APRIL – MAY 2015

www.standrewspsalterlane.org.uk

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Who’s Who Minister Revd Gareth Jones garethjones11@googlemail.com 250 8251 Local Mary Kenward jandm.kenward@blueyonder.co.uk 281 1284 Preachers John Harding john.harding13@virginmedia.com 201 3516 Readers Judith Roberts

Pastoral Worker robertsjm4@googlemail.com 236 1531

Imogen Clout Children’s Minister

imogen.clout@btinternet.com 268 6645

Children & Family Worker

Melissa Simmonds Melissa@standrewspsalterlane.org.uk

07964 844 807

ECUMENICAL CHURCH COUNCIL (ECC) Wardens Janet Loughridge

(also ECC Secretary) j.loughridge@sheffield.ac.uk 258 4164

Sue Preston headteacher@clifford.sheffield.sch.uk 230 6496 Stewards Judith Loveman jpl@lovemans.me.uk 255 1125 Rodney Godber rodney.godber@btinternet.com 266 3893 Chair David Body body.david@btinternet.com 268 6645 Treasurer Nick Hutton anhutton@waitrose.com 255 2227 Property Steward John Cripps cripps@uwclub.net 258 8932 CHURCH OFFICE – Monday – Friday mornings

Administrator Tina Powell-Wiffin

office@standrewspsalterlane.org.uk

267 8289

CHURCH BOOKINGS Caretaker Debbie Thirtle 255 3787 CHURCH ARRANGEMENTS Flowers Barbara Booler john.booler@btconnect.com 258 7697 Music Simon Dumpleton simondumpleton@gmail.com 07734527449 St Andrew’s Hall bookings

John Fieldsend nicrite@btopenworld.com 258 2631

BADEN POWELL ORGANISATIONS – which meet in St Andrew’s Hall Brownies (Mon) Chris Venables chris.venables@blueyonder.co.uk 255 0805 Brownies (Fri) Kay Smith ksmith@chaucer.sheffield.sch.uk 235 9741 Guides (Mon) Jacqui Ford jaxtimford@gmail.com 230 8040 Beavers Simon Collis simonbcollis@hotmail.com 07976601323 Cubs Dom Watts dfawatts@hotmail.com 255 0201 Scouts Ben Jervis 07734053602 Explorers Sian Stockham exu@20th.org.uk 07979814980 District Group which meets at Ringinglow

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Correspondence should be addressed to the Church Office, Shirley House, 31 Psalter Lane, Sheffield, S11 8YL

Contents Who’s Who – contact details Page 2 Minister’s Letter Page 3 Food for the journey Page 5 Prayer Page 6 Shirley House Interfaith Centre Page 6 Peace and Justice Page 7 Young SAPLC Page 11 Times and Seasons Page 15 Eco-Congregation Page 17 Church Family Page 20 What’s On and Diary Dates Page 20 Services in the next 2 months Page 24 NEXUS is edited by: Imogen Clout (details above) and Anne Hollows (249 3411 anne.hollows@gmail.com). We welcome contributions to all the sections of NEXUS. Please note, if an article is likely to be more than about 350 words please check with us first before sending it in.

If you or someone you know would like a .pdf copy of NEXUS by email please let Imogen know.

NEXUS is set in Gill Sans, one of the finest of all sans serif fonts. Normal text is in 18 point, single spaced and justified. To save space, paragraphs do not have additional spacing and are not indented. Full stops should be followed by a single space only. Please help your editors by using these editorial conventions if possible.

Minister’s Letter Dear friends, I’d like in this edition to focus on Horizon Methodist Church. As you know, Horizon will be closing at the end of April after 111 years of worship, fellowship and service to the community, for most of this time as Endcliffe Methodist Church. This will be a time of considerable sadness, but the members of Horizon are also approaching it in a spirit of trust and openness to new possibilities that may emerge. After the decision to close had been taken, the Horizon members

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decided to make St Andrew’s Psalter Lane Church their “home base” for the period after closure. This means that SAPLC will be the church where people from Horizon will know they can meet other former Horizon members on a Sunday morning and on other occasions. It doesn’t mean, however, that the whole congregation will choose to transfer their membership to SAPLC en bloc in the longer term. As with any church, Horizon includes

people with a range of theological approaches and a range of preferences for styles of worship. Some will indeed choose to worship at SAPLC, and have already indicated their intention to do so. Others, though, may take the opportunity to reflect on which church they feel drawn to join, and may decide to worship elsewhere in due course. Others again will probably transfer to another church almost immediately after Horizon closes. I know, though, that all are grateful for the support offered by SAPLC at this time. For the congregations of both Horizon and SAPLC, this will therefore be a time of change. Members of Horizon will be adjusting to a new era, following the closure of a church they have belonged to for decades, and in some cases, for a lifetime. For SAPLC, there will be an opportunity to welcome a significant number of new people into its fellowship. For both, this will be a time of adaptation, and more importantly, a time for creating new friendships. SAPLC is surely well equipped to respond to change, through the experience of developing as a Local Ecumenical Partnership. Members of Horizon will come with a range of gifts and a wealth of experience, and I am sure that in due course, much of this will prove to be of great benefit to SAPLC. But these last few years of exploration, planning and decision-making at Horizon have been a demanding time in many ways, so for some people, there will simply be a need to rest and to get to know their new surroundings, before committing themselves to any new involvement. The first service when SAPLC will be joined by members of Horizon will be on 3rd May. As it happens, conversations have been taking place between SAPLC and Nether Edge Quakers about occasionally sharing in

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each other’s worship and in meals together, and that Sunday has also been agreed as the day on which the Quakers will join us for our service. The soups and puddings that follow will provide a wonderful opportunity to welcome friends from both Horizon and the Quaker Meeting. Before this, at 6.30 pm on Sunday 19th April, everyone at SAPLC is warmly invited to Horizon for a special service of thanksgiving and celebration for the fellowship and witness of Endcliffe/Horizon over 111 years. Love and peace, Gareth

Food for the journey Thoughts on love

On Wednesday morning Communion services now we look at a passage of spiritual writing. Recently we had this piece of writing about The Spirit of Love by William Law. It seemed appropriate for this Easter season, which is about the triumph and power of love over death and fear.

‘All religion is the spirit of love; all its gifts and graces are gifts and graces of love; it has no breath, no life, but the life of love. Nothing exalts, nothing purifies but the fire of love; nothing changes death into life, earth into heaven, men into angels, but love alone. Love breathes the spirit of God; its words and works are the inspiration of God. Love speaks not of itself but the Word, the eternal Word of God speaks in it. All that love speaks, that God speaks, because love is God. Love is heaven revealed in the soul; it is light and truth; it is infallible; it has no errors, for all errors are the want of love. Love has no more of pride than light has of darkness; it stands and bears all its fruit from a depth and root of humility. Love is of no sect or party; it neither makes nor admits of any bounds; you may as easily enclose the light or shut up the air of the world in one place, as confine love to a sect or party. It lives in the liberty, the universality, the impartiality of heaven. ‘ William Law 1686 - 1761

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Prayer Bless to me, O God, The earth beneath my foot, Bless to me, O God, The path whereon I go; Bless to me, O God, The thing of my desire; Thou Evermore of evermore, Bless Thou to me my rest.

Bless to me the thing Whereon is set my mind, Bless to me the thing Whereon is set my love; Bless to me the thing Whereon is set my hope; O Thou King of kings Bless Thou to me mine eye!

1. Which battles have their 200th and 600th anniversaries this year? 2. Which battle is reckoned to be the bloodiest on

English soil? 3. What links liquorice and the first secret ballot? 4. What links: a) the Gravelly Hill Interchange; b) Sergio Leone c)

Curcurbita pepo 5. What happens here on April 5th and in Greece on 12th April?

Shirley House Interfaith Centre

The Sheffield Interfaith ‘Food and Friendship’ discussion planned for 29th January was postponed because of snow- but it took place the following week. We had an excellent dinner and fruitful discussion among 12 people from SAPL, Muslim, Jewish, Quaker and ‘lapsed atheist’

backgrounds. The next of these shared meals to develop friendship through conversation took place on 19th March, and there will be another on Wednesday 13th May at 6.00-8.00 pm. Please bring some food to share if possible (microwave and hot drinks are available). New people are always welcome. On February 9th, the second of Mahboub Choudhury’s talks on ‘Strands of Islam’ featured Sufism. It was even better than the first session and we learned a lot about the more spiritual dimension of

Quiz

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Islam. The Interfaith Committee also visited the UK Islamic Mission on Abbeydale Road. This was most interesting and we felt that some 'difficult areas' were addressed without any offence- i.e. a beginning of 'dialogue'. We hope for further visits both ways. In April there will be a presentation about the Ba’hai faith and on May 27th we will have a ‘Show and Share a poem’ evening. Also in May (18th) the Council of Christians and Jews is holding a 'Provincial Study Day' at the synagogue 10.30-4.00, includes lunch and all refreshments. Booking by May 4th is essential (£20). Caroline Cripps

PEACE &

JUSTICE Walk in Her Shoes

You may remember that in 2013 several members of SAPLC “walked in her shoes”. Care International run this as an annual challenge and fund-raiser. It takes a very simple starting point: “Water is a basic human right. Without access to water, women and girls across the world are left with no choice. Instead of working or going to school, they have to spend their days walking for water.” (From Care International’s website) There is always a girl as the face of that year’s campaign. This year, it is 10 year old Ambie, whose dream is to become a nurse. She says, ”I wish I could go to school, but I have to walk and that is the way it is." So, as a type of empathy, we can walk 10,000 paces per day for a week (i.e. a total of 70,000 paces) and ask for sponsorship. For us, it’s not a real hardship and it’s a free choice, which is not true for the many, many girls who walk every day of their lives. This is the third year I’ve done this. As I walk a lot anyway, 10,000 paces is not really a challenge for me, so I decided I would aim to walk over 90,000 steps –

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and did. At the time of writing, I’ve raised over £200. But it’s not too late to add to my total – just ask me or go to https://give.everydayhero.com/uk/chris. Thank you. And, next March, would you like to join me in walking in her shoes? Chris Lowry

Two issues that you might like to read further about - and take action on

Benefits Sanctions: the stories behind the figures A new report from a coalition of major UK Churches has revealed that around 100,000 children were affected by benefit sanctions in 2013/14. It also shows that in the same period a total of nearly 7 million weeks of sanctions were handed out to benefit claimants. The report, entitled Time to Rethink Benefit Sanctions, comes from the Baptist Union of Great Britain, Church Action on Poverty, the Church in Wales, the Church of Scotland, the Methodist Church and the United Reformed Church. It contains new data on the severity and length of sanctions under Welfare Reform, and on how sanctions affect vulnerable groups such as children and those with mental health problems. The Churches are calling for a full and independent review of the regime and for urgent reform of the hardship payments system to avoid the deliberate imposition of hunger. In the meantime, they are urging the Government to suspend all sanctions against families with children and those suffering from mental health problems. Most importantly, they say, there needs to be a change of culture, from one of enforcement and punishment to one of assistance and support. (If you commit a crime, no criminal court in the UK is allowed to make you go hungry as a punishment," added Niall Cooper, Director of Church Action on Poverty. "But if you're late for an appointment at the Jobcentre, they can remove all your income and leave you unable to feed you or your family for weeks at a time. Most people in this country would be shocked if they knew that far from providing a safety net, the benefit sanctions policy is currently making thousands of people destitute. This policy must be reviewed urgently." The Churches’ Mutual Credit Union A group of major Churches is promoting access to responsible credit

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and savings with the launch of the Churches Mutual Credit Union (CMCU).The Archbishop of Canterbury, the Most Rev Justin Welby, joined the Moderator of the General Assembly of the Church of Scotland, the Rt Rev John Chalmers and the President of the Methodist Conference, The Rev Ken Howcroft, at Church House in London, to celebrate their churches' collaboration in forming the flagship credit union. The CMCU, which also includes the Scottish Episcopal Church, and the Church in Wales, will offer a range of savings and loan products. Fairness will be at the heart of the CMCU's values. Initially members will be able to invest in the 'Founder Member's Bond' with ordinary savers accounts and loans becoming available in March. In due course CMCU will offer ISA savings accounts. At least 60,000 individuals, notably ordained ministers, licensed lay ministers, elders, employees and trustees of churches (e.g. Parochial Church Council members) and church charities are eligible to join, along with churches and Anglican and Church of Scotland charities as corporate members. Individuals can join CMCU now. Go to http://cmcu.org.uk/ A Founder Members Bond is currently available with a minimum deposit of £2000. Founder members will have priority to convert their bonds to a premium rate ISA. Savings accounts will be available later in March.

In April, Bishop Steven Writes: Who is my neighbour? Less than two thirds of the population cast their vote in the last General Election in 2010. Less than half of under 25’s turned out to vote. People feel detached from politics. Our society needs fresh vision. We face different threats and problems at home and across the world. An election campaign is an opportunity for us to think hard, to debate and to have a conversation about what kind of world we want to build, about what kind of society we want to see. On Shrove Tuesday, the House of Bishops issued a Letter to the People and Parishes of England for the General Election 2015. The full text is available online. (http://www.sheffield.anglican.org/UserFiles/File/Bishop_Steven/whoismy

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neighbour_pages.pdf) I want to commend it for careful study and reflection in every parish. The purpose of the letter is not to tell people how to vote. The purpose is to encourage all Christian people to engage with the election and to use our votes thoughtfully, prayerfully and with the good of others in mind. The letter is also an appeal to politicians of all parties to raise the quality of the debate. We need our politicians to be people of integrity and to offer real leadership in uncertain times. Politics needs to rise above a series of promises to one or other part of the electorate to deliver a slightly better deal to some in terms of wealth creation, welfare or tax relief. There are big issues at stake in this election: Britain’s role in Europe and in the rest of the world; the fairness of our society; the protection of the vulnerable; the size of the state, our care of the environment and the role of public services. There are 16 Parliamentary constituencies within the Diocese of Sheffield including the seats of two of the current party leaders. The churches and other faith communities form a significant part of the electorate. We are present in every single community, we are engaged with urban and rural issues, with rich and poor, together we are making a vital contribution to the common good. I will be writing to all the candidates in every constituency in the Diocese with a copy of the Bishop’s Letter and encouraging them to engage with the churches and faith communities and the issues they bring. Please pray for the candidates and for the General Election. Please engage with the debate and conversation which the Bishop’s Letter has begun before and after 7th May. Please vote and encourage everyone you know to vote as well. The Bishops’ Letter asks the question: “Who is my neighbour?” and holds out a vision that we will not build a society of strangers but a community of communities. That vision for our world is at the heart of the scriptures. Jesus himself teaches us to pray: “Your kingdom come”. Let us not neglect our responsibility as citizens and as Christians to engage with the debate around us. +Steven Sheffield

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Young SAPLC

Sandcastles Our service for pre-school children and their parents/carers is on the second Sunday of each month at 9.15.

Junior Church (Pebbles 3-5, Stones 6-10, Rocks 11!) is during the main service at 10.30 – apart from Worship All Together Sundays. Children between 2 and 3 can join in the youngest group (Pebbles) with a parent/carer.

Boulders is a discussion group for teenagers with

breakfast at 9.00 am, normally on 3rd Sundays in the month.

Parent & Baby Group A fairly small group which meets in the church each Friday in term time 10am -11.30. We try to restrict it to Sharrow and Nether Edge areas to encourage on-going friendships to develop. We provide separate areas for little babies and crawlers and they can stay longer until the babes are 18 months if they are already members. There is a charge of £1.50 a session with the suggestion of an extra 20p for “Friends of the Earth” if you travel by car. Free drinks and homemade cakes are provided and we end with a singing session. New members – mothers and fathers - are very welcome. Please contact Muriel Roberts on 255 1473 if you would like to join or for more information.

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Jokes Q: Why couldn’t the car play football? A: Because it only had one boot. Q: What do you get if you cross a hyena with gravy? A: A laughing stock. Q: is this bus going to Clapham? A: Only if they’re very good. Q: Is this bus going to Speke? A: I’ve been driving it for years and it’s never said a word.

Craft Idea

Easter Bonnet fun This is a good activity for parties or families on a wet day. The idea is to compete to make the best bonnet in a set time. Provide each person with a large paper plate, and a piece of string or elastic to fasten it beneath their chin. Supply a variety of craft stuff: tissue paper, crepe paper, pompoms, feathers, glitter etc OR, just supply newspaper for people to cut

up, together with paint or felt tips to colour it. You will also need glue and/or sellotape. Set a time and let everyone get going to create the best and most fantastical hat that they can. When time is up have a fashion parade and judging session. You can take photos and display them. Find someone singing Easter Bonnet on YouTube – Judy Garland, or Bing Crosby for instance, and play it as everyone marches round the room.

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Colouring page

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Story Lunch will have finished on 26th March, as we did not find any more volunteers to take responsibility for cooking and/or shopping for the time being. But there are further developments. The parents who have been coming to Story Lunch are proposing to meet

up for lunch anyway, in what might be called the Thursday Picnic. If you would like to be linked in to this group please let Melissa know (see p2 for contact details) and keep an eye on our Facebook page. We are also exploring a partnership with MakeLunch, a charitable community franchise providing lunches in the holidays for children who qualify for free school meals. This would be a bigger undertaking so we are hoping to involve a number of other churches in this project so we can get a team of at least 6 people for each day. Please let Imogen or Melissa know if this is something that you would like to help with and we will keep you informed.

Children’s Community Choir For children 4+ - 10+

A friendly, informal choir for young children on Wednesday afternoon, during term time, in the church. Led by our choirmaster, Simon Dumpleton. We sing a wide variety of folk, world, popular and nursery songs. Doors open 3.00 for refreshments. Singing starts about 3.30 until 4.10. Suggested donation to help cover costs: £1 per child per session. Contact Melissa (see p2) for more information or to book a place

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Times and seasons Wednesday Saints

At the 10.00 Communion service on Wednesdays, our practice has normally been to celebrate the life of a “saint” – not always a canonised one, but someone whose life has been suffused with their relationship with God. Having done this for some years, we have decided to alter things slightly and instead to reflect together on a piece of spiritual writing. This may be from one of the Christian traditions, or sometimes from another tradition of faith. The person leading the service will make copies of the piece of writing to give out to everyone. Come and enjoy an oasis of reflective calm in the middle of a busy week, and join us for coffee or tea afterwards. On 8th April the 10.00 service will not be Communion as Gareth is away.

Recipe for the season We apologise for missing out the quantity of rice from last Nexus recipe; it should have had 200 gm rice added to the list of ingredients.

Imam Bayildi – as a tray bake This is a classic of Middle Eastern cookery. Normally it involves stuffed aubergines, but we have found in Story Lunch that you can make it as a traybake, and it is just as delicious and less fiddly. Imam Bayildi, means, ‘the imam fainted’. No-one knows whether this was because of the quantity of olive oil in the dish, or its deliciousness. I incline to the latter. Ingredients - for 12 people – fits in a normal roasting tray 3 large onions 6 aubergines 3 red/green peppers 8 tablespoons oil 3 cloves garlic 2 tin tomatoes (chopped) 1 tube tomato puree

salt to taste I teaspoon allspice (this is important for the flavor) 1 teaspoon paprika 3 tablespoons chopped parsley 1 pint boiling water

Method Slice the aubergines lengthways into about 4 or 5 slices, pare the skin off

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the wide side of the two outer slices, sprinkle lightly with salt and prop them in a colander to drain. Meanwhile slice the onions and peppers thinly and fry them gently in the olive oil with the chopped garlic for about 10 minutes. Add the tomatoes, puree and spices and cook for a further 5 minutes. Oil a baking tray and put a layer of the aubergine slices, patted dry, then a layer of the onion mixture, and another layer of aubergine and then onion. Pour the boiling water over. Cover loosely with a sheet of foil. Put it in the oven at 200º C for about an hour. Garnish with the parsley. Serve with rice and yoghurt.

The Church’s Year This Nexus comes out just at the beginning of Holy Week, covers the period of Easter and goes right up to Pentecost and Trinity Sunday, so you might say that it is full of incident, as far as Church festivals are concerned. We run the gamut of emotions, from the grief and despair of Good Friday, through the surprise and glory of Easter, and into the weeks when we hear how the disciples came to terms with those events and began to realize that they were part of something extraordinary and they now had the responsibility for making Christ’s body on earth make a difference in the world. Pentecost marks the culmination of this process: the event when they felt suddenly filled with the Holy Spirit and were emboldened to preach and teach their experience. It was a moment of transformation, and it is seen as the beginning of the Christian Church, though historically it seems to have been a bit later that Jesus’ followers started to be called Christians. The next Sunday after Pentecost is Trinity Sunday, when the Church marks the fundamental teaching that we may know God in three different ways, as Father, Son and Spirit. The novel The Shack, by William P. Young has an interesting way of describing this relationship and the way it might be seen and I recommend it. You may never have thought of God this way before. You may not agree with it, but you may find it stimulating and thought-provoking. Imogen Clout

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Eco- Congregation

What is this eco event on 8th May? Hopefully, you’ll see plenty of publicity about our eco event, which we’re running at SAPLC with our friends from Emmanuel Waterthorpe. So, what is it? • The main target audience is faith groups concerned about green

issues and how to walk more lightly on the planet. • SAPLC has qualified twice for the eco-congregation award, and is

one of only 7 eco-congregations in the area, Emmanuel Waterthorpe being another one. We are hoping the event will be a chance for existing eco-congregations to re-charge their batteries; and for other churches – and individuals – to feel more confident to work towards the award, or generally to apply eco principles to their church and home life.

• We hope to have 8 presentations during the evening, 4 of them from existing eco-congregations and 4 from outside organisations such as Transition Sheffield and Sheffield Landscape Trust. There will also be plenty of time for each person to walk round and talk to a variety of experts about their queries.

• And the evening will round off with a closing address from someone we know well at SAPLC, David Hughes, whose credentials in the local and national green field are unquestionable. He will pull the evening together and point us to our future challenges.

This is for ALL members of SAPLC – the eco-congregation award is for the church, not just the “Green Team”. Part of our assessors’ quest, when they come to visit, is how embedded the eco philosophy and practice is across the congregation. We’re hoping it will be an inspiring and challenging evening. So - please come and support us! Eco- Congregation – Hope for the Future As the General Election approaches we all think about what sort of country we want to live in and pass on to the next generation. Each political party tries to state its priorities, and difference from other

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parties. Evidence is mounting that climate change is critical and the economy, social justice, education, health, immigration etc are affected by it. Climate change is no longer a hypothetical debate about the future with the scientific evidence finely balanced: the vast majority of climate scientists agree the evidence for human-caused global climate change is overwhelming - it is happening now. Already extreme weather, problems of food production and energy supplies are hurting many parts of the world. In addition to affecting vulnerable people in the poorest nations, these lead directly to rising prices, wars and pressures on migration that affect us directly in the UK. But we can still act to stop the situation worsening catastrophically. The government’s independent advisor, the Committee on Climate Change, has recommended legally binding carbon budgets to reduce emissions in the UK up to 2027, and has demonstrated that this level of reduction is feasible without reducing the economic competitiveness of the UK. In fact, there could be hundreds or thousands of green jobs, and we could bring these jobs to Sheffield and South Yorkshire. Please write to all the candidates for your constituency and ask them • How does your party incorporate the actions recommended by the

independent Committee on Climate Change to ensure that technologies and investments are in place to allow for further carbon reductions from 2030 to 2050?

• Please pass on my concern to your manifesto planning group, and keep me informed on your party’s position on this matter, to help me decide how to vote.

For further details see the Guardian, Saturday 7th March 2015, Hope for the Future (http://www.hftf.org.uk/) or speak to a member of the Eco-congregation committee. Lists of prospective Parliamentary candidates (which could of course change), more suggested questions to ask your Parliamentary candidates, and tips from local MP Paul Blomfield on Lobbying your MP are available in the narthex. Caroline Cripps and Janet Loughridge

Gardening Notes Well “March Many Weathers lived up to its name! The East wind was its usual ill-mannered self. Can’t be bothered to go around you so tried to cut straight through. It was bitter! I hope you got your onions in on

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time. Put some in now if you didn’t but be quick. They only increase the size of the baseplate whilst the days are lengthening. After that they fatten up. The robin on my patch is not defending his patch from the bird next door with quite the same vigour as last month. (I saw a mid air claw fight in February. Immediately after that the robin with bald patches ”Wiggy” to his friends, flew down next to my feet and picked up the largest worm I have seen it tackle. Laying claim to the disturbed ground I generate and associated pickings.) Nesting will be in full swing by the time you read this. Please be careful with any trimming of bushes or hedges you do in the garden. I will be mid June before the fledglings will have left the nests. The Greenfinch has been singing his buzz saw song from the top of a tree I can see from the kitchen. Good to have them back, but Song Thrushes are few and far between. It is always tempting to start planting seeds early. Resist the urge with courgettes and pumpkins. They cannot go out until the danger of frost is past or they will just die. That has them hanging about under glass getting more and more stretched. If you overwintered any Dahlias take cuttings from the shoots that come from the top of the tubers. You might get half a dozen small plants and well as the mother plant you saved from the frost. Named varieties sell well on a plant stall. Sow open flowers under fruit trees to encourage hoverflies. These will feed on the greenfly and reduce the need for other methods of pest control. If you didn’t sow tomatoes last month make enquiries at the local allotment society. There may be some for sale there. Good luck this year. We always need it!

Bill Atherton

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Church family Congratulations to • Sienna Illingworth, and her parents Syreeta and James, and

Zachariah Morris and his parents Rachel and Alistair, on their baptisms.

• John and Jennifer Austin on the marriage of their son Tom to Naomi Fairbrother

We say a sad farewell to • Eileen Snook (99) and Reg Close (92), both longstanding members

of the congregation, who will be much missed by all who knew them.

We hold in prayer • Harold Taylor, now home from hospital • Bryan Ellis, following a period of convalescence • Hilary Taylor-Firth, in hospital

What’s On

Going Green at Crystal Peaks

An information day for local environment issues What are local organisations doing to help the

environment? Lots of stalls including Supertram, Veolia, RSC (River Stewardship),

Sheffield and Rotherham Wildlife Trust, Pedal Ready, South Yorkshire Energy Centre

Crystal Peaks Shopping Mall Saturday 16th May 2015 10:00 am until 4:00 pm

A Sheffield Environment Weeks event organised by Emmanuel Church Environment Group, Waterthorpe

and St Andrew’s Psalter Lane Church Eco-Congregation Group

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GOOD FRIDAY 3rd April 2015 12 noon to 3 o’clock

A quiet meditation service on the passion narrative in the Gospel of St Matthew with music, words, silence featuring:

music by Arvo Pärt played by The Northern String Quartet Nikolas Gjylaci Joy Becker Laurie Dempsey Joshua Lynch Speakers: Revd Gareth Jones, Imogen Clout, Professor John Harding Entrance free There will be pauses at each half hour, so people may come and go during the service Donations welcome More details from the church office: 0114 267 8289 office@standrewspsalterlane.org.uk 31 Psalter Lane, Sheffield, S11 8YL

_____________________________________________________

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The Church AGM 19th April The Annual Church Meeting will be held on Sunday 19th April after the morning service, in church. There will be reports on the work of the church and associated organisations, and we will elect the new Ecumenical Church Council. The meeting will be followed by a soup and puddings lunch. Please make every effort to attend, and consider standing for election as a Warden or Steward, or member of the Ecumenical Church Council. It would be good to bring the average age of the ECC down by a decade or so!

Soup & Puddings Lunches After morning church and the AGM on 19th April And again, to welcome people from Horizon and the Quakers who are joining us that Sunday for worship on 3rd May Everybody is very welcome to come and enjoy the delicious food

THE HARDY PLANT SOCIETY

South Pennine Group www.southpenninehps.blck.co.uk

SPRING PLANT SALE 2015 Saturday 16th May 12.30 pm – 3.30 pm and

Sunday 17th May, 10.30 am – 1.30 pm Sheffield Botanical Gardens

Wide selection grown by our members Free admission. Refreshments available

Everyone welcome. If you would like further information about us,

please visit our website above.

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Church Diary APRIL Sat 11th 9.30 => Working Party Wed 15th 7.30 Worship Planning Interfaith Rm Thur 16th 9.30 => Working Party Thur 16th 7.30 Eco Congregation Narthex Sun 19th After main

service Church AGM followed by Soup and Puddings

Tues 21st 7.30 Junior Church Leaders Interfaith Rm Tues 28th 7.30 Property and Finance Narthex MAY Sat 2nd 9.30 => Working Party Tues 5th 7.30 Eco Congregation group Crystal Peaks Wed 6th 7.30 Leadership Team Narthex Thur 7th 9.30 => Working Party Tues 12th 7.30 ECC Narthex Sat 16th 7.30 Eco Congregation event Crystal Peaks Tues 26th 7.30 Eco Congregation group Narthex

REGULAR SERVICES Sunday 2nd Sunday in month 09.15 Sandcastles 4th Sunday in month 09.15 Holy Communion Every Sunday 10.30 Main service: Normal pattern: 1st, 3rd & 5th Sundays communion service; 2nd Sunday, Service of the Word; 4th Sunday, Worship All Together 2nd Sunday in month 18.30 Holy Communion in Southcroft Wednesday 10.00 Holy Communion

(occasionally Morning Prayer or Meditation)

At our Sunday morning communions the communion bread is gluten free

Quiz Answers

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April - May Services 2nd April Wednesday in Holy Week 7.00 Taizé Prayer 2nd April Maundy Thursday 7.30 in Southcroft Communion and Foot Washing - Revd Gareth Jones 3rd April Good Friday 12 noon – 3.00 Vigil (see page 20 for details) 5th April Easter Day 10.30 Holy Communion - Revd David Willie 12th April Easter 2 9.15 Sandcastles Toddlers’ Service – Imogen Clout 10.30 Morning Worship – Judith Roberts 6.30 in Southcroft Holy Communion – Revd Julian Sullivan 19th April Easter 3 10.30 Holy Communion - Revd Gareth Jones 6.30 at Horizon Horizon Celebration Service 26th April Easter 4 9.15 10.30

Holy Communion (BCP) – Revd Gareth Jones Worship All Together – Imogen Clout

3rd May Easter 5 10.30 Holy Communion - Revd Gareth Jones 10th May Easter 6 09.15 10.30

Sandcastles Toddlers’ Service – Janet Himan Morning Worship - Imogen Clout

6.30 in Southcroft Holy Communion – Revd Gareth Jones 17th May Easter 7 9.00 10.30

Boulders Breakfast Group Holy Communion – Revd Gareth Jones

24th May Pentecost 9.15 10.30

Holy Communion (CW) - Revd Mike West Worship All Together– Judith Roberts

31st May Trinity Sunday 10.30 Holy Communion - Revd Gareth Jones