Local & Parish Council

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Welcome to Madeley

Madeley Parish Council


Notice Under Local Government Act 1972 (Section 87(2)) 

VACANCY FOR A COUNCILLOR PUBLIC NOTICE IS HEREBY GIVEN

 that a casual vacancy has occurred in the office of Councillor for the Madeley Parish Council following the resignation on 31st October 2019 of Anthea Bourne.

Rule 5(2) of the Local Elections (Parishes and Communities) (England and Wales) Rules 2006 now applies.

The rule allows TEN ELECTORS for the Parish in which the casual vacancy has arisen to request the Returning Officer to hold an election to fill the vacancy[1].  That request must be made within FOURTEEN DAYS, calculated in accordance with the rules[2], of the date of this notice. The fourteen day period ends on Friday 22nd November 2019

What if a request to hold an election is not received during the permitted time?

Rule 5(5) of the above Rules will apply. The Parish Council must, as soon as practicable after the expiry of the fourteen day period, co-opt a person to fill the vacancy.

The Returning Officer’s address is:

Electoral Services, Castle House,

Barracks Road, Newcastle under Lyme, ST5 1BL

The telephone number for further guidance is 01782 717717

This notice is dated 4th November 2019

 Janet Simpson.

Clerk, Madeley Parish Council,

10, Freebridge Close,

Longton,

Stoke-on-Trent.

ST3 5XQ

[1] There is no form of words for this request, which might simply be a letter headed with such words as “We the undersigned being electors for the (Ward of)….Parish, call for an election to fill the vacancy arising from the (death)(resignation) of….”. It is helpful if the ten signatures are accompanied by printed names and addresses.

[2] In calculating the notice period, day one is the day following the date of this notice; a Saturday, Sunday, Christmas Eve, Christmas Day, Good Friday or a Bank Holiday or day appointed for public thanksgiving or mourning shall be disregarded, and the period closes at midnight on the fourteenth day after the date of this notice. Rule 5(2) of the Local Elections (Parishes and Communities) (England and Wales) Rules 2006 now applies.

Links to further Parish Council pages:


 

Vicar’s Letter March 2024

This month we are journeying through Lent towards Easter, that great Christian festival of pain and grief and ultimately delight and wonder and new life.

You won’t be surprised to read that there are lots of different services and activities to aide you in your Lenten reflections as you journey towards Easter Sunday.

I particularly want to draw your attention two initiatives.

Chatty Church in Betley Reading Room – on Wednesday afternoons we’ll be drinking tea and eating cake and talking about some of the Biblical narratives that lead up to the events of Good Friday and Easter Sunday. This is a perfect opportunity to come along and be part of a conversation about the Bible. Suitable for churchgoers and those who are not churchgoers the idea is to work our way through the text and see what we might find out!

Be Still in the Madeley Centre – for the last few years at Lent I’ve run Be Still sessions that have introduced different aspects of Christian contemplation. This year we will be meeting on Thursday afternoons to spend time in contemplation together. Rather than exploring different aspects of Christian contemplative practices each week we will be stepping into more of a rhythm of prayer and contemplation. Once again, this is an event for churchgoers and non-churchgoers, for spiritual seekers and those with an interest in meditation. Come along and have a go!

Chatty Church meets on Wednesday afternoons from 3:00-4:00pm at the Betley Reading room from 21st February until 27th of March.

Be Still meets from 2-3pm at the Madeley Centre on the 22nd February, 29th February, 7th of March and 14th of March.

Blessings

Tim

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Vicar’s Letter February 2024

On Sunday the 10th of March Bishop Matthew, the Bishop of Stafford will be visiting All Saints’ Madeley to lead a service of confirmation. The service will be a special one, with time to celebrate some of what God is doing in the lives of people in our communities. And the idea of a ‘confirmation’ is basically a public saying of “yes, I confirm that I believe this faith stuff”. During the service there is a moment in the liturgy when the Bishop will ask those to be confirmed,

“Are you ready with your own mouth and from your own heartto affirm your faith in Jesus Christ?”

The response is a simple, “I am.”

The people to be confirmed reply, “I am”, and the liturgy above suggests that they say this, from their own mouth and from their own heart. I love that – from your own mouth and from your own heart.

It’s not enough to say the words unless those words rise up from the heart. And likewise, confirmation is about verbalising what is on your heart. You might have a deep and profound faith but keep quiet about it. Confirmation asks us to verbalise the faith within us.

The service has lots and lots and lots of other words, many of them profound, but I think this is one of my favourite parts of the service.

If you’ve been thinking about confirmation, perhaps this is the time. Why not have a chat with Rev Tim, Rev Dot or Rev Pamela to get the conversation going.

Peace.

Tim

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Vicar’s Letter September 2023 and guest writers since: Christmas Letter 2023 from Rev Dot

December 2023

“The Light Shines in the Darkness
and the darkness has never put it out”
 (1 John verse 5)

Anyone who knows me, knows that I love a decent candle as a Christmas Gift –the long-slow burning type made with good wax and aromatherapy oils are my favourite, Anyone who knows me even better, than that…knows that I really struggle with the initial on-set of Winter when the hour goes back, and we are plunged into solstice-shifting darkness for the foreseeable, which as I write this letter, has just descended.

But as much as we might complain about the darkness, we have to be aware that there are many more in this world, as we head into the Christmas Season whose life experiences over the last year most definitely eclipseour own minor ‘first world problems’ and if all we need to do is light some more candles to chase away the ‘winter blues’, we’re not doing so bad.  For others it may be not that simple.

In our now ‘post-covid’ times, our churches have continued to gather to pray for those who ‘walk in darkness’ and difficulties, and we have been fortunate to find so many ways for our own congregations to make God’s word a ‘lamp to our feet and a light to our path’ (Psalm 119: 105) we have sung songs of hope to strengthen our spirits for the journey over the last 15 months since I joined you to serve as Associate Priest. It’s wonderful to see how our church family has grown and generously given of their time and talents to reach out to many others in our villages, and beyond. The Light should never be kept to ourselves, of course : Christ is a gift for all, and the greatest gift of all.
He is The Way for when we lose our sense of direction.
The Truth for when we doubt, or question our beliefs and need reassurance.
The Resurrection and the Life for when we complete of our earthly journey.
 (John 14: 6)

What better present could we ask for this Christmas? What better gift could we give? Remember, it’s better to light a candle than to curse the darkness; and we have a light that never goes out, Jesus the Light of the world.

A Merry Christmas and a Bright New Year to all,

Rev Dot

Vicar’s Letter September 2023

By the time you read this I will be starting my Extended Study Leave. Between September and November this year I will not be following my normal working pattern. Instead I will be spending three months on a few different things.

In mid-September I will be spending ten days on a silent retreat which may sound like heaven, hell, or something in between to you depending on your personality type and stage of life. Personally, I’m looking forward to pausing and waiting on God. My experience of silent retreats, whether 24 hours, or 6 days or more, is that God always shows up in some way.

I’ll also be having some conversations with individuals doing some interesting mission activities around the UK. These will be uploaded as part of an already existing podcast – the Mudlarks podcast – which can be found online at: https://anchor.fm/mudlark – the podcast started in the midst of the Covid pandemic and I’m looking forward to adding some more episodes.

I’ll also be doing some writing, I have a few writing projects on the go that don’t easily fit with the usual “6-day-a-week-vicaring-with-three-kids” schedule. I’m also planning to do some painting, a bit of gardening, Couch to 5K and if I’m lucky, a bit of sleeping too.

See you all in December, in the meantime, there will be a series of guest writers for the “vicar’s letter” page over the next three months.

Blessings,

Tim.

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Vicar’s Letter July 2023

The summer approaches and for many it will be the time to fly off to exotic parts of the world. A time to lay down the busyness of work and to soak up the sun for a week or two.

For others, the idea of summer brings with it the dread of having to think of how to fill up the children’s time and also bellies with food. For those with young family’s summer can be a time of real struggle. How to entertain the children, how to arrange child care around work and how to arrange food when the support of free school meals isn’t in place.

In the life of the church, summer is a slightly odd season, peppered with weddings and the occasional out door event the life of the church bubbles along nicely with out the seasonal busyness brought about by Easter or Christmas. The long stretch of what the lectionary calls ‘ordinary time’ looms large over the months as we head through the summer and on into autumn.

Perhaps this year we might look to approach summer differently. To take the opportunities to slow down when they come along. To take the opportunities to find creative, cheap and low-key ways to entertain the children, to not feel the pressure to always be on the go. Perhaps a key thing to do, is take it easy on ourselves, to not always be comparing our summers to the neighbour down the road, but instead to find joy in the small things. And to know that if we really are struggling, then there are agencies out there who’d love to be able to support us through.

Blessings

Rev Tim.

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Vicar’s Letter June 2023

May 2023 won’t be a month that is easily forgotten. Especially locally.

We joined with the rest of the country in celebrating the Coronation, yet locally we also grieved with the family of Suzanne Henry after her tragic and sudden death. Our whole community was shocked by news of Suzanne’s death and our prayers remain with Suzanne’s family at this very difficult time.

…..

As we go about our daily lives never know what the people around us are going through. The man in the café staring at his cup of tea while it goes cold. The couple embracing in tears by the pool. The child sniffling at the back of the class. The family laughing at the pub. Even just the person we pass in the street.

We can be sure that however our days are going the people around us will be experiencing a range of different emotions: joy, delight, worry, fear, grief, anger. The whole gamut of human experience plays itself out on our streets and in our community every day of the year.

In the midst of the rich tapestry of life and experience it wouldn’t do us harm to be kind. Nothing more radical than that. To be prepared to ask, “are you okay?” To be a sign to others that they are not alone.

As we journey through June – be blessed, and as you are blessed, seek to be a blessing to others too.

Blessings

Rev Tim

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Vicar’s Letter May 2023

This year as we leave April behind and move into May we move from one ‘kingly’ celebration to another. April and the Easter season remind us that in terms of Christian theology – Jesus the king of heaven is the king we follow. In May we’ll be celebrating the coronation of King Charles III as the king of our nation, but we will also be celebrating his role as Defender of the Faith and Supreme Governor of the Church of England.

Around the country there will be lots of celebrations as the king is crowned. No doubt many of us will be watching the processions and service on the telly. It will, I’m sure, be a regal and wonderful time.

As the coronation follows so closely after Easter I can’t help but think of the two kings and the ceremonies and rituals related to them both: the king of heaven and the king of the United Kingdom.

King Charles III will presumably be welcomed with a great procession displaying all kinds of earthly power. On his arrival into Jerusalem King Jesus was welcomed with palm leaves and cloaks, surrounded by the poor and with no military might.

King Charles III will be wearing the finest robes and a golden crown will be placed upon his head. King Jesus was stripped, his ragged, blood-stained clothes gambled over and a crown of thorns forced onto his head.

King Charles III’s coronation will take place in the grand and wonderful Westminster Abbey beside a throne. King Jesus’ ‘coronation’ took place above the city dump on a hill called ‘Skull’.  His throne was a cross.

To celebrate King Charles III coronation there will be a special concert at Windsor castle. After King Jesus’ ‘coronation’ his body was taken away in the dead of night and placed in a borrowed tomb.

Two  very  different  coronations  for two very different reasons. We give thanks to God for King Jesus who died that we might have life. And we give thanks to God for King Charles III and pray that through his life and service he might in some way bear witness to God’s loving mercy.

Blessings,

Rev Tim

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Vicar’s Easter Letter, April 2023

As April begins we step almost immediately into Holy Week and begin the journey through Jesus’ last week until we reach the AGONY of the cross, the SILENCE of the tomb and DELIGHT of the resurrection.

To aide us through Holy Week and beyond, we have a number of services and events across the benefices of Betley and Madeley:

On Monday morning there’s an Easter Wild Church at the new graveyard in Betley.

On Monday evening there’s a Lent Book Group at All Saints’ Madeley.

On Tuesday evening there’s a special Tenebrae service at St. Margaret’s Betley.

On Thursday evening there’s a Maundy Thursday Communion at All Saints’ Madeley.

On Friday morning there’s a Good Friday Messy Church at All Saints’ Madeley

On Friday afternoon there’s a Good Friday act of witness on the green in Betley.

On Saturday evening there is an online Alternative Reflection.

On Easter Sunday morning both benefices will have services in the church buildings.

On Easter Sunday afternoon there’s a Resurrection Day Wander at Silverdale Country Park.

Holy Week is an important time in the life of the church, it’s a great opportunity to invite a friend to a service or event. It’s also a great opportunity to think about faith again if it’s something you’d like to connect with for the first time, or perhaps to reconnect with.

Have a fantastic Easter, the season when God messes with expectations. The AGONY of the cross marks a victory. The SILENCE of the tomb reminds us that even in the tough times God is at work. And the DELIGHT of the resurrection is a sign of hope in a hurting world.

Blessings

Rev Tim

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All Saints’ Church – Vacancy for Parish Secretary

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Vicar’s Letter March 2023

By the end of the month it will officially be spring and the nature around us is starting to reflect that change. Trees budding, the first flowers making their collective presence known, recolouring the palette of our gardens. Lighter evenings, the days feeling longer. A fresh sense of possibility in the air, the minus 8’s of winter a fading memory, the gas bill perhaps feeling a little more manageable this month.

And yet, we know the gas bills are still far higher than they were a year ago. We may also have heard stories from gardeners we know, of the change in patterns of when the flowers bloom this year, or when or if the birds migrate at the moment. The weather (the very warm November and very cold January) might have felt to nature like two back-to-back winter seasons putting nature out of kilter. 

But here in March we journey onwards through the midst of what feels like a very early Lent, and onwards towards Easter in April. Easter – that great season of the Church year, whose observance has barely changed in centuries and yet is the season which itself marks a distinct change in the everyday. God’s son Jesus dies on a cross so that we might know forgiveness and life in all its fullness. 

And here and now in the midst of Lent we are challenged to prepare ourselves, to be reminded in these great unchanging church seasons, that radical change is possible in and through faith because of Jesus’ great sacrifice for us.  AMEN.

Blessings

Rev Tim

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Vicar’s Letter February 2023

I know it barely feels like Christmas and Epiphany is done with but get ready for another one of the big church seasons because Lent begins with Ash Wednesday on the 22nd February.

Lent is the season when the church prepares for Easter. During Lent we often lay down or pick up new habits. Whatever we do to help us journey through Lent, the real focus of the season is the horizon, where we look towards the cross and beyond to the empty tomb and the resurrected Jesus.

Whatever Lenten practices you find helpful this year, my hope and prayer for you is that they bring you nearer to God and that through them you come to know more deeply how much you are loved.

Peace.

Rev Tim

P.S. Do keep an eye on the church pew sheets and Facebook pages for more information about our annual Lent book-group that will be reading, Paula Gooder’s, ‘Women of Holy Week’. We’ll also be hosting more Be Still prayer sessions so please do watch out for those when they begin.

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