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 January) there will be a Communion Service in church at 8.45 am (with Dr Douglas Pocock preaching and Rev Dr Paul Regan presiding) and at 10.30 am (with Canon Judy Hirst preaching and Rev Dr Paul Regan presiding).
Prayer Meeting: The next Prayer Meeting will take place on Saturday 8th February. If you can’t attend in person, please pray wherever you are for the Church and the world.
The next Open Door session is on Wednesday 22nd January. Please note that we are meeting on the second and fourth Wednesday in January. Do come and join us from 10.00 am – 12 noon for coffee/tea, conversation and cake.
Please help us with Super 6: Super6 is an after-school activity for Year 6 students (in their last year of Primary School). It will be starting again on Friday 24th January, and running for one school term. Children in Year 6 are welcome to attend. St John’s has been hosting this course, which helps prepare children for secondary school, for twenty years. We are very dependent on members of the congregation for its success: if you could help in any way (whether regularly or just occasionally), please talk to Alex or Barney. We have had helpers of all ages (some help with refreshments or welcoming, others help with the activities). The course runs for eight weeks, 3.15-5pm each Friday (with a break for half term).
The next men’s breakfast (all welcome!) will be on Saturday 25th January at 09.30. There will be list to sign up so that we have an idea of numbers. See you there. Enjoy! Mike
Choral Evensong resumes at St Margaret’s Church on Friday 17th January at 6.45pm: a peaceful evening service sung by the choir of St Cuthbert’s Society, Durham. The service lasts around 45 minutes and includes traditional church music and the words of the 1662 Book of Common Prayer. All are welcome.
Neville’s Cross Community Choir meets every Tuesday 7-9pm. There are no auditions or attendance requirements. £4 per session including refreshments. Do please come and join us. Just turn up or contact nxcc.durham@gmail.com
The Children’s Society: Thank you to everyone at St John’s for your support and generous donations to The Children’s Society in 2024.
- The Christingle Services before Christmas raised £136.65.
- The Collection Boxes raised £320 in cash donations.
- The cake sale in the summer raised £350.
A big thank you also to Sue our Treasurer for helping to deal with the paying in of donations. You can find out more information on the work of The Children’s Society at https://www.childrenssociety.org.uk/
Special event at St John’s Church on Sunday 2nd February: on the evening of 2nd February St John’s will be hosting a theatrical performance of Crystal’s Vardo: “Through powerful and compelling theatre, Crystal’s Vardo weaves the histories and cultures of the Gypsy, Roma and Traveller communities into one story. The aim of the play is to raise awareness of the persecution of Gypsy, Roma and Traveller communities through the centuries and to reflect on the ways this manifests as anti-Gypsyism today”. We are hosting this event as part of our commitment to Gypsy, Roma & Traveller Friendly Churches and in support of Nicky Chater’s work as diocesan chaplain for GRT communities. Please come and support this special event.
Save the date!! We are beginning to plan our next parish weekend away. It will be from 19th to 21st September 2025 at Scargill House in Kettlewell in the Yorkshire Dales. More details will be available soon.
Welcome cards: if you are new to St John’s: welcome! You are invited to fill out one of the ‘Welcome to St John’s’ cards, which can be found in the pews; it will enable us to get in touch and say hello, and, if you wish, for us to stay in touch and keep you informed.
Would you like to read or lead prayers (intercessions) in church from time to time on Sunday mornings? If so, please contact the Rector or Rector’s Secretary. Training/guidance/encouragement will be given.
Music on Sundays: If you would be interested in receiving a notification on Saturday, about the hymns/sheet music for the 10.30 am service on Sunday please let Amy know in person or via the Contact Form.
Prayer: A number of us meet on Zoom every Monday morning at 9.30 am to say Morning Prayer together. This is in addition to the Prayer Meeting in church at 9.30 am on the second Saturday of the month. To join us for Morning Prayer, regularly or on occasion, contact the Rector, Jo Cundy or Mike Chater in the first instance and we will ensure that you receive the Zoom link. It is so important for the life of the church that we pray together.
Durham Cathedral Schools Foundation is presenting a concert of Handel’s Messiah in the Cathedral on Saturday 8th February, which involves several members of our church community:
Christopher N and Penelope H will be singing as current cathedral choristers, Edward N will be singing as a recent ex-chorister, Clare N will be leading the orchestra and Simon N will be playing the cello. Please come and support us!
For further details please see the flyer for this event which is attached to this news sheet.
PRAYERS AND READINGS FOR THIS WEEK:
SECOND SUNDAY OF EPIPHANY – 19TH JANUARY 2025
Hymns for 8.45 am service:
- Thou who camest from above (580)
- The Church’s one foundation’ (702)
- Love divine, all loves excelling (491)
Collect
Almighty God, in Christ you make all things new:
transform the poverty of our nature by the riches of your grace,
and in the renewal of our lives make known your heavenly glory;
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
Eternal Lord, our beginning and our end:
bring us with the whole creation to your glory, hidden through past ages
and made known in Jesus Christ our Lord.
Readings
- Isaiah 62.1-5
- 1 Corinthians 12.1-11
- John 2.1-11
Post Communion
God of glory, you nourish us with your Word who is the bread of life:
fill us with your Holy Spirit that through us the light of your glory
may shine in all the world.
We ask this in the name of Jesus Christ our Lord.
Readings for Next Sunday:
- Nehemiah 8.1-3,5-6,8-10
- 1 Corinthians 12.12-31a
- Luke 4.14-21
