January 2004

Dear Friends,
January, as you will know, derives its name from that of the Roman god, Janus, which possessed two heads and presided over both beginnings and endings. And it is right that we should, at year-end, look back and thank our God for the undeserved grace He has poured out on us in this past year in our lives, our Church and our Parish. There have been many memorable moments to thank Him for - and times of difficulty and sadness too, - but all in the faith and belief that His ultimate purposes for us will never be frustrated, if we continue to live our lives close to Him.
The New Year is also a time for looking forward, ultimately, of course, in the hope that a new Vicar will be chosen to lead us onward in the work of his predecessors.
But in the immediate future we face our Stewardship Renewal Campaign which is designed to set our finances, and hence our spiritual direction, on the right road for the next five years. This will require a short sharp burst of energy for many of you in encouraging others to come and listen to our needs and to think through their continuing commitment to St Peter’s.
It will also require the prayers of us all in support of those doing this work. To this end there will be a short service of prayer in church each Tuesday evening at 7 p.m. until the middle of February, when the Campaign finishes. It is open to all and especially to the members of the various Key Groups throughout the Parish, many of whom will be turning their energies to the practical work of the Campaign, before returning to the equally vital task of drawing others into their number for weekly prayer and Bible study.
As is often the case, St. Paul had a word for all this, when he wrote from prison to the little church at Philippae, thanking them for their generosity to him and expressing his determination to ‘gain Christ and be found in Him’. For he writes “Forgetting what lies behind and straining forward to what lies ahead, I press on toward the goal, for the prize of the heavenly call of God in Christ Jesus.”
May this be our New Year Resolution.
And may you all have a happy, healthy and Christ-filled New Year.
Yours in Christ,
Les Lawrinson

LENT STUDY COURSE FOR KEY GROUPS
As noted in the Curate’s letter, Key Groups, along with other Organisations within the Church, are turning their attentions towards the Stewardship Campaign at the beginning of the year and will not therefore be meeting.However they will recommence in mid February, at the start of Lent. The York Course has been chosen for their weekly study. It is in five sessions, using tape (or CD) and individual Course Booklets and is entitled “Tough talk – Hard Sayings of Jesus”The Archbishop of York introduces each session and the speakers include Tom Wright, theologian, broadcaster and now Bishop of Durham, Revd. Steve Chalke, a Baptist Minister and TV ‘Songs of Praise’ presenter who has contributed to earlier talks in this series, Frances Young, Cadbury Professor of Theology, and Father Gerard Hughes, a Jesuit Priest and author of “The God of Surprises” and many other books.
KEY GROUPS are not ‘holy huddles’ nor 'cliques’, but an open opportunity for anyone who wishes to learn more about Christian living within the comfort and confidentiality of like-minded folk. They are held on three different evenings each week, to enable them to fit in with most people’s schedules and if anything crops up on your chosen, usual night its quite OK to go to another evening session that week. The venues are always printed on your weekly Notice Sheet.
A Thought. At present all groups meet in the evening. Is there anyone who would be interested in a daytime course? Please let me know.

Les Lawrinson

STEWARDSHIP
A reminder that our renewal Christian Stewardship campaign will commence early in January. Please keep either the 28th or 29th of January clear in your diaries so that you will be free to attend one of the Information Buffet Evenings.
Elaine Cory
Campaign Director

CHRISTMAS FAIR
A big thank you to everyone who helped at the Christmas Fair in December. A lot of money was taken and a lot of fun was had on the day. It was great to see some new faces helping, as well as some new ideas for stalls.
One idea for next December!!! A tea-towel stall! Please would you bring back a tea-towel from your holidays – it doesn't matter if it's from Blackpool or Bermuda, just slip one in your suitcase when you're packing to come home and let me have it before December! Just think 100 tea-towels selling at £2 each - £200 without any hard work!
If you're holidaying at home, an Isle of Man one is just as acceptable.
Sylvia Lawrinson

PARISH HALL – Yet another big thank you!!
Yes another big thank you but no less sincere for that to Gordon Astill for organising a great Christmas Coffee Evening with carols and entertainment in aid of the Parish Hall Appeal. What a start to Christmas it proved to be with the hall packed for the singing of Traditional carols and superb entertainment – and all the entertainers were truly superb. A big thank you to them all!
Not forgetting everyone who donated the mince pies (they really were mmm…!) and served the coffee. The ladies always do such a wonderful job in the kitchen. Last but not least a big thank you to everyone who supported the evening – and have supported all our fund raisers for the hall. To see everyone enjoying themselves so much while supporting the appeal is just great ….. and so encouraging!

THE CHURCH AT CHRISTMAS
Grateful thanks go to all who provided flowers and arranged them in Church; to those who put up the Christmas trees, strung the lights and decorated the tree in Church; to those who provided decorations and to those who put the candles in place in readiness for our Christmas services. The Church looked beautiful … so welcoming and festive. Not forgetting all those who helped prepare the Christingles, and served mulled wine and mince pies. Thank you.
and a big thank you –
to the Sunday School, their leaders and helpers for such a wonderful Nativity Service, to the junior choir, the many readers, our organist and the choir, under the direction of the choir mistress, who have sung so beautifully throughout the festive season.

MOTHERS UNION
Both MU groups ended 2003 in style. The afternoon group held an 'At Home' in early December with guests from St. Anthony's Onchan Methodist & Braddan MU. We were entertained by the Rencell Ringers (and Singers) and enjoyed a quick visit from Santa before sitting down to a splendid tea. The following week we sat down to a superb Christmas luncheon at the Hilton.
The evening ladies also had their Christmas Dinner at the Hilton and enjoyed the party atmosphere there very much.
A number of Onchan ladies also took part in the annual Carol Service at St. Ninian's – a big thank you to those who were persuaded to read.
Now we look forward to 2004. On 6th January the afternoon group welcome Captain Graham Bibby who will take us into the new year with Jesus and on the 20th we welcome the MU Patron Mrs Sally Macfadyen who will tell us about a visit to India.
The evening group will be meeting on 15th January when their guest speaker will be Mrs Joyce Quine who is the principal social worker for MCAWS.
Afternoon meetings start at 2 pm and evening meetings at 7.45 pm. Both are now held in the Church Hall.
2004 is also the International Year of the Family and the theme for this is 'Building Relationships'. Mary Sumner House has produced a leaflet of monthly prayers specifically targeted at various aspects of family life. We will be using these at our meetings and hopefully there will be space in the 'Review' for one to be included each month. For January we pray for Children and Young people:
Loving Christ,
you welcomed children into your presence;
we pray that children and young people
may be loved and nurtured in a peaceful environment,
and allowed to grow in wisdom and confidence
so that they may experience the peace of God in their lives. Amen.

Sylvia Lawrinson

FROM THE PCC
The December meeting of the PCC was chaired by Peter Cory and was opened with prayers and Bible reading by Les Lawrinson.
Nigel Cretney acted as secretary in Jane’s absence. He reported on the various activities in connection with raising funds for the Parish Hall. The Manx Christmas evening held at Woodlands had raised £1800; the Silent Auction raised £625; the Christmas Fayre and Christmas Coffee Evening were both expecting to raise further funds.
Elaine Cory reported that the Stewardship campaign will be launched in January with buffet evenings in the Parish Hall planned for Wednesday 28th and Thursday 29th January. The Steering Group will be approaching church members to assist at the buffet evenings and with visiting those wishing to partake in stewardship. During the campaign there will be a weekly prayer time held in church on Tuesday evenings commencing on January 6th.
Several members reported on the visit to Nick Wells’ Induction at Netherton in November. All were touched by the generous hospitality shown to them by the people of St Oswald's. It was also good to see how well Matthew and Mel had settled in with their new friends and that Bev was recovering from her recent ordeal.
The Rural Dean, Canon Duncan Whitworth joined the meeting to discuss the representation from St Peters at the forthcoming enthronement of the new Bishop in St German’s Cathedral on Saturday, 17 January. Canon Whitworth also attended the meeting to support and advise the PCC during this period of interregnum.
Finally Sylvia Lawrinson reported back on the recent synod meeting.
The meeting closed with prayers by Canon Whitworth and the Grace.

Elaine Litherland

LADIES FELLOWSHIP
We held our Christmas Party on 3rd December when we all brought a contribution to the buffet. As usual we all managed to being something different and what a spread it was. We also played Beetle Drive and took part in a picture quiz. Our thanks to Hazel for organising these. The 2004 program starts on the 7th January when Mrs P. Kewley, Manager of Victim Support is coming to talk to us and Mrs L. Heaton is joining us for a Beauty Talk on the 21st January.

Thoughts for the New Year

Let go of the old,
Reach out for the new,
For the past is cold,
And the future is due;
Each year holds memories,
Some happy – some sad,
We must treasure the good,
Let go of the bad;
Make the most of each day,
At work and at play,
For the old year is history,
The future – a mystery.

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A little child was asked by a friend of mine the other day how old she was. "Old?" exclaimed the child indignantly. "I'm not old at all, I'm quite new!"

A childlike reaction, perhaps, but there's more than a grain of truth in it, isn't there? It's not how old we are that matters – it's how new and expectant we are in our outlook on life.

~~~~~~~~

FRIENDSHIP

The rain was lashing down when the lady of the house arrived home windswept and drenched after a visit to a friend one evening, recently.

When I remarked on the unpleasant journey home she must have had, she surprised me by saying she had hardly noticed the weather! She said she'd been too busy thinking back over the enjoyable hour she'd spent with her friend.

Such is the quality of real friendship. It doesn't depend on fair weather and clear blue skies for survival. A good friendship can endure, no matter how severe the tests.

FROM THE REGISTERS

WEDDINGS

Juan Harold Kerriage & Stephanie Louise Peel
Martin William Jones & Sarah Louise Taylor

FUNERALS

Terence John Lyons, Kathlyn Hodson, Ruth Crook,
Ivan Roy Doleman, John Allen Cowell Kennedy Nivison,
Edna Victoria Gilbert, Derek Joseph Burrows, Dorothy May Gill.

OFFERTORY
The offertory for November totalled £4,018.33 and was made up of £3,152.97 pledged giving and £865.36 (inc. £345.30 British Legion) of loose plate giving

Thank you.