All Saints Rectory, M40 1LR
February Letter
Dear Friends,
This letter comes at the end of the Half Term break, and I hope those of you associated with schools had some rest and refreshment.
This letter is a little light, on ‘churchy things’ as some things which are in course aren’t quite ready for report, including young people’s provision and church groups, and I’ll write about those after next month’s PCC meeting which is to be held on Tuesday 11th March. However, in the course of this letter there will be a few things I’ll flag up, or, to change the metaphor, I’ll plant some seeds in your minds.
Ash Wednesday, 5th March
The traditional service of Imposition of Ashes with Holy Communion has taken place at 7.30 pm each year. I am happy to provide services during the day while it is light too.
Ash Wednesday is not quite of the same rank as the Festivals of Christmas, Easter and Pentecost, but it is nearly up there as a Principal Holy Day.
Could you let me know whether you would prefer morning 11.00 am, or afternoon 4.00 pm, or 7.30 pm. Text (07596 514 541) or email, or catch me in church next Sunday, please.
Lent
We can blame COVID for a lot, and since COVID Lent study has not been what it was. I like the look of Jane Williams’s Sacraments course and, I will prepare something based around that for five weeks from the week after Ash Wednesday, beginning on Wednesday 12th March. I appreciate this is at short notice. Zoom or in person are possibilities. I intend to be a way for five nights after the services on 30th March, Mothering Sunday. I will prepare weekly videos available each Wednesday beginning with Wednesday 12th.
Do feel free to have a look yourselves: The Sacraments: Responding to God's Loving Invitation - Jane Williams - SPCK Publishing
Or here: Sacraments: Responding to God's Loving Invitation: Free Delivery when you spend £10 at Eden.co.uk
Provision for Holy Week will be discussed at the PCC Meeting on Tuesday 11th March
I’ll report back on that meeting in the next letter, which will include discussion of church groups and serving teams mentioned in the last letter.
Church and School: developments
In my last letter of 21st January I gave some broad brush strokes for our plans, guided by our consultants IPC. Some surveys have already gone out and have been returned, and there will be another tranche going out to community groups, and to statutory and voluntary bodies. There will be a version of the survey for you too.
The responses in the survey will be analysed, some given a numerical score, others by the words or phrases respondents write. These data will help us to compose our vision statement which will be part of our ‘expression of interest’ in applying for grant aid from the Heritage Lottery Fund. It would be great to have some help in processing these survey forms: it’s simple but repetitive work!
I attended my first meeting with representatives of the Department for Education, their architects, The Diocesan Board of Education, and members of the Senior Leadership Team of All Saints School. The reason why the church is so hands on is because it is a Voluntary Aided School, and the land on which it sits, which is very likely to be the case with the new one, is owned by us. It’s very exciting.
Me
Those of you who have been able to attend worship over the last few weeks will be aware I have undergone a series of tests which are standard for a man of my age, and which I missed after my 60th birthday because of the distractions of two burglaries within five weeks of it. I also requested to see my GP at the same time as the blood tests.
Last Sunday I was able to report the very good news I do not have prostate cancer. The symptoms in the ‘waterworks department’ can be attributed to hitherto uncontrolled Type-2 Diabates. For some years I was pre-diabetic, and it seems that in the last eighteen months I went over the edge! It is now being treated with drugs, and with the ‘life-style changes’ it should be completely reversible, and I will not need medication IF I stick with those changes. My blood-pressure is also dangerously high, and those same life-style changes can also put that right. I am on notice!
I am in awe at the care I have received over the last three weeks or so, thanks to my GP Surgery and the MRI.
Some of you may wonder what I do all week. Preparation for public worship takes between 10 and 15% of my time; the rest is to do with the following: parish administration; duties at Missional Community, Deanery and Diocesan levels, as well as one National Body. I spend a lot of time on governance, most at All Saints School, which is a Voluntary Aided School; and at St Wilfrid’s, both because I am the parish priest. I am also in effect Chaplain to these schools.
Preparatory work for the last phase of repair to the church building, and its development into a building which is fit for ministry in C21 to fulfil our commission to serve the people of Newton Heath is complex and time consuming.
Some weeks are busier than others because important things crop up at short notice. For example, last week I was called out to minister to two people on consecutive days who were close to death. They never attended church here regularly, but because they live I the parish, and are therefore parishioners, under the law of the land they are entitled to receive ministry from me, because I share the cure of souls of all who live in the parish with the Bishop of Manchester.
I am so grateful for the practical and moral support from Officers and others on the PCC. Their time is precious, and they all have their lives to lead too! The duties of Church Wardens as they are set out on paper are vast. In theory all the ‘vicar’ has to do is prepare the worship and spend the rest of the time on pastoral matters, and read and pray for and on behalf of the good people of Newton Heath. Between us we make sure that the business side of church life is covered, and the ultimate responsibility of that rests with me. However, for me it leaves little time for anything else.
In the calendar year 2024 I only took off three Sundays, which is disgraceful given that other clergy on what is called Common Tenure (unlike me who is on Freehold) are expected to take off five, as well as the inside of a week after Christmas and Easter. I have not had a Sunday off since October! Our main service is in the ‘Golden Slot’ for services which begin between 10.00 and 11.00 am, and cover for that by clergy comfortable with our tradition here can be hard to find even at medium term notice. I have cast the net out far for the rest of 2025, and in the hope that I can get cover for five Sundays between now and the end of the year, and maybe two of those will be consecutive.
Even more important than calls on your time and money is a call for your prayers for me, as a pray for you, as life is not simple. I don’t feel ‘ill’ but I am aware that I am far from fit, even for a man of my age. Ten years ago, I was fit enough to consider triathlons! If I were to continue as I had been the prospects for my well-being and longevity would be grim!
Apologies for some over-sharing. I am, after all, far from alone in my predicaments! I considered that in this instance honest was the best policy.
Just before I go, a reminder: for Ash Wednesday, could you let me know whether you would prefer morning 11.00 am, or afternoon 4.00 pm, or 7.30 pm. Text (07596 514 541) or email, or catch me in church next Sunday, please.
With all good wishes and every blessing,
The Reverend Andrew Wickens
Rector
07596 514 541
25th February 2025
EASYFUNDRAISING TO MID FEBRUARY 2025
***DONATIONS EARNED TO DATE £1195.55 49 SUPPORTERS***
EFR. Donations received for 2024 £275.85 Funds received since commencement (March 2021) £1064.79
A HUGE ‘THANK YOU’ TO ALL SUPPORTERS WHO HAVE RAISED THIS AMAZING AMOUNT SINCE WE JOINED THE EASYFUNDRAISING SCHEME.
IT SEEMS YOU WERE BUSY BUYING CHRISTMAS GIFTS USING EFR, IN QUARTER 4 2024 THE DONATION RECEIVED WAS £92.43, SO HOPEFULLY YOU MANAGED TO ‘BAG A BARGAIN’ IN THE JANUARY SALES TOO AS WE MANAGED 29 DONATIONS OVER A 30 DAY PERIOD.
IF YOU’RE NOT YET A SUPPORTER JOIN NOW IT’S FREE, EASY TO ENROL, AND ONLY TAKES A MINUTE OF YOUR TIME TO COMPLETE. ONCE ENROLLED ALL YOU NEED TO DO DIFFERENTLY IS GO THROUGH EASYFUNDAISING SCREEN FIRST, THEN IS PURCHASING AS NORMAL, THERE ARE NOW OVER 8000 BRANDS WHO WILL DONATE A % OF YOUR PURCHASE TO OUR CAUSE.
REMEMBER TO GET YOUR FAMILY AND FRIENDS TO JOIN IN TOO.
If you require any information to help you explain this scheme to others, just ask and I can provide this. Also, if you don’t purchase online yourself you can still promote this to others, and we can arrange for your friends/family to be registered with All Saints.
If you would like to know more, need help to register, you can ask either myself or Rose when next at church, or email [email protected] and I’ll be happy to answer any questions you may have.
These funds will be used in the development of Church and community music programme.
‘THANK YOU’ as ever for your continued support in 2024, and happy shopping everyone!!!
Janet and Rose.
All Saints Newton Heath
0161 219 1807 (Rectory/Parish Office)
07596 514 541 (Rector's mobile)
A Church Near You; https://www.achurchnearyou.com/church/15869/