14th January 2018

 

Sunday 14th January 2018

Epiphany 2

A PRAYER FOR THIS YEAR

Bless us, O Lord, and bless this year,

the time and seasons yet to come.
Teach us to number our days aright,
that we may gain wisdom of heart.
Fill this new year with your kindness,
that we may be glad and rejoice
all the days of our life. Amen

Today

8.00am     Holy Communion

10.00am     Parish Communion

2.30pm     Games Afternoon – Church Hall

4.00pm     Church at 4 

TODAY— Games afternoon

Brighten up a wintery Sunday afternoon with a few board games amongst friends! Come and join us today from 2.30pm at the Parish Hall- and maybe stay on for Church at 4.

Diary – Week Commencing Sunday 14th January

Monday 15th January

8.30am         Morning Prayer – Church

10.00am       Bible Study Group – 11 St John Road

12.30pm       Small group planning meeting

7.30pm        Mission Matters

Tuesday 16th January

The Parish Office will be closed today

8.30am         Morning Prayer

8.50am         Prayer with The Stowe, Waitrose cafe

6.00pm        Clergy Surgery

7.30pm         WPC and The Stowe meeting, Parish Hall

Wednesday 17th January

8.30am         Morning Prayer – Parish Office

7.30pm        Standing Committee

Thursday 18th January

8.30am         Morning Prayer – Church

12.30pm       Ladies who Lunch – The Crown, Broad Hinton

7.30pm        Choir Practice – Church

7.30pm         Swindon Churches Together

Filling Station         – Joan & Neil

Friday 19th January

8.45am         Morning Prayer – Prospect Hospice

7.00pm        Bellringers Practice

Saturday 20th January

Dates for your diary

Wednesday 18th April- 7.30pm– Nicola’s licensing service at St Mark’s Church, Kempshott, Basingstoke 

‘Walk through the Bible’

Saturday 23rd June- 10am- 4pm, Parish Hall- ‘Walk through the Bible’ – an opportunity to explore the big picture of the Bible with a trained presenter, alongside The Stowe Church. Booking fee and further details to follow.

Sunday 21st January 2018

Epiphany 3

8.00am       Holy Communion

Preacher:      Tracy Mason

Sidespeople: John & Iris Smith

10.00am     Parish Communion

Preacher:      Tracy Mason

Intercessions: Helen Toomer

Reading:       Revelation 19: 6-10

Reader:        Carolyn Perry

Gospel:        John 2: 1-11

Servers:        Kathy Gregory and Kathy Leach

Sidespeople: Alan & Kathy Gregory

11.45am     Baptism Service for Noah Clark

4.00pm       Church at 4

Led by:         Ruth Orman

Birthdays

Happy Birthday to Marie McRobie, Janet Henderson and John Godfree on their birthdays during the coming week.

Vacancy Update

Thank you to everyone who participated in our day of prayer, it was good to spend a day seeking God and asking Him to lead the right person to us. The post is now being advertised and shortlisting and interviews will take place in February. Please circulate the advert as widely as possible and continue to keep this matter in your prayers. We will keep you updated with any developments. If you have any questions, please do not hesitate to ask Nick Orman or Paul Woolley.

New Year’s resolution?

Whether you make them or not, why not try something new this year? Read a book that helps you to grow in faith, develop a spiritual discipline, join a small group. come and pray, share your faith… what will be your next step with God as you begin on the journey of 2018?

You might like to consider the following questions through epiphany season:

  1. Do you desire to encounter God? How might you seek moments of epiphany this year?
  2. What’s one thing you could do this year to increase your appreciation of God’s gift of himself?
  3. What might you offer back to God?

Week of Prayer for Christian Unity

This year Discovery Church will be hosting the service to mark this week of prayer on Sunday 21st January, 6pm at the Ellendune Centre. Please do come and support this event and pray with our Christian brothers and sisters in Wroughton. 

Nicola’s Licensing

We have booked a small coach so we can attend Nicola’s licensing at St. Mark’s Church, Kempshott on April 18th. We will leave Wroughton at 5.30pm. Cost per person will be £15 please see Jean Ford or Ross Fralley if you are wishing to attend.

The Harbour Project

If you are having a clearout before Christmas and are discarding men’s warm coats (Small sizes are particularly needed), please consider donating them to the Harbour Project. During this cold weather, many of the asylum seekers are ill equipped – any gloves and hats will also be gratefully received. Please speak to Margaret Penfound if you can help.

The Listening Post

This month’s prayer meeting will be ecumenical and will be on 30th January at 7.30pm in the Church Hall. Please join us for one hour of prayer with our Christian brothers and sisters from the other churches. Together we are stronger and more effective.  

New Team Member wanted – Legge House

Required from February a flexible, friendly, versatile and hardworking individual to join the small Legge House Team ensuring our guests have a homely, clean relaxing environment that makes “Quality Time Possible.”

Although the individual will initially be expected to concentrate on cleaning there will be the opportunities to learn other tasks including hosting, welcoming and assist with the catering too. In other words to become an all-rounder. Training given. Pay may be only £8 per hour or minimum wage if under 25 years old (for initially a sixteen hour week) but the rewards in terms of service and job satisfaction far exceed any monetary value that a job can offer.

Are you the team member we are looking for? Contact Mark or Sheila for an informal discussion and to discuss options.

leggehouse@btconnect.com

Women’s World Day of Prayer

This year’s service will be on Friday 2nd March at St Josephs Church at 11am and will be followed by a Lent lunch. It focuses on the women of Suriname. I will be looking for readers for the service nearer the time but feel free to let me know if you are interested.

Thank you Janet Henderson 525856 

CHURCH IN THE WIDER WORLD 

 Swindon Youth for Christ

This month, Swindon Youth for Christ is starting a new project. It is called Bios Sports, and it aims to use sport to reach young people, and share the good news of Jesus Christ with them. This ministry will be led by their new Sports Worker, Fraser Carter.

On 27th January, the new project will be launched with a 5-a-side football tournament at Kingsdown school, for teams of various ages from churches and elsewhere.

The vision is that churches will work with Bios Sport to host events in their local communities and make connections with their local young people.

Please pray for Fraser, and the rest of the SYFC team, the launch event, and for the young people that this ministry makes contact with.

Knitting for Mission to Seafarers

Thanks again to all our keen knitters. I have received a letter from The Mission to Seafarers thanking us for the knitware I sent in September and last week I was able to send off another batch of 22 hats and 21 scarves to the charity. Also thanks to those who have donated wool – there is a good selection in the white boxes on the bench by the choir vestry together with patterns, so please help yourselves if you want to get started on a hat, scarf or gloves. Completed items should be put in one of these boxes. As the weather gets colder and the nights draw in this is an ideal time to get those needles busy. For further information talk to Janet Henderson (525856).

This week please also pray for:-

  • Swindon Youth for Christ
  • The residents of Anthony Road and Langdean Road
  • Our standing committee as they meet this week
  • For the family and friends of Noah Clark who will be baptised next Sunday
  • We commend to God’s care and keeping those who have died recently especially Baby Jesse Smith, Joyce Ryan, Barrie Howell and Marion Smith. We pray for all who mourn the loss of loved ones.