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OUR MISSION
A community seeking to live well with God, gathered around Jesus Christ in prayer and fellowship,
and committed to welcome, worship and witness.
The Church Office Bolton Abbey, Skipton BD23 6AL
01756 710238 [email protected]
The Rector The Rectory, Bolton Abbey, Skipton BD23 6AL
01756 710326 [email protected]
Website www.boltonpriory.church
SUNDAY
0800 Holy Communion
0915 Liquid Family Worship First Sunday of month
1030 Sung Eucharist
1830 Evening Prayer (said) Summer months
1630 Evening Prayer (said) Winter months
WEDNESDAY
1000 Holy Communion
1845 Choir Practice
All regular services are according to the Book of Common Prayer (BCP), except for the Family service, an informal service for young and old. WEDDINGS and BAPTISMS: By arrangement via the Church Office
Issue Number 414 April 2015
Love is come again
Forth he came at Easter, like the risen grain,
He that for three days in the grave had lain.
Quick from the dead my risen Lord is seen:
Love is come again, like wheat that springeth green.
Two friends, walking together one Sunday towards a village, are joined by a stranger. He proves to be quite talkative. The friends invite the stranger to stay with them when they reach their destination, for darkness is falling. The stranger sits to eat with them and, after giving thanks to God, breaks bread. Then he is a stranger no longer: the friends’ eyes are opened. This, in brief, is the story of Cleopas and another follower of Jesus on the road to Emmaus, near Jerusalem, which St Luke records in his Gospel. It is the story of two friends, burdened by grief at the death of their teacher, who welcome a stranger to walk with them; who tell the stranger about the hopes they had invested in Jesus and who, in turn, listen to what the stranger has to say to them. When recognition finally dawns, in the breaking of the bread, the conversation they had on the road to Emmaus makes sense: they ask each other excitedly, ‘were not our hearts burning within us while he talked with us on the road and opened up the Scriptures to us?’
Like Cleopas and his friend, we are disciples on the Way and there is much that we can learn from their story. About welcoming the stranger who suddenly appears in our midst; about sharing the story of Jesus with those we meet on the way; about listening to the differ-ent insights that others might have to offer, and about the practice of hospitality through sharing food. More than all this, we can learn that Jesus is not a remote figure from an irrecoverable past, forever locked in a book. Jesus is the living Word of God, seeking us out and longing for our hearts to burn within us with love for him as we recognise him as our risen Saviour.
Alleluia! Christ is risen!
With warm Easter greetings,
RECTOR’S NOTES I encourage all parishioners and members of our worshipping community to attend the Priory’s Annual General Meeting on Sunday 12 April at 12.00. This occasion is not simply administrative. It also allows us to give thanks for all God’s blessings to us, to recognise with gratitude all who have served the parish and church in particular ways over the past year, and to look forward with eagerness to all that, by God’s grace, we hope to accomplish together during this year. Our Strategic Vision commits us to celebrating the agricultural year in all its variety. This year, in partnership with some of our local farmers, we shall be holding a Service of Thanksgiving for the Lambs on Sunday 19 April at 16.30. All being well, we shall have some locally born lambs joining us for the service which will be family friendly and last around forty-five minutes. Another strand of our Strategic Vision commits us to offer opportunities for pilgrimage, both physical and spiritual. With this in mind, please make an advance note of a ‘Two Parishes Pilgrimage’ on the afternoon of Sunday 10 May. The idea is to join parishioners from our neighbouring parish of Embsay in retracing the journey (or as much of it as you feel able to) of the Augustinian Canons who travelled from Embsay to Bolton in 1154 to re-found their (then thirty-year old religious community in more sheltered pastures by the River Wharfe. The pilgrimage will end with Choral Evensong in the Priory. Full details of the afternoon timetable will be published next month. The Right Revd Anthony Priddis will be our preacher on Sunday 26 April. Bishop Anthony retired as Bishop of Hereford in 2013 and is now an Honorary Assistant Bishop in the Diocese of Gloucester. Bishop Nicholas has invited me to chair the newly constituted Diocesan Advisory Committee for the Diocese of West Yorkshire and the Dales. This is, in equal measure, a great privilege and a huge responsibility. I shall be writing a little more about the work of
Diocesan Advisory Committees next month. Meanwhile, I would be grateful for your prayers as I prepare to take on the role in May. Bishop James will be coming to the Priory on Sunday 16 November to officiate at a service of Confirmation. A number of possible candidates have already spoken to me. If any readers are thinking about Confirmation please let me know – in person, by telephone, or by email.
LITTER PICKING AT BOLTON ABBEY The Bolton Abbey team downed tools and donned fluorescent jackets on Friday 13 March for a litter pick. Equipped with litter pickers, the team walked over 18½ miles of roadside verges covering all the major and minor approach roads to the Bolton Abbey Estate. They picked up nearly 300 bags of litter. This annual event has formed part of the Bolton Abbey calendar for the last 13 years. Every year litter becomes an increasing countrywide problem highlighting the need for a day of action. ‘Keep Britain Tidy’ reports that over 30 million tonnes of litter are collected from our streets , costing council tax payers nearly £1 billion every year. Bolton Abbey Estate collects, recycles and disposes of over 200 tonnes of litter each year. This vital service forms part of the Estate’s Grounds Maintenance which comes at an annual cost of over £210,000. The litter sweep keeps up the appearance of our popular visitor destination but, more importantly, it brings endless benefits to the wildlife and ground nesting birds. The Estate staff take great pride in presenting Bolton Abbey to the highest standards and are committed to enhancing the environment.
FEBRUARY FIGURES The average weekly attendance at all Sunday services in February was 125. There were 50 attendees at the January monthly Liquid Service. The average receipts to the Priory from all Sunday services in February were £ excluding gift aid. The average receipts to the Priory from all Sunday services in January were £1212 excluding gift aid.
PAROCHIAL CHURCH COUNCIL – 26th February 2015
The good news is that by the time you read this we should have our new toilets available and cupboards in the north store to house some of our paraphernalia, thereby uncluttering the verger’s vestry. You will also have had the chance to see the mock-up of the proposed new lighting. The Rector, not a person to let the grass grow under his feet, outlined the programme of initiatives and projects which would take our Strategic Vision forward over the coming year. Events such as the Embsay-Bolton Priory Pilgrimage, the Lambing Service (yes, with real lambs!) and the Mystery Play will give everyone plenty of opportunity to become involved and, along with other plans, will make for a very busy year. The Special Events Committee are excelling themselves in their forward planning as they have not only finalised the programme for this year’s concerts but also those for 2016 and one for 2017. Wow! The Welcome Team seems to get busier and busier, particularly round Christmas time when the local tour operators realise that the Priory is open even when other tourist attractions are closed for the season. The scenes of Yorkshire on TV during the Tour de France have inspired the Chinese tour operators to decide to add Yorkshire to their itineraries and Betty Nelmes and Moira Smith (from the Estate Office) have shown a group of 27 of them what there is to see here. Betty systematically goes through the Visitors’ Book making a note of the various nationalities that are mentioned each month. Over the whole year 68 countries were represented, including an astonishing number of Arab countries: Oman, Qatar, Saudi Arabia, Egypt and United Arab Emirates. One comment from a certain Ghalib Boten said: ‘Truly a breath-taking building. May we all learn about each other’s religion so that we can be tolerant and have peace.’ Amen to that. Our lively website, kept up-to-date by Paul Middleton, attracts a lot of attention. Our Rector is adept at using social media to reach out to people and to maintain connections with people who are not able to come to church very often. Nowhere is this more apparent than at
the Family Service where a family suddenly appears after months, or even years, of absence. Monthly emails have made them feel that they still belong. Recently our two Archbishops issued a statement urging clergy to use social media as a way of relating to people in this modern age. Well, Archbishops, you’re preaching to the converted here. Gold star to the Rector! Liz Higgins, PCC
THE FRIENDS OF BOLTON PRIORY SPRING EVENTS
ANNUAL LECTURE Thursday 23 April 7.30pm, Bolton Abbey Village Hall Speaker, our Bishop, the Right Reverend Nick Baines His title ‘Shaping the Future – Getting there from here’ Everyone is welcome, tickets are £5 avaiable from Andrew Hartley, 01943 600645 or 816363 and on the door.
THE FRIENDS ANNUAL GENERAL MEETING AND LUNCH Sunday 31 May 12.15pm Bolton Abbey Village Hall Tickets will be available shortly. FINALLY The Committee is now hard at work organising two full day coach visits, still under wraps at present but one is to the East, the other is North.
THE PRIORY AGM The agendas, reports and financial accounts are available from the Church Office. The AGM will take place on Sunday 12 April in church immediately after the 10.30 service. In order to be a candidate, or nominate or vote for a candidate you must be on the Electoral Roll.
MAY MAGAZINE DEADLINE
Please may we have any copy for the May magazine by 14 April sent either to the Editor or to the Church Office?
DR CHRISTOPHER LYNTON DAVIDSON RIP
The sadness with which we record the death, on 18 February, of Christopher Davidson is tempered by the sense of privilege for having known him. Christopher qualified as a dental surgeon in 1936. This was a time of economic depression and work in dentistry was scarce. Nothing daunted, he resumed study and qualified as a doctor in 1938. Paradoxically posts in dentistry were offered but medicine held sway and Christopher became one of the leading consultant physicians of his day, soon appointed a FRCP. He played a leading part in formulating the transitional processes necessary on the establishment of the NHS.
In all this he was encouraged and supported throughout 71 years of married life by Mollie, herself a doctor whom he met whilst she was practising in St Andrews. Christopher practised at LGI and in Halifax. His particular interest and speciality was in conditions leading to gastrointestinal haemorrhage. He was granted a Centenary School bursary for his research in this sphere. He joined the RAMC in June 1943 and landed on Hermanville Beach on D Day, seeing service in France and later in Sierra Leone where he set up a new hospital and was promoted to Lt. Col. After the war Christopher was appointed consultant physician for BRI, St Luke’s and AGH where he worked until his retirement in 1975. He was remembered by all who knew him at these hospitals as concerned personally and intimately for his patients, treating them with gentlemanly kindness and understanding. After formal retirement he continued to undertake locum work and spent happy times with Mollie as resident doctor on cruise ships.
In 1979 Mollie and he moved to Beamsley and joined the Priory congregation where their wide entertaining and contribution to Priory life and work earned them the deep affection they enjoyed for so many years. Notable times included the celebration of Christopher’s centenary at a party at Robert Shelton’s home and a tearful farewell on the Rectory lawn before their move nearer to family near Brighton.. In their subsequent contact with friends Christopher and Mollie had stressed how much they miss the Priory. It was so much part of their lives and in the off-season for guiding there was a constant longing for that contact to be renewed.
Christopher will be remembered for many things: his care for the sick, his love of music and people, his close attachment to the Priory, his historical knowledge of and love of motorbikes, his interest in all sports, his fascination for supermarket ‘special offers’ for which he, sometimes unnecessarily, was tempted. Most of all for his simple goodness to all and in all he undertook and achieved. It is a blessing that he was granted such a long life (close on 105 years) that all that he was and all that he gave could be enjoyed for so long.
Our sympathy, good wishes and love we send to Mollie who will, we trust, enjoy many more years appreciating the views of the sea and even perhaps the constant sound of the seagulls!
Revd James Turnbull
THE CELEBRATION OF THE LIFE OF CHRISTOPHER DAVIDSON A Sussex Church containing Edward Burne-Jones’ finest windows, was the setting for the Celebration of the Life of Christopher Lynton Davidson. We were warmly welcomed by the family who circulated as the Church filled. It became clear as the service progressed from the opening address by Fr Martin Morgan, that Rottingdean had taken our Mollie and Chris to their hearts.
As a Physician, Christopher’s medical career spanned from D-Day landings and West Africa to the wider areas of Bradford and Leeds . We were reminded that this family man had a wide range of interests, which included motorcycling, mountains (a great Mallory man) and music, but the greatest ‘M’ of his life was Mollie with whom he shared 71 years of matrimonial harmony.
We remember with love, Chris, as a man of honour, full of surprises and courteous to all.
Richard and Jean Bull
A NURSERY RHYME WITH LOCAL CONNECTIONS There are several versions of how the nursery rhyme ’Hey diddle
diddle’ is connected to the Priory. Thank you to Jean Bull who when sorting through her memorabilia came across this article in a school
magazine dated 1956.
No doubt you have heard of this nursery rhyme:
Hey diddle diddle, The cat and the fiddle,
The cow jumped over the moon, The little dog laughed to see such fun, And the dish ran away with the spoon.
But I wonder if you know of its connections with Bolton Priory. ‘Hey diddle’ refers to the family of Heys who lived near Bolton Priory. ‘The cat and the fiddle came from the Latin ‘Cato Fidelo’ (a simplification of Catholicus Fidelis’?). ‘The cow jumped over the moon’: the Heys were cattle farmers, who in the course of time became more important than the family of Moons, which gives us our third line. Several of that family became Priors and the last Prior was appointed in 1539 before the dissolution of the monasteries. ‘The little dog laughed’, William de Meschenes was the husband of Alice de Romilly, the founder of the Priory. The name Meschenes came from the two French words ’mes chiens’ meaning ‘my dogs’. The ‘little dog' then, refers to William de Meschenes. On the front of the Priory gateway there are two dogs carved out of stone. ‘To see such fun’ refers forward to the next line: ‘And the dish ran away with the spoon'. The dish is the Offertory Dish of the Priory of which the Heys were hereditary holders. The spoon is the Priory’s anointing Spoon similarly held by the Moons. This nursery rhyme becomes much more interesting when we know that it has its origin in our own neighbourhood.
‘The Priory gateway’ , referred to in this account is now the entrance to
the tower alongside the glass doors.
BOLTON ABBEY VILLAGE HALL The 2015 AGM was held in the Village Hall on 6 March. The Chairman reviewed the Hall’s activities for 2014 and reported a satisfactory surplus for the year of just over £2,000, further adding to the hall’s healthy reserves. The hall is used by various organisations, individuals and local people including the Boyle and Petyt and Montessori schools, the Priory Church, WI, Bowls Groups and the Wednesday Nighters. Monthly modern sequence dances remain popular and contributes significantly to the hall’s income. The hall is used, on average, twenty times per month throughout the year showing it to be an excellent facility for the community.
The Management Committee is made up, wherever possible, of all local clubs and organisations; presently it comprises eight people. The retirement of Joe Pickersgill after a period of 35 years was reluctantly accepted. Joe served on the committee from when the hall was first built and served for many years as Chairman. There are still some vacancies on the Management Committee and I encourage anyone who is interested to have a word with me, telephone, 01756 710587. The committee has several interesting projects to complete this year. They will provide even better facilities for the hall making it even more attractive as a venue to hire. Barry Cody, Chairman Management Committee
THE WEDNESDAY NIGHTERS Bolton Abbey Village Hall, 7.30 pm
On 1 April Julian Kaye of The Wright Wine Company in Skipton will give a talk entitled, ‘A Yorkshire Vintner’s Tale’. I wonder if there will be any samples? At the meeting on 6 May John and Rita Bennett will present an illustrated talk on ‘The History and Welcome of Assisi’. Everyone is very welcome to come along. Entrance is free because we hold a raffle to cover our costs. If you would like to help with tea and cakes after the meeting please have a word with Margaret Cody 01756 710587 or just bring a cake to add to the feast!
EVENING PRAYER AT THE PRIORY PLEASE NOTE, Evensong will revert to the summer timing of 18.30 on Sunday 5 April.
APRIL 1 Wednesday 10.00 Holy Communion 19.30 The Wednesday Nighters 2 Thursday Maundy Thursday
11.00 Blessing of the Oils in Ripon
19.00 Eucharist of the Last Supper with
Foot Washing
3 Friday GOOD FRIDAY
10.00 Children’s Service
12 .00 Three Hour Devotion
19.00 Words and Music for Good Friday
4 Saturday The Church to be decorated for Easter
19.00 Lighting of the Easter candle
5 SUNDAY EASTER DAY
09.15 Liquid Family Service
10.30 Sung Festal Eucharist
18.30 Evening Prayer
12 SUNDAY EASTER 1
Priory AGM
17 Friday 19.30 The first Priory Concert
19 SUNDAY EASTER 2
16.30 Thanksgiving for the lambs Holy Baptism, Elodie May Monahan
23 Thursday 19.30 The Friends Spring Lecture The Rt Revd Nick Baines 25 Saturday St Mark 09.00 Group meeting for those wishing to be married at the Priory 26 SUNDAY EASTER 3 30 Thursday 19.30 PCC
MAY
1 Friday St Philip and St James 2 Saturday 13.00 Marriage of Luke Brydges and Georgina Morris 3 SUNDAY EASTER 4
09.15 Liquid Family Service
15.30 Organ Recital in the Priory
19.30 The Wednesday Nighters
9 Saturday 14.00 Bolton Abbey Village Show
10 SUNDAY ROGATION SUNDAY
Two Parish Pilgrimage
16.30 Choral Evensong, The Priory Choir
14 Thursday Ascension Day
19.00 Sung Eucharist
FROM THE PARISH REGISTERS HOLY BAPTISM
8 February Evelyn May Bryant
MARRIAGE SERVICE
17 February Colin Watson and Suzanne Johns
21 February Trevor Commons and Andrea Burnard
27 February Roger Sture and Joann Haig
28 February James Thompson and Charlotte Read
RIP
18 February Chris Davidson
BOB APPLEYARD MBE It is with great sadness that we record the death of a stalwart of the Priory community. Bob died on 17 March at the age of 90, having followed up his distinguished international cricketing career with a successful career as a businessman. A full tribute to Bob will appear in the May edition of the magazine. We extend our heartfelt condolences to his family.
Friday 17th April 7.30 pm AIREBOROUGH GILBERT AND SULLIVAN SOCIETY
We open the season with the third of the Gilbert and Sullivan operettas, ‘The Sorcerer’, first performed in 1877. In two acts, this operetta has the usual complications and will bring a little magic to the Priory. Not to be missed!
Friday 29th May 7.30pm LEEDS COLLEGE OF MUSIC
Saturday 27th June 7.30pm MANCHESTER CHORALE
Friday 31st July 7.30 pm Emmanuel [Manny] Vass, CONCERT PIANIST
The concerts are kindly sponsored by Kirbys Solicitors
OPEN GARDEN 2015 The garden at Beacon Hill House, Langbar, will be open on the afternoon of May the 13th. This is the 24th year that Humphrey and Josephine Boyle have opened their garden for The National Gardens Scheme. This year as well as its original beneficiaries, the NGS is helping not only Macmillan Cancer Support, Marie Curie Cancer Care, and Hospice u.k., it has added the Carers' Trust and Parkinson's to the list of very worthwhile organisations to which it donates whatever we manage to make for them. Please come and support us. We will try to give you a pleasant afternoon out! The garden will be open from 1.30 p.m. until 5 o'clock and there will be tea and homemade cakes available. There should be lots of rhododendrons and magnolias in flower. I am watching the buds anxiously with the persistent cold winds this spring! There are also some unusual plants and some quite rare trees. The garden behind the house is mostly rather steep woodland, and, I'm afraid the whole garden is awkward for wheelchairs. There is more information about the garden in the Yellow Book county leaflets, published by NGS. Josephine Boyle
ODE TO SPELL CHECKERS
I have a spelling checker I disk covered four my PC. It plane lee marks four my revue Miss steaks aye can knot see. Eye ran this poem threw it. Your sure real glad two no. Its very polished in its weigh, My checker tolled me sew. A checker is a blessing. It freeze yew lodes of thyme. It helps me right awl stiles two reed, And aides me when aye rime
Each frays comes posed up on my screen Eye trussed too bee a joule. The checker pours o'er every word To cheque sum spelling rule. Bee fore wee rote with checkers Hour spelling was inn deck line, Butt now when wee dew have a laps, Wee are not maid too wine. And now bee cause my spelling Is checked with such grate flare, There are know faults in awl this peace, Of nun eye am a wear. To rite with care is quite a feet Of witch won should be proud, And wee mussed dew the best wee can, Sew flaws are knot aloud. That's why eye brake in two averse Cuz Eye dew want too please. Sow glad eye yam that aye did bye This soft wear four pea seas.
INAUGURAL ORGAN RECITAL OF THE 2015 SERIES KEVIN BOWYER
Sunday 3 May, 3.30-4.30pm Free Admission; there will be a Retiring Collection
‘…one of the world’s hardiest and most formidable virtuosos…probably… Britain’s most formidable organist.’ (Music Web International). I became aware of Kevin Bowyer sometime during the 1980s when he performed at the BBC Proms on the organ of the Royal Albert Hall. Since his début at the Royal Festival Hall in 1984, his reputation has grown to one of pre-eminence in his field, with 100 recordings (including the complete organ works of J. S. Bach for Nimbus) and a recital career throughout Europe, North America, Australia and Japan. His repertoire is enormous and adventurous, encompassing light music and jazz as well as classical music of the Renaissance to the present day. This year, he is playing both of my own organ compositions at the Glasgow University Memorial Chapel, where he has been University organist since 2005. He teaches at the Royal Northern College of Music and Royal Conservatoire of Scotland.
Described as ‘the most outstanding organist of his generation, who…is singlehandedly rewriting the history of organ music since Liszt’, it is particularly pleasing that he has agreed to play in the first of our new annual organ recital series on the organ of Bolton Priory. We look forward to an enjoyable, exciting and truly varied programme of music.
Kevin Bowyer related material can be found at: www.kevinbowyer.net and http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Kevin_Bowyer
Tim Raymond
CHORAL EVENSONG The next Choral Evensong sung by the Priory Choir will be held in the Priory on Sunday 10 May.
‘PAVILIONED IN SPLENDOUR’
The Governor of Bombay, Sir Robert Grant, had a summer residence in the foothills at Dapuri, and when he was staying in this favourite retreat it was his custom to come out of the front door in the evening and walk in the garden. On the evening of his death in July 1838 a cat walked out of the residency, and the Hindu sentry realised at once what had happened. The soul of the dead man had migrated into a new body, and the cat was a re-incarnation of the Governor. And because, as Governor, he was Her Majesty’s representative, there was every reason for a formal salute.
This became a tradition. There was, however, a problem, for Government House had many cats and nobody was quite sure which was the cat. So, to be on the safe side, an oral addition to standing orders decreed that any cat leaving the residency after dark was to be saluted. The practice continued – even when, thirty years later, an Indian soldier who defied an order to abandon it was court martialled. (He was saved by a brigadier who told his subordinates to ‘deal more gently with simple superstitions’).
Two years later the residency was demolished, and the Governor, his house and his cats have long since been forgotten. But I wonder if there is a reminder of those evening walks in the foothills of India in Grant’s words:
O tell of His might, O sing of His grace,
Whose robe is the light, whose canopy space;
His chariots of wrath the deep thunder-clouds form,
And dark is His path on the wings of the storm.
M.P.
Sir Robert Grant
MAGAZINE ARCHIVES
100 YEARS AGO-APRIL 1915 The War We are proud to think that one of ‘The Bolton Abbey Soldier Lads’ is now actually in the trenches at the front fighting for his country. This soldier is Corporal J S Johnson. It is a pleasure to know that the last news the Rector had of Corporal Johnson was that he was very fit and well. It is earnestly hoped that he and our other soldier lads will come back safe and sound, having earned distinction and promotion at the war. Egg Collection for the Wounded. In the parish a collecting depot has been established to collect and send fresh eggs to the wounded soldiers in the hospitals. The War Office needs 50,000 fresh eggs every week for France alone. Messrs. Harrods of London is the central office for sending the eggs to the hospitals. In the first week, 270 eggs were collected at Harrods and the following 137,000. The need is becoming greater with the increasingly large number of, not only the wounded, but also of those recovering from their wounds. We sent 200 from here during the first week. Let us try and send all
we can, even if it be only a few from each house where hens are kept. The eggs should be sent every Thursday to Mr Lawson, The Green, Bolton Abbey.
CLOSE YOUR EYES
Lost the car keys? Shut your eyes. It is the best way to recall memories. Some scientists explain that the reason is that vision takes up a lot of the brain’s processing power. So, next time you need to really concentrate and remember something – shut your eyes.
BOLTON ABBEY CRICKET CLUB
At the time of writing , Spring seems to be making a timely entry, and thoughts at the club are focusing on the 2015 season, which starts This month. Pre-season nets are underway at Sandylands Sports Centre in Skipton, and preparatory work has already commenced on the outfield and wicket. Regular readers will know all about the new covers and heavy roller, both funded by Sport England, which have now arrived and will be a great benefit to groundsmen Roger Tiffany and Howard Blackburn, without whose tireless efforts this club simply couldn’t function. Despite the ignominious early exit of the England men’s team from the World Cup, interest in the game remains high, and we would like to encourage anyone (male and female) to come and try the game if you haven’t played before, or to get back into it if you are a ‘lapsed’ player. We have started a ‘pay-as-you-play’ membership, which we think will appeal to anyone with lots of demands on precious weekend leisure time.
For further information please do email [email protected] follow us on Twitter @boltonabbeycc or have a look at the website www.boltonabbeycc.co.uk
Robert Mayo 07808 771264 Chairman, Bolton Abbey Cricket Club
WALKING, WORDS, AND WONDER It is the first Easter Day, though we only know that in retrospect. Cleopas and his companion – who is never named – are walking in the late afternoon towards the village of Emmaus not far from Jerusalem. They are joined by someone who, to them, is a complete stranger. After a preliminary exchange, in which the two disciples recount for the stranger some recent events that have taken place in Jerusalem, the stranger begins expounding the scriptures to them. This exposition is necessary because the two disciples have not joined some crucial dots: ‘Oh, how foolish you are,’ says the stranger, ‘and how slow of heart to believe…’. The disciples have not joined the dots between some apparently inexplicable events in Jerusalem – the crucifixion of Jesus, the subsequent discovery of the empty tomb and the women’s astonishing tale of Jesus’ resurrection – and the full truth of the message of the prophets, a message which the two disciples had understood as providing hope that Israel would be freed by God’s Messiah. But at journey’s end, and after all these words, the disciples still do not recognise the stranger whom we, the readers and listeners, have known to be Jesus all along. The disciples invite the stranger to stay and eat with them. He sits at table and breaks the bread. Then, in Luke’s beautifully understated words: ‘their eyes were opened and they recognized him’. It is the breaking of the bread which makes sense of the exposition of scripture which had gone before, during the journey to Emmaus. Scripture has opened the disciples’ minds; but it is only in the moment of the breaking of the bread that they receive sight, literally and spiritually. Hope is born again. The dots are joined. It’s a wonderful moment, and wonderfully caught by Mark Jarman in his poem.
And they are amazed
And look on as they chew, as their friend talks
And breaks a fresh loaf open, and remarks
It’s like something, and offers it to them
And says it yields up truth like a sweet savour.
Walking, words, and wonder.
In the Emmaus story Luke is describing a walk, a journey. The story is full of movement. The disciples are walking; Jesus comes alongside and walks with them; they approach the village together; Jesus makes as if to walk on; he vanishes from their sight after the meal;
the disciples walk back to Jerusalem. Both Jesus and his followers are on the move. But this is not movement for its own sake. The movement, the walking have a purpose. It is to tell the story of Jesus: the stranger’s words of explanation and of interpretation are the spoken word that opens out the written word of scripture; and the disciples’ words to the eleven and their companions on their return to Jerusalem are words which tell of new life in the risen Christ, God’s living Word. But telling the story is not the only, or ultimate, purpose of the walk. The disciples’ encounter with the stranger culminates in wonder, in their final recognition of Jesus as he breaks the bread. An ordinary, practical, action at table explodes into a glimpse of God as the disciples finally and fully understand.
The Church is, or should be, a group of people on the move. That’s what tradition is – a movement from the past, through the present, and on into the future. That is what we take from the Emmaus story: a past in which Cleopas and his companion are stuck, gives way to a present in which a stranger challenges them; this in turn allows them to imagine a future unutterably different from anything they had dared to imagine. As I heard someone say recently, tradition is not the Church reminiscing; it is the Church reinterpreting. That reinterpretation is a task for us all, and a task for which we may well need the help of the stranger, the newcomer in our midst. The journey of the Church is one on which we carry, and hand on, a living flame rather than some guttering embers.
The Church is, or should be, a group of people who have a story to tell. That is what the Gospel is. A story of good news which we share because we happen to think it is important. Yes, many of us will have heard the challenge to Christians, attributed to St Francis, that we should preach the Good News and use words if we have to. But I worry that the details of the Christian story have become so sketchy in the minds of many, that we do need to learn again how to use words as we communicate our faith. We should long for people’s hearts to burn within them as they recall what we said to them, just as the disciples’ hearts burned when they remembered Jesus opening the scriptures to them. As we carry that living flame of our tradition we need to see ourselves as the sparks that set the world on fire with the story we tell.
But words must eventually give way to wonder, just as happened at that supper table in the Emmaus inn when Jesus broke the bread. The
wonder of seeing God in the faces of all whom we meet, for all are made in the image and likeness of God; the wonder being alongside God, as we learn how to share our material and spiritual resources with our sisters and brothers in need, serving Christ as we serve them; the wonder of deepening our understanding of God through learning, and hearing, the stories of others. The wonder of a world transformed by the love of one whose body was broken on the cross, and whom we continue to meet in the breaking of the bread. So let us walk together, let us share our story along the way, and let us rejoice in the wonder of God’s love for us and for all people to the ages of ages. Amen Revd Simon Cowling This sermon was given on 08.05.14
BOLTON ABBEY VILLAGE SHOW
The 35th Bolton Abbey Show will be held in Bolton Abbey Village Hall on Saturday 9th May at 2 pm. Schedules are included in this magazine. There will be a Tombola. Prizes are always appreciated, they can be given to a committee member, left at the Church Office or the Post Office. PLEASE NOTE, the completed entry forms must be brought on the morning of the show with the entrance fees and exhibits. We look forward to an amazing array of exhibits, for those who are not exhibiting, please do come along and have a pleasant afternoon perusing the exhibits and enjoying a cup of tea and a chat.
EASTER BOOKS AND CARDS
There is a delightful new selection of children’s books on the book table, including some for Easter. There is also a new selection of Easter cards on the sales table. Please take a look.
Rector The Revd Simon Cowling 01756-710326
Hon Assistant The Revd James Turnbull
Clergy The Revd John Bennett
The Revd Christopher Armstrong
Church Office Margaret Cody 01756-710238
Churchwardens Paul Middleton 01943-430654
Matthew Hey 07702-555339
Deputy Churchwardens Joe Pickersgill 01756-710630
Colin Crabtree 01756-710586
PCC Secretary Liz Higgins 01943-607525
PCC Treasurer Michael Heatley 01423-509629
Gift Aid Norman Stubbs 01943-463332
Director of Music Tim Raymond
Works Committee Matthew Hey 07702-555339
Deanery Synod Andrew Hartley 01943-600645
Norman Stubbs 01943-463332
Tony Cantlow 01756-700254
Diocesan Synod Andrew Hartley 01943-600645
Verger Tony Cantlow 01756-700254
Sacristan Jennifer Hardaker
Chalicists’ Rota Mike Vineall 01756-753013
Liquid Worship Judith Schofield 01756-720065
Electoral Roll Rosemary Murgatroyd 01943-880091
Child Protection Libby Packett 01943-817450
Disabled Representative Graham Dingle 01274-565760
Sidesmen’s Rota Stephen Murgatroyd 01943-880091
Flower Rota Lorna Freegard 01943-607907
Guides’ Rota Liz Higgins 01943-607525
Betty Nelmes 01943-602391
Cleaning Rota Andrew Wade 01943-862614
Magazine Editor Val Middleton 01943-430654
2 The Haywain, Ilkley, LS29 8SL
Magazine Deputy Editor Judith Allen 01943-434434
Magazine Advertising Andrew Hartley 01943-816363
Magazine Distribution Betty Nelmes 01943-602391
Priory Friends Andrew Hartley 01943-600645
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