DELPH PARISH FREE NEWS (donations welcome) October/November 2016 The Magazine of St. Thomas’ Friarmere, Delph Diary for October 11am at St Mary's, Greenfield Sunday 2nd October Sunday 30th October 8:00 am Holy Communion 8:00 am Holy Communion 10.30 am Morning Praise 10:30 am All Age Holy Communion Monday 3rd October Diary for November Coffee Stop St Thomas’ Church Hall 10am - Noon Coffee Saturday 5th November Cancer Awareness Event One World Christmas Fair 10am-4pm Civic Hall Uppermill 9:30am - 1:00pm at Sacred Heart Parish Centre Including a light healthy lunch Prayers for the People from 9.30 am to 11am at Holy Trinity, Dobcross Tuesday 4th October Come to St Thomas Delph and meet the Sunday 6th November 10.30 am Confirmation Service at St Bishop of Middleton and Our Anne’s. Dioceasn Youth Worker (For Year 7 and Above) 7pm – 9pm, have some Monday 7th November 10am - Noon Coffee Stop food and fun, and hear about Tampere and Taize. This is for young people of Sunday 13th November our churches and for their friends. Free Remembrance Day 10.30 am Holy Communion entry! 10:30 am Dementia Friends Special Sunday 9th October Service in St Anne's Church, Lydgate. 10:30 am Holy Communion Monday 10th October Monday 14th November 10am - Noon Coffee Stop 10am - Noon Coffee Stop St Thomas; Sunday 16th October Harvest Saturday 19th November 8:00 am Holy Communion Team Advent Quiet Day 11 am to 4 pm Lunch provided 10:30 am Morning Praise Venue to be arranged 6:30 pm Holy Communion Monday 17th October Sunday 20th November 10am - Noon Coffee Stop 8.00 am Holy Communion Sunday 23rd October 10.30 am Morning Praise 6:30 pm Holy Communion 10:30 am Holy Communion Monday 24th October Monday 21st November 10am - Noon Coffee Stop 10am - Noon Coffee Stop Saturday 29 th October Sunday 27th November Prayers for the People from 9.30 am to 10:30 am Holy Communion A Letter to the Churches up invitations to visit people in their of Saddleworth homes, participating in PCCs and Two months in post and I beginning to visit schools. The weekday am reminded of the woman who, having Holy Communion Services – a time for given birth to septuplets was asked by a quiet reflection and prayer have been a journalist how she could possibly give real blessing. I commend them to you. the children all equal attention. She re- Should you want a chat, simply text or ring me. plied that she couldn't, she could only attend to those who, had any particular Jesus calls us to be his disciples, to moment, needed her most. become more than followers – ‘holy As your Team Rector the amount of groupies’ but to allow him to transform time I spend with you individually and as us into the image of God and grow into churches, encouraging, supporting, the likeness of Christ. To be disciples is giving leadership and direction will be to put our faith and trust in him for the different each month, depending on the priorities, struggles, direction of our needs that arise. It is my intention to at- lives. To be disciples is to invite others to accompany us as pilgrims together. tend some PCCs all the time., others oc- casionally. I would expect to be I am planning a Saddleworth Team involved in discussions around worship Advent Quiet Day on November 19 th and share experience and insight. I am 11am- 4pm. Put it in your diaries. We here among you to lead and guide and will meet together for reflection, prayer care for you. Don't feel you have to and stillness before the mad rush to- battle on alone. Don't allow the burdens wards Christmas. More details next of responsibility in the church and month. challenges in your own personal lives to My love to you all. overwhelm you. It has been a deep joy over the past few Sharon weeks meeting folks for coffee, taking Things That Christians Should Do Love one another (John 13:34; 15:12; 1Thessalonians 3:12; 4:9; 1Peter 1:22; John 3:18) Encourage one another (1 Thessalonians 4:18; Hebrews 10:24) Live in harmony with one another Romans 12 :16 Teach one another Colossians 3:16 Forgive one another Ephesians 4:32 Be kind to one another Ephesians 4:32 Confess your sins to one another James 5:16 Accept one another Romans 15:7 From A Basket of Gems compiled by Mark Stibbe 2009 A HOLIDAY IN THE SUN them. I even managed to buy a second-hand copy of his short stories in Bridport.) I’m sitting writing this piece, the first cup of coffee of the day at my elbow, in We have visited Lulworth Cove on the beautifully warm sunshine, on the sec- hottest day of the year, where the shin- ond of September, our last day in this gle beach did not endear itself to the idyllic setting at Milton Abbas in the three dogs, especially Scrappy, who un- magnificent county of Dorset, situated derstands that she is a member of the between Blandford Forum and aristocracy and should be treated ac- Dorchester. cordingly. Well, would you like to walk on such a beach, shoeless? We particu- larly loved Swanage and had the treat of a ride on a steam train from Corfe to Swanage and return. Durdle Door, with its spectacular” stack with a hole” was daunting, especially the numerous steps down to the beach, What has been most amazing has been which left me worrying how on earth I the weather! Every day has been glori- was going to climb up again, but, thanks ous, apart from the middle Sunday, to Joseph, my grandson, it was achieved when it was gently wet, but, in no way painlessly. cold. We have visited some of the most The cottages at Luccombe Farm were spectacular beaches in the whole of the UK, the Jurassic Coast, where we have been able to swim or just laze in the hot – yes hot- sunshine in this county, so beloved of Thomas Hardy. (Speaking of Hardy reminds me of the time I read most of this author’s novels and poems and the unique way he re-named many of the beauty spots ideal, as was the whole site, with an hereabouts. Remember Casterbridge, indoor swimming pool, a games room, (Dorchester), or Budmouth, complete with table-tennis table and a (Weymouth), and I’ll even swear we tennis court. You can see we had an encountered Egdon Heath the other action-packed holiday and it’ll be good day. My two favourite poems are Bud- to go home, despite the bees! mouth Dears and Weathers and I have made the grandchildren suffer my recitation of Margaret Robson. Welcome to St. Thomas’s Church St Thomas’s is dedicated to these Delph, principles: in the Saddleworth Team We worship the living God. We are the family of God. A church is not a building – it’s the We enjoy our family life and we people who meet there. You are very support each other as brothers and welcome to our church and we would sisters do. like to welcome you into our church We are committed to the spiritual family. growth of each individual. We understand that it can feel strange We seek to show Christ’s love to when everything is new and you are not the people of Delph and Saddleworth sure “who is who” or quite what is going and seek to draw others into on! Hopefully this will fill you in on the his kingdom. necessary information. Mid-week Home Groups Please make yourself known to us if we A number of Bible study groups are held haven’t already met you and if you in people’s homes during the week, most would like further information on any of in the evenings and some during the day. the activities, please don’t hesitate to One of the best ways to get involved and contact the vicar or the two church war- to get to know others is by going to one dens, - their addresses are in this maga- of these groups. If you are interested zine. please have a word with the vicar. Weekly Eucharist Services across the Team Monday: 12 noon at St. Mary, Greenfield Tuesday: 9.30 am at Christ Church, Friezland/ Parish Centre, Uppermill Thursday: 9.30 am at Holt Trinity, Dobcross 7.30 pm at Christ Church, Friezland Friday: 10.00 am at St. Anne’s, Lydgate Oldham Unity There is also has need for the following: Please remember that, as a Team, we hold-alls, back packs, suitcases and have agreed to collect food on a weekly men's shoes. basis for the Asylum Seekers in Oldham. If you have any of these, surplus to your We ask you to help provide pasta, cook- needs, please bring them to St Thomas’ church. ing oil, rice, tuna in oil and tinned toma- toes. Richard Lambert Be like a pumpkin A lady had recently become a Christian and been baptised. Curious, one of her colleagues at work asked her what it was like to be a Christian. The lady was caught off guard and didn't know how to answer. Then she saw the office ‘jack-o'-lantern’ on a nearby desk and blurted: "Well, it's like being a pumpkin." Her colleague asked her to explain that one. And so she said: “Well, God picks you from the patch and brings you in and washes off all the dirt on the outside that you got from being around all the other pumpkins.