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This Sat (tomorrow): 14h00 - 18h00 Hommeel Church open for Heritage Day - see below

SUNDAY SCRIPTURES - GOD'S WORD FOR TODAY

This Sunday (21st Sept) is STEWARDSHIP RENEWAL SUNDAY

Hommeel Church Gratot: 11h00: Service of Word: Morning Prayer

Avranches: 16h00: Service of Word: Evening Prayer

The same service sheet will be used at both churches today

The week ahead 

Mon:18h00 Chaplaincy Council meeting on Zoom

Tues: 19h45 Bible Study group continues to read the Acts of the Apostles.

Next Sunday (28th September) is TRINITY 15

Hommeel Church Gratot: 11h00: Holy Eucharist

15h30 at Coutances Cathedral: Service of Thanksgiving for 1700th Anniversary of Council of Nicaea

(Donna & Fr Chris will be taking part - please come and support us.)

Avranches: 16h00:Service of Word - Evening Prayer

Something More Housegroup: We were sadly unable to hold the planned meeting last Tuesday due to lack of numbers: we'll aim to explore the topic at our next meeting.

Journées de Patrimoine – Portes Ouvertes at Gratot - Tomorrow, Saturday 20th September, our church at Hommëel will be open from 14h00 – 18h00, as part of the French national heritage weekend. Visitors will be welcome to look around the church, find out about its history and learn a little about the presence of the Anglican church in La Manche: Fr Chris and Donna will be there and happy to meet visitors. Afterwards, they can proceed to the hall for typically English refreshments of tea and cake. Thanks to all helping with this event - please encourage friends and neighbours to come along.

This Sunday is Stewardship Renewal Sunday - Last year we made a remarkable improvement in our Chaplaincy income, amounting to a genuine 're-set' of our finances. Now we need to continue to build our finances so that we can resource the appointment of a 'paid-for' Chaplain when Fr Chris finishes his term in office. This is the target we set for ourselves last year, and we have made good progress already. The leaflet recently circulated gives more details of the challenge this year.

Our Stewardship Renewal is being led again by Adrian Grainge, with Fr Chris is only minimally involved. To answer one question that has come up a few times recently: now that Fr Chris is Chaplain, how much are we paying him? The answer continues to be nothing whatever: he claims reimbursement of some travel and other expenses.

Help the Chaplaincy Council - CC members would be glad to hear from Chaplaincy members regarding two subjects on the agenda for Monday's meeting:

1 Alpha Course: would our Chaplaincy like to sponsor and support an Alpha Course (open to all) this autumn?

2 Pastoral Ministry, Christian Care: we're building a strategy based on the thought that Chaplaincy members are caring and watching out for one another, with the trained ministers there for moments when actual 'ministry' is needed. What about our elderly/infirm/limited members who don't get to church very often: do you feel cared for and included by fellow church members? Are there things we could do better?

Watch out for a pastoral call! - Virtually every day for 12 years Fr Chris has walked dogs on the same route (he lives at the far end of a dead-end road!). The dogs find the route endlessly fascinating, Fr Chris less so! He now has phone numbers for Chaplaincy members on his mobile phone so he can call people for friendly conversations while he is on the road. So...that 'unknown number' may not be selling you double glazing, it may be the Chaplain instead!

For interest: we now offer a free leaflet for visitors exploring Hommeel Church as a historical building - we attach a copy of the English version.

Please pray for our Chaplaincy every day:

Lord 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.

Amen.

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