Thank you to everyone who has supported us in 2020/19.If you would like to be a member again this year - we would be grateful if you could please pay your £12 subscription for each number, as soon as possible, to be included in the next draw. If you wish to pay by cheque - please make it payable to Norbury 100 ClubNew Members are very welcome - more members -more prize money!For further details please Tel: 01785 284463 or Email: stpetersnorbury@gmail.com
We are delighted to announce that St. Peter’s has been awarded the Bronze Eco Church Award! We would like to say a huge thank you to everyone who has helped us get this Award, particularly to anyone who has helped on any of the Operation Churchyard days. Hopefully it will not be too long before we are able to apply for the silver award. Find out more: https://ecochurch.arocha.org.uk/Want to help? ❖ (Usually) On the first Saturday of the month (March-October) we have a ‘Operation Churchyard Day’ when people volunteer an hour or two of their time to carry out gardening tasks. ❖ We would be grateful if people refrain from using weed killer around graves. In the meantime, if you have an interest in ecology, gardening or the great outdoors and would like to help develop the Churchyard. Please contact Will Swinnerton at stpetersnorbury@gmail.comYou are welcome to picnic in the Church grounds. Please recycle your waste in the bins provided by the tower. This is a space for conversation, exploration and quiet reflection.Our first ‘Operation Churchyard’ Day of 2021 is Saturday 10th April, from 10am onwards.
At the 10am service on Sunday, I suggested a few things that people might do during Lent. Here are some details if you want to follow any up:Read . . .The Bible! Our gospel readings this year are drawn from Marks’ gospel. It’s the shortest of the gospels, so why not try reading it in one go?Lent books: There’s a huge choice. • ‘Living His Story’ by Revd Dr Hannah Steele: The Archbishop of Canterbury’s Lent book 2021• ‘Saying Yes to Life’ by Ruth Valerio: the 2020 Lent Book. Considers the impact we’re having on creation and offers a Christian response. I didn’t get very far into it last year so plan to give it another go. (Ask me how I’m getting on!)• ‘The Heart’s Time’ by Janet Morley: a poem a day for Lent and Easter. A book I return to year after year. Listen . . .Daily Service: a 15-min service broadcast on Radio 4 at 9.45am Mon-Fri. Listen live on DAB or catch up via the Daily Service web page (https://www.bbc.co.uk/programmes/b006wzfs)Led by people from various Christian backgrounds it offers a short reflection with a Bible reading, prayer and music. It’s helped to keep me anchored, spiritually, over many years. Church Times podcast: church news, interviews with authors, Christians in politics, clerics, and commentators on faith (https://www.churchtimes.co.uk/audio-video/podcast)If you search around you’ll find podcasts from Cathedrals, Theological Colleges and Christian organisations. Also . . .Theatre Chaplaincy UK (TCUK) is offering “Words for the Wilderness (Soft Words for Hard Times) every Wed during Lent in a video on its YouTube channel (https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCspsJy-7wpY1jIui8yoKS4A) Well-known actors read a poem that reflect the themes of Lent. Week 1: Samantha Bond read “Lent” by Jean M WattTake something on . . .There are lots of resources available. But be gentle on yourself!Live Lent: God’s Story Our Story: a book by Stephen Hance with an accompanying app. Produced by the C of E for this Lent to encourage us to reflect on our own faith story and how we might share it (https://www.churchofengland.org/resources/)Making Space for Reflection: Diocese of Lichfield Lent resource. Suggests Bible passages, questions for reflection and further resources on 6 themes https://www.lichfield.anglican.org/our-faith/lent-2021/lent-2021.phpHoly Habits: online course produced by BRF for churches or groups to encourage the practice of ten disciplines, or holy habits (https://www.holyhabits.org.uk/)Online course produced by 24-7 Prayer exploring the challenges of unanswered prayer (https://prayercourse.org/)Look . . . Take notice of things that lift the spirits – green shoots, spring flowers, lengthening days, helpful encounters, kind gestures . . . I do hope you’ll find something that works for you. Rev. Cathy Dakin
Sadly the Diocese have informed us that Revd Pamela Freeman, aged 75, died on Saturday 6th February. Pamela was ordained Deaconess in 1986, deacon the following year, and served at St Luke’s Cannock until October 1988. She then moved to Christ Church Shelton and Oxon as deacon, and following her ordination to the priesthood in 1994 served as curate there. Additionally, from 1988 to 1995 she was Minister to the Deaf in Salop. In 1995 Pamela became Team Vicar at Christ Church, St Chad & St Mary in Stafford where she served until 2000 when she was appointed Priest in Charge of High Offley and Norbury. In 2002 she became Rector, of Adbaston, High Offley, Knightley, Norbury and Woodseaves where she remained until her retirement in 2010. She was appointed Prebendary of Lichfield Cathedral in 2007. In retirement, Pamela held Permission to Officiate and was part of the Chaplaincy team at Severn Hospice in Shrewsbury. Pamela is survived by her husband, Christopher, whose address is 14 Meadow Close, Wem, Shrewsbury, SY4 5HP; and by her children Rebecca and Simon.
