E-Newsletter St Mary's & St Michael's Parish of Shalford & Peasmarsh Week of October 4th 2020
This Sunday 4th October...... 'Generosity' 9.30am Holy Communion
As part of our focus together in the diocese on themes of Transforming Generosity this October, this Sunday we'll look through the lens of the rich young man (Luke 18:18-30) to prayerfully reflect on our generosity as a church and in our individual lives as we share Bishop Andrew's sermon online in church and at home.
Worship together in St Mary's church
or at home via zoom or on youtube live or later
- just click on zoom or youtube links from St Mary's website
GENEROSITY - This week's... Together @ Home - Family Worship Activities to share at Home
Generous October
You can view the wealth of resources and sermons generously given by our Guildford diocese senior staff team for Generous October here, and click image above to link to sign up to daily podcast.
This week's Bishop's sermon on the lectionary readings, also comes from Bishop Andrew who preaches on Philippians 3:4-14, and on the theme of 'forgetting what is behind and straining to what is ahead...'.
Next Sunday: Thanksgiving
St Mary's & St Michael's Harvest Festival
Sunday 11th October at St Mary's (St Michael's sadly not possible to open safely with Covid restrictions)
For both services next Sunday, or any day during this coming week,
please bring and leave in St Mary's:
* your leaf art! - see below * your offerings for Guildford Foodbank - see below
9.30am Harvest Thanksgiving Service
with offering of harvest gifts (for Guildford Foodbank)
3-in-1 ways to join together - in person, on zoom, on youtube
10.30am Wild Young Worship Harvest
Especially for young people, families and children, creating those harvest bee hotels, tippy taps, harvest art (bring yours) and more, exploring gratitude, offering gifts for Guildford Foodbank. Bring your coffee & refreshments.
Gather your Autumn Harvest this week...... ...pick up bits & pieces from nature's wonders as you walk this week and create leaf art, or autumn sticks & nuts & more art! Just dry your gatherings out and stick on a large piece of paper, and please bring anytime this week to St Mary's church and place near the high altar, or bring with you next Sunday. In our worship next Sunday we'll hopefully be able to share all your creations, and brighten the day of many more via an online gallery afterwards. Just try anything - a sign of thanks for all good gifts around us.
Most Needed for Guildford Foodbank - Donations for St Mary's Harvest Festival -
Zoe at the Foodbank has requested these donations in particular from anybody at St Mary's via our harvest festival (but all donations very gratefully received, including financial of course): baked beans, tinned vegetables, pasta, shampoo/conditioner & liquid laundry detergent
Also, they would love more volunteer help particularly people to deliver food parcels to clients on a Tuesday, Wednesday, Thursday or Friday. Just contact the foodbank team directly on: 07583 025435www.northguildfordfoodbank.co.uk
Dear friends,
This week we are dwelling on generosity, and next week gratitude and thanksgiving. There is much in our newsletter this week which I hope will help open spaces to bring you hope, support and a little joy, and I shall say no more here except to share for your week an extract from Mary Oliver's poem 'The Messenger': Are my boots old? Is my coat torn?
Am I no longer young, and still half-perfect? Let me
keep my mind on what matters,
which is mostly standing still and learning to be
astonished......
which is gratitude, to be given a mind and a heart
and these body-clothes,
a mouth with which to give shouts of joy
to the moth and the wren, to the sleepy dug-up clam,
telling them all, over and over, how it is
that we live forever........
May Christ, who out of defeat brings new hope and a new future, fill you with his new life this week and always, with love and prayers, Rev'd Sarah PS. Please forward this newsletter to any who you think might be interested, and ask them to email us if they'd like to receive St Mary's e-news regularly.
Join Sunrise + St Mary's Worship Together Every Thursday 3.30pm, all welcome to join from home on zoom or with Rev Sarah in St Mary's church, as we join via zoom with our friends at Sunrise care home in Peasmarsh for an informal time of worship and companionship together. Please email Sarah for zoom link to join from your home. A wonderful way to be with friends in care homes, particularly at this time unable to receive personal visits.
Wildlife Ball 2020 - Join for a Virtually Unmissable Evening
Support our local friends in Shalford, the David Shepherd Wildlife Foundation’s (DSWF), as they work to turn the tide on extinction. You are invited to the annual Wildlife Ball - a pivotal fundraising event in DSWF calendar and a wonderful opportunity to celebrate wildlife, champion conservation and help combat extinction of wildlife across the world. The DSWF family and Board of Trustees, invite you to join on November 6th 2020 at 8pm GMT for a Virtually Unmissable Evening of entertainment, awareness and an exclusive silent auction by Hosting at Home. More details here and a chance toRegister Today
THE JOY OF SIX! Join now with just a few others, at home or in person, in one of the new....
St Mary's Small Fellowship Groups
The rule of six we are all bound by for mixing with others at the moment is so tough for many, but it's the perfect number for confidential, supportive, small groups which we hope you'll be keen to join through St Mary's. With so many other ways to meet together severely restricted or impossible this autumn, getting together with a few others regularly via zoom or in person in church is a valuable way to keep in touch with others in a gentle, safe, confidential and meaningful way for all our mutual support through the coming autumn weeks when many may be feeling cold and a little alone.
See below for the 3 groups on offer starting in October. Please give a small group a try if you can and spread the word to others - very easy to change your mind too if it doesn't fit for you! Just emailvicar.shalford@icloud.comto sign up or for more info (or to request change of day/time - all are flexible!).
Pilgrim Small Fellowship Group Exploring the Eucharist
with the Pilgrim course booklets
A chance to join others to gently explore together our communion with God and with others through the eucharist, which sits at the heart of our worship.
Wednesdays 5pm,
starting Wednesday 21st October
join via zoom at home or in person in St Mary's
Register or more info at: vicar.shalford@icloud.com
Pastoral Small Fellowship Group Bereavement Support Group
Join with others who have been bereaved (recently or any time ago), in a confidential, mutually supportive, gentle way to share stories of those we miss and share in our ways and times of grieving if we wish. Of course no need to share anything. Facilitated by St Mary's pastoral care team bereavement support members, but led simply by all who wish to come along to be together. Starting week after All Souls service, so Monday 9th November 5-6pm (tbc), via zoom at home or in person in St Mary's.Register or more info for now via: vicar.shalford@icloud.com
Sanctuary Small Fellowship Group Exploring Mental Health
and the Role of Community & Church
A chance to think more deeply, learn from short video and other input from the Sanctuary course, and discuss in a small, confidential group issues so prevalent in our community and families and personal lives around mental health, stigma, recovery, self-care, the role of community and the role of the church in mental health and support. Topics are explored through the Sanctuary course materials from a psychological, social, and theological perspective, to help prompt our thoughts and discussions (or feel free to just join and listen). Facilitated by Jill Lawrence, Rev Sarah, and Theresa. Starting one weekday evening probably week of 2nd Nov for 4 weeks, c.7.30-8.30pm
To register or more info: lawrence693@btinternet.com or vicar.shalford@icloud.com
Mondays - Space for Silence
Silent Parish Prayers Drop in to light a candle and simply sit alongside others present
in the stillness of silent sacred space
All welcome. Just drop in and nip out whenever you like between 6 and 6.30pm every Monday. Prayers will be silently prayed for all in our community, and beyond, and for the challenges so many people and our world faces. If you have particular prayer requests, do email or leave in box in church.
Thank you for all your Generosity Thank you so very much to all who supported Dougan and me on our 22 Miles for Refugees Sept challenge for the British Red Cross' work with refugees. Just an hour before cut off time, we made it! Thanks to your wonderful generosity we've raised nearly £1,000 and hope to reach that before 15th Oct cut-off. As we shared in our worship last week, Mada and her children and all those who've found and are desperately seeking safety and care through the Red Cross' work as they flee for their lives, thank you too.“When I began to rebuild my life, the British Red Cross gave me a voice. I am so grateful because a life lived without a voice is like a bird without wings” said Mada.If you would still like to donate you can do so here: Dougan & Sarah's 22 miles for refugees
GIVING TO Shalford Parish Just click on the big blue button below (or the one on St Mary's website) if you would like to donate to Shalford Parish church (St Mary's & St Michael's) life, ministry, serving community. Along with so many other areas of life at the moment, churches have been hit hard financially through the pandemic and we would be so grateful for your donations anytime. The button will take you directly to our Justgiving site for one-off or regular online donations, where we can also receive gift aid. If you would be willing to discuss setting up regular giving through direct debit in the Parish Giving Scheme, that would be a wonderful help - please contact Ann Thomas to discuss. Thank you so much for all your support.
APCM - St Mary’s & St Michael’s
Our delayed Parish of Shalford APCM will be held on Sunday 25th October, 11am
This will be held as a hybrid meeting we hope – with all able to join at home via zoom or phone in, and hopefully for those without internet in St Mary’s church building (tbc)
Join together for Worship, Prayer & Reflection
at St Mary's Church, Shalford - 3-in-1 Online & Off Join the same service together as one inclusive St Mary's worshipping community online and off, worshipping together in the way that works best for you
Sunday Worship at St Mary's Sundays 9.30am Weekly: Service of Holy Communion (plus, on 2nd Sundays of most months, a 10.30am young focussed worship/gathering) See St Mary's website homepage for links to also join online via Zoom or Youtube
Midweek Communion at St Mary's Wednesdays 12 noon Weekly: Service of Holy Communion See St Mary's website homepage for links to also join online via Zoom or Youtube
Monday Silent Parish Prayers/Vigil Mondays 6-6.30pm Weekly starting 28th Sept - in St Mary's church
Thursday Sunrise - St Mary's Worship Together Thursdays 3.30pm via zoom (please email for zoom link)
Weekday Daily Prayers & Contemplative Worship
Online Monday to Fridays: Mondays - Thursdays: 8.30am Prayers to Go: short morning prayer to fit into your day.
Tuesdays & Thursdays: 9pm Contemplative Compline or Night Prayer.
Fridays: 8.30am A Morning Prayer service with longer reflection.
All can be found on......
St Mary's Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/StMarysShalford
Two great venues - open for all. Please spread the word far and wide that both St Mary's Church Shalford and St Michael's Village Hall Peasmarsh, are open for bookings again for the coming months
