise awareness and, where possible, equip people so as to build healthy and loving relationships. During the walk, shoppers were interested in what we were doing and they were happy to receive explanatory leaflets from us. The walk ended with a short service outside St Benedict’s, conducted by the Revd Richard RiceOxley and the Revd Sylvia Rice-Oxley. More information on the campaign is available at www.mothersunion.org W W W.LINCOLN. ANGLIC AN.ORG
The Lincoln area chapter is known as the Chapter of Our Lady of Lincoln. (There are other chapters around the diocese.) This group consists of servers from many local parish churches as well as some of the Lincoln Cathedral servers, and it is good to share fellowship and exchange experiences. We visit a different church each month for our meetings, not just the churches from which our members come, and usually the incumbent is invited to preach for us. We are always delighted to welcome new members, and so if you would like to know more, please contact Carol Hill on 01522 72 39 67, by email at hillsofharmston@ btinternet.com or by contacting the Revd Hugh Jones at St Nicholas Church, Newport, Lincoln.
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Serving one another Celebrating the gift of ‘hard work and faithful service to our Lord and His Church’ As a member of the congregation at Bourne Abbey celebrates a significant birthday, Fr Chris Atkinson pays tribute to their years of service offered to the Church... On 12th December 2017, one of Bourne Abbey Church’s most stalwart supporters turned 80. Although by no means the oldest amongst our number, David Tabor has an enviable track record when it comes to commitment and the variety of posts that he has held during more than 60 years of service to his parish church and our diocese. From his teenage years, David has been an outstanding servant of the Church. He was a server for 16 years from 1949–1965, and a member of the Parochial Church Council from 1963 until 2014 – serving two spells as its honorary secretary. He also served as churchwarden from 1995–2004. David got an early taste for ecclesiastical statistics as verger and parish clerk between 1965–1983, and this provided a seamless link with his diocesan work, which began with the Lincoln Diocesan Trust and Board of Finance in 1979. For the next 26 years, David served on the Board and as the appointed auditor of Diocesan Deeds of Property and Glebe (1982–2005); the elected
chairman of the Diocesan Stipends Committee (1990–1995); and the elected chairman of the Diocesan Budget and Finance Committee (1995–2005). During this latter period, David was vice-chairman of the Lincoln Diocesan Trust and Board of Finance, acting as chairman in 2005. He seems to have had a penchant for statutory organisations, as he was a member of the Diocesan Pastoral Committee together with the Archdeaconry of Lincoln Pastoral Committee between 1980 and 2008. At the age of 71, David sensibly took the decision to retire from these posts when the evening travel commitment became too great – doubtless a decision that many clergy would emulate if they could! He continues to serve at the Abbey Church as a licenced administrator of the chalice at the Eucharist, and as a ‘go-to’ person for the Vicar when help or advice is sought on matters concerning the Abbey over the past 60-odd years. Happy Birthday, David. And we thank you for all of your hard work and faithful service to Our Lord and His Church – both local and diocesan.
Sale of Work continues to support our schoolchildren As this issue of Crosslincs was going to press, we were delighted to hear the news that the diocesan Sale of Work in Lincoln Cathedral Chapter House during Lincoln Christmas Market had raised the fantastic sum of £1086.35. The Sale of Work was in support of the Bishop of Lincoln’s Ready for School Fund, which aims to support schoolchildren who are lacking the things they need in order to confidently access the full life of school and the curriculum. Grants are made through the fund to head teachers so that they may seek to meet some of the identified needs of individual pupils, and we are most grateful for the continued support of the fund. DIOCESELINCOLN
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CALENDAR FEBRUARY
Saturday, 3rd February 2018 (11am). Learning Communities launch service in Lincoln Cathedral (see front page). MARCH
Friday, 2nd March (1.30pm). A service for Women’s World Day of Prayer at St Botolph’s Church, Quarrington. All are welcome to attend the service. Seminars and information days for incumbents and church treasurers (For details please contact Ms Mickey Tucker-Lowe on 01522 50 40 61 or at michelle.tl@lincoln.anglican.org): Thursday, 1st March – The Chancel in St Mary’s Church, Church Lane, Horncastle LN9 5HW Tuesday, 13th March – Vista Hall, The Vista, Spalding PE11 2RA Wednesday, 14th March – St Barnabas Church Hall, St Barnabas Road, Barnetby le Wold DN38 6JE.
Saturday, 17th March (10.30am – 3.30pm). Ignatian Spirituality – a day with Margaret Silf at Lincoln Cathedral Centre. Contact Canon Stephen Hoy to book your free place on 01522 52 56 21. Monday, 26th March (10am – 3.30pm). A creative day to be held during Holy Week and led by the Revd Annabel Barber at Waddington Parish Church. Take your own creative project to work on in fellowship with others; there will also be an opportunity to work on your own collage project inspired by the Peace and Justice embroideries that will be on display. There is no charge; please contact the Revd Annabel Barber on 01522 72 13 06 to book a place.
Projects – a conference hosted by the Church Buildings Team at Bishop Grosseteste University in Lincoln (see page 10 for more details). MAY
Monday, 14th May (10.30am – 3.30pm). Small Giants: Saints in the Carmelite Tradition – an opportunity to explore and reflect on Carmelite spirituality to be held at St Luke’s, Birchwood, Lincoln. Call Canon Stephen Hoy on 01522 52 56 21 to book a free place.
APRIL
JULY Wednesday, 25th July (10.30am – 3.30pm). Exploring Silence: The Heart of Prayer, with Alison Woolley at Edward King House. Please contact Canon Stephen Hoy to book your free place on 01522 52 56 21.
Saturday, 21st April. Repair, Rebuild, Rediscover: Effective Church Building
More forthcoming events may be found at www.lincoln.anglican.org/news-events/events
New project supports bereaved children
New musical centres on the life of St Peter
The Revd Pamela Beattie, a Chaplain at Lincoln County Hospital and Associate Minister at St Giles’ Church, writes on a project to help bereaved children...
The Revd Richard Rice-Oxley writes on the opening nights for his new musical on the life of St Peter...
As a Chaplain at Lincoln County Hospital I began a project that seeks to provide bereaved children with a Bereavement Bag. These bags contain information that is age appropriate on grief, loss and bereavement and also items such as colouring books, felt tips, sunflower and forget-me-not seeds, various items for craft making (to help with the making of memory hearts, memory bookmarks, memory jigsaws and a memory balloon) plus a small cuddly toy, a pencil case, pencil sharpeners and rubbers – almost anything that can fit in an A4-sized bag. In addition, teenagers are offered age-appropriate colouring books and special gifts to help them feel that we care at what is such a difficult time for them. Might you be able to help us either by making drawstring bags just bigger than A4, or might you like to donate some of the items for the bags? I would be very pleased to hear from you by telephone on 01522 57 30 80. Bags, or items for the bags, may be brought to us at the hospital Chapel or at the hospital reception (please say that they are for the attention of the Revd Pamela Beattie). The Bereavement Bags really make a difference and this is such a worthwhile cause. W W W.LINCOLN. ANGLIC AN.ORG
There was an enthusiastic response in Swayfield and Grantham to the first performances of Peter – The Rock, my new musical about the life of St Peter. The musical features 21 songs with a linking narration, and at these performances a 25-strong choir and three musicians from different churches in the area were directed by Janet Roberts, who also wrote the choral arrangements. A choir member commented: “The music and lyrics are wonderful, it was a privilege to be involved and I so enjoyed being a part of it.” Fifty people came to each performance and much enjoyed joining in with a chorus or two. For more details see www.rev-rice-oxley.uk DIOCESELINCOLN
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