The Parish of Great Yarmouth One Church in Many Places December 2020 50P
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The Parish of Great Yarmouth One Church in Many Places December 2020 50p PARISH DIRECTORY ‘ONE CHURCH IN MANY PLACES’ (*REST DAY) Team Rector : The Revd Canon Simon Ward (*Fri) [email protected] 858410 Team Vicar : The Revd Jemma Sander-Heys (*Tues) [email protected] 304609 Assistant Priests: The Revd Frank Cliff [email protected] 851097 The Revd John Greenway (*Thurs) [email protected] 853558 The Revd Stephen Andrews (*Fri) [email protected] The Revd Helen Lynch (*Fri) [email protected] 07902 447821 Readers: Mrs Pat Stringer 604082 [email protected] Mrs Carolyn Cliff 851097 [email protected] PCC Secretary: Ms Tracy Lacey 858410 [email protected] Church Warden: Mr Paul Spychal 858332 [email protected] For other contact numbers please see page 32 Parish Registers—page 5 Letter from Nancy — pages 6,& 7 Christmas Services—page 12 Sunday Worship — page 13 Stained Glass Plaque by Tom Gilbert pages 18 & 19 ‘Architect loved Victorian Era’ by Paul Davies Page 19 Coffee Time Quiz & Norfolk Quiz pages 21-23 Answers ’St Pauls’ Quiz & ‘Heavens Above’ Quiz — page 22 Nature Notes from the Church Tower: - pages 24-25 Front Cover: ‘Christmas Holly’ by Terry Stringer ’The Holly bears a berry as red as any blood’ THE DEADLINE FOR THE NEXT MAGAZINE IS DECEMBER 7th 2020 2 From the Rectory As I write we are in the first week of the second lockdown and as the days get shorter and the nights seem to get darker I know that this time is difficult for many of you. The whole of this year has been beset by uncertainty and restrictions: We have needed to stay at home and adapt our behaviour around other people. We have had to change plans and cancel visits and travel. We have not been able to meet with people we normally anticipate seeing regularly. We even had to close our churches. The uncertainty extends into December. The lockdown is due to end on 2nd December but there is a concern it may extend further. I’ll admit that planning for Christmas in the Parish of Great Yarmouth is fraught with hesitation and a need for an “either or” approach. There will be plenty happening and we are resolved to offer plenty of options for people to have opportunity to reflect and worship in this season. Lockdown is tough but it need not be all negative. Some people have embraced the gift of time they have received without travel to and from work. Some have grasped the opportunity to learn new skills. Some have found that they are more adept at using technology than they imagined (and I include many clergy in this bracket). Globally and nationally we have noted the benefits of less travel and burning of fossil fuels and in many larger cities, streets have been reclaimed by pedestrians and cyclists. There is good to be found, even in the gloom. God is with us in the midst of uncertainty. The heart of Christmas is a story which is full of uncertainty and people who are feeling more than a bit wobbly. There is a young woman lurching down the road to Bethlehem wondering where she will have her baby. There is a young man who travels with the woman wondering what is happening in his life. There are shepherds who are terrified at an angelic apparition and then feel compelled to ditch the flock and run to Bethlehem. There are wise men whose hearts God stirred who journey across the expanse of the Middle East but don’t know exactly where they are going. If you’re feeling a bit uncertain, maybe you will be able to identify with someone in the Christmas story. It looks as though there is plenty of choice. Underneath the uncertainty is the wonder of a God who loves us and will not let us go: a God whose plan is sure and true and will go to great lengths to reveal that wonder to us. I wish you every blessing and peace through December and pray we may use the days of Advent to prepare our hearts for the Mystery of Christmas. Fr Simon 3 0800 804 8044 Are you in need of some daily hope during this lockdown? We have a new FREE telephone line for you to ring to hear comforting hymns, daily prayers and reflections Faith in later life CONNEC+IONS Safeguarding The Parish of Great Yarmouth is committed to promoting A Safer Church. Here are some useful numbers if you are concerned for yourself or someone else. * Rose Bishop, Parish Safeguarding Officer 01493 780784 * Revd Simon 01493 858410 * Revd Jemma 01493 304609 * Sue Bryce, Diocesan Safeguarding Officer 07958 377079 * Norfolk Adult and Child Social Services 0344 800 8020 * Emergencies, Police 999 4 From the Parish Registers Funeral at the Minster 2 November2020 Alan Varney Funeral at St Paul’s Church 3 November2020 Roger Coote St Nicholas Garden of Remembrance, cremated remains 12 October 2020 Beryl Blair 5 November 2020 Gary Melvin Goodrum May They Rest in Peace Wedding at the Minster 31st October Aaron Jack Cockrell & Emilia Kyriacou Marcou Those whom God has joined together let no one put asunder Advent: A Time to Prepare Happy Christmas The members of the Ministry Team and Parish Churchwarden wish you all a very Happy and Blessed Christmas Simon Ward, Jemma Sander-Heys, Helen Lynch, Frank Cliff, John Greenway, Stephen Andrews, Carolyn Cliff, Pat Stringer and Paul Spychal 5 Letter from Nancy Dear Readers, The month of November is a very special month, on 1 November we have All Saints’ Day and on the 2 November All Souls’ Day. The Patron Saint for November, St Catherine of Alexandria, lived in the 4th century, she was the daughter of the King of Cyprus. Legend records she met her death at the hand of Emperor Maxentius of Alexandria. After converting to Christianity she constantly refused to sacrifice to the Emperor’s gods and protested against the persecution of Christians by Maxentius. She was an intellectual and disputed successfully with philosophers who were instructed to convince her of the errors of Christianity. She was condemned to death by being bound to a spiked wheel. The wheel flew apart and injured many onlookers. Surviving this ordeal she was beheaded by a sword. St Catherine was a popular saint of the middle ages. There are 80 churches dedicated to her in England and the Village of St Catherine’s Avon shares her name. St Catherine is the Patron Saint of young girls, students, philosophers, the clergy and those who work the wheel, like wheelwrights, spinners and millers. St Catherine’s feast day is on 25 November, however, she is easily remembered on the 5 November when Catherine wheels (named after her) are set off. Before you Speak—Think T Is it true ? H Is it helpful? I Is it inspiring? N Is it necessary? K Is it kind? We will be celebrating Advent soon. With all the changes because of Covid-19 things and times are changing rapidly but we must remember the important things that don’t change and are our mainstay. Continued on page 7 6 Letter from Nancy Continued • What is coming? • What are we waiting for? On Advent Sunday we remember what it is about . Advent, it comes from the latin ’Adventus’ meaning coming. Of course we are waiting for Jesus arrival, not just a birth at Christmas, but also for when He comes again, and we must be ready. Advent is a season of hope in which we look forward to the last day when Christ shall come again “To establish His kingdom here on earth”. We see our Advent wreath with its candles and evergreen. • What is it about? • What does it mean? The wreath made of evergreen, arranged in a circle signifies continuous life and because it has no beginning and no end symbolises the eternity of God, the everlasting life in Christ. The four candles one for each week in Advent are said to represent the 4,000 years from Adam and Eve until the birth of our Saviour. In our changing world we most likely will not be in a church, as they won’t be open, but it’s good to remember what we should be sharing. Life is like a book, some chapters are sad, some are happy and some are exciting; but if you never turn the page you will never know what the next chapter holds. On 2 November, All Souls, we remember our departed loved ones. Eternal rest grant unto them O Lord, May light perpetual shine upon them, May they rest in peace and rise in glory, According to your promise, Grant us a share with them In your eternal Kingdom. Amen Until we communicate again, God Bless. Keep praying . We have to believe things will get better. All the best, live in hope Nancy 7 Heavens Above December 2020 Girls are capable of doing everything men are capable of doing. Sometimes they have more imagination than men. I counted everything. I counted the steps to the road, the steps up to church, the number of dishes and silverware I washed … anything that could be counted, I did. Everything was so new – the whole idea of going into space was new and daring. There were no textbooks, so we had to write them. Let me do it. You tell me when you want it and where you want it to land, and I’ll do it backwards and tell you when to take off. Katherine Johnson 1918 – 2020 Katherine Johnson was an inspirational mathematician and astronomer.