This week’s Bible readings:
1 Corinthians 3:9-17 (p 1146).
Standon Annual Meeting:
This Sunday, immediately after the 10.30 service, we will hold the APCM for Standon. If you’re on the electoral roll of St Mary’s, please stay and hear how the parish is doing and what the challenges are that we plan to tackle in the coming year.
Website:
Our new benefice website is live! It is now being hosted on the www.achurchnearyou.com platform - simply go to the site and search for one of our churches (alternatively the address for our benefice page is: www.achurchnearyou.com/church/7825/benefice).
There is a lot of interesting information on the site, and all the latest benefice updates (including upcoming services and events, the latest notices sheet to download, weekly updates and prayer topics, and much more!). Please tell Mark at [email protected] of any recommended changes or additions, and he will share them with the team working on the website. It is also here that you will be able to view John's Jordan vlog... the first episode is now online and ready to view!
Jordan trip:
Keep a lookout on the website for the vlog (video log) from Jordan, now active. We are hoping to post daily on where we are and what we are doing. The trip is 9th to 18th May.
Knit & Natter group:
If you like knitting or crocheting, come and join us for a couple of hours in Standon village hall at 2pm usually on the 2nd Thursday of each month. Tea & cakes will be available. Our next meeting will be on Thursday 12 May 2022. For more information please contact Marion on 01920 745683.
FOSM AGM, Friday 13th, 7.30 pm in St Mary’s:
The annual meeting of the Friends of St Mary’s will be on Friday evening, and will be followed by a talk by James Ridings entitled ‘Where the wild things are’. Please come along to support the Friends and to hear about our local wildlife and conservation.
Support for the foodbank:
For some years now, we’ve supported Buntingford foodbank on a regular basis. The foodbank supports families in Buntingford and the surrounding villages, including our own villages, and it is finding itself increasingly in demand as the current cost of living increases bite ever deeper. We have collection boxes in all our churches, and we also arrange for online deliveries to go directly to the foodbank collection point in Buntingford. Karen contacts us when she’s running low on stock, and in the last 12 months we have ordered more than £3,700 worth of groceries. This has been funded by our own congregations’ donations for this purpose, and people have responded generously to the need around us.
In 2020, our average order was £320. In 2021 it was £562. In the first 4 months of 2022 it has been £709. At the moment, each and every month, Karen and her team are breaking their previous record for the number of food parcels delivered. The need is immense and growing. At the same time, we understand that our church members are not immune to their own financial pressures.
If you can, please help us continue our support. Donations of money can be made physically by giving them to Caroline. You can donate online (please use reference ‘foodbank’) to: CAF Bank Ltd; Sort code 40 52 40; Account Standon PCC; Account number 00032168. If you’re a tax payer, please fill in and let us have a gift aid form (available from Caroline - [email protected]). That means we can claim back from HMRC any tax you’ve already paid on your donation, and the foodbank gets even more!
Please let neighbours, friends, relatives know about the amazing work that Karen and her team are doing. If you’re able to support her work, thank you; if you need to make use of the foodbank she is ready to help.
Rotas of all sorts – still more help needed, please:
Many of our routine tasks are performed by volunteers who take turns on a rota system, but many of our rotas have significant gaps. We need help, please, with the following:
All Saints:
- Cleaning – in a team, taking a turn every couple of months – speak to Pauline
- Flower arranging – no previous experience needed! - speak to Deborah or Heather
- Welcoming and serving coffee on Sunday mornings – speak to any of the current team
- Reading or leading intercessions in services – speak to a churchwarden
- Helping with café on Wednesday afternoons – speak to Carole or Deborah
St Mary’s:
- Cleaning – in a team, taking a turn every 6 weeks – speak to Rita
- Helping in the churchyard, 1st Saturday morning of each month – speak to Mike or Sarah
- Bell ringing (practice night Tuesday) – speak to Tracey
- Welcoming or serving coffee on Sunday mornings – speak to Angie or Wendy
- Reading or leading intercessions in church – speak to Angie or Wendy
- Joining the streaming rota to be set up in the near future – speak to Angie or Rich
Mayday:
Thank you to all who contributed to a successful Mayday. FOSM raised £1,253 from teas, salads and Lizzy’s cards. Many were welcomed into the church, and the music was much enjoyed. If you have bowls or cake boxes to collect, they’re in the St Mary’s kitchen!
Services for the next few weeks
Midweek services each week:
Tuesdays, 9.30am Holy Communion (BCP), St Catherine’s
Wednesdays, 9.30 am Morning worship & Bible study, St Mary’s
Sunday services:
Sunday 8th May 10.30 am Holy communion, St Mary’s
4.00 pm The Centre, All Saints
Sunday 15th May 8.00 am Ante communion, St Mary’s
10.30 am Morning worship, All Saints
4.00 pm The Centre, All Saints
Sunday, 22nd May 10.30 am Morning worship & baptism, St Mary’s
4.00 pm The Centre, All Saints
6.30 pm Jubilee choral evensong, St Mary’s