Royston Parish Church (Herts)

Royston Parish Church News - Sunday 31st August 2025

2025-08-31notice sheet.docx Download

You can download the paper copy of our news sheet from the link at the side of this page.

The diocese’s Living God’s Love Prayer:

Living God, draw us deeper into your love;
Jesus our Lord, send us to care and serve;
Holy Spirit, make us heralds of good news.
Stir us, strengthen us, teach and inspire us
To live your love with generosity and joy,
Imagination and courage;
for the sake of your world and
in the name of Jesus, Amen.

The Parish Office email is admin@roystonparishchurch.org.uk. If you would like regular copies of the Notice Sheet emailed to you please email this account.

Steven and Emma are away and back to work on 3rd September

Diary

Saturday 30th August

10:00 - 11:30Church Café (Tea / Coffee / Hot Chocolate only £2 - Free Biscuits)

Sunday 31st August

09:00 - 09:45 Communion Service that is quiet and reflective
10:30 - 11:15 Family Service (following on from our Holiday Clubs)

On Sunday August 31st there will be a blessing of school bags at the 10.30 service in anticipation for the start of the new school year the following week. All are invited to bring along a bookbag or backpack to be blessed within the service.

Tuesday 2nd September09:00 - 09:30Morning Prayer (incorporating prayer requests that have been left in church)
Wednesday 3rd September11:00 - 11:25Communion Service that is quiet and reflective, followed by refreshments13:00 - 15:30Knit and Natter (where all are welcome to meet and chat)18:00 - 19:15Chorister Practice18:30 - 20:00Choir Practice19:00 - 21:00Men's Group at Wetherspoons (turn up at any time, all men are welcome to drink & chat)
Thursday 4th September09:00 - 11:00Tots in Church14:30 - 16:00Ladies' Group (all ladies are welcome for refreshments and chat)19:00 - 21:00Bell Ringers Practice19:00 - 20:00Julian Prayer Meeting
Friday 5th September09:30 - 10:00Celtic Prayer (A simple form of Morning Prayer from the Northumbria Community)10:00 - 12:00Stewardship meeting
Saturday 6th September10:00 - 11:30Church Café (Tea / Coffee / Hot Chocolate only £2 - Free Biscuits)
Sunday 7th September09:00 - 09:45Communion Service that is quiet and reflective10:30 - 11:40Communion Service with music/choir, children's groups/toy area, followed by refreshments15:30 - 16:00Tea Time Praise (a short service for children & families followed by cake)

Dates for the Diary/Upcoming Events

26th September - Organ recital

4th October - Harvest Supper

8th November - Remembrance themed lunch time concert. Ruth Savage

Intercessions

We pray for all Christians worldwide:

For all Christians The Verda, Gambia and Guinea

For all who are worship at Royston Methodist Church; Revd. Charity Nzegwu

For the work of our mission partners: Mercy Ships

We pray for the community of Royston:

For our local health centres

For all those employed at our local Royston Foodbank

We pray for our world and ECO projects:

The first week in September is "Zero Waste Week" (see zerowasteweek.co.uk) in which we are encourage to reduce our waste and set goals to reuse, recycle and repurpose.

We pray for the sick and suffering:

Lee Cockerill
Chris Christou
Val Brown
Peter Coates
Carey & Pat Pritchard
Paul and Pat Tidey
Angi and Ken Rushall
Emma and Phil Heath
David Gower
Mike Brown
Peter Foster
Paula Walker

We pray for those who have died in the faith of Christ:

Susan Titmuss - Family and friends

We pray for those whose anniversaries fall at this time

Desmond McElney Daphne Charter John Salmon

NOTICES

CHURCH TELEPHONE NUMBERS
Please be aware that we are now operating using a new telephone system. Here are the numbers that are now affected:

General Church Number 01763 243145
Steven (Vicar) 01763 580242
Jaime (Curate) 01763 580241
Joanne (Administrator) 01763 580218

Please note that, if you use the general church number, you will then be presented with options to get in touch with Steven, Jaime or Joanne. All other numbers associated with the church will no longer be operational, but personal numbers such as other people who minister in the church (such as John, Reg or Emma) remain unchanged.

CELTIC PRAYER CHANGE: From September the Celtic Morning Prayer will be moving from the first Wednesday of the month to its new slot on the first Friday of the month (from 5th September). It will still be in the side chapel at 9.30 as before.

HARVEST SUPPER SATURDAY 4th OCTOBER, 6:30PM in ROYSTON PARISH CHURCH. Tickets £10 individual / £25 family, Supper includes shepherds pie or vegetarian alternative, with fruit crumble for dessert. Drinks available to buy. Please bring own plate and bowl.

To enable us to cater for the right numbers please book by going to https://bit.ly/4me70Y9 or scan the QR code on posters or see Joanne in Church for help

BEDS & HERTS HISTORIC CHURCHES TRUST - SPONSORED BIKE ‘N HIKE - SATURDAY 13TH SEPTEMBER 2025 Last year we in Royston raised over £ 1,700 which was divided equally between BHHCT and our own parish funds. We hope to do just as well or better this year and the numbers asking for Sponsor Forms is encouraging. Select your own route for cycling or hiking between the churches – there are over 600 churches to choose from so make it as long or as short as you wish. Most churches will be open on the day. The Sponsorship Packs are now available and if you would like a pack, please contact Mike Maze (245606 or [email protected]). There is always the easier option which is to sponsor one of the participants using their Sponsor form or if online giving suits you best, please visit:- Michael's fundraising page or Rodney's fundraising page

CARBON LITERACY PROJECT We have probably all seen the horrific pictures of the wildfires ravaging parts of the city of Athens this summer, reducing some suburbs to smouldering rubble. Scientists tell us that such events will become more commonplace, as the increased temperatures caused by global warming are causing more extreme weather (such as strong winds) and increased drying of the vegetation (meaning that fires spread more quickly).

But what can we do to play our part in reducing these problems? This course offers learning about climate change, carbon footprints and how we can all do our bit to reduce our emissions of the greenhouse gases that lead to global warming.

The course is accredited by the Carbon Literacy Project who, to date, have certified over 134,000 participants in 45 countries and from various organisations (businesses, councils, hospitals, etc). Our course has been specially designed with church congregations in mind. At the end of the course, it is hoped that all participants will make two pledges for relevant actions they will take to help make the world a better place.

There will be a total of six sessions on consecutive Monday evenings at Royston Parish Church from 7:30-9:30pm on the following dates:

- Monday Sept 22nd – Week 0: Preliminaries: Introductory documentary, Carbon Footprint calculation

- Monday Sept 29th – Week 1: About Carbon Literacy and the Course, Relevance to Christians, the Science of Climate Change

- Monday Oct 6th – Week 2: Carbon Footprints, Climate Justice, Action: Food, Co-benefits

- Monday Oct 13th – Week 3: How is Climate Change affecting us? Climate anxiety and grief, Travel, Introduction to pledges

- Monday Oct 20th – Week 4: Talking about climate change; Actions on Buildings and Stuff, Pledge ideas

- Monday Oct 27th – Week 5: Declaring a Climate Emergency and Net Zero targets, Action on Money, Hope for the Future; Preparing Pledges

The course will cost £15 to cover refreshments, all course materials and the cost of applying to receive a certificate. To book your place, go to https://bit.ly/4kY7noa or scan this QR code.

N.B. If you cannot make all of the dates, the course materials can be made available for weeks that you miss.

SUNDAY READING SHEET - 31st August - 11th Sunday after Trinity

A Reading from the Letter to the Hebrews

Let mutual love continue. Do not neglect to show hospitality to strangers, for by doing that some have entertained angels without knowing it. Remember those who are in prison, as though you were in prison with them; those who are being tortured, as though you yourselves were being tortured. Let marriage be held in honour by all, and let the marriage bed be kept undefiled; for God will judge fornicators and adulterers. Keep your lives free from the love of money, and be content with what you have; for he has said, ‘I will never leave you or forsake you.’ So we can say with confidence,

‘The Lord is my helper; I will not be afraid.

What can anyone do to me?’

Remember your leaders, those who spoke the word of God to you; consider the outcome of their way of life, and imitate their faith. Jesus Christ is the same yesterday and today and for ever.

Through him, then, let us continually offer a sacrifice of praise to God, that is, the fruit of lips that confess his name. Do not neglect to do good and to share what you have, for such sacrifices are pleasing to God.

Hebrews 13:1-8, 15 - 16

GOSPEL

When Jesus noticed how the guests chose the places of honour, he told them a parable. ‘When you are invited by someone to a wedding banquet, do not sit down at the place of honour, in case someone more distinguished than you has been invited by your host; and the host who invited both of you may come and say to you, “Give this person your place”, and then in disgrace you would start to take the lowest place. But when you are invited, go and sit down at the lowest place, so that when your host comes, he may say to you, “Friend, move up higher”; then you will be honoured in the presence of all who sit at the table with you. For all who exalt themselves will be humbled, and those who humble themselves will be exalted.’

He said also to the one who had invited him, ‘When you give a luncheon or a dinner, do not invite your friends or your brothers or your relatives or rich neighbours, in case they may invite you in return, and you would be repaid. But when you give a banquet, invite the poor, the crippled, the lame, and the blind. And you will be blessed, because they cannot repay you, for you will be repaid at the resurrection of the righteous.’ Luke 14:7-14

STAFF TEAM

Vicar: Revd Steven Sivyer (rest day MONDAY) - On holiday until 3rd September

Telephone no. 01763 580242

Email: [email protected]

Curate: Jaime Roberts (rest day FRIDAY)

Telephone: 01763 580241

Email: [email protected]

Assistant Priest: The Reverend John Fidler

Telephone no. 01763 241886

Email: [email protected]

Reader: Emma Sivyer - On holiday until 3rd September

Telephone no. 07851 688610