Weekly Pews News
no 22-20
15.5.22
Fifth Sunday of Easter
08:00 Holy Communion
09:30 Parish Eucharist
09:30 Sunday School
Collect Almighty God, who through your only-begotten Son Jesus Christ have overcome death and opened to us the gate of everlasting life: grant that, as by your grace going before us you put into our minds good desires, so by your continual help we may bring them to good effect; through Jesus Christ our risen Lord, who is alive and reigns with you, in the unity of the Holy Spirit, one God, now and for ever. Amen.
Readings Acts 11: 1–18; Psalm 148: Revelation 21: 1–6; John 13: 31–35
Psalm response Praise, O praise the name of the Lord.
Sunday 15th May – Start of Christian Aid Week
Intention: our local community; our Parish Pastoral Care Team, local Residents’ Associations, and the County, District and Parish Councils.
Monday 16th May
Intention: those married here and preparing for marriage this year; family life, and especially any families facing adversity.
09:00 Morning prayer (in church)
Tuesday 17th May
Intention: the press, radio and television corporations, and all who influence public opinion; also Christian publishing and broadcasting.
18:00 Evening prayer (in church and on Zoom)
19:00 Tuesday@7 Eucharist
Wednesday 18th May
Intention: all seafarers, fishermen and lifeboat crews, and the work of Mission to Seafarers.
14:30 Funeral of Bett Steenerson RIP
18:00 Evening prayer (in church and on Zoom)
Thursday 19th May – Dunstan, archbishop, monastic reformer, 988
Intention: Church finances, national and international finance; consider what the words poverty and wealth mean to us.
09:00 Morning prayer (in church)
10:00 Holy Communion
Friday 20th May – Alcuin, deacon, abbot, 804
Intention: all victims of violence, crime and oppression; those affected by domestic and other forms of abuse, and all who seek to support them.
Saturday 21st May
Intention: the sick in body, mind or spirit; those who have life-limiting conditions; the work of St Wilfrid’s Hospice.
Sunday 22nd May – Sixth Sunday of Easter – Christian Aid Week ends
Readings: Acts 16: 9–15; Psalm 67; Revelation 21:10, 22 – 22:5; John 14: 23- 29
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, Mike Hatzfeld, Andrew Naylor, Colin May, Tyler Rankin, Bea Tucker.
For urgent prayer, contact Gillian Purvis (267597) or Pat Rush (262561) to start the Prayer Chain.
Anniversary of death Emily Blackman (15th); Angela Haythornthwaite, Margaret Gosney (16th); Kenneth Weeks (17th); Doris Vallerine (18th); Nora Jones (19th); Gordon Halford (20th); Albert Baldwin, Christopher Greenfield, Florence Dobson (21st).
Recently departed Bett Steenerson.
We remember Pagham Church family who live in residential care or usually receive communion at home: Ethel Huckle, Daphne Sharrad.
We pray for peace especially for and with the people of Ukraine, and we pray for the innocent, the frightened and those who have lost loved ones, homes, and family.
NOTICES
Face coverings You are encouraged to wear face coverings when moving around the church, to help us offer a safer and welcoming space for those who feel particularly vulnerable to COVID-19.
Sunday School We meet today, Sunday 15th, at 09:30, and welcome those in primary school years. More information from Linda Tempest: lindatempest@hotmail.com, 07443 905893.
Christian Aid Week this year focuses on the devastating effects on Zimbabwe of climate change, COVID-19 and conflict. Our gifts will help women like Janet and Jessica grow drought-resistant crops, aid the fight against global climate injustice, and also help local partners to support refugees fleeing Ukraine. https://www.christianaid.org.uk/appeals/key-appeals/christian-aid-week.
Churchyard Working Party The Probation Payback Community Team are providing limited help at present. We therefore need volunteers again from our Church family to assist with mowing, strimming, cutting back, tidying and fence building. We will make a start on Wednesday 18th from 09:00 until about 12 noon. Please speak to the wardens for more details, or just come along.
Annual Parochial Church Meeting The APCM (the AGM of the Church, if you like) takes place on Wednesday 25th May. At this meeting, when we elect churchwardens and Parish Church Council members, we will have 5 vacancies on the PCC. If you are interested in knowing more about this, or wish to express interest in standing for election, please speak with Mthr Lucy. A PCC that functions well for the whole Church has representatives from all areas of Church life, and we would love to welcome members from all our congregations to the PCC to introduce new voices to our council.
Returning to the Common Cup On Sunday 29th, we will be re-introducing the chalice at Holy Communion, so that communicants will have the option to receive in two kinds (bread and wine), in line with the Church of England Covid Recovery Guidance. Please note this does not mean it is compulsory to receive the chalice if you are not comfortable doing so – it is, and has always been, perfectly valid to receive communion in one kind (bread only). In preparation for this, I would like to highlight a few points: a) the way and place we receive Holy Communion will be different from before the pandemic, for maximum access; b) intinction, the dipping of the bread in the chalice, is not permitted under any circumstances, because of the higher risk of contamination from our hands; c) if you prefer not to receive the wine, simply return to your seat after receiving the bread; d) our Lay Ministers of Communion will be using hand sanitiser before touching the chalice for your safety, and for their safety and yours they will wear face coverings, as Mthr Lucy does; e) Lay Ministers of Communion will keep hold of the chalice while you receive – you may still hold the chalice with them. (If you need practice with this, please speak to Mthr Lucy.) f) If we run out of consecrated wine before all have made their communion, we will continue distributing in one kind only (i.e. no ‘topping up’ of chalices), but will provide for more communicants as we find our way forward with this. If you have any questions, please speak to Mthr Lucy directly – details below.
Beating the Bounds Lite, Saturday 28th We will be holding a Parish Walk Day with two short walks (~ an hour long), and a picnic lunch where the two routes meet. More details to follow; do join us for all/some/only lunch. It will be great to have many of our congregations meeting together.
HM The Queen’s Platinum Jubilee BBQ, Saturday 4th June To celebrate the Jubilee, we will have a BBQ at the church from 17:00. A sign-up list is available at the back of church to show interest in coming, and to offer various salad items. Bring your own drinks, plates and cutlery; BBQ items will be provided. Suggested minimum donation for the evening is £10 adults/£5 children.
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.