Read how through the toilet twinning project generous donations have funded toilets for our links in Uganda with Archdeacon William Shakespeare Paschi.Following the recent installation of the new toilet in St Mary's the generosity of church members have made this possible . The 23 rd March marks the date of the first lockdown and a national day of reflection is planned . The newsletter gives details on how you can reflect and also ways of showing support to those who have been bereaved. Our thought provoking and engaging Lent course #Live lent continues with this weeks session 5 called ,'Passing on the story of Jesus'.Do join us for at 3 pm via zoom everyone is very welcome. This Sunday the church celebrates Passion Sunday and the start of what is called in the church calendar as Passiontide . This is the time when our thoughts turn to the last few weeks of Jesus ' life on earth. Our reading for this Sunday is from the gospel of John and focuses on a discusion between Jesus and his disciples , Andrew and Philip and a conversation that doesnt appear to make sense writes Rev . Jeanette Hartwell! But in this passage Jesus is really telling them why he came, what he is about and that soon he will reveal the glory of God . Jesus also speaks of a cost of following him and that is of losing our life in order to keep it for eternal life . Read more of this weeks sermon to find out what that might really mean for our daily lives. Our intercessions for this Sunday have been prepared by Frank Mugglestone.
Mothering Sunday can evoke mixed emotions for many read but how this day was celebrated in times past and how things could get a little out of hand in the 13 th century ! Follow our prayers on our service sheet as we celebrate Mothering Sunday and also read a prayer from St. Patrick whose day we also celebrate on 17 th March.This weeks bible passage is taken from John 19:25b-27 and records the words said by Jesus to his mother as he hung on the cross to die. Ven. Paul Thomas offers insights in to the three R's of motherhood taken from this passage in this weeks sermon. Our thought provoking and enjoyable #LiveLent course continues for the fourth week and this Sunday's session is entitled, 'Communicating like Jesus ' and is led by Nicky Beasley. Come along and discover how we can share our story with others and learn new practical ways of telling the gospel story.Everyone is welcome join via the zoom link in the newsletter.
Fairtrade fortnight continues ! Check out their festival and be inspired in your shopping choices and help support overseas farmers and their workers who are on the front line of climate change. Closer to home ,do you feel that God is calling you to something ? Read about how a one year course can help you to discern your gifts and what God might be calling you to .This weeks sermon by Dr. Lynsey Hall asks what the new normal will look like as we return to church after the challenges we have faced and how the pursuit of normality might perhaps distract us from seeking God's kingdom.Our Church of England Lent course , 'God's story our story,' continues at 3pm on Sunday and this weeks session is entitled 'Jesus was in the transformation business '. All our welcome to come along to whats proving to be an enjoyable and thought provoking course. This week the session is being led by Nesta Williams. Our prayers this week have been prepared by Denise Snowball.
Thanks to generous donations and after only one week we can now fund three toilets in poorer countries through our toilet twinning project ! Following the success of last weeks session we are continuing our Lent course please do join us at 3pm on Sunday via the zoom link . This weeks session is called 'catching up with God'. From todays gospel reading for the second Sunday in Lent Ven. Julian Francis challenges us on the power of the cross . Have you ever wondered what power there is for Christian living and how the cross is a message is for every single one of us ? The cross is something that Jesus challenged his disciples with and now us for that matter, to take it up daily and follow him. Lent, writes Julian is a good time to be thinking more deeply and focussing on taking up the cross and what that can mean for our lives today . Read on to find out more ......
