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 12TH NOVEMBER 2023
Remembrance SUNDAY
Sunday 12th 08:00 Holy Communion including
Remembrance Sunday act of remembrance (Aldwick)
09:30 Sung Eucharist
with Act of Remembrance at St Thomas à Becket, Pagham
16:00 Getting to know St Paul (Pagham)
17:30 Evening Prayer (Pagham)
Monday 13th 09:00 Morning Prayer (Pagham)
Charles Simeon
Tuesday 14th 17:30 Evening Prayer (zoom)
19:00 Tuesday@7 (Pagham)
Wednesday 15th 17:30 Evening Prayer (zoom)
Thursday 16th 09:00 Morning Prayer (Pagham)
Margaret, 10:00 Holy Communion (Pagham)
Queen of Scotland
Friday 17th No public worship today
Hugh Bishop of Lincoln
Saturday 18th No public worship today
Elizabeth of Hungary
Sunday 19th 08:00 Holy Communion (Aldwick & Pagham)
Second Sunday 09:30 Parish Eucharist with Sunday School
before Advent 16:00 Getting to know St Paul (Pagham)
17:30 Evening Prayer (Pagham)
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.
Hymns
Introit: 153 Eternal Father strong to save
Gradual: 144 Dear Lord and Father of mankind
Offertory: 413 Lord of all hopefulness
Final: 494 O God our help in ages past
The Collect (Opening Prayer) for Remembrance Sunday:
Almighty Father, whose will is to restore all things in your beloved Son, the King of all: govern the hearts and minds of those in authority, and bring the families of the nations, divided and torn apart by the ravages of sin, to be subject to his just and gentle rule; who is alive and reigns with you, in the unity of the Holy Spirit, one God, now and for ever. Amen.
First reading: Wisdom of Solomon 6: 12- 16
Wisdom is radiant and unfading,
and she is easily discerned by those who love her,
and is found by those who seek her.
She hastens to make herself known to those who desire her.
One who rises early to seek her will have no difficulty,
for she will be found sitting at the gate.
To fix one’s thought on her is perfect understanding,
and one who is vigilant on her account will soon be free from care,
because she goes about seeking those worthy of her,
and she graciously appears to them in their paths,
and meets them in every thought.
Psalm 70 The response to the psalm is as announced.
Second Reading: 1 Thessalonians 4: 13- end
We do not want you to be uninformed, brothers and sisters, about those who have died, so that you may not grieve as others do who have no hope. For since we believe that Jesus died and rose again, even so, through Jesus, God will bring with him those who have died. For this we declare to you by the word of the Lord, that we who are alive, who are left until the coming of the Lord, will by no means precede those who have died. For the Lord himself, with a cry of command, with the archangel’s call and with the sound of God’s trumpet, will descend from heaven, and the dead in Christ will rise first. Then we who are alive, who are left, will be caught up in the clouds together with them to meet the Lord in the air; and so we will be with the Lord for ever. Therefore encourage one another with these words.
Gospel Reading: Matthew 25: 1- 13
‘Then the kingdom of heaven will be like this. Ten bridesmaids took their lamps and went to meet the bridegroom. Five of them were foolish, and five were wise. When the foolish took their lamps, they took no oil with them; but the wise took flasks of oil with their lamps. As the bridegroom was delayed, all of them became drowsy and slept. But at midnight there was a shout, “Look! Here is the bridegroom! Come out to meet him.” Then all those bridesmaids got up and trimmed their lamps. The foolish said to the wise, “Give us some of your oil, for our lamps are going out.” But the wise replied, “No! there will not be enough for you and for us; you had better go to the dealers and buy some for yourselves.” And while they went to buy it, the bridegroom came, and those who were ready went with him into the wedding banquet; and the door was shut. Later the other bridesmaids came also, saying, “Lord, lord, open to us.” But he replied, “Truly I tell you, I do not know you.” Keep awake therefore, for you know neither the day nor the hour.
Prayers of Intercession
The sick and those who care for them: Barbara & Alan Crew, Karen Cox, Sheila King, Dawn Spurway Pearson, Mike Hatzfeld, Elizabeth, Pam Browning, Julie Green, Lucia, Jessie Hutchins, Bill & Pat Rush.
Recently departed:
Anniversary of death: Sylvia Evans (13th); Dorothy Sibley, Sarah Fellows, Thomas Street (14th); Irene Jev, Ethel Goldsmith, Ann Eden (17th).
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: God of peace, whose Son Jesus Christ proclaimed the kingdom and restored the broken to wholeness of life: look with compassion on the anguish of the world, and by your healing power make whole both people and nations; through our Lord and Saviour Jesus Christ. Amen.
Next week’s readings: Second Sunday before Advent
Zephaniah 1: 7, 12- end; Psalm 90: 1-8; 1 Thessalonians 5: 1- 11; Matthew 25: 14- 30
Return of Generous Giving pledges
Thank you to all those who returned their Generous Giving Pledge cards, early indications are of a positive response. As you know envelopes were prepare for everyone on the Electoral Roll. Approximately 27% of those which were collected or delivered 27% returned their pledge card in the gold box. (Pledge cards asked people to indicate whether they were able to increase their giving or would be keeping it the same, it was very helpful to receive those cards we did with whatever information was shared). Approximately 20% of those envelopes were either not collected or delivered.
Getting to know Paul
Our study course on the writings of St Paul- continue on Sundays 12th & 19th November, at 16:00 in St Andrew’s Chapel at Pagham Church. Do pick-up a flyer for these sessions which include details on how sessions will run and suggested pre- reading. It’s not too late to join us!
2023 Link to Hope Shoebox Appeal
Thank you to all those who supported this year’s campaign, we have been able to send of over 50 shoeboxes and 100 blankets- a wonderful and generous offering from the Pagham community.
Remembrance Sunday
We gather at Pagham church for the Parish Eucharist as usual at 09:30, followed by an Act of Remembrance at 11am. At our service we welcome the congregation of St Richard’s and include the singing of the joint choirs, as well as welcoming local uniformed organisations. There will be a said Eucharist at 8am in Aldwick on this day, but no 11:15am service.
1st Pagham & Aldwick Brownies Children in Need fundraiser
We’re holding an indoor campfire, because “Girls can perform anything!”. We’re hoping it won’t just be the girls though – families, friends and of course members of St Richard’s congregation are invited to join us for the evening, and we’re hoping for lots of audience participation :-)
There will be refreshments for sale, a lucky dip, a raffle and maybe other side stalls too.
The Mosse Hall on Thursday 16th November, 5.30-7pm.
Pie and Mash Knees-Up
Saturday 25th November 18:30 at Pagham Parish Church Centre. Tickets £12.00. Please add your names to the sign-up sheet on the noticeboard and indicate which Turner’s Pie you would like. For details contact Carole Druce 07732768890.
Church Christmas Tree 2023
This year we are asking for small donations from members of the congregation and visitors towards the cost of our Christmas tree and new decorations. The decorations we will be using this year, and in years to come, invite people to write names of loved ones they are praying for or thinking of this Christmas and then to hang them on the tree. The collection jar will be available in the church at all services and at all church events until the end of November.
Christmas Fair
Thank you for all of the offers of help. Please can you start to bring your donations to Church, either Sue or Trudi will take them. If you need items picking up let Sue know and she will arrange this.
Please take a poster with you after Church to put up locally and share with friends and family. Lookout for more information on stalls on the notice board. Many thanks, Sue.
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.