Note: the Newsletter can also be downloaded as a PDF.)
A warm welcome to
The Parish of Christ Church, Lancaster
for Sunday 14th April 2024 Third Sunday of Easter
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 – 14th April 2024
8:30am Holy Communion
10:30am All Together Eucharist
6pm Evening Prayer
Tuesday
4pm Prayer4 – via Zoom
7:15pm Pilgrim Course at the Vicarage
Wednesday
5:30pm Meditation
6pm Evening Prayer (Storey Chapel)
Friday
9.30am Holy Communion (Lady Chapel)
Next Sunday: 21st April Fourth Sunday of Easter
8:30am Holy Communion
10:30am Parish Eucharist followed by APCM
4pm Godly Play
6pm Evening Prayer
Prayer for this week
Risen Christ, you filled your disciples with boldness and fresh hope:
strengthen us to proclaim your risen life and fill us with your peace, to the glory of God the Father. Amen
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. Next: 21st April
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
Acts 3.12-19
When Peter saw it, he addressed the people, ‘You Israelites, why do you wonder at this, or why do you stare at us, as though by our own power or piety we had made him walk? The God of Abraham, the God of Isaac, and the God of Jacob, the God of our ancestors has glorified his servant Jesus, whom you handed over and rejected in the presence of Pilate, though he had decided to release him. But you rejected the Holy and Righteous One and asked to have a murderer given to you, and you killed the Author of life, whom God raised from the dead. To this we are witnesses. And by faith in his name, his name itself has made this man strong, whom you see and know; and the faith that is through Jesus has given him this perfect health in the presence of all of you.
‘And now, friends, I know that you acted in ignorance, as did also your rulers. In this way God fulfilled what he had foretold through all the prophets, that his Messiah would suffer. Repent therefore, and turn to God so that your sins may be wiped out.
This is the word of the Lord. Thanks be to God.
Psalm 4
Refrain: In peace I will lie down and sleep.
1 Answer me when I call, O God of my righteousness; you set me at liberty when I was in trouble;
have mercy on me and hear my prayer.
2 How long will you nobles dishonour my glory; how long will you love vain things and seek after falsehood?
3 But know that the Lord has shown me his marvellous kindness; when I call upon the Lord, he will hear me.
4 Stand in awe, and sin not;
commune with your own heart upon your bed, and be still.
Refrain: In peace I will lie down and sleep.
5 Offer the sacrifices of righteousness
and put your trust in the Lord.
6 There are many that say, ‘Who will show us any good?’ Lord, lift up the light of your countenance upon us.
7 You have put gladness in my heart,
more than when their corn and wine and oil increase.
8 In peace I will lie down and sleep,
for it is you Lord, only, who make me dwell in safety.
Refrain: In peace I will lie down and sleep.
1 John 3.1-7
See what love the Father has given us, that we should be called children of God; and that is what we are. The reason the world does not know us is that it did not know him. Beloved, we are God’s children now; what we will be has not yet been revealed. What we do know is this: when he is revealed, we will be like him, for we will see him as he is. And all who have this hope in him purify themselves, just as he is pure.
Everyone who commits sin is guilty of lawlessness; sin is lawlessness. You know that he was revealed to take away sins, and in him there is no sin. No one who abides in him sins; no one who sins has either seen him or known him. Little children, let no one deceive you. Everyone who does what is right is righteous, just as he is righteous.
This is the word of the Lord. Thanks be to God.
Hear the Gospel of our Lord Jesus Christ according Luke 24.36b-48
Glory to you, O Lord.
While they were talking about this, Jesus himself stood among them and said to them, ‘Peace be with you.’ They were startled and terrified, and thought that they were seeing a ghost. He said to them, ‘Why are you frightened, and why do doubts arise in your hearts? Look at my hands and my feet; see that it is I myself. Touch me and see; for a ghost does not have flesh and bones as you see that I have.’ And when he had said this, he showed them his hands and his feet. While in their joy they were disbelieving and still wondering, he said to them, ‘Have you anything here to eat?’ They gave him a piece of broiled fish, and he took it and ate in their presence.
Then he said to them, ‘These are my words that I spoke to you while I was still with you—that everything written about me in the law of Moses, the prophets, and the psalms must be fulfilled.’ Then he opened their minds to understand the scriptures, and he said to them, ‘Thus it is written, that the Messiah is to suffer and to rise from the dead on the third day, and that repentance and forgiveness of sins is to be proclaimed in his name to all nations, beginning from Jerusalem. You are witnesses of these things.
This is the Gospel of the Lord Praise to you, O Christ.
Prayer after Communion:
Living God, your Son made himself known to his disciples in the breaking of bread:
open the eyes of our faith, that we may see him in all his redeeming work; who is alive and reigns, now and for ever. Amen
Please remember in your prayers:
Those who are sick: Youngblood McCray, Ernie Wilson, Thomas Platt, Yan Connell, David Foster, Susanna Michaelis, Juliann Dougherty, Lucas Calvert, Ron Holmes, Ann Boss, Geoffrey Heywood – that God’s healing, wholeness and peace are with them.
For those preparing for marriage:
Sue Taylor and Andrew Neal – that God will bless them in their new life together.
For those who have died recently: Winifred Tyson, Ronald Stamper – May they rest in peace and rise in glory.
In our parish, we ask God to bless and provide for:
those living and working on Ridge Street, Albion Street, and Hind Street.
For all refugees and asylum seekers, and all who work to offer support and care.
For our community fair, that help would be forthcoming.
– that God’s loving kindness is found and shared.
Zoom Prayer:
Tuesday 16th April 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
Thought for the Week
Do not abandon yourselves to despair. We are the Easter people and hallelujah is our song. Pope John Paul II
Ascension Day (9th May)
To mark Jesus’ ascension into heaven, 40 days after His Resurrection, there will be two services on the 9th May.
- 7am Prayers with Churches Together outside the Old/Top Cemetery Chapels (as we can’t get access to Williamson Park due to the Highest Point Festival)
- 12noon Eucharist in Christ Church
Godly Play! 4pm on the third Sunday of each month
Godly Play is a way of sharing Scripture stories with children, and helping them wonder about 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 Sunday, 21st April, at 4pm. If you can help, or would like to come along, please pick up a flyer, and ask Rev’d Carol if you are curious.
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.
In Other News…
Notice of APCM The Annual Meeting of Parishioners and the Annual Parochial Church Meeting will happen at 12noon on Sunday 21st April, at which our Churchwardens and Parish Church Council will be elected for the next year. Please prayerfully consider who you’d like to nominate to represent your congregation – and whether you have skills and experience you can offer.
The Electoral Roll
Would you say that Christ Church is your church? If so, please consider adding your name to the Electoral Roll (a list of people who are part of Christ Church and who worship here regularly). This entitles you to vote in church elections, and also helps us know how many people feel at home here. Please pick up form at the back of church, or see Jane Lippitt for more info. (You don’t need to complete a form if you signed up last year.)
Community Fair
*You* make our community possible – please might you be able to help Christ Church by sharing your time and skills? All sorts of roles and jobs are up for grabs. Please take a moment before/after the service today to look at the display in church.
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/
Eco-Group Thought/Action for the Week
Christ Church is now a Fairtrade Place of Worship. You can learn what this means from Arton Medd from our local Fairtrade Group who will be sharing his experiences at 10.30 am service, and will be able to purchase some fair trade goods which will be on sale after the service.
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 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.
Wedding Invitation
Sue and Andrew are getting married at Christ Church at 2pm on Saturday 27th April! They’ve invited everyone at Christ Church to come and share their special day, plus the refreshments in the Hall afterwards. If you’re driving, please consider parking in the Grammar School/Wyresdale Road car-park (opposite Wyresdale Gardens). Please keep Sue and Andrew in your prayers as they prepare for their wedding day.
Giggle (or Groan) of the week – suggestions welcome!
I said to the gym instructor, ‘Can you teach me to do the splits?’ He said, ‘How flexible are you?’ I said, ‘I can’t make Tuesdays.’ Tommy Cooper
Pilgrim – a new course for the Christian journey
On Tuesdays 7.15pm in the Vicarage, everyone welcome as we continue Pilgrim – A Course for the Christian Journey. Whether you’re new to church, or wanting to go deeper, this new 6-week course, starting 16th April, will help us think about what it means to turn to Christ. Please ask Rev’d Carol if you’d like more info – why not invite a friend?
PCC
…. met on 10th April. We discussed finance, a PCC Code of Conduct, children’s ministry, and preparations for our parish mission weekend in September. 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:
Community Fair
*You* make our community possible – please might you be able to help Christ Church by sharing your time and skills? All sorts of roles and jobs are up for grabs. Please take a moment before/after the service today to look at the display in 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 3rd May. 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 (and sometimes other) Tuesday(s) 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 16th April.
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. Please bring gloves and secateurs if you have them – and contact Liz Mills if you’d like to know more.
Easter Gifts
Please could you contribute to the costs of the consumables (e.g. candles, wine, etc. ) we use each week in church? There’s a list at the back of church for your gifts.. Thank you.
Porch Repairs – Thank you
*Thank you* to everyone who has supported the £4.5k work to repair our church porch. The re-mortaring work was done before Christmas – and we’ve now had confirmation that the repairs have been inspected to a good standard. Adding lime mortar to the stonework will ensure that the porch remains watertight, and doesn’t shed its outer layers of salt. There are other ongoing projects, so please consider making a donation to the Church Repair Fund if you can.
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
Christ Church Time Capsule
We’ve been invited by the Friends of Miss Whalley’s Field to bury a time capsule in the field. Do you have photos of Christ Church, or other small items which could be included as a reflection of our community in 2024? Please speak to Rev’d Carol.
Cross Bay Walk for Lightaware
Eleanor Levin, one of our congregation, is organising a Cross-Bay walk to raise much needed funds for the LightAware charity. This will be starting at Arnside at 1pm on Saturday 1st June. Children and dogs also welcome. https://lightaware.org/ https://www.trybooking.com/uk/events/landing/54767? If anyone needs a lift, please let Rev’d Carol know.
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: … currently vacant safeguarding@blackburn.anglican.org
01254 503088
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