[Magdalen] Please pray

[Ann Markle]

Certainly, prayers.  Might not a kindhearted salvage/recycling place (where
the plunder is likely to be sold) turn in the culprits, if they knew it was
a church theft?

Ann

The Rev. Ann Markle
Buffalo, NY
ann.markle at aya.yale.edu
blog:  www.onewildandpreciouslife.typepad.com

On Fri, Jun 26, 2015 at 3:02 PM, Michael Bishop <rev at michaelbishop.name>
wrote:

> I would be grateful for prayers for my parishes.
>
> We have been going through a difficult time lately. Six weeks ago one of
> our churches, St Andrew's, Radbourne suffered a visit from lead thieves and
> lost the entire chancel roof. Thios is a heavy blow for a tiny parish which
> works hard to maintain its grade 1 medieval church. With a turnover last
> year of £6,000 for all purposes we are now faced with a bill of perhaps
> £15,000 for repairs with a maximum insurance contribution of half that. We
> just hope and pray that the rest of the roof is not stolen.
>
> Now, yesterday, another of my churches, All Saints, Trusley suffered the
> loss of most of its roof. Cost of repairs not yet know but certainly in
> excess of £10,ooo. This for a parish with a _population_ of only 80. Again
> we will be struggling to repair this very special early 18th century church.
>
> You can imagine how my congregations feel - they are devastated.
>
> Our part of Derbyshire is suffering a whole string of these thefts, and we
> are wondering where will be next. I am just hoping that St Michael's Church
> Broughton is not hit next. We lost some lead a few years ago and has
> managed to complete repairs. If the thieves arrive here, I will probably
> have a disturbed night as the roof alarm from the church which is next door
> to me should sound and awaken me. Mind you, last time we had a theft, I
> decided to sleep in church so that I would hear any thieves if they called
> again. They did come back - but were disturbed by somebody else who chased
> them off and then came in church to wake me up - I had slept through the
> whole proceedings! (No roof alarm then though!
>
> I wish that I could say that the police are hot on the trail of the
> thieves, but I am afraid that would be at best an overstatement. The theft
> at Trusley was reported to them yesterday evening and they have still to
> deign to call to begin investigations. (It is now 8.00p.m. - almost 24
> hours since our phone call alerted them.
>
> Thank you for listening to my moan!
>
> --
> ....
> ....
> God bless
>
> Michael Bishop
> rev at michaelbishop.name
>
> Rector of Boylestone, Church Broughton, Dalbury, Longford, Long Lane,
> Sutton-on-the-Hill & Trusley
>
> Diocese of Derby, England
>
>