News from Holy Trinity Church Formby
Welcome Rev’d Canon Mark Stanford - Our new vicar!
The
Rev’d Canon Mark Stanford is presently Team Rector of the Toxteth
Team ministry with responsibility for St Philemon’s Church Toxteth
and Area Dean of Toxteth and Wavertree. He is on the steering committee
of “Together for the Harvest”. At the interview Mark was asked to
introduce himself and tell us what he would bring to the role; here’s
an adapted version of what he said:
“Well I’m Mark, I was born and in Ilford, Essex on the outskirts of the East End of London – so I’m not a quite a cockney; but cut me and I’ll bleed claret and blue as a third generation West Ham supporter. I’m married to Sam and I’ve got four people who call me Dad. Three daughters by birth; Emily, Harriet and Grace and Caleb who is originally from Uganda and lived with us for four years before moving out to live independently.
My earliest memories are to do with Roding Lane Free Church, “helping” my Grandad with jobs at the weekend, being in awe of the minister Dr Beattie so I’ve grown up in an overtly Christian environment, with parents and grandparents who have prayed for me everyday of my life. When I was ten, my parents moved to the other side of London to Farnborough and we started going to the Church of the Good Shepherd, an Anglican church. There was a Covenanter Group there with over 100 boys, it was run by a man called Keith Elliot who’d come from Christ Church, Southport. He and the other leaders were pivotal in my faith journey; and it was a on a Covenanter Camp that I became a Christian.
On leaving school I worked in banking for Lloyds Bank and then Nat West, but with an increasing involvement in leading the youth work at the Good Shepherd. I was encouraged to preach occasionally and then supported in thinking about full time ministry.
I trained for ministry in Durham before coming to Liverpool Diocese as a curate at Christ Church, Aughton and then onto to my present role at St Philemon’s in Toxteth. We have been here for nearly 10 years and moving will be a wrench. We’re really going to miss the people. But too, we’re excited because we know that God goes with us and before us as we take this next step in our journey.
So what am I going to bring? Well, apart from a wife and a drum kit here are some of my passions:
- helping people take their next step toward Jesus…together.
- getting all of church on mission: seeing where God is at work and accepting his invitation to join in… wherever it takes us.
- prayer; because nothing of any significance happens without it.
- an eye for the next generation of leaders, so that as a church we pass the baton on well.
I enjoy keeping fit, reading thrillers and listening to 80’s rock as well as cooking and gardening with Sam.”
During the interview Mark gave each of the panel a marble, why not ask them what they’re going to do with theirs?
Mark’s licensing as priest in charge will be on the 11th of March 2012
MG Coffee Morning raises £1,100
There was a wonderful turn out for MG coffee morning held at Holy
Trinity Workshop on Saturday, November 26. We raised £636.48 plus
£500 "matching" generously arranged by Sue Culshaw of HSBC
Bank Bootle (Thank you Sue) who also worked hard on the day, along
with her husband, selling the raffle tickets - making a Grand Total
of £1136.48!
Many, many thanks to all who helped or contributed in any way. I had many comments on how hard all the helpers worked. Thanks to all who came and supported us and to the many sponsors who provided the items for all the stalls and prizes for the raffle and tombola.
Thank you all on behalf of all Myasthenics. (Myasthenia Gravis is also known as the "Rag Doll" illness --- hence our mascot!!) The name of the Rag Doll fruit cake was BRONWEN and the winner was Agnes Dolman.
The number of the "Sweets in the Jar" was 238 and the winner was six-year-old Charlie from Southport.
Many many thanks!!
Lesley
Letter from a Reader............
Behold! I am doing a new thing! Isaiah 43.19
In the absence of both a vicar and a curate the lot has somehow fallen on me to write this month’s introductory letter. If you are new to the website as well, welcome!
This is certainly a new thing for me, and it comes at a time of other new things. At the time of writing, some of us are still wishing each other a happy New Year. In a few weeks’ time we shall be welcoming our new priest-in-charge, Mark. We are at the threshold of a new relationship with St Michael’s, Altcar, as discussions are now under way about how we shall work together under Mark’s leadership. During the coming year many of us are likely to face new challenges or opportunities of one sort or another.
Some of those new things might well be to do with the economic situation. It seems to be the headline subject every time we turn on the news or open a paper. Pundits line up to make gloomy forecasts and the forecasts seem to cast a pall over everybody.
Time to lighten up! I’m not saying we can change world economics just by being cheerful but we can make people feel better. I’m no economist but I’m convinced that economic experts can make some things come true just by forecasting them.
While they spread gloom, let’s do our bit to counter the effect by being that bit more cheerful with everyone we meet. In Isaiah’s book the words above are followed by God’s promise to make streams in the wasteland; we can be streams of optimism in a wasteland of gloom. There are people in our church who are always cheerful under the most difficult circumstances – let them be our models.
Lent starts this month. It’s traditionally a time for sackcloth, ashes and long faces but as Christians we know that this time of reflection and preparation leads ultimately to the celebration of the most important ever worldchanging event – the rising of Jesus from the dead to begin the rule of heaven on earth. This year, let’s not pretend we don’t know it’s coming – while we reflect and prepare, let’s celebrate as well, and give thanks for all our blessings!
Garth