4th SUNDAY OF THE YEAR KEPT AS CANDLEMASS

To ensure as many people as possible took part in the Candlemass Ceremonies it was transferred to this Sunday. We started in the Church Hall with the blessing of candles and then led by the Thurifer we processed to church; during the procession Father Mervyn intoned the Nunc Dimittis.  Father Martin presided and Father Mervyn concelebrated, read the Gospel, preached and led the Intercessions.

In his sermon Father Mervyn recalled the three ceremonies which were observed under the Law of Moses at the birth of a first son: circumcision 8 days after birth, the payment of five shekels to redeem the boy from the priesthood, and the purification where the woman makes a sacrificial offering of a lamb and a turtledove or young pigeon or, if the parents were poor, the substitution of a second pigeon or dove in place of the lamb. It is significant that Mary and Joseph make the poor peoples offering. There was also a tradition in Jerusalem of bringing a child to an elderly Rabbi to bless and pray for him and this may have been the role fulfilled by Simeon. The Feast of Candlemass finishes our celebration of Christmas and reminds us that the penitential season of Lent starts in a few weeks time with Ash Wednesday when we recall the pain and suffering of Jesus which resulted in the glory of His resurrection at Easter.

Yesterday’s Saturday shop took £196.

 

ASH WEDNESDAY 22nd February

Sung Mass with Blessing & Imposition of Ashes 7.30 p.m.

Please return last year’s Palm Crosses by Sunday 19th February.

 

4th FRIDAY CLUB

This afternoon we held the inaugural meeting of the 4th Friday Club. Some nine of us considered the topic of “Euthanasia” It was a lively and interesting couple of hours. We now look forward to the next meeting on the 4th Friday in February.

JO MOLESWORTH RIP

Jo’s Funeral Requiem was held on Tuesday to a full church praying for Jo who had been a pillar of St. Augustine’s for many years. She was a pioneer here before the Parish Church was built raising funds and eventually acting as Hall Manager. More recently she had been confined to a wheel chair but attended the Saturday Shop every week. She took an active interest in everything that happened at St. Augustine’s. If she had lived a few more days she would have reached her 100th birthday.

The church was full and amongst the congregation was a previous Vicar of St. Augustine's Father Martin Wood who is now the Bishop of Bradwell’s Parish Development Advisor.

The Solemn Requiem was concelebrated by Father Martin and Father Mervyn and Father Martin preached paying tribute to all Jo had done for St. Augustine’s over many years. At the end of Mass the coffin was blessed with Holy Water and Incense before the family went to Corbets Tey Crematorium for the Committal. A reception was held in the hall when the family returned from the Crematorium.

Instead of flowers the family asked for donations to St. Augustine's Parish.

May she Rest in Peace and Rise in Glory

3rd SUNDAY OF THE YEAR

St. Augustine’s was nearly full this morning as we celebrated the 3rd Sunday of the Year. Father Martin presided and preached, telling us about the Conference that he and two of the PCC attended yesterday which had been called by the Bishop of Chelmsford. Father Mervyn read the Gospel and concelebrated. Ann led us in our Intercessions

O Sing to the Lord with joyful voice!

We have a very faithful choir who support our worship Sunday by Sunday but now we need your help. We are looking for more people to join them. If you feel, after prayer, that this is something you could offer to St. Augustine’s please come on a Sunday morning at 9.15 a.m. ready to sing – you will be made very welcome.

The Conversion of St. Paul, Wednesday 25th

At the Low Mass on Wednesday  at 7.30 p.m. anointing will be available for those who would like this ministry.

THE SACRAMENT OF CONFIRMATION

There will be a course in preparation for the Sacrament of Confirmation beginning in Lent. If you would like to join this please let either Father Martin or Father Mervyn know.

THE TOY STALL AT THE SATURDAY SHOP IN AID OF RICHARD HOUSE HOSPICE RAISED £103

QUIZ NIGHT

SATURDAY 11th FEBRUARY

DOORS OPEN 7.00 p.m. for 7.30 start.

Tables of no more than 8 persons at £3 per person.

BRING YOUR OWN REFRESHMENTS

Details about potential teams to Father Martin please asap.

PRAYER FOR UNITY

The Sanctification of Anglican Christians

Father, we pray for the Unity of Christians. Forgive us the sin which separates us and maintains divisions among us. May your Spirit penetrate all our souls and draw us closer to Christ in holiness. Today we pray for all Anglican Christians. Give Anglicans and all Christians an ever greater holiness and lead us all along your path, to unity in the love and truth of Christ.

Lord in your mercy: Hear our prayer

PRAYER FOR UNITY

The Sanctification of Orthodox Christians

Father, we pray for the Unity of Christians. Forgive us the sin which separates us and maintains divisions among us. May your Spirit penetrate all our souls and draw us closer to Christ in holiness. Today we pray for all Orthodox Christians. Give Orthodox and all Christians an ever greater holiness and lead us all along your path, to unity in the love and truth of Christ.

Lord in your mercy: Hear our prayer.

The Week of Prayer for Christian Unity
Paul Couturier, Apostle of Unity

WEEK OF PRAYER FOR CHRISTIAN UNITY BEGINS TODAY. 18th–25th JANUARY 2012

Prayer for Unity

You, the one
From whom on different paths
All of us have come.

To whom on different paths
All of us are going.
Make strong in our hearts what unites us.

Build bridges across all that divides us;
United make us rejoice in our diversity.

At one in our witness to your peace,
A rainbow of your glory.

Amen.

-- Br. David Steindl-Rast, OSB

2nd SUNDAY OF THE YEAR

Today Father Mervyn presided and preached at the Parish Mass as Father Martin was attending to his other duties as Chaplain to the ATC. In his sermon Father Mervyn reminded us that we need to have a personal encounter with Jesus. We need to listen to when he speaks to us in the “still small voice of calm and we need to be able to respond like Samuel “Speak for your servant is listening.”Last week’s Saturday Shop took £177 plus the revenue from a Sale of New and Nearly New Toys in aid of St. Richard’s Hospice.

REMINDER: Tuesday 17th January 7.30 p.m. THE ROSARY          

Wednesday 18th January Low Mass & Ordinariate Exploratory Group – ALL WELCOME

IN MEMORIAM

Jo Molesworth will be received into church at 2.30 p.m. on Monday 23rd January.

The Requiem Mass will be at 1.30 p.m. followed by the Committal at Corbetts Tey Crematorium at 3.20 p.m. The Committal will be followed by a wake in St. Augustine’s Church Hall.

Donations in memory of Jo can be given to Father Martin for St. Augustine Church Funds.

THE BAPTISM OF THE LORD

 

Mass tonight in celebration of the Baptism of Jesus will be at 7.30 p.m.

THE EPIPHANY

 

 

Today we celebrated the great Solemnity of the Epiphany or as the Book of Common Prayer used to use as it’s other title “The Manifestation of Christ to the Gentiles”. As we arrived for Mass we heard the sad news that Jo, the oldest member of our congregation, had died earlier this morning. Jo had been  at the Saturday Shop yesterday. She was just 19 days away from her 100th birthday.

Father Mervyn presided and Father Martin concelebrated and preached. At the begining of Mass, three members of the congregation brought gifts of Gold, Frankincence and Myrrh to the crib where we stopped for a station.

Although several of our usual congregation were away today because of sickness  or family commitments we had a nearly full church.

Tonight we will conclude our Epiphany celebrations with Solemn Evensong & Benediction.                  

MARY, MOTHER OF GOD

Today we celebrated the Solemnity of Mary, Mother of God, Father Martin presided and Father Mervyn concelebrated and preached. In his sermon Father Mervyn pointed out that in reality we were celebrating several different things which might at first glance seem unrelated. We were celebrating Mary as Mother of God, the Circumcision of and naming of Jesus, and New Years Day. Our first Reading, the Aaronic Blessing related how God had made himself known. The Lord bless you and keep you; the Lord make His face shine upon you and be gracious to you; the Lord turn His face toward you and give you peace. The last line of the blessing God pronounced to Moses was, “May the Lord uncover his face to you and bring you his peace.”

Mary’s role is explained very concisely by St Paul in his Letter to the Galatians, ”God sent his Son, born of a woman, born a subject of the Law, to redeem the subjects of the Law.”  As we start a New Year the one thing we all want for 2012 is peace; the peace of God which passes all human understanding. It is through Mary, that Jesus is born and who, through Mary, is revealed to the world: he uncovers His face and bring us his peace.

THE AMOUNT RAISED FOR THE CHILDREN’S SOCIETY THROUGH THE CHRISTINGLE ETC IS £380.62.

Starting on Friday 27th January – THE 4TH FRIDAY CLUB.

Meetings start at 1.00 p.m. until 3.00 p.m. and may include Bible Study, Ethics, Philosophy and Moral Values. The first topic is EUTHANASIA.

 

The Saturday Shop reopens this Saturday