July
2004
Dear Friends,
I have enjoyed meeting and listening to many of you during my first
month in the Parish.
Some of you have been members of St. Peter's for a long time and
others have only joined us in recent years.
One thing that has struck me, and I find encouraging, is the number
of you who commented on the warm welcome you received when you first
came to St. Peter's.
The impression people gain when they first arrive at a Church is
very important.
Welcoming people into Church and making them feel at home is a very
important ministry and some people are particularly gifted in this
area.
It is especially important to be aware of newcomers at the serving
of coffee.
Sometimes the very act of serving coffee, which is meant to encourage
fellowship, actually divides the congregation into groups leaving
the stranger on the outside.
I am confident that you will make sure this doesn't happen at St.
Peter's.
Many of us profess to not liking knocking on doors or sharing our
faith directly with people, but there are many other ways in which
we can witness to the Lord.
Above all it is our love of the Lord, spilling over into our daily
lives and affecting how we treat each other and people beyond the
Church that is important.
A recent Church Army report was reported upon in the Church Times
under the heading 'Deeds Evangelise'. Quoting from the Report: "Deeds
make words credible, words help deeds to communicate the love of
God, while presence makes that love relevant in local contexts.
All three are needed in the work of evangelise".
It states that the Church needs to be turned inside out – in other
words we need to be more involved as individual Christians and as
a Church in the community around us.
I know this is the case for many of us in St. Peter's.
We need to look to the Lord and His Church for the spiritual resources
then we need to turn and move outwards as we witness to the Lord
beyond the walls of the Church.
May we be encouraged to do this to a greater degree that the love
of Christ may be evident in this Parish so many more may be attracted
by the power of His love?
Yours sincerely in Jesus' Name,
Malcolm Convery
THANK YOU
Through the magazine I would just like to say a big THANK YOU to
everyone who was so kind and helpful when I took ill in church recently.
I was totally overwhelmed by the care and concern and really uplifted
by the love and prayers that surrounded me in the ensuing days.
Thank you all so much, it's great to belong to such a caring family
as St. Peter's.
love Mariel
FLOWER FESTIVAL - 'On The Seventh Day'
Many thanks to all the individuals and groups who have responded
so enthusiastically and are willing to help transform the church
into a mini Kew! May I just remind people that all the work must
be carried out on Friday 2nd July and before noon on Saturday 3rd
as there is a wedding in the early afternoon. The clearing away
operations will begin on Monday 12th July. Jane has volunteered
to type up your interpretation of the theme and the thinking behind
it. Please let her have a copy as soon as possible. We will also
be looking for stewards and cake/scone makers during Flower Festival
week. Please check your diary and see when you can spare a couple
of hours and let Jane (675797) or Sylvia know.
Sylvia Lawrinson
SUCCESS TO THE 'A PEAL !'
Three people have come forward to add to those who currently ring
the church bell for the 8am service – many thanks to Val, Malcolm
and Howard and good luck! It's not too late if you would like to
be a bell ringer – contact Jane 675797.
OPEN HOUSE
Malcolm and Valerie invite members of the congregation to the Vicarage
on Saturday 10th July between 10 am and 12 noon to enjoy a coffee
and to view the work carried out during the Interregnum.
We look forward to seeing you.
SUMMER SERENADE
with the music of St. Peter's
on
THURSDAY 8TH JULY
at
7.30 pm
in
ST. PETER'S CHURCH, ONCHAN
(During the Flower Festival)
IN AID OF THE PARISH HALL APPEAL
TICKETS ONLY £5 (incl. wine and nibbles)
Sunday School
ANNIVERSARY
SUNDAY, 11TH JULY
at
11 a.m.
following the Service we are
again holding a Picnic on
the Church Green
So dust off you’re your
picnic baskets and chairs and join us.
MOTHERS UNION
The afternoon group were pleased to welcome Malcolm and Valerie
to their last session in May when we were delighted to have Mrs
Susan Knowles as our guest speaker - she kept us entertained with
stories from her teaching career as well as her thoughts as the
wife of the Precentor and then Archdeacon in Portsmouth, the wife
of the Dean in Carlisle and now wife of the Bishop of Sodor and
Man.
The afternoon group are decorating the porch for the Flower Festival
- please let Jean Davidson know if you can help.
The evening group had an excellent talk in June by a Police Constable
from the drugs unit. He made us realise that, sadly, the Isle of
Man is no longer the drug-free, safe place it was. There is a final
meeting on 15th July at 7.45 in the Hall when the speaker will be
Margaret Brown from the Manx Blind Welfare Society.
The evening group are decorating a window for the Flower Festival
- any offers of help to Wendy please.
The Mothers' Union has been invited to the vicarage on the afternoon
of Tuesday 27th July at 3.15 pm. Please let me know if you are able
to attend so we have some idea of numbers.
We are also having a White Elephant stall at the Onchan Fair on
Saturday 10th July. If you have any saleable goods please contact
Wendy Allen on 616039.
As I write this we are all geared up as welcomers, stewards or delegates
for the Church Service and National Meeting taking place this week.
We hope that the weather will be kind to us and all members coming
from 'across' will have a happy and safe stay on our Island. Thank
you to all who are helping in any way and don't forget to have a
good look at the beautiful wall hanging and our little Kirk Onchan
square.
Going on Holiday - Please don't forget the plea for a stall at our
Christmas Fair!! Can you remember to buy a tea-towel when you are
away? It doesn't matter whether it's Liverpool or Lanzarote, the
Lake District or the Italian Lakes, Switzerland or Scotland, Wales
or Waikiki. If we can get 100 tea-towels we've made £200 without
any effort! Only 5 months to go, let's see if we can do it!
Remembering our 'Year of the Family' theme our prayer this month
is for
'Blended Families (Step-families)'
Lord, we pray for those brought together in a new family following
a second marriage.
Grant them ever growing love in their new relationship.
We ask your blessing upon the children in these families, fill parents
and children with wisdom and love as they grow together as a family.
When relationships are strained give them strength, patience, an
ability to understand and the grace to persevere, so that they may
grow close to each other and live in unity to your praise and glory.
Amen
Sylvia Lawrinson
LADIES FELLOWSHIP
Our Annual Garden Party is being held at Linda Howland's home,
21 Ballachurry Avenue, Onchan on Saturday 17th July. 2 pm to 4 pm
Admission including refreshments £1.00 – stalls and raffle.
PARISH HALL – a big thank you!
A big thank you to Sylvia Lawrinson for coming up with the idea,
and for organising the superb 'Evening with T. E. Brown', which
raised £633 for the Parish Hall Fund. It was a great night with
Derek Winterbottom author of 'T. E. Brown – His Life and Legacy'
and many other books in fine form. Derek really brought the Island's
National Poet to life with his informative and sometimes humorous
account of Brown laced with some beautiful readings – a real treat.
As were the canapés and wine that followed. Thanks again Sylvia
and the other ladies for the canapés and to Ken Faragher for giving
the wine not forgetting the ever present ladies in the kitchen.
Last but not least a big thank you to Derek. The evening was only
made possible by his willingness to support the appeal to which
he also donated some of the proceeds from book sales on the night.
Thank you to everyone especially to those who supported the event
– there was even some new faces. Perhaps they'll come again. We
hope so!
PARISH HALL APPEAL – dates for your diary!!
Besides another sale of baby clothes, equipment, toys and maternity
wear on Wednesday 30th June organised again by Dawn Kewley – they
really do go down very well – and the eagerly awaited musical evening
entitled 'SUMMER SERENADE' organised by Wendy McDowell in the Church
on Thursday 8th July during the Flower Festival the following events
in aid of the Appeal are planned. Please note your diary's and hopefully
give us your support. Thank you.
PIMMS AND PLOUGHMANS LUNCH: Sunday 8th August in the Vicarage grounds
after Church by kind permission of the Vicar and Mrs Convery.
SILENT AUCTION: Thursday 7th October in the Parish Hall
FRIDAY NIGHT IS MUSIC NIGHT: Friday 22nd October in the Parish Hall,
with Debbie McDowell and friends from London – this promises to
be concert with a difference!
REGAL SINGERS CONCERT: Thursday 4th November in the Methodist Hall.
An example of how wide the support for the Appeal is. Please support
our Methodist friends.
VICTORIAN EVENING: Friday 12th November in the Parish Hall. When
the tickets go on sale get yours early for what will probably be
another sell out just like last year. And this year we have a special
guest appearance by the Lord Bishop's none the less!!
MANX CHRISTMAS AT WOODLANDS: Saturday 27th November at Woodlands
courtesy once again of Mildred Cooper. A sell-out last year and
a great start to Christmas. Please help us to make it yet another
success.
In addition a tombola is planned with the draw taking place at the
'Manx Christmas at Woodlands' and we hope to fit in a Manx Ceilidh
as well. So watch this space – and a big thank you to everyone who
have supported all our fund raisers for the hall and hopefully will
continue to do so!
Norman Sayle Limited Edition Print - depicting the Parish Hall in
aid of the Appeal – prints to go on sale soon - priced £35.
This is your chance to own a Norman Sayle!
Prints will be available from the Parish Office – Cheques payable
to the 'Onchan Parish Hall Fund'.
Thoughts
Who will the next person you invite into Church be?
FROM THE REGISTERS
Baptisms
Carole Victoria Napier, Holly Price, Jessica Louise Seberry
Weddings
Simon Foster and Clare Postlethwaite
Simon Duggan and Nicky Tasker
Funerals
Frank Edward Lace, Dorothy Brew, Arthur Dod
Offertory
The offertory for May totalled £6,053.86 and was made
up of £4,470.88 pledged giving and £1,582.98 of loose plate giving.
Thank you. |
