Prestbury Parish Magazine

The Imperial War Museum launched a new exhibition last month. ‘Feeding Britain in Wartime’ celebrates the 70th anniversary of rationing, and a lasting change in our attitude towards food. At around the same time news came that a crisis in Greece may force an unprecedented ‘bail out’ within the Euro zone. Greeks face years of austerity and the rest of Europe another rise in interest rates. These events remind us not only that our powers are limited but also that we are connected with all that surrounds us. The air we breathe circulates around the world; the fuel we burn expands the deserts of Africa; the plastics we throw away float on the surface of the Pacific¹. The Austrian, Klemens von Metternich (1773-1859), famously said: ‘When France sneezes, all Europe catches a cold’, which although the twin threats of avian- and swine- influenza have failed to become realities, reminds us that we are part of a bigger picture, and that we live in a world where God’s will is not always done.

In the midst of these unsettling facts Lent returns again, an uncomfortable intrusion into the consumer-driven world, and invites us to renew our connection with reality. Arising when food was intensely seasonal, long before supermarkets artificially created a monochrome year, it is no coincidence that the run up to Easter is the growing season, the lambing season. It was a time when stores were used up, when people renewed their awareness that everything is gift, that nothing can be taken for granted. What it has become, even within the Church, is a phenomenon all-too easily misunderstood. For post-war generations, desperately scrambling from austerity to gluttony, it means cutting down on luxuries, losing weight, and attempting to escape expensive forms of self-harm. In a binge-eating/crash-dieting culture, these attempts at self-control reflect an angry, self-hating drive that has little to do with the lasting change that God desires for us.

It is hard to explain to those who are unfamiliar with it that Lent is essentially about giving up something, far more pernicious than chocolate, that can rob us of the very joy of life itself: anxiety. Because so much of our anxiety expresses itself in our attitudes towards food, we can end up focussing on the process and not the result. The issue is not food but trust. In Jesus’ teaching it is worry that chokes the seed of the Kingdom (Luke 8:14), distracts us from what is essential (Luke 10:41) and prevents us from finding our calling (Matthew 6:33).

March, the month that hosts Lent most frequently, is also the time to think about vocation². This too is no coincidence, because vocation, far from filling our lives with more activity (another form of consumerism), is about entering a desert space (Matthew 4:1-11) in which we know ourselves as we truly are and find that the call of God, which re-connects us to the world in which we live, is for our good and the good of all creation.

1. WEISMAN, Alan, The World Without Us (London: Virgin Books, 2007), pp.121-3

2. See the notice about ‘Exploring Christian Vocation’ elsewhere in this magazine.

The Diocesan Vocations Advisor will be preaching at both churches on 7th March.

Fr Daniel

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Thank you to everyone for your congratulations following the announcement of my appointment as an Honorary Canon. I have been very moved by your response. Having recovered from the initial surprise I do feel very honoured by this appointment! I also feel that it is something that we all share in, as it is a recognition that the North Cheltenham Team Ministry holds a significant place in the life of our Diocese.

Anyone who wishes to attend will be very welcome at the service in Gloucester Cathedral on Sunday 2nd May at 3pm when I (with three others) will be ‘collated and installed’!

It has been a good start to the year. The Bridge Evening in January coincided with some of the worst winter weather. Amazingly and gratifyingly all the thirty-six participants, many from outside Prestbury, braved the elements to support us and make the evening a success both financially and in terms of enjoyment.

On 11th February we held our first AGM. We did not know how many members to expect and had over-provided for ‘nibbles’. But the twenty-four members who did attend seemed to appreciate the scale of the refreshments. In terms of business Gill Wood reported that the opening year had been a success with receipts of £11,500, a large proportion of this attributable to those who are not regular church-goers. Under the chairmanship of Father Michael a committee was elected representing a good cross-section of the membership.

Lynda Hodges gave notice of the Musical Soirée to be held on Saturday 10th April. For a programme of Mozart and Bach we are lucky to have attracted the well-known musicians Michael Freyhan and Frances Mason, who will be supported by the soprano and baritone Annie Barton and Paul Hodges. Later, in early summer, we shall be holding a wine-tasting. And we are also hoping to start an afternoon programme of local history.

A quick reminder (following last month’s article about this) to keep the Gold Cup Festival in your prayers. It might seem a strange thing to pray for, but wherever there are people God is to be found. As Christians we do not believe that we bring God into the situation, but we do bring an awareness of his presence, and the knowledge of his desire that every human being should know him. So please pray that those who come may experience God’s welcome through our Church members: those who are organizing the car park and the refreshments, as well as those doing the more obvious ‘ministry’ of listening. It is amazing what barriers are removed when we pray, and how the Risen Christ can come alongside at moments when we least expect him. So let’s not be too surprised if we hear that some people are going back home with news far greater than a good week’s racing to share.

The AGM of Prestbury and Pittville Youth is taking place on Sunday 28th March at 6.00pm at St Nicolas’ Church.

There will be time for refreshments before the meeting begins, and also an opportunity to see a demonstration of the work of PPY. The young people will also be involved.

At the AGM, members of PPY will be asked to vote for new members of the Executive Committee, who manage the charity. It is very easy, and totally free, to become a member. If you would like to join, please ask the Secretary,   , for an application form.

On 31st January the independent charity, Prestbury and Pittville Youth, held a very brief Extraordinary General Meeting in St Nicolas’ Church after the morning service. This was necessary in order to change the arrangements for the charity’s Annual General Meeting.

In the original 2004 Constitution, the AGM had to be held on the same day as the Parish of Prestbury Annual Meeting. But PPY want some of its young members to be able to welcome people to the AGM and report on the range of their activities and challenges.

So a minor change has been made in the Constitution and this year’s AGM will be at 6.00pm on Sunday 28th March in St Nicolas’ Church. All members are welcome and will find it a much more interesting meeting than in the past.

For more information email  

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I have been delighted and encouraged by so many positive comments about the Welcome Area in St Mary’s. This has created such a good flexible space, not only to display photographs, notices and artwork, but also for meeting and socialising with people, as well as making baptisms so much easier. The PCC were granted permission by the Archdeacon for an experimental period of fifteen months. To make the arrangement permanent the PCC would need to apply for a Faculty, which is the legal process we need to go through to make any permanent changes to the building.

Before we make the Faculty application we would like to give you the opportunity to make any comments about the Welcome Area becoming permanent. Please make your comments to either of the Churchwardens (Margaret Holman or Phil Dodd) or to Fr Daniel or myself. A brief note in writing or by email would be helpful. Please let us have these by 30th April.

Again this year we will be placing large wooden crosses in prominent positions near our churches. These will form part of our witness to the local community, drawing attention to the significance of the cross for us as Christians, especially at this time of year.

Palm Sunday, 28th March. You are invited to join a short procession starting from St Mary’s at 10.20am. The cross will be taken to the United Reformed Church in Deep Street, where there will be a very short act of worship. Later the cross will be placed outside the Church and at night it will be floodlit.

Good Friday, 2nd April. Gather at the cross at 10.15am for a short act of worship. A crown of thorns will be placed on the cross as a reminder of Jesus’ suffering for the world.

Easter Day, 4th April. The cross will be garlanded with flowers as a symbol of the resurrection: our Lord’s victory over sin and death and our share in his risen life.

Palm Sunday, 28th March. The cross will be carried as part of the procession at 9.30am from the Wyman’s Brook shops and then placed outside St Nicolas’.

Good Friday, 2nd April. During the Devotional Service at 10.30am, prayers will be said at the cross. It will be draped with a red cloth and hung with a crown of thorns as a reminder to those who see it of Jesus’ suffering for us all.

Easter Day, 4th April. The cross will be hung with a white cloth as a reminder of our Lord’s victory over death and garlanded with flowers as a symbol of the resurrection.

Almost everyone who took part in Alpha last year came together one more time for a ‘Celebration Supper’ at the Vicarage on 10th February to share their experiences. As Fr Daniel said, the fact that everyone stayed with the course to the end is a statement in itself, but here are some of the comments people passed on about it:

‘Having not been to Church since school, I wanted to re-discover my faith… I have become more at ease with myself… listening to other peoples’ thoughts and experiences and drawing on how it made me feel, I also thought about my experiences in a different way.’

‘[I enjoyed] the camaraderie of the group and hearing their reactions.’

‘[The small groups were] great, personal, people could open up. Super leader, not invasive or forceful. I think everyone was gently challenged.’

‘I have met some lovely people on the course… Above all thank you for the experience and teaching.’

A heartfelt ‘thank you’ to everyone who held the Alpha groups in their prayers over the autumn.   Prayer and planning for the next Alpha Course will be on Tuesday 18th May, 7.30pm at The Vicarage, Tatchley Lane, Prestbury GL52 3DQ.   All welcome.

Saturday 30th January marked the end of an era in the village’s history, when John Fogarty hung up his apron at the Bakery Stores after some fifty-five years.

John, a popular figure in the village, is known for many things, including his love for the Royal Family (most visible through the visits of the Queen Mother en-route to the races at Cheltenham). He has also been active supporter of charitable activities in the village.

It is his unstinting service and one hundred per cent reliability though that has endeared him to the many villagers who turned up to express their appreciation at a function on his last morning of running the shop. Villager, Darren Stevens, organised a surprise gathering with the support of Waghorne’s Butchers, Prestbury Post Office and The Royal Oak, who all held large cards for people to sign their messages.

Up to fifty people saw the cards presented and heard speeches from Darren and the Mayor of Cheltenham, Councillor Lloyd Surgenor, himself a former Prestbury resident. Despite the surprise nature of the event John revelled in the occasion and took the opportunity to express how much he had enjoyed his years at the shop and how much he would miss the many customers who had grown to become his friends. The event was also attended by Councillor Les Godwin and the Gloucestershire Echo.

The shop will re-open in March, in the good care of local residents Steve and Emma, under the name Prestbury Village Stores and they have assured John he will always be welcome.

The Annual Meeting of Parishioners and Annual Parochial Church Meeting (APCM) will take place on Sunday 25th April 2010 at 6.30pm in St Mary’s Church, Mill Street. During these meetings Churchwardens and PCC members will be elected. Nomination lists will be displayed on the church notice boards.

The Annual Parish Meeting will be held on Sunday 25th April 2010 at 6.30pm in St Mary’s Church.

For you to have a voice at the meeting or to be eligible to be elected to an office you need to be on the church’s Electoral Roll (not to be confused with the Parliamentary Electoral Roll). Each year the Electoral Roll needs to be revised ahead of the meeting and this will take place beginning 7th April 2010 and will take effect from 10th April 2010. After this date no further names may be added to the Roll until after the annual meeting.

The current Electoral Roll is displayed in both our churches. If you are not on the roll and would like to be, complete an enrolment form and hand it by 7th April 2010 to one of:

• the Electoral Roll Officer (Brian Wood)
• the church wardens
• the clergy
• the team office

You qualify to be on the Electoral Roll of the Parish of Prestbury if you are

• aged 16 years or over on the date of the meeting
• baptised
• a lay member of the Church of England
• either resident in the parish or habitually attend public worship in the parish

The enrolment form is simple and can be found in church or you can download a copy . There you will also find an interactive map of the parish so you can tell if you live in the parish.

For a change, the Diocesan budget did not cast such a grim shadow because the first item on the agenda was a constructive one, ‘Giving for Life’. This scheme appears to be very user-friendly and we as parish will have all the details explained once our parish representatives have attended one of the work-shops. Briefly, the aim is to simplify the government gift aid tax reclaiming for parish treasurers and speed up the flow of this into our parish bank accounts. It also provides a very user-friendly way for us all to review our financial contributions. It is fully acknowledged that while large numbers of us could afford to increase these, there are definitely some who are finding it hard to maintain their current level due to retirement perhaps or other changes in their lives. Possibly we will take some part in this; as yet no kind of decision has been made.

Sadly, the savings we voted in at the last Synod have already been obliterated because the proposed level of contribution by the parishes to the parish share is down by the same amount. Therefore even making some serious sacrifices has done nothing to reduce our awful deficit. More happily, the shares invested on our account have made quite a healthy recovery.

Bishop Michael’s plan to increase ministry at a local level was further discussed – the aim being to involve members of each congregation much more in this. This is still very much in a development stage but basically it includes all aspects from our existing ministry team, recruiting more lay readers, deacons, and non-stipendiary priests, so in some respects, we as a parish are already doing it. The old pattern of a stipendiary priest in every parish has gone for ever so new ways of maintaining a Christian presence have got to be developed if our faith in God is to survive and grow.

The Diocesan Director of Social Responsibility gave a brilliant impersonation of Tommy Cooper, the old magician/comedian (don’t ever think all Synods are dull!). He does actually look a bit like him. He was determined to get us to support Bishop Michael’s Millennium Challenge during Lent. Sadly, I cannot recreate this visually but he did get a terrific round of applause. It appears that if we give £1, the gift aid is then added to it. Some European Union Scheme then increases that sum to £5.12. Therefore he suggested that if we all donated the cost of one meal a week in Lent (£3) a great sum of money could be sent to very poor areas in India to give medical treatment to pregnant mothers with HIV to improve their lives and save the newborn children from infection and poor health. Because of social conditions these women are unable to help themselves.

There was one extremely concerning announcement. Bishops’ College, in Gloucester, which was originally Oxstalls School before the diocese adopted it as a CofE school, has failed to reach the right exam targets set by the government and is now to be disbanded and together with two other secondary schools in Gloucester is to be made into a ‘fast-track’ academy in September 2010. There has been no time to raise funding for this, none of the schools wants it, and there is a host of practical reasons why it is impossible to make it work in such a ridiculous time scale. All staff and pupils are really frightened about the outcome. Bishops’ College has a high percentage of pupils with special needs, which is why the exam targets have not been met. Things are improving well and the school has a wonderful Christian ethos now. All this will be lost. They very much want our support and prayers so please keep them in your mind and pray for the near miracle they seem to need.

Fasting is one of the disciplines traditionally associated with Lent. Some people still choose to go without a meal on one day a week or to allocate a day when they eat more simply. Any money saved by doing this can then be given to charity; almsgiving is another Lenten discipline.

In our Diocese, Bishop Michael has asked that this year’s Lent Fast support the Bishops’ Challenge for 2010 which is to raise money for the Society for Peoples Action for Development (SPAD) in Bangalore in India. This project, run in conjunction with Christian Aid, helps HIV-positive pregnant women to access vital healthcare to prevent their babies being born with HIV.

There are Gift Aid envelopes available in each church during Lent. If you gift aid, every £1 you give will not only attract gift aid but the EU (European Union) will also add money to the project, turning your £1 into £5.12!

The congregation of All Saints’ have several problems at present. Their congregation is not big, and their parish, geographically, is very small, so finances are tight, but so are everyone’s. They have had discussions recently about the ordination of women to the priesthood, and some parishioners are unhappy, but they will solve their problems and it is imperative that we must take enormous care to respect their independence and privacy as a congregation. In our own churches, there is nothing to stop a woman administering the sacraments. When the time eventually comes for a new incumbent to be appointed, we will review our current rulings but at present it would not make any difference.

I totally agree that women and men are equals but equal means exactly that and I am, as an equal member of society, concerned about the trends which have become apparent. When a choir admits girl trebles, the boys are inclined to opt out. In school-teaching there is now a shortage of men. In medicine, the number of male applicants has dived. The number of men coming forward for ordination is also down; listen to the lists next St Peter’s tide. In January there was an item in our pew sheets titled ‘MEN, FAITH AND THE CHURCH’. It stated that in the UK the ratio of women to men in the Church is now 65% women to 35% men and this imbalance is increasing. The Diocesan Mission Officer would not run a whole afternoon workshop if he did not think this worrying. I find the fact very frightening.

What are we women doing to scare off the other half of the human race? Have we all an unrevealed desire to live like queen bees? The time is coming for us to do some very serious thinking because the world needs all of us and God very definitely wants and loves us all equally.

We are expecting a few changes at Celebrate! in the next few weeks. Sharon goes off on maternity leave early in March. Andy will be on paternity leave after the baby arrives and will return to Celebrate! briefly over Easter before going on sabbatical.

We are very pleased to welcome Lisa Roberts to our team of ‘key leaders’ (those who hold things together at the front), who will fill in for Andy during his absence. Lisa has already led Celebrate! a couple of times and is one of those who helps make sure Rockers (on Thursday afternoons) remains a vibrant outreach to parents with young children.

The last few weeks have seen us ‘getting into good habits’: learning about giving, prayer and forgiveness, and as we enter the season of Lent our attention turns to Moses, the story of how God saved his people long ago. We take a break from that on Mothering Sunday (14th March) as we welcome Talking Hand Puppets, who will help us to thank God for his gift of parents and parenthood, before we return to Moses and the journey we all make to God’s ultimate saving work at the cross of Jesus.

"Lord God of Heaven! You are great, and we stand in fear of you. You faithfully keep your covenant with those who love you and do what you command. Look at me, Lord, and hear my prayer… Lord, these are your servants, your own people. You rescued them by your great power and strength. Listen now to my prayer and the prayers of all your other servants who want to honour you. Give me success today and make the Emperor merciful to me."
Nehemiah 1:5, 6a, 10 & 11a (Good News Bible)

Nehemiah lived over 400 years before Christ. He was a devout Jew and senior Servant in the Court of Artaxerxes I. On hearing news of Jerusalem that the walls of the City were in ruins, with no protection for his people there, Nehemiah mourned, fasted and prayed, as shown in part above.

His prayer starts with worship followed by reminding God of how He helped the Jews in the past. He recalls to God the covenant relationship with them and the times God rescued them, and also when God allowed them to be scattered because of their unfaithfulness. Then he moves on to make a single and simple request that the Emperor will listen to him and grant him his wish. This was at significant risk to himself, as his approach to the Emperor could have resulted in his execution if taken the wrong way.

Nehemiah makes his approach to the Emperor and we find even after his earlier fasting and prayers, when his opportunity comes he yet again offers another prayer before speaking (chapter 2 verse 4).

God answers his prayer and with help from the Emperor he is able to return to Jerusalem as Governor and to repair the walls. He is able to win over the Jewish leaders and the people to gain a vision of what he proposes. The people from around the City all join in the building work of the walls and gates, despite threats and attempts by local non-Jews to disrupt and attack them.

Having completed the work, Nehemiah with help from Ezra, reinstates worship in the temple in accordance with the law. Nehemiah remembers his prayer and the need for faithfulness from the people so steps are taken to teach the people the laws and observation of feasts and fasts and the keeping of the Sabbath. Ezra and Nehemiah set up the standards of behaviour to meet the requirements of the law within the culture and society of the Jewish people for the next four hundred years or more until Jesus comes.

If you have time, do read the book, though I suggest you may want to skip some of the long lists of names of those who helped with the building. When you get to the last chapter of the book, it is worth contrasting what Nehemiah says to God with what Jesus taught. We see, as his story draws to a close, that his acts of following God and bringing the ‘faithfulness of the people’ becomes to him a way of seeking favour and reward from God. This contrasts with what Jesus taught in Luke 17:10: ‘So you also, when you have done everything you were told to do, should say, "we are unworthy servants, we have only done our duty"’. It is an easy trap to fall into and one we should beware for ourselves; we come to God through His grace, not by works, ‘lest any man should boast’. (Ephesians 2:8-9)

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We are always looking for ‘flower arrangers’! Our AGM is on Tuesday 2nd March at 7.30pm, short notice I know! We would welcome anybody who feels they would like to join our friendly group. You do NOT have to be an ‘expert’.

Our meeting is being held at my home.

Women’s World Day of Prayer

Let Everything That Has Breath Praise God – a service prepared by Christian women of Cameroon, taking place in the following places on Friday 5th March 2010:

10.30 am St Barnabas’ Church, Orchard Way

10.30 am Charlton Kings Baptist Church

10.30 am St Michael’s United Church, Whaddon

1.45 pm Highbury Congregational Church, Priory Street.

3.00 pm St Peter’s Church, Leckhampton

7.30 pm Warden Hill United Reformed Church, Salisbury Avenue

8.00 pm St Luke’s Church, St Luke’s Road

On Passion Sunday 21st March at 6.30pm there will be a Taizé service in St Mary’s Church. Many of us will know several of the chants that the Taizé Community use in their worship; from time to time we have them at our communion services and sometimes they are heard on the radio.

A Taizé service is essentially a time of prayer and quiet which we share together in the presence of God. There will be a Bible reading to help give a theme for our thoughts. There is no sermon or talk. There will be a time of quiet for our own reflection. We will have intercessions and towards the end a joyous moment when candles are lit. All of this will be enfolded by the singing of chants in which we hope everyone can join.

If you can arrive early for the Service please do, as we will have a short practice from 6.10pm.

Our March meeting will take place on Tuesday 23rd March at 7.30pm at St Nicolas’ Church. The speaker will be the Revd Audrey Day – her subject being Humour in Ministry. This is a change to the scheduled programme and Mrs Gillian Sunderland will be our speaker in April. Please join us if you are able. Visitors are always welcome.

Now we are in Lent, before we know it, Easter will be upon us – this Holy Season and all it embraces. In previous years several people have kindly sponsored a lily in memory of a loved one. Our churches, at this Holy Season, are a profusion of flowers and colour and it may be comforting to know that a loved one is remembered in this way. If you would like to donate the cost of a lily please put the money in one of the envelopes provided and write the name of the person being remembered on the display card.

St Nicolas’ church spring clean will be on Saturday 27th March. All are welcome to come and help.

The Gloucestershire Police Choir have very kindly agreed to hold a concert for The Chernobyl Children’s Life Line on Friday 17th September. Please put this date in your diaries and details will be given soon.