St David Haigh and Aspull

Hello everyone, I hope you’re all well, and looking forward to the tiny bits of extra freedom that we’ll start to have from Monday 29th March.

Looks like we’re all going to need warm clothes and big umbrellas!

We’re doing what we can to “celebrate” this special week together within the ongoing restrictions, while also keeping us all safe, whether vaccinated / shielding / front-line / or all three!

Palm Sunday

We have attached a prayer card to hundreds of palm crosses, and these will be in plastic wallets or bags as each church door tomorrow.

Please do take one for yourself, and extras for friends and neighbours.

If the rain gets to them before you do, we can only apologise!

We will gather on Zoom at 10.30am for Morning Worship and 7pm for Hub Prayer, tomorrow – Zoom details just below

Maundy Thursday and Good Friday

We will gather on Zoom to worship together, on Maundy Thursday at 7pm, and on Good Friday at 2pm:

Contact us for the Zoom code: BY TEXTING THE HUB PHONE 07759 252501 OR EMAILING NEHUBWIGAN@GMAIL.COM or via messenger on Facebook

Gradually re-opening our buildings

With the easing of restrictions on Monday 29 th , and the improving infections statistics locally,

we are able to re-open our buildings and return to the Covid-safe, simple, said Communion services we provided in the autumn.

As before, face coverings must be worn, and places must be booked in advance.

Easter Sunday

On Easter Day only we will hold 4 services, one in each building: 9am in St David’s and St John’s, 11am in St Elizabeth’s and St Stephen’s

YOU MUST BOOK IN BY CALLING/TEXTING THE HUB PHONE 07759 252501 OR EMAILING NEHUBWIGAN@GMAIL.COM

If any building is over booked for the spaces available (based on Risk Assessments) we will allocate spaces by drawing lots.

This is fairer than “first come, first served”, but means that even if you have already put your name on a list somewhere , this does not guarantee you a place.

BOOKINGS WILL CLOSE AT THE END OF MAUNDY THURSDAY, AND YOU WILL BE NOTIFIED ON GOOD FRIDAY IF WE HAVE NOT BEEN ABLE TO GIVE YOU A PLACE

Sunrise Gathering, 6.30am outside St Stephen’s

The rules around singing have loosened slightly (they only told us late yesterday!), and we will be able to sing together, with masks on, only outside, and only in church grounds, from Monday.

So a few of us will gather on Easter Morning at 6.30am, under the blossom trees at St Stephen’s, for a short simple, service.

We will hear the Easter story, and renew our Baptism vows, and sing and pray together. Do join us.

Easter Cards

Our intrepid band of posties are delivering an Easter card/newsletter to each of the 300+ households who make up our Hub church family.

There will also be spares in each church on Easter morning.

We hope you enjoy reading about the various ways in which we’ve been able to bless our schools, neighbourhoods, Mums, and those pausing to reflect together last Tuesday.

There’s lots of other info too – take a look!

Big thanks to those who’ve been involved in both funding and making happen all the activities and gifts we’ve created in the past months.

Sundays after Easter

On Sunday 11 th and fortnightly after, there will 9am said Holy Communion at St John’s and 11am at St Elizabeth’s

On Sunday 18 th and fortnightly after, it will be 9am at St David’s and 11am at St Stephen’s

Bookings will open on the Monday before the Sunday.

Electoral Roll

We will be updating our Electoral Roll in April. You can either email us for a form, or pick one up in church.

Unfortunately, in the chaos of the first weeks of the pandemic, coinciding with when we were setting up new systems for the new Hub-Parishes, we think some forms completed after the Special Parish Meeting in Jan 2020 may have been mislaid.

If you joined the roll then, we may need you to complete another form – sorry! It really was a crazy time!

Thanks

Frances

Rev. Frances Shoesmith

North East Hub Leader & Team Vicar, Church Wigan, Diocese of Liverpool

St David Haigh and Aspull

News and notices

Palm Sunday, Holy Week, Easter and beyond

Our Church Buildings re-open for public worship

Worship in the North East Hub

Worship in the North East Hub