St Thomas à Becket
Pews News
Priest-in-Charge: The Reverend Lucy Sullivan
Tel: 01243 941 551 Email: mthrlucy.pagham@gmail.com (Rest day: Friday)
Licensed Lay Minister: Mrs Rosemary Towse
Email: rosemarytowse@talktalk.net
Churchwarden: Mr Alex Brockhurst
Tel: 07792 544259; Email: alex.brockhurst@hotmail.co.uk
Churchwarden: Mrs Sue O’Neill
Tel: 07867 904780; Email: suesdesignservices@gmail.com
Safeguarding Officer: Mrs Jan Brockhurst
Email: safeguarding@paghamchurch.org
Find us online: www.paghamchurch.org // StThomasPagham@gmail.com// @StThomasPagham
Registered charity number 1134842
SUNDAY 2nd july 2023
patronal festival
Sunday 2nd 08:00 Holy Communion
PATRONAL FESTIVAL (St Richard’s and Pagham Church)
09:30 Parish Family Eucharist followed by coffee.
Monday 3rd 09:00 Morning Prayer
ST THOMAS 11:00 Meditation (St Andrew’s Chapel)
19:30 Being With
(Pagham Church Centre, Nyetimber Lane)
Tuesday 4th 18:00 Evening Prayer (Pagham church)
19:00 Tuesday@7
Wednesday 5th 09:30 Breakfast Club (new venue see below)
18:00 Evening Prayer (Pagham Church)
Thursday 6th 09:00 Morning Prayer
10:00 Holy Communion
Friday 7th No public services today
Saturday 8th No public services today
Sunday 9th 08:00 Holy Communion
TRINITY 5 (St Richard’s church only)
09:30 Parish Eucharist followed by coffee.
Hymns
Introit: 409 Lord for the years
Gradual: Sheet Hymn for St Thomas
Offertory: Sheet Before the throne of God
Final: 181 For I’m building a people of power (x2)
The Collection plate– If you would like to make an offering, please use the contactless Payaz machine or the collection plate, both can be found by the door. Thank you for your generosity.
The Collect (Opening Prayer) for the Feast of St Thomas:
Almighty and eternal God, who, for the firmer foundation of our faith,
allowed your holy apostle Thomas to doubt the resurrection of your Son till word and sight convinced him: grant to us, who have not seen, that we also may believe and so confess Christ as our Lord and our God; who is alive and reigns with you, in the unity of the Holy Spirit, one God, now and for ever. Amen.
Old Testament reading: Habakkkuk 2: 1- 4
I will stand at my watch-post, and station myself on the rampart;
I will keep watch to see what he will say to me, and what he will answer concerning my complaint. Then the Lord answered me and said: Write the vision; make it plain on tablets, so that a runner may read it. For there is still a vision for the appointed time; it speaks of the end, and does not lie. If it seems to tarry, wait for it; it will surely come, it will not delay. Look at the proud! Their spirit is not right in them, but the righteous live by their faith.
Psalm 31: 1- 6 The response to the psalm is as announced.
New Testament Reading: Ephesians 2: 19- end
So then you are no longer strangers and aliens, but you are citizens with the saints and also members of the household of God, built upon the foundation of the apostles and prophets, with Christ Jesus himself as the cornerstone. In him the whole structure is joined together and grows into a holy temple in the Lord; in whom you also are built together spiritually into a dwelling-place for God.
Gospel Reading: John 20: 24- 29
But Thomas (who was called the Twin), one of the twelve, was not with them when Jesus came. So the other disciples told him, ‘We have seen the Lord.’ But he said to them, ‘Unless I see the mark of the nails in his hands, and put my finger in the mark of the nails and my hand in his side, I will not believe.’
A week later his disciples were again in the house, and Thomas was with them. Although the doors were shut, Jesus came and stood among them and said, ‘Peace be with you.’ Then he said to Thomas, ‘Put your finger here and see my hands. Reach out your hand and put it in my side. Do not doubt but believe.’ Thomas answered him, ‘My Lord and my God!’ Jesus said to him, ‘Have you believed because you have seen me? Blessed are those who have not seen and yet have come to believe.’
Prayers of Intercession
The sick and those who care for them: Rosie Sims, Barbara Crew, Karen Cox, Jim Fowler, Sheila King, Dawn Spurway Pearson, Nicola Simpson, Betty Smith, Mike Hatzfeld, Andrew Naylor, Colin May, Tyler Rankin, Leslie Francis, Dickie Roots, Elizabeth, Pam Browning, Beatrice Tucker, Emilia Hogan, John Crockford.
Recently departed June West.
Anniversary of death Doris Morgan, Hazel Swan, Martin Pereira (3rd); Charles Garton, Maisie Ell (4th); William Jackson, Jessie Gleadle, Louisa Harris (7th); Isobel Myatt, Frederick Daniell (8th).
We pray for peace and especially for and with the people of Ukraine. We pray for all those caught up in conflict, and for those seeking safety and refuge on these shores.
We pray for Nyewood Junior School as they seek to appoint a new Head Teacher.
For urgent prayer, contact Gillian Purvis (267597) or Pat Rush (262561) to start the Prayer Chain.
Post Communion Prayer: Almighty God, who on the day of Pentecost sent your Holy Spirit to the apostles with the wind from heaven and in tongues of flame, filling them with joy and boldness to preach the gospel: by the power of the same Spirit strengthen us to witness to your truth and to draw everyone to the fire of your love; through Jesus Christ our Lord. Amen.
Next week’s readings: Fifth Sunday after Trinity
Zechariah 9: 9- 12; Psalm 145: 8- 15; Romans 7: 15- 25a; Matthew 11: 16- 19, 25- end.
Pop-up Plant Sale
Thank you to all those who supported the ‘Pop-up’ Plant sale on Saturday afternoon.
Due to the generosity of Newey’s Nursery, we were able to hold this last minute sale.
In the absence of a Summer Fair this year- this sale has raised significant funds to help us plug the gap in a year when we expect there could be a significant deficit in your finances.
If you weren’t able to support the Plant Sale and you would normally have supported the Summer Fair, and would like to make a donation in lieu of this, there is a collection bowl at the back of church today. Thank you so very much for your continued support in these difficult times. Mthr Lucy
Breakfast Club
Breakfast Club has changed its venue and will meet at Manor Nurseries at 09:30, on the first Wednesday of the month. For those who would like to car share or require a lift please meet in the church car park at 09:15. All are welcome to join for a hearty breakfast and company. Please contact Alex Brockhurst for more information (details on the front page).
Tuesday@7 BBQ
Tuesday 11th July is that last Tuesday@7 of the school year, and we are ending with a BBQ in the churchyard followed by our usual Tuesday@7 eucharist in the open air, as we pray for God’s guidance and peace as we head off on our summer adventures.
We meet from 17:30 in the churchyard, food from about 18:00, service at 19:00, ending by about 19:45. All are very welcome to join us. If you are able to contribute a salad or something similar this would be very welcome. Please bring your own chairs/ picnic blankets, plates & cutlery and drinks. Donations gratefully received. Please sign-up using the Eventbrite invitation sent via email OR on the sheet at the back of church.
Pew Sheet Prayer List
To ensure we are praying as suitably as possible for those named on the prayer and to keep it up to date, we are reintroducing a four-week cycle for prayer requests. This means that any names given to Mthr Lucy to be inserted will stay on for four weeks, before being removed. If more prayer is required, then please simply contact Mthr Lucy again and names will stay on for another four weeks. A reminder, the permission of those being include must be sought before they are added to the list.
“Peace I leave with you; my peace I give you. I do not give to you as the world gives. Do not let your hearts be troubled and do not be afraid.” John 14:27
Lay Ministers of Communion
Following the introductory session for Lay Ministers of Communion (those able to give the chalice and take communion to those at home) during Lent. There will be a complete training course on the following dates: Saturdays 15th and 22nd July 10- 11:30am, in the Committee Room of the Mosse Hall (on offer to those from the Deanery)
Please speak to Mthr Lucy if you would like to be involved with this ministry, it would be wonderful to increase this pool of ministers. It is essential to attend both sessions before you can be nominated to the PCC/ Bishop for this ministry, if these dates don’t work for you but you are still interested, then please speak to Mthr Lucy.
Christian Meditation
Following the introductory course on Christian meditation last summer we are to introduce a regular course of meditation for the community. The sessions will run: First Monday of the month at 11am, the Third Wednesday of the month at 19:30. All sessions in St Andrew’s Chapel, Pagham Church. We will begin in July (3rd and 19th). The first six sessions (of both time slots) will repeat the introductory course shared last year, and then we will continue with regular practice of meditation. You can find out more about Christian meditation and the World Community for Christian Meditation here https://wccm.org/ For more information please speak to Mthr Lucy.
Admission to Holy Communion Course 2023
In September Mthr Lucy will be running a course for children in yr6 and above who wish to be admitted to Holy Communion. Sessions will run on Saturday mornings 10:00- 11:00 at Pagham church, on the 23rd & 30 th September, 7th, 14th, 15th and 21st October. The children will be admitted to Holy Communion in a special at 16:30 on All Saints’ Sunday – 5th November. Please have a chat with Mthr Lucy if you think this is something that your child is ready for, and do get the dates in your diary before the summer holidays! Sign-up sheets will be available next month.
Confirmation Courses
There will be teen and adult confirmation courses on offer in the autumn, preparing candidates for Confirmation with the Bishop before Christmas (we hope- details to be confirmed!). Teens from year 9 upwards can be prepared for Confirmation. If you are interested in exploring this, please contact Mthr Lucy, so plans can be made for the course to accommodate as many diaries as possible!
SUPPORT FOR THE FOODBANK IS MORE IMPORTANT THAN EVER.
Urgently needed this week: Durable plastics bags, 1ltr UHT Fruit Juice, 1ltr UHT Milk, Tinned Fruit, Pasta Sauce, Tinned Fish, Tinned Custard, Tinned Rice Pudding, Pasta, Tinned Meat, Cereal, Shampoo/ Conditioner, Nappies- size 4/5.