Notices (September 2009)
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Comings and Goings
Appointments
The Revd. Canon Adrian Hughes, Rector of Cullercoats St. George, is also to be Area
Dean of Tynemouth Deanery.
The Revd. Brian Hurst, Vicar of Bamburgh and Area Dean of Bamburgh and Glendale Deanery, is also to be Acting Area Dean of Norham Deanery.
The Revd. Catherine Lack, Warden, Ferrar House, Little Gidding in the Diocese of Ely is
to be Anglican Chaplain to Newcastle University and Master of St. Thomas’.
The Revd. Stephen Herbert, Team Rector, Wythenshawe Team Ministry in the Diocese of Manchester, is to be Priest in Charge of St. Michael’s Byker and St. Martin’s Byker and Coordinator of MINE with responsibility for UMTP.
The Revd. Allan Marks, Vicar of Newcastle Holy Cross, is to be Priest in Charge of Christ Church w St. Ann Newcastle.
The Revd. Tony Cavanagh, TV of St. Hilda Marden and Cullercoats Billy Mill, is to be Halftime Priest in Charge of Shilbottle.
The Revd. Kirby Haye, OLM Delaval, is to be Priest in Charge of Marlborough in the United Benefice of Salcombe Marlborough w South Huish in the Diocese of Exeter.
The Revd. Mike Catling, Vicar of Whttingham & Edlingham w Bolton Chapel, is to be Rector of the parish of Wigmore Abbey in the Diocese of Hereford.
Retirements
The Revd. Canon Michael Nelson, Priest in Charge of Ovingham is to retire on October
31.
The Revd. Canon Robert Gage, Residentiary Canon of Newcastle Cathedral is to Retire on September 30.
The Revd. John Wylam Vicar of Chollerton w Birtley and Thockrington is to retire on
August 31.
Vacant Parishes
St. Augustin North Shields (NSM)
Chaplain amongst Deaf people (part-time)
Mitford (half time)
North Tyne and Redesdale Team (House for Duty in Bellingham)
Tweedmouth
Upper Coquetdale (House for Duty)
Gosforth St. Hugh
Norham
Chollerton w Birtley and Throckrington
St. Francis, High Heaton
Glendale Group
Expressions of interest for any of the above vacancies would be welcomed by the Bishop and Archdeacons.
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Ordinations
Among the candidates for ordination at St. Nicholas' cathedral at Petertide were a former policeman, a head teacher, and a retired GP. They formed part of a team of 13 new priests and deacons selected to serve the Church of England in the Newcastle diocese, and 12 were ordained at the Cathedral on Sunday morning while the remaining candidate for the priesthood – the Revd. Fiona Sample - was ordained at Hartburn parish church in the evening.
“They bring a wide variety of gifts and talents to their ministry,” says Canon Audrey Elkington, Director of Ordinands for the Diocese, “We in the diocese feel very blessed to have them.”
Among those becoming priests on Sunday morning were Luke O sbaldeston, a former policeman who is curate at St. Mark’s, Shiremoor, and Sue Joyner, head teacher of Harbottle Church of England First School, who is a non-stipendiary minister in Upper Coquetdale. Frances Dower, who was ordained deacon and recently retired from her job as a GP, will serve at Kirkwhelpington in Northumberland.
Sue Joyner says: “As a priest, my faith will become very public, but I won’t lose the human, personal aspect of it. I hope God and the Church can use my whole life to point out Christ in our world, and in the lives of individuals.”
Bishop Martin presided at both ordination services, and the preacher at the Cathedral service was Dr. Simon Jones, chaplain of Merton College, Oxford, who also led the preordination retreat.
Our picture shows the new priests and deacons on the lawn at Bishop’s House: Left to right (front row): Bishop Paul Richardson, Revd. Clare Van den Bos, Revd. Fiona Sample, Revd. Patricia Craighead, Revd. David Bowler, Dr. Simon Jones, preacher at the ordination service, Bishop Martin, Revd. Audrey Atkinson, Revd. Frances Dower, Revd. Allison Fenton, Revd. Sue Joyner. Back row: Revd. Rachel Cross, Revd. Tim Sanderson, Revd. Alan Maxwell, Revd. Alex Faludy, and Revd. Luke O sbaldeston.
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Obituaries
RIP : BARBARA STEWART, aged 92 years.
She had arrived as the full-time lady worker in Byker parish in 1949 and she continued to worship at St Michael’s until her death. In 1955 as Barbara Edwards she married Captain Norman Stewart of the Boys Brigade. It was very much a love affair and brought great joy to them until he died in 1965.
Barbara was a deep spiritual thinking person, she believed in service, and she was also responsive to needs and change. St Michael’s was her spiritual home and she remained in the fellowship there even when the church moved out of its 1862 parish church into a shop unit and numbers were going down. To her it was the spiritual life, the people gathered in Christ's name, that was important not the building or large congregations. She did not seek the office of priest.
Barbara continued to serve in Byker even though the large, active congregation faded away. The old self- supporting working class community of which the old parish church was very much a part was destroyed, and there was a new, ever-changing population. There were many social problems including drugs, violence, vandalism, boarded-up housing, and refugees and asylum seekers trying to find a new life. Some local officials saw Byker as a no-go area. Barbara did not see it like that but as a place to serve, not least serving those in need, often the marginalised and poor.
Barbara was responsive to the Lord and to the changes in the society. Serving with so many different vicars and their wives required flexibility, not always easy for a person with strong views. During her 60 years she saw the role of the church change in what had become an unbelieving society. Yet it still served, meeting needs in difficult areas even when it seemed the church had become like a remnant. Barbara was part of a sacrificial fellowship responding to Christ's invitation to serve wherever he called. She did not move from Byker, and the work was not always easy.
Saints come in many shapes and sizes, most are unknown and women are not least among them. They are not acknowledged in any imperial honours but are known and blessed by God.
Jim Elliot
RIP: Fr. Tom Emmett (1940 – 2009)
Tom Emmett was Newcastle born and bred and served his entire ministry in the diocese. He was raised and educated in Walker and from a young age was a dedicated member of St. Anthony’s where he met his wife, Jennifer, when he was an altar server and she was in the choir.
On leaving school Tom trained as a printer, a trade which gave him the chance to develop his keen eye for detail and precise arrangement that characterised much of his liturgical, pastoral and administrative ministry.
Although fond of his work Tom always felt a call to ordination and, having married Jennifer, went to train at Chichester for three years in 1967. Ordained in the Cathedral in 1970 Tom served curacies at Shiremoor and Haltwhistle and became Vicar of Christ Church, Shieldfield in 1975 and of the joint parish with St Ann in 1981. His time in the city was marked by a close devotion to the services of the church, the church school and to the pastoral needs of a part of the city that had experienced massive change in housing provision and consequent social alteration.
Tom moved to Bywell and Stocksfield in 1987 and assumed responsibility for Mickley some 10 years later. He cared lovingly for the churches in his charge and for the people, maintaining the mediaeval fabric at Bywell and greatly improving the facilities at Stocksfield. He also acted as an army padre to 201 Field Hospital, a ministry which he found stimulating and enjoyable.
Tom was loyal to the diocese, serving on the Finance and Parsonages Boards and for some 24 years on the Board of Education and its sub-committees.
A committed catholic, Anglican Tom was a priest whose life was rooted in the sacraments and order of the church and he found some recent changes in his beloved Church of England very distressing.
Sadly his last years were marked by increasing ill-health and his retirement was far too brief. Tom died in the Marie Curie Hospice where he spent his last weeks, devotedly cared for by Jennifer and their children Sarah and Matthew. To them and to all his family we send our sympathy and prayers. May he rest in peace and rise in glory.
Canon Peter Strange
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Notices
Contemplative Youth Work: Most Congregations want to see younger people in church, yet they are often anxious about relating to the younger generation. Now a study day tackles ways in which adults can accompany young people and be a listening presence to them , instead of thinking up programmes and activities for them to participate in. The day will consider the place of discernment, spiritual direction and contemplative prayer in youth work. Fiona Fidgin and Steve Mallon from the Mission and Discipleship Council of the Church of Scotland will lead the day on Saturday October 3 at St Antony’s Priory , Claypath, Durham ( 10-4pm with a light lunch provided mid day) . Cost £16 (Concessions £8) To book or for further details email durhamstant@aol.com or 0191 384 3747 or contact Andrew Shipton 0191 236 3788 or email Andrewshipton085@aol.com
Coffee anyone? On September 25 you can be part of this year’s World’s Biggest Coffee Morning and help improve the lives of those living with cancer. Get your friends, family or colleagues together to share coffee and cake. And don’t forget to donate because every cup counts. More details at macmillan.org.uk/coffee
Jazz date: Following the resounding success of the Jazz concert at St. Mary's, Stannington, last year with the River City Jazzmen, both parties have agreed to come together again on Saturday the September 26 at 7.30 pm for another session of traditional jazz. This will be a great evening of live music played by the North's premier jazz band and featuring some of the region’s finest jazz musicians. Tickets are available now from Ron Matthews on 01670789407 or Edna Beveridge on 01670 714626, priced £8 (tickets are also available at the door). The beer and wine bar which proved so popular last year will again feature.
Kneelers free to good home: 100 blue leatherette kneelers, size 17" x 9" x 2" (43cm x 23cm x 5cm), very good condition. Available from St Paul's Church, North Sunderland with Seahouses. Please phone Liz on 01665 720747 for further information.
Refreshing Worship — a day workshop on Worship and Mission : Friday September 25, Holy Trinity Jesmond (from 10.00 a.m. to 3.30p.m.) Andrew Maries leads a training day for clergy, readers and all who plan and prepare corporate worship, aimed to stimulate thinking and practice across the traditions and explore resources suited to a variety of local situations. Andrew comes with a broad and wide experience in worship and music, having been Director of music at St Michaelle-Belfry on York, a consultant for both the Music and Worship Foundation and the RSCM, and presently consultant for Music and Worship in Exeter Diocese. More details can be found on his Keynote Trust website: http://www.keynotetrust.org.uk/ This day is part of the Durham/Newcastle IME Year 4-7 programme but is very much open to all who are interested in developing worship. It is organised by Praxis North in conjunction with the Newcastle Diocesan Liturgical Task Group and Durham Liturgical Group. Cost: £10.00 (£8.00 to Praxis affiliates) Bookings: John Chamberlin, 45 Wansbeck Avenue, Cullercoats, North Shields, NE30 3DU, Tel:01912530022. Email: johnchamberlin@btinternet.com
Refreshing the Song: Thursday September 24, at St Andrew’s, Corbridge, at 7.00 p.m; Saturday September 26, at St George’s URC Church, Morpeth, at 9.30 a.m. Andrew Maries is also running two shorter workshops in conjunction with RSCM Northumbria asking how we can build a repertoire for worship which embraces variety, engages with those inside and outside the church and can be manageable, especially in places with limited resources? With Andrew’s experience of a wide range of music in very different settings everyone should benefit from these workshops. Cost £5.00. Further details and booking: Ann McGivern, 0191 266 5442,annpope@hotmail.com
Canon Sydney Connolly celebrates the 40th anniversary of his ordination to the priesthood on St. Michael's Day, Tuesday September 29, with a Eucharist at 7.30pm in Christ Church, Walker.
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