Roger Scoones' Monthly Dialogue
Rev Roger Scoones
Rev Roger Scoones is Rector of St Mary's Parish Church, Stockport and is a well known figure in the local community.
November
at St Mary's 2009
“Remember, Remember, the fifth of November!” is an old saying by which
the Englishman remembers that night in 1605 when Guy Fawkes and his
fellow conspirators crept into the underground passages of Parliament
with the intention of blowing up the assembled members above. Their plan
failed and the unfortunate Mr Fawkes and his friends were captured,
tracked down, tortured and horribly executed for their sins, and are
today, 400 years later, remembered with the lighting of bonfires,
sometimes topped by a “Guy”, a symbolic stuffed effigy, and the setting
off of fireworks into the night sky in town and country across the
land, much to the delight of children, families and those who like a
good evening out in autumnal weather, wet or dry. Household pets, our
much loved cats and dogs, however, are probably those who would, if
asked, prefer not to have the crashes and bangs of “Bonfire Night”,
November 5th – and who can blame them?
St Mary’s
congregation has in recent years met in the Rectory Garden for a bonfire
and firework party – on a modest scale, for the last few years
providing a valuable evening of fellowship and friendship for those who
attend Church services and those who don’t. As Rector I’m not in favour
of “Holy Huddles”, preferring to open my home and the Church to all
those who would like to be “friends of St Mary’s”, in the hope that by a
miracle they will one day become “friends with God”.
This month we are introducing a new hymn book into the Church’s life.
The last introduction was 14 years ago when I arrived and found the
Church had lagged behind somewhat in it’s approach to Church music. I
hasten to add that we are still a very traditional Church as far as
music goes and I’m not confident that having a new book will in reality
bring St Mary’s singing our way merrily into the 21st century with lots
of new hymns and songs, but one can but hope! There is so much good
music and Christian verse being produced today. It is interesting to
note that the Taizé community, whose chants we sing, are continually
changing and updating their repertoire, each year.
Remembrance Sunday, November 8th this year, is a fundamental part of our
Christian Worship and way of life. With so much of War going on in parts
of the world, which to many people in this country are a total blank on
the map, but which to our Soldiers, Sailors and Airmen are theatres of
War and regrettably steady loss of life, Remembrance Sunday and the
Royal British Legion Poppy Appeal will now take on an added dimension
and sense of urgency and significance. At St Mary’s the two minutes
silence and words of remembrance will be a focal point of our Sunday
Morning Worship, whilst our Bishop, Rt. Rev. Robert Attwell, will be
attending the Cenotaph in Stockport for the Town’s Act of Remembrance.
We have our own War Memorial Doors which are very fine, together with
the Royal Air Force Book of Remembrance, the pages of which are turned
each week.
As November draws to a close, and our incredibly busy schedule of
Christmas Concerts and Services is almost upon us, the Manchester Bach
Choir comes to St Mary’s to perform it’s Autumn Concert which is always
a very enjoyable occasion, although it is often sad that such a fine
little Choir attracts such small audiences, which I fear may be a
problem for many hard-working Choirs.
November 29th is Advent Sunday and we close that special day with a
Taizé Prayer Service, reminding us that Christmas is only a month away.
Personally speaking I love this time of year, because it brings us to
the heart of our Community and our Christian faith, as we “remember,
remember the 25th of December”!
Rev. Roger Scoones
Rector of St Mary’s
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