One of my favourite times in the Christian calendar is a reasonably new invention - the Thy Kingdom Come initiative that takes place between Ascension Day and Pentecost Sunday each year. This year Thy Kingdom Come - TKC - is happening between the 14th and 24th of May. Across the parishes of Betley and Madeley there will be a number of special services and events.There is a prayer walk in each parish, there’s a Picnic Communion in Betley and Soaking Worship in Madeley. There’s a special Ascension day communion and Explorers at All Saints’. We will also be repeating our 5For5 initiative where we encourage people to pray for 5 others for 5 minutes each day, that they may encounter Jesus intheir lives and come to a living faith in him.One event I’m particularly excited for, is our planned 24/1 prayer event, where for 24 hours from 10:00am on Friday 22nd of May to 10:00am on Saturday 23rd of May people will be able to sign up to pray in our pop-up prayer gazebo at All Saints’ Madeley. The idea is that people will book a time slot to come and pray. There will be prayer prompts and all sorts of thinks to help you pray.At one church where I used to work, they regularly held 24/7 prayer weeks, with 24 hours of prayer every day for 7 days. It was a massive thing, a big commitment, but when I look back on my faith journey, those were very special and formative times. I’m looking forward to what God might do with and through this day of prayer!More information about the 24/1 prayer day will be available in the pew sheets. Watch this space!BlessingsTim
DIOCESE OF LICHFIELDNEWCASTLE DEANERYPARISH OF ALL SAINTS’ MADELEYNOTICE IS GIVEN THAT THE ANNUAL PAROCHIAL CHURCH MEETING & VESTRY MEETINGWILL TAKE PLACE IN CHURCH AT 7.30 P.M. ON WEDNESDAY THE TWENTIETH (20th) OF MAY, 2026.NOMINATIONS ARE INVITED FOR: · TWO POSTS OF CHURCHWARDEN TO SERVE FOR THE YEAR 2026/27. · UP TO FIVE PLACES ON THE P.C.C. FOR 2026/29 – NO CURRENT MEMBERS, WHOSE TERMS EXPIRE, CAN SEEK RE-ELECTION THIS YEAR.· UP TO THREE PLACES ON NEWCASTLE DEANERY SYNOD FOR 2026/29 (ALSO PCC MEMBERS) - ALL CURRENT MEMBERS, WHOSE TERMS EXPIRE, ARE ELIGIBLE TO SEEK RE-ELECTION THIS YEAR.NOMINATION FORMS ARE AVAILABLE FROM OFFICERS OF THE PCC OR IN THE PORCH. CANDIDATES MUST BE MEMBERS OF THE CHURCH ELECTORAL ROLL – IF YOU WISH TO JOIN THIS, CONTACT TREVOR DOWNS BY 12 NOON ON SUNDAY 10TH MAY, 2026, FOR A FORM OF ENROLMENT. MEMBERS OF THE PCC ARE REQUIRED TO HAVE OR OBTAIN AN UP TO DATE D.B.S. CERTIFICATE TO HOLD THE OFFICE, AND TO UNDERTAKE ONLINE SAFEGUARDING TRAINING.SIGNED:TIM WATSON, VICAR
The Old Testament scholar Walter Brueggemann died in June 2025. He was a pre-eminent professor of Theology and his work on preaching, the Psalms, the practice of Sabbath, and the Prophetic writings in the Bible were masterful. So much of his work was weaved together with different themes. One of the themes, was “radical hope”.Another of his themes that was always so striking, was his reflections on Western society, particularly the United States, being caught up in the grasp of what he described as a “culture of death”. His argument, at its most simplistic rendering was that this culture was driven by, consumerism, militarism and the notion of scarcity. We all want things. We’ll fight for things. We base so much of our world-view on the idea that “those people over there” want our… whatever, and we will guard it and even try to take theirs. For Brueggemann the consequence of this world view meant that it is easy to dehumanize others, to see people for what we can get out of them. It meant that so much of society becomes anxiety-ridden. Endlessly comparing ourselves to others, envying others, trying to take what belongs to others. Ultimately this world view can lead to violence. Hubristic military action, or the violent taking of other people’s resources, maybe breaking into someones house and stealing their jewellery, maybe it’s more to do with envying another nation’s national resources.The ”culture of death” sounds disappointingly all too familiar. And yet, as Christians, at this time of year, we celebrate the death of death. We celebrate life winning out over the forces of darkness. we remember the death of, and celebrate the resurrection of, Jesus, God’s son.We celebrate our calling to be people who live the culture of resurrection, not death. Through Jesus God is making all things new. It’s time to play our part by “beating swords into ploughshares” and whispering “resurrection” to our neighbours in the street, and to the plants growing in our gardens!Happy Resurrection day everyone!Rev Tim
I was recently reading a short article about one of my favourite films. Released about 25 years ago, the movie didn’t ‘do well’ at the cinema and when it debuted at the Cannes Film Festival it was mercilessly booed after the screening. The film has since been regarded as a “modern classic” by different reviewers. Last year, I won a signed shirt from a local sports team. Once I was the proud owner of the shirt I thought I’d go and watch the team. I did, and I’ve been watching them reasonably regularly since. The team did really well and found themselves promoted and then facing tougher opposition and things have been more of a struggle since. So much so that the team parted company with the manager. Had the team not been promoted and therefore facing more difficult opponents, perhaps the manager might not have left?In 2015 a friend and I recorded and released a post-hardcore, punk, metal, shouty CD album. With tongues firmly planted in cheeks, we sent the CD out to be reviewed. Ultimately we received one review: 6/10 and my favourite line of the review was “This is a very unusual CD”. (It could have been worse, it could have said, “I liked the bit when it ended”)Movies, sports teams, music releases: they are reviewed, judged, discussed, dissected. Their value can so easily be defined by a simple metric, dollars made, points scored, rating out of 10.As people we face all kinds of reviews and ratings, exam results, job interviews, etc, etc.And yet, as people we can also take one metric into consideration - we are loved.Loved by God, not for who we are, or what we have achieved - or not, but simply because. Because we are the creator’s creation. Made in God’s image, bearing God’s finger prints. Our forgiveness signed, sealed, delivered on the cross we remember at Easter. I don’t know who needs to hear this, but it is true - YOU ARE LOVED!BlessingsRev Tim
