St Augustine's PTFA
Here is a message from Chair, Anne-Marie.
"COVID has limited our opportunities to run fundraising events & we are really struggling to raise the usual level of funds.
Last school year we funded some wonderful additions to the school, a revamp of Reception equipment playground storage and equipment being one of them. In November '20 we paid £2,500 towards new reading books for the school, to support the new bubble system and quarantining of returned books. We also funded a few smaller initiatives for the children.
As a result of a lack of new funds coming in from March last year though, we have depleted funds to our minimum balance level. Therefore, we have had to pause payouts to the school until we can boost the bank account back up.
To help with this we have set up a Just Giving Campaign, which will be left open until the 30th June ~ The purpose is simply to give people the opportunity to make donations at any point if they feel they are able to do so. The Parishioners are always so generous at events like the Summer Event and quiz nights and we are really missing those community events. Thank you so much."
If you feel you can help, please visit the site - CLICK HERE for the link.
Thank you to Deacon Vincent for your Reflections for 3rd Sunday in Lent:
1st Reading Exodus 20: 1-17.
This is the great Decalogue, the manifesto for a free society. The thing here is not to get caught up in the negativity of it, but to grasp the loving relationship that God is offering, the moral landmark that God offers as living out that relationship. “You shall have no god except me.” In the Hebrew it is a direct order “don’t” and is addressed directly at Moses himself and each one of us. It is a singular command. In remembering the Sabbath day, to keep it Holy. God refers us back to the creation. It is the Sabbath that has always been the main Jewish Festival, and the source of Jewish identity. The Sabbath is something we have lost and should somehow restore. The order of killing, adultery and theft, are different in Septuagint translation, where it has adultery, theft and killing, but in the Septuagint Deuteronomy, it is adultery, killing and theft. The Greek Jew Philo thought that this put adultery in its right place, as the most serious sin. So today and this week is a time to contemplate the great covenant with God our Father. These are road signs for a happy and contented life walking with our God, and it is worth deep study.
Psalm 18: 8-11
This psalm celebrates that God is revealed in his Law. God is indeed revealed in his law, for there we discover just how much he loves us and wants us to be at one with him. He does not stand aloof from us, but stoops down to speak to us individually, in the hope that we will come to love him with the whole of our being.
2nd Reading from the first letter of St. Paul to the Corinthians 1: 22 – 25.
This is a very audacious speech from Paul, where he dares to talk of God’s stupidity, and God’s weakness, as he uses a series of daring paradoxes to illustrate the key move of God in saving of the world. He uses wisdom or cleverness and stupidity, and strength opposed to weakness, and finally the miserable death of Christ on the cross, as being the key act that saves us all. For it is folly for the Gentiles and an afront to the Jews, that God should dare to use the crucifixion as the great redeeming action. It shows how Paul has transcended human thought and has completely tuned himself into God. We might ponder this in the coming weeks and see where God’s folly as would appear to the world is in fact his guide to lead us to eternal life with him.
The Holy Gospel according to John 2: 13-25.
Suddenly Jesus is in Jerusalem, and we are on the point of celebrating Passover, which occurs three times in John’s Gospel, but only once in the Synoptic Gospels. He drives out, all those who are doing business in the Sanctuary. The religious leaders ask him by what authority he has acted so outrageously. His disciples immediately call to mind the psalm 69: 9 to explain what has just occurred, secondly, they grasp what he is saying about re-building the Sanctuary in three days, as meaning his body, but only after the Resurrection itself. Jesus’ opponents can only see the ridiculous claim he is making, and quite frankly find it laughable, and disgraceful. Also there is an ominous warning in the section where many came to faith while witnessing the things he was doing, but he did not entrust himself to them; he knew what was inside every person, without having to be told by anyone. It is an important element in our faith relationship with God, not to try and pull the wool over his eyes. We need to approach our faith; our relationship with Him, in an honest and realistic way. That is why he was so impressed by the Sinner who bowed low beating his breast, acknowledging his failings before God; whilst the Pharisee who was lauding himself went away not at one with God. Let us prepare ourselves more deeply for the full meaning of Faith in God. For Jesus, it was important that we tried to love and serve the Father from the depths of our beings, by keeping his Commandments. He always understands our weaknesses and is eager to forgive us and set us on the right road again, so we should never be afraid to follow him closely. God Bless us and be merciful to us all.
Deacon Vincent
Realising the Vision of Laudato Si' - Webinar January 21, 2021
Act of Worship for the 3rd Sunday of Lent
Thank you, as ever, to Martin for sharing his musical talents with the Parish.
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