Deeping St James Parish Church Magazine
For Passiontide and Easter
Photographs of some parish events are available in our Photograph Album elsewhere on the site
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From the Curate
Dear friends,
Sometime ago we were invited to a 'surprise party'. Whether the 'victim' had been dreading the approach of the 'big day', I don't know. There was certainly a lot of preparation involved - from the decorating of the venue, to the preparing of the food and sorting out the music no big event can be put on without preparation and of course there was a lot of mystery too. At the appointed time the 'victim' was led off, captive, through the dark to arrive at surprise! Lights, music, feasting, joy! Surrounded by family and friends, brought together by love.
The biggest surprise party of all time? That can be none other than Christ's resurrection, Easter Day. The victim, God's only Son. The mystery, our redemption, forgiveness and healing. The cost: all borne by God who loves his creation. Dread (and death and suffering) conquered! A party that exceeds all expectations. More than a one-off event the presence of Jesus forever in a new way a dance in the life of God which goes on and on and on.
You are all warmly invited to our Easter celebration don't miss it!
Readings for March
To see your reading in advance without having to mark your bible pages, you can select and copy your reference and paste it into oremus Bible Browser (or type in your reference) and print out the reading. The translation used in church is the New Revised Standard Version, which is the default version on oremus.
2nd March, 4th Sunday of Lent, Mothering Sunday:
- Morning: 1 Samuel 16: 1-13; Ephesians 5: 8-14; John 9
- 18:00: Micah 7; James 5
9th March, 5th Sunday of Lent:
- Morning: Exekiel 37: 1-14; Romans 8: 6-11; John 11: 1- 45
16th March, Palm Sunday:
- Morning: Matthew 21: 1-11;
and Isaiah 50: 4-9a; Philippians 2: 5-11; Matthew Passion
20th March, Maundy Thursday:
- 19:30: Exodus 12: 1-4, 11-14; 1 Corinthians 11: 23-26; John 13: 1-17, 31b-35
21st March, Good Friday:
- 10:30: Isaiah 52: 13 - 53 end; Hebrews 10: 16-25; John Passion
23rd March, Easter Day:
- 09:00: Acts 10: 34-43; 1 Corinthians 15: 19-26; John 20: 1- 18
- 18:00: Isaiah 43: 1-21; 1 Corinthians 15: 1-11
30th March, 2nd Sunday of Easter:
- Morning: Acts 2: 14a, 22-32; 1 Peter 1: 3-9; John 20: 19-end
6th April, 3rd Sunday of Lent:
- Morning: Acts 2: 14a, 36-41; 1 Peter 1: 17-23; Luke 24: 13-35
Home Groups
- The Bible Study Group suspended during Lent, resumes after Easter Week
- House Group: Every Wednesday, 7.30 pm at 45 Crowson Way - Everyone welcome
Notices
If you buy "Yorkshire Tea" would you kindly save the coupons and give them to Margaret Flegg.
The Social Committee
The Social Committee are pleased to donate £90-00, being the proceeds from the Pancake Party, towards Amanda Flindall's appeal to build houses in Nepal. Thanks to all who attended the very enjoyable evening.
Lent Lunches
A simple soup, bread and cheese lunch with proceeds going to the world's hungry. All will be held at noon on Saturdays. Three down, two still to go:
- 1st March Deepings Methodist Church, DSJ
- 8th March Priory Church Hall, DSJ
MISSION MATTERS
A word of thanks on behalf of the Mission Committee for the good response to the Appeal for Clothing for the Homeless. It was greatly appreciated by all. Please keep up the good work, especially during the cold winter months.
The needs remain the same, for example: warm blankets, sleeping bags, duvets. Warm clothing especially for men including shoes etc. Also please remember the box at the back of church for tinned food, you will find there waiting to receive your gifts.
Contact 01778 348110 if you need things collected.
Thank you.
Holy Week and Easter
Holy Week, when our attention is concentrated upon the last few days of our Lord's earthly life, his betrayal, suffering and death and his inauguration, at the last supper, of the central act of worship of his Church along with the "new commandment" to love one another.
On Palm Sunday, 16th March, palm crosses will be blessed at the 08:00 service and will be blessed and used in procession at the 10:00 service. Please meet this year at the Green, in Churchgate, at 09:50 for the Palm Gospel and the procession: the children and adults will walk together as far as the porch and then go to the hall (children) and into church (adults).
The next significant day is Maundy Thursday, 20th March. There will be no morning celebration of the Eucharist that day, but the Chrism Mass takes place in Lincoln Cathedral for any who wish to attend. Our commemoration of the Last Supper takes place in the evening at 19:30 with the ritual footwashing (a few hand-picked volunteers: we do not expect everyone to want to take part in this part of the service) and stripping of the Holy Table followed by a watch of prayer until midnight (in half-hour "shifts" but individuals can stay as long as they wish) to reflect upon the night of our Lord's arrest, as he prayed in great agony about what was to befall him.
On Good Friday the children's Way of the Cross is at 09:30, followed by activities in the hall (activities must be booked in advance and numbers are limited for safety reasons) and the main Good Friday Service follows at 10:30 with Proclamation of the Cross and (optional) Holy Communion from the reserved sacrament of the night before.
As it happens this year, spring technically begins on Maundy Thursday! There is a full moon on Good Friday, so there will be plenty of light about and a feeling of impending new beginnings as we prepare the church on Saturday for Sunday's great celebration! The Easter services are at 09:00, Lighting of the New Flame, Renewal of Baptismal Promises and Holy Communion, surrounded by the flowers and eggs which represent Life, and 18:00, a glorious Choral Evensong with the wonderful Easter hymns which celebrate that Life.
Annual Meetings 2008 and Electoral Roll Revision
The Annual Meeting of Parishioners for the Election of Churchwardens and the Annual Parochial Church Meeting are to be held this year on Monday 14th April, an extra meeting of the PCC being held the Monday before that to approve the accounts for presentation at the APCM. This year's Archdeacon's Visitation, at which the newly elected (or re-elected) Churchwardens are to be sworn-in will be the Ven. Arthur Hawes's last before his retirement and will be held at Sleaford St Denys on 22nd May.
In preparation for the APCM, the Church Electoral Roll will be revised between 3rd March and 17th March and to ensure that you may attend and, if you wish, speak and vote at, the Annual Parochial Church Meeting, then please check that you are on the Roll and if necessary complete an application form to add your name. No names can be added between the end of the roll revision and the annual meeting, so do not leave it until too late!
Nomination forms for election of Churchwardens, Representatives of the Laity in the Deanery Synod, and Representatives of the Laity in the Parochial Church Council will be available in good time before the meetings, after the Roll has been revised.
News from Explorers, Climbers and Scramblers
The story of how Nehemiah oversaw the rebuilding of the walls of Jerusalem made an excellent introduction for our Lent project - the Nepalese house-building challenge. Amanda, one of our Assistants at Climbers and Scramblers, will be flying out to Nepal in October and travelling to Bardia, one of the poorest areas. The Kamaiya people who live there are freed former bonded labourers who are in desperate need of shelter. Amanda will be working with Action Aid to build a house and we are donating half our collection every week to this valuable work. We have another fund-raising event planned for later this Spring so please keep 11th May after Church free to support our 'buy a brick' stall.
Explorers (7 - 11), Climbers (5 - 7) and Scramblers (under 5) meet every Sunday morning (except during the Summer holiday period) at 9.50am in the Church Hall. They join older worshippers in Church for their blessing, final hymn and refreshments. New members are always welcome. Please contact Andrea (Climbers and Scramblers) on 344926 or Alison (Explorers) on 345890 for more details.
Good Friday Activities
We are collecting Hand towels (old), Mini eggs, Creme Eggs, Fish 'n' Chip boxes (washed!), sequins and jewels! If you are able to help us, please leave in the box at the back of Church.
Many thanks,
Explorers, Climbers and Scramblers
BISHOP'S LETTER
Naming the Day
Every Sunday in March has a special name.
First of all, we mark 2nd March as Mothering Sunday. A day to remember and give thanks for our mothers whose first and best gift to us was the gift of life itself.
Then on 9th March we mark Passion Sunday, which begins the journey towards Good Friday as we walk with Jesus the way of the Cross, and recall again the price He paid for us and our salvation.
16th March we call Palm Sunday, and on this day people walk in procession, sometimes with a donkey at the head, to re-enact the way Jesus rode into Jerusalem as a servant king.
Then comes 23rd March, Easter Day – The Day of Resurrection. It very rarely falls so early in the year, but when it does come this early it really serves to capture the mood of Spring with new life evident in the world around us, just as new life burst from the tomb where Jesus lay dead and buried.
From birth through suffering to death and then new birth on Easter Day, March takes us to the heights and depths of what it means to be human. Sunday by Sunday we mark another stage on our path through life following the way of Christ in fellowship with other people of faith.
In a sense, every Sunday is Easter Sunday – the first day of the week when Jesus was raised from the dead. But in March this year, just one Sunday is named as Easter Day, whilst the Sundays leading up to Easter are named as landmarks to guide us through hopes and fears, triumph and tragedy, birth and death to the light of life eternal.
March is typically a month of contrasts as late winter weather competes with early summer sunshine and showers. Who knows that the elements have in store for us this time? But one thing is for sure. This sequence of Sundays will enable us
"to plot our course and find our way from Mothering Sunday to Easter Day".
May God bless you through the month of March and grant you peace and joy at Eastertide and always.
+ John Lincoln
News From The Tower
As promised last month a brief report on the "Tower Shower" annual dinner, This year we held it at The Goat Inn, Frognall on the 28th January. There were twenty ringers and guest sat down to a very pleasant evening. No complaints were received about the food, and everyone enjoyed the evening.
One of our ringers who shows concern for the "Society Outcasts" has put pen to paper and produced the following poem. One of the things that help key in her thoughts is the figure sat by the font in the church. We hope you enjoy her efforts.
SOCIETY'S OUTCAST
1 All that I have is in these bags, My only coat is on my back. But who's to care if I'm in rags. Who cares if hearth and home I lack? 3 I dawdle past the bakers' shops With smells that stir the hunger pangs. I'm followed by suspicious cops And taunted by the teenage gangs. 2 I wander daily through drab streets, To linger there would be in vain. I sit alone on windswept seats, Dark doorways shelter me from rain. 4 I will not beg - I have my pride, (Though I'll not refuse a proffered coin) And so I'll walk instead of ride And fellow men I will not join. 5 I'm mostly shunned by man and beast, But only think as you pass by And see me as one of the least- There, but for the grace of God, go I. Daphne R Willson
COOKING WITH MARGARET
Chocolate Fudge Easter Cakes.
For the cakes.
- 140g Soft Butter,
- 140g Golden Caster Sugar,
- 3 Medium Eggs,
- 100g Self-raising Flour,
- 25g Cocoa, sifted.
For the Frosting
- 85g Milk chocolate broken into pieces,
- 85g Soft Butter,
- 140g Icing Sugar, sifted,
- 2 x 35g packs white chocolate Maltesers,
- Mini foil-wrapped chocolate eggs.
1. Heat oven to 190°C, 375°F, Gas 5 and put 16 paper cases into a bun tin. Tip all the ingredients for the cake into a mixing bowl and beat for 2 minutes with an electric hand-whisk until smooth. Divide mixture between the cases so that they are two-thirds filled, and then bake for 12 – 15 minutes until risen. Cool on a wire rack.
2. For the frosting, microwave the chocolate for 1 minute. Cream the butter and sugar together, and then beat in the melted chocolate. Spread on cakes, and then decorate with the Maltesers and chocolate eggs.
Registers for January
Baptism: We welcome into the Lord's family:
- 13th Paige Anais Owen 22 Towning Close
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