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.
AREA LETTER FROM ONE OF THE AREA STAFF TEAM – APRIL 2023 In March St Peter’s church is holding their Forest church with the theme of Hope. It’s a word that we so often use when we are looking forward, hoping for something which is always something positive. At this time of the year Spring is trying to arrive as we see the carpets of snowdrops, the crocuses are out and now it’s time for the daffodils and then tulips. Soon there will be bright green buds on the trees and the birds increase their morning chorus. After the long dark nights and the cold we can look forward with hope for the warmer weather, the sun shining and the our mood improves, we feel so much brighter, perhaps ready to do something new. I remember John Cleese in Clockwise saying ‘ it’s not the despair, I can take the despair, it’s the hope I can’t stand.” Don’t we all live with hope, hope for warm sunny days, hope that our children and grand children will grow up to be happy and contented? But then there is the hope that maybe will never happen when we set our sights too high. When we are tempted by all manner of things that we really don’t need. Jesus was tempted but he knew that he was God’s beloved son in whom God was well pleased. Do we realise that as part of Gods family he is pleased with us?! As Easter comes around, we are reminded of the suffering and death of Jesus and then his resurrection on Easter Sunday. At St Peter’s we remove the seven symbols of Lent and replace them with posies of flowers to symbolise the hope we have as followers of Christ. Hope is a blessing, we can always look forward with hope for the future and endeavour to be part of the future by taking part, not sitting back and hoping things will just happen, we have to work towards our hopes, work to make our hopes happen. Easter signals new life in Christ, hope for the future. Let’s be those Easter people. Peace and prayers Maggie Maggie Hatchard, Reader for the Uttoxeter Area of Parishes.
Area Letter for March 2023 from a member of the Area Staff Team.I am often intrigued by natural phenomena. In the early 2000’s I was given a gift for Valentine’s Day. A ticket to board a plane at Liverpool John Lennon Airport, late at night, to be taken to explore the Aurora Borealis – The Northern Lights. It was spectacular seeing such beauty and amazing colours. It looked like the sky was dancing, in tune with our maker. At this time of year I love looking outside or being outside late afternoon. Watching the flock of birds moving like synchronized swimmers or a well-choreographed dance troupe, dark flowing against the white clouds. Listening to the gentle beat of the wings as they fly over me, and the gentle rustling noise as they all flock into the waiting trees for cover. Isaiah writes ‘Who are these that fly like a cloud, and like doves to their windows’ (60:8), I wonder if he is referring to ‘starlings’!When birds, usually starlings, fly together and swirl in a mesmerizing, coordinated ever-changing pattern – this dazzling dance is called a murmuration. What a word! In the twilight, the dance begins with a few birds, but gradually other starlings arrive, then more and more, until they all join together in one massive flock. Their movements create incredible patterns, streams, circles, trails. As they twist and turn in tight formation, amazingly they swirl but never collide.A murmuration has been described like this: “Each starling in a flock is connected to every other. When a flock turns in unison, it’s a phase transition. At the individual level, the rules guiding this are relatively simple. When a neighbour moves, so do you. Depending on the flock’s size and speed and its members’ flight physiologies, the large-scale pattern changes. What’s complicated, or at least unknown, is how criticality is created and maintained.” Psalm 50 v11 says: ‘I know all the birds of the air, and all that moves in the field is mine.’What music did they hear? Who leads them? Who taught them such grace? I am amazed at the Creator’s wonders found in nature. The bird murmuration, and the dancing colours in the night sky of the Aurora Borealis. Do you have a favourite natural wonder?Scientists don’t fully understand the how’s and whys of murmuration. A mystery. Maybe God is dancing with them and remains unknown, there but unseen. I wish we as humans could work together like these birds. Too often we are more like chickens, scraping only for ourselves, ruffling another person’s feathers so we feel better or superior. I know I can’t change the whole world, but the optimist in me believes if I keep my eyes on Christ, maybe, just maybe, a small movement will grace the sky and inspire others to join in the cosmic dance, led by God. God turns. He takes the lead in this dazzling dance. My role is to immediately follow. Are you joining me?BlessingsMargaretRevd Margaret Sherwin, Area Rector UAP.
Every day that I am in the Area Office, within St Mary’s Church in Uttoxeter, I start work with 2 or 3 minutes in the chancel of the church, looking at the altar and offering my day to God in prayer. And I always finish with the Lord’s Prayer – from which the sentence on this image comes…..”Lead us not into temptation”. This image was on the wrapper round part of a newspaper at New Year and it caught my attention. I wondered what it was doing on an advert for an alcohol-free beer called Lucky Saint in dry January! Is it OK to have part of the Lord’s Prayer on an alcohol-related advert? Who thinks that Christians in the UK look like the virtuous but tempted nun in the photo? Actually, how many people looking at this advert will even know that it’s a religious image being doctored? Oh, so many questions! To which I’m sure I don’t have the answers, but I did ask them of myself and therein is the challenge. We are all tempted, maybe not by alcohol, but by a bargain online, or the possibility of a better job, life, house, car, relationship …. the list is endless. Christmas may be packed away by now, but it was full of temptations, buying one more treat, one more present, having one more chocolate, or can or bottle! Jesus knew that we’d be tempted, which is why he taught the disciples of 2000 years ago how to pray about temptation. If you’re not sure, do look it up in the New Testament of the Bible, in Matthew’s Gospel chapter 6, verse 9 onwards. Jesus also knew that there are always consequences to giving in to the temptations, spending too much, eating or drinking too much, and wanting too much. When we are jealous or envious of what other people have, we can become bitter. In the Old Testament, Moses brought the Ten Commandments from God to the people, and he taught us not to “covet”, desire or crave other people’s possessions. So as Christians we are encouraged to pray to God for strength to resist the temptations, to be thankful for what we do have and to be willing to give and to share with others. I resist some of those temptations by not browsing online too much, giving away the boxes of chocolates and biscuits, and only have alcohol at the weekends. And by asking God our Father to help me to be less envious of others, and more grateful for all that I have got, every day. What works for you, what do you do? Lent begins on February 22nd this year, and it is the season in the Christian church when we remember that Jesus was tempted in the wilderness, before he began his amazing adult ministry of teaching and healing. If you know you are tempted in ways that are damaging to you or others, why not have a go at changing the way you deal with it for Lent? By Easter Day on April 9th you might feel less tempted, and feel better about yourself in some way. Asking God to help you is a great place to start, because you too can be a “Lucky Saint”! With love Lesley Lesley White, Area Coordinator and PA to the Area Rector.
