You are herePewsheet Archive / September 2018
September 2018
30th September 2018
The Parish Churches of
St Michael & St Wulfad, Stone, with
St Saviour Aston by Stone
The book of common prayer was first authorised for use in the Church of England in 1549.
It was radically revised in 1552 and there were minor revisions in 1559 1604 and 1662.
The prayer book of 1662 with minor changes has continued as the standard liturgy of most Anglican Churches n the British Commonwealth. Outside the Commonwealth most churches of the Anglican Communion possess their own variants of the English prayer book.
The first prayer book was prepared primarily by Thomas Cranmer who became Archbishop of Canterbury in 1533. It was viewed as a compromise between old and new ideas and was, in places diplomatically ambiguous in its implied teaching. It aroused opposition from both conservatives and the more extreme reformers. The latter prevailed and the 2nd prayer book of Edward VI was introduced in 1552. The revision made great changes in its text and ceremonies – all in a protestant direction. It was further restored by another Act of Uniformity in 1559/ It included a few small but significant changes which allowed for belief in the real presence of Christ in the Eucharist and removed an offensive prayer against the Pope. The Puritans weren’t satisfied and on the accession of James 1st renewed demands for change at the Hampton Court Conference. It resulted in some concessions in the prayer book of 1664.
The victory of the parliamentarians in the English Civil War resulted in the proscription of the prayer book under the commonwealth and protectorate. After the restoration in 1660 a revision of the prayer book was adopted in 1662, which was essentially unchanged.
Further revisions were proposed but failed. No further revisions were attempted until the 20th century. The Church of England and most of those within the Anglican Communion did, however, develop anexperimental liturgy in contemporary language that was widely used and, after much controversythe Church of England and the Protestant Episcopal in the United States at the end of the 1970s
Nichola Abbott
Hymns for today
Aston Stone
564 564
120 39
427 33
73/308 452/73
33 388
Please pray for the sick in the benefice:
Mary Townsend, Noelle Emery, Peter and Dianne Harvey, Elsie Richardson, Roy & Barbara Ball, Vera Tomkinson, Neil & Pat Wynne, Gary Kelsall, Jocelyn James, Emily Franks, John Richardson, Annette McMullen, Peter Bowler, Howard Boswell, Catherine Ritchie, Sarah Taylor, Graham Baker, Jackie Finnemore, Wendy Gee, James Astle, Miles Brain, Joan Lazonby, Elsie Woodcock, John & Ann Shuttleworth, Sheila Howells and
Richard Kempa
And for the departed:
Doreen Knight, Graham Forrester, Rona Watkins
Remembering their families and friends at this time
This week:
Tuesday 2nd 11.45am – 1pm DROP INN CAFÉ – St Michael’s Hall
Wednesday 3rd 7.30pm Stone PCC in Church
Thursday 4th 10.30am Holy Communion – St M&W
PARISH DIARIES Pick up your 2019 diary now - £2.50 donation
HERITAGE OPEN DAYat St M&W Saturday 6th October. Lots of volunteers needed for the day when we often get a LOT of visitors! Please sign the list at the back of church.
HARVEST THANKSGIVINGHarvest Eucharist at St M&W 10.45am Sunday 7th October, at Aston Sunday 14th October. Harvest Supper Saturday 13th October at St Michael’s Hall 7pm with guest entertainment. Please sign the list at the back of church.
HEALING SERVICE : Sunday 7th October at 4pm in Ss M&W.
LICENSING OF REV JANE MORRIS- we are hoping to run a coach to Jane’s licensing on Weds 17th October. If you would be interested in going on the coach, please sign the relevant lists. There will be a cost, but until we know the coach is feasible we won’t know how much yet.
23rd September 2018
The Parish Churches of
St Michael & St Wulfad, Stone, with
St Saviour Aston by Stone
In today’s gospel Mark paints quite a vivid picture. Arriving in Capernaum, Jesus and his disciples entered a house. Jesus asked his disciples about the argument they had whilst they were journeying. The Disciples were silent, which was unlike them and they were frightened to answer as they had been found out.
Jesus summoned the twelve and taught them that those who would be first in Gods kingdom must be servants of all.
Jesus then called forth a child and taught the twelve that to receive a child in Jesus name is to receive both Jesus and the one who sent him.
We might easily fail to understand the significance of this action. In first-century Palestine, children were without status or power, possessing no legal rights. In this action, Jesus is teaching his disciples and us that when we serve the least ones among us, we serve Jesus himself. Who are the people without power or status in our society that Jesus is calling us to serve? Do we do so willingly? Jesus teaches that God’s judgment of us will be based on this criterion alone.
Nichola Abbott
Hymns for today
Aston Stone
565 304
124 484
106 372
334/452 506/311
425 541
Please pray for the sick in the benefice:
Mary Townsend, Noelle Emery, Peter and Dianne Harvey, Elsie Richardson, Roy & Barbara Ball, Vera Tomkinson, Neil & Pat Wynne, Gary Kelsall, Jocelyn James, Emily Franks, John Richardson, Annette McMullen, Peter Bowler, Howard Boswell, Catherine Ritchie, Sarah Taylor, Graham Baker, Jackie Finnemore, Wendy Gee, James Astle, Miles Brain, Joan Lazonby, Elsie Woodcock, John & Ann Shuttleworth, Sheila Howells
And for the departed:
Doreen Knight, Graham Forrester, Rona Watkins
ordellHordell
Remembering their families and friends at this time
This week:
Tuesday 25th 11.45am – 1pm DROP INN CAFÉ – St Michael’s Hall
Thursday 27th 10.30am Holy Communion – St M&W
PARISH DIARIES Pick up your 2019 diary now - £2.50 donation
MESSY CHURCH - More volunteers needed! Next session is Saturday 29th September
HERITAGE OPEN DAYat St M&W Saturday 6th October. Lots of volunteers needed for the day when we often get a LOT of visitors! Please sign the list at the back of church.
HARVEST THANKSGIVINGHarvest Eucharist at St M&W 10.45am Sunday 7th October, at Aston Sunday 14th October. Harvest Supper Saturday 13th October at St Michael’s Hall 7pm with guest entertainment. Please sign the list at the back of church.
LICENSING OF REV JANE MORRIS- we are hoping to run a coach to Jane’s licensing on Weds 17th October. If you would be interested in going on the coach, please sign the relevant lists. There will be a cost, but until we know the coach is feasible we won’t know how much yet.
16th September 2018
The Parish Churches of
St Michael & St Wulfad, Stone, with
St Saviour Aston by Stone
“Jesus went on with his disciples to the villages of Caesarea Philippi; and on the way he asked his disciples, “Who do people say that I am?”” This week’s gospel opens with these words – and in an age that glorifies diversity and choice, they have never been more apt.
CS Lewis wrote “I am trying here to prevent anyone saying the really foolish thing that people often say about Him: I’m ready to accept Jesus as a great moral teacher, but I don’t accept his claim to be God. That is the one thing we must not say. A man who was merely a man and said the sort of things Jesus said would not be a great moral teacher. He would either be a lunatic—on the level with the man who says he is a poached egg—or else he would be the Devil of Hell. You must make your choice. Either this man was, and is, the Son of God, or else a madman or something worse. You can shut him up for a fool, you can spit at him and kill him as a demon or you can fall at his feet and call him Lord and God, but let us not come with any patronising nonsense about his being a great human teacher. He has not left that open to us. He did not intend to.”
So who do you say Jesus is? And perhaps, more pertinent still – what do our lives say about Jesus? A great preacher once quoted a tale about a rather overzealous Christian, who could never have any conversation other than Christian witness, as they saw it. On this occasion that person was badgering away at an Atheist who was rejecting his attempts. “Why can you not hear what I am saying?” The devastating reply was “because what you are speaks louder than what you say!”
Food for thought for us all! May our lives be seasoned with the love and light of heaven
Ian Cardinal
9th September 2018
The Parish Churches of
St Michael & St Wulfad, Stone, with
St Saviour Aston by Stone
Hail and Farewell
And so this Sunday we have both a sad and a glorious day rolled into one. In the first place we are welcoming the Rev’d Alison Hudson to her first Sunday in our Benefice. For those who were able to gather at St M&W on Wednesday, you will already have met Alison – and I know we look forward to getting to know her better over time
Then, of course, this is the final Sunday we shall see the Rev’d Jane Morris as our Curate here. It seems amazing that Jane has been with us for 3 years already – and I know there will be many people who are sad to see her leave us
I’d like to suggest to you, though, that these two occasions are both ones in which we should rejoice. In the first place we have been honoured, yet again, that our Benefice has been seen to be such a good place for new Clergy to “cut their teeth!” Curates are not in supply as they were – and our Diocese has to carefully and prayerfully think about the right places in which to put new Clergy. Although they are “assistants”, in many ways Curates are here to learn. They are not “just another pair of priestly hands” – they are people on a journey – that’s a journey of faith of course – and we are pleased and proud to have travelled part of our own Christian journey with them
The we must also rejoice in what we see happening: in an age in which the media like to tell us that the Church is dying and irrelevant, we still see men and women offering themselves for this Ministry. That’s because God has called them – and the relevant people in the Church have recognised God’s call. So much for a dying Church!
So, maybe today is bitter-sweet. But the truth is – this is a sign of God at work. And with both Alison and Jane and their families we rejoice.
Ian Cardinal
2nd September 2018
The Parish Churches of
St Michael & St Wulfad, Stone, with
St Saviour Aston by Stone
RIDE AND STRIDESt M&W will be open on Sept 8th for the Staffordshire Historic Church’s fund. Sheet to sign to man the Church if you can help
JANE AND TONY’S LAST SUNDAYis Sept 9th. A farewell lunch is being held in St Michael & St Wulfads’ after the Eucharist. Please sign the list at the back of either church if you would like to attend.
MESSY CHURCH PLANNING & NEXT SESSION
The next session of messy church takes place on Saturday 29th September from 3pm – 5.30pm in St Michaels Hall. The theme is Harvest.
The planning meeting for this session is on Monday 10th September at the home of Philip and Edith Leason – 5 Rolt Close at 7.30pm.
If anyone can offer any help for this session, please speak to Edith Leason.
FUTURE DIARY DATES
6th OCTOBER: Heritage Open Day at St M&W 10am – 4pm.
7TH OCTBER: Harvest Eucharist & School Welcome Service St M&W
13th OCTOBER:Bring and Share Harvest Supper with Guest Entertainment in St Michaels Community Hall at 7pm.
14th October: Harvest Eucharist at St Saviours Aston