the Parish of St thomas' Brampton, Chesterfield

for all ages, together with at least some ingredients for everyone.
newcomer friendly, assuming that many of those present. were totally unused to the way churches do things.

The features are every bit as important in 1996 as they were in 1985.

I remember speaking at that service about two characteristics of God. They are both to found in our motto for 1996.
'Come near to God and He will come near to you' -James 4:8

1. HE IS FRIENDLY. We can relate to Him and share and whole lives with Him. He is intimately involved in our joys and our aches and pains, our laughter and our tears. He really does "come near" to us.

2. HE IS JEALOUS. Jealousy is not a word which we happily identify with our God but 'The Lord your God is a jealous God', the Bible tells us. 'You should have no other Gods but Me'.

Just as a husband is justifiably jealous if someone else steals his wife, so is our Lord when we spend our time, energy and affection on other gods. His claim is to be our number one. That is what. 'Come near to God' means.

Christopher Frith

From the February 1996 edition of the magazine

April/May 1996

By Judith Henderson, Curate at Holymoorside

Spring Cleaning Time

Dear Friends,

As I write this our minds are full of the development plans for St. Thomas'. The gift day is close; by the time you read this, it will be over. It is also the season of Lent, a time for reviewing our lives and traditionally, giving things up. (You can imagine that's a struggle for me!) Again, by the time you read this, it will be Holy Week and Easter will be very close.

We have been 'Fixing our eyes on Jesus', considering the basis of our faith. It's a bit like a spring clean -in the building and in our lives. Spring cleaning involves getting rid of dust and cobwebs, sprucing up the paint work, perhaps redecorating. It's a time for getting rid of things we no longer need. Positively it is about making our homes welcoming places -warm, secure and bright.

Our lives need a spring clean too. Repentance and seeking forgiveness gets rid of our personal cobwebs, letting the light reach every corner of our lives. We need to evaluate what we no longer need and to equip ourselves for the future.

As we celebrate the risen life of Jesus let's invite the Holy Spirit to renew and empower us to live by the Light of Christ as witnesses to the warmth and security of the love of God in Jesus.

Our homes can be bright and fresh for the spring; our Church warm, bright and welcoming for us and our friends in the community. Our, lives can be spring cleaned through repentance and faith, and we can be filled with the power of the risen Jesus, so that we will be enabled to welcome others into sharing our life in the churches of the parish.

Hallelujah - He is risen!

Judith Henderson

From the April 1996 edition of the magazine

June/July 1996

A synopsis of my report. to the Annual Parochial Church meeting.

A summary to start with: the last year has been a bit of a struggle, although there have been many good things, and a year of wonderful opportunity beckons.

I have a kaleidoscope of memories. Gift Day was truly encouraging. July 1995 was an amazing month with an ordination, very special weddings, Jonty's return from Uganda, Summer Club -and incredible weather. There have been special times of corporate prayer. Many people give tirelessly of themselves, especially those who make their homes available, and those who give generously. We've had our share of problems: it's been hard to find the way forward at St John's; the revision of the electoral roll indicates that some "pruning" has been happening and numbers are lower. Roger Freestone's heart attack in November had a profound effect on life at St Thomas'.

Church life seems rather like being on an escalator but we're trying to go up, when it is coming down! It can be done, for those who are energetic and crazy enough to try -but it's not good for our prayers, our thinking, indeed our health. We are doing too much, there are too many "situations vacant", often there is an absence of fun. But it's not easy to rectify. We must pray for God to show us how.

Travelling down a down escalator would be too easy -and too tedious. Church life should be like the London marathon which happened yesterday. That means fun, with a great sense of atmosphere, but the competitors must have real commitment and there is bound to be struggle. The re-ordering of St Thomas' certainly won't solve all our problems, but it will symbolise moving on and be a catalyst in the renewal of our worship, maintaining our unity and offering service gladly and willingly.

I pray for the orientation of our churches to be shifted outwards and upwards. As that happens, my new Mr Man tie will be more and more appropriate. I believe we will be happier and stronger.

Christopher Frith

From the June1996 edition of the magazine

August/September 1996

I write during a Wimbledon quarter final and wonder of wonders, Tim Henman, an Englishman, is in it. Euro '96 seems to have been a huge success and our players, administrators, broadcasters and amazingly our fans have done us proud. If only someone could devise something fairer than the lottery of a penalty shoot-out.

Our cricketers are one up against India. Our athletes will soon be bound for the Atlanta Olympics and there must be some medals in store, surely!

As a nation, we have been starved of success for too long. We invented so many marvellous games and now the rest of the world has learned to play them better than we can. It's hard to take!

When at last we do well, the whole nation seems to enjoy that feel-good factor.

I have as keen an interest in sport as anyone I know. I would love to be on extended holiday this summer, glued to the TV with occasional visits for live watching. I have to admit that my enjoyment is enhanced greatly when England and the English are winning.

It worries me that the feel-good factor isn't very evident at St Thomas'. God has given us such lovely people, such variety of worship and activity and such opportunities to serve Him -and He has assured us that we're winning! We need to learn to enjoy His goodness and have our confidence renewed and spirits refreshed.

Sporting success doesn't last. Herman is losing and it is pouring with rain at Wimbledon as I close. But confidence based on Jesus Christ is permanent.

Christopher Frith

From the August 1996 edition of the magazine

October/November 1996

We hope work will start soon on our new Garden of Remembrance. We intend it to be an attractive, peaceful spot where bereaved people can be undisturbed with their memories and prayers. It will be a big improvement on our current facility.

When the garden is finished, we would like to move the existing memorial stones and the buried wooden caskets containing ashes about three yards away from the church building. They will be surrounded by gravel and enclosed by a box hedge, becoming an integral part of the new Garden.

Understandably, the latter part of our plans has produced a mixed reaction. We have received messages of approval and anxiety in almost equal measure and we are grateful that so many have let us know what they think.

It must be emphasised that no memorial will be moved if a family refuse permission. Some families are going to wait until they see the new Garden before they make up their mind: that is fine.

It is a highly sensitive matter and we pray particularly for any who have been upset and disturbed by the plans. We wish to make the Garden of Remembrance a place of much greater reverence than we have at present.

May God keep and guide us all.

Christopher Frith

From the October 1996 edition of the magazine

December 1996/January 1997

Curate's Letter by Pete Wilkinson, Curate

As I've been thinking again about the Christmas story, I've been pondering the part played in it by Mary. I don't often give much thought to Jesus' mother, but I've been struck by what an amazing privilege she had. Her cousin Elizabeth got it right when she said "Blessed are you among women!" (Luke 2:4)

To have had the One through whom the universe was made suckling at her breast, to have taught to speak the One whose word sustains the universe, to have enjoyed such intimacy with the Lord -that was a phenomenal blessing!

Later on in his Gospel, though, Luke records a striking little incident. A woman calls out to Jesus, "Blessed is the mother who gave you birth and nursed you." Jesus makes this reply, "Blessed rather are those who hear the word of God and obey it" (Luke 11:27, 28). Amazingly, Jesus says it is possible to be even more blessed than the Blessed Virgin Mary. It is possible to enjoy an even more intimate relationship with Jesus. How? As we "hear the word of God and obey it."

This Christmas, therefore, as we marvel at how God became a man and dwelt among us, let's seek to be those who know that greater blessing that Jesus offers us. In the year (and years) ahead may we be those who listen carefully and obediently to his word. Come to think of it, that would be a good New Year's resolution.

Pete Wilkinson

From the December 1996 edition of the magazine

Rector's Letters 1997