Good Friday/Easter Sunday
Easter is almost as early as it can ever be this year and we are racing towards it. One of the greatest celebrations of the year, but first Holy Week. The joy of Easter is in sharp contrast to the solemn nature of Good Friday.
We have been preparing for it in Sunday worship with a focus on the Lent Cross. Each Sunday a symbol of the suffering of Jesus is brought to a simple wooden cross. On Good Friday we shall bring three large nails to remind us of what the day is all about. As one of our hymn writers put it…
‘See from his head, his hands, his feet,/sorrow and love flow mingled down.’
Good Friday is a day when the depth of God’s love is plain for all to see. It is for me, and for you. And it conquers all—even death itself. On Easter Sunday we are invited to come to church with a posy of spring flowers to decorate the cross. Another hymn writer expresses it like this:
‘The head that once was crowned with thorns/Is crowned with glory now!’
Come, let’s keep Holy Week and celebrate Easter together. For me it’s better than Christmas!
Happy Easter!
MYSTERY WORSHIPPER
A ‘mystery worshipper’ attend ed a service at the end of November. Their report on what they found was very enthusiastic. From the welcome at the door to the after service hospitality, the church received a top rating. It’s a real encouragement. The experience of other churches visited was also good. One of the biggest surprises was that visitors found churches welcoming and friendly and the worship accessible and relevant - not at all what had been expected! None of the mystery worshippers were church-goers. All the more reason for inviting friends and neighbours along!
Good to know we are on the right lines!
Holy Week and Easter Worship:
Palm Sunday: 16th March
10.15am Morning worship with Revd Andrew Roberts
Tuesday, 18th March
12 noon: Christian Aid Lunch with Churches Together. Simple food followed by a Holy Week meditation.
Thursday, 20th March
12.15pm Food For Thought with Revd Peter Clarke
7.30 pm Holy Communion for Maundy Thursday
Good Friday: 21st March
10.30 am God Friday service led by Revd Peter Clarke
12noon Churches Together procession and worship in the Square
7.30 pm ‘The Crucifixion’ A special performance of Stainer’s moving cantata on the passion of the Lord Jesus. Conducted by Michael Davey
Easter Sunday, 23rd March
8.00 am Breakfast
9.15 am Holy Communion led by Revd Peter Clarke
10.15 am Morning Worship for all ages together led by Mr Leon Murray MBE
Worship Diary:
Sunday 2nd March
9.00 am Holy Communion - Revd Peter Clarke
10.15 am Worship for All Ages - Revd Peter Clarke
Sunday 9th March
10.15am Morning Worship with Holy Communion - Revd Peter Clarke
Sunday 16th March Palm Sunday
10.15am Morning Worship - Revd Andrew Roberts
Sunday 23rd March Easter Sunday
9.15am Holy Communion - Revd Peter Clarke
10.15am Morning Worship for all ages together - Mr Leon Murray MBE
Sunday 30th March
10.15am Morning Worship - Mr John Lenton
Weekly Diary:
Sunday
10.15am Junior Church
Emmaus Crew
Monday
6pm Brownies
Tuesday
6pm Girls Brigade
Wednesday
5pm Rainbows
6pm Guides (after Easter)
7.30pm Ladies Group
8pm House Group
Thursday
9.30am Holy Communion
10.00am Coffee Morning
12.15pm Food for Thought
5.30pm Boys Brigade (Juniors)
7.30pm Boys Brigade (Seniors)
7.30pm Guild
Friday
1pm Toddlers
Saturday
10am Coffee Morning & Chattabox
A recent publicity push from Girl’s Brigade has drawn new members. That’s good news because it is a great group to belong to and the girls who go along on Tuesday evenings have a really good time. The same could be said of Boy’s Brigade too. These groups are very much part of the life of the church and it was great to share in the annual Dedication and Enrolment Service for the BB at a special service in February.
Monday evening’s Brownies is always a busy event and we are pleased to welcome Rainbows and, after Easter, we welcome guides back after a break of six months or so. Together with the more informal Chattabox group for children running alongside Saturday’s coffee mornings we try to provide a wide range of activities for children and young people. Hopefully there is something for everyone in the programme.
On Sunday’s Emmaus Crew is a fantastic Sunday morning group for young people - not that their activities are confined to Sundays. Last month, for example, they ‘enjoyed’ a sleep-over and fast to raise money for the Komera project. Junior Church Sunday morning provides a programme of Christian nurture for younger children. All part of the service and vital to our life. Look out for talk of family friendly church - and even of ‘messy church’.
Michael Davey is getting a Choir together to perform the traditional Holy Week cantata ‘The Crucifixion’. Word from the first rehearsal is that hopes for 40 voices were far exceeded!
Why not book 7.30 pm on Good Friday 21st March in your diary now for what promises to be a moving evening and a fitting act of worship for this holy day? Michael will be conducting, with William Smallman at the organ. The soloists are Paul Bradburn and John Hawker. There are some hymns for everyone to sing together as the new church echoes with music sung many times in the former church.
Admission is free but there will be a retiring collection. Everyone welcome.
The church offers many opportunities for prayer. Sunday Worship, mid-week meetings, the quiet space in the Sanctuary are all time and places where prayer is possible.
Sanctuary
The area overlooking New Street is ideal for quiet prayer. Whenever the church is open it is possible to drop into this space for prayer and if it is in use, it is normally possible to use the minister’s office for a few moments of quiet prayer.
Party of the original concept of the new building was to provide ‘Sanctuary’ - a place set apart from life’s routines or busy-ness. Please feel free to use it! (See front page for an image of the Sanctuary set out for use).
Sanctuary is also used for our occasional ‘Days of Prayer’ when 12 hours are set aside for continuous prayer. On days like this you will find lots of creative ideas for prayer - the next one is on Ascension Day (Thursday, 1st May).
Prayer Circle
We also have people who are ready to pray for people at particular times. You can ring in and ask for your prayer concern to be part of the prayer of the Circle. Just ring the office and our prayer circle will do the rest. Confidentiality is important. Members of the circle ring the next person on the circle and so the prayer goes on. Details can be found on one of the church notice boards.
Church Banners
A group of folk from Church had a morning in the South Staffordshire village of Kinver a week or two ago. The idea was to visit the Methodist Church and see their large collection of banners made over many years. It was a really good morning enjoyed by everyone.
The visit gave lots of inspiration for us to think about how we can bring more banners into our own church. The two large banners hanging in the sanctuary are dramatic and help to focus attention in our worship, but can’t be seen easily from the main hall area. So, how about making some new ones to add to what we already have?
A meeting at the beginning of March will explore possibilities. If you are interested or have skills which might be useful, then why ask for details and find out more? Let Barbara Murray or Rose Wedge know you are interested. It would be really good to have more visual stimulus for our worship.
On a similar theme, some people have suggested that we might start a ‘craft group’. What do you think? Again, contact Barbara if you would be interested.
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