3rd SUNDAY IN ORDINARY TIME

Today Father Mervyn was principal celebrant at the Parish Mass and Father Martin concelebrated, read the Gospel and preached. Ann led us in our intercessions.

In his sermon Father Martin pointed out that Jesus walking by the Sea of Galilee had said to two fishermen, Simon Peter and Andrew: “follow me”. How many of us would be prepared to accept that challenge to “immediately” leave everything to follow Jesus as Peter and Andrew had done. Later Jesus saw two other fishermen James and John, the sons of Zebedee, they too left  everything “immediately” to follow Jesus.

YESTERDAY’S SATURDAY SHOP TOOK £226

Easter Eggs

We will shortly be ordering Fair Trade Easter Eggs

IF YOU WOULD LIKE TO ORDER ANY HAVE A WORD WITH FATHER MARTIN OR PAMELA

2nd SUNDAY IN ORDINARY TIME

Today Father Martin presided at the Parish Mass and led our Intercessions; Father Mervyn concelebrated, read the Gospel and preached on the text from today’s Gospel “Behold, the Lamb of God”. He reminded us that the words spoken by St. John the Baptist are the words spoken at every Mass and we would be hearing them later in today’s service. He posed the question: did we take them seriously, did we really appreciate that in the wafer placed into our hands we would receive the same Jesus that John the Baptist he been speaking about. Were the words we spoke in response just something  perfunctory,or did we really mean them: “Lord I am not worthy……………..only say the word and I shall be healed” Do we realise or understand, as was said previously, that when the wafer was placed in our hands we received the real Jesus, just as real as when John the Baptist uttered those profound words Behold the Lamb of God.

Yesterday’s Saturday shop took £206

Monday 20th January Deanery Synod: Bishop David’s farewell address.

Wednesday 22nd January &  17th February 7.30 p.m. The Rosary

THE BAPTISM OF CHRIST

At today’s Solemn Parish Mass, Father Mervyn was the principal celebrant and led our Intercessions and Father Martin concelebrated, read the Gospel and preached. As part of the penitential rite, we had Aspeges to remind us of our own Baptism, which Father Martin took up in his sermon. He reminded us that we had visited the River Jordan in our pilgrimage in October: the Israelis had diverted part of the river into something the size of a large ditch filled with very muddy water taken from the Jordan River. Presumably this was to allow pilgrims to say they had visited the River Jordan even though in actual fact they hadn’t because most of it lies in the Hashemite Kingdom of Jordan. (It doesn’t help that the place is very run down, the toilets unusable and it is surrounded by mine fields) Father Martin pointed out that ritual bathing had been part of the Jewish tradition for many years before John the Baptist and the Baptism of Jesus reminded us that this was the bridge between the Old and the New Testament. At the end of the Flood in the OT a dove was a sign and in this event a dove is a sign from God.

YESTERDAY’S SATURDAY SHOP TOOK £247

For your Diary

Saturday 22nd February

QUIZ NIGHT

Teams of up to 8 are invited to test their wits against our Quiz. Entry is £3 per person

Bring your own refreshments & snacks

Some of our Servers assisted at the Hospital Chapel’s Patronal Pontifical Mass

THE EPIPHANY

Today we celebrated The Epiphany at St. Augustine’s; Father Martin presided and preached – Father Mervyn was officiating at St. Paul’s, Goodmayes. In his sermon Father Martin produced a shofar:-

Father Martin explained the significance of the shofar and played a note on it. He invited the children present to bring symbols of the gifts the Magi had presented to the Baby Jesus and with suitable prayers these were placed in the crib.

TONIGHT AT 6.00 p.m. SOLEMN EVENSONG & BENEDICTION

YESTERDAY’S SATURDAY SHOP TOOK £178.