the main Anglo Catholic Church of Norwich

Latest: Easter 2012

What a wonderful Holy Week and Easter we have enjoyed at S. John's: record congregations and clement weather, allowing an outdoor Palm Procession and a New Fire in the churchyard. And to crown the spiritual pilgrimage leading to Easter morning, we were able, after the High Mass on Easter Day, to celebrate with wine and rather up-market canapes the 101st birthday of Roger Washbourne, who has featured in this web-log before, and the 60th birthdays of Shirley Buxton, vestment repairer in chief, and Lynton Johnson, (I was going to say flower lady in chief, but if I were to say that I will probably get it in the neck) who is in charge of church flowers - there, that's better! I hope to have a bit of an easy time this week, but I suspect the 'evil one' will do his best to prevent it! [Mon, 09 Apr 2012 08:23:13]

The Altar of the Word

Our picture shows two of our abled-body servers, Nigel and Aiden (we are lucky and do have more than two!) who were keen to help the decrepit old Rector move the very, very heavy solid oak altar that usually lives in the Lady Chapel at S. John's to outside the chapel gates to provide 'The Altar of the Word' for the Midnight Mass at Christmas. Here, throughout the Mass, lies open the Word of God in the Book of the Gospels ready for the Deacon to collect and proclaim during the Mass, alongside the Bambino, our representation of 'The Word of God made Flesh' which is processed at the end of the Mass with great solemnity, to be placed in the Christmas Crib. 'The Word was made Flesh and dwelt among us'. A very Happy New Year to you all! [Tue, 10 Jan 2012 09:45:02]

Fr Richard Herschel

Sadly a couple of weeks ago Fr Richard Herschel died. He had been severely ill for many months and sick for many years. He had been nursed lovingly and constantly by his wife Jean. Richard, a retired American priest, moved to Norwich from America to marry Jean some 12 years ago. He had worked some time before in Lichfield Diocese, and so England was no strange land to him - Norfolk might well have been though! He and Jean lived in a smallish flat above what was Fr Robert Llewelyn's flat, and while Fr Robert was alive were able to keep a watchful eye on him as he propgressed through his 90's. Richard was widely read, and kept up his Greek and Hebrew, unlike most clergy, which meant he had an alert and critical mind! His Funeral Requiem Mass was at S. John's on Armistice Day, and the church was full with his extended family and friends from both sides of the Atlantic and with parishioners who wished to pay their respects to him. The Mass was presided over and the Homily preached by Canon Michael McLean who had married Richard and Jean in the Cathedral some years before. May he now rest in the peace of Christ. [Mon, 14 Nov 2011 09:23:37]

Farewell

This might well be the last picture on the Parish Web Log of Fr David! Last Sunday he celebrated and preached the High Mass at S. John's for the last time. He now has a bit of free time to get both himself and his house in Watford ready for his removal and licensing as Priest in Charge of S. John the Apostle and Evangelist Watford, which will take place on 6th October at 8.00 pm. We presented Fr David with a small token of our love and thanks for his 3 year ministry with us here at S. John's and Fr Martin gave him a personal blessing to accompany him in his first sole charge parish. There was of course wine! [Wed, 24 Aug 2011 14:45:29]

Major Repairs

Well, the builders have started! The church exterior looks as if it is in the middle of a war zone, somewhat similar to the Turkish section of Nicosia in Cyprus. We have begun stage 2 of our major repair programme. Having completed repairs (really rebuilding) to the three southern bays last year, which you can see in the picture, we have now embarked on the renewal of the felting, the battons and the slate pins to all the roofs of the church. They are about 150 years old and have done their bit over the years and have now come to their natural end! And we also need to do some repairs to the stone work around the bell cote at the west end of the church. Hopefully it will all be finished by the end of October, and hopefully it will not exceed the £90,000 including fees that we have been advised the whole billy-do will cost! The congregation and a few local charities have managed to raise £20,000 towards this work, £15,000 solely from the congregation - this was an incredible achievement and shows just how much our congregation of S. John's Timberhill values their church, and our presentation of the Catholic Faith, which can still - just - be found within the Church of England! [Mon, 01 Aug 2011 08:26:24]

The end of the Curacy

Well, the time has almost come when we will have to say our good-byes to our Curate Fr David. It has recently been announced that he has been appointed Priest-in-Charge of S. John the Apostle, Watford in the Diocese of St Alban's. We will miss him very much! He has contributed a great deal to the life of our parish in the three years he has been with us, and I hope that we have contributed much to his growth in the Priesthood! His last Sunday with us will now be August 21st. His licencing in Watford will be on Thursday 6th October at a time we do not yet know. The arrrangements have been changed from what was previously announced here because the Diocese of St Alban's have not managed to organise themselves or their properties very well! We wish David all the best in his new parish, and hope that he will keep us informed of all the excitements that will be taking place there over the next few years. In the meantime here, we are back with just the old Rector and our retired priests who, thank God, are still really active and really keen to help! [Fri, 08 Jul 2011 13:38:49]

CORPUS et SANGUIS CHRISTI

What a wonderful Sunday we had celebrating the great festival of Corpus Christi! We were blessed indeed that the Bishop of Norwich wanted to conduct his Parish Visitation that Sunday, so he was able to come and celebrate the Mass, preach and carry the Blessed Sacrament in Procession around the church before giving Benediction. It was impossible to think of a time in the past (at least since the Reformation) that a Bishop of Norwich should be seen doing such 'extreme' things in one of his own parish churches! We are so lucky in having + Graham James as our bishop: he loves the Catholic Faith, knows what he is doing in church, and does it all so well, as well as loving S. John's Timberhill and us its people. He wrote in an email to me after the event 'A real treat!' Being the gorgeous summer Sunday it was, we were able to have lunch in the churchyard which I always think is a really good witness to those who are about their usual Sunday routine of shopping and pubbing! It shows that Christians who go to church can have fun too, and that includes having a drink or two! And so our picture shows the Bishop and Rector in relaxed frame of mind after sinking a number of glasses of wine, before his meeting with the churchwardens and Fr Martin's ministry review. I am glad to say all went well, and we live at S. John's to fight another day! [Mon, 04 Jul 2011 09:06:28]

Farewell Derek

It is with much sadness that we say farewell today to one of the great characters of S. John's, Derek Liddey-Smith. Derek had been ill for many months, but eventually succombed to the cancers he had been living with on Holy Saturday - he died while we at church were celebrating the Easter Vigil. Derek, although living in Aylesham loved coming into Norwich on a Sunday to be at S. John's Timberhill. He loved the liturgy, the fun, and the companionship of the clergy and congregation. He loved reading at Mass or praying the Intercessions and always looked resplendant in his kilt and bits and pieces that go with it. His funeral today will be a Solemn Requiem Mass, followed by a reception in church, before going on to Aylesham for his burial. We give thanks to God for his life, and pray that he may now enjoy eternal peace and happiness with all the saints in heaven. [Mon, 09 May 2011 08:01:09]

100 and not out

It was with great happiness that we celebrated with Roger Washbourne yesterday his 100th birthday. It is hardly believable that someone so active and alert could have reached this milestone! Roger, whose great claim to church fame was that he succeeded T.S.Eliot as churchwarden of S. Stephen's Gloucester Road, has been a regular and active member of S. John's congregation for many years, still reading at Mass, and keeping his mind active by listening intently to sermons and then going home and reading-up the Biblical passage in some learned Commentary. Preacher beware! His family from near and far were able to join him for his birthday and were able to sit with him at Mass yesterday. After the service there was a champagne reception with refreshments and a beautiful birthday cake. Alas, this had to come to an end all too swiftly, as it was also the day of our Annual Meetings (the social highlight of our year!) which we managed to get through in record time! Every blessing, Roger, and our love and prayers! [Mon, 11 Apr 2011 08:54:33]

The Rector Returns

Well, I am back after my three months in Thailand and Cambodia, reflecting on the impact that Buddhism has on the young people of those countries, compared with the impact that Christianity has on the young people here. I was able to visit many of the ancient religious sites in those countries including the famous Angkor Wat in Cambodia, and more impressive, I thought, many of the Temples that until quite recently lay hidden in the jungle. The climbing over toppled rocks and long walks in the heat of the day have played havoc with my knees: there will need to be some treatment for them later this year, me thinks! I am glad to say that the Buddhists dress their statues on festivals, which gives me encouragement to do the same at S. John's. The statue pictured is among the ruins of the ancient capital of Thailand Ayudyha, which was destroyed by the Burmese in the 1700's. Maybe there will be a written report of my reflections later, but maybe not: let's just wait and see! It's lovely to be back home though! [Mon, 11 Apr 2011 08:44:43]