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Parish Life
The Magazine of Holy Trinity Parish Church Kendal
December 201 4 / January 201 5
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Church Office:
Website:
General email:
Address:
Clergy, Hilary Murphy, Diane Letheren 721248
Open 09:30am–4:00pm (Friday, morning only)
www.kendalparishchurch.co.uk
[email protected]
Kendal Parish Church, Kirkland, Kendal LA9 5AF
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From the Vicarage
Dear Friends,
At the risk of ending up on the pages of the Daily Mail
like a relative did when writing about Father Christmas, it’s
time to own up. I don’t like ‘Away in a Manger’. I’m not too
keen on ‘In the bleak midwinter’ either, but ‘Away in a
Manger’ is the one in last place. I know that this is a
minority view and that, for many, this carol makes
Christmas. To leave it out would be like Christmas without
presents and food. Consequently, over the next few weeks,
we will be singing it on many, many occasions!
It‘s not the sheer number of times we sing it that is the
problem, it’s that it misrepresents the story. All the guts
have been wrenched out and we end up with a story which
bears no relation to real life. I’ve been present at three births
and they all involved crying … by everybody. The point of
the story is that this was a real human birth, with pain,
worry, joy, tears and exhaustion – all taking place away
from home and involving two young people with difficult
questions to answer. Apologies if this is your favourite
carol, but one of the glories of life (and the church) is that
we don’t have to agree, and ‘Away in a Manger’ is quite
safe at KPC!
All this carries a serious point, which is that the nativity
story is about God himself coming to be one of us, to be like
us, to share the same joys and struggles. He shows us what
it means to be truly human and fully alive. As he grows,
Jesus lives life as it is meant to be lived. He is not immune
to temptation, to loss, to hurt or to loneliness or worry. He
does not glide through life cocooned from everyday human
existence until the last few weeks. Too much of our
‘tradition’ of Christmas wraps the story up in sentimental
bubble wrap. Jesus doesn’t cry. Mary looks like she's done
nothing more strenuous than reading a book. The only nod
to something strange and scandalous is often the ‘no room
at the inn’ part of the story. Yet, even here, we may have got
things wrong. It would have been scandalous in those days
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for a family not to provide shelter for a pregnant relative.
Joseph would certainly have arranged accommodation
before arriving in Bethlehem. The inn in question may have
been the main guest room of their relatives’ house, already
full of other relatives arrived for the census. The young
couple may have been placed in another part of the house,
the lower part of which was for the animals. Jesus was
indeed laid in a manger, but not necessarily in a shed
outside.
None of this takes away the miraculous and scandalous
nature of the story. As is God’s way, the everyday and the
miraculous collide. God himself steps into the everyday
world of the people he loves. The king of all creation lies as
a helpless baby in a manger in a relative’s house, looked
after by two tired young parents far from home and
worried about their parents’ reaction. On this night, which
is both like every other and quite unlike any other, God
cries and sleeps and feeds just like babies through all of
history. Yet the miracle extends beyond the miracle that is
any birth, to also being the salvation of all creation,
accompanied by angels and shepherds through whom both
the glory of heaven and the least of society are invited and
welcomed to recognise the king of kings. The everyday and
the miraculous work of God are brought together.
The nativity is the ultimate love letter, telling us that God
loved us so much that he moved into town and walked in
our shoes. We can know God and bring all our lives to him
because he knows what it is like to be us from the inside. It
is also the reminder that God always brings the everyday
and the miraculous together. We are not just about
surviving life with a hope of heaven, but rather we are to
seek and be part of God’s miraculous work in the everyday
that we experience. The nativity is a particular event in
history which can change every other event in history.
Whichever is your favourite, or least favourite, carol,
may each of them truly remind us of this wondrous event,
and may we allow it to change us and change all the things
we do.
May you have a peaceful Christmas and happy New
Year,
With every blessing, Rob
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Notices:
Invitations
Last year, we sent out 8000 invitations to our Christmas
services and the Christmas Tree Festival. Please can you
help us do this again? Cards are available from the back of
church. Please take them for friends and neighbours. If you
are delivering them to particular streets, could you please
record this on the sheet on the wardens’ table as this will
help us not to deliver to the same people. Many thanks.
Gift Day
There has been a lot of work going on with the £5 notes,
with lots of creative ideas for growing them. Thank you
everyone for all your hard work and inspiration! The
deadline looms and we will be offering what we have
raised at the services on Sunday, 14 December. Envelopes
can be returned before this date if that is easier, but we hope
to be able to announce the results the following week.
Thank you again.
Christmas Fair
Thank you to everyone for all your hard work at the
Christmas Fair last week. It was a really super event and it
was lovely to see so many people involved. There is a
report from Ashley on the following page of this magazine.
Nether Hall
As mentioned earlier this year, the Trustees of the Kirkland
Hall have decided to put the Nether Hall up for sale. This
can now happen, following the necessary reports and legal
process, and we will keep you informed of developments.
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Christmas Fair
A big thank you to everyone who supported our Christmas
Fair. As we have not held one for a number of years, this
was something of a ‘suck it and see’ exercise as part of our
general fund-raising drive but it turned out to be a great
success and one which we shall certainly be looking to
repeat in future years.
From the initial planning through to the provision and
collection of goods, setting up, decorating the hall (thanks
Boys Brigade), welcoming, selling, haggling and tidying up,
it was a real team-effort at every stage, with the workload
shared, a role for everyone who wanted one and helpers
ranging from the very young to the very young at heart!
We were blessed with a good day for weather and a
steady throughflow of visitors, which certainly helped but,
just as importantly as raising much needed funds, it was a
positive exercise in good public relations, especially at a
time when we are looking at ways of maximising the use of
the Parish Hall in the future.
When the dust had settled, the customers gone, the hall
cleared and unsold items gratefully received by Manna
House and other charities, we made a clear profit of £700,
which was a fantastic achievement. And to put this into
further context, it does not include the money raised by
individuals or groups who had a stall as part of their ‘£5
talents initiative’, some of whom we know raised well in
excess of £50 during the day.
Sarah Tulley keeps the data base of families we invite to
Messy Church and other events and one of those families
who attended texted her back after the Fair with these
words – “Hi there, just wanted to say we had a lovely time
at the Christmas Fair yesterday. My little ones really
enjoyed seeing Santa. Hope you made some good money
for the church.”
Thanks to everyone again. Same again next year please!
Ashley
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Letter from Bishop James
Growing Disciples
It is nearly four years since we published the ‘Green Book’
setting out our mission and our vision for the next ten
years. Over that time we have been working out what we
need to do to fulfil our mission and make the vision a
reality.
This has been translated into three linked strategies –
Mission and Outreach, Ministry, and Buildings – and we
have developed an underlying committment to doing this
with our sister churches.
On Saturday, 11 October our Diocesan Synod agreed two
important steps. One is that our budget, for the first time
planned for five years ahead, is shaped around what we are
going to do. We continue to resource parochial ministry
hugely – which is the heart of the Ministry Strategy. But we
are also going to spend money on Ministry and Outreach.
Bishop Robert describes:
• MeReach (what each of us can do to draw ourselves and
others into closer faithfulness and discipleship);
• InReach (welcoming those who come to us and inviting
those with some links to church);
• Outreach and BigReach (using both more traditional and
innovative means to reach out to the perhaps half a
million people living in Cumbria, and our 13 million
tourists, who have almost no contact with church).
Synod also agreed a second step – that we are going to
shape ministry round Mission Communities. These will be
more than simple federations of churches – they must be
communities of churches, with all that this means for
mutual support. And they will have mission in their DNA –
they must remember that Church is not a club, but has been
called into being by God to look outwards to the whole of
his creation, to help make his Kingdom a reality. The rough
shapes of Mission Communities are emerging across the
county – we think there will be about forty of them. They
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will each be different and will go at different speeds – and
that range of possibilities is, from my perspective, exciting.
They will all provide mutual support, encouragement and
challenge in prayer and a shared committment to growing
disciples.
This second step has been the subject of much discussion
over the past year. It is a big change and so of course there
has been and is uncertainty, which causes anxiety. We are
very grateful to the Ministry Strategy Feedback and
Advisory Group which has handled much of this. Now we
have had the Synod vote, we want the nascent Mission
Communities to continue their local conversations with
determination. There is an element of urgency here, and of
reality too. We do face financial pressures and there is a
shortage of stipendiary clergy. But this is not a strategy to
manage decline, it is a way of becoming a more effective
and faithful, sustainable and growing church.
These two key decisions affirm our understanding that
God is for all (the Mission and Outreach strategy) and
Church is by all (the Ministry strategy). So each of us –
from congregation members in each Church to me as
Bishop – will need to change the way we work as Church
members. God has called us to service and he will give us
the gifts we need to fulfil our task as it changes. Of course,
managing change is an art and a skill, and we are thinking
and working at this. But it is God’s call to grow disciples,
and we regards all this as part of our fathful and obedient
response.
With best wishes.
Yours in Christ
James
201 5 – A Date for your Diary
The Annual Helm Group Away Day at Rydal Hall will take
place on Saturday, 28 March, 10am – 4pm. This year the day
will be led by Canon Cameron Butland, Rector of Grasmere
and Chaplain at Rydal. His theme will be ‘Prayer of the
Heart: Lenten Reflections. Further details in the February
Magazine.
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Prayer for the Persecuted Church
In recent years we have become more and more conscious
that many Christians today are suffering persecution for
their faith. In a recent speech Prince Charles has added his
voice to this concern. The number of those persecuted today
is tremendous.
I was looking for a prayer on this subject when I was
taking Evensong recently. I was not surprised not to find
one in the intercession book which my father gave me in
1955, but surprised not to find one in a recent book of
intercessions (2011). There was a general prayer for all who
are oppressed but nothing directly for the persecuted
church.
My motto is these situations is: If you can’t find one,
write one! So here it is:
Lord God, we pray for our brothers and sisters
throughout the world, who are suffering persecution
because of their beliefs; give them courage and strength in
their ordeal and soften the hearts of their persecutors. We
ask this in the name of Him who died upon the Cross, Jesus
Christ, your Son, our Lord. Amen.
Michael Thistlewood
Annual report for
Holy Trinity Mothers’ Union Kendal 201 4
We seem to have had a very eventful year. A few of us attended
the Lady Day Service at Milnthorpe Chuch on Tuesday, 25 March
and the Quiet Afternoon at St George’s Church on Monday, 20
October.
We ran a production line again assembling all the daffodil
posies for the Mothering Sunday Services. We all enjoyed
preparing soup and tray bakes for the Lent Lunches and we are
all now looking forward to preparing all the oranges for the
forthcoming Christingle Service.
We supported Springfield House with our Christmas Tree in
the Charity Christmas Tree Festival and were able to give them
£51.32. This year we will be supporting New Beginnings as our
named charity.
For our Annual Mother’s Day Summer Outing, 19 of us went
for a guided tour around the Dew-Lay Cheese Factory and Shop
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from where we went to Margaret Tomlinson’s previous Mothers’
Union at Whitechapel Church near Bilsborough. They had
prepared a delicious afternoon tea for us before we ended our
tour with a ride through the Trough of Bowland.
We have been given Appleby as our Prayer on Action Link
and hopefully look forward to meeting them next year.
On Sunday, 8 June we enrolled four new members to Holy
Trinity Mothers’ Union which gives us a total of 33 members.
Earlier this year I took on the role of sending Baptism
Anniversary Cards to the families on the anniversary of their
Baptism up to five years ago and by the end of this year I will
have sent out 59 Anniversary Cards. We pray for these families at
our meetings. We supported the first ever Baptism Anniversary
Party on Saturday, 7 June and hope to follow on with the families
maybe meeting with them at ‘The Gate’.
Next year the Women’s World Day of Prayer will be held on
Friday, 6 March and we will be looking after the refreshments.
Joan Carnaffin
A credit union in South Lakeland
Credit unions are savings and borrowing co-operatives, owned
and managed by their members, which offer to all members of
the community, including those who are excluded from
traditional banking services, an easy way to save and to access
reasonably priced loans. Much of Cumbria already has access to
a credit union, and now a group of volunteers is seeking formal
approval from the Bank of England for the creation of a credit
union which will serve the whole of South Lakeland.
Initially, services, which are likely to come on stream around
Easter 2015, will be centred on Kendal with a phased roll-out
across the District over the following couple of years. An
employed manager will make everything fit together and run
smoothly but otherwise the credit union will rely on volunteers
to do everything from being a part of the management committee
to working directly with customers.
If you would like to know more, please visit our website at:
<http://southlakelandcu.org.uk/index.html>.
Then, if you would like to join our team as a volunteer, or can
help us spread the word about what we are doing, or simply
would like to be kept in touch with our progress, please get in
touch with Angela Lovett by email at:
<[email protected]>
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Kendal Parish
Church Library
I am sorry to have been so quiet for so long! It is not that
nothing has been happening – many of you are still very
kindly passing on books to me and the library is still very
much used.
There are a number of things in the pipeline. You will
have noticed that in some of the book cases, books are lying
flat rather than standing up. This is because we are using
hymn book cases. We are the victims of our own success! I
have been investigating the possibility of new bookcases. It
is probable that some will be made for us and someone has
kindly offered to pay for these.
The other point under discussion is where the book cases
will eventually be placed. The present location is not
entirely satisfactory. Somewhere against a wall would be
more satisfactory. This depends on the developments in the
West End Scheme.
I also have a number of boxes of books still to be sorted!
So when we have the new bookcases, I have a big job to do
sorting out books and checking with my database lists.
In some cases I will have to start culling – all libraries are
faced with this problem. I shall be a happy bunny when it
all looks tidy!
I have read the new Pope’s biography (as have many
others) and I am in the middle of a new biography of the
new Archbishop of Canterbury. I hope to pass these on to
the library in due course.
Blessings on you all.
Michael Thistlewood
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Services
— December 201 4 — January 201 5 —
Sunday, 7 December – Second Sunday of Advent
8:00am
9:30am
11:00am
2:00pm
6:30pm
Holy Communion (BCP)
Choral Communion (BCP)
The Gathering with Communion
Scout and Beaver Carol Service
Evensong (BCP)
Sunday, 1 4 December – Third Sunday of Advent
8:00am
9:30am
11:00am
1:00pm
6:30pm
Holy Communion (BCP)
Parish Communion (CW)
The Gathering
Holy Baptism (CW)
Evensong (BCP)
Sunday, 21 December – Fourth Sunday of Advent
8:00am
9:30am
11:00am
6:30pm
Holy Communion (BCP)
Parish Communion (CW)
The Gathering with Communion
The Service of Nine Lessons and Carols
Wednesday, 24 December – Christmas Eve
4:00pm
11:15pm
Crib Service
Midnight Communion (CW)
Thursday, 25 December – Christmas Day
9:00am
10:30am
Holy Communion (BCP)
Christmas Communion (CW)
(continued …)
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Services (continued)
— December 201 4 — January 201 5 —
Sunday, 28 December – First Sunday of Christmas
8:00am
9:30am
11:00am
6:30pm
Holy Communion (BCP)
Parish Communion (CW)
The Gathering
Evensong (BCP)
Sunday, 4 January – Epiphany
8:00am
9:30am
11:00am
6:30pm
Holy Communion (BCP)
Choral Communion (BCP)
The Gathering with Communion
Evensong (BCP)
Sunday, 1 1 January – Baptism of Christ
8:00am
9:30am
11:00am
6:30pm
Holy Communion (BCP)
Parish Communion (CW)
The Gathering
Epiphany Carol Service
Sunday, 1 8 January – Second Sunday of Epiphany
8:00am
9:30am
11:00am
1:00pm
6:30pm
Holy Communion (BCP)
Parish Communion (CW)
The Gathering with Communion
Holy Baptism (CW)
Evensong (BCP)
Sunday, 25 January – Conversion of Paul
8:00am
9:30am
11:00am
6:30pm
Holy Communion (BCP)
Parish Communion (CW)
The Gathering
Evensong (BCP)
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From the Registers
Baptisms
19 October
26 October
2 November
16 November
Weddings
25 October
Harris Samuel Stewart
Lacey Skye Harrison
Vinnie Mark Littlewood
Ethan Hauxwell
Theo Dexter Hauxwell
Sadie Isabella Greenup
Riley Jack Partington
Bella Rose Aplin
Esme Amelia Armstrong
Scarlett Grace Lowe.
William James Colvin Smith and
Katie Louise Flevill.
Another Date for Your Diary
Travellers of the Heart ~ Exploring different Christian
traditions on our journey through life
A study day with Canon Michael Mitton drawing on his
own experiences within the church. He will explore how
our faith and mission can be deepened by these encounters.
Saturday, 14 March 2015, 10:30am–3pm,
Kirkland Hall, Kendal Parish Church.
(Tea and coffee provided, bring your own lunch)
The Revd Canon Michael Mitton is a freelance writer,
consultant, trainer, Fresh Expressions Officer for the
Diocese of Derby and Priest-in-Charge of St Paul’s Church,
Derby.
© Holy Trinity Kendal Parish Church, 2014.
Any views expressed in this magazine are not necessarily
those of the editors or the Anglican Parish Church.
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Holy Communion (BCP)
8:00am
Parish Communion
9:30am
(Common Worship, except 1st Sunday BCP)
The Gathering
11:00am
(with Communion 1st & 3rd Sundays)
(Except Matins BCP on 5th Sunday)
Evensong
6:30pm
Mid Week
Morning Prayer
Mon, Tues, Thurs 9:15am
Morning Prayer
Wednesday
10:00am
Meditation
Tuesday
10:00am
Holy Communion (BCP) Thursday
10:30am
(Saints’ Days and Holy Days as announced)
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