Mission Area Magazine

Inside this issue: • Another (mostly) Good News Edition • Re-opening and recovering July 2020 • Scams Warning 75p per issue Rev’d Canon Sue Huyton Rector of Bangor on Dee Group of Parishes & Mission Area Leader The Rectory, 8 Ludlow Road Bangor-On-Dee . LL13 0JG. Tel 01978 780608 [email protected] Rev’d Peter Mackriell Rector of Overton and 07795 972325 The Rectory, 4 Sundorne, Overton, Wrexham. LL13 0EB Tel. 01978 710294 [email protected] Rev’d Clive Hughes Vicar of the Hanmer Group of Parishes The Vicarage, Hanmer, Whitchurch, . SY13 3DE. Tel 01948 830468 [email protected] MMA Lay Chair: Mr. David Williams, [email protected] Magazine Editor: David Huyton, [email protected] The Maelor Churches are part of the Maelor Mission Area. This magazine has been published by volunteers for well over a century. During that time it has served various groupings of churches. We hope you find it informative, useful, and interesting. You are welcome to respond to any item. Please hand any such contribution to your Vicar. St Dunawd, Bangor on Dee. St Deiniol, Eyton St Deiniol, Worthenbury St Deiniol and St Marcella, St Mary the Virgin, Overton St Hilary, Erbistock St Chad, Hanmer St John the Baptist, Holy Trinity, St Mary Magdalene, Mission Area News

Dear Friends. I am sure that many of you will already have heard about a package of measures being put together to help Mission Areas weather the present financial crisis. As a response to the help we receive, we will be expected to enter a process of review. This will take place over the next eighteen months. Some have already started. ======Part one: Information gathering This will be supported by diocesan staff and will consider:

• the MA Vision Statement and Mission Action Planning documentation;

• how the shared ministry team is currently working;

• how churches are engaging with the Mission Area;

• the physical condition and location of each church in the MA.

• the financial position of each church and the Mission Area;

• the Sunday attendance and mid-week activities of each church over a ten-year period. ======Part two: Contextual analysis The Mission Area Conference, or a sub-group of the Mission Area Conference, will look at:

• which parts of the are currently attracted - or not - by the services and activities offered by the churches;

• what forms of ministry and service are likely to be the most effective in the communities that we serve;

• which parts of the community are more likely to respond positively to existing or new ministries developed by the Mission Area or individual churches. ======Part three: Managing resources This will be supported by the Archdeacon and will ask:

• how effective is the Mission Area in managing the financial and physical resources that are available?

• how effective is the Mission Area in engaging, encouraging, nurturing and supporting the human resources that are available?

• ? how effective is the Mission Area in using its resources to engage the people within its communities? ======Planning Then we need to set up a developmental plan to identify realistic changes that will enhance the mission and ministry of the MA over a three-year period. The plan will consider the following areas:

• Our priorities for mission and ministry

• The buildings we need to support our objectives

• The financial resources we will require to achieve our goals • The people we will need to develop and implement our aspirations. Under each heading the plan will identify the outcome that is envisaged in each area; The timescale involved; The estimated cost; and the person or group that will lead the initiative. The Mission Area Conference will meet with the Archdeacon twice each year to review progress in implementing the developmental plan. ======The media talks about the “new normal”. It is obvious that it will be a long time before we return to how things used to be, if at all. More of our meetings will have to be virtual ones, at least for the foreseeable future. Under our present structures, responsibility rests with the MAC to make strategic plans. Church Committees will need to contribute to the discussion, but theirs is not the legal responsibility.

You can see from all this that it is really important that your representatives on the MAC are well-briefed. At one stage I looked at attendance figures for the MAC and often they were low. To begin with we had to do all the boring but essential work to set up our structures. My more recent attempts to give some ideas about vision in mission by inviting speakers in did not seem to enthuse members either. Now essential decisions affecting all of us will need to be made, and they will need to be made together. Since we do not have an administrator to coordinate responses, I will see if we can put together or borrow from elsewhere some kind of template so that Church Committees can respond in a similar way, whilst acknowledging that each will have its own priorities. It is a pity our vision day vanished into the Covid19 lockdown because we had hoped that it would be a time for sparking ideas and gathering people with similar roles together. We will have to approach this differently now. Our report will be produced during January with the help of Diocesan Office staff and there will be discussion with Archdeacon John in February. So in the meantime, start thinking and share your thoughts with your MAC reps. Best wishes Sue Huyton Good News: Treatment Breakthrough At the time of collating this magazine, it has just been announced that scientists and doctors have discovered that an existing drug, Dexamethasone, is partially effective at reducing the death rate of the most seriously ill with Covid-19. The drug is trusted, available already and relatively cheap. Dexamethasone is a step forward, and may form the basis for a future developments. Another breakthrough is the drug Remdesivir which reduces the duration and symptoms of Covid-19. However, Remdesivir is new, is currently expensive and in very short supply. Source BBC (https://www.bbc.co.uk/news/health-53096736) Re-opening and recovering by Peter Mackriell

I write this from an essentially optimistic perspective. It is a couple of weeks until July (as I write) the Church in has announced it wil may follow the Church of in the gradual re-opening of church buildings. Perhaps in the near future, weddings will be allowed to happen – small ones, anyway – and private baptisms. I hope so. But the easing of lockdown is proving more difficult than enforcing it. That is partly because the rules were clear to begin with, easy to understand and consistent across the UK. It is more complex now. But it is also harder to trust that the government has got it right. And, in the face of the coronavirus threat, in what has been described as a war, we were asked to retreat and we are now being asked to advance. Does that make you worried? Fear is a natural response in the face of threat and many people are currently suffering anxiety as they think about re-engaging with the outside world. People have also experienced loss – not only the loss of loved-ones, but separation from family and friends, the cancellation of planned celebrations and holidays, redundancy or enforced retirement. Death is not the only thing that provokes a sense of grief – any change involves loss of one kind or another, the need to adjust to a new reality. This is compounded for many of us now by an uncertain future. Can we realistically plan for anything? After a significant death, we enter a period of mourning. This isn’t as clearly demarcated as it might have been in the Victorian era, but in the months after a death we will pass through various stages, some of which we will understand as reactions to grief and others of which may leave us confused. William Worden suggests that we have various tasks to undertake when we are mourning, although we may not realise it. The first is to accept the reality of the loss; the second is to process the pain of grief; the third is to adjust to the new world order; and the fourth is to find that which continues to connect us to the person we have lost, even as we begin a new life without them. I think that we have similar tasks to undertake as we re-open our churches and reconnect with one another. For some people this time of lockdown has been very traumatic; for others, it has been a pleasant interlude. For most of us, it has been a very mixed experience which we will have to continue processing. But the practicalities of re-opening our buildings will heighten our sense of loss, as things will not be the same. So, we need to talk about the losses that we have had and, if some are talking, others need to listen. Listening to one another is the greatest gift that we can give. It is an act of love. It will not always be easy to offer supportive listening, particularly when we have so much shared experience. It will be tempting to say “I know how you feel” or to try to “top” the experience of the other with our own stories. If you want to help someone else, you need to guard against this. Listen to the other person. Reflect back some of what you hear (it shows them you are listening and helps them to process their own story). Ask simple, open, questions that show you are interested. Loss becomes easier to bear when we know that someone else has heard our story, cares about how we feel and when telling the story to them helps to make sense of it. Talking about it can help us to understand the confusion of our own emotions – tears and sadness are obvious symptoms of grief, but irritation, anger, distraction, sleeplessness and over-eating are amongst the many others that might be experienced. We don’t always make the link, but it is normal to feel a whole variety of emotions during a time of mourning. This has been a painful time for many people, and we need to process that pain. Soldiers returning from the battlefield may not process their experience – and the result, some time later, may be post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD). Front-line workers in the NHS and families who have lost loved ones, but been denied a proper funeral, may well experience PTSD – but this traumatic time in the life of our world could catch up with any of us in the months ahead. It is not always easy to know what we have internalised, bottled up, until it comes tumbling out in one way or another. But we can support one another and avoid such extreme responses if we learn to tell our stories now. There will be new things to adjust to in the life of our churches. Throughout all this process, we need to practise being kind to one another and kind to ourselves. If people are irritable, recognise that they are struggling to come to terms with change. They may express themselves in words that seem to be aimed at you – but try not to take it personally. It may not be as personal as you think. And if you get irritated yourself, or tearful, just feel blue or see red, recognise that this may not be your fault either. Take a pause, go for a walk, distract yourself with something life-giving or talk to a friend. We are all still trying to understand the new world we are entering. But, as Worden reminds us, moving on does not mean leaving everything behind. At the centre of our Christian faith is remembrance. I look forward to sharing in Holy Communion and in the other rituals of our Christian faith, which connect us to the past. I don’t reject the buildings we have inherited, but see them as symbols of the resilience of faith. I hope we can continue to tell the stories of our faith communities, in which 2020 and the coronavirus will just be an episode. As I said, I am optimistic. But I am also realistic. There will be people around us who will be suffering in the months ahead; it may be you or it may be me. Let us attend to what needs to be done, listening to one another’s stories, in order to support one another as the body of Christ in the communities to which he has called us. Peter Mackriell Wrexham Food Bank Bangor on Dee Community Volunteers will be collecting for Wrexham Food- bank on 2nd July, 13th August and 24th September. If you live outside of Bangor on Dee and would like to make a donation, you can drop goods off at the Rectory, 8 Ludlow Road, Bangor on Dee. LL13 0JG. The foodbank is short of Pasta, Rice, Tinned Veg, Tinned Meat, UHT Milk, toiletries and baby products (esp. nappies size 4 or 5) but any non-perishable goods welcomed. Re-opening of Churches—Sound bite vs Reality

As of the day of collating the magazine (June 19th) information has been received about reopening our church buildings. Firstly, I should stress that this is permissive, not compulsory. It can only happen with the agreement of the trustee body (in our case the Mission Area Conference) and after a risk assessment has taken place and has been accepted by the Archdeacon It looks like any building must be cleaned before opening and after each use, cleaners must have suitable materials and PPE. There should be clear opening times, signage to preserve social distancing, including a one way system and separate entrance and exit, stewards to welcome and supervise, sanitiser on entry and exit as well as normal checks that should take place after a building has been closed for a while. So although the headline is that churches may open, this will probably not happen everywhere and will do so only slowly.

The Church in Wales document link for reopening churches is https://www.churchinwales.org.uk/en/clergy-and-members/coronavirus- covid-19-guidance/re-opening-churches/ Sue Huyton Good news feed : Game Changer: The next generation batteries to power cars are almost here. They will be lighter, smaller and cheaper than current ones which means that we will be able to put more in a vehicle as well as each having a larger capacity. This will mean that the range of electric cars will rise to around 600/full charge and a side effect of having such large capacity is that a “quick” top up of around 10 minutes should give enough for around 300 miles. This will make “refueling” almost as quick as filling up with Petrol or Diesel. And if that isn't enough—the lifespan of these batteries are likely to be a massive 16 years or up to 1.2 Million Miles. (source BBC, https://www.bbc.co.uk/news/business-53067009) Test, Trace, Protect – scams warning

There have been reports of scammers contact people pretending to be from the Test, Trace, Protect partnership. Please remain vigilant for any signs of cyber security, spoofing, phishing or fraud. You will only be contacted through the service if you have received a positive test for coronavirus or if you have been identified as a contact of someone who has tested positive. All contacts from the NHS Wales Test Trace Protect Services will come from dedicated number 02921 961133. You will not be asked for any financial information, bank details, passwords or any other data other than information covered in these pages. If you have any doubts then you should not provide the information. A contact tracer will never:

• ask you to dial a premium rate number to speak to them (for example, those starting 09 or 087) • ask you to make any form of payment or purchase a product or any kind • ask for any details about your bank account • ask for your social media identities or login details, or those of your contacts • ask you for any passwords or PINs, or ask you to set up any passwords or PINs over the phone • provide medical advice on the treatment of any potential COVID- 19 symptoms • ask you to download any software to your PC or ask you to hand over control of your PC, smartphone or tablet to anyone else • ask you to access any website that does not belong to the Government or NHS (ending .gov.uk or .wales.nhs.uk)

If you have Caller ID, any calls will only come from 02921 961133.

Stay safe. David Bangor Group of Churches

From the Registers… In lockdown, we are not able to hold baptisms or weddings, however, there have been a number of funerals in our churchyards and at the Crematorium during the last few weeks.

May 15 Albert Green aged78 of Piercy Avenue, Marchwiel May 18 Ronald Hughes aged 93 of Station Road, Bangor May 21 Hywel (John) Davies aged 89 of The Grove, Marchwiel May 28 Joyce Edith Jacks aged 78 of Elwyn Drive, Marchwiel Jun 4 Maureen Hoskins aged 82 of Dee Court, Bangor Jun 8 Franz Jakisch aged 90 of School Cottages, Marchwiel.

As there are no group activities allowed to happen at the moment, there is no news to tell and no additional events to share. Sue Huyton

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Are you all keeping well and obeying the rules? I hope so, especially the “golden oldies” (I am one!) with underlying health problems. I now know what a caged bird feels like. It must welcome having the door opened allowing a short flutter around – phew : freedom! If you want the rainbow you have to put up with the rain.

I have been asked to tell Joyce Jacks’ family they are very much in our thoughts and prayers. Having known Joyce since the age of eleven I have communicated directly with the family , so will just add that she was a very loyal and trustworthy friend.

Those we care for never leave us Even when our ways must part. All the things that make them special Live forever in our heart’

There in precious sweet reflection Safe from harm we hold them near Loved and loving we still feel them Ever close and ever dear. Maggie Ingall

Keep safe! They were trying to remember when they Priscilla had last left the house.

Miscellaneous thoughts on daily life • If men speak ill of you, live so that no one will believe them. – Anon • Life is a journey that no one makes alone. The more people you touch along the way, the more meaningful and rewarding your time. – Anon • Life is 10% what happens to you and 90% of how you respond to it. – Anon St Deiniol and St Marcella, Marchwiel

Sadly, Joyce Jacks died on Wednesday 20th May, at home with her family. The funeral was on a sunny day, Thursday 28th May, with family at the graveside and many friends scattered around the community cemetery. She will be greatly missed by many in and beyond Marchwiel, for her friendship, faith and caring nature. Our thoughts are with Norman and the family. Anne Jakisch lost her husband Franz on Wednesday 27th May. He died suddenly in hospital and will be sadly missed by his family and many friends. Cremation was on Monday 8th June and interment, with their daughter Tracey, in the community cemetery on Thursday11th June. Loving thoughts go out to Anne and family. The Rev Canon Sue Huyton presided over both services.

In these difficult times we want to thank:- David Jones for winding the Church Clock twice a week; many in the village like to hear the time chiming out. David Lewis for playing the organ at regular intervals, to keep it in good order and someone might be lucky to hear it when passing. Norman and Heather Rowland for repairing and painting the glass door of the notice box outside the front door of Church. Several people for weeding and tidying around the front, back and side of Church (volunteers always welcome). David and Sue Huyton, the former for producing our Church magazine and Sue for all her support and information in these very strange times.

Stay safe and keep your faith. Lynne.

The Churchyard In spite of the church being closed at this time the churchyard has been open to the public for their use as a place to go to offer some relief from the confinements imposed due to covid 19. Every effort is being made to keep the grounds in good order. Currently the community Service groups are unavailable to offer their free help, hence the reason why the grass on the east side has remained uncut. On the plus side it has presented the birds, bees and insects with an area in which to forage, and earlier in the year there was a spectacle of wildflowers to enjoy, also seats to sit in the sun. The church has employed help for grass cutting at the front and back of the building and some of our regulars are doing their best to keep the flower beds in order and looking their best. A path has been cut through the wild grassy area in a circular route to allow easier access to gravesides and the cremation plots near Station Road. If anyone is looking for something to do or to relieve boredom, we welcome any voluntary help offered to keep the grounds tidy, the more the merrier, either working alone or keeping at social distance. If you are not sure what this might involve please contact Heather on 01978 780738. Have you considered giving to your church using Gift Direct? Architectural Plans drawn for Planning and Building Control Applications

Stan Colquhoun 5 Striga Bank Hanmer. SY13 3BJ According to the guide book, the tower was Perpendicular. Telephone 01948 830137

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Foot Problems Treated: Corns, Calluses, Verrucas, Diabetic Footcare, Nail Care, Ingrown and Fungal Nails Rev’d Clive Hughes writes………… There's a story that during the American Civil War of the 1860s, a soldier in the Union Army suffered a family tragedy that made his return home imperative. His superiors gave him permission to seek a hearing from the President, so that he could ask to be discharged from military service and go home. But getting to see the President wasn’t so easy. When this ordinary private turned up at the White House in Washington, he was just one in a long, long queue seeking an audience with the great man. And by contrast, many of the others there were rich, powerful, and influential persons. The officials in charge refused him entry, and turned him away. The soldier walked out into the nearby park, where he sat on a bench, lost in his misery and disappointment. How was he possibly going to help his family now, if nobody thought he was important enough to see the President? While he was sitting there, absorbed in his gloomy thoughts, a small boy came up and remarked how unhappy he looked. The man was so miserable, that he found himself telling his story to the little boy. Eventually, the lad said "Come with me." And he led the dejected soldier back to the White House: but instead of going up the steps, the boy went around the back. They came across guards, but the boy walked straight past, and no-one questioned or stopped them. Even the Generals and high- ranking officials in the corridors stood to attention, and let them pass through. The soldier was amazed. Finally, they came to the Presidential Office. Without knocking, the young boy opened the door and walked straight in. There was Abraham Lincoln, who turned away from his conversation with the Secretary of State and said "What can I do for you, son?" And his young son Todd Lincoln said, "Dad, this soldier needs to talk to you." Some people believe that approaching God with a request is a bit like trying to talk to a monarch or some other head of State. Why should anyone so important, so majestic, so remote, bother to give us an interview; and how would we get to meet them anyway? Fortunately, God isn't like that. St.Paul told his fellow-Christians at Ephesus that through faith in Christ, we can approach God with freedom and confidence. Just as Abraham Lincoln's son was able to cut through the official red tape, and bring one ordinary soldier's request right to the ear of his Presidential father, so Christ the Son of God gives us access to His Father, the creator and ruler of the Universe. Christ knows what it's like to be human - the frustrations, the loneliness, the weaknesses, the temptations, the pain - and so he can sympathetically present our requests to God the Father whenever we pray in His name. So let's remember that, through Him, we have a direct line to the heart of Heaven. And as the Letter to the Hebrews says, "Let us then approach the throne of grace with confidence, so that we may receive mercy and find grace to help us in our time of need." Rev Clive Hughes

51st Season 2019-2020 President: Carol Peters

The autumn/winter programme of concerts has been arranged – all subject to coronavirus restrictions which may in place in the future.

More information will be available for the August magazine..

Further detail from 01978 710 486 St Chad’s, Hanmer

St Chad’s Church, Hanmer, is still firmly locked and likely to remain so for some time yet. Being in a vulnerable group for COVID-19 I too am locked down at home. As a result, I have difficulty in finding out local news to pass on, although the phones and electronic devices at home are in constant use. That contact is one of the good things to come from this situation. Another good thing is the time freed to garden properly. Parts of the garden that I have wanted to get to for decades are now tidied and cultivated.

The best of good news is the response of our clergy to this crisis. Those sometimes falsely accused of being old fashioned and resistant to change have adapted in a way that lifts my heart. Vicar Clive, supported by Sue, is online with Holy Communion each Sunday. His meditations during the week are so encouraging. I have gone online with various platforms and watched all our Maelor Clergy delivering worship. For example, Revd David Butterworth on Facebook as ‘Thoughts from the Orchard’, has a natural talent for gentle and informal worship.

What an opportunity is given by the St. Asaph website to find and join services delivered in our diocese! I have been privileged to join online worship led by our Archdeacon and by our Bishop amongst others. Inspired I have found that it is possible to venture further afield. To join online worship led by our Welsh female bishops and our archbishop is an opportunity that has become possible during this crisis, and has brought me great delight.

We eventually will emerge from these troubles and I for one will miss this online access although nothing can replace the buzz and comfort that comes from attending worship in one of our churches. I do hope that something of this online ‘Good News’ will survive this time.

Bill Barlow [email protected] St. John The Baptist Church, Bettisfield

There’s been time to think hasn’t there? I’ve been thinking a lot lately about what I miss most during these strange times. My thoughts lead me to feel vaguely guilty – I realised that I don’t feel deprived at all. Then last month’s mag arrived in my inbox and, having mastered the technology to enable me to read it, I found Archdeacon John asking “..What have you missed most….least… what was the ESSENTIAL THING that you couldn’t have managed without?...” So I determined to marshal my random thoughts and write them down to share.

I don’t miss shopping, I don’t miss committee meetings, I don’t miss driving through flooded roads. I don’t even miss my family because they all live so far away that we normally see each other very rarely, in fact they’ve probably been in touch far more than usual, ringing to check up on the aged parents or swap some stories or even offload some worries or frustrations. Working from home is not an easy ride for them at all. I do miss social events; fund raisers for Church and Village Hall, I miss Yoga classes, doing it on my own lacks a certain something. I miss my day volunteering at , the friends and customers that I normally meet every week are an important part of my life. We’ve missed our Spring trip on the boat, the people we meet and the places we discover, but the garden, the local walks, have compensated for that. Most of all I’ve missed my Sunday services at St. Johns, the spiritual boost, the responsibility of preparing to lead a service, the loving companionship of my fellow Christians.

On reflection I realised that all the things that I missed involved meeting people – I am a people person, I love to chat, to discuss, to interact and, yes, even to argue with friends and family. It made me realise that people need a place to meet together.

We all know that our Church finances will have suffered during this enforced absence from our buildings, we all acknowledge that we can love one another, worship and pray anywhere – a church is a family not a building - BUT: a family needs a home, a place to meet, to talk, to plan, to worship together. So, I think it is important that, when we can all meet again, it will be important for us all – Diocese, Mission Area, Maelor Parishes, to think hard about finances, to explore ways that we can make sure that our beautiful buildings, our church family homes, can remain open to all, thriving, welcoming and full of noise. Something else to think about.

What was my essential along the way? Prayer of course! I couldn’t manage without it. Keep safe, keep praying. Maggie For me, one of the revelations of the lockdown and forced closure of our church has been the way that people have embraced digital services. In our group we have weekly broadcasts from Bronington Church by Clive and Sue and a Sunday service by Thoughts from the Orchard with David who also does a weekly reflection on Wednesday mornings. When I started watching I was surprised to see that a number of villagers tuned in to the live stream and have continued to do so. Yet we never seem to see them in church which is a bit of a paradox. In fact the live streams attract many more viewers than we would usually see in church on a Sunday. The thing about Facebook is that the live streams stay on the page and continue to attract viewers. Looking at the figures for Thoughts from the Orchard the number of views peaked at over 700 but regularly attracts over 100 views and some are accompanied by email requests. Once our churches reopen we have to find ways to maintain this interest which does not appear to be fed by 'normal' Sunday services. I can't believe that people watch only to check if David has changed the order of plates on his dresser! As Mr Spock might say: ' Its church Jim but not as we know it'. Phil Jones Churchwarden St. Mary Magdalene, Penley During this pandemic many people have experienced grief, illness, loneliness and hardship. However, God wants to be with us in all this and will help if you let Him. For most of us the lockdown has meant far more time at home but made us appreciate the comfort of our surroundings as well as the beautiful summer weather and nature. We will cherish future contacts with our families and friends when we are allowed to see them again. I came across this prayer when reading. It is most appropriate at this time and should give us all hope for the future.

A Prayer for hope

Help us, Lord Jesus, to hold steadfast to prayer Relying on the word of God, in all despair, That our hopes in You will ever increase While our doubts and fears slowly decrease.

Help us, Lord, to be a light of hope To those who are in need. To be an example of Your love and mercy, And to tell others of your great Grace and glory.

Amen

Liisa Richardson Holy Trinity—Bronington www.Facebook.com/broningtonchurch/live

Last month we outlined the tentative ways in which, as a church we are addressing this difficult era of lockdown. One month on, it remains a source of delightful astonishment that a quite simple presence on social media through our Bronington Church Facebook page evokes so wide a response and following. As I write, we have now held three live-screened Bible Studies and are working our way through Paul’s Letter to the Philippians. It is such a blessing to be able to see the Group members as well as hear and read their comments, (as social media expands rapidly to meet the constraints of lockdown, the version we use is open to folk who, for whatever reason do not use Facebook so do please join us if you wish) and the chat over coffee both before and following the study time is enriching and goes a little way to replacing our much missed personal contact. Having said that, the online Group is also drawing in folk who worship in different congregations to ours in HTB, bringing fresh ideas and perspectives that enrich us. We are learning to broaden our understanding of who is church and this will help us in planning for the future. Whilst the faithful Sunday congregation of worshippers at HTB long for the day when once again we worship together as heretofore, the broadened outreach via social media occasioned by lockdown enables us to envision an expanded church family not confined by geographical limitations. We can be both. If we truly desire to see God’s Kingdom come, with more and yet more people worshipping Jesus as Lord, let’s embrace the opportunity unexpectedly given us to reach them in fresh ways. If all this new technology sounds a bit too radical we can recall that sitting in pews rather than standing, and the installing of church organs were astounding innovations to 19th century churchgoers! Always through history the method changes to meet the needs of the context, but the Message remains the same: “God so loved the world that he gave His only Son that whoever believes in Him will not perish, but have eternal life”. (John 3:16) May He bless you with continued safety and health, Sue Hughes St Mary’s, Overton The next time the church committee meets, we will need to start addressing questions about what precautions we might need to take in order to be able to open the church building again. It is so sad to see it locked up, when we have got used to the door always being open. Wales being behind England in lifting lockdown will probably be helpful in giving us the chance to learn lessons from across the border. My other job – in Diocese – does give me some insight into what is happening there. As I suggest elsewhere in this magazine, the challenges are not going to be just about who does the cleaning, yet that is a real challenge in our small rural churches. St Mary’s has the advantage of being a large building, which supports social distancing, and we have three distinct entrances/exits that could be used. Our regular congregation would have no problem sitting two metres apart – some of them are quite used to that! We have no toilet, which is a mixed blessing at this time – less cleaning to do, but no facilities for hand washing. We will have to stock up on the hand sanitiser. We have got used to a different form of worship since we went on-line; and being in church together will still be different from what we are used to. The guidance in England at the moment is that there will be no singing, although some solo singing may be permitted (it’s a good job we have some strong soloists!) Holy Communion will probably only be offered in one kind – the bread – something we were beginning to experience just before lockdown. Whether or not we will all wear masks in church still has to be advised. It will seem strange, as many things have felt strange in recent months. I also think we will need to find a way of continuing some on-line worship, for those who can’t get to church at the moment. Our website has been developing - https://www.stmarysoverton-on-dee.org/ - and will continue to have information added to it when more becomes known about re-opening our beautiful building. Peter Mackriell St. Hilary’s, Erbistock

As the weather warmed up at the start of lock-down, a friend declared that by the end of it all we will have become a nation of alcoholics with immaculate gardens!

I can’t comment on the first bit, well not in print anyway, but I can certainly confirm that gardens are looking great. Our own upper and lower graveyards are looking good now too; they are peaceful with only the bird song breaking the silence, and the river rolling gently by. If you need some space, peace or just an escape, park at the top of the hill and wander along the public footpath and down to the river. Sadly you won’t be able to get a drink at The Boat, but you can dream of that first chilled pint or glass of wine (which I guess brings me full circle to my friend’s comment above).

Chris Thomas Wordsearch

It is easy to understand the popularity of Mary Magdalene over the centu- ries: she is the patron saint both of repentant sinners and of the contempla- tive life. Jesus drove seven demons from Mary, who came from near Tiberi- us in Galilee. Mary has also sometimes been identified with the woman who anointed Christ’s feet in the house of Simon.

She became His follower to the bitter end. She followed Him to Jerusalem and was present during the crucifixion, standing heart-broken at the foot of the cross. Her love for Jesus did not end there, for she went to the tomb to anoint His body on the Sunday morning. Such faithful, humble devotion was richly repaid; it gave her a unique privilege among all mankind: she was the first person to whom the Risen Lord appeared on Easter Sunday morn- ing. She thought He was the gardener at first.

Jesus told Mary to go to His disciples and tell them about His return to Heaven. She was obedient and became the first emissary of the resurrec- tion. In those days, the witness of a woman was worthless. Despite ridicule, Mary had the courage to speak about Jesus in a place of great disbelief.

Words to find...

Mary Tiberius foot privilege obedient patron galilee cross mankind resurrection repentant anoint tomb risen witness sinners feet body appeared courage contemplative follower morning easter life end faithful gardener seven Jerusalem humble disciples demons Crucifixion devotion return

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www.morriscook.co.uk High days and Holy Days 31st July - St Joseph of Arimathea – the man who buried Jesus

Have you ever suffered from gossip? Ever discovered that people are saying some really wild things about you? If so, Joseph of Arimathea would understand – and sympathise with you. This decent, godly man of the gospels seems to have fired the imaginations of all sorts of odd people down the centuries.

Joseph was a rich, prominent member of the ruling Jewish council – the Sanhedrin. Mark’s gospel describes him as having been ‘waiting for the kingdom of God’ for years, and even being a secret disciple of Jesus. He played no part in the trial or crucifixion.

When Jesus was pronounced dead, Joseph had the seniority needed to approach Pilate for the body – and get it. Near to where Jesus had been crucified there was a garden, and in the garden a new tomb, cut deep in the rock. Joseph himself already owned it – and it was still new and empty. So Joseph laid Jesus there, and wrapped him in a linen cloth, according to Jewish burial custom. Joseph did not bury Jesus alone – Nicodemus helped him, while some women who had followed Jesus trailed miserably behind.

Matthew tells us that the last thing Joseph did for Jesus was to sadly roll a big stone across the entrance to the tomb, and then go away. With that, Joseph passes out of history – and into legend. For in the centuries that followed, Joseph was swept up into the Legend of the Holy Grail, the Legend of Glastonbury, and even bits of the Arthurian legends. It was said that the Holy Thorn, which flowers at Christmas, had sprung from his staff.

The mind boggles at what Joseph would have made of it all. One suspects he would have preferred to stick to the simple, but far better, true story: as having had the immense, unique privilege of laying the body of Jesus Christ in the tomb. Even if Jesus didn’t stay very long! 23rd Psalm for the hard-pressed student

The Lord is my real instructor and I shall not want. He gives me peace, when chaos is all around me. He gently reminds me to pray before I speak and to do things without complaining.

He reminds me that He, and not my school, is my Salvation. He restores my sanity every day and guides my decisions that I might honour Him in everything I do.

Even though I face absurd amounts of social isolation, live streaming and exams, I will not stop – for He is with me!

His presence, His peace, and His power will see me through. He will raise me up, even if I fail to get a good grade. He claims me as His own and knows that I have done my best.

His faithfulness and love are better than any A+. In eternity it won’t matter what degree I got.

When it’s all said and done, I’ll be working for Him a whole lot longer than I’ll be in school (even when it doesn’t feel like it) and for that, I bless His name! Author unknown Take a leaf out of Hana Evans book & Grow your own.

Hana Evans moved to an attic flat in Paignton, Devon, late last year. The only outside space is a balcony less than a metre wide and three metres long. In the past Hana had dabbled in gardening and even had an allotment where she battled "massive slugs" in her efforts to grow organic veg. It was the lockdown which turned her from "a beginner" with a neglected vegetable patch into someone who has crammed 31 pots into her tiny outdoor space and acquired myriad handy gardener's tricks. She's growing five types of lettuce, five types of tomato, pak choi, kale, spinach, peas, cucumber, two types of bean, chives, parsley and thyme. She has two redcurrant bushes, a sunflower plant and an array of edible flowers, including nasturtiums and cornflowers. Source: BBC News

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Contact Carolyn on 01948 710929 / 07468601603 shop.” you “If won’tdoor,people let the me unlock you of none everwill in to get young The there stood forshoulders. man shrugged his then and a moment, opposition. of wall third time.the Bynow, were us pensioners of ready all forangry an him, young the approachedqueue soon man and the givingforup, wasn’t he But backedaway. young the man him.Again, at shouting lady, twothen menstarted old but later, old moment A dodgethe young Heto the managed triedagain. man quicklyhim,he and caneat her backed away. queue.thefront at in wavedthe cut lady toof furiousold A try and along youngsee a to saunter man market wassurprised to openI forus‘seniors’, for distancedsuper-queue socially morning onethe early waiting a in While Try not to jump to conclusions...

C R O S S W O R D

Crossword Clues

Across Down 1 ‘I pray that out of his glorious — 1 ‘For I am gentle and humble in he may strengthen you with heart, and you will find — for power through his Spirit in your your souls’ (Matthew 11:29) (4) inner being’ (Ephesians 3:16) (6) 2 Where Peter was when he denied 4 ‘Saul’s father Kish and — father Christ three times (Luke 22:55) Ner were sons of Abiel’ (1 (9) Samuel 14:51) (6) 3 Remarkable early 20th-century 7 ‘Praise the Lord, O my — ’ (Psalm Indian evangelist, a convert from 103:1) (4) Hinduism, — Sundar Singh (5) 8 See 5 Down 4 ‘Now the king had put the officer 9 Laws (1 Kings 11:33) (8) on whose — — leaned in charge of 13 ‘Who of you by worrying can — a the gate’ (2 Kings 7:17) (3,2) single hour to his life?’ (Luke 5 and 8 Across The Lover describes 12:25) (3) this facial feature of the Beloved 16 Artistry (Exodus 31:5) (13) thus: ‘Your — is like the tower of 17 ‘Your young men will see visions, Lebanon looking towards — your — men will dream ’ (Song of Songs 7:4) (4,8) dreams’ (Acts 2:17) (3) 6 ‘Stand firm then, with the belt of 19 How David described his Lord truth buckled — your (Psalm 19:14) (8) waist’ (Ephesians 6:14) (5) 24 ‘If this city is built and its — — 10 Trout (anag.) (5) restored, you will be left with 11 Easily frightened (1 nothing in Trans- Thessalonians 5:14) (5) Euphrates’ (Ezra 4:16) (5,3) 12 The ability to perceive 25 ‘The holy Scriptures, which are (Ecclesiastes 10:3) (5) able to make you — for salvation 13 One of the clans descended from through faith in Christ Jesus’ (2 Benjamin (Numbers 26:38) (9) Timothy 3:15) (4) 14 “It is one of the Twelve,” he 26 Intended destination of arrows replied, “one who — bread into (Lamentations 3:12) (6) the bowl with me”’ (Mark 14:20) 27 Eve hit (anag.) (6) (4) 15 Resound (Zephaniah 2:14) (4) New style of prayer Our minister is still getting used to live streaming our church services. Last Sunday he invited us to join him digitally in prayer by saying firmly: “Let’s bow our eyes and close our heads.” ======Crazy? Our minister wanted the title of his next sermon to be posted ahead of time on the church website. He rang our church warden and said that the title was to be: ‘Are Ministers Crazy?’ Not hearing this as a question, the church warden dutifully posted: ‘Our Minister’s Crazy.’ ======Actual complaints received by a resort chain (before lockdown!) • On my holiday to India, I was disgusted to find that almost every restaurant served curry. I don’t like spicy food. • We booked an excursion to a water park, but no one told us we had to bring our own swimsuits and towels. We assumed it would be included in the price. • The beach was too sandy. We had to clean everything when we returned to our room. • No one told us there would be fish in the water. The children were scared. • It took us nine hours to fly home from Jamaica to England. It took the Americans only three hours to get home. This seems unfair. • We had to line up outside to catch the boat and there was no air- conditioning. • I was bitten by a mosquito. The brochure did not mention mosquitoes. ======Coronavirus: For the first time in history, we can help save the human race by lying in front of the TV and doing nothing. Let’s not mess this one up! ======Social Distancing: I need to practice social-distancing – from my refrigerator. Crossword Solution Wordsearch Solution ACROSS: 1, Riches. 4, Abner’s. 7, Soul. 8, Damascus. 9, Statutes. 13, Add. 16, Craftsmanship. 17, Old. 19, Redeemer. 24, Walls are. 25, Wise. 26, Target. 27, Thieve. DOWN: 1, Rest. 2, Courtyard. 3, Sa- dhu. 4, Arm he. 5, Nose. 6, Round. 10, Tutor. 11, Timid. 12, Sense. 13, Ashbelite. 14, Dips. 15, Echo. 18, Lhasa. 20, Exact. 21, Erect. 22, Flog. 23, Mede.

Miscellaneous thoughts on our Christian pilgrimage • There is no greater discovery than seeing God as the author of your destiny. – Ravi Zacharias • God can do wonders with a broken heart if you give Him all the pieces. – Victor Alfsen • Prayer is not an argument with God to persuade Him to move things our way, but an exercise by which we are enabled by His spirit to move things His way. – Anon

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The Mental Health Foundation, a charity with a mission to help people understand, protect and sustain their mental health, have put together some top tips for support- ing those that are struggling.

 Call a friend that you haven’t spoken to for a while  Tell a family member how much you love and appreciate them  Make a cup of tea for someone you live with  Arrange to have a cup of tea and virtual catch up with someone you know  Help with a household chore at home  Arrange to watch a film at the same time as a friend and video call  Tell someone you know that you are proud of them  Tell someone you know why you are thankful for them  Send a motivational text to a friend who is struggling  Send someone you know a joke to cheer them up  Send someone you know a picture of a cute animal  Send an interesting article to a friend  Contact someone you haven’t seen in a while and arrange a phone call  Spend time playing with your pet  Reach out to call a friend, family member or neighbour who is experienc- ing loneliness or self-isolation  Donate to a charity  Lend your ear – call a colleague and ask how they’re finding it all  Give praise to your colleague for something they’ve done well  Arrange to have a video lunch with a colleague  Donate to foodbanks  Offer to skill share with a friend via video call - you could teach guitar, dance etc.  Offer support to vulnerable neighbours  Offer to send someone a takeaway or a meal https://www.mentalhealth.org.uk/