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 3rd MARCH 2024
THIRD SUNDAY of LENT
Sunday 3rd 08:00 Holy Communion (Aldwick)
Lent 3 09:30 Parish Eucharist followed by coffee
17:30 Stations of the Cross (Pagham)
Monday 4th 09:00 Morning Prayer (Pagham)
11:00 ‘Broken’ Lent Course 3 – (Pagham)
17:30 Evening Prayer (Aldwick)
Tuesday 5th 10:00 Eucharist (Aldwick)
10:30- 14:00 Deanery Chapter Quiet Day (Pagham)
17:30 Evening Prayer (Zoom)
19:00 Tuesday@7 (Pagham)
Wednesday 6th 09:30 Breakfast Club (Manor Nursery)
17:30 Evening Prayer (Zoom)
Thursday 7th 09:00 Morning Prayer (Pagham
Perpetua, Felicity 10:00 Holy Communion (Pagham
and companions 12noon – 13:15 Lent Lunch (Pagham Church Centre)
17:30 Evening Prayer (Aldwick)
19.30 ‘Broken’ Lent Course 4
(Mosse Hall Committee Room)
Friday 8th No public services today
Edward King
Saturday 9th No public services today
Sunday 10th 08:00 Holy Communion (Aldwick)
Mothering Sunday 09:30 Parish Family Eucharist followed by coffee
Lent 4
HYMNS
Introit: 447 May the mind
Gradual: 349 Jesus Christ is waiting (omit v 3)
Offertory: 60 Beauty for brokenness (omit v 4)
Final: 231 God’s spirit is in my heart
The Collect (Opening Prayer) for the Third Sunday of Lent: Almighty God,
whose most dear Son went not up to joy but first he suffered pain, and entered not into glory before he was crucified: mercifully grant that we, walking in the way of the cross, may find it none other than the way of life and peace; through Jesus Christ your Son our Lord, who is alive and reigns with you, in the unity of the Holy Spirit, one God, now and for ever. Amen
Old Testament reading: Exodus 20: 1 – 17
Then God spoke all these words: I am the Lord your God, who brought you out of the land of Egypt, out of the house of slavery; you shall have no other gods before me. You shall not make for yourself an idol, whether in the form of anything that is in heaven above, or that is on the earth beneath, or that is in the water under the earth. You shall not bow down to them or worship them; for I the Lord your God am a jealous God, punishing children for the iniquity of parents, to the third and the fourth generation of those who reject me, but showing steadfast love to the thousandth generation of those who love me and keep my commandments. You shall not make wrongful use of the name of the Lord your God, for the Lord will not acquit anyone who misuses his name. Remember the sabbath day, and keep it holy. For six days you shall labour and do all your work. But the seventh day is a sabbath to the Lord your God; you shall not do any work—you, your son or your daughter, your male or female slave, your livestock, or the alien resident in your towns. For in six days the Lord made heaven and earth, the sea, and all that is in them, but rested the seventh day; therefore the Lord blessed the sabbath day and consecrated it. Honour your father and your mother, so that your days may be long in the land that the Lord your God is giving you.
You shall not murder. You shall not commit adultery. You shall not steal.
You shall not bear false witness against your neighbour. You shall not covet your neighbour’s house; you shall not covet your neighbour’s wife, or male or female slave, or ox, or donkey, or anything that belongs to your neighbour.
Psalm 19 The response to the psalm is as announced.
New Testament Reading: 1 Corinthians 1.18-25
For the message about the cross is foolishness to those who are perishing, but to us who are being saved it is the power of God. For it is written, ‘I will destroy the wisdom of the wise, and the discernment of the discerning I will thwart.’
Where is the one who is wise? Where is the scribe? Where is the debater of this age? Has not God made foolish the wisdom of the world? For since, in the wisdom of God, the world did not know God through wisdom, God decided, through the foolishness of our proclamation, to save those who believe. For Jews demand signs and Greeks desire wisdom, but we proclaim Christ crucified, a stumbling-block to Jews and foolishness to Gentiles, but to those who are the called, both Jews and Greeks, Christ the power of God and the wisdom of God. For God’s foolishness is wiser than human wisdom, and God’s weakness is stronger than human strength.
Gospel Reading: John 2.13-22
The Passover of the Jews was near, and Jesus went up to Jerusalem. In the temple he found people selling cattle, sheep, and doves, and the money-changers seated at their tables. Making a whip of cords, he drove all of them out of the temple, both the sheep and the cattle. He also poured out the coins of the money-changers and overturned their tables. He told those who were selling the doves, ‘Take these things out of here! Stop making my Father’s house a market-place!’ His disciples remembered that it was written, ‘Zeal for your house will consume me.’ The Jews then said to him, ‘What sign can you show us for doing this?’ Jesus answered them, ‘Destroy this temple, and in three days I will raise it up.’ The Jews then said, ‘This temple has been under construction for forty-six years, and will you raise it up in three days?’ But he was speaking of the temple of his body. After he was raised from the dead, his disciples remembered that he had said this; and they believed the scripture and the word that Jesus had spoken.
Prayers of Intercession
The sick and those who care for them: Barbara & Alan Crew, Karen Cox, Sheila King, Dawn Spurway Pearson, Mike Hatzfeld, Pam Browning, Lucia, Jessie Hutchins, Bea Tucker, Tony, Charles Paterson, Adrian Usher.
Recently departed: Mary Ramsay, Margaret Dougliss
Anniversary of death:
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 the people of Israel, Gaza and the West Bank. For the peace of the Holy Land. For those who will weep, and fear, and die this day.
For urgent prayer, contact Gillian Purvis (267597) or Pat Rush (262561) to start the Prayer Chain.
Post Communion Prayer: Merciful Lord, grant your people grace to withstand the temptations of the world, the flesh and the devil, and with pure hearts and minds to follow you, the only God; through Jesus Christ our Lord. Amen.
Next week’s readings: Mothering Sunday
Exodus 2: 1- 10; Psalm 127: 1- 4; Colossians 3: 12- 17; John 19: 25b- 27.
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.
Mary Ramsay RIP
It is with sadness that we learnt this week of the death of Mary Ramsay. Mary was a resident of the parish and great supporter of the church, worshipping with us until 2019 when she moved into a care home, she died on 22nd January 2024. May Mary rest in peace and rise in glory.
Annual Revision of the Electoral Roll – Please read
In accordance with CofE Rules and Regulations the Annual Revision of the Electoral Roll will take place between February 19th (28 days before the APCM) and March 3rd (15 days before the APCM) when it is closed until after the APCM. Representations re additions, deletions, change of address etc to be made to the Electoral Roll Officer, Margaret Sherwood: tel. 01243 262 367 // margaret.sherwood@outlook.com. The revised Roll will be published after the APCM.
The Annual Parochial Church Meeting
The APCM will take place on Wednesday 20th March at 19:30, in St Andrew’s Chapel. You are very welcome to attend as we review and give thanks for the activity of Pagham church in 2023. Reports for the Annual report should be sent to MO for the deadline this weekend, please.
If you are interested in standing for election on the PCC, please speak to Mthr Lucy or the Wardens to find out more about this way of serving the church community.
Stations of the Cross
The Stations of the Cross have formed part of Christian devotion during Lent for many centuries because they enable us to engage actively with the path of suffering walked by Jesus. They originated when early Christians visited Jerusalem and wanted to follow literally in the footsteps of Jesus, tracing the path from Pilate’s house to Calvary. They would pause for prayer and devotion at various points, it’s still possible to walk this path today. Eventually those pilgrims brought the practice back to their home countries and ever since then Christians of differing traditions have used this form of devotion.
You welcome to join in the Stations of the Cross on Sundays in Lent- this week (25th Feb.) at 17:30 at St Richard’s Church, Aldwick. No prior experience needed, or wet weather gear- our pilgrimage takes around on a spiritual journey inside the church.
Lent Lunches
Join us for Soup Stop lunches during Lent, the opportunity for good food and company will return on Thursdays: 7th, 14th and 21st March at the Pagham Parish Church Centre, Nyetimber Lane. 12noon- 1:15pm. Join us for a warm welcome, soup and a roll, and tea & coffee. Why not invite a friend to join you?
Easter Flowers
As part of our celebration of Easter we like to fill the church with flowers. If you would like to sponsor an arrangement, or contribute to the costs of flowers, please speak to Trudi – 07703597353. The church will be cleaned and decorated on Holy Saturday – 30th March from 09:00. Please join us if you would like to help – hot cross buns and refreshments will be available at 11am. Donations of greenery would be appreciated, delivered to church by 09:00 on the 30th March.
SUPPORT FOR THE FOODBANK IS MORE IMPORTANT THAN EVER.
Urgently needed this week: Jams/ spreads, tinned fruit, UHT milk (red/ blue), instant coffee, toilet rolls. We have plenty: Baked beans, pulses.