Church in South Street on 1st March 2012 from Church Bottom
Services in the Chalke Valley Benefice - March 2023 BCP = Book of Common Prayer (Traditional Language), CW = Common Worship Service (Contemporary Language) |
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Every Wednesday at 12.00pm, there will be a short benefice service of Holy Communion. In Lent, they will be: March 1st at Alvediston, 8th at Fifield Bavant, 15th at Bishopstone, 22nd at Homington, 29th at Odstock | ||||
5th March 2nd Sunday of Lent |
9.30am |
Family Communion (CW) |
Broad Chalke |
Kate Woolven |
9.30am | Parish Communion (CW) | Britford | Jenny Taylor | |
11.00am | Family Communion (CW) | Ebbesbourne Wake | Ruth H-S | |
11.00am | Family Communion (CW) | Coombe Bissett | Jenny Taylor | |
11.00am | Family Service (CW) | Odstock | Adrian Taylor | |
11.00am |
Morning Prayer (BCP) | Berwick St John | Lay Led | |
12th March 3rd Sunday of Lent |
9.30am |
Parish Communion (CW) followed by Annual Meetings |
Bowerchalke |
Jenny Taylor |
9.30am | Family Communion (CW) | Nunton | Ruth H-S | |
11.00am | Family Communion (CW) | Coombe Bissett | Ruth H-S | |
11.00am | Morning Prayer (BCP) | Charlton All Saints | Rhoderck Voremberg | |
11.00am | All Age Service | Alvediston | Biddy Trahair | |
11.00am | Morning Prayer (BCP) | Berwick St John | Lay Led | |
3.00pm |
Evening Prayer (BCP) | Fifield Bavant | Biddy Trahair | |
19th March MOTHERING SUNDAY |
9.30am |
Mothering Sunday Service |
Bowerchalke |
Lay Led |
9.30am | Parish Communion (CW) | Bishopstone | Jenny Taylor | |
9.30am | Parish Communion (CW) | Odstock | Ruth H-S | |
11.00am | Morning Prayer (BCP) | Ebbesbourne Wake | Biddy Trahair | |
11.00am | Parish Communion (CW) | Homington | Ruth H-S | |
11.00am |
Parish Communion (CW) | Berwick St John | Jenny Taylor | |
26th March 5th Sunday of Lent Clocks go forward |
9.00am |
Holy Communion (BCP) |
Berwick St John |
Kate Rosslyn Smith |
9.30am | Parish Communion (CW) | Charlton All Saints | Archdeacon of Sarum | |
9.30am | Parish Communion (CW) | Broad Chalke | Ruth H-S | |
11.00am | Family Service | Nunton | Adrian Taylor | |
11.00am | Parish Communion (CW) | Bishopstone | Tony Monds | |
11.00am | Holy Communion (BCP) | Alvediston | Ruth H-S | |
11.00am | Morning Prayer (BCP) | Homington | Jenny Taylor | |
6.00pm |
Evening Prayer (BCP) CANCELLED | Bowerchalke | Lay Led |
Services in the Chalke Valley Benefice - April 2023 BCP = Book of Common Prayer (Traditional Language), CW = Common Worship Service (Contemporary Language) |
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2nd April PALM SUNDAY |
9.30am |
Family Communion (CW) |
Broad Chalke |
Jenny Taylor |
9.30am | Parish Communion (CW) | Britford | Ruth H-S | |
11.00am | Family Communion (CW) | Ebbesbourne Wake | Jenny Taylor | |
11.00am | Family Communion (CW) | Coombe Bissett | Ruth H-S | |
11.00am | Family Service (CW) | Odstock | Adrian Taylor | |
11.00am | Morning Prayer (BCP) | Berwick St John | Lay Led | |
11.00am | Morning Prayer (BCP) | Bishopstone | Sally Leaver | |
5.00pm |
Compline | Fifield Bavant | Ruth H-S | |
3th, 4th, 5th April | 8.00pm |
Compline |
Fifield Bavant |
Ruth H-S |
6th April MAUNDY THURSDAY |
6.00pm |
Commemoration of the Last Supper (CW) |
Bishopstone |
Jenny T / Ruth H-S |
7th April GOOD FRIDAY |
11.00am |
St John's Vigil |
Alvediston |
Lay Led |
12 noon | Way of the Cross | Berwick St John | Ruth H-S | |
12 noon | Reflections of The Passion | Broad Chalke | Jenny Taylor | |
1.00pm | Reading and Music | Coombe Bissett | Sally Leaver | |
2.00pm |
Way of the Cross | Odstock | Ruth H-S | |
8th April EASTER EVE |
6.00pm |
Easter Fire & Communion |
Charlton All Saints |
Ruth H-S |
6.00pm |
Easter Fire & Communion | Homington | Jenny Taylor | |
9th April EASTER DAY |
9.30am |
Parish Communion (CW) |
Broad Chalke |
Jenny Taylor |
9.30am | Parish Communion (CW) | Bowerchalke | Archdeacon Alan Jeans | |
9.30am | Parish Communion (CW) | Bishopstone | Anthony Hawley | |
9.30am | Parish Communion (CW) | Britford | Ruth H-S | |
11.00am | Parish Communion (CW) | Coombe Bissett | Jenny Taylor | |
11.00am | Parish Communion (CW) | Berwick St John | Archdeacon Alan Jeans | |
11.00am | Family Communion (CW) | Ebbesbourne Wake | Tony Monds | |
2.00pm |
Family Communion (CW) | Nunton | Ruth H-S | |
16th April 2nd Sunday of Easter |
10.00am |
Benefice Communion (CW) |
Odstock |
Jenny Taylor |
23rd April 3rd Sunday of Easter |
9.00am |
Holy Communion (BCP) |
Berwick St John |
Kate Rosslyn Smith |
9.30am | Parish Communion (CW) | Charlton All Saints | Jenny Taylor | |
9.30am | Parish Communion (CW) | Broad Chalke | Ruth H-S | |
11.00am | Family Service | Nunton | Adrian Taylor | |
11.00am | Parish Communion (CW) | Bishopstone | Jenny Taylor | |
11.00am | Holy Communion (CW) | Alvediston | Ruth H-S | |
11.00am | Morning Prayer (BCP) | Homington | Rhoderick Voremberg | |
6.00pm |
Evening Prayer (BCP) | Bowerchalke | Lay Led | |
30th April 4th Sunday of Easter |
10.00am |
Benefice Communion (CW) |
Berwick St John |
Ruth H-S |
10.00am |
Benefice Communion (CW) | Coombe Bissett | Dean of Salisbury Very Rev'd Nicholas Papadopulos |
Services in the Chalke Valley Benefice - May 2023 BCP = Book of Common Prayer (Traditional Language), CW = Common Worship Service (Contemporary Language) |
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Every Wednesday at 12.00pm, there will be a short benefice service of Holy Communion. In Lent, they will be: March 1st at Alvediston, 8th at Fifield Bavant, 15th at Bishopstone, 22nd at Homington, 29th at Odstock | ||||
7th May 5th Sunday of Easter "Coronation Celebration Weeend" |
10.00am |
Benefice Communion (CW) |
Ebbesbourne Wake |
Ruth H-S |
10.00am |
Benefice Communion (CW) | Britford | Jenny Taylor | |
14th May 6th Sunday of Easter |
9.30am |
Parish Communion (CW) |
Bowerchalke |
Jenny Taylor |
9.30am | Family Communion (CW) | Nunton | Ruth H-S | |
11.00am | Family Communion (CW) | Coombe Bissett | Ruth H-S | |
11.00am | Morning Prayer (BCP) | Charlton All Saints | Rhoderick Voremberg | |
11.00am | All Age Service | Alvediston | Biddy Trahair | |
3.00pm |
Evening Prayer (BCP) | Fifield Bavant | Biddy Trahair | |
18th May ASCENSION DAY |
12 noon |
Parish Communion |
Fifield Bavant |
Ruth H-S |
21st May Sunday after Ascension |
9.30am |
Holy Communion (BCP) |
Bowerchalke |
Ruth H-S |
9.30am | Parish Communion (CW) | Bishopstone | Jenny Taylor | |
9.30am | Parish Communion (CW) | Odstock | Vernon White | |
11.00am | Morning Prayer (BCP) | Ebbesbourne Wake | Biddy Trahair | |
11.00am | Parish Communion (CW) | Homington | Jenny Taylor | |
11.00am |
Parish Communion (CW) | Berwick St John | Ruth H-S | |
28th May PENTECOST |
9.00am |
Holy Communion (BCP) |
Berwick St John |
Kate Rosslyn Smith |
9.30am | Parish Communion (CW) | Charlton All Saints | Jenny Taylor | |
9.30am | Parish Communion (CW) | Broad Chalke | Ruth H-S | |
11.00am | Family Service | Nunton | Adrian Taylor | |
11.00am | Parish Communion (CW) | Bishopstone | Jenny Taylor | |
11.00am | Holy Communion (BCP) | Alvediston | Ruth H-S | |
6.00pm | Evening Prayer (BCP) | Bowerchalke | Lay Led | |
6.00pm |
Evening Prayer (BCP) | Homington | Ruth H-S |
Services in the Chalke Valley Benefice - June 2023 BCP = Book of Common Prayer (Traditional Language), CW = Common Worship Service (Contemporary Language) |
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Every Wednesday at 12.00pm, there will be a short benefice service of Holy Communion. In Lent, they will be: March 1st at Alvediston, 8th at Fifield Bavant, 15th at Bishopstone, 22nd at Homington, 29th at Odstock | ||||
4th June TRINITY SUNDAY |
9.30am |
Family Communion (CW) |
Broad Chalke |
Kate Woolven |
9.30am | Parish Communion (CW) | Britford | Jenny Taylor | |
11.00am | Family Communion (CW) | Ebbesbourne Wake | Ruth H-S | |
11.00am | Family Communion (CW) | Coombe Bissett | Jenny Taylor | |
11.00am | Family Service (CW) | Odstock | Adrian Taylor | |
11.00am | Morning Prayer (BCP) | Berwick St John | Lay Led | |
11.00am |
Morning Service | Bishopstone | Sally Leaver |
NAME |
TITLE |
TELEPHONE |
ADDRESS |
Chalke Valley Churches |
Administrator |
07890 262376 |
Chalke Valley Churches Broad Chalke page with online calendar. |
Church Times Archive |
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Church Times Archive 1863 to today |
This is the Chalke Valley Bulletin for March 23rd 2023 (PDF document, may take a little time to download).
This is the 2023 Lent Project (PDF document, may take a little time to download).
Message from Rev'd Catherine Blundell
Dear All,
After 7 ½ years as Team Rector I will be leaving the Benefice in January 2023 when David and I will be moving to our cottage in Devon.
Bishop Andrew has written:
The Revd Catherine Blundell has decided to retire as the Team Rector, with effect from 31st January 2023. Catherine’s last Sunday will be the 8th January 2023.
These last 7 years have been fabulous, sometimes fraught, but full of laughter and joy. I will never forget them, and I will certainly never live in such a beautiful place again. Yes, Devon is lovely, but the Chalke Valley is very special indeed.
I do not know what work I will be doing next, I am not going to another Benefice, instead I will take some time off and listen to God’s call.
This will be unsettling news for some people but there are plans in place to make sure all parishes receive pastoral care and cover on Sunday’s. Jenny and Ruth (who knew about this before she was interviewed), will both lead you all through the vacancy.
This will be a long goodbye and I will get to speak to most of you before we leave.
In the meantime, my sincere thanks, and we will carry on with our plans for the autumn.
Catherine Blundell
Revd Catherine Blundell
Team Rector for the Chalke Valley Churches
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For Churchwardens etc who might have missed it, the new arrangements agreed by the clergy for services beginning on Sunday 19th September are:
* Orders of Service: We will return to using the Orders of Service that we used before the pandemic.
* Singing: We will include 4 hymns and those churches that sing the liturgy will recommence doing so.
* Masks will still be advisory especially in the smaller churches when it is busy and when we can no longer keep the doors open.
* We will keep offering hand gel.
* We no longer need to take names of people who attend.
* The chalice. The clergy have discussed this at length and have decided to review offering the chalice at the end of October. Infection rates in Wiltshire are still very high and we want to keep people as safe as possible as long as possible.
With Best Wishes
Geoff
Geoffrey Taylor
01722 503081
This is the Chalke/Cueibet Partnership Newsletter 8 (PDF document, may take a little time to download).
This is the Fellowship Study Group (PDF document, may take a little time to download).
You can read about local Church news, events, coffee mornings, sales and auctions, etc. on Chalke Talk on Chalke Talk which is also available in the Church or Chalke Valley Stores Coffee Shop.
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Some of the content on this page has been reproduced with the kind permission of the CHALKE TALK management.
DATE | PLACE | TELEPHONE | EVENT |
Every Tuesday | Village Hall & Old School |
01722 780789 01722 781200 |
Parenting Course; five to fifteen year olds; 10.15am; contact Caroline Lamb or Jayne Jennings |
Every Tuesday | Wake House, Ebbesbourne Wake | 01722 780285 01722 780008 |
Fellowship Study Group; Jane's Group meets weekly on Tuesdays, 10.00am until noon; contact Jane Pelly or Jackie Lowe |
Tuesday evenings | All Saints' Church | Team Prayers; 5.00pm | |
Tuesdays and Thursdays |
URC Chapel | Benefice Resource Centre; Library of Faith inspiring books and Traidcraft goods for sale; Tuesdays 10.00am to 12 noon and Thursdays 12.30pm to 4.00pm | |
Every 2nd Wednesday | Lodge Farmhouse | 01725 519242 01722 780028 |
Meditation usually 2.30pm; contact Janet Roe or Anna Watson |
Various dates & times | All Saints' Church | 01722 780654 01725 519242 |
Church rotas contact Jane Gilbert or Janet Roe |
4th March 2023 | Knighton Manor | Musical Fund Raising; in aid of Cress; 7.00pm - 9.00pm; £30 tickets from Cress Musical Evening; contact Caroline Lamb | |
10th March 2023 | Village Hall | Gathering with Bishop Joseph; Lent Project; 6.30pm - 8.00pm | |
8th April 2023 | All Saints' Church | Easter Church Flowers; 9.30am; Contact Jane Gilbert or Sue Gooden | |
---------------- The Parish Council update states that repositioning of the Church flagpole is being considered. |
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Improvements | All Saints' Church | Parish Questionnaire: Friends of All Saints' Church have discussed improvements for the Church. Contact Chris Littlemore on chris @ cplarchitecture.com (no spaces) or by hand to Meadow House, High Lane. See the 2008 proposals below which are now largely out of date. | |
Phased work 2008 plans |
All Saints' Church | Broad Chalke Church Development Project 2008, now subject to review Phase 1 - An improved lighting system, now complete Phase 2 - Improvements to the hearing loop system, upgrading the sound system and the integration of an audio-visual system, all now in hand including finance Phase 3 - New heating system; fundraising will be required Project details displayed in the porch in 2008 now seem to be a long-term plan, only partly implemented in the three phases described above. The plans included replacing central pews with seats; a new square centre altar; new vestry; additional storage; other relocations; improved lighting and heating using ground heat reclamation; inner glass doors to South Porch and an extension with kitchen and toilet through the North door. These were the three 2008 proposals: Church Upgrade 2008 (Potential Changes); Church Upgrade 2008 (Flexibility 1) and Church Upgrade 2008 (Flexibility 2); |
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ongoing | St Martin's Fifield Bavant |
01722 417900 | Fifield Bavant Church Restoration Appeal; contact William Hillary, |
NAME | TITLE | TELEPHONE | ADDRESS |
All Saints' Church | South Street, Broad Chalke, Salisbury, SP5 (Car park in The Causeway) |
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Rev'd Dr Ruth Howlett-Shipley | Team Vicar | 01722 697022 | |
Rev'd Jenny Taylor | Team Vicar | 01722 503081 | 27 Viking Way, Salisbury, SP2 8TA |
Rev'ds Ana & Tod Gobledale | URC Ministers | 01722 330980 | URC Website & contact form |
Rev'd Jackie Lowe | Assisting URC Minister | 01722 780008 | Church Bottom, Broad Chalke |
Emily Broomhead | Benefice Office Team Administrator | 07890 262376 | Church Office, Byworth, Meadow Close, Dinton, Salisbury SP3 5HY |
Chalke Talk | Chalke Talk News Editor |
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Chris Littlemore | Churchwarden | ||
Rev'd Catherine Blundell & David Blundell (from 7th July 2015 to 8th January 2023) | Team Rector & Licensed Lay Minister | Devon | |
Rev'd Canon David Henley (retired February 2014; died 10/12/2018) | Team Rector | Hatch Beauchamp, Taunton TA3 6SD | |
Rev'd Roger Redding (retired 8th July 2012) | Team Vicar | Tintinhull, BA22 8PQ | |
Rev'd Alison Williams (retired 30th November 2012) | Team Vicar | Nunton, Salisbury, SP5 4HP | |
Rev'd Julian Thomas (retired 2013) | URC Minister | United Reformed Church | |
Rev'd Tom Grant (retired) | URC Minister | URC Website & contact form | |
Rev'd Rick Williams (moved 30th April 2017) | Team Vicar | Charfield, one of the team villages, just off the M5 north of Bristol, close to Chipping Sodbury and Wotton-under-Edge. | |
Rev'd Roger Leake (left 26th June 2022) | Curate | 07947 149146 |
NAME | TITLE | TELEPHONE | ADDRESS |
Rev'd Canon Anthony Hawley | Assisting Minister | 01794 390607 | |
Rev'd Canon Tony Monds | Assisting Minister | 01722 420942 | |
Rev'd Canon Ann Philp | Assisting Minister | 01722 555178 | |
Rev'd Kate Rosslyn Smith | Assisting Minister | 01722 780011 |
NAME | TITLE | TELEPHONE | ADDRESS |
Yvonne & Kevin Follett | Lay Worship Leader | 01747 828785 | |
Caroline Lamb | Lay Worship Leader | 01722 780789 | Knighton Manor, Broad Chalke, Salisbury, SP5 5EB |
Sally Leaver | Lay Worship Leader | 01722 780447 | |
Naomi Martin | Lay Worship Leader | 0771 3031774 | |
Donald Morgan | Lay Worship Leader | 01722 718557 | |
Adrian Taylor | Lay Worship Leader | 01722 325862 | Florida, Nunton Drove, Nunton, Salisbury, SP5 4HZ |
Gill Riley | Lay Worship Leader | 01722 780538 | |
Janet Roe | Lay Worship Leader | 01725 519242 | |
Biddy Trahair | Lay Worship Leader | 01722 780666 | Yew Tree House, Lower Road, Charlton All Saints, Salisbury, SP5 5HQ |
Roderick Voremberg | Lay Worship Leader | 07785 304142 | |
James Wardroper | Lay Worship Leader | 01722 718152 |
You can see some Church records and old deeds on the Church Records page.
You can see graves plans for the South West, West and North West and South and North and South East areas.
The Church History is shown on Church History and on the Chalke Valley Churches website.
Church Photos: Church, list of Vicars, Saxon Cross, names on bells, pulpit & font, crib, war memorial, bellringers and Church model
An extract from South Wilts Church Magazine February 1909:-
"The Sunday School Winter treat took place at the school on Wednesday, January 6th. After tea, to which the mothers of the children were also invited, games were indulged in, at the close of which presents were distributed to each child. Before giving away these presents the Vicar announced that next Christmas prizes would be given to those deserving of merit, and that to secure a prize a child would have to put in at least 45 attendances during the year."
An extract from South Wilts Church Magazine March 1909:-
"The Countess of Pembroke again very kindly presented three books as prizes for attendance and needlework in the school, these were supplemented by prizes most generously given by Mr Eastham. The following were the recipients of Lady Pembrokes's and Mr Eastham's prizes: Reginald Hitchings (for attendance), Lily Dimmer (for needlework) and Harry Poole, William Gurd, Ada Emm, Edith White (for attendance and conduct)."
An extract from South Wilts Church Magazine January 1914:-
"PRIZE GIVING. - At the closing of the school for the Christmas holidays the three special prizes so kindly given by the Lady Pembroke were awarded to Mollie Martin, Stanley Dowsett and James Emm. George Hargreave also received a prize for good attendance. Two other boys who had made a perfect attendance generously volunteered to waive their claim to these special prizes as they had previously won one. This is a kind of spirit we love to see and admire in the rising generation."
You can see entries for The First World War concerning enlisting and the Armistice in the South Wilts Church Magazine 1914-1918 and the Peace Treaty and the War Memorial in the South Wilts Church Magazine 1919-1921.
Those who returned from the war (PDF file, download may be slow).
Janet Roe's Church display at the Chalke Valley History Festival on 2nd July 2017 with Caroline & John Dutson
Careful, Tom, he might pop out at you
Tom H and his magic trick for Church History on 4th October 2008
Church and old school on 7th May 2008
after one large tree had been cut down (earlier photos on Photos and School pages)
Gospel of Peter c. AD 150
[1] ... but of the Jews none washed his hands, neither Herod nor one of his judges. And since they did not desire to wash, Pilate stood up.
[2] And then Herod the king orders the Lord to be taken away, having said to them, "What I ordered you to do, do."
[3] But Joseph, the friend of Pilate and of the Lord, had been standing there; and knowing they were about to crucify him, he came before Pilate and requested the body of the Lord for burial.
[4] And Pilate, having sent to Herod, requested his body.
[5] And Herod said: "Brother Pilate, even if no one had requested him, we would have buried him, since indeed Sabbath is dawning. For in the Law it has been written: The sun is not to set on one put to death." And he gave him over to the people before the first day of their feast of the Unleavened Bread.
[6] But having taken the Lord, running, they were pushing him and saying, "Let us drag along the Son of God now that we have power over him."
[7] And they clothed him with purple and sat him on a chair of judgment, saying: "Judge justly, King of Israel."
[8] And a certain one of them, having brought a thorny crown, put it on the head of the Lord.
[9] And others who were standing there were spitting in his face, and others slapped his cheeks. Others were jabbing him with a reed; and some scourged him, saying, "With such honor let us honor the Son of God."
[10] And they brought two wrongdoers and crucified the Lord in the middle of them. But he was silent as having no pain.
[11] And when they had set the cross upright, they inscribed that THIS IS THE KING OF ISRAEL.
[12] And having put his garments before him, they divided them up and threw as a gamble for them.
[13] But a certain one of those wrongdoers reviled them, saying: "We have been made suffer thus because of the wrong that we have done; but this one, having become Savior of men, what injustice had he done to you?"
[14] And having become irritated at him, they ordered that there be no leg-breaking, so that he might die tormented.
[15] But is was midday, and darkness held fast all Judea; and they were distressed and anxious lest the sun had set, since he was still living. [For] it is written for them: Let not the sun set on one put to death.
[16] And someone of them said: "Give him to drink gall with vinegary wine." And having made a mixture, they gave to drink.
[17] And they fulfilled all things and completed the sins on their own head.
[18] But many went around with lamps, thinking that it was night, and they fell.
[19] And the Lord screamed out, saying: "My power, O power, you have forsaken me." And having said this, he was taken up.
[20] And at the same hour the veil of the Jerusalem sanctuary was torn into two.
[21] And they drew out the nails from the hands of the Lord and placed him on the earth; and all the earth was shaken, and a great fear came about.
[22] Then the sun shone, and it was found to be the ninth hour.
[23] And the Jews rejoiced and gave his body to Joseph that he might bury it, since he was one who had seen the many good things he did.
[24] And having taken the Lord, he washed and tied him with a linen cloth and brought him into his own sepulcher, called the Garden of Joseph.
[25] Then the Jews and the elders and the priests, having come to know how much wrong they had done themselves, began to beat themselves and say: "Woe to our sins. The judgment has approached and the end of Jerusalem."
[26] But I with the companions was sorrowful; and having been wounded in spirit, we were in hiding, for we were sought after by them as wrongdoers and as wishing to set fire to the sanctuary.
[27] In addition to all these things we were fasting; and we were sitting mourning and weeping night and day until the Sabbath.
[28] But the scribes and Pharisees and elders, having gathered together with one another, having heard that all the people were murmuring and beating their breasts, saying that "If at his death these very great signs happened, behold how just he was,"
[29] feared (especially the elders) and came before Pilate, begging him and saying,
[30] "Give over soldiers to us in order that we may safeguard his burial place for three days, lest, having come, his disciples steal him, and the people accept that he is risen from the death, and they do us wrong."
[31] But Pilate gave over to them Petronius the centurion with soldiers to safeguard the sepulcher. And with these the elders and scribes came to the burial place.
[32] And having rolled a large stone, all who were there, together with the centurion and the soldiers, placed it against the door of the burial place.
[33] And they marked it with seven wax seals; and having pitched a tent there, they safeguarded it.
[34] But early when the Sabbath was dawning, a crowd came from Jerusalem and the surrounding area in order that they might see the sealed tomb.
[35] But in the night in which the Lord's day dawned, when the soldiers were safeguarding it two by two in every watch, there was a loud voice in heaven;
[36] and they saw that the heavens were opened and that two males who had much radiance had come down from there and come near the sepulcher.
[37] But that stone which had been thrust against the door, having rolled by itself, went a distance off the side; and the sepulcher opened, and both the young men entered.
[38] And so those soldiers, having seen, awakened the centurion and the elders (for they too were present, safeguarding).
[39] And while they were relating what they had seen, again they see three males who have come out from the sepulcher, with the two supporting the other one, and a cross following them,
[40] and the head of the two reaching unto heaven, but that of the one being led out by a hand by them going beyond the heavens.
[41] And they were hearing a voice from the heavens saying, 'Have you made proclamation to the fallen-asleep?'
[42] And an obeisance was heard from the cross, 'Yes.'
[43]And so those people were seeking a common perspective to go off and make these things clear to Pilate;
[44] and while they were still considering it through, there appear again the opened heavens and a certain man having come down and entered into the burial place.
[45] Having seen these things, those around the centurion hastened at night before Pilate (having left the sepulcher which they were safeguarding) and described all the things that they indeed had seen, agonizing greatly and saying: 'Truly he was God's Son.'
[46] In answer Pilate said: 'I am clean of the blood of the Son of God, but it was to you that this seemed [the thing to do].'
[47] Then all, having come forward, were begging and exhorting him to command the centurion and the soldiers to say to no one what they had seen.
[48] 'For,' they said, 'it is better for us to owe the debt of the greatest sin in the sight of God than to fall into the hands of the Jewish people and be stoned.'
[49] And so Pilate ordered the centurion and the soldiers to say nothing.
[50] Now at the dawn of the Lord's Day Mary Magdalene, a female disciple of the Lord (who, afraid because of the Jews since they were inflamed with anger, had not done at the tomb of the Lord what women were accustomed to do for the dead beloved by them),
[51] having taken with her women friends, came to the tomb where he had been placed.
[52] And they were afraid lest the Jews should see them and were saying, 'If indeed on that day on which he was crucified we could not weep and beat ourselves, yet now at his tomb we may do these things.
[53] But who will roll away for us even the stone placed against the door of the tomb in order that, having entered, we may sit beside him and do the expected things?
[54] For the stone was large, and we were afraid lest anyone see us. And if we are unable, let is throw against the door what we bring in memory of him; let us weep and beat ourselves until we come to our homes.'
[55] And having gone off, they found the sepulcher opened. And having come forward, they bent down there and saw there a certain young man seated in the middle of the sepulcher, comely and clothed with a splendid robe, who said to them:
[56] 'Why have you come? Whom do you seek? Not that one who was crucified? He is risen and gone away. But if you do not believe, bend down and see the place where he lay, because he is not here. For HE IS RISEN and gone away to there whence he was sent.'
[57] Then the women fled frightened.
[58] Now it was the final day of the Unleavened Bread; and many went out returning to their home since the feast was over.
[59] But we twelve [perhaps Judas hadn't yet committed suicide or does it mean eleven plus Mary Magdalene?] disciples of the Lord were weeping and sorrowful; and each one, sorrowful because of what had come to pass, departed to his home.
[60] But I, Simon Peter, and my brother Andrew, having taken our nets, went off to the sea. And there was with us Levi of Alphaeus whom the Lord ...
The above text is part of the Gospel of Peter c. AD 150 which states that Jesus was alive when taken from the tomb in about AD 30-33. He did not have nails in his feet and was therefore able to walk out of the tomb, aided by two men. "head of the two reaching unto heaven" means tall and Jesus "going beyond the heavens" means taller than the two men. He recovered to meet Mary Magdalene and his disciples several times including "Doubting Thomas" and then disappeared. (The Ascension in the four main gospels is either not described or a bit vague and Peter's account is missing). Another translation is shown below.
The Gospel of Peter was excluded in Bishop Athanasius' list in AD 367 and Pope Damasus I, the Bishop of Rome in AD 382, promulgated a list of books which contained a New Testament canon identical to that of Athanasius. The gospel is included in the Ethiopian Christian Bible together with many others excluded by the Pope.
There is a plausible sequence of events that supports the Gospel of Peter and satisfies sceptics of the four main New Testament gospels of Matthew, Mark, Luke and John. This is based on historical accounts of Roman law and practice and the diaries of the first-century Romano-Jewish historian Titus Flavius Josephus AD 37 - c. 100 who was born in Jerusalem and whose writings seem to be written earlier than the four main gospels and may therefore be more accurate. He mentions John the Baptist and Jesus although authenticity of parts of his references are debated.
Joseph of Arimathea is reported as a relative of Mary the mother of Jesus and to have taken responsibility for Jesus' body. He was a rich man with his own tomb available and he would have been well known to Pilate. He may have suggested to Pilate that Jesus wasn't a criminal but just a loud-mouthed preacher and if Pilate would take Jesus down from the cross before he was dead, Joseph would see that Jesus went into exile which would satisfy the Romans and the Jewish high priests. Other factors about the crucifixion are unusual. The crowd was kept well away from the cross and only friends and relatives were near. Jesus did not have nails through his feet according to Peter's gospel and Jesus was only on the cross for a shorter time than usual and removed before the two criminals. The centurion's stab in the side may have just been a surface wound and not a fatal stab. It seems that Pilate ordered his soldiers to do as little as possible to satisfy Herod and the high priests but to remove Jesus from the cross as soon as he was unconscious which was determined by a prick in his side. The men who removed Jesus from the tomb were probably servants of Joseph and Jesus was hidden while recovering.
There were many different ways that Romans crucified men: 2, 3 or 4 nails, one nail through both feet from the front, one nail through each foot from the front, one nail through both heel bones from the side, one nail through each heel bone from each side of the cross, nails through each palm from the front, one nail through the back of each hand after folding the arms over the back of the crossbar, cords to support the man in various ways, a block under the feet and many other ways.
Men nailed through the front of their palms would fall forward and put pressure on the lungs causing them to suffocate quickly while folding arms over the back of the crossbar and nailing the back of the hands would delay death. Archaeologists have found a hand bone that shows nail entry from the back and also a heel bone showing one nail through the side. Breaking legs would also speed death as a man would be unable to support his body and not breaking legs would prolong agony which was what Romans wanted. If Jesus had no nails through his feet and was taken down early, the soldiers must have known which method would keep him alive for a fairly long time but not so long as to kill him. John's gospel says that he showed his disciples his hands and side but no mention is made of his feet. The Turin Shroud shows a man with foot injuries so it probably isn't Jesus.
Pilate is reported to have had an estate in southern France where there was a small Jewish colony to which Jesus would go with Pilate's permission and authorisation. Joseph would have provided the travel finance.
Many churches in southern France like Rennes-le-Chateau are dedicated to Mary Magdalene and stories state that she died there, so perhaps she left Jerusalem with Jesus either dead or alive. If she or they left shortly after Jesus had recovered and shown his wounds to Mary Magdalene and his disciples, they would have avoided the Jewish insurrection in AD 67 which caused the Romans to destroy Jerusalem and steal treasures. Other stories tell of Joseph of Arimathea also going to France and on to southern Britain where he planted a thorn bush at Glastonbury (I've used modern place names).
Shortly after Jesus disappeared there was no Christian religion as the disciples had all gone back to their previous lifestyles, but Paul (Saul of Tarsus), a Jewish Roman citizen who did not know Jesus and was not one of the twelve disciples, was converted on the road to Damascus and started the Christian religion after about AD 34-37. It seems that Paul was blinded by a light and did not actually see Jesus, he just heard a voice.
Christians in the western world believe that Jesus ascended bodily to heaven and the gospel of Peter doesn't contradict that as Jesus' death isn't mentioned, but it makes it more likely that he died a normal death either in Jerusalem or in exile and only his spirit ascended to heaven.
[The above comments may not be the view of the Chalke Valley Benefice.]