Fourth Sunday after

Trinity Dear friends, 27 June 2021

Last week, we spoke of the need to be patient ...and to have hope... as the Covid restrictions are still with us.

Christians talk a lot about faith; but just what is faith?

Theologians write about the meetings that Jesus had with people, as recorded in Mark‟s Gospel, where Jesus is presented as someone who was recognised to have authority. The stories portray something of this authority: authority over evil (the demon-possessed man in the graveyard), authority over creation (Jesus stills a storm on Lake Galilee). The two meetings in this week‟s Gospel reveal that it‟s an authority even over sickness and death. And these two meetings with Jesus give us two clues towards answering the question: „What is faith?‟

1. The meeting with the woman in the crowd reveals that faith is faith in Jesus, faith in the one who has the authority over disease and death, not faith in objects and things.

2. The meeting with Jairus, and his daughter, reveals that faith is not about getting everything we want, as if God were some heavenly Santa Claus. Faith is trust even when things don‟t go as planned.

Faith can be summed up in four simple words, “NOW, BUT NOT YET”.

We learn from Jairus too that true faith continues believing even if God doesn‟t heal now, straightaway. For the final triumph is not in doubt. Hear the words of Jesus to Jairus, and let them be to YOU today:

“Don’t be afraid; just believe” (verse 36). (As shared by Jonathan Calvert at mybible.com )

SERVICES in WALMSLEY PARISH There will be a Communion Service at Christ Church Walmsley this Sunday (27 June) at 9:30am led by Reverend Carol Hayden and at St. Andrew‟s, BX, at 11am led by Canon David Dunn, who today celebrates his 50

th Anniversary of becoming a Deacon.

There will also be a mid-week service at Walmsley: 11am on Wednesday 30 June

If you feel unable to join us yet in church, the wealth of wonderful resources for ‘Worship at Home’ produced from across the Turton Moorland Team via newsletter, via the Team websites and, for those without internet, hand-delivered will continue. Stay well – stay safe.

In various communications, some of us have been lamenting our singing „prohibition‟ in church. This post appeared on the Facebook page #Niteblessing

May you sing not because you must but because you can. When all around is

uncertain and sorrow feels like it will suffocate you, open your

mouth, lift back your head and let the sound surface. Whether

it be a lament, a cry, a declaration or a delight, God hears...

Sharing inspirational #MorningPrayers from Rev Bill Braviner from Twitter each day: Lord, give us confidence and courage to face the storms of life, knowing that you are with us and love us. May we express, in words and deeds, the hope we share in you. Amen

Steer us, Lord, in the journey of today and every day; give us confidence and courage to face the storms of life in the

knowledge of your presence with us and your love for us.

Help us always to focus first on love, for you and for neighbour, as our goal and guide.

Guard us, Lord, from all that would seek our harm, and surround us

with your protection; may we know the peace of your kingdom as we seek to spread the good news of your love, and take the opportunities

you give us to express, in words and deeds, the hope we share.

We include here the list for those in our prayers from our Parish: If you know of others to be included, please contact me. DH

Prayers of Intercession

Hear us dear Lord, as we pray for the sick, the suffering, and those in need. Comfort and heal all those who suffer in body, mind or spirit; give them courage and hope in their troubles and bring them the joy of your salvation. Our prayers and thoughts at this time are especially for:

Yvonne Ashmore; Charles Hill; Rosemary Clegg; Patrick Daly; Adam Matthews;

Lesley & Roy Smith; Brian Denvir; David Lord;

...and any others known to us.

For our community: Staff and workers of Fortalice and Urban Outreach; The teachers, ancillary staff and children in our schools; NHS staff and volunteers who have worked so hard.

We remember too those who mourn, that You may provide comfort and help in their loss and sustain them through their grief.

Hear us as we remember those who have died in the faith of Christ; according to your promises, grant us with them a share in your eternal kingdom.

Doris Windsor; Annie Wilton Hough; Catherine Jane Maden; Colin Hart; Mary Louise Greenhalgh; Elsie Lucas; Mary Blanche Leigh; Roger Howard Pearson;

You are the Alpha and the Omega; may we one day rejoice with you in heaven.

Rejoicing in the fellowship of all your saints, we commend ourselves and all the human family to your unfailing love. Amen.

We send our love and very best wishes to Archdeacon Karen Lund for her birthday on 30 June and to our assistant Church Warden, Angie Foster, for 1 July xx

Rev Chris Jamieson shares prayers each day on Facebook from St. Peter‟s, Belmont:

Lord Jesus Christ, you taught us to love our neighbour, and to care for those in need as if we were caring for you. In this time of anxiety, give us strength to comfort the fearful, to tend the sick, and to assure the isolated of our love and your love, for your name’s sake. God of compassion, be close to those who are ill or in isolation. In their loneliness, be their consolation; in their anxiety be their hope; in their darkness, be their light; through him who suffered alone on the cross, but reigns with you in glory, Jesus Christ our Lord. Amen.

This Sunday, 27 June, is the 50th anniversary of David Dunn becoming a deacon. We wish him well in his ongoing ministry and thank him for continuing to support us here in Walmsley Parish. I asked David if he would give us a „biopic‟ of his life and work as a minister, and he has very kindly obliged:

I trained for the ministry at King‟s College, London, and St. Augustine‟s College, Canterbury in the late 1960‟s and returned to my sponsoring Diocese of Liverpool to serve my title or first curacy at Padgate, part of the Warrington New Town Development Scheme, in June 1971. It was a large and very new Team Ministry with a group of clergy whose work involved chaplaincies in schools, hospitals, colleges, prisons and the Police Training School at Bruche, where I had my first experience of policing. Little did I know then that in the years to come, Police Chaplaincy was to become a very significant part of my life.

In 1974, I moved over the Diocesan border to Manchester and to St. Margaret‟s, Halliwell, where I gained considerable experience of parish life, which stood me in good stead for my first living at St. Stephen and All Martyrs, Lever Bridge. How many times, I wonder, did I wish that I‟d moved to a parish with a shorter name when I had to type or write it out over the eight years that I was there. Lever Bridge is one of two churches in the country built from terra cotta and a considerable amount of effort was spent in maintaining the fabric. I became a senior school visitor for the Diocese and very involved in running Christian Stewardship and Covenant Campaigns all over Manchester.

My move to St. Maxentius took place in 1984, where I remained until retirement in 2012. A very happy and fulfilling time, and in 2001 worked closely with Archdeacon Lorys to establish the Turton Moorland Ministry, somewhat different in format from today, with four parishes keeping their own identity and status, but working together when and where necessary.

My work with Greater Manchester Police continued to develop with me becoming the Force Co-ordinating Chaplain, part of a team of clergy of all denominations and faiths. Based at the Training School in Prestwich, I was very well placed to see most members of the force during the course of a year.

I was also fortunate to have two sabbaticals with them, researching into the effectiveness of Police Chaplaincy and working more closely with all departments. While with G.M.P., I was able to take further qualifications in counselling.

In retirement, until recently I have been a Hospital Manager with the Five Boroughs‟ Mental Health Trust, which again is something I have enjoyed.

I can honestly say that the last fifty years have been very special. I have worked in some amazing places and with some wonderful people who have been a great help, encouragement and support, and not once could I ever have envisaged doing anything else with my life.

The church I was ordained into all those years ago is very different from that of today, which is only to be expected, and we should try our best to take every opportunity to embrace new ideas and philosophies, and help our church to grow and expand.

I am very grateful to Carol for giving me the opportunity to take services in our parish and still be involved in what I still consider to be the best „job‟ in the world.

With every good wish and blessing, David

CONGRATULATIONS to JORDAN McDERMOTT on the occasion of his ORDINATION

Dawn McDermott has shared the wonderful news that their son, Jordan, will be ordained at Blackburn Cathedral on Sunday 4 July.

Jordan is former pupil at Walmsley CE School and Canon Slade School and was a member of our Music Worship Group „River of Life‟ at Christ Church Walmsley, in which he and his younger brother Isaac played violin and their Dad, Andrew sang at our Sunday morning Family Services.

Having gained a Music Degree from the University of Bangor, Jordan followed his vocation, and went to Sheffield to study for a BA in Theological studies, and was the college‟s Precentor there in his final year, in charge of music & singing!

Jordan then completed his training at the „College of the Resurrection‟ in Mirfield, West Yorkshire, the only theological college in the Anglican Communion that shares its life with a monastic community! He will be ordained to the Diaconate by Philip, Bishop of Burnley, in the Cathedral Church of St. Mary the Virgin, Blackburn and will start his curacy within the Diocese of Blackburn. Congratulations also to this amazing young man on his forthcoming wedding in November to Becky, to whom he has been engaged since Christmas 2019.

In the mid-week Communion service this last week, Reverend Carol encouraged us all in our calling, in whatever form that may take. May we be encouragers to each other as we seek to follow God‟s word ...and encourage others to follow the true God.

And from the beautiful prayers given by Pamela Marden, may we indeed increase our faith, trust, confidence and hope in the Lord. May we always seek to be a blessing in the lives of those we meet.

Prayers to share...

These powerful prayers were given last Sunday at St. Andrew’s by Gemma Dyson.

In the power of the Spirit and in union with Christ, let us pray to the Father.

Mighty God, when the waves of life threaten to overwhelm us forgive us if we blame you or others for our troubles. Teach us to find you in the storms of life and give us the faith those early disciples lacked to always believe that you will bring calm and peace.

Lord in your Mercy: Hear our Prayer

Everlasting God, we pray for all Christians around the world. We pray particularly for the Church of North India. We pray for our Bishops – David, Mark & Mark and within our deanery for St Augustine Tonge Moor with St Aidan Crompton Way.

We ask for your protection for Christians who are persecuted because of their faith. We pray for our parish and we ask for your strength and guidance for Revd Carol and all other members of the Turton Moorland Team as they lead and teach us. We ask for your blessing on our work as we seek to create a church community that welcomes visitors and strangers and provides a refuge for those who feel threatened or alone; a refuge from life‟s troubled waters. Lord in your Mercy: Hear our Prayer

Loving God, as we see the brokenness of our world we pray for healing among the nations; for fair shares of the Coronavirus Vaccines; for food where there is hunger; for freedom where there is oppression; for joy where there is pain; that your love may bring peace to all your children. We pray that the leaders of all nations will work together to meet the challenges facing our world. We pray that the people in this country will continue to do what is right to reduce the risk of coronavirus spreading more widely and having an adverse effect on the NHS.

Lord in your Mercy: Hear our Prayer

Lord, we particularly thank you today for our fathers, grandfathers, and anybody who has a special role in our lives or acts as a father figure, as we celebrate Father‟s Day. We especially pray for those who will find today difficult, because they cannot be with their families, have lost their fathers or have poor or strained relationships. Help them to remember that they always have you, Father God. Lord in your Mercy: Hear our Prayer

Holy God, we thank you for the joy of human love, and for all those among whom we live and work. We especially pray for those among our friends and families who do not know you, or whose faith has been shaken. Help them to see that we have you as an anchor to help us withstand life‟s problems. Lord in your Mercy: Hear our Prayer

Merciful God, when our lives feel chaotic and desolate because of illness or other problems help us to hear your holy word, for by that word your son Jesus calmed the storm. In a moment of silence please pray for anybody you know who is in particular need of our prayers today. Help them to put their trust in you and, in the case of illness, in the knowledge and skills of the medical staff who are treating them. Lord in your Mercy: Hear our Prayer

Loving God, we pray for those saddened by the death of someone close and dear to them, either recently or at this time of year, and for members of our families who have died and whose anniversary we recall. Help us to experience the comfort of the Holy Spirit within us, and the fellowship of the church family around us, until we are reunited once more in your heavenly kingdom. Lord in your Mercy: Hear our Prayer

Gracious God, help us to know that the one who calmed the waves on the Sea of Galilee, your son Jesus Christ, is present with us day by day and that he cares for us and can calm the waves of our lives. Help us to trust more fully and more deeply in you in all that we are involved with in the week ahead. Merciful Father accept these prayers for the sake of your Son our Saviour, Jesus Christ, Amen .

This week’s message from our Team Rector, Canon Peter Reiss:

Change and no-change

After too many months of restrictions we (many of us) are getting weary of the trudge, the slog; we are discovering that the social interactions we were used to were soul-restoring, and many of us are missing them, though grateful for the meetings and socialising we can have. We know we have longer to go.

The gospel reading for this week includes the story of a woman who was sick for 12 years. There are many whose “trudge” in life has been for much longer than just the time of covid restrictions, those who have lived with sickness or pain even for 12 years and more, those whose family relationships have been broken for whatever reason for years, those who are homeless. For the victims of war, covid has been a “minor” problem – such is their struggle.

The covid restrictions are mostly around limited socialising, a particular set of restrictions, though far-ranging in their impact, economically, emotionally and socially. The restrictions on socialising have impacted some people more than others – depending on how sociable a person we are, who has needed our help, who we have been unable to see. Most families have known the pain of being unable to see or hug a loved one. For some it has been excruciating.

We are already into the second half of the year – and we remain unsure what the coming months will feel like, what we will be able to do. Holidays for many are in flux, even family visits in this country. Some are feeling like we have had to run a marathon and now we are told it is actually still some more laps of the track before we finish. Those extra laps are mentally so hard.

Year 6 children prepare to leave Primary School, other prepare to leave secondary school, or college or university, but without the normal markers and end-points. So many markers are still missing and won‟t be able to be recovered. Again they matter to some more than to others.

We must be honest with how we feel; some of us feel more weary than others do; some have more difficult issues to sort. Some are managing ok. It is not a competition, either to be the most weary, or most suffering, or even most positive – simply, „can we be honest in how we feel, in these very different times, and after so long with the restrictions and all that they have inflicted?‟ Children will feel differently and children will feel differently from adults maybe. I heard this week of a child who finds the reduced interactions in school really, really difficult. This child has an activist personality. Those who are more reflective, introvert or who find busy-ness stressful will probably feel very differently. If I was still at school I would be missing the sport and outdoor opportunities.

The gospel reading this week not only includes the story of a woman sick for 12 years and at the end of her tether, but also of a child, suddenly sick and at point of death and the father‟s despair. The two stories are woven together as Jesus responds to both – and in both cases with love and compassion and understanding. There is also a noisy crowd but Jesus finds the individuals and responds individually.

As we are honest to ourselves, so I hope we are also able to be kind to ourselves and with others, and – I pray – we discover the love and care of Jesus for us, maybe for the first time, maybe afresh, maybe more deeply, however we feel, and in whatever the situation.

Peter Reiss

New Curate – Hannah Lane: Please pray for Hannah as she is ordained next Sunday (4 July) in Manchester Cathedral. Covid has meant that her preparation and the ordination service itself will not be as they might have been. She joins us in these strange times – it will be good to have her with us. Do introduce yourself in the coming weeks and make her welcome.

Prayers from Kath Grieve, given at the mid-week Communion service on Wed 16 June:

Pause for thought: Quite often, I see

inspiring messages which stop me in my tracks ...and I

then take the opportunity to share

them with you in these newsletters.

I am always delighted when

others share items with a deep

meaning that have touched them.

Thank you.

As always, our heart-felt message to you is one of FAITH, HOPE, PEACE, JOY and LOVE. If we can help you in any way, please contact Dawn Hitchen or a member of the „Parish Team‟. You can give Dawn a call on 304142 or Reverend Carol on 07434 365971.

Love and blessings, Reverend Carol Hayden, Iain Stewart - Church Warden Dawn Hitchen - Church Warden + Authorised Lay Minister for Pastoral Care Angie Foster & Keith Lewis – Assistant Church Wardens

If you need to speak with a church representative, please contact: Dawn Hitchen dawn@walmsleyparish.org or telephone 304142.

Angie Foster angie@walmsleyparish.org Keith Lewis keith@walmsleyparish.org

Reverend Carol: revcarol@walmsleyparish.org or 07434 365971. Thank you.

PLEASE REMEMBER: For those who don’t have internet or social media, do

check out the Church of England free phone line: ‘DAILY HOPE’. Many friends have enjoyed this resource. Please do use it.

The Church of England free phone: ‘DAILY HOPE’ 0800 804 8044 to listen to hymns, reflections and prayers.

We wish you FAITH, HOPE,

PEACE, JOY and LOVE.

„GOING TO CHURCH‟ Ken Holt has shared these words penned by J.M.Goldie:

“As you open the door, the peacefulness comes to meet you.

Welcomes you in. Says, “Rest a while, refresh your soul,

kneel and pray ...

And then, renewed, continue on your way.”

Prayers from Kath Grieve, given at the mid-week Communion service on Wed 16 June:

Almighty God, our heavenly Father, You promised through Your Son to hear us when we pray in faith. Sustain Your church in the power of Christ.

We thank You for the churches in our Diocese, Deanery and Parish. We pray for the new Deanery of Bolton, its Area Dean Revd Simon Cook

and Lay Chair, Keith Lewis, as we adjust to working together to further

Your name in this place. We continue to give thanks for our clergy and for all who have inspired us during the last twelve months. Amen.