announcement

Weekly Newsletter 3rd March

Hi all,

I hope this finds you well. Please see below this week’s news and notice sheet. We’ve had a fabulous start to the new Tiddlers group this week, so a huge thank you to everybody who kindly donated and purchased toys for it. We’re also really looking forward to the new style family service ‘Bacon Butty Sunday’ beginning at Basildon this weekend too! We also have our family service at Ashampstead and the early communion service at Aldworth. If you’ve been thinking about Ukraine this week and want to join us in praying for peace then the service details are below and you are most welcome to join us at any service. Also, there is a prayer for peace underneath as well which we can all pray at home.

God bless you.

Love

Grant

Please join with us as we continue to pray for peace.

Heavenly Father, hear our prayers for our brothers and sisters in Ukraine.

Lord we ask for peace for those who need peace, reconciliation for those who need reconciliation and comfort for all who don’t know what tomorrow will bring. Lord may your Kingdom come, and Your will be done. 

Lord God, we ask for you to be with all – especially children who are suffering as the crisis in Ukraine deteriorates. Lord for those who are anxious and fearful. For those who are bereaved, injured or who have lost their lives. And for those who have lost loved ones. Lord hear our prayers. 

Lord, we ask that decisions makers hear Your voice. Parents protecting their families – deciding whether to stay or leave. Church leaders as they support and comfort people. And Lord we ask for wise actions from global leaders - who have the power not only to start wars, but to stop them too.  

 And Father God we cry out for an end to this crisis. For mercy, peace, and truth – because You are light, hope, power, and love. Amen. 

Weekly Newsletter 24th Feb

Dear Friends,

It seems somewhat trivial to be writing about things coming up across the benefice when folks across the Ukraine, and indeed many other places around the world, are facing such heartbreak and fear at the moment. We are praying for peace and for all those affected by the latest violence in Ukraine each day. If you would like to pray or talk to somebody about it, then our churches remain open each day, as do all of our telephone lines and emails. We’d be very happy to hear from you.

We come then towards the week before Lent. We’re joining together for a special Ash Wednesday communion service at St. Stephen’s 10am next Wednesday and then we begin our Wonder Walks and Lent Lunches. You are invited to join us as we enter this season before Easter as a community.

Tiddlers - The new toddler group begins next week at St. Stephen’s and we’re still looking for a few more bits and pieces to make it extra special. Particularly ‘ride-on’ toys. We’ve put a little Amazon Wish list together which you can find here if you would like to support this wonderful new adventure with a few new toys/items for the children.

Wish List: https://www.amazon.co.uk/hz/wishlist/ls/2M0H03U7B3BVX?ref_=wl_share

Hope to see you very soon and you and those you love are well.

Love,

Grant

Remembering Prince Philip - churches open for private prayer

Remembering Prince Philip - churches open for private prayer

Remembering Prince Philip

You are welcome to remember Prince Philip and pray for the royal family by praying in one of the Benefice churches:

St Mary’s and St Clement’s are open daily for private prayer;.

St Stephen’s is open for private prayer on Wednesday and Sunday, 9 am to 4pm (we had opened every day specially last week but now we’re reverting to our Covid-19 safe pattern).

Click above for more ….

Growing Back

Growing Back

Growing Back

What's the plan?

Stage one: Recentre our lives on Jesus as we safely navigate a way to meet together.

Stage two: Journey from Easter through to Pentecost, and beyond, aiming to re-establish weekly services across the benefice, all subject to national guidance.

Stage three: Through prayer and planning, seek God's will to build and establish new growth.