Pew Sheet 18th March 2018

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 take away our welcome leaflet on the table for all of our services and activities. The 10 o’clock club for children meet in the church hall during the 10 am service where coffee and squash are served afterwards.

Sunday18th February

First Sunday of Lent

 

As God’s beloved children let us embark on our Lenten journey, strengthened by the Spirit.

10.00am Parish Communion

First Reading: Genesis 9.8-17
God tells Noah he is establishing a covenant with him, his sons and their descendants, and sets a rainbow in the sky

Second Reading: 1 Peter 3.18-end
Baptism, an appeal to God for a good conscience, saves us through Christ’s resurrection. It was prefigured by the saving of Noah’s family in the water of the flood.

Gospel: Mark 1.9-15
Jesus is baptised by John and receives God’s approval. He is immediately driven out into the wilderness, where he is tempted by Satan. John is arrested and Jesus begins his Galilean ministry.

Hymns 144, Psalm 25v1-10, 343, 756

Communion 82, 342, 69

3.00pm Holy Communion (Cherry Tree Nursing Home)

6.00pm Evensong
Readings: Genesis 2.15-17 & 3.1-7; Luke 13.31-end
Hymns 572, 70, 300, Psalm 119v25-32

6.00pm ‘Later’ youth group
(Princes Risborough Methodist Church)

Prayer of the Week
God of the covenant, as the forty days of deluge swept away the world’s corruption and watered new beginnings of righteousness and life, so in the saving flood of baptism your people are washed clean and born again. Throughout these forty days, we beg you, unseal for us the wellspring of your grace, cleanse our hearts of all that is not holy, and cause your gift of life to flourish again. Grant this through Christ, our liberator from sin, who lives and reigns with you in the unity of the Holy Spirit, holy and mighty God for ever and ever. Amen.

Your prayers are asked this week for:

• The work of aid agencies around the world in the light of allegations regarding Oxfam
• The victims of the recent school shooting in Florida
• The various groups and individuals who use the church hall
• Administrators in further education, for wisdom and discernment in allocating scarce resources.
• Hearing dogs for deaf people
• Peel Court (PR) Hampden Gate & Hampden Road (Sp)
• Those who are in need in our parish:
  • Joan Ballance, Pam Johnson,
• And also further afield for:
  • Alastair, Georgina Cole, Ginny Gibbs, Rob, Alex Chauhan, Cathy Owen, Gail, Moira Spence, Debbie Cadwallader, Colin
• The recently departed:
  • David Argue, Ian Turner, Dennis Farrell
• Those whose anniversary of death falls at this time:
  • Arthur Howes, Betty Newport, Alf Godfrey, Dennis Botten, Len Walsham, Bert Keeping, David Brewer, Beryl Boyce

Please remember the charities that the parish supports
Rennie Grove House Hospice Care - a charity providing care and support for patients in Herts and Bucks diagnosed with life-limiting illness www.renniegrove.org

 

Notices

Updating of Church membership (Electoral Roll)
We are updating the membership list (electoral roll) of St. Dunstan’s and St. Peter’s If you are not yet a member and would like to come on to the electoral roll applications forms can be found at the back of the church/chapel during this time. The closing date is March 4th. If you would like a form sent in the post or by email, or if you would like to be taken off the electoral roll, please contact Susanne (01844 342746 / susanned@onetel.com).

Lent at St. Dunstan’s/St. Peter’s
As usual we’ll be marking Lent in a variety of ways. There are two types of booklets ‘Love life, live Lent’ (for both adults and children) and ‘Live Lent’ from Christian Aid are available on the table by the south door. The Bethany House Group is also running a course on Wednesdays called ‘On the third day’. If you would like to find out more please speak to Rose Williams (274225) or Jill Iredale (346488). I have also received a thought  provoking calendar  from Christian Aid called ‘Count your blessings’ which can be accessed via this link https://www.christianaid.org.uk/sites/default/files/2017-12/Count%20Your%20Blessings%202018%20adult.pdf As well as all this there is a highly recommended book called ‘The Art of Lent: A Painting A Day From Ash Wednesday To Easter’ by Sister Wendy Beckett that unpacks the timeless wisdom to be found in some of the world's greatest paintings. You can purchase this book via Amazon etc. As in previous years, Churches Together in Risborough are offering a series of talks for Lent – details of which can be found in the porch. James

Hidden Figures (PG), Pop up Cinema, Feb 24th (7pm)
The incredible untold true story of three brilliant African-American women working at NASA, who served as the brains behind one of the greatest operations in history: the launch of astronaut John Glenn into orbit. Adults £3, children £1, please bring your own snacks/drinks. Tickets on the door, for more information please contact Johanna Powell (343996).

St Dunstan’s Flower Festival Spring Lectures
“Green & Pleasant Lands” – A History of British Gardens from the Romans to the present day by Joanne Kidd on Wednesday 28th February 7.30 for 8.00 p.m. at Monks Risborough Church of England Primary School Cost £8
“The Tradescants” – Plant Collectors and Gardeners of the early 17th century by Joanne Kidd on Wednesday 21st March 7.30 for 8.00 p.m. at Monks Risborough Church of England Primary School. Cost £8.
Tickets from Sally’s Sewing Box, Duke Street, Princes Risborough, Jenny (01844 273838) or www.ticketsource.co.uk/st-dunstans-church
 
Sunday March 18th – Church Photograph
After the 10 am service can you stay for a few minutes so that a photograph of the whole congregation can be taken to update the website and to use for grant applications. Thank you. James

Annual Church Meetings: Monday March 19th
These will take place on in St. Dunstan’s. Drinks will be served from 7.30pm and the meeting will start at 8pm. Please can you make every effort to attend. Paper copies of the agenda and annual report will be available from February 25th from the table by the south door and in St. Peter’s Chapel, Owlswick. Alternatively all of the papers will be available on the church website www.stdunstanschurch.com James

Buckinghamshire Day Conference – highly recommended
We are called to be contemplative, compassionate, courageous people and churches of the Beatitudes (Matthew 5.1-12). Everyone from Buckinghamshire is warmly invited to join Bishops Steven and Alan on Saturday 24th March 2018, 10am – 4.30pm at the Sir Henry Floyd Grammar School, Oxford Road, Aylesbury HP21 8PE. Tea and coffee is provided throughout the day. Please bring a packed lunch. Booking is essential, either through Eventbrite: bucksareaconference.eventbrite.co.uk or by email bucksareaconference@oxford.anglican.org

More grass cutters required for the churchyard
St. Dunstan’s is very fortunate in having a team of people who help to keep the churchyard looking so neat and tidy. The time commitment is about two to three hours each fortnight during the growing season. If you would like to find out more about what’s involved please speak with James.

Churchwarden and Deanery Synod vacancy
After an invaluable four year stint as churchwarden Charlie Fairall is stepping down at the Annual Meeting on March 19th. We therefore need to find a suitable person to be the second churchwarden. The primary role of churchwardens is to be able to attend most of the 10 am services on a Sunday morning and at major festivals, and to have a concern for the church, its people and its buildings. Charlie is very willing to carry on helping out with practical and maintenance issues such as the church boiler and the lawnmowers so this will lighten the load. There is also a vacancy for the Deanery Synod which acts as a link between the local church and Diocese. The synod meets 3 times a year and means that you automatically become a member of St. Dunstan’s Church Council (PCC) which meets 8/9 times each year on a Monday evening. If you are interested in filling either of these roles please speak with James.

The Next Few Weeks 

The Church is open daily to visit from 9.30am–4.00pm
Morning Prayer takes place on Monday, Wednesday and Thursday from 8.45am to 9.05am (except Bank Holidays). Everyone welcome

Wed 21st Feb	2.00pm Monks Risborough School ‘Lent’ service 2.30pm Friendship Group (church hall)
Thurs 22nd Feb	9.30am Holy Communion 2.00pm Knitting and Nattering (church hall) 2.00pm Monks Monkeys (church)
Sat 24th Feb	7.00pm ‘Pop-up’ cinema in church  ‘Hidden Figures’ (PG)
Sun 25th Feb	10.00am Parish Communion 3.00pm Owlswick Evensong
Mon 26th Feb	8.00pm PCC meeting (church hall)
Tues 27th Feb	9.15am Walking Group meets in the A4010 lay-by
Wed 28th Feb	7.30/8.00pm Flower Festival Lecture in the school hall (see notices)
Thurs 1st March	9.30am Holy Communion with prayers for healing 2.00pm Monks Monkeys 2.30pm Memorial service for David Argue
Fri 2nd March	1.00pm Funeral of Dennis Farrell
Sun 4th March	8.00am Holy Communion 10.00am All Age Family Communion and Baptism 6.00pm Evensong
Mon 5th March	12 noon Funeral of Ian Turner