NEWS FROM THE MOTHERS’ UNION written by Sheila Auld (Branch Leader), Anne Abbott (Secretary) and Anne Pickering (Treasurer)The last three meetings before our summer break have been interesting, varied and enjoyable. We have been delighted to see some new faces, people who may be interested in becoming members in due course. Everyone interested to know more about St Gabriel’s Mothers’ Union would be most welcome at our meetings which are usually held on the second Thursday of each month at 2pm in the Parish Centre. We expect to meet in September, October, November and December so anyone interested would have time to join us then consider whether or not to become members for the start of the New Year in January.Paul Knox, a former member of our congregation who has been ordained as a priest, came in May to tell us about his life in north Northumberland as he ministers in the rural parishes of Bamburgh, Belford and Lucker, each bringing its unique challenges and opportunities. We were so pleased to welcome Paul back to St Gabriel’s and to learn about his new life and work. At our June meeting, we explored the Footsteps in Faith theme. This is a Newcastle Diocese initiative, explained as follows: Mothers’ Union is all about Footsteps in Faith. We make them .We look ahead to judge the terrain. We look back to see where we have come from. We journey together, though sometimes we feel alone. Sometimes the light illuminates our pathway; sometimes we stumble in the dimness; but always, like the saints of old, we mark the landscape with our footsteps in faith.Here at St Gabriel’s we talked about our Mothers’ Union journey as we drew round our feet to make card footsteps then wrote our thoughts and prayers on them. Rev Sheila compiled and distributed some prayers centred on Music in the Garden, At Garden Gates and Doors, Flourishing in the Light of the Lord, Heaven and Earth; they inspired our reflections, thanks and praise as we moved around in our church’s beautiful grounds.Our last meeting of the season in July offered time to discuss the past year’s programme and fundraising alongside our aims and hopes for the future as we begin to compile our programme for the next twelve months. We were delighted Anne Blight, Vice President Northumberland Archdeaconry, was able to join us. We concluded with a delicious afternoon tea and further conversations.
An Autumn Coffee Morning organised by the Friends of St Gabriel’s took place on Saturday 14th September and extended to Parish Breakfast the following morning. We were very pleased to see lots of Friends, church people and visitors from the wider community, perhaps thanks in part to the 500 invitations posted through letterboxes in all the streets near to us. A happy atmosphere prevailed. Lots of refreshments were consumed, raffle tickets bought and prizes won, tasty treats purchased from the cake stall and gifts bought from the gift stall. The generosity of our guests enabled us to raise £528; this will enable the Friends of St Gabriel’s to contribute to future Church maintenance and development. Sincere thanks to all those who helped, baked, donated or supported this event. We have now received 10 copies of the words only edition of the Revised English Hymnal for use at Evensong and 10 copies of the large print edition of Anglican Hymns Old and New to use at the Parish Eucharist. These all bear book plates celebrating their donation to St Gabriel’s from the Friends, in gratitude to God for 125 years of St Gabriel’s Church, 1899 – 2024.This year introduces a first – a St Gabriel’s Christmas Card! With the support of the PCC, Friends invited everyone at church in October and November to write a Christmas greeting. These greetings were compiled into an extended Christmas card / pamphlet which was to everyone in Church in December. The aims of this initiative include reducing the vast number of cards exchanging hands at Church, and reducing the amounts of resources, time and energy needed to produce, write and deliver these. Contributors were invited to make a donation to cover costs; the surplus will go to Friends of St Gabriel’s to further support Church development.The first St Gabriel’s Christmas card was a great success with 58 people / groups submitting a greeting to be included and many expressing thanks that they were saved the expense, energy and time needed to send individual cards to their many friends at St Gabriel’s. Donations received covered all costs, with a surplus of about £200 being left in the Friends’ account. Friends of St Gabriel’s were pleased to donate £25 to St Mary Magdalene Church for kindly loaning us the display boards for the ‘125 Acts of Kindness’, part of our 125th anniversary celebrations.I wrote to all Friends recently, to update them on our news. I invited suggestions of Acts of Kindness that we could do. It was a wonderful surprise that two of our Friends offered to pay £2,500, the full cost for the redecoration of the Vestry, and the work has now been completed. This was a very kind and most generous ‘Act of Kindness’. We are all benefitting from the finished redecoration, and very grateful to have our Vestry, which is so well used, looking much more attractive.The 300 miniature daffodils, planted to mark the inauguration of Friends of St Gabriel’s, are growing well and we look forward to them coming into flower, an annual reminder of our existence and a welcomed sign of spring. The flowering cherry tree, planted in the Parish Centre garden as part of the Queen’s Green Canopy to commemorate Her Majesty’s Platinum Jubilee in the summer of 2022, is also growing well and we look forward to seeing its pink blossom in a few weeks’ time.
Happy Birthday to us! Friends of St Gabriel’s, Heaton, was founded in October 2021, so by the time you read this, we shall be approaching our 3rd birthday. Membership is open to anyone and everyone who would like to be involved in supporting the life of our beautiful, historic church, a pivotal part of the Heaton community since 1899. Friends are invited to share in events and activities taking place at St Gabriel’s, whether or not they come to church services. Our aim is for the Friends of St Gabriel’s, currently 63 members of whom about half are regularly part of the congregation and half have an affinity with the Church in a different way, to develop its role in the community, and to care for our grade two listed buildings for current and future generations.We held a summer coffee morning, with a raffle, cake stall and summer accessories stall on Saturday 15th June, continued at Parish Breakfast the following morning. Many thanks indeed to all those who helped, baked, donated or supported this event in any way. Although the numbers of helpers and those able to come were small, those who contributed were very generous so we were able to raise £452 for St Gabriel’s maintenance and development. A happy atmosphere prevailed and it was an enjoyable morning.As I write, we are still awaiting publication of the words only, melody and words, and large print editions of the Revised English Hymnal. Friends of St Gabriel’s are buying these, primarily for use at Evensong. Following a site inspection, we were told that our church bell was in need of urgent and substantial work. We are fortunate that one of the country’s foremost experts in bell restoration is based in North Shields. The total invoice for repair work, refurbishment, new parts, descaling, cleaning and painting was £800. We were delighted that Friends were able to pay this in full; our bell is an integral part of St Gabriel’s life, linking us to the local community and signalling each approaching service; we missed hearing it so much while the work took place. It is a joy that the bell is now back in place and sounding better than ever!
Communication was the priority at our first event organised specifically for the Friends of St Gabriel’s, a Spring Coffee Morning with cake stall and raffle. It took place on Saturday 6th April and offered a chance for me to meet those Friends able to come, and to put faces to names of those who have received written communications monthly from St Gabriel’s in the form of magazines and cards posted through their letterboxes. Until then, I had not met some of our Friends face to face, and they had not enjoyed the opportunity to meet each other. It was a chance to talk informally about what everyone hoped to gain from being a Friend and what they were able to offer to St Gabriel’s, as well as to thank them for their support. The response was overwhelmingly positive with Friends appreciating the regular news from St Gabriel’s and the invitations to events which may be of interest. A happy atmosphere prevailed as everyone enjoyed refreshments, biscuits and cake while chatting. Many thanks to all those who baked, donated raffle prizes, helped set up or clear away – or all of the above! The sale of cakes, Friends pens and raffle tickets raised £239. As no expenses were taken, all of this will enable the Friends of St Gabriel’s to support more Church development and maintenance. We were also pleased to welcome a new member, bringing our total to 63 Friends. Advance notice In the light of such a successful event, please note in your diaries that we intend holding Saturday Friends’ Coffee Mornings each season, the next ones being on 14th September and, in 2025, 18th January. It would be lovely to see you there, enjoying the morning and possibly offering to help too. All are welcome! Along with the April magazine and an invitation to the Coffee Morning, Friends received an Easter card and, for local members, a small chocolate treat, as a personal thank you from me for their on-going membership. Friends were invited to Mothering Sunday and Easter services and events, Lent Lunches and the first quiz organized by our new social committee. Friends of St Gabriel’s are warmly invited to all events at St Gabriel’s – they are publicised in our magazines, on our Noticeboards and on our website. It would be lovely to see more Friends, especially at our social events.Many thanks to all of you for your on-going interest and support.Anne Pickering.
