Letter from the Vicarage Church News & Local Events Bolton WI Outing - to be announced. Summer is usually the time when everything in nature is in full bloom. It feels as though the whole world Monday 8th July is alive. It is a reminder that life is the greatest gift of all. In Christian thought, life has always been deemed sacred because only God can give life. That idea of the sanctity of life does, however, have its Morland and Newby WI - Visitors are always welcome at our events, especially if you are difficulties. It creates tension in questions of war, medical ethics and wider social ethics. But, perhaps new to the area one of the most subtle and least recognised area where the sanctity of life is under threat in our society is Thursday 11th July at 7.30pm in the way we treat one another. There has been much recent discussion around our increased A really interesting visitor - Veronika Robinson - an independent celebrant talking about "Hatches, Matches and Dispatches" willingness to take offence and to cast off those whose opinions we dislike. We seem to think it our duty Thursday 8th August at 3.00pm to defend our principles and opinions so strongly that we put them ahead of our duty to care for one Our annual tea party - a family event for all friends, family, grandchildren etc. Hopefully the sun will another and to love our neighbour. shine. One of the saddest things in my ministry has been to observe rifts in communities and families because of a quickness to take offence and a determination to cast out the offender for all eternity. But it is a much Morland Mothers' Union wider problem than that. Whether on social media or in face -to-face dealings, we increasingly seem to The July meeting will be held on Thursday 25th July at 7.30pm in Morland Village restrict our social circle to people who think like us and there seems to be almost a virtue in casting off Hall. The speaker is Sue Forte who will be talking about people who don’t think the ‘right’ way. One of the Christian ideas that people are usually most quick to "Guide Dogs for The Blind". condemn is the idea that God can cast folk into hell for all eternity. I’m not sure that God does that lightly, yet the irony is that we often do. We can condemn all too readily and often, it seems to me, quite Thrimby Coffee Evening unjustly. St John said that whoever hates another human being is a murderer. That may sound over- dramatic, but the German Christian Dietrich Bonhoeffer unpacked that idea saying, “anger is always an 7.30 on Wednesday 3rd July 2019 at Greenriggs by kind invitation of Jill attack on the neighbour’s life, for it aims at their destruction…we betray our lack of respect for our Longstaff All welcome. neighbours and place ourselves on a pinnacle above them. A deliberate insult is worse, for we are then 7.30 Wednesday 4th September 2019 at Ivy Cottage by kind invitation of Mar- openly disgracing our neighbours in the eyes of the world, causing others to despise them. We are jorie Walker and Alison Hall. All welcome. passing judgment and that is murder.” Bonhoeffer himself was no snowflake when it came to defending his principles. He stood up to the Nazis NB There will be no coffee evening in August and was killed for his integrity. But he always showed love and care, even to those who offended him. The top two commandments are to love God with all our hearts and our neighbours as ourselves. If we place our principles above our love for our neighbours, I can only think our principles must have gone Morland Home Group askew somewhere. Principles can only be worth fighting for if they are for the welfare of all. And if so, The Group plan to meet on 9th of July at 31,Jackson they can’t be achieved by taking offence. We can only fight for them by demonstrating how our principles Croft, Morland at 2.p.m. and on the23rd of July at show care for every life, human and non-human. They must somehow embrace, not dismiss, our Brownies meet during term time on Wednesdays in Morland Village Hall opponents. 6-7.30pm In his 2019 Reith Lecture, Jonathan Sumption QC said, “A free society comprises countless individuals and groups with conflicting opinions and interests. The first task of any [society] is to accommodate these differences so that people can live together in a single community without the systematic application of Ninekirks Services force.” If we are to find ways to live together as a community, particularly in times when political divisions There is nothing that beats the walk down to one of the Evensong ser- are so stark, we urgently need to find ways to accommodate difference. We need to rediscover a care for vices held during the spring and summer months. It was disappointing that only four attended the April service but it was a beautiful spring each other, recognising the sanctity of life and recovering a sense that the life and wellbeing of our day and the view to The Pennines and the far off Lake District hills neighbour is a higher claim on our moral priorities than our opinions or principles. Perhaps our starting was breathtaking. The end of the daffodils heralded bluebells, prim- point can be the prayer of St Francis of Assisi, “O Divine Master, grant that I may not so much seek to be roses and blossoms in the hedges and on the churchyard cherry consoled as to console; to be understood as to understand; to be loved as to love.” Stewart trees. The church is surrounded by the Winderwath Estate so a car can easily make the trip down taking those who need, and arrange, a The North Westmorland News is available via email! lift. There are two routes, and in April the fields were full of lambs. The church is a very special, spiritual and peaceful place Please send your email address to: [email protected] where time stands still. Truly uplifting, so do come along in the sum- & receive the newsletter before its paper publication date. mer. Services are at 3.00pm. A 20 minute walk. The last Sunday of the months of June, July and August. i ii From our Registers Summer Weddings This Summer there will be a number of weddings across our parishes. Simon Gordon & Annabel Johncock were married at St You might want to come & cheer on the happy couples, or just tie the Lawrence, Morland on Saturday 18 th May. gates until they pay up!!! Achille Traore & Francesca Harris were married at St Peter, Date Time Couple Venue th Askham on Saturday 18 May. 5th July 12.30 Andrew Brass & Nina Secombe Crosby ----- Ravensworth 6th July 1.00 Phil Gough & Jo Holman Askham The funeral of Sheila Richardson took place at St Lawrence, th Crosby Ravensworth on Monday 13 th May and her mortal remains 27 July 1.00 Matthew Kearon & Emily Warrilow Askham were laid to rest in the Churchyard. 30 th July 3.00 Andrew Dwyer & Jennifer McNamee Askham The funeral of Margaret (Rosie) Ridout took place at St st Lawrence, Morland on Friday 17 th May followed by a private 31 Aug 2.30 Bernard Vent & Jacqueline Ryce Askham cremation. The funeral of Roger Hodges took place at St Lawrence, Crosby A.T.O.M. Ravensworth on Friday 24 th May and his mortal remains were laid to rest in the Churchyard. A.T.O.M. is our Alternative Type of Meeting! An innovative and fun Desperately Seeking Organists approach to Christian worship for all ages. The format is: The mortal remains of Mary Hunter Metcalfe were laid to rest in • nd We share breakfast from 10.00am the Churchyard at St Lawrence, Crosby Ravensworth on Sunday 2 • We do some thinking, praying, activities and praise from 11.00 • June. Around 12.15 we help clear up Across our group of parishes we are short of organists for regular or occasional In true Christian spirit, we all help to set up, serve one anther and duties across our group of churches. We are able to offer help for any A memorial service for Celia Morris took place at St. Peter, participate together in the service th keyboard players interested in learning the organ. Askham on Saturday 18 May. st ----- Date: Sunday 21 May If you would be able to play or are willing to learn, please get in touch with Time: between 10.00-12.15 David Jones: 01931 714338 th George Todd was baptised at All Saints, Bolton on Sunday 12 Venue: Morland & Newby Village Hall May. Archdeacon at Askham Connor Robert Borthwick was baptised at St Wilfrid’s Chapel, St Peter's Church, Askham was full on Wednesday 8th May for the visit of the Arch- Brougham on Sunday 26 th May. deacon of Carlisle, to conduct a special service. This included the annual admission to Office of some fifty Churchwardens from parishes around the Diocese by the Arch- Amelie Rose Biggs was baptised at St Peter, Askham on Sunday nd deacon on behalf of the Bishop. The role of Churchwarden is a very important one 2 June. within the life of the Church, as they are responsible, with the parish priest, for the day to day functioning of the parish. This can be a very demanding position, and the Archdeacon thanked those who, having fulfilled the role sometimes for many years, were standing down this year.