JOURNAL OF BLACKBURN DIOCESE : THE CHURCH OF ENGLAND IN LANCASHIRE

THE

See MAGAZINE

DECEMBER 2018

The See can also be found on the Diocesan Website: www.blackburn.anglican.org under News, or scan the ‘QR code’ on the back page

with your smartphone to be taken to the Diocese website page which contains the current and archive editions of The See.

A new ‘Centre for Christian Discipleship’ is to be created by 2020 on the site of Whalley Abbey – the Retreat Centre for The Church of England in Lancashire.

The new Centre will be based in the existing Retreat House (pictured right). It will sit at the heart of our ongoing ‘focus on discipleship’ across the Diocese as part of the ‘Making Disciples for Jesus Christ’ strand of our Vision 2026 Healthy Churches Transforming Communities.

The new Director of Discipleship for the Diocese, to be announced soon, will oversee the work to develop the new Centre.

The Bishops and Archdeacons wrote to all clergy across the Diocese this week informing them of the plans in more detail.

They wrote as follows ...

Dear Brothers and Sisters in Christ,

As part of our ongoing plans for Vision 2026 we are looking to secure the long-term future of Whalley Abbey by developing a Centre for Christian Discipleship based in the existing Retreat House.

Now, and in the coming years, we want to encourage better knowledge of the Bible; praying with greater depth and urgency for the Kingdom of God to come and giving more generously of our time, talents and money to the cause of Christ.

Put simply, we aim to equip church members to live confidently for Christ in the whole of their lives from Monday to Saturday, as well as Sunday, whether they are at work, with their family or living and working in the community.

The Centre for Christian Discipleship will include a small Christian community who will live in the Retreat House under a common rule of life, praying for the diocese and the world and sharing in the offering of hospitality to visitors.

A new post of Director of Discipleship, reporting to the Archdeacon of Blackburn, will be a key role in making it all happen, including the expansion of the Abbey’s existing Spirituality Programme of retreats, quiet days and discipleship training.

The Director will also lead our diocesan-wide ‘focus on discipleship’ over the next few years. The Abbey transformation will sit at the heart of this work. He or she will work alongside and support the existing staff of the Abbey who have been briefed on the plans.

Discipleship is

focus for Abbey

The Abbey Retreat House will host the new Centre for Christian Discipleship

New structures Diocesan Synod recently approved a re-alignment of the Diocesan structures to reflect the four key themes of Vision 2026, writes Dave Champness, Vision Coordinator.

Each of the teams has a Bishop or Archdeacon sponsor on the Bishop's Leadership Team as follows: Making Disciples - Archdeacon Mark Being Witnesses - Bishop Jill Growing Leaders - Bishop Philip

These teams replace the Parish Mission Sup-port and Discipleship and Ministry Depart-ments with Diocesan staff moving to the team that best reflects the purpose of their role.

Continued on back page

I wonder how many of you have ever been to an Escape Room?

It’s the latest craze.

Along with your team you get locked up behind a solid door and have to follow a clever set of clues through a series of further rooms before escaping; and it all has to be done within 60 minutes.

It’s meant to be fun. It isn’t! I found myself in an escape room a few days ago along with four members of my family. We were rubbish.

In fact, I can confidently say that we were the worst team ever. After an hour we hadn’t got out of the first room, let alone the subsequent two!

The problem was the red herrings. Into the room the cunning organisers had laid all sort of false clues and trails, and we got absorbed with them to the detriment of the clues that would have enabled our escape. We wasted our time with things that had no power to set us free.

That’s a mistake that countless people

make today. Human beings waste endless time with things that they think will set them free but which actually have no power to do so.

This Christmas, people will seek the freedom they yearn in non-stop getting and spending; in shopping trips and in food and drink. These things might offer them some transient happiness. But they can’t set anyone free.

If we want freedom, we need to look into the crib. For there a captive, timebound humanity meets up with the boundless liberty of God himself. And in that encounter, human life is transformed.

In Jesus, God shares our human life so that we might share in his divine life. God takes on our captive state so that we might know his freedom.

God makes himself a victim of human sin so that sin might reign no longer in our lives. God dies our death so that death might lose its hold on us for ever.

And what do we need to do to share in

that work of liberation? It’s simple. We name Jesus as Lord. We acknowledge the child of Bethlehem as God and offer our lives to him in penitence and faith.

So this Christmas, ignore the red herrings. Keep your eyes fixed on what matters. With the wise men and the shepherds, gaze upon the Christ-child and worship him, the God who sets us free.

Bishop Philip

Ignore the red

herrings and

focus on Christ

NEWS

Weekly@, the free lectionary-based resource for Sunday Groups created by the Board of Education, has turned five years old.

From humble beginnings it has grown into a substantial resource providing EVERYTHING a church leader would need to plan their weekly group activities.

Bishop Philip loves the resource. He said:

“Weekly@ is the most amazing resource for anyone who ministers to children. Packed with imaginative ideas and tips, aimed at churches of all traditions and now enhanced by learning points for leaders, it is an accessible and easy to use feast of Gospel teaching.”

Download a whole term of Weekly@ (or download one at a time) by visiting the Diocesan Board of Education website www.bdeducation.org.uk/children/childrens-resources/weekly

On the same website, under the Youth section,

you will also find a whole host of fabulous ‘Pick n Mix’ resources themed about key events across the year, and for youth leaders to use with their young people in parishes.

Ben Green, Diocesan Youth Adviser, said: "Next up, we will be encouraging people to engage with our Christmas Pick n Mix, which is already available on the same website page as all the other online resource packs."

Gospel teaching for the young

There are several key initiatives to look forward to in the coming months as part of our ongoing focus on discipleship …

The launch and promotion of Bishop Julian’s Bible Challenge, beginning in spring 2019

Continuing engagement with the annual ‘Thy Kingdom Come’ prayer initiative, which is led nationally by the Archbishops of Canterbury and York

‘Pathways to Prayer’ workshops around the County offering guidance on, and the opportunity to experience, various styles of prayer

Clergy Study Days, in early 2019, on the theme of stewardship are also designed to help us teach whole-life discipleship.

The clergy study days take place over five days during January and February (all run from 9am – 2pm) Thursday 10th January 2019 at Whalley

Abbey, BB7 9SS Thursday 31st January 2019 at the Hallmark

Hotel, Leyland, PR25 4JX Wednesday 6th February 2019 at Ribby Hall

Village, Blackpool Saturday 16th February 2019 at Whalley

Abbey, BB7 9SS Monday 25th February 2019 at Lancaster

Holiday Inn, LA1 3RA

The booking links to Eventbrite for the Clergy Study Days are all on the Diocesan website, but if you need help in booking, please contact Siobhan Trickett, Administrator of the Making Disciples Team on siobhan.trickett @blackburn. anglican.org 01254 503272

Meanwhile, our focus on discipleship will also link with the Church of England’s work on ‘Setting God’s People Free’, which is about equipping church members to live out their faith confidently in daily life.

Keep reading The See; visiting www.blackburn. anglican.org and catching up with our email news bulletin ‘Communications Update’ for the latest news on all the above events and more to do with our Focus on Discipleship.

Discipleship was also one of the themes explored at the Diocesan Conference, entitled 'The Mystery of Faith', which took place at the very end of November. In January's edition of The See there will be a full report on the conference and how to engage with a whole variety of post-conference resources which can also be shared with others in your parish.

Living our faith

with confidence

Parishes rose to the challenge of marking the 100th anniversary of the signing of the World War 1 Armistice, often in amazing ways, writes Ronnie Semley, Diocesan Communications Manager.

The fallen of WW1 - and all wars - were remembered in a whole host of ways, including, of course, at the usual Remembrance services.

The Bishops led from the front attending services across the County and issuing a joint statement saying: “This year, Remembrance Sunday also signifies the end of 100 days of prayer for the nation recalling George V’s call to prayer in August 1918 for the ending of the war. It was exactly 100 days after the King’s call that, on November 11, the Armistice was declared.

“The 1914-1918 conflict tore the heart out of many communities across Great Britain and here in Lancashire, as many much-loved sons and daughters of our towns and villages did not return home.

“It is always a privilege to join with the people of Lancashire to remember before God the sacrifices across the years of many brave men and women in all wars and conflicts.

“We give thanks to God for these sacrifices and we will also remember in our prayers those still serving their country today in the armed forces; for their continued safety and for their families who support them.”

Churches put on spectacular poppy-related displays across the Diocese, including St Michael and All Angels' Church in Foulridge where parishioners aimed to stitch together 1918 knitted poppies … but ended up with 2340 cascading down the outside of their church building!

Young people in parishes got involved thanks to a special Remembrance-themed ‘Pick n Mix’ resources from the Diocesan Board of Education, downloadable from their website.

Meanwhile Blackburn Cathedral, St Leonard’s Church in Downham; the Accrington Pals Chapel at St John the Evangelist Church in Accrington; St Michael and All Angels, Ashton-on-Ribble with St Mark, Preston and also Ribchester St Wilfrid, Hurst Green and Mitton were just some of the parishes who participated in the moving national ‘There But Not There’ initiative.

‘There But Not There’ involved installing specially designed silhouettes in their buildings to represent soldiers who lost their lives in World War One.

And one Preston parish - St Michael and All Angels, Ashton-on-Ribble with St Mark, Preston - marked the Centenary of the end of WW1 with a unique Remembrance event that was combined with community outreach.

To maximise interest and attendance at their service, parishioners identified where all the fallen men from their parish lived and visited the current residents of the properties, asking them to display a special window sticker designed by church member Nikki Walmsley. The residents were also invited to attend their Remembrance service.

It would not be possible to do justice here to every activity we heard about and featured on the diocesan website, but full reports and coverage are still available to view on in the news and events sections of www.blackburn.anglican.org In addition many parishes were active on social media and retweets can be seen on @cofelancs

100 years since

WW1 Armistice

A 'There But Not There' silhouette at St Cuthbert's in Lytham

The parishioners at Foulridge preparing their 'poppy cascade'

Bishop Jill, Bishop Julian and Bishop Philip issued a joined statement marking 100 years since the end of WW1

PEOPLE AND PLACES

News

The latest national Advent and Christmas social media campaign for the Church of England (#followthestar) is underway and churches across the Diocese are strongly encouraged to participate. The reach of the CofE Christmas campaigns over the last two years has been phenomenal, with millions of people engaging with the messages and, importantly, looking for Christmas services to attend via the new-look A Church Near You website. That website sits at the heart of the campaign – aiming to ensure people don’t just view the messages online but also come to church and hear the Good News about Jesus Christ. All the links you need to participate in #FollowTheStar are under the ‘News and Events’ tab on the homepage of www.blackburn.anglican.org

Blackburn Cathedral will hold a service of collation and installation for 10 new Canons on Sunday 9 December at 4pm. Rev Grant Ashton, Rev Lawrence Carson-Featham, Rev Tim Horobin, Rev Linda Macluskie and Rev Chris Newlands will become Honorary Canons and Mrs Jean Duerden, Mr Richard Jones, Miss Jo Snape, Mr Stephen Whittaker and Mrs Sue Witts will become Lay Canons of the Cathedral.

A new ‘Weekly Sermon’ page is now available on the Diocesan website. Each week a member of the clergy or laity from across the Diocese (including the Bishops and Archdeacons) will write a topical column to appear on the page, which is located under the ‘Resources’ tab and then ‘Talks, Articles and Sermons’ on www.blackburn.anglican.org The sermons are also free to use in parish magazines as well.

Church Urban Fund’s ‘Advent Sleepout Challenge’ and ‘Raise Your Voices’ initiatives are back for the fourth year! The sleepout is an event where participants ditch their bed for the night and sleepout in a hall, a church, a community building, or even outside under the stars. Teams get sponsored to Sleepout to raise money for Church Urban Fund and their work with the homeless and marginalised each year. Find out more here: www.sleepoutchallenge. org.uk Meanwhile Raise Your Voices will help transform lives and communities...and you could be in for the chance to win £400 of church resources. Raise Your Voices events can be anything from carol services to choir concerts to carol singing. Find out more here: www.raise yourvoices.org.uk

Forthcoming events

The Advent Procession is to be held at Blackburn Cathedral on Sunday 2 December at 6.30pm. Service to be sung by the Cathedral Choir, the Cathedral Girls’ Choir and the Young People’s Choir. All are welcome, to be seated by 6.10pm. For further information contact 01254 277430.

Archdeacon Mark leads the next Reading Day at Whalley Abbey on Wednesday 19 December. There is no charge for the day, but you need to book in before you come. To book please email Whalley Abbey at office@whalleyabbey.org and also please email the Archdeacon’s secretary, Kelly Quinn on kelly.quinn@blackburn.anglican. org to advise of your attendance.

Advance notice of a Holy Land Pilgrimage 2019. Thursday 28 March to Thursday 4 April 2019. Details from Rev Peter Lillicrap: 01253 392895 or email: peterlillicrap@gmail.com

Charity Christmas Tree Festival at St Annes’ Church, St Annes-on-the-Sea FY8 3BB from

Saturday 8 until Saturday 15 December. Church is open from 1.30pm until 4.30pm every day. Everyone is welcome to come and support the charities involved. Admission is FREE and refreshments will be available. Full details can be found on the Church Facebook page via the website http://www.stannesparishchurch.org

The fourth Annual Christmas Tree Festival at St Mary and All Saints, Whalley BB7 9SY, is on Thursday 6 December at noon to 9pm, Friday 7 and Saturday 8 from 10am to 4pm and Sunday noon to 4pm followed by celebration service. Free admission. Proceeds to various charities represented by the trees. Mini concerts throughout the festival plus seasonal stalls. Homemade refreshments. Details from Parish Office 01254 823249.

St Laurence’s Church, Union Street, Chorley PR7 1EB. Saturday 8 to Sunday 16 December, Christmas Tree Festival, official opening at 10.30am on Saturday 8 by the Mayor of Chorley. Daily lunches and recitals. Community carol singing. The Christmas Market in the church grounds begins on Saturday 8 December onwards. Refectory is open. On Sunday 9 December from 3pm Christmas Carol singing with the Chorley Silver Band and Joint Churches Choir and on Saturday 15 December from 11am, The Big Christmas Sing.

Advent Retreat Day led by Donna Worthington. Explore the mystery of Advent through presentation, music and discussion. Wednesday 12 December, 10.30am to 3.30pm (coffee from 10am). Thornton Methodist Church, 60 Victoria Road East, Thornton-Cleveleys FY5 5HQ. Free parking at rear of church. Tickets £20 (please bring a packed lunch). To book, contact Donna Worthington: drworthington@live.co.uk

Brindle St James Church PR6 8NG. Music for Christmas. A concert given by the Rawstorne Singers on Saturday 15 December 2018 at 7.30pm. Mulled wine and mince pies will be served in the interval. Tickets £8 including refreshments. Under 16s free. Reservations via the website www.rawstornesingers.btik.com or phone 01254 852275. Pay on the door.

Exploring Faith Accompaniment Course. Sponsored by Blackburn Diocese, the 2019 course will take place at the Xaverian Mission Spirituality Centre, formerly Tabor, Preston. It will run during the daytime on Mondays at fortnightly intervals from January 14 until June 24. The cost is held at £450 and includes a residential weekend at Hyning Monastery. The team is ecumenical, and applications are welcome from members of all denominations. For more details contact Canon Tricia Impey at patriciaimpey@btinternet.com or on 01524 36617.

Come to the Friday Lunchtime Recital on 7 December at St George the Martyr, Preston PR1 2NP. Given by students of the Royal Northern College of Music in Manchester it will have a Christmas theme. Recital starts at 12.30pm and the entry fee is £7 (incl refreshments). Doors open 11am.

The St George’s Occasional Singers are singing in Preston Minster, Church Street, Preston PR1 3BU on Sunday 23 December at 3pm.This will be a Service of Nine Lessons and Carols. Further details are available by calling 01772 901313 or by emailing office@prestonminster.org. Also A4 Brass Quartet playing on Wednesday 12 December, 1pm to 2pm. Admission £12,

Students are free. For further details www. harrismusicpreston.uk or telephone 01772 719433.

St Nicholas' Church, Broadway, Fleetwood, FY7 7DG, will be holding its Patronal Festival on Sunday 9 December at 7.30pm. This will be a Festal Eucharist celebrated by Bishop Jill. All welcome!

St Ambrose Church, Moss Lane, Leyland PR25 4XQ invites all pets and well-behaved owners to our Pet and Owners’ Carol Service on Sunday 9 December at 2:30pm! Music lovers will enjoy the Clayton-le-Woods Ladies Choir Christmas concert on Friday 14 December at 7:30pm. The service of Nine Lessons and Carols is on Sunday 16 December at 6:30pm. Details from 01772 623426.

South Lancaster Churches Together are having a service of Advent Carols and Readings with an Ecumenical Choir at St Paul’s Church, Scotforth, Lancaster LA1 4ST, on Sunday 2 December at 6.30pm.

Christmas services at St Laurence’s Church, Union Street, Chorley PR7 1EB. Monday 24 December, a Crib Service is held at 3pm and 4.30pm. At 5.30pm, Open Table with a free meal and companionship. At 11.30pm Procession and Midnight Mass. On Tuesday 25 December at 10am, Family Eucharist with prayers at the Crib and at 12noon Open Table with a free Christmas Day meal and companionship. For more information and any queries please contact 01257 231360.

Spring Harvest will take place in Harrogate, from April 13 - 17, 2019 and marks the 40th Anniversary year of Spring Harvest events. More information www.springharvest.org/harrogate/ or contact Rory Curran at email: rory.curran@ essentialchristian.org or on 01825 746506.

Situations vacant or wanted

Do you work in the Blackburn Diocese as a verger or caretaker within a parish? If so, the Church of England Guild of Vergers would welcome you to join the organisation. The Guild was founded over 50 years ago and is open to all who have found a vocation within the Church and who work as a verger or caretaker. The Blackburn branch is one of the oldest and if you would like to know more about us and are interested in joining, they would be happy to meet with you. Further information is available by contacting Tony Hales on 01253 314235 or email tony.hales1148@hotmail.com or Pamela Derbyshire on 01524 791756.

St Bartholomew’s and St John’s Church, Park Lane, Great Harwood BB6 7PU, has a quantity of Hymns Old and New – New Anglican Edition Hymn Books ‘free to a good home’. If you are interested, please contact Churchwarden Joyce Miller on 07940 732423.

Clergy updates

Rev David Stephenson who was interim Associate Vicar of the plurality of Haslingden St James with Grane St Stephen and Stonefold St John and Musbury St Thomas has been instituted by the Bishop of Blackburn and inducted by the Archdeacon of Blackburn as Vicar of the same plurality on 13 November 2018 at 7.30pm at Haslingden St James.

The Rev Andrew Stuart Gray, Ordained Pioneer Minister with Clitheroe Pioneer Ministry, has

Continued on back page

VISION 2026 / PEOPLE AND PLACES News? Feedback? thesee@blackburn.anglican.org

Deadline

for

the

January

edition

is

November 30,

2018

Helpful information about 'The See'

Want to submit an article or event for inclusion in The See? Check the deadline on the left and email thesee@blackburn.anglican.org

We'll always do our best to feature what we receive.

For the online archive; more information about deadlines and how to submit articles, visit the website www.blackburn.anglican.org (search 'The See') or just scan the QR code on the right.

Sight loss problems? Access the online version of the latest issue on the website and adjust the page size as required using the + and - buttons on the right of the screen, or hold down the keyboard 'Ctrl' button and press the + or - key to adjust as required.

The See is edited by Diocesan Communications Manager Ronnie Semley.

For new orders of ‘The See; or to change delivery address or quantities received contact Karen Ashcroft on karen.ashcroft@blackburn.anglican.org or 01254 503070.

Continued from page 3 been appointed Faith Sharing Enabler in the Diocese of Bath and Wells.

The Rev Philip Maudsley, Curate at Fulwood Christ Church, has been appointed Priest-in-Charge of Moston St Mary and New Moston St Chad in the Diocese of Manchester.

The Rev Ann Joyce Templeman will be instituted by the Bishop of Blackburn and inducted by the Archdeacon of Blackburn as Rector (HfD) of Hoole St Michael on 8 December 2018 at 3.30pm at Hoole St Michael.

The Rev Mother Lucy Clare (Margaret) Walker CSP died on 29 September 2018. The funeral took place on 18 October 2018 at St Thomas’ Church. Mother Lucy Clare entered the Community of St Peter (CSP) in Woking in 1988. Her ordination took place in 2001 and her curacy was served at Aldershot St Michael. In 2004 she became (HfD) Priest of Lyne and Longcross in the UB of Chertsey. She became Mother Superior of CSP in 2006 and retired from Lyne and Longcross in 2007 at the age of 70. After moving to Fosbrooke House in 2012, Mother Lucy Clare was granted the Bishop’s Permission to Officiate in the Diocese of Blackburn.

Forty three folk from our parishes (pictured) have just returned from four days of spiritual renewal and growth in discipleship; a joint parish pilgrimage to the Shrine of Our Lady of Walsingham, writes Rev. Christopher Holden.

During my time as incumbent at Church of the Ascension, Torrisholme, pilgrimage to Walsingham was something I began to revive, after a couple of years the numbers of those making pilgrimage grew and grew, and continues to do so under Fr Damian Porter, current parish priest.

This year it was a joy for members of my current parish, St Peter and St Paul, Rishton to join them. The concept of pilgrimage to many of my folk was new, as was the Anglo-Catholic liturgy of the Shrine.

Through the signs and symbols of the liturgies and the presence of Jesus in the Sacraments 13 people from Rishton discovered the riches of the catholic tradition. As one pilgrim said: “That was the most spiritually moving and uplifting service I’ve ever been to.”

It was a privilege for Fr Damian and I to accompany them and for the group to grow together in discipleship.

We left Our Lady’s Shrine renewed and refreshed for the next stage of life’s earthly pilgrimage, and that as disciples of the Lord, the living fountain of life, we are called to share that life abundantly with others.

Continued from page 1

For example, Stephanie Rankin, the Stewardship Resourcing Officer, is a member of the Making Disciples team supporting individuals and parishes to 'give generously of time, talents and money to the cause of Christ'.

Stephanie launched the new five-part, DVD-based 'Generosity, Gift and Grace' course at the Diocesan conference in November - it is a useful resource for churches and/or mid-week groups to study together during the five weeks of Lent.

The Growing Leaders team includes the recently appointed Director of Vocations, Rev Nick McKee and Rev Matt Allen the Director of Studies at the All Saints Theological Training Centre and overseer of training for the 30+ curates that are currently in post across the county.

Children, Young People and Schools - Archdeacon Michael

Archdeacon Michael is the Bishop's representative on the Diocesan Board of Education which, as well as supporting the 184 Church of England foundation schools in Lancashire with Christian distinctiveness and building maintenance, also uses a grant from

Parish share budget to fund the Diocesan Children and Young People's advisers.

The advisers' role is to support parish clergy and lay teams with resources and training to encourage greater involvement of children and young people in parish life.

Enablers - Graeme Pollard

Graeme Pollard, the Diocesan Secretary, leads the small central Diocesan teams based at Clayton House including finance, property, safeguarding, human resources and communications - that are enablers of Vision 2026 across the Diocese.

Alongside Graeme, Ronnie Semley, Diocesan Communications Manager and me, as Vision Coordinator, are also members of the Bishop's Leadership Team because these are key strategic roles that support the whole team with strategic advice.

The Diocesan Offices, where all the support staff above are based, are located just off junction 5 of the M65 on Walker Business Park, BB1 2QE. The main switchboard number is 01254 503070.

Meanwhile, The Dean of Blackburn Cathedral, The Very Rev. Peter Howell-Jones is the final

member of the Bishop's Leadership Team, providing a key link to the 'Mother Church of the Diocese' with its important missional role, both in the centre of Blackburn and across the Diocese.

The Diocesan Offices where all the support staff, working with parishes and schools across the Diocese, are based

Our new Parish Share Budget leaflet should be in your parish soon, if it isn’t already.

The new leaflet contains an important message about our approach to Parish Share from Bishop Julian and David Barlow, the new Chair of the Diocesan Board of Finance.

Also in the leaflet are useful graphics showing our income and expenditure plus advice on stewardship, and useful contact details to find out more.

There is also a page on the Diocesan website with a downloadable online version of the same leaflet, and links to other communications resources related to Parish Share, including a video of the presentation given to Synod in October by David Barlow.

All parishes will get 15 copies of the printed version of the leaflet. Limited extra numbers will be printed and will be available on a first-come first-served basis by emailing Karen Ashcroft on karen. ashcroft@blackburn.anglican.org

Latest Parish Share communications

New structures

align with our

Vision 2026