CHALLENGE The Parish Magazine of St Mary’s Sandbach May 2018 Volume 54 No 636 May 2018 Sunday 6th May 8.00 am Holy Communion 6 Easter 10.00 am Morning Worship 6.30 pm Holy Eucharist Thursday 10th May 7.30 pm Holy Communion at Accession Day St john's Sandbach Heath Sunday 13th May 8.00 am Holy Communion 7 Easter 10.00 am Parish Eucharist 6.30 pm Evensong Sunday 20th May 8.00 am Holy Communion Pentecost 10.00 am Parish Eucharist 6.30 pm Churches Together in Sandbach Service Sunday 27th May 8.00 am Holy Communion Trinity Sunday 10.00 am Parish Eucharist 6.30 pm Choral Evensong Sunday 3rd June 8.00 am Holy Communion 1 Trinity 10.00 am Morning Worship 6.30 pm Holy Eucharist Every Wednesday 11.00 am Holy Communion Holy Eucharist, Parish Eucharist = Order 2 Common Worship Holy Communion = Order 1 Book of Common Prayer 1 erhaps we don't need there only because of the P reminding that St Mary's has generosity of those who support it. been in Sandbach for over 1000 As we know there are no years. Its foundation date is not government grants, no money known so the anniversary of the from central church funds to keep laying of the foundation stone will it going and only a very small pass us by with no ceremony. proportion of these costs come One of the great features of from fees charged for, weddings English life is the presence of the and funerals. The church is here parish church at the heart of any today because of the generosity of community. It's one of the things its regular congregation and well- we take for granted as everyone wishers in the local community. assumes that it always will be Archbishop William Temple once there. said that "the Church is the only One of the great privileges of organization which exists being a town parish church is that principally for the benefit of non- of being available to the whole members", and the financial community - for baptisms, support of the parish church is an weddings and funerals, as the excellent demonstration of this. focus of local commemorations Many people who are glad to use and celebrations. Yet it should the church forget what they owe to also be there for those who want those who have ensured its space to be quiet, to think or to preservation down the years and pray. We try to open the church those who valiantly maintain it in during the daylight hours during their own time. the summer on an ad hoc basis. It In the ten years of my is certainly left open for visitors all incumbency we have spent several afternoon on Sundays. For our thousand pounds on various parish church stands firmly in the schemes associated with the tradition - that it is the church for buildings. As we know too well everyone in the community the most pressing issue facing us whenever they need it. remains the chapel and vestry re- What people often forget is that roofing - the fourth and last phase the parish church continues to be of the entire church which has 2 been the major project over the Our thanks are due to all those past 15 years. Once completed, whose regular generous giving the roof will need no more keeps the church running week by attention for several generations, week, and to the wider fellowship perhaps the next century. Some of supporters who give to preserve of this money has been awarded, the fabric of St Mary's. We generously, through grants, some appreciate all the support we through legacies and some though receive, and hope for your reserves and special collections. continued and increased general However there are other pressing giving to the maintenance of the projects in the offing which will ministry of this parish. continue to need special funding for many of these. Thomas Shepherd - Vicar Coffee Rota May 6th Joyce Griffiths and Lynne Winfield 13th Stella Craven and Christine Hirst 20th Aileen Higgs and Margaret Parry 27th Jim Thompson June 3rd Jean Richardson and Iris Kenilworth Church Flowers May 6th In Memory of Mrs Halden 20th Mrs Marjorie Holdcroft 28th Mrs Joice Nixon Anyone wishing to provide the church flowers for other Sundays then please contact Sheenagh Ashworth on 01270 529187 3 From the Registers Baptisms March 18th Miah Jane Oakes daughter of Timothy and Sarah April 1st Hugh Joseph Ellis son of Ian and Joanne Funerals March 26th James Bates (82) Jeffrey Forster (70) April 6th Gillian Niblett (78) 10th Frankline Edward Anthony Taylor (66) 11th Roydon Thompson (80) 17th Frederick Dennis Hall (81) 20th Lucy May Singer (99) Spring is here! There are plenty of events advertised this month both at Church and in the Town. Please support them when you can. I have included the Annual Report from the Churchwardens for your information. I will be including a more regular report from them throughout the year. There are plenty of photographs in this edition and the reproduction is not always as I would like it. However, you view them on the website in full colour. www.sandbachchurch.co.uk 4 Sandbach Food Bank he Food Bank has been running since 2013 and we are T grateful for the continuing support of the churches and local people. Donations are made regularly of food items to allow us to make up parcels. We do however find ourselves running short of certain items from time to time. We are currently short of: coffee, sugar, UHT milk, long life Fruit juice, tinned meat, and tinned potatoes. We have seen an increase in demand recently. We also like to buy some fresh items to go with the packets and tins to provide a more balanced diet. These include bread, milk, cheese and eggs and for families with children some fruit. We have been lucky to be given some money via donations and a grant from Cheshire East. Our funds are however, getting low so we would ask if churches could consider making a donation towards this or if individuals want to make a donation or set up a standing order this would be appreciated. For more details on how to donate please email [email protected] Deborah Darnes and Karen Foster Christian Aid Week 13-19 May olunteers from churches have collected house to house during V Christian Aid Week since it began more than 60 years ago. Together, our supporters delivered over six million envelopes last year. Each envelope delivered sends a message about Jesus’ love and justice. Every envelope delivered is act of witness, proclaiming Jesus’ good news to the poor. 5 Churchwardens consider for the internal re- Yearly Report ordering of the church . Immediate Matters. We Every parish in the Architect: asked Adrian to immediately diocese is required to arrange a address the need to complete the Quinquennial Inspection of the work on the church roof. The church. This is to be carried out nave roof was dealt with in 2014- by an architect appointed from an 2015. We now need to carry out approved list of architects thorough repairs to the roofs of knowledgeable about the the two chapels and both vestries. particular characteristics of church Adrian is assisting myself, Anne buildings, especially Listed Birch, John Bottomley and Brian Buildings - St. Mary’s is listed in Day to put together a grant the highest grade. application to Our Heritage. The In 2017 John Carter resigned as estimated cost of all four roofs is our architect after many years of between £150,000 to £200,000. valuable service. I would like to Careful consideration of record here our thanks to him. priorities will be needed. From the approved list we Remembrance Garden. interviewed five applicants and Remembrance Garden. after discussion we appointed This year the path which winds its Adrian Pearson of Lloyd Pritchard way through the churchyard to Architects Ltd. a practice based in the Remembrance Garden was upgraded as it had become Manchester. dangerously narrow and slippery. Adrian has carried out an We are grateful to Brian Day and inspection of the building using his team for carrying this out. the last Quinquennial as a guide and is already working on a list of New Caretaker for the items needing attention. He is Hall. During the year we also considering the response to appointed Tim Muston to be the Questionnaire which many of caretaker of the hall. Nat and you completed recently and will Angela continue as church eventually present ideas for us to cleaners. 6 Organist & Organ . Our their trailers. thanks again to Kevin for his Thursday Teas. We would patient work in building up the like to thank Thursday Teas for all choir and leading our music. their hard work. They provide a Even a sticking key on the organ much needed further source of is something he manages to income but we are aware there are disguise by clever finger work. several new outlets for The organ is old and increasingly refreshment in the town which prone to require expensive repair affects their income. work at frequent intervals. We The Vicar . On behalf of the must plan to replace it with a new whole parish I would like to thank and reliable instrument. This will our Vicar, Thomas, for his be another expensive matter. continued hard work, leadership Sidesmen and Women . and service not only to Anne and I would like to express churchgoers but also to the many our thanks to the Sidesmen and who come here looking for the Sideswomen who assist us in church’s ministry: in times of welcoming the congregation and sorrow and anxiety; when illness all the other duties they willingly or death occur in a family; and in undertake.