C O N C O R D ~ D e c e m b e r 2 0 1 0

P r a y e r f o r t h e M o n t h … Blessed are you, sovereign Lord of creation; You have given us your one and only Son fully to take on our human nature, and as at this time to be born of a pure virgin; for this accept our praise and thanks. Blessed are you, sovereign Lord of creation; You have called us to be reborn through him into a new relationship with you, and by your generous love to become your adopted children; for this too, accept our thanks and praise. Blessed are you, sovereign Lord of all creation; may your Spirit inspire and renew our lives in response to your love and power revealed in Jesus Christ your Son. Amen. Northenden Rectory, Ford Lane, 0161 998 2615 Dear Friends, I know, of course, that it is a bit early, but Happy Christmas, anyway. And happy everything else in between, too. It is good to see the Farmers’ Market flourishing again. The new booths and the wider range of goods on sale has made a difference, and the fact that they have brought good weather with them the last couple of months has helped no end. I was also pleased to see how many turned out for the Remembrance parade on 14th Nov. at our war memorial. I did not do a head count, but it seemed there were more there this year than last, though there was no formal parade, and the veterans crossed from the Methodist Church service informally. As is now usual, traffic completely stopped for the duration of the ceremony. Two nineteenth century “re-enactment” volunteers, in scarlet tunics, added colour to the proceedings as we remembered those who have died, from Mons to the mountains of Afghanistan, while a well prepared order of service meant that no-one had to mime the words of our hymns, and everyone knew what was coming next! At the end of the year can I thank the various distributors who have delivered copies come rain or shine. Can I also invite you to let me have news or comment, or even items for publication. If you are organising an event, please let me have details on a large sheet of paper by the middle of the month before it happens (even if you think I should know them already.) If the event is in the first week of a month, give me 2½ months, to allow for late delivery. Magpie is especially keen to hear tit-bits of gossip and wry thoughts on village events, and can be contacted via the Rectory. But a reminder, too, that the cover price of Concord is going up next month to 45 pence. We have held it down at 40p for a number of years, when other parish magazines are 50p or more. I have received a thank-you letter from the Booth Centre in connection with the cheque we sent them for £133 following the Palatine Wind Quintet Concert last month. Thank you to the quintet and to everyone who came and/or contributed. This month’s issue contains the usual mix of local news and comment, diaries of events, and seasonal thoughts and topical comment. So read on. Yours faithfully, Greg Forster (Rector) The Children’s Society … … has a charity shop at 356 Palatine Rd. Normal opening hours are 9.00am – 5.00pm., with a range of Good-as-New goods, especially books. There is also a wide selection of new, end-of-run, wallpapers. Volunteers are needed in the shop; contact Debbie on 945-7384

Fare well. G.S.F. Some bishops and other clergy have recently made high profile exits from the C. of E. I am puzzled and hurt. Is the high profile because the media have got the story and like to blow up disagreement in the church? Perhaps. Is it because the Romans have leaked the news? I don’t know. I hope not. It is rather dis- agreeable to count scalps and crow about it. Or do the departing clerics hope their fifteen minutes of fame will make us Anglicans change our mind about women bishops? If so, their logic is flawed. The changes still have some way to go through the church’s system, and may well be modified before anything is fixed. In the end they may wish to go, but to go now, when alterations could still happen, is premature and rather guarantees the other side victory. Northenden Methodist Church Minister: The Revd. David Bown, 5 Kenworthy Lane, Northenden, M 22 0161 – 998-2158

Sunday Services. Dec. 5th. 11.00am Mrs. S. Cowling 6.30pm Evening Worship @ St.Wilfrid’s 12th 11.00am Holy Communion The Revd. David Bown 19th 11.00am Carol Service ~ the preaching team. CHRISTMAS DAY: 25th 10.30am Christmas Morning Worship. Details to be announced Sun. 26th 11.00am Joyce Burgess Jan. 2nd 2011 11.00am Morning Worship 6.30pm Evening Worship

Community Christmas Dinner Weds. 8th Dec. 12 noon – 1.30pm NB. By ticket only. Fun Bingo Arrangements to be decided.

The Religious Society of Friends (Quakers) South Manchester Meeting There is a meeting for worship at the Friends’ Meeting House, Wythenshawe Rd., at 10.30am every Sunday. Children welcome. *Details from Roger Hensman, 980-5158. The main hall and smaller rooms are available for hire; ~ contact Peter Todhunter (Meeting House Warden) 834-5797, St. Wilfrid’s Church, Northenden. Ford Lane, M22 4WE Rector ~ the Revd. Greg Forster, Northenden Rectory, Ford La., M 22 4NQ Tel. 0161 998 – 2615 Email; gsf @ stwilfridsnorthenden . org . uk Services: On Sundays (except Dec. 26th) there will be a communion service at 8.00am. On Thursdays at 10am there will also be a communion service. We run “Scramblers” ~ which I mustn’t call a Sunday School ~ for children from 3½ to 7 ~ in the Church Hall, … … and “Sunday Club” ~ for children from 7 upwards ~ in the Rectory between 10.30 and 11.30am Sundays … … except 5th when there is a Family Service in church, & 26th. Dec. 5th 10.30am Family Communion & Parade 6.30pm United Service @ St. Wilfrid’s 12th 10.30am Holy Communion + 6.30pm Evening Worship 19th 10.30am Holy Communion 3.00pm Christmas Carol Service NB. No service at 6.30pm. Fri. 24th Christmas Eve ~ 11.30 pm “Midnight” Communion Service 2 5 t h Christmas Day ~ 8.00am Holy Communion 10.30am Family Communion Sun. 26th 10.30am only Holy Communion. (n.b. no service at 8.00am or 6.30pm today) Jan. 2nd 2011 10.30am Family Communion & carols 6.30pm United Service @ Methodist Ch.

Drop in … On Sundays from 2pm till dusk the church is open, for private prayer, for enquiries, or just to look around. Except Suns. Dec. 26th & Jan. 2nd. Dates for your Diary ~ it’s all happening! Remember the farmers’ market on Sat. 4 th Dec.! Wed. 1st Bible Study. 8.00pm Rectory Mon. 6th School Cristingle Service, 2.00pm in Church. 7.00pm Women’s Group Christmas Party; Rectory. Thu. 9th 7.30pm Folk Music and Carols ~ Church (see panel) Thu. 16th 9.30am School Christmas Service in Church. The Parish Registers Baptised … Sun. 7th Nov. Ross Christopher Plummer Sun.21st Nov. Holly Mae Abbott, Emma Jane Tilbury, Ben Michael Tandy Skinner, Eva Cronin De Bufala.

In Memoriam Olive Folland [Prince] (ex Howard Rd.) 95. John Balshaw (Tatland Dr.) 91. Thank You … The Children’s Society Can you remember back to October? On the 16th there was a Coffee Morning, run by Joan Mycock (our parish co-ordinator) in aid of the Children’s Society. It raised £118.30, and Joan would like to thank everyone who supported her, especially those behind the stalls or coffee-pots: David and Sandy Latham, Roni and Warren Armstrong, Gwyneth Lloyd, Kit Wardle, and Ken and Joan Tucker. Their hard work made the morning a success. Women’s Group. The meeting on 6th December will be our “Christmas” Party (plus the celebration of sundry December birthdays.) The group will not be meeting in January, so the next date will be Mon. 7th February, 2011. Booth Centre, &c. As noted last month, we will be collecting items of warm clothing, blankets, and easily prepared drinks/food, which will be made available to Manchester’s street people through the Booth Centre at the Cathedral, and similar agencies. There will be a box in church from the beginning of December till the 19th. Recent newsletters and reports of the Booth Centre are available in Church (on the table near the door) if you want to find out more about their work. Christmas Day On Christmas Day our family would be delighted to extend a welcome to lunch to anyone who would otherwise be alone. Don’t be shy; come along and join us! Sue & Greg, Elanor, Gawain & Tamzin. And Christmas Communions. I already visit a number of people who are housebound or otherwise unable to get to Church regularly to hold a short service of holy communion in their homes. If anyone else would like to be included in this over Christmas, please let me know. Greg Forster

Carols and Folk Music for Christmas with Kieron Hartley and Folk. Thursday 9th December, 7.30pm in St.Wilfrid’s Church. Refreshments. Admission £3.00 In aid of The Booth Centre ~ the cathedral’s work with Manchester’s street people.

It’s in the Post. GSF Just a brief thought. What do people think of the current issue of Christmas stamps? Do Wallace and Grommet really express the spirit of Christmas present? If so, what does that say about Christmas present? I suppose they have become something of a British institution, and the picture does show them singing carols (if you blow it up large enough to read it.) I know of at least one person who has asked for plain stamps as a preference, and tried to get some of last year’s Christmas issue. But look carefully in the background. Is that a Tardis glowing there? Or is it Northenden’s Church Road Tower? Christmas Cards … … there are a number of suitably angelic designs available at the back of St. Wilfrid’s @ 50p. ea. Also some copies of the Rector’s “Once upon a time” series of children’s story books.

Magpie… … was walking (or flitting) along Lampits Lane on the first day of November, and what should he espy but a bat, in the gloaming. Yes, it’s odd weather we’ve been having these days. … and just in passing, what does Gh-O-Ti spell? … learns something new every day. How many golf courses are there in Northenden? You tell me. There’s Northenden G.C. of course (that’s obvious, though bits of it are in West Didsbury), and there’s Didsbury G.C (the Club House is actually in Didsbury, but most of the course is this side of the frontier.), and there’s Withington G.C., which is mostly in Didsbury, though there is a loop of it in Northenden. Is that all? Take a look at the land beside the Social Club; there, allegedly, you’ll find the only Golf Course wholly in Northenden ~ a miniature one, by all accounts in need of a little bit of TLC. … and incidentally, frontier probably is the right word, there. Our parish boundary still follows the ancient river line between Mercia and Northumbria, which is not the same as the present river ~ hence the overlaps. … flew along Palatine Rd. on Saturday 6th of November. What an improvement in the market. For a start they had managed to round up some fine weather and bring it with them, which helps. It’s on the up, again. Tell your friends. There were lots of new stalls, in bright new colourful gazebos, which helps too ~ handbags, stylish clothes, cakes, as well as the meat bread and fish we are used to. When Magpie spoke to the manager he was not sure about a Christmas market in addition to the normal December one; he has now emailed to say that the Market on 4th Dec. will be the only one that month ~ traders are booked elsewhere, and there is no Market in January either. … and flew along Allanson Rd. the other day. What a bottleneck at the best of times. A little bird told him that the police are enforcing the rules about blocking pavements and traffic flow there at the moment, so if you drivers park there, park warily and considerately. But worse is to come! That little house, the littlest detached house in England, has been given an extension ~ in time, not for an extra room; despite opposition from neighbours, and from the Wythenshawe area committee of the council, the main council Planning Committee has again allowed this 14 ft curiosity to be built ~ if the developer, that is, can find a builder crazy enough to try. One wonders at the thinking behind this. Perhaps it is a bid for the tourist trade. After all, if you go to Conwy they will charge you for visiting the smallest house in the country, all 9ft of it squeezed beside the town wall. As far as our attraction goes, the advance publicity has already gone national, so they tell me. … and talking of planning and the like, what do you think of the thing at the end of Church Rd.? I call it a “thing” not in any disparaging sense (though there are plenty who would disparage it) but because I want to ask, What is it, and what should it be called? A number of suggestions have been made. In its present austere statuesque bareness, is it Northenden’s answer to the Angel of the North ~ it seems to have a halo though it has perhaps slipped a bit ~ or even to Manchester’s own B of the Bang, which had a less than auspicious history? Is it a light- house, to pilot all those ships that might sail up the Mersey? Will it be a windmill, to harness renewable energy for us all? An “Angel” shows off its halo! ------And what about a name? So many people are talking about it, Sore Thumb? Or Planners’ staring at it, gawping at it as they Folly? Or Monstrous Mansions? go down Palatine Rd., that perhaps Plenty of people have described we should take a leaf from some of it as “the monstrosity.” More the neighbouring developments ~ to the point, no-one seems to Didsbury Point, Alpha Point ~ and remember plans quite like this call it Talking Point. Or is it The building being shown publicly. How did what people remember (four storeys, plus accommodation in the roof)

From the cover of Concord, October 2004. How the Rector understood the proposals as described to a Civic Society meeting by the developers! ------become the present seven (or is it only six) storeys. How was that slipped through? … are you driving calmly? You should be, along Longley Lane, now, because the final islands and chicanes have been installed. Will it slow traffic to a safer speed? We shall see. If drivers take a leaf from the constructors’ book, it should work! … and along Longley Lane and Royle Green Rd. you might see children operating radar speed guns. No, it’s not a world take- over by the growing generation, but a scheme from the police to help drivers, and children, see why speed limits are there. … from time to time Magpie has mentioned the need and hope of some facilities for teenagers at or near the Riverside Park. Don’t hold your breath, but do watch this space, (to coin a few clichés) because the City parks and leisure people are holding consultations about a skate park, or similar, in the area near Palatine Rd. Any ideas, especially from teenagers, to Magpie, or your councillor, please. … and in answer to the earlier quiz question, originally posed by a Mr. George Bernard Shaw, of literary fame; Gh as in cough, O as in women, and Ti as in action, spell fish. Obvious, isn’t it? Can you think of any other odd words? Christmas ~ a unique celebration. G . S . F o r s t e r You sometimes hear Hindus or Muslims describing Eid or Divali as “our Christmas”, as a shorthand way of telling us benighted Westerners what is happening on those festivals. Up to a point that is a fair way of putting it. Those are the biggest events in their religious calendars, and there are big community and family celebrations. But it is only up to a point. For a start, they have fortunately been spared, at least up till now, the commercialisation of those two festivals (but I had better not say that too loudly, or all our shops will be buried in a mountain of Eid puddings or Divali candles from the beginning of October.) But more seriously, what we are celebrating at Christ- mas as Christians is not just our leader’s birthday, on a par with the birthday of Mohammad or Guru Nanak. Nor is it a rather saccharine celebration of baby-hood and mince pies, “done for the children.” No. At Christmas we are celebrating a birth, of course. But it is more than that. (Forget for the moment the arguments as to when Jesus was actually born. Call this his “official” birthday, if you like. The point is that he was born.) The question to ask is who was born then. A great teacher? A guru? A prophet? To an extent each of those descriptions is true of him, but each is only half the truth, as Christians see it. We Guru? Prophet? speak of him as Immanuel, which Or God-With-Us? is a Hebrew phrase, turned into a name, meaning God-With-Us St.Paul asserts that “God was in Christ, reconciling the world to himself,” and St.Luke describes how he would be called “Son of the Most High,” and “Son of God”. St.John, most boldly of all, speaks of him as the Word of God, who from the beginning “was God”, and “became flesh and lived among us”. So, at Christmas we are celebrating not just a birthday, but “the Incarnation” ~ God’s intimate involvement and integration within human life in a specific Human Life.

That might not be too difficult for a Hindu to accept, though we affirm that it has only happened the once, and that the God who has done this is himself both personal and unique. Such particularity sets Christian belief apart from Hindu beliefs. For a Muslim our claims are scandalous ~ though that, I believe, is partly due to the way they were misunderstood or misrepresented in 6th/7th century Arabia. (It seems that Jesus and Mary were understood to be “two gods apart from Allah.”) The Qur’an describes how the Holy Spirit visits For a Muslim, our claims Mary “in the semblance of a full about Jesus are scandalous. grown man” to announce Jesus’s forthcoming virgin birth. When he is born he speaks immediately, among other things to denounce the idea that he is Allah’s begotten son. This sets Islamic views clearly against Christian teaching, though the phrase “only-begotten” in our creeds is not a reference to Christ’s birth but an attempt ~ perhaps clumsily ~ to find words to describe Christ’s eternal, uncreated relationship with the Father. It would take more space than I have here to do justice to all these issues in detail, not least because my copy of the Qur’an is mislaid. My point is that there are distinct differences between Christian and Muslim beliefs (and Jewish ones, for that matter) and we do not show proper respect for each other’s religions if we gloss them over by saying we all believe the same. God is one, but what we believe he has done for us; how he has intervened for us, is distinct. Christmas is one of the key points where that difference shows. For Muslims (and some Jews) Jesus is a prophet, a fine and bold man who spoke out for God. For God not only spoke, Christians, that is only half the picture; God but lived a human not only spoke through him, but lived a life through Jesus. human life through him and experienced our kind of life in him, and showed us his character through him. He accepted the dependence of life as a baby, and the frustration of being misunderstood, misrepresented as a teacher. More, he accepted a degrading death. (This too is something that Islam cannot believe, so that he was not raised on the third day, but whisked away first.) But by that death he made amends for human wrongdoing. Being who he was he was big enough (in all senses of that phrase) to do this. So what we celebrate at Christmas is something big. The birth of a child is big, but this is even bigger. It does not end when the decorations come down, but looks on to Easter and beyond. For some people what I have said will be difficult. If there is only One God, surely he is for everyone and so everyone must be worshipping him. There are, despite what I have said, many overlaps between the religions of the world, at least at their best, and not least in common concerns for justice and a spiritual awareness in the world. Thus I am happily working together with Muslims over social issues in Manchester.

The common ground is because there is the one God whom we reflect; whom all are seeking for and at times finding. (I quote St.Paul) But Paul draws a slightly different conclusion from that main premise. If there is one God, then he is God (in Paul’s argument) not just for the Jews, but for all non-Jews as well. So our way of being on the right side of him must work for all people, irrespective of their religious practices or ethnic origins. That way of being in the right with him, whoever we are, focuses on Jesus, who he was and what he has done for us (not just what he has taught). And that depends on his initiative, his “grace”. That attitude to God, which does not try to impress him or earn a place with him but which accepts his generosity (whatever religious, social or cultural background we come from), is the attitude shown by the child of Bethlehem ~ made possible by him.