True and humble king, hailed by the crowd as Messiah: grant us the faith to know you and love you, that we may be found beside you on the way of the cross, which is the path of glory. Amen.
SERVICES
SUNDAY 13th April: Palm Sunday
St Andrew's: 10.00 am Morning Prayer
St Thomas': 10.00 am Morning Prayer followed by Annual Church Meeting
St James': 11.15 am Holy Communion
St Peter's: 11.15 Morning Prayer AND 4.00 pm Church for All with Communion
HOLY WEEK SERVICES
Wednesday 16th April
St Andrew’s: 10.30am Team Holy Communion Service in the Ancient Chapel in St Andrew’s grounds
St James: 7.30 pm Prayer Course (details below)
Maundy Thursday, 17th April
St James: 6.00pm Informal remembering of the Passover meal and fish & chips meal together (£8 per person to cover the meal)
St Andrew’s: 7.30pm Team Holy Communion Service with stripping of the altar
Good Friday, 18th April
Ecumencial service 10.30am at St Andrew's, followed by hot cross buns and drinks in the Church Hall.
St Peter's: 2-3pm Last hour at the cross time of reflection
EASTER SUNDAY 20th April:
St Andrew's: 10.00 am Holy Communion
St Thomas': Holy Communion
St James': 11.15 am Holy Communion
St Peter's: 11.15 Holy Communion AND 4.00 pm Church for All
Bible Readings
Sunday 13th April Palm Sunday: 1 reading: Luke19:28-40
Maundy Thursday 17th April: John 13:1-17, 31-35
Good Friday 18th April morning ecumenical service: Matthew 27:27-56; afternoon last hour reflection: various
Sunday 20th April Easter Sunday: Acts 10:34-43 Luke 24:1-12
Sunday 27th April Team Service: Acts 5:27-32 John 20:19-end
TEAM PRAYERS
Team Prayers will now be taking place ahead of our monthly team service on the 4th Sunday of each month at whichever church is hosting that month’s service, at 9.45am. So the next one will be at St Andrew's on Sunday 27th April at 9.45am. All welcome.
We’re also going to be intentional now about having a short informal time of prayer at each church before the Sunday services each week - so the person leading the service will pray with others who are there for 10 mins or so half an hour before the start of the service, so 9.40 ahead of 10am services and 10.55 ahead of 11.15am services. Everyone is very welcome to join in with this. St James usually has a time of individual prayer and reflection helped by two worship songs from about 5 minutes before the actual start of the service.
News
The Prayer Course: SESSION 6 THIS WEDNESDAY, 16TH APRIL at 7.30pm
We continue to enjoy this on Wednesday evenings, and are finding the video input and discussion around prayer very helpful. For anyone who would like to have been there but is unable to make it on the Wednesday evenings to St James, the videos we are watching each week are available for anyone to view via this link: https://prayercourse.org/sessions/ Just click on this, and then click where it says ‘watch session'.
Church Electoral Rolls
This year is a New Church Electoral Roll year, which occurs every 6 years, when everyone on the roll comes off and everyone has to fill in a form again. It’s really important that everyone does this, anyone on the current roll who does not complete the form will not be on the new roll. Forms will be available in each of our churches from 2 months before the church’s Annual Parochial Church Meeting.
Notices will be displayed at each church, and reminder announcements made at services. It would be a great help if people could action this quickly when the forms appear at your church, thank you.
St Andrew’s Church - Electoral Roll
Two copies of St Andrew’s new Electoral Roll for 2025 are now available in church to view for those application forms which were received by 2nd April, and will be presented at the Annual Parochial Church Meeting on Sunday 27th April 2025.
Application forms will continue to still be accepted between now and the APCM but will be not be included on the new Electoral Roll until after the Annual Meeting. Following the APCM any Application Forms subsequently received will be accepted at any time and processed ASAP and be included on the new Electoral Roll.
St Andrew’s Church - Weekly Envelopes
Some of you with Weekly Giving Envelopes at St Andrew’s are aware you might not yet have been automatically issued with a new box for 2025. This is because not all weekly envelopes are being used as frequently. When you are close to having no envelopes could you please give early notice so as to be issued with a new box, if you so wish, via the church (Parish Office 0151 531 8972, or direct to Geoff Walker 0151 526 5366.) There will be no change to your allocated Weekly Envelope Number. Thank you for your continued support.
Stamps
A request from St Thomas’ for your used stamps, as they are collecting them to support training guide dogs. Please do pass any you have in to your church, and the clergy will ensure they get to St Thomas’. Thank you.
Request for Wool Donations - also stuffing material for toys & pillows
Wool donations for our craft and chat group wld be very gratefully received! Whether whole or part balls of wool, any colour etc. Also, at the moment, donations of stuffing material for toys & pillows would be much appreciated. If you are able to drop off to the craft & chat group between 12.30 and 2pm on Thursdays at St James’ Church Green Lane, that would be great, (though see dates of the Easter break for this below) but collection can easily be arranged. Please contact Pat Dunbar by text message on 07795147109 or email at [email protected] Thank you!
Advance dates for your diaries…
Christian Aid Coffee Morning
In advance of Christian Aid week which takes place from May 11-18, there will be a coffee morning at St Andrew’s Church Hall for supporters and anyone at all who is interested on Saturday May 3rd from 10.30 a.m. Anyone welcome, information on this year's project and appeal will be shared.
WEEKLY EVENTS
Craft and Chat: every Thursday 12.30pm until 2pm at St James in the fellowship room. Knitting, crocheting or any craft, you are assured of a very warm welcome so please do come and join us. Please note: we're on a short Easter break now, back on Thursday 1st May. Pat
Hot lunch, tea and cakes every Thursday afternoon at Melling Tithebarn……12.00pm to 2.00pm. A plate for donations will be available. You are assured of a very warm welcome so please do come and join us.
Bible Study: Our regular weekly Bible Study takes place on Thursdays at 7.30pm in St Andrew’s Church Hall. We are currently looking at the Gospel of Luke together. All welcome.
MONTHLY EVENTS
St Peter's Tea and Scones: everyone is welcome to join us for tea and scones on the first Friday in every month from 2pm-3pm. The next one is on Friday 2nd May. Expect lots of friendly chats and live music by our resident Michael with his keyboard.
Bereavement Support: at St Andrew’s Church. Further enquiries, and if there are any particular requests for bereavement support, from anywhere across our 4 parishes, please contact St Andrew’s Parish Office 0151 531 8972.
Other notices
Foodbank: the Foodbank is based at St George's United Reformed Church on Northway opposite Iceland, on Tuesdays 10.00am-12.00 noon.
Tins, packet foods and toiletries are always useful. They will gratefully receive donations from 10-12 on Tuesdays at St George’s URC on Northway (easiest access is via the car park on Larchwood Avenue). Alternatively please do drop any donations off before Tuesday on the vicarage doorstep at 23 Green Link. Thank you.
CONTACT DETAILS
Please contact us…
If you know anyone who would like to receive this email
If there is anyone who needs prayer
If you know anyone who needs a phone call
Contact details:
Revd. Ian Hopkins 07914 505437 or [email protected]
Revd. Simon Elliott 07919 464348 or [email protected]