St Nicholas Parish Church Fleetwood. Week beginning 2nd February 2025
We seek to be a church that lives by faith, is known by love and is a voice of hope to the community we serve.
Website https://www.achurchnearyou.com/church/11671
Sunday 2nd February
8.30 am Communion by Extension
10.45 am Holy Communion in Church
4.00 pm Family & Co
Monday 3rd February
1.30 pm Community Crafts and Games – Jubilee Room
Tuesday 4th February
10.45 am Community Singing for Pleasure, Jubilee Room
2.00 pm Holy Communion in Church
Thursday 6th February
10.30 am Community Coffee Morning
11.00 am Funeral of Scott R in Church
Friday 7th February
9.00 am Little Gang – Broadway Rooms
Saturday 8th February
10.00 am Confirmation – Session 3 Jubilee Room
Sunday 9th February
8.30 am Holy Communion in Church
9.30 am Worship on Zoom
10.45 am Holy Communion in Church
12.30 pm Baptism of Harlow Cooper
4.00 pm Family & Co
Daily Prayer will resume publicly w/c 10th Feb
Private prayer is available immediately after the 10.45 service for anyone who wishes to be prayed for or with in the Lady Chapel
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We are delighted to welcome Rev’s Fiona Haines today who will preach and preside at the 10.45 service. And also, grateful to Vicky Bentley a Licensed Lay Minister on placement with us, who will conduct a service of Communion by Extension at 8.30 am. Communion by Extension allows a Lay Minister to distribute the elements, which have been consecrated at a previous service by a Priest, to a worshipping community using an authorised form of service.
Today, 2nd February we celebrate the Presentation of Christ in the Temple, also known as the Feast of the Purification. It commemorates the presentation of Jesus and the purification of Mary in the Jerusalem Temple forty days after Jesus' birth, in accordance with the requirements of Jewish law (Leviticus 12:2-8). The feast is celebrated forty days after Christmas. According to the account of Luke 2:22-39, the presentation of Jesus was also the occasion of the meeting of Jesus with Simeon and Anna, the gospel passage set for today.
Simeon's prayer of blessing on the Christ child is the basis for the canticle Nunc dimittis which is often used at funerals. The celebration of the feast dates from the fourth century in Jerusalem. It was introduced in Rome in the seventh century, where it included a procession with candles and the singing of the Nunc dimittis. The celebration came to include the lighting and blessing of candles which were carried in the procession. For this reason, the feast is also known as “Candlemas.”
Simeon was a devout Jew who had been promised by the Holy Spirit that he would not die until he had seen the Messiah.
The Nunc dimittis, the song of Simeon:
Lord, now lettest thou thy servant depart in peace according to thy word.
For mine eyes have seen thy salvation;
Which thou hast prepared before the face of all people;
To be a light to lighten the Gentiles and to be the glory of thy people Israel.
Please remember in your prayers: All of our confirmation candidates, Katie, Brian Brown, Louise Gorley, Mark Price, Michael Carthy, Paul and Mark Sumner, Sandra Pratt, Michael, Chris Kelsall, Brian Morris, Elaine Clarke, Tracey Ashworth, Philip Wayman, Eloise, Primrose and Rev Andrew Downes. We also remember the families of Scott Remblance, Dyllis Pumphrey, Clare Barker, Barbara Sharrocks and Dorothy Hankey whose funerals are due to take place.