A very warm welcome to all
Third Sunday After Epiphany
Readings: Isaiah 9: 1-4; 1 Corinthians 1: 10-18
Gospel: Matthew 4: 12-23
In our Gospel
The Oxford dictionary defines an advocate in our Gospel today as “a person who publicly supports or recommends a particular cause or policy”. Well, Jesus certainly did things publicly and encouraged others to do so as well. His particular cause or policy? Simply that the good news of God’s love, is for all. All of Jesus’s actions were around this. He wanted to bring the wholeness, the completeness, that only is fully realised when we know that God’s love is here and now and for all people, that everyone gets to experience a full and complete life. Without people having a full and complete life, God’s kingdom isn’t fully realised.
War in Ukraine
Please continue to offer prayers for our brothers and sisters caught up in Ukraine’s mayhem. Please think about what you can do to help in any way for those who continue to reach out to the rest of Europe and beyond for our assistance. Whatever method or organisation you use to make donations, please do it rather than think about it. O Come, O Come, Emmanuel!
Coffee/Tea Rota
I am appealing for more people to volunteer to assist with providing coffee and tea after our Sunday worship. There is a sheet on the notice board in the Choir vestry and I urge as many of you as possible to consider putting your name next to a date that you might be able to help. Many hands etc…
Keeping Warm
During this current cold weather, please know that we have a good supply of woollen blankets at the rear of the church that you may wish to avail yourselves of in order to stave off the chill.
Travel
As you already know, Sam and I will be travelling south on the 26th of January and therefore we will not be here next weekend. Fr Roger has very graciously offered to cover the 6 pm Compline on Friday the 27th and the 8 am Holy Communion on the 29th. We will be back by Monday latest. Mr Godwin Chimara and Dr Nicola Mills will lead a Service of the Word for the 10 am service on the 29th, and I am grateful for their help once again.
West End Garden
Planning permission has now been granted for our West End Peace/Therapy Garden. This now is a green light for me to complete the Canon 35 Application for submission to the Diocese, which I will attend to on my return after my weekend off.
Poem Competition 2023
Just to remind everyone that our Short Poetry Competition was launched on the 4th of December. If you recall how successful our previous competition was it was a ‘no-brainer’ that we should do it again. So, get your artistic thinking caps on once more and let’s see if we can have some wonderful poems as we did the last time. You have until the end of March 2023 to submit your entries, either via email to stmaryscardenplace@gmail.com or if you do not have a computer, on hard copy to either myself or Mr David Rose our webmaster. The rules can be found via the website on the following link to this year’s competition at https://stmaryscardenplace.org.uk/uncategorized/poem-competition-2023/
Annual General Meeting
On the 5th of February 2023, St Mary’s will hold its Annual General Meeting (AGM). This is, therefore, the fifth notification of the said meeting. There are two posts that need to be advertised annually, these are, the Lay Representative for Synod and the Alternative Lay Representative. Presently Dr Nicola Mills and our Peoples Warden, Mr Iain Stewart hold these posts respectively. Both have offered to continue in the roles unless other names are submitted. Should this be the case, then it will need to be subject to a ballot. Post nomination sheets for anyone who wishes to be considered are now pinned to our notice board in the Foyer. The closing date for any nominations is Sunday the 22nd of January (next Sunday). This is to give me time to prepare and distribute the AGM booklet in a timely fashion.
Services/Events Commencing Sunday the 22nd of January 2023
Sunday 22nd January at 8 am – Holy Communion (1970 – Cn Terry)
Sunday 22nd January at 10 am- 3rd Sunday after the Epiphany – Sung Eucharist (1982 Cn Terry)
Sunday 22nd January at 6 pm – Service for the Week of Christian Unity at St Machar’s Cathedral.
Monday 23rd January – Cn Terry Day off
Tuesday 24th January at 10 am – Morning Prayer (Cn Terry)
Wednesday 25th January – Holy Communion – The Conversion of St Paul (Cn Terry)
Thursday 26th – Monday 30th Jan – Cn Terry – Time off
Friday 27th January – at 6 pm – Compline (Fr Roger)
Sunday 29th January – at 8 am – Holy Communion (Fr Roger)
Sunday 29th January at 10 am – Service of the Word (Dr Nicola Mills & Mr Godwin Chimara)
Sunday the 29th Jan Readings: Micah 6: 1-8; Psalm 15; 1 Corinthians 1: 18-31
Gospel: Mathew 5: 1-12
“You changed my life. You changed my ways. I don’t even recognise myself these days. It must be a reflection of you, only you.”
(Keith Urban)
Cn Terry Taggart:
01224588776/07768219984