Weekly Pews News
no 21-6
7.2.2021
Second Sunday before Lent
Sunday 7th February
10:00 Online Eucharist (see notice below)
Readings: Proverbs 8: 1, 22–31; Psalm 104: 26–end; Colossians 1: 15–20; John 1: 1–14
Collect Almighty God, you have created the heavens and the earth and made us in your own image: teach us to discern your hand in all your works and your likeness in all your children; through Jesus Christ your Son our Lord, who with you and the Holy Spirit reigns supreme over all things, now and for ever. Amen.
Lockdown 3.0: all public worship at St Thomas à Becket’s, Pagham, is currently suspended, due to the current concerning rate of infection and demand on our local and national NHS provision. This decision will be reviewed regularly, but we do not anticipate returning to public worship until at least 21st Feb.
The church is also closed for private prayer at this time – this will also be reviewed regularly.
As the UK has reached the haunting number of well over 100,000 deaths with Covid-19, let us renew our prayer for all those who have died, for those sick or recovering from Covid-19, for all those who grieve whether affected directly by a Covid death or for the many other losses felt at this time, and the many who continue to work so hard on the frontline and to manage our response to this pandemic. The Archbishops of Canterbury and York recently called us all to pray together at 18:00 each evening. They write: “One thing we can all do is pray. We hope it is some consolation to know that the church prays for the life of our nation every day. Whether you’re someone of faith, or not, we invite you to call on God in prayer. …. We invite you to set aside time every evening to pray, particularly at 6pm each day. More than ever, this is a time when we need to love each other. Prayer is an expression of love.” Mthr Lucy
Sunday 7th February
Intention: our schools, colleges and universities; all teachers and learners, governors and administrators.
11:00–12:00 Online coffee meeting (see below)
Monday 8th February
Intention: the hungry, homeless, refugees and asylum seekers; the work of Church Army, Christian Aid and all relief agencies; our local charities Stonepillow and Bognor Regis Foodbank.
09:00 Morning prayer (online, see below)
17.30 Evening prayer
Tuesday 9th February
Intention: the Queen and Royal Family, our nation and government, and our local MP Nick Gibb.
09:00 Morning prayer
17.30 Evening prayer
Wednesday 10th February
Intention: our local clubs and organisations, especially our Ladies’ Club and Men’s Group, and Pagham Luncheon Club.
17.30 Evening prayer
Thursday 11th February
Intention: our Scouts, Guides, Cadets and other local youth organisations.
09:00 Morning prayer
Friday 12th February
Intention: our local industry and commerce, our farmers and growers, and the holiday industry; the staff and guests of Church Farm Holiday Village.
Saturday 13th February
Intention: our organist and director of music, our choir and musicians; our lay ministers of communion, altar servers, welcome team and bell-ringers.
Sunday 14th February – Sunday next before Lent
Readings: Ezekiel 47: 1–12; 1 John 4: 10–19; John 15: 9–13
PRAYERS AND INTENTIONS
We pray for all in need of healing in body, mind or spirit: Lynette, Rosie Sims, Terry Haskell, Barbara Crew, Jean Martin, Lila Cowee, June & Bruce Evans, Karen Cox, Jim Fowler, Sheila King, Gerald Hume, Carole & Ian Turner, John Kitchener.
For urgent prayer, contact Gillian Purvis (267597) or Colin Wood (264192) to start the Prayer Chain.
The recently departed: Di Willson, Pauline Aylward, Gill Coppuck, Robin Potter, Beryl Rundle.
Anniversary of death: Ethel Funnell (7th); Elsie Breaker, Rita Lloyd (9th); Frank Rowley (11th); Rose Humphries (12th); Leonard Pyefinch (13th).
We remember Church family who live in residential care or usually receive communion at home: Beatrice Armstrong, Mary Baxter, Madge Breakspear.
We pray for all affected directly by Covid-19, especially all involved in vaccination programmes, and those considering how best to share the UK’s supplies fairly.
NOTICES
Leprosy Mission: next Sunday we welcome Chris from the Leprosy Mission as our preacher and to Zoom coffee. Please make a special attempt to watch our service at 10:00 on 14th February, and to come along to coffee to hear more and ask questions about the important work of this charity.
Online services: I encourage you to join the service at 10:00 if you can – just as you would turn up to church for a set time. I hope this will give us a greater sense of community as we think of others gathering at the same time, in prayer. The service will show in ‘real’ time, and so for the first 50 mins will show as ‘LIVE’ meaning you cannot fast forward/rewind. Please note that each week’s service will continue to be available, as in other weeks, so you can watch at your leisure.
Online Coffee Hour after the service: we continue to meet from 11:00 to 12:00. You are welcome to join whenever you are able, and leave early if you need to. Details are in Trudi’s email – if you would like some help navigating Zoom please do contact Mthr Lucy.
Morning & Evening Prayer on Zoom continues as listed above. The praying of the Daily Office is an important way to pray together as a community, to offer up the day’s challenges and give thanks for the blessings. All texts are provided on screen. The link to this can be found in Trudi’s email. Please contact Mthr Lucy if you have any trouble joining the call.
Di Willson: the funeral of Di Willson, active member of the congregation and dear friend to many of you, will take place on 12th February. This service will be webcast – if you would like the link for this, please contact Mthr Lucy. We continue to keep Di and her family in our prayers. May she rest in peace.
Quiet Garden online meeting: Chris Bemrose writes: ‘Although the Quiet Garden mornings at Runcton Manor are on hold, we are planning a series of three Zoom-based events on the theme of ‘Spiritual Journeying’. These are on the topics of Into the margins, Crossing borders and Through the heart, and will be held fortnightly from 2-3.30 pm on Tuesdays, 16th February, 2nd & 16th March respectively. Places are limited, so prior booking is essential.’ Contact Alison Blenkinsop (as below) for more details.
Lent Course 2021
This year we will be using the Diocese of Chichester Lent course Cracked Wide Open which, through introduction and conversations with Bishop Ruth and Bishop Will, invites reflection on what minimum requirements need to be present for a diocese to participate in the mission of God. In the light of that reflection, it asks for prayer about how our unity with God and in the Body of Christ might grow and deepen, that the world might believe (John 17:21). This course will be delivered online over 5 sessions, beginning on Monday 22nd February. Each session will run twice a week: Mondays at 19:00 and Wednesdays at 15:00. Materials will also be available for use at home.
Please let Mthr Lucy know this week which session (Mon/Wed) you would like to sign up for, to help with creating balanced ‘breakout’ groups. More details will be found on the Lent leaflet.
CONTACT DETAILS – find us on Facebook, Instagram and Twitter @StThomasPagham.
The Revd Lucy Sullivan: 19 Willowhale Avenue, Bognor Regis, West Sussex, PO21 4AU.
mthrlucy.pagham@gmail.com, 01243 941551. Rest day Friday.
Churchwardens: Mike Wake and Stephen Cox-Rusbridge:churchwarden@paghamchurch.org ,
07899 705632//07974 177905.
Church website update: email editor@paghamchurch.org.
Safeguarding Officer: Jan Brockhurst, safeguarding@paghamchurch.org.
Pews News: Alison Blenkinsop, pewsnews@paghamchurch.org, 261131, 07784 544981.
Registered charity number 1134842 www.paghamchurch.org