Some Bad News and Some Responses.

During the summer my daughter was diagnosed with cancer and with secondaries throughout her upper body. She’s fit and well so the news came as a shock. I decided to tell people rather than keep it secret. We all go through difficult times and vicars are no exception!

Many people in the congregation have written to me and I’ve been helped and inspired by what they have said. Their faith and positive attitude has encouraged me. So below here are two snippets from many cards and letters.

This is a quotation from St Francis de Sales one of my parishioners used:

“Do not look forward to what might happen tomorrow; the same everlasting Father who cares for you today will take care of you tomorrow and every day. Either He will shield you from suffering, or He will gibe you unfailing strength to bear it. Be at peace, then, put aside all anxious thoughts and imaginations, and say continually: The Lord is my strength and shield; my heart has trusted in Him and I am helped. he is not only with me, but in me and I in Him.”

Another one wrote:

How difficult it is in such circumstances to see any purpose to life and yet you bravely tried this morning to steer our thoughts to try to see that God is with us at these dark times. I am learning to play the cello and one of the pieces I am currently working on is from Mendelsohn’s oratorio ‘Elijah’. It is the piece ‘O Rest in the Lord’. Its words come from Psalm 37 ‘O rest in the Lord, wait patiently for him and he shall give thee thy heart’s desires. Wait patiently for him. O rest in the Lord’. I share these words which encouraged me. 

Who knows how many daughter will fare. But I think my parishioners are right. We are not promised an easy life. But we are promised that God will be with us to inspire, strengthen and give us peace.

Jan

Good News in Wolverley Village

Good News in Wolverley Village

1. St John the Baptist Church

St John's Church is open every day from about 8.30am to 4.30pm (though sometimes later) and we welcome everyone who wants to visit: to look around, pray or sit and think. Every Sunday we meet at 11am (though it's 9.30am on a 5th Sunday). 1st Sunday of each month - Communion, 2nd Sunday - Worship 4 All, families are especially welcome, 3rd Sunday - Communion, 4th Sunday - Morning Prayer and 5th Sunday - Communion.

2. The Queen’s Head Pub

The Queen’s Head is well known for its music events held here as well as its reasonably priced but tasty food and its well kept ale. I love their veggie food. (The following is an odd recommendation but it is my experience as a vicar!)

But also I want to recommend this venue for the reception/wake held after funerals. People often feel chilled and in need of warmth and food after a funeral and the staff here give real hospitality. Firstly, they give you your own room which has reasonable access.  And then when you arrive, there’s always tea, coffee and little chocolates ready and waiting for you as well as the bar open. No hassle, no having to order, it’s made ready.  Then their finger buffet always is fresh, the bread is fresh and the mini-bites are freshly cooked. The people serving are kindly and helpful. For a wake I recommend the Queens Head. 

3. The Old Village Store - Country Tea Room and Grocer

I recommend this for its excellent food. My friend and I recently had lunch there. I had onion soup with a brie and pear sandwich and my friend had a cheese and fig+cinnamon toastie. These were tasty and full of filling. But it was the side salad which particularly impressed me. There was: lettuce, pineapple, melon, orange, peach, thinly sliced radish, finely cut onion and kiwi. Wow! We then had cake: cherry and chocolate cake, tiffin and tea - cakes were delicious. Helpful service and brightly coloured table clothes made it welcoming. Try it.

If it's you, stop it!

Over the past few months, vases of flowers and containers with flowers growing in them have gone missing from Wolverley’s churchyard. At first I thought someone may have moved them or I was hoping strong winds may have blown them elsewhere. But no, they are being taken. Let’s call it what it is - they are being stolen. 

I have full sympathy with those who are cross and upset. There is a feeling that their loved ones’ final resting place is being tampered with.  And that’s horrid. 

What should be do? 

We could decide that the thefts are taking place during the night and hence lock the churchyard. Our gates are high and would keep out all except the most determined. But then there needs to be someone who will lock and unlock the churchyard and this would probably be at the same time the church is locked and unlocked. Therefore, in the evening the churchyard will be closed to all who want to attend a relative’s grave. That’s unfair to those who work during the day. 

Or we could put up CCTV cameras. The recent cameras can even pick up movement in the dark. This is expensive but could be done. But do we want our churchyard recording? 

Or lastly,  we perhaps could remind people this stealing is sinful. Put up a poster similar to the 1st World War ones of a stern Lord Kitchener pointing a finger. Perhaps we could have Jesus pointing a finger saying, ‘My father loves you and wants you to be the best you can be. Don’t disappoint. If it's not yours don't take it..’

I’m sure these are not crimes committed by those desperate for money or those addicted to drugs. This is, I think, a casual ‘I fancy this so I’ll take it’ crime.

Years ago the church was condemned for preaching too much about judgement day. This did give people a skewed view of God. But now, perhaps in our striving to tell the Good News that God loves us and Jesus will plead our case, this has pushed the other truth - that one day we all will stand before our creator and give an account of our lives.

It is sad that these mindless actions are causing others distress.

Let’s pray that the consciences of those committing these thefts will be stirred so they stop. And let's think about ourselves too and the harm we may be causing others. And stop. 

14th June - a day of contrasts + an account of a visit

Hello again to all readers…

Church news first - as you know church is open from about 8.30pm until 4pm and one of our plans during the summer is to make a ‘prayer corner’ where there can some private space for prayer. At the moment this corner of the church is a ‘dumping ground’. We are going to hire a skip and do some sorting out. But what should we do with an old harmonium which doesn’t work? Keep it, knowing it’s taking space and doesn’t work? Or throw it away - but it is a nice piece of furniture? Some decisions need to be made.

On Sunday 14th June at 4.30pm is our afternoon tea and Evensong. It’s a lovely evening. Firstly, we have some people who are excellent cake bakers so the food is yummy! And then secondly, the choir and organist do an quiet beautiful Evensong - you can feel the presence of God. I find it is so peaceful and helps so much to get my mind free to worship God and be thankful for all that I’ve been given. 

In complete contrast the Sunday 14th June at 11am is our Worship 4 All. There’ll be children and noise and craft and stories and singing and a quiz. But again a chance to worship in a more challenging environment. Challenging because of the message and challenging because of the noise!

Mike Webster, who lives in Wolverley, sent me this email about some Americans he showed around Wolverley and around church. I thought others would be interested in reading it so I’ve included it here - 

A recent visitor from America described her visit to Wolverley as "An experience of a lifetime".

Keith Armstrong had grown up in the small town of Machias in the state of Maine. In 1942 he enlisted to serve in the American Army. He found himself serving as a lab technician with the 52nd General Hospital at Wolverley. It was while he was here that he worked alongside the young English girl June Howells (Nee Buckley) in the hospitals laboratory. It was June's name that enabled Keith's daughter Pauline Cates to contact me, Mike Webster, and a arrange her visit to Wolverley. While staying with relations in London she was able make her visit in May this year. She was accompanied by her son Stephen and life long friend Cindy.

Pauline was able to visit the former hospital site at Brown Westhead park. This included the grounds and the area where her father was billeted, and one of the buildings used by the caravan site. A visit into the church was enjoyed by everyone, especially the memorial dedicated to the 52nd General Hospital.

Pauline returned to America having met the lady she only knew from a photograph  and was able to visit Wolverley who her father had spoke so much about before he died in 1985.

Thank you Mike for sharing this.

Jan - Revd Jan Ashton

Ascension and Bluebells

It's Ascension Day on Thursday May 14th and we're having a service at 7.30pm. Do join us. 

Last year I bought helium balloons (biodegradable of course); we went outside to release and watched them as they went higher and higher and then disappear . As we watched we were interrupted by those words ‘Men (and women) of Galilee (Wolverley), why do you stand looking up towards heaven? This Jesus, who has been taken up from you into heaven, will come in the same way as you saw him go into heaven.’ This balloon release and Scripture did help me imagine the Ascension and also gave me a sharp reminder of Jesus' return one day. I hope it worked for others too.

Ascension Day is one of my favourite festivals. It might have started because I have a memory as a child it was a holiday from school! But it does provide the evidence Jesus' body went to be with God and is now part of the Trinity. God has first hand evidence of our humanity!

I had a disturbed night’s sleep last night and in my prayers this morning I felt a bit worst for wear but remembered that God understands this - there’s a human body within God which no doubt also had disturbed nights. 

More info about the woods in Wolverley next to our church. The bluebells are nearly at their best! A wonderful carpet of that is-it-blue-is-it-purple haze of flowers. In Lancashire where I’m from, I remember the bluebells came first and then the ramsons flowered second. Yesterday I couldn’t smell the bluebells because the ramsons were also in full flower flooding the area with that garlic-y smell. Boo to ramsons I’d say.

Our church is open every day (all being well). Do visit it and the woods this Spring. 

Jan - Revd Jan Ashton

Hi to all Readers,

Next to Wolverley Church there is a wood which is open to the public and you can walk around and enjoy the woodland. It has a steep path going down to a stream but, of course, then what seems like an even steeper path back up. Today I saw the first few bluebells out. If you're a wild flower fan, you'll also know the beauty of the wood anemones and the more delicate wood sorrel. and there's lots of both. If you visit the church, do have a walk around the woods - it takes about 20 minutes - there's a bench next to the stream - with a good internet signal too!

Our Easter Sunday Service at 11am was full and joyful. The flame I managed to keep alight lit, from the fire on Birchen Coppice just as the sun was rising (the Sonrise service this year started at a very late 6.15am), was used to light our paschal candle and we declared 'Alleluia, Christ is Risen! He is risen indeed. Alleluia'. I taught our school children these sentences and realised the 'indeed' is quite arcane but I said it means 'definitely' or 'Jesus is well risen!'

Do you enjoy proper Sung Evensong from the Book of Common Prayer? If so, do come on Sunday May 10th at 6.30pm.

Do you enjoy a more informal all-age service? If so, do come on May 10th at 11am. There's a story on the carpet using Playmobil and craft.

St John's is a lovely place to worship. Try it!

Jan - Revd Jan Ashton

Letter From Rose - September & October 2014

Dear Friends,

In my letter to you last time I mentioned that we were still looking for a new Team Rector.

By now you will know that following an interview with The Archdeacon of Dudley, a representative from Worcester Cathedral, the Rural Dean, Lay Chair, Revd Jan Ashton, representatives from the Kidderminster Parish Church Team Ministry, Wolverley and Cookley and the Superintendent of the Methodist Church, and an invitation from our Diocesan Bishop, Dr John Inge to the vacancy, I have been appointed as Team Rector Designate for the Kidderminster Ismere Team Ministry.

The decision to apply for this role was not taken lightly as after a great deal of prayer and ‘doing the job’ of Acting Team Rector since Owain’s retirement last year I was well aware of what not only lies before me, but before the whole of our new Team as we move into the reality of serving our Lord across a much larger area.

However, a lot of hard work has already been carried out by many people, both lay and ordained that will begin to take us forward from the firm foundations laid by both Revd Canon D. Owain Bell and Revd Geoffrey Shilvock, to whom we are eternally grateful, but now the time has come to begin to use the amazing God given gifts we have among us now.

With my appointment to Team Rector Designate this will of course mean that we still have a vacancy – this time for a Vicar in the Team with special responsibility for Broadwaters and Cookley and Workplace Chaplaincy with ‘Faith @ Work’ in Worcestershire, the role I have been doing for the last seven and a half years.

The wheels have already been put in motion to advertise this post and we are hopeful that it will be easier to fill than the Team Rector Designate. However, until then we, that is myself, Jan and Alex will be continuing to carry out the work across the Team together with the generous help of our retired clergy, Readers, ALM’s, senior Clergy (Bishop’s, Archdeacon’s and other Diocesan Staff) and of course everyone who carries out their own particular ministry in the seven churches.

In my previous letter to you all I wrote about the ‘winter period’, where seeds can lay dormant waiting for the spring when they will be given the opportunity to sprout, grow and bear fruit. Well we haven’t quite arrived at spring yet, but we are making progress towards it – towards the day when we have another colleague, are fully staffed and spring will have arrived!

Of course each new spring brings with it new life and with new life there can be change.

However, Jonathan Sacks, one time Chief Rabbi wrote in his book ‘Celebrating Life’ that –

‘Change is not threatening, so long as we keep firm hold of the values by and for which we live.

We can travel with confidence so long as we have a map.

We can jump with safety knowing there is someone to catch us as we fall.
It is when we lose these things that change creates anxiety…………..
The possibilities of happiness are all around us, if we would only open our eyes and give thanks.’

And so we move forward, we give thanks to God for bringing us to where we are and we pray that together as the Kidderminster Ismere Team we will indeed open our eyes, give thanks and bear good and abundant fruit in God’s world.

With every blessing for our future together,

Rose

Revd Rose Lawley

Team Rector Designate
Kidderminster Ismere Team

From the Parish Registers

Christenings

Emily Joan Bennett; 27^th July at St. John’s, Wolverley

Havanna-Leigh Griffiths; 27^th July at St. John’s, Wolverley

Mason Oliver Kent; 27^th July at St. John’s, Wolverley

Christopher Hough; 4^th August at St. John’s, Wolverley

Oscar Ben Ronnie Hodgetts; 10^th August at St. John’s, Wolverley

Tallulah Elizabeth Morgan; 17^th August at St. John’s, Wolverley

Erica Rose Copson; 27^th August at St. Peter’s, Cookley

Storm Alexander Rice; 31^st August at St. John’s, Wolverley

Layla Joy King; 31^st August at St. John’s, Wolverley

Tiana Rose Clarke; 7^th September at St. John’s, Wolverley

Lillie Mae Clarke; 7^th September at St. John’s, Wolverley

Lacey Sharne England; 14^th September at St. Peter’s, Cookley

Elle Marie Baker; 14^th September at St. Peter’s, Cookley

Miley-Mae Baker; 14^th September at St. Peter’s, Cookley

Finn Luca Turvey; 14^th September at St. Peter’s, Cookley

Maggie-Beau Fowler; 21^st September at St. John’s, Wolverley

Peggy Maud Frances Thomas; 21^st September at St. John’s, Wolverley

Weddings

Simon Robert Knight and Marie Louise Wyatt; 26^th July at Cookley

Richard Charles Moreby and Leanne Julie Mills; 2^nd August at Cookley

Adam Charles Howell and Hayley Dawn Branford; 16^th August at Wolverley

James Philip Paul Swift and Ruby Barnell; 27^th August at Wolverley

Terence Edwin Harris and Sarah Maureen Freeman; 29^th August at Wolverley

Gary Robert Hawkins and Jodie Michelle Hobbins; 30^th August at Wolverley

Colin David Prince and Christine Elizabeth Parsonage; 30^th August at Cookley

Scott Graeme Hynd and Kirsty Louise MacGregor; 6^th September at Cookley

Funerals

Michael Kennedy Ayre; 24^th July at St. John’s, Wolverley

Rosella Edna Page of Cookley; 28^th July at Wyre Forest Crematorium

Phyllis Maud Thompson; 29^th July at St. Peter’s, Cookley

Joyce Chillington of Wolverley; 6^th August at Wyre Forest Crematorium

Janet Elizabeth Bridges; 13^th August at St. John’s, Wolverley & Wyre Forest Crematorium

Christopher Danks; 14^th August at St. John’s, Wolverley

Sybil Margaret Clee; 29^th August at St. Peter’s, Cookley & Wyre Forest Crematorium

Diane Day of Wolverley; 4^th September at Stourbridge Crematorium

David John Turner of Cookley; 4^th September at Wyre Forest Crematorium

Patricia Kirk of Cookley; 5^th September at Wyre Forest Crematorium

Doris Laidlaw; 10^th September at St. John’s, Wolverley