There are many Gifts
There are many Gifts
The Watermead Apostolate is a sharing in love and faith through our God-given gifts and talents. Every hymn, song, prayer, poem, thought, drawing and painting represents the voice of someone on their personal journey of faith.
The Watermead Apostolate is a sharing in love and faith through our God-given gifts and talents. Every hymn, song, prayer, poem, thought, drawing and painting represents the voice of someone on their personal journey of faith.
The first Gifts shared
The windows below begin the pathways that will share with you the story of our beginnings and the first gifts shared
Share our Gifts
Share our Gifts
The following windows show how our gifts are shared and link you to the various projects and their relevant pages on our shop site.
Watermead ~ Our Story
Watermead ~ Our Story
The First Gift ~ Music
St Theresa's parish in Birstall, Leicestershire, is where our story began with the composing of a hymn. There had always been an enthusiasm for music in the parish and various groups had evolved over the years (choirs, children's bands, a folk groups as well as pianists, organists and instrumentalists), and so, in 1992, all the ensembles had come together to celebrate the first National Music Day. We spent the day prayerfully celebrating Church music and its very important influence on the development of music over the centuries.
From late morning, starting with Gregorian chant, we worked our way through the day singing and explaining the various contributions - psalms, hymns, mass settings, etc. We needed a final "contemporary" hymn that we could arrange for the many instruments involved, without infringing on copyright. But this, at short notice, was proving hard to find.
"Our Songs Give Praise"
Then, Alison and her father, Tom, came up with the idea of writing their own. They did and "Our Song Gives Praise"
was the result. The final three verses consisted of one word repeated, "Alleluia", which was to become an affectionate tease to lyricist, Tom, by his fellow choir members. Yet the simplicity of these verses enabled the different instrumentalists to gradually join in, bringing a wonderful crescendo to our hymn's finale.
When “Our Song Gives Praise”
was then accepted for publication more compositions were encouraged and, as the hymns and mass settings came, it was decided to explore publishing our own music. After many planning meetings, a loan from the parish finance committee was secured and Watermead Music Publishing began.
The First Recording
The original objective was to provide only the sheet music as individual sheets and housed in folders. Matthew was asked to paint a picture - St. Theresa's church as seen in the setting of the neighbouring Watermead country park - and this was to become the cover of the sheet music folders.
When people of the parish started asking for copies of the cassette we decided to approach a local recording studio to ask advice on duplication. Mike of White House Sound was very helpful - tidying our amateur recording, giving much welcome advice for the future and was able to run off copies of our first cassette recording, "Our Songs Give Praise". We sold each cassette along with hymn sheets in an accompanying word folder - the folders that were originally printed to house the sheet music.
Watch the video presentation below and meet some of the people involved whilst listening to the music.
Our Papal Blessing
We recorded “Our Songs Give Praise”
In St Theresa’s Church on Sunday, 27th February, 1994. The following Thursday forty of the parish were to be going on pilgrimage to Rome. Father John suggested that whilst there we ask to present our sheet music folder with some of the music to the Pope and so a pack was put together of three of the hymns, along with a copy of our demonstration cassette tape.
In Rome we were given permission to present our music to the Holy Father at the Papal Audience on the following Wednesday, 9th March. We were told where to stand and that the Pope would be guided to us so we could make our presentation.
Pope John Paul stopped as was promised. He took our folder and, after a brief look, passed it to one of his aids. He listened to Father John explain about our work and took Alison's hand, holding it throughout the introductions. He then blessed her, smiled and nodded, and continued on his way through the Auditorium. It was a privilege to meet him and a wonderful beginning to our apostolate.
The hands protruding into our presentation did not belong to our group - they belonged to a group of French schoolgirls who surged forward through our people when they realised the Pope was being directed to our party. One girl even climbed on Fr John's back!
The Pictures . . .
The first Picture
The second gift was Matthew’s painting of “St Theresa’s in Watermead”, used for the folder and cassette covers of our first recording, “Our Songs Give Praise”.
Matthew was commissioned to paint a series of cards featuring Rosminian Houses, to celebrate the bicentenary of the birth of Antonio Rosmini (founder of the religious order to which Fr John belongs) . . .
Another Recording - another picture
The second was Lorraine’s watercolour painting of Mary, which became a computer generated image and used for the folder and cassette covers of our second recording,
Mary Our Mother in 1994. This same image was later used to produce the series of stationery
“Mary through the Seasons” and coloured appropriately to each season. The wording on the stationery shared the a seasonal verse from the hymn
"O Child".
“Little Saints”
“Little Saints” had burst onto the scene in 1994 introducing a cartoon section to our growing Watermead collection of artwork. The cartoons made their first their appearance on the ‘”Advice for a Healthy Retreat” card and were soon joined by an assortment of saintly characters that became “Advice for a Speedy Recovery” and a set of notelets. There are now serviettes, laminated placemats and drinks’ mats, mugs, coasters, seasonal cards, etc. and we are always exploring further possibilities for ‘Little Saints’ products – including a range of cards and placemats for Christmas.
The Words . . .
The first Publication
We began with a piece of music, which inspired hymn words, but once the publishing company for our music was formed we wondered at publishing books, also.
People of the parish were asked to submit their favourite prayers and this collection became the first book we published as Watermead, suitably titled “Words of Prayer and Encouragement”
~ a collection of parishioners’ favourite prayers.
The book has been reprinted and updated several times and thousands of copies have been sold in the UK and overseas.
One warming story was the arrival of an envelope in 2006 containing a very "used" copy of the first buff edition, along with a request for a possible replacement. Apparently, the book had been the favourite companion of an elderly relative and now, as it was literally falling apart, the enquirer wanted to surprise them with another copy. Of course we obliged, thrilled that the book had obviously brought such comfort.
People have always been welcome to send us their own poetry, writings and prayers to incorporate into our various projects and we try and use them in the best way we can. It may be that one person's poetry inspires another in our community to write music, and some of our hymns and songs have begun in such a way.
Verses and stories have also been used in our cards and stationery or shared at retreats. Sometimes, authors present collective writings that deserve their own individual presentation and so these are developed and produced, either as a Watermead publication or by the authors publishing themselves in association with Watermead. Our aim is to try and help people share with others the words that come to them through living and practicing their faith.
Fr John's Reflections
Over the years there has been constant requests from people to ask Fr John to put in writing some of the stories and thoughts he has shared over the years during homilies and at retreats. This request was fulfilled indirectly when Fr John has been asked to write for the Catholic press and local Church magazines, and, in the typing up of these various articles, a database of his writings was made - they just needed putting together in book form. In 2010, after much persuasion, he allowed us to make a start on a collation of his writings. The books are illustrated by people who have contributed their artwork over the years.
“FaithGift”
was the first book in the series “Watermead Pathways” - sharing stories and insights that have inspired and encouraged many on their journeys of faith over the years.
So many words, pictures and prayers
All that we are gifted finds a home in what we produce. Some prayers and poems have been set to music with others used in the presentation of our greeting cards and stationery to complement the paintings and photographs we have been given. Some words find a home in our books as a collection of prayers or reflections.
We are grateful for all that people give us.
"The Lord's Day"
Fr John is also the author of The Lord's Day
our free weekly download newsletter which offers a guide to the Sunday readings at Mass along with questions of faith and reflections on our chosen people of God - canonised saints and living saints.
Watermead Gifts' Shops
For product varieties see photographs of the Watermead Shop visit its new online giftshop
or for Watermead items visit our internet shop
SAFETY ARRANGEMENTS FOR VISITORS TO OUR WATERMEAD CENTRE SHOP
Even though Covid restrictions have now been lifted we are aware that many who use are Centre's shop are vulnerable to even the mildest variant and so continue to ask everyone who visits us to wear a face covering and use the hand sanitiser provided as they enter the shop.
Even though Covid restrictions have now been lifted we are aware that many who use are Centre's shop are vulnerable to even the mildest variant and so continue to ask everyone who visits us to wear a face covering and use the hand sanitiser provided as they enter the shop.
Watermead Publishing Shop
Visit our online shop to obtain the items produced from the gifts mentioned above that people have shared with us - books, music, cards, resources.
Watermead 'free' Resources
Visit the Lord's Day page to download our free weekly newsletter - sharing the background to the Sunday readings at mass - and see updates on other of our Apostolate's shared resources
Welcome
As you journey through our website pages you will meet some of the people involved. You can listen to our music and singers, share the stories that have inspired our items, meet the characters used on some of our cards and stationery, and read many of the words of inspiration offered us through people's prayers, poetry and stories. If you would like to be involved, or have something you wish to share, please do feel invited to contact us.
