Cross Keys, Summer 2013

Daventry Deanery worship, eat and play

A NEWSLETTER FOR CHURCHES IN THE DIOCESE OF PETERBOROUGH

Church attendance grows Stories of faith My place: Corby

SUMMER 2013

not alone in their trials and glories, that there is strength in numbers and much spiritual and practical encouragement to be found in each other. We also want parishes to know that the deanery could be useful in helping them to realise their potential for Christ in their particular corner of the diocese, and to build community between our churches.It looks as though a good start has been made.

Left: Bishop John and Rural Dean, Sarah Brown, as the banner procession forms.Top: Worshippers arrive at St Mary’s, Everdon, in the rain.

It was billed as a big outdoor worship event – the first of its kind in the

Daventry Deanery in many a long year – but as a faintly promising sunny morning turned into a cold and rainy lunch hour it became clear that, to avoid electrocuting the band, the Daventry Big Worship for Pentecost had to move inside.

In the event the rain proved to be a blessing because the atmosphere inside Everdon church was wonderful and nobody got lost, wet or sunk!

The weather did not seem to deter the church-folk of the deanery and almost 250 adults and children came together to worship, eat and

(taken rather noisily in plastic buckets) was enough to form the basis of a mission pot for the deanery to which parishes, whose funds are used up by simply paying the bills, can apply. The money can help them with small and medium mission projects over the next year.

Apart from being a lovely opportunity to bring people together for worship there was a serious purpose behind the event. So many small parishes and congregations work very hard just to stand still and the effort can sometimes be exhausting and thankless. We wanted to encourage parishes, and especially rural parishes, to remember that they are

play together. Bishop John presided at the Communion service which was informal and quite different to that experienced by most of the 25 churches of the deanery week by week. Many churches brought banners to represent what their church gets up to and it was a joy to see how they see themselves depicted in fabric, paint and sticky-backed plastic!

After the worship vast quantities of roast pork rolls were consumed and washed down by drinks of all sorts. The children were led in a treasure hunt around the church and people from all churches mixed and mingled. Excitingly, the collection

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For Peterborough Cathedral news turn to page 8

A big outdoor worship event was what Daventry Deanery had in mind, but things turned out rather differently as Rural Dean, Sarah Brown, explains.

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02 CROSSKEYS SUMMER 2013

Around the DioceseOne fifth are in povertyThirteen million people including 3.6m children live in poverty today in the UK according to a joint report from the Baptist, Methodist, URC churches and Church of Scotland. The lies we tell ourselves claims that statistics have been misused by politicians and the media “to support a comfortable but dangerous story: that the poor somehow deserve their poverty and therefore deserve the cuts they now face.” It includes stories of people unable to work through ill health who are in danger of losing their homes because of benefit cuts. The Church Urban Fund has also issued a report It all adds up on the cumulative effect of welfare reform and it is available for download from www.cuf.org.uk/welfare-reform-add-up.

Praying for peaceMost people (85% of those questioned in an ICM survey for the Church of England) have issues they would pray for. Asked “what would you pray for with Jesus in the garden of Gethsemane” 26% said “a family member”, 25% “peace in the world”, 20% “healing for another”, 17% “less stress in my life”, and 16% “an end to world poverty”. Only 15% said they would never pray for anything.

More young clergyFigures for 2012 show that the number of people under 30 accepted for training for Church of England ministry last year was 113, 22% of the total. The previous year it was just 77.

Churches going bats about bats“I remain puzzled as to why our churches are treated as if they were uninhabited barns. They are not.” That was the bishop of Norwich’s comment during a Church delegation to the Department for the Environment. Bat conservation is damaging churches not just physically but also financially and cannot be sustained, they told the Environment Minister Richard Benyon. The cost of replacing a piece of leaded window increased from £5 using plain glass to £140 when fitting the bat flap which was required by the Bat Conservation Trust.

Executive pay reportA Church of England policy report on executive remuneration says that “We want to see lower annual bonuses and greater emphasis on rewarding executives who manage ethical, social and environmental issues well and so deliver enduring corporate success over periods of five to seven years.” The policy states that the church “values the contribution to society of those who lead our public companies” and accepts that while “it is a fundamental tenet of Christianity that all individuals are equal before God”, differentials in remuneration can be justified.“But it is important that such differentials are justified by some reasonable calculus linking higher rewards to greater contribution, skills and responsibility and that those who are lower paid are also rewarded fairly”.

Gillian retires after ten happy yearsGillian Spokes, who has provided administrative support to the team at Bouverie Court diocesan centre in Northampton for the last ten years, retired at the end of May. “I’m sad to be retiring after ten very happy years,” said Gillian. “During that time lay training has increased dramatically, and my role has changed and developed alongside it.”

Bishop John presents Gillian with a bouquet of flowers at the Starburst children’s work conference.

Church aims to strengthen marriages A course that aims “to make good marriages better” ran at Grange Park Church in Northampton recently. The Marriage Course is produced by Holy Trinity Brompton (home of Alpha) and takes place over seven sessions. Couples have a romantic meal together then there’s practical teaching, discussion and exercises to do. Topics covered include communication, conflict, family history, sex and love languages. The course was led by Jan and John Burditt, who are part of Rectory Farm Community Church. They have led the course for several churches in Northampton. For more details see www.relationshipcentral.org

News from the wider church

St Paul’s all set for fun afternoonSt Paul’s Church, set in the multi-national area of New England in Peterborough, has been working with ecumenical partners to host a free Fun Afternoon for the community in June. This is the eighth year they have helped to run the event, which last year was enjoyed by around 400 people of all ages. “Our parish is a very multi cultural place so it is great to see everyone meeting together on the local recreation ground,” said Val Watkinson one of the organisers. “We have bouncy castles, music, food and games for children. Each of the three churches involved contributes finance and practical help.” www.stpauls-peterborough.org.uk

Up to date news from the Church of England is always available at www.churchofengland.orgEnjoying the New England Fun Afternoon in 2012.

CROSSKEYS SUMMER 2013 03

If ever the comparison between church growth and gardening was

appropriate, it certainly is at St George’s Wootton, on the edge of Northampton. Six years ago the Sunday congregation numbered about six. Now it’s about 50, with the monthly family service drawing in some who do not attend on other weeks.But there are no spiritual hothouse techniques in use here. Nor have many of the blossoming congregation been transplanted from other churches. It’s just the natural fruit of faithful sowing and nurturing over time. “Textbook stuff,” agrees the church’s new priest in charge Lakshmi Jeffreys (on right in photo), who until April had been Mission Officer in Derby Diocese advising churches on growth and outreach.Lay Pastoral Minister Dawn Stokes (on left in photo), recently accepted for training for ordination, explains that when she and her family joined the church in 2007 they were welcomed by the then priest in charge, Jenny Parkin, and that “welcome” has been a hallmark of the church’s growth ever since. “There’s a sense of thankfulness that someone has come to church.”Feeling at home there already after just a few weeks, Lakshmi adds, “it’s a remarkable, warm congregation with an age

Church attendance is growing - official!

range of nought to ninety. There’s great goodwill to the church in the village too.” That’s due to the spiritual equivalent of patient soil preparation.It started in simple ways. They began serving tea and coffee after the service, and people stayed to talk. Jenny became a familiar and friendly face around the village. They opened the church for the annual Ride and Stride; some locals looked in and came back to services.Uniformed groups were invited to child-friendly events. The school choir sang at harvest, so parents and carers came too. Back to Church Sunday brought in new people and some

stayed. Children admitted to communion helped to root whole families in the church. Lay people were encouraged to plant new ideas, and learn from experience what worked.Clearly the church is in a favoured position. The nearby Wootton Fields development is a source of numerous baptisms, currently some 30-35 each year. To cater for these young families two mid-week events were started. Little Stars, which Dawn Stokes runs, is for pre-school children and their carers. Rona Orme, reader at the church and our Diocesan Children’s Missioner, runs Worship on Wednesday (WOW) for pupils at Wootton School. Both are billed as “services” and are like a seedbed.

Carers and children get a lot from them. Some now come to the family service, but growth takes time. “I’m pleased they’re coming,” says Lakshmi. “I’d love them to come on Sunday and meet others outside their peer groups but people get a better chance to explore questions in a relaxed setting. The next step is helping them to develop a sense of belonging together in Christ.” Growth happens when we make the most of what we have and adapt to the local conditions. While Lakshmi wants to maintain the fertile mission fields she has inherited, she also has her eye on some unbroken ground; there’s work to do with older people. But natural church growth isn’t just a matter of doing; it’s also following, she stresses. “The main thing is to pray. Growth is given by God. We need to discern

where the Holy Spirit is leading, and then follow him. Introducing people to the living God. Helping Christians

discover a language to express what they know to others and what faith means beyond church activity. Helping people to engage with God through Scripture.” That is, getting your hands dirty in God’s garden. We sow and water. God gives the increase.

Peterborough Diocese was among the half of all dioceses which

reported a small increase in church attendance in the 2011 statistics which have just been published. Our

average weekly attendance of 19,000 was up 1.2% on the previous year, and our usual Sunday attendance was up by 1.1% to 13,900.Bishop Donald, who has stressed the need to work for

growth since he arrived in the diocese, has given the news a cautious welcome. “We shouldn’t read too much into one year’s figures,” he said, “but we are clearly moving in the right direction.”

You can read more about this at www.peterborough-diocese.org.uk/growth

Growing the natural way

IT’S JUST THE NATURAL FRUIT OF FAITHFUL SOWING AND NURTURING OVER TIME

THE MAIN THING IS TO PRAY. GROWTH IS GIVEN BY GOD


Simon KayeIn the beginningI came to faith through an Alpha Course run by St George’s Church in Stamford, Lincolnshire. Alpha is a course that gives a person the opportunity to search, listen and ask questions concerning Jesus and the Christian faith. I had very little experience of Christianity other than the usual attendance at weddings, baptisms and funerals. The reason I went was not that I was searching myself, but that my wife Lesley, who had been a Christian all her life, kept on at me to at least go and pose the objections that I would often throw at her. And it was on Alpha that I began to make sense of things; and as I asked my questions and listened to those of other non-believers, I began to understand who Jesus was and what he had done for me and for the whole world.

My callThis may sound a bit soppy but God changed my heart and my passion. When I became a Christian I was serving in the RAF as an Engineer and I did this for 22 years. I left not because my time was up, but because I had lost my passion for the job. I had always wanted to join the RAF as a boy and never wanted to do anything else. After becoming a Christian I found myself more and more passionate about serving others in whatever I was doing within Church. Twice I turned down promotion at work, knowing that I was being drawn more and more into Church ministry. It was certainly a heart thing, because it made no sense in a materialistic, power driven world where the wage packet rules. In 2008 I left the RAF and St George’s Church asked me if I would join their Church staff as a Ministry Apprentice. This gave me the chance to sample many aspects of full time ministry and I ended up as leader of a Fresh Expression of Church called King’s Café. It was here that the call was confirmed for me.

What next?As an Ordained Pioneer Minister I hope for new opportunities of engaging with people in different contexts in different ways, many outside of the Church building perhaps. But my overriding hope for my ministry would be that it would continue to be honouring to God; for the fact that I have been called to Ordination in the Church of England is no small thing. It is a great privilege to be able to serve God and others in this way. Above all else, and I’m not trying to sound all holy about this, I just want to serve our Lord Jesus Christ to the best of my ability. I want to share what I believe is the truth about Jesus with others, some for the first time, and to help other Christians to draw deeper in their relationship and understanding of who Jesus is and what he has done for them; enabling them to serve him with their whole life. I don’t have any big plan of my own, God’s got that sorted, I just want to go along for the ride and take everyone that wants to come along with me.Following ordination Simon Kaye will be Pioneer Curate at Eye, Newborough and Thorney.

The story so farLorna Lavarello-SmithIn the beginningI don’t ever recall suddenly discovering that I wanted to be a Christian. God has always been in my life. I was baptised at one month old in the Anglican Church of St Mary’s on Tristan da Cunha. My mother was the organist and very much involved in church life, but looking back it was my dad who had the biggest influence on my relationship with Christ. His faith was not just about going to church on a Sunday, although that was important to him. It was about the constant presence of Christ in our everyday life, about living alongside Christ and alongside the community. Life on Tristan revolved around the sea, fishing and farming. Life was hard and often dangerous, particularly for the men at sea. At times all we could do was wait and pray, giving everything over to God.

My callMy call to ministry came as a bit of a shock. I was trying to find myself again after losing both my parents to cancer. The anchors that had kept me grounded had gone. Everything I tried didn’t feel right. I started a new job, trained as a counsellor, adopted two children and yet there was still something not quite right. I guess God got a bit fed up with trying to nudge me in the right direction and gave me an almighty shove one day on my way to work. I was watching the sun break through the clouds on a particularly miserable day and thinking how amazing our God is when this voice said “if you think I am so amazing why don’t you answer my call to ministry” or words to that effect! I fiddled

with the radio thinking it must be some strange radio station, but this voice wouldn’t go away. I began to think I was having some sort of breakdown, but the voice was still there. The incredible thing is that it stayed with me until every barrier that I put up was broken down. The biggest barrier for me was wondering how my friends and

family on Tristan would react to the news. But God knows best and since answering his call I have been granted a peace of mind like nothing I have experienced before. That is not to say that the past three years of juggling training, working in the NHS and family have been easy; they have not. But it is the peace that comes with knowing all is as it should be; that makes the hard parts bearable and the good bits wonderful.

What next?I am looking forward to my curacy with some trepidation as despite all the training, there is so much more to learn. Next year my family and I will travel to Tristan to visit our relations and I am excited about taking a service in the church that means so much to the island community. Being the first person in Tristan da Cunha’s history to become a priest carries with it a lot of excitement and responsibility. I am not sure what God has in store, I have learnt to wait on him and be patient as all will be revealed in his time, not mine.Following ordination Lorna Lavarello-Smith will be Curate in the Billing parishes.

Two of our new Deacons, who will be ordained at Peterborough Cathedral in June, tell their faith stories.


Bishop Donald reflects on Holy Land pilgrimage

Israel / Palestine is a land of contrasts. Today, as in Jesus’ day, peace and

tranquillity are so easily shattered by conflict, and love so often challenged by hatred.

Just under 60 people from the diocese joined me there for ten days of discovery at the end of April. We stayed on the shore of Lake Galilee for three nights, in Bethlehem for two, and in Jerusalem for four.

We saw many of the most significant sites for the Bible stories, including those in Palestinian territory as well as those within the borders of modern Israel. Several times

a day we stopped to read Scripture, sing a hymn and pray, sometimes with a short explanation or thought from me. Almost every day we stopped for longer at one of the sites and I presided and preached at a Eucharist.

As we followed the Lord’s journey to Jerusalem and the cross, then on our final morning were reminded of his opening the Scriptures and breaking the bread at

Emmaus, many of us were very conscious of a deeply spiritual journey.

Everyone has their favourite places. The

lakeside rock where the risen Jesus shared breakfast with his friends and commissioned

Peter to “Feed my sheep” is very special to me; as is the Garden of Gethsemane where Jesus agonised in prayer and was arrested; and the church built over the home of the High Priest in Jerusalem where he was held, questioned and abused, and where Peter denied him. Seeing these places is for many people a huge boost to faith. For me it is a powerful reminder of the fact that we are not dealing with fairy stories. The stories of the Bible can be fixed on a map and on a timeline.

Continued on page 6.

Top: Jacob’s Well where Jesus asked a Samaritan woman for a drink of water.

Right: The rock where Jesus cooked breakfast – now part inside and part outside a church.

Peterborough Pilgrims will be meeting on Saturday 6 July, at 12 noon at St Mary’s Church, Northampton NN4 8EZ.

There will be Holy Communion, lunch, fellowship and a presentation. All are welcome but please book by contacting The Revd Ian Holdsworth via [email protected]

Santiago pilgrim route up for discussionRobert Hill discusses a recent conference about the pilgrimage walk to Santiago de Compostella in Northern Spain.

Walking The Camino (Spanish for ‘The Way’) is supposed

to be a time for spiritual reflection and a chance to get away from the bustle of normal life so that faith can be renewed or invigorated. But for many who walk the route these days it is more of a physical and mental challenge

that must be conquered.

The prevalence of this approach was part of the reason why a major conference was held in Santiago recently.

It drew together all those interested in maintaining the spiritual dimension of this ancient activity. Peterborough Pilgrims to Santiago, the group in this diocese that supports people to become pilgrims on The Camino, was represented at the conference by Mercedes Finning and Maxine Johnson.Whilst they were there I was leading a small group of pilgrims along the French route of The Camino, which is the most popular and probably the most commercialised. I talked to pilgrims from many nations to gauge their views and found that many felt outnumbered by those who were just on a challenge or a vacation. However, they acknowledged that many who started out in this way found a spiritual dimension as they walked.The conference agreed that

much could be done to increase the level of Christian contact and welcome for the pilgrims. More churches on the route could be opened up, and local people encouraged to act as welcomers for the weary pilgrim who just wants to rest and spend some time in prayer. Many pilgrims said that they wanted to stop at each church on the route to pray but could not do so due to locked doors.

Other ideas included short services for pilgrims in the towns and villages where they stay for the night. Other more practical suggestions included churches having outside water taps (to replenish bottles), rubbish bins and seats under shaded areas.

Robert Hill is Diocesan Officer for Mission in Society.

Left: A chapel along the Santiago pilgrim route.

Peterborough Pilgrims to Santiago to meet

WE ARE NOT DEALING WITH FAIRY STORIES. THE STORIES OF THE BIBLE CAN BE FIXED ON A MAP AND ON A TIMELINE.

PEOPLE IN CORBY ARE WONDERFULLY FRIENDLY, STRAIGHT-TALKING AND SINCERE


and lumps in our throats. That was one of the most moving and transformational evenings of my life.

Jesus is the Prince of Peace. On the last day of our pilgrimage I asked each of the pilgrims to pray for the peace of Jerusalem. Please join us in that.

Rt Revd Donald Allister Bishop of Peterborough

an Israeli soldier’s rubber bullet. Rami is a Jew, a former soldier whose 14 year old daughter was killed by a Palestinian suicide bomber. These two have become close friends, though neither of them had social contact with any member of the other “side” before their personal tragedies. Their stories, and their joint work for peace, left us all with tears in our eyes

Christian ministry of service and reconciliation was very moving.

One evening two men come to speak to us: their stories had appeared in the western media and I wanted to meet them. Bassam is a Palestinian Muslim, a former boy-fighter who spent seven years in prison: his ten year old daughter was killed by

You can’t help being aware of the Israeli-Palestinian conflict, especially travelling through and stopping in areas administered by the Palestinian Authority, some of which have Israeli settlements and are effectively occupied by Israeli soldiers. We met some wonderful Palestinian Christians: eating with them and learning about their

From its beginnings as a Northamptonshire village, Corby grew

into a town with the expansion of the steel works from the 1930s to the 1960s with people migrating from Scotland, Ireland, and across England.

The decline of the steel industry left huge unemployment with all of the resulting social issues. But now Corby is a great place to be.

Arriving at the start of 2012, I have discovered that people in Corby are beautiful and broken. Beautiful because they are wonderfully friendly,

My placein Corbystraight-talking and sincere but broken because so many are living without a relationship with Jesus. In my role as a church minister and town missioner I’m on the look out for any opportunities to share the gospel of Jesus Christ.

A specific project that I’m working on is the establishing of the schools-work charity - the Perspective Trust - in Corby. Corby is demographically a young town and it is vital for the town’s churches to engage with young people and serve

schools. We have already had opportunities to take assemblies in two secondary

schools and assist with RE provision. We also have plans to launch a ‘youth chaplaincy’ project with church volunteers from across the town patrolling the school gate area

and being a friendly face for students. This will hopefully be a project in partnership with the borough council, police and schools. We are also running a termly youth event called Ignite for young people across Corby and Kettering.

Within our parish we have a large town centre church, the Church of the Epiphany, which is currently empty. We have plans to reuse the building in a way that serves the community and is good news for the town. This is an ambitious project but God has pulled together a group of skilled and visionary people who are keen to see the name of Jesus glorified in Corby.

The last decade has seen large scale regeneration in terms of infrastructure, business and housing and this has undoubtedly made Corby a better place. However, a growing number of Christians in Corby want to see an equivalent spiritual regeneration and I simply want to do what I can to see that happen.

Paul Frost is Town Missioner in Corby, and Priest in Charge of Corby the Epiphany with St John the Baptist.

Continued from page 4.


canals a good place to feel safe from intrusion. But they can also get very lonely and introverted. It can take a long time for them to feel that they can trust me not to be judgmental. Sometimes people who have lived on a boat need to find accommodation on land due to ill health, but if you sell a boat and look for accommodation you are considered to have made yourself homeless. It can be difficult to qualify for assistance. I feel that all parishes whose land is crossed by canals or navigable waters should become more aware of the needs of those who live on the water; they are part of the community of the parishes. I consider that giving too much notice to parish and diocesan boundaries can actually place many of God’s children out of the reach of help when it is desperately needed.

I first felt called to work with people on the canal system in

about 2001. It seemed a crazy idea because I had never been involved with boating of any form, but I was so convinced I was being called that, having discussed it with my husband who said “Go for it”, I sought some form of training.

As I was considered too old for the ordained ministry, I was directed towards Reader training with an element of evangelism thrown in. My mother had left me enough money so we had a hull built for a narrowboat and fitted it out.

I joined the Boaters’ Christian Fellowship, which is an ecumenical group of about 650 Christian boaters. I have been involved in work with people on or around the canals since being licensed in 2006.

Union Canal south of Milton Keynes and supportive cover is being set up across other areas. One of our concerns is that the new Canal Trust is setting such strict regulations that it is almost impossible for

those who live on their boats to continue with their way of life. The number of moorings are being reduced and they are becoming too expensive. Many people find it impossibly

costly to live in marinas.I have been involved in helping several people with problems with drink or drugs over the last few years, and I have also worked with friends who are social misfits of various kinds. Many have little money and a lone narrowboater can find the

I had become aware that there was a great need for support for people around the canal network, partly because so many are on their own. After several years of gradually building relationships with people on the canals, mainly around Braunston, I became even more concerned that their needs were much greater than I could cope with on my own.

About two years ago I came across a Salvation Army Chaplain, Jenny Dibsdall who had found herself similarly called and whose astonishing energy has led her to get teams of people together covering the canals. At the moment these teams look after boaters on the Grand

I FEEL THAT ALL PARISHES WHOSE LAND IS CROSSED BY CANALS SHOULD BE MORE AWARE OF THE NEEDS OF THOSE WHO LIVE ON THE WATER

My placeon the canalsMarian Thomas is a Reader whose ministry is to people who live on and around the canals. It was an unexpected call, as she explains.

Marian Thomas (above) is based at All Saints Church

at Braunston, near Daventry. She is a member of the

Workplace Ministry’s Canal and Waterways Chaplaincy. She and her husband travel

the canals on their boat “Kharis”.

The period following the departure of Andrew Reid has been a busy one for the Music Department. The daily work of the Cathedral Choir has gone on uninterrupted, and the junior girl choristers have continued to go from strength to strength, contributing alongside the more established treble lines. We are delighted to announce that Steven McIntyre will be joining us in September as Organ Scholar, when he will take over from Jemima Stephenson. We are also currently recruiting a new bass lay clerk to complete the team once again.

The Cathedral Choir and Festival Chorus continue their concert work, collaborating with Peterborough Choral Society for the first time in a

performance of Elgar’s epic oratorio The Dream of Gerontius and singing the Rachmaninov ‘Vespers’ in Russian in early March. Two CD recordings undertaken last summer will be released shortly; a mixed disc by the senior girl choristers and lay clerks, and a volume with the boys and lay clerks as part of Priory Records’ second complete Psalms of David cycle. Planning is now underway for a recording by the junior girl choristers and for a foreign tour for the boys and lay clerks in the autumn. During the interregnum we have been very fortunate to have received help from many musicians, and particular thanks must go to Andrew Parnell for his enormous help over the six-month period. We are hugely looking forward to welcoming Robert Quinney as the new

Director of Music just after Easter (his first services will be on Sunday 14 April) and anticipating another exciting phase for the Music Department.

Cathedral Choir Developments vision starts to become reality

Robert Quinney.

PETERBOROUGH CATHEDRAL YOUTH CHOIR SENIOR GIRLS’ FAREWELLAs part of

the Chapter’s development of the musical provision at the Cathedral and its move towards two equal treble lines for boys and girls, the role of the senior girl choristers has been under review for a period of time.

Chapter has now backed an exciting plan to open up the musical opportunities for this age group

(13 – 18) to both boys and girls, in the form of a new youth choir. Run by the Music Department staff, the new group will primarily cater for ex-choristers from the Cathedral choirs and gives them, and other talented young singers, the opportunity to develop musically and sing regular services in the Cathedral. They will also be involved in the termly PCMA concerts when they will team up with the Festival Chorus and Cathedral Choir to perform larger scale works and collaborate with orchestras and professional soloists. It is our hope that this will give the chance for all our young singers to continue their musical education and development, as well as providing a training ground for the next generation of university choral scholars and Cathedral lay clerks. The new choir will begin rehearsing after Easter, and the Music Department is currently contacting former choristers and others who might be interested in joining.

As a result of the move towards a youth choir, the senior girl choristers will cease singing as an independent treble line alongside the lay clerks at the end of the Lent term. They sang in their current formation for the last time at Evensong on Easter Day, and this occasion, concluded as usual with a grand procession around the building, provided us with the perfect opportunity to mark the transition to the new youth choir and celebrate the girls’ many achievements thus far. We were joined at the service by former boy and girl choristers, and all were encouraged to attend to show support for the girl choristers as they moved forward and for the boys who will be joining them in the new venture.

SATURDAY 3RD TO WEDNESDAY 21ST AUGUSTColin Monk

TUESDAY 17TH SEPTEMBER TO SUNDAY 13TH OCTOBER Alison Thistlethwaite

Welcome to extracts from the Spring Summer 2013 edition of our Cathedral magazine, Portico.

Published twice a year our intention is that Portico (also meaning door) should provide an open door for finding out more about our magnificent Cathedral Church, which may well inspire a visit in the future.

The Very Reverend Charles Taylor, Dean of Peterborough

If you would like to read the full 12 page version or our corresponding Events and

Service Guide please visit our website where you can subscribe to a hard copy sent by post or an electronic copy sent by email, alternatively call 01733 355315 or simply send an email to the ‘Portico’ editor Sarah McGhie: [email protected]

TIME AND TIDE

FACE TO FACE

Entering His Rest, 2013. © Alison Thistlethwaite.

Time and Tide No1, Conte Pastel acrylic and photography 36cm X 48cm. © Colin Monk 2011.

Paintings, photography, montage and drawings by renowned artist Colin Monk will be on show in The New Building at Peterborough Cathedral in August. The space, light and the reflective atmosphere of Cathedrals are particularly suited to this work: some people find it acts as an aid to reflection and worship.

“I am bringing together my interest in the sea, and artifacts related to it, with images whose theme is a memory and evocation of time, and the impact it has on the present.

Alison’s abstracts will be exhibited in the Cathedral. Her work usually begins with a background colour, setting the key to the painting. In quite a musical way, colours are introduced layer by layer, over many days. During this time, layers of emotion can also be expressed. The completed painting contains both a time element, the sense of stages in human life, and a simultaneous view of life in depth, expressing how in a whole person the things we have gone through, and our present joys, can all integrate.



WORD IN FRAMESATURDAY 8TH JUNE TO SUNDAY 30TH JUNEAn Exhibition of the Methodist Collection of Modern Christian Art

Dalit Madonna oil on canvas 148cm x 119 cm circa 2002 Jyoti Sahi born India 1944 © Jyoti Sahi.

Peterborough Cathedral will play host to what is claimed to be the biggest and most valuable collection of modern Christian art outside of the Vatican. The Methodist Art Collection consists of around fifty works based on Biblical themes, including pieces by well-known artists such as Graham Sutherland, Edward Burra and Elizabeth Frink.

The collection will be exhibited here between the 8th & 30th of June and will be accompanied by a programme of educational and devotional events both at the Cathedral and St John’s Church in Cathedral Square.

The Word in Frame exhibition is a great way of engaging with biblical stories in a way that makes them relevant to modern society. Challenging and thought provoking, this exhibition is a must for anyone interested in modern art, regardless of religious belief.

The period following the departure of Andrew Reid has been a busy one for the Music Department. The daily work of the Cathedral Choir has gone on uninterrupted, and the junior girl choristers have continued to go from strength to strength, contributing alongside the more established treble lines. We are delighted to announce that Steven McIntyre will be joining us in September as Organ Scholar, when he will take over from Jemima Stephenson. We are also currently recruiting a new bass lay clerk to complete the team once again.

The Cathedral Choir and Festival Chorus continue their concert work, collaborating with Peterborough Choral Society for the first time in a

performance of Elgar’s epic oratorio The Dream of Gerontius and singing the Rachmaninov ‘Vespers’ in Russian in early March. Two CD recordings undertaken last summer will be released shortly; a mixed disc by the senior girl choristers and lay clerks, and a volume with the boys and lay clerks as part of Priory Records’ second complete Psalms of David cycle. Planning is now underway for a recording by the junior girl choristers and for a foreign tour for the boys and lay clerks in the autumn. During the interregnum we have been very fortunate to have received help from many musicians, and particular thanks must go to Andrew Parnell for his enormous help over the six-month period. We are hugely looking forward to welcoming Robert Quinney as the new

Director of Music just after Easter (his first services will be on Sunday 14 April) and anticipating another exciting phase for the Music Department.

Cathedral Choir Developments vision starts to become reality

Robert Quinney.

PETERBOROUGH CATHEDRAL YOUTH CHOIR SENIOR GIRLS’ FAREWELLAs part of

the Chapter’s development of the musical provision at the Cathedral and its move towards two equal treble lines for boys and girls, the role of the senior girl choristers has been under review for a period of time.

Chapter has now backed an exciting plan to open up the musical opportunities for this age group

(13 – 18) to both boys and girls, in the form of a new youth choir. Run by the Music Department staff, the new group will primarily cater for ex-choristers from the Cathedral choirs and gives them, and other talented young singers, the opportunity to develop musically and sing regular services in the Cathedral. They will also be involved in the termly PCMA concerts when they will team up with the Festival Chorus and Cathedral Choir to perform larger scale works and collaborate with orchestras and professional soloists. It is our hope that this will give the chance for all our young singers to continue their musical education and development, as well as providing a training ground for the next generation of university choral scholars and Cathedral lay clerks. The new choir will begin rehearsing after Easter, and the Music Department is currently contacting former choristers and others who might be interested in joining.

As a result of the move towards a youth choir, the senior girl choristers will cease singing as an independent treble line alongside the lay clerks at the end of the Lent term. They sang in their current formation for the last time at Evensong on Easter Day, and this occasion, concluded as usual with a grand procession around the building, provided us with the perfect opportunity to mark the transition to the new youth choir and celebrate the girls’ many achievements thus far. We were joined at the service by former boy and girl choristers, and all were encouraged to attend to show support for the girl choristers as they moved forward and for the boys who will be joining them in the new venture.



Welcome to extracts from the Spring Summer 2013 edition of our Cathedral magazine, Portico.

Published twice a year our intention is that Portico (also meaning door) should provide an open door for finding out more about our magnificent Cathedral Church, which may well inspire a visit in the future.

The Very Reverend Charles Taylor, Dean of Peterborough

If you would like to read the full 12 page version or our corresponding Events and

Service Guide please visit our website where you can subscribe to a hard copy sent by post or an electronic copy sent by email, alternatively call 01733 355315 or simply send an email to the ‘Portico’ editor Sarah McGhie: [email protected]

TIME AND TIDE

FACE TO FACE

Entering His Rest, 2013. © Alison Thistlethwaite.

Time and Tide No1, Conte Pastel acrylic and photography 36cm X 48cm. © Colin Monk 2011.

Paintings, photography, montage and drawings by renowned artist Colin Monk will be on show in The New Building at Peterborough Cathedral in August. The space, light and the reflective atmosphere of Cathedrals are particularly suited to this work: some people find it acts as an aid to reflection and worship.

“I am bringing together my interest in the sea, and artifacts related to it, with images whose theme is a memory and evocation of time, and the impact it has on the present.

Alison’s abstracts will be exhibited in the Cathedral. Her work usually begins with a background colour, setting the key to the painting. In quite a musical way, colours are introduced layer by layer, over many days. During this time, layers of emotion can also be expressed. The completed painting contains both a time element, the sense of stages in human life, and a simultaneous view of life in depth, expressing how in a whole person the things we have gone through, and our present joys, can all integrate.



WORD IN FRAMESATURDAY 8TH JUNE TO SUNDAY 30TH JUNEAn Exhibition of the Methodist Collection of Modern Christian Art

Dalit Madonna oil on canvas 148cm x 119 cm circa 2002 Jyoti Sahi born India 1944 © Jyoti Sahi.

Peterborough Cathedral will play host to what is claimed to be the biggest and most valuable collection of modern Christian art outside of the Vatican. The Methodist Art Collection consists of around fifty works based on Biblical themes, including pieces by well-known artists such as Graham Sutherland, Edward Burra and Elizabeth Frink.

The collection will be exhibited here between the 8th & 30th of June and will be accompanied by a programme of educational and devotional events both at the Cathedral and St John’s Church in Cathedral Square.

The Word in Frame exhibition is a great way of engaging with biblical stories in a way that makes them relevant to modern society. Challenging and thought provoking, this exhibition is a must for anyone interested in modern art, regardless of religious belief.


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Walking HolidayLed by a member of the Launde Community July 22nd – 26th CARM Painting & PrayerLed by Revd Hope Allen & Revd Esther Aronsfeld August 5th – 9th Gardening HolidayLed by the Launde Community August 12th – 15th August Working HolidayLed by the Launde Community August 19th – 23rd 5 Day IGRLed by Revd Glenn Martin & Gill Russell September 2nd – 6th

Sister Frances Dominica:Walking the Walk Companionship in crisis September 10th – 12th Brother Guy Consolmagno:Astronomy Retreat September 29th – October 4th Quiet Days:1st July led by Revd James Shakespeare 5th August led by Revd Richard King2nd Sept led by Revd Mike Harrison Launde Abbey Fun Dayfeaturing a Classic Car event & Model Railway Exhibition: Bank Holiday Monday August 26th 2013

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Tuesdays in July, Lunchtime Recitals at St John’s. 1pm-1.45pm at St John the Baptist Church, Cathedral Square, Peterborough. Fairtrade refreshments. Donations invited. stjohnscic.wordpress.com

Thursdays 4 , 11, 18 and Friday 26 July, A Little Britten Festival, 1.10pm at All Saints Church, Northampton, NN1 1DF. [email protected]

Saturday 6 July, Christian Aid Garage and Yard Sale, Irthlingborough. Maps showing sale points will be on sale at the Cross on the Green. Sale opens 10am. Call 01933 650459.

Saturday 6 July, Newton Bromswold Village Fete. Rushden Mission Band, stalls, entertainment and teas. Starts 2.30pm; children’s fancy dress judged 3.10pm. Family dog show. Newton Bromswold, NN10 0SR.

Saturday 6 July, Peterborough Pilgrims to Santiago meeting, 12 noon at St Mary’s Church, Northampton NN4 8EZ. Holy Communion, lunch, fellowship, presentation. All welcome. Please book via [email protected]

Saturday 6 July, Britten choral concert, 7.30pm at All Saints Church, Northampton, NN1 1DF. [email protected]

Saturday 6 and Sunday 7 July, T S Eliot Festival at Ferrar House, Little Gidding, PE28 5RJ. 2pm Sat until 5.15pm Sun. Programme and details at www.littlegidding.org.uk/eliotfestival or 01832 275343.

Sunday 7 July, Cream Teas at Kislingbury. 3pm-5pm at St Luke’s Church, NN7 4AD.

Sunday 7 July, The Pat Monahan Show. Irish Iranian stand-up comedian. Children’s show 2pm, evening show 7.30pm at Kettering Arts Centre at St Andrew’s Church, NN16 8RG. Tickets £4 children’s show, £8 (£6) evening show from Waterstones or Tourist Info at Kettering, or via ketteringartscentre.com

Saturday 13 July, Strawberry Teas at Hartwell. 2.30pm-5pm at St John the Baptist Church, Hartwell, NN7 2HW.

Sunday 14 July, Kislingbury Pudding Party. 2pm – 4.30pm at St Luke’s Church, NN7 4AD. Bring a pudding and sample others, to celebrate the anniversary of the Coronation of Her Majesty Queen Elizabeth.

Friday 19 July, The Magic of Mozart. 7pm at All Saints Church, Northampton, NN1 1DF. [email protected]

Saturday 20 July, So a comedian walks Into a church … Paul Kerensa with the confessions of a kneel-down stand-up. 8pm at Kettering Arts Centre at St Andrew’s Church, NN16 8RG. Tickets £6 (£4) from Waterstones or Tourist Info at Kettering, or via ketteringartscentre.com


Wednesday 24 July, A Midsummer Night’s Dream presented by Pantaloons Theatre. 7.30pm at Kettering Arts Centre at St Andrew’s Church, NN16 8RG. Tickets £10 /£9 from Waterstones or Tourist Info at Kettering, or via ketteringartscentre.com


Saturday 10 August, Music in Lyddington: Academy of Ancient Music. 7.30pm at St Andrew’s Church, Lyddington, LE15 9LR. Tickets in advance £14 (students £2) from 01572 820017 or [email protected]. www.musicinlyddington.co.uk

Saturday 17 August, Tea at three. 3pm-5.30pm at St John the Baptist Church, Hartwell, NN7 2HW.

Saturday 24 - Monday 26 August, Newborough Church Flower Festival. Flower displays, refreshments and stalls. Sat & Mon 10am-4pm, Sun 11am-4pm at St Bartholomew’s Church, Newborough, PE6 7QZ.

Monday 26 August, Oakham Organ Recital by Ivan Linford. 11.15am at All Saints Church, Oakham, LE15 6AA. Lunches available (£5). Admission free, retiring collection.

JULY

WHAT’S ON

AUGUST

SEPTEMBER

Saturday 21 September

Making the most ofChristmas10am-12 noon at All Saints School, Boughton Green Road, Northampton NN2 7AJ

Fresh and re-freshed ideas on how to maximise your outreach at ChristmasWORKSHOPS: Great carol services; building a parish Christmas team; wonderful Christingles; serving the community over Christmas; being an inviting church

STALLS: Crib set service; Beer and carols; Community Christmas carols; Messy Christmas; Experience Christmas

FREE but booking essential on 01604 887048 or via www.peterborough-diocese.org.uk/christmas

Saturday 7 September, Music in Lyddington, Alexandra Dariescu, piano concert. 7.30pm at St Andrew’s Church, Lyddington, LE15 9LR. Tickets in advance £14 (students £2) from 01572 820017 or [email protected]. www.musicinlyddington.co.uk

Monday 9 September, Churchwardens’ introductory training. Designed for new Churchwardens and as a refresher for the more experienced. 6.30pm– 9.30pm at Bouverie Court, Northampton, NN4 7YD. Free of charge. Booking essential on 01604 887049.

Tuesday 10 September, Churchwardens’ introductory training. As above at a central venue to be confirmed.

Wednesday 11 September - Wednesday 16 October, Introduction to Church History (LF4). An introduction to the main periods, developments and issues in the church. Six Wednesdays, 7.30pm at St Peter’s Church, Oundle PE8 4AL. £40 per person. Please book well in advance. Call 01604 887048 for details.

Saturday 14 September, The Sixteen Choral Workshop. For keen amateur singers to delve deeper into the Choral Pilgrimage repertoire. 12 noon–4pm at The Becket Chapel, Peterborough Cathedral. £30, including

sheet music and refreshments. Bookings: 020 7936 3420. www.thesixteen.com

Saturday 14 September, Lay Ministers’ Licensing. Triennial licensing of Lay Pastoral Ministers, Licensed Evangelists and Readers, and also those newly trained for these roles. 11am at Peterborough Cathedral. 01733 355310.

Saturday 14 September, Heritage Open Day Services. Civic Choral Matins, Sung Mass and Festival Hymns, to celebrate Northampton’s Heritage Open Days. 10am, 12.30pm, 3pm at All Saints, Northampton, NN1 1DF.

Saturday 21 September, Bellringers’ Guild Summer Festival. An afternoon competition between the ten branches of the Guild competing to ring the heaviest eight bells of St Lawrence, Towcester most accurately. Call 01327 871806 or visit www.pdg.org.uk

Saturday 21 September, Making the Most of Christmas. See advertisement below.

Saturday 21 September, Prayer Book Society, Peterborough branch. 11am Sung Matins at St Mary the Virgin Church, Higham Ferrers, NN10 8BT, followed by lunch and walking tour of Higham Ferrers. Booking essential. Details from Mary Stewart on 01664 474353 or 07989 429 276.

Japan trip for Bishop John Abington wins the cup!

Whilst visiting our link diocese of Seoul in Korea diocese,

Bishop John received a call from Lambeth Palace

asking him to represent the Archbishop of Canterbury at an international peace conference on the island of Okinawa which was co-hosted by the Japanese and Korean Anglican churches.

Bishop John took with him a message from the Archbishop which he delivered at a formal reception. You can read more in the News section of our website.

AROUND THE DIOCESE

Cross Keys is published by the Church of England Diocese of Peterborough and distributed free to its 350 parish churches.

Editor: Liz Hurst. Tel: 01733 887012. Email: [email protected] www.peterborough-diocese.org.uk

The inclusion of an advertisement in Cross Keys does not constitute an endorsement of a product or service by the Diocese of Peterborough.

Jim Davis of The Children’s Society presents the Children’s Work Cup to Sue Ball, Anne Quinn and Philip Ball.

Flushed with success

The decision to “twin” the long-awaited new toilet at St John the Baptist

Church in Piddington with one in the Burundi, through the UK based charities Cord and Tearfund, has captured people’s imagination in a big way.

“We ended up raising enough money to twin five loos and at least three church members sponsored their loos at home,” said parish priest Beverley Hollins. “Our young Server Toby Dils (who won a tee-shirt for saving the most pennies in toilet roll tubes) took the idea to Hackleton Cubs and they raised money to twin the loo at Hackleton Village Hall.

Then when I shared the good news on Facebook it inspired people to twin even more loos, including all those in Middlesex University Library!”

This was the first big fundraiser for the newly created parish of Piddington with Horton and they are thrilled with its success. Their toilet, which is part of a new vestry and servery area, was flushed for the very first time by Iris Sanders, who has been campaigning for a loo in church for thirty years!

There were celebrations at the Starburst children’s work

conference in May when St Peter and St Paul Church, at Abington in Northampton won the 2013 Children’s Work Cup. They were awarded the prize for their work in hosting “Experience” events to help children understand more about Christian festival such as Easter, Christmas and Harvest.

Runners up were Holy Spirit Church at Bretton, Peterborough, for adapting materials for children with moderate to severe learning difficulties, and Gleneagles Church in Wellingborough for the priority they place on children’s work as an integral part of all their activities.

Find out more at: www.peterborough-diocese.org.uk/starburst

Coming soon

Discipleship in Action Day, Saturday 19 October at All Saints School, Northampton.

Find out about Street Pastors, Food Banks, work with the Homeless, Fairtrade, politics, and lots more.

Call 01604 887049 to find out more.

Find out more about toilet twinning at

www.toilettwinning.org

The Revd Beverley Hollins with champion fund-raiser

Toby Dils.

Documents

Cross Keys, Summer 2013