A Reader Writes: December 2007

St.Mary, Alderley, Are you looking forward to Christmas? Think you’ll be at all disappointed? The media’s hyped-up expectations of what your Christmas should be like . can be daunting! For example, did you know that at Christmastime there is more alcohol consumption, more violence and more depression than at any other time of the year? People get desperate when they compare the ‘dream Christmas’ to their real lives - and try to ‘drown’ their disappointments and artificially manufacture ‘joy’. Psychologists warn us to not expect too much ‘merriment’. The letdown, they say, can lead to real disappointment and depression. At the heart of this problem there is loneliness. You can be lonely when in a crowded room, or even with an

‘ideal’ family. Loneliness leaves you feeling isolated, disconnected, of little self-worth and significance. No wonder you can end up depressed.

So - what is the solution to loneliness?

A meaningful relationship! Which, of course, is the very heart of the Gospel. God created us to have a relationship with him, one of love and dependence and praise and delight, which is available to ALL people. That means to you, as well. Christmas is not really about an impossible dream of endless family fun, but the joyful celebration that Jesus came to those he created. That is, all of us. That is the meaning of the word Emmanuel, ‘God with us’.

God addresses our loneliness. When we become children of God we receive the Holy Spirit. Through him, Jesus lives within us and we are never alone again (Read John 14:15-21). Thus, because Jesus came for us all, we can and ought to have real joy at this Christmas Season - and all the year round.

Then the message of the angel to the shepherds will apply to you also:

“Do not be afraid (we could add, depressed, lonely, guilty). I bring you good news of great joy that will be for all the people. Today in the town of David a Saviour has been born to you; he is Christ the Lord” (Luke 2:11).

Anne Coomes

Parish Magazine

During the interregnum, if anyone is hospitalised or wants to be mentioned in the prayers for the sick, could Noni Watkins please be notified? December 2007

30p 1 DIARY FOR DECEMBER 2007 (services continued)

Dec 25 th Christmas Day nd Sun. 2 Advent Sunday 8.00am Holy Communion at Alderley 8am Holy Communion at Birtles 9.30am Family Service at Alderley 9.30am Family Service (Crib) at Alderley 10.15am Service of Six Lessons & Carols at Birtles 10.15am Family Service with Advent Carols at Birtles 11.15am Shortened Mattins at Alderley 11.15am Holy Communion at Alderley 12.00noon Shortened Holy Communion at Alderley 3.00pm ACF Advent Carol Service (St.Mary's) 6.30pm Evensong at Alderley Dec 30 th Christmas 1 Mon.3 2.00pm Mothers' Union Archdeaconry Carol Service 8.00am Holy Communion at Alderley St.Mary Magdalene, Ashton-on-Mersey 9.30am Family Service at Alderley Tues.4 12noon Birtles Ladies Guild / Alderley Mothers' Union 10.15am Mattins at Birtles Christmas Lunch at College 11.15am Mattins at Alderley 6.30pm Evensong at Alderley th Sun 9 Advent 2 th Jan 6 Epiphany 8am Holy Communion at Alderley 8.00am Holy Communion at Birtles 9.30am Holy Communion at Alderley 9.30am Family Service at Alderley 10.15am Holy Communion at Birtles 11.15am Holy Communion at Alderley 11.15 Mattins at Alderley 6.30pm Evensong at Alderley 6.30pm Evensong at Alderley Mon.10 th 7.00pm Choir Carol Singing at Woodlands Court Wed.12 th 2.00pm Mothers' Union at Alderley (see separate entry) COFFEE is available in the Parish Hall after the 9.30am Family Service. Thur. 13 th 12noon Soup & Study Donations to charity.

th COLLECTION TOTALS Sun 16 Advent 3 8am Holy Communion at Alderley Gift Aid Non-Gift Aid Misc. Standing 9.30am Family Service at Alderley Date Envelopes Envelopes Cash Orders Total 10.15am Mattins at Birtles 11.15am Nine Lessons & Carols at Alderley Sept 1,920.75 84.50 233.90 1,108.00 3,347.15 6.30pm Nine Lessons & Carols at Alderley Oct 1,784.10 56.00 222.70 813.00 2,875.80 Mon. 17 th 6.45pm Carol Singing (meet in car park) Nov 4th 482.05 13.50 28.70 524.25 th Wed. 19 6.45pm Carol Singing (meet in car park) 407.70 29.50 96.86 534.06 Fri.21 st 11.00am Nether Alderley School Carol Service at Alderley Nov11 th British Legion donations 230.00

Sun 23 rd Advent 4 GIFT AID ENVELOPES 8am Holy Communion at Alderley For those who use the weekly dated gift aid envelopes, your box for 2008 9.30am Family Carol Service at Alderley 10.15am Nativity Play at Birtles can be collected from church this month.

11.15am Mattins at Alderley If there is anyone out there who has not yet registered for our Gift Aid 6.30pm Evensong at Alderley scheme and would like to, please let me know. Remember that this is a Mon 24 th 3.00pm Crib Service at Alderley painless way to add to your donation, courtesy of Inland Revenue! 11.30pm First Communion of Christmas at Alderley 11.30pm First Communion of Christmas at Birtles Donald Henderson

2 3 SOCIAL COMMITTEE

Tea Parties CHRISTMAS QUIZ

We are planning to have a Christmas Tea Party at 3.15pm on December th What is a WHAK? 17 at Alderley Cottage. As usual please let me know if you would like to join us. Lots of talk and chat! (it’s a (Humber) Hawk of course!!)

Carol Services Only £1 with a £25 prize for the winner! The Social Committee look forward to seeing everybody after both the Maybe you could sell copies to your friends? morning and evening Carol Services on December 16 th .There will be the (all proceeds to Appeal Fund) usual mulled wine and Christmas titbits.

The Family Service Carol Service is on December 23 rd . We plan to have Join in the fun! mince pies and Christmas cake that morning. Perhaps a bit early in the day for mulled wine?? Let us know what you think?? available from Noni Watkins

Inevitably 2008 will arrive……………………….dates for your new diary!

Bridge Drive – Monday February 4 th at 1.30pm in the parish hall. Do support us if you can. Already there is some interest so get your ticket DECORATING FOR CHRISTMAS without delay. Cost of tables as usual £24.00. We shall be decorating the Church for Christmas Race Night – Saturday February 9 th on Saturday, 15th December. We will be very This is to be held again by popular request. Master-minded by Geoff. grateful for gifts of suitable foliage, particularly that Woolley. (see separate entry) which is berried or variegated, but above all, we Janet Adamson will be grateful for helpers from 10.00am onwards.

Coffee and biscuits will be provided! 'ENGLISH SPORTING SUCCESSES' DVD

Includes footage of: Jean Lee

Bannister's 4 minute mile " TREASURES OF NETHER ALDERLEY & " 's 1966 World Cup win

Jim Laker's 19 wickets at Old Trafford This is a documentary DVD covering the ancient history of the area and the story of St.Mary’s church, since its building in 1300. Redgrave / Pinsent's 5 gold medals

Seb Coe's 2 golds at 2 Olympics In addition to visiting many historic buildings we also meet people whose families have lived here for centuries. They recall stories and experiences Red Rum's 3 Grand National triumphs which clearly illustrate how life has changed for everyone during the last The Channel 4 review of the whole 2005 Ashes victory one hundred years. It is a wonderful keepsake and would make a marvellous Christmas present! The perfect Christmas / Birthday gift for him and her, illustrating the unforgettable English sporting successes of the last 50 years. Cost: £15

Cost: £25 Contact: Philip Webb

5 4 IT’S BACK GARY'S 20 FAVOURITE SERMONS and the A FURLONG OF FUN!! Uncle Eustace / Darren Letters

Once again the race-going fraternity of North East Cheshire have a wonderful opportunity to have "A Night at the Races" (apologies to the Gary kindly gave us permission to reproduce Marx Brothers). 20 of his favourite sermons.

Enjoy an award winning plate of Fish & Chips followed by Also included in the book are 20 letters written six (yes six!) riveting races. by Uncle Eustace to his nephew Darren, a Curate in an Inner City Parish in the N W of You are guaranteed an incident packed, fun filled evening. England. (These letters also written by Gary!)

th When?? – Saturday 9 February 2008 These books are now available to buy at a cost of £12 and all proceeds from the sales will go Watch this space for further details!!!! towards the Tower and Organ Appeal.

If you would like to purchase one of these books please contact: Jenny Youatt THE STORY OF ALDERLEY CHURCH

told by C.B.Welland, adapted by J.Youatt CHRISTMAS CARDS (Part 10) ….. ……… Edward Shipton was followed in his Rector-ship by his son Samuel, the only instance in our story of that kind of succession.

He was certainly born to trouble, this young Clergyman - he was no more than 24 when he became Rector - for the time was wild with anger and dissension.

A fierceness of spirit, called Puritan, awoke then in the land, objected to anything like ritual, objected strongly to the ceremonies of the Church, conceived a hatred against beauty and order in places of worship, and reached soon to such a fury of passion that the most frightful destruction began to be wrought in cathedrals and churches all over the country. Priceless work in wood and stone, lovely and ancient texture, were ruined for ever.

It was Samuel Shipton who was more than likely to be responsible for the removal of the font. Mindful to preserve what he could of a precious possession of the church, one day removed the stone basin from its support and buried it in the churchyard. It lay there until the year 1821, £5.00 for 10 (cards in full colour & envelopes) when united once more to its pillar, which had been supporting a bench in Printed on improved quality glossy card and includes bright white the porch; it was to stand through all weathers outside for a hundred 100gram, self-seal envelopes. years. It was finally brought into church in 1924 and restored to its ancient use. Orders to: Jenny Youatt or David Watkins

………………………(to be continued) 6 7 HARVEST SUPPER 2007 CAROL SINGING As the glorious autumn, harvest season drew to its colourful close, we

enjoyed once again a wonderful hot-pot supper with music and dancing

from that talented quartet "The Quiet Man". Requests for folk songs

impressed these seasoned musicians who were only to happy to oblige.

There was room to dance rather more comfortably this year – probably because of the rugby final. (Greater love hath no man than this – that he misseth the Rugby Final for a church country dance. A television was set up in the Upper-Room for those aficionados who felt bereft. They were on We have arranged our annual Carol Singing for the nights of Monday th pain of death not to leak the score) 17th and Wednesday 19 December and as usual we will be visiting four pre-arranged venues on each of the nights. Over the last ten years or so of Harvest Suppers and Old Time Music Halls, I have been indebted to my stalwart band of helpers, hot-pot Our two charities this year will be the NSPCC and Francis House makers, washers- Nether Alderley Spring Water and, though singling out Children's Hospice and all the proceeds will be split equally. individuals may be invidious, Beryl Bardsley, for her Famous Apple Pies. Last year we raised a record total of £1392 over the two evenings. Thank you so much everyone. Anne Dodd Our happy band of ‘singers’ (all age groups) consists of any members of the Choir, Congregation and any ‘Friends’ of St.Mary. THE STANLEYS IN ALDERLEY - CD Anyone wishing to join us should meet in the Church car park at Pharmaceutical giant AstraZeneca celebrates its 50th anniversary at 6.45pm (prompt). We are usually finished by approximately 10.00pm. this year marking half a century of scientific research on the Further details: Jenny Youatt site. But it was once the ancestral home of the Stanley family.

What did Alderley Park look like throughout the 18 th C. & 19 th C.? CHURCH OPENING The CD gives an insight into the Stanley homes, the development of As many of you know, we open our church to visitors from Easter Sunday through Alderley Park and full details of the estate sale in 1938 and its after effects to the end of October. We have a rota of guides who open up every Sunday in this area. It is full of fascinating photos and interesting facts! afternoon from 2.00pm to 4.30pm. th Once again we have had a highly successful summer, welcoming just over 1000 View also the 17 original Old Hall adjacent to Nether Alderley Mill. visitors through our doors. And as a bonus - learn about the Stanleys Welsh estate in Anglesey

We also possess a wide range of goods for sale including our church brochure, Cost: £12 (all profits to the 'Tower and Organ Appeal') 'The Treasures of Nether Alderley & Great Warford" video, the St.Mary's jigsaw, notelets, Christmas cards, "Reverend Sirs" by Winifred Dawson, and the 'Family Contact: Jenny Youatt History', 'Memorial Inscriptions' and 'The Stanleys in Alderley' CDs.

This year, money from these sales, together with donations, so far amounts to a total of £2700 (£3100 gross) and this has now been passed over to the 'Tower & ST.MARY'S PARISH MAGAZINE Organ Appeal' fund.

If any of you over the winter months, have friends who would like to see inside our 1908 - 2008 beautiful church and learn a little about its history, then please do give me a ring and a suitable time can be arranged for a tour. Jenny Youatt DON'T MISS NEXT MONTH'S CENTENARY ISSUE 8 9 HYMN OF THE MONTH ROTA FOR DECEMBER 2007

(Tuesday 25 th December - Christmas Day) LADY SIDESMEN / SIDESMEN / LECTORS

MONTH TIME SIDESMEN LECTOR

9.30am Mrs J.Davenport 2nd 11.15am Messrs G.Barrie & S.Welsh Mr R.Akester 6.30pm Mr R.Pritchard Mr R.Pritchard

8.00am Mrs B.Essayan 9.30am Mrs G.Beeley 9th "Christians Awake" 11.15am Mr & Mrs J.Haigh Mrs V.Muir

Text: John Byrom (1692 – 1763) 6.30pm Mr D.Dearden Mrs A.Cockburn

Tune: 'Yorkshire' formerly 'Stockport' John Wainwright (1723 – 1768) 8.00am Mr H.A.Wright 9.30am Mr M.Stonehewer The words were written by John Byrom in 1749 as a Christmas present for 16 th 11.15am Messrs J.Morum & J.Ratchford his 11 year old daughter who had told him that more than anything else she would like a poem for Christmas. When she came down for breakfast 6.30pm Mrs D.Barber on Christmas Day there was a piece of paper on her plate. The original 8.00am Mrs A.Cockburn manuscript is preserved in Chetham's library. 9.30am Mrs L.Marsh 23 rd Byrom was the son of a Manchester merchant. He studied medicine but 11.15am Messrs W.Ablett & P.Liddle Mrs W.Liddle never practiced as a doctor and instead supported himself by teaching a 6.30pm Mr J.Cocker Mrs J.Lee system of shorthand of his own invention until a substantial legacy 3.00pm Mrs J.Cocker & Mr G.Woolley inherited by his wife enabled him to concentrate on a literary life. 24 th 11.30pm Mr R.Shiers John Wainwright was organist of St.Mary's Church, Stockport and later at the Manchester Collegiate Church (later to become Manchester Cathedral 8.00am Mr P.Bean in 1847). It is said that on Christmas Eve 1750 a group of singers led by 25 th 9.30am Mrs A.Robinson Wainwright visited Stockport where Byrom lived and at the stroke of 11.15am Mr & Mrs J.Stephenson midnight started up 'Christians Awake' outside the author's house. Wainwright is buried at St.Mary, Stockport. 8.00am Mr R.Walker 9.30am Mrs J.Robinson 30 th 11.15am Messrs A.Claridge & R.Shiers Mr R.Shiers

MOTHERS' UNION 6.30pm Mr A.Cockitt Mrs S.Hine

"CHRISTMAS AFTERNOON" 8.00am

th 9.15am Mrs J.Martin Wednesday 12th December 6 JAN 11.15am Mes. J.Adamson & K.Cliffe Mrs V.Muir 2.00pm 6.30pm Mr R.Pritchard Mr R.Pritchard

all will be most welcome

10 11 FROM TTHEHE REGISTERS

Funerals

31 st October Jean Marion Bridgford (Memorial Service) nd 2 November Susan Warnes (St.Philip's Church) th 5 November Daphne Young

FLOWER ROTA

December 2 nd Advent 1 December 9 th Advent 2 December 16 th Advent 3 December 23 rd Christmas December 30 th Christmas

READERS ROTA FOR THE FAMILY SERVICE

December 2 nd Lucy Bootland December 9 th Charlotte Clarke December 16 th Louie Davis December 23 rd Joe / Katie Morum December 24 th Natalie December 25 th Isobel Clarke December 30 th Claire Gorton

MAGAZINE CONTRIBUTIONS

The deadline for the next magazine is Friday 14 th December 2007

Please send all copy to:

Editorial: Jenny Youatt Email: [email protected] 1, Orchard Crescent, Nether Alderley, SK10 4TZ

Production: Jean Whittingham

Subscriptions & Distribution: Peter Bean:

Large format copies of the magazine are available. 12