CROSSLINCS News from around the Diocese of Lincoln www.lincoln.anglican.org
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September/October 2016
Learning together: sharing where we are and supporting one another in our call to serve
Synod was shown a film that seeks to celebrate the life of the diocese
In the coming weeks we will be hearing details about how, as a diocese, we might consider more fully how ‘we are Church’. As the Revd Richard Steel, our Mission Team Leader, explains, it is hoped that as a result we will learn together, work together, support one another and build each other up in our call to serve... What exactly is ‘Church’? We all know what a church is – the group of people who meet in a particular place to worship and serve God as well as, in normal language, the building where this takes place. But when we hear that we are being called to be Church, and to be it in ways that connect with the way society is today, what exactly does that mean?
We, as Christians, as the Church, seek to live out our calling from God in the places we live and work. There are today many initiatives, many experiments going on around the country, and around the world to help us. But what does it mean to be the people of God in greater Lincolnshire? Sometimes even that is too wide a question. We need to think about how we are Church in our village, or housing estate, or market town or urban area, or… that is, in the community our church is, worships in, ministers to. That is why next year we are starting a new way of bringing people from each of the different types of area in greater Lincolnshire to think together, to learn
FEATURE
FRESH EXPRESSIONS
Introducing our deacons
Messy Cathedral for 2016
PAGE 4–8
PAGE 14
Stories of life and faith
Fun, faith & fellowship
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Crosslincs is produced by the Diocese of Lincoln
The submission deadline for the next issue is 23rd September 2016. 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/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 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
Welcome...
Welcome to the September/October issue of Crosslincs. In this issue we lead with an introduction to a commitment to be a learning diocese in the service of God, we hear from our new deacons, and we reflect on discipleship at home and further afield. Please keep your contributions and suggestions coming, and I hope you enjoy the issue. Adrian Smith
Learning together (continued from page one) together, and to work together. In July the Diocesan Synod agreed that we would commit our diocese to being a learning diocese in God’s service, where knowledge, experience, experiment and innovation are at the heart of everything that we do so that we can move forward, proclaiming the Gospel afresh in our generation. The synod also affirmed the model of learning communities and wished to see it embedded in the plans for the diocesan budget for 2017. There was a lot of excitement in the room as the vote was taken, as well as some questions. There will be meetings in the Autumn to answer those questions, to explain how this will work and to encourage people to take part. In summary, it is a way of working together, local parishes and central diocesan staff, of providing resources for your mission locally. We will be working together, learning together, supporting one another and building each other up. We will be working with others who are in similar communities to ourselves, facing the same challenges, supported by our bishops, archdeacons and specialist staff, to address how to be the Church where we are. We are doing this so that we may be more faithful to God’s call and more effective in sharing his love and calling others to follow him, to become members of his Church. We are doing this so that we will grow in our faith and in our service, and so that we will see people – in each and every one of our communities – coming to faith, knowing and loving the God whose Church we are. Richard Steel Mission Team Leader
Thank Your Vicar Week: 16th–23rd October 2016 Thank Your Vicar Week (16th–23rd October 2016) is a special initiative, organised by St Luke’s Healthcare for the Clergy, that is designed to help communities celebrate the important contribution made by their clergy to community life. Special free and related resources are to be made available for download from the St Luke’s website from the 8th of September. For more please see www.stlukeshealthcare.org.uk
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An invitation to reflection Church installation begins with £100 and a simple invitation – but what was the net result? We were interested to learn of an interactive installation hosted at St James’ Church in Louth. One-hundred pounds was left out in a bowl in the church with an accompanying invitation to visitors to take either as much as they wished from the bowl or to put money into the bowl for others. The Revd Matt Harbage, takes up the story... Imagine the cash was in front of you... what would you do? The bowl was left out for a month along with a noticeboard for people to record their reactions to the installation. Beside the bowl a sign told people that on the final day of the month any money left would be divided three ways: a third would be returned to the person who provided the money for the installation, a third would be given to charity (whichever was the most requested on the noticeboard), and a third would be ‘disposed of as a symbol of our wasteful society’. Many people didn’t believe the offer of free money was genuine! Some concluded they wouldn’t take anything as they weren’t ‘needy’. To one person I playfully asked, “If you were £10 a month less well off, would you then be needy?” Their answer was “No. It would take much more than that!” So, I enquired, “Could you give that extra £10 to charity each month?” It is the kind of question I ask myself frequently. Some suggested that there are two types of people in the world: givers and takers. I’m not so sure. We must be careful not to judge those in society we class as ‘takers’. And self-identified ‘givers’ can easily find themselves in need and must learn to accept support. Are not all of us, in different ways, both givers and takers?
The biggest challenge for many was the idea that onethird of what was left would be ‘wastefully disposed of’. In reality, we ‘throw money away regularly’: leaving food to rot at the back of our fridges, or heating the house with our windows open. Greed and wealth can become problems (one churchwarden provided an excellent reflection on this), but so too can wasting what we have. The money went up and down on a daily basis as people received money from it, and added to it: someone bought a memorial candle for a relative; another went out and bought food for the local food-larder; a school teacher happened to stop by with class. They took £10 and, inspired by the Parable of the Talents, turned it into £65! This was donated to St James’, and to the person who provided the original money. Who knows what else the money was spent on; most people didn’t leave a note. The gift was freely given. In total, well over £150 was given out. The amount left in the end? Just three pence. Some people felt sad: “It was all taken away”. Some were happy: “The gift was received by so many; hope they enjoyed it!” Rather than wasting these pennies, I chose to empty the bowl (I kept to the rules, as any visitor to the church could have emptied it). To the three pence I added £10 and gave it to one of the charities on the noticeboard – Cancer Research UK – concluding that the original donor really had given their money away and was not expecting a return on the gift. I personally found co-designing the installation fun and yet challenging; and I continue to reflect on how much I give to charity, how wasteful I am with money, and the importance of being generous with all that God has given to me. DIOCESELINCOLN
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Faithful, confident, joyful Over the weekend of Saturday 25th and Sunday 26th June we celebrated with those being ordained as deacons and as priests in Lincoln Cathedral. Both services were occasions of great joy, with the Bishop of Lincoln ordaining a total of 11 deacons and 12 priests. As well as publishing photographs from the weekend, we thought that we would take the time to welcome and introduce our new deacons and to offer them the space to share something of their life and faith with us. And so here they are, in their own words...
Samantha Parsons – The Horncastle Group My life has had a fairly international and cosmopolitan flavour having lived all over the UK, in various countries in Europe and in South America. I studied geography and languages at university and then trained as a teacher and taught in Lincoln, before heading out to Paraguay with an Anglican mission agency. This was a memorable 14 years teaching in an Anglican school and teacher training college and working with education programmes with disadvantaged children and indigenous communities. My final three years were spent with a Christian charity as an educator in a children’s home. I met my husband Rupert at missionary training college before venturing out to Paraguay. He eventually joined me and we served there together. On our return to Lincolnshire three years ago I began discerning a vocation to ordained ministry, which led me to Cranmer Hall in Durham for my ordination training – a beautiful place with such inspiring people from different spiritual traditions. After my ordination as deacon in June I began my curacy in Horncastle, where I am excited to be working with such warm, kind and experienced people from whom I am learning so much. It is wonderful to have a role that is community focused and which enables me to share Christ’s love in so many creative ways, and I’m looking forward to developing this. W W W.LINCOLN. ANGLIC AN.ORG
Sue Hentley – The Haven Group Born and bred in Lincolnshire and proud of it! I have worked within the seed industry in one form or another for all my working life (apart from a short break in a soiltesting laboratory): starting at Johnsons Seeds as a seed analyst, and latterly at Elsoms Wheat Ltd as a wheat purification officer. As an ordained local minister within the Haven Group, my feet are still firmly in the agricultural world, which not only sustains me spiritually but financially as well. It is in this environment that the wonders of the balance of God’s creation are on view for all to see. Trained and nurtured at Lincoln School of Theology in a learning and practical atmosphere, it will be a privilege to put knowledge gained into practice. I look forward to serving the community of the Haven Group of Churches, which have encouraged, held and loved me for the past four years of training. Now we continue to walk together on our journey with God, to learn from each other, share our experiences, and be part of a team encouraging a joyful exploration of the Gospels, the excitements of the journey, and offering confidence to speak of it to others.
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Introducing our deacons Rachel Heskins – Welton & Dunholme with Scothern I grew up as a Methodist in Shropshire, went to the local comprehensive school and sixthform college and eventually to Durham to read theology and history, which was where I first experienced a sense of vocation to ordained ministry. Unfortunately at that time, the Church of England didn’t ordain women. After graduating I went to Drama School in North London. On leaving Drama School I did a series of jobs, including a cash-in-hand voice over for a management training video and a lot of waitressing and retail. After deciding that this was no life for an adult, I considered ordained ministry again, only to be warned that if it was the wrong decision ‘It would be Hell!’ So I trained as an RE teacher and began a 10-year career in secondary schools. My first school is now the educational establishment of choice for the children of former Education Secretaries and Prime Ministers; the second failed so many Ofsted inspections it was closed. After getting married and having children, I found my husband a job in Lincoln and we moved here in 2007. After my youngest child started school, my husband found me a job as chaplain to William Farr Church of England Comprehensive School. In 2013, I finally answered the call to ordained ministry and was recommended for training. I studied at Westcott House, Cambridge, where I was a Chapel Musician. I love running, watching television, Dad’s Army and my dog.
Kate Plant – Holbeach I will be 50 later this year and so have journeyed a bit before this new adventure. I married young and have three children all grown and flown, with my first grandchild arriving this September. I worked briefly as a primary school teacher (which I was not good at) and as a consequence have huge admiration for all teachers; indeed, my husband, Tom, is one. I was lucky enough to work with newly dispersed asylum seekers and then with refugees in Wakefield. I went on to work more strategically in the area of Community Cohesion and then as an Equalities Officer for a housing department in Rotherham. I was a Social Responsibility Officer for the Diocese of Sheffield for four years and then, in the final year of my discernment process for the priesthood, I did the same job for the then Diocese of Bradford. My mother was one of the first women priests and my early faith was shaped by the Book of Common Prayer, grannies who read the Bible to me and excellent Sunday School teachers. Since then I have met Christ amongst Charismatic Evangelicals, Liberal Catholics and ‘Middle England’ worshippers. I have met him also in the profoundness of faith amongst Jews, Muslims and Buddhists. Finding God to be rather bigger than I thought, I took time out with the Quakers, whose silence is still precious to me. I was extraordinarily lucky to be persuaded by my director of ordinands to consider Mirfield as a place to train. Through their kind patience and example, my growing love for the Church I felt called to serve was deepened and informed. I have a ridiculous dog and I am hoping that the good people of Holbeach will train us both over the next three years.
Laurence Price – The Benefice of the Waltham Group I grew up in suburban London. After my first degree in classics, I trained as a lawyer and worked for the government, specialising in fraud litigation and investigations into misbehaving company directors. The credit crunch left me with rather more spare time on my hands and an opportunity to reassess what was important in life. I was, however, convinced that I had no vocation to the priesthood and started making all sorts of plans; I think God may have had other ideas. So I ended up at Westcott House in Cambridge, where I studied a two-year theology course. I am looking forward to getting to know the Lincolnshire Wolds.
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Introducing our deacons Kath Darby – Kirton in Lindsey with Manton My name is Kathryn Darby – most people call me Kath. I was born and brought up in Morley, near Leeds. When I left school I joined the Women’s Royal Army Corps, where I trained as a Communications Centre operator. I served in a number of places, the most memorable being in Cyprus. I left the Army when I started a family and enjoyed being a mother to three wonderful children. In my spare time I served as a magistrate. I re-trained and worked as a primary school teacher once the children were at school. I was brought up as a Methodist, and became an accredited Local Preacher in 1999 after four years of study.
“...the past three years have been fulfilling and have given me a real sense of achievement” My ‘conversion’ to Anglicanism came gradually about 10 years ago when my husband John and I moved to Kirton in Lindsey and I was introduced to the Anglican liturgy. It was about that time that I felt that God was calling me to something more. I attended confirmation classes and explored my vocation, which led me to the discernment year at Lincoln School of Theology (LST). It was during this time that other people confirmed my calling to the ‘distinctive diaconate’. Following a successful Bishops’ Advisory Panel, I continued my training for a diploma at the LST. Although sometimes difficult, the past three years have been fulfilling and have given me a real sense of achievement. I have loved meeting new people and have built strong friendships that I believe will last, and will help to sustain me in my ministry. I feel very strongly that my call is to remain a deacon. I am a very ‘hands on’ person, and my experiences of the military, preaching and teaching have given me a good foundation on which to build. My spare time is filled by my four grandchildren, two rescued dogs, a big ginger cat and an unruly garden.
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Trudy Hobson – Brigg Wrawby & Cadney cum Howsham Born and raised in Birmingham, at 18 years of age I joined the Royal Air Force as a musician. I spent 13 happy years at RAF Cranwell, playing the trumpet all over the world at events such as the Queen Mother’s funeral, the Edinburgh and Canada Military Tattoos, the Changing of the Guard at Buckingham Palace, and Battle of Britain services in Saudi Arabia and Iraq. As a Lincolnshire ordinand I studied at the College of the Resurrection, Mirfield, for three years. I spent my first two years completing a BA in Theology and undertook various placements: in parishes (Lindley, Billingborough and Friskney groups) and in secular working environments (Wakefield Mental Health Hospital and Bradford Near Neighbours Scheme). During a summer placement I had the great privilege of joining the Street Pastors in Boston. This is a fantastic initiative, which enabled me to go out to where the people are and practically enact Jesus’ teaching. I am looking forward to joining the Street Pastors in Scunthorpe during my curacy. My final year was spent on two long-term placements, first at Virginia Theological Seminary in America, followed by a parish attachment in Brownhills, Batley. From these two experiences I have learnt more than any classroom could teach. I experienced; living and studying in a completely different culture, a huge variety of worship and church styles, the Anglican Communion in the wider world, and meeting a vast array of people. These are all experiences I look forward to bringing with me into my future ministry. I am thoroughly looking forward to getting stuck into parish life. My training incumbent oversees five churches, and I relish the chance to learn from Fr Owain Mitchell all the complexities of living and ministering in a multi-parish benefice in rural Lincolnshire. Time management will be a high priority in order to give all five parishes pastoral care, and I know already that this next stage of my formation is going to be a bit of a roller coaster and will pass by in a blink of an eye. Please keep Fr Owain and the people of the Brigg Group of Parishes in your prayers as I serve my curacy over the next three years.
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Faithful, confident, joyful Jenny West – Holton le Clay, Tetney & North Cotes I am married to John. I was brought up in a Christian family, and on leaving grammar school, I went to Teacher Training College and taught infants for 10 years, a job I did not always enjoy. After training as a Probation Officer, I worked for 18 years with offenders. I sensed God calling me into ordained ministry as I started in private practice as a personal counsellor, supervisor and tutor. I trained with the East Anglia Ministerial Training Course, from which I was ordained as a non-stipendiary minister with the United Reformed Church in 2003. I was appointed to the North Herts Group with responsibility to Ashwell URC. Having been widowed in 2011, I continued with my work until I met John, when I decided to retire. We married in 2013 and moved to Lincolnshire to start our life together in Holton le Clay. We began worshipping in the Church of England, and I soon realised that God has no retirement plan and was calling me to continue ministerial work in the CofE. This involved further training with the Lincoln School of Theology and one-to-one with a tutor. It was my great joy to be ordained deacon in June. I look forward to working in the benefice with the Revd Christopher Woadden, visiting and getting to know parishioners, leading Bible study, and developing pastoral work and the discipleship programme, which includes starting a Café-style church in September. I anticipate exciting times ahead.
Rhona Knight – Sleaford
Annie Billson – Crowland The first of my many schools was a Roman Catholic convent in Kent. During my nomadic Army upbringing, I had to learn to differentiate between the distinctly Anglican faith I learned at home, and the Roman Catholicism I learned in school! This, together with a time of adult worship in a local Baptist church, all helped me to discern unequivocally that I am truly the Anglican I was born to be. Taken to church regularly from the age of two, life as a Christian is all I have ever known, and for me has always been the only possible way to live. Consequently, perhaps I shouldn’t have been as surprised as I was at God’s call to ordained ministry! My obedience to that call (whilst not absolutely immediate!) was almost so, and set me off on my journey of discernment. My four years’ study and training at Lincoln School of Theology have been emotional, memorable, joyful and challenging. Concurrent with the commencement of my studies came my licensing as a chaplain at Peterborough City Hospital. I take very seriously the servanthood aspect of the deacon’s role. Carrying out footwashing during Choral Evensong on the day of my ordination was a deliberate demonstration of my commitment to this. The visibility of the collar was always something that I anticipated eagerly and, happily, this has already brought more pastoral encounters my way than even I would have expected. The love and support I have received has been overwhelming. I pray that God will continue his work in me as a deacon and, should it be his wish, into priesthood.
I am married to Chris, and we have three grown-up children. Prior to training at Ridley Hall, Cambridge, we were members of St George’s, Stamford. I was a GP academic and educator, and medical ethicist. I was a member of the Nuffield Council on Bioethics for seven years, and chaired their working party looking at information sharing in donor conception. I have recently had a Grove Booklet published: The Quest for Perfection: Seeking to be Better than Well. I am looking forward to being part of the team at St Denys in Sleaford, learning more about and growing in the love of God, and sharing the good news of Jesus with the community we serve. I am a trained coach, mentor and spiritual director and have an interest in clergy flourishing. I love silent retreats and enjoy creative arts, using varied approaches to encourage and enable prayer. I am passionate about issues of social justice and the work of charities such as Flame, Tearfund and Release.
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Faithful, confident, joyful Jane Robertson – Boston I grew up Hertfordshire but moved to Bardney in 1988 with my husband and young family. It proved to be a good place to bring up the children – and to follow God’s call! In those early years, like many women, I did a variety of jobs to supplement the family income, mainly in the caring professions. I worked in the community as a Home Carer, then in nursing homes and also as a Health Care Support worker in a hospital. Since 1999, however, I have worked with young children and I am a qualified Nursery Nurse, specialising in three- to five-year-olds. In 1992 I was licensed as a Reader, working in the rural parishes where I lived. In later years I served as the diocesan representative on the Central Readers’ Council, a role which meant that I was also on the Governing Body of Lincoln Readers. Despite this, I had increasingly grown aware that God was at first nudging and then positively pushing me to explore a different vocation, which is how I found myself studying for ordained ministry with the Lincoln School of Theology. I have learned so much during the three years of training – and I have been pushed out of some secure comfort zones! It has been an amazing three years – a real gift from God – and I feel it has prepared me well for the challenges ahead as I begin ministry in Boston. It surely must be an example of God’s sense of humour that I now find myself not only moving to a new ministry but also serving as a curate in an urban setting! Whatever lies ahead, though, I pray that I am forever open to the Holy Spirit, willing and ready to be led.
We continue to hold those ordained priest and their respective parishes in our thoughts and prayers: Ruben Angelici – Sleaford Aran Beesley – Stamford All Saints with St John Sarah Bird – St Swithin, Lincoln David Cotton – The Lea Group Samuel Durant – St Peter in Eastgate Lincoln Matthew Harbage – Louth
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Christopher Hewitt – Barlings and South Lawres Mark Hutson – St Mary and St James Great Grimsby Paul Ievins – Welton and Dunholme with Scothern James Robinson – Grantham and Grantham Manthorpe Cameron Watt – Lincoln St Nicholas w. St John Newport Aileen Workman – Spalding
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Announcements The Revd Graham Buckle has joined us in the diocese as Priest in Charge of the Benefice of Castle Bytham with Creeton and Minister in Charge of the parishes of North Witham and South Witham. The Revd Graham Buckle formerly served in the Diocese of Peterborough. The Revd Michelle Godbold, Assistant Curate at St Helen and Holy Cross, Boultham, is to be Rector of the Benefice of the Graffoe Group. The Revd Andrew Jackson-Parr has been appointed Vicar of the Benefice of Bracebridge. He has recently served as Assistant Curate in the Withamside United Parish.
The Revd Canon Janet Beadle has resigned her licence as Incumbent of the Ness Group of Parishes, but will remain a Canon of Lincoln Cathedral. The Revd Cheryl Hilliam will retire from stipendiary ministry and from her post as Priest in Charge of the South Ormsby Group of Parishes with effect from the 31st of August 2016. The Revd Jonnie Parkin has resigned his positions in the diocese to move to Cambridge, where his wife will train at Westcott House, and the Revd Sarah Bird is now Assistant Curate at St Swithin’s in Lincoln.
PRIZE CROSSWORD No. 15 1
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Winner of Prize Crossword No. 14: Mrs G. Tonge, North Kyme Fen. Thank you to all who entered. To enter: completed entries should be sent to Crossword no. 15, Crosslincs, The Communications Office, Edward King House, Minster Yard, Lincoln LN2 1PU. The closing date for Prize Crossword No. 15 is 23rd September 2016. The editor’s decision is final.
Across 1 Paraffin C2H6 (6) 4 What doorman does (but might bounce back) (6) 9 Win chisel in sort of design for new big church boss (9,6) 10 Goat grease (6) 11 Palmer’s advancement by Bunyan (8) 12 Fusspot may induce a laugh when beheaded (8)
14 Good try may bring conversion (6) 15 Resist stance for surgery (6) 18 Could be Oxbridge scullers (4,4) 21 Open it entirely with regret (8) 22 See 18D 24 He gets the sack for poor net results (8,7) 25 See 18D 26 20D may be like kniphofia in current use (3,3)
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1 Pipes away the 6D residues (7) 2 Raised with a personal petard (5) 3 Gas from N. Sea (CH3) (7) 5 Weapon used by strong man to slay 1000 (7) 6 Value of heat in fuel (9) 7 Causes breaks in programmes (7) 8 Military marksman (6)
13 Sings well, or richest after weddings (9) 16 Make in advance (7) 17 I’m in host so 2D (7) 18 From 18D and 25A, and from 22A, 23D – Good Lord deliver us BCP (6,6,6,5) 19 Use a gas to calm down (7) 20 Appears periodically on table (7) 23 See 18D
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fresh expressions Messy Cathedral welcomes all ages to hear stories Jesus told The second Messy Cathedral event in Lincoln Cathedral was a time of great joy and sharing. The Revd Philippa White, Curate and Succentor at the Cathedral, reports... Messy Church is a fantastic fresh expression of church, allowing families to gather together to experience the love of Jesus and hear the stories of God in an informal setting involving craft activities, times of celebration, and eating together. With Messy Cathedral, we wanted to celebrate the amazing work of the Messy Churches in the diocese and to offer something different: a chance to do Messy Church in the setting of the cathedral. It’s not often that children and their families get the opportunity to run around the empty nave and finger-paint in the cloisters – and we hoped that the opportunity to experience the cathedral space in a new way, and without cost, would encourage a new constituency to visit the cathedral and enjoy the space in an informal and welcoming way. We were delighted to have more than 180 people join us to enjoy craft activities on the theme of Stories Jesus Told (looking at the parables of the Sower, the Lost Sheep, the Good Samaritan and the Prodigal Son); to hear the story of the Prodigal Son; and share a picnic on the lawn. A good time was had by all, and this was largely thanks to the work of our volunteers, from the cathedral community and other churches in the city of Lincoln and beyond; and to the support of the Revd Steve Johnson and the Revd Ian Walters, the Messy Church co-ordinators for the diocese. With thanks to both Lincolnshire Co-op and Pipers Crisps for their kind support of this year’s Messy Cathedral.
Lots of smiles and busy hands at Messy Cathedral as activities told the stories of the Good Shepherd, the Good Samaritan and the Prodigal Son. W W W.LINCOLN. ANGLIC AN.ORG
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International issues Climate change concerns aired at international consultation The Bishop of Lincoln recently represented the Church of England at a USPG-hosted international consultation, titled Encountering God in the Storm, in Fiji... Known since 2012 as The United Society (Us) but recently retitled as United Society Partners in the Gospel (USPG), this consultation was held in Fiji at the special request of the Most Revd Dr Winston Halapua (Bishop of Polynesia and Primate and Archbishop of the Anglican Church in Aotearoa, New Zealand & Polynesia; pictured below). There was a sense of great urgency surrounding this special request, with the reported consequences of global warming in Fiji meaning that 676 villages are at risk of flooding due to rising sea levels. As the consultation began, Bishop Christopher shared some words of greeting from the Archbishop of Canterbury to the representatives of 19 provinces from around the Anglican Communion, most of whom were bishops and archbishops.
Holy Trinity Cathedral in Suva, Fiji, was the setting for a Eucharist service at the end of the consultation. Bishop Christopher shared the message of greeting from the Archbishop of Canterbury with the congregation.
Professor Elisabeth A. Holland (Director of the Pacific Centre for Environment and Sustainable Development) underlined the seriousness of the situation, stating that “If we continue to emit in a manner of ‘business as usual’, we will see a metre of sea-level rise in 2100.” In addition to climate change, safeguarding also formed a major area of focus, and further details may be found on the USPG website at www.weareus.org.uk, with short video interviews with some of the delegates available on the diocesan YouTube page at https://www.youtube.com/user/LincolnDiocese
Holy Trinity Cathedral features a permanent reminder of Lincoln Cathedral, courtesy of this piece of stone to be found near the font. DIOCESELINCOLN
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Resources and reviews
Malcolm Nicholas: The Vicar’s Secret Wallpaper – Moments, Meanderings and Meaning in Christian Ministry; Rossendale Books, 2016.
Rowan Williams: Being Disciples – Essentials of the Christian Life; SPCK, 2016.
The adage that you can’t tell a book by its cover is certainly true of this one. The blurb on the back cover might at first glance make you think that this is a coffee table book about coffee table ministry; a light-hearted laugh at the vicar like Fred Seacombe’s How Green was my Curate. It is not.
‘The aim of this little book is simple: to help you to see more clearly, love more dearly and follow more nearly the way of Jesus Christ’.
Nor is it a meaty theological tome requiring a master’s degree in something ending in ‘ology’. Instead, Malcolm Nicholas has treated the reader to some moving stories of life that have been experienced through nearly three decades of ordained ministry, first as a priest worker in the Health Service and then as a full-time parish priest. Some of the stories are very funny, and those who have spent any significant amount of time in parish ministry will identify with them; but others are the kind of tragic moments that baffle us and cause us to ask questions of self and of God. This is a sort of ministry experience ‘thought for the day’ book that is well worth having on the shelf as well as the coffee table. His first ‘thoughts’ are about his sense of calling and the honest resistance to it before reluctant capitulation. From the start it has the ring of authenticity about it. What follows are stories and insights from multifarious contexts, revealing an author who never seems to have lost sight of what was really most important in the call to ordained ministry amongst God’s people. Frequently he reveals images of everyday life which he describes as sacraments, much of which reminded me of Leonardo Boff’s Sacraments of Life, Life of the Sacraments: Story Theology. God is all around and people matter to him. He pulls no punches as to the level of sheer grind that can sometimes be felt, but always his mantra is to remain faithful. Not everything resonated with me – I never had a parishioner who didn’t mind me ringing them at 3am to ask them to pray for me, but maybe that experience is still to come! Would I recommend this book? I surely would. Reviewed by Jeffrey Heskins Director of Ordinands & IME 4–7 W W W.LINCOLN. ANGLIC AN.ORG
Following on from his earlier book, Being Christian, in which he explores baptism, the Bible, prayer and the Eucharist, here Rowan Williams offers reflections on following Jesus with his latest work, Being Disciples. The Master of Magdalene College, Cambridge seeks to explore what it means to be a Christian today: considering how we live our lives as an example of Jesus Christ, and second how we learn as a community to grow in relationship with God and each other. He writes that ‘Discipleship is a state of being. Discipleship is about how we live, not just the decisions we make, not just the things we believe, but a state of being’. The six chapters of the book are based on addresses that the author gave between 2007 and 2012, including the one he offered in Lincoln Cathedral as Archbishop of Canterbury when our diocese remembered 100 years since the death of Bishop Edward King: Being Disciples; Faith, Hope and Love; Forgiveness; Holiness; Faith in Society; and Life in the Spirit. Although written in his own unique style, this title is accessible for anyone on their journey of faith. I was recently asked if it was written in ‘Rowan Williams’ lecture or homily style?’, and this book definitely falls into the latter category. The chapters are concise but offer plenty for one to reflect upon and consider. The book is biblically grounded, with questions at the end of each chapter for individual reflection or group discussion. This book is a worthwhile read if you wish to explore further the area of discipleship, and it would be a great book for any book group or it could also be used within a short discipleship discussion group. Reviewed by Simon Dean Discipleship Officer
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Noticeboard
The Mission to Seafarers is looking for volunteers to share in its work to support international seafarers who visit Immingham Docks... An Anglican Christian charity providing practical help, support and friendship to international seafarers, the organisation seeks to support seafarers, of all faiths and none, and is able to offer flexible, short- or long-term volunteering opportunities, and also taster sessions. Volunteers are now required to work alongside the port chaplain, and also in other roles that include ship visitors, fundraisers and parish links. To find out more about this work with seafarers in our area, please contact Geraldine Pearce, Chaplain to the Humber Ports, by calling 07802 281 680 or via email at geraldine.pearce@missiontoseafarers.org Information relating to The Mission to Seafarers is also available online at www.missiontoseafarers.org.uk
Messy Church Resources & Training Day
Faith & Environment Quiet Day: Let the Coastlands be Glad Saturday, 8th October 2016 (10am–4pm) at Far Ings Nature Reserve & Education Centre, near Barton-upon-Humber An invitation from the Revd Leslie Batty: Do you enjoy the wild places where land and water meet, whether on the seashore, along the banks of an estuary or by a reed-fringed lake? Do you wonder how we can be wise stewards of God’s creation, reconciling a multitude of human demands with the needs of the natural environment? Spend a reflective day with us at Far Ings Nature Reserve, on the south bank of the Humber estuary, where we will undertake some exercises in observing the beauty of nature and exploring the relationship between God, people and the rest of creation.
There is to be a one-off Messy Church resources and training day on Saturday, 24th September at The Riverside Church, Southgate, Sleaford NG34 7RY.*
Cost: £13.75 (includes coffee or tea and biscuits upon arrival and before departure, and a drink to have with your own packed lunch).
The event starts at 9.30am for 10am and will continue until 12 noon. The event is for those who want to find out more about Messy Church, and also offers an opportunity for existing Messy Church practitioners to share with – and learn from – others.
Les Batty is an ecologist, a non-stipendiary Anglican priest and a lecturer in eco-theology at Lincoln School of Theology. Prior to ordination, he was a principal ecologist in a multinational civil engineering firm, having previously had a long teaching career in the UK and Portugal. He was co-founder of the Christian environmental organisation ‘A Rocha’.
To book a place or for more information, please contact the Revd Ian Walters on 01775 840 694 or via email at messychurch@gosberton.org *There is a public car park next to the church.
For more information and booking details please contact batty527@btinternet.com (T: 01476 578 829)
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The Developing Discipleship Programme (DDP) Starting at the beginning: praying and listening Praying and listening are the first two steps in the Developing Discipleship Programme (DDP) process. Members of the Discipleship Team take the opportunity to respond to three issues that have been raised in their work with congregations to date: evangelism, improving communication, and welcoming... Evangelism One of the great values of the DDP is its encouragement to us to listen deeply to our communities, and often to be surprised by what we hear. But there is another dimension to this listening, which is more apparent to those of us in the Discipleship Team than it might be to individual Mission Communities. As we travel around the diocese and help different churches through the process, there are some things that we hear again and again. With the benefit of a wider view of the diocese, some common themes seem to emerge. One of these is the whole subject of evangelism. Although not universal, most of the churches with which we work realise the need for us to grow numerically, and for us to become more outward-looking, not merely in serving and caring for our communities, but also in helping people who might be well-wishers with regard to
“Nearly all of the DDP Growth Plans worked on to date list communication and publicity as a priority” the Church to find a committed faith as disciples of Jesus Christ. Even more universal, however, is a deep dread of both the word and the idea of evangelism. We have heard this ambivalence again and again in our travels. We want to help people find faith, but we have no idea how to do so, and the very idea terrifies us! Perhaps the models we have inherited for evangelism don’t help us. Use the ‘E’-word and the pictures conjured up might include Billy Graham, manic street preachers, or cold-calling while people are trying to watch EastEnders. Most of us feel deskilled by these sorts of things! W W W.LINCOLN. ANGLIC AN.ORG
But there are other models, and one of the things we as a team have heard as we have listened around the diocese is the need to help people with our evangelistic calling. Plans are afoot, but you might like to know that the Lincoln School of Theology is planning a symposium to open up this subject for Saturday, 26th November 2016. All are welcome! John Leach Improving communication Nearly all of the DDP Growth Plans worked on to date list communication and publicity as a priority. This includes improving how different churches in a group let each other know what’s going on; how to be a more visible presence in our towns and villages; and how to become more proficient in publicising church events in the community. It is worth remembering that we need to see publicity materials approximately seven times before we really take notice! One resource that can help you work on communication as a church is 100 Ways to Get Your Church Noticed by Neil Pugmire (2014, Church House Publishing; above, right). This book is very easy to use, with lots of practical suggestions, such as advice on internal and external displays, parish magazines, websites and social media. For more details on this area, see getyourchurchnoticed.com Louise Vincer
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Praying and listening The website changingworship.com recently featured a blog post called ‘Going to Church for the First Time’, which described how daunting a couple found their first visit. It raised some interesting issues:
A review of this helpful title may be found at http://www.lincoln. anglican.org/faith-discipleship/discipleship/the-developing-discipleshipprogramme/reviews-of-useful-books-and-resources/book-reviews/
We’re a welcoming church… I wish I had a £5 note for every church that said this to us during their DDP! ‘Being welcoming’ means different things to different people. In church terms it can too often mean ‘we have someone who says “Hello” to people as they hand out the hymn books’. But being welcoming should mean so much more to us. We are greeting people as guests in Jesus’ house. We are showing the hospitality of Christ to strangers.
“Abraham goes out of his way to make his guests feel welcomed and cared for, and for their needs to be met” One of the best descriptions of true hospitality can be found in the Bible in the book of Genesis (chapter 18). Abraham is visited by God, who appears as three men. He doesn’t ask their names or where they are from: he is a generous and hospitable host. Okay, maybe he was just conforming to how his society expected to care for guests, but even so there are lessons that we can learn. He brings water to wash their feet, has bread baked and meat prepared for them. He goes out of his way to make his guests feel welcomed and cared for, and for their needs to be met.
• How easy is it to open the door of your church? • Is it easy to do if you need to use a ‘walker’ or sticks? (We found we needed to have a new door-closer put on our church door in Waddington as it was really difficult for some people to open) • How easy is it for people to follow your service? • What about if they are hard of hearing, dyslexic or have poor vision? • What about new people? Do they know if they can take communion or not? Or when to stand or sit? • Do you help people to be included in the service? • Do you help people to be included at the Peace during the Eucharist (will visitors know how to ‘exchange a sign of God’s peace’)? • What about when receiving the bread and wine (some people may find it difficult to climb the steps to the high altar)? • After the service, do you invite people to stay for a while for coffee? • Do you make a point of welcoming newcomers, or do you find your time is taken up with making arrangements with friends? All small, unimportant points in the grand scheme. But points that can either make people feel excluded, or help them to feel that maybe it’s worth revisiting your church. Annabel Barber Discerning where God is calling your churches to grow begins with deep listening: to God, to our communities and to each other. If you would like to begin this process in your church, the team has some postcards featuring different ideas to get you started. If you would like some postcards, or to find out how the DDP can support your churches to grow, please contact the Revd Louise Vincer (DDP Coordinator) via email at ddp@lincoln.anglican.org DIOCESELINCOLN
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CALENDAR SEPTEMBER Saturday, 10th September (10am–4pm). Heritage Open Day at St Guthlac’s Church, Fishtoft. To be followed by a Harvest Festival on Sunday, 11th September at 11am (non-perishable food would be gratefully received, to be donated to Centrepoint). All are welcome. Saturday, 10th September (12 noon– 4pm). Craft Fair at St Helen’s Church, Stickford. There will also be a garden fete at the Red Lion, Stickford from 1–5pm. Saturday, 10th September. Lincolnshire Churches Trust Bike Ride and Stride 2016. More information, sponsor forms and lists of churches to visit may be obtained from Sarah Roberts on 07760 468 052 or via email at roberts.sarahm@gmail.com www.lincolnshirechurchestrust.org.uk Saturday, 17th September (7pm). A concert by the Greenwood Quire (in full Georgian-period costume) telling the story of the rise and fall of villages’ church quires at St Michael’s Swaton (NG34 0JP). Tickets are £8 (including buffet supper). For further details please call 01529 421 278/ 01529 421 930 or email candwkerby@gmail.com Saturday, 17th September (7.30pm). A concert to celebrate the refurbishment of St Bartholomew’s, Ingoldsby, by Cottesmore Military Wives Choir. Tickets £10. Tickets available from Diana Burrows on 01476 585 513 or via diana_burrows@ hotmail.co.uk
Sunday, 18th September (2pm). A church service of remembrance for the centenary of the Battle of the Somme at Holbeach St Johns. The service will be followed by the laying of a wreath of poppy flowers on the village memorial. All are welcome. Friday, 23rd September (7pm). The Hallé Orchestra, with Sir Mark Elder as conductor and Elena Urioste on violin. For tickets see https://lincolncathedral.com/ forthcoming-events/halle-orchestra/ or call 01522 561 644. Friday, 23rd September – Sunday, 25th September. Bassingham Flower Festival: ‘Village Life’ – shown through flowers. Craft and art displays, with items available for purchase, open on Saturday from 10am–5pm and Sunday from 12 noon–5pm. Also to include an organ recital on the Saturday evening (7.30pm) by Ed Wellman, to be followed by a programme of popular music played by the 440 Quartet (string quartet), and a Songs of Praise service on the Sunday afternoon at 5.30pm. Tickets: flower festival entry is £2 at the door (children are free); concert tickets are £10, to include free entry to the flower festival. For more please email j.w.rowland@btinternet.com Saturday, 24th September (7pm). Fun, free concert featuring St Mary’s Church Choir and guests at St Mary’s, Pinchbeck. Free entry, with donations welcome.
‘Music at the Priory’ – Deeping St James Concert Series 2016 The Priory Church at Deeping St James is to host a series of concerts during the remaining months of 2016. To be held with the aim of supporting the church’s long-standing musical tradition well into the future, ‘Music at the Priory’ is set to feature the following events: Sunday, 4th September at 3.30pm – Popular organ music Sunday, 25th September at 3.30pm – Bach organ music Sunday, 6th November at 3pm – ‘A Handful of Pleasant Delights’ (music for recorder and other instruments) Saturday, 10th December at 7.30pm – Festive music Most tickets are priced at £6 (£4 for children) and are available from the parish ticket office on 01778 343 860 or via vicar@dsj.org.uk (the church post code is PE6 8NP and its website may be found at www.dsj.org.uk) W W W.LINCOLN. ANGLIC AN.ORG
OCTOBER Saturday, 1st October (10am–4pm). Craft Fair at St Guthlac’s Church, Fishtoft. Around 20 craft stalls, including wood turning, preserves, homemade cakes, refreshments and more. Thursday, 6th October (10am–2pm, including lunch). Social Issues in the Fens – the subject will be the use and importance of sacred space, with the main speaker being Geoffrey Court, Honorary Director of The Circle Works (Reflective Zone, The Royal Foundation of St Katherine, London). Meets at Long Sutton Market House, 9 Market Street, Long Sutton, Spalding PE12 9DD. Saturday, 8th October. Dr Matthew Godfrey, diocesan Historic Churches Support Officer, is to lead a free, eightmile walk as part of South Lincolnshire Walking Festival. For more please see https://southlincswalking.com Friday, 14th October (7.30pm). An evening of organ music by Anthony Herrod (organist at Warsop Parish Church) at St Helen’s Church, Mareham le Fen. Tickets (£5, including refreshments) are availble by calling 01507 568 651/01507 568 467/01205 480 092. Saturday, 15th October (7.30pm). St Nicolas Players present ‘Music Hall’ at St Mary’s Church, Pinchbeck. Victorian or Edwardian dress encouraged, but optional! Tickets (£10, including refreshments) are available by calling 01775 724 199 or 07910 089 857. Saturday, 29th October (7.30pm). Grantham Choral Society Autumn Concert at St Wulfram’s Church, Grantham – ‘A Feast of Baroque’ with English Pro Musica. Tickets £12 (children free) may be obtained from Simmonds Music, Westgate, Grantham; The Guildhall Arts Centre, St Peter’s Hill, Grantham; society members and on the door. Also coming soon at the Cathedral: Handel’s Messiah on 19th November and The Snowman on 17th December. Find more events online at http://www. lincoln.anglican.org/news-events/events/ DIOCESELINCOLN
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