Weekly News Sheets

 St John’s Church, Neville’s Cross

We are encouraging as many people as possible to receive this weekly news sheet via email.  Please click here to contact the Rector’s Secretary to be added to the distribution list. This helps to keep our costs down and also reduce our carbon footprint.

This Sunday (19th July), there will be a Communion Service in church at 8.45 am (with Rev Abbey Hughes preaching and presiding) and at 10.30 am (with Canon Judy Hirst preaching and Rev Dr Caroline Friswell presiding).  The 10.30 am service will be broadcast live (available to view on our Facebook page) https://www.facebook.com/StJohnschurchnevillescross.

Please note that our summer pattern of services will run from the last Sunday in July through to the end of August. On Sunday 26th July, and each Sunday in August, there will be a single, 9.30 am Communion service in St John’s Church, followed by an 11 am Communion service in St Margaret’s. These services are designed to be slightly shorter than usual, with space for contemplation. On Sunday 6th September our usual pattern of Sunday services resumes.

Open Door: the next Open Door will be on 5th August.  Do come and join us from 10.00 am – 12 noon for coffee/tea, conversation and cake.

Meditation group: the meditation group has now started and meets every 3rd Thursday at St John’s.  We meet at 7 pm, with the silent meditation beginning at 7.15 pm and finishing by 8.20 pm. All are welcome but bring a blanket! If you have questions and would like to get involved, please speak to Andrew Mattches for information.  No prior experience required.  The next meeting will be Thursday 20th August.

Bearpark Summer Club: Here at St Edmund’s, it is our hope and intention to once again offer the popular holiday club for primary school children in the village this year.  It will run on Mondays, from 10 am – 1pm for six weeks beginning 27th July and we will be offering craft activities on the theme of Creation, games and lunch each week.  Friends from St John’s have always been generous with their support and time and I am asking again this year for volunteers to help us.  There is a sign-up sheet at the back of church if you are able to volunteer or, if you need more information, please speak to Sue Massey or Sarah Chandler.  Thank you!   Ann Lipscombe

If you feel unable to manage a long morning, it would be lovely to have volunteers offer to serve lunch or wash up the lunch crockery.  Alternatively, we need volunteers to hoover up and shift tables at the end of the session.  We do not expect every volunteer to turn up every Monday over the six weeks.

Save the Date!  Church Away Day on Saturday, 26th September.  Our church Away Day this year will be on Saturday, 26th September at St Brandon’s church, Brancepeth.  We will be exploring different ways to pray, with a particular focus on contemplative prayer.  The day will be led by Dr Heather Mole, who co-ordinates spiritual direction at St Antony’s Priory and is a wonderful facilitator.  There will be something for everyone, whether you’re familiar with contemplative prayer and love it or think it sounds a bit weird and/or difficult.  So, do plan to join us for a day of refreshment, inspiration and rest, as we spend a relaxed day with each other and God.  We are also looking for a small team to help with planning the day itself (refreshments, etc), and if you’d like to be involved in that way, Mike Chater would love to hear from you!

Please support Abby, our former youth worker, who is taking a year out to go overseas again as a volunteer.  She is returning to Central Asia in August to work in an International School for their academic year from August to June, as Assistant to the Student Life Director, offering pastoral support to the children and young people and helping them to flourish and grow.  She will also have opportunities to engage with local people and students through conversation, friendship and fellowship, and to renew former links.  She would be very grateful for our prayers as she steps out again in faith, but also for financial support as she will need to be self-supporting and estimates that the year will cost her around £16,000.  Abby is expecting to be in Durham on 4th August and her flights are now booked.

Donations can be made through her GoFundMe page:- https://gofund.me/a9c0df37c .  Note: it is possible to adjust the mark-up which the company take for administration.

Alternatively the PCC have agreed that donations can be made to Abby through SJNX which will be forwarded directly to Abby.  Please use:

St Johns Church Nevilles Cross    40 52 40     00011720    and reference ‘Abby’.  Note: Gift aid cannot be claimed on these donations as they are being paid to an individual.

We will keep in touch with Abby and let you know how the year progresses, and if you would like more information, Abby is happy for people to contact her directly.  Please ask for contact details.

Hymns for 8.45 am service:

• Gracious Spirit, Holy Ghost (268)
• Teach me, my God and King (690)
• Lead us, heavenly Father, lead us (422)

Collect

Lord of all power and might, the author and giver of all good things:
graft in our hearts the love of your name, increase in us true religion,
nourish us with all goodness, and of your great mercy keep us in the same;
through Jesus Christ your Son our Lord, who is alive and reigns with you,
in the unity of the Holy Spirit, one God, now and for ever.

Alternative Collect

Generous God, you give us gifts and make them grow:
though our faith is small as mustard seed, make it grow to your glory
and the flourishing of your kingdom; through Jesus Christ our Lord.

Readings:

• Isaiah 44.6-8
• Romans 8.12-25
• Matthew 13.24-30,36-43

Post Communion

Lord God, whose Son is the true vine and the source of life,
ever giving himself that the world may live: may we so receive within ourselves
the power of his death and passion that, in his saving cup,
we may share his glory and be made perfect in his love;
for he is alive and reigns, now and for ever.

Readings for Next Sunday:

• Romans 8.26-39
• Matthew 13.31-33,44-52