Note: the Newsletter can also be downloaded as a PDF.)
A warm welcome to
The Parish of Christ Church, Lancaster
for Sunday 17th November 2024 Safeguarding Sunday
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 – 17th November
8.30am Holy Communion
10.30am Parish Eucharist
4pm Godly Play
6pm Evening Prayer
Tuesday
5pm Evening Prayer via Zoom (see notice)
Wednesday
5:30pm Meditation and 6pm Evening Prayer (Storey Chapel)
Friday
9.30am Holy Communion (Lady Chapel)
Saturday
5pm Confirmation Group
Next Sunday: 24th November – Christ the King
8.30am Holy Communion
10.30am Patronal Eucharist with Confirmations led by the Bishop of Lancaster, Jill Duff
6pm Evening Prayer
Prayer for this week
Heavenly Lord, you long for the world’s salvation: stir us from apathy, restrain us from excess and revive in us new hope that all creation will one day be healed in Jesus Christ our Lord.. Amen
Children’s Church
welcomes primary-aged children during the 10.30am service during term time. Parents/guardians are also welcome to join in. Please see notice.
Contact: Rev’d Carol for more information.
Godly Play – today – 17th November
Every 3rd Sunday of the month at 4 pm in church for KS1/2 children
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
Daniel 12.1-3
‘At that time Michael, the great prince, the protector of your people, shall arise. There shall be a time of anguish, such as has never occurred since nations first came into existence. But at that time your people shall be delivered, everyone who is found written in the book. Many of those who sleep in the dust of the earth shall awake, some to everlasting life, and some to shame and everlasting contempt. Those who are wise shall shine like the brightness of the sky, and those who lead many to righteousness, like the stars for ever and ever.’
This is the word of the Lord. Thanks be to God.
Psalm 16
Refrain: The Lord is at my right hand; I shall not fall.
1 Preserve me, O God, for in you have I taken refuge;
I have said to the Lord, ‘You are my lord,
all my good depends on you.’
2 All my delight is upon the godly that are in the land,
upon those who are noble in heart.
3 Though the idols are legion that many run after,
their drink offerings of blood I will not offer,
neither make mention of their names upon my lips.
4 The Lord himself is my portion and my cup;
in your hands alone is my fortune.
5 My share has fallen in a fair land;
indeed, I have a goodly heritage.
Refrain: The Lord is at my right hand; I shall not fall.
6 I will bless the Lord who has given me counsel,
and in the night watches he instructs my heart.
7 I have set the Lord always before me;
he is at my right hand; I shall not fall.
8 Wherefore my heart is glad and my spirit rejoices;
my flesh also shall rest secure.
9 For you will not abandon my soul to Death,
nor suffer your faithful one to see the Pit.
10 You will show me the path of life;
in your presence is the fullness of joy
and in your right hand are pleasures for evermore.
Refrain: The Lord is at my right hand; I shall not fall.
Hebrews 10.11-14, 19-25
And every priest stands day after day at his service, offering again and again the same sacrifices that can never take away sins. But when Christ had offered for all time a single sacrifice for sins, ‘he sat down at the right hand of God’, and since then has been waiting ‘until his enemies would be made a footstool for his feet.’ For by a single offering he has perfected for all time those who are sanctified.
Therefore, my friends, since we have confidence to enter the sanctuary by the blood of Jesus, by the new and living way that he opened for us through the curtain (that is, through his flesh), and since we have a great priest over the house of God, let us approach with a true heart in full assurance of faith, with our hearts sprinkled clean from an evil conscience and our bodies washed with pure water. Let us hold fast to the confession of our hope without wavering, for he who has promised is faithful. And let us consider how to provoke one another to love and good deeds, not neglecting to meet together, as is the habit of some, but encouraging one another, and all the more as you see the Day approaching.
This is the word of the Lord. Thanks be to God.
Hear the Gospel of our Lord Jesus Christ according to Mark 13.1-8
Glory to you, O Lord.
As he came out of the temple, one of his disciples said to him, ‘Look, Teacher, what large stones and what large buildings!’ Then Jesus asked him, ‘Do you see these great buildings? Not one stone will be left here upon another; all will be thrown down.’
When he was sitting on the Mount of Olives opposite the temple, Peter, James, John, and Andrew asked him privately, ‘Tell us, when will this be, and what will be the sign that all these things are about to be accomplished?’ Then Jesus began to say to them, ‘Beware that no one leads you astray. Many will come in my name and say, “I am he!” and they will lead many astray. When you hear of wars and rumours of wars, do not be alarmed; this must take place, but the end is still to come. For nation will rise against nation, and kingdom against kingdom; there will be earthquakes in various places; there will be famines. This is but the beginning of the birth pangs.’
This is the Gospel of the Lord Praise to you, O Christ.
Prayer after Communion:
Gracious Lord, in this holy sacrament you give substance to our hope: bring us at the last to that fullness of life for which we long; through Jesus Christ our Saviour. Amen
Please remember in your prayers:
Those who are sick: Youngblood McCray, Thomas Platt, Yan Connell, David Foster, Lucas Calvert, Ron Holmes, Ann Boss, Geoffrey Heywood, Sheila Parsons, Christine McCrann, Steve Wilkinson, Richard Jones, Revd Kaarina- that God’s healing, wholeness and peace are with them.
Those who have died recently: Andrew Sproxton, May Bailey, Margaret Broad, Keith Bridson- may they rest in peace and rise in glory.
In our parish, we ask God to bless and provide for:
For those living and working on Dalton Road, Nun Street.
For emergency services including fire, police, ambulance, coastguard and mountain rescue teams
For the preparations for the Choir Church project in school.
For those preparing for Confirmation.
– that God’s loving kindness is found and shared.
Tuesday Evening Prayer
On 5pm each Tuesday, Rev’d Carol and Rev’d Kaarina say Evening Prayer over Zoom. If you’d like to join them to give thanks for the day past, read the Scriptures and pray, the details are: https://us06web.zoom.us/j/81366929814?pwd=jTDuW7HO8lR7I0nQ9Jrm2BrMxjJqVS.1. (Please note the recently changed link.)
Children’s Church
… is an important part of our church life, and one of the ways children learn more about Christian faith. We’re looking for helpers for Children’s Church for the new term. If you can offer one Sunday morning each a month (or more if possible) please have a word with Rev’d Carol. An Enhanced DBS check will be arranged.
Godly Play! 4pm on the third Sunday of each month – today!
Godly Play shares 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 today at 4pm. Everyone welcome!
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.
Thought for the Week
Loving is not always easy, but like with muscles, we get stronger both with repetition and as the burden gets heavier. And it works. Bishop Michael Curry
Sponsor a Hymn
If you’d like to suggest and sponsor a hymn, to be sung within the 10.30am Eucharist, please fill in one of the blue forms from the noticeboard.
Advent At Christ Church
A season of watching and waiting for Christ, the Light of the World.
Sunday 1st December 4pm – Choral Evensong for Advent
Friday 6th 12noon- 6pm Christ Church Christmas Tree Festival
Saturday 7th 10am-4pm Christ Church Christmas Tree Festival
Sunday 12noon-4pm Christ Church Christmas Tree Festival
Sunday 8th December 4pm Darkness to Light Service, candlelit among the trees.
Tuesday 10th December 7pm Memorial Service to remember loved ones at Christmas
Sunday 15th December 4pm Christingle Service for all the family
Sunday 22nd December 4pm Christmas Carol Service.
Join us for the Advent Study Group in the Hall every Sunday after the 10.30am Eucharist from Sunday 1st December, looking at John Bell’s book, Life in the Comma
Please pick up a leaflet or borrow a book from church for some food for thought and prayer during the Advent season
Why not consider a reverse Advent Calendar? Set aside one tin/packet of food for the Olive Branch Foodbank every week or every day.
In Other News…
The Olive Branch Foodbank – Christmas Appeal
The Olive Branch have made a Christmas Appeal – for mince pies, Christmas cakes, boxes of biscuits, crisps, nuts, coffee, Christmas puddings and other seasonal foods to make up the Christmas parcels. 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
Late Autumn is the best time to convert to a no-dig gardening system. Simply leave the ground as undisturbed as possible – you’ll end up with fewer pests, healthier plants and a healthy vibrant soil community. Get started @ No-dig-gardening.
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.
Recycling at Christ Church – from the Eco-Group
On the first Sunday of the month, we collect 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. No bottle tops please.
Concert for Gaza – 29th November
At 6pm on Friday 29th November, local musicians will be hosting a short concert in Christ Church to raise funds for a well in Gaza. Please do support them if you can, and if you can help with refreshments on the night, please speak to Rev’d Carol
First Aid Training – Five spaces left on a certified First Aid at Work course on the 11th January, 9.30-3.30pm in the church hall. Please speak to Rev’d Carol if interested.
Fairtrade Church
We are now a Fairtrade Church. as a sign of our care for creation, and our support for better working practices for farmers. If you buy items for church events, please check for the Fairtrade logo first.
PCC
… met on the 11th November. We discussed Safeguarding at Christ Church – both what is practically in place to keep people safe, and also the culture of our community.
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:
Christmas Tree Festival
On the 6-8th December, we’ll be hosting our fourth Christmas Tree Festival – raising funds for Lancaster Homeless Action and Church, and showing off the work of lots of local groups. If you’re part of a local business which might like to sponsor a tree – please collect an invitation from the back of church – we’d love to hear from you! We’ll also be inviting local community groups to decorate a tree – if this might be you, please contact Julie Buckley..
Giggle (or Groan) of the week – suggestions welcome!
Two candles were chatting with each other. Candle 1: “Have you got any plans for today?” Candle 2: “I dunno – but I might go out later.”
Christ Church Primary School at 150!
On the 25th January 2025, our school will celebrate its 150th anniversary! Originally founded by Rev’d Philip Bartlett on Moor Lane, it moved to its Derwent Road site in the early 1990s. If you have photos or other memorabilia which you’d like to share for their history project, please drop this into the school office (labelled, so they can return it to you!)
There’ll be a special service for the school on the 19th January, and then our 10.30am service on the 26th January will have an open invitation to past pupils and staff to celebrate this fantastic milestone!
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.
Christ Church Choir
….. sings at the 10.30 service about once a month, plus other special occasions, and practises in church on Thursdays, 7-8:15 pm. 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
Craft Group
…. meets on the second Tuesday of each month (and sometimes others) 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.
Thank you!
To members of the Craft Group for helping restore our 70+-year-old red altar frontal. The goldwork has required painstaking restoration – we hope it will last for many more decades to come! A huge thank you also to all in our local community who made poppies for a display in church last Sunday. If you’d like to buy a poppy brooch, they are available for £3.50 at the back of church.
Book Group
The church book group next meets on the 3rd January, and then on the first Friday of each month at 4 pm in the church hall. Books are provided. Anyone who enjoys reading and discussion 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
Advent Calendars
Fairtrade Divine Chocolate calendars will soon be available – please sign up on the list at the back if you’d like to order one for more for £6 each.
Christ Church Preserves!
There’s a wide range of delicious jams and chutneys available for sale at the back of church, some recipes including churchyard apples! Please do support the church by buying a jar or two!
Allergies at Christ Church
If you help with refreshments and serving food at Christ Church, please consider doing the Food Safety and Allergy training available here: https://allergytraining.food.gov.uk/ . It’s free, and simply requires you to register through the website. Thank you!
INEQE Audit of Safeguarding in the Diocese of Blackburn
As some of you may be aware, the Church of England are working with a safeguarding organisation called INEQE to roll out a series of audits of safeguarding in each diocese. These have been scheduled to give an independent assessment of the progress of dioceses on implementing much needed changes after the Independent Inquiry into Child Sexual Abuse (IICSA) and Past Case Reviews (PCR2).
The audit is due to take place in February 2025 and will entail a full scrutiny of work including Bishop’s House, the Diocesan Board of Finance and Education and parish work. You’re asked to complete a survey produced by INEQE to help gather a picture of what we are doing well and where we might need to develop practice. https://ineqe.com/churchofengland/blackburn/
Promoting a Safer Church
If you believe that someone is at risk of immediate harm please call emergency services on 999. Any safeguardingconcerns in a parish should be brought to the attention of your Parish Safeguarding Officers, Debbie Steele and Emma Muckalt, who can be contacted as above.
Concerns can also be raised directly with our Diocesan Team,Tel: 01254 503088 or email safeguarding@blackburn.anglican.org
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:
Vicar: … Rev’d Carol Backhouse revcarolbackhouse@gmail.com 01524 942105
Curate: … Rev’d Kaarina Leong curate@christchurchlancaster.org.uk 07749 489623
Children’s Ministry Leader…Ms Innes Heron-Stamp 07853791776 children@christchurchlancaster.org.uk
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: … Mrs Emma Muckalt & Ms Debbie Steele safeguarding@christchurchlancaster.org 07547 717060
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
Promoting a Safer Church
Christ Church, Lancaster have adopted the House of Bishops’ ‘Promoting a Safer Church’ policy and the Parish Safeguarding Handbook. All those working with children and adults at risk have undergone safer recruitment and received safeguarding training. If you believe that someone is at risk of immediate harm please call emergency services on 999. Any safeguarding concerns in a parish should be brought to the attention of your Parish Safeguarding Officers, Debbie Steele and Emma Muckalt, who can be contacted as above. Concerns can also be raised directly with our Diocesan Team, Tel: 01254 503088 or email safeguarding@blackburn.anglican.org