The United Benefice of Breedon and Worthington

Saint Matthew's Church, Worthington

Our aim is "To know God and to make Him known".

Take a look at our Service Schedule.

"Draw near to God …"

On Sundays, at 8.00 pm, at Saint Matthew's Church, Worthington

Do you sometimes feel that God is too far away from you?
Do you sometimes feel that the God of the Bible lives in an entirely different realm, and you are unable to break through to Him?
Do you sometimes feel that you don't know Him on a personal level, and find it difficult to be on talking terms with Him?
Do you sometimes feel that He isn't really there to listen to you?
Do you want to be really close to Him and experience the blessing of His presence?

If you answered "yes" to any of the above, all you have to do is come to the praise and worship evening.

We will leave all our cares, worries and anxieties outside the church door.

We will forget all the distracting details of our busy lives and leave our burdens behind.

As we sing and pray, we will concentrate entirely on the Lord. We will focus our attention on Him alone. We will praise, worship and exalt Him for Who He is.

We will get lost in His presence.

We will experience the goodness of the Lord, and share the outpouring of His grace.

We will have the privilege of meeting with our wonderful God.

"… and He will draw near to you."
(James 4:8)

John Writes ...

Aren't statistics boring? I often find them so, but I also find them fascinating. A report from our national church makes very thought provoking reading, and I quote some of these statistics for you. Just how many people still worship God in our churches?

Each Sunday an average of one million people worship in one of our 16,000 churches, and each week between 0.86 million and 1.86 million people worship in the Church of England. We have 44 dioceses and more than 13,000 parishes covering the whole of England, the Isle of Man, the Channel Isles, Isles of Scilly and a small part of Wales plus a further 270 congregations in the Diocese of Europe.

What about manpower?

We have more than 25,000 licensed ministers, of which approximately 9,500 are stipendiary ('paid') clergy, including 114 bishops. Just over 2,000 are non-stipendiary ('unpaid') clergy and more than 10,300 Readers. This sounds quite impressive until you realise that more than 4,800 retired clergy - is that ever possible? - are needed to have a continuing role in parish ministry.

What about the future?

In this current year, more than 1,400 ordinands are in training, and more than 1,300 persons in Reader training, and numbers coming forward for ordination remain buoyant (the report's words), of which 432 went forward last year.

So the Anglican Church is far from being the dinosaur that many people think and are portraying. We are a living church with people whose faith is a living faith and a relevant faith, and a church whose presence is everywhere in our country. There is no group of people who are not in a parish, cared for and ministered to by a parish priest. Attendances in our own benefice churches are growing slowly, but growing, and this is a source of great encouragement to me. However, it also concerns me that we have so many 'generation gaps' in our worshippers. Are there really so few young people, in Breedon specifically, for whom the church seems irrelevant? I hope not.

I would like to make a plea to you all. We are entering a time in our Christian calendar that is both important and, following later, a time of celebration. If we all take it upon ourselves to invite our neighbours, friends and families to share in worship with us, it will help to remove the above concern. So why not start the invitations for the very important day of Remembrance Sunday; service times are in this magazine.

Every Blessing,

John

CEMETERY RULES OK?

Just as the greens of Summer turn to the browns of Autumn, it is time to reflect once again. Situated half way between Newbold and Worthington is Saint Matthew's, Worthington, own cemetery (well, perhaps not exactly halfway but it is the dead centre!)

A rarity indeed as a church normally has a churchyard in which to bury its dead. A cemetery is usually associated with a council or local authority.

The Trustees of the Cemetery - the Priest and Churchwardens - welcome anyone to come and visit. To visit the graves of loved ones or, simply to come and visit.

With this in mind, we should remember that, although the church owns the cemetery, it belongs to us all. Due reverence to the dead and respect for other users forbids horseplay and undue hilarity, but the Cemetery is there for our use and recreation. It is a little known gem which, thanks to the hard work of David and Les has looked a picture.

There has been much in the press lately about cemetery abuse and desecration. Such behaviour is beneath the dignity of these pages. Besides, apart from the odd theft of garden equipment, we have been free from this scourge over the years.

As with most institutions, we are bound by rules. Cemeteries and churchyards are no exception. It should be borne in mind that, in a democratic world, rules are not generally put in place to cheat or deprive but are to protect and preserve what we have. Such rules are laid down by the diocese and are in accordance with certain parliamentary laws. A copy of the rules may be inspected on the fence to the right of the gate.

We hear how offence has been given by the use of artificial flowers and how even greater offence has been caused by throwing them away. The Trustees recognise that artificial flowers can appear every bit as good as the real thing. Perhaps the days of placing flowers to commemorate a visit rather than purely as decoration have moved on. It never has and never will be the intent of the trustees to cause any such offence. Artificial flowers will be removed only when they look like artificial flowers which have spoiled in the sun and rain. Just the same as real flowers. Please remember that the appearance of one grave can affect the appearance of another or even the whole cemetery.

A copy of the Cemetery Rules as they appear at Worthington:

The United Benefice of Breedon on the Hill cum Isley Walton and Worthington with Newbold and Griffydam

The Care of Worthington Cemetery

In order to maintain the good order of the Cemetery the cemetery trustees, ie. The Priest and Churchwardens, have implemented the following regulations which are in accord with the practice of the Diocese of Leicester.

Graves

The care of a grave is the responsibility in the first instance of the family of the deceased.
Authorisation in writing must be obtained from the Priest before any monument is erected, or an additional inscription is made. Such authorisation will not normally be given until 12 months after the burial to allow the ground to settle.
The headstone may be polished or unpolished or of slate, but white marble is not permitted.
To make mowing of the grass easier, mounds, raised kerbs, railings and the like are not permitted.
Please ensure that dead flowers are removed from a grave; bins are provided.
The only artificial flowers which will be permitted are Remembrance Poppies and Christmas Roses; all of which must be removed within 6 weeks.

Garden of Remembrance

This area is consecrated and reserved for the burial of cremated remains which are interred loose under a turf.
Such reverent interment of ashes does not constitute a grave and no permanent memorial eg. flower vase or wall plaque is permitted.
A Book of Remembrance is kept in church in which names of the deceased are inscribed for which a small charge is made. The Book of Remembrance is open each day to show the name of the deceased on the anniversary.

Worthington Parents And Toddler Group

Come and join Worthington Parents and Toddler Group at Worthington School, Main Street, Worthington, on Wednesday mornings at 9.15 am to 11.30 am during term time. All mums, dads, carers and pre-school children welcome. Come and have a coffee; meet other parents and have a chat whilst your child has the opportunity to play with other children and with the excellent variety of toys we have.

Cost is £1 per adult plus first child, 20p for each additional child. All children from 0 - 6 months free.

We look forward to meeting you.

Pam Hammond

Cutler Family Tree

A letter has been received asking for help in tracing a family with the surname of Cutler. The family of Cutler was linked to Worthington in the early 1500's when a Hugh Cutler of London married one who is only known as Alice in the records but who is stated to have been of Worthington. If anyone, and I know it is a very long shot, has any information could they send it direct to the inquirer, Mr Brian E James, PO Box 3118, Macken Street, Dublin 2, Eire.

Holy Smoke!

As many of you know, I work as a receptionist at a local solicitor's office. Whilst at work, on Friday 9th February 2001, I received a phone call from our local undertaker, saying my husband had just led a most powerful funeral service in St. Helen's Church, Ashby de la Zouch. Asking what on earth John had done now, I was told that during the service a shout had gone up from the congregation saying, "Vicar, vicar, you're on fire, vicar!"

Flames were apparently visible over John's head, not I hasten to add from his powerful sermon, but from his having backed on to a candle, and his surplice was on fire. Members of the congregation very kindly rushed towards him, and helped to put him out. The service then continued to its end uneventfully. Later that evening, his words to me on the subject were, "I thought my back was getting a trifle hot."

A new surplice is now needed, due to a huge hole in the centre back.

Long-suffering Val.

(John's note:- Many thanks to everyone who helped put me out, to the persons who let the whole of Market Street know, even before I had left the church, and to all who have asked about my health since then. I appreciate your concern. Ritson's funeral service is one I shall always remember!)