ST JAMES THE GREAT

HAYDOCK

April 2020

50p Registered Charity Number 1153937 www.achurchnearyou.com/church/2849

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THE PARISH OF ST JAMES THE GREAT HAYDOCK

Vicar: Fr Andrew Welsby CMP

The Vicarage, 169 Church Road, Haydock, WA11 ONJ. t: 01942 727956 e: [email protected]

Assistant Priest: Fr Ian Wynne m: 07885 823786 e: [email protected]

Churchwardens: Mr Philip Peplow, t: 01744 614937 Mrs Nancy Holloway, t: 01942 712328

Organist: Mr Gordon Gerrard

Sunday Worship: 8.00am Said Eucharist 10.00am Sung Eucharist 12 noon Said Eucharist Weekday Worship: Each day Morning and Evening Prayer are said in St Alban's chapel at the times displayed each week on the small notice board outside the main door of the church. If you would like to attend any of these brief acts of worship, you are most welcome to do so.

Holy Hour: 6.30pm Thursday Evening Prayer Rosary group Prayer before the Blessed Sacrament

The Holy Eucharist: 7.30pm Tuesday 9.30am Wednesday 9.00am Friday - School Eucharist in church

On Holy Days as announced in the church magazine

Confessions: By appointment. Holy Communion: to those who are sick or housebound – on request Holy Baptism: Baptisms - to arrange, please contact the Vicar or send a message via the church website.

Holy Matrimony: Initial enquiries to the Vicarage or via the church website Funerals: The Funeral Director will usually make all the arrangements

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KALENDAR for April 2020

All Public and Private use of the Church building is discontinued during this period of global pandemic. Please, if you can, monitor our website and facebook page for announcements about when Devotions will be broadcast, and also when we can resume our regular pattern of worship in church. Wednesday 1st F D Maurice, Priest, Teacher 1872

Thursday 2nd

Friday 3rd Richard, Bp of Chichester

Saturday 4th Ambrose, Bp

Sunday 5th PALM SUNDAY

Monday 6th

Tuesday 7th

Wednesday 8th

Thursday 9th MAUNDY THURSDAY Dietrich Bonhoeffer, Martyr 1945

Friday 10th GOOD FRIDAY William of Ockham, Teacher 1347

Saturday 11th HOLY SATURDAY G A Selwyn, Bp 1878

Sunday 12th THE RESURRECTION OF THE LORD - EASTER DAY

Monday 13th

Tuesday 14th

Wednesday 15th

Thursday 16th Isabella Gilmore, Deaconess, 1923

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Friday 17th

Saturday 18th

Sunday 19th SECOND SUNDAY OF EASTER Alphege, Abp, Martyr, 1012

Monday 20th

Tuesday 21st Anselm, Abp, Teacher, 1109

Wednesday 22nd

Thursday 23rd George, Martyr, Patron of c.304

Friday 24th Mellitus, Bp. 624

Saturday 25th ST MARK THE EVANGELIST

Sunday 26th THE THIRD SUNDAY OF EASTER

Monday 27th Christina Rossetti, Poet, 1894

Tuesday 28th Peter Chanel, Martyr, 1841

Wednesday 29th Catherine of Sienna, Teacher, 1380

Thursday 30th

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From the Vicar

Dear Friends,

I’m not usually at a loss for words (as you know!) but we find ourselves in a time of unprecedented emergency, and we didn’t have Global Pandemic Ministry classes at theological college.

My main priority now is to do my level best to keep every single one of you in my prayers, and to try to keep us ‘together’ even as we are forced to be apart, so that when we can eventually return to our beloved church to praise God together, we do so as a united community. I have found myself helped in this ‘holding in prayer’ by the practice of the Company of Mission Priests of which I am a member. We are a ‘dispersed’ community of single priests serving in parishes from the North East to the South coast – and we can only meet together as a Company once a year, at our General Chapter in Walsingham. But, for the remaining 51 weeks of the year, we pray for each other every day, by name, and that really does make an enormous and tangible difference to us a community – so, I ask you to do the same… pray for each other by name every day.

Another way of keeping us together is the offering of the Eucharist which will continue every Sunday at 10am and on Holy Days as announced. For the time being, I will have to celebrate the Eucharist alone in the Vicarage – and I can promise you that I find that an extremely strange thing to do. This Eucharist will be ‘broadcast’ via You Tube (thanks to Matthew Price) and can be seen either on the internet (on your smart phones or tablets as well as computers) or, if your television uses Virgin media, on channel 198. I hope that as many of you as possible will join in this Act of Worship in your own homes, and set aside that time for God, as you would if you were coming to church normally. The strangeness of celebrating in this way is for me, only mitigated by knowing that many of you are deriving some comfort from it. I also commend to every one of you the ‘Act of Spiritual Communion’, for which you will find a short ‘order’ after this letter. As the Book of Common Prayer instructs us, the intention to receive the Sacrament, even when physically unable to do so ensures that the grace which flows from the Sacrament is available to all.

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I do need to say a word about money. As you might expect, the fact that we cannot meet weekly poses us with a tremendous financial challenge. Apart from those who give through the Parish Giving Scheme, or by standing order, our regular income has collapsed – but the ongoing bills that we have to pay haven’t. We are saving some money, of course, on heating and lighting etc., but we still have many other monthly bills to pay – not least the Parish Share. If you use the Planned Giving envelopes, please consider if you would be able to pay by bank Standing Order instead (I can provide you with the bank details as required), or if not, please can you deliver them to the Vicarage and I will ensure that they are banked properly.

This is a profoundly challenging time for us all in all sorts of ways. We all have families to consider and care for as best we can. We must all take care of ourselves, and as the time passes, we must try not to give in to depression and despair. This WILL be over one day – nothing bad lasts forever. When we return, we will be different, as individuals and as a community. But, challenging though this season will be, it can be a time for real growth in our closeness to God in prayer and for a genuine rediscovery of what ‘community’ means for us in adversity.

When we can eventually reclaim the church, there will be an inevitable time of sadness, especially if we have lost anyone, but the first Sunday we are back will be a real celebration of the Resurrection of the Lord. That day will be our Easter Day, and I hope that our “Alleluias” will ring our louder and more joyfully than ever!

If there is anything you need, please do call me.

With my love and prayers,

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A simple Act of Spiritual Communion Take some time to sit quietly, gather your thoughts and prayers, and ask God to come to you.

The Lord’s Prayer Our Father, who art in heaven, Hallowed be thy name; Thy Kingdom come, thy will be done. On earth as it is in heaven. Give us this day our daily bread and forgive us our trespasses as we forgive those who trespass against us. And lead us not into temptation, but deliver us from evil. For thine is the Kingdom, the power and the glory, for ever and ever. Amen

Act of Contrition I love you, Jesus, my love above all things, and I repent with my whole heart of having offended you. Never permit me to separate myself from you again, grant that I may love you always, and then do with me what you will.

Act of Spiritual Reception In union, dear Father, with Christian people across the world and across the centuries gathered to make Eucharist, hearing your holy Word and receiving the Precious Body and Blood, I offer you praise and thanksgiving. Even though I am exiled from tasting the Bread of Heaven and drinking the Cup of Life I pray that you will unite me with all the baptised and with your Son who gave His life for us. Come, Lord Jesus, dwell in me, and send your Holy Spirit that I may be filled with your presence.

O Lord and heavenly Father, we thy humble servants, having in remembrance the precious death and passion of thy dear Son, his mighty resurrection and glorious ascension entirely desire thy fatherly goodness mercifully to accept this our sacrifice of praise and thanksgiving; most humbly beseeching thee to grant that by the merits and death of thy Son Jesus Christ, and through faith in his blood, we and all thy whole Church may obtain remission of our sins, and all benefits of his passion. Amen

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NOTICES

The Guild of Health & St Raphael The next meeting of The Guild of Health & St Raphael should be after the 7.30pm Eucharist on Tuesday, 28 April 2020. Elaine Wallwork and Pat Berry will offer Laying on of Hands during the service. However due to the current situation this will in all probability have to be cancelled. Everyone is welcome to receive Laying on of Hands with prayers for healing of body, mind and spirit for yourself or anyone else you name. Laying on of Hands is for everyone, not just members of the Guild. Please come along and join us as soon as things get back to normal. If you are one of the few Guild of Health & St Raphael members who have still to pay their 2020 subscription please see Elaine Wallwork as soon as possible.

Mothers’ Union The next Mothers’ Union Eucharist on Tuesday 7 April 2020 has been cancelled. The next meeting for members of the Mothers’ Union will be on Tuesday 5 May 2020 after the 7.30pm Eucharist if the isolation ban is lifted Although they had to be cut short thank you to everyone who supported Lent Lunches in any way. Lists of money raised and receiving beneficiaries will be put on the notice board. Donations of food and goods for the local food bank are always welcome but for now not in church Gill Haydock co-ordinates our donations to the Leprosy Mission which we have supported for over 40 years. At our last meeting we learnt that although leprosy can be eradicated with modern drugs there is much work to be done to educate and remove stigma. Nick Calland also showed us pictures of the dedicated hospital we help to support.

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If you would like to contribute to our collecting of funds for the Leprosy Mission, please see Gill. If you would like to know more about the work of the Mothers Union, please speak to Geraldine Peplow, Enrolling Member or visit www.mothersunion.org. New members are always welcome.

250 Club 1st 284 2nd 251 3rd 240 4th 198 5th 89 6th 33

Next draw 19th April but as the church is closed we will inform everyone as soon as we have details.

Cell of Our Lady of Walsingham Cell meetings will resume once we are permitted to return to our normal pattern of worship. My thanks to the Rosary group who are continuing to say the Rosary at home for everybody during this Coronavirus pandemic. “Never cease to pray; it will not be in vain”. Dot Beesley Cell Secretary

Offertory The offertory procession is suspended for the present but I will make sure no-one is missed off the list. Nancy

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From the Ninth Pew I am writing this having just joined in with Fr Ian celebrating mass for the Feat of the Annunciation of The Blessed Virgin Mary. As you will be aware it was on YouTube and just goes to show, when used properly, what a powerful medium for the good social media can be.

Yet future celebrations in church have been banned as the through the bench of bishops has told clergy not to go into church. In addition, there will be no baptisms, weddings and funerals only at the grave side.

The original intention that live streaming of services from church would still be allowed has now banned leaving Fr Andrew having to video on his iPad. However, having watched last Sunday he certainly made a thoroughly good fist of it. Having read the Archbishops reasoning for stopping the parish priest from entering his church I must admit it was a rather pathetic excuse. Is there a hidden agenda here? When this is all over the Church will have some serious questions to answer.

The whole country is in a parlous state and it is the Church that should be taking a lead role in offering succour to those most in need both materially and spiritually. Although I have no doubt that the majority of our clergy will do the best they can as the country asks for volunteers and NHS asking former staff to return, the bishops are ordering our clergy to do the opposite and lock themselves away in the vicarage. Our clergy are just as much an essential service as many others. It does not look good as the Church should be taking a lead and the lack of leadership from the hierarchy will be long remembered.

The Church has a long history of both material and spiritually help. The Black Death was a devastating global epidemic of bubonic plague that struck Europe and Asia in the mid-1300's. It arrived in England around 1348 and lasted until the early 1350's. Throughout the Church was

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In the early nineteenth century priests of the Oxford Movement were working in the slum parishes of East where cholera and other diseases as well as extreme poverty were rife. They did not shy away from the task against tremendous odds not least from the bishops who strongly disapproved of their ritualist practices irrespective of the good and crucial work they were doing. Yet the Holy Spirit was most definitely at work through the hands of these people and I would have thought this was the time for the established church to be at the forefront and its presence made known.

In our present day Phillip North, the Bishop of Burnley has lambasted the for failing to listen to the marginalised and has accused the Church of allowing its agenda to be "set not by the poor, but by academics, the elites and certain sections of the secular media". The Church had become so disconnected from deprived communities "that it no longer hears what they are saying, let alone amplifies their voices to the nation." This would continue unless the church focused on urban ministry, putting its best leaders in deprived parishes and returning to estates it had abandoned, he said. I am sure that Fr Andrew and other priests would far sooner be out caring for their flock than incarcerated in their respective vicarages. The country, especially the disadvantaged, now needs the Church more than ever and we must find some way of getting our clergy back out on the 'front line' as quickly as possible. In our present circumstances we have to applaud all those former NHS staff who have returned for duty and those thousands of volunteers who have come forward to help. If this is not the Holy Spirit at work I for one do not know what is! But as for the institutional church the question will be asked: "Where were you?" Geoff Lightfoot

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DONATIONS The churchwardens gratefully acknowledge the following donations to Church funds

General fund £10 in loving memory of Jane Sawer from Les and family £400 in loving memory of Kathleen and Gilbert Turner From Sylvia & Gordon Turner £20 In loving memory of Geoff from Dorothy and Ian £10 from Hilda O’Connor £10 in loving memory of Joyce Anderton from Sue Bamber £10 in loving memory of Hughie's 85th birthday (April 1st) from Jean Mather £50 in loving memory of Joyce Anderton from Jean Mather and family

Graveyard fund £10 in loving memory of Jane Sawer from Les and family

Walsingham Cell £100 proceeds of knitting from Ann and Doreen (omitted from last month)

From the Registers Baptisms 1st March Greyson William Kevin Cookson 1st March Logan Gourdji 15th March Eleanor Frith 15th March Carter Colin Ody

Funerals 4th March Jodie Wilkie (aged 38 years) 31st March Ann Eden (aged 71 years)

May they Rest in Peace  and Rise in Glory

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In Profile Dot Beesley

Name: Dorothy Beesley (nee Paton).

Born: 27th September 1952 Walton Hospital.

Baptised: 12th October, 1952 St. Leonards Church, Bootle.

Confirmed: 11th December, 1985

Schools: Salisbury Road, Bootle. Infants Orrell Primary Bootle. Juniors Roberts Drive Bootle. Seniors

First Job: Punch Card Operator National Giro Centre

Married: Barry Beesley 30th April, 1971 St. Michaels, Huyton.

Children: Lee, Adam, Ian.

Grandchildren: Jake, James, Kara Jessica, Emily, Charlotte.

Work at St. James:1st Branch leader of the M.U. 12 years. Verger for last 15 years. Secretary of Cell O.L.O.W 13 years to date. Member of Rosary Group. 10 years to date. Organising, Breakfasts, Easter and Christmas Raffles, Social Events. 13

First Pilgrimage to Walsingham? 20th September 1994 (missed twice in 26 years)

What attracted you to the devotion of the Blessed Virgin Mary? The first time I walked into the Holy House, in the Shrine, Walsingham and seeing Our Lady sat up above the altar took my breath away

Favourite Hymn: Tell out my soul.

Favourite Bible Text: Psalm 18. How I love you Lord. You are my defender.

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CONFESSIONS OF A CHAPLAIN No 3

IT'S ALL YOUR FAULT or BEWARE YOUR SINS WILL FIND YOU OUT.

On the day that we moved into Par Vicarage in 1996, not surprisingly we had several visitors. One of the callers was a priest who introduced himself by saying “Hello, I'm your Vicar!”

Par Vicarage is built on the edge of a cliff. That was very handy because if members of the congregation misbehaved, you could invite them round, take them a walk in the garden and just push them over the cliff edge. Problem solved! I digress. Our address, however, was Vicarage Road, Tywardreath, a name which I am sure will be familiar to lovers of the works of Daphne du Maurier. The great debate was always where exactly the house was – Par or Tywardreath. I suspect it was that half the house was in one place and half in the other. So, Canon Oatey, the then Vicar of Tywardreath took delight in welcoming various new incumbents to the Parish of Par and introducing himself as their Vicar. And if that wasn't confusing enough, back in those days, Tywardreath Vicarage was also on Vicarage Road. I wonder how many other Vicarage Roads are home to two separate vicarages?

In 1997, I met the Chief Constable of Devon & Cornwall Constabulary at Truro Cathedral. I knew he was a 'scouser' because he had been an Assistant Chief with Greater Manchester Police in my days there, and I took great delight in telling him that I actually knew him when he had nowt – when he was just a mere Assistant. Not surprisingly, it was only a couple of weeks later that I was invited to become part of the new Chaplaincy Team being established within the force.

There are different ways to become involved in Chaplaincy. For me, it is the hands-on approach. And so, it was not long before I was riding round in Police Patrol cars, in the same way that I was already riding round in fire appliances. Sometimes I would go on patrol with the Duty Inspector, whilst at other times I would really be at the sharp end 15 of the job and go out on patrol with one of the local bobbies. For me it is the best way to understand the job and to get to know the personnel more intimately. I went out with one young constable on a number of occasions and so got to know him quite well.

This particular constable was getting married to a girl from Tywardreath and so the wedding was booked at St. Andrew's there. Sadly, before the wedding took place, Canon Oatey was diagnosed with terminal cancer, and so this young constable asked me if I could conduct the wedding. I explained that he would need to speak to the Churchwardens, but that there was unlikely to be a problem. It was all arranged, I did their marriage preparation and so was looking forward to my first 'police' wedding.

The rehearsal was fixed for 7pm on the preceding Thursday. I was really excited about this wedding. I even had the pleasure of having my own organist. However, by 7pm there was no sign of the bride or groom. That seemed strange, as this police constable had always been very punctual. By 7.10 I concluded that I had got the time wrong and the rehearsal must have been booked for 7.30pm. By 7.20 I became aware of a disturbance of some kind outside the church. I went to investigate and there was my policeman friend – in floods of tears. His fiancée had called the wedding off. Could this really be happening? Isn't this something that only happens in soap operas? What shall I do? Come on God, you are the one with the answers. Help!!!

I decided the best thing to do was to get the lad out of the situation. Already, some of the vultures were more concerned about whether they were going to receive their fee than this poor lad's feelings! So off we went to the Vicarage where Jane made him that welcoming cup of tea and I had a chat to try and find out what had been going on. The lad had no idea whatsoever.

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I then left him in Jane's care, why I went off up the village to see the girl and to find out why she had called it off. What I hadn't bargained for was one of her early comments “It's all your fault.” Me, what had I done? She then went on to say that something I had spoken about in their marriage preparation had made her think again. Ouch! That was not what I wanted to hear. Yet isn't that what it is all about? Though she never made it clear to me, I suspect it was my comment that marriage is a lifelong commitment. If you cannot at least turn up on your wedding day believing that, then perhaps you shouldn’t be getting married at all. Whatever, I persuaded her to speak to her devastated fiancé and took her back to the Vicarage. They left hand in hand, but I somehow knew it couldn't last. After they left, I remember asking Jane to pour me a very large whisky!

That wasn't quite the end of things. I soon learned that the real reason she had called off the wedding was because she had been doing 'naughties' that afternoon on the beach with a fireman! And I'm sure you can guess what's coming next, because Father was also the fire brigade chaplain. It was only a week or two later that I went to a fire brigade 'do' and there she was with her fireman friend. Her face was a picture. Be sure your sins will find you out! It wasn't quite what she expected. I knew that she was still living with the policeman she had jilted, and that he was hoping they could still be married. I had the unenviable task of telling him that she was seeing someone else, and he did what I think was the best thing. He put in for a transfer to another part of the force, and went off to start a new life.

I often wonder what happened to him. Hopefully he is happily married to someone else. As for the girl, I totally admired her courage in calling the wedding off less than 48 hours before it was due to take place, rather than making a complete mockery of the sacrament. I hope that she, too, is now happily married.

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Intercessions April 2020

Intentions and Observance and Parish Weds 1st Christian Media Mbhashe S.India Mercer Road

Thu 2nd Religious Communities Meath & Kildare Ire Millfield Lane

Fri 3rd Chaplains of Industry Medak S.India Mineway

Sat 4th Chaplains of Emergency Melbourne Aus Services Moore Drive

Sun 5th People of the Parish Prov of S.India Nathan Drive

Mon 6th Cathedrals and their Staff Meru Kenya Norman Ave

Tue 7th Friends at English Martyrs Mexico North Street

Wed 8th Those who have lapsed in Michigan USA their faith Oak Ave

Thu 9th Thanksgiving for the Milwaukee USA Eucharist Oakthorn Grove

Fri 10th Peace and reconciliation in Minna Nigeria the Holy Land Old Boston

Sat 11th The House bound Minnisota USA Peach Grove

Sun 12th Thanksgiving for the Peace in Holy Land Resurrection of Jesus Penny Lane

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Mon 13th Hospital & Hospice Mishamikoweesh Canada Chaplains Piele Road

Tue 14th Chaplains to the deaf Mississippi USA Pimblett Rd

Wed 15th Prison chaplains Missouri USA Pine Close

Thu 16th Chaplains to armed forces Mityana Uganda Plane Tree Grove

Fri 17th Mission to Seafarers Mombasa Kenya

Sat 18th Chaplains to Schools & Monmouth Wales Colleges Poplar Road

Sun 19th People of the Parish Church of Ireland Primrose Grove

Mon 20th Churches in interregnum Montana USA Princess Ave

Tue 21st Increased vocations to Montreal Canada sacred priesthood Quayle Close

Wed 22nd Witness of our parish Moosonee Queens Road

Thu 23rd Homes and families within Moray Ross & Caithness Scot the parish Rampit Close

Fri 24th For carers Morobo S.Sudan Rose Ave

Sat 25th Community of the Morogoro Tanzania Resurrection Saunderton Close

Sun 26th Our country Jerusalem and Middle East Shaftway Ave

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Mon 27th Society of St.Margaret Mount Kenya Kenya Shaw Street

Tue 28th The sick and infirm Mount Kilimanjaro Tanzania Sherlock Ave

Wed 29th Awareness of the presence Mpwapwa Tanzania of God Stanton Close

Thu 30th Shrine of Our Lady of Mpumalanga SA Walsingham Station Road

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