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This May 31st Newsletter marks Pentecost (or Whit) Sunday. It’s where we celebrate the coming of the Holy Spirit onto the first followers of Jesus. Acts 2:1-21 details the events of this historic day.

God, our creator and renewer, has sent His Spirit to guide us into the life that Jesus lived and taught – the life of the Kingdom of God.

All public worship continues to be suspended until further notice and general access to the church building is still currently restricted. However, the Vicar will be celebrating a service of Holy Communion in St John with St Mark on Sunday at 10.00 am. Unfortunately, no one else can attend and the service will be on behalf of all in the Benefice.

If you need to contact the Vicar: Phone 0161 797 7652 or e-mail: dvjt@outlook.com

Prayer for the current pandemic:

Keep us, good Lord, under the shadow of your mercy, in this time of uncertainty and distress. Sustain and support the anxious and fearful, and lift up all who are brought low; that we may rejoice in your comfort, knowing that nothing can separate us from your love in Christ Jesus our Lord.

Prayer

The Vicar says Morning Prayer at 9.30 am and Evening Prayer at 5.00 pm on a daily basis. By also saying prayers at this time we are uniting together.

Please remember in your prayers:

The World – Those involved in the search for a Coronavirus vaccine.

This Country – The schools which will reopen this week and for the teachers and pupils.

This Benefice – Those organising and participating in on-line and home worship activities.

This Parish – Local businesses reopening this week and for their staff and customers.

The Sick – Dorothy Howarth and Julie Cooper (the niece of Alan Evans).

Recently Deceased – David Butterworth. We think about Dorothy and her family at this time.

Notices and updates

Sunday@Seven: a virtual service for Pentecost will take place on Sunday night at 7.00 pm. If you want to follow on Zoom or just want the words then please contact Nigel Silvester via the Contact page.

The Parish Office: resumes this week, with the necessary social distancing! Enquiries about future baptisms or weddings, marriage banns or any other matter, should be made at St John with St Mark Church Hall any Wednesday between 6.30 pm – 7.00 pm.

A free national phone-line: to bring worship and prayer into people’s homes during this pandemic, has been launched by the Church of England. ‘Daily Hope’ offers music, prayers, and reflections as well as full worship services at the end of a telephone. The line is available 24 hours a day on 0800 804 8044. Mothers’ Union Midday Prayers are also available on this line, entering option 4 then option 8.

Giving: Please ensure you continue to contribute to our church funds at this time. Envelopes should be kept safe and given when able to do so. If you would like to consider donating by Standing Order, then our bank is: Barclays; Sort Code: 20-16-08; Account No: 20774774; Account name: St. John with St. Mark PCC. Please contact Ian or June Banks for more information.

250th Anniversary: We are still intending to put together the display of memorabilia, even if it may be later than expected when people can see it. Please continue to have a look around for photographs and memorabilia. We can arrange for this to be collected and brought to Church at a later date. David Robinson and Margaret Duckworth are co-ordinating this. In the meantime, please take a look at our history page.

For hints, tips and links to resources for prayer and worship at home, please take a look at this post.

We are in the process of delivering a June 2020 magazine to those in the congregation. For now, please enjoy this May 31st Newsletter.

Until we meet again…

TAKE CARE, STAY SAFE & GOD BLESS YOU

Thanks to Roman Kraft on Unsplash for the photo. For next week’s newsletter, please follow this link.