Annual Mission Appeal: Next Weekend

For the weekend of 18/19 January, we are delighted to welcome Fr David Goodill OP to preach the Annual Mission Appeal. Fr David is a Dominican and Dean of Degrees at Blackfriars, Oxford. He will preach at all Masses. I know we will give him a very warm welcome and support the Mission Appeal as generously as we always do.

 

Christmastide

The Church’s season of Christmas finishes after the Baptism of the Lord today: Sunday 12^th January this year. Taking down decorations - Monday 13^th  10.00 am. Can anyone come and join us? Many hands will make light work, and there’ll be the usual bribe of tea and chocolate hobnobs… Ah, I thought that would make you weaken!

 

Advent Singers Concert – Friday 21^st February

Our good friends will be making another welcome visit here on Friday 21^st February at 7.00, under their Director, Stewart Smith. It’s a Charity Concert in aid of Parkinson’s Research UK, and is full of wonderful Popular Choral Classics, from Sixteenth Century Motets to Twentieth Century Songs from the Shows. Some very talented youngsters will also be performing, Henry with Bach unaccompanied Viola, and Adam with the Saint-Saens Clarinet Sonata. Something for everyone!

 

Update on Parish Building and Maintenance Projects

Work started on the Porch on Wednesday and will take about three weeks: stripping down the old, damaged plaster, replastering, painting and renovating all the woodwork. It’s badly needed doing for some years, and we’re delighted it’s now happening. While the work is on, the Porch will out Monday-Friday, entrance to the church being by the side door along the passageway near the Organ. Also in hand are servicing all the radiators in  church, many not working or working noisily. Plus a major survey and cleaning of all our guttering and downpipes. For a church of our size and age, the work never stops. Finally, all the trees in the front garden were surveyed and lopped on Thursday, a statutory requirement, especially where they overhang the pavement along which people walk.

 

Our “Drop In Social”: Friday 10^th January  

Great to see so many of you braving the cold weather to enjoy a couple of hours and chat and refreshments, making our new Parishioners feel welcome.

 

February: Website Review Month for All Parish Groups

All Parish Groups please start looking at your pages on the website – or writing them if not already there – so that the whole website is renewed and refreshed next month.

 

Week of Prayer for Christian Unity

County-Wide Christian Unity Service on Sunday 19^th January 2025  at Hoole URC, 3.00 pm. We will also be taking part in the usual Christleton, Rowton & Waverton Churches Together visit to each other’s Churches:

• Monday 20^th January: Waverton Evangelical
• Tuesday 21^st January: Rowton Methodists 
• Wednesday 22^nd January: St Peter’s 
• Thursday 23^rd January: St James’
• Friday 24^th January : Christleton Methodists 
• Saturday 25^th January: St Werburgh’s 

 

Don’t Forget: Crib Collection for Caritas!

Our Diocesan Caritas: keeping families together rather than picking up the pieces afterwards. Last chance today.

 

Parish Council Meeting Last Thursday

A very full agenda last week, updating us on Building and Maintenance (Marian), Gardens (Cristina), Liturgy (Lyn) and Outings (Tina), looking forward to our 150^th Anniversary Celebrations and future plans for Talks (Stephen) and all our Diocesan Winter Guidance issued by our Insurers. We’ve agreed that the Chair will serve for four meetings, and then a new one be elected:  FP now standing down, and we were all delighted that the new Chair elected – and willing to stand – was Lyn Williams, who already does so much for our Parish. Thanks, Lyn, and best wishes for your term of office!

 

150^th Anniversary Launch Meeting: Thurs 23/1, 7.15

Our present church was opened in 1875, replacing the former chapel in Queen Street, on the site where Tesco is today. So, 2025 sees our 150^th Anniversary, and plans are already well underway for marking this key date. There will be some big events, but we are also asking each Parish Group to come up with ideas of how they would like to celebrate: the Choir and musicians have so many wonderful ideas already; the Banner Group with some new 150^th hangings; the Garden Group to plant 150 new plants in our borders; the Welcome Wednesdayers to create a Parish Recipe Book; the Liturgy Team to write a Parish Prayer Book… You get the idea! So, get your thinking caps on, and the more ideas you can come up with, the more delighted the whole Parish will be.

 

Healing Mass: Sunday 9^th February at 2.30 pm

Building on the success of our very good first Healing Mass last year, we are planning a second, a joint initiative between the SVP and the Parish Liturgy Group. Its theme will be “Come to me, all you who are overburdened, and I will give you rest”, and a flyer will be out with all Newsletters next weekend giving further details. Book the date, everyone!

 

Forthcoming Meeting for the Parish FHC Group

Monday 13^th January, 7.00 pm, St Werburgh’s and St Columba’s: School Meeting for all FHC Parents: The Sacrament of Forgiveness.

 

SVP Festive Lunch

You are cordially invited to this annual event to be held on Saturday  25^th January at St Mary’s Handbridge. Places will be allocated on a first come basis. If you’d like to come, please contact Marco (bububaba05@icloud.com) or Fran (07990524780) by 20^th January. We look forward to seeing you there.

 

Welcome Wednesdays: Wednesday 8^th January

Good to meet up again last Wednesday after our Christmas/New Year Break, This coming Wednesday, we’re starting to think about our Parish Recipe Book, one of our many, many 150^th Anniversary projects,

 

Safeguarding Training

Our Parish Safeguarding Representatives, Liz Aiello and Chris Proudfoot, will deliver Safeguarding Training at 7.00 pm on Tuesday 14^th January. The aim is to increase Safeguarding awareness across the Parish to ensure a safe environment where everyone in the Parish can feel welcome. Training open to all.

 

Photo of the Week: St Francis of Assisi Church Dubai

If we think we were busy over Christmas… Thanks to the Glasgow Refugees for sending this in.