2015-12

December 2015/January 2016
Woodseats • Sheffield
Celebrate the wonder
of Christmas with us
Details of all our services inside
You are invited to...
Christmas
at St Chad’s
SUNDAY DECEMBER 6
Christingle Service at 4pm
A service with traditional Christingles especia ly for children
SUNDAY DECEMBER 13
Carols by Candlelight at 6pm
A traditional carol service with music and readings
CHRISTMAS EVE
Pre-School Nativity at 10.30am
with crafts from 10am
An interactive service especia ly for younger children, with refreshments
Crib Service at 4pm
A family service especia ly for children
Midnight Communion at 11.30pm
A traditional service of Holy Communion
CHRISTMAS DAY
Family Worship at 10am
A Christmas Day celebration for a l ages
WOODSEATS • SHEFFIELD
St Chad’s Church, Linden Avenue, Woodseats : www.stchads.org : 0114 274 5086

Welcome to Impact - the magazine of St Chad’s Church,
Woodseats. Impact is published every two months and distributed
to over 5,000 homes in S8.
St Chad’s Church is committed to serving you - the people of
Woodseats, Beauchief and Chancet Wood. To find out more about
St Chad’s, visit our website at www.stchads.org or call the church
office on 0114 274 5086.
Here’s where to find us:
Abbey Lane
Linden Avenue
Church
House
St Chad's
Church &
Church
Office
Camping Lane
Chesterfield Road
Abbey Lane
School
Please note: The inclusion of adverts in Impact does not mean the advertisers are
endorsed by St Chad’s Church.
G. & M. LUNT LTD
Independent family Funeral Directors
erfect
osts
Kenwood Hall the perfect
venue for your family occasions
and celebrations
A A personal family service at at all all times
We We will visit you in in your own home to to
make all all neccessary arrangements
Pre-paid funeral plans available
0114 274 5508
gmluntltd@btconnect.com
36 36 Abbey Lane, Sheffield, S8 S8 0GB
Whether you are booking a traditional wedding,
a christening or looking for a venue for any family
celebration, Kenwood Hall offers the perfect setting.
Set in 12 acres of grounds this stunning hotel caters
for all your special family events.
To discuss all our available packages contact our
Special Events Coordinator.
Kenwood Hall, Kenwood Road, Sheffield, S7 1NQ
Call 0114 258 3811
or visit www.kenwoodhallsheffield.co.uk
St Chad’s Church, Linden Avenue, Woodseats
Church Office: 9 Linden Avenue, Sheffield S8 0GA
Tel: (0114) 274 5086
email: office@stchads.org
Page 2
website: www.stchads.org
4783 Kenwood Hall 92x65.indd 1 05/12/2013 14:39

SUNDAY DECEMBER 6
SUNDAY DECEMBER 13
CHRISTMAS EVE
Christingle Service at 4pm
Carols by Candlelight at 6pm
Pre-School Nativity at 10.30am
Crib Service at 4pm
Midnight Communion at 1.30pm
Family Worship at 10am
A service with traditional Christingles especia ly for children
A traditional carol service with music and readings
An interactive servic especia ly for younger children, with refreshments
A family servic especia ly for children
A traditional service of Holy Co munion
A Christmas Day celebration for a l ages
with crafts from 10am
CHRISTMAS DAY
W ODSEATS • SHE FIELD
St Chad’s Church, Linden Avenue, W odseats : w.stchads.org : 0 14 274 5086
A
good friend of mine was
once approached by a street
evangelist - the sect and religion
escapes me - who, in the course
of trying to engage him in
conversation said “wouldn’t the world be
wonderful if human beings didn’t exist.”
My friend understood the point that his
interlocutor was getting at - humanity has
so utterly devastated the planet that the
beauty of creation has, for a large part,
been drained from it. But, before he
hastily escaped, he made the point that
the world could not be wonderful without
humans because there would be no-one
to wonder at the world. A clever chap,
my friend.
December 2015/January 2016
Celebrate the wonder
of Christmas with us
Details of all our services inside
My friend’s riposte often returns to mind. Wonder seems such a human
emotion. Perhaps it isn’t. Perhaps other creatures also marvel at the
world in which they are placed, but somehow I doubt it. I am sure that
most of us, at some time or another, have had our breath taken away.
I can remember as a teenager seeing Mont Blanc for the first time. I
had never seen anything that big, that white, that magnificent. The
Niagara Falls, the Grand Canyon, a breaching humpback whale no doubt
also produce similar emotions. Seeing my first child born was also an
unforgettable experience (probably more so for my wife!) as this tiny and
yet complete human being, emerged from the birthing pool.
I believe that the human capacity to wonder is a God-given gift, and
that in our wondering at the world we can catch a glimpse of the wonder
of the creator God who fashioned us along with all creation. One of my
favourite poets, the Nineteenth-Century Catholic poet Gerard Manley
Hopkins, put it like this:
The world is charged with the grandeur of God.
It will flame out, like shining from shook foil;
It gathers to a greatness, like the ooze of oil
crushed…
WOODSEATS • SHEFFIELD
You are invited to. Christmas
at St Chad’s
With Eyes of Wonder
He goes on to say that despite generations of
humanity treading and despoiling creation, yet “nature
is never spent” because God’s Holy Spirit remains
brooding over the world he has created.
Wonder is the next-of-kin to praise. To wonder at
the world can lead us to celebrate the Creator and,
hopefully, to strive to keep the world wonderful for
succeeding generations.
Rev Toby Hole,
Vicar, St Chad’s Church,
Woodseats
St Chad’s Church, Linden Avenue, Woodseats
Church Office: 9 Linden Avenue, Sheffield S8 0GA
Tel: (0114) 274 5086
Page 3
email: office@stchads.org
website: www.stchads.org

CALL FREE ON
0800 328 0006
Weighed down by
debt?
om/CAPuk
50K
Free debt counselling in your community
@CAPuk
facebook.com/CAPuk
@CAPuk
from an award winning charity
ll a friend about CAP Follow us on Twitter Visit CAP on Facebook
ll a friend about CAP Follow us on Twitter Visit CAP on Facebook
capdebthelp.org
facebook.com/CAPuk
@CAPuk
t: 01274 760720. e: info@capuk.org. Registered Office: Jubilee Mill, North Street, Bradford, BD1 4EW. Registered Charity No: 1097217.
Charity registered in Scotland No: SC038776. Company Limited by Guarantee, Registered in England and Wales No: 4655175.
Consumer Credit Licence No: 413528
facebook.com/CAPuk
@CAPuk
debt help
St Chad’s Church, Linden Avenue, Woodseats
Church facebook.com/CAPuk
Office: 9 Linden Avenue, Sheffield @CAPuk S8 0GA
Tel: (0114) 274 5086
Page 4
email: office@stchads.org
website: www.stchads.org

What do
snowmen wear on
their heads?
Ice caps!
What happened
to the man who
stole an Advent
Calendar?
He got 24 days!
Why wasn’t Santa
allowed to land
his sleigh on the
roof?
Because of elf
and safety!
A great Russian tsar
named Rudolph stood
looking out of his window
one day.
“Look my dear,” he said
to his wife, “it’s started to
rain!” Without even looking
up she replied, “It’s too cold to rain. It
must be snowing.”
The tsar shook his head. “How can you
question me?” he asked. “Rudolph the
Red knows rain, dear!”
What do you
call Frosty
the
Snowman
in July?
A puddle!
Which famous
playwright
was terrified of
Christmas?
Noël Coward!
Why did no one
bid for Rudolph
and Blitzen at the
auction?
Because they
were two deer!
Just for Laughs
“Here’s a gift receipt for the myrrh in case you
want a different perfume!”
Why is it
getting harder
to buy Advent
calendars?
Because
their days are
numbered!
JOHN FORD PLUMBING
All aspects of general home maintenance
SPECIALISTS IN BATHROOMS
Shower rooms, conversions and tiling,
no job too small.
Full service, all work guaranteed.
Qualified tradesman, 40 years experience.
Call now for your free estimate!
Telephone: 0114 235 9746
Mobile: 0776 156 9068
Mon/Fri 9am - 12
Tue/Wed 9am - 2:45
Fri 12 - 3pm
St Chad’s Church, Linden Avenue, Woodseats
Church Office: 9 Linden Avenue, Sheffield S8 0GA
Tel: (0114) 274 5086
Page 5
email: office@stchads.org
website: www.stchads.org

What’s On
If you have an event you would like
to see included in our What’s On
section, email impact@stchads.org
Health Walks
•Mondays - 10am: Graves Park.
Meet outside the Rose Garden Cafe;
•Tuesdays - 10.30am: Ecclesall
Woods. Meet downstairs in Jack’s
Bar at the Beauchief Hotel;
•Thursdays - 10.30am: Lowedges.
Meet at the Gresley Road Meeting
Rooms, Gresley Road, Lowedges.
) Call 0114 203 9337 for details.
December 3, 10 and 17
Alpha Lunch
Beauchief Baptist Church
12.30pm
A light lunch followed by a short
discussion on the real meaning of
Christmas
December 5
Christmas Fair
Church House, Abbey Lane
10.30am-12.30pm
St Chad’s Pre-School Christmas Fair
with face painting, Santa’s Grotto,
crafts, refreshments and raffle. Entry
£1 for adults, children free.
December 6
Christingle Service
St Chad’s Church
4pm
Start the Christmas season with this
service especially for children.
December 6
Nether Edge Farmers’ Market
Traders and craftspeople sell their
wares in the streets around the old
Nether Edge Market Place.
December 7
Christmas M:eating Place
Luncheon Club
Beauchief Baptist Church
12.45-2.15pm
A Christmas meal with carols. Cost
£3.50 - everyone welcome.
December 8
Escafeld Chorale Christmas
Concert
All Saints’ Church, Ecclesall
7.30pm
Music, readings and refreshments
December 10, 11 & 12
Dore Male Voice Choir Christmas
Concert
Dore Parish Church
7pm
December 11
Every word you say…
Greenhill Library
7pm
From Jack the Ripper to Peter
Sutcliffe, what language can tell
you about crime. With crime writer
Danuta Reah
December 12
Book Sale
36 Crawshaw Grove, Beauchief
10am-12pm
Good quality second-hand books
for sale in aid of the Alzheimer’s
Society.
December 13
Messy Church Christingle
Beauchief Baptist Church
3.30pm
Come dressed as a shepherd, angel
or king. Fun and games for all the
family.
December 13
Carols by Candlelight
St Chad’s Church
6pm
A traditional carol service with
music and readings.
December 14
Come and Sing Messiah!
Dore Parish Church
7.30pm
Sheffield Bach Choir, conducted by
Mark McCombs with organist Simon
Lindley
December 14
Fun Time Drop-in Session
Greenhill Library
10-11.30am
A time for 0-4 year olds to play and
sing, and an opportunity for parents
and carers to meet.
St Chad’s Church, Linden Avenue, Woodseats
Church Office: 9 Linden Avenue, Sheffield S8 0GA
Tel: (0114) 274 5086
Page 6
email: office@stchads.org
website: www.stchads.org

December 17
Sheffield Oratorio Chorus Carol
Health
Concert
Walks
Mondays St Andrew’s – Church, 10am: Graves Psalter Lane Park.
Meet 7.30pm at the Animal Farm car park;
Tuesdays – 10.30am: Ecclesall
Woods. December Meet 19at Abbeydale
Industrial Journey Hamlet; to the Centre of the
Thursdays Christmas Pudding – 10.30am:
Lowedges. Beauchief Baptist Meet at Church the Community
Wing, 10am Lowedges - 12noon Junior School.
Leave Call 0114 your children 203 9337. to enjoy a
morning of fun and games for years
one to six with craft, activities,
National Council for Divorced,
stories, quizzes, games.
Single and Widowed
Tuesdays December 8-11pm 19
Norton Hallam Country Choral Club Society Christmas
Club Concert offering friendship and social
activities. St Andrew’s Church, Psalter Lane
7pm Call Magdalen on 0114
2394326.
December 20
January Carols by 30 Candlelight - February 5
AEGON
Beauchief
British
Baptist
Tennis
Church
Tour
3.30pm
Graves Tennis and Leisure Centre
World
December
ranked
24
players compete
alongside Pre-School local Nativity Sheffield Service players.
St Call Chad’s 0114 Church 283 9900.
10.30am with crafts from 10am
February A fun and 5 interactive service aimed
Book at pre-school Sale children looking at
36 the Crawshaw Christmas Grove, story. Followed Beauchief by
10am-12pm refreshments.
Good quality second-hand books
for
December
sale in aid
24
of the Alzheimer‟s
Christmas Eve Crib Service
Society. Donations of paperback
St Chad’s Church
novels
4pm
or biographies in good
condition Family service are welcome especially (but for not children
larger focusing books on the due nativity. to space
limitations).
December 24
February Midnight 5 Communion
Free St Chad’s Environmental Church Activities
Millhouses 11.30pm Park
10.30am-12.30pm
A traditional welcome to Christmas
Obstacle
Day as we
course
celebrate
and
the
stream
birth
of Christ with a service of Holy
dipping activities for 8 - 13 year
Communion.
olds.
Call 0114 263 4335.
St Chad’s Church, Linden Avenue, Woodseats
Church Office: 9 Linden Avenue, Sheffield S8 0GA
Church, Tel: Linden (0114) Avenue, 274 5086 Woodseats
December 25
Christmas Day Family Worship
February St Chad’s Church 8-12
Jamaica 10am Inn
Ecclesall Join the celebrations All Saints Church with this Hall
7.30pm Christmas Day service for all ages.
A play presented by Ecclesall
Theatre
January
Company.
4
Tickets: £5.
M:eating Place Luncheon Club
Call 0114 230 8842.
Beauchief Baptist Church
12.45-2.15pm
February A Christmas 12 meal with carols. Cost
Free £3.50 Environmental - everyone welcome. Activities
Millhouses Park
1.30-3.30pm
January 9
Nature Christmas quiz Tree trail, Shredding stream dipping
and Outside bug Abbey hunting Lane activities Schoolfor 8 - 13
year 10am-3pm olds.
As
Call
the Christmas
0114 263
season
4335.
comes
to an end, St Chad’s scouts will be
shredding Christmas trees outside
February
Abbey Lane
12
School. The charge is
Free £2 per Environmental tree. Activities
Ecclesall Woods Sawmill
10.30am-12.30pm
January 11
Nature Fun Time quiz Drop-in trail, stream Session dipping
and Greenhill bug hunting Library activities for 8 - 13
year 10-11.30am olds.
A time Call for 0114 0-4235 year 6348. olds to play and
sing, and an opportunity for parents
and carers to meet.
February 20
Why
January
Not
23
Try A Bike
Greenhil Book Sale Park
10am-2pm 36 Crawshaw Grove, Beauchief
Rediscover 10am-12pm your cycling skills in
Greenhill Good quality Park. second-hand The rangers books will
provide for sale in a bike, aid of helmet the Alzheimer’s and
instruction. Society. Donations Meet at of the good Bowls condition
Pavilion, paperback Greenhill novels or Park. biographies are
Booking welcome is (but essential. not larger books due to
space).
Call 0114 283 9195.
Beauchief Abbey Abbey holds holds a variety a
of variety services of services. and anyone For is more
welcome information to attend. see page For 29. more
details see the Abbey notice
board.
Page 7
What’s On
“
There t
Aula (h
have b
Roger
the Co
himself
thirty th
caracu
eight a
pastura
Edward
manor
silver (£
shilling
Sheffie
five car
this lan
the lan
TConque
extent o
being o
so that
tax he c
served
econom
The
not ado
- the hu
which t
irrevers
collecte
it to the
„Dooms
when p
Book o
before
commis
collect
thousan
Englan
email: office@stchads.org
website: www.stchads.org
email: office@stchads.org
St Chads

Seven Wonders of the
If you are of a certain age you will
probably be able to recall at least
four of the seven Wonders of the
Ancient World; the Great Pyramids
at Giza, the Hanging Gardens of
Babylon, the Statue of Zeus at Olympia,
The Colossus of Rhodes and so on…
The number seven is a very significant
number in the world order; seven days of
creation, seven days of the week, seven
sacraments, seven deadly sins, seven
virtues, seven voyages of Sinbad and so
many more.
From biblical times the number seven is
identified with something being “finished”
or “complete.” From then on, that
association continues, as seven is often
found in contexts involving completeness
or divine perfection.
So for us today what is the meaning of
wonder? The dictionary describes it as 1.
a feeling of amazement and admiration,
caused by something beautiful,
remarkable, or unfamiliar, 2. a person or
thing regarded as very good, remarkable,
or effective.
Seven Wonders of the Modern
World
We’ve all probably experienced one or
more of these and, like millions before us,
have been blown away by their incredible
beauty, presence and for many spiritual
significance. They all tell a great story in
their own way of human vision, creativity,
skill, engineering and determination.
All the official new Seven Wonders of
the World are equal and are presented as
a group without any ranking.
They have been elected by more than
100 million votes to represent global
heritage throughout history.
The top pictures above are, in my
Pictured are Christ the Redeemer; Taj Mahal 1 ;
Chichén Itzá 1 ; and the Colosseum 1.
opinion, of three of the most significant
wonders of our beautiful world. The
seven are Christ the Redeemer, Rio
de Janeiro, Brazil; Great Wall of China;
Machu Picchu, Peru; Petra, Jordan;
Pyramid at Chichén Itzá, Yucatan
Peninsula, Mexico; Roman Colosseum,
Rome; and the Taj Mahal, Agra, India.
In all, the number seven is used
in the Bible more than 700 times. Of
course, not every instance of the number
seven carries a deeper significance.
Sometimes, a seven is just a seven, and
we must be cautious about attaching
symbolic meanings to it. However,
St Chad’s Church, Linden Avenue, Woodseats
Church Office: 9 Linden Avenue, Sheffield S8 0GA
Tel: (0114) 274 5086
Page 8
email: office@stchads.org
website: www.stchads.org

World
Anderson Tree Services
Great Wall of China; Machu Picchu 1 ; Petra 1 ;
1: photos by Dennis Jarvis
there are times when it seems that God
is communicating the idea of divine
completeness, perfection, and wholeness
by means of the number seven, and
there is nowhere greater than our New
Wonders of the World that displays this
better.
Creation is a wonderful thing – however
we believe it was formed – and our
daily wonder can be found not only in
these great seven wonders of our world
but also in the everyday things we see
around us in nature and our common
humanity.
Robin J Lockwood
Telephone: 0114 274 9101
Email: thujopsis@aol.com
Bill Anderson
131 Holmhirst Road
Sheffield S8 0GW
New music shop now
open selling Sheet
Music, Accessories, Gifts
and Instruments. Also
offering tuition in Piano,
Keyboard, Ukulele,
Guitar and Violin.
10 Terminus Road, Sheffield, S7 2LH
St Chad’s Church, Linden Avenue, Woodseats
Church Office: 9 Linden Avenue, Sheffield S8 0GA
Tel: (0114) 274 5086
Page 9
email: office@stchads.org
website: www.stchads.org

The Wonder of the Nativity
I
wonder what you make of
the Christmas story?
Of all the tales of Jesus’
life, it is possibly now even
more famous than his
death. But familiarity can breed
boredom, if not necessarily
contempt. I don’t think that the
Christmas story is something
we really treasure, or inspires
wonder. But one of the recurring
themes of the Bible’s story of
the birth of Jesus is that “Mary
treasured all these things.” And
with good reason. The story is
highly unusual. After a thoroughly
unusual conception and visions
in pregnancy, Joseph and Mary
are forced onto the road by
governmental diktat. The baby is
born far from home, in thoroughly
unsanitary conditions.
The first visitors aren’t friends
or grandparents, but a gang of
local unskilled labourers. An
old man in the temple scoops
up the baby to sing songs, and
Eastern astrologers claim that
the stars have guided them to
the baby. Their gifts are not the
usual ones for a baby; they’re far
more suited to either a funeral or
a coronation than a birth. Then
political machinations leave lives
in danger,
and the poor family must flee as
refugees to a foreign land.
But the Christian claim is
that the birth of Jesus is far
more significant than merely an
emotive story of a vulnerable
young family. The purpose of the
unusual birth was to point to an
even more unusual truth: that
Jesus is God become human
being, the creator becoming a
creature. God himself, stepping
down, to save a world that had
rejected him.
No Christmas carol sums up
this truth more eloquently than
Wesley’s famous hymn, ‘Hark!
the herald angels sing’. Wesley
writes, “Veiled in flesh the
Godhead see! Hail, the incarnate
Deity! Pleased as man with man
to dwell, Jesus, our Immanuel.”
The crying, nursing, helpless
infant, laid in a feeding trough,
is the God of the universe. The
creator of all that is has become
a creature to save his world.
“Peace on earth, and mercy mild,
God and sinners reconciled,”
writes Wesley.
No wonder the herald-angels
sing, “Glory to the new-born
king!” But I wonder, will you
wonder afresh this Christmas?
Rev Duncan Bell
Adoration
of the
Shepherds
by Gerard
van
Honthorst
depicts the
wonder of
the nativity
St Chad’s Church, Linden Avenue, Woodseats
Church Office: 9 Linden Avenue, Sheffield S8 0GA
Tel: (0114) 274 5086
Page 10
email: office@stchads.org
website: www.stchads.org

Will you
have
an
angel
in your
home this Christmas?
Throughout
December small plastic
angels will be placed
around our area in
Woodseats, Beauchief
and Chancet Wood.
We would like to
encourage you to look
out for these angels
and, when you find one, please
take it home as part of your
Christmas decorations.
We would also welcome any
‘selfie’ photographs of where
you find your angel or where you
display it.
If you send your photos by
email to impact@stchads.org we
will then publish them in a future
edition of Impact and on St Chad’s
Church website at www.stchads.
org.
This is a fun way of
remembering the angels’ part in
the Christmas story, spreading
their message and wishing you all
a very happy Christmas.
Find the Angels
Painter & Decorator
DIY work also undertaken.
A professional service at an
affordable price.
Local, reliable & trustworthy
20 years of experience
No job too small
Fully insured
Contact Neal of Inspirations
0114 255 9205 or 07868 745980
F urniture R epolishing S ervices
FRENCH POLISHING
Old or modern furniture restored to as-new condition
From a coffee table top to complete dining suite
No job too small - free collection and delivery
Insurance work undertaken - any colour or finish
Call Dan for a FREE no obilgation quote
Tel: 07789 804852
Email: danandjane@hotmail.com
St Chad’s Church, Linden Avenue, Woodseats
Church Office: 9 Linden Avenue, Sheffield S8 0GA
Tel: (0114) 274 5086
Page 11
email: office@stchads.org
website: www.stchads.org

150 Years
Beautiful gifts made with love
5 Meadowhead, Woodseats,
Sheffield S8 7UA
0114 327 4270
www.facebook.com/fallingmoongiftshop
St Chad’s Church, Linden Avenue, Woodseats
Church Office: 9 Linden Avenue, Sheffield S8 0GA
Tel: (0114) 274 5086
► Gifts
► Jewellery
► Homeware
► Soft furnishing
Page 12
In 1865 an Anglican cleric published
a children’s book that would never
go out of print, would inspire
countless future books and films
from Doctor Suess to The Matrix
and would be adapted many times to
theatre, animation and film - media that
the young Charles Lutwidge Dodgson
(Lewis Carroll, to you and me) could
never have dreamed of.
That book was of course Alice in
Wonderland, followed up six years later
by the less popular sequel Through
the Looking Glass and what Alice
found there. The two Alice stories
are remarkable works. Like all good
children’s books they speak equally well
to old and young, meaning that parents
get pleasure from reading them for the
first time to their children. Carroll’s
imagination was unparalleled and his
prose witty and simple without ever
being condescending. The books were
well served by the brilliant illustrator,
John Tenneil, whose brilliant drawings
ensured that, despite Walt Disney’s best
efforts, Alice remains
in our imagination
as the young
Victorian girl
with a flowing
locks and
a billowing
dress.
The story
behind Alice’s
conception
is well known.
The dean of
Christ Church,
Lewis
Carroll
email: office@stchads.org
website: www.stchads.org

of Wonderland
One of the pictures from Alice’s
Adventures in Wonderland
Oxford, Henry Liddell, had a young
family and became close friends with
Carroll. Lewis Carroll would frequently
go on rowing trips with them and tell
engaging stories. One such trip took
place on July 4,1862 when Carroll,
perhaps noting the large number of
rabbit holes where they sat, told a story
of a white rabbit, a young girl and an
amazing adventure underground. Alice
Liddell was entranced by the story and
begged Carroll to record it in writing.
The rest, as they say, is history - or as
Carroll would have probably preferred
- fantasy. Lewis Carroll’s fecund
imagination soon produced an array
of unforgettable characters - the mad
St Chad’s Church, Linden Avenue, Woodseats
Church Office: 9 Linden Avenue, Sheffield S8 0GA
Tel: (0114) 274 5086
Page 13
hatter and his companions, the Queen of
Hearts, the Cheshire cat to name a few.
Queen Victoria was reputedly a great
fan (presumably not seeing the Queen
of Hearts as in anyway based on the
reigning monarch!) and Carroll’s name
was made.
Lewis Carroll himself remains a
controversial character. He was, like so
many Victorian churchmen, extremely
intelligent and emotionally complex. He
was a brilliant mathematician as well as
a creative genius. He had a particular
interest in early photography, from which
the most controversial aspect (to modern
eyes) derived: namely, his obsessive
photographing of young girls. This has
led the Alice books, as well as his other
writings, to be read with some suspicion
by modern literary critics. What are we
to make of a man who, 150 years later,
could have been arrested for some of
the images that he took? It is rarely a
helpful exercise to transport our minds
into a culture and time so different to our
own. The Victorians as a society were
obsessed with children and innocence
– hence the booming sales of Alice –
and Carroll was by no means the only
Victorian writer to spend more time with
young children than we might expect
today.
Whatever the deeper readings that can
be found in Alice, it seems to me that the
best of way of reading the book is surely
the way that Carroll intended it on that
July riverside ramble. It is about magic,
wonder and the possibilities that arise
when you take your eyes off the day-today
practicalities of life. As a far lesstalented
Anglican cleric, I can only say
that I wholeheartedly agree.
Rev Toby Hole
email: office@stchads.org
website: www.stchads.org

Wonder of Healing
Healing Rooms
Woodseats is part of an
International Association,
found in 62 nations of
the world and 61 towns
in the UK. The team is usually
made up of people from different
church denominations.
The Healing Room is set up
under a very specific training, so
that whichever one you go to, you
may expect a similar safe
experience.
We begin each
session with the
team taking part
in worship of God
and in prayer
before we open.
Then we have
a team of three
people in each
room, and the prayer
will last for 10- 15
minutes. At the Big Tree
pub we use room dividers to create
prayer rooms. We also have a
coffee lounge where people can
wait for prayer.
Anyone can come for prayer.
You may believe in God or have no
belief in God. We welcome anyone
from any background.
We pray with people who are
physically ill. However, folk ask for
prayer for traumatic life events, or to
find a job, get over depression, etc.
We can’t do anything at all apart
from God’s power, but amazingly,
as we offer simple prayer, God
really turns up. People always feel
better in some measure.
We have people coming back
with wonderful stories. Many start to
pray to God themselves. For some
this encounter with God on the
High Street is their first step to
visiting a local church.
One town has a
Healing Room in a
Costa Coffee shop.
Jesus said, “Go
into the world and
let them know the
good news that
there is hope in Me.”
Jesus healed
everyone who came to
Him. The story of Jesus
in the gospels of what Jesus
did is just amazing. He told us to lay
hands on sick people and they will
recover.
We have been open now in
Woodseats for nine years. We
have seen healings of depression,
anorexia, sleeplessness, migraine
and asthma pain – the list goes on.
I was healed of 40 years of
migraine needing four medicines.
I have been migraine-free for nine
years. People come back reporting
remarkable things have happened
after prayer. One person was
taken to the operating theatre but it
was found they had already been
healed.
There are miracles all around
us every day in creation. The sun
comes up, the trees grow. There
is air to breathe. God is amazingly
good.
Janet Bassindale
Woodseats Healing Rooms
St Chad’s Church, Linden Avenue, Woodseats
Church Office: 9 Linden Avenue, Sheffield S8 0GA
Tel: (0114) 274 5086
Page 14
email: office@stchads.org
website: www.stchads.org

Last night I surprised
myself by being awake
for about two hours
in order to watch the
eclipse of the moon.
I stood in the darkness of
my garden watching as
gradually the white moon
disappeared. But it was
not what I was seeing that I
wondered at most; it was the
fact of what was happening.
The earth was passing between
the moon and the sun. My nonscientific
mind found this too
difficult to imagine and understand.
The sky was filled with stars and I
even saw a shooting star! I could
not but wonder at what I believe to
be God’s creation.
This night reminded me of my
first night in Mozambique. There
was no light of any kind other
than that of the stars. I felt I could
reach up and pluck one out of the
sky; they appeared so close to
me. Thousands of stars up there!
I never got fed up with being filled
with wonder at such a sight.
I will always remember an event
which took place some years ago
when I was visiting the squatter
camps in Soweto. I sat in a room
with Maria drinking tea. Tears ran
freely down her cheeks. I asked her
why. A look of great amazement
mingled with her tears “You are
white and you are drinking out
of one of my cups in my house. I
never thought that could happen”.
There is so much to wonder at; to
be amazed by. I watched as a yet
unborn baby moved around in its
mother’s womb. Soon a little child
will appear. I have a very small
nursery in my garden. I cut off a
piece of hydrangea a few weeks
ago. It was simply a bare piece of
stem. Today it has five new leaves
shooting off it and I watch them
grow larger day by day.
I wonder at the incredible
generosity of a stranger we met
on a snowy day at Lake Tahoe
in California. We began to talk
and I said that we had did not
have our camera with us and the
sights were so utterly stunning. He
immediately lifted his own large and
very expensive camera from his
shoulder and handed it to us. He
told us where he lived and invited
us to bring it back when we were
finished with it.
Isn’t it often the simple things of
life which cause us to be filled with
wonder? The colour of the trees
in the autumn sunshine; the smile
and serenity of someone who is
terminally ill; the joy of being made
to feel welcome; a book, a film or
a piece of music which fills us with
unexpected emotion; the sound of
the organ filling the space of the
cathedral. Simple things in one way
but things which overwhelm us with
wonder and cause us to think about
our own humanity.
The words of Welsh poet,
W.H.Davies sum this up so well:
“What is this life, if, full of care
We have no time to stand and
stare.”
Mary Thomas
Photo By John Purvis
Gazing in Wonder
St Chad’s Church, Linden Avenue, Woodseats
Church Office: 9 Linden Avenue, Sheffield S8 0GA
Tel: (0114) 274 5086
Page 15
email: office@stchads.org
website: www.stchads.org

Services at St Chad’s
Informal and relaxed in style
An emphasis on families
Sunday Services
Sunday
Services
Includes music, led by a band
Includes refreshments before the service
The 9am Service
● Traditional in style
The
The
9am
9am
Service
Service
Includes Traditional Holy in style Communion, a sermon & hymns
● Traditional in style
Includes refreshments Holy Communion, afterwards
a sermon & hymns
● Includes Holy Communion, sermon hymns
Taken Includes from refreshments Common Worship: afterwards Holy Communion
● • Includes Monday refreshments to Thursday afterwards at 9am
Taken from Common Worship: Holy Communion
● Taken from Common Worship: Holy Communion
Morning Prayers
Lifted, Evening the Prayers 11am Service
Lifted, the • Monday
● Informal to
the and 11am
11am
10.30am Thursday
relaxed Service at
Service in style Service 5pm
An Informal emphasis and relaxed on families
in style
● Informal and relaxed in style
Includes An emphasis music, on led families by a band
● An emphasis on families
• Refreshments Includes Traditional music, in served style
led by from a band 10.15-10.45am
● Includes music, led by band
• Refreshments Includes Taken from refreshments Common served from before Worship: 10.15-10.45am
the Holy service Communion
● • Refreshments Includes Holy served Communion, from 10.15-10.45am
a sermon & hymns
• Held in the Lady Chapel at the back of church
The Thursday 10am Service
Weekday Services
Weekday
Services
Morning Prayers
Morning Prayers
Prayers
Monday to Thursday at 9am
•• A To Monday Monday half-hour be held to
to service on Thursday Monday
Thursday of prayer at June 9am
at 9am and 20 and Bible Monday readings July
18, 7.15-8pm
• Every Monday to Thursday at 9am
• A contemplative and meditative form of worship
• Held in the Lady Chapel at the back of church
with Monday the theme to Thursday Seeking at 5pm Stillness with Jesus .
• Monday to Thursday at 5pm
Monday to Thursday at 5pm
Evening Prayers
Evening
Evening Prayers
Prayers
St Chads Church, Linden Avenue, Woodseats
email: office@stchads.org
Church Offices: 15 Camping Lane, Sheffield S8 0GB Page 3 website: www.stchads.org
Tel: (0114) 274 5086
The Thursday 10am Service
Traditional in style
The
The
Thursday
Thursday 10am
10am Service
Service
• Taken Traditional from in Common style Worship: Holy Communion
Traditional in style
• Includes Taken from Holy Common Communion, Worship: a sermon Holy Communion
& hymns
Taken from Common Worship: Holy Communion
• Held Includes in the Holy Lady Communion, Chapel at the a sermon back of & church hymns
Includes Holy Communion, sermon hymns
• Held in the Lady Chapel at the back of church
Held in the Lady Chapel at the back of church
Other Services
Other
Services
Prayer and Praise
Prayer Contemplative
Sunday, and February Praise Night 13 at 7.30pm Prayer
Prayer and Praise
Sunday, February 13 at 7.30pm
Ash Tuesday, Sunday, 18, Wednesday 7.15-8pm February January 13 at 7.30pm
Service 26
Ash Wednesday, March Service 9 at 7.30pm
Ash at 8pm
Service
• To be held on Monday June 20 and Monday July
•• An A contemplative evening service and of meditative prayer and form contemplation of worship
Wednesday, with the theme March Seeking at Stillness 7.30pm with Jesus .
Wednesday, March 9 at 7.30pm
St Chads Church, Linden Avenue, Woodseats
email: office@stchads.org
Church Offices: 15 Camping Lane, Sheffield S8 0GB Page 14 website: www.stchads.org
St Chad’s St Chads St Tel: Chads Church, Linden Avenue, Woodseats
email: office@stchads.org
Church,
(0114) Church, 274
Linden Linden 5086
Avenue, Avenue, Woodseats
email: email: office@stchads.org
Church Church Church St Chads
Office: Offices: Offices: Church,
9 Linden 15 15 Camping
Linden
Avenue,
Camping Avenue,
Lane, Sheffield
Lane, Sheffield
Woodseats Sheffield
S8 0GA S8 0GB S8 0GB Page Page 316
14 website: website:
website: email:
www.stchads.org
office@stchads.org
www.stchads.org
Tel: Tel: (0114)
Tel: Church
(0114) (0114)
274
Offices:
274 5086
274 5086 5086 15 Camping Lane, Sheffield S8 0GB Page 14 website: www.stchads.org
Tel: (0114) 274 5086

You are invited to...
Christmas
at St Chad’s
SUNDAY DECEMBER 6
Christingle Service at 4pm
A service with traditional Christingles especially for children
SUNDAY DECEMBER 13
Carols by Candlelight at 6pm
A traditional carol service with music and readings
CHRISTMAS EVE
Pre-School Nativity at 10.30am
with crafts from 10am
An interactive service especially for younger children, with refreshments
Crib Service at 4pm
A family service especially for children
Midnight Communion at 11.30pm
A traditional service of Holy Communion
CHRISTMAS DAY
Family Worship at 10am
A Christmas Day celebration for all ages
WOODSEATS • SHEFFIELD
St Chad’s Church, Linden Avenue, Woodseats :: www.stchads.org :: 0114 274 5086
St Chad’s Church, Linden Avenue, Woodseats
Church Office: 9 Linden Avenue, Sheffield S8 0GA
Tel: (0114) 274 5086
Page 17
email: office@stchads.org
website: www.stchads.org

Sheffield
67 Dalewood Avenue, Beauchief, Sheffield S8 0EG
email: bigdavesummit@hotmail.com
07889 229013
“Thank you so much for the work you did in totally renewing my bathroom,
I am so very pleased with the overall result. You were 100% professional,
it was a pleasure to have you working in the house. I have no hesitation of
recommending you to my friends and neighbours.” Stella Stacey, S8
t: 0114 220 3299 or 07908 898 827
e: chrisshephard@blueyonder.co.uk
www.chrisshephardplumbing.co.uk
December 12 and 15 mark the 75th
anniversary of the Sheffield blitz
when over 2,000 Sheffielders
were killed or injured and 40,000
were left homeless. Almost 3,000
properties with blown to pieces and a
further 82,000 damaged.
Everyone knew Sheffield ‘had it coming’
sooner or later because of the steelworks;
but because there has been so many
false alarms and it was so near Christmas,
many had begun to ignore the sirens and
stay in places of entertainment rather than
air raid shelters. That Thursday evening
the city was bathed in a full moon, a real
‘bomber’s moon’. “If they’re coming at all it
will be tonight,” said some. And come they
did. The sirens sounded at 7pm and by
7.10pm Norton Lees and Gleadless were
alight within incendiary bombs. By 7.30pm
Moorhead, the city centre, Abbeydale
and Woodseats were ablaze - a glowing
red mass against the moonlit sky. There
followed nine hours of high-explosive
bombing. Many gas and water mains were
destroyed. Burning trams lay severed in
half amid their mangled lines and rubble
from falling buildings.
People ran from cinemas into the cellars
of Marples Hotel, not knowing that at
11.44pm the building would receive a direct
hit and around 70 people would die. The
exact number was never known as the
seven storeys above collapsed like a pack
of cards leaving a heap of rubble 15ft high.
Redgates, the toy shop, where many
Christmas gifts awaited collection, was
reduced to blazing rubble along with all the
department stores on the Moor.
At 4.17am the all clear sounded and
folk emerged from shelters to an alien yet
strangely beautiful landscape. Frost and
broken glass glittered in the moonlight and
shattered buildings stood in stark relief
against a blood-red sky.
St Chad’s Church, Linden Avenue, Woodseats
Church Office: 9 Linden Avenue, Sheffield S8 0GA
Tel: (0114) 274 5086
Page 18
email: office@stchads.org
website: www.stchads.org

Blitz – 75 Years On
Christmas of 1940 was probably the
bleakest in Sheffield’s history. Church bells
were silent and could only be rung if the
enemy invaded. Food was rationed, weekly
amounts being 4oz bacon/ham, 6oz butter,
2oz tea, 8oz sugar, 2oz cooking fat and
meat to the value of 1s 10d.
Christmas that year, it seemed, was a
non-event. Only Christmas Day was a
holiday; the banks were open on Boxing
Day and most people went back to work.
Those who didn’t helped with the clearing
up and the children played dangerously
on bomb sites which were regarded as
adventure playgrounds. The new school
term soon put a stop to this. Although many
schools, including Woodseats, were taken
over as rest centres for the homeless,
education continued in undamaged
houses or anywhere that could be utilised
as a classroom. Because they were out
in the country, both Sheffield’s open air
schools continued as normal. Gerald Roe
Photos courtesy of the Sheffield Star
High Storrs School rest centre on
December 12, 1940
Sheffield following the blitz
remembers breaking his leg in a fight and
looking forward to a few weeks off school.
Much to his annoyance, the school bus
made a detour every morning to collect
him.
So, Sheffield picked itself up, dusted
itself down and carried on. Denis Ward
remembers the upper floor of his home
being destroyed by an incendiary bomb,
but within six months it had been rebuilt
and was ready to live in again. Bomb sites
turned into gardens of wild flowers in which
we children played hide and seek among
the purple spikes of willow herb and red
corn poppies.
Few alive today were adults during the
Blitz and only we, the children of the war,
survived. Now we are old but we love to tell
our war stories and we don’t ever want you
to forget what happened for, because of
it, the world was, for a while, a kinder and
happier place.
Graham Kendrick understood when he
wrote these lines:
Peace to the killing fields, scorched earth
to green
Christ for the bitterness, his cross for the
pain
From Beauty for Brokeness by Graham Kendrick 1993
Sylvia Bennett
St Chad’s Church, Linden Avenue, Woodseats
Church Office: 9 Linden Avenue, Sheffield S8 0GA
Tel: (0114) 274 5086
Page 19
email: office@stchads.org
website: www.stchads.org

MALLORN
ROOFING CONTRACTORS
7 Dale View Road, Sheffield S8 0EJ
‘Phone 0114 235 6002
Mobile 07853 350 085
Email mallornroofing@hotmail.co.uk
Specialists in...
Re-Roofing
Flat Roofing
Ridge Pointing
Replacing Damaged
Slates and Tiles
Guttering
Storm Damage - Insurance Work
FREE ROOF SURVEY
24 Hour Call-Out Service
New chapter at the
Library
As we reported earlier this year, a
new library and medical centre
is being built in Woodseats and
is expected to open around
Christmas 2016.
To enable this to happen, the current
library will close on November 21.
While the library is closed, you can
access services in several different ways.
There will be extended opening hours from
January at Ecclesall and Highfield libraries
and, again from the new year, a book
drop-off service is planned at Woodseats
Medical Centre. For more details, speak to
a member of staff at the library.
An artist’s impression of the new library
ESTABLISHED 1913
Weddings,
Christenings,
Funerals, Parties &
Private Functions
DORE & TOTLEY GOLF CLUB
Call the Secretary on 0114 236 9872
The Club House, Bradway Road, Sheffield, S17 4QR
Get involved in
Girlguiding
Girlguiding is the leading charity
for girls and young women in the
UK – and the units at St Chad’s
are looking for more people to get
involved as volunteers.
Help is needed with the Rainbows,
Brownies and Guides which meet
throughout the week.
To find out more or to get in touch and let
us know you’re interested, visit the website
at www.girlguiding.org.uk and click on Get
Involved.
St Chad’s Church, Linden Avenue, Woodseats
Church Office: 9 Linden Avenue, Sheffield S8 0GA
Tel: (0114) 274 5086
Page 20
email: office@stchads.org
website: www.stchads.org

Help for the
Refugees
Children from Abbey Lane School
along with young people
from our Kingdom Kids
group at St Chad’s sent
gifts of love to children
caught up in the refugee crisis.
The youngsters took part in
Project Paddington – a Sheffieldbased
scheme set up to send
teddies and messages of love and
support to refugee children in Europe and
further afield. In total 14 sacks of teddies
and other cuddly toys were sent, thanks to
the children and a team of willing helpers.
A total of £265 was also raised to
support Project Paddington through a bun
sale at Abbey Lane School and a stall at St
Chad’s.
Volunteers with some of the toys
Tim and Emily Hopkinson, who
organised the appeal at St Chad’s
and Abbey Lane, said: “We were
thrilled by people’s support and want to
thank everyone who got involved in any
way. It’s great that so many children and
families will be helped by the kindness and
generosity of people in our community.”
• A produce stall at St Chad’s Have A Go
Show raised over £335 for Tearfund, which
is working with refugees in the Middle East
and Europe.
Are you looking for
a room to hold your
party or meeting?
St Chad’s Church has
two rooms available for
hire at 56 Abbey Lane
Call 0114 274 5086 for details
St Chad’s Church, Linden Avenue, Woodseats
Church Office: 9 Linden Avenue, Sheffield S8 0GA
Tel: (0114) 274 5086
Page 21
email: office@stchads.org
website: www.stchads.org

Celebrating in Mexico
Christmas in México has
a variety of traditions
and customs, such as
Posadas and Three Kings
Day, as well as traditional
Christmas dishes like tamales,
buñuelos, churros, menudo,
ponche, and champurrado. I am
going to tell you a little about
how Christmas is celebrated in
Monterrey, México where I come
from.
In December we have craft
markets and fairs all over the
country, at which Christmas
decorations, piñatas, candies,
Christmas trees and seasonal fruits
like oranges, apples, mandarins
and guavas are for sale.
The traditional flower that
decorates Mexican homes over
Christmas time is the Noche Buena
flower – known in England as the
poinsettia. The origin of Noche
Buena flower comes from México
and Central America and it means
Vida Nueva or New Life.
Nine days prior to Christmas Day
from December 16 to 24, Mexican
culture celebrates ‘Posadas’.
These festivities recall the journey
that Mary and Joseph made from
Nazareth to Bethlehem, looking for
a place to await the birth of Jesus.
These nine Posadas symbolise
the nine months of pregnancy of
Mary. Mexicans take part in a brief
pilgrimage with candles and sing
traditional hymns paying tribute to
the Virgin Mary. These pilgrimages
end at the Basilica of Guadalupe –
one of the larger church buildings
in northern México. Posadas are
celebrated on the street and in
people’s houses. People gather
together to pray the Rosary with
candles and sparklers. They also
celebrate with traditional food
and a piñata in the shape of a
seven-sided star. A piñata plays an
important part of these festivities,
each side represents a capital sin.
The piñata is stuffed with candies
and fruit. To get the goodies inside
the piñata, it is necessary to hit
it with a wooden stick with eyes
closed, which represent blind faith.
In México, Christmas Eve is
called Noche Buena and on this
day we gather together as a family
to celebrate Jesus’ birth. A feast
is served which includes turkey,
gammon, mashed potatoes, brisket,
spaghetti, tamales, menudo,
baguettes and gravy. Christmas
Eve is a formal party when we
dress up for the occasion and enjoy
family time late into the night.
On Christmas Day children open
their presents from Santa Claus.
Christmas Day is a relaxing day
to spend at home and to enjoy
leftovers from Noche Buena.
In the north of the country, little
ones believes in Santa Claus, they
will receive presents from him if
they have behaved properly during
the year. Further south, the tradition
is to receive presents from the Three
Wise Men on January 6 (Three Kings
Day).
St Chad’s Church, Linden Avenue, Woodseats
Church Office: 9 Linden Avenue, Sheffield S8 0GA
Tel: (0114) 274 5086
Page 22
email: office@stchads.org
website: www.stchads.org

glance at a Bible; his
family were concerned
for his sanity. To be
found with a Bible would
have meant serious
consequences and
punishment. God
honoured this fast and
prayer sending Yun a
Bible. He immediately
read and memorised
chapters from the Bible.
With few resources
unobserved and walking after his legs
were so severely broken (he was told
he would be crippled for life after this
punishment).
Whatever Yun experienced, God
repeatedly demonstrated his
faithfulness never leaving him or his
family to cope alone. We will
probably never experience this kind of
persecution but this book is testimony
to the incredible power of God and his
Holy Spirit.
Sian Mann
There is nothing like Christmas in
México. From early December the
festivities start all over the country. The
Posadas are the most significant festivities
of the month but not everybody celebrates
posadas in a religious way. For example,
CALL IN FOR A CUPPA
At Church House
(56 Abbey Lane)
10am to 12 noon
On the last Saturday of each month.
Bring & Buy (new items)
Handicrafts Home Baking
St Chads Church, Linden Avenue, Woodseats
email: office@stchads.org
Church Offices: 15 Camping Lane, Sheffield S8 0GB Page 22 website: www.stchads.org
Tel: (0114) 274 5086
companies throw Christmas parties called
Posadas, these events are the size of a
wedding! Just imagine, fancy decorations,
a sit-down meal, fancy clothes, live music,
and raffles. All employees are invited and
the bigger the company, the bigger the
party. Christmas presents are not a big
deal between grown ups, these are for the
little ones that wait excitedly for Santa’s
presents.
The most important thing over Christmas
is to spend time within family and friends
remembering the birth of Jesus.
In my family, we celebrate Noche Buena
(Christmas Eve) at my grandma’s house
with a nice evening meal. I have a big
family. In total, I have 41 cousins – so
being together is always fun.
Remembering Jesus and celebrating
with fireworks, sparkles and food are the
centre of our Christmas.
Cecilia Sutcliffe
Cecilia is orginally from Mexico but now
lives in Sheffield and attends St Chad’s
christmasstarts.com
St Chad’s Church, Linden Avenue, Woodseats
Church Office: 9 Linden Avenue, Sheffield S8 0GA
Tel: (0114) 274 5086
Page 23
email: office@stchads.org
website: www.stchads.org

St Chad’s Church, Linden Avenue, Woodseats
Church Office: 9 Linden Avenue, Sheffield S8 0GA
Tel: (0114) 274 5086
Page 24
email: office@stchads.org
website: www.stchads.org

Year of Wonders
by Geraldine Brooks
Fact and fiction blend
together in this fascinating
story told through the eyes
of Anna Frith, a young
widow of 18.
Anna’s husband died working
in the lead mines, leaving her
with two young children. This
was a tragedy in itself but worse
was the come, for the village
where Anna lived was Eyam in
Derbyshire. Her impoverished
home was where George Vickers,
the journeyman tailor, came to
lodge, bringing with him fabric
from London. Unbeknown to him,
and everyone else in the village,
he also brought the Black Death,
hidden in the damp, flea-ridden
cloth.
As the story unfolds we are
get to know many of Anna’s
neighbours as they struggle
with the hardships of rural 17th
century life. We gain insight
into the harrowing experience of
working down the mines. The hill
farmers can barely scratch a living
above ground. We experience
their fear, and then their sorrow,
as family members and friends
succumb to the plague. We learn
about their superstitions. Some
put their faith in herb lore, which
leads to accusations of witchcraft
and sorcery with devastating
results. There is religious tension
within the community, too, and
physical violence as some begin
to lose their grip on reality. Whilst
several families decide to flee,
the charismatic vicar persuades
the remaining villagers to accept
voluntary isolation in the hope
of containing the plague. Those
who know the true facts will no
doubt find the
ending of the
novel more than a
little fanciful, but
remember that
this is a novel
after all – a blend
of fact and fiction.
The title Year of
Wonders comes
from Dryden’s
poem, Annus
Mirabilis in which
he describes the
terrible year of
1666, marked
by the Great
Fire of London, the
Great Plague and the war against
the Dutch. Anna Frith, a woman
with a deep faith, no doubt held
fast to the words, “God moves in
mysterious ways, His wonders
to perform”, which gave her the
strength to support and strengthen
others. Despite its subject, the
book is not depressing.
It is a poignant story of love
and lasting friendship, of personal
loss and selfless bravery. The
characters are beautifully drawn.
The true story of Eyam challenged
author Geraldine Brooks and it is
a challenge for us, too. A former
war correspondent, she has seen
other communities face impossible
situations – in the Balkans, the
Middle East and Africa. In the
Afterward, she writes, “What
would it be like to have to make
such a choice (as the villagers
of Eyam did) and to find that,
in consequence, two thirds of
your neighbours were dead
within a year? How would faith,
relationships and social order
survive?”
Chris Laude
St Chad’s 3rd Age Book Group
Book Review
St Chad’s Church, Linden Avenue, Woodseats
Church Office: 9 Linden Avenue, Sheffield S8 0GA
Tel: (0114) 274 5086
Page 25
email: office@stchads.org
website: www.stchads.org

The Wonder of ‘Obama’s
I
can’t be the only person who
remembers singing ‘You are
the sunshine of my life’ or ‘I
just called to say I love you’ at
school.
It’s testimony to Stevie Wonder’s
talent as a musician and performer
that these simple, synthesised
tunes remain so catchy and
singable decades after they were
first recorded. Yes, there’s a certain
cheesiness about them, but they
bear testimony to his consistency and
longevity in a fickle industry where
many come and go.
Incredibly, Stevie Wonder has been
Stevie Wonder
Photo by Antonio
Cruz/ABr - Agência
Brasil.. Licensed
under CC BY 3.0
br via
Wikimedia
Commons
going strong, swaying behind his
trademark dark glasses, ever since
his remarkable talent as an 11-yearold
was spotted. The young Steveland
honed his musical skills by singing
in the church choir, listening to blues
and jazz on the radio, playing on the
neighbour’s piano and performing on
street corners with a friend.
His first album for Motown (as
‘Little Stevie Wonder’) came out in
1962. The following year, the album
‘The 12 Year Old Genius’ rocketed to
No.1 in the charts. The singles and
albums which followed covered a
range of musical styles, from those
synthesised love songs, to pop (‘Part
time lover’) and the seriously funky
(‘Signed, sealed, delivered’). They’re
not all suitable for school choirs, but
there are a lot of good tunes in there.
Naturally, it’s not only his music
but the fact that he’s been so
successful even though he’s blind
that fascinates people.
He hasn’t seen his blindness
as a particular handicap,
however. In an article for
Rolling Stone Magazine, his
then assistant remembered
being in Puerto Rico on a sunny
day and Wonder saying it was
going to rain. “He said he could
smell the moisture in the air, and
we were all laughing at him. Three
hours later, sure enough, it came. A
hailstorm!”
Wonder himself has observed:
“Being blind, you don’t judge books by
their covers; you go through things
St Chad’s Church, Linden Avenue, Woodseats
Church Office: 9 Linden Avenue, Sheffield S8 0GA
Tel: (0114) 274 5086
Page 26
email: office@stchads.org
website: www.stchads.org

Favourite’
that are relatively insignificant, and
you pick out things that are more
important.”
In fact, he never felt while growing
up that he lacked anything because
of his blindness. Instead, comments
from early on in school “made me
feel like because I was black I
could never be or would never be”.
It’s perhaps not surprising that he
subsequently led the campaign for
Martin Luther King Jr Day to be
officially recognised, penning the
single ‘Happy Birthday’ in honour of
the civil rights activist.
For many today, Martin Luther
King is part of Black History. But
for Wonder he was part of his life.
He was 18, and already well into
his musical career, when King was
assassinated.
During the campaign in 1981 he
referred to King’s “great vision both
challenging and inspiring us with his
great dream. People have asked,
‘Why Stevie Wonder, as an artist?’
Why should I be involved in this
great cause? I’m Stevie Wonder the
artist, yes, but I’m Steveland Morris,
a man, a citizen of this country,
and a human being. As an artist,
my purpose is to communicate the
message that can better improve
the lives of all of us.”
He succeeded. Martin Luther
King Jr Day became law in 1983.
Perhaps fittingly, Barack Obama
today counts Stevie Wonder as his
favourite artist.
Amy Hole
Here’s how little it costs
to advertise in
Adverts are priced
at the following rates for
one year (six editions):
1/8 page: £110
1/6 page: £155
1/4 page: £225
1/2 page: £445
Full page: £915
Call St Chad’s Church office on
0114 274 5086
or email
impact@stchads.org
for more information
St Chad’s Church, Linden Avenue, Woodseats
Church Office: 9 Linden Avenue, Sheffield S8 0GA
Tel: (0114) 274 5086
Page 27
email: office@stchads.org
website: www.stchads.org

Registers 2015
Baptisms
October
11 Gracie Leigh Tyler
Georgie Mae Tyler
Freddie David Owen
Thanksgiving
October
3 Annie Cerys Evans
Weddings
September
5 Richard Thomas Marvin and
Louise Rebecca Field
Funerals
September
30 Doris McPherson (91)
October
1 Alfred Carr (74)
For Weddings
and Funerals
You don’t have to be a churchgoer
to have a wedding in church or
be ‘religious’ to have a dignified and
meaningful funeral service at St Chad’s.
If you live in the Woodseats or
Beauchief area, St Chad’s would be
delighted to help you, whether it is
planning the Big Day or saying goodbye
to a loved one.
For weddings please contact St Chad’s
church office. For funerals please tell
your funeral director that you would like
to have a church service.
Do you have a few hours spare to support our
lovely clients in Sheffield to remain independent
within their own homes?
More about the role:
• Part Time Hours to suit you (2-20 hrs. p/w)
• Full Induction training with Office Support
• No previous care experience necessary
• We welcome applicants of all ages!
An open heart and warm smile is all you need to
become a Care Companion at Home Instead
*Car Driver Desirable
Apply Now! Call 0114 250 7709
Or visit www.homeinstead.co.uk/sheffield
6 Shirley House, Psalter Lane, Sheffield, S11 8YL
• If you have had a new baby and would
like to celebrate that baby’s birth with
a service in church then please come
to one of our thanksgiving and baptism
mornings at St Chad’s.
The morning will explain the difference
between the two services and give
parents an opportunity to ask any
questions. Please call the church office
on 0114 274 5086 if you are interested in
attending.
St Chad’s Church, Linden Avenue, Woodseats
Church Office: 9 Linden Avenue, Sheffield S8 0GA
Tel: (0114) 274 5086
Page 28
email: office@stchads.org
website: www.stchads.org

Weekly services are held at Beauchief Abbey
1st,2nd&4th Sundays Holy Communion 11.00am
3rd Sunday Evensong 3pm
5th Sunday Matins 11.00am
Our church services are based on the Book of Common Prayer
and refreshments are served afterwards
All welcome
29 November 11.00am Advent Sunday
Christmas Eve Carol Service 7pm
Christmas Day 10.30am
Seasons Greetings
St Chad’s Church, Linden Avenue, Woodseats
Church Office: 9 Linden Avenue, Sheffield S8 0GA
Tel: (0114) 274 5086
Page 29
email: office@stchads.org
website: www.stchads.org

Contacts
Woodseats • Sheffield
Church Office 9 Linden Avenue 274 5086
S8 0GA
Term time office hours:
Mon - 10am-1pm; Tues - 9.30am-1pm;
Thurs - 9.30am-1pm; Fri - 9am-11am
Church Office Administrator
Helen Reynolds
email: office@stchads.org
Vicar Toby Hole (Vicarage) 274 9302
email: toby@stchads.org
Curate Duncan Bell 274 5086
email: duncan.j.bell@gmail.com
Assistant Minister for the elderly Yvonne Smith 274 5086
Readers
Daren Craddock, Amy Hole, Pauline
Johnson and Yvonne Smith 274 5086
Youth Worker Nick Seaman 274 5086
email: nick@stchads.org
Besom in Sheffield
Steve Winks and
Darren Coggins 07875 950170
Impact magazine Tim Hopkinson 274 5086
email: impact@stchads.org
Church Wardens Jimmy Johnson 274 5086
Linda McCann 274 5086
Deputy Wardens Ann Firth 274 5086
Ann Lomax 274 5086
Uniformed Groups
Group Scout Leader Ian Jackson 235 3044
Guide Leader Jemma Taylor 296 0555
CHURCH HOUSE 56 Abbey Lane 274 8289
Bookings Helen Reynolds 274 5086
Visit our website: www.stchads.org
PLEASE NOTE: The inclusion of advertisements in Impact in no way means the
advertiser is endorsed or recommended by St Chad’s Church.
St Chad’s Church, Linden Avenue, Woodseats
Church Office: 9 Linden Avenue, Sheffield S8 0GA
Tel: (0114) 274 5086
Page 30
email: office@stchads.org
website: www.stchads.org

St Chad’s Church, Linden Avenue, Woodseats
Church Office: 9 Linden Avenue, Sheffield S8 0GA
Tel: (0114) 274 5086
Page 31
email: office@stchads.org
website: www.stchads.org

764 Chesterfield Road, Woodseats, Sheffield, S8 0SE
St Chad’s Church, Linden Avenue, Woodseats
Church Office: 9 Linden Avenue, Sheffield S8 0GA
Tel: (0114) 274 5086
Page 32
email: office@stchads.org
website: www.stchads.org