Vicars Cross United Reformed Church

SPRING POEM

I first visited the Lake District when I was 10. We stayed with my uncle, who worked on the local estate. I thought I had landed in paradise - the only trees I’d seen were the ones in the local park in Salford, so to be among the fields and forest was wonderful.

When I read this poem, I can visualise where Wordsworth was talking about - he went to the same school as my great grandad in Hawkshead, and this time of year the churchyard is always full of daffodils - the most beautiful sight. I hope you enjoy the poem and can enjoy God’s wonderful spectacle of spring flowers

. Liz

I wandered lonely as a cloud

That floats on high o'er vales and hills,

When all at once I saw a crowd,

A host, of golden daffodils;

Beside the lake, beneath the trees,

Fluttering and dancing in the breeze.

Continuous as the stars that shine

And twinkle on the milky way,

They stretched in never-ending line

 Along the margin of a bay:

Ten thousand saw I at a glance,

 Tossing their heads in sprightly dance.

The waves beside them danced;

but they Out-did the sparkling waves in glee:

A poet could not but be gay,

In such a jocund company:

I gazed—and gazed—but little thought

What wealth the show to me had brought:

 For oft, when on my couch I lie

In vacant or in pensive mood,

They flash upon that inward eye

Which is the bliss of solitude;

And then my heart with pleasure fills,

And dances with the daffodils

 

BY WILLIAM WORDSWORTH

Christian Aid Week 10^th-16^th May 2026

 For one focused week, thousands of people across Britain and Ireland give, fundraise, pray and act together.

This year, what will you do? 

 Nothing? Something?

 I hope it’s something. Why? Quite rightly, our church and the Vicars Cross community are both extremely generous to our local Food Bank, which provides much needed food and other essential items to poor people in our area. Things like soap and shampoo, hygiene items, nappies and so on. It is upsetting to think that when we chose what food to buy, far too many families have no money to buy any food at all.

 However, people in poverty world-wide have no such thing as a Food Bank to turn to, so they are utterly reliant on outside organisations for help. This is where Christian Aid comes in.

 Christian Aid aims to end poverty and injustice worldwide by focusing on four key areas. This involves working in partnership with local organisations, as well as with governments and the private sector.

The work includes helping people to:

1.      claim their rights and access services such as healthcare and education

2.      ensure they are not discriminated against for any reason

3.      become more resilient to shocks and disasters such as drought, climate change and hurricanes

4.      make the most of opportunities, such as being able to sell their produce for a fair price. 

 Much of Christian Aid emphasis is on point number 3. This is because if you teach a person how to grow food more efficiently, that family is better fed, and surplus food can be sold to pay for education and healthcare.

 How is the Christian Aid money spent?

§  84p in their life-changing work including: working for long-term change, responding to humanitarian emergencies and using their voice to call for global change.

§  16p in fundraising and awareness raising to attract new supporters to make all the above work possible. For every £1 invested, they secure more than £6 in return.

 With this information in mind, I pray that we follow the command of Jesus to Love your neighbour as yourself. And your neighbour is anyone who needs help and support.                                                                        

Marje Robinson Chester Christian Aid Group member

Why do churches celebrate Communion?

 The story of the Last Supper is an invitation from Jesus to partake of himself, first to His apostles and to all Christians. Below is a summary of the Last Supper Bible story as told in the books of Matthew, Mark, and Luke. The Last Supper was the evening before Jesus was betrayed, and then killed on what we call Good Friday, before he rose again on what we call Easter Sunday.

 The last supper occurred on Passover's first day, or the Festival of Unleavened Bread. Jesus sent his disciples to Jerusalem to prepare a meal to celebrate Passover. Passover is the remembrance of Israel being freedn from slavery to Egypt, specifically when the angel of death passed over the homes of the Israelites that had lambs' blood over the doors.

 As the disciples relaxed and ate dinner with Jesus, he explained that one of the twelve would soon betray him. One by one the disciplines denied that it would be them, including Judas who would be the betrayer. Jesus responded that the person who betrays him will have a terrible fate. Which he did.

 Jesus prayed and thanked God for the meal. He then broke the bread, shared the wine with the disciples, and explained to them how the bread was a symbol of his body, broken for them, and the wine a symbol of his blood which would be poured out for their sins to be forgiven. This is where the church's tradition of communion comes from.

 Some churches have non-alcoholic wine, as we do in Vicars Cross URC, to represent the gruesome death Jesus died. The small piece of bread represents a body destroyed by torture and death on a cross.

 Why is communion important to Christians?

It is a reminder that God wanted human beings to know and love him, and he was prepared to let his Son Jesus suffer in this way. Why? So that whatever we did wrong – and we all get things wrong on a daily basis – we would still be loved by God. If that’s not Good News, I’m not sure what is!!

Christian Aid Week is our shared moment to come together – across churches, communities and households – to stand alongside people living in poverty.

If you would like to read more about the Last Supper, the information is in these Bible books.

Matthew 26:17-30, Mark 14:12-25, Luke 22:7-23

 

 

 

 

All in the month of April

 

It was:

 

400 years ago, on 9^th April 1626 that Francis Bacon, philosopher and politician, died. He served as Attorney General of England and Wales (1613-17) and then Lord High Chancellor of England (1617-21). Known as the ‘Father of Empiricism’, as his works influenced the scientific revolution in Europe.

 

125 years ago, on 3^rd April 1901 that Richard D’Oyly Carte, theatrical impresario, died.  He built the Savoy Theatre and the Palace Theatre in London, managed some of the most important theatrical stars of the era, and founded a touring opera company.

 

Also 125 years ago, on 15^th April 1901 that Joe Davis, snooker and billiards player was born.  He co-founded the World Snooker Championship in 1927 and won the first 15 championships.

 

100 years ago, on 6^th April 1926 that the Revd Ian Paisley, Baron Bannside, Northern Irish politician and Protestant evangelical minister was born. Leader of the Democratic Unionist Party (DUP) from 1971-2008, and then First Minister of Northern Ireland in 2007-08.

 

Also 100 years ago, on 21^st April 1926 that Queen Elizabeth II was born.

 

90 years ago, on 23^rd April 1936 that Roy Orbison, American singer, songwriter and musician was born. Best known for Oh, Pretty Woman, Crying, Only the Lonely, and many more. 

 

80 years ago, on 2^nd April 1946 that Sue Townsend, writer and humourist, was born. Best known for her Adrian Mole series of novels. 

 

Also 80 years ago, on 21^st April 1946 that John Maynard Keynes was born. The most influential economist of the 20^th century, his ideas formed the basis of the Keynesian economics.

 

75 years ago, on 2^nd April 1951 that General Dwight D Eisenhower (later US President) became NATO’s first Supreme Allied Commander.  He assumed command of all Allied forces in the Western Mediterranean and Europe. 

 

Also 75 years ago, on 17^th April 1951 that the Peak District National Park was established. It was Britain’s first National Park.

 

70 years ago, on 18^th April 1956 that American film actress Grace Kelly married Prince Rainier III of Monaco and became Princess Grace of Monaco.

 

65 years ago, on 10^th April 1961 that South African golfer Gary Player became the first non-American to win the Masters Tournament in Augusta, Geogia.

 

Also 65 years ago, on 12^th April 1961 that Soviet cosmonaut Yuri Gagarin became the first person in space and the first person to orbit the Earth.

 

60 years ago, on 10^th April 1966 that Evelyn Waugh died. This satirical novelist, biographer, and travel writer is best known for Decline and Fall, A Handful of Dust, Brideshead Revisited, and Sword of Honour.

 

50 years ago, on 3^rd April 1976 that the UK won the 1976 Eurovision Song Contest with Save Your Kisses for Me by Brotherhood of Man.

 

Also 50 years ago, on 7^th April 1976 that politician John Stonehouse, who infamously had tried to fake his own death in 1974, resigned from the Labour Party, leaving the government in a minority. After his death in 1988 it was revealed that he had been a Czech spy since 1962.

 

40 years ago, on 11^th April 1986 that Halley’s Comet made its closest approach to Earth during its most recent visit. It will return to Earth’s vicinity in 2061 and 2134.

 

Also 40 years ago, on 17^th April 1986 that TV journalist John McCarthy was kidnapped in Beirut, Lebanon by the militant group Islamic Jihad. Released 1991.

 

Also 40 years ago, on 24^th April 1986 that Wallis Simpson, Duchess of Windsor and American wife of Prince Edward, formerly King Edward VIII, died.

 

Also 40 years ago, on 26^th April 1986 that the Chernobyl disaster took place in Ukraine, then within the Soviet Union. It was the world’s worst nuclear power plant accident, killing 31 people outright, and leaking radiation across the western Soviet Union and Europe.

 

30 years ago, on 1^st April 1996 that during the BSE (‘mad cow disease’) outbreak, the government announced that it would begin slaughtering all cattle over the age of 30 months to eradicate the disease. In the end, 80,000 cattle were slaughtered.

 

25 years ago, on 7^th April 2001 that NASA launched its Mars Odyssey spacecraft to search for evidence of water and volcanic activity on Mars. It found water and ice below the surface.

 

20 years ago, on 6^th April 2006 that the first case of H6N1 avian flu (bird flu) in the UK was confirmed, following tests on a dead swan found in Fife.

 

15 years ago, on 29^th April 2011 that Prince William and Catherine (Kate) Middleton were married at Westminster Abbey in London. They were given the titles Duke and Duchess of Cambridge.

 

10 years ago, on 20^th April 2016 that Victoria Wood, comedian, actress, singer and songwriter died.  Remembered for Victoria Wood as seen on TV.

 

Also 10 years ago, on 22^nd April 2016 that the Paris Agreement on Climate Change was signed. It came into effect on 4^th November 2016.