This week’s Worship
Sunday 25th October – Bible Sunday (4th of the Month)
9:15 am Holy Communion, Croston
9:30 am Family Worship, Mawdesley
11:00 am Short service and Annual Meeting
Bretherton
Wednesday 10:00 am Holy Communion, Croston
Friday 9:00 am Morning Prayer, Mawdesley
Face masks are now compulsory in church unless you are exempt
Dear Brothers and Sisters in Christ,
During this week ahead all our churches will be holding our Annual Parish Meetings, where we elect our Churchwardens, and PCC members to the vacancies we have. We still need people to serve and support our Church communities in many roles please do consider whether you can serve and support our mission and ministry in some way. God calls people to use their talents in many different ministries and we need people like churchwardens, PCC members, Treasurers, Secretaries to allow our parishes to function on a day to day basis. This years meetings are as follows:
Sunday 25th October 11 am in Bretherton Church following a short act of worship.
Tuesday 27th October 7 pm in Church at Mawdesley
Wednesday 26th October 7 pm Croston via a Zoom meeting online.
Please contact Garry Gibson PCC secretary or Rector who will issue the details for joining the Zoom meeting.
Whilst it is the ministry team, myself, Revd Janet, readers Janet and Stan and recently Revd David who stand up at the front and lead services there are so many other people who often work quietly in the background to enable our parishes to function.
Thank you to everyone who use their own gifts and talents in so many different ways to make this possible – we couldn’t do it without you.
Often people think that so and so has been doing this for so many years I don’t want to tread on toes, but so often so and so would welcome a rest and they are usually so happy to show people the ropes to become Churchwarden, secretary, treasurer, PCC member or whatever it may be. Please do join us and support these meetings.
Bible Sunday is when we give thanks for scripture and the ways it has been handed down to us. We rejoice that reading and hearing the Bible in our own languages helps us to understand God’s relationship with humankind and enables us to know God better. The words of Jesus in the Bible are our guide to interpret the Old Testament and they are the inspiration for the whole of the New Testament and for our lives. May we all rejoice and give thanks for God’s word and those who have brought it to us and that the word endures, throughout all time and space, in heaven and here on earth.
Please pray for the families of the recently departed souls of:
Beryl Williams,
Herbert Archibald Hughes,
Martin Bentham
May they all be at rest and peace in the nearer presence of God in his heavenly Kingdom and may God hold their families and friends in his loving arms at this time of great sadness.
With love & prayers. Michael (Rector)
Tel: 01772 600548 mobile: 07960309005, email: revmwoods@gmail.com
Resources – Bible Sunday
1) The 3 bible readings set for this week.
2) The Prayer and worship at home sheet for the 18th after Trinity.
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Sunday 1st November – All Saints / All Souls (1st of the Month)
8:00 am BCP Holy Communion, Mawdesley
9:00 am Family Worship, Bretherton
9:15 am Holy Communion, Croston
11:00 am Holy Communion, Mawdesley. *************************************
All Souls day Monday 2nd November
This year we will post a service online on the evening of Monday 2nd November and during the service we will read out the names of those people wish to be remembered, it is a time for quiet reflection and peace.
If you would like someone to be remembered please add the names to the lists in the churches or contact Revd Michael Woods, (Tel: 01772 600548)
e-mail revmwoods@gmail.com)
Church opening times on Wednesdays & Sundays
Bretherton 9:30 am – 3:30 pm
Croston 10:00 am – 4:00 pm
Mawdesley open via the side door most days
Coronavirus Village support groups
Croston COVID-19 Croston Village Support Group
Mawdesley Mawdesley – Coronavirus help each other out.
Bretherton Via Bretherton WI (01772 601495)
email bethertoonwi@btinternett.com
Facebook Pages
There is worship in all our churches this weekend and online there is also the Diocesan worship which this week comes from St James Church in Shireshead and will be led by Canon Peter Ballard. It can be found on the Diocesan YouTube Site from 9am on Sunday:
https://www.youtube.com/user/blackburndiocese/videos
In addition there will be worship from Blackburn Cathedral, also from 9am on Sunday on their YouTube channel.
Our facebook pages are:
https://www.facebook.com/St-John-the-Baptist-Church-Bretherton-439088266487676/
https://www.facebook.com/StMichaelAllAngelsChurchCroston/
https://www.facebook.com/St-Peters-Mawdesley-w-Bispham-442669382795886/?ref=bookmarks
The Church of England posts on Facebook and YouTube a national service of worship every Sunday at 9 am this week will celebrate Bible Sunday and is led by the Bishop of Penrith, Rt Rev Dr Emma Ineson, the service includes contributions from people across Cumbria.
https://www.facebook.com/thechurchofengland or
https://www.churchofengland.org/more/media-centre/church-online
As always please do remember:
- Do not come to church if you are feeling unwell or have experienced any COVID-19 symptoms in the past seven days
- Limit contact with other people
- Keep your distance from people not in your household
- (2m apart where possible or 1m + when wearing a mask)
- Wash your hands regularly
- Work from home if possible
Church Attendance records for school applications
The cards for the Autumn term, starting 6th September are now available in each church, please return your last record for the Spring term. If you want to register please complete a form and take a copy of the guidance notes which are available at Church.
This resource may be helpful for those who are unable to return to church services at the moment, or for anyone who is feeling isolated or lonely and who doesn’t have access to the internet.
There are also the daily prayer resources on the Church of England Website where you can download apps at:
Please continue to support the Food Banks
All the food brought into the3Chuches is taken to the ecumenical food bank in Skemersdale, supported by the Trussell Trust.
Our congregations are smaller, but still so many people have made the effort to support the important work of the food banks. MANY THANKS.
Sadly, this will soon be distributed – so please keep donating whatever, whenever you can – things look like getting worse in the next few weeks…
In Croston Please leave your donations at either 19, Highfield Rd or 32, Westhead Rd, or bring to church.
In Bretherton – The box will remain at the gate, 154 South Road.
Thank you to everyone for your support to date!
In Mawdesley – please bring to church
Thank you to everyone who has been supporting our local food banks and all the other good causes at this time.
Could you make a donation to support Church?
All our churches rely upon the generous donations of our parishioners to provide the financial support that both maintain our buildings and provide care and support to all those in the local community. Although some use standing orders or other methods of online giving, many donors use cash, either on the plate or in weekly planned giving envelopes.
Even though we can now meet again for public worship we cannot hand a plate round for our usual collections, so we just leave a plate at the back of Church.
Donations or regular giving can be made by using ‘Online banking’ facilities, the bank details you will require to do this are given below for each church:
Bretherton – St. John the Baptist
St. Johns Bretherton PCC Account, No: 10031333, Sort code: 16 17 41
Croston – St. Michael & All Angels
St. Michaels PCC Account, No. 11215462, Sort Code 16-17-41
Also if you have no facility to pay electronically, envelopes can be dropped off with our Treasurer Derek Alty, 12 Lostock Road, Croston.
Mawdesley w Bispham St. Peter
Mawdesley PCC Account, No 87032805, Sort code 60 24 02.
If you decide to make a donation electronically you may be given the opportunity to set up a standing order, which will be far easier for us ensuring that we will have a more regular income.
The Collect
Blessed Lord, who caused all holy Scriptures to be written for our learning:
help us so to hear them, to read, mark, learn and inwardly digest them that, through patience, and the comfort of your holy word, we may embrace and for ever hold fast the hope of everlasting life, which you have given us in our Saviour Jesus Christ, who is alive and reigns with you, in the unity of the Holy Spirit, one God, now and for ever. Amen
First Reading
Having rebuilt Jerusalem’s walls, Nehemiah calls on Ezra to read the books of the Law to the assembled people, so that they may understand what God requires of them.
Nehemiah 8:1-4a [5-6] 8-12
All the people gathered together into the square before the Water Gate. They told the scribe Ezra to bring the book of the law of Moses, which the Lord had given to Israel. Accordingly, the priest Ezra brought the law before the assembly, both men and women and all who could hear with understanding. This was on the first day of the seventh month. He read from it facing the square before the Water Gate from early morning until midday, in the presence of the men and the women and those who could understand; and the ears of all the people were attentive to the book of the law. The scribe Ezra stood on a wooden platform that had been made for the purpose; and beside him stood Mattithiah, Shema, Anaiah, Uriah, Hilkiah, and Maaseiah on his right hand; and Pedaiah, Mishael, Malchijah, Hashum, Hash-baddanah, Zechariah, and Meshullam on his left hand. And Ezra opened the book in the sight of all the people, for he was standing above all the people; and when he opened it, all the people stood up. Then Ezra blessed the Lord, the great God, and all the people answered, ‘Amen, Amen’, lifting up their hands. Then they bowed their heads and worshipped the Lord with their faces to the ground. So they read from the book, from the law of God, with interpretation. They gave the sense, so that the people understood the reading.
And Nehemiah, who was the governor, and Ezra the priest and scribe, and the Levites who taught the people said to all the people, ‘This day is holy to the Lord your God; do not mourn or weep.’ For all the people wept when they heard the words of the law. Then he said to them, ‘Go your way, eat the fat and drink sweet wine and send portions of them to those for whom nothing is prepared, for this day is holy to our Lord; and do not be grieved, for the joy of the Lord is your strength.’ So the Levites stilled all the people, saying, ‘Be quiet, for this day is holy; do not be grieved.’ And all the people went their way to eat and drink and to send portions and to make great rejoicing, because they had understood the words that were declared to them.
Second Reading
Paul encourages the Colossians to behave to each other in ways which reflect the love and compassion of God, filled with the word of Christ.
Colossians 3:12-17
As God’s chosen ones, holy and beloved, clothe yourselves with compassion, kindness, humility, meekness, and patience. Bear with one another and, if anyone has a complaint against another, forgive each other; just as the Lord has forgiven you, so you also must forgive. Above all, clothe yourselves with love, which binds everything together in perfect harmony. And let the peace of Christ rule in your hearts, to which indeed you were called in the one body. And be thankful. Let the word of Christ dwell in you richly; teach and admonish one another in all wisdom; and with gratitude in your hearts sing psalms, hymns, and spiritual songs to God. And whatever you do, in word or deed, do everything in the name of the Lord Jesus, giving thanks to God the Father through him.
The Gospel
Jesus speaks of the signs of the approaching end time, reassuring his listeners that his words will remain when all else passes away.
Matthew 24:30-35
Then the sign of the Son of Man will appear in heaven, and then all the tribes of the earth will mourn, and they will see “the Son of Man coming on the clouds of heaven” with power and great glory. And he will send out his angels with a loud trumpet call, and they will gather his elect from the four winds, from one end of heaven to the other.
‘From the fig tree learn its lesson: as soon as its branch becomes tender and puts forth its leaves, you know that summer is near. So also, when you see all these things, you know that he is near, at the very gates. Truly I tell you, this generation will not pass away until all these things have taken place. Heaven and earth will pass away, but my words will not pass away.
Prayer after Communion
God of all grace, your Son Jesus Christ fed the hungry with the bread of his life and the word of his kingdom: renew your people with your heavenly grace, and in all our weakness sustain us by your true and living bread; who is alive and reigns, now and for ever. Amen
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