All Saints Church Childwall

PRAISE GOD:

·  That He is our Heavenly Father

·  That we can cry out ‘Abba’ in our prayers to Him

·  That through Christ Jesus we are adopted as His children and made secure in our hope and inheritance

PLEASE PRAY FOR:

· Luke Harris, Fearne Woosey, Ava Gawne and Poppy Profit-Biddle who are baptise today, asking that they and their families grow through the baptism into a deeper knowledge and experience of Christ’s love for them

· For fathers on this Father’s Day, praying especially that men will take their paternal role and responsibility seriously and also praying for families where fathers are absent or distant

· The bishops, officers and clergy of the Diocese of Liverpool as they spend the week learning, praying, discerning and growing together, that the fruit of their conference will be of blessing to them and the communities they serve

· Bishop James as he leads the diocese during a period of huge transition in the Church and for Bishop David as he and Sally prepare for their retirement from the autumn

· The work and ministry of our Pathfinders and CYFA, giving thanks for all our young people and their leaders, especially Pauline Addy in her co-ordinating role

· The preparations for the strawberry tea at the vicarage on Saturday, especially for Gary and Karen, that all who attend will feel welcomed and blessed

· Dick Williams and Henry Stott as they arrange the Arts and Crafts Exhibition (3-5th July), that many will come into our church as a result of hosting the event

· The work of the United Nations in building just and enabling relationships and seeking reconciliation    between peoples and nations

· The work, mission and ministry of Christian conference centres and retreat houses, giving thanks for their ministry of hospitality and welcome to groups and individuals

·  The sick and those undergoing medical procedures

· All who grieve the loss of a loved one or remember the anniversary of a death at this time.

COLLECT FOR THE SECOND SUNDAY AFTER TRINITY

Faithful Creator,
whose mercy never fails:
deepen our faithfulness to you
and to your living Word,
Jesus Christ our Lord. Amen 

Since moving to Childwall in 1961, the Church has played a major role in our lives. We became members of the congregation at All Saints’ when Ken Thornton was the vicar. He had great charisma and charm and was a real “hands on” minister. Over the years, our boys participated in youth activities including The Boys Brigade and Pathfinders.

During the late 1990′s, my wife Dilys, developed ill health problems and in September 2004 was admitted to The Royal Liverpool Hospital with breast cancer. When she was released for outpatient treatment at The Linda McCartney Centre, an immediate visitor to our home was Chris Thomas, combining her role as Reader at All Saints’ with liaison nurse at The Royal. Chris’s visits were swiftly followed by visits from Jane Durham and also Joan McClelland and Hilary Wild, whom we had known over the years and from our early days at All Saints’.

Gary Renison arrived in September 2005 and although he did not know Dilys, he showed great compassion and thoughtfulness during his ministration to me at The Holy Communion service on Thursday mornings.

In May 2006, Dilys was admitted to the Marie Curie Hospice, Woolton, and spent four weeks there before she died on 17th June 2006. I cannot speak too highly of the medical and devoted care which Dilys received from the professional staff at Marie Curie, and during that time, she was visited by Gary, Joan and Hilary. They were a great source of comfort. Dilys’s funeral was conducted by Gary on 22nd June 2006 and three months later, her ashes were interred at a moving ceremony in the Memorial Garden at the church.

I now wish to emphasise that the pastoral care which I have experienced has not been limited solely to the good people I have mentioned; it extends over a whole range of so many whom I have been associated with at the church. Visits, ‘phone calls, good will messages, expressions of sympathy, and the opportunity to converse with friendly parishioners, have all played a major part in the life of myself and my family. There are so many I could name and I am indebted to them all.

Pastoral Care cannot be left entirely to our admirable Pastoral Care Assistant, Joan McClelland, no matter how dedicated she is. As I have mentioned, this has been demonstrated in abundance by so many at All Saints’ who have played a part in our lives; sadly some have passed on, like dear Fred Dugdale, for example.

I thank God for Ken Thornton and his successsors, for their ministration to me and my family at All Saints’. And I also thank God for all the good people at All Saints for their pastoral care and support throughout our lives in Childwall.

13/07/2009

10:00 am to 12:00 pm

The story time teddy bear’s picnic will be held at 19 Primrose Road, L18 2HE on Monday 13th July at 10am. For more information, please contact Lesley on 0151 722 3274. DON’T FORGET TEDDY!

SERMON TITLE: Kingdom Growing

READINGS: 2 Corinthians 5 v 6-17 & Mark 4 v 26-34

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