‘My soul thirsts for you, O my God‘
A very warm welcome to all
Third Sunday of Lent
Readings: Isaiah 55: 1-9; Psal 63: 1-8; 1 Corinthians 10: 1-13
Gospel: Luke 13: 1-9
In today’s Gospel
These days many want instant results, immediate gratification, as if knowledge or information can provide answers to all the questions of life. Trees grow slowly, fruit takes time to develop and mature. The same is true for ourselves. God is the gardener, who cultivates and nourishes us, and we pray for the patience to wait, the openness to be pruned, so that we are more fruitful to God’s glory.
War in Ukraine
Please continue to offer prayers for our brothers and sisters caught up in the mayhem that is Ukraine. 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 thinking about it.
Lent Course
We had our second session of the Lent course on Thursday evening. Fr Roger and I invite you to be part of our continuing ‘Encountering Jesus’, Lent reflection group at St Mary’s. Over the period of Lent, we will look at passages from Luke’s gospel in which people encounter Jesus as he makes his way to Jerusalem. Using the traditional monastic pattern sometimes called Lectio Divina or Dwelling in the Word, we will listen for the voice of God speaking to us through the Bible passage and each other. Where – The Crypt. When – Thursday 7pm, 17th, 24th, 31st March and 7th April. Duration – One hour including a cup of tea and cake. Who – Anyone! Whether you can make one or all the dates. Any questions – please speak to Fr Roger (revrogdyer@btinternet.com) or myself (terry_t_2000_uk@yahoo.co.uk)
Advisory Group Update
Fr Roger and I had a meeting recently, where we discussed some of the rituals that take place during our Sung Eucharist services, which unfortunately had to be withdrawn during the Covid pandemic. As a result of the most recent guidance from the Provincial Advisory Group (an email which I forwarded to as many of you as possible), the general consensus is, that apart from wearing masks, we should now have the option to return to most, if not all of the elements that take place during our worship. Therefore, from next Sunday (27th March) we will resume with the following:
- The Peace – We are encouraging everyone to make efforts to share the peace in a way that we used to, which will involve possibly moving from your pew to do so. Of course, his will be entirely at your own discretion and no-one should feel under any pressure to do so.
- The Bread and Wine: The Communion elements will be brought up to the altar during the Offertory by persons nominated by the our Peoples Warden Mr Iain Stewart.
- The Collection Plate: The collection plate will once more be passed through the congregation during the Offertory, after which it will be brought to the altar and passed to the Server.
The Advisory Group also outlined that the use of the ‘Common Cup’ to distribute the wine during Communion should now also be an option made available for those who wish to partake. In this instance, alcoholic wipes will be used between each presentation of the chalice, and on no account can the method of ‘tincture’ (dipping your wafer in the wine) be used. Again, this will be a total matter of choice for each of you and you should know that receiving the Communion in ‘one kind’ only is perfectly acceptable.
Gold
As mentioned last week, I am asking you to look through your jewellery boxes to see if you are prepared to part with something that you really haven’t used for years or maybe you just feel like donating something you have no further use of. Of course, it doesn’t have to be gold, it could be any type of jewellery that we might be able to sell on to a jewellers. In any case, I am now appealing to you to consider this and I intend to keep this running for the next 3 months, at which point we can assess where we are.
2022 Easter egg Appeal
Thank you all so much for the continued donation of Easter eggs for this year’s appeal. The numbers increase daily. I am not at all surprised by the response here at St Mary’s and I continue to urge you whilst out shopping, only if you can afford it, to consider buying an Easer egg or two to donate to our appeal.
Fundraising Events
The following is a direct link to our fundraising events calendar should you be interested in what is happening in the coming months. https://stmaryscardenplace.org.uk/social-fundraising-calendar/
Vestry Vacancies
We have two vacancies on St Mary’s Vestry for Ordinary Members, and I would strongly urge those who feel that they could offer something to assist in the management of our Church to speak to me. Vestry membership is a rewarding role and provides an insight in to how we reach the decisions we do in our work here at Carden Place.
Reading Scripture
Our Peoples Warden Mr Iain Stewart has asked me to put out a call for more people to consider volunteering to read scripture and intercede at our worship. Should you feel so inclined, I encourage anyone who is considering this valuable ministry to approach Ian in the first instance.
Peace/Therapy Garden
I continue to draw you attention to our proposals for the Peace/Therapy Garden at the front of the Church. We have obtained some samples of ideas re what the garden could look like, and we (The Vestry) would value your opinion on what your preference might be. Please take some time to click on the following link where all will be revealed.https://stmaryscardenplace.org.uk/notices/west-end-garden-project/
Services/Events at St Mary’s Pro-Cathedral w/c Sunday the 20th March 2022
Sunday 20th March at 8am – Holy Communion (Fr Roger- 1970)
Sunday 20th March at 10am – Sung Eucharist – Third Sunday of Lent (1982 – Cn Terry Presiding – Fr Roger Preaching)
Monday 21st March – Cn Terry – Day off
Tuesday 22nd March at 10 am – Morning Prayer (Cn Terry)
Wednesday 23rd March at 10 am – Holy Communion (Cn Terry – 1970)
Thursday 24th March at 7 pm – Lent Reflection Course – Encountering Jesus – (Fr Roger/Cn Terry)(Crypt)
Friday 25th March at 6 pm – Compline (Cn Terry)
Sunday 27th March at 8 am – Holy Communion (1970 – Cn Terry)
Sunday 27th March at 10 am – Fourth Sunday of Lent – Sung Eucharist (1982 – Fr Roger Presiding – Cn Terry Preaching)
Readings: Joshua 5: 9-12; Psalm 32; 2 Cor 5: 16-21
Gospel: Luke 15: 1-3, 11b-32
“During Lent, let us find concrete ways to overcome our indifference“
(Anon)
Blessings Always
Rev Canon Terry Taggart
01224588776/07768219984