Welcome to the newly relaunched Bramhall Parish News.
This publication will be sent out each month via email. For those not on email a printed copy will be included in their weekly Home Pack.
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Good Afternoon Friends,
I said I would write following yesterday’s PCC meeting to share with you the decision made about resuming Public Worship at St Michaels.
It has been agreed that St Michaels will reopen for Public Worship fully from Sunday 21st March. This reopening will see our pattern of services return to what happening before Christmas with services at 8am, 10am and 6.30pm on a Sunday with a midweek service on Wednesdays at 10.30am.
It has also been agreed that we will continue to follow the pattern where the celebration of Holy Communion will rotate around the various services.
The reason for looking to reopen fully on Sunday 21st March is to allow time for rota’s to be developed and service plans created whilst also giving time to observe what is happening with the local infection rates as schools return.
The PCC and I are very aware that there are members of our church family who have been shielding and who have been and continue to serve on the front line of the covid-19 response. For these people, whilst they long to return to church to worship with our community in person, they may be feeling slightly more anxious and cautious than others, which is completely understandable. I have always said I want our reopening to be done in a way that includes as many people as possible, which is why the livestreaming was set up and why I always try to make sure that it works as well as possible. Please don’t feel pressured to return straightaway if this is you, but also please don’t feel like you aren’t welcome and like you have been forgotten. You haven’t been and you are still very much a loved member of our church family.
This Sunday the church marks Mothering Sunday, and whilst we are aiming to reopen next week there will be a service at 10am on Sunday 14th March. This will be a service of Holy Communion and there will be flowers available, as is custom for Mothering Sunday. Leftover posies will be available from outside church after the service. Should you wish to be present for our service on the 14th, booking will open on Wednesday morning (10th) at 9am. Those who are unable to use our online booking system should contact the office which is open between 9.30am and 1.30pm.
Going forwards there will be a service on Wednesday 17th March at 10.30am and then on Sunday 21st March the 8am, 10am and 6.30pm services will resume.
I look forwards to welcoming many of you back into our building as we resume worshipping together. As we do this, we all need to remember the public health guidance about wearing mask, keeping 2 metres apart and not mixing with people from outside our households/bubbles.
In the next few days I will be able to share more information about how we will celebrate Holy Week and Easter together but the PCC have agreed to my suggestion that we aim to celebrate Easter Sunday with one service at 10am outside on the front church field. Obviously, this will be weather dependent and a wet weather plan will be put together, but I am excited at the prospect of the whole church joining together to celebrate the joy of the resurrection on Sunday 4th April. More details to follow.
If you have any concerns or questions about St Michaels reopening please don’t hesitate to contact me.
Regards,
Calum
The Presence Light in the Sanctuary at St Michael’s continues to burn day and night throughout the week. As ever, it reminds us of God’s continual presence – not just in the church building, but with all of us, the St Michael’s Family, whether even in normal times we are able physically to gather there or not.
The Light also reminds us that Jesus, the Light of the World, is present with us, giving support and encouragement; pushing back dark things and dark times when they press in around us. .
St Michael’s is open each day from 9:00am until noon, and from 3:00pm until 6:00pm. If you wish to donate to the foodbank, please place items in the usual place at the rear of the North Aisle.
Every Day
9am - Morning Prayer
5.30pm - Evening Prayer
Readings for these services are hosted on the Daily Prayer page on our website.
SMT 190’s note about “Corvid-19 Precautions” (instead of “Covid-19 …”) inspired several witticisms, some perhaps not exactly “PC” as we watch the virus’ onward sweep. Comments included that this showed the SMT staff were bird-brained (given some birds, that could be a compliment, but doubtless wasn’t meant as one), and that hopefully the precautions would enable us to crow about not catching the virus.
Meeting a couple of weeks ago, the C of E General Synod passed a motion setting a target for all parts of the Church to work to be carbon “nett zero” by 2030. The debate had set that “ambitious” date rather than the original proposal of 2045. The motion noted the Synod recognises that the global climate emergency is a crisis for God’s creation, and a fundamental injustice. At the forefront of the work will be X Nick Salisbury, the C of E lead bishop for environmental matters, and Jo Chamberlain, newly-appointed national Environment Officer for the C of E.
PCC Minutes have to be approved by the next meeting before they can be displayed, but they’re put up as soon as possible. Recently, minutes of the meeting on 13th January were put up in the North and South porches.
Among items discussed were: Ø Our Parish Share – the amount contributed to the Diocese – for 2020 had been recalculated (by the Diocese) and was c. £2,000 less than the budgeted figure. Ø The financial implications of focusing on growth were discussed. The Diocese sees Bramhall as a two-clergy parish, but that would mean doubling parish share (currently £95,000); that wouldn’t apply for a curate, but it would mean paying for housing. Part-time lay employees – a Children & Families Worker and/or a Youth Worker could be considered; one full-time appointment would cost c. £30,000 p.a.
Ø The Eco Action Group reported on various matters, including developing “eco” themes in Services, increasing the bio-diversity of the church grounds, and signing up St M’s as a Fair Trade Church. Ø The terms of reference for the Parish Development Group (Finance) were noted. Ø “Discipleship” – from our strapline of “Community, Inclusion, Discipleship” – was discussed, with what has worked well, what we do now, and what we could do under the headings “developing prayer”, “understanding our faith”, and “sharing our faith” being considered. Ø N. Ø N.
This update is from her son, Kevin : I visited Mum at the care home yesterday. She’s doing well – eating well and looking much healthier. The decline through dementia continues, but she is among nice people and stimulated each day. She sends her best wishes to all at St Michael’s.
Necessarily, Covid-19 has taken over our thinking, planning, the “Media”, and priorities. It may be hard to concentrate on anything else at the moment, but when it’s over we’ll be back to climate change and the eco-crisis (weirdly good and bad news at the same time). A few “green tips” as we settle into Covid-dominated life:
Ø It may well be a case of getting what’s there when (if) you shop, but if there is a choice, try to keep up choose less packaging, and avoid things cocooned in plastic.
Ø If the old one is still working, do you need to rush to Amazon or e-Bay for a new one? Save the materials and energy invested in that new whatever – not to mention saving people from not being at “social distancing” distances while they’re getting it to you.
Ø If you feed the birds, etc – they still need it.
(Newala fundraiser) on 8th March : A big thank you to everyone who attended this event. We hope you enjoyed the homemade soups and the friendship, which is the main purpose of Newala Link. Also thank you very much to all who helped cook the soup, brought other items, and washed up. You’ll be pleased to know that we raised £170, which will go towards the projects we support in Newala Diocese - mainly being Porridge Breakfasts for school pupils and water tanks for villages. Hamida Adkins
The Christingle Services seem a long time ago, but we’ve finally been able to arrange to send the amount collected to The Children’s Society. The total amount was £1,559.15, which breaks down as follows: Donations at Christingle Services £912.61
School Carol Service collection £398.54
Bramhall Hall Chapel Services £200.00
Sundry other donations £48.00
Graham Knight
A reminder that we collect used stamps for The Together Trust (a local charity that “provides care, education and support for children and adults with learning and physical disabilities, autism, and emotional needs”). It will probably be some time until you can put stamps (in a labelled envelope) in the W section of the letter-rack or hand them to Phil Wadsworth, but please hang on to them until you can.
Psalm 9:9-10
# Following “Thanksgiving” : Please look in the letter-rack for a thank you letter to you following your Thanksgiving Pledge returned in the last two weeks. Also, if you use the weekly envelope system, you’ll find a box of envelopes for the coming twelve months on a table at the back of church. Roy Phillips
# Easter Commemorations : If you would like to give one or more Easter lilies in memory of family member(s) or friend(s), please fill in one of the form at the back of church. Lilies cost £3 each, and the form and money (cash, or cheque made payable to “St Michael & All Angels PCC”) should be placed in the box alongside the forms. All forms / money must be handed in by the end of the morning on Palm Sunday (5th April), please. Val Huxley
# Lent Lectures 2020 : This year’s series is titled “Managing Change & Conflict”, and looks at some of the challenges of living in an uncertain world. In Centrepoint, Wednesdays 2:30 to 4:00pm. No charge, all welcome. This week:
18th March Mindfulness and Christian Spirituality – Revd Katy Thomas
# Quiz Night : Sunday 15th March, Church Hall, 6:00pm. Fund-raising to support the members of St M’s going on next year’s trip to Newala. £10 per person, including food and one drink. Up to eight people per team. For tickets e-mail newala.fundraising@gmail.com or contact the Office; also advise of any dietary requirements.
# Women’s World Day of Prayer Anniversary Coffee Morning in the United Reformed Ch, Robins Ln on Friday 20th March, 10:30am ‘til noon. Celebrating the sixtieth anniversary of the WWDP in Bramhall. All welcome, not just ladies!
# Mothering Sunday posies will be made in the Lounge on Saturday 21st March from 10:00am to noon. Your help would be much appreciated - please bring scissors and/or secateurs. We’d be grateful for ‘greenery’ – evergreens or well-budding twigs – to go in the posies; please leave any such in the buckets in the hall entrance lobby from Wednesday 18th. Diane Whitehead
# The Barnby Choir’s Spring Concert is in St M’s on Saturday 21st March, 7:30pm. CANCELLED
# Bramhall Christian Viewpoint: Supper Evening Thursday 26th March, 7:30pm at the Deanwater Hotel, SK7 1RJ. Speaker Dr Alex Walter (formerly a Server at St M’s), a Christian GP working with disadvantaged people in Manchester, who last year went with his family to Guinea to work on the Africa Mercy hospital ship. Tickets £14 inc supper – Sheila Salden 0161 440 9794. All welcome to this inspiring evening, do book early.
# Cake Sale – Sunday 29th March, in church hall after both Services. Fund-raising for projects in Newala. Cake donations very welcome – please leave in Office or Kitchen, labelled for Newala Cake Sale, from Thursday 26th; bring before Service on Sunday 29th; or contact Jill Fairhurst 0161 439 3126.
# Mark Hackney’s Licensing as Reader will be at a service in Chester Cathedral at 4:00pm (time tbc) on Saturday 10th October. If you would like to attend, please sign up on the sheet on the hall lobby noticeboard, also indicating whether you’d like to go by coach – if there are sufficient, we’ll hire one.
# Green Tips : Around 150 million tonnes of pieces of plastic are drifting in the world’s oceans; they’re estimated to cause the deaths of one million birds and 100,000 sea mammals p.a.
# Voluntary Site Manager : The Churchwardens and Vicar are looking to appoint a voluntary Site Manager to work with us to develop maintenance plans and a long-term development plan for the church site. Copies of a rôle description for the post on the letter rack. If you’d be interested contact Calum calum.piper@bramhall.church 0161 943 5535 or one of Churchwardens.
# Nomination forms for the PCC and the Deanery Synod are available from the Office office@bramhall.church 0161 439 3989 or from Tricia Munn 0161 439 3583 triciamunn@btinternet.com. Please return completed forms to either.
# Only at St Michael’s : You never know what you’ll find – or why it’s there: The Sacristan was inventorying the Vestries, and so rummaging in places rarely rummaged. Why, in a drawer in the safe, is there a tablet of cello bow rosin? Why locked away? Answers, as they say, on a postcard …
