Parish News May 2018
From the vicar’s desk:
Easter Day has come and gone and now the (hopefully) glorious days of May stretch out before us. You’d be forgiven for thinking that, with all the busyness of Easter behind us; we can ease off a bit and put our collective feet up. With all that hard work making it happen, we deserve a bit of a break, but there’s work yet to come.
The warmer weather has allowed us to get outdoors again, potter about the garden and just enjoy the sunshine. Joggers, too, have taken to the pavements getting fit after all those long, cold winter days. Folks put a lot of time and effort into keeping (getting?) fit, but most of us only worry about the physical side. That is important, but so is our spiritual health, something often overlooked and neglected. We do need to be spiritually fit in order to deepen our own personal faith, as well as help others in their own spiritual pilgrimage, both in our congregation and in the wider community. We need to make time to pray so we can put ourselves in God’s way as we listen to hear what he wants us to be and do. We ought to wrestle a bit with what we believe, engage Scripture, and sift out what is really true for us, perhaps surprise ourselves with finding God alongside us.
We do have Communion twice during the week and Morning Prayer for those free during the week in the mornings. The PCC has just begun meeting as we pray for our future as a congregation. Perhaps there is something else we can try to enrich our prayer life together or maybe we’d like an opportunity to just get together and sing. There is a world of possibilities!
I’d be grateful to hear what people want to do; the things they’d like to try in an effort to grow in their faith. Maybe a group exercise or activity, perhaps one-on-one talking it through. It might be that we need to do something different, or revisit old ways of doing things. Whatever the result, we could make real strides discovering the people we are called by God to be. Best of all, we don’t need trainers, shorts, or sweat bands. It all starts with that first step. So take it and let’s get moving again.
Michael
New PCC Committee: We welcome two new members to our PCC – Muriel Stafford and Frank Sinnock. The full membership of the PCC is listed on the back page.
Cream Tea: We will be hosting a Cream Tea on Saturday 2nd June, in the hall, from 3-5pm (the day of the Epsom Derby). Tickets are on sale at £4 in advance or £5 on the door on the day. We will have a large TV in the hall so that we can watch the derby and also track the Queen’s movements to enable us to be outside the church when her car passes along Temple Road.
Christian Aid Week 13-20 May: Donation envelopes will be handed out at the services during the week should you wish to make a donation. The various events organised during this week are:
Sunday 13th May there will be a plant, cake and jam sale after morning service – 11.30am-2pm.
Tuesday 15th May 12.15am-2pm: Soup lunch with bread, cake or fruit and a cup of tea/coffee. £5 per person.
Saturday19th May: Continuation of plant, cake and jam sale 10am-1pm.
All monies will go to Christian Aid. If anyone would like to help or has more ideas to raise money please speak to Anne Baxter on 01372 743303 or Viviane Sinnock on 01372 722177.
Confirmation: There will be a Confirmation service at Ruxley Lane Church on Sunday 10th June at 6.30pm. Anyone wishing to be confirmed should please contact Michael as soon as possible. We already have two candidates, Travis and Adam, two of our newest St B’s members being confirmed and it would be great for them to have as many supporters present for their special occasion.
Epsom Male Voice Choir Concert: Friday 6th July at 8pm in the church. Tickets will be on sale shortly at £10. We hope you will support this event as we are extremely privileged to have the choir fitting us in to their very busy schedule.
Parish Prayer Chain:
Together We Can Make a Difference
Please sign up to prayer triplets – list in the narthex.
PCC Prayer Meeting: The new PCC met on 23rd April for a prayer meeting on the way forward for St Barnabas. We will continue to meet to pray as we seek God’s will for our future.
Please continue to pray for Hossein as his appeal hearing to remain in the UK, has been postponed.
Birthdays this month: 2nd Maria Ajayi
3rd Wendy Hurst
19th Jenny Schumacker
20th Betty Forbes
21st John Thompson
21st Muriel Stafford
22nd Adam Mey
23rd Afsaneh Moridian
25th Edward Kind
30th Ruth Hindmarsh
Sick List: We continue to pray for Doreen throughout her treatment. We also include in our prayers Eileen, Allen, Neville and Catherine.
Bible Study: Every Wednesday at 8pm.
Readers and Intercessors: The April-June list is in the narthex. Please sign up if you are able to do a reading or prayers on any Sunday.
Events this month:
Thursday 3rd 11am Coffee Morning
Wednesdays: 9.30am Holy Communion
7.30pm Holy Communion
Friday 18th: 2pm Knit and Natter
Pastoral Visit: If you would like a pastoral visit, or know of anyone living in the parish who would appreciate a pastoral visit, please either contact Father Michael or the church office.
Suggestions: If you have any suggestions or ideas for our monthly parish news then please speak to Michael, Hilary or Ruth.
Time for a laugh:
Actual Announcements from Church Bulletins
• Coming up—Theological Open House. We discuss thought-provoking topics. Your opinions are hardly welcome. • All singles are invited to join us Friday at 7 p.m. for the annual Christmas Sing-alone." • Thursday night – potluck supper. Prayer and medication to follow. • Remember in prayer the many who are sick of our church and the community. • For those of you who have children and don't know it, we have a nursery downstairs. • This afternoon there will be a meeting in the south and north ends of the church. Children will be baptized at both ends. • Wednesday, the Ladies Liturgy Society will meet. Mrs. Jones will sing "Put Me In My Little Bed" accompanied by the pastor. • The service will close with "Little Drops Of Water." One of the ladies will start quietly, and the rest of the congregation will join in. • At the evening service tonight, the sermon topic will be "What Is Hell?" – come early and listen to our choir practice. • Miss Charlene Mason sang, "I will not pass this way again," giving obvious pleasure to the congregation.• "Ladies, don't forget the rummage sale. It's a chance to get rid of those things not worth keeping around the house. Don't forget your husbands."
Previous Notices
Notices from August 2017 to January 2018 can be found below.