TWENTY-SECOND SUNDAY IN ORDINARY TIME
SUNDAY 30TH AUGUST 2009
MASS TIMES: INTENTIONS:
Saturday Vigil Mass: 7.15 p.m. Margaret Fisher
Sunday: 9:15 a.m. Mary & Leslie Strong
11.00 a.m. Anne & Laurie Peaker (Golden Wedding)
Monday: 9.15 a.m. Gladys & Bob Carr
Tuesday: 9.15 a.m. Michael Holland
Wednesday: 9.15 a.m. Peter Burton
Thursday: 9:15 a.m. Frances Swarmy
Friday: 9.15 a.m. Hugh Middleton
Saturday: 9.15 a.m. Kitty Floyd
Saturday Vigil Mass: 7.15 p.m. Vic Fry
Sunday: 9.15 a.m. The Parish
11.00 a.m. Jim & Mary Davies
MORNING PRAYER:
9.00 a.m. in the Sacristy Office on weekdays except on Wednesday.
BAPTISMS:
By appointment with Fr. Cooke. After speaking to Fr Cooke, it is important that parents contact our Baptism Co-ordinator, Ann Siddall (01244 371787) who will arrange for members of our Baptism Team to discuss Baptism and the practical details.
We welcome in the family of God, Oscar William Michael O’Connor and Summer Leilani Griffiths, who were baptised recently at St. Columba’s. Please remember them and their families in your prayers.
LATELY DEAD:
CORRECTION – Prayers for the lately deceased last week were for JOHN (Jack) EDWARD HARLEY, not “HARTLEY” as printed in the newsletter. Apologies to all concerned.
ANNIVERSARIES:
Please remember in your prayers: Violet Winifred Bailey. Harold Boulton, Robert Carr, Gladys May Carr, David Kilcoyne, Fr. Leo Wilkinson, Annie Lester, Charles Wilbraham, Tony Adams, Lyn Higgins, Lawrence Francis James Burns, Michael Terence Hutfield, Kathleen Veronica Whitley, Mary Telling, Derek Mycock, Gladys Steaton, Lorna Cater, Margaret Stevens, Kathleen Mary Douglas, Elizabeth Martha Holdcroft.
COFFEE AFTER MASS:
Tea and coffee are served in the Hall after the Sunday morning Masses. All are welcome.
CONFESSIONS:
Confessions are heard every Saturday after morning Masses, and before the Vigil Mass on Saturday evenings, from 6.45 p.m. to 7.10 p.m.
OFFERTORY, 30-31st MAY:
Loose Plate: £590.22
Planned Giving: £571.15
Average Weekly Standing Orders: £562.00
Thank you very much for your generous offerings.
BEREAVEMENT GROUP:
Has bereavement affected you?
Do you feel the need to talk in confidence?
The Parish Bereavement Group provides support and care to the bereaved and their families. All members have been fully trained and would like to invite people to contact the group by ringing Ruth on (01244) 380300.
MISSIONARY SISTERS APPEAL:
A Mission Appeal will be given at next weekend’s Masses by a Missionary Sister of the St. Peter Claver Society. A collection will be taken.
CHURCH STORAGE ROOM:
Estimates for refurbishment of the damaged storage room have recently been received; also for possible demolition. Probably it’s the refurbishment that will take place, but official approval has to be given by the Diocese when plans have been completed.
CONGRATULATIONS:
Congratulations to Lesley Anne Cooke and Christopher Carey married at St. Columba’s last weekend.
S.V.P.
The monthly collection for the S.V.P. will now take place on the weekend of 12th/13th September.
The S.V.P. has a quantity of energy saving light bulbs if any parishioner would like some.
Please contract Brian Forrest on 01244 318863.
FIRST COMMUNION PHOTOGRAPHS:
If you ordered copies of the photograph could you please collect them, with payment, from Pauline Payne (01244 350323) at the 11.00 a.m. Mass any Sunday.
HELP NEEDED WITH WEBSITE:
Our parish has ongoing links with the OAKS charity – Overseas Aid for the Kids of Sierra Leone. OAKS is based in Ellesmere Port, and its Director, Margaret Jarrett, is urgently looking for someone with the necessary skills and spare time to keep their website up to date. If you feel you may be able to help, please look at www.oaks-sl.org and contact Margaret on 0777 1924140.
CHURCHES TOGETHER IN UPTON:
This week we pray for:
The residents of Greenfields, Flag Lane North and Oakfield Avenue.
For the Eucharistic Ministers, Altar Servers, Parish Readers, Parish Assistant, and Local Church Leaders.
For all those not yet connected to the life of the Church.
ANNUAL COFFEE MORNING:
Gerry & Jimmy’s Annual Coffee Morning in aid of the Hospice will be taking place in the Hall after Masses on Sunday, 6th September. Cakes or Donations would be appreciated.
IT’S THAT TIME OF YEAR:
Autumn is approaching fast and with it the AGM season. In the parish we have two AGMs in the next few weeks, Churches Together in Upton has its AGM on Wednesday 9th September at 7.30 p.m. at the URC in Heath Road, and our own Pastoral Council is holding its AGM on Sunday 11th October at 7 p.m. in the Hall.
Churches Together in Upton is the group of three Upton churches, Holy Ascension, URC and St Columba’s, who have been working together for many years. They bring you the cards giving the Christmas and Easter service times. They organise joint services and lectures for Unity Week and for Lent. They run the weekly drop-in centre at the Scout HQ in Weston Grove. They organise the Prayer Diary which appears both in the local Chronicle and in our newsletter. If you would like to find out more about this work and the other things CTU does you are invited to come along to the AGM.
Our Pastoral Council has been operating for several years and tries to develop and coordinate a number of activities within the parish including the Liturgy Group which arranges services and provides readers and Bidding Prayers and the Social Awareness Group which provides trained support for the bereaved. In the past year it has provided the impetus for the establishment of a Buildings Committee with close links to the diocesan team with the aim of providing local support for the maintenance and development of the parish buildings including the Church itself, the Hall and the Presbytery. Of particular interest in this area is the question of what to do about the reinstatement of the ‘garage’ after its damage by a runaway car. Should it be merely reinstated as a storage area or is there an opportunity to improve and refurbish it as meeting or social room? If you are interested in pastoral matters in the parish please come along to the AGM and have your say.
FEASTS OF THE WEEK:
Monday -St Aidan & the Saints of Lindisfarne
Sent as a missionary from Ireland, Aidan, a monk, settled on the island of Iona. Later he was consecrated bishop and made his headquarters the island of Lindisfarne. Here with the support of King St. Oswald, he educated English boys to evangelise their own countrymen. Among other saints of Lindisfarne are St. Colman and St. Fintan.
Thursday – St Gregory The Great.
Friday – St. Cuthbert.
ST PETERS CENTRE AT THE CROSS:
The church building is available for use by Christian organisations for a wide range of events such as services, exhibitions, meetings and concerts.
The work of the Centre continues, with refreshments available during its normal opening hours of 10 am to 4pm from Monday to Saturday (except for Friday afternoon when lack of volunteers forces it to close). The great majority of the refreshments are from fair trade sources.
If you would like to discuss using the Centre for any appropriate activity, or if you would like to become a volunteer steward, please contact David Savage on 380626.
READERS:
A Day of Recollection with Fr. Geoff O’Grady has been organised for existing Readers on Saturday, 31st October 2009 at St. Columba’s. Please make every effort to attend. Further details will be posted on the front and back Porches as soon as available.
PILGRIMAGETO THE PASSION PLAY
OBERAMMERGAU 2010:
This unique play by local people is only staged every ten years. Led by Fr. Nick Kern, 15-21st June 2010. Price £1,425.00 per person, twin share. 15th-19th June Lake Garda in 3 star hotel. 12th-21st June in Oberammergau, Bavaria. Day time flights from Manchester. Fly to Verona, return from Munich. Included in price: quality tickets for the play, all airport taxes, transfer by air-conditioned coach in Italy, Austria and Germany; transport to and from the airport from a local point. Contact Fr. Nick on 0151 652 5767 or stjosephsbh1@hotmail.com.
NEXT WEEK’S NEWSLETTER:
This will be compiled by Carol Galvin
Tel: 01244 381243
E-mail: carol.gerrygalvinGUESSTHESYMBOLgooglemail.com
Items for inclusion can also be left in the blue folder in the Sacristy. Please ensure that all items are in place by 9.00 a.m. on Thursday. Please include a phone number in case of queries.
Please take your Newsletter home with you to use during the coming week.