The Parish Priest’s Letter
The Vicarage
27 Little Tongues Lane
My very dear friends
In our garden is a stone plaque and on it are engraved some words written by the poet Dorothy Frances Gurney
“The kiss of sun for pardon,
The song of the birds for mirth,
One is nearer God’s heart in a garden
Than anywhere else on earth.”
God’s Garden Dorothy Gurney
They are words that are etched into the glass of one of the greenhouses in the garden at Balmoral Castle.
I often think about these words when I’m gardening. For many of us they ring true. We do feel closer to God in the garden than anywhere else on earth.
Have you ever wondered why some of the most important moments in Scripture are set within a garden? In Genesis we read how God placed man within a garden, the garden of Eden. On the night of his arrest Jesus prayed in the garden of Gethsemane. On Easter Day the women running to the tomb with the disciples greeted the risen Lord in the garden.
What is it about a garden that is so special?
In May time our gardens seem to burst into life. In fact, I feel May and early June are my favourite times to be in the garden, herbaceous borders are in full bloom, annuals are just flowering, May and June are perhaps when the garden is at its best, before the heat of July and August.
In May time I think our gardens tell us why they are so important in Scripture. In this May time our gardens can provide a sanctuary from the fast pace of modern life. They are an oasis of stillness in the busy world of today. They are a place of contemplation and prayer.
There is another reason why gardens are so important in scripture. Adele and I are busy in our garden at the moment digging, planting, splitting herbaceous plants. This hard work has the remarkable ability to soothe our senses and uplift our spirits. The physical act of gardening is known to reduce stress, lower blood pressure and improve mental wellbeing. No wonder God chose to place Adam in a garden. No wonder the risen Lord greeted Mary Magdalene in a garden. A garden is an oasis, it is a place of calming, it is a place of new life.
As I write this letter it is just starting to rain for the first time in many weeks. Instantly the plants have responded: I can almost see new life bursting forth. A garden is a place to rediscover life. It is the place of Easter life.
A garden is not only a place to work it is also a place to pause, reflect and immerse yourself in the beauty of creation, in the nearer presence of God. In medieval times the garden of a monastery was not only a place of manual work, but it was also a place of connectivity. A place to be close to God.
I am so conscious of the wonderful teams of people who look after God’s acre in our parishes. Every church has a dedicated and hardworking team tending the churchyard. I know they all speak to me of how close they feel to God as they tend, mow, and lovingly care for our grounds. I am enormously grateful for the hard work of these teams.
One of my favourite spiritual books was written by a monk called Brother Lawrence. He was a Carmelite monk who lived in Paris in the seventeenth century, known for his simple, sincere, and practical approach to spirituality. The Practice of the Presence of God is his moving account of seeking and finding God in every moment of daily life, not just in prayer or meditation but in every chore and conversation.
Brother Lawrence’s book ‘The Practice of the Presence of God’ talks about living in such a way that you can continue a constant conversation with God. He says:
“It is not necessary for being with God to be always at church. We may make an oratory of our heart wherein to retire from time to time to converse with Him in meekness, humility, and love. Everyone is capable of such familiar conversation with God, some more, some less. He knows what we can do.”
Brother Lawrence Practice of the Presence of God
As a gardener, this constant conversation with God often takes place in the garden, particularly because meekness, humility and love are somehow encouraged by the hard work of digging, cutting, and sowing.
In this glorious month of May, I encourage you to seek solace in the garden and to see the presence of God in the beauty of creation. After all, you are closer to God in a garden than anywhere else on earth.
Fr Peter
A very amateur gardener
The Annual Parochial Church Meeting (APCM)
Annual Church Meetings
Every year, prior to the end of May, all Church of England churches have to hold a series of three meetings, the format and organisation of which are governed by the Church Representation Rules.
Annual Parishioners Meeting
The first of these meetings is the Annual Parishioners Meeting (Traditionally referred to as the Annual Vestry Meeting). This is quite a short meeting, and its main purpose is to elect the churchwardens for the coming year.
Each parish has two churchwardens who, in co-operation with the incumbent (Fr Peter as Parish Priest), are generally responsible for the day-to-day functioning of the parish, maintenance of the church building and ensuring the smooth running of the church.
Legally, churchwardens have joint responsibility for the contents of the church and are obliged to produce annual reports on the fabric of the church, a terrier of church lands and an inventory of all articles appertaining to the church. They also have to maintain a logbook into which all additions and repairs are entered, and, when the need arises, produce ‘faculties’ to request permission from the Diocese to make alterations to the fabric of the church.
The following people are entitled to attend this meeting and vote to elect the churchwardens:
persons whose names are entered on the church electoral roll of the ecclesiastical parish, and
persons resident in the ecclesiastical parish whose names are entered on a register of local government electors.
Annual Parochial Church Meeting (APCM)
This is the second meeting, at which statutory reports are presented, and members of the Parochial Church Council (PCC) are elected. It is effectively the AGM of the Church. However, more than that, it gives an opportunity for the church to come together and rejoice in what we’ve been able to do in God’s name over the past year.
The APCM takes place immediately after the Annual Parishioners Meeting. It begins with apologies for absence and approval of the minutes of the previous years’ APCM. This is followed by the presentation of six statutory reports:
Presentation of the new Electoral Roll;
The Annual Report – this report is presented in a series of defined sections dealing with the main activities of the church during the preceding year and any new developments which are planned.
Financial Report;
Fabric Report;
Deanery Synod Report.
A Safeguarding Report
There may also be reports from various church groups.
Following the reports, the members of the new PCC are elected.
The PCC is a team made up of members of clergy and also lay members of the church. Together they are responsible for the overall wellbeing of the church (practical as well as spiritual), the church members, and the church buildings. The PCC is entitled to be consulted on matters of general importance to the parish, to be informed of any proposed changes thereto, to have the opportunity to express an opinion on those changes, and to vote on them.
Finally, the Parish Priest presents his or her report, after which the APCM is closed and the first meeting of the new PCC is convened.
The following people are entitled to attend and vote at this meeting:
persons whose names are entered on the church electoral roll of the ecclesiastical parish.
First PCC Meeting
This is the final meeting of the occasion. It is a brief meeting at which the PCC Secretary, Treasurer and Vice Chair are elected.
Also, (from 2020 onwards) the sidesmen are appointed at this meeting. In previous years this took place during the APCM.
Finally the date of the next PCC meeting is set, and the PCC meeting is closed.
The following people are entitled to attend and vote at this meeting:
members of the new PCC.
Dates
The APCMs for our Benefice are listed below
Do please make every effort to be present. The event only lasts about half an hour and it is a moment to come together as the family of God in this place and to celebrate all that God is doing Over Wyre.
4th May 12:15pm Hambleton
6th May 7:00pm Out Rawcliffe
11th May 12 noon Preesall
15th May 7:00pm Pilling
18th May 12:15pm Stalmine
A Magnificent & Memorable Mothering Sunday
A joyful Mothering Sunday began with a wonderfully happy service at Eagland Hill.
Elsie, Eagland Hill Coffee Feast Queen, and her retinue helped with the reading and the distribution of lovely bunches of fresh daffodils.
Fr Peter then dashed north for a family Communion at Pilling. Evie, the Pilling Coffee Feast Queen, and her retinue helped with the talk about the true meaning of Mothering Sunday.
Finally, late morning, it was a joy to welcome a little one into the family of God in Baptism at Preesall. It was a day made special by Mothering Sunday and the baby’s first birthday.
A joyful end to a fun-filled and prayerful family day across our amazing churches.
School Easter service Hambleton
The amazing children from Hambleton Academy came to Hambleton Church at the end of term for their Easter services led by Rev Maureen who told the “Tale of the Three Trees” written by Angela Elwell Hunt. The beautiful story that helps us think about our dreams for the future and that God loves us for who we are and uses us no matter who we are … tall, short, clever, sporty….Early Years and KS1 sang their songs with great enthusiasm and we loved the one about the chickens! In the afternoon KS2 recorder club had their debut – well done all of you – you were wonderful. Prayers included thanking God for the new life we are given when we follow Jesus being kind, caring and loving others and of course there were mini chocolate eggs for everyone because after all it is Easter!
Fleetwood’s Charity School Service
Pupils from Fleetwood’s Charity School took part in a beautiful Easter Service at St. Oswald’s Church at the end of the spring term led by Rev Naomi. Each class retold a part of the story of Holy Week using song, drama, art and words.
The Fifth Sunday in Lent
Reflections and Celebrations Spring to Mind
A beautiful spring morning began with Communion at Preesall. We prayed for those who walk with Jesus on the path of recovery.
Mid-morning Fr Peter celebrated Communion at Pilling.
The Fifth Sunday in Lent is traditionally called Passion Sunday. It is a day when we begin to draw close to Jesus in his passion, death and resurrection.
In the sermon Fr. Peter reflected upon the events of Holy Week placing them in the context of the journey to the foot of the cross.
At lunchtime, it was a joy to welcome a little one into the family of God. Over two years ago, it was Fr. Peter’s privilege to baptise the brother of today’s little girl.
A spring day full of hope and reflection!
Fr. Peter is photographed with some of the congregation at Communion at Pilling and with the lovely local family celebrating the baptism of their daughter.
Raise & Praise!
A donkey, palm branches, joyful faces & a king
Following on from previous Raise & Praise services which have all pointed to different features of who Jesus is, the last one before Easter focused on His triumphal entry into Jerusalem on a donkey, where he was greeted with great joy.
Shouts of ‘HOSANNA’ could be heard around the church hall.
Palm branches and flags were waved enthusiastically.
‘We have a king who rides a donkey’ was sung with gusto!
The fun & energy of musical statues was interspersed with prayer, adding an opportunity for reflection & gratitude within this playful activity.
Palm crosses were crafted along with ‘Hosanna’ Play Doh mats. Food was shared & enjoyed by all.
Palm Sunday
For Fr. Peter and Adele, Palm Sunday began with a moving service of Holy Communion at Pilling.
We reflected upon how the cross bridges the gulf between the purity of God and our selfishness.
In the cross, God shares in our suffering and demonstrates His deep love for us.
Then, Fr. Peter dashed across to Preesall to share in a lovely Lent lunch.
A fantastic team had produced a simple lunch, the proceeds from the tickets going to our Lenten charities.
Great company, great food all for a great cause.
Fr. Peter pictured at the Palm Sunday service at Pilling and the Lent lunch at Preesall.
Palm Sunday at Hambelton
Many gathered in the sunshine on Palm Sunday morning for the beginning of our Palm Sunday service led by Rev Maureen. Rev Maureen had some wonderful helpers to distribute the Palm crosses after they were blessed and we then processed to church singing “Give me Joy in my Heart” to join the other members of the congregation.
During the service everyone had a part to play in the reading of the Passion from Luke’s gospel.
It was a wonderful start to the holiest weeks of the year when we walk with Jesus to the cross and then celebrate with great joy his resurrection on Easter Day.
Pilling Pilgrimage
What an incredible afternoon on Palm Sunday in Pilling, and a first for the village!
All three denominations shared together in a united procession and act of witness for Palm Sunday.
We began at St. William’s where Father Paul welcomed us with a prayer and reading, then the children began to make a palm branch with leaves created by drawing round their outstretched hands, cutting these out and attaching them to a stick.
At each church, more leaves were added to form a palm branch. The craft was a symbol of hands reaching together in unity in our common witness to the gospel in Pilling.
From St. William’s, we walked across the fields to St. John’s concluding with refreshments at the Methodist Chapel.
Half way round we were joined by ‘Cheeky’ the donkey.
Great fun, amazing craft, chatting singing & praying together made a truly all-age celebration for Holy Week.
Tenebrae at St. Oswald’s
On the Tuesday of Holy week there was a beautiful evening service of Tenebrae.
A peaceful and reflective service of readings, hymns and psalms.
After each reading, a candle was extinguished, and the service finished with just the Paschal candle left alight. A reminder of the darkness surrounding Jesus in his last days.
Maundy Thursday’s Agape Meal and Service: 17th April
The Last Supper of Jesus Christ was commemorated in an intimate and reflective Maundy Thursday service at St. James’ Church. Naturally, the occasion was immersed in Scripture readings, song, a shared Passover style meal and of course, Holy Communion. But that was far from all.
The service, led by Rev Dyllis, began prayerfully and quietly, against the stark backdrop of the wooden cross, draped only in a swathe of purple cloth and a crown of thorns.
The Holy Communion liturgy followed, interspersed with the gospel narrative recalling the Last Supper, according to John. Bread and wine were shared from one to another, in much the same way as Jesus’ disciples did. The instruction to ‘Do this in remembrance of me’ was amplified through the actions.
The moving and memorable service closed with the stripping of the altar and the opportunity for the congregation to keep a silent vigil.
Good Friday at Hambelton
On Good Friday morning at Hambleton there was a reflective Good Friday Service with liturgy based on Tenebrae. We walked with Jesus to the darkness of the cross and tomb listening to scripture and music interspersed with reflective questions and silence. Jesus’ body is now laid in the tomb and we wait for the joy of his resurrection on Easter Day.
Good Friday at Stalmine
Six readings from St. John’s gospel, recounting Christ’s Passion provided the framework for Good Friday’s Meditation and Prayer service at St. James’ church.
Led by Music Director, Paul Buckmaster, the narratives were interspersed with sophisticated choral pieces, familiar hymns and periods of silence for individual reflection and prayer. Anthems such as ‘Ubi Caritas et Amor’ (liturgy for Maundy Thursday: traditional plainsong, arranged by John Barnard), ‘Ave Verum Corpus’ (William Byrd) and a Chorale: ‘Ah, Holy Jesu’ (Johann Crüger) were sung beautifully by the choir.
Good Friday
There were beautiful and moving services and events across our benefice reflecting upon the suffering and death of Christ the Lord.
We are truly blessed to have such a dedicated and hardworking team of laity and clergy.
Top of the Frocks
Stalmine Fashion show
The eagerly anticipated ‘Fun With Fashion’ evening at St. James’ Stalmine had all the glam and glitz of the international Fashion Weeks ~ with designer dresses, fabulous fabrics, amazing accessories, magnificent models and a marvellous MC!
All in aid of two wonderful charities ~ Brian House (children’s hospice) and CRY (Cardiac Risk in the Young).
£700+ raised and counting (keep following our posts for updates)
Thank you to all those who made the event happen and all those who supported it by donating, attending and purchasing!
Wedding Congratulations!
On a glorious spring afternoon it was a delight and joy to celebrate the marriage of a lovely Stalmine couple at St. James’ church.
Surrounded by children, family and friends, we were able to bless a beautiful couple and pray for the love of Jesus to fill their hearts and their home on their wedding day and in their lives together.
Congratulations