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Lent Course and the Extension (February 1989 edition of magazine) St Peter's Lent Course 1989 We are looking forward to growth at St. Peter's as we prepare for our Lent course - Saints Alive! This course has helped thousands in different denominations, and many nations, to grow in the Christian life. It could help you too. Whatever Church you belong to you, are welcome- to join us. St Peter's Extension Readers of Spearhead will be delighted to hear of our progress to date - over six thousand pounds raised in cash, plus over three and a half thousand pounds in promises and pledges. Please pray: (1) That the Derby Diocese will be able and willing to provide the loan and grant towards the extension for which we have applied. (2) That the estimate of twelve thousand pounds for the extension be not exceeded. (3) That the money be soon raised and that building work may soon commence. (4) That all be done to the glory of God. The Porters arrive and the Extension is Finished (February 1990 edition of magazine) As we go to press, St. Peter's are at a highly significant stage. Brian and Barbara Porter have arrived and their ministry starts on Sunday 28th January. The Bishop of Derby is due to come to St. Thomas' on Thursday 1st February to license Brian. At the same time, the new extension is to be dedicated and opened by one of the most senior members of St. Peter's, Mrs. Nellie Wilson. There is a buoyant atmosphere at St. Peter's. Many thanks are due to the Wardens and many others who have worked so hard while there has not been a Curate-in-charge. We pray that God will continue the steady and exciting growth of the last three years. The New Extension (October 1990 edition of magazine) Have you seen our new extension? The old and new blend in so well its easy to miss. The credit for this is due to the stonemason who hand-cut and faced the stone. The true value of our extension is only now being realised as the number of activities increase. Coffee is now a regular feature of our Sunday gathering and with further work on the vestry we shall have room for Sunday School and regular meetings. The bell at St. Peter's is dated 1940, (was this perhaps installed to warn of. impending invasion?). Whatever the reason, on Sunday 9th September our bell rang out once more. This was made possible by the removal of the old fireplace to create more space. The next step will be the installation of a false insulated ceiling and heating. The replacement of the large north window where the frame is rotten may have to wait a little whilst we purchase a new key board and amplifier. The present organ being beyond repair and requiring extreme dexterity to jump a key in anticipation of the missing notes! Adrian Marsden-Jones Rogation Sunday at Holymoorside (June 1991 edition of magazine) Sunday the 5th May 1991was bitterly cold. However, this did not deter many of the hardy folk from Holymoorside. For the band, who seem to turn out in all weathers this must have seemed a relative picnic. Members of all three churches, together with a goodly number of youngsters, gathered outside the United Reform Church and led by Peter Grayson carrying the cross, moved off to a rousing chorus of "Onward Christian Soldiers". Judging by. the many waving families and spectators throughout the village few could have. ignored the rousing music, even if still in bed! At one stop we were watched by a vociferous herd of young cattle who joined in wholeheartedly, much to the amusement of the children. Perhaps they were not in tune, but they did symbolise the traditional reasons for our presence. Returning to the warmth and hospitality of the United Reform Church we were favoured by a short address from Mrs. Booker of the Methodists. Rogation Sunday presents a rare opportunity for the church to step out into the community and bear witness to our faith and dependence on God's creation. Well done those hardy folk! Adrian Marsden-Jones Happy Anniversary -St Peter's 150th Anniversary Year (August 1991 edition of magazine) On Sunday 30th June our 150th anniversary celebrations made an auspicious start with the St. Peter's Day Services. At the morning service the church was full and overflowing to give thanks for our church and the generations who have worshipped there. In his sermon our Rural Dean, the Reverend Stuart Millington helped is to appreciate more intimately the life and character of our Patron Saint, Simon Peter. Our new East window, donated and installed by the Stockton family, was dedicated to the memory of Edith Stockton. The new glass in the extension door, which provides a more open view into the churchyard, was dedicated to Pamela Gill. Both families were warmly welcomed and thanked for their contribution to our church and community. Afterwards we were able to enjoy a buffet lunch together in the church grounds. It was a real opportunity to meet friends old and new and to share our celebrations with the other churches in the village. In the evening a larger than usual congregation joined in a "Songs of Praise" and helped polish off the anniversary cake. There is no doubt that we at St. Peter's have a God given opportunity during our anniversary year to share our faith in the wider context of our community in Holymoorside. Our next event will be on Sunday 25th August, following the Village Gala and Well Dressing, when Peter Allen will be preaching at our morning service. Then on 5th & 6th October we shall be holding a Flower Festival and Historical Exhibition in church. Do come and celebrate with us the joy of God's harvest. Adrian Marsden-Jones St Peter’s 150 Years Old (October 1991 edition of magazine) Parish History The Church at Old Brampton dedicated to Saints Peter and Paul was built on the site of an earlier church about the middle of the 13th century. It served Brampton Parish including the area we now know as Holymoorside. The church had the status of a Chapel at ease to Chesterfield Parish Church and as late as the 16th century the inhabitants of Brampton Parish were under obligation to pay certain dues to the Vicar of Chesterfield Parish Church. This was the cause of controversy over a long period until Brampton became a separate ecclesiastical parish. The end of the 18th century and the early part of the 19th century saw a great population increase and it was decided to create a new ecclesiastical parish at New Brampton. This was formed from the old Township of Walton in Chesterfield parish and a part of the Old Brampton parish. A new church was built at what we now call Chatsworth Road and dedicated to Saint Thomas. The new church was opened on 29th July 1831 and is still the parish church of Holymoorside. Ten years later, 1841, a combined mission school and church was built to serve Holymoorside. It was opened late in 1841 and is dedicated to Saint Peter. The day school was one of the 'National Schools' run by the Church of England and the schoolmaster around 1850 was John Stevens. Use as a day school probably continued until 1872. The burial ground was added in 1914 and at this date it was proposed to build a new church on the site of 'Rose Cottage'. This scheme did not materialise and 'Rose Cottage' is now the residence of one of the parish curates. St Peter’s Harvest Supper (December 1991 edition of magazine) Crowds flocked to the Village Hall on the night. Some had been drawn by tales of the Summer Banquet in the Church, when food had been so lavish in variety, quality and quantity that it was accredited with being "out of this world". One Frenchman had come to see at firsthand how English rustics celebrate harvest. Friends, old and new poured in. A quarter of an hour before it was due to begin, guests were sitting at tables laid with white table cloths, shiny cutlery and little pots of flowers waiting. Back in the kitchen things were getting a little tense. The servers had their orders and appointed places, plates were warm : waitresses poised with trays : would the pieman never come? Every few minutes, a restless organiser dashed to the car park, hoping for a sighting. Relief! He'd arrived! Only twenty minutes late! He'd forgotten the mint sauce! Perhaps no-one would notice. The pies were carefully cut into portions, plates were passed, pies, peas, gravy : quick service at the tables by smiling waitresses. Imagine the horror in the kitchen when, left with one portion of pie, two dollops of peas and gallons of gravy the news came, "Eleven more to be served". Minds were paralysed, but rescue was at hand: a young professional caterer had come along to help out. Quick as a flash, she nipped off to the local chippy for more meat pies and peas. There was a goodly supply of trifle so this was served generously. It was even offered as a starter to those who had, so far, had nothing. Wilting waitresses had to have a break and a little dish of trifle to help them cope with the tension before getting back to serving coffee. Did everyone get a cup of coffee? The jar was certainly emptied. During the endless washing up (130 plates, dishes, cups, saucers, etc) the auction took place. This was great fun. Children from 3 to 13 rushed to form a queue to deliver the goods. Despite a hectic day in Lincoln, Roy Thompson was in good form. With a flourish he brandished his steel tape and measured up the marrows. Once he'd established a price per inch for vegetables, it greatly speeded up the sale. The harvest loaf, lovingly prepared, but past its best, was rescued in the nick of time, from going under the hammer, to be preserved in the freezer for next year. Some guests, lacking in stamina, departed before the social dancing began. They missed a treat! A well balanced programme of dances and party games ensued, providing entertainment for all. Together with the Flower Festival, the Supper raised £330.00 for The Albanian Orphans. It was worth the effort. Join us next year! Dorothy Marsden-Jones Holymoorside Nativity Scene (February 1992 edition of magazine) Working together, churches made a real impact in the village this Christmas. Someone had the great idea of using the stone site of the Well Dressing for a roadside Nativity scene. Representatives from the three churches met with great enthusiasm. They toyed with the idea of using hardboard cutouts with a painted backcloth. Then someone discovered that there were some papier mache figures which had been stored in the school loft for 35 years or more. A few were brought down and viewed with horror. They were grotesque, misshapen caricatures, not beautiful figures. Proportions were all wrong but time was getting short, and it was felt that they would do! It was suggested that at the original Nativity scene, they couldn't all have been beautiful. With growing enthusiasm, individuals chose a figure to take home to be cleaned and redressed. One little figure was left as being too misshapen to be used. "I'm not having this," said one tender-hearted lady. "I'll do something with him, Dutifully, villagers, congregations, and a group of passing hikers, gathered for the Blessing of the Crib. Gradually, faces were wreathed with smiles of joy and delight. This was no bland scene of factory made figures. There was so much to discover. The angels were middle-aged!- And why not? Angels don't have to be young. And the poor little misshapen figure? He blended in perfectly. You couldn't tell which shepherd had been dressed by a Methodist and which had come from a United Reform home. Had the baby Jesus been made by a St. Peter's member? .It didn't matter. Each had played a part and the whole was perfect. The message 'Peace on Earth' had real meaning in the village this Christmas. Dorothy Marsden-Jones and Mavis Martin St Peter's News (December 1992 edition of magazine) Changing scenes - travelling up Cotton Mill Hill past the Church you cannot fail to notice the recent change in scenery. This has been occasioned by the felling of all the large sycamore trees adjacent to the road. For many years the roots of these rather unsightly trees have been pushing the churchyard wall into the roadway. After consultation with the Parish and N.E. Derbyshire Council, it was agreed: a) there was no alternative but to fell the trees. and b) that this was the responsibility of the church. Consequently a working party has been meeting during the summer and autumn to tackle this problem. Having felled and removed the trees, the next step will be to excavate the roots and rebuild the wall where necessary. Further clearing of overgrown shrubs round Rose Cottage has greatly improved the view and will hopefully extend to considerable churchyard improvements. It is significant that in our village community as many people visit the churchyard during the week as attend church on a Sunday. As one of our five year olds in the congregation put it, "Dead people live in our churchyard". What a challenge! Judith and Jane have brought further changes to our parish scene and to Rose Cottage. The village is privileged to have their experience and cheerful fellowship. This together with the welcome support of the Revd. Geoffrey and Eileen Wilbourne will give St. Peter's more stability and hopefully reduce the pressure on Christopher. One scene that never changes - The Nativity Scene. This will be blessed at 12.00 noon on Sunday, 13th December. Don't miss it. Adrian Marsden-Jones Christmas (1993) in the Village (Holymoorside) (February 1994 edition of magazine) I suppose preparations begin in August with our Churches Together stall at the gala to raise funds for the Christmas cards sent to every home in the village. But the real feel for Christmas comes with Advent when we unwrap the nativity figures stored in the loft. We haven't seen them for eleven months and it's like meeting old friends: "Joseph's nose is peeling and will need a good coat of varnish" "This shepherd's a bit unsteady on his feet and we'll need help from the ladies to iron the cloths and head-dresses." Despite the bitter cold, with the help of local farmers, an electrician and lots of hot coffee the stable gradually takes shape in good time for the blessing by Judith. This is followed by the Christingle Service in the United Reformed Church. St Peter's being too small for all the families. Carol singing in the recreation ground on Christmas Eve led by the Holymoorside band as usual, proves the most popular opportunity for friends and families to join together in anticipation of our Saviour's birthday. Or is it the arrival of Santa Claus with presents in the village hall immediately afterwards? The Nativity Scene in the centre of the village is enjoyed by many, so it was disappointing for all to find many of our figures badly damaged by young vandals after Christmas. However, as Geoffrey Wilbourne has quoted to us "Where only the sun shines there will be desert." We therefore start the New Year with two challenges, to restore the figures and to respond to our social problems. The figures will be back in all their splendour next year but the cause of the damage will require much greater application. Adrian Marsden-Jones A View from St Peter's (June 1996 edition of magazine) It has become a regular practice in the village to spruce up our sixteen treasured nativity figures after Christmas. This proved even more necessary this year after the local youngsters decided to re-arrange costumes and headdresses throughout the tableau and dunk the donkey in the river! In consequence Harry arranged for the figures to be restored to full health by willing helpers. The result has been quite spectacular; limbs repaired, bald patches restored miraculously to new growth, beards trimmed arid a whole range of new outfits for our Kings and Shepherds. This illustrates a key feature of our churches, the need for people to be involved and valued. This has the added advantage in a village community of bringing us in touch with people outside our church family. When we installed our new heating in February three of the team were from outside the church. Similarly, our Art and Craft exhibition in Gala week involves marry talents from a wide range of people. But there is an even greater challenge for our churches to reach out. Through "Churches Together in Holymoorside", the three churches recently joined by members of the Zion seek to combine their efforts and step out unto the community. This is achieved in a wide variety of ways, such as the Pancake Party and Christingles for the youngsters and the Maundy Thursday Supper, all deliberately held in the Village Hall to encourage community participation. A twice yearly newsletter, one in the form of a Christmas Card is sent to every home in the village. Thanks to the initiative of Judith and Jane the Ecumenical Service in the Gala Marquee on August Bank Holiday Sunday has become an established and popular village event. This year with Bishop Jonathan leading our worship we must pray for fine weather, so that we can create more space by opening the side awing. It is often said "that they do things differently at St Peter's". Well, come and see, or better still let's have your entries for the Art and Craft. Exhibition for Gala week starting on August 20th. Application forms will be available in the churches soon. St Peter's Re-developed (December 1999 edition of magazine) By the time this is in print St Peter's will have been rebuilt, renewed and rededicated. It has been beautifully done thanks to the skill of Tom Stockton, master stonemason, his son John, co-worker Tim, plasterers, electricians and a willing band of cheerful church workers. Along the way there have been a few shocks. Tom's van plus tools were stolen from outside the church. The existing roof and guttering were found to be in need of repair and replacement. The floor in the old building was discovered to be rotten underneath and also needed to be replaced. A passing hay-wagon strayed too close to the church wall and smashed a window. On a happier note, the weather stayed dry until the roof was safely covered and we all gave thanks. Bill Madin, who had kindly lent us his cowshed as storage for St Thomas' pews needed to get his cows back into their winter quarters. This proved fortuitous since we then discovered that the pews were too wide for St Peter's and would need shortening, with time fast running out. On the funnier side, Harry nearly lost his job as volunteer teaboy having produced a brew, which Tom (a connoisseur of tea) declared to be undrinkable. Roger inadvertently poured a tin of black paint (fortunately waterbased) over his head. Despite all these happenings there has been a great sense of togetherness and enjoyment. The plasterers said they didn't often get the pleasure of doing such quality work. The electrician appreciated the company and laughter of a stalwart band of lady decorators. Roland who cares for our churchyard and is recovering from surgery, came almost every day to check on our progress, chat and encourage. Lots of passing people called in to have a look and admire the work. On one Sunday when rebuilding had scarcely began and the church was looking like a ruined barn, Midge and Roy Thompson's grandchildren came to look and held an impromptu little service of their own. By such things are buildings surely hallowed. Now we look forward to the future with gratitude to the United Reformed Church for their hospitality over the past months and to many people who have given all kinds of support. St Peter's will now have extra space and better facilities for children and the clergy. We trust that our beautiful church will be of service to our community in times of joy and sadness, welcoming to all, a place of light and serenity to the glory of God. Welcome Service for Alex Simpson at St. Peter's (June 2001 edition of magazine)
And in remembering others, and especially those who have none to pray for them, we remember the words of St Frances: "Accept my prayers, dear Father, for those who have no one to love them enough to pray for them. Wherever and whoever they are, give them a share of our blessings, and in thy love let them know that they are not forgotten." Holymoorside Ecumenical Bible Study (August 2001 edition of magazine) I really cannot remember when our particular Bible Study Group began. It must be at least 10 years ago, or even more. It began as a group of people who attended a Lent Course and enjoyed it so much that we agreed to keep meeting, as a house group, on a regular basis. I think there were about six of us at first, but over the years our number has grown to almost twenty. Of course, this means it is no longer practical to meet in each other's houses and so we gather together in the Teaching Room at St Peter's on alternate Wednesday evenings at 7.30pm. We have three planning meetings each year. One after Christmas, one after Easter and one in September, when everyone is asked to come along and discuss the material for study in the coming weeks. We also make a point of visiting Willersley Castle, the Christian Guild Holiday Home and Conference Centre at Cromford, twice a year - once for the Mid-Summer dinner and once for our Christmas dinner. Subjects have varied enormously over the years. A deeper study of the Gospels has been of great value to us. The Acts of the Apostles was a most enjoyable and rewarding study. A special study of the Angels of the Bible" was something quite different, and we have even completed a study of the Book of Revelation, sometimes covering three chapters in one evening! Several of our members have been to the Holy Land and when we come across a reference to a place we have visited it is absolutely wonderful to be able to cast our minds back to the time when we were there. When we tried to recreate the feeding of the five thousand during Lent last year, we even played a tape of the sound of the water flowing down the mountainside by the Sea of Galilee, and when the Mount of Olives is mentioned, there is no knowing what someone will pull out of their pockets. We have been successful because the Holy Spirit has been at work within our group, bringing in people from the United Reformed Church, The Methodists, The Church of England, Christian Scientists, The Salvation Army, The Roman Catholic Church and the Quakers. Does this not just go to show that if we had had the privilege of sitting on the grass by the Sea of Galilee and listened to Jesus preaching his Sermon on the Mount, that we would have all become his followers without any knowledge of the way in which his church would be divided into so called different denominations? Peter Grayson, Secretary of St Peter's Harvest [2001] at St Peter's (December2001 edition of magazine) Although at the time of writing it's cold and raining buckets, autumn is a lovely time to celebrate God's rich harvest. Our churches are bedecked with beautiful colours of foliage, rosy red apples, baskets of fruit from children, hops from dad, conkers and even a 371b pumpkin metrication having not yet reached Holymoorside! At St. Peter's we are thrice blessed because not only do we join with the URC and Methodist churches in their celebrations, but each have a Harvest Supper as well. However this is also a time when we can do something for those who do not enjoy a rich harvest. Our Harvest Supper in the Village Hall starts with a hearty meal, prepared by Betty Wright and her band of helpers. This is followed by the auction of produce for the Red Cross famine relief. Our auctioneer, Roy Thompson, is slightly eccentric - some would say very! Let me illustrate. "What am I bid for these special cucumbers? 50p, is that all? Come on you can do better than that." Meanwhile the one in his hand mysteriously grows 2 inches , longer. "Lady at the back, can I say pound?" Another 2 inches! "I did say were special." By the time the cucumber has reached £1.50, it has grown a full six inches. Next, the exploding sweet corn: "You all know what this is," says Roy, holding up a sweet corn, "well I bet you didn't know it would make instant popcorn." Bang! Party streamers fly in all directions. Then we have the anonymous telephone bidder chasing a bottle of wine up to £12. There is also a mysterious tin of baked beans; purchased on the market for 7p, that has ended up being recycled at inflated prices at all three harvest suppers, with a sell by date of September 1998! of `Golden Oldies' such as; Harvest Moon, Daisy Daisy and Now Is The Hour, all led by the St. Peter's Singers. The net result of all this fun and games is £260 raised for famine relief without the audience even noticing, and still two more harvest suppers to The evening ends with more audience participation, singing a selection of 'Golden Oldies' such as harvest Moon, Daisy, Daisy and Now is the Hour all led by the St Peter's Singers. The net result was of all this fun and games is £260 raised for famine relief without the audience noticing, and still two more harvest suppers to go! Adrian Marsden-Jones New Windows at St Peter's (December 2002 edition of magazine) Two "new" stained glass windows were recently installed in the sanctuary of St. Peter's, Holymoorside. These windows were possibly designed by the famous Irish O'Connor brothers in around 1865, and were rescued from the church of St. John the Evangelist, Eton by the London Stained Glass Repository. They were offered to St. Peter's last year. Since then the windows have undergone cleaning and restoration by Stan Sydenham and Grenville Bramley, who live in the village. Stan and Grenville also installed the windows, before they were rededicated to the glory of God by the Archdeacon of Chesterfield, at ecumenical Harvest songs of praise on 29`" September 2002. The windows show St. Peter and St.John healing the lame man by the temple gate in Jerusalem, and Jesus calling St. Peter and St. Andrew by the Sea of Galilee. The photograph on the front cover is (from left to right) of our minister in residence, Revd. Alex Simpson, Stan Sydenham, Grenville Bramley and the Archdeacon of Chesterfield - Venerable David Garnett. Anyone wishing to see these beautiful windows is welcome to call at St. Peter's Church on Cotton Mill Hill, Holymoorside - especially on a Tuesday afternoon when they may also be provided with a cup of tea. Peter Grayson. Secretary. St Peter's Altar Fronts (August 2003 edition of magazine) IN 1996 we designed and made our first altar frontal. It was red for martyrdom. Jane Caley, Pat Lowe and I made up the team. Since then, we have designed and made a green one, a purple one and recently finished a white one. Jane, however, departed for the south after the completion of the first two. Into our group came Sheila Russell to help us, steered carefully by Jane. Sheila is a resident of Holymoorside and helped in the making of the village map. Pat machined frantically whilst Sheila embroidered. On the purple frontal she made the crown of thorns, five silver tears (or drops of blood) and some lines of silver, making a truly sacrificial theme. The white frontal is decorated with blue velvet and gold. The centre panel was embroidered by Sheila in gold thread with gold beads and white organza. Sheila spent many hours on this intricate work, and we are very grateful for the use of her skills. Pat also machined away quite merrily, making not only the frontal but the stole, the burse and the veil. The panel is the flying angel taken from Revelations 14 and the stole has thoughts of Jacob's dream (Genesis 28), angels and William Blake. Jean Millard and the Embroidery Team Holymoorside/St Peter's Art and Craft Exhibition, Well Dressing and Churches Together in Holymoorside Covenant Document (August 2003 edition of the magazine) Before The tenth anniversary Arts and Crafts exhibition will be held in St. Peter's Church from Wednesday 20th - Monday 25th August 2003. There will be a varied selection of work, including a children's section, from Walton and Holymoorside. On Saturday 16th August there will be a Landscape Painting Competition in the village, (entry forms from Rosie Gilligan 568321, or Adrian Marsden- Jones 566367). These paintings will be displayed and awards presented on Tuesday August 19th in the church at 7.30pm, during a Cheese and Wine preview evening, for which there will be a charge of £1. The theme for the Well Dressing this year will be "water". Don't miss the blessing of the well with the Holymoorside Band on Thursday 21st August at 7.oopm. The well dressing service will be in the village hall on Sunday 24th August at 10.00am. This will centre round the theme of water, there will be a guest speaker and we will be thinking about the Third World where many do not have a clean water supply. This is a family service and we are encouraging children to reflect this theme by dressing imaginatively as taps, buckets, raindrops, umbrellas etc! This is also a very special service for our three churches in the village, when we shall be celebrating the signing of a covenant together, committing us to continue to work in the community to promote and share God's love for each one of us. There will be a collection for "Water Aid" during these events, the well dressing will be collecting for the Ashgate Hospice extension. Adrian Marsden-Jones After August Bank Holiday week is always a busy time in the village, combined with the Well Dressing; this provides the opportunity for our three churches to step out into the community. The theme for Blessing the well was "Water", reflected by a floral picture of Ladybower reservoir and scenes depicting the reliance on water throughout the world. A large crowd attended the service, including a coach-load of visitors. The tenth Annual Arts and Crafts Exhibition was held in the extended St. Peter's for the first time, providing an ideal venue. We opened the exhibition with a Cheese and Wine evening. Sheila Gill, a local artist, kindly judged the village landscape painting competition. During the week over eight hundred people attended, showing their appreciation by donating £335 to "Water Aid". What a wealth of talent we have in our community; wood carvings, beautiful furniture, altar frontals and a wide variety of artistic and embroidery exhibits. Our grateful thanks go to both the Holymoorside and Walton art groups. As has become our custom in the village, Churches Together in Holymoorside holds a family Well Dressing Service in the Village hall on August Bank Holiday Sunday. Following the theme of water, the children arrived in the packed hall carrying umbrellas and in wellies, some encouraged to wash pots on the stage. Malcolm Chester and David Legge (Alex was away), led a very lively but thoughtful service on the cleansing, refreshing, renewing and uniting qualities of water. This was followed by a first-hand account by David Banks of his experiences working for charities in poverty stricken countries like Ethiopia. The service ended with the public signing by the church ministers and leaders of an informal ecumenical covenant between our three denominational churches in the village. This sums up our united commitment to work together in the community. Adrian Marsden-Jones Midweek Parish Communion at St. Peter's (April 2004 edition of the magazine) Midweek Parish Communion at St. Peter's St. Peter's holds a service of Holy Communion on Tuesdays at 9.30 am, lasting about 40 minutes. We would wish this to be regarded as a parish event, when all would be assured of a warm welcome. It may prove convenient for mums and dads who have deposited their children safely at school. Please remember that there is no service on the first Tuesday of every month, when we hold an Ecumenical Communion and Coffee service in the URC room on Wednesday, for those who are unable to make it up the hill! Adrian Marsden-Jones St. Peter's new Altar Frontal (June 2004 edition of the magazine) Our new white Altar Frontal (partly Laudian in style) is decorated with gold threads, some organza and rich royal blue velvet. Our central panel is the flying angel. The word 'angel' derives from the Greek translation of the Hebrew word mal'akh which means 'the shadow side of God'. Later it comes to indicate 'a messenger'. Artists in earlier centuries have called upon their faith and their imagination to depict angels as paragons of grace and beauty. Our flying angel, from Revelation 14:6, is an interpretation of one of them dropping the Gospels to earth. The earth is portrayed by hills, sky and sea all fitting into an imaginative sphere shown by two lots of three lines (the Trinity). This is then flanked by blue velvet columns in various lengths, rising and falling. The ascending and descending of Jacob's dream is interpreted in these columns as a stairway resting on the earth. It is left then to us, to put in our own interpretation using the words from Genesis,' This is none other than the house of God and this is the Gate of Heaven' (Genesis 28:17). The stole echoes the same themes but with the addition of Alpha and Omega. The angel wings are shaped in blue velvet and trimmed with gold thread. The lines representing the stairway are also in gold. Jean Millard, Sheila Russell and Pat Lowe. Meeting of Churches in Holymoorside (August 2004 edition of the magazine) On Monday 24th May all members of the congregations of the three churches were invited to discuss the future for the church in Holymoorside. The meeting was chaired by Rev Philip Webb. Representation was, 8 from 9 members of the Methodists; 15 from 70 members of St Peters; 15 from 30 members of the United Reform Church. Ministers from all churches were there, including David Mouncer. Very little time is given by the Methodist or URC minister to Holymoorside and this is likely to reduce. St Peters has a retired minister meant to give one or two days a week to church work. What will the future be if he decides to retire from retiring? The idea of one church being formed from the three and having a full time minister was suggested as a possibility. Some comments and questions raised by people at the meeting: Why don't people come to church? Is there really going to be a crisis? This is an Anglican takeover. Jesus asks us to be united in our faith. Should we do a Village Audit? We really need to do a church audit first. What is the Church for? Change is certain, we cannot avoid it but we can have some control over it. Chairman's summary - Questions to work through together: What is important for me? What is important for the Gospel? What is important for the role/job of the Church? What makes us tick as Anglicans/ Methodists/ URC? Minister's job is to empower the membership. The discussion will continue. Alex Simpson Holymoorside Well Dressing 2004 (October 2004 edition of the magazine) This year the theme of the Well Dressing commemorates 800 years since the signing of the Chesterfield Medieval Market Charter in the reign of King John. Here in the village we celebrated our beautifully designed and arranged Well Dressing, with the Holymoorside Band. A large crowd joined in the hymns and prayers led by Alex Simpson and Malcolm Chester. This was followed by our annual Well Dressing Service in the village Hall on Bank Holiday Sunday, stepping out from our churches to worship in the community. The link between the 'market' theme and our worship proved rather tenuous, but we were saved by the lovely public christening of baby Effie, the latest addition to Janet and Glynn Carter's family. Throughout the week St. Peter's opened its doors for the Holymoorside Arts and Crafts Exhibition, held annually to display a wide variety of skills; art, wood carvings, embroidery, quilting and life models from the community. Enjoyed by over one thousand visitors from far and near, who donated £400 to the Ashgate Hospice, as a sign of their appreciation. We are clearly blessed with a wealth of talent. Adrian Marsden-Jones St Peter's Men's Breakfast (October 2004 edition of the magazine) September, 20 invited, 11 came, men in all different situations of faith from unbeliever to committed. "I would like to have a faith like yours but I cannot accept a God who allows children to suffer." This statement has been heard many times before but had particular significance because of recent events at Beslan. Standard answers were offered, free will, its mans sins. The response was, "Then God did not make a very good job of making man." It did not seem to affect any Christians present, most came to the defence of God, and one wonders if the question of suffering is sometimes an emotional smokescreen. The breakfast was very good and the fellowship friendly, next time I think we should try to avoid the subject of suffering, it is not everyone's problem and I think we Christians fall into the trap of trying too hard to answer it. Perhaps we should talk more about our relating to Jesus. Alex Simpson Easter Miracle Plays (June 2005 edition of the magazine) This year we decided to repeat our successful formula with a trilogy of Medieval plays presenting the Creation; the Temptation of Adam and Eve and the story of Noah's Flood. Our aim has been to bring to the community something of our heritage and a new way of looking at the richness of our faith. Rehearsals covering a period of three months were both demanding and lots of fun. One of the joys of these amateur productions is to see characters evolving and interacting. In fact the whole play was in a constant state of evolution; re writing the script, introducing new music and readings, changing the scenery and even re- casting! None of this would have been possible without the skill, vision and drive of our co-producers Margaret Love and Polly Ryan and the varied artistic abilities of Brian Pashley. Great skills are needed to bring all this together and achieve such an individualistic presentation, which was greatly enjoyed by nearly three hundred people. Satan, in his evil costume, was severely challenged back stage by the children wanting to know; 'What did you do to make God to throw you out of heaven? and 'What kind of evil things do you get up to?' The frequent incompetence of Noah's sons in lowering the sail brought genuine amusement most evenings. We even tried to have God appearing on a cloud, instead our smoke machine enveloped him completely, all good fun! The singing and reading were a delight, Alex as usual being very thought provoking, but the most remarkable event of all was the fellowship created by the "Sharing of the Bread", on Maundy Thursday immediately following the last performance. Adrian Marsden-Jones Churches Together in Holymoorside (October 2005 edition of the magazine) As I come to end of nine years ministry in the Methodist Church in Chesterfield I am pleased to have been asked to reflect on Churches Together in Holymoorside. I have been greatly encouraged by the way that the three denominations (Methodist, United Reformed and Church of England) in Holymoorside have grown together over the last few years. For many years there has been a good relationship amongst the churches in the village but recently that has developed very positively. The increasing range of joint activities and shared worship has been good to see and very encouraging for the future. We have had the opportunity to try to understand each other's traditions and worship styles which can only bring greater understanding. Do you dream? Do you think about the future and what might happen in your own lives and in the life of the church? Let me take this opportunity to dream for a moment about the future of the church in Holymoorside. A future for a loving, caring, welcoming, evangelistic community of people worshipping together using a variety of worship styles and traditions with a single minister (of any denomination) based in the village. I would dream of the three denominations coming together to form one church. There is enormous potential to the advancement of the good news in the village in forming one church. If we believe that the church is one of the few organisations who exist for the benefit of those who don't belong then the questions we ask about the future are not about what we want but about what God is calling us to do for the people of Holymoorside so that the good news of the gospel can be proclaimed in word and deed. But what does this mean? It means: I realise that many people will not agree with what I have said but the views are offered as a dream for the future of a single church in Holymoorside seeking under the guidance of God to serve him in the village. I have thoroughly enjoyed my time as Methodist minister in the village and am now looking forward to moving on to pastures new in the beautiful and relaxed seaside area of Rhos on Sea in North Wales, taking many wonderful and happy memories of Chesterfield. May God bless you and give you the love, power and wisdom to continue proclaiming the gospel and serving him in word and deed, and to continue dreaming for him. With every blessing Malcolm Chester A Loo with a View (October 2005 edition of the magazine) During the summer months members of the village art group enjoy meeting informally in the church, painting inside or landscapes from the churchyard. The DCC were asked if we could give a lift to the rather sterile environment of the disabled toilet by painting a landscape mural on the walls. This offer was readily accepted, providing the group with the opportunity for a more expansive approach to their artwork. The result, as you will see, bares no relation to the scene where Saul relieved himself in a cave in the desert of En Gedi and where David spared his life (1 Samuel 24:1-3), or even to some American translations which refer to Saul 'visiting the bathroom"! No, we have not applied for a faculty. Adrian Marsden-Jones Holymoorside and Walton Arts Festival (June 2006 edition of the magazine) 30th June : 1st July : 2nd July Come and join in at the 5th annual Holymoorside and Walton Arts Festival Friday 30th June: Holymoorside Village Hall 7.30 – 9.30pm TICKETS £6.50** “SOMETHING FUNNY HAPPENED . . .” An invitation to a ‘peculiar’ evening hosted by Moorside Writers with celebrity poet Matt Black and music by Lindsay Aitkenhead Saturday 1st July:Holymoorside Village Hall 10.30 am & 2.30 pm TICKETS £6.50** “A BRIEF HISTORY OF UNMENTIONABLES” Rosemary Hawthorne, actress, costume collector, author will delight you with a witty and stylish romp through the social history of undergarments. Saturday 1st July: Holymoorside URC Schoolroom 2.00 – 5.00 pm “THE TREASURE TROVE WITHIN” Rhymes, songs and stories live inside us all. They are the culture of our families and communities. Storyteller Graham Langley will share tales and help tease out this hidden heritage. TICKETS £5.00 inc. Tea Saturday 1st July: St. John’s Church, Walton 7.30 – 9.30 pm TICKETS £6.50** “PROMS AT ST. JOHN’S” A programme of classical music for all the family to enjoy Featuring Katy & Naomi Flute/Piano, “A Touch of Class” String Quartet Janet Quick & Mick Pearce Guitar Sunday 2nd July: “The Lamb”, Holymoorside 12.00 – 2.00 pm The social history of undergarments Stephanie Thomas and the undecided quartet are back in town to bring us Lunchtime Jazz on the patio Sunday 2nd July: Holymoorside Village Hall 2.00 – 5.00 pm ADMISSION FREE “ART ATTACK” Just look or join in. Exhibitions of watercolours, computer generated digital art, Chinese brush painting, embroidery, traditional textile printing and sculpture Michael Groves, Andy Tudor, Nick Summerbell, Pauline Bloomfield & Brian Pashley are in residence and ready to encourage your talents. Original art, prints and cards on sale CREAM TEAS SERVED ** (children £3) Some Early Bird Tickets Available: call Festival Office 567118 or to collect tickets in Holymoorside call 566894/568938 Coming of Age –St Peter’s Tuesday Group is Twenty One (June 2007 edition of the magazine) How the group began In 1986 Peter Allan, the then Resident Curate at St Peter’s asked my late husband, Ken, if he could use our home, once a week, for a confirmation course and others wishing to renew their baptismal vows. The group began with seventeen members and at one stage included Peter Allan leading the group, Ian and Betty Wright, Edna and Ralph Noble, Keith and Chris Sharratt and baby Heidi, Jean Millard, Debbie Botham, Miss Ransome, Ken, Joanne (our daughter) and myself. It became a happy gathering with social as well as study events for many months. The outcome was a service of confirmation and a renewal of baptismal vows conducted by Henry, the Bishop of Repton at St Peter’s Church on Passion Sunday March 20th 1988. Joy Kench Some of the members write about the group and what it means to them. It is a study and a support group. Our studies have included St John’s Gospel, 8th and 9th century prophets, Psalms and Advent and Lent courses. We have also looked at various poets including Emily Dickinson, T.S Elliot and R.S. Thomas, who wrote; “Life is not hurrying on to a receding future, nor hankering after an imagined past. It is turning aside like Moses to the miracle of the burning bush.” Jean Millard The group has become a very important part of my life. Sadly, but inevitably we have lost some original members and others have come and gone for various reasons. However the group has retained a nucleus of five or six members, with strong fellowship and consideration for each other. Latterly the Book of Psalms study has proved fascinating and beautiful. Mary MacDonald I joined the group in 1987 shortly after the sudden death of my husband Malcolm. That period of my life was intense with sorrow, pain and loss and I felt bereft. But meeting each week with all my friends, discussing issues gave me a real focus and over the months and now the years I have friends who are the most important in my life. At the end of each meeting we light a candle before saying Compline, to bring us guidance and illumination. For me the group over the past twenty years has given me comfort, stimulus and above all friendship for which I am immensely grateful. Olive Gillingwater We have very different personalities. Together we explore the Bible, the poets and our faith. We are there for each other. The support of our peers and friends in old age is very special and a great help in our wellbeing. Nancy Sturdy As my memory is not very good and not being one of the oldest I will focus on what the group means to me at the present time. It means a lot! Why? Six old biddies coming together at 3pm on a Tuesday. Why do I wake up on Tuesday mornings and think ‘Oh good, Tueday Group?’ Undoubtedly it’s the depth of friendship from many years first and foremost of getting to know and trust one another. Then there is the ‘study’. Jean digs away and brings out all sorts of treasures, scraps of knowledge with which she patiently feeds us week after week –lovely for me a lazier soul. The Psalms were our latest challenge. I found a greater depth and joy in their ancient words than before. Now I can use them as companions along the way –old friends, so rich and rewarding. We end with Compline –the old version. It’s beauty and constancy is difficult to convey unless, like the group one has experienced it over the years. Sue Brown Holymoorside Well Dressing 2008 (February 2008 edition of the magazine) “Am I Not A Man And A Brother?”
Happenings at St Peter's (October 2008 edition of the magazine) St Peter's Day and Tea at the Corner House 26 June St Peter’s Day. Special morning and evening services were held to celebrate the life of St Peter to which everyone in Holymoorside was invited. Luke and Joe Kendell were baptised at the morning service. 5 July Afternoon Tea at the Chapel Corner House. Three o’clock saw the crowds making their way to the Chapel Corner House on Cotton Mill Hill, Holymoorside. Here they were greeted by the Head Nippies Diana and Joy. Inside it was warm and welcoming with background music from the 40’s. In no time at all, in true ‘Nippy’ fashion everyone was served afternoon tea as they enjoyed the music of Ivor Novello played on the piano by the maestro Shirley. The relaxing atmosphere reflected the true feeling of happy hours spent by many people in the ‘Corner Houses’ of the forties. The purpose of the event was to raise funds for the St Peter’s Vestry fund. As people enjoyed the food, the company and the general ambiance a total (after expenses) of £416 was raised. Visitors had come from all over the area and left feeling happy, satisfied and asking “When is the next one?”. See pictures here. Holymoorside Well Dressing 2007 (December 2008 edition of the magazine) “Steam –a Bygone Age” Main Well Picture
The Blessing of the Marriage of Andrew and Kerry Gore (February 2009 edition of the magazine)
Christmas 2008 at St Peter's (February 2009 edition of the magazine) Our theme for the five Christmas windows this year was ‘Gifts’. We had three windows in red, gold and silver representing the gifts from the wise men –gold, frankincense and myrrh. The children’s window had a small Christmas tree decorated with a number of toys representing the love we give to our little ones who we shower with gifts. The giving and receiving window represented our personal giving to the charities we support –Christian Aid, The Children’s Society, USPG, Children in Need and the homeless. At Christmas time it is so important to remember those families in so much need in our world. The last window was the nativity scene with the most precious gift God gives to each one of us afresh each year –His beloved Son. We have much to be thankful for. The Tuesday Group decorated the church with the nativity scene under the altar and the two Christmas trees looked stunning. I know that many of our visitors to St Peter’s enjoyed our services. My sincere thanks go to Audrey and Hannah Broderick for their skills and the time they gave making up the windows and everyone else who worked so hard throughout the Christmas season. Rev Audrey See pictures here Bishop Alastair Encourages Holymoorside to Build its own Cathedral (April 2009 edition of the magazine) On Sunday 18 January, the Bishop of Derby, Alastair Redfern, officially dedicated the extension/modernisation work to the vestry at St Peter’s Church in Holymoorside. At a time when we are told of falling church attendance, it is heartening to see such extension work undertaken. In his address to the congregation, Bishop Alastair encouraged us saying that we were building a ‘cathedral’ in Holymoorside to the glory of God and for the benefit of the wider community, and for generations to come. The building work was undertaken by Mr Tom Stockton, a well known and respected local builder, using local stone in keeping with the original building. Mr Stockton had worked with his team on a rebuilding project some years earlier when St Peter’s was significantly extended and developed. This latest work to the vestry has given the building a damp course, better and safer access for all, much needed storage space, additional room for use by the community and crèche. The work has also restored the building to its original appearance. The fundraising activities have been many and various, including the church and members of the community and with support from a number of funding bodies. These include the Derbyshire Churches and Chapels Preservation Trust for grant aid distributed on behalf of Waste Recycling Environmental (WREN) from the Landfill Tax Credit Scheme and the All Churches Trust. Poly Ryan See pictures here Happenings in Holymoorside (October 2009 edition of the magazine) Holymoorside Ecumenical Bible Study Group’s Agape Usually the Holymoorside Ecumenical Bible Study Group hold their annual summer dinner at Willersley Castle, near Cromford, but this year it was decided to hold it in the form of an agape in St Peter’s church. Members of the group, along with their relatives and friends, gathered together to make a party of 17 people to enjoy plates of food and glasses of wine, all of which had been provided on a bring and share basis. The meal was followed by a time of fellowship and concluded with a hymn, a reading, a short talk and a final prayer. The hymn was “Lord They Word Abideth”, which we thought would be suitable for a Bible study group. The reading was the account of Jesus at the house of Simon the Leper, which of course included the account of Mary pouring the jar of expensive perfume over the feet of Jesus. In spite of the need to clean everything up ourselves, the evening ended with a general feeling that we really should do this more often. St Peter’s Day St Peter’s Day started at the morning service with a Celebration of Worship. During the service prizes were given to the children from Sunday Club. The children presented the story of St Peter in picture, actions, poems and prayers under the guidance of Helen, their leader for the day. The service was followed by lunch which was enjoyed by everyone. The evening service was a Songs of Praise. Our friends from the Methodist and United Reform churches joined in the worship with psalms and readings. There were personal testimonies and reflections which were received with thankful praise. We ended the day with a super supper! Here Come the Children A warm welcome was given to the children of Walton and Holymoorside School on their recent visit to St Peter’s Church. They were met by the Revd Audrey who introduced them to a liturgical map which illustrates the different seasons of the year like Christmas, Lent and Easter and the different altar frontal colours used in these seasons, for example red for the fire at Pentecost. Audrey then showed the children her special cloths called Vestments with their different colours, signs and symbols. (The colours are the same as the respective altar frontals.) The children tried them on for size. The stoles were easy round the neck but the chasubles were much too big for them! The inevitable work sheets followed. Valentine's Day at St Peter's (April 2010 edition of the magazine) Couples renew their wedding vows
Future Vicars? (April 2010 edition of the magazine) The Beavers Visit St Peter's Towards the end of last year the Holymoorside Beavers were invited by the Rev Audrey to visit and find out more about St Peter’s Church. They had a good time and especially enjoyed trying on some of the vestments. If anyone between 6 and 8 years old is interested in joining the Beavers come along and find out more. They meet on Monday evenings at 6pm in Holymoorside United Reformed Church. 
Holymoorside Well Dressing 2009 (June 2010 edition of the magazine) “All God's Creatures” The Main Well Dressing was on the theme of All God’s Creatures and featured Charles Darwin. The information which accompanied the well is below.
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