St Augustine's Church is looking to restart 'Children's Liturgy of the Word' (CLOW) after Easter and so here is everything you need to know!
*We need more help*
Do you want to join a helpful and supportive group of volunteers who plan sessions together and take it in turns to run the groups in pairs on a rota basis?
We offer training, support and safeguarding clearance for this rewarding role, which helps to nurture the future of our parish community.
Please contact the parish office if you can help us expand our team and keep an eye out for the date CLOW will return, along with all the details.
CAFOD - Walk against Hunger
Several members of our parish have signed up to 'Walk for Hunger' this Lent where they will attempt to walk 200k.
As part of this, they have planned some community walks if people wish to join them
- they will be leaving St Augustine's car park at 9.30am on;
March 7th
March21
April 4 &
April 11
Please get the dates in the diary.
Our own Joyce Donkor is an excellent walk leader, and knows the features of the area and birdlife very well so she is a joy to walk with. Joyce will lead progressively slightly longer parish walks, but all fairly local and accessible starting from church. She will give km and approx times soon so people can plan.
Bella Harding has signed up to the CAFOD site for sponsorship - maybe anyone who would like to join the walks could sign up too? You wouldn't have to sign up for the whole 200k but could create a team target? Please contact Bella to discuss.
https://walk.cafod.org.uk/
"Walk Against Hunger | CAFOD | Challenge yourself to walk 200k this Lent and help stamp out hunger, one step at a time. You can walk, roll, skip or stroll your way to 200k. You can boldly go it alone and take it on 5k a day for 40 days, or you can smash the target all at once as a team."
Thank you to Deacon Vincent for your Reflections for 7th Sunday in Ordinary Time Year C
1st Reading from first book of Samuel 26: 2-7, 9, 12-13, 22-23.
Saul’s insane jealousy of David has erupted several times previously and David has managed to escape his clutches and although Saul has been at his mercy before, David will not strike God’s anointed King. Her David is hiding amongst the Ziphites, but they betray his whereabouts to Saul who then sets off with his army to root out David and kill him. But there are people who support David and warn him. David has established Saul’s quarters and although surrounded by his personal bodyguards, David is able to get right into Saul’s sleeping quarters. David’s trusted friend wants to strike Sauk dead with one blow, but once again David will not strike God’s anointed King. He takes Saul’s spear and water jar and calls from across the valley. Saul once again repents for having doubted David’s loyalty, but the nub of this episode is David’s compassion and ability to forgive his enemy. Jesus will emphasise this behaviour as exemplary in his Gospel journeys around Galilee. It is a salutary lesson for us, in an age when retribution is the theme most projected as how we should behave.
Psalm 102: 1-4, 8, 10, 12-13.
This song is in praise of God’s goodness, emphasising how gracious God is in forgiving our own offences. It is a lesson for us to, also, be merciful and forgiving. Jesus takes up this theme in the great prayer he gave us, “The Our Father”, “forgive us our trespasses as we forgive those who trespass against us.” It appears to be our theme for today and throughout our lives.
2nd Reading from the first letter of St. Paul to the Corinthians 15: 45-49.
Paul here compares the difference between the first Adam, our ancestor and as a result, like him very earthy by nature, and the second Adam Jesus Christ who was of the Spirit. By Baptism we are adopted into this spirituality, and hence have the choice to be able to become heavenly beings with Christ. Paul’s certain faith that Christ will do that for us in his compassion, should inspire us to cast off any doubts we might have about Christ helping us become like him, in heaven.
The Holy Gospel according to Luke 6: 27-38.
This would appear, at first glance, a very tough and stark teaching for us. But if we just try seeing it from Jesus’ viewpoint it falls into place. Jesus views us all as children of the one Father. All of us are equal, no one is better than anybody else. As we saw in the beatitudes, we are encouraged to alleviate the poor, because they are our brothers and sisters in God. We are looking at the background of that wonderful prayer that Jesus gave to us, namely, “The Our Father.”. Compassion, driven by love and the realisation that we are all children of God should be our driving force in all our actions. Love is the one thing that cannot hurt anybody. Jesus encourages us to strive for perfection in loving our neighbour as ourselves and then we will really grow like our Father in Heaven
God Bless you All.
Deacon Vincent
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