12th March 2017

WELCOME TO OUR ENEWSLETTER

 Parish Office – closed this week

Unfortunately our administrator is unwell and the office will not be open this week. The phone is diverted to the Vicarage; we will be looking at emails regularly, but it may take a little longer to respond to you.

Sunday 12th March 2017

Lent 2

 A PRAYER FOR LENT

Teach us, good Lord, to serve you as you deserve; to give and not to count the cost; to fight and not to heed the wounds; to toil and not to seek for rest; to labour and not to seek for any reward, save that of knowing that we do your will.

Amen                                                          Ignatius of Loyola (1556)

 Today

8.00am           Holy Communion

10.00am         Parish Communion and

                           Baptism of Eleanor Cooper

4.00pm           Church at 4

Monday 13th March

8.30am              Holy Communion – Church

10.00am            Bible Study Group – 11 St John Road

7.30pm               Lent Group – Church

Tuesday 14th March

8.30am               Morning Prayer

6.00pm              Clergy Surgery

7.30pm               Buildings Committee – Vicarage

Wednesday 15th March

8.30am  Morning Prayer

10.00am            Holy Communion – St Josephs

6.30pm             Compline and Address – Church

Thursday 16th March

8.30am              Morning Prayer – Church

7.30pm              Choir Practice – Church

Filling Station      – Lucy and Ann Marie

Friday 17th March

8.45am              Morning Prayer – Prospect Hospice

7.00pm              Bellringers Practice

Saturday 18th March

12.00                Marriage of John Watkins and Lorna Mille    r

Sunday 19th March

Lent 3

 

8.00am                        Holy Communion

Preacher:                       Canon Michael Johnson

Sidesmen:                       Jean Reens and Christine Wrixon

 

10.00am         Parish Communion

Preacher:            Canon Michael Johnson

Intercessor:         Sheila Tubey

Reading:              Romans 5: 1-11

Reader:                Tiffany Weighell

Gospel:                 John 4:5-42

Servers:                Alan Gregory and Gillian Pitter

Sidesmen:           Lilian Wicks

 

4.00pm           Church at 4

Leader:              Cheryl Hawkins

Dates for your diary

Saturday 13th August 2017

Barbecue at Legge House from 5.30pm to 7.30pm.

Birthdays

Happy Birthday to all who celebrate their birthdays during the coming week.

 Lent small groups 2017- Creating connections

You may still join! This year we will be using a Lent course prepared for us by our bishops and other members of the bishop’s staff team themed around our diocesan vision, ‘Creating connections’. Each week we will be exploring what it means to be a disciple connected to God, each other and our communities. Groups will meet on Monday mornings or Monday or Tuesday evenings for the next four weeks. Please sign up today!
Church Electoral Roll Revision

At this time of year we are revising our Church Electoral Roll in preparation for our annual church meeting on 30th April. This is the roll of members of our church who are entitled to vote at that meeting. If you are not yet on our Church Electoral Roll, please fill in a form today and place it in the box as you leave the church.

Data Protection

As an organisation we are obliged to follow the rules set out in the Data Protection Act, and have a Data Protection Policy which states how we comply with these requirements.

As a church we hold personal data for the purposes of maintaining membership of the church, and for administering activities for individuals who are either members of the church or have regular contact with it. We will never disclose personal details to parties outside the church, without the express permission of individuals to do so.  If anyone has any concerns on personal data held, or any questions on data protection, then please contact Helena Thomas (Data Controller) or speak to one of the clergy or churchwardens.

Honouring our VC Sunday 2nd April at 10.30am

On Sunday 2nd April we are having a special service to mark the centenary of the act of bravery which led William Gosling to be awarded the Victoria Cross. The service will be followed by a parade to the War Memorial where a plaque in his honour will be unveiled. This service takes the place of our normal 10am service on that day.

Parking for VC Service on 2nd April

There will be no public parking at the church on that day except for VIPs and those with blue disabled badges. We do have a limited number of parking permits for the day so if you need to park at the church and are unable to walk up, please ask the vicar.

Quiet Day

On Saturday 18th March in Legge House from 10.0am to 4.0pm. Cost £10 each. Plus lunch available £5.25 – jacket potato with egg/cheese or tuna followed by yoghurt/fruit or cake. Drinks provided. Morning workshop, afternoon own choice finishing with group prayer. Please talk to Gwen Poole on 813573 or in church by Thursday 16th March

 East Wichel Primary visit – 21st March

We will be welcoming children from foundation stage at East Wichel Primary School this year- about 55 children between 4 and 5 yrs old coming to find out more about what happens in a church- and we’d love your help! They will be visiting on Tuesday 21st March in the afternoon from about 1.30pm for an hour- if you would be available to show them around, I promise that they will make you smile! Please let Nicola know.

Dementia Friends Information Session

Last year I trained as a Dementia Friends Champion with the Alzheimer`s Society. This enables me to run information sessions to local community groups. Dementia Friends is a social action movement that aims to increase understanding of dementia and inspire people to take action to support people affected by dementia in their community. The sessions last for 1 hour  – would you like to come along to learn more about dementia and how we can help those around us?? If so, please sign the sign up sheet with your details on the Church Chest. I will then plan dates and let you know when the sessions are running –

Many thanks Cheryl 

Ladies Who Lunch Thursday 16th March  at 12.30pm at The Baker’s Arms at Badbury. Names to Gwen on 813573 or by email, please

Quiet Day Saturday 18th March from 10.30am to 4pm at Legge House Names to Gwen on 813573 or by email, please

Tea and Talk (formerly Supper and Chat) onday 20th March at 8pm at 43 Savill Crescent. Names to Gwen on 813573 or by email, please

 Running the London Marathon in aid of Hospice UK

On April 23 I am running London Marathon in aid of Hospice UK, aiming to fundraise £2,000. You can donate online at www.justgiving.com/Victoria-J-Ford and Mum (Jean Ford) has a sponsorship sheet if you would prefer to donate in the old fashioned way. On Mothering Sunday (March 26) I will be selling cakes after the 10am service. Please do let me know if you can bake and donate a cake, and bring your spare change to buy one, too! Thank you in advance,

Victoria Ford vjford@gmail.com

 CHURCH IN THE WIDER WORLD

 Swindon Youth for Christ

Swindon Youth for Christ works in many of the secondary schools in Swindon. They are sometimes invited to lead assemblies or RE lessons. In some schools the BIOS van may visit at lunchtime or after school to provide opportunities for the young people to talk with the SYFC workers. Some schools may have Christian groups which SYFC are able to support.

Please pray for all the young people in Swindon’s schools, that they will be able to find out about God’s love for them.

Knitting for Seafarers

Thank you to all who have handed in hats, scarves, gloves and balaclavas. The Mission to Seafarers is grateful for donations throughout the year so please keep knitting and put your finished items in the box in church. There are a couple of balls of wool in it if you need some to get started and some suitable patterns, but you can use your own favourite patterns. Please call Janet Henderson on 525856 for more information.

LENT 2017

 Lent Groups and Lent Compline

Following a special course based written by our Bishops and Senior Staff on the Creating Connections theme

 Monday morning 10 am

Leader Margaret Penfound at 11 St John Road

Monday evening in Church 7.30pm

Leaders Barbara Abrey, Nicola Such, Michael Johnson

Tuesday evenings 7.30pm

Leader Carolyn Kirk at 12 Artis Avenue

Please sign up on the sheet on the church chest

LENT WEDNESDAYS at 6.30pm

This year we are offering Compline and Reflection based on Walter Brueggemann’s book Into Your Hand: Confronting Good Friday.

This week please pray for:-

  • Swindon Youth for Christ
  • The Residents of Marlborough Road and Staldon Road
  • The planned Deanery Church of England school and The Ridgeway School
  • Christian Aid and the people they are helping

 

We commend to God’s care and keeping those who have died recently, especially, Caroline Stewart, Mollie Tanner, Margaret Watts and Ken Farncombe. We pray for all who mourn the loss of loved ones.