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Christ Church Aughton Parish Newsletter No 481 ~ July 2013

Vicar’s Viewpoint . . . James retires “So let us try to be a little kinder and gentler with each other in the further deliberations of this parliament. ” ~ Kevin Rudd on being reappointed Prime Minister of Australia HiS summer Bishop James retires as account. Transparency in office is essential T Bishop of Liverpool after 15 years of if our society is to thrive. But we do need to memorable service. His ministry has offer support to those who are entrusted been invaluable in helping the Diocese to with leadership. adapt to a fast-changing world. For many “Be kind and compassionate to one his key contribution was his chairmanship another,” writes the apostle Paul to the of the Hillsborough independent Panel. We Christians in Ephesus. “Keep on forgiving owe him our gratitude. each other, just as in Christ God forgave But such ministry comes at a price, not you.” (Ephesians 4:32) least at the hands of the tabloid press. Like We each need to show kindness and many in public office Bishop James has had compassion for the simple reason that we to endure the full Daily Mail treatment. each need to be shown kindness and Former Commissioner of the Metro - compassion. Both in private and public life, politan Police, ian Blair, writes in his book, not that you can separate the two. “Policing Controversy”, of the damage For the amazing truth is that God is kind caused to family life through sustained and and compassionate with us. Even as he was often demeaning media intrusion. it can being crucified, Jesus refused to allow this cause real hurt to partners or children, not to harden his attitude to his enemies. He otherwise involved. forgave - even as the nails were being driven One consequence of all this is for good through his wrists. people to lie low and not offer a public Such kindness, such compassion, does profile, the risks are too high. Which means not come easily but it does come from the that our society is that much the God who made us. We may be kind because poorer. this is the kind of God that Jesus shows us. The answer is not to return to And as we turn to Christ, so his Holy Spirit a deferential society where transforms us to be people in positions of like him. This is the responsibility are not held to Kingdom of God. SUMMER 2013 Breakfast is served ...... in the Ministry Centre between the 8.15 and Every Sunday 10.45 services on Parade Sundays – 14 July 8.15am: Holy Communion and 8 September. Enjoy croissants and coffee, Sunday, 7 July bacon sandwiches and toast! 10.45am: Holy Communion 6.30pm: Evening Worship ‘Faith under Fire!’ Wednesday,10 July On Saturday 6 July, our men’s breakfast guest 2.00pm: Holy Communion speaker is Davy nyirongo. Sunday, 14 July Originally from Zambia, David came to the 10.45am: Parade Service UK eleven years ago to work for CSV Volunteer network in . He then joined the British 6.30pm: Evening Worship Army, working in the Royal Logistics Corps and Thursday,18 July serving in Iraq, Belize and Qatar. 2.00pm: Leavers service for Aughton It was while in the army that David began schools to seriously explore his calling to ordained Sunday, 21 July ministry. 10.45am: Family Service with David said, “I had always felt called to serve Baptism God, but I was hesitant at first. Whilst I was in 6.30pm: Evening Worship the army and serving in Iraq, I spoke to the Wednesday, 24 July military chaplains. They were doing some 1.15pm: School Year 6 farewell fantastic things in extremely testing service circumstances. In situations like that you really do start to think about your faith in depth. I Sunday, 28 July began to see the way that I should serve God 10.45am: All-age Family Service – through ordained ministry. ” 6.30pm: Holy Communion now curate of St Paul's Church, Penketh, Sunday, 4 August Davy will be sharing his experiences as a 10.45am: All-age Holy Communion Christian in the military, and offering his 6.30pm: Evening Worship Christian view of war and peace. Wednesday, 7 August So do join us for an enjoyable fry-up and an 2.00pm: Holy Communion engaging talk, from 8:30-10am in the Ministry Sunday, 11 August Centre. 10.45am: All-age Family Service News from the Bell ringers 6.30pm: Evening Worship DO you know the maximum number of Sunday, 18 August permutations of ringing 8 bells? 12345678, 10.45am: All-age Family Service 21345678, are just two of the many. 6.30pm: Evening Worship We are delighted with the progress of two Sunday, 25 August new ringers, some 50 years apart in age! 10.45am: All-age Family Service We hope too, that members of the 6.30pm: Holy Communion Rainbow group will want to become bell Sunday, 1 September ringers one day as they visit the bell tower on 10.45am: Holy Communion Tuesday, 9 July, between 6.00 and 7.00 pm. 6.30pm: Evening Worship Otherwise Christ Church bells will be Wednesday, 4 September ringing at their usual times over the summer period – for Sunday worship and for the 2.00pm: Holy Communion 2 occasional wedding, along with ringing practice on the first Monday each month from some of the ruins dating back to the time of 7.30 to 9.00 pm. Jesus, which were amazing. It was a real eye We look forward to our tower open day on opener to see what the country has been Saturday 7 September, from 2.00-4.00 pm. through and is still going through as we travelled More details in the September COnSIDER. through more of Lebanon. It is such a beautiful country but has real signs of war from the past. Visit to Lebanon “I met some amazing young people and was LAST month Kristyna Edwards, of Prescot inspired by the head teacher of the school with Road, visited this Mediterranean country as his commitment to the young people and the part of her university course. She writes: country in this unstable time. “I am currently studying at Oasis College in “I had such an amazing experience and grew London for a degree in youth work and ministry, so much in my relationship with God on this trip. and as part of my course I am required to do a I hope to one day go back and maybe take my cross cultural placement. We were given a few own team of young people out to work in the options to choose from but the one that really school and experience the culture.” stood out for me, and which I was passionate about, was a mission trip to Beirut in Lebanon. New Wine Holiday “So in May I went with three other students THIS summer over 35 church members will be and our team leader to Beirut for 10 days of taking part in the new Wine holiday at the mission. We spent seven days working in a newark and nottinghamshire County Show - school, the Lebanese Evangelical School for Boys ground, newark. Using caravans and tents and Girls. While the school is run by Christians, along with 8000 other participants, this is just the pupils are from different faith backgrounds - under one week with activities for all age Muslim, Druze and Christian. groups. This will be the seventh time we have “During our time at the school we took the gone to new Wine as a church. morning chapels every day. Chapels were similar to assemblies with the aim to give a Christian Café Vista . . . message and allow a time for worship. This . . . cappuccino with a view. Café Vista is now involved us doing a worship song, led by one of proving a popular attraction, with its the girls on the team. Then there was a time for wonderful homemade food, high-quality testimony in which we took it in turns to tell the facilities and a wonderful view across Clieves school about our journeys in faith. Hill to the Lake District and Liverpool Bay. “We also took each classes bible class, in Open four days a week throughout the which we looked at the story of Jesus walking on summer, Tuesday to Thursday, everyone is the water, specifically looking at Peter stepping very welcome – especially for lunches. The out in faith. This showed how the young people opening times are 11.00 am to 3.30 pm. can trust in God when we have anxieties and worries. News from the Scouts “We also attended and took part in a youth SInCE January, the Beaver, Cub, Scout and group on the Friday evening at a church called Explorer Sections have been working “Jesus Prince of Peace.” We had a great time extremely hard preparing for their Gang Show getting to know all the young people there. which was performed in conjunction with the “On the Sunday we attended Haddath Rainbows, Brownies Baptist Church, where we ran the youth group - and Guides in May in which consisted of mostly Syrian refugees who the Ministry Centre. only spoke Arabic. I did the talk for the group and What a day! The gave the gospel message which had to be hard work paid off, the translated as I spoke. This was a real experience. children were excellent and performed a “On our day off we went to Tyre, and visited 3 variety of songs, sketches and dances with an opening chorus and closing finale, including Clive grew up at Christ Church, being part 'Crest of a Wave' and 'Sing as we Go' which the of our youth group in the 1970’s but moved to audience joined in with great enthusiasm. Scotland where he was able to combine his £1500 was raised for the Pearl of Africa love of walking with his journalism. Children's Charity, an amazing achievement Clive was a natural communicator, a and a lot of porridge can now be provided for conversationalist with always a tale to tell. He children less fortunate than us. loved travelling, always to new places and We have also managed to squeeze in to always he brought back mementos from all weekly meetings, badge work and games and over the world. 20 Scouts had a weekend camp at Tawd Vale His first job from Preston college where he in May where they cooked in patrols on wood studied journalism was with the Pontypridd fires, built rafts and went canoeing. Observer. He then went on to work on The The Patrol Leaders and Assistant Patrol Oxford Mail in the Bicester Office before Leaders also organised their own weekend moving to Bahrain to write for the Gulf news. camp in June in order to gain the Outdoor Plus On returning to the UK he worked for a Challenge Badge. They had to pack the short time for the Thetford Times and the equipment, sort out the menu and buy the Eastern Daily Press in norfolk before moving food (apologies to Morrison's for the potatoes to Scotland in 1995, where he was able to that went rolling down the aisle with a combine his love for journalism with his number of Scouts in hot pursuit!) passion for the outdoors. There he worked in During the weekend, the Scouts organised public relations for a while before moving their own activities which included cooking back to newspapers, to the Strathspey and home-made pizzas in mud ovens. Badenoch Herald. As the end of a busy term draws near, the Many church members got to know Clive Beavers are looking forward to a day at Martin through our sponsored walks over the May Mere and the Explorers are going to County bank holiday weekend as well as through his Camp at Great Tower in the Lake District. regular visits to Christ Church, mainly over A number of Cubs are eagerly awaiting Christmas. He easily engaged in conversation their Cub Camp at the beginning of July which and showed a keen interest in the life and will be held at Bispham Hall Scout Estate, and ministry of Christ Church. the Leaders are all looking forward to the Our prayers are with Terry and Jean, along summer holidays! with the whole of the Dennier family. In August, we will be having our second Ian Hargraves, a traditional newspaper man Family Camp which will be held at Tawd Vale. Ian was a well-known and much respected resident of Aughton, who moved from Rosehill Mansions earlier this year to be near Two journalists we his son in Cambridge. Latterly he became a thank God for regular member of our 10.45 congregation WE thanked God for the lives of Clive Dennier and enjoyed doing our , Ian was and for Ian Hargreaves in June – as it happens, most supportive in the project to build the both were journalists who had been Ministry Centre, writing several letters to the connected with Christ Church local press affirming our ministry. Clive Dennier, a love of adventure A graduate of Exeter college, Oxford, Ian We were saddened to hear early in June spent nearly all his working life with the that the body of Clive Dennier was finally Liverpool Echo group, becoming the business found in the Kinloch Hourn area in the Scottish editor for a while, reporting on the huge highlands. Clive had been reported missing in changes in the Merseyside economy. He was March when he failed to turn up for work for appointed executive sports editor, serving for the Strathspey and Badenoch Herald. 4 ten years. He reported on many key events, including the Hillsborough tragedy, after Andrew (who, unlike the other driver, was which he asked never to cover a football awake) was able to avert the collision. The next match again. day he came across what appeared to be the In the late 1950’s Ian took leave of absence same vehicle overturned on the side of the road. and with friends travelled overland to They were travelling to participate in a pastoral Australia, driving through Yugoslavia, Iran and familiar workshop for indigenous Christian Afghanistan, where he was deeply moved by leaders the hospitality he received there. One of Andrew’s tasks in this meeting was to Ian had many tales to tell, very much from outline many of the environmental changes that an era which has all but disappeared in the are affecting the Chaco and the way these newspaper world. He was a member of the changes are affecting families and children. The Guild of newspaper editors, very much a workshop participants gave positive feedback journalist of the old school. on how these sessions are enabling them to Our sympathy is extended to his family, mobilize their Church congregations to engage especially to Andrew, Sally and Simon. with children. Andrew has been carrying out research work A visitor from Virginia for Compassion International, with travel to WE look forward to meeting up with Bishop Burkina Faso, Kenya, Ethiopia (one night!), Shannon, the Bishop of Virginia, who this Uganda and Tanzania. month will be visiting our Ministry Centre which he opened three years ago with the West Lancashire Debt Advice Bishop James. He is visiting Liverpool to take WEST Lancashire Debt Advice, the new free part in the farewell service for Bishop James debt advice service run by volunteers from on 3 July as he retires as Bishop of Liverpool. local churches, will be holding an open meeting for anyone interested in finding out . . . and a visitor from Argentina more about becoming a volunteer. This will be OUR mission partner, Andrew Leake, will be on Monday 8 July, 7.30-9.00pm at the Ministry visiting us this summer as he heads north to Centre. Scotland. He aims to be here on All are welcome to attend to find out more Tuesday/Wednesday, 30/31 July. and ask questions – you are not committing Andrew writes: yourself to anything by coming along! no We have once again completed the booking required but if you would like further extraordinary paperwork just to keep our charity details in advance, please contact Jo Jones on (Fundacion Refugio) legally registered and up to 01704 891640 or jo.jones@stjohns- date with the various authorities! burscough.org. We continue to monitor and catalogue applications for deforestation, data which will Ormskirk Food Bank eventually be used in a report we aim to prepare THIS is now up and running! Please continue and publish at the end of the year. to support this service with gifts of sugar, A church in St Albans along with the Diocese sponge puddings, coffee, milk (UHT or of Carlisle’s harvest appeal has financed a powdered), fruit juices (long life carton), church-based survey on the perception of vegetarian and baby food. Collection boxes indigenous peoples on the effects of climate are at the back of church and in the Ministry change in the Chaco. Centre. Andrew recounts how he was driving the We need people to help with the food bank visiting Bishop of Carlisle and his wife to the - whether it’s collecting, storing and labelling Chaco when they had a near miss, head on, with or distributing. Contact the church office for a truck that veered into their lane. Thankfully 5 more information. News from Christ Church school lots of runs. Secondly, we had an interesting AS we approach the end of this school year we tour around the ground. At the end of the day remember all the exciting and fun things we we visited the shop. Owen Sanderson have taken part in over the year. The trip was fantastic I enjoyed walking Every class has had many opportunities to around London. I also enjoyed playing cricket. learn from the world As well as the walk and the cricket I liked going outside none more so to the top of St Paul’s Cathedral and enjoyed than our Year 6 children, listening to the different sounds of London. who have ended the year Michael Lake on a real high. As a class they were I thoroughly enjoyed going to the Tower of invited to represent Lancashire schools at a London and seeing the Beefeaters in their Cricket day at Lord’s Cricket Ground in London. fabulous costumes and seeing the ravens with This was part of the ‘Rise to Shine’ scheme, their big, bold, black clipped wings. I enjoyed To make it extra special we took the going to Lord’s and playing cricket with the children to London on the day before to show England players. I liked learning all about them the sites before going to Lord’s. Lord’s Cricket Ground and who got the highest This is what they found: score in one match. Megan Devlin I enjoyed Lord’s especially because it is a huge opportunity for us all. It meant a lot to me When we went to London we had an when I scored three sixes, one single and four incredible time. One of my favourite parts was fours. Also when I was bowling I hit the when we went on the underground: 1 2 3 4 5 wickets twice and caught three balls. 6 7, we were all holding tightly, boiling in the I also loved the tour and the history of packed carriage. Lords and finding out new things. The ground Lots of other amazing experiences was exquisite and an honour to play on the happened like playing cricket at Lords! Eila pitch. I will never forget the day we went. Craig George Harrison London was very exciting, I really enjoyed the I enjoyed playing Kwik cricket on the cricket sightseeing such as Big Ben, the London Eye, pitch. I also enjoyed looking round London at Buckingham Palace, 10 Downing Street and night. Finally I enjoyed looking round the much more. national History Museum. I really enjoyed I also really enjoyed going to Lord’s and looking at all the fossils. Mia Anderton hitting a four! Lords was huge and exciting. In The sights that I saw in London were amazing addition, we went to the media centre and and I will never forget them. I enjoyed the saw Old Father Time! Emily Aisbitt Tower of London, St Paul’s Cathedral and Lord’s. It was a privilege to play at Lord’s Our trip to London was a great experience. I Cricket Ground. I enjoyed having a tour really liked it when we went sightseeing around and visiting the shop. Connie because I had never been to London before. McManus Playing cricket at Lord’s was fantastic and the condition of the ground was exquisite. It was I really enjoyed Lord’s. I loved the media centre most because of the view. It felt a real privilege an immeasurable experience just to be invited to play cricket in a place where people want to the home of cricket! Josh Fallows to play around the world. I loved learning I enjoyed going to London because we got an about cricket! Jessica Beattie amazing opportunity to go to Lord’s Cricket At Lord’s we had a fantastic time. We played a Ground. It was fantastic! We also went to see tense game of cricket but my team won with 6 Big Ben, Downing Street and Buckingham Palace. I loved it when we went to Lords, we FUNERALS saw three England cricketers and we also went 3 June: Joan Mary Thomas into the media centre. It was great fun! 14 June: Clive Dennier of inverness Rachael Frackleton 28 June: ian Hargraves, formerly of Firstly, we went to some famous historical Rosehill Mansions places such as: the Tower of London, St James’s 2 July: Marjorie Sargent, of Millman Palace, Buckingham Palace, St Pauls’ Cathedral Close and Lord’s! I enjoyed Lord's the best. It was 3 July: Ruth Agnes Mills, of Halsall Lane massive and the ground is on a slope. It was amazing! Grace Bowness Our next Alpha course – number 40! Retiring . . . THIS autumn we are planning our next Alpha MRS CARR, who has been part of our school course, our 40th since we began in September for the last 21 years, first as our nursery Leader 1997 with just eight people, Over the and then as our Reception teacher is retiring intervening 16 years just over 600 different at the end of term. This will be a very sad loss people have done this 10 week course with us, for school but we wish her a long and happy many coming to faith in the living Christ. retirement. We thank her for being such a very Over 20 million people in 163 countries dedicated and hard working teacher and throughout the world, along with 1.2 million providing our children with such a good start in our own country have attended an Alpha to their school days. Course. In fact, some estimates place this latter Mr Clare, our present Year 6 teacher, is also number at 2.5 million. The Independent leaving us at the end of term to take up the newspaper describes it as British Christianity's post of deputy headteacher at another local biggest success story. school. We wish him well as he starts his new But what is the story of Alpha, where did it post and thank him for all his hard work, start? especially the enthusiasm he has created for As it happens our vicar Ross was at college sport in the school. with those who began the course in 1977. “My As at the end of any school year we look friends Sandy Millar and Charles Marnham back and celebrate the wonderful went to be curates at in achievements of our year 6 children and wish the centre of London. I visited them several them well in their new high schools. We then times there when the church was a dark look forward to the new year and seeing our gothic building with a small congregation and new reception children settle into school. We a professional choir. I can still recall the will also be welcoming two new teachers Miss overwhelming smell of the ancient vestry!” Fletcher into Year 2 and Mr. Swift into year 6. Charles soon set up an enquiries course for We hope everyone has a super summer those interested in the Christian faith. It was holiday and that the weather is kind to us all. his wife Tricia who came up with the name School reopens for children on Monday 9 Alpha. For 15 years or so the course gradually September. developed, especially when Sandy Millar became vicar of HTB in 1985. FROM THE REGISTERS However it was with the arrival of the new curate, nicky Gumbell, in 1990 that the course BAPTISMS began to develop into the Alpha course we 16 June: Leighton William Smith, son of know today – with informal meals and a David and Jennifer weekend or a day away. 16 June: Courtney Marie Johnson, Then in the early 1990’s the church daughter of Joe and Marie 7 leadership at HTB decided to share the course with the wider church. Ross recalls: “I can bring their friends or family to the next course. remember reading an advert in the Church It is an opportunity not to be missed. Times inviting church leaders to a conference You can read some of the stories on our on how to run Alpha. I didn’t go myself but church website: phoned Sandy and asked him what he www.ChristChurchAughton.com thought. He replied that there were two main Just click on the Alpha logo on the elements to the course, that it should be homepage. enjoyed and that no question was to be out of So as we plan for our 40th course we bounds. This gave people the freedom to ask are hoping for a very special launch the big questions of life in an safe event on Wednesday, 2 October at environment.” 8.00pm in the Ministry Centre The first Alpha course in Ormskirk was run by Ormskirk Churches Together with five Human fallibility recognised, God’s churches joining together, each meeting at a sovereignty trusted; these are also the only different church with a meal and each with a stable foundations for human beings in talk by nicky Gumbell on a VHS tape. That was society. just the start. Eventually churches were able to It is true that going out on to the street develop their own Alpha courses, sometimes implies the risk of accidents happening, as in partnership with each other. they would to any ordinary man or As the Alpha course has developed it has woman. But if the church stays wrapped been used by churches throughout the world up in itself, it will age. And if I had to and in many denominations. Alpha first ran in choose between a wounded church that goes a Catholic context after Cardinal Basil Hume out on to the streets and a sick, withdrawn invited nicky Gumbell and Sandy Millar to a church, I would definitely choose the first lead an Alpha conference in 1996 at one. Pope Francis I Westminster Cathedral. In the years following this conference, Alpha was launched globally in the Catholic Church and is now running in Vicar: Rev Ross Moughtin, thousands of Catholic parishes in 70 countries 22 Long Lane, Aughton ᔒ 422 175 around the world. email: [email protected] Here at Christ Church we aim to promote each new course through advertising, Curate: Rev Phil Weston, personal visiting and a stall at Ormskirk 25 Peet Avenue, Aughton ᔒ 571 087 market. One person who has just finished our email: [email protected] most recent course was travelling from her Youth Director: Jonathan Edwards, home in Crosby to work, saw the Cafe Vista 106 Prescot Rd, Ormskirk ᔒ 575 635 sign on our Ministry Centre as she passed on email: the A59. On visiting the café she saw our Alpha poster and decided to sign up. The result was [email protected] that she came to faith through the course and Ministry Centre Office: has joined one of our Beta groups as a follow ᔒ 424 530 up. email: normally we encourage those who have [email protected] completed the course and who live outside Ormskirk to join a nearby church where their Church website: faith may be nurtured. www.ChristChurchAughton.org However, what really counts more than Christ Church is now on twitter - anything else is the personal recommendation follow us at @ChristChurchAug of those who have done the course. Many 8