Weekly Newsletter for the 15th August 2021
Dear friends
If you have been accessing these messages online via the St George’s website (apparently 20-30 people do each week!) you will have seen the wonderful photos that Richard Elliot finds to illustrate my often random thoughts. I marvel at his ingenuity and creativity. I have joked with him that we should do it the other way around. He finds a good photo and then I will offer my musings based on it. I said this only half in jest, since I am largely prompted by the things I have seen. I flatter myself that I am in good company. I often imagine Jesus pointing or waving as he recounted his telling stories. “Consider the lilies of the field” (Luke 12.27) is a phrase that was surely accompanied by a gesture indicating what could be seen by his disciples. And when he wasn’t pointing, he was often reliant on his audience being able to summon to mind the landscape/scenario he describes.
We too should allow the natural world around us (and there’s plenty of it in Shropshire) to direct our thoughts to God and enquire what He might be trying to say to us. I wonder what Richard will come up with to illustrate that!
Group Service
On Sunday Aug 29th, there will be a service for the whole family to come together at Holy Trinity Minsterley at 10.30. The service is being led by Revd Carolyn, with Greg preaching. We are going to take in the opportunity to swear in all the churchwardens in the group. It will therefore be a special occasion in more than one respect. Our plan is to have a group choir, consisting of choristers from any of the six churches in the family. If you would like to sing as a one-off, please come to choir practice at Holy Trinity at 1.30 p.m. on Fridays 20th and 27th August.
Special services
Bishop Richard will be visiting Holy Trinity Minsterley on Sunday Sept 5th for the 10.30 service in order to dedicate the refurbished building. This service has been delayed from the Spring, but will still be very special. Also, on September 19th, we will be hosting joint services with the Methodists and Congregationalists at 10.30 at both Minsterley and Pontesbury. Please do join us if you can in order that we may celebrate that we are one church in the eyes of God.
Sponsored Walk
On Saturday Sept 18th, Greg will be leading a party of walkers around the six churches of the group, taking in Shepherd’s rock along the way, raising funds for local churches as well as the Shropshire Historic Churches Trust. The walk will begin and end in Pontesbury and will follow a clockwise route around the benefices. Fellow walkers are welcome to join us and leave us at any point along the route. In due course, we will publish an approximate timetable. Stephen Winwood has kindly agreed to provide administrative support and sponsor forms are available from him.
Alpha
There will be an online Alpha course for the Deanery running on Tuesday evenings commencing Tuesday 21st Sept. There will also be an in-person course at Yockleton on Tuesday lunchtimes. Please contact Mark Hackney at mark.hackney@hereford.anglican.org if you would like to join one of these courses or want to find out more.
First Aid Training
There is a First Aid call available to anyone in the family who wants to be able to help if an emergency arises: ideal for those involved in children’s work or caring groups. The cost is £35 for a day’s training at Leominster Village Hall on Monday August 30th (they are aware that this is a Bank Holiday). Places may be reserved by contacting Lizzy Hackney at lizziehackney@hotmail.com
Minsterley Show
We still need volunteers to support our work at the Minsterley Show, joining either a Messy Church team or an Open the Book Team. If able to give an hour, please contact Greg or Mary Worrall.
Sermon Recording
As previously advertised, (although I neglected to mention it last week), we will be posting a recording of a live sermon plus notices on the Pontesbury and Stiperstones websites each week. We can’t guarantee that they will appear on the Sunday, but should be available early the following week.
Richard Lewis
The funeral of Richard Lewis, who sadly died last week at the age of 91, will take place at St George’s on Tues Aug 24th at 2.15. Our thoughts and prayers are with Marian and their family.
N.B. From Richard: The House Martin (illustrated) is a little creature that I knew well as a boy in Kent. Even today my sister who still lives in Kent has wire netting around the eaves to limit the number of nests. These tiny birds migrate to Central and Southern Africa for Winter, and they run the gauntlet of French, Italian and Egyptian hunters who now use very fine nets, to capture them. When I worked in North Africa I used to put oil drums out in a line with an inch of water on top, and watch these little birds swoop in for a drink on their journey. This year the Elliott house has had a pair of Martins raise a clutch, and they have now gone, sadly leaving an unmistakable goodbye. I hope they take the Gibraltar route.
