St Paul's will celebrate the place our mothers have or had in our lives this coming Sunday, 31 March. As part of our worship, we will bless and distribute flowers and thank our mothers for all that they do for us. The Church celebrates Mothering Sunday each year on the Fourth Sunday of Lent. This is an opportunity for a relaxation of some of the rigours of Lenten discipline, as we keep Laetare Sunday, as a day of hope with Easter at last coming into sight. During the masses on this day Rose pink coloured vestments are worn by the clergy.All are welcome to join us for either the 8.00 or 10.30 am masses.
The Chrism Mass is the service where the oils for the coming year are blessed by the bishop: the Oil of Baptism, used to make the sign of the cross on those coming to the church for Christening, to prepare them for their baptism; the oil of Chrism, used at Confirmations and Ordinations; and the Oil of the Sick, used to anoint during the Sacrament of Healing. The service also gives the priests an opportunity to gather around their bishop and renew their Ordination Promises, to serve God's people and to make his love known in each generation. Bishop Philip encourages as many people as possible to come along to this mass, to support their priests, who will come from across the diocese and County of Lancashire, and to pray for those who will use the Church's oils in the coming year. The celebrations will continue afterwards, as we move to the Church Club, behind the Church, for food and refreshments, and an opportunity to engage in fellowship with clergy and people who we may only see occasionally. All are most welcome!
