Pew Sheet 2nd February 2013

St Dunstan’s Church, Monks Risborough
& St. Peter’s Chapel, Owlswick

Part of the Risborough Team Ministry

www.stdunstanschurch.com

Vicar: The Revd. James Tomkins
01844 275944 (day off Tuesday)
jamestomkins@btinternet.com
The Rectory, Mill Lane, Monks Risborough, HP27 9JE

Churchwardens: Rosemary Woodward-Court
01844 344417 & Sue Ingram 01844 275287

Welcome!
We hope you will enjoy worshipping here with us.

Please join us for refreshments in the Church Hall immediately after the 10.00am service.

 

Sunday 2nd February 2013

The Presentation of Christ
God’s salvation for all people is revealed to us in Christ Jesus.  Today as we hear of Jesus being presented to the Lord in the Temple let us also offer ourselves to God and praise him, with thanksgiving, in our worship together.  

8.00am  Holy Communion
10.00 am All age Family Eucharist and Baptism of Frankie-Kate Caudery

Hymns: 305, Our God is a great bit God, 525, 419
Communion:  47, 648, 386, 437

First Reading                Malachi 3: 1-5
The prophet foresees the coming of God’s messenger on a day of judgement that will be hard to withstand.  There will be judgement for all who defy God’s commandments and purification for those who serve God by offering him sacrifices.      

Gospel Reading            Luke 2: 22- 40
Jesus became like us, his brothers and sisters, so that he understands what it means to be fully human.  Because he understands us so well he is merciful towards us and helps us in our times of struggle and temptation.    
  
6:00pm   Choral Evensong
Readings: Haggai 2: 1-9 & John 2:13-22
Hymns: 343, Psalm 132:1-7, 297, 686




Prayer for the Week
Lord Jesus Christ, light of the nations and glory of Israel: make your home among us, and present us pure and holy to your heavenly Father, your God, and our God.  Amen

 

Your prayers are asked this week for:

• The peace of the world amidst further tension and fighting in Mali, Syria, Egypt and other parts of the world
• Wisdom, guidance and continuing progress in extending the churchyard at St. Dunstan’s
• Our local County Council, for the Director of Education and for the Education Committee.
• Residents of: Manor Rd, (PR) Loosley Hill, Violet Close, Foundry Lane (LR)
• Those in need who are known in our parish:
• and also further afield for:
  • Gordon Haynes, Joan Male, Bill Male, Richard Irvine, Alastair
• The recently departed:
• Those whose anniversary of death falls at this time:
  • William (Jock) Storie, David Carr, Peter Walker

Please remember the charities that the parish supports, in particular this week: Tearfund
Working in partnership with Christian agencies and churches worldwide to tackle the causes and effects of poverty.

 

Notices

New Church Electoral Roll
Every six years the church electoral roll is completely revised. The electoral roll seeks to reflect church membership as closely as possible and provides a general barometer of the vibrancy of the worshipping community. Forms will need to be completed and returned by March 31st to the electoral roll officer Mr Roger Timms, Nags Head House, Aylesbury Road, Monks Risborough,  HP27 0JT. If you have not already received a form please accept my apologies and complete and return a form that will be readily available in St. Dunstan’s and St. Peter’s. Thank you. James

New PCC members required
The Church annual meetings take place on Monday April 22nd at 8.00. This is the time at which new members are elected on to the Parochial Church Council (PCC). If you are interested in becoming a member of the PCC please speak with James to find out more.

Volunteers required - Events Team
As a church we run a variety of events over the year such as concerts, a summer fete, and cream teas. We already receive lots of offers of help to sell tickets, provide refreshments and run stalls which is greatly appreciated. We now need other people to help
co-ordinate one event or more, working with an existing team of helpers. Without any commitment, if you think you might be able to help in this area there will be a meeting at The Rectory on Friday February 15th at 8 pm for those who are interested in getting involved. James

The Real Easter Egg
Out of the 80 million Easter eggs sold in the UK every year this is the only one which tells the Easter story, gives money to charity and is Fairtrade. The egg is £3.99 with free delivery if ordered by February 11th.  In the box is the resurrection text from Mark, an activity poster and a sticker set. There are more details in the porch and a form to sign if you would like buy one. I will collect payment when they are delivered.  Rosemary.

Lent Exhibition and Talks at Dorchester Abbey
The theme of the Tree of Life is explored by the artist Caroline Meynell in a series of thirteen paintings. The exhibition provides a contemplative space within the Abbey during Lent, and is the focal point of a series of Sunday evening talks. The Tree, through its cycle of life, death and regeneration here becomes imbued with the journey through Lent — of life and death leading to the resurrection of Easter. For further details please see the notice board.

The Bloxham Festival of Faith and Literature
This runs from February 15th -17th and is a literary festival with a theological slant (or as it was described recently, 'Hay with God'), organised by the Church Times, in partnership with Greenbelt. Talks include ‘The Philosopher and the Gospel’ What happens when a philosopher reads the Gospels? Keith Ward looks at the teachings of Jesus through the lens of contemporary philosophy.
Further details can be found on www.bloxhamfaithandliterature.co.uk. James

Lent Courses:
The Bethany House Group is offering the latest York Course for Lent:  ‘Glimpses of God – Hope for Today’s World’. The five weekly sessions start on 20th February, at 76 Westmead from 10.30 – noon. These are entitled:  The God who hears our cry – The Shepherd who guides and guards his people – The Son who is the Way, the Truth and the Life – The God who shares our pain - The God who calms our fears.  All are welcome and the cost of the accompanying booklet is just £3.40.  Please ring either Su Viney on 275461 or Jill Iredale on 346488 in good time, so that these may be ordered for you.

Church Together in Risborough is organising an evening course for anyone to come along to called ‘Serving the Community’. This takes place from 7.00 – 9.00pmon Tuesday evenings at Costa Coffee, Princes Risborough. Each evening will begin with an opportunity to buy drinks and food, (served by Costa staff) followed by the following speakers and time for questions and discussion
Tuesday 19 February –Street Pastors
Tuesday 26 February – to be confirmed
Tuesday 5 March – Kate Vale, ‘One Can’
Tuesday 12 March – Fred Ireland, Prison Chaplain
Tuesday 19 March –Aylesbury Vale Youth for Christ

Grass Cutting:
This may seem a long way off but we need to find additional people to help cut the grass in the churchyard. There are various plot sizes that people can volunteer for. It is a very rewarding role and many comments are received about how lovely the churchyard looks. If you have a few hours to spare every other week during the growing season please speak with James.

Sound System Problems and Church Hall Heating
I apologise for the recent difficulties with the sound system which has meant that the loop system is not working and the microphones used by priests can be intermittent. The sound engineer has come this week and we are ordering a new microphone and looking to repair or replace the loop amplifier at a cost of up to £400. The heating in the hall has been looked at and is now working, with the heating engineer returning to replace a worn out part. James

32nd Amersham Millennium Lecture
This takes place on Tuesday 19th March 2013, 8.00 pm at St Michael and  All Angels, 70 Sycamore Rd, Amersham on the Hill, HP6 5DR, 01494 726680
office@stmichaelsamersham.org.uk. The talk is ‘‘On Not Being C S Lewis; The Imaginative Task of Apologetics’. Presented by Francis Spufford. Apologetics is the art of building a bridge in words between the experience of belief and the experience of unbelief. But what worked in the 1940s will work no longer. Writer Francis Spufford talks about the literary challenge of describing faith in early 21st century Britain. Tickets available from above address, or on the door: £10, or concessions £7, to include wine/juice during the interval.

The Next Few Weeks  

Morning Prayer takes place on Mondays (except Bank Holidays), Wednesday and Thursday at 8.45 at St. Dunstan’s.

Sun 3rd Feb Presentation of Christ	8.00am Holy Communion (BCP) 10.00am All Age Family Communion and Baptism 6.00pm Choral Evensong
Mon 4th Feb	8.00 pm Silent Prayer Meeting (church hall)
Thurs 7th Feb	9.30am  Healing and Holy Communion 2.00pm  Monks Monkeys (church hall)
Sun 10th Feb	10.00am  Parish Eucharist 11.30am  Owlswick Holy Communion 6.00pm   Choral Evensong
Wed 13th Feb Ash Wednesday	2.30pm Monks Risborough School Service 8.00pm  Parish Eucharist with the Imposition of Ashes
Thurs 14th Feb	9.30am  Holy Communion 8.00pm  Fellowship Meeting Jill Carey “Peru”
Sun17th Feb	10.00am  Parish Eucharist 6.00pm  Choral Evensong

Our God is a great big God,
Our God is a great big God,
Our God is a great big God,
And he holds us in his hands. (Repeat)   

He's higher than a sky scraper
and he's deeper than a submarine.
He's wider than the universe
and beyond my wildest dreams.
And he's known me and he's loved me
since before the world began.
How wonderful to be a part of God's amazing plan.