As a teenager on a day like today, when the sun is streaming into the house but it’s too cold to tempt me out into the garden for long, I would delight in lying reading for hours on end. I’d find myself transported into other times and places lapping up the rich, varied language and created images of favourite, and not so favourite, authors. As I got older with less free time I consigned this luxury to holidays but kept reading daily at bedtime. Gradually, like many of you, I also developed the habit of dipping into the Bible regularly (often using ‘Daily Bread’ publication) as well as hearing/reading it in church services. I never looked at reading the whole of the Bible or even stretching myself beyond a few chapters at a time.However, in September I started a Reader Training course with Lichfield Diocese and Queens University. I am now immersed in books with weekly reading lists, assignment deadlines and practical ministry experience to fill any spare time I might have each week. As I took up this study several voices commented that Biblical studies would make me view the Bible in a different way which could be uncomfortable for a while - Certainly the course requires analysis of what’s there, why and how it got there. Since September we have been asked several times to read a whole book to comment on its flow, style, content, etc.. This has suddenly, for me, made the writings make greater sense and altered the impact of the content which we usually have in short passages. Instead of a collection of books, rather like an anthology, I’m now beginning to see the care, purpose and balance of all making up the one storyline from Genesis to Revelation. There are so many vivid stories and descriptions which bring a world in pictures to mind, if you allow the words to paint the scenes as you read or hear them – You may already have discovered this! Currently my assignment focuses around Revelation (4: 1-11 to be precise) which has been a revelation! Written at a time when no television, films or radio existed and the general population were not particularly literate, or indeed free to indulge in spare time activities, its imagery and content must have made a lasting impression to its original audience. The creation of the scenes which can seem unsettling has continued to provide hot debate ever since. However, the ‘Heavenly Throne’ with the detailed description of what surrounds it gives the strong, unequivocal message of our God at the centre of all, there to be worshipped. The God who, as the Bible begins in Genesis, is marvelled at for His creation of our world. The God who loves unconditionally, supports without strings and listens to all, even in the midst of an uncertain time of world pandemic. This picture of God is added to with the celebrations this month of Ascension Day and Pentecost - At Ascension the triumph and achievement of God’s involvement in the World through His son Jesus is seen, whilst Pentecost reminds us of His commitment to always be with us in spirit. Two more great pictures to enjoy. Mindfulness exercises have become popular, so if you have time why not reconstruct a scene from Revelation or Ascension or Pentecost in your own style? – See what you find and feel what it brings you. It’s not only those novels that can conjure up worlds that transport you out of your day and into a space to find tranquillity and be empowered.Stephanie Goodwin – Trainee Reader for the Uttoxeter Area
A letter from Revd Charles Dale, one of our Area ministers. April 2021Time seems to have flown by since the last letter I wrote in July last year bang in the middle of Lockdown 2, with the hope of coming through that period and getting back to normal and here we are in Lockdown 3.! I think it is more important than ever to ask of oneself ‘how am I really coping and getting on both physically and mentally?’ Life certainly isn’t the same and we’ve gone through such a lot of changes since then and we have to get used to the new way of being and doing and adapting to a new norm. Thankfully for me, what hasn’t changed is my faith and trust in God, times of waiting on him and persevering in prayer and praise; enjoying the natural world around me (although Kingstone woods has been a tad muddy over the winter months!) and the love of my close family. These things comfort my soul. But you might expect that of me! However, I have found these times as challenging as anyone else, with lots of wilderness times.It has helped for me to reflect on Jesus and of his wilderness experience; of how he felt and what was going through his mind as he negotiated that time in a barren landscape, famished and full of the temptations of earthly life. This, after he had received that wonderful affirmation from God at his baptism as the Spirit descended on him as he came out of the waters to start his earthly ministry. Rather though, the Spirit drove him into the wilderness! I’m sure that experience was not what he was really expecting. Even more so as he entered what we now call Holy Week and the dark and tragic events that led to his cruel death on the cross. The events of the last twelve months weren’t what we were expecting either, with its restrictions and bereavements of all kinds.You may feel you are in a wilderness place as you negotiate the do’s and don’ts of Lockdown and the consequences of the pandemic; lamenting the days gone by and of untold personal hardships in your life. What are the things that have kept you going? What brings you comfort?As well as dry barrenness, wildernesses can though be places of development and growth. Much of the Bible and its times involve desert experiences with times, yes of testing and waiting on the Lord, but also of discovery and blossoming. The people of Israel wandered for 40 formative years, but they eventually crossed over into the Promised Land. Jesus had 40 days of testing and formation after which, as St Luke writes, ‘the power of the Holy Spirit was with him’, just as he was at the baptism. Jesus was strengthened and enabled for his ministry through these experiences, but throughout often went to out of the way places to pray, to continue to be refreshed by God, his Father.I take heart in the fact that, for Jesus, the wilderness and the dark tragic time of Holy Week culminated in something more glorious. That glory can be yours too, whatever you have personally lamented in these past times.Easter is a time when we celebrate Jesus’ victory over death, promising new life and hope for those who trust in him.One of the churches canticles is called ‘The Song of the Wilderness’. It’s set as an Advent song of praise, but I think is really appropriate for our times and of the promise of hope that is Easter. Its starts like this:‘The wilderness and dry land shall rejoice; the desert shall blossom and burst into song. They shall see the glory of the Lord; the majesty of our God.’On Easter Day, Mary stood weeping at the tomb, but Mary’s tears of sadness soon became tears of joy. To her was revealed the glory of the risen Lord. Whatever you have lamented and mourned these last twelve months, may your tears of sadness turn into tears of joy; may you too know the comfort and glory of the risen Lord.There are better times coming and we will be together again; times when your own wilderness and dry land shall rejoice and your desert blossom and burst into song. As you journey on may you be comforted and strengthened in the song: ‘Alleluia, Christ is risen.’ May your response be: ‘He is Risen indeed, Alleluia.’Blessings and peaceCharles
GRATWICH NEWSLETTERAPRIL 2021 GRATWICH SERVICES IN APRILEASTER SUNDAY 4th 7.00pm Holy Communion IN CHURCH SUNDAY 11th 11.15am Morning Prayer via ZOOMSUNDAY 25th 7.00pm EVENING PRAYER IN CHURCH Happy Easter! April and Spring at last, the clocks ‘Sprung’ forward an hour, the days getting longer, birds are thinking of nesting, the grass is growing and the daffodils in the churchyard are beautiful – have a look at the photos on the church Facebook page.Hopefully by the middle of this month restrictions will start to ease a little and maybe we can start to plan ways to meet together safely.It is the little things I miss doing – having a cup of tea and a chat in a friend’s house and visiting family members. Other things I miss like sitting on the beach in Llandudno (when there are not many other people there) and having a meal out somewhere, i can manage without if necessary.We are looking forward to Easter Sunday and 25th April – having the Services in St. Mary’s Gratwich, live in person and not on Zoom!! Please come if you can, it will be lovely to see you.Book first with Jenny (01889 502471) as we only have ten ‘bubbles’ and bring a mask.100 CLUB – March - drawn at the Zoom Service on 28th March 1st Mia Cotton 2nd Millie Capewell 3rd Julie BradleyThe next draw will be at the service on 25th April – in church too.After the success of our Zoom Quiz we are having aCHURCH CRIME EVENINGIt should be a good evening – come and test your detective skills please book in with Jenny by 3rd April. Can you help solve the crime??Join Detective Inspector SolvitOn April 10th 20217.30pmVia zoom to interview the suspectsTeams of up to four can enterArea letter from Revd Charles Dale Time seems to have flown by since the last letter I wrote in July last year bang in the middle of Lockdown 2, with the hope of coming through that period and getting back to normal and here we are in Lockdown 3.! I think it is more important than ever to ask of oneself ‘how am I really coping and getting on both physically and mentally?’ Life certainly isn’t the same and we’ve gone through such a lot of changes since then as we have got used to the new way of being and doing and adapting to a new norm. Thankfully for me, what hasn’t changed is my faith and trust in God, times of waiting on him and persevering in prayer and praise; enjoying the natural world around me (although Kingstone woods has been a tad muddy over the winter months!) and the love of my close family. These things comfort my soul. But you might expect that of me! However, I have found these times as challenging as anyone else, with lots of wilderness times.It has helped for me to reflect on Jesus and of his wilderness experience; of how he felt and what was going through his mind as he negotiated that time in a barren landscape, famished and full of the temptations of earthly life. This, after he had received that wonderful affirmation from God at his baptism, as the Spirit descended on him as he came out of the waters to start his earthly ministry. Rather though, the Spirit drove him into the wilderness!I’m sure that experience was not what he was really expecting. Even more so as he entered what we now call Holy Week and the dark and tragic events that led to his cruel death on the cross. The events of the last twelve months weren’t what we were expecting either, with its restrictions and bereavements of all kinds.You may feel you are in a wilderness place as you negotiate the do’s and don’ts of Lockdown and the consequences of the pandemic; lamenting the days gone by and of untold personal hardships in your life. What are the things that have kept you going? What brings you comfort?As well as dry barrenness, wildernesses can though be places of development and growth. Much of the Bible and its times involve desert experiences with times, yes of testing and waiting on the Lord, but also of discovery and blossoming. The people of Israel wandered for 40 formative years, but they eventually crossed over into the Promised Land. Jesus had 40 days of testing and formation after which, as St Luke writes, ‘the power of the Holy Spirit was with him’, just as it was at the baptism. Jesus was strengthened and enabled for his ministry through these experiences, but throughout often went to out of the way places to pray, to continue to be refreshed by God, his Father.I take heart in the fact that, for Jesus, the wilderness and the dark tragic time of Holy Week culminated in something more glorious. That glory can be yours too, whatever you have personally lamented in these past times.Easter is a time when we celebrate Jesus’ victory over death, promising new life and hope for those who trust in him.One of the churches canticles is called ‘The Song of the Wilderness’. It’s set as an Advent song of praise, but I think is really appropriate for our times and of the promise of hope that is Easter. Its starts like this:‘The wilderness and dry land shall rejoice; the desert shall blossom and burst into song. They shall see the glory of the Lord; the majesty of our God.’On Easter Day, Mary stood weeping at the tomb, but Mary’s tears of sadness soon became tears of joy. To her was revealed the glory of the risen Lord. Whatever you have lamented and mourned these last twelve months, may your tears of sadness turn into tears of joy; may you too know the comfort and glory of the risen Lord.There are better times coming and we will be together again; times when your own wilderness and dry land shall rejoice and your desert blossom and burst into song. As you journey on may you be comforted and strengthened in the song: ‘Alleluia, Christ is risen.’ May your response be: ‘He is Risen indeed, Alleluia.’Blessings and peaceCharles For further information about anything in the newsletter, please contact:Rev. Charles Dale 01889 500428: email: revcharles.dale@btinternet.comJenny Talbot: 01889 50241 email: jenny477@btinternet.comFacebook: St. Mary’s Church Gratwich
A letter from Revd Charles Dale, one of our Area ministers. April 2021Time seems to have flown by since the last letter I wrote in July last year bang in the middle of Lockdown 2, with the hope of coming through that period and getting back to normal and here we are in Lockdown 3.! I think it is more important than ever to ask of oneself ‘how am I really coping and getting on both physically and mentally?’ Life certainly isn’t the same and we’ve gone through such a lot of changes since then and we have to get used to the new way of being and doing and adapting to a new norm. Thankfully for me, what hasn’t changed is my faith and trust in God, times of waiting on him and persevering in prayer and praise; enjoying the natural world around me (although Kingstone woods has been a tad muddy over the winter months!) and the love of my close family. These things comfort my soul. But you might expect that of me! However, I have found these times as challenging as anyone else, with lots of wilderness times.It has helped for me to reflect on Jesus and of his wilderness experience; of how he felt and what was going through his mind as he negotiated that time in a barren landscape, famished and full of the temptations of earthly life. This, after he had received that wonderful affirmation from God at his baptism as the Spirit descended on him as he came out of the waters to start his earthly ministry. Rather though, the Spirit drove him into the wilderness! I’m sure that experience was not what he was really expecting. Even more so as he entered what we now call Holy Week and the dark and tragic events that led to his cruel death on the cross. The events of the last twelve months weren’t what we were expecting either, with its restrictions and bereavements of all kinds.You may feel you are in a wilderness place as you negotiate the do’s and don’ts of Lockdown and the consequences of the pandemic; lamenting the days gone by and of untold personal hardships in your life. What are the things that have kept you going? What brings you comfort?As well as dry barrenness, wildernesses can though be places of development and growth. Much of the Bible and its times involve desert experiences with times, yes of testing and waiting on the Lord, but also of discovery and blossoming. The people of Israel wandered for 40 formative years, but they eventually crossed over into the Promised Land. Jesus had 40 days of testing and formation after which, as St Luke writes, ‘the power of the Holy Spirit was with him’, just as he was at the baptism. Jesus was strengthened and enabled for his ministry through these experiences, but throughout often went to out of the way places to pray, to continue to be refreshed by God, his Father.I take heart in the fact that, for Jesus, the wilderness and the dark tragic time of Holy Week culminated in something more glorious. That glory can be yours too, whatever you have personally lamented in these past times.Easter is a time when we celebrate Jesus’ victory over death, promising new life and hope for those who trust in him.One of the churches canticles is called ‘The Song of the Wilderness’. It’s set as an Advent song of praise, but I think is really appropriate for our times and of the promise of hope that is Easter. Its starts like this:‘The wilderness and dry land shall rejoice; the desert shall blossom and burst into song. They shall see the glory of the Lord; the majesty of our God.’On Easter Day, Mary stood weeping at the tomb, but Mary’s tears of sadness soon became tears of joy. To her was revealed the glory of the risen Lord. Whatever you have lamented and mourned these last twelve months, may your tears of sadness turn into tears of joy; may you too know the comfort and glory of the risen Lord.There are better times coming and we will be together again; times when your own wilderness and dry land shall rejoice and your desert blossom and burst into song. As you journey on may you be comforted and strengthened in the song: ‘Alleluia, Christ is risen.’ May your response be: ‘He is Risen indeed, Alleluia.’Blessings and peaceCharles
