Dear Friends,
It was marvellous to see around 100 of you back in church last Sunday and as those who were there may recall my saying, as we considered Mary our Patron responding to the angel at the Annunciation by saying, "Be it unto me according to your word," may I invite you all to consider how you might recommit yourself to the ministry and mission of our church.
You will be familiar with our threefold mission statement:
+ To nurture our children and young people with a positive sense of God`s love for them and purpose for their lives. + To use our buildings more creatively to help make God more real for the people of this area and beyond. + To deepen and develop our relationships with each other and with God.
And, as we seek to rebuild on the foundations of what we have realised anew really, lastingly matters, I make an appeal for volunteers in direct relation to these three aspirations:
+ We need more volunteers to help with our work with children and young people, specifically in Sunday School. Judy, our Church Warden or I would be happy to talk to you about what is involved should you be interested. It is an immensely rewarding aspect of our life together to nurture our children, so please may I encourage you to become involved in this wonderful work. Please email me on hopkinwilliams@btinternet.com.
+ Secondly, now that we have done the reordering work and made our church building more flexible, hospitable and beautiful, we want to use it and see it used far more by our congregation and community. There is a small group working to try to promote this enhanced space so that it brings in more income and also so that it celebrates the fact that God is interested in so many aspects of our lives, relational, social, charitable and cultural, not just in who we are when we are engaged in worship. So, if this is something you feel you would like to get involved in, please do let me know. hopkinwilliams@btinternet.com.
+ Thirdly, as we have learned over the last 18 months, communications are vitally important in the modern church. Where would we have been without emails and Zoom as a congregation over the lockdown, for example? Emily and Tamasin, Antoine and Charlotte, Judy and Chris, Barbara and Chris, Cath and Katie have worked so hard with me in keeping everyone connected and I am so grateful to them all. Now is the time for others to help with Communications too, so please, again, if you are interested, please do let me know: hopkinwilliams@btinternet.com.
We will only be as strong as we are committed, so please, as we recommit ourselves to being part of the recovery and rebuilding of our church and community, do please get more involved in the life of your parish church.
With blessings and best wishes
Jeff
A LITTLE TASTE OF WALSINGHAM, 2nd October 2021. For the second consecutive year we are not able to make pilgrimage to Walsingham. This is for reasons with which you will be all too familiar. However, one of the most marvellous things about the spiritual life is that we don’t have to go to a geographical location to encounter the essence of what was once experienced there. Through the power of the Holy Spirit, we can access it anywhere, if we are "in Spirit and in Truth".
SoI would like to invite you all to a Walsingham Morning in our own church of St Mary’s Twickenham on Saturday 2nd October.
We will meet in church at 10am for coffee, then at 10.30am we will introduce the day.
We will have the opportunity of enjoying the liturgies we experience at Walsingham: ~ The renewal of our Baptismal Vows as we begin by listening to the Gospel of the Annunciation. ~ The opportunity to follow Jesus along the Way of the Cross, and bring into His saving presence the needs of His people and His world. ~ An opportunity to further reflect on those people and situations for which we wish to pray in the Intercessions. ~ The chance to pray for healing in the world and in our own lives and finally ~ To celebrate the EUCHARIST together. This will be followed by LUNCH.
Please let me know if you are planning on coming (hopkinwilliams@btinternet.com) and do please consider bringing a friend. I look forward to seeing you for this very special occasion.
With blessings and best wishes,
Jeff
Collect for this Sunday: Almighty God Who in generous mercy sent the Holy Spirit Upon your Church in the burning fire of your love: Grant that your people may be fervent In the fellowship of the gospel That, always abiding in you, They may be found steadfast in faith and active in service; This we ask through the same, Jesus Christ our Lord Who lives and reigns with you and the Holy Spirit, One God, now and for ever. AMEN
WELCOME to our worship at St Mary`s on this the 15th Sunday after Trinity, whether you are joining us in church or on Zoom.
Today at both the 9.30am Eucharist in church and the 5pm Zoom service online, we shall be reflecting on the Gospel passage, which this week is Mark Chapter 8 verses 27-end.
We will also be remembering the following in our prayers of intercession:
9.30 EUCHARIST
The hymns we shall be singing this week are: 422 and 426. The choir will be singing after the intercessions No booking is necessary for the 9.30am church service. Please use the hand sanitiser provided before entering the church. We would ask that you place your collection envelope in the basket as you enter the church which will be brought up to the altar at the Offertory (or use the contactless/tap payment card facility close by). We would strongly recommend the wearing of facemasks throughout the service for all other than those exempted from doing so on medical or age grounds. Please do not come to the church if you are displaying any Covid symptoms and please seriously consider whether it is wise to attend if you have cold or ‘flu symptoms, in fairness to others. Communion will be offered in the form of the consecrated host, which you may receive in your hands and which we would ask you to consume immediately. You are welcome to join us in the Parish Hall for refreshments after the service.
5pm Zoom Service
We very much hope that those of you who are not able to join us in church for our service, join us online instead. This will take the same form which we have used from last April. Please have a candle, matches, bread and wine to hand. Click Here to download the Order of Service
There are three main ways to join the Zoom service:
1.click on this link: https://us02web.zoom.us/j/85685339742 2. Go to zoom.us (or use the Zoom app) and enter the following Webinar ID: 856 8533 9742 3. If you want to join by telephone dial any of these numbers: 0203 481 5237 or 0203 481 5240 or 0131 460 1196 or 0203 051 2874 and then type in this Webinar ID when prompted: 856 8533 9742
(Please note that these details are the same every week) 10am Wednesday. A Eucharist will be celebrated on Wednesdays in the church, to which you are all invited. There will also be an opportunity to pray for healing for yourselves or for others, until we are able to resume the Healing Services in church on Sunday evenings.
If you would like to know more about the ongoing life of St Mary's and its activities , please see our website: www.stmarytwick.org.uk
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