Weekly Pews News
no 22-4
23.1.22
THIRD SUNDAY OF EPIPHANY
08:00 Holy Communion
09:30 Parish Eucharist
Collect Almighty God, whose Son revealed in signs and miracles the wonder of your saving presence: renew your people with your heavenly grace, and in all our weakness sustain us by your mighty power; 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.
Readings Nehemiah 8: 1–3, 5–6, 8–10; Psalm 19; 1 Corinthians 12: 21–31a; Luke 4: 14–21
Psalm response Your words are spirit, Lord, and they are life.
Sunday 23rd January
Intention: ‘They saw the child with Mary his mother, and they knelt down and paid him homage.’ (Mt 2:11) We gather in worship around the One Lord.
Monday 24th January – Francis de Sales, bishop, teacher of the faith, 1622
Intention: ‘Then, opening their treasure chests, they offered him gifts of gold, frankincense, and myrrh.’ (Mt 2:11) We search for unity.
09:00 Morning prayer (at church)
Tuesday 25th January – CONVERSION OF PAUL Week of prayer for Christian Unity ends
Intention: ‘They left for their own country by another road.’ (Mt 2:12) Let us travel beyond the familiar routes of separation to God’s new paths.
17:30 Evening prayer (in church and on Zoom)
19:00 Tuesday@7 Eucharist
Wednesday 26th January – Timothy and Titus, companions of Paul
Intention: the elderly, lonely and bereaved; all those in residential care and those who care for them.
17.30 Evening prayer (in church and on Zoom)
Thursday 27th January
Intention: all who work for peace and justice; the maintenance of good relationships with the United Nations and all other countries.
09.00 Morning prayer (at church)
10:00 Holy Communion
Friday 28th January – Thomas Aquinas, priest, philosopher, teacher of the faith, 1274
Intention: vocations to the ordained ministry, especially in our own parish; theological colleges and ordinands in training; vocations to the religious life.
16:00 Choir practice
Saturday 29th January
Intention: our mission to our own parish; the outreach of our parish newsletter; all newcomers to Pagham, and to our Church family.
Sunday 30th January – PRESENTATION OF CHRIST IN THE TEMPLE (CANDLEMAS)
Readings: Malachi 3: 1–5; Psalm 24: 7–end; Hebrews 2: 14–end; Luke 2: 22–40.
PRAYERS AND INTENTIONS
We pray for all in need of healing in body, mind or spirit Lynette, Rosie Sims, Terry Haskell, Barbara Crew, Karen Cox, Jim Fowler, Sheila King, Dawn Spurway Pearson, Mo Ford, Nicola Simpson, Betty Smith, Heather Marchant, Mike Hatzfeld, Andrew Naylor, Colin May, Lucy Gammon.
For urgent prayer, contact Gillian Purvis (267597) or Pat Rush (262561) to start the Prayer Chain.
Anniversary of death James Turton, Florence Plummer (24th); Cyril May (25th); Winifred Turner, Isobelle Summerside, Phyllis Perkins, Marjorie Phillips (27th); Eileen Tooze, Leonard Cowee (28th); Frank Ashton-Gwatkin, Daniel Humphries, Bill Clark, Sylvia Pepper (29th).
We remember Pagham Church family who live in residential care or usually receive communion at home: Bett Steenerson, Jane Upton.
We pray for our wider Christian family in the Middle East as they follow Christ and share his love in very challenging and difficult times. (See below.)
NOTICES
Face coverings It is still mandatory to wear face coverings when in places of worship. You are asked to wear your face covering at all times when attending services/events in the church including when singing, please, unless medically exempt. We also ask that you use the hand sanitizer available at the door on arrival. Mthr Lucy and the Wardens will continue to review our COVID-19 practices regularly, so please be aware of notices on the pew sheet and in church.
Transept seating These side areas are kept for those who wish to maintain social distancing. There are ‘red crosses’ available to place on the seats beside you, to signal that you want to keep social distance.
Thank you for the many cards and messages of love and condolence sent to me and my family over the last few weeks. We are very grateful for your prayer and support. Thank you too, to all those who have held the parish during my absence. Mthr Lucy.
Evening prayer will now run both online and in church, as noted above. To join online you will need either the mobile app. or a copy of the Common Worship Daily Prayer book. Copies of this book can be borrowed from church. Please speak to Mthr Lucy if you would like more details.
‘Great is Thy Faithfulness’ Growing the Household of Faith pilot programme The parishes of Pagham and Aldwick have been invited to take part in this diocesan programme, which launches this week. Members of our congregations have been invited by +Martin and the Department for Apostolic Life. Along with representatives from just 16 parishes in the diocese, we are invited to explore church growth and baptismal vocation and what this means for our parishes. We will be journeying most closely with the Parish of Rustington, who we have been paired with. Please pray for our representatives and all those participants across the diocese as we begin this exciting time of prayer, listening and exploring all that we are called to this at this time, in this place.
Week of Prayer for Christian Unity, 18th–25th This Week of Prayer has been prepared by the Churches of the Middle East. The Christians of the Middle East offer these resources conscious that the world shares many of the travails and much of the difficulties that it experiences, and yearns for a light to lead the way to the Saviour who is the light that overcomes darkness.’
Our prayer intentions during these days are adapted from the resources available on this website: https://ctbi.org.uk/week-of-prayer-for-christian-unity-2022/
Christian Aid provides Go and Do action points for each of the daily reflections – linking into the important work of Christian Aid in the relief of poverty and advocacy of justice:
https://ctbi.org.uk/go-and-do-week-of-prayer-for-christian-unity-2022/
Book group Our next meeting is on Friday 4th February at 14:30 in St Andrew’s Chapel. We will be discussing ‘Two dogs and a parrot’ by Joan Chittister. More information from Linda Tempest, lindatempest@hotmail.com, 07443 905893.
CONTACT DETAILS – find us on Facebook, Instagram and Twitter @StThomasPagham Priest-in-Charge: The Reverend Lucy Sullivan
19 Willowhale Avenue, Bognor Regis, PO21 4AU mthrlucy.pagham@gmail.com, 01243 941551. Churchwardens: Mike Wake and Alex Brockhurst: churchwarden@paghamchurch.org,
07899 705632//07792 544259.
Church website update: email editor@paghamchurch.org.
Safeguarding Officer: Jan Brockhurst, safeguarding@paghamchurch.org.
Pews News: Alison Blenkinsop, pewsnews@paghamchurch.org, 261131, 07784 544981.