Sunday 17th March 2019
Lent 2
Prayer of St Richard of Chichester
Thanks be to thee, my Lord Jesus Christ
For all the benefits Thou hast given me,
For all the pains and insults Thou hast borne for me.
O most merciful Redeemer, friend and brother,
May I know Thee more clearly,
Love thee more dearly,
Follow thee more nearly. Amen.
Today
8.00am Holy Communion
10.00am Parish Communion
11.45am Christening Service for Hendrix Dagger and Max Carver
4.00pm Church at 4
Diary – Week Commencing 17th March
Monday18th March
8.30am Morning Prayer – Church
10.00am Bible Study Group—11 St John Road
7.30pm PCC Meeting – Church
Tuesday 19th March
Parish Office is closed today
8.30am Morning Prayer – Church
7.30pm Lent Course – Church
9.00pm Night Prayer Compline – Church
Wednesday 20th March
8.30am There will be no Morning Prayer during Lent
10.00am Lent Course – St Joseph’s Church
Thursday 21st March
8.30am Morning Prayer – Church
7.30pm Choir Practice
Filling Station – Joan and Neil
Friday 22nd March
8.45am Morning Prayer – Prospect Hospice
12noon Lent Lunch – St Joseph’s Church
7.00pm Bellringers Practice
7.00pm 115 Club (1st & 3rd Friday of the Month)
Saturday 23rd March
10.00am Healing on the Streets – Ellendune Centre
Dates for your diary 2019
Holiday Club 2019
This years Holiday Club will be Monday12th to Friday 16th August 2019
Sunday 24th March 2019
Lent 3
8.00am Holy Communion
Preacher: Revd Phill Harrison
Sidespeople: Jean Reens and Christine Wrixon
10.00am Parish Communion
Preacher: Revd Phill Harrison
Intercessions: John Henderson
Reading: Isaiah 55. 1-9
Reader: Ann Stone
Gospel: Luke 13. 1-9
Servers: Kathy Gregory and Kathy Leach
Sidespeople: Rose Humphries and Pat Herring
4.00pm Church at 4
Leader: Ruth Orman
6.00pm Evensong
Our next Evensong Service will be on Sunday 7th April
Compline during Lent
There will be a short said service of Compline (Night Prayer) at 9pm each Tuesday evening during Lent. The service will include a short reading from the bible and a period of silence for personal reflection.
Gluten free wafers
If you require a gluten free wafer for holy communion please let a sidesperson know.
Floodlighting
The Church will be floodlit on Thursday 21st March by Rosina Stevens in memory of Ron Stevens on their 60th Wedding Anniversary.
Electoral Roll 2019
The deadline for applying to join the electoral roll is approaching! If you haven’t already done so, please complete and return your electoral roll application form before Sunday 17th March.
Every six years we are required by law to make a new electoral roll and this happens in 2019. If you were on the previous electoral roll then and wish to remain on it, you will have to re-apply. The roll is open to anyone over 16 years old who is either resident in the parish or who regularly attends our services. Being on the roll allows you to attend and vote at the Annual Meeting and, if you are not resident in the parish it gives you certain rights otherwise only given to residents.
You can find forms at the back of church. If you regularly attend our services we would like to encourage you to join the electoral roll by completing pages 1 & 2 of the booklet. If for any reason you attend our services, but do not feel able to be on the electoral roll please would you complete just page 1 and return the form so that we have your consent to hold your details so that we can keep in touch with you.
Our Annual Parochial Church Meeting will take place at 11am in church on Sunday 7 April. Elections will be held to fill six vacancies on the Parochial Church Council. Please consider prayerfully whether you might stand- PCC nomination forms are on the church chest and the Bristol Diocese website has useful information on what being on the PCC involves. Copies of the Agenda and Annual Report 2018 will be available towards the end of March.
Update on The Cornerstone Coffee Shop
We have been working with The Deanery School to understand how we might be involved in the community coffee shop that’s being opened in the new school building. It had originally been suggested that we might run the coffee shop as an activity of the church and we produced a draft business plan for this. After thinking some more about our aims and objectives, as well as the resources available to us, we have now agreed that the business side of the coffee shop will be run by the school’s catering supplier, leaving the church free to focus on using the coffee shop as a base for community outreach. This is an important step forwards in clarifying our vision and means that we now have the freedom to invest all of our energy in connecting directly with the community in Wichelstowe. Please pray for this venture and do let Revd Phill or the Churchwardens know if you want to get involved!
Lent course
We’ll be using the Bible Society’s Lent material this year. Focusing on Jesus’ last words from the cross we’ll discover what the Bible has to say about loneliness as we explore six messages of great hope and great challenge. These themes will be supported by weekly BBC radio services and podcasts leading up to Easter. Sessions will be on Tuesday evenings at 7:30pm in church and then REPEATED on Wednesday mornings at 10am in St Joseph’s church hall. People are free to come to a mix of mornings and evenings. The first session will be on Tuesday 12th March.
Lent Lunches
Lent lunches every Friday during Lent at St Joseph’s Parish Centre from 12 noon to 12.45pm. Donations for Christian Aid / Cafod.
Count your Blessings
Today you should be given a booklet from Christian Aid entitled ‘Count your Blessings”. Please use it each day during Lent to remind yourself of the blessings we receive from God and to show your gratitude by engaging with the activities suggested. Any donations you make will be put to good use by Christian Aid for those who don’t have as many blessings as we do.
Holiday Club Help
We hope to run Holiday Club on the mornings of 12th to 16th August this year. Some of the people who have been leading and helping at holiday club for many years have decided it is time for them to take a break which means if holiday club is to happen we need some new helpers. If you would be interested in helping us out please let me know. Barbara Abrey 633024
World Day of Prayer.
A big thank you to all who attended and all who helped with our WDP service on Friday 8th March. We had a good number in the congregation and the collection was £223.66. This will be used towards the many projects that WDP support. Thank you also to the many that then attended the Lent Lunch. They had a larger than usual collection for Christian Aid and Cafod. Janet Henderson
Tearfund’s Mean Bean Challenge
I shall be taking on the Mean Bean Challenge to eat only plain rice and beans for 5 days from 20th to 24th March to raise awareness of the many people in the world whose everyday diet is very simple food. Any sponsorship money will go to Tearfund to support their work among some of the poorest people in the world. Please sponsor me if you are able. Here is a link to my page https://www.justgiving.com/fundraising/margaretsmeanbeanchallenge2019 or add your name to the sign up sheet. Having done this challenge a couple of years ago, I know it’s not an easy one to complete. Margaret Penfound
Quiz Night
The Harbour Project is hosting its annual Quiz night on Friday, 26th April, 7.00 -10.00 pm at St Joseph ‘s College, Swindon. Tickets are £13.50, which includes a fish & chip supper. Those of us who have previously taken part have had a really good evening. Let’s see if we can get two teams of 8 from Wroughton! Please speak to Margaret Penfound for more information.
Suitcase wanted!
I have a young asylum seeker staying with me for a couple of weeks who has plenty of belongs but no suitcase for them. If anyone has one going spare, please let me know.
Margaret Penfound
Ordination of Teresa Townsend
Teresa Townsend is being ordained a priest on Saturday 29th June. The service is 3.30pm. We have hired a coach, if you would like join us for the service or just an afternoon in Bristol we will leave at 1.45pn. Return from Bristol at 6ish. Cost should be £10/12. Please sign up with either Jean Ford or Ross Fralley.
Knitting for Mission to Seafarers
The year got off to a good start as I was able to send a parcel of 25 hats and 14 scarves to Mission to Seafarers this week. These are distributed to those working on ships in adverse weather conditions who do not own warm clothing.
Thank you to everyone who keeps knitting and to those who provide wool. If you would like to get started there are patterns and wool in the boxes by the choir vestry.
For further information please contact Janet Henderson 525856.
Legge House Monthly Prayer Point
Pray that Legge House has the right combination of staff and volunteers for the coming busy months over the Spring and Summer. May the House continue to be a beacon of Christian hospitality.
This week please also pray for:-
- Swindon Youth for Christ
- For the staff and patients of the Ridgeway Hospital
- Those leading our Lent Courses this year
- For the family and friends of Henrix Dagger and Max Carver as they are Christened in Church today
- For our PCC Members as they meet this week
- We commend to God’s care and keeping those who have died recently especially David Bottrill and Frank Whatley. We pray for all who mourn the loss of loved ones.
