CHALLENGE

The Parish Magazine of St Mary’s Sandbach February 2019 Volume 55 No 642

February 2019

Sunday 3rd February 8.00 am Holy Communion Presentation of Christ in 10.00 am Parish Eucharist the Temple Candlemas 3.30 pm St Christopher Chorale Evensong

Sunday 10th February 8.00 am Holy Communion 4 before Lent 10.00 am Parish Eucharist 3.30 pm Evensong

Sunday 17th February 8.00 am Holy Communion 3 before Lent 10.00 am Parish Eucharist 3.30 pm Choral Evensong

Sunday 24th February 8.00 am Holy Communion 2 before Lent 10.00 am Parish Eucharist 6.30 pm Evensong

Sunday 3rd March 8.00 am Holy Communion Sunday before Lent 10.00 am Morning Worship 3.30 pm Holy Eucharist

Every Wednesday 11.00 am Holy Communion

Holy Eucharist, Parish Eucharist = Order 2 Common Worship Holy Communion = Order 1 Book of Common Prayer

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very few years the Church of at a parish level renews its E list of regular attenders or people who feel associated with their local church. This is known as the "Electoral Roll”. The last time we did this was in 2013 and now six years later it is a year of renewal. No names are carried over from the old roll and everyone must make a new application to be included on the new roll. You are only required to give your name, address, a declaration (as a tick in a box), your signature and the date. This then becomes our parish church’s new register of electors; it is the list of those qualified to attend and to vote at the Annual Parochial Church Meeting where the elections take place for the parochial church council and the parish’s representatives on the deanery synod. Any person on the Electoral Roll is entitled to attend the Annual Parochial Church Meeting (Sunday 7th April at 11am) and may raise any question of parochial or general church interest. By enrolling you become a voting member of the Church of England and so help to ensure that all the synodical councils of the Church – the parochial church council, the deanery synod, the diocesan synod and the General Synod – are fully representative of its members. Synodical government gives an opportunity for partnership between bishops, clergy and laity in the life of the Church and this form of governance of the Church of England is intended to enable church people at every level to be in touch with the Church as a whole and to play their part in decision- making. It is also intended to ensure that the laity have their place in every aspect of church life, including its doctrine and services. Please complete the form in centre pages of this magazine and leave it either in the church hall on Thursday mornings, at the back of church on Sunday or post it to the vicarage or Electoral Officer. There will be plenty of extra forms available as well (including on the website for download) and some of you will be receiving a personalised letter of invitation at the beginning of March, if you have not responded by then! Some see this as a bit of a chore but it should be taken seriously by us all. This has to be completed by mid March. Thomas Shepherd - Vicar 2

From the Registers Baptism December 2018

28th Jaxson Hawley Beckett son of Richard and Caroline Funerals

January 10th Louise Slater (57) 11th John William Ramsden (72) 14th Muriel Pointon (103)

Wedding December 2018 28th Richard Philip Beckett and Caroline Elizabeth Mary Cooke

Church Flowers February 10th Mrs Willis 17th Cyril Acton Other dates Vacant If anyone would like to give flowers on any Sunday please speak to Sheenagh on 01270 529187

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he PCC discussed the T magazine production, income and expenditure at the recent PCC meeting. The income is from two sources of approximate equal amounts - magazine sales and advertisements. Main expenditure is on consumables, cover printing, maintaining the duplicator and booklet making machines. Volunteers work hard to print, collate and distribute the magazine around the town. If anyone would like to get involved then please do get in contact as many hands make light work. A number of the current companies advertising are not continuing this year and we thank them very much for their business. If you know of anyone who would like to advertise then please put them in touch with me by 4th February. I would encourage you to have a good look on the cover and support the businesses as much as possible to keep our town in business. At present the magazine does pay for itself so the decision was to keep the cover cost at 50p. If we get more people to by the magazine then we will be fine this year but may need to raise the cost next year. Coffee Rota February 3rd Jean Richardson and Iris Kenilworth 10th Marjorie Burgess and Joyce Booth 17th Kathleen Davies and Kathleen Beech 24th Stella Craven and Christine Hirst March 3rd Joyce Griffiths and Lynne Winfield 4

Change of tone on Brexit debate he Church of England bishops who recently met in T made the following statement: ‘The bishops of the Church of England pray for national unity – and courage, integrity and clarity for our politicians. We call on the country to consider the nature of our public conversation. It is time to bring grace and generosity back to our national life. ‘At the heart of the Christian message is Jesus’ command to love our neighbour. This includes those with whom we agree and disagree – at home, in Europe, and further afield. We urge everyone – our political leaders and all of us – to bring magnanimity, respect and reconciliation to our national debate. ‘There is now an urgent need for the to recover a shared vision and identity to help us find a way through the immediate challenges. ‘Regardless of what happens next with Brexit, the Church of England, alongside many other churches and other agencies striving for the common good, will be at the heart of local communities; educating one million children, providing 33,000 social action projects and running 16,000 churches across the country. Above all else, we will continue to support the most vulnerable and share Christ’s love with all.’

Having been asked if it was a sin for an average family to own three cars, a minister replied, “It would depend where they were parked on a Sunday morning.”

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Tickets: Adults: £10.00 Snr Citizens/Concessions: £9.00 School Children: £3.00 Family Ticket : £21.00 Doors Open 6.30 pm

Wednesday 27th February Reiko Fujisawa Pianist who celebrates the great 19th century musician Clara Wieck Schumann with a programme of works by Brahms, Chopin, Robert Schumann and Clara herself. and spotlight concert with local young musicians www.sandbachwww.sandbach----concertconcertconcert----series.co.ukseries.co.uk

All concerts at 7pm in St Mary's Church Hall Tickets available from: on-line, Demeter Wholefoods (15 Welles St), Bramwells Opticians (4 Hightown) or on the door . Sandbach Choral Society Quiz Night Saturday 9th February St. Mary's Church Hall, Sandbach at 7.30pm £9 per person including Fish & Chip supper Teams of up to 6 Bring your own drinks Contact Sue Cooke to book your place 01270 766546 or email [email protected]

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Faithful disobedience ecently, over 100 members acts of the church are attempts to R of a Christian Church in prove to the world the real Chengdu, China were arrested. existence of another world. The Among those taken away were Bible teaches us that, in all Pastor Wang Yi and his wife, matters relating to the gospel and Jiang Rong. Foreseeing this, human conscience, we must obey Pastor Wang Yi wrote a letter to God and not men. For this be published by his church reason, spiritual disobedience should he be detained for more and bodily suffering are both than 48 hours. In it he explained ways we testify to another eternal the meaning and necessity of world and to another glorious faithful King. This is disobedience, why I am not how it is distinct interested in from political changing any activism or civil political or legal disobedience, institutions in and how China. I’m not Christians should even interested in carry it out. This the question of is a short extract when the from his letter. Communist The mission of the church is regime’s policies persecuting the only to be the church and not to church will change. Regardless of become a part of any secular which regime I live under now or institution. From a negative in the future, as long as the perspective, the church must secular government continues to separate itself from the world and persecute the church, violating keep itself from being human consciences that belong institutionalized by the world. to God alone, I will continue my From a positive perspective, all faithful disobedience. For the 7

entire commission God has given more Chinese people to despair me is to let more Chinese people of their futures, to lead them know through my actions that the through a wilderness of spiritual hope of humanity and society is disillusionment and through this only in the redemption of Christ, to make them know Jesus, and if in the supernatural, gracious through this he continues sovereignty of God. disciplining and building up his If God decides to use the church, then I am joyfully willing persecution of this Communist to submit to God’s plans, for his regime against the church to help plans are always benevolent and good.

Whatever you do --- don't! Don’t grow tired of being helpful, Don’t get bored with being nice. Don’t lose heart with being hopeful When you want to sulk - think twice. Don’t let little things upset you Don’t be easy to annoy. Don’t be miserable for nothing There is plenty to enjoy. Go on trying to be decent, Go on working to be kind. Let the blessings of a lifetime Take the worries off your mind. (Attributed to K M Watson)

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A Full Peal s reported in the November issue, our fabulous Bell Ringers A performed a full peal of Plain Bob Triples on Sunday 11th November, which lasted 2 hours and 55 minutes. This had not been done at St Marys since 1972. A display board to commemorate this historic event was dedicated at the Sunday service on 20th January. The shield, awarded by the South Branch of the Guild of ringers, was also displayed.

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No need to fall encouragement to believe that we can stand firm without o him who is able to keep falling because Jesus is there to T you from falling and to help and support us. present you before his glorious Temptation is real and presence without fault and with persistent, and sin will always great joy — to the only God be waiting to catch us out our Saviour be glory, majesty, (Genesis 4:7), but even when power and authority, through we are weak and vulnerable, Jesus Christ our Lord, before we need not fall because the all ages, now and forevermore! Lord is our Keeper. As the Amen. Jude v 24-25 Psalmist said, “He will not yet When the weather is cold and your foot slip – He who icy we have to take care lest watches over you will not we slip and fall. It is so easily slumber; indeed, He who done, and that is why our A&E watches over Israel will neither departments are often slumber not sleep.” Psalm overstretched in winter. 121:3-4 One of the fears that besets Having set out on the many believers is that they will heavenly journey, we will take a tumble spiritually and arrive home safely because of fall into sin. They are unsure Christ’s amazing grace. whether they can keep their Through His blood shed on footing when there are so the cross we have been many temptations around cleansed from every sin, and them, and when the values of with His help will take our society are so against Christian place in the presence of God standards. They worry that with the joy of angelic songs they will not be able to keep resounding in our ears. This is up their good intentions to our confidence and their hope. follow Jesus. “Twas grace that brought me Here, through this doxology, safe thus far, And grace shall we are given a great lead me home.” (John Newton)

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Christmas Angels 1,177 angels were distributed in Sandbach town centre and around new housing developments, a few days before Christmas. This year, angels will be distributed but this time, as well as around the town, will be placed in Care Homes and given to the housebound. To do this, we shall once again need your help. So, please start knitting now! Again, many thanks to all who took part in 2018. From what I hear the knitting brought joy to both giver and receiver and certainly brought a smile to many faces.

Katie Cavanagh (Churches Together in Sandbach)

Asylum Seekers hurch of England calls for better deal for asylum seekers C A recent Parliamentary report that berates the Government’s housing for asylum-seekers has been supported by the Church of England’s refugee welcome co-ordinator, Nadine Daniel. Ms Daniel said that the entire asylum-housing system was crippled by a ‘perfect storm’ of insufficient funding, a paucity of housing stock, and a surge in asylum claims in the past six years. All in all, ‘there’s an attitude of not really seeing the human being,’ she said. Meanwhile, many asylum seekers end up in mouldy, damp, vermin-infested conditions.

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Lunch Thirty six members of the former Church Fellowship group attended an annual lunch recently, organised by Marjorie Spence and Marjorie Burgess.

8th February ––– Kew and the wild boar t Kew has nothing to do with gardens or the ‘Q’ of James Bond S fame. This Kew was a girl who lived in Cornwall in the 5th century, and should be the patron saint of girls with difficult older brothers. Kew’s older brother was a hermit who felt his younger sister was not worthy to even visit his cell. But big brothers often underestimate their younger sisters, and he was no exception. One day Big Brother saw a wild boar charge out of the woods towards his sister. Kew spoke to it kindly in tones of such purity and sweetness that it immediately

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slowed down to a peaceful walk. Big Brother was so shaken by this that he repented of his superior attitude. When he then bothered to spend time talking with young Kew, Big Brother discovered her nature to be of “rare virtue and holiness”. Other people thought so too, and after her death they decided Kew had been a saint, and should have the parish church named after her. Perhaps the moral of all this is that if you want to win over a difficult older brother, you should first practise on wild boars.

A Medal for Reg eg Dunning, 92, received the British R Empire Medal in the New Year Honours list for his outstanding contribution for the local community. Reg, a former soldier, was recognised for this work as a school governor, his contribution to the church and his role as parade marshal for over 60 years on Remembrance Day and Armed Forces Day. He also helped re-establish the Old Sandbachians RUFC after WWII and has previously been chairman of Sandbach Round Table and president of Sandbach 41 Club, of which he is still a member. The British Empire Medal (formally British Empire Medal for Meritorious Service) is a British medal awarded for meritorious civil or military service worthy of recognition by the Crown. The current honour was created in 1922 to replace the original medal, which had been established in 1917 as part of the Order of the British Empire.

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All in the month of February 100 years ago, on 26th Feb 1919 that the Grand Canyon National Park was established in Arizona. 90 years ago, on 11th Feb 1929 that Italy and the Vatican signed the Lateran Treaty, which recognised the Vatican City’s independence and sovereignty. 80 years ago, on 14th Feb 1939 that the German battleship Bismarck was launched. It was sunk by the British in May 1941 during a WW2 battle in the North Atlantic. 60 years ago, on 3rd Feb 1959 was ‘the day music died’. American rock-and-roll performers Buddy Holly, Ritchie Valens and The Big Bopper were killed in a plane crash in Iowa. 50 years ago, on 3rd Feb 1969 that Yasser Arafat was appointed leader of the Palestine Liberation Organisation. 40 years ago, on 1st Feb 1979 that Iranian religious leader Ayatollah Khomeini returned to Iran after more than 14 years in exile. In November, following a referendum, Iran became an Islamic Republic with Khomeini the Supreme Leader. 20 years ago, on 9th Feb 1999 that Bryan Mosley, British actor, died. Best known for his role as Alf Roberts in the TV soap Coronation Street. 10 years ago, on 10th Feb 2009 that two satellites collided in orbit for the first time. A defunct Russian Cosmos-2251 military communications satellite and an operational US Iridium 33 communications satellite were both destroyed, creating thousands of fragments of space debris.

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The most popular Bible verse he most popular verse in 2018 was Isaiah 41:10 which says: T "Don't be afraid, for I am with you. Don't be discouraged, for I am your God. I will strengthen you and help you. I will hold you up with my victorious right hand." It overtook Joshua 1:9 ("This is my command: be strong and courageous! Do not be afraid or discouraged. For the Lord your God is with you wherever you go") which was the most popular quote in 2017. Offering 1,800 versions of the Bible in 1,250 languages, the YouVersion Bible app has now been downloaded more than 350 million times globally since its launch a decade ago. Founder and pastor, Bobby Gruenewald said: "This year's data shows people worldwide are continuing to turn to the Bible in search of comfort, encouragement, and hope.

Candles and Boxes lease bring your Christingle Candles p back to church. Also for those of you who have been filling a Children's Society box with change over the last year, could you please bring them to church or ring Stella Craven to arrange for collection. Anyone who would like a box should also contact Stella 763801.

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Special Solution to Loneliness with Man’s Best Friend ‘Barking Mad hosts have a furry companion to stay for a weekend break or longer’. Have you always wanted a dog but worried you couldn’t look after it full time? A company in South is giving people the chance to dog-sit whilst their owners are on holiday. Barking Mad offers dog-loving people the chance to take in a pooch on a temporary holiday, allowing you to enjoy the social aspects of going out walking and the company of a wagging tail at home. You would also become a member of the Barking Mad family of hosts which meet periodically at organised events. The start of the new year sees Becky Spall become the proud owner of Barking Mad Crewe. Becky has been a dog lover since an early age and has a very large soft spot for her brother’s Labrador Pasha. Pasha has been looked after by wonderful Barking Mad hosts on several different occasions. She is always so excited to jump into the back of the Barking Mad car ready to start her holiday and she always returns home happy! Becoming a host by looking after someone else’s dog whilst their owners are away, is set up and organised by Becky, who takes this otherwise often informal arrangement and makes it fully safe, insured and easy to take part in without costing you a penny. As a dog holiday host, you provide a loving home environment where your doggy visitor relaxes and feels at home. Regular exercise and companionship is your part of the deal, the transport is dealt with by Becky. There is no need to worry about paperwork or dealing with the customer yourself because Becky takes care of this. All you need to do is meet up with Becky and you agree together; the type of dogs you like and when you are available to look after them. If you would like to find out more about becoming a Barking Mad Host and our Community, please contact Becky: 01270 260570 or email [email protected] 16

St Mary’s Social Committee

March 16th Saturday Beetle Drive August 25th Sunday Summer Lunch November 2nd Saturday Autumn Fair December 8th Sunday Christmas Lunch

Come along and bring your friends to these events.

Tickets will be advertised in the magazine and on the pew sheets.

Lifeline Debt Relief

Help urgently required with Admin. If you can offer assistance, please phone 0127001270----750358750358

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PCC Meeting - 8th January Matters Arising The board showing the previous Vicars has been updated. Christingle service numbers were up (500 attended). Christmas Communion recipients down slightly. Finance The accounts for the year were presented by Roger and adopted as a true account. They will be formally published at the AGM. A headline statement was that fixed costs, before the church doors are opened, were £75,000 which equates to 79% of our income. It was decided to keep the cost of the magazine to 50p. Building There was a visit by the Archdeacon with a follow up letter. He stated that we have some financial challenges in the coming years to maintain and improve the building. Church Hall A new water boiler and a new central heating pump are required. Vicar's remarks Volunteers are required to fill the posts of Church Wardens, join the PCC and assist in preparations for Sunday services. Next meeting Tuesday 5th February to discuss finance issues only. AGM Sunday 7th April

Beware of having a mind like concrete ––– thoroughly mixed up and soon to be permanently set 18

Outreach Update uring September and October we were supporting the local D charity, Crossroads, who provide care for vulnerable people and support to their carers mostly in the individual’s own home. We raised £231.73 in support of this charity. During The Christmas period we have been supporting the local Sandbach Talking Newspaper based in Wheelock who provide a weekly audio recording of the news to be distributed to people in the district who are blind or partially sighted. From the middle of January we have selected to support the work of Embrace the Middle East. This is a Christian Charity working within the communities of the Middle East bringing the Christian message, together with other Christian partners, to people of all faith or even no faith at all. Their aim is to strengthen and improve the local communities through projects which cover education, healthcare and physical improvements to the infrastructure with many building projects inside the refugee camps as well as improving their food supplies. The Outreach committee would like to thank you for your continued support to our chosen charities.

rince Charles has praised the ‘extraordinary grace and P capacity for forgiveness’ of the thousands of Middle Eastern Christians facing persecution. Speaking late last year, the Prince said he had been “deeply humbled” by meeting Christians from the Middle East ‘who, with such inspiring faith and courage, are battling oppression and persecution.’ He wanted to assure these Christians of ‘steadfast support and most heartfelt prayers’ as they battle ‘oppression and persecution.’ 19

From the Archives

his month we are in on Elworth Road looking at the T building that is currently the Canton Kitchen takeaway. However, this building (as we see in the lower image) was originally built in 1958 for the COOP and was one of the first self-service shops in the area. Stephen Minshull

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Technoference e’ve all seen them: mothers engrossed on their mobile W phones and ignoring their children nearby. But now research has found that children whose parents are addicted to their phones are significantly more likely to have behaviour problems. The problem is called ‘technoference’. It is when the everyday relationship between parent and child is constantly disrupted by a digital or mobile device, including during face-to-face conversations, meal-times and play-times. Technoference causes children to display a range of behavioural problems: from sulking, whining, and emotional distress, to hyperactivity and tantrums. Sadly, it often gets the child nowhere. One health expert has said: ‘Around you can see unbelievable attempts by children to communicate with the adult they are with, but who remains oblivious to them.’ Open the curtains n dark rooms, 12 per cent of bacteria can reproduce; in rooms I exposed to sunlight, only 6.8 per cent can reproduce. Remember that when you consider your household dust and the effect that simply opening your curtains can make. Researchers at the University of Oregon point out that we spend most of our time indoors, ‘where exposure to dust particles that carry a variety of bacteria, including pathogens that can make us sick, is unavoidable.’ But we can do something – let the sun stream in. The study found that it helps to kill the human skin- derived bacteria in our homes. As one doctor put it: ‘Our study supports a century-old folk wisdom that daylight has the potential to clean – or, as we now know, to kill microbes on dust particles.’ 21

Tuneful Places Stockton - usually sung to: O for a heart to praise my God, a heart from sin set free; a heart that's sprinkled with the blood so freely shed for me: t was composed by Thomas Wright who was born in 1763, I Stockton-on-Tees, North Yorkshire and died on in 1829, Barnard Castle, County Durham. He succeeded his teacher, John Garth, as organist at Sedgefield church, then followed his father as organist at Stockton-on-Tees parish church in 1797. His works also include a concerto for harpsichord or piano and small orchestra, an operetta and a setting of the Fifth Ode of the First Book of Horace. Stockton is located on the north bank of the River Tees. Shipbuilding in Stockton, which had begun in the 15th century, prospered in the 17th and 18th centuries. Smaller-scale industries began developing around this time, such as brick, sail and rope making. The town grew rapidly as the Industrial Revolution progressed, with iron making and engineering beginning in the town in the 18th century. The discovery of iron ore in the Eston Hills resulted in blast furnaces lining the River Tees from Stockton to the river's mouth. In 1822, Stockton witnessed an event which changed the face of the world forever and heralded the dawn of a new era in trade, industry and travel. The first rail of George Stephenson's Stockton and Darlington Railway was laid and the fist train was hauled by Locomotion No 1, the great engineer himself manned the engine on its first journey on 27 September 1825. This was the world's first passenger railway, connecting Stockton with Shildon. 22

large city centre church which had A problems with break-ins decided to employ a night watchman so that there was always someone on the premises. Interviews were held by the vicar and church warden. They greeted the first candidate and asked him, “what are your qualifications for the job of night watchman?” He replied, “The slightest noise wakes me up.”

ir Ken Dodd, the comedian, died on 11th March 2018, aged 90. S He was well-known and loved for his endless string of jokes. Such as: ‘An official told my big Auntie Nellie to come off the beach, because the tide was waiting to come in.’ ‘On Friday there was a tap on the door. Funny sense of humour, that plumber.’ Mothers-in-law: ‘I haven’t spoken to mine for 18 months. I don’t like to interrupt her.’ ‘I do exercises every day in front of the television. Up, down, up, down, up, down. Then the other eyelid.’ He held the world record for cracking jokes: 1,500 in 3 hours 7 minutes, with no script.

o establish the mental agility or my step-mother's sister (Ed), T she was asked by the doctor : "If I have 100 apples and take away 7, how many do I have?". She thought briefly and then replied "Plenty".

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CHURCH OFFICIALS Vicar The Revd. Thomas Shepherd 762379 [email protected] Reader Joan Plowman 768079 Churchwardens Sheenagh Ashworth 529187 Anne Birch 760778 Sacristan John Percival 765700 PAROCHIAL CHURCH COUNCIL (PCC) OFFICERS PCC Secretary Aileen Higgs 760149 Treasurer Roger Cooke 762118 Covenants/Gift Aid Aileen Higgs 760149 OTHER CONTACTS Organist Kevin Birch 760778 [email protected] Bells Steven Stoker 07456 [email protected] 418888 Church Flowers Sheenagh Ashworth 529187 Church Hall Sylvia Watkins 767386 [email protected] Baptisms and Weddings Please Contact The Vicar in Church on Sundays 2pm - 3pm to make the necessary arrangements. Challenge is edited by John Bottomley. If you or your organisation have reports of events that have already happened, progress updates of continuing projects, or any other items to be published in the magazine, please contact me by: tel: 01270 768744 e-mail: [email protected] Articles must be received by Sunday 17th February More information is also available on the web-site: www.sandbachchurch.co.uk 24