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 24TH SEPTEMBER 2023
SIXTEENTH SUNDAY AFTER TRINITY
Sunday 24th 08:00 Holy Communion (St Richard’s only)
TRINITY 16 09:30 Parish Eucharist followed by coffee
Monday 25th 09:00 Morning Prayer (Pagham Church)
Lancelot Andrews 17:30 Evening Prayer (St Richard’s Church)
9:30 Adult Confirmation Class
Tuesday 26th 10:00 Eucharist (St Richard’s)
18:00 Evening Prayer (Pagham Church)
19:00 Tuesday@7 (Pagham Church)
Wednesday 27th 18:00 Evening Prayer (Pagham Church)
Vincent de Paul 19:30 Meditation (Pagham church)
Thursday 28th 09:00 Morning Prayer (Pagham Church)
10:00 Holy Communion (Pagham Church)
17:30 Evening Prayer (St Richard’s)
Friday 29th 11:45 Funeral of Nicola Simpso
ST MICHAEL & ALL ANGELS (Chichester Crematorium)
Saturday 30th 14:00 Holy Matrimony-
Simon Namnyak and Karen Davey (Pagham)
Sunday 1st 08:00 Holy Communion (Aldwick and Pagham)
TRINITY 17 09:30 Parish Family Eucharist followed by coffee
Hymns
Introit: 474 Now thank we all our God
Gradual: 29 Amazing Grace
Offertory: 686 Through all the changing scenes
Final: 509 Oh Lord all the world belongs to you
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 Sixteenth Sunday after Trinity:
O Lord, we beseech you mercifully to hear the prayers of your people who call upon you; and grant that they may both perceive and know what things they ought to do, and also may have grace and power faithfully to fulfil them; 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.
Old Testament reading: Jonah 3: 10- end of 4
When God saw what they did, how they turned from their evil ways, God changed his mind about the calamity that he had said he would bring upon them; and he did not do it.
But this was very displeasing to Jonah, and he became angry. He prayed to the Lord and said, ‘O Lord! Is not this what I said while I was still in my own country? That is why I fled to Tarshish at the beginning; for I knew that you are a gracious God and merciful, slow to anger, and abounding in steadfast love, and ready to relent from punishing. And now, O Lord, please take my life from me, for it is better for me to die than to live.’ And the Lord said, ‘Is it right for you to be angry?’ Then Jonah went out of the city and sat down east of the city, and made a booth for himself there. He sat under it in the shade, waiting to see what would become of the city.
The Lord God appointed a bush, and made it come up over Jonah, to give shade over his head, to save him from his discomfort; so Jonah was very happy about the bush. But when dawn came up the next day, God appointed a worm that attacked the bush, so that it withered. When the sun rose, God prepared a sultry east wind, and the sun beat down on the head of Jonah so that he was faint and asked that he might die. He said, ‘It is better for me to die than to live.’
But God said to Jonah, ‘Is it right for you to be angry about the bush?’ And he said, ‘Yes, angry enough to die.’ Then the Lord said, ‘You are concerned about the bush, for which you did not labour and which you did not grow; it came into being in a night and perished in a night. And should I not be concerned about Nineveh, that great city, in which there are more than a hundred and twenty thousand people who do not know their right hand from their left, and also many animals?’
Psalm 145: 1- 8 The response to the psalm is as announced.
New Testament Reading: Philippians 1: 21- end
For to me, living is Christ and dying is gain. If I am to live in the flesh, that means fruitful labour for me; and I do not know which I prefer. I am hard pressed between the two: my desire is to depart and be with Christ, for that is far better; but to remain in the flesh is more necessary for you. Since I am convinced of this, I know that I will remain and continue with all of you for your progress and joy in faith, so that I may share abundantly in your boasting in Christ Jesus when I come to you again.
Only, live your life in a manner worthy of the gospel of Christ, so that, whether I come and see you or am absent and hear about you, I will know that you are standing firm in one spirit, striving side by side with one mind for the faith of the gospel, and are in no way intimidated by your opponents. For them this is evidence of their destruction, but of your salvation. And this is God’s doing. For he has graciously granted you the privilege not only of believing in Christ, but of suffering for him as well—since you are having the same struggle that you saw I had and now hear that I still have.
Gospel Reading: Matthew 20: 1- 16
‘For the kingdom of heaven is like a landowner who went out early in the morning to hire labourers for his vineyard. After agreeing with the labourers for the usual daily wage, he sent them into his vineyard. When he went out about nine o’clock, he saw others standing idle in the market-place; and he said to them, “You also go into the vineyard, and I will pay you whatever is right.” So they went. When he went out again about noon and about three o’clock, he did the same. And about five o’clock he went out and found others standing around; and he said to them, “Why are you standing here idle all day?” They said to him, “Because no one has hired us.” He said to them, “You also go into the vineyard.” When evening came, the owner of the vineyard said to his manager, “Call the labourers and give them their pay, beginning with the last and then going to the first.” When those hired about five o’clock came, each of them received the usual daily wage. Now when the first came, they thought they would receive more; but each of them also received the usual daily wage. And when they received it, they grumbled against the landowner, saying, “These last worked only one hour, and you have made them equal to us who have borne the burden of the day and the scorching heat.” But he replied to one of them, “Friend, I am doing you no wrong; did you not agree with me for the usual daily wage? Take what belongs to you and go; I choose to give to this last the same as I give to you. Am I not allowed to do what I choose with what belongs to me? Or are you envious because I am generous?” So the last will be first, and the first will be last.’
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 and Lucia.
Recently departed: Nicola Simpson, Jeanne Outred.
Anniversary of death: Alice Julius, Elsie Billing (24th); George Summerside, Leonard Vallerine (25th); Beryl Hurst (26th); Winifred Williams (27th); Ernest Halling (28th); Michael Bridge (29th); Shepherd King (30th).
For those to be married among them Nigel Purdy and Sarah Levey married on Saturday and for Simon Namnyak and Karen Davey to be married here next Saturday.
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.
For urgent prayer, contact Gillian Purvis (267597) or Pat Rush (262561) to start the Prayer Chain.
Post Communion Prayer: Almighty God, you have taught us through your Son that love is the fulfilling of the law: grant that we may love you with our whole heart and our neighbours as ourselves; through Jesus Christ our Lord. Amen.
Next week’s readings: Seventeenth Sunday after Trinity
Ezekiel 18: 1- 4, 25- end; Psalm25: 1- 8; Philippians 2: 1- 13; Matthew 21: 23- 32.
Harvest- Thank you
Thank you to all those who helped with our celebration of the Harvest last weekend and for your generous gifts to the Foodbank. It was a joy to be able to gather for walking, lunch and fellowship as well as our traditional church celebrations across the weekend.
2022 Link to Hope Shoebox Appeal
Leaflets are now available at the back of the church. Please bring boxes to church by Sunday 5th November. Pick up a leaflet and fill a box – or if you feel that you cannot fill a whole box, perhaps you could supply some items or money towards the transport costs. Every little helps. Details – Trudi Kearsley 263597/07703597353
Yr7 Church Support Letters for 2024 admissions
Mthr Lucy will be available to meet with children and parents seeking Yr7 admission church support on Saturday 7th October from 11am- 12noon at Pagham Church. Please let Mthr Lucy know you will be attending.
Confirmation Courses
Please pray for our candidates preparing for Confirmation with Bishop Ruth on the 17th October at St Mary’s Clymping. Suzie, Natalie and Michelle. All are welcome to join us on the 17th to support them.
Admission to Holy Communion 2023
Mthr Lucy will be running a course for children in yr6 and above who wish to be admitted to Holy Communion. Sessions will run on Saturday mornings 10:00- 11:00 at Pagham church, on the 23rd & 30 th September, 7th, 14th, 15th and 21st October. The children will be admitted to Holy Communion in a special service at 16:30 on All Saints’ Sunday – 5th November. Please have a chat with Mthr Lucy if you think this is something that your child is ready for and do get the dates in your diary!
Pints of View
The Rev’d Clive Ashley (retired priest in the parish) extends an invitation to all men who would like to meet up for a pint (or whatever) and an opportunity to discuss current issues and concerns. On the second Thursday of the month, Thursday 12th October 7.30pm at The Lamb. Just turn up. BYO Pint!… (A group for women will be announced later in the month.)
Getting to know Paul
In the autumn we will be running a study course on the writings of St Paul- the dates of these sessions are Sunday 15th & 22nd October and 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 suggested pre- reading. A sign-up list is now available.
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.