The Hub The Magazine of St. Augustine’s Halifax & Christ Church Pellon
Price 50p
April – May 2019 Regular events For Children Sundays Children are always welcome! Christ Church 10.45am – SharX on Sunday or all age service (4th Sundays). St. Augustine’s - a special children’s area with different activities.
Uniformed Groups (all at Christ Church) Monday 6.00 – 7.00pm Rainbows(age 5-7) Jane Webster 885878 Monday 6.30 – 8.00pm Brownies(age 7-10) Tracey Jagger 248365 Monday 7.30 – 9.00pm Guides(age 10-15) Elizabeth Gledhill 254347
Tuesday 5.30 – 6.30pm Beavers(age 6-8) Gareth Toy 07961 426362 Tuesday 6.30 – 8.00pm Cubs(age 8-11) Jenny Lyon 07565 823422 Tuesday 7.00 – 8.30pm Scouts(age 11-14) Beverly 07985 437297
SharX at Christ Church Wednesdays, 6.45—9.00pm. Alternate weeks ages 10 – 13, 14 - 18. Fun, friendship and chat., Karaoke, air hockey, table football, Wii games and lots more. Contact Terry Gledhill for more details 254347.
Messy SharX at Christ Church Once a month on the Third Saturday of the month, 3.00pm – 5.00pm. Games, Craft, singing, stories, teaching & food. Contact Terry Gledhill for more details 254347.
Fellowship House Groups Various days. Get together for fellowship, faith and prayer. For details contact Brian 250321.
Community Café Wednesdays 10.00 am—11.30am at Christ Church. Informal chat to meet other people, chat over coffee and cakes.
Wednesday Lunch Every Wednesday, 12.30pm at Christ Church. Soup & roll for £1.00. On the last Wednesday of each month, 2 course lunch and a cup of tea, all for just £3.50.
International Evening Alternate Fridays 6.30pm—9.30pm at Christ Church. A relaxed evening of games, food, and a chance to chill out, especially for those from other countries.
Friday Group Friday evenings, bi-monthly. Ladies get-togethers and social events. See ’What’s Happening’ for more details, or contact Ann Gardner 341962.
Worship As well as Sundays, we have other regular worship: Monday 9.15 am Morning Prayer at St. Augustine’s Tuesday 12 noon Informal Worship at St. Augustine’s, followed by lunch Wednesday 11.30am Communion Service at Christ Church
Interpreted Services. The first Sunday 10.45am service and the Second Sunday 6.30pm Celebration services at Christ Church will be BSL signed services. From the Vicar
Dear Readers,
The sun is beginning to shine again, and the weather is slowly beginning to get warmer – Spring is finally arriving! It’s always a blessing when the crocuses poke their heads through the winter ground, and now that the daffodils are displaying their bright yellow flowers, we can begin to turn our thoughts away from the darker days of winter time towards the promise of summer, with longer summer evenings, warmer summer days, and for those who are fortunate enough, maybe even a summer holiday! And for us, that turning of the seasons can also point to something more fundamental about the way the universe is. Things change. They don’t stay the same for ever. There is something inbuilt in the way that creation works that speaks of new beginnings, of fresh starts. Of course, there’s comfort in the familiar. That pair of slippers that fit perfectly, or that holiday destination where people know who you are and welcome you as friends. But how many people have been lulled into thinking that living full-time in your ‘ideal’ holiday destination would be paradise and so have moved out there, only to find that it not as perfect as it first appeared. There’s still work to be done, the usual messiness of life to get on with, and the friends there all have other lives to live as well. No, just having what is ‘tried and tested’, familiar, does not lead to ‘life in all it’s fullness’, but more to a life where the excitement and the joy are muted, rather than on full volume, so to speak. If you want something more from life than ‘bog standard’, then it requires effort, and it requires change. Of course, it would be nice if it was all ‘positive’ change – like the flowers growing through the ground, appearing as if from nowhere, the most natural thing in the world.
3 And of course, it is the most natural thing in the world – but something happens before that in order for the growth to occur. First, something has to be buried in the ground. In the case of the flowers, it’s usually the bulb from last year (or some years before). In our ordinary lives, then, we must sacrifice something for the growth to happen. That might be in time given to learn a new skill, like playing an instrument, or learning a new language. It might be in terms of effort – going to the gym on a regular basis in order to build up that stamina and fitness. Or it might be in terms of taking a risk – a new job, perhaps, or a new relationship. And just as it’s true in the world around us, and in our personal lives, so it’s true in our church lives as well. We’re comfortable with the songs we already know, but if we never learned any new songs we’d still be singing in Latin! We’re comfortable with the liturgy we’ve been brought up with, but the words can become stale and routine rather than poetic and challenging. We like things the way they are, but God wants more for us – and from us. Jesus came, not that we could live a comfortable life, but an abundant life! Easter is a time that we celebrate that abundant life, shown in the resurrection of Jesus – the ‘new creation’. But it is also a time of challenge, because that very newness means something must change, something must ‘die’. So as we approach our Easter celebrations this year, the question for you – and for me! – is what must change? What must I do differently, or think differently, for that to happen. What must ‘die’ for that abundant life to be more my experience this year? And maybe that’s also the challenge for our churches. Are we willing to take the risk of ‘death’ in order to fully experience the power of resurrection? May you all have a blessed and abundant Easter! John Hellewell
4 WHAT’S HAPPENING This is a BSL interpreted service
APRIL
1 Monday 9.15 am Morning Prayer at St. Augustine’s 2.00 pm ‘Challengers’ at Christ Church 7.00 pm Churches Together Lent Course at St. Hilda’s 2 Tuesday 12.30 pm Worship at St. Augustine’s 1.00 pm International Bible Study at St. Augustine’s 3 Wednesday 10.00 am Café Hope at Christ Church 11.30 am Communion at Christ Church 12.30 pm Soup lunch at Christ Church 6.45 pm SharX 1 (ages 10 – 13) at Christ Church 4 Thursday 6.00 pm Listening to God at Christ Church 7.30 pm Baptism Preparation at Christ Church 5 Friday 9.30 am Chatterbox Toddler Group at Christ Church 7.00 pm Deaf Church at Christ Church 7.30 pm Ladies Friday Group at Tracey Jagger’s 6 Saturday 10.00 am Parish ‘Day Away’
7 Sunday: Fifth Sunday before Lent 10.30 am Joint Service at Christ Church followed by Bring & Share lunch 8 Monday 9.15 am Morning Prayer at St. Augustine’s 2.00 pm ‘Challengers’ at Christ Church 7.00 pm Churches Together Lent Course at St. Hilda’s 9 Tuesday 12.30 pm Worship at St. Augustine’s 1.00 pm International Bible Study at St. Augustine’s 10 Wednesday 10.00 am Café Hope at Christ Church 11.30 am Communion at Christ Church 12.30 pm Soup lunch at Christ Church 6.45 pm SharX 2 (ages 14 – 18) at Christ Church 11 Thursday 2.00 pm Private party at Christ Church 7.30 pm Music Get-together at Christ Church 12 Friday 9.30 am Chatterbox Toddler Group at Christ Church 1.30 pm Christ Church School service at Christ Church 6.30 pm International Night at Christ Church 13 Saturday 10.00 am Spring Fayre at Christ Church
14 Sunday: Palm Sunday
5 10.45 am Morning Worship at Christ Church 10.45 am Communion at St. Augustine’s 1.00 pm Baptism at St. Augustine’s 6.30 pm Second Sunday Deaf led service at Christ Church 15 Monday 9.15 am Morning Prayer at St. Augustine’s 2.00 pm ‘Challengers’ at Christ Church 7.30 pm Holy Week Communion at Christ Church 16 Tuesday 10.30 am Communion at Asquith Court – all welcome! 12.30 pm Worship at St. Augustine’s 1.00 pm International Bible Study at St. Augustine’s 2.00 pm Communion at Clement Court – all welcome! 7.30 pm Holy Week Communion at Christ Church 17 Wednesday 10.00 am Café Hope at Christ Church 11.30 am Communion at Christ Church 12.30 pm Soup lunch at Christ Church 6.45 pm SharX 1 (ages 10 – 13) at Christ Church 7.30 pm Holy Week Communion at St. Augustine’s 18 Maundy Thursday 7.00 pm Maundy Thursday Service at St John’s, Warley 19 Good Friday 11.00 am Good Friday Service at Highgate Methodist 7.30 pm Good Friday Taizé Service at St. Hilda’s 20 Easter Eve 1.00 pm Easter Sing at ASDA 3.00 pm Messy SharX at Christ Church 7.00 pm Easter vigil at Halifax Minster & TGP
21 Sunday: EASTER DAY – HE IS RISEN! HE IS RISEN INDEED! HALLELUJAH! 5.45 am Sunrise Communion at Christ Church followed by breakfast 10.45 am Easter Communion at Christ Church 10.45 am Easter Communion at St. Augustine’s 23 Tuesday 12.30 pm Worship at St. Augustine’s 1.00 pm International Bible Study at St. Augustine’s 24 Wednesday 10.00 am Café Hope at Christ Church 11.30 am Communion at Christ Church 12.30 pm Wednesday Lunch at Christ Church 6.45 pm SharX 2 (ages 14 – 18) at Christ Church 25 Thursday 6.00 pm “Listening to God” training at Christ Church 6 7.30 pm Music Get-together at Christ Church 26 Friday 6.30 pm International Evening at Christ Church 27 Saturday 8.30 am Breakfast at Christ Church 9.00 am Prayer Meeting at Christ Church 10.00 am Circle Dancing at Christ Church
28 Sunday: Second Sunday of Easter 10.45 am Morning Worship at Christ Church 10.45 am Communion at St. Augustine’s 12.30 pm APCM at Christ Church 29 Monday 9.15 am Morning Prayer at St. Augustine’s 2.00 pm ‘Challengers’ at Christ Church 30 Tuesday 12.30 pm Worship at St. Augustine’s 1.00 pm International Bible Study at St. Augustine’s
MAY
1 Wednesday 10.00 am Community Café at Christ Church 11.30 am Communion at Christ Church 12.30 pm Soup Lunch at Christ Church 6.45 pm SharX 1 (ages 10 – 13) at Christ Church 2 Thursday 1.30 pm West Halifax Churches Together at Pellon Baptist 6.00 pm “Listening to God” at Christ Church 3 Friday 9.30 am Chatterbox Toddler Group at Christ Church 7.00 pm Deaf Church at Christ Church
5 Sunday: Third Sunday of Easter 10.30 am Joint Service at Christ Church 6 Monday 9.15 am Morning Prayer at St. Augustine’s 2.00 pm ‘Challengers’ at Christ Church 7 Tuesday 10.30 am Communion at Asquith Court – all welcome! 12.30 pm Worship at St. Augustine’s 1.00 pm International Bible Study at St. Augustine’s 2.00 pm Communion at Clement Court – all welcome! 8 Wednesday 10.00 am Café Hope at Christ Church 11.30 am Communion at Christ Church 12.30 pm Soup Lunch at Christ Church 6.45 pm SharX 2 (ages 14 – 18) at Christ Church 9 Thursday 7.30 pm Music Get-together at Christ Church 10 Friday 9.30 am Chatterbox Toddler Group at Christ Church 6.30 pm International Night at Christ Church 11 Saturday 9.30 am Breakfast at Christ Church 7 10.00 am Vision morning at Christ Church – Organization
12 Sunday: Fourth Sunday of Easter 10.45 am Morning Worship at Christ Church 10.45 am Communion at St. Augustine’s 6.30 pm Second Sunday Deaf led service at Christ Church 13 Monday 9.15 am Morning Prayer at St. Augustine’s 2.00 pm ‘Challengers’ at Christ Church 14 Tuesday 12.30 pm Worship at St. Augustine’s 1.00 pm International Bible Study at St. Augustine’s 7.30 pm St. Augustine’s PCC meeting at The Centre 15 Wednesday 10.00 am Café Hope at Christ Church 11.30 am Communion at Christ Church 12.30 pm Soup Lunch at Christ Church 6.45 pm SharX 1 (ages 10 – 13) at Christ Church 16 Thursday 7.00 pm Christ Church PCC meeting in Church 17 Friday 9.30 am Chatterbox Toddler Group at Christ Church 18 Saturday 3.00 pm Messy SharX at Christ Church
19 Sunday: Fifth Sunday of Easter 10.45 am Communion at Christ Church 10.45 am Morning Worship at St. Augustine’s 20 Monday 9.15 am Morning Prayer at St. Augustine’s 2.00 pm ‘Challengers’ at Christ Church 21 Tuesday 12.30 pm Worship at St. Augustine’s 1.00 pm International Bible Study at St. Augustine’s 2.00 pm Pastoral Team meeting at Rosemary’s 22 Wednesday 10.00 am Café Hope at Christ Church 11.30 am Communion at Christ Church 12.30 pm Soup Lunch at Christ Church 6.45 pm SharX 2 (ages 14 – 18) at Christ Church 23 Thursday 7.30 pm Music Get-together at Christ Church 24 Friday 9.30 am Chatterbox Toddler Group at Christ Church 6.30 pm International Evening at Christ Church 25 Saturday 8.30 am Breakfast at Christ Church 9.00 am Prayer Meeting at Christ Church 10.00 am Circle Dancing at Christ Church
26 Sunday: Sixth Sunday of Lent 10.45 am Morning Worship at Christ Church 8 10.45 am Communion at St. Augustine’s 1.00 pm Baptism at Christ Church 28 Tuesday 12.30 pm Worship at St. Augustine’s 1.00 pm International Bible Study at St. Augustine’s 29 Wednesday 10.00 am Café Hope at Christ Church 11.30 am Communion at Christ Church 12.30 pm Lunchbox at Christ Church 6.45 pm SharX 1 (ages 10 – 13) at Christ Church 30 Thursday 6.00 pm “Listening to God” training at Christ Church 31 Friday 7.00 pm Deaf Church at Christ Church
JUNE
2 Sunday: Seventh Sunday of Easter 10.30 am Joint Service at Christ Church
CHRIST CHURCH
Community Café Wednesdays – 10.00 to 11.30 am
Meet new friends, or bring your own along for a coffee and a chat, or just somewhere to chill out. If you need a lift contact Kathleen Griffiths on 349360
Please note – The Community Café does not run December & January
MAGAZINE DEADLINE The Parish Magazine is distributed on the last Sunday of every other month. The copy deadline for the next magazine is Sunday, 12 th May 2019
Contact Kath Sharman on 330812 or email [email protected]
9 Lunchbox dates for 2019 24th April 28th August 29th May 25th September 26th June 30th October 31st July 27th November**
Wednesdays 12.30pm cost £3.50
Lunch box Christmas Lunch**
Wednesday 27th November 2019 12.30pm
New code of practice on ecumenical cooperation approved The General Synod has given overwhelming backing to new guidance which will help Church of England congregations to share mission and ministry more easily with a range of churches in their areas. Members voted in February in favour of a code of practice giving guidance to bishops, clergy, lay workers and Church of England Readers on how to work more flexibly with other Christian denominations in their communities. The vote came after an overhaul of rules underpinning ecumenical relations was given final approval by the General Synod last year, opening the way for parishes to take part in joint worship and share buildings with more churches than previously possible. The new rules include churches without a large national presence which will particularly affect newer independent evangelical, Pentecostal and Charismatic groups, including many black-led churches. The Bishop of Chichester, Martin Warner, addressing the General Synod, said: “We hope and pray that this will be a sign of encouragement and enthusiasm, which will lead to the renewal and deepening of our life together and our witness to Jesus Christ.”
10 Church leaders give blessing to plastic-free faith Easter Egg The Archbishop of York and the lead Bishop for the environment have welcomed a 'plastic free' version of The Real Easter Egg. Out of the 80 million eggs sold in the UK every year The Real Easter Egg is the only one which includes a 24 page copy of the Easter story in the box, is Fairtrade and supports charitable causes. And now, this year the Real Easter Egg is going plastic-free. The change is in response to a survey which found that 96% of Christians think it is important for Easter Eggs to be plastic-free and news that 11.5 million tonnes of food packaging waste is produced every year. David Marshall from the Meaningful Chocolate Company, who make the Real Easter Egg, said: "Easter eggs don't have to cost the earth. We have replaced plastic bags, tamper-seals and Best Before stickers with paper versions. There is still the same amount of chocolate in the Real Easter Egg and the box sizes are the same, but the redesign means our Dark and Original Egg will save at least 5 tonnes of plastic and 175 tonnes of card in the next five years." The Archbishop of York, Dr John Sentamu, said; "I am delighted that an Easter Egg, which shares the Story of Easter, is leading the way by reducing packaging." The Bishop of Salisbury, The Rt Revd Nicholas Holtam, said; "As the lead bishop on the environment for the Church of England I am delighted that an Easter Egg, is taking seriously the care of our planet."
The bishop’s visit A bishop was visiting a small church in his diocese for Easter. He wanted the young people to understand what he had to say about the Good Shepherd, so he dressed up in his bishop’s long, flowing robes and carried his crook. “Now,” beamed the bishop, “do you know who I am?” After a moment’s silence, one child ventured “Little Bo Peep?”
11 General Synod backs plans to mobilise one million worshippers Plans to encourage the Church of England’s one million regular worshippers to be more confident in spreading the Christian message in their everyday lives were given the backing of the General Synod in February. Members of the General Synod welcomed the Church of England’s campaign Motivating the Million, which is aimed at helping congregations in speaking about and living out their faith in homes, communities and workplaces. The plans include work to create more lay leaders in the Church of England and a project to help build the confidence of worshippers to invite their friends to church events. The General Synod also backed a call for all the Church of England’s 12,500 parishes to become involved in the global prayer movement ‘Thy Kingdom Come’ for more people to come to know Jesus Christ. The Revd Barry Hill, from the Diocese of Leicester, moving a motion at the General Synod commending the work of the Church of England’s Evangelism and Discipleship department, said evangelism could not be left to clergy alone. “Evangelism doesn’t belong to any one part of the Church, it needs all of our church to reach all of our nation,” he said. “Most people know a Christian – most people don’t know a bishop or even a vicar.” The Bishop of Leicester, Martyn Snow, described evangelists as a ‘gift’ to the Church, and said we needed more of them. “Today’s evangelists will not be lone rangers – today’s evangelists will not be loud extroverts who frighten everyone with their enthusiasm. “The evangelists of today need to be team members who mentor and coach others in everyday faith conversations, helping people to overcome their anxiety and helping them to think through the tough questions that anyone who publicly owns the name of Christian will get asked.”
12 Church of England commits to next generation evangelism The Church of England's General Synod has overwhelmingly called for action with regard to the future of youth evangelism in England, describing the current situation in churches as 'shocking'. Canon Mark Russell, Chief Executive of the Church Army, revealed that 36% of Anglican congregations have no one under the age of 16. Meanwhile only 6% of Church of England churches have more than 25 under 16-year-olds, and most of these are younger children. The challenges are particularly acute for teenagers, with many churches having none. Yet research suggests 13% of teenagers identify as Christian and many respond positively to the Anglican faith. The Revd Leah Vasey- Saunders said her journey to be a vicar was a direct result of joining a local church choir at the age of 18. “We need to take young people seriously. The time to act is now.” The Church of England is making progress, with the appointment of its first Youth Evangelism Officer, Jimmy Dale and its first bishop for evangelism to young people, Bishop Paul Williams.
13 1st April – Fooling Around I was about six when I began to enjoy April Fool’s Day. My older brother was very clever at appropriate hoaxes, not only deceiving me but also mum and dad. On the whole my childish efforts were encouraged. The day was full of laughs, even at school, where the teachers would try to trick us and all day long no one quite believed anything they were told. So it went on, year after year, though I think it all seems as a bit unsophisticated for the modern generation. You couldn’t say that, though, about probably the most famous April Fool’s effort of all time. In the 1960’s BBC TV broadcast a feature on the spaghetti farms of Italy. Even those of us who bought our spaghetti in the supermarket from the pasta shelves began to wonder if we’d been wrong. Italian farmers explained their work and the progress of the spaghetti plants was carefully filmed, from planting to reaping. And all in the BBC’s most serious documentary manner. It took a while to appreciate that this was Aunty playing games. Whatever next! The odd thing is that no one is quite sure of the origin of this very British tradition. Most attribute it to changes in Britain’s calendar in the 1700s, when New Year’s Day moved from March 25th to January 1st. Not surprisingly, the change caused a lot of confusion and mistakes around the start of April. Others look further back, to the ancient Roman feast of Hilaria, when the goddess Cybele was celebrated with pranks and jokes around the spring equinox, March 25th. Either way a touch of hilarity at the end of Lent does not seem amiss. Go to Greece, where the resurrection of Jesus is celebrated with fireworks and parties to see how it might work. Canon David Winter
Exercise With summer coming, I had to face the fact that my body was totally out of shape. So I joined a fitness club and signed up for the aerobics class. I got to the club, and there I bent, twisted, gyrated, jumped up and down, and perspired for an hour. But by the time I got my clothes off and my sweats on, the class was over.
14 19th May: Dunstan – the abbot who restored monastic life in England Dunstan (909-988 AD) stands out as an example of what just one person can achieve when they follow the call of God on their life. Dunstan was born near Glastonbury, of a noble family with royal connections and church connections; his uncle was Archbishop of Canterbury. But in 935, at the age of 26, he was accused of ‘studying the vain poems of the pagans’ – and expelled from court. He nearly married, but instead made private monastic vows and was ordained a priest by Elphege, bishop of Winchester. Dunstan felt God’s call on his life and responded. That decision was to shape English history. Not at first, however. For Dunstan began his priestly life by simply returning to Glastonbury and living as a hermit. He painted, embroidered and did metalwork. But when in 939 Edmund became king of Wessex, he recalled Dunstan and made him abbot of Glastonbury. The monastic life of the country was all but dead: the Danish invasions and the hostility of local magnates had seen to that. Dunstan set out to change all this, and went on to restore monastic life in England, under the Rule of St Benedict. Down the years, Dunstan saw kings come and go: Edmund, Edred, Edgar, Edward. Under King Edgar Dunstan was made bishop of Worcester in 957, bishop of London in 959, and Archbishop of Canterbury in 960. Thus was born a fruitful collaboration between King and Archbishop which was to reform the Church in England. Monastic orders began to thrive once more. After the Conquest, the days of Dunstan would be looked back on as the ‘golden age’. Dunstan was zealous for the faith. He taught, prayed, fasted, repaired churches, acted as judge, inspired national laws of the land, made sure taxes were paid, and encouraged his monks in their manuscripts and prayers. He remained active right to the end of his life: he preached three times on Ascension Day 988, and died two days later, on 19 May, aged nearly 80. They wrote of him: he was without doubt “chief of all the saints who rest at Christ Church’ (Canterbury). It has been well said that the 10th century gave shape to English history, and Dunstan gave shape to the 10th century. 15 Why Easter will never go away How do you make sense of the Resurrection? Dead men don’t rise, so why believe that this particular dead man did rise? At the end of St Luke’s Gospel we read that: “they still did not believe it because of joy and amazement” (Luke 24.4). This is highly significant. The Gospels do not show us a group of disciples who were in a receptive frame of mind. After the crucifixion, they were in hiding, frightened and scattered. Then suddenly, they came out of hiding and were totally different; excited, joyful. By Pentecost they were confident, with one firm message: “You crucified Jesus, but God raised him up!” How did they know this? Because of direct personal experience. Some of them had visited the tomb of Jesus: it was empty. Others claimed to have seen and touched the risen Lord. Were they hallucinating? People can hallucinate in groups – when taking drugs, for example. But, of course each one will see a different hallucination. But the disciples all saw the same thing. Or rather, the same person. Jesus. Were they lying? Jesus had died a humiliating death as a criminal. Perhaps they wanted to rescue His good name. So did they pretend they had seen Him? This theory has a big problem. Their preaching led them into trouble with the authorities. They were beaten and imprisoned and some of them killed. People will die for ideas and causes which they believe in passionately. But not for things they have made up. We might suffer for our convictions, we will not suffer for our inventions. What about the ‘swoon’ theory? That Jesus didn’t die on the cross, despite terrible wounds. He recovered in the tomb, and then escaped. The disciples nursed Him back to health. But Roman soldiers knew when a man was dead; and there was the guard on the tomb. Also, the events which followed simply don’t fit. If the disciples had been hiding Jesus, they would have kept very low-key, and out of the way, so that the authorities did not come after Him again.
16 Besides, to preach that God had raised Jesus from the dead – which is exactly what they did preach – would have been a lie. Beatings and threat of death would soon have loosened their tongues. Inventions crumble under pressure; convictions hold fast. Another reason for believing in the Resurrection is this: Jesus’ continuing impact. Thousands and soon millions of people in every generation since have shared an inescapable sense of being ‘accompanied’ through life. Though unseen, they identify this presence as the Risen Lord. Sometimes this experience of meeting Jesus is gentle and fitful. Sometimes it is dramatic and life-changing. This reminds us that the resurrection of Jesus is not just an interesting historical puzzle. It is a vital, present day reality. It brings wonderful comfort, assuring us of the central Christian truths: death is dead; Jesus is alive; God is love. This central notion was captured, most movingly, by the great Albert Schweitzer: ‘He came to those men who knew Him not. He speaks to us the same word: “Follow thou me”, and sets us to the tasks which He has to fulfil for our time. He commands. And to those who obey Him, whether they be wise or simple, He will reveal Himself in the toils, the conflicts, the suffering which they shall pass through in His fellowship, and, as ineffable mystery, they shall learn in their own experience who He is.’ Have a joyful – and a challenging – Easter.
17 8th May: Julian of Norwich – a voice from a distant cell Many years ago, studying English literature at university, I was intrigued to be introduced to the work of Julian of Norwich. She was writing at the end of the 14th century, when our modern English language was slowly emerging from its origins in Anglo-Saxon and Middle English. Our lecturer was mainly concerned with her importance in the history of the language (she was the first woman, and the first significant writer, to write in English). But I was more intrigued by the ideas she was expressing. She was an anchoress – someone who had committed herself to a life of solitude, giving herself to prayer and fasting. St Julian’s, Norwich was the church where she had her ‘cell’. Her masterpiece, Revelations of Divine Love, reveals a mystic of such depth and insight that today up and down Britain there are hundreds, possibly thousands, of ‘Julian Groups’ who meet regularly to study her writings and try to put them into practice. She is honoured this month (8th) in the Lutheran and Anglican Churches, but although she is held in high regard by many Roman Catholics, her own Church has never felt able to recognise her as a ‘saint’. This is probably because – over 600 years ago! – she spoke of God as embracing both male and female qualities. Revelations is an account of the visions she received in her tiny room, which thousands of pilgrims visit every year. Her most famous saying, quoted by T S Eliot in one of his poems, is ‘All shall be well, and all shall be well, and all manner of thing shall be well’ – words that have brought comfort and strength to many a soul in distress. Canon David Winter
Quiet A Sunday school teacher asked her children as they were on the way to Church service, "And why is it necessary to be quiet in church?" One bright little girl replied, "Because people are sleeping."
18 What’s the point of Easter? As we celebrate Easter, it raises the question: What difference can the Resurrection make to my life? My past is forgiven: Have you ever been half-way through a project and wanted to start again? In life we all have regrets about things we have done, said or thought. The good news is that Jesus died to forgive these things: ‘All sins forgiven, the slate wiped clean, that old arrest warrant cancelled and nailed to Christ’s cross.’ (Colossians 2:14, The Message). The resurrection is the guarantee that we can know Jesus’ pardon and forgiveness. Do we need to let go a load of guilt and unforgiveness that we are carrying? My present is under control: How often do we say ‘My life is out of control.’ We can’t control life, but God can! The ‘incomparably great power at work for those who believe’ is the same power that raised Christ from the dead (Ephesians 1:20). God promises us the power that we need to face any situation, as we trust Him: ‘I can do all this through Him who gives me strength.’ (Philippians 4:13). My future is secure: Death is the great certainty, ‘one out of one dies!’. Yet Jesus overcame death by the resurrection, that we might experience the life of heaven, both now and for eternity. ‘I am the resurrection and the life. The one who believes in Me will live, even though they die; and whoever lives by believing in Me will never die’. (John 11:25,26). We don’t need to fear death; but if we are to really live, we have to be ready to die! How does the resurrection affect our view of death? ‘The best news the world has ever had came from a cemetery near Jerusalem: the tomb was empty!’ Rev Paul Hardingham
Egg Church notice: This being Easter Sunday, we will ask Mrs Cusworth to come forward and lay an egg on the altar.
19 The Beatitudes - ‘Blessed are the Poor in Spirit’ Jesus begins the Sermon on the Mount with the Beatitudes (Matthew 5:1- 12). The word blessed describes how we can live under God’s blessing. Jesus talks about the ‘beautiful attitudes’ (Billy Graham) that characterise followers of Jesus. They speak more about ‘who we are’ than ‘what we do’ and reflect perfectly the character of Jesus that He wants to develop in us. ‘Blessed are the poor in spirit, for theirs is the kingdom of heaven.’ is the first beatitude (5:3). To be ‘poor in spirit’ is not simply being poor economically, as the word used means ‘being dependent on others for support’. It is the opposite of spiritual pride, recognising that we all fall short of God’s standards in our thoughts, words and actions. It’s not just about what we do for God, but what He has done for us through Jesus’ death on the cross. As we bring our sin, guilt, shame and failure to Him, in grace He offers us His love, acceptance and forgiveness. We come with empty hands: ‘Nothing in my hands I bring, simply to thy cross I cling’ (Augustus Toplady). This is well illustrated by the tax collector in Jesus’ parable: ‘God have mercy on me, a sinner’ (Luke 18:13). It is cry that says ‘O God, I am in a mess. I’ve got nothing to offer. I haven’t begun to pray or hear you properly. I am spiritually poor’ To those who cry out like this, Jesus says ‘theirs is the kingdom of heaven’ (v3). The kingdom of God flings opens its doors to beggars! ‘There is nothing we can do to make God love us more; there is nothing we can do to make God love us less.’ (Philip Yancey: What’s So Amazing About Grace). Rev Paul Hardingham
Higher power? A Sunday school teacher said to her children, ' We have been learning how powerful kings and queens were in Bible times. But there is a higher power. Can anybody tell me what it is?’ One child blurted out, ‘Aces!’
20 Easter joy I remember vividly a simple poster I saw on the notice board of our local Methodist Chapel. It had a silhouette of three crosses on a hill, and underneath the words, ‘FOR YOU’. Nothing fancy or clever, but a clear presentation of the Easter message, and it struck me deeply. At Easter our thoughts are drawn to the death and resurrection of Jesus. These events are central to our faith, but sometimes we can over- complicate their meaning. The heart of it, though, remains very simple: Christ died for our sins according to the Scriptures, and on the third day was raised to life (1Corinthians 15:3). He died to show his love for you. He gave his life as a demonstration or proof of the love He has for each one of us, no matter who we are or what we have done. He was motivated to lay down His life for us, not out of duty or obligation, but compassionate love. See Romans 5:8 He died to set you free. Sin has entangled every one of us. We are under it’s power and unable to ourselves to loosen its grip. At the cross Jesus dealt with sin once and for all by dying in our place. Now, when we turn to Him for help, we can be released from the hold it has on us and find complete forgiveness. He died to bring you home. The Cross makes it possible for us to be reconciled to God. Like the prodigal son we were once far away from God, but now because we have been forgiven, we can return to our true home in God. A welcome awaits us, and a joy-filled reunion is possible. This Easter, why not think about these two simple words: FOR YOU. Rev Tony Horsfall
Christian upbringing After the baptism of his baby brother in church, Jason sobbed all the way home in the back seat of the car. His father asked him three times what was wrong. Finally, the boy replied, "That preacher said he wants us brought up in a Christian home, but I want to stay with you and Mum."
21 Charles Wesley’s great hymn for Easter: Christ the Lord is risen today! Jesus’s death on the cross, and His resurrection on Easter morning are both part of the redemption story. Paul links them in this way: ‘He was delivered for our offences [the Cross] and raised again [the Resurrection] for our justification’ (Romans 4:25). Charles Wesley does likewise in his glorious Easter anthem. Christ the Lord is risen today! Sons of men and angels say. Raise your songs and triumph high Sing, ye heavens, thou earth reply.
Charles wrote the hymn in 1739, a year after his Pentecost Sunday evangelical conversion, and the year in which he began his open-air preaching. Like all his hymns that followed in the next four decades, this hymn is full of New Testament references and allusions. A great stone was rolled into the opening of the grave where Jesus was laid, and as Matthew records, the Jewish authorities ‘made the tomb secure, sealing the stone and setting a guard’ (27:66). But all to no purpose! Christ, the Lord of Life, could not be imprisoned by death! Vain the stone, the watch, the seal Christ hath burst the gates of hell. Death in vain forbids Him rise Christ hath opened Paradise!
The NT teaches that Christ’s resurrection was the Father’s seal of approval on His obedient life and atoning death. His resurrection was the proof that He was indeed Jesus Christ the Lord, as Paul argues in Romans 1:4. ‘Declared to be the Son of God …by the resurrection from the dead.’ Charles Wesley works these great salvation truths into his verses. ‘Love’s redeeming work is done.’ ‘Once He died our souls to save.’ ‘Lives again our glorious King.’ ‘Where, O death, is now thy sting?’ ‘Second life we all receive.’ In our Heavenly Adam live.’ As our Lord promised His disciples long ago – and still promises us; ‘Because I live, you will also live’ (John 14:19).
22 The Resurrection of Christ, viewed as a historical fact, is only part of the NT teaching. His conquest of death He now shares with all His people. Christians are the people of the Resurrection! We are now ‘made alive with Christ;’ ‘raised up with Him,’ and already seated ‘in heavenly places’ (Ephesians 1:4-6). And Charles Wesley takes up this great theme of how believers share in their Lord’s resurrection power. Risen with Him we upward move Still we seek the things above … Soar we now where Christ hath led Following our exalted Head. Made like Him, like Him we rise Ours the cross, the grave, the skies.
Christ has conquered hell! Death has lost its sting! The grave is spoiled! What a Saviour! What a gospel! What a glorious hope! Rev Dr Herbert McGonigle
Why we are turning to soap bars It’s official: we are buying more soap bars these days. And that is a good thing. It is all a part of the major consumer backlash against unnecessary plastic waste. More and more of us want eco-friendly versions of our everyday needs. Thus, we have ‘bags for life’, loose fruit and veg, and now – bars of soap. Liquid soaps took off in the 1990s and was marketed as more hygienic than barred soap. But since then, numerous scientific studies have found this to be myth. And in the meantime, hundreds of millions of plastic bottles full of soap have been used once – and thrown into the environment. Whereas with a bar of soap, once it is gone, it is really gone.
23 ‘Talking Jesus’ course gives Christians a new voice ‘Now I feel confident talking about my walk with Jesus.’ That’s the verdict of Paula, a Yorkshire mum who has been on the Talking Jesus course and has been inspired to speak up. She is not alone. The course is giving ordinary Christians across an extraordinary range of denominations, ethnicities and backgrounds, a new voice to share their faith. The Talking Jesus course is a six-part video course available on USB or DVD. Paula did the course at St Michael le Belfrey, an Anglican church in York. They ran Talking Jesus for parents from the Mums and Tots group whilst their children were in a crèche. Paula is one of thousands of Christians enthused by the course to talk about Jesus to friends, family members and work colleagues. Since the course was launched last year, more than 4,000 copies have been distributed and 18,000 booklets have been sold. Edinburgh church minister Gordon Kennedy said, ‘The response to the course has been more than I could have hoped for. One man in his 50s, a regular at Sunday church but still young as a believer, spoke of having had three conversations with people he has met while walking his dog. Another older man spoke of how he has taken the opportunity to speak of his faith and hope in Jesus when asked about his treatment for cancer. All those at the course have spoken of how they are praying for the five names they wrote down on week one, and many have now had opportunities to speak to some of them about Jesus.’ HOPE’s executive director Roy Crowne, one of the team who made the course, says, ‘The course is being used by an amazing number of churches – large and small, black and white, in cities, towns and villages: RCCG, Methodist, Anglican, Baptist and new churches. Gold Hill Baptist Church, King's Church London, across its three sites, and Catholic churches are using it too.’ Talking Jesus - The Course can be ordered from hopepublishing.org.uk. It includes a DVD or USB with six training videos, plus parable-style films and an accompanying 44-page course booklet. The DVD version costs £19.99; the USB version costs £24.99. Extra copies of the booklet can be bought separately for group members from £1 a copy. 24 Signs & Symbols: Holy oil, and even more holy oil Oils and creams loom large in the Bible just as they do in our world today. We use healing creams for all sorts of ailments, and moisturising lotions to soothe, but also often for the pure sensual pleasure that they give us. What can be better than your favourite hand cream after time spent gardening? Oils in church are just the same. Set aside for specific works: for healing, encouraging at times of change and uncertainty, and for the special purposes of people, places and objects. The Holy Oils are blessed (and one is consecrated) each year, usually on Mandy Thursday in Holy Week. This is done by the Bishop at a special annual service in every cathedral with all the clergy in the Diocese. It’s an amazingly colourful and meaningful service which if you ever have the opportunity to attend do go. These oils are then distributed to every parish priest for use in their area. At the end of a year they are poured into the earth and replaced with the new year’s Holy Oils. If you are facing challenges and change in any area of your life, why not talk with your priest and ask them for some of this holy oil – these are meant for you and me, for all of us. Rev Dr Jo White
25 A testimony from the Rwandan genocide The Rwandan genocide began 25 years ago this month, in April 1994. The Rev Antoine Rutasiyrie, now the pastor of a large church in Kigali, recalls the beginning of that terrible 100 days, when up to one million Tutsi were slaughtered by the Hutu. “My family were Tutsi and we lived in Kigali. We had experienced Hutu aggression before: they had killed my father in the early 1970s, and then burned our family home in the 1980s. It had taken me years to forgive them, and only with God’s grace.” But by the Spring of 1994 ethnic tensions were escalating once again, the country crackling with tension. Antoine recalls: “My wife and I were on our knees for at least two hours every evening, pleading with the Lord for our country, and for our protection.” Then, on April 7th, 1994, the president of Rwanda was shot down over Kigali. That first morning after the plane crash, Antoine and his family nearly died as well. “Just before dawn by the sound of gunfire exploded in the street outside our home. We rushed to our windows and also tuned into the radio. Running battles had begun across the city, between the Hutu militia and the Tutsi RPF soldiers.” As the morning wore on, Antoine and his wife heard explosions and screams in the distance, and he could see smoke rising below him as the city burned. Then came news that road blocks had been set up all over the city. The Interahamwe (Hutu soldiers) were everywhere. Antoine and his wife were terrified, especially as they had young children. Antoine says: “We were in a panic, but we dared not leave the house - where would we go? So, we poured out our fears to God.” At 3.30pm that day the Interahamwe arrived as his front gate. Antoine locked the children and the housemaid in a bedroom in an effort to shield them and peered through the window. He could hear the Interahamwe arguing about the best way to break in. I thought to myself: “So this is the end. Are they going to cut us in pieces? I shuddered to think what they could do to my wife, my children. I wondered if I could fight them, even kill a couple of them before they killed us. 26 “Then I remembered the promised the Lord had given us: ‘He who dwells in the shelter of the Most High will rest in the shadow of the Almighty.’ And again, ‘Have mercy on me oh God, I will take refuge in the shadow of your wings until the disaster has passed.’ “I felt my spirit grow calmer, and I heard a quiet voice saying; ‘You have been preaching sermons on loving and praying for your enemies. Instead of trying to ‘die like a man’, why don’t you just die like a Christian? “So, then I prayed: ‘Lord, give me grace. If it is your will that I and my family die now, have them give me time to die praying for them, as you did for us on the cross.’ At that moment a feeling of deep peace that I had never experienced before flooded through me. I now knew I was ready to face death with a Christ-like attitude.” Meanwhile the Interahamwe soldiers had broken down the gate into their compound and were heading straight up the path towards the house. Antoine looked into their faces as they came, at the machetes which they carried. He prayed. Suddenly, staccato bursts of machine gun fire burst out, just outside the compound. The Interahamwe wheeled round in fright, ‘The cockroaches are coming!’ It was their name for the RPF solders. In their panic, the Interahamwe veered off the front path, and ran around to the back of the house, where they scrambled over the back wall, pursued by the RPF soldiers, who chased them off down the hill. Antoine and his family were left alone. After the genocide, Antoine and his family ended up in a displaced persons camp in Kigali. “It was tough, but Jesus’ spirit of peace and forgiveness stayed with me, throughout all the hardships and hunger.” In the years that followed, Antoine was ordained, and became dean of the cathedral in Kigali for a time. “When we survivors tell how God rescued us, we are not saying that we were the successful ones. In Christ, those very many Christians who died a brave and forgiving death were just as successful. Christians are called to witness to Christ, and if they do that, then whether they live or die, they are successful.”
27 Where did the Easter Bunny and Easter eggs come from? The Easter bunny is a gentle figure of folklore, who seems to have first come from the German Lutherans. They depicted him as a rabbit who brought coloured Easter eggs to children. The idea of an egg-giving hare went over to the US in the 18th century, when Protestant German immigrants in the Pennsylvania Dutch area told their children about the ‘Osterhase’. Hase means hare, and according to the legend, only good children found the hare’s gifts of coloured eggs, placed in the nests that they had made in their caps and bonnets before Easter. The Easter bunny became a prominent symbol of Easter. Rabbits, prolific procreators, are an ancient symbol of new life. Easter eggs are said to represent Jesus’ emergence from the tomb and resurrection. Decorating Easter eggs dates back to at least the 13th century. One possible reason for the custom was that in those days eggs were forbidden during the Lenten season. So people would paint and decorate them to mark the end of the period of penance and fasting, and then eat them on Easter as a celebration.
28 Easter trivia quiz What was the largest ever Easter egg hunt? The most-ever entrants for an egg hunt competition was 12,773. It was The Fabergé Big Egg Hunt, as part of World Record London, in London, UK in April 2012. What was the largest ever decorated Easter egg? This was built in March 2008, by Freeport in Alcochete, Portugal. It measured 14.79 m (48 ft 6 in) long and 8.40 m (27 ft 6 in) in diameter. What was the largest ever chocolate Easter egg? It was made in Tosca (Italy) and weighed 7,200 kg (15,873 lbs 4.48 oz). It had a circumference of 19.6 m (64 ft 3.65 in) at its widest point. It was exhibited in a shopping centre in Cortenuova, Italy, in April 2011. What was the largest ever Easter egg tree? This was set by Zoo Rostock GmbH, Rostock, Germany, who decorated a tree with 76,596 painted hens’ eggs in April 2007. What about the most expensive hot cross bun? This was baked in 1829 in Stepney, London, UK. It was bought by Bill Foster (UK) for £155 at the Antiques for Everyone show at the NEC in Birmingham, West Midlands, UK, in April 2000. Hot cross buns were originally made to hang in the kitchen to ward off evil spirits. What was the biggest-ever (real) Easter bunny? So far, the longest rabbit was Darius, a Flemish giant rabbit owned by Annette Edwards (UK), who was found to be 4 ft 3 in (129 cm) long when measured for an article in the UK's Daily Mail newspaper in April 2010.
Forgive One particular four-year-old prayed, "And forgive us our trash baskets as we forgive those who put trash in our baskets."
29 Reviews The Contemplative Response - leadership and ministry in a distracted culture By Ian Cowley, BRF, £8.99 Here is wisdom and sustenance for all Christians who struggle to maintain a still, quiet centre in the midst of a 24/7 contemporary culture shaped by worldly ambition, consumerism and information overload. Cowley explains: “I find that three particular words – achieve, acquire, indulge – seem to point to the compulsions I recognise in my own heart and in what I see being constantly reinforced by our society and culture.” He hopes his readers “will come to see that they need to actively pursue the remedies that Christian spirituality and the teachings of Jesus Christ offer us: contentment, detachment and self-control. The need for us to talk about these things is as great now, perhaps, as it has ever been in the history of the Christian Church.”
Faithful Grandparents - hope and love through the generations By Anita Cleverly, BRF, £9.99 Here is a call for grandparents to understand and step into the hugely influential role they can play in the lives of their grandchildren. Arguably, there has never been a more important time to find meaningful ways of passing on faith from one generation to the next, and Anita believes that Christian grandparents have a crucial role to play here. She writes: “This is a book about what it means to be a grandparent today. But it is not just about what it might mean to be a grandparent, but also about being one who identifies as a Christian – a disciple of Christ.”
30 Recovering from Depression - a companion guide for Christians By Katharine Smith, SPCK, £9.99 Depression is a devastating illness, both for those affected and for their loved ones, and the road to recovery can appear very long and winding indeed. However, for those who are slowly feeling their way towards a life of greater equanimity, this encouraging book will prove a reassuring. A complete cure from depression might not always be possible, but there is much to be gained from trying to identify the issues that gave rise to negative patterns of thinking and behaving in the first place. We might find, as we attempt to integrate these into our lives in a healthy way, that our faith and hope take on a new maturity.
The Identification Principle - how the Incarnation shapes Faith and Ministry By Chris Steed. IVP £12.99 The Identification Principle offers a new impetus to holistic and practical engagement by the church with our world. The author, an Anglican minister, is responsible for a large and innovative Christian social project on the edge of city centre, which is developing new forms of community engagement in a way that does not lose the importance of spiritual formation. Word and work go hand in hand. This fresh take on incarnational life, church and society draws together recent academic research and cutting-edge ministry. It presents a renewed theology of Christian action for a new generation of evangelical leaders who have to intuitively hold together action with word and worship.
31 The truth is… (1 Corinthians 15:19-26) Christ has indeed been raised from the dead!
This is the true, real and wonderful good news story. Thank God that in this world of chaos, Lies and fake-news messengers and moaners Here is truth to sustain and encourage…
Christ has indeed been raised from the dead.
He has overcome the world. He has overcome death. Everything is bearable, faceable and possible, Sense and purpose restored, because…
Christ has indeed been raised from the dead.
Easter changes everything. Love wins. Hallelujah!
By Daphne Kitching
Moses and the Red Sea Nine-year-old Joseph was asked by his mother what he had learned in Sunday school. 'Well, Mum, our teacher told us how God sent Moses behind enemy lines on a rescue mission to lead the Israelites out of Egypt. When he got to the Red Sea, Moses had his army build a pontoon bridge and all the people walked across safely. Then, he radioed HQ for reinforcements. They sent bombers to blow up the bridge and all the Israelites were saved.” “Now, Joseph, is that really what your teacher taught you?” his mother asked, startled. “Well, no,” her son admitted. “But if I told it the way the teacher did, you'd never believe it!”
32 EASTER (An acrostic poem where the first letter of each line spells the word EASTER)
Even though the darkness raged And all was still, the sun had gone Still they shouted their abuse Taunting Him –‘ you’re not God’s Son!
Elijah hasn’t rescued you, Renounce your claim, you’re just like me, Everyone can see you hang Arms outstretched, nailed to a tree’.
So it seemed that all was lost, Their hopes their dreams forever gone – Eternity had other plans Resurrection Day was soon to dawn.
By Megan Carter The Lord’s Prayer I had been teaching my three-year-old daughter, Caitlin, the Lord's Prayer for several evenings at bedtime. She would repeat after me the lines from the prayer. Finally, she decided to go solo. I listened with pride as she carefully enunciated each word, right up to the end of the prayer: "Lead us not into temptation," she prayed, "but deliver us from E-mail.”
Great expectations At a baptism the young minister was full of enthusiasm. He held the baby in his arms and speculated aloud as to the child’s possible future. “He may become a captain of industry, a great scientist, or a gifted teacher – someone on whom hundreds of young boys may model themselves.” Then turning to the parents in a rather grand manner, he asked, “And so what name to you give to this child?” Timidly, the reply came: “Amanda Jane.”
33 God in the Sciences – The Beauty of Good Friday Some of the most beautiful things in the world have an ugly side. What about the emperor penguin chick, nestling in a feathery pouch above its parent’s feet? There’s a lovely moment when mum and dad greet each other over the gaping beak of their fuzz-ball offspring. Heads bent together, making a heart shape in the air, we can’t help seeing a reflection of our own ideals of love in the pair. But the reality of what those birds are going through is even more gruelling than human parenthood. Father penguin has spent all winter sheltering the egg from freezing hurricane-force winds, while mother penguin was feeding at sea. When the chick hatched its parents started an exhausting game of tag, taking it in turns to walk across the ice and risk being eaten by leopard seals or killer whales in order to catch fish for their new offspring. The living world is truly wonderful in so many ways, but the darker side of the picture is never far away. Creation is groaning (Romans 8:22), and waiting to be rescued. Enter Jesus, through whom all of creation was made. The king of the universe came to live with us, bringing His great love and wisdom to the human population of first-century Israel. The Creator was relating to His creation in a very personal way, and this could have been a totally beautiful picture. But there is a horrifically ugly side of Jesus’ story that threatens to obscure the beauty of what He did on Good Friday. It was a brutal and terrifying day when human sinfulness resulted in the Son of God being executed by His enemies, but thankfully there was much more to it than that. The death and resurrection of Jesus Christ set off a seismic wave of spiritual events whose effects are still rippling out across the world. So that ugly day nearly 2,000 years ago is called ‘good’ because of what it achieved. Those who follow Jesus find their lives are changed for the better, even if their day-to-day existence may still be incredibly tough. When people come to understand what creation is for and who it belongs to, they can begin to serve and preserve the earth as they should. These things are only whispers of what is to come, but they give me hope for the future redemption of all Creation. I can choose to dwell on the beauty of Jesus’ death because it was not the end of the story – the future beckons. This article is extracted (with permission) from New Life: Reflections for Lent, edited by Amy Robinson and Wendy H Jones (£7.99). 34
35 Puzzles
36 Wordsearch
Easter 2019
Christ is risen! He is risen indeed! Hallelujah! April brings us to Easter – the crucifixion, death and resurrection of Jesus Christ - the triumphant highlight of the Christian year. As St Paul pointed out, unless Jesus really did rise again, our faith is useless, and we may as well forget any hope of heaven or eternal life.
Passover Jerusalem Soldiers tomb Bread Pilate Cross angel Wine Judas Nails stone Body Gethsemane Vinegar risen Blood Trial Temple gardener Betrayal Crucifixion curtain Mary
37 Crossword
Across Down
1 ‘You are a chosen people, a royal — ’ (1 1 Of the pope (5) Peter 2:9) (10) 2 ‘The earth is the Lord’s, and everything — 7 Exact copy (Joshua 22:28) (7) — ’ (Psalm 24:1) (2,2) 8 Jesus’ first words to Jairus’s daughter, ‘My 3 Hebrew word for the kind of peace that child, — — ’ (Luke 8:54) (3,2) Jesus promised (6) 10 Idol made by the Israelites while Moses was 4 Member of a 16th-century Protestant reform on Mount Sinai (Exodus 32:4) (4) movement in France (8) 11 Role allotted to Joseph in Egypt (Genesis 5 Sing out (anag.) (7) 42:6) (8) 6 Ceremonial column of people on the move 13 ‘Lord, when did we — — hungry and feed (1 Samuel 10:5) (10) you?’ (Matthew 25:37) (3,3) 9 One of the things love always does (1 15 ‘Though seeing, they do — —; though Corinthians 13:7) (10) hearing, they do not hear or understand’ 12 Esther’s cousin who foiled a plot to (Matthew 13:13) (3,3) assassinate King Xerxes (Esther 2:7, 22) 17 Happening (1 Kings 21:1) (8) (8) 18 ‘Whatever was to my profit I now consider 14 See cape (anag.) (7) loss for the — of Christ’ (Philippians 3:7) (4) 16 ‘No one can — them out of my hand’ (John 21 National Society for the Prevention of 10:28) (6) Cruelty to Children (1,1,1,1,1) 19 Often mistakenly identified as the fruit that 22 Stamp on (Amos 2:7) (7) led to the first sin (Joel 1:12) (5) 23 Liable to rot (1 Corinthians 15:42) (10) 20 ‘He was led like a — to the slaughter’ (Isaiah 53:7) (4) All in the month of April … It was: 300 years ago, on 25th April 1719 that Daniel Defoe’s novel Robinson Crusoe was published. 125 years ago, on 16th April 1894 that Manchester City Football Club was founded. It was a reorganisation of a church team that was established in 1880, initially as St Mark’s (West Gorton), and, from 1887, Ardwick Association Football Club. 100 years ago, on 11th April 1919 that the International Labour Organisation was founded as part of the Treaty of Versailles that ended WW1. It later became part of the United Nations. Its first act was to establish an 8-hour working day and maximum 48-hour working week. 90 years ago, on 14th April 1929 that the first Monaco Grand Prix was held in Monte Carlo. 80 years ago, on 1st April 1939 that the Spanish Civil War ended. General Franco’s government was officially recognised. 70 years ago, on 4th April 1949 that the North Atlantic Treaty Organisation (NATO) was founded. 50 years ago, on 22nd April 1969 that British sailor Sir Robin Knox- Johnston became the first person to circumnavigate the globe non-stop and single-handed. 40 years ago, on 1st April 1979 that Iran was proclaimed an Islamic Republic. 30 years ago, on 14th April 1989 that the Hillsborough Disaster took place in Sheffield. 96 Liverpool FC fans were killed in a crush during the F A Cup semi-final football match against Nottingham Forest. 25 years ago, on 6th April 1994 that the Rwandan genocide began when a plane carrying Rwandan president Juvenal Habyarimana and Burundian president Cyprien Ntaryamira was shot down by extremists. Civil war broke out the following day. An estimated 1 million people were massacred during the next 100 days. Also 25 years ago, on 27th April 1994 that post-apartheid multiracial elections were held in South Africa, with 18 million blacks eligible to vote for the first time. Nelson Mandela was elected president and took office on 10th May. 20 years ago, on 5th April 1999 that Libya handed over to the United Nations two suspects in the 1988 bombing of Pan Am Flight 103 over Lockerbie. They were taken to the Netherlands to face trial. Abdelbaset al-Megrahi was found guilty and sentenced to life imprisonment and later released. Died May 2012. The other suspect was acquitted. Also 20 years ago, on 26th April 1999 that Jill Dando, TV presenter, newsreader, journalist and former Crimewatch reporter was shot dead on the doorstep of her home in London. It is still a mystery who killed her. Answers
40 From the Registers. ..
FUNERALS
13th February Marion Woodhead
our love, sympathy & prayers to Marion’s family and friends
24th Feb. Arabella Cameron Dolan 3rd March Hallie Alivia Hare
our warmest congratulations to their family and friends
CHRIST CHURCH FLOWERS
11th May Loving birthday memories of Brian Lockwood with love from June
19th May Congratulations to Pam and Graeme Robinson on their Wedding Anniversary
If anyone wishes me to do special altar arrangements in the colour they wish, please get in touch with me at church or Tel: 356740.
June Lockwood
41 Is Your ANDREW LUMB Garden in a Mess? ANTIQUES
Do you need help with . . . Andrew & Kathryn Lumb
House Clearances Single items to full house Furniture/Antiques/Collectables
Cutting back, Digging Over, Weeding, Clearing Dead Growth, Tidying, Planting Out and Preparing
Your Garden for the Spring. Home Phone: 01422 832847 £15.00 per Hour Mobile: Call Hannah, 07879 471103 (Andrew) 07717456150 0777 5943057 (Kathryn)
BRUCE PELLON RUSHWORTH LUNCHEON CLUB
Thursdays at Pellon Baptist Church Hall BATHROOMS And TILING
48 Broadley Grove Food served at Moorend Road ● Halifax 12.30 pm Two course lunch - £4.00
Tel: For more information 01422 362155 contact Norma on 839861
42 ALPHA School of Motoring
• first lesson free
• discounts for block bookings, students & unemployed
• refresher courses
• help with theory test
• Pass Plus
• easy to drive Nissan Micra
• patient & friendly instruction
Jim Trafford DSA ADI 01422 348636 0778 6280 650 www.alphasomhalifax.co.uk
gigihair fashions State registered Hairdresser
Specialists in
colouring and perming Hard Landscaping, or call in for a free consultation Lawns and Maintenance for your special wedding day at affordable prices hairstyle
*************** Senior Citizen day Call John on Tuesday and Wednesday 07979 801995
*************** 6 Sutcliffe Street, Pellon, Halifax
Telephone: 362812 No job too small (or big)
43 Who’s Who at Church
Vicar: Rev. John Hellewell 365027 New Vicarage, Church Lane, Mount Pellon [email protected]
Readers: Terry Gledhill 254347 Karen Hellewell 365027 Shelagh Hirst 368613
Pastoral Worker: Denise Keenan 259421
Magazine Editor: Vacant
Christ Church St. Augustine’s Wardens Liz Gledhill 254347 Denise Keenan 259421 Ken Ward 356755 Sue Degnan 386998 Secretary Kath Sharman 330812 Jon Hirst 368613 Treasurer Steve Daveney 251532 Bob Berridge 347978 Pastoral Care Rosemary Power O’Mahony 330770 Denise Keenan 259421 Safeguarding Chris Butler 257894 Ann Mansfield 364620 Electoral Roll Kath Sharman 330812 Jon Hirst 368613
Church Flowers June Lockwood 356740 Jenny Lynn Baptism enquiries John Hellewell 365027 John Hellewell 365027 Wedding enquiries June Lockwood 356740 John Hellewell 365027
Christ Church (Pellon) C of E (VC) Primary School
Head Emma Midgley 350792
St. Augustine’s C of E (VA) Junior & Infant School
Head Leona Binner 360615
Christ Church, Church Lane, Mount Pellon, Halifax, HX2 0EF St. Augustine’s, Hanson Lane, Halifax, HX1 5PG 44