The Parish Magazine for Oxton & Noctorum

CHESTER CATHEDRAL

St Andrew’s Church Centre Moorfields Avenue, Noctorum

St Saviour’s Parish Church Bidston Road, Oxton

JUNE 2020

60p

A.PARSONS

• Renovations

• Decorating

• Stone Walling

Roof & Chimney Work

The Old Farm, 1 Boundary Road, Birkenhead

Mobile: 07801 535 109Email: parsons22@talktalk.net

Tel: 0151 345 9580

PRENTON PREPARATORY SCHOOLMount Pleasant, Oxton, Wirral, CH43 5SY

(Girls and Boys 2 years 6 months – 11 years)

Accredited by the Independent Schools Council

At Prenton Prep. we provide :

• A happy and caring family atmosphere;

• Traditional teaching;

• Small classes;

• Dedicated and highly experienced staff;

• A firm but fair discipline;

• High academic standard and excellent results at 11+

• Various clubs and sporting activities;

• Pre and after school care;

• Nursery Grant available for 3 and 4 year olds

For an information pack please call the School Secretary on :

0151 652 3182

or e-mail : enquiry@prentonprep.co.uk

website address : www.prentonprep.co.uk

Mayflower CourtResidential Home

8, Waterford Road, Oxton

Established and under the same ownership since 1985

Continuing to provide quality care

Tel: 652 8810

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Dear FriendsAt the time of writing this letter we find ourselves in unfamiliar circumstances regarding the Covid-19 virus. My thoughts and prayers are with you all, that you and your families are all safe and well. My prayers are also for the most vulnerable people in our society, the homeless and those in poverty. However, that is all I can say about the situation because all we can do is to help our neighbours where possible and follow the government’s advice placing everything else into God’s hands through prayer. Whilst in isolation in our home, Pauline and myself have been catching up on things that have needed doing, repairing things and cleaning here and there, which we never quite got around to doing.

People say that ‘home is where the heart is’, and that ‘there is no place like home’, both sentiments that I would agree with. This has given me something to think about, and to reflect on how lucky we are to have a home, and to think of those people not so lucky, not just those living rough, but those who were flooded out of their homes a few short months ago and others throughout the world, homeless through natural disasters and war. These things have been blotted out of the news just recently by the threat of the virus.

Because of the situation, I have had more time to watch the wildlife that visit our garden. It’s the time of year when the animals and birds are collecting materials to build their homes, it’s quite amusing to see the squabbles breaking out between the squirrels and the magpies and the other species. Pauline was amazed just a few days ago she saw two crows fighting over a rather large twig in the road. The fight was getting out of hand when a magpie swooped down and actually flew between the crows and the fight was curtailed. Blessed are the peacemakers.

This then made me think about how some birds and animals travel thousands of miles to return to their homes, some of them right back to the spot where they built their homes year after year. The wonderful thing about nature is that they do this without a satnav. My sense of direction is such that I could barely get to Sainsbury’s without one. There are seven wonders in the world but there are many more wonders in creation. For example a little swallow weighing anything between ten and sixty grams will return to its breeding home here in the UK, navigating a six-thousand-mile journey. A few short months later they and their young fly all the way back to South Africa.

Of course, swallows are not unique in having this wonderful homing instinct, the humble pigeon has an in-built navigation system that brings itself home after being transported many miles and then released. The pigeon was put to good use for carrying messages in WW 1 and 2 because of its homing instinct. It is said that we humans could find our way back to our home if we really needed to.

I wonder if I can find my way home, not my earthly home, but the home for which I have hope in Jesus. Our earthly journey has many twists and turns and I can find it difficult to stay on the straight path in my human frailty. I want to get to that final heavenly home but with my sense of direction, who knows? Perhaps, though, God has given us a built-in satnav because, after all, He does want us all to succeed because He loves us. Perhaps my internal navigation system is my conscience which gets me back on track when I veer away from it. The journey is also made easier for me if I follow the many sign posts which Jesus left for us all in the Gospels. See Luke 10: 25-28 for example.

Love in Christ

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LIFE IN MONTGOMERYI left Oxton and St Saviour’s in 2016 to live in Montgomery, mid Wales, with my partner Dee Foster, to be near her daughter who promised to “look after” us. This is the story of the town and our life in it.

The only castle I saw in Oxton was a pub. Here we see a 13th Century castle from our bedroom window. Admittedly it is a bit battered, consisting of several piles of stones which is how Cromwell’s men left it, or probably not quite as it was left in the 17th Century as a number of farmers and other residents have walls of stone suspiciously similar. Up at the castle which towers above the town a Shakespeare play is performed by a travelling company. Most recently it was “The Tempest”.

As generally happens, the town of Montgomery grew up to serve the castle. The plan is typical, the castle, the town below, the church on the opposite hill (but lower than the castle, of course). Long after the castle fell the town flourished, even becoming the county town of Montgomeryshire, now part of Powys. The town reached its heyday in the early 19th Century. In 1840 it had over 50 tradesmen including two blacksmiths, five bakers, three bootmakers, three butchers, three carpenters, three coopers, eight grocers, two seedsmen, four drapers, four maltsters, two plumbers, two masons, three saddlers, two tailors, a bricklayer, a brazier, a timber merchant, a tanner, a currier, a clockmaker, a bookseller, and even a scrivener. Today there is one grocer (the Spar), one bookseller recently opened, a hardware shop “Bunners”, a very famous one throughout the area, and none of the others, although several such as builders, plumbers and electricians, are available online. I can count only 19 tradesmen including all those working from home.

Montgomery appears to have missed the boat or perhaps the train, at about the time of the above survey. The local railway, “The Cambrian”, (which became the G.W.R.), between Whitchurch and Aberystwyth, opened in 1861 but the ‘local’ station was well over a mile away. The canal, a feeder canal and obviously pre-dating the railway, links with the major Llangollen system and is two miles away. The River Severn is also two miles away so all the transport system serves Welshpool and Newtown, bypassing Montgomery. At least we are high enough to be above this year’s floods, although the roads out at one time were impassable.

The parish church of St Nicholas is a beautiful 13th century church in origin. The solid square tower is 19th century. Inside one of the main features is a very attractive chancel screen and choir with misericords “stolen” from the local priory at Chirbury after the dissolution of the monasteries. The other important feature is the Herbert tomb. Richard Herbert was the lord of Montgomery castle, and the father of the poet George Herbert. In the churchyard is the famous Robber’s Grave. John Davies from Wrexham was found guilty of highway robbery (wrongly he said). He prayed that no grass should grow on his grave for 100 years to prove his innocence, and supposedly it did not. There is grass on it now, however!

The worship at St Nicholas’ is, I am sorry to say, somewhat disappointing. The main service attracts about 25 worshippers which is probably not as many as the early service at St Saviours’. This is very surprising as the townspeople are friendly and sociable, the kind of people you would expect to have strong religious belief and be supportive of the church. It probably does not help that the new vicar, an amiable American lady, has four parishes to look after. The Mothers’ Union, whose meeting are held in one of her four churches, is very active, not very big, but very friendly. I have already done two talks for them without being booed off stage.

The town is in many ways a typical country town, not I must say very Welsh, surrounded as it is by Shropshire. In nearly four years here I have heard Welsh spoken only once and that was someone near me speaking on the phone, although when we go further afield I hear a lot more, which pleases me. We have a fruit and veg market in the Town Hall twice a week, a town crier (a lady, Sue, with a very big voice), a street fair once a year and an agricultural show, which is followed by a lunch in the show marquee. Competition in the garden and cookery section is fierce and Dee’s daughter, Nikki, is heavily involved. At a local show, Berriew, the biggest cookery entry was, not surprisingly, bara brith. The local Welsh ladies were not best pleased when Nikki, an Englishwoman, won the section and went on to win the victor ludorum cup for bakery, and then repeat the success the following year. The Town also boasts a museum, a library, and a very good meeting hall, called appropriately the ‘Activity Centre’

Our house called “School House”, or as it used to be “Old School House”, is attached to the primary school. It is made of stone, and is very substantial. It is said to have the best view in Montgomery. At the bottom of the garden, beyond the fence is an ancient monument which we were told, on buying the house, we must not damage. The monument is a deep grassy ditch which is part of the

town ditch. It is not clear how we might damage it. Curving down and round to the left is some stonework which is all that is left of the original town walls. Beyond the ditch is a vista of fields, usually with sheep, a wood, more fields then a range of hills with Corndon Hill as its peak. This is known locally as Mount Corndon, but this is a bit of Welsh exaggeration as at 514m (1,686ft) it is hardly big enough to be called a mountain. The whole landscape slopes down a valley to the left to finish up at the River Severn.

Dee and I miss all our old friends and the churches at Oxton and Burton, but we have settled here and we have Dee’s daughter and son-in-law in the town, looking after us.

With our very best wishes. John Holt and Dee Foster

3

Clergy: Vicar: Revd Dr Joe Kennedy, 7 Willow Lea, Oxton CH43 2GQ . . . . . . . . . . . .652 2402

Curate: Revd Dr Tina Dixon, 48 Birch Road, Oxton CH43 5UA . . . . . . . . . . .653 3256

Honorary Assistant Priest: Revd Elaine Bisson . . 653 3366

Reader : Mr Denis Jones . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .652 6202

Pastoral Worker : Mrs Lisa Kelly . . . . . . . . . . . .653 9077

Children’s and Families’ Worker Mrs Tracey Williams . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .653 3366

Sand Co-ordinator : Mrs Jenny Carpenter . . . . .608 7823 Pebbles and Rocks Co-ordinator : Mrs Lisa Kelly .653 3366

Churchwardens: Mr Nick Porter . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 07774 703113 Mr Andrew Thomson . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 327 4056

Deputy Churchwarden: Anthony Parsons . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 345 9580

P.C.C. Secretary : Miss Judith Parry . . . . . . . . .652 2177

Church Treasurer : Mr Nick Broad . . . . . . .07795 683686

Director of Music : Dr Glyn Môn Hughes . . . . . . 608 3361 Associate Director of Music: Jon Barton . . . . .653 3366

Social & Music Committee : Mrs Sarah Goulding .653 3366

Verger : Mr Phil Smith . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .923 9577

Sacristy Team Leaders: Mr John and Mrs Diane Kershaw . . . . . . . . . . . .608 6067

Tower Captain : Mr Chris Neale . . . . . . . . . . . . .652 6096

Head Server : Parish Office . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .653 3366

Planned Giving Recorder : Miss Janet Taylor . .653 6233

Gift Aid Secretary : Mr Roy Cunningham . . . . .652 7195

Cameo : Miss Jean Keller . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .652 5711

Bible Reading Fellowship : Parish Office . . . . . .653 3366

Fellowship Study Groups : Parish Office . . . . . . .653 3366

St Saviour’s School: Head Teacher, Mr A Ramsden . .652 4909

Mothers’ Union : Mrs Judy Ford . . . . . . . . . . . . . 652 1840 Mrs Greig Roberts . . . . . . . . . 652 9326

Parish Administrator & Parish Centre Booking Manager Mrs Sue Gerrie . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .653 3366

Parish Centre Management Committee Contact: Mrs Marjory Taylor . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .652 5341

St Saviour’s Toddlers’ Group: Mondays: Katherine Bates . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .653 3366 Tuesdays: Lisa Dudley . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .653 3366 Thursdays: Tracey Willams . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .653 3366

Brownies : Miss Janet Taylor (22nd) . . . . . . . . .653 6233

Guides : Parish Office . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .653 3366

Electoral Roll : Mrs Sue Gerrie . . . . . . . . . . . . . .653 3366

Oxton and Noctorum Churches Together : Mr Anthony Parsons . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 345 9580

Children’s Society : Mrs Diane Kershaw . . . . . .608 6067

Christian Aid : Mrs Liz Seager . . . . . . . . . . . . . .652 5676 Mrs Diane Kershaw . . . . . . . . . .608 6067

Child Protection Officer : Miss Janet Taylor . . .653 6233

Health & Safety Advisor : Mr Paul Airey . . . . . .653 3366

Flower Guild : Mrs Vicki Coleman . . . . . . . . . . .652 8096

Magazine : Editor : Miss Jennifer Lobban . . . . .652 3033 Advertisements : Mrs Jenny Carpenter . . . . . .608 7823

Please see page 16 for Oxton Outlook editorial deadline dates.

WHO TO CONTACT AT ST SAVIOUR’S

Sacristan : Mrs Dot Roberts . . . . . . . . . . . . . 200 8642Brownies : Melanie Kirwan . . . . . . . . . . . . . 07764 537187Rainbows : Ms Molly Hodson . . . . . . . . . . 07757 054892Guides: Siobhan Thorne . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 07484 193348

Children’s Society : Mrs Suzanne Hiorns . . . . . .512 1389Flowers : Mrs Suzanne Hiorns . . . . . . . . . . . . 512 1389Church Lads’ & Church Girls’ Brigade, Noctorum : Mrs Karen Cairns . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 07849 144334Hall Bookings : Parish Office . . . . . . . . . . . . . 653 3366

WHO TO CONTACT AT ST ANDREW’S

PARISH OFFICE: St Saviour’s Parish Centre, Bidston Road CH43 2JZ Tel: 653 3366 Open 9.30am to 12.30pm, Tuesday to Friday. The Parish Office will advise about times of Baptism, receive notice of Banns of Marriage, arrange appointments, etc. Email: office@oxtonstsaviour.co.uk

Church web site: www.oxtonstsaviour.co.uk

Why not follow us on Facebook?

Parish Centre web site: www.stsavioursparishcentre.org.uk

PRAYER DIARY June 2020Monday 1st VISIT OF THE BLESSED VIRGIN MARY TO ELIZABETH May we all recognize the presence of Christ with us

Tuesday 2nd For all with birthdays this month

Wednesday 3rd The Martyrs of Uganda 1885-7 and1977 For the Church in Uganda and protection of gay people who live there

Thursday 4th Petroc, Abbot of Padstow, 6th c For healing of all suffering from Covid19, and thanksgiving for those who have recovered

Friday 5th Boniface (Wynfrith) of Crediton, Bishop, Apostle of Germany, Martyr, 754

Give thanks for the dedication of all front-line workers and pray for their protection and wellbeing

Saturday 6th Ini Kopuria, Founder of the Melanesian Brotherhood, 1945 For our brothers and sisters in Melanesia

SUNDAY 7TH TRINITY SUNDAY For those living in Rathmore Close, Rathmore Drive, Rathmore Road

Monday 8th Thomas Ken, Bishop of Bath and Wells, Nonjuror, Hymn Writer, 1711

That Queen Elizabeth and her successors should be given due respect and honour

Tuesday 9th Columba, Abbot of Iona, Missionary, 597; Ephrem of Syria, Deacon, Hymn Writer, Teacher 373

Give thanks for our Christian heritage and pray for revival of the faith in this land

Wednesday 10th For all victims of aggression in their homes and workplaces

Thursday 11th DAY OF THANKSGIVING FOR HOLY COMMUNION (CORPUS CHRISTI) Give thanks for this, our spiritual sustenance

Friday 12th BARNABAS THE APOSTLE For all churches dedicated to St Barnabas

Saturday 13th For the recovery of local businesses and staff after this pandemic

SUNDAY 14TH THE FIRST SUNDAY AFTER TRINITY For those living in Ravendale Close, Ridgeview Road, The Ridings

Monday 15th Evelyn Underhill, Spiritual Writer, 1941 For all suffering the effects of this year’s locust attacks in East Africa

Tuesday 16th Richard, Bishop of Chichester, 1253; Joseph Butler, Bishop of Durham, Philosopher, 1752 For all who live in fear and in isolation

Wednesday 17th Samuel and Henrietta Barnett, Social Reformers, 1913, 1936

On UN World Day to combat drought and desertification, for a global response to climate change

Thursday 18th Bernard Mizeki, Apostle of the MaShona, Martyr, 1896 For the Church and people of Zimbabwe

Friday 19th Sundar Singh of India, Sadhu (holy man), Evangelist, Teacher, 1929

For the safety and protection of persecuted Christians in India and Sri Lanka

Saturday 20th On World Refugee Day, for all displaced by war, famine or persecution

SUNDAY 21ST THE SECOND SUNDAY AFTER TRINITY For those living in Ridings Hey, Ringwood, Rivington Avenue

Monday 22nd Alban, first Martyr of Britain, c. 250 For all impoverished and persecuted Christians today, especially in Myanmar, Pakistan, Laos and Iran

Tuesday 23rd Etheldreda, Abbess of Ely, c. 678 Give thanks for the often forgotten role of women in the founding of Christianity

Wednesday 24th THE BIRTH OF JOHN THE BAPTIST Ember Day For those living with uncertainty

Thursday 25th For all training for various ministries

Friday 26th Ember Day For all whose ordinations have been postponed

Saturday 27th Ember Day Cyril, Bishop of Alexandria, Teacher, 444; For teachers and educators

SUNDAY 28TH THE THIRD SUNDAY AFTER TRINITY For those living in Rosemount, Rose Mount Close, Roslin Road

Monday 29th PETER AND PAUL, APOSTLES For all churches dedicated to St Peter or St Paul

Tuesday 30th For the health and wellbeing of residents and staff in care homes

REVD JOE’S SERMON FOR SUNDAY 10 MAY 2020Each year, Christians celebrate the feast of the Ascension – the going away of Jesus to sit at the right hand of the Father. That perhaps seems a strange reason to celebrate. Why celebrate the departure of Jesus? But in fact Jesus tells us to celebrate his ascension.

On Easter morning itself, Mary Magdalen meets the Risen Christ and she grabs him and hugs him, until, at length, Jesus tells her to stop, with the words, “I must soon return to my Father”. In fact, he says to Mary, “You need to go now to my brothers” – to his closest friends. “You need to go to my brothers and tell them.”

Now we’d imagine at this point that Mary should tell the other disciples that Jesus is risen! But that’s not what Jesus says. He says to Mary, “You go to my brothers and say to them, ‘I am returning to my Father and your Father, my God and your God.’” This is how Jesus himself presents the resurrection to his disciples. He does not say that he has come back to them as before. That is not what his resurrection achieves – a mere resuscitation.

No, when the Father raises Jesus from the earth, he raises him to his right hand – there to take his place on that glorious throne in heaven which is also his prie-dieu, from which he ever intercedes for us, and his chariot of fire, in which he is able to travel ahead of us.

Today we read some words which Jesus spoke at the Last Supper. Here Jesus speaks about his going away, his exodus, on Good Friday. But more profoundly, he is speaking about his going away at the Ascension.

“Let not your hearts be troubled,” Jesus said to his disciples. Let not your hearts be troubled. In the household of my Father there are many

mansions: if that is not so, I would I have told you. For I go to prepare a place for you. And if I go and prepare a place for you, I am coming again, and will take you to be at my side, so that where I am you may also be.

Jesus is consoling his disciples as he speaks to them about his departure. And he seems to be consoling them by assuring them that his father’s household has many mansions. But surely that cannot be right? Is Jesus really promising large houses to his disciples, to us too? That would seem very strange. And in fact it’s not what he says at all. The Latin Vulgate Bible, which was used in England and across Western Europe for over a thousand years, used the word mansiones.

In my Father’s household there are many mansiones. But mansiones doesn’t mean large houses. It refers to the resting places built every twenty miles or so on the main roads of the ancient world. A pedestrian could walk about twenty miles in a day, so these mansiones were motels, travel lodges, where you could get a meal and a bed for the night before carrying on your journey the next morning.

It was at one such mansio that the disciples walking to Emmaus stopped for the night and persuaded the Risen Christ to stay with them, not realizing who he was until he turned their evening meal into a Eucharist.

But Jesus is painting here another picture. He says that when in the future his disciples are setting off on their journey, they will not see him. But he will in fact be traveling ahead to the next travel lodge and getting things ready for their arrival. Then he will come back, he says, and get them and bring them safely to the motel for the night. And then he’ll do the same the next day.

In fact, if you recall, Jesus is saying all of this at the Last Supper. And, according to St Mark, at least, Jesus had made all the arrangements for the Last Supper in advance; he’d booked the room and so forth. Even in the darkest of days, Jesus has prepared a table for those who follow him.

So what Jesus is really promising his disciples, and what he promises us, is that as we journey through life, we may not see him, but that is because he is going on ahead of us, preparing to receive us again at the next Eucharist where he will refresh us, as he refreshed the disciples on the road to Emmaus, with his Word and his Sacrament.

Or we might say that Jesus consoles his disciples by telling them again that he is the Good Shepherd about whom the psalmist sang – the shepherd who will lead his sheep to the green pastures and the still waters where they can eat and drink, the shepherd who will refresh the spirits of his sheep when they are weary, and will pull them back to the right path when they wander off into danger. Indeed, he is the one who will prepare a table for them in the presence of their enemies, anointing their heads with oil and filling their glasses to the brim.

Surely, Jesus says to those who follow him – surely goodness and mercy will follow you all the days of your life, for you shall find resting places in the household of the Lord till length of days. Amen.

PARISH REGISTERS

THOSE WHO HAVE DIED RECENTLY ‘May they rest in peace’

Jean Kathleen Taylor . . . . . . . 77 years . . . . . . . . . . 17 March 2020

John Roy Fox . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 83 years . . . . . . . . . . 27 March 2020

Joan Stubbs . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 96 years . . . . . . . . . . 4 April 2020

Alan Parker . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 64 years . . . . . . . . . . 16 April 2020

Barbara Foster . . . . . . . . . . . . . 73 years . . . . . . . . . . 18 April 2020

Wilfred Arnold Hughes . . . . . 90 years . . . . . . . . . . 24 April 2020

Muriel Parker . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 95 years . . . . . . . . . . 29 April 2020

Diana Farley . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 64 years . . . . . . . . . . 21 May 2020

William Carroll . . . . . . . . . . . . . 75 years . . . . . . . . . . 28 May 2020

Dee Foster

I write from Montgomery where I live with John (Holt).

Throughout my life I have enjoyed this hymn perhaps more for its associations than its words. It always reminds me of singing at school (although I was not very good). My school days at four different schools were very happy, except for the occasion my mother was invited by the Headmistress to find another school for me. The reason for expulsion was not drink or drugs but for dabbling my feet in the school pond on a hot day. How times have changed! Nevertheless, this hymn brings back happy, happy memories.

This is surely the reason that I chose it for my wedding. My family and friends could not understand my choice. When you look at, “Have we trials and tribulations?, Is there trouble everywhere?” in the second verse or, “are we weak and heavy laden, cumbered with a load of care?” it does not seem to augur well for married life. However, we stayed married for over 40 years so my friends’ doubts were unfounded. We did have our trials and tribulations, especially when I threw a trifle (still in its dish) at my husband, but the final promise is, ”In His arms He’ll take and shield thee, thou wilt find a solace there.” I did.

What a Friend We Have in Jesus

“What a Friend We Have in Jesus”What a friend we have in Jesus,All our sins and griefs to bear!What a privilege to carryEverything to God in prayer!O what peace we often forfeit,O what needless pain we bear –all because we do not carryeverything to God in prayer!

Have we trials and temptations?Is there trouble everywhere?We should never be discouraged:take it to the Lord in prayer!Can we find a friend so faithfulwho will all our sorrows share?Jesus knows our every weakness –take it to the Lord in prayer!

Are we weak and heavy ladencumbered with a load of care?Precious Saviour, still our refuge!Take it to the Lord in prayer!Do thy friends despise, forsake thee?Take it to the Lord in prayer!In His arms He’ll take and shield thee,Thou wilt find a solace there.

MORE IN THE SERIES OF FAVOURITE HYMNS THANK YOU TO THE LEADERSHIP TEAM…for providing worship on Sundays online as we are unable to worship at St Saviour’s and St Andrew’s at present.

A thank you is also due for the provision of the telephone number 0151 318 0581 for those who cannot access the website. At 10.00am on Sundays we can pick up the telephone and hear the gospel reading, a talk and prayers. Listening on the telephone concentrates my mind on the talk based on the gospel reading. As I have a copy of the Lectionary, I could check the gospel for the relevant Sunday and read it beforehand. Following the talk we could re-read the passage and be reminded again of Jesus’ words.

One of the benefits of lockdown could be a re-acquaintance of the gospels. You could devote some time to reading one of them.

Jennifer Lobban

Some of us have had ideas for jobs to be done in the house during lockdown eg spring cleaning, tidying drawers and cupboards and clearing out books no longer needed. How are we all doing with our various plans? Write in and let us know.Thank you for the memories for our VE Day celebrations page. If you have any memories of the end of WW2 please send them to oxton.outlook@btinternet.com before 21st June for inclusion in our August edition.

STAYING AT HOMEDo you make lists? I do. I make lists containing everything that can be done. There are two lists, one for inside and one for outside, so they are weather dependent. The tasks can be jobs or fun activities. They do not need to be completed in the order they are written, so choices can be made. My lists contain things like cup of tea, read a book, knit as well as plant, tidy, clean or sort. I always put something on the list that has been completed so that as soon as the list is written I can start crossing off the tasks.

When we were advised to stay at home two lists were written. Twelve weeks seemed to be a long time and some of the tasks could to take a while. I saw it as an opportunity to tackle things that had been ignored because of the length of time they would take to be completed. Then it seemed that the time would pass quite quickly and the optimist in me said I had better get a move on or I would be left with things not being back in place when we would all be free and back to normal.

Indeed, time passed and the garden looked neater as did some cupboards, drawers and shelves. There was a huge amount of shredding to be done and the charity shop and tip piles grew. We made sure that we shopped on line for essentials and walked for the allotted time. We settled down to the new normal and lists were completed and new ones made.

Then an NHS letter arrived for Paul saying he was on the shielding list. The guidelines indicated that we would have to lead separate lives if I ventured out. So, walks and going out of any sort were stopped. On line shopping for all sorts of things came into its own. The kitchen cupboards, fridge and freezer looked emptier than they ever have and some concoctions in the culinary department were successful. Nipping out for ingredients wasn’t an option and substitutions were made. I now have a third list. It’s on the fridge for adding to the delivery order!

All I can say is that the fact that we are still well and trusting in the belief that, one day, we will see everything back to normal - whatever that is. I have another list on the go now… what we can do when we are able to go out without restriction.

Jenny Carpenter

Revised Arrangements for our Annual Church Meetings and Election of Churchwardens, PCC and Deanery Synod Members 2020On account of the lockdown restrictions imposed by the current coronavirus pandemic, it was not possible to hold our Annual Church Meetings on 30th April of this year. The following information from Chester Diocese, in line with Church of England national guidelines was published in the document ‘Annual Meetings, Elections in 2020’ about the revised arrangements for the timings of Annual Church Meetings and elections of Churchwardens, members of the PCC and members of the Deanery Synod for 2020.

As at present, the Annual Church Meetings will need to be arranged before 31st October 2020. The new date for our meetings has not yet been fixed but it will most likely be in October 2020. The new date will be published as soon as it is available. The Churchwardens elected then will be formally admitted at the Archdeacon’s Visitation Service to be held in January 2021 (date and venue to be announced). This will mean that the current Churchwardens, elected in 2019 will continue in office until January 2021. The terms of office of those presently serving on the Deanery Synod will be extended to 30 November 2020 and those serving on the PCC due to retire this year, will remain in office until the newly arranged date of the Church Annual Meetings at which elections for Churchwardens, PCC and Deanery Synod members will take place.

The new date for the Church Annual Meetings will be published as soon as possible.Judith Parry, PCC Secretary

Sadie has been a faithful member of St Andrew’s since Revd William Hogg’s time as minister responsible for

St Andrew’s – more than 30 years. She joined the choir and also helped at the Tuesday morning Coffee Club which took place at St Andrew’s for many years. At the social evenings at St Andrew’s Sadie was always there. She was a helper at the Faith Lunches that were held at St Andrew’s regularly and several

members of St Saviour’s would meet Sadie there.

Sadie is a member of Mothers’ Union whose members were hoping to celebrate her birthday and sing to her at the deanery tea. Sadly, the restrictions of the current

virus meant a change of plan – but Sadie did receive a card from Wendy Sykes the Diocesan President as well as a card and gifts from St Saviour’s Branch of MU.

We send our congratulations to Sadie on reaching her century.

Editorial

Sadie Rowe 100 May 6th

50 Years Not Out!May 2020 marked a special anniversary for Keith Seville and we would like to say a big “THANK-YOU” to him for 50 years of loyal service to our church family.

In 1969 Will Harrison and the late Jack Brown met Keith during a parish visiting campaign and Keith then became involved at St Saviour’s.

Following this, in 1970, the then curate, Revd John Williams, recruited him as an altar server. In 1997 Keith became a licensed lay assistant a role which he carries out with dignity and reliability…often taking over at short notice.

In addition to this Keith serves in a variety of ways…as epistoler at 8am communion; crucifer; eucharistic minister and, perhaps most importantly, he is one of the home communion team. This ministry brings great spiritual nourishment to those unable to attend church.

In a quiet, unassuming manner Keith has displayed the qualities of dedication, service and loyalty.

We thank him most sincerely and wish him well for the next 50 years!

Thoughts from Ernie Carvell:A LITTLE FOLLOW UP TO BRIAN DUNN’S LOVELY ARTICLE – CONCERNING REVD COLIN MONTGOMERY (see Oxton Outlook March 2020)As a bellringer I was usually last into the choir vestry after rushing down the the tower stairs. I couldn’t help noticing that Colin used to look at me with a frown. One day he came up to me and said “Can’t you get here a bit sooner, you always seem to be last.” I answered him and said “Get your facts right, mister, I have just raced down 72 spiral steps.” He said “Oh you’re a bellringer, I didn’t know that”. After that we became very friendly.

I still remember his last sermon based on the hymn Abide with me.

He died not long after that.

Revd Colin Montgomery was, in fact, not a vicar of Oxton. When Ernie encountered him he was filling in for Revd Thomas Rockley (vicar 1949 – 55) who was hospitalised for some time suffering with a duodenal ulcer. Revd Montgomery was on a nine month furlough between the parish of Aklavik near Canada’s Arctic coast and the parish of Vryburg in South Africa where he died suddenly, in 1958, whilst refereeing a boxing match.

Colin was familiar with Wirral having been a vicar of St John’s Wallasey (Egremont). He was one of nine siblings, a brother of Field Marshal Bernard Montgomery - often referred to as ‘Monty’ who had commanded the allies against General Rommel in North Africa and in the invasions of Italy and Normandy. Editorial

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