Letter from Alex - August & September 2013

Dear Friends,

At around 5.30pm on a hot July Sunday afternoon you could probably hear one of two things; most of Great Britain cheering at full volume for its new Wimbledon Men’s’ Singles Champion – or the sound of a national collective sigh of relief that the waiting was finally over. As the national press made sure we knew, it was 77 year since our last British men’s champion, and boy were we going to make the most of this one. Like many other people, I watched the match hardly daring to hope that this might be Murray’s year. Like many other people, I could hardly bear to watch at all when things seemed most in the balance. But when it was all over, I was left with one or two thoughts that seemed worth looking at more closely.

Andy Murray is just 26 years old and first played at Wimbledon in 2005. He’s done amazingly well in those last 8 years, holding his own against some of the greatest names in tennis. In 2009 and again this year, he reached number two in the players’ world rankings. And yet, it’s never been enough for us, the British public. We’ve always hankered after that elusive Wimbledon win, always somehow resigned ourselves with typical British stoicism to the fact that it might never happen….. But having the world number two player, the US Open Champion wasn’t enough – we all had our own agenda as to what would make Murray a truly great player.

And perhaps it did seem that the Wimbledon title would never be his. When he lost to Roger Federer last year, Murray was openly devastated. And he could have given up then, admitted defeat, settled for being the eternal runner-up. But he didn’t. There has been a lot of rather snide talk in recent days about tennis being a middle-class sport for those with money; but money can’t buy the sort of talent and dedication that are the only things capable of getting someone to the pinnacle of their sport. To achieve his goal of that Wimbledon title will have taken Murray years of complete commitment, thousands of hours of practice, the sacrifice of his personal and private life and an enviable single-mindedness. Without those things, millions of pounds would have made no difference at all.

And then we complain because he doesn’t smile and isn’t handsome enough! Because someone takes their career seriously, because they feel that they owe it to the team behind them to put all that they possibly can into what they do and are blessed with pure talent and dedication rather than film-star looks and a sparkling wit, we feel that they somehow fall short of being true hero material. What a truly superficial lot we can be.

But achievements like Murray’s are hard-won. They are not part of the X-Factor culture of instant fame for minimal talent and very little effort. Perhaps we have become too used to instant stardom, and to the airbrushed good looks of TV and pop stars. We are no longer used to ordinary people waiting and working for success – and it’s good to know that old fashioned effort, time and dedication are still the things that pay off in the long term. That’s something we might want to remember when we’re tempted to give up because there seems no quick and easy fix for the situation where we find ourselves, when it seems that the only solution might be hard graft and patience.

And perhaps too we need to rethink our own expectations of others. In effect, we were giving the message to Murray that if he couldn’t achieve what we wanted – that Wimbledon Championship - then he just wasn’t good enough. Second place wouldn’t do. What does that say to those who will never quite make the top grade, no matter how hard they try? Other people will always judge us by their expectations; but we can be thankful that God’s love is unconditional and doesn’t depend on whether we are “the best” or not. How would we feel if God were to say to us – “You will never be the best (insert singer / writer / gardener / golfer / cook as applicable) in the world, so I will never truly love you”? We cannot all be “the best” but we can be the best that we can be. If we strive to use the talents that we have been given – whatever they are and at whatever level – then we will be pleasing God. I believe that is what we owe to ourselves and to God; and that true dedication, effort and commitment will be rewarded, in God’s time. And Andy Murray – many congratulations. You truly deserve it.

Alex

Revd. Alex Vaccaro

From the Parish Registers         

Christenings

Iris Olivia Rose Cutts; 26th May at St. John’s, Wolverley

Tyler John Robert Brown; 26th May at St. Peter’s, Cookley

Deon Brandon Gallagher; 9th June at St. Peter’s, Cookley

Brooke MJ Gallagher; 9th June at St. Peter’s, Cookley

Michael Thomas Palfrey-Holland; 16th June at St. Peter’s, Cookley

Alexia Kirsty Gemma Palfrey-Lines; 16th June at St. Peter’s, Cookley

John-Jake Palfrey-Lines; 16th June at St. Peter’s, Cookley

Harrison Emile Small; 23rd June at St. Peter’s, Cookley

Isla Sophia Nock; 30th June at St. Peter’s, Cookley

Harvey Lee Braznell; 30th June at St. Peter’s, Cookley

Jodie Henderson; 6th July at St. Peter’s, Cookley

Tammy Louise Henderson; 6th July at St. Peter’s, Cookley

Marcus Anthony Wormington; 7th July at St. Peter’s, Cookley

Imogen Beau Seymour; 14th July at St. Peter’s, Cookley

Alana-Rae Nancy Watkins; 14th July at St. John’s, Wolverley

Weddings

James Oliver Harrison and Danielle Katie Emery; 29th June at Wolverley

James Richard Coleman and Nicola Jayne Rollason; 30th June at Cookley

Our congratulations and best wishes for the future go to Claire Shilvock and Ali Martin who were married on 25th May 2013 at The Church of The Holy Spirit, Clapham.

Funerals

Mark Thomas Burkett; 24th May at St. John’s, Wolverley

John David Binnian of Wolverley; 28th May at Wyre Forest Crematorium

Martha Elizabeth Mahoney of Wolverley; 31st May at Wyre Forest Crematorium

Janet Green; 11th June at St. Peter’s, Cookley

Mildred Joan Etwell; 17th June at St. John’s, Wolverley

Sylvia Ashdown of Cookley; 8th July at Wyre Forest Crematorium

Ena Wooley of Cookley; 18th July at Wyre Forest Crematorium

Harry Geoffrey Perks; 26th July at St. Peter’s, Cookley

Murial “Mac” Palfrey; 30th July at St. Peter’s, Cookley

We are sad to report the death of Mr. Phillip Greenfield who will be remembered by many old pupils of Sebright Endowed School during the years 1950s to 1980s. He was renowned for football activities, puppet plays and lots of other things and had a great sense of humour.

We shall miss him.

“The Coven”

Letter from Rose - June & July 2013

Dear Friends,

RECENTLY OWAIN AND I found ourselves on the fifteenth floor of the Citi Bank building on Canary Wharf, London which was quite an experience not only because of the height we were at, but also the situation we found ourselves in too.

If you have ever been to Canary Wharf you may understand what I mean with the sky scraper buildings, the pace of what is happening there and the age range of the workers too, most of whom looked extremely young, and when you are told that 105,000 people work within that square mile, it seems even more amazing!

Along with some other colleagues from the Kidderminster Deanery, we went to visit the Canary Wharf Chaplaincy and to hear about how they are involved within the working community there. One of their aims is to ‘provide opportunities for those on the Estate to engage with spiritual, social and ethical questions which arise in the complexities of their working environment, in particular in the financial, retail and professional advisory sectors.’ The Chaplaincy being there to support people of faith, work with integrity towards the core business for which they are being paid. Although the main Chaplain, the Revd Fiona Stewart-Darling is an Anglican and the Bishop’s Chaplain for the Docklands, there are other Chaplains drawn from other faiths and denominations too including a Jewish Chaplain who has recently joined the Team.

Both in Kidderminster and Stourport-on-Severn we have Associate Chaplains visiting retail outlets as well as the companies I personally visit as the Industrial/Workplace Chaplain for Kidderminster and Wyre Forest including a company in Cookley. All of us are also involved in what Fiona and the other Chaplain’s provide on Canary Wharf, because we believe in a God who cares - we try to do the same, to be a presence for everyone particularly at a time when the pressure of the current world-wide financial situation continues to affect our towns and the businesses that trade within them.

When we look at scripture, Jesus went out into all the situations of the time, both the marketplace as well as the synagogues and that is where the church of today should be too.

Julian Reindorp in his book ‘Equipping Christians at Work’ states that ‘The Gospel is always waiting to be discovered, it is those who immerse themselves in secular situations, who stand with people at the points of suffering, change and opportunity who are in the best position to discover what God is up to now, to articulate ad authentic message of the Gospel for the present generation. At the centre of the Christian faith is the belief that God in Christ is redeeming the world, healing, rescuing and liberating. God initiated this mission by entering the world in Christ to bring in the Kingdom of God, and our task is to join in that mission and to follow and obey where we can see God at work. This involves discerning God’s purpose in events and results in practical action.’

Our Associate Chaplains are involved in this work, but we desperately need more chaplains, not only to visit the retail sector of our towns and villages, but other places of work too, particularly as people continue to be made redundant even within companies that have been part of our lives for many years. Please contact me if you feel you may be interested in being part of this ministry in God’s church.

To end; a prayer from the Rt. Revd. David Sheppard –
The factory at the end of this road has closed, so the shops locally lose their business. The local schools give more free dinners, ‘For Sale’ signs abound. Youngsters loiter aimlessly, and the elderly are frightened to pass them, despite more police on the beat. People eat less well, so the doctor’s surgery is full, and everything is interconnected despite the fact that closing this factory was thought to be an isolated event taken by those whose homes are elsewhere.

Lord, in my bleaker moments it feels as if society is being dismantled because people do not realise that society is designed to reflect you who is Trinity – Three persons - Interrelated and interdependent, and every person affects the rest. Amen.

Yours in Christ’s work together

Rose
Revd. Rose Lawley



From the Parish Registers

Christenings

Edward John Goode; 30th March at St. John’s, Wolverley
William James Simpson; 7th April at St. John’s, Wolverley
Sophie Rose Howitt; 7th April at St. John’s, Wolverley
Grace Benita Norcott; 7th April at St. John’s, Wolverley
Adele Emma Harvey; 13th April at St. Peter’s, Cookley
Ellis James Utting; 21st April at St. John’s, Wolverley
Imarni Violet Grace Lawrence; 28th April at St. Peter’s, Cookley
Gracie-Mai Lily Williams; 12th May at St. Peter’s, Cookley
Harry Lawrence Macklin; 12th May at St. Peter’s, Cookley
Weddings
Thomas Andrew Deakin and Claire Lauren Collins; 13th April at Wolverley
David Thomas Manser and Emma Elizabeth Link; 18th May at Wolverley
Graham Whitburn and Katie Louise Lancaster; 25th May at Cookley
Steven John Trelfa and Rachel Louise Hall; 25th May at Wolverley

Funerals

John Arthur Yull; 2nd April at St. John’s, Wolverley
William Terrence Hoggins of Cookley; 4th April at Wyre Forest Crematorium
Sheila Voce; 5th April at St. John’s, Wolverley & Wyre Forest Crematorium
Roma Patricia Rowe; 8th April at St. Peter’s, Cookley & Wyre Forest Crematorium
Peter James Aldred; 11th April at St. John’s, Wolverley & Wyre Forest Crematorium
Colin Charles Forester-Morgan; 16th April at St. John’s, Wolverley
Muriel Handy; 17th April at St. Peter’s, Cookley
Mildred Kathleen Harrison of Wolverley; 18th April at Wyre Forest Crematorium
Royston Saunders of Wolverley; 24th April at Wyre Forest Crematorium
Charles Henry Cottrell; 25th April at St. John’s, Wolverley
Harold Joseph Rogers; 30th April at St. John’s, Wolverley
Ivy Elizabeth Brooks; 7th May at St. Peter’s, Cookley & Wyre Forest Crematorium
Violet Wicks; 8th May at St. John’s, Wolverley
Doris Cooper of Wolverley; 8th May at Wyre Forest Crematorium
John Tulloch; 20th May at St. John’s, Wolverley
Jean Olive Small; 20th May at St. John’s, Wolverley & Stourbridge Crematorium
Florence “Iris” Betson; 22nd May at St. John’s, Wolverley & Wyre Forest Crematorium

Letter from Owain - April & May 2013

Dear Friends,

I woke up this morning to blue skies, bright sunshine and euphoria surrounding the election of a new Pope. The adoption by the new pontiff of the name Francis promises so much good for the future.

But before his predecessor disappears from sight altogether I would like to share with you some reflections prompted by his retirement.

I was at Bec in France for (the late) Revd. Jim Samuel's welcome as an oblate eight years ago when news came that a new Pope had been appointed. The bell of the abbey rang out and groups gathered outside the church eager to hear the news.

"Its Ratzinger" said the Abbot rather gravely "What you call a hard-liner I think - not good news for ecumenism I'm afraid."

In the event Cardinal Ratzinger as Pope Benedict 16^th was indeed a conservative pontiff as we knew he would be, but also a man of surprises. Surprisingly willing, for example, to admit mistakes and to apologise. Surprising us too with his first encyclical "Deus Caratas Est - God is love". It is a beautiful piece of writing.

Here's a short extract

"Love is possible, and we are able to practice it because we are created in the image of God. To experience love and in this way to cause the Light of God to enter into the world - this is the invitation I would like to extend."

But most surprising of all the manner of his departure. His decision to stand down must have taken enormous moral courage as well as clarity of judgment. Of course, he had seen at first hand the plight of John Paul II in the 'winter of his life' and the impact John Paul's disabilities had made on the life of the Church. Perhaps this helped him to find the courage to acknowledge his own frailty mental and physical; to acknowledge the 'diminishment' that comes with age to all of us; to recognise when it is time to 'pass the baton' on. I have been very moved by the courage he showed in honestly facing his diminishment. Perhaps his example will help us all when the time comes to do the same and to find God in it.

Equally, I was surprisingly moved by the words Benedict spoke from the Balcony of Castel Gandolfo when he said farewell to the crowd below. "I am no longer the Pope but I am still in the Church. I am just a pilgrim who is starting the last part of his pilgrimage on this earth." Then he turned away to begin a new life of prayer and contemplation.

People ask me "What are you going to do when you retire?" Deep in my heart, to be honest, I have felt God prompting me not to go on doing 'much the same as before' or just to 'fill gaps' or to fill my days as quickly as possible with as much as possible in order to keep boredom and restlessness at bay but to undertake a similar Camina or journey: a journey not so much about 'doing' as an inner journey and perhaps one deeper into God.

Oddly enough, though, I have been invited to join two old friends from Germany as they continue their pilgrimage across France towards Santiago de Compostela next spring. "Are you up for it?" they have written, Oh, I do hope so!!

Wishing you all a very joyful Easter.

Revd. Canon Owain Bell

From the Parish Registers

Christenings

Molly Elizabeth Denise Kinnon; 25^th November at St. Peter’s, Cookley

Zach Philip Garbett; 15^th December at St. Peter’s, Cookley

Sebastian Elliot Beaumont; 16^th December 2012 at St. Peter’s, Cookley

Megan Emma Setchell; 9^th February at St. Peter’s, Cookley

Cameron Joshua Beech; 10^th February at St. Peter’s, Cookley

Scarlett Juno Jackson; 17^th February at St. John’s, Wolverley

Lucinda Christina Burton; 2^nd March at St. John’s, Wolverley

Beth Evelyn Copson; 16^th March at St. Peter’s, Cookley

Mason Harry Addison; 17^th March at St. John’s, Wolverley

Myles Christopher Yarsley; 17^th March at St. John’s, Wolverley

Harrie Lee Graham Healey; 24^th March at St. John’s, Wolverley

Weddings

Ricky John Griffiths and Samantha Clare Dallow; 9^th March at St. Peter’s, Cookley

Warrick Jon Pannell and Katrina Louise Porter; 30^th March at St. Peter’s, Cookley

Funerals

Ivy Maud (Irene) Heath of Cookley; 29^th November at Wyre Forest Crematorium

Julia Kathleen Smith; 19^th December at St. Peter’s, Cookley

Michael Terrance Andrews of Cookley; 21^st December at Wyre Forest Crematorium

Raymond Francis (Chuck) Dixon; 17^th January at St. Peter’s, Cookley

Charles William David Jones of Cookley; 18^th January at Wyre Forest Crematorium

Carolyn Evans of Wolverley; 18^th January at Wyre Forest Crematorium

Kathleen Beatrice Davies of Cookley; 5^th February at Wyre Forest Crematorium

Muriel Nixon Fenn; 11^th February at St. John’s, Wolverley & Wyre Forest Crematorium

Cathleen Mary Jennings; 12^th February at St. John’s, Wolverley

Ronald Davies; 18^th February at St. John’s, Wolverley & Wyre Forest Crematorium

Tony Brooks of Cookley; 20^th February at Wyre Forest Crematorium

Alan Joseph Timmins of Cookley; 21^st February at Stourbridge Crematorium

Pamela Ann Smith; 21^st February at St. John’s, Wolverley

Florence Irene Nicholls; 26^th February at St. Peter’s, Cookley

Harry Dunstan of Cookley; 26^th February at Wyre Forest Crematorium

Nina Rose Court; 6^th March at St. John’s, Wolverley

Clifford Howe; 8^th March at St. John’s, Wolverley

Jean Stafford Preece; 13^th March at St. John’s, Wolverley

John Edwin Glover of Cookley; 17^th March at Wyre Forest Crematorium

 

Letter From Alex - December 2012 & January 2013

December 2012 / January 2013

Dear Friends,

S

O…. HERE WE ARE, heading fast for the end of another year. If you’re anything like me, it probably seems like five minutes since last Christmas and you have no idea where the months in between have gone!

I think 2012 – so far – has been a pretty memorable year. Certainly it’s been a big year for our country; we hosted the Olympics and the Paralympics, there was the Queen’s diamond jubilee with all its associated celebrations and we saw British players in the Wimbledon finals at long last! There was an election in America, scandal and warfare ruled the headlines as usual, and the Great  British summer was a washout – again. And of course, if rumours are to be believed, 2012 will be the last year that we see, as the world is predicted to end on 21^st December, when the ancient Mayan calendar comes to an end!

We, perhaps it’s not so likely that the end of the world will come in the next month or so. But what if it did? We all go around living our lives as if everything will last for ever – but of course, it won’t. Even if the world doesn’t end, our earthly lives will, one day; and if we knew that it really would all come to an end within a matter of weeks, what would we do? Are there things we haven’t done that we would really regret missing out on? Are there sights we would have wanted to see, places we would have wanted to visit? And what about the more personal things? With whom would we want to spend those last weeks of the world? Would we regret not taking more time for our friends and loved ones, regret things we said in the heat of the moment, wish that we had taken our chances to have fun and laugh with others rather than do all those tasks that seemed so important at the time? It can be a good learning exercise to imagine what we would regret; and what we wish we had done instead. Because if the world doesn’t end next month – then there may still be time to put things right.

And as we think about the turning of the year, we have no idea what 2013 will hold for us. But whatever it brings, we need to remember that we don’t go into the future alone. God is in all the places that we have ever been, all through our lives; and the God who is beyond time is already in all the places that we will go during the years to come. Whatever meets us in the future, wherever we may find ourselves, God will be there before us, waiting to meet us, to rejoice with us or to weep with us, to guide us, reassure us and show us the next step forward. We never travel alone. Jesus himself promised that he would be with us even until the end of the age – whenever that may be.

In 1908, an anthology of poems entitled “The Desert” was published. It was by a little known author called Minnie Haskins and it included a poem called “God Knows”. Its first lines are now well known; but the rest of it is well worth a read. And may God’s light shine before us all as we head into 2013 together.

And I said to the man

who stood at the gate of the year:

“Give me a light

that I may tread safely into the unknown.”

And he replied:

“Go out into the darkness

and put your hand into the Hand of God.

That shall be to you better than light

and safer than a known way.”

So I went forth,

and finding the Hand of God,

trod gladly into the night.

And He led me towards the hills

and the breaking of day in the lone East.

So heart be still:

What need our little life

Our human life to know,
If God hath comprehension?
In all the dizzy strife
Of things both high and low,
God hideth His intention.

God knows. His will
Is best. The stretch of years
Which wind ahead, so dim
To our imperfect vision,
Are clear to God. Our fears
Are premature; In Him,
All time hath full provision.

Then rest: until
God moves to lift the veil
From our impatient eyes,
When, as the sweeter features
Of Life’s stern face we hail,
Fair beyond all surmise
God’s thought around His creatures

Team Confirmation Service

Sunday 18^th November

W

E WERE BLESSED to have a truly wonderful service of Confirmation at St. John’s, Wolverley, on Sunday 18^th November. This was a joint service with the churches of the KPCTM team. The sun poured down on a beautiful late autumn morning and the church was almost full as the candidates, their families and supporters and members of all the congregations gathered to share in the Confirmation service and the Eucharist.

The service was led by the Right Reverend Mark Santer, former Bishop of Birmingham and Honorary Assistant Bishop to the Diocese of Worcester. The eight candidates came from St. Mary’s, Kidderminster; St. Barnabas at Franche; St. Peter’s at Cookley and from the neighbouring parish of St. Mary’s, Alveley. All of them were presented by Confirmation Sponsors and all made their declarations and promises with enthusiasm, honesty and clarity. It was a privilege to see these eight people make such a public commitment to their faith, to receive the sacrament of Confirmation and, for seven of them, also to receive their first Holy Communion during the service. There was much rejoicing after the service as refreshments were served and numerous photos taken as mementos of a very special day.

Please do continue to remember the newly confirmed – Gill, Lynne, Andy, Rachel, James, Kirsty and Ryan – in your prayers. If you are thinking of Confirmation for yourself and would like find out more, please speak to any member of the clergy, or look out for information in the magazine around the middle of next year.

 Revd. Alex Vaccaro

From the Parish Registers

           

Christenings

Joshua Xavier Roath; 14^th October at St. John’s, Wolverley

Oskar-Owen Stanley Round; 14^th October at St. John’s, Wolverley

Katy Elizabeth Rose Hopkins; 28^th October at St. John’s, Wolverley

Brody Benjamin Hull; 4^th November at St. John’s, Wolverley

Kobi Leon Roberts; 11^th November at St. John’s, Wolverley

Adam John Williamson; 11^th November at St. John’s, Wolverley

Cerys Victoria Morris; 18^th November at St. Peter’s, Cookley

Weddings

Martin Zinzan and Jennifer Holden; 6^th October at St. John’s, Wolverley

James Hough and Rachel Fortune; 20^th October at St. John’s, Wolverley

Funerals

Dorothy Eileen Ann Newbould; 17^th October at St. John’s, Wolverley

Rose Reaves of Cookley; 24^th October at Wyre Forest Crematorium

Stephen Henry O’Connor of Wolverley; 26^th October at Wyre Forest Crematorium

Phylis Mary Leake of Cookley; 31^st October at Wyre Forest Crematorium

Doreen Walker; 30^th November at St. John’s, Wolverley

Confirmed at St. John’s, Wolverley; Sunday 18^th November

Ryan Aldridge                   Lynne Daniels                   Gillian Salt   

Andrew Seymour               James Seymour                Rachel Seymour

Kirsty Williams

Letter from Rose - October & November 2012

Letter from Rose

October/November 2012

Dear Friends,

While out driving recently, I noticed that the leaves on the trees were beginning to change – the sign that autumn was approaching – the time for summer was almost over. I began to think about change, how sometimes it creeps up on us almost without us knowing then on other occasions it can hit us with a suddenness that makes us reel back as we experience it.

I recently led my first service at St John the Baptist Church, in Wolverley where I referred to the change that we are all at this moment beginning to feel as we negotiate our way through the retirement of a much loved Vicar and colleague Geoffrey Shilvock from both Wolverley and St Peter’s Cookley, and the changes that are beginning to experience within the Kidderminster Parish Church Team as we all move towards the formation of the new Kidderminster Ismere Team that will include seven churches and the areas we serve.

At the service I quoted from a book written by The Chief Rabbi Jonathan Sacks, a powerful writer and broadcaster for many years.

The book is ‘Celebrating Life – finding happiness in unexpected places’ and in it there is a passage on ‘turning strangers into friends.’

In it he says –

‘In one of the synagogues where I used to worship there were several millionaires. Sitting alongside them was the man who sold newspapers in Piccadilly Circus, and another who lived alone and always turned up with holes in his shoes and patches on his clothes………

There was always a fair sprinkling of lively people in their eighties and nineties……..

They would come each week, and often each day, to give thanks for being alive and as often as not to exchange the latest gossip of who had fallen out with whom……’

Then he asked – ‘What brought us together? Not power or exchange.
Just the need regularly to remind ourselves of who we are, what we belong to, the faith we share, the story of which our lives are part………’

All of us, no matter who we are or where we are, are part of the community of faith, part of the family of God’.

Yes, we are all living through a time of change –
a time of change in our world –

a time of change in our country –

a time of change in our churches too.

The change within our churches, some may feel has been forced on us, but it is happening and it is up to us as ‘the community of faith, part of the family of God’ to work through this change together for the benefit of all the people in the seven areas we belong to and care for - seven areas that are coming together in the service of the one God.

St Teresa of Avila wrote this prayer:

‘Christ has no body now on earth but ours,

no hands but ours, no feet but ours.

Ours are the eyes through which must look our Christ’s compassion on the world.
Ours are the feet with which he is to go about doing good.

Ours are the hands with which he is to bless us now.

Jesus never promised that things would be easy if we follow Him, but he did promise that he would always be there for us and sent us the Spirit to help us.

With God’s blessings as we journey through change together.

Revd. Rose Lawley

 

From the Parish Registers

Christenings

Max William Turvey; 2^nd September at St. Peter’s, Cookley

Oliver William Slym; 9^th September at St. Peter’s, Cookley

Eva-Mai Pocierznicki; 23^rd September at St. Peter’s, Cookley

Connor John Price; 30^th September at St. Peter’s, Cookley

Kimberley Elsie Williams-Young; 30^th September at St. John’s, Wolverley

Weddings

Andrew Baker and Laura Oliver; 1^st September at St. John’s, Wolverley

Lee Davies and Kelly Taylor; 8^th September at St. Peter’s, Cookley

Neal Addison and Nicola Jones; 15^th September at St. John’s, Wolverley

Christopher Tibbetts and Gemma Powell; 15^th September at St. Peter’s, Cookley

Funerals

Robin Humble of Cookley; 29^th August at Stourbridge Crematorium

Maureen Addison of Wolverley; 11^th September at Stourbridge Crematorium

Audrey Peace of Cookley; 14^th September at Stourbridge Crematorium

Steven Michael Jones; 27^th September at St. Peter’s, Cookley

Letter From The Vicarage - September 2012

A Final Letter from the Vicarage

Dear Friends,

This sadly will be my last letter for The Herald after more than twenty-seven years.  I have greatly enjoyed the magazine which I have always considered to be a valuable way of communicating with the two parishes and an important voice for the two villages with information about various activities and organisations.  It hasn’t been just a “church magazine”.  I have found it rewarding working with Fleur Bradley when she was Editor, with Liz Layton, and latterly with Andrew Bancroft.

There are inevitably going to be some changes both in the life of the church and also in the production of the magazine.  As from October the magazine is going to become Bi-Monthly in order to bring it into line with the team Magazine and so that the same letter can be inserted as that one in that production.  Therefore after the September edition there will be a October/November issue and a December/January one.  This was decided at both our PCC’s recently.  It will also make it easier for Paul and Cynth who nobly print, collate and distribute the magazine to the individual distributors. The magazine will also contain some items from the team and the publication of events organised by other members of the team. 

I hope that ‘The Herald’ will continue to be a valuable organ for the villages as well as giving some important information about the new team.

As far as the services at our two churches are concerned there will be some changes too.  These have been approved by both PCC’s.  The Sunday services at Cookley will change from 9.00am to 9.30am.  as from the first Sunday in September, and the Wolverley Sunday morning service has already changed from 10.30am to 11.00am.

Evensong at Wolverley and the midweek services will remain the same – Evensong at 6.30pm and Wednesdays at Wolverley at 10.00am and Cookley on Thursdays at 10.30am.

It was hoped that we should be able to keep our usual service times at least for the Interregnum whilst the legal process is going on to set up the new team, but there has had to be some flexibility in order to allow the team clergy to cover all the services.  Changes have had to be made by Saint Oswald’s and St. Barnabas in order to accommodate our two parishes.

Although I finished in the parishes at the end of August, I don‘t actually retire officially until the end of September. I shall still legally be “Vicar” until then although I shan’t be doing any work. I am in the happy position of having a month to organise myself and move.

Finally I would like to say that this isn’t really “Goodbye” but only “Au Revoir” for a time.  Sue and I will not be living very far away.  In fact we are going to be living in Saint Mary’s Parish and I expect to do take some services in the new team.  So no doubt you will see me again from time to time.

Thank you so much to all the people who kindly wrote about me in last month’s Herald.  I’m sure that I don’t deserve all adulation, but it is really nice to feel that I have been appreciated and that I’ve been able to make some small contribution to the life of the two parishes. I would also like to thank Andrew Bancroft for putting the magazine together and for having done so since he took over.

Thank you all for your support and companionship.  It has been a great journey and one that continues, albeit in a different direction.

With every blessing,

Geoffrey,

Your Friend and Vicar

From the Parish Registers

Christenings

Summer Lyndon at Wolverley – 5^th August

Ruby and Evie Oliver at Wolverley – 11^th August

Noah Meredith and Rylan Arens at Cookley – 12^th August

Jack Yarnold at Wolverley – 25^th August

Weddings

Craig Gould and Eleanor Oakes at Cookley – 4^th August

James Whitehouse and Carina Russell at Wolverley – 4^th August

Mark Joslin and Lydia Evans at Wolverley – 11^th August

Paul Schofield and Juliet Goldsmith at Wolverley – 17^th August

Jonathan Perkins and Deborah Digger at Cookley – 24^th August

Owen Southan and Sapphire Hardy at Cookley – 25^th August

Russell Hadley and Haley Shurmer at Wolverley – 25^th August

Julian Penn and Joanne Speight at Cookley – 31^st August

Funerals

Beatrice Emily Seedhouse at Stourbridge (Cookley) – 9^th August

Brenda Price at Cookley – 10^th August

Sheikla Nash at Stourbridge (Franche) – 15^th August

Terence Oldnall at Cookley – 17^th August

Irene Chamberlain at Wyre Forest Crematorium (Wolverley) – 21^st August

Patricia Kathleen Tolley at Stourbridge (Cookley) – 28^th August