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: Mr Mike Wake
Tel: 07899 705632; 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 30th april 2023
Fourth Sunday of Easter
Sunday 30th 08:00 Holy Communion (St Richard’s only)
EASTER 4 09:30 Parish Eucharist
Monday 1st No public worship today
Ss PHILIP & JAMES
Tuesday 2nd 18:00 Evening Prayer (church)
St Athanasius 19:00 Tuesday@7
Wednesday 3rd 09:30 Breakfast Club
18:00 Evening Prayer (church)
19:30 Full PCC meeting (church)
Thursday 4th 09:00 Morning Prayer (church)
10:00 Holy Communion
Friday 5th 18:00 Vigil of Prayer for the Coronation of King Charles III (Pagham)
19:00 Coronation Big BBQ (Pagham)
Saturday 6th No public worship today
Sunday 7th 08:00 Holy Communion (Pagham & St Richard’s)
EASTER 5 09:30 Parish Family Eucharist
12:30 Coronation Big Lunch (St Richard’s)
Hymns
Introit: 649 The king of love
Gradual: 434 Loving Shepherd
Offertory: 12 Alleluia, sing to Jesus
Final: 408 Lord enthroned in heavenly splendour
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 Fourth Sunday of Easter:
Almighty God, whose Son Jesus Christ is the resurrection and the life:
raise us, who trust in him, from the death of sin to the life of righteousness,
that we may seek those things which are above where he reigns with you
in the unity of the Holy Spirit, one God, now and for ever. Amen.
New Testament reading: Acts 2: 42- end
Many were baptized and were added to the community.
They devoted themselves to the apostles’ teaching and fellowship, to the breaking of bread and the prayers.
Awe came upon everyone, because many wonders and signs were being done by the apostles. All who believed were together and had all things in common; they would sell their possessions and goods and distribute the proceeds to all, as any had need. Day by day, as they spent much time together in the temple, they broke bread at home and ate their food with glad and generous hearts, praising God and having the goodwill of all the people. And day by day the Lord added to their number those who were being saved.
Psalm 23 The response to the psalm is “The Lord is my shepherd; I shall not be in want”
New Testament Reading: 1 Peter 2: 19- end
Brothers and sisters: It is to your credit if, being aware of God, you endure pain while suffering unjustly. If you endure when you are beaten for doing wrong, where is the credit in that? But if you endure when you do right and suffer for it, you have God’s approval. For to this you have been called, because Christ also suffered for you, leaving you an example, so that you should follow in his steps.
‘He committed no sin, and no deceit was found in his mouth.’
When he was abused, he did not return abuse; when he suffered, he did not threaten; but he entrusted himself to the one who judges justly. He himself bore our sins in his body on the cross, so that, free from sins, we might live for righteousness; by his wounds you have been healed. For you were going astray like sheep, but now you have returned to the shepherd and guardian of your souls.
Gospel Reading: John 10: 1- 10
‘Very truly, I tell you, anyone who does not enter the sheepfold by the gate but climbs in by another way is a thief and a bandit. The one who enters by the gate is the shepherd of the sheep. The gatekeeper opens the gate for him, and the sheep hear his voice. He calls his own sheep by name and leads them out. When he has brought out all his own, he goes ahead of them, and the sheep follow him because they know his voice. They will not follow a stranger, but they will run from him because they do not know the voice of strangers.’ Jesus used this figure of speech with them, but they did not understand what he was saying to them.
So again Jesus said to them, ‘Very truly, I tell you, I am the gate for the sheep. All who came before me are thieves and bandits; but the sheep did not listen to them. I am the gate. Whoever enters by me will be saved, and will come in and go out and find pasture. The thief comes only to steal and kill and destroy. I came that they may have life, and have it abundantly.
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, Margaret Easton, Beatrice Tucker, Julie Green.
Anniversary of death Gordon Eddy (1st); Norma Tuckett (2nd); George Harrington, George Jones (3rd); Robert McLaughlin (4th); Marcus Rutterford, Sidney Wood, Hannah Goodley (5th); Doris Pay, Katherine Marydathe, Joan Kimbell (6th).
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: Merciful Father, you gave your Son Jesus Christ to be the good shepherd, and in his love for us to lay down his life and rise again: keep us always under his protection, and give us grace to follow in his steps; through Jesus Christ our Lord. Amen.
Next week’s readings: Fifth Sunday of Easter
Acts 7: 55- end; Psalm 31: 1- 5; 1 Peter 2: 2- 10; John 14: 1- 14.
Being With- Course Exploring Christian Faith and Life
We will be running a course for those exploring the Christian faith after Easter, starting on Monday 15th May and running for the next 11 weeks (10 sessions in total 19:30- 21:00, no session on Monday 29th May). Devised and created by Samuel Wells and Sally Hitchiner of St Martin-in-the-Fields. 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.
The Coronation and our church community
Coronation Prayer Books
With thanks to a generous donor the small prayers books released by Church House Publishing for the Coronation are available at the back of church- please do take one/ two per household to use in your family prayers, copies have also been purchased to share with the local schools. These books have been produced to encourage our church communities to pray: for The King, our nation, and the world; to explore the symbolism of the Coronation service; and to reflect on Jesus, the Servant King.
The Coronation Vigil at St Thomas à Becket, Pagham.
On the eve of the Coronation – Friday 5th May- there will be special service of Evening Prayer at 18:00 at St Thomas à Becket, Pagham. To pray for King Charles III and Camilla the Queen Consort as they make their final preparations and for their calling to a life of public service.
The Coronation of King Charles III is an historic moment in the life of our nation. The ceremony itself is rooted in longstanding tradition and will reflect the King’s role today and in the future. Throughout the weekend, themes of community life, volunteering and service will be highlighted and celebrated. We start our celebrations in prayer for all that is to come.
The Coronation BBQ at St Thomas à Becket, Pagham.
Following the Vigil Service (above) there will be a joyous gathering in the churchyard for the Pagham Church BBQ (in the church if the weather isn’t with us! Food available from about 7pm), with bring and share salads and desserts If you are able, please bring chairs and picnic tables and your own cutlery. Tea and coffee will be provided. Bring a bottle to toast our new King. . Please sign-up on the list at the back of church if you hope to come, to help us with catering, and a note of what you can contribute to the bring and share. Donations on the day.
The Coronation Big Lunch at St Richard’s.
Sunday 7th May ~ 12:30pm (following the 11:15am service). A two-course hot lunch with joyful music, great company, and the opportunity to toast our new King. Suggested minimum donation £10 per person- please sign-up at the back of church, please speak to Mthr Lucy if cost is prohibitive.
The Coronation Big Help Out at St Thomas à Becket.
Monday 8th May 10:00- 13:00 the final part of the Coronation weekend sees the encouragement and invitation to help out in the local community. At Pagham church we are putting the call out for volunteers to help with some tasks around the church and church centre- more details to follow. If you are able to help out, then please come on down for all or part of the time on Monday 8th May to lend a hand. This is advertised on the National Big Help Out website, so I hope we might meet some local volunteers too, but please don’t leave it all to them! The more the merrier!
Breakfast Club.
All are welcome at Pagham Beach Café on Wednesday 3rd May at 09.30 for breakfast. Cost is £5 -£10. Any queries please contact Alex Brockhurst on 07792544259.
Book Group
We meet on Friday 5th May at 14:30 in St Andrew’s Chapel, to discuss, ‘The Book of Longings’ by Sue Monk Kidd. More information from Linda Tempest, lindatempest@hotmail.cm. 07443905893
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.