A warm welcome to you on this the Sixteenth Sunday after Trinity. Please do join us after the service to share in a cup of tea or coffee. All ages are welcome at St. Mary’s, children included. There is also a crèche in the Octagon for the very young if you need it. If this is your first time with us, please do fill in the slip at the end of the newsletter, so that we can keep in touch with you. St Mary’s is fitted with a hearing loop system. Members of the congregation who have a hearing aid with a ‘T’ switch will find that they can hear better when it is switched to ‘T’.

The flowers in the Lady Chapel are in memory of Mary Phillips.

Harvest
Next Sunday is our Harvest Thanksgiving. Please bring along cans of food which will be donated to Kairos, an organisation based at St Peter’s Hillfields which works with families suffering from domestic violence.

St Mary’s Harvest Dinner
A dinner is being held following the harvest service next Sunday 4th October. The cost is £7 per head. Concessions £5. Children under 12 will be free. The menu is posted on the noticeboard together with a list to sign if you would like to come. Please hand your payment to Malcolm, Stella or Mel. Tel Mel: 07966 395213 for more details.

Communion
In July the Bishop of Coventry suspended the use of the Common cup at communion and the physical exchange of the Peace. This suspension was lifted a fortnight ago with the provision that PCC’s should decide how to proceed. At PCC on Tuesday, we decided after an extensive discussion to continue the suspension of the common cup but for the ministers to intinct the wafer with wine before giving it to the communicant. This decision was not made lightly for although the bishop has lifted his suspension, the Archbishops’ and the Health authorities advice is still against the common cup. We have also agreed to discourage the physical exchange of the Peace in view of the large numbers of vulnerable people in the congregation.

In Depth Bible Study
Thank you to everyone who attended the Bible Study last week. The next session will be on Wednesday 21st October 2009. We will be looking at Matthew 5:13. Any queries, please see Stella or Lorraine.

Office Vacancies at the Diocesan Offices.
There are two vacancies within the Diocesan Offices. Both details are posted on the notice board.

We need your pencils!
The war in Darfur has meant that half the population of 8 million people have had to flee their homes, most living in refugee camps. In neighbouring Chad there are 500,000 Darfuri people in 14 refugee camps, mainly women and children. The camps have been growing over 7 years but in the last 2 years some aid agencies have pulled out and the children’s education is seriously threatened. The international charity React (Refugee Education Across Conflicts Trust) has offered to ship some supplies across. The Darfur Community in Coventry are therefore collecting: pencils, rubbers, rulers, exercise books, English/Arabic dictionaries, etc. Please bring them by 8th October to JoJo Cyber Café, 77 Far Gosford Street, Coventry. CV1 5DZ.

Coventry City Salvation Army Band Concert - 3rd October 2009
Please remember this concert. Tickets £4 each and can be obtained from the Vicar, Churchwardens or at the door on the evening, the cost includes light refreshments. Concert starts at 7.30 pm. All welcome. Proceeds will shared between St Mary’s refurbishment fund and the work of the Salvation Army.

Mission Update
Please see the Mission notice board for information and a photo of Vio [Home of Hope, Romania]; also the latest newsletter from Yeldall. Sue Morton, [Mission Group]

Could you help?
Are you thinking about who might come for Christmas this year? Perhaps you would like to make it a bit different. Some of the adults from overseas who are currently studying at UK universities would love to spend a couple of days in a real home, rather than on a deserted campus. It is interesting to share Christmas with people for whom it is all quite new (many international students are from China, for example). HOST has been linking students with hospitable volunteers for 22 years, at Christmas and also one-off weekends throughout the year. HOST is a registered charity backed by the Foreign Office and many universities. It is not necessary for hosts to live near a university, as students are prepared to travel far for this unique experience! See www.hostuk.org or call HOST's voluntary regional organiser, Soili Barker, on 01948 830549. Thank you!

Coffee Club
The Coffee Club meets next on Wednesday 30th September at 10.45 am. Cost £1. All Welcome.

Sixteenth Sunday after Trinity

Collect: Lord of creation, whose glory is around and within us: open our eyes to your wonders, that we may serve you with reverence and know your peace at our lives’ end, through Jesus Christ our Lord.

First Reading: Esther 7. 1-6,9,10, 9. 20-22 Lorraine Baker

Second Reading: James 5. 13-end Margaret Oakley

Gospel Reading: Mark 9. 38-end Marvyn Hancox

Intercessor: Karen French

Hymns: 422 120 313 220 186

Post Communion Prayer: Almighty God, you have taught us through your Son that love is the fulfilling of the law: grant that we may love you with our whole heart and our neighbours as ourselves; through Jesus Christ our Lord.

This week beginning 27th September 2009

This Sunday

8 am Holy Communion
10 am Parish Communion, Junior Church and Lazers
6.30 pm Evening Prayer
Monday 7 pm Parish Office
Tuesday 9 am Morning Prayer
Wednesday 10 am Holy Communion
Thursday 9 am Morning Prayer
7.30 pm Neighbourhood Watch Meeting
Saturday 9.30 am Morning Prayer
7.30 pm Salvation Army Band Concert

Sunday 4th October

8 am Holy Communion
10 am Harvest Thanksgiving
6.30 pm Evening Prayer