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We are about to experience a good deal of change together as a Parish.
On the one hand Father Stephen, our spiritual leader of the last eleven
years, is retiring. On the other the nature of the Parish is about to
change, taking on board St Peter’s, Cheltenham, St Lawrence’s, Swindon
Village, and St Mary Magdalene, Elmstone Hardwicke – quite an expansion.
There will be a replacement for Father Stephen and there will be additions
to the clergy team to cope with the extra workload the expansion will
bring. But it is quite a change and change can be something to get worried
about. After all it is all an unknown.
But life goes on and our mission does not change at all. There is a
whole world out there waiting to be saved. That will not change with our
change in circumstances. Jesus sent the eleven out with the instruction to
proclaim the Good News to all creation. ‘He who believes and is baptised
will be saved – he who does not believe will be condemned.’ That mission
has not changed. We still have to deal with the everyday life of the Parish
and that will not get any easier, but we must not lose sight of Jesus’ call
to us all.
Over the next few weeks our sermons will be on the theme inspired by
John 8:32, ‘And you will know the truth and the truth will set you free’.
We shall be looking at the way we use the Bible at the moment. We shall be
led through an investigation into other ways we can use it – helping us to
take what is written on the page as being inspired by God. That is
sometimes difficult to understand and may not even become clear at the time
of reading, but faith leads us on to read more and, like so many other
subjects, the more familiar we become with it, the more it becomes clear. I
believe this has the potential to be the foundation of our Mission.
We have much to thank Father Stephen for and there will be many tributes
and expressions of gratitude over the next few weeks. For myself, I have to
thank him above all else for suggesting that I put myself forward for
Ministry – a life-changing move. I believe the best way we can express our
thanks to him is in the way we carry on the good work. Our prayers will be
with him and Vicky and I know their prayers will be with us.
Fr Peter
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If you have the opportunity, please do visit St Mary Magdalene’s church
in Elmstone Hardwicke over the weekend of 14 and 15 October. The church
family there is very excited about their Harvest Celebration which will
include a scarecrow competition, various exhibits in the church, stalls
around the outside of the church selling locally produced food, art and
craft displays, Morris dancing, a ploughing competition, a working
threshing mill in action and much, much more!
Elmstone Hardwicke, along with our parishes of Prestbury and All
Saints’, and the parishes of Swindon Village and St Peter’s Tewkesbury
Road, is part of the northern area of Cheltenham – now designated as the
‘Northern Mission Area’. This weekend is an ideal opportunity for us to
meet with one another and share something with some of our brother and
sister Christians in the other parishes of our area. During the weekend
some of our clergy will be taking part in leading a ‘Sacred Spot’: a prayer
and a Harvest hymn on the hour, every hour.
You would be very welcome to join in the Harvest Supper which is at 7pm
on Saturday 14 October, tickets in advance. There will be a service
especially for children at 3pm on Sunday 15th and a Festival Eucharist in
the church at 6.30pm on Sunday evening. The congregation at Elmstone
Hardwicke was described to me as ‘very willing and keen to be involved’;
however, there are only about 20 of them! If anyone feels moved to offer
them any help with the weekend, please let them know.
Fr Michael
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A huge thanks to all those who participated in the 360° Project this
summer – helping to transform the wildlife area at St Mary’s Junior School.
It was a week of very hard work and fantastic team spirit. Thanks also to
Mr Howes for his vision and dedication which saw the project through.
Andy Macauly
The finished pond, seating, paths and fencing
Outdoor Learning Area
The outdoor learning area was a project I have wanted to do since
teaching at Prestbury St Mary’s. With the help of Father Grant, Andy and a
dedicated group of volunteers this large project became a reality. The work
was hard, but we had a great sense of team spirit and some lighter moments
on the way. Seeing the pond area take shape was a wonderful feeling as I
know the benefits it will have on the children’s scientific learning as
well as giving them the opportunity to have stories outside (weather
permitting). My sincere thanks go to the volunteers and for the kind gift
of seven benches from the church.
Neil Howes
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Two recent occurrences have prompted me to put some thoughts on paper
and to share them, perhaps inviting controversy, perhaps not.
The first thought ties in with the second and was prompted by our
Bishop’s letter a few weeks ago, about praying for vocations to the
ministry of the church. Women and men throughout the Anglican Communion are
serving in various capacities throughout the world, and still there are
areas where the ministry of women as ordained priests is not accepted. Not
only not accepted, but openly rejected. I must admit that I find this
attitude quite against my ethos, both as a Franciscan Tertiary, and as a
committed and convinced Christian. I may say that I am usually able to
understand opinions and beliefs which differ from my own; this particular
belief, though respecting the right of my brothers and sisters in Christ to
hold it, I am unable to comprehend.
We, in this country are very conservative; most other parts of the
Communion have gone forward and accepted women as Priests and Bishops of
the church, and the American Communion has gone as far (do I mean ‘As far’)
as to elect a woman as Presiding Bishop, and still we agonise over the
validity of women’s ordained ministry. I wonder, are there any women in
this parish/benefice anxious to be ordained? are they reluctant to come
forward? have they heard the Lord calling them, but are afraid to answer
that call? Bishop Michael did not specify the gender of those called to be
priests and I would be dumbfounded if he had.
My second thought follows on the first one. I shall be so sad to bid
farewell to Father Stephen. He welcomed me to St Mary’s, and has always
supported me in the short time that I have been here. It has occurred to me
however, could the Holy Spirit be nudging us to consider whether Father
Stephen’s successor is to be a woman?
By law, no profession, no work, is denied to both genders equally, and
of course this has applied to the Anglican Communion. Did not St Peter have
a vision of a sheet full of all sorts being lowered from heaven? And where
do we read that there is no discrimination between men and women, between
Jew and Greek, and so on?
Lotte Rule
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The ‘8:32’ Bible awareness project continues through October with two
more Education on Location evenings, the Quiet Day at Nympsfield and the
following Sunday themes:
1 Oct Harvesting the Word (Responding to the Bible in our
Daily Lives)
8 Oct Sharing the Word (Tackling ‘Bible Poverty’ around the
World)
15 Oct Praying the Word (Using the Bible in our Daily Prayer Lives)
We would also love to hear from you about particular passages from
Scripture that have moved you or played a big role in your own life, some
of which we will share in future magazines and on the website.
Fr Grant
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The Youth Groups’ film was launched in style at the Our Voice
Oscars evening on Saturday 9 September. Everyone was dressed in their
finery, St Nicolas’ Church was given the red carpet treatment, stylish
refreshments were circulated – everything was glitz and glamour.
The films did not disappoint. There was a great variety – from
documentaries about Wyman’s Brook to a wooden-spoon puppet version of
Joseph, from Jesus and Satan doing Big Brother to creative
footage of the holiday project. The films blended thoughtfulness and humour
– showing great creativity and insight.
The evening would not have been complete without awards: particularly
for the editors James Radburn and Matthew Bestwick, who had slaved for so
long to create the finished items. It was most of all a team effort over so
many months – the event was made by those who helped decorate the hall and
prepare refreshments, by the technical crew, by all those who had created
the films over the months before and by the fantastic audience – thank you
all! (and thanks to our expert auctioneer!) It should not be forgotten that
the scale of the project would not have been possible without the hard work
of Tricia Wilson to secure funding.
Whilst the evening celebrated the contribution of young people, it also
aimed to raise money for Prestbury & Pittville Youth. We raised around £500
on the night – a fantastic amount. This local funding is vital for our long
term work – if you feel you could become a regular financial giver, please
contact Gill Wood. DVDs of the film are still on sale – please contact Andy
Macauly for further details.
It has been such a privilege to be part of the project and the premiere.
Andy Macauly
All dressed up!
The red carpet treatment
Premiere Night
I am an elderly member of St Mary’s Church, Prestbury, but felt I should
support the young people in the Parish and attend the Premiere Night of the
film entitled Our Voice at St Nicolas’ Church on 9 September.
However, it meant going on my own to St Nicolas’, which is unfamiliar to me
and where I know hardly anyone in that congregation. Saturday came. I
deliberated. If I stayed at home, I really would feel guilty because it is
our duty to support the young people. I myself had been very involved with
the Youth Group at St Mary’s Church, Charlton Kings, for at least thirteen
years, but that was a long time ago. What should I do? I really didn’t want
to go on my own.
At 6.45pm I decided I must go. Posh frocks were the order of the day. My
ballroom dancing days are over, and only this year my last remaining
evening dress went to the charity shop! However, I dolled myself up, put on
a smart dress I had worn at my grandson’s wedding in America, wore my best
shoes, picked up my stole and posh evening bag and off I went. I arrived
early (I didn’t even know what time it all began) so that I could park
easily, sat in my car for a few minutes, then saw two people I knew from St
Mary’s, all dressed up too, and we went in together.
As soon as we entered the church we were offered a drink, a glass of
orange, lemonade or apple juice, all served beautifully. It was good to be
there early because we could enjoy seeing everyone else arriving. It was
fascinating seeing various families arrive all dressed up, men in dinner
jackets, ladies in evening wear. The young people too were all in their
best and looked delightful. As people entered they were photographed and
offered drinks. Barbara Lyle looked fabulous in her feather boa, Bob very
smart in his dinner jacket. Father Michael looked extremely handsome in his
dinner jacket and his wife very glamorous; also his daughter and son
equally smart. The atmosphere was fantastic, just like arriving for the
Opera or any other Premiere night.
I’m afraid I’m a traditionalist when it comes to television – dare I
confess I have never even seen Big Brother; Blind Date I’ve
watched once. I was afraid I wouldn’t be able to understand all the jokes!
However, as soon as the lights went out and the film began it was magical.
There was a buzz of excitement and anticipation throughout. I enjoyed it
all immensely, especially listening to the views of the young people
concerned. Then the Awards afterwards – really exciting and most
professional. Then a really fascinating end to the evening when Charlie (I
believe from All Saints’) decided to auction the puppets from the Joseph
part of the film. The air was electric as bids were made and everyone got
carried away – I think the last one fetched over £50!! More drinks were
served.
A truly delightful evening. Many thanks Andy and your supporters for all
the wonderful work you do with the young people. I can appreciate the hard
work that goes into it all.
It was good being part of that evening. Thank goodness I made the effort
to go – I wouldn’t have missed it for anything.
Frances Long
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A group of 25 young people and leaders (and Ben) had a great time at
Greenbelt festival this year, it was great to see more new faces joining us
this year. We were blessed with good weather – especially to set up and
pack up which made such a difference. The spirit of community was fantastic
with a real sense of including all. The worship led by Andy Wood each
morning helped everyone focus on the amazing God we worship and serve.
Other highlights included Daniel Benningfield’s stage presence, the joyous
Fischy music and sharing communion together at the Sunday Worship. Many
young people also became proficient at the diabolo over the weekend.
Thanks to the fantastic team who helped the stay run well – from first
aid to making toast – from washing up to deep and meaningfuls. Personally I
was most challenged by the line from a Martyn Joseph song: ‘Wherever you
lead me, I will follow…’ how about you?
Andy Macauly
Putting up the huge mess tent
Getting stuck in to Fischy Music
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 Annual Sponsored Ride/Walk
This year I cycled a route round Cirencester, starting from St Mary
Magdalene, Baunton, where there is a large 15th century wall painting of St
Christopher, and on to St Peter’s at Stratton, where I was given a lovely
welcome and a rum and raisin cookie – delicious! Then across the busy A417
to find Daglingworth’s Holy Rood Church of Saxon origin, with Saxon doorway
and stone altar, and the Duntisbourne churches, St Michael’s at Rouse and
St Peter’s at Abbots; the Rouse one has traces of wall painting in the
chancel, the Abbots one is quite large, early Norman, as was that of my
next visit, St Margaret’s at Bagendon. Many of these churches had lovely
wooden outer gates to their porches.
There is much of interest at All Saints’ Church, North Cerney, including
a beautiful rood and carved wood screen in a sort of balcony style, with
realistic figures of Christ, the Virgin and St John, a lovely Lady chapel
and wood ceiling, also stone carving on the outside.
The next three churches were ones I visited many years ago (on a
Mothers’ Union outing!) – and I underestimated how far they were. Running
late, I hitched myself and bike into the car and asked Roger for lift up to
Chedworth, thus cutting off about five miles, and this helped a lot, even
if highly irregular. I visited St Andrew’s, then cycled on to St Michael’s,
small with faded wall painting, and St Leonard at Stowell, tiny with its
marvellous 700-year-old wall painting.
A short way down the Fosse Way, turning off to St James’ at Coln St
Dennis, then on to St Andrew’s at Coln Rogers, where the Coln Valley Fete
was taking place. It was necessary to watch my wheels in the narrow lanes,
as so many cars were on their way to attend this! Through to St Peter’s at
Winson and on to St Mary’s, Bibury, bright and large, with lovely East and
West windows and carved wood ceiling.
Next I checked in at St Mary’s, Barnsley, then found two lovely
churches, All Saints’ at Preston and St Peter’s at Siddington. By this time
on the outskirts of Cirencester I sought St Lawrence at Chesterton, finding
after some difficulty that it functioned also as a community hall and was
closed. Pressing on, I found the beautiful Holy Trinity Church at Watermoor,
and lastly Cirencester’s own St John the Baptist.
Many of the churches I visited were manned by kind parishioners,
refreshments were offered, and there seemed to be a fair number of cyclists
calling on them, a worthwhile effort, as some have pretty small
congregations, one person quoted thirty.
All in all I enjoyed a lovely day out, though my pedal power is showing
signs of wear, so no hills next year! A certain member of St Mary’s
congregation did warn me – but he shall remain anonymous!
Gill Ashman
Five Hours in the Saddle!
Five hours jumping on and off the bike is more like it, with a fair bit
of walking thrown in. We left home just after 1pm, notched up St Mary’s and
the URC fairly quickly and sped up the hill to St Nicolas’, then down the
other side to St Lawrence, Swindon Village, where we once attended evensong
twenty-nine years ago to hear our banns called. At St Mary Magdalene in
Elmstone Hardwicke we discovered that their harvest celebrations (details
elsewhere in this magazine) include a Scarecrow competition!
The next few miles were easy riding on the flat, apart from the cruel
man-made hills on the motorway bridges. The hedgerows were dripping with
blackberries; we ate a few, but did not have time to linger. After St James
the Great, Stoke Orchard, and St John the Baptist, Tredington, we crossed
the motorway for the fourth and final time and reached our first decision
point – home or on?
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St Mary's at Little Washbourne
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It was not yet three o’clock, so on to Woolstone (St Martin) and Oxenton
(St John the Baptist) where the churches are on the side of the hill we
were cleverly skirting round, and yes I had to walk the last bit both
times, but it was fun coming back down! We carried on round to St Nicholas
at Teddington, St Margaret at Alstone, and then the tiny church of St Mary
at Little Washbourne, no longer needed for public worship, but still
consecrated, with box pews large enough to have a party in!
 
A box pew in St Mary’s church, Little Washbourne
We reached St Margaret of Antioch in Alderton at half past four and
turned for home. I had to walk a couple more stretches, by no means steep,
just a gradual incline over too great a distance, visiting Gretton and
Stanley Pontlarge, then a long descent to Gotherington and Bishop’s Cleeve.
We finished with the climb up to Southam and the Church of the Ascension,
and then coasted home, arriving just before six o’clock, having visited
twenty churches in approximately thirty miles.
Frances Murton
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Part 1: Franciscan Community
Some of you may not know that I have been away from the Parish on
sabbatical leave. During this time I stayed with three quite different
Christian communities. As that falls nicely into three separate articles
for the magazine, this is part one!
As I reflect on this sabbatical time I am amazed at how my experiences
in the communities that I have visited have led to a wonderful
‘progression’ in my own spiritual journey. I can now see clearly that God
had a hand in the planning of my use of this special time!
Alnmouth Friary
I began the sabbatical with a stay of almost a fortnight with the
Franciscan Community at Alnmouth Friary. The Friary was originally a large
private house and is in a stunning position on the hill top overlooking the
bay. This time perfectly fulfilled the need for rest and for relaxation. I
was especially helped to settle into the sabbatical experience through
reading Henri Nouwen’s journal of his sabbatical year which he took shortly
before he died. Nouwen was a Catholic priest, pastor of L’Arche Daybreak
Community in Toronto and a prolific spiritual writer; his books include
‘The Return of the Prodigal’. I always find Nouwen to be an inspiring
writer and I felt that many of his reflections during his sabbatical time
spoke directly to me. Nouwen wrote a great deal about friends and
friendship and this prompted me to reflect on the value of friendship and
on the importance of working at maintaining friendships, especially when
parish life can easily become all-consuming. Later in the sabbatical I was
able to meet with some friends from my time at theological college; this
was a very valuable opportunity to ‘re-connect’.
At the Friary guests are welcome to join in with all the daily services:
the ‘offices’ of Morning Prayer, Midday Prayer, Evening Prayer and Compline,
as well as the daily Eucharist in the middle of the day. During my stay I
came to realise how much Jesus Christ is at the centre of Franciscan
spirituality. The sense of ‘journeying into Christ’ became probably the
major theme of my sabbatical time. I reflected on the simple power of the
Eucharist at the heart of each day, realising again how much I personally
value and need that physical connection with Jesus. I also valued
enormously the Blessed Sacrament Chapel at Alnmouth and the opportunity to
spend time there during the day, praying, reflecting and simply ‘being with
the Lord’.
Living in a monastic community also strongly reminded me of the value of
a structured day which gives an appropriate balance to prayer, worship,
reflection, work and rest. The community of five brothers at Alnmouth are a
very diverse group of men. The oldest is in his late 80’s and has been at
the Friary since it opened in 1961. The next ‘youngest’ (in his 70’s) has
spent a number of years working in AIDS projects in the Americas. The
Guardian (equivalent to the Abbot) is in his late 40’s and has had a strong
sense of vocation to the religious life since childhood. The two youngest
brothers are in their early 30’s and with the Guardian do all the cooking,
sometimes for up to thirty guests. Hospitality is at the heart of the life
of the Friary and the Brothers were all keen to ensure that their guests
were regularly and generously fed and as comfortable as possible. By the
end of my stay I was feeling well-rested and also well-exercised by my
daily walks along the miles of deserted sandy beaches.
Returning home I became aware of how much my pace of life had slowed
down and I slipped into a pattern of prayer-time, of reading and of some
exercise – mainly in the garden! I also prepared for my visit to the second
community which I had chosen as part of my sabbatical journey.
Fr Michael
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Ofsted inspectors have paid tribute to school life at St Mary’s CE
Infant School by showering staff and pupils with the highest possible
grades.
The school received ‘outstanding’ grades across all areas of the
inspection – and there was praise for children and staff in equal measure.
The inspectors highlighted pupils’ outstanding behaviour and attitudes,
inspirational teaching, and the positive atmosphere which permeates every
aspect of school life.
‘Inspirational teaching’
Inspectors judged the school to be ‘outstandingly effective’ in
providing a very high standard of education and exceptional care for its
pupils. ‘Very good teaching is consistent throughout the school, and much
is inspirational. Consequently, pupils are enthusiastic learners, behave
well and do exceptionally well by the time they leave school’, the report
says.
‘Church support’
From keeping fit, to eating healthily, to supporting charity – the
children at St Mary’s Infants also make exceptional progress in their
personal development. Inspectors noted how the positive atmosphere was
enhanced by an inspirational programme of collective worship supported by
our churches. They also highlighted the very good relationships between
adults and pupils, and how the children treat each other with kindness and
respect.
‘Outstanding management’
The school was also applauded for its ‘outstanding’ leadership and
management, and the atmosphere of mutual respect and support among all
staff members. The report added that the school’s capacity to improve
further was ‘excellent because there is an uncompromising whole school
commitment to raising standards’.
‘Thrilled’
The report reflected the talents and dedication of teachers and support
staff, and the enthusiasm and hard work of every child, said headteacher
Miss Ann Fitzpatrick. ‘We are thrilled by this official recognition of our
commitment to providing the highest standards of education and care in a
Christian environment. Every member of this team – staff, governors and
clergy – is driven by the belief that each child deserves the best possible
start. The report confirms that we’re doing the right things in the right
way. Now we’ll build on that for the future.’
Caroline Sexton, Foundation Governor
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Sunday 1 October, 6pm, St Nicolas’ Church
The Bishop of Gloucester is joining us for this great
celebration on Sunday 1 October. There will be worship led by the young
people, the youth work team will be commissioned and Andy Macauly will be
licensed as a Youth Minister. Please do be a part of this significant
service.
Please note the change of time to 6pm.
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On Saturday 7 October there is an opportunity to interest
a wider audience in the work of Prestbury and Pittville Youth. The charity
has arranged with Waitrose Superstore to set up a display in their entrance
lobby from 8am to 8pm. We will be collecting funds, handing out leaflets
and talking to shoppers about the significant work that Andy Macauly and
his team of volunteers do for local young people. Perhaps we will recruit
new members or even new volunteer workers. Hopefully we will raise a decent
sum to help us continue the good work.
Anyone who can give an hour or two on Saturday 7 October
to help and support our young people and the charity would be most welcome.
Please contact Tricia Wilson.
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This year’s Education on Location sessions will continue
on Thursdays:
5 October at St Mary’s
19 October at St Nicolas’
We are using a video presentation on the letter of St
Paul to the Philippians, produced for the Caister Retreat of 2005 by Sister
Margaret Magdalen of the Community of St Mary the Virgin.
Each session begins at 7.45pm and follows the usual
format of presentation, break for refreshments, group discussion and
closing prayers.
There is no charge for this series of events, but
donations towards the cost of refreshments will be appreciated.
Jen Swinbank
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Celebrate! Men’s Night
Celebrate! are hosting another men’s social evening at
the Royal Oak in the Burgage on Monday 9 October from 7.30pm. Do join us if
you fancy a drink and a chat – no previous experience of Celebrate!
necessary!
Jerry Porter
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Trip to the Holy Land
Fr Michael will be giving a
talk on
his trip to the Holy Land in St Mary’s church on Thursday 12 October
starting at 7.30pm. Refreshments will be served.
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Food for Thought – Autumn Quiet Day
The Quiet Day at Nympsfield will take place on Saturday
14 October.
The day starts at 9.30 and offers three short sessions
considering different aspects of hospitality in St Luke’s Gospel, with
plenty of opportunity for quiet reflection, concluding with a Eucharist. A
generous lunch provided by the Sisters is included.
Please sign up on the lists displayed in each church,
indicating whether you need transport or can offer transport to someone
else. The cost of the day is £14, including lunch. A total of 30 places is
available across the Team. Please make bookings with payments no later than
the first Sunday in October.
Further information is available from members of the
Education Group:
Colin Holman at St Mary’s
Margaret Compton at St Nicolas’
Karen Winder or Julia Hook at All Saints’
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St Mary’s Bakestall
The next bakestall at St Mary’s is on Sunday 15 October
with contributions from those with surnames A-F. Do contact us if you would
like to join the rota.
Margaret Waker & Linda Matthews
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Churches Together in North Cheltenham
The next ecumenical service is on Sunday 15 October at
3.30pm at St Michael’s church, Whaddon. The theme for this year’s
One World Week is Mind the Gap
and will be on the themes of exploitation, health, poverty, education and
climate change.
Fiona Hall
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Mothers’ Union
Our next meeting will take place on Tuesday 24 October at
7.30pm in St Nicolas’ Church. All existing and new members welcome when our
speaker will be Mrs Pam Staite who will give a talk entitled
A Christmas Patchwork.
Marion Beagley
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Bible Study
A big thank-you to everybody who helped to make our first
venture into Bible Study at All Saints’ such an enjoyable experience. We
will be resuming again for five consecutive Tuesdays, beginning on
31 October at 7.00pm, with a study of the Book of Ruth. Introductory
material will be circulated in advance – if you would like to receive a
copy please contact Julia Hook or Jennifer Swinbank.
Churchyard Autumn Tidy-up
There may, possibly, be an autumn tidy-up of St Mary’s
churchyard one Saturday in late October or early November. Details will be
in the pewsheet.
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Dates for your Diary
The Eucharist of Thanksgiving for 38 years of Fr
Stephen’s Ministry and 40 years of his and Vicky’s Marriage will be at
11.30am on Saturday 4 November at All Saints’ church, followed by a light
buffet lunch. If you would like to come, please sign the list in church or
email fr.stephen prestbury.net. This will help us to
arrange the catering and seating.
Fr Stephen’s last Sunday at St Nicolas’ will be
29 October, his last Sunday at All Saints’ will be 5 November, and at St
Mary’s 12 November.
Retirement Present for Fr Stephen
Anyone wishing to make a donation towards a retirement
present for Fr Stephen please put it in a marked envelope and give it to
one of the Churchwardens.
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