First Sunday Of Lent News

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

Do please join us after Mass for Tea, Coffee and Cake in the Vestry Hall - - just ask if you don’t know the way!

Services this week: Thursday Said Mass 10.30am. Next Sunday please join us for Sung Mass 10.30am followed by Lent Lunch in the Vestry Hall with donations for Mary’s Meals.

OUR LENT CHARITY As last year our chosen charity for Lent is Mary’s Meals - a charity which provides meals for children in school in the very poorest countries. In this way they provide sustenance for children who otherwise would go hungry, in a way that also encourages children to attend school and get an education which might lift them and their families out of poverty. Collections via Lent Boxes and our Lent Lunch on Sunday 1st March.

There are Lent Boxes at Back of Church – do please take one home if you wish, and use it for your loose change and regular donations throughout Lent. Bring it back full on Maundy Thursday !!

150th ANNIVERSARY POPPY DISPLAY: This year we are planning a poppy display to coincide with Remembrance Sunday, to include a display outside the church - which will require a lot of poppies! If you are able to knit or crochet or know someone that would like to be involved, there are patterns, some wool for you to take, and further information at the back of the church. Donations would be much appreciated of red, black, or indeed purple wool (purple poppies to remember the animals used in wartime). If we start now, we should have a good number of poppies to use at remembrance Season. If you would like to form a “knit and natter” group to meet regularly and knit together at home, or in the Vestry Hall, over tea/coffee and a chat then please do so, and let us know !! It would be great to see this used as an opportunity for fellowship as well as doing something to make Remembrance 2026 a time to remember! Fr John & Sue Hemings

PARISH PILGRIMAGE TO WALSINGHAM 26th – 29th May. It is now time for you to let me have your £40 deposit please. There are some free spaces, so there is still time for you to sign up if you haven’t already done so (form at the back of church). Thank you. Fr John.

FOR OUR PRAYERS:

We pray for Archbishop Sarah, and for Bishop Luke and all clergy and parishes under his care. In our own church we pray that through our keeping of Lent, Holy Week and Easter we would all grow in faith and discipleship. We pray for our Churchwardens, for our Treasurer Wendy, and Lay Reader and PCC Secretary Eleanor. In our parish we pray for those working in health and social services, our GP surgeries, and our local hospitals.

We pray for those in need, and especially Glynis Reynolds, Yvonne Young, Lindsay Wheeler, Martyn Nash, David Green, Norman Farrington, Phil and Marion, Jacqui Barlow, Joe, Keira, Freya, Isaac and Lexie Nicholson.

We pray for the recently departed, including Linda Merricks and Alexander Dunlop. 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: Gwen Vanstone, John Mercer, Molly Poppe, Brian Johnson, Brian Landi.