March 2020

Coronavirus measures - All services and meetings on this diary are suspended until further notice.

1st 8.00am Holy Communion [Lent 1]

10.00am Prayer Time (Lady Chapel)

10.45am Family Communion

3rd 7.30pm Lent Group 2 (Meeting Room)

4th 9.30am Holy Communion (1662) (Tansley)

1.00pm Wednesday at One (Lady Chapel)

5th 2.00pm Longmeadow Services

7th 12.30pm Soup & Chat (Hall)

8th 8.00am Holy Communion [Lent 2]

10.00am Prayer Time (Lady Chapel)-

10.45am Family Communion

4.00pm Bank Road Messy Church (MMURC)

10th 7.30pm Study Group 3 (Meeting Room)

11th 9.30am Holy Communion (1662) (Tansley)

1.00pm Wednesday at One (Lady Chapel)

15th 8.00am Holy Communion (1662) [Lent 3]

10.00am Prayer Time (Lady Chapel)

10.45am Family Communion

16th 7.30pm Deanery Synod

17th 2.00pm Valley Lodge Service

7.30pm Study Group 4 (Meeting Room)

18th 9.30am Holy Communion (1662) (Tansley)

11.00am Lilybank Service

1.00pm Wednesday at One (Lady Chapel)

8.00pm PCC (Meeting Room)

22nd 8.00am Holy Communion [Mothering Sunday]

10.00am Prayer Time (Lady Chapel)

10.45am Family Service

24th 2.00pm Intercessions Training follow-up

7.30pm Lent Group 5 (Meeting Room)

25th 9.30am Holy Communion (1662) (Tansley) [Annunciation]

1.00pm Wednesday at One (Lady Chapel)

29th 8.00am Holy Communion (1662) [Lent 5]

10.00am Prayer Time (Lady Chapel)

10.45am Family Communion

4.00pm Taize service

31st 7.30pm Lent Group 5 (Meeting Room)

 

 

Baptisms

 

Weddings

 

Funerals

 

29.1.2020 Audrey Williams (90)

4.2.2020 Sandra Hicken (70) (Crem)

 

Letter

 

Dear Friends

On a recent Sunday we were looking at a passage from Isaiah 58:1-9a in which the prophet challenges the people of Israel about their behaviour towards God. The Lord through the prophet castigates the people for only paying lip service to the Covenant: sacrifices are made and psalms recited but the way they act towards those on the edges of the community reveals their worship to be superficial.

 

It was recently announced that the Pope had personally instructed the Vatican Authorities to convert a nearby palace into a hostel for the homeless. Pope Francis’s instruction reminded the church of its calling to worship God and to serve the poor and needy. Though the palace could have been turned into a money-making luxury hotel for tourists and pilgrims, it was far more important that it was put to greater use in service of the vulnerable. Though the palace could have made the Vatican a lot of money, the Church is not meant to be a bank or a treasure house in which to horde material wealth. As St. Laurence in the early church showed the Roman authorities, the treasure of the church consisted in the poor, the crippled and the orphan; individuals created in the Divine image.

 

The prophet in Isaiah 58, tells the people that the fasting and observances that the Lord requires are to care for the poor and vulnerable. It’s no use singing the right hymns and chants or having beautiful buildings if people are content to condone the exploitation of others or turning a blind eye to injustice or hardening hearts towards the vulnerable. As the song in ‘My Fair Lady’ says, “You say that you love me. Well, show me!”

 

The heart of the Gospel message is grace – The Divine Love that seeks out those who feel themselves to be unloved and unlovely in order to freely offer the Divine embrace of love and acceptance. God’s love for us is not ‘bought’ or earned through sacrifices or good deeds; God’s Love simply is, but our love in return should spill over into our relationships with one another, with the wider society and in care for our planet.

 

To love God is to have a care for those whom God loves and to seek to bring the Divine love and care to bear through our actions towards others.

 

(Psalm 112:1) “Alleluia! Happy are they who fear the Lord and have great delight in his commandments”.

 

Every blessing

Richard

 

 

Audrey Williams (1929-2020)

 

There was a good turnout at the end of January for Audrey William’s funeral, showing what a wide number of lives she had touched. Over the years I have taken Communion to Audrey each month and shared many stories and many a laugh – she was good fun with a keen sense of humour. She loved people, particularly young people, and enjoyed a good chat (It was often hard to get away because conversation would flow).

 

Matlock born and bred, Audrey had a long association with All Saints’ Church as a member of the pastoral visiting team; enrolling member and secretary of the Mother’s Union and for many years secretary of the local Women’s day of prayer. In the wider community she was involved with Talking News; Ladies Circle; Inner Wheel and Tangent plus was an authority on Tibetan Spaniels. She will be greatly missed by family and friends. R.I.P.

 

Sandra Hicken (1949-2020)

 

Preparing for Sandra’s funeral at Amber Valley on 4th February made me realise how little we knew as Sandra was already beginning her decline into early onset dementia when she attended All Saints’ with her mother, Hilda. I remember preparing them both for confirmation in 2010 and Bishop Alastair coming for a special service one afternoon with Year six pupils in attendance.

From her sister Ruth I discovered that Sandra was a prolific writer of stories, articles and poetry, as well as being a graduate of Girton College in Cambridge University where she studied Anglo Saxon, Old Norse, Old Welsh and Old Irish. She loved a wide range of music and had a very keen sense of humour, and was a great rambler over the years. R.I.P.

 

USPG Sponsored Walk 2020

 

For the seventh year in a row a Team from Church will be walking from Derby Cathedral to Matlock in support of the work of our link charity, USPG (New Team members welcome). We will be setting out on Monday 27th April at 9.00am to trek up the Derwent Valley. Please support our Team by sponsoring us as we walk the 20 miles – Sponsor form is in the Church or donations can be handed to Richard or the wardens. Thank you for your support