Angels in a churchyard
Images of Resurrection
Space for God
An artist's vision of heaven
Sister Frances Dominica writes
Peace in a Quiet Garden
The Greatest Gift unites Downiand villages
the Do 41
WE BRING GOOD NEWS
Communities on the Berkshire and Oxfordshire border are celebrating the Millennium with an Easter play
page 3
DIOCESE OF OXFORD REPORTER IN BERKSHIRE, BUCKINGHAMSHIRE AND OXFORDSHIRE
No 111
APRIL 2000
All change for 2002 ALL ROADS will lead to High Wycombe in July 2002. The Buckinghamshire town has been chosen to host the Diocese's first ever all-age convention because of of its excellent facilities and accessability. The event was given the green light at the Diocesan Synod at Westminster College Oxford on 11 March when members enthusastically welcomed the steering group's recommendations. With the working title of 'Time for a Change', the convention, over a long week-end, could attract as many as 4000 residential and day visitors. Plans, however, will not be finalised without the approval of local churches. As a sign of their support, they are asked to pledge £1 per member towards the cost of the conference by the end of September. 'It should provide a total of £60,000 and will also provide us with an indication of the level of interest in the whole idea,' the Revd Frank Hillebrand, chairman of the
initial steering group told Synod. The money would also help to provide bursaries and to fund a part-time administrator. 'As a parish priest who has sweated blood to raise the parish share I feel a loss should be avoided at all costs,' Frank Hillebrand said. To safeguard against this plans for the High Wycombe convention would not go ahead without the necessary level of pledges. A video about the convention would also be available to parishes and deaneries. Frank Hillebrand talked of the growing sense of excitement there had been as the steering committee realised that an affordable, all age event within the Diocese would have even more impact on parish life than had the last Diocesan conference at Bognor in 1995, with all its excitement and rewards. In High Wycombe the available facilities, including Wycombe Abbey School,
churches, theatres and restaurants, offered enormous potential for the convention and also for engagement with the local community. Camping facilities close to the town centre meant that a family in a caravan would only pay £120 for the whole event with a day ticket costing less the Dome. Canon Simon Brown, who chaired the Bognor planning committee, said that the cancellation of the 2001 conference had made made them consider a different kind of conference open to the maximum number of people. 'Bognor was an exercise faith. High of Wycombe is an exercise in commitment. The only question is whether the clergy and people of the Diocese will also catch the vision,' he said.
Pastures new for rural Bishop The Bishop of Dorchester,
the Right Reverend Dr Anthony Russell, is to become Bishop of of Ely in succession to Stephen Sykes. Bishop Anthony, who is the Church of England's expert on rural matters, and his wife Sheila will be moving to the Ely Diocese during the summer. His enthronement as the 68th Bishop of Ely is expected to take place in October 2000.
'I am delighted and honoured by this appointment. I am looking forward to it immensely; but I will be very sad to leave the Oxford Diocese and the Dorchester Area, after so many happy years,' he said. The Bishop of Oxford said: 'Bishop Anthony has made an invaluable contribution to the Diocese of Oxford and to Oxfordshire, and will be much missed. However, we
recognise that his gifts and experience are particularly well suited the Ely Diocese.' Dr Russell became Area Bishop of Dorchester in the Oxford Diocese in 1988. He is not unfamilar with East Anglia. He was ordained in Norwich Cathedral and also served his curacy in the Diocese of Norwich. See also Cookham to Grimsby on page 3
Fr i ii k rV I.it Lwt' II Mothering Sunday on 2 April will be a milestone occasion for 98-year old Mrs Olive Bailey and her daughter Miss Wendy Bailey. This is the 50th year that they have produced flowers for children at St Mary's Church, Wexham near Slough to give to their mothers. They grow the flowers in their garden and over the years have made up at least 5,000 posies.
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