News (February 2010)
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Cathedral staff move into new offices
Staff at St. Nicholas’ Cathedral are preparing to move into new offices in Mosley Street, Newcastle, this month, freeing up the current administrative premises for exciting new developments at the cathedral.
The newly-acquired building stands at 42-44 Mosley Street and it will include a shop and reception area together with the offices, as well as providing some much-needed accommodation at street level for the Street Pastors Scheme.
The Dean, the Very Rev. Christopher Dalliston, says: “It is a very beautiful building, full of light, with marvellous views from its windows. It all fits well into the vision that the Cathedral community has of being a place set firmly at the heart of the city, offering the peace and beauty of its life and worship, and reaching out to the city and beyond in the name of Christ.”
The hall in St Nicholas’ Cathedral was added to the building in 1926, and 60 years later it was adapted to include the Chapter offices which have been in use right up until now. Limitations on the space available eventually rendered the offices cramped and rather inaccessible.
“The lovely Georgian building - Grade II listed and right next door to St Nicholas’ – came up for sale in 2009, and the Cathedral was offered first choice to purchase,” the Dean explains. “Thanks to three very generous donations from local charitable trusts, the Cathedral Chapter has been able to buy the property in Mosley Street, and we plan to re-locate the offices later this month.”
He adds: “Some businesses and offices still occupy part of the building, and they will continue to do so for now. The important thing for us is that the present Chapter offices in the Cathedral can now be set free for other uses – mainly as an education complex.”
A generous grant from the St Nicholas’ Centre in America will enable the education complex to become a reality, and work is expected to start later this year.
The purchase of the Mosley Street premises and the plans for an education complex come in the wake of a failed Lottery funding bid for ambitious developments at the cathedral. “Just at the point where our hopes had seemingly been dashed and our plans come to nothing, the Lord has done a new thing!” says the Dean.
The next few weeks will see the first phase of the project, as the Chapter offices are moved and the communications systems installed at Mosley Street.
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Archbishop visits diocese
The Archbishop of York, Dr John Sentamu, will be visiting the Diocese of Newcastle on February 3 and 4, meeting parishioners from many churches in Tyneside and Northumberland, learning of the issues facing people in our area and seeing first hand some of the work of our churches.
Dr Sentamu says: “I am looking forward to meeting with people in the Diocese of Newcastle and seeing a number of exciting projects while I am here. I will also be visiting the most Northerly parish church in England – no matter how far away you live, you are always close to God!”
During the visit Dr. Sentamu will be delivering the inaugural “City for Peace” Lecture at Newcastle Civic Centre before an invited audience of civic leaders, members of the Council of Faiths, minority ethnic groups and volunteer workers involved in racial harmony.
The visit will begin with a trip to meet staff at the diocesan offices in Church House, Percy Main, and then the Archbishop will travel to Newcastle’s law courts on the quayside to meet judges from the Newcastle Circuit – the Archbishop himself was formerly a judge in his native Uganda. He will be having talks with Judge David Hodgson, who is Chancellor for the Diocese of Newcastle. Other points of call on the Archbishop’s whistle-stop tour of the Diocese include the churches of Byker, which are reaching out to their communities in co-operation with other agencies including Barnardo’s, the West End Refugee service which works with refugees and asylum seekers living in the West End of the city, a visit to the Kirkharle Courtyard, a development of art and craft workshops in former farm buildings near Belsay, a trip to Wooler to see the Cheviot Centre which forms the heart of a local regeneration project, and a meeting with the vicar and parishioners of the historic Holy Trinity Church in Berwick, the most Northerly parish in the Church of England.
“We shall be delighted to welcome the Archbishop on his visit to the Diocese,” says Bishop Martin Wharton, “It will be a bit of a challenge to squeeze things into just two days, but we are determined to give the Archbishop a glimpse of the mission of our churches from the Tyne to the Tweed.”
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Important new post for diocese
As Link went to press interviews were underway for an important new post in the Diocese, aimed at helping congregations answer a number of pressing questions. How do you look after a Grade 1 listed building with medieval windows, Victorian carvings, or a Norman bell –tower, when you’ve got very little cash and there’s a pressing need for a new toilet? Ask any Church of England congregation meeting regularly in an historic place of worship and they’ll give you the answer: “With difficulty!”
It’s the same with the Church’s more modern buildings, perhaps in the inner city or on an outer estate. Here there are different problems – how do you keep the building safe when the environment is so exposed, and how do you raise money for a building that is hugely valued by the local community but cannot claim any national or even regional significance?
Now a new initiative from English Heritage and the Diocese of Newcastle has thrown a lifeline to churches in the North-East, by joining forces to fund a Development Officer post to help maintain and develop all church buildings. Peter Robinson, Archdeacon of Lindisfarne, says: “We are delighted to receive this significant grant from English Heritage. The appointment of a development officer will make a huge different to parishes and their church wardens. The officer will help local people improve the quality and accessibility of all our buildings in the diocese. It will be a hands-on piece of work aimed at meeting the needs of those already working hard in their church buildings."
The Support Officers Scheme, part of English Heritage’s on-going Inspired! campaign, was launched in December 2008 by the then Secretary of State for Culture, Media and Sport, Andy Burnham. English Heritage is providing over £1.5 million to part-fund 30 Support Officers to help congregations of all faiths manage and maintain their historic places of worship. The grant from English Heritage will cover half of the total costs of a Support Officer post for three years. It is anticipated that the Support Officer post will demonstrate its value in three years and will then become a longer term role within Newcastle Diocese.
Watch this space for news of the Development Officer’s appointment.
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News from England’s most Northerly parish…
It was snowing heavily in Berwick when 100 members of Number 7 Company Coldstream Guards set out to recreate their epic 'Long March' of 1660 for its 350th anniversary – as indeed it was for the original marchers.
General George Monck Commanded the Regiment of Foot in the mid 17th Century, and after adventuring around Scotland on behalf of his master Oliver Cromwell, Monck and his regiment camped at Coldstream before marching to Tower Hill in London and eventually pledging his men’s loyal service to King Charles II.
The modern-day marchers set off from Coldstream on January 6 to be welcomed onto London's Tower Hill on January 30. When they reached Berwick, they were welcomed into Holy Trinity parish church by the Mayor and Sheriff, a large turnout of town councillors and the Freemen of Berwick in their robes – plus, of course, the vicar of Berwick, Canon Alan Hughes whose forebears have reason to be very grateful to the regiment.
The Guards actually built the parish church in 1650 from the stones of the 13th Century castle of Edward I.
The Coldstream Guards were granted the Freedom of Berwick in 2000, when their colours were laid up above the memorial to Colonel George Fenwick, who founded both church and regiment.
At the church, prayers for a safe journey were offered, the National Anthem was sung, and The Coldstream processed out to their Regimental Quick March, 'Milanollo', before continuing their journey south.
Canon Hughes, himself a former ‘Coldstreamer’, apologised for the historical accuracy of the weather, but told the marchers: “Having seen you in action today, I am supremely confident in your physical and moral courage and that you will overcome all obstacles in your way.”
He added: “I was delighted that The Coldstream were granted the Freedom of Berwick in July of 2000 on the 350th anniversary of our formation, the 350th anniversary of the founding of Holy Trinity and the 340th anniversary of The Restoration of The Monarchy. With the Church restored I am doubly proud, which is why I make appeal to all members of The Coldstream and all who admire them, to help in any way they can to maintain what I believe to be the genesis Church of The Coldstream.
The march is in aid of the Army Benevolent Fund and you can follow their progress as well as donate to the fund by visiting www.justgiving.com/coldstreammarch.
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RNLI picture makes a splash
Berwick-upon-Tweed lifeboat station is England's most northerly and it is appropriate that the son of England's most northerly Vicar, Canon Alan Hughes, should be a volunteer member of the crew.
Solicitor Hugo Hughes is a partner in the Berwick Law Firm Adam Douglas and Son, and when his Dad, Canon Hughes, saw the lifeboat launching in five-metre waves, he rushed to the pier and took a series of photographs.
The Daily Telegraph was running a photo competition the following week, so Alan entered one of his shots – and won! Now the RNLI is asking for permission to use his photos for their publicity material and merchandising. Here is the winning picture – showing just how challenging the work of our lifeboat crews can be.
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Sponsor a pipe and save an organ
Berwick parish church has always been renowned as a venue for music and the arts – not least because it is endowed with a fine Harrison pipe organ, first installed in 1869 and moved in 1905 to its current purpose-built chamber by Harrison and Harrison themselves.
But the organ ceased to function in 1975, and two years later the cash-strapped congregation – against the advice of the diocesan organ adviser - hired an amateur to overhaul the instrument, a move that was soon seen as a mistake. In 2000 the Harrison was abandoned and an electronic organ took its place.
In 2007, with the support of the Berwick parish church trust and a donation of £10,000 from a parishioner, the PCC launched a campaign to restore the Harrison organ. The target is £160,000 and, in 2008 we set to work. We trawled our congregation and local people first to prove their commitment to the project and then approached national and local charitable trusts - from whom we got a mixed response!
Because of the amateur restoration the organ is not eligible for English Heritage aid, and this weighed against us. In some cases it was evident that anything involving a church was a no-no. On the other hand some trusts were very generous and helped us greatly. The net result of our efforts to date is a total raised of £124,000, leaving £36,000 to go.
This sum is the target of an organ pipe sponsorship scheme. There are 1,957 pipes in the organ and we are seeking sponsorship at rates which vary with the size of the pipe. Prices range from £5 for small pipes to £100 for the front painted pipes. The average price per pipe is £20. We are preparing greetings cards which double as sponsorship forms and no doubt Link readers will find these tumbling through their letter boxes in due course. Please respond generously. Work is due to start this summer with contractors Principal Pipe Organs of York and it will take about nine months.
Berwick parish church has a well maintained website. Google us and find out all about us, including details of the organ project and the £500,000 we have raised and spent over the last 15 years to maintain this beautiful Cromwellian parish church. It is a truly holy space.
Wyndham Rogers-Coltman, OBE, chairman Berwick Parish Church Organ Restoration Appeal.
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Now a Christian
Church Army has recently launched an exciting and innovative new e-mail-based course. Now a Christian aims at helping new Christians as they begin their journey of faith.
The course involves a free daily e-mail for five weeks, with a link to an interactive website on the fourth day of each week.
Evangelist Neil Thomson, one of its creators, says: "Now a Christian helps new Christians explore the implications and understand the delights and complexities of what it is to follow Christ. The website backs this up with activities that allow the user to interact with fellow travellers on this journey."
Although there are many courses and resources for people who want to explore Christianity, Church Army has recognised there is little for those who have made an initial commitment, and are wondering what to do next.
The course deals with a number of issues, with subject headings including 'Giving God a chance' and 'Making the most of faith.'
The author, Peter Graystone, says: "I have tried to write about what new Christians really want to know (rather than what experienced Christians think they ought to be told). It helps you know what to do if you go to a church service and haven’t got a clue what they are going on about, and whether praying works, what communion is for and so on."
It is designed to encourage discussion as to what Christians can do as part of their discipleship, but also get to grips with why bad things happen in God's world.
Neil says: "The idea is to enable Christians to investigate the challenges they face, learn from others' struggles and opinions, and ask important questions without fear of embarrassment."
Now a Christian builds on the successful New to Christianity programme that Church Army ran for nine years, and is the latest of their online ministries. It recognises that not every new Christian is ready to join a group or undertake an Alpha course until they have explored a little more about their new faith for themselves, in a safe and non-threatening way.
Peter says: "We hope that Now a Christian will allow God to take hold of people's lives and make a practical difference. I want people to be glad to be alive because they are following Jesus - happier, more fulfilled people who can’t stop themselves telling others about it!" www.nowachristian.org
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Faith sharing, Fellowship, Food & Fun!
What do you do when your 50th Anniversary falls less than two weeks before Christmas? Well, you could keep things fairly low key, after all there are plenty of opportunities for celebration over the Christmas period. Perhaps you could have a faith meal and some entertainment on the Saturday and a special service to celebrate on the Sunday ? Or perhaps you could have an 'official birthday' like the Queen, and host celebrations at some other time of year, so as not to clash with the Advent and Christmas season?
Originally, when ST. Mary's, Fawdon, started to think about how we might like to celebrate our 50th we were very much aware of the other time pressures we'd have at this busy season - and were thinking along those lines - with perhaps a lantern festival thrown in too! Then, through the work of our Local Ministry Group, chatting to others, and thinking about our Sharing our Faith Action Plan, ideas started to ferment and take shape, and a plan formed to 'think big' rather than small about how we'd celebrate. We knew we wouldn't have the energy to put on a whole series of events and do a Christmas Fayre - so, just for one year, we decided not to have a Christmas Fayre, and to postpone our Christmas lunch out together too, if it made the other events 'do-able'.
The 50th Anniversary weekend became the main focus of a Sharing our Faith Action Plan as we devised ways to reach out to all ages in our community. Lots of hard work, preparation, planning, and prayer was put into the event with everyone in the congregation playing their part. And Ian Knox and Davey Falcus were invited to work alongside us.
During the week, the whole of the local primary school came to church for a painting competition. We invited them to come up with a painted 'stain glass window' picture to celebrate our 50 years. We then sat down with juice and biscuits and sang 'Happy Birthday' to St Mary's. On Friday December 11 we served afternoon tea to 30 more mature members of our community which was followed by a short talk by Ian Knox which folk responded to very positively. A few hours later and we were back in church serving pizza, wedges and dips and donuts to 35 local teenagers from the Fawdon estates who sat mesmerised listening to former local gangster, drug dealer and user Davey Falcus talk about how his life has changed since he became a Christian. It takes something special to hold youngsters attention these days! Many stayed back afterwards to ask more questions of Davey and of Ian - and to be prayed for. It's definitely made them think.
Then on Saturday we opened the doors for a free coffee morning, with opportunities to browse through local history displays and the church registers. That same evening we served a three-course meal to 38 people from the local community who then enjoyed a short a talk by Ian Knox.
On the Sunday morning local people, local dignitaries and past clergy of the parish, joined our congregation in a lively service of celebration led by Bishop Martin. This was followed by a delicious buffet lunch.
The whole weekend had a real buzz about it - folk in and out of the church talked about it for days and days afterwards. Still on a high, but feeling exhausted, it was the icing on the cake to be able to read out a lovely 'thank you and well done' letter from Bishop Martin to the congregation the following Sunday. It's always good to feel appreciated! It was hard work, and in some ways it felt risky, but the outcome has encouraged us to be a bit bolder about our outreach and to try new things.
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New Parish magazine launches
Parish magazines don’t often make headlines in the local press, let alone the national Sunday papers - unless, of course, they’re reporting something they really should have kept quiet about! But the editor of St John’s parish magazine in Healey, Northumberland, has whetted the appetites of arts editors with his publication The Hotspur, which calls itself a parish mag but is really a rather different animal.
Jamie Warde-Aldam, pictured left, is the editor who decided he’d have something rather more exciting than notices about the flowers and the cleaning rota in his parish magazine, thereby sending the Independent on Sunday and The Journal rushing to his door.
And over the past couple of years, a number of local writers, artists, photographers and poets have contributed to The Hotspur. They include Bill Feaver, who wrote the book which inspired the play The Pitmen Painters, the illustrator Georgina McBain and artists Simon Cutts, Leo Fitzmaurice, Catherine Bertola and Cornelia Hesse-Honegger.
Every issue of the magazine has a theme chosen by the editor including marriage, food and drink, gardens, or forgotten books, and often a short story. And now Jamie has brought out a book featuring stories from The Hotspur. It’s called “Lady Baby Gypsy Queen Elephant Monkey Tangerine”, it costs £9.99 and it can be found in book shops in Corbridge and Hexham, and via thehotspur@googlemail.com
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St. John’s celebrates its rejuvenation
St. John the Baptist Church Ulgham is celebrating the completion of a major renovation programme which it is hoped will bring new life to the church in an expanding community. The church, the third on the site, dates back to Saxon times with the present building being completed in the mid 1800s, and it serves the communities of Ulgham, Widdrington Station and Stobswood.
Although considerable work has been undertaken in the last 25 years, it was always known that the floor and pews were threatened with rot and woodworm. Eventually these fears became a reality and the PCC agreed that a major project had to be undertaken.
Fortunately pews were on offer at All Saints Church, Darlington, where major work was also being done, and after careful renovation by members of the congregations, the pews look like new. Chairs were also bought to give more flexibility in the north aisle. Now that the work has been completed through the efforts of the main contractor, John Gregory & Son of Rothbury, the congregation and friends are to hold a Service of Celebration.
The Vicar, the Rev. Helen Barton says: “When I came to the parish I recognised the enthusiasm and eagerness of the congregation and the love they had for the church. They soon pointed out the potential problems and after professional advice we decided there was only one option…Let’s do it! Some funds were available and with further support from the Stobswood Community Benefit Programme we were able to go ahead.”
Worship continued in the W.I Hall during the autumn and the contract was completed in time for Christmas to be celebrated in a completely rejuvenated church. Helen adds: “It was wonderful to return to the church in time for Christmas and we are now having a Service of Celebration and Thanksgiving with the Archdeacon of Lindisfarne, Peter Robinson, preaching. Our guests will include representatives of local parish councils, the contractors, UK Coal, and those who have worked to fulfil the needs of our project. Hopefully our restored church will flourish for many more year and will become even more of a focal point within our community.”
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Ales in Advent
More than 100 people turned up to sup and sing at the latest “beer and hymns” event held by All Saints, Gosforth, in the run-up to Christmas.
The plan for “Ales in Advent” followed the success of a similar event last April, and as Chantal Noppen, youth worker at All Saints who gleaned the beer-and-hymns idea from a Greenbelt festival, says: “We had too much fun for it just to be a one-off!”
A budget was set for fairy lights, sketches were commissioned and musicians were coaxed on board, including one trumpet player who assured Chantal that he wasn't very good, that in fact his trumpet hadn't been out of its case in 10 years or more. She assured him that it would be all right on the night – and so it proved!
Compère for the evening was Dave Elkington who introduced the carols and various guests. Brother Desmond Alban from Alnmouth Friary took to the stage and spoke about Christmas in days gone by and the audience listened in to a session between a shepherd and his psychiatrist after his unnerving encounter with some angels.
As might be expected, the singing was hearty and spirits were high. From well known classics like 'Silent Night', 'O come all ye faithful' and 'God rest you merry gentlemen' to more unusual ones like 'Gaudete' and the 'Somerset Wassail' song, those present raised the rafters. A few non-advent/ Christmas numbers also crept in and were sung with equal gusto and the band, made up of five brass musicians, a drummer and a pianist, played on with soloists leading some of the numbers.
'Bar Nabus' was well stocked with real ale, courtesy of the Big Lamp Brewery, and the Prince Bishop brew was quaffed within the first hour. But there was still plenty of choice with Summerhill Stout, Northern Star and Big Lamp Bitter on offer. For the lighter palate there was wine, cider and soft drinks – all of which proved popular.
The invitation to don festive dress had also been taken up by some with a few fluffy haloes, wings and even an elf in evidence! All in all it was a great night and the perfect way to kick off the countdown to Christmas. Missed it this time? We'll be doing it again so get it in your diaries this time: Beer and Hymns, April 24. Hope to see you there!
For more info or to be added to our mailing list contact
beerandhymnsgosforth@googlemail.com
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Bothal Christingle Activity Afternoon
Children and parents from Pegswood County First School took part in the annual Christingle Activity Afternoon at St. Andrew’s Church, Bothal just before Christmas.
The event was staffed by volunteers from the church community who helped the children prepare for Christmas. They decorated their own Christmas cards and learnt one or two new carols, including a Christingle Song that goes to the familiar tune of “Sing Hosanna”. Another activity saw the children painting a large silk banner which depicted The Nativity, designed by local artist Rachel Martin who supervised the children while they worked away in groups painting different parts of the story. The banner was supplied by the Pegswood Community Project and it has since been presented to Pegswood First School.
A third activity involved the children making their own Christingles, fitting together the orange, candle, red ribbon, fruits and sweets while listening to a story about the origins of the Christingle in 18th Century Germany, and an explanation of how the candle in the orange symbolises Christ the world’s true light. A carol service which included contributions from some of the children rounded off the afternoon and the lighting of the Christingles in the gathering darkness of Bothal’s ancient walls, accompanied by carols, created an atmosphere full of mystery which the children will not quickly forget. A parent remarked afterwards that amidst all the parties, presents, Santa Claus and jingle bells, the Christingle afternoon was a timely and lovely reminder for everyone of what Christmas is really all about.
St. Andrew’s Bothal congregation wish to thank both Sandra Doore, Development Officer for Children’s Work, and Canon Dave Elkington, Bishop’s Adviser for Local Evangelism, for encouragement and financial support.
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Pioneering school harnesses the power of wind and sun
Whitfield Church of England First Aided School has taken a further step towards becoming Northumberland’s first carbon zero school, following installation of a raft of renewable energy measures. The measures, which form part of an ambitious £450,000 programme of refurbishment and extension, are expected to slice the school’s running costs and save more than 14 tonnes in carbon emissions each and every year.
The school’s new wind turbine and photovoltaic panels will collectively generate more than ten megawatts of electricity per annum. Power generated on the site will then be used as efficiently as possible, thanks to a ground source heat pump capable of converting every unit of electricity into three or four units of useable heat. Any surplus energy will be exported back into the national grid.
The scheme also includes improved use of natural lighting and levels of thermal insulation far exceeding the already stringent standards set by current building regulations. Non-toxic, recycled and locally sources materials are being used throughout.
The measures are being funded by the Government’s Low Carbon Buildings Programme and the Big Lottery’s Community Sustainable Energy Programme. Building and refurbishment work is being funded by the LCVAP (Local Education Authority Coordinated Voluntary Aid Programme), administered by the Diocese of Newcastle.
Eileen Bell, representing the Diocese said: “We are delighted to be associated with this forward thinking project which will not only improve the long-term financial viability of a much-loved rural village school, but will also deliver tangible environmental and educational benefits. We hope this scheme will provide a model of best practice, trying out ideas which can be easily replicated elsewhere’. The work will be complete by Easter 2010.
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Christmas Tree Festival
St. Peter’s Church, Monkseaton held a Christmas Tree Festival in early December together with a Craft Fayre in the Crosskeys Community Hall. The money raised was divided between St. Peter’s Crosskeys Project and North Tyneside Hospital Children’s Ward.
Our picture shows a Christmas Tree submitted by Whitley Bay High School Christian Union themed “Christmas Down Under” - you may notice the tree is upside down and beautifully decorated. Very original!
Others who contributed to the Festival were: Southridge First School, Monkseaton High Class 9EJP,Woodlawn School, Appletree Gardens First School, Langley Avenue First School, Monday Pebbles Group, Mike Knighton Trust , St. Peter’s Sunday School, St. Peter’s Guides, St. Peter’s Rainbows, St. Peter’s Scout Group, St. Peter’s Players, St. Peter’s Church Choir, St. Peter’s Mothers’ Union, St. Peter’s Women’s Fellowship, St. Peter’s Evening Mothers’ Union, and Bygate Women’s Institute.
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In the swim for Lent
What are you giving up for Lent this year ? Church Army Sister Val Legg, pictured left, who is the West Deanery’s evangelist, likes to put it another way: “What are you taking up for Lent this year ?”
Val herself has committed to swimming the equivalent of a marathon at her local pool in Fenham during Lent, a stint that will see her swimming some 60 lengths a day, five days a week, for the month of March.
She’s doing it in aid of local projects in the West Deanery – Cornerstone, the Good neighbour project on Pendower estate, and the Time for You project at St. Margaret’s in Scotswood. “I thought a lot about Lent and the tradition of giving something up,” Val says. “I decided that I wanted to take something up instead, a new challenge. Although I suppose you could say that I’m giving up having a lie-in in on my days off!”
Val is a seasoned swimmer already and regularly swims 40 or 50 lengths four times a week. She also attends a coached master class each week. But the Lent challenge will require her to turn up every day and swim just a little further than her usual stint. She has calculated that there are 46,145 yards to be covered in a road marathon – which translates as 1,846 lengths of the pool.
“I’ve swum most of my life, but only when I felt like it!” she says. “I started going regularly about five years ago, beginning with ten lengths at a time and lots of rests in between . My fitness has definitely improved since then.”
She believes that an hour a day for five days week should be enough to complete her swim marathon, and she plans to start her day half an hour earlier to fit it all the lengths. “The staff at the pool are going to sign me in and sign me off,” she says, “So there will be an official record that I’ve actually done it!”
And when she climbs out of the pool each day ? “I’ll be going home for my porridge and toast,” Val says. We think she may need it!
If you’d like to sponsor Val on her marathon swim and support the West Deanery projects, contact her at valdlegg@yahoo.co.uk
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Discovering Connections
During my recent visit to Australia to see my daughter Helen, I visited Newcastle in New South Wales - a small city which is only 150 years old. It has a quayside and a sea front peninsular which reminded me of Cullercoats and Tynemouth.
The city exists by Royal Charter in appreciation for its important contribution as an industrial centre for the Australian effort during WW2.
I visited Christ Church Cathedral which is at the top of 'The Hill' and overlooks the city giving good views. The original church was built by convicts to provide daily worship for the settlers, and was consecrated as a cathedral in 1850. It has since been refurbished and restored following an earthquake in 1989. On looking round I discovered kneelers depicting scenes from here in the North-east, and in my picture my daughter Helen is holding up a kneeler depicting St. Nicholas Cathedral.
As Lord Mayor’s chaplain to councillor Mike Cookson, I had taken with me a letter of introduction to the Lord Mayor of Newcastle N.S.W. I was invited to afternoon tea where the mayor John Tate produced a bottle of Newcastle Brown Ale and a picture of the Millennium Bridge! John was pleased to meet with me to discuss our connections because he believes it important for his people to appreciate their history and how their city came into being. They are the largest exporters of coal in the world and when the mines were first started it was with a work force that had come from the Northeast of England.
John had visited our city for the Graingertown Conference held at the Old Assembly Rooms - where he was amused to find a building older than their city. I was equally amused to find suburbs named Wallsend, Jesmond and Wickham. And just like here, Morpeth lies to the north of Newcastle.
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Youthwork the Conference inspires Christian youth leaders from across the nation
Youthwork the Conference has now been running annually since 2003, aimed at inspiring and resourcing Christian youth leaders. It is organised by Spring Harvest in association with many other organisations such as Youth for Christ, Oasis, Soul Survivor and Youthwork Magazine. The 2009 conference was held in late-November in the Winter Gardens Conference Centre, Eastbourne – a great venue for a youthwork conference despite being something of a retirement town!
Nine delegates from Anglican and Baptist churches on Tyneside hired a minibus for the long trip to Eastbourne, joining over a thousand others from across the country. The 2009 conference took the theme of being transformed by the Word of God and kicked off on the Friday evening with some awesome musical worship followed with a session led by Pete Greig from the 24:7 Prayer Network. Aileen Innes from Heaton Baptist Church commented afterwards that “it would have been worth coming all this way for tonight alone”!
The conference is a mix of main speakers, musical worship, seminars, after-hours sessions and exhibition area, all geared up to refresh, resource and re-energise delegates in taking the love of God to the young people of our country. Main speakers in 2009 included Andy Hawthorne, Mike Pilavachi, Ruth Valerio and Jim Wallis. Seminars covered a vast range of topics such as reaching unchurched young people, rural youth ministry, social justice with young people and adolescent brain development!
Highlights for me included Andy Hawthorne’s passion for young people in the poorest neighbourhoods and Mike Pliavachi’s encouragement to keep on persevering and trusting God through life’s ups and downs.
It left me thinking about my own attitude towards success and failure and the Biblical principles of ‘losing to win’ and about persevering however difficult the external circumstances may be at any given point in time. Christian youth work may sometimes seem like a battle where the odds are stacked against us, but in the end we know we are on the winning side. “But thanks be to God. He gives us the victory through our Lord Jesus Christ” (1 Cor 15:57)
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Phillipa Hanna at St. Nicholas Cathedral
Bubbly British blonde singer/songwriter Philippa Hanna has quickly become part of the Christian music scene with her debut album 'Watching Me'. Philippa has received a big welcome in the industry with her first release topping the charts of independent online sellers cdbaby, and she's shared a stage with worship leader Chris Tomlin and Scottish mainstream indie artist Amy MacDonald.
Her new album ‘Taste’ was released in last June. Philippa will be performing a new stage show with her band, accompanied by a quality support act, at St Nicholas Cathedral on Friday March 12 at 7.30pm. During the evening she will share her story and speak about her trip to Haiti with the international charity ‘Compassion’.
Tickets £3.
Contact a.shipton@newcastle.anglican.org or phone 0191 270 4152
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New ‘taster’ theology course
‘Living theology today’ has been a great success in Durham diocese. This year there are 31 on it, including three from Newcastle Diocese. The time has come for Newcastle to do its own! What is special about Living Theology Today is its down-to-earth nature coupled with high quality input from specialists in their field. Also, a very gentle, human touch, relating what we learn to our everyday lives and our own hopes fears and longings. These emphases emanate from the course’s designer, Canon Dr Jim Francis, who, in Durham, has been its host and lead tutor.
North of ‘the river’ we are struggling to decide what to call it. It will be fairly different to the Durham version, though we aim to keep its distinctive flavour! The tutors will be different in almost all cases. It is being tailored with the north of Tyne context in mind! Essentially it is Living Theology Today - but a new, north of Tyne version!
What sort of people will it be for? For those wanting to explore theology without commitment to a long academic process; for people looking for something with an element of challenge for after the Faith and Life course (not a direct sequel to ‘Faith and Life’, though); for those wanting something less interactive and more subject-based, which a few might prefer to Faith and Life; for those wanting to explore the faith in depth with head and heart: for people who have already been on a nurture course in their home church and may /may not have done Faith and Life: for any adults young , old, or in between who wish to reflect on how the various parts of their faith and tradition fit together.
The course will explore: Christian worship – why do we do it the way we do, and it will ask ‘what about main milestones like Baptism?’ It will also cover Mission and Evangelism in our local national and global setting, approaches to interpreting the Bible, Christian Spirituality down the ages, and now in our own lives, and quite a bit more!
We are planning for eight Tuesday evenings in Autumn 2010, eight in Spring 2011, six in Summer 2011 and a retreat at Shepherd’s Dene ( a full part of the course) 4-6th June 2011. (most sessions at Percy Main, but possibly further north or west depending on where interested people are from!) It would be great to have as soon as possible the names of any who might be interested. Please contact Gloria Cadman gcadman@sky.com or 01912846729.
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Science and Faith group meet
The Rev. Sue Wilson led the first Newcastle group in October and November. They considered miracles, creation and evolution, how Science and Faith relate, and science and ethics. This was a lively introduction to a range of science and faith issues-for the lay person. A fun experiment each week too. In the same period Stockton Deanery (Durham) held one at Long Newton. Out of a group of 16, 12 were men!
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The Big Read! A new approach the Bible reading?
Lent for Everyone – Luke.
The aims of this spring’s project are to encourage the personal reading of scripture, to foster a deeper understanding of Luke’s gospel – and therefore the Good News of Jesus, to allow people to grow in faith and Christian confidence, and to enrich our sense of what we have to learn from each other across traditional church boundaries.
This is the style of approach: to allow us to be transported into the stories Luke tells, and to relate them back to our everyday lives. So we could ask ourselves: What does Luke say to us in the countryside, or the inner city, or our estate, or as we travel the country, the world, or wherever we happen to be?’
The groups are not a formal study, but a conversation, and the conversation (over some nice coffee?) might run like this: ‘Well I really identify with that person in this story. As I put myself in their shoes, I can also sense God’s presence in things these days’. Another may reply: ‘I don’t find it quite so easy: or maybe I feel like one of the people in the story who is a bit annoyed with Jesus. Things don’t always work out smoothly. There are a lot of questions I would really rather like to ask God!’
In the Big Read groups there won’t usually be right or wrong answers: if the discussion goes well, participants will have taken in how others react to the passages. They will pick up something of how God figures in other people’s lives and in relation to Luke’s story. For all of us, we should find that the Big Read takes us further our experience and understanding.
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Conversations – an engaging way of studying the Bible
The Big Read is an idea that comes from the Bishop of Durham, but what about approaches to Bible study in our own Newcastle diocese? John Sadler writes about the 'Contextual Bible study' as followed at St Michael's Byker.
'Conversations' is the name given to an exciting new way of reading the Bible together in a group - developed in Glasgow and originally called Contextual Bible Study. And it's simply that - a conversation - based around a chosen passage from the Bible and some pre-prepared questions to help people think about the text! The idea is that a leader or small group chooses a passage - and in the case of the Big Read it would be a passage from St Luke's Gospel (not too long - a story or a portion of Jesus' teaching).
After this some questions are formed. They need to focus simply on the text itself – not trying to interpret it in any way but coming up with questions which help people just to look at the text as it is.
The chief thing is that these two or three questions simply help people to look at the text as it is. The aim is firstly to take people 'behind' the text. These questions try and help people to think about the context of the story or the teaching or the conversation in the text. Questions will need to focus on what has been happening before, what the social and political situation was, what it was like to grow up and live in that society, the stage in his ministry that Jesus had reached. Secondly, people are encouraged to look in front of the text. In other words, what has the text and all that's been talked about so far got to say to us today? What are the implications of the conversations, the identified feelings, the words spoken, on us as individuals and as the church in the 21st Century?
When the 'Conversations' group gathers there needs to be a leader who coordinates the gathering and asks the questions, and a scribe who writes the answers on the flipchart. The idea is for it to be a very involving and affirming way of bible study. There are no wrong answers and all the answers are recorded on flip chart paper so they can be referred back to (as well as written up afterwards, so people can have a record of where the group got to).
In many ways it might seem a very simplistic and non-academic way of doing bible study, but there is simply no telling where it will lead! It's entirely in the hands of the group and my experience has been that this way of bible study has led to some very exciting and inspiring outcomes - and the sense of ownership of these outcomes, because everyone has been involved, is considerable!
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Passion at Shepherd’s Dene
Shepherds Dene is offering a varied programme of courses and retreats over the next few months.
You’re invited to explore the prayer of passion and protest through songs from the world church. Musical ability is not required but enthusiasm for singing is essential. With The Revd Dilly Baker and Geoff Weaver from Friday February 19 until Sunday February 21.
If this doesn’t seem like you, why not chill out on one (or more) quiet days in Lent with introduction and guidance from The Revd Audrey McCartan (Tues February 23 ),The Revd Pamela Ingham (Wed March 3 ), The Revd Gill Henwood (Thurs March 11) and The Revd Canon Colin Gough ( Wed March 17) ?
You can also join the Shepherds Dene Holy Week programme Entering into the Passion with Bible study, worship and times of quiet, with a chance to review your spiritual journey led by The Revd Dr Nicholas Bradbury from Maundy Thursday, April 1, until Easter Day, April 4.
Or just book in for a day or two and give yourself “time to think, inspiration to grow” Visit www.shepherdsdene.co.uk or ring 01434 682 212 for details and bookings.
George Hepburn, Director, says: “For the first time in some years, you can stay at Shepherds Dene for Holy Week. Nicholas Bradbury leads a Holy Week programme from Maundy Thursday to Easter Day following the Passion story and giving the chance to review your own spiritual journey. There will be a Passover meal and an Easter bonfire, time to walk and reflect as well. He adds: “If you really can't pack your bags for a few days, join one of our quiet days during Lent.
The weekly days are led by local clergy with introductions and guidance and can be attended individually or as a group. We can normally find a quiet room for guests seeking time for reflection on other days as well. We also welcome guests on individual retreats, people who are seeking 'time to think and inspiration to grow' and our Chaplain, the Revd Gill Henwood, is available by arrangement to provide spiritual support. The offer is open to anyone needing to get away, and to families as well.”
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