Sunday 25 April 2021: Easter 4

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

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 God, whose Son Jesus Christ is the resurrection and the life:  raise us, who trust in him, from the death of sin to the life of righteousness, that we may seek those things which are above, where he reigns with you in the unity of the Holy Spirit, one God, now and for ever.

Sunday 25 April Readings:

Acts 4: 5-12

1 John 3: 16-24

John 10: 11-18

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; Pat Lee; Carla Brindle; Mary Brown; Andy Pearson, Maureen Brindle, Declan Reece

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

The departed

HRH The Duke of Edinburgh, The Prince Philip

Those whose anniversary occurs this week

Robert Banks

Eric Bury

Hugh Harrison

Mary Hailwood 

Bill Weaver

What's on

Daily readings in the week

Monday 26 April        John 10 : 1 - 10

Tuesday 27 April       Christina Rossetti    John 19 : 22 - 30

Wednesday 28 April   Peter Chancel    John 12 : 44 - end

Thursday 29 April      Catherine of Sienna    Matthew 25 : 1 - 13

Friday 30 April          John 14 : 1 - 6

Saturday 1 May         Ss Philip and James    John 14 : 7 - 14

The Daily Offices of Morning and Evening Prayer will be said in church this week at 09: 00 and 17:00.

Services this week

Monday             19:30 PCC Meeting (Zoom)

Wednesday        11:30 Holy Eucharist in church and online

Next Week:

2 May  Easter 5, White

Readings:     

Acts 8: 26-40;  John 4: 7-21;  John 15: 1-8

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         All who work in the NHS

Tuesday        Poets and spiritual writers

Wednesday   Overseas missionaries

Thursday      Spiritual friends

Friday           Ambassadors to other countries

Saturday        An end to coronavirus

The Midweek Eucharist is celebrated every Wednesday at 11:30.  The congregation is small but this does not prevent us from gathering to worship.  As restrictions are eased further some people may still be unsure about returning to church on a Sunday.  The eucharist on Wednesday may provide a more reassuring way to worship and receive communion if you are missing the 08:00 on Sunday.  Please give some thought to whether you can join us for this said eucharist which is very similar to Sunday worship without music and hymns.  

We particularly want to hear your suggestions about the timings of worship on Wednesday or the 08:00 on Sunday.  Please share them with Father Andrew or one of the churchwardens.

Coming to church

The Bishop now requires all churches to reopen after the Directors of Public Health in Lancashire indicated they agree congregational worship can restart and the ‘stay at home’ guidance withdrawn from this weekend.  However, we continue to be vigilant and would ask you to register your attendance, use hand sanitiser; wear a mask and remain two metres apart from others at all times. 

Singing The rigid restriction on singing is now relaxed.  The new rules are as follows:

Director of Music  Today is the last day that Joe Watson will play the organ and direct the choir on a Sunday morning because Joe is taking up a significant role as Director of Music in the Parish of Crosby, St Faith in the Diocese of Liverpool.  We wish him well in this new role and thank Joe for all he has done for the music of the parish during a difficult few months of singing being a limited activity.  His work during Holy Week was particularly memorable.  However, this is not the last we will see of Joe as he will continue to direct the music and lead choir practice.  He will also tutor Seth Butterfield who has been our organ Scholar for a number of years and will take up full playing duties from next Sunday.

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.

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.

Annual Parochial Church Meeting – this will be held on Monday 24 May at 19:00, hopefully in church or the Parish Centre.  If you would like to be part of the PCC or a Churchwarden please add your name to either of the lists in church and in the porch, or contact valdaapearson@gmail.com with nominations

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.

Legacies.  Have you thought about leaving a donation to your parish church in your will.  Please speak to a Church Warden or our Treasurer about how this could be done.

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'.

The Outside Church Lights have been repaired and reset but the programme still requires fine tuning.  Certain outside lights are coming on when the 'off ' button is pressed in church at any time of day and staying on.  Whilst we are talking to the programmer to sort this out, the only way for the lights to be turned off is by using the app on a smartphone.  Therefore, if you notice any outside light turned on when you think it should be off please contact Fr Andrew immediately so he can turn them off remotely from wherever he is.  You can contact Fr Andrew in this regard through Facebook, email or phone (please leave a message even if he isn't in).

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