HERITAGE SUCCESS - Hanley Team Ministry
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LOTTERY
HERITAGE SUCCESS
FUND
SOUVENIR ISSUE
IN TOUCH
The Parish Magazine of the
Hanley Team Ministry
JANUARY 2022
Rev. Phillip (01782) phillip.e.jones@
Team Rector
Jones 922540 talktalk.net
Remember not the former things, nor consider the things of old. Behold, I am doing a new thing. [Isaiah 43: 18-19] At year ends and beginnings, newspapers and magazines are fond of recalling the previous 12 months, highlighting particular events or achievements: those of 2021 generally do not make for happy reading, but as we say goodbye to former times, we await also new possibilities. Sometimes, news coincides that both cheers and dismays Cause for celebration was announced by Rev. Phillip Jones, Rector of the Hanley Team Ministry when, in the week before Christmas, news was received of a successful bid to the National Lottery Heritage Fund for almost £1 million towards a community-based project at St. Mark’s Church, Shelton. Part of the Lichfield Diocese press release is reproduced as our lead article. Imagine over time someone digging up a copy of this magazine and wondering what happened next. Sadly, we learned also of the sudden death on 11 December of Rev. Preb. Keith Haywood, a former Rector of the Hanley Team. Parish Warden and Treasurer Angus Paterson pays tribute to his dear friend. It would not be New Year without a resolution. There are some suggestions from Micah. It is also the time of year that church treasurers dread, having to balance the books and send them in to the diocesan office. The fictional vicar Eustace from Parish Pump offers thoughts on the process to his nephew. Read on for more news, views, saints, a puzzle, and a touch of humour. Happy New Year. In Touch Editor Graham Foxley 07707011628 mgtfoxley@live.co.uk 2
St Mark’s wins almost £1m
Heritage Fund
grant
St Mark’s in Shelton was given development funding two years ago to
help it prepare for the full £982,000 Heritage Fund grant announced in
the run-up to Christmas. It is the main funding element of the £1.27m
project, which follows the £253,000 development phase.
The grant will allow essential conservation work on the 190-year-old
listed building which is in urgent need of internal and external repair,
including serious roof damage discovered only during the
development phase.
St Mark’s became known as the Potter’s Cathedral after it was built
during the Industrial Revolution in the 19th century and was a focal
point for those who worked in the city’s famous pottery and ceramic
industries.
Hanley Team Rector, Rev. Phillip Jones, said: ‘the first stage
was to develop and trial the community heritage activities
and for the architects to do all the survey work and plans
to fully cost the work. This second phase of the Heritage
Fund grant means that we can now go out to tender and
then get the work done. It means we can secure the
building’s future and establish greater connections with the local
community through the heritage project. This will help establish St
Mark’s as a centre for the local area – and for mission and growing
worshipping communities.’
3
The Bishop of Stafford, the Rt Revd Matthew Parker, said, ‘it is excellent news that the future of this landmark building and significant part of Stoke-on- Trent’s “spiritual capital” has been secured through this grant. ‘I want to pay tribute to the Team Rector, Phillip Jones and all the team who have worked with him on this exciting project. We look forward to St Mark’s playing a renewed role in Shelton and the wider City.’ Work on the building is due to start by early Summer, with the community engagement work set to begin in 2022 and to run for three years. The Under One Roof project aims to ensure that the story of St Mark’s is not lost forever by working with the local community to discover and share stories and to document them in a sustainable archive. It will also look to the future by working with the area’s diverse communities to celebrate and record their heritage, as well as providing training and volunteering opportunities to reduce social isolation and promote wellbeing and community cohesion. This project will be led and managed through a partnership with All the Small Things Community Interest Company. 4
BAPTISM & THE NAMING OF
JESUS
Matthew and Luke tell how the
angel instructed that Mary’s baby
was to be named Jesus - a common
name meaning ‘saviour’. The
Church recalls the naming of Jesus
on 1st January. We are baptised in
the name of Jesus (Acts 2:38); we
are justified through the name of
Jesus (1 Cor 6:11); and God the
Father has given Jesus a name
above all others (Phil 2:9). All Christian prayer is through ‘Jesus Christ
our Lord’, and it is ‘at the name of Jesus’ that every knee shall bow.
Rev. Phillip Jones comments: ‘Baptisms were either not allowed or very
restricted between March 2020 and the Summer of 2021, so we had a lot
of catching up in the latter part of last year. The under - mentioned
children were christened in 2021 (as the ‘Life Events’ team at the Church
of England now prefer to say):
26 June Ozzy Arthur Degg-Wright St. Luke’s
8 August Logan Leo Astill Christ Church
8 August Marly April Astill Christ Church
12 September Riley Anthony Locke St. Matthew’s
26 September Maliyah Jorja Thomas St. Mark’s
25 October Charlie John Towey St. Luke’s
‘We already have two christenings booked in January, one in February and
one in April 2022. One trend that has been noticed with the delays is that
it has become popular to combine christenings with first birthdays.’
5
REV. PREB. KEITH HAYWOOD
A tribute from Angus Paterson
It was with great sadness that we learned on 11 December of the sudden
death of the Rev. Preb. Keith R. Haywood, former Rector here in the
Hanley Team Ministry between 2001-2013.
I had the privilege of serving Keith as church warden, parish warden
and, after much coercion, as parish treasurer. The first wedding he
conducted here was in 2001 in St. Mark's when he married Glenys and
myself.
Keith was a larger than life character whose warmth, kindness, love,
laughter and faith was plain to see by all who knew him. He was a
colourful person in many ways, as could be seen often in some of the
waistcoats and ‘light up’ clerical collars and hats he wore, mainly at
Christmas time. He was also well known for holding his ‘Piffany’
parties and barbecues where his potent home brewed wine would
flow, sending one or two people into a ‘I think I'll need to sit down’
state. He could also always be seen travelling around the parish, either
on his pushbike or on his rather noisy yellow scooter.
Keith and I always had a great deal of banter on the go, especially
during the rugby battles between Scotland and England. I'm sure that
somewhere there was some Scottish blood running through his veins
(well, his middle name was Roderick!!). For many years we signed off
all our emails with Keith Big Jimmy or Angus Wee Jimmy.
Thank you Keith for your ministry to us here in the Team. You will be
greatly missed by all whose lives you enriched, encouraged and
nurtured. Our thoughts, love and prayers go to Annette, Mathew,
Simon, Jonathan and all of his family. May they know of our Lord's
presence with them at this sad time. God Bless.
Angus. Wee Jimmy.
6A NEW YEAR’S RESOLUTION FROM MICAH
David Pickup, a Solicitor, considers the year ahead.
What does the Lord require of you: To act justly and to love
mercy, and to walk humbly with your God. (Micah 6:7-8)
I quite like olive oil; not the Popeye character but the cooking
ingredient. Although I am not sure what I would do with even one river
of oil, and I have nowhere to put a ram. Still, this is one of my favourite
Bible passages, and it is an ideal one for lawyers. It sums up in a very
simple but helpful way what true religion should be. That makes it a
good verse to start the year. The message is simple: God does not want
empty promises or lip service, but our real devotion, from our heart.
What does it mean for us?
Do justly - Be honest and open in our dealings with others this year. Be
dependable. We should say when things are going wrong and be
appreciative when they go well. Be fair in our dealings, whether at
home or at work or in church. Keep confidences and never pass on
gossip.
Love mercy - Give people the benefit of doubt, do not take advantage
of others and do not always criticise or complain. Accept apologies and
explanations where we can, and be generous.
Walk humbly - Quietly get on with things. Do not make a big show of
what we do.
Lastly, we are required to do these things. They are not options or
choices but requirements. Like many requirements in the Bible, they
are simple to understand, but not always simple to do. Happy New
Year.
7NEWS & VIEWS New job for founder of Messy Church Lucy Moore, who founded Messy Church in 2004, has been appointed the first head of the Church of England’s Growing Faith Foundation that will aim to promote partnerships between schools, churches and households. Messy Church may be found now in more than 3,500 settings, in more than 30 countries. Sitting down in church When to stand and when to sit can be a problem for churchgoers, particularly new ones. At one time, there was no option; you had to stand throughout the service as the only seating available was for the clergy. General seating was a lay invention, beginning with the nobility and spreading downwards to the congregation during the 14th and 15th centuries.’ So, this is comfort? What name would you give to a heat wave? The Met Office is considering whether to begin naming heat waves, as they are becoming more numerous and dangerous. Since 2015, storms have been named in alphabetical order between September and August of the next year, based on names submitted by the public. The record high UK temperature is 38.7C, recorded in Cambridge in 2019. 2020 was a record year for heat-related deaths. In future, it is predicted that 40C heat may become the norm. 80 years of Desert Island Discs Some 80 years ago, on 29th January 1942, the BBC radio show Desert Island Discs was first broadcast. It is Britain’s longest running radio show, and the world’s longest running weekly factual radio programme. Devised and originally presented by Roy Plomley, it was first broadcast on the BBC Forces Programme, but later switched to Radio 4. Each week a guest ‘castaway’ chooses eight recordings, a book and a luxury item to take if stranded on a desert island. 8
Past presenters have included Michael Parkinson, Sue Lawley and
Kirsty Young. Lauren Laverne now fronts the show. More than 3000
episodes have been broadcast. All participants are allowed to take a
Bible and the complete works of Shakespeare: needless to say, the
National Secular Society has called for the Bible to be dropped, but
known atheists such as Philip Pullman have wanted to keep it. A recent
poll suggested that 56% of people questioned would not choose to take
a Bible, and another 13% were unsure.
What is happening to our public loos?
George Jennings, an English sanitary engineer and plumber, invented
the first public flush toilets in 1851. He said: “the civilisation of a
people can be measured by their domestic and sanitary
appliances.” Yet now, across the UK, public lavatories are in dismal
and steep decline. The number of lavatories maintained by local
authorities has declined from 3154 to 2556 since 2015. The effect can
be doubly difficult. The Royal Society for Public Health pointed out in a
2019 report that closing public loos imposes a ‘urinary leash’; on
people who then feel wary of venturing far from home. Also on the
rise is the phenomenon known as ‘wild toileting’, which increased
greatly during the pandemic, when public loos were closed. The
Victorians took a philanthropic pride in their public lavatories. How
would George Jennings rate our level of civilisation today?
Is your glass half empty or half full?
‘Christians close to dipping below half of population’…
So ran a headline in the press just before Christmas after the Office for
National Statistics published data showing 51% of people reporting
their religion as ‘Christian’ in 2019. David Male, the Church of
England’s Director of Evangelism and Discipleship, said it was
encouraging that more than half the population still class themselves
as ‘Christian’. He said ‘ there is a willingness among younger
generations to engage with faith, and for people of all ages the
need for meaning and answers in life hasn’t stopped’.
9ADVENT LIGHT !
St. Luke’s Church shone through the gloom of
Autumn on 1 December when lights were
turned on both inside the church and outside,
across the church garden. Many adults and
children came along to marvel at the sight.
Hearts were warmed by carols performed by
children from Hanley St. Luke’s School. Church,
school and community came together to enjoy
worship and refreshments. See Catherine
Matlock’s article The Light of Life at St. Luke’s
ST. MARK’S CHURCH
CHRISTMAS FAYRE AND
SWITCHING ON OF LIGHTS
took place on Saturday,
11 December.
TEAM CAROL SERVICE
Darkness and light at Holy Trinity
Church on 19 December. The Team
Carol Service was conducted outside.
Homes around nearby streets had
been leafleted with invitations to come
and listen and to join in. Inside the
church, there followed a treat of hot
drinks and mince pies.
10THE LIGHT OF LIFE AT ST. LUKE’S
Catherine Matlock, Pioneer Missioner
Walking towards St Luke’s Church, Hanley, on a dark
December evening, I expected the official lighting of the
Christmas tree to involve a few people huddled together
outdoors. As I walked past the building, Margaret Bromage
and a couple of friends were at the side door, sorting out
last minute hiccups and seemingly in very good spirits.
All was quiet as I turned the corner, but a surprise waited
for me inside the Church door.
Margaret had approached St Luke’s School to find out if some children
would sing carols at the ‘Festival of Lights’ service but we had no idea
how seriously they’d taken the request. Amazing then to be greeted by
the sight of approximately thirty-five people in the meeting area
including school children, their parents, neighbours, congregation
members from Hanley churches, a raffle, tombola and refreshment
area. Such a festive buzz!!
On entering the worship space, I found at least another twenty-five
people gathering in semi-darkness for what was to come next. They
were surrounded by lots and lots of glimmering candles and visitors
and helpers milling around and waiting for the celebrations. It was
time to begin!
Phillip Jones welcomed everyone and asked a child to light the Advent
wreath. Then into our darkness came beautiful light…suddenly an
array of Christmas trees sparkled throughout St Luke’s Church, a
wonderful shimmering splendour. Light, the symbol of Christ coming
into the darkness of our world, God incarnate as a baby born in
Bethlehem, was tonight celebrated in Wellington Street, Hanley.
11Next the children treated a filled church with four joyful carols, co- ordinated and conducted by their music teacher and applauded by proud parents and an appreciative audience. Finally, Father Christmas, accompanied by his elf, made an early appearance with presents of Fair-trade chocolate advent calendars for the choir. Festive refreshments, happy conversation and the opportunity to write tags for the memory/prayer tree brought this wonderful celebration to a close. This Festival of Lights at St Luke’s was symbolic because it marked the beginning of Advent, anticipation of redemptive love personified in the coming of Jesus. And it was all the more special because it filled St Luke’s Church with the light of life. The event was a wonderful example of how a pioneer like Margaret Bromage, ably assisted by her small team at St Luke’s, Neil and Maurice, and supported by family and neighbours, can encourage and facilitate a gathering for people who would never normally step inside a church. The service also demonstrated the power of collaboration. Her efforts to connect with St Luke’s school during the last few months offered Margaret the opportunity to invite the children to participate in this Advent celebration. With the children involved, the parents and teachers came along too…and the Church was filled. I believe that there is so much potential for pioneering ministry in the continued collaboration of St Luke’s church and the school, hopefully with the involvement of local residents and other organisations too. Thank you to Margaret Bromage and team and the children and staff of St Luke’s School, you not only gave us light in Advent but have inspired hope for more pioneering faith-led initiatives in 2022. 12
The Rectory
St James the Least of All
My dear Nephew Darren
Your annual accounts
All 146 pages, bound in their plastic covers and laid out in faultless
detail, really are most impressive. I was rather envious to note you
have a clergy ‘discretionary fund’; if I were to be given such a thing, my
stock of claret would improve immeasurably, which probably is why I
do not have one.
The size of your office expenses makes me wonder if you have a staff
rivalling that of Whitehall. I suppose that at least you are doing your bit
for job creation. Our parish administrator, who spends two hours a
week randomly filing pieces of paper and mistyping rotas, is only
rewarded by being the first to find out who are booking marriages and
having their babies baptised – and whether they happen in that order,
Our accounts have more by way of charm than they do of accuracy,
generally consisting of one sheet of handwritten paper. It seems to be
an unalterable tradition that they never balance. Our greatest expenses
by far are categorised as ‘miscellaneous’, which is a catch-all for
everything we are unable to recall having spent. The thousands paid on
church maintenance and owed in diocesan fees are nodded through by
the PCC without comment, but if the money spent on the magazine or
biscuits increases by anything more than 50 pence, there is much
agonised debate and speculation about whether this is an indication of
money laundering.
Your loving uncle,
Eustace
13GOT A NEW DIARY? HERE ARE SOME DATES FOR YOU
Sundays in January – We begin with The Epiphany and could follow
on with the second, third and fourth Sundays after Epiphany. However,
there are choices. Things might change for the Baptism of Christ (9th),
Week of Prayer for Christian Unity (23rd – also the dedication of the nave
altar at St. Matthew’s), and The Presentation of Christ in the Temple -
Candlemas (30th, at which we have a presentation about ‘Open the
Book’). Keep your eyes open for details as the service sheets and
accompanying readings, hymns and pew sheets are issued.
Coffee Morning & Bric-a-Brac Stalls
St. Matthew’s, Birches Head
Saturday, 22 January at 10.00 a.m.
Week of Prayer for Christian Unity – 18th to 25th January
The Week of Prayer for Christian Unity is traditionally observed from
the 18th to 25th January. The churches of the Middle East have
prepared this year’s resources; they say the world ‘yearns for a light to
lead the way to the Saviour who is the light that overcomes darkness.’
More at: https://ctbi.org.uk/week-of-prayer-for-christian-unity-2022/
Christian Aid Sponsored Walk 2022
Last February, John Bamford, Hon. Organiser of the Tittesworth
Water Christian Aid sponsored walk, had to cancel the walk. John
writes, ‘some organized their own walk and sent in sponsor money
amounting to £27,463!’ Tittesworth Water is booked for Saturday, 2nd
April, 2022 for the 32nd walk. Sponsor forms and further details will
be available nearer the time but do please book the date.
14JANUARY SAINTS & COMMEMORATIONS
PAUL, TIMOTHY, TITUS…. WULFSTAN
We should know much about St. Paul and his letters to young churches,
but what of Wulfstan who died in January, 1095?
On 25th January, the Church celebrates probably the most famous
conversion of all. At least, what happened to a young man called Saul
on the road to Damascus has become a byword for all instant
conversions, what is known as a ‘damascene’ moment. You can read
about it in Acts, Chapter 9. Saul was a devout Jew, a Pharisee, a student
of Gamaliel and a fierce critic of the followers of Jesus, then a very new
sect on the religious scene. His intellectual stature and leadership gifts
quickly marked him out, and within a few years he became a leading
figure in the emerging Christian Church, preaching and founding
churches all over the Middle East, largely of Gentile converts.
The following day, on 26 January, we celebrate Timothy and Titus.
These are the saints who moved into roles of Christian leadership. The
letters to Timothy and Titus are known as pastoral letters, where Paul
writes to ministers in charge of important churches, instead of writing
to the churches themselves.
Before that, on 19 January, we remember Wulfstan, Bishop of
Worcester from 1062 to 1095. Wulfstan occupies a unique place in
British church history. He was the last surviving pre-Conquest bishop,
the first bishop to pay homage to William the Conqueror after the
Battle of Hastings, and one of the few Saxons to keep high office to the
end of William’s reign.
Wulfstan was born about 1008 at Long Itchington, Warwickshire. His
uncle was Archbishop of York, and through his help, Wulfstan studied
at the monasteries of Evesham and in Peterborough.
15Because of his Christian dedication, his superiors recommended him for the priesthood. He joined and later became prior of a Benedictine monastery at Worcester. He served also as the parish priest of Hawkesbury, Gloucestershire. He was made bishop of Worcester in 1062. As a bishop, Wulfstan made some significant contributions to the English church. He had a passion for pastoral care, being the first English bishop to be known to have made a complete visitation of his diocese. He was a gifted administrator and was highly influential in monastic reform, overseeing laws and canons to reform the role of the clergy and contributing greatly to the transition through Saxon to Norman rule of both Church and State. He was a powerful preacher. He also had a passion for buildings, completing many building projects within the diocese. Foremost amongst those was the cathedral church of Worcester. 16
SMILE AWHILE
Knock, knock - The passenger tapped the taxi driver on the shoulder
to ask him something. The driver screamed, lost control of the car,
nearly hit a bus, went up on the pavement, and stopped inches from a
shop window. For a second everything went quiet in the car, then the
driver said, “Look mate, don’t ever do that again. You scared the
daylights out of me!” The passenger apologised and said he didn’t
realise that a little tap could scare him so much. The driver replied,
“You’re right. I’m sorry; it’s not really your fault. Today is my first day
as a taxi driver. I’ve been driving a hearse for the last 15 years.
Winter travel - A government warning said that anyone
travelling in icy conditions should take: shovel, blankets,
sleeping bag, scarf, hat and gloves, 24 hours supply of food and
drink, de-icer, rock salt, torch, spare batteries, road flares,
reflective triangles, tow rope, a five gallon petrol can, first aid kit,
and jump leads. So … I looked a complete prat on the ‘bus this
morning!
Is this the end? - A local priest and pastor stood by the side of the
road holding up a sign that said, ‘The End is Near! Turn around now
before it's too late!’
‘Leave us alone, you religious nuts!’ yelled the first driver as he sped
by. Then from around the curve they heard a big splash.
‘Do you think,’ said one clergyman to the other, ‘we should just put up
a sign that says “bridge out” instead?’
17IN TOUCH JANUARY CROSSWORD [From Parish Pump. Solutions next month] Across 8 How the Abyss (NIV) is described in the Authorized Version (Revelation 9:1) (10,3) 9 Frozen water (Ezekiel 1:22) (3) 10 The Ten Commandments (9) 11 In Roman Catholic theology, neither heaven nor hell (5) 13 Des cons (anag.) (7) 18
16 ‘Though [your sins] are red as — , they shall be like wool’ (Isaiah
1:18) (7)
19 Keen (Romans 1:15) (5)
22 Repugnant, loathsome (Jeremiah 24:9) (9)
24 Drink like an animal (Judges 7:5) (3)
25 First and last (Revelation 22:13) (5,3,5)
Down
1 Father of Ahi, a Gadite (1 Chronicles 5:15) (6)
2 Where David found the stone with which he killed Goliath (1 Samuel
17:40) (6)
3 ‘Hour by hour fresh lips are making thy — doings heard on high’ (8)
4 ‘And there were shepherds living out in the fields near by, keeping
watch over their — at night’ (Luke 2:8) (6)
5 United Society for Christian Literature (1,1,1,1)
6 ‘If he refuses to listen even to the church, treat him as you would —
— or a tax collector’ (Matthew 18:17) (1,5)
7 Where Paul was taken when things became difficult for him in Berea
(Acts 17:15) (6)
12 Istituto per le Opere di Religione (Vatican Bank) (1,1,1)
14 ‘Therefore, if anyone is in Christ, he is a new — ; the old has gone,
the new has come!’ (2 Corinthians 5:17) (8)
15 Used to colour ram skins red for use in the tabernacle (Exodus
25:5) (3)
16 Vat car (anag.) (6)
17 ‘Be joyful — — , patient in affliction, faithful in prayer’ (Romans
12:12) (6)
18 ‘The parts that are unpresentable are treated with special modesty,
while our presentable parts — — special treatment’ (1 Corinthians
12:23) (4,2)
20 Ancient rowing boat (Isaiah 33:21) (6)
21 Say again (2 Corinthians 11:16) (6)
23 What Jesus did in the synagogue in Nazareth after he stood up?
(Luke 4:16) (4)
19BACK PAGE SPORT REPORT: FOOTBALL
Points awarded in the Hanley Team Ministry Fantasy Football League
are based on real performances in the Premier League. How would our
fantasy managers cope without the radio and television pundits
explaining all to us?
‘Who’ll win the league? It’s a toss of a coin between three of them.’ Matt le
Tissier
‘I think Southampton will finish above teams that are well below them.’
Paul Merson
‘If you’re going to win the Premier League, you’re going
to have to finish ahead of Chelsea and Man City.’
Graeme Souness
Sometimes, a comment catches on until they all use
it. One that is prevalent currently is the assessment
that a team ‘ lacks quality in the final third’.
Imagine other areas of work being described in that
way. How is lunch? What do you think of the vicar’s
sermon?
Hanley Team Ministry’s Fantasy Football League has quality through
and through… how could this not be the case with team names like
‘A Veiled Threat’, ‘Kickin’ Caesar Salahs’, and ‘Marmaduke’s Twinkly
Toes?
Nick Broad, Manager of the fantasy football team Neverton, is seen
here with his Manager of the Month Certificate for November. Nick
maintained his position at the top of the league as we headed into
Christmas. On his certificate, I ‘Nick-named’ his team the ‘sticky
toffees’. Will he still be the league leader in May? Your guess is as
good as that of any pundit!
20You can also read
