FAITH NEWS
WE celebrated Epiphany last Sunday - the star, Wise Men’s long journey, Herod’s misguided shenanigans and all that - and as the Christmas season in church doesn’t end until Candlemas on February 3, our decorations won’t come down until January 31.
As it was the first Sunday of the month, we also had, in addition to our usual Sung Eucharist (Holy Communion) at
9.30am, our second
Family Service at 11.15am and Evening Prayer at 5pm.
The highlight for this writer was without doubt the Family Service, not particularly well attended and made difficult because Rev Rachel, through no fault of anyone, couldn’t get a signal for what she had intended to do online and on a big screen for the benefit of the toddlers present.
Happily, the Rev Rachel is at her best in a crisis and especially when working with young children and, although we finally got some restricted use of online facilities, she swung into action by telling the Epiphany story, organising the colouring in of the Wise Men’s clothing, singing appropriate songs for children (with all the actions, of course) and leading a special visit to the Crib where she and the six or seven toddlers present, sat on the floor and discussed the various figures depicted in the Crib.
It wasn’t a service as such but in terms of keeping the attention of the children it didn’t merely suit the young mums who had taken their offspring; it ‘educated’ the elder of the little ones and it prompted at least one of the young mums to check that this was something that was going to happen at
11.15am on the first Sunday of EVERY month.
It WILL - and as one of the adults present, who also included 102-yearold Marjorie Greenhalgh, this writer would like to recommend it to young mums and dads and assure them that their little ones won’t get bored,
will feel welcome and will be happy to attend again.
Ok, it might be a case of ‘catching ‘em young,’ but does that really matter ?
All too soon, there will come a time when they make up their own minds about these things.
But, for now, the Rev Rachel is giving them at least the chance to see there are alternatives to mobile phones, social media or even worse attractions - and all power to her elbow for doing that.
We always hope, of course, that some of today’s little ones come through gloriously and on that theme it was magnificent to see a little lad of six or seven grab hold of the microphone during the Sung Eucharist to talk so expertly and confidently about what the children had been doing in Sunday School.
He received a welldeserved round of applause at the end, such was the impact he made on people who, generally speaking, were old enough to be his grandparents.
Earlier, at the same service, prayers were led by George, who is
currently home from university, whose mum is in the choir and whose dad also attends regularly and often plays a singular role in the service like doing a reading or leading the prayers.
It doesn’t seem too long ago that George himself was ‘a little one.’
Now he’s a big young man who is going places - formerly a top pupil at Bacup and Rawtenstall Grammar, now working hard at Lancaster Uni and often to be seen at St Andrew’s when he is home.
Maybe, just maybe, there are more Georges out there who are just waiting to be introduced to St Andrew’s.
Let’s hope so.
This is Confirmation time, of course and with that in mind Bishop Mark will be at St Andrew’s on February 25 at 7pm.
Anyone considering Confirmation, or if you are older than eight or nine and want to be in a position to start taking Communion on Easter Day, should contact Rev Rachel asap.
Confirmation classes will be held on Saturday, February 10 at 10am (two
hours); Saturday,
February 17 at 10am (two hours) and Saturday, February 24 at 10am (one hour).
Those aged over eight or nine and wish to take Communion at Easter will have preparation classes in March.
The Rev Rachel is also looking for another school governor and for someone to assist with the weekly prayer group at school at 2.45pm on Tuesdays in term time.
Our relations with St Andrew’s Primary have never been better. Long may it continue.
Children are our future. Please continue to bring items to church for Rochdale Foodbank so we can continue to help those in need.
The Foodbank also requires plastic shopping bags.
To contact anyone at St Andrew’s about anything relating to church and church life ring the Rev Battershell on 07748 113 121, warden Janice
Perkins on 07730 367 919, warden Christine Longhurst on 07766 404 282 or Lay Reader Geoff Hurst (the name’s the same) on 370047.