| This is a selection of articles from a recent edition of the St Michael's Church News magazine. Click on the line in the contents list to go to the chosen article. The comments and views expressed in these articles are not necessarily in agreement with those of the Church of England or of the Rector or elected officers of the parish of St Michael, Tilehurst. The magazine is published monthly except in January and August. It is available in either printed or audio (cassette tape) format. For subscriptions, and to arrange local or postal deliveries, please contact the Circulation Officer - refer to the Parish Magazine details on the Communication Channels page. |
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The following article, by the Rector's wife, appeared
in the April 2008 edition of the church magazine.
Don't panic! I haven't turned to clairvoyance on the side - I'd
just like to share my reflections on what it is like on the other side
of rectory life: the side that seeks to sustain John as he serves us
all in this place; the side that opens its doors in hospitality to you
and the side that is our home and offers us comfort as a family.
As we chat to people, it is interesting to note that one of the questions
that we are frequently asked is: "Have you settled in yet?" The
answer comes easily: we settled in within days and here we are several
months down the line and feeling that we have been here forever!
It is a privilege to be here; there is a real sense of God's calling for
John and, for me, it feels good to have the opportunity to support him
in his work. You have made it very easy for us, welcoming us with
your love and support and I already feel part of a big family.
As I was chatting to someone the other day, I reflected on how much
easier it is to move away from one's roots if one becomes part of a
supportive church community. I suppose it is a little different
for John and me, as he is your Rector and, inevitably, we are welcomed
in a slightly different way than we would be if we were simply part of
a congregation as lay people. But, welcomed we have been!
There have been gifts of all kinds: flowers; wine; garden implements
... everything but the kitchen sink (the Diocese provided that).
You have invited us into the heart of your homes and fed us ... you
know how to cook good food in the south and the wine is not bad
either! You have opened your hearts too, about all kinds of
issues and concerns and it is a real privilege to be trusted with
these things, which is very humbling.
During Lent lunch the other day, I was chatting to someone else and
recounting the story of the daunting task of filling this huge house
with furniture, having sold or given away all of ours when we had
sold our house to live on a boat. Within days of the
announcement of John's appointment we had enough furniture to
fill it, with some to spare, given by wonderful friends.
How amazing is that? The point of this tale is that sometimes
it seems that some things are just meant to be. Having
recognised that on the day we that we arrived and some kind of
order was established in our living room, John and I were overcome
with emotion. We were overwhelmed with gratitude for the
gifts we had been given to make our lives more comfortable and
humbled that God had called us to be with you here in Tilehurst.
Since we have been here I have had the opportunity to stand back
and reflect on life and just how unpredictable it can be at
times. I thought I had it all worked out (kind of):
I would continue to work for my then employer; develop my
Christian ministry and counselling work in the North and continue
to have friends and family on the doorstep. Well, what a
year it has been! Obviously God had other plans.
As I reflect on this, I am mindful of our Lent course and what
it has taught me: I have had to re-evaluate my relationships
- in the family; in the Church; in the community;
with the environment and with God. I don't know about you,
but I am tremendously excited about the next stage in our ministry
together. What I ask for, more than anything, is that I
continue to experience God at the centre of my life as I move
forward; that He is there as I seek to explore His will
in my life and in our lives as a couple as we share the good
times and the not so good times together in the fellowship of
Christ with you.
God bless you,
JR
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| Marie Bernadette Soubirous was born in 1844. She was the eldest in a family of six children. Her visions led to Lourdes becoming one of the most popular and famous Christian places of pilgrimage. Her story shows how a simple young country girl can have a great influence on the lives of a very large number of people. Her father lived near Lourdes, and was a poor miller who was far from thrifty. He could not afford to send Bernadette to school. One day, when she was 14, Bernadette was collecting firewood near the River Gave when she saw a vision of the Virgin Mary in a rocky cave. The Virgin told her to pray and do penance for sinners. Bernadette told people what had happened, but they would not believe her. "I saw a girl in white, no bigger than myself, who greeted me with a slight bow of the head. She stretched out her arms slightly away from her body, opening her hands, as in the pictures of Our Lady. Over her right arm hung a rosary." A week later, Bernadette saw the Virgin again, and this continued for a fortnight. A spring started to flow nearby, and people - about 2,000 of them - came to see the miraculous spring in the hope of seeing the Virgin. After another week, the Virgin told Bernadette to build a chapel on the sacred site. This was so that people could drink and wash in the water. However, the visions ceased after a few more weeks. The water from the spring is said to have healing powers, and thousands of pilgrims visit it every year in the hope of a cure for their maladies. A large church was built and consecrated in 1876 but, although she was still alive, Bernadette refused to go to see it. In fact, once she left Lourdes she never returned. This Church is now the focus of a great and well-organised religious centre with all the necessary facilities, including the sale of suitable gifts and bottles of water from the spring. However, the streets around are now crowded with shops selling cheap souvenirs spoiling the atmosphere of the town. Bernadette always wished to become a member of the Carmelite Order of nuns, but her lack of education and poor health prevented this. She suffered from asthma and also experienced a bout of cholera. For some time she lived in a hospice run by nuns. However, in 1866, she joined the Sisters of Notre Dame, undertaking nursing and domestic wife. She died in 1879, after years of debilitating illness which threatened to take her life on more than one occasion. She was made a Saint in 1933. We may (or may not) be sceptical about the miraculous healing of some people following a visit to Lourdes. However, there is no doubt that thousands receive comfort there, whether healed or not. Her feast day is on April 16th, the date of her death. OJ |
Margaret, are you grievingGerard Manley Hopkins (1844-1889) |
We raise the bells for ringing,The Oxford Diocesan Guild of Church Bell Ringers exists to promote the regular ringing of church bells to call people to worship. It publishes training material and runs courses throughout the diocese to encourage and support its members. In May 2008 we had the honour of hosting the Guild's 8-Bell Striking Competition. Striking? This refers to when the bell actually sounds i.e. the clapper hits the bell and makes a noise. You might think that the sound occurs at the same point after a bell is pulled and that it is the same for every bell that is rung. Unfortunately, this is not the case and a certain amount of skill is required in order to strike the bell properly. What is 'properly'? Each bell should strike at an equal distance from the bell that rings before it. After each bell has rung twice, there should be a short gap before repeating the pattern. At our church we have 8 bells so this would be: 1234567812345678(gap)1234567812345678(gap)1234567812345678... The skill is in being able to hear the bell you are ringing amongst the others and adjusting the time of pulling the rope in order to achieve the equal gaps. There are many experienced ringers who struggle to hear their own bells and who can only try to act on the advice from those lucky enough to be able to do this. The bells are numbered from 1 (the lightest, called the 'treble') to 8 (the heaviest, called the 'tenor'). Ringing in order from the lightest bell (1) down to the heaviest (8) in descending scale is called ringing 'rounds', and all ringing starts and ends with rounds. 'Methods' are produced when the order of the bells is changed systematically. A pair of bells can change places by one ringer speeding up his bell and another ringer slowing his bell down. Methods are given names such as Plain Hunt Triples (in Triples, bell number 8 rings last every time): 12345678 21436578 24163758 42617358 46271538 64725138 67452318 76543218 ... The bells swap in pairs and, if the pattern is continued, the bells will eventually return to 'rounds'. Notice that a bell can only change places with the bell next to it. Variations to the above method are produced by bells swapping with either the bell before it or after it, or even not swapping at all. These form different patterns that are given names, and it is these patterns which the bellringer memorises. These patterns are further varied when the conductor makes a certain call during the ringing. This alters the length of ringing. The possible number of different rows (changes) can be calculated for different numbers of bells:
We call, from tower and steeple,JD, Tower Captain |