A warm welcome to you on this Fifth Sunday of Lent. 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’.

Roof Appeal
Money is still coming in for the Roof Appeal. Thank you to everyone who has contributed in every way. I hope to be able to give a running total at the Annual Meeting but I am hoping that we will be able to meet the shortfall with the money that has come in and the tax we can reclaim on gift-aided donations.

Cleaning Rota
We have had one or two people drop out of our cleaning rota recently and it would be helpful if one or two people could volunteer to clean the church and centre occasionally.

If we get three more people the expected frequency of cleaning is once every three months! Please speak to Malcolm. Also a volunteer to take on the rota would be appreciated!

Coffee Club
The Coffee Club meets next on Wednesday 17th March at 10.45 am. Cost £1. All welcome

Tote
1st Prize No. 62 Lois Whitehouse £25.00
2nd Prize No. 5 Audrey Curtis £ 8.00

Lent

Season of Renewal

Our Lent Course continues on Wednesdays in Lent; there is one more session before Easter and one in Easter week, both after the 10am service and in the evening at 7.30 pm - details are given below.

The course will invite us to consider our pattern of Spiritual Growth in a changing world. These are entitled

1. Seasons of Change (completed)
2. Praying with Jesus (completed)
3. All things new - growing as individuals (completed)
4. Depending on the Holy Spirit - resourcing the Church (completed)
5. Made new for mission - reaching the community
6. Celebrating the kingdom (after Easter)

Do come along either at 10.30 am or 7.30 pm.

Services for Holy Week
Some advance notice of services this Holy Week.

Monday-Wednesday 7.30 pm Evening Worship
Maundy Thursday 8 pm Eucharist with Foot washing
Good Friday 2 pm Service for Good Friday
Easter Day 5.15 am Vigil and Dawn Eucharist
followed by breakfast (I hope!)
8 am Holy Communion
10 am Parish Communion

Fifth Sunday of Lent

Collect: Gracious Father, you gave up your Son out of love for the world: lead us to ponder the mysteries of his passion, that we may know eternal peace through the shedding of our Saviour’s blood, Jesus Christ our Lord.

First Reading: Isaiah 43. 16-21 Val Ekin

Second Reading: Philippians 3. 4b-14 Sarah Tompkins

Gospel Reading: John 12. 1-8 Nicola Harwood

Intercessor: Stella Bailey

Hymns: 426 461 310 167 303

Post Communion Prayer: Loving God, as a mother feeds her children at the breast you feed us in this sacrament with the food and drink of eternal life:
help us who have tasted your goodness to grow in grace within the household of faith; through Jesus Christ our Lord.

This week beginning 21st March 2010

This Sunday

8 am Holy Communion
10 am Parish Communion, Junior Church and Lazers
11.15 am Annual Parochial Church Meetings
6.30 pm Evening Prayer
Monday 7 pm Parish Office
Tuesday 9 am Morning Prayer
Wednesday 10 am Holy Communion
10.30 am Lent Course
7.30 pm Lent Course
Thursday 9 am Morning Prayer
Saturday 9.30 am Morning Prayer

Sunday 28th March

Palm Sunday

8 am Holy Communion
10 am Parish Communion, Junior Church and Lazers, with Procession of Palms
6.30 pm Evening Prayer