The Messenger Parish Magazine of St Michael and All Angels, Middlewich with St John the Evangelist, Byley
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The Messenger Parish Magazine of St Michael and All Angels, Middlewich with St John the Evangelist, Byley October 2016 www.middlewichparishchurch.org.uk 50p Service Plan for October 2016 2nd October— 19th after Trinity (Parish Weekend away) 8.00 am Middlewich No Service 9.15 am Middlewich No Service 11.00 am Middlewich No Service 11.00 am Byley Morning Praise 6.30 pm Middlewich No Service 9th October— 20th after Trinity (Middlewich Harvest) 9.15 am Middlewich Communion 11.00 am Middlewich All Age Worship 11.00 am Byley Communion 2.00 pm Middlewich Baptism 4.00 pm Middlewich Bereavement Service 16th October— 21st after Trinity (Byley Harvest) 9.15 am Middlewich Communion 11.00 am Middlewich Communion 11.00 am Byley Morning Praise 6.30 pm Middlewich Church @ 28 Tuesdays– Healing Service 9.30 am Thursdays– Communion 9.30 am 2 23rd October— Last after Trinity 9.15 am Middlewich Communion 11.00 am Middlewich Morning Praise 11.00 am Byley Communion 2.00 pm Middlewich Baptism 6.30 pm No Evening Service 30th October— 4th before Advent 9.15 am Middlewich Communion 11.00 am Middlewich All Age Communion 11.00 am Byley Morning Praise 6.30 pm No Evening Service St Michael’s Church Office 28 Hightown, Middlewich, CW10 9AN 01606 738005 Office hours 10am-2pm Monday-Friday Office Manager : Beth Deakin [email protected] For further contact details please see p20 … Don’t forget to check out the 28 website...www.at28.org 3 Letter From the Rector Dear Friends Did you know that harvest festival as we know it today originated from the small Cornish town of Morwenstow. In 1834 the vicar of Morwenstow, the Revd Robert Hawker, announced that there would be a special Sunday devoted to thanksgiving for a bountiful harvest. Despite its recent humble beginnings Harvest Festival has become one of the major Christian festivals. Yet the idea of a thanksgiving festival to celebrate the harvest goes back to the earliest biblical times. After the escape of the people of Israel from Egypt around 1500 BC God, through Moses, commanded the nation of Israel to hold three annual festivals (Exodus 23:14-17); one to celebrate their escape from Egypt, one to celebrate the beginning of the harvest (with the first fruit from the fields), and another to celebrate the end of the harvest period. This emphasis given to the celebration of harvest so early in the bible demonstrates its fundamental importance in our relationship as human beings with God our maker. He is the creator and sustainer of all things, and he provides us with the very things we need to live. Whatever your understanding of the creation story in Genesis 1, one of its basic truths is that God provided us with the food we need to survive. God said “I give you every seed-bearing plant on the face of the whole earth and every tree that has fruit with seed in it. They will be yours for food.” (Genesis 1:29) Again at the end of the story of Noah God gives this promise; “As long as the earth endures, seedtime and harvest, cold and heat, summer and winter, day and night will never cease” (Genesis 8:22). We take the food we eat, the clothes we wear, the homes we live in mostly for granted. Some of you who are still involved in farming will be more aware than others of the risks involved in growing food crops, and the partnership that exists between human effort and nature. This harvest let us all remember that despite our great human achievements, science and technology we still depend on God’s provision in nature for the 4 food we eat to actually grow. So take a moment this month to come and join us as we give thanks to God for the harvest. Middlewich – Sunday 9th October – 9:15am & 11am Services Byley – Sunday 16th October – 11am Service Yours in Christ Simon Drew Book Review Cat Psalms – prayers my cats have taught me By Herbert Brokering, LionHudson, £7.99 "Cats help me pray," says Herbert Brokering. This collection of whimsical, insightful psalms, or prayers, is based on Brokering's observations of cats he has known through his life - farm cats, house cats, alley cats. Each psalm expresses an observation about a cat's nature, written in the "voice" of the cat, followed by a prayer in which the human spirit speaks of its cat-like nature to God. Cat Psalms is for those who wish to pray more deeply, with more imagination and understanding, and offers fresh ways to see ourselves and new ways to pray. The Alpha Course Starting Wednesday 5th October 2016 Do you have questions about faith? Life? Or even the Universe? This is your opportunity to question and explore with others what the Christian faith is all about. This course is for anyone who would like to join us. We are running two groups: Wednesday mornings at 10:30am at No28 Hightown Wednesdays evenings at 7:30pm at No28 Hightown Both starting 5th October 2016 To book a place please contact Simon (01606 833440) or the church office (01606 738005) 5 THE MYSTERY OF THE ICONS ON THE PILLAR I have wondered for some time about the framed picture I see every time I come to St Michael’s. It has the look of the High Renaissance about it but it seems incomplete. Now, I am no art buff but I did suspect that this painting would have been by one of the triumvirate of glorious Italian artists from the cinquecento, that is the 15th century. Leonardo da Vinci, Michaelangelo or Raphael. Sure enough after a little research in my mammoth volume “Renaissance, Art and Architecture during the 15th and 16th century”, it proved to be the case. It is one of Raphael's most important paintings The Sistine Madonna named after the church of San Sisto in Piacenza, for whose altar it was painted in 1513-14. The painting was later acquired by King Augustus 3rd of Saxony for his collection in Dresden. It was hidden underground in a Swiss tunnel during the war, but was eventually seized by the Red Army and taken to Moscow post war. In 1955 after the death of Stalin the painting was returned to Germany “for the purpose of strengthening the friendship between the two nations.” It is now back in Dresden and can be viewed at the Gemadergalerie Alte Meister in that city. Back to the painting and its deep meaning. I will quote from my volume for this: “Like the Mona Lisa this painting presents a mystery. The virgin stands on clouds and stares into space with an almost petrified and mournful gaze, while the infant Jesus also looks terrified and nestles against his mother for protection. What is the reason for their terror and sadness? Is St Sixtus pointing at us the viewers? A number of famous writers have expressed their views on the subject. The surprising and logical explanation was revealed not long ago by art historian Andreas Prater, who discovered that the altarpiece was once displayed in the choir of the church of San Sisto behind a choir screen that no longer survives. On this was a cross. The mystery is thus solved: Mary and the infant Jesus were staring out of the altarpiece, in its original position, at a crucifix (at which St Sixtus also points.) The fearful expression of mother and child is therefore understandable. Jesus sees his own death and his mother sees the suffering of her child.” 6 So there you have it. I have included both the St Michaels print and the complete and gloriously coloured copy from my Renaissance volume. Hope you have enjoyed a walk down one of the many mysterious roads of artistic grandeur of that period. There are lots of other stories to tell. Glenn King St. Michael’s Madonna The Sistine Madonna Raphael (1513/14) Oil on canvas Dresden 7 150 Years of Reader Ministry – and Julie Hassall! On Saturday, October 15th at 2.15 pm in Chester Cathedral there will be a very special service. We will be celebrating the 150th anniversary of the reinstatement of Reader ministry in the Church of England – and our very own Julie Hassall will be licensed as a Reader in that service! She will be joining our existing Readers: Christine Hamill-Stewart, Tony Woode, Steve Broadfoot, Jacqui Briscoe, Anne Latham and Duncan Goodwin in this very important ministry which adds so much to the life of St. Michael’s and St. John’s. So who are Readers? They are people who are called to lay ministry in the Church. They go through a selection process to test their calling, and then do three years of theological training, starting with the ‘Foundations for Ministry’ year. And it is very hard work, and a huge commitment in time and energy! (It has got harder since I did it!). But then they receive a Licence from the Bishop, which gives them authority to preach God’s word and to lead services and teach both in our church, and else- where if requested. It is a ministry which is seen as a bridge between the church and the community, as many Readers, like Julie, have full-time jobs. By being the people they are, they bring the love of Jesus and the encouragement of Christian witness to the workplace and the people there. So we are thrilled that Julie will be joining our Ministry Team as the newest Reader.