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 Vicar of Prestbury from 1974 to 1994,
Fr Ian will long be remembered with thanksgiving by so many individuals and
families for his faithful pastoral care. His spiritual guidance and counsel
was sought after by people from near and afar.
Fr Ian believed passionately in the importance and riches of the catholic
tradition within the Church of England. He maintained this strong tradition
within the worship and life of this parish, and proclaimed it within the
Diocesan and General Synods of the Church.
He was a great trainer of curates, who learnt personal and priestly
spirituality by his example and teaching. Many people today in parishes all
over the country have reason to give thanks for the faithful care of their
priests who were grounded in the faith by Fr Ian.
His distinguished ministry was recognised in 1988 by his being made an
honorary canon both of Gloucester and of Wangaratta, Australia.
Constantly at Fr Ian's side throughout was his wife, Helen. We offer
Helen and the family our love and prayerful support.
On Saturday 6 September we shall give thanks for Fr Ian at a
Requiem Mass in St Mary's at 11am
when the principal celebrant will be his son, Fr William Hazlewood. The
preacher will be Fr Nicholas Setterfield, the last curate Fr Ian trained.
Reg served God faithfully and with profound humility here in Prestbury
for over forty years, in many roles including being Churchwarden. His life
was centred on the Eucharist. He was server for countless years. Right up to
the end of his life he was faithful in Bible reading and in his prayers in
which he upheld us all. Reg was still forward-looking even in his 90s: never
complaining about change, he was unfailingly interested and supportive of
all that we attempt within the worship of God and in church life. We think
of his unfailing courtesy, and his support of so many friends. His genuine
love of children was exemplified by his support of Rockers over the years.
Reg was thrilled to receive the Royal Maundy at the Cathedral earlier
this year. Despite his frailty he was determined to survive long enough, and
to meet Her Majesty the Queen - which he did with the help of good friends.
* * * * *
In one weekend we gave back to God two spiritual giants in Fr Ian and
Reg. It is impossible to do justice to either of them in one brief article.
In our next magazine we should love to record any memories and thanksgivings
you may like to share.
Fr Stephen
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Sunday School and Sunday Club resume during the services on
14 September, St Mary's at 11am, St Nicolas' at 9.20am. We look forward to
seeing you all again.
Linda Biggs
Plagues & Promises - 27 September 2003
9.45am - 3.00pm
At long last we will be holding another of our popular Activity days for
the children of the Parish. The theme this time centres around the life of
Moses. A number of exciting workshops will explore the life of the
Israelites during their escape from Egypt and their time through the Exodus.
There will only be 100 places and the registration slips will be sent out
during the first two weeks of September on a first come first served basis.
So if you require a place a swift response will be necessary!!
For further details contact Linda Biggs.
Youth Groups
Synergy and Elevate restart on Sunday, 7 September and
The Space on Thursday, 11 September, all at their usual times. Many
thanks to all those adults and young people who participate with such
energy, care and commitment. Please continue to pray for the young people in
the parish.
Andy Macauly
Rockers' Half-Hour
Many thanks to Judi and Hilary, who have run Rockers informally and very
successfully throughout the summer holiday. Our new term starts on Thursday,
11 September in St Mary's church at 2pm. Do bring your pre-school children
to this relaxed service: songs, bible stories, toys and a cup of tea. We
finish in plenty of time to get to school to collect older brothers and
sisters.
Frances Murton
Preparation for Communion
If you would like your child to be prepared to receive communion (before
confirmation), please speak to Fr Michael or to Linda Biggs. Children must
be baptised, in Year 3 or above as at 1 September 2003, and ideally members
of Sunday Club or Sunday School. A meeting will be arranged during September
to answer any questions, discuss the preparation programme and agree a
starting date.
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September sees the final of the guest speakers we have enjoyed during the
summer season. Marcus Steel will be sharing thoughts on his experiences as a
Christian in the world of business on Wednesday 10th. Towards the end of the
month we will have the final episode in our series of studies based on the
'I am' sayings of Jesus in the gospel of St John. This will be on Thursday
25th September. Both events start at 8pm. We would be delighted to welcome
you to either or both of these evenings.
I'd like to say a public and heartfelt thank you to the many people who
have been generous enough to speak at these summer meetings or to lead the
various studies or have offered us their homes and kind hospitality. The
feedback I have received leads me to believe that those who have experienced
the series, or part of it, have felt it was time well spent.
I'd be happy to hear from you if you have an idea for us to consider as a
group. Watch for details of October in the weekly newssheet.
Sue Read, Ministry Leadership Team
A new meeting point
A member of our congregations has kindly offered her home as a venue for
a church based group to meet, probably weekly, on Tuesday evenings, to chat
about a poem or reading or a holiday or other experience. Is there anybody
out there who likes the sound of this? It probably will be informal with no
specific leader or particular agenda, rather a forum for a few people to
meet and discuss something. Do get in touch with someone from the MLT if you
want to know more.
Sue Read, Ministry Leadership Team
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William left Rockers last November to travel round the world with his
parents. The first part of the trip took in Thailand, Hong Kong, Singapore,
Tasmania and Australia, where he celebrated his fourth birthday. Then came
three months' trekking in New Zealand. William spent Palm Sunday in Nelson
cathedral where he was able to participate with the local children in the
celebrations. Easter weekend he was in Napier cathedral on North Island,
where he processed up the cathedral with all the other children. As it was a
Bank Holiday weekend there was a Buick Festival and William was able to see
some really old cars dating from the 1920s, 30s and 40s. On another day he
went to the Bay of Islands and on the way saw the massive Kauri trees, over
2000 years old and absolutely beautiful, well worth the trip. Then it was
time to sell the car and head for the USA, on a long flight to Los Angeles.
First a couple of days at Disneyland, including the famous parade and
fireworks display which was wonderful. Then inland to the Kings Canyon and
Sequoia National Parks, with wonderful scenery and more fantastic trees.
There was still a lot of snow around and William really enjoyed the novelty.
He and his dad repaired a snowman and they all had a lot of fun.
Then they travelled to the San Francisco area to stay with friends who
have a high fence to keep turkeys and deer out of their garden! William
discovered S'More: chocolate and melted marshmallow in a cracker sandwich!!
In nearby Muir Woods William walked amongst coastal redwood trees. It was
interesting to compare them with the sequoias and NZ kauri trees. The
sequoias especially were eye-catching as they don't die, they just keep
growing until they fall over, and they have so much tannin in them that they
hardly decompose. William also saw the Golden Gate Bridge, and on another
day posed for a photo whilst straddling the San Andreas Fault, one foot on
the continental plate and the other on the pacific plate. Then there was a
visit to Hollywood, where William climbed on the stage at the Hollywood Bowl
and sang Bob the Builder!
After encounters with the weird looking fish at Seattle's Pike Place
Market, the massive Boeing factory (the largest building in the world) and
JFK's Air Force One, William and his family travelled on to Vancouver in
Canada.
In British Colombia they toured the Canadian Rockies, including a quick
day trip visit to the luxury resort of Banff and an overnight stay in a
backpackers hostel in the modern custom-made town of Whistler. They also had
a lovely time staying in a log cabin by a thermally heated swimming pool
filled by mineral water. They found out about the lifestyles and hardships
'enjoyed' by the early pioneer families and were particularly interested in
learning about how the railways opened up the western provinces. Originally
there had been fatal accidents caused by runaway trains finding the steep
mountainsides too much of a challenge. In one place, the railway was later
forced through a series of tunnels, forming a figure of eight, to enable it
to negotiate what had been an especially treacherous descent. Modern trains
pull up to 200 freight containers, stacked double-decker and are so long
that the front of the train comes out of the miles-long tunnels before the
end has entered!
There were a few exciting encounters (thankfully from the safety of the
car) with black bears and a foraging grizzly bear with her cubs, before
William and his family returned to Vancouver. A quick visit included a trip
to Stanley Park for views of the picturesque sunset reflections on the
surrounding mountains and over the beautiful harbour where container ships
were being loaded with ores and wood products for export all over the world.
Vancouver is bidding for the 2012 Winter Olympics and, for scenic location,
it must be one of the strongest contenders.
A quick stopover in SARS affected Toronto to visit his granddad finished
off a wonderful trip and then William and his parents returned to the UK to
a lovely family welcome at Heathrow. Safe and well.
We were delighted to welcome William back to Rockers at the end of June.
His hair was fairer and he was noticeably taller, but he joined in with
everything as if he had never been away. This month, of course, he really
will leave us, and we wish him all the best as he starts school.
Frances Murton, Rockers Half-Hour
PS from William's Mum: Thank you to everyone for all your prayers
and, especially to William's friends from Rockers and St Nicolas Sunday
Club, for keeping in touch whilst we were away. It is lovely to be back,
safe and sound, and to catch up with all our friends again. If anyone wants
to visit any of the places we travelled to and would like to know more,
please contact us through the
Parish Magazine.
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Reg Legg was Deputy head at Charlton Kings Secondary School and Organist
and Choirmaster at St Mary's Church, Charlton Kings, before being ordained
in June 1963. At that time there was a small but very faithful congregation
at the 'Mission Hut' on Swindon Lane, but the building of the Cleevelands
and Paddocks estates had greatly swelled the number of potential worshippers
and Reg was appointed by Father Kent as a curate with special responsibility
for developing the church's work in this end of Prestbury parish. He and
Hazel arrived with their young family and we experienced a kind of
whirlwind. Reg's energy and commitment were astonishing: he visited
practically every home and persuaded or cajoled people into action. The
Sunday School held Family Services which were so well attended that he was
able to initiate a 9.30 sung Eucharist, with a choir of seven boys trained
by Reg himself and Joan Bell, who played the harmonium and the piano before
we acquired an organ. The choir was joined by George Bell and Frank Merrett
and other men and it greatly enhanced our worship. A Young Wives' Group,
sponsored by Prestbury Mothers' Union, and a Youth Club were founded.
Brownies, Guides, Cubs and Scouts were soon to follow. In 1964 a temporary
classroom from a school in the diocese became available and it was used to
extend the church. All the work was done by the men of the parish, ably led
by our Warden, Cecil Dymock, and his father-in-law, William Holbrook. The
'new' building was dedicated as St Nicolas' Church by the Bishop of
Tewkesbury on 1st June 1964.
Reg left us in January 1966 to become Vicar of Milnsbridge in Yorkshire.
He was followed at St Nicolas' by Father Michael Vooght, who carried on his
work with equal devotion, but a different style! Canon Kent was convinced
that it was time to build a permanent church at St Nicolas' when the Wyman's
Brook Estate was built and he and Father Michael set up a committee to raise
money and appoint the architect, David Yates. Reg was invited to preach at
the opening of the present building in 1970. I regret to say that I cannot
recall his text, but his message was clear: 'Unless the Holy Spirit is here
you might as well call in the bulldozers now!' He was never one to mince his
words... I am glad to say that he loved to have news of the Prestbury church
family and wrote to say what happy memories he had shortly before his death
in June this year.
After Milnsbridge Reg spent seven years as a highly successful Missions
to Seamen Port Chaplain at South Shields and Manchester and then found
landfall again at Methwold in the diocese of Ely, a somewhat rundown Fenland
Parish which he galvanised into action with his usual enthusiasm, where his
activities included organising a musical festival and serving as Rural Dean.
For his last incumbency he returned to Gloucestershire, where, based at
Dymock and with three other parishes, he pioneered a Local Lay Ministry
scheme before these became fashionable and, under Bishop John Yates, became
Bishop's Adviser on Local Ministry. Bob Lyle and Jim Moore, our
churchwardens at the time, who had known him as a Curate, attended his
institution at Dymock. The Dymock family from Prestbury also saw Reg at
Dymock in 1985, when the millennium of the first church at Dymock was
celebrated. 500 people with the surname 'Dymock' or a variant of it were
invited.
Reg and Hazel retired to Swanage and later to Eastbourne, where the four
children and five grandchildren could reach them more easily during Reg's
last illness. Reg and Hazel have always kept in touch with friends from
Charlton Kings and Prestbury and Hazel was very appreciative of our prayers
for Reg and of the letters and messages of sympathy that she received.
Paddy Spurgeon, with some details from John and Joan Wyatt of St
Mary's, Charlton Kings
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Last year I forgot to take my camera, so that was a priority this year. I
took photos all round from the top of the grandstand, especially across
towards Prestbury. I also discovered the Panoramic Restaurant/Café up there
on Level 5 which housed the Spiritual Directors' team and was designated
'Soul Space'. I attended a couple of workshops there during my two days, and
also found myself drawn up there whenever I had spare time, climbing the
stairs every time except the last, when I used the glass fronted lift. Quite
apart from the spectacular views over Prestbury in one direction and across
to the Malverns in the other, it was just so blissfully quiet. There were
books to read, Celtic designs to colour, prints of biblical paintings from
the National Gallery to look at, shells to play with, poems to think about,
rosaries and crosses to hold, candles to light.
I decided to go to the introductory talk on Spiritual Direction, which
was in one of the outdoor venues. Unfortunately I missed the first fifteen
minutes and when I arrived I found most of the audience lying on the grass
with their eyes shut! I think they were doing relaxation exercises in an
attempt to slow down and become more open to their inner selves. At the end
of the session the team introduced themselves and invited us to the
workshops or to chat privately upstairs in the 'Soul Space'.
I also went to two Sign Language workshops; Saturday's teaching us how to
greet people and Sunday's showing us some Christian worship signs. Good fun,
and quiet! Even our applause for the 'speaker' had to be in sign language,
rather than the usual noisy hand-clapping.
On Saturday I stayed late to see and hear the South African youth band
Umoja. Their singing was vibrant and loud, their dancing very energetic. I
enjoyed their performance, and again at the Communion service the next day.
There were many bands playing all over the place, some inside the grandstand
(but audible outside), others on the large outdoor stages, and there was
music in many of the tents around the Greenbelt 'Village'. But I must admit
my favourite was the classical concert, a proper symphony orchestra playing
real music (well, my type of music!).
There was no camel this year, but there were people building a wooden
frame house similar to ones being funded in Chile. The inflatable church was
there too, fun to see but rather noisy inside because of the constant
blowing air.
Last year I spent only one day at Greenbelt, so this year I went on
Sunday as well for the Communion service. There were an estimated 15,000
people present. Two tiers at one end of the grandstand were packed, as was
the grassy area in front. Trade Justice was the theme and the prayers were
angry. For the Communion we formed groups of about twenty, who shared a
slice of bread and a cup of wine.
Much later on Sunday evening, there was another opportunity for quietness
- an Anglo-Catholic Mass in the USPG tent. The celebrant was South African
and spoke several sections of the service in Afrikaans, although we always
replied in English. It brought home the fact that God understands us,
whatever language we use.
Frances Murton
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Sunday 7 September
We will celebrate the Patronal Festival this year with a
United Sung Eucharist in St Mary's at 11.00am. The Bishop of Gloucester will
preside and preach on his last visit to us before he retires. During the
Eucharist the Bishop will formally
licence Fr Stephen as Team Rector and Fr Michael as Team Vicar. As this
is a Eucharist for the whole Benefice, there will be no 9.30am Eucharist at
St Nicolas' and no 10.30am Eucharist at All Saints' on this day. (There will
be a Said Eucharist at 8.00am in all three churches). Following the
Eucharist, you are invited to bring a picnic lunch to the Rectory garden in
Prestbury. Drinks will be provided.
The Feast of St Michael & All Angels
This will be celebrated with a Sung Eucharist on Monday
29th September at 7.30pm in All Saints' Church. Please join us.
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St Mary's Bake Stall
The September Bake Stall falls on Sunday, 21 September for
contributors with surnames N-Z. The proceeds will be sent to the Liberia
Crisis Appeal launched by the Disasters Emergency Committee. Please do
support this. We have sent the £100 needed to buy a herd of goats for East
Africa! This was made up of contributions from the Bake Stall, the Sunday
refreshments and Thursday morning coffee. Have you seen the acknowledgement
letter in the Church porch?
Margaret Waker
Gloucestershire Historic Churches Trust
Annual Sponsored Ride and Walk - Saturday 13 September
The 21st Sponsored Ride/Walk will take place on Saturday, 13
September. Churches and chapels of all denominations will be open across
the diocese between 10am and 6pm, so you can plan your route through the
town or across the countryside, visiting as many or as few as you like. If
you are unable to participate, then please consider sponsoring someone else.
Half the money raised goes to our own churches, the other half to the Trust
to help any church in the diocese. Further details are available from Bob
Lyle or Nigel Woodcock or Brian Wood.
Mid-Morning Music at St Mary's
The next concert will take place in St Mary's church on Wednesday, 8
October and will feature piano, violin and 'cello music performed by
three senior music scholars from Dean Close School. Coffee and biscuits will
be served from 10.30am and the music will start at 11 o'clock. There will be
a retiring collection in aid of church funds. All are welcome.
Christine McKelvey
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