Saturday 17 th May 2008 is a date that fourteen members of our choir will not forget. It was the date when the Royal School of Church Music held its annual Celebration Day in Liverpool Cathedral. Our cathedral was chosen to coincide with Liverpool 's European Capital of Culture Year.

In addition to the choirs of our Anglican and Catholic cathedrals, over six hundred choristers, from all part of the UK and abroad, came to sing together in a service of praise and thanksgiving. One of the most heartening aspects of the day was seeing over two hundred boys and girls in the massed choir and I hope that the experience was an inspiration and encouragement to all of them and in particular to those children in our own choir who were there. The day started with a two-hour rehearsal with the well know conductor Brian Kay (a founder member of the King's Singers) that polished and improved the many pieces (some of them quite difficult) which we had been rehearsing for many weeks at our own weekly practices.

The sight of the massed choirs in their robes and the sound, which they made, was truly uplifting. From the opening “Lift High the Cross” to the closing “Te Deum (Standford)” the Cathedral was filled with wonderful music.

The RSCM Celebration Day is held annually in different cathedrals throughout the UK so it is likely to be many years before it is held again in Liverpool .

The Twirlie Girlies of Eccleston are planning an adventure. Ella Coventry and Helen Moorhouse are to travel the length and breadth of England using their Senior Bus Passes.

Their quest will commence on Monday 15 th September at the Willowbrook Hospice, St. Helens where there will be a Service of Praise and then dismissal onto the open road. They have two aims, firstly to reach Land's End and secondly to raise money for the Hospice. They will travel by car up to Lambert, Berwick on Tweed , the most northerly bus stop in England and then commence their epic bus journey travelling solely on local buses hoping to arrive in Land's End approximately two weeks later. On route they hope to meet up with many of their friends in the Merseyside Area and also with family members and friends who live in other parts of the country. God willing there will be a Service of Thanks Giving for their safe return on Sunday 5 th October at the Willowbrook Hospice.

All promises and bequests are to be given to Willowbrook Hospice at www.justgiving.com/ellesbelles or to the Hospice office - 01744 453798. Please gift aid where possible. The Twirlie Girlies and the Hospice thank you for your continuing help and support. You are all cordially invited to both services at the Hospice. We look forward to seeing you all there.

Passionsspiele 2008

Erl, Tyrol, Austria

This passion play started in 1613 – 30 years before Oberamagau, and is performed every 6 years. The play takes place in a unique theatre built in 1959, seating 1500 with a 25m stage equipped with a pedestal and multi-levels, can accommodate 500 actors. Outside is an impressive crown of thorns.

The play was in German but, somehow, the Holy Spirit enabled us to understand every word. The opening scene was when the woman anointed Jesus with perfume. Palm Sunday complete with donkey, the events of Holy Week became so real. Particularly moving were the scenes in the Garden of Gethsemane. The crucifixion was so dramatic, with thunder and lightening.

As Jesus died, there was complete silence. We fully expected the last scene to be Mary going to the tomb. Instead, three men appeared, walking down a road – we were puzzled, until they reached the house, and one of the men broke the bread. Truly an Emmaus Road experience, both for us and for them. The Lord is risen indeed, alleluia.

Responding to the Call

Come and join us at 2.15 pm on the first Tuesday of each month until October in the Parish Church , St. Mary the Virgin, to pray together for the mission of God in the parish. To worship the Lord and ask him for the blessing of the work done in his name throughout the parish .

Come and have some quiet time together on Tuesday 2 nd July at 2.15 pm ensuring we have a worshipping and witnessing presence in our church.

The two crests painted high up on the chancel arch are indeed interesting. From ancient times, warriors and rulers had adopted personal and tribal symbols. Jews, Greeks and Romans had definite and well established symbols. The main impetus of the Crusades which drew together knights from various countries to fight for the Holy Land needed identification for groups and individuals in battle and it was in the 12 th century that heraldry developed very quickly, By the 14 th century cities, towns, master craftsmen's guilds, colleges, countries, societies etc., etc., all had their own coat of arms.

The shield on the left of the chancel arch is of the Diocese of Liverpool, founded in 1880. The first Bishop John Charles Ryle was appointed and installed in St. Peter's Church, the pro-cathedral in Church Street , Liverpool . Before that, Prescot had been in the Diocese of Litchfield, and from 1540 in the Diocese of Chester, the latter for some 340 years. The Diocese is the chief territorial unit of administration in the church, governed by a bishop and is sub-divided into parishes. In 1901, the second Bishop of Liverpool, Francis James Chavasse decided to build a Cathedral Church of Christ, designed by Sir Giles Gilbert Scott, which commenced in 1904, King Edward 7 th laying the foundation stone. It was completed in October 1978 and Queen Elizabeth II attended the service to mark the completion of the largest Cathedral in Britain .

The Arms of the Diocese of Liverpool were granted in 1882. On it, at the top left on a blue back-ground is the open Bible to show that the basis of all Christian teaching in the Diocese was to be spiritual and was emblazoned with the superscription, “ Thy Word is Truth” albeit the letters are too small to be observed by the congregation at Prescot. The top right on a red background is a galleon which represents the maritime origins of the City of Liverpool . The lower part of the shield shows an eagle, the king of birds and part of the original seal of Liverpool going back to the time of King John in 1207 when he required a port for the conquest of Ireland . He granted letters patent to Liverpool , and the town adopted the corporate seal, the eagle of St. John , the patron saint of King John. During the Civil wars when Liverpool was under siege in 1644, the original seal was lost.

In 1655 a second seal was made but due to the shortcomings of the design, the bird took on a cormorant appearance which later became the mythical ‘liver bird'. The Diocese eagle has a halo round its head depicting the Eagle of St. John. In the bird's right claw is an inkhorn (a tube for holding ink) which is a symbol of St. John's vision when he wrote the book of Revelation on the Island of Patmos .

The shield on the right of the chancel arch is of the College of Our Lady & St. Nicholas, Cambridge , known as King's College, with which Prescot has connections. In 1140 the Lords of the Manor of Whiston, the Gernets, held the advowson of Prescot church (right to select a cleric) and profited from the rich tithes the large parish brought in. It passed by marriage to the Dacre family who sold it to the Neville family in Co. Durham, from whom it passed to John of Gaunt, Duke of Lancaster in 1391. It became a royal possession when it descended down to John's son, grandson and great grandson King Henry 6 th. who built King's College, Cambridge in 1444. To help fund the college (from the Parish tithes) he gave them the Manor and Rectory of Prescot and appointed a Vicar to run the Parish. Since that time, Prescot has been under the patronage of the College and the town adopted the College coat of arms. The town also had its own Court Leet. This was superseded by Prescot Local Government Board formed in 1867, which became the Prescot Urban District Council in 1895. The town continued to use the College Coat of Arms.

The symbols on the shield are: Top left on a blue background, a gold fleur-de-lis = flower of the lily, a special emblem of the Virgin Mary. At the top right on a red background it a golden passant guardant lion, for strength and valour. This golden lion is also seen on the weather vane at the top of the steeple – visible for miles around especially on a sunny day! The lower part of the shield shows three silver roses which, according to some historians, have connections with King Edward I.

King Henry 6 th builder of the College was of the House of Lancaster for which a red rose is the symbol. In Heraldry, roses symbolise England as well as: comfort, generosity and discretion. The Prescot coat of arms in the form of a badge set in a Rococo frame, and used to hang over the door of the old town hall in market place before it was demolished, can now be seen hanging over the door of No.8 Vicarage Place.


Diocese of Liverpool		King's College, Cambridge

Again, this year, in place of the Summer Fair, we are holding a Garden Party & Family Fun Day in the Vicarage Gardens on Saturday 5 th July from 1.00 – 4.00 pm .

The St. Helens Concert Band, the school choir from St. Mary and St. Paul 's and other local musicians will provide music and Afternoon Teas will be served on the vicarage lawn - if you are able to help with the catering please see Marjorie Robinson.

Games and crafts will be organised for the children and there will also be a bouncy castle. Sheets will appear at the back of Church for volunteers to sign up for supervising games and manning stalls. We would be grateful if people could indicate whether they are available to help with the setting up, and clearing away, of the stalls etc.

There will only be a couple of stalls – a Plant stall and a Tombola – and we would be grateful for donations of plants, bottles and small gifts for children for these stalls. There will be the usual raffle and Crock of Gold. Prizes for the raffle would be much appreciated.

Once again it has been decided to hold a flower arranging competition and, hopefully, the arrangements will be available for sale after judging. Georgina Cooney will judge the entries and Celia Finney will present the prize.

The arrangement will be for a table and should be small to medium in size and any container may be used within this limit. The theme is Floral Delight - f resh flowers and greenery only. Entry is open to men and women and there will be prizes for the best adult and the best junior (under 16) arrangement. Arrangements may be offered for sale and proceeds will be for Church funds.

On Sunday 29 th June, Peter Cowley will be ordained deacon in Liverpool Cathedral at 10.30 am . There will be no 10.00 am Eucharist at the Parish Church , or St. Paul 's, on that day. A coach will be arranged to take people to the ordination and there will be a small charge. Full details at the back of church.

It's about team work. It's a job where success is not always guaranteed. There is satisfaction and frustration but, at the end of the day, it's about trying to open doors, enhancing people's way of life and improving a community's environment.

The opportunity to become involved in the redevelopment of Prescot Church yard was special to me as a Prescotian, christened in Prescot Parish Church and whose maternal family had close links with the Church.

We are part way towards achieving a challenging goal. This began with an initial meeting between Rev. John Taylor and myself in June 2006 to discuss a way forward. From then on, with the input of the Cemeteries Manager, Steve Jones, and his vision for the future of the Churchyard, we were able to put forward a workable plan to both the Chief Executive of KMBC and to the Archdeacon.

The stumbling block was, inevitably, the money required to put the plan into practice. For a time, the door we were pushing at seemed slow to open but it was, I'm sure, with God's help that an opportunity arose in March this year to secure funding from Knowsley Council.

Much process can now be seen and I am grateful for the support of both the Vicar and Steve, together with my colleagues, in bringing us to this present stage. I started with the words ‘team work' and this surely is reflected in our success so far.

The Prescot Festival of Music and the Arts will take place from Friday 20 th to Sunday 29 th June, with a jam-packed programme for 2008.

Local musician, Dr Robert Howard, Head of Music at Deyes High School in Maghull, founded the Festival in 2005 as a way for Prescot to contribute to Liverpool ' s year as European Capital of Culture.

"We're a hundred percent behind the Capital of Culture, and felt strongly that a town with such a rich history and heritage should be involved,” said Robert. "We've grown from being a weekend-long event in 2005 to 10 days in 2007 and 2008. It ' s only been onward and upward."

The 2008 Festival will be the busiest and most diverse yet, with concerts by Korean pianist Young-Choon Park , Liverpool-based folk singer-songwriter John Smith and Birkenhead Operatic Society, among others.

There will also be plenty of opportunities for locals to get in on the act, with a cabaret-style Prescot ' s Got Talent night, art exhibitions, dance displays and more. "As usual, we have a broad mix of local, regional, national and international artists," Robert continued, "and all open to everyone at affordable prices. It ' s going to be another top-quality programme."

Other scheduled artists include: Fairey Brass Band, St. Helens Sinfonietta and a massed choir from across the North West singing Vivaldi ' s Gloria .

*Highlights:*
Friday 20th June	7.30 pm - Prescot Parish Church : Opening Night Concert with West Lancashire Big Band – FREE
Saturday 21st June	7 pm - Prescot Parish Church : Vivaldi ' s Gloria (choral), followed at 8.15 pm by Light Classics with Dave Nicholas, the Liverpool Philharmonic Hall ' s Resident Cinema Organist – FREE
Thursday 26th June	7.30 pm - Prescot Methodist Centre: Birkenhead Operatic Society presents Songs & Scenes from the Shows – tickets £3
Friday 27th June	7.30 pm - Our Lady & St Joseph ' s RC Church: St. Helens Sinfonietta in Concert, a programme including Mozart & Schubert – tickets £8
Saturday 28th June	7 pm - Prescot Methodist Centre: Piano Recital with Young Choon Park , programme including sonatas by Beethoven – tickets £5 followed by 9.30 pm until 10.45 pm at Prescot Parish Church : Liverpool folk singer-songwriter John Smith – tickets £7.50
Sunday 29th June	6 pm - Prescot Parish Church: Festival Choral Evensong with Prescot Parish Church Choir, followed at 7.30 pm by Festival Finale with Fairey Brass Band (Proms Style) – tickets £7

Dave Kernick

Come and have some quiet time together on Tuesday 3 rd June at 2.15 pm ensuring we have a worshipping and witnessing presence in our church.

The excellent sum of £2013.37 was raised during the last Church Shop. Many thanks to all the volunteers who helped in the running of the shop, together with those who make collections throughout the year. Thanks also to those who gave anonymous donations that boosted the total raised towards the ministry of the Parish

This year, Prescot Museum, along with the Friends of Shakespeare North, Prescot Parish Church and the Town Centre Management Team, are planning to re start an old tradition in Prescot – that of the town market.

Dating back to 1333, the first market was held when permission by the then Lord of the Manor, William D'Acre, was given for a weekly event to take place. This year's Fayre is designed to reinstate the tradition of markets and fayres in Prescot.

The fayre will feature traditional crafts, entertainment and activities for people to join in with. Taking place on 31 st May, the fayre will be open from 12.00-4.00 pm in the space immediately around Prescot Parish Church on Vicarage Place and Church Street .

Anyone interested in having a stall at the event should contact Iain Morley at Prescot Museum on 0151 430 7787. The cost for stalls is £10 and this covers table and chairs.

Responding to the Call

Come and have some quiet time together on Tuesday 6 th May at 2.15 pm ensuring we have a worshipping and witnessing presence in our church.

Knowsley MBC has agreed to carry out a programme of maintenance in the churchyard. The lower part adjoining Manchester Road has been levelled and the section by Garden Walk will be grassed and planted with shrubs. On the side adjoining the public cemetery we have found no evidence of burials and it is hoped to use this section for the burial of cremated remains. The income from these burials will be used to improve and maintain the rest of the churchyard.

The long-term aim is to gate and fence the churchyard that will, hopefully, eliminate much of the antisocial behaviour, which is currently taking place, but this will rely on a further substantial injection of money.

One suggestion, which I am sure will find favour with everyone, is that the BICC War Memorials be restored and placed in the churchyard.

I would like to express my gratitude to Knowsley MBC, to our local councillors for their invaluable support and to Mr. Steve Jones, the Manager of Cemeteries and Bereavement Services .

On 18 th May, the Parochial Church Council has agreed that there will be no 10.00 am Eucharist at the Parish Church or at St. Paul 's. Instead we will be joining with our Methodist friends and sharing in their Holy Communion Service at their church in Atherton Street . This is a special day for the Methodist Church as they remember the conversion of John Wesley on this day.

Garden Party

The custom of putting royal arms in churches was introduced by Henry VIII after the Reformation in 1534, and are often found in older parish churches painted on walls, or panels as frescoes, or worked in stained glass or embroidery. Royal Coats of Arms of the Tudor, Stuart and Hanoverian monarchs can be found in many churches from the reign of Henry VIII until the time of Queen Victoria and have been a common feature of church decoration.

Before that, in mediaeval times, the west wall of a church was frequently adorned by a painting of the 'Last Judgement' or sometimes known as the "Doom Painting". Depending upon the artist and style of the painting, it depicted Christ the Judge in heaven, the good nearest to him surrounded by angels and beneath his feet those doomed to hell plagued by skeleton figures. This was to warn the departing congregation of the necessity of paying heed to what they had been taught and professed and prayed for in their worship! In cases where no such painting was available, a crucifix served to remind them of the tremendous sacrifice by which their salvation had been won and warned them in the words of the New Testament "How shall we escape, if we neglect so great a salvation?" (Hebrews 2, v3).

	CHURCH SHOP
New volunteers urgently required The next ‘Church Shop' will take place in the Meeting Room as follows: Tuesday 6th May. 10.00 am - 4.00 pm Wednesday 7th May. 10.00 am - 4.00 pm Thursday 8th May. 10.00 am - 4.00 pm Friday 9th May. 10.00 am - 12.00 noon for the sale of good quality second-hand furniture, household goods, books, clothing, toys, bric-a-brac etc. Furniture can be delivered for a small fee. Tea/coffee always available. Urgently required: more helpers to load the meeting room on Sunday 4th. at 1.00 pm & Monday 5th. at 10.00 am & helpers to assist with the day-to-day running of the shop. So, if you can spare just a couple of hours, a half or whole day, your help would be greatly appreciated.

During the Reformation period when the C. of E. broke away from the Church of Rome, and the superstitious misuse of images and pictures were discontinued or painted over, these were replaced with arms of the Tudor monarchs. The Royal Arms were used to mark the king's authority and after Henry VIII became supreme head of the C. of E. they began to appear in churches by 1544, representing the close connection between the monarch and the church. A Royal Order of 1561 in the reign of Queen Elizabeth I, instructed that all churches display a Royal Coat of Arms to symbolize the fact that the monarch was head of the C. of E. and to be placed over the chancel arch. Most commonly, surviving coats of arms date from after the Restoration in 1660 when Charles II came to the throne after 11 years of Commonwealth rule. At Charles' restoration an Act was passed by Parliament making Vicars and churchwardens liable to legal penalties if the arms were not shown and it became compulsory to display Royal Arms. At Prescot the first church furnishings to be renewed at Prescot were the king's arms and font stone. *In 1661 Churchwardens' Accounts: “Paid for hanginge upp the kinges armes and setting upp the font stone £0. 5. 0d.”

Throughout the centuries, at Prescot, no doubt there would have been the reigning monarch's appropriate royal coats of arms displayed and we are fortunate to have one which has survived. It is that of George III and is now positioned on the South wall just left of the South porch door. Stored away for many years, this painting last year, was cleaned, restored and reframed, the cost being defrayed by the ladies 'Guided Tours' group. George III (1738-1820) came to the throne in 1760. He ruled for 60 years and died in 1820. A monarch, who quite unlike his Hanoverian forbears, loved England and was nicknamed 'Farmer George'. He had a strong religious faith and encouraged the starting up of Sunday Schools. His later years were badly troubled with ill health. In Great Britain, George III used the official style "George the Third, by the Grace of God, King of Gt. Britain, France and Ireland, Defender of the Faith etc."

This particular coat of arms of George III was painted between 1760 ARMS of George III

When the Act of Union in 1801 united the Kingdoms of Gt. Britain & Ireland, George III dropped the ancient claim to the French throne. This caused the Royal Arms to change, thus removing the French quartering which can be seen at the top right hand side of the Arms. The quartering is Azure (blue) with three fleurs-de-lys in Or (gold). (The Union with Ireland continued until 1921 when, after great unrest in Ireland, the Anglo-Irish Treaty was signed giving Southern Ireland home rule. The U.K. was renamed the United Kingdom of Gt. Britain & Northern Ireland). However, it seems that Prescot continued to use George III's original coat of arms and didn't obtain a replacement. As part of our church's rich heritage, we can now enjoy viewing the arms since it has been put on display. Royal Arms are not be confused with Funeral Hatchments as seen in some churches. They are lozenged-shaped frames with the coat of arms painted on canvas of a deceased person. The hatchment was usually hung on the front of the deceased's house after his funeral for twelve months and then moved to the inside of the church where he worshipped, where he was patron, or where he had his estates. There are no hatchments at Prescot.

The AGM and new PCC

This is the month when you must decide: is God calling you to use your gifts to serve us, your local church? It is time that you became a lay leader?

The Anglican Church has not always welcomed laity in positions of leadership. Before the Church of England Assembly (Powers) Act 1919, the administration and finances of a parish were, in law, almost entirely in the hands of the incumbent and his churchwardens. The parishioners had little or no say in anything that went on, except to help in appointing churchwardens. While church councils had been set up in many urban parishes, they existed only at the whim of the incumbent, and could be dissolved at any time.

But the fact that these early PCCs existed at all was proof of how much the laity wanted to share the burdens of parochial administration, and proof also that the clergy wanted to include them!

Things changed in 1919, when Parochial Church Councils were given a legal status for the first time. Rules as to who should be on a PCC, and how its meetings should be conducted soon followed. Down the years since then, there have been many revisions and fine-tunings of the system.

So - how does a PCC get there in the first place? Well, the basis of the whole scheme is the electoral roll.

An electoral roll is found in every parish. It is simply the list of people who are qualified electors in any given parish. To qualify for the electoral roll in a parish, you have to be:

But how do you get from the electoral roll to the PCC? Well, this all happens at the Annual General Meeting. The Rules state that an ' annual parochial church meeting ' must be held no later than the 30th April every year, and that everyone whose name is on the electoral roll of the parish is invited to attend.

This AGM is most important: it elects lay members of the parochial church council. (These lay members must also be on the electoral roll, be actual communicants, and at least 17 years old).

It is usual for the first PCC meeting of the year to be held on the same day as, and immediately after, the AGM.

So when you attend the AGM, should you stand also for the PCC this year? It is something to pray about, and to consider before God whether your gifts might not be of use to the church.

Your PCC has a number of duties and responsibilities: it must look after the financial affairs of the church, the care, maintenance and insurance of the fabric of the church and its goods and ornaments, and the care and maintenance of the churchyard. So we need people with talent and skills!

The PCC also has the power to buy and manage property for purposes that affect our parish, the power to frame an annual budget of money in order to maintain the church ' s work, and the responsibility to contact the bishop with regard to any matter that affects the welfare of our church.

Many churches today possess an old chest. In years gone by all churches were compelled by law to have one and in 1188, Henry II ordered all churches to use a chest in order to collect funds for the Crusades. In 1287 the Synod of Exeter commanded each church to have a chest for books, vestments, and to hold alms for the poor and the Crusades. ‘Saladin Tithe' was a land tax to help the cause for the Third Crusade in the Holy Land . It was collected in the churches in the presence of the parish priest until it was amassed in Salisbury all £6,000 of it. During the Reformation (1534) when parish registers were instigated in 1538, chests were once again required.

Parish registers of baptisms, marriages and burials were first produced under the provisions of Henry VIII's Vicar General - Thomas Cromwell's mandate of 1538. The parish clerk entered details from notes, or memory, quite regularly. Early records, usually on paper and unbound, have not always survived and it was not until 1597 that the church injunction forced incumbents to use parchments bound in book form and to send a fair copy of entries annually to the Diocesan Registry. From 1754 marriage entries are in a separate book on printed forms. Baptisms and burials appear on standard forms after 1813. Hence the church was to acquire a chest with locks and keys where a register book could be stored safely.

In addition to parish registers, chests were used to store money, accounts, wills, relics, vestments, or documents, plate and other valuables. The use of the right timber was important and, in the main, it was oak that was very strong. Some chests have interesting iron locks and bindings. More than one lock was used, each having a separate key kept by a different person, therefore each person had to be present before the chest could be opened.

Church chests took on various forms and some very ancient dug-out chests still survive. They are squared up tree trunks, hollowed out by hand with an adze. The thick lids have clever iron locks. By contrast, some chests are covered with geometric carvings.

The solid and heavy chest at Prescot is probably 16 th century. It is a boarded chest, made of large planks with the back and front nailed on to two ends with large iron nails. The two ends are extended below the bottom to form legs. These were necessary to keep it off the damp church floor. Iron straps strengthen the sides, back, front and lid and there are five strong iron locks. One for the Vicar and four for the churchwardens. The chest stands against the east wall of the south aisle. There is evidence that the chest has been repaired at some time. In the churchwardens' accounts *(1637-64) for c.1644 there is an entry which says, “paid for mynding the chest in the vestry – ls. 8d.”

When the use of a wall safe came into being, the registers were no longer kept in the ancient chest. It is quite an inconspicuous piece of furniture and therefore, something that many people do not even notice! The chest is part of our church's heritage and at Prescot we must value it as there are certainly not many churches (except very old parish churches), for quite a few miles around, which possess one!

The church chest is not to be confused with the Prescot Town Chest of 1597 – a fine looking chest with iron straps – which was taken to King's College, Cambridge in 1912 and returned in 1992 where it is housed in Prescot Museum .

	CHURCH SHOP
New volunteers urgently required The next ‘Church Shop' will take place in the Meeting Room as follows: Tuesday 6th May. 10.00 am - 4.00 pm Wednesday 7th May. 10.00 am - 4.00 pm Thursday 8th May. 10.00 am - 4.00 pm Friday 9th May. 10.00 am - 12.00 noon for the sale of good quality second-hand furniture, household goods, books, clothing, toys, bric-a-brac etc. Furniture can be delivered for a small fee. Tea/coffee always available. Urgently required: more helpers to load the meeting room on Sunday 4th. at 1.00 pm & Monday 5th. at 10.00 am & helpers to assist with the day-to-day running of the shop. So, if you can spare just a couple of hours, a half or whole day, your help would be greatly appreciated.

The reredos – a wall or screen at the back of the altar or communion table, often of a highly decorative character and an architectural feature in many churches. The reredos is usually in the form of a screen detached from the wall below the East window or extreme end of the church, adorned with niches, statues, rich tapestries or religious paintings. Many cathedrals have extremely ornate reredoses in tabernacle work with figures of saints and angels in the niches. In the 11 th and 2 centuries, the reredos was usually a screen of gold, silver, wood, marble, stone or alabaster. Many stone reredoses were destroyed during the Reformation. They depicted such things as the Passion of Christ, the life of the Virgin Mary and figures of the Apostles, etc.

At Prescot, the beautiful reredos designed by Mr. C.E.Kemp, and carved by Mr. Gilbert, R.A., was presented to the church in 1891 by Mrs Elizabeth Glaister Evans in memory of her husband William Lees Evans. Mr Evans was a colliery owner and both he and Mrs Evans came from Yorkshire . They lived in High Street, Prescot.

The reredos is a very fine example of a black and gilt wooden screen. It blends well with its more ancient surroundings. The centre panel depicts the Crucifixion with Jesus on the cross, his mother Mary in blue on the left and St. John in red on the right. Four O.T. prophets, two either side of the centre panel complete the main effect of the reredos. The left panel shows Esias (Isiah) and Jeremiah whilst the right panel shows Zacharias and Michaeus.

St. John the Divine, (6 A.D.-101 A.D.) Evangelist and Apostle of Charity was a Galilean fisherman, son of Zebedee, and brother of James. He was first, a disciple of John the Baptist, then later one of the 12 apostles of Jesus. John alone remained near Jesus at the foot of the cross at Calvary with Mary and other pious women. Jesus regarded him as “the beloved disciple” mentioned in the last supper and at the cross and to whom he entrusted his mother Mary's safe keeping after his death. (John 19: 25-27). John took Mary into his care and they moved to Ephesus in Asia Minor ( Turkey ) where they both eventually died.

Esias – Greek form of Isiah. He was a prophet of the 8 th century B.C. and lived through the reigns of four kings of Judah . A supreme prophet who told of an ideal ruler who was to come, a son of David, a Prince of Peace. The book of Isiah is the longest among the prophet books of the O.T. and one of the greatest.

Jeremiah was a great prophet of the 7 th century B.C. He lived in Anathoth, close to Jerusalem . He began to prophesy in the reign of King Josiah of Judah c. 626 B.C. His life was bound up in the fate of Jerusalem over which he wept and foretold about the defeat by the Babyloneans. This happened during the reign of the last Hebrew king Zedekiah in 586 B.C. when they surrendered to Nebuchadnezzar of Babylon, (Ref. Psalm 137): Jeremiah prophesied they would return to Judah , which they did when Babylon was defeated by Cyrus king of the Persians in c.525 B.C. Cyrus set the exiles free to return home, allowing the Jews to rebuild their temple.

Zachariah was one of the twelve minor prophets of the Hebrew scriptures. He was concerned about the rebuilding of the Temple in Jerusalem and had vivid dreams of what the ideal city would be like,where God would dwell in its midst.

Michaeus was a prophet of the second half of the 8 th century B.C. He came from the fertile lowland of Judah and spoke out against the oppression of the poor by the rich. He prophesied that Samaria and Jerusalem would be destroyed (which happened in 722 B.C.and 586 B.C. respectively).

It is indeed a splendid reredos at Prescot with the well chosen prophetic figures whose writings tell us of the ancient and turbulent history of the Hebrews. Also the scene of Jesus' death on the cross with Mary and John present. In our church, the screen is not just a fancy item to look at when we take communion but a solemn reminder of why we are there, to share in a celebration of the sacrifice Jesus made to save us all.

Thanks to all who helped raise the excellent sum of £1569.86 at the
recent shop towards church funds. Your efforts are greatly appreciated.

Like most organists, whenever I visit a church for the first time, I make a bee-line for the organ to give it a close inspection and, if possible, play it. All too often, I come across instruments that, after suffering from years of neglect, are pale shadows of their former selves. In extreme cases, the church has given up the struggle to keep the organ going and has replaced it with an electronic imitation of dubious quality.

At Saint Mary's, we are fortunate that our fine example of the “King of instruments”, one of the most complete and versatile organs in the diocese, has now been completely restored to “as new” condition. Built by Gray and Davison in the middle of the nineteenth century, it was partially rebuilt and expanded in 1952 by the John Compton Organ Company but then received no major attention for the next forty years.

In 1992, the ageing and sluggish combination piston system was replaced with a computerised sixteen level capture system which makes it possible for the organist to store and retrieve a large number of registration settings quickly and easily. At the same time, the console was renovated and updated.

The final stage of renovation, which was started in 2005 and is just being completed, has included a complete overhaul of the soundboards and extension chests, which control the wind (air under pressure), which makes the pipes sound. These vital parts or the organ have been left untouched for one hundred and fifty years and, as a result, the action has become more and more sluggish so that notes have taken longer and longer to sound or stop sounding when keys are pressed or released. Some notes were so badly affected that they stopped sounding altogether. In addition, wind has been leaking out of warped and cracked channels in the soundboards. Thanks to hundreds of man hours of painstaking work, these problems have now been overcome and we should be able to look forward to a long period of trouble free use.

The work, which gives the most obvious improvement to the sound reaching the listener, has involved the thousands of pipes, ranging in size from a few inches to sixteen feet, which convert wind into sound. Each one has been individually removed, thoroughly cleaned, replaced, voiced for the best possible sound and tuned so that we now have a brighter and sharper sound.

As everyone who know me will be aware, I am extremely grateful to John Taylor, the Church Council, David Wells Organ Builders and our generous benefactors who have made it possible to restore the outstanding instrument entrusted to us by previous generations and assist all who make music as we strive to reach the highest standards that we can.

The final phase of work on the organ was made possible by a generous legacy from the late Crissie Jack.
On behalf of the Parochial Church Council and the congregation of the Parish Church ,
I would like to express our sincere thanks.

SITUATIONS VACANT
St Mary the Virgin, Prescot
Sidespeople wanted

Do you have outstanding management skills?
Are you willing to be part of a hard working team?
Can you commit to one Sunday morning per month?
Experience not necessary as on site training is provided
Age – unimportant
Candidates must be of a cheerful disposition and be willing to take on various tasks as specified by the Vicar or Churchwardens
Salary commensurate on experience and qualifications
Please forward CV to churchwardens
Closing date – 30 th March 2008

On a more serious note: the Vicar and Churchwardens would be very pleased to hear from anyone interested in becoming a Sidesperson.
It is a rewarding role and you will be helping to promote a positive experience in our Church.

A new rota system will be started in June but we will require names by the end of March.

Sidespeople will be expected to attend the Archdeacon's visitation on 13 th May, 2008 where they will be officially admitted to their office.

Please speak to Canon John Taylor, Andy Basinger, Bryan Jones, Norine Jones or Liz Taylor if you are interested or would like more information .

	CHURCH SHOP
New volunteers urgently required The next ‘Church Shop' will take place in the Meeting Room as follows: Tuesday 5th Feb. 10.00 am - 4.00 pm Wednesday 6th Feb. 10.00 am - 4.00 pm Thursday 7th Feb. 10.00 am - 4.00 pm Friday 8th Feb. 10.00 am - 12.00 noon for the sale of good quality second-hand furniture, household goods, books, clothing, toys, bric-a-brac etc. Furniture can be delivered for a small fee. Tea/coffee always available. Urgently required: more helpers to load the meeting room on Sunday 3rd. at 1.00 pm & Monday 4th. at 10.00 am & helpers to assist with the day-to-day running of the shop. So, if you can spare just a couple of hours, a half or whole day, your help would be greatly appreciated. Future shop dates, during 2008, for your diary: Tuesday 3 rd – Friday 6 th June

Continuing our interesting facts about the Parish Church ….
Altar Rails

The altar is the most sacred part of the church and it is here where we come during the Holy Communion Service. It stands behind the rails and that area is

called the Sanctuary . With the destruction of rood screens during the Reformation it was necessary to find an alternative protection for the altar from irreverent treatment by people and marauding dogs. So, in early Elizabethan days, altar rails were introduced. In some churches a dog whip, or a pair of tongs, was used to remove dogs and it is almost certain that Prescot had a dog whip for this purpose – probably brandished by one of the churchwardens when necessary – on the dogs that is, not the communicants!

In a lot of churches, the rails stretch right across the chancel but because of the large parish Prescot church once covered, and congregations, the rails are staggered to accommodate more people at a time when they kneel for communion. At Prescot, the rails are returned westward in the middle of their length, giving kneeling space for communicants on three sides. Rails are mainly made from wood, but in some churches, 18th century rails are made from wrought iron.

Prior to the fitting of the altar rails, which we are familiar with now at Prescot, the church had had a new set of 17th century rails made in 1635/6 by John Rigby of Wigan . Rigby made the other chancel furniture in black oak consisting of the poor box and 13 stalls with tip up seats (misericords) of which 11 remain, and the choir benches that bear a date of 1636 on the bench ends. This was all part of an ambitious programme of repairs and improvements during the time of Charles I. Altar rails were not implemented by William Laud, Archbishop of Canterbury (1573-1645) as is sometimes thought, but he certainly encouraged their use to prevent the altar from being moved into the body of the church as demanded by the Puritans.

Not long after Rigby's rails were installed, rumblings of unrest before the Commonwealth period of Oliver Cromwell, caused these new rails to be removed by a House of Commons order for their removal in September 1641 along with other church valuables. Prescot swiftly complied with this ruling in October 1641. By 1642 the Civil War was underway and Prescot was one of the 6 Royalist Garrisons. A regiment of 600 men was in the town and prisoners were kept inside the church 3 times. One can imagine what went on inside the church building during these troubled times and we can well appreciate the damage that must have inevitably been done to its interior.

After Cromwell's death in 1658 and his son Richard's inability to keep law and order, negotiations went ahead for Charles II to be restored to the English throne. Amidst great rejoicing in the land, this resulted in the restoration of Anglicanism in 1660-62. Subsequent years saw the return of some of Prescot's church furnishings that had been removed in 1641. Whether or not the rails made by John of Rigby of Wigan had been lost, or more than likely destroyed, they were replaced by a new set of communion rails. These 17th century black oak, ring turned rails, were carved by Peter Marsh, a local joiner and positioned around the altar in 1664 where they have been in situ for well over 300 years. They match very well the earlier black oak chancel furniture made by John Rigby 30 years before. The rails are something that we at Prescot can enjoy and appreciate. More so when we think about how many hundreds of communicants have knelt to take communion at the rails not to mention all the clergy who have stood on the other side to administer the holy sacrament.

Women ' s World Day of Prayer is a global, ecumenical movement of informed prayer and prayerful action, organised and led by Christian women who call the faithful together on the first Friday in March each year to observe a common day of prayer and who, in many countries, have a continuing relationship in prayer and service.

The service is written by a different country each year and that country then becomes the focus of the world ' s prayers on the day itself, which begins as dawn breaks over the islands of Tonga in the Pacific and continues across each continent until the last services of this special day are held back in the Pacific, on the islands of Samoa, circling the world in prayer for 36 hours.

The symbol of the Women ' s World Day of Prayer was designed by an Irish nun in 1982 and adapted as the international logo.

The design comprises arrows converging from the four points of the compass, four figures kneeling in prayer, the Celtic cross and a circle representing the world and our unity through all our diversity.

Lent Study Groups commence on Monday 11 th February . The topic this year is “The Lord's Prayer”.

Confirmation of these times and venues will be announced in Church and on the Weekly Newsletter.
The course will last for 5 weeks with the last session taking place on 10 th March.

The Lent Group will meet each Monday at 2.15 pm
Future Events : Friday 4 th April – 3-course meal – proceeds to Arts Festival
Friday 16 th May – Barn Dance with 3 piece band at St. Paul 's
The Leprosy Mission Thank you to all who have supported the Leprosy Mission (TLM). We have supported TLM at St. Paul 's for at least 20 years and last year a number of Mothers' Union members joined us. During the year, we have raised £400 for this most deserving cause – a wonderful effort. Mr. Derek Hartley has been to M.U. and Ladies Fellowship meetings to tell us about the work of TLM especially in India . If anyone would like any information, or would like a box to save money for TLM, please contact me.

Once again – many thanks
Barbara Mercer

Top, Jan 2008, Feb 2008, Mar 2008, Apr 2008, May 2008, Jun 2008, Jul 2007, Aug 2007, Sep 2007, Oct 2007, Nov 2007, Dec 2007,

We would like to take this opportunity to extend our thanks to all involved in the running of the Church Shop: from the people who donate their unwanted goods, the men who collect, store and deliver the items, those who set-up and man the stalls and to the ladies who provide refreshments.

Without all this voluntary help it would not have been possible to raise just over £7,000 during 2007, which is no mean feat when you consider it's all from the sale of unwanted items. The proceeds go towards the general running of the church.

Assistance is still urgently needed if this good work is to continue.
Joyce Fairfield.

St. Paul 's Ladies' Fellowship
January	7th.	2.15 pm - Opening Service
	21st.	Mr. Derek Hartley – Leprosy Mission

Mothers' Union
January	9th.	Mr. Derek Hartley – Leprosy Mission
	23rd.	Fire Safety in the Home – Fire Brigade

At Epiphany (January 6) each year in the Chapel Royal, St. James's Palace, an offering of gold, frankincense and myrrh is made on behalf of The Queen. The frankincense and myrrh are provided by the apothecary to the Queen. The gold, in the form of 25 sovereigns, is provided by the Bank of England. After the service, the incense is sent to the church, the myrrh is sent to Elmore Abbey, an Anglican Benedictine community, to be mixed with incense, and the gold is donated to charity.

Continuing our interesting facts about the Parish Church ….
Mosaics either side of the East Window

Looking at either side of the East window in our church we cannot fail to appreciate the two beautiful mosaics illustrating the delightful pictures made in that form, i.e., small pieces of glass, slate, metal or stone to form these panels. Although our present church building has been built for 400 years, the mosaics have only been hanging there for just over 80 years.

In 1925, the church underwent a substantial redecorating programme, and a ‘modern' electric light system, plus other additions, one of which was: “Two panels to be placed, one at each side of the East window at a cost of £150 for the two.”

These new panels replaced two old panels that had hung there probably since the re-building of the church in 1610. They were the “Lord's Prayer” and the “Ten Commandments”, being huge black panels with gilt lettering. These particular panels are still stored in the church tower where they have been since 1925. It is hoped, in the future, they can be restored and re-hung again in another part of the building as they are conducive to our church's historical heritage.

It is not unusual today to see these same style text panels still hanging in chancels of rural churches throughout the country. It was more or less part of the ecclesiastical conditions after the Reformation in 1535 when ”images, shrines, and monuments of idolatry” were removed and wall paintings covered with whitewash. They were replaced with the Royal Coat of Arms and text panels such as those that once adorned either side of the East window at Prescot.

The mosaic to the left of the window is “ The Good Shepherd” . There are many paintings with the same title but this particular image is a charming portrayal of Jesus in his role as our Good Shepherd gently holding a lamb. Jesus also has a shepherd's crook and is stood in a sheep fold. This indicates that we are all his lambs - he knows, loves and cares for each and every one of us. The crook is to bring us back if we stray and all strays are brought back safely into the fold. The scriptural basis for this idea is to be found in The Gospel According to St. John 10: v.11-16.

To the right of the window is that of “ The Light of the World” . This is taken from an allegorical painting by William Holman Hunt (1827-1910) painted c.1853-4, and represents the figure of Jesus knocking on a door. In front of the door there are overgrown plants as though the door has never been opened, symbolic of the human towards the end of his life that now hangs in St. Paul 's Cathedral, London . Hunt was one of the founders of the Pre-Raphaelite Brotherhood Movement c.1838, who protested against academic art of their time and advocated a return to the style of the Italian painters prior to Raphael (1483-1520), avoiding heavy shadows and painted on lighter backgrounds with brighter colours.

We are indeed fortunate at Prescot to be in possession of these beautiful mosaics. Many churches have paintings hanging on the walls, but it is not very often that mosaics are part of the church furniture.

Our most dedicated parishioner never misses a service at Prescot Parish Church – he is present at them all. His name is John Ogle, sometimes inadvertently referred to as “John Ogilvy”!!

Church goers at Prescot have gazed upon the life size effigy of John Ogle, set into the North side of the chancel wall, for nearly 400 years. Attired in simple early 17th century dress, the plaster figure, believed to have been formerly recumbent in earlier years, is in an upright position, albeit with what looks like a replacement pair of feet! No doubt the original feet having been damaged at some time or other – maybe during the civil wars of 1640's when the church was occupied by members of the roundhead military forces who damaged much of church furnishings. Behind the figure is the Ogle family motto: Veritas Vincit = Truth Conquers.

The distinguished Ogle family originated in Northumberland, where they are documented in the 13th century. A branch of this family settled in Whiston in the early 15th century. A wealthy family, the Ogles were hereditary stewards of the Manor of Prescot and were stewards to Lord Derby for over 200 years.

John Ogle, born in 1555/58, bought Halsnead Estate in 1608 and Whiston Manor from Sir Thomas Bold in the same year, and was Lord of the Manor of Whiston. John was married to Elizabeth daughter of Thomas Standish of Duxbury, Lancashire . The 1590 Religious Returns stated that “he goes to church but is not a communicant.” This indicates that John was a recusant (refuser) and didn't take communion in the Anglican Church. He certainly was not on his own as a large number of other people in Prescot didn't either. After Henry 8th became Head of the Church of England, they didn't attend ‘mass' when it was changed over to ‘communion'. By 1602-04, many had been obliged to conform to the Anglican rites. Maybe John Ogle did, as at that time Prescot was fortunate enough to have a very forceful Vicar, Thomas Mead, and, as the church fell into a dreadful state of repair, this Vicar roped in all the ‘recusants' and under the leadership of John Ogle, had part of the church rebuilt in the form of a fine 96 foot long nave with it's magnificent black and white Jacobean roof both of which can be seen today. The cost was £300 with John Ogle being the main contributor.

John's family arms are the second set on the South wall of the nave with the date of 1610. He produced the Ogle Rolls in 1602 - family genealogy and other documents relative to Prescot. He also gave the sanctuary chair to the church in 1610 at the rebuilding and to also to mark the occasion of his son Henry's marriage to Elizabeth Whitby at Chester on 17 th July 1609 . John's name is on the front of the chair and the Vicar's name, Thomas Mead, is on the back.

In 1632 his son, Henry Ogle, had the lease for Prescot Hall estate with its coalmines and also had lands in Whiston, Huyton and Roby. Henry married twice and had 22 children. John's other son was Colonel John Ogle who distinguished himself at the battle of Nieuport in 1623, and whose portrait is owned by Prescot church. He died without issue in 1640.

John Ogle senior died and was buried on the 12 th September 1612 . Some sources say he was buried outside the church whilst others say he was buried inside. He may have lived in Whiston Hall (now demolished) that was situated in the vicinity of Whiston Lane/Pottery Lane . Records for the occupants of Whiston Hall are scant but he probably did live there at some time. By the mid 18th century the Ogle's seemed to have moved away from Prescot, as the family name no longer appears in the Parish Church registers. John remains with us, although he still doesn't take communion!

Betty Brown
(Ref: Prescot Church wardens' A/c's. 1635-63 Rev.T.M.Steel, History of Whiston, Bill Blinkhorn)

Parish Weekend at Foxhill

Rev Sid Connolly chose the life and work of the early Saints Aidan, Bede and Cuthbert – ABC as his theme for the recent Parish Weekend at Foxhill. We had superb weather, good accommodation, excellent food and beautiful surroundings for this opportunity to meet together and consider if their work and lives had any bearing on our Church's mission statement:-

‘We pledge ourselves to make our church a place where people of every age and stage of faith can find acceptance, the discovery of God's presence and real help with their life's journey'.

A discussion period followed each of Sid's informative talks, when some interesting views and ideas were proffered and discussed among us.

Each day began with Morning Prayer and we gathered in the lovely circular chapel too for other acts of worship.

On Saturday evening we had a lively “Songs of Praise” accompanied with great gusto by Rob at the piano.

The light entertainment for the weekend included a ‘free' afternoon on Saturday. Some took to the ‘Sandstone Trail' in their boots, others enjoyed the lovely grounds, a group explored the Cheshire countryside in the mini bus and partook of some excellent home made ice cream and, I understand, some indulged in an afternoon nap!

After dinner, we could be found partaking in a little light refreshment in the lounge. We also enjoyed a little light reminiscence – just to keep Pat and Sid up to date with the happenings in Prescot, since they left 30 years ago – as is the habit of Prescotians, from time to time, the memories included what had taken place 30 years before the Connolly's even came to St. Paul's!! It was all good fun. The organised entertainment took the form of a ‘ Palace of Varieties '. Rob entertained us with some amusing solo pieces on the bassoon and piano. The more daring among us recited and told stories, but to raise the tone somewhat, one in our midst played 2 parts in a little light opera for our delectation.

Thank you, whoever suggested this event and venue, and again, thank you Vicar and Dorothy for organising it all. It was indeed:-
Diverse Entertaining & Fun
“A Satisfied Participant”

Pilkington Choir in Concert
on Thursday 6 th December, 7.30 pm
at the Zion Independent Methodist Church ,
Kemble Street , Prescot .

on Friday 7 th December, 7.30 pm
at Prescot Parish Church
Church Street , Prescot.

Popular, classical & festive favourites from the Knowsley Youth Orchestra & Prescot Parish Church Choir
Admission - £5 (on the door)

At last work has started on the long awaited relighting of the inside of the Church – made possible by a bequest from Les & Dorothy Rimmer. The work is scheduled to take approx 6-8 weeks: hopefully it will be completed by December. Wednesday morning communion will take place in the meeting room with the exception of Wednesday 7 th November when it will be held at Our Lady's because of the ‘Church Shop'. The lovely tapestry kneelers have been removed for this period in order to keep them clean.

We apologise for any inconvenience this may cause but, unfortunately, it is unavoidable as such as massive job takes place.

November 4 th is the start date of the new offering envelopes. We are making every effort to ensure that you get your box in time. If you are unable to collect them from the back of Church we will endeavour to deliver them as soon as possible.

Our thanks to all who contribute to the parish in this way it enables us to budget on the basis of regular weekly income.

May we ask you to use the occasion of the ‘new start' to review the amount that you put in the envelope as your weekly gift to the work in Prescot.
Eric Orme.

To boost Prescot's bid for funding, more ‘Friends' are needed. It's FREE – so please register your support by sending your name, address, phone or email to Shakespeare North, C/o Prescot Museum, Church Street , Prescot, L34 3LA. Being a ‘Friend' keeps you in touch with proposals.

Friday 23 rd November
at 7.30 pm
in Prescot Parish Church
Church Street , Prescot.

An eclectic mix of Songs from the Shows, Film Music,
Popular Classics and Modern Wind Band Hits
Admission £5 on the door
All Welcome
For more information see: http://www.artsinprescot.org.uk/

	CHURCH SHOP
New volunteers urgently required The next ‘Church Shop' will take place in the Meeting Room as follows: Tuesday 6th November 10.00 am - 4.00 pm Wednesday 7th November 10.00 am - 4.00 pm Thursday 8th November 10.00 am - 4.00 pm Friday 9th November 10.00 am - 12.00 noon for the sale of good quality second-hand furniture, household goods, books, clothing, toys, bric-a-brac etc. Furniture can be delivered for a small fee. Tea/coffee always available. & helpers to assist with the day-to-day running of the shop. So, if you can spare just a couple of hours, a half or whole day, your help would be greatly appreciated.

Responding to the Call

Parish Prayer Group

Come and join us at 2.00 pm on Tuesday 6 th November for some quiet time as we gather to worship and witness God's presence in His Church. This is the last meeting until next Spring/Summer when we will meet again on the first Tuesday of every month.

If you have a favourite prayer, please write it out and hand it to Eileen, Sue, Dorothy or Philip and it will be used in our November prayer group. Please join us.

Top, Jan 2008, Feb 2008, Mar 2008, Apr 2008, May 2008, Jun 2008, Jul 2007, Aug 2007, Sep 2007, Oct 2007, Nov 2007, Dec 2007,

Some pages from Prescot Church Magazine (October)

And so our worship, that is, those things to which we assign worth and value, must reflect all this, if we are with integrity to live the life of the baptised. Baptism is about change, and new directions. Ours can be the prayer of Dag Hammarskjold: "For all that has been, thanks! To all that shall be, yes!" Not that we shall uncritically accept everything around us, but we shall constantly search for the positive in everything we experience .

For baptism gives us the vision to look beyond immediate problems and fears to the wider perspective of God ' s purposes. Beyond terrorism to peace with all humankind, beyond climate change to a new and more focused lifestyle, beyond debt to God ' s freely-given gifts. Instead of pinning our hopes on short-term gains, through baptism we can see life in the stronger light of eternity.

So worship ceases to be just an activity in church on Sunday, and instead becomes an attitude to the whole of our being and our relations with one another at all times and in every place. In the words of the Christmas gospel, "the word was made flesh and dwelt among us". And God whom we worship is the fullness of grace and truth that underlies this.

Big things can travel well in small packages. When you start planning your Christmas this year, why not plan to share some of the joy and fun? For hundreds of thousands of desperately needy children, there will be no Christmas coming at all in 2007 – unless you send it to them - in a shoebox. The shoeboxes are easy to fill – but the simple toys, which they contain, will transform the lives of destitute children in Eastern Europe this year.

Operation Christmas Child is a project run by Samaritan's Purse International, a Christian relief and development charity. Last year 1.247 million needy children in Eastern Europe, the former Soviet Union and Africa received shoe boxes from children, families and individuals in the UK.

For many of these children, the shoebox is the first Christmas present they have ever received. The shoeboxes are given unconditionally, regardless of nationality, political background or religious beliefs.

So – how do you send Christmas to a child in a shoebox? It's easy! Simply take an empty shoebox, wrap it in gift paper (lid and box separately) and fill it with toys, educational supplies, hats and scarves and other items that will bring joy to a child's life.

If you would like to contribute visit www.samaritanpurse.uk.com for more information and for local drop off points. There is a flier that is full of ideas of what to buy – plus a label to stick on the front of your box.

Operation Christmas Child is the world ' s largest children ' s Christmas project. Since 1990 the project has brought the joy of Christmas to more than 54 million boys and girls throughout the world.

The lectern is a reading desk in churches from which Scripture lessons from the Bible are read in public worship. From the lectern hangs bookmarks for the Bible in specific liturgical colours, which are changed during various times and seasons of the church's calendar. There are two types of lectern, figure and desk. Figures are generally made of brass or wood but desks are made from wood and occasionally of stone.

In the 15th century, lecterns were usually the desk type but by the 16th and 17th centuries brass lecterns were made. Nearly all were in the shape of an eagle or pelican with outstretched wings upon which the Bible rests. The bird often stands on a ball which represents the world, while the Bible on the bird's back symbolises the Gospel being carried on its' wings to the four corners of the earth. Many churches have a 19th century lectern, mostly Victorian, made and presented as a celebration piece or memorial to someone.

The lectern, being a moveable piece of church furniture, needed a strong base to keep it balanced, especially whilst supporting a heavy Bible. In 1539 King Henry VIII ordered that a Bible be placed in every parish church and that it should be in English. Because English Bibles were so rare, they were in danger of being stolen and in the 16th century were either chained to the lectern or kept in a locked Bible box for safety. Prescot got its first English Bible in 1540, by which time most churches had one. It was a new and exciting thing for the people to hear stories read from the Bible, spoken in a language that they understood. Prior to the Reformation the priest read from the Bible in Latin, which of course was not understood by most of the congregation.

Before the Reformation in 1534, lecterns were placed in the chancel but after the Reformation they were moved to the nave. The present lectern in Prescot church was dedicated in 1897 as a celebration piece, purchased to mark the occasion of Queen Victoria's Diamond Jubilee – her 60th year as our reigning monarch. It is a wooden lectern in the shape of an eagle and its bird form is beautifully carved and shaped.

This lectern was first placed in front of the chancel steps in a central position. Before siting it there, it was necessary to remove the marble font that occupied this position and transfer it to the ancient and usual place for a font, by the North door. A photograph taken in 1909 shows the lectern still standing in front of the chancel steps but by 1921 it had been moved to its present position perhaps when the Rood Screen was dedicated in that year.

The group meets on a Monday afternoon from 2.00-4.00 pm
in the Parish Church Meeting Room.

There is no leader but if you have a particular skill i.e., crochet, tapestry, embroidery, knitting etc., you may feel you would like to share your experience with others - perhaps even teach somebody a new hobby. If you don't feel able to participate in the hands-on approach why not just spend a couple of hours having a good old natter!!

There is a small quarterly subscription to cover the cost of the hiring the meeting room and a nominal donation each week that covers the cost of tea/coffee and biscuits.

You can look forward to a warm welcome – please come and join us – just turn up -
our next session starts on Monday 10 th September.

Annual Festival Service of the Royal School of
Church Music ( Liverpool Area )

Each year the Liverpool Area of the R.S.C.M. organises a Festival Service, usually Evensong, which brings together representatives of many church choirs to join together in singing the well-known canticles and hymns. This event is held in a different venue each year and on Saturday, 29 th September Prescot Parish Church will be hosting this service.

Anyone, and everyone, who loves Evensong (Book of Common Prayer) is welcome to join us at 4.30 pm . The choir will be conducted by Dr. Ian Sharp (area chairman of the R.S.C.M.) and the preacher will be Rt. Rev. Ian Stuart (Assistant Bishop of Liverpool ). Our own vicar, Canon John Taylor, will lead the service.

Please make a note of this date in your diaries – choristers put in a lot of hard work in preparation for this kind of event and they really appreciate the support of members of congregations who come to hear their singing.

Saturday 29 th September, Prescot Parish Church , 4.30 pm

The Chancel Screen at St. Mary's was dedicated on St. George's Day 23 rd April 1921 . The Screen, made of oak is a memorial to those Prescotians who fell in the First World War. The panelling at the west ends of the choir stalls show the names of the men of the parish who had fallen in the Great War.

In 1998 the screen was painted black to match the chancel furniture, with gilt edging and lettering. The lettering being: To the only wise God our Saviour be glory and majesty, dominion and power both now and ever . The cross or Holy Rood in the middle of the screen with crosslets on the 3 arms was attractively gilded and also the monogram i h s = the first three letters of the Greek word for Jesus, which can clearly be seen in the centre of the cross arms.

This was not the first screen to be erected at Prescot as various sources mention that others certainly existed, but for what purpose did a chancel screen have in church architecture?

It seem that historically, the chancel was the responsibility of the priest and nave was the responsibility of the people, so to divide them both, a screen was placed across the chancel arch – the chancel screen. In medieval times a figure of Christ's cross and often of the crucifix would be placed on a beam above the screen across the chancel. The supporting beam being the Rood beam. Prior to the Reformation the Rood (a Saxon word for the Cross of Christ) was the focal point of the church. The Rood being the great crucifix that stood on the beam or hung in the chancel arch.

However, the Rood needed cleaning and the light that hung before it also demanded attention, so a loft was built beneath it. This stretched across the nave and was known as the rood loft. This loft was sometimes also used as a music gallery with a small organ and musicians on it. The lofts were above the chancel screen, usually structurally connected with it, in which case the chancel screen was called a Rood Screen. The rood lofts were reached either by ladders or stairs.

Many were destroyed during the time of the young King Edward 6 th , son of Henry 8 th , and also in Elizabethan times and after that, during the Civil Wars of the 1640's. At Prescot, reformers removed the Rood screen about 1563. A replacement structure in black oak was erected in 1636 to support a small organ. The Puritans destroyed the organ in the 1640's. It is not know how long the screen survived but some time afterwards there came a screen that is shown on a pencil drawing. This illustration, done sometime after 1818 when the side aisles were widened and wooden galleries were fitted between the nave arches, but before 1879 when the galleries were removed. The sketch is described by a curate at Prescot (1902-05), the Rev. F.G. Patterson, M.A., as having four massive black oak uprights rising 19 feet from the base. In the two end divisions were 6 circular pillars (3 either side) with beautifully moulded plinths and caps supporting a moulded lintel of black oak. There is no evidence of a cross being supported by the screen. A lot of refurbishment was carried out in 1879 and maybe this screen was removed then. Photographs of the church interior, taken at the turn of the 20 th century, show no evidence of any screen, except for a rod projecting from halfway up each of the two sandstone pillars supporting the chancel arch. The rods both had a finial at the ends that lined up with the choir stalls. They could hardly be called a ‘Rood Screen'.

So in 1921, Prescot saw the return of the Rood Screen and a very attractive one it is, without being too obtrusive in design. It has no doors or gates to shut out the congregation from the priest's domain as those screens did in the 16 th century. Maybe that is why the reformers pulled the early screen down?

*Highlights include:*
Saturday	21 st	Vivaldi's Gloria
Tuesday	24 th	Singalong Sound of Music (film)
Thursday	26 th	Birkenhead Operatic Society: Songs from the Shows
Friday	27 th	St. Helens Sinfonietta
Saturday	28 th	Pianist Young Choon Park , singer-songwriter John Smith
Sunday	29 th	Festival Finale with Fairey Band (brass)

		over 16

		baptised

		a communicant member of the C of E, or at least of a Church in communion with C of E

		a resident in the parish, or be registered as a non-resident elector

		the election (triennially) of lay representatives to the deanery synod

		the election of sidesmen

		the receiving of parochial and other reports

		and the general discussion of church and parochial affairs

Organisation's Summer Recess

Come along to the
Garden Party
in the Vicarage Garden
Saturday 5 th July
1.00 pm - 4.00 pm
theme – Summer Bonnets – please join in
entertainment by the St. Helens Concert Band &
St. Mary and St. Paul 's school choir
games, stalls and refreshments
flower arrangement competition.

Passionsspiele 2008

Erl, Tyrol, Austria

Responding to the Call

Responding to the Call

Garden Party

The AGM and new PCC

Parish Weekend at Foxhill

Responding to the Call

Mothers' Union
Wednesday	25 th	June	Guided tour and dinner at Liverpool Cathedral	Re-start - 10 th September with Holy Communion followed by supper
St. Paul 's Ladies' Fellowship
Monday	7 th	July	Outing to Matlock	Re-start - September
M.A.T.T. Group
Tuesday	8 th	July	Teddy Bear making party/picnic.	Re-start - September
Sunday School
Sunday	20 th	July	Presentations in Church	Re-start - September

Monday	2.15 pm	St. Paul 's
Monday	7.30 pm	Methodist Church
Thursday	7.30 pm	St. Mary's House

Sunday School	Sunday	9 th	September	Parish Festival
	Sunday	16 th	September	Sunday School proper
M.A.T.T.	Tuesday	11 th	September
St. Paul 's Ladies Fellowship	Monday	10 th	September
Mothers' Union	Wednesday	12 th	September

Organisation's Summer Recess

Come along to the Garden Party in the Vicarage Garden Saturday 5 th July 1.00 pm - 4.00 pm theme – Summer Bonnets – please join in entertainment by the St. Helens Concert Band & St. Mary and St. Paul 's school choir games, stalls and refreshments flower arrangement competition.

Passionsspiele 2008

Erl, Tyrol, Austria

Responding to the Call

Responding to the Call

Garden Party

The AGM and new PCC

Parish Weekend at Foxhill

Responding to the Call

Come along to the
Garden Party
in the Vicarage Garden
Saturday 5 th July
1.00 pm - 4.00 pm
theme – Summer Bonnets – please join in
entertainment by the St. Helens Concert Band &
St. Mary and St. Paul 's school choir
games, stalls and refreshments
flower arrangement competition.