Solihull Parish News - January 2017

SERVICE TIMES IN ALL THE TEAM CHURCHES



St ALPHEGE - The Square
8.00am Holy Eucharist (said)
9.15am Parish Eucharist in church
9.15am ‘The Junction’ in the Oliver Bird Hall (groups for children and
adults) joining in Holy Communion in church
9.15am 2nd Sunday : All-age Eucharist in church
11.00am Sung Eucharist (traditional language)
6.30pm Choral Evensong















St HELEN - St Helen’s Road
8.00am Eucharist (Order Two)
10.00am Parish Eucharist and Sunday Club
3rd Sunday : All-age worship (no Eucharist)
6.30pm Evening Worship in the Chapel (for details see below)







- 704 2878





St MICHAEL - Bryanston Road and Sharmans Cross School
10.30am Holy Eucharist and Sunday Club
(Sharmans Cross School)
2nd Sunday 10.30am All-age worship (Sharmans Cross School)
2nd Sunday 4.30pm Holy Communion (St Michael’s Chapel)

Editorial 2
For Your Diary 4
Roundabout 7
News from Team Churches 12
St Alphege 12
St Helen 18
St Michael 19

Music Matters 16
Church 4 Children 21-24
Youth Stuff 25
Matters of Faith 38
Address Book 44

www.solihullparish.org.uk

‘Epiphany’ Want to email the Editor?
[email protected]







102 Not Out! 7

Medic Malawi 7

A Table of Treats 8

Solihull Faiths Forum 10

Response to Chancellor’s Autumn Statement - Bp David 11

St Alphege School wins Best Customer Service award 17

Malawi Update 30

Epiphany around the World 38

1

Epiphany - pray for church unity

Dear Friends,

The excitement and joy of Christmas has now passed and as this magazine is published we
begin a new year. I pray you have all had a peaceful and happy Christmas wherever, and
with whom, you spent it.
The season of Christmas quickly gives way to Epiphany which begins properly on January
6th and extends to the 2nd of February. Epiphany means ‘manifestation’ and during the
season the readings in Church lead us through a series of events in Jesus’ life in which he
reveals himself to be the Son of God. The first of these events occurs with the coming of the
wise men bearing their gifts of Gold, Frankincense and Myrrh. These men become the first
outsiders to recognise the significance of the birth of this child.
We know little of the childhood of Jesus. At some point he, with Mary and Joseph, seems to
have left Bethlehem and gone into exile in Egypt before settling finally in Nazareth in Galilee.
So the second manifestation occurs many years after the nativity when Jesus, by then aged
about thirty, seeks to be baptised by John in the River Jordan. John the Baptist recognises
Jesus and proclaims him to be the ‘Lamb of God’.
The next revealing of Jesus, at least in this year’s cycle of readings, occurs as He walks along
the lakeside and calls the first of his apostles to follow him. So Peter and his brother Andrew,
together with James and his brother John, accept the call of Jesus and proclaim that he is
the Messiah.
Finally, in this year’s readings we have the Wedding at Cana. Those same apostles were
present, together with Jesus’ mother Mary, at this wedding feast. The wine ran out and
Jesus, encouraged by Mary, turned a large quantity of water into the finest wine. So it was
that in these events Jesus was revealed to be the Son of God.
The season ends forty days after Christmas with the Feast of the Presentation, or Candlemas
on the 2nd of February. It was on this day that Jesus, the Light of the World, was presented
in the temple and recognised as the promised Messiah by Simeon and Anna.
The people of the land of Israel had been waiting for the promised Messiah for many years.
Somehow to them the time seemed to be right for the coming of Jesus. So it was that when
he manifested himself many seemed to accept immediately that Jesus was indeed the
promised one, God’s anointed. For John the Baptist, Peter, Andrew, James and John this
does not appear to have been difficult. But what about us: and indeed what about the rest
of our world today.
Since the end of the second world war church-going in England seems to have declined.
Whereas many British people would nominally identify themselves as Christian and even give
their religion as ‘C of E’ only a minority regularly attend church services. Yet I sense among
the people I talk with that there is a yearning for something of the other, something spiritual
which seems to be missing in many people’s lives.
If you speak to many people about ‘sin’ they will be turned off. Many do not recognise ‘sin’
in the way that perhaps Christians do. What people are looking for though, is hope. And hope
2

is what the Gospel can offer them: hope in the darkest moments of human life. In times of
illness, in times of sorrow, in times of bereavement Christians offer the hope that God has
given us in his son Jesus Christ, whose birth we have so recently celebrated. It is through
his life, his crucifixion and his resurrection that we have hope. That surely is the message
that we need to convey to those who are looking for that something extra in their lives, that
something which our consumerist world fails to offer them.
The season of Epiphany provides the Church with an ideal opportunity for mission. But many
see the Church as divided. Divided by doctrine, divided by allegiance, divided by its approach
to the affairs which concern the world today. We need to do better. We need to get to grips
with the issues of modern life, come to a consensus and unite around our firm belief in the
saving grace of God manifested in Jesus Christ.
We can only be truly missional when the church is united. It is appropriate therefore that in
the middle of this season of Epiphany, this time of the year when we seek to show Jesus to
the world, that we have a special week, the week of prayer for Christian unity. Christians are
at their best when we are united, when we work together for a common cause. What better
cause is there than the conversion of this nation of ours. This Epiphany pray for the unity of
the Church. Pray for the conversion of this country. Pray that we have the courage and the
depth of knowledge to reveal Jesus Christ to a doubting and sceptical world.
Fr Roy




The Grove



48 LODE LANE, SOLIHULL, B91 2AE
REGISTERED WITH AND APPROVED BY SOLIHULL MBC

A cosy, comfortable “home from home”

Residential Home for the elderly which is near to
the Hospital and the centre of Solihull.


Qualified staff are available for Long
Stay, Short Term or Respite Care.


Enquiries to Mrs. L. Green

Telephone No: 0121 705 3356

3

th
Thur 5 Jan 1.30pm in the OBH. Joe is our Youth Worker.
10.30am in church. M.U. Corporate Eucharist followed by Annual General
th
Thur 19 Jan
Meeting (in church).
nd
Thur 2 Feb 1.30pm in the OBH. Amanda Beck from St Alphege Pre School.
Sat 25 Feb 5.00pm in the OBH. PANCAKE PARTY.
th
Subscriptions are now due and need to be in by the end of March. This year the subscription is
£22 plus £11.50 if you wish to take magazine. Please send your cheque (payable to
St Alphege Mothers’ Union) to Susan Leach, 21 Grandborough Drive, Solihull B91 3TS.
Lifts are available to most events - phone 705 8761 or 270 6132



We are a women’s group who meet monthly in the Oliver Bird Hall and other venues.
We warmly welcome visitors at our various activities.
Winter Walk in Brueton Park. Meet at 10.30am at the Cafe.
Fri 13 Jan
th
12.30pm - Lunch at the Drum and Monkey.
February Walk.
10.30am - Walk round Caldicott’s Nursery, 50 Lovelace Avenue, B91 3JR.
th
Tues 7 Feb
Coffee - please bring your own mug and chair.
12.30pm - Lunch at Woodman Pub, Union Road, Shirley.
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Tues 28 Feb Tea at the Bridge Club. 3.30pm. £10 + £2 for glass of Prosecco.
Details from Carol Caldicott (705 3168).
For further details contact Stella Wright (705 8779)

For further details phone Elaine Diskin 705 3265 1.45 - 2.45pm
or Alison Pratt 07752 583125. in church (unless noted)
th
19 Jan
The next dates for Children’s Praise are:
16 Feb
th
9.15am Sunday 8 t h January
S t A l p h e g e
All Age Service





4

M u s i c R e c i t a l s : St Alphege Church at 1:10pm


Recitals will recommence on Wednesday 11th January (programme
to be announced).
Thank you to everyone who has supported the recital programme
throughout 2016.


Light refreshments from 12.30pm Recital ends 2.00pm
Any voluntary donations to Friends of St Alphege Music



5

The Guardians of St Alphege Parish Church

Whether you are a life-long supporter, friend of, or new member of The
Guardians, it was wonderful to welcome you to the Christmas Dinner.
Everyone we spoke with enjoyed the evening: thank you all for continuing to support our
Charity. We raised over £200.
With a fairly compact committee now in place, we’ll be planning events for next year soon,
and they’ll be published in the Parish News, on the Guardians website and Guardians notice
board in church once some dates are fixed.
For any queries on The Guardians, membership, donations, events etc., please contact either
Ruth Morton, Caroline Kerr, Lucy Lee or Sue Shaw, or one of our Trustees: Anne Roberts,
Michael Palmer, Graham Smith or Ruth Morton (Tel: 0121 705 2244).
Wishing you all a Peaceful Christmas,
Ruth Morton
FLOODLIGHTING
The Floodlighting continues to be organized by Sheila Payne. Tel: 0121 706 0520 or
[email protected]
Cost: £8.00 for 2 hours; £14 for 4 hours.
We acknowledge the names of those commemorated with a card sent to the sponsor and by
displaying the names on the Guardians notice boards on the north wall inside Church, in the
Oliver Bird Hall and Parish News.

RAYNER HOUSE AND YEW TREES
3-5 Damson Parkway, Solihull, West Midlands B91 2PP
ARE YOU CONSIDERING SHELTERED HOUSING
IN A CARING ENVIRONMENT?

YEW TREES offers single older people affordable sheltered housing flatlets
situated in pleasant grounds -
· Independent living with support services
· 24 hour on site emergency support
· Home cooked meals available
· Domestic service provided
· A secure environment
· Parking facilities
· A varied social activities programme
· A friendly community environment
· Guest flat accommodation available for visitors
For further information and brochure contact Business Manager on
0121 705 9293
http://www.raynerhouseandyewtrees.co.uk/

6

102 Not out!
o, this is not a cricket score but the age of a much-loved member of St Michael’s
Ncongregation, Millicent Winch whose birthday week was celebrated after the Eucharist
on Advent Sunday. The Hall was quickly converted into a dining room with the tables topped
with coloured tablecloths and freshly cut bread. When all
were settled the hatch was raised to reveal a row of ladies
standing behind steaming cauldrons of delicious soups,
with enough to give two bowls to each person.
After these had been enjoyed there was a change to
feeding the brain rather than the inner person, with a quiz
displayed along one wall with an array of photographs of
well known persons in various categories such as TV,
James Bond, Religious leaders, and our task was to put
names to each. As always one knew the faces but it was
a different matter to put the correct names to each one.
We then returned to our seats to find that the ladies behind
the hatch were now standing in by a range of delicious
home-made desserts such as jellies, trifles, cheesecake,
fruit salad etc. which were downed with gusto.
Then came the piéce de resistance. Our church warden,
Pat Abrams, had made a magnificent birthday cake in the shape of the figures 1,0,2 and iced
them to a professional standard. After we had admired the tour de force Millicent was asked
to come forward to cut the ceremonial first slice, which she did to rousing cheers and
enthusiastic choruses of ‘Happy Birthday’ and ‘For she’s a jolly good fellow’, to which she
responded with a short speech of thanks to us all.
So ended a real exhibition of the St Michael’s Family giving thanks for the pleasure of having
such a wonderful person among our congregation.
Robin Soper
Medic Malawi
ave you read the moving article on page 30 by Stephen Drew who talks about Medic
HMalawi? Then you may wish to support their work.
TO HELP SUPPORT THE WORK OF MEDIC MALAWI PLEASE SPEAK TO GRAHAM SMITH ON
0121 705 6370 OR EMAIL HIM AT [email protected]
The cost of a cataract operation to restore eyesight is £30. A seven year old boy, Chris, who
was totally blind from birth has recently had an operation to give him sight for the first time.
The eye clinic has only been open for two years and both myself and Angela were there when
the bandages were removed following the first cataract operations. There followed much singing,
dancing and praising. There was not a dry eye in the room. In the last year I have raised almost
£5,000 to send off to pay for eye operations. I want to continue to do this every year.
TH
Angela is organising a COFFEE/TEA morning at our home on WEDNESDAY 18 JANUARY
2017 FROM 10.00AM TO 12.00PM. Cost £3 on the door.
PLEASE PUT IT IN YOUR DIARY AND COME ALONG. MANY THANKS FOR YOUR SUPPORT,
Graham and Angela Smith
7

A Table of Treats


small team from the SMBC
Acouncil offices across Church Hill
Road collected food, chocolates,
and gifts etc., and gave them to us
to distribute to local young and old
people in need this Christmas. They
have given us very many things and
even gift bags to pack them up in.
We passed twelve bags to
Rosemary Owens, one for each of
the young residents in the SCAH
home, and Debbie Woodward had
some for the older parishioners who
come to the Lunch Club and Senior
Care Group. Gifts were also given to
families that were known to be in
need at Christmas.
On behalf of all these grateful people, ‘Thank you’ to the council staff involved for your
thoughtfulness and generosity.



Treasurer needed for Pre School

St Alphege Pre-school is looking for a Treasurer. We are a thriving busy Pre-school at the
heart of our parish community. If you have a financial background and would like to know
more about this voluntary role, please email
Meryl Homer at [email protected]



For Sale : One-bedroom ground floor flat

close to Solihull centre and hospital


The Abbeyfield Society. Shared ownership (75%) £139,000
Hampton House, 17-19 Hampton Lane, Solihull. B91 2QJ
A spacious, newly decorated flat overlooking gardens. Residents’ lounge, dining and TV area,
all meals and utilities included in the monthly service charge. Carers are on site 24 hours to
provide personal care and support as required.
On the market with John Shepherd Estate Agents, or preferably contact:
Jenny Carrington on 0121 705 0902 or [email protected]
8

Christmas Lunch
Forty nine people from St Alphege
Mothers’ Union enjoyed their
Christmas Lunch this year at The
George (Ramada) Hotel.
M.U. starts its new programme on
th
Thursday 5 January with a talk by
the Parish Youth Worker Joe Minall.
It will be at 1.30pm in the OBH and
everyone is welcome to come and
join the meeting.



S T A L P H E G E M O T H E R S ’ U N I O N








SATURDAY 25 t h February
in the Oliver Bird Hall

5.00pm – 7.00pm

Tickets: Adults £2.50
Children £1.00 · Team races and special races for tiny tots
On sale at Sunday · Children’s Tombola
· Pancakes to eat
coffee/squash in the · Bar including soft drinks
OBH or pay on the night · Cakes and Produce for sale


A GREAT FAMILY EVENT FOR EVERYONE



Closing Date for Pre School applications

A reminder for parents: the closing date for applications for places at St Alphege
st
Pre School for the term starting in September 2017 is 31 January 2017.
9

Solihull Faiths Forum
-

t was ten years ago that the Solihull Faiths Forum came into being. How would it work?
IWhat was its purpose? Would it affect the people of Solihull?
A constitution was worked out and aims decided. These are:
· To live peacefully together
· To involve faith and cultural groups in the civic and public life of the borough
· To enable the Council, Solihull Partnership and local faith groups to discuss matters
of mutual concern or interest.
So ten years on are we achieving these aims? Here are some of the things that have happened.
We have visited each other’s places of worship and
had the opportunity to learn the fundamental
beliefs and customs of the different faiths across
the borough. We joined in celebrations of special
events e.g. the Sikh festival of Vaisakhi in
Handsworth Park and the Muslim Eid-Al Adha
celebration. We have held something special during
Inter-faith week each year and this November had
an evening of dance music and readings.
We have, as a Faiths Forum in conjunction with
SMBC, been at the forefront of support for the
Syrian refugee families housed in Solihull. We
have worked with SMBC Bereavement Services
with regard to the needs of the different faiths at
the cremation and burial sites located in the
borough. And we are really pleased that this year
SMBC has offered safeguarding training to faith
communities that do not run their own.
We have taken the opportunity to work together for the common good by holding the ‘Go
Green Fair’ in Mell Square – the fair in June 2017 being the eighth! Importantly too, we took
a major role in ensuring that the Cinnamon Faith Action Audit, concerned with establishing
how involved faith groups were in social action, was carried out as effectively as possible.
But maybe our greatest achievement to date is the signing of the covenant between the Faith
communities and Solihull Partnership a year ago. This in essence acknowledges that the Faith
groups across Solihull and the members of the Solihull Partnership will engage together in
practical working ways. Solihull is one of the first six councils across England to have a faith
covenant. We are really proud that this was publicly acknowledged at a reception at Portcullis
House in Westminster, given by the All-Party Parliamentary Group on Faith and Society and
attended by our local MPs with the key speaker, Rt Hon Sajid Javid MP.
Please do support our events in the future. Establishing inter-faith relationships is so
important in our current climate.
Beryl Moppett
10

Response to the Chancellor's Autumn Statement
by The Bishop of Birmingham, Rt Revd David Urquhart
Bishop David said: "The political turbulence of the past year and lower growth forecasts have
meant the Chancellor has been given limited economic room for manoeuvre. But I welcome
the emphasis in the Autumn Statement on long term stability, investment in innovation, in
our national infrastructure and on supporting regional growth. To be a nation living within
its means is an aspiration worth keeping, even if the revised figures for deficit reduction
mean that the goal of its achievement has been moved slightly further away.
The Government is to be commended for wanting to address the situation of those who are
'just managing' and for its emphasis on work as being an important route out of poverty. The
increases in the National Living Wage and a partial reversal of planned cuts to Universal
Credit announced in the Autumn Statement are welcome and will offer some help. But at a
time when the cost of living is set to rise, more on the lowest incomes will still struggle to
get by and they might benefit from more targeted assistance than further increases in the
tax free personal allowance, which mostly benefits better off families, as the recent report
by the Centre for Social Justice points out.
As the Joseph Rowntree Foundation have highlighted, the four-year freeze on working-age
benefits is looking increasingly out of date, especially with rising inflation. It is likely to impact
especially on working families with children, as will the two-child limit on new claimants for
tax credits and Universal Credit. The Autumn Statement leaves these in place, but a rethink
in both areas might be a good way to relieve some pressure on those who find themselves
just managing and for whom the tax free childcare proposals only go part of the way.
Addressing the twin issues of rising personal debt and sustainable credit must also be a
priority, and ones that I am looking closely at in my work on the House of Lords Select
Committee on Financial Exclusion. A 'breathing space' scheme for those families with
problem debt would offer a year long period of protection so families can stabilise their
finances and agree affordable debt repayment plans. This proposal from the Children's
Society is certainly worth Government attention.
The Chancellor is right to stress the urgency of addressing the unaffordability of housing and
I welcome news of a Housing White Paper. The £1.4 billion for 40,000 new affordable homes
is good to hear. But there must be a greater focus on social rented homes to support the
most vulnerable in society, for whom home ownership is not a realistic prospect in the
immediate future. I hope that the announced £2.3 billion in support for infrastructure around
new building will focus as much on shared spaces for communities to meet as it does on
necessary schools and medical facilities. The end to letting agent fees will both be a relief to
tenants and may lead to competition to keep these fees down in the longer term and I hope
they will be introduced quickly, as the extension of the Right to Buy pilot for Housing
Associations is likely to increase demand in the private rental sector.
It remains good news that we continue to meet the target of 0.7% of GDP for overseas aid,
and I congratulate the Government on its ongoing commitment to addressing the needs of
the world's poorest.



11

Calendar and Prayer Intentions for January

1 New Year The Parish Pool Meadow Close
2 Naming of Jesus That mankind will respect the environment Poplar Road
3 Feria The Mission of the Diocese and our Parish Poplar Way
4 Feria Schools in our Parish Princes Way
5 Feria Wholeness and Healing Rectory Gardens
6 Feria Birmingham Cathedral Rectory Road
7 Feria Remembrance of January's Departed Redbrooks Close
8 Epiphany The Revealing of Christ to the World Riverside Drive
9 Baptism of Christ Those working in Retail in Solihull St Alphege Close
10 William Laud New Door Saintbury Drive
11 Mary Slessor Readers in our Parish Sandal Rise
12 Aelred of Hexham H. M. The Queen Sandhills Crescent
13 Hiliary Bishop of Poitiers Vocations to Ordained and Lay Ministry School Lane
14 Feria The Pastoral Link Team Sevington Close
15 Epiphany 2 The Parish Shelsey Way
16 Feria The Diocesan Link with Malawi Silverbirch Road
17 Antony of Egypt Planning for our Parish Development Smiths Lane
18 Week of Prayer for Unity The Area Deans Solihull Bypass
19 Wulfstan Bishop:Worcester St Alphege Mothers' Union Somerby Drive
20 Feria St Augustine's Church Southey Close
21 Agnes Martyr Solihull Methodist Church Spilsbury Croft
22 Epiphany 3 Christian Unity The Square
23 Feria Solihull United Reformed Church Station Approach
24 Francis de Sales Renewal Church Station Road
25 Conversion of St Paul The Growth of the Church Stonebow Avenue
26 Timothy and Titus The Orthodox Church Stoneythorpe Close
27 Feria The End of Human Trafficking Tanwood Close
28 Thomas Aquinas The Homeless Thorngrove Avenue
29 Candlemas The Parish Tibberton Close
30 Charles, King and Martyr Childrens' Ministry in our Parish Union Close
31 Feria Youth Ministry in our Parish Whitefields Crescent

The Church prays for the community daily: please include these topics in your personal daily prayers.
12

From the St Alphege Register

Baptisms

20 November Frank Osadciw-Brown
th
Daniel James McDonald
Louis Philip Alan Gissey-Walsh


Weddings
None

Funerals

None

Memorials
nd
22 November Elizabeth Chambers


Names taken from the Chantry Book for Remembrance in January

Elsie Malpass Ronald Metcalfe Elsie Flood
Margaret Tate Maud Dunkley Elizabeth Newton
Nellie Kemp Jim Madeley Dorothea Hobbs
Clive Williams Edwin Barnes Tim Berry
Lily Hale Hilda Pinfold Noreen Sheeny
Cecil Campkin Betty Hartley Mary Feldman
Peggy Turner Dorothy Smith




OLIVER BIRD HALL BOOKINGS
Enquiries are welcome for the use of the Hall for
social gatherings, christenings, anniversaries, meetings, etc.
Debbie Woodward at [email protected]
or telephone Monday to Friday before 7pm only 07805 480074.







13

Floodlighting If you would like to celebrate an occasion by having the Church floodlit,
at St Alphege it is easy to arrange by phoning Sheila Payne on 0121 706 0520
The Church was floodlit to remember the following:

th
4 Dec In loving memory of Michael Edwards
th
th
7 Dec To commemorate the marriage on 7 Dec 1985 of Wendy & Ted Corbridge
th
8 Dec In ever loving memory of the late dearly loved Robert Lamble
10 Dec Birthday memories of my dear husband Robbie Lamble
th
th
14 Dec To commemorate the birthday of Marjorie Elsie Lane
14 Dec In loving memory of Malcolm Spence
th
th
19 Dec In loving memory of William James Lane
23 Dec In loving memory of Jonathan Fabian Whittaker
rd
th
24 Dec In loving memory of Rachael Elston as this was her favourite time of the year
th
27 Dec In loving memory of Gwen Mullis
th
27 Dec In loving memory of Ron Soden































14

Worship Notes – St Alphege

The Christmas Season properly extends through all of January and so for much of the month
the Liturgical Colour is White. There are several important days to note in January:
1st January There will be only service on this Sunday Morning to Mark the New Year.
This will be at 11.00am and will be a Eucharist for all the Parish. There will
be refreshments after this service and opportunity for the whole parish to
spend time together.
2nd January The New Year Day Service displaces the feast of the naming of Jesus. This
is an important moment in the life of any Jewish boy and occurs on the
eighth day of his life. We mark this with a Eucharist act 9.30am.
8th January The Epiphany. This celebration commemorates the visitation of the wise
men to Jesus and the Holy Family sometime after his birth. It is properly
celebrated on 6th January, the twelfth day of Christmas. Like many
Churches we move the feast to Sunday 8th. There will be the usual Eucharist
at 8.00am, 9.15am and 11.00am as well as Evensong at 6.30pm.
22nd January This is the Sunday during the Week of Prayer for Christian Unity. There will
be no Evensong on this day. Instead we are asked to join Christians of other
denominations at a special service at 6.30pm which will be held in
Christchurch United Reformed Church on Warwick Road.
29th January The feast of the Presentation of Christ in the Temple or Candlemas. This
feast properly belongs on February 2nd and marks forty days since the birth
of Jesus. On this day Jesus was presented in the temple as required by the
Jewish law. Here he was acclaimed by Simeon and by Anna who both
recognised that this baby was the long expected Messiah. Eucharists at
8.00am, 9.15am and 11.00am and Evensong at 6.30pm.
















9 BAGINTON CLOSE, SOLIHULL, B91 2UL


COFFEE AND TEA BISCUITS


ALL WELCOME - £3 ON THE DOOR
[email protected]

15

St Alphege Choirs - Carol Singing
During the month of December, we use carol singing as a
way of getting out into the local community to make contact
with people we wouldn’t otherwise meet.
Wherever we go, we have leaflets available which list
forthcoming services and events at St Alphege, and a robed
choir, predominantly made up of children, always attracts lots
of interest. People stop what they are doing to listen to a few
carols, they ask us about who we are, and they ask about the
church, and sometimes they request a particular favourite.
We try to divide our time between our own fundraising on the
one hand (to fund the necessary costs associated with running the choir which the church is
unable to fund), and helping different community organisations on the other. So far this
December, we attended the Christmas lights switch on at Hobs Moat, an area of Solihull which
the council are trying to regenerate. Then we helped
charity Little Hearts Matter, who had permission to hold
a bucket collection in the Bullring in Birmingham City
Centre, which was far more effective with some carol
singers than if they were simply looking for donations
from passing shoppers. We sang for the Senior Care
Group’s Songs of Praise event, and enjoyed tea
afterwards. We will be visiting Abbeyfields together
with members of the parish youth.
At the time of writing, we have just held a concert in
aid of Cancer Research UK, a traditional carol concert
with a mixture of choir items, audience participation
and readings, which was very well received by everyone in attendance. We are hoping to have
helped to raise a good amount for this charity, thanks to the efforts of our choirs and the
generous support of the audience.
We have sung in Mell Square, at Birmingham International train station and Sainsbury’s, and
have visits to the new Waitrose and Morrison’s planned. We also collaborate with the local
police partnership team and will visit some of
the pubs on the High Street as part of their
licensing checks – this is probably the adults’
favourite as there is usually time for a drink at
the end! As for the children’s favourite, it might
be Birmingham International if there’s time for
a ride on the monorail, but they also all really
enjoy what they are able to do at the Marie Curie
Hospice, which we will visit for the third time on
Christmas Eve this year – patients, family,
visitors and staff all very much appreciate our efforts and it seems to have a real impact on
the children. Wishing everyone a very Happy New Year – we look forward to all that 2017
holds in store for our parish community. Isabel Baumber
16

St Alphege School wins Best Customer Service award

St Alphege School received high praise at the recent Solihull BID excellence awards for its
exceptional customer service as it took the top spot in the Best Customer Service category.
With stiff competition from local businesses and
individuals, this award recognizes those who
constantly exceed customer expectations and
understand the link between customer service
and profit.
The judges were impressed by the school’s
‘refreshing and innovative approach to customer
service’ and their ‘amazing team of customer
service driven individuals who continually
promote the school, ensure parents are informed
on school issues, engage children as much as
possible and maximise fundraising opportunities,
all whilst working with the pressures of budget
constraints and the complex needs of a school.’
The school’s Business Manager, Karen
Chapman, was delighted to receive the award. She said: “It is wonderful for St Alphege to
be acknowledged as a finalist amongst the great businesses in Solihull and a privilege to have
been selected as the overall winner.
“Whilst providing an outstanding education will always be our priority, it is fantastic to be
recognised for understanding that a school, like a business, has to provide an inclusive service
to all customers, pupils and parents, which transcends the classroom. “Schools are working in
demanding times, however this also drives opportunity and innovation as we have to think and
work more creatively to deliver our service. We are absolutely thrilled to receive this award.”
Councillor Ken Meeson, Cabinet Member for Children, Education and Skills, congratulated the
school saying: “It is great to see a local school being applauded for its innovative and
excellent customer service. The team at St Alphege turn challenges into opportunities and in
doing so provide the best possible service to their pupils and parents. I’d like to say a huge
“well done” to Karen and her team and I hope this might inspire other Solihull schools to
think creatively about their customer service.”


St Alphege Church of England
INFANT & NURSERY, and JUNIOR SCHOOLS
Anglican parents living or worshipping within the ecclesiastical parish of
St Alphege, which includes St Alphege, St Helen, and St Michael Churches,
are encouraged to consider these schools for the education of their children.
They offer an excellent education incorporating Christian principles.
For more information see the school websites :
www.st-alphege-inf.solihull.sch.uk www.st-alphege-jun.solihull.sch.uk

Appointments to visit can be obtained through the Head:
Mrs J Slough 0121 705 0443 or call at the school offices.
17

Looking back
All Age Worship with Readings and
Nativity 11 December
th
Despite hitches with the nativity cast and lost
costumes, all was well in the end. The service
was thought provoking as well as giving the
children the opportunity to be alongside the
adults in a truly all age service. The young
soloists Grace and Nicoletta were a joy to listen
to and I hope that from now on we may have the
opportunity to involve them in the church worship more
often.
St Helen’s Christmas Fayre
I am very pleased to say that we now have our final total
and have been able to send cheques for £950 each to the
Teenage Cancer Trust and APS-Support UK (Hughes
Syndrome). We are delighted that so many people
supported the Fayre and that we were able to raise such
a fine amount.
Advent Carol Service 27 November
th
This was a quiet meditative service with thoughtful readings. Year on year the numbers
attending has increased, which is really great.
Wednesday lunches - Christmas lunch 14 December
th
The cooks were on top form for this special lunch and it once again proved to be just
what was needed for the last lunch of the year.
Christmas Carols and Readings by candle light (with mince pies and mulled wine)
A great start for the Christmas celebrations – a church full to bursting!
Looking forward
th
CAMEO resumes Wednesday 4 January with a speaker from ‘Friends of Solihull Hospital’
‘Living Water’ Sunday 15 January at 6.30pm. The new wall hanging in St Helen’s
th
chapel will be dedicated by The Rector, Jane, at a special evening Eucharist.
ACT – Art & Crafts Together An opportunity to be creative in the company of others
th
starts Monday 16 January from 2-4pm. Contact Barbara Sears for more details 0121 704
1994.
A VERY BIG ‘thank you’ to all the clergy who have so willingly helped out while Revd Helen
is off work.
Beryl Moppett

18

Advent & Christmas
During Advent Fr Simon offered a weekly service of prayer and reflection concerned with
preparing for Christmas. This was held in the chapel and proved most helpful for those
who attended.
Our Nativity Presentation made its appearance on the second Sunday in December and
as in previous years was penned by our creative writing expert Pat Abrams. Unfortunately
we did not have so many children this year so had a higher involvement of adults.

Anniversary
In 2017 the vicarage and chapel in Bryanston Road will have been in use by St Michael’s
for 25 years. This is an invaluable resource, the chapel being used for services, meetings
and social events. The Wednesday morning service is now attended by around twenty
people, and we have been delighted to welcome our friends from St Alphege to this
weekday Eucharist.

Worship

We have been very fortunate in having bequests given specifically to enhance our
worship. Some of this money had been put towards a set of stoles, mainly for use in the
chapel, but with the school in mind as well. They were designed to reflect the style of the
new stained glass windows so add greatly to our worship.

Helping
At Christmas time we major on two charitable causes. We invite our members to sign a
congregational Christmas card and make a donation. This year we decided to donate any
money raised to St Basil’s who mainly help young homeless people to get a start, and
with projects in Solihull this is very close to home.
Secondly, as we have done over a number of years, we collect items for suitable presents
for the children of prisoners in Birmingham Prison, who would otherwise have a bleak
time. Our thanks to Sandra and Tim Bett who mastermind this. There were sufficient gifts
this year to need extra transport. The centre at the prison are always most grateful for
our gifts.
Finally a very happy and blessed New Year to our readers.
Paul Smith






19

20

Sunday Worship

St Alphege
At 9.15am there’s a choice of the Junction in the Oliver Bird Hall
which is designed for children and their parents and is family focused or a
family friendly service in the church building which includes a fun children’s
activity. On 8 January everyone will meet in the church building for
Epiphany All age worship

St Helen
Every Sunday at 10.00 am there is a lively crèche for the little ones and a
fun Sunday club for children of all ages. On 15 January everyone will worship
together with activities for all ages

St Michael
Every Sunday at 10.30am there is a lively crèche for the little ones and a fun
Sunday club for the older children. On 8 January everyone will worship
together in a shorter service with activities for all ages.
Other Activities

Thursday 19th January Children’s Praise St Alphege Church 1.45pm
th
Sunday 29 January Mossy Church in the garden at St Michael's Vicarage,
B91 1BS3-4pm
Praise and Play Every Friday from 9.30am onwards Oliver Bird Hall

(Term time only)
Faithfull Families Tuesdays 8.45- 10.15am Oliver Bird Hall
Little Treasures, Wednesdays at 1.15pm Oliver Bird Hall


21

Advent and Christmas 2016




The Journey to the Stable event which is now in its eleventh
year at St Alphege church took place during the first week in
Advent. Children from the following schools attended:
Bishop Wilson, St Martin’s, St Augustine’s, St Alphege Preschool,
St Alphege Infant school , Ruckleigh, Solihull, Eversfield,
Oak Cottage, Yew Tree, Teddybears Nursery.
The children listened to the Christmas story told using the Crib
figures. They then journeyed around the Church and met some
characters to help them imagine what it was like on that first
Christmas Day. They met the grumpy Innkeeper’s wife, a
shepherd and a King and found Mary, Joseph and a real baby in
the stable. The children also made a bookmark to take home to

remind them of their visit.
After completing their Journey the children joined back
together to share their experiences and responded
enthusiastically with their thoughts on the most enjoyable part

of the Journey and the part that was most important to them.




This event would not be possible without
the help and support of so many people
from across the Parish. It was
wonderful to again have new volunteers
joining us this year helping alongside
those people who join us year after
year and so willingly give their time and
many talents to make this event
happen. A big thank you to all of you!!
Love from the Children’s Ministry team
xx
22

Throughout November volunteers
from across the Parish got out their
knitting needles to knit 3 flocks of
sheep who together with a knitted
Mary and Joseph took part in a very
special activity called Posada.
Posada is a festival celebrated in

Mexico although it has its roots in
sixteenth century Spain.

Each evening of Las Posadas, a small group of pilgrims would re-enact
Mary and Joseph's journey. Dressed as the biblical characters, they
visited three 'inns' each evening. By prearrangement, they were
turned away from the first two, but found shelter in the third and
usually celebrated there in some way. On Christmas Eve, the final
lodging for the Holy Family was found in the local church, where
Midnight Mass was celebrated and the Christ-child is placed in the crib.


For each school day of Advent until the Christmas break families from
the three St Alphege Infant School Year 1 classes signed up to host
Mary and Joseph and a flock of sheep overnight. At the end of each day
the couple in their travelling basket was given to the child of the host
family to take home. Mary and Joseph travelled with the sheep and a
sheet of ideas of prayers that could be said as they were welcomed into
the children’s homes and other things they could do and think about as
they stayed with the family. The following morning having chosen a sheep
to keep, the children returned Mary and Joseph to school ready to be
passed on to the next family. The family who hosted Mary and Joseph on
the last day of term committed to taking them to St Alphege, St Michael
or St Helen’s Church for their Crib festival on Christmas Eve.



Thank you to all the knitters, the staff at St Alphege Infant
school and the host families for making this event possible.
23

Birmingham City Mission ToyLink Project


















As a result of the generosity of the St Alphege congregations over
300 toys were donated to the ToyLink Project organised by the
Birmingham City Mission for families in need across the City. A

letter of thanks has been received:

Please pass on our warm thanks to all the friends at the church
for the donation of toys for our ToyLink Project. Their help and
support are very much appreciated at this time. We are sure
that many parents will find these a great help and of course we




First Communion Preparation








This year the First Communion welcome service will be on Sunday

12 February. There will be 6 preparation sessions 9.30-10.30 am
th
th
th
on Saturday mornings between 11 March and 6 May. First
th
communion Sunday will be Sunday 14 May. For further
information or to register contact Linda Hicks
[email protected]

24

Y o u t h S t u f f


4th Jan Junior Refresh 7-8pm Youth room

6th Jan ReFlect Prayer Group and youth session 5-7.30pm Youth room
8th Jan Youth at St Alphege 9.15am St Alphege

9th Jan Relax 7-9pm Youth room

11th Jan Refresh 7-8.30pm Youth room
13th Jan ReFlect Prayer Group and youth session 5-7.30pm Youth room

15th Jan Youth at St Alphege/St Michael’s 9.15am Oliver Bird Hall
10.30am St Michael’s

16th Jan Relax 7-9pm Youth room

18th Jan Junior Refresh 7-8pm Youth room

20th Jan ReFlect Prayer Group and youth session 5-7.30pm Youth room
22nd Jan Youth at St Helen’s 10am St Helen’s

23rd Jan Relax 7-9pm Youth room

25th Jan Refresh 7-8.30pm Youth room
27th Jan ReFlect Prayer Group and youth session 5-7.30pm Youth room

29th Jan Youth at St Helen’s 10am St Helen’s
30th Jan Relax 7-9pm Youth room



Contact details:
Youth Office 0121 661 6303
Joe Minall: [email protected]
Lynn: [email protected]
Debbie: [email protected]









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St Alphege Pre-School
We welcome you to apply for a Pre-School place for children who will turn 3 in the
academic year beginning September 2017. The closing date for applications is
31 January 2017. Application Form and Admissions Policy are available online (paper
st
copies can be requested). St. Alphege Pre-School offers highly experienced and qualified
staff. The last Ofsted Inspection result rated us ‘Outstanding’.
Little Treasures (baby, toddler and pre-school age)
Wednesday afternoons in the OBH : 1.15pm until 2.30pm. Children accompanied by
parent/carer. Drop-in session, no need to book, just turn up!
2’s Group (in the term a child reaches age two)
Monday mornings (3 in 4 per month) in the OBH : 10.00am until 11.30am. Children
accompanied by parent/carer. Drop-in session, no need to book, just turn up! Activities
aimed at children who are 2 years old or who will be approaching 2 years old.
Further information available : www.stalphege-preschool.org.uk or email
Pre-School Manager, Meryl Homer : [email protected]




28

29

Malawi Update




The Fine Pharmacy
The first sight of St Andrew’s Hospital, Mtunthama is now transformed. In truth, it used to
be the rather un-prepossessing initial glimpse of some outside toilets, closely followed by
rather a lot of pipes and assorted electric wires. Now the Fine Pharmacy stands proudly in
place of the loos (which are now tucked away, and greatly improved, by the way); all the
pipes and wires have gone, probably underground I suppose, and a handsome extension
greets each arrival.
But of course the transformation is
more than just visual, more than just
architectural balance. The hospital has
long outgrown our first pharmacy
which was little more than a walk-in
cupboard really. In addition to being
small, the pharmacy servery opened
out into the main entrance, so people
queued for their medication in exactly
the same congested area where the
outpatients queued for their
treatment.
Now there is a handsome veranda, a smart office, a very large storeroom and a secure store
for sensitive stuff. It's brilliant. But the knock on effects have also been huge. Hitherto, all
the administration functions have, for want of anywhere else, been done in the hospital itself
- in rooms increasingly needed for medical work. So at last we have moved the offices out,
some into space vacated by the old pharmacy. We have made a separate administration
entrance, so that the main entrance is now medical only. While we were about it, we also
created an Emergency Entrance - surely every hospital should have one? – and happily those
with serious emergencies such as burns no longer have to be manoeuvred past the constant
outpatients’ queue.
And so it was a delight for me to unveil the plaque dedicating the new Pharmacy to Alexander
Garvey Fine, a gift in his memory from his loving mother, Rosaleen. My sincere thanks to her
and all her family.

St Andrew's Hospital
We lost an outstanding administrator, Aubrey Wande, last year, and we wish Aubrey well.
But happily we have gained another splendid manager, Chris Zambira. Chris has summed up
our work together in the introduction to his annual report:










30

Eye surgery
It was thrilling to be at St Andrew’s in the week of the eye surgery, and to be able to talk at length
with the visiting surgeon, my ex-student, Amos Nyaka. He comes to Mtunthama each month to
operate and restore sight, usually about 60 operations a month. 75% of blindness in Malawi is
curable – the result of untreated cataracts. Amos operated for two days, and I had the privilege
of seeing the patches come off, and sight restored.
I was in the room with permission from Amos:
he even warned the patients that the first thing
they might see would be some white visitors!
Gently, gently, he moved around, taking off the
patches and wiping eyes. Slowly, slowly, patients
blinked, smiled – some were silent at first,
taking it in. One lady burst into song, then others
joined, clapped and cheered. One man made a
speech of thanks. But it is the nervous smiles I
will remember most, smiles of sheer joy. As soon
as Amos is gone, others begin the process of
promoting , screening, and arranging to collect
patients for the following month – a team effort.
It was good to be there this year with students from Shrewsbury School, who raised the
£20,000 needed to build the Shrewsbury Eye Clinic, and they continue to help support
the cost of operations and our other work very generously month by month. While the
students were there we collected some valuable data about the patients – where they
came from, how long they had been blind, what problems it caused for them, and above
all their hopes for new life once they had regained sight.
AMAO
The orphanage continues to be a place of warmth and love, led by Mrs Elizabeth Kamphani
and her team. Their commitment and energy is wonderful: constantly giving love and hugs,
whilst also attending to the endless chores. It was good to be able to have a team to help
with the chores for a few days, but our thanks go to Elizabeth and all the staff for their
constant work, day in day out.

31

Income generation
I was very encouraged that the AMAO chicken project now yields regular egg sales to provide
10% of the income of the orphanage. It was great to hear that a local farmer has given seven
hectares of land for their use. This land needs some work – we have hired a tractor to clear it,
and it will need seeds and a lot of fertiliser, but the aim is that, given good rains, half the ground
should provide maize enough for the orphanage, with the remainder for sale and income.

Apprenticeships
I was really pleased that during this visit we were able to establish the first three
apprenticeships for students from AMAO. These have been made possible by the kindness
and expertise of nearby Kamuzu Academy, who will provide training and experience for the
three youngsters in Catering, Electronics and Hospitality Management, and certify their
qualifications. I am very sincerely grateful to Mr Kanjira, the Academy Bursar, for giving them
this chance and I hope this route will be followed by others very soon. Our thanks to the
AMAO committee, led by Mr Japan and Mr Sonjo for their work and support.
Microloans
For a while now I have wanted to start a scheme of local Microloans - loans to individuals to
enable them to set up a small enterprise and generate income for their family. Although
microloans have been successful and valuable elsewhere in Malawi, there has been nothing
like it in the immediate area. Thanks to the support of specific donors in the UK, and the
efforts of the administrator, Mr Zambira, we have now started the scheme. Mr Zambira has
formed a group of twenty recipients, having discussed, modified, monitored and approved
each small enterprise through a committee. The twenty each receive a loan, but are
interdependent, helping each other in business and in repayments. It is an extension of our
work, but a vital way to build for the future.

A Place of Hope
I was hugely grateful for a wonderful response to
my emails about the famine earlier this year, and
the feeding programme was successfully
established at St Andrew’s. To prevent another
famine, we heard about an irrigation scheme which
local elders wanted to establish along the River
Dwangwa, about 40kms away, but well within our
catchment. It was an area very hard hit by drought,
and many had come to St Andrew’s for emergency food. With your support I was able to
send money for fuel for an old pump, for seeds and fertiliser – and in July I saw it with my
own eyes. It is awesome, and I use that vogue word advisedly! It’s a huge area, brilliantly
organised by the committee of elders to share out work, and available water, and I walked
the length and breath of the project in the hot sun – it stretches a mile along the river. I was
exhausted, but inspired! They are growing food which will be ready in October – self help at
its very best! Now we are exploring the acquisition of solar pumps. There were lots of people
around, many working, some just talking – they like coming here said the Chief: “it is a place
of hope”. So too is the whole of Mtunthama. A place of real hope. Just look ! Who says you
can’t make a difference in Africa. Thank you for all your support for our existing commitments
and our new ventures. Despite our growth, 100% of your donations continue to reach those
in need. Thank you, and please keep supporting.
Stephen Drew
32

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34

35

36

37

Epiphany around the World
piphany, or the twelfth day of Christmas, falls on January 6 and marks the official end
th
Eto the festive season for many Christians. On that day, Pope Francis will hold the Vatican's
annual Holy Mass for the Epiphany in St Peter's Basilica in Rome. The ancient Christian feast
day is significant as a celebration of the baptism of Jesus by John the Baptist, as well as a
more general celebration of his birth. The six Sundays which follow Epiphany are known as
the time of manifestation. The Twelfth Night (Epiphany) also marks a visit to the baby Jesus
by three Kings, or Wise Men. The word 'Epiphany' comes from Greek and means to show,
referring to Jesus being revealed to the world.
In the West, Christians began celebrating the Epiphany in the 4 century, associating it with
th
the visit of the Wise Men to Jesus. According to the Gospel of Matthew, the men found Jesus
by following a star across the desert to Bethlehem. The three men - named Melchior, Caspar
and Balthazar - followed the star of Bethlehem to meet the baby Jesus. According to Matthew
2:11, they offered gifts of gold, frankincense and myrrh. The gifts were symbolic of the
importance of Jesus' birth, the gold representing his royal standing; frankincense his divine
birth; and myrrh his mortality. St Bede hints that the magi represent different races, an idea
that was further developed around the 14th century, in which the wise men were said to
represent the three known races of the time, European, Asian, and African. According to
another legend, St Thomas the Apostle visited the Magi, and after catechizing them, he
initiated them into the Christian faith. Eventually the Wise Men were ordained priests and
then bishops. Near the end of their lives, the Christmas Star revisited them, this time bringing
them together for a final reunion. The information provided by Bede, and this legend, are
interesting but may be historically unreliable.
During the medieval period, Christmas was celebrated for the twelve days from Christmas
th
th
th
Eve on December 24 , until the Epiphany. Even up until the 19 century, January 6 was as
big a celebration as Christmas Day. For many Protestant churches, the season of Epiphany
th
extends from January 6 until Ash Wednesday and the start of Lent, the last Sunday of the
Epiphany being celebrated as Transfiguration Sunday. Others, including the Catholic church,
observe Epiphany as a single day. Some Catholic dioceses in the United States mark the
th
Epiphany feast on the Sunday after January 6 , whilst Orthodox Christians celebrate the
th
holiday on January 19 each year.
Across the world, the day's festivities vary. In the Spanish speaking world Epiphany is known
as Dia de los Reyes (Three Kings' Day). In Mexico, for instance, crowds gather to taste the
Rosca de Reyes - Kings' bread. In other countries, a Jesus figurine is hidden in the bread.
The custom in Germany is that of the childrens' festival between January 1-6 (Three Kings
Day). After a service at the churches the children go from house to house to gather offerings
for poor children in poor countries. They are dressed as the three kings and carry sticks with
stars on the top. At the homes they sing songs and recite messages of Christmas. At each
house they paint the letters ‘20+C+M+B+14’ which are for the Latin Christus Mansionem
Benedicat (Christ bless this house). At the same time the letters are the first letters of the
names of the wise men: Caspar, Melchior and Balthasar.


38

Ten facts about the Feast of the Epiphany
1. The three Kings (Melchior, Caspar and Balthazar) may have represented Europe,
Arabia and Africa respectively.
2. Hundreds of years ago, roast lamb was traditionally served at Epiphany in honour
of Christ and the three Kings' visit.
3. Whoever finds the small statue of a baby Jesus hidden inside their slice of the Rosca
de Reyes throws a party on Candlemas in February.
4. In some European countries, children leave their shoes out the night before to be
filled with gifts, while others leave straw for the three Kings' horses.
5. According to the Greek Orthodox Church's traditions, a priest will bless the waters
by throwing a cross into it as worshippers try to retrieve it.
6. In Bulgaria too, Eastern Orthodox priests throw a cross in the sea and the men dive
in - competing to get to it first.
7. In Venice a traditional regatta that started as a joke in the late 70s has been
incorporated into the celebrations of Epiphany Day.
8. In Prague, there is a traditional Three Kings swim to commemorate Epiphany Day
at the Vltava River.
9. In New York, El Museo del Barrio has celebrated and promoted the Three Kings' Day
tradition with an annual parade for more than three decades. Thousands take part
in the procession featuring camels, colourful puppets and floats.
10. The day's activities involve singing holiday carols called ‘aguinaldos’.




A prayer for the Epiphany season:

We are drawn to your feet in worship,
your creation facing its creator,
hearts laid bare by your light,
humbly asking for your mercy.
We come to you as a people in need of assurance and forgiveness.
We come to you as a people in need of healing and wholeness.
We come dependent upon your love.
Draw us close, enfold us in your arms.
Fill us with your Spirit that we might reflect your light within this dark world,
speak your Word with boldness,
and draw others to your feet.
We ask this through your dear Son Jesus Christ.
Amen


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Advertising in the Solihull Parish News






Contact our Advertising Manager, Tim Drakeford
TELEPHONE: 0121 705 4494

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St Alphege
Deputy Wardens: Susan Gomm, 10 Silverbirch Road 705 0015
Chris Thorp, 29 Dovedale Avenue 243 4340
Pro Warden: Linda La Roche, 66 Church Hill Road 704 2282
Readers: Dr John Billam 705 1662
Stephen Linstead 705 1376
Stewardship Recorder Frank Upton, 1 Rectory Road 705 2963
St Helen
Deputy Wardens: Sam McClenaghan 707 2996
Jenny Carrington 705 0902
Readers: Beryl Moppett 705 0337
Barbara Sears 704 1994
Chris Carrington 705 0902
Church Office (Tue 2.00pm-5.00pm, Fri 1.30pm-4.30pm) 704 2878
Administrator’s email (Jane Pickett) : [email protected]
Hall Bookings: Geoff Wyatt, 7 Ashleigh Road 705 0311
St Michael
Deputy Wardens: Keith Wilson 778 2295
Pat Abrams 704 0048
Reader: Paul Smith 705 1377





Solihull Parish News


Editor and Copy Editor: Philip Leach, 21 Grandborough Drive 270 6132
Production: Roger Edwards, 01564 739134
Treasurer: Roger Giddings, 70 Silhill Hall Road 686 3422
Postal Subscriptions: Gloria Florance, 34 Burnham Meadow, B28 9JH 604 6475
Advertising Manager: Tim Drakeford, 42 Fowgay Drive 705 4494
Circulation Enquiries to: Philip Tew, 131 Widney Lane 704 2295
or the Parish Office 705 5350


NOTE FOR ADVERTISERS AND POTENTIAL ADVERTISERS
Would all advertisers please ensure that any changes they might require to their advert, or notice
of cancellation, are routed through the Advertising Manager (Tim Drakeford, 42 Fowgay Drive,
Solihull B91 3PH, Tel 705 4494) in sufficient time to meet the copy date for the issue in which they
wish the changes to take effect. The copy date is usually the first Friday of the preceding month,
but the exact date of the next copy date is shown below. Similarly, would new advertisers please
ensure that their requirements for advertising space are also routed through the Advertising
Manager in plenty of time to meet the required copy date.
The views expressed in this magazine are not necessarily the
views of or of .

CONTRIBUTIONS FOR THE FEBRUARY EDITION OF SOLIHULL PARISH NEWS
MUST BE IN BY FRIDAY, 6TH JANUARY PLEASE.
Leave in the Parish Office or email to [email protected]

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Team Rector [email protected]
0121 705 0069
The Revd Jane Kenchington, 07743 402229
45 Park Avenue, Solihull, B91 3EJ Not available on Friday
Director for Children’s & Families’ Ministry & Team Vicar for St Helen [email protected]
The Revd Helen Greenham, 0121 704 2878
6 St Helen’s Road, Solihull, B91 2DA Not available on Wednesday
Team Vicar for St Michael's and Priest with Special Responsibility for [email protected]
Junction 0121 704 4730
The Revd Simon Marshall, Not available on Thursday
St Michael’s Church Centre, Oak Cottage, Bryanston Road, Solihull, B91 1BS
Assistant Priest (St Alphege) [email protected]
The Revd Roy Murray, 0121 647 3694
3 St Alphege Close, Solihull, B91 3RQ Not available on Monday

0121 704 9895
The Revd John Bradford,
27 Marsh Lane, Solihull, B91 2PG
The Revd Canon Andrew Hutchinson, (Chaplain, Solihull School) 0121 704 0171
Solihull School, Warwick Road, Solihull, B91 3DJ Not available Mon, Wed


Joe Cooper (07935 962677) [email protected]
2 St Alphege Close, Solihull B91 3RQ
Isabel Baumber [email protected]
Joe Minall [email protected]
Debbie Woodward and Lynn Smart [email protected]
Youth Office, Oliver Bird Hall, Church Hill Road, Solihull, [email protected]
B91 3RQ 0121 661 6303
Linda Hicks (07838 670772) [email protected]
The Revd Sue Chandler (07970 791288) [email protected]
Room 3, Oliver Bird Hall, Church Hill Road, Solihull, B91 3RQ 0121 270 7390
Paul Evans 0121 704 0646
Verger’s Office at St Alphege Church
Cynthia Dodson 0121 705 3744
64, Stoneleigh Road, Solihull B91 1DQ
Debbie Woodward [email protected]
07805 480074 Mon-Fri before 7pm
Bookings can be viewed and requested online at www.solihullparish.org.uk/obh
PARISH OFFICE Oliver Bird Hall, Church Hill Road, Solihull, B91 3RQ
Tel: 0121 705 5350 and 0121 270 9740 Email: [email protected]
Open: Monday to Thursday 9.00am to 1.00pm; Friday 9.00am to 12.00 noon.


Parish Wardens Stephen Wallis, 40 Hampton Lane, Solihull B91 2PZ 0121 705 0532
Deirdre Moll, 18 Brueton Avenue, Solihull B91 3EN 0121 705 3271
PCC Secretary Vernon Adams, 37 Chelveston Crescent, Solihull B91 3YH 0121 705 9752
PCC Treasurer Ron Crowdy, 18 Wellington Grove, Solihull B91 1EA 0121 705 3253
Parish Electoral Roll Officer Stephen Linstead, 20 Silhill Hall Road, Solihull B91 1JU 0121 705 1376
The views expressed in this magazine are not necessarily or of .
45 the views of

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