Note: the Newsletter can also be downloaded as a PDF.)
A warm welcome to
The Parish of Christ Church, Lancaster
for Sunday 25th February 2024 Second Sunday of Lent
Vicar: Revd Carol Backhouse 01524 942105
revcarolbackhouse@gmail.com 1 East Road, Lancaster, LA1 3EE
www.christchurchlancaster.org.uk Facebook:@ChristChurchLancaster
Everyone is welcome to join in prayer and worship this week:
Today – 25th February 2024
8:30am Holy Communion
10:30am Parish Eucharist
12noon Lent Group (in the Hall)
6pm Evening Prayer
With thanks to Rev’d John, Rev’d Keith, and Dr Pat, for taking our services today
Tuesday
4pm Prayer4 (on Zoom)
Wednesday
5:30pm Meditation, followed by
6pm Evening Prayer (Storey Chapel)
Friday
9.30am Holy Communion (Lady Chapel)
Next Sunday – 3rd March – Third Sunday of Lent
8:30am Holy Communion
10:30am Parish Eucharist
12noon Lent Group (in the Hall)
6pm Evening Prayer
Prayer for this week
Heavenly Father, your Son battled with the powers of darkness, and grew closer to you in the desert:
help us to use these days to grow in wisdom and prayer that we may witness to your saving love in Jesus Christ our Lord. Amen.
Children and Youth
Children’s Church
Every Sunday of term time during the 10.30 service for KS1/2 children
Godly Play
Every 3rd Sunday of the month at 4pm in Church for KS1/2 children
Contact: Rev’d Carol for more information.
Gluten-free wafers available. Please ask the Stewards for directions and assistance.
Please send items for inclusion in this newsletter to Jacqueline Stamper by Thursday lunchtime. Many thanks.
Scripture Readings for our Worship
Genesis 17.1-7,15,16
When Abram was ninety-nine years old, the Lord appeared to Abram, and said to him, ‘I am God Almighty; walk before me, and be blameless. And I will make my covenant between me and you, and will make you exceedingly numerous.’ Then Abram fell on his face; and God said to him, ‘As for me, this is my covenant with you: You shall be the ancestor of a multitude of nations. No longer shall your name be Abram, but your name shall be Abraham; for I have made you the ancestor of a multitude of nations. I will make you exceedingly fruitful; and I will make nations of you, and kings shall come from you. I will establish my covenant between me and you, and your offspring after you throughout their generations, for an everlasting covenant, to be God to you and to your offspring after you.
God said to Abraham, ‘As for Sarai your wife, you shall not call her Sarai, but Sarah shall be her name. I will bless her, and moreover I will give you a son by her. I will bless her, and she shall give rise to nations; kings of peoples shall come from her.’
This is the word of the Lord. Thanks be to God.
Psalm 22.23-31
Refrain: Be not far from me, O Lord.
23 Praise the Lord, you that fear him; O seed of Jacob, glorify him; stand in awe of him, O seed of Israel.
24 For he has not despised nor abhorred the suffering of the poor;
neither has he hidden his face from them; but when they cried to him he heard them.
25 From you comes my praise in the great congregation; I will perform my vows in the presence of those that fear you.
26 The poor shall eat and be satisfied; those who seek the Lord shall praise him; their hearts shall live for ever.
Refrain: Be not far from me, O Lord.
27 All the ends of the earth shall remember and turn to the Lord,
and all the families of the nations shall bow before him.
28 For the kingdom is the Lord’s
and he rules over the nations.
29 How can those who sleep in the earth bow down in worship, or those who go down to the dust kneel before him
30 He has saved my life for himself;
my descendants shall serve him; this shall be told of the Lord for generations to come.
31 They shall come and make known his salvation, to a people yet unborn,
declaring that he, the Lord, has done it.
Refrain: Be not far from me, O Lord.
Romans 4.13-25
For the promise that he would inherit the world did not come to Abraham or to his descendants through the law but through the righteousness of faith. If it is the adherents of the law who are to be the heirs, faith is null and the promise is void. For the law brings wrath; but where there is no law, neither is there violation.
For this reason it depends on faith, in order that the promise may rest on grace and be guaranteed to all his descendants, not only to the adherents of the law but also to those who share the faith of Abraham (for he is the father of all of us, as it is written, ‘I have made you the father of many nations’)—in the presence of the God in whom he believed, who gives life to the dead and calls into existence the things that do not exist. Hoping against hope, he believed that he would become ‘the father of many nations’, according to what was said, ‘So numerous shall your descendants be.’ He did not weaken in faith when he considered his own body, which was already as good as dead (for he was about a hundred years old), or when he considered the barrenness of Sarah’s womb. No distrust made him waver concerning the promise of God, but he grew strong in his faith as he gave glory to God, being fully convinced that God was able to do what he had promised. Therefore his faith ‘was reckoned to him as righteousness.’ Now the words, ‘it was reckoned to him’, were written not for his sake alone, but for ours also. It will be reckoned to us who believe in him who raised Jesus our Lord from the dead, who was handed over to death for our trespasses and was raised for our justification.
This is the word of the Lord. Thanks be to God.
Hear the Gospel of our Lord Jesus Christ according to Mark 8.31-end
Glory to you, O Lord
Then he began to teach them that the Son of Man must undergo great suffering, and be rejected by the elders, the chief priests, and the scribes, and be killed, and after three days rise again. He said all this quite openly. And Peter took him aside and began to rebuke him. But turning and looking at his disciples, he rebuked Peter and said, ‘Get behind me, Satan! For you are setting your mind not on divine things but on human things.’ He called the crowd with his disciples, and said to them, ‘If any want to become my followers, let them deny themselves and take up their cross and follow me. For those who want to save their life will lose it, and those who lose their life for my sake, and for the sake of the gospel, will save it. For what will it profit them to gain the whole world and forfeit their life? Indeed, what can they give in return for their life? Those who are ashamed of me and of my words in this adulterous and sinful generation, of them the Son of Man will also be ashamed when he comes in the glory of his Father with the holy angels.’
This is the Gospel of the Lord Praise to you, O Christ.
Prayer after Communion:
Almighty God, you see that we have no power of ourselves to help ourselves: keep us both outwardly in our bodies, and inwardly in our souls; that we may be defended from all adversities which may happen to the body, and from all evil thoughts which may assault and hurt the. soul; through Jesus Christ our Lord.
Amen
Please remember in your prayers:
Those who are sick: Youngblood McCray, Ernie Wilson, Stephen Gardner, Thomas Platt, Yan Connell, David Foster, Susanna Michaelis, Juliann Dougherty, Lucas Calvert, Ron Holmes, Ella Patterson – that God’s healing, wholeness and peace are with them
Those who have died recently: Phyllis Swan May they rest in peace and rise in glory.
In our parish, we ask God to bless and provide for:
Those who live and work on Macdonald Way, Nightingale Hall Road
For the work of our local refuge.
For those attending Mingle on Mondays, the Pilgrim Course, and Godly Play
– that God’s loving kindness is found and shared.
Zoom Prayer:
Tuesday 27th February 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://us06web.zoom.us/j/8069459310?pwd=cVJ1ZDlnNXF2dDVFWThVa0Z0VWE5dz09
Meeting ID: 806 945 9310 Passcode 942105
Taizé Eucharist
On most first Sundays of every month at 6pm, there is a beautiful service of prayer, music and stillness in the style of the Taizé Community. The next will however not be until Sunday, 24th March- everyone welcome! If you’d like to join the music group (singing or instrumental), the rehearsal starts at 4.30pm. Do see Julian if you’d be interested.
Lent Course – The Lord’s Prayer
All are invited to join in this six-session Lent course, exploring the Lord’s Prayer as a gateway to the Gospel, as a guide to our own prayers, and as a way of deepening our relationship with God. Every Sunday after the 10:30 Eucharist in the Hall – do come!
Thought for the Week
The fire [of salvation] is kindled by no business of ours, no preparing or striking of matches on our part, but by sunlight [God’s grace] falling though the burning-glass of faith. Austen Farrer
Meeting up
The clergy are available for pastoral support and spiritual direction, please don’t hesitate to be in in contact. If you or someone you know is going through a difficult time or is seriously ill, please let us know as soon as possible, to arrange prayers, home communion, a hospital visit, or anointing of the sick.
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.
Prayers of Love and Faith
The Prayers of Love and Faith are a series of prayers commended by the Church of England’s House of Bishops to be used to pray with and for a same-sex couple who love one another and who wish to give thanks for and mark that love in faith before God. They include prayers of dedication and thanksgiving; prayers for guidance, for companionship, for God’s blessing, and for the couple’s home and families. If you’d like to read them, they can be found here:https://www.churchofengland.org/sites/default/files/2023-12/prayers-of-love-and-faith.pdf
This follows the Living in Love and Faith journey which the Church of England undertook (and which Christ Church took part) to discern the calling of the Holy Spirit about identity, sexuality, marriage and relationships. On the 9th February 2023, General Synod voted on a way forward, and there has since been an ongoing process of choosing the Prayers that would be used, and putting pastoral guidance in place so that the many sharp differences of opinion and belief within the community that is the Church of England can continue to be held together.
The Prayers of Love and Faith can be used in private prayer or as part of a regular service. It is important to note that they are not a form of wedding service, and so couples would need to seek a registry office wedding. Rev’d Carol and the PCC have agreed that the Prayers of Love and Faith will be offered at Christ Church. If you would like to discuss this, Rev’d Carol is available to talk.
Lent 2024
Ash Wednesday began the season of Lent, a time of laying down habits that are not life giving, and taking up habits that draw us closer to God. This includes a commitment to prayer, study, and repentances (‘a change of heart’). You’re invited to take a Watch and Pray booklet, or borrow another book for reflection during Lent.
Children’s bags are also available – and make a holding cross for prayer.
You may also wish to use the new Diocese of Blackburn ‘Fruitful’ app (available on the App Store/Google Play) as a guide to the Christian journey.
In Other News…
Mingle on Mondays this autumn/winter
This space for warmth, welcome, food and fellowship started up in November. We’re open from 11:30 am – 2 pm each Monday. If you’re able to help set up and host, even occasionally, or if you can make soup or cake, or shop for bread and other supplies and bring them along on a Sunday, please sign up on the rota at the back of church. Please claim expenses – no-one should be out of pocket. Please pray for all who will come and all who will host, and do please encourage people to come along and enjoy a warm welcome! Thank you.
Mothering Sunday
As part of our service on the 10th March, we will take a collection of toiletries to our local Refuge. Please could you donate one or more of the following items? Shower gel, shampoo, soap, sanitary towels and tampons, moisturiser, conditioner, bubble bath.
The Olive Branch Foodbank
The foodbank continues to be in great need of tins of curry, chilli con carne, pies, meatballs, hotdogs, stewed steak, tuna, salmon, pork, corned beef, ham, fruit, rice pudding, custard, tomatoes, sweetcorn, carrots, peas, kidney beans, chickpeas; biscuits, crisps, multipacks of cake, cereal, jam, pasta sauce; packs of hot chocolate, coffee, tea, sugar, cordial, longlife juice, and many types of toiletries (shampoo, shower gel, toilet rolls, etc.) Or you can give money for them to buy what is needed: https://www.the-olivebranch.org.uk/donate/
Lancaster and Morecambe Deanery Synod
There will be an open meeting at 7 pm on Tuesday 5th March at St James’ in Heysham, with two excellent speakers on modern slavery to which all are very welcome. If you’d be interested and would like a lift, please let Jacqueline know.
Eco-Group Thought/Action for the Week
If you give something up for Lent, consider donating to Water Aid so we can help those hardest hit by climate change to prepare for a more certain future, whatever the weather. https://www.wateraid.org/uk/donate/donate-2
Donations for Refugees and Asylum Seekers
Donations of washing powder, laundry liquid, men’s toiletries, men’s hats and gloves needed. Please leave donations in the box at the back of church for RAIS.
Changes to recycling at Christ Church – from the Eco Group
We can still collect plastic medical bottle tops/lids, plastic toothbrushes and electric brush heads, covers and flosser nozzles, also flossing sticks,, interdental brushes and dental tape containers, We can still take medical blister packs, but owing to the large quantities, please take your own to Superdrug if you can. Thank you for your ongoing support with recycling on the first Sunday of each month.
Fairtrade Church
As a sign of our care for creation, and our support for better working practices for farmers, Christ Church have become a Fairtrade Church. This means that we commit to using and serving only Fairtrade tea, coffee, and sugar – more info here: https://www.fairtrade.org.uk/. If you buy items for church events, please check for the Fairtrade logo first.
Giggle (or Groan) of the week – suggestions welcome!
I’m giving up spreadsheets for forty days – Excel Lent.
Godly Play! 4pm on the third Sunday of each month
Godly Play is a way of sharing Scripture stories, and helping children wonder about their faith, using a Montessori approach, with crafts and a snack to share too. It’s free, and especially suitable for primary age children (accompanied by an adult please). The next gathering is on the 17th March at 4 pm. If you can help, or would like to come along, please pick up a flyer, and ask Rev’d Carol if you’re curious.
PCC
…. Meets next on the 13th March. Please let Rev’d Carol or Julie Buckley have your ideas and suggestions for discussion. We ask you to pray this prayer ‘this time tomorrow’ after a Sunday service – wherever you are. (Why not put a reminder in your phone?)
Lord God, Together with you by our side, we can bring growth to our Church. Send your Holy Spirit to give us good planning, wise actions, joy in worship and our welcome, the right words when we speak to others. Help our Church grow in numbers, in Spiritual commitment to you, and in service to our local community, through Christ our Lord. Amen
Community at Christ Church:
Mothering Sunday raffle – lovely prizes!
You can help contribute to church funds by buying numbers in this new raffle to be drawn on Mothering Sunday – 10th March. Numbers at the back of church.
Hall for Hire – Don’t forget that the Hall is available for hire, especially at weekends and during the day. £24/first hour and £12 for each subsequent hour/part-hour. Please contact Pat hall@christchurchlancaster.org.uk 07980 351855 for more info.
Book Group
The church book group meets on the first Friday of each month at 4 pm in the church hall. Books are provided by Lancashire Libraries, in addition to those shared by members. The date of the next meeting is 1st March. Anyone who enjoys reading and discussion books is very welcome to join us. You can just turn up on the day, speak to Joyce, or send an email to joycelynch1946@gmail.com
Craft Group
Meets on the second Tuesday of each month at 11.30am in the Hall. Everyone welcome – bring your own project, or share in one of the others on the go! No prior experience needed. The group next meets on the 12th March.
Gardening
If you can spare some time to help weed and tidy the church garden, our gardening group meet on the first Friday of the month, between 12 and 2pm, starting on the 22nd March. Please bring gloves and secateurs if you have them – and contact Liz Mills if you’d like to know more.
Working Party
Please could you help with a few cleaning and DIY jobs around church? Saturday 16th March, 9.30-11.30am, with brunch provided.
Special Appeal – Doorways and Windows
You may be aware that the stonework around the porch is deteriorating, and has been shedding pieces of masonry. We urgently need to re-mortar the porch to make it safe and weathertight for decades to come. There are also several of our unique and historic windows which currently do not have protection from stones, pellets, weather, etc – and need a polycarbonate shield fixing. This combined work will cost around £8,000. Whilst we can apply for a grant towards some of the work – please will you help by making a donation to the Church Repair Fund? Thank you!
Christ Church Choir
….. sings at the 10.30 service about once a month, plus other special occasions, and practises in church on Thursdays at 7.15pm for an hour. New members always welcome; if you’re not sure, come along and give it a try for a few weeks! Have a word with Clive or contact him via cliveshaw54@gmail.com
Rev’d Carol needs some help!
Could you spare some time on a regular basis to help with the behind the scenes life of our church? Invitations, social media, orders, invoices, counting and software upgrades – use your skills to serve the Lord! See notice, and / or have a chat.
Refreshments today!
All are welcome for refreshments after the service.
Receiving the notices by email
If you would like to receive these notices by email, please contact Jacqueline Stamper on the above address.
Supporting Christ Church
Church Repair Fund
Our Church Repair Fund helps 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. You can also contribute online via the Give a Little website: https://givealittle.co/campaigns/1c7889a9-7ef8-4730-a84a-2d434726c909
Supporting Christ Church – One-off Gifts
If you would like to make a one-off donation to the church as an offering, to pay a fee, or as a gift to regular funds, you can give through our ‘Give a little’ page: https://givealittle.co/campaigns/f63a0655-b270-4d05-bf35-3994747785d0 This will also give you the option to Gift Aid your donation (if you pay tax in the UK), enabling the church to get an extra 25p back from the taxman for every £1 you give.
Supporting Christ Church – Regularly
Christ Church is now taking part in the Parish Giving Scheme, which enables you to give regularly by Direct Debit, and to to easily review how much you give depending on circumstances. Online at www.parishgiving.org.uk Or by telephone 0333 002 1271 Monday to Friday between 9am and 5pm. For any of these methods our PGS code 030603240 ensures that your gift goes to our church.
Key contacts:
Churchwarden: … Ms Jacqueline Stamper churchwarden@christchurchlancaster.org.uk 01524 64083
Priest with PTO and Choir Contact: …Rev’d Clive Shaw. cliveshaw54@gmail.com
Lay Reader: …Dr Pat Allen reader@christchurchlancaster.org.uk 01524 39552
Parish Safeguarding Officer: …Sue Taylor safeguarding@christchurchlancaster.org.uk 07547 717060
Children, Youth & Families Coordinator: …Mrs Julie Tinnion children@christchurchlancaster.org.uk 07749 489623
Parish Secretary: …Mrs Julie Buckley buckleys@live.co.uk 01524 37229
Hall Bookings: …hall@christchurchlancaster.org.uk 07980 351855
Christ Church School …Miss Emma Simpson 01524 60955