St. Mary's Church

Messenger Mar/Apr/May

For your Diary

Coffee Club - meetings in Mar, Apr, & May are

as follows:6^th & 20^th March

3^rd & 17^th April

1^st, 15^th & 29^th May

10.45 am. Price £1.Tea, Coffee, biscuits.

All welcome.

Walsgrave Friendship Group-

meetings in Mar, Apr & May are as follows:

14^th & 28^th March

11^th & 25^th April

9^th & 23^rd May

10 – 12 noon on 2^nd and 4^th Thurs of each month.

St Mary’s Luncheon Club

Follows the Walsgrave Friendship Group on the dates above. 12.15 pm.£4.Speak to Claire for more details.

Wednesday morning Bible Study/Lent Course at 10.45am & 7.30 pm. All welcome

13^th, 20^th & 27^th March

3^rd, 10^th April

Friday Prayer Group

Alternate Fridays from 10.30-11.30am, plus coffee time. Dates as follows:

8^th & 22^nd March

5^th April

3^rd, 17^th & 31^st May

See Tony Thistlewood for more information

CREW (Creative, Ready, Equipped & Willing)

- a children’s activity and worship group.

Join us to get creative @ C.R.E.W.

Saturday 23^rd March

Good Friday

Saturday 18^th May

10.45 -12 noon.Craft, worship and food.

Junior Church:

Every Sunday during 10am service apart from when Creative Communion takes place.

Creche (under 4’s), Splash (4-8’s), Combined Extreme/Grid (8+’s)

Holy Week and Easter Services

Mon-Wed7.30 pm Meditation

Maundy Thurs 7.30 pm Parish Communion

& Foot washing

2 pm Solemn Liturgy

Easter Day -5amDawn Eucharist 10 am Parish Communion6.30 pm Evening Prayer

PCC Meetings:

7^th April-APCM

Tuesday 7^th May – 7.30 pm

Members of PCC are as follows:

Barbara Hancox       John Aspden

Lorraine Baker     Nickie Harwood

Gary Croshaw     Tony Thistlewood

Coral Carson     Mervyn Hancox

Val Ekin     Mo Hearne Wilson

Nathan Lewis

Baptisms

14^th April   Harper-Lee Fitzpatrick-Price

Joshua Lambert

Callum & Cacey Lea

28^th April   Archie Knox

5^th May    Kadie Newby

Willow Thomas

12^th May    Marcus Richards

19^th May    Isra’el Williams

Saint Amour Williams

26^th May    Kareen Price-Khera

Cruiz Richards

Weddings

24^th April-Cerri Smail & Eddie North

11^th May-Jade Neesam & Tawanda Pamire

Ash Wednesday

• The first day of Lent
• Its official name is “Day of Ashes”
• From Ash Wednesday to Easter Sunday is exactly 40 days. (Excluding Sundays)
• It’s not mentioned in the Bible (nor is Lent).
• However, there are many references in the Old Testament to people using dust and ashes as a symbol of repentance and mourning.
• Repentance for our sins prepares us to receive forgiveness and salvation in Christ.
• The cross on a person’s forehead identifies them with Jesus Christ.
• Jesus warned us not to make a great show of fasting but he recognised fasting was good for us.
• Ash Wednesday reminds us of our mortality, “you are dust, and to dust you shall return.”
• Ash Wednesday is not a time to be down and morose.
• Ash Wednesday encourages us to get alongside Jesus who defeated death.