Pew Sheet 28th May 2017

St Dunstan’s Church, Monks Risborough
& St. Peter’s Chapel, Owlswick
Registered Charity Number: 1153869.

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:
Charlie Fairall 07584 264573 crmfairall@yahoo.co.uk
Johanna Powell 01844 343996 johanna@powellathome.com

Welcome!

We hope you will appreciate worshipping here with us. Please see our welcome leaflet on the table for all of our services and activities. The 10 o’clock club for babies, toddlers and children meet in the church hall during the service after which coffee etc. is served.

Sunday 28th May 2017

Seventh Sunday of Easter
(Sunday after Ascension) 

 

Jesus leaves his disciples as he returns to his heavenly Father. We reflect today on what it means to live in the post-ascension world, shaped by the transforming power of the resurrection.

10.00am Parish Communion
Hymns: 580, 408, 104
Psalm: 68 v1-10
Communion: 540, 971, 374
Anthem: O come ye servants of the Lord, C Tye

First Reading Ezekiel 36.24-28
God’s word comes through Ezekiel to his people in exile, speaking of a time of hope to come. They shall be gathered from the corners of the earth and given a fresh start, reconciled with their God.

Second Reading Acts 1:6-14
Along with the ascension of Jesus we hear the inclusive vision of Jesus for the whole world and the part to be played by the disciples once they receive the Holy Spirit.

Gospel John 17:1-11
As he prepares to leave the disciples, Jesus shares his own love for his followers and connects this explicitly with God’s care for them.

6.00pm Owlswick Evensong
Readings: 2 Samuel 23.1-5, Ephesians 1.15-end
Hymns: 352, Psalm 47, 271, 349, 134

Prayer for the week:
God of majesty, yours is the power that raised Christ from death, yours the glory that exalted him to your right hand. By the mystery of the Ascension, sustain our hope as we bear witness to our baptism. By the perpetual outpouring of your Spirit, confirm your Church in its mission of salvation. Grant this through Jesus Christ, the first-born from the dead, who lives and reigns with you in the unity of the Holy Spirit, God for ever and ever. Amen.

 

Your prayers are asked for:

• The victims of the bomb blast in Manchester: for all who have been killed, injured, bereaved or traumatised by this act of terrorism; and for all those who are supporting others during this distressing time.
• The general election process, that it will be a model of courtesy, respect and truth-telling.
• Children and young people with exams that they are able to cope with this stressful time. 
• The World Trade Organisation and World Bank, for responsible policies in lending to developed nations
• The Bledlow Belles and Bledlow Village Fete Committee
• Westfields (MR) Long Hide (PR), Lower Icknield Way (L)
• Those who are in need in our parish:
  • Joan Ballance, Pam Johnson, Eddie Evans
• And also further afield for:
  • Alastair, Katy, Georgina Cole, Ginny Gibbs, Rob, David Dewick, Alex Chauhan and her family
• The recently departed:
  • Grace Smythers, Phylis Ettle
• Those whose anniversary of death falls at this time:
  • Frederick Moore, Jan Forrest, Barry Fisher, Raymond East
    

Please remember the charities that the parish supports:
Christian Aid is an international development charity. We work with people, of all faiths and none, in around 50 countries, to eradicate poverty. www.christianaid.org.uk.

Notices

Sustaining the Sacred Centre
As part of a national prayer initiative ‘thy kingdom come’ that runs from May 25th (Ascension Day) to June 4th (Pentecost) a prayer sheet for each day can be found by the table near the south door. There are versions for children and adults but as is often the case adults may prefer the one for children!  A booklet of pocket prayers has also been produced to help you pray daily, whenever and wherever you are. More resources can be found on this link www.thykingdomcome.global In August there will again be a service almost daily to help us to ‘sustain our scared centre’. James

Congregational Mailing
Stewardship packs are being given out today (May 28th) to assist in reviewing what we give to the church and to God. Hopefully we’ve managed to include everybody but I’m sure that we will have accidentally omitted a few people. If we have, please accept our apologies, accept an unnamed pack and advise us of your name and address. James and the stewardship team

Evening Talks at St. Peter’s Chapel, Owlswick
The next talk in this series will be given by Susanne Carr on Tuesday 30th May at 8 pm. Susanne will talk about twenty of the nation's most important and loved paintings in the National Gallery. The event will be accompanied by light refreshments with a cost for the evening of £5 per person. Further details about future events at Owlswick can be found in the parish newsletter.

The Bethany House Group
This small, friendly ‘house group’ is meeting at 10.30 am at 76 Westmead, Monks Risborough to look at: Faith (June 7th); Hope (June 21st); Love (July 5th) concluding with a Communion Service on July 19th. Everyone welcome

Bucks Open Studios
The church will be open daily from Saturday June 17th to Sunday June 25th from 10 am (12 noon on Sundays) to 5 pm for visitors to browse/buy items from the array of nine artists who will be displaying their various works of art. We need help in the church hall from 2.15 - 4.30 to serve cream teas over the two weekends on June 17th/18th and June 24th/25th. We are looking for volunteers to serve teas and also to provide cakes.  If you are able serve or bake for either weekend please sign the list in the porch or let me know.   If any young people would like to help they will be very welcome. Thank you.  Cathy (343226) or cathy.farquhar@btinternet.com
 
Pilgrimage to the Holy Land, 16th – 25th April 2018
Ann and I have booked on to a pilgrimage to the Holy Land organised by Lightline Pilgrimages. ‘Following in the footsteps of Jesus’ will be led by Revs. Alastair Wheeler and Christopher Durrant and will involve a three night stay in Galilee and a six night stay in Jerusalem. Alastair writes “It’s not a holiday – but we hope that it will be hugely enjoyable and stimulating as we try to imagine events of the part that have changed the world for ever.” For further information or if you wish to book please log on to www.lightline.org.uk or call 01992 576065 or look at the poster in the porch. James

The Chandos Ensemble
A concert of music for string orchestra including Bach’s Double Violin Concerto in D minor and Elgar’s Introduction and Allegro for Strings on Sunday July 9th July at 3.30pm. Prize Raffle and refreshments (please bring a chair if you would like to sit outside for tea). Tickets – adults £8 – accompanied children (under 18) £3 available from Rachel (01844) 761535 or Sue (01844) 275287 or www.ticketsource.co.uk/st-dunstans-church

Churches Together in Risborough
We need to find another person to help represent St. Dunstan’s at meeting of Churches Together in Risborough. It is not an onerous role and involves four meetings a year and having an interest in working with other denominations. If you would like to find out more please speak with Margaret Pitman or James.

New PCC secretary required
Keith Gibbons will be stepping down from this role for personal reasons. The primary functions are taking minutes for the PCC and its Standing Committee, preparing for the Annual Meetings, along with about 1 hour of administrative tasks each month. If you are interested in finding out more please speak with Keith or James.

A little book of guidance
I have been made aware of a series of books under the title ‘A Little Book of Guidance’. Titles and authors include ‘where on earth is heaven’ (Paula Gooder); ‘why go to church’ (John Pritchard) and ‘why does God allow suffering’ (Robin Gill). They are only 50 pages long, cost £3.99 on Amazon and are an excellent and insightful read on a variety of issues that enable people of faith or no faith to look for answers to life’s biggest questions. Please do order one or more of these books. James

The Next Few Weeks 

Morning Prayer is held on Mondays (except Bank Holidays), Wednesdays and Thursdays at 8.45 am

Tues 30th May	8.00pm Talk at Owlswick (see notices)
Wed 31st May	10.30am Guided tour of St. Dunstan’s (Princes R’borough Women's Institute)
Thurs 1st June	9.30am Healing & Holy Communion 11.30am Thanksgiving Service (Anne Frow)
Sun 4th June	8.00am Holy Communion (BCP) 10.00am All Age Family Communion and Baptisms 6.00pm Evensong
Thurs 8th June	9.30am Holy Communion 2.00pm Monks Monkeys 8.00pm Fellowship Meeting (Denys Williams – the work of Saunderton Lodge)
Sun 11th June	10.00am Parish Communion 11.15 WW1 Act of commemoration (at the war memorial) 11.30am Owlswick Holy Communion 6.00pm Evensong
Mon 12th June	1.30pm Funeral of Grace Smythers 8.00pm PCC meeting (church hall)
Thurs 15th June	9.30am Holy Communion 2.00pm Monk Monkeys
Fri 16th June	Bucks Open Studios setting up (see notices)
Sat 17th June to Sun 25th June	Bucks Open Studios (open daily) with Cream Teas at weekends (see notices)
Sun 18th June	10.00am Parish Communion 6.00pm Evensong