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)
Churchwarden: Mr Alex Brockhurst
Tel: 07792 544259.; Email: churchwarden@paghamchurch.org
Churchwarden: Mr Mike Wake
Tel: 07899 705632; Email: churchwarden@paghamchurch.org
Safeguarding Officer: Mrs Jan Brockhurst
Email: safeguarding@paghamchurch.org
Find us online: www.paghamchurch.org // @StThomasPagham
Registered charity number 1134842
SUNDAY 5th FEBRUARY 2023
THIRD SUNDAY BEFORE LENT
Sunday 5th 08:00 Holy Communion
09:30 Parish Family Eucharis
Monday 6th 09:00 Morning Prayer (church)
Tuesday 7th 17:30 Evening Prayer (Zoom
19:00 TUESDAY@7
Wednesday 8th 14:30 Tea & Chat Pagham Parish Church Centre
17:30 Evening Prayer (Zoom)
Thursday 9th 09:00 Morning Prayer (church)
10:00 Holy Communion
Friday 10th No public services today
Saturday 11th No public services today
Sunday 12th SECOND SUNDAY BEFORE LENT
08:00 Holy Communion- St Richard’s
09:30 Parish Euchari
14:00 Holy Baptism- Anders Ison Cotterill
Hymns
Entrance: 450 Morning has broken
Gradual: 646 The kingdom of God is justice and joy
Offertory: 901 This little light of mine
Final: 684 Thou, whose almighty word
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 Third Sunday before Lent:
Eternal God, whose Son went among the crowds and brought healing with his touch: help us to show his love, in your Church as we gather together, and by our lives as they are transformed into the image of Christ our Lord. Amen.
Old Testament reading: Isaiah 58: 1- 9a
Shout out, do not hold back! Lift up your voice like a trumpet!
Announce to my people their rebellion, to the house of Jacob their sins.
Yet day after day they seek me and delight to know my ways, as if they were a nation that practised righteousness and did not forsake the ordinance of their God;
they ask of me righteous judgements, they delight to draw near to God.
‘Why do we fast, but you do not see? Why humble ourselves, but you do not notice?’ Look, you serve your own interest on your fast-day, and oppress all your workers. Look, you fast only to quarrel and to fight and to strike with a wicked fist.
Such fasting as you do today will not make your voice heard on high.
Is such the fast that I choose, a day to humble oneself? Is it to bow down the head like a bulrush, and to lie in sackcloth and ashes? Will you call this a fast, a day acceptable to the Lord? Is not this the fast that I choose: to loose the bonds of injustice, to undo the thongs of the yoke, to let the oppressed go free, and to break every yoke? Is it not to share your bread with the hungry, and bring the homeless poor into your house; when you see the naked, to cover them, and not to hide yourself from your own kin? Then your light shall break forth like the dawn, and your healing shall spring up quickly; your vindicator shall go before you, the glory of the Lord shall be your rear guard. Then you shall call, and the Lord will answer; you shall cry for help, and he will say, Here I am.
Psalm 112: 1- 9 the response to the psalm is “Light shines in the darkness for the upright.”
New Testament reading: 1 Corinthians 2: 1- 12
When I came to you, brothers and sisters, I did not come proclaiming the mystery of God to you in lofty words or wisdom. For I decided to know nothing among you except Jesus Christ, and him crucified. And I came to you in weakness and in fear and in much trembling. My speech and my proclamation were not with plausible words of wisdom, but with a demonstration of the Spirit and of power, so that your faith might rest not on human wisdom but on the power of God.
Yet among the mature we do speak wisdom, though it is not a wisdom of this age or of the rulers of this age, who are doomed to perish. But we speak God’s wisdom, secret and hidden, which God decreed before the ages for our glory. None of the rulers of this age understood this; for if they had, they would not have crucified the Lord of glory. But, as it is written,
‘What no eye has seen, nor ear heard, nor the human heart conceived,
what God has prepared for those who love him’— these things God has revealed to us through the Spirit; for the Spirit searches everything, even the depths of God. For what human being knows what is truly human except the human spirit that is within? So also no one comprehends what is truly God’s except the Spirit of God. Now we have received not the spirit of the world, but the Spirit that is from God, so that we may understand the gifts bestowed on us by God.
Gospel reading: Matthew 5: 13- 20
‘You are the salt of the earth; but if salt has lost its taste, how can its saltiness be restored? It is no longer good for anything, but is thrown out and trampled under foot. ‘You are the light of the world. A city built on a hill cannot be hidden. No one after lighting a lamp puts it under the bushel basket, but on the lampstand, and it gives light to all in the house. In the same way, let your light shine before others, so that they may see your good works and give glory to your Father in heaven.
‘Do not think that I have come to abolish the law or the prophets; I have come not to abolish but to fulfil. For truly I tell you, until heaven and earth pass away, not one letter, not one stroke of a letter, will pass from the law until all is accomplished. Therefore, whoever breaks one of the least of these commandments, and teaches others to do the same, will be called least in the kingdom of heaven; but whoever does them and teaches them will be called great in the kingdom of heaven. For I tell you, unless your righteousness exceeds that of the scribes and Pharisees, you will never enter the kingdom of heaven.
Prayers of Intercession
The sick and those who care for them: Rosie Sims, Terry Haskell, Barbara Crew, Karen Cox, Jim Fowler, Sheila King, Dawn Spurway Pearson, Nicola Simpson, Betty Smith, Mike Hatzfeld, Andrew Naylor, Colin May, Tyler Rankin, Max Davey, Leslie Francis, Dickie Roots, Colin Wood, Elizabeth, Pam Browning.
Recently departed:
Anniversary of death: Mary Pryde (5th); Ethel Funnell (7th); Elsie Breaker, Rita Lloyd (9th);
Frank Rowley (11th).
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.
For urgent prayer, contact Gillian Purvis (267597) or Pat Rush (262561) to start the Prayer Chain.
Post Communion Prayer Merciful Father, who gave Jesus Christ to be for us the bread of life, that those who come to him should never hunger: draw us to the Lord in faith and love, that we may eat and drink with him at his table in the kingdom, where he is alive and reigns, now and for ever. Amen.
Next week’s readings: Second Sunday before Lent
Genesis 1: 1- 2: 3; Psalm 136: 1-9, 23- end; Romans 8: 18- 25; Matthew 6: 25- end.
Holy Land Pilgrimage
From the 6th February I am on the Diocesan Holy Land Pilgrimage. Please know that I pray for you as I journey, and I hope that you will pray for me and the other pilgrims. If you would like me to hold a particular prayer intention on this pilgrimage, please do send me a message by Monday 6th February. Mthr Lucy
Exsultet Candles We have a number of ‘Pagham candles’ available for sale. They cost £2- £6 dependant on size and are unscented. Exultet Candles are made from previous years’ Paschal (Easter) candles and make a wonderful gift or addition to your home and are perfect to be lit during your prayer time or perhaps on the table for a dinner party- what a great way to open the conversation about your church with friends!
Men’s Group Burns Night Huge thanks to Stephen and the Men’s group for the fantastic Burns Night on Friday evening. A tremendous £715 was raised. So, thank you to all those who supported the event.
Aldwick Mothers’ Union AGM The Aldwick Mothers’ Union is open to women and men, parents or not, in the local area and they will hold their AGM will take place on Tuesday 7th February at 19:30, at the Waverley. All are welcome to attend- especially those who have enjoyed events, this year. This is an opportunity to hear about the work of MU, to find out more about joining and the plans for the next year do come along. For more details, please speak to Julie Broad 07511 953 896.
Friends of Pagham Parish Church ‘Winter Warmer’ Join the “Friends” for an evening of good food on Saturday 11th February at 6.30 pm in St. Andrew’s Chapel. £10 per head. Bring your own drinks. Please add your name to the sign-up sheet on the notice board.
Pancake Party Tuesday 21st February 14:30- 16:00 in the Pagham Parish Church Centre, Nyetimber Lane. Come and fill your tums with pancakes before our lent fast begins. Open to all, bring a friend and enjoy both the hospitality and the company.
Ash Wednesday Lent begins on Ash Wednesday 22nd February. On this day there will be a Said Eucharist with Imposition of Ashes at 10:00 at St Thomas à Becket, and a Sung Eucharist with Imposition of Ashes at 19:30, at St Richard’s Aldwick. Please do make every effort to attend a service on this day at the start this holy season. In preparation for these services, please can you return any palm crosses you have at home, to be burnt for ash. Many thanks.
Lent, Holy Week and Easter 2023 Please pick-up a flyer which outlines all our Lent, Holy Week and Easter services, study groups, and invitations to prayer. This year, in an attempt to make all events as accessible as possible there is a combination of offerings day/ evening/ weekend – at St Richard’s and St Thomas à Becket. Please know that you are welcome at all sessions.
Christian Aid Lent Lunches In aid of Christian Aid we will be hosting ‘Lent Lunches’ at the Pagham Parish Church Centre, Nyetimber Lane, on the Thursdays in Lent 12:00- 14:00(March 2nd, 9th, 16th, 23rd, 30th). Warming soup lunch with bread roll, teas and coffees and a warm welcome! Bring a friend. Pay what you feel… this means you might only feel able to pay £1… or you might feel able to pay £10. Knowing that you can enjoy a warm meal and company, or that you are enabling someone else to enjoy these in the difficult financial times some are facing at the moment, and adding to our offering to Christian Aid. Sue O’Neill will be co-ordinating these lunches, if you would like to help her, please do contact her on suesdesignservices@gmail.com / 07867 904 780. It’s not necessary to be available every week.
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.