|
10.30am SUNG EUCHARIST
President: Rev. Dr David Vannerley
Preacher: Rev. Dr Stacey Rand
Setting: The Johannesburg Service – Bertalot
Acts 16: 16–34
Revelation 22: 12–14, 16–17, 20–end
John 17: 20–end
Anthem: Lift up ye heads – Mathias
Hymns: 130i (omit vv. 3, 4 & 5), 134, 296i, 312, ‘Christ triumphant, ever reigning’
Voluntary: Processional – Mathias
|
|
|
|
Join us in church for our Sung Eucharist at 10.30am or online at any time
|
|
|
6.00pm CHORAL EVENSONG
Responses: Ayleward
Psalm 68 vv. 1–13, 18–19
Isaiah 44: 1–8
Ephesians 4: 7–16
Canticles: Gibbons Short Service
Anthem: God is gone up – Croft
Hymns: 128ii, 345, 134
Voluntary: L’Ascension (Mvt 1) – Messiaen
|
|
|
|
Join us for Choral Evensong at 6.00pm or online any time
|
|
The Collect for the Seventh Sunday of Easter
O God the King of glory,
you have exalted your only Son Jesus Christ
with great triumph to your kingdom in heaven:
we beseech you, leave us not comfortless,
but send your Holy Spirit to strengthen us
and exalt us to the place where our Saviour Christ is gone before,
who is alive and reigns with you,
in the unity of the Holy Spirit,
one God, now and for ever.
Amen.
|
|
This week at St Stephen's
Monday 30th May
9.30am Churchyard Working Party
7.00pm Bell Ringing practice
Tuesday 31st May
9.30am Holy Dusters (in church)
Wednesday 1st June
10.15am HOLY COMMUNION (in church)
10.30am Acorn Community Café (in the Church Hall)
Thursday 2nd June
2.00pm – 5.00pm Parish history exhibition (see below)
Friday 3rd June
2.00pm – 5.00pm Parish history exhibition (see below)
7.30pm Full Choir rehearsal
Saturday 4th June
2.00pm – 5.00pm Parish history exhibition (see below)
Sunday 5th June
DAY OF PENTECOST
10.30am SUNG EUCHARIST
2.00pm Community Jubilee party on St Stephen's field
5.00pm CHORAL EVENSONG for Her Majesty The Queen's Platinum Jubilee
|
|
|
<<First Name>>, do share this online version of Pews News with anyone you think might be interested, and encourage them to sign up to receive it by email each week.
|
|
|
|
Moving forward from COVID restrictions - UPDATE May 2022
At their last meeting, the PCC decided that it was time to repeal some of our covid measures and return to some of our practices that had to be stopped, whilst acknowledging that covid hasn't gone away, and that there will still be some people who are still feeling concerned and may not be comfortable with doing everything that they previously may have done.
From Sunday 22nd May, Communion will be shared in both kinds for those who wish to receive the cup. For the time being, distribution of Communion will still be standing, and from a central point. Please do not dip the bread into the wine as this presents ore health risks to others than sipping.
The choir will return to processing, but will not sing until they are in their places. We will also be returning to having an Offertory procession, including a collection.
There will still be a couple of rows roped off on the south side of the nave for those who wish to have a little more space around them, but all other pews are now available, as recently we have needed the space!
This guidance will be continually reviewed over the coming weeks; If you have any questions, please speak to Kevin or the Churchwardens.
| Masks |
Masks are no longer required, but congregation are welcome to use them if it makes them feel more comfortable. |
| Hand sanitiser |
Hand sanitiser is available in the porch, please use it as you enter church. |
| Congregation seating |
There are a couple of rows on the south side of the nave roped off to provide seating with more space from others. All other pews are available to everyone. |
| Choir seating |
The choir will sit in the crossing area for most services. |
| Processions |
Choir, clergy and servers will process, but the choir will not sing while processing past the congregation. |
| Congregational singing |
Congregational singing now takes place in all services. |
| Service Sheets |
Continue to use orders of service and quarantine after each use for at least 48 hours. |
| Hymn books |
Reintroduce the use of hymn books, using those on the top two shelves for the Eucharist and those on the bottom two shevles for Evensong. |
| Communion |
Communion in both kind, both bread and wine. No intiction (dipping bread into wine) Distribution from standing station at the chancel step for choir and from the east end of the nave for congregation. |
| Sharing the Peace |
We will continue to share the Peace in a non-contact way as we have done throughout the pandemic. |
|
|
|
|
200 Club
Last chance to get a 200 club ticket
before the draws begin next week!
£10 per ticket which covers 10 weekly draws during June, July and early August (equivalent to £1 a week). Half of the ticket sales goes into the prize pot, with the other half supporting St Stephen's Church. Tickets are available from members of the PCC at church on Sunday. For those of you unable to get to church, you can now buy your ticket by clicking on the button below!
|
|
|
Churchyard Working Party
As the Residents’ Association is organising a picnic party on Sunday 5th June, the Churchyard Working Party will meet on Monday 30th May. We thought it would be sensible to make sure everything is pretty before rather than after the event! This will replace the session on 6th June.
We shall begin at 9.30am. Please don’t feel that you must come for the entire morning, but we shall be delighted to see you at any stage during the morning.
Please wear stout shoes and gloves, and if you could bring some tools, it would be much appreciated. Strimmers, secateurs and rakes would be very useful to tidy everything up for the festivities over the Platinum Jubilee weekend.
Tea, coffee and biscuits will be provided.
Angela
|
|
|
Platinum Jubilee Celebrations
There will be an exhibition of photographs relating to the history of the parish in the Church Hall from Thursday 2nd June to Saturday 4th June (2.00–5.00pm) along with the display of memorabilia of royal events. Light refreshments will be available.
There will also be a special Choral Evensong at 5.00pm next Sunday to mark Her Majesty The Queen's Jubilee, at which our choir will be singing much of the music that was sung at the Coronation service in 1953.
|
|
|
St Stephen's Eco Group
ECO CHURCH UPDATE
The Big Plastic Count – a Greenpeace initiative
Did you know the UK is one of the world’s biggest producers of plastic packaging, second only to the USA? Or that if things stay as they are, the quantity of plastic waste produced around the world will double by 2040? Clearly, this is a deeply alarming and wholly unsustainable trend.
To provide concrete evidence of just how much plastic we go through – and thus illustrate the scale of the problem – Greenpeace has invited everyone to take part in the Big Plastic Count, which involves recording how much plastic leaves our households in the week from May 16th to 22nd.
If you would like to get involved, you can find all the relevant details and links here:
https://greenwire.greenpeace.org.uk/s/blog-article/a2h4H000000KRgPQAW/the-big-plastic-count-and-how-you-can-help?language=en_US
Eco Church website
St Stephen’s is currently the proud holder of an Eco Church Bronze Award! To find out what this means in practice, and how we might improve to achieve Silver or even Gold, you can join the Eco Church project at:
https://ecochurch.arocha.org.uk/
Join the St Stephen’s Eco Group!
Are you passionate about protecting and preserving God’s Creation? Would you like to share your ideas about how we as a parish could operate in an eco-friendlier and more sustainable way? If the answer to both questions is yes, I’d be delighted if you joined the St Stephen’s Eco Group. Just contact me at ecochurch@ststephenscanterbury.net. Alternatively, do feel free to speak to me before or after services. For those of you unsure who I am, I’m the tall, rotund, bespectacled guy who sings bass in the choir and does readings and intercessions. I look forward to hearing from/meeting you!
James Taylor, St Stephen’s Eco Church Rep
|
|
|
After the recent loss of our representative to Christians Together in Canterbury, we are now in desperate need of someone to represent our parish at CTC meetings. If you would be interested in volunteering to help with this, please see Kevin or one of the church wardens.
Pentecost Worship and Prayer at the new Life Hub, Roper Close
Sunday 5th June 6pm
You are invited to come to an evening of worship, prayer and listening to God at 6pm on Pentecost Sunday (5th June). As we continue to emerge from the Covid pandemic, we want to reflect on where we’ve been and make space for God to speak and to pour out the Spirit afresh on us.
The evening will be a free-form time, with sung worship and some thoughts and reflections from some of our church leaders.
Volunteers needed for cookery classes
Migrateful runs cookery classes led by refugee and migrant chefs who are struggling to integrate and access employment, due to legal and linguistic barriers. They’re looking for volunteers to help with the classes.
L’Arche Art Exhibition this week
EXAMINE YOUR HEART AND EXHIBIT YOUR ART
L’Arche Kent express 2 years of life through COVID
There will also be a chance to buy some crafts and plants.
23rd - 27th May 2022
Monday OPEN from 2pm to 3pm, Tuesday, Wednesday and Thursday OPEN from 11:30am to 2pm, Friday OPEN from 11am to 1pm.
The Glebe, by St Mildred's Church, Canterbury CT1 2PP
‘Borscht’ fundraising event on Sunday
The Quakers are fundraising for Unicef with the help of some delicious Borscht.
|
|
|
Would like to contribute to the services week by week by becoming an intercessor?
We are very short of intercessors at the present time and consequently people are being asked to do them rather often; it would be good to have some new blood. It is not difficult, you are given the scriptures for the week and the names of those sick to pray for and those whose deaths fall on the particular Sunday. You can make up your own prayers or you can use prayers from the large variety of books available. We can take you through the procedure and give you an opportunity to have a practice to get the feel of doing them. There is always someone available to help you whenever you feel you need support. If you are interested please speak to either Margaret Horwood or the Rector. Thank you.
|
|
|
|
The Canterbury Society is a civic association registered with the Charities Commission. All its work is done by unpaid volunteers. This includes managing open green spaces in the community, litter picks, assessing planning applications and building designs through to protecting the City’s heritage. There are many members from St Stephens and everyone is invited to join at www.canterburysociety.org.uk.
|
|
|
Canterbury Food Bank
In these difficult times, Canterbury Food Bank are finding themselves supporting more people in our community than ever. If you are currently unable to afford food, please go to CanterburyFoodbank.org or ring 07718 108875. If you can afford food but can’t get to the shops because you are self isolating you should contact Canterbury City Council, who have set up hubs to provide assistance. Go to http://www.canterbury.gov.uk/help or ring 01227 868598.
Whilst our church and church hall are closed and our Foodbank drop-off points aren't accessible, if you can, do make a contribution at the local supermarkets when you are doing your own shopping. If you're in a position where you could donate some money to help the Foodbank, please visit https://www.gofundme.com/f/help-canterbury-food-bank-during-coronavirus or https://canterburyfoodbank.org
|
|
If you have an item for Pews News, please send it to pewsnews@ststephenscanterbury.net by midday on Friday. You can also add your news or event to our website by clicking on ‘ News and Events’ and choosing ‘ Submit a News Story’ from the menu. Anything submitted to the website will automatically be sent to Pews News.
|
|
|
|
|
|
