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7Tuesday, April 26, 2011w w w. c h ro n i c l e l i v e . c o . u k6 Tuesday, April 26, 2011 w w w. c h ro n i c l e l i v e . c o . u kLink 7Generous, Engaged, Open - Sustaining Local Christian Presence6
Attracting youngfamilies to the Bede!
In 2003 we had our first child and itbecame more obvious that there werenot many children regularly attendingthe Bede and no very young children.We had intermittent visits from unac-companied local children, who wouldstay for a few weeks and then dis-appear again. Sunday school wasprovided for these children but it wasdifficult to plan given the unpredict-ability of attendance.
As our daughter grew older andbecame mobile and more vocal webegan to think about what would helpher enjoy the service. We also began towonder whether we would always bethe only “young family” at the church.
We thought that maybe we had nochance of attracting young families ifwe had nothing much to offer themwhen they did actually come and so weproposed setting up a crèche.
With lots of support from the vicar,the diocesan children’s officer and thecongregation, we secured a room with-in the church and found a format thatseemed to work for children under 4.Parents and their young children leavethe service just after the opening hymnand return in time for the communionprayer. We have a welcome song, astory, song time, play related to thestory and a prayer. The existing SundaySchool continues to cater for children of
school age.As the number of families has
increased we began to think aboutprovision for the parents. Whilst thechurch has an active social life, none ofthis was specifically tailored to thisyounger group. So in March 2009 webegan a Mother’s Union branch thatnow has 10 members. We meetmonthly in each other’s homes for sup-port, discussion, curry and wine.Through this we now have more familyevents such as bonfire night, Halloweenparties, parish picnics and a Christmasp a r t y.
We are no longer the only youngfamily in the church (partly because we
are no longer so young!). We have 6regular young families, the crèche has4-5 children and the Sunday School nowregularly has 7-10 children. We havemonthly all age services and a wel-coming and well resourced children’scorner. The Bede has built on its strongwelcoming environment to become agood child friendly space where fam-ilies with very young children can feelcomfortable and can worship togeth-e r.
Sometimes, the provision may haveto come before the participants.
Leahan Garratt
School pilgrimage to Newcastle
The King’s School, Tynemouth under-took the biggest excursion in its 150year history when the whole School wastransported by Metro to St Nicholas’Cathedral in Newcastle.
The King’s School made the journeyfor a special Eucharistic Service tocelebrate the 200th Anniversary of thebirth of Nathaniel Woodard, a Churchof England priest, who founded theWoodard Corporation Schools. Wood-ard Schools form the largest group ofindependent schools in England andWales. King’s School has been a Wood-ard School since the early 1950s.
Over 750 pupils and their teacherstravelled from Tynemouth to New-castle on three specially scheduledMetro departures. Deputy HeadmasterJames Davies said: “It was an honourfor us to take part in a service whichother Woodard Schools were celeb-
rating simultaneously up and down thecountry, but it was certainly a logisticalchallenge. We owe a big thank you toMetro for their help and to our pupilsand staff who ensured everything ransmoothly and safely.”
The service was led by King’s Chap-lain Revd Christopher Clinch. Thepreacher was the Assistant Bishop ofNewcastle the Right Reverend FrankWhite.
King’s senior choir led the singingwhich included a specially commis-sioned ‘Woodard Hymn’ and The Masssung to the ‘Missa Brevis SanctiJohannes’ de Deo by Haydn. MichelleJames was the soprano soloist.
The King’s School Tynemouth is anindependent day school for childrenaged 4-18. More information can befound on their website www.kings-t y n e m o u t h . o rg . u k
Worship for All AgesOn a recent Saturday a group of eightJunior Leaders from St Johns Whorlton,aged between 13 and 16, and sevenadults (ages withheld!) visited St Marks,Rawcliffe in York, to participate in an ‘AllAge Worship Workshop’.
As well as our party there were fiftypeople from parishes near York who tookup the chance to attend this workshop runby Andy and Jo Bowden; Andy had beenthe Vicar at St Johns for ten years up to2009. It was during Andy’s time at St Johnsthat his ideas on alternative and all ageservices developed. The team from StJohns were invited to help with this work-shop.
The morning started with a descriptionof the emergence and growth of the AllAge Services we currently have at StJohns. One of the Junior Leadersdescribed his background, how he cameto St Johns and what keeps him there.
In very noisy sessions, groups wereasked to discuss and explore the idea of AllAge Worship. We discussed the aims ofthis style of worship - finding differentways of accomplishing the growth of indi-viduals and churches and always remem-
bering to start everything from wherepeople are now, to help them go from thesecurity of the known and familiar beforemoving towards something more chal-lenging. Also, to have fun!
Then the nitty gritty of how to start offon this journey or, if you have alreadystarted, how best to develop and grow.
In the afternoon we began to thinkabout the actual elements of a service. Wediscussed the basic elements such asliturgy, prayers, readings, music, visuals,
the space you have, and then more unusu-al practices, which we called the ‘goodybox’, which included things like drama,puppets, Godly Play, power point, record-ings of songs, film clips, movement, giftsand handouts. Then we spent a franticthirty minutes putting a service together insmall groups.
We were all extremely proud of ourJunior Leaders – they all participated in thegroups, each sharing their own exper-iences very willingly and openly. Many ofthe adults were in awe of these kids andtaking notes! In the service, they were upthere confidently taking a full and activero l e .
Overall the workshop was a wonderfulcoming together and a huge exchange ofideas. It was a great reassurance that wearen’t alone in striving for this style ofworship, and to find that so many othersvalue it too!
Sue Birkett, St Johns, Whorlton� For more information about ‘All AgeWorship’ contact Andy and Jo Bowden07544 705064 [email protected] www.thewell-lovely-land.com
Sheila’s art goes on displayMany of you may be already familiar with Sheila Hamil’sfree resources available on the website www.shei-lahamil.co.uk and on YouTube, which consists of songs,sermons, dramas, school assemblies, and ideas forholiday clubs and all-age worship. However, you maynot have had a chance to view her ‘Christian Art’ workwhich is about to be exhibited, in May, at DurhamCathedral, in the Undercroft Restaurant.
In the past Sheila worked as a non-stipendiary priestserving in three areas in the Newcastle Diocese; Wall-send, Longbenton and Willington, but now in herretirement, she continues to work in evangelism in theNorth-East.
She says, “I’m a firm believer that God’s word neverreturns to him empty without accomplishing all it was
meant to do (Isaiah 55.10-11). In today’s world, sadly there are those who are no longerfamiliar with what the Bible says, either that, or they have become resistant or antagonisticfor some reason, to matters of faith. Nevertheless we are still called to preach the wordwhether it is in season or out of season, and there are so many creative and exciting waysin which to do this.”
Prints of Sheila’s paintings, (click onto the Art link of the above website) can beobtained by contacting [email protected]. CDs of her music can be down-loaded for free or purchased at CLC bookshop, opposite the Laing Art Gallery, Newcastle.All proceeds go towards charities at home and abroad.
Active Interregnum
Proposed developments at Holy Cross
An interregnum is often seen as atime of inaction or at best a chal-lenge to maintain the status quo.Not so at Holy Cross Church Halt-whistle.
As a ten year programme ofrepairs and renewal was nearingcompletion, sadly, it coincidedwith the Vicar’s term of office com-ing to an end. So the PCC had todecide whether to put everythingon hold until a new incumbentarrived, or simply to get on withthe job in hand.
Works already completedincluded a new lighting system forthe Church, CCTV installation, re-decoration of the building and anew footpath through the church-yard to the church.
What remained unfinished wasthe west end of the church whichhad been earmarked as a possiblearea for refurbishment. Severalyears of discussion resulted in vari-ous schemes being put forward bythe PCC. It was agreed, although anumber objected, to make a majorchange by removing all the pewsfrom the back of the church, toerect a narthex, fitted kitchen andtoilet accessible to the disabled.
The vestry would be rearranged toserve as the Parish Office.
A Faculty application was madeand the PCC was successful insecuring a 50% grant from theSouth Tyne Valley Fund. It hasbeen a demanding time forChurchwardens in particular who,in addition to their increased work-load brought about by the inter-regnum, who in addition to theirincreased workload brought aboutby the interregnum, were alsorequired daily to oversee the workin hand.
With support and encourage-ment from the Archdeacon ofLindisfarne, the work is now com-plete and we are delighted withwhat has been achieved. We hopethis work will act as a ‘springboard’for the new incumbent enablingthe work of the Gospel and Mis-sion of the Church to continuewithout delay.
We also hope this will be seenas an encouragement to otherparishes and in particular thoseabout to begin the challenge of ani n t e r re g n u m .
Holy Cross Churchwardens
Three dedicated walkers from a localChristian project have decided to walkthe pilgrim’s journey of St Cuthbert’s Wayto raise money through sponsorship for amuch loved and active Christian com-munity centre on the Pendower Estate,the Sunny Bank centre.
Lee Cleminson, Ruth Taylor and PatDevlin will walk roughly 64.5 miles overfive days, stopping for reflection andprayers at designated spiritual spots onthe way.
On day one they will walk from Mel-rose Abbey to Maxton (near St Boswells),visiting Dryburgh Abbey, before passingMaxton church, which is dedicated to StCuthbert, and then finishing the day’swalking with prayers and reflection. Daytwo is a journey from at Maxton toCessford castle. This area is famous forthe battle of Ancrum Moor in 1545 whichwas fought by the English and theTweeds. The day will end with reflectionand prayers for modern day conflict andpeace in our communities and around ourworld today. On day three the pilgrimswalk from Cessford to Kirk Yetholm. Thiswill be a hilly day passing through MoreBattle. Day four will be a walk betweenYetholm and Wooler, where they will betrekking over the top of the Cheviots andcrossing the border into England, before
Coffee Morning on Saturday 20th August2011 to exhibit the pictures taken on thewalk, and also to allow people whosupport the project to come along tomeet and chat to those who work at,support and use the Sunny Bank centre.
The money raised will go directly to allaspects of the project. The Sunny Bankcentre works with people of all differentages, including mother and toddlergroups, a drama group, a youth group, apensioner’s luncheon group and manymore community and family activities.
Lee, Ruth and Pat said; “People arewelcome to join us on the pilgrimage forthe day. If you would like to sponsor thisvery worthy cause you can by visiting ourlocal giving page where it is simple andeasy to donate as much as you wishhttp://localgiving.com/charity/pen -d o w e rg n p
If you would like any further inform-ation about our charity or would like tojoin us on one of the days please contactus on 0191 2722962 Email [email protected] or call in to thecentre 12-14 Sunny Bank Ave Newcastleupon Tyne NE15 6SD Registered CharityNumber 1088001
We also ask Link readers to pray forour journey and the work of our pro-ject.”
The Big Walk
ending the day with reflections and pray-ers to think about the different cultures inour community. The fifth and final day willbe Wooler to Holy Island (Past St Cuth-bert’s Cave). The day will start at Woolerand will end on the Holy Island of Lindis-farne where people are able to meet andgreet the pilgrims on the island.
The project will also be holding a
Pilgrims Pat and Ruth outside theSunny Bank centre Sheila with one
of her paintings
