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 (30th 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.

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.

The Durham-Lesotho Diocesan link celebrates its 40th anniversary this year and we will celebrate the anniversary at our services on Sunday 13th September.  Paul Jefferson, who served as Executive Officer for the link in the 1990s-2000s, will be speaking at both services.  For more information see the leaflets in the church foyer.

Next Sunday our morning services revert to the usual times of 8.45am and 10.30am. John’s Juniors and Think Tank also resume, with activities for preschool, primary and secondary-age children during the 10.30 service.

Open Door: the next Open Door will be on 2nd September.  Do come and join us from 10.00 am – 12 noon for coffee/tea, conversation and cake.

Taste gets going again for the new season on Sunday 6th September at the usual time, 6.30 pm.  Our guest this month is James Botton-Dolan, with his brother Terry.   James is a British Romany Gypsy, a poet, memoirist, and emerging film maker whose work explores lineage, mysticism, and the lived realities of travelling life in Britain.  He will tell us something of his life and journey of faith.  I look forward to seeing you there.  Contributions of refreshments are as always welcome.  Blessings, Mike.

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 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 17th September.

Church Away Day – Saturday, 26th September.  Our church Away Day this year is on Saturday, 26th September at St Brandon’s church, Brancepeth.  Booking forms are now available from the back of church, or via the attached form.  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!

Nevilles’ Cross Community Choir will resume on Tuesday 8th September at 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.  Contact nxcc.durham@gmail.com or just turn up.

A message from Keith & Joan Twomey: “Dear Friends

Many thanks for holding our family in prayer, especially from 12th – 17th August when Lois and her parents went to Colorado, USA for Lois to have a boost to her stem cell treatment for cerebral palsy.  Everything went according to plan; the only unexpected hiccup occurred at Heathrow car park where it took the attendants 2 hours to find their car keys!

Many thanks for all prayers and God’s Blessings.

Joan & Keith Twomey”

Messy Church: looking ahead, Messy Church will begin on 13th September at 4pm with activities on the theme of ‘Creation’ for about an hour, followed by songs, a story and prayers for about 20 minutes finishing with a healthy tea about 5.20pm until 6pm.  All children are welcome but they must be accompanied by a responsible adult.  Thank you.

Messy Church takes place from 4-6pm on the second Sunday of each month, unless changed for special reasons during the year.  Dates until Christmas are:

• 13th September
• 11th October
• 9th November (Remembrance Day)
• 13th
• 10th January 2027

Cross Quarterly: There are copies of the latest (September) issue on the table in the foyer. If you live outside the parish and don’t get one delivered by our stalwart team of volunteers, do please take a copy. (Our cover article for this issue features St John’s Church.)

Collect

Almighty God, who called your Church to bear witness
that you were in Christ reconciling the world to yourself:
help us to proclaim the good news of your love,
that all who hear it may be drawn to you;
through him who was lifted up on the cross,
and reigns with you in the unity of the Holy Spirit,
one God, now and for ever.

Alternative Collect

Almighty God, you search us and know us:
may we rely on you in strength and rest on you in weakness,
now and in all our days; through Jesus Christ our Lord.

Readings:

• Romans 12.9-21
• Matthew 16.21-28

Post Communion

God our creator,
you feed your children with the true manna,
the living bread from heaven:
let this holy food sustain us through our earthly pilgrimage
until we come to that place
where hunger and thirst are no more;
through Jesus Christ our Lord.

Readings for Next Sunday:

• Ezekiel 33.7-11

• Romans 13.8-14

• Matthew 18.15-20