The Presentation
TODAY
8am HOLY COMMUNION in Church
10am HOLY COMMUNION in Church and on YouTube
2pm to 4pm WARM SPACE ON SUNDAYS in the Church Hall
NEXT WEEK
Monday 30th January 7.30pm PCC Meeting – Church Hall
Tuesday 31st January 9.00am Morning Prayer in Church
7.30pm Prayer Meeting – Church Hall
Thursday 2nd February 9.00am Morning Prayer in Church
SUNDAY 5TH FEBRUARY 2023
3RD SUNDAY BEFORE LENT
8am HOLY COMMUNION in Church
Preacher: Revd Phill Harrison
Sidesperson: Alan & Christine Wrixon
10am HOLY COMMUNION in Church and on YouTube.
Preacher: Revd Phill Harrison
Intercessor: Peter Ferguson
Reading: Nehemiah 1
Reader: Tiffany Weighell
Sidespersons: Colin & Jackie Ash
6pm EVENSONG in Church and on YouTube.
Preacher: Revd Chris Hunter
Intercessor: Marion Colton
Reading: Amos 2. 4-end
Reader: Tim Winter
Sidespersons: Tony & Julia Edmonds
Small Groups
If you would like to join a small group, please contact the leaders of the groups below and find out where there is space. We would love to have everyone involved in a small group.
| 22 Kellsborough Avenue | Mondays 10am-11.30
|
Lillian Wicks
Louise Bessent |
| 12 Artis Avenue | Tuesdays at 7.30pm | Carolyn Kirk |
| Church Hall | Alternate Tuesday evenings | Nick Orman |
| The Vicarage | Wednesday evenings during term time. | Karen & Phill Harrison |
| Church Hall | Saturday men’s breakfast | Mike Mason |
Live streaming the 10am service
The 10am service will be live streamed on You Tube. Please visit our YouTube Channel on https://www.youtube.com/@WroughtonWichelstoweParChurch (or search for Wroughton and Wichelstowe Parish church) and press the ‘subscribe’ button.
Warm Space on Sundays in the Church Hall
From January we will be opening up the Church Hall as a Warm Space between 2pm and 4pm on Sunday afternoons. The hope is that this will provide a social place for people to drop in and chat, have a cup of tea and maybe some cake. There might be board games and jigsaws for those that want to use them, but all very informal. Everyone is welcome, regardless of how warm your home actually is and whether you are a churchgoer or not. There will be a short voluntary act of worship at 4pm, but there is no pressure or obligation to stay for this.
Proposal to General Synod regarding same-sex relationships
There has been a flurry of press interest in the outcome of the recent meeting of the Church of England’s House of Bishops to discuss same sex relationships. The bishops have produced a draft proposal that will be debated by the General Synod when it meets from 6th-9th February. If adopted, the House of Bishop’s proposal will allow clergy to offer services of prayer and blessing for same-sex couples, but will not change the traditional understanding of Christian marriage as being between one man and one woman. Bishop Viv has issued a statement setting out her own personal view and the reasons for it; you can find a copy of this on the back page of the notice sheet.
As a local church, we had an opportunity to discuss and debate some of the issues through the Living in Love and Faith process that we engaged with in February last year. Living in Love and Faith is a five session video based course designed to enable churches to learn and pray together about matters of identity, sexuality, relationships and marriage. It is not about changing anyone’s point of view, but it is about helping people of potentially differing opinions to explore the pastoral and theological issues and to understand one another better. A relatively small number of people chose to engage with this at the time, perhaps because the prospect of any changes to Church of England policy seemed so distant! Things are now starting to move quite quickly, so if you think that this course would be beneficial, or you would like explore these issues further, please speak to one of the clergy.
As we consider these complex and sometimes divisive issues, I am reminded that Jesus’ last prayer for his disciples before he was arrested was a prayer for unity: ‘that they may be one as we [i.e. Jesus and the Father] are one’ John 17:11. Revd Phill.
Swindon Deanery Synod
Deanery Synod is part of the local decision making apparatus of the Church of England. Deanery Synod members are elected by parishes, and they in turn elect the members of the General Synod (who will be debating the bishop’s proposal on same-sex relationships in February). The next meeting of Swindon Deanery Synod will be at 7pm on Thursday 9th February in St John’s Haydon Wick SN25 1QQ. Deanery Synod will thinking about the next phase of Transforming Church Together, when we are beginning to look at how we can implement the new strategy across the diocese, from parishes upwards. Archdeacon Christopher will be joining us to help our discussions about this. This is an open meeting and everyone is welcome to attend, whether you are a member of the Synod or not. Further information about the new strategy can be found here: https://www.bristol.anglican.org/visionandpriorities/transforming-church/
A message from Care for the Family: ‘Date night in a box’
We’re sure that like us, you want to see couples flourishing in strong and healthy relationships. But we know relationships that last need intentional investment and, with so many other things competing for their time and attention, it can be easy for many couples to put their relationship on the back burner. This year, we’re back with a brand-new episode of our popular event, Date Night in a Box. It’s everything couples need to enjoy some quality time together and get back on the same page when it comes to their relationship. It’ll feature brand-new teaching, videos and activities and we’ll post a mystery box out to be enjoyed alongside the online content. Find out more here: https://www.careforthefamily.org.uk/events/events-online/date-night-in-a-box/
The Children’s Society
If you are a children’s society box holder and would like your box to be emptied, please can you bring it to church within the next two or three weeks. Alternatively I can collect your box, just let me know on 07596 001716.
Many thanks, Carolyn Kirk
Pancake Races 18th February
On Saturday 18th February we will be having Pancake Races. We will have races for all ages in Willow Brook Gardens at 11.30 am followed by fellowship and pancake eating in the Church Hall from about midday. Do encourage your friends and neighbours to come (bring your own fryingpan if you want to race) and speak to Barbara if you can help with pancake cooking.
Eco Top Tips – practical ways to take better care of God’s creationJanuary – In the kitchen
- Stop using aluminium foil for cooking wherever possible; use a container with a lid that can be reused. Aluminium is a rare metal and its extraction and purification uses a lot of energy.
- Reduce the amount of meat you eat; producing 1kg of beef produces the equivalent CO2 to you driving a 300mile round trip while leaving all your lights on at home.
CHRIST CHURCH ASSISTANT (CCA)
20 hours per week to include some evening and weekend working.
Salary £11,440
Applications are invited for the post of Christ Church Assistant (CCA).
Christ Church are looking to appoint a CCA who will be specifically responsible for managing our social media, marketing, communications, fundraising, grant applications and event planning. This is a joint role for both the church and Community Centre.
The role of the CCA will also be to provide operational and administrative support for the whole site of Christ Church including the church, community centre and burial ground.
The CCA will ideally have had experience of working within a church or community facility.
The person will need to be friendly, customer focused and able to work both independently and as part of a team. This role will be critical in supporting the existing staff and volunteers involved at Christ Church as we work to promote our activities more effectively.
The successful applicant should have excellent communication, good organisational skills and be well educated in social media.
Please contact Chris Smith for an application pack:
Chris Smith, Christ Church Operations Manager, Community Centre @ Christ Church, Cricklade Street, Swindon SN1 3HB. Telephone number 07582 305760 or e-mail chris@christchurchswindon.co.uk
Closing date: Monday 6th February 2023, Interview to be held W/C Monday 20th February 2023
Start date: as soon as possible subject to any notice period
Funerals
We commend to God’s care and keeping those who have, died recently John Fallows.
We pray for all those who mourn the loss of a loved one.
Floodlighting
The Church was floodlit on Thursday 26th January by Paul & Helen Toomer for the safe arrival of a much longed for first grandchild – Morgana Felicity to Sam & Annika born on 22nd January.
Photos
Please don’t forget to email me office@wroughton.com any local photos that you take so that we can share with others. Janet
| The Parish Office, Priors Hill, Wroughton, SN4 0RT Open Monday, Wednesday, Thursday, Friday 9am to 1.30pm
01793 812050 office@wroughton.com Revd Phill Harrison – Vicar 01793 812301 vicar@wroughton.com Revd Chris Hunter – Curate 01793 814987 curate@wroughton.com Church Twitter Account – @WroughtonWichel Find us on Facebook – Wroughton and Wichelstowe Parish Church Please follow us for all the latest updates from Wroughton Parish Church. |
Diocese of Bristol | The Bishop of Bristol’s Office
Much attention has been given in recent days to the Church of England’s evolving stance on same-sex relationships. I have remained committed to the College of Bishop’s agreement to refrain from commenting on draft documentation before its formal release for debate at the General Synod in February. Now that this happened, I would like to declare my own views on this issue to the Diocese.
The proposal under consideration offers a significant change in policy towards LGBTQI+ people and, for the first time, permits clergy to offer services of prayer and blessing for same-sex couples. I hope that the General Synod will endorse these prayers.
I further support a change to the law that would allow for the marriage of same-sex couples in church, and regret that this proposal does not extend that legal change.
Over many years I have tried to travel alongside LGBTQI+ Christians as they have responded to the call of God and struggled against discrimination. As a deaconess and university chaplain in the 1980s, I became aware of the risk of prosecution that many faced, and the secrecy they consequently kept. I was relieved when both law and culture changed to allow for civil partnerships (though deeply disappointed that bishops argued against this change). I continued in conversation about marriage over the years, knowing that there were a variety of views within the Christian LGBTQI+ community about this possibility.
When I was appointed to the Diocese nearly five years ago, there had been (unlike other dioceses) very little formal opportunity for discussion of sexuality and identity, and nervousness about engaging in debate when many were aware of profound disagreement. I was glad, therefore, that discussions around human sexuality endorsed by the national church (‘Living in Love and Faith’) provided an opportunity to listen and learn together. I am grateful to those who participated, particularly those for whom personal disclosure left them vulnerable to hurt.
It has been the testimony of gay Christians who have married, and who have longed for the support of the church and for Christ’s blessing, which ultimately convinced me. I honour those who, despite prejudice against them, have established faithful, loving and stable relationships which have been a gift to the church and to their communities.
As Bishop of Bristol, I share with bishops in England responsibility for the mission and ministry of the church and its unity; and so I am aware that advocating marriage for same-sex couples goes against scripture and tradition in the view of many. As a woman in Church of England ministry, I have my own experience of the cost of disagreement about doctrine and practice.
In our Diocese, there will continue to be a variety of views about sexuality and identity. I remain steadfastly committed to a spirit of generosity: that we can continue to listen and learn together, respect each other and disagree well. In the meantime, I pray that General Synod will be supportive of the changes proposed today.
Bishop Viv.
Church Lane, Winterbourne, Bristol, BS36 1SG Tel. 01454 777 728
| www.bristol.anglican.org | Church Lane, Winterbourne, Bristol, BS36 1SG Tel. 01454 777 728 | www.bristol.anglican.org |
