Members of the worshipping congregation are the eyes, ears and hands of Pastoral Care, in their lives in ‘the church and community. Please also play your part as a member of this parish by exercising pastoral care to the best of your ability whenever the need arises.

At St Cross, there is a team of Lay Pastors who assist the Master and the Chaplain in caring for those in need. Each Lay Pastor is a volunteer who has undertaken training based on the Diocesan Training Course for pastoral care and has been commissioned by the church.

Lay Pastors visit people who are unwell, who have been bereaved, are lonely, housebound or troubled. They offer empathy, prayer and a confidential listening ear, as well as practical help.

If you, or someone you know, would like to talk to or be visited by a member of the Lay Pastors Group.

Please contact the Master, the Chaplain or Cled Jenkins, the Lay Pastors Co-ordinator, (Winchester 861552) who will arrange for one of the team to visit you.

Thanks Cled Jenkins

6 oz flour
4 oz sugar
2 oz lard
4 tablespoons milk
2 eggs
1 teaspoon baking powder
Jam

Rub 1 oz lard into the flour, add sugar and baking powder, then the 2 eggs well beaten and the milk.  Melt the other 1 oz lard in a pie dish.  Add a thick layer of jam, pour on the mixture and bake for ¾ to 1 hour in a moderate oven.  Turn out, upside down, and serve with custard of whipped cream on top.

The great Lutheran organist Johann Sebastian Bach provides all our organ pieces for March, many of them based on chorales/hymns appropriate to the season of Lent.  On Mothering Sunday (14 March)

the organ fugue uses a theme sung to the words of the Magnificat  -  the Song of Mary.

A range of charities was drawn up, both international and local, and the first charity we shall be supporting is our international selection.

Winchester Diocese is linked to the Anglican Province of Uganda, and Winchester Deanery in particular is linked to two Ugandan dioceses: North Kigezi and Muhabura, both in the far south west of the Province.

Over the coming month, our parish will be thinking of Muhabura, in particular the Potter’s Village. This was set up by The Rev’d Jenny Green to provide a home for destitute babies and young children. Currently the project cares for 30 babies (21 in Potter’s Village itself and 9 in foster homes). Prior to arriving at the project, these babies were all close to death. The charity provides these babies with a safe environment as well as love and care. As well as the babies, Potter’s Village also supports pregnant teenage girls and provides family support. The aim is to provide all the children with long term help to get them out of the cycle of poverty, and to teach them the skills they need – for example Potter’s Village aims to become as self-sufficient as possible with livestock, vegetable garden and woodland to provide firewood.

The money we raise at St Cross will go towards the centre – either the running costs (in the region of £2,800 per month) or toward one of the projects the charity hopes to undertake. These include additional facilities to enable more children to be taken in; education and play equipment; more day care service provision for children in the local community and training for staff/foster parents/local parents on child care and protection issues.

For more information on Muhabura and the Potter’s Village charity, please look out for a display in church, or contact Jill Baker who can tell you more. Please also pray for the children, The Rev’d Jenny Green and all those who work at the centre.

If you wish to donate towards this charity, the main collection will be held on Mothering Sunday, 14 March. If, however, you are unable to attend on Mothering Sunday, there will be a retiring collection at the door on the two Sundays following. Please remember when giving this money that if you are a UK taxpayer we are able to claim gift aid on donations, so please complete your details on a blue envelope.

Alison Carver
PCC Member

The progression of the season may be marked with an Advent calendar, a practice introduced by German Lutherans. At least in the Roman Catholic and Lutheran calendars, Advent starts on the fourth Sunday before December 25; in other words, the Sunday between November 27 and December 3 inclusive.

Latin adventus is the translation of the Greek word parousia, commonly used in reference to the Second Coming. Christians believe that the season of Advent serves a dual reminder of the original waiting that was done by the Hebrews for the birth of their Messiah as well as the waiting that Christians today endure for the second coming of Christ.

I am often asked, ‘What does an Archdeacon do?’ For many the Archdeacon is unknown and few could describe what the role involves. So I will try and briefly summarize, although my original Role Profile was four pages of A4 long.

An Archdeacon’s role involves listening to people, parishes and communities -to hear where they really ‘are’ and what it feels like to be them. To respect the many differences that there are and the ways of doing things. To reflect upon what is being seen, heard and learnt in order to make sense of it all for them and for me.

Then it can involve probing and challenging in order to help people see reality and not perceived reality. To help in turning a sense of vision into reality and making it work. Helping to communicate, and communication in general, when people feel left out or uncertain.

An Archdeacon is often the person who puts people in contact with others, makes connections, and knows someone who is able to assist. He or she often has to negotiate to move things forward, and to mediate where there are differences and division. Often this has to involve steering people, or groups, into the distress that they are trying to ignore, in order to face the hurt and move on positively from that place.

In practical terms, the Archdeacon represents the Bishop, and works with him in the process of appointments and staff changes in the Archdeaconry. This for me stretches from Otterbourne to Burghclere, and from Yateley to Shipton Bellinger. It is a total of about 190 parishes and about seventy stipendiary clergy. If there are problems, then the Archdeacon assists the Bishop.

I am also expected to share with the Bishop the care, counseling and support of clergy, lay workers and their families, and to encourage and enable the ministry of churchwardens. To support and continue the development of Rural Deans and Deanery Lay Chairmen and to Chair the Northern Area Team, which consists of ‘my’ seven Rural Deans and Lay Chairs. Also, I share in the Bishop’s ministry of preaching and teaching.

Archdeacons have a specific legal role to play and work with the Chancellor and Registrar of the Diocese in Faculties for church buildings and churchyards; ensuring that work is carried out in accordance with the provisions; are concerned with clergy houses and diocesan property; ensure the proper and effective use of church buildings for mission; and take a lead in pastoral re-organization in the Archdeaconry.

Archdeacons sit on many committees (I am linked to about twenty five), and promote the management of the diocese through its councils and structures. I am also on the General Synod and represent the Diocese nationally. The Archdeacon has been described as the oil in the diocesan machinery, enabling it to function smoothly; and as the ‘eyes and ears’ of the Bishop. Altogether there are only about one hundred Archdeacons in England.

In early December the Bishop of Basingstoke is leaving our Diocese, and will become the Bishop of Dover and the Bishop in Canterbury. Until a new Bishop of Basingstoke is appointed (in several months time), I will be the Bishop of Winchester’s representative in the Archdeaconry. This means that I will take on some of the roles that the Bishop of Basingstoke does, just during the Vacancy. Principally I will be responsible, to the Bishop, for Vacancies and appointments and pastoral care.

Debbie and I always greatly value your prayers and support, but we would particularly do so during the next few months when extra responsibilities are placed upon me. I am still your parish priest and Master, and value that important part of my ministry, and I will continue to pray for you also.

Michael

 An Almshouse is a charitable body designed to provide housing for those people who can no longer afford to earn enough to pay rent.

Read more about the history of St Cross Hospital

Read more about Almshouses (The Almshouse Association)

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