Royston Parish Church (Herts)

Royston Parish Church News - Sunday 2nd February 2025

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You can download the paper copy of our news sheet from the link at the side of this page.

The diocese’s Living God’s Love Prayer:

Living God, draw us deeper into your love;
Jesus our Lord, send us to care and serve;
Holy Spirit, make us heralds of good news.
Stir us, strengthen us, teach and inspire us
To live your love with generosity and joy,
Imagination and courage;
for the sake of your world and
in the name of Jesus, Amen.

Please note: The Parish Office email is admin@roystonparishchurch.org.uk. If you would like regular copies of the Notice Sheet emailed to you please email this account.

Sunday 2nd February 2025 -

The Presentation of Christ in the Temple

Saturday 1st February

10 – 11.30 am Church Café

Sunday 2nd February

9 am Said Communion Service

10.30 am Sung Communion Service with Church Choir, Children’s Church, followed by refreshments and The Treble Makers

12.15 pm PCC meeting at 15, St. Mary’s Park

5 pm Candlemas Service with the blessing of candles

Tuesday 4th

9 am Morning Prayer

Wednesday 5th

9.30 am Celtic Prayer Service

11 am Said Communion Service followed by refreshments

1 pm Knit and Natter meeting

7 pm Choir Practice in Church

7.30 pm Men’s Group meeting in Wetherspoons

Thursday 6th

9 - 11 am Tots in Church

2.30 pm Ladies Group

Friday 7th

7.30 pm PCC meeting

Saturday 8th

10 – 11.30 am Church Café

11 am Baptism of Sandra Harman

7 pm Church Quiz – see notices for details

Sunday 9th February

9 am Said Communion Service

10.30 am Sung Communion Service with Church Choir, Children’s Church, followed by refreshments and The Treble Makers

3.30 pm Tea Time Praise

DATES FOR THE DIARY

Thursday 27th February 7.30pm Julian Prayer meeting at 11 Middle Drift.

We pray for all Christians worldwide:

For all Christians in Algeria, Libya, Morocco, Western Sahara, Tunisia

For all who are worship at Trinity Life Church; Peter Chapman

For the work of our mission partners: SIM (formerly MECO)

We pray for the community of Royston:

For our local health centres

For all who volunteer and visit The Barn

We pray for our world and ECO projects:

That we may celebrate the joys of eating locally produced food to reduce our carbon footprint.

We pray for the sick and suffering:

Eden
Paul & Pat Tidey
Forest Pike
Neal
Richard Moss
Phoebe Strom
Peter Coates
John Hutchins
Jamie Covington
Lynn Fricker
Jan McElney
Kathy George
Jackson Herbert
Lee Cockerill
Betty Gladstone
Cyrine and family
Jean Coslett
Linda Dwight
Val Brown
Rowena Godfrey
Margaret & John Coates
Angi and Ken Rushall
Carol Emms
Peter Rice
Pamela Page

We pray for those who have died in the faith of Christ:

Ron Monksfield Carol, family and friends

We pray for those whose anniversaries fall at this time

03 Feburary Mary Taylor

NOTICES

2025 LENT COURSE: “CARBON LITERACY FOR CONGREGATIONS”

The 2025 Lent Course is a 6-week Carbon Literacy® course to learn about climate change, carbon footprints and how we can all do our bit to reduce them. The course dates are Friday March 7th, 14th, 21st, 28th,, April 4th & 11th and it takes place from 1:30-3:30pm in church. At the end of the course, it is hoped that all participants will make two pledges for relevant actions they will take to reduce their carbon footprint. The course will cost £15 to cover refreshments, all course materials and the cost of applying to receive a certificate. Please speak to Steven if the fee is a barrier to participation in the course.

To book your place, go to bit.ly/4hcKbRF

ANNOUNCEMENT: Having been the Bishop of St Albans for sixteen years and turning sixty-eight next month, the Rt Revd Alan Smith is retiring as our Diocesan Bishop on 31st May. There will be opportunities to show our appreciation of Bishop Alan in due course, but let us include him and our diocese in our prayers as he and we enter this period of change.

CHURCH QUIZ SATURDAY 8TH FEBRUARY 2025. 7PM FOR 7:30 START. Teams of up to 8 people, £8 per person. To register a team or interest in joining a team please speak to Duncan Rodgers or email [email protected]

CHURCH QUIZ RAFFLE We would like to run a raffle at the Church Quiz and would really welcome items to go into hamper type prizes. If you can help in this way, please leave in the vestry. Thank you from the Events Team.

SUNDAY READING SHEET 2nd February 2025 The Presentation of Christ in the Temple

A Reading from the Prophecy of Malachi

See, I am sending my messenger to prepare the way before me, and the Lord whom you seek will suddenly come to his temple. The messenger of the covenant in whom you delight—indeed, he is coming, says the Lord of hosts. But who can endure the day of his coming, and who can stand when he appears? For he is like a refiner’s fire and like fullers’ soap; he will sit as a refiner and purifier of silver, and he will purify the descendants of Levi and refine them like gold and silver, until they present offerings to the Lord in righteousness. Then the offering of Judah and Jerusalem will be pleasing to the Lord as in the days of old and as in former years. Then I will draw near to you for judgement; I will be swift to bear witness against the sorcerers, against the adulterers, against those who swear falsely, against those who oppress the hired workers in their wages, the widow, and the orphan, against those who thrust aside the alien, and do not fear me, says the Lord of hosts. Malachi 3: 1-5,

GOSPEL

When the time came for their purification according to the law of Moses, they brought him up to Jerusalem to present him to the Lord (as it is written in the law of the Lord, ‘Every firstborn male shall be designated as holy to the Lord’), and they offered a sacrifice according to what is stated in the law of the Lord, ‘a pair of turtle-doves or two young pigeons.’ Now there was a man in Jerusalem whose name was Simeon; this man was righteous and devout, looking forward to the consolation of Israel, and the Holy Spirit rested on him. It had been revealed to him by the Holy Spirit that he would not see death before he had seen the Lord’s Messiah. Guided by the Spirit, Simeon came into the temple; and when the parents brought in the child Jesus, to do for him what was customary under the law, Simeon took him in his arms and praised God, saying, ‘Master, now you are dismissing your servant in peace, according to your word; for my eyes have seen your salvation, which you have prepared in the presence of all peoples, a light for revelation to the Gentiles and for glory to your people Israel.’

And the child’s father and mother were amazed at what was being said about him. Then Simeon blessed them and said to his mother Mary, ‘This child is destined for the falling and the rising of many in Israel, and to be a sign that will be opposed so that the inner thoughts of many will be revealed—and a sword will pierce your own soul too.’ There was also a prophet, Anna the daughter of Phanuel, of the tribe of Asher. She was of a great age, having lived with her husband for seven years after her marriage, then as a widow to the age of eighty-four. She never left the temple but worshipped there with fasting and prayer night and day. At that moment she came, and began to praise God and to speak about the child to all who were looking for the redemption of Jerusalem. When they had finished everything required by the law of the Lord, they returned to Galilee, to their own town of Nazareth. The child grew and became strong, filled with wisdom; and the favour of God was upon him.

Luke 2: 22-40

STAFF TEAM

Vicar: Revd Steven Sivyer (rest day MONDAY)

Telephone no. 01763 243145

Email: [email protected]

Assistant Priest: The Reverend John Fidler

Telephone no. 01763 241886

Email: [email protected]

Reader: Emma Sivyer

Telephone no. 07851 688610

Email: [email protected]

Reader: Canon Reg Bailey