THE DECEMBER 2019 See MAGAZINE JOURNAL OF BLACKBURN DIOCESE: THE CHURCH OF ENGLAND IN LANCASHIRE It’s nearly Christmas and the year round ... people wanting national Advent and Christmas to find out what is happening Promote your digital campaign for the Church in local parishes across the of England has been launched, country. Any parishes in our and it’s a great opportunity for Diocese not already on A church with churches across the diocese to Church Near You should get involved. seriously consider doing so as #FollowTheStar The reach of our Christmas we approach Christmas, so campaigns is growing every year they can fully benefit from the and this year the theme remains #FollowTheStar.” the same … #FollowTheStar. This will help to The #FollowTheStar campaign itself includes a continue into the new year to support churches provide consistency of message over time. whole host of resources and practical ideas from in the all-important task of encouraging people to return to church after Advent and Christmas. Millions of people engage with #FollowTheStar printed material such as cards and banners to while looking for Christmas services to attend online resources like the #FollowTheStar app At the appropriate point there will also be links and they do so via the ‘A Church Near You’ and videos. Plus much more. to information and resources available for that website. What’s more, the bulk of people There is a one-stop page on your Diocesan part of the campaign, again via the website page reached with the campaign are non- website www.blackburn.anglican.org with all mentioned above. Look out for them. churchgoers. the information and links to everything you And finally, as usual, Bishop Julian, Bishop Philip The A Church Near You website sits at the heart need. You can find the page directly under the and Bishop Jill will be of the campaign – it’s the key to ensuring people ‘News and Events’ tab. recording their who see the messages of invitation online take As well as nationally produced resources there Christmas messages. personal action and actually come to a church to are also local resources available via the same These will be hear the Good News about Jesus Christ. page. These include a special #FollowTheStar available to view, download and share And remember too that A Church Near You was version of the Diocesan Board of Education’s ‘Forest Church’ resources for children with – including playing recently revamped, making it possible to use it during your services as a full-blown website if you choose to, not just wonderful activity ideas like the fantastic star nature ornament pictured. if you have the an information page about your church. facility to do so – Bishop Julian said: “A Church Near You is a This year there will also be a post-Christmas from the week powerful tool and receives a lot of visitors all element to #FollowTheStar as the campaign will before Christmas. A former Blackburn Day School and Sunday St Silas' Vicar, Rev. Sheelagh Aston, said: School built in 1834 to nurture young people “The decision to work in partnership with Old building has now been given a new lease of life to Nightsafe to convert the Hall into continue its legacy with the recent help of the accommodation and to support the young BBC DIY SOS programme, presented by Nick residents in their new home brought alive now a refuge Knowles, and the BBC Children in Need the true meaning of the text from Luke for annual appeal. the PCC and the congregation: ‘Whoever for homeless The Parish Rooms of St Silas Church, has two coats is to share with him who has Blackburn, once Billinge End School, were none.’ Luke 3: 11. transformed into supportive living “Now, today, six young people have a home Vicar of St accommodation for 16-18 year olds in a which has been lovingly prepared for them Silas, Rev. groundbreaking initiative run by the by the community in which they now live. Sheelagh Blackburn with Darwen charity Nightsafe. We may have lost our Parish Hall, but we Aston, with The DIY SOS programme aired on BBC1 on have gained new friends, neighbours and Pudsey November 13 and should still be available to most of all the opportunity to share God’s Bear during view on BBC iPlayer if you weren’t able to see love with others through sacrificial giving.” the DIY SOS it live. build phase The quotes here from Rev. Sheelagh Meanwhile, a Thanksgiving Service for the come from a longer reflection on the on the Diocesan website; alongside a whole project took place a few days after the whole experience available to read now page of regular updates on this story. programme went out. The internet has radically changed our society see the event calendar on the Diocesan to the point that our children are now a website or visit www.bdeducation.org.uk Engaging with digitally native generation. The conference will also have a fantastic ‘Open the Door’ is the theme of this year's choice of workshops. It runs on Friday/ ‘digital natives’ Children’s Ministry conference from the Saturday, February 28/29, at the Barton Diocesan Board of Education. It will consider Grange Hotel, Preston, PR3 5EE. Tickets how parishes open their doors and share the £110 per person for Friday and Saturday Gospel with children currently outside their which includes accommodation and there is church families and equip them with tools to a day delegate ticket available for £38. help them to connect with a digitally native For more information contact Sarah generation. Earnshaw (Children’s Work Advisor) at Keynote speakers include Rob Steward [email protected] or 01254 (Scripture Union). For a full list of speakers 503405 The See can also be found on the Diocesan Website: www.blackburn.anglican.org under News, or scan the ‘QR code’ on the back page with your smartphone to be taken to the Diocese website page which contains the current and archive editions of The See. COMMENT: ARCHDEACON MARK / NEWS Last month I led a two-week pilgrimage to allowed to enter the Promised Land; but as the Holy Land with my wife Gill , writes we read the story of the Transfiguration we Transformed Archdeacon Mark. were comforted to think that he did make it What a privilege it was to lead the group (of after all. by walking in 36 pilgrims drawn from across Lancashire and It was not all ancient stones and sites beyond) on an unforgettable journey through however – amazing though they were. We Israel, Jordan and Palestine. also met some inspiring ‘living stones’ in Jesus’ steps The experience was a whirlwind of sights and Salt, in Jordan and in Bethlehem; followers sounds; encounters with God and of Jesus who belong to Christian opportunities to reflect on the story of Jesus communities that have lived in the Holy Christ whilst walking in His footsteps. Land since the time of Christ. I also kept up a regular blog while we were Meanwhile, in Jordan and the West Bank as there, including videos. Read my articles and well as in Israel, we gained an insight into watch the videos by visiting the complex political realities and challenges www.markcireland. com of the region. Mark and Gill Ireland A pilgrimage is a time of renewing our outside the Greek Orthodox At times on the pilgrimage we joined vast commitment to Christ. The pilgrims from crowds at some of the sights, such as The Lancashire were: Church of Mary’s Well, Church of the Holy Pilgrims pray in the Nazareth, where the Angel Judith Bennett – Read, St John and ruins of Jerash, Jordan Sepulchre in Jerusalem Simonstone, St Peter Gabriel appeared to Mary and The Church of the Kenneth Winterburn – Feniscowles, in Bethany, we all renewed our baptismal Nativity in Bethlehem. Immanuel vows, rededicating ourselves to live each day John and Patricia Massey – Baxenden, St Then, at other times, we John as disciples of Jesus Christ. were able to get away Mike and Gill Chew – Hoddlesden, St Paul And knowing how often I have let God down, from the crowds; sharing Eric and Audrey France – Wrightington, it was very special for the four of us on the a very moving eucharist St James the Great pilgrimage who were clergy to stand on the together in the desert Bob and Christine Berry – Chorley, St shore of the Sea of Galilee and renew our and visiting one of the Eric and Audrey Laurence ordination vows; and to do so at the place few remaining working France, from Paul and Pam Daunton – Samlesbury, St where we remember Jesus recommissioning Leonard Palestinian monasteries Wrightington, St His disciple Peter after the resurrection. Melanie Crangle – Sandylands, St John in the Jordan valley. James the Great, Each of us on the pilgrimage has been I was keen to bring the pictured at the Canon Carolyn Woodcock – changed by this opportunity to walk in the Bible alive for the south side of Sandylands, St John Rev. Susan Seed – Slyne with Hest, St footsteps of Jesus and we were so grateful to pilgrims by reading the Temple Mount, Luke and Halton St Wilfrid with Aughton, those in the diocese who prayed for us while events of Scripture where Jerusalem St Saviour we were away. they actually took place John and Judith Pearson – Feniscowles, A longer version of this article can be read on and we did so in places like Mount Nebo in Immanuel the Diocesan website news pages at Jordan, where we remembered the death of www.blackburn.