PARISH MAGAZINE JULY 2020

THE PARISH OF ST PETER & ST LEONARD, HORBURY with ST JOHN, HORBURY BRIDGE

Registered Charity No 1147711

www.horburychurch.com

The Parish of St. Peter & St. Leonard, Horbury with St. John, Horbury Bridge

www.horburychurch.com

Our Christian Vision

To worship God, Father, Son and Holy Spirit, through regular attendance at Mass and Worship and Daily Personal Prayer.

To strive together to nurture a strong, welcoming and inclusive Christian community, whose values are underpinned by the teaching of our Lord Jesus Christ.

To encourage Christian Discipleship through regular Bible Study, Preaching and Teaching for everyone.

To reach out to the local community, by recognising and pledging our individual skills and talents.

To act as sensitive stewards of the resources we have, so that God’s work can continue to develop and meet the changing needs of our parishioners

PARISH PRIEST: Father Christopher Johnson

St. Peter’s Vicarage Northgate

Horbury Wakefield WF4 6AS

01924 576745 e-mail fr.christopher.johnson@gmail.com

READER: ORGANIST & DIRECTOR OF MUSIC Mr. Mark Naylor Mr. Stephen Parker FGMS FMCM 9 Victoria Terrace 1 Eastwood Terrace Horbury Bridge Ossett Wakefield WF4 5PQ WF5 9LQ 01924 271944 07780 502756

CHURCHWARDENS: Mrs. Mavis Walsh Mrs. Valerie Crowther 55 Jenkin Road 62 Water Lane Horbury Middlestown Wakefield WF4 6DP Wakefield WF4 4PY 01924 271710 01924 568722

View from the Vicarage

One of the films I used to enjoy watching as a child was Disney’s Hook, starring Robin Williams. The film was based, of course, on the 1904 play and 1911 novel Peter Pan; or, the Boy Who Wouldn’t Grow Up, written by JM Barrie. Both the play and novel, and the various adaptations over the years, tell the story of Peter Pan, a mischievous yet innocent little boy who can fly, and has many adventures on the island of

Neverland, which is inhabited by all sorts of strange creatures such as mermaids, fairies, pirates, and the famous crocodile, who ends up eating Captain Hook. Neverland is an island of make-believe or fantasy, where those who visit famously do not grow up. In common parlance the name has become a metaphor for eternal childhood, immortality and escapism; an image of a dreamy future which simply maintains the seemingly-idyllic present. I was remembering Neverland this past week, as our churches threw open their doors, and as the Prime Minister announced a further easing of restrictions concerning our present state – more of which in due course – but the question I was pondering was this: are we living in our own Neverland? Now that might seem an abhorrent suggestion, given that none of us chose to be – or particularly like being – confined to our homes. And yet for many people, the present is regarded as safe and secure, and so actually may be something we would, deep-down, like to perpetuate. The future, by contrast, is much more uncertain, and so may be something, I suspect, that when it comes down to it, many people would actually prefer to defer, or never even inhabit. Perhaps imbued with fear, many people in various walks of life actually seem to want to maintain our present status quo than venture into the dark unknown. Avoiding potential difficulty is of course a very natural reaction, but I ask the question again: does it actually suggest we are living in our own Neverland, our own place of security, where we wish to stay, and from where we do not want to face our future?

To me, the key to answering this is to use our cold, hard reason. We need to ask ourselves: is it reasonable to remain in our cocooned state, simply because it is secure? Now for some people, employing their reason would suggest that, at the present, it is: I think of those who are ‘shielding’, perhaps, who have been told to remain indoors and apart, for that little bit longer. But what about others amongst us? What would a reasonable response be, given the facts as we know them? This is something on which we each have to reflect individually, given our health, vulnerabilities and responsibilities, but employing reason will help us to overcome the fear which has been deliberately instilled within us over the past few months, and is being perpetuated by the media, who – let’s not forget – make their money by causing a frenzy. Are you, then, trapped in your own Neverland, a place where you feel you can remain secure, and live for ever in a dreamy, risk-free existence? Because of course the reality is that life is full of risks, whether we stay at home or venture out, and they cannot be mitigated completely. And just how idyllic is the present? That separation we have from others? Would we not in some ways prefer to take the risk of seeing our loved ones again, of getting back to some form of normality? (You will note I write this not to encourage flippancy in any respect, but reasonableness in every respect.) Turning to the Scriptures, St Paul reminded us that on earth we ‘have no lasting city’ (Hebrews 13.14). In other words, this place we inhabit now can never be a Neverland. Rather, the only place that gives us the security we deeply, deeply desire, is the City of God, the ‘city which is to come’, where, as St John tells us, the Lord ‘will wipe away every tear from their eyes, and death shall be no more, neither shall there be mourning nor crying nor pain any more, for the former things have passed away’ (Revelation 21.4). Until then, we remain but ‘strangers and exiles’, as the author of the letter to the Hebrews continues. Speaking of Abraham and others who set out on journeys which involved going into the unknown, he writes: These all died in faith, not having received what was promised, but having seen it and greeted it from afar, and having acknowledged that they were strangers and exiles on the earth. For people who speak thus make it clear that they are seeking a homeland. If they had been thinking of that land from which they had gone out, they would have had opportunity to return. But as it is, they desire a better country, that is, a heavenly one.

Therefore God is not ashamed to be called their God, for he has prepared for them a city. The concept of a Neverland worked for JM Barrie and his readers, because it is a symbol to which we can all relate – a ‘Jungian archetype’ I think the psychologists call it. But Neverlands do not exist, and the security they promise can only be realized in the kingdom to which we know we are making our way. May we then journey on our heaven-ward road, conscious that our behaviour mustn’t be determined by any Neverland, which doesn’t exist, or the fear which is the blood running through its veins, but by reason, which is our God-given capacity to assess the world around us, and by faith – faith in the God who gave it to us. With my love and prayers,

Fr Christopher

A big thank you to everyone who is taking part in the daily wiping down of our churches. Helping to keep us all safe. It would be helpful to have two more volunteers to share the special cleaning. Please get in touch with Fr Christopher if you are willing to be on the rota.

A return to church The light at the end of the tunnel shines brighter, St Peter’s and St John’s churches have reopened, albeit for private prayer at the moment, God willing it will not be long before services resume and we can partake in public worship and, at long last, receive the Lord sacramentally. From a personal point of view, being able to return to church and pray to our Lord, especially in the presence of the Blessed Sacrament, has felt like a new beginning, a renewal if you like, to light candles and offer prayers before the statue Our Lady. Yes, I have prayed at home, as I always do and have fully utilised the aids so kindly supplied online by Fr Christopher, the Order of Mass, weekly readings, pew sheet etc. However, in offering up my prayers in the cool and tranquil surroundings of St Peter’s, away from the inevitable distractions that occur within the home environment, I have felt a closeness to the Father and a peace not experienced for some months. At this point I want to say a big thank you on behalf of us all to Fr Christopher, for his constant prayers and efforts to keep us all together as a congregation, even though we could not physically meet; also his regular celebration of Mass in circumstances that, at times, must have seemed almost surreal. Hopefully the time is now not far off when we can again worship fully together and praise be to God for that!

Neil Cudworth Of your mystical supper, O Son of God, receive me today as a communicant; for I will not speak of the Mysteries to your enemies, nor will I give you a kiss as Judas did, but like the thief I now acknowledge you: Jesus, remember me in your Kingdom. St John Chrysostom

Guess where it is? Quiz

There have been quite a lot of festivals which we have not been able to celebrate this year: the latest being that of our patron saint - Peter.

To help make up (in a little way) for the lack of our usual Thanksgiving Mass, and the celebratory drinks afterwards, here is a quiz which has been adapted from the Church Explorers Weekend. We hope you enjoy trying to remember just where these very familiar symbols are.

Whose keys are these?

Who is this?

And who is this?

There are a lot more keys around - where can you see these?

Which Saint is depicted in this window?

Which Saints are these two places named after?

Who can you find on these vases and what language is written on them?

Its summer time and normally we would have been watching the tennis at Wimbledon (even if only on the TV) and enjoying strawberries and cream. We can still enjoy strawberries: and the warm dry spring weather has produced some high class strawberries, an excellent source of vitamin C and K. If you want to try something a little different whilst the fruit is at its best . . . . . . . . . . to make this you will need an Angel Cake Tin and perhaps quite lot of time on your hands!

Angel cake with meringue icing and strawberry ganache Ingredients 480g egg whites 400g white caster sugar 2 tbsp lemon juice 1 tsp vanilla extract 140g plain white flour, sifted twice

For the meringue icing 2 large egg whites 225g white caster sugar splash of vanila extract pinch cream of tartar

For the strawberry ganache 100g white chocolate 50ml double cream 50g strawberries chopped red food colouring

To decorate 250g strawberries quartered or sliced

Optional decorations 2-3 white or pink macarons, mini meringues, edible flowers and freeze-dried strawberries

Method Heat oven to 180C/160C fan/gas 4. Put the egg whites and sugar in a stand mixer and begin to beat on a low speed for a few mins, turn the mixer up and wait another couple of mins before adding the lemon juice, vanilla and a pinch of salt. Turn the mixer up again and whisk on high until you have a thick, soft, shiny meringue with a peak that flops over. Fold in the flour with a spatula until there are no lumps left, then scrape the mixture into a 25cm angel cake tin. Bake for 40-45 mins or until the cake is puffed and lightly browned and a skewer comes out clean. Turn the tin upside down – if it doesn’t have its own legs, then invert it onto four water glasses or tins of food exactly the same size. Leave to cool completely. Run a palette knife around the tin to loosen the cake and gently let it drop out, then set aside on a board or cake stand. To make the meringue icing, put the egg whites, sugar, vanilla, pinch of cream of tartar and 100ml water in a large heatproof bowl set over a pan of simmering water and beat it on high speed with an electric whisk for 15 mins or until thick and shiny and standing up in stiff peaks. Ice the cake straight away as the icing will stiffen as it sets. Spread over using a palette knife or use a piping bag to pipe on swirls.

Put the iced cake in the fridge while you make the strawberry ganache. Put the white chocolate in a small heatproof bowl and set aside. Put the cream and strawberries in a saucepan over a medium heat and cook, stirring all the time, until the strawberries have broken down and the cream starts to simmer. Quickly pour the hot cream mixture over the white chocolate and leave it, without stirring, for 1 min, then add the food colouring and mix until smooth. Push through a sieve into a jug (to get rid of the strawberry seeds) then, while it’s still runny, pour it over the top of the cake and let it drizzle down the sides. Put the cake back in the fridge for 10-20 mins to set. Just before serving (particularly if it’s a hot day), top with the strawberries and your choice of decorations.

Recipe from Good Food magazine, July 2017

Going Down Coxley During lockdown many of us have been taking our daily exercise by setting out on foot from our homes and following our noses - some further than others! Many of us have discovered some lovely surprises on our walks: places we never knew existed. I went for a walk through Coxley Valley. It is an old favourite of mine and a great many of you reading this will also count it as a place to be treasured. It must be about four years since I was last 'down Coxley' and I'd forgotten just how lovely it is. We are lucky to have this little gem of ancient woodland on our doorstep. There are three woods running through the valley between Horbury Bridge, Netherton and Middlestown. Coxley Wood runs along the bottom of the valley where the beck provides a natural playground for children (of all ages). Perkin Wood is where the land rises towards Netherton and at the high point of Midgley is Stoney Cliffe Wood, managed as a nature reserve by the Yorkshire Wildlife Trust. In spring, walkers are treated to the sight and smells of bluebells and wild garlic: both plants indicators of old woodland. When I walked through the woods the bluebells and garlic flowers had disappeared but there was plenty of mud to be seen. I had forgotten just how muddy Coxley gets after heavy rain! Good walking shoes are a must. Generations have prized Coxley as a place of recreation. My own parents spoke fondly of how beautiful the place was when they were children. It was lovelier then apparently! On sunny Sunday afternoons they would take me and my brothers walking there and, if we were lucky, we would call at the transport cafe (now the Capri Restaurant) for an ice cream soda and sixpence to put in the juke box. Just enough time to rest our legs before we set off home up Quarry Hill. Local artist Richard Bell has published a booklet about Coxley Valley and in his introduction he writes "Welcome to Coxley Valley, with its twelve miles of public access paths, celebrated as a beauty spot since Victorian days". He tells of the scheme in the 1870's to turn part of the valley into Pleasure Gardens with all kinds of attractions to be had. This grand plan ran into problems and was never properly completed.

Mavis

If you haven't already got one, copies of Richard's booklet, which is full of his sketches and information on the wildlife and history of the place, can be obtained from willowisland.co.uk. If you want to stay nearer to home there is also Richard's booklet 'Walks around Horbury'. Five circular walks all starting from St Peter's Church and full of interesting things to look out for.

JULY 5th July - 14th Sunday in Ordinary Time 1st Reading - Zecharian 9.9-10 Psalm - 145.1-2, 8-12a, 13b-14 2nd Reading - Romans 8.9, 11-13 Gospel - Matthew 11.25-30 12th July - 15th Sunday in Ordinary Time 1st Reading - Isaiah 55.10-11 Psalm - 65.9-13 2nd Reading - Romans 8.18-23 Gospel - Matthew 13.1-23 19th July - 16th Sunday in Ordinary Time 1st Reading - Wisdom 12.13, 16-19 Psalm - 86.5-6, 9-10, 15-16 2nd Reading - Romans 8.26-27 Gospel - Matthew 13.24-43 26th July - 17th Sunday in Ordinary Time 1st Reading - I Kings 3.5, 7-12 Psalm - 57, 72, 76-77, 127-130 2nd Reading - Romans 8.28-30 Gospel - Matthew 13.44-52

A John Brinsmead upright piano in good condition free to a good home

Would suit anyone wanting to learn

please contact Nancy