Mothering Sunday News
Priest-in-Charge Fr John Ainslie (revjohnainslie@gmail.com; 01628 629827)
A very warm welcome to any new readers, and to visitors and newcomers to St Michael's. If you are new to St Michael's, do join us for refreshments in the Vestry Hall after the service so we can welcome you properly.
SERVICES THIS COMING WEEK: Thursday, said Mass in Lent 10.30am. Next Saturday: Mass of Our Lady of Walsingham at 10.30am. Next Sunday, Sung Mass 10.30am.
The FUNERAL OF JOHN MERCER will take place in St Michael’s Church on Wednesday 23rd April at 11am. The family extend a warm welcome to all from John’s church family who wish to attend the funeral and refreshments afterwards at The Grange Moor (now renamed), but if you expect to attend could you please let Fr John know so the family can plan the catering.
The St Michael’s Church ANNUAL PAROCHIAL CHURCH MEETING (APCM) and the Meeting of Parishioners to elect Churchwardens will both take place on Sunday 27th April after Mass. I do hope as many of you as possible will want to be here for this opportunity to review the past year, to elect Churchwardens and to appoint members to serve on the PCC for the coming year.
DIARY DATE: This year’s SUMMER FETE will be on Saturday 5th July. We are grateful to Alison Heywood for agreeing to coordinate the preparations for what will be an enjoyable day, which attracts so many people from our wider church family and the local community.
HOLY WEEK AND EASTER. The arrangements for Holy Week and Easter will be as follows:
Sunday 13th April Palm Sunday Procession and Sung Mass, 10.30am; and Stations of the Cross in Church at 5pm.
Monday 14th April Mass and short address at 7.30pm.
Tuesday 15th April Chrism Mass at Rochester Cathedral 12 noon – all welcome.
Wednesday 16th April Mass and short address at 10.30am.
Maundy Thursday Mass of the Last Supper 7.30pm followed by The Watch until midnight.
Good Friday Good Friday Liturgy 3pm.
Holy Saturday Easter Vigil and First Mass of Easter 8pm.
Easter Day Sung Mass for Easter Day 10.30am.
FOR OUR PRAYERS: We pray for our faithful keeping of Lent, and for the work of our Lent Charity ‘Mary’s Meals’. For Bishop Luke and all the clergy and parishes in his care. We continue to pray for peace with justice in Ukraine, the Middle East, Sudan, and all other places of conflict. For our politicians in the difficult decisions they have to make.
We pray for those in need, and especially Paul Jones, Glynis Reynolds, Yvonne Young, Jessica O’Sullivan, Lindsay Wheeler, Martyn Nash, Fran, Ellie Tomlinson, David Green, Alison Heywood, Norman Farrington, Olga Danes-Volkov.
We pray for the recently departed. We remember those who have faithfully served God in this Church in previous generations, and we pray for those whose year’s mind occurs this week: Thomas Gresley-Summers (Pr), Derek Moody (Pr).
FROM THE BELLTOWER:
Sunday 23rd March 1280 Double Norwich Court Bob Major.
1 Graham Heath
2 Stuart Cox
3 Jacqueline Barlow
4 Mike Birkbeck
5 Philip Jarvis
6 Pam Thomas
7 Stephen Coaker
8 Neil Jones (C)
Rung on the 3rd Sunday of Lent and with congratulations to the Treble ringer on attaining his 2000th Quarter Peal earlier today.
Friday, 21 March 1320 Surfleet Surprise Minor
1 Pam Thomas
2 Jacqueline M Barlow
3 Emma Jarvis
4 Jane L Kostelnyk
5 Rupert Cheeseman
6 Philip Jarvis (C)
Rung on the Saints Day of Thomas Cranmer, Archbishop of Canterbury, Reformer and Martyr, 1556