Issue No. 15 - May to July 2016 Welcome to the 15th edition of the Newark and Southwell Deanery Newsletter. Dear All, This edition of the Deanery magazine marks the end of my tour of duty as Area Dean. The contents may reflect on what has happened in the past, but of much more importance will be the diary, articles and adverts that look to the future. In early May (11th) the Deanery will hold its second Deanery Synod of the year at St Nicholas’ Church in Tuxford. In June (26th) a “Picnic in the Park” will be held by the Riverside in Newark. There will be an opportunity to share fellowship with other Christians from the town at the “Church in the Castle” following the picnic. In July (15th-17th) an event called “Transform” will be held in Walesby Forest. Among those on the organising team is Revd Canon Mark Adams, our future Area Dean. Along with Mark Adams’ Licencing to the Beck and Trent Group on the 19th July, is the Licencing of Peter Jones to the Northern Lights Group on the 19th June. As we look forward there are exciting developments on every side and much for us positively to look forward to. Over the coming months Bishop Paul’s Vision for our Deanery will be developed. Area Dean Marks Adams’ and Lay Chair Michael Wilson’s leading will be important as future plans are rolled out. With Easter still a recent memory we move towards the 15th of May when we will join in the joy of celebrating Pentecost, the coming of the Holy Spirit. Easter, Ascension, Pentecost, amongst many other events, are embedded in our Christian calendar and give us the opportunity to keep our thoughts, feelings and lives focused on Jesus, which is after all why we gather, pray and praise. As I conclude this final article my grateful thanks to all who have enabled me to serve as Area Dean. My wife’s endless patience, for putting up with my absence at too many meals due to deanery commitments and enabling me to remain calm, most of the time. Last, but by no means least to Louise Riley who has been an extraordinary support to me, but importantly to the Deanery as a whole. Go well …. Yours in Christ David Milner Area Dean Joint Choirs from the United Benefice of Farndon with Thorpe, Hawton & Cotham join together to send David Milner off on his 3-month study leave at a benefice service on Sunday 24th April. http://southwell.anglican.org/about-us/deaneries/newark-southwell-deanery-home/ Revd David Milner steps down as Area Dean 2016 Dates A few weeks ago I wrote the following words: for your Diaries ‘As you will be aware, David Milner has served the diocese as your Area Dean for almost four years. We are very grateful for that and for the work David did prior Deanery Synod Meetings to his role as Area Dean. David has been particularly notable for his pastoral style and his commitment to seeing parishes in vacancy helped with cover and 11th May 2016: developing on vacancy. Thanks are also due to Louise Riley, in particular, for her St Nicholas’ Tuxford administrative gifts.’ 5th October 2016 That feels like a good place to begin this short appreciation. As David signs off in Holy Trinity, Besthorpe this newsletter it is right to give thanks for all that he has brought to the deanery. I have seen how committed David is to the pastoral care of the clergy Deanery Confirmation Service and people of the deanery. David has an innate desire to see that the traditional 19th October 2016 qualities of the Anglican ministry to whole communities is upheld and I am St Mary’s, Staunton grateful to him for that commitment. David also has developed a particular passion for the rural ministry of the Church of England. He rightly sees this as so Deanery Visitation Services essentially part of who we are as a nation and I am thankful for his commitment Monday 16th May 2016 to this vision. For many years David developed links with the Farmers Market in St Mary’s, Newark Newark and has played an important part in helping us respond to the ‘Released for Mission’ report which both encourages and challenges the rural church in Bishop Paul’s Prayer Week responding to the demands of modern ministry as we approach 2020. Wednesday 22nd June 7.30 pm You will all know that David has also been ill for periods of time in recent years. I Newark & Southwell & Gedling have been deeply impressed by his mature response to this illness and the way Deaneries join together in in which he has, where possible, sought to minister from the vulnerability that St Swithun’s, Woodborough illness brings. Picnic in the Park I trust there will be many more years of ministry in a variety of forms for David. Sunday 26th June However, as he begins a period of study leave I trust that he and Kristina also 2.00 Meet for picnic at Riverside find more time together for themselves, family and friends. I also hope you are Park, Newark able (or were depending on when you see this) to join David and myself at our 3.00 pm Church In the Castle formal opportunity to mark his ministry at Hawton on April 27th in the evening. Archdeacon David Picken DEANERY TREASURER IMPORTANT NOTICE: NEEDED We are delighted to announce that The Revd Canon Mark Adams, If you are interested in at present Vicar of St John’s, Mansfield with St Mary’s in the Diocese of Southwell and Nottingham, is to be Vicar of the Beck finding out more about and Trent Group and Area Dean of the Newark & Southwell supporting your deanery in Deanery (as from 1 September 2016) in the same Diocese. Licensing date: 19 July 2016 at 7.30pm at Sutton on Trent the role of Deanery Treasurer, please contact the Deanery Office Diocese Resources Library on 01636 650063 Books, DVDs and materials to support children’s, youth and schools’ work, music, worship, prayer and theology are available to be borrowed for free from Jubilee House, Southwell (NG25 0JH). The Resources Library is on the ground floor of Jubilee ONLINE STATISTICS FOR MISSION House, and is open from 9am-5pm Monday to Friday. Please sign in at Reception and A huge thank you to you all - you will be directed. There are full instructions as to how to find the resources and Newark & Southwell Deanery book them out available in the Library. Items can be borrowed for 6 weeks free of charge. Sue Barrett, our Resources Library volunteer, is usually in on Wednesday managed to complete just over mornings 10-12, and can be called on 01636 817224 at that time if you need to 91% of our statistics for mission enquire about a particular item. Otherwise please come and browse – there is a huge online this year. Well done range of materials available stocked. everyone ! How Marriage Ministry Has Changed I've been taking weddings since 1987, and in that time wedding ministry has changed a lot. Today there are many venues for weddings, so only those who feel a strong draw come to church. Some are regular worshippers; others just have the feeling, not always well articulated, that Church is 'right', and God matters to their marriage. Weddings are more personalized than previously. I see couples up to four times before the day to work things out. We get to know one another, so when the day comes, I'm more a friend than a stranger. I recommend the C of E website, which is outstandingly good. www.yourchurchwedding.org We discuss how they want their wedding to be. I want the wedding to be 'theirs', not part of a production line. Legal bits and the parts that make it a C of E wedding can't be changed, but today there's lots of scope for personalisation. Traditional music is still popular for entry and exit. But both then, and when the Registers are signed, many opt for CDs that are special to them. I had one wedding when, apart from hymns, we had Film Music throughout, as the couple were film buffs. Couples take more time over choosing hymns and Bible readings, using ones from a selection I show them or choosing their own. Most now also choose a non-Biblical reading, There are fashions, (years ago it was Winnie the Pooh 'The Two of us'), but there are many to choose from. A Balderton couple recently used 'Blessing of the Hands', which I found very moving. In the prayers if there's something they'd like included, I put it in. If there's been a recent bereavement, the bride and groom can light a candle on the altar, to draw the memory of that person into the ceremony. I was moved to tears when a Best Man lit a candle for his young wife who had died from cancer only six weeks earlier. How brave to be Best Man so soon after! Nowadays there's more variation in modes of entrance and exit. Sometimes the bridesmaids come first, building to the climax of the bride herself. Going out, some couples now process to the back of church, guests go out past them, then line the path to greet them as they come out. Best men proliferate. It used to be one. Two are now common. I have had six! It's all to make the day very special for the couple; THEIR DAY.