Our APCM is just around the corner and will happen after the service on 23rd April. Attached to this post is the complete pack of documents you will need if you’d like to attend the meeting.
Weekly Newsletter 29th March
Dear friends,
Hosanna! Hosanna in the highest!
Palm Sunday is when Jesus was welcomed into Jerusalem for the final time before his death. He arrived as the Messiah, one who was going to free the people from their oppressors - yet he did not come with royal processions on a great stallion with a mighty army, but on a humble donkey with a few friends. The people welcomed him by cutting down Palm branches and throwing their coats on the road, shouting Hosanna - praise be to God!
It prompts the questions: How do you welcome Jesus into your life? Is the road to your heart open or closed? Is Jesus met with a ‘Hosanna!’ or a ‘Halt!’?
Join us this Sunday as we explore why Palm Sunday is an important point to remember in our faith.
Love,
Grant
SERVICES THIS WEEKEND
What’s on this week:
Holy Week & Easter Services
A few dates for your diary
LAtest episode of our Podcast
Featured
Weekly Newsletter 24th March
Dear friends,
Firstly, thank you for all the kind messages and offers of help we have received over the past week or so as our family was struck down with a sick bug. I’m glad to say we are all fully recovered now and looking forward to seeing you all soon.
This weekend we are thinking about the theme of Grace in the last instalment of our Lent Sermon series so I hope you’ll join us as we explore this great theme together.
John Newton once said, ‘I am not what I ought to be. I am not what I want to be. I am not what I hope to be. But still, I am not what I used to be. And by the grace of God, I am what I am.’
Grace is a fundamental aspect of who God is. God specialises in being able to give people a fresh start, over and over again. Despite what we get wrong, God desires us to become more fully the people he created us to be, and more fully like Christ. So Grace is where God gives his people unmerited and totally underserved favour and kindness, love and mercy, hope and forgiveness.
If you’re in need of some good news at the moment. Try Church this Sunday. We’d love to see you.
Love,
Grant
SERVICES THIS WEEK
This week:
Services Next Week
A few dates for your diary
New Podcast
Featured
Weekly Newsletter 16th March
Dear friends,
I hope you are well.
This Sunday is Mothering Sunday which is a special time to thank God for all mothers, mother-figures and all those who help our families to flourish and grow well. Historically Mothering Sunday was a day when Christians went back to their home or ‘mother’ church - to the place where they grew up. This could have been a place where they were first taught the scriptures and encountered God in worship - or perhaps sang in the choir or read the lessons. So why not come and join us this Sunday as we also gather and celebrate our entire church family where we are all united together as brothers and sisters in Christ, with God as our perfect heavenly parent. In all of our services we will also have time to remember our mothers who are no longer with us, and give thanks for their motherhood.
Our lovely curate, Revd Jen Green recently featured in an article on motherhood and ministry in the Church Times, which can be read here: https://www.churchtimes.co.uk/articles/2023/10-march/features/features/when-baby-comes-too-the-challenges-of-a-reverend-mother
Come join us at any of our services this weekend as we worship God and give thanks for all aspects of motherhood.
Love,
Grant
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SERVICES THIS WEEK
This week:
Services Next Week
A few dates for your diary
Weekly Newsletter 9th March
Dear friends,
I hope you are well.
There is a lot going on across the villages at this time of year as we roll on towards Easter. Many of us have been enjoying the Lent groups exploring Lectio Divina - which continue the coming week too. We’ve launched a new Podcast (see below) which means you can catch up or keep up to date with messages, talks and reflections we share at St. Stephen’s each Sunday and share them with friends if you think it’s worth it!
There are a variety of bible study groups, theology exploration sessions, community Lent lunches, and volunteering opportunities happening over the next few weeks too. Do please look below and see if there is anything you might like to attend or help with.
On top of this, we are preparing for our wonderful ‘Messy Easter’ event this year to be held in Basildon Village Hall. It will be a time for all ages and stages to explore the story and meaning of Easter through crafts, games, songs, stories and food. I’m looking for a few extra volunteers to help with this too (no experience needed!) so please do let me know if you are interested at all.
Important announcement: The ‘jobs morning’ due to be held at St. Stephen’s this coming Saturday is now cancelled. There will be another opportunity to help tidy up very soon.
I very much hope that we will see you at any of the upcoming events or services - you’ll be so very welcome.
Love,
Grant
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SERVICES THIS WEEK
This week:
Services Next Week
A few dates for your diary
Sermon - The Prodigal Son by Dr Jonathan Sandbach
Weekly Newsletter 22nd February
Dear friends,
Reading the Gospel of Matthew again this week I was struck by just how many interactions Jesus has with all kinds of people from the ‘crème de la crème’, to the very worst in society. One very stark observation I had was this:
When Jesus hung out with sinners; they changed. Not Him.
When we meet with the Lord, his holiness, his mercy and his truth hold a mirror up to our own lives and we are changed. We repent, or we worship, or mourn the very worse elements of ourselves so much that we want to see change and difference in our lives. His holiness reveals our need for him to save us from our wrongdoing and bring us back into relationship with him. Jesus never changes and we cannot change him. If we confess our sins, he is faithful and just and will forgive us our sins and purify us from all unrighteousness.
Today is Ash Wednesday which marks the beginning of Lent - a season which is supposed to effect this kind of inward change in us. Tonight we will be holding a reflective Holy Communion service at St. Clement’s Ashampstead, where we will offer the imposition of ashes (ashes on foreheads) as we enter the Lenten season and acknowledge both our wrongdoings and our need for Christ.
Everybody is really welcome to join us for this service which is now at 7pm (previously advertised as 6pm, apologies).
“From dust you came, and to dust you shall return”
Join us this evening 7pm at St. Clement’s, Ashampstead for Impostition of Ashes and reflective Holy Communion
As always, if there is anything we can be praying about specifically for you and your loved ones at the moment please don’t hesitate to let me know.
Love,
Grant
There is still time to sign up to join one of our Lent Groups this year.
(Tuesday Afternoons in Aldworth or Wednesday Evenings in Basildon).
SERVICES THIS WEEK
Events & Upcoming
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A few dates for your diary
Weekly Newsletter 17th Feb
Dear friends,
I do hope you are having a good week so far. For many of us it is half term so we have the extra noise and excitement that having little ones close by brings.
We’ve had a great response so far of people signing up to join our Lent group this year. In fact, we are now going to be hosting a second group because of the interest. Naomi and I will still be hosting one group on Wednesday evenings at the vicarage. Additionally, there will be a second group which runs on Tuesday afternoons from 3:30pm which will be in Aldworth (beginning on 7th March). This allows us to offer a daytime and an evening option for people - and it really is for everybody. So if you’ve already signed up and would prefer a daytime session please let me know. If you haven’t yet signed up to join us and would like to, then do get in touch with me and we can pop your name down. A new 2 minute trailer is below which I hope will whet your appetite and excite you about this season.
Next Wednesday 22nd February is Ash Wednesday which marks the beginning of Lent. We will be holding a reflective Holy Communion service at St. Clement’s Ashampstead, where we will offer the imposition of ashes (ashes on foreheads) as we enter the Lenten season. Everybody is really welcome to join us for this service.
As always, if there is anything we can be praying about specifically for you and your loved ones at the moment please don’t hesitate to let me know.
Love,
Grant
Watch the trailer for this years lent groups beginning in March.
