My CMS

During the BCS Experience Easter Week, St Mary’s welcomed every class at Bowdon Church School to take part in a five station interactive prayer walk around the church. The children were read the Easter story and then journeyed from Palm Sunday, placing pebbles at the cross, to feet washing and then the Last Supper where they were fed real bread and blackcurrant juice. After that, they thought about solitude, made plasticine models in the Garden of Gethsemane and prayed for all those in need at the foot of the huge wooden cross, draped in red cloth. The empty tomb was erected at school and apparently involved chocolate eggs!

The cumulative effect of the interactive stations brought out brilliantly the hope, sorrow, solitude, humbleness, agony and joy of Christ’s Passion to us all in a really meaningful way. The thoughtful questioning, openness, honesty and unbridled joy I witnessed from the children who took part in this Easter experience made me realise how important it is to have an honest faith in God and that, as children do, we should simply take God at His Word and trust that our Father in heaven will be with us wherever we go.

Kirsten Wood, Parish Development

In February I spent eight days in Rwanda with some friends from my theological college, St Mellitus, one of our lecturers and some representatives from the amazing charity Tearfund. The aim of our trip was to learn about reconciliation and community transformation, and to take back what we had learned to our own churches.

We travelled around the country and met some incredibly inspiring groups and individuals. We learnt about how churches working together had been able to build and transform communities through very practical projects. Many of the projects that we saw and heard about involved groups that had been formed in order that they could share their resources, work together, and help to support one another in any way that was necessary. As soon as they were able, these groups then started to work for the benefit of the communities around them.

In 1994 conflicts in Rwanda escalated in an horrific fashion and led to a genocide that resulted in nearly one million people being killed in under a month. We had the privilege of visiting memorial sites and meeting both survivors and perpetrators of genocide. We heard mind blowing testimonies of forgiveness and reconciliation from people who had been on extremely difficult journeys of spiritual and emotional healing. We heard not only of the challenge of living by the words of Jesus on the cross: ‘Father, forgive them; for they do not know what they are doing’ but also of the profound sense of peace that this brings.

We were personally told over and over again, by the villagers that we met, by church leaders, by members of Tearfund and by the Archbishop of Rwanda, Onesphore Rwaje, that the message we should take home is that forgiveness, healing and reconciliation are possible, even in the most difficult circumstances.

 

Catherine Cleghorn, Ordinand

Meeting in the Parish Centre during the Easter holidays, the Kingdom Club 2018 helped about 60 primary school children and a scattering of pre-schoolers explore the true meaning of the Lord’s Prayer and generally learn more about the Gospel. This year the storyline of the ever popular Disney film “Shrek” was used to help put across the Christian message.

When I dropped in on the second morning one of the four groups of children was trying to distinguish between their “needs” and “wants”, with varying results. In this lively session they learned that we need God in our lives to provide us with our daily bread, that is, our spiritual nourishment. Another group were learning about the parable of the sower through a game. The third group was learning an appropriate Bible verse and in the craft room pots were being decorated before being planted with seeds by the final group. Fun and relevance were essential elements in all the activities I saw. The end of each of these short sessions was marked by a burst of “I’m a Believer” in the main hall, to which many of the children danced and let off steam. I had to resist the urge to join in!

Over the course of the week the children learned that if we live with God in our lives, doing things together in a community and not on our own, then we can be truly happy and have heaven on earth. Each year, by working together tirelessly the leaders and teenage helpers make the Holiday Club such a success. I learned, too, however, from chatting with helpers that close friendships can be forged between the teenagers when they get involved, and that their own faith can flourish and deepen.

 

Hilary Gartside

If you could ask God for one thing and be guaranteed he would grant your wish, I wonder what your request would be?  I imagine most of us would quickly get past the immediate thought of a punnet of blueberries each morning for breakfast for life (or whatever your self-concerned luxury might be), because if this is indeed a serious offer from God, then we need to consider it very … well … seriously.  And then a whole range of candidates line up, vying for front-of-queue position, eagerly putting up their hands and clamouring, ‘choose me; choose me!’

Do you ask God for something global?  Peace for the Middle East?  Human trafficking to cease?  Safe habitats for the endangered species of our planet?  The political will to cut carbon emissions?

Perhaps it’s something much closer to home.  A cure for your relative’s terminal illness?  For your friend’s depression to come to an end?  For that addiction to lose its power? For the bullying at school to stop?

The trouble is, in my experience anyway, for all of these complex circumstances and hundreds like them, it’s difficult to know exactly what to ask for.  Finding the words to fully articulate a request to God can be hard.

Fortunately, help is at hand. The Archbishops of Canterbury and York have written to every parish in the land challenging us to use one particular phrase urgently and fervently. Three little words which come straight out of the Lord’s Prayer. Three little words with which we can hold up to God the knottiest, most labyrinthine, unsolvable of problems.

Three little prayer words: Thy kingdom come.

Three little words we can start using even today.

Ian Rumsey, Vicar

Puppets play an important role in children’s ministry and no-one recognises this more than our vicar.

The parish Knitting Collective has decided to honour Ian’s views by creating a knitted Ian to be used in All-Age services. The life-sized puppet will be dedicated in a special service – more details to follow!

Regular Sunday Services

As in March

 

 Regular Weekday Services

 As in March

 

Additional Information for Sundays in April-May

  1 Apr                           1^st in month, Easter Day

 10.45 am                     St Mary’s Oblations: Cell Groups

 8  Apr                           2^nd in month, 2^nd of Easter

6.30 pm                       Choral Evensong                      

15 Apr                         3^rd in month, 3^rd of Easter

22 Apr                         4^th in month, 4^th of Easter

10.45 am                     Go4th at Bowdon Church School, no Zone2 in the Parish Centre

29 Apr                         5^th in month, 5th of Easter

10.45 am                     St Mary’s Oblations: Afternoon Tea and Conversation                      

6 May                          1^st in month, 6^th of Easter

10.45 am                     St Mary’s Oblations: Bible Reading Groups   

 

Streets we pray for: 

1 Apr                        Brick Kiln Row, Edale Close, Priory Court, Priory Street 8 Apr                        Primrose Cottages, Primrose Bank, Huxley Terrace, Vale View 15 Apr                       Vale Road, Ledward Lane, Ashworth Close, Apsley Close, Apsley Grove   22 Apr                       St John’s Road, St John’s Court, Albert Square 29 Apr                       Park Road, Cornhill Flats, Marloes, Bucklow View 6 May                        Pinewood, Edgemoor, Nields Brow, Nields Croft

 

Forthcoming Church Events:

Kingdom Club

Our Easter holiday club for primary school aged children and accompanied pre-schoolers runs from Monday 9 April to Thursday 12 April 2018. There is still time to register! Please see the website for more details and booking, or contact Kisten@BowdonChurch.org for more information.

St Luke’s Coffee Cabin

Mondays, 10.30 am – 12 noon

Drop in for coffee or tea and a toasted teacake or croissant for £1.

Run by Bowdon Cares. St Luke’s Church.

Contact: Liz Taylor-Hayes 0161 928 8563

Afternoon Tea and Conversation

Tuesday 17 April, 2 – 3.30 pm

We meet on the third Tuesday of the month at Bowdon Parish Centre. Everyone is welcome to come and enjoy a friendly afternoon.

With cake, juice, tea and coffee.

Contact: Kaye Gardner 0161 928 1158

Ladies’ Continental Breakfast

Saturday 21 April, 9 – 10.30 am

‘The Booth Centre and rough sleepers’, a talk by Sue Redford.
Bowdon Parish Centre. All ladies welcome.

Contact: Sue Coles LCB@BowdonChurch.org

Men’s Breakfast

Saturday 28 April, 8 – 9.30 am

A full English breakfast cooked and served.

Nicola Kenrick and John Lambie will be discussing the valuable work of the foodbank.

Bowdon Parish Centre. All men welcome.

Contact: Will Blanksby MensBreakfast@BowdonChurch.org

 

Noticeboard

Eugene Halliday Association

Sunday 8 April, 2.15 pm

Sharing what we are reading

Entrance: £6 including refreshments.

St Luke’s Church.

 

Registers

Funerals: We commend to God

Thomas Morley Price, Sheila Atkins, Beryl Richmond

Baptisms: We welcome into God’s family

Alexander David Carwyn Innes

Vilia lost her mum and her home when the earthquake struck Port-au-Prince in 2010. Bereaved and homeless, she went back to her home town with her husband and children. But life was a struggle, and they had nowhere safe to live.

Christian Aid’s partner KORAL built Vilia a new home that has given protection to dozens of others, too. On the terrifying night in 2016 when Hurricane Matthew hit, 50 of Vilia’s neighbours fled to shelter with her for several days. Despite the ferocity of the hurricane, which swept away surrounding homes, her house was barely damaged.

Vilia is incredibly grateful for the help she’s received, and she’s used it to help others. But she knows that many of her neighbours are struggling and wishes that they could receive help, too.

From 13 – 20 May, during Christian Aid week, churches in Britain will come together to pray, campaign and raise money to improve the lives of people like Vilia. In Bowdon, our team of house to house collectors aims to visit every home in the parish. The money we raise for Christian Aid benefits people of every faith; it is our Christian response to the needs of the world. Our actions this Christian Aid week could help change the life of our global neighbours like Vilia and her family.

Please respond generously to Christian Aid week, by volunteering to help us collect or by giving generously. Thank you!

Kate Stross – Christian Aid Coordinator

The café was yet again a great success with all profits going to choir funds to buy new music. The café offered tea, coffee, homemade sandwiches and homemade cakes, all donated by choir members. The cakes were delicious and ranged from lemon drizzle to ginger to brownies. The café was open all weekend and was run entirely by the choir.

The Festival was once again a brilliant platform for the young performers to display their musical and dramatic abilities and is growing in size every year. It was marvellous to see eager faces waiting to perform, some with instruments bigger than themselves! The café becomes the hub of the festival as the youth of Bowdon and surrounding areas wait for their time slots. Not only was the café successful in bringing in over £800 for choir music, but people also commented on how friendly and pleasant the atmosphere was.

Bowdon Youth Festival is a tremendous event and run by such dedicated volunteers who work extremely hard to make this event work for the community. Well done all – it was well worth the tired feet at the end of Sunday.

Gina Cooper

We sadly bade farewell recently to Jo Oughton, who has stopped working for our church after nine years of employment as an administrator and youth worker. Jo has been a huge source of encouragement, inspiration and joy, and a very loyal friend to many of us.

Jo’s work in our parish can be best understood through the testimonies of the young people. When asked to summarise Jo in eight words or less, Grace Webb, a member of Monday Mettle, Street Academy on Wednesdays and Underground on Fridays says: “Jo has completely changed my attitude to faith.”

Clemmie Borthwick, a student at the University of Bristol, writes: “Jo always cares for the individual as well as the youth as a whole. Jo’s involvement in Mettle and Fusion has helped make both groups to be big successes, giving many people the opportunity to find and grow in their faith.”

James Heatley, a student at the University of Oxford, writes: “For me the most powerful thing about Jo is her openness, honesty and vulnerability. Jo has spoken to many of us openly about the sanctifying, life-changing power of Christ. Hearing someone who has had more than her fair share of trials talk about the reviving power of living water is a unique opportunity. But having that same person be someone passionate about young people, talented at connecting with them, and earnestly striving for them to know Jesus makes her so invaluable.”

Our Youth For Christ intern from last year, Joanna Edworthy, writes: “Jo encourages young people with positivity to be leaders in Mettle groups and builds up their confidence. In my opinion, bringing up young leaders is one of the most important roles a youth worker has, and never have I seen anyone do it as well as Jo Oughton.”

We wish you the very best for the future, Jo.

Catherine Cleghorn, Ordinand

In a fast moving, complex, mobile and multi-cultured world, the old and simple certainties have long gone, and with them the assumption that our country is a Christian one. My wife is a deputy head teacher in a primary school on Merseyside, and every year she gets a graphic picture of an unchurched society. As Christmas comes around, she often finds that only a very small handful of five-year-olds have any concept of what the word ‘Jesus’ might mean at Christmas time. As she builds relationships with their families, she sees again and again that it is not only the parents who have never been to church, but the grandparents who form the first generation of completely unchurched people.

For them, their children and their children’s children, their response to faith and to Christian liturgy could be summed up in the words of a four-year-old child who was overheard by a friend of mine saying her own version of the Lord’s Prayer: “Our Father, who shouts from heaven, hello, what’s your name?!”

Frankly, we have to come to terms with the fact that many people in Britain today just do not understand church traditions, hymns, symbols and customs, because they have never been in contact with them. This is why we are joining a growing number of churches who are not only beginning to take what they do into the community, but also completely re-imagining it for those who don’t do church. We invite you to join us and help make it happen as we begin to meet every fourth Sunday in Bowdon Church School. You will also be able to follow the ‘Go4th’ journey through regular updates in the Bowdon Church News.

Phil Potter, Associate Missioner