StFaith slee. Weekly Notes. 31 st March 2019

Transcription

1 StFaith slee Weekly Notes 31 st March 2019 Welcome to St Faith s. If you are a visitor, we hope you enjoy your time with us. If you would like to know more about St Faith s, please fill in a Welcome Card which is found on the desk near the entrance to the church. The next week in the St Faith s Community Sunday 31 st March Mothering Sunday 8.00am Book of Common Prayer Holy Communion 9.30am Parish Eucharist 11.00am Sundays@11 joined by Lee Infant School 6.00pm Evening Prayer Monday 1 st il 9.30am Easter Experience with Lee Juniors Year 3 (in the church) Tuesday 2 nd il 9.30am Rainbow Toddlers 1.30pm Bible Course pm Welcome Team meeting 7.45pm Mums Night In evening Thursday 4 th il 9.30am Thanksgiving Service for Karen Mayor 11.30am Eucharist 12.30pm Mothers Union Lent Lunch 2.00pm Cuppa and Company 7.30pm Bible Course 8 Friday 5 th il 9.00am Church cleaning - do join us! 2.00pm Knit and Natter 6.30pm Choir & Worship Group practices Sunday 7 th il 8.00am Book of Common Prayer Holy Communion 9.30am Parish Eucharist with the Christening of Sophie Bullen 11.00am Sundays@ pm Christening of Orla Bone 6.00pm Evening Prayer

2 Getting involved in the life of St Faith s Summer Fête Team Can you help? Our Summer Fête this year will be on Saturday 22 nd June. Would you like to help organise it? We re looking for a small team of 5 or 6 people to help plan and run the Fête. If you think you might be able to help, please let Paul know - call him on , or vicar@stfaithslee.org.uk. Thank you. Annual Parochial Church Meeting The Annual Parochial Church Meeting (APCM) will be at 3.30pm on Sunday 28 th il Please put this date in your diary. Annual Parochial Church Meeting Reports In preparation for the Annual Church Meeting a booklet of annual reports is put together to inform the church of activities and developments during For this booklet we need brief reports from each of the following church groups: PCC, Deanery Synod, Parish Centre, Fabric Committee, Communications Forum, Mothers Union, Rainbow Toddlers, Cuppa and Company, Friends of St Faiths, Flower Team, Summer Fête, Christmas Fayre, Christmas Lunch and any other event in the life of our church in the last year. Completed reports need to be sent, as soon as possible, to either Melodie Kreindler, PCC Secretary, at melodiekreindler@aol.com or the Church Office at churchadmin@stfaithslee.org.uk. Bible Course on Sundays Next Sunday, we come the end of our series looking at the big story of the Bible, and our theme is the book of Revelation. If you d like to do some preparation in advance, the readings for this are: Day 1: Rev 1:1-20 Day 2: Rev 3:1-22 Day 3: Rev 4:1-11 Day 4: Rev 7:1-17 Day 5: Rev 20:11-15, 21:1-27 Day 6: Rev 22:1-21 2

3 Welcome Team Meetings The second Welcome Team meeting is on Tuesday 2 nd 7.30pm in the Lowry Room. You are invited to come to this meeting if you were not able to attend the previous one on Saturday. The Welcome Team does not often get together, so this is an opportunity to talk about this important role in the life of the church, consider what s going well, and what we might do differently in future. Please try to come! Church Spring Cleaning Friday 5th 9.00am We are going to give the church a Spring Clean. Please join us on Friday 5 th il at 9.00am to polish, dust, hoover and clean. The more the merrier! If you can bring your own cleaning materials then that would be very helpful. Will refreshments will be provided? Of course! Daily Bible Reading Notes from the Bible Reading Fellowship The Bible Reading Fellowship produces books for daily Bible readings, and Gillian Sinclair orders them on behalf of people in St Faith s community. The books for May - August have arrived. The cost for the whole year is If you wish to order a single book the cost is 4.60 per book. Books can be collected from Gillian Sinclair after today s Parish Eucharist or, during office hours, from the church office. Please pay when you collect your book. It is helpful if people put the correct money in an envelope with name and BRF on the front. If you d like to find out about the range of publications from the Bible Reading Fellowship or introduce someone else who might like to have daily Bible reading books, please contact Gillian Sinclair on You can also visit to see what s available. Titles include: New Daylight Guidelines The Upper Room Day by Day with God Bible reflections for Older People Available in a variety of formats, including print, audio, and apps. 3

4 St Faith s Mothers Union Thank you to everyone who supported the Cake Stall last week. The sum of 102 was raised and the money will go towards our various Mothers Union projects. On Monday 8 th il MU members will take part in a sponsored walk from St Faith s Church to St. Peter's at Titchfield. There are 7 MU members taking part - Mary Shepherd and Liz Emery (8.00am), Sara Bennett, Merriel Dixon, Alma Hadley and Barbara Hawkins (9.30am) and Alison Jeanneret (Sunday@11). The monies raised will go to the Away From It All (A.F.I.A.) fund which offers a short break to those who are in need. This allows us to bring families, living in local Refuges, for a day at the seaside. Revision of St Faith s Electoral Roll This year there is a complete revision because every six years each parish has to totally revise their Electoral Roll. The closing date for applications is Sunday 7 th il. Application Forms are available at the back of the church and from the Church Office. As mentioned last week, there are still quite a few people who still have to complete their applications so please remember to return them before the closing date. Thank you. 4

5 Why I love St Faith s... The Communications Forum would like to know what you love about St Faith s, and would like to use some of your quotes in our publicity about the church. If you have something you really like about our church community, please write it down on the sheet on the table near the sound desk, along with your name. Thank you. Lee Choral Society Spring Concert Saturday il 6 th 2019 at 7.30pm, at St Faith's Church Conducted by Richard Dewland Organist Andrew Cleary 'Stabat Mater' Pergolesi and 'O Praise the Lord' Handel Tickets: 10, concessions 8.50, available from LCS members, the Church Office (10.00am pm Monday to Friday), on the door, or by calling A Green Initiative by the Church of England and Google For many years large international conglomerates have come in for a bad press especially when it comes to green issues. However things are now changing and this initiative is being led by the Church of England and the American company Google. On a trip to America the Archbishop of Canterbury, Justin Welby, visited the Google headquarters in Mountain View, California and met Pichai Sundararajan, also known as Sundar Pichai, who is an Indian-American business executive and is Chief Executive officer of Google LLC. The outcome of this meeting was that the C of E and Google are pioneering the use of biodegradable cardboard plastic. There are many ways the C of E will use this cardboard plastic, including in Bishop s Mitres (with the proviso not to wear them in the rain), birettas for High Church clergy (again with the same proviso as mitres) and Churchwardens wands because there has been a call from Churchwardens, whom it has been noted in church censuses are now much older than they used to be, to have lighter wands to carry on special occasions. A spokesperson for the C of E, and Google, said that a Cardboard/Plastic working party has been established to develop this product further and the future looks positively verdant. Tomorrow, this initiative will be officially announced from Church House, Westminster. 5

6 Lent Reflection - 31 st March 2019 Luke b-end (The Prodigal Son ) Each week in Lent, Revd Ann Leonard will be writing a Lent Reflection for us. If anyone is in Christ there is a new creation 2 Corinthians 5:16-end As well as being Mothering Sunday and Refreshment Sunday, today is the 4 th Sunday of Lent. Our theme today is Grace which is central to the set readings for today and to our Christian faith - but it is not easy to define. St Paul in Ephesians says For it is by grace you have been saved, through faith and this is not from yourselves; it is the gift of God not by works, so that no one can claim the credit Jesus told many stories with grace as a central theme. Almost all these stories had the wrong person as the hero: the good Samaritan rather than the good priest; the beggar, Lazarus, rather than the rich man; and the prodigal son in our gospel set for today rather than the older brother. God has a different ranking system. Jesus came amongst the good people of his day, the devout Jews, and told them they had got it wrong and needed to start again. Those doing the Bible course have been reminded that the great characters of the Bible entrusted by God for a special task are flawed people like Moses (a murderer), David (a murderer and adulterer); Peter (a denier) and Paul a persecutor of Christians. Whilst we, who are followers of Jesus, may not be murderers and persecutors, we are far from perfect. Each of us stands in need of God s grace and forgiveness - and thankfully, no one is beyond the reach of God s grace. However, our culture with its slogans like there s no free lunch ; you get what you deserve ; God loves good boys and girls ; no pain, no gain has made grace almost impossible to understand today. Our spirituality so often starts with self, instead of with God. If we live as if it is our own efforts of personal discipline, and self-denial that will make us acceptable to God, then the emphasis is on what I do rather than on what God is doing in me. Yet it is our God of grace who takes the initiative in the work of salvation. So, are we guilty of accepting grace in theory but denying it in practice? 6

7 The Good News is that through no merit of ours, but by God s mercy, we have been restored to right relationship with God through the life, death and resurrection of Jesus. This is the gospel of grace. Grace is what happened to St Paul he was a devout Jew, a Pharisee who kept the law diligently and would have, along with all other Jewish men, thanked God every day that he was not born a slave, a Gentile or a woman. And yet he was changed so radically by grace that he was able to write in Christ there is neither male nor female, slave nor free, Jew nor Gentile (Galatians 3:28). He certainly was a new creation in Christ. Whatever our failings may be, we need not feel ashamed in the presence of Jesus. Jesus comes not for the super-spiritual but for the wobbly and weak-kneed who know their need of God and who are not too proud to accept the free hand-out of amazing grace rather than the judgement and disgrace which some churches can be guilty of offering. There is the story of a man who had fallen from grace rather publicly and had been excommunicated from his church and forbidden to go there. He took his distress to God in prayer and said, They won t let me in Lord, because I am a sinner. What are you complaining about? asked God. They won t let me in either! From God we deserve judgement but instead get love and the offer of forgiveness. If we could really understand that and put it into practice, as Jesus did, our world would be transformed. All that is good is ours not by right or merit but by the sheer generosity of a gracious God and when we let grace into our lives and welcome it, a sense of gift in everything will follow. But it is a myth that once we have accepted Christ as our Saviour, life will be an unbroken, smooth journey to holiness. Justification by grace through faith means we have been set right with God not made perfect. If this disappoints you just think of St Peter and his long, ongoing struggle to follow Christ but Christ never gave up on Peter. May the grace of our Lord Jesus Christ, the love of God and the fellowship of the Holy Spirit be with us all as we continue our journey through Lent. 7

8 Church Office - Help Needed If you are able to help unpack, check and wash some of the large delivery of china, glass and cutlery to supplement the existing Bulson Hall tableware it would be much appreciated. To be honest, the Church Administrator is having trouble seeing who is knocking the door, and then entering, because of the boxes. If you are able to help please contact Andrew Munro in the Church Office. Thank you. Elections to the PCC At the APCM on 28 th il we will be electing two churchwardens, and five members of the PCC. The PCC (Parochial Church Council) is the governing body of St Faith s and meets 6 times a year, on Tuesday evenings. If you would like to contribute to the life of St Faith s by joining the PCC, nomination forms are now available at the back of the church for those on the Electoral Roll to propose and second Electoral Roll members for the above positions. (Do ask them first!) For more information about what these roles involve, please speak to one of the clergy, or to Luke Marshall, PCC Lay Chair. Flower Seeds Wanted Do you have any spare flower seeds? Becca Chamberlain and Rebecca Parrett are interested in receiving any spare flower seeds, to use for making seed balls at the Easter Eggstravangza on Easter Monday. Please pass your spare seeds to them, or drop them into the church office. Christening next Sunday at the Parish Eucharist Next Sunday Sophie Bullen, daughter of Karl and Caroline, is being baptised at the Parish Eucharist. We will therefore have lots of visitors that day. Please welcome them, and if you re not able to sit where you would normally do so, please take the opportunity to sit somewhere else. (And remember - none of us have seats which are ours!). Funeral of Karen Mayor Karen s interment will be at 9am on Thursday 4 th il at Ann s Hill Cemetery, followed be a Service of Thanksgiving at St Faith s at 9.30am that day. All who knew Karen are invited to come. 8

9 Sunday 31 st March - Mothering Sunday 8.00am Book of Common Prayer Holy Communion A traditional communion service using the 1662 order of service President: Ann Leonard Assistant: Michael Shepherd Preacher: Ann Leonard Collect: Page am Parish Eucharist A formal choral service of Holy Communion President: Jan Beer Deacon: Steve Dent Preacher: Mary Kells Intercessions: Carolyn Keyzor Epistle: 2 Corinthians 5:16-end Barbara Hawkins Gospel Reading: Luke 15:1-3, 11b-end Andrew Munro Chalice: Margaret Hunt, Luke Marshall, Pam Rigg and Carolyn Keyzor Hymns: Hymns are on the screen and in the Order of Service. Chant: I see you, God Page 27 Processional: God of Eve and God of Mary Page 27 Psalm: O blessed are those who fear the Lord Page 28 Offertory: For the beauty of the earth Page 29 Anthem: Ave Maria J Arcadelt Communion: Broken for me, broken for you Page 30 Closing Hymn: For Mary, mother of our Lord Page am Sundays@11 This morning we have a special Mothering Sunday service, with Lee Infant School joining us to sing Thank You Mum, and Springtime Song. Leaders: Multiple! Songs: Lord of the Dance, Great is He, and others! 6.00pm Evening Prayer A traditional reflective service with music and a sermon Officiant: John Herklots Opening Hymn: 77 The God of love my Shepherd is Psalm: 30 First reading: Isaiah 40:27-41:13 Shelagh Froude Second reading: 2 Timothy 4:1-8 Shelagh Froude Homily: John Herklots Hymn: Red 29 Spirit of the living God Intercessions: Ian Hamilton Hymn: 433 O worship the King 9

10 For your prayers during the next week Collect for Mothering Sunday Merciful Lord, absolve your people from their offences, that through your bountiful goodness we may all be delivered from the chains of those sins which by our frailty we have committed; grant this, heavenly Father, for Jesus Christ s sake, our blessed Lord and Saviour, who is alive and reigns with you, in the unity of the Holy Spirit, one God, now and for ever. Amen Those to be christened: Sophie Bullen & Orla Bone Those who are unwell: Martin Over, Sue Harrap, Vicki Edwards, Priscilla Barker, Angela Whitbread, Margaret Parker, George Fisher and David Almond Those who have died: Karen Mayor Anniversaries of Death: John Bennett, Doris Ratcliffe, Mavis Carter and Leonard Birch (31 st ); Barbara Edward (1 st ); Audrey Harwood (3 rd ); George Tucker (6 th ). Lord our God, we turn our faces to you and plead with you to come to us earthly and often tormented people. May we find strength in the Lord Jesus Christ, through whom redemption is promised to us all. May your kingdom at last be revealed and everything change for the better even though we do not see it yet. May we always honour your name above all others, for you are our Father and we want to hold fast to your grace that lets us call you Father. In our troubled times we want to have enduring faith that you can bring a new time when good shall at last emerge from all the distress. Grant that every broken and needy person may experience your help, your grace, and your salvation, and may know that these always surround us, if only our eyes are open to see and recognize them. So we want to thank and praise you at all times, and at last know the joy of eternity, to your glory and honour. Amen. St Faith s Vision: Our vision is to be a welcoming progressive Christian community of all ages and all stages of faith, nurturing spiritual growth, and representing God s living presence in our town. 10

11 In the Church and Parish Centre 24 th - 31 st March Sun 31 st Mar Church Bulson Hall Lowry Room 8.00 Holy Communion Refreshments 9.00am Choir 9.30 Parish Eucharist Sundays@ pm Evening Prayer Mon 1 st 8.00 Silent Prayer 8.30 Morning Prayer Easter Experience with Yr pm Evening Prayer pm Luncheon Club pm Zumba Gold pm Yoga Pilates pm Clinical Pilates pm Zumba pm Dance Fitness Tue 2 nd 8.00 Silent Prayer 8.30 Morning Prayer 5.00pm Evening Prayer am Rainbow Toddlers & pm Pilates Zumba Gold pm Yoga pm Mums Night In Zumba pm Bible Course pm Starz Ballet pm Brownies 7.30pm Welcome Team meeting Wed 3 rd 8.00 Silent Prayer 8.30 Morning Prayer 5.00pm Evening Prayer pm Lee Choral Society pm Weight Watchers Lee Bridge Group pm Falls Prevention Class Zumba Thu 4 th 8.00 Silent Prayer 8.30 Morning Prayer 9.30 Thanksgiving for Karen Mayor Eucharist 5.00pm Evening Prayer Yoga 12.30pm Mothers Union Lent Lunch pm Yoga and Pilates pm Lowry Art Group pm Cuppa & Company Bible Course 8 Fri 5 th 8.00 Silent Prayer 8.30 Morning Prayer 9.00 Church Spring Cleaning 5.00pm Evening Prayer pm Zumba Gold Jiggy Wrigglers pm Knit & Natter pm Choir Practices Sat 6 th Lee Choral Society Rehearsal pm Lee Choral Society Concert Zumba pm Lee Choral Society GO TO THE BACK PAGE FOR DETAILS ABOUT SUNDAY 7TH APRIL. 11

12 Sun 7 th Church Bulson Hall Lowry Room 8.00 Holy Communion Refreshments 9.00am Choir 9.30 Parish Eucharist Traidcraft Stall with Christening of Christening Party of Sophie Bullen Sophie Bullen Sundays@ pm Christening of Orla Bone 6.00pm Evening Prayer Church & Parish Centre Contact Details Vicar Revd Dr Paul Chamberlain vicar@stfaithslee.org.uk Curate Revd Dr Mary Kells mary.kells@stfaithslee.org.uk Churchwarden Cliff Rook cliff.rook9@gmail.com Pastoral Care Team Co-ordinator Joyce Dawson jdawson44@btinternet.com Curate Revd Steve Dent steve.dent@stfaithslee.org.uk Director of Music Richard Dewland musicdirector@stfaithslee.org.uk Churchwarden Rita Morgan ritamorgan54@outlook.com Youth Group Team Rebecca Parrett, Jon Booth & Alison Jeanneret youthwork@stfaithslee.org.uk Church Office Church Administrator: Andrew Munro Telephone The Church Office is from 10.00am-12.30pm each weekday. For Church enquiries: churchadmin@stfaithslee.org.uk For Parish Centre enquiries: centreadmin@stfaithsparishcentre.org.uk St Faith s Church & Parish Centre Victoria Square, Lee-on-the-Solent, Hampshire, PO13 9NF