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 (7thJune), there will be a Communion Service in church at 8.45 am and at 10.30 am (with Mike Chater preaching and Canon Remi Omole presiding at both services).  The 10.30 am service will be broadcast live (available to view on our Facebook page) https://www.facebook.com/ StJohnschurchnevillescross.  

Please pray for Bishop Rick Simpson, who will be enthroned/installed as Bishop of Durham in the Cathedral this Sunday afternoon.

Our guest at Taste on 7th June will be our good friend the Rt Rev Bishop John Pritchard.  He will tell us something of his journey of faith.  We meet as usual at 6.30 pm for light refreshments and aim to finish by 8 pm.  Contributions of food will be gratefully received.  I look forward to seeing you there. Mike. 

Invitation from St John’s Mothers’ Union to All Members of the  Congregation to celebrate the 150th anniversary of Mothers Union on Monday 8th June: Today the Branch will be celebrating 150 years of this amazing organisation. We will start the meeting at 1.45 pm with the usual service, in which we will give thanks for the vision of Mary Sumner, the founder of MU, and the ongoing work of Mothers Union. After the service, members will remind us of the Branch activities over the years and there will be a number of readings too!  Afternoon tea will be served by the Committee. Everyone is welcome!

Ecofestival 14th June 11am – 4pm. Please invite friends and neighbours for a day of music, speakers, stalls, delicious lunch options and fun for children that welcomes our community into and around St John’s.  In line with our ‘Waste Nothing’ theme (a phrase used by David Attenborough whose 100th birthday was in May) we are having a real focus on the Swap Shop this year.  Please use the opportunity to declutter your house of good quality clothes, books or toys that others can reuse or repurpose.  Bring on the morning or text Sarah C. Any questions or ideas please speak to Alison, Sarah C, Jonathan, Sally or Barney.  

Please note: there will be no 10.30 service in St John’s next week because of the Ecofestival; but the 8.45 Communion service takes place as usual.

Help urgently needed for the Ecofestival: The sign-up sheets are on the glass wall between the foyer and kitchen for helping on the day.  We are grateful to everyone who has delivered flyers around the parish.  Please also take posters to put up in windows, workplaces and wherever they’ll be seen in Durham and the wider local area.   

Request for beads: please add any spare beads you have to the jar in the foyer for a children’s activity

Notice to all the green-fingered folk: could you get potting, take cuttings and split up your clumps of perennials or sow a few too many annuals for the plant stall at the Ecofest. The easiest way of donating would be to bring them on the morning when I‘ll be setting up. If this isn’t possible you could see me, Chris M, or Sarah C about storage before the day. 

Ecofest ‘Tea Tent’: Even if you are not able to come on the day, we would still love cakes and biscuits for the ’Tea Tent’.  Either bring to church on 7th if suitable for freezing or arrange drop off/pick up later in the week by texting Sarah C.  

Our Annual Meetings were concluded the Sunday before last: many thanks to all who stayed or returned for the meeting.  There were elected: Michael Chater and Josephine Cundy (as Churchwardens), and Sarah R and Richard S (as lay members of the PCC).  The completed minutes of the Annual Meetings are attached.

Ann Lipscombe, curate in our Benefice (based at St Edmund’s), will be ordained to priesthood in Durham Cathedral on Saturday 27th June at 4pm; she will celebrate the Eucharist for the first time at the 9am service at St Edmund’s the following morning.  Again, all are most welcome.

Diary Dates:

Prayer meeting – Saturday 11th June at 9.30 am

Men’s Breakfast – Saturday 28th June at 9.30 am

Messy Church – Sunday 14th June at the EcoFest, 2 – 3 pm

Open Door: the next Open Door will be on 17th June. Do come and join us from 10.00 am – 12 noon for coffee/tea, conversation and cake.

To All Members of the Congregation – The Messy Church Team Needs

Your Help!  As you are aware, there will be a Messy Church session from 2.00-3.00pm during our annual Ecofest on Sunday 14th June.  As the theme is ‘Waste Nothing’, recyclable materials will be used to create the majority of the activities. It would be most helpful if you would bring the following items to church this Sunday:

  • Plastic milk cartons (any size is fine)
  • Egg Boxes
  • Plastic grape/ strawberry punnets
  • Cereal boxes

Please leave your contributions in the church foyer.  Many thanks The Messy Church Team.

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 M for information.  No prior experience required.  The next meeting will be Thursday 18th June.

Nevilles’ Cross Community Choir: Tuesdays, 7 – 9 pm in church.  £4 a session, including tea/coffee.  Do please join us. We meet in term time, and there are no auditions or attendance requirements. 

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 give me a call or speak to Sue M or Sarah C.  Thank you!  Ann Lipscombe

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 coordinates 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!

Saturday Night at the Movies – 11th July 7.30 pm: Enjoy an entertaining journey through cinema history, from silent films and Charlie Chaplin to classic genres and Steven Spielberg, brought to life with live music.  This lively, nostalgic show blends humour, insight, and local Durham film heritage—plus an intermission with refreshments.  Tickets £5 with all proceeds going to the centre for future community events – e.g. Dementia Café, Kids Holiday clubs.  Tickets can be purchased from Merryoaks Community Centre in person or pay on the night.

PRAYERS AND READINGS FOR THIS WEEK:
FIRST SUNDAY AFTER TRINITY – 7TH JUNE

Hymns for 8.45 am service:

  • Lord of all hopefulness (467)
  • Take my life, and let it be (687)
  • We have a gospel to proclaim (798)

Collect

O God, the strength of all those who put their trust in you,
mercifully accept our prayers
and, because through the weakness of our mortal nature
we can do no good thing without you,
grant us the help of your grace,
that in the keeping of your commandments
we may please you both in will and deed;
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

God of truth, help us to keep your law of love and to walk in ways of wisdom,
that we may find true life in Jesus Christ your Son.

Readings:

  • Hosea 5.15 – 6.6
  • Romans 4.13-25
  • Matthew 9.9-13,18-26

Post Communion

Eternal Father, we thank you for nourishing us with these heavenly gifts:
may our communion strengthen us in faith, build us up in hope,
and make us grow in love; for the sake of Jesus Christ our Lord.

Readings for Next Sunday:

  • Romans 5.1-8
  • Matthew 9.35 – 10.8

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