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Message from the Vicar inclusive Daniel August 2020 A Church Newsletter for the Community

“Lent” and “Kind”

Church Opening Notices

Due to COVID-19 regulations and guidance, the PCC has agreed that no public worship will be held during the month of March in the church building.

Online services will continue, and any possible return to public worship will be reviewed by the PCC towards the end of March.

Sunday Online Service - 10am on our Facebook page & YouTube

Vicar’s Surgery (Via Zoom online or over phone) - Thursday evening between 5 & 6 pm

Sunday Club (Via Zoom) - 1st & 3rd Sunday this month at 11.30 am

Messy Church (Via Zoom) - 4th Sunday of Month at 5pm

House Group (Via Zoom) - Please contact the church office on 0121 308 0869

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Message from the Vicar 2021 “Lent” and “Kind”.

Let me speak to you about two words – “Lent” and “Kind”.

Lent is the time of lengthening days. In French it becomes a musical term for slow (i.e. long notes) and in Dutch the The truth is simply that “kind” means family. equivalent means “Spring” – the time of days becoming Humankind, for example, is the human family. longer. Every year we celebrate a solemn observance of 40 Kindness is the way we treat those of our own kind. days (plus feast days) from Ash Wednesday to Easter It is the way you care for family, and the standards Sunday. Whatever the origin of this period of fasting and you expect from others to those you love. Kindness praying, we know it has been observed since at least the is strength in the face of adversity when a family fourth century Council of Nicea. It is a long-standing gathers to support each other. tradition of God's people.

Kindness is compassion on those who belong with 40 days is a significant period to commit to anything. Moses us but haven’t got the things we have, whether that spent 40 days on Mount Sinai with God. Elijah took 40 days is material need or spiritual poverty, or emotional and nights to travel to Mount Horeb. Noah witnessed 40 frailty. days of rain at the beginning of the great flood. Jonah delivered a prophecy that gave Nineveh 40 days to repent or Just as faith is the confidence to act on our beliefs, be destroyed and Jesus spent 40 days in the wilderness so kindness is the proof of family and belonging in where he was tempted. Modern behaviour science suggests the way we act and look after one another. In the anything over thirty consecutive days is enough to make or family of St James, we must continue to show break a habit. So 40 days doing a new thing or changing our kindness to one another and lift one another up. ways should bring that change to our core and write it on our heart. This Lent, as our days lengthen and we observe

once more the path of Christ to the Cross, I am As our days lengthen, still we endure the limits imposed by a increasingly challenged to be kind. Not just words, global pandemic. Every time we see fresh hope for a lifting of although kind words will mend many hurts, but restrictions, we are met with a further trial – more actions too. Kind attitudes, kind prayers. Family dangerous variants of the disease, spikes in infection rates, looking after one another. and increasing evidence of the mental and physical toll of extended isolation from our family and friends. We have Join me in prayer. Join me in the Vicar’s Surgery. been in some form of lockdown for over three hundred days Join one another in Lenten Acts of Kindness. Let us at the time of writing. These changes to our lives may have a be family to one another, and in so doing create a lifelong impact. sense of welcome for others who crave this love and

inclusion in their lives. Jesus was willing to die for Which is why I also want to speak to you also of the word us, and rise to Glory as the first of all God’s “Kind”. children. His kindness and grace brings us into

God’s heavenly family. Let us strive to do likewise The word is derived from the Old English “gecynd” which for others. also gives us the word “kin”, meaning “family”. We use the word to describe things as “one of a kind” when they are God bless us all. unique and cannot be matched. We say “our kind of people”about new acquaintances who belong in our social With Prayers and Blessings, circle. We say “Be Kind” when we want to treat people Revd. Daniel Ramble|Vicar gently, and with respect.

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Vicar’s Surgery (Via Zoom online or over phone)

Vicar’s Surgery is a weekly drop in held each Thursday evening between 5 & 6 pm via Zoom (both online or phone) it is for both church members and non-church members alike. It is a chance to speak to Rev. Daniel about anything you like. It might be to seek advice, share a burden or joy; it maybe to ask for prayer, find out more about faith or the church, or to discuss a passage of scripture you are struggling with. It can also be a good opportunity to come and talk to him about a baptism or wedding. Just make yourself a cuppa and enjoy a chat with Rev. Daniel. To register your interest and book your time slot, please contact the church office on 0121 308 0869. Sunday Online Service

We will continue to offer a Sunday Online Service at 10am on our Facebook page & YouTube. If you would like to watch the service you can drop an email to Daniel on – [email protected]; and you will be added to the distribution list. For those who do not have Internet access, you may request a personalised Sunday service CD, which can be delivered every Sunday for you to play at home. If neither of these options suit you then please contact the church office on 0121 308 0869.

Sunday Club (Via Zoom) Messy Church (Via Zoom)

Sunday Club is continuing 1st & 3rd Sunday this month at We are running our Messy Advent Children’s Activity 11.30 am via a Zoom link. All children between 7-15 and on 4th Sunday of Month at 5pm. All children between their parents are very welcome to join. Please contact the 7-15 and their parents are very welcome to join. Please church office on 0121 308 0869. contact the church office on 0121 308 0869.

House Group Free Befriending Free Professional (Via Zoom) Helpline (via Phone) Counselling

Our house groups via Zoom continue The Hope Helpline continues to (Phone or Zoom) to meet and follow SACRED bible provide befriending conversations The Hope Helpline is working with study resource, for those who would to both members of the St James professional counsellors across like some time of fellowship and Church family and the Sutton Sutton Coldfield to support members prayer. Please contact the church Coldfield community. Please contact of the St James Church family going office on 0121 308 0869. us on 07483829891 to book a free through grief, and experiencing befriending conversation. anxiety and depression. To use this service, please contact Revd. Daniel via the church office on 0121 308 0869.

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Article from the Director of Music: Agents of Shield

No, not the Marvel television series. Rather, I have received a letter from the NHS telling me to stay put for my own welfare. Hurrah! Having given up my social life for most of the last 11 months I finally have an official letter telling me I need to shield and not to leave my house. I shall be very careful to do my bit. Or not do it. Either way, I shall find ways to. Not that this makes any real difference to my everyday life. I’m working in my day job from home, and developing two new projects for St James music ministry.

Firstly, there’s the Sing with St James initiative which is open to all. In a series of YouTube videos I shall be leading viewers through basic singing exercises and some simple songs that we can learn and rehearse individually. Although it’s aimed as a means to get our choir singing in preparation for a return to services in person, it’s also good for anybody who fancies joining in. Who knows, you might start online and develop a taste for singing with us.

When rehearsals re-start I’ll let everybody know and you’d be more than welcome to join in. In the meantime, links to the YouTube videos are available via this link or by scanning the QR code on a mobile device: http://bit.ly/3kt4Lku

The other task is a schools music project. I am putting the finishing touches to a song for schoolchildren about Kindness. We’ll be putting the materials online and encouraging schools to record their students so we can stitch together a group performance despite restrictions. In all this, I remain positive that the purpose of music in church is to give God glory. He is with us wherever we are, in the scriptures, in prayer, in song and in our hearts by faith. Bless you all as we navigate Lent and approach Easter.

Andrew Clayton ,Director of Music

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Notice of the new Area Dean of Oldham & Ashton

First announced in the parish of St James, Hill, and across Aston & Sutton Coldfield Archdeaconry, CofE Birmingham, CofE Manchester, on Sunday 28th February 2021

The , The Rt Revd. Dr. David Walker, is delighted to announce the appointment of The Revd. A. Daniel Ramble as the Area Dean of the new deanery of Oldham and Ashton. The new deaneries are coming into being from June 2021 as part of the Transforming Manchester Diocese initiative. This significant new role will give a high level of support and leadership to churches, clergy and lay leaders across the seven new deaneries.

Revd. Daniel is currently Vicar of St James Hill, Mere Green, a large parish here in the Sutton Coldfield area of Birmingham, and is a member of the ‘Setting God’s People Free’ diocesan steering group as well as the Diocesan Synod. Revd. Daniel brings wide experience of mission and spirituality to his new role from both before and since ordination with his global majority heritage. After serving his curacy in an LEP (Local Ecumenical Partnership) in Erdington team ministry, during which time he also had responsibility as senior Anglican university chaplain, he has held his current role in addition to multiple diocesan responsibilities. Before ministering in the , Revd. Daniel served as a Bishop’s Chaplain, Diocesan Interfaith adviser and Indian SPCK lead within the Diocese of Rajasthan, Church of North India. During the pandemic Revd. Daniel was a Founding Trustee of ‘Hope for Sutton CIO’, which provided Covid-19 crisis emergency activities to nearly 10,000 individuals from March 2020, and continues to support the local community of Sutton Coldfield.

Revd. Daniel says, ‘After nearly seven very happy years in Sutton Coldfield, Judith and I are really excited to be moving to Manchester to join in with this new vision of growing, nurturing and serving. I am passionate about collaboration between church communities and I am looking forward to working with all the parishes of Oldham and Ashton in our shared mission to the local mission communities.’

Bishop David Urquhart, , says, ‘Daniel has enriched us with significant intercultural experience, from his ministry in the UK and India as well as having started his ministry with us in an outer-estate parish of the Church of England, Birmingham. He worked very closely with the People and Placesframework within the diocese of Birmingham and takes that learning to the Diocese of Manchester.’

Bishop Mark Davies, Bishop of Middleton, says, ‘It is an exciting time for Revd. Daniel to join us in Manchester for this significant new role. I am sure his abundant energy and inspiring gifts in leadership and pastoral skills will be exactly what the church in Oldham and Ashton needs for a well-supported and flourishing future. Please join us in praying for Revd. Daniel and our communities across the new deanery as we seek God’s blessing for our new mission communities.’

Revd. Daniel will be welcomed and licensed by the Bishop of Manchester in the Evensong service at on Sunday 6th June at 5.30pm. WWW.STJAMESMEREGREEN.ORG.UK

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The Hope Helpline is working with professional counsellors across Sutton Coldfield to support members of the St James Church family going through grief, and experiencing anxiety and depression. To use this service, please contact Revd. Daniel via the church office on 0121 308 0869.

Free Befriending Helpline (via Phone)

The Hope Helpline continues to provide befriending conversations to both members of the St James Church family and the Sutton Coldfield community. Please contact us on 07483829891 to book a free befriending conversation.

Church Notices

Sue Cutler and her sister Rev Carol Whittock would like to thank everyone for their kind messages of sympathy, and also for the support given to them on the day of the funeral of their mother Evelyn Busby. Your prayers, thoughtful memories and loving concern continue to be much appreciated by us and our family, and we hold you in our prayers.

Wedding Anniversary: Congratulations to Margaret and Jim Hill, who are celebrating their 60th Wedding Anniversary this month.

NOTICE OF A MEETING FOR THE ELECTION OF A CHURCHWARDEN

We are having an extraordinary meeting of parishioners residing in Mere Green on 21st March 2021 at 11.00am via Zoom.

Meeting ID: 890 4035 5967 Passcode: 650388

This meeting is to help fill one Church Warden vacancy until our next Annual Meeting, which is planned to be held on 25th April 2021.

We have received one nomination for this post already, but if you would like to nominate someone else for this post, please feel free to contact our Church Warden, Renu Samuel, via email at [email protected] for the nomination paperwork. She will work to get the paper organised.

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@stjamesmeregreen @StJamesMereG @stjamesmeregreen Hope For Sutton HOPE HELPLINE WE NEED YOUR SUPPORT

Do you have a few free hours to spare? No experience is necessary - we care more about a smile and a desire to help others. Roles include cleaning, drivers, food parcel team and admin, Want to find out more?

C O N T A C T H O P E H E L P L I N E T E L E P H O N E : 0 7 4 8 3 8 2 9 8 9 1 E M A I L : H 4 S . H 2 H @ G M A I L . C O M

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