St Mary’s Monthly News Free or by Donation February 2017 Over the coming weeks Music in Worship everybody will be given summary copies of our MAP which is a four year plan and we are calling it ‘Going Deeper’. The Church Council has set a number of objectives and key priority areas.

By 2020 we will:  Be alive with prayer and spiritual depth.  Have far more 14-25 year old

members. In this issue of the Monthly News  Be a community renowned we begin a series of short articles for teaching the faith well about music in Christian and attractively where new worship. 2017 is the 500th disciples grow. annniversary of the protestant  Be financial stable and give reformation in Europe. Leading From the Parish away at least 10% of our reformation figure Martin Luther income to charity. (1483-1546, pictured above) is Over the past few months the  Have adequate car parking notable not only as a church Parochial Church Council has and be able to host reformer, but also as the author been working on our Mission gatherings/meetings/events of many hymns including Ein Action Plan (MAP). The plan tells in high quality facilities. feste Burg ist unser Gott (A the story of the journey God is Mighty Fortress Is Our God), calling us to over the coming The five priority areas in our which is still sung today - years. It is the product of much MAP are: including in the Roman Catholic prayer and discussion and seeks  Holiness – creating Church. Other Lutheran hymns to build on all that has gone opportunities for faith to which continue to be popular in previously. At St. Mary’s we grow deeper. the include believe that God longs for His  Children and Young People – Praise to the Lord, the Almighty, church to grow and for more and valuing our younger the King of Creation, which dates more people to know the love of members. from 1680. Luther and his Christ. We are each called to  Evangelism – sharing faith followers used their hymns to play our part in God’s mission and making new Disciples of teach the faith to worshippers. and it is our vocation to live the Christ. The first Protestant hymnal was Gospel with deep joy and  Generosity – using our published in Bohemia (present commitment. resources faithfully and day Czech Republic) in 1532. giving with joy. All that we do is driven by our  Buildings – ensuring that our vision and our values and building(s) are fit for mission. throughout we aim to be people of prayer who listen deeply to Please pray that God will enable the call of God and who have the us all to follow His call in the courage to act with boldness. St. years to come and that St. Mary’s Mary’s is a place for ALL people may be a church where God is at where we take seriously the work in our lives and where the invitation of Jesus ‘to live life in Gospel Christ is lived out in all all fullness’ (John 10: 10). fullness.

With love, Chris The Parish of St Mary the Virgin, Prestwich www.stmarysprestwich.org Page 1

St Mary’s Monthly News

2016 in the Church Yard tidied and more plants added. Temple in a 15th century The year ended with several Venetian wall mural by Fra weeks of clearing leaves from the Angelico. areas nearest to the church. On our Saturday action days (every 2nd Saturday in the month), we have concentrated on particular graves, including those of KL Rowbotham (a Lancaster bomber pilot); William Percival (associated with the Battle of Waterloo); William Sturgeon (the inventor of electric motors); Sturgess Meek (the railway engineer); the graves of the 19th 2016 was an extremely busy year century botanists known as the for the volunteers of the Church Artisan Naturalists; and the John Yard Action Group. We began Brooks memorial (Brooks was a the year doing as much clearing leader in the anti-corn-law While it is customary for of brambles, repairing graves and movement). Harry Broadhurst, Christians in many countries to litter picking as our small group who helped with the Church Yard remove their Christmas th could manage. Soon we were Action Group for many years, decorations on 12 Night (the joined by a Community Service died early in 2016. eve of Epiphany), those in team, ably led by David. Their St Mary's Churchyard is a other countries historically efforts have made a tremendous working burial ground and a remove them on Candlemas. difference to the improved state wonderful place for all who love Candlemas is also a traditional of the Church Yard. Thanks to nature, history and ecology. St time for the blessing of candles them, it is looking better than for Mary’s Churchyard Action Group to be used in church during the many years. Early in the year we plays a vital role in the rest of the year. This year at St planted many wild flowers, and maintenance and improvement Mary’s we shall mark Candlemas we plan to do more in 2017. of this ancient site and we on Sunday 5 February, when Around the church, and in the welcome new volunteers to help, children from Year 6 will join us section of newest graves, the every Tuesday morning and at the 1030 Eucharist. grass has been cut regularly by every 2nd Saturday in the month James Wharmby and team. throughout the year. Contact Bill Repairs to a collapsed vault and Cottam 0161 798 6489. to the Church Yard wall have been carried out by John The Presentation of Christ Whittaker. A diseased tree Candlemas, also known as St Mary’s regularly supports adjacent to Clough Drive was the Feast of the Purification of Christian Aid, a charity working removed by Bill Rowbottom. the Blessed Virgin Mary or Feast for a world in everyone can live a War graves were cleared prior to of the Presentation of Christ, full life, free from poverty. the addition of Remembrance falls on February 2, which is Christian Aid provides urgent, crosses by volunteers from traditionally marked as the 40th practical and effective assistance Yorkshire Building Society. In day of the Christmas- where need is great, tackling the September we held the annual Epiphany season. The Feast of effects of poverty as well as its memorial service for the patients the Presentation is one of the root causes. You can read about of Prestwich Hospital who are oldest feasts of the Christian its latest work and campaigning buried in the Church Yard, with church, celebrated since the 4th at: www.christianaid.org.uk then the century AD in Jerusalem. The click on ‘Act Now’. presiding. In the autumn the image below shows the area next to the church was Presentation of Christ in the

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St Mary’s Monthly News

Diary Dates Wednesday 1 March – Ash Wednesday Eucharist at Sunday 5 February – Feast of the Presentation of 1000 and 1930. Christ (Candlemas) - Year 6 and uniformed Wednesday 1 March – Ashing in St Mary’s School. organisations join us at 1030 Junior Lent Group starts after School. Sunday 26 February – The new , Rt Friday 3 March – “Too busy for God?” starts at the Revd Mark Ashcroft, presiding at the 1030 Eucharist. Rectory (see below ).

Martyrs of Japan from the Gospel of Matthew. Happy Valentines! Most scholars believe the Gospel The roots of our Valentine’s was composed between AD 80 celebrations probably lie in the and 90. The author drew on ancient Roman festival of three main sources: the Gospel Lupercalia, a fertility celebration of Mark, another collection of commemorated annually in the sayings (known as the Q source), middle of February. Pope and material unique to the Gelasius I recast this pagan author’s own community. The festival as a Christian feast day in divine nature of Jesus is a major the 5th century, by theme in Matthew’s gospel: the declaring February 14 to be St. start of the Gospel shows Jesus Valentine's Day. Valentine as the Son of God from his birth (pictured in the image below) and the fulfilment of Old was a priest or bishop martyred Testament prophecies. The at Rome in the 3rd century - for title Son of David identifies Jesus On 6 February the church Christians, Valentine’s Day marks as the healing and miracle- calendar marks The Martyrs of an acknowledgement of an all- working Messiah. As Son of Japan, commemorating the loving God who sends his Man he will return to judge the mutilation and crucifixion of blessings on those who love one world. twenty six Christians near another, as Jesus taught his Nagasaki in 1597, almost fifty disciples to do. years after the Jesuit Francis Xavier had arrived in Japan as its first Christian missionary. This period of persecution continued for a further thirty five years and the recently released Martin Scorsese film Silence follows two 17th-century Jesuit who travel from Portugal to Japan to locate their missing mentor and to spread Christianity. God our Father, source of strength to all your saints, who brought the holy martyrs of Above, in a painting by Japan through the suffering of Rembrandt, Matthew is shown the cross to the joys of life writing his gospel receiving eternal: Grant that we, being inspiration from an angel. encouraged by their example, may hold fast the faith we The Gospel of Matthew profess; through Jesus Christ our During the church year which Lord, who lives and reigns with began on Advent Sunday 2016, you and the Holy Spirit, one God, our gospel readings at the 1030 now and for ever. Eucharist on Sundays are mainly

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St Mary’s Monthly News

A Prayer for Candlemas 1830. The 22nd Prestwich Scout Group meets on weekday evenings. Pre-School Praise is on Thursdays at 1000. We enjoy a close relationship with our Parish School. More information at: Junior Lent Group www.stmarysprestwich.org/church-groups. Pupils in Year 5 and 6 are invited to watch five films during Lent. Beginning on Wednesday 1 March at 1545 at the Rectory. Please see Adele McKie or Rev Chris for more information. Lord Jesus Christ, light of the nations Regular worship at St Mary’s and glory of Israel: make your home among us, Above, Bishop Mark Ashcroft, new Bishop of Bolton, who is and present us pure and holy visiting St Mary’s on 26 February. to your heavenly Father, your God and our God. Amen We welcome contributions to St Mary’s Monthly News by email to Sunday Gospel Readings [email protected]

Sunday

5 February 0800 Eucharist 0800 Luke 2: 22-40 1030 Sung Eucharist 1030 Luke 2: 22-40 Tuesday 12 February 0730 Morning Prayer* Web: www.stmarysprestwich.org 0800 Matthew 20: 1-16 Wednesday Twitter: @stmaryprestwich 1030 Matthew 5: 21-37 0730 Morning Prayer* E: [email protected] 19 February 1000 Eucharist Post: St Mary the Virgin, Church 0800 Luke 6: 4-15 Thursday Lane, M25 1AN 1030 Matthew 6: 25-end 0730 Eucharist* Parish Priest: Chris Wedge 26 February 1000 Pre-School Praise telephone 0161 773 2912 0800 Luke 18: 31-43 Friday Church Wardens: Stewart Barnet 1030 Matthew 17: 1-9 0730 Morning Prayer* telephone 07950 354445; Julia 0915 Eucharist in St Mary’s Dutton telephone 07931 293470 School Services marked * take place in the Oratory at the Rectory, Church Lane. St Mary’s parish prayer Loving Father, we pray your Starting on Friday 3 March at blessing on our parish. Help us to 1930, a series of evenings at the have hearts open to your Holy Rectory – food and conversation Spirit. Give us the courage to over five Friday nights, with the Children are a valued part of our follow the way of Christ. chance to talk about our faith. community. Junior Church Strengthen us to be faithful in Sign-up sheets at the back of meets on Sunday at 1030. The prayer and loving service. Help church. FREE and all are Prestwich Mission Partnership us to play our part in building up welcome. Youth Group meets on Sunday at your Kingdom here and now.

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