11th January 2015 - the Parish of Droitwich Spa

Sunday 11th January 2015
Welcome
We welcome everyone to our worship. There is a loop
system in this church for those with hearing aids. If you
are a visitor, newcomer or haven’t been in church for a
while, we hope you will enjoy being with us. There are
cards at the back of church for newcomers to fill in
contact details if you would like to keep in touch. Please
speak to one of the stewards about these or anything
else: they can also tell you useful things like where to
find the loos!
Today : The Baptism of Christ
~ First Sunday after Epiphany
Readings: Gen.1:1-5; Acts 19:1-7; Mark 1:4-11
8.00am
9.30am
10.00am
10.45am
12.30pm
Holy Communion, St Augustine’s
Holy Communion & Children’s Church, St Peter’s
Lighthouse Sunday School, St Nicholas’
Sung Eucharist, St Andrew’s
Baptism, St Peter’s
Mon 12
7.15pm Choir Practice, St Andrew’s & Parish Centre
7.30pm Bellringing, St Augustine’s
Tue 13
9.30am Eucharist, St Nicholas’
7.30pm Bellringing, St Peter’s
Parish Centre
The Cafe is closed for the rest of January while we make Wed 14
plans for new arrangements. All those who currently help Thu 15
on the rota to serve coffees will be contacted personally
during the next few weeks.
Fri 16
House Group
If any church member is interested in joining a house
group please contact Val or Steve Hawley on 827354. We
start our meetings on 15th January at 1 Thames Drive
(just off Celvestune Way) each Thursday at 7.45pm. This
term we shall be studying the book of Romans and how it
relates to our individual journeys with God.
Retreat in Daily Life
The next Retreat in Daily Life support group will be on
Tuesday 20th January 2015 at 7.30pm at the home of
Mary and Jeff Causier, 8 Addenbrooke Road (775265), led
by Chris Stringer, focusing on Mark 1: v14-20. If you
attended the recent Retreat and would like to join us, or
would like more information, we would love to see you.
Debbie Prigg (771288) dprigg@btinternet.com
Moving Prayer
You are invited to get out your dancing shoes and join us
for an afternoon of meditative circle dancing on Saturday
24 January at St Nicholas’ Church at 2.30pm. Mary
Callaway will lead us in simple movements and dances
which will hopefully lead us to prayerfulness. The
afternoon will cost £4.00, which includes light
refreshments. For more information contact Hazel on
01905 773911.
Opportunities & New Beginnings
From all that we have heard in recent months – Steve
Penn’s CD presentation on giving, the series of sermons
and more recently, Nigel’s letter – I feel greatly
challenged into wondering how we can make best use of
the Parish Centre to serve our community – it could be a
fantastic resource for outreach. Perhaps we can do
something for the unemployed, the bereaved, the
disabled, for full-time carers, the lonely and the
disadvantaged.
Whilst the centre is closed, it’s an opportune time to
think about re-opening the centre in a new way. I would
therefore like to invite others to explore other
possibilities with me – perhaps people with experience in
11am Holy Communion, St Andrew’s
9.30am Eucharist, St Augustine’s
7.45pm House Group, 1 Thames Drive
9.45am Prayer Group, St Andrew’s
10am Study Group, 12 Langley Road
Sunday 18th January: Second after Epiphany
Beginning of Week of Prayer for Christian Unity
Readings: 1 Sam.3:1-10[11-20]; Rev.5:1-10; John 1:43-51
8.00am
9.30am
10.45am
12.30pm
Holy Communion, St Augustine’s
Morning Worship, St Peter’s
Sung Eucharist, St Andrew’s
Baptism, St Augustine’s
social care, nursing, children’s work, working with the
elderly and the disabled, people who are trained
counsellors, or those trained in pastoral care, etc., as
well as people who are willing to serve coffee and get
alongside people.
If you feel there is something that you can offer and you
would like to join a team who are looking to engage with
the community and really show Christian love in action, I
would ask that you respond by contacting me as soon as
possible. Val Hawley Tel: 01905 827354 or email:
val.hawley@talk21.com
Town events - planning for 2015
During 2014 our St Andrew’s Church, Parish Centre and
Garden were venues for a variety of activities as part of
town events like Saltfest, the Summer Festival and the
Christmas Tree switch-on. We had afternoon tea and
musical performances in the garden, a café in the Parish
Centre, art exhibitions, craft fayres and a Christmas tree
festival in the Church and more. We are starting to plan
the programme for 2015. If you would like to be involved
in planning and organising these events – and more –
please join us for a meeting on 19th January, 7.30pm in
the Parish Centre. Contact Liz Ross if you want to know
more: 01905 776696, liz.ross48@btinternet.com
Deanery news:
Exploring church and community
This year’s deanery synod programme begins with a follow
up to last autumn’s excellent meeting when diocesan
Prayer diary
Mon
Tue
Future deanery synod dates
Monday 8th June – ‘Spirituality, ageing and well-being’,
with the Revd Albert Jewell, retired Methodist minister
Topics: The Deanery of Droitwich, Rural Dean Sheila
and writer on spirituality and ageing, including dementia.
Banyard, those who worship in St Andrew’s, those who
work in the health services, people with disabilities, local We look forward to an engaging evening on this
Voluntary Services
important topic with a speaker who is a leader in this
field of pastoral and spiritual care.
Readings: Heb.2:5-12; Mark 1:21-28
Readings: Heb.1:1-6; Mark 1:14-20
Topics: The Diocese of Worcester, Nigel Byard, those
who worship in St Augustine’s, those who work in the
media, local small businesses
Wed
Thu
This year’s service is on Monday 13th July at 7.30pm at
Hanbury church. Authorised Lay Ministers and Eucharistic
Topics: The Church of England, those who worship in St
Ministers in the deanery are invited to renew their
Nicholas’, those who work in education, schools &
commitment to ministry at this service, but everyone is
training, local charities
warmly invited to come to support members of their
Readings: Heb.3:7-14; Mark 1:40-end
congregations and celebrate the gifts we receive and
Topics: The Anglican Communion, those who worship in
share.
St Peter’s, Rita Holden, those who work in business and
Readings: Heb.4:1-5,11; Mark 2:1-12
Topics: Other churches and Christian denominations,
those who worship in the other churches in Droitwich,
the Readers of the parish, those who work in leisure
services, the unemployed
Sat
Celebration of Lay Ministry
Readings: Heb.2:14-end; Mark 1:29-39
commerce, local media
Fri
Tuesday 13th October – details tba. All meetings are at 7.30pm.
Readings: Heb.4:12-end; Mark 2:13-17
Topics: Other faith groups and religions, Archbishop
Justin, Bishop John, Bishop Graham, Archdeacon Nikki,
the Churchwardens, those who work in government and
public service, overseas missions and charities
Through the week
Baptised today: Oliver James Wood & Emily Louise Wood
Those ill or in need: Sue Stitson, Peter Mobley, Laurie Hall,
Penny Grange, Shirley Gandy, Margaret Anderson, Beryl Titley,
Barbara Smart, Pat Harrison
Praying for the Parish: This week we are praying for people
who live and work in Falstaff Drive, Suffolk Way, Minter Avenue,
Moreland Road, Doverdale Close, Shepherds Close, Shepherds
Court
Urgent requests for prayer: Contact Heather Ward on 01905
772837 or 07800 631239
Deanery quiet day
An advance date for your diary – last year’s quiet day at
Holland House, led by Canon David Rogers, was received
with enthusiasm and David is generously offering another
opportunity for some biblical reflection, peace, good
food and fellowship at beautiful Holland House. The date
is Monday 14th September – look out for more details
later in the year.
For more information contact Rev Sheila Banyard on 01905
773134 or at sk.banyard@virgin.net.
Prayer Chain
As part of our commitment to both prayer and pastoral
care, we have a parish prayer chain to help us respond
quickly to urgent or very particular requests for
intercession, especially where it may not be appropriate
to place someone’s name on the more public prayer list.
If you have such a request please contact Heather Ward
[01905 772837 or 07800 631239]. If you would like to join
the chain please ask Heather for more information.
Please Pray
mission development officer Doug Chaplin led us in
♦
For the many concerns known to you.
thinking about how we might explore the make-up of our
♦
for the many needs of our world, our community, our
local communities in order to engage more fully with
friends and family.
needs, celebrations, concerns and opportunities. We shall
be digging deeper into this at the synod meeting on
To contact us
Wednesday 11th February (refreshments 7.15pm, meeting
www.droitwichparish.org.uk
7.30pm) at St Nicholas’ church, Droitwich (Ombersley
A Registered Charity No. 1128487
Road WR9 8JE). Why not bring your church and
community stories to share with others. All are welcome. Parish Office
New year resolution?
If one of the things you think you might like to do this
year is find out more about how the bible can ‘speak’ to
us, you might be interested in joining a group to explore
the ancient practice of lectio divina or ‘holy reading’.
Rather than analysing the text or discussing ideas, lectio
divina is about reading in an unhurried, reflective way
that allows the word to illuminate our personal
experience, and vice versa. With its roots in ancient
monasticism, this way of being drawn prayerfully into
scripture in community with others is now familiar to
Christians of many different traditions. Please drop me a
line if you would like more information.
01905 794952
droitwich.parish@o2.co.uk
Clergy
Revd Nigel Byard ~ 01905 778265; mob: 07902 217144;
nigelbyard@btinternet.com
Revd Rita Holden ~ 01905 772787;
rita.openv@btinternet.com
Parish Churchwardens:
Hilary Fisher
01905 798 551 ; fisher.hj@btinternet.com
(particular responsibility for St Andrew’s & St Nicholas’)
Michael Norris
01905 796 254 ; micha-norri@live.com
(particular responsibility for St Peter’s)
Richard Rose
01905 773 911 ; richardroserr@hotmail.com
(particular responsibility for St Augustine’s)
Director of Music
Mr Roger Gay
01905 770539