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 30th july 2023
eighth SUNDAY AFTER TRINITY
Sunday 30th 08:00 Holy Communion (St Richard’s Church only)
TRINITY 8 09:30 Parish Eucharist followed by Coffee
14:00 Holy Baptism: Aria Wimble Green
Monday 31st 09:00 Morning Prayer (Pagham church)
17:30 Evening Prayer (St Richard’s)
Tuesday 1st August 10:00 Eucharist (St Richard’s)
18:00 Evening Prayer (Pagham church)
19:00 6’s & 7’s Mixer 19 Willowhale Avenue
Wednesday 2nd 09:30 Breakfast Club (Manor Nursery)
18:00 Evening Prayer (Pagham church)
Thursday 3rd 09:00 Morning Prayer (Pagham church)
10:00 Holy Communion (Pagham church)
Friday 4th No public services today
Saturday 5th No public services today
Oswald
Sunday 6th 08:00 Holy Communion (St Richard’s & Pagham)
THE TRANSFIGURATION 09:30 Parish Family Eucharist followed by Coffee
OF OUR LORD 14:00 Holy Baptism:
Hymns
Introit: 19 All my hope on God is founded
Gradual: 346 Jesus call us
Offertory: 217 God is love: let heaven adore him
Final: 375 King of glory, King of peace
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 Eighth Sunday after Trinity:
Almighty Lord and everlasting God, we beseech you to direct, sanctify and govern both our hearts and bodies in the ways of your laws and the works of your commandments; that through your most mighty protection, both here and ever, we may be preserved in body and soul; through our Lord and Saviour Jesus Christ, who is alive and reigns with you, in the unity of the Holy Spirit,one God, now and for ever. Amen.
Old Testament reading: 1 Kings 3: 5- 12
At Gibeon the Lord appeared to Solomon in a dream by night; and God said, ‘Ask what I should give you.’ And Solomon said, ‘You have shown great and steadfast love to your servant my father David, because he walked before you in faithfulness, in righteousness, and in uprightness of heart towards you; and you have kept for him this great and steadfast love, and have given him a son to sit on his throne today. And now, O Lord my God, you have made your servant king in place of my father David, although I am only a little child; I do not know how to go out or come in. And your servant is in the midst of the people whom you have chosen, a great people, so numerous they cannot be numbered or counted. Give your servant therefore an understanding mind to govern your people, able to discern between good and evil; for who can govern this your great people. It pleased the Lord that Solomon had asked this. God said to him, ‘Because you have asked this, and have not asked for yourself long life or riches, or for the life of your enemies, but have asked for yourself understanding to discern what is right, I now do according to your word. Indeed I give you a wise and discerning mind; no one like you has been before you and no one like you shall arise after you.
Psalm 119: 129- 136 The response to the psalm is as announced.
New Testament Reading: Romans 8: 26- end
The Spirit helps us in our weakness; for we do not know how to pray as we ought, but that very Spirit intercedes with sighs too deep for words. And God, who searches the heart, knows what is the mind of the Spirit, because the Spirit intercedes for the saints according to the will of God.
We know that all things work together for good for those who love God, who are called according to his purpose. For those whom he foreknew he also predestined to be conformed to the image of his Son, in order that he might be the firstborn within a large family. And those whom he predestined he also called; and those whom he called he also justified; and those whom he justified he also glorified.
What then are we to say about these things? If God is for us, who is against us? He who did not withhold his own Son, but gave him up for all of us, will he not with him also give us everything else? Who will bring any charge against God’s elect? It is God who justifies. Who is to condemn? It is Christ Jesus, who died, yes, who was raised, who is at the right hand of God, who indeed intercedes for us. Who will separate us from the love of Christ? Will hardship, or distress, or persecution, or famine, or nakedness, or peril, or sword? As it is written,
‘For your sake we are being killed all day long; we are accounted as sheep to be slaughtered.’
No, in all these things we are more than conquerors through him who loved us. For I am convinced that neither death, nor life, nor angels, nor rulers, nor things present, nor things to come, nor powers, nor height, nor depth, nor anything else in all creation, will be able to separate us from the love of God in Christ Jesus our Lord.
Gospel Reading: Matthew 13: 31- 33; 44- 52
Jesus put before them another parable: ‘The kingdom of heaven is like a mustard seed that someone took and sowed in his field; it is the smallest of all the seeds, but when it has grown it is the greatest of shrubs and becomes a tree, so that the birds of the air come and make nests in its branches.’
He told them another parable: ‘The kingdom of heaven is like yeast that a woman took and mixed in with three measures of flour until all of it was leavened.’
‘The kingdom of heaven is like treasure hidden in a field, which someone found and hid; then in his joy he goes and sells all that he has and buys that field.
‘Again, the kingdom of heaven is like a merchant in search of fine pearls; on finding one pearl of great value, he went and sold all that he had and bought it.
‘Again, the kingdom of heaven is like a net that was thrown into the sea and caught fish of every kind; when it was full, they drew it ashore, sat down, and put the good into baskets but threw out the bad. So it will be at the end of the age. The angels will come out and separate the evil from the righteous and throw them into the furnace of fire, where there will be weeping and gnashing of teeth.
‘Have you understood all this?’ They answered, ‘Yes.’ And he said to them, ‘Therefore every scribe who has been trained for the kingdom of heaven is like the master of a household who brings out of his treasure what is new and what is old.’
Prayers of Intercession
The sick and those who care for them: Barbara Crew, Sheila King, Dawn Spurway Pearson, Nicola Simpson, Mike Hatzfeld, Colin May, Elizabeth, Pam Browning, Emilia Hogan, Julie Green.
Recently departed John Crockford.
Anniversary of death Ellen Bell, Bill Gulliver, Betty Riddle (30th); Sidney Harris, John Ramsay (31st); Robert Tomlinson, Roy Ell (3rd); Brenda Dobson (4th).
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.
John Crockford RIP who died in hospital recently at the age of 96, was a longstanding member of Pagham church. He attended Sunday services regularly, sitting by the font. He loved hymns and enjoyed playing them on a keyboard at home. After the Covid lockdown he was advised for health reasons not to return to church, so he may not be well remembered now. His family are
very grateful for our recent prayers for him and ask that we join them in spirit for his thanksgiving service at noon on Tuesday 8th August, in Richmond.
Post Communion Prayer: Strengthen for service, Lord, the hands that have taken holy things; may the ears which have heard your word be deaf to clamour and dispute; may the tongues which have sung your praise be free from deceit; may the eyes which have seen the tokens of your love shine with the light of hope; and may the bodies which have been fed with your body be refreshed with the fullness of your life; glory to you for ever. Amen.
Next week’s readings: The Transfiguration of Our Lord
Daniel 7: 9- 10, 13- 14; Psalm 97; 2 Peter 1: 16- 19; Luke 9: 28- 36
6’s & 7’s Mixer- Tuesday 1st August 19:00 onwards.
This event is offered for those linked with Pagham Church as a chance to catch-up and share some of the experience of transition from Junior to Secondary school, before the new term begins.
I hope it will be a wonderful time for the children and parents to mix and get to know one another across the different local schools and to hear a few of the stories of the moving up to Secondary. Children in y6&7 plus parent(s) are welcome. I ask where at all possible siblings are left at home so that there can be a chance for these years to share together. Tuesday 1st August 7pm onwards– pizzas provided but please do bring a salad or pudding! Please can you let me know by Sunday 30th July if you are able to attend. I realise this won’t work for everyone with holiday plans but I hope it will suit some of you.
Parish Picnic at Crimsham Farm **Saturday 12th August** 11am- 4pm.
Pagham Church Men’s group invite the congregations of St. Thomas à Becket Church to a Parish picnic at Crimsham Farm CIC (Lower Bognor Road, PO20 1LN). Shane and his crew invite us to spend time on their 4 acre farm getting up close and personal with the pigs, goats, chickens, alpacas etc. This is a particularly family friendly with loads for the children (of all ages) to do. If wet – wear a mac and bring wellies. We can picnic in a barn otherwise in a field. Crimsham Farm makes no charge, but we will make a collection so that we can make a donation to the great work the farm do. Please bring your own picnic and chairs/ blankets etc. Please sign-up using the Eventbrite link sent with Pews News, or on the list at the back of church. More details available from David Smith- 01243 263560.
Friends of Pagham Parish Church
Please note that unfortunately this event has been cancelled. Please keep an eye out for the next Friends event.
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 Sundays 15th & 22nd October and 12th & 19th November, at 16:30 in St Andrew’s Chapel at Pagham Church. The first session will look at the writings of Paul and provide an introduction to traditional readings of these writings, while the second and third sessions will share two 21st Century books by Paula Gooder – Pauline Scholar and Canon Chancellor of St Paul’s Cathedral. These books are Phoebe A Story (Hodder & Stoughton 2018) and Lydia A Story (Hodder & Stoughton 2022) available online and from all good book sellers. You might like to get reading now!
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.