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 (1st November), is All Saints Day.  There will be a Communion Service in church at 8.45 am  and at 10.30 am (with Rev Dr Caroline preaching and 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.

Shared lunch this Sunday (1st November) after the 10.30 am service from 12 noon.  Do come if you can – it’s a lovely chance to welcome people who have recently joined St John’s.  Please bring something to share.

Taste: Our guests at Taste this coming Sunday (1st November) will be Jo Cundy and Margaret Thompson who will tell us something of their recent pilgrimage in the footsteps of St Paul lead by Phillip Plyming.  We meet as usual at 6.30 pm in church for light refreshments.  We aim to finish for 8 pm.  Contributions of food will be gratefully received.  I look forward to seeing you there.  Mike. 

The funeral of Peggy Sutherland will take place at Wear Valley Crematorium, 12.30pm on Wednesday 4th November.  Please keep the family in your prayers.

Sunday 8th November is Remembrance Sunday: The 8.45 am Communion service takes place as usual; at 10.30 we have an all-age Service of Remembrance, attended by our local uniformed organisations; this includes time gathered around the parish war memorial for the Act of Remembrance and 2minute silence.

Open Door: the next Open Door will be on 4th November.  Do come and join us from 10.00 am – 12 noon for coffee/tea, conversation and cake.

Messy Church: Messy Church takes place from 4-6pm on the second Sunday of each month, unless changed for special reasons during the year.  All children are welcome but they must be accompanied by a responsible adult.  Thank you.  Dates from now until January are: 

  • 8th November (Remembrance Day)
  • 13th December
  • 10th January 2027

Meditation group: Caroline Friswell is now co-ordinating this monthly service; she would be delighted if anyone would like to lead individual sessions, especially following the Church Away Day on contemplative Prayer. The next Meditation Service will be in Church on Thursday 19th November at 7.15 pm; for a prompt start, please try and arrive at about 7 pm. For more information, please see Caroline.

Singing group: We now have a singing group to help lead the singing at the 10.30 service, and we’d love more of you to join us!  You don’t need to do it every week, just as often as you would like to.  I send round the details of the music the week before, so you know what to expect.  We run through the music at 10.00, sit in the front row and go up to the front to sing.  If you’d like to be part of this or have any questions, please speak to me after church or use the Contact Form, including your mobile number so I can add you to the Music Group WhatsApp group.  Many thanks, Steve Rundle (Music Co-ordinator)  

Gardening Wednesday 4th November 10.15am – please join, if you are able, with making the grounds neat and tidy before Remembrance Sunday.  We will be raking, pruning, weeding and cutting back the hedge.  There will be implements to share but any extra you have will be very welcome.  We hope some students from Ustinov are going to join us and that it will be a good first gathering of those interested to build links in our community.  We also hope the gardening party will take the chance to share coffee and cake with those at Open Door. 

‘Creative Wanderings’ with Sam Slatcher, this Thursday (3 – 5 pm): meet outside St Margaret’s Church at 3pm on Thursday 5th November.  Sam (Arts Chaplain at St Margaret’s and a member of the congregation at St John’s) will lead a two-mile walk around St Margaret’s parish, including Redhills and Flass Vale, sharing his own songs about the city, its heritage and its people.  All welcome.  It will be very helpful if we have an idea of numbers in advance: please sign up here (More Creative Wanderings will take place in the new year)

Foodbank: Many thanks to all those who regularly support Durham Foodbank with food or monetary donations.  There is an opportunity to volunteer for a 90 minute shift in the annual Foodbank Winter Collection at Tesco’s Gilesgate store.  This is really important in helping ensure the Foodbank has enough food and toiletries to support local people throughout the Christmas period and into the new year, which is always a particularly busy time for it.  If you felt able to help with a 90 minute shift on Friday 27th or Saturday 28th November please contact caspin@durhamcp.org.uk or phone 0191 303 7559.

Evensong and Benediction at St Margaret’s Church (sung by St Cuthbert’s Society Chapel Choir) has resumed on Friday evenings at 6.45pm.  All are welcome to come to this peaceful and beautiful musical service: Evensong uses the words of the 1662 Book of Common Prayer; it is followed by Benediction, a meditation on the Blessed Sacrament.

The Children’s Society Christmas Cards: I have some Christmas Cards available to order from The Children’s Society.  I will be at church on

1st November after the 8.45 am service and accept cash payments if you would like to order some.  Christmas cards are also available online at https://www.charitycardshop.com/thechildrenssociety/category/1  Thank you to everyone at StJohns and Mother’s Union for your support.  Janet Hughes

Angels and Stockings – Help needed: In recent years, knitted angels have been hung outside the church at Christmas for the local community to collect and are hugely popular.  Members have also knitted stockings, just big enough to hold a small tube of Smarties, which have been distributed by the Food Bank.  Patterns are available via email from the Parish Office.  Please put any angels and stockings in the box in the foyer by Sunday 22nd November.

Nevilles’ Cross Community Choir meets every Tuesday evening from 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. 

Songs of the sea: A concert celebrating the many moods of the sea will be performed by the Durham Singers at St Oswald’s Church, Durham on Saturday 21st November.  Edward Elgar’s Sea Pictures is at the heart of the concert alongside the dramatic setting by Samuel Taylor-Coleridge of Robert Buchanan’s Meg Blane, the story of a woman leading a shipwreck mission.  The concert will also be a farewell to Tom Edney who is leaving the area after four years leading the choir.  The concert will begin at 7.30pm and tickets are £15, £10 for students and free for under-18s and are available from at www.ticketsource.co.uk/durhamsingers

Durham Churches Together Monthly Vigil for People and Planet: 11 am each 3rd Monday morning in the Parish Room at St Cuthbert’s Catholic Church, Old Elvet. ‘Responding in hope to wide-spread concerns about the increasing consequences of climate change across the world, including in the UK, and to fears of escalating war’. The first vigil, on 16th November, will seek God’s blessing on Climate Change COP 31.

Go through the gate to the front of the church, then follow the path round the side of the church to the door to the Parish Room. The 30 minute silent vigil will commence with a short prayer and end with saying the Grace together.  Stay for conversation and a cup of tea/coffee. Please bring an early packed lunch if it fits your arrangements.  For more information please contact Charles Jolly, DCT Chair: charles.jolly13@btinternet.com.

PRAYERS AND READINGS FOR THIS WEEK:
ALL SAINTS – 1ST NOVEMBER

Hymns for 8.45 am service:

  • For all the Saints (190) Omit vv 5,6,7
  • Ye holy angels bright (840)
  • O when the Saints go marching in (581)

Collect

Almighty God, you have knit together your elect in one communion and fellowship
in the mystical body of your Son Christ our Lord: grant us grace so to follow your
blessed saints in all virtuous and godly living that we may come to those
inexpressible joys that you have prepared for those who truly love 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

God of holiness, your glory is proclaimed in every age: as we rejoice in the faith of
your saints, inspire us to follow their example with boldness and joy; through
Jesus Christ our Lord.

Readings:

  • Revelation 7.9-17
  • 1 John 3.1-3
  • Matthew 5.1-12

Post Communion

God, the source of all holiness and giver of all good things: may we who have
shared at this table as strangers and pilgrims here on earth be welcomed with all
your saints to the heavenly feast on the day of your kingdom; through Jesus
Christ our Lord.

Readings for Next Sunday:

  • 1 Thess 4.13-18

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