CROSSLINCS News from around the Diocese of Lincoln www.lincoln.anglican.org
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July/August 2018 – Free
Greetings from the Diocese of Polynesia Following on from Bishop Christopher’s recent visit to the Diocese of Polynesia, The Most Revd Dr Winston Halapua, Bishop of Polynesia and Primate and Archbishop of the Anglican Church in Aotearoa, New Zealand & Polynesia, writes for Crosslincs about the significance of this latest visit and the impact of climate change in his diocese... Deep down in the reality of the threat of rising sea levels and other manifestations of climate change there is hope. In the midst of the realities affecting us, God is speaking to us of a new way forward. God is speaking to us dynamically about the deep meaning of human beings and part of creation. In February of this year Bishop Christopher and I attended the General Synod of the Church of England in London. In that General Synod there was an encouragement of companionship dioceses. As a guest of the General Synod and the Archbishop of York, I listened and was affirmed that
the Diocese of Lincoln and the Diocese of Polynesia were emerging as companion dioceses. I felt in awe that the hand of our God was so clearly evident in this new adventure for the Diocese of Lincoln and the Diocese of Polynesia. The companionship of our dioceses was given a new dimension through the visit of Bishop Christopher to Polynesia in May. We were so delighted to welcome him to our shores. Time was limited, and so Bishop Christopher visited three main – and different – areas that have each been affected by climate change. The first area was in Ra, Fiji, the scene of the strongest impact of the category five Tropical Cyclone Winston two years ago. Tropical Cyclone Winston was the most violent cyclone ever recorded in the Pacific and the effects can be seen even now. We drove over a very rough road to a community deep in the interior, Maniava, which has been rebuilt since 2016 (pictured above).
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Following The Way of St James
New stole has local significance
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Crosslincs is produced by the Diocese of Lincoln
The submission deadline for the next issue is 23rd July 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 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 (From July 2018) 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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Greetings from the Diocese of Polynesia
(Continued)
A concrete church, which can also serve as a shelter in a storm, has been built partly through a contribution from the Archbishop of Canterbury’s fund. Bishop Christopher blessed a rebuilt hostel for the schoolchildren, and he preached on the Sunday after Ascension Day in the little Church of the Resurrection in Maniava. The following day we flew from Fiji to the Kingdom of Tonga. Here priority was given to St Andrew’s High School and the young people of All Saints Parish, Fasi. We are aware of the importance of involving our young people in addressing the issues of climate change. As part of his visit to St Andrew’s High School, Bishop Christopher opened The Community Centre for the Learning of Navigation, Sailing and Climate Change. This centre is the first of its kind and is pioneering the relearning of traditional navigational skills and the use of sustainable energy. At dawn the next day we travelled with the school community to Pangaimotu, an island in view of the capital of Tonga, Nuku‘alofa. The main island of Tonga is flat, as is Pangaimotu. A third of Pangaimotu has been ‘eaten’ by the rising sea level. Bishop Christopher presided at a Eucharist as dawn broke in our ‘cathedral’ of frondless and rotting coconut palms (pictured above), and the students sang in praise of God and our shared praises reached the blue sky. Returning to Nuku‘alofa before catching a plane back to Fiji, we stopped at All Saints, Fasi to share in the passion of the young people in living with resilience. Some of the work of the young is being taken up by other young people in Oceania. Upon returning to Fiji, we visited Vanua Levu, the second largest island in Fiji. Here we were encouraged by the work and the leadership of Bishop Henry Bull, who has a rural ministry in coastal areas. We give thanks for the generosity of Bishop Christopher’s presence and time, and we give thanks for his passion for urgent action. Climate change is a global issue. By the companionship of the Diocese of Lincoln on the other side of the world and Polynesia in the heart of Oceania, we are embracing our world in our active concern and prayers. As we progress in our companionship together, we pray that there will be ways of hearing God’s voice together and of responding to God’s love with action that will bless our world and move us forward. It is a tremendous privilege to experience the depth of the leadership of Bishop Christopher and his friendship. Bishop Christopher says there was a great deal to reflect on from the visit to Fiji and Tonga. “It was a privilege to spend time with Archbishop Winston and his wife Sue and to be welcomed to schools and villages. Archbishop Winston is a man of such passion and holiness and I look forward to him making further contributions to our life as a diocese. I learnt about climate change in 2016 from those who study it. My recent visit was an opportunity to stand, and at stages to worship amongst the effects of climate change and the aftermath of Cyclone Winston. This experience has given me the impetus to consider how we as a diocese can be part of local, national, and international efforts to learn of the effects of climate change and to care creatively for our creation.”
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Diocesan news New Diocesan Secretary for the Diocese of Lincoln It was announced on 6th June 2018 that the Revd David Dadswell has been appointed as the new Diocesan Secretary for the Diocese of Lincoln. David has been serving as the Strategic Implementation Adviser to Bishop Christopher since March 2017, and the announcement of the appointment is below... Speaking of this appointment, which is made by the chair of The Lincoln Diocesan Trust & Board of Finance Ltd, Mr Chris Clarke has said: “David is well known to many in the diocese, having been the bishop’s Strategic Implementation Adviser for a year now. He has taken strategic roles in several recent initiatives, and with his previous roles, firstly as an Anglican chaplain and more recently in business consultancy, brings a depth of knowledge and a spread of experience to the important role of Diocesan Secretary. David has been appointed following a rigorous selection process. We are pleased to see him in his new position and look forward to working with him in this new appointment.”
“I am very excited to have been entrusted with the opportunity to support the growth of the church in the diocese” The Bishop of Lincoln, the Rt Revd Christopher Lowson, has said: “We have known David in the past year to be a wise and thoughtful adviser and colleague. I know that we will now see the full range of his gifts in this new role. I look forward to working with him.” The bishop has also thanked and paid tribute to the work of the Ven. Mark Steadman, the Archdeacon of Stow and Lindsey, who was willing to help by taking up the role of Interim Diocesan Secretary: “Mark was able to build on the good work done by Angela Sibson OBE, the former Diocesan Secretary, and he has deepened a sense of team spirit in Edward King House which provides a good foundation to be able to build on in coming years.” David is one of the country’s foremost church consultants. After 13 years in parish and sector ministry
The Revd David Dadswell will serve as the new Diocesan Secretary.
in the dioceses of Liverpool and London, David worked as an organisational behaviour consultant for 20 years with voluntary organisations including local and national churches and youth work agencies, as well as public bodies such as universities, schools and local authorities, and commercial concerns in mining and resources, utilities, engineering, science, manufacturing and financial institutions. He was Chief Operating Officer of a boutique, international management consultancy with a focus on helping organisations to achieve their purpose more effectively. Until his appointment in the Diocese of Lincoln, David had been an associate priest in a local team ministry in Windsor since 1997. David’s book, Consultancy Skills for Mission and Ministry, was published by SCM in 2011. In looking forward to taking up the post, David has commented: “I am very excited to have been entrusted with the opportunity to support the growth of the church in the diocese. The staff team have done so much good work; I look forward to providing, with them, the best possible service to the people and parishes of the diocese.” Please pray for David as he prepares to take on the role of Diocesan Secretary. DIOCESELINCOLN
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Our churches Looking ahead to the Holland Places of Worship Festival After the success of the inaugural event last year, the organisers of the Holland Places of Worship Festival are calling on all places of worship to join in this year... Set to take place on Saturday, 8th and Sunday, 9th September, the Holland Places of Worship Festival offers an opportunity to turn the spotlight on some of the architectural, cultural and community treasures of the region and to introduce them to a wider audience. A varied range of attractions are set to feature as part of this year’s festival, including church tours, music and flower festivals, family fun and home baking, and the chance to sit quietly in some of the area’s most beautiful buildings. Looking ahead, Myra Scott, chair of the festival, has said: “All faiths and denominations are invited to join in. It is about promoting and celebrating the places of worship in this region. The only requirement to take part is that the buildings should be opened and free to enter. We also ask for a small contribution towards the marketing costs.”
Sharing our musical heritage Joan Avery-Zedlacher looks ahead to two special concerts in Wellingore and Harmston in September and an opportunity to celebrate some local sounds... ‘Joyful’ is my favourite part of ‘faithful, confident and joyful’. Joy is the most contagious of the three and the one that, as a musician, I would most like to pass on. When I return to Lincolnshire from Austria, where I work as a violinist, I am always astounded at how beautiful our local churches are and how they are open to the public, as a sanctuary of peace, where everyone is welcome. Also, the sounds of a typical Lincolnshire village are not easily replicated abroad. I would like to make the musical heritage of our Lincolnshire churches come to life, by showing that local sounds and those of so-called classical music are not really that far apart. Composers have always found bells, birds and folk melodies to be a source of inspiration, and so at two forthcoming concerts we will play pieces for string quartet which incorporate those
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St Peter and St Paul, Kirton.
More information is available at www.hollandpowf.org.uk or please call Cheryllyn Humphreys on 07796 01 03 19.
sounds and the people who make them. I have asked some friends to join me on a little Austrian-English venture to discover the sounds of famous Lincolnshire composers, such as William Byrd, and Austrian composers, such as Haydn, who was born just down the road from where I now live in Austria. We have formed a quartet with a Lincoln cellist and we have called ourselves the ‘Cliff Quartet’ in recognition of the cliff that is home to the Graffoe Parish. On Saturday, 8th September the Cliff Quartet will give a concert in Wellingore with the bell ringers, and on Sunday, 9th September we will perform in Harmston, this time without the bells (for technical reasons) but still with Haydn, Byrd and animal pieces that show the playful side of music. Both concerts will take place from 4–5pm (tickets cost £10) and these events will be ideal for children who like music. To obtain tickets for the Wellingore concert, please email ann.h.avery@gmail.com or call 01522 81 02 78, and tickets for Harmston may be obtained by calling 01522 72 25 88 or by emailing caroldaman@btinternet.com
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Sharing stories Visitors flock to the 2018 West Lindsey Churches Festival The 2018 West Lindsey Churches Festival was a great success, and eyes are already on next year’s event. The Revd Canon Judy McMann reports from Rothwell... We had a wonderful response this year from the people of Rothwell and also our many visitors from further afield. The theme at St Mary’s Church was weddings and anniversaries, and so a number of wedding dresses worn by brides married at Rothwell were on display; the oldest example was that worn by Kitty for her marriage to Fred Kirk in 1955. All around the church our window decorations cleverly and imaginatively depicted some milestone anniversaries throughout a marriage. As part of the displays there was also a tribute to the centenary of the formation of the Royal Air Force thanks to the loan of some RAF uniforms. And, if that wasn’t enough, we were treated to a wonderful flypast of light aircraft that included an Auster AOP (a WWII reconnaissance aircraft), a Piper Dakota and a Piper Warrior, which was kindly arranged for us by Chris Dale.
The theme for the church displays was weddings and anniversaries.
One of the pilots taking part in the flypast was Squadron Leader John Rands OBE, who is well-known from being a member of the Red Arrows during the 1990s. We would like to say a big thank you to him and the other pilots who gave up their time so that we could enjoy their flight. The whole weekend was brought to a conclusion with a well-attended church service, and we wish to say thank you to everyone who took part, who worked hard, who visited, and who contributed in any way. These events couldn’t happen without them. A message from the festival organisers, and save the date! A huge thank you to the more than 700 volunteers who open up their churches, and another huge thank you to all the visitors, who make it so worthwhile! Next year’s festival dates are 11–12th and 18–19th May 2019. If you do not normally receive a brochure in the post (and would like to in March 2019), please request one by email (churchesfestival.info@gmail.com) or call 01673 82 83 15. The festival website is at www.churchesfestival.info
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Travelling together What do we mean by ‘church’? The Revd David Bartlett, our Fresh Expressions Enabler, looks at what it means to come together as church... One of the core values of Fresh Expressions is the importance of the ‘mixed economy’. Alongside the church as we know it, we are looking to create Fresh Expressions of Church as well. This raises big questions, such as: what do we mean by church? How do you go about letting one develop? What are the ingredients needed for church to happen? What do we want to encourage (and discourage), and how can we help to guide it as it emerges? It is too easy to define church by its activities and how we might reproduce those things in a different place. This is the wrong place to start. At its simplest, church is the community of the people of God learning to love God and each other and to be loved by God and one another. Jesus says that where two or three are gathered in my name, I am there, and so as well as our presence it is also about the presence of God. As Rowan Williams has said, church is ‘what happens when people encounter the Risen Jesus...’
Fresh Expressions is not an invitation to recreate the activities of church; it is an invitation to help create a space and a place where community might form, where love might be shared, where people might recognise the touch of Jesus, and where the presence of God might begin to be perceived. How does this happen? Well, the good news is that God is already present, waiting for us to recognise Him in our midst. Course information: the mission shaped ministry course will begin on Saturday, 29th September 2018. The sessions will be monthly and run across 18 months, with Saturday sessions in Sleaford and two centres (Sleaford and Market Rasen) for midweek evening meetings. Please contact me for more details (email david.bartlett@lincoln.anglican.org or call 01526 39 73 63). In addition, there will be a Messy Church training day with Lucy Moore on Saturday, 10th November 2018. More information will follow.
Following The Way of St James in Woolsthorpe-by-Belvoir The Revd John C. Bruce explains how a television programme has inspired a group of churches to undertake a local pilgrimage during July... Following on from the recent BBC television programme Pilgrimage: The Road to Santiago, in which seven people living in the public eye attempted to reach the Cathedral of Santiago de Compostela and the shrine of St James in north-west Spain, I had a thought: in the Harlaxton Group we also have a church dedicated to St James. Unfortunately, the church has been a little neglected over the past few years, and so why not have a pilgrimage to it on the Sunday nearest to his feast day (25th July), which happens to be a fifth Sunday this year (a day when we would normally have a group service) – 29th July. Plans are now in place for us to undertake this, a suitable route has been planned (with suitable stoppage points for refreshment, and to pick up those unable to complete the full route) and the Bishop of Grantham, Bishop Nicholas, W W W.LINCOLN. ANGLIC AN.ORG
has promised to be with us for a part of it. On the day itself we plan to leave Harlaxton at around 10.30/11am, to walk to Denton, perhaps collecting more pilgrims, and then on through the Vale of Belvoir countryside, stopping for refreshment and a rest, before later calling at a pub at Woolsthorpe for a drink, before finishing off at the church for a special service of celebration for St James. All will be welcome to come and share with us, and more details will be posted on our website at www.harlaxtongroup.org.uk
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Celebrating community New stole has local significance In a year in which we have been remembering the centenary of the Royal Air Force, the Revd Sue Deacon shares something of the genesis of her new stole... I noticed that a friend of mine, Debbi Spencer, asked friends via social media whether anyone had any ideas as to what she might do ‘that was different’ for the final practical pieces for her textiles degree. I mentioned that I needed a new green stole, and from there we discussed a possible design. I particularly wanted the design of the stole to reflect the life of Scampton and the wider Springline Parish, which is just north of Lincoln. As is well known, RAF Scampton is found within the parish, and so we decided to incorporate something about The Royal Air Force Aerobatic Team, the Red Arrows. We wanted to replicate the ‘diamond nine’ on the back of the stole, and so we asked for permission and this was given willingly once the team knew how we would be using this feature. The stole includes colours at the bottom to represent the crops grown in the parish, and it is embossed with a chalice and crosses. Once the work was completed, one of the pilots, Mike Ling MBE, kindly arranged for the stole to be taken up in one of their Hawk aircraft, and the photo below shows members of the team on that day with my stole.
Further information on Scampton Church may be found at scamptonchurch.org, and we continue to hold the RAF, the Red Arrows and all who serve our country in our prayers.
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Sharing our skills Celebrating Louth’s Men’s Shed Greg Gilbert, Community Outreach Manager in the Team Parish of Louth, marks the success and impact of Louth Men’s Shed ahead of celebrations for its third birthday... Louth Men’s Shed will celebrate its third birthday in July of this year. The project began in 2014 with a meeting of local men who were interested in developing a facility for men in Louth. I had identified a lack of facilities for men in Louth at that time, and so Louth Men’s Shed was born. The ‘Shed’ was established to provide a facility where men could meet other men, have fun and engage in a wide range of practical projects. The men regularly assemble to share their skills, make friends and network with other members, all with the primary purpose of supporting and enhancing their personal health and wellbeing. During 2017 we became a charity and we have extended our building to allow additional members to join and use the extra space for the development of new activities. The main focus is a woodwork shop, but we also have a cycle repair shop, a metal work lathe, plus upholstery, stained glass and other activities, and we run a weekly ladies’ group on a Thursday, during which we teach woodwork skills. Our membership list has grown over the past three years and we now have over 40 members. We are, however, looking for new members as we have capacity to open
A Celebration of Lay Ministries Lincoln Cathedral will be the setting for a Celebration of Lay Ministries on Saturday, 27th October 2018. The celebration event will take place from 9.30–11.30am, followed by refreshments in the south transept and the opportunity to share in the Eucharist at 12.30pm. The morning will consist of worship, teaching and discussion celebrating all forms of lay ministry. New Readers will be licensed as part of the celebrations, and there will be an opportunity for us all to offer ourselves in continued service of God. Details of how to book (so that we have an idea of numbers) will follow in e-bulletins, on the diocesan website and in the September/October issue of Crosslincs. W W W.LINCOLN. ANGLIC AN.ORG
extra days and weekends. Louth Men’s Shed was the first fully functioning ‘Shed’ in Lincolnshire and we are becoming popular with local organisations, charities and other community groups. We have men with a wide range of skills and abilities, ranging from skilled engineers and joiners to men who have little or no experience in woodwork. All are welcome – part of our ethos is to share skills and experience. We are open Monday, Wednesday and Friday each week from 10am until 3pm and we are located on Thames Street in Louth. We think visitors would be pleasantly surprised at the wide range of tools and machinery available for £60 per year (that’s £5 per month). If you are interested, please give us a call on 01507 60 71 97 or have a look at our website at www.louthmensshed.org We also have pages on Facebook and Twitter, and the kettle is always on!
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Promoting wellbeing Stepping out in faith together The Revd Mary Vickers shares her experience of how groups relating to health, wellbeing and sport have prompted some valuable conversations about faith... Walking is something that we are all familiar with. Many of us do it everyday in some form or another. Walking is also a metaphor for our Christian life – we talk of walking with God; and the idea of the Christian life being a pilgrimage depends on the idea of walking and journeying. But how often do you ever think of walking as a way into mission? When I asked some people about how walking might relate to church, answers largely fell into these groups: • having a country walk as a parish outing • the prayer walks that a church had organised • a church providing the starting point for the local health walk. But there is a fourth that I would invite you to consider: setting up a walking group as part of your local ministry. I first heard of this in the 1990s in parts of the Anglican church in Southern Africa, where it grew out of the Decade of Evangelism, and it chimed very much with my own experience of setting up running groups for women returning to exercise.
“The conversations one can have when accompanying someone are amazing” I have loved sport for as long as I can recall but like many people I didn’t do so much once I left school. After too many lazy years of adulthood, I took up running. Alongside this, I often prayed that God would show me a way of combining my love of sport with my faith and ministry. To cut a long story short, two things developed in subsequent years: an active involvement in sports chaplaincy and I started running clubs specifically for women returning to running after some time away. I had gained a coaching qualification in order to help a friend who wanted to set up after-school athletics clubs. Although children’s athletics is fast and furious, I trained as an endurance coach, as that was the kind of running I favoured. I discovered that this was ideal for the women’s running clubs that I set up – sprint coaches can stand in one place trackside to do their coaching
but endurance coaching is best done, initially at least, by running alongside people. And so that’s what I did. The conversations one can have when accompanying someone are amazing – some of them are very deep in terms of the things that really matter in life. I haven’t any stories of dramatic roadside conversions akin to St Paul or the Ethiopian Eunuch, but I do know of people whose faith journey has developed as a result of these conversations. When my knees told me that it was time to stop running regularly, I instead set up fitness walking groups. Becoming a ‘health walks leader’ is also a lot easier to do than becoming an athletics coach, and participants may be more able to chat, and so this idea can be adopted more easily by churches. The health benefits of walking are well documented, both for physical and mental health, and church-run walking groups can add a third dimension: that of spiritual health. I am always keen that the Church is honest about its intentions, and so care needs to be taken about how groups are advertised if the intention is evangelism. But why not start by setting up a health walking group, rather than simply hosting the starting point of the local council’s one? Like walking, and any kind of physical exercise, mission is best done rather than talked about, so I would encourage you to give it a go! ‘Sometimes God stirs us out of comfortable situations in order to stretch us and cause us to use our faith’. I don’t have all the answers but if you’d like to explore this, please feel free to contact me at mary@faithatwork.info DIOCESELINCOLN
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Children and youth Helping our faith come to life Jonny Bell reflects on exploring the Bible in one of our schools and also offers some key dates for the diary... For many years our local schools have provided us with great opportunities to help children and young people explore faith through collective worship, RE lessons and after-school clubs. Our schools work is a vital component in the way that we engage with the younger generation. I recently had the opportunity to lead an RE lesson at Dunholme St Chad’s Church of England Primary School. Working with a group of Year 6 pupils we explored the four Gospel writers, Matthew, Mark, Luke and John. The children created a profile of each writer as we looked at key facts and dates for each book, discovering the style of writing, the target audience, why each book is slightly different and who each writer was. You sometimes never know how much is being taken in, but this fantastic write-up by one of the pupils shows just how much of an impact we can make: ‘God gives us knowledge of part of the Christian faith, but only God is omniscient (all knowing). One may know more about God’s miracles than another, but one may know about his love. In other words, there is no predominant gospel, no predominant disciple, no predominant person. There is only one predominant God’.
Youth group social & the Big Night Out We are hosting a social get-together for youth groups and their leaders on Saturday, 15th September 2018 at Edward King House in Lincoln (3.30–5.30pm). A fun event designed to bring young people together and give leaders a chance to network and share ideas, please let us know if you would like to join us. In addition, and as promised, we now have a date confirmed for our Big Night Out event at Lincoln Cathedral. This will be held on Friday, 7th June 2019 and it will bring youth groups from around the diocese together for a night of worship, reflection, games, refreshments and lots more. Please contact us for more details.
These sorts of opportunities are so valuable in providing engaging and interactive teaching about faith, and they can speak right into the lives of young people. The Bible might seem ancient and irrelevant to some, but as Christians our job is to make it come alive for our young people.
Jonny Bell and Charlotte Bloom are the diocesan Children & Youth Team. Jonny may be contacted at jonny.bell@lincoln.anglican.org and Charlotte may be contacted via charlotte.bloom@lincoln.anglican.org or on 07908 70 38 64.
Sharing in Prayer together
See Lou Fellingham in concert
The diocesan prayer diary, Sharing in Prayer, is available as a four-page A5 booklet and is designed to help us to come together in prayer around the diocese.
It has been announced that St Wilfrid’s Church in Alford is to host Lou Fellingham in concert on Friday, 20th July. A very popular songwriter and worship leader, Lou released a 13-song live album, This Changes Everything, in April 2017, and more information about her work may be found at www.loufellingham.com
The prayer diary is currently published on a monthly basis and may be downloaded from the diocesan website (www.lincoln.anglican.org/sharing-in-prayer) or received by post by contacting John Leach by calling 01522 50 40 50, extension 4108, or by sending a request via email to john.leach@lincoln.anglican.org
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Tickets for the concert are priced at £10, and more information about this special event is available at mattculpin.co.uk/lou-fellingham-alford
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Children and youth Fun and fellowship at Family Hour The Revd Rachel Heskins reports on the success of a regular Family Hour held in Welton-by-Lincoln, which has recently received some formal local recognition... At a ceremony held by Welton-by-Lincoln Parish Council, our Family Hour was presented with an award in recognition of its ‘valuable contribution to the community’. Three years ago, a group of volunteers from St Mary’s Church, in collaboration with St Mary’s CofE Primary Academy, recognised that there was a need for a place where parents and carers, including grandparents, with preschool-age children could come with their little ones and know that they would get looked after and have fun. The parochial church council at St Mary’s underwrote the project and after a lot of prayer and a trip to a wellknown Swedish retailer, Family Hour was up and running. Now, every Wednesday morning during term time, a devoted team serve homemade cakes and freshly brewed tea and coffee in a friendly environment in the new school hall with a shedload of toys for the children to play with.
“Family Hour is the perfect opportunity to share God’s love...” “It has grown from strength to strength,” said Claire, who coordinates the group and plans the activities. “I just remember what it was like when my children were small and how much I longed for some adults to talk to now and again,” added Moira, who comes with her daughter and grandsons. And the best bit is, you don’t have to leave just because your children have started school. Angela was at a bit of a loose end when her grandson started primary school, and so she joined the volunteers.
Each Family Hour gathering has a theme and plenty for the children to do.
The Revd Adam Watson, Vicar of Welton, Dunholme and Scothern, thinks that the success of Family Hour is in no small part down to Don’s cake-making skills. Don turns up each week with a different variety and they’re always delicious. Simone, another of the helpers, has claimed that “It’s the reason I come!” We have a theme and a good-old singsong, plus there are special services in the church at Easter and Christmas. Some first-time parents have shared how the storytelling and singing have helped them to be more confident in reading aloud to their children, and we have learned how to pray using our fingers: we give God a ‘thumbs up’ for something we want to thank Him for; we point to something we want Him to help us with; we think of grown-ups who need our prayers when we wiggle our tallest finger; people we love for our ring finger; and little people or people who need God to help them be strong when we wiggle our little fingers. Some of the families that come to Family Hour are finding their way into church on Sundays and some of the other church activities in the benefice. To paraphrase St Francis, Family Hour is the perfect opportunity to share God’s love and you don’t even have to use words.
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Supporting our schools Could you be a Bishop’s Visitor? Judy Dickin (Bishop’s Visitor Coordinator) writes on the role of Bishop’s Visitors in our diocese and issues an invitation for more people to consider this role... Have you got what it takes to support your local Church of England Infant, Primary or Secondary school as a confidential Christian friend? This is what approximately 70 volunteers within the diocese are currently engaged in as Bishop’s Visitors. Some being the link between the local parish church and their school, others travelling some distance to be with their school, but all of them making the link between the school, the church, the church school family and the Diocese of Lincoln. Our Bishop’s Visitors come from a variety of backgrounds and offer an amazing array of individual talents, which can be shared with their schools in agreement with the Headteacher. All of them are committed to enhancing the Christian distinctiveness of their schools and to praying for their schools on a daily basis. Through an annual conference and two regional meetings our volunteers are made familiar with national issues in education by members of the diocesan team, and as a result they are aware of the many challenges facing our schools today. What do they do? Some simply listen, others take part in collective worship or work with the collective worship council, others run gardening clubs, and we even had a gold medal winning school garden at the Chelsea Flower Show in 2016. Art, drama and music are offered by some visitors, while others offer washing up or an extra adult on a school trip, but all represent the Bishop of Lincoln through the sharing of his termly letter and also the diocesan education team.
Forthcoming events in the diocese On Saturday, 28th July 2018 you are invited to Hainton Church from 3–5pm to have a cream tea, and ‘meet’ Sir George Heneage and his other relations commemorated in the nationally important range of monuments dating from 1435 to 1953. Proceeds will go to church funds. Addlethorpe Remembers 1918. Saturday, 25th – Monday, 27th August 2018 at St Nicholas Church in Addlethorpe (PE24 4TW). Celebrating the centenary of national events
W W W.LINCOLN. ANGLIC AN.ORG
How often do they visit? This depends on both the time available to the volunteer and how this fits in with the busy life of a school. Some visit on a weekly basis, while others visit half-termly. We have 141 church schools in our diocese and a frequently asked question by our headteachers is ‘Please can you find me a Bishop’s Visitor?’ If you feel called to support one of our schools in this way, please contact Sally Doughty on 01522 50 40 10 (email sally.doughty@lincoln. anglican.org) or myself at judith.dickin@ntlworld.com This voluntary role is subject to an enhanced DBS check and a commitment to safeguarding training. and of life in and around Addlethorpe 100 years ago. To include flower displays, bell ringing, organ music, stalls and refreshments. On the Saturday there will be a concert offered by local musicians (7pm), and there will be a Songs of Praise service on the Sunday at 6pm. Also taking place on 25th, 26th and 27th August is a flower festival at St Mary & St Nicholas Church, Wrangle, near Boston. The theme is ‘Celebrations’, the church will be open from 10am–5pm, and there will be stalls with bric a brac, homemade produce and light refreshments.
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Nature and nurture Working to protect our bees
To most people a bee means the honey bee. To the more enlightened there is the honey bee and the bumblebee. Bees are, however, a little more complicated than that. Although it is true that there is only one species of honey bee in the British Isles, there are 24 species of bumblebee (social bees) and another 250 species of solitary bees. Only honey bees and the red mason bee tend to make their presence felt in churches. Honey bees may nest in roof cavities and their winter food-store of honey may ooze down interior walls and potentially damage curtains and other wall hangings. The red mason bee is a solitary but colony-forming species, with hundreds of females nesting close together in holes in the soft mortar between the exterior stonework of the church. This is, however, only part of the story. Many kinds of insects feed on nectar produced by flowers and in moving from flower to flower they will help to pollinate the plants. Bees differ in that they too feed on nectar but they gather the pollen and take it back to their nests to feed their young. By contrast, adult wasps feed on nectar but feed their brood on animal protein, mainly insects. Bees are becoming scarcer in the countryside because the vital pollen and nectar sources are becoming rarer. Suburban parks and gardens could provide vital resources for bees but many favourite plants are cultivated sterile hybrids which provide nothing for wildlife.
Andrena fulva Š Mike Edwards
As we continue to consider our engagement with the natural world, bee specialist Dr David Sheppard explains why they are so important and how we can help them...
Churchyards could therefore play an important role in providing food for adult bees and their broods as well as providing nesting sites in secluded corners. A succession of wild social and solitary bees are present in the countryside from early March through to November. In managing churchyards to help bees it is very important to have a succession of nectarand pollen-bearing flowers over this same period. Everything from willows in early spring to ivy blossom in late autumn is important, and in sufficient quantity to provide resources to support populations of bees, not just a few individuals.
Anthidium manicatum Š Mike Edwards
With this in mind, leaving rough, uncut areas in littlevisited parts of the churchyard is a good idea but such areas need to be in sunny places, not hidden away in dark, shaded corners. Flower beds/margins/corners containing large numbers of nectar- and pollenbearing plants would be helpful to bees and relatively easily managed. Perennial plants are, in general, better than annuals thus making management so much easier. Those rough corners are still important, especially for nesting and for hibernation. Churchyards could provide an oasis of colour, scent and sound and provide important refuges for our bees and other pollinating insects. Further advice and helpful information is available from the national Caring for God’s Acre Project at www.caringforgodsacre.org.uk In addition, the British Bumblebee Conservation Trust offers information via www.bumblebeeconservation.org, and material may also be found on the Bees, Wasps & Ants Recording Society (BWARS) website at www.bwars.com
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Announcements The Revd Patrick McEune will be licensed as Rector of the benefice of The Binbrook Group at St Mary’s, Binbrook on Thursday, 30th August 2018 (7pm). The Revd Carolyn Kennedy has retired from her post as Rector of the Uffington Group of Parishes with effect from 31st May 2018. The Revd Ruben Angelici has resigned his licence as Curate at Lincoln, St John the Baptist. Ruben has been licensed as School Chaplain at Denstone College in the Diocese of Lichfield. The Revd Canon Andrew Hawes will retire from his post as Vicar of Edenham with Witham On The Hill and Swinstead with effect from 30th September 2018. Andrew’s last Sunday in the parish will be 26th August.
Supporting those who serve As John Campbell explains, the local branch of The Church of England Guild of Vergers offers help, advice, training and fellowship to all who serve in this way... Opening the church, tending the boiler, cleaning the pews, polishing the silver, laundering the linen, sweeping the floors, welcoming the visitor, pilgrim, parishioner, leading the way... those who carry out these important roles all come under the umbrella of the verger. Vergers throughout the country, and beyond, offer a practical ministry, a ministry that brings together many of the ancient positions of the church: sexton, parish clerk, caretaker, ostiarius [look that one up – Psalm 84 v10] bedel, custos, etc. Although teams of vergers exist in cathedrals and larger churches, often the work of the verger is carried out alone or in small shared teams. The Church of England Guild of Vergers offers help, advice, training and fellowship to all who carry out this ministry. The guild works to establish the verger’s role in the church as a positive one for the twenty-first century. The local (Lincoln/Southwell) branch of the guild meets six times a year throughout the diocese and offers a varied programme of events, with members coming from Grimsby to Grantham, Gainsborough to Long Sutton and across the border from Nottinghamshire. For further information about local activities of The Church of England Guild of Vergers in your area, please call 01522 56 16 38 or email either our secretary, Colin Beevers, at c-beevers@hotmail.co.uk or our chairman, John Campbell, at dv@lincolncathedral.com
W W W.LINCOLN. ANGLIC AN.ORG
The Revd Philippa White has resigned her licence as Assistant Curate of Lincoln Cathedral and St John the Baptist, Ermine with effect from 31st July 2018. Philippa will be licensed as Succentor of Christ Church, Oxford. The Revd Canon Stephen Hoy will retire from his post as Incumbent of St John the Baptist, Ermine and the Lincoln Diocese Spirituality Adviser with effect from Monday, 1st October 2018. Stephen’s last Sunday in the parish will be 23rd September 2018. The Revd Mary Stonier has been licensed as Associate Priest of the benefice of Bottesford with Ashby. Please join us in praying for all of these people and for their parishes and benefices, and for all who offer and share in the ministry offered in the Diocese of Lincoln.
PRIZE CROSSWORD Set by Kettlebird
S U P P O O O S D E L I C A E U O L C F A R U R I T A O E B I N A T S P I C K L P R E L E A V E E W P S P L A S
Solution to No. 25
R T O F F I C O E N A T E S C R U F E M A N YMP I CME D A K P A A N I A N T E O D S I I MP O R T A N C A R G E DON I ON S E K K S AWA I T I N T N W H S A G G I N
E X F O L I A T E S A G O G
Winner of Prize Crossword No. 25: Mrs L Alderson, Quarrington.
In this issue we extend our grateful thanks to Kettlebird, who is stepping down from his role as the compiler of the Crosslincs Prize Crossword. As regular readers will know, Kettlebird has entertained us across many, many issues through his excellent work in compiling the crossword. We thank him and we all wish him all the very best. If you are interested in taking on the role, please contact the Communications Officer (contact details are on page 2).
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Noticeboard Preserving St Martin’s, Stamford Fr Gavin Cooper, Rector of The Benefice of St Mary and St Martin, Stamford, reports on the creation of a Conservation Trust for the fabric of St Martin’s Church... It seemed to me to be most unfair that every time St Martin’s Church, Stamford needed some attention on the building, it fell to the folk in the pews to come up with a good chunk of the cash. The reality is that their giving should be for the day-to-day running and for the mission of the church, and so we have launched St Martin’s Church Conservation Trust in order to help with those all important funds for the fabric. Churches are no strangers to ‘friends groups’ but we wanted to make it clear that this charity was to foster interest in the heritage and preservation of this historic building rather than as a vehicle for mission. Yes, we need to make disciples, but we also need to look after our glorious buildings.
The Revd Gavin Cooper SSC pictured in St Martin’s Church with Mrs Miranda Rock DL, House Director, Burghley House and The Most Hon. The Marquess of Salisbury, Patron of the trust.
The Conservation Trust is already proving an excellent way of getting the local people to take an interest in the building that sits in the middle of their community. Stamford is a town that takes conservation very seriously and we have already forged links with the local authority’s heritage officers and with local organisations. St Martin’s contains the tombs of William Cecil, The First Lord Burghley, and many of his descendants, and we are very lucky to have his direct descendants The Marquess of Exeter and The Marquess of Salisbury as patrons of the trust. We are very excited about this new venture and hope that it continues its initial success into the future. Further information is available from the trust website at www.stmartinschurchconservationtrust.com
Under new ownership: The Old Palace Hotel (Lincoln) Limited In recent months the diocesan office has been engaged in the transfer of the Old Palace Hotel (Lincoln) Limited. The transfer of this company was completed on 30th April 2018, and as a result the Old Palace Hotel (Lincoln) Limited is now operating under new ownership from The Old Palace Lodge, which was formerly the redundant church of St Michael on the Mount. Lincoln Diocesan Trust and Board of Finance Limited will have no involvement in the day-to-day running of the hotel, and further information and contact details may now be found on the hotel’s website at www.theoldpalace.org
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CALENDAR JULY
Tuesday, 3rd July until Thursday, 5th July. Mothers’ Union Worldwide President, Lynne Tembey, will be meeting members from across the diocese. As highlighted in the last issue, Lynne will be preaching at the Triennial Festival in Grimsby Minster on Wednesday, 4th July at 2pm in the presence of the Bishop of Lincoln, the Rt Revd Christopher Lowson. As well as travelling to visit local members, Lynne will be moving on to Lincoln on Thursday, 5th July, visiting Bishop Grosseteste University Chaplaincy, and then on to the current Mothers’ Union office at St Benedict’s Church in Lincoln in time for midday prayers and a buffet lunch with invited guests. Friday 6th July (7pm). A concert by Frampton Hand Bell Ringers will be held at St Helen’s Church in Stickford. Entry is £5 (including refreshments). Saturday, 7th July (10.30am–3pm). Louth Summer Fair at St James’ Church (Westgate, Louth LN11 9YE). A lively, traditional fair with stalls, food, music, games and events. Held on the cobbles outside the historic church, and in the adjoining Rectory garden, there will be something for all the family to enjoy.
Thursday, 12th – Monday, 16th July. Sutton Bridge Flower Festival in St Matthew’s Church. Open daily from 10am until 6pm (12noon until 6pm on the Sunday and 10am until 3pm on the Monday). Refreshments and stalls. Trad Jazz (£6) on the Saturday from 7–9.30pm, and a gospel choir on the Sunday at 3pm. Friday, 13th July (7pm). St Guthlac’s Church, Fishtoft will host Horncastle Gospel Choir. Tickets (£7) will include cheese and wine/soft drink. Wednesday, 18th July (7.30pm). Tutbury Castle Cometh to Graffoe. The castle was four times the prison of Mary Queen of Scots, and it is said that she loathed it. A chance to hear her ‘story’ as the end of her life draws near. Presented at St Peter’s Church, Navenby by Lesley Smith, Curator of Tutbury Castle. Tickets (£15, including refreshments) may be obtained from Beth Devonald, 21 Blind Lane, Coleby LN5 0AL (T: 01522 81 00 30; E: devonald@btinternet. com). Please include a self-addressed stamped envelope for postal orders, making cheques payable to Graffoe PCC. (Please note: parental guidance is required for those who are aged under 16 years).
Thursday, 26th July until Sunday, 29th July. A Parade of Proverbs – a flower festival at Gedney Church (PE12 0BU). Doors open each day at 10am and there is free admission. Refreshments and stalls will also be available. Sunday 29th July (2–4pm). Cream teas will be served during the afternoon at St Helen’s Church, Stickford. AUGUST
Saturday, 25th and Sunday, 26th August (10am until 4pm daily). An arts, crafts and flowers exhibition at St James’ Church, Freiston. To include artwork displays by local artisans, craft stalls and flower displays to help make the church look even more beautiful. Some of the artwork will be for sale, and the craft and gift stalls will have lots of unusual craft items. Homemade refreshments will be available to buy and entry is free (donations if desired). Free weekly lunchtime concerts at St Peter’s Church in Cleethorpes There will be free concerts on Friday lunchtimes at St Peter’s Church during July and August. The concerts take place from 12noon until 1pm, and there is an opportunity to buy refreshments. Doors open at 11.15am. See www.stpeterscleethorpes.org.uk
A Thousand Years of Church Building in Lincolnshire Images taken by members of Lincoln Camera Club are set to feature in a forthcoming exhibition to be held in Lincoln Cathedral Chapter House. The exhibition, which will run from Monday, 3rd September until Saturday, 8th September 2018, will show something of the huge variety of style, size and grandure of churches built over the past thousand years in Lincolnshire, including St Michael & All Angels in Hackthorn (pictured right). W W W.LINCOLN. ANGLIC AN.ORG
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