St. Matilda's Parish - News and Gossip

Hi Everyone,

There is now a news and gossip page for my virtual parish, in its virtual diocese, in its virtual location. You should click here to see it.

As a taster this is a copy of the first posting of the page:

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"News
An update of gossip and news from around the parish and the diocese

Women Bishops Ahoy!

The Diocesan Synod has voted in favour of allowing women to become Bishops in the Church of England and instructed its representatives in General Synod to reflect that in their speeches and how they vote.

However, Hugh Brassingbridge the Co-Chairman of Forward in Faith in the Diocese has taken a very strong view on the matter and says that he will demand proper, legally binding, provision for those who cannot go along with this but wish to remain as faithful Anglicans. His comment that Synods were not soap operas and that we did not have to wait until the GRAS lady sings did not go down very well with several well-appointed (shall we say!) matrons fluent in the French language.

We await his contribution to the various debates, fairly agog with excitement as to where his rhetorical skills will lead him. However well-intentioned his campaign to retain the Provincial Episcopal Visitors in some form may be, we have a feeling it may not succeed.

Our leading feminist has commented "Dear old Hugh! I hope that no one hits him with an umbrella" adding "But he has a point. We could do with far fewer pressure groups and a bit of decent evangelism in the Church of England."

Autumn Events

The November Fayre will be held this year at the Village Hall in Potherton on 19th November from 2 p.m. to 5 p.m. Sir Roger Fairweather, Bt, will be opening it. We look forward to a visit as enjoyable as his last one three years ago.

Study Group

The autumn study group is meeting on Wednesday evenings in the Vicarage. Mass precedes these meetings and starts at 7.30 p.m. The study group itself meets from 8.15 p.m. until 9.30 p.m. All are welcome, but please bring along a Bible and let us know you are coming.

Gossip Piece

We hear that the Bishop is examining a whole deanery-full of clergy along the lines of excising the seven deadly sins. We hope he means society at large and not the learned and reverend ladies and gentlemen of the town under scrutiny! It is understood that this rather unwarranted visitation may well be a reaction to the unfortunate events in the Bishop's predecessor's time surrounding the visit of the ABC "Jack the Mack."

We would assure His Lordship of our complete faith in the Church's ministers in the town concerned.

Items for inclusion on the St. Matilda's Gossip Column and the News Page may be handed in at the Vicarage at any time (during working hours!)"


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For new readers, the foundations of much of the gossip are detailed in several novels, still in the process of writing, revision, or editing prior to publication.

In conversation with my son recently I commented that writing was a wonderful way of venting one's spleen. So you have been warned!

However I do follow advice from my training therapist whose remedy for anger against someone was to write a strong, abusive, letter using any kind of bad language that was appropriate, but to do it late at night, so getting it out of the system and onto paper. In the morning, she said, we can tear that up and write a polite, pointed, note instead, or just speak to them!

Watch this space!

Best wishes to all,

Fr. Ted

Summertime

It has been back to the grindstone again, but with a difference. Instead of the disciplined problems of writing non-fiction in which I have to get the facts right, I have turned to fiction. It is a splendid change. I find that I still have to get the facts right in the background but that is as far as it goes.

The memoir of my late wife was brought up the time when we got engaged. As it is autobiography from then on, I have put this to one side while I get inside the new frame of mind.

At present the challenge is to get something finished. Having learned how to finish it off - pardon the phrase - I should be able to turn to the series of novels half-begin most of them rather than half finished about the church in the twentieth century and the beginnings of this present one.

Meanwhile the inquisitive can find some updates in the usual places. May I draw the attention of you all to the update on St. Matilda's - visit http://st-matildas.tripod.com/

I'm sure you will enjoy it.

Meanwhile I take note of the goings on in the Ordinariate, The Society of St. Wilfred and St. Hilda (if that is the right way round) and maintain my sanity with the news from Walsingham. As for our General Synod, I begin to wonder whether there shouldn't be a short theological examination for all elected candidates (especially the clergy as it would help the Bishops and Downing Street decide who was fit for which particular bit of promotion, or place of effective exile!).

More later in the month.

Yours ay,

Fr. Ted