News and Comment       May 2011

12^th June

Apples This tale comes from a Roman Catholic elementary school . . .  Up at the head table in the school cafeteria, one of the nuns had placed a big bowl of bright red, fresh, juicy apples.  Beside the bowl, she placed a note which read, "Take only one.   Remember, God is watching."  At the other end of the table was a bowl full of freshly baked chocolate chip cookies, still warm from the oven.  Beside the bowl lay a little note scrawled in a child's handwriting which read:  "Take all you want.  God is watching the apples!”

5^th June

Ordination of Rev’d Pauline Jones On Saturday 18th June, Pauline Jones is being ordained as priest at Manchester Cathedral. To recognise this event, there will be a Joint Parish Service at All Saints and Martyrs, Langley, beginning at 10.45am on Sunday 19th June, where Pauline will be presiding over her first Holy Communion. The service will be followed by a buffet in the church hall. Everyone is very welcome to attend the service and the buffet afterwards. Lifts will be available to help people get up to Langley - please have a word with Simon if you need a lift. There will still be a service of said Communion at Bowlee, beginning at 10.30am as usual for those who  do not wish to go up to Langley.

June 2nd     Ascension Day Forty Days with the Risen Christ 40 days after Easter comes Ascension Day.  It may seem crazy to call it Eastertide when Easter is clearly over! - but these are the 40 days during which the Risen Christ appeared again and again to his disciples, following his death and resurrection.  The Gospels give us little of Christ’s teachings and deeds during those forty days.  Jesus was seen by numerous disciples: on the road to Emmaus, by the Sea of Galilee, in houses, etc.  He strengthened and encouraged his disciples, and at last opened their eyes to all that the Scriptures had promised about the Messiah.  Jesus also told them that as the Father had sent him, he was now going to send them - to all corners of the earth, as his witnesses. If you want to find more detail to Christ’s appearances, the stories can be found in Matthew 28;  Mark 16; Luke 24; and John 20.

29^th May

ALL IN THE MONTH OF MAY. It was.... 400 years ago:- on 2^nd May 1611 that the King James Version of the Bible was published. 175 years ago:  on 24^th May 1836 that Joseph Rowntree, British philanthropist, social reformer, businessman and chocolatier was born. 125 years ago: on 8^th May 1886 that Coca-Cola first went on sale, in Atlanta, Georgia. 100 years ago: on 18^th May 1911 that Gustav Mahler, Austrian composer, died. Also 100 years ago:  on 29^th May 1911, that Sir W S Gilbert, British playwright and humourist, best known for his comic operas produced in collaboration with Sir Arthur Sullivan, died. 90 years ago: on 5^th May 1921, that Chanel No. 5 perfume was launched. 80 years ago: on 1^st May 1931, that The Empire State Building in New York City was officially opened.

28^th May

Christian Aid Thank you to everyone who collected Christian Aid envelopes last week. The contributions from the local community raised £276. Thank you for all your donations.

Plant Sale Thank you to everyone who helped to make this year’s event so successful. Thanks to all the people who grew plants for us to sell and, last but not least, to Bowlee Nursery who supported our event with some fine quality plants and their transportation to church. We raised a total of £250. Canon Philip Miller who the raffle of the beautiful hanging basket, which you can just make out on the table with the pot plants. Click the picture to see all the photos

Income Surveys Income Surveys are at the back of church to be completed for the diocese. If you have not yet completed one then please take one and put it in the sealed box when completed. Please read the instructions carefully as the information given will be used to generate our Parish Share. Thanks.

20^th May

New Church Chairs Expedition Results Following the last DCC meeting, the appointed working party went to view a selection of possible chairs with the view to replacing the current wooden ones in church.  The ones which fit the bill the closest and would give us the maximum seating in the available space can be seen in the attached photo gallery. We took an existing chair to show the contrast and for scale. We also saw some stacking chairs which would avoid the somewhat time-consuming and inconvenience in bringing extra chairs from St Mary, Birch when we need more than the 50 we normally have. They also showed us an example of a preaching desk to replace the rather small and low one we have at present and as a replacement for the pulpit which is shortly to be removed. Once the style and fabric of the chairs has been decided we will need to submit a faculty to replace the existing set of chairs. Click the picture to see what we found

15^th May

What the Bible really means.... A father was approached by his small son who told him proudly, "I know what the Bible means!" His father smiled and replied, "What do you mean, you 'know' what the Bible means? The son replied, "I do know!" "Okay," said his father. "What does the Bible mean? "That's easy, Daddy..." the young boy replied excitedly, "It stands for 'Basic Information Before Leaving Earth.'

Spring Harvest 2012 Booking for Spring Harvest 2012 opens very soon and there is only one week for Skegness so demand is expected to be high. The theme for next year is "Church Actually - god's Brilliant Idea". During the week there will be opportunity to explore four of the pictures used in the New Testament to describe it – the People of God, the Community of the Spirit, the Body of Christ and the Bride of Christ. Also looking at the mission of the Church in our culture and our calling as God’s people. As always you can take part in as little or as much as you want with opportunities for worship, teaching, seminars, art, swimming, sport, coffee, walks along the beach etc. There are different sessions for adults, young people, children and toddlers. However everybody will be looking at the same daily theme, whether young or old. It runs from Tuesday 10 - Sunday 15 April 2012 (the week after Easter). There is more information on the website www.springharvest.org.uk and you can also download a brochure. Please have a word with Jackie or Nikki for more details. If anyone is interested, Jackie can book as a group so we can be accommodated near to each other.

1st May

Congratulations to The Duke and Duchess of Cambridge on their marriage. We pray for all who are preparing for or have celebrated their marriage. In particular we pray for the Duke and Duchess of Cambridge. As they embark on married life together, we hold them and their families before God and ask for his grace and blessing. God of all grace, friend and companion, look in favour on William and Catherine and all who are made one in marriage. In your love deepen their love and strengthen their wills to keep the promises they will make, that they may continue in life-long faithfulness to each other; through Jesus Christ our Lord. Amen (adapted from Common Worship) Gracious Lord, bless the families of William and Catherine that they may grow in love and friendship. Grant that, as they witness the marriage vows, they may find their lives enriched and strengthened and their loyalties confirmed; in Jesus Christ our Lord. Amen (Common Worship)

News and Comment      April 2011

24^th April

Thoughts for Holy Week The death of Christ was the most dreadful blow ever given to the empire of darkness.  William Plumer The world cannot bury Christ. The earth is not deep enough for his tomb, the clouds are not wide enough for his winding-sheet.  E Thomson The best news the world ever had come from a graveyard.   anon The empty tomb of Christ has been the cradle of the church. WR Nicoll The Christian church has the resurrection written all over it.  E G Robinson

Easter Sunday All the children enjoyed the sermon today as it involved finding Easter eggs which they joined in with wholeheartedly! Click the photo to see all the pictures

Easter Acclamation Alleluia, Christ is risen!             He is risen indeed, Alleluia! What’s that you say?                Jesus is risen! But he was dead!                     Jesus is risen! Nailed to a cross                      Jesus is risen! Laid in a grave                          Jesus is risen! Dead for three days                 Jesus is risen! Now he’s alive?                        Jesus is risen! Death overcome?                    Jesus is risen! Hope for us all!                        Jesus is risen! Shout with one voice:              Jesus is risen!

22^nd April

Good Friday Walk A goodly crowd, of around 30, turned out for our annual ‘Walk Of Witness’, as we took turns to carry the cross from St Mary, Birch to St Thomas, Bowlee. We welcomed a number from All Saints and Martyrs, Langley.  We started with a short service at St Mary’s before forming into a procession to start the walk. We paused a few times on the journey to sing a few verses of hymns to neighbours who came out to meet us as they were unable or too unwell to join in the walk. We ended the walk by erecting the cross in the garden at St Thomas, and all gathered round at its foot to sing ‘When I Survey’ following a short reading to complete our witness. Click the photo to see all the pictures

17^th April

Palm Sunday We had an interest start to the service today with a special delivery of a scroll from a young lady on a bicycle to tell us the news from the temple! Click above to see the pictures

21^st April   Maundy Thursday – time to wash feet Maundy Thursday is famous for two things.  The first is one of the final acts that Jesus did before his death: the washing of his own disciples’ feet.  (see John 13)  Jesus washed his disciples’ feet for a purpose:  “A new command I give you: Love one another. As I have loved you, so you must love one another.”  His disciples were to love through service, not domination, of one another. In Latin, the opening phrase of this sentence is ‘mandatum novum do vobis’. The word ‘mundy’ is thus a corruption of the Latin ‘mandatum’ (or command).  The ceremony of the ‘washing of the feet’ of members of the congregation came to be an important part of the liturgy (regular worship) of the medieval church, symbolising the humility of the clergy, in obedience to the example of Christ. But Thursday was also important because it was on that night that Jesus first introduced the Lord’s Supper, or what we nowadays call Holy Communion.   Jesus and his close friends had met in a secret upper room to share the Passover meal together - for the last time.   And there Jesus transformed the Passover into the Lord’s Supper, saying, ‘this is my body’ and ‘this is my blood’ as he, the Lamb of God,  prepared to die for the sins of the whole world.    John’s gospel makes it clear that the Last Supper took place the evening BEFORE the regular Passover meal, and that later Jesus died at the same time that the Passover lambs were killed.

10^th April

Wood St Mission Thank you for all your donations to Wood Street Mission. The last delivery will be taken this week.

3^rd April

Happy 90th Birthday May Everyone is invited to stay after the service, to join May for tea and cakes to celebrate her Birthday. Congratulations May

Happy Mothering Sunday!

News and Comment March2011

26^th March

Click the picture to see all the photos of the afternoon

Spring Coffee Afternoon Thanks to all who helped at this afternoon’s event, whether by baking, setting up or clearing away. We raised a total of £235.90 We had a wonderful selection of cakes and a huge selection of books old and new to choose from along with the White Elephant stall and May’s ever popular tombola and of course the raffle! In spite of there being Formula 1, England playing football and the Boat Race we had a terrific turnout and everyone really seemed to enjoy themselves meeting friends old and new.

13^th March

Coffee Afternoon Many thanks to everyone who has offered to help at our church events. It will make it much easier for the regulars who help every time.

Wood Street Mission Easter Project The basket is at the back of church to collect items for Wood Street Mission Easter Project. They need donations of Easter Eggs for the children and non-perishable food towards the food hampers - in particular tea or coffee and tins of meat or fish are items they always run short of. Maybe put an extra item in your shopping basket each week which could then be donated to Wood Street Mission. Thank you. First batch ready to send Click picture for bigger picture

Signs of Spring Click for bigger picture

Lent Prayer Guides There are Lent Prayer Guides at the back of church. It takes seven of the last sayings of Jesus from the cross as inspiration for reflection and preparation. Please help yourself.

11^th March

RECENT EVENT “Come and Sing!” Two Sisters and a Funeral Click here or above to view pictures Over 140 singers from all areas of Manchester, many from our Deanery, came to Bamford Chapel on Saturday 5^th March to work alongside Roger Jones, the composer, and his soloists to learn his latest musical, ”Two Sisters and a Funeral” during the afternoon and then to sing to the public in an evening performance. It was a hugely successful event. Examples of comments received “What an inspiring time at Bamford Chapel today.” “Let’s have more of these!” “It was such a brilliant afternoon and evening, most enjoyable and worthwhile, the first time I have done anything like this and I loved it!” The deanery is hoping to host a production of the musical, by the United Christian Singers, later in the year at All Saints and Martyrs, in the same way the deanery supported their production of Roger Jones’ previous musical, the hugely enjoyed and sell-out  “Rock”, a couple of years ago.     Watch this space!

6^th March

Congratulations Rachel and John on their engagement!!

For all the news in previous years please click on the News & Diary Menu Tab => Monthly Archive

Housegroup at 241 Heywood Old Road Housegroup usually meets every fortnight on a weekday. If anyone is interested in coming along, please have a word with Jackie (0161 643 8269) and let her know which day is your best – it is very flexible. It usually starts with some worship and prayer and then watch a DVD relevant to the evening’s theme to stimulate discussion and finish off with coffee and biscuits. Anyone is welcome to come along and lifts from Birch and Rhodes can be arranged if you have no transport.  Come along for an interesting evening.

Wants and Needs Old Clothes The Salvation Army would be grateful to receive any clothes in good condition. There is a branch in Rochdale just past the College and next traffic lights going up the dual carriageway.

Going Begging If you have an item you no longer have a use for and feel it may be useful to someone please let us know and we will see if we can find a good home for it.

Weekly Newssheet mailing If you would like a full colour copy of the weekly newssheet e-mailed to you every week, then please click on the following e-mail address. newssheet@stthomasbowlee.org.uk

Why not make this page your HOME PAGE? In Internet Explorer, select TOOLS->INTERNET OPTIONS: Select ‘USE CURRENT’ on the General Tab.

Keeping in touch with web site updates If you would like to be informed, by e-mail, when changes are made to the web site, then please e-mail us by clicking on the following e-mail address webupdate@stthomasbowlee.org.uk

Contributions Please Any items or changes for next week’s ‘Latest News’ item please submit them by 7pm Wednesday. Phone 0161 643 8269, or email: info@stthomasbowlee.org.uk