Weekly Pews News
no 21-5
31.1.2021
Presentation of Christ in the Temple/Candlemas
Sunday 31st January
10:00 Online Eucharist and lighting of candles (see notices below)
Readings: Malachi 3: 1–5; Psalm 24: 7–end; Hebrews 2: 14–end; Luke 2: 22–40
Collect Almighty and ever-living God, clothed in majesty, whose beloved Son was this day presented in the Temple, in substance of our flesh: grant that we may be presented to you with pure and clean hearts, by your Son Jesus Christ our Lord, who is alive and reigns with you, in the unity of the Holy Spirit, one God, now and for ever. Amen.
Lockdown 3.0: all public worship at St Thomas à Becket’s, Pagham, is currently suspended, due to the current concerning rate of infection and demand on our local and national NHS provision. This decision will be reviewed regularly, but we do not anticipate returning to public worship until at least 21st Feb.
The church is also closed for private prayer at this time – this will also be reviewed regularly.
As the UK has reached the haunting number of 100,000 deaths with Covid-19, let us renew our prayer for all those who have died, for those sick or recovering from Covid-19, for all those who grieve whether affected directly by a Covid death or for the many other losses felt at this time, and the many who continue to work so hard on the frontline and to manage our response to this pandemic. The Archbishops of Canterbury and York published a letter on 26th in response to this, and have called us all to pray together at 18:00 each evening. They write: “One thing we can all do is pray. We hope it is some consolation to know that the church prays for the life of our nation every day. Whether you’re someone of faith, or not, we invite you to call on God in prayer. Starting on 1st February we invite you to set aside time every evening to pray, particularly at 6pm each day. More than ever, this is a time when we need to love each other. Prayer is an expression of love.”
Mthr Lucy
Sunday 31st January
Intention: our family and friends.
11:00–12:00 Online coffee meeting (see below)
Monday 1st February
Intention: our Parish Team – Clergy: Lucy Sullivan, Colin Wood, Bill Meyer; Reader: Roland Ell; Churchwardens: Mike Wake, Stephen Cox-Rusbridge.
09:00 Morning prayer (online, see below)
17.30 Evening prayer
Tuesday 2nd February
Intention: our hospitals, doctors, nurses and midwives, home care assistants, pharmacists, therapists, opticians, dentists; all who provide health care.
09:00 Morning prayer
17.30 Evening prayer
Wednesday 3rd February – Anskar, archbishop, missionary, 865
Intention: the Pilgrim Course – leaders and participants. Those baptised and confirmed here during the year, their parents, godparents or sponsors, and our own godchildren.
17.30 Evening prayer
Thursday 4th February
Intention: all imprisoned in any way, and those caught up in modern slavery; the prisoners, staff, chaplains and visitors at HMP Ford.
09:00 Morning prayer
Friday 5th February
Intention: our children and young people, and their leaders; our Sunday School and Saints (older children).
Saturday 6th February – Charles, king and martyr, 1649
Intention: our Archbishops, Justin Welby of Canterbury and Stephen Cottrell of York; the work of the Archbishops’ Council and General Synod; the worldwide Anglican Communion.
Sunday 7th February – Second Sunday before Lent
Readings: Proverbs 8: 1, 22–31; Psalm 104: 26–end; Colossians 1: 15–20; John 1: 1–4
PRAYERS AND INTENTIONS
We pray for all in need of healing in body, mind or spirit: Lynette, Rosie Sims, Terry Haskell, Barbara Crew, Jean Martin, Lila Cowee, June & Bruce Evans, Karen Cox, Jim Fowler, Sheila King, Robin Potter, Gerald Hume, Carole & Ian Turner, John Kitchener.
For urgent prayer, contact Gillian Purvis (267597) or Colin Wood (264192) to start the Prayer Chain.
The recently departed: Di Willson, Pauline Aylward.
Anniversary of death: Bernadette Harrison (31st); Phoebe Ryan (1st Feb); William Burrow, Albert Barker (2nd); Hubert Sheppard (3rd); Baby Lavinia Caraccioli (4th); Mary Pryde (5th).
We remember Church family who live in residential care or usually receive communion at home.
We pray for all affected directly by Covid-19, especially those working in the travel industry, and all whose lives have been disrupted by new restrictions on travellers.
NOTICES
Online services: as last Sunday, our service will be available from 10:00, and I encourage you to join the service at this time if you can – just as you would turn up to church for a set time. I hope this will give us a greater sense of community as we think of others gathering at the same time, in prayer. The service will show in ‘real’ time, and so for the first 50 mins will show as ‘LIVE’ meaning you cannot fast forward/rewind. Please note that each week’s service will continue to be available, as in other weeks, so you can watch at your leisure/return to the film.
Online Coffee Hour after the service is proving very successful, so we will continue to meet from 11:00–12:00. You are welcome to join whenever you are able, and leave early if you need to. Details are in Trudi’s email – if you would like some help navigating Zoom please do contact Mthr Lucy.
Morning & Evening Prayer on Zoom continues as listed. The praying of the Daily Office is an important way to pray together as a community, to offer up the day’s challenges and give thanks for the blessings. All texts are provided on screen. The link to this can be found in Trudi’s email. Please contact Mthr Lucy if you have any trouble joining the call.
The Presentation of Christ – Candlemas – Sunday 31st January
You are encouraged to have some candles ready for lighting during the online service.
Lent Course 2021
This year we will be using the Diocese of Chichester Lent course Cracked Wide Open which, through introduction and conversations with Bishop Ruth and Bishop Will, invites reflection on what minimum requirements need to be present for a diocese to participate in the mission of God. In the light of that reflection, it asks for prayer about how our unity with God and in the Body of Christ might grow and deepen, that the world might believe (John 17:21).
This course will be delivered online over 5 sessions, beginning on Monday 22nd February. Each session will run twice a week: Mondays at 19:00 and Wednesdays at 15:00. Materials will also be available for use at home. Please let Mthr Lucy know which session (Monday/Wednesday) you would like to sign up for, to help with creating balanced ‘breakout’ groups. (It will be possible to swap a day during the course, but do give notice if possible, for the same reason.) More details will be found on the Lent leaflet.
CONTACT DETAILS – find us on Facebook, Instagram and Twitter @StThomasPagham.
The Revd Lucy Sullivan: 19 Willowhale Avenue, Bognor Regis, West Sussex, PO21 4AU.
mthrlucy.pagham@gmail.com, 01243 941551. Rest day Friday.
Churchwardens: Mike Wake and Stephen Cox-Rusbridge: churchwarden@paghamchurch.org,
07899 705632//07974 177905.
Church website update: email editor@paghamchurch.org.
Safeguarding Officer: Jan Brockhurst, safeguarding@paghamchurch.org.
Pews News: Alison Blenkinsop, pewsnews@paghamchurch.org, 261131, 07784 544981.
Registered charity number 1134842 www.paghamchurch.org