Issue No. 10 February to April 2015 Welcome to the tenth edition of the Newark and Southwell Deanery Newsletter. Dear All, Very soon the identity of our next Diocesan Bishop will be announced. As I write this article, Bishops Tony Porter and Richard Inward continue to head the leadership team along with our Archdeacons Sarah Clarke and David Picken and of course all the folks at Jubilee House. In January in our Deanery, we were formally able to welcome Rev. Greg Price as he took up his role within the Tuxford group of churches. Following his licencing there was an opportunity for all present to share time together and also, as part of the buffet, a hog roast. I’m very grateful for all the hard work done by wardens and others in preparing so thoughtfully for the day. On Colin Wall’s departure from the group Curate Carole Dunk has provided excellent support which I know has been appreciated. It is also a time for farewells as we say goodbye to Revds. Alison and Richard Seymour-Whiteley. Based in Farnsfield, Richard has led the Northern Lights Group. Alison has held a post at Ranby Prison for some time; she has also been a great support, taking services in vacant parishes throughout the deanery. Thank you both — you will be missed. The Deanery Newsletter Put plainly Richard and Alison’s departure to Southern Ireland means the loss of two This is your newsletter. deployable priests, leaving us with 22 vacant parishes and three vacant posts. Louise A way of communicating in the Deanery Office and I, as the Area Dean, are responsible for enabling worship to with each other. To be led by appropriate personnel, managing weekly service rotas covering large areas make it successful we of the deanery. Due to the number of vacancies this is a considerable task. We have need to receive your been very thankful for the patience that wardens, PPC secretaries, funeral directors offerings. The deadline and others have shown. At times we have felt like a juggler spinning plates hoping for the next issue is 15th that none will fall. Louise works on Monday, Tuesday 9.30 to 3.00 and Thursday 9.00 January. Please send in to 1.00. For information Friday is my day off. The Office can be emailed at your entries to [email protected] at any time and messages left on the answerphone nsdeanery- 01636 650063. I’m out on Deanery and Parish business quite a lot. One or other of [email protected] or by us will get back to you asap. All comers are welcome! post to Mrs Louise Riley, The Rectory, 3 Marsh The Diocese, via the education department at Jubilee house, often organises courses Lane, Farndon, Newark, and conferences on a wide variety of topics. For more information go to http:// Notts, NG24 3SS southwell.anglican.org/education or ring Jubilee House on 01636 814331 and they will help and advise you. Like many churches around the Deanery, the Minster will be holding its annual three-hour meditation and reflection on Good Friday and all are warmly welcome. Members of my own group of churches are travelling to the Minster to gain a different experience. For more information go to the Minster pages in this newsletter. Many of us are already gearing up for the march to Easter with lent courses and engaging in all the drama and joy that the season holds. Along the way there will be unexpected challenges that will distract us from our observance of Lent. My prayer is that we can be gentle and generous with ourselves and each other and arrive at the Day of Resurrection with a real sense of joy and liberation. Yours in Christ, David Milner http://southwell.anglican.org/about-us/deaneries/newark-southwell-deanery-home/ Revd Greg Price: New Priest at Tuxford with Low Marnham, Normanton-on- Trent, West Markham & Weston I was born in Wallasey on Merseyside, where my mother, brother and sister still live. I served as a Reader and Curate in the Liverpool Diocese and after taking time out from full time ministry worked as a Self Supporting Minister in the Southwell and Nottingham and Derby Dioceses over a number of years. I bring with me a wide experience, working both in secular and Christian roles across the country including as a manager of two Christian Coffee Shops; member of the Independent Monitoring Board for the Home Office at Ranby Prison, as School Governor and volunteer Coffee and Bookshop Manager at the Holocaust Centre In Nottinghamshire. I also ran my own consultancy and training business for over 20 years and managed large government funded contracts across Derbyshire and the UK for learndirect. I also have experience in a variety of educational settings. My heart is in sharing the gospel in every day life. Over the years my calling has taken me from the UK to the Seychelles and back. Greg Price [email protected] Greg said that he is “delighted to be joining the Benefice and looks forward to serving with the team in the Tuxford with Weston, Marnham, West Markham and Normanton Benefice and is excited to see what God has in store for the future!” Easter Services in Greg’s Benefice: Maundy Thursday 7.00 pm HC, Weston Revd David Milner and Revd Greg Price pray with representatives of each of the 5 Churches the day before Good Friday Greg's Licensing Service at St Nicholas’ Church, Tuxford. 10.00 am Messy Church, Tuxford Each church in the Benefice light a Candle; Salt and Oil by 2.00 to 3.00 Meditation, West Markham Revd Greg Price - To symbolise our calling to be Light; Salt and to bring the Love and healing touch of the Holy Spirit Easter Eve to the churches in our Benefice and to our wider 7.00 to 8.00 pm Watchman Prayers at the Vicarage communities. Easter Day 10.00 am HC, Tuxford ONLINE STATISTICS FOR 8.30 am HC, Weston 11.30 am HC (BCP) West Markham MISSION 2.30 pm Family HC, Marnham 4.00 pm Family HC, Normanton Just a reminder that every parish should be entering their stats for mission details online now. If you are unsure how to do this please contact Louise Riley at the Deanery Office, [email protected] or email Fraser McNish at Jubilee House on [email protected] Free game explores Easter Learning Patience…. Churches and individual Christians are being encouraged to use a game that explores the themes of Easter to start from your Lay Chair conversations with family and friends during Lent. Table Talk for Easter is available as a box game or an App, At Greg Price’s installation at St Nicholas’ Church in Tuxford which is downloadable at the App Store and Google Play; it on January 11th I found myself reflecting hard on the is available free from 1st February until the end of Easter. vacancies we have now and those coming up in the not too It is hoped that clergy, youth workers, church workers and distant future, all needing to be filled in our deanery. church members will engage with the material. The themes include: Hope, Evil, Justice, Suffering, Forgiveness and It was not simply a case of one job done, let’s get on with Death. the next, because recruiting a suitable priest to any parish The box game is available at www.table-talk.org or group of parishes involves that huge problem of human beings. 11 & 7 Feb 2015 Parish Employment Responsibilities Firstly, are there enough priests within the Church of England to attract to our vacancies? Seminar. 9.30am-12.30pm. Details and to book: 01636 817249, email: [email protected] Secondly, are there enough priests of the right calibre to be appointed to fill our vacancies? EIG improves lead theft cover I believe that there are and pray that they will come EIG (Ecclesiastical Insurance) is improving cover for churches forward sooner rather than later, but so far nothing which have suffered lead (metal) thefts. Some years ago, before positive in response (that is as I write this piece on January 28th - who knows what will happen next month!) the big rise in thefts in 2010/11, EIG paid out up to £15,000 per incident, but during the height of the crisis cut this to £5,000 per The pragmatic view I have then is that we may have to wait church in one calendar year and introduced several caveats re- a little longer than we want. Little in this case needs to be lating to security. flexible because the matter is in the control of God, not we human beings. The revision just announced offers an increase in cover on a tiered scale dependent on what security the church has in place. It was upon this I was reflecting at Tuxford, puzzling as to This is also timely in relation to the current Listed Places of Wor- why there was no one at present to appoint and could I ship Roof Repair Fund, as it will allow the cost of roof alarms and glimpse any part of God’s plan. The conclusion I reached was that I had to become more patient and a lot less replacement of metal following theft, which hadn’t been the case frustrated in this process and for those of you who know under the original terms of this fund. me that is a very tall order as I like to move swiftly to For more information about the fund call 01392 223 979.