TODAY
8.00am HOLY COMMUNION (BCP)
10.00am HOLY COMMUNION in Church and on YouTube
NEXT WEEK
Tuesday 18th 9.00 am Morning Prayer – Church
Thursday 20th 9.00 am Morning Prayer – Church
SUNDAY 23rd FEBRUARY 2025
Second Sunday before Lent
8am MORNING PRAYER in Church
Preacher: Tracy Mason
Reading: Revelation 4
Sidespersons: Jean Reens and Christine Wrixon
10.00am HOLY COMMUNION in Church and on YouTube
Preacher: Tracy Mason
Intercessor: Marion Colton
Reading: Revelation 4
Reader: Veronica Garside
Altar servers: Gillian Pitter and Andrew Francis
Sidespersons: Rose Humphries and Pat Herring
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.
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 Kellsboro Avenue | Mondays 10am-11.30 | Lillian Wicks & Louise Bessent |
| 12 Artis Avenue | Tuesdays at 7.30pm | Carolyn Kirk & Lorna |
| Church Hall | Alternate Tuesday evenings | Nick & Joan Orman |
| The Vicarage | Wednesday evenings during term time. | Karen Harrison |
| Church Hall | Saturday men’s breakfast | Mike Mason |
‘Sunday Club’ dates
Our Sunday morning group for primary school aged children takes place in the Vicarage during the 10am service, usually on the 1st and 3rd Sundays. Future dates are:
Date Adults – lead/support
16/2 Joan / Helena T
2/3 Phill / Karen F
16/3 Barbara / Carolyn
6/4 Karen H / Lynn
20/4 Easter Sunday – No session
First Aid and emergency information
Please be aware that First Aid and emergency information can be found on the notice boards in the Choir Vestry (go through the blue curtain). This includes information about what to do in an emergency, the names of First Aiders, our church’s postcode and what3words location (in case you need to direct an ambulance), as well information about the defibrillator, the First Aid box, accident book and fire evacuation procedures (leave by the nearest available exit!).
Bible recommendation for children
Last Sunday Revd Phill recommended The Lion Storyteller Bible as an ideal gift for children. It contains 70 retellings of bible stories especially designed to be read aloud and is therefore ideal as a bedtime story for any small people that you may know. This is the bible that we use when the Open the Book team visits our primary schools for assemblies and also one of the bibles that we give to older children when they are christened (reading age 5-9). Available online and from all good bookshops.
Gluten free wafers
Despite what you may have read in the press (!), gluten free wafers will continue to be available in our church. If you need gluten free, then please just ask when you come forward to receive Holy Communion.
Lent resources
Two of our small groups have recommended some resources that you might like to use during your journey through Lent:
- If you enjoyed the book that we used during Advent and Epiphany ‘Women of the Nativity’ by Paula Gooder, then you might also enjoy ‘Women of Holy Week – An Easter Journey in Nine Stories’ by the same author. Nick and Joan’s group will be using this.
- Carolyn and Lorna’s group will be using resources from 24-7 prayer, based around the book ‘Be Still’ by Brian Heasley. This is a prayer book for anyone – small groups, Bible studies, youth leaders and teenagers – looking for ways to make space for and revitalise the way they pray. For more information follow this link: https://www.24-7prayer.com/resource/be-still-a-simple-guide-to-quiet-times/?utm_source=lectio-365&utm_medium=app&utm_campaign=lectio-365
Lent Quiet Day with Kenneth Wilson
Saturday 15 March, 10am-4pm, Bristol Cathedral. Join Bristol Cathedral for the Lent Quiet Day, featuring Kenneth Wilson, a talented author and musician, known as Highway Cello. Kenneth will lead a Meditation on the Seven Last Words, blending his poetry with the music of Bach’s cello suites. The day will offer periods of silent reflection, providing a calm and contemplative space for attendees. There is no charge but booking is required: https://bristolcathedral.churchsuite.com/events/jq0cn09t?dm_i=7MDZ,AXUI,1TWOHL,1937J,1
Bishop of Bristol announces her retirement
The Rt Revd Vivienne Faull, by kind permission of the King, will retire as Bishop of Bristol on 1 September 2025. The Archbishop of York granted Bishop Viv permission to remain in office after her 70th birthday in May, to ordain new Deacons and Priests in the summer.
Bishop Viv was enthroned as the 56th Bishop of Bristol at Bristol Cathedral on 20 October 2018, having previously served as the Dean of York. As Bishop of Bristol, she has provided episcopal guidance to parishes across Bristol, Swindon, South Gloucestershire, and North Wiltshire. In addition, she has been a member of the House of Lords and, since 2021, one of the lead bishops for church and cathedral buildings and a Church Commissioner.
Bishop Viv said: “After 42 years in full-time ministry as Deaconess, Deacon, Priest and Bishop, the time has come for a rest. I have revelled in each of the places and communities to which God has called me and have been enriched by them all.
“My seven years in Bristol, where my mother — a great campaigner for the ordination of women — was born, baptised and confirmed, has been a beautiful coda, and I will leave this generous, creative, brave and open diocese with deep gratitude for all that, in the power of the Holy Spirit, we have learnt and transformed together.
“May Christ bless and keep us now and in our pilgrimages ahead.”
There will be an opportunity to say farewell to Bishop Viv at a special service held at Bristol Cathedral at 3.00pm on Saturday, 30 August 2025, to which all are welcome.
Following Bishop Viv’s announcement, the process of identifying the next Bishop of Bristol will begin, in consultation with parishes and other groups from across the diocese.
NEW ELECTORAL ROLL 2025
Every six years we are required by law to rewrite our electoral roll from scratch. This takes place in 2025,and since you are on the previous electoral roll. If you are on the current electoral roll you will need to re-apply.
Existing roll members should have a letter with prepopulated form to complete, sign and return to the parish office or to the box in church. If your details are correct, you simply need to tick the appropriate boxes (see 2A, 2B or 2C) and sign and date the form. If any of your details are incorrect, please also amend as appropriate.
Forms must be returned by 14th April 2025.
If you are not on the current roll and regularly attend then we would encourage you to join. There are blank forms at the back of church
If you would like to do this by email, then you can find instructions at www.wroughton.com//about-us/electoralroll2025/ 102 people have already returned their forms
Parish Safeguarding Co-ordination Officer (PSO)
Dorcan Church, East Swindon
4month contract; 20 hours per week; £31,000 FTE (£4,420)
We are the Dorcan Church in East Swindon, serving the community through our two worship centres – St Paul’s, Covingham, and St Timothy’s, Liden. Both of the centres are busy places, and we offer a number of community and church-run activities.
Good safeguarding practice is central to our mission and ministry, with over 50 of our church family safely recruited to ministry with children and young people. We are looking to review and update our processes and procedures, and then to implement and monitor these practices across our church. We are therefore seeking someone to join the team for four months to help us with this task. We approach our safeguarding responsibilities as a team, and as well as having your own areas of responsibility, you will co-ordinate and oversee the team’s discrete areas of responsibility, ensuring excellence and good practice across our safeguarding function.
Is this something for you?
If so, and you would like more details, please visit our website at https://www.dorcanchurch.org.uk/files/Vacancies.php for more information.
Closing date mid-day 12th March 2025.
Knitting for charity
Last week I dropped off this colourful blanket for the End of Life unit at GWH. Thank you to Jean Ford for assembling this one and thank you to those of you who have knitted squares. If you would like to make squares they should be double knitting yarn (no glitter) and 6inches(15 cm) square with the ends threaded in. Please check the size carefully. If they are too big or too small it is hard to make them into the 4 foot by 5foot size that is required by the hospital. If you would rather make hats or scarves for Mission to Seafarers there are patterns and spare wool in a box by the choir vestry blue curtain in church. Thank you. Janet Henderson
PANCAKE RACING
Willow Brook Garden
Saturday 1st March 2025
2.30 pm Races
3 pm Pancakes in the Church Hall
Bring the whole family
Races for all ages from toddlers to adults
Bring your own frying pan
For more information
Church Office 812050
Floodlighting
The Church will be floodlit on Saturday 15th February by Janet Edmonds in memory of her husband, Roy on his birthday.
If you would like the Church to be floodlit for a special occasion (cost £20.00) Forms are available in Church or online please return to Janet in the Office or email office@wroughton.com.
Funerals
We commend to God’s care and keeping those who have died. We pray for all those who mourn the loss of a loved one.
| The Parish Office, Priors Hill, Wroughton, SN4 0RT – 01793 812050 office@wroughton.com
Open Monday, Wednesday, Thursday, Friday 9am to 1.30pm Revd Phill Harrison – Vicar 01793 812301 vicar@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 & Wichelstowe Parish Church. |
