CROSSLINCS News from around the Diocese of Lincoln www.lincoln.anglican.org
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May/June 2017
Thy Kingdom Come: holding one another in prayer and coming together in celebration and worship Many churches across the diocese have been busy in their preparations for engaging with Thy Kingdom Come 2017, the ‘global wave of prayer’ that is set to take place between Ascension and Pentecost this year, and which will feature a special celebration event in our diocese.
At a launch event held in London, the Archbishop of Canterbury described Thy Kingdom Come as a ‘move of the spirit’ and he encouraged those in attendance by saying ‘When the wind of the Holy Spirit is blowing... you hoist the sails and go with the wind’. (Continued overleaf...)
INSIDE...
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Living faith
Come and see
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‘A strong sense of knowing that Jesus is here for everyone’
A living place of worship... an oasis of peace and beauty
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Crosslincs is produced by the Diocese of Lincoln
Welcome...
Faith, prayer, growth, welcome and celebration are just some of the themes contained in this issue. Please do continue to share your local stories so that we can share with others what God is doing through you. Adrian Smith
The submission deadline for the next issue is 22nd May 2017.
Thy Kingdom Come: holding one another in prayer (Continued)
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
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 Angela Sibson OBE T: 01522 50 40 32 E: angela.sibson@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 W W W.LINCOLN. ANGLIC AN.ORG
Photos: Thy Kingdom Come
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/CofELincoln www.flickr.com/Dioceseoflincoln
At the same event the Thy Kingdom Come team promoted the large variety of resources that have been produced to support local churches and their involvement, from prayers and service resources, to family prayer activities to use at home, and prayer activity and event ideas. The majority of these resources are free and are available from the Thy Kingdom Come website (www.thykingdomcome.global). The Archbishop’s invitation is simply asking people to pray in whatever way they are able, with whoever they want and wherever they can, that others might know Jesus Christ. In addition, the team have produced a short resource designed to encourage people in sharing their faith. This resource is also available for free from the website, and we are looking to gather stories relating to planned events across the diocese. Please send Simon Dean details of events planned in your locality (Simon’s contact details are published below). Beacon event: Saturday, 3rd June 2017 in Lincoln Cathedral On Saturday, 3rd June 2017 at 7.30pm there will be a beacon event at Lincoln Cathedral. This will be an evening of prayer and worship, with the opportunity to hear about how people around the diocese have engaged with Thy Kingdom Come. Our hope is to see every parish represented at the event. Those who are able to attend may wish to wear red, orange or yellow tops as a visual image of Pentecost, and to bring a picture or photo that represents their local community, which will then be used as one of the prayers. For more information please contact Simon Dean at simon.dean@lincoln.anglican.org or by calling 01522 50 40 50. (Further details are on the diocesan website.) Sharing in prayer: monthly diocesan prayer diary Our monthly prayer diary will also reflect Thy Kingdom Come 2017 during May. As ever, printed copies of the diary are available upon request from Simon, or it may be found at www.lincoln.anglican.org/faith-discipleship/prayer-diary/
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Hospitality and welcome Celebrating history, hospitality and a living faith with festivals The month of May sees the West Lindsey Churches Festival mark its 21st year, and the great success of this event has inspired two new events in the diocese for later this year... One of the big attractions of the West Lindsey Churches Festival, writes Angela Montague, is a chance to enjoy delicious homemade food in the relaxing surroundings of a church or chapel. The festival sees 95 buildings opening to visitors across the district, over the two weekends of 13–14th and 20th–21st of May. More than 700 volunteers are involved in the sharing of their local churches, and last year the festival attracted an impressive 10,123 visitors. Over 70 of the churches will be offering refreshments, with 25 set to serve meals. St Radegund in Grayingham invites you to ‘enjoy a large bap filled with your choice of local produce’ on the 13th and 14th; St Mary’s Church at Thoresway will be offering traditional farmhouse teas and light lunches over the 20th and the 21st, and fresh Beef rolls will be available at St Thomas’ Church in Legsby on Sunday 21st. But it’s not just about ‘doing lunch’. St Edmund’s in Riby will offer a Big Breakfast in the Aisle on Sunday, 21st May, from 8.30–11.30am. Volunteer Sally Vergette, speaking with reference to the popularity of last year’s event, has said, “We served 150 breakfasts in three hours and sold lots of plants, secondhand books, bric-a-brac, local asparagus and cakes. We had lots of wonderful helpers and raised over £1500.”
St Edmund’s Church in Riby will be offering a ‘Big Breakfast in the Aisle’.
Thanks to the Lincolnshire Organists’ Association, visitors to this year’s festival will also be able to enjoy an Organ Trail of 16 live music recitals, spread across the two weekends. Full details of all churches offering lunches and recitals are at www.churchesfestival.info, with brochures to be found in libraries, Tourist Information Centres and participating churches. They may also be obtained by sending a request by email to churchesfestival.info@gmail.com Preperations are also well under way for the first Open Churches Weekend to feature every church in the Deanery of Horncastle. To be held during the Heritage Open weekend over 9–10th September 2017, the Revd Sue Allison has said, “We are really excited about this new venture. It is fantastic partnership working within our deanery, and a wonderful way for us all to show off the treasures to be found within our churches to the rest of the world.” It is envisaged that all 54 churches will participate in what is expected to be a fun-filled friendly event. The variety of churches in the deanery is vast, from St Margaret’s Church at Bucknall (pictured left) to the large medieval Perpendicular church of Holy Trinity in Tattershall and the unique ‘little old England’-style church at Southrey, which was featured in the March/April issue of Crosslincs. More details will appear in the coming months on the festival website at https://www.horncastlechurchesfestival.co.uk (not yet available at the time of going to press.) The same weekend will also see the first Holland Places of Worship Festival. Further details will follow as the event draws near, but information on some of the venues set to take part may be found at www.hollandpowf.org.uk DIOCESELINCOLN
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Living faith Offering the love of Jesus to all, and finding him in those we meet Following on from her article in the November/ December issue, Sue Rose, a final-year student at Westcott House in Cambridge, reflects on her faith, studies and the prospect of ordination this summer... Until six years ago I was a Roman Catholic. Back in the 1990s, my parish priest, Barry, encouraged me to study to become a catechist in order to lead classes to prepare children for Reconciliation (Confession) and First Holy Communion. It was around this time that I first felt that God was calling me to do more in church. I could not make sense of what that might be – I was doing all of the things that women were able to do in the Roman Catholic church, and I had a busy work and family life. I had been married to Steve for 30 years when he very suddenly died in 2010 – my son, Matt, and daughter, Clare, were then in their twenties. The following year was incredibly tough, and a real test of my faith. There were times when I just couldn’t pray, times of great sadness and loss and anger. One of the things that kept me going was knowing that others were praying for us. The other thing was family – my children were really supportive, and Steve’s sister, Chris, a reader in the Church of England, and her husband, Chris, a retired vicar, were always there to support me. However, they lived 300 miles away in Ripon, and so I spent my time travelling backwards and forwards quite regularly.
Westcott House Anglican theological college, Cambridge.
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Sue Rose, pictured in Sewanee, Tennessee, USA, in 2016.
Prior to beginning to train for ordination I worked as a general manager in the NHS in the 1990s, and then I worked for a software company specialising in systems for hospitals and social care. As the company grew it bought smaller subsidiaries, and I was managing director of several of those companies in Glasgow, Kent and Dorset. It was a busy life. My boss offered me the chance to manage our Leeds office after Steve died, and so, after chatting to the children, I decided to try relocating from Eastbourne to Ripon – I needed a new start. I started worshipping with Chris and Chris, and in 2011 I was received into the Church of England. It was around that time that I met Mike, who was then a curate, serving at Holy Cross in Lincoln. We feel incredibly blessed to have found each other, and we have been very happily married for over five years now. Mike is currently Vicar of the Carr Dyke Benefice, and we live in Billinghay. It was after I joined the Church of England that I started to discern my calling – I realised that God was calling me to ordained ministry; it had just taken me a long time to be able to hear His voice. I remember that I first visited Cambridge on a day out with Mike, and he showed me around Westcott House, which was where he had trained. I can recall thinking how beautiful and peaceful it looked. I didn’t imagine that I would ever have the opportunity to study there. During the discernment process relating to ordained ministry I met with Bishop Christopher, and he encouraged me to think about studying in Cambridge. Westcott House is aligned with the catholic tradition in the Church of England, and is quite ‘high church’ – more incense and bells than I experienced in the Roman Catholic church.
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Looking ahead to ordination Westcott House is right in the centre of Cambridge and we learn as part of the Cambridge Theological Federation, studying alongside students from Ridley Hall, which is a more evangelical Church of England college, Westminster College (the United Reformed Church), and Margaret Beaufort (a Roman Catholic college for women), and we also have lecturers from the Eastern Orthodox Church. It is a really rich and varied learning experience. It has also been incredibly hard work, and, as I am a weekly boarder, I travel home at weekends – this has also been tough at times. However, as I approach my final term, I am so grateful to have had this opportunity. I have learnt so much, and I have experienced so much. The exchange trip last term to Sewanee, Tennessee, was wonderful, and transformative, as have been my placements at Morton Hall Immigration Removal Centre, and time spent last summer at St George’s Swallowbeck. I have also enjoyed getting to know everybody at my attachment church of St Denys in Sleaford over the past 18 months.
“My faith is grounded in a strong sense of knowing that Jesus is here for everyone”
The Chapel of the Apostles, Sewanee, Tennessee, USA.
Canon Jeffrey Heskins, the Diocesan Director of Ordinands & IME 2 for the Diocese of Lincoln, writes...
God willing, on the 2nd of July I am due to be ordained deacon by Bishop Christopher in Lincoln Cathedral. I feel as though this is exactly what God has been calling me to for a long time. I am really excited to be serving my curacy with the team at St Botolph’s in Boston (Boston Stump). I have previously worked at Pilgrim Hospital in the town, and as a bereavement volunteer counsellor for St Barnabas Hospice in Boston, and I have always enjoyed visiting the town since moving to Lincolnshire – Mike has lots of family living in and around Boston.
I have known Sue for a number of years as she has discerned her calling through the various processes. Hers is a remarkable story and a very moving one. She will be one of what I hope will be seven new deacons to be ordained into the Diocese of Lincoln, along with 10 new priests, each bringing with them a story of their journey through faith to an understanding of this specific sense of call from God. I hope that in the issue of Crosslincs that follows the ordination services they might each be able to share something of that story, as they take the next steps in the ministry they have come to share.
My faith is grounded in a strong sense of knowing that Jesus is here for everyone – young and old, rich and especially the poor, and those we might call strangers among us. I know that the Stump is a place of hospitality and welcome to all, and as a deacon serving Boston, I look forward to being able to offer Jesus’ love to all, and to find Jesus in those I meet. These words are important to me: “For I was hungry and you gave me food, I was thirsty and you gave me something to drink, I was a stranger and you welcomed me, I was naked and you gave me clothing, I was sick and you took care of me, I was in prison and you visited me.” (Matthew 25:35–36).
The ordinations of the new priests will take place on Saturday, 1st July 2017 at 5.30pm, with the ordination of deacons to follow on Sunday, 2nd July 2017 at 10.30am. Both services will take place in Lincoln Cathedral. You might be able to come along and both welcome and support them on the day, but perhaps you would also please keep all of the candidates in your prayers as they prepare for what is a lifechanging occasion. Please pray too for their families, friends and relations and the parish communities in which they will serve.
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Noticeboard Fundraising for churches Sarah Roberts looks ahead to the Lincolshire Churches Trust Bike Ride & Stride... Following on from the success of 2016’s Bike Ride and Stride, which raised just over £24,000 to be divided between the Lincolnshire Churches Trust and the participating churches, this year’s event is to take place on Saturday, 9th September. Planning is well under way for this popular event, which is a great fundraising opportunity, and you don’t need to be a keen cyclist to take part – you can simply drop in on the churches taking part. The paperwork will be available soon in churches and also online at www.lincolnshirechurchestrust.org.uk We are also looking for deanery organisers in Axholme, Yarborough (Brigg area), Manlake (Scunthorpe), Christianity (Lincoln), Grimsby & Cleethorpes, and East & West Holland (Boston area). Deanery organisers are vital contacts between parish organisers and the county organiser. For more please contact either myself via roberts.sarahm@gmail.com or call Nicholas Ridley (county organiser) on 01476 55 00 55.
Open lecture on R S Thomas The Religious Poetry of R S Thomas – Questions not Answers? is the title of a free lecture to be held at Bishop Grosseteste University in Lincoln on Wednesday, 31st May 2017. Organised by the Revd Dr Neil Burgess, the speaker will be the Rt Revd Dr Barry Morgan, the former Archbishop of Wales and the author of Strangely Orthodox: R S Thomas and His Poetry of Faith. Up until his recent retirement in January of this year, Dr Morgan was both Bishop of Llandaff and Archbishop of Wales, and his doctoral research, completed in 1986, was on Thomas’ poetry, meaning that he is uniquely qualified to talk about the man and his work. The lecture will begin at 7.30pm (arrivals from 7pm), and any enquiries may be directed to Neil by calling 01522 50 40 23 or via email at neil.burgess@lincoln.anglican.org Magical Musical Mystery Tour... ‘A mystery tour of fantastic musicals’ is to be held at All Saints Church in Barrowby on Saturday, 20th May 2017. To feature performers from Harrowby Singers, Grantham Youth Theatre Society and Grantham Singers, there will be a matinee performance at 2pm and an evening show at 7pm. In aid of church improvements, tickets are available locally and via email: barrowbychurch@gmail.com
Mothers’ Union to host quiet days in May and November Patsy Moore (Mothers’ Union Faith and Policy Co-ordinator for our diocese) invites people to attend two quiet days to be held in Edenham and Lincoln... Sometimes we all need to take ‘time out’ to recharge our batteries – to stop ‘doing’ and just ‘be’. With this in mind, Mothers’ Union will be holding two quiet days this year and an invitation to attend is extended to anyone who would like to get away, for a little while, from the pressures of today’s fast-moving world. Our first quiet day will be on Monday, 15th May 2017 (10am–3.30pm) at Edenham Regional House (Church Lane, Edenham, Bourne PE10 0LS). We will be responding to Archbishop Justin Welby’s appeal to take part in a ‘global wave of prayer’ and Thy Kingdom Come 2017. The day will offer an opportunity to share
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fellowship, to reflect on God’s Word and pray and walk in tranquil surroundings. Mothers’ Union membership is not a requirement – we welcome anyone who would like to come. Tea/coffee and lunch will be provided and there is no charge for the day, but donations to Edenham Regional House will be much appreciated. Our second quiet day will be held in the chapel at Bishop Grosseteste University, Lincoln, on Monday, 13th November 2017 (10am–3pm). With the forthcoming commemorations of the end of WWI in mind, we shall be looking at the writings of ‘Woodbine Willy’, with times for prayer and reflection. Again, we invite anyone who would like to join us. To book a place and obtain more information for either day please call me on 01778 42 35 05 or email peterandpatsy@talktalk.net
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Our church family “The church makes me feel like I am in the family of life” As we continue to celebrate the life and learning that takes place in our schools, Crosslincs was delighted to accept an invitation to join with the Revd Alan Wright and pupils and staff from Wootton St Andrew’s Church of England (VA) Primary School at the start of Lent... As services for Ash Wednesday took place around the diocese at the start of Lent, the pupils and staff of Wootton St Andrew’s Church of England (VA) Primary School gathered in their local parish church of St Andrew. At this service, which was led by the Revd Alan Wright and the pupils, there were prayers and songs, and three of the children took on the parts of the narrator, Jesus and the Devil for a dramatic account of the temptation of Jesus in the wilderness by the Devil. The children and staff also heard something of the significance of Lent, with time offered for reflection on how we behave and how God is with us each day of our lives. Later in the service, everyone was invited to come forward and receive a visible sign of the cross, made from the ash of last year’s Palm Crosses, on their foreheads, before all were sent out with God’s blessing. After the service, the spirit of thought and reflection continued, and some of the children offered the following observations of their time spent in church and how the service had made them feel: A Year 2 pupil – “I love singing in church. The songs sound better and it makes me feel good.”
School headteacher, Mrs Zaitschenko, and the Revd Alan Wright.
A Year 4 pupil – “I have never had an ash cross before and it made me think about being the best I can be.” A Year 4 pupil – “It made me feel happy. In church you can say sorry.” A Year 2 pupil – “The ash cross on my head made me feel really, really special.” A Year 5 pupil – “The service made me think about how brave Jesus was and how I should think about my behaviour.” A Year 5 pupil – “The service made me feel special. I haven’t been baptised but the ash cross made me feel like I am part of the family of the church.” A Year 3 pupil – “The cross made me feel special. It was like a celebration.” A Year 3 pupil – “The service was special. The church makes feel like I am in the family of life.” The Revd Alan Wright has also since reflected that the service is part of “many opportunities for the school to engage with the parish church in public worship; others have included – and still include – a Maundy Thursday Communion (when in term-time); a Christingle; the baptism of a then-Year 2 pupil; and other suitable festivals as they occur during the school terms. For the Ash Wednesday and Maundy Thursday services,” he goes on to say, “either a member of staff or I spend some time beforehand with (particularly) the Key Stage 2 children to go through the service and explain what it is about. One pleasing aspect of this Ash Wednesday service was that not all of the children came forward for ashing. To my mind, this shows that the children are able to make an individual choice, and not just ‘follow the herd’ or be directed to. Importantly, these church services are not seen by the children as anything out of the ordinary. ‘The church’ plays an important part in their education, and so they take it in their stride and accept it as a normal part of their nurture.”
Some of the children came forward to receive a visible sign of the cross.
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News Bishop announces next precentor of Lincoln The Bishop of Lincoln has been pleased to announce the appointment of the Revd Sally-Anne McDougall as the next precentor of Lincoln. Sally-Anne (Sal) (pictured, right) grew up in the west of Scotland and read music at the University of Glasgow, where she gained a Bachelor of Music honours degree. She trained for ordained ministry at New College, Edinburgh, graduating as a Bachelor of Divinity, and at the Theological Institute of the Scottish Episcopal Church. Before ordination Sal worked for the Royal Scottish National Orchestra and for the Wild Goose Resource Group of the Iona Community. She has wide experience of the church, both as a layperson and an ordained minister in the Scottish Episcopal Church, the Church of Scotland and the Church of England. Sal has worked in cathedrals, suburban parish churches and urban priority areas. She was involved in social justice work in the Gorbals area of Glasgow, where
she pioneered the use of music as a tool to bridge the sectarian divide and bring together disparate communities, and has also been heavily involved in promoting a new approach to the rehabilitation of persistent young offenders. Sal has been chaplain to the Bishop of Lincoln since 2012, and a priest vicar of Lincoln Cathedral since 2013. As precentor, Sal will be a residentiary canon, and be the chapter member responsible for the worship and music of Lincoln Cathedral. The Bishop of Lincoln, the Rt Revd Christopher Lowson, said: “Sal has served with distinction in her role as bishop’s chaplain, and this post will be an opportunity for her liturgical and musical gifts to be deployed in a different context. I’m delighted that Sal is remaining a colleague within the Diocese of Lincoln.”
Multi-lingual Chapel offers sacred space for peace and prayer for all A Multi-lingual Chapel is now available at Boston Stump. The chapel, which will offer an inclusive, sacred space to provide opportunities for peace, prayer and reflection, has been supported by the diocesan Transformation Fund. The official opening of the chapel took place on Shrove Tuesday, which had been designated as the ‘Shrove Tuesday Finale’ as part of the Boston Connected: Community Table events. On Tuesdays throughout February, people gathered in increasing numbers to enjoy a free lunch and a time of fellowship and the forming of new friendships at the church. Supported by the Church Urban Fund’s ‘Near Neighbours’ initiative, Boston Connected: Community Table proved to be a great success. Commenting on the project, the Revd Alyson Buxton, the Team Rector of the Parish of Boston, said, “We hope that through these free shared meals, and the exchanging of recipes, new relationships will have been formed, with consequent opportunities for valued and deeper understandings of differences.” W W W.LINCOLN. ANGLIC AN.ORG
The official opening of the Multi-lingual Chapel at Boston Stump.
In some further news from the parish, St Botolph’s Church has been awarded the Animal Friendly Church 2016 award by the Anglican Society for the Welfare of Animals. Speaking of the award, Adam Kelk (Head Verger at St Botolph’s) said, “As a church, and indeed as a parish, we ensure that we are welcoming to all, with our parish statement being ‘A Place of Hospitality’. For us this extends further than just to the people of Boston, but to their animals, too.”
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The Revd Sebastian Mattapally has been appointed Rector of the Benefice of Springline. Sebastian has been serving as Vicar of St Michael and All Angels, Eastbourne in the Diocese of Chichester. The Revd Geoffrey Spencer (Priest-in-Charge of The Kelsey Group) has been appointed as House for Duty Incumbent at St Michael The Archangel, Kirby Malhamdale in the Ripon Episcopal Area (Leeds). The Revd Lee Gabel (Assistant Curate at Frodingham and New Brumby) has been appointed Priest-in-Charge of the North Wolds Group and of Brocklesby Park with Croxton. The Revd Teresa McLaughlin has been appointed Team Vicar in the Bolingbroke Team.
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Across 4 Opposite (6) 6 Seafood after work by 4D (8) 9 What’s e done to bind with cloth? (6) 10 Crowded party game (8) 11 To make the going heavier? (Perhaps 2D) (11) 15 Betrothed round north may pay for 16D (7) 17 Mask round it is non-resident (7)
18 Genteel tools for tarts (6,5) 22 All at sea (8) 23 Uncover concerning calf’s meat (6) 24 Horse place with charged particle (8) 25 Malodourous – like rotting fish (6)
Set by Kettlebird
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Following the completion of her curacy, the Revd Nikki Mann (Assistant Curate at All Saints, Stamford) is to take up a new post in the Diocese of Ely on 5th September 2017. The Revd James Gandon (formerly Assistant Curate at St George’s, Swallowbeck, Lincoln) has recently become the Vicar of St Andrew’s in Sneyd Green, Stoke-on-Trent (Lichfield), and the Revd Alex Barrow (Assistant Curate, West Grimsby Team Ministry) has been appointed Team Vicar of All Saints Church, East Sheen in the Mortlake and East Sheen Team Ministry (Southwark). The Revd Kate Toogood (Assistant Curate in the Parish of Louth) has been appointed Associate Chaplain at the Reading Blue Coat School and Associate Vicar at St Andrew’s, Sonning (Diocese of Oxford).
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Winner of Prize Crossword No. 18: Mrs Lynda Farman, Fiskerton. To enter: please send completed entries to Crossword No. 19, Crosslincs, Communications Office, Edward King House, Minster Yard, Lincoln LN2 1PU. Closing date for entries: 22nd May 2017. A photocopy of the completed crossword is acceptable, if you prefer. Editor’s decision is final. The prize is a faith-related book.
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1 Restraint for a drifter (6) 2 Where the waterfalls and rises (5,5) 3 Used by fish to control depth (8) 4 Mrs Pike? (8) 5 Making easy progress inshore (8) 7 Armour plated home for our finny friends (4) 8 Receptacle for fishy pie (4) 12 Good time for anglers (4,6)
13 The source of caviar (8) 14 Novice in confused streets giving board supports (8) 16 Put out in rising killed leading to wedding rites (8) 19 Groups of fishing boats perhaps (6) 20 Where the responsibility may rest (4) 21 Oh! My giddy aunt. That’s fishy (4)
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Come and see St Edith’s, Coates by Stow: ‘a living place of worship, and an oasis of peace and beauty’
Open every day of the year for informal personal visits or more structured quiet days, St Edith’s Church at Coates by Stow more than lives up to its description as an oasis of peace and serenity. Set next to a working farm, it is reported that ‘the present church was built by Peter de Coates and given, with buildings and 40 acres of land, to the Premonstratensian order at Welbeck Abbey, in 1156’. It is further said that ‘almost every century since then has made a distinctive contribution to its architecture or fittings, and it is this organic growth that gives St Edith’s much of its charm’. ‘Charm’ is a word that comes to mind when approaching the church and stepping inside. Visitors are also left in no doubt that they are welcome to rest, pray and enjoy the beauty and history of the surroundings. For example, an area near the pulpit has been set aside as a memorial space, with an invitation for people to leave flowers with which to remember loved ones, together with a further invitation to leave prayer requests. The church is also host to regular services and a series of special events throughout the year. Back at the beginning of January a Plough Sunday service saw a packed church with Young Farmers present and a display of large farming machinery outside, and on Sunday, 4th June (10am) there will be a
Photo: Peter Baumber W W W.LINCOLN. ANGLIC AN.ORG
Photo: Peter Baumber
Described as ‘an architectural gem and an oasis of peace and serenity located in the midst of a busy, working farm’, St Edith’s Church at Coates by Stow is a living place of worship that extends a very warm welcome...
A full house marked the beginning of the year at a Plough Sunday service.
group Rogation service. Here, a simple eucharist will be celebrated, with prayers offered for the crops and those who work the land, and the local farm manager will then lead the congregation out to the fields and give an update on crops, some of the current challenges (such as pests, diseases, weather and markets) and an opportunity to see a herd of StabiliserTM cattle. St Edith’s is set to be a part of this year’s West Lindsey Churches Festival (Saturday, 13th and Sunday, 14th May, opening from 8am until 8pm on both days), and visitors can look forward to seeing the rare rood loft, sitting in the quiet grounds and soaking up this oasis of peace. Although set well back from Ingham Road and ‘hidden among trees’, St Edith’s at Coates by Stow is signposted on the road and SatNav users are advised to use LN1 2DW. Further information on services and events at St Edith’s Church may be found at www.stedithscoates.co.uk
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Nature & nurture Making magnificent meadows Helen Gamble (Project Officer, Lincolnshire Wolds Countryside Service) considers the flowers of our churchyards and ways to encourage growth... As the days draw out and the grass starts growing, spare a thought for all the flowers that never quite get a chance to flourish in our churchyards. As these areas often represent grassland that has escaped the plough and pesticide, they often play an important role as a refuge for species now absent from the wider countryside and farmland. Even though you may not see the colourful and scented flower heads, that doesn’t mean your churchyard has no flowers – often, just by leaving a small area uncut for a few months, this is enough for the roots and leaves to get a chance to produce some flower heads. Not only will this provide a bit of colour into the grassland but it will also help bees, butterflies and other nectar-loving invertebrates to thrive. There are different types of flower-rich grassland you can create, depending on the size and usage of your churchyard: • Early flowering varieties often provide a reminder that as the year turns, better weather is on its way – snowdrops and aconites provide a welcome pop of colour and often act as a way of encouraging people to visit churches and churchyards for Snowdrop Festivals. • Spring meadows provide early colour, scent and nectar all within a short grass sward, and a good show of spring flowers such as primrose, cowslip, violet or bluebell provides a beautiful backdrop for Easter services. Ideally, they should be left uncut until about the middle of June, to ensure they have flowered and seed has set. • Summer meadows have lots of flowers in May, June and July – plants such as ox-eye daisy, bird’s foot trefoil, knapweed, hawkweeds and buttercup. If cut in
February it could then be left uncut from around midApril until mid-July or early August (about 12 weeks’ cutting gap). Once a cut has taken place, remember to remove all grass cuttings; compost them, make hay or take them off site. Removing cuttings reduces the fertility of the soil, which will gradually reduce the speed of competitive grass growth and encourage greater species diversity. • Some areas of the churchyard will always need to be mown short, such as recent and regularly visited graves, around the building and special monuments, either side of paths and routes through areas of longer grass. If this is a new way of managing your grassland then start gently by letting a small area of grass grow long and see what comes up. Remember, in a churchyard, mediumheight grass may be more appropriate than long grass as this may be perceived as untidy and uncared for – always let people know if you are making changes. The key is to find a cutting system that suits your context. Further advice is available from the national Caring for God’s Acre Project (www.caringforgodsacre.org.uk) based in Hereford Diocese, and www.lincswolds.org.uk/library/ churchyards.pdf and www.lincstrust.org.uk/meadows
‘Faith and the Environment: Act Local, Think Global’ The World Meteorological Organization recently issued its annual statement on the ‘State of the Global Climate’, noting that ‘2016 was the warmest year on record’. The future of our planet will be the focus for a conference to be held at Edward King House in Lincoln on Saturday, 13th May 2017. The Bishop of Lincoln will set the scene for the day, speaking of his attendance at a USPG international consultation in Fiji, where he met people being directly affected by global warming.
Other presenters will include Bishop Graham Cray (previously Archbishops’ Missioner and team leader of Fresh Expressions), Dr Vicky Dunn (Project Director, Grimsby Community Energy), and Mark Schofield (Lincolnshire Wildlife Trust). Booking information for this event may be found on the conference website at https://faithandenvironmentlincoln.wordpress.com/ book-your-place/ All enquiries should be directed to faithandenvironmentlincs@gmail.com
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Serving the local community Parish priest serves locals and visitors as brewery chaplain “So what does a chaplain to a brewery do?” A question often asked of Fr Gary Morgan in Wainfleet, and yet, as he is finding, it is a role that offers all sorts of opportunities... Originally from South Yorkshire, Father Gary Morgan followed in his father’s footsteps by beginning his working life on the railways, first as a signalman and then later as a station master. Without a church background, Gary tells the story that one day he had what he describes as a profound ‘conversion experience’. He jokingly shares that, for him, this experience occurred ‘on the road to Mexborough’, and yet such was its deep impact that he and his wife would move to Oxford, where he became a churchgoer and studied at Plater College, Westminster College and then St Stephen’s House. Gary felt a calling to rural ministry, and he arrived in the diocese to serve his title in Spilsby under the direction of the Revd Canon Peter Coates. Gary was later appointed as the incumbent at Kirton in Holland, Algarkirk and Fosdyke, and he has been the Rector of the Wainfleet Group since 2015. Those familiar with the group might know that the parish church of All Saints in Wainfleet is located just a short distance from Bateman’s Brewery, which was established in 1874, and it is here that Gary is the current Brewery Chaplain. “I’m often asked, ‘What does a chaplain to a brewery do?’, Gary says, “and I say ‘Where do you want me to start?’
The parish church of All Saints, Wainfleet, part of the Wainfleet Group.
I’m very proud of the work that I do here, and I believe that it makes a difference.” It is clear that in spending time in Gary’s company in the brewery visitor centre that his presence is greatly appreciated, with various members of staff greeting him as they go about their work. The level of input that he is able to offer varies, but he is usually around in person at times during the week, and he has quickly become a very popular member of the team. In addition, the role presents him with opportunties to engage with people from the local community and those visiting the area. As Gary relates, “We now have more occasional offices in church than when I first arrived. People see me around and they know me – they either speak to me there and then, or they might ring me at a later date and say, ‘We met you at the brewery; might we be able to talk to you about booking our wedding?’ We take things from there.” Since taking on the role of chaplain, Gary says that he has also been invited to serve as chaplain to the Fenland branch of the Campaign for Real Ale (CAMRA), and through this he took the opportunity to lead a carol service after a branch meeting held just before Christmas. “I brought some carol sheets with me to the meeting,” he says, “and then after the meeting we had an impromptu carol service – that would never have happened had I not been here.”
Fr Gary Morgan is a popular figure at Batemans in his role as chaplain.
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In terms of the future, Gary says that “I’m just being me and I’m seeing where it takes us. I didn’t think that it would take me to where it has taken me so far. To have been here for only two years and to know the amount of people I now know, well, it’s quite a privilege really.” In the meantime, Gary is serving his community as a friendly, supportive, pastoral presence for all.
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Resources and reviews Geoffrey Harris: Ocean of Love, or Sea of Troubles? Can We Find God in a Suffering World?; Wipf & Stock, 2016. It would probably be fair to say that the issue of suffering, or more properly how suffering in the world can be reconciled to the idea of a loving God, is one of the most difficult questions Christians face. It’s also one of the most common questions because everyone can relate stories either of personal suffering, or else suffering they know about or have witnessed. Why does God allow it? If God does allow it, can God be good? If God cannot stop it, can God be in control? Suffering goes to the heart of the mystery of God. Geoffrey Harris, Methodist minister and until recently Senior Lecturer in Biblical Studies at the Lincoln School of Theology, sets about tackling this question. His approach is not to concentrate only on the question of suffering but to offer a view on whether or not it is reasonable to believe in God in a complex modern world. In so doing he tackles some of the recent wave of ‘new atheists’ such as Richard Dawkins, and suggests that their view of the world may be too restricted to do justice to the breadth not only of our understanding of God but also to our understanding of humanity. In tackling the issues around suffering, Harris doesn’t attempt to offer a single knock-down argument. Instead he offers a number of perspectives and invites the reader to consider them as part of drawing their own conclusions. There may not be one single answer to this question anyway; but Harris is clear that it is a question Christians cannot avoid. In the final chapter he offers some perspectives drawn from pastoral experience which offer insights into how people respond to suffering and how having some kind of faith can make a genuine difference; not by resolving the problem, but allowing those concerned to live with it. This is a helpful, thoughtful book by a long-serving and experienced minister. It invites the reader to pause and ponder a mystery which ultimately cannot be resolved completely, but which must be considered if the Christian faith is to have any chance of addressing the concerns of modern thinking people. Reviewed by Neil Burgess, Ministry Team Leader & Ministerial Development & Review Officer
Laura Treneer: Church Online: Websites & Church Online: Social Media; The Bible Reading Fellowship, 2017. Part of a series of publications designed to assist parishes in realising effective communication, these informative, pocket-sized guides come very reasonably priced (£3.99)* and are decribed as being for those seeking a ‘crash course, a brief refresher or a reference toolkit’ in the area of church websites and social media (a further two titles will address the communications tools of news sheets, magazines, noticeboards and publicity). Each title follows a pattern that offers chapters on ‘Why it matters’, ‘What to consider first’, ‘Essential next steps’ and ‘Toolkit’ (further advice and sources of helpful information), and the text is warm, helpful, engaging and often thoughtprovoking. For example, the title exploring church websites makes the following point: If you want to attract people who don’t go to church, make sure you use the sort of language they might use when searching for a church – for example, ‘community group’, ‘family activities’, ‘relationship support’, ‘spiritual questions’, ‘why is church so important’, even ‘why is church so hard’. Uncomfortably, if you type into Google ‘why is church so...’ the next word it predicts is ‘boring’. Why is church so boring? Does it need to be? Should it be? Good question! The challenge is to address and change this perception, and these titles can help churches establish or develop an online presence that will demonstrate something of their breadth of services, activities and events, and, crucially, extend a warm invitation to come and see and share in what God is doing. We know that time and resources for such endeavours can often be in short supply, but time invested in the reading of these short, informative and jargon-free books will be time that is very well spent. Reviewed by Adrian Smith, Communications Officer (Adrian is also available to assist parishes in this area.) *For discounted copies (£6 for both) see cpo.org.uk/reachout
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The Developing Discipleship Programme (DDP) The DDP in action: realising growth in different contexts The Developing Discipleship Programme (DDP) offers a flexible means of support for mission communities around the diocese. In this issue, we share two stories of how the DDP process is encouraging, guiding and supporting growth in two very different contexts... A report from South Lafford As told by Alan Cooper, Lay Chair of South Lafford PCC The rural parish of South Lafford, which is south of Sleaford, consists of 11 churches, with a group PCC made up of 22 churchwardens. The churches were well represented when we had our first meeting with the Discipleship Team back in November 2015, at which we talked about where we were and what we might achieve. We agreed then that a key aim was to increase our regular congregation by 50%, by caring, sharing, teaching and praying. We are now approaching this big vision through some achievable, ‘one year at a time’, goals. Goal one was to involve children, young people and families in the worshipping community. So far we have a toddler group, we have Open the Book in the local school and we are planning a summer holiday club.
Goal two was to improve communication through: • a parish magazine that would be distributed free to every home in the group • a newly updated website • an online blog • two email newsletters, one aimed at adults and the other aimed at children and young people • plans for new noticeboards for many of our churches. Goal 3 concerned new involvement: to date we have a team who write the intercessions; a Ministry Team, which we are looking to expand further; and a bright musical outlook now that we have a new organist who is keen to develop both a choir and music in the parish. A year later, members of the DDP Team (the Revd Fran Jeffries and the Revd Louise Vincer) led a reflection meeting and we looked back at our plan to see how we’re getting on. At the reflection meeting we were pleasantly surprised to see how much we have achieved, and we all now look forward to the continued support of the team.
A St Lucia service held in Dembleby focused on the sharing of light.
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Future plans include: • more regular spiritual development and Bible study, which we believe will enable us to be more confident about our faith
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Realising growth • more pastoral follow-up to those in need, and also those who have been recently baptised, confirmed and married. We look forward to further growth in numbers and a deepening of our faith. Meanwhile, our vision continues to seek to be an all-inclusive, vibrant, Christ-centred church, embracing all ages: nurturing, informative, lively and spiritual. The group website is at www.parishofsouthlafford.org A report from Great Grimsby As told by the Revd Canon Andrew Dodd, Team Rector Life in Grimsby is busy and exciting. No two days are ever the same. Great Grimsby is one of the largest parishes in the diocese: four churches in the team serve a population of 30,000, which includes some of the most economically deprived parts of the country. As the civic centre church, Grimsby Minster works with many different people; each bringing their own gifts and challenges. In all this activity, it’s easy to get distracted from what’s most important to us: worship, discipleship and service.
“The DDP process is proving to be a real gift and encouragement to our whole community” The DDP is a vital part of our mission, because it focuses our attention on God’s values and commits us to growing God’s church. I started leading the process back in 2014 when the congregation and PCC met to discern our values, mission and vision. We were helped and encouraged by the DDP Team and, after much prayer and reflection, the PCC adopted our growth plan in February 2015. One of our priorities is to offer a hospitable welcome at an open Grimsby Minster. We set ourselves the vision of being open every day, with a café serving lunches, free Wi-Fi and a team of volunteer welcomers. That was an ambitious task, but because we could break it down into smaller, achievable steps we are well on the way to realising our vision. I have been delighted to see a large increase in visitors to the Minster, but we’ve been surprised at how often
The Fresh Start Meals and Care service has received local recognition.
people say, “I’ve lived in Grimsby all my life and this is the first time I’ve been in this church”. Our growth plan encourages us to welcome others to experience God’s love in the beauty of our building and through the quality of our hospitality. This includes a steady growth in numbers for Sunday morning services. Growth brings change; and the new relationships we’ve built are changing us. This is happening in many different ways: for example, our public arts programme at Grimsby Minster; our support to Fusion Creative Youth Theatre, which meets at St Martin’s Church; and our award-winning Fresh Start Meals and Care service, which is run out of St Hugh’s and offers hot cooked meals to the elderly (our award is pictured above). Each activity makes us think of the new ways in which God is calling us to serve. Our Archdeacon, the Ven. Mark Steadman, attended our celebration event following our first annual reflection, and here he encouraged the whole congregation in the steps that we are taking together. Although, like all churches, we continue to be challenged and stretched, the DDP process is proving to be a real gift and encouragement to our whole community. The DDP process supports churches to pray and plan strategically for growth. To talk through how the process might support your church, please contact Louise Vincer, DDP Coordinator, via email at ddp@lincoln.anglican.org DIOCESELINCOLN
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CALENDAR APRIL
Saturday, 29th April – Monday, 1st May. Flower Festival at St Peter’s Church, Holton-Le-Clay (DN36 5AN). Refreshments available, plus tombola, cakes, gifts. Open 11am–4pm each day. MAY
Saturday, 20th May. Summer Fair at St Guthlac’s Church, Fishtoft (PE21 0RZ; 10am–2pm). To include crafts, cakes, refreshments and a raffle. Saturday, 27th – Monday, 29th May. St Denis’ Church, Silk Willoughby (NG34 8PD) presents a Quilt and Flower Exhibition (open 10am–4pm). Display of vintage sewing equipment and some quilted items for sale. JUNE
Friday, 9th June (7.30pm). Vintage Brass Concert in St Denis’ Church, Silk Willoughby. Tickets £6. For more details please call 01529 30 24 27.
Saturday, 17th June. Gina’s Coffee Morning (10am–12noon) in St Guthlac’s Church Community Room, Fishtoft (PE21 0RZ). Tea/coffee, and a bringand-buy stall and raffle.
Friday, 23rd June (7.30pm). Digby Military Wives Choir in Concert at St Mary & St Nicholas Church, Wrangle, near Boston. Admission £10. Please call 01205 87 08 86 for further details.
Saturday, 17th – Monday, 19th June. Flower Festival at St Andrew’s Church, Hannah-cum-Hagnaby. Open 11am– 5pm on the Saturday; 11am–2pm on Sunday, with evening worship at 3pm; and 11am–4pm on Monday. Free admission; refreshments available. (St Andrew’s Church is on the A1111 between Sutton-on-Sea and Alford).
JULY
Saturday, 17th & Sunday, 18th June. Navenby in Bloom: open gardens in aid of St Peter’s Church funds. Twelve gardens open between 11am and 5pm. Refreshments in St Peter’s Church, and a raffle with great prizes. (Navenby is on the A607, seven miles south of Lincoln; the Post Code for use with SatNavs is LN5 0EG.)
Lincoln Cathedral: The Lecture Series 2017 Friday, 26th May 2017 – 7.30pm in the Nave Magna Carta Lecture 2017. Lincoln 1217: The Battle That Shaped History. Speaker – Dr Thomas Asbridge. For more see ‘Forthcoming Events’ at lincolncathedral.com Wednesday, 28th June 2017 – 7.30pm in The Chapter House Evening Lecture in Association with Jekyll and Hyde. The Civilised and the Savage: What the Victorians Thought About Human Nature. Speaker – The Revd Canon Dr Mark Hocknull. Wednesday, 5th July 2017 – 7.30pm in The Chapter House Evening Lecture in Association with Jekyll and Hyde. Redeeming Mr Hyde: The Battle Between Good and Evil in Us All. Speaker – The Revd Canon Dr Mark Hocknull. Lincoln Cathedral will also host organ concerts at 7pm on Saturday, 13th May 2017 (Jeffrey Makinson; Lincoln Cathedral); Saturday, 20th May 2017 (Peter Wright; Southwark Cathedral); and Saturday, 17th June 2017 (Colin Walsh; Lincoln Cathedral). W W W.LINCOLN. ANGLIC AN.ORG
Saturday, 1st July (5.30pm): Ordination of priests in Lincoln Cathedral. Sunday, 2nd July (10.30am): Ordination of deacons in Lincoln Cathedral. Saturday, 1st July. Traditional Garden Fete (3–5pm) at Folk Moot, 39 School Lane, Silk Willoughby (courtesy of Mr and Mrs Chillcott) in aid of the local church. All homemade refreshments, craft stalls, cakes, games, raffle. For more please call 01529 30 24 27. Coming soon: Flower Festival at All Saints Church, Harmston on 7th & 8th October in partnership with the Harmston Memorial Hall. To include a concert by The Hungate Singers.
Music! Music! Music! A weekend of music and flowers at St James Church, Spilsby to celebrate the renovation of the William Hill organ (William Hill was born in Spilsby in 1789). Friday, 30th June (7pm): organ recital by Colin Walsh, Organist Laureate, Lincoln Cathedral. Tickets at the door (£10). Saturday, 1st July: church open (10am– 4pm). Musical items throughout the day by Partney Church choir, Gunby choir and Burgh handbell ringers and organ music. Refreshments. Free entry. Concert by Zero Degrees Chorus at 7.15pm. Tickets at the door: £6. Sunday, 2nd July: Family service at 10am. Church open from 11am–3pm. Choral Evensong at 4pm, to be sung by the Greenwood Quire. Open afternoon on Saturday, 13th May (12noon – 4pm): organists are invited to come and play the newly renovated William Hill organ. Why not also come and explore the history of this church? DIOCESELINCOLN
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