the main Anglo Catholic Church of Norwich

Latest: 1 and not out

Having just celebrated Fr Michael's 50th anniversary of Priestly Ordination, and just about to celebrate Fr Alan Chidwick's 25th tomorrow, it seems rather a non-event to celebrate a Priest's 1st! But we at S. John the Baptist, Timberhill, believe any Priestly anniversary is worth celebrating, and especially that of our curate who has managed to survive a whole year as a Priest in the Church of England! I remember Bishop Eric Wild of Reading preaching at my 10th anniversary in Reading and saying in his sermon: 'We are here today to celebrate Fr Martin's 10th anniversary of Ordination: it's a modest start!' Well, we had a lovely Sunday Mass in extreme temperatures, with an excellent sermon on Priesthood from one of our retired clergy, Fr Peter Barnes-Clay: this was followed by New Zealand wine in the churchyard. Fr David wanted to wear this magnificent green velvet High Mass set, which I am convinced was made for celebrating Mass at the North Pole - the Rector almost melted away! It was good that some of his family from New Zealand were able to be present at the Mass, including his Godmother, to share in this celebration. We wish Fr David well for the future as he begins to think about where his future ministry might lead him in a year or so's time. [Mon, 05 Jul 2010 03:05:11]

Flower and Vestment Festival 2010

What a glorious day Sunday 27th June was! It was the hottest day of the year so far, with temperatures in Norwich hovering around the 30 degree mark. This year we kept our Patronal Festival on this day which included a lunch in the churchyard afterwards. Over the Friday, Saturday and Sunday we put on an exhibition of flowers and vestments in the church - S. John's Timberhill now has a very fine collection of antique vestments. The church looked magnificent! Sadly, the good weather and the World Cup football deterred many people from coming to enjoy this display. The picture here shows a beautiful arrangement by Shirley Buxton organised around the AIDS memorial book for Norfolk which is kept in S. John's Church, and the memorial board to those who lost their lives from the Parish in the First World War. [Mon, 28 Jun 2010 02:27:27]

50 and not out

It was with great joy that we were able to celebrate yesterday the 50th anniversary of Ordination to the Priesthood of Canon Michael McLean. Fr Michael sang High Mass in the presence of the Diocesan Bishop, and a full church of colleagues and friends he had made during his long ministry. He began in Camberwell, South London, and then served at the Shrine of Our Lady of Walsingham under the great Fr Colin Stephenson. He is best known though for his time as Residentiary Canon of Norwich Cathedral and before that as Rector of the S. Peter Parmentergate Parish in Norwich (until it closed some 30 years ago) and S. John the Baptist Timberhill, which became the Parish Church after its closure . He built up the Julian Shrine in the parish and encouraged devotion to the Lady Julian of Norwich by appointing Fr Robert Llewelyn to act as Chaplain, who ministered there until his death just over two years ago. Fr Michael returned to Timberhill in his retirement and is a much loved and valued member of our Parish Staff. The Bishop of Norwich was pleased to come to the Mass and preached an outstanding sermon on 'Priesthood' - how lucky we are to have such a Bishop! The weather was in our favour and we were able to enjoy a splendid lunch in the churchyard after the Mass. Those who were doing their shopping were agog to see so many Christian people enjoyinging themselves, and drinking wine! Thank you Father for all you have done to help so many people over the years, and thank you for the help, encouragement and inspiration you still give us us in our day! [Sun, 13 Jun 2010 14:22:28]

The Rector in Full Splendour

Something you will rarely see! Fr Martin drinking a glass of water at a parish party. He always says that water is for washing - gin is for drinking! But bringing our two Australian guests to the Lunch Party at Heath Farmhouse meant no alcohol. I am surpirsed that he looks so happy! [Thu, 03 Jun 2010 06:27:09]

Parish Lunch Party at Heath Farmhouse

Yet again the Hunt family were keen to entertain the Parish to a Sunday Lunch this year after the Trinity Sunday Mass. Their elegant 15th century farmhouse at Homersfield, just outside Bungay, with its beautiful garden resplendent with roses, wandering chickens and croquet lawn, is an ideal location for this sort of function. A delicious lunch of beef, salmon en croute, curry, quiches and salads, including some without any trace of the dreaded parsley much hated by the Rector, accompanied by good wine, and followed by a selection of delicious desserts, was enjoyed by the 50 or so who made it to our neighbouring county safely. Many thanks John and Julia for all the hard work you did to entertain us so grandly! [Thu, 03 Jun 2010 06:19:15]

Trinity Sunday

It was a great pleasure to welcome to S. John's on Trinity Sunday two Australian priests, Fr Christopher Bird SSC, Vicar of Adamstown, Newcastle, NSW, and Fr Steven Salmon SSC, Vicar of Dee Why, Sydney. Fr Chris is Provincial Master for Australasia of the Society of the Holy Cross (SSC) and they were both over here for a meeting of the Master General's Council of the Society, which met last week in London and in Walsingham. They both stayed at the Rectory for a few days after the Council meeting to enable them to go to the National Pilgrimage to the Shrine of Our Lady of Walsingham, which was a first for both of them. They concelebrated at the High Mass on Trinity Sunday at S. John's and Fr Chris preached, using a lovely image from the first reading from the Book of Proverbs - 'I was by his side, a master craftsman, delighting him day after day, ever at play in his presence, at play everywhere in his world, delightiong to be with the sons of men.' He challenged us all to be at play in the presence of God: something we try to do at S. John's Sunday by Sunday! [Tue, 01 Jun 2010 05:17:12]

Fr Gregory OJN

We have just said goodbye to Fr Gregory OJN, the Guardian of the Order of Julian of Norwich in America, as he returns home. Fr Gregory peached for us at S. John's on Laetare Sunday, the Fourth Sunday of Lent, on the Gospel of the Prodigal Son. He also addressed our Parish Lent Course on 'The Passion of Christ - with Julian of Norwich'. It is always a delight to have Fr Gregory with us: this was only a short visit this time, staying a week at The Rectory and addressing meetings in Oxford and Westminster. Our photograph shows him just setting out from the Rectory to have lunch with the Curate, Fr David: although the photograph gives the impression that they are just returning from lunch, and a jolly good lunch at that! [Wed, 24 Mar 2010 04:52:10]

Yo Ho Ho and a Bottle of Gin

My thanks to Christopher Spinks for this magnificent photo! What does the curate think he looks like? No, we haven't gone Low Church (No Church!), but Fr David,as Chaplain to the Norwich Sea Cadets on TS Nelson, moored on the river opposite the railway station, was conducting a Christmas Service and Admissions to the Sea Cadet Corps in S. John's Church, and this is what he is commanded to wear (not by God or the Rector, but by 'the Book'!) This is the first time we have ever had anything like this at S. John's, and we hope it will not be the last. What an excellent evening it was! The Church was packed to the doors by cadets and their parents and friends. The cadets told the Christmas story and everybody present sang familiar Christmas Carols, and had their vocal cords lubricated afterwards with mulled wine. A retiring collection was taken for the British Legion. Well done, Curate! [Fri, 11 Dec 2009 03:38:51]

Old Uncle Tom Cobley and All

You might think we've gone mad if you have walked into S. Julian's Church recently on a Wednesday or Friday. Here in November in front of the High Altar is a crib menagerie with everything imaginable present - and everyone knows the Rector keeps Christmas at an arm's length until the very last moment! So what's all this about? Fr David and Pauline Lovelock, the Education Officer employed by the Friends of Julian of Norwich, have been working hard with the Cathedral and Dragon Hall to tell young school children from around Norwich and further afield a little about Norwich's history - especially its religious history - and especially about Julian of Norwich and her times. Nearly 300 children will have been entertained and schooled in a very friendly and positive Christian way at S. Julian's over this time. I take my biretta off to Fr David and Pauline for the excellent work they have put into this project, something that Fr Grumpy the Rector, is quite unable of doing, and hope that something of the message they have been preaching will remain with those young people for many years. [Thu, 03 Dec 2009 05:59:37]

World AIDS Day 2009

The World AIDS Day service for Norwich was held at our Church yesterday. This year the Homily was given by the Bishop of Norwich and both the Lord Mayor of Norwich and the High Sheriff of Norfolk were in the congregation. The service was helped along by excellent singing from the Norwich Community Choir who sang Santo (an Argentinian Sanctus) and 'Now Let Us Sing' in which they managed to get everyone clapping along (even the old grumpy Rector). Vince Law delivered a poem which he had written called 'Human', all about HIV infection, and he had placed all around the church the hundreds of empty medicine bottles and packets which he had used this year, and on which he had written each letter of the poem. An opportunity was given for people to light a candle in memory of a loved one who had died from AIDS. The service was very moving and reminded us all that AIDS is not a thing of the past, but is continuing its spread and taking human lives and devastating families and communities all over the world. [Wed, 02 Dec 2009 04:17:35]