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 - SEPTEMBER 2009

Tues. 1 2.00p.m. Mothers’ Union at St. Aidan’s, Annfield Plain
Thurs. 3 10.00a.m. Eucharist
Sunday 6 THE 13th SUNDAY AFTER TRINITY
(Isaiah 35.4-7a; James 2.1-10; Mark 7.24-37)
8.00a.m. Eucharist
10.00a.m. SUNG EUCHARIST
& Holy Baptism of Ethan Junemann
6.00p.m. Evening Prayer
Mon. 7 12.00noon Mothers’ Union – Lunch & Service
7.30p.m. PCC Meeting - Vicarage
Tues. 8 9.30a.m. Eucharist for Deanery Chapter - all welcome
12.30p.m. “Second Tuesday” Lunch Club - Church Hall
Thurs. 10 10.00a.m. Eucharist
Sat. 12 Northumbria Historic Churches Trust Steeplechase

Saturday 12th & Sunday 13th September Art at St. Cuthbert’s

- in the Church Hall
Sunday 13 THE 14th SUNDAY AFTER TRINITY
(Isaiah 50.4-9a; James 3.1-12; Mark 8.27-38)
8.00a.m. Eucharist
10.00a.m. SUNG EUCHARIST
& Sunday School resumes
11.30a.m. Formal Opening of Hall Car Park
3.30p.m. Holy Baptism
6.00p.m. Evening Prayer
Mon. 14 7.30p.m. Sing Together - in church
Wed. 16 7 for 7.30p.m. Deanery Synod - Castleside
Thurs. 17 10.00a.m. Eucharist
Sunday 20 THE 15th SUNDAY AFTER TRINITY
(Jeremiah 11.18-20; James 3.13-4.3,7-8a; Mark 9.30-37)
8.00a.m. Eucharist
10.00a.m. SUNG EUCHARIST
& Sunday School
6.00p.m. Taizé Vespers
 3
Thurs. 24 10.00a.m. Eucharist
Sat. 26 2.00p.m. Marriage of Sean Strong & Louise Rushgrove
Sunday 27 16th SUNDAY AFTER TRINITY
BACK TO CHURCH SUNDAY
(Numbers 11.4-6,10-16,24-29; James 5.13-20; Mark 9.38-50)
8.00a.m. Eucharist
10.00a.m. SUNG EUCHARIST
& SUNDAY SCHOOL
6.00p.m. Evening Prayer
Mon. 28 2.00p.m. Eucharist - at Derwentdale Court
Tues. 29 FEAST OF ST. MICHAEL & ALL ANGELS
7.00p.m. Eucharist with Prayers for Healing

OCTOBER
Thurs. 1 10.00a.m. Eucharist
Sunday 4 HARVEST FESTIVAL (Trinity 17)
8.00a.m. Eucharist
10.00a.m. FAMILY EUCHARIST
& OFFERING OF HARVEST GIFTS
followed by a HARVEST LUNCH
Mon. 5 2.00p.m. Mothers’ Union Service & Meeting
Thurs. 8 10.00a.m. Eucharist

Readings for Sunday Evening Worship

Please use these readings, whether or not you are able to join us at the 6p.m. service
Sunday 6 Sept. Ps. 119.41-56 Exodus 14.5-31 Matthew 6.1-18
Sunday 13 Sept. Ps. 119.73-88 Exodus 18.13-26 Matthew 7.1-14
Sunday 20 Sept. Ps. 119.137-152 Exodus 19.10-25 Matthew 8.23-34
Sunday 27 Sept. Ps. 120, 121 Exodus 24 Matthew 9.1-8
Sunday 4 Oct. Ps. 125, 126 Joshua 3.7-17 Matthew 10.1-22
4

View from the Vicarage

“La Grippe A”…
… is the name being given in France to what we call ―Swine Flu.‖ It‘s a
rather less emotive title - and perhaps we‘d have treated the illness rather
differently if it had been called something else. For the moment - with a fall
in the rate of infection over the summer holiday period - swine flu has
almost disappeared from news coverage. But there are fears that once
children return to school it might return again in pandemic proportions. The
indications are that for most people it‘s a relatively mild illness. But for a
small minority it can lead to complications. And the families I know who
have had young children suffering from it have found the experience
upsetting, even worrying. So we shouldn‘t minimise the problem.
In some ways the timing of the Church‘s response to the epidemic was
unfortunate. Guidelines were announced just as the rate of infection came
to a peak towards the end of July. Now - having followed Department of
Health advice that the Chalice should not be shared at Holy Communion,
and that the Peace should not be shared with a handshake - we find that
almost immediately the worst of the outbreak seems to be over. Except we
know that we can‘t be complacent. All too easily the virus could spread
again.
I‘ve reflected on the Church‘s position as we‘ve seen fears increase and
recede - and I‘ve circulated a leaflet on what we are doing and why. A
reminder of my conclusion: ―The risk of transmitting Swine Flu is no
greater in a church than in any other public place. Being conscious of
those church practices which might possibly increase the risk of
infection can in fact reduce that risk, since it makes us more
thoughtful of others and of what we do.”
And I hope that the feeling of ―being deprived‖ because we can‘t at present
share the chalice may be helpful. Our Bishop has reminded us that ―the
fullness of the Sacrament‖ is to be found in Communion in one kind (i.e. as
we receive only the consecrated host) - let us see it again as truly Christ‘s
Precious Body‖ (and therefore also his Blood). If we can‘t shake hands at
the Peace, instead we can take more notice of the people around us - the
purpose of the Peace is to recognise Christ in our neighbour, not just to
rush around the church. There‘s a general feeling that having to think about
what we are doing is no bad thing in the long-term.
Having said that, we took delivery of a case of Communion wine in the
week before use of the chalice was discontinued. We look forward to
opening it as soon as we can. Martin Jackson
 5

Mothers’ Union News

st
Tuesday 1 September 2.00pm
Patronal Service at St.Aidan‘s Church, Annfield Plain.
Speaker: the Bishop of Jarrow
th
Monday 7 September
Soup and sweet lunch with Consett and Ebchester MU members
followed by Service in Church
th
Wednesday 16 September
2.00pm All Saints Church, Lanchester - Autumn Deanery Meeting
Celebrant: The Vicar, Canon Peter Waterhouse.
Address by Kathy Webster, MU Diocesan President.
Donations to Overseas Fund



100 Club - Winners

July
1st Prize £25 No.28 Mary Mitchell
2nd Prize £15 No.62 Stephen Mitchell
3rd Prize £10 No.74 Joyce Moody

August
1st Prize £25 No.59 Peter Thompson
2nd Prize £15 No.87 Mildred Lynn
3rd Prize £10 No.34 Pam Donnelly

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 8th September

in the Church Hall
6

Art at
St. Cuthbert’s
An Exhibition by Local Artists
Saturday 12th September
& Sunday 13th September
in St. Cuthbert’s Church Hall
More information - or to offer help - contact Lew Parker 505156

On Saturday of the same weekend, 12th September it‘s also the day of
the Northumbria Historic Churches Trust Steeplechase - a chance
to find churches open which might otherwise be closed, and to be
sponsored as you visit them (proceeds are split 50:50 between our
church and the Trust); further details from Stephen Mitchell and in
church. We‘ll need help to keep St. Cuthbert‘s Church open that day, so
please offer an hour or two if you can. And people from our parish who
are taking part would be grateful for sponsorship …

Deanery Evensong - Sunday 13th September
Join us for this service at 6.00p.m. in Gibside Chapel.
Preacher: The Very Revd. Michael Sadgrove, Dean of
Durham. Come early for a walk or a picnic, and then
worship with members of other local churches! Free
admission from 4.00p.m. for those attending the service.

Sunday School is back!
Sunday School sessions resume alongside the 10a.m. Eucharist on
Sunday 13th September. Join us in the Hall - the first session will
probably entail a walk, so come prepared!
 7

Christian Aid Week

Sponsored Walk Saturday 26th September
Starting at 10.00am at the Derwent Walk on Queens Road (so an easy and
convenient start for us) going along the Derwent Walk to Ebchester, on to
Broad Oak then back by Ebchester, East Law and the railway line to finish
at Blackhill Methodist Church.
Distance about 8 miles and finishing 3.00 to 3.30pm.

One World Week Concert

Jane Robson Theatre Group
th
Thursday 15 October 7.00pm - Consett Methodist Church
Traidcraft Stall . . . . . . . Tickets available soon

Sheila Barnes


Looking ahead …….

Come to a concert …..

An Evening with the

Derwentside Singers
Wednesday 14th October 2009 at 7.30pm
in St Cuthbert’s Church
Tickets £3-00 from Rosie Junemann
In support of St Cuthbert’s Church
8

BacktoChurchSunday
you are
invited
to
join us
Sunday 27th
September
at 10a.m.
St.Cuthbert’s
Church
Church Bank
Shotley Bridge
This is a national initiative in which St. Cuthbert’s is
taking part. Did you know that 20% of the population
who used to go to church regularly have stopped
coming? This happens for all sorts of reasons… Often
these people only need a small nudge or a particular
reason to start coming again – and this is it.
Mark the date in your diary… Think who you can bring along… We
did it last year, with excellent results. So look out for invitation and
prayer cards. Bring yourself! Look out for people you can invite!
 9

Notes & News

THE GIFT OF SIGHT Many thanks to those of
you who have kindly donated your old spectacles for
the Caring City appeal, to date we have taken 30
pairs of spectacles to Optical Express, who were
delighted to receive them.

Please keep bringing them in and leaving them in the box at the back of
Church, it doesn't matter if they are broken - the lenses can still be used.
I've placed a few leaflets in the box explaining a little about the scheme.
Liz Parker
_______________________________________________________________________________________
th
Their Coffee Morning of 4 July may now seem a long
time ago, but we‘re delighted to report that the Handbell
Ringers raised the wonderful total of £242 - all to go to
the church hall building fund.
It was a really lovely morning and we need to say a
massive thank you to the ladies and all who supported
the event.
_______________________________________________________________________________________

Baby news… lots of reason for thanksgiving and

congratulation! On Wednesday 29th July,
Matthew Jack Eric was born to Tracy and Kevin
Dodd, weighing in at 7lb 14oz. Two weeks later
on 12th August, Alexander Ian Parker was born
to Emma and Richard Parker, another grandchild
for Liz and Lew - he weighed in at 7lb 6oz and
“completes Richard’s front row!” And Julie and
Mark Ross have also had another August baby,
another grandchild for Marion and Kevin -
details to follow…
_______________________________________________________________________________________

Harvest Festival will soon be upon us. You can find details of our appeal
elsewhere in this magazine - USPG is taking the theme “Do Not Worry”
and focusing on the work of the Church in the Amazon (hopefully there’ll
be a display in church). You can help us decorate the church by
contributing to our flower appeal - there’ll be a basket in church from 6th
September - or see Sonia Thompson.
10
 11

SING
TOGETHER
For Autumn
7.30 – 8.30pm Monday 14 September
th

7.30 – 8.30pm Monday 19 October

th

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



GROWING TOGETHER!
St Cuthbert’s Gardening Club

Prepare for Harvest: Sunday 4 October

12

The Bible: there’s nothing else like it….

Former Poet Laureate Andrew Motion says it is
becoming increasingly difficult to teach English
Literature because students don‘t know the
Bible. Andrew Motion was taking part in a BBC
radio interview when he said that students had a
sketchy understanding of once familiar stories --
a depressing trend which threatened to leave future generations unable to
fully understand the works of Milton, Shakespeare or more modern writers
such as TS Eliot.
Literature is one of many aspects of British culture with roots in the Bible,
but Bible reading is more than a cultural exercise. For millions of people
across the globe, the Bible is the main reference point for life‘s biggest
questions: Who am I? Why am I here? Where am I going? What is the
purpose of life? How should I live? That‘s why many Christians make Bible-
reading a part of life‘s daily routine. It‘s as vital as eating and drinking.
The Bible is unlike any other book. People who read it find that often the
words come alive to them. Millions of Christians around the world can look
back on several key points in their lives when it has been as if God is
speaking just to them about their immediate circumstances. This shouldn‘t
be surprising. As the Apostle Paul wrote: ‗Every part of Scripture is God-
breathed and useful one way or another—showing us truth, exposing our
rebellion, correcting our mistakes, training us to live God's way.‘
The commissioning editor of the daily devotional series Day by Day with
God (BRF), Catherine Butcher, says that she always challenges the
contributors to let the Bible speak for itself, so that God can speak into
readers‘ lives. Wherever possible contributors she wants to use
contemporary examples to bring the Bible to life so that readers can root
their own lives in the Bible‘s teaching.
Day by Day with God is written mainly for women by Christian women at
different stages in life. Some contributors are single women, some are
mums or grandmothers, some are career women, several are Christian
leaders or are married to a church leader, some are homemakers, some
face disability, all draw strength daily from a living relationship with God.
If you would like to receive a free sample of Day by Day with God phone
01865 319700 or Email: enquiries@brf.org.uk
or visit www.daybydaywithgod.net
It‘s published by the Bible Reading Fellowship, which also produces New
Daylight, Bible reading notes used by a good number of our congregation.
 13

Making a difference!
Rosie Junemann writes:
I am so impressed with the Mothers’ Union!!

Did you think that the Mothers’ Union was just a bunch of little old
ladies who meet now and again for tea and talks? Not so! The
Mothers’ Union is a massive international organisation with more
than 3.6 million members in over 78 countries. It also employs over
300 paid workers around the world. It is involved in campaigning and
lobbying on a number of worldwide issues such as parental rights,
international debt relief and child poverty.
The Mothers' Union is passionate about caring for families all
around the world. They provide a diverse range of programmes
which meet the needs of individuals and families every day. And all
their work is underpinned by their Christian faith and by the need
to challenge the root causes of injustice.

“In Mothers’ Union our vision is of a world where God’s love is shown
through loving, respectful and flourishing relationships.”

The Mothers’ Union Family Life Programme, for example, currently

operates in eight areas of Uganda, mobilising community groups to
work together to identify and prioritise the key issues they face –
and then to tackle them. Through the programme groups are now
actively tackling issues such as food security, health and sanitation,
human rights, HIV/AIDS and environmental degradation. The
programme also helps to improve family and community relationships
and to ensure the promotion of women’s rights.

Closer to home, the Mothers’ Union offers hundreds of families

(around 1500 adults and 700 children) a holiday each year through
the ‘Away From It All’ holiday scheme. The holidays are available to
anyone under stress.
14

In 2000, the Mothers Union launched the Parenting Programme

through which almost 600 parenting group facilitators have been
trained to work with parents in the UK and Ireland. The programme
has now been expanded into ten more countries. New resources
have also been produced to support the work of local parenting
groups.

“One of those life-changing events…… a thrilling and moving experience.”

The Mothers’ Union is led by the involvement and actions of its

members. Engagement at local community level is as important as
involvement in international institutions. And ideally they both feed
into each other. The Mothers’ Union believes in empowering and
enabling women and families from all backgrounds to create positive
social change.

“Discovering what opinions and real situations exist within your

community can be part of the most exciting, enjoyable and surprising work
in policy, as well as the most useful”

The organisation has therefore developed ‘Making a difference’ - a

Social Policy Toolkit - as a guide to organising social policy activities
at a local level. The purpose of the Toolkit is to develop
understanding of policy and give some ideas of how to engage
effectively in policy work. It also publishes a monthly online Policy
Watch, which provides updates on new legislation and current policy
issues, and discussion papers on key issues such as euthanasia,
abortion, trade justice and infertility.

“When Christians care, pray and give practical help,

lives can be changed”

So how do local Mothers’ Union branches help?

Members are encouraged to take an active interest in all issues
affecting family life, at local, national and international levels and
to discuss social policy issues.
 15

Members help to raise funds to support the work of Mothers’ Union

at home and abroad.

Members provide practical help (often in small ways) to provide

support for each other, for families in their local communities, and
for people in need. In the past year, in the Diocese of Durham,
members have knitted 3000 ‘comfort bears’ to give to children in
Basra. They have also knitted tiny clothes for babies in premature
baby units and have provided thousands of wash bags filled with
toiletries for people admitted to hospitals in emergency situations.
Some members visit people in hospital and others support the
families of people in prison.

Above all, members pray regularly for children, for families, for
people in need, and for social justice.

All this day, O Lord,

let me touch as many lives as possible for thee;
and every life I touch,
do thou by thy spirit quicken,
whether through the word I speak,
the prayer I breathe,
or the life I live.
Amen

The first Mothers’ Union prayer written by Mary Sumner in 1876.

Membership of the Mothers’ Union is open to all

baptised Christians, male or female, married or single
(contact Sheila Barnes)

‗Making a difference : Social Policy Toolkit‘ : £3 from Mary Sumner House

or download the earlier version ‗Straight Talking‘ and the monthly ‗Policy
Watch‘ from the MU website:

www.themothersunion.org
16

Sunday 4th October 2OO9

8.00a.m. Holy Communion (BCP)
10.00a.m. SUNG EUCHARIST
with the offering of Harvest Gifts
FOLLOWED BY A HARVEST LUNCH
We welcome gifts of produce and money for our Harvest Appeal as
offerings during the Sung Eucharist - a service for all the family. Afterwards
an informal parish lunch.
Your financial gifts will benefit the USPG Harvest Appeal (see below).
Produce will be passed on to the People’s Kitchen.
Contributions for Harvest flowers gratefully received in the basket in
church - or pass them to Sonia Thompson.

USPG’s work with the poor has included:

Health care, through funding hospitals, HIV/AIDS awareness

programmes and training for medical personnel.
Education, through funding new schools and sending teachers to
wherever there is a need.
Church ministry: through funding theological training and pastoral
programmes. And inter-faith relations.
Cross-cultural training – because we believe that each part of the
church can learn from every other part.
 17

Harvest Produce and the People’s Kitchen

The People‘s Kitchen works with homeless people on Tyneside to offer
them ―Friendship and Food‖. The gifts they receive at Harvest-time are
especially important, but there‘s a limit to the amount of fresh food they can
use! So they suggest the following items – though without any particular
order of importance…

 Money if possible (Cheques payable to ―The People‘s Kitchen‖)

 Instant coffee, tea bags and dried milk
 Sugar
 Plain & self-raising flour
 Gravy granules
 Evaporated milk, condensed milk, rice pudding
 Tins – mixed veg., peas, beans, carrots etc.
 Tins – fruit
 Powdered or instant custard
 Oats for the Sunday breakfast porridge
 Sauces (tomato sauce, brown sauce, salad cream etc.)
 Biscuits
 Breakfast cereals
 Soups (tins or packets)
 Tinned meat (stewing steak, mince, corned beef)
 Toiletries (toothpaste, toothbrushes, deodorants, soap, shampoo)

Items to avoid!
 There‘s currently a surplus of tinned tomatoes, pasta and rice
 Fresh green vegetables and other perishable items - it‘s not always
possible to use or freeze these quickly enough.
th
So pack up your produce, bring it to church on 4 October, and we‘ll make
sure it gets to the Kitchen.

In case you‘d like to send a donation direct,

here‘s the address:

The People’s Kitchen

56 Bath Lane
Newcastle-upon-Tyne
NE4 5SQ
18

Sale of
nearly-new
BOOKS
AND
TOYS
with raffle, coffee, tea
and light lunches

Saturday 17th October 2009

11am – 2pm
St Cuthbert’s Church Hall
Please bring your donations of nearly-new books
(for all ages) and children’s toys to the church
on Sunday 11th October
- or contact Mary Mitchell or Rosie Junemann to make
alternative arrangements.
__________________________________________

Shotley Bridge Village Open Weekend:

th th
Friday 4 - Sunday 6 December - following a similar weekend organised
by local businesses in the spring, there‘s to be another in the build-up to
Christmas. Mark it in your diaries - further details later, and some ideas on
how we might be able to join in…
 19

Faith and Life

- in Lanchester Deanery!
As we said in our July-August Magazine,
planning was underway for a “Faith and Life”
Course in our Deanery.
The course starts in September and is 30 sessions long, spread over nine
months – there‘s time off for Christmas and Easter! It will be taught in small
groups of about 12 people. The aim is to discover the strength of learning
in a supportive group and the variety of God‘s people across the Deanery,
each with something to share. Most sessions will be from 7.15 - 9.15p.m.
on Thursdays but there are two all-day sessions in Durham when we meet
up with other groups. The course culminates with a service of celebration in
Durham Cathedral.
We‘re not advertising for anyone else to join - but we want you to know that
it‘s happening… From our own parish, Pam Donnelly, Liz Whiting and
Mary Mitchell have signed up to take part. In addition, The Vicar will be
a ―teaching partner‖ on one of the modules, looking at the Psalms - Paul
Heatherington will be leading a later module on ―Old Testament Themes‖
(and is also teaching the Psalms module in another Deanery). All of this
aims to relate what we learn from the Bible and theological exploration to
our daily life.


GHASTLY GOINGS-ON
Sup full of the horrors of Hallowe'en at the One in
Seven Hallowe'en dramatic horrorfest. It's in the
Church Hall on Saturday October 31st at 7.30 pm.
Admission £5/£2.50 (children). The programme
includes a ghost play, some spooky stories,
marrow-freezing live music and refreshments.
We hope to make another contribution to Church Hall funds so please
come along with friends and bring a bottle or two of your own wine or
beer (not to be sold!) if you want alcoholic drinks. Fancy dress and
turnip or pumpkin lanterns are invited (the lanterns preferably battery-
powered). Tickets on sale in October.
Jim Hollingsworth
20

From the Parish Registers

Holy Baptism
23 August Lucille Isabella Lana Thomas
73 Durham Road, Blackhill
23 August Daniel Frederick Hopwood
26 The Briary, Shotley Bridge
23 August Lola Grace Louise Glynn
38 Summerdale, Shotley Bridge
May they continue to follow Christ

Marriage
22 August James Peter Geliher & Kirsty Gibson
22 August Francis William Athey & Tracy Sylvia Clark
Let their love for each other be a seal upon their hearts
and a crown upon their heads.

Funerals
4 August Eveline Sutherland
Shotley Park Residential Home
May the souls of the faithful departed rest in peace

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