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Welcome to the News Archive of 2024
St Nicholas Mothers Union
Each month the mothers Union group which is held in Church House, meet
with a very short service with prayers and a reading. We do have speakers
come from various organisations. After which we all enjoy a bring and share lunch.
At our Christmas Meeting we try and organise something a little different
keeping the Christmas story in mind. December was very different - Alison
McKay came along with one of her congregation where we had carols
with a twist! Alison donned her 50’s dress and Brian was ‘Elvis’! The tunes
were all changed to Elvis Presley songs. My goodness, the ladies enjoyed every
minute, singing loudly and swaying to the Carols. After we had a Grand Raffle
with a Christmas bring and share lunch.
If you wish to learn more about the Mothers Union please contact Hilary Malin (chair), Barbara Munton or Dianne Board. Alternatively you are more than welcome to visit at any of our meets and see if you enjoy it! Meetings posted on the calendar - the 2nd Thursday every month, 12.30pm - 2.30pm
Every month the Diocese of Coventry have started (as of this Autumn) creating their own newsletter. It's a good read and gives great insight as to what the wider community outside the Minster is doing, as well as how we tie in together as one.
Each month I'll post them here for your reading, little late to the game but here is ISSUE 3, Nov 2024. Please click the image on the right or HERE to access it.
Three times a year the Diocesan Synod meets. It's essentially the 'parliament' of the Diocese.
To read more about the Diocese Synod, what they do and their current aims please follow the link: Diocesan Synod - Diocese of Coventry
To read the summary of their lastest meeting click the image on the left or HERE.
Update from Rev Steve & Maggie Kelly
In the last few weeks, following the announcement that we would be leaving the Minster, a number of things have happened which have made our ‘next steps’ a bit clearer.
We have sold our little flat in Stratford and have found an apartment in Leamington Spa. The buying and selling now seems to be progressing and we hope to move in the new year.I’ve been wondering whether I could continue to serve the mission initiatives in the Diocese and recently interviewed for a position in one of the other mission hubs.I’m pleased to share the news that I have been offered the role of ‘Director of Discipleship’ at St Paul’s in Leamington. The church has a bold to vision ‘to give everyone in our area a meaningful opportunity to respond to the Good News of Jesus by Easter 2033.’ My role will involve overseeing small groups and missional communities with a focus on prayer, mission and enabling every member to contribute to the vision and to resource the mission hub. Leamington is not very far away and we will continue to be in the Diocese of Coventry. With all of you, we look forward to playing our part in the exciting vision the Diocese has to see lives and communities transformed and to make new disciples. Please do pray for us as we move and be assured of our love and prayers for all of you.
Steve and Maggie
Steve and Maggie
Leading at Chequers
On 11th November 2024, Rev'd Julie Lindsay lead the Armistice service at Chequers House. Read below for a write up on the experience!
Thank you all so much for your good wishes and prayers for the service I was asked to lead at Chequers. It all went brilliantly and the whole day was fabulous. Here I am with Sir David Jason and some colleagues. He was lovely but asked me some hard questions like “What was my theological perspective on actors being replicated by AI ”. I have also shared a picture of Harrow Boys School choir singing in the gallery of the great hall above a Union Jack that was flown from Chequers on 11 November 1918 – such a sense of history.
The Reverend Jo Parker, Installed at Snitterfield
Deanery Announcement:
We are delighted that Rev Jo Parker was installed at St James’ Snitterfield on6th November and begin her ministry in the Arden Valley Churches. Good news for Henley Benefice too as they delighted to announce that the Reverend Catherine (Cath) Rindl, who is Assistant Curate of Harpenden within the Diocese St Albans will, subject to the normal formalities, be the new Rector at Beaudesert and Henley-in-Arden with Ullenhall. We continue to pray for both these benefices as they begin to move out of vacancy, and hold the Heart of England and Churches of Arden benefice in our prayers as they look for a new incumbent.
Read more - https://www.coventry.anglican.org/news/new-bishop-of-coventry-announced-.php
Newly Announced Bishop of Coventry!
The new Bishop of Coventry will be the Right Reverend Sophie Jelley, Downing Street has announced Monday (4th November 2024), after her nomination was approved by the King.
Read more - https://www.coventry.anglican.org/news/new-bishop-of-coventry-announced-.php
In Memory Of
Steve & Kathy Burch
The funeral of Steve & Kathy Burch took place on the 24th October at Coventry Cathedral, which was a beautiful service giving a wonderful insight into the lives of two extraordinary people. By permission of their family the service was recorded for those unable to attend, this can be viewed by following the link on their page, please click below.
Acts 435 Update
Our local section of Acts435 has responded over 80 times since March 2022, donating some £12,400 in small gifts.
You can read the latest newsletter here.
Eco Church recognition
Well done to St James Church, Weethley for achieving Bronze Award certificate for their efforts in becoming an Eco Church and caring for God's earth by their level of
Worship & Teaching
Management of Buildings and land
Community & Global Engagement
Lifestyle
We hope you can join us in congratulating the effort the Weethley team have undertaken to achieve this but also continue to support all efforts to maintain the Eco lifestyle of the church, the community play their part too so it's thanks to the community and congregation as well!
Reverend Steve Kelly - Resignation
I have recently let the Bishop know of my decision to resign from my post here in the Minster. I plan to finish here in December this year with 15th Dec being my final Sunday.
As we look to the future, this is another step of faith for us! This has happened many times down through the years with God’s invitation to step into something new without everything worked out and in
place. We will need to sell our little flat. We will need to find a family home. We will need to discern which
church to settle in. These things lie before us with the assurance of God’s faithfulness and the invitation to follow where Jesus leads us.
We came to Great Alne and the churches of the Alcester Minster in October 2022 having spent
more than 40 years in urban settings. This included almost 20 years of ordained ministry. While we have
appreciated so much a different pace of life and different opportunities to rest and enjoy God’s creation
we have to acknowledge that we haven’t really settled into life in a rural setting and a small village.
We’ve been made very welcome by both staff and congregations and
we have enjoyed good relationships with neighbours and parishioners. We are very grateful to God for the
opportunities we’ve had to serve the Lord and to be stretched in ministry in a different setting.
I’m especially grateful to the staff and the church wardens with whom I have been pleased to share in ministry at our 8 churches.
Since moving back to the Diocese in the Autumn of 2022, we’ve been able to rekindle long held
friendships in Coventry and Leamington Spa. We have also made new connections which have included
members of the Order of the Mustard Seed, the emerging Myriad Hub and other relationships across the
Diocese. It’s a rich tapestry in which we see enormous potential and the fulfilment of the hopes we had
when we moved back to the Diocese. We have not lost the passion for prayer, discipleship and mission
and remain committed to exploring the outworking of this calling upon our lives.
So Maggie and I are looking to the future with our eyes 'fixed on Jesus'. He is the author and perfector of our faith and yours.
May He encourage us all that as we follow Him faithfully, we will have the 'Light of life' to light our paths. John 8v12.
Baptism and Confirmation
On Sunday 21st July we welcomed Bishop Ruth and thirteen candidates from across our minster churches and three candidates from Claverdon Parish, for a service of Confirmation.
The day had started early with five of our candidates taking the plunge in a sheep dip in the chancel, as they made their promises and were baptised by full immersion. A quick dry off with a bacon butty and they were ready for the Confirmation service. Over 200 people gathered to celebrate and welcome our newest Christian family members. Bishop Ruth encouraged the candidates to ‘share’ their baptism as they flung water over the congregation. We heard from three brave individuals as they shared their stores of coming
to faith and what God means to them. They talked about “calm”, “peace”, and “someone who is there for me”. We lifted our voices in song, pondered on the story of the rich young ruler, encouraged those taking this important step and gathered around the communion table. It was a very joyful occasion. We congratulate and continue to pray for:
Dylan, Seren, Oscar, Jonah, Oscar, Jessica, Felicity, Mikey, April, Chris, Ivy, Aldina, Denise, Daniel, Natalie and Jill.
Sambourne Village Fete - 29th June 2024
Sambourne and Coughton Summer fete was opened by Mr Alex Kolb in warm sunshine . The Coughton School Choir was led by Miss Richardson with their interpretation of The Lion King and ABBA’s Dancing Queen, even the donkeys joined in!
The Revenge of the Wrinklies band played and we all enjoyed cream teas, coconut shies, skittles and a grand raffle. We made £1,700 so well done and a big Thank You to all those who baked cakes, brought plants and artwork.
Reading Mark Well
Study day with Dr Dave Allen - 22nd June 2024
Around thirty of us from Minster churches including other guests joined Queen's Foundation lecturer, Dave Allen, for a day-long deeper dive into Mark's Gospel, the focus of our reading in services this year. He reminded us that the gospels were most likely transmitted by performance at first - much like the evening we spent with Matt Britton in March.
Dave enabled us to see some of the important patterns, themes and connections across the gospel. In particular, he encouraged us to get to grips with the Old Testament ("If you only know the New Testament, you don't know the New Testament" he said!) in order to make sense of what the writer of Mark was trying to convey.
Most apt for the day before we were due to read the Transfiguration (Mark chapter 9) in our churches, he spent much time highlighting how in this gospel, the Transfiguration is the central event - in fact it IS the resurrection account in a gospel which finishes with an empty tomb but no Jesus.
The almost unfinished nature of the gospel, he said, was intended to draw us back around to the beginning of the book with the disciples being called from Galilee - the very place they were told to wait for Jesus after he rose again. In this cyclical way of reading, we ourselves are called by Jesus into the story, and invited to find our own Galilee, to live out the gospel as we read the story again and again, continually being challenged and changed by it. The ongoing motifs of death and resurrection throughout remind us that we are to carry our crosses and lose our lives if we are to save them.
We left the event inspired by the richness of the biblical account, challenged by the message of the gospel and encouraged to keep looking deeper.
Click here for our Mark's Gospel page to learn more.
Haselor Church Fete – Saturday 15 June 2024
The heavy rain and thunderstorm mid-morning eventually gave way to some lovely
sunshine as we began to welcome people to our annual Church Fete, held once more on
the playing field at Tudor Grange Primary Academy. It’s a fantastic setting for the Fete and
we are privileged to be able to use it. Although it’s a large space, we managed to fill it
with loads of games and challenges for all ages, cakes, plants and food stalls, and of
course a bar! We also had a choir and a visit from Spiderman!!
Another shower in the middle of the Fete didn’t dampen anyone’s enthusiasm and lots of
people stayed for the raffle and prize giving at the end.
It was a huge undertaking involving a lot of people and we are enormously grateful to all of
them for their help in organising it, running it and clearing away afterwards. And to those
who came and spent some money with us! Without doubt, it was a very successful event,
not only helping to raise much needed funds for the church, but also in bringing the
community together. We genuinely feel that more and more people are making a
connection with Haselor church because social gatherings such as these and that is very
encouraging and gives hope for the future.
Our next get-together is a Coffee, Tea & Cake
morning on Saturday 27 July, from 10.30 until 12.00.
Easter Day at Haselor
‘Symbols of the Resurrection’ was the theme of our beautiful and moving Easter Day service at Haselor, lead by Katie. Jars, a stone, a shroud, flowers and bread were brought in turn to the altar, each one reminding us of a moment in the unfolding mystery of our faith. Each symbol was accompanied by readings, at the same time both sad and joyful, to take us step by step from the discovery of the empty tomb to Jesus being recognised when he reached Emmaus and broke bread with two of his followers. When the disciples heard the news of his resurrection they cried out ‘The Lord has risen indeed’! And we sang ‘Alleluia, Alleluia! Give thanks to the risen Lord!’
Later, when Jesus suddenly appeared to the disciples, they were startled and terrified and thought they were seeing a ghost. But he showed them that he was real and ate with them. For Jesus is the resurrection and the life. Those who believe in him shall never die.
We then shared the gifts of bread and wine to remember his death and resurrection and be fed by Christ’s body and his blood. Though we are many, we are one body, and we share in one bread.
In our prayers, on the day of Jesus’ resurrection, we remembered the friends and family members we had lost over the last twelve months, and in previous years. We prayed in particular for those whose memory we cherish and to whom we dedicated lilies once again this Easter. Gone but not forgotten. Forever loved by us, and by you Lord.
Alleluia. Christ is risen. He is risen indeed. Alleluia!
Mark's Gospel
Matt Britton performed the unabridged text of Mark's Gospel in St Nicholas church on Saturday 9th March. People were astounded how with four props and just his voice, he could bring the text so fully to life. Some have commented that they now see the whole story, and Jesus himself in a totally different light.
We are now looking forward to the rest of the year of readings from Mark and the study day with theologian Dr David Allen.
Shrove Tuesday Lunch at Sambourne
Thank you to all who attended lunch at Sambourne on 13th February Shrove Tuesday .
We enjoyed soup and delicious pancakes with many friends.
Revd Julian Davey gave a reading from his book’ My Grace is Sufficient ‘remembering his work in Bangladesh.
A good start to Lent !
A reminder of our special Communion service for Maundy Thursday on 28th March .
Snowdrops at Kinwarton
Snowdrops give the first indication of Spring and are a real joy at Kinwarton in the churchyard and surrounding fields. By the time you read this the daffodils will have taken over.
Our Candlemas service with compline on February 2nd gave us a glimpse of ancient worship with the wonderfully reassuring prayers for the night. Thank you to all who took part in the choir and who came to listen on such a dark night.
March will be an interesting time of Lent culminating in a Minster service in Alcester.
Kinwarton will again have a time of meditation on Good Friday at 2pm to which all are welcome.
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