25p CRUX Issue 49 Church for a different world September 2019 NORTHERN GRIT AND SHARED HOPE Church for a different world CRUX September 2019 LOOKING INSPIRATIONAL COURSE BEYOND MANCHESTER ON GROWTH When Revd Chris Fallone was ‘inspirational speakers’, who spoke not appointed Deanery Missioner last as experts, but as practitioners who Only once in my childhood did we Our work around climate change, justice December, his priority was to knew both success and failure. The have a holiday overseas. Even for prisoners of conscience, relief for those help the 14 churches in the North worship increased our fellowship and then we strayed no further than persecuted for their faith, challenging Manchester deanery grow in numbers. the resource materials were excellent.” a modest drive from the ferry the proliferation of weapons, and support terminal in northern France. for asylum seekers and refugees, all “We needed something that would “Since our return we continue to meet as represent ways in which the world boost the energy, increase the a church growth group to teach, learn, My parents can’t have thought it a great dimension of our calling comes into play. temperature and help to give us a encourage and trial resources; we have success, as from the next year on we were shared way forward,” he said. a LyCiG booster day planned, there is back to English coastal resorts, usually As we settle back into the rhythm of a strong desire for monthly deanery Blackpool. By contrast, many of us this autumn, and holidays seem long ago Chris thought it would be great to take worship, and we have adopted the month will be recently returned from as well as far away, my ask is that a deanery group from North Manchester LyCiG growth prayer across the deanery foreign trips. We will have holidayed in each of us, and each of our churches, on the ‘Leading your Church into Growth’ (from which we are already beginning places where the cultural and language spends time reflecting on what force (LyCiG) course, in the hope they would be to see fruit). We have taken our first differences may have been as important for good we can be far beyond the encouraged, inspired and equipped. He had steps into planning mission events, and a factor in attracting us as the greater boundaries of Manchester Diocese. done the course before and what it taught ‘Evangelism’ is no longer a taboo word!” reliability of their summer weather. him had remained part of his ministry. For details of courses, please visit When we adopted Church for a Different Chris and the Area Dean, Eddie Roberts, www.leadingyourchurchintogrowth. World to define our diocesan purpose, prayed for three reps from seven org.uk the final word was as important as churches and their clergy to attend. “We any of the others. We are not called were blessed with an answer to prayer: simply to make Manchester different, David Walker 25 people – lay and ordained - from but to strive to impact for good on Bishop of Manchester seven churches went on the LyCiG 2019 the whole of God’s earthly creation. Estates Conference. We even managed to secure a grant to help with the cost.” Chris unreservedly recommends the Leading Your Church into Growth course. He said, “Everyone returned excited and raring to go. Feedback rated the ARCHDEACONRY BRIEFINGS This month’s briefings provide BOLTON GIFT AID THE REVD COLIN information on the proposals to 4 September (Bolton Parish Church) move from 20 to seven deaneries LITE DROP-INS POWELL, RIP with full-time Area Dean posts. SALFORD 5 September (Kersal Moor, St Paul) Drop-in sessions take place Colin was ordained at Blackburn Cathedral Each parish has been invited (by email) to throughout the Autumn for anyone in 1956, and served in several parishes nominate representatives to attend these MANCHESTER 10 September currently using the Gift Aid Lite in the north of England before becoming events. Please sign up via the Eventbrite (Eastlands, Church of the Resurrection) Scheme or wishing to join it. Rector of St Thomas in Cheetham. link which was included in the invitation. ROCHDALE These sessions are suitable for treasurers He retired in 1997, but continued an active The briefings all take place 12 September and Gift Aid secretaries who have questions ministry at St Chad’s Ladybarn and Holy Trinity from 7pm until 9pm. (Droylsden, Church of the Epiphany) about making a Gift Aid claim, reconciling Platt. His diploma in education from Hatfield accounts, handling direct debits and and his degree from Durham University, with considering trialling a contactless device. his love of theology and history, served him Please book in advance by contacting well as a caring and conscientious teacher- [email protected] priest. He is missed by the many who benefited from his distinctive and helpful ministry. NB: the Manchester date was previously advertised as 26th - this has now changed. PAGE 2 PAGE 3 CRUX September 2019 The festival logo reflects the importance of faith and science to the region. Depicting cotton under a microscope, with Knott Hill and three crosses overlooking Delph, it indicates the importance of the textile industry to Saddleworth during the Industrial Revolution, when the church was so important to both mill workers and owners. The Festival is grateful to Scientists in Congregations, based at Durham University, for providing a small grant to get the project started. SCIENCE AND THE LANGUAGE OF PRAYER Science and the language of Prayer is a series of five WHERE SCIENCE AND FAITH MEET seminars taking place in Bramhall, near Stockport, this autumn. The first ever Saddleworth Science Faith Festival will see Science and the Exploring how a modern understanding 15 31 both science and faith being celebrated and experienced 88 226 of science might influence the way we Language of 39 89 68 167 in schools and churches from 15 to 22 September. Phosphorus think about God and the language we use Radium Yttrium to express our prayers, the sessions are Erbium Science faith communicators will be Among the communicators is Dr Matt open to anyone who is interested in the visiting eight different Saddleworth Pritchard, a member of the magic circle interface between science and Christianity. schools, bringing exciting, educational with a doctorate in atomic physics! A Five seminars exploring activities to children, and inspiring regular churchgoer, Matt is part of the The seminars are led by a criminologist, a how a consideration of them with hands-on learning. team that delivers ‘God and the Big Bang’ clinician, a psychologist, an environmental outreach events around the country. scientist, and geneticist Ruth Bancewicz. modern science might affect Children will have the opportunity to Ruth, who is Church Engagement Director the way we pray. Sept 28 discuss and debate the compatibility Saddleworth churches are joining at the Faraday Institute for Science and Dr Ruth Armstrong, Criminology, Religion in Cambridge, has been involved University of Cambridge of science and faith, and will be in the fun, with Sunday schools and Oct 5 Dr Ruth Bancewicz, Genetics,. encouraged to form their own opinions messy churches putting on special in leading God and the Big Bang sessions Faraday Institute for Science & Religion, Cambridge Oct19 about the place of science in God’s science and faith activities. Services with schools across the country. Revd Canon Dr Joanna Collicutt, Neuropsychology Ripon College, Oxford world. Each school event will conclude will also include special prayers, liturgy Nov 2 Prof Peter Howdle, Medicine with a Q&A session when children and sermons on the theme, and The seminars are on Saturdays from University of Leeds. Nov 16 set the agenda and are encouraged some evening events are planned. 2-5pm including a keynote talk, interactive Revd Prof David Chester, Geology University of Liverpool to ask the trickiest of questions. workshops and worship. Tickets (£5 Saturdays from 2 per seminar) and/or more information and worship. Tickets-5pm (£5 including per seminar) keynote and/or talk, more interactive information workshops from Bramhall Methodist Church, Stockport. SK7 1AL. from https://bramhallmethodists. www.bramhallmethodists.org.uk/scienceandprayer org.uk/scienceandprayer/ 0161 439 1204 PAGE 4 CRUX September 2019 Although his working life is busy and “We have run the course three times challenging, Stephen is passionate about for about 40 people. It’s made a big using his leadership skills for the benefit difference, with people growing in of the wider Church in the region. He faith and using their gifts in lots of particularly wants to use his learning different ways both inside the Church from his professional background to and without. It has been great to help develop lay leaders in the Church. see people grow in their faith and confidence, taking on new roles such as “Growing leaders is a real passion of worship leader, ministry team member, mine. How we train, encourage and and going forward for ordination or equip lay people in the Church and Authorised Lay Ministry training.” connect them to the world outside is really important to me. I would love to Stephen is also passionate about be a resource for the Church and help helping churches look at their vision people to discover and use their gifts.” together to achieve clarity of purpose. He is keen to assist any who would like One of the ways Stephen has done this help with the envisioning process. is through the CPAS ‘Growing Leaders’ course held at St Peter’s. The course has You can contact Stephen via had a big impact on people that took part. [email protected] OUR NEW READERS Congratulations to our six new Readers who were licensed in July and are serving in our BRIEF ENCOUNTER: parishes.