ST. AUGUSTINES SATURDAY SHOP

THE SATURDAY SHOP WILL BE CLOSED

ON SATURDAY 3^RD APRIL AND SATURDAY 10^TH APRIL

IT WILL RE-OPEN ON SATURDAY 17^TH APRIL.

PALM SUNDAY at ST. AUGUSTINES

We started our Palm Sunday celebrations with the Blessing of Palms, the reading of the Gospel and a procession into church singing “All Glory, Laud and Honour”. When we arrived in church we sang the introit hymn “Ride on, ride on in majesty”. The Mass continued in the normal away with the Passion Gospel read in a dramatic form. During the Communion the choir sang “Drop, drop slow tears” to the the music by Orlando Gibbons.

Despite the clocks going forward we had a good attendance with nobody arriving late!

Tomorrow Father Martin, Father Mervyn and some members of the congregation will be attending the CHRISM MASS at Chelmsford Cathedral at 12 noon at which the Principal Celebrant will be the Right Reverend Keith Newton SSC, Bishop of Richborough

DON’T FORGET – CLOCKS GO FORWARD TONIGHT BY ONE HOUR

 

9.50 a.m. Procession of Palms, Solemn Mass

(Meet in the Vicarage Garden or the Hall if wet)

PASSION SUNDAY

Today we kept Passion Sunday so all the crucifixes and statues had been draped with purple to indicate a period of mourning which will last until Easter Day. Amongst the congregation were three visitors who are studying on the Chelmsford Course of Christian Studies and who came to experience worship in a manner different to their own tradition. One of our congregation went to Dagenham Parish Church for the same reason.

At the beginning of Mass Father Martin welcome everybody and explained why all the statues and crosses were covered in purple drapes. As our organist is recovering from a heart bypass operation, Father Mervyn played the organ and also preached the homily.

After Mass we adjourned to the Hall for the:-

Annual Vestry and Annual Parochial Meeting.

One of our present Church Wardens had decided not to stand for election this year and with two nominations the new Churchwardens were elected by acclaim. Father Martin thanked the Churchwardens for their help and service during the past year.

Following an election, four new members joined the Parochial Church Council and they will serve a term of three years. Father Martin announced that the Electoral Roll had been revised and had resulted in no deletions and with the addition of 11 new members. During the meeting reports were received from various church organisations including the Sunday School, Deanery Synod, the Scout Group, the Guides and Brownies, and the Churchwardens presented their report on the Fabric of the Church and Ornaments. The annual accounts were presented and explained by the Treasurer. Father Martin gave his report and thanked everybody who had helped in any way during the past year.

A REMINDER

Next Sunday, PALM SUNDAY, we meet in the Vicarage Garden (or in the hall if wet) at 9.50 a.m. for the Blessing of Palms and procession to the church.

Choir Practice will be at 9.00 a.m. in church

SATURDAY SHOP

Nearly every Saturday there is what we call a Saturday Shop in our Church Hall. It is an opportunity for people to meet their friends and enjoy freshly made coffee, tea. cakes or hot toast and to view the many items on sale on the Stalls at bargain prices.

The stalls include Books, a large bric-a-brac Stall, furniture, nearly new clothes and children’s toys. Many weeks there is one of the local charities organising a Stall as well. Gifts of items to include are always welcome and we can even arrange to clear houses. The shop is open from 10.00 a.m. until 12 noon. There is no admission charge.

Why not pop along and grab yourself a bargain and enjoy a refreshing cuppa?

MOTHERING SUNDAY 14TH MARCH 2010

In a full church, we celebrated Mothering Sunday today. In addition to our normal congregation our Guides and Brownies joined us. At the beginning of the Mass Father Martin pointed out that we were celebrating Mothering Sunday and not “Mother’s Day” the American celebration. Mothering Sunday celebrates Mother Church, Mary, Mother of Jesus and Mother of us all and, of course, our own mothers.

During the sermon Father Martin demonstrated how much mothers do for their children by asking for a volunteer from the Brownies who was asked to hold an empty 6 pint milk container. The children were asked to name what their mothers do for them and various answers were given: cook our food, do the washing, cleaning, ironing, caring for us. As each answers was given he partly added water to the container until it was full and the Brownie could no longer hold it alone and had to be helped by another Brownie. He pointed out that the weight mothers carried could be made lighter by the help we given them.

Before the offertory, Father Martin blessed the flowers which had been prepared by the Guides and they were then distributed to the mothers in the congregation. Votive candles were lit by those whose mothers had died or who were unable to see their mothers today.

The fourth Sunday in Lent has various names including Laetare Sunday, Mid-Lent Sunday, Refreshment Sunday and Mothering Sunday. Rose vestments are worn only twice a year; once in Advent and on this Sunday in Lent.

It is a great shame that Mothering Sunday and Mother’s Day have become confused. The American version is celebrated on the second Sunday in May – this year on Sunday 9^th May. It has become quite difficult to find Mothering Sunday Cards in the shops as the card manufacturers seem to have copied the American version and now sell Mother’s Day Cards........another example of the secularisation of our nation.

NEXT SUNDAY

21^st MARCH 2010

The Annual Vestry and Annual Parochial Meeting will take place in the Hall following the 10.00 a.m. Parish Mass.

HOLY WEEK and EASTER 2010

VICAR: Father Martin Howes SSC

Hon. Assistant Curate: Father Mervyn Jennings SSC

CALENDAR

PALM SUNDAY

9.50 a.m. Procession of Palms, Solemn Mass

(Assemble in Vicarage Garden or Church Hall if wet)

MONDAY, TUESDAY, WEDNESDAY IN HOLY WEEK

Mass with Devotion each evening.

MAUNDY THURDAY

8.00 p.m. MASS OF THE LAST SUPPER

Followed by Vigil until Midnight.

GOOD FRIDAY

10.0 .m. Stations of the Cross

12 noon Procession of the Cross starting at the YMCA

1.00p.m. Hour of Devotion at the foot of the Cross.

2.00 p.m. THE LITURGY OF THE DAY

EASTER SUNDAY

5.30 a.m. Vigil Mass with full ceremonies

10.00 a.m. Sung Mass of Easter

6.00 p.m. Evening Prayer with Benediction