ALL SAIMTS_CgLB_SIHLJLLjg,LLA&E I^SLSrrER_ N_o._ 15
March 1967
Ily Dear Friends,
Since my ministry has been curtailed to one service a week and
the churchwardens are determined that the doctor's orders shall be
carried out literally, I have not had the opportunity of teaching or
preaching, so at the risk of being considered tiresome I have decided
to put into this newsletter some thoughts which I trust you may meditate
on this Lent. Lent, if seriously used can be a most profitable
time spiritually and as a Priest of the Church, this ought to
be my first concern for all my people.
Tradesmen keep their books with care and count up gains and losses,
The sick watch symptoms that tell of rallying or failing health (as
perhaps I am prone to do at the present time). Travellers note landmarks
and judge if they have left the path. Sailors mark on their
charts rocks and shoals so that they can steer safely. Builders test
their work and compare it with the plan. Much more should men, who
have eternal interests at stake, search their hearts and try their
LIVES.
life must, on some unknown day, stand at God1 s bar. We ought,
every day, to judge ourselves and seek to learn our state. Times of
communion and the Church* s solemn seasons call us to more close and
stern self-searching. Sloth and pride will tempt U3 to be careless
and irregular; Satan will go tempting us that all will be well and
that to be introspective is cramping and unnatural in this day and
age. But how can we do any Christian duty well if we neglect to see
how our spiritual life thrives and wherein it fails. Only by learning
our sins can we know what to confess and where to amend. Only by
learning where we are weak shall we know what grace to pray for. Testing
our motives we shall be saved from pride; seeing where we have
strayed, shall we be warned to return ere we have gone too far.
"Sum up at night what thou hast done by day
And in the morning what thou hast to do
Dress and undress thy soul. Mark the decay
And growth of it. If with thy watch that too
Be down, then wind up both. Since we shall be
Most surely judged, make thy accounts agree.
W.L.H.
/AY
The services at All Saints m.11 be as follows:
G-ood Friday ICvOOa.a. One-hour service of meditation
"Christ in the Passion"
Easter Day S.OOa.Ji. Holy Communion
10. 00a.m. Sunday School
ll.OOa.n, Eat ins
12.00noon Eoly Communion
6.00p.m. Evensong
3ASTSR FLOWERS
The Church will be decorated for Easter on Saturday, 25th March,
beginning at 10a.m.. Flowers and greenery should be brought to the
Church by 9.30a m. if possible. Those who prefer to give a small
donation are asked to let Miss Boston or Miss Williams know a week
before Easter so that the necessary order can be placed. Arum lilies
will only be ordered by special request as last year they cost 7/6each. .,
IN jjEpjIM
The village and All Saints 3hurch have lost another old friend by
the death of Mrs. Higgs early in February.
Mrs. Higgs will be greatly .nissed by the many people whom she
helped both in illness and in other ways, and her self-effacing readiness
to do the dull jobs, whether at a Church Fete or a W.I .party
has left an example to those who follow her. Sincere sympathy is
extended to her family and friends .
A BOOK TO BEAD
Some readers may have heard extracts from the book "Ring of Truth1'
read by its author, Dr. J. B. Phillips, in the "Ten to Eight" programme
on radio .
A review of this book states that "it is certainly one of the
most valuable and important publications from a Christian point of
view which has appeared for a long time past ...,a splendid piece
of Christian apologetic, on which the author is to be v/holeheartedly
congratulated .... It will be surprising if the majority of readers
do not put the book down with a sense of deep gratitude to the author"
There are copies of the book at the back of the Church and they
may be borrowea by anyone interested,
THE..MOTHERS' UNION
Each month under "Forthcoming Events" appears the cryptic announcement
of a meeting of the Mothers' Union, which gives no idea of what the
Mothers' Union is nor what it stands for. in actual fact, the Mothers'
Union is valuable body which meets under the auspices of the Church and
was honoured with a Royal Charter in 1926.
In precise terms, the objects of the M.U. are:
(1) To uphold the sanctity of marriage
(2) To awaken in all mothers a sense of their great responsibility
in the training of their boys and girls - the fathers and
mothers of the future.
(3) To organise in every place a band of mothers who will unite
in prayer and seek by their own example to lead their families
in purity and holiness of life.
From this it must not be implied that meetings are stiff and stodgy.
The reverse is certainly the case with our local branch, where the officials,
Mrs. Douglas Pusey, Enrolling officer, Mrs. Antosiewicz, hon.
secretary and Mrs. Collier, hon, treasurer do their best to ensure that.
meetings are friendly affairs where all mothers have that greatest gift
in common - a family - and can meet, discuss and listen to talks which
help to bring religion into the home.
Meetings are held monthly at Coleshill or Winchmore Hill when addresses
are given on subjects of topical interest and the attendance
varies from 18 to 25. In addition there is usually an annual excursion.
Membership is open to all women who are baptised and new members
will be very welcome. All they need do is to turn up at any meeting,
but it will assist arrangements if they give their names previously to
Mrs. Pusey. You may attend meetings as a guest without becoming a
member. Before membership and enrolment, there is a three months
period of preparation,
MOTjfflKS' UNION PAKESH SERVICE
Lady Day (25th March) this year falls on Holy Saturday so it has
been transferred in the Calendar to Tuesday, 4th Ag-ril.
It is the turn of Coleshill to have the Parish Mothers' Union Lady
Day Service and this will be held at All Saints at 3.00p.m. on Tuesday,
4th April.
CHURCH FIJ^AJN'CES JggtOlXHi TIE_j^ES_Jcp_r.tinu3d)
As related in the last number. Queen Anne's Bounty and the Ecclesiastical
Commissioners were merged in 194-8 as the Church Commissioners
with three main tasks, viz.- management of capital of the Church,
proper distribution of incDrae and the discharge of a large number of
administrative duties.
Their annual income is now in the region of £19,000,000 or so.
Frequently one hears the ranark that they are among the richest landowners
in the country and people are inclined to ask why they cannot
contribute more to the financial needs of the Church, The fundamental
reason is that the ComnissLoners' funds, although large, have no regular
source of replenishment;. They draw no income from the State and
are largely dependent upon ruling rates of interest and rent. Moreover
they can only use their intone for purposes authorised by Act of Parliament
or Measure of the Church Assembly.
In 1963 the cotal expanses of the Church amounted to £42;fm, to
which the Commissioners contributed iDl^gia, and the laity £27^m. It is
estimated that in 1968 the needs of the Church will be £52^m. to which
the Commissioners will be requiied to contribute £19^m. and the laity
£33d. as follows:
Cjjinmissioners Laity
Training, remuneration, houses, expenses and
pensions of ordained clergy (including special
endowments) and part cost of lay workers 16^. '
Running expenses on the Charch's buildings 12-^m,
Support of the Church1s work in s ecular apheres
e.g. education and social service
Provision of buildings, cathedrals, churches,
colleges, parsonages etc. 1-grn.
Financial help to Anglican provinces overseas
and missionary societies
Central and diocesan services etc. etc. 1m.
33Q.
continue d....
In simple terns, the Commissioners' incone representslittle more
than one-third of the sum required to meet the needs of the Church.
THE REMIMEJLHAJLTQ._BE.PROVIDED BY_ _TH3_L/OTY. Parishes and dioceses
are mainly responsible for providing the stipends of the majority of
incumbants and assistant curates, and the practice is for curates to
receive their stipends from an Assistant Clergy Fund which is made up
by contributions from the parish concerned and from the dioceSB which
in turn often receives contributions from the Commissioners. There
are diocesan scales for the emoluments of assistant clergy and it is a
matter of regret that they compare unfavourably with a number applicable
to men of similar or inferior education in industry or commerce.
It will be seen that for years and years the Church has had to
seek means of raising funds. Church rates were levied until the middle
of the 19th century, but increasingly non-conformists refused to pay
them and magistrates refused to enforce payment. In l£S3 compulsion
was brought to* an end by the passing of the Compulsory Church Rate
Abolition Act. A voluntary church rate can be, but seldom is, imposed,
the parish of Kensington being one of the few remaining examples, where
a voluntary rate is still imposed.
The renting and reserving of seats at Church provided another
source of income but the custom of collecting pew rents is almost obsolete.
Some bequests to the Church are made subject to the condition
that all seats shall be free.
By the end of the 19th century the Church had become more and more
reliant upon collections at church and voluntary donations for its funds
and recourse had to be made to other sources of raising money - bazaars,
fetes, sales of work etc..
Many churches now, however, are looking with increasing favour
upon modern and more businesslike methods of securing the income which
is vital for their survival, e.g. large numbers of the congregations
of many churches subscribe to the tenets of Christian Fellowship and
covenant to subscribe regularly to church funds a sum which has some
relation to their incone. Church Fetes and bazaars have, however, become
accepted features of much parish life. They bring people together,
they interest them in a worthwhile cause and there are many churches
which will be loth to abandon then.
WORLD DAY OF PRAYER
The collection at this service came to £6.15.7d. and was used to
help the distribution of the scriptures and Christian literature
throughout the world, and to further the work of the Womens1 World Day
of Prayer.
CLUB
This club has laade aa encouraging revival with its new leader,
Mr. W. Faulkner, Mr. W. II. Houlton, chairman; Mr. Ruperti, hon. secretary
and Miss Kendal, tun. treasurer. In the last nunber the limitation
of space prevented it being recorded that the following had
consented to serve on the comittee : Mrs. Darvill, Mrs. Edwards,
llrs. Buperti, Mrs. Stantoi, i/lrs. Stubbings, Mr. Coorabes and Mr. Janieson
and the following to represent the Youth Club - Miss J. Palner,
(minute secretary), Hiss Sdwarus, Miss M. Junger, Mr. R. Attridge,
Mr. K. Edwards and Mr. G-. Lubek.
BVNTS
Wed. Mch 1
Thur.
Tues.
Thur.
Sat
Thur.
Fri.
279
11
16
21+
Sun 26
Thur 30
Tues.Apr 25
Whist Drive in aid of school funds. Coleshill School
at 7.30p.m. Tickets 2/6 each fron the school
Mobile Library Van - Coleshill
Sisterhood - Mrs. Yf. H. Richardson
W.I. Sir Evelyn Fone on Rhodesia
Performance of Hay;'n' s "Creation" by combined choirs of
Dr. Challoner' s G-r sonar and High Schools at the G-raunar
School Hall at 7.30p.n.
Mobile Library Van - Coleshill
Mothers' Union &en3ral Meeting at Winchaore Hill
Speaker - The Revd. Y/. L. Holder.
GOOD FRIDAY
Choral Concert by the Harevrood Singers in St. Mary's
Parish Church at 7«30p.n.
EASTSR SUNDAY
Mobile Library Van - Coleshill
Concert in the Royal Albert Hall in aid of the Christian
Medical Hospital and College of Vellore.
SERVICES
ALL SAINTS. COLESHILL
Every Sunday
9.00a.n. Parish Connunion
lO.OOa.n. Sunday School
2nd, and 4-th Sundjgs
6.00p.n. Evensong
THE PARISH CHURCH OF ST .JMARY
AMERSHAM
S.OOa.n. Holy Connunion
lO.OOa.n. Children's Church
ll.OOa.n. Matins and Sernon
(N.B. On the 1st Sunday in
each nonth the 10a.m. &
lla.n. services combine
for a Family Connunion
at lO.OOa.n.)
6.00p.n. Evensong & Sernon
RECTOR: The Revd. Allan Canpbell (Tel. Anershan 1135)
PRIEST-IN-CHARG-E: Revd. W.L.Holder, The Parsonage, Coleshill
(Tel. Anershan ?22)
PRO-CHURCHWARDEN: C. Se.unders, Chapel Cottage, Coleshill.
PRO-CHURCHWARDEN & HON. SECRETARY: N.N.Nicholls, Orchard House,
Coleshill. (Tel. Anershan 1834)
HON. TREASURER: &. Creber. Applecroft, Meadov;cot Lane,
Coleshill. (Tel. Anershan 3350)
Published by All Saints Local Church Connittee, Coleshill.
