The set readings for the Festival of Pentecost, which we celebrated last month, describe gatherings of Jews and others in Jerusalem before and after the crucifixion of Jesus, and his resurrection and ascension, and on Pentecost Christians from across the world will have gathered to celebrate the descent of the Holy Spirit upon those first disciples and apostles and believers, and their subsequent empowerment, as well as the continuing gifts and work of the Spirit in our lives today. Last month I was at a Deanery gathering of clergy, Readers and Pastoral Workers and we had a guest speaker – a very dynamic and enthusiastic worker with Warrington Youth for Christ, Kim Wellens, who is also the organizer for the Church at the Creamfields Festival in August of each year. Kim works across High Schools in Warrington, and further afield, and she spoke very positively and enthusiastically about the growing trend nationally amongst Gen Z young people (18-24 year olds) expressing an interest in the Christian faith and especially in the person of Jesus. Kim wanted especially to encourage all of us, and especially those in parishes where young people were rarely seen, and to commend all of us in the work we were doing and the seeds we were sowing through our different services, events and activities – and to be always thinking, praying and reflecting on what we were doing, and the ways in which we were being led by the Holy Spirit. It was quite a talk, and there was a real sense and feeling of hope and expectation within the meeting, in spite of some misgivings and pessimism. Later in the month I and others from the Deanery and Diocese attended a meeting of the Diocesan Synod, held at the beautiful Church of St Michael and All Angels in the centre of Runcorn, and there was much discussion about the Diocesan strategy “Together in Christ, Sharing Hope ” and about things that were being done in different parishes across the Diocese. In small groups we were asked to think and talk about a question set before us: “What is working in your context (parish, school, chaplaincy....) that is helping us to grow or to bless the 1.5million?” Needless to say, there was a lot to think and talk about, and the Diocesan team will, I hope, be busy pulling a lot of strands together so that we can all learn from each other. Amongst many things discussed were the presence of the Church at the Creamfields Festival and the Royal Cheshire County Show, as well as the Flourish projects in local CofE Aided Schools and Forest Church. On a related note, and as part of the period of prayer between the Festivals of Ascension and Pentecost, known as “Thy Kingdom Come”, it was very interesting to read of the results of a survey commissioned for this period, where 2,000 people were asked to choose from multiple-choice options the source of famous phrases that most people would recognize. Amongst other phrases were: “It was the best of times, it was the worst of times” 38% “Never in the field of human conflict was so much owed by so many to so few” 61% “To be or not to be” 73% “May the force be with you” 79% And the phrase recognised correctly by the most people in the survey, 80.3%, was.......”Give us this day our daily bread.....” from the Lord’s Prayer (I’ll leave you to decide on the other answers!) Interestingly 89% of the people surveyed said they had recited the Lord’s Prayer at some stage recently, including a large number of people who claimed to have no religion or faith. Over half the people surveyed said they used the Lord’s Prayer in their daily prayer, and that the line they found most meaningful was “Forgive us our trespasses as we forgive those who trespass against us”. The Archbishop of York commented on the survey: “In a world of shifting cultures and changing circumstances, the Lord’s Prayer remains a steady guide – perhaps never more so than now.” We should not be surprised – God’s Spirit is with us always, and we are sent into the world to show God’s love and care for each and every one of us, through word and deed and prayer – and we may never know whose lives have been touched by God through us – but God knows. And so, as we look forward to summer fairs and fetes, and especially to our own Flower Festival in the middle of the month, when we will be celebrating all the many and different joys of a rural parish, let us give thanks to God for all His blessings, and let us renew our commitment to being “together in Christ, sharing hope”. The Revd Alec Brown.
Possibly, due to the release of Conclave at the cinema, many of my friends have been glued to the events in Rome. The Anglican Church has so much to learn from our Catholic Friends – in 17 days there is a new Pope – Robert Francis Prevost – Leo XIV. Our Archbishop resigned 12th November and we only now know the names of the people who will consider the nominations! When the new Pope was announced everyone waited with baited breath to learn of the new name that had been chosen. For more than 500 years, Popes used their own names. Then they would simplify their own names or choose a symbolic one or a name which referred to previous pontiffs. Pope Francis most closely associated with St Francis and we saw this through his care for creation and in all matters ecological. Robert Francis Prevost was born in Chicago but has a Peruvian passport as he has spent most of his life working with the poor and marginalised as a missionary in Peru. He belongs to an Augustinian order and so at St Marys we already feel a bond with him – Norton Priory, which was an Augustinian priory , owned the land at Great Budworth and received our tithes. Names are so important. Last week in church we had a delightful baby, called Atticus. Some of you will have read “To kill a mockingbird” or at least seen the film with Gregory Peck. Some of you will have a family name or you may have been named after a Saint. I don`t know how often you have been asked about your name, but if there is a story about it – I would love to know. Why has Robert Francis Prevost chosen the name Leo? – we do not know as yet. In times of uncertainty, God raises up leaders. When the Church faces storms—whether doctrinal confusion, external threats, or moral decline—God does not leave His people without shepherds. The election of Leo I as Pope in the 5th century was such a moment. He led the church between 440 and 461AD. Leo became Pope during a time of chaos. The Roman Empire was falling apart. Heresies were threatening the Church’s unity. Barbarian tribes were advancing on Rome. Fear was everywhere. But Leo stepped into the role not with fear, but with faith. We too live in uncertain times. The Church and the world are often confused, divided, and afraid. But God is still calling men and women to stand firm in truth and lead with courage. Whether in public or private life, we are each called to rise with conviction. Leo was not only a theologian—he was a pastor. When Attila the Hun threatened to destroy Rome, Leo famously met him and persuaded him to turn back. When the Vandals later sacked the city, Leo protected civilians and negotiated for mercy. Leo stood between the people and danger and he was a man of peace He also believed every believer had a sacred calling—to reflect Christ in their lives. Each of us are called. Called to live with integrity. Called to love sacrificially. Called to reflect the glory of God. Don’t wait for a title to live out your purpose. You may not wear a mitre or write a theological tome, but the same Spirit that empowered Leo empowers you. In your home, in your workplace, in your relationships, you have been chosen to stand firm in Christ To leave you with Pope Leo`s words “Peace be with you all”. These are the 1st words spoken by the risen Christ It is the peace of the risen Christ. A peace that is unarmed and disarming, humble and persevering A peace that comes from God, the God who loves us all unconditionally So, let us move forward, without fear, together, hand in hand with God and with one another other! We are followers of Christ. Christ goes before us. The world needs his light. Humanity needs him as the bridge that can lead us to God and his love. Help us, one and all, to build bridges through dialogue and encounter, joining together as one people, always at peace. “ Amen With love, prayers and blessings Christina
After the very changeable weather of April, we are all I’m sure looking forward to a sunnier, calmer May, though the newly planted crops and our gardens do need rain and of course we do well to “not cast a clout till May is out!” In relation to the weather and farming, it is no coincidence that a number of agricultural festivals occur in this coming month, especially Rogationtide, when traditionally prayers have been asked (which is where the term comes from) for the growing crops, and where the Parish boundaries were reinforced and emphasized in the traditional “beating of the bounds”. We will, I hope, be combining these two very old traditions in our annual Rogation Service on 25th May, which usually includes a very short walk around the Church and Churchyard, and that afternoon the Bishop of Chester will be visiting us for the monthly Forest Church Service, which will be taking place at Guide Post Farm. Earlier in the month I will be leading the annual Boyd Walk, from St Mark’s Church in Antrobus, in memory and celebration of the noted naturalist and author A.W. Boyd who lived in Antrobus and who wrote about Great Budworth and Antrobus Parishes in his classic book “A Country Parish” which was one of the earliest of the works of the New Naturalist series of books to be published in the late 1940/50s. It isn’t a very demanding walk, but is a chance for us to celebrate both our countryside and the talent and enthusiasm of a local writer and gifted observer of all the things around him, both in the natural world and in the culture and customs of the inhabitants of that world. As with some of yourselves, Boyd was alive at the ending of the Second World War, and we will be remembering and giving thanks for victory in Europe, and Japan, on Thursday 8th May, in much the same way as we did last year for the 80th anniversary of D-Day. Many of us I’m sure will have, or will have had, family members who were alive then and who perhaps took part in World War 11 – two of my paternal uncles from Southern Rhodesia (as it was then) were in the North African and Italian campaigns, and one was killed in North Africa, and my mother and her family lived through the War on the eastern edge of London, though my mother was evacuated to Gloucestershire for part of that time. My surviving uncle never really spoke about his time in North Africa and Italy – apart from telling me often how much he had loved Rome, when they eventually got there! It will be a very special day, and at the end of the Service in Church we’ll be gathering outside with lighted Candle and forming a circle in the Churchyard, at around the time that beacons will be lit across the country in memory of peace in Europe. We continue to pray of course for peace in Europe in this 21st Century, as well as in a number of other countries across our world, and in these post-Easter weeks of May, as we progress towards Ascension and Pentecost and the gift of the Holy Spirit, we can I think all take much comfort, and hope, from the events we celebrated a few weeks ago – the resurrection victory of life over death. May God’s blessing be upon us all in this coming month. The Revd Alec Brown Vicar of Great Budworth and Antrobus.
Dear friends, I cannot believe how fast time is passing. This month Nathaniel turns 20 – I do not feel old enough to have a child out of his teens. There have been reflections on the radio and television with it being 5 years since we entered lock down. In my Curate`s musings in April 2020 I described how I felt that my heart was breaking with the church being closed, my school being closed and being unable to hug and be with family and friends. Again that seems like a lifetime ago, another time. Whilst writing this, the world again seems to be changing and I am unsure if it is in a good way. I have been reading “Old Rage” by Sheila Hancock which is a fascinating read – she is very to the point. She writes, “ I find I am contemplating religion and especially the life of Christ quite often lately . At a time when our moral compass seems to have gone out of kilter, I yearn for Christianity to get its act together. That anarchic, wise, gentle, angry, utterly honest man is such an example of how we could make the world work for everyone. We need someone like Jesus to come and rescue us. Put us straight. Instead we`ve got....” We need to keep hopeful As Christians, we have moved from the devastation of Good Friday and become Easter People – People of Hope I love the Easter Story, the women in the garden first thing, Peter`s encounter with Jesus following his denial and the two men walking with Jesus on the road to Emmaus One of my favourite exchanges is between Jesus and Mary Magdalene on Easter morning. You all know how much I love Mary Magdalene. She was with the last people at the cross and she is first there on Easter morning. Whilst the disciples had fled and hidden away, she had shown up. She does not know where the body has gone from the tomb and sees Jesus but thinks he is the gardener. He then says “Mary” and she immediately knows its Jesus. She reaches to him. What a heart stopping moment after the horror of Good Friday. Jesus calls Mary by name. It echoes the words in Isaiah, “ Fear not, for I have redeemed you, I have called you by name and you are mine.” That applies to each of us. We are called by name and we are God`s. We are loved with an everlasting and unconditional love. God, in Jesus loves his church but he loves each of us as individuals. He calls us each by name. Mary then ran to the disciples “ I have seen the Lord.” Mary Magdalene - the apostle to the apostles. The early apostles turned the world upside down – I pray that we will have the desire to do likewise. Perhaps be more like Jesus and break the rules. I pray that heading towards Holy Week and Easter, that you will continue to reflect on how incredibly loved you are and to continue to live in the hope of the resurrection – remembering as Christians we are people of the resurrection in a Good Friday world. Wishing you a blessed Easter. Love Christina
