The Sodbury Vale Benefice
O U T LO O K
magazine
Chipping Sodbury, Old Sodbury, Horton & Little Sodbury
Annual Subscription ÂŁ5.00
February 2013
1 Jane is enrolled as a Companion of the Society of St Francis by Brother Damian.
(10 issues)
Old Sodbury
Contacts
Val Walker 16A Melrose Avenue, Yate, BS37 7AL 01454 318286 Tony Dixon 16 Chatterton Road, Yate, BS37 4BJ 01454 321528
Rector The Revd. Canon Jane Kenchington, 01454 313159 email jane@kenchington.plus.com
Associate Priest The Revd. Yvonne Brae, 79 Westerleigh Road, Yate, BS37 4BN, 07908 513098 [Day Off Monday] email jmyr@blueyonder.co.uk
If you would like to know more about Little Sodbury the Christian faith or are thinking about baptism or confirmation please Nancy Nagle Winchcombe Cottage,Little Sodbury End speak to Jane or Yvonne BS37 6QE, 01454 319798
Regular Weekly Events Monday 8.45am Morning Prayer, St John’s Chipping Sodbury 7.30pm Bell Ringers’ practice Church Tower Chipping Sodbury Tuesday 8.45am Morning Prayer, Wednesday 8.30am Morning Prayer, Thursday 8.45am Morning Prayer, 10.00am Holy Communion St John’s Chipping Sodbury 7.00pm Choir Practice, St John’s Chipping Sodbury Friday 10.00am Tubbie Tots Church Centre Chipping Sodbury 7.00pm Youth Club (age 11-18) Baptist Church Centre Saturday 9.00am Benefice Prayers Church Centre Chipping Sodbury
Horton Tina Hildick-Smith Kirrin House, King Lane, Horton BS37 6PD, 01454 320380
Church Office Open during term time Monday, Tuesday & Thursday mornings 9.00 - 12.00
Administrator - Michelle Jenkins 01454 325160
Email sodburyvalebenefice@gmail.com
Web Site www.sodburyvalechurches.wordpress.com
Churchwardens
Advertising - Sylvia Franklin St. John’s Church Centre 07788 111 726
Chipping Sodbury Paul Jones-Williams 1 Meadow Mead, Yate, BS37 7UT 01454 324970 Anne Mudge 22 Gorlands Road, Chipping Sodbury BS37 6LA, 01454 880613
March Deadline Can you have all editorial to Michelle in the Church Office by February 11th at the latest please. 2
Dear Friends, A Happy New Year to you all! I apologise if that sounds rather belated by the time you read this, but I am writing this on 5 January and haven’t had the opportunity to say those words much to you so far. The New Year brings new faces to us. Our new Associate Priest, Yvonne, joins us in January and hopefully she’ll soon feel very much at home with us all here. Yvonne has been appointed so that I can be released from some of my parochial responsibilities in order to make space for the work I’ll have to do as Area Dean. Yvonne is not a curate in training – she comes with more experience than that, which will be a great bonus to me. The Director of Music and Organist for St John’s Chipping Sodbury, Nick Sherwood, will start working with us from 14 April. Nick comes with considerable experience and competence and we look forward to having him and his wife, Helen, with us. We begin the New Year with quite a lot happening in February. There will be two Benefice services in February because Bishop Michael will be with us on two consecutive Sundays. He would very much like the Benefice to come together for the Confirmation service on 10 February to support those being confirmed and he is looking forward to being with us for his Teaching Weekend on 15-17 February. It is a great privilege to have the Bishop with us and I really hope everyone will take part in those two events. It is very easy in parish life to be busy all the time and allow God to be squeezed out. Lent, which begins in February gives us the chance to slow down and be still before God. There will be an excellent Lent Course running this year. I hope you will seriously consider joining the course: it is a way of nurturing our faith. If you are looking for an opportunity to rekindle your prayer life, or strengthen it, Morning Prayer takes place on Mondays to Thursdays and on Saturdays and there is the fortnightly meditation group. Anyone is welcome to join in with these gatherings. You will find all these things that I have mentioned here written of in fuller detail elsewhere in this month’s Outlook. Happy reading and happy praying!
Rev. Canon Jane, Kenchington, 01454 313159, email:jane@kenchington.plus.com
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Bishop of Tewkesbury to retire The Bishop of Tewkesbury, the Baptisms: We welcomed into the Church: Right Revd John Barnaby Redgrave Harley Meredith on Went will be 16 December at St James the Elder, retiring from the Horton post of Suffragan Bishop at the Marriages: We send our congratulations to: beginning of Nicholas Gauntlett and Amanda Eaton March. Bishop on 1 December at St John’s, Old John and his wife Rosemary have been in Sodbury: the Diocese of Gloucester for 17 years.
Funerals:We extend our sympathy to the family
There will be a farewell service called Glimpses of Glory: Farewell to Bishop John, in Gloucester Cathedral on Saturday 2 March, 4.30pm and all are welcome to come along. People of all ages will be taking part in celebration of Bishop John’s ministry.
and friends of:
Daphne Joan Norton on 11 December at St John’s, Chipping Sodbury Roderick Peter Douglas Gall on 11 December at St John’s, Chipping Sodbury Margaret Elizabeth Poole on 14 December at St James the Elder, Horton Ronald Norman Bishop on 31 December at St John’s, Chipping Sodbury
Bishop John said: “Rosemary and I shall both miss the busy and richly varied life of a bishop, but after 17 years look forward to a fresh challenge and fresh opportunities. We give thanks to God for these very special and fulfilling years in mission and ministry in the Diocese of Gloucester.” Bishop John will return to parish ministry and will be licensed as a part time parish priest in Latimer and Flaunden, Buckinghamshire on 17 April.
Mother’s Union Next meeting Monday 11th February with a speaker on “The Children’s Society”. Friday 1st March will be The Women’s World Day of Prayer to be held in St John’s Church Chipping Sodbury.
Watch Your Thoughts Watch your thoughts, for they become words. Choose your words, for they become actions. Understand your actions, for they become habits. Study your habits, for they will become your character. Develop your character, for it becomes your destiny. - Oliver Wendell Holmes LEPERS….. I HEAL LEPERS
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being with you my hope for the future is that we will all grow together in common enjoyment and respect of one another as Jane has asked me to write a few lines to we reflect Christ out into our communities. introduce myself. My name is Yvonne Brae and I am about to join the Sodbury ‘Fraid I’m not Vale Benefice as an Associate Priest. I photogenic came to ministry a little later in life and I but Jane find myself with an intense sense of asked for a fulfilment and enjoyment at God’s calling. picture – I I am a widow with four grown up children must explain and 7 grandchildren, the youngest of though the which is still only 6 weeks old. My colour of the children live in Seattle, Paphos, London picture is and Bishops Cleeve (though he will be more to do moving later this year.) I studied at the with electric West of England Ministerial Training lighting than College before being ordained in 2008. being During my curacy I continued at the blessed in University of Gloucestershire in order to God!!!! complete my BA. Yvonne Brae I have worked in two parishes covering three Churches. One of the Churches, set in an area that figured highly on the Indices of Multiple Deprivation, enjoyed an ecumenical partnership between the Anglican and Methodist Church. The other was a town centre Church with a Energy Performance Certificates for: gathered congregation. I then moved to a larger Church where most Sundays the congregation numbered around 200. Sales, The worship there was a mixture of liturgy and hymns played on the organ and worship group led choruses with a Rental & Holiday Lets, more informal style of leading – all in the one service. My personal taste is Floor Plans eclectic (as you may imagine by now.) I enjoy all types of Church services. I love being at the Cathedral but am equally at Lynn Edwards MA, MCIEH, MCIH home in a looser structured service. I Domestic Energy Assessor believe no one person or organisation can hold the whole understanding of Tel: 07973 166 692 God, so for me it’s about the delight of or 01454 323 340 finding God in a great variety of people, Email: office@lenergy-assessor.co.uk places and ways. As I look forward to
Meet our new Associate Priest Greetings from Yvonne
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St John’s Chipping Sodbury new Director of Music At the end of December, we appointed Nick Sherwood to be the new Director of Music for St John’s Church, Chipping Sodbury. Nick is, at present, the Director of Music in the Parish of Wanstead, in East London/Essex. He is a professional musician, being conductor of Brentwood Choral Society as well as teaching piano, organ, violin, voice, music theory, and giving GCSE and “A” level support. Nick’s first Sunday will be 14 April. Nick is married to Helen, who is also a musician and teacher. We look forward to welcoming them in April, when they move here. JK
Louisa Stonehill – Violin Nicholas Burns - Piano at the Town Hall, Chipping Sodbury on T uesday 12 Fe bruary 2013 at 7:30 pm Tickets available on the door Adults £12, School-age children FREE
For further information contact: patrickmusic@btinternet.com
or phone: 01454 315741
Another Diocesan Visitor – the Venerable Jackie Searle
Facebook.com/Chipping.Sodbury.Music.Society
Jackie Searle was licenced as Archdeacon of Gloucester last September and is gradually getting round her new Archdeaconry. I am delighted that she will be coming to preach at St John’s Chipping Sodbury and St James’, Horton on Sunday 24 February. So if you’d like to see and hear her, you know which churches to go to! I have known Jackie for a few years – we met on various courses we attended whilst we were both Deans of Women Clergy (in different dioceses). She is a good person to have as our archdeacon. JK 7
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David Suchet becomes Bible Society VP
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In a letter to Bible Society, he said he felt 'most honoured' to accept the role of Vice-President. Dr Paula Gooder is a writer and lecturer in Biblical Studies. She is Canon Theologian of Birmingham and Guildford Cathedrals. Thurlestone, South Devon
Mr Suchet and Dr Gooder join Archbishop John Sentamu, the Most Revd Vincent Nichols the Archbishop of Westminster, Archbishop of Wales Most Revd Dr Barry Morgan, Professor David Ford, Professor of Divinity at Cambridge, the International Director for Micah Challenge Revd Joel Edwards and Lord Alton of Liverpool as Vice-Presidents of Bible Society.
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Copies of the book will be available to buy (priced around £6.99) in late January and early February.
2013 Lent Course Bishop Michael recently published a book entitled, “Jesus and Peter: Growing in friendship with God.” A study course has been written to use with this book and we have decided to use it for our Lent course. The Lent course itself will take place on Wednesday evenings and be repeated on Thursday mornings during Lent in the way we have usually run the course in the past. Details are shown below. An additional exciting thing about this course is that it continues beyond Easter looking at postresurrection stories of Jesus and Peter. It is proposed that House Groups will follow this course after Easter. If you do not belong to a House Group at the moment, then here is your chance to join one – new groups will be forming.
All the meetings will take place in St John’s Church Centre in Wickwar Road. Wednesday 20 February 7.30pm – 9pm Thursday 21 February 11am – 12 noon Wednesday 27 February 7.30pm – 9pm Thursday 28 February 11am – 12 noon Wednesday 6 March 7.30pm – 9pm Thursday 7 March 11am – 12 noon Wednesday 13 March 7.30pm – 9pm Thursday 14 March 11am – 12 noon Wednesday 20 March 7.30pm – 9pm Thursday 21 March 11am – 12 noon 9
Diocesan Letter
Mrs. E.J. Gauntlett M.Ch.S. HPC REGISTERED CHIROPODIST / PODIATRIST
6 Beaufort Mews 7 Horse Street Chipping Sodbury South Glos. BS37 6DA Telephone: (01454) 319083 Tuesday, Wednesday, & Saturday Mornings
One of the most striking things about the people of our link diocese of Western Tanganyika is their desire for and commitment to education, children sometimes walking miles each day to get to school because they know the possibilities education offers them and their community. It should be no surprise therefore that they have committed themselves to the building of a new school in Kasulu in partnership with the Cathedral there to allow students who have completed ‘O levels’ to continue to ‘A level’ study and be prepared for higher education. This is an enormous undertaking for a poor community but one that is being undertaken with dedication and organisational skill. Now we have an opportunity to help them complete the next phase of their building. So far they have built four classrooms. The next phase, costing £192,000 will see the construction of a further eight classrooms, dormitories, cafeteria, library, laboratory, staff houses… and a bore hole! They have committed to raising half this cost locally and we have committed to finding the other half - to change children’s lives, to change a community through education. The Gloucester Diocesan Board of Finance have made £45,000 available as a loan to get the project moving and Bishop Michael has designated this project as the focus of this year’s Episcopal Collections. That leaves around £30,000 that we are seeking to raise from the parishes, schools and communities of the diocese. That might seem a large amount but if every parish in the diocese committed just £100 we would more than 10
meet this target and if every church school class 8) When she completed class 4 last did the same…. year Catherine’ mother was unable to pay Once established the school will be self the admission fees and buy the school supporting, so this is a an amazing uniform to enrol her into a local opportunity to make a difference to a government primary school; consequently community for the long term, and because Catherine has now missed a year of of our links with the Diocese and through school. our mission partners working there, to do In a week over the Christmas holiday a so in the knowledge that the money will be new Transition classroom was built at the properly and wisely spent. Kianda centre. The Transition class Will your parish, your school, your rehabilitates street-children through a community be a partner in this, with the holistic programme providing specialist communities of this diocese and of education classes, access to healthcare, Western Tanganyika? More details will be regular meals, counselling and family distributed soon and information can also integration work be obtained from the Revd Debbie Forman on deborah.forman2@btinternet.com or In February Catherine will be one of the first children to start the new Transition 01386 830302. class in Kiande where she will attend From the Archdeacon of Cheltenham, lessons for a year catching up on the The Venerable Robert Springett education she has missed in the past year. Turning Point will then support her to rejoin Catherine’s story a local government primary school at the Meet Catherine. She’s 13 years old and end of the year and see her through her has been coming for breakfast at Turning continuing education. point’s Kianda village centre in Kibera, Kenya for the past four months after being told about Turning Point by some of her friends. She lives with her mother and siblings in a small s i n g l e roomed hut in Kibera. Catherine completed class four in December 2011, but the school she was attending was only from class 1 to 4 (primary school goes up to
Benefice Retreat 2013
A retreat for members of all churches of the Sodbury Vale Benefice. Friday 5th - Sunday 7th July 2013 Llangasty Retreat House in the Brecon Beacons -Stunning location! £130 per person See www.llangasty.com for more information. Please email ianyemm@gmail.com asap if you are interested.
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Bishop Michael’s Teaching Weekend 15 – 17 February It is rare to have Bishop Michael for a whole weekend and he has offered to come to this Benefice this month to run a teaching weekend. If you have never heard Bishop Michael teach, you have missed something rather special. So please do put these dates in your diary. Bishop Michael will be teaching on the Eucharist. He is a fine liturgist, having published many books on liturgy and lectured on it. He has written parts of Common Worship services. If you miss him, you will have missed a gem of a weekend. Hopefully, you will have received a letter about this weekend with a programme by the time you read this article. The schedule is as follows: FRIDAY 15 FEBRUARY 7.30pm
9.30am 10.00am 11.00am 12.30pm
2.00pm 6.00pm 6.30pm
Church Centre, Wickwar Road, Chipping Sodbury Talk 1: The Eucharist – where did it come from and how did it get here? Compline SATURDAY 16 FEBRUARY Morning Prayer at St John’s, Old Sodbury Walk from Old Sodbury to Little Sodbury along the Cotswold Way Coffee and Prayers at St Adeline’s Church, Little Sodbury Either, walk to Horton along the Cotswold Way or drive to Horton Eucharist at St James the Elder, Horton, followed by lunch Drive to Chipping Sodbury and meet in the Church centre for afternoon and evening sessions Talk 2: So many words! What do they mean? (Exploring the Eucharistic text) Evening Prayer at St John’s Church, Chipping Sodbury Supper in Church Centre, Chipping Sodbury
SUNDAY 17 FEBRUARY At St John’s Church, Chipping Sodbury 9.45am 10.30am
Talk 3: The Eucharist: So what difference does it make to me? Benefice Eucharist 12
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Journeying Together Journeying together is something we much need in the Anglican Communion and the Church of England at the present time. Because the Church is made up of fallen human beings like ourselves, sometimes it finds itself in conflict, such as has been happening with us, not least with the issue of women bishops, but with other matters too. We do not always seem to be going in the same direction. Certainly we don’t seem to be on the same road. But Jesus is calling us to come to him. He is the one to whom we all, despite our differences, are trying to journey. His call to us at the present time is, I am sure, “Travel together”. In travelling together there is encouragement and strength. There is a local version of this journeying together that is crucial for the mission of God in our diocese. Here we are not divided by conflict (praise the Lord for that!), but we do sometimes seem to be going our own ways, unaware of the journeys of others, making our plans and developing our mission independently of one another. But a diocese is about belonging together and journeying together, for both the mission of God and the vision of God are what we seek in common. In 2013 every parish is invited to explore our shared vision, strategy and objectives through Journeying Together. Please join in. In our travelling in step there will be encouragement and strength.
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To learn more about Journeying Together and to request a copy of a summarising leaflet: contact Church House on 01452 410022 or visit the website, www.gloucester.anglican.org The Rt. Revd. Michael Perham 13
Sodbury Vale Benefice Forthcoming Events Wed 22nd
May
7.30pm
Archdeacon’s Visitation for the Wotton Deanery
St John’s, C/S
Sat
25th
May
10am
Vintage Craft flea market
Church Centre, C/S
25th
May
7.30pm
Yate Choral Society Concert
St John’s, C/S
Fri
14th
June
7.30pm
Harp Concert (as part of Chipping Sodbury Festival Week)
St John’s, C/S
Fri
5th
July
Benefice Retreat Weekend
Away
If you don’t see your event in the list above please let me know, once it is on this calendar other people can put it on theirs! All times are subject to change look out for further details closer to the date. Michelle 01454 325160 sodburyvalebenefice@gmail.com
FRIENDS OF OLD SODBURY CHURCH Present
ANTIQUE ANECDOTES & VALUATIONS with (Antiques Roadshow Fame!)
An Evening of Scintillating Stories, Career Experiences and Valuations Bring Your Items for Valuation and Discussion for a Real “Roadshow” Evening at
St John Church, Old Sodbury Friday 22nd February at 7:00pm Tickets £7.50 Light Refreshments Available Telephone: 324344 or 312223 14
Sodbury Vale Benefice Calendar February 2013 Sat
2nd
Sun 3rd Second Sunday before Lent
Tue Wed Thurs Sat
5th 6th 7th 9th
Sun 10th Sunday next before Lent
Mon
11th
9.00am
Benefice Prayer Meeting
Church Centre C/S
9.45am
Wedding Preparation Day
Church Centre C/S
8.00am
Holy Communion
St John’s C/S
9.30am
St John’s Praise
St John’s, C/S
11.15am
Mattins
St James’, Horton
11.15am
Family Communion
St John’s O/S
6.00pm
Evensong (BCP)
St Adeline’s L/S
3.00pm
Meditation Meeting
Ring 314409 for venue
7.30pm
Explorers Meeting
Church Centre C/S
1.20pm
Women’s Fellowship
Church Centre C/S
8.00pm
Mission Prayer Group
Church Centre C/S
10.00am
Holy Communion
St John’s C/S
10.45am
Coffee Shop
Church Centre C/S
9
Benefice Prayer Meeting
Church Centre C/S
10.30am
Benefice Confirmation Service
St John’s C/S
2.45pm
Mothers’ Union,
Church Centre C/S
Weds
13th
7.30pm
Ash Wednesday Eucharist
St John’s O/S
Thurs
14th
10.00am
Holy Communion
St John’s C/S
10.45am
Coffee Shop
Church Centre C/S
Friday
15th
7.30pm
Bishop Michael’s Teaching weekend
Church Centre C/S
Sat
16th
9.00am
Benefice Prayer Meeting
Church Centre C/S
9.30am
Bishop Michael’s Teaching weekend
Varies
9.45am
Conclusion of Bishop Michael’s Teaching Weekend
St John’s C/S
10.30am
Benefice Communion
St John’s C/S
Sun 17th First Sunday of Lent Tue
19th
3.00pm
Meditation Meeting
Ring 314409 for venue
Wed
20th
1.20pm
Women’s Fellowship
Church Centre C/S
7.30PM
Lent Course
Church Centre C/S
10.00am
Holy Communion
St John’s C/S
10.45am
Coffee Shop
Church Centre C/S
11.30am
Lent Course
Church Centre C/S
9.00am
Benefice Prayer Meeting
Church Centre C/S
9.30am
Family Communion
St John’s C/S
11.15am
Morning Prayer (CW)
St James’ Horton
11.15am
Holy Communion (BCP)
St John’s O/S
6.00pm
Evensong (BCP)
St Adeline’s L/S
Thur
Sat
21st
23rd
Sun 24th Second Sunday of Lent
Wed
27th
7.30PM
Lent Course
Church Centre C/S
Thur
28th
10.00am
Holy Communion
St John’s C/S
10.45am
Coffee Shop
Church Centre C/S
11.30am
Lent Course
Church Centre C/S
15
From small
Another Successful Crib Festival. All the hard work that volunteers put into the festival has again been rewarded by the results of a very enjoyable 5 days of opening the church to the people of our benefice community.
to large
and everything in between.
3500 people visited the church during the festival (450 more than last year) and were delighted by the 190 cribs on display (42 more than last year) as well as all the activities that went on, like the choir from Chipping Sodbury School, and the delicious refreshments available throughout. The variety of the displays was fantastic
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Many thanks to the organising team, the many volunteer helpers and our sponsors; you all made the whole thing possible and raised almost ÂŁ2000. ÂŁ275 went to The Willow Tree Centre. Now we have a big challenge for next year, we need to discover new cribs, so please all be on the lookout for new displays for the 2013 Crib Festival