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50p June and July 2017

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St. Thomas’ Church, Wednesfield Church News

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St Thomas’ Church News June and July 2017

St Thomas’ Church, Wednesfield In the Wednesfield Team Ministry

Sundays Weekday communion services 8.00 am Holy Communion Wednesdays: 10.00 am 10.15 am Family Eucharist Fridays: 10.00 am (with Junior Church and Tots Church) 6.30 pm Evening Worship Baptism: Sunday afternoon, monthly

Clergy

For enquiries relating to St Thomas’ please contact: Team Rector: Rev’d Nick Watson 01902 731462 Wednesfield Rectory, 9 Vicarage Road E-mail: [email protected] Curate: Rev’d Ness Tobin E-mail: [email protected] 07854 773432 For enquiries relating to St Alban’s please contact: Team Vicar: Rev’d Sam Leach 01902 732317 St. Alban’s Vicarage, Griffiths Drive, Ashmore Park E-mail: [email protected]

Officers

District Wardens: Mrs Sue Vaughan 01902 839470 Mr Clive Postle 01902 733169

Parish Wardens: Mrs Jill Ellson Mr Terry Braithwaite Organist and Choirmistress: Mrs Gillian Edwards 01902 783264 Parish Office: St. Thomas’ Church 01902 723310 Secretary: Margaret Walker E-mail: [email protected] The office is normally staffed 9am-12noon on Monday, Wednesday and Thursday Requests for Baptisms and Marriage at St Thomas’ – please come to St. Thomas’ Church at 6.30pm on a Friday evening or telephone Reverend Nick Watson on 01902 731462. Do you have an article for the magazine? Or any ideas of what you would like to see included? If so please have a word with Joanna Watson at Church, leave articles in the parish office, or email them to [email protected].

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Cover photo by Lizzie Watson

mailto:[email protected]



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I’m writing a few days after the murder of 22 people and the injury of many more at a concert in Manchester on Monday 22 May. In the days since, I’ve prayed with many people, and a number of people have spoken to me about their struggle to comprehend how someone could come to even think of, let alone carry out, a senseless atrocity like this. At least one has spoken of the difficulty in holding on to faith in the light – or the shadow – of this.

It’s important, of course, to keep a global perspective. In April, 68 children were among the 127 killed when a refugee convoy was attacked in Syria. Earlier today (Friday 26 May) a bus of Coptic Christian pilgrims was attacked in Egypt, killing at least 28 people in the latest in a series of attacks on Egypt’s native Christian

minority. In all of these attacks, the group calling itself ISIS has claimed responsibility. There are many parts of the world suffering daily in conflict and oppression.

Still, it’s part of human nature that we are hit harder by atrocities closer to home. Most of us can’t imagine being in a refugee convoy in Syria. We can imagine us or those we love being in an arena concert, enjoying a night out. While we must keep the ‘big picture’ in mind, it’s alright to be affected more immediately by horror closer to home.

Believing in real human nature

It’s hard to imagine how someone could knowingly detonate a bomb which would kill him and those around him – especially when so many were children and teenagers. It should be hard. If we could think ourselves too easily into understanding, then perhaps we should worry about our own mental state.

It’s easy to go from horrified not-understanding to despair or fear. We talk about ‘losing our faith in human nature’. But human nature has always (ever since Genesis chapter 3) been a mixed bag. We are made (all of us) in God’s image, with the capacity for love, creativity, wisdom and all that is good. In principle, any of us could be like Jesus, though none of us manage it for more than a minute or so. But that image is flawed, distorted by the desire to have our own way whatever that means for God or those around us.

A few people, often for complex reasons, turn to evil. And too often down the centuries religions (ours as well as others) have been used as an excuse and a fuel for evil actions which have nothing to do with the way that different faiths seek and know God. We do all have potential for great evil. But most of us choose otherwise. In terms of human nature, the darkness of one murderer’s heart has to be weighed against the light of the people of Manchester in their response: taxis queuing up to get people home free of charge; hotels and private homes opening spare rooms to those stranded; the heroic work of the emergency and medical services.

Stephen Jones was sleeping rough near the arena when the bomb exploded. He went to help those who were hurt, some with horrific injuries. Interviewed, he said, ‘'People are saying I'm a hero, but I'm not - I'm just a person.’ We cannot let our ideas of human nature be defined more by the actions of Salman Abedi than by those of Stephen Jones.

Answering hate with love

Part of me doesn’t want to use the name of Salman Abedi. He probably hoped that he would be notorious, famous as a figure of heroism to a warped few and of evil to many. I would rather his name was forgotten. But he was a person too. And his actions are those of one person with a name (and of those who helped him), not of any general category of faceless ‘them’.

ISIS and those who share their views want more than anything to manufacture a great divide between ‘us’ and ‘them’ – to split the world into two sides who must fight to the finish. We don’t have to play their game. If we do play their game, then we’re playing by their rules, and they cheat anyway.

We will beat the extremists partly by refusing to let fear or hatred limit our lives. ‘Keep calm and carry on’ does have some wisdom to it as well as looking good on mugs. But more importantly, we will beat the extremists by refusing to build the walls of suspicion and fear which they want us to put up. The murders committed by Salman Abedi were not the action of ‘Muslims’ any more than the murders committed by Anders Breivik in 2011 were the action of ‘Christians’ – and let’s not forget that’s what he called himself.

When a city responds to horror with acts of kindness and generosity; when we respond to someone ‘different’ with love and the will to understand and learn – then the hate-fuelled terrorists lose.

Love wins.

The Rev’d Nick Watson

Letter from the Rector

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Prayer Breakfast Join us for tea or coffee and toast on the first Saturday of every month, followed by a short time of prayer for our Church and our community. Breakfast from 9am in the St Thomas Room, meet for prayer 9.30-10.00 in the St Gregory chapel at the back of church. Everyone is welcome.

Saturday 3rd June - Saturday 1st July - Saturday 5th August

Start! is a series of four sessions to watch a DVD together and think about life as a journey, about God, and how it all fits together.

Whether you’re new to the church, preparing for a baptism, getting married or would just like to find out more, you’ll find it a great, relaxed way to think through the basics of what Christian faith can mean to you and how it can help in your life.

There’s no charge, and no commitment to take faith any further.

The sessions are on Thursdays at 7.30pm in the St Thomas Centre:

15 June Life is for living 22 June God - is he real and what’s he like? 29 June Jesus - who was he and who is he? 6 July Onward - where do we go from here?

We hope you will be able to join us at these sessions - and you are very

welcome to bring a relative or friend if you would like to! If you’d like to book a

place or to know more, please call me on 01902 731462 or email me on

[email protected].

Rev’d Nick Watson

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From the Church Councils

Annual Meetings – election results!

After the elections held at the District and Parish General Meetings, the lay membership of PCC and DCC representing St Thomas’ is as follows. All Wardens and Synod members are automatically members of the PCC; all PCC members are also members of the DCC.

Parish Warden Jill Ellson

District Wardens Clive Postle Susan Vaughan

Deanery Synod Reps Philip Douglas Clive Postle Christopher Hope

PCC members Edna Critchlow Roger Poole Margaret Shelley Edwin Simpson Linda Storr Norma Thompson

DCC members Anita Dance Gillian Edwards David Glover Veronica Griffiths Jenny Hickman Stuart Lister Janet Postle Jayne Rogers

District Church Council (DCC)

The DCC met on 26 March to approve the accounts at its last meeting before the Annual Meeting. After the Annual Meeting we met on 9 May.

Our main discussion was again about our Mission Action Plan, reviewing progress and looking into the next year – see the article on p.8

We reviewed the church’s financial position, and resolved that income from legacies should normally be spent only after a decision of the DCC, or in emergencies the Standing Committee.

We began our discussion and review of the new draft Health and Safety Policy.

We discussed work needed on the roof and guttering of the church – not exciting, but necessary!

In reviewing the meeting, we agreed that there was a need for more clarity over the committees which work on behalf of the DCC, and that future meetings should start at 7pm rather than 7.30pm

The next meeting is on Tuesday 11 July, at 7pm.

Parochial Church Council (PCC)

The PCC met on 23 March to approve the accounts at its last meeting before the Annual Meeting.

We also agreed a pattern for the distribution of fees between the DCCs and discussed the best plan for regular contributions to our share payments to the Diocesan Board of Finance.

The PCC will meet on Tuesday 13 June.

Thank you to Kathryn and to Norma!

At the Annual Meetings, two long-serving wardens handed over their roles.

Kathryn Godwin has served as Parish Warden, bringing her enthusiasm, insight and hard work to the role of Parish Warden, and in particular taking a key part in appointments of clergy. As we thank Kathryn for her work as warden, we remain grateful for all she gives to other areas of church life, including serving and reading but above all through our Junior Church.

Norma Thompson has given service beyond measure to St Thomas’ over her years as District Warden. We are immensely grateful for this, and for the many other non-warden-related ways in which she has served and will continue to serve God and the church here.

Thank you to both Kathryn and Norma, for all you have done and continue to do!


Wardens Jill, Clive and Sue with Archdeacon Sue at the Visitation Service where they were commissioned

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Would you like to advertise in this space?

This magazine is distributed

throughout Wednesfield and also available to buy in Church.

For more details of terms and rates please contact Margaret Carroll on 01902 732092 or email

[email protected]

A new School Prayer for St Thomas’ Primary School In May I had the chance to work with Mr Edmunds, the Head of School at St Thomas’, and six creative pupils from years 5 and 6, to write a school prayer which we’ll use in worship. I was impressed by the way the pupils worked – finding ideas and thinking of phrases, making sure that the final prayer flowed and had a good rhythm. Even more, I was impressed by the way that the pupils made sure that everyone was listened to and had a chance to contribute their ideas. The new prayer is in the box at the side of this article, but there were other suggestions and phrases which I thought were well worth sharing too!

Thanks to Ruby Forrest, Richard Beckles, Yara Agha, Noah Bunsie, Kavin Balakrishnan and Nia James for all their hard work!

Rev’d Nick Watson

Our Father, we join our hands together to pray, and thank you Lord for our school day.

Help us to grow, learn and shine with love, enjoying together your peace from above.

Help us forgive, and do our best, through Jesus Christ, forever blessed.

Amen.

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We’ve got a great selection of promises to bid for at our auction, with all proceeds going

to maintaining St Thomas’ Church. Here are just a few examples:

Watch Midlands Today live at the BBC Birmingham studios

A bouquet of mixed flowers

An hour of dance tuition for an individual or group

Homemade cake, made just for you

Take a trip to the races at Wolverhampton Racecourse

We are still interested in more promises, so if you could offer something - cooking a meal,

a few hours ironing or dog-walking for example - then please let us know!

Doors open, tea and coffee served 5.30pm

Auction commences 6.00pm

Sandwiches and cakes will be served during the break.

Sealed bids are welcome if you’d like to bid but are unable to attend on the evening - a

full list of lots will be available before the evening.

With thanks to

For more information please

call 01902 731462.

Professional auctioneer Ellie Hill, from Biddle and Webb Auctioneers and Valuers, will be overseeing proceedings of our...

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Growing deeper into God – together Last year we set a priority for church to grow in numbers of people involved and taking part in worship, and we’re delighted that this has begun to happen! We always knew that this kind of growth is only one part of growing as a healthy church, and so now we’re moving into the second stage, focussing on growing in depth of our relationship with God – as a church and as individual disciples.

The DCC has started to look at our Mission Action Plan (MAP), the set of priorities we’re asked to work towards each year. Some of the things we started last year are now well-enough done or at least firmly begun that we can take them off the list. That doesn’t mean they’re finished! Those we’re ‘ticking off’ are…

Our High Street outreach team is now up and running (see Phil Douglas for details!)

We’ve held our first ‘Godparents’ Sunday’ service and will build on this next year

Keeping better track of who’s attending worship and who might be ill

Looking into developing ‘Café church’ worship

Making our service books more accessible to people with sight problems and to visitors

Extending the range of songs and hymns we use in worship

Building up the Sunday morning ‘welcome’ team

Preaching and teaching on ‘inviting to faith’

Using ‘Back to Church’ invitation ideas through the autumn and winter

That leaves still on the agenda from last time...

Improving our preparation and follow-up around baptisms

Reviewing and clarifying the roles and aims of all church activities, groups and officers

Using more visual media in worship

Building up our Sunday evening worship

Following up better when people aren’t at church for a while

Looking again at the recommendations of ‘Everybody Welcome’

What next? With some things still to do from last time, we’re going to limit ourselves to three new areas for 2017-18, and to a maximum of two things to work on in each! The aim in all of them is the same – to help us to grow in spiritual depth. We’re looking for the best ideas to help us do that through:

• Our time together on Sundays

• Midweek groups and services where we come together

• Individual resources to help us grow through the week day by day at home and work

The DCC came up with a few suggestions for each of these areas – what can you add to the list?

Sundays • More use of Audiovisual material in the ‘sermon slot’

• Shortened sermons with reflective prayer

• Explain the readings which aren’t used in the sermons

• Sermon series with follow-on notes

• More hymns after 572 (i.e. from the new supplement at the back of the hymnbook!)

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Midweek groups and services • A more relaxed, less formal form of worship with modern music

• Discussion groups with topics from news or current events

• A ‘Community of St Chad’ group to help us pray together

• More activities for younger people

• ‘Faith on the frontline’ group looking at faith worked out in daily work and life

• Groups that are less clergy led and more fun

• Open door coffee morning

Resources for Individuals • Something like the Advent challenge online – choosing one thing from a possible three choices to do

each day; a reading, a prayer or something more practical

• Simple weekly prayers for people to take home

• Adding ideas for weekly thoughts, prayers and actions to the pewsheet

• Provide family prayers for mealtimes

• Encourage people to make more use of online resources already available

• Have a mentor who can discuss questions

• Make more use of Facebook entries

What do you think?

What would help you to grow in depth as a follower of Jesus? How would you like your life as a Christian to be different, and how can church help you?

There’ll be leaflets in church with this article and a chance to respond over the next few weeks, or email Nick on [email protected] with any ideas, thoughts or comments.

Thank you!

Do you love TV Game Shows and board games? Why not join us in the St Thomas

Centre as we play some of our favourites - with a

Wednesfield twist!

£2 adults, children free Bring your own drinks!


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After Pentecost – A Very Brief History of the Church! This could have the subtitle ‘What the Holy Spirit did next’! Pentecost (4 June this year), the day when the Holy Spirit came to Jesus’ disciples, is often called the ‘birthday of the church’. While the first century is a key and exciting time for the church’s history, the Holy Spirit didn’t stop speaking when the apostles died. So what’s been happening since? This time we’ll go up to the end of the first century. Next time we’ll carry on with the next chapter...

The Book of Acts – Luke volume 2

The Book of the Acts of the Apostles is the second volume of St Luke’s account of what God did in Jesus and by the Holy Spirit in the years that followed. It starts with the Ascension and Pentecost, and tells the story of how the Christian faith began to spread. Key milestones include:

• Pentecost – symbolically, the apostles speak in language all can understand, a sign that their message of God’s love and kingdom is now for the whole of humanity (2:1-13)

• The church begins to grow in Jerusalem, and its life takes shape around the apostles’ teaching, support for one another, holy communion and prayer. (2:37-47)

• Saul, a Pharisee, tries to stamp out this new way of faith (8:1-3) but meets Jesus in a vision himself (9:1-31) and becomes one of the greatest champions of ‘The Way’ as Christianity was first known. He becomes better known as Paul.

• Peter is convinced by God that people can be followers of Jesus without being Jewish – a huge change in the way the first Christians thought! (10:1-48)

• From Chapter 13 onwards, the focus is on Paul’s journeys, spreading the good news throughout the Roman Empire. Many Bibles have maps showing the various journeys he made. Paul led the Westward expansion of Christian faith which led eventually to the centre of Christian faith moving from Jerusalem to Constantinople and Rome. Along the way (15:1-35) the church in Jerusalem gave blessing to this new, wider faith.

• The book of Acts ends with Paul preaching while under house arrest in Rome. We believe that he and Peter both died there under the tyranny of Nero, probably in AD 65 – but this is beyond the book of Acts itself.

What else was happening?

Paul

Well, for a start, Paul was writing letters to keep in touch with the churches he’d started on his travels. Some of them survive today, and the section of the New Testament from Romans to Philemon is made up of letters which are, at least traditionally, believed to have been written by Paul. (We’re more confident that he wrote some than others, but they all carry weight as part of the Bible!) Some older bibles will suggest that Paul also wrote the letter to the Hebrews, but we’re now confident that he didn’t (the language and ideas are very different from his).

Thomas and others

Acts follows the spread of faith north and west with Paul. But we have hints of faith travelling down into Africa (8:26-40) and we believe that Thomas travelled east into India (see the article in the June 2016 issue!), while some of the apostles remained in Jerusalem and built a strong, mainly Jewish church there until…

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Jerusalem was destroyed

In AD 66 the last and most successful of a series of Jewish rebellions against Rome was crushed, and the city of Jerusalem, with its great Temple, was demolished. The church based there was scattered along with the rest of the local population, and Christianity was set firmly on the path of being a faith most popular among non-Jews. It does seem that a small, mainly Jewish Christian, church led by relatives of Jesus survived in nearby villages until about AD 135, when it was scattered along with all the remaining Jewish population by the emperor Hadrian.

The New Testament is written – sort of!

The writings which we now know as the New Testament were all written during this first century of the Christian era, but they weren’t collected together until later – more of that next time! They were widely read and copied out, and because these letters and writings were seen to reflect the apostles’ teaching, they held authority for the church.

As those who’d been with Jesus in person began to be killed, St Mark (Peter’s secretary) wrote down the most important events and sayings of Jesus’ life in about AD 60-65. St Matthew and St Luke expanded his gospel with extra material, and then later (about AD 90?) the apostle John wrote his gospel to draw out the significance of Jesus’ life.

There were other writings which had a big influence. They’re not (whatever Dan Brown says!) secret or forbidden, and some are quite interesting (if heavy going). The most important are a set of Syrian church rules called the Didache (which means ‘teaching’) which help fill in the picture of church life outside the New Testament. Probably a little later is ‘The Shepherd’ by Hermas, full of teaching about moral life and forgiveness.

What was the church like in 100AD?

The book of Acts shows one side of church life, and we tend to assume that the picture was the same everywhere. In fact, the hints we get from other writings and even within the New Testament (especially Paul’s letters) suggest that there was a lot more variety than we might think, with no overall ‘control’ or single authority who could insist that everyone should believe or act the same.

The church had spread throughout the Mediterranean, with some reach into Africa and India as well. Wherever the good news of Jesus was proclaimed, people began to find new freedom and hope. The Holy Spirit was definitely at work!


The oldest known papyrus fragment of a New Testament text (part of John’s gospel) from the beginning of the second century

Are you going out for the day this Sunday? Are you at work on Sunday morning, or have you slept in?

Or do you just feel like trying a different way of worship?

Most of us worship at the 10.15am service on Sundays, and for most of us that works well - most weeks.

But especially during the summer, many of us have patterns of work or family life that make it hard to get to church at the same time every week. But that doesn’t mean we can’t worship together! There are services at other times of the week as well - they’re all quite different, and one will probably suit you!

The smallest congregations and quietest services, which are (almost always) communion, are at 8am on Sunday and 10am on Friday. The service lasts about 30 minutes.

There’s a similar service at 10am on Wednesday, with a larger and very friendly congregation!

Sunday evening worship is at 6.30pm, and it varies a lot in its style. The calendar in the middle pages of this magazine will let you know what’s happening on any given Sunday, or call Nick for more details if you’re not sure what would suit you!

So if you can’t get to church on a Sunday morning at 10.15am don’t give up - try something new and see if it helps you to worship in a new way, or at least to meet some new members of the St Thomas’ family!

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Rediscovered: St Thomas’ archbishop

Recently, builders renovating the Garden Museum housed at the

deconsecrated church of St Mary-at-Lambeth, next to Lambeth

Palace, accidentally discovered a hidden crypt in which were

thirty coffins, five of them containing former Archbishops of

Canterbury. One of these is thought to be that of Dr Frederick

Cornwallis, archbishop from 1768 to 1783.

Before becoming primate, Cornwallis was Bishop of Lichfield and

Coventry (a single diocese in those days) in which capacity he

came to Wednesfield in 1750 to consecrate the newly-built

church of St Thomas’.

Some writers of church history have dismissed him for his

complaisance, which, it is suggested, encouraged the spread of

Evangelical thought and led to the Oxford Movement. But a more

sympathetic character study would highlight his firm efforts to

support and find livings for clergy exiled from the thirteen colonies

as a result of our war with America. He gave £100 to a fund for

the rebuilding of churches in Barbados – by far the highest

individual subscription. And he was deeply concerned for public

morality, opposing the theatres and taverns alike for encouraging

idleness among the labouring classes.

In his rise within the Church he was perhaps helped by his aristocratic connections. His father was the 4th

baron Cornwallis, his mother the Earl of Arran’s daughter, and his twin brother Lieutenant Governor of

Nova Scotia and Gibraltar.

He was a man of great courtesy, particularly towards his diocesan clergy, and was described by Horace

Walpole as “a quiet, amiable, good sort of man” and by John Nichols in Literary Anecdotes as “this

benevolent prelate”.

The following incident perhaps illustrates his character. One night in Dover, where Cornwallis and his wife

Caroline were lodged at the London Tavern, a drunken English squire broke into their room and insisted on

taking it over. For the sake of peace, the Archbishop gave way - but refused to see the sobered and

apologetic squire next morning.

Even so, there were times when he lost his cool. He came to St Thomas’ as Bishop Cornwallis for the

consecration on 28th August 1750, spending the previous night at Hilton Park. There, on learning that the

consecration deeds had not arrived for his perusal from the Registrar in Lichfield, he was reported to be

“very angry” and threatened to postpone the whole ceremony. The situation was saved by Dr Richard

Wilkes of Willenhall, one of the trustees appointed to oversee the building of the church, who despatched a

postboy to Lichfield with a message insisting that a clerk should arrive with the deeds by 8am next day

“otherwise you know the damage will be irrepairable (sic) and you’ll disoblige both his Ldp and all the

Goughs.” (It was the Gough family’s money that made the building work possible).

Obviously, the message did the trick: the consecration took place as planned and the rest, as they say, is

history!

Roger Poole

The Most Rev’d Dr Frederick Cornwallis

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/File:AbpFrederickCornwallis.jpg

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Christian Aid News

St Thomas’ responded to May’s Christian Aid Week appeal in various ways, including collecting at Wolverhampton station. But the main part of our involvement saw a ten-strong team of house-to-house collectors raise £2,563.55. And, when all sponsorship money has been received, about £250 will have been raised by those who sponsored Amelie and me to take part in the annual walk at Northycote Farm. (A round of applause, please, for Amelie

who covered the 3 km course on crutches). Walkers from at least twelve other Wolverhampton churches also braved the raindrops at Northycote. Total proceeds of this year’s walk will not be known until later. I’m also applauding David Glover, who, with his intrepid team of St John Ambulance volunteers, put a plaster on my cut finger and took great pains to ensure no walkers came to grief. Finally, as last year, Kathryn Godwin organised a Christian Aid ‘Big Brekkie’ at her school (St Paul’s, Pendeford), raising a splendid £62.07. To all who participated in any way and to all who supported them, thank you most sincerely.

Roger Poole

Paul Rayner, Tina Warren and buckets

Amelie with Christian Aid staff members at Northycote

On the 18th of May, we had the joy of hosting Elevate Dance Company, the apprentices of Springs Dance Company in London. They combine faith with dance, telling stories, sharing faith and spreading God’s message. They’re truly a unique group of incredible people who brought something that Wednesfield hasn’t seen before. Even having worked with them last year, and having seen their rehearsals earlier in the day, the performance was incredible. Each of the dancers has a true passion for God and this comes across in every movement of their dancing.

In all honesty, I spent quite some time trying to write this, trying to explain just how amazing the performance was, but I realised that, unless you’ve seen them dance, I can’t convey just how impressive they are. And so instead, I’ll leave you with audience feedback. We asked everyone to write down one word to describe how they felt, or what they thought of the performance. I’ll end on this though, the main bit of feedback that stood out - “I want to dance”.

Imogen Watson

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What’s on in… June

2 Friday 10am-2pm Wednesfield in Bloom Community Planting Day

3 Saturday 10.00am Craft Fair in St Thomas Centre

4 Sunday Pentecost

8.00am 10.15am

4.30pm 6.30pm

Holy Communion (said) Pentecost Eucharist with Junior Church Holy Baptism Pentecost Praise and Worship

5 Monday 2.00pm Hands of Friendship group meet in St Thomas Centre

6 Tuesday 9.30am 7.30pm

Tom’s Tots meet in St Thomas Centre St Thomas Centre Management Committee Meeting

7 Wednesday 7.30pm 7.30pm

Bible Study session in St Thomas Centre Baptism Preparation evening in church

11 Sunday Trinity Sunday

8.00am 10.15am

6.30pm

Holy Communion (said) Morning Worship with Junior Church Holy Communion

12 Monday Mothers’ Union Light Lunch in the Centre


Tom’s Tots meet in St Thomas Centre PCC meeting at St Alban’s Church

14 Wednesday 7.15pm Mothers’ Union

15 Thursday 7.30pm Start! Course in St Thomas Centre

17 Saturday 7.00pm TV Games Show Night in St Thomas Centre

18 Sunday Trinity 1

8.00am 10.15am

6.30pm

Holy Communion (said) Family Eucharist with Junior Church Memorial Service, remembering the recently departed

20 Tuesday 9.30am Tom’s Tots meet in St Thomas Centre

21 Wednesday 7.30pm Mindfulness and Meditation session in St Thomas Centre


24 Saturday 11.00am St Alban’s Church Summer Fair

25 Sunday Trinity 2

8.00am 10.15am

6.30pm

Holy Communion (said) Parish Eucharist Evening Worship with prayer for healing


28 Wednesday 7.30pm Events Committee meeting


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What’s on in… July

1

Saturday 10.00am Wednesfield Village Show

2 Sunday St Thomas

8.00am 10.15am

4.30pm 6.30pm

Holy Communion (said) Parish Patronal Eucharist with Junior Church Holy Baptism ‘Songs of Praise’ evening worship – request your favourite hymn!


5 Wednesday 7.30pm 7.30pm

Bible Study session in St Thomas Centre Baptism Preparation evening in church


7 Friday Wednesfield in Bloom Judging Day

8 Saturday 1.00pm Marriage of Elizabeth O’Farrell and Neil Jackson

9 Sunday Trinity 4

8.00am 10.15am

4.30pm 6.30pm

Holy Communion (said) Morning worship with Junior Church Holy Baptism Holy Communion

10 Monday 2.00pm Hands of Friendship group meet in St Thomas Centre


Tom’s Tots meet in St Thomas Centre District Church Council (DCC) meeting – note new time!

12 Wednesday 7.15pm Mothers’ Union

15 Saturday 10.00am

5.30pm Messy Church in St Thomas Centre Auction of Promises

16 Sunday Trinity 5

8.00am 10.15am

6.30pm

Holy Communion (said) Family Eucharist with Junior Church Evening Worship


23 Sunday Trinity 6

8.00am 10.15am

6.30pm

Holy Communion (said) Family Eucharist with Junior Church Traditional Evening Prayer from the Book of Common Prayer


29 Saturday 10.15am

2.00pm Mothers’ Union Committee Meeting Marriage of Larissa Crosby and Wayne Carless

30 Sunday Trinity 7

8.00am 10.15am

6.30pm

Holy Communion (said) Parish Eucharist Taizé-style Evening Worship

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Wednesfield in Bloom - again! After last year’s successful entry to Heart of England in Bloom, where Wednesfield won Silver, then we’re entering again, only this time we’re going for Gold!

Here at St Thomas’ we’ve been involved in a number of ways. We’ve helped with fundraising, hosting a coffee morning in April and a Bloomin’ Lovely Lunch in May. Several people have been working hard around the Church and the Centre to make the grounds as beautiful as they can be. And there are various people knitting and crocheting flowers to decorate the railings around church. Nearer the time then St Thomas’ Church will be decorated with flowers for the occasion.

On the High Street then look out for flower-filled planters which will be arriving soon, with a community planting day on Friday 2nd June, and hanging baskets will be decorating Bentley Bridge.

Judging day is Friday 7th July, so if you are able to help at all in gardening, litter-picking, knitting, donating plants, fundraising, flower-arranging… and more…. then do get involved!

And if you don’t see it in real life, then you can see it on TV! Wednesfield is one of the communities being featured in a BBC series Blooming Marvellous which is likely to be broadcast in early 2018.

We’re calling all gardeners, photographers, artists, crafters, cooks and more, to enter the Village Show! • Over 30 competitive classes • Enter as many as you like. • Entry costs 25p per exhibit for adults, free for age 12 and under. • Certificates and rosettes for winners of each class. Additional

prize for ‘Best in Show’, adults and junior. Visiting the show is totally free! Come along between 12.30pm and

3.30pm for refreshments, to view the entries and see the results.

Please pick up a leaflet for details of classes, how to enter and for

show rules or have a look on http://www.wednesfieldteam.org.uk/

village-show/.

Wednesfield Village Show 2017 You are invited to the

Saturday 1st July

St Thomas Centre, Church Street, Wednesfield

17


Recently I attended Mothers’ Union Spring Council at Doxey, Stafford. Amongst some of the many new and exciting things happening around Lichfield Diocese, I would like to share a few with you.

Firstly, Mothers’ Union are giving prayer support to and receive prayer requests from inmates, staff, chaplains in prisons in the diocese. Prayer requests are being received weekly via the Chaplain at HM YOI Stoke Heath. It is hoped to extend this to other prisons in the diocese. As I am sure most of you are aware we already send Christmas cards for prisoners in all the prisons across this diocese.

A knitted Christmas tree.

Mothers’ Union is asking for knitters to participate in a timed-limited project: that of knitting squares and small decorations (baubles, snowmen, gingerbread men, bells, Father Christmas etc) to assemble a knitted tree. The size of squares, knitters are invited to produce are 8”, 10” and 12” squares of yarn, but squares must be any shade of green. A frame for tree is being provided by a Mother’s Union member.

The tree will be given to St Thomas’ and St Andrew’s Church at Doxey, where our office is based and our Council Meetings held. After Candlemass the knitted squares will be sewn into blankets and gifted by the church as appropriate. The decorations and soft toys will be given to children in Doxey Church family.

Twiddle Muffs for people with dementia or learning difficulties.

Some branches across the diocese are now producing these. We have been given a pattern with instructions on how to make them. If you would like a copy please ask me. I will leave some copies on the table at the back of church.

Our next meeting is on 14th June at 7.15pm. Mr Ian Turner, talking about his role as a “House Husband.”

MU Light Lunch is on 12th June, at 12noon, in St Thomas’ Centre. All welcome, please see notice board for further information.

Meeting on July 12th, speaker is Les Atkins, talking about American native culture.

Committee Meeting is on 29th July in St Thomas’ Room at 10.15 am.

All welcome to join us at our meetings.

For further information about meetings or events please look at notice board, or ask either myself or Margaret Glover.

Thank you.

Jill Ellson, Branch Leader

Mindfulness and Meditation Time to be still and rest - 20 minutes of non-religious ‘mindfulness’ or awareness meditation, a short break and 20 minutes of Christian meditation. Feel free to leave after the first part if you prefer; we offer this as a gift to all in our community, whether or not you consider yourself to be a Christian.

Sessions led by Rev’d Nick Watson - for more details, call 01902 731 462.

7.30-8.30 pm, Wednesday 21st June (No session in July)

in the St Thomas Centre

18


Trainspotting As a young(er!) person I remember going to see the film

‘Trainspotting’ at the cinema. Directed by Danny Boyle it was

a story of four young friends who were addicted to heroin and

spent their days doing anything to find the next fix. The film

was clever, as, without condemning or judging drug

addiction, it simply showed the life of the friends over a

number of years - and their slow, and sometimes quick,

disintegration into a joyless world. The main character of the

film, Mark Renton, was the only one to escape the world, by

literally running away and finding a new job and life in

another part of the world-and giving up the drugs. The film

ends with audiences feeling hopeful about his future, and the slogan, ‘Choose Life’ seemed to encourage

that.

As a twenty-something year old I found much to identify with in the film, with its music, club scenes and

themes of friendship, as well as a rather handsome Johnny Lee-Miller who played ‘Sick Boy’! So I was

somewhat excited to watch the new release ‘Trainspotting 2’ which returned to the same characters who,

like me, are now all forty-something! Disappointingly, Renton has returned from his job abroad with tales of

a family who do not exist, and falls in with the ‘bad crowd’ of his younger years. One of them has died, two

of them are petty criminals, and the third has a ruined family life due to the addictions that have dominated

his life. The film is a bleak picture of the constant downward spiral that addictions pull people into. But it is

also a portrayal of modern life and the change that has happened over the last twenty years. The film has a

comic undertone and has scenes which make those of us who are now older, laugh at how out of touch we

are with the modern world- and how a lot of it doesn’t make sense to us, or else we are just too slow for it!

At the beginning of the film Mark presents a bleak view of the modern world and what ‘choosing life’ is to

people. “Choose Life” he says. “Choose Facebook, Twitter, Instagram, and hope someone, somewhere,

cares. Choose life. Wishing you’d done it all differently, watching history repeat itself. Choose life. Reality

TV. A zero hour’s contract. A two hour journey to work. And choose it all for your kids to do it over again.”

And as the characters of the film all fall back into the same patterns, and nothing has changed, except their

age, we could be left with a very bleak picture of a world where technology has changed but people are

lonely, regretful and unhappy.

But then Mark says something that changes our viewpoint. “Be addicted. But be addicted to something

else. Choose the ones you love. Choose family. Choose life.”

Life may be difficult or not what we hope always-but being in community with others ensures that love is

there to see us through. And as I watched the film, I thought, yes - choose the ones you love, choose family

-but choose Jesus to be part of that. Choose to love him. Choose to be in family with him. Choose to be in

relationship with him. Unlike Facebook, Twitter or Instagram he will not just be there when you log on, but

always. He wants a friendship with you that is meaningful and deep. Instead of regretting your past, know

that he does not dwell on it, but forgives and is concerned with all of your life. Jesus is concerned with

justice, oppression and wants freedom for everyone, including those with long commutes and unfair hours!

And whether you can embrace the changes that happen in the modern world, or whether they are too fast,

too shallow or too lonely for you; know that Jesus has time, depth and love for you. Life may not be easy. It

may change too much or not be meaningful enough for you. But by choosing Jesus, you are choosing one

who wants you to have life so that you might live it fully. (John 10 v 10) Choose Jesus. Be addicted to him.

Choose life.

Rev Ness Tobin

19


20


First Steps with St Chad – and Bishop Michael!

On 20 May, Bishop Michael welcomed hundreds of

people to the Cathedral to celebrate a new ‘direction of

travel’ for the Diocese. Some of us were there, and

heard his opening address, from which this extract is

taken.

So what is this morning about; where are we headed in

this new direction of travel? I hope you know the words

by now, but let me remind you of them: Come, follow

Christ in the footsteps of St Chad. Let me say a little

bit about those words.

First is Come. This is an invitation, which echoes

through the scriptures. At the very end of the Bible, in

the book of Revelation, the Spirit and the bride say

‘Come! And let everyone who hears say, ‘Come’. And let everyone who is thirsty come.

God invites us; and when we respond to his invitation, we in turn invite others: that’s how it works. This

morning is offered as an invitation to travel, not as a requirement, not as one more burdensome thing to add

to the list. An invitation to do what? An invitation to follow Christ. Of course that is what we are all doing

already; the invitation is, to focus afresh on what following Christ means in our lives and in the lives of our

Christian communities.

I want to offer three words to help with that. They are: discipleship; vocation; and evangelism.

To be renewed in our discipleship is the first challenge for us all: to walk more closely with Jesus, to enjoy

learning more about him, to shape our lives on his in loving God and neighbour. Whoever you are, as a

Christian this is your first task; and wherever you are, as a Christian community this is your core business.

It’s the same for us all.

Discipleship is the same, but vocation is different for each of us. Vocation is the call of God into my life and

yours, and into the life of our church. Some people have a vocation to ordained ministry; most have a

vocation to lay ministry. For some, there is a vocation specifically within the life of the church; for most, it is in

everyday life that God’s call is worked out, at work, with family, in the community. We all need the gift of

discernment to find out just what our vocation is, and that discernment comes from the Spirit.

And then evangelism: as we are renewed as Jesus’ disciples, as we respond to God’s call into our lives, we

will want to tell our story to others, and we will want to invite them to make God part of their story too. This is

what evangelism means: sharing with all we meet the great story of a God who loves us so much, who loves

them so much, that in Jesus he gives his life for us, for them.

Discipleship, vocation, evangelism: these are pretty much at the heart of our individual lives and our life

together. I hope and pray that this morning we can begin to focus in a new way on them as we commit afresh

to follow Christ.

And here’s the focus for me: Follow Christ in the footsteps of St Chad. Chad, our first bishop, is a man whose

life and witness is woven into the history and the geography of this diocese, and it is absolutely right that we

are gathering here in this place, especially blessed with his presence. Chad was a fervent disciple of Jesus

Christ, devoting his life to the study of the scriptures. He worked out his particular vocation as a monk, and

then also as a bishop – first in York, which was wrong, then here in Lichfield, which was right. And he was a

tireless evangelist, walking all over his enormous diocese, much bigger then than it is now, sharing with the

Mercian people of his time the timeless Gospel of Jesus Christ.

I hope that Chad’s example will inspire and encourage you to think about discipleship, vocation and

evangelism in your own life and in your own place.

So – what do discipleship, vocation and evangelism look like in Wednesfield? Let’s find out together!

21


St Alban’s Church is 50!

Everyone is welcome to join them for their

Anniversary Service on Sunday 11th June at

10am

… and at the Summer Fair on

Saturday 24th June 11am-2pm

22


Bible Study

We’re trying to keep our monthly bible discussion groups on the first Wednesday of each month from now on.

Our 7 June studies will be looking at what we find in the Bible about God the Holy Spirit, beginning with Romans 8:1-17.

On 5 July we will be taking up the theme of our Sunday series, and looking at Abraham, starting with Genesis 12.

We meet at 10.45am (after the morning communion service – why not come to that first?) and at 7.30pm. We’ll discuss the same text in the morning and evening, so come to whichever is easier for you.

What to bring… Just your usual Bible and an open mind! Don’t worry if you’ve never taken part in discussing the Bible before – all questions and thoughts are welcome!

Rev’d Nick

Abraham - Faith in God’s Promise

The Bible readings we hear together on Sundays aren’t chosen by sticking a pin in the Bible! Mostly they’re

set for us in a ‘lectionary’, a list of readings agreed by most of the churches of the western world - so if you

went to a Methodist church in New York or a Catholic church in Paris, you’d probably hear the same Bible

readings we’re using in Wednesfield. Outside the main seasons (basically, when the priests’ robes and the

altar cloths are green!) we’re allowed to choose our own readings.

For a while we’ve been hearing just two Bible readings in the morning service at church. That’s meant that

we’ve missed out on some of the Old Testament - so over the summer we’re going back to three readings,

and we’ll be following the story of Abraham, from Genesis chapters 12-25 - with a couple of breaks for

festivals!

Abraham is one of the foundational figures of

the Bible - Jesus and St. Paul refer back to

him time after time, and he’s really the first

person in the Bible who we see following and

serving God in a world we can recognise from

history. He lived about 1800 years before

Jesus, and his story is one of a life built on

God’s promise and call. He’s not perfect - he

wobbles in his faith and obedience, and along

the way he discovers the hard way things

about God which we take for granted now but

which were radical in his time and culture.

As well as sermons on Sunday mornings,

there’ll be resources (printed and online) to

help us think about how Abraham walked with

God - and about how this can inspire us to do

the same. For these we’ll draw (among other

resources) on Abraham: Following God’s

Promise published by Lexham Press. There’s no need to refer to that yourself, but if you’d like a copy see

Nick.

There’ll be chances during the series to take part in discussion in church and online.

Let’s see where God is taking us this summer as we walk alongside Abraham!


Sunday Text (Genesis) Theme

18 June 12:1-9 1. Setting out in faith

25 June 12:10-20 2. Fear versus faith

2 July St Thomas’ Day

9 July 14:1-24 3. Active Faith

16 July 15:1-16:16 4. Dealing with Doubt

23 July 17:1-18:15 5. Promising the Impossible

30 July 18:16-33 6. Bargaining with God

6 August The Transfiguration

13 August 20:1-18 7. God’s Faithfulness

20 August 21:1-5, 22:1-8 8. Of Sons and Sacrifice

23


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24


The Book Lover If you’re one of countless people who don’t make a habit of reading regularly, you might be missing out. This hobby of mine has allowed me to sail around the world twice, fall in love hundreds of times, eat yummy food, learn to knit, sew and crochet among many other crafts, grow trees from pips and speak a little French. I have never been short of things to talk about, nor can I say I’ve ever been bored. If I’ve ever felt lonely I could read my Bible, and know that I was not alone, I am part of his beautiful creation. God loves me as I am.

I’m not sure where my passion for reading books came from, my parents could read but took no pleasure in reading books. Mom has always chosen a newspaper or magazine to read, Dad choose to look at a road map or atlas being a lorry driver all his adult life.

So why books?

Well, I have always had access to books, school books, library books and recycled books (Yes, you guessed recycling hasn't just been invented, my Grandad Webb was recycling most of his life as a Bin Man).

Books have always been free or cheap. On saying that I did have to save for my first new book as a small child, it was 25p. The book was Sweet Making for Children by Margaret Powell. I bought it from St Thomas’ School book fayre in 1972. I still have that book today.

And why write an article about books in the church magazine?

The answer to this question is easy. I want to raise awareness of the joys of reading books in the hope that you might buy a book for yourself or for someone else. The Someone Else could be a stranger. Why not buy a book from the bookcase in St Thomas’s Room, read that book then leave it on a bench in Wednesfield with a note telling the recipient of the book where it came from, maybe even enclose a welcome sheet? You could invite the reader to meet you in the church over a coffee to discuss the book. A gift that keeps giving.

We have raised over £200 since having books for sale at the back of the church, I would like to take the opportunity to thank everyone who has donated a book or bought a book at St Thomas’s, wishing you gain as much from your books as I do from mine. Three books for £1, nearly as cheap as my first new book in 1972!

Jayne Rogers

This August St Thomas’ and St Alban’s churches are hosting a jam-packed, fun-filled holiday club! We’ll be looking at Jesus’ friend Peter, with the help of a very special fish and chip café. There will be morning sessions every day in the week, with activities, stories and games, for children aged 5-11. And to help us get ready the café is open for a Messy Church taster menu on 15th July. Hope you can join us! Look out for more details or phone 01902 731462.

All ages are welcome to join us for our

Messy Church taster menu on Saturday 15th July 10am-12pm

(children need to be accompanied by an adult)

If you’re aged 5-11 then join us for Rocky’s Plaice Holiday Club

10am - 12.15pm 21st-25th August in the St Thomas Centre

25


Offering the hand of friendship

Our social group is aimed at anyone who likes a chat and a cuppa. We provide the cuppa, you bring your friendship. This is an opportunity to get out of the house for a couple of hours, a chance to catch up with old friends and to make new friends, an opportunity to share and care about each other.

We meet on the first Monday of each month (except for May because of the bank holiday) from 2pm until 4pm in the St Thomas Centre. Future dates are:

• Monday 5 June

• Monday 3 July

Everyone will be made most welcome.

Saturday 3rd June

In the St Thomas Centre

10am - 3pm

A wide range of locally-made crafts on sale Refreshments - Raffle

For more details email [email protected] or phone 01902 731462

26


From the Parish Registers

Holy Baptism

‘Shine as a light in the world, to the glory of God the Father’

2 April Kyle Martin Lewis, son of Julie Hodson and Gareth Lewis Isla Grace Fraser, daughter of Zoe Lester and Ashley Fraser

16 April Isabella Mai Shepherd, daughter of Rea and Mark Shepherd

7 May Codie Sylvia Taylor, daughter of Claire Taylor and Philip Munger Scarlett Linda Meredith Page, daughter of Claire and James Page

Admitted to Holy Communion

‘Draw near with faith. Receive the body of our Lord Jesus Christ which he gave for you, and his blood which he shed for you.’

16 April Amarachi Anerobi Harriet Godwin Leon Langham Lauren Owen

Marriages

‘God is love, and those who live in love, live in God, and God lives in them’ (1 John 4:16)

8 April John Rudolf Schneider and Sarah Louise Evans

6 May Ricky Scott Garner and Emma Natasha Anna Maragliano-Gibbons

Funerals

‘God will show us the path of life; in his presence is the fullness of joy.’ (Psalm 16:10)

6 April Paul David Round (46)

11 April Mary Davies (93)

19 April Ernest Bucknall (90)

2 May John Kenneth Thomas (62)

5 May Derrick Waterhouse (86)

11 May Ethel Jean Ross (86)

17 May Gladys Jones (84)

24 May Ivor Caddy (86) Mark Jewkes (44)

26 May Phyllis Furnival (86) Prince Barnett (85)

30 May Edith May Welsh (93)

Advice on Baptisms, Marriages and Funerals

If you would like to find out more about how the Church of England can help with these great moments in

life, you can easily find out more. The best way is to ask one of the clergy, but you can also find a lot of

advice, ideas and resources online now.

The best places to look are those produced by the Church of England itself. You can find links from the

church website, or go straight to

www.churchofenglandchristenings.org

www.yourchurchwedding.org

www.churchofenglandfunerals.org

27


Do you have friends or family in New Cross Hospital? Why not send them a

request?

Ring - (01902) 695099 and ask to be put through to Radio Wulfrun

(Mon-Fri 7-10 pm)

Log on - www.radiowulfrun.co.uk

Write - Radio Wulfrun c/o New Cross Hospital

Wolverhampton WV10 OQP

Text - 07807 539789

If your Group would like us to mention any event "on air", please contact us with details.

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28


St Thomas Centre, Wednesfield

Are you looking for a venue to hold your party or community project?

Then why not come and have a look at the St Thomas Centre

Room hire for all occasions Recently refurbished Fully equipped kitchen facilities Available 7 days a week Competitive rates Capacity for 100 people

For more details and enquiries on how to book please contact

Margaret Walker on 01902 723310 or email [email protected]

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