THE BISHOP'S BIG QUESTIONS

The meeting of the PCC in July was different from usual in several ways. Normal business was suspended and the meeting was open to any member of the congregation. This was because we wanted time to debate the three “Big Questions” which Bishop James had posed in his pastoral letter late last year.

Twelve members of the PCC and seven members of the congregation spent the evening considering these issues:-

¨ How can we kindle our love for God and neighbour? 

¨ How are we serving our community? 

¨ How can we grow numerically?

Alan Clayton opened the meeting by considering the various meanings of the word “kindling” and then Stephen Attwater         facilitated the rest of the meeting.  For each of the questions we identified what we are doing now and what else we can do. In the “what else” category the answers included both doing more of something we are already doing and also doing new things.

Some of the proposals are quite easy and can be implemented with little cost in time or money. Others will take more thinking and praying about.

Being open and welcoming and offering a range of ways for people to engage with the Church came out as strong themes ranging from pastoral care visits to activities for young adults. One quote from the evening is “Hospitality is a priority”. More Bible study also seemed to be a popular development.

The PCC will be considering how to implement some of these proposals at its September meeting.

Nigel Bacon

PCC Secretary

THE CHILDREN'S SOCIETY

News from the  Children’s Societies about their work in Warrington.

 Who we are:

 The Children's Society is a leading national charity that makes childhood better for all children in the UK.

The Children's Society in Warrington, based in Orford, has helped and supported children and young people in the area for many years. Children and families throughout Warrington can access our services.

What we do:

Our project helps make childhood better by supporting children and young people's emotional, behavioral and educational development. We work mainly with those with specific needs; those who may be particularly vulnerable, because of a disability or a difficult social situation. We give children the hope and confidence they need to face their future with optimism.

Some children and young people need individual support but we mainly work in groups.

We involve children and young people in all aspects of our services. Children and young people help design our activities and they help decide how they will be delivered.

For more information contact Sue Preston at the Children’s Society on 01925 852905.

Children’s Society Boxes

If your Children’s Society box has not been emptied this year please pass it to Olive Johnson before the end of September.

FROM THE ARCHIVES

It is more  than a year since the last instalment of  what was intended to be an occasional series based on extracts from The   Story of a Hundred Years - in commemoration of the Centenary of Christ Church in 1938. The series continues but is more occasional than intended! So far we have reproduced extracts about the consecration of Christ Church in 1838, and the changes introduced by the Revd. Bridgeman. We continue with the arrival of the Revd. Williams….

In 1879 the Revd. Williams set himself to improve the interior of the church. The old high pews were swept away, the church being seated throughout; the chancel with its lovely alabaster reredos was built and consecrated on June 15th 1883; the priests' and choir    vestries were added; gas lighting and new heating apparatus were installed. The brass lectern was placed outside the chancel after the death of Mr. Beamont as a memorial to the church's greatest benefactor, and the solid silver Communion plate was given in memory of Mr William Royston. Two lovely west end windows were installed.

A tradition of moderate churchmanship became established – a surpliced choir, weekly collections, daily services, a Cross upon the Altar and furnishings coloured according to the liturgical seasons of the Church. Pew rents were abolished in 1897 in commemoration of Queen Victoria's Jubilee. Other changes came: the adoption of the Eastward Position at the celebration of Holy Communion, turning to the east at the recitation of the Creed, and the use of coloured stoles as part of the vesture of the celebrant. It seems hard to realise that trouble was occasioned by the desire of a later vicar that the congregation should stand upon the entry of the clergy and choir. A choral celebration of Holy Communion was adopted for a while but abandoned in the face of opposition.

THANK YOU

I would like to congratulate all those involved with making the Garden Party held on 10 July such a success. We raised a record £2477.49. Many thanks to all concerned.

I would also like to thank those involved with the Teddy Bears’ Picnic and Playtimers who have kindly donated a total of £381.00 to Church funds

Thank you everyone for your support in our fundraising events.

Debbie Jacques

Treasurer

USPG News

Joyce Ashcroft, our USPG  representative has given us an update on the work of USPG.

Swaziland is struggling with the HIV epidemic, which is devastating families, has left 100,000 children orphaned, and has caused many basic life skills to be lost. With 40% of the population HIV-positive, Swaziland has the highest incidence of HIV and AIDS in the world. It is also poor: devastating droughts in recent years and the global economic crisis have sent food prices skyrocketing, with 60% of the 1.3 million population now living in chronic poverty, and over 40% of the workforce currently unemployed.

In this situation, the Church is the cornerstone of the community, through which healthcare and education are made available. In 2005, USPG Mission Companions Revd. Andrew and Mrs. Rosemary Symonds (sponsored by Christ Church) started a training programme for Church leaders in Swaziland. The courses are designed to create leaders capable of dealing practically with suffering, justice and inequality, and to provide training so that the next generation can grow in faith.   Andrew says: “Elleanor is training to become a priest. She has a commitment to serving Christ and the Church and a hunger to learn how to serve better.” The Church is also working closely with women and young people to raise their status and involvement in society.

More than ever your support and prayers are needed.

Climate Change (DOWN TO EARTH)

After the really cold weather we have had this winter, people have said, “What’s happened to this global warming?  I knew it was a myth!”

Last month I attended a meeting at Liverpool Cathedral as representative of Christ Church.  It was called Down to Earth and was intended to encourage parishes to have a positive effect on the environment.  One of the speakers was Prof. Ric Williams from the Proudfoot Oceanographic Laboratory at the University of Liverpool.  His presentation was entitled Climate Change: why trust a climate scientist?  I have printed out a copy or you can read it online; www.liverpool.anglican.org then click on Down To Earth 2010 to find a link to all the presentations.

Ric Williams gave us convincing evidence for climate change, including refuting the suggestion that our current conditions are simply an example of the cycles of climate that the world has always experienced. He gave us a statement from the Met Office, the Natural Environment Research Council and the Royal Society.  ………without substantial reductions of greenhouse gas emissions, we can expect a world of increasing droughts, floods, species loss, rising seas and displaced human populations. He closed by saying that we need to take a long term and ethical perspective.

My own thoughts on this are that, even if we are not sure about   climate change, we need to remember that our world has been  created for us by God, who has given us the responsibility to use it as good stewards, to care for it for future generations.

Val McIntosh

Down to Earth (part 2)

Throughout the morning the theme of reaching out and working   co-operatively with the community was emphasised.  Helen Dawson of Faiths4Change talked about linking environmental issues to the church calendar, possibly with themed events. Lent and Harvest are obvious examples.  But did you know that 17 - 27 June is Bike Week? Should we encourage cycle riding by providing cycle racks at church? 

Helen gave examples of how Churches have become involved in environmental issues (which can be viewed via the Cathedral     website, as can all the Down to Earth presentations) and urged us all to have an event which was relevant locally and inspirational, suggesting that we start with small steps.

Several Churches have already made those small steps, and some have made great strides:

· We heard of the transformation of the open churchyard at St Luke’s, Crosby, where the people worked to create a place of beauty and a haven for wildlife and plants.  They have used reclaimed materials and are saving energy and water.  More people are now able to visit the grounds. 

· St Phillip’s at Westbrook have created a Rainbow Garden as a quiet space for all to enjoy.  They also hosted a Cycle Day, inviting people from the local area.

St Bride’s Liverpool, in partnership with Mildmay House, a halfway house for people with drug and alcohol problems, created an allotment in a small area of the grounds.  The vegetables grown are used to feed the homeless once a week

· St Lawrence and St Paul, Kirkdale, have no grounds but two good buildings and some lovely people.  They organised a week of    Holiday at Home for older people with lots of activities. 

All these Churches worked to make a difference in and for their  local area.  So what could we do, here in Padgate?  Any ideas?   Remember, small steps at first. 

Val McIntosh

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Page updated 24/08/2010