the messenger - st michael's church
TRANSCRIPT
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June 2017 Issue No: 278
ENJOYING THE HOUSEPARTY
THE MESSENGER
The Monthly Newsletter of St Michael’s,
Plas Newton, Chester
It was a full-on experience
at Cloverley Hall over the
last weekend in April.
More than one hundred
people from St Michael’s
enjoyed the houseparty for
the whole weekend or as
day visitors.
New this year was the
splendid heated swimming
pool, in which families
spent a very noisy and
enjoyable afternoon.
The weather was just perfect, and so too was the food and fellowship.
The speaker, Lee Jennings, Associate Pastor at the Old Roan Baptist Church in North Liverpool,
spoke with great clarity and fluency. (see page 5)
The children and youth programme was energetically conducted by a team from Pulse
Ministries. The Under 5s were in action led by Ali Jones (formerly our St Michael’s Preschool
manager).
A novel feature was the late night concert, part of which was showing the talents of our own
children and adults, and the later part was an hour’s programme from Andy Kind, a professional
and Christian comedian.
An invigorated St Michael’s church family returned home, and
thanks are due to Andy Thorne, Estelle Byrne and their
excellent team for the organisation and running of this event.
Confidence
in Jesus
Invitation for
everyone
MY LIFE AND MY FAITH
I was brought up by loving Christian parents
who must have despaired at my continuous
rebellions against the God they loved and
served. At the end of my rocky teenage years I
met my hubby Gaz and a few months later we
both met the risen Christ, realised there was a
whole lot more to life than we’d imagined and
gave God our lives. This was where the real fun
began as we re-adjusted to a life
lived together, knowing God had a
purpose for us.
Since then it has been such an
interesting journey as God has
shown me new things about Him as
I’ve walked with Jesus.
He was incredibly patient and
faithful with me as I took baby
steps with Him as he built my
confidence and purpose. I grew
from a quiet and insecure girl into a
wife with a job I grew to love,
teaching in the early primary years. He gave me
three gorgeous boys, Josh, Eth and Ru to
mother.
There have been hard times, when it has felt
like we are trudging through treacle together,
but Jesus has remained the same and these
times have provided some of the biggest joys as
He’s turned up in the small details. Many of the
tougher times have been linked to Stickler
Syndrome which Ru and I both have; it affects
our connective tissues and impacts on our sight,
hearing and mobility. When we were diagnosed,
God gave me a real sense of determination that
if my ‘useful’ time was limited it was about time
I got on with doing as much as I could for Him.
This was when I took over the co-ordination of
the children’s ministry at St Michael’s. On a
human level it made little sense to take it on as
we were already a time poor family, both with
jobs and three young children. On a spiritual
level however, it has been so encouraging to do
what God asked, when I had so little to offer.
Time and time again he has shown up and done
the seemingly impossible. How exciting to stand
back at the end of an event
and be able to say 100% it
has all come from Him!
Anyone who has talked to me
will have picked up that my
passion is that our children
and young people know and
serve Jesus actively in our
church family. Not long ago I
was invited to go along to
Ignite Chester (monthly youth
event) with Camel Club. The
thrill of worshipping and
learning alongside young
people was the highlight of 2017 for me so far.
The preacher used the passage Luke 17:33 and
the Greek word ‘hupotasso’. He spoke about
willingly giving in to God and letting him take
charge. It really struck me that the more I’ve
been willing to do this with my life the more
God’s been able to use my life, so don’t be
scared, pick up whatever challenge God has
given you and trust that He will give you what
you need for it. The more seemingly impossible
for us, the more we see Him at work!
People who try to save their lives will lose them,
and those who lose their lives will save them.
Luke 17:33
Ali Gibbons shares her walk with God.
A report on our Annual Parochial Church Meeting
A.P.C.M
Fifty members of St Michael’s gathered for the
Annual Parochial Church Meeting on 24th April.
The meeting began with an uplifting rendition
of ‘And Can it Be?’, accompanied by Clive
Jones on the piano. David Blackmore took the
chair for the Vestry Meeting where our two
Wardens, Steve McKew and Derek Taylor, were
re-elected for another year and our two Deputy
Wardens, Graham Cooper and Estelle Byrne,
were also re-elected unopposed.
Steve McKew then took the chair for the APCM.
Peter Webster and Phil Roberts were seeking
re-election to the PCC, Ali Gibbons, John Allan,
Sarah Batchelor and Ben Buckenham were all
standing for election for the first time. There
were six vacancies and all six were duly
elected. Anne Stockdale and Ruth McKew were
elected as Deanery Synod Representatives for
our parish for the next three years.
Derek Taylor put up a list of the Stewards;
there had been a reduction in their numbers
since last year and Derek appealed for more
volunteers to join their ranks. He thanked them
all for their faithful work and also those who
work on the Projection and Sound desks,
enabling the smooth running of services week
by week.
Jackie Hockley reported that there had been a
small decrease in the number on the electoral
roll to 193 this year, from 204 last year. This
was due to some families moving away but
also to seven of our number going to be with
the Lord. 64 on the roll live in the parish and
129 outside it. Jackie was thanked for her work
as Electoral Roll Officer for the parish.
Mary Webster was not able to be at the
meeting to present the Financial Report and
Accounts for the past year. In her absence Phil
Roberts used the slides she had prepared to
explain the report. He encouraged everyone to
review their giving to the church on an annual
basis. Phil thanked Mary for the considerable
amount of time that she spends each week on
the accounts and related matters. She is
retiring this year, for the second time, and the
church owes her a huge debt of gratitude for
being willing to step into the breach two years
ago and for the way that she had done the job.
Anne Stockdale gave a very interesting report
on the affairs of the Deanery Synod over the
past year. She had enjoyed her first three
years as a Synod Representative and was
looking forward to serving for another three.
Derek Taylor told the meeting that he had
checked the Goods and Ornaments of the
church and they were all present and correct.
He commended Peter Webster and the Fabric
Committee for all that they do to keep the
buildings and grounds in good order.
Instead of a Vicar’s Report Steve asked those
present to think about things that had
happened in the church in the past year that
should be being celebrated. A long list of items
emerged. Questions were then called for and a
number arose; they will be considered by the
PCC over the coming year. Derek Taylor asked
anyone with a fabric/building type query not to
wait until the next APCM but to submit it as
soon as possible to the Fabric committee, a
note could be put in their pigeon hole at any
time.
Steve concluded with a special thank you to
Rob, giving thanks both to him and for him.
The meeting closed with the singing of ‘Great is
Thy Faithfulness’ and the saying of the Grace
together.
ALIVE WITH CHRIST Lee Jennings spoke at the houseparty on Colossians,
in four separate talks …
Paul wrote to the church at Colosse to encourage them to live fully
as people of Jesus Christ. There had been opposition, and there
had been false ideas around too.
1. Great endurance (ch 1)
Do we really know Jesus in a living way? The early believers in
Colosse were challenged to bear fruit. Otherwise there would need
to be pruning (which is done to increase crops). They were also
challenged to endure, not to be stuck in the past, but to follow
Christ into the future.
2. Set free (ch 2)
Paul challenged his readers to realise that they had been raised to life with Christ. This challenges
us to stay in God’s word, to keep on praying, and to realise that we too are set free. The
motivation comes from the realisation that it is the grace of God that sets us free. We are meant
to be “grace-infused people”.
3. Raised with Christ (ch 3)
Paul himself had had his life radically changed when he met the risen Christ on that Damascus
road. He encourages his readers to realise that the living Christ promises to be with us always,
therefore we are invited to live differently, in a ‘turned around’ manner. We are invited to ‘clothe
ourselves’ with Christ. We can have new clothes, which means new habits in place of old and
wrong ones.
4. Fully devoted (ch 4)
Paul invites his readers to adopt a new lifestyle. It will be a spiritual and not a material lifestyle.
We will be called to prayer, and we will be called to live, love and serve one another, then we will
live in such a way as to be fully devoted to Christ. He is the living truth and the loving Father of us
all.
In the Communion service which we shared at the end of the Houseparty, Lee gave us Col 2:6 on
which to meditate: As you received Christ Jesus as Lord, so continue to live in Him.
Cloverley House Party:
Coffee break on the terrace
Andy Kind
ABOUT ST MICHAEL’S
MEET IAN HOBBS (again)
We are pleased to welcome Ian Hobbs back to St Michael’s for the next
little while. Ian was our official leader (formally styled as Curate in
Charge) from 1980 to 1984.
In this period some significant steps took place. The new name of
St Michael’s was given to our church in autumn 1982 (the city church
of St Michael’s had been closed and become a Heritage Centre). The
church auditorium, with its colourful west(ish) window was built on to
the existing hall at that time, a major construction event. A plaque in
the small porch commemorates it (and contains Ian’s name).
St Michael’s was then still part of what was known as All Saints and
St Michael’s, Chester, whose vicar was Anthony Martin.
In 2015 Ian thought he and his wife, Joan, had retired from their parish in Weymouth, Dorset.
They moved to Heswall, where they have connected with the Church of the Good Shepherd.
However the Bishop and Archdeacon had further ideas, and Ian is to be attached to St Michael’s
to offer support for the ministry here at this time when it is clearly needed.
There are quite a few folk with happy memories of his earlier period of ministry: we travelled and
learned a lot together. We are delighted to renew and refresh our relationship in the next period
ahead of us all.
Garden DIY
Morning, 6th May:
Choose your job
Coffee time
Argentinian
Dancers
ST MICHAEL’S NEWS Church at Prayer
Please be reminded that there will be a Church
@ Prayer meeting at 8pm on
Wednesday 7th June in Church. All are
invited as we bring the needs our
church before the Lord.
Summer sermons on Joshua
Watch out for the series of sermons on
the life and activities of Joshua, which
starts at 10am on Sunday 18th June.
It’s a little while since we studied a
character from the Old Testament.
Visit of Hugo Vergara and team from
Argentina
We were delighted to host a visit from one of
our long-term mission partners, Hugo Vergara,
to St Michael’s in May.
Hugo came with his wife Techi, their daughter
Flavia and 2-year-old granddaughter Sofía.
Flavia’s husband Dani Lescano is now ordained
and is the leader of the church in Salta and
Tucuman in North Argentine. In all the team
was nine in number. They visited two other
supporting churches in the Stockport area,
Poynton and Romiley, and then moved north to
Carlisle.
A memorable service was held with them all in
St Michael’s on 21st May. There was also a
highly enjoyable session held with TOGs on 16th
May, when they all danced with joy.
Christian Aid Week
We thank those who have collected envelopes
in the parish this week, and for those who have
donated through envelopes at home or in
church. We hope to announce the total sum
next month.
Archbishops’ Prayer
Initiative: a current notice
This initiative should be in
full swing as this magazine
is published. It runs from
Ascension Day, 25 May, to
Pentecost, 4 June.
There are five strands to the
venture:
- A Prayer Tree in the Kingsway Café from 25
May to 1 June
- A Prayer Walk at 7pm, Tuesday 30 May
- Prayer Stations in church at 3.00—9.00pm on
Thursday 1 June
- Prayer Triplets at any time in the week
- Commitment to pray for 5 individuals, open
ended.
In addition there is a ten mile Pilgrimage Walk
from Foxhill House, near Frodsham, to Chester
Cathedral on Pentecost Sunday 4 June.
And finally a service of Celebration and
Intercession in the Cathedral at 5.30pm
Pentecost Sunday 4 June (but tickets for this
are essential).
Congratulations to Andy and Sas
We are pleased to congratulate Andy McConville
and Sas Cutting on their wedding in
Northallerton on Saturday 20th May. We
welcome them as they become a new family
unit together in our church and parish.
From the Registers
Baptism
William Alexander John Shepherd, Hoole
Lane, Chester. Baptised 21 May.
We welcome this young one in the name of
Christ.
Rob is off duty this month
June
Sun (4) PENTECOST
8.00am Holy Communion
10.00am Morning Worship
- Anne De Reybekill
5.30pm Thy Kingdom Come
Celebration,
(Cathedral)
[No Evening
Service at St
Michael’s]
Wed (7) 8.00pm Church at Prayer
(Church)
Sun (11) TRINITY
10.00am Holy Communion
- Les Austin
6.30pm Evening Service
- Anne De Reybekill
Mon (15) 10.45am Holy Communion
at Kingswood
Sat (17) 8.00am PCC Prayer
Breakfast (Lounge)
Sun (18) TRINITY 1
8.00am Holy Communion
10.00am Morning Worship
- Julie Ellison
4.00pm Café Church
Mon (19) 7.30pm PCC Meeting (Café)
Thurs(22) 7.30pm Mission Committee
Sun (25) TRINITY 2
8.00am Holy Communion
10.00am Morning Worship
- Christine
Blackmore
6.30pm Communion with
Healing
- Alan Lowe
Mon (26) 7.30pm Ministry Team
(Coniston)
VICAR: Rev Canon Rob Peters
St Michael’s Vicarage
22 Plas Newton Lane
Newton, Chester, CH2 1PA
YOUTH DEVELOPMENT CO-ORDINATOR:
Andy McConville 07813 874849
WARDENS:
Steve McKew 01829 271974
Derek Taylor 383428
DEPUTY WARDENS:
Graham Cooper 316746
Estelle Byrne 341774
PCC SECRETARY:
Alison Pantony 380962
TREASURER:
Mary Webster 343981
HALL BOOKINGS:
Mary Webster 343981
CHURCH MAGAZINE: David Blackmore 323494
CHURCH OFFICE: 315129
Open for enquiries: Mon & Tues 9.30am –3.00pm Thur & Fri 10.00am—5.30pm
BOOK KEEPER:
Fiona Prichard (Mon & Tues) 344276
Email: [email protected]
CHURCH SECRETARY:
Jackie Hockley (Thurs & Fri) 347860
Email: [email protected]
WEBSITE: www.stmichaelschester.com
FOR YOUR INFORMATION ...
DIARY DATES – JUNE