St Chrysostom’s eNewsletter Tuesday 3rd January 2012
Happy New Year! Fr Ian has written a New Year message on our church blog do go and read it, and join the people of St Chrysostom’s in saying the prayer at the end.
Despite Sunday being also New Year’s Day there were over 50 at Mass. We welcomed Bishop Mark to concelebrate the Mass. His diary had allowed him a Sunday off and he asked if he could join us. It was a pleasure to have him concelebrate and to give a special New Year’s Day blessing.
Weekday worship resumes today with Mass at 5pm. This week Mass is at 5pm on Tuesday, Wednesday and Thursday and on Saturday at 5.30pm,Vespers at 5pm on Friday. Morning Prayer is said in church each day (except Saturday) at 9.30am. We encourage you to attend a weekday Mass, especially if you have been unable to attend on Sunday.
On Thursday evening those involved in ministry at St Chrysostom’s – clergy, sisters, lay assistants – are meeting to look at the year ahead. The meeting will be looking especially at:
- The worship Calendar for 2012, and developing monthly themes around church life
- Areas of work and responsibility for ministry including pastoral care
- Matters arising from Posada contacts
- Encouraging faith development and vocations
- Schools and Confirmation preparation
The meeting will finish with Compline (Night Prayer) in church at 9pm, and anyone is very welcome to come along to Compline.
Sunday (8th) is the Feast of the Epiphany – a great day of worship and praise. We celebrate the journey of the wise men to Bethlehem, and Christ revealed to the world as Son of God. Our worship at Epiphany is especially beautiful, do come if you can.
Here are the worship times:
Saturday 7th January: 5.30pm Vigil Mass of the Epiphany (LGBT Communion: Celebrant Fr Ian, Preacher Trish Lindsay)
SUNDAY 8th JANUARY: 9.30am Morning Prayer in the Anson Chapel
11am HIGH MASS OF THE EPIPHANY OF OUR LORD
5pm SOLEMN BENEDICTION – followed by Epiphany cake
After Mass and Benediction on Sunday as well as tea and coffee red wine will be offered. Why? To start the year as we mean to go on at feast days! (See Fr Ian’s comments on the blog!)
Free Will Offering envelopes will be available from Sunday. Please collect your set. If you don’t receive envelopes to give regularly to Church please ask for a set. The new year is a good time to review your regular giving to the work of God through the church.
Fr Ian writes: I am hoping in 2012 that we will consolidate our attendance at worship on a Sunday. I am setting a target of an average of 70 different people at worship on a Sunday. There were 52 last Sunday so we need to get some Sundays over 70 to attain the average! How can you help? Simple – be at worship each Sunday as much as possible, and secondly encourage others to be there. St Chrysostom’s is a church worth let’s take pride in inviting people to come.
A Bible text to use in your prayers this week:
“For God did not give us a spirit of timidity, but a spirit of power, of love and of self-discipline.” (2 Timothy 1.7)
