Parish News - malpaschurch.co.uk€¦ · Holy Communion is celebrated each Tuesday at 7 00pm ......

THE UNITED BENEFICE OF ST OSWALD,

MALPAS WITH ST JOHN, THREAPWOOD

AND HOLY TRINITY, BICKERTON

Parish News March 2014

YOUR COMMUNITY NEWS

2

WHO TO CONTACT IN THE BENEFICE

ST. OSWALD’S MALPAS & ST. JOHN’S THREAPWOOD

HOLY TRINITY BICKERTON

Church Wardens:

Dicken Cracroft 01829 720425

Brian Jeffcoat 01829 782311

PCC Treasurer & Gift Aid:

Mike Voisey 01829 782287

Organist

Rachel Hall

PCC Secretary:

Anne Cracroft 01829 720425

Mothers Union:

Kate Holland 01829 261153

Flower Rota:

Anne Cracroft 01829 720425

ST. JOHN’S THREAPWOOD

The Threapwood Community Group: Sue Pickering 01948 770236

Rector :

Canon Ian Davenport

The Rectory, Church Street

Malpas. SY14 8PP

Telephone: 01948 860 922

Email:

[email protected].

Curate:

The Revd Antony Dutton

7, Barnmoore Close,

Malpas SY14 8HR

Telephone: 01948 861 226

Email: [email protected]

Reader Emeritus:

Brian Kimmitt 01948 860 309


Church Wardens:

Pauline Plumb 01948 861 345

Bill Witter 01948 770 277

PCC Secretary:

Carol Fletcher 01948 861 152

PCC Treasurer:

Margaret Bennion 01948 861 109

Gift Aid Secretary:

Brian Fletcher 01948 861 152

Mothers Union:

Pauline Plumb 01948 861 345

Verger:

Bob Carter 01948 861 017

Director Of Music:

Stewart Smith c/o 01948 860 922

Tower Bell Ringing

Tower Captain:

Stan Lloyd 01948 860 637

Ringing Master

Ben Kellett 07742 976950

Friends of St. Oswald’s:

David Brooks 01948 860 287

Flower Rota:

Noreen Hodkinson 01948 860 371

Church Wardens: as above

PCC Rep:

Sir Jonathon Clark 01948 770205

The Friends of St John’s:

Gill Edwards 01948 770694

mailto:[email protected]

3

From the Registers around the Benefice

Letter for February 2014 Dear All,

Lent begins this year on 5 March. It has always been a time set aside for study, self-

examination, penitence, charitable giving, and self-denial. Many people try to give things up

as part of this self-denial. Some of the most popular choices are alcohol, chocolate, cigarettes,

and meat. Personally I have found that this practise of giving up the luxuries of life has a vary-

ing success rate – in other words, I often struggle.

But perhaps there is an alternative. Since the earliest days of the church the purpose in giving

things up was to focus our hearts and minds on the spiritual, and this, more often than not, also

required taking something on as well as giving something up. It might be extra study or pray-

er; what people often call spiritual exercises, attending church more often, offering support to

a particular charity, or taking up a role in the church or community. People can find taking on

something a rather more positive experience than the negativity of denying something.

This Lent, across the benefice, there will be ample opportunities to take something up should

you wish to do so. There will be a study group, classes for those wishing to prepare for Confir-

mation, and concerts and special services. All are there to help us reflect on our lives before

we approach Holy Week and Easter, and strengthen us in our Lenten disciplines – whether that

is taking or giving something up.

May God bless us richly this Lent.

Antony.

Fr Antony Dutton, Curate.

Funerals. May they rest in peace.

18th

January Richard Threadgold ( Holy Trinity)

20th

January Joan Keys ( Holy Trinity)

7th

February Margaret A Jones (St Oswald‟s)

Tins for the Homeless

Please keep the tins for Chester Aid for the

Homeless coming in. Your contributions are

greatly appreciated. Several lots have already

been taken from our churches.

4

The United Benefice of St Oswald Malpas, St John Threapwood, and Holy Trinity Bickerton

Services for March 2014 Morning Prayer is usually said from Monday to Thursday at 8 30am at St Oswald's.

Holy Communion is celebrated each Tuesday at 7 00pm and on Wednesday at 10am

Sunday 2nd

March The Sunday Next before Lent

8 00am Holy Communion at St Oswald's

9 30am Holy Communion at St John's

11 00am Family Service at Holy Trinity

11 00am Parish Eucharist at St Oswald's

6 30pm Evening Prayer at St Oswald's

Wednesday 5th

March ASH WEDNESDAY

7 30pm Sung Eucharist for all The Benefice at St Oswald's

( No 10am service at St Oswald's)

Sunday 9th

March The First Sunday of Lent


9 30am Parish Communion at Holy Trinity

11 00am Family Service at St Oswald's with the choir of Bronnington School


Sunday 16th

March The Second Sunday of Lent

8 00 am Holy Communion at St Oswald's



11 00am Parish Communion at St Oswald's

6 30pm A Recital for Lent by The Renaissance Music Group at St Oswald's

Sunday 23rd

March The Third Sunday of Lent.


11 00am Confirmation Service at St Oswald's for all the Benefice


Sunday 30th

March Mothering Sunday



11 00am Family Service with Baptism at St Oswald's


Sunday 6th

April The Fifth Sunday of Lent ( Passion Sunday)



11 00am Family Service at Holy Trinity

11 00am Parish Communion at St Oswald's


5

Appeal for New Bellringers!

The bell ringing group would like to encourage anyone who is interested to come along.

No previous experience is required and children 12 years upwards are welcome to come

along provided they are initially accompanied by a parent. We meet at St Oswald's every

Wednesday evening at 7pm for a 1 1/2 hour practice session.

Come along to a practice session to see them in action. For further information, to arrange

a tour or session, contact the ringing master, Ben Kellett on 01948 780270/07742 976950

ASH WEDNESDAY

“Then I turned to the Lord God, to seek an answer by prayer and suppli-

cation with fasting and sackcloth and ashes” (Daniel 9:3).

There are several biblical references to people wishing to express their repentance and

mourning by sprinkling themselves with ashes. It is an outward sign of an inward repentance

and is the traditional way in which to begin the season of Lent – when we fast, repent, and

pray, as we remember Jesus entering the wilderness to fast, pray and be tempted.

The practise of ashing began when public penitents who had sinned would come to church on

Ash Wednesday in penitential clothing and with bare feet to receive ashing from the bishop

and the command to „Repent, so that you may have eternal life‟. The penitent was then cast

out from church to do their penance until they were welcomed back on Maundy Thursday.

Friends of the penitents would often join with them in solidarity and mutual support. Gradual-

ly all people began to receive ashing out of devotion at the beginning of Lent, as an act of hu-

mility, and a way of publicly recognizing their shortcomings before God. Nowadays, as a per-

son receives the ashes on the forehead in the sign of the cross, the priest says: „Remember

that you are but dust, and to dust you shall return. Turn away from sin and be faithful to

Christ.‟

The ashes are made from the burnt palm crosses of the previous year. Although ashing is a

sign of our sin and penitence it is also a reminder of the infinite mercy of God, whose gra-

cious forgiveness we seek ever more earnestly throughout Lent.

HOSPICE OF THE GOOD SHEPHERD

Many thanks for your support for The Hospice of the Good Shepherd at Backford. Our cof-

fee morning before Christmas at Bolling, raised £1400. Our next fundraiser will be a Blue-

bell walk at Tushingham Hall on the 4th May, funds raised to be shared with Tushingham

church, please put the date in your diary.

Many thanks Sarah Collard

9

YOUR BUSES IN MALPAS

MONDAY –SATURDAY

Malpas High Street, Post Office

TO CHESTER

07.19am

08.26am

09.36am

11.36am

13.36pm

15.36pm

17.36pm

18.36pm

TO WHITCHURCH

08.40am

10.34am

12.34pm

14.34pm

16.34pm

17.34pm

18.34pm

10

MALPAS & THREAPWOOD NEWS

MALPAS AMATEUR GARDENERS

MALPAS FIELD CLUB

The next meeting of Malpas Field Club will be on Wednesday 12th

March (7.45 pm) at Mal-

pas High Street Church SY14 8PR. Tony Barratt will present an illustrated talk based on his

original research into ‘Cheshire’s Airfields’. This covers both vanished and still operative air-

fields in the county. If time permits Tony will also tell us about some of the other airfields

which exist, or existed just over the county border. Field Club meetings are open to all. For

information about membership and activities please contact David Hayns (secretary) on

(01948) 860486 [email protected]

EASTER PRIZE BINGO

Wednesday 9th April,

7pm for 7.30pm at the Jubilee Hall, Malpas.

In aid of Alder Hay Children's Hospital, Liverpool.

Donation of prizes would be much appreciated.

Organised by Joan & Bill Rich.

On March 13th at 7.30pm at the High Street

Church Malpas, we welcome The County Or-

ganiser of The National Gardens Scheme,

John Hinde. We are very lucky to have an of-

ficial from this prestigious organisation, and

this all ties in with new local gardens opening

under this scheme this year, as well existing

gardens, three of which are opened by our

club members. The talk is entitled The Na-

tional Gardens Scheme and will no doubt be

very informative and explain all the excellent

charity work done by this well know group

as well as showing some of the lovely gar-

dens. Admission is just £1.00 members and

£2.00 non members (this includes refresh-

ments and a free raffle) do not forget your

flower of the month and the competition is a

picture of a Spring bulb in flower. Please

come along and show your support for your

local group we look forward to greeting

you! Contact Alan or Paul on 01948

770522


11

MALPAS FLOWER CLUB

MALPAS LADIES CHOIR

Two things to report this month. Firstly we are planning to do a concert as part of the

Malfest, this is subject to confirmation which we hope to hear soon. Secondly M L C will

be holding a coffee morning in the Jubilee Hall Saturday 22nd March at 10 am please

come along and meet choir members, perhaps you will be encouraged to join us. We prac-

tice Tuesday evening 7pm in the High Street Church Malpas . We welcome new mem-

bers, For more information please ring our musical director Steve Roberts 07787 868022 or

Brenda Cappaert 01948 820388

HIGH STREET CHURCH “Methodist and United Reformed”

Our Sunday morning services

are at 10.45am followed by coffee.

Coffee mornings are the

1st Saturday of each month 10-11.30am. Why not make it part of your shopping trip?

“Cheeky Monkeys play group” meets on Wednesdays during term time

between 9.30am and 11.00am.

“Messy Church” will be coming again soon-watch this space

Contacts Rev. Rob Weir 01948 663936, Olwen Barnett 01948 820741

we all not complain of the cold quite so

much!

The visit to Dublin for the WAFA show is

being finalised. We will be leaving on the

16th and returning on the 20th June 2014.

Visits to Malahide Castle and Gardens and

to Powerscourt Garden as well as a tour of

Dublin will be included in the itinerary.

This exciting holiday is open to members

and non-members so if you are interested

and require more detail please telephone

Janet Blake on 01948-860359.

Our demonstrator on 7 February will be

Laura Leong from the West Midlands and

her title “Contemporary Craftwork”. We

hope to see you then. Audrey Schofield

We were pleased to welcome Sarah Fenton

from Telford to our January meeting. The ti-

tle of her demonstration was “Let‟s go” and

her arrangements covered Walking, Dancing,

the Theatre, Ice Skating, Holidays and, of

course, Flower Clubs. Her flowers were

many and varied and ranged from avalanche

roses to tulips, asters, lilies, delphiniums,

gerbera, freesia, stralitzier, bear grass and

pussy willow. There was the usual warm re-

action from the members as they admired Sa-

rah‟s talent. We are looking forward to our

Day Event which will be held on the 3rd

March and will follow the usual format of

Lunch followed by a speaker. This year Sue

Riches will tell us of her incredible journey

to the North Pole. Perhaps when we hear her

12

COMPLIMENTARY THERAPIES BY AN EXPERIENCED AND QUALIFIED PRACTITIONER

13

A.HUGHES & CO

SUPPLIERS OF

FRESH EGGS

& CHEESE

WEST END POULTRY FARM

MALPAS

Telephone MALPAS 860433

Wych Bacon & Pork

Traditionally cured bacon and quality pork

Available from Londis

R Bowden 01948 860610

14

PLEASE MENTION THAT YOU ARE RESPONDING TO AN AD IN THE PARISH NEWS

WHEN CONTACTING ADVERTISERS

THE BEECHES PRE-SCHOOL Edge Village Hall, Edge, Nr Malpas

We are a community-based pre-school in a wonderful rural setting, accepting children aged 2

-5 years for early years care and education, with a play-based, inclusive curriculum in a

friendly, safe and secure environment.

Open 8.30-3.00 Tuesday/Wednesday/Thursday/Friday and till 1.00 Monday.

We have an experienced staff, led by a qualified teacher. Our children come from a wide

local area, and we feed into all the local schools.

For further information please contact Sue Anderson on 01948 820775 or 07506

994550 or feel free to call in for a visit at any time.

Inspect our “Good” OFSTED report at www.OFSTED.gov.uk

15

JENNY BROWNLEE MOBILE BEAUTY THERAPIST

07977 200929 OR 01948 861003

SPECIALISING IN:

SHELLAC NAILS

MANICURE, PEDICURE

WAXING

TINTING

MASSAGE

FACIALS

I AM BASED IN MALPAS BUT ALL

TREATMENTS CAN BE PER-

FORMED IN THE COMFORT OF

YOUR OWN HOME AND AT A TIME

TO SUIT YOU.

16

CUDDINGTON PARISH MEETING

The next meeting will be on Wednesday 16th April at 7.00pm in the Chorlton and Cudding-

ton WI hut.

NEW YEAR NEWSLETTER

“I was interested to see critical reference to my New Year Newsletter in the February Edition

of Malpas Parish News. I would like to say that I have only received one, very rude and abu-

sive complaint about my newsletter. I stand by what was written in the newsletter. I believe

the facts to be accurate at the time of publication and the opinions expressed to be fair com-

ment on matters of public interest. The overwhelming response to it has been extremely posi-

tive. The newsletter was produced without malice and it was never the intention to criticise,

harm or offend any parishioner. I do recognise that some people have been inadvertently up-

set by this publication and for that and that alone I am truly sorry and do apologise.

Charles Higgie"

The organisers of this year‟s Malpas Fair, to take place on Saturday 12th

July, have asked

me to prepare some historical notes as background information for individuals and organi-

sations who would like to take part in the festivities. I have done some research into the

Malpas Fairs and Markets which were held from the Middle Ages right until the 19th centu-

ry. Sir William Drake, in the early 18th century, revived the processions which took place

to mark the opening of the fairs, which were held between one and three times each year,

the number varying over time. The organisers are going to use these notes as a basis for this

year‟s opening parade. My first information sheet „Malpas Fairs and Markets‟ gives some

ideas for types of themes and costumes which could be incorporated into the parade. The

other theme to be followed, in view of this year‟s commemorations of the First World War,

will be the „Home Front‟ in Malpas 1914-1918. This is the topic for my second information

sheet „Malpas and the First World War‟ which, like the other sheet, gives ideas for themes

and costumes which could be incorporated.

Both of the information sheets can be sent by e-mail (contact me on [email protected] or

01948 860486) to anyone who is interested. Alternatively, copies of the sheets are to be

printed and made available in local shops and the library, in exchange for a small donation

towards the costs of printing.

For any other information or queries about the Fair, please contact Cathy Reynolds

[email protected] Phone: 07808 77225. David Hayns

MALPAS FAIR - SATURDAY 12TH

JULY IDEAS FOR THOSE WHO WOULD LIKE TO TAKE PART



17

MALPAS PARISH COUNCIL –FEBRUARY

Planning Issues

The decision by the planning inspector to uphold the appeal by Gladman Developments for

140 houses has come as a major disappointment. The 340 houses now approved for develop-

ment in Malpas since 2010 create significant concerns. These include the impact on the land-

scape, village character and infrastructure. Representation has been made to Government,

Cheshire West and Chester Council (CWaC) and others. See www.malpascheshire.co.uk for

details.

Cllr Mike Jones attended the Parish Council meeting on 10th Feb, to explain the current CWaC

position. The Parish Council is to meet senior officers and elected representatives to highlight

issues in detail and explore what mitigating actions can be taken.

The Parish Council considered revised plans for 19 houses at Mount View Farm, Wrexham

Road. The council remains opposed to the development given the number of approvals already

granted. Should CWaC be minded to approve application, the Parish Council would wish to

see some provision for off street parking on Wrexham Road and improved arrangements for

pedestrian access to the village.

Malpas and Overton Neighbourhood plan

The consultation period on the draft Neighbourhood Plan ended on the 23rd February.

The Parish Council has considered the document, suggesting a number of adjustments should

be made. This to include a revision of housing numbers in the light of the recent approvals.

Despite the recent planning decisions, it remains essential that the Neighbourhood Plan is fin-

ished. Providing the plan is supported by the community at the pending local referendum and

subsequently adopted by CWaC, the document will still be able to shape what development in

the village looks like, and control further growth.

A community Land Trust for Malpas

Tony Clare from Cheshire Community Action attended the February meeting and outlined ar-

rangements to create a Community Land Trust. This type of organisation offers the opportunity

for the Village to provide affordable homes for local residents, and possibly the new health

centre / GP surgery on Chester Road. The Parish council welcomed this initiative. Details are

posted on www.malpascheshire.co.uk

Village Allotments

Progress is being made to offer allotments for rent at around £1 a week. To register your inter-

est please contact Cllr Paul Austin on [email protected]

Bishop Heber High School

The High School which already has an Ofsted rating of Outstanding was recently recognised

as one of the hundred most improving schools in England. The Parish Council recorded its

congratulations on this huge accolade.

Parish Council Vacancy

No election has been called and the Parish Council can now proceed to co opt a new member.

Please let Ruth Jacks know if you are interested in being co-opted.

Contact Ruth at [email protected]

If you require further information about any matter in this note please email johnwebbmal-

[email protected].

All Parish Council agendas, key reports / correspondence and minutes are available on line at

www.malpascheshire.co.uk

http://www.malpascheshire.co.uk/

http://www.malpascheshire.co.uk/





http://www.malpascheshire.co.uk

19

The Whitchurch Podiatry Practice 7/8 Watergate Arcade, Whitchurch, SY13 1DP

Emma Coley BSc(Hons), M. Ch. S., S.R.Ch HPC Reg. Podiaist

General Chiropody, Nail Care, Ingrowing Toenail Surgery, Diabetic Footcare & Advice

Verruca Treatment, Gait Analysis & Orthosis

Home Visits Available Enquires Welcome

Tel. 07976 242 096 Give Your Feet A Treat. Call Today

20

BICKERTON NEWS

COFFEE ROTA FOR 9.30 am. SERVICES AT BICKERTON

9th

March Sheila Rees 01829 720404

23rd

March Marjorie Dakin 01829 782423

30th

March Sue Higgins 01829 260885

If any date is inconvenient it would be a great help if you could arrange to swap with some-

one else on the rota or contact Joan Sharman .(Tel 01829 720340) Many thanks.

Holy Trinity Notices

CONGRATULATIONS to Sue Corn who won the January draw

BICKERTON CHURCH LOTTERY

SPRING LUNCH

At 12.30pm for 1.00pm

Bickerton Village Hall On

Sunday 16th March

NEW FOR 2014– FAMILY SERVICES

A Family Service is now being held at 11.00am on the first Sunday of the

month in place of Matins . The next of these will be held on Sunday ,

April 6th. We hope that families will come along to this more informal

style of service which will last for about 50 minutes. We look forward to

seeing you!

21

At Bickerton Village Hall

PROGRAMME FOR MARCH

March is a very busy month for Bickerton Village Hall and there are lots of events and activ-

ities you can be part of.

Saturday 1, 8, 15, 22,and 29 from 9.15am to 11.15am Theatre School for young people

Monday 3, 10, 17, 24 and 31 from 9am to 11.30am Toddler Group - all welcome.

Monday 3, 10, 17, 24 and 31 from 7pm to 10pm Whist Club.

Tuesday 4, 11, 18 and 25 from 3.30pm to 7.15pm Ballet (all ages, please call for times).

Tuesday 4, 11, 18 and 25 from 7.30pm to 8.30pm Keep Fit.

Wednesday 5, 12, 19 and 26 from 10am to 12 noon Yoga.

Wednesday 5, 12, 19 and 26 from 7pm to 9.30pm Bickerton Youth Music Group.

Wednesday 26 from 7pm WI Meeting.

Thursday 6, 13, 20 and 27 from 5.15pm to 7.15pm Pilates.

Thursday 20 from 10am to 5pm Bridge Drive.

Friday 14 from 7pm to 10pm Film Night ' where do we go now?'

Friday 28 from 9am to 1pm Art Class

Bickerton Village Hall is the first venue in

Cheshire to host an evening of creative

magic with internationally renowned artists,

'Field Notes' is a unique collaboration that

proves it's the unfamiliar creative experienc-

es which are often the most memorable and

intense. Using old county maps and graphic

scores as common starting points, composer

Howard Skempton and artist Matthew Har-

ris have each created a brand new work for

this performance. Harris' freestanding tex-

tile artwork of old maps will transform our

village hall into a gallery and a concert hall

as four of BCMG perform Skempton's new

piece 'Field Notes'.

Skempton's joyous, sparse enigmatic music

has featured at the BBC Proms and has been

widely performed by many of the UK's top

orchestras and ensembles. In addition, this

captivating evening will feature short pieces

by other leading composers and a 'behind

the scenes' film including interviews with

the artists Skempton and Harris.

'Field Notes' Textile Art and new music is

coming to Bickerton Village Hall on

Saturday 22nd March, Doors 7pm Show

8pm Tickets £8 to include a Ploughmans

and there will be a bar. Ring Carol 01829

782392 [email protected]. This

performance is part of a tour to 12 venues

in Shropshire, Herefordshire and neigh-

bouring counties produced by Birmingham

Contemporary Music Group, Craftspace

and Arts Alive. For more info vis-

it: fieldnotestour.co.uk

So there is no need to travel to Birming-

ham City to see and hear a beautiful show

performed and produced by world class

artists, the show is coming to Bickerton

Village Hall in South Cheshire.

“FIELD NOTES” - BIRMINGHAM CONTEMPORY MUSIC GROUP


http://fieldnotestour.co.uk/

22

BICKERTON MOTHERS’ UNION NOTES

This year the Women‟s World Day of Prayer service is being held at St. John the Baptist

church, Alford at 2pm on Friday 7th

March. The title is “Streams in the Desert” prepared by

Christian women of Egypt, it is an interdenominational service that everyone is welcome to

share in.

Our Wave of prayer will be on Saturday 15th

March between 11.40am and 12.15pm fol-

lowed by a soup lunch in aid of the Cape Town soup kitchens.

We celebrate Lady Day on Tuesday 25th

March with members of Malpas MU at a service in

Holy Trinity, Bickerton at 10am followed by coffee and biscuits. All welcome to join us.

The Mothering Sunday service on Sunday 30th

March will be at 9.30am at Holy Trinity fol-

lowed by coffee and biscuits. There will be a posy of flowers for all the ladies. Make a Moth-

er‟s day – buy an ethical gift and help transform a life, catalogues at church, in the church

porch or www.makeamothersday.org

Our next meeting will be on Wednesday April 9th

, 2pm at Mosswood when our speaker will

be Stephen Roberts who was unable to be with us in February. Kate Holland 01829 261153

DATES FOR YOUR DIARY

BANK HOLIDAY LUNCHES The Bank holiday lunches will this year all be at Bickerton Village Hall on April 21st, May

5th, May 26th and August 25th.

CHILDREN’S SOCIETY BOXES

Don‟t forget that the Children‟s Society boxes are due in for counting on Mothering Sunday

March 30th

BANK HOUSE GARDEN OPENING

Regrettably, dates have been omitted from the Yellow Book for this

year‟s opening of Bank House garden, Goldford Lane, Bickerton. The

garden will be open on the weekends of April 26th /27th and June

7th/8th from 1.30pm to 5.00pm. Further details from Penny and Mike

Voisey (01829 782287) Proceeds are for the National Gardens Scheme

and Holy Trinity ,Bickerton

SUMMER ARTS AND CRAFTS FAYRE

This will take place on Friday 27th June 6pm-9pm in Bicker-

ton Village Hall. Displays of authentic quality homemade crafts

& art to both admire and for sale. Refreshments available

throughout the evening. Admission £1. Table reservation with

Jan Ibbotson 01948 861213 Margaret Cox 01829 270610 or

[email protected]. In aid of Brown Knowl Methodist

Chapel.

http://www.makeamothersday.org

23

ST OSWALD’S NEWS

ST OSWALD’S PARISH DIARY

Mon. 3rd March .Julian Prayer Group meet at the Rectory 7.30pm (details from Brian

Fletcher 01948 861 152).

Tues. 4th March. Mothers Union Meeting. 2pm in the Jubilee Hall. Speaker Rev'd Anthony

Dutton 'My Journey to the Ministry'. (contact Pauline Plumb 01948 861 345).

Sunday 16th. Lenten recital at 6.30pm sung by the Renaissance Music Group (music for

Lent)

.

Sunday 23rd. 11am Confirmation Service - the Bishop of Chester.

Tues 25th. Mothers Union; Lady Day Service 10am at Holy Trinity Church Bickerton.

Saturday 29th. Vale Royal Concert at 7.30pm the programme includes Rutters Magnificat,

Tickets £8 - proceeds to the Church building fund.

Sunday 30th. Mothering Sunday Service with Baptism.

27

Julian Meeting 3rd February 2014

.

The function of our imagination is to give form to our awareness

of the sublime, to give it flesh and intelligible form in words and

images, in music, shape and colour. The ways in which human

minds have responded have inevitably been as diverse as the in-

dividual people we are. Each of us has our own particular way of

grappling with our understanding of mystery, of the sublime, of

awe and wonder. The mystery is that the created world exists. It

is: I am. The mystery is life itself, together with the fact that

however much we seek to explore and to penetrate them, the im-

penetrable shadows remain. Part of the mystery lies in my tran-

scendence, the fact that I can rise above or go out of myself and feel a sense of awe at what

is beyond and other than me, that I can recognise the grandeur of the natural world with its

own special and mysterious kind of beauty. This is to have a sense of the sublime, and it is a

theme expressed captivatingly in many of the Psalms, and memorably in the book of Job

where God commands Job to face the awe-inspiring and startling variety and subtlety of his

creation. And they do so in poetry, for that best expresses the voice of wonder.

A sense of the sublime leads to a sense of awe, which is that combination of wonder and

fearfulness we may feel in the presence of what takes our breath away. It is not feeling

afraid in the sense of being scared, but rather an awe-struck kind of amazement that the ordi-

nary is rather more extraordinary than the extraordinary. And awe goes hand-in-hand with

wonder. A radical amazement not just at what I see; not just that I see at all, but that I am a

wondering being.

It is when we take things for granted, or get lured by the grasping, manipulating processes of

the world, that we lose this sense of wonder and become indifferent to even the most famil-

iar things that lie before our eyes waiting to be noticed and affirmed.

Of course, I cannot force myself into some permanent state of wonder. How I see the world

depends on a hundred different things: on the sort of person I am, my upbringing, my envi-

ronment, my relationships, the mood I am in, how life is treating me and so on. What I can

do, though it may take a lifetime, is to train myself to see, to notice, to give due attention to

what is before my eyes. I can come to understand that there is no object or person not wor-

thy of wonder, and that what makes them so is that each in its essence is unique, unlikely,

different and not capable of being fully understood, docketed and explained. It is the child‟s

approach to the world that we lose, not because we have resolved its mystery but because we

have grown accustomed to its face.

The next Julian Meeting is on 3rd March at 7.30pm in the Rectory.

35

Editor:

Joan Jeffcoat 01829 782311


Advertising:

Ben Kellett

Email:[email protected]

01948 780270

07742 976950

Distribution for Malpas :

Helen Ravenhill:- 01948 861 166

Distribution for Bickerton :

Brenda Harvey:- 01829 260170

Printing:

Cowdall‟s Printers,

16, Flag Lane,

Crewe CW1 3BG

(Tel No 01270 212389)

Publicity Officers

Ann Welby 01948 861 475

Carol Fletcher 01948 861 152

Copy Deadline for :

April 2014 Edition

8.00am

12th March 2014

The Parish News has been produced under

the control of the Rector and the

Parochial Church Council who bear

ultimate responsibility for the contents.

Parish News Production Team

Don’t forget to check out the web-

site, www.malpaschurch.co.uk. for

more information about the church-

es in the benefice. Editor.

Malpas Farmers Market

is held in The Jubilee Hall

0n the third Saturday of the

month


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