This week's News

The First holy Communion Group gathered with their families in church during the week for their special reconciliation service.

They all thought carefully about things they needed to say sorry for and wrote ‘sorry’ on pieces of paper. These were dropped into water in the baptismal font so the 'sorries' would be washed away. Father reminded everyone how we first became closer to God through baptism and now we can renew that relationship through reconciliation.
The children all made their confessions in a thoughtful and prayerful way and then switched on their beautifully decorated tea lights to show the light of Christ shining through them. Whilst waiting their turn they wrote promises of actions they will try hard to make, to show love to God and others. Such an amazing group of young people.
Congratulations to them all for this big step on the way to receiving Holy Communion.

 

PARISH CURRY NIGHT

on Saturday 10th May - an evening of food (not too hot, honest!) & fun in the hall, in celebration of our international Parish Project in India.
Please join us for an evening together, with good food to try and a country to 'explore', in thanksgiving for the amazing work of the Chhanv Foundation and their inspiring 'Sheroes Cafes'.
Tickets on sale from next weekend at just £20 pp which will give you 3 delicious courses & a welcome drink! You can't get better value than that, right?! It will be a BYO drinks night too, so a lovely night out, helping our projects and not breaking the bank. Any profits will go to both Parish Projects.
Look out for the tickets on sale soon and please advise of any dietary requirements on purchase of your ticket so we can accommodate you.
See you there!

Stations of the Cross

Bishop Bosco has shared with us all some reflections and prayers for Stations of the Cross, drawing on traditional themes while incorporating modern day reflections.
Click here, on this link, and it will take you to the Clifton Diocese website where the booklet can be viewed or printed off.

Thanks to Deacon Vincent for his Reflections for Fourth (Laetare) Sunday of Lent Year C

1st Reading from the Book of Joshua 5: 9a, 10-12.
This book when it is read in Greek is called “Jesus”, which always causes a shock, for Christians. It is conventional in the West to call it by its’ Hebrew name “Joshua”. The book is about the story of the children of Israel entering and slowly conquering Canaan. It illustrates the providence of God in providing manna for the people until they were able to eat of the fruits of the promised land. Immediately food was available the manna ceased. They were, at last freed from the consequences of Egyptian control and able to circumcise, according to Jewish custom from Abraham’s time. They were now once more people of the Covenant. God has set them free to live the life of the Covenant, God has brought them out of the land of Egypt with mighty wonders. We can have confidence in God’s promises; God really is in charge!!

Psalm 34(33): 2-3, 4-5, 6-7.
This song sings of God’s goodness in hearing the cries of the people in travail in Egypt. God heard their cry and acted to free them from all their terror. Praised be the Lord our God. In the Greek of the New Testament, the word “good” sounds like, “Messiah” or “Christ”, so the reader would have heard, “that the Lord is Christ”.

2nd Reading from the Second Letter of Saint Paul to the Corinthians 5: 17-21.
Paul is speaking of the deepest reality of all, God’s Resurrection victory over Death, and that deepest reality is not just for Jesus but in God’s generosity is available to all of us, but God will not force us. So Paul is saying to the Corinthians, and those of us who hear this letter, “be reconciled to God”, and be astonished at God’s generosity.

The Holy Gospel according to Luke 15: 1-3, 11-32.

This is most probably the most well-known parable in the New Testament. Jesus is under attack for eating and drinking with Sinners and Traitors, so he tells this parable of the son wo is brutally rude and arrogant to his father, a very mild and docile person; takes his inheritance and has a raucous time. Things take a turn for the worse and to keep himself alive he looks after pigs and shares their food, which would have been horrifying to Jewish listeners. The boy decides to go home. Now set this against the father who is on the look out for the boy, but more than this as soon as he sights the boy he runs to his son and kisses him and immediately restores everything to the boy. The celebrations begin, but the elder son who seems to be representing those who are attacking Christ’s behaviour, is brooding and sulking outside. He seems to have forgotten that he has half of his father’s life already, he speaks of not disobeying the Commandments, he cannot even use the boy’s name, “whilst that brother of mine” has led a dissolute life. The father makes this famous speech, “Son you are always with me, but we have to celebrate, for this your brother was dead, and is alive, he was lost and is found.” How we hope to be treated this way by God, when we have fallen away, and come back again. To be embraced and have the full joy of reconciliation. This is always waiting for us in Confession or Reconciliation Services or simply through a good act of contrition. Let us be reconciled and come to encounter the sheer joy of being at one with God.
Jesus, grace us to be reconciled to the Father now and forever.
Deacon Vincent 

The Not So Young Club welcomed Tim Mayo to their meeting this week who gave a superb talk on 'The Pantomime Dame'.
As he expanded on Pantomime stories he transformed into a beautiful Dame! A brilliant spectacular morning - so much fun for all the members! Shame they didn't persuade Chairman Mike to transform too!
What Pantomime Dames have you enjoyed over the years?
(And who fondly remembers our own 'Canterbury Belles' performing for so many years?)

 

Update on our Community Kitchen Cupboard:
We are so pleased to have this amazing facility in our community. The amount of items that are taken from the cupboard is very large (the team are constantly restocking) so it has become very obvious, very quicky, that there is a real need for such an asset. A sad reality, but a positive thing that we are all doing to help those who need that bit extra.
If you would like to help out.... we are now low or completely out of baked beans, tea/coffee and tins of fruit or puddings (custard/rice pud etc) but any tinned/packet food or toiletry items you can spare are always very gratefully received - Please leave any donations in the box at the base of the cupboard for us to sort out.
Thank you again to all who help with this wonderful community asset.