Sunday 24 January 2021: The Presentation of the Lord in the Temple (Candlemas)

To include articles on this sheet contact Valda Pearson on 07751 663339 or email valdaapearson@gmail.com by Tuesday evening. 

10:15    Parish Eucharist in church and live streamed

Last week the parish eucharist was viewed 857 times on Facebook.  This is remarkable but also proves that those who can't get to church at the moment can continue to join in with worship wherever they are.  

Please pass on the link https://www.facebook.com/Eccle...so we can bring hope to all those in need of comfort at this time.

Almighty and ever-living God, clothed in majesty, whose beloved Son was this day presented in the Temple, in substance of our flesh: grant that we may be presented to you with pure and clean hearts, by your Son Jesus Christ our Lord, in the unity of the Holy Spirit, one God, now and for ever.

Sunday 31 January Readings:

Malachi 3: 1-5; 

Hebrews 2: 14-18;               

Luke 2: 22-40

The Gospel Canticle Nunc Dimittis 

Intercessions   

We pray for an end to coronavirus:

God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ, whose years never fail and whose mercies are new each returning day: let the radiance of your Spirit renew our lives, warming our hearts and giving light to our minds; that we may pass the coming year in joyful obedience and firm faith; through him who is the beginning and the end, your Son, Christ our Lord, who is alive and reigns with you in the unity of the Holy Spirit, one God now and forever.

Those in need this week:

Maureen Dalby; Pauline Readett; Gregory McMahon; Pat Lee; Carla Brindle; Mary Brown;

Those who have been in need for some time:

Tommy Trayling; Colin Buckley; Pat Wilson; Helen Christopher; Graham Pownall; Olivia Wilson; Tony Dolan; Margaret Dolan; Audrey Batten; June Davenport; Pat Lee, Michael Walker, Gemma Kavanagh, Maureen Brindle

The departed

Brenda Carter; Mary Crawshaw; Rhoda Makinson; Lily Halton; Tracey Collins; Enid Tootle 

Those whose anniversary occurs this week

Nicholas John Goymer; Tommy Melling; Sarah Ann Platt; Emily Hart Rodgers; William James Trafford; Norma Davies; Kathleen Pemberton

What's on

Daily readings in the week

Monday 25 January             S Bridgid   Mark 5 : 1 - 20

Tuesday 26 January            Candlemas   Mark 5 : 21 - 43

Wednesday 27 January        Anskar   Mark 6 : 1 - 6

Thursday 28 January           Gilbert of Sempringham    Mark 6 : 7 - 13

Friday 29 January               Mark  6 : 14 - 29

Saturday 30 January           Martyrs of Japan   Mark 6 : 30 - 34

Morning Prayer will be said in church Monday to Thursday 09:00 and Evening Prayer at The Rectory

Wednesday        11:30 Eucharist in church and online

Next Week:

7 February   2^nd before Lent    Green

Readings:     

Proverbs 8: 1 and 22-3; Colossians 1: 15-20; John 1: 1-14

Weekly church running costs - £1901

THE COST OF KEEPING OPEN OUR CHURCH is £14 PER PERSON PER WEEK – current levels of giving work out at £5 per person per week increasing the gap between incomings and outgoings even further.  The financial situation is becoming increasingly worrying.  Please help as much as you can. Forms are available to make a Standing Order if you would prefer to contribute in this way. Forms are available for tax payers from the treasurer or Gift Aid Secretary, Eric Smith. Please make sure you have completed yours. Gift Aiding raised £11,707 in year 2019.

 Eccleston St Marys PCC Sort Code 09-01-55 A/c 23903081

CONTACT DETAILS

Rector                  Fr Andrew Brown        01257 452777

Church Warden     Gill Jamieson             01257 451863

Church Warden     Garry Fishwick           07885 839067

Weddings              Andrea Cheetham      01257 451932

Baptisms              Claire Walsh               01257 433167

Funerals               Linda Thornton          01257 451075

PCC Secretary       valdaapearson@gmail.com  

The following daily intentions are suggested:

Monday        Wholeness and Healing

Tuesday        The Royal School of Church Music

Wednesday   Lancashire Teaching Hospitals NHS Foundation Trust

Thursday       Those who earn their living at sea

Friday           Youth and Children’s Workers in our Diocese

Saturday        An end to coronavirus

Church attendance

Congregational Worship is specially permitted even during the current national lockdown.  You may be aware that some churches have decided to remain closed, this is particularly true of other denominations but also include some Anglican parishes; in the Church of England not opening at least once per week for a service is subject to Canon Law and the Bishop’s discretion.  After discussion with neighbouring parishes, the Church Wardens believe  that we can offer the sacraments to those who wish to receive them with minimum risk of spreading infection.  We will keep the situation under review to maintain a clean and safe environment, offering the sacraments to those you wish to receive them.  However, please remember to register your attendance and use hand sanitiser when entering; wear a mask and remain two metres apart from others at all times.

Support during Coronavirus Isolation

Please continue to keep in touch with church:

The Parish Website - www.ecclestonstmaryschurch.org

Worship - online Eucharists are available through social media

Personal Contact – please request help if you require it

Prayers - Please contact Liz Green to be included.

During Lent this year the Diocese are providing some resources free of charge for your reflection and devotion.  After the success of the Advent Devotional where 5000 copies were distributed across the diocese, we are launching a similar resource to take us through Lent entitled ‘Read, Mark, & Learn’. Our focus this time will be on Mark’s Gospel and will take in every verse, with contributions from both clergy and lay-people. The resource is designed for all church members but we hope it will be especially valuable to those unable to gather in person for worship at this time. We will have a number of copies available so please ask Fr Andrew or a churchwarden for a copy.

Worship at School is still taking place as we make sure the Christian message of hope is alive and heard in our Church of England Primary School.  Last week we followed the reading in church of the wedding feast at Cana.  You can view the view that Fr Andrew presented to school by clicking the picture to the right.  We are very pleased that each week children email Fr Andrew with comments and ideas for worship.

This week Fr Andrew is talking about the Plan International scheme to sponsor a child in poorer countries.  Many people will not be aware that the parish has had a relationship with Sonali in India.  For a number of years we have sent a contribution to help Sonali's.  We are not being asked to sent a card and message to Sonali.  This week we are asking school children to draw a picture so we can sent it Sonali.

Foundation Governors we have two further vacancies at our CE Primary School.  Contact Fr Andrew if you are interested and more information is available at the Blackburn Board of Education website (click here to direct you to their website) or specifically at the Governors' landing page on the Board of Education website.  More information about our Church of England Primary School can be found on their website by clicking on the school logo to the right.

Giving - your donations through our contactless terminal in church can now benefit from GiftAid if you are a UK taxpayer. That means for every £5 you donate, Eccleston St Mary’s PCC receives £6.25. To help us receive this extra benefit please register your Visa and MasterCard on the Swiftaid website (by clicking on the link or the image above) before you use the terminal in church. Please contact Eric Smith if you will to join the envelope scheme.  He has a number spare.  

Also please sign up to Easyfundraising (details below) as this is such a good way to earn money for church without any effort, especially now that online purchases are increasing popular since the beginning of the pandemic.

Ecclesiastical Insurance runs a scheme called Trust 130.  As an insurance company they havegiven more than £430,000 to churches in the UK as part of the Trust130 campaign and now we’re extending for another year.  There is no limit on the number of donations which can be made. We could benefit from Trust130 donations of £130, if you take out anew policy with Ecclesiastical and mention St Marys, Eccleston and Trust 130:  please contact Ecclesiastical Insurance on 0800 7830 130  You can read more about the scheme by clicking the picture on the right.

It's a quiet time at the moment but you can plan ahead by lighting up the church to mark a special day, or may be some retail therapy is just want you need - don't forget to buy online during lockdown using the Easy Fundraising link to benefit our parish funds.

Book Floodlighting – it is now possible to book the floodlighting again.  Please use this form to make your request and online payment.  It only costs £10 to light up the church for one evening.  We also feature your memorial on the parish website and on our Facebook page.  Join those who have raised over £1,300 for church funds as they remember an important event or person when they have 'Lit up the Church'.

Keep up with the latest news and events on Twitter!

https://twitter.com/ecclestons... select - Follow  

Keep up to date with www.ecclestonstmaryschurch.org

If you shop online, please register for Easyfundraising Cause

When you click on this link you will be able to make a small donation to our parish work each time you shop at selected retailers at no additional cost to you.  Our 62 supporters have raised £1,869.94 so for so why not join them at this time that all non essential shops are closed.  

Disability Provision

There is a hearing Loop system

Space is provided in church for wheelchair users. A wheelchair is available.                     

Disability toilet in the Parish Centre

Fire Notice   

There are two emergency exits:

Through the main door Through the Jesus Chapel (To the right of the altar) Muster by the War Memorial, await instructions