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.

NB: British Summer Time starts this weekend
– remember the clocks ‘spring’ forwards by one hour

This Sunday (21st April) there will be a Communion Service in church at 8.45am and at 10.30 am (with Canon Remi Omole presiding and preaching at both services). The 10.30 am service will be broadcast live (available to view on our Facebook page)
https://www.facebook.com/StJohnschurchnevillescross

Café Church on 28th April will be in the format of Messy Church – all ages welcome. We will be exploring the Lord’s Prayer together. We look forward to seeing you there. Joan, Annette & Mike.

The next Open Door session will be on Wednesday 1st May, 10 – 12 noon. Come and join us for tea/coffee, conversation and cake.

Church Prayer Meeting: We meet to pray for the Church and the World at 9.30am on the second Saturday of the month, usually in the Church Centre. Our next meeting is on Saturday 11th May. Do join us if you can.

Ascension Day falls this year on Thursday 9th May. The annual Deanery open- air Eucharist takes place within the ruins of Finchale Priory (Finchale Avenue, Framwellgate Moor, Durham DH1 5SH) starting at 6pm.
Free parking is available on site. This is a very special annual service in a beautiful setting; NB there is no roof or shelter (so please dress appropriately for the weather) and no seating (but feel free to bring a folding chair or picnic blanket). For those unable to come in the evening the Eucharist will be celebrated in St Margaret’s Church at 12 noon on the same day.

The Deanery Confirmation Service for Durham Deanery will be held this year at St Margaret’s Church at 6pm on Saturday 11th May. We have candidates for confirmation from both St John’s and St Margaret’s Churches; do please come to the service and support them. The president and preacher will be Sarah, Bishop of Jarrow.

The Day of Pentecost (aka Whit Sunday) is a celebration of God’s Holy Spirit, and one of the great festivals of the Church year. It always falls on the 50th day after Easter, which this year is Sunday 19th May. At the 10.30 service on that day we will be celebrating the baptism of Henry (great grandson of Maureen N) and his mother Chloe.

Our Annual Parochial Church Meeting takes place this year on Sunday 19th May at 12 noon, following the 10.30am service. We will share reports of the past year and news about the life of the church looking forwards, and we will vote for new members of the Parochial Church Council (PCC). If you would be interested in joining the PCC, which has governance responsibilities and is involved in strategic planning for the church (with due prayer and discernment of God’s will), please speak to the Rector or any current PCC members.

Messy Church: Our next Messy Church is on 12th May 4-6pm (children must be accompanied by an adult).

There will be a special celebration service for the three churches of our group at 6pm on Sunday 9th  June at St Edmund’s Bearpark. The preacher will be the Archdeacon of Durham, the Ven. Libby Wilkinson, we will thank God for the life of all three church communities and pray for all three parishes, and as part of the service Canon Alan Bartlett will be licensed as Associate Minister and Mission Priest at Bearpark. Please put the date in your diaries, we hope to gather as many as possible from the three churches for this special celebration.

Ecofestival – SAVE THE DATE: This year’s Ecofestival will be on Sunday 16th June 11am – 4pm. Please put it in your diary and invite your friends and neighbours too! As usual it will take place in front of church and in the field next to the scout hut. It is St John’s big annual outreach event for the community: a day of music, family fun, delicious food and stalls from local organisations and craftspeople, whilst also encouraging people to think more about sustainability and justice. We have held Ecofests since 2008 and this year’s theme is ‘Hope in Action’. We usually have about a thousand local people visit during the course of the day, making it the biggest event in Neville’s Cross each year, and we’d love you to be there to help make it a success – and have a great time too.

Ecofest 2024 Sunday 16th June: 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. Get in touch with Chris or Sarah via the Contact Form.

We have two weddings taking place at St John’s  this summer. Please pray for Emma and Michael, and for Caroline and Nicholas, as they prepare to celebrate life and love together in marriage.

St John’s Parish Awayday: please save the date now in your diary: Saturday 28th September (St Brandon’s Church, Brancepeth).

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 also, 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.

Neville’s Cross Community Choir meets on Tuesday evenings at 7pm. We sing a variety of music and there are no auditions or attendance requirements. Do come and join us. £4 session including refreshments.

The memorial book has now been updated. After Easter we will take the opportunity to remember those whose names have been added (probably on a Wednesday evening).

Music on Sundays: If you would be interested inreceiving a notification on Saturday, regarding the hymns we’re going to sing on Sunday at 10:30am – including sheet music for any that aren’t in the church hymnbook – please let me know. I am already doing this for someone in the congregation, following a direct request, and would happily add others to the mailing list. Amy. Get in touch with Amy via the Contact Form.

How Green is our City: Wednesday 24th April, 7 – 8.30 pm at Elvet Methodist Church. A Durham Churches Together forum where Prof. Robert Song and panel will initiate a discussion on how we can café for God’s creation at this time of Climate Emergency.

 

PRAYERS AND READINGS FOR THIS WEEK:

FOURTH SUNDAY OF EASTER – 21ST  APRIL

 

Hymns for 8.45 am service:

  • Christ is our corner stone (97)
  • A new commandment (4)
  • Praise my soul, the King of Heaven (623)

Collect

Almighty God, whose Son Jesus Christ is the
resurrection and the life: raise us, who trust in him,
from the death of sin to the life of righteousness,
that we may seek those things which are above,
where he reigns with you in the unity of the Holy
Spirit, one God, now and for ever.

Alternative Collect

Risen Christ, faithful shepherd of your
Father’s sheep: teach us to hear your voice and to
follow your command, that all your people may be gathered into one flock,
to the glory of God the Father.

Readings:

  • Acts 4.5-12
  • 1 John 3.16-24
  • John 10.11-18

Post Communion 

Merciful Father, you
gave your Son Jesus Christ to be the good
shepherd, and in his love for us to lay down his life
and rise again:keep us always under his protection,
and give us grace to follow in his steps; through
Jesus Christ our Lord.

NEXT WEEK’S READINGS:

    • Acts 8.26-40;
    • 1 John 4.7-21;
    • John 15.1-8

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