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Parish News - May 2008
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Parish News - May 2008
 | View from the Vicarage
Put yourself in the Picture
2008 is proving to be one of the busiest years I can remember. In part it’s to do with having Easter so early - so we got off at a cracking pace, with only two “Ordinary Days” of the Church’s Calendar between finishing the season of Christmas & Epiphany and then beginning Lent. And in the midst of a pretty hectic schedule we also added on a course of preparation which culminated in the admission to Holy Communion of 11 younger members of our congregation. That was on the last Sunday of April - an occasion of great joy; and we carried on later that day to hold our Annual Meeting. Details inside! All this alongside the usual round of parish happenings - with 14 baptisms booked so far (and after the winter “break” we only started baptising again on 30 March!).
Now I’m pinching myself because I realise it’s only a month to our next big parish event (and there’s Pentecost to celebrate before that). I’m referring to a service on Sunday 8th June, when we’ll welcome John Roberts, our Diocesan Stewardship Adviser. He’ll be making a presentation which will focus on our parish’s financial needs and how we can address them.
It’s not just a service, but part of a bigger process called Giving Enables Ministry (GEM). Without the necessary finance we can’t do what we need to - see page 14 to read more. And that involves all the people who want to support the work of St. Cuthbert’s Church.
The fact that we are so busy shows how much people value our church. But we need from time to time to remind ourselves of the actual cost. At Pentecost the first Christians made their response to the preaching of the apostles. We need to keep responding. By using a jigsaw, we’ll be inviting our members to “Put yourself in the Picture” - collect a piece, consider your response and bring it back so that the picture can be made whole.
The life of the Church depends on the guiding power of the Holy Spirit - but it needs us to make our response and play our part. So please put this date in your diary - find out more, and put yourself in the picture.
Martin Jackson
Put yourself in the Picture
at the 10a.m. Sung Eucharist
Sunday 8 June in St. Cuthbert’s Church
with a Presentation by John Roberts,
Diocesan Stewardship Adviser
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From the Parish Registers
 Holy Baptism
30 March
Terri Ann Bewick
11 Western Hills, Blackhill
30 March
Joseph Robert Bewick
11 Western Hills, Blackhill
30 March
Benjamin Leslie Thomas Parker
20 Palmerston Street, Consett
20 April
Vincent Osborn Stock
Milander, 25 Snows Green Road, Shotley Bridge
20 April
Layla Telford
6 Plantation Street, Leadgate
May they continue to follow Christ
Funerals
25 April
Robert James Pyke, aged 83 years
Benfieldside Road
May the souls of the faithful departed rest in peace
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Mothers' Union News
 Monday 12th May
2.00pm. Service in Church
Followed by meeting in the Church Hall
Monday 19th May
2.00pm. Deanery Quiet Afternoon
St Thomas Church, Collierley
Monday 2nd June
2.00pm. Festival Service, Durham Cathedral
“Time for Relationships”
Address by Lynne Tembey,
Provincial President for Mothers’ Union York Province
Sheila Barnes
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Admission of Children to Holy Communion
 | Sunday 27th April
at the 10a.m. Sung Eucharist
We were delighted that 11 children took this special step of faith and were welcomed to receive Holy Communion.
Please continue to pray for them:
Elizabeth Thompson;
Megan Hills;
Douglas Hills;
Fiona Hills;
Sophie Purdy;
Andrew Purdy;
Julia Bridgwater-Hewlett;
Matthew Shaw;
Aimee McIntyre;
John McIntyre;
Rachel Bean
And also keep in your prayers adults within our congregation who are considering the same step.
Martin Jackson
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Christian Aid
 | Christian Aid Week: Sunday 11th May – Saturday 17th May
I hope to have been in contact with all regular collectors by the time the magazine is out. As always, new collectors will be very welcome – it needn’t take up too much of your time.
Sheila Barnes
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GROWING TOGETHER!
 | St Cuthbert’s Gardening Club
Plant Stalls:
Coffee Morning in the Church Hall
on Saturday 17th May 2008
Summer Fair on Saturday 14th June 2008.
Advance notice:
Open Garden Day on Saturday 28th June
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JUST10 continues...
 | With music, video and an entertaining presentation from J.John, ¡§Just 10¡¨ looks at the Ten Commandments in a positive light, showing that far from being a set of rules to oppress us, they are the key to finding freedom in life.
In our area, the Just 10 series began on Tuesday 22nd April, and runs every Tuesday for 10 weeks. It takes place in a 6,000-seater ¡§Big-Top¡¨ on the Gateshead Garden Flower Festival Site at Lobley Hill NE11 9RQ.
A number of St. Cuthbert¡¦s members have been taking part - anyone is welcome, and bring your friends too! Other local churches are taking part; and a bus leaves every Tuesday at 6p.m. from Durham Road Baptist Church. It¡¦s free, though contributions to the fare are welcome.
As we go to press, there have been only two sessions so far - and they¡¦ve been much enjoyed. The first week there were too many people for them all to get a seat. The second week there were an extra 400 seats available, and logistics were much better for getting in and out, cutting down on the queues. So if you haven¡¦t tried it yet¡K Catch the bus and it takes you right to the site!
THE JUST10 SESSIONS
„« Week 1: Find Contentment (22nd April)
„« Week 2: Hold to the Truth (29th April)
„« Week 3: Prosper with a Clear Conscience (6th May)
„« Week 4: ¡§Affair-Proof¡¨ Your Relationships (13th May)
„« Week 5: Manage Your Anger (20th May)
„« Week 6: Keep Peace with your Parents (27th May)
„« Week 7: Catch your Breath (3rd June)
„« Week 8: Take God Seriously (10th June)
„« Week 9: Know God (17th June)
„« Week10: Live by Priorities (24th June)
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a reminder of those commandments...
 | as portrayed in Parish Pump!
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2nd Tuesday Lunch Club
Lunch Club is back after a break in April.
We look forward to our next meeting on Tuesday 13th May.
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Annual Parochial Church Meeting
Election Results
Our annual parochial church meeting was held on Sunday 27th April.
The following were elected as churchwardens:
Liz Parker; Linda Short
The following were elected to serve for the next three years
as lay representatives in the deanery synod:
Sammie Hewlett; Stephen Mitchell; Pam Donnelly
The following were elected to the parochial church council:
Kelsey Buchanan; Peter Thompson; Mary Mitchell;
Jill Barron; Jennifer Lambert; Bill Hudson;
Irvine Macnair; Jenny Macnair; Glynis Bell;
Claire Bean; Eric Hall
Reader to serve ex officio:
Rosie Junemann
[Paul Heatherington to receive minutes with invitation to contribute to PCC]
The election of churchwardens is followed by a Visitation at which they are formally inducted into their year of office. This year the Deanery Visitation is conducted by the Archdeacon of Durham - on Tuesday 6th May here at St. Cuthbert’s. After a meeting with the Wardens in the Hall, there’s a service at 8.15p.m. in church – and it’s always good to have supporters for our Wardens from the parish!
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Sunday School…
… is a vital part of our life at St. Cuthbert’s. It’s open to all children aged three and upwards, and meets every Sunday except when schools are on holiday. But with the early Easter, the three Sundays of April school holiday and the May Bank Holidays, that’s not left us with many Sundays recently! We hope all Sunday School children will join us in church for a special all-age service for Pentecost on Sunday 11th May. And Sunday School is itself planning to meet on Sunday 18th May - probably for a “Cake-Bake” for the work of Christian Aid. After half-term, it’s back to work with a will!
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SING TOGETHER!
More sessions for everyone who enjoys singing.
Join us to learn some new hymns and practise some old favourites
Wednesday 21st May 2008
Wednesday 18th June 2008
Tuesday 15th July 2008
7.30 – 8.30pm in St Cuthbert’s Church
Further details: Rosie Junemann, Martin Jackson or Bill Hudson
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Gwen Brierley Remembered
I first met Gwen about fifteen years ago. Having taken early retirement the resulting freedom allowed me to go out every day. The bus stop was at my front door, and it was also the nearest stop tor Gwenh wno was living on a nearby estate helping to look after her grandchildren. She had to walk over a track and cross the stream to reach the bottom of my street. She would often sit on a wall further down my side street, to rest before the final pull up to Woodlands Road. We chatted as we waited together and she joked about her operations and said she was a bionic woman because she had so many false joints. Gwen was always cheerful and content with her life and a pleasure to meet.
When my husband Warwick died suddenly in 2000 I became a member of St Cuthbert’s Church and whom should I meet but Gwen? She was kind and understanding and always sensed when I was sad or upset. She would simply smile and say a few words or just hold my hand; it always made me feel much better. This year on his anniversary Gwen was no longer with us and I missed her.
Gwen loved her trips on “Mary’s bus” and even when she had to be pushed in a wheelchair she became Elsies’s eyes, helping her to read the prices and making sure that no “buy one get one free” offers were missed. She always met someone she knew and had a friendly word for them. The ladies on the till were sad to hear of her death and said they would always remember her for her smile.
She had a soft spot for young people, her grandchildren and their friends -for Adam, Rowan and Joseph. Although Gwen had many health problems, including arthritis, heart trouble and finally cancer, she never complained and tried to be independent as long as she could. Despite all her pain and suffering she was never bitter and accepted her lot. She cared deeply for her family and friends and for St. Cuthbert’s and was an inspiration on how to overcome adversity.
Many people will sadly miss Gwen, including myself.
Liz Whiting
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COFFEE plus
 | in support of St Cuthbert’s Church
Saturday 17th May 2008
11am to 2pm in the Church Hall
PLANT STALL
SECOND-HAND BOOKS
COFFEE and LIGHT LUNCHES
RAFFLE
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The land of my dreams
“Standing on the deck at dawn I watched the white cliffs of England materialise in the pale watery light, beautiful, mysterious, the land of my dreams”
Irina, a nineteen year old girl from Kiev, arrives in England alone. English was her favourite subject at school. She couldn’t wait to come to England. “Now”, she thinks, “my life will begin”. The novel ‘Two Caravans’ by Marina Lewycka tells the story of a small group of young people who have come to England to find work. They have travelled from their homes in China, Poland, Ukraine, Malaysia, with hope, courage and great expectations.
Migrant workers now make up 7% of the total UK population, or almost 10% of the working population. The need for migrant workers in many sections of our economy is obvious. Migrant workers raise national economic output by expanding the supply of labour and by filling gaps in the job market. But sadly, they often face exploitation and abuse.
‘Two Caravans’ is a humorous book. Despite all the setbacks they encounter, the young people are resilient and determined. But if their experiences are typical of even a small proportion of the total migrant workforce, we should be ashamed to be such poor hosts.
A number of agencies are now acting to ensure that migrant workers know their rights and that their rights are protected. Their employment rights are the same as ours, so the minimum wage, maximum hours of work, and holiday entitlements apply to them as well as to us. Those who are exploited are often not aware of their employment rights or of health and safety legislation. Many employment agencies and gangmasters are unscrupulous. They hold onto people’s passports and other papers, though this is illegal, and they often deduct large amounts of money from people’s paltry wages for accommodation and other expenses.
Many migrant workers find the lowest paid jobs and work in horrific conditions. In ‘Two Caravans’ a young man from Poland finds work in a chicken farm on the fringe of a fictitious Kent village called Titchington. “ He wonders whether the villagers know the horror that is happening on their doorstep.”
I recommend that you read ‘Two Caravans’ or another new novel on a similar theme ‘The Road Home’ by Rose Tremain. We live in a rather sheltered environment in this corner of the world. We need to know the reality of other people’s lives and we need to be ready to challenge those who perpetrate discrimination and exploitation. Do we know the horrors that are happening on our doorstep and in our name?
Rosie Junemann
‘Two Caravans’ Marina Lewycka ISBN 9780141026992
‘The Road Home’ Rose Tremain ISBN 9780701177935
www.adviceguide.org.uk (Citizens Advice)
www.migrantworkers.co.uk (South Lincolnshire)
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GEM - What is it?
Answer: It stands for “Giving Enables Ministry.” That’s the lesson that churches are having to learn. And the hard fact is that without financial giving to support the work of the church, ministry just isn’t possible.
Last year, St. Cuthbert’s budget was £50,000 - with still more needed to keep the church hall going. Last year - and this - the amount that we need to pay to the Diocese, just to “keep the show on the road,” is within a whisker of £30,000 - that’s before we spend anything on ourselves!
GEM is part of our plan of keeping responsible stewardship at the forefront of people’s attention. It will come to a climax with a visit by our Diocesan Stewardship Officer, John Roberts, on Sunday 8th June.
Everyone can play a part by their giving - but we also need some people who will work particularly with this stewardship process. A small working party is already at work. With John Roberts, we’ll be producing information about our needs and how you can help. Most of this - we hope - will simply be picked up by people in church. But we’ll need help in distributing material which we don’t get out this way.
GEM is a shorter programme than we’ve used before in connection with the “Parish Review” process. But as before it will include an invitation to “put yourself in the picture.” So we’re presently working on producing a jigsaw (or two!) showing something of the life of our parish - you might well find yourself in the picture! What we will try to do is see how we all fit together; so the jigsaws will be broken up, the pieces distributed… and you’ll be invited to bring them back. Watch out for more details on how you can play your part.
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St Cuthbert’s Summer Fair
 | Saturday 14 June from 2.00pm
Come and join in the fun…
Cakes, Plants, Preserves
Crafts & Gifts, Books
Tombola & Games
Afternoon Teas
…and more!
Join us in and around
St. Cuthbert’s Church & Hall
Summer Fair 2008 - how you can help…
Spring may or may not have arrived, but the Summer Fair is a certainty!
All the usual stalls will be there - cakes - books - plants - tombola -
Crafts and bits of pieces - raffles and a quiz. And refreshments of course.
Plus a return of last year’s popular water rockets, and several other side-shows and entertainments (which may include more water!).
We need people to help with these events, and with setting up in the morning - and clearing up afterwards.
There is a list which may be in the Church or the Church Hall - and it would be appreciated if you could add your name if you wish to help.
Contributions for the tombola, and any other stalls, may be left in the box at the back of Church or in the Church Hall.
We, the undersigned coordinators, live in hope of an enthusiastic response!
Mary Mitchell; Steve Mitchell; Sammie Hewlett
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