CROSSLINCS News from around the Diocese of Lincoln www.lincoln.anglican.org
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January/February 2019 – Free
Shared memories of a visit to the Holy Land Bishop Christopher and Sarah Ruddock, who at 13 years of age was the youngest member of the recent diocesan pilgrimage to the Holy Land, met again recently to share some of their memories of their first pilgrimage there... Sarah, from St George’s Swallowbeck in Lincoln, was accompanied on the pilgrimage by her mother, Kate, who had always wanted to go to the Holy Land. The tour consisted of 54 people and was led by two Palestinian Christian guides, who shared their wealth of knowledge about the holy sites. Their first stop was Jerusalem, a large bustling city, and Sarah and the bishop recalled their first impressions.
“I thought it would be a peaceful place as it’s a holy city, and so it was a bit disappointing that it’s really commercial,” said Sarah, while Bishop Christopher described the busyness and crowds there as being like those at a football match. In the course of their conversation they swapped anecdotes of how some places or details were different to what they had imagined. On visiting the Fields of the Shepherds, for example, Sarah was surprised to learn that the shepherds had lived in caves; she had imagined them living in fields, alongside their flocks. (Continued overleaf...)
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Thy Kingdom Come 2019
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The submission deadline for the next issue is 1st February 2019 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 Instagram: diocese_of_lincoln 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 Diocesan Secretary The Revd David Dadswell T: 01522 50 40 32 E: diocesan.secretary@lincoln.anglican.org PA to the Diocesan Secretary Kay Clayton T: 01522 50 40 32 E: kay.clayton@lincoln.anglican.org 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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Shared memories of a visit to the Holy Land
(cont’d)
Bishop Christopher shared that he was surprised that in Jesus’ time, shepherds were outcasts and were deemed untrustworthy, and so it was surprising that the first news of the birth of the son of God came to them instead of a member of the elite. A significant activity for both was walking down the Way of the Cross, the route Jesus took in carrying his cross and where the Church of the Holy Sepulchre is sited. “I was really pleased that we were able to approach the site of the crucifixion prayerfully as we walked to the site alongside the Franciscan procession,” said Bishop Christopher. “I got a sense there of what at the time was probably an insignificant, dirty experience.” Sarah had a similar feeling of awe: “I had a sense of wonder in thinking that I was walking down the same road that Jesus had walked down 2000 years ago.” Day six of the pilgrimage was a visit to the Sea of Galilee, a particular delight for both. “That was really amazing and definitely a highlight of the tour, to be able to swim in the sea where Jesus had been. I will also never forget the Church of the Loaves and Fishes,” said Sarah. Bishop Christopher also felt the significance of the location, and while on their boat trip a small storm broke out, causing the water to bubble and the boat to rock. Fortunately, they too were transported to safety and Sarah remembers a rainbow appearing in the distance – a special effect they had arranged, the bishop said! When asked about the importance of fellowship and quiet time, Sarah said that “It was nice to have time to do things I wouldn’t usually do, such as the evening reflection with the group, which was incredible. I also took time during the day to sit and be quiet and think about what I had seen.” Bishop Christopher shared that sense of camaraderie: “The pilgrimage was a shared common experience and it did bind us together. Some of it was quite hard physically, so there was a sense of both adversity and fun. My wife found our morning prayers together a particular treat.” In reflecting on his pilgrimage overall, Bishop Christopher said, “I always thought that Jesus’ birth could have been anywhere and that it was chance that it was the Holy Land; but the details such as that it was the poor shepherds who shared the news of Jesus’ birth and the fact that his parents were fleeing to escape the authorities do matter, and when I got there I recognised this. What you see in the Holy Land is Christians from all over the world, who all share our love of Jesus, and this shows his power and presence in the world.”
Image: John Steadman
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Supporting giving Helping our parishes through the Parish Giving Scheme Around 270 people were welcomed to events held in Caistor and Sleaford as the Parish Giving Scheme (PGS) received its official launch in our diocese... The Parish Giving Scheme (PGS) was originally developed by the Diocese of Gloucester to provide a professional, effective donation management system to support parishes in funding their mission and ministry. The scheme has further developed since launch, and now over half of the Church of England dioceses use it, with more than £2.8 million (including Gift Aid) administered annually from more than 30,000 donors from over 1,700 parishes. These donations are collected via direct debit and the service is free of charge to the parish.
‘The Parish Giving Scheme has delivered significant increases in giving to parishes when introduced as part of a Giving Review’ The Diocese of Lincoln has decided to join PGS, having ‘road-tested’ the scheme in 11 parishes over the past year and finding that it provides a useful and effective tool to support giving. Speaking at two launch events held in our diocese, Helen Richardson, Chief Executive of PGS, explained how the scheme works and the benefits that it offers for parish officers who administer donations. Importantly, Helen went on to show the significant increases in giving that PGS has helped to deliver to parishes when introduced as part of a Giving Review. The Revd Canon Andrew Dodd at Grimsby Minster, where PGS has been received enthusiastically over the past year, has commented: “We were keen to
Helen Richardson, Chief Executive of The Parish Giving Scheme.
combine the Parish Giving Scheme with a renewed stewardship campaign. We try to do a gentle reminder every year to the members of our congregation, but we also wanted to do a major review of our giving and it’s worked very well. We are still in the process of delivering it, but already the people who have signed up have significantly increased their contributions.” As well as there being material for the audience to take home, the events also provided an opportunity for those attending to reflect upon what they had heard and to offer feedback. Part of this feedback included a response that suggested that ‘this could really help our church’. For more information about the Parish Giving Scheme and for help with giving in your parish, please contact our newly appointed diocesan Stewardship Officers: Jane Hodgson T: 01522 50 40 38 E: jane.hodgson@lincoln.anglican.org Hugo Cobham T: 01522 50 40 49 E: hugo.cobham@lincoln.anglican.org Jane will be serving parishes in the northern half of the diocese, with Hugo serving in the southern half. DIOCESELINCOLN
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Celebrating our churches As Linda Patrick reports, the National Churches Trust has launched a new version of its ExploreChurches website with a call for all churches to be listed... The new version of the ExploreChurches website (explorechurches.org) will be fully integrated with the tourism, heritage and church sectors, focusing on the stories relating to the church building itself and the local community that might be of interest to visitors. The overall aim is to increase the number of people visiting churches, with ExploreChurches acting as a first port of call for visitors seeking information about tourism in churches. There are already more than 2000 churches featured on the website: all of the churches in West Lindsey have a dedicated page, and it is hoped that the Diocese of Lincoln will be the first to have all of its churches featured on the site. To ensure that your church is listed, log on to www.explorechurches.org, click on ‘add your church’ at the top of the homepage, complete the form, attach some good images of the church and click ‘submit’. We will then review the submission and publish the listing. But it does not stop there, there are many more ways to get your church noticed! Themed lists: the site allows churches to be organised into clusters and niche lists have followed: for example, ‘Britain’s smallest churches’, and even a list of churches that have featured in Dr Who! There are lots of lists that could be created in Lincolnshire – the churches found on the Viking Way is an obvious one as there
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All Saints, Wragby. Image: explorechurches.org
Get your church noticed!
are 45 churches on or near the route. But there will be others, so think how you can showcase your church and let the website know. These lists are backed up with individual promotional campaigns and are a really good way to invite different visitors to come along and explore your church. Events calendar: we would love the events section to be the most comprehensive church events listing in the UK, but we need the information. So when you are submitting details to the online diocesan events calendar (see ‘News and events’ at www.lincoln.anglican.org), don’t forget to let us know too. There will be more features added in the coming months, and so please come and join ExploreChurches and put your church on the tourist map. To find out more on how to get your church involved, please contact me via email at linda.patrick@ nationalchurchestrust.org or call me on 01507 52 79 05.
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Help and advice Protecting against lead theft Steven Sleight, Diocesan Advisory Committee & Pastoral Secretary, offers some timely advice on how to protect our churches against lead theft...
Image: Jamie Benton Jones.
Unfortunately lead theft is again on the increase. This is devastating for congregations, who then have the task of raising funds in order to replace their roof covering. Lincolnshire Police has issued some advice on security: Be aware – Be on the alert for suspicious activity around the church and report it using 101. If you think a crime is in progress ring 999. Reduce the opportunity to go unnoticed – Although it’s not always practical to remove trees and shrubbery, raising the canopy of trees to at least 3m and reducing hedges to 1m can help to open up views into the area. Low wattage ‘Dusk till Dawn’ lighting placed around the building can also reduce the opportunity for criminals to hide in the shadows. Remove the means – Do not leave tools lying around that could assist criminals. Secure bins that could be climbed on or used to transport lead to a van, and ladders that could give access to the roof. Open-door policies – Many churches prefer to keep their doors open. Regular visitors help deter those who might be up to no good. If this is the case, remove valuable items to a safe place and, if possible, arrange a rota for regular check visits. Never visit alone and never try to detain anyone! Consider installing higher levels of security inside the church to prevent access beyond the main public areas. Anti-climb treatments – This can help to make life a little hard for thieves but should not be relied on to stop them. Anti-Climb treatments must not be applied lower than 2m from the ground and must be accompanied by warning signage. Alarms – Try not to think of alarms as just attracting attention. A loud siren and clear lighting can make life difficult for a criminal. The noise can stop thieves communicating and even thinking straight! There are alarms specifically designed to protect roofs and there are many professional installers to do the work. Remember, alarms can be set up to operate in ‘zones’.
This means that even a church with an open-door policy can still benefit from the protection an alarm affords to those areas not open to the public. If you are considering an alarm please consider a loud siren (or several). Small domestic siren boxes will simply not be loud enough. Alarm-activated lighting – In addition to a siren, strong lighting can also deter criminals. Strong lighting not only highlights areas under attack but also prevents criminals from seeing into the darkness beyond and spotting people approaching. Strobe lighting (which flashes quickly) is also much better at attracting attention and can make it much more difficult for a criminal to work. If strobe lighting is considered it is important to ensure that any alarm system it is linked to is capable of detecting an attack before a person has got into a dangerous position (for instance, onto the roof). Signage – Signs do work! If they are well maintained they show that a place is being looked after. They can also tell a criminal that it isn’t going to be an easy target. Help from the wider community – Is there a Neighbourhood Watch in the area? Encourage everyone to help and report anything they think is suspicious. Register for the Police message-sending system: Lincs Alert. First impressions – The church/churchyard should look as if it is used and loved. Otherwise it could indicate that security may be poor and surveillance negligible. Some of the works described here may require permission – please ask the DAC for help at the outset. DIOCESELINCOLN
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Thy Kingdom Come 2019 An opportunity to experience many different ways of praying The Revd John Leach looks ahead to Thy Kingdom Come 2019 and a special Beacon Event that is planned for Lincoln Cathedral on Saturday, 8th June 2019... Together with tens of thousands of Christians throughout the world we will be gathering on Saturday, 8th June 2019, the eve of the Day of Pentecost, to pray for the outpouring of the Holy Spirit on God’s church as we carry forward the message of Jesus Christ. Archbishop Justin has once again called the Church to keep the period between Ascension Day (Thursday, 30th May 2019) and Pentecost as a special season of prayer for evangelism. This will be the fourth year that the diocese has taken part in Thy Kingdom Come, and in our diocese this will be marked with a special Beacon Event that promises to be a fitting climax to the outpouring of the Holy Spirit in our parishes during the previous nine days.
“The Community of St Hugh will be officially launched on 8th June 2019” The event will run from 10am until noon, with an optional Eucharist at 12.30pm, and it will feature several groupings from around our diocese and include many different ways of praying. Forget ‘church service’, forget ‘prayer meeting’ – this will be a fast-moving event at which you can create your own journey around the different prayer stations, and experience joining in prayer in ways that you might not have experienced before! Alternatively, you can just use the space and the wonderful building to carve out for yourself some quality time with God. It is up to you. For the last half-hour we shall be gathering together again for the official launch of the Community of St Hugh, our diocesan community of prayer which fuels all of our mission and ministry. The Community of St Hugh has been in its pilot phase for a year or more, but it will be officially launched on 8th June 2019. Those who participate in the Community of St Hugh have three rules of life: • Worship – how do I encounter the living God in my everyday life and make room and time for Him? • Discipleship – how can I develop my calling as a disciple of Christ in the context of my life? W W W.LINCOLN. ANGLIC AN.ORG
• Service – how do I seek to live the gospel in my family, in my community, in my place of work, in my home, seeking to love others, as I am loved by God? A rule of life is not prescriptive, but seeks to help to bring some rhythm to spiritual lives and service in a way that works for the individual in the context of their everyday life. The Community of St Hugh supports members in developing their rule of life and then also as they seek to live it out using the three headings. As a member of the Community of St Hugh, members will: • commit to develop a rule or rhythm of life based around worship, service and discipleship • have a regular pattern of prayer to suit their circumstances • pray for their own personal growth and transformation • pray for the Diocese of Lincoln and its transformation • regularly pray the diocesan prayer, the Collect of St Hugh and the prayers in the diocesan prayer diary. More details about the Community of St Hugh may be obtained by calling me on 01522 50 40 50 x4108 or from www.lincoln.anglican.org/the-community-of-st-hugh See also www.thykingdomcome.global
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Children & Youth Listening to one another and creating bonds of friendship Patrick Tompkins reflects on a Church of England Youth Council (CEYC) event that offered a chance to explore ways in which Christians can speak truth to power... Our weekend residential meeting focused on the topic of ‘speaking truth to power’ and included discussion on what this meant, listening to guest speakers and time spent worshipping, reflecting and praying with each other. We looked at scripture together, considering, for example, Jesus’ different interactions with the Pharisees, the turning over of the tables, and the disciples, and we also analysed the concept of speaking truth to power, thinking about how to speak truth, identifying those truths and the nature of ‘power’ in a modern context. One of our speakers, the Revd Canon Dr James Walters, spoke on the topic of what kind of changemaker he aspires to be, and I have found all of the CEYC residential events I have attended to be incredibly useful and insightful. As you would expect, the Youth Council is entirely run by 16–25-year-olds from all over England, and the aim is to represent, enrich and engage young people, who are also the attendees at the event. This particular weekend had a very powerful atmosphere, and offered an opportunity to further deepen our individual journeys with God and create lasting bonds of friendship. You can find out more about CEYC at www.ceyc.org, on Facebook (www.facebook.com/CEYCnews) or on Twitter (@CEYCnews). Look out for the date for the next residential meeting in 2019 – it would be great to take some young people from our diocese next year.
Sharing in Prayer
Coming soon... save the dates: Big Night Out for our young people across the diocese and a networking brunch The Big Night Out, a special event organised by the diocesan Children & Youth Team, is to be held in Lincoln Engine Shed on the evening of Friday, 7th June 2019. A night for youth groups in the diocese to share in a time of worship led by live bands, reflection, games, refreshments and lots more, please get in touch with the team to request further information.
The monthly diocesan prayer diary is published as a downloadable document on the diocesan website at www.lincoln.anglican.org/sharing-in-prayer
In addition, a networking brunch for those working in the area of youth and children’s work will be held on Saturday, 9th March 2019 (from 10am until noon) at Edward King House in Lincoln.
We are aware that not everybody has online access to the diary, and so printed copies of each edition of the diary may be obtained by calling John Leach on 01522 50 40 50 x4108. Please join us in praying for the people, parishes and life of our diocese each day.
Jonny Bell and Charlotte Bloom are the diocesan Children & Youth Team. Jonny may be contacted on 07816 41 61 49 or via email at jonny.bell@lincoln.anglican.org Charlotte may be contacted on 07908 70 38 64 or via email at charlotte.bloom@lincoln.anglican.org
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This Time on Monday “God does answer my prayers” The Revd Annabel Barber offers the third article in our series that introduces us to some of the people in our diocese and the impact of their faith in their daily lives... Our diocese is full of interesting people whose faith makes a real difference to how they live. We may only meet on a Sunday, but on Monday we all take the gospel message with us into our daily lives, making a difference in our homes, workplaces and communities. In this series, we are asking people what they will be doing at ‘church-time’ on Monday, and in this issue we hear from Eileen Riggs. Annabel: Eileen, please could you tell us about yourself? Eileen: I have been married to my husband David since 1965 and we have one son. I worship at St Bartholomew’s Church in Keelby. As with many churches, it doesn’t take much to become involved and I find myself on the rota as a sidesperson as well as helping out in the Sunday school and at the occasional activity days held in the church.
Baptist Church and St James’ choir sang at our wedding and the minister felt it brought the two denominations together.
Annabel: How will you be spending your Monday? Eileen: I am usually picking up our grandchildren from school as, like many families today, both of their parents work. I thank God for the gift of family.
Singing brings me great joy, and as a member of the Grimsby Philharmonic Society I feel privileged to have sung many religious works, including the Messiah, The Creation and Missa Solemnis.
“My faith means everything to me and I find it strengthened by the kindness and support of people around us”
Although I wouldn’t say it makes a difference to my faith, we have friends who make me think more about what ‘faith’ means to others. Our oldest friends say they are atheists. They respect our beliefs but we cannot change their views on religion. They are, however, the kindest of all people who visit us every month, travelling from York. They always bring flowers, are happy to do little jobs round the house and call us every week on the telephone just to ask how we are. As with many grandparents, they regularly look after two young grandchildren. Is this a Christian life? I believe so, even if they don’t.
Annabel: How and when did you first come to faith? Eileen: I was Christened at St Hugh’s in 1944 and attended Sunday school at Grimsby Baptist Church from the age of four. My family worshipped together at the church and at the age of 14 I became a Sunday school teacher. After David and I moved to Keelby in 1988 I decided to become involved in village life and decided to give St Bartholomew’s a try. The lady who extended a warm welcome to me on that first Sunday has become a firm friend over the years. I was confirmed by the Bishop of Grimsby in October 1996. Annabel: What difference does your faith make to your life outside of Sunday? Eileen: I love singing and joined the Madrigal Society in 1959. This is where I first met David, who also sang in St James’ – now Grimsby Minster – choir. We got married in a W W W.LINCOLN. ANGLIC AN.ORG
Annabel: What about the other way around? How is your faith affected by the work that you do? Eileen: I retired from my role as a secretary some years ago. Ill health forced David to give up doing many of the things he loved and also means he needs help with some day-to-day tasks. My faith means everything to me and I find it strengthened by the kindness and support of people around us, both inside and outside of the church. God has been good to me and does answer my prayers.
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Announcements The Revd Steve Holt has been appointed Vicar of the Benefice of the Carr Dyke Group. The Revd Edward Martin has been appointed Incumbent, Warden and Ministry Experience Scheme Leader in the Benefice of Edenham and Regional House. The Revd Nichola Bates has resigned her licence as Vicar of Christ Church, Stamford with effect from 17th December 2018. The Revd Canon Michael Cooney will retire from his post as Priest in Charge of the Benefice of Gainsborough and Morton with effect from 31st January 2019.
The Revd Adrian Mason will retire from his post as Parish Priest of the Benefice of the Mid Elloe Group with effect from 1st April 2019. The Very Revd Mark Warrick will retire from his post as Vicar of All Saints with St John the Baptist Stamford and Dean of Stamford with effect from 1st February 2019. The Revd Mark Hutson has been appointed Halftime Assistant Priest: Pioneer Minister of the Wolds Gateway Group. Please join us in praying for all of these people.
PRIZE CROSSWORD
Set by Ariq
Solution to the crossword in the last issue. Winner: Mrs Christine Edison, Nettleham.
To enter the Prize Crossword: Please send completed entries to Prize Crossword, Crosslincs, Communications Office, Edward King House, Minster Yard, Lincoln LN2 1PU. Closing date: 1st February 2019. A photocopy of the completed crossword is acceptable. The editor’s decision is final, and the prize will be a faith-related book.
Across 1 4 8 9 10 11 12 14
15,1 Behave like Thomas when frustrated (3,3,5) See 15 18 Honey! I’m home (3-5) Cloth initially produced 21 Hear doll gets prompt to cook locally, all in Dundee (5) (8) My word, / My herd, / 22 Large grasshopper has clout all Randomised, / Poetised (6) over, including south (6) An advocate who when 23 Something definite found when jostled will slop tea (7) the recital went wrong (7) What protocol our legislative 24 Plant, left timeless taste mixed has about complexion? (6) about early evening, used for Mary lied about behaving the nap (6) distractedly (8) 25 Lake Superior, Lake Michigan, He coaxes victims who were Lake Huron, Lake Erie, Lake held anyhow (8) Ontario; that’s a bit strange (5) Poor Unity got a D for the 26 Give way and produce (5) state of her room (6)
Down 1 Could be almost anybody (7) 2 A senior tribesman’s tree (5) 3 Will the amender reamend haphazardly? (7) 4 Reproduce changes in modus operandi (9) 5 Try what temptation Eve had (7) 6 Lived well indeed, with no end of choice (7) 7 Who!? Gosh, they went fast with negative G (6)
13 16 17 18 19 20 22
Repeat the seven ages of Man? (9) Did issue come from what the man ate (7) The Moon, Phobos or Explorer (7) Brew rye here? (7) Trees everywhere, but not a wood in sight (7) Alternately included family member when you list its other relations (6) A continental capacity (5)
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Transforming lives ‘We want to join in with God’ The Revd Sheena Cleaton reports on how the diocesan Transformation Fund has helped a church in Scartho to further the ministry offered to the local community... ‘Unless the Lord builds the house, those who build it labour in vain’ (NRSV). I was mindful of this particular verse from Psalm 127 when, as a church, we embarked upon redeveloping St Giles’ large church hall here in Scartho, Grimsby. Already an excellent resource, we knew that it could be an even more outstanding facility for the local community. The project was overseen by a hall development workinggroup which met regularly to plan the work. Each meeting began with a prayer, recognising that God is the foundation of all that is accomplished for His purposes. The project featured significantly as part of our engagement with the diocesan Developing Discipleship Programme, which, among other factors, enabled us to realise that hospitality is a key value of all that we do and who we are. So from the outset, it was intended that the redevelopment would include the refurbishing of a room in the hall to provide a smaller meeting-room for welcome, warmth and comfort. The office had been a large office previously, but, as it was a busy thoroughfare, it was far from ideal for what we envisaged. The redevelopment made two rooms out of the one; retaining part as an office and creating a new meeting room. Although we are fortunate to have amenable facilities at St Giles, there had been no such room suitable for small-group work.
Cath Gregory (Treasurer) and Heather Morton (Reader) are helping to develop a bereavement peer-support group, using the new meeting space.
We are very grateful because the diocesan Transformation Fund enabled us to complete this project, furnish, decorate, and equip the room with multi-media technology. The room is already proving valuable as a space for sharing, conversation and discovery. For example, a number of people have started attending our church, and are re-engaging with, or are starting to explore, the Christian faith as a result of care received following bereavement. We are developing this ministry, especially in terms of long-term bereavement (i.e. beyond immediate post-funeral care, several months down the line). Those who have been bereaved often help each other; finding one another by seemingly chance encounters, for instance, in our open churchyard. We are therefore putting in more of a structure in the form of a peersupport group; a ‘bereavement buddies’ scheme. As we move forward with this ministry, offer suitable training, and meet those who will benefit from the scheme and the use of the room, we continue to pray. We pray that those struggling with grief might experience something of the resurrection hope that Jesus brings. The room will also help facilitate marriage, baptismal and confirmation preparation, and it will be a suitable place for those involved with planning services, and leading Bible studies. We want to join in with God as He builds the house; not so much with restructuring bricks and mortar (though that has been exciting), but in the building of His kingdom where lives are transformed. The Transformation Fund provides grants to help churches launch new missional initiatives or significantly develop existing projects that will help transform lives across greater Lincolnshire. For further information please see www.lincoln.anglican.org/transformation-fund
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Exploring faith together ‘It has made me look at my faith’ The activities that form a Cursillo weekend have been described as ‘uplifting, fun, exhilarating and emotional’. Crosslincs hears more about what’s involved... Cursillo (meaning ‘short course’ in Spanish) is a movement of the Church which originated in Spain in the 1930s after the end of the Spanish Civil War. It provides a method by which Christians are empowered to grow through prayer, study and action and are enabled to share God’s love with everyone. The movement is centred around a threeday Cursillo structure during which the participants will live, worship and learn together. The Archbishop of Canterbury, the Most Reverend Justin Welby, has said of Cursillo: “Through Cursillo the love of God is experienced afresh, an experience which draws us into prayer and compassionate action. Because of this, Cursillo is a much-needed instrument for the renewal of the life of the Church today, and one for which I give thanks.” Cursillo weekends offer time for meditation, worship and learning.
“It was wonderful, thought provoking and on occasions we laughed until we cried. I have learned so much about myself during these three days” A recent Cursillo weekend (which runs from Friday afternoon until Monday afternoon) was held at Bishop Grosseteste University in Lincoln. One of the six pilgrims, Sue Harris, has shared her experience of ‘walking in the light of God’: “It is difficult to put into words what the weekend meant to me, I got so much out of it. I thought I was ‘doing my bit’ by being active in the church and community and attending services on a Sunday, but now I see how wrong I have been. “When asked to sum up the whole three days all I could come out with was ‘wow’. It was wonderful, thought provoking and on occasions we laughed until we cried. I have learned so much about myself during these three days; most importantly how to open my heart and mind and to allow my faith to carry me further along the road to God. “It has shown me feelings within myself I have never felt before. The fellowship and atmosphere was electrifying.
I’ve come away feeling there is more for me to explore and to be shown. Has it changed me? Yes. It has made me take a look at myself and my faith and not be afraid to show it. Has it changed me as a person? No. I am still the same old me, but my heart and mind are open and ready to accept whatever God has in store for me. I would not have missed it for the world.” This particular Cursillo weekend was led by Lay Director Janice Brader and her team of 11 staff, who are all fellow Cursillistas. It is through prayer that Janice was able to lead and plan a life-changing weekend for the pilgrims through meditation, worship, learning, short talks and further prayer. In reflecting further on her experience of this particular Cursillo weekend, Sue Harris has also added: “The weekend activities were uplifting, fun, exhilarating and emotional. We must acknowledge and give thanks to God for guiding the whole team and pilgrims throughout the weekend.” For further information about Cursillo, including resources and contact information, please see the Lincoln Cursillo website at www.lincolncursillo.org.uk DIOCESELINCOLN
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Fresh Expressions Celebrating ‘all things Messy’ The Revd David Bartlett, our Fresh Expressions Enabler, and Jonny Bell from our Children & Youth Team report on a Messy Church training event led by Lucy Moore... More than 40 church leaders and volunteers gathered together at St George’s Swallowbeck in Lincoln for an exciting day hearing from Lucy Moore, one of the founders of the Messy Church movement. As has been detailed previously in Crosslincs, Messy Church aims to help children and families to explore and develop their own faith through interactive Bible storytelling and by using a variety of creative methods such as songs, crafts, games and eating together. Lucy explained Messy Church’s five core values and how they are central to making the group a success. These values are hospitality, creativity, celebration, allages and Christ-centred. She also talked about how Messy Church is not about simply ‘getting a job done’, a different name for Sunday school or ticking a box to engage with young families. It is a journey that can really help people connect with faith and the Bible in new and creative ways. The day was a great celebration of some of the existing Messy Churches we have across the diocese, and also a great opportunity for leaders to discover some practical tools about how to start one and to begin to connect with others for support, ideas and prayer.
Rural Fresh Expressions It is easy to think that Fresh Expressions are mainly an urban phenomenon. There are, however, many rural Fresh Expressions, and often village or small-town Fresh Expressions are the most effective way of reaching out to friends and neighbours. In 2019 the fourth Making and Growing Disciples in the Countryside gathering will be of interest for all who are seeking to engage in rural Fresh Expressions. For more information about the gathering or to talk about how Fresh Expressions might be the best approach for your village, contact David (david.bartlett@lincoln.anglican.org). More information on this event appears below. What Do You See? Making and Growing Disciples in the Countryside (The Hayes Conference Centre, Swanwick, Derbyshire; 13th–15th May 2019)
If you would like to know more about Messy Church, please email David (david.bartlett@lincoln.anglican.org). He will be able to offer support and provide details of examples of local Messy Churches (he also has MP3 files of Lucy’s presentation from the day).
‘The rural church in the UK is at a critical moment... What Do You See? is a gathering for church planters and those pioneering Fresh Expressions of church together with mission strategists, facilitated by the national Fresh Expressions Rural Hub.
Many thanks to our friends from St George’s Swallowbeck for hosting this event, and to Lucy for delivering the training! If you would like to see Lucy Moore teaching an ‘action version’ of the Lord’s Prayer, search for ‘Lucy Moore Messy Church Lord’s Prayer’ on YouTube.
Join us for 48 hours of raising our eyes to see how God is blessing rural areas with vibrancy, life and hope and receive both strength and challenge. A time of storytelling, prayer, learning and friends on mission with you.’
W W W.LINCOLN. ANGLIC AN.ORG
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Mission and outreach Realising a great opportunity to serve in the local community In continuing our series looking at the links between faith and sport, the Revd Mary Vickers looks back at how a local church responded to a road race... Road races are becoming increasingly popular nowadays, both for runners and for cyclists. Many happen on Sunday mornings, and so what would you do if they went past your church? Roads are often closed for a while before and after the race, which can mean it’s difficult for the congregation to get to church at the usual time, and/or to get home afterwards. Would you see this as a problem or an opportunity? I have vivid memories of my first London Marathon and I can recall the effort made by one of the churches in the Blackheath/Charlton area: the people of that church, with their robed choir, their crucifer and their vicar, were all outside on the pavement singing hymns and cheering the runners on, and this made a great impression on me. I’ve told their story several times to try to encourage other churches to be creative about how they respond to road races, events that might at first appear to make the holding of their usual Sunday activities difficult.
‘Something that could have seemed like a huge obstacle to worship on a Sunday instead became a great opportunity’ Some churches definitely see races as an opportunity – for witness, for outreach, for practical service, or for a social event – and in Grimsby last year I experienced a couple of churches that were effectively doing all four. The Grimsby 10K goes directly past Scartho Methodist Church and very close to St Giles Parish Church. Roads were closed from 8.30am until noon, which affected all of the services at both churches. The Methodist Church took the initiative, and hosted most of the activity, but it was an ecumenical effort, and one in which I was pleased to participate. The main ‘offer’ to the organisers of the race was that the church would provide an outdoor water station. In addition, several other activities were also organised: • children’s games and activities were planned for the grass outside the church and church hall
• drinks and refreshments were available inside the church hall for spectators and others who wished to rest their feet, hide from the sun, or simply linger • the church itself was kept open with a few members of the church family present to offer prayer, to listen to people and to be there as a presence • after everything was cleared away, members of both churches stayed on for a BBQ and a social event, taking the opportunity to get to know each other better • and before all of this, at an earlier time than usual, a joint act of worship took place, to which everyone was invited (those not able to stay on and help were able to leave before the roads were closed). Something that could have seemed like a huge obstacle to worship on a Sunday instead became a great opportunity and one that benefitted the church families and the local community in many different ways. So, if a local road race is to be held outside of, or near, your church, why not think creatively about how you can use the opportunity, whether in and around the church building itself or by offering some of your time through some marshalling at the event, looking after a water station, etc? Helping out at local road races is just one of the ideas that the diocesan Sports Ministry Group has gathered together in a list of some easy ways for the Church to engage with sport. If you would like more details, please contact either myself at mary@faithatwork.info or see the information published on the diocesan website at www.lincoln.anglican.org/ministry-of-sport DIOCESELINCOLN
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Nature and nurture Image: ©MRDS
The Lichens of God’s Acre Mark R.D. Seaward, Emeritus Professor of Bradford University and Lichenologist, looks at a most enigmatic group of species to be found in our churchyards... For more than 50 years I have surveyed the lichens of innumerable churches and churchyards throughout Britain and Ireland, across Europe, and in North America, including 658 out of a possible 703 in Lincolnshire. But what is a lichen? According to Miles Kington in Nature Made Ridiculously Simple, ‘A lichen is lawn which thinks it’s moss, or perhaps moss which thinks it’s lawn – either way, it’s a dried-out version of both and always looks dead. It likes growing (or dying) on rocks, walls, churches or on the side of the tree. It has a range of five different colours: rust-red, rust-brown, rust-orange, rust-green and off-rust’. Actually, a lichen is a symbiotic system, involving a fungus and an alga and/or a cyanobacterium. This relationship is highly sensitive to natural and man-made environmental disturbances.
‘Churchyards are very important for lichen conservation and this is one of many good reasons why these habitats should be protected’ Churchyards are very important for lichen conservation and this is one of many good reasons why these habitats should be protected. In the church and churchyard environment lichens are mostly faithful to lime or silicarich stonework; or they might be found on either east- or west-facing sides of gravestones.
A characteristic lichen on a Wolds church, established here on the calcareous mortar and extending onto the acidic brick, is spreading throughout the county due to nitrogen pollution.
The effect of lichens on stone is usually aesthetically pleasing but sometimes they can obscure ornamentation and occasionally they have a damaging effect over time. However, insensitive restoration and cleaning by chemical and mechanical means can remove lichens and cause damage to the stonework they protect beneath. Due to their sensitivity to disturbance, lichens can be a casualty when building works are undertaken or when gravestones are moved. Although not having the same legal protection as bats, lichens are a part of God’s creation and should be offered the same care and respect as any other part of it. Further advice and information is available from the national Caring for God’s Acre Project website (see www.caringforgodsacre.org.uk) and also the British Lichen Society (www.britishlichensociety.org.uk)
Image: ©MRDS
This is the last article in this current series. We hope that the articles have been helpful and of interest.
W W W.LINCOLN. ANGLIC AN.ORG
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NOTICEBOARD Training days for incumbents and treasurers The following dates and venues have been agreed for training days for incumbents and treasurers in 2019...
Take a Lenten journey The Resilient Disciple – A Lenten Journey from Adversity to Maturity is the title of a new book by The Ven. Dr Justine Allain Chapman, Archdeacon of Boston, and published by SPCK. To coincide with the publication of the book, a series of events are planned, including a book launch. Tuesday, 22nd January 2019 (4.15pm, followed by a Service of Evensong at 5.30pm): Launch event and taster in Lincoln Cathedral Chapter House. The book will be available to buy. This is a free event. Quiet and reflective afternoons are due to be held at the Cathedral Centre in Lincoln on Saturday, 16th February 2019 (2–5pm), Monday, 18th March 2019 (1–4pm), and Saturday, 6th April 2019 (2–5pm). Booking is required for the afternoon sessions. The cost is £10, but the three workshops may be booked together for a discounted price of £25. Further information will be available in due course. W W W.LINCOLN. ANGLIC AN.ORG
Boston Archdeaconry: Wednesday, 27th March 2019 (9.30am–3.30pm) at St Mary’s Church Hall, Pinchbeck Lincoln Archdeaconry: Thursday, 28th March 2019 (9.30am–3.30pm) at Stanhope Hall, Horncastle Stow & Lindsey Archdeaconry: Friday, 29th March 2019 (9.30am– 3.30pm) at Hibaldstow Village Hall.
Speakers are set to include CCLA, Chattertons, Data Developments and Ecclesiastical Insurance, and after lunch Hugo Cobham (diocesan Stewardship Officer) will offer a follow-up session on the recent launch of the Parish Giving Scheme.
A further date (Saturday, 30th March 2019) has been arranged for working treasurers and incumbents who cannot make their designated date. This meeting will be held at Tattershall Village Hall (10am–4pm).
Invitations have been sent out to attendees, and more details may be obtained from Michelle Wardlaw, Assets & Trusts Officer, by calling 01522 50 40 61 or via email at michelle.tl@lincoln.anglican.org
Grandma’s Letter – a legacy of love The Revd Sue Allison, Rector of the Bain Valley Group, has written a book inspired by her mother, Shirley Marina Houlden, and her love of writing letters... The book is called Grandma’s Letter and it is a celebration of love and the written word and its power to change hearts and minds. A prolific letter writer, Shirley wrote not only to family and friends but also to strangers if she had read about an act of bravery or endeavour in the local paper. Two very keen recipients of the letters were Sue’s two sons whom Grandma called her little ‘sweethearts’. She wrote to them to remind them of all the ways that she loved and admired them. Sue kept some of the many letters her mum wrote to her two sons, and one very special letter formed part of both their wedding ceremonies. Copies of the book are available priced £7.99 from Sue (she may be contacted via email at susan.333allison@btinternet.com), and the profit from the sale of the books is going to the funding of ministry to children across Sue’s four parishes. DIOCESELINCOLN
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