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 (9th August), there will be a Communion Service in church at 9.30 am (with Rev Barnaby Huish preaching and presiding). The service will be broadcast live (available to view on our Facebook page) https://www.facebook.com/StJohnschurchnevillescross.

Parish Lunch from 12 noon this Sunday (after the 10.30 service) members of both congregations are invited to gather for a Parish ‘bring & share’ Lunch at Kirsten and Richard’s house: Food and drink contributions are most welcome.

Please note that our summer pattern of services runs until the end of 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.

Barry Gower’s funeral, in thanksgiving for his life, will take place in St John’s Church on Tuesday, 18th August at 3pm (a private cremation having taken place beforehand).  Please keep Diana and the family in your prayers at this time.

Diana Gower writes: Thanks to God for His love shown in the concern and support given to me in so many ways during the time of Barry’s illness and now – in the form of prayer, a meal, lifts to Bishop Auckland, flowers, visits to Barry at home, and in hospital, telephone calls, a friendly word and beautiful cards.

Open Door: the next Open Door will be on 19th August.  Do come and join us from 10.00 am – 12 noon for coffee/tea, conversation and cake.

Green mugs gone AWOL . . . about half of our green mugs have disappeared from the kitchen, and we need them back!  If anyone knows who might have borrowed them or lent them out, can they please retrieve and return them, or have a word with Sue Massey or one of the Churchwardens. 

Church Linen: each Sunday at the end of the 10.30am service the church linen is taken home, washed and ironed and brought back to the vestry the following Sunday.  The altar cloth is changed whenever necessary and perhaps only every six weeks.  Jill Holroyd and Clare Newitt share the task but they need one more volunteer to share the load.  If you would be willing to help out, please have a chat with either Jill or Clare who would be delighted to show you what’s involved but it is not at all labour intensive so a few minutes of your time every 3rd week or so is all that would be required.  Thank you.

Meditation group: the meditation group is taking a break in August, so the previously advertised session on 20th August is now cancelled.  The group will resume in September.

Bearpark Summer Club: Bearpark Summer Club is now well under way!  A huge THANK YOU to all the volunteers from St John’s who make it happen.  It’s still not too late if you’d like to join us one Monday – maybe dip in to see what it’s all about?  Just let Sue Massey know. And please keep us all – children, parents and volunteers – in your prayers this summer.    Revd Ann

Abby . . . has now left for her year abroad.  There will be occasional newsletters.  For more information, or details of how to help with funding, please contact Mike Chater or Jo Cundy.

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!

Hymns

• Opening: 422 Lead us, heavenly Father, lead us
• Gradual: 152 Dear Lord and Father of mankind
• Offertory: 833 Wide, wide as the ocean
• Post-communion: 524 Name of all majesty

Collect

Let your merciful ears, O Lord,
be open to the prayers of your humble servants;
and that they may obtain their petitions
make them to ask such things as shall please you;
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

Lord of heaven and earth,
as Jesus taught his disciples to be persistent in prayer,
give us patience and courage never to lose hope,
but always to bring our prayers before you; through Jesus Christ our Lord.

Readings:

• Romans 10.5-15
• Matthew 14.22-33

Post Communion

God of our pilgrimage, you have willed that the gate of mercy
should stand open for those who trust in you:
look upon us with your favour that we who follow the path of your will
may never wander from the way of life; through Jesus Christ our Lord.

Readings for Next Sunday:

• Romans 11.1-2a, 29-32
• Matthew 15.21-28