Church Officers
The Revd W Sloan – Tel: 01257 453665; E-mail:
The Churchwardens
Mr Robert Hawthornthwaite – Tel: 612952.
Mr John Clarkson – Tel: 612855; E-mail:
Licensed Lay Reader
Mr Stan Pickles – Tel: 615708; E-mail:
PCC Secretary
Mrs Margaret Clark – Tel: 616990; E-mail:
PCC Treasurer
Mrs Barbara Wood – Tel: 617679: E-mail:
Deanery Synod Representatives
Mr Bill Prescott, Mrs Avril Wright.
Stewardship Recorder/Gift Aid Secretary
Mrs Pearl Read.
Magazine Secretary
Mrs Elsie Kirkham – Tel: 615832.
Flower Secretaries
Mrs Althea Slater – Tel: 614966, and Mrs Marion Clarkson – Tel: 612855
Electoral Roll Secretary
Mrs Julie Tanham – Tel: 612992
Verger: Mrs Val Simpson – Tel: 614458.
Weekly Giving Envelopes: Please contact the Churchwardens.
Organisations
Sunday School – meets 10.30am in School.
Leader: Mrs Kathleen Leigh – Tel: 612196.
Youth Club for 9-13year olds – currently closed.
Leader: Mrs Mandy Hughes, MBE – Tel 611647.
E-mail:
Hoole Church Ladies’ Group – meets 7.30pm, 3rd Tuesday, in School.
Leader: Mrs Joan Wilson – Tel 613063; E-mail:
St Michael’s Men’s Fellowship – meets 7.30pm, 2nd Tuesday in School.
Secretary: Mr Ted Hopkins – Tel: 617002.
Hoole St Michael C E Primary School
Head Teacher: Mrs Kathryn Melling – Tel: 613219.
1st St. Michael’s Hoole Scout and Guide Groups
Group Scout Leader: Julie Fenton 01772 451467.
Friends of St. Michael’s – Caring for the fabric of our ancient church.
Chairman: Eric Barker – Tel 614385. Secretary: David Turner – Tel 614192.
Church Web Site: www.hoolevillage.com and www.hooleparishchurch.com
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Calendar for May & June
Sunday May 2nd The Fifth Sunday of Easter
9.00am Holy Communion (BCP)
10.45am Parish Communion (CW)
3.00pm Evening Prayer. 4.00pm Holy Communion Old Mill Ct.
Sunday 9th The Sixth Sunday of Easter
9.00am Holy Communion (BCP)
10.45am Parish Praise
Thursday 13th Ascension Day
7.00pm Holy Communion (CW)
Sunday 16th The Seventh Sunday of Easter
9.00am Holy Communion (BCP)
10.45am Parish Communion (CW)
3.00pm Evening Prayer
Sunday 23rd Pentecost (Whit Sunday)
9.00am Holy Communion (BCP)
10.45am Parish Communion
Sunday 30th Trinity Sunday
9.00am Holy Communion (BCP)
10.45am Family Communion
Sunday June 6th Trinity 1
9.00am Holy Communion (BCP)
10.45am Parish Communion (CW)
3.00pm Evening Prayer. 4.00pm Holy Communion Old Mill Ct.
Sunday 13th Trinity 2
9.00am Holy Communion (BCP)
10.45am Parish Praise
Sunday 20th Trinity 3
9.00am Holy Communion (BCP)
10.45am Family Communion (CW)
3.00pm Evening Prayer
Sunday 27th Trinity 4
9.00am Holy Communion (BCP)
10.45am Civic Service To celebrate the commencement of the
year of office of the New Mayor of South Ribble – Councillor David Suthers.
Please also note the other changes to our normal pattern to accommodate seasonal festivals and the Civic Service (further information next month).
Magazine material to Honey Penrose or Stan Pickles by 16th May.
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From The Rector
Linda and I have been overwhelmed by the warm welcome, friendship and love showered upon us since arriving at Hoole, St Michael. And what a lot is going on. The Ladies’ Group, the Men’s Fellowship, the Friends of St Michael, the Sunday school, the Scout and Guide groups. All very strong indicators of a growing, vibrant Church. In addition to all of this there is a vibrant social committee and a desire to work every closer with our brothers and sisters in Christ at the Methodist Church.
I often think a Church fellowship or congregation is just like a family and of course in the Bible we read we are all members of God’s family. What does this mean for us at Hoole? Well, first of all I think it means we are all connected but different. We are all connected in our joint love of God, Father, Son and Holy Spirit, the Holy Trinity. This is our major connection but of course there are many others too. In addition we are all different and by that I don’t mean fat and thin, tall and short, with our without a white beard!! What I do mean we all have different gifts from God. No one has all the gifts; certainly not the Vicar.
Within a family the jobs are frequently shared so that no one is overloaded or stressed out, or worse, frightened to come to any meeting in case they get landed with yet something else to do. This is not God’s way and it really shouldn’t be our way either. The number of people in the various congregations is wonderful and if we all took on one ministry, just imagine how less overworked others would be and together we would bring joy to someone else’s heart. I think this is a big challenge but I would encourage you to face it with me.
I have been really overjoyed Sunday by Sunday as we worshipped together. I am really delighted that various people have already volunteered to join the reading and prayer rota for our Sunday morning worship. The next challenge of course is who is going to take on the task of preparing and looking after the rotas? Currently Stan is looking after many of the rotas. Perhaps there is someone in the congregation, without a ministry, who would like to look after the Sidespersons’ rota. Only you will know the answer to that.
I am absolutely convinced there will be members of our congregations who feel very strongly God is calling them to ministry. It may be Reader, Pastoral or Ordained or it may not BUT God calls us all to do our bit for him. If we don’t, who else is going to do it? That’s the challenge.
Looking ahead to September, I am working on plans to teach a course that serves a number of purposes. First and most importantly it is for those who want to know more about what they believe and why. It is always good to know why we believe and of course what we believe. (continued on page 4)
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In addition the course is a preparatory course for anyone at all who would like to consider Reader, Pastoral or Ordained ministry. The important word here is ‘consider’. You wouldn’t be signing up for anything, simply testing the waters or more theologically speaking, dipping your foot in the Jordan River before crossing to the promised land.
By the time you are reading this article many of us will have enjoyed a wonderful evening at the San Marco. The food was good, the company was good, but wasn’t it loud or am I just getting old. Yes, I know the answer, I’m getting older. But what a wonderful evening we all had together and our thanks must go to all those who made the evening possible and so enjoyable. Linda and I thought it was a good way to celebrate God’s goodness to us as a Church through various people providing the money needed to repair and make secure the beautiful windows for future generations. We are all stewards of Hoole Church and everything we can do to keep it in good order for future generations must be highly praised. The Friends of St Michaels exercise so many ministries in our beautiful Church and we all know, without their tireless work and giving of their valuable time so freely, the Church and grounds would not be in such good condition.
Yours in Christ Bill
Celebration Dinner at San Marco
This event was very well supported from both inside the Parish and further afield. Some people even came from as far afield as Eccleston and Longton. It was an opportunity for usto meet our new Rector, the Reverend Bill Sloan and his wife Linda in a social and convivial setting. The singers could hardly be heard because of the sound of countless conversations (Joke).
Many people worked hard to make the night a successand our thanks are extended to David and Laura Ashley assisted by David's wife Helen, who provided high qualitymusical entertainment,the donorsof countless raffle prizes, the volunteers who sold the tickets, Bill Carr who produced the seating plan and the San Marco who catered for 200 diners.
You may like to know that the raffle realised £467 and the overall profit of £165 was directed to the Friends of St Michael’s Church account.
(Chairman of the Friends)
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Ladies’ Group: We had a thoroughly enjoyable “Bring a Friend” evening last month, when Barry McQueen – an absolute extrovert on the stage – kept many of us in fits of laughter for the whole time he was entertaining us. He had such an amusing way of putting across the events in his life – from taking on the Town Crier’s job in Ludlow, Birmingham and the Manchester Police Force, to name a few; and as well as currently being Town Crier in Blackpool, he is to be one of the guides at Blackpool Tower.
Regarding our Garden Party on 12th June, might we please remind you about the box in the font area of the church into which we would be delighted if you would place donations of raffle and tombola prizes, or give them to a Ladies’ Group committee member. Also, we would appreciate cakes for the cake stall on the 12th June – this is always a popular stall and, the more cakes we have, the more we can sell and add to our funds for charity! Many thanks.
Our visit to St Walburge’s Church this month is sure to be a good evening and will include a cup of tea and slice of cake. Sheila Taylor has arranged travel by car for those who are going.
Men’s Fellowship: On April 13th we were taken on something of a trip up the A6 for an interested talk by Revd. Bob Worswick, on ‘Villages of the Fylde’, which also included Knott End to the west, and Calder Vale to the East. The talk also included something of the derivation of place names.
Our Annual General Meeting, when we plan the programme for next year, will be in school on Tuesday May 11th at 7.30pm; we would welcome suggestions for future speakers at this meeting.
Social Committee Parish Amble - Wednesday 2nd June: 6.00pm onwards.
Following the success of these events in recent years the Social Committee are again arranging an evening amble, which this year is a flat and easy walk in the Rufford area, commencing at the Hesketh Arms. It will once again end with supper at a local venue, and a list inviting names, mainly for the supper arrangements, is displayed in the church porch.
Water Aid: The Fund for this year has now closed at £500.00 and a cheque is to be sent off to the Water Aid Charity, promoted by the Bishop of Bath and Wells. We thank everyone for their donations, and remind you to keep saving that small change. We launch next year’s appeal later in the year at Harvest time.
Christian Aid: It’s Christian Aid week from 9th-15th May this year. CA does a lot of good work – more volunteers are needed and, if you would be interested in helping with the envelopes, please contact Cath Greenlees on 01772 613500
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FROM THE PARISH REGISTERS
Holy Baptism “We welcome into the Lord’s Family”
28th March PORTIA-BEAU IVY SMITH daughter of
Luke James Smith and Lucy Rebecca Sanderson of Much Hoole.
11th April ADAM MATTHEW SMITH son of
Matthew Smith and Jenna Louise Banks of Much Hoole.
18th April ALANA TERI SMITH daughter of Michael Trevor Smith
and Stephanie Victoria Eastham of Much Hoole.
Confirmation “We turn to Christ”
21st April By The Right Revd. Nicholas Reade – Bishop of Blackburn
SHANNON LOUISE BALL AMY VICTORIA CARRUTHERS
CHLOE JANE DORRICOTT LUCY JANE HOUGH SAM HOBSON LAUREN HUGHES ETHAN JAMES JONES DANIEL MEE
RICHARD McILWAINE ROBERT MCILWAINE JULIE ROE GEORGIA SEED-ASHTON NICOLA JAYNE ASHTON
JOE STEPHENSON LYNN JANETTE STEPHENSON
OLIVER MICHAEL TAYLOR NATHAN PHILIP WESTELL SMITH
In addition, WILLIAM SAMUEL DODD and OLIVER JONES completed the confirmation course but were unable to attend the service; they will be confirmed at a neighbouring church within the next few weeks.
Holy Matrimony “Those whom God hath joined together”
The Departed “Rest eternal grant unto them”
26th March JOHN PETER DOUGLAS WALMSLEY of Penwortham.
Interment of ashes only in the churchyard.
29th March NORMAN GEOFFREY ROBINSON aged 73 years
of Much Hoole. Cremation followed at Charnock Richard.
31st March MARGARET BIBBY aged 88 years of Much Hoole.
Cremation followed at Charnock Richard.
FROM THE REGISTER OF SERVICES
Attendance Communicants Collections
March 28th (Palm Sunday 137 109 £607.35
March 29th-April 1st (Holy Week) 52 52
April 2nd (Good Friday) 68 £32.90
April 4th (Easter Day) 200 155 £1295.40
April 11th (Easter 2) 94 36 £542.65
April 18th (Easter 3) 125 117 £1099.90
The collection recorded on Good Friday was that of envelope offerings; in addition the cash collection of £68.30 was donated to Christian Aid.
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Sidespersons’ Rota (May/June)
2nd 9.00am. Jeremy Leigh
10.45am. Eric Barker John Aughton & Janet Tugman
3.00pm. Clifford Orritt
9th 9.00am. Val Van Holsbeke
10.45am. Bill Carr David Turner & Olivia Graham
16th 9.00am. Rob McMurray
10.45am. Paul Johnson Richard McIlwaine & Jean Aughton
3.00pm. Peter Smallwood
23rd 9.00am. Brian Taylor