March 2016

Volume 52 No 611

The Parish Magazine of St Mary’s Sandbach

CHALLENGECHALLENGECHALLENGECHALLENGE

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March 2016 Sunday 6th March 8.00 am Holy Communion

4 Lent 10.00 am Morning Worship

Mothering Sunday 3.30 pm Holy Eucharist

Sunday 13th March 8.00 am Holy Communion

5 Lent 10.00 am Parish Eucharist

Passion Sunday 3.30 pm Evensong

HOLY WEEK HOLY WEEK HOLY WEEK HOLY WEEK

Sunday 20th March 8.00 am Holy Communion

Palm Sunday 10.00 am Procession of Palms

and Parish Eucharist

3.30 pm Evensong

Monday 21st March 7.30 pm Compline

Tuesday 22nd March 7.30 pm Compline

Wednesday 23rd March 11.00 am Holy Communion

Thursday 24th March

Maundy Thursday

7.30 pm Holy Eucharist

and Watch till

10.00 pm

Friday 25th March 9.00 am Mattins and Litany

Good Friday 1.00 pm Liturgy of the Day

2.00 pm Stations of the

Cross

(Cover Picture - Rudyard Lake)

Holy Eucharist, Parish Eucharist = Order 2 Common Worship

Holy Communion = Order 1 Book of Common Prayer

Saturday 26th March 6.30 pm Easter Vigil

Easter Eve

Sunday 27th March 2.00 am

BRITISH SUMMER TIME BEGINS - Add 1 hour

Easter Sunday 8.00 am Holy Communion

10.00 am Parish Eucharist

6.30 pm Evensong

Sunday 3rd April 8.00 am Holy Communion

2 Easter 10.00 am Morning Worship

6.30 pm Holy Eucharist

Sunday 27th March 6.00 am Sunrise Service at

the Saxon

Crosses

Every Wednesday 11.00 am Holy Communion

AdvertsAdvertsAdvertsAdverts

T he new round of advertisements are now on the cover. Please do

support these top quality local

businesses and organisations.

If anyone is still interested in placing an advert then please

contact me (details on the last page).

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H oly Saturday or Easter Eve and the Easter Vigil is the central and most important liturgy of the Christian year. The origins are in the Hebrew observation of the Passover. Jews annually recall the first Passover in which God delivered them from slavery at the hands of Pharaoh, by marking their doors with the blood of lambs thus allowing the angel of death to "pass over" their homes. It further reminds them of being safely led through the Red Sea. In this dramatic way the Church expresses liturgically the meaning of her Lord's Pasch, his Passover, his passing through the dark door of death to the resurrected state of new birth.

This pre-eminent and singular Liturgy is sadly poorly attended in this and many parishes. It is, however, the oldest Easter service of the Church, taking place in the darkness of Easter Eve. It may seem strange to some that our Lord's passage from death to life is celebrated at night. Yet the great acts of salvation in Scripture take place in darkness. It was out of darkness that God calls the universe into existence in his first act of creation. The angel of death passed over the houses of the children of Israel about midnight - and the people of Israel left Egypt by night.

In the New Testament, we remember that the birth of our Lord took place at night, and the announcement of the birth came to ‘shepherds out in the field, keeping watch over their flocks by night’.

The death of Jesus, took place in darkness. It should not surprise us that the gospel records imply that Jesus rose from the dead - passed over from death to life - at night. The women who went to the tomb that first Easter morning went "very early on the first day of the week...when the sun had risen." By that time, very early in the morning, they were told concerning Jesus, "He is risen, he is not here."

Thus, strangely, Easter Sunday is the celebration of the event that has already taken place; Easter Sunrise is the celebration of the empty tomb; but the Easter Vigil is our ritual participation in the event itself. All of Lent has been building up to this liturgy and in the Vigil of Easter we will ritually celebrate our passing over with Christ from death to life, from darkness to light.

When we have completed the great mysteries of Holy Week and Holy Saturday then we will triumphantly acclaim "Christ is risen from the dead - Alleluia”.

Thomas Shepherd Thomas Shepherd Thomas Shepherd Thomas Shepherd ---- VicarVicarVicarVicar

From the RegistersFrom the RegistersFrom the RegistersFrom the Registers

Funerals

January

27th Dianne Wilson (72)

28th Ella Whittington (90)

29th Herbert Gill (83)

February

9th Sybil Patience Bush (94)

Coffee RotaCoffee RotaCoffee RotaCoffee Rota MarchMarchMarchMarch 6th Joyce Griffith and Lynne Winfield

13th Eileen and Jim Thompson

20th Aileen Higgs and Margaret Parry

27th Stella Craven and Christine Hirst

AprilAprilAprilApril 3rd Marjorie Burgess and Renee Bickerton

H ello, many of you will now have seen me at St Marys for the past few weeks and hopefully I will have managed to speak

to most of you. I am on placement with Thomas for twelve weeks until Easter Sunday as part of my second years training for ordination to full time ministry. My training is part time which allows me to also be free to work part time at Springfield School in Crewe. I live in Crewe with my daughter Ellie who is nearly 15 after I was widowed when she was only 18 months old Having been born and brought up in Sandbach and christened at St Marys it really has been a joy to be able to come and worship and serve here and everyone has been so welcoming, and as Thomas says if I don't already know you I am probably related to you! My family is from Sandbach and my great grandfather Arthur Alcock was the verger at St Marys many years ago. The whole process of training for ministry is a long learning curve and I hope to learn as much as I can in my time with you as each experience teaches us something.

Looking forward to celebrating Easter with you! JayneJayneJayneJayne

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It's Fairtrade FortnightIt's Fairtrade FortnightIt's Fairtrade FortnightIt's Fairtrade Fortnight

Week beginning 28 February

Spend some time reflecting on the things that you buy.

Are there any fairtrade alternatives available?

God of Justice,

Help us to seek your will in our

everyday actions, from drinking tea

to buying bananas.

Open our eyes to the reality of our global economy,

and guide us in making it fair for all.

Amen.

Women's World Day Women's World Day Women's World Day Women's World Day of Prayerof Prayerof Prayerof Prayer

Friday 4th March

2.00 pm Sandbach Methodist Church

7-00 pm The Baptist Meeting Room (Oasis), Green Street.

This year's service has been put together by the women of

Cuba.

All are welcome to attend.

You will not have my hateYou will not have my hateYou will not have my hateYou will not have my hate

(This is a heart-rending piece from Antoine Leiris whose wife was

killed at the Bataclan concert hall during the atrocities in Paris.)

O n Friday night you stole the life of an exceptional being, the love of my life, the mother of my son, but you won't have my

hatred. I don't know who you are and I don't want to know - you

are dead souls. If this God for which you kill indiscriminately

made us in his own image, every bullet in the body of my wife will

have been a wound in his heart.

So no, I don't give you the gift of

hating you. You are asking for it

but responding to hatred with

anger would be giving in to the

same ignorance that made you

what you are. You want me to

be afraid, to view my fellow

countrymen with mistrust, to

sacrifice my freedom for

security.

You have lost. I saw her this

morning, after many nights and

days of waiting. She was just as

beautiful as when she left on Friday night, just as beautiful as

when I fell hopelessly in love over 12 years ago. Of course I'm

devastated with grief, I admit this small victory, but it will be

short-lived. I know she will accompany us every day and that we

will find ourselves in this paradise of free souls to which you'll

never have access. We are two, my son and I, but we are stronger

than all the armies of the world.

I don't have any more time to devote to you, I have to join Melvil

who is waking up from his nap. He is barely 17-months-old. He

will eat his meals as usual, and then we are going to play as

usual, and for his whole life this little boy will threaten you by

being happy and free. Because no, you will not have his hatred

either.

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What does that mean?What does that mean?What does that mean?What does that mean?

Unfrock - to deprive a clergyman of his Orders for a grave offence.

Unregenerated - a theological term referring to the natural, sinful state of man; without having been regenerated or born-again.

Venerable - the title given for an archdeacon.

Verger - one who bears a rod (Latin virga). A person who carries a staff as a symbol of office before a dignitary. In general usage it refers to an official caretaker of a place of worship.

Vespers - the canonical office for sunset.

Vestment - an ecclesiastical garment. The vestments at the Holy Eucharist are the alb, girdle, stole and chasuble.

Tickets: Adults: £8.50

Snr Citizens/Concessions: £7.00

School Children: £3.00

Family Ticket : £20.00

Doors Open 6:30 pm

Wed 30th MarchWed 30th MarchWed 30th MarchWed 30th March

Gary Woolf Trio (flute, violin and piano)Gary Woolf Trio (flute, violin and piano)Gary Woolf Trio (flute, violin and piano)Gary Woolf Trio (flute, violin and piano)

and spotlight concert with local young musicians

www.sandbachwww.sandbachwww.sandbachwww.sandbach----concertconcertconcertconcert----series.co.ukseries.co.ukseries.co.ukseries.co.uk

All concerts at 7pm in St Mary's Church Hall

Tickets available from: on-line, Demeters Wholefoods (12 Welles

St), Bramwells Opticians (4 Hightown) or on the door.

T o celebrate the Queen’s 90th birthday, Bible Society has joined forces with HOPE and the London Institute for Contemporary Christianity (LICC) to publish a book about the Queen’s Christian faith. The Servant Queen explores and celebrates the place of Her Majesty’s Christian faith in the context of her formal role, public ceremony, her personal and family life, in times of celebration and in the face of adversity. The Queen herself, who is Bible Society’s Patron, has provided the foreword for the book.

R ob Bell has joined a bid to ‘reclaim the Bible in the season of Lent’ with the launch of the #30SecondBible campaign.

Thirty Seconds or Less claims to be the ‘world's shortest podcast and YouTube channel’ and has launched a new initiative in an attempt to ‘help people connect and engage with the whole Bible, especially the parts we are prone to avoid’.

J ustin Bieber: ‘Without God I wouldn't be in this

position’ The 21-year-old pop star has been promoting his album, Purpose, in an interview with the Radio Times. In it he explained how the album title came from finding motivation again in his life, which he also credits to re-focusing on his belief in God.

R epublican presidential candidate, Donald Trump, has given an uncharacteristically, conciliatory response to the Pope’s

criticism of his call to toughen the border with Mexico. Pope Francis said: ‘A person, who thinks only about building walls... and not of building bridges, is not Christian’. This provoked a strong response from the businessman. Hours later, however, Trump said: ‘I have a lot of respect for the Pope. He has a lot of personality and I think he's doing a very good job’.

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Quiz NightQuiz NightQuiz NightQuiz Night

T hank you to all who attended our Quiz Night with Fish and Chip Supper on the 6th of February. Apologies for the late arrival of the fish and chips but then 97 portions does take time to make and when they did arrive everybody said how much they enjoyed them.

It is proving to be very popular as we could not accommodate all those who wanted to attend.

I hope those who did attend enjoyed the evening. We raised the grand total of £453.85. Thanks must go to our quizmaster David as I know how many hours it takes to research questions and to the ladies who worked so hard in the kitchen.

Sandbach Voices Sandbach Voices Sandbach Voices Sandbach Voices ConcertConcertConcertConcert

Saturday 12th March

Sandbach Town Hall. - 7.30 pm

Sandbach Voices present an evening of traditional folk songs, 'Spring

Thyme'

Tickets £12 and £10 concessions. Accompanied children under 16 free

Tickets available from the Sandbach Town Hall or choir members

The Search for HappinessThe Search for HappinessThe Search for HappinessThe Search for Happiness

Happiness is something we create in our mind,

Not something we search for and so seldom find.

It’s just waking up and beginning the day ...

By counting our blessings and wanting to pray.

It’s giving up thoughts that breed discontent

And accepting what comes as a gift heaven-sent.

It’s giving up wishing for things we have not

And making the best of whatever we’ve got.

You need to get out moreYou need to get out moreYou need to get out moreYou need to get out more

O ne in five of us no longer takes any walks lasting longer than 20 minutes – and that includes 18 per cent of our children

and teenagers. All together, we are taking significantly fewer

journeys by foot, car and bicycle. But the steepest decline is in

simply walking - we are taking a full third fewer journeys by foot

than we did 18 years ago. We commute less, shop less, drive less,

and visit friends less than we did in 1995.

The Campaign for Better Transport said that the changes in our

travel patterns have been ‘profound’. “People are more isolated

and cut off from the world. This has profound implications for

town centre policy and health. It is a sad state of affairs, and will

only add to problems around obesity.

“Our local shopping streets are disappearing, as more people go

online. People are travelling further: instead of walking to their

local high street or parade of shops, they are driving to a

supermarket for a big shop. It is driving up obesity, ill health and

exacerbating climate change and pollution.” The Department for

Transport carried out the survey.

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St Mary’s Social CommitteeSt Mary’s Social CommitteeSt Mary’s Social CommitteeSt Mary’s Social Committee

Beetle Drive Saturday 14th May

With cheese and wine

Summer Lunch Sunday 19th June

Pudding evening With music. September

Big Breakfast Saturday 15th October

Autumn Fair Saturday 5th November

Christmas Lunch Sunday 4th December

Come along and bring your friends to these

events.

Tickets will be advertised in the magazine and

on the pew sheets.

From the ArchivesFrom the ArchivesFrom the ArchivesFrom the Archives

T his month we are in Welles Street and just past the entrance to Bold Street. In the top picture we see a building converted

into flats, however, this used to be the COOP. This corner between Bold Street and Wells Street was original known as Garden field and in June 1878 saw the COOP open for business. Butchery was added to the lines of trade in 1907 and in the bottom picture we see this part of the store on its first day.

Stephen MinshullStephen MinshullStephen MinshullStephen Minshull

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Sandbach Premiere… ‘The Jerseys’ Sandbach Premiere… ‘The Jerseys’ Sandbach Premiere… ‘The Jerseys’ Sandbach Premiere… ‘The Jerseys’

On Saturday 17th March Sandbach Town Hall will play host to ‘The Jerseys’- a fantastic live tribute to

‘Frankie Valli & The Four Seasons’ and the smash hit musical 'The Jersey Boys'

The show features top quality lead vocals and harmonies, choreographed dance routines and a show that features all the great Jersey Boy hits including Beggin`, Big Girls Don`t Cry, Sherry, Who Loves You, Rag Doll and many

more.

This band is completely professional with quality PA system.

These guys will be covering all the great hits and a massive Motown selection as well. Highly recommended, a fabulous show

and you will certainly leave thinking, “Oh, What a Nite!!”

Doors open at 7.15pm and starts at 8pm

Tickets for each of these are £10 and are on sale online at www.sandbach.gov.uk/buy or from the Sandbach Literary Institution, Sandbach Town Hall and Demeter Wholefoods.

Annual Vestry MeetingAnnual Vestry MeetingAnnual Vestry MeetingAnnual Vestry Meeting

T he Annual Vestry Meeting, to elect new churchwardens for the year 2016-2017, will be held in church at the end of the

Parish Eucharist on Sunday 13th March at 11.00am. This

meeting is open to anyone in the parish.

The Annual Parochial Meeting will follow immediately

afterwards. Only those on the Electoral Roll are entitled to vote at

that meeting, This year there will be the elections of four new

PCC lay representatives, election of deanery representatives, the

co-option of a Treasurer, the election of sidemen and the

presentation of Safeguarding Policy and the audited financial

accounts. If anyone feels able to serve on the PCC please speak

to the vicar or the churchwardens.

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Will you be walking or Will you be walking or Will you be walking or Will you be walking or

shopping?shopping?shopping?shopping?

(Thanks to Deidre Morris for this

reflection on Good Friday)

G ood Friday has always meant going to what was,

in the old days, "The Three Hour

Service". To a young child in a

packed church, often with no

seat available, it seemed

interminable and yet it was

such a part of our Lenten

observance that we would miss

it on pain of

severe

retribution

(whether from

God or

our parents was

never made

clear). In more

recent times, I became aware of

the walk in our local town

around mid-day on a Good

Friday. That was fine by me as

long as I didn't have to get

involved. I felt a little

uncomfortable about walking

round the town following a chap

carrying a large wooden

Cross. Eventually, though, I

found myself joining in and not

only was it not embarrassing, it

was quite uplifting. It was a way

of joining Christians from other

denominations in making a

public statement about our

faith. In this day and age when

everyone is busy running

around, there is something very

moving about a crowd of people

walking slowly in silence around

the town, stopping a few times

and gently saying a few prayers

to remember the whole meaning

of the Crucifixion.

Last year about seventy

people gathered together and

members from each

denomination took it in turns to

carry the

Cross

between

seven pre-

arranged

stations and

each

denomination

took a turn to lead the readings

and prayers. It is a lot easier to

slip into church for a service

than to walk around the streets

in silence and then pray in the

open air, but in some ways it

feels closer to the reality of Good

Friday than any other

experience. Afterwards we were

invited to a cup of coffee and

perhaps a hot cross bun as a

way of cementing further

friendships amongst fellow

Christians. This brings to mind

Never lose hope, you never know what tomorrow

may bring

Out Reach Out Reach Out Reach Out Reach ---- NeighboursNeighboursNeighboursNeighbours

T he charity we have chosen to support through March is Neighbours. This is a

charity based locally in Haslington which has

been in operation for over 30 years. Their

main aim is to help the less mobile and elderly

residents of Haslington and Winterley with

support through a local volunteer to become more involved with

the community and thereby avoiding possible isolation. Events

and trips are organized throughout the year with some of their

expenses being required for specialist coaches with side lift

facilities for wheelchairs. Special activities and help are also

arranged around Christmas.

Your support for our selected charities is always appreciated. If

you have any charity you would like to recommend please contact

Brian Day (Tel. No 763716).

the gathering of beleaguered

Christians in the early church

and possibly in parts of the

world today.

Gathering outside the

supermarket as everyone is

scurrying in with their trolleys

is a quite odd experience. If you

meet a non church going friend

as I did, do you admit that you

are just about to join the crowd,

standing with all the clergy and

the big Cross, or do you pretend

you are just popping into the

shop too? It can be a test of

faith if nothing else. There is

something rather special about

affirming one’s commitment to

Christ in front of the world and

in the company of our fellow

Christians. It certainly helps to

highlight our similarities rather

than our differences which, in

itself is surely no bad thing.

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How well do you know the church?How well do you know the church?How well do you know the church?How well do you know the church?

W here are these steps? Answer next month.

L ast month we saw the clappers for the bells which were replaced in 2001.

The Bell Chamber itself houses a peal of eight bells. These were retuned, cleaned and rehung on a steel frame in 1938 in memory of Charles Frederick Poole by his widow, a tablet commemorating this event being fixed on the inside west wall of the tower arch-way. There has been a peal of bells in St Mary's since 1549. In that year, an itinerary of "Church Goods in Cheshire" returned that Sandbach had "one chales (chalice) and a ringe of iiii bells" - four bells which most certainly remained here until they were replaced by four of the present peal in 1719. The four replacements were numbered 2, 3, 4 and 5 and these were added to over the years to give our present set of 8:

1 (Treble) Cast by John Warner & Sons London

2 Thomas Welles, Vicar 1719

3 Thomas Brooke, Curate 1719

4 God Save the Church and King 1719

5 Abraham Rudhall Cast us All 1719

6 Cast by John Warner & Sons London 1868

7 Cast by John Warner & Sons London 1868

8 Alexandra Tate, Thomas Evans, Wardens 1782

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A n elderly vicar and his wife decided on an overseas holiday, but his wife was nervous as she had never flown before. The day arrived and as they entered the aeroplane, the pilot was standing beside the door welcoming the passengers.

The vicar’s wife said to him, “I've never flown, so I hope you will bring us down safely.”

The pilot replied, “I shall do what I can madam, but all I can say is that I've never left anyone up there yet!"

A vicar was out visiting and there was no response from one house, even though it was obvious that someone was inside.

He left his card with “Revelation 3.20” written on the back.

The following Sunday there was a note in the offering bag with “Genesis 3.10” written on it. (Over to you!)

S ome headlines in the daily papers are intentionally ambiguous, while others suffer from poor proofweadingere are

some we have spotted. Ed

Red tape holds up new Bridge

Something went wrong in jet crash, expert says

Police begin campaign to run down jaywalkers

Local secondary school drop-outs cut in half

War dims hope for Peace

It strike isn't settled quickly, it may last for some time

Schoolchildren make nutritious snacks

A ll you young Whipper-snappers will never know…..The satisfaction of slamming down a receiver on a rotary phone.

CHURCH OFFICIALSCHURCH OFFICIALSCHURCH OFFICIALSCHURCH OFFICIALS

Vicar The Revd. Thomas Shepherd 762379

vicar@sandbachchurch.co.uk

Churchwardens Sheenagh Ashworth 529187

Anne Birch 760778

Sacristan John Percival 765700

Verger June Ollier 766973

PAROCHIAL CHURCH COUNCIL (PCC) OFFICERS PAROCHIAL CHURCH COUNCIL (PCC) OFFICERS PAROCHIAL CHURCH COUNCIL (PCC) OFFICERS PAROCHIAL CHURCH COUNCIL (PCC) OFFICERS

PCC Secretary Mel Robinson 753821

Treasurer Roger Cooke 762118

Covenants/Gift Aid Aileen Higgs 760149

OTHER CONTACTS OTHER CONTACTS OTHER CONTACTS OTHER CONTACTS

Organist Kevin Birch kevinbirch@gmx.com 760778

Bells John Austin 764851

Mervyn Stubbs 762516

Church Flowers Sheenagh Ashworth 529187

Church Hall Sylvia Watkins 767386

hall@sandbachchurch.co.uk

BAPTISMS AND WEDDINGBAPTISMS AND WEDDINGBAPTISMS AND WEDDINGBAPTISMS AND WEDDINGSSSS

Please Contact The Vicar in Church on Sundays 2pm - 3pm (5pm to 6pm during BST) )to make the necessary arrangements.

Challenge is edited by John Bottomley. If you or your organisa-tion have reports of events that have already happened, progress updates of continuing projects, or any other items to be published in the magazine, please contact me by: tel: 01270 768744 e-mail: magazine@sandbachchurch.co.uk post: 15 Chartwell Park, Sandbach, CW11 4ZP

Articles must be received by Sunday 20th MarchSunday 20th MarchSunday 20th MarchSunday 20th March More information is also available on the web-site:

www.sandbachchurch.co.ukwww.sandbachchurch.co.ukwww.sandbachchurch.co.ukwww.sandbachchurch.co.uk