Good News for Ashford

image by Debbie Stafford - https://www.pinterest.co.uk/pin/305611524686360402/

EASTER SUNDAY

17 APRIL 2022

TEAM RECTOR’S MESSAGE

When does your day begin? There might be quite a range of answers to that question, but I don’t suppose many of us would say: in the evening.

In Jewish tradition, however, the new day began at sundown, rather than sunset. So the Sabbath begins at sunset on Friday, and ends the same time on Saturday. That’s perhaps one reason why our earliest evidence for any annual Christian service is for an Easter celebration beginning on Saturday evening – and ending at dawn on what we would call Easter Sunday.

That tradition continues today in the Easter Vigil and First Eucharist of Easter, in which Archbishop Justin will be leading us at St Mary’s Ashford this year (though we plan to finish well before dawn). It’s been a wonderful week so far with him and the Community of St Anselm, and many of us have already felt our horizons being stretched and our spirits being lifted. I hope that we will be able to fill St Mary’s on Saturday night with joyful voices, as we celebrate the resurrection of Christ together, the heart of God’s good news, with our Archbishop here in Ashford. It’s not something likely to happen again any time soon!

The Easter Vigil begins with the lighting of new fire, reminding us of the light of Christ that shines unquenchably in the darkness. The Christian life can often feel like that: wonderful light, but struggling to dispel the lingering shadows. And we know that night is coming, and we will sleep for a while. But on the other side of night is the dawn. Morning is on its way and will last forever, because of the Son of God who loved us and gave himself for us. That’s when our day will finish, and it will have no end.

SHARING OUR STORY:

HOLY WEEK WITH ARCHBISHOP JUSTIN

Our Holy Week began with a Sharing Our Story Service at St Mary's Ashford, during which members of both our Church community and the Community of St Anselm (COSA) shared their stories, and Archbishop Justin answered questions from the congregation (see photos above).

Later in the week, the Archbishop paid a visit to Ashford College, where he spoke to students and staff (see photos below)

To see more photographs of the Archbishop's visit to our deanery, please click on the button below:

Key dates for your diary:

14 April (Maundy Thursday), 7.30 p.m., St Peter and St Paul, Charing: deanery Maundy Thursday service, with Archbishop Justin preaching and presiding

15 April (Good Friday), 12 noon, Willesborough church: Archbishop Justin joins the service and then walks with the cross to Sevington

15 April (Good Friday), 2 p.m., Great Chart church: Archbishop Justin leads the reflection for the ‘Hour at the Cross’

16 April (Holy Saturday), 12–3 p.m., town centre bandstand / St Mary’s in the town centre: lots of activities going on, including some for children and families, with Archbishop Justin present and available to meet people and to speak

16 April (Holy Saturday), 8 p.m., St Mary’s in the town centre: Easter Vigil and First Eucharist of Easter, with Archbishop Justin preaching and presiding.

ANNUAL PAROCHIAL CHURCH MEETING

Our Annual Parochial Church Meeting (APCM) takes place at Willesborough church on Saturday 23 April, from 10 a.m. to 1 p.m.

As well as receiving formal reports on 2021 and electing new members of the PCC, we will be thinking and planning together about how to share in God's mission across our town. As part of that, there will be time allocated for people from each church community in the parish to meet together and discuss their plans for the future, and we hope there will be a good number of people present from each church community to contribute to that. We’re also going to be considering a significant change to Parochial Church Council (PCC) membership, by reducing the number of people directly elected to the PCC.

We are expecting to circulate all papers for the APCM via email this week. If you have any problems accessing them, please contact the office - info@ashfordchurches.co.uk

LIVING GENEROUSLY – GIVING GENEROUSLY

All church members should have received a leaflet headed ‘Living Generously – Giving Generously’.

It sets out the financial situation facing us in the parish as a whole and in the church you belong to, and suggests some principles to guide us in considering how to respond.

If you’ve not got one yet, please speak to your Local Leadership Team (LLT) finance officer, or any other LLT member ... and, if you have, please use it to think, pray and talk with others.

PRAYING WITH AND FOR ONE ANOTHER

Points for Prayer this week:

For those who don’t come to church regularly but may be thinking of coming to a service this Easter – that they may be encouraged to come and find a warm welcome when they do, and that we would be ready to play our part in that
For Archbishop Justin – that he would know the wisdom of the Holy Spirit as he speaks to all kinds of people and groups, and the strength of the Holy Spirit sustaining him through this week
For members of the Community of St Anselm – that they would find fruitful opportunities for service and witness, learn more about sharing in God’s mission, and enjoy their time here in Ashford
For ourselves and Christian people everywhere – that we would be drawn more deeply into union with Christ, crucified and risen, through Holy Week and Easter this year.

A Prayer for Ukraine
God of peace and justice,
we pray for the people of Ukraine today.
We pray for peace and the laying down of weapons.
We pray for all those who fear for tomorrow,
that your Spirit of comfort would draw near to them.
We pray for those with power over war or peace,
for wisdom, discernment and compassion to guide their decisions.
Above all, we pray for all your precious children, at risk and in fear,
that you would hold and protect them.
We pray in the name of Jesus, the Prince of Peace. Amen

Archbishop Justin Welby
Archbishop Stephen Cottrell

The Bandstand, Ashford, where Archbishop Justin and members of the Community of St Anselm will be available to speak to members of the public on
Holy Saturday, 16 April 2022

WHAT'S ON

APRIL 2022

15th April 2022 – at Singleton Village Hall – St Mary’s in Singleton Church Easter Celebrations – 10:00am-11:00am, refreshments and creative activities for all the family in the main hall and ‘follow the route of Jesus in his last week’ in the committee room – Followed by: 11:15am-11:45am, Good Friday Service.

17th April 2022 – St Mary’s Ashford – “Putting the Puff Back in the Pipes” – Third Sunday Concerts – 3.30 pm – Easter Day Festival Choral Evensong with St Mary’s Singers – Free Admission – Doors Open at 3.00 pm. Refreshments available. This concert helps to raise vital funds for the refurbishment of the organ. For More details and a flyer for this concert series, please contact the parish office at info@ashfordchurches.co.uk

23rd April 2022 – St Mary’s Willesborough – Annual Parish Council Meeting (APCM) – 10:00am-1:00pm – as well as receiving formal reports on 2021 and electing new members of the Parochial Church Council (PCC), we will be thinking and planning together about how to share in God’s mission across our town.

23rd April 2022 – St Mary’s Willesborough – St George’s Day Celebration – 7.00 pm – Dancing to Contraband – For more details please contact the parish office – info@ashfordchurches.co.uk or 01233 620433

23rd April 2022 – St Mary’s Community Centre, Rylands Road, Kennington – 7:00pm – St George’s Day Supper – Tickets £8 to include a 2 course meal and entertainment (bring your own drinks). Please sign up on the sheet at Kennington church or contact Pam Paddy on 879716 or email mrp.pfp@talktalk.net

23rd April 2022 – Christ Church Community Hall – Ashford Theatre Society present Encore, an evening of Musical Theatre – in memory of the late Mr Tim Bomback and in aid of The Pilgrims Hospice and WaterAid – to book, visit https://ashfordtheatre.com/ or call 01233 280310

Every Saturday – 10 am – 12 noon – Community Cafe, St Mary’s Ashford.
Every Monday to Friday 9.00 am – 1.00 pm – in inSpire Café, St Mary’s Willesborough.

MAY 2022

14th May 2022 – St Mary’s Willesborough = Richard Harrington – Magician – 7.30 pm – For more details please contact the parish office: info@ashfordchurches.co.uk or 01233 620433

15th May 2022 – St Mary’s Ashford – “Putting the Puff Back in the Pipes” – Third Sunday Concerts – 3.30 pm – The Two Sopranos – Admission £5.00 minimum – Doors Open at 3.00 pm. Refreshments available. This concert helps to raise vital funds for the refurbishment of the organ. For More details and a flyer for this concert series, please contact the parish office at info@ashfordchurches.co.uk

Every Saturday – 10 am – 12 noon – Community Cafe, St Mary’s Ashford.
Every Monday to Friday 9.00 am – 1.00 pm – in inSpire Café, St Mary’s Willesborough.

For details of events in May and beyond, please click on the button below:

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