Weekly Pews News
no 21-8
21.2.2021
First Sunday of Lent
Sunday 21st February
10:00 Online Eucharist (see notice below)
Readings: Genesis 9: 8–17; Psalm 25: 1–9; 1 Peter 3: 18–end; Mark 1: 9–15
Collect Almighty God, whose Son Jesus Christ fasted forty days in the wilderness, and was tempted as we are, yet without sin: give us grace to discipline ourselves in obedience to your Spirit; and, as you know our weakness, so may we know your power to save; 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.
Lockdown 3.0: the Standing Committee members of the PCC agreed unanimously this week to continue its suspension of public worship at Pagham church. The church is also to remain closed for private prayer. We anticipate this will be for quite a few weeks more, and with sadness share that if we are able to safely return to public worship in time for Easter, then this will be a very stripped-back and simple celebration. Provision will be made for you to mark this Feast at home and online.
While this will be sad and difficult news for many of you, we must continue in this way to care for ourselves, one another and our NHS. The local situation around rates of infection with coronavirus is improving, but the NHS is still under tremendous strain. We must continue to do what we can to ‘Stay at Home’ while the vaccination programme is rolled out, and appropriate time is given for the first dose of the vaccine, that many of you have received, to take effect. Now is the time to be patient, but also thankful for the great steps that have been taken in protecting the community so far.
Let us continue to pray for all frontline workers, our friends and family that we miss, and all those who have died with Covid-19. Mthr Lucy
Sunday 21st February
Intention: the sick in body, mind or spirit; those who have life-limiting conditions; the work of St Wilfrid’s Hospice.
11:00–12:00 Online coffee meeting (see below)
Monday 22nd February
Intention: our Deanery of Arundel & Bognor, and its parishes, clergy and people; our Rural Dean Mark Standen, and the work of Deanery Synod.
09:00 Morning prayer (online, see below)
17.30 Evening prayer
19:30 Lent course 1
Tuesday 23rd February – Polycarp, bishop, martyr, c.155
Intention: all those who do difficult work on our behalf, especially in the armed services and the emergency services.
09:00 Morning prayer
17.30 Evening prayer
21:00 Compline
Wednesday 24th February
Intention: the Church’s worldwide mission; all missionary societies and the Bible Society.
15:00 Lent course 1
17:30 Evening Prayer
Thursday 25th February
Intention: our Diocese of Chichester, Bishops Martin, Ruth and Will, and Archdeacon Luke; the work of Diocesan Synod and Church House; the witness of Chichester Cathedral.
09:00 Morning prayer
19:00 Stations of the cross I-III
Friday 26th February
Intention: the elderly, lonely and bereaved; all those in residential care and those who care for them.
Saturday 27th February – George Herbert, priest, poet, 1633
Intention: all who work for peace and justice; the maintenance of good relationships with the United Nations and all other countries.
Sunday 28th February – Second Sunday of Lent
Readings: Genesis 17: 1–7, 15–16: Psalm 22: 23–end; Romans 4: 13–end; Mark 8: 31–end.
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: Gill Coppuck, Beryl Rundle, Robin Potter, Pamela Edwards, Terry McEwan.
Anniversary of death: Thomas Best, Jack Field, Tony Spurle (21st); John Fisk (22nd); Eric Willmot (23rd); Alfred Vickery, Jean Saunders (24th); Alan Faulkner, Edith Warren (26th); Ernest Cornell, Audrey Nicholls (27th).
We remember Church family who live in residential care or usually receive communion at home: Catherine Morrish, Daphne Sharrad.
We pray for all affected directly by Covid-19; for many who are struggling with mental health issues.
NOTICES
Online Sunday service: I encourage you to join the service at 10:00 on YouTube if you can – just as you would turn up to church for a set time.
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.
Additional services during Lent: many of you will have picked up that there are some additional services during Lent. We meet online for the office of Night Prayer (Compline) at 21:00 on Tuesdays; this will be on Zoom and also streamed on our Facebook page. You may find it helpful to have a copy of the Lent Prayer Resource with you for this. Stations of the Cross at 19:00 on Thursdays will also be on Zoom: everything you need for this service will be shared on the screen.
Please note that you can dip in and out of the online offerings as suits you.
Robin Potter RIP: Robin Potter’s funeral will take place on Tuesday 23rd February. Due to Covid restrictions, this is limited to family and invited friends. Robin’s son has made available the Order of Service, as well as a video tribute, which can be shared on request. There is also a short order of prayers for use at home on the day of a funeral which you might like to use. Please contact Mthr Lucy if you would like to receive these. We continue to pray for Robin and his family. May he rest in peace.
Christian Aid 2021: the charity continues to support families facing poverty and injustice, although now unable to offer the Lent Count Your Blessings, with a focus on Bangladesh this year. Please continue to pray, and give online: christianaid.org.uk; or call 020 7523 2269 to donate by telephone.
Link to Hope Shoeboxes: Link to Hope has thanked us for our contribution of 26 shoeboxes and over 100 blankets, collected before Christmas. The charity was able to deliver 20,768 boxes to some of the poorest people in Eastern Europe. Further details and photographs are available on their website www.linktohope.co.uk. Thanks to all who contributed to this appeal. Trudi Kearsley
Lent Course 2021: we are using the Diocese of Chichester course Cracked Wide Open which, through introduction and conversations with Bishop Ruth and Bishop Will, invites reflection on what minimum requirements are needed 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). The course is delivered online over 5 sessions, beginning on Monday 22nd. Each session will run twice weekly: Mon at 19:00, and Wed at 15:00.
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.