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Parish News June 2020 Holy Trinity (without the walls) Norris Road, Blacon, Chester. CH1 5DZ June 2020 40p Parish News June 2020 2 Parish News June 2020 Dear friends, Welcome to the June 2020 Holy Trinity Parish News. This month there are articles about 2 new bishops, The history of St Chad’s Church, the predecessor to Holy Trinity, thoughts from Su Colly, Tina and Louise, as well as the usual puzzles and features too. We do not know how long this lockdown will go on for and we will continue to provide you with a printed magazine. Have faith for God WILL see us through. The Lord is my rock, my fortress and my deliverer; my God is my rock, in whom I take refuge, my shield and the horn of my salvation, my stronghold Psalm 18:2 Jason Clarke Magazine compiler If you would like to share your experiences during this time of crisis in a future parish News magazine, please either email [email protected] 3 Parish News June 2020 Great Is His Faithfulness It feels like a world away, but it most of us do. But that does not was only in March that I was mean that we stop functioning, attending events with dozens of stop living, and kind of hold our people in a small room. Only a breath until we can get out and fortnight later we were in about again. lockdown. At first, I had many I firmly believe that God is conversations about how long wanting us to make the most of would it go on for, and what we every single day he gives us right would do once it was all over. I now. He is wanting us to give have not spoken to anyone on thanks with grateful hearts for those lines for a while. There is what we do have. He is wanting still a longing for it all to be over, us to grow in our relationship with but trying to second-guess when Him. He is wanting us to trust we will be back to that other Him, and to love Him, with all our world we call ‘normal’ happens heart and mind and soul and less often now. strength. What if now is ‘normal’? What if The Israelites went through their life is not on hold, but is just as own version of ‘lockdown’ when meaningful, just as valid, just as they wandered through the important now as it was three wilderness on their way to the months ago? Certainly, the way Promised Land. They escaped things happen are far from what Egypt (in such dramatic we would want them to be. circumstances, the Red Sea Certainly the freedom of parted so they could escape movement, freedom to meet up Pharoah’s army) only to find with friends and family as we themselves in the middle of a want to, freedom to worship in desert, no food, no water, and life church as we used to, is was grim. They grumbled, and something I long for, as I am sure began to think that God had 4 Parish News June 2020 forgotten them, that their life him, It is good that one should there was not what was wait quietly for the salvation of important, but it would all be the Lord….to sit alone in silence better when they finally reached when the Lord has imposed Canaan. But the journey ended it’ (Lam 3.25-28). up so much longer than any of We are going through our own them expected. God became exodus right now. God looks at angry when they proved to have how we respond to Him each and very little faith in Him. When they every day, how we relate to Him failed to thank him for the food whether on our own within our and water he provided for them. own home, or out and about and When they turned to worship meeting others. Turn to the Lord other gods, or did things in their and thank Him for all the good own strength, instead of trusting things He has given you today. God. Wait for Him, in silence, and He Some powerful poems written at will answer you, He will give you that time, which we now call the comfort and peace beyond book of Lamentations, speak of understanding. Because the enormous suffering at that time. steadfast love of the Lord never It begins evocatively ’How lonely fails, great is His faithfulness. sits the city that once was full of Tina Upton people’ (Lam 1.1). Then it goes on to describe great pain and mourning and weeping. But the source of that is seen as the sinfulness of the people. God is full of steadfast love and mercy, which is ‘new every morning’ (Lam 3.23). God rewards those who wait for Him, even (perhaps especially) if the waiting feel agonisingly long. ‘The Lord is good to those who wait for 5 Parish News June 2020 The New Bishop Of Chester The Rt Revd Mark Tanner has Mark says: “It is an honour and a been named by Downing Street as joy to be appointed to the Diocese the next Bishop of Chester, of Chester at such a key time in succeeding the Rt Revd Dr Peter the life of our communities, Forster who retired in September nation, and Church. In Christ, God 2019. offers a gift of hope beyond our imagining; there is no greater joy Bishop Mark is currently the or privilege than enabling others Bishop of Berwick in the Diocese to step into this freedom and life, of Newcastle, a post he has whether in deeply practical occupied since 2016. service or beautiful wonder and “It will be hard to say goodbye to worship. God is here for all." the North East,” he says, Bishop Mark and his wife, Lindsay, “however, Lindsay and I are really were introduced to the diocese excited to return to Chester where online via a series of live-streamed I was ordained, and both of our events, and videos of those can be children were born.” found on the diocesan website.. “Although I cannot physically be 6 Parish News June 2020 with you today, I look forward to whom we are called to serve as getting to know the people and Christ’s church today. He has communities of the diocese from been instrumental in helping us the coast to the Pennines, as we establish our Resource Church refresh and renew our service of and imagine new possibilities in every member of society within terms of ministry and mission. I our diocese.” know the Diocese of Chester will be blessed through his ministry Bishop Christine, the Bishop of there.” Newcastle says: “It has been a real joy to work with Mark as a The timing of Bishop Mark’s move key member of the team here. to the diocese is uncertain under I have appreciated his friendship the present circumstances, but and counsel, his kindness and will be announced in due course. great sense of fun, and most particularly, his focus on those 7 Parish News June 2020 New Archbishop of York Bishop Stephen Cottrell will be am confirmed as the 98th Archbishop looking of York at 11.00am on Thursday 9 forward July 2020, in a service broadcast to entirely via video conference due beginning to the Coronavirus restrictions. my ministry As Presiding Judge, the as the Archbishop of Canterbury, the 98th Most Revd Justin Welby, has granted permission for the virtual service to take place. Archbishop of York. This isn’t quite how I imagined it would The service, which had been due begin. t is certainly the first time to take place in York Minster, will an Archbishop’s election will have be in two parts: a legal ceremony been confirmed via video with readings, prayers and music; conference. But we’re all having and a film marking the start of to re-imagine how we live our Bishop Stephen’s ministry as lives and how we inhabit the Archbishop of York. world. These are difficult times. My hope is that through this Bishop Stephen will offer his first service the love of God that is address as Archbishop of York. given us in Jesus Christ will shine Prayers will be offered for the out, perhaps even to those who Archbishop, the Diocese of York while never attending a service in and the Northern Province of the York Minster, might have a look Church of England as well as for online. the wider world in these difficult times. I can still just about remember what it’s like to not be part of the Commenting on the service, Christian community. What Bishop Stephen Cottrell said: “I inspired me to follow Jesus is that 8 Parish News June 2020 vision of a new humanity that I The Confirmation of Election is see in him. Following in the the formal legal process that footsteps of my many completes the appointment of predecessors, I look forward to senior bishops. serving our nation and bringing the love and peace of Christ to The service will be available on our world, especially here in the the Church of England website north.” at www.churchofengland.org. Arrangements for Bishop The Archbishop of Canterbury Stephen’s enthronement service Justin Welby said: "Like so many will be announced later in the across the Church of England and year. Anglican Communion, I am looking forward to welcoming Prayer on the announcement of Bishop Stephen to his new the Archbishop of York Designate ministry with joy, thanksgiving and hope.