September Newsletter
Over recent weeks we have been enjoying watching Destination X (BBC TV). For those who haven't seen the programme, the contestants are in a blacked-out luxury bus travelling around Europe. They are given clues and can win more clues by winning challenges and at the end of the day they each have to put an 'X' on the map where they think they are. The person whose 'X' is furthest away from their actual location, is eliminated. If we were to put an X on a map (not of Europe but of how close to God you are) where would our X's be and also how might we decide?
September is the beginning of many new things: new classes, new schools or university. This time of year can also be a good time for us to get closer with God and to renew our spiritual lives. This September we begin Exploring again and our first Exploring course of the season is Exploring Worship. We will also begin our monthly Celtic Evening Prayer (more below) and new patterns of online and in person Daily Prayer make accessing these daily patterns of worship even easier.
The prize that contestants of Destination X compete for is £100,000. The prize for walking closer to God is much more valuable - it is knowing the love, assurance and presence of the one with whom we will be spending not just a bus journey, but eternity.
In this month's newsletter:
Church Life News & Events
Worshipping
Celtic Evening Prayer
The things that were kept safe and dry in the Norman Chapel have been returned to the newly renovated Hearse House - our Holy Dusters have done a wonderful job getting the Norman Chapel ready to welcome Worship again and there is a wedding and a memorial service already scheduled.
But the question numbers of Church members have asked is "When can we worship in the Norman Chapel?".
The good news is now that Norman Chapel is ready on the fourth Sunday of each month our 4.30pm service will take place in this beautiful space.
Following on from the successful Holy Habits course which we enjoyed during Lent, this new service will draw on the resources of the Celtic and monastic traditions we explored. There will be hymns, Bible readings, reflections, prayers, responsaries and stillness to help us to worship and encounter God.
'Come and Sing' Choir
On the fourth Sunday of the month, our worship will be led by a 'Come and Sing' choir. Everyone (and anyone!) is invited to come and sing, to help us all to worship.
The 'Come and Sing' Choir will sing from the choir stalls but there will be no robes or microphones to worry about. There will be no weekday practice or rehearsal, instead anyone who wants to sing needs to be at Church by 9.15am on that Sunday to run through and be ready for 10.30. This is a great opportunity for everyone to come and sing for worship and enjoyment. On the fourth Sunday only some of the music group are resourcing Breakfast Church and there is no SATB choir in the evening for Celtic Evening prayer so there is potentially a good core of singers, so you won't be on your own when you turn up.
For more information talk to Andrew Burr
Sundays at St John's, Adlington
From September there will be Sunday Worship every week at St John's at 11.00am. There will be Holy Communion on one Sunday a month and Morning Worship the other three. For Remembrance and Christmas there will be variations to the pattern so do check the Newsletter and Adlington's noticeboards or Facebook page for details of any special services.
Harvest Festival is moving! 
The Season of Creation runs from 31 August to 4 October. Over the last few years we have had special services and activities to mark the season and we are doing the same this year (There are details of these in the article by the Social Justice Hub below in the newsletter) Traditionally we have celebrated Harvest on the second Sunday of October which has been outside the Season of Creation. This year we are moving Harvest Festival earlier to the third Sunday, (that is the 21st September) putting it in the middle of the Season of Creation.
Baptisms
One impact of the changing demographics in the parish (far fewer babies and young children) is there are far fewer Baptisms. Those who have historic links with the Parish or who live away from the area but come back to have a child baptised often choose to not have their Baptism in the main service. This makes the baptisms that we do have in main morning worship even more special and celebratory. Where there is a main service baptism it will now be on the second Sunday in Family Service. All of the service will be on the screen to save the problem of families having to juggle both babies and books. There will be a number of further changes to make Baptism services welcoming for visitors, worshipful for regulars and suitable for all ages.
Morning and Evening Prayer
One of the good things which emerged during COVID was the community that gathered online for Morning Prayer on a Tuesday morning. Post-Covid we moved back to the ministry team praying the Daily Offices individually, and the online gathering was discontinued. It is not just during a pandemic that gathering for prayer corporately, is good! and so from Monday 22 September there will be a new pattern of online and in person Daily Offices. Some of these prayers in St Peter's will be in the Legh Chapel.
Monday 9.00am Morning Prayer St Peter's Rooms
4.30pm Evening Prayer St Peter's, Legh Chapel
Tuesday 9.00am Morning Prayer Zoom
4.30pm Evening Prayer St Peter's, Legh Chapel
Wednesday 9.00am Morning Prayer St Peter's, Legh Chapel
4.30pm Evening Prayer Zoom
Thursday 9.30pm Morning Prayer St John's
4.30pm Evening Prayer St Peter's, Legh Chapel
Morning and Evening Prayer lasts 20-30 minutes: there are Bible readings, a Psalm and said Canticles as well as time for prayer. All are welcome to drop in either on a one off basis or to make it part of their weekly pattern of prayer and devotion.
Worship Songs
It is said that there are three rivers of music that resource the worship life of the Church. The historic river of hymns and liturgical music (those hymns, songs and settings that have stood the test of time), the world wide contemporary river of hymns, songs and liturgical music (new material that Christians across the world are singing) and the local stream (those contemporary songs and hymns that speak into our time and situation here in a particular way). A couple of examples of this third river would be 'Sovereign over us' (during the development project) or 'Jesus strong and kind' (during Covid).
As time goes by some of the material in the first river no longer is useable, either its metaphors and images no longer connect with people, its language about or for God is questionable, or its description of people leaves some feeling excluded. We are always seeking to broaden, rather than narrow, the musical repertoire. Over recent years this has included drawing material from Resound Worship, Rend Collective, Keith Getty and City Alight. To help the congregation get to know the words, tunes and the feel of new songs there are some links below to some that we have added recently or will be adding, to our repertoire.
'Thanks and Praise' by Phillipa Hanna
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ES0S-BkMnXM&list=RDES0S-BkMnXM&start_radio=1&pp=ygUmc29uZ3MgZnJvbSB0aGUgc29pbCB0aGFua3MgYW5kIHByYWlzZSCgBwE%3D
'You are unchanging' by Sovereign grace
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=JK6BtyyAotw&list=RDJK6BtyyAotw&start_radio=1
'I surrender' by Vineyard worship
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=oe9Gz9OHEUo&list=RDoe9Gz9OHEUo&start_radio=1
'His Mercy is more' by Keith & Kristyn Getty
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=I1GiZL60c80&list=RDI1GiZL60c80&start_radio=1
'Blessed are the ones' by Rend Collective
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=-tPAJNncdg0&list=RD-tPAJNncdg0&start_radio=1
Exploring
Monday Night Explore
Are you ready to EXPLORE? Our new season of exploring kicks off on 15 September. Our Explore sessions are informal, friendly but challenging too - time when we can all honestly explore together, wherever we are (or have been) on our Christian journey.
This new course has all the ingredients of our usual exploring sessions with a new focus: Worship.
Explore takes place on a Monday evening in St Peter's Rooms from 7.30 - 9.00pm beginning with refreshments. If you would like to know more please contact Beverley Angier on exploring@stpetersprestbury.org.uk or leave your telephone number with the Parish Office.
Exploring Worship dates for the diary:
Monday 15, 22, 29 September
Monday 6 October
Season of Creation
There’s a lot happening in September this year as our own Harvest Festival celebrations coincide with the Season of Creation! Season of Creation is a special ecumenical worldwide season which lasts from 1 September to 4 October when we celebrate God as Creator and acknowledge that, as followers of Christ from around the globe, we share a common call to care for Creation.
This year, the theme for the season is “Peace with Creation”, inspired by Isaiah 32:14-18. We will be exploring how, as Christians, we are called to protect and nurture Creation in peace: working in partnership with others and passing this responsibility on to future generations. Macclesfield churches work together each year to organise a programme of special services and events throughout the Season of Creation. Events this year are special bible study sessions at East Cheshire Hospice, at 11.00am on Mondays or 7.00pm on Wednesdays, and a trip to the RHS Bridgewater gardens. Copies of the calendar of events are at the back of church, or in digital form... If you feel inspired by the Tenants of the King course a couple of months ago, how about trying one of the many special events?
At St Peter’s we have several special events to look forward to: on Saturday 13 September we are organising a social walk from St Peter’s to St John’s in Adlington along footpaths, the Middlewood Way and the canal. The walk is c5.5 miles and we will finish with the chance to buy coffee and cake at St John’s Community Café. You can return by train from Adlington station (1 mile down the road from the café), where there is an hourly train service to Prestbury and Macclesfield at 10 past the hour. Please wear sensible footwear and clothing depending on the weather. It will be a lovely opportunity to spend time with church friends outside in nature, so please do join us! If possible, please sign the sheet at the back of church so we have an idea of numbers, but that’s not essential. We will meet at the front of church at 10.00am. Then on Sunday 14 September there will be a special service at 4.30pm in St Peters' Rooms and the monastic garden.
On 21 September we will hold our Harvest Celebration at church in the morning. Our gifts will be taken the following week to the Pantry at Upton Priory and to the Silklife Foodbank. The Pantry have asked for store cupboard items like pasta, rice, pasta and curry sauces, cereal, tins and breakfast spreads such as jam. Silklife are in particular need of all groceries and toiletries.
From the Social Justice and Environment Hub
Growing
Families and Children
After the summer break, our programme of services for families and children restarts.
Pram Service
Out Pram Service is perhaps one of the the least well-known services in Church life. At least it was, for me! I must say that there is never a dull moment in this lovely and busy service. This Service has a routine enabling the children to feel comfortable and secure - ringing the bell, singing, taking part in the telling of God's story, a prayer - and the children enjoy the service in their own inimitable ways. The service is a very relaxed one - and it is rewarding to see the children develop confidence and take pleasure in joining in.
Pram service takes place in church on the 2nd and 4th Thursdays in term time in Church, at 10.15am (flexibly for latecomers - we all know what babies are like!) and lasts from about 20 - 30 minutes. After the short service everyone retires to the Rooms for play and refreshments. The children play and the grown-ups have time for a catch up and chat.
If you would like to come along, you would be very welcome. If you know anyone with toddler, please helps us to pass the word on about the service as some of the children have now left to go to school. It's good fun and a really gentle start (for children and for parents!) introducing them the God and Jesus with stories, ritual, songs and play.
Pram service dates for the diary:
September 11th & 25th
October 9th & 23rd
November 13th & 27th
December 9th
Young Church
Young Church provides an exciting creative opportunity for Children to discover more more about Christianity in an enjoyable safe environment. There are games, crafts, stories,
songs and more.
Young Church takes place during 10.30am morning worship, the children go through to St Peter's Rooms early in the service and return during Communion in time to go up for a blessing.
Young Church dates for the diary:
Oct 5th
Oct 19th
Nov 16th
Come along and join in the fun!
Date for the diary: this year's Young Church Nativity is on 14 December.
Breakfast Church
Breakfast Church is a relaxed informal space for children and parents to worship together.
On the breakfast menu: hot, cold and healthy options.
On the worship menu: songs and prayers accessible to all which can be used at home too. We explore our theme and bible passage together using games, crafts and interactive activities.
Breakfast Church dates for the diary:
September 28th
October 26th
November 23rd
The Monday Fellowship Group
Beverley Angier: Revisiting Ghana
Monday 8 September 2.00pm St Peter’s Rooms
We welcome everyone to come and hear from Beverley about her return trip to Ghana this spring. She will bring the excitement of Ghana to us in fascinating stories, film and photos. Come and enjoy! Bring a friend!! The Monday Fellowship Group warmly welcomes everyone from any church, or from outside the church community. We offer a short service of worship, a talk or activity, refreshments and friendship.
Eco-Church Update
As you will recall, we are holders of the Arocha Eco-church scheme Bronze Award and our ambition is to progress through Silver to Gold if we can.
The Scheme is designed to provide a platform for churches to lead by example in encouraging not just Christians but everyone to adapt and adjust their choices, actions and behaviours to be more sensitive and caring towards God’s creation and in so doing to meet the challenge that human excesses contribute to the climate change that is being experienced throughout the world.
This is achieved by an “audit” of our current approach to these issues incorporating a series of questions which direct us to how our church can improve its response in four areas of our life as a church. As a community and as individuals:
– how embedded the care of creation is within our weekly worship;
- how efficiently and sustainably we manage our buildings and churchyard;
- how we reflect and communicate our commitment within our community; and
- how we inform and encourage our church family to adjust our lifestyle choices to make a positive impact.
The questions in each of these areas have recently been reviewed by Arocha and in many cases, are more challenging to achieve than before.
So far, “ownership” of the management of the scheme has been held by this Hub and its 3 (originally 4) members. However, many of these more challenging questions appear in the last two of those 4 areas, which clearly relate to a much wider constituency of people. We would therefore love to refresh and expand our hub membership, as we are sure there are others out there who also care about this topic and would like to find a way of making an impact.
Please contact either Steve Hill, Kate Collins or Patrick to discuss how YOU could help.
To finish on a high, we have recently been able to tick a massive sustainability box which will score highly with our Eco-church status by installing new LED lighting throughout the church, saving 90% of its running costs!
Steve Hill
Belonging
New Rota System: Welcomers, Lesson Readers, Chalice Assistants and Intercessors
September sees the start of the new rota system for Welcomers, Lesson Readers, Chalice Assistants and Intercessors. Although the old system worked well for some people there were too many un-filled slots across the services. Our hope is that everyone having sent in their unavailable dates there shouldn't be too many late changes. If you do need to make a change please try to swap with someone, then notify the Church office of the change. If you want to read, intercede, welcome and are not on the rota please email the office to ask to be included. The rotas are on the website and email reminders should come out as before.
Look out for the Receiving Team
Nearly every week there are new worshippers in church life - some are occasional visitors staying in the village, visiting family, passing through. Some are actively looking for a Church or are testing the water to see what Church or our Church is like. We are really good at being friendly and welcoming but we haven't had a system for intentionally connecting with newcomers to help them know what Church does and how they can become active members. Watch this space!
Church Candle Challenge
Our wonderful project for recycling and reusing old church candles is too good an idea to keep to ourselves (it saves money, is good for the environment and is a fun activity). As part of the process of helping other churches to take up the challenge a number of YouTube videos starring our own John Powell have been filmed. John is looking for someone with some YouTube skills to spend half an hour with him making a few changes. If you have those skills or know someone who does then please contact John on 07368 547464 or h.powell580@btinternet.com or have a chat with him at Church.
Coffee Shop news
The hot weather has resulted in some very busy Saturdays at St John's Coffee Shop, 14 cakes were needed on one record breaking day! If you haven't visited, it's open Saturdays till the end of October and as well as wonderful and delicious home made cakes, the barista made coffees are especially good.
If you are interested in joining the team of volunteers contact Arthur.
Monastic Garden
The new benches have arrived, given in memory and reflecting the four themes of the monastic garden - they are not only beautiful in their own right, but they wonderfully enhance the garden.
Diary Dates September
Wednesday 3rd Bell Ringers 8.00pm
Thursday 4th Holy Dusters 9.30am
Friday 5th Choir Practice 7.30pm
Saturday 6th Wedding Surgery 10.30am, litter pickers refreshments 11.30am
St John's coffee shop open
Sunday 7th Receiving team briefing 11.45am
Monday 8th Monday Fellowship Group 2.00pm
Tuesday 9th Re-play 7.00pm
Wednesday 10th Funeral 1.00pm, wedding rehersal 6.00pm, Bell ringers 8.00pm
Thursday 11th Holy Dusters 11.15am, Memorial Service (NC) 12noon,
Walking group 2.00pm
Friday 12th Wedding Rebecca & Jake 2.00pm, choir practice 7.30pm
Saturday 13th Season of Creation walk, Coffee shop open
Sunday 14th
Monday 15th Exploring Worship 1 7.30pm
Tuesday 16th School Harvest service 9.15am, Wedding Rehearsal 6.00pm, Replay 7.00pm
Wednesday 17th Bell ringers 8.00pm
Thursday 18th Holy Dusters 9.30am, Wedding (NC) 3.00pm
Friday 19th Choir Practice 7.30pm
Saturday 20th Coffee shop open
Sunday 21st
Monday 22nd Funeral 12.30pm, Exploring Worship 2 7.30pm
Tuesday 23rd PCC 7.30pm, Re-play in Church 7.00pm
Wednesday 24th Loading harvest goods 9.00am, Baptism Preparation 7.30pm
Bell ringers 8.00pm
Thursday 25th Holy Dusters 11.15am
Friday 26th Choir Practice 7.30pm
Saturday 27th Coffee shop
Sunday 28th
Monday 29th Exploring Worship 3
Tuesday 30th Re-play 7.00pm
PARISH Sunday Worship
We are one Church, with six congregations and four venues to help which service is where they are colour coded by Venue:
St Peter's Church, St John's Church, Norman Chapel, St Peter's Rooms
|
|
8.30am
St Peter's |
10.30am
St Peter's |
11.00am
St John's |
4.30pm
St Peter's |
Sept
7th
|
Holy
Communion
|
Holy Communion
Behold the Lamb
|
Morning
Worship |
Cathedral
Evensong
|
Sept
14th
|
Holy
Communion
|
Family Service
with Baptism
|
Holy
Communion |
All Creation
sings
|
Sept
21st
|
Holy
Communion
|
Harvest
Festival
|
Morning
Worship |
Cathedral
Evensong
|
Sept
28th
|
Holy
Communion |
9.15am
Breakfast Church
for families
Holy
Communion
Come and Sing Choir |
Holy
Communion |
Celtic
Evening Prayer
Norman Chapel
|
Every Wednesday 10.30am Holy Communion St Peter's
Followed by coffee and biscuits
Prayer
Prayer Diary
The new prayer diary for the year starting September will be available soon at the back of church. For each day of the month there are two topics for prayer; one for our Church and the other for our community. If praying daily is something new for you, a good pattern and practice would be to find a place at home that feels good to pray in and pray the two topics for each day followed by the Lord's Prayer.
Steve Murphy – an update
Following his stroke in early July, Steve is continuing his treatment in Stepping Hill Hospital’s Stroke Unit. He is receiving intensive therapy and excellent care from their multi-disciplinary team, along with support from Stepping Hill’s Chaplaincy Team.
Steve is well supported by his family, his wife, Anne and son, Tom and he receives many visits from their close knit community of friends, as well as from members of the ministry team here at St Peter’s and St John’s. They are not seeking additional visitors at this time.
Anne Stirling will continue to be the main channel for information from Anne Murphy about Steve’s progress and will be happy to chat or answer any queries you have about Steve. If you would like to send a personal message to Steve or to the family please write it on a card and give it to Anne Stirling or the Parish Office and we will get it to them.
Please remember Steve in your prayers, and pray also for Anne and Tom in their changed circumstances, and as Tom prepares to leave home for his first term at university.
A prayer for Steve
Father of mercies and God of all comfort, our only help in time of need.
See, visit and relieve your sick servant Steve for whom we pray.
Look on him with mercy, comfort him with your goodness.
Give him patience under affliction.
In your good time restore him to health and
enable him to lead the rest of his life in your fear and to your glory.
Through Jesus Christ our Lord,
Amen.
Prayers for the Season of Creation
'Creator of all, we praise you for the gift of life and for the faith that unites us in care for our common home. We confess how estranged we have become— from one another, from your Creation, and from our truest selves. We acknowledge that our greed and destructive impulses have fractured our relationships with you, with others, and with the Earth. Fertile fields have become barren, forests lie desolate, oceans and rivers are polluted. Thriving communities have become places of suffering, and the earth cries out.'
'Beloved Christ, who spoke “Shalom” to frightened hearts, stir us to compassionate action. Inspire us to work for the end of conflict, and for the full restoration of broken relationships— with you, with the ecumenical community, with the human family, and with all Creation. Prince of Peace, through your wounds, teach us to stand in solidarity with the woundedness of others, of creation, and of the world. Through your resurrection, make us people of hope— with a vision of swords turned into ploughshares and tears transformed into joy. May we come together as one family, to labour for your peace— a shalom where all your people may dwell in safety, and rest in quiet places. Amen.'
For the Community
Pray for our brothers and sisters in Christ at the Methodist Church Circuit (covering the churches at Macclesfield, Poynton, Bollington, Prestbury and villages) as they welcome two new ministers Rev Stephen Dallin & Rev Deborah Lucas. We look forward to getting to know them and sharing in worship with them as opportunities arise over the years ahead.
Those who are sick
Steve Murphy
Les Manchester
Those who have died
John Walker
Philip Green
Christopher Halliley
Community news
Prestbury Village Show
Saturday 6 September 2.00pm
Entries are welcomed in all classes - Flowers, Fruit, Vegetables, Art, Photography, Craft, Cakes, Preserves and Children’s classes.
Please see Village Show programmes available in local shops for details.
Further information from Mary Hindle 01625 827700, 07740864955 or Angie Entwistle 01625 827943.
Prestbury Gardening Club
Are you a gardener? Prestbury Gardening Club not only runs the Village Show but has an exciting programme of talks.
Completing the programme for 2025:
Thursday 16 October A talk by Maureen Sawyer on Perfect Pots.
Thursday 20 November Jeffrey Bates will talk about Colour in the Winter garden.
This meeting is followed by afternoon tea.
Annual subscription £8 due 1 January 2026. New members and visitors are very welcome.
More information from Mary Hindle 01625 827700.
Car Parking
We have been unable to confirm if the car park at Springfields is free on a Sunday and have asked the Clerk of the Parish Council to ascertain what the situation is following the multiple changes imposed by Cheshire East.
Watch this space !!
Wedding Fayre
Many of us are familiar with Brookhouse Farm Shop who provided delicious meat and vegetables for the Wednesday Communion Christmas dinner when Patrick cooked it. They are now also the base for Ewe and Me Marquees and provide a bespoke wedding event service. They are holding a wedding fayre in September and St Peter's are delighted to be invited to have a stall at their St Andrew's Lake wedding event.
For more information or if you would like to help on the stall contact Jo-Ann.
VJ Day Commemoration
On Friday 15 August 2025 the St Peter's bellringers rang a mix of rounds, calls, changes and firing for 30 minutes. This was to commemorate the 80th anniversary of VJ Day which brought all hostilities of WW2 to a close.
Thank you to the Church Wardens who opened the South Porch early on VJ Day and kept it open until after the bells had finished, enabling those who wanted to come in to Church to pray and light candles and any who wanted to visit the war memorial.
Closing Thoughts
My Chance at Love
I didn’t sense that you were there
I didn’t even dare to look.
I found no meaning anywhere
My hopes were a closed book.
So many things got in the way
The worldly voices were too loud.
The whispers of your love for me
Were drowned out by the crowd.
(Chorus)
You are to me my second chance,
My bond of love, my holy dance.
Be with me as I seek your face
And strain to stumble into Grace.
Yes now at last I’m changing fast
And praying that I’ll be forgiven.
I hear you now, and ache to claim
My chance of love, my hope of heaven.
My loving Lord, my God above
Enfold me in your arms of love
Receive me as I seize my chance
To live, within your endless dance.
(Final Chorus)
You are to me my second chance,
My bond of love, my holy dance.
Stay with me as I seek your face
And strain to stumble into Grace.
Keith Ravenscroft