Feast Our Lady Of Walsingham News

Priest-in-Charge Fr John Ainslie (revjohnainslie@gmail.com; 01628 629827)

This morning we give a very warm welcome to Eva and Martha, and to their family and friends. Do join them after Mass in the Vestry Hall.

Services this week: Thursday, Said Mass 10.30am

NEXT SUNDAY 28TH SEPTEMBER we celebrate our PATRONAL FESTIVAL with a Sung Mass at 10.30am for the Feast of St Michael and All Angels, followed by Parish Lunch. Do join us !! All very welcome to both!!

There is a list at Back of Church for you to indicate if you intend bringing a contribution towards the lunch.

The following Sunday SUNDAY 5TH OCTOBER we celebrate our Harvest Festival. Do please bring something if you can to add to our collection of dried/tinned food and toiletries for Maidstone Homeless Care.

CONFIRMATION: The next step after Holy Baptism is known as Confirmation, an adult “confirming” of the faith first received at Baptism and traditionally the entry-point to receiving Holy Communion at Mass. It is a Sacrament administered by the Bishop with laying on of hands and anointing. Bishop Luke will be coming on Sunday 8th February next year to confirm Eva and Martha; if you would like to join them in being Confirmed, please do have a word with me asap. Preparation includes a short course exploring our faith together. Fr John.

THE PCC meet on Thursday this week at 7.30pm, and St Michael’s schools will be coming into Church on Friday for their Michaelmas Service. If you would like to help welcome pupils, staff and parents into the church with a friendly welcome and hand out sheets, please have a word. Fr John.

CHORAL EVENSONG at All Saints Perry Street, Gravesend Sunday 5th October. Our choir will be joining with the choir of All Saints for a service of Choral Evensong at Perry Street at 5pm. All are welcome to attend that service. We hope for a “return match”, or perhaps “Carols and Readings for Christmas” at St Michael’s, as we did last year.

OUR LADY OF WALSINGHAM: As we celebrate the Feast of OLW, I take the opportunity to remind you of our Parish Pilgrimage to Walsingham 26th – 29th May next year. These pilgrimages are a wonderful mix of enthralling worship, thoughtful sermons, fun social time and getting to know one another better, chatting with other pilgrims from parishes across the country, and opportunities for peace and quiet or trips out to the coast and countryside. All in the most peaceful, refreshing and healing of places, where God is truly present and you can feel the holiness of heaven. Never been? It really can change your life for the better! Interested? Do have a word with me. Fr John.

FOR OUR PRAYERS: For the Shrine of our Lady at Walsingham, For Fr Ben the Priest Administrator, the Education and Schools department, and all who work there; for all those who will visit the Shrine this year; we give thank for the grace and blessings we and others receive there and elsewhere through the intercession of Our Lady of Walsingham. For Eva and Martha, for Arthur and for all who have been baptised in our font in recent years.

We pray for those in need, and especially Glynis Reynolds, Yvonne Young, Jessica O’Sullivan, Lindsay Wheeler, Martyn Nash, Fran, David Green, Norman Farrington, Chris Jenkins, Bridget Humphries and Bob Humphries.

We pray for the recently departed, especially Ellie Tomlinson and HRH the Duchess of Kent. 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: Phylis Evelyn O’Brien, Stanley Payne.

FROM THE BELLTOWER: 13 September 1260 Plain Bob Minor 1 Jacqueline M Barlow 2 Charlotte Elvers 3 Emma Jarvis 4 Mark Elvers 5 Callum Clark 6 Philip Jarvis (C) Rung on Heritage Day and for Ride and Stride.

SUPPORT ST MICHAELS: to make a donation towards the work and worship of St Michael’s Church go to: www.parishgiving.org.uk/donors/find-your-parish/maidstone-st-michael-and-aa-maidstone/