The Parish Church of
HOLY TRINITY, TARLETON
Parish "Webzine" February 2007

From the Rectory February 2007

Dear Friends,
Now that February is upon us, Lent is just around the corner. The season of Lent is immediately preceded by a celebration that has no mention on the calendar of the church year. The tradition of Mardi Gras (French for ‘Fat Tuesday’) began as a pre-lenten day of feasting and carnival (from the Latin carnelevarium, ‘removal of meat’). It was a ‘last fling’ in preparation for the severe fasting and abstinence which began the next day on Ash Wednesday.

This popular tradition probably had a practical purpose. Foods forbidden by the church’s severe lenten discipline were the ones needing refrigeration. Since controlled refrigeration was unheard of until the 19th century, it made sense to eat what would otherwise spoil during the six weeks of Lent and to help other families to do the same with a party atmosphere. Hence the tradition of pancakes.

The English name for the day before Lent, Shrove Tuesday (from the Old English to shrive – to make confession) comes from a long-established custom of going to confession in preparation for the holy season of Lent. Going to confession? You may ask. Surely that’s not part of mainstream Anglicanism! Well it may come as a surprise to some of you, but it is and, in theory, it always has been. Book of Common Prayer outlines clear teaching about the importance of confession in the ‘Exhortations’ found in the Order for Holy Communion.

Sadly these days many Anglicans no longer take sin and the need for God’s forgiveness as seriously as did our Christian forbears. In an age that goes out of its way to excuse, explain away, even glorify all sorts of behaviour and attitudes that fall short of God’s vision for us, many people today don’t see the need to go to confession. – Why should I tell a priest, it’s none of his business! – And in one sense you’re right – I do not want to know all your secrets.

But sin is not just about our personal relationship with God – it is also about our relationships with one another, with the community, with Christ’s Body, the Church. We can tell God in our private prayers how we have failed but for fear of upset and discord we cannot always tell one another. In the confessional the priest not only assures the penitent of God’s saving forgiveness but also, in a non-judgmental role, represents the Christian community with which we also need reconciliation. Again and again in the Gospels Jesus encourages repentance and reconciliation and he explicitly gave authority to his apostles to pronounce God’s forgiveness to the penitent.

The Church of England has long adopted the approach in relation to the Sacrament of Confession ‘none must, all may, some should’. But I wonder how many of you have ever even thought about it – I’m more than happy to have a chat with anyone who would like to know more, as I’m sure Fr Tom is too.

And so at the Shrove Tuesday/Ash Wednesday juncture, what is it to be? Party or penitence? If we read the story of the Prodigal son one, most definitely without doubt, is cause for the other.

With my prayers and best wishes for a holy Lent,

Fr Nicholas

PARISH NOTICE BOARD
FROM THE PARISH REGISTERS 2006
Funerals “Rest eternal grant unto them, O Lord”
16 January Trudie Bannister

Confirmation
Interested in Confirmation? Please take a form from the rear of church, fill in the details, and give it back to Fr Nicholas. Young people should be in year 6 or older. Mature enquirers are welcome at any age - it’s never too late!

PCC
Monday 5th February:
PCC 7.30 pm (after Eucharist at 7.00 pm)

Children’s Society
The presentation of Boxes and Donations will take place at the 10.30 am Church Family Eucharist on Sunday 18th February.

Ash Wednesday 21st February
10 am Communion service (traditional language)
7.30 pm Eucharist with Ashing

Lent Course
Our Lent Course will be held on Thursdays at 7.30 pm in the Parish Room (after a 7 pm Eucharist for those who wish to attend it.) Please sign up for the course on the notice on the notice board at the back of church. Even if Thursdays are unsuitable for you, you can still order a book and follow the course at another time. Course details on page 12 of this magazine. It starts on Thursday 1st March and runs to March 29th.

Ecumenical Walk of Witness Quiz Night
Friday 23rd February 2007 at Our Lady’s 7.30 p.m. start
Tickets £6.50 including Hot Pot
available now from Jean Greaves
All the profits from this occasion go to the costs of Walking Day – thank you for helping!!

Mothers’ Union February
Thank you to all the ladies of the congregation and the MU who made desserts for the Epiphany lunch. I understand they were absolutely delicious.

Also, thank you to all the people who have sent me loving messages, flowers and cards following my recent operation.

The Prayer Group will meet on Monday February 5th at 2.00 pm in the Blessed Sacrament Chapel.

On Monday 12th February we will hold our act of remembrance, thanksgiving and intercession by taking part in the Wave of Prayer 2007. We will meet at Lilian’s at 10.30 am on this occasion.

Pat and Bill Sutton will present “Musicolour Fantasies” on Wednesday 14th June at 7.30 pm in the Parish Room.

Our afternoon meeting will be held on Wednesday 28th February at 2.00 pm when Margaret Richardson will tell us “Ken’s Story.”

We invite friends to join us on any of these occasions, and we wish everybody peace and happiness in the coming
Pat Heap

Women’s World Day of Prayer
The Tarleton and District Service for Women’s World Day of Prayer will take place at All Saints, Hesketh Bank Parish Church, Station Road, Hesketh Bank, on Friday March 2nd at 7.30 pm.
The Theme for the Service is “United Under God’s Tent” and was prepared by Christian Women of Paraguay.
The Speaker will be Elizabeth Clark of London. The Service will be followed by refreshments
All are invited to join us.

Sunday School:
Thank you to everyone for your help and support over the Christmas period and it was so nice to see so many children in Sunday School for the new year – thank you and we could always do with more!!

Those of you who regularly come to Holy Trinity School will know about the ‘building project’. This project means that we are not able to access School by the side entrance next to Church until it is completed and we will be coming into School each Sunday through the Hall Door from the playground until work is completed. Please could everyone pass the message round – it’s so easy to assume everyone knows, so if you see someone looking lost on a Sunday morning about 10.15 please post them in the right direction!!

Social Committee news:
A very big thank you to everyone for your help with our recent events.

The sale of raffle tickets for the Christmas Hamper went very well and resulted in a profit of £467. Perhaps some of you will be pleased to hear we will not be holding the ‘Beat the Bills’ raffle this year!

The Epiphany Feast was extremely well attended and very successful and would not have been possible without help from many sources. The ‘pudding’ providers – thank you especially to them, to Mary for the flowers, and also to the many hands on the day who made light of all the clearing up. Also we must not forget the ‘blue team’ from our thanks, with special mention to Holly, Bethany, Daniel and Joshua who not only lowered the average age tremendously but were a wonderful help. Although we were more concerned with the social occasion than making a profit, because of the generosity of many people, just over £300 will be added to the disabled access fund.
Coming soon with TLM Sue Wells

Derek Hartley, our Leprosy Mission area organiser, has been working hard to set up interesting events again. Alas, two of them clash with parish events in June, but the first one is entirely possible.

Sing Out Saturday 31st March at Blackburn Cathedral
Come and sing Stainer’s Crucifixion.
Cathedral organist Richard Tanner will lead the rehearsal from 4.30 pm to 6.00 pm. After a break for a snack (bring your own - hot and cold drinks available - or nip into the town centre) the performance will run from 7.30 pm.
Tickets: to sing £8, to come and listen, £5. Several of us will definitely be going. Book through me at church or on 813267 by Sunday February 25th.

After last year’s Lindisfarne pilgrimage, there is the Venture Out Pilgrimage to Whithorn on Saturday 9th June. This clashes both with the Ecumenical Walk of Witness and a diocesan event. I will be going with someone from a neighbouring parish. Price £30/adult, family ticket (2 adult, max 3 children) £65.
If you fancy walking Morecambe Bay, then the Splash Out Morecambe Bay Walk is 23rd of June (Rose Queen / Field Day!) and is £7. More details available for both events (813267).

This magazine goes to press just before Leprosy Sunday, so I thank those who have returned their L-boxes early - and will report the total donations in the next magazine.

The New TLM Collecting boxes
The old plastic L-boxes are being phased out, and replaced by larger, blue ones. These are of hand-made paper, made by students in the vocational training centre at Vizianagaram, India. The paper itself is made from off-cuts of material from the dress making courses at the same centre. You can keep your old box if you prefer - but the new one is bigger and holds more - and helps train students recovering from the effects of leprosy.

News from Holy Trinity School
We have settled into the new term and are once again knuckling down to some hard work - staff and children alike!
This half term in our Personal, Social and Health education we are looking at "Going for Goals". No, not all of us being involved in a huge game of football but a look at what we are good at, how we can improve and the importance of persistence and resilience. We are linking this theme with examples from the Bible such as Daniel and Samuel. We are also looking forward to the visit from the Life Education Centre where the children find out more about the human body and consider feelings and relationships.
The Governors have also been busy and continue in their encouragement and support of the children and staff. We do appreciate all that they do and the unpaid hours they spend attending meetings and making important decisions.
On a personal note, I enjoyed the Epiphany Service and sharing Sunday Lunch with Bishop Nicholas and the church community. Than you for making me feel so welcome.
Sue Hodgkins.

News from Mere Brow School
I am writing this having just returned home from meeting many of you at the Parish Lunch. I would like to take the opportunity of saying how much I enjoyed the Epiphany service, and of course the ‘bountiful’ lunch (to quote, and agree with, Bishop Nicholas) that we all enjoyed afterwards.
Mere Brow School has always shared in Church events, for example the annual Parish Carol Service, the Rose Queen Coffee Evening, Walking Day and the Rose Queen Fete. Unfortunately we are not as physically close to Church as Holy Trinity School, and we cannot therefore cast our eyes on the Church building each day as we go about our school business. Neither can we visit the Church as readily as we would like, again due to our physical separation.
I can, however, assure you that we are just as spiritually connected with you as is our sister school, and I would therefore ask you to remember all in the Mere Brow School community in your prayers, whenever we may come to mind.
Ian Cookson (Acting Headteacher)

Lent Course - Thursdays at 7.30
Parish Room 1st - 29th March

CAN WE BUILD A BETTER WORLD?
learning from William Wilberforce

In this course we celebrate the life, work and faith of a great Yorkshireman. We pay tribute to his work in combating slavery 200 years ago.
But it is not a history lesson. Like William Wilberforce, we live in a divided and hurting world and with a burning question. As Christians in the 21st century, can we – together with others of good will – build a better world?
The five sessions are:
1. Slavery: then and now 2. Friendship & Prayer: then and now 3. Change & Struggle: then and now 4. The Bible: then and now 5. Redemption & Restitution: then and now

Christian Stewardship - Some myths and Truths

Myth Truth
A tithe (1 tenth/ 10%) 100% is God’s.
is God’s Everything belongs to him

Stewardship is our Stewardship is our
response to the church response as the church

Stewardship is about Stewardship is about
money a way of life

Financial stewardship Financial stewardship
encourages equal gifts encourages equal sacrifice

We should give We should give
until it hurts until it feels good

We enter the world with nothing.
We leave the world with nothing.
BUT we have responsibility for the stewardship of all that we are given in between.

From Snippets, the newsletter for resources and stewardship in our diocese

From previous magazines: February 1902
On January 31st, the Bishop of Manchester confirmed 66 persons in our Church. The number was thus made up;
Male candidates, from Tarleton, 13; Hoole, 12; Hesketh, 3; total 28. Female candidates, from Tarleton, 24; Hoole, 7; Hesketh, 7; total, 38.
The Church was well filled, the service was much appreciated, and the address of the Bishop on the subject of “Lead us not into temptation” was most able and effective. We hope that the echoes of the service will long linger in many hearts, and that its effects will be manifest in many lives.
May all who were that day confirmed, and all who were then reminded of their own confirmation in years gone by, have grace granted them, and use it, to live as fully as they can that high Christian life to which God calls us all.

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Parish Visiting Team
If you know of anybody who would welcome a visit, either because they are in hospital, or because they are confined to the home for whatever reason, or because they are new to the parish, would you please fill in one of the slips at the back of the church and place it in the box or contact Fr Nicholas on 812614 or Pat Heap on 812991

PARISH DIARY for February
NORMAL SUNDAY SERVICES
8.00 am Holy Communion,
10.15 am Sunday School and Crèche
10.30 am SUNG EUCHARIST
(3rd Sunday, FAMILY PARISH COMMUNION)

Thursday 1st 7.30 pm Eucharist
Friday 2nd Presentation of Christ in the Temple (Candlemas)
7.30 pm Sung Eucharist
Sunday 4th Third Sunday before Lent
8.00 am Eucharist
10.15 am Sunday School
10.30 am PARISH EUCHARIST
Monday 5th 2.00 pm MU Prayer Group:
Blessed Sacrament Chapel
7.00 pm Eucharist
7.30 pm PCC: Parish Room
Tuesday 6th 10.00 am Eucharist Oakgate Close
6.50 pm Choir practice
Wednesday 7th 10.00 am Holy Communion (BCP) + coffee
Thursday 8th 7.30 pm Eucharist
Friday 9th 12.15 pm Eucharist
Sunday 11th Second Sunday before Lent
8.00 am Eucharist
10.15 am Sunday School
10.30 am PARISH EUCHARIST

Monday 12th 10.30 am MU Wave of Prayer: 13 Ruskin Close
Tuesday 13th 6.50 pm Choir practice
Wednesday 14th 10.00 am Holy Communion (BCP)
7.30 pm MU: Parish Room: Pat & Bill Sutton
“Musicolour Fantasies”
Thursday 15th 7.30 pm Eucharist
Friday 16th 12.15 pm Eucharist
Sunday 18th Sunday next before Lent
8.00 am Eucharist
10.30 am CHURCH FAMILY EUCHARIST
with presentation of the Children’s Society Boxes and Donations
Tuesday 20th 6.50 pm Choir practice
Wednesday 21st ASH WEDNESDAY
10.00 am Holy Communion (BCP)
7.30 pm EUCHARIST with Ashing
Thursday 22nd 7.30 pm Eucharist
Friday 23rd 12.15 pm Eucharist
Sunday 25th First Sunday of Lent
8.00 am Eucharist
10.15 am Sunday School
10.30 am PARISH EUCHARIST
Tuesday 27th 6.50 pm Choir practice
Wednesday 28th 10.00 am Holy Communion (BCP)

MARCH
Thursday 1st St David
7.00 pm Eucharist
7.30 pm Lent Course: Parish Room see above
Friday 2nd 12.15 pm Eucharist
7.30 pm WWDP All Saints, Hesketh Bank
- see page 4
Sunday 4th Second Sunday of Lent
8.00 am Eucharist
10.15 am Sunday School
10.30 am PARISH EUCHARIST
Monday 5th 2.00 pm MU Prayer Group:
Blessed Sacrament Chapel
Tuesday 6th 10.00 am Eucharist: Oakgate Close
6.50 pm Choir practice
Wednesday 7th 10.00 am Holy Communion (BCP) + coffee
Thursday 8th 7.00 pm Eucharist
7.30 pm Lent Course: Parish Room
Friday 9th 12.15 pm Eucharist