all saints church, southend - newsletter nasc!_.pdf · 2019-03-28 · all saints church, southend -...

All Saints Church, Southend - Newsletter

www.allsaints-southend.org.uk 1/16 2018_3-Summer_NASC!_elco.doc

NASC! Summer 2018

All Saints Church The Church by the Roundabout! {The educational bit}

Here’s how an apple is like the Trinity: The peel, the flesh, and the seeds- 3 parts, to 1 apple.

We have 3 parts to 1 God as well: God the Father, God the Son, and God the Holy Spirit.

• The peel is like God the Father, because He protects us.

• The flesh is like God the Son, because Jesus is God made flesh.

• The seeds are like the Holy Spirit because He helps us grow.

Idea from http://www.catholicicing.com/teaching-kids-about-the-trinity-with-apples/.



�� word word word word 4 words from the Editor

In case anyone wondered, I put the Vicar’s Update on page 3, as it’s the first thing you look at, when opening the newsletter.

As much as it seems reasonably well received, I have so far acquired little voluntary material forthcoming from the readership.

You! Yes you, who are reading this! I hear you talking after the Sunday service, happily commenting on the church, about the sermon, or about Jesus - now, here’s your chance to put your thoughts in writing.

As you see, in comparison with longer established newsletters ours still has teething problems. Having said that, I have had already an enquiry for advertising from a local business.

Please give me your feedback, so that I get an idea of your thoughts on this newsletter. The next one is due to come out in September.

Thank you. ��

P.s.: Use any spare area on page 10 to doodle, rather than play on your mobile gadgets during service9 - You can get (colouring) pencils from the wardens at the door!

Summer Fair 11am - 2pm

Saturday 23rd June 2018

Fun for all the family!

Stalls including books, tombola, gifts/nearly new, sideshows, homemade preserves and cakes,

"smash the crockery", bouncy castle and raffle

Delicious lunches & cream teas available, so why not treat yourself!

For more information please contact

Cyndy on 01702 586954 / Tina on 302636



Vicar’s Update - Seasonal Thought

The Church like the world has its seasons, not Spring, Summer, Autumn and Winter but the Church seasons of Lent, Easter, Advent, Christmas and Trinity, or Common Time, which covers around six months of the year. These are punctuated by Saints’ Days and Occasional Festivals. You will know at All Saints when we are in the Trinity Season (common time) because we will be using the green service books and I will be wearing the green vestments.

[See “The Church’s Year in Colour” on page 11, Ed.]

This season begins with Trinity Sunday when we remember, or celebrate, the Holy Trinity - God the Father, God the Son and God the Holy Spirit, each a 'person' and each God, yet not three gods but one God as it says in the Athanascian Creed. Every Sunday we say the Nicene Creed which also states our belief in the Trinity. It is one of the most important beliefs of the Christian Church; in some ways it is what makes us distinctive from other faiths. You will not find the words Holy Trinity in the scriptures, but careful reading will show many allusions to it. Recognition of the Trinity was worked out by the early Church mainly to defend and assert its belief in the full divinity of Jesus who is the second person in the Trinity, God the Son (sometimes referred to as the Word or Logos - roughly speaking the reasoning aspect of God)

On one level this is a complex doctrine which seeks to explain the nature of God, the essence of this that God exists in community, Father, Son & Holy Spirit and through each relating to the other the love of God pours forth into all creation and implores us to be a part of that loving relationship. God loved us to death in Christ on the Cross and into everlasting life in his resurrection and Ascension. All God asks us to do is love him and love one another. It is that simple; it is that challenging.

Your Vicar,

Rev’d. Neil Paxton

. ��



�� Sermon on Thomas in the Gospel By Rev’d. Neil Paxton, All Saints Church, Southend, 8 April 2018

Language - Words and phrases are important, because they are how we communicate - we can get so far with facial expressions - and their social media = emoji’s - but for more complicated ideas or subjects we need words or phrases. One of the divine titles of or for Christ was the Word of God, implying He would make God known (among other things).

Many of the words and phrases in our language come from Shakespeare or from the bible; from the bible they include:

• Bite the dust - Ps 72;9

• By the skin of your teeth - Job 19:20

• Can a leopard change his spots/ - Jer 13:23

• Cast the first stone - John 8:7

• Drop in the bucket - Isa 40:15

• Fly in the ointment - Ecc 10:1

• Forbidden fruit - Gen 3:3

• Good Samaritan - Lk 10:30-37

• How the mighty had fallen - Rom 13:11

• Rise and Shine - Isa 60:1

• Scape-goat - Lev 16: 9-10

• Twinkling of an eye - 1 Cor 15:52

• Wash your hands of the matter - Mt 27:24

• Writing on the wall - Dan 5

Every phrase has a life outside or beyond its biblical context and we likely use them or some of them without giving a second thought to their origin.

We even have sayings - phrases extrapolated from the names of Jesus' closest followers. When exasperated we might say "for Pete's sake"; or if we feel badly betrayed we might spit out the accusation "Judas"; or if we think someone is being overly negative or uncooperative call them a "Doubting Thomas".

The focus of our gospel today - it's rather like God turning the Spotlight Faith onto one person. Which in a sense he had, when he says: "Here I



am then - It's up to you." Thomas is invited to put his hands into the wounds of Christ as a testimony to all time: testifying that Jesus is here before him.

He can see him, hear him, touch him - the bible does not say he did, but it would be incredible if lead all the way to this print he simply said "Naw, it doesn't matter." The gospel clearly wants us to know that Jesu Resurrection was a real physical resurrection. That what was before the disciples was not a spirit, or at least not solely spirit.

It says flesh - creation has been redeemed in Christ - it assures us as we are here and now that we have a part - a share - in Christ's resurrection and ascension.

For what was killed, died and resurrected would then ascend into heaven was Christ Jesus, God and Man.

So we, too, have an assurance of a home in heaven with God.

So doubt, if we grow with it - if we move through doubt, can be a positive thing - test what we hear. Having faith does not mean we need to give up our reason or judgement. We do not become Patsies (warden at St John's) or doormats. Faith implies discernment and Thomas did discern for himself, yes, but also for us. That is why it's in the gospel and Thomas discerns of Jesus: My Lord and My God!

May we do likewise!

Amen. ��

�� Guides promoting Happiness by Marion

The guides have placed several pebbleart pebbles in the church garden on 23 April 2018. On the back of them it says FB pebbleart sos.

If anybody finds one, could they please post a picture on this group? Also, the idea is to bring some happiness into someone’s life and either they can keep the pebble or re-hide it somewhere else!

A mention on the pebbleart sos page would be good, as it shows the Guides, where the pebbles have gone!

Thanks ��



�� Major Church Project - Update

The area formerly known as the vestry has changed in shape and layout quite considerably. The new meeting room is now stretching over the (formerly) flower vestry to the wall separating the new kitchen.

Some of the cupboards were re-arranged and used in different positions, so still leaving a bit of the flavour of the old furniture.

At the moment the Lady Chapel is being used as the vestry with all the garments on rails and the tall curtains covering direct view of the mess. This meant that the Midweek Eucharist had been relocated to the High

Altar, which appears to be quite a nice setting. ��

�� Fundraising – the constant consideration from our website

HOW YOU CAN HELP

• Make a donation to All Saints' Major Project Fund

• Set up a regular standing order to All Saints' Church, Southend

• Request a box containing 52 envelopes for weekly donations

• Consider any of our other fundraising opportunities, such as Bag-a-Brick - £2 for a brick to mark a special event or anniversary.

• Come along to our fundraising events throughout the year - details on our notice boards and website.

• Promote your business with an advert in NASC!

• Consider including All Saints' Church, Southend, in your will.

Please make cheques payable to "All Saints' Parish Church Daisy Brown Fund", or donate via the PayPal Donate button on the website.

For standing orders, weekly donations and Bag-a-Brick or, if you would like more information, please contact our Treasurer Penny Alexander on 01702 464997 or [email protected]

Also, “All Saints Church” pens are available from Penny for £1. ��

Note, highly sought-after pens, with low availability in certain colours, may fetch up to 100% more, when sold on the “Black Market” within the church.



�� Recent Experiences The Easter celebrations brought in good attendance to our traditional Parish Passover Meal on Thursday. Some creativity was let loose during the Good Friday Workshop, before entering the sombre Liturgy of the Cross. The Service of Light was again a parish-wide event and even the weather held off long enough for us to process around the church outside.

We made some money in our Craft and Collectibles Fair to boost our funding for the Major Church Project. Along with the table sales, these are a valuable part of our regular fundraising.

The advert in the last NASC for the Wine & Cheese Evening, “A variety of wines and some interesting cheeses to try”, left a few divided opinions on the wine, but the White Fox cheese was wiped off the plates in no time!

The Parish Pentecost Service at the St Mark’s was well attended by people from the congregations of all the Parish Churches. The sermon was IMO a bit extensive, but the personal testimony at the end from Archdeacon Michael Lodge put the work of his Majesty back into perspective.

. ��

Margaret Henning, Mthr Susan, Mthr Cherry, Fr Neil, Fr Phil (celebrating), Mthr Phyllis, Archdeacon Michael, Fr Michael, Chris Ballard



�� Sleeping rough - Saturday, 12th May

By Helen Rhodes

When I received an email link to an event hosted by the YMCA in aid of the people I love to support, I took the opportunity to give it a try!

The Evening Echo stated: “Young people in Southend spent a night sleeping rough so others do not have to.” Well, it is nice to be counted in with the “young people”, because I was sleeping rough that night; how I laughed when I read it. The night started off quite pleasantly and everyone was in a very sociable mood: there were tea and cakes and everyone chatting and getting along. The YMCA do a lot of very good work with youngsters, who have nowhere to go or are in crisis. One young guy spoke of how the YMCA saved his life when he was homeless and in despair. At 16 years old he was directed to the YMCA, who gave him a roof over his head and helped him get his life in order. A young girl spoke of how she was homeless at 15, living on the streets and scared because of cruel people who jeer and act violently towards the homeless, young and old! She said she had found it easiest to walk all night, keep on the move, but sometimes so tired she would sleep on the floor of the public toilet carefully locking the door, but even then being moved on or attacked. She was in constant fear of being beaten up. She told me later how Christmas time was always so very difficult. All they want is to be at home with their families, but in so many cases that is not possible, how sad is that?!

Then the time came and some of us started to make our makeshift sleeping quarters. We were supplied with cardboard boxes and Sellotape, and later our plastic sheeting became all important. To give us a proper impression of the weather that homeless people sometimes have to endure, the skies opened and it rained and it rained and it rained. Our cardboard boxes totally disintegrated. My waterproof jacket had given up its job, too, and the rain was penetrating through layers of clothes.

We were invited to sleep inside the YMCA building, and in truth any self-respecting rough sleeper would have sought shelter; the middle of a car park was not affording any of that. It felt a bit of a fraud, as we enjoyed more coffee and cake and chatting in a very safe and warm environment, hardly the experience I was expecting! Then someone suggested we could sleep out in the gazebo, which was in the car park and had been set up for the band that had come to entertain us earlier.



I left my very wet jacket inside to dry and joined my friend. To our surprise we had had a visit from my family: four Beagles brought in by Stefan and his friend enlightened the wet atmosphere a little.

So the evening progressed into the night and into the early hours. Snuggled up in a sleeping bag that Penny had lent me, woolly hat and gloves on, I started to drift to sleep. Then another car went by, trains in and out of the station, revellers shouting and laughing as they went past. I felt a bit scared when some of the revellers stopped and yelled obscenities at us thinking we were rough sleepers. We had nothing to fear as there was a security guard keeping an eye out for us. Not so, if we had been on our own on the streets! We had a visit from one of the Street Pastors, as he was on his way home; another organisation I am proud to be a part of as I am “in training” to become one.

Street Pastors work in the community usually from about 10pm -2am, giving out teas and coffee, bottles of water, lollipops, flip flops, for girls, who can no longer keep their pretty high heels on. We look out for the rough sleepers and I’d like to think we are dropping peace into the community.

Then I did drift off and slept for nearly five hours, on the hard concrete ground on which I had placed the plastic sheeting, amazing! An interesting experience but in reality an eye opener, even in the safe conditions we were in. Plenty to contemplate on: I could have a nap in the afternoon, in a clean warm bed, not so for the homeless, no wonder they sleep in the day in a shop doorway or shuffle along the high street!

There, but for the grace of God, go I and I pray that there will be a better understanding for those who are true rough sleepers. There are charitable organisations out there who do everything they can to help, but some understanding and compassion and dare I say respect for those who have so little comfort.

Thank you to everyone who gave donations [p.16] for the youngsters, who sleep rough, and for your amazing support to me, as I slept rough.

You truly are All Saints at All Saints. With every Blessing ��

Helen at SleepEasy charity event for the Homeless – first time trying the rough outdoors!



�� Do you know your church?

1) What date was the church dedicated? 2) Where do you find this person (hiding)?

3) Who built the organ, installed in 1947?

4) Name at least 4 Saints who are depicted in the church windows.

��

Results from last issue: 1) 8 2) In the picture next to the WWII

Sunderland flying-boat 3) 1998 4) Andrew Hall



�� The Church’s Year in Colour By Andrew Hall

Why do the colours of Fr. Neil’s vestments and the altar frontals change throughout the year? It’s to remind us what season we are in.

White

White (or gold), since it is a festive, joyful colour, is used during the Christmas and Easter seasons, and on major feast days. As it is a colour which also symbolises Resurrection, these days it is usually seen at funerals instead of the previously used black. It is also worn on saints’ days (those who weren’t martyrs), days celebrating the Virgin Mary, the Angels and those which recall Our Lord (other than his Passion).

Purple

Purple symbolises repentance and penance. Vestments of purple are used during the seasons of Advent and Lent. The colour reminds us of the violet flower that bows its head and is a symbol of humility. Lent is the season of prayer, fasting and almsgiving. It is a quiet season of reflection. Advent is the time when we wait in reflective expectation of the arrival of the Christ Child.

Green

Green is a sign of life in nature and as such it represents growth, life and hope. Green is the colour worn most often during services in Ordinary Time. It symbolises the graces that draw people into the life of God. Most of the Church's year is Ordinary Time, i.e. days which aren’t designated for a particular celebration.

Red

Red symbolises both blood and fire. It is the colour that is used on Palm Sunday and Pentecost Sunday. It is also the colour that has traditionally been associated with martyrs – those who have shed their blood for their faith – and so it is worn on the feast days of martyrs.

Rose

Rose pink is an optional colour that may be used on the Third Sunday of Advent (Gaudete Sunday) and the Fourth Sunday of Lent (Laetare Sunday). Both Laetare and Gaudete mean ‘Rejoice’ and the words are used in prayers on those days. The days are set aside in those periods of penitence as a time to relax a little, hence the more uplifting colour.



The pink in Lent also coincides with Mothering Sunday. That in Advent has nothing to do with the Virgin Mother as some people think. (I used to think that until I was put right by a previous sacristan).

The colour adds a richness to our worship and we are lucky at All Saints to have vestments in the full range.

We also have an antique French set which is almost 200 years old. It is a deep rose pink colour embroidered with silver thread. It has been decided to stop wearing it, since it is in a rather delicate state. If you

would like to see it, ask me. ��

Can’t get to grips with your finances? Don’t know to how much all your bills add up? Want to know the money left to spend without going into debt?

There’s help for your Bookkeeping: contact Stefan (your NASC! editor) on 07503 163469 for a confidential discussion.

• Free quotes

• No job is too small

• Internal & external doors

• Fitted kitchens & bedrooms

• Local friendly craftsman

141 North Road Westcliff-on-Sea Essex, SS0 7AH

07721 022077 [email protected]

All work guaranteed



Southend Bach Choir Established 1943

Conductor: Colin Edwards

Music for a Summer Evening to include Choral Classics

and music of Richard Rodgers

Guest soloist - Elizabeth Dunlop

Saturday, 14th July 2018, at 7.30pm

Trinity Methodist Church, Westcliff-on-Sea, SS0 7HL

Tickets £8 (students £5) available at the door, 01268 772842 or www.southendbachchoir.org.uk

The Windmill Audax Rides

Sunday 24th June 2018

200km – BRM The Windmill Ride, passing 10 windmills start 08.30

110km – BR Audax - start 10.00

Entry £8.50 (either ride) You can enter online at http://www.aukweb.net or

on-the-line (on the day); if postal, please send P.O. or cheque (plus S.A.E. at least 1 week prior to the event, if you require a route sheet) to:

Stefan Eichenseher 42A Whitegate Road Southend-on-Sea Essex SS1 2LQ [email protected]

Start & Finish:

Chelmer Cycling Club Meteor Way, Chelmsford Essex CM1 2RL



NASC! – Newsletter of the All Saints’ Church,

1 Sutton Road, Southend-on-Sea, Essex, SS2 5PA, a Member Church of The Parochial Church Council of the Ecclesiastical Parish of Southend (-on-Sea)

Vicar: Rev’d. Neil Paxton (CofE: 608373 8/373) - Summer/2018see

Officers of All Saints Church - we are serving you D

Officer Name (preferred) Contact

Vicar: Fr. Neil Paxton � 01702 307518

Wardens: Lin Silverman �07944 329882

Andrew Woods � 01702 308964

Use of Thomas Smith Hall Dean Prasad �07721 022077

Pastoral Assistant Penny Alexander � 01702 464997

Evangelist Cheryl Hall � 01702 213793

Young Church Leader Kalah Woods �07772 728277

Fundraising Committee Contact:

Kalah Woods �07772 728277

Tina Seckleman � 01702 302636

Cyndy Strange � 01702 586954

Editor/Publicity: Stefan Eichenseher [email protected]

www.allsaints-southend.org.uk Check for updates on the weekly Notice sheets!

Service Times

Sunday 10 am Eucharist and Young Church

Monday 5:30 pm Evening Prayer

Tuesday 5:30 pm Evening Prayer

Wednesday 9:30 am Eucharist

5:30 pm Compline

Thursday 5:30 pm Evening Prayer

Saturday 9 am Indian Orthodox Church, every 2nd Saturday of the month

www.facebook.com/AllSaintsChurchSouthend

Closing date for the Autumn 2018 edition (Sept – Oct) is on 11 August.

Please give any contribution(s) to Stefan (or send by email).

The Editor reserves the right to edit contributions for reasons of space, clarity or libel.



� � � Forthcoming Events � � �

JUNE

Sat 23rd 11am - 2pm Summer Fair

JULY

TBA 3 - 7pm Texan BBQ – in the Church Garden

Sat 21st 11am - 2pm Table sale

AUGUST

Sun 12th 10am Celebration of the Blessed Virgin Mary

SEPTEMBER

Sat 1st 11 - 3pm Charity Afternoon

Sat 22nd 4 - 7pm WW1 - 100 years ended

Celebrate with us and remember the men & women who fought for your freedom.

Sat 29th 17:30 for 6 Parish Harvest Supper

OCTOBER

Fri 5th 7 for 7.30pm Quiz Night

Sat 27th 11am - 1pm Jumble Sale

Sun 28th 10am All Saints Day Celebrations

Please contact Kalah, our Fundraising manager, (on 07772 728277) to

let her know of any suggestions, comments and feedback on events. ��

P.S.:

The donations for Helen’s outdoor experience – Sleeping rough in the rain (see report on page 8) came to nearly £500!!

all saints church, southend - newsletter nasc!_.pdf · 2019-03-28 · all saints church, southend -...

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