From the Rector
Today’s society has all too often become one in which everyone else is to blame but ourselves. Walk through Preston on any Saturday – the odds are you will be approached by people asking you whether or not you have had an accident in the last three years which wasn’t your fault. Then they will proudly tell you that the firm for which they are touting customers operates a “no win, no fee” policy. All we have to do, therefore, is find someone else to blame and the “job’s a good ‘un”. Similarly, only a few days ago I read an article in the press about some council workers who had been sacked for spending too much time shopping on e-bay and too little time doing what they were paid to do. Then, of course, their union representative decided that it really couldn’t be their fault and that there had to be someone, or something, else to blame. He decided that it was the council’s fault after all. Why? Because they had provided the computer(s) upon which the aforementioned workers were able to log on to e-bay. Simple, isn’t it – shift the blame to someone else wherever possible and thereby ensure that no one ever has to take responsibility for their actions.
Again a few days ago there was a really sad story in the news. A ten year old boy had drowned saving his eight year old step-sister from drowning. She lived, he died. Worse still, according to the family, two police community support officers who were apparently at, or nearby, the scene, did not dive into the pond/pit to rescue the boy. Rather they radioed for help which, by the time it arrived, and despite the very best efforts of the policeman who did arrive, was too late to save the boy. Worse still the Assistant Chief Constable of Manchester (I think) was shown on news bulletins later defending the actions (or lack of them) of the community support officers. This was on the grounds that they were not trained for such situations. Passing the blame – finding excuses – refusing to make the officers take personal responsibility for what happened – all the hallmarks of so much that is wrong with today’s society. I would hope (assuming of course that you can swim) that anyone reading this who is vaguely fit and active would, if they saw someone drowning, dive in to try and help the person concerned. We don’t need to be trained for this because surely the only qualification we need is that of being a human being willing, in an emergency, to try and do our best to rescue someone in distress or trouble. What training course do we need to undertake for that? The other aspect of the story which concerned me is that no one seemed to ask the parents who were trying very hard to blame the officers for the boy’s tragic death, just how come two young children were allowed to walk/play in such an obviously dangerous area. It is always easier to blame someone else.
And this, of course, is how things might pan out when it comes to matters of salvation and eternity. Just imagine for a moment that all the biblical parables about heaven and hell are actually how it will be when we die. Just imagine if Hoole was to sink without trace tomorrow, and all of us with it; what would happen at the proverbial pearly gates? God might be stood there with two signs: “Heaven this way” and “Hell that way”. Those who would go to heaven are those who, in accordance with biblical teaching, have tried, however deficiently, to believe in God, to follow Him and to worship him on a regular basis. Those who would be going the other way are those who have ignored God and whose worship of him (which implies some churchgoing) has been largely conspicuous by its absence. I am sure that folk would be looking round for somebody to blame for their imminent demise. Some would start with God Himself – “if only you had come to earth and told us what it would be like we would have believed in you and worshipped you” might be the refrain. To which God would reply: “Excuse me but what then is Christmas all about?” Then others would blame the vicar: “Useless he was - if he’d have been any good we might have believed. It’s all his fault”. And then others would blame each other: “if you hadn’t made me go to football every Sunday….if you hadn’t made me go shopping every Sunday…..if you hadn’t wanted me to go to your mum and dad’s each week……if you hadn’t made me go out and drink too much on a Saturday night….” And so it might go on in our hypothetical queue to find towards our ultimate destiny.
But there is a serious point behind all this. In life we need to take responsibility for what we do and be less eager to blame everyone else for our mistakes, and when it comes to death it might just be that our ultimate destiny will be directly related to our weekly and daily choices now – and if things don’t work out the way we want it will be too late to blame anyone else. Indeed there cannot be anyone else to blame because it is we who make the choice ourselves whether we are for or against God. To get that wrong would surely be the biggest mistake of all!

P.S. You will notice I have not mentioned anything about being good or bad. This is because heaven and hell are not just about trying to do more good (that should be taken as read) than bad; rather they are about being faithful to God in prayer and in praise, and honestly acknowledging our weaknesses and mistakes. And please, don’t ever be fooled into thinking that church is a place only for ‘goody goodies’. Far from it: Church is not a leisure centre for good people. Church is an intensive care unit for sinners.

Ladies’ Group
Last month Barn Owl Bill and friends came along to tell us what kindness and care can do for an owl that has been ill treated or injured. Several of his feathered friends behaved perfectly on their perches as Bill identified them to us and told us their stories, and some of our members even accepted invitations to make closer acquaintance! This was an evening with a difference and was most enjoyable.
This month which we share with the Men’s Fellowship, the title of the talk Dr David Hunt is to give us is “Much Hoole to the Great Wall”. All invited, do come along – Dr Hunt is now well known to us and his talks are always informative and entertaining. The meeting is in school and starts at 7.30pm.
Christian Aid – Longton Open Gardens
Thank you to all who supported and helped with the afternoon on 15th July and particularly to those who went to great effort to open their gardens and to provide entertainment and refreshment. This again raised approximately £2,400 to be shared between the four charities. Much of the work of the three small charities involves supporting and feeding thousands of orphaned children – in centres in Kenya, Malawi and Uganda – providing a Christian ethos and giving stability and hope to young lives, with opportunities for education and fun. (Some of you may have seen the inspiring ITV programme on FOMO in July. If you would like to see a copy, please phone 01772 619409). The fourth charity for which money was raised is the Trade Justice Movement, supported by Christian Aid. This is working to give the poorest countries greater opportunities to trade on an equal basis with the rich, rather than continue to suffer the restrictions and exploitation which has long been a part of international trading agreements. Such opportunities provide enormous scope for progress – especially in medicine and education.

Christian Aid Raffle
One of the winners of a week’s holiday was Carol Halton who is well known to some people in Longton. The other winner came from Fulwood. Both were delighted and are arranging with Carole and John to take their holiday. We again thank Carole and John for their generosity in offering their lovely “Park Home’ for two weeks.

From the Parish Registers

Holy Baptism “We welcome into the Lord’s Family”
26th August ELLIS CHARLES ANDREW TAYLOR son of Andrew James and Jayne Anne Taylor of Much Hoole
Holy Matrimony “Those whom God hath joined together”
The Departed “Rest Eternal grant unto them”
23rd August RUTH BAMBER aged 65 of New Longton. Interment followed in the churchyard.
30th August ANNE WANE aged 61 years of Much Hoole. Interment followed in the churchyard.

From the Register of Services
Attendance Communicants Collections
26th Aug (Trinity 12) 102 46 £576.95
2nd Sept (Trinity 13) 107 95 £347.00
9th Sept (Trinity 14) 105 35 £420.15
16th Sept (Trinity 15) 115 33 £495.45

Acknowledgments
Whilst living in New Longton, Ruth Bamber had begun to attend worship at St Michael’s along with her daughter Val – our verger. Sadly her recent illness had prevented her from attending over recent months. Similarly Anne Wane, whose death came very suddenly, also attended worship at St. Michael’s, particularly accompanying her grandson at Family Worship or parade services. By today’s standards they both died at a comparatively young age and had both led very active lives. They were similar in that they both showed great love for those around them and were held in great respect by all who knew them.
In recording their deaths and extending our sympathy to both families, we also record and acknowledge receipt of donations received at this time in their memory. In respect of Ruth Bamber the church received £391.35 and in respect of Anne Wane £167.00; donations in memory of Anne Wane were also received by St. Catherine’s Hospice. Their families would like to thank all who made donations, and we would also in turn thank both families for remembering the church at the time of their bereavement.

Barrie Gleave – At the time of going to press we have been greatly shocked and deeply saddened by the sudden and unexpected death of Barrie Gleave. Barrie had recently been appointed as Chairman of St Michael’s Friends and Development Committee, and was our Stewardship and Gift Aid recorder. A full appreciation of his Christian witness and contribution to the life of St. Michael’s will appear in next month’s magazine.

Christian Aid Tree
The tree, a rowan tree, was planted by Rebecca, our Harvest Queen, on 10th June behind the north wall of the Church grounds, near Liverpool Road. It is a symbol of our concern about the environment and may act as a reminder of the beneficial effects which the planting of trees may have in parts of the world where de-forestation has brought devastation and food shortages. We thank Tim Lowe for kindly donating the tree.