December 2020 Link fb

Who do I contact? Priest Rev Matt 01228 Parish Office in Charge Martinson 599562 01228 Holy Trinity, 538983 St Barnabas, Rev Ian or & St Luke’s Johnston [email protected] Associate Rev Barrie Thomas 07793 [email protected] Priest 917486 (for Baptisms) Associate Maria Holmes 07443 [email protected] Priest Mrs Jannette 549525 (for Funerals) Local Lay Minister King [email protected] Church Mrs Mary Mrs Yvonne Wardens Law Swainson (Holy Trinity, St Barnabas) (Safeguarding (Safeguarding) Lead) [email protected] Church Wardens Mal & Peter 07989 806096 or (St Luke’s) Brown 01228 St Barnabas 529227 Bookings Angela & John Worship Hewitt (answerphone) Leaders Mrs Ruby 01228 Safeguarding Link Morlin 380541 (St Luke’s) Magazine (answerphone) Mrs Lynsey Mr Geoff Bland Brown Alison Sayer 01228 Mr Richard 536574 Stewart Mrs Maria Holmes Mrs Haley Mr Geoff Martinson Brown alisonosayer@ alison btinternet.com @tp4c.co.uk 2

What’s going on?! Sundays; “Face to face” services at 11am at each church in turn. Also live on Facebook or phone. Please wear a mask and bring a pen so that you can leave your details All churches also have the NHS Test & Trace app STOP PRESS! All services will be at St Barnabas when we are able to meet Mondays, Wednesdays and Fridays: Facebook/Zoom Prayer meetings at 9am Check on the TP4C group facebook page for the zoom code or phone number Wednesdays: at 10am Facebook Holy Communion You can also check www.tp4c.co.uk or contact Matt or Maria either by email or by phone to find out what’s going on or if you have any questions or need prayer or assistance of any kind. If you would like to donate, for example, your usual collection from the last few months, please put it in an envelope, marked with what it is and who it’s from and hand it to Yvonne Swainson, if possible, so that there is only one person actually handling the money. Or you could ask for the church bank details so that you can donate directly. 01228 599562 for Matt or 01228 538983 for the Office Information can also be checked on www.achurchnearyou.com or in- [email protected] Also on Facebook: If you “do” facebook, we have the following pages: Tp4c Bible Challenge Reflection Group St Luke’s Church Carlisle Holy Trinity Church Carlisle St Barnabas Church foodbank@tp4c Tp4c men’s meet up ST Luke’s Little Fishes ...and we now have our own Youtube channel: https://l.facebook.com/l.php?u=https%3A%2F%2Fwww.youtube.com% 2Fchannel%2FUCzl4XRy53TzFt0EUS_ibW-Q%3Ffbclid% 3DIwAR2ZmHCE7u-ONLdkdAdTn7vG5FoMIwchgThgtphs- tAMGae41iz4Zebqst8&h=AT0przwHh8aAc9Gj1znXGVFBx3l_Sg- 5FbiRMRflDTv8RMNH_-HUtr_djzVgyIfS- 3

Words from….. Jannette It is now December and the year 2020 is almost over. What a year it has been!! Who would have guessed last Christmas, when we were all busy discussing the festive season and the joy of meeting up with family and friends that, 12 months down the line, we would have been in lockdown twice and adjusting to a ‘new’ normal? One Bible reading I have found particularly poignant in the last month is Ecclesiastes 3 verses 1-8. (There is a time for everything…) In regards to this year we can ask the question ‘Why us?’ Yet a more important question would be ‘What can we do?’ and since March we have seen evidence of this in our community and in the wider society. NHS volunteers have come forward (including some who have come out of retirement to help fight the pandemic), key workers have kept society going and their have been many stories in the media about everyday people helping the vulnerable and shielded in their communities. In our Parish thanks to volunteers the Food Bank has continued to be distributed on a weekly basis, phone call rotas have been put in place to enable people to hear a friendly voice and have a chat and thanks to Matt and Haley, Church reopened as soon as it was viably safe to do so in order to allow people to come together and worship. (Social distancing rules adhered to though!!) So rather than question why something is happening or what it means, the important response is that we act as God’s hands and feet in His world. God may not stop the pandemic but he does send people to act for Him and to meet the needs of the world. Christmas will still happen this year and we will still celebrate the birth of Christ on Christmas Day even though it may be in a different way. People may not be able to meet up as they have done in previous years, family may, due to Covid, be missing from the festivities but it is a time of renewal/a new beginning when we remember that God sent His only Son down to earth for us. This happened over 2000 years ago but Jesus (and therefore God) are still with us today and on December 25th we need to remember this and give praise. 4

Who knows what 2021 will bring with the announcement of a vaccine being found? But whatever happens we need to remember that everything happens for a reason and not revert to our previous way of living (rushing around, filling eve- ry moment of every day) but to focus on what God wishes us to do – to support others, show kindness to those in need, to share His Word and have time to speak to God in prayer. We are all part of a bigger plan and only God knows what this is. He is there for us if only we will let Him in. So today I pray that you all have a wonderful Christmas, enjoy the festivities, share the joy of Jesus’ birth and as we enter 2021 I pray that we can look forward with hope and faith in Christ Jesus. Happy Christmas Jannette King 5

A House Built on Love by Ed Walker I have recently read the most thought provoking book called A House Built on Love. It tells the remarkable story of Hope into Action, a growing mission working in partnership with churches to supply homes, support, friendship and love for those who are homeless and marginalized in society. Each chapter was filled with emotion and the grace of God’s love. The words which impacted me the most were: He was born in a borrowed stable He fled violence and lived as a refugee He had nowhere to lay his head He died rejected and betrayed He was buried in a borrowed tomb He was (and is) homeless He identifies himself with the needs of those on earth today “whatever you did for one of the least of these brothers and sisters of mine, you did for me” (Matthew 25:40) Hope into Action was founded in 2010 and they enable churches to house the homeless, Currently there are 200 people each night receiving love and support in their homes from their local church who otherwise would feel lost and alone- How amazing is this! How can we be more like Jesus? How can we do more for those who feel lost, alone and/or are marginalized in our communities? Lord of all, I thank you for the community I am part of and the opportunities I have to serve here. Help me to be the reflection of your love to everyone I know Amen If you want to read the book I got my copy through their website (hopeintoaction.org.uk) for £7.99. Gemma 6

Parishes serving their communities Recently published Mission Statistics for 2019 show that parishes were already running or supporting 35,000 social action projects before the pandemic, serving communities across the country from lunch clubs for older people to parent and toddler groups and food banks. More than 4,000 parent/carer toddler groups are run or supported by Church of England churches, while more than 5,000 churches run or support lunch clubs, coffee mornings or similar hospitality for older people. The figures also show the extent of church support for people living in food poverty, with nearly 8,000 food banks run or supported by Church of England churches. Nearly 60% of churches are involved in food bank provision, while nearly one in three reported either running, hosting or supporting a parent/toddler group. Other figures showed 2,700 churches involved in community cafes, 2,400 in night shelters and 2,300 in holiday or breakfast clubs. The findings show Church of England churches were involved in 35,000 social action projects, compared to 33,000 recorded in 2017. These figures for social action have been released alongside statistics showing that the number of regular worshippers attending church once a month or more decreased by 1% in 2019 to 1.11 million. On average, 854,000 people attended Church of England services and acts of worship each week in October 2019, a decline of 2.1% compared to the year before. The additional number of people attending services for schools in Church of England churches rose by 3% to 182,000. Usual Sunday attendance fell by 2% to 690,000 in 2019. In 2019 there were nearly eight million attendances at Christmas and Advent services, and more than a million people attended Church of England church services at Easter. Watch Matt & Haley’s tp4c food bank appeal on Facebook 7

SOUP @ SANDSFIELD You are cordially invited to Sandsfield Community Church for Lunch. Date: First Tuesday of each month: Time: 12:30pm SUSPENDED!!! Soup at Sandsfield is a FREE lunch provided with love and lots of chatter in your community, for you, your family and your friends. We look forward to seeing you there. If you would like more information then give Stephen a call on 01228 591270 or just drop into the centre. Yewdale Crafty Crafters Wednesdays at 6.30 pm Term Time only It is an opportunity to come and have a chat , a cuppa and do crafts that you have always wanted to do or never got round to doing. Cost is £2 including a drink. You can bring your own crafts if you want to or there will be some simple crafts to start. We look forward to seeing you there. Contact Margaret Walker or Stephen 01228 591270 SUSPENDED! Christmas Appeal As we head into an unfamiliar Christmas Season, both here and across the Middle East, the need is still great. COVID-19 presents us with new challenges and, for many, real suffering. Our Christian partners are responding to the needs of ref- ugees and families living in dire situations as the winter draws in. This winter will bring new hardships to the 1.5 million Syrian refugees living across Lebanon and many of the 700,000 people whose homes were damaged in the devastating Port of Beirut explo- sion. The good news is that you can make a difference. As we approach this special time of Christmas we are asking for your support. www.embraceme.org Parish Prayer Loop: Maria Holmes : Speak to her! ([email protected]) Brenda Peerless 07436 868669 Elaine Johnston: 07793 917485 (text preferred) Alison Sayer: [email protected] Rev Matt & Haley Martinson: [email protected] or 599562 Geoff Brown from St Luke’s Margaret Brown from St Luke’s All requests are confidential and can be for anyone about anything. 8

Lectionary Readings for December Year B Sunday 6th December Isaiah 40: 1-11 Mark 1: 1-8 2nd Sunday of Advent Psalm 85: 1-2, 8-13 John 1: 6-8, 19-28 Sunday 13th December 2Peter 3: 8-15a 3rd Sunday of Advent Isaiah 61: 1-4, 8-11 Psalm 126 or Magnificat: Luke 1: 46b-55 1Thessalonians 5: 16-24 Sunday 20th December 2Samuel 7: 1-11, 16 Luke 1: 26-38 4th Sunday of Advent (Magnificat: Luke 1: 46b-55) or Psalm 89: 1-4, 19-26 Romans 16: 25-27 Christmas Eve Set 1: Isaiah 9: 2-7 Set 2: Isaiah 62: 6-12 Thursday 24th Psalm 96 Psalm 97 December Titus 2: 11-14 Titus 3: 4-7 Luke 2: 1-14, [15-20] Luke 2: [1-7], 8-20 Christmas Day Set 3: Isaiah 52: 7-10 Friday 25th December Psalm 98 Hebrews 1: 1-4, [5-12] John 1: 1-14 Sunday 27th December Isaiah 61: 10– 62: 3 St John: 1st Sunday of Christmas Psalm 148 Exodus 33: 7-11a or Galatians 4: 4-7 Psalm 117 St John the Evangelist Luke 2: 22-40 or 1John 1 Luke 2: 15-21 John 21: 19b-25 Sunday 3rd January Jeremiah 31: 7-14 or John 1: (1-9) 10-18 2nd Sunday of Ecclesiastes 24: 1-12 Christmas Psalm 147: 13-21 or Wisdom of Solomon 10:15-21 Ephesians 1: 3-14 Epiphany Isaiah 60: 1-6 Matthew 2: 1-12 Wednesday 6th January Psalm 72: [1-9], 10-15 Ephesians 3: 1-12 9

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Across: 1 Rely (Psalm 62:7) (6) 4 ‘He stretches out the heavens like a — , and spreads them out like a tent to live in’ (Isaiah 40:22) (6) 7 What the dove carried the olive leaf in, when it returned to Noah’s ark (Genesis 8:11) (4) 8 Annoy (1 Samuel 1:6) (8) 9 Judah’s last king, who ended his days as a blind prisoner in Babylon (Jeremiah 52:11) (8) 13 ‘They all — and were satisfied’ (Luke 9:17) (3) 16 Eliphaz the Temanite was one; so was Bildad the Shuhite and Zophar the Naamathite (Job 2:11; 16:2) (4,9) 17 National Association of Evangelicals (of the USA) (1,1,1) 19 Popular song for New Year’s Eve, Auld — — (4,4) 24 Able dock (anag.) (8) 25 The number of stones David chose for his confrontation with Goliath (1 Samuel 17:40) (4) 26 Elgar’s best-known ‘Variations’ (6) 27 Soak (Isaiah 16:9) (6) Down 1 Money owing (Deuteronomy 15:3) (4) 2 Conciliatory (Titus 3:2) (9) 3 ‘Do this, whenever you — it, in remembrance of me’ (1 Corinthians 11:25) (5) 4 A group assisting in the governance of the Roman Catholic Church (5) 5 One of the gifts Joseph’s brothers took with them on their second journey to Egypt (Genesis 43:11) (4) 6 ‘Reach out your hand and — — into my side. Stop doubting and believe’ (John 20:27) (3,2) 10 Be outstandingly good (2 Corinthians 8:7) (5) 11 ‘What — — that you are mindful of him, the son of man that you care for him?’ (Psalm 8:4) (2,3) 12 Horse’s feet (Judges 5:22) (5) 13 Notice (Deuteronomy 17:4) (9) 14 Comes between 2 Chronicles and Nehemiah (4) 15 One of Israel’s northern towns conquered by Ben-Hadad (1 Kings 15:20) (4) 18 Narnia’s Lion (5) 20 One of the two rivers in which Naaman would have preferred to wash (2 Kings 5:12) (5) 21 Avarice—one of the evils that come from inside people (Mark 7:22) (5) 22 Knight Grand Cross of St Michael and St George (1,1,1,1) 23 Jacob’s first wife (Genesis 29:23) (4) Answers on page 17 Acknowledgements go to www.parishpump.co.uk for many of the articles, prayers, puzzles & cartoons in this magazine. 11

Silent Night This much-loved carol comes from Austria, where it was first sung as Stille Nacht, heilige Nacht on Christmas Eve, 1818. It was written by Father Joseph Mohr, a young priest at St Nicholas parish church, in the village of Oberndorf bei Salzburg. As Christmas 1818 approached, he asked the local schoolmaster, Franz Xaver Gruber, to compose a melody for his carol. Gruber was organist in the nearby village of Arnsdorf, and so was happy to oblige. On Christmas Eve they presented the carol to the church during the midnight mass. The carol went on to become loved world-wide; and the version sung by Bing Crosby is the third best-selling single of all time. Silent Christmas midnight Answers on Night Eve mass page 17 loved father melody carol Joseph single Austria Mohr Bing first young version sung priest third Stille organist Nacht Heilige 12

Modern Nativity! The teacher asked her Sunday School class to draw a picture of a Bible story with a Christmas theme. She was puzzled by Kate’s picture, which showed four people on a plane. She asked her which story it was meant to represent. ‘The Flight into Egypt,’ was the reply. Pointing at each figure, the teacher ventured: ‘That must be Mary, Joseph, and Baby Jesus. But who’s the fourth person?” ‘Oh,’ explained Kate happily, ‘that’s Pontius – the pilot!’ How many Christmas carols do you really know? Here is a challenge: include God in your Christmas! This is His Son’s birthday – include Bible readings and carols in your family routine over the festive period. Why not spend some time learning the words to traditional carols this year? Polls have found that too many of us know the title of a carol and the tune and the opening line or so, but then we have to make it up. This year you probably have more time at home, so get go- ing! 25th December: The story of mince pies Did you know that mince pies have been traditional English Christmas fare since the Middle Ages, when meat was a key ingredient? The addition of spices, suet and alcohol to meat came about because it was an alternative to salting and smoking in order to preserve the food. Mince pies used to be a different shape - cradle-shaped with a pastry baby Jesus on top. Men’s Breakfast Dependent on new lockdown rules! These will take place on the 1st Saturday of the month ( 5th December) and will be at 10 am. Meet at St Luke’s at 9.45am, then stroll over to the Royal Scot for breakfast, tea or coffee and a chat. Contact Matt to book your place . All men welcome. Fa- cebook: Tp4c men’s meet up 13

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We have Cubs and Scouts at both Holy Trinity and St Barnabas for boys and girls from 8 years+ Meeting in Term-time only St Barnabas Cubs and Scouts on Mondays Cubs at Holy Trinity Contact: Peter Martin 07718 237722 Holy Trinity Cubs and Scouts on Fridays at Holy Trinity from 6-7pm & 7-8.30pm GSL: Mark Hampton 07538 571546 contact Mike for Cubs or Mark for Scouts Beaver Colony at Holy Trinity Church Hall at 4.15-5.45pm on Fridays in term time Contact Ben or Joanne Girls may join the Rainbows or the Brownies who meet at St Barnabas Church on Wednesdays Meeting in Term-time only Rainbows 5pm to 6pm Brownies 6-7.30pm Contact: Suzie Giles for Rainbows on 544118 or for Brownies Ellis Page (mobile) 07729 046 765 or (Home) 01228 544 877. .....@HT EVENTS SUNDAY@HT 11am on first Sunday: Sunday ??? Worship for all the family TEA@HT 2nd Saturday 3.30pm: Saturday ??? Food, Fun, Family, Worship All @ HT (Holy Trinity) 15

28th December: Holy Innocents The death of a very young child is perhaps the hardest grief of all to bear. So the 28th December is a very poignant day in the church calendar. It is when the worldwide Church joins with bereaved parents to grieve the loss of babies and young children. For Holy Innocents day recalls the massacre of the young male children of Bethlehem by Herod the Great. Herod had been told by the Magi, or Wise Men, that a great king had been born in Bethlehem, and he felt shaken. How could a child in unimportant little Bethlehem be so powerful that the stars in the night sky honoured His birth?! Herod took the Magi so seriously that he decided to try and kill this new young rival. He decreed that every male baby of two years and under should be killed. (Matthew 2:1-18). Bethlehem was not a large place, and Bible commentators estimate that between six and 25 infants were slaughtered by Roman soldiers. Their mothers were inconsolable at the death of their babies, as indeed mothers have always been. The death of these innocent baby boys of Bethlehem became a feast-day in the western Church by the 4th century. This was because the Church considered them to be martyrs because they not only died for Christ, but instead of Christ. Down the centuries, the tragic loss of the Holy Innocents has touched the im- agination and hearts of poets, preachers and artists. Though heart-broken par- ents still grieve today, the Church can offer them one firm assurance: that young children who die to this world will undoubtedly “this day be with Me in Paradise.” The One who eagerly said “Suffer the little children to come unto Me” will be the last person to turn them away. The Virgin Behold the Virgin approaching near, And the Christ so young upon her breast, Angels low-bowing before them here, And the King of life saying, ‘Tis best’. Old Celtic prayer 16

ANSWERS Crossword answers: ACROSS: 1, Depend. 4, Canopy. 7, Beak. 8, Irritate. 9, Zedekiah. 13, Ate. 16, Job’s comforter. 17, NAE. 19, Lang Syne. 24, Blockade. 25, Five. 26, Enig- ma. 27, Drench. DOWN: 1, Debt. 2, Peaceable. 3, Drink. 4, Curia. 5, Nuts. 6, Put it. 10, Excel. 11, Is man. 12, Hoofs. 13, Attention. 14, Ezra. 15, Ijon. 18, Aslan. 20, Abana. 21, Greed. 22, GCMG. 23, Leah. 17

Dear Friends 2020 will always be a memorable year! The year that for some will be the worst they have experienced. A year of Covid 19, of Lockdown, of spring cleaning, of clearing out, a year of illness, of death, a year of testing and often a time of abuse! A year when school children didn't sit exams, did not have their ball, a year when home schooling became the norm. A year when people panic bought, pasta, hand sanitizers, masks and oh, the toilet roll! A year when people didn't go to work, the gym and a year when the pubs closed! When loved ones could not be together, could not touch and hug one another and not say their goodbyes! A year when death was at the door! A year when black lives matter, of floods, fires, starvation, persecution and war. 2020 was a year of disruption! Disruption of our lives as we have known it. 2020 also gave us some modern day miracles! In 2020 when the world was in lockdown, the world began to repair its self. The smog went away and emissions went to almost zero! In Venice they could see the fish for the first time in 26 years, the wild life came down from the hills into the towns! The heroes came out en masse, the doctors, the nurses, the cleaners, the bus drivers, the truck drivers, the supermarket staff, the police, the ambulance staff, the undertakers, the bin men, the teachers and key workers everywhere. Neighbours became neighbours once again, people did random acts of kindness, they were patient and kind. People had time to think and begin to search for God! Church became digital! Zoom, Teams, Facebook, emails, phone calls became a good thing to do. Social Media enabled us to see each other and talk with each other and realise what we have missed. Our churches became global! with friends from around the world, America, Australia, Norway to name but a few, new friends become good friends! People who we worship with, people with whom we can pray. Reading the bible becomes exciting and not something you have to do! The time spent with Jesus becomes a priority not something you forget! The world became one! united in their cry, Lord how we need you, Lord please save us, Lord how we love you! In the time of the pandemic, God begins to move, virtual mission, prayer groups, bible study, men's groups, women's groups, foodbank, girls group, Alpha and ministry training, the worship with no signing but felt deep in our heart! Thank you to our church family who showed others we cared! Thank you Lord Jesus for opening our eyes! Maria 18

ST BARNABAS WITH HOLY TRINITY MOTHERS UNION Hello everyone. I hope you are well and managing to cope with this second lock down and that Boris will let us out to be with family and friends at Christmas, I know that we will not abuse any new rules as we are not likely to want to go “clubbing” . As I write this we would have been thinking about our December meeting when we all gather together for a Service of Readings and Carols, followed by seasonal refreshments, funny stories and one of Angela’s party games. Never mind there is nothing to stop us having something similar in the Spring after we are given the promised vaccine ( I am sure most of us are in the required age group ) . I received the 2021 Prayer Diary this morning, which I gather is being sent to each of us through the post, I haven’t looked at it properly but was touched by the words on the cover which end with ...”United through God's love we have supported each other, renewing our strength to help those that need us most” . Have a lovely Christmas and may we all look forward to a Happy Healthy New Year. Love and God Bless...Margaret Lines from Invocation of Peace Deep peace, pure white of the moon to you; Deep peace, pure green of the grass to you; Deep peace, pure brown of the earth to you; Deep peace, pure grey of the dew to you, Deep peace, pure blue of the sky to you! Deep peace of the running wave to you, Deep peace of the flowing air to you, Deep peace of the quiet earth to you. By Fiona Macleod (19th century Celtic visionary and romantic) The Word of God, Jesus Christ, on account of His great love for mankind, became what we are in order to make us what He is Himself. – Irenaeus 19

Comfort and Joy – Nine Lessons and Carols for Christmas By John Kiddie, CHP (80p single copy; pack of 10, £7; pack of 50, £30) Churches all over the country will be marking Advent and Christmas in both new and familiar ways this year. ‘Comfort and Joy’, the Church of England's 2020 Christmas campaign, will help enrich your Christmas It features daily reflections for the Christmas season from Kate Botley, Jonathan Bryan, Bob Chilcot, Martha Collison, Stephen Cottrell, Guli Francis-Dehqani, Chine McDonald, Sally Phillips and Justin Welby. Beginning on Christmas Day and ending on 2nd January, each day explores a Bible reading and a familiar carol, encouraging us to consider Christmas in these extraordinary times, and inviting us to hear again the message of the angels - good news of God's unfailing love for a world that is weary and hurting. For more about ‘Comfort and Joy’, online services, and the free app featuring audio versions of all the featured carols, go to: www.churchofengland.org/ ComfortAndJoy Free at Last By Asia Bibi, Authentic, £9.99 Here is the remarkable story of the woman who refused to renounce her faith and unwittingly became the global symbol of the fight against religious extremism. After drinking water from the same glass as a Muslim wom- an, Asia Bibi, a Christian, was sentenced to hang by the Is- lamic Republic of Pakistan in 2010 on charges of blasphemy. Bibi's case polarised all of Pakistan and mobilised international support from across the globe, including politi- cians, journalists, and countless organisations. For nine long years, Bibi awaited death in prison until she was formally acquitted in January 2019. Now a political exile, Bibi is reunited with her family in the West, but she will never be allowed to return to her homeland. 20

This quiz was kindly sent in by Melinda Cole, one of our editors (parish pump) … it originally appeared in the East Leicester Fellowship of URC Churches. We offer here both the ‘quiz’ and also the solution is included below. Can you find 30 books of the Bible hidden in this passage? This is a most remarkable puzzle. It was found by a gentleman in an airplane s eat pocket, on a flight from Los Angeles to Honolulu, keeping him occupied for hours. He enjoyed it so much that he passed it on to some friends. One friend from Illinois worked on this while fishing from his John-boat. Another friend studied it while playing his banjo. Elaine Taylor, a columnist friend, was so intrigued by it, she mentioned it in her weekly newspaper column. Another friend judges the job of solving this puzzle so involving that she brews a cup of tea to help her nerves. There will be some names that are really easy to spot. That's a fact. Some people, however, will soon find themselves in a jam, especially since the books are not necessarily capitalised. Truthfully from answers we get, we are forced to admit it usually takes a minister or scholar to see some of them at the worst. Research has shown that something in our genes is responsible for the difficulty we have in seeing the books in these paragraphs. During a recent fundraising event, which features this puzzle, the Alpha Delta Phil-Lemonade booth set a new sales record. The local paper, the Chronicle, surveyed over 50 patrons who reported that this puzzle was one of the most difficult they had ever seen. As Daniel Humana humbly puts it, \"the books are all right here in plain view, hidden from sight\". Those able to find all of them will hear great lamentations from those who have to be shown. One revelation that may help is that books Timothy and Samuel appear without their numbers. Also, keep in mind, that punctuation and spaces in the middle are normal. A chipper attitude will help you compete really well against those who claim to know the answers. Remember, there is no need for a mass exodus, there really are 30 books of the Bible lurking somewhere in these paragraphs waiting to be found. Answers: . 21 The books of the Bible, as they appear in the quiz, are as follows: Amos, Mark, Luke, John, Joel, Judges, Job, Hebrews, Esther, Acts, James, Ruth, Romans, Titus, Matthew, Genesis, Philemon (spelt Phillemon in quiz), Chronicles, Daniel, Nahum, Hosea, Lamentations, Revelation, Timothy, Samuel, Numbers, Malachi, Peter, Exodus, Kings

God in the Sciences This series is written by Dr Ruth M Bancewicz, who is Church Engagement Director at The Faraday Institute for Science and Religion in Cambridge. Ruth writes on the positive relationship between Science and Christian faith. Follow the Star Jesus’ welcoming committee included Eastern scholars who learned about His birth through their study of astrology. I can’t help thinking that the arrival of these people at Bethlehem is a link between a very early form of science (albeit mixed in with their own form of religion) and Christian faith. What better way to discover God than to explore the world and follow the evidence wherever it leads? But what exactly was the star of Bethlehem? Scientists have investigated this question over the centuries, coming up with a variety of answers. First, there is the idea of a supernova: the massively bright explosion caused by a dying star. On rare occasions a supernova can be seen from Earth with the naked eye, remaining visible for several months. We now know that Herod the Great died around 4BC, so the actual date of Jesus’ birth must be a little earlier. The supernovae that might match this timing were one in the Andromeda galaxy between March 8BC and September 7BC, and another in the constellation of Capricorn in the Spring of 5BC. Next, comes a planetary conjunction. The alignment most commonly associated with the star of Bethlehem was between Jupiter and Saturn in the constellation of Pisces in 7BC, but not everyone is sure whether this would be extraordinary enough to be the ‘star’ mentioned in the Bible. Finally, the bright astronomical object that drew the Magi could have been a comet. This idea came from Sir Colin Humphreys, Professor of Materials Science at Cambridge University, and Oxford astronomer WG Waddington, who found that a comet was recorded by Chinese astronomers between March and May, 5BC. Humphreys then speculated that the ‘no room at the inn’ scenario came about because Jesus was born during Passover, and the Magi visited Jesus in May or June. People interpret the biblical account of Jesus’ birth in all sorts of ways, but there’s very little argument from serious historians that Jesus of Nazareth actually existed. Whatever the true explanation for the ‘star of Bethlehem’ may be, there’s plenty of evidence that an astronomical event could have happened at the time of His birth. I think it makes perfect sense that if God was going to enter His own creation and take on the form of one of His own creatures, it should be marked by a very significant physical event! 22

How do you usually get your copy of The Link magazine? Thank you to everyone who has already been in touch! I hope you are all managing to find the Link online somewhere. But I still need to know.... Who would like a paper copy of the Link magazine? If you would still like a paper copy of the Link, you don’t need to do anything if you are on the electoral roll or if someone usually delivers your Link. Your usual distributor will bring your copy as usual. These arrangements will stay in place until you are able to come back to church and pick up your copy there. However, if you have been receiving your Link in the post, I’m afraid I am no longer able to do this. I hope you are able to find it online. There is no longer a charge for the Link magazine. If you wish to make a donation via your distributor or at one of the church- es, we would be very grateful. For those of you who have laptops, tablets, iPads or smartphones, there are lots of ways of keeping in touch with what’s going on in the parish and “attending” digitally and I already have a list of people who I email the magazine to. There is a digital copy of the Link on the Holy Trinity, St Barnabas and St Luke’s page of the www.achurchnearyou.com site. Type Carlisle UK into the Location box and it will show you a map. We are number 6, click on Visit page and there is the Link magazine on the list. If you no longer wish to receive a paper copy and would like to be put on the email list or if you are happy to read the digital copy on the achurchnearyou website, please email me at [email protected] and let me know your name, email address and who usually brings your magazine and I will take you off the relevant distribution list. I will let the distributor know. Thank you! Alison Sayer PS: If you aren’t on the electoral roll, now is the time to ask for a form to fill in. It makes it much easier for us to contact you when we need to. 23

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Michael G. Maddison Independent Funeral Director 57-61 Newtown Road, Carlisle, Cumbria CA2 7JB Tel: 01228 317577 Mob: 07796102996 Offering a 24 hour Caring and Dignified Service Chapels of Rest, Pre-payment Funeral Plans & Memorials 27

CONTACT DETAILS Are you new to the Parish or would like some further information about the different Parish activities? Please tick the information you require on the list below, send this form to the address given and the right person will contact you soon. Send your Parish Office request to: c/o Holy Trinity Church Stanhope Road, Carlisle, CA2 7BJ Phone: 01228 538983 [email protected] Name Address Postcode Telephone Email Baptism/Confirmation Bible Study Courses (Alpha, Footsteps, Called to Serve) Family Church activities Pastoral Visiting Prayer/ Healing Ministry Youth Organisations Link Magazine Parish Activities and Events Anything else? (Please note request in space provided)