A warm welcome to
The Parish of Christ Church, Lancaster
for Sunday 6th September 2026 The Feast of Creation in Christ
Vicar: Revd Carol Backhouse 07857 449724
revcarolbackhouse@gmail.com 24 Wentworth Drive, Lancaster, LA1 3RJ
www.christchurchlancaster.org.uk Facebook:@ChristChurchLancaster
Everyone is welcome to join in prayer and worship this week:
Today – 6th September
8.30am Holy Communion
10.30am Parish Eucharist
12.30pm Baptism
6pm Evening Prayer
Tuesday
5pm Evening prayer via zoom
Wednesday
5.30pm Meditation and 6pm Evening Prayer
Friday
9.30am Holy Communion
Sunday – 13th September
8.30am Holy Communion
10.30am Parish Eucharist
6pm Evening Prayer
Gluten-free wafers available. Please ask the Stewards for directions and assistance.
Please send items for inclusion in this newsletter to Kim Robinson by Thursday lunchtime. Many thanks.
Prayer for this week
Holy and eternal God, you are the Maker of heaven and earth, you are the Word through whom all things were made, and you are the Spirit, the giver of life: draw us into the mystery of your love, that with all creation we may proclaim your praise, through Jesus Christ our Lord. Amen
Little Seedlings
Every Tuesday from 9am in the Church for under 4s and their parents/carers.
Children’s Church
welcomes primary-aged children during
the 10.30am service during term time.
Parents/guardians are welcome to join.
Messy Church
On the 4th Sunday of the month at 4pm
in the Hall for KS1/2 children
Scripture Readings for our Worship
Genesis 1. 1-5, 24-end
In the beginning when God created the heavens and the earth, the earth was a formless void and darkness covered the face of the deep, while a wind from God swept over the face of the waters. Then God said, ‘Let there be light’; and there was light. And God saw that the light was good; and God separated the light from the darkness. God called the light Day, and the darkness he called Night. And there was evening and there was morning, the first day.
And God said, ‘Let the earth bring forth living creatures of every kind: cattle and creeping things and wild animals of the earth of every kind.’ And it was so. God made the wild animals of the earth of every kind, and the cattle of every kind, and everything that creeps upon the ground of every kind. And God saw that it was good. Then God said, ‘Let us make humankind in our image, according to our likeness; and let them have dominion over the fish of the sea, and over the birds of the air, and over the cattle, and over all the wild animals of the earth, and over every creeping thing that creeps upon the earth.’ So God created humankind in his image, in the image of God he created them; male and female he created them. God blessed them, and God said to them, ‘Be fruitful and multiply, and fill the earth and subdue it; and have dominion over the fish of the sea and over the birds of the air and over every living thing that moves upon the earth.’ God said, ‘See, I have given you every plant yielding seed that is upon the face of all the earth, and every tree with seed in its fruit; you shall have them for food. And to every beast of the earth, and to every bird of the air, and to everything that creeps on the earth, everything that has the breath of life, I have given every green plant for food.’ And it was so. God saw everything that he had made, and indeed, it was very good. And there was evening and there was morning, the sixth day.
This is the word of the Lord. Thanks be to God
Our Psalm today is Psalm 96 with the Refrain: O worship the Lord in the beauty of holiness. Unfortunately there is insufficient space to print in full.
Romans 8. 18-25
I consider that the sufferings of this present time are not worth comparing with the glory about to be revealed to us. For the creation waits with eager longing for the revealing of the children of God; for the creation was subjected to futility, not of its own will but by the will of the one who subjected it, in hope that the creation itself will be set free from its bondage to decay and will obtain the freedom of the glory of the children of God. We know that the whole creation has been groaning in labour pains until now; and not only the creation, but we ourselves, who have the first fruits of the Spirit, groan inwardly while we wait for adoption, the redemption of our bodies. For in hope we were saved. Now hope that is seen is not hope. For who hopes for what is seen? But if we hope for what we do not see, we wait for it with patience.
This is the word of the Lord. Thanks be to God.
Hear the Gospel of our Lord Jesus Christ, according to Luke 12. 16-31
Glory to you, O Lord.
This is the Gospel of the Lord. Praise to you, O Christ.
Then he told them a parable: ‘The land of a rich man produced abundantly. And he thought to himself, “What should I do, for I have no place to store my crops?” Then he said, “I will do this: I will pull down my barns and build larger ones, and there I will store all my grain and my goods. And I will say to my soul, Soul, you have ample goods laid up for many years; relax, eat, drink, be merry.” But God said to him, “You fool! This very night your life is being demanded of you. And the things you have prepared, whose will they be?” So it is with those who store up treasures for themselves but are not rich towards God.’ He said to his disciples, ‘Therefore I tell you, do not worry about your life, what you will eat, or about your body, what you will wear. For life is more than food, and the body more than clothing. Consider the ravens: they neither sow nor reap, they have neither storehouse nor barn, and yet God feeds them. Of how much more value are you than the birds! And can any of you by worrying add a single hour to your span of life? If then you are not able to do so small a thing as that, why do you worry about the rest? Consider the lilies, how they grow: they neither toil nor spin; yet I tell you, even Solomon in all his glory was not clothed like one of these. But if God so clothes the grass of the field, which is alive today and tomorrow is thrown into the oven, how much more will he clothe you—you of little faith! And do not keep striving for what you are to eat and what you are to drink, and do not keep worrying. For it is the nations of the world that strive after all these things, and your Father knows that you need them. Instead, strive for his kingdom, and these things will be given to you as well.
Prayer after Communion
God our Creator, by your gift the tree of life was set at the heart of the earthly paradise, and the bread of life at the heart of your Church: may we who have been nourished at your table on earth be transformed by the glory of the Saviour’s cross and enjoy the delights of eternity; through Jesus Christ our Lord. Amen
Please remember in your prayers:
Those who are sick:
Youngblood McCray, Thomas Platt, Yan Connell, David Foster, Ron Holmes, Ann Boss, Christine McCrann, John Lyth, Freda Jackson, Martin Johnson, Ruby Rodrigues, Maria, Lou Rawlinson, Peter Milburn, Helen Stewart, Tony Walmsley, Marie Baines, Linda Tomkinson, Aaron
– may God’s healing, wholeness and peace be with them.
For those who have died recently, including:
Jenny Bowerman, Chris Treddenick
May they rest in peace and rise in glory
For those to be married:
We pray for Dan and Courtney, Susan and Mary for their upcoming marriage
May God bless them in their life together
For those preparing for Baptism:
Lilah Lamont
May they shine as lights in the world.
In our parish, we ask God to bless and provide:
For those who live and work in Grimshaw Lane, Bond Street. For HMP Lancaster Farms
May God’s loving kindness be found and shared.
We pray for people attending and helping with the following events:
Apple Festival, Organ Recital
Bless our community and those who share in worship and service here.
Prayer for youth work
Loving God, fill our hearts and minds with your wisdom, so that we may exemplify your kingdom here on earth, and help our young ones know your infinite grace. Amen
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 revcarolbackhouse@gmail.com. Please ask the person’s permission if you’d like them included in the weekly notices.
Tuesday Evening Prayer
At 5pm most Tuesdays, the clergy say Evening Prayer over Zoom. If you’d like to join to give thanks for the day past, readings from the Scriptures and prayer, the details are:
https://us06web.zoom.us/j/81366929814?pwd=jTDuW7HO8lR7I0nQ9Jrm2BrMxjJqVS.1.
Community at Christ Church:
Eco-Group Thought/Action for the Week
This year’s theme for the Season of Creation is Living Water which is quite apposite in the light of the poor harvests resulting fromprolonged hot and dry weather. We are encouraged to acknowledge the ecological damage, accept our interconnectedness with nature and look more deeply into spiritual and practical efforts for environmental and community wellbeing.
Are you concerned about climate change, and caring for Creation? If so, contact joycelynch1946@gmail.com to find out if our active Eco Group is something you’d like to be part of – it meets every six weeks at a member’s home.
Appeal for clean, empty glass bottles
We are in need of clean empty glass bottles with screw top lids for the Apple Festival on the 12th September. Check your recycling and please bring any you have to church. Thank you!
Harvest Festival – Sunday 13th September
Please bring your donations of tinned and/or dried food for the Harvest Festival next Sunday 13th September. Donations are being made to the Olive Branch Appeal. Thank you!
Churches Together
Christ Church is part of a network of churches across Lancaster who pray for and support each other. On Thursday 17th September, there will be a shared meeting at 7.15pm at Trinity URC on Bowerham Road. Everyone is welcome – the guest speaker will be Rev’d Clare McEnery, sharing her powerful story about her life as a police inspector, and how she came to be a priest!
Anniversary Celebrations!
On Sunday 6th September, our Eco Group celebrate 10 years. At the 1030 Service our guest preacher will be Rev’d Susan Seed, who helped found the group, and we’ll a new Banner and will be followed by lunch in the Hall. We are grateful for all EcoGroup have done to raise awareness of how we can better care for creation, how they have helped change our habits and community life at Christ Church, and for the funds they have raised to support creation-care projects across the world.
Heritage Open Weekends, Saturday 12th and Sunday 13th September
Christ Church is taking part in the Heritage Open Days! Talks on the Church including a talk on it’s history will take place on Saturday 12th and Sunday 13th September at 2pm each day, and open for visiting on Sunday 13th and 20th September. All are welcome!
Organ Recital Tuesday 15th September at Noon
Our organist Graham Toft will be hosting an organ recital on Tuesday 15th September at 12 noon in Church. Come and enjoy organ music by Vaughan Williams, Bach, Dvorak, Rossini and others. Free admission and refreshments in the Church Hall afterwards. All are welcome!
In Other News…
Olive Branch Foodbank
The Olive Branch badly needs all kinds of long-life food and drink – please bring a tin or packet to church with you to leave in the collection crates. You can also give money for them to buy what people need: https://www.the-olivebranch.org.uk/donate/
Gardening Group
Our friendly gardening group meets on the first Friday of each month (2nd October ) between 12noon and 2pm to keep our church garden looking lovely. New members welcome, for all or part of the time – contact lippittjane@gmail.com. Please bring gloves & secateurs if you have them.
Book Group
The church book group meets on the first Friday of each month (2nd October) at 4 pm in the church hall. 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
Church Choir
Our Choir rehearses on Thursdays from 7 to 8pm in church. Although small in number, we are enthusiastic and newcomers are made very welcome. We sing at services about once a month. Please contact jean.mccafferty@gmail.com if you’d like to know more.
Coffee with the Curate
Coffee with the Curate is held weekly on Mondays 10-12 at The Gregson Cafe. Meet new folk and have a chat over a brew. All are Welcome!
Confirmations 2026
On the 29th November, we will be welcoming Bishop Joe for a Confirmation Service at Christ Church. Confirmation is the next step on the journey of Christian faith, where the Bishop gives the gift of God’s Holy Spirit to help us follow Christ. For some, Confirmation is also the opportunity to receive Holy Communion for the first time. If you’d like to know more, please talk with Rev’d Carol, Rev’d Kaarina or Innes. Confirmation Group (to prepare for the service) will begin in late September, please pick up a letter with more details. Please note that children wishing to be Confirmed need to be in Year 6 or above, and there will be classes running in Christ Church school too.
Request for support at HMP Lancaster Farms
Rev’d Diane, the Anglican Chaplain at HMP Farms is looking for volunteers to support her at the 9.30am Sunday service on the first and third Sundays of the month. The expectation on the volunteer is to be part of the service and interact with the men, over coffee, after the service. Also volunteers to assist in Bible Study which runs from 08.45am to 11.30am on a Monday morning in the chaplaincy. The expectation is to come alongside the men, to listen and share, if necessary, as we discuss the topic or bible passage being studied. For further information or to arrange a visit please contact Rev’d Diane Diane.Gilmore@justice.gov.uk
Supporting Christ Church
EasyFundraising
Did you know you can support Christ Church when you shop online? Register using https://www.easyfundraising.org.uk/, and the brand’s commission will be donated to the church.
Fundraising – ideas, opportunities, and support needed!
We’re blessed to have received some generous grant funding for the work we need to do on the building, but we still need all the help we can get to raise the match funding we still need from our own resources. You’re welcome to send more ideas to buckleys@live.co.uk. if you’re able to send a financial contribution by using the QR code below, thank you. We’re getting closer to the target, so anything you can give would be much appreciated.
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.
PCC
Our next PCC meeting will be held on the 17th August. Please do talk to our PCC reps about any aspect of life at Christ Church. And pray for the PCC in its work this year.
You might want to use the following prayer:
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
Hall for Hire
Don’t forget that the Hall is available for hire, especially during the day and at weekends. £24/first hour and £12 for each subsequent hour/part-hour. Please contact Lorna on hall@christchurchlancaster.org.uk or 07808 76536 for more information.
Key contacts:
Vicar: … Rev’d Carol Backhouse revcarolbackhouse@gmail.com 07857 449724
Curate: … Rev’d Kaarina Leong curate@christchurchlancaster.org.uk 07749 489623
Children’s Ministry Leader… Innes Heron-Stamp children@christchurchlancaster.org.uk 07853791776
Church Warden: Greg Skelland churchwarden@christchurchlancaster.org.uk 07944 683847
Organist: Graham Toft grahamtoft1@aol.com
Parish Administrator: Ms Kim Robinson 07483936011 kimberly.robinson@blackburn.anglican.org
Parish Safeguarding Officer: … Mrs Emma Muckalt & Ms Debbie Steele safeguarding@christchurchlancaster.org 07547 717060
Parish Secretary: …Mrs Julie Buckley buckleys@live.co.uk 07717 824574
Hall Bookings: …hall@christchurchlancaster.org.uk 07808 765364
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
Support our Family Ministry:
Volunteering to help Innes with family Ministry is a great way to go deeper in your own faith, while having a lot of fun. It is a privilege to pass on our Christian faith to the next generation, and contribute to our wider church family. Come help at Children’s Church or support an event! Speak to Innes to find out more, or sign up for the opportunity to make important memories for our families.
Little Seedlings
Our baby and toddler group, Little Seedlings, meets 9-10.30am every Tuesday in church. If you know someone with a child 0-4 who would like to come along, please invite them. It’s free!
Ripley Supplementary Forms
Please speak to Rev’d Carol after any of the services to complete a Ripley Supplementary form for attendance. Following a recent change, Ripley School request that Rev’d Carol collects and delivers the forms to school before the October half term
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 Kim Robinson on the above address.