THE PARISH OF ST PETER WITH ST FRANCIS, ALLERTON

MAGAZINE FOR JANUARY – FEBRUARY 2014

ST PETER’S WITH ST FRANCIS, ALLERTON

Vicar Revd Dr George Williams, JPB.A.(Hons), M.A., Ph.D, M.A., CThM, M.A. St Peter’s Vicarage, Ley Top Lane, Allerton, BD15 7LT

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Church Wardens

Mr Mark Reynolds1 Abbey Lea, Allerton BD15 7SG

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Mrs Eulie Henriques14 Cheddington Grove, BD15 7TS

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Treasurer Mr Ian Markwell

PCC Secretary

Mrs Beatrice Williams St Peter’s Vicarage, Ley Top Lane, Allerton, Bradford BD15 7LT

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Deanery Synod

Mrs Beatrice Williams St Peter’s Vicarage, Ley Top Lane, Allerton, Bradford BD15 7LT

Ms Jascu Mistry12 Camellia Mount, Lidget GreenBradford BD7 2TQ

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Church Hall

Mr Ian Markwell

Enquiries for Weddings and Baptisms, please contact the Vicar

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The VicarageLey Top Lane

AllertonJanuary 2014

The Vicar’s Letter

Happy New Year! We welcome 2014 as we say goodbye to 2013 which was a remarkable year for us. We celebrated ten years of St Francis Village Hall and its role in the community of Allerton estate. We, again, paid our parish share in full whilst at the same time increased our financial support to charities such as; Metro Kids Africa and the Children’s Society. There was a perceptible and ‘real’ increase in demand for food parcels from the parish pantry and the generosity of the congregation made it possible for us to respond to these needs.

Apart from this spirit of charity there was also an unmistakable spirit of warmth among the congregation which has remained steadfast and undiminished over the years. It was so self-evident over the Christmas period and I was personally touched by the jovial and cordial nature with which our events over that period were held. Our Christingle service was a huge success and an opportunity for me to try my hand at pantomime with the children. It was a delight to work with the children and staff of Childsplay, Allerton.

As we start this new year, we will continue to explore further ways of engaging with our local community in building on our strengths to promote our Christian mission in Allerton.

The start of any new year also heralds new beginnings, a period of reflection and may it also be a time for boldness in our thinking and action as we promote an understanding of the significance of our Lord, and why he was sent into this world, to bring hope, a light that shines through darkness.

Sincerely

George

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PARISH NEWS

The celebration of the tenth anniversary of St Francis Village Hall was a remarkable success; with over 45 adults and children who attended the party. There was a live band in attendance, the Roaming Jamsters, as well as face painting for the children. The village hall is in very good condition following a facelift decoration job by George and Beatrice.

We had some enjoyable Christmas services. The atmosphere was warm and cordial. Over 70 adults and children (including Childsplay) attended the Christingle service in which £120 was raised for the Children’s society. Our Carols and Lessons services also went well, followed by mince pies and sherry.

The tower clock at St Peter’s Church, is faulty. This is due to a recurring ‘broken spring’ problem. Efforts are being made to locate the relevant spare part, which will eradicate this problem, given the age of the clock (over 120 years old).

The Quinquennial survey for St Peter’s Church has started. The findings will, no doubt, have cost implications for us.

Our PCC has formulated a new Safeguarding Policy for Children and Adults. The new Safeguarding Officer is Mrs Eulie Henriques.

The Christmas Tree Festival once again was very successful with over 150 adults and children who viewed it, including children from Ley Top Primary School, Allerton. Over £105 was raised, and shared among five charities.

George and Beatrice also raised an additional £120 for Metro Kids Africa which was used, to buy chocolate ‘bars’ presented to the children in the townships of South Africa, just before Christmas.

Monthly church services have resumed at Allerton Park Nursing Home organised by the vicar, George. This is in addition to similar services at Woodward Court Elderly Care Home and Resource Centre.

Toys donated by members of our congregation were presented to our Barnardos Charity, to be distributed to needy children in our parish before Christmas.

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THE PRESENTATION OF CHRIST IN THE TEMPLE

The celebration of the presentation of Christ at the Temple occurs 40 days after Christmas, on the 2nd of February. It is a day in which candles are also blessed in reference to Simeon’s characterisation of Jesus as the ‘light for the revelation of the Gentiles.’ Mary and Joseph had taken the baby Jesus to the Temple in Jerusalem to complete Mary’s period of purification as well as perform the act of redemption for the first born. This is prescribed in the Law of Moses (Leviticus 12, Exodus 13:12-15). They had opted for the cheaper alternative given their poor background, to offer “a pair of turtle doves, or two young pigeons as they could not afford a lamb. At the temple, they came across Simeon who had been given a ‘divine’ promise that he would not see death before encountering the Lord’s Christ. Simeon then prayed the prayer, known as Nunc Dimittis, asking God for him to go in peace as His word has been fulfilled. His own eyes had seen the salvation of the world become reality, which had been revealed to every nation; and the glory of the people, Israel.

However, Simeon, then delivered a bombshell – a painful prophesy which was to become reality, “Behold this Child is set for the falling and the rising of many in Israel, yes a sword will pierce your own soul, that the thoughts of many hearts maybe revealed (Luke 2:34-35). It so happened that the prophetess Anna, old in age was also present when this occurred and she offered her praises to God, and communicated the importance of Christ to everyone.

One might ask how did Simeon know that the baby he was looking at was the chosen one. He was inspired by God and Simeon ‘saw’ in faith. Faith is being sure of that which we cannot be sure of but accept with conviction God also calls us to have our eyes of faith opened to him, to trust in his redeeming powers.

Jesus was still only a baby, but the joy of his birth in the Song of Simeon is placed alongside the imminent demise of the long and distinguished life of the old man. New life being juxta posed alongside the pain of death foretold and an end to come. The beginning of a new life signalling the end of a long period of waiting for Simeon, a sense of relief and peace, an affirmation of the fulfilment of a promise made. Simeon’s encounter with the Christ becomes part of the future of the child, while the presence of his parents releases him from the burden of tomorrow.

Although Anna’s words were never recorded, her role, in helping us understand the nature of God was no less important. Anna represents those on the margins of society and a distinct and acute reminder that God cares about them too. She was the old lady who hung around the precinct of the temple, faithful, loyal and highly respected by others. She was married for

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seven years with no children, and as a widow was probably poor with no one to support her economically. She would have been in the area known as the ‘court of women’ where Gentiles went, where as a prophetess others may have gone to seek her counsel because of her spiritual depth of knowledge. She was constantly fasting, probably not for her husbands, but for those in difficulty needing help, or those who like her, may have been at the margins of society.

Simeon and Anna were both old people, whose ‘best and young days’ were behind them. But God chose to use them in His plan to bring salvation to all humanity. God values us all irrespective of and despite who we are.

No matter what situation we find ourselves, God values us all and can make use of us to project his image in the world, as long as we have faith in His saving grace. We may not be instantly recognise his plans for us, but as was revealed by the prophet Isaiah “My words are not your words and my ways are not your ways.”

George Williams

THOUGHTS FOR THE DAYINNER PEACE

Teach me to let go, dear God, and pray undisturbed until my heart is filled with inner peace and I learn to know Your will!

SUCCESS

Success is a mixture of good, hard work, good humour, good luck, and good sense, and the little tasks of each day, well done, will bring their own recompense.

FORGIVING LOVE

God asks that we do our best but He accepts us when we fail, for no matter what we do to Him, His love and truth prevail.

IN FAITHThere’s no problem too big and no question too small, just ask God in faith and He’ll answer them all.

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AMBITION – THE MOTIVATIONAL ENGINE TO SUCCESS IN LIFE

Ambition is the strong desire to succeed! This could be success in our career, success in education, business, social life or other personal goals we may have. In life if you think you are going to fail, you have lost for out in the world success begins with someone having that will and drive to achieve.

Over the years there have been some famous quotes about ambition and success, notable has been that of Theodore Roosevelt “In any situation, the best think you can do is the right thing; the next best thing you can do is the wrong thing – The worst thing you can do is nothing.” Revd Dr Robert Schuller also once said that “faith is daring to put your dream to the test. It is better to try to do something and fail than to try to do nothing and succeed.”

Lesser known quotes are; “ambition is path to success and persistence is the vehicle it arrives in”. Jay Leno said that “Ambition beats genius 99% of the time.” Equally enlightening is the view that one lives longer once you realise that time spent being unhappy is wasted.

Perhaps the most inspiring is to “aim for the moon, even when you miss, you will land among the stars”. This is similar to what our ‘A’ Level Economics teacher Glen Banya used to say to us that if one intends to lift a goat, you should aim at lifting an elephant. My mum always said to me that if you work hard and behave well the sky is the limit.

During my days as a curate in London, I once conducted the funeral of a lady whose motivation has left an indelible impression. She once worked as a maid for a wealthy family who lived in a big house with a long drive. The family had two small children as well as a grand piano. She enjoyed watching these two children, as well as their mum and dad play the piano. One day the family was out and thinking that no one was around, she decided to play the piano, even though she knew nothing about ‘music’. Unfortunately for her, she did not hear the sound of the family car coming up the drive. Her master, head of the family rushed into the house when he heard the piano being played, and caught her sitting infront of the piano. He slapped her across the face, for having the audacity to play the family piano. She went into the pantry to shed some tears, wiped her face and vowed to ensure that her own children would learn to play the piano properly one day. She saved her money, was able to buy a piano for her two children and paid for private music lessons for them. They both eventually went to university and her son eventually graduated with a Ph.D in music. Ambition is a dream that knows no bounds, in my view.

I narrated this story to the children of Allerton Primary school at a general assembly recently on the theme of aims, ambition and success in life. I

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encouraged the children to dream big in life by setting goals, following that dream and saying “I want to..... because I believe I can.” It also entails taking action, not allowing the inevitable obstacles along the way to deflect you from your goals, and accepting that nothing is impossible as long as you set your mind to it.

I went to the school with job titles in large emboldened prints for various professions from doctors, lawyers, army officers, engineer, scientist, hair dressers, firemen, police officers, etc. The children were then invited to join the group bearing the title of the profession they would like to be when they grow old. There was a imbalanced pattern which emerged, with the vast majority wanting to be doctors, lawyers and engineers.

As I said to the children they all have the ability to make their dreams become reality. At our Christingle service just before Christmas, I had a pleasant surprise when a former pupil at Allerton School introduced himself to me, recalled my school assemblies at the school years ago, and informed me he is now a medical student at Leeds University.

Let us dream big and not all the fetters of doubt or indecision or life’s uncertainty to prevent us from achieving our goal.

George Williams

TRIVIAL QUIZ

1. The original Egyptian hieroglyph for our letter ‘N’ represented what?2. When was NATO formed?3. What river is so powerful that the surface sea is still composed of

fresh water 50 miles from its mouth?4. Which tavern did Falstaff frequent?5. In cricket, how many times does a full toss bounce before reaching

the batsman?6. Who played Cleever Loophole?7. Who cried on his death: ‘What an artist dies in me?’8. Who was ‘Helpless?’9. How many more bones in the human arm are there than in a human

leg?

ANSWERS IN THE NEXT ISSUE OF THE PARISH MAGAZINEMETRO KIDS AFRICA

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Dear George,

I hope that you can open these photos. Thank you so much for your generosity towards Metro Kids this Christmas. Over 6,000 children were given a chocolate bar. The vast majority of these children attend our events on a regular basis, but we shared the gospel with them and are praying that God will talk our weak efforts and use them for His glory.

The children are amazing well behaved with 1200 at one site and 1500 at another and no problems. Thanks again because without people like you and St Peters it would not be possible.

I pray that you will have a blessed, peaceful and joy filled Christmas.

James Senior DIRECTOR

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SAINT JULIAN OF NORWICH

The story and biography of Julian of Norwich which contains interesting information, facts & the history about the life of this Medieval woman of historical importance. Julian of Norwich had a life threatening illness during which she experienced visions. She recovered from the illness and decided to become an anchoress. The life of an anchoress was entered with joy by Julian of Norwich and not as duty. Julian would have gone through a difficult process to gain permission to be an anchoress.

Permission would have been granted by the Bishop of Norwich after vetting Julian for her suitability and whether there were sufficient funds available to support her for the rest of her life. Being and anchoress entailed being incarcerated for life in a cell attached to the Church of St. Julian. The ceremony prior to the enclosure of Julian in her anchorage would have included a vigil, mass, chanting and a procession to the anchorage which would have included a funeral service where Julian would have received the last rites.

Julian would have had three windows in her cell or anchorage. The window called the Squint was to open into the church so that the anchoress could receive communion and follow the church services. The second window provided access to her attendant who would deliver food and remove any waste. The third window provided visitors with the means to talk to Julian asking for her advice and prayers. All Julian had in the cell was a crucifix, a hard bed and a small altar. Her clothes would have been plain consisting of a kirtle with a mantle, black head-dress, wimple, cape or veil. During her life as an anchoress Julian wrote the details of her visions in English in a book called 'Sixteen Revelations of Divine Love'.

Many people visited Julian of Norwich. Not just the local villages but other important Medieval people of the Middle Ages seeking her advice and comfort.

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Changing attitudes in Sierra Leone: Creating workplaces for young people

Since the end of the conflict in Sierra Leone in 2002, the youth 'problem' has been an issue ruminated on by government and civil society alike. The narrative is that young people were the primary protagonists in the civil war, and are therefore volatile, untrustworthy, and prone to idleness.

One of the key factors contributing to the perceived youth problem is unemployment. It is estimated that 60% of young people in Sierra Leone are not employed. This is partly an education issue – the national youth commission estimates there are 5,000 university graduates each year, many of which enter the job market unprepared and without the relevant skills. But it is also a cultural problem: in Sierra Leone the legacy of youth involvement in the civil war has intensified an existing age hierarchy to create a hostility towards the youth. This is an attitude held by many employers.

Fortunately, the tide is now turning against these negative perceptions. Changing attitudes have been the result of strong advocacy on the part of youth organisations, the establishment by the government of a youth commission and the success of several programmes aimed at promoting employability of young people in the country. While young people often appear to feel frustrated by the lack of access to decision-making processes, there is at least an increasing recognition, especially in government, that the problem does not lie with the youth themselves, but with the lack of opportunities available.

As a first step in responding to this at policy level, the government has released the first of what will be an annual report on the tatus of the youth. While emphasising the onus on young people to be "more disciplined" and "respectful", the report also paints an accurate picture of the challenges faced by young people in terms of education, training, health and the labour market.

When it comes to tackling these challenges, the best place to start reducing youth unemployment is in addressing both the technical and work readiness skills gaps between the young and the labour market.

Young people in Sierra Leone (including university graduates) are often unprepared in terms of soft skills that affect their ability to gain and maintain employment. This includes communication, workplace etiquette, presentation, basic IT skills and how to search for employment in the first place, all skills not currently being developed within the education system of the country.

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However, a critical lesson we have learned is that turning around the attitudes requires not only that young people be more prepared for the world of work, but that the world of work is prepared for young people. Existing stereotypes about the youth often prevents companies from actively seeking to attract, and support, young employees. This means that if we want to tackle the skills gap in the labour market it is crucial we involve the private sector.

Through the implementation of Sierra Leone's first graduate internship programme in 2012, Restless Development made the case for hiring young people by highlighting their dynamism and enthusiasm, loyalty and willingness to innovate. We found it essential to work co-operatively with employers to design internship programmes and encouraged them to have input in developing minimum standards and adequate on-the-job support. We have drawn some key lessons for employers looking to mobilise a young workforce:

• Make sure you connect young people with an overall career vision right from the start so they understand the consequence of early decisions for their career and for the company.

• Help young employees to understand and identify with an organisation's mission even if they are an intern, or on the first rung of the ladder.

• Provide extra support in core skills such as project management and IT, which graduates are likely to not have.

• Ensure that young employees in complex organisations have access to team support rather than remain in isolated roles.

• Create forums and representation for young people so that employers and employees think in terms of future company leaders rather than current administrative assistants.

Our experience has shown that if young people are encouraged to thrive in the workplace they themselves will reinforce a breakdown in the negative stereotypes they experience. But the pressure should also be shared: employers must be challenged about their attitudes and provide adequate support in training and encouraging young employees. The country's future youth status reports should recognise that the process must be two way.

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Diary for January 2014

5th The Epiphany Sunday After Trinity

9.30am Family Eucharist(St Peter’s) Readings: Isaiah 60:1-61 John 3:22-4.6Matthew 4:12-17,23-end

8th Wednesday 10.00am Holy Communion12th The Baptism of

Christ9.30am Family Eucharist(St Peter’s)

Readings: Isaiah 42:1-9Acts 10:34-43Matthew 3:13-end

15th Wednesday 10.00am Holy Communion19th The Second

Sunday of Epiphany

9.30am Family Eucharist (St Peter’s)Readings: Isaiah 49:1-71 Corinthians 1:1-9John 1:29-42

22nd Wednesday 10.00am Holy Communion26th The Third

Sunday of Epiphany

9.30am Family Eucharist (St Peter’s)Readings: Isaiah 9:1-41 Corinthians 1:10-18Matthew 4:12-23

29th Wednesday 10.00am Holy Communion

THE PARISH REGISTER

FUNERALDecember 2nd Baby Robert Angel Charlie CHARLWOOD

27th Jane WILLIAMS 91

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CHURCH SERVICES

Sundays 9.30am Family Eucharist

Wednesdays 10.00am Holy Communion (St Peter’s Church)

Holy Baptism 9.30am 1st and 3rd Sundays of each month(St Peter’s Church)

2.00pm 1st and 3rd Sundays of each month(St Francis Village Hall)

St Francis Village – Greenway Drive, Allerton

Mondays 7.00pm-9.00pm The Roaming JamstersWednesdays 6.00pm-7.30pm YOGAThursdays 6.00pm-8.00pm Weight WatchersFridays 6.00pm-7.15pm Karate Group

IT IS OUR AIM TO DISTRIBUTE THE PARISH MAGAZINE FREELY BUT WE WOULD APPRECIATE A DONATION TO HELP DEFRAY PRINTING COSTS

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OUR UNIFORMED ORGANISATIONS

3RD ALLERTON GUIDES, BROWNIES AND RAINBOWS

Tuesdays in St Peter’s Church Hall

Rainbows 5.15pm – 6.15pm

Leader: Mrs Tracey Green Tel: 01535 274263

Brownies 6.30pm – 7.45pm

Leader: Mrs Jane Scurrah Tel: 01535 275229

Guides 7.45pm – 9.15pm

Leader: Mrs Ranj Mistry Tel: 01274 543834

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