Parish of UrneyChrist Church & Church of The Good Shepherd

Lent 2015 News SheetRector: Reverend Mark Greenstreet ~ Telephone 028 81658835

I have, over these last three months or so, seen life from a verydifferent perspective. For a while, rather than wander thecorridors of Altnagelvin, visiting patients, I was the one sitting inthe chair being carefully delivered to Ward 7 or to X-ray by theporters. But that wasn’t the only time I’d be confined to awheelchair – the same happened again over Christmas, first atDerry and then London’s Stansted airport.

On both of these occasions I was in considerable discomfort,and certainly in hospital there were some extraordinarily lowmoments. There were certainly anxieties and at times loneliness…But despite all of those things, or perhaps through or because ofthose things I grew and learned a very great deal; about life, aboutothers, and about myself as well. Very often it’s precisely at timeslike these, when we are out of our comfort zone, or withoutfamiliar comforts or distractions, that we can feel that bit closerto God. Indeed it was precisely when he faced the lies and deceitof the devil, throughout forty agonisingly long days in thewilderness that Jesus revealed his metal. I pray that this lent youmight have courage to come apart a tiny bit – that is to set asideat least some of the things that usually occupy your time andclamour for your attention and focus once again, only more clearlyupon Him.

Often, after Christmas, I treat myself to something, perhaps alittle thing for the house, or a game that I can enjoy with mydaughter, Niamh.

This year it wasMONOPOLY.

I used to love it when Iwas young, so I thought itwould be perfect. What ashock I got though, whenI opened the box… Mayfairand Park Lane, Old KentRoad and so on…. they’vegone… and in their place now is Knightsbridge and Saville Row.

Gone too are properties for justa few hundred pounds… thecheapest are now hundreds ofthousands… And cash, that’sgone as well – everyone has acredit card! Initially I had myreservations… initially I felt likethis wasn’t the real thing… but

actually, after a second look, and more importantly, after givingit a try, the unthinkable happened… it’s actually better… it’seasier to get into the game… it’s actually more fun without theworry of counting all that money… Before it could be ages beforethe action REALLY got going… this is quicker and far moreaccessible, even for those who are perhaps unfamiliar…

Sadly whilst the world and society around us has beenchanging constantly over the years, often the Church has beenslow or wholly resistant to those changes. Whilst people’sworking habits have changed, and the way they communicate isaltogether different, inside the church very little is different -everything is perfectly preserved. We still use the language ofown ancestors and sometimes our attitude is ‘if it was goodenough for them it is good enough for me……

But the harsh reality of course is that, for the most part,traditional church has been failing for years. It is NOT thatpeople have ceased to believe in God OR that the person ofJesus is less attractive than once he was, but it is because welack an attractiveness or vitality that people crave.

Our Bishop has announced that next year will be, in thisDiocese, a year of opportunity, with churches all over theDiocese taking on new challenges. Here, this Lent we’re goingto begin our preparations for next year early. Jesus said ‘I havecome that you may have life, and have it to the full!’ and wehope to realise some of that fullness in practice. Prayer is meantto be the life blood of the Christian but we have allowed it tobecome either an empty ritual or something that we rely ononly in an emergency. We will be striving to change that –through regular active prayer for the parish and it’s people. Newservices offering prayer and laying-on of hands (for healing) willbe introduced, together with a book for prayer requests at bothchurches, and the Prayer Chain. Our popular mid-week Lentenservices will also be looking at Powerful Prayer in the Bible anda new Learning and Action Group will pick up where the Lentenservices leave off.

Often a second look is all it takes – Can I encourage you toLOOK AGAIN this Lent.

To all those who join us, in Church AND online, my love andprayers that this time of thought and preparation really wouldstir up us and lead us closer to Jesus.

Your Rector,

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~Sunday 8th February

The Second Sunday before LentChurch of The Good Shepherd8.30 a.m. HOLY COMMUNION10.30 a.m. MORNING PRAYER

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~Christ Church

12.00 noon MORNING PRAYER ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

Sunday 15th FebruaryThe Sunday before Lent

Church of The Good Shepherd8.30 a.m. NO SERVICE

10.30 a.m. FAMILY SERVICE~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

Christ Church12.00 noon FAMILY SERVICE

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~Wednesday 18th February

ASH WEDNESDAYChurch of The Good Shepherd

8.00 p.m. Service for Ash Wednesday~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

Sunday 22nd FebruaryThe First Sunday in Lent

Church of The Good Shepherd8.30 a.m. HOLY COMMUNION

10.30 a.m. HOLY COMMUNION~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

Christ Church12.00 noon HOLY COMMUNION

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~Wednesday 25th February

Christ Church8.00 p.m. Lenten Service

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~Sunday 1st March

The Second Sunday in LentChurch of The Good Shepherd8.30 a.m. HOLY COMMUNION10.30 a.m. MORNING PRAYER

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~Christ Church

12.00 noon MORNING PRAYER~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~Wednesday 4th March

Church of The Good Shepherd8.00 p.m. Lenten Service

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~Sunday 8th March

The Third Sunday in LentChurch of The Good Shepherd8.30 a.m. HOLY COMMUNION

10.30 a.m. HOLY COMMUNION~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

Christ Church12.00 noon HOLY COMMUNION

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~Wednesday 11th March

Christ Church8.00 p.m. Lenten Service

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~Sunday 15th March

The Fourth Sunday in LentMothering Sunday

Church of The Good Shepherd8.30 a.m. HOLY COMMUNION

10.30 a.m. FAMILY SERVICE~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

Christ Church12.00 noon FAMILY SERVICE

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~Wednesday 18th March

Church of The Good Shepherd8.00 p.m. Lenten Service

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~Sunday 22nd March

The Fifth Sunday in LentChurch of The Good Shepherd8.30 a.m. HOLY COMMUNION

10.30 a.m. HOLY COMMUNION~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

Christ Church12.00 noon. HOLY COMMUNION

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~Wednesday 25th March

The Annunciation of our LordChrist Church

8.00 p.m. Lenten Service~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~Sunday 29th March

The Sixth Sunday in Lent ~ Palm SundayChurch of The Good Shepherd8.30 a.m. HOLY COMMUNION10.30 a.m. MORNING PRAYER

7.00 p.m. Service of Prayer and Laying on of Hands for Healing~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

Christ Church12.00 noon MORNING PRAYER

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~Monday 30th March

Monday in Holy WeekChurch of The Good Shepherd8.00 p.m. HOLY WEEK SERVICE

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~Tuesday 31st March

Tuesday in Holy WeekChrist Church

8.00 p.m. HOLY WEEK SERVICE~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

Wednesday 1st AprilWednesday in Holy Week

Church of The Good Shepherd8.00 p.m. HOLY WEEK SERVICE

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~Thursday 2nd AprilMaundy Thursday

Christ Church8.00 p.m. HOLY COMMUNION

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~Friday 3rd AprilGood Friday

Church of The Good Shepherd8.00 p.m. TENEBRAE SERVICE

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~Sunday 5th April

EASTER DAY The First Sunday of EasterChrist is risen! The Lord is risen indeed. Alleluia!

Church of The Good Shepherd5.45 a.m. DAWN SERVICE

10.30 a.m. HOLY COMMUNION~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

Christ Church12.00 noon HOLY COMMUNION

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

An extraordinary moment for parishioner Miss Elizabeth Hamilton, as she celebratedher 100�� birthday on 3�� January at Hillcrest Care Facility Omagh. Elizabeth is picturedproudly holding the special Queen’s card to mark the occasion. Our Rector was on handto convey thoughts, prayers and good wishes and to present Elizabeth with a bouquetof flowers from the whole family of the church. Elizabeth is a life long member of theparish and for many years a member of the choir in the Church of the Good Shepherd.

Photo: Isobel O’Brien

Elizabeth is pictured here with her nieces, Ruth, Rosie, Haslette and Elizabeth.Photo: Reverend Mark Greenstreet

Elizabeth with staff at the home. In the back row are, Lauren, Clodagh, Julie andShelia and in the front row Julie and Carole with a special birthday cake for Elizabethto mark the occasion. In the photo on the right pictured with Elizabeth is JulieTaylor the home manager. Photos: Isobel O’Brien

During Bishop Good’s Presidential Address at the Diocesan Synod 2014 he saidthat regarding 2016 it will be,

“…a particular Year of Opportunity; a year in which we tackle each of the threechallenge areas: NUMBERS, AGE-PROFILE and FINANCES. We do believe that each ofthese real challenges can become a real opportunity, and that we want the diocese tofocus on the three critical themes of MISSION, GENEROSITY and CHILDREN”.

Since then a team from our parish has attended meetings at Rural Deanery levelfor guidance. Year 2015 is to be a Year of PRAYER, Planning and Preparation for Year 2016:

to see every parish challenged and equipped to make disciples of Jesus Christ.

to be cheerful about greater sharing of resources.

to inspire a new generation of young people as followers of Christ.

The following is from one of the sheets given to Parish Teams for their thoughts.What are your thoughts on this?

Below are 10 reasons why a parish might take seriously this call to make 2016 aYear of Opportunity. They are not the only or even the best reasons. But for now, which ofthe following could provide the right motivation for your parish? Please score each on ascale of 1-10 where 10 means this is a very strong motive for us and 1 means it is not reallya motive at all.

_____ Our existing congregation is getting older (and smaller)

_____ We have many “lapsed” members

_____ We need to try something new

_____ God has a plan for us and we need to fulfil it

_____ There are untapped resources within our parish

_____ If we don’t get more money we won’t survive

_____ The Bishop has challenged us to do this

_____ Every parish needs a periodic challenge to bring in the harvest

_____ There are lots of opportunities for us to connect with people in our community

_____ Other churches are taking our young people

Lent starts on Ash Wednesday and is the period of six weeks 40 days (notincluding Sundays) leading up to Easter, the most important festival in the Christiancalendar. The last week of Lent is called Holy Week. This year Lent begins on 18�� Februaryand ends on 4�� April.

During the 40 days of Lent, Christians remember the time when Jesus went intothe desert to fast and pray before beginning his work for God. During this time Jesus wastempted several times by Satan, but was able to resist.

In western Christian churches, the day before Lent starts is called Shrove Tuesday.This is also known as Pancake Tuesday. This day was traditionally the last chance to use upthe foods Christians would not be eating during Lent. Today people often give upsomething during Lent such as sweets, chocolate, crisps or some type of food.

On Ash Wednesday in this country the Roman Catholic church, as do many otherwestern Christian churches, hold services during which Christians are marked on theforehead with a cross of ashes. This is a sign of saying sorry to God for any wrong doing(penitence) and mortality. The ashes come from burning the palm crosses from PalmSunday of the previous year.

After Jesus was baptised and before he began to teach He went into thewilderness so that he could think and pray. He stayed there for forty days. While He wasthere he was tempted three times by the Devil.

First the Devil told him to turn some stones on the ground into bread so that hewould not be hungry.

Jesus replied.Next the Devil took him to a tower at the top of the Temple in Jerusalem and told

him to throw himself down because angels would save him. Jesus refused and said,.

Finally the Devil showed him all the lands around offered them to Jesus if hewould worship the Devil. Jesus refused again saying,

The devil left and angels came and attended Jesus who was now ready to beginhis work of teaching and healing people.

The used Clothes Collect in January raised .Our thanks to all who helped, supported or subscribed to this in any way.

Our next fund raising event is the “SMARTIES”. You will receive a tube of“Smarties”. We hope you enjoy them and hopefully when you have enjoyedthem you will fill the empty tube with your spare pieces and return the filledtube to the parish. The last time we had this type of fund raising over £1,000.00was raised.

All parishioners who subscribed to the parish in 2014 by Freewill Envelopes,Direct Debit or Annual Subscription should have received an individual statementshowing their total Freewill Subscriptions for 2014. If you have not received oneor have any queries contact any member of the vestry, treasurer or secretary.

Area Service Tuesday 24�� February at8.00 p.m. in Church of The Good Shepherd

Daffodil Tea on the evening of Monday 16�� March in the Church Hall.

             22ⁿ� February & 1�� March Mrs. Ann Buick. 8�� & 15�� March Mrs Valerie Kee.                              22ⁿ� & 29 March Mrs Jacqueline Browne. 5��, 12��, 19�� & 26�� April Baird Families.

February Mr. Roy Brown & Mr. Harold Shannon. March Mrs. Valerie Hamilton & Family.

April Mrs. Olive Baird & Family. May Mrs Valerie Kee.

                      22ⁿ� February Mrs. Sylvia Campbell & Mrs. Ruby McConnell. 1�� & 8�� March Mrs. Frances Tinney & Mrs. Etta Brown. 15�� & 22ⁿ� March Mrs. Audrey Preston. 29�� March & 5�� April Mrs. Ruby Donnell. 12�� & 19�� April Mrs Frances Moore.

February Mr. William Steenson & Mr. Ronald Patton. March Mrs. Jennifer McAuley April Mrs. Kathleen Moore.

Porch and Gallery Brass Cleaning - Mr. Brian Gilmour

10�� January 2015In Ardstraw New Cemetery following a service in the

Church of the Good Shepherd.“I am the resurrection and the life,” saith the Lord.

, Parkside Gardens, Sion Mills.

We extend our sincere sympathy to her parents, Eva and William,brothers Alexander and Andrew and all the family circle.

In memory of a dear husband, father, father-in-law and grandfather,

died 14th February 2013.Always remembered by his wife Etta, daughter Deirdre, sons Richard, Ian, Gareth, their

spouses, grandchildren and all the family circle.Never more than a thought away, loved and remembered everyday.

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~In memory of a dear mother, mother-in-law, grandmother, sister and sister-in-law,

died 17th February 2013.Always remembered by her son David, daughters Jennifer, Jillian, June, Heather, Dawn,

their spouses grandchildren, brother, Bertie, sister-in-law Rita, and all the family circle.Simple words but very true, we will always love and remember you.

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~In memory of a dear wife, mother and grandmother,

died 4th March 1990.Always remembered by husband, Walter, daughters, Eunice and Glenda, sons Mark,

Nigel and Travis, and grandchildren.A silent thought, a quiet prayer, for someone special in God’s care.

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~In memory of a dear mother, mother-in-law and grandmother,

died 7th March 2007.Always remembered by her daughter Pamela, son-in-law Thomas, grandchildren and

all the family circle.Resting where no shadows fall, loved and remembered by us all.

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~In loving memory of a dear mother-in-law and Grandmother,

died 19th March 1988.Always remembered by son-in-law Walter and grandchildren, Eunice, Mark, Glenda,

Nigel and Travis, and great grandchildren.Precious memories last forever.

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

If you have read through this news sheet prayer comes up several times. Inour Rector’s message he talks about prayer, Lent starts the Diocesan “Year ofPrayer” and the pages for our younger parishioners is about Jesus praying in thewilderness for forty days. So when something like “PRAYER” comes from differentsources at the same period of time it may be that all of us should be giving moretime and thought to prayer. We should be praying for our family and friends, Churchfamily and parish, for all who teach, guide and protect us, for all who are sufferingfrom sickness and infirmities of age, for struggling Christians and for ourselves.

The following comes from a Children’s Ministry Resource Edition of the HolyBible and the relevant Bible readings are Matthew 6:5-13 & Luke 11:1-13.

Prayer is talking to God. You and I can tell God how great He is. We canask Him to forgive us when we do wrong. We can thank him for all He does for usand for others. We can talk to him about the things that make us sad and the thingsthat make us glad. We can ask Him to meet our needs and the needs of familymembers, friends, neighbours, missionaries and others.

The Lord Jesus prayed much himself and He often talked about prayer.When His disciples wanted to know how to pray, He taught them what to do andwhat not to do.

(Matthew 6:5). Don’t pray like hypocrites, likethose who pretend to be something they are not, who want to be seen and heardbut are not praying from their heart. It isn’t that God doesn’t want us to praypublicly for prayer is important in Church worship, Bible or Prayer group study. It iswhen we pray with others we must make sure we are talking sincerely to God, nottrying to impress those listening.

(Matthew 6:6). Praying with others is good but notenough. Pray in your room or in another place where you can be alone. God willhear as you pray from your heart.

(Matthew 6:7, 8). Do not pray by just repeatingthe same words over and over. By repeating yourself again and again is not prayingfrom the heart and is not necessary. Our Father in Heaven knows your need beforeyou ask Him.

(Matthew 6:9-13; Luke 11:2-4). In Luke 11: 1 We readabout Jesus praying in a certain place, when He ceased then one of his disciples saidto Him, “Lord teach us to pray, as John also taught his disciples.” So Jesus said tothem, “When you pray say:”…..Then Jesus give them the Model Prayer that we callthe Lord’s Prayer.

(Luke 11:5-13). God will always give what is best forus, not necessarily what we want. Sometimes the answer will be “No” or “Wait” butoften the answer will be “Yes.” Just remember God always knows best