4th SUNDAY OF EASTER

Today Father Martin presided and preached at the Parish Mass whilst Father Mervyn was officiating at St. Mary’s, Ilford. Today’s Gospel talked about Jesus as the Good Shepherd who cares for his sheep. We are His flock and He cares for us.

Despite the diabolical weather yesterday The Saturday Shop made £180 – many thanks to all those who came.

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CHRISTIAN AID WEEK

A reminder that Christian Aid Week begins on Monday 14th May

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CHURCHWARDENS

Our Churchwardens will be licensed at the Archdeacon’s Visitation on Monday 21st May at St. Peter’s, Harold Wood AT 8.00 p.m. Please keep our Wardens in your prayers.

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NEXT SATURDAY – MAY FAIR

DOORS OPEN 10.00 A.M.

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ST. GEORGES DAY DINNER

The St Georges Day Dinner was held on Saturday 21st April which also happened to be Tom’s 79th Birthday. Before we sat down to dinner Father Mervyn said a St. George’s Day Grace. We enjoyed a wonderful meal of Tomato Soup, Roast Beef. Roast Potatoes, Yorkshire Pudding, Peas and Carrots, followed by Sherry Trifle and Cheese and Biscuits. During the serving of the Sherry Trifles Father Martin entered with a large Birthday Cake which had been organised by Tom’s wife Pamela as a surprise and which had been made and decorated by Ann. We sang Tom a “Happy Birthday”.

During the course of the evening we had the Loyal Toast and a Toast to Father Martin, Jan, Carol, Vicky, Mark and Ann who had prepared, cooked and served a truly magnificent meal. A lovely evening which was very much enjoyed by everybody who came.

3rd SUNDAY OF EASTER

This morning Father Mervyn presided and preached and Father Martin read the Gospel and led our Intercessions. In his sermon Father Mervyn reminded us that the Risen Jesus was not a ghost or a phantom; in his Resurrection Jesus did not lose his physical humanity. To prove he wasn’t a ghost Jesus ate a piece of baked fish. Like the disciples we have the chance to meet the Risen Lord every time we come to Mass and receive his Body and his Blood.

After having been closed for two Saturdays the Saturday Shop reopened yesterday and made an amazing £318.

Friday 27th April 4th Friday Club from 1.00 p.m. Topic for discussion: “The public’s right to know – how much should the government tell us.”

PCC Meeting Wednesday 2nd May at 7.00 p.m. in the Lady Chapel with a Dedication Mass

MAY FAIR

Saturday May 5th

from 10.00 a.m. to 1.00 p.m.

**********************************CHRISTIAN AID WEEK

14th May Christian Aid Week begins

Can you help? if so please speak to Veronica

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DEANERY SYNOD OPEN EVENING

14th May at Holy Cross, Hornchurch at 7.30 p.m.

            1662 Prayer Book               The Triumph & The Tragedy

After a Service of Holy Communion, according to the Book of Common Prayer, and a short session of Synod business, there will be a talk and presentation on the Book of Common Prayer with a time for questions and responses. This is the 350th anniversary of the Book of Common Prayer.

Annual Parochial Church Council Meeting

Secretary’s Report 2011/12

Generally, this has been another reasonably quiet and problem free year. Attendances at church have been good throughout the year, particularly over the Christmas period; and we were pleased to have Bishop Steven attending a morning service. Fr Mervyn has introduced The Havering Exploratory Group and Fr. Martin has started a Fourth Friday of the Month Club discussion group.

Some time has been spent at various PCC meetings discussing the Common Tenure. So far, this hasn’t affected anything here as it will not be put into place while Fr. Martin is in post.

Earlier in the year a new sign was put up to advertise the Saturday shop which seemed to have the required effect of encouraging more people to attend. Saturdays have been quite busy with a good sense of outreach and lots of friendly chat going on. The May and November Bazaars were both well attended with plenty of helpers and new faces coming to enjoy the sale.

There was a Quinquennial inspection on 3rd May 2011, which went well with the surveyor saying the church was in excellent state of repair. Alan has done 

a lot of minor repairs and all the painting jobs (main body of the church excluded) throughout the year. More recently, outside security lights were attached to the church and the hall lights were replaced.

Although we seem to have lost our liaison person with the uniformed organisations, there don’t seem to be any problems; they appear to have a lot more young people joined than previously. Along with the uniformed organisations, the pre-school, women’s organisations and dance and keep fit classes, the hall is virtually fully booked.

There have been several well-attended quiz nights, the Proms night in September, Harvest supper, a New Dimensions Concert as well as school and college choirs singing in the church. The ‘ladies-that-do’ have done an excellent job of catering at the Saturday market, Easter breakfast, midnight mass and after church on Sundays and other occasions.

Madeline M

March 2012.

2nd SUNDAY OF EASTER–Low Sunday

ALLELUIA CHRIST IS RISEN

HE IS RISEN INDEED ALLELUIA

Today Father Martin presided and preached; Father Mervyn was officiating at St. Mary’s Ilford. In his sermon Father Martin discussed the role of St. Thomas and pointed out that like St. Thomas we all had our doubts.

The Saturday Shop was closed yesterday but re-opens at 10.00 a.m. next Saturday.

THE FRIDAY CLUB

The 4th Friday Club meets on Friday 27th April from 1.00 p.m. until 3.00 p.m. when the topic for discussion will be “The public’s right to know, how much should the Government tell us?”

HOLY WEEK AND EASTER

GOOD FRIDAY

After the Procession of Witness through Rush Green there was a quiet service of devotion before the Cross before The Liturgy. Father Martin, Father Mervyn, and the Servers prostrated themselves before the bare altar for a short while and then the service proceeded.

During the dramatic reading of the Gospel Father Martin acted as the narrator, Father Mervyn as Jesus and our Lay Reader Joan read the rest. After the Veneration of the Cross and the Reproaches the Blessed Sacarment was brought from the Altar of Repose in the Lady Chapel and all present made their Communion. At the end of the service we left the church in total silence.

HOLY SATURDAY

Today we prepared the church for Easter and the Easter Garden was built. The church was cleaned and all the chairs washed.

EASTER DAY  - ALLELUIA! CHRIST IS RISEN!

THE EASTER VIGIL

At 5.30 a.m. we gathered in the church grounds to light and bless the New Fire and the Paschal Candle which was then carried in procession into the Church as the greeting Christ Our Light rang out in the dark building. As the procession moved up the aisle the sweet aroma of incense drifted around the building as people came into church and their candles were lit. We then kept the Vigil with the readings tracing the history of our redemption from the Book of Genesis through to the New Testament.  In between the readings the Choir sang the Psalms. The Font was blessed ready for a Baptism at the Solemn Mass at 10.00 a.m. Father Martin presided and Father Mervyn played the organ.

After the service we adjourned to the hall were we enjoyed a breakfast of cereals, fruit juices, boiled eggs, sausages, toast and marmalade with freshly brewed coffee or tea.

THE SOLEMN PARISH MASS

The church was packed for the Solemn Mass at 10.00 a.m. with several people who had been to the earlier service staying, including, of course, the choir. During the Mass an adult Duncan was baptised. Father Martin officiated at the Baptism and preached whilst Father Mervyn presided at the concelebrated Mass. The choir sang an Easter Anthem. After Mass we enjoyed a lovely chocolate cake made by Daniel our Boat Boy and Server and all the children received large Easter Eggs whilst the rest of us had Cadbury’s Cream Eggs to eat or take home. The numbers attending were the largest for many years and indicates the growth in those regularly coming to Mass in the last year or so.

Deo Gratias.

1662 SOLEMN EVENSONG & BENEDICTION

The final act of worship on Easter Day 2012 was Solemn Evensong and Benediction.

ALLELUIA! CHRIST IS RISEN!

HE IS RISEN INDEED ALLELUIA

PALM SUNDAY

We assembled in the Vicarage Garden at 9.50 a.m.  for the Blessing of Palms prior to our procession to the church. At the concelebrated Mass Father Martin presided and Father Mervyn together with Father Martin and Joan our Lay Reader, read the dramatized version of the Passion Gospel according to St. Mark. Father Mervyn preached considering how the penitent Dismas, one of the two crucified with Jesus had asked him to remember him when Jesus came into his kingdom. He acknowledged that he deserved punishment for his crime but that Jesus was innocent and he saw in him kindness, forgiveness and sympathy. We too, need Jesus’ compassion and mercy and it is our prayer that
He will remember us in his kingdom.

After Evensong this evening the Exploratory Group will be coming together to celebrate a Passover Meal.

Holy Week

2nd, 3rd, 4th April Mass with devotion each evening.

Maundy Thursday

SOLEMN MASS OF THE LORD’S SUPPER  with washing of feet and Procession to the Altar of Repose at 8.00 pm and vigil until midnight.

Good Friday

Stations of the Cross at 10.00 am

Midday—Procession of the Cross from the Y.M.C.A.

1.00 pm Hour of devotion at the foot of the Cross.

2.00 pm Liturgy of the Day.

Easter Sunday

5.30 am Vigil Mass with full ceremonies.

10.00 am Sung Mass of Easter.

6.00 pm Evening Prayer with Benediction (Sung).