The Parish Office is only open on Monday and Friday mornings this week,
while David Britten is on holiday.
This Week
Tonight ‘Broken’ Lent Group in Church at 6pm
Monday Morning Prayer at 8.30am
Bell Ringing Practice at 7.45pm
Tuesday Holy Communion at 8.30am
‘Broken’ Lent Group at 7.30pm (Contact: Asi Munisi for venue)
Wednesday Morning Prayer on at 8.30am
‘Broken’ Lent Group at Sacred Heart Church at 7.30pm
Choir Practice at 7.30pm
Thursday Holy Communion at 12.30pm
‘Broken’ Lent Group at the Vicarage at 1.15pm prompt
Saturday The Marriage of Julian Homer & Mary Coulson in Church
Sunday 7thApril The Fifth Sunday of Lent (Passion Sunday)
8.30am Holy Communion for Lent 4 (Traditional Language)
11.00am First Sunday Parish Eucharist
Lent Sermon Series – Exploring a Rule of Life: Serve (Aaron Kennedy)
6.00pm Broken: Episode 6
The Final Part of Our Lent Course based on the BBC Drama
Please note: this gathering will conclude at or just before 8pm
Prayer Requests
Individuals in need
Jenifer Wade, Ian Bryden, Elaine Shackleton, Chris Ramsey, the Joseph family, Richard Sutton ,Doreen Pryde, Harry Scott, Ken and Brenda Green and Grace Rogers.
The departed and their families
Clarance Blackman, Henry Castle, Johanna Buttenschon, Robert Cleveland-Stevens, Colin Payne, Sebastiano Tusa, Glyn Hunte, Jill Needham , John Thompson ,Dennis Brindle, Ian Pinell , Chris Ramsey and Pauline Adams.
This Week’s Notices
Rule of Life: If the sermons of Lent or the themes they address speak to you, or you want to talk more about what a Rule of Life involves, come and see one of us during Lent. Aaron & Simon.
Like to try reading in church? Give it a try by joining the group reading “The Passion According to Luke” on Palm Sunday. Big and small roles are available, and there are no rehearsals. All are welcome! Please let Sue Hughes know that you’re interested by Tuesday, April 2nd. [email protected]
Good Friday Children’s Activity Morning: Everything is organised. We just need a couple of extra volunteers as spare pairs of hands. Contact: [email protected]
Battersea Community Organising Group, which is a little under a year old, will have its first AGM on the 9th April at St Mary’s, meeting in the crypt. It is a great opportunity to help shape the direction of the group, and all with an interest in community activities are warmly welcome. There will be wine and nibbles, and a chance to connect with other members.
Electoral Roll Renewal: Please return your renewal confirmation if you’ve received one by email. But if you’ve joined the church recently, or aren’t or the Roll, or if you just count St Mary’s as your spiritual home, please fill out an Electoral Roll form at the back of the church and put it in the letter box by the exit stairs. David Britten.
St Mary’s E-Newsletter: Emrys Lloyd-Roberts has now resigned as Editor of the Newsletter, owing to his relocation to North Wales as his primary home. There is a need to fill the gap he leaves with another volunteer. There are no meetings to attend. If you would like to find out more about this role, contact Emrys: [email protected]
Palm Sunday Concert: Buxtehude’sMembra Jesu nostri. 14thApril 6.00pm. Invite your friends for this moving and meditative piece of rarely-performed piece of 1680.
PCC & Leadership Roles: It’s time to about standing for the Parochial Church Council, which is the leadership body of St Mary’s, working alongside the Vicar. If you’d like to find out more about what’s involved or would like to attend a meeting to see if it interests you, please contact Simon or one of the Church Wardens. We are particularly keen to recruit men and black and minority ethnic people to the Council this time, as these are the places where we lack diversity. Up to three places are available plus two ‘casual vacancies on Battersea Deanery Synod.
Reverend Aaron Kennedy: Aaron will be taking a period of Shared Parental Leave in May and June this year, to spend two months caring for Gabriel as Grace returns to work for CAFOD. This has been agreed between Simon, the Church Wardens and the Diocese in accordance with government guidelines. Aaron will begin his leave on Monday 29th April and will return to ministry on Sunday 29th June 2019.
Saturday 13th April– please come and help clean up the foreshore at the front of the church. Organised by Thames 21 who will provide all equipment needed. All ages welcome but under 16’s need to be with an adult. More information on the notice board at the back of church where you can also sign up. Thank you. Libby [email protected] ‘
| Praying this Week in the Context of Brexit+
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St Mary’s and the Congregational Development Programme
As part of St Mary’s commitment to pursuing the common good in Battersea, the Church Council agreed this week to sponsor two of its members to join the Congregational Development Programme of the Centre for Theology and Community. This programme is a practical course designed to help congregations develop their life through using the skills and practices of Community Organising. The course, involving 7 workshops over nine months (September 2019 to June 2020), will help equip St Mary’s to engage in its community mission and outreach and the learning will be brought back into the life of the church.
The PCC has agreed to invest in this training programme for two of its members, one of whom should be a key church leader (in this case it will be Revd. Aaron Kennedy). But we are keen to nominate a second church member, who is interested in our community mission and outreach and willing to commit to the whole programme and to being part of St Mary’s in the coming years, to participate. If you would like to find out more, or to express an interest in being nominated, please speak to Revd. Aaron Kennedy ([email protected]) as soon as possible for more details.