Click the links to read reports from the Sunderland Echo and Sunderland City Council, and find more pictures on our Facebook page.
Enjoy!
Sunday, 26 July 2015
St. Peter's Medieval Weekend 2015
Here's a selection of pictures from St. Peter's Medieval Festival, held as part of the celebrations surrounding the launch of the new church grounds.
Click the links to read reports from the Sunderland Echo and Sunderland City Council, and find more pictures on our Facebook page.
Enjoy!
Click the links to read reports from the Sunderland Echo and Sunderland City Council, and find more pictures on our Facebook page.
Enjoy!
The Vicar Clicked On The Link...And Couldn't Believe What He Saw!
Imagine discovering one day that something you had done in your past was
now a viral sensation on the internet, making headlines on social media and
being covered by news outlets from Washington UK to Washington DC. This was the
situation local priest Rev’d Paul Child found himself in recently, as a clip
from a couple’s wedding video became an overnight internet smash.
Paul,
Assistant Curate in the Monkwearmouth Team Ministry, said, “The first I heard
of it was when a couple of congregation members said they’d seen my video
online. Then a few people mentioned it at the school gates and said it had been
in the local press. When I looked it up on social media I was absolutely
amazed, not just to see the footage but also the response it was getting!"
The video, which featured Shaun and Adele Palmer’s wedding at
St. Andrew’s Church, Roker, was memorable for the unusual way the couple
received their rings. Shaun had secretly arranged for Bilbo the owl to deliver
the rings at the appropriate point in the service - with Adele and the rest of
the congregation completely unaware of what was going to unfold.
This would
have been an unusual situation for many vicars, but for Paul there was an
additional reason to be nervous. “It was the very first wedding I had officiated
at,” he said. “When I got the message from Shaun to say he’d secretly arranged
an owl I was unsure how it would play out, but it was his & Adele’s special
day & I wanted it to be as perfect as possible for them.”
Returning
to St. Andrew’s to celebrate their first wedding anniversary, Shaun Palmer
said, “If Adele & I had to use one word to describe our
day it would be incredible! From the first meeting Paul and the team made
us feel so welcome and special it was just amazing. We couldn't see
ourselves getting married in a better church, it’s such a beautiful building,
and we were honoured we were the first couple Paul married - quite a landmark
day for the 3 of us! We couldn't have asked for anything more!”
The video has now been viewed over 782,000 times on YouTube and Shaun & Adele have received messages from across the globe commenting on it. But has there been a sudden rush of animal antics at St. Andrew’s?
“Not yet,” said Paul, “But in the
Monkwearmouth Parish we try our hardest to help all our wedding couples have an
amazing beginning to their married life together. A church wedding offers a
unique opportunity to be joined together in the sight of God and to allow Jesus
to be the bedrock on which the relationship will be built and sustained. If we
can help make it memorable in other ways we’re always willing to try!”
The video has now been viewed over 782,000 times on YouTube and Shaun & Adele have received messages from across the globe commenting on it. But has there been a sudden rush of animal antics at St. Andrew’s?
To find out more about arranging a wedding in Monkwearmouth Parish, visit our website.
 |
| Shaun & Adele with Rev'd Child on their 1st Wedding Anniversary |
Thursday, 4 June 2015
Magic Eye
The Curate writes…
Back in the 1990’s a craze swept the nation that left us
cross eyed with excitement. “Magic Eye” pictures, stereogram images to those in
the know, appeared in the national press, on huge posters and in numerous
books, captivating the imagination of people at the time. I, as do many,
remember squinting at a patterned picture of apparently nothing trying to blur my
eyes enough to discover the 3D image concealed within. Moving the page back
from up close was a good trick. It looked a bit daft, but the satisfaction of
discovering the hidden image was huge, especially when others around you failed
to work it out.
I mention these pictures because I think we can all find life
a bit like this. With the busyness, the challenges and frustrations we face,
the never-ending streams of information and noise that seem to flow all around
us these days - it can sometimes be hard to see where God is in the midst of
what is going on. But like the Magic Eye pictures, if we seek to carve out the
time to be still & seek God, He is always there. We may even feel a bit
foolish as we search. We may need help from those around us, which is why we
come together in Church, and why House Groups can be such an important and
useful way to deepen our walk with the Lord.
So if you feel you can’t quite see
Him right now, be assured Jesus is always with us. He was there right at the
beginning and will be there at the end but, most importantly, He is here right now in the middle of all that is
going on – surrounding us in His unchanging, unending love…
"In A Glass Clearly!"
As the window restoration
comes to an end in St. Andrew's, two contrasting photographs of the windows
boarded up in the winter snows of 2011 contrasted with smiling faces, the
Rector and Iona ArtGlass below the Lady Chapel window, reflecting as in a
mirror clearly in 2015. Through all the winds and rain, snow and ice,
scaffolding here, scaffolding there, that has been endured by so many and for
so long is that vision of a bright new dawn in the church's life. The rays of
sunshine reflected clearly, illuminating the interior, wrapped up in the warmth
of worship.
New hand blown panes of glass
are mixed in a random fashion with the old that could be preserved, and is now
difficult to tell which is which. Yet the type of glass is unique to this
church. Glass formed in a mould till it becomes thin and rippled, of uneven
thickness, with or without bubbles and other accidental flaws and
irregularities. This lends to a subtle variation in the intensity of light as
it streams across the church interior. Not least the unique experience of being
close up to the stained glass windows, awestruck by their quality and beauty.
The photographs I took now displayed in church for all to see.
Perhaps this says something of
our human life with all its flaws and irregularities, yet somehow when put
together, pane upon pane, window upon window, it allows the spiritual radiance
of Christ to enrich human life, not least for regular worshippers and visitors
alike.
Much has been achieved, the
windows completed, yet much has still to be done. It is the intention in the
next couple of months to clean the tapestry, renew the curtains, renew the nave
carpet, sand and polish flooring, professionally high clean the church,
re-install the William Morris carpet and much more.
We have much to be grateful
for, not least to God through the work of human hands. As God clothes us with
the garments of salvation our hope is that includes dusters at the ends of
hands as well, as we seek to remove the dust and spring clean at ground level.
Jesus astounded those who
heard him in the synagogue that day, so may we be astounded by what has been
achieved as the journey of faith goes on dusting off that which clings to us,
refreshing us, as we now see in a glass more clearly.
May the love of God continue
to shine in all our lives. Please pray for God's work and witness here in this
place, our ongoing restoration in faith in a church fit for worship in years to
come.
John
Pattinson
Photographs
of the stained glass windows displayed in church can be purchased at a cost of
£25 each. Proceeds to church funds.
Hand in Hand for Syria
Do you crochet or knit? If so, this is the article for you!
Cheryl Dawson, Chair of the Friends of Seaburn Dene Primary School group, is knitting blankets and clothing to donate to Hand in Hand for Syria, a UK Registered charity providing humanitarian support for the people of that country. In September she intends taking all she has created to their depot in Nottingham for it to be shipped directly to the estimated 12 million people in urgent need around the country, regardless of their political or religious affiliation.
Please do also continue to pray for Syria – for an end to the conflict, the violence and the senseless killing, for peace to reign in that place. The prayer below may be helpful. Thank you.
We pray for
those damaged by the fighting in Syria.
To those
administering medical assistance:
and the joy of your comfort.
Cheryl Dawson, Chair of the Friends of Seaburn Dene Primary School group, is knitting blankets and clothing to donate to Hand in Hand for Syria, a UK Registered charity providing humanitarian support for the people of that country. In September she intends taking all she has created to their depot in Nottingham for it to be shipped directly to the estimated 12 million people in urgent need around the country, regardless of their political or religious affiliation.
If you knit or crochet, please
consider making some warm clothing (especially for infants), blankets or even
squares that can be stitched together to form a bigger item. Also, if you
happen to have any spare wool, please could you pass that along to be used?
For more information or to get
involved, please contact Rev. Paul Child via email (revpaulchild@gmail.com)
Please do also continue to pray for Syria – for an end to the conflict, the violence and the senseless killing, for peace to reign in that place. The prayer below may be helpful. Thank you.
A Prayer for the Victims of the Syrian conflict
We pray for
those damaged by the fighting in Syria.
To the
wounded and injured:
Come Lord
Jesus.
To the
terrified who are living in shock:
Come Lord
Jesus
To the
hungry and homeless, refugee and exile:
Come Lord
Jesus
To those
bringing humanitarian aid:
Give
protection Lord Jesus
To those
administering medical assistance:
To those
offering counsel and care:
Give
protection Lord Jesus.
For all
making the sacrifice of love:
Give the
strength of your Spiritand the joy of your comfort.
In the hope
of Christ we pray. Amen.
Sunday, 26 April 2015
Election Special
With
the May 7th drawing ever closer, we contacted 5 of the candidates* vying to be the MP for Sunderland
Central and gave them less than a day to answer one question: why we should
consider allowing them to represent us in the next parliament?
4 of our
candidates found the time to to contribute, and the first to reply was Jeff Townsend of
the Conservative Party. Here’s what he had to say:
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“Jeff was born on a mine in South Africa and grew up
in mining communities around the world. It was in these early years he was
taught the importance of self-responsibility, providing for your family and
looking after your community. These core principles are why he is standing as
your Conservative candidate at the General election.
If you want to question them directly, visit yournextmp.com to find their contact details - although as previously stated Julie Elliott's details are incorrect. She can be found on Twitter @JulieElliottMP. .
Jeff is proud of the Conservatives record on the
economy and wants to use this as a springboard for growth and enhancement of
the city. To do this we need to attract people and business to the city and
that means we need to improve our infrastructure. Motorway access, increased
capacity of Sunderland train station so more direct trains can come straight
into the heart of the city, extending the metro to surrounding areas and
promoting the port nationally as a gateway to Northern Europe.
In his spare time Jeff studies Ju Jitsu and is an
avid reader. He enjoys a good pub quiz and would love to see more people
cycling.”
Rachel Featherstone of the Green Party was second to contribute. She
says:
“The
Green Party are the only Party in England to challenge the economic sabotage
that is austerity.
Cutting government spending has never been the answer to recession, it decreases spending and tax revenue, making the debt bigger with every passing year. It also harms the most vulnerable people in society.
Last year, one million people used food banks, 80,000 children were housed in B&Bs and hostels and 6.9 million people in working families were living in poverty. The top 1% have increased their fortunes by £69 billion since 2010.
The Green Party want a better, sustainable future for everyone, not just the very wealthy. We would legislate for a living wage of £10 per hour by 2020 and a universal Citizen's Pension to lift people out of poverty. We would invest in our public sector, housing and renewable energy to create jobs, reduce bills and provide excellent services.
The Green Party don't believe that the NHS should be a source of profit for private companies, we support the NHS Reinstatement Bill which would remove the market from healthcare. At this election, we have a genuine choice - more cuts and privatisation or an economy that works for the common good.”
Due to the email address on yournextmp.com being incorrect, Julie Elliott of Labour was unable to reply as quickly as she would have liked. When we resolved this issue, she had this to say:
Finally for now, Adrian Page of the Liberal Democrats had this to say:
"Adrian
Page has always passionate about politics, but only joined the Liberal
Democrats two years ago. Having developed a strong social and political
conscience during his time in the Army, and later working for church-related
inclusion initiatives, he joined the Liberal Democrats in the hope of engaging
more people in democracy.
Adrian is 36, and currently combining studies with working as a part-time photographer. In addition to his military service, he has also worked in the charity sector - mainly in relation to facilitating understanding and tolerance towards religious communities. Adrian has an active interest in theology and is a practising Christian, while advocating a liberal society in which people of all faiths can celebrate their religion openly.
Adrian is a keen advocate for equality and inclusion - his passions include lifting barriers for those with disabilities and championing better working conditions at a time of growing casualisation of employment. He has been active in promoting significant reform of how mental health services work. He is also interested in human rights issues, and believes in empowering ordinary citizens to participate in the human rights agenda.
He believes the key priorities for any incoming government should be safeguarding the long-term future of the NHS, addressing the need for job creation, making the tax system fairer and delivering a better democracy in which voting makes a real difference.
Adrian pledges that, whether or not he is elected, he will act with honesty and fairness at all times - standing by his principles and promoting a more just society."
Our other candidates are Bryan Foster for UKIP and Independent Joseph Young.
Cutting government spending has never been the answer to recession, it decreases spending and tax revenue, making the debt bigger with every passing year. It also harms the most vulnerable people in society.
Last year, one million people used food banks, 80,000 children were housed in B&Bs and hostels and 6.9 million people in working families were living in poverty. The top 1% have increased their fortunes by £69 billion since 2010.
The Green Party want a better, sustainable future for everyone, not just the very wealthy. We would legislate for a living wage of £10 per hour by 2020 and a universal Citizen's Pension to lift people out of poverty. We would invest in our public sector, housing and renewable energy to create jobs, reduce bills and provide excellent services.
The Green Party don't believe that the NHS should be a source of profit for private companies, we support the NHS Reinstatement Bill which would remove the market from healthcare. At this election, we have a genuine choice - more cuts and privatisation or an economy that works for the common good.”
Due to the email address on yournextmp.com being incorrect, Julie Elliott of Labour was unable to reply as quickly as she would have liked. When we resolved this issue, she had this to say:
"In 2010 I was given
the honour of becoming the MP for Sunderland Central and since then, I have
never missed an opportunity to stand up for our great city. I have given
Sunderland a strong voice by fighting our corner at a regional and national
level.
If re-elected, I
will continue to be a full-time campaigning MP. In the last five years,
my biggest and most successful campaign resulted in the decision to close
Sunderland Central Community Fire Station being reversed. This campaign
would not have succeeded without the 34,000-plus signatures collected on
doorsteps across the city. Despite the Tory-led government’s attack on
our vital public services, Sunderland’s future is now safer than it might have
been because of our collective action.
As you supported me to
save our station, I need your support once again on 7 May. Only Labour
will save our NHS, reform our broken energy market and give ‘generation rent’
the help they need to get on in life. Please give me your vote so that I
can go on putting Sunderland at the heart of all I do."
"Adrian
Page has always passionate about politics, but only joined the Liberal
Democrats two years ago. Having developed a strong social and political
conscience during his time in the Army, and later working for church-related
inclusion initiatives, he joined the Liberal Democrats in the hope of engaging
more people in democracy. Adrian is 36, and currently combining studies with working as a part-time photographer. In addition to his military service, he has also worked in the charity sector - mainly in relation to facilitating understanding and tolerance towards religious communities. Adrian has an active interest in theology and is a practising Christian, while advocating a liberal society in which people of all faiths can celebrate their religion openly.
Adrian is a keen advocate for equality and inclusion - his passions include lifting barriers for those with disabilities and championing better working conditions at a time of growing casualisation of employment. He has been active in promoting significant reform of how mental health services work. He is also interested in human rights issues, and believes in empowering ordinary citizens to participate in the human rights agenda.
He believes the key priorities for any incoming government should be safeguarding the long-term future of the NHS, addressing the need for job creation, making the tax system fairer and delivering a better democracy in which voting makes a real difference.
Adrian pledges that, whether or not he is elected, he will act with honesty and fairness at all times - standing by his principles and promoting a more just society."
Our other candidates are Bryan Foster for UKIP and Independent Joseph Young.
Obviously we as a Parish team are not endorsing any
particular party – the choice, as they say, is yours – but please do try &
find out about who is seeking to represent us, and prayerfully consider who you
will vote for.
If you want to question them directly, visit yournextmp.com to find their contact details - although as previously stated Julie Elliott's details are incorrect. She can be found on Twitter @JulieElliottMP. .
* Sadly we
were unable to quote Joseph Young, the Independent candidate, as no email
address was listed on yournextmp.com.
Thursday, 9 April 2015
Don't Miss This - Heritage Talk 25th April 2015
St. Andrew's Church is delighted to present a Heritage Talk on Stained Glass Window Conservation by the wonderful Chris Chesney of Iona Art Glass.
Chris combines knowledge & humour to bring to life this fascinating subject.
The talk is on Saturday 25th April between 10.00am - 1.00pm in the Priestman Hall.
Admission is free & includes refreshments and a tour of St. Andrew's, known as the "Cathedral of the Arts & Crafts Movement."
Contact the Parish Office on 0191 5160135 to reserve a place or for more details.
For how to find us, visit our website.
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