engage
Issue 4 - Autumn/Winter 2014
Articles include...
Recent Events
3
The Bible - Fact / Friction
4
Riding Lights Theatre Co
8&9
Priestley by name 10
Sue Ryder
15
and more...
www.francisofassisi.co.uk
Welcome to Engage - a
magazine produced by
St Francis Church for
West Bessacarr.
We seek to be a church that is
outward looking and relevant for the
community. We desire to contribute,
along with many others, in making
Bessacarr an even better place to
live.
Since the publication of the last
magazine, it has been a real joy to
see so many new faces at Café Theo
on Wednesdays and Saturdays. It
has been great to keep meeting
new families at Messy Church. I love
getting to know new people at Meet
and Eat.
some exciting new initiatives. You
can hear from Adam and his wife
Kim on page 10.
Recent Events at St F!
St Francis Church is pleased to
welcome and encourage the team
from Sue Ryder as they operate
the Bessacarr Friends’ community
drop in from our hall and café on
Mondays. You can read about their
work on page 15, or better still drop
in and meet them.
Once again, please keep a look
out for events and activities on our
website(www.francisofassisi.co.uk)
or look at the poster display at the
main church entrance, opposite the
Vets at Nostell Place.
Easter Fun Morning
Bessacarr Arts
We have also been welcoming a
number of new people to our church
services on Sundays. As I am out
and about I keep meeting people
who say that they want to come to
church either for the first time, or
come back to church after a break.
They are often quite nervous about
what they will find there!
Messy Church
To help them we have produced a
document on our website (http://
www.francisofassisi.co.uk/about-us/
sundays/first-time-at-church.aspx).
You can also find out a bit more on
page 7.
In June it was a delight to welcome
Adam Priestley and his family to
Bessacarr. Adam is a curate, or
trainee vicar, who will be working
alongside me as well as developing
2
Pancake Party
Bessacarr Arts
Main Cover Pictures:
Front: John Stones painting a scene in record
breaking time at the Arts Weekend.
Back: Adam Priestley on the day he was ordained.
Easter Sunday - Egg Rolling
Easter Fun Morning
Pancake Party
Good Friday March
Ordination at Sheffield Cathedral
3
The Bible:
The Bible is by far the World’s bestselling book. The complete Bible
has been translated into over 500
languages, and parts of the Bible
have been translated into over 2000
other languages. In the UK the
Bible is widely available in a variety
of English versions in bookshops
and online. Despite
its worldwide
popularity, the Bible
is often criticised,
ridiculed or left
unread by British
people. In this short
article we will very
briefly look at some
of the criticisms
people make about
the Bible, before
finishing with some
of the reasons
Christians love reading it.
“The original meaning of the Bible has
been lost over time’
Even the most sceptical of scholars will
admit that the bulk of the New Testament
was written within 40 years of the death
of Jesus. These early records by eye
witnesses, or those who had spoken to
eye witnesses, were early enough to be
written down and scrutinised by those who
could validate their accuracy. The number
of ancient copies of these documents to
which we have access, is staggering, as is
the level of accuracy of the copies.
The Bible has been translated into many
English versions, such as the King James
4
Version, and The New International
Version. Each good translation seeks to
go back to the earliest manuscripts in the
original languages of Greek and Hebrew.
Translators then seek to remain faithful
to the original meaning, while writing
something in words that are accessible to
people today.
“The Bible is full of
contradictions”
There are places in
the Bible where there
do appear to be
contradictions. However,
when you examine many
of them more carefully
you discover that they are
not contradictions at all!
The many Bible writers
had different reasons for
writing, and each part of
the Bible was written for
a specific original audience. Considering
the sheer scale and the length of time
over which it was written, the Bible has a
remarkable consistency in its message
about God and his relationship with
humanity.
For example, in the accounts we have of
the witnesses to the resurrection Matthew,
Mark and Luke mention several women
at the tomb. John’s gospel only mentions
Mary. Which is correct? All of them! John
was aware of the other gospel accounts
but chose to focus on one initial significant
witness of the resurrection for the
purposes of his more in-depth account,
even though he was fully aware of the
other witnesses.
fact or friction?
“The Bible is just full of rules”
Whilst it certainly is correct that some
parts of the Bible do contain rules, (or
commandments,) for a whole variety of
things, it is also much more than that. The
Bible is actually a collection of books, (66
in total), and includes a whole range of
different genres, such as history, poetry,
prose, law, prophetic writings and letters.
Consequently the Bible addresses a
surprisingly large number of topics and
themes. Prominent among these is God’s
relationship with humanity.
“The Bible is irrelevant
today”
In one sense, the Bible
was written by and for
people in a very different
context from our own
today. Nevertheless, as
is often said, “people
are people”, and our
experience of the ups
and downs of life are
remarkably similar.
Feelings such as
joy, pain, love, and
grief have been common to humanity
throughout all ages. Whilst the Bible may
speak directly to us at times, many people
find that a knowledge of the original
context helps them to view its relevancy in
an indirect, yet highly intimate way.
“The Bible is all down to interpretation”
None of us come to the Bible, (or any
other text), completely free of our own
interpretation or presumptions about how
it should be read. Consequently there
are cases where people want to read the
Bible in either an excessively literal or
metaphorical way. Both of these positions
can be particularly problematic for a
variety of reasons. Many Christians do,
however, recognise that when the Bible
is read with even a basic knowledge of
its different genres and original contexts,
some of its most important themes can
become amazingly clear.
Words of life for today
We asked some people from our Church
why they read and value
the Bible. They said
that through reading it
they receive guidance,
encouragement and
strength. They said that
they love to learn about
God and his dealings
with people, and how
that applies to their
life. They said that,
even when reading a
familiar passage, often
something in it stands
out for them in quite
a remarkable way, as
through these ancient words God speaks
directly into their life situation today.
If you have further questions about the
reliability of the Bible, you may want to
bring your questions to the Big Ask (see
page 14). If you would like to learn to
read and understand the Bible better
email admin.francisofassisi@googlemail.
com or leave us a phone message (01302
538487) and we will suggest some
groups, courses or 1:1 opportunities.
Richard Heard & Adam Priestley
5
Why I love church......
There will be a
Special Service of
Remembrance
for the Bereaved on
Sunday 2nd November at 4pm
at St Francis Church.
All are welcome.
6
To me the Church is a group of people
who meet together to worship God in
words, music, singing and prayer, and
who grow together in faith, learning how
to share the good news about God with
others. Church is not about the building,
important as it is to have a place to meet.
St Paul describes the church
as like the many parts of
a body working together
in order for it to function.
Every member is needed and
important, and the whole
cannot function properly
without the individual parts,
however small and seemingly
unimportant. That is why
I love to meet with people
from church on Sundays and
at other times during the
week. I can’t wait to find out
what new things God wants
to show me, through the teaching we
receive and my interactions with others.
Everyone has something to offer, even
if it’s just a smile, a hug or a word of
encouragement.
Two years ago, our vicar, Richard, asked
if I would lead one of several small
groups of church members who would
meet regularly, seeking to grow together
in love, faith and action. I had just
retired, and was looking for fresh ways I
could be involved in church life, so after
prayerful consideration, I accepted the
role and found a willing co-leader to help
me. This task is both a privilege and a
responsibility. It has required quite a few
hours dedicated to planning, organising
and studying the Bible in preparation, but
I have learned so much and grown through
the experience, and I love encouraging
others to develop their relationship with
God and grow in faith too.
years I have been a Christian, I have
found just how important prayer is. I’ve
received many answers to prayer myself
and seen God move powerfully to change
circumstances in the lives of others, so I
felt strongly that God was wanting people
to have the opportunity to come to Him
and receive prayer for the
concerns they had in their own
lives, or that of a loved one.
Richard was open to the idea
of extending prayer ministry
within the church to include
others who were not necessarily
church goers, inviting them to
come and receive prayer. So
now we have “Prayer Available
Here” in the chapel on the
last Saturday of the month.
It is great to have been given
a vision for something and
see it come into being. I pray
people will come and be blessed by it and
discover, like me, just how faithful, how
completely loving and how awesome God
is!
For me, going to church is exciting
because God is very much alive and active
there. If you’ve never been or not been
for some time, why not come and see for
yourself. You might just be surprised!
Elisabeth Hallam
It has been said that prayer is the power
house of the church, and over the many
7
Working Hard & Resting Well
A little about Riding Lights....
An employee, or volunteer, who works
hard at work, whether or not they
like their job, is quite rightly a highly
valued commodity.
Riding Lights Theatre Company is one of the
UK’s most productive and long-established
independent theatre companies. Founded
in York over 30 years ago, partly through the
initiative of a city-centre
church, the company
continues to take innovative,
accessible theatre into all
kinds of communities far and
wide. Their aim is to create
unforgettable, entertaining
theatre in response to current
issues and the hopes and fears
of the world we share. While the company’s
roots are in a Christian ethos, their work is
open to everyone, using faith as a springboard to
explore all aspects of life.
Being someone who is good at resting and
avoiding the dangers of overwork is somewhat
less valued! Resting is often equated with being
lazy. The truth is that resting well is often the
opposite of being lazy! It takes real discipline,
effort and courage to prioritise and complete
the most important tasks of the days so that at
the end of the shift you can say “That’s enough
for today. What’s unfinished will have to stay that
way until tomorrow.” Resting well also includes
the ability to switch off from the work. Some
find this nigh on impossible as they keep reading
and acting on emails late into the night. But if we
don’t learn to rest well everyone suffers.
Rest is built into the first biblical account
of creation. Rest is incorporated in the 10
commandments. Rest is something that Jesus
talked about and modelled. Despite this, so
many of us are not good at resting. It may be
that we see work as something that gives us
worth, and we work all the more so as to gain
more and more self-esteem. It can feel that when
we are ‘doing things’ we are being of value, and
that makes us feel good. Resting can seem like
wasting time.
The truth is, rest is crucial to our well-being and
productivity. Good rest enables better work
- smart employers in the industrial revolution
realised this hundreds of years ago. Good
rest enables relationships with those who are
important to us to be restored and renewed.
We all need to spend time with those who are
important to us, and no amount of work should
ever take this away. Good rest enables us to
rediscover that our value is not in what we do
but in who we are.
Working hard and resting well needs motivation,
and usually someone to keep us accountable.
May your friends, your values or faith, and your
own efforts help you to work hard and rest well.
What the press have said about their
productions:
“The York Mystery Plays have returned to their
natural, outdoor setting… Their home-coming
is a triumph.”
Guardian (5 stars)
“Riding Lights excel at raw, exciting drama… a
refreshingly original experience”
Metro
“Riding Lights has established an enviable reputation
for theatre which aims its sights high… an excellent
track record for success.”
The Stage
We are pleased to invite them to perform their
show ‘FANTASTIC ACTS’ at St Francis Church.
Professional quality theatre and a great night
out. Invite your friends to see the show, or for
details log on to http://ridinglights.org/acts/
Richard Heard
This article is adapted from the blog
revrichardheard.wordpress.com
8
9
PRIESTLEY BY NAME
ADAM & KIM ARRIVE IN DONCASTER
Adam and Kim Priestley have
recently moved to Doncaster.
Having been ordained in June
in Sheffield Cathedral, Adam
will now continue his ministerial
training at St Francis Church
in Bessacarr for three years.
They both come from the
Nottinghamshire area and their
growing family includes Ellie,
Asher and a new arrival due in
October (and also their two pet
goldfish). We asked them a few
questions about themselves and
what they thought about their
move.
Having just moved into
the area how are you
settling in to your new
home?
Adam: I have done a few jobs in the
past, but directly before coming to
Bessacarr I trained for three years
at a Church of England theological
college in Nottingham. During that
time I did lots of practical training, but
also managed to complete a Masters
degree in theology.
Kim: Having completed a degree in
British Sign Language just before Adam
went to theological college I worked
with deaf people in education. However,
since we had Asher, and with the new
arrival on the way, I’ve also
“There’s
been on maternity leave.
loads to do
here”
Kim: Although we haven’t previously
had any connection with Doncaster,
we’ve found that it’s a great place to
live. There’s loads to do here and we
love having Lakeside on our doorstep.
Adam: Also the people really make a
place and we’ve been made to feel very
welcome by both the church family at
St Francis and the wider community in
Bessacarr.
10
10
What were you doing before you
came to St Francis?
How have you found
your transition into St
Francis Church?
Adam: As well as being a place of quiet Even before coming to St Francis
prayer St Francis also has an amazingly Revd Richard Heard and I discussed
the benefits of some kind of youth
packed schedule, you can see some of
the many things we do from the posters and young adults’ outreach in the
area. When I came to Bessacarr my
in the window. Before theological
observations only served to confirm
training Kim and I were both actively
involved in a lively Coffee Shop Church, this. That was the conception of what
we have now affectionately named
which always had new things to do
‘Franky’s Nostell Place’. Although it is
and try. St Francis is very similar in that
still very much in the early
respect, and so we feel
“There is
stages, it is an initiative that
very much at home.
definitely a strong is seeking to build positive
community feel to relationships with young
What are your plans
people and provide a safe
the place ”
for your time at St
place to meet. St Francis
Francis Church?
has the use of both a café
and a large hall. Key to
the
DNA
of
‘Franky’s
Nostell Place’ is
Adam: As part of my training to be a
an
open
atmosphere
in which young
Church of England vicar I will learn
people
are
encouraged
to shape and
and do all the regular things needed
define
their
own
sense
of
community.
for ministry, such as leading services,
Please
look
out
for
further
notices
weddings, funerals and the general
about
‘Franky’s
Nostell
Place’
coming
day-to-day duties required of a parish
soon!
priest. However, this post has also
given me some really
exciting opportunities
to develop a new
initiative.
Adam: There is definitely a strong
community feel to the place and the
congregation has been extremely
welcoming. The congregation have also
really embraced the children as well.
Kim: Yes, Ellie and Asher both love
the Sunday services and groups but
have also enjoyed taking part in Messy
Church, Toddler Group, and helping
with a church clear-up. I have also
found time to go to the Summer Bible
School for adults.
11
What takes place at St Francis Church & Centre?
Christmas
Fun Morning
& Services
Church Contact
Ann Gray: Centre Administrator & PCC Secretary - Hall/Room Bookings please phone (01302) 538487 / or email: [email protected]
Summary of Regular Activities
At the time of going to press, these are the regular activities and events taking place
at the Church and Centre. Many of these are run by the church or by church members.
Some are run by outside agencies.
Prayer and Worship: Daily, .................................................................Church Office - 538487
Coming Soon!
Sue Ryder Community Drop in: Mondays,.......................... Kerrice Cavanagh 01302 380077
“Franky’s Nostell Place”
Rainbows & Brownies: Monday evenings, ............................................. Jane Chick - 535363
A new place for youth &
young adults to meet!
Rock Choir: Monday evenings: .................................................. Kate Threfall - 01252714276
Meet and Eat Lunch: 2nd Monday monthly, .................................. Sarah Rogerson - 535747
Beavers, Cubs and Scouts: Wednesday and Friday* evenings,...Noreen Sherburn - 535769
Hope Bereavement Drop In: 1st and 3rd Wednesdays,.....................Church Office - 538487
U3A - Mah Jong: 2nd Tuesday monthly, .................................... Mrs Willy Fry - 01302 538172
St Francis Toddler Group: Wednesday mornings, ................................ Dawn Kwok - 539839
Coffee Morning in the Café: Thursday, ..................................................Mary Scott - 533539
Slimming World: Thursday evenings, ...................................................... Sue - 01302 867451
Line Dancing: Tuesday and Thursday afternoons, ............................... Fran Harper - 817124
Please join us on
Remembrance
Sunday
9th November 2014
at St Francis Church,
Nostell Place, 10.30am
Mothers’ Union in the Café: 2nd Thursday evening monthly, .................. Jan Laws - 874305
Mothers’ Union Soup lunch: 4th Friday monthly, ........................... Sarah Rogerson - 535747
Sun 14th December
6pm Carols by Candlelight
Service
--------------------------------------4pm Christingle and Crib Service
You are also invited to
Midnight Mass starting
at 11.30pm
---------------------------------------
KT Danz: Street/Freestyle Dance: Friday evenings, ............... Katie Hodgson - 07867613929
Café Theo Community Café: Saturday & Wednesday mornings, .Marlene Gannon - 530470
Sequence Dancing: 1st and 3rd Saturday evenings, .................... Michael Ingman - 538199
*Beavers and cubs meet at St Francis Church. Scouts meet at Willow School.
12
Sun 30th November
10.30am Advent Sunday Special
All Age Service
---------------------------------------
Wed 24th December
Mothers’ Union Whist Drive: 1st and 3rd Saturday evenings, ................. Pat Hilson - 531282
Please contact those in charge of individual groups to confirm details and times of
meetings prior to attending for the first time as some details may change.
Sat 29th November
Christmas Fun Morning
(Christmas crafts, games, some
gift stalls and an early
visit from Santa)
10.30am to 12.30pm at
St Francis Church Hall
---------------------------------------
Thurs 25th December
...... we will remember ......
10.30am Christmas Day
Celebration Service
13
Community News...
n
Coming soo
!
to St Francis
16th
Oct
Riding Lights FANTASTIC
ACTS @ St Francis
7.30pm
25th
Oct
Community Dinner Date
7pm
2nd
Nov
Service of Remembrance for
the Bereaved
4pm
8th
Nov
Messy Church
4pm
9th
Nov
Remembrance Sunday
Service
10.30am
29th
Nov
Christmas Fun Morning
10.30am
30th
Nov
Advent All Age Service
10.30pm
14th
Dec
Carols by Candlelight
6pm
24th
Dec
Crib and Christingle Service
4pm
24th
Dec
Midnight Mass
11.30pm
10th
Jan
Messy Church
4pm
?
?
?
Why so many religions?
Why do bad things happen
to good people?
Hasn’t evolution removed
the need for God?
Come and ask YOUR questions,
and we’ll see if between us we can
find the answers.
To enquire about the next course
leave a message at 01302538487
or email admin.francisofassisi@
gmail.com
14
drop-in centre
Sundays @ St Francis
Join us for breakfast!
A complementary breakfast is served
from 9.30am to 10.15am every
Sunday morning.
8.30am Service
A shorter service for early birds, and
those who like the traditions and
beautiful language of the Book of
Common Prayer.
10.30am Service
A friendly and informal modern style
of worship, with groups for children
and young people available.
6pm Service
First Sunday of the month A traditional communion service
with hymns.
Sue Ryder has established a number of
community-based services in Doncaster
over the previous few years, supporting
adults and older people who may have
physical disabilities, dementia, or
who are at risk of social isolation. We
provide befriending and a range of
community-based activities, promote
peer support and have experience of
working with other organisations to
provide a meaningful range of day
activities and useful information.
Community Friends’ Café
Following success with our application for the
innovation fund, we have begun to develop
community groups in three areas of Doncaster
that run weekly between 10am and 3pm.
•
Your local café meets on Mondays from 10am
to 3pm at St Francis Church Hall, Bessacarr.
Contact Kerrice Cavanagh on 01302 380077
for details.
People from the local community can call in
and stay for as little or as long as they wish, get
to know others in their community, and take
part in some activity that can be facilitated to
take place by our support workers.
•
•
Other Sundays A quieter reflective service
to end the day.
www.francisofassisi.co.uk
•
support network (for older people and
their carers).
Establish new volunteering opportunities
(available to people of all ages / abilities).
This may also include volunteering
opportunities linked to other Sue Ryder
services (including Retail, Fund-raising
and Administration functions).
Establishing new local community links
in each of our chosen localities (helping
to create ‘friendly communities’).
•
We aim to: establish a local community
network, accessible to older people (we
are not restricting the service to people
over 65 years of age), who are living
with a long term condition (including
dementia) and may be at risk of social
isolation.
Create and empower a local interest
group, able to eventually assume control
of the service (directly managing
volunteers), with on-going (minimal),
support from Sue Ryder. We aim to
establish a service which is sustainable.
Make a difference for individuals, provide
a sense of purpose, and establish a local
Café visitors at St Francis
Other café locations are:
Wednesdays 10am to 3pm at St Paul’s Church
Hall, Wheatley, and Thursdays 10am to 3pm at St
Peter’s (The White Church) Hall, Warmsworth.
15
engage
Issue 4 - Autumn/Winter 2014
The opinions expressed in ‘engage’ are not necessarily those of the Vicar or the PCC, although we fully accept responsibility for
the content. Errors and omissions excepted. If you wish to talk about any issues mentioned in ‘engage’, please
contact us via our Centre Admin email address which is [email protected] - Thank you.
Design by Malcolm Johnston ([email protected])
16
www.francisofassisi.co.uk