1

Parish of St.Cuthbert, Benfieldside

Sunday Worship
8.00a.m. Holy Communion (Book of Common Prayer)
10.00a.m. SUNG EUCHARIST (Common Worship)
6.00p.m. Evening Prayer
+ Choral Evensong (BCP)
Taizé Vespers

Sunday School meets at 10.00a.m. in the Church Hall during term

Weekday Worship Please see the

Calendar &
Morning Prayer: 8.30a.m. Monday - Friday Pewsheet for
Evening Prayer: 5.00p.m. Tuesday alterations to this
Midweek Eucharist: 10.00a.m.Thursday pattern.

Parish Office
Arrangements for Baptisms, Marriages, etc. should
normally be made in the Vicar’s vestry in church on
Tuesdays at 5.30p.m. - please phone first if possible.
For Spiritual Advice & the Sacrament of Reconciliation
(Confession), please contact the Vicar.

Clergy & Readers

Vicar: The Revd Martin Jackson
St. Cuthbert’s Vicarage, Church Bank, Shotley Bridge
01207 503019
mobile phone: 0797 226 2412
e-mail: martin.jackson@durham.anglican.org
Readers: Mrs. Rosie Junemann 01207 583998
  Mr. Paul Heatherington 01207 506282

Parish web-site: www.communigate.co.uk/ne/saintcuthberts

Parish Blog: www.saintcuthberts.blogspot.com
2

PARISH CALENDAR - MAY 2009

Sunday 3 THE 4th SUNDAY OF EASTER
(Acts 4.5-12; 1 John 3.16-end; John 10.11-18)
8.00a.m. Eucharist
10.00a.m. SUNG EUCHARIST + HOLY BAPTISM
& SUNDAY SCHOOL
6.00p.m. Evening Prayer
Tues. 5 7.30p.m. PCC Standing Committee - Vicarage
Wed. 6 7p.m. Deanery Pastoral/Standing Committee - Burnopfield
Thurs. 7 10.00a.m. Eucharist
Sat. 9 7.30p.m. “Comedy Night at St. Cuthbert’s Hall”
Fun, live music + refreshments - £5.
Sunday 10 THE 5th SUNDAY OF EASTER CHRISTIAN AID
(Acts 8.26-40; 1 John 4.7-21; John 15.1-8)
WEEK
8.00a.m. Eucharist
10.00a.m. SUNG EUCHARIST 10 - 16 MAY
& Sunday School
6.00p.m. Evening Prayer
Mon. 11 2.00p.m. Mothers’ Union
7.00p.m. Archdeaconry Visitation – Durham High School
Tues. 12 12.30p.m. “Second Tuesday” Lunch Club - Church Hall
7.30p.m. Hall Management Committee
Wed. 13 2.00p.m. Deanery Mothers’ Union Quiet Afternoon
- Burnopfield
Thurs. 14 ST. MATTHIAS, Apostle
10.00a.m. Eucharist
Sat. 16 10.a.m. - 12noon “Coffee Plus” - Church Hall
Sunday 17 THE 6th SUNDAY OF EASTER (Rogation Sunday)
(Acts 10.44-48; 1 John 5.1-6; John 15.9-17)
8.00a.m. Eucharist
10.00a.m. SUNG EUCHARIST
& Sunday School
12noon Holy Baptism
6.00p.m. Taizé Vespers - a quiet, reflective service
 3
Mon. 18 7.30p.m. “Sing Together” - join us in church!
Thurs. 21 ASCENSION DAY
10.00a.m. Eucharist
7p.m. DEANERY EUCHARIST - Medomsley Church
Sunday 24 THE 7th SUNDAY OF EASTER
(Acts 1.15-17,21-26; 1 John 5.9-13; John 17.6-19)
8.00a.m. Eucharist
10.00a.m. SUNG EUCHARIST
6.00p.m. Evening Prayer
Thurs. 28 10.00a.m. Eucharist
Sunday 31 PENTECOST – Whit Sunday
(Ezekiel 37.1-14; Acts 2.1-21; John 15.26-27, 16.4b-15)
8.00a.m. Eucharist
10.00a.m. SUNG EUCHARIST
6.00p.m. Evening Prayer

JUNE
Mon. 1 2.00p.m. Eucharist - in the Lounge, Derwentdale Court
Tues. 2 7 for 7.30p.m. Deanery Synod
Thurs. 4 10.00a.m. Eucharist
Sat. 6 12noon Marriage: Paul D’Eath & Patricia Vasey
3.00p.m. Marriage: Justin Chilton & Louise Lovell
Sunday 7 TRINITY SUNDAY
(Isaiah 6.1-8; Romans 8.12-17; John 3.1-17)
8.00a.m. Eucharist
10.00a.m. SUNG EUCHARIST
& Sunday School
6.00p.m. Evening Prayer
Mon. 8 2.00p.m. Mothers’ Union Diocesan Festival - Cathedral
Tues. 9 12.30p.m. “Second Tuesday” Lunch Club - Church Hall
4

View from the Vicarage

Come Holy Ghost…
“It‟s your busy time…” is one of those phrases which clergy become
accustomed to in the build-up to Christmas. And yes, it can get busy then -
especially because like everyone else we‟ve got lots of shopping to do,
family and friends to get round, presents to buy and (not always!) cards to
send. But it‟s nothing like as busy as the latter part of Lent as we enter Holy
Week and prepare for Easter. That‟s the truly busy time - and it‟s busy-ness
with a holy purpose. It‟s worth being busy for.
And then there‟s another burst of energy required for what is often a period
of feverish activity just after Easter. It‟s the time when we must get Easter
Vestries (for the election of churchwardens) and Annual Meetings out of the
th
way. And then a whole load of paperwork to complete and return by 30
th
April. I‟m typing this on 29 April - and there‟s still four pages of questions
from our Archdeacon called the Visitation Articles sitting in the In-Tray!
In all of this we can miss what‟s truly important. The busy-ness of church
administration only has a point if it directs us to what is truly important in
the life of the Church. Easily, we can miss times like Ascension-tide and
Pentecost when we should consider who Christ is for us - and how the Holy
Spirit directs our lives. So here‟s one of the most well-loved of hymns as a
reminder of that:

Come, Holy Ghost, our souls inspire

And lighten with celestial fire;
Thou the anointing Spirit art,
Who dost thy sevenfold gifts impart.
Thy blessed unction from above
Is comfort, life, and fire of love;
Enable with perpetual light
The dullness of our blinded sight.
Anoint and cheer our soiled face
With the abundance of thy grace;
Keep far our foes; give peace at home:
Where thou art guide no ill can come.
Teach us to know the Father, Son, Praise to thine eternal merit,
And thee of both, to be but One, Father, Son and Holy Spirit.
That through the ages all along
This may be our endless song, Martin Jackson
 5

Mothers’ Union News

th
Monday 11 May
2.00pm Service in Church
Followed by a talk by Derek Hume about the Braes of Derwent Hunt
th
Wednesday 13 May
2.00pm Deanery Quiet Afternoon at St James‟, Burnopfield,
conducted by the Revd. Gary Birchall
th
Monday 8 June
2.00pm Festival Service, Durham Cathedral

(+ please note that the monthly Derwentdale Court Eucharist is moved

st
from the last Monday of May to Monday 1 June)


Christian Aid Week 2009
Sunday 10th – Saturday 16th May
Please give what you can and make tomorrow better for families living in
poverty.
As usual I hope to be in touch soon with all our regular collectors. If anyone
else is able to help, please do get in contact – there will inevitably be some
gaps to fill so do consider helping.
Sheila Barnes
+ from the Bishop of Durham’s Office….

Walk Bede’s Way with Bishop Tom

- help raise funds for educational projects

On Saturday 6 June 2009 Christian Aid is inviting you to take part in their
new sponsored walk along Bede‟s Way. Bishop Tom will be walking the 12
miles between St Peter‟s, Monkwearmouth and St Paul‟s, Jarrow and is
hoping that plenty of clergy and people from Durham Diocese will sign up
themselves or at least sponsor him to take part. Shorter accessible walks
are available in the afternoon and the day concludes with a celebratory
service at St Paul‟s where Bishop Tom will preach. Full details and
registration form are on www.bedewalk.neast.org.uk or email
newcastle@christian-aid.org
6

100 Club - Winners

April
!st Prize £25 No. 83 Joyce Shaw
2nd Prize £15 No.121 Barbara Penaluna
3rd Prize £10 No. 44 Avril Dower

Details on how to join the 100 Club from our organiser,

Jennifer Lambert, phone 505018.



2nd Tuesday Lunch Club

… continues to provide food and friendship

12.30p.m. Tuesday 12th May in the Church Hall



BROADCASTING Comedy Night

BONANZA at St Cuthbert’s Hall
That's the title of a show coming to the
Church Hall on Saturday May 9th at 7.30, Broadcasting
organised by the newly formed One in
Seven drama group. Tickets at £5 will Bonanza
buy you a share of a buffet supper, and
accompanying entertainment will take you Fun from favourite
back - or introduce you - to the delights of Radio and TV shows
radio and TV of yesteryear. Don't stint
yourselves, come and enjoy it. Live Music
Tickets available from Jim and Marjorie
Hollingsworth, Ian and Sue Hamilton,
7.30p.m.
Paul Heatherington, Steve and Mary Saturday 9th May
Mitchell. Phone contact 505722.
Jim Hollingsworth Refreshment Charge £5
 7

Stained Glass in St. Cuthbert’s

Paul Heatherington, one of our Readers, continues his series …

DON’T COME TO ST CUTHBERT’S LOOKING FOR HOPE!

Churches the world over sometimes include allegorical

figures in stained glass signifying Faith, Hope and
Charity.
They represent the virtues described in St Paul’s letter to
the Corinthians, which ends, ‘And now abideth faith,
hope, charity, these three; but the greatest of these is
charity.’
The virtues have often been translated into English as
Faith, Hope and Charity, although by the twentieth
century it had become more common to translate ’caritas’
as love. All three figures are represented as female. Faith
usually carries a cross. Hope usually carries an anchor,
while Charity is usually shown with children. Whilst
many Church of England churches with a catholic
tradition favoured saints as subjects for stained glass, the
Christian virtues were considered more truly protestant.
Not uncommonly all three are not present together. Instead
you might find just two in a pair of lancet windows or
perhaps opposite each other across a chancel. Charity is
the most popular in numerical terms. Faith is often shown
alone, and Hope is often the window of choice in funeral
chapels. St Cuthbert’s follows this custom, in that only
Faith and Charity are to be found in the Organ aisle, which
leads to the unfounded amusing tease but factually accurate
statement that there are Faith and Charity but no Hope in
Saint Cuthbert’s!
Faith, Hope and Charity, possibly because of their
popularity with 19th century stained glass designers,
became popular girls' Christian names in the 18th and 19th
centuries.
8
 9

Brownie Pack Holiday

th
On April 9 we went on Pack Holiday to Bispham Hall
Scout Estate near Wigan for 5 days. The theme was
Harry Potter.
We went to the Science Museum in Manchester. We
went on a simulator ride, a steam train and in the
planetarium. We learned about stars and planets and
earned our stargazer badge. We got to walk through a
sewer. It was smelly!
We watched 2 Harry Potter movies. We played a Wide Game all about
Harry Potter we had to earn galleons by completing different tasks. If one of
the leaders caught us we lost galleons. It was fun. We used our galleons to
buy the ingredients for the final potion. We made cakes from the potion.
On Sunday we went to Gulliver‟s World at Warrington. We had lots of fun.
The rollercoaster was scary but great. We all screamed lots. We can‟t wait
for our next Pack Holiday in July!
Beth, Rebecca, Ebony, Fiona, Sarah, Enya,
Hannah, Emily, Rachel and Molly
……………………………………………………………………….

“Cake Bake”
Sunday School held their annual “Cake
Bake” on Sunday 26th April, doing great
business as parishioners got ready for the
Annual Meeting.
It was a very successful venture, raising £87.50 - all in aid of the Church
Hall building project to finish off the downstairs rooms and develop a
disabled toilet and galley kitchen.
Thanks to Sunday School members & leaders, and to all who supported
the sale.
……………………………………………………………………….
10

COFFEE plus
in support of St Cuthbert’s Church

Saturday 16th May 2009

10a.m. to 12noon in the Church Hall

COFFEE & LIGHT REFRESHMENTS

PLANT STALL
SECOND-HAND BOOKS
RAFFLE

………………………………………………………………

SING
TOGETHER
For summer
7.30 – 8.30pm Monday 18 May 2009 th

St Cuthbert’s Church
All welcome
Further details: Martin Jackson, Bill Hudson or Rosie Junemann
 11

Annual Parochial Church Meeting

Election Results
th
Our annual parochial church meeting was held on Sunday 26 April.

The following were elected as churchwardens:

Carol O‟Malley Linda Short

The following were elected last year to serve for the three
years as lay representatives in the deanery synod:
Sammie Hewlett; Stephen Mitchell; Pam Donnelly

The following were elected to the parochial church council:

Kelsey Buchanan Peter Thompson Mary Mitchell
Jill Barron Jennifer Lambert Bill Hudson
Irvine Macnair Jenny Macnair Glynis Bell
Claire Bean Eric Hall

Reader to serve ex officio:

Rosie Junemann
[Paul Heatherington to receive minutes with invitation to contribute to PCC]

The big change is of course, one of our Wardens. Liz Parker had
previously indicated that she wanted to step down to devote her
energies to other areas - more on this in due course, but for now we
must say what a big debt of thanks we owe her for all her hard work.
Linda Short carries on with her work as Warden, and is now joined
by Carol O’Malley - we wish them well in their new partnership!

The election of churchwardens is followed by a Visitation at which

they are formally inducted into their year of office. This year we have
an Archdeaconry Visitation to be conducted by the Archdeacon of
Durham - on Monday 11th May here at Durham High School for
Girls. Wardens “sign in” at 7p.m. and there‟ll be refreshments and a
presentation on the Diocesan web-site. The Archdeacon‟s “Charge”
to Wardens beginning a new year of office and their “swearing-in”
will be at about 8p.m. – it‟s always good to have supporters for our
Wardens from the parish!
12

St Cuthbert’s Summer Fair

Saturday 13 June from 2.00pm
Come and join in the fun…
Cakes, Plants, Preserves
Crafts & Gifts, Books
Tombola & Games
Jane Robson Theatre Group
Afternoon Teas
…and more!
Join us in and around
St. Cuthbert’s Church & Hall

Seven weeks until the longest day?

As I write, that is how long it is until the Summer Fair - which always
seems like the longest day to me, as co-ordinator/stall holder.
It is also a great time to get together in the sunshine (we hope),
meet old friends and make new ones, enjoy the entertainment,
pastimes and refreshments on offer - and pick up some bargains
and delicious cakes and preserves.
However, to make the day enjoyable for all who visit our church
requires some effort from all of us. Some people have already
offered to organise stalls and events, and we are now looking for
contributions to the following stalls: plants, cakes and preserves,
books, tombola, bric-a-brac, crafts, and whatever else may come to
mind.
The Jane Robson Theatre Group will be performing in Church during
the afternoon.
It would be helpful to the organisers if everyone offering help would
sign the list which is at the back of church.
Coordinators: Mary Mitchell Sammie Hewlett
 13

News from the Deanery

Elections to the Diocesan Synod are to be held this year. Lanchester
Deanery can elect four people to the House of Clergy and five people to the
House of Laity. Nominations for election are made by members of the
Deanery Synod for the appropriate House. However, you do not have to a
member of Deanery Synod to be nominated. If you are interested in serving
on Diocesan Synod then have a word with your Deanery Synod
Representatives.
Requests for nomination will be sent out on Tuesday 12thMay. Nominations
will be returned by Tuesday26th May. If there are more nominations that
there are seats to be filled; then voting papers will be sent out on Tuesday
2nd June and the last day for return of voting papers will be Tuesday 23rd
June 2009. All of this will be administered by Mr Jack Clifford, the
Presiding Officer for the Elections to Deanery Synod in this Deanery.

Taizé Pilgrimage
Taizé is a centre of pilgrimage for young people from all over Europe and
the world. Those who have been find the worship enriching and the
encounters with people from many different countries rewarding.
Lanchester Deanery‟s Youth Fund is able to subsidise two young people
from the age of 15-19 to go on the Diocesan Youth Pilgrimage to Taizé
st th
from August 1 to August 10 this year. The total cost would be £210
(which is all inclusive apart from some spending money). The Deanery is
able to pay half of this. If you are interested in going or know someone
who maybe, then please speak to your vicar or Rev‟d Gary Birchall on
01207 270261 as soon as possible. He is going as one of the team of
leaders.
_______________________________________________

Thursday 21st May at 7.00p.m.

Deanery Eucharist for Ascension Day
in St. Mary Magdalene’s Church, Medomsley
Preacher: The Revd. Professor Douglas Davies

Join with other members of local churches

for this special celebration
14

Happy Anniversary!
On the 9th May 2009, we will be celebrating
the 40th Anniversary of the admission
of women to Reader ministry.
The Office of Reader is one of the oldest ministries in the Church, but it
was established in its present form in the Church of England in 1866. Since
then, the growth in Reader Ministry has been one of the great success
stories in the Church of England and there are now over 10,000 Readers,
some in every diocese, with men and women represented almost equally. In
church, Readers can be distinguished from their ordained colleagues by the
distinctive blue Readers’ scarf.
Readers are lay people from all walks of life, who are called by God, and
theologically trained. They are authorised by the Church of England to
preach and teach, to conduct or assist in conducting worship, and to assist
in the pastoral, evangelistic and liturgical work of the Church in the parish
or area where they are licensed. In collaborative teams with clergy and
other church members they work in a variety of situations; in parishes,
schools, prisons, hospitals, hospices, factories and shops, among seafarers
and in the Armed Forces, with children and young people, the elderly,
housebound and bereaved, and with those preparing for baptism,
confirmation and marriage.
As well as their formal roles, Readers have many informal ways of
ministering by their presence, witness and listening at their places of work,
at home, among the neighbours and in their local communities. They are
informed lay people living out their faith in their different walks of life.

Of course, there are women in other lay and ordained ministries in the
Anglican Church, too.

Elizabeth Catherine Ferard was the first Deaconess in England. She

received her licence from Bishop Tait of London on the 18th July 1862. She
founded a community of deaconesses, which was also a religious
sisterhood, the Community of St Andrew, and worked in a poor parish in
the King’s Cross area of London and later at the Great Northern Hospital.
However it was not until July 1985 that the Church of England's
policymaking General Synod endorsed the ordination of women as
deacons.
 15
The first woman to be ordained to the priesthood in the Anglican
Communion was Florence Li Tim-Oi, who was ordained on the 25th
January 1944 by the Bishop of Hong Kong. The Church of England
authorised the ordination of women priests in 1992 and began ordaining
them in 1994.
The first woman bishop in the Anglican Communion was Barbara
Clementine Harris who was ordained suffragan bishop of Massachusetts in
February 1989. Later in the same year, Penelope Jamieson became the first
female diocesan bishop when she was elected Bishop of Dunedin in New
Zealand. In July 2005, the General Synod of the Church of England voted
to ‘set in train’ the process under which women might become bishops. The
debate continues but it is hoped that legislation currently in draft form will
clear the way for women to become bishops in this country in around 2014.
Rosie Junemann
Rosie will herself be preaching at the 10a.m. Sung Eucharist on Sunday
10th May. As we value her ministry so much, it’s strange to think that
women were admitted to Reader ministry only as recently as 1969. Where
would we be now without all those women who make such a valuable
contribution to our Church’s life?
………………………………………………..

AUTHORISED PASTORAL ASSISTANTS

Are you interested?
The next APA course starts in October 2009
Enquirers’ Information Evening will be held on
Tuesday 19th May 2009 at 7.00pm
Cross Gate Centre, Alexandria Crescent, Durham, DH1 4HF
(please telephone if you intend to be present - and speak to the Vicar too!)

Applications and selection - June / July Interviews – August

For information, please contact:-
Mrs Pamela Wilson, Council for Ministry, The Cross Gate Centre, Alexandria Crescent,
Durham, DH1 4HF Tel (0191) 374 6024 or e-mail
Pamela.Wilson@durham.anglican.org
or Mrs Alison Moore, Bishops’ Adviser in Pastoral Care and Counselling, (same address)
Tel (0191) 374 6021 or e-mail Alison.Moore@durham.anglican.org
16

Art at
St. Cuthbert’s
An Exhibition by Local Artists
Saturday 12th September
& Sunday 13th September
in St. Cuthbert’s Church Hall

It’s that time again…

This year‟s event is to be held on Saturday and Sunday 12 th and13th

of September with the hall to be set up on the evening of Friday 11th.
As usual I have tried to time things to coincide with the Northumbria
Historic Churches Trust Steeplechase which this year, on Saturday
12th September, is in the capable care of Steve Mitchell.
As in previous years we will be looking for stewards for the Church
and Hall, caterers, steeple-chasers, and of course exhibitors. If you
can assist in any way please get in touch with Steve or myself.
Lew Parker 505156

Signs & symbols: the Chi Rho

The language of the early Christians was Greek, and so
it is not surprising that many of the Christian symbols
that we still use today came from Greek.
The Chi Rho is one of the earliest christograms that was
used by the early Church. It comes from taking the first
two letters of Christ in Greek, which is „X‟, pronounced
chi, and „p‟, which is „r‟, or pronounced rho. Together,
one on top of the other, they form the monogram ☧.
You can see it on some silver spoons found at Mildenhall, and now in the
British Museum, dating from about 350 AD. Jo White - Parish Pump
 17

Taizé - monastic spirituality for today

Elsewhere in this magazine, you’ll find an invitation to young people to join
a pilgrimage from our diocese to Taizé. The visit is 1st -10th August of this
year. The diocesan coordinator, the Revd. Martin Anderson of Sunderland
Minster writes:

Our coach is open to Young People from around the Diocese aged 15-29
spending a week camping and enjoying an opportunity to pray alongside up
to 5-6,000 young Christians from across Europe with the Brothers of the
ecumenical Taizé Community.
The young people need to bring a tent, sleeping bag, a bible, and be
prepared to be involved in the whole of community life for the week e.g.
taking part in the prayers, helping with practical tasks, attending
discussions in small groups etc.
The trip costs £210 which covers return coach travel via Dover/Calais from
Durham-Taizé, insurance, and the contribution to the Taizé community to
cover food and our stay there.
Once again this summer we will be travelling with young people from the
Diocese of York and accompanied by Archbishop John Sentamu. Young
people can also look forward to meeting Rowan Williams, the Archbishop of
Canterbury, who will also be staying in the Taizé community that week.

MJ adds: At St. Cuthbert’s we offer worship and prayer based on that

which is offered at Taizé - normally at the 6p.m. service on the 3rd Sunday
of the month. Why not come and join us? Martin Anderson encourages us
to think more about Taizé’s life and work in this article:

Taizé is an ecumenical monastic community, offering much opportunity for

silent and prayerful reflection, as well as multilingual chatter. The services,
the real highlight of any pilgrimage there, are a revelation: a massive
church packed with five thousand young people, all singing together,
listening together, praying together. Each service features at its centre a ten-
minute silence, in which one can pray, consider issues raised from the daily
bible reflection, or simply gaze around the building in awe.
The music of Taizé has become world famous, but all I can say is that until
you have heard it in its birthplace, you have not truly experienced its
spiritual power or beauty. By the end of the week, everyone becomes an
18
obsessive devotee of at least one of the chants, and it is not uncommon
whilst wandering about to find makeshift choirs or individuals serenading
passers-by with their particular favourite!
There are four main events in the Church each day at Taizé. Morning
Prayer before breakfast, at which communion is available to those who
wish to receive it, Midday Prayer, before lunch, and Evening Prayer, which
follows the evening meal. In addition at 7.30 in the morning, there is a
Eucharist at which the communion gifts are consecrated for the subsequent
Morning Prayer. It’s amazing just how many people are motivated to get
out of bed so early!
Like everything at Taizé, the Eucharist is ecumenical, and attended by a
Catholic, Orthodox, Anglican, and Lutheran congregation. Taizé keeps the
common elements of all traditions, but in fact the differences between a
Taizé Eucharist and each denomination are, in practice, tiny. What most
stands out during the week is that the similarities between our churches, our
beliefs and our cultures by far outweigh the differences. The message of
tolerance is a way of life while you are there.
The mornings are given over to bible studies. These consisted of a talk
from a Brother on a biblical passage, followed by a small group discussion.
My particular group consisted of two English, two Germans, two
Portuguese, a Slovakian and a Ukrainian. Sitting in the French sunshine
sharing ideas and stories remains one of my best memories of the week.
The chance to really get to know people from other countries and cultures
was exciting and invaluable. The group reflection is not only a great way to
know others' thoughts but to clarify your own, and to think deeply about
faith. Everyone I spoke to found this a precious and empowering
opportunity. The periods of silence make you realize how much time passes
us by in our busy lives, and how much can be gained by simply sitting.
When, a week later, we got back on the bus to return home, there was not a
person who wanted to leave. The experience of Taizé was too precious to
let go, and the whole thing was so intensely compelling that it felt as if we
had been there two months, not just one week. Before we stepped on the
coach, a friend said to me that the problem is not leaving Taizé, but trying
to explain it when you get back. And he was right. Taizé is truly
''indescribable''. The only way to understand is to visit yourself. I shall
definitely be returning.
Martin Anderson
19
20

From the Parish Registers

Funerals
20 April Marjorie Vernon aged 87 years
Woodlands Road (Shotley Park)
May the souls of the faithful departed rest in peace

Readings for Sunday Evening Worship

Please use these readings, whether or not you are able to join us at the 6p.m. service
Sunday 3 May Ps. 81.8-16 Exodus 16.4-15 Revelation 2.12-17
Sunday 10 May Ps. 96 Isaiah 60.1-14 Mark 16.9-16
Sunday 17 May Ps. 45 Song of S. 4.16-5.2; 8.6-7 Luke 22.24-30
Sunday 24 May Ps. 147.1-11 Isaiah 61 Luke 4.14-21
Sunday 31 May Ps. 139 (part) Ezekiel 36.22-28 Acts 2.22-38
Sunday 7 June Ps. 104.1-10 Ezekiel 1.4-10,22-28a Revelation 4.1-11

Confirmation 2009
Our Deanery has its annual Confirmation very soon
The Bishop of Durham (I think!) will be presiding at a
nd
Deanery Confirmation on Monday 22 June - at All
Saints‟ Church, Lanchester.
We have a couple of candidates, but would welcome more! If you‟re an
adult with actual church involvement - and want to be confirmed - please
get in touch with the Vicar (of St. Cuthbert‟s!) as soon as possible. There‟ll
be some preparation involved - and hopefully it will all be very enjoyable.

Useful Church Contacts:

Churchwardens: Linda Short, 9 Sherwood Close   503750
Carol O’Malley, 13 Spring Close, Ebchester 561884
PCC Lay Chair: Peter Thompson, Wheldon House, Ebchester 560454
PCC Treasurer: Irvine Macnair, 10 Kempton Close. 505828
PCC Secretary: Jill Barron, 141 Benfieldside Road 504352
Sunday School: Carol O’Malley, 13 Spring Close, Ebchester 561884
Church Hall: Linda Short, 9 Sherwood Close  503750