PARISH NEWS from the Cathedral and Parish Church of St
Total Page:16
File Type:pdf, Size:1020Kb
No. 396 July & August 2012 PARISH NEWS From the Cathedral and Parish Church of St. German, Peel Worship, teaching and service ( Suggested Donation – 70p ) A year in Peel Reverend James McGowan emerges from the Queen’s Jubilee service in the Cathedral in May. James was ordained Deacon in July 2011, having joined St German’s as Curate. His ordination as Priest is on 1st July 2012. Moving forward and serving with hope “We are here to find ways of serving in the community – to do the mission of God’s church”. Canon Brian Kelly called each one of us to find the way in which we can be active in the name of the church when he gave words of warm appreciation to the Women’s Guild on Sunday 24th June. He was preaching on the day we gave thanks to God for the service of the Guild on its closure, before members went on to a celebratory lunch in the Deanery. As Brian paid tribute to their exemplary service over 95 years, and to the significant financial contribution from the work of the Guild, he also pointed out that the dissolution of the Guild was part of the natural order of things. In a sermon full of happy reminiscences he reflected how change is constantly present in the church – as in all of life – and noted some of the changes he’d experienced in his long ministry. But the call to each of us to serve as we can, in ways relevant to today’s community, and motivated by our faith in Christ, never changes he said. Recently we’ve been seeing with our own eyes some of the physical changes happening around us in St German’s. The servery is nearing completion: tiles will be fitted during July; new tables are on order, as are cushions for the restored chairs, and there’s one sample chair to show how they will look. If you enjoy sanding and varnishing wood, your help will be welcome for restoring the chairs. (Or flick through Refurbished chair this edition of the newsletter and find other things you can help with, like the brass cleaning rota.) Enthusiastic comments have been made by many about our new lighting. John and Helen Slater’s daughter, Sara, is to marry Andrew Johnson in the Cathedral in December and she’s thrilled by the impact of the new lights as they transform the feel of the church. Similar comments were made by one of the staff of Clothworkers after the school participated in the in the Summer Concert programme. There are new displays at the West end – one for Cathedral music news and one for general welcoming, including an attractive series of leaflets on several topics including weddings, baptisms, and the Summer Concerts Season, designed by James McGowan. Welcome to St German’s There are other changes too, that we don’t quite ‘see’ in the same way. Following his priesting on 1st July James, the curate, will be able to play a fuller part in the sacraments we share in the Cathedral – including Holy Communion and weddings. As we gather week by week to worship God we now have a group of members creating the monthly “Worship Together” services (see back page), designed so that all ages can take an active part in praising God and learning about Revd James McGowan God’s word. The Caterpillar Club goes from strength to strength on the first Wednesday of the month. And if you go down to the Cathedral today (on weekdays) …. you may spot a Day Chaplain. This is a new ministry being offered by a rota of members of clergy and readers across the diocese. The Chaplain Caterpillar carriages will be around during the day for anyone who comes into the Cathedral and is available to talk and pray with them if they wish. This ministry is being offered Monday to Saturday during the summer months from TT to the start of school in September. A further development is the recent completion (nearly!) of the Deanery, allowing Nigel a place Revd Colin Fleetney, to live and work again, and to open his doors on Day Chaplain duty for all sorts of hospitality including the varied business meetings of the Cathedral. One part of the house is designed as a small self-contained apartment and is intended for the Youth and Families worker that we are in the process of recruiting over the summer. This will be a key ministry in Peel. Do please pray for all involved in the process. We have many things to encourage us, and we can help each other as we look for the best way to serve in our community beyond the church. What would you like to do? Helen Parry Gill Poole Hospitality Co-ordinator Mission Co-ordinator Favourite Hymns The day thou gavest, Lord, is ended – a Manx connection This hymn frequently topped the BBC Songs of Praise polls that were held from 1980 onwards, and even in 2002 it came 3rd. Its voting results are declining simply because it is becoming less familiar, as fewer churches have regular evening services. I slip it into BCP Evening Prayer at Bishopscourt whenever I can, because it has such effective words and it has a very pleasant and singable tune. It was written by John Ellerton (1826-93), who was a pupil at King William's College before going up to Cambridge. In 1850 he was ordained curate, and soon became vicar of Crewe Green (Cheshire). He wrote many hymns while serving there, several of which are still well known. This particular hymn dates from 1870, when he needed one for evening mission services. It was first published in 1871 in 'Church Hymns', a collection he worked on with William Walsham How (who became the first Bishop of Wakefield when that new diocese was formed in 1880). When John Ellerton was later serving at Barnes in West London, he was involved in preparing a revised edition of 'Hymns Ancient and Modern' (published in 1875), which in addition to The day thou gavest included a further 25 of his hymns. It is said that he was still writing hymns on his death-bed in Devon. The tune always used for this hymn is 'St Clement', provided by Rev'd Clement Scholefield (1839-1904), who was Chaplain at Eton College before becoming Vicar of the fashionable church of Holy Trinity, Knightsbridge. Scholefield was a self-taught musician, and it has always been thought a bit odd that this tune is much more accomplished musically than any of the other 40-plus tunes he is known to have written. But thereby hangs a tale; it was commissioned by Arthur Sullivan (of G&S fame) for a new hymn- book he was editing in 1874. Not only was Sullivan organist at the London church where Ellerton served his curacy, but he was also known to be extraordinarily generous in giving help and advice to aspiring young composers. Add the fact that the music is distinctly Sullivan-esque, and we may conclude that its composition was at least a collaboration between Ellerton and Sullivan. We like the tune, of course – to what other would we sing this hymn? - but that doesn't mean it has always met with the approval of the establishment. After all, it is in waltz time; how sinful! Ralph Vaughan Williams included it with great reluctance in the 1906 edition of 'English Hymnal', provided it went in the appendix where he grouped together what he privately referred to as 'the horrors'. There was an extended series of letters about it in The Times in 1932, including one from the then Archbishop of Canterbury who described it as 'feeble'. But what of the words? Presumably because it hints at a world-wide empire, Queen Victoria chose this hymn to be sung in churches everywhere on the occasion of the services celebrating her Diamond Jubilee in 1897, but we do not need to think of it in imperialistic terms when we sing it. The kingdom of Christ too is world-wide, if not yet universal; it is indeed true to say with Ellerton that the Church unsleeping . through all the world her watch is keeping, and as a child I was fascinated to envisage the earth as a rolling sphere when I sang As o'er each continent and island the dawn leads on another day, the voice of prayer is never silent. At any time there is always some place on earth where the sun is shining on Christ's people at worship. Praise God that we have the freedom to join them in maintaining the strain of praise. Tuesday Concerts, July and August The weekly concert series continued through June, including a splendid and varied event presented by Peel Clothworkers School. Show-casing the talent of our local youngsters and revealing the dedicated efforts of staff, this was well supported with over 200 in the audience. There were no fewer than 103 performers, so the Cathedral was well filled. Coming events for your diary are: 3 July Rushen Silver Band – celebrating over 60 years of music-making 10 July Isle of Man Wind Orchestra – woodwind, brass and percussion 17 July Manx Youth Orchestra – a programme of light and popular music 24 July Tribute to St Cecilia – musicians associated with the Cathedral 31 July Manx Saxophone Ensemble – back again, by popular request 7 August Singers Soirée – the Mundings and Litmans perform for your delight 14 August Wren Ensemble and Hand-Bells – instruments and voices 21 August Regal Singers – conducted by Wendy McDowell 28 August Lon Dhoo – male voice choir Do come and be entertained.