Happy New Year! Although I have just had a very happy 2023…… I was 60, and spent some of our weekends through the year visiting friends and wider family to have “proper” time with them, rather than the big party or the special holiday. And it’s been great. But I’m not the only one in our churches across the Area who turned 60 in 2023! We babes of ’63 include a church treasurer, two school governors, two members of a catering team, an ATC rep, a PCC secretary, two Toddler group volunteers, an Occasional Preacher (formally Area Worship Team), three PCC members, oh and an Area Coordinator. Some of us are still in paid work too, maybe full-time, or maybe part-time. Some of us are blessed as grandparents with local grandchildren so are helping with family child-care. Some of us are struggling with ill-health and are not able to do as much as we could when we were 50. But we’re still doing what we can. And we’re only 60. So if you hear people bemoan the aging nature of the churches’ congregations, please don’t include us in that! We may be at the latter end of middle age, but we don’t have a bus pass yet and we’re busy doing and being and serving as committed Christians in our communities, as much as we can. Our faith matters, our service in our churches matters, and we are looking forward to whatever is ahead in our next decade. We are no doubt excited yet fearful, eager yet tired, and ready for changes yet wondering what they might be. I hope that you are excited, and eager and ready for new opportunities in your life too. Let’s pray for each other, and enjoy! Lesley White, In the congregation of St Mary’s Uttoxeter.
Dear friends,What does Harvest mean to you?It’s fair to say that our experiences of Harvest will vary according to our context and background, and that our understanding of Harvest has changed over time. Traditionally, Harvest was a time of hard work bringing in the crops which had been carefully tended throughout the summer, followed by the opportunity to celebrate the fruits of those labours with a church service and a Harvest feast. For those living in rural areas, or who work in agriculture, or those who grow produce in their gardens, community orchards or allotments, Harvest will continue to mean much the same. Growing produce is no mean feat, and those who live and work on the land very much know the delicate balance of the right weather, good soil and careful timing which results in a successful crop. A bountiful Harvest is a true cause for celebration, for both the work of the farmers and the providence of our good God.But those of us less connected with how our food is grown and produced (which I suspect is a large majority of us), will experience Harvest differently. Food is generally bought in a shop, with little knowledge of the energies that have gone into producing it. With the ability to ship produce across the globe, we are not always bound by what crops are in season, or by worries about whether the weather has been kind this year. I remember one all-age talk I experienced many years ago where the leader held up a bunch of bananas and asked, “where do these come from?” “Tesco!*” a young child enthusiastically replied! Some have argued that Harvest Festivals are less relevant these days. However, I’d disagree! Being increasingly disconnected from the origins of our food, it’s very important to consciously take time to pause and give thanks for the food we so often take for granted and those who have laboured to produce it. Our Harvest Festivals may have evolved quite a bit in recent years, with an emphasis on bringing non-perishable packets and tinned goods rather than the fat marrows, potatoes and cauliflowers of yesteryear, but the principle remains the same: to give thanks for our food, for those who have worked to produce it, and for God’s goodness in providing it. And of course, our proper response to God’s generosity to us is to be generous to others. After all, “ask the Lord of the harvest, therefore, to send out workers into his harvest field” we hear in Matthew’s gospel. Traditional Harvest Festivals included giving to the poor and needy. Today we do the same as we share our food with local Foodbanks and other projects. Let’s try to be creative with our Harvest thanksgiving this year – St Peter’s Marchington for instance will come together at their ‘Gather’ Forest Church and ask for donations of our decluttering: bedding, clothes, toiletries as well as the usual food and money donations – what will you do? What does Harvest mean to you? Every little helps!*With love,JulesRev Jules Walker, Interim Team Vicar for UAP* other supermarkets are available 😊
Dear friends,As I write this letter we have just received the news that June this year has been the hottest June since records began. We are constantly reminded that inflation is at its highest, that interest rates are still rising, that food prices are rising. In fact everything seems to be excessive. Today we are going to be doing something directly opposite to all the excesses of today’s life, we are going minimalist. August is traditionally the month when all those that can afford the time or money take their holidays. The idea being that as they take their annual break they begin to re-create themselves. In this time of re-creation they re- build their lives, mentally and physically so they can carry on with their lives for another few months. I have often remarked how the Christian year is all festivals and important events from Advent until Ascension and then seems to go quiet during ordinary time. Is God telling us this is a time when we should also be taking a spiritual rest so that we can re- create ourselves in our journey of faith? In that re-creation we also re- motivate ourselves re-discover that unending and excessive love that God has for us all. It is in this ordinary time of the lectionary that we hear of Jesus calling his disciples out, training them and sending them out into the world to heal the sick and broken spirited. I feel that this is when Jesus lets his disciples know something of his mission here on earth. This mission is something they, and we in our turn, are going to partake in. are they prepared for this mission? Is there a way they can opt out? I have not discovered anything the bible where God or Jesus gives their followers an option to remain inactive. . We are a pilgrim people always moving forward towards God’s kingdom. We are God’s children led by his son Jesus Christ to take the good news to all his people. Is this the time for us then to re- create ourselves on our journey of faith to also examine where our missionary calling from God is taking us, are we listening to what God is calling us? Are these few months of ordinary time the opening that God is providing for us to re-mould our lives into an outgoing and missionary time? As you have probably guessed the minimalistic approach is the use of the two letter prefix re. The number of words these two letters can be put before which energizes the meaning of the words is very similar to the way the word of God energizes us. If there is one thing in this life and world today that needs to be remembered for its excess is the love of God for us all, wherever we are in our journeys of faith, life and work, God is always loving us and pushing us to excess in zeal for his word. How we take up this challenge is, I feel, a personal understanding of where we are with God. As I close this letter I wish you all enjoy your time of re-creation and that it brings you home feeling re-freshed, re-motivated and re-ady (I know but it was too good to miss) to go out into the world and make disciples of all people knowing that God is with you every inch of the way.All God’s blessings,ChrisRev Chris Brown, licenced minister with PTO for Uttoxeter Area of Parishes.
‘Goodbye Jesus!’ No, this is not a late reflection on the Ascension – after all, we have entered the long season of Trinity. Trinity always seems to herald the holiday season and, give or take the few weeks of exam stress for students, feels like a time for relaxing and taking things easy. For someone, like me, who endures cold hands for the greater part of the year the long warm days of summer truly are a blessing. Life can seem so much more comfortable and calmer in what is called ‘Ordinary Time’ than the frantic period during the season from Advent to Pentecost. It may seem a little strange to refer to these long weeks as ‘ordinary’, as if they are routine or even mundane. The word ‘ordinary’ here is actually derived from the term ordinal, which refers to rank or position, especially relating to numbers. In the lectionary the Sundays have numbered ‘propers’ – but that’s probably getting too technical! Our lives tend to revolve around routine – the trivial round, the common task (as the hymn ‘New every Morning’ goes) speaks of structure and familiarity. The majority of our days can seem to be generally unremarkable, but even so we ought to catch glimpses of God’s blessings, love and maybe glory. Each day starts fresh and with the potential of hope and a sense of moving closer to God. Perhaps this should be our appreciation of ordinary time, the many chances we have to offer our lives to God, so that they may be transformed by God’s, making ours more beautiful. It can become a time for growing and maturing in faith, and becoming living examples of Christ in the places we inhabit as we understand more about the practical life of God’s Kingdom. The big challenge of our churches is growing disciples, looking for new ways of expressing and sharing the Gospel message. It’s easy to overlook the obvious sometimes, as ordinariness can feel inadequate – after all, where is the charisma in ordinary? But just occasionally we are offered a little glimpse of the impact of an ordinary life in an off the cuff remark. I am part of a team that goes into schools with Open the Book. On an ordinary morning we entered the school gates to see pupils from one year who were waiting to board a coach for a short trip. After a few light-hearted chats, and as the coach pulled up, one young lad replied to my farewell greeting with “Goodbye Jesus!” Not wishing to rise above my status, I had a wry smile, but realised that he had engaged with what we were doing through the medium of presenting the Bible in this way. He had made a connection. Who said, ‘ordinary is boring?’ Blessings John Rev John Lander, Self-supporting minister for Uttoxeter Area , based in Bramshall.
Dear friends, As I write this letter, the King’s Coronation is about to take place and I trust that you all have been planning special services and festivities to pray for him, to rejoice with him as he takes on this major role and to give thanks for his willingness to continue the unswerving loyalty to a servant role, which his mother, the late Queen Elizabeth 11 fulfilled over seventy years as she strengthened links with other countries as Head of the Commonwealth, visited countries abroad and received guests from overseas. I am sure that King Charles will willingly follow in her footsteps and so let us rejoice in the fact that we live in a democratic monarchy, where our monarch is not there to rule by “divine right”, but to serve his people as a symbol of tolerance, freedom of expression and integrity. I hope that you will be able to share with gladness the activities of your communities, whatever they may be. I remember fondly the Coronation in 1953, when my family was able to join with many others to watch the Coronation on the television in St Mary’s Church, Bucknall as, like many people, we did not have a television at that point! My Primary School at Bagnall (now sadly destroyed by a fire some years ago) took the ten year olds to Windsor on a day trip. That was such a delightful experience for me, and my mother encouraged me to create a scrap book to record everything about this important event in my life! Giving thanks for our King is an opportunity to thank God for all that is so good in our lives. Our news is so dominated by the injustices and sadness of the world – violence, disaster, war, terrorism - that it is so easy to be blind to the many joys and acts of goodness and love that are there in everyday life. The Bible has several accounts of kingship in its finest forms though it does not hide the fact that they sometimes got things wrong. It depicts Solomon's reign as an era of unprecedented prosperity due to his wisdom, a quality bestowed upon him by God. In a dream, God had asked him what he wanted most, and Solomon replied, “an understanding mind to govern your people, able to discern between good and evil” (I Kings 3:9). He built the first great Temple in Jerusalem, established peaceful relations with surrounding nations, and ruled Israel with wisdom and justice. He contributed books to the biblical canon including Ecclesiastes and the Song of Songs, and made many decrees that kept religious observance on a high level. The king had an important function to play as Yahweh’s viceroy, concerned to preserve peace, justice and righteousness in the land. He made some mistakes, but nobody's infallible! King Charles is the longest-waiting heir apparent, and he’s the oldest British monarch to ever take the throne. May God bless him and the Queen Consort as they enter this important new chapter of their lives. Love and peace, Irene Smith Irene is an OLM in the Uttoxeter Area of Parishes and Self-Supporting Minister at Checkley.