(Note: the Newsletter can also be downloaded as a PDF.)
The Parish of Christ Church, Lancaster
A vibrant inclusive worshipping community
Sunday 11th July 2021
Sixth Sunday after Trinity
Collect
Merciful God,
you have prepared for those who love you
such good things as pass our understanding:
pour into our hearts such love toward you
that we, loving you in all things and above all things,
may obtain your promises,
which exceed all that we can desire;
through Jesus Christ your Son our Lord,
who is alive and reigns with you,
in the unity of the Holy Spirit,
one God, now and for ever. Amen.
Readings
Amos 7.7-15
This is what he showed me: the Lord was standing beside a wall built with a plumb-line, with a plumb-line in his hand. And the Lord said to me, ‘Amos, what do you see?’ And I said, ‘A plumb-line.’ Then the Lord said,
‘See, I am setting a plumb-line in the midst of my people Israel;
I will never again pass them by;
the high places of Isaac shall be made desolate, and the sanctuaries of Israel shall be laid waste, and I will rise against the house of Jeroboam with the sword.’
Then Amaziah, the priest of Bethel, sent to King Jeroboam of Israel, saying, ‘Amos has conspired against you in the very centre of the house of Israel; the land is not able to bear all his words. For thus Amos has said,
“Jeroboam shall die by the sword, and Israel must go into exile away from his land.” ’
And Amaziah said to Amos, ‘O seer, go, flee away to the land of Judah, earn your bread there, and prophesy there; but never again prophesy at Bethel, for it is the king’s sanctuary, and it is a temple of the kingdom.’
Then Amos answered Amaziah, ‘I am no prophet, nor a prophet’s son; but I am a herdsman, and a dresser of sycomore trees, and the Lord took me from following the flock, and the Lord said to me, “Go, prophesy to my people Israel.”
This is the word of the Lord. Thanks be to God.
Psalm 85: 8-13
Refrain: Show us your mercy, O Lord.
8 I will listen to what the Lord God will say,
for he shall speak peace to his people and to the faithful,
that they turn not again to folly.
9 Truly, his salvation is near to those who fear him,
that his glory may dwell in our land.
Show us your mercy, O Lord.
10 Mercy and truth are met together,
righteousness and peace have kissed each other;
11 Truth shall spring up from the earth
and righteousness look down from heaven.
12 The Lord will indeed give all that is good,
and our land will yield its increase.
13 Righteousness shall go before him
and direct his steps in the way.
Show us your mercy, O Lord.
Ephesians 1.3-14
Blessed be the God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ, who has blessed us in Christ with every spiritual blessing in the heavenly places, just as he chose us in Christ before the foundation of the world to be holy and blameless before him in love. He destined us for adoption as his children through Jesus Christ, according to the good pleasure of his will, to the praise of his glorious grace that he freely bestowed on us in the Beloved. In him we have redemption through his blood, the forgiveness of our trespasses, according to the riches of his grace that he lavished on us. With all wisdom and insight he has made known to us the mystery of his will, according to his good pleasure that he set forth in Christ, as a plan for the fullness of time, to gather up all things in him, things in heaven and things on earth. In Christ we have also obtained an inheritance, having been destined according to the purpose of him who accomplishes all things according to his counsel and will, so that we, who were the first to set our hope on Christ, might live for the praise of his glory. In him you also, when you had heard the word of truth, the gospel of your salvation, and had believed in him, were marked with the seal of the promised Holy Spirit; this is the pledge of our inheritance towards redemption as God’s own people, to the praise of his glory.
This is the word of the Lord. Thanks be to God.
Alleluia, alleluia. Speak, Lord, for your servant is listening. You have the words of eternal life. Alleluia.
Hear the Gospel of our Lord Jesus Christ, according to Mark (6.14-29) Glory to you, O Lord.
King Herod heard of it, for Jesus’ name had become known. Some were saying, ‘John the baptizer has been raised from the dead; and for this reason these powers are at work in him.’ But others said, ‘It is Elijah.’ And others said, ‘It is a prophet, like one of the prophets of old.’ But when Herod heard of it, he said, ‘John, whom I beheaded, has been raised.’
For Herod himself had sent men who arrested John, bound him, and put him in prison on account of Herodias, his brother Philip’s wife, because Herod had married her. For John had been telling Herod, ‘It is not lawful for you to have your brother’s wife.’ And Herodias had a grudge against him, and wanted to kill him. But she could not, for Herod feared John, knowing that he was a righteous and holy man, and he protected him. When he heard him, he was greatly perplexed; and yet he liked to listen to him. But an opportunity came when Herod on his birthday gave a banquet for his courtiers and officers and for the leaders of Galilee. When his daughter Herodias came in and danced, she pleased Herod and his guests; and the king said to the girl, ‘Ask me for whatever you wish, and I will give it.’ And he solemnly swore to her, ‘Whatever you ask me, I will give you, even half of my kingdom.’ She went out and said toher mother, ‘What should I ask for?’ She replied, ‘The head of John the baptizer.’ Immediately she rushed back to the king and requested, ‘I want you to give me at once the head of John the Baptist on a platter.’ The king was deeply grieved; yet out of regard for his oaths and for the guests, he did not want to refuse her. Immediately the king sent a soldier of the guard with orders to bring John’s head. He went and beheaded him in the prison, brought his head on a platter, and gave it to the girl. Then the girl gave it to her mother. When his disciples heard about it, they came and took his body, and laid it in a tomb.
and cured them.
This is the Gospel of the Lord. Praise to you, O Christ
Post Communion:
God of our pilgrimage,
you have led us to the living water:
refresh and sustain us
as we go forward on our journey,
in the name of Jesus Christ our Lord. Amen
Prayers
Please remember in your prayers:
Those who are sick: Olive Niccolls, Youngblood McCray, Ernie Wilson, Pat Brooks, Ivy Buckley, Stephen Gardner, Ann Gilbride, Thea Harris-Ellis, Thomas Platt, Janet Ball, Stephen Taylor, Dorothy Eidsforth
RIP: Jane Howson, Allan Twiname, Jenny Lawrence
Parish Cycle of Prayer:
Those who live and work in Dundee Street and Wyresdale Court; our uniformed organisations, and all school leavers finishing this week.
Some suggested hymns you may like to follow at home:
- Come thou fount of every blessing https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ax_NMWLEb6U
- God is working his purpose out https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Cr3goa3DXsw
- The church’s one foundation. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=FHCqXL3mCwU
- Oh the mercy of God, the glory of grace https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=GZXl2Iw502A
COVID-19 Latest update: please see page 5.
Prayer and Worship this week:
Sunday 11 th July Sixth Sunday after Trinity
8.30am Holy Communion (Lady Chapel)
10.30am Parish Eucharist with Children’s Church (in church, then uploaded to YouTube*)
3 pm Pet Blessing Service (in church – see below)
6 pm Evening Prayer (Lady Chapel)
Tuesday 4 pm Prayer4 (on Zoom)
Wednesday 5:30 pm Meditation, followed by
6 pm Evening Prayer (Storey Chapel)
Friday 9:30 am Holy Communion (Lady Chapel)
Saturday 9pm: Compline (YouTube*)
Sunday 18th July Seventh Sunday after Trinity
8.30am Holy Communion (Lady Chapel)
10.30am Parish Eucharist with Children’s Church (in church, then uploaded to YouTube*)
6 pm Evening Prayer (Lady Chapel)
*The Christ Church YouTube channel is at: https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCPoAvGj4K9085RV8zo0ZS9Q
If you would like to book in for the Sunday Eucharists, please use these Eventbrite links:
Sundays: 8:30 am https://www.eventbrite.co.uk/e/144628127623
Sundays: 10:30 am
https://www.eventbrite.co.uk/e/112092136598
Pet Blessing Service 11th July
This Sunday 11th July at 3pm, we have a Pet Blessing Service: a time to give thanks, remember and bless our pets. All welcome – please bring your pet on a lead/in a suitable container (or a photo instead) – and please let Rev Carol know if you’re bringing anything larger than a Great Dane!
Zoom Prayer
Tuesday 13th July is the next meeting of Prayer4 – 30 minutes of prayer, at 4pm every fortnight. There’ll be a short Bible reading, some music, some stillness, and space to pray for the people and places on your heart – all from the comfort of your own sofa. Zoom details: https://zoom.us/j/8069459310?pwd=TlV6QUQ5UVdiK0p1M0Q0cE0vRXIvUT09 Meeting ID: 806 945 9310 Password: ChristChch
Dial in: 0208 080 6591 Meeting ID: 806 945 9310 Password: 310771 (any queries see Rev Carol)
Living in Love and Faith – a process of discernment
We are continuing to join in the national time of discernment, Living in Love and Faith. This encourages us to listen to a rich breadth of stories and experiences of relationships and faith, and to reflect on what Scripture and the Holy Spirit are saying to us about what that means for the future. Across the Church of England groups are sharing in these five sessions, as part of a national discernment of how the church will teach about relationships in future, and what prayer and blessing for couples will look like in years to come. All are welcome to join the final online session of this series this Monday – we want your voice to feed into this exercise on these issues, which we pray will affect how the Church moves forward together in love and faith.
Online: Monday 12th July at 7pm
https://zoom.us/j/98449131608?pwd=Y0RNQ3VUckh1aGJYQmt1dEpLbW13dz09
Meeting ID: 984 4913 1608, Passcode: 342669
In person: (restrictions permitting) after the 10:30 Eucharist Service from 5th September in the Hall.
Children’s Corner
Read today’s Gospel story (above)
Talk about some people who you would consider to have a strong faith. What do you think helps them?
Have you ever spoken out for Jesus knowing you were likely to receive a negative response?
If you have older children, read the Bible passage together, and use this Swedish method of Bible study to unpack and understand the story. https://theresource.org.uk/wp-content/uploads/2019/11/Swedish_Bible_Study.pdf
You could display the questions around the room and allow the children to move around and write their responses underneath, before coming together for a time of discussion.
Prayer
Father God, we know that following you can be hard. Please give us the strength to do what is right. Amen
Giggle (or Groan) of the week – suggestions welcome!
If you get an email starting with “Knock, knock,” don’t open it.
It’s a door-to-door salesman working from home.
Children’s Church
Thank you to Julie Tinnion for restarting Children’s Church. We need a minimum of two adults in the Hall each week. If you can help (whether every week, every month – every little helps!), please have a chat with Rev Carol or Julie Tinnion.
Meeting up
I’m able to meet more people in the parish again, and to get to know folks. If you’d like to go for a walk, or arrange a garden visit – it would be lovely to meet and chat, please let me know when’s convenient! Rev’d Carol.
Our Children, Youth and Families Co-ordinator
Congratulations to Julie Tinnion, who will be starting as our Children, Youth and Families Co-ordinator in late August. Please keep Julie in your prayers – and for all the children and young people who will be welcomed at Christ Church. Please also consider how you might support this ministry – whether in your prayers, in practical help, or in dreaming and planning what might evolve!
PCC
… meets next on Wednesday 21st July. If you have questions about the life of Christ Church, things you’d like to see happen, or concerns about how things are going, please raise them with Julie Buckley or Rev’d Carol
Summer Garden Party
… is postponed until 21st August (2:30-4:30 pm). Original tickets are still valid, but if you would like a refund, that’s no problem.
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PLEAS OF THE WEEK
The Future of Healthcare in Lancaster 29th July
The Government has recently announced plans for major super hospitals and one of those may well be at Garstang, changing services in Lancaster and Preston. What impact will this have on our community? Will it be a benefit, or will it reduce the quality of our healthcare? What kind of healthcare system do we want in place in Lancaster and the Bay?
Faith groups and faith-based charities are key players in their communities. How will these proposed changes affect those that they work with? What vision do they have for healthcare in the area? On Thursday 29th July 2021 at 7.30 pm, in partnership with Lancaster Friends, the Lancaster Health Festival will host a presentation and question and answer session with Phil Woodford, Associate Director of Corporate Affairs, Morecambe Bay Trust.
To book a place: https://www.eventbrite.co.uk/e/161094400689
Questions can be submitted in advance to: ian.dewar@mbht.nhs.uk or
Lancaster Health Festival 2021, 26th-30th July
From Rev’d Ian Dewar, the RLI Chaplain:
Medical Unit 2 (3 wards) is looking to host a week of live music, art competitions and carers information stalls as part of the Lancaster Health Festival 2021. This week of live music will start on Monday 26th July and finish on Friday 30th July. Do you play an instrument? Could you give up 30 – 45 minutes in that week? Do you know someone who might be interested? If so, we would love to hear from you.
Phone 01524 519231 Email: lancasterhealthfest@mbht.nhs.uk
Fundraising Group
If you’d like to help plan some fun social events and fundraisers for the church in coming months (or would like to help on the day) – please contact Julie Buckley.
Squares for Syria
Thank you to everyone who has been contributing knitted squares to be sent to Syria – we have made up several blankets – and also to those who have supplied the crocheted squares which have been made into lovely baby blankets. Margaret Lyth has been given a large quantity of wool to be used for knitting/crocheting more squares, so if you’re able to make more squares – or would like to start helping – please contact her on 60387.
The Olive Branch Foodbank
Donations of tinned pies, curry, meatballs and hotpot especially needed. Thank you for all the donations in recent weeks – they gave out 300 parcels last month alone! Or you can give money for them to buy what is needed: https://www.the-olivebranch.org.uk/donate/
Vaccinaid – Give the world a shot!
Our church leaders are encouraging us to play our part in helping UNICEF deliver 2 billion vaccines around the world by the end of this year, to bring this world-wide epidemic to an end. Keeping one another safe from COVID is part of living out Christ’s call to love our neighbour. By contributing to crowdfunding this project on https://www.vaccinaid.org we can help the whole world get the protection many of us already have through our easy access to healthcare.
The Christ Church Cookbook: contributions invited
The Eco Church Group has been promoting reducing our carbon footprint by eating less meat. Reducing meat consumption, especially meat from intensive farming, has benefits for both the climate and animal welfare. We’re producing a cookbook of our favourite vegetarian and vegan dishes that could tempt even carnivores. Contributions of your favourite tried and tested veggie and vegan recipes are invited (metric measurements). Sales will raise money for Christ Church funds. The size of the booklet means finding a balance of starters, mains and puddings, vegan/non-vegan recipes, but all contributions are welcome, even if they can’t all be included. Please send to: reader@christchurchlancaster.org.uk.
Supporting Christ Church
If you would like to support Christ Church’s work and worship regularly, or you already do – please consider giving by Direct Debit.
Christ Church is taking part in the Parish Giving Scheme, which allows us to offer direct debit as an option. This national Scheme takes a lot of hassle out of claiming gift aid, and also ensures that any donation is covered by guarantees. It also allows you to easily review how much you give depending on circumstances. There are no costs or overheads to the parish.
If you already give by standing order, please consider cancelling this and setting up a direct debit instead. Please note: all payments are taken on the 1st of the month, but may be set up for monthly, quarterly or annually donations.
The QR code takes you to our page on the scheme
Online at www.parishgiving.org.uk
By telephone 0333 002 1271 Monday to Friday between 9am and 5pm
Postal forms available on request.
For any of these methods our PGS code 030603240 ensures that your gift goes to our church.
Next Recycling Sunday:
Please bring clean, empty plastic bottle tops, crisp packets, blister packs, toothpaste tubes, toothbrushes/toothbrush heads so that they can be taken for recycling, to the next collection on Sunday 1st August.
Church Repair Fund
We recently launched our Church Repair Fund to help keep our buildings in good condition so that they can continue to be used for ministry and outreach in the years to come. There are several big projects on the Porch, East Wall, and Hall, which are in need of urgent work. If you’d like more details about what is going on, please pick up a leaflet – and if you are able to make a donation there are envelopes available. If you’re able to give of your time and talents to plan or help with some fundraising events – please keep an eye on the notices for more details!
You can also contribute online via the Give a Little website: https://givealittle.co/campaigns/1c7889a9-7ef8-4730-a84a-2d434726c909
Prayers & our Newsletter
If you, or someone you know would like to receive this newsletter, either electronically or a paper version – do let Jacqueline/Rev Carol know and we will endeavour to keep in contact with people.
We will be praying daily for all who are suffering in the current crisis. If you would like us to pray for you, or for someone you know, for any reason, please email your request to prayer@christchurchlancaster.org.uk or text the Prayer Chain on 07980 351855. Please ask the person’s permission if you’d like them included in the weekly notices.
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Thought for the week
As an authentic prophet, John bore witness to the truth without compromise. … he paid with his life, sealing with martyrdom, his service to Christ who is Truth in person.” Pope Benedict XVI
Eco-Group Thanks for the Week: Researching Scientists are seeking new ways to develop renewable energies, reuse plastic and make goods such as concrete and steel with fewer carbon emissions. Hybrid Air Vehicles (HAV) instead of gas guzzling planes, are being planned for city hops for 2025. Many individuals, including members of our congregation, are looking for ways to live more lightly and reduce their carbon footprint. Thank you for being part of this.
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COVID-19 – LATEST UPDATE
Following the news about the changes to lockdown legislation, all churches have been advised that from July 19th, congregational singing will be permitted and regulations on social distancing and face coverings will be withdrawn. We are awaiting further details about what this will look like, especially given that the advice from Public Health in Lancashire is to keep some precautions in place to minimise infection spread and enable people to feel confident in attending worship. St Paul writes: ‘If one member suffers, all suffer together with it; if one member is honoured, all rejoice together with it.’ (1 Corinthians 12:26)
Our concern as a church is for the care of the most vulnerable, and whilst we have no powers to police this, we wish everyone to feel safe. PCC will discuss this further on the 21st July – if you have any questions or concerns in the meantime, please contact Rev Carol.
Key contacts:
Vicar: Revd Carol Backhouse 942105 revcarolbackhouse@gmail.com
1 East Road, Lancaster, LA1 3EE
Lay Reader: Dr Pat Allen 39552 reader@christchurchlancaster.org.uk.
Churchwarden: Mrs Jacqueline Stamper 64083 churchwarden@christchurchlancaster.org.uk
Parish Safeguarding Officer: Ms Jane Lippitt 07930 979503 safeguarding@christchurchlancaster.org.uk
Nightshelter Co-ordinator: Ms Jan Norbury 07547 717 060 coordinator.nightshelter@gmail.com
Hall Bookings: hallchristchurch@btinternet.com 07890 351855
Christ Church School Ms Emma Simpson 60955
The national prayer for this outbreak:
Keep us, good Lord, under the shadow of your mercy. Sustain and support the anxious, be with those who care for the sick, and lift up all who are brought low; that we may find comfort knowing that nothing can separate us from your love in Christ Jesus our Lord.
Amen