Andrew the Apostle, Patron Saint of Scotland

Andrew,a Galilean fisherman, features in all four gospels as one of the Apostles. His alacrity in recognising Jesus and and introducing him to his more famous brother, Simon Peter, has made him an early missionary hero.

About the middle of the tenth century, according to legend Andrew’s relics were brought to what is now St Andrew’s, and he became Scotland’s patron saint. His favours are, however, spread widely, as Ukraine, Russia, Romania, Greece, Amalfi, Luqa in Malta,  Esgueira in Portugal and Prussia also claim his protection.

Collect

Almighty God,
who gave such grace to your apostle Saint Andrew
that he readily obeyed the call of your Son Jesus Christ
   and brought his brother with him:
call us by your holy Word,
and give us grace to follow you without delay
   and to tell the good news of your kingdom;
through Jesus Christ your Son our Lord,
who is alive and reigns with you,
in the unity of the Holy Spirit,
one God, now and for ever.

Filed under: Celebrating the Saints

Ely Diocesan Prayers: November 30

Orwell Group: Arrington St Nicholas, Barrington All Saints, Croydon with Clopton All Saints, Orwell St Andrew and Wimpole St Andrew

Rector: Neil Brice

ALMs: Hilda Tattersall; Mary Stapleton; Wayne Talbot

The benefice give thanks for the increasing sense of support and fellowship in the benefice and the willingness to share so many things together.

St Andrew

West Virginia (USA) – The Rt Revd Willam Mitchie Klusmeyer

Filed under: Prayer Cycle

The Church is making a difference in Cockermouth. Can you?

The churches in Cockermouth are doing great work in the flood relief – just as they did in Carlisle four years ago. I’m told hivis jackets with ‘chaplain’ on are everywhere, so that won’t just be the clergy then. Good! Would you consider making a donation to help? You’ll find details of two ways to do it in the letter below from Wendy Sanders, who followed me as Team Rector. One is via the local church, the other via the general Cumbria Flood Relief Fund. Although it’s been very dry round here recently, Fen people know what it’s like to face the floods.

Dear David

Thanks for your prayers – we certainly need them! The Churches are doing a tremendous job – we go out with Sainsbury trolleys taking hot drinks and food to those who are clearing out their houses and businesses and we are taking a van full of bag of food for the people who live in Derwent Mills and the new homes in Derwentside as they are completely cut off from the town except for a long drive round the A66. We are feeding people breakfast, lunch and and evening meal plus lots of tea and coffee and cakes etc. The local supermarkets have been very generous and people have been calling in leaving donations towards our expenses.

Christ Church is now the Drop in Centre for all the major players in the recovery programme and it is amazing to see it being used in this way. Archbishop John came to see us yesterday and he was thrilled with what we’ve done and was really excited about the transformation of the church. [Note: amazingly, Christ Church has just been re-ordered replacing its pews with flexible space – just when needed.]

If you want to send any donations there are two options. 1) Send cheques payable to Christ Church DCC at The Parish Office Christ Church Rooms South Street, Cockermouth CA13 9NF. This money is being kept in a fund which will help towards the overall costs of the running of the current project and any monies left over will then be placed in the Churches Together in Cockermouth account to be given out to those in need as and when we become aware of them. 2) Give to the Cumbria Community Foundation Flood Recovery Fund via www.cumbriafoundation.org.

We realise that many of the needs will not appear until a few months down the line when people know exactly what they have lost and what the insurance companies are prepared to pay for. Also there are the immediate needs of people who are living in the upstairs of their homes as they don’t want to leave them empty.

Do continue to pray for us – for those moments when we get tired and tempers run short, for energy and strength and protection from infection, and for a real sense of God’s peace and presence amongst us as we seek to serve him in this way.

Love

Wendy

The Parish Office Christ Church Rooms South Street, Cockermouth CA13 9NF

Filed under: Current affairs

Environment Exhibition – Ely Cathedral

Ely Social Responsibility Forum have  organised an exhibition in Ely Cathedral which is running from 28th November to 10th December 2009.

The objective of the exhibition is to increase public awareness of environmental threats to the planet and the practical issue which this raises. The aim is not just to provide information about the causes and dimensions of the risk but to answer the practical question, “What can I do?”

At the opening I highlighted three things we could Learn:

• Less is more. We’ve lived through a time when it’s been to good to try and ‘have it all’ and we are suffering from a serious bout of consumption. We need to try living more simply so that others can simply live.
• Local action can make a global difference. It’s always worth every one of us doing what we can do.
• Lightening up matters too: these are serious matters, but our faith gives us hope that a good kingdom can and will come for the earth.

Filed under: Christianity, Environment

Ely Diocesan Prayers: November 29

November 29 – December 5 Deanery of

Shingay

Rural Dean: Canon Shamus Williams Advent 1

Lay Chairman: Mr Geoffrey Wells Porvoo, Church of Finland

29 As we give thanks for 900 years of Diocesan life so we pray for our Bishops Anthony (who will soon be retiring) and David facing fresh responsibilities in the coming Interregnum together with the Senior Staff praying and planning for the years ahead. Meeting this week of Council for Mission and Ministry

Confirmation, Wisbech Lynn Marshland Deanery – Wisbech St Peter and St Paul

West Texas (USA) – The Rt Revd Gary Lillibridge: Suffragan Bishop – The Rt Revd David Mitchell Reed

Filed under: Prayer Cycle

Nativity! resources now available

Paul Maddens (Martin Freeman) is a failed actor turned primary school teacher. Every year his school puts on a nativity play that is surpassed in every way by the one that Paul’s old rival, Gordon Shakespeare (Jason Watkins), puts on at the local independent school. This Christmas Paul is keen to avoid the embarrassment altogether, but finds himself enlisted as director. The next time Paul meets Gordon, he boasts that their old friend, Jenny (Ashley Jensen), is flying in from Hollywood to make his production into a book and film. This ridiculous lie gathers pace in the hands of Paul’s naive classroom assistant, Mr. Poppy (Marc Wootton). Soon everyone believes that Hollywood is coming to Coventry.

As Gordon and Paul vie for the best-reviewed Christmas production, their true colours are revealed. Gordon’s early introduction as a man who ‘only truly loved himself’ is exemplified again and again. He disciplines and motivates his class, but only in the pursuit of his aspirations. Paul’s frustrated ambition is just as destructive as Gordon’s. He labels his class, ‘literally useless’, creates a lie to save face in front of Gordon and repeatedly blames Mr. Poppy for his failures. It is clear that both nativities revolve around the teachers directing them.

Eventually Paul learns something from Mr. Poppy, a childlike messianic figure who puts the children before himself. It is Mr. Poppy who inspires Paul to bring the nativity play to life.  [more...]

Holly Price

Read the article and discussion guide on the CultureWatch website

Filed under: Films, Resources

King’s School Ely, Admission of Scholars, 2009

Congratulations to Charlotte Bain, Jessica Bartlett, Jennifer Clark, Jonathan East, Martha Eddy, Alex Garner, Alexandra Hill, Charlie Kenzie, Rowan McConkey, Jonathan Moore, Oliver Moses, Rebecca Phillips, Bruno Russell and Rosie White who were admitted as King’s and Queen’s Scholars at King’s School Ely yesterday, on the basis of their outstanding GCSE results. As Scholars they join the Cathedral Foundation, and it was my privilege to muse aloud with the school and its guests as to what sort of foundation we are building our own lives on.

Photo credit: King’s School website

Matthew 7:24-27 The Wise and Foolish Builders

²⁴ “Everyone who hears these words of mine and puts them into practice is like a wise man who built his house on the rock. ²⁵ The rain came down, the streams rose, and the winds blew and beat against that house; yet it did not fall, because it had its foundation on the rock. ²⁶ But everyone who hears these words of mine and does not put them into practice is like a foolish man who built his house on sand. ²⁷ The rain came down, the streams rose, and the winds blew and beat against that house, and it fell with a great crash.” ²⁸ When Jesus had finished saying these things, the crowds were amazed at his teaching, ²⁹ because he taught as one who had authority, and not as their teachers of the law.

What was that Bible reading all about? The one about the wise man who built his house on the rock, and the foolish man who built his house on the sand, that we heard earlier? Well, I don’t know if you’ve been to the Holy Land, but if you do, take the time to get off the beaten track and visit one of the desert wadis. They are the dry sandy riverbeds that criss cross the parched landscape. Plenty of level, empty building ground in those riverbeds. Far easier to use than the rocky highlands around them. But then, unpredictably, without warning, the rains pour down, and everything in them is washed away, full stop. So … what sort of ground are you building on?

Filed under: Church of England, Churches, Schools, Sermons and Talks

Ely Diocesan Prayers: November 28

Cambridge St Matthew

P.I.C.: Frank Price

Rtd Priest: Julia Popp

ALMs: Rose Thomas-Carr (Community); Andy Liggins (Youth);

Ian Somasundram (Young Adults)

Links: Tim and Shireen Ettrick (Azerbaijan); Andy and Sarah Perrett (China); Luke Wilson (Columbia); Barton and Mariane Wylie (Friends International)

Give thanks that 75 new members from St Andrew the Great, Cambridge were so warmly welcomed and for the greater links with local community that have resulted. Pray for unity and growth as we serve our neighbourhood and our networks of contacts.

Confirmation, St Neots Deanery

West Tennessee (USA) – The Rt Revd Don E Johnson

Filed under: Prayer Cycle

Swine flu: Archbishops advise Communion can be given in both kinds again

New advice just received from the Archbishops of Canterbury and York says that communion can now be given in both kinds again, though we should continue to be careful about hygeine. See the note about this and other advice at the end of the post.

Dear Bishop,

In July,during the first wave of the Swine Flu pandemic we issued national advice with regard to the administration of Holy Communion.

This advice was based on information and guidance received from the Department of Health which was geared to the situation at that time and the projected levels of risk suggested by the potential course of the pandemic. Since then the scientific understanding of the Swine Flu virus has advanced, further experience of the course of the epidemic has been gained, and the first stage of a vaccination programme, targeted at those most at risk from the virus, is nearing completion.

Throughout this period, our advice has been driven by the interests of public health, particularly for the protection of the vulnerable.

In the light of continuing consultation with the Department of Health, and with updated information on the course of the Swine Flu pandemic, we believe that we can now advise that the normal administration of Holy Communion ought to resume. This recommendation is subject to the guidelines issued in June (http://www.cofe.anglican.org/info/swineflu/communion.doc) which set out good hygiene practice for public worship and which allows for local discretion in the event of outbreaks of pandemic flu in particular centres of population. We shall also continue to monitor the situation.

We wish to thank you for your patience and cooperation during this challenging period for both Church and Community. We are thankful that the pandemic has so far proved less severe than was feared.

Please pass this on to your colleagues in the diocese.

With every blessing,

+Rowan Cantuar +Sentamu Ebor

Michael Goater, our adviser for Emergency Planning, adds the following comments:

1.         The Archbishops will continue to monitor the situation closely.

2.         The pandemic alert level remains high.  It is crucial that good hygiene continues.  Specifically –

a.         in respect of the bread –

·         communion should not be given on the tongue;

·         care should be taken to ensure that the fingers of the person distributing the sacrament do not come into contact with the communicants’ hands;

·         high standards of hand hygiene should be maintained with soap and water or handrubs;

b.         in respect of the wine –

·         intinction by the communicant should be discouraged, and is an undesirable practice even by Eucharistic ministers, since the Department of Health advise that the practice may present a greater risk factor than the common cup;   

·         the use of individual communion cups is not lawful in the Church of England;

·         a chalice of gold, silver or other metal should be used rather than of pottery, and especially of unglazed pottery;

·         the rim of the chalice should be firmly wiped with a purificator after each communicant;

·         the same part of the purificator should not be used repeatedly, nor should it be allowed to become sodden;

·         in addition to ritual ablutions, the chalice should be thoroughly cleaned after use.

3.         Local discretion should be observed where there is continuing concern about the incidence of swine flu in the community.  

4.         Communicants should feel free to choose to receive communion in one kind only.  While communion in both kinds is the norm in the Church of England, in faithfulness to Christ’s institution, when it is received faithfully only in one kind the fullness of the Sacrament is received none the less.  

It is important to remember that, while the common cup may now represent a minimal risk for healthy adults, the evidence regarding the link between a shared chalice and transmission of disease is mixed and suggests that for those whose immune systems have been compromised a notable hazard may still be present.  Neither the alcoholic content of wine  nor the antiseptic qualities of noble metals provide protection against the flu virus, which can survive for a significant period outside a host body. 

Communicants who have been identified by the Department of Health as being at increased risk from contracting the swine flu virus will need to consider whether they should return yet to their former Eucharistic practice.

The Archbishops conclude their communiqué by thanking us for our patience and cooperation during this recent challenging period.   The text of their letter is on the Church of England website.

Bishop Anthony commends the Archbishops’ advice to the Diocese and urges the importance of continued vigilance and safe practice.   He joins the Archbishops in thanking everyone for their patience and cooperation in the difficult months since Easter.

The Diocesan guidelines (see the Diocesan web site) will be amended. 

Michael Goater

Bishop’s Adviser for Emergency Planning

Filed under: Church of England, Current affairs

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Filed under: Church of England, Schools