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Our choir are on their summer break this week.
10.30am EUCHARIST
President and Preacher: Rev. Dr Kevin Maddy
Setting: The Mass of St Thomas – Thorne
Ecclesiastes 1: 2, 12–14; 2: 18–23
Colossians 3: 1–11
Luke 12: 13–21
Hymns: 263 (omit *), 480 (t. 15), 339, 373 (t.‘Corvedale’)
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Join us in church for our Eucharist at 10.30am or online at any time
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6.00pm EVENING PRAYER with hymns
Psalm 107 vv. 1–12
Genesis 50: 4–end
1 Corinthians 14: 1–19
Hymns: 137, 407, 468
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Join us for Evening Prayer at 6.00pm or online any time
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The Collect for The Seventh Sunday after Trinity
Lord of all power and might,
the author and giver of all good things:
graft in our hearts the love of your name,
increase in us true religion,
nourish us with all goodness,
and of your great mercy keep us in the same;
through Jesus Christ your Son our Lord,
who is alive and reigns with you,
in the unity of the Holy Spirit,
one God, now and for ever.
Amen.
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This week at St Stephen's
Monday 1st August
9.30am Churchyard Working Party
7.00pm Bell Ringing practice
Wednesday 3rd August
10.15am HOLY COMMUNION (in church)
10.30am Acorn Community Café (in the Church Hall)
Sunday 7th August
THE EIGHTH SUNDAY AFTER TRINITY
10.30am EUCHARIST
12.00 noon BAPTISM
6.00pm EVENING PRAYER with hymns
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<<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.
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Lambeth Conference extra clothing for Bishops and spouses (UPDATED 30th July)
We are in urgent need to warm jumpers and jackets/coats for the delegates as they feel the cold in the evenings. We had a reasonable number at the beginning of the week but by Wednesday evening they had all disappeared. If you have any please can you mark them as to whether they are large, medium or small. Comfortable footwear, especially wide fitting, with size also clearly marked although our guests will try them on for size!
- New socks (fairly large size)
- Some shawls (pashminas) although I wam told that this is the kind of things our guests may bring.
You can deliver these items directly to the Kennedy building at UKC, or bring them to my house, where the clothes rack is set up. If you come to my house, please phone beforehand to make sure someone is in (01227 454230). My house is 10 Lichfield Avenue, off the New Dover Road, and we have a maroon garage door. Alternatively you could top them into the church and I can collect them.
Many thanks in anticipation,
Margaret Horwood
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Churchyard Working Party
The Churchyard Working Party will meet again on Monday 1st August.
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. There is a lot to clear away, and the nettles need cutting back, so it would be great if you could bring rakes, strimmers and secateurs if you have them.
Tea, coffee and biscuits will be provided.
Angela
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Developing our Church Community
The Church of England has recently developed a tool to enable us in developing our Church community and I would like to invite as many people as possible to take part in the survey questionnaire that has been designed for this purpose. The link to the online survey (which is St Stephen’s specific) is: https://www.achurchnearyou.com/church/2831/surveys/church-development-tool/survey/
Alternatively, there will be some paper versions of the survey available at Church and a poster with a QR code for those who are tech savvy. Please do help us with this survey as it will help us to plan our future activities and programmes.
Many thanks,
Kevin
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Food Bank
St Stephen's has arranged for the Food Bank to collect food from our yellow dustbin in the church porch, so please support this essential service for those who cannot afford to feed their families.
The Canterbury Food Bank website has details of items that they are currently running low on: https://canterburyfoodbank.org
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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. |
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St Stephen's Eco Group
ECO CHURCH UPDATE
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
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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.
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.
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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.
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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.
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