June 2004

Dear Friends,

All the waiting is over. Your new Vicar has arrived and we are very grateful for the warm welcome we have received.
Many people have worked extremely hard in preparing for our arrival.
We are thrilled with the house and my Induction Service will long be remembered, along with my first Sunday.
The sun has not stopped shining since we have come to Onchan!
Valerie and I are looking forward to getting to know you all in the next few weeks and months. Please be patient with us as we try to remember your names and discover your involvement in St. Peter's.
I come intending to build on the foundation laid by those who have gone before me and I look forward to working together as a team as we seek to proclaim the gospel.
We all need to be encouraged (me included) to grow in our faith and to deepen our relationship with the Lord.
Our commitment to the Church is crucial if this is to happen for it is through the Church (the Body of Christ) that we are sustained in our walk with the Lord.
We also need to be challenged to witness to our Christian faith in the community and world in which we live.
How we live our lives as Christians is likely to speak louder than our spoken words, although we need to articulate what we believe and the difference it has made to our lives.
The mission statement which appears on our literature is a good one: we desire the Church to be central to the life of Onchan, providing a Christian Witness, Worship and Welcome to all.
Let us seek to do this together motivated by the love of God in Christ as expressed through the Cross of Christ.
Together, with Him, we can do it, through the power of His Holy Spirit.

Yours in Christ,

Malcolm Convery

Dear Friends,

I believed that those words would not be written again by me for some considerable time when I signed off last month’s Review.
But life is full of surprises and none greater than the generous gifts Sylvia and I have received from you at the end of this interregnum.
Members of the Key Groups have wined and dined us, as well as giving us Gift Tokens – all truly undeserved, may I add.
But the greatest surprise of all was the overwhelmingly generous gift made by contribution from members of St Peter’s congregation, and presented to me last Sunday.
Up until that point only one thing had ever managed to bring me close to tears in a service and that was the hymn at my ordination -“I the Lord of Sea and Sky”- but you managed, in the love and kindness shown to us, to do it again!
I have used the word ‘undeserved’ already, but I must say it again. The privilege and joy of serving God in this way far outweigh anything else; and that you have stayed faithful during the past seven months is reward enough for me.

But I can only say a very sincere ‘thank you’ to you all and pray God will continue to move us all forward in that love and concern which you have shown to Sylvia and I.

Les

The Bookstand

When the idea of a bookstand in church was first mooted it was never envisaged that there would be such a regular uptake from it. But now we usually sell between fifty and seventy pounds worth of books every three months.

The latest range of books has just arrived and ranges over a variety of Christian topics.
“ Hard Choices – What could I do?” addresses the complexities of life, using Biblical teaching.
The question of healing in all its forms is covered by several books, “Healing at the Well – what disablement can mean for a believer” and “Forgiveness in Healing” by Russ Parker are two of them.
Stories of people who have been affected by the Alpha experience are told vividly in ”God who changes” and “Whose life is it anyway” throws out a similar challenge in a different way.
“ Exploring Prayer” does just that in a non-theological way.
And for Bible study the “Cover to Cover Bible Companion” provides a digestible, easy to use reference to understanding the Bible.
Adrian Plass appears twice on the Stand, in his own inimitable, jaunty but engaging style. He describes his Bible Study book as “Jesus in Mark’s Gospel by a non-theologian”, and don’t be put off by the title – “never mind the Reversing Ducks”!!
And by the same author there is some religious humour to be found in “Clearing away the Rubbish”.

There are also books about children “The 60 Minute Mother” and for children and young adults – see the Teenagers Survival Guide”
So what would Jesus say to…Anne Robinson, David Beckham, Harry Potter and others...buy the book and find out!
Henri Nouwen of L’Arche fame also features on the stand, as does “David and Goliath”, plus many others which we hope will catch your eye, whet your appetite and help you along your own particular spiritual road.
Good reading!

Les

Mothers Union

The afternoon group held their two meetings in May. Barbara Hyde spoke eloquently about her role as Indoor Members representative. She has put out a plea for small vases so if anyone can help please hand them to any MU member. Mrs Susan Knowles spoke at the last meeting and gave us an interesting insight into her role as wife of our new Lord Bishop. The evening group, were far more energetic and hosted a Barn Dance on the evening following Malcolm's Induction. 90 of us managed to find the energy to dance the night away and enjoy yet another lovely meal. The evening ladies meet on the 17th June for a talk by a member of the Police drugs unit. The afternoon ladies have come to the end of their formal meetings but will come together for an afternoon tea - details later. A reminder to all members taking part in the National Annual Meeting in June. Stewards & Banner Bearer for the Church service meet for a rehearsal in St George's Church on Saturday 19th June at 10am and Stewards for the Villa Marina meeting meet for their rehearsal at the Villa on Monday 14th June at 6.30pm. Remembering our 'Year of the Family' theme our prayer this month is for families with fostered or troubled children:

Lord, we commit into your special care those families
where there are fostered or troubled children.
We pray that you will give all family members
the resources and wisdom they need
to build up loving relationships and a sense of belonging
in even the most difficult situations. Amen.

Sylvia Lawrinson

Ladies Fellowship

A note for your diary – this years Garden Party is being held at Linda Howland's home, 21 Ballachurry Avenue on Saturday 17th July – more details later.

CMS Open Garden at Jean King's St. Marks

Thank you to all who supported this event which raised £800 for CMS and St. Marks. We were blessed by wonderful weather.

THANK YOU

A huge thank-you to all the ladies who helped make the buffet which followed the Induction service such a lovely occasion. Thanks to the generosity and willingness of over 50 of you the food was absolutely perfect and everything just seemed to come together! There were loads of comments on how nice the tables looked. A special Thank you to our Methodist friends for opening up the hall and seeing to the drinks for us - this meant that we could all stay in church until the service was over. Thank you as well to those who stayed on and helped with the clearing-up. I know Les has written elsewhere in the Review but I would like to take this opportunity of adding my thanks to his - not only for the cheque you presented to him - which has really taken our breath away, but also for the basket of flowers which is truly beautiful. Thank you all Sylvia

CHRISTIAN AID WEEK 2004

As Les Lawrinson and I kept opening the envelopes, the smiles got broader! We'd hoped that the wonderful response by 28 volunteers to this year's appeal for helpers would bring in an increase upon last year's £1,164.35 but ….. Well, as I write, we have £2,127.88! Because our Government is adding pound for pound, St. Peter's collectors have enabled some £4,250 to swell the funds for the Island's special projects in Mali …. two bringing water and one training in bee-keeping. So, a massive "Thank You!" to all who were able to 'pound the pavements for the pounds' ….. and to everyone who gave such generous financial support to Christian Aid this year.
Eric Foster

FLOWER FESTIVAL

The annual Manx Heritage Flower Festival takes place 4th - 11th July. St Peter's have agreed this year to be one of the churches taking part. I will shortly be getting in touch with all organisations connected with St Peter's to ask if they would be prepared to decorate a specific part of the church. We are hoping this year to be able to make the displays look extremely beautiful at little or no cost to the church by asking the organisations to supply the initial flowers. Any replacements needed during the week would be paid for. The theme this year is "On the Seventh Day" - so get your thinking caps on. Could it be the Bible's account of Creation, or how we spend our Sunday, or how we worship? I'm sure we will have some inspired ideas! The church will be open daily from 11am-8pm so many helpers will be needed - come on men! you can do this as well. A rota will be drawn up for stewards and for tea and coffee makers nearer the time.
Sylvia Lawrinson

'A PEAL !'

Is there anyone out there who would be willing to ring the church bell for our 8 a.m. service – at present we only have two 'ringers'. If we had a list of perhaps four or more they would only appear on the rota one week in four or less. If you can help please call Jane on 675797 – thank you.

PARISH HALL

Date for your diary – St. Peters Church Choir are holding a Concert during the Flower Festival week on Thursday 8th July at 7.30 pm in
St. Peter's Church – tickets £5 including wine and nibbles. Proceeds in aid of the Parish Hall Appeal.

Norman Sayle Limited Edition Print - depicting the Parish Hall in aid of the Appeal – prints to go on sale shortly priced £35.

This is your chance to own a Norman Sayle!

Thanks to Peter Karran M.H.K., who owns the original painting, and has agreed with Norman Sayle to the prints being produced. This is a first for Norman Sayle as none of his paintings have previously gone into print. Thank you Norman. Don't miss this unique opportunity to acquire a print by this internationally renowned artist.

Prints will be available from the Parish Office – Cheques payable to the 'Onchan Parish Hall Fund'.

Come and Join
DEREK WINTERBOTTOM
for
" An Evening with T. E. Brown"
on
FRIDAY 18TH JUNE
at 8 p.m.
in
ONCHAN PARISH HALL
Wine and Canapés
TICKETS £10
PROCEEDS TO THE PARISH HALL APPEAL

Father's Day– 20th June

Mender of toys, leader of boys,
Changer of fuses, kisser of bruises,
Bless him, dear Lord.

Mover of couches, soother of ouches,
Pounder of nails, teller of tales,
Reward him, O Lord.

Raker of leaves, cleaner of eaves,
Dryer of dishes, fulfiller of wishes,
Bless him, O Lord.

FROM THE REGISTERS

BAPTISMS

Kyle James Taylor-Harding, Ewan Thomas Callow,
Bailey Rhys Ashton,
Cairan Patrick Marcus Leigh Quine-Askew.

WEDDINGS

Lee James McSween and Kirsty Skillicorn
Stuart William Corran and Nicola Jayne Barron

FUNERALS

Phyllis Kelly, Alfred Thomas Alcock,
Robert Trefor Jones, Richard James Gomersall,
John Craigie, Louise Anne Hynes-Hurley

OFFERTORY

The offertory for April totalled £7,190.05 and was made up of £5,602.49 pledged giving and £1,587.56 of loose plate giving

Thank you.