Church Blog

Looking back to Christmas, and forward to the Passion; that is the feast of The Presentation of Christ in the Temple. The celebration ends with everyone gathering at the Font, singing old Simeon's song: "My own eyes have seen the salvation which you have prepared in the sight of every people; a light to lighten the nations, and the glory of your people Israel."

The two craftsmen brothers of Staples Woodcraft delivered their superb handiwork in time for Sunday 12 January 2014 when we dedicated this fine piece in memory of Hilda Forster who was an exemplary leader and dear friend among us. We all feel that it is a perfect and fitting memorial. Her name and dates are incribed into its table top, and at each end is carved an ammonite, the symbol of St Hilda of Whitby.

As you see, the cabinet is on casters so that prior to a main service it can be moved to the ideal position from which the sidespeople can welcome people and give them what they need for the service. Here's Maureen Dunn, a great friend of Hilda's, and in her latter years her main carer, very pleased that we at last have a public way of remembering someone who was so special among us.

The last day of work!

Carl Gilbert, Site Foreman had to test out the facilities with bacon butties for his workforce. The Rector and Churchwardens have been most impressed with STP Construction and the whole team.

More pics at 'progress reports'; scroll down to the end of that page.

Lots of careful prep, hard work, team work. Well done all players!

Superb array of prizes to the Grand Raffle, each one donated by a local Ryton Business. Our thanks to them, one and all!

Raised for Church Funds, a great £1,722.60. Good on all our customers!

Here's just a couple of stalls, and in the foreground a children's tombola where every ticket won. Cute or what!

52 Shoe Boxes!

Here's Hazel James with some of them, on their way to be checked and then shipped to eastern Europe and elsewhere as gifts for children who would otherwise be getting next to nothing for Christmas. We are up on last year's number. Well done one and all for the effort and the care taken. TJ.

Lyn Jamieson was quite overwhelmed with the response to her request for groceries, that fornight in October, to help kick-start a Foodbank distribution centre in the West of the Borough. Our gift weighed in at 155 KG. More than the foodstuffs, three of our members are in process of selection as volunteers with Foodbank.

While the need for this continues to exist, we as a church do well to play our part in meeting it. Watch this space for how we can take things forward, once we have use of our church again.

Remembrance.

Yesterday I led a crowd of people who gathered at the Ryton Village War Memorial on Station Bank. It was for prayers and the Act of Remembrance: “At the going down of the sun, and in the morning, we will remember them.”  Something very humbling about standing there, in the bright sunshine and the falling leaves from great ash trees, keeping silence in the presence of long lists of names on the bronze plaques all around that huge cross.

I feel we need imaginative ways of remembering together, for it to really work; for it to really do anything in our hearts and wills so that we will act differently, so that we will be people who in our own small ways make the world a better place.

This year there was plenty of imagination in putting together the Festival of Remembrance at the Albert Hall on Saturday night.

It’s un-cool, I guess, as a TV programme to watch, but wow it has some special moments. Go to Google or Utube for “The Poppy Girls Song” and listen to five daughters of parents serving in the Armed Forces, gorgeous voices, singing “The Call (No Need to Say Goodbye)”.  What a window it opened into the emotional cost to young people of their Dad or their Mum serving in challenging or dangerous places overseas.

Yeah we need to remember them all: the dead, and the living, the injured, the anxious, the exhausted, the lonely.

Here’s some more of the words we spoke in the sunshine under those Ash Trees on Sunday: After each time I say, “May God give peace”, you might join me in responding, “God give peace”.

For all members of the armed forces who are in danger this day, remembering family, friends and all who pray for their safe return;

may God give peace.

God give peace.

For civilian women, children and men whose lives are disfigured by war or terror, calling to mind in penitence the anger and hatreds of humanity; may God give peace.

God give peace.

Remembrance, of all sorts of things, can help us be, well, “whole-hearted.” Some of those remembrances are simple and delightful:  blowing out candles on your birthday cake and remembering the 16 or the 60 years you have lived;  giving flowers as a thank you or an ‘I love you’.  A friendly text to someone you’ve not seen in a while and who’s had a disappointment, so that person thinks, ‘Ah, she’s remembered me’.

For me as a Christian there’s a remembrance that really does help me know who I am before my God. In it I can even taste how much I am loved: it’s a simple meal, bread, wine, and giving of thanks, and the words of Jesus, “Do this in remembrance of me.”

A remembrance full of imagination.  It has the power to make people, as I say, ‘whole-hearted’; equipped to make the world a better place.

Everyone rolled up a little brown paper triangle on which we wrote our secret promise to God. Tied with fine brown wool in a bow, these did look like bees! Where else to deliver them but into the beehive beside the Font, symbol of our Baptismal promises.

Here Pam Bell and her grandson Alex visiting from the South have just placed theirs.

Jen Walker and the children of 'The Ark' are up to their tricks again! This time, for the winter, a bug hotel. And here it is. Let's see what little creatures may find it just the place for the winter months!

Tom Jamieson was very touched that the Church decided on a rather special gift for his recent 'significant' birthday: A beehive, very handsomely made of Western Red Cedar by 'Hive Maker' in Whitley Bay. It remains empty, while Tom trains for the task, beginning next early Spring all being well.

Mid September Tom had his first training, with members of Hexham Bee Keepers Association at their apiary near Wylam. Talk about hands on! The pic says it all. He found it such an awesome privilege to be involved in this Autumn check on the health of four hives. Amazingly also, to witness the emergence from one of the hives

of a virgin Queen, all being well

for her mating flight.

The church is delighted and inspired by the presenting of a new and so distinctive Icon of St Hilda, painted over recent months by Ioné Rippeth. We will so value this gift as an adornment to our worship and our sacred space.

Traditional in terms the central figure of Hilda, her robes and scroll, her halo and the background of gold. Distinctive and contemporary in the choice of the surrounding scenes forming the broad border: Holy Cross Church of which Hilda is patron, and then also St Hilda's Church so dear to many of our members, and the Abbey at Whitby where Hild led her community of nuns and monks in the seventh century; then delightful scenes which evoke the beauty of our own wooded churchyard with its remarkable wildlife, and the value given to natural things in the celtic expression of Christian Faith which Hilda and her contemporaries lived in ancient Northumbria.

From all of us, thank you Ioné!

Five members of our Youth Church made their public profession of faith, confirmed their Baptism, and received anointing and the laying on of hands from Bishop Mark at the Deanery Confirmation at St Nicholas Church, Dunston. From the left:

Ellena, Harry, Hannah, Daniel, Megan.

God bless them in their walk with Jesus! They are each a blessing to us.

Cousins,

Hannah and Harry.

Both posed the

really big questions

during our

preparation

course!

For Megan,

this journey began with

membership of

The Big Story

after school club

at Crookhill Primary

Ellena,

Daniel,

members at

Holy Cross

since baptism

as babies!

Both attend

Stella School

A glorious July Saturday, about 40 of us found Durham alive with brass bands. This group on Framwellgate Bridge were serious quality.

Everywhere glimpses about the Gospels, this one on Palace Green took my fancy as a clever business opportunity.

We asked Lyn, who is a Canon of Durham Cathedral, to book herself in to preside at the midday Eucharist we attended, moved to the High Altar on account of the numbers.

The meet on Palace Green for our group booking into the exhibition. Included are many ancient manuscripts including Cuthbert's own copy of St John's Gospel which he took on his missionary travels around Northumbria. That beautifully made little book is the oldest book in Europe still to have its original covers. Cuthbert's pectoral cross and his portable altar, and super audio visuals about his times and the reason for the long journey from Lindisfarne to Durham long after his death. The page of the Lindisfarne Gospels itself which was open for us to see was one similar to the one below, copied from the exhibition brochure. These pages are part of the index, and offer a cross referencing table between the contents of the four gospels. The tiny detail of the colour illustration everywhere is awesome, worked 1300 years ago.

Can you recognise the headings above the four columns as

'Matthew, Mark, Luke, John'?

A lazy afternoon tea at St John's College, and all smiles as people board the buses home.

Crookhill School

Big Story club

enjoyed stories of Cuthbert over three weeks, and concluded by having a go at 'illustrating' a page in the manner of the Lindisfarne Gospels, currently displayed in Durham.

Here's their work.

02.07.2013

Maureen and Maureen, hospitality team members for our Coffee Morning in aid of The People's Dispensary for Sick Animals, a low-cost vetenary service on Tyneside. But the kitchen! A dream to what we have lived with for years in the Parish Hall, and paid for entirely by grant giving trusts. So we are really pleased that its very first use was for a 'wider community' purpose.

One table of 'customers', from the right: Maureen and Ken, Judith and David, Emily and Graham. We had a good mix of our 'Thursday regulars' who attend Communion before having some refreshment together, and a good many others who came in support of the PDSA. Total raised £152.00, not bad.

27.06.2013

Cuthbert lived a long time ago, not very far from here!

Cuthbert was a teenager when he came really close to God.

It was during the night.

He was looking after sheep on a hillside, when he saw a strange light.

It was rising, slowly, from somewhere far away towards the sea.

It went up and up and seemed to join the stars.

A few days later, Cuthbert heard that the holy and gentle Bishop, Aidan,

had died during that night, at a town near the sea.

He said to himself, “God has allowed me to see the soul of a holy man rise to heaven”.

Right away, Cuthbert knew that God was calling him to become a monk. That way, he might learn to be holy too, and help other people become friends with God. He joined the monks of Melrose, which is a town in the Scottish borders. He joined in the daily prayers, the study of the Bible, and the work on the monks’ farm. Those were happy years, and Cuthbert grew into a very wise person full of the Spirit of God and the love of Jesus. 

During his stay there, Cuthbert got up and dressed one night, soon after everyone had lain down in their beds. One of the monks heard him, and got up too, to see if their visitor needed something. This monk watched as Cuthbert, wrapped in his cloak, opened the main door ever so quietly and slipped out into the night. He wondered where Cuthbert was going, so, very quietly, he followed him. He kept a good distance, and watched. Cuthbert went down to the beach. He spent some time looking up into the starry sky, his arms stretched out.

Was he praying? 

Then he flung his cloak onto the sand, and walked slowly, arms still stretched out, into the incoming waves. The watching monk was really worried!

But somehow he knew he must do nothing and stay still. Cuthbert waded out until the water was at his chest, and there he stayed, occasionally letting his arms drop into the sea. There seemed to be music on the air as well as the swish of the water at the shore. Was Cuthbert singing? The hours went on. Surely, Cuthbert was freezing! Yet he seemed to be, well, glowing with joy in the moonlight. So strange. 

Just a year after the children of The Ark and Young Church planted this Golden Acer, to mark the diamond jubilee of Queen Elizabeth II, it's looking really well! So distinctive too; fine choice of species, Diana. Thank you.

These photos were taken on the day of the 60th anniversary of the Coronation; appropriate! After Parish Communion, some of our Young Church members posed with it.

DAY

OF

PENTECOST

19 May 2013

Seven of us joined the cast of fifteen presenting

"TO BE WITH YOU FOR EVER"

a dramatic reading for Pentecost.

It was a Churches Together in Ryton event. We rose to the challenge of representing the praise of God in many languages, first by singing in round - Jubilate Deo, Alleluia, and then in pairs declaring this fabulous prayer by Jan Berry, a woman's voice beginning and then a man's voice joining in a line behind; a wonderful cacophony! For the fourth stanza we all of us proclaimed it out of sinc; even more cacophony!

But what a prayer:

Your Christian Aid Collector is out of action! I’ve valued your support over the years, but his Christian Aid Week I can’t do my round! Ripped my calf muscle! Can I ask for your support for Christian Aid nonetheless? NO-ONE will collect from you door but, please, drop off your completed envelope at

EITHER          20 Silvermere Drive

OR                5 Dunlin Close.

My trusted friends there will get your gift to me and thus to Christian Aid. OR you could do as suggested on the envelope itself.

THANK YOU.                   Tom.

 

Help me love you as you love me.

Help me Father to be as patient and forgiving as you are with me.

Thank you Lord for bringing me back to your love.

Like the lost son guide my footsteps back to you. Amen.

Thank you for all the new beginnings.

I hope this foot will lead me to God.

ASH

on a 

WEDNESDAY

Here's the old can which comes out once a year, filled with ripped up palm crosses and prayer leaves, put on a mini bonfire ...

and all to be smudged onto our foreheads later:

"Remember that you are dust, and to dust you shall return; turn away from sin, and be faithful to Christ."

14.02.2013