Mellor Church

St. Thomas’ Parish Church Mellor is a member of the Church of England and is part of the Diocese of Chester.

It stands today where a place of worship has been situated since the early fourteenth century. The tower of the Church is of fifteenth century origin with the other parts of the building having been re-built several times. Many ancient treasures are to be found within and without these walls, as well as some beautiful modern pieces.

The Church is open for some parts of the weekend for visitors to view the building and artefacts. Items to look out for in the Church-yard are the remains of a Saxon Cross (now a sun dial), and the remains of the village stocks.

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Reader’s Viewpoint . . .

Edmond Haraucort was a French poet and author whose most well-known poem has the title ‘Partir, c’est mourir un peu’. The first verse translates as

`To leave is to die a little.

It is to die to those whom you love.

We leave a little of ourselves,

Every hour and in every place.’

These words were used by the then Father, Trevor Huddleston, in his autobiography that he wrote after his monastic order had sent him home to England because he had upset the South African authorities in his opposition to Apartheid.

This seemed to capture my feelings, and that of at least four others that have spoken to me, of the fifty or so people that went from Mellor to be at the service in Chester Cathedral in January when Peter Jenner was installed in his new post as a Residentiary Canon.

That Choral Evensong attended by the full Chapter of Canons, the Bishops of Chester, Birkenhead and Stockport, the robed choir and upwards of three hundred people in the congregation was an example of the Church of England at its best. The answer to those who question where such pageantry fits in with the mission of the church might be found in remembering that Jesus performed his first miracle at a wedding. Even the most committed Christian may benefit from appropriate ceremony. For all those there it was an enjoyable and uplifting experience.

In particular it was heartening to see Peter happy in these surroundings and to note his enthusiasm for the work in the Cathedral and the University that he will undertake, but it was that very enthusiasm that emphasised this was the final step away from the Parish of St. Thomas’ Mellor. No doubt he will maintain contacts with us and uphold the friendships he has established but we all know that it will not, and indeed should not, be the same.

During the fifteen years he was with us Peter gave us all that he was capable of and was instrumental in bringing about changes in our worship, our spirituality, our awareness and commitment to Justice and Peace issues and the principles and practice of Fair Trade. One permanent ‘legacy’ that he has left us with is the booklet ‘Christianity in Brief’ which may never be surpassed as a summary of what we at St. Thomas' believe. This is available in the Church or the Parish Centre.

On Saturday he was made a Canon but he was not canonised as a saint. He, whose personal modesty is clear to all who know him, would be the first to agree with that and I am sure he would encourage us to look forwards to getting to know and working with his successor whoever she or he may be.

In leaving, a small part of him may figuratively be said to have died but those who regarded him with affection or were helped by him in his ministry will also intensely feel the loss as a type of bereavement.

Stem-cell transplants apart, we know that the loss of a limb or other part of our body is permanent and cannot be regenerated. Our mind, emotions and attitudes are not limited in this fashion. The more open we are to new people and new ideas the more complete we become. Instead of focussing on all that Peter did for us we have to move on.

Adapting to change is rarely easy and coping with a ‘vacancy’ in a parish is always going to entail a lot of work and planning; especially by the Churchwardens. They will need all the support and assistance we can offer. It is most likely that there will be the occasional hiccup but instead of offering criticism we should ask ourselves if an opportunity to help has been missed.

The time without a Vicar always seems too long. Very often this is caused by external factors beyond the control of the Churchwardens. We will all have to be patient and accept that the process of advertising, selecting and then waiting while the new person serves notice from their previous post cannot be hurried but it will be done as quickly as possible. The answer to the FAQ ‘when will we have a new Vicar?' clearly cannot be given yet.

It has been often said that the Chinese words for threat and opportunity are linked. If we pray together, and work together, the next few months will leave us as a united, committed, community ready to fulfil the mission of the Church in Mellor under the care and direction of the new Vicar.

Peter Harrison

Click Here to read the recent sermons of Dr. Peter Jenner,

St. Thomas’s Parish Church, Church Road, Mellor, Stockport, Cheshire. SK6 5LX

The majesty of faith is that it teaches us to see what exists, not merely what catches our attention.As animals, we are genetically programmed to see danger, risk, movement, threat.Without this we would not survive.Nonetheless, the very existence of thanksgiving tells us that we are more than just animals.

Admittedly there is suffering, poverty, hatred and war.What gives us strength to fight these things, though, is the knowledge that they are not allthere is.Evil is not the ultimate reality and in this knowledge hope is born and we are lifted beyond the gravitational pull of despair.What makes us human is that we are capable of seeing existence whole, the landscape of beauty that forms the backdrop against which we notice the ugly, the cruel and the unjust.Prayer, not the press, is what makes the good news, news.

Rabbi Jonathan Sacks:'Celebrating Life'

Thought for the Month...

Then let me see your beauty

even in the shadows.

And when the time is right,

your time, not mine,

Ito see your finger,

creative still,

trace out, in lines of love,

the purposes you had in mind

from the beginning.

Eddie Askew:'No Strange Land'