ST. LEONARD'S CHURCHFRANKLEY, B32 4BL

All Welcome!

CHURCH NEWS – APRIL 2019 REVD. JANE WRITES: RESURRECTION POLITICSAs we celebrate Christ’s rising from the tomb and his victory over sin and death, are we able to envisage new life in our nation after its impasse over Brexit?Is it possible that the Holy Spirit will breathe new life into our institutions and economy?Will it be possible to operate with new energy and hope and will we ever be able to move

forward united with one another in our nation?I am writing as Theresa May’s Brexit deal has been defeated for the third time in the House of Commons and no alternative agreement on the way forward has been found in Parliament.At the moment we are threatened with leaving the European Union with no agreement on April 12 th,

or of remaining indefinitely. We may also be faced with a general election with all the chaos that would ensue in the present crisis. Furthermore, another prime minister would probably be faced with the same deadlock Theresa May now finds herself in.At the moment I don’t have any strong feelings about whether we ought to leave or remain. I didn’t have on the day of the referendum, so I went into the polling booth and prayed. In the absence of inspiration from heaven, I voted remain by a whisker, because I felt it was better to do nothing than do something without having any idea what the consequences would be. Most of my friends voted to leave.I, like most people, voted in my ignorance, for while there was plenty of passion running up to the referendum, politicians on both sides of the debate believed that swaying public opinion was more important than telling the truth. We were bribed with promises of more money for the NHS becauseEurope was robbing us, of defending our borders from the onslaught of Europeans and getting our sovereignty back. There was no clear explanation that I read or understood of how Brexit would enable this to happenor where this would leave us in a world that has changed irrevocably since the days of British Empire.Spurred on by either British or European nationalism, (depending upon the way people saw themselves), and exercising our political rights to have a say, we were unable to see the bigger pictures and voted out of our narrow perspectives. We did what we thought was best for us and ourrelatives.What we have been left with in parliament is an angry mob where politicians attack and counter attack each other for in the situation we find ourselves, oppositional politics doesn’t work.We have also been left with angry demonstrations on our streets, coming from both those who voted remain and those who are very angry that we did not leave the European Union on the 29th March.In the past, friends and family have pushed me to look at “The Rotten Heart of Europe” by Bernard Connelly who exposed European financial corruption. As a teenager, Europe was seen by my church (not C. of E.) as a monster that would eventually seek to annihilate the church which would be led by the Antichrist with the pope as his false prophet.How things have changed! I suspect that view is outdated and they now view the Antichrist as emanating from elsewhereThrough the confusion there are things that I can see more clearly now than I did before, though if we had another referendum tomorrow, I still wouldn’t know how to vote. 1 PTO

RESURRECTION POLITICS contd.

Brexit has exposed our sin; both our sin as individuals who always want more than we have got, and our institutional sins.Lying, even in the competitive world of politics is always wrong.If mere mortals like us are to be given the opportunity to vote, we need to know the facts and the arguments so we can weigh up truth fairly.Brexit has exposed the career politicians whose personal ambitions have led them to put their own priorities above the good of the nation.We can now see those politicians who were playing with us, rousing our emotions and generally being divisive. We have more of an idea of who not to vote for in the future. I hope the MPs can also see this and don’t just elect one of them to get things moving again. As we have watched UKIP unravel, and its members brawl with one another, we can see agendas which were not pleasant.Whilst I did not see UKIP as a racist party, Brexit has exposed racist elements in our nation.I do not understand why many Europeans such as the Polish have now been made to feel unwelcome here. And I do not understand how Brexit would make a difference in the way we treat all immigrants coming here from Asia and Africa.Two years ago we saw the murder of the MP Jo Cox because of her pro- European stance. She was seen as a traitor to poor white working class familiesBrexit has also exposed the sexism still within our society. Only last week Anna Soubry couldn’t return home because of the threat of being beheaded and women MPs receive a constant barrage of hate mailThe Brexit campaign has brought out the worst in us and Christians are as divided as the rest of the population. The sins that are dividing us now, the lies, the political one-upmanship and the nationalism and racism are the same sins which led to the crucifixion of Jesus which we will examine more closely during Holy Week.He overcame lies with truth and hate with love. He even managed to show empathy towards those caught in a political lock between Rome and Jerusalem.Jesus bore our sins in his body on the tree and when he rose from the dead, the lies, injustice, hate, shame and horror which had been imposed upon him were defeated.He is our peace. He broke down the walls between Jew and Gentile, slave and free, rich and poor and male and female.He asks us to do the same, to break down the walls which divide us through our love, by being lovers of truth, by having empathy with those who think differently to us and praying for them and with them.The Archbishop of Canterbury calls us to reach across divides by gathering people in our communities to tea, talk and pray together in informal settings

Jesus rose from the dead. Through Christ’s power and light, we too can rise above what we and others have done through our sins and divisions. We can rise above the mess our nation now finds itself in to bring Christ’s healing love by leaving our personal ideologies aside to pray, and share with those who may feel differently to us, recognising that God’s love and power reaches out to the marginalised and those living in poverty as well as to those struggling politicians.

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~Congratulations to Hannah

Well Done Hannah! In the last four months, Hannah has got married, got a job and obtained herPhD, which is a formidable feat. She is now Dr Hannah Martin.

May God continue to bless you and Andy.

A Church Near You: Having been unable to access our website, Jane is using the Church Near you

St. Leonard’s Frankley web site to post weekly notices and the magazinehttps://www.achurchnearyou.com/church/7192/

St. Leonard's Church Frankley, B32 4BL

For the arranging of banns, baptisms or marriages at St. Leonard's, please come to St. Leonard'sChurch Hall on Wednesday evenings between 5.00 and 6.00 p.m.

Revd. Jane Platt & Church Warden Jacqui Jones will be there to welcome you.

APRIL SERVICES LED BY PRIEST-IN-CHARGE, REVD. JANE PLATT:

EVERY SUNDAY

11.15 a.m. SUNG EUCHARIST (HOLY COMMUNION)

6.30 p.m. EVENING PRAISE~(N.B. HOLY COMMUNION EVERY 3rd WED IN THE MONTH)

EVERY WEDNESDAY (UNLESS OTHERWISE STATED) 10.00 A.M. HOLY COMMUNIONPLEASE SEE LAST PAGE FOR DETAILS OF HOLY WEEK/EASTER SERVICES

DATES FOR YOUR DIARY:

4th April, Thurs 6th April, Sat 7th April, Sun 12th April, Fri 14th April, Sun 15 th _ 26 th April, 16 th -18 th April 16th April, Tues

17th April, Wed “ “ “ 18th April, Thurs

19th April, Fri }

} }

20th April, Sat 21st April, Sun

“ “ “ 24th April, Wed

27th April, Sat 28th April, Sun

29th April, Mon}

29th April, Mon

7.30 pm CTB45 meeting at St. Chad’s, Rubery12 til 2pm Lent Lunch in Church Hall. Raising funds for Belton Grove project. 1.30 pm Baptism in church Games Night at Holly Hill Frankley put on by Grace Community ChurchPALM SUNDAY- Holy Week begins. Giving of Palm Crosses at all services. EASTER SCHOOL HOLIDAYS Birmingham Passion Play – see separate listing 7.00 pm CTB45 Holy Week fellowship meal. (This year we will be hosting it in our church hall. There will be hymns and songs led byGrace Community Band. There is room for nine from each of our churches. Please sign up or let Jane know if you would like to come) 10 am Holy Communion Service 7.30 pm W.I. meeting in church hall MAUNDAY THURSDAY. 7.30 pm Holy Communion, washing of feet, stripping of church and vigil GOOD FRIDAY 10am Walk of witness. Starting from Frankley shops at 10.am (Do look out for details) and finishing at St Chad’s Church, Rubery where we will share in Hot Cross buns.2 pm The Last Hour With Jesus~Service in Church 2 pm Wedding in church

EASTER DAY: Services as per separate listing on back page Her Majesty The Queen’s birthday

6.30 pm After Office Hour. A short meeting of the Standing Committee to pass the accounts for AGM 2 pm Wedding After 11.15 am Service The Annual Parochial Church Meeting Be involved in your church! Election of Church Wardens, PCC members & Deanery Synod Reps. Do come along and support those who work so hard to keep our church going.

6.30 pm Meeting for the flower arrangers.(We are very thankful for all those who beautify our church with flowers each week.)

7.30 pm Peace Prayer Group – venue to be decided

PLEASE NOTE THERE IS NO SUNDAY LUNCH THIS MONTH!

PCC MEMBERS:

Chair: Revd. Jane Platt; Church Warden & Safeguarding Officer: Jacqui Jones; Church Warden, Gift Aid Secretary & Health and Safety Officer: Peter Razzell; Secretary: Annette Grigg; Treasurer: Joy Greaves; Parish Identity Verifier (DBS checks) Joy Bardelll Scribe: Jo AndrewsOther members: Pat Billingham, Caroline Gauder, Beryl Gibson, Pat Jelfs, Martin Morton, Rory O’Connor, Hannah Martin, Irene Thompson-Yates

Next meeting of the PCC is To Be Advised

SOME NOTABLE DATES IN THE CHURCH CALENDAR THIS MONTH:

23rd April- St. George’s 25 th- Mark The Evangelist

FROM THE REGISTERS: FUNERALS : Wed. 20th March: Gladys Brassington. Service in church followed by cremation at Lodge Hill. Tuesday 26th March: Gillian Evans and John Leonard BeardThursday 28th March: Heather Kiernan

May You All Rest In Peace

CHURCH FLOWERS: PLEASE NOTE, NO FLOWERS IN CHURCH DURING LENT.

Donations for Easter Lilies in memory of departed loved ones or in gratitude to God for His many blessings will be gratefully received by Jacqui. Help required to do flowers, pretty please, after 4.30pm on Good Friday as there is a wedding on the Saturday. If you would like to join the team who do so much to beautify our lovely church, please put your name on the list at the back of the church, or contact Jacqui. If anyone would like flowers for a particular date to mark a special occasion, (cost £20), please contact Jacqui:- Phone: 0121 421 3584; Mobile: 0779 0211641

DONATIONS OF FLOWERS/GREENERY AND/OR MONEY FOR FLOWERS AREALWAYS WELCOME, PLEASE! THANK YOU!

CHURCH CLEANING *More volunteers needed, please!* Rota at back of the church. Thanks so much to all who work so hard to keep our church clean and tidy.

GARDENING TEAM: A huge thank you to all who have worked so hard to maintain the churchyard & gardens in good order in recent times. Your efforts are greatly appreciated. Bless you.

We must offer our grateful thanks to Jon who has worked incredibly hard in our church & groundsfor some considerable time, ably assisted by the Mrs, June, until she had to stop last year.

Sadly, Jon will soon be unable to continue gardening for us and will be greatly missed.Thank you Jon & June for all your hard work both inside the church and in its grounds.

What a difference you have made over the years! Bless you both.Unfortunately, the gardening team is now very few in number and with the arrival of Spring, the

jobs will soon mount up so, if you are able to help in any way, PLEASE do! Grass cutting will be a particular problem!

Martin plans to mow the lawns every Friday (weather permitting!) but desperately needshelp with this as there is is far too much grass for one person to cut and we don’t have any

sheep we could borrow! If you can offer him any help at all, Martin would be most grateful. If you wish to contact

him, you can do so via his Mobile: 0790 375 5405. You don’t have to be church member to help in the gardens & churchyard, just somebody whoenjoys the outdoors and wants to help maintain the setting for our lovely, historic, old church.

Please contact Jacqui for further information: Tel: 0121 421 3584; Mobile: 0779 0211641.

FRIENDSHIP GROUP: FRIENDSHIP GROUP: PLEASE NOTE THAT THE FRIENDSHIP GROUP IS CURRENTLY SUSPENDED.PLEASE NOTE THAT THE FRIENDSHIP GROUP IS CURRENTLY SUSPENDED.

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W.I. MEETINGS:These meetings take place in the Church Hall at 7.30 p.m. on the 3rd Wednesday of the month.

New members welcomed!

April 17th- 7.30 pm Resolutions Meeting followed by a Fish & Chip Supper and a Bring & Buy sale.

May 15th – 7.30 pm We will be celebrating our 72nd Birthday!

For this we invite members from our local W I's, enjoy light refreshments and are entertained by 2ladies and a guitar. Everything will be themed to Red, White and Blue.

We always have a tea break with biscuits, or cake if we are lucky, the cost of this is £1

You can come and visit for £1 and see what you think before officially joining.

If you would like more information please contact Chris Henderson, Secretary of Frankley WI,

via phone: 0121 476 1360, or, email: chris.hender@hotmail.co.uk p.s. Chris has ‘adopted’ the remaining knitting needles advertised last month and Gay is delighted

that they are to be put to good use raising funds for St. Mary’s hospice.

LENT STUDY GROUPS

Tuesdays 2 nd & 9 th of April 10.30am @ St. Steven’s, Rednal

&HOME GROUP IN ST LEONARD’S PARISH

2nd April @ 7.30pm at Martin Morton’s home: 58 Harlech Close, Kitwell, B32 4JS9th April @ 7.30pm in St. Leonard’s Church Hall

PLUS

Wednesdays 3rd & 10th of April7.00pm @ St. Chad’s, Rubery

The material we are using in all the groups is produced by theEcumenical Council of Churches and is called “The Mystery of God.”

It can be downloaded online from https://ctbi.org.uk/lent/For more information please contact Jane 07748693408

CONFIRMATION CLASSES: If anyone would like to be confirmed, please have a word with Jane who will arrange

classes. At the moment we have three people interested. There will probably be four sessions during June and the beginning of July at 7.30 on

Tuesday evenings in the church hall. See Jane for details.Our Bishops are only going to conduct one confirmation service each year in a deanery to

leave them free to celebrate major events such as church anniversaries.This year the confirmation for Kings Norton Deanery will be at St Nicholas Kings

Norton at 7.30 pm on Friday 1st November.

CHURCH DIARIES- We still have some left. Available from Beryl or at the back of the church

LIFEWORDS SCRIPTURE RESOURCES: Some are still available at the back of the church.

A small donation to church funds would be welcomed but is not required.5

FAREWELL TO GLADYS Dear Gladys was given the funeral service she so richly deserved on 20th March. She was brought into St. Leonard’s for the final time to a chorus of birdsong on a gloriously sunny day. Gladys’s family, friends & loved ones were joined by several former members of St. Leonard’s, as well as many current church members, to say their goodbyes in a full church.

It was a moving and poignant occasion with the service led by Revd. Jane and much loved former Rector of St. Leonard’s, the Revd. Michael Denny. I know that Gladys was also very muchin the thoughts of Richard & Lynn although they were unable to attend on this occasion.It was only during the tributes to Gladys’s generosity towards various charities and organisations that many of us learned for the first time of her involvement with the Barnardo’s Children’s charity… how strange then that Barnardo’s were holding an ‘away day’ over in the church hall at the same time as we were all in church! I like to think that Gladys would have been ‘tickled’ by that, bless her. R.I.P. Gladys, we were privileged to know you and will miss you greatly. X

THANKS ARE DUE:Heartfelt thanks to those members of the congregation who have contributed to, or covered the costs of, all the extras required to celebrate Easter in our church… e.g. Palms & Palm Crosses, the Paschal Candle & other candles, Lilies & other flowers plus other sundry items. We often take for granted that these ‘extras’ will be provided for our worship and pleasure at various ‘special’ services throughout the church year, often without a thought as to how they arrive in church or howthe costs are covered. Our church funds are insufficient to meet those costs so thank you again to those who ‘dig a little deeper’ for the benefit of others, not just at Easter but for all occasions, including Mothering Sunday recently. Many thanks, too, to Jane, our organists, Wardens, PCC members and all involved in the making of decorations, flower arrangements, cleaning, laundering,gardening & everything else involved in keeping our church going. God bless you all.PANCAKES ON SHROVE TUESDAY: Many thanks to Jacqui for her hard work yet again, to her assistant, Martin, and to all who supported Jacqui’s efforts on this very pleasant occasion.. £101 was raised towards the Hall heating fund. Well done! Gay wishes to thank Jacqui for providing pancakes. Keith very much appreciated his and Gay very much appreciated not having to cook it! (Jill writes: I very much appreciated the transport provided by Jacqui and Gay to/from the event and enjoyed the pancakes I scoffed with relish between journeys!)

LENT LUNCH 16 TH MARCH: Thanks to Jacqui and Joy for the delicious home made soups and to Jill’s sister Kath for her scrumptious apple & blackberry cobbler etc. Thanks, too, to Peter for his help. £80 was raised for Belton Grove Food Bank. I’m sure they’ll be delighted with that. Well doneagain. It would be great to see a few more people at the next Lent lunch on 6th April. Do come to enjoy the food & company of others on what would have been dear Edgar’s 98th birthday.

BUILDING FUNDOur Church & Hall have repairs that need urgent attention and for which insufficient funds are available. Priorities at the moment are: Work on church roof tiles, hall heating, and repair of pot holes in the entrance lane.Donations, large or small, are desperately needed, PLEASE! The Building Fund really does need asbig a boost as we can manage in thevery near future.. A collection bucket

is available in church, or, if you wish to help with a largeramount, I’m sure the Wardens, Treasurer and/or Janewould be delighted to help you with this! Thank you. Each one must give as he has decided in his heart, notreluctantly or under compulsion, for God loves a cheerful giver. 2 Corinthians 9:7ESV6

A MESSAGE FROM JACQUII am not sending Easter cards this year, saving paper and donating to the church instead. However, I do wish everyone at St Leonard’s a peaceful and Blessed Easter.

PREPARATION OF NEW CHURCH ELECTORAL ROLL 2019Every six years the preparation of a new church electoral rolls takes place and this is the

year. All members of the church are required to fill in a new form this year. So, if you were already on it you need to apply again and if you would like to be on it, you

need to fill in a form ASAP! Don’t leave it too late to fill in a form and return it to Electoral Roll officer, Annette Grigg!

Only those on the electoral roll are allowed to vote for members of the church council.The roll should be ready for display before the AGM.

YOUR CHURCH NEEDS YOU!Is God calling you to serve Him and St. Leonard’s Church as a

Church Warden or Church Councillor?

We need people of vision, enthusiasm and energy to worktogether at a time of challenge and opportunity.

THE ANNUAL PAROCHIAL CHURCH MEETING

Sunday 28th April 2019 after the 11.15 am serviceFor the election of Parochial representatives of the laity to the Parochial Church Council and to the Deanery Synod. For the appointment of Sidesmen and the Independent Examiner or Auditor. For the consideration of: (a) A Report on changes in the roll since the annual parochial church meeting; (b) An Annual Report of the proceedings of the parochial church council and the activities of the parish generally; (c) The Financial Statements of the Council for the year ending on the 31st December immediately preceding the meeting audited or independently examined; (d) A Report on the fabric, goods and ornaments of the church or churches of the parish; (e) A Report on the proceedings of the Deanery Synod and other matters of parochial or general Church interest.

IMPORTANT: If you wish to nominate somebody to be considered for election as churchwarden or PCCmember etc. but are unable to attend the APCM on 28th April, please provide your written

nomination in advance of the meeting.Please attend this very important meeting if you can- it is your opportunity to find out exactly the amount of time and money needed for the survival of St. Leonard’s & to hear about what has happened during the past year and the challenges that lie ahead.

Matthew 20:18-19 “We are going up to Jerusalem, and the Son of Man will be delivered over to the chief priests and the teachers of the law. They will condemn him todeath and will hand him over to the Gentiles to be mocked and flogged and crucified. On the third day he will be raised to life!”

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AN EASTER PRAYER by Helen Steiner Rice

God give us eyes to seethe beauty of the Spring,And to behold Your majesty in every living thing-And may we see in lacy leaves and every budding flowerThe hand that rules the universewith gentleness and power-And may this Easter grandeurthat Spring lavishly impartsAwaken faded flowers of faith lying dormant in our hearts,And give us ears to hear, dear God,the Springtime song of birdsWith messages more meaningfulthan man’s often empty wordsTelling harried human beingswho are lost in dark despair-‘Be like us and do not worry for God has you in His care.’

INTRODUCTION TO HOLY WEEK (from the C of E website)

It is still uncertain when Christians first began to make an annual (as opposed to a weekly) memorial of the death and resurrection of Christ. This Pascha (a word derived indirectly from pesach, Hebrew ‘Passover’) was at first a night-long vigil, followed by the celebration of the Eucharist at cock-crow, and all the great themes of redemption were included within it: incarnation, suffering, death, resurrection, glorification. Over time, the Pascha developed into the articulated structure of Holy Week and Easter. Through participation in the whole sequence of services, the Christian shares in Christ’s own journey, from the triumphal entry into Jerusalem on Palm Sunday to the empty tomb on Easter morning. The procession with palms, which was already observed in Jerusalem in the fourth century, is accompanied by the reading or singing of the Passion Narrative, in which the whole story of the week is anticipated. Maundy Thursday (frommandatum, ‘commandment’, because of the use of John 13.34 in the Antiphon) contains a rich complex of themes: humble Christian service expressed through Christ’s washing of his disciples’ feet, the institution of the Eucharist, the perfection of Christ’s loving obedience through the agony of Gethsemane.After keeping vigil (‘Could you not watch with me one hour?’) Thursday passes into Good Friday with its two characteristic episodes. The veneration of the Cross is older; the sequence of meditations and music known as the Three Hours’ Devotion was introduced into the Church of England in the nineteenth century. The first is now sometimes incorporated into the structure of the second. It is a widespread custom for there not to be a celebration of the Eucharist on Good Friday, but for the consecrated bread and wine remaining from the Maundy Thursday Eucharist to be given in communion. The church remains stripped of all decoration. It continues bare and empty through the following day, which is a day without a liturgy: there can be no adequate way ofrecalling the being dead of the Son of God, other than silence and desolation. But within the silence there grows a sense of peace and completion, and then rising excitement as the Easter Vigil draws near.This ‘Week of Weeks’ preserves some of the oldest texts still in current use, and rehearses the deepest and most fundamental Christian memories. At the same time, the services and ceremonies of Holy Week have in the course of Christian history been the occasion of, or have actively encouraged, hostility towards the Jews. The ‘Ioudaioi’ of St John’s Gospel have all too easily been identified with ‘the Jews’ as a whole, or more specifically those Jews who were neighbours of a Christian church. This places a double responsibility on those who lead the keeping of Holy Week today: to be faithful to the act of collective memory, but also to be sensitive to the ways in whichan unreflecting use of traditional texts (like the Reproaches) can perpetuate a strain of Christian anti-Semitism. (Jill writes: What is so wrong in our world that, so soon in history after the hideous Holocaust, hatred of Jews is again on the rise in many different countries? It’s sickening and maybe I am naive, but surely to hold anti-Semitic views is to fly in the face of Christ’s teachings…. Or am I missing something?)

PALM CROSSES: The Palm Crosses provided for St Leonard’s are obtained from African Palms UK.

The project and charity were founded by Revd. Alan John Talbot(27/01/1923 – 30/08/2018)The Revd. Alan John Talbot died peacefully at home at the age of 95yrs. Hedevoted his whole life to the church universal. He was ordained Priest in 1952.While serving as a priest in very poor and remote areas of S. Tanzania, he hadthe idea that people could earn money by making palm leaf into crosses whichhe would then aim to sell in the UK. The project grew to become very successfuland now three million Palm Crosses are now sold worldwide every year.At his funeral Father Henry from African Palms USA told of how Palm Crosses had affected millions of people in Tanzania over the years, both through the work of making the crosses and through money left over being used in Education and Healthcare projects. It is amazing how such a small idea could affect and encourage people in their daily lives around the world.On the day of his funeral, he was remembered in all the parishes of the Diocese of Masasi, Tanzania in a special service. (Revd. Alan’s son, John, has taken on the task of keeping the project going following his father’s death. Quite a task to follow in the footsteps of such an incredibly influential man!)

Do all the good you canBy all the means you canIn all the ways you can

In all the places you canAt all the times you can To all the people you canAs long as you ever can

John Wesley

THE JOURNEYING OFTEN- JOHN CENNICK (A Moravian Minister who, like John Wesley, never seemed to settle anywhere and seems

to have spent his time travelling around on horseback. He died in 1755 at just 37yo)1. Soon in the chariot of a cloud, by flaming angels borne, shall I ride up the milky road

and back to God return.2. These journeys soon shall have an end, the heats and cold shall cease, when I to

mine home ascend, my everlasting place.3. Go on, my soul for every step, for every step, and every fleeting hour, the forwards,

where the Saviour’s sheep sit down to stray no more.4. The saints await thee now, and long to have the safe with them, to join these sweet

harmonious songs of Moses and the Lamb.(Courtesy of an old newsletter of Ballinderry Moravian Church, Northern Ireland)

Thanks to Margaret for thiscartoon..

The text for those who find theprint too small, reads:

FOR SALE~ Single owner tomb.Only used three days and still hasthat new tomb smell. Reason forsale… resident was resurrected.

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Birmingham has never seen anything like this before!

THE BIRMINGHAM PASSION PLAY 2019Start: 16th April 2019 @ 12:00 am End: 18th April 2019 @ 12:00 am

The Birmingham Passion Play 2019 is coming to the City.

Involving more than a hundred community actors alongside Saltmine Theatre Company,multiple choirs and dynamic live music, Birmingham Passion Play 2019 is by the city, for

the city.This unique contemporary retelling of the extraordinary Easter story will process from

Grand Central to St Philip’s Cathedral, on 16th,17th and 18th April 2019.

With participation and collaboration we want to recruit volunteers for the community cast,choir, musicians and stewards along with sponsorship from churches, organisations and

businesses. Everyone is welcome.

For more information: https://www.saltminetrust.org.uk/index.php/birminghampassionplayEvent organiser: Saltmine Trust

(Jill writes: On looking back at some old Church News, I noticed that a Passion Play (Jill writes: On looking back at some old Church News, I noticed that a Passion Play was held at St. Leonard’s on Palm Sunday 2000 in place of the evening service. I was held at St. Leonard’s on Palm Sunday 2000 in place of the evening service. I have no recollection of this and wonder if anybody reading this has any memories have no recollection of this and wonder if anybody reading this has any memories that they would like to share?)that they would like to share?)

ADVANCE NOTICES:

CHRISTIAN AID WEEK 12-18 TH MAY 2019 (from Christian Aid website) Our aims:We stand together. For dignity. For equality. For justice.Everyone is equal in the sight of God. Yet we live in a world where poverty still persists.Poverty is an outrage against humanity. It robs people of their dignity and lets injustice thrive. But together we have the power to transform lives.For over 70 years, we’ve been standing with the poorest of our neighbours. We work in 37 countries, with people of all faiths and none, to stand up for dignity, equality and justice.Together we can create a world where everyone can live a full life, free from poverty.Our voices and actions are stronger together. And with your help, we can make an even bigger difference.We believe in life before death-We seek to follow the teaching of Jesus Christ, who commanded his followers to love their neighbour and work for a better world.-We stand with the most vulnerable and excluded people of the world – both in times of crisis and for the longer term. We give people survival essentials when they are without shelter or refuge, and help them findthe strength and resources they need to flourish and protect themselves from shocks and disasters.-We support people to stand up for their rights and to build stable, secure lives they can enjoy living. 10 ADVANCE NOTICES CONTINUED ON NEXT PAGE

ST. LEONARD’S FLOWER FESTIVALWEDNESDAY 10th JULY to SATURDAY 13th JULY

11am-3 pm

Theme: “All Things Bright and Beautiful”Donations towards the cost of flowers would be welcomed, please. If anyone wants to help with flowers please speak to Jacqui Jones

Lists will go up in June asking for volunteers to help during opening times to serve tea andcakes in the hall, to sell paintings, to sell programmes and guides on the door and to sell

raffle tickets The raffles will have good prizes but not money)

PAUSE FOR THOUGHT

KINDNESS:1. Love and kindness are never wasted. They always make a difference. They bless the one

who receives them, and they bless you, the giver. Barbara de Angelis2. For beautiful eyes, look for the good in others; for beautiful lips, speak only words of

kindness; and for poise, walk with the knowledge that you are never alone. Audrey Hepburn3. Goodness is about character-integrity, honesty, kindness, generosity, moral courage, and

the like. More than anything else, it is about how we treat other people. Dennis Prager4. Constant kindness can accomplish much. As the sun makes ice melt, kindness causes

misunderstanding, mistrust, and hostility to evaporate. Albert Schweitzer5. A little thought and a little kindness are often worth more than a great deal of money.

John Ruskin6. A tree is known by its fruit; a man by his deeds. A good deed is never lost; he who sows

courtesy reaps friendship, and he who plants kindness gathers love. Saint Basil ~~~~~~

*Philip was rather taken aback when his friend Andrew told him about his ‘Golden Rule.’With a straight face he told him that each day he does his best to drink, steal, swear and lie.Philip looked puzzled and then Andrew explained:‘I drink from the everlasting cup of faith each day. I try my best to steal five minutes each day to dosomething for someone in need. I swear to myself that I will be a better person tomorrow than I was today. And as I lie down each night, I thank God for the day that’s just been.’‘Oh, that’s altogether different then,’ replied Philip with relief.

~~~~~

*A clergyman of a large, centuries old church was showing a class of children from a nearby Primary School around, pointing out many things of interest. One young lad, clearly overwhelmed by the sheer scale of the massive building, called out, “It’s so big! Is this your church?”“No, it’s yours,” came the reply. Later he wondered how many of his congregation realised this, so he put up a notice on the front door… WELCOME TO YOUR CHURCH. It attracted a lot of attention, so he put up another notice a few weeks later: WHAT ARE YOU SEEKING? IS IT LOVE, UNDERSTANDING, KINDNESS, FORGIVENESS, ACCEPTANCE, BELONGING OR FRIENDSHIP? WHATEVER IT IS, CONGRATULATIONS, YOU’VE FOUND IT. COME ON IN! (Something for us all to think about!) ~~~~~ *This sign was seen outside a church: ‘Prayer-the best wireless connection.’(Page 11)

CHUCKLES:

Get Out of That One! A man and a woman were married for many years. Whenever there was a confrontation, yelling could be heard late into the night. The old man would shout: “When I die, I am going to dig my way up and out of the grave and come back and haunt you for the rest of your life!”Neighbours feared him. The old man liked the fact that he was feared.To everyone’s relief, he died of a heart attack when he was 98.After the burial, her neighbours, who were concerned for the wife’s safety, asked: “Aren’t you afraidthat he may indeed be able to dig his way out of the grave and haunt you for the rest of your life?”The wife said: “Let him dig. I had him buried upside down. AND I know he won’t ask for directions.”

Last Laugh: A Boeing 777 wide-body jet was lumbering along at 500mph at 33,000 feet when a cocky F-16 fighter jet flashed by at Mach2.The F-16 pilot decided to show off. On his state-of-the-art radio that is part of his state-of-the-art 3D and million dollar headset, the F-16 youngster told the 777 pilot: “Hey captain, watch this!”He promptly went into a barrel roll, followed by a steep, unimaginable, vertical climb. He then finished with a sonic boom as he broke the sound barrier, as the F-16 screamed down at impossible G forces before levelling at almost sea level.The F-16 pilot asked the 77 pilot what he thought of that?The 777 pilot said: “That was truly impressive, but watch this!”.The 777 chugged along for about five minutes at a steady 500mph, and then the 777 pilot came back on and said: “What did you think of that?”Puzzled, the cocky F-16 pilot asked: “What the heck did you do?”The 777 pilot chuckled and said: “I stood up, stretched my legs, walked to the back, used the toilet, then got a cup of coffee, ate a cinnamon roll and talked to my passengers and will spend the next three nights in a five star hotel paid for by the company.”

ANAGRAMS THAT MAKE SENSE:

1) PRESBYTERIAN- Best in prayer 2) ASTRONOMER- Moon starer3) THE EYES- They see 4)THE MORSE CODE- Here come dots5) DORMITORY- Dirty room 6) SLOT MACHINES- Nil cash to me

STUDENT WHO OBTAINED 0% ON AN EXAM

He deserved100%! Each answer is absolutely grammatically correct, and funny too. The teacher had no sense of humour.

Q1. In which battle did Napoleon die? A. his last battleQ2. Where was the Declaration of Independence signed? A. at the bottom of the pageQ3. River Ravi flows in which state? A. liquidQ4. What is the main reason for divorce? A. marriageQ5. What is the main reason for failure? A. examsQ6. What can you never eat for breakfast? A. Lunch & dinnerQ7. What looks like half an apple? A. The other halfQ8. If you throw a red stone into the blue sea what it will become? A. WetQ9. How can a man go eight days without sleeping? A. No problem, he sleeps at night.Q10.How can you lift an elephant with one hand? A. You will never find an elephant that has one hand.

Q11. If you had three apples and four oranges in one hand and four apples and three oranges in other hand, what would you have? A. Very large hands Q12. If it took eight men ten hours to build a wall, how long would it take four men to build it?A. No time at all, the wall is already built.Q13. How can you drop a raw egg onto a concrete floor without cracking it?A. Any way you want, concrete floors are very hard to crack.

12

THOSE IN NEED OF PRAYERTHOSE IN NEED OF PRAYER

Please continue to pray for our many members who have been recently bereaved or whoPlease continue to pray for our many members who have been recently bereaved or whoare ill at present, whether at home or in hospital. are ill at present, whether at home or in hospital.

Remember especially the family and friends and our dear friend, Gladys Brassington, andRemember especially the family and friends and our dear friend, Gladys Brassington, andHarry’s daughter, Corinne, whose funerals were held last month.Harry’s daughter, Corinne, whose funerals were held last month.

Please know that you are in our hearts, thoughts and prayers. Please know that you are in our hearts, thoughts and prayers. May God Bless, strengthen and comfort you all. May God Bless, strengthen and comfort you all.

BE STRONG AND OF GOOD COURAGE, DO NOT FEAR NOR BE AFRAID OF THEM;BE STRONG AND OF GOOD COURAGE, DO NOT FEAR NOR BE AFRAID OF THEM;FOR THE LORD YOUR GOD, HE IS THE ONE WHO GOES WITH YOU. HE WILL NOTFOR THE LORD YOUR GOD, HE IS THE ONE WHO GOES WITH YOU. HE WILL NOT

LEAVE YOU NOR FORSAKE YOULEAVE YOU NOR FORSAKE YOU.. Deuteronomy 31:6 NKJV Deuteronomy 31:6 NKJV

CHURCH HALL FOR HIRE – VERY REASONABLE RATES!

The hall is suitable for all sorts of events and gatherings after christenings, weddings, funerals etc.

It has an excellent, fully equipped kitchen and is fully accessible for people with mobility problems.It has a disabled toilet which also has baby changing facilities. Seating about sixty it would suit a

medium size reception at a sit-down meal. There is ample parking adjacent to the hall. The hall is currently available Monday to Saturday (& very occasional Sundays) for regularmeetings or occasional users. The cost of hiring the hall is £10 per hour plus £5 for heating.For enquiries or to hire the hall, please contact Jacqui 0121 421 3584 Mobile: 0779 0211641

RE: CHURCH NEWS:Thank you to those who have contributed towards the cost of printing the Church News, your

generosity is both appreciated and necessary to cover costs. Bless you all.

If you wish to receive a copy via email and don’t already do so, please email a request to me at:j illcollins@blueyonder.co.uk

Contributions of articles etc. for the News can be: Left in church for me; posted to me (address inChurch Directory), emailed to: jil l collins@blueyonder.co.uk or, you may wish to text or phone my

mobile: 07527867297. However, if phoning, please note that at times I am unable to respond to phone calls but if you

leave a message, I will return your call as soon as I can. I will also gladly phone you back if calls tomobiles are not included in your phone package.

*Please send any items for inclusion in May Church News by 21st April at the latest. Thank you for your consideration.*

ST. LEONARD’S CHURCH CONTACTS: Priest-In-Charge:

Revd. Jane Platt – Mobile: 0774 8693408

Church Wardens: Jacqui Jones – Phone: 0121 421 3584; Mobile: 0779 0211641

Peter Razzell – Mob: 0779 2916179; Email: peterrazzell@virginmedia.com

WHY DO YOU SEEK THE LIVING ONE AMONG THE DEAD? LUKE 24:5

HE IS RISEN! HE IS RISEN INDEED! EASTER BLESSINGS TO ALL

ST. LEONARD'S CHURCHFRANKLEY, B32 4BL

EASTER SERVICES 2019All Welcome!

PALM SUNDAY 14 th APRIL 11.15 am Easter Eucharist & 6.30 pm Easter Praise

Giving of Palm Crosses at both services

TUESDAY 16 th SHARED FELLOWSHIP MEAL CHURCHES TOGETHER IN B45

7 pm @ St. Leonard’s Church Hall. Very limited spaces. Booking essential. See Jane to book.

There will be hymns and songs led by Grace Community Band.

WEDNESDAY 17 th APRIL 10 am HOLY COMMUNION

MAUNDY THURSDAY 18 th APRIL

7.30 pm Commemorating The Last Supper.Holy Communion, washing of feet, stripping of church & vigil

GOOD FRIDAY 19 th APRIL 10 am Procession of Witness with CT B45

Starts from Frankley shops (Do look out for details) & finishing at StChad’s Church, Rubery where we will share in Hot Cross buns.

2 pm @ ST. LEONARD’S: THE LAST HOUR WITH JESUS

*NOTE: NO SERVICE ON HOLY SATURDAY 20th APRIL*

EASTER SUNDAY 21 st APRIL 5.50 am Sunrise Service at The Monument, Lickey Hills

Meet in the car park at Monument Lane11.15 am & 6.30 pm @ St. Leonard’s

Easter Holy Communion