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50p August/September 2015

www.wednesfieldteam.org.uk

St. Thomas’ Church, Wednesfield Church News

Photograph by Jill Ellson

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St Thomas’ Church News - August/September 2015

St Thomas’ Church, Wednesfield In the Wednesfield Team Ministry

Sundays Weekday communion services 8.00 am Holy Communion Wednesdays: 10.00 am 10.15 am Family Eucharist Fridays: 10.00 am (with Junior Church and Tots Church) 6.30 pm Evening Worship Baptism: Sunday afternoon, monthly

Clergy

For enquiries relating to St Thomas’ please contact: Team Rector: Rev’d Nick Watson 01902 731462 Wednesfield Rectory, 9 Vicarage Road E-mail: [email protected] Curate: Rev’d Ness Tobin E-mail: [email protected] 07854 773432 For enquiries relating to St Alban’s please contact: Team Vicar: Rev’d Sam Leach 01902 732317 St. Alban’s Vicarage, Griffiths Drive, Ashmore Park E-mail: [email protected]

Officers

District Wardens: Mrs Norma Thompson, 17 Frome Drive, Wednesfield 01902 305170 Mr Clive Postle, 118 Amos Lane, Wednesfield 01902 733169

Parish Wardens: Mrs Kathryn Godwin Mrs Veronica Griffiths Organist and Choirmistress: Mrs Gillian Edwards, 16 Greenfield Lane, Fordhouses 01902 783264 Parish Office: St. Thomas’ Church 01902 723310 Secretary: Margaret Walker E-mail: [email protected] The office is normally staffed 9am-12noon on Monday, Wednesday and Thursday Requests for Baptisms and Marriage at St Thomas’ – please come to St. Thomas’ Church at 6.30pm on a Friday evening or telephone Reverend Nick Watson on 01902 731462. Do you have an article for the magazine? Or any ideas of what you would like to see included? If so please have a word with Joanna Watson at Church, leave articles in the parish office, or email them to [email protected].

mailto:[email protected]



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Church growth – why numbers do matter

You’ll find in this magazine a report on our recent sessions on ‘Leading your Church into Growth’ (LyCiG), and an invitation to take part in the next stage of this whole process. One of the most important things to remember in any thinking about church growth is that growing in numbers is only one part of the picture. For a church to grow in a healthy way, we also need to grow in the depth of our faith and in becoming more like Jesus. Then we need to grow in how much we serve God actively in the world and in our own communities.

If we don’t grow in numbers, we don’t have the capacity to grow in depth or service. If we don’t grow in depth then we’re just providing entertainment, not discipleship. If we don’t grow in service, then we’re navel-gazing and forgetting the command to love our neighbour. In the long run, we need to balance growth in all of these areas.

A short-term focus on growing in number – is it right? With that firmly in mind, the Church Council has backed the view of those who came to the LyCiG sessions and of the Shared Leadership Team, and has decided that for the next 12-18 months St Thomas’ will focus on growing in the number of people who participate in church life – mainly, but not only, in Sunday worship and all the activity that comes out of that.

I want to take this opportunity to say why I believe it’s important for the church to grow in numbers.

Good for the world First, it’s only by growing in numbers of people that we can grow in how much we can do for God globally and locally. If there were twice as many people working actively for Christian Aid in Wednesfield, then more lives in the developing world could be saved and transformed. With more people able and willing to offer time and energy we’d be able to build on the success of Tom’s Tots to offer job clubs, debt advice, support for senior citizens and far more. If numbers of able-bodied church members continue to fall, then we will be absorbing more and more energy from fewer and fewer people just to keep St Thomas’ going – and that will not serve God well in this community.

Good for the church Second, growing in numbers will be good for us as a church family. We will benefit from more supportive relationships, from different ideas, from being part of a community that has an ever-expanding network of care and encouragement. We will be able to do more together, and grow deeper in more ways by providing for the needs and interests of different groups.

Good for those who join Third, growing in numbers is good for those who are the growth in numbers. People sometimes criticise a focus on numbers, forgetting that each number is actually a person who is worshipping, being cared for and challenged by the worship, teaching and shared life of a church community. Bigger numbers in church attendance actually mean more people, receiving more blessing, teaching and encouragement for their daily lives.

Increasingly I’m aware of the limits on how much I can help people who turn to me for pastoral care, if they don’t become part of a church community – St Thomas’ or anywhere else. It’s not just about my having limited time for which others can make up. It’s more about the reality that one of the things people need most, especially when life is tough, is to be part of a loving and supportive community which will help them to know that they are loved and will help them to find peace, purpose and strength for life. However much I talk to someone and pray for them, in the end I hit a point where I know they need to be part of something bigger – the church.

So every increase in our attendance figures is, to me, at least one more person who has come into a place where God can help them to grow and thrive – now and into eternity.

In the end, that’s the biggest reason for the numbers to matter. Because the numbers are all people who will live life better if they live it as part of the church.

The Rev’d Nick Watson

Letter from the Rector

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Books for the summer…

I know that not everyone takes a holiday over the summer, but it still feels like a good time to suggest something to read. Don’t forget, if there’s something church-related or God-centred you’d like to read about, I’ve probably got a book about it somewhere – just ask, and you’re welcome to borrow some holiday (or non-holiday) reading.

The ‘Pearls of Life’ (The Iona Community) This is a short book, but it comes with a set of beads to use in prayer and reflection on life. I’ve found them really useful, and if you’re not used to spending a long time in prayer but want to become more aware of God’s work in your life, I really do recommend this resource. It’s published by the Iona Community, and if you can’t find it anywhere else you can order it from their website.

What am I doing here? (Dave Walker and Hilary Brand) The title might sound like a book of deep philosophy, but ‘here’ actually means ‘in church at a communion service’. This is a good, clear and light-hearted book subtitled ‘A beginner’s guide to church’, with some excellent cartoons to help it along. You’ll enjoy reading it, and you may find that Sunday mornings make a bit more sense afterwards…

If you want to walk on water, you’ve got to get out of the boat (John Ortberg) I’ve often recommended John Ortberg’s books – he has a good way of taking the wisdom of the spiritual classics and making it easier to work with. This summer I’m going to reread this book of his, which is a few years old. As the title suggests, it’s not so much about deep prayer as it is about being willing to take a risk to follow God beyond the limits of common sense.

…and Apps for the Summer too Increasingly, we’re using phones and tablets for a lot of our reading and leisure. There are a lot of apps available which will help you to use your phone for spiritual growth! All of the apps mentioned below are available for Android and Apple phones and tablets, and all are free, at least for ‘basic’ versions to try them out.

Daily Prayer and the Lectionary If you’d like to keep your prayers and Bible reading in step with the rest of the Church of England, try these apps from Aimer software. You can use Daily Prayer free while your phone is connected, or pay £1.49 per year for full offline use as well. The Lectionary will give you all the prayers and readings set for any day. It has a free trial, but then you have to pay a subscription. The ‘Sundays only’ version is free!

Pray as you Go I recommended this some years ago when it was a podcast. It’s now a free app, which will give you a short (about 10-12 minute) reflection on one of the readings from the day’s communion service, with really practical applications. The app also has some very useful other resources to explore. I highly recommend this!

PrayerMate If you’d like to keep track of people you’ve said you’ll pray for, or just to be more organised in praying, try this app. You can subscribe to the Lichfield Diocese prayer cycle and lots of others, and add your own prayers too. I find it very helpful!

Faithlife Faithlife is one of a set of related apps which give you access to some good free resources to read and study the Bible, and the option of paying for any of a vast library of others. Faithlife has the advantage that it includes access to an online community for Bible study and discussion. I’m on there, so please let me know if you use it – I have set up a ‘St Thomas’ Wednesfield’ discussion group, but we haven’t used it yet…

Last but not least… Stay in touch with St Thomas’ wherever you are! Our website is at wednesfieldteam.org.uk, but to keep up to date you’re best to ‘like’ our page on Facebook (https://www.facebook.com/stthomaschurchwednesfield) and follow us on Twitter (https://twitter.com/wednesfieldteam).

Have a great summer!


https://www.facebook.com/stthomaschurchwednesfield

https://twitter.com/wednesfieldteam

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And here’s a word from Ness... “Alright, babe!” A young man, at least 20 years younger than myself, hailed me as I walked on Wednesfield high street on my first morning. Feeling rather flattered and very surprised I smiled. Then he noticed my clerical collar. “I wasn’t saying it to you,” he said hurriedly, “I was saying it to someone else.” Then he looked heavenward and exclaimed. “Father forgive me.” I knew then I’d began my job as curate in Wednesfield!! And what an amazing job it is. This week saw the launch of Polar Explorers, St. Thomas’ holiday club for 5 to 11 year olds. A first for St. Thomas’, it has been an amazing week of energy, warm relationships and friendship with God. The children were enthusiastic, keen to learn and open to Gods love. We made crafts, played games sang songs and had visits from the Christian Stephen and Sir Random Lines, an eccentric and mixed up South Pole explorer. One thing I learnt was when it was important to take one’s clerical collar off (the children guessed who was in costume because of it!) and when it was important to take one’s beard off (when doing funerals!!) A busy, tiring but hugely rewarding week. The community of St. Thomas’ and St. Alban’s are warm and close knit and it has been a pleasure being accepted into their community. It’s also been fun eating at the Spread Eagle with the church family last Saturday. I’m not used to the traditions of St. Thomas’ yet but under Nick’s direction and tuition I’m learning! It’s also wonderful to experience Taizé services - Sunday night services provide such a rich variety of worship. Well worth trying. And Greggs has become a quick favourite of mine for its coffee and custards! Rev’d Ness Tobin

Welcome to Ness! Ness Tobin was ordained deacon by the Bishop of Lichfield on Sunday 28th June, in Lichfield Cathedral.

We formally welcomed Ness, Ed and Cara to St Thomas’ the following Sunday, which was also St Thomas’ Day and the day of Amelie Lister’s baptism. Vi decorated a cake, and Ness cut it!

Ness as Sir Random Lines

Crafts at the Polar Explorers holiday club,

and an igloo in progress

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Christian Aid News 600 cows

The final total for St Thomas’ response to this year’s Christian Aid Week appeal was a magnificent £2,988.55, this figure including £306 sponsorship money three of us were given for taking part in the Northycote Walk for which we gained extra publicity through the involvement of sporting greats Hugh Porter and his wife Anita Lonsbrough-Porter. When including money raised by St Thomas’ volunteers taking part in the railway station collection, the sum rises to well over £3,000. (Encouragingly, the 2015 total for all Wolverhampton churches was £20,253, an increase of £375 over the previous year.)

According to the information on this year’s appeal envelopes, £5 can buy a cow for someone in Ethiopia; on that basis, St Thomas’ has raised enough to buy a herd of around 600! And this immediately after we had responded to an appeal on behalf of the Nepal earthquake victims.

Many thanks to all who were involved in any way.

70th

anniversary

Christian Aid is 70 this year and we shall be marking the anniversary in Wolverhampton with a programme that will include a bring-and-share meal in the St Thomas Centre at 4.30pm on Sunday 11

th October

followed by Evensong with a Christian Aid theme. All are welcome, so please make a note of the date.

Climate change

Christian Aid is one of many agencies campaigning for positive decision-making at December’s climate conference in Paris. A deal needs to be agreed in which all countries take their fair share of action to limit a global temperature rise to below 2°C and this will include phasing out pollution from fossil fuels such as coal by 2050.

Poorer countries (those least responsible for man-made climate change) will need help in adapting. I recently heard a speaker from Niger tell of the way the desert has taken over the larger part of his country, how many farmers can no longer grow sufficient food and are moving into the towns where begging on the streets has become evident. But Niger is also taking action – providing training in the planting of trees to prevent soil erosion, improving seed quality and developing new technology for agriculture.

The developing world is responding positively to the climate challenge and so must we.

Roger Poole

Hugh and Anita Porter with Rosemary Akers and others

Tom's Tots, our popular church baby and toddler group, is running three extra sessions in the school holidays, with activities for 5-11 year olds too! The dates and themes are:

Tuesday 28th July - Summer Fun Tuesday 11th August - Animals Tuesday 25th August - Teddy bears

If you bring your teddy bear on 25th August then it could have a go on the teddy bear zip wire in St Thomas' Church!

Everyone is welcome - free entry, donations welcome. For more details call 01902 723310 or see the church Facebook page.

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From the Church Councils

District Church Council (DCC) The DCC met on Wednesday 15 July. As well as receiving reports from committees, the following business was discussed and agreed:

The recommendations of the Shared Leadership Team coming from ‘Leading your Church into Growth’ were agreed with some suggested amendments – see page 14 for more details!

We were pleased to note that we have reduced the deficit on our share payments from over £20,000 to under £6,000.

We agreed to seek grants to help replace the boiler, having received quotations for the work.

We agreed to renew our noticeboards and explore how to improve them.

We agreed to develop gradually the ‘Service of the Word’ as part of our Sunday morning worship alongside a focus on the Eucharist, hoping gradually to make this more fully all-age.

We agreed a role description for Jill Ellson for the first stages of her ministry when she is licensed as a Lay Minister in September.

We agreed to renew DBS clearances for all involved in work with children and young people.

The next meeting of the DCC is on September 15th. Please give any items for the agenda to Rev’d Nick or

Maggie Shelley before 8th September.

Parochial Church Council (PCC) The PCC did not meet in June or July. Its next meeting is on 22

nd September. Please give any items for

the agenda to Rev’d Nick or Linda Storr before 15th September.

Deanery Synod The Synod met on 9 Thursday July at Holy Trinity, Short Heath.

We spent some time discussing the ‘Evidence to Action’ presentation and resource which Rev’d George Fisher introduced at the previous meeting, and considering how we see the realities of church life and growth across the deanery.

With no pressing ‘official’ business we then concentrated on sharing encouragement, concern and requests for prayer between the churches of the deanery. There was a general feeling of energy and possibility for mission, which was hugely encouraging!

We introduced a paper which will be discussed at the DCC in September about what the Deanery is for – if you’re interested, look on page 18 and make sure that a member of the DCC passes your views on to the meeting!

The next meeting of Deanery Synod takes place on Tuesday 20th October.

St Thomas’ Prayer Chain

Is there anyone in your thoughts who you would like to uphold in prayer? Perhaps because of A sudden illness

A family crisis

A hospital appointment A bereavement

An important event?

We have a group of people who are part of a chain of prayer throughout the parish. Please phone one of the people below, give the name of the person you wish to uphold in prayer and any relevant details. This will be passed on along the chain until every member is praying and will continue for as long as it is needed. If you prefer, the person you wish to uphold in prayer can be included without giving their name or full details. Please try to update the person you phoned after two weeks. Jill Ellson 01902 863727 or Linda Storr 01902 732700

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Would you like to advertise in this space?

This magazine is distributed

throughout Wednesfield and also available to buy in Church.

For more details of terms and rates please contact Margaret Carroll on 01902 732092 or email

[email protected]

M.R.BROWN & SON Quality Carpentry & Building Services

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Fitted kitchens - Worktop joints Fitted bathrooms - Stair spindles

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St Thomas’ Church is on Facebook, and over 400 people like our page! So if you haven’t already, why not join us? www.facebook.com/stthomaschurchwednesfield

Abbeyfield House now has vacancies offering sheltered housing/support and companionship. Our home has a balance of privacy, support and

security as well as the freedom to come and go as you please.

Two home cooked nutritious meals per day. A companionable environment with full

access to health care services. Private rooms with en-suite facilities. We are small and friendly with a family feel.

Please feel free to contact Denise on 01902 307139

Abbeyfield House SHOPPING? If you feel like a nice cup of coffee (or tea) and a breather, (and a biscuit), why not call in at St. Thomas' Room. Coffee is served from 10.00 –12.00, every Friday and Saturday morning.

Everyone is welcome – just pop in

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Bishop Clive’s pastoral letter

"On September 5th

we have a rare opportunity to come together as a Diocese in all our wondrous diversity, to give thanks for the gracious ministry of +Jonathan and to celebrate the Goodness of God." In his pastoral letter, the Bishop of Wolverhampton reminds us that our primary human kinship is with our brothers and sisters in Christ, wherever they may be. One Lord, one faith, one baptism.

I recently needed to pick my daughter up from a friend’s, but was not quite sure which house I was aiming for having only been there once before.

Seeing a man washing his car in his drive, I enquired whether he knew where the family concerned lived. He had no idea. Trusting my memory, I duly knocked on a nearby door and struck lucky.

What surprised me was that the car washer had no idea who lived three doors away from him, especially as the houses were close together. But then I realised that our knowledge of our neighbours only extended two doors in either direction! And that gave me pause for thought ……

We live in a world where people connect with one another in very different ways from just a generation ago. I was brought up in a road where my mother, admittedly a gregarious person, knew the inhabitants of numerous houses up, down and across from where we lived. Our neighbours felt a little like an extended family. That is much rarer now as many people make much closer connections with geographically distant people with whom they converse online than with their neighbours. Online communities based on shared interests are taking the place of communities based on physical proximity.

Christians should, at least in theory, be adaptable to this new reality due to the idea, rooted in Scripture, that our primary human kinship is with our brothers and sisters in Christ wherever they may be. We are all branches connected to the one vine, nourished from the same source. One Lord, one faith, one baptism. What more could we possibly have in common ?

And where our shared spiritual DNA does bind us together with cords of genuine love, the result is a powerful and moving witness to how faith can build extraordinarily diverse communities, bringing people together (as Jesus did) irrespective of gender, culture or education. There is ample evidence of this in the church congregations of our Diocese, even more so when we take into account the ties which bind us increasingly closely to our linked Dioceses.

On September 5th we have a rare opportunity to come together as a Diocese in all our wondrous diversity,

to give thanks for the gracious ministry of +Jonathan and to celebrate the Goodness of God. It is a chance to celebrate our unity in Christ and to demonstrate the commitment we have to one another. To remind ourselves that ‘we are family’.

I very much hope to see you there; who knows, we might even discover that we are neighbours...

+Clive

If you’d like to know more about the ‘Goodness of God’ event, please ask Nick or visit the diocesan website at http://www.lichfield.anglican.org/the-goodness-of-god/

Coffee,

Cake and

Crafts

In the St Thomas Centre, Church Street, Wednesfield

Everyone is welcome to join us for tea, coffee, cake and a chat. Bring along your current project - all crafts welcome! £2.50 waged, £1 unwaged, including refreshments. For more information please call Joanna on 01902 731462.

On Wednesday evenings at 7.30pm September 2nd, 16th and 30th

On Thursday afternoons at 2.30pm September 10th and 24th

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What’s on in… August

1 Saturday 4.00pm Marriage of Laura Cole and James Cooper

2 Sunday Trinity 9

8.00am 10.15am 6.30pm

Morning Prayer Family Eucharist with Junior Church Music and Meditation

8 Saturday 10.00am 12.30pm

Mothers’ Union Committee meeting Marriage of Leanne Edwards and Nathan Hollingshead

9 Sunday Trinity 10

8.00am 10.15am 6.30pm

Holy Communion (said) Morning Worship Evening Prayer

11 Tuesday 10.00am Tom’s Tots Extra in the St Thomas Centre

12 Wednesday 7.15pm Mothers’ Union summer party in the St Thomas Centre

15 Saturday 12.30pm 3.00pm

Marriage of Susan Allsopp and John Bulger Marriage of Keely Gee and Hames Webb

16 Sunday Trinity 11

8.00am 10.15am 5.00pm 6.30pm

Holy Communion (said) Family Eucharist with Junior Church Renewal of vows – Joanne & Steven Pugh Evening Worship

22 Saturday 4.00pm Parish Barbecue at the Rectory


8.00am 10.15am 4.30pm 6.30pm

Holy Communion (said) Family Eucharist with Junior Church Holy Baptism Memorial Service

25 Tuesday 10.00am Tom’s Tots Extra in the St Thomas Centre

29 Saturday 5.00pm Renewal of vows – Steve and Rose Harrison


8.00am 10.00am 6.30pm

Holy Communion (said) Parish Eucharist Evening Worship

You’re invited to a Barbecue! Where? The Rectory, 9 Vicarage Road When? From 4pm until everyone goes home Saturday 22nd August £3 each for all your food. Please bring your own drinks, and something to sit on! Please sign the list in the St Thomas Room so we know you’re coming!

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What’s on in… September

2 Wednesday 7.30pm 7.30pm

Worship Committee Coffee, cake and crafts in the St Thomas Centre

4 Friday 1.00pm 2.30pm 7.30pm

Marriage of Maxien Fisher and Peter Gorry Holy Communion at Woden Resource Centre Events Committee in the St Thomas Room

5 Saturday 10.00am 3.00pm

‘Goodness of God’ diocesan celebration, West Bromwich Marriage of Tanya Pearson and David Challenor

6 Sunday Trinity 14

8.00am 10.15am 4.30pm 6.30pm

Holy Communion (said) Family Eucharist with Junior Church Holy Baptism Evening Worship

8 Tuesday 9.15am 7.30pm

Tom’s Tots in the St Thomas Centre Shared Leadership Team

9 Wednesday 7.15pm Mothers’ Union

10 Thursday 2.30pm 7.30pm 7.45pm

Coffee, cake and crafts in the St Thomas Centre Leading your Church into Growth discussion in Centre Baptism preparation evening in Church

12 Saturday 3.30pm Marriage of Natalie Powell and Neil Meredith Church outing to Bath


8.00am 10.15am 6.30pm

Holy Communion (said) Family Eucharist with Junior Church Evening Worship


Tom’s Tots in the St Thomas Centre District Church Council Meeting

16 Wednesday 7.30pm Coffee, cake and crafts in the St Thomas Centre

17 Thursday 7.30pm Leading your Church into Growth discussion

19 Saturday 7.30pm Black Country Brass and Wolverhampton Male Voice Choir Concert


8.00am 10.15am 4.30pm 6.30pm

Holy Communion (said) Family Eucharist with Junior Church Holy Baptism Evening Prayer


Tom’s Tots in the St Thomas Centre Parochial Church Council meeting

24 Thursday 2.30pm 7.30pm

Coffee, cake and crafts in the St Thomas Centre Leading your Church into Growth discussion

26 Saturday 9.00am Village Show

27 Sunday Harvest Thanks-giving

8.00am 10.00am 4.30pm 6.30pm

Holy Communion (said) Parish Harvest Eucharist Junior Harvest Praise and Harvest Tea Harvest Songs of Praise


Tom’s Tots in the St Thomas Centre Centre Management Committee

30 Wednesday 7.30pm Coffee, cake and crafts in the St Thomas Centre

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Leading your Church into Growth

Thanks to everyone who took part in the discussions of ‘Leading your Church into Growth’ (LyCiG). The DCC has considered all that we thought about in those sessions, and has agreed the following as a ‘next stage’ plan, which we will develop together in the autumn sessions. We begin with a recommendation on what the church should be doing which we felt summed up a lot of the whole process. We should be…

‘Changing (in the right way!) – empowering more people’

We recognised the point that this empowering included giving people the confidence to say ‘no’ to involvement in active outreach and service in church, as some need the opportunity simply to rest and receive.

Three key points to take forward

1. A 12-18 month, whole church focus on growing in number

We welcome the emphasis on healthy growth as balancing growth in numbers, in spiritual depth and in service to the local community. For the coming 12-18 months we will focus in particular on growth in numbers. We will then look to spend a similar time focussing on growth in depth and then again on developing our service to the community.

Having looked for where God is already at work around us, we celebrate the wealth of opportunities we already have in contact with the local community, and the variety of events we can draw upon (see feedback from sessions) the Rector and wardens will take a lead in asking and helping those leading all areas of the church’s life to consider and clarify the aims of their activity or group, answering the question ‘why do we…?’ with answers beginning ‘so that…’ rather than ‘because…’ Where appropriate, we will then refine how things are done in order to increase the opportunities for growth through what we already do, before looking for new activities to launch.

We will ask the events committee, working with the clergy, to consider the balance of ‘presence, proclamation and persuasion’ opportunities offered by events through the year, and to plan future events with church growth as one aim alongside others.

2. Review and revise our worship

We will ask the worship committee constantly to review and revise our worship with a view to making it more accessible and engaging to new worshippers and all ages as well as to existing members of the congregation. In particular we will develop through the coming year a Service of the Word as part of our regular Sunday morning worship, with a view to this aim. We will ask ministers leading worship and choosing music to include this aim in their planning, and ask the leaders of junior church to look for opportunities to involve older children in the whole congregation’s worship.

3. Move from a culture of welcome to one of invitation

We recognise the strength of St Thomas’ in being a ‘friendly’ church, where people find it easy to come in. Recognising the ‘fences’ which trip people up on the way to full involvement in church, we will revisit ‘Everybody welcome’ and try to lower the barriers which currently cause problems for some people. Included in this will be review of the steps suggested to care for and develop the existing congregation.

We will seek to encourage in the whole congregation a culture of going beyond welcome to actively inviting non-church friends and neighbours to appropriate worship and other events, building the quality of those events and worship to make it easier to be confident in making the invitation!

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What next for the DCC and Leadership Team?

We will communicate this resolution to the congregation through the magazine and social media, and in September through three themed Sundays on 6, 13, 20 September, coinciding with the second series of three evenings for the congregation and leading up to invitations to a ‘Back to Church’ Sunday service at Harvest.

We will work to involve all the congregation in further discussion and planning.

Over the summer and into autumn, the Rector and wardens will identify and work with leaders of different areas of church life to improve their focus and opportunity to aid growth in numbers. Action in each area will follow throughout the coming year.

We will plan the development of the Service of the Word over the summer and autumn.

We will establish a working group to review and improve our internal communications and outward publicity, to meet in the autumn and make recommendations by Christmas.

We will work together as a Leadership Team and DCC between September and Easter to contact those who have ‘drifted’ from church membership over recent years, to find out why this has happened, to respond as appropriate and to encourage them to return.

We will review progress at the Annual Meeting 2016 and decide whether the focus should move from growth in numbers to growth in depth from September 2016 or from January 2017.

What next for all of us?

First and foremost, please pray for the growth of the church – in all three circles. You might like to use the Church’s prayer for growth, in the box to the right, as part of your daily prayers.

Second, please take part in the next set of three Leading your Church into Growth evenings. This is too important to be left to a few in the leadership of the church! The sessions will give us a chance to discuss and refine these proposals, as well as a chance to learn together. The three sessions are as follows. All are in the St Thomas Centre.

If you have other ideas, please talk to one of the wardens or the clergy – let us know what you think about this, please!


Prayer for Church Growth God of mission,

Who alone brings growth

to your Church,

Send your Holy Spirit to give

vision to our planning,

wisdom to our actions,

and power to our witness.

Help St Thomas’ church

to grow in numbers,

In spiritual commitment to you,

and in loving service

to our local community,

Through Jesus Christ our Lord.

Amen.

Thursdays at 7.30pm

Our Calling Telling our story and helping people meet Jesus 10 September

Our Journey Growing and going deeper as followers of Jesus 17 September

Our Heart Developing worship that helps the church to grow 24 September

16


Next year will be the 140 years since Mary Sumner started The Mothers’ Union in 1876. To celebrate this Lichfield Diocese of Mothers’ Union will be a holding a special service in Lichfield Cathedral. Mothers’ Union is still caring for families not just here but around the world. They are now to be found on social media, such as Facebook and Twitter, but their aims and objectives remain the same, to reach out and help families in need and share Christian love and care with all.

In June we held our Light Lunch in St Thomas’ Centre, and hung bright blue balloons on the railings outside, we also had a corner with some activities for children to play. Our lunch was very successful and we raised nearly £230 for Mothers’ Union worldwide, but for me and our members too, what was so special was that a couple of families with children came to play in the corner with the activities which we had put out for children. It was really good to speak to the young mums and have contact with them. Grandchildren of some of our members too, played with the activities. We also had a visitor from the Sikh temple across the road and quite a few strangers too came and enjoyed the lunch. We were able to make them welcome too.

Many thanks to all who helped to organise the event and to all who came and supported it.

Our next meeting will be held on Wednesday 12th August at 7.15pm. It will be our Summer Party. Could

you please bring a plate of food to share. Our Diocesan President Liz is coming to see us too and we have the MUE sales Rep as well. So it should be a very enjoyable evening.

Our September Meeting is on Wednesday 9th at 7.15pm and will be our annual auction. We have our

resident auctioneers Carol and Gwen. Please bring items to sell. It is an early chance to buy your Christmas Presents at bargain prices, so please come along. We usually have a lot of fun and a few laughs too. Proceeds to Mothers Union Worldwide Funds.

All very welcome to join us at our meetings. Please come along and see what we do, there is no obligation to join.

Jill Ellson, Branch Leader

Celebrate Harvest at St Thomas’

Sunday 27th September 10.15am Parish Harvest Festival 4.30pm Junior Harvest Praise and Harvest Tea

Gifts of produce will be gratefully received, to be given to the Good Shepherd

Friday 2nd October 7.30pm Harvest Supper in the St Thomas Centre

Buffet meal and entertainment for all the family £4 adults, £2 children For more details please call the Church Office on 01902 723310

17


Blogging the Bible – a rash resolution?

On my birthday this year, I had an idea, which became a decision that I so far don’t regret. I decided that I would not only read the Bible from cover to cover in a year, I’d write about it in a blog every day. If you’re not familiar with the word ‘blog’, it’s a sort of internet diary which anyone can read – and so far, it seems that a few people are reading what I’m writing.

That’s great, and I hope that some of what I write there will help someone in their own reading of the Bible and their own discipleship. But I decided from the beginning that this isn’t really about my ‘ministry’ to anyone else. It’s about me as a Christian and a disciple, not me as a priest. I encourage all of you to read the Bible regularly, and so it seems good to challenge myself to some serious Bible reading which is nothing to do with preparing sermons or study sessions, and is on top of the daily Bible passages which Ness and I read in Morning and Evening Prayer. I have read the whole Bible – much of it several times! – but I don’t think I’ve ever gone from cover to cover. Incidentally, I don’t think this is a good way to start reading the Bible – most of the most important bits are in the New Testament, after all! But I’ve found, a bit over a month and four books of the Bible in, that by reading large chunks of the Bible (usually 3-5 chapters a day) in the order they’re given to us I’m seeing things in there differently, and making connections I hadn’t spotted before.

But why blog? For one thing it gives me a bit of incentive to read every day – people can see straight away if I’ve forgotten to write something on a particular day. More importantly, having committed myself to publish something about a passage every day forces me to think about it carefully, and to find something that seems worth saying about even the most unpromising passages in the books of Leviticus and Numbers. And, believe me, some of them are really unpromising unless you like reading census reports and detailed instructions for the offering of sacrifices on particular occasions.

One thing I’m confident about is that this is helping me to remember that I’m a Christian and a disciple before I’m a priest and a Rector. Carrying large blocks of the Bible around in my head through each day is making me more aware of God’s Word and of him in the world.

And there’s the bonus that next time I challenge you to read the Bible more deeply and regularly, I’ll be able to do it knowing that I’ve listened to my own sermons and done it myself!

If you’re interested in reading what I’ve written, you can find it (and subscribe to get daily updates if you really want to!) at https://revnickwatson.wordpress.com/. If you do read it, please do leave a comment to let me know what you think!


St Thomas Centre, Wednesfield

Are you looking for a venue to hold your party or community project? Then why not come and have a look at the St Thomas Centre

Room hire for all occasions Recently refurbished Fully equipped kitchen facilities Available 7 days a week Competitive rates Capacity for 100 people

For more details and enquiries on how to book please contact Margaret Walker on

01902 723310 or email [email protected]

https://revnickwatson.wordpress.com/

18


What’s the deanery for? And what’s a deanery anyway?

Those are the questions that the Deanery Synod has asked the DCC of St Thomas’ to answer – and the DCC would like your help to do it!

Deaneries have been a part of the life of the Church of England for many years, and their role has changed throughout that time. The idea is that they bring together the parishes of an area large enough to include good numbers of people and variety of churches, but small enough for the parishes to feel that they know and care for one another.

Wednesfield is part of Wulfrun deanery, which has a total population of around 116,000, about 5-600 of whom worship each week in our 13 churches. Those churches are grouped into nine parishes, of which three are Team Ministries with more than one church. We cover Wednesfield, Bushbury, Low Hill, Fordhouses, Oxley, Bentley, Short Heath, New Invention and Willenhall.

Structures and roles

There are two main groups who regularly meet as ‘The Deanery’ – the chapter of clergy, and the Synod of clergy and laity together. The chapter meets for mutual support and discussion, and to share information whether between parishes or coming down from the Diocesan structures.

The official duties of the Synod are set out in the box to the right. We try to do this through 3-4 meetings per year, with a mixture of presentations from parishes and diocesan officers and business discussion. Our representatives on Synod are our clergy and three lay representatives – Gareth Evans, Philip Douglas and Clive Postle.

As well as the regular meetings of synod and chapter, the deanery comes together for occasions like the annual Archdeacon’s visitation and for two confirmations each year, which move around the parishes of the deanery. The licensing of new ministers and other big events in churches often also bring together representatives of other deanery parishes.

The Rural Dean (the Rev’d Nick Watson) and Assistant Rural Dean (the Rev ’d Ian Poole) have particular roles within the clergy chapter and the deanery as a whole – in a role mostly of communication, limited co-ordination and encouragement rather than any kind of central authority. They also represent the deanery in discussions with the Archdeacon and Bishop, parish assessors (looking at the parish share) and so forth. The Lay Chair, while technically an officer of Synod, similarly has a wider role in representing the deanery with the Rural Dean in diocesan consultations. The Synod Secretary and Synod Treasurer have roles more focussed on Synod itself.

How can we make the most of the deanery?

So how can the deanery support the parishes, where most of the life of the church takes place? And how else can the churches of the area best support one another?

If you have any ideas or questions, please talk to one of our Synod reps – Nick, Ness, Clive, Phil or Gareth.


The functions of a deanery synod shall be— (a) to consider matters concerning the

Church of England and to make provision for such matters in relation to their deanery, and to consider and express their opinion on any other matters of religious or public interest;

(b) to bring together the views of the parishes of the deanery on common problems, to discuss and formulate common policies on those problems, to foster a sense of com-munity and interdependence among those parishes, and generally to promote in the deanery the whole mission of the Church, pastoral, evangelistic, social and ecumeni-cal;

(c) to make known and so far as appropri-ate put into effect any provision made by the diocesan synod;

(d) to consider the business of the diocesan synod, and particularly any matters referred to that synod by the General Synod, and to sound parochial opinion whenever they are required or consider it appropriate to do so;

(e) to raise such matters as the deanery synod consider appropriate with the dioce-san synod: Provided that the functions referred to in paragraph (a) hereof shall not include the issue of any statement purporting to de-clare the doctrine of the Church on any question.

From the Synodical Government Measure 1969, 5(3)

19


The 'Treasured' women's ministry at St. Alban's had its first women's breakfast this Saturday with 74 women enjoying worship, inspirational teaching and good food together. Women from several Wolverhampton churches heard from Pastor Esther Uppal from All Nations’ Church in the city centre. She spoke wonderfully about God’s promises to us as his treasured children and this season of holiday. Guests had the opportunity to respond to this teaching with a time of prayer and creativity using clay and paper crafts. With a choice of an English Breakfast or continental style as well as cakes and pastries we enjoyed our time together very much. Look out for our next creative event near Christmas and also our a Women's Worship Event around Easter time next year. Jo Leach

Women’s breakfast at

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16

Calling all keen photographers!

We are once again going to be producing a calendar - this will be our fifth!

All photographers - amateur and professional - are invited to enter this competition to provide the photographs for the Wednesfield Calendar 2015.

We’re looking for photographs that show Wednesfield at its best

We will need 13 photographs - one for the cover (ideally portrait format) - one for each month (ideally landscape format).

Please do not include people in the photographs. For more details, including terms and conditions and how to enter, please see the notice in St Thomas’ Church. Closing date for entries is Monday 17th August 2014. Email entries to [email protected] with the words Calendar Competition in the subject or deliver via mail or by hand to St Thomas Church, Church Street, Wednesfield, WV11 1SS. All envelopes should be clearly marked 'Calendar Competition'.

20


The Trinity

The Trinity is probably the most difficult concept for us to understand when it comes to our faith. How can God be one person and yet three? Traditionally the sermon slot on Trinity Sunday has usually been given to the curate or most junior member of the ministry team so perhaps Ness should be writing this. The one thing that is certain is that the word Trinity is not found in the Bible, and there are some who profess to have faith in God who deny that this is the case. And yet the Bible gives some hints of the unique nature of the Godhead.

In Genesis 1 we find ‘let us make humankind in our image, according to our likenesses. The fact that the plural is used implies that God is not a single being. In Mark 1 when Jesus is baptised we can see the whole of the Trinity being present. As Jesus came out of the water the Holy Spirit descended to him in the form of a dove and the voice of God the Father is heard saying ‘you are my Son, the Beloved, with you I am well pleased’. But it is in the Gospel of John that we find Jesus outlining the relationship he had with the Father. Perhaps the one that sums up the unique relationship he had with god can be ‘I am in the Father and the Father is in me’

The doctrine of the Trinity evolved over time when the early church reflected on its experience of the resurrection and Pentecost. If Jesus had risen from the dead and was able to teach what he taught then surely he was God. And also the Holy Spirit because of His nature and work also had to God. It was only at the council of Nicea that agreement was reached about God being trinity. The statement issued by the council is the familiar creed that is often used during Holy Communion.

Constantine who was emperor at the time not only called the conference to settle the differences of opinion that that were running through the early church but also attended as an observer. But the one thing he did not do was to impose a pagan style relationship to God as believed by some. The Trinity instead of being three separate beings is a community of beings that relates to each other. Within this community everything is shared but all are united despite being three persons. And the one thing that binds them all together is love so that they move and behave as one.

This is not an easy concept to understand and throughout history many artists have tried to depict this in icons. The most famous of which is that painted by Rublev who depicted the Trinity as the angels who visited Abraham.

One image that helps us to understand the concept and how it is important for our journey is faith is a modern one that depicts the Trinity as three people engaged in a dance. Strictly Come Dancing is a popular show and for the ballroom dancing to work the couple has to move in a way that is one across the dance floor. The image shows the dancers moving in a way that is coordinated as well. Within our journey of faith this dance means that different members of the Trinity play a play a part in our journey depending on our need. It may be that we need God the Son to support us in a time of need or it may be God the Holy Spirit that becomes more prominent to help us discover our gifts and talents.

Just like dancers on a dance floor each of the members of the Trinity come into view as and when we need them and then move on until the dance moves around again. But the one thing to notice is that circle is not a closed circle and here is room for us all to join in. Jesus shared our humanity in his earthly life and after the ascension took this into the heart of God. This changed the nature of God for ever as because of this God knows what it is like to be human. Because of this he has paved the way for us to join in the dance once we are called home from this earthly life. But before this happens He invites us to join him to do this as we respond in faith. And our God is not a God of one chance but keeps extending the invitation until we take him up on it. So if God has invited him to join Him in the dance of faith take him up on the offer. We don’t know where he will lead us but wherever he does it will be good enough to earn us top marks in any dance contest.

Phil Douglas

21


The Collins Family of Graiseley Lane

I have a German bombing map of Wolverhampton that was produced for the Luftwaffe in 1939. On it, an area in Wednesfield marked as worthy of bombing includes the Wolverhampton Metal Works, Wednesfield Foundry, the Reliance (Steel Tube) Works and the Graiseley Works - a trap-making company situated just about where Sainsbury’s stands today. It’s interesting that trap-making, for which Wednesfield was once famous, was still a local industry as late as 1939. Its heyday was a hundred years earlier and nowhere did it thrive more profitably than Graiseley Lane. Here it was that Wednesfield-born trapmaker Henry Lane (whose remains are most probably buried in the Lane vault near the entrance to St Thomas’ Church) moved his firm Henry Lane Limited from its original base in the High Street. And at no. 72 Graiseley Lane Joseph Collins produced traps well into the last century. The building no longer stands.

Joseph was born in 1850 in Coven Heath, the son of Amos Collins, a carter. By the age of 21, he was a

lodger in Graiseley Lane, working as a trapmaker. He married Sarah Tomlinson, the daughter of a Birmingham tailor, at St Martin’s Church, Walsall in 1873. The 1881 census shows him employing two men and based in Hickman Street, but by 1888 he was operating from Graiseley Lane where manufacturing went on until the 1920s. At the age of 63, Joseph died in 1913, leaving £2,727 to his widow. Sarah continued trading and owned a number of properties in Wednesfield, indicating that Joseph had built up a considerable business and was moderately wealthy. When Sarah died in 1927 at the age of 76, her sons Arthur, Albert and Bert Amos took over the running of the firm. In that year, they were granted a patent for “fixing wire spring to trap base”. The company eventually became part of W & G Sidebotham’s, whose premises are recreated at

the Black Country Museum today. Joseph and Sarah are buried in Graiseley Lane churchyard and so they remain close to the scene of their business enterprise. Their gravestone bears an inscription to another son, Frank, who was wounded in action on 9

th November 1916 with shrapnel

wounds in his leg and thigh. He was 31 when he enlisted in the Durham Light Infantry in January of that year and had been in France for only a month before sustaining his injuries. His wife Anne received a telegraph on November 27

th informing her that

Frank was dangerously ill and that she might visit him at public expense. On the 29

th she confirmed that she would be travelling

with her brother to the hospital in Rouen. However, the following day, another telegraph arrived: Frank had died.

Erica Williams and Roger Poole The grave of Joseph and Sarah

Collins

Graiseley Lane

Wednesfield Village Show Saturday 26th September We’re once again holding a Village Show, in the St Thomas Centre on Saturday 26th September. Why not enter the classes? Or just come along to have a look, and enjoy the refreshments. Please see the separate leaflet for more information, or call 01902 723310.

22


From the Parish Registers Holy Baptism ‘Shine as a light in the world, to the glory of God the Father’ 7 June Archie Raymond Justin Jones, son of Bethany Lear and Kane Jones

Poppy Rae Collings, daughter of Claire Fergusson and Kevin Collings Phoebe-Mai Harris, daughter of Katie and Michael Harris

28 June Imogen Alice Baker, daughter of Rachael and Scott Baker 5 July Amélie Grace Lister, daughter of Grace Hope and Stuart Lister

Mollie Louise Cunningham, daughter of Claire and Paul Cunningham Francesca Tanya Worrall, daughter of Natasha and Richard Worrall

Marriage ‘Those whom God has joined together, let no-one put asunder’ 4 July Julie Brittain and Martin Astbury 11 July Michelle Seale and Mark Dance 18 July Laura Jones and Adrian John Funerals ‘God will show us the path of life; in his presence is the fullness of joy.’ (Psalm 16:10) 4 June Lynda Taylor 10 June Joan Malvina Crutchley

Frederick Charles Davis 11 June May Lewis 16 June Haydn George Round

Annie Eileen Lees 19 June Kenneth George Bould 25 June Marion Farr 30 June David Anthony Evans 3 July Martyn Matthews – Memorial Service 14 July Barbara Ann Fraser 15 July Margaret Mary Hyde Higgs 16 July Lillian Martha Lewis

Ian Jack 22 July Bertha Lockham 27 July John Joseph Clarke

Congratulations! Many congratulations to the young people who completed the Prince’s Trust Team Programme which has been running in the St Thomas Centre for the last three months. They have all learnt great skills for the future, and their personal presentations showed how much they have grown in confidence. We wish them well!

23


Do you have friends or family in New Cross Hospital? Why not send them a

request?

Ring - (01902) 695099 and ask to be put through to Radio Wulfrun

(Mon-Fri 7-10 pm)

Log on - www.radiowulfrun.co.uk

Write - Radio Wulfrun c/o New Cross Hospital

Wolverhampton WV10 OQP

Text - 07807 539789

If your Group would like us to mention any event "on air", please contact us with details.

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24


Essington Fruit Farm 01902 735724

More than just strawberries and right on your doorstep!

Top quality local meats including our own Free Range Pork Fresh Fruit and Veg Home-made cakes

Our famous Carvery Roast every Sunday

Monthly Thursday suppers 6.30 - 8.30

Traditional Farm Cooking in our Country Kitchen Hot dish of the day: Tuesday - Saturday

Carvery Roast Sundays

Opening Hours Shop 9-5 Tuesday - Saturday, 10-3 Sundays

Tearoom 11-3 Tuesday - Sunday

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