Vicar's Letter, March 2010

Parish Magazine

As you read these words I will be celebrating my sixth anniversary in Madeley and Betley - which is twice as long as Jesus spent with his disciples.

The truth is, in just three years Jesus managed to start a spiritual revolution that has rippled through the centuries and still draws people in every continent today. By the time the church celebrated the sixth anniversary of Jesus' ministry he had been dead for three years and the responsibility for sharing his message had passed into the hands of the disciples.

By comparison my contributions in the past six years have been somewhat modest. Together we have embarked upon a process of change in many aspects of church life and have seen both spiritual and numeric growth. Yet it still feels as though we have a long way to go before we have finished our journey.

Yet I feel incredibly heartened by what has happened in the past six years. I may not have turned the world upside down, but I have had an incredible journey full of challenges and fun. And I cannot wait to see what God has in store for us in the future.

All I can say, at the beginning of my seventh Lent with you, is that I am glad to be here. I appreciate your friendship and support. And I hope that you can join with us in the many events that will take place as we work towards the great celebration of Easter.

Every blessing.

Barry Wilson

	Mandy Maxwell Curate Mandy Maxwell - at Lichfield Cathedral in September 2007 when she was ordained as a Deacon - Present was her husband David of Keele's History Dept.

Re-ordering of All Saints' church interior
Much has been done since this work began at the start of the New Year 2007.

LIVING STREAMS

United Parishes of Betley and Madeley

Living Streams is a new and developing ministry, rooted in the life of the Anglican parishes of All Saints', Madeley and St Margaret's, Betley. Its aim is to encourage and nurture Christian Discipleship through a variety of services, workshops and teaching events, and to promote and facilitate Christian healing. Everyone is welcome to attend.

Living Streams derives its name from Ezekiel 47:1-12, where the prophet describes an ever-widening stream which flows out of the temple, and from John 7:38, where Jesus promises that "out of the believer's heart shall flow rivers of living water."

In alternate months, at Betley or at Madeley, on the first Sunday of the month, there are united Services of Praise, intended to be opportunities to share in informal worship and to grow through focussed teaching, and Services of Healing and Wholeness, which provide an atmosphere of peace, support and encouragement, in a caring and non-threatening environment.

The Praise Services are at St. Margaret's Church, Betley, and allow prayer and quiet as well as music and singing. The next services of praise and worship after Easter are due on 6th June and 1st August 2010, at 6.30 p.m. The Services of Healing and Wholeness are at All Saints' Church, Madeley, and the next are due on 2nd May and 4th July 2010, at 6.30 p.m.

All Saints' Services of Healing and Wholeness

Prayer has always been at the heart of the Christian faith. It gives us space to meet with God; to listen to his gentle promptings; and to share our deepest concerns. In our daily devotions we might pray for our families, our friends, our work situations or for particular difficulties in the world. But we do so, with the expectation that God, in his mercy, will intervene.

In our service of prayer for healing we give time to pray for those with particular needs. We might pray, for example, with someone who is facing up to a broken relationship, or feeling hurt. We might pray for someone who is physically unwell, or emotionally low. And we have a team of trained listeners who are always available.

Whilst the tone of the service inevitably varies, there is often a sense of peace and support. People come to the service hoping to meet with God, and many acknowledge that during the evening they do.

The service of healing takes place every two months, but there is the opportunity for prayer at anytime. Our clergy and lay workers spend a great deal of time praying with people as the need arises, and are also available at the end of the morning services.

We believe that healing comes through the grace of God: sometimes miraculously, sometimes over an extended period. But the greatest healing inevitably occurs when we give time for our relationship with God to be restored and our inner lives to be renewed.

Drop in if you would like:
to look around. There is a leaflet that describes the history of the church and its main features.
to pray. A quiet and still place in a busy world.

Gift Aid

Gift Aid and Standing Order forms are available from the back of All Saints' Church. If you presently use the envelope scheme, or if you have a one-off donation to make and you pay tax (income tax or tax on savings) can we urge you to fill one in. The form allows the church to reclaim the tax on these gifts, so that we receive an extra £2.82 for each £10 donated. This scheme replaced the old covenant system and is much more flexible and easy to use.

If you have any questions about the operation of this scheme, please contact Dan Evans on Tel. +44 (0)1782 751380

Methodist Church, Poolside

Minister, The Reverend John Proudman, Tel:+44 (0)1782 279125
Sundays 10.30am Morning service and Junior church
3rd Sunday of every month Family service with crèche

Roman Catholic

No service in Madeley but Sunday Mass 10.30 a.m. at Catholic Church of the Sacred Heart in Mill Street, Silverdale, served from Holy Trinity, Newcastle.

Deacon-in-Residence: The Rev. Mr. Neil Adlington, Tel:+44 (0)1782 624325

Deacon-in-Residence

The Reverend Mr. Neil Adlington

Neil was ordained Deacon by the Archbishop of Birmingham in June 1992, to serve in the parish of St John the Baptist, Alton. He later became a full-time parish deacon in the parish team for Cheadle, Alton and Cotton, before moving to the Church of the Sacred Heart in Silverdale late in 2000, where he has responsibility for the Roman Catholic parish of Silverdale and Madeley.

As a parish deacon, Neil can prepare people for the sacraments of the Church, perform baptisms, marriages and funeral services, and minister to the sick and housebound. He and his wife Jackie are based in the Presbytery of the Sacred Heart in Silverdale, where he works alongside the team at Holy Trinity, Newcastle - Mgr Ryall, Fr Jan and Fr Eric, and the Sisters of Mercy.

Apart from his duties as deacon, Neil is an enthusiast for sport, especially football, and lists "listening to music" as a major interest.