St Mary's at Home Shalford - Ascension Sunday

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E-Newsletter
St Mary's & St Michael's
Parish of Shalford & Peasmarsh
Ascension Sunday

Today's Sunday Worship
Ascension Sunday
Click image above to worship together via St Mary's Shalford Youtube Channel
(or find links to all our online Sunday worship from St Mary's website)
https://www.youtube.com/playlist?list=PLtPRfcbu2ulmT2EmAeHK-boJaOHp2MHpE

Dear friends,

Today (Friday) marks the first day of our St Mary's Prayer Novena. A chance to pause and ponder in 9 days of prayer and reflection between Ascension and Pentecost, at this important time of struggle, disruption, and transition for each of our lives, our world, the church. This time is an opportunity to pray and reflect perhaps too on what we might let go of, or build on, from life before and during lockdown - in our own life, and for the church here in these times of transformation.

As we pray for the coming of the Holy Spirit to restore and transform, and pray Thy Kingdom Come, we join denominations and churches across the world in a global wave of prayer together this week. A special St Mary's Novena Prayer Card Pack is available for all who would like one (please email/phone/see website). Why not take time out to respond creatively each day in art or poetry too? And each evening at 9pm, do join in putting a lit candle in your window as we pray together. We continue to pray constantly for all who are critically ill in hospital, in care homes or at home, here and across the world - you are so much in our minds and hearts.

In worship together on this Ascension Sunday, we mark the ascension of Jesus. The risen Jesus who has conquered death and been present again with his disciples, ascends to heaven, physically leaving his disciples. These times of physical absence we’re living through - and which many live through constantly not just during world pandemics - these times are hard. We begin this morning in St Mary's Garden of Remembrance. A place where many tears have been shed, but a place also of great beauty and peace. A sacred space filled with the faith, hope and love of so many. A space where all creation seems to join in the beauty of new hope and the promise of a new wholeness. Perhaps this ascensiontide we feel the agony of those first disciples even more keenly as we feel the pain of absence. Yet we are not without presence. We are not without love.

Special thanks to Sarah for reading the gospel with her sheep, to Dougan for his ongoing contributions as special effects director and runner, and to Bishop Jo, our much loved Shalford bishop, who was, long before lockdown in those old diary days, due to be physically present with us this Sunday at St Mary’s, and how we wish that were so. But we are blessed with virtual presence as Bishop Jo preaches so directly to us today from the attic, encouraging us on in our faith, in our prayer novena, and in our waiting expectantly together as the Holy Spirit moves and transforms our lives.

This Sunday we are able to unlock St Mary's church together to stream some of our worship this morning from inside the church again.

Next week, as we celebrate the great festival of Pentecost, we’ll come together for our first eucharist in St Mary’s again though sadly only filmed for us all to celebrate together virtually again at home. But it will be a great joining together in spirit again as we celebrate the outpouring of the Holy Spirit onto disciples in mission, setting the church on fire with the spirit of God’s love.

with love and prayers,
Rev'd Sarah
St Mary's at Home web page: https://stmarysshalford.com/stmarys-at-home/

ST MARY’S
ZOOM CAFE
all welcome, just click below on time to come in!

St Mary's Zoom Cafe on Sundays 11am
click on this link….
https://us04web.zoom.us/j/74310502764
PASSWORD: 3AtPT9
(Meeting ID: 743 1050 2764)

St Mary's Zoom Cafe on Wednesdays 11am
click on this link….
https://us04web.zoom.us/j/75554574598
PASSWORD: 3AtPT9
Meeting ID: 755 5457 4598

Particularly for Everybody Without Internet Access:
New Church of England phone line for those without internet access - please pass on details to all people you can who don't have any online access. Many thanks.

Midweek warming MEAL ON WHEELS

Could you cook shepherd's pie for 10, or prepare a cold pud for 10, or deliver? If so, would you like to join with 2 or 3 other friends as a new meal team, as St Mary's partners with Shalford Age UK's lunch club team to offer 10 more residents in Shalford/Peasmarsh a little raising of spirits via a home-cooked Wednesday lunch. Delivered with love to the doorstep. Please get in touch if you'd like to prepare, deliver or receive a midweek meal.

Pick up your volume of Parish Prayers etc from church porch if not already delivered to you, or download from St Mary's website now. Please send the parish prayers team (inside cover) your favourite prayers, poems, scripture & prose for the already evolving Second Edition!

Throughout these days and weeks, please keep a close eye on our website for latest updates, news, resources, support, opportunities for connecting with others, encouragement in discipleship together. www.stmarysshalford.com
Follow us on Facebook too: @StMarysShalford

Christ be with me, Christ within me,
Christ behind me, Christ before me,
Christ beside me, Christ to win me,
Christ to comfort and restore me.
Christ beneath me, Christ above me,
Christ in quiet, Christ in danger,
Christ in hearts of all that love me,
Christ in mouth of friend and stranger.

St Mary’s & St Michael’s Church Contacts:
Vicar: Rev Sarah – 01483 565012 vicar.shalford@icloud.com
Parish Administrator - Ellen (Office Mon, Wed & Fri morn): 01483 571646 admin@stmary-shalford.org.uk
Churchwarden: Sally - sally_schupke@stmary-shalford.or.uk
www.stmarysshalford.com
Please follow us on Facebook @StMarysShalford

Please email your thoughts or prayer requests to.... Vicar.Shalford@icloud.com

Copyright © Parish of Shalford & Peasmarsh 2019 All rights reserved.
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St Mary's Church Shalford, Church Close, Shalford, Guildford GU4 8BP
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St Mary's Church Shalford · Church Lane · Shalford · Guildford, Surrey GU4 8BP · United Kingdom