Parish Magazine May 2013

50p

St.Mary, Alderley Cheshire

Rector Writes: May 2013

Most people only know Whitsun (Pentecost) as a Christian feast day, one that commemorates the day when the Holy Spirit fell on the Apostles as they gathered in the Upper Room after the Ascension. While the Apostles remained in Jerusalem out of obedience to Christ (cf. Acts 1:4-5), Scripture tells us that Jews from many different nations gathered in Jerusalem (cf. Acts 2:5, 9-11). They were present for a different reason: The Jewish feast of Pentecost. Along with the feasts of Passover and Tabernacles, it is one of the three great feasts of the Jewish calendar. The word “Pentecost” comes from the Greek word which means “fiftieth.” The feast takes this name because it occurs fifty days after the second day of the Passover. To the Jewish people, Pentecost has both historical and agricultural significance. The Jewish Feast commemorates the giving of the Torah to Moses on Mt. Sinai and also celebrates the beginning of the wheat harvest. Pentecost thus became an occasion to offer the first of the harvested wheat to the Lord. This was brought to the temple in the form of two cakes of leavened bread (cf. Lev 23:17). We may ask ourselves what significance there is to the fact that Jesus decided to pour out His Holy Spirit upon the Church on this Jewish Feast. I think there are a good number of parallels between God’s encounter with his people on Mount Sinai and with his encounter with the Apostles in Jerusalem. In the book of Exodus in chapters 19 and 20 we read of God reaffirming the covenant with his people “if you will obey my voice and keep my covenant, you shall be my possession among all the peoples; for all the earth is mine, and you shall be a kingdom of priests and a holy nation”. God’s presence on Mount Sinai was manifested by thundering and lightning. At the feast of Pentecost in Jerusalem the covenant is not just reaffirmed it is proclaimed anew. God’s presence is manifested with a loud sound like a gush of wind from heaven and the appearance of tongues of fire. If Pentecost in its Jewish context is a feast of the covenant then Pentecost in a Christian context is also a feast of the covenant – the New Covenant brought about by Christ’s life, death and resurrection. Moses is seen as a salvation figure in Jewish history bringing God’s people out of slavery in Egypt to freedom in the Promised Land. Jesus too is a salvation figure who leads people to a fuller relationship with God by proclaiming release from the slavery they have to sin. The giving of the Holy Spirit to the Apostles on the Feast of Pentecost would have reiterated the parallels with Moses and the reaffirmation of the covenant on Mount Sinai. It would have signalled continuity with the past and yet a new beginning – the Church is born. The preaching of St Peter emboldened by the Holy Spirit touches the hearts of 3000 people who turn to Christ and are baptised. The Harvest has begun. That first Pentecost in Jerusalem is a foreshadowing of the Church we have to today.

James 1

DIARY FOR MAY 2013

Sun. 5 th Fifth Sunday after Easter 8.00am Holy Communion at Birtles 9.45am Holy Communion at Alderley 11.15am Family Service at Birtles 6.30pm Evensong at Alderley

Thur.9 th 10.00am Holy Communion at Alderley

Sun. 12 th Sunday after Ascension Day 8.00am Holy Communion at Birtles 9.45am Family Service at Alderley 11.15am Holy Communion at Birtles 6.30pm Holy Communion at Alderley (Said) 6.30pm Choral Evensong at St.Philips

Thur.16 th 10.00am Holy Communion at Alderley

Sun. 19 th Whit Sunday 8.00am Holy Communion at Alderley 9.45am Holy Communion at Alderley 11.15am Mattins at Birtles 6.30pn Evensong at Alderley

Thur.23 rd 10.00am Holy Communion at Alderley

Sun. 26 th Trinity Sunday 8.00am Holy Communion at Alderley 9.45am Mattins with Sunday School at Alderley 11.15am Holy Communion at Birtles 2.00pm Holy Matrimomy at Alderley 6.30pm Evensong at Alderley

Thur.30 th 10.00am Holy Communion at Alderley

June Sat. 1st 3.00pm Holy Matrimony at Alderley Sun. 2nd First Sunday after Trinity 8.00am Holy Communion at Birtles 9.45am Holy Communion at Alderley 11.15am Family Service at Birtles 6.30pm Evensong at Alderley

2

COFFEE is available in the Parish Hall after the 9.45am Service.

At the end of the Morning Service coffee and biscuits are provided by a stalwart group of volunteers in the Parish Hall. Donations will be given to charity.

COLLECTION TOTALS

Week ending

Gift Aid Envelopes

Non-Gift Aid & Misc Cash

Standing Orders Total

Mar 3rd 369.00 17.50 386.50

Mar 10th 559.22 86.56 645.78

Mar 17th 377.70 17.80 395.50

Mar 24th 533.00 14.50 547.50

Mar 31st 713.61 137.31

TOTAL 2552.53 273.67 830.00 3656.20

BIBLE STUDIES 2013

THE PSALMS

All welcome: all you need is an enquiring mind (and a Bible!)

MON 3RD JUN 2013 I will lift up mine eyes: Psalms 119–134 St Philip’s Rooms

MON 1ST JUL 2013 Praise ye the Lord: Psalms 135 -150 St Philip’s Rooms

MEETING TIME: 7.30 — 9.30 p.m. MEETING POINT: St Philip & St James Parish Rooms or 10 Haddon Close

CONTACTS: Sue Mackman (585068) or Kate West (584091)

3

MOTHERS' UNION

Our next speaker is –

Mike Gorton

“Any Fool can be a Speaker!’"

Wednesday 15th May at 2.00pm

ALL ARE WELCOME SO PLEASE DO JOIN US!

SOCIAL COMMITTEE We will be planning a Tea Party towards the end of May and everyone who normally attends will be contacted. If there is anyone who would like to join in, please do let me know. At the moment our activities are gently ticking over. Coffee after the 9.45am service is going well. Do pop in and join us! We are all look forward to going racing on April 20th an evening run by the Jubilee Committee. The plans for the September Open Weekend, Saturday 28th and Sunday 29th are in our minds. I realise this is some time away but The Social Committee will not be able to run the refreshments without new help. Please let me know if you could offer help.

Janet Adamson Tel: 01625 583320

ST MARY'S WALKING GROUP Saturday 1 st June – 10am prompt Edale to Ringing Roger round to the fords across Grinsdlow Knol and back down to Edale. Long steep hill to begin then easy afterwards Starting point: Edale Pay and Display car park Grid Ref : OS grid reference SK124853 Maps: OS explorer Dark peak Length : 6 miles Further info : Bring a packed lunch and drinks Contact: Terry Fones (01625 820738)

4

ANNUAL FLOWER FUND TEA PARTY – ADVANCED NOTICE

The Annual Flower Fund Tea Party will take place on Sunday afternoon, 14th July 2013 on the Church Paddock. Details in next month’s magazine

ALDERLEY EDGE

The Wizard's Well

The Wizard's Well is formed by a natural spring near Castle Rock which dates back to pagan times. Carved in the rock above the well is the face of a wizard and the inscription "Drink of this and take thy fill for the water falls by the Wizhard's Will". The carving was added around 200 years ago by Robert Garner, Alan Garner's great-great grandfather who also built the Druid's Circle. The face carving appears to be older than the inscription which is thought to have been added sometime later by a Mr Simeon Slater of Leigh, Lancashire. Another 'face' can be located a few yards along the path towards Castle Rock but this was vandalised about 55 years ago. As with most ancient wells the water was believed to have had magical powers. In the case of the Wizard's Well the water was thought to cure infertility [5]. Not so long ago the water flowed more rapidly and eroded the lip of the well when it became too full.

The Holy Well

The Holy Well also has pagan links and is probably Anglo-Saxon in age. The well actually consists of a main rectangular well and a smaller wedge-shaped well which is probably older. People used to drink the water from this well as they believed it was a cure for barrenness [7] and it was a custom to drop pins into the well when walking past. Thomas Ridgeway remembers that the houses in the Hough were shaken when a large rock fell from above the well at sometime around 1740. At the time of the rock fall it is said that an old woman and her cow were walking beneath the well and were crushed [7]. It is hard to understand why an old woman and her cow would be walking through the marsh on a vertical slope. The old woman occurs repeatedly in Celtic mythology so perhaps the story's origins lie there. Just above the well is a small sprig of heather, another remnant of the time when the Edge was heath land.

5

Friends of St Marys -Thursday April 18 th 2013

Dennis Phillips, The Timpson Academy

“Timpsons work with Offenders” . Dennis introduced himself as a Premiership referee, having retired in 1997, his peak match being Liverpool v Chelsea at Anfield. He has been with the Timpson Group for many years and now manages the Academy, concentrating on the work with Prisons and Offenders. Timpsons cooperate with a number of prisons in the following ways:

o -those released on temporary leave (ROTL’s) work out during the day and return to prison after work,

o -workshops in prisons, training offenders ready for their release o -mentoring prisoners and offering employment on release – this

started when a prisoner impressed James Timpson who then offered him a job.

Dennis also referred to the work by the Timpson family in fostering over 100 children, work which introduced them to the experience of difficult children who needed a life-changing opportunity. And that sums of Dennis’s job – he is not shoe repairing, he is life changing. This came through in the many questions he was asked and what could be a dour and depressing role is in fact scattered with inspirational examples of young people who have taken advantage of the chance to shine. Timpsons have an 80% success record of staff retention and ex-offenders are no different than the rest. He referred especially to their work in Anglesey at The Oyster Catcher with a brand new restaurant staffed by young people enjoying their first employment; the efforts in Corporate Social Responsibility have to be matched by good discipline. Timpsons remains one of the most successful private businesses in the UK so it is a serious business doing good work in areas of difficulty. There were members of the audience who were able to remark on their connections with the work of prisons and this generated an interesting discussion in question-time. It was a most interesting and meaningful presentation and Dennis was thanked for his provocative presentation. Next meeting – 16th May, when Paul Lake , ex Manchester City player, now Ambassador at the Etihad Stadium, talks about the way in which the owners of Manchester City are enhancing their neighbourhood in East Manchester.

6

CHRISTIAN AID WEEK 12 th – 18th MAY

Let’s give the tools……

Today around 870 million people are desperate for f ood. One in eight people will go to bed hungry tonight. This is a scandal. But IF we bite back at hunger this Christian Aid Week we can help communities find ways to not only survive but to thrive, with enough food to eat not just today but tomorrow.

Current & potential collectors please put the date in your diary. Fiona Ablett is wanting as many collectors as possible. New collectors needed and particular help is needed in collecting on Congleton Road.

Please phone Fiona Ablett on 01625 585180 to find out what is involved.

(Would any person who collected last year but is unable to help this year, please let me know as soon as possible).

There will also be a HERBACEOUS PLANT SALE in aid of Christian Aid on the 11th May at the Methodist Church Hall. This is in conjunction with their sale of summer annual/bedding plants together with a coffee morning. For more details please contact Lynn Smith (01625 585245). It would be lovely to see some folk from St.Mary’s!

GARDEN OPENING FOR CHARITY

OUR GARDEN WILL BE OPEN ON SATURDAY 11TH MAY 2013 BETWEEN 11am and 5pm.

ACTON HOUSE, HOCKER LANE,

OVER ALDERLEY,

SK10 4SD This is just off Slade Lane, past the Wizard;

or just off Birtles Lane past St Catherine’s Church.

The Garden covers approximately 3 acres, and is made up of a series of "rooms"

each with a different feel. It includes a vegetable garden, herbaceous borders, a walled garden and a large

orchard.

We will also offer Plant and Jam sales and Afternoon Teas. Entrance Fee £3.50

Enquiries for Private Viewings to louisebqc@yahoo.co.uk

7

The Easter Flowers in Church were kindly donated in memory of:

Bill Ablett Freda Jones

Marjorie Ablett John Frederic Jones

Hilda Ackers Lou Kaufman

Peter Adamson Anne King

Joan Baker Sheelagh Knowles

Valerie Barlow May Leary

Frank Barrett Frank F Lee

George Barrett Isabella G Lee

Hilda Barrett Margaret Lee

Archie Barrie Dan Mason

Evelyn Barrie Joyce Mason

Janet Beveridge Hilda Morton

Mary Bliss Gary Moss

Gwendolen R Boothman Julie Moss

Harold F R Boothman Ken Moss

Ernest Brooks Ronald Muir

Ethel Brooks Henry Peter Nairn

George Casey Trudy Nairn

Kathleen Cliffe Annie Ogden

Frank Cooper Robert Ogden

Vera Cooper Eleanor Penlington

Aerin Davidson Stanley Penlington

John Davis Barbara Joan Pickett

William Henry Davis Frank Powell

Frances Helen Dawson Stuart Powell

James Henry Dawson Robin Pritchard

Erica Dearden Norman Ashton Ratchford

Jean Dobson Richard John Ratchford

Frances Mary Dodd Winifred Mary Staynes Ratchford

George Edwin Dodd Elizabeth Reade

George Kenneth Dodd Christopher John Rennie

Richard Dunhill Ernest Rennie

Michael Dutch Rosina Rennie

8

(cont)

Harry Fairhurst Alan Rowley

Bruce Fletcher Anne Rowley

June Fletcher Granville Schofield

May Funnell Frank Cavendish Shepherd

Brian Gass Elsie Shiers

Florence Gass Jill Shiers

James Gass Mary Smith

Doris Gavin Anna Snape

Susan Gavin Anthony Paul Steele

Charles Godfrey Gould Elsie Stoker

Dorothy Gould Marjorie Stoker

Frederick William Hales Ralph Stoker

Ivy Elizabeth Hales Annie Sutcliffe

Muriel Hayden Horace Swales

Reginald Hayden John Musgrave Swales

Brian Hobson Pathanea Swales

David George Holland Kenneth Taylor

Frank Holland Peter Taylor

Philip Holt Veronica Taylor

Roy N Howard Ivy Thompson

Beatrice Jones Andrea Welsh

CHOIR JUMBLE SALE – APRIL 13 TH Many thanks to all our helpers who came along on either the Friday afternoon, Saturday morning or both! The result was fantastic with a record net profit of £326 being raised. As always we seemed to finish the sale with more than we started!!

THANK YOU

I felt I would like to write a few lines to say a big thank you to Michael Penlington and his willing helpers, all of whom helped to make our Church look so beautiful for our Easter celebrations. Easter is such an important celebration in the Church’s calendar. I feel sure everyone would agree we are so fortunate at St. Mary’s to have such talented people in our congregation who turn up religiously and give their time to decorate our Church. They all do a wonderful job. Well done and very many thanks. Margaret Worthington

9

ST MARY’S MOTHERS’ UNION SUMMER OUTING

Wednesday 19th June

LAKE DISTRICT

Depart: 9.15am opp Old Mill (9.10am Woodlands Court)

12.30pm: Visit to Hill Top, a time capsule of Beatrix Potter’s life.

1.30pm: Sandwiches and Tea or Coffee at ’The Sawrey House Hotel’

3.30pm A sail on the Steam Yacht Gondola on Lake Coniston (45mins)

4.30/4.45pm Depart for home

Total Cost for coach and lunch is: £23.70 Please add on the cost of Hill Top house and/or the Gondola as you wish.

Cost: Coach £13.75 (including driver’s tip) Lunch £ 9.95 Hill Top Garden free Optional: Hill Top admission: £ 8.50 (Free for NT members) Optional: Gondola £ 8.50 We have booked a 35 seater coach which we need to fill to make the trip viable. Spaces will be allocated on a first come first served basis. Apply to Anne Cockburn (01625 585242) or Jenny Youa tt (01625 585226)

10

ROTA FOR MAY 2013 LADY SIDESMEN / SIDESMEN / LECTORS

11

DATE TIME SIDESMEN LECTOR

5th 9.45am Mr G Woolley & Mr J Stephenson Mrs A Davis

6.30pm Mrs A Robinson Mrs F Robinson

12th

8.00am Mrs B Essayan

9:45am Mrs G Beeley & Mr J Ratchford Miss S Varden

6.30pm

Mr A Cockitt (Joint Evensong at St Philip’s & St James, Alderley Edge)

Mrs E Jackson

19th

8.00am Mr R Akester

9.45am Mr A Claridge & Mrs J Adamson Mrs J Lee

6.30pm Mrs J Bean Mr P Bean

26th

8.00am Mr P Bean

9.45am Mr M Wilkinson & Mrs W Liddle Mrs W Liddle

6.30pm Mrs D Barber Mr P Reynolds

2nd Jun 9.45am Mr M Stonehewer & Mrs R Dyas Mrs V Muir

6.30pm Mr G Barrie Mrs E Jackson

FLOWER ROTA May 5th Jean Lee

May 12th Avril Lamond

May 19th Avril Lamond

May 26th Wedding

MAGAZINE CONTRIBUTIONS

The deadline for the next magazine is Thursday 16 th May 2013

Please send all copy to: Editorial: Jenny Youatt Email: info@stmarysalderley.com 1, Orchard Crescent, Nether Alderley, SK10 4TZ Production: Jean Whittingham Subscriptions & Distribution: Peter Bean: 01625 582073 Large format copies of the magazine are available.

12

FROM THE REGISTERSFROM THE REGISTERSFROM THE REGISTERSFROM THE REGISTERS

ChristeningsChristeningsChristeningsChristenings

Sunday 7th April Robert Stephen Maynard Sunday 14th April Tessa Isabelle Scholes Sunday 21st April Daisy Jessica Charlotte Buckley

WeddingsWeddingsWeddingsWeddings

Friday 26th

April Amy Kershaw and Mark Burns