News (April 2009)
Love and Joy will light up the night.JPG)
A world-renowned gospel choir from Liverpool is to top the bill at the City Hall in Newcastle for the grand finale Fire Works event on the eve of Pentecost, Saturday, May 30.
The Love & Joy Gospel Choir regularly appears on national and international tv and has performed in cathedrals and stadia throughout the country and abroad, including the Liverpool Philharmonic Hall and St. Michael’s Cave in Gibraltar.
The events have been as varied as a memorial service for Princess Diana, a Summer Pops festival, gospel meetings, corporate launches and weddings.
The choir was formed in 1987 under the directorship of Dr. Tani Omideyi, and was heavily involved in Liverpool’s successful Capital of Culture bid. They even wrote the music for the city’s Culture Bid theme song “We’ve got the Go” which they performed in the House of Commons. They also sang the theme song in Belgium as part of the Culture Company’s promotion of Liverpool music.
Joan Gibson, the choir’s administrator says: “This is a vibrant, multi-racial choir, based at Temple of Praise in Liverpool, and for many years it has been at the forefront of building relationships with communities, both locally and around the United Kingdom.”
The choir have made it on to record too. Their extended version of the song ‘You’ll never walk alone’ was released as a single in 2003 with the blessing of Liverpool Football Club.
Joan says: “The choir has enjoyed a warm relationship with the football club over the years, performing at several of their events, from small-scale gatherings to appearances at the famous Anfield stadium in front of 40,000 people.”
Canon John Sadler, one of the organisers of the City Hall event, says: “We are extremely fortunate to be able to get the Love & Joy Gospel Choir to appear at the Fire Works evening. It really is going to be a wonderful night.”
Heritage Visitor Boom Explored
More than 100 people from throughout the diocese attended the recent Synod Forum at St. Michael’s Alnwick in a bid to learn how the heritage visitor boom might work for their churches.
The session was called “Churches Open: Heritage, Stories and People” and there was plenty of discussion concerning all these strands.
The event was opened by Dean Christopher Dalliston who said that tourism offered churches a unique opportunity to engage with people on their own terms, and a way of ministering to them.
“The tourist visiting could become the pilgrim seeking,” he said. There were also potential benefits for congregations, he added, when the church began to build bridges to the local community and engage with visitors.
The Synod Forum also heard from Canon John Brown from the Diocese of Chelmsford whose job it is to encourage church tourism and persuade churches that it’s in their own interests to welcome tourists with open arms. “People are definitely looking for something,” he said, “And tourism is a golden opportunity for the Church to provide it.”
James Milne, a national heritage facilitator whose work involves looking at the importance of heritage within the cultural remit of local authorities, stressed that cultural tourism was about civic pride, a quality that local authorities are keen to promote. It was important to involve young people in the cultural heritage of their area, he suggested, and the local church might have a significant role to play in encouraging this.
A note of caution was sounded from the Glendale group of churches when Andy Webber pointed out that it was one thing to have the vision of ministering to and catering for tourists, but another to provide the people to do it. Visitors needed refreshments, book stalls, post cards, and while tourism represented an opportunity, there was an important question for churches to answer when it came to capacity.
There were also presentations from Rural Affairs Officer Dagmar Winter (read her report on Page 5) and Tony Thick from St. Andrew’s, Bolam (read about Bolam’s heritage days on Page 6), and the Forum was brought to a close by Bishop Martin.
The challenge of church tourism, the Bishop said, was how to engage in partnerships, how to look beyond ourselves, how to offer welcome and hospitality, and how to tell our story.
“For the Church doesn’t exist for itself,” Bishop Martin concluded, “It exists for the sake of those who don’t belong.”
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Fire Works! What's happening on Saturday May 30th ?
From 1.30pm onwards in venues around the city, the diocese and friends will enjoy a programme of workshops and activities which will culminate with everyone coming together in the City Hall at 7.30pm for an evening of celebration.
Here, only a few hours before the Day of Pentecost dawns, John Bell from the Iona Community, Jonny Baker of Grace, a Gospel Choir and others will help us to celebrate the ‘Fire Working’ in the North East as 2000 of us sing together, listen to word and music, hear stories, be inspired by drama and images, pray together and finally are sent out, by the Bishop, in the power of the Spirit, challenged to allow the Fire to work more and more in our lives.
The afternoon programme will include:
- Guided walks of the city with a city guide
- A meeting and market place – a place to learn, to meet friends and relax
- Taize worship
- A healing workshop
- Dancing with Beyond the Barricades
- “Breathe” – an interactive experience where we can explore our faith
- An opportunity to listen to John Bell
- A Godly Play workshop
- A venue for Children’s activities
- A crèche
- A City Pilgrimage
- An opportunity to do some bell-ringing (proper ones!)
- A drumming workshop
- A film at the Tyneside Cinema (£2 charge)
- Cathedral Evensong
- And time, before the evening bonanza, to have a meal in one of Newcastle’s eating places or meet in one of the city churches to have your picnic tea!
We will each need a ticket for the City Hall ( £8 each - £5 for children) but this charge will cover the whole day’s activities (apart from the small charge at the Tyneside Cinema) and it will help to cover the costs. A second wave of publicity will be sent out after Easter with an order form for tickets, but if you wish to order your tickets in advance (which would help with planning and cash flow!), send cheques (made payable to ‘The Newcastle Diocesan Board of Finance’) with your details (including an email address if you have one) to “Fire Works Tickets”, c/o Byker Community Centre, Headlam Street, Newcastle upon Tyne, NE6 2DX). For further information ring 07836 354843.
John Bell, of the Iona Community, will be one of the guests on stage for the climax of Fire Works at the City Hall in Newcastle on the eve of Pentecost.
John was born in Kilmarnock, and after ordination began his ministry with a post in youth work in Glasgow. He later joined the Iona Community, and with his colleague, Graham Maule, was drawn to concentrate on congregational song, liturgy and the sharing of scripture, a ministry which led to the Wild Goose Resource Group.
With his colleagues, Bell has produced collections of original songs, compilations of music from the World Church, and books of worship resources and sermons. Now he works throughout Europe, North America, Australia and New Zealand for churches of all denominations.
In 1999 he was honoured by the Presbyterian Church of Canada and the Royal School of Church Music which bestowed a Fellowship on him, and in 2002 was awarded an honorary doctorate by the University of Glasgow. Five years later in 2007 John was made a Fellow of the Hymn Society of the United States and Canada (FSA).
He is an occasional broadcaster on BBC radio and television and is currently convener of the working group producing a new hymnbook for the Church of Scotland.
The Wild Goose Resource Group is an expression of the commitment of the Iona Community to the renewal of public worship in the Christian Church. The Group’s logo, the wild goose, is an ancient Celtic symbol of the Holy Spirit. Its members live in mainland Scotland and its office is at the Iona Community's headquarters in central Glasgow.
The Resource Group engages with the public through participation in conferences and events throughout the UK and abroad. The group also enables specific events at the Abbey and MacLeod Centre on Iona, and in Glasgow, and produces worship materials published by the Iona Community's in-house company, Wild Goose Publications, and by publishers overseas. Members are also used on a consultative basis by local congregations and Christian organisations, and are supported by office staff and a network of previous resource workers and colleagues.
Jonny Baker, another guest at the great finale of Fire Works, works for the Church Mission Society, developing and supporting mission and exploring ‘new ways of being church’ in the emerging culture of the UK.
He lectures in mission and culture for the Centre for Youth Ministry and teaches on the church planting course ReSource. He is a member of 'Grace', an alternative worship community which is also a congregation at St Mary’s Anglican church in West London.
He has produced the book ‘Alternative Worship’ which is a collection of liturgical resources for the church year. He has also co-ordinated the worship at Greenbelt Arts Festival for several years, which has proved a key space in the UK for creative forms of worship and church.
Jonny Baker regularly participates in various creative projects, the most successful of which has been the Labyrinth/Prayer Path, first installed in St Paul’s Cathedral, London in 2000, which he helped design. He runs proost.co.uk, a creative company that produces inspiring resources to fuel faith, and works as an independent photographer in London.
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New Chair for Central Readers' Council
The Rt. Rev. Robert Paterson, Bishop of Sodor and Man, has been appointed to chair the Central Readers’ Council, succeeding the Rt. Rev. Graham Dow, Bishop of Carlisle, who is retires at the end of April.
Bishop Robert, who will oversee the work of the Council looking after all issues relating to the work and ministry of more than 10,000 Readers, said: “Readers play a vital role in parishes up and down the country and I have seen at first hand the immense contribution they make to building up the local worshipping Christian community . To be invited to chair the body that is charged with supporting Readers’ development, fostering a sense of community between them and raising their profile within the Church, is an honour, and a task I am delighted to accept.”
The Council exists as a separate charity. Its Secretary and Associate Secretary are provided with office facilities within the Ministry Division of the Archbishops’ Council, and they contribute to the life of the division. Day-to-day business is handled by its Executive Committee, which also arranges periodic national conferences and training events and liaises closely with the National Moderator for Reader Training, as well as publishing occasional papers dealing with subjects of current interest to Readers and the wider Church.
Canon Ron Black, Vice-Chair of the Readers’ Council, comments: “The appointment of Bishop Robert Paterson will open a new chapter in the history of Reader Ministry. I look forward to working with him and discussing the future development of ongoing projects, and also laying new foundations on which to build up this very important part of the Church’s mission. Although Reader Ministry flourishes in many places there is still much work to be done in creating understanding , and affirming the role Readers play in so many aspects of Church life, and in the secular world. I welcome Bishop Robert as our Chair and assure him of my support and prayers ."
Philip's Farewell
It was a day of many farewells when diocesan secretary Philip Davies left Church House for his new job as Chapter Clerk at Durham Cathedral and clerk to the Lord Crewe Trust last month.
In the morning Church House staff presented Philip with a picture and a leather document case, along with other useful gifts such as a wooden spoon for stirring things up and a pink wig (purpose unspecified).
This was followed by a buffet lunch at which supporting ministers, admin staff and other colleagues were able to say their goodbyes, leading into an open afternoon where friends and well-wishers from throughout the diocese called by to send Philip on his way with their best regards.
Bishop Martin presented Philip with a framed photograph and a cheque, and said that he had served the Church in the Newcastle Diocese with distinction over the previous ten years.
“It has been a honour and a privilege to work here,” Philip told his colleagues, “I’m not leaving because I want to go but because I feel it is the right thing to do.”
Philip is pictured after the Bishop’s presentation with his wife Michelle, daughter Laura, and son Tom, along with Verity Carden, Tom’s girlfriend (right).
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New MU branch at Belford
At the start of National Marriage Week, the Mothers’ Union opened a new branch based at St. Mary’s Belford.
The Revd. John Beckwith enrolled 12 Founder Members and four ladies were welcomed back into full membership.
It is thought to be approximately 20 years since there was last an MU group in Belford and the new leader hopes to extend this branch into the wider Bamburgh and
Glendale Deanery of which it is a part.
The branch opening, enrolling and commissioning took place during the normal 9 am service of Holy Communion and was attended by the diocesan president Canon Pat Johnson and Lindisfarne Archdeaconry vice-president Frances Bromham.
Three long service awards were also presented, two for 40 years and one for 50 years to ladies who had been enrolled so long ago, and would now, thanks to the opening of the new branch, be able once again to take a full part in the life of the Mothers’ Union.
A full programme of participation in Mothers’ Union events and projects has started, as the branch plans to be a lively and active player! Brenda Twiname
Snowdrops inspire community
Felton and Thirston villagers enjoyed an early taste of spring when the church of St. Michael and All Angels invited everyone to view the beautiful display of snowdrops in the church grounds. They are a glorious sight each year and get better and better.
Their appearance marks the start of a year of blossoms and flowers planted to enhance the churchyard, which is situated beside St. Oswald’s Way.
The ancient church was open as usual, but on this occasion provided a popular refuge for those seeking strawberry teas and homemade cakes. There were exhibits of local arts and crafts accompanied by music and a welcoming atmosphere.
The proceeds will be used to develop the wild flower garden in the churchyard and provide other interesting features which we hope will attract even more visitors.
Many people, not regular churchgoers, have come forward to help with this project. It has united the village and won a prestigious award.; The Ellis Wood Trophy and Gold Award, from the Northumberland in Bloom team, for being “The best kept grounds of a religious establishment” Now we hope to find other opportunities to make the churchyard more peaceful and attractive. Already the children of the village have helped and planted many wild flower seeds and gardening “teams” have rolled up their sleeves to pitch in. It has been a real community effort. Anthea Smith
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Building on Posada
During Lent in the parish of Wallsend Saint Peter and Saint Luke, we have been building on the experience of Posada by having Lent groups in different places around the town. The idea has been to encourage everyone to look at the Church as being a Community of faith of belonging and healing and holiness, of being honest and asking: ‘if we don’t see that within our community, why not, and where are we falling short?’
We have a prayer card of commitment which everyone has received, and the prayer is being used at the end of every service in church. People are also being encouraged to use it in their own private prayer life.
The meetings during the week are being held in homes around the parish with groups for young people and those of different ethnic origins. This is a journey of faith and discovery! Ian Ferguson
Unsung Heroes - the hunt is on
The Church of England has teamed up with Country Life magazine to hunt for an elusive species: the unsung hero! Rural churches and chapels are often the thriving hubs of their communities. Together, we are looking for the unsung volunteers - of any denomination - who keep them alive.
The competition – to be launched in the magazine’s Easter edition (8 April) – will be seeking the volunteers who keep rural churches, chapels and churchyards thriving and at the centre of their communities. The aim is to highlight the wide range of voluntary activities taking place in and around those buildings – from maintaining the fabric against all odds to developing and taking forward an imaginative community use of the building.
The Easter Country Life will include all the details of Unsung Heroes competition, an entry form and instructions on how to submit nominations. We hope that groups of church or chapel members might even get together to nominate or vote in their own special parish Hero.
In previous years, Country Life has run competitions about churches being used to serve the wider community. This year’s is quite different: it is about people - the volunteers who keep country churches alive. That might be the organist, the flower arranger, the cleaner, the person who keeps the churchyard under control. Their heroism might be linked to children's activities or anything else taking place in the building - but it isn't about projects so much as the heroes who run them.
The competition aims to highlight the wide range of voluntary activities taking place in and around churches and chapels and their churchyards, ranging from maintaining the historic fabric to developing or managing imaginative community initiatives. And all this in addition to being places of worship and vital oases of calm and reflection in a busy world.
Nominations are sought for volunteers who:
o have initiated and taken forward projects which support the church building directly such as fund-raising activities or rejuvenating the churchyard; or
o help keep the building open as a valuable community resource by organising events such as weekly community lunches or concerts inside the church; or
o manage the setting up of a community shop, farmers’ market or post office, again inside the church or its grounds.
As the Archbishop of Canterbury, Dr Rowan Williams, says in a special Country Life article to launch the competition: “In our countryside, armies of unsung heroes are keeping the circulation going in the community’s body. They are organising community celebrations and simple local services like mothers and toddlers groups or drop-in centres. But they are increasingly stepping into the gaps that have opened up in rural society in the last ten years or so.”
For more information, see http://www.countrylife.co.uk/ and http://www.cofe.anglican.org/ , phone 020 7898 1621 or email mailto:louis.henderson@c-of-e.org.uk. All entries have to be in by the end of May.
The Church of England has teamed up with Country Life magazine to hunt for an elusive species: the unsung hero! Rural churches and chapels are often the thriving hubs of their communities. Together, we are looking for the unsung volunteers - of any denomination - who keep them alive.
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Australia Exchange
Last year Tony Cavanagh, team vicar of Cullercoats Billy Mill, along with his wife Edna, undertook a parish exchange to New South Wales, Australia.
“The transition from St Hilda’s & St Aidan’s on a built up housing estate on the North East coast of England to the empty spaces and rolling pasture lands of Grenfell, NSW, and the Holy Trinity church there bproved to be something of a culture shock to my wife Edna and myself,” Tony says.
“We knew that Australia was a big country, that it was in fact a continent, but the reality was something else. It is hard to describe to people who have never been. You really have to experience it for yourself. We were both enthralled by the changing landscapes, the roads empty of cars, the kangaroos by the roadsides and the amazing variety and colours of the birds.”
Tony adds: “Our welcome at Holy Trinity, Grenfell, was no less enthralling. The hospitality of the parishioners was overwhelming and we very quickly realized that any hopes we might have had of losing weight whilst in Australia were soon to be dashed!
“Sundays were lively with two morning services of Eucharist at Holy Trinity, and then a 30-40 minute drive out to one of the outlying rural churches for another service. The parish car came in very handy on these occasions.
“Many of the parishioners come from farming families and have to live under the constant threat of financial ruin arising from ongoing drought which devastates crops.
“I was very impressed by their stoical approach to the lack of rain and their firm belief that God would help them to get through. What with seven years of drought and swarms of locusts, I must admit that I felt at times as though we had been transported back to biblical times!
“I was impressed by many other things as well - the wonderful community spirit in Grenfell, the Anglican church’s involvement in the retirement village and the local college hospital, the hard work and dedication of volunteers and those holding office in the parish, some of whom were juggling their church involvement with the demands of farming commitments, the indefatigable group of women who were willing and able to put on a super parish meal or funeral buffet at very short notice, the church organist who played at both 7.30 and 9.30am Eucharist every Sunday without complaint, not to mention the three licensed ministers who made my life that much easier by their willingness to share the ministerial load.
“It is also worth stating that I felt supported and strengthened throughout our three month stay by the interest shown by both Bishops, the Archdeacon and other diocesan officials and local Anglican clergy. Despite the vast distances between parishes, I was always aware that I was very much part of a diocesan family and that help was available to me at the end of a telephone line if I needed it. And there were one or two occasions when I did need it!
“Edna, for her part, thoroughly enjoyed her time in Grenfell. Not being one to sit around, she quickly involved herself in, and became part of, parish life. I am particularly grateful to her for driving me around in the parish car, knowing as she does that I am not keen on driving and only do so when I have to. We have both made friendships that we feel will last, and we will have many happy memories to look back on in the years ahead.”
Young Vocations Boost for the North
Young people from across the North of England converged on Cranmer Hall, Durham for the ‘Step Forward’ vocations conference last month. ‘We had people from Sheffield to Newcastle and from Carlisle to York,’ says Kate Bruce, Chaplain and Research Fellow at St John’s College, Durham. ‘It was brilliant to see so many young Christians seriously considering whether God is calling them to ordained ministry.’
David Wilkinson, Principal of St John’s College, Durham, and widely known for his work on the relationship of science and theology, gave the keynote address: ‘Scripture, Toxteth and Science’. It was followed by workshops by clergy from across the North, covering the full range of contemporary ministry – from inner city Middlesborough to Pioneer Ministry to the reality of everyday parish life. The day ended with ‘storytelling’ by men and women at different stages in the vocations process – from those just beginning to explore the possibility to a recently ordained curate – each sharing the highs and lows they had experienced.
Thirty six men and women, aged in their late teens and 20s, attended ‘Step Forward’. ‘There was a brilliant atmosphere,’ says Dave Young, an ordinand from the Ripon and Leeds diocese. ‘Fostering vocations amongst younger Christians is vital for the ministry and mission of the church – ‘Step Forward’ has provided a major boost to this task !’
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Botswana Link is renewed!
Bishop’s Council has agreed that our companion link with the Diocese of Botswana should be renewed for a further five years.
The decision follows a visit to Botswana last year by the Newcastle-Botswana link task group chair Geoff Lowson, group member Allan Marks, and former diocesan secretary Philip Davies. There has also been an independent review conducted by Nigel Oakley, World Development Officer for the Diocese of Durham.
The link between our two dioceses was formally launched in September 2003 at a service in St. Nicholas’ Cathedral and the agreement summarising the aims and objectives was signed by the two bishops, Bishop Martin and the then Bishop of Botswana, Theo Naledi,.
National guidelines from Partnership for World Mission suggest that it is good practice to review all overseas church links after five years, so task group members along with the independent reviewer have been assessing the history of the Botswana link and its potential for future development.
Geoff Lowson told the Council that “the potential for the link is considerable, as is the benefit to both dioceses.”
He said: “The welcome wherever we went was very warm and there is no doubt that we were treated as honoured guests. It was particularly good to visit the church at Makaleng. When we were there in 2005 it was a shell with no doors or windows. Now it is very much in use and, interestingly, used by others within the community. We also visited the shell of St Alban’s Church at Moroka which is at the same stage as Makaleng was 3 ½ years ago. The welcome we received there was moving and humbling.”
However, there some were problems with communication between Botswana and Newcastle, he said, and one difficulty from the Newcastle end was the understandable expectation that church people here would like to visit Botswana to offer help and support to the church there. However, the Anglican church in Botswana was small compared to Newcastle, and its capacity to receive visitors was necessarily limited. Visits between the two dioceses were important, but the task group would like to encourage more visits from people in Botswana to Newcastle rather than the other way round.
Bishop’s Council approved the task group recommendation, which was mirrored by the independent assessor, that the link continue, and asked that the task group find ways of refreshing and renewing the link.
Ale and Hearty!
Beer and Hymns will be a first for the North
A night of hearty hymn singing - and equally hearty drinking - is in store for the North of England, for the first time.
“Beer & Hymns” is just that,- a night of drinking beer and singing hymns, and it is a formula which has proved wildly popular in Kent and Dorset, having kicked off in 2007 at the Greenbelt Festival in Cheltenham.
Now All Saints’ Church in Gosforth, Newcastle, is hosting its first Beer & Hymns night on Saturday April 25th from 7pm - 10pm, so that North-easterners can raise their glasses and their voices alike in a massive pub-style sing along.
Organiser Chantal Noppen, All Saints’ Youth Worker by day, enthuses: “It’s fantastic! There’s something for everyone. Our choice of real ales come from the Big Lamp Brewery - although there’ll be cider for the non-beer drinkers - so there’ll be plenty of variety and a true Northern flavor to the night.
We’re currently picking the best of our traditional hymns - the tunes which everyone and their dog knows and loves - and all the words to hymns chosen will be projected onto a big screen, so that you can just come along, grab a pint and join in”.
Tickets are expected to fly out, as Greenbelt regulars discover that their favourite drinking-and-singing activity is at last available north of Watford Gap.
Anyone interested in joining the North’s first Beer & Hymns night is strongly advised to reserve a place quickly. Tickets, £3 to include a first drink, are available from either c.noppen@allsaints-gosforth.org.uk or from 07748 477402.
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Oberammergau visit planned
In August 2010 , from Thursday 5th to Wednesday 11th, the Area Dean of Bellingham, the Rev. Dr. Susan Ramsaran, will be taking a pilgrimage to the world-renowned passion play in Oberammergau, first performed in 1634 and every 10 years since (with one or two exceptions). Before spending two nights before and after the performance in the beautiful village of Oberammergau in the Bavarian alps, the group will be cruising on the Rhine.
Since the performance of the play now takes place in the afternoon or evening, with a break for dinner, there will be ample time in the morning to explore Oberammergau and see the house and wood carvings for which it is famous.
Total cost for the trip will be £1289.00 and there are still a few places available on a ‘first come first served basis’. For full details, contact Canon Michael Foster at the rectory, Bellingham, Hexham, NE48 2JS (01434 220019)
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