Scb Parish Magazine June 2009

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Parish of St.Cuthbert, Benfieldside Sunday Worship 8.00a.m. 10.00a.m. 6.00p.m.

Holy Communion (Book of Common Prayer) SUNG EUCHARIST (Common Worship) Evening Prayer + Choral Evensong (BCP) Taizé Vespers

Sunday School meets at 10.00a.m. in the Church Hall during term

Weekday Worship Morning Prayer: Evening Prayer: Midweek Eucharist:

8.30a.m. Monday - Friday 5.00p.m. Tuesday 10.00a.m.Thursday

Please see the Calendar & Pewsheet for alterations to this pattern.

Parish Office Arrangements for Baptisms, Marriages, etc. should normally be made in the Vicar’s vestry in church on Tuesdays at 5.30p.m. - please phone first if possible. For Spiritual Advice & the Sacrament of Reconciliation (Confession), please contact the Vicar.

Clergy & Readers Vicar:

The Revd Martin Jackson St. Cuthbert’s Vicarage, Church Bank, Shotley Bridge 01207 503019 mobile phone: 0797 226 2412 e-mail: [email protected]

Readers:  

Mrs. Rosie Junemann Mr. Paul Heatherington

01207 583998 01207 506282

Parish web-site: www.communigate.co.uk/ne/saintcuthberts Parish Blog: www.saintcuthberts.blogspot.com

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PARISH CALENDAR - JUNE 2009 Mon. Tues. Thurs. Sat.

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Sunday 7

2.00p.m. Eucharist - in the Lounge, Derwentdale Court 7 for 7.30p.m. Deanery Synod - Medomlsey 10.00a.m. Eucharist 12noon Marriage: Paul D’Eath & Patricia Vasey 3.00p.m. Marriage: Justin Chilton & Louise Lovell TRINITY SUNDAY (Isaiah 6.1-8; Romans 8.12-17; John 3.1-17)

8.00a.m. 10.00a.m. 6.00p.m. Mon.

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Tues. 9 Thurs. 11

Eucharist SUNG EUCHARIST & Sunday School Evening Prayer

2.00p.m. Mothers’ Union Diocesan Festival - Cathedral 7.30p.m. PCC Meeting - Vicarage 12.30p.m. “Second Tuesday” Lunch Club - Church Hall CORPUS CHRISTI 10.00a.m. Eucharist

Saturday 13th - 2p.m. ST. CUTHBERT’S SUMMER FAIR - in the Hall and around the Church Grounds! Sunday 14

1st SUNDAY AFTER TRINITY (Ezekiel 17.22-24; 2 Corinthians 5.6-17; Mark 4.26-34)

8.00a.m. 10.00a.m. 6.00p.m.

Eucharist SUNG EUCHARIST & Sunday School Evening Prayer (to be confirmed)

Thurs. 18 Sat. 20

10.00a.m. Eucharist 12noon Marriage: Gareth Curtiss & Rachel Stephenson

Sunday 21

THE 2nd SUNDAY AFTER TRINITY (Job 38.1-1; 2 Corinthians 6.1-13; Mark 4.35-41)

8.00a.m. 10.00a.m. 6.00p.m.

Eucharist SUNG EUCHARIST & Sunday School Taizé Vespers

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Monday 22nd June – 7.00p.m. PARISH CONFIRMATION Join us at Lanchester as we celebrate with our Bishop - come and support our candidates! Thurs. 25

10.00a.m. Eucharist

Sunday 28

THE 3rd SUNDAY AFTER TRINITY (Wisdom 1.13-15; 2.23-24; 2 Corinthians 8.7-15; Mark 5.21-43)

8.00a.m. 10.00a.m. 6.00p.m.

Mon. 29

Eucharist SUNG EUCHARIST & Sunday School Evening Prayer

ST. PETER & ST. PAUL, Apostles 2.00p.m. Eucharist - in the Lounge, Derwentdale Court

JULY Thurs.

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Sunday 5

10.00a.m. Eucharist - cancelled today (Clergy Summer School)

THE 4th SUNDAY AFTER TRINITY (Ezekiel 2.1-5; 2 Corinthians 12.2-10; Mark 6.1-13)

8.00a.m. 10.00a.m. 6.00p.m. Mon. Thurs.

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Eucharist SUNG EUCHARIST & Sunday School Evening Prayer

2.00p.m. Mothers’ Union Service & Strawberries - Ebchester 10.00a.m. Eucharist - cancelled today (SCP National Conference)

Readings for Sunday Evening Worship Please use these readings, whether or not you are able to join us at the 6p.m. service Sunday 7 June Sunday 14 June Sunday 21 June Sunday 28 June

Ps. 104.1-10 Ps. 39 Ps. 49 Ps. 53

Ezekiel 1.4-10,22-28a Jeremiah 7.1-16 Jeremiah 10.1-16 Jeremiah 11.1-14

Revelation 4.1-11 Luke 7.36 - 8.3 Luke 8.26-39 Luke 9.51-62

Sunday

Ps. 63, 64

Jeremiah 20.1-11a

Luke 10.1-11,16-20

5 July

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View from the Vicarage “The strong name of the Trinity...” In this issue of our Parish Magazine, you‟ll find some fairly substantial articles - notably on the nature of prayer, God as Trinity, and three pages on St. Peter and St. Paul. They‟re there in part because I had them to hand and we haven‟t got as many home-produced articles as usual. But nevertheless they‟re worth reading - if only to make you think! A continuing issue for me is how as a church we can succeed in communicating Christian teaching. Much easier to advertise what we‟re doing next in the way of a Summer Fair or to report on another successful Fashion Show / Coffee Morning / Book Sale / Concert! And more fun, I guess? We like doing stuff together. One of the great things about St. Cuthbert‟s Church is that people have a good time - and bring in other people to have a good time. We have a good time socially, in fund-raising and (I dare to hope) in church as we worship God. But we also need to stop and think - what‟s it all about? So please read the articles in this magazine that try to say something about the content of Christian faith. They don‟t pretend to say it all. I found myself nit-picking and altering some details of the lives of St Peter and St Paul. The item on prayer is just about making a start - but we need to start somewhere. And who dare address the mystery of the Trinity in just 203 words? It‟s not merely a doctrine… it‟s God and the life of God himself. That‟s what we need to remind ourselves. That what we do as Christians is about God and us - our relationship to him; his concern for us, however unworthy we may be; our need to look to him who is our God. The wonderful hymn often attributed to St. Patrick begins: I bind unto myself today The strong name of the Trinity By invocation of the same, The Three in One and One in Three. That‟s to recognise who God is for us. And in praise we affirm: Holy, holy, holy! Though the darkness hide thee, though the eye of sinful man thy glory may not see, only thou art holy; there is none beside thee, perfect in power, in love and purity. th

It‟s worth remembering not only on Trinity Sunday, 7 June, but every day. Let‟s make the effort to know more about God - and let him know us. MJ

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Mothers’ Union News st

Monday 1 June 2.00pm Monthly Eucharist at Derwentdale Court th

Monday 8 June 2.00pm Festival Service at Durham Cathedral th

Monday 29 June 2.00pm Monthly Eucharist at Derwentdale Court th

Monday 6 July 2.00pm Service and strawberry teas at Ebchester Church

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Christian Aid Week 2009 Sunday 10th – Saturday 16th May Many thanks to everyone who has supported Christian Aid Week, especially when times are not easy for many people. We are always aware as we go around the doors that there are many claims on everyone‟s money, not least from many other well-deserving charities. Thank you then to the many people who continue to support us in helping the world‟s poor. Counting and banking are almost complete with the total so far standing at £990.50 Sheila Barnes

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100 Club - Winners May 1st Prize 2nd Prize 3rd Prize

£25 £15 £10

No.70 No.68 No.56

Joan Locke John Greener Elsie Walker

Details on how to join the 100 Club from our organiser, Jennifer Lambert, phone 505018.

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OOH MR HORNE!

The first production of One in Seven amateur dramatic society, Broadcasting Bonanza, consisted of a revue of sketches and music from the glory days of TV and radio. Round the Horne, Mastermind and Bob Newhart were brought back to life, perhaps not quite as their creators envisaged, but sufficiently to entertain a packed house. Live music - not the free wine - got the audience singing along and after the show everyone availed themselves of the substantial refreshments provided by an enthusiastic and tireless band of workers. Thanks to all concerned, whether performers, backstage workers, or audience. The society is meeting on Wednesday June 10th at 7.30 in the church hall committee room to discuss the next production. Anyone interested in joining is invited. Jim Hollingsworth

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2nd Tuesday Lunch Club … continues to provide food and friendship 12.30p.m. Tuesday 9th June in the Church Hall

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When Christmas comes

. . .

. . . many people enjoy listening to Carols and other Christmas music played on handbells, either at the concert with the Leadgate Gleemen, or in church on Christmas Eve. Well, now is an opportunity to hear some Summer Handbell Music at a Coffee Morning in the Church Hall on Saturday 4th July - and, what’s more, to try your own hand, or rather hands, at ringing bells yourself. No musical ability required! With coffee and scones, a cake and jam stall, raffle, and exhibition about St Cuthbert’s Handbell Ringers, this should be an enjoyable morning - and will also swell the funds for the for the renovation of the basement area of the Church Hall. Coffee Morning with bells! - Saturday 4th July 10a.m.-12 noon Tickets £1.00

RELEVANT JOKE OF THE MONTH… Confession A local priest was being honoured at his retirement dinner after 25 years in the parish. A leading local politician and member of the congregation was chosen to make the presentation and to give a little speech at the dinner. However, he was delayed so the priest decided to say his own few words while they waited: "I got my first impression of the parish from the first confession I heard here. I thought I had been assigned to a terrible place. The very first person who entered my confessional told me he had stolen a television set and, when questioned by the police, was able to lie his way out of it. He had also stolen money from his parents, embezzled from his employer, had an affair with his best friend's wife, and taken illicit drugs. I was appalled. "But as the days went on I learned that my people were not all like that and I had, indeed, come to a fine parish full of good and loving people." Just as the priest finished his talk, the politician arrived full of apologies for being late. He immediately began to make the presentation and said: "I'll never forget the first day our parish priest arrived. In fact, I had the honour of being the first person to go to him for confession."

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Deanery Confirmation by the Bishop of Durham in All Saints’ Church, Lanchester 7.00p.m. Monday 22nd June Please join us to support our candidates for Confirmation as they affirm their faith and seek the strengthening of God’s Holy Spirit.

Pray for members of St. Cuthbert’s to be confirmed… Dorothy Dover Frank Barnes The Bishop of Durham, the Rt. Revd. Tom Wright, will be with us to preside. Please mark it in your diaries - not least so that you can be there to support our candidates, and to welcome our Bishop.

Almighty and ever-living God, you have given your servants new birth in baptism by water and the Spirit, and have forgiven them all their sins. Let your Holy Spirit rest upon them: the Spirit of wisdom and understanding; the Spirit of counsel and inward strength; the Spirit of knowledge & true godliness; and let their delight be in the fear of the Lord. Amen.

GROWING TOGETHER! St Cuthbert’s Gardening Club

Summer Fair Saturday 13th June Please bring plants and produce for the plant stall.

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COFFEE plus Lots more books, plants and jams were on sale again, th alongside a Coffee Morning on Saturday 16 May 2009. And once more - a very successful morning, raising more than £300 for church funds. Thanks to Rosie Junemann who organised it, and to all who worked together so splendidly for such an enjoyable occasion.

The Ladies Fashion Show seems to be getting popular. This one (on 29th April) was the third and up to now the best turn out. Everyone seemed to have a good time, and most of enjoyed a glass of wine (or two).Then we watched while the clothes were modelled for us, very nice they were too! Then while we were buying the clothes we had a buffet and a raffle, for which I want to thank everyone for their donations of food and raffle prizes. Without everyone’s help it would not have been such a good night. Not only did the clothes have labels, but Sammie even put the names on the cakes! Dior, Monsoon, Top Shop, and M&S. Again thanks everybody for all the help it was much appreciated. Thanks to Lew who helped with the clearing up and putting the tables away, and Stephen who was again called in to pick people up and drop them off (oh, she who must be… you know the rest!) All this help was much appreciated. Can I also take this opportunity to say thanks for the help with donations of food for the buffet for the Comedy Night in the church hall, which was another good night out. Mary Mitchell

Dream come true A group of clergy had gone on retreat, and the subject of dreams, prophecy and fulfilment came up. “I firmly believe in it,” said one. “Why last week I was sound asleep, dreaming I was in an important diocesan committee meeting. The bishop had singled me out of all the room, to ask my advice about something. Then when I woke up, sure enough, there I was.”

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St Cuthbert’s Summer Fair Saturday 13 June from 2.00pm Come and join in the fun… Cakes, Plants, Preserves Crafts & Gifts, Books Tombola & Games Afternoon Teas Jane Robson School of Dance Theatre Club …and more! Join us in and around St. Cuthbert’s Church & Hall Summer Fair 2009 - how you can help… All the usual stalls will be there - cakes - books - plants - tombola… Crafts and bits of pieces - raffles and a quiz. And refreshments of course. + watch out for new attractions… We need people to help with these events, and with setting up in the morning - and clearing up afterwards. Look out for lists in church or the hall - it would be appreciated if you could add your name if you wish to help. Contributions for the tombola, and any other stalls, may be left in the box at the back of Church or in the Church Hall. Contact the coordinators for more information or to offer your help. Mary Mitchell

Sammie Hewlett

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Saints of the Month June 29

Feast of Saint Peter & Saint Paul

The two most famous apostles are remembered this month, and they share a feast day….

St Peter (died c. AD 64), originally called Simon, was a married fisherman from Bethsaida, near the Sea of Galilee. He met Jesus through his brother, Andrew. Jesus gave him the name of Cephas (Peter) which means rock. Peter is always named first in the list of apostles. He was one of the three apostles who were privileged to witness the Transfiguration, the raising of the daughter of Jairus, and the Agony in the Garden. When Peter made his famous confession of faith, that Jesus was the Christ, Jesus recognised it as being the result of a revelation from the Father. He in turn told Peter that he would be the rock on which his Church would be built, that the „gates of hell‟ would never prevail against it. Peter and the apostles would have the power of „binding and loosing‟, but Peter would be personally given „the keys of the kingdom of heaven‟. Jesus also forewarned Peter of his betrayal and subsequent strengthening of the other apostles. After his Resurrection, Jesus appeared to Peter before the other apostles, and later entrusted him with the mission to feed both the lambs and the sheep of Christ‟s flock. Peter played a big part in the early Church, and is mentioned many times in the Book of Acts, where in the early chapters he organised the choice of Judas‟ successor, preached with stirring authority at Pentecost; and was the very first apostle to work a miracle. Peter went on to defend the apostles‟ right to teach at the Sanhedrim, and to condemn Ananias and

14 Sapphira. It was Peter who first realised that Christianity was also for the gentiles, after his meeting with Cornelius. Later he took a prominent part in the council at Jerusalem, and went on to clash with St Paul at Antioch for hesitating about eating with gentiles. Early tradition links Peter with an apostolate and martyrdom at Rome. The New Testament does not tell us either way, but Peter being in Rome would make sense, especially as Peter‟s first epistle refers to „Babylon‟, which was usually identified with Rome. Peter‟s presence in Rome is mentioned by early church fathers such as Clement of Rome and Irenaeus. Tradition also tells us that Peter suffered under Nero and was crucified headdownwards. People may argue whether Peter‟s tomb lies under the altar of St. Pater‟s Basilica in the Vatican City, but it is significant that Rome is the only city that ever claimed to be Peter‟s place of death. St Peter was a major influence on Mark when writing his gospel, and the First Epistle of Peter was very probably his. (Many scholars believe that the Second Epistle was written at a later date.) From very early times Peter was invoked by Christians as a universal saint. He was the heavenly door-keeper, the patron of the Church and the papacy, a saint both powerful and accessible. In England there were important dedications to Peter from early times: monasteries such as Canterbury, Glastonbury, Malmesbury, Peterborough, Lindisfarne, Whitby, Wearmouth, and especially Westminster. Cathedrals were named after him, too: York, Lichfield, Worcester and Selsey. In all, it has been calculated that 1,129 pre-Reformation churches were dedicated to St Peter, and another 283 to SS Peter and Paul together. Images of Peter are innumerable, but his portraiture remains curiously the same: a man with a square face, a bald or tonsured head, and a short square, curly beard. Not surprisingly, his chief emblem is a set of keys, sometimes along with a ship or fish.

St Paul (died c. AD 65), Like Peter, Paul also started life with another name: Saul. This great apostle to the Gentiles was a Jew born in Tarsus, and brought up by Gamaliel as a Pharisee. So keen was he to defend the god of his fathers that he became a persecutor of Christianity, and even took part in the stoning of Stephen. He hunted Christians down and imprisoned them, and it was while on his way to persecute more Christians in Damascus that he was suddenly given his vision of Christ. It was the decisive moment of Paul‟s life – Paul suddenly realised that Jesus was truly the Messiah, and the Son of God, and that He was calling Paul to bring the Christian faith to

15 the Gentiles. Paul was then healed of his temporary blindness, baptised, and retired to Arabia for about three years of prayer and solitude, before returning to Damascus. From then on Paul seems to have lived a life full of hazard and hardship. He made many Jewish enemies, who stoned him, and wanted to kill him. Nevertheless, Paul made three great missionary journeys, first to Cyprus, then to Asia Minor and eastern Greece, and lastly to Ephesus, where he wrote 1 Corinthians, then to Macedonia and Achaia, where he wrote Romans, before returning to Jerusalem. After stonings, beatings and imprisonment in Jerusalem he was sent to Rome for trial as a Roman citizen. On the way he was shipwrecked at Malta; when he finally reached Rome he was put under house-arrest for two years, during which time he wrote the four „captivity‟ epistles. Later Paul may have revisited Ephesus and even have reached Spain. Tradition tells he was eventually martyred at Rome during the persecution of Nero, being beheaded (as a Roman citizen) at Tre Fontane and buried where the basilica of S Paul „outside the walls‟ now stands. The belief that Peter and Paul died on the same day was caused by their sharing the same feast day. Paul was not only a tireless missionary, but a great thinker. His epistles played a major part in the later development of Christian theology. Paul‟s key ideas include that Redemption is only through faith in Christ, who abrogated the old Law and began the era of the Spirit; that Christ is not just the Messiah, but the eternal, pre-existent Son of God, exalted after the Resurrection to God‟s right-hand; that the Church is the (mystical) body of Christ; that the believers live in Christ and will eventually be transformed by the final resurrection. It is difficult to overemphasise the influence of Paul on Christian thought and history: he had a major effect on Augustine, Thomas Aquinas, Luther, Calvin and others. In art, Paul is depicted as small in stature, bald and bandy-legged, with a long face, long nose and eyebrows meeting over deep-set eyes. His usual emblems are a sword and a book. In England he was never as popular as St Peter, and ancient English churches dedicated to him alone number only 43. The history of the relics of Peter and Paul is not very clear. Tradition says that Peter was buried where the Vatican now stands and Paul on the Ostian Way - under the Basilica of St. Paul outside the Walls. Certainly both apostles were venerated from very early times both in the Liturgy and in private prayers, as testified by Greek and Latin graffiti in the catacombs of the early 3rd century.

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Art at St. Cuthbert’s An Exhibition by Local Artists Saturday 12th September & Sunday 13th September in St. Cuthbert’s Church Hall More information - or to offer help - contact Lew Parker 505156

 Trinity Sunday falls this month (7 June) - how do we make sense of it?...

God the three in one (God the Holy Trinity) This month we celebrate Trinity Sunday. The doctrine of the trinity is one of the most important of the Christian faith, for it goes to the very heart of what God is like. The Bible is quite clear: there is one God, but he is revealed in three ‘persons’ – the Father, the Son, and the Holy Spirit. Have you ever wondered at what point in the Bible God is revealed as being more than one person? Well, you don’t have to read very far: only to Genesis 1:26, where God (Elohim – a plural noun) says: Let US make man in OUR image. (Gen. 1:26) The Bible reveals a pattern: God the Father lives in heaven and has never been seen. God the Son became the incarnate Jesus Christ, who made known to us the Father, and God the Holy Spirit, who is unseen, has been sent to live within and to equip his people, the Church. The Trinity is basic to our salvation – for these three persons in the one Godhead have combined to save us from our sins: it is the WILL of the Father, the saving WORK of the Son, and the indwelling WITNESS of the Holy Spirit. (John 14:16, 23-26).

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Signs and symbols: alpha, omega and other Greek letters This month we‟ll look at a few more symbols to help us think about God using abbreviations from ancient Greek words. The most common and often the most misunderstood is this one - IHC. People sometimes think they come from the Latin‟ „Iesus Hominum Salvator‟ meaning, „Jesus, saviour of the world‟, or even „In His Service‟. But really they originate in the first three letters of the Greek for JESUS - which in Greek was IHCOYC ( ΙΗΣΟΥΣ ). Just to confuse you, Greek has two ways of writing the sound „s‟ as in the middle of Jesus. It can be either a „C‟ (σ) or what looks like a rather stylised „E‟ (ς). To confuse you more, when you translate the Greek letters IHC into Latin they come out as „IHS‟. So you can see both spellings that mean the same thing. In many churches this abbreviation has been repeated and used to decorate the whole length of the white cloth covering the altar. A much easier abbreviation is the next one which is the first and last letters of the Greek capital alphabet - Alpha (A) and Omega (Ω - a funny-looking O or Q). In English it would be „AZ‟. Alpha / Omega is used to mean the infinity of God, that he is eternal; from the beginning to the end. You‟ll sometimes also see what looks like aw, because this was the lower case Greek (αω) Another Greek word used is NIKA which means „Victor‟. So sometimes you‟ll see a cross with the four corners having two letters in each: IC meaning Jesus; XC meaning Christ; NI being the first two letters; and KA the last two letters of NIKA. So you get: „Jesus Christ, the Victor‟. Sometimes the alpha and omega will be placed either side of another letter or letters. One example is with the letter „M‟ which is sometimes used to mean „found blameless‟. So AMQ (ΑΜΩ) comes from Philippians 2:15. „So that you may be innocent and pure as God‟s perfect children ... „

If you could only write a few words or short sentence about God and what he means, what would it be? How would you abbreviate it?

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Prayer: a beginner’s guide The good thing about prayer is that there’s only one way to go wrong, and that’s not to do it. The best way to do it is just to get on and do it. If prayer at its simplest level is listening to God and talking to him, you don’t need long books to tell you how to do it, you just need a conviction that prayer is a good thing to do, that you’re someone God wants to hear from and that he’s worth talking to. Is prayer a good thing to do? Never mind for the moment about whether prayer ‘works’ or not: Jesus prayed and he encouraged his disciples to pray too, so if we’re following him, we need to be praying. Full stop. Are you someone God wants to hear from? The message of the Bible is that however unworthy, sinful and useless we may feel as human beings, God can’t wait to hear from us and is sitting on the edge of his seat like a love-struck teenager, hand poised ready to pick up the phone the second it rings. Is he worth talking to? He’s the one person who knows us inside out, the one person with infinite power at his fingertips, the one who has the true perspective on an entire world’s story. Not a slot machine to pay into in the hope of one day getting ‘an answer to prayer’, but a person. Who likes us. How might you begin to pray? What sort of a person are you? Do you like a good gossip? Then gossip to God. Are you the strong silent type? Then be silent in his presence. Say hello... say the Lord’s Prayer ... say ‘Oh God’ and mean it... deliberately be silent and still for one minute ... read a story from a Gospel and imagine what you would say to Jesus if you were there... tell him about what is worrying you or thrilling you ... copy the great prayers of the Bible and of the Church... write a letter to him ... listen and look for a few moments in a place you consider holy... You can’t go wrong. Prayer is good. God longs to hear from you. He’s worth it.

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From the Parish Registers Holy Baptism 3 May

Eilish MacPherson Maddison

3 May

Aaron David Curtiss

17 May

Reese Parkin

18 Lady Place, Livingston, West Lothian 14 The Elms, Shotley Bridge 52 Ritsons Road, Blackhill

May they continue to follow Christ

Funerals 13 May

George Ainsley

aged 87 years

20 May

Bob Ternent

aged 76 years

John Street, Blackhill Benfieldside Road, Shotley Bridge

May the souls of the faithful departed rest in peace

Useful Church Contacts: Churchwardens: Linda Short, 9 Sherwood Close   Carol O’Malley, 13 Spring Close, Ebchester PCC Lay Chair: Peter Thompson, Wheldon House, Ebchester

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PCC Treasurer: Irvine Macnair, 10 Kempton Close.

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PCC Secretary: Jill Barron, 141 Benfieldside Road

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Sunday School: Carol O’Malley, 13 Spring Close, Ebchester

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Church Hall:

Linda Short, 9 Sherwood Close 

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