To other news the WI celebrates its centenary this year and local WI members from Yarnfield and Swynnerton have been exploring its history!This weeks message prepared by June Steed is based on this weeks gospel reading from Luke which describes the appearance of Jesus to his disciples after his resurrection. He showed them his wounds to prove to them that he was the same man who had been crucified and was now alive!So what do those wounds suffered by Jesus mean for us today ? And what do they show about what God thinks about us ? Read more to find out....This weeks prayers have been prepared by Gwyn Williams.
It is with great sadness that that we join the nation in mourning the loss of His Royal Highness , Prince Philip , Duke of Edinburgh . He lived a life of service and was totally committed and dedicated , a man of honour. Our prayers go to HM the Queen, the Royal Family and all who mourn.Most merciful God,whose wisdom is beyond our understanding,surround the Queen and the Roayal family with your love,that they may not be overwhelmed by their loss,but have confidence in your goodness,and stregth to meet the days to come.We ask this throughChrist our Lord.Amen.
This Sunday is the most important date in the Christian year. Easter Sunday is the day we celebrate the risen Lord Jesus . Without his rising from the dead there is no gospel story . He suffered an agonising death on a cross as an atonement for all our sins .He was the perfect sacrifice and paid the debt of our sin himself. Having conquered death he rose victorious on that first Easter morning . The debt was paid and our sin forgiven restoring us to a relationship with the living God . A relationship that he longs to have with everyone of us. ! Through Jesus we have been reconciled to God. Dont allow any past mistakes or wrong doing keep you from thinking that God wont forgive us it is through Jesus that we are made right with God .On Easter day and as we celebrate the ressurection of Jesus we are given a promise . In the bible it says in John11:25-26 ' Jesus said to her , I am the ressurrection and the life. The one who believes in me will live, even though they die; and whoever lives by believing in me will never die. Do you believe this ?' Come along to St. Mary's to celebrate Holy Communion at our Easter Sunday service at 10 am service everyone is welcome .
A whole year has passed since our weekly newsletter and service sheet for St. Mary's , Swynnerton and St. James, Cotes Heath began being produced.Jackie Stokes our wonderful editor has worked very hard producing a weekly newsletter that has been both fresh and creative keeping our church family and local community up to date and informed with church and parish news. The accompanying service sheet has allowed those who have been unable to attend church during the pandemic to follow the services that have been held in St.Marys when restrictions have allowed us to open the church . So many people have found this invaluable as a way of being kept in touch with church family and local news . A copy of this newsletter is sent out to around 80 households via email and with a reported over 100 people regularly viewing our website to read it . In this Holy Week edition there are details of our planned Easter services and in addition there is a short meditation on Maundy Thursday evening at 7pm via zoom accessed by the link. Everyone is welcome . There are also details of the TV and radio programmes being broadcast by the BBC for Easter and also included are Holy Week services at Lichfield Cathedral with details of how to access these via their website. Finally our #LiveLent course reaches its penultimate session 6 on Sunday entitled " Finding echoes of the story of Jesus in our world today." June Steed leads the session this week which has proved to be really enjoyable and thought provoking by all who attend ! Everyone is welcome to join via zoom link in the newsletter.
