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: Mrs Sue O’Neill
Tel: 07867 904780; 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 21st May 2023
Seventh Sunday of Easter
Sunday 21st 08:00 Holy Communion (St Richard’s and Pagham)
EASTER 7 09:30 Parish Eucharist with Sunday School
Monday 22nd No public worship today
19:30 Being With (Pagham Church Centre- Nyetimber Lane)
Tuesday 23rd 18:00 Evening Prayer (Pagham church)
19:00 Tuesday@7
Wednesday 24th 18:00 Evening Prayer (Pagham church)
John and Charles Wesley
Thursday 25th 09:00 Morning Prayer
The Venerable Bede 10:00 Said Eucharist (Pagham)
Friday 26th No public services today
St Augustine
Saturday 27th 10:30 Coffee, Cake & Conversation
St Richard’s Mosse Hall)
Sunday 28th 08:00 Holy Communion (St Richard’s only)
PENTECOST 09:30 Parish Eucharist
Hymns
Introit: 255 Hail the day that seems him rise (vs1, 2, 7)
Gradual: 12 Alleluia, sing to Jesus
Offertory: 551 O worship the king (omit vs 3)
Final: 580 Rejoice the Lord is King
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 Seventh Sunday of Easter:
O God the King of glory, you have exalted your only Son Jesus Christ with great triumph to your kingdom in heaven: we beseech you, leave us not comfortless, but send your Holy Spirit to strengthen us and exalt us to the place where our Saviour Christ is gone before, who is alive and reigns with you, in the unity of the Holy Spirit, one God, now and for ever. Amen.
New Testament reading: Acts 1: 6- 14
When the apostles had come together, they asked him, ‘Lord, is this the time when you will restore the kingdom to Israel?’ He replied, ‘It is not for you to know the times or periods that the Father has set by his own authority. But you will receive power when the Holy Spirit has come upon you; and you will be my witnesses in Jerusalem, in all Judea and Samaria, and to the ends of the earth.’ When he had said this, as they were watching, he was lifted up, and a cloud took him out of their sight. While he was going and they were gazing up towards heaven, suddenly two men in white robes stood by them. They said, ‘Men of Galilee, why do you stand looking up towards heaven? This Jesus, who has been taken up from you into heaven, will come in the same way as you saw him go into heaven.’
Then they returned to Jerusalem from the mount called Olivet, which is near Jerusalem, a sabbath day’s journey away. When they had entered the city, they went to the room upstairs where they were staying, Peter, and John, and James, and Andrew, Philip and Thomas, Bartholomew and Matthew, James son of Alphaeus, and Simon the Zealot, and Judas son of James. All these were constantly devoting themselves to prayer, together with certain women, including Mary the mother of Jesus, as well as his brothers.
Psalm 68: 1- 10 The response to the psalm is “Sing to God, O kingdoms of the earth.”
New Testament Reading: 1 Peter 4: 12- 14; 5: 6- 11
Beloved, do not be surprised at the fiery ordeal that is taking place among you to test you, as though something strange were happening to you. But rejoice in so far as you are sharing Christ’s sufferings, so that you may also be glad and shout for joy when his glory is revealed. If you are reviled for the name of Christ, you are blessed, because the spirit of glory, which is the Spirit of God, is resting on you.
Humble yourselves therefore under the mighty hand of God, so that he may exalt you in due time. Cast all your anxiety on him, because he cares for you. Discipline yourselves; keep alert. Like a roaring lion your adversary the devil prowls around, looking for someone to devour. Resist him, steadfast in your faith, for you know that your brothers and sisters throughout the world are undergoing the same kinds of suffering. And after you have suffered for a little while, the God of all grace, who has called you to his eternal glory in Christ, will himself restore, support, strengthen, and establish you. To him be the power for ever and ever. Amen.
Gospel Reading: John 17: 1- 11
After Jesus had spoken these words, he looked up to heaven and said, ‘Father, the hour has come; glorify your Son so that the Son may glorify you, since you have given him authority over all people, to give eternal life to all whom you have given him. And this is eternal life, that they may know you, the only true God, and Jesus Christ whom you have sent. I glorified you on earth by finishing the work that you gave me to do. So now, Father, glorify me in your own presence with the glory that I had in your presence before the world existed.
‘I have made your name known to those whom you gave me from the world. They were yours, and you gave them to me, and they have kept your word. Now they know that everything you have given me is from you; for the words that you gave to me I have given to them, and they have received them and know in truth that I came from you; and they have believed that you sent me. I am asking on their behalf; I am not asking on behalf of the world, but on behalf of those whom you gave me, because they are yours. All mine are yours, and yours are mine; and I have been glorified in them. And now I am no longer in the world, but they are in the world, and I am coming to you. Holy Father, protect them in your name that you have given me, so that they may be one, as we are one.
Prayers of Intercession
The sick and those who care for them: Rosie Sims, 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, Elizabeth, Pam Browning, Beatrice Tucker, Carol Turner.
Anniversary of death Albert Baldwin, Christopher Greenfield, Florence Dobson (21st); Ernest Denyer, Steven Prince (22nd); Wendy Holyoak (23rd); Frank Baker (26th); Maude Teulon (27th).
Recently departed Daphne Sharrad, Fran Ward, Simon Grout.
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 Nyewood Junior School as they seek to appoint a new Head Teacher.
We pray for those sitting exams and submitting final assessments at this time.
We pray for those preparing for ordination to the diaconate and priesthood at this time.
For urgent prayer, contact Gillian Purvis (267597) or Pat Rush (262561) to start the Prayer Chain.
Post Communion Prayer: Eternal God, giver of love and power, your Son Jesus Christ has sent us into all the world to preach the gospel of his kingdom: confirm us in this mission, and help us to live the good news we proclaim; through Jesus Christ our Lord. Amen.
Next week’s readings: Pentecost
Acts 2: 1- 21; Psalm 104: 26- end; 1 Corinthians 12: 3b- 13; John 20: 19- 23.
Being With- Course Exploring Christian Faith and Life
Our new course for those exploring the Christian faith has now begun, but it’s not too late to join us if you are interested. We meet on Monday evenings at 19:30- 21:00 at the Pagham Church Centre on Nyetimber Lane (10 sessions in total 19:30- 21:00, no session on Monday 29th May). The course is an introduction to Christianity with a difference. At its heart is the idea that God’s greatest desire is to be with us in Jesus. If you would like to know more about this course please speak to Mthr Lucy.
St Thomas à Becket Annual Parochial Church Meetings
Following the Annual Meetings of the parish last Sunday I am pleased to share that the following people were elected to the PCC- Chris Buckenham, Richard Rundle and Carol-Anne Pocock. And the following people were elected to the Deanery Synod- Trudi Kearsley and David Smith. Alex Brockhurst and Sue O’Neill were elected as Churchwardens.
Please can you all include the new PCC in your prayer as we look forward to the next year of ministry in this place together. Thank you.
Tuesday@7 in half-term
On Tuesday 30th May we will meet at 19:00, at the church and head out on a walk to the beach and back to the church, weather permitting. An email will be sent at 15:00 on 30th May to confirm, if the weather is looking questionable. All are welcome to join us. There will be no service in church on that evening.
Friends of Pagham Church- Cream Tea
Sunday 4th June in church. Everyone welcome. £5.00. For further details please contact Carole Druce 07732768890.
Combined Parishes Pilgrimage to the Shrine of Our Lady of Walsingham
Mthr Lucy will be leading a pilgrimage to the Anglican Shrine of Our Lady of Walsingham for the parishes of Pagham and Aldwick on Friday 24th November – Sunday 26th November. More details of Pilgrimage to Walsingham can be found at www.walsinghamanglican.org.uk
The cost of accommodation which is full-board is £162 per adult/ £97.20 for 5-16yr olds. Travel arrangements to be made privately/ via car shares with sharing the cost of fuel evenly between passengers. To reserve a space on this pilgrimage please sign-up in church by Wednesday 7th June, a £30 deposit is required at this stage and can be given to Trudi in a named envelope.
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.