F R I D A Y F O C U S Get Friday Focus in your in-box each week! - use the contact form to ask Fr Chris to put you on the mailing list.________________________For services this Sunday see the page Worship in our Chaplaincy this Sunday_____________________________________________________________________________GOOD FRIDAY: Hommeel Church Gratot: 14h00 Good Friday Worship Please print and bring the attached service sheetAvranches: 17h30 Good Friday meditations Next Sunday (20 April) is EASTER DAY - for details see 'Worship this Sunday' pageHommeel Church Gratot: 11h00 Holy EucharistAvranches: 16h00 Holy EucharistThe week ahead EASTER MON: 15h00 REOPENING THE SALLE: Members of our community at Gratot take great delight in inviting members and friends to the reopening of the Salle! The afternoon will begin with a brief act of resurrection worship and a simple reopening ceremony, then there will be a typical relaxed springtime Fair with some stalls, teas, and above all the opportunity to enjoy one another's company and admire the sparklingly refreshed building, the fruits of the labours of many over the past few months!EASTER TUES: 19h45 Bible Study resumes, continuing our study of the Acts of the Apostles. Zoom link is the usual one: https://us06web.zoom.us/j/86794128072?pwd=oHSKPhxImv3HbsyHtPWv6k4xzsqcyM.1 Next Sunday (27 April) is SECOND SUNDAY OF EASTER Hommeel Church Gratot: 11h00 Holy Eucharist followed by 'Picnic with the Parson'Avranches: 16h00 Service of Word: Evening Prayer Other notices: EASTER HOME COMMUNIONS: Fr Chris is available to administer Holy Communion at home to those unable to attend our services due to circumstances: please contact him to arrange an appointment.CHAPLAINCY ANNUAL GENERAL MEETING: Advance warning: our Chaplaincy AGM will be held after the 11h00 Eucharist on Sunday 18th May. Please book the date: papers for the meeting will follow in due course.LAY LEADERSHIP CHANGES: Please prayerfully weigh several challenges coming up over the next few months - for the Chaplaincy to move forward smoothly we need to find people for three important roles.1 Following Martin announcing that he is moving away shortly, we now need to replace him as Churchwarden at this year's AGM. Ideally we are looking for someone from within the Gratot community. It is important that we find a replacement promptly, but particularly so in the light of item 3 below.2 This autumn Adrian Feather our Treasurer will have fulfilled his promise to carry the finances of the Chaplaincy through to the end of the mortgage. He is willing to serve until the end of the financial year, but then wishes to stand down as Chaplaincy Treasurer. By the end of 2025 we need to have a new Treasurer to replace him.3 Adrian F is about to start his last year as Churchwarden: by Easter 2026 he will have served the maximum term and will be ineligible to serve a further term. We will then need a new Warden, ideally from the Avranches community.4 We need to strengthen representation from Avranches on the Chaplaincy Council, and are actively seeking a member of Avranches congregation to be co-opted to the Council in the near future.Please give these needs your active attention, and encourage the right people to come forward to help: if you want to know more about any of these roles please seek a quiet conversation with the current holder of the post. Churchwardens need to be nominated in writing prior to the AGM - nomination papers will be available soon.GRATOT INVITATION: The Bishop of Coutances will bless the restored altar at a special service at 18h00 on Sunday 18th May: we are warmly invited - please ask Agnes for further information.MAY MAGAZINE: Please send articles and contributions to Margaret this week.ALPHA COURSE: An Alpha Course is being planned, to begin on Friday 23rd May: the course is designed for those who see themselves as new to Christianity rather than those who have been attending church for years. Full details will appear in the May magazine, but in the meantime please speak to Revd Helen Wordsworth if you would like to know more.SOMETHING MORE HOUSEGROUP: Our meetings resume on Tues, 29th April. What shall we talk about? Did anything from the Lent Course spark your interest to explore further? Thoughts and suggestions to Fr Chris please!Our Chaplaincy PrayerLord Jesus Christ, thank you for calling us to be a Church under the banner of your Name: may we look to you today and find clear vision for tomorrow. May our life together bring you glory, as you make of us a living invitation to enter the joy of your Kingdom. AmenLove in Christ, Fr Chris To reply or unsubscribe, please email: frchris.christchurchmanche@gmail.comPLEASE keep us informed of changed email addresses! Thank you.
