Parish Magazine Letter, Feb / March 2022

by | Feb 20, 2022 | Magazine Letter

Dear Friends

I wonder how 2022 has started for you? We may start each year with plenty of good intentions but it may not take long before those start to disappear. One of my resolutions each year is to spend more time exercising, by going to the gym. We are halfway through January as I write and so far I have only managed to get there one week. I hope you may be doing better with whatever you may have decided to try to do!

It’s a good thing that God understands us as human beings, isn’t it, with all our good intentions but so often failing to live up to them. The confession each week in church is designed to give us an opportunity to reflect on those ways in which we have failed to live as God might have wanted us to do, whether that’s not keeping a New Year resolution, or something more significant perhaps. And of course with Him, we can always make a fresh start.

On a positive note, one of the things that has already happened this year is that we have had the trees pollarded in the front of the churchyard. This was last done in 2017 and I hope helps to keep the front of the church looking in good shape, aided of course by the work of our excellent gardening team. We are also just about to re-start (as I write) the Alpha course after a break over Christmas. It’s been great to have 10 people attending the course and exploring more together about the Christian faith.

Lent begins this year on March 2 (Ash Wednesday), rather later than it often does. I am hoping that once again we will be joining with other Christians from across West Warrington in worship and study (do keep an eye out for the notice sheet and on our website for further details). We are also planning on running again the Growing in Faith course after Easter and the Talking Jesus course in the summer. Do take advantage of these opportunities to deepen your faith if you wish to do so.

In terms of other hopes for this year, I really do hope that it will not be long now before we get permission from the diocese to install the new chairs that we have received funding from the Co-op for. I also hope that we will be able to get planning permission from the diocese and the local authority for our church extension, and ideally be able to start the work.

What are you hoping and praying for this year?

With my prayers and best wishes.

Jeremy Tear

Pioneer Team Rector

Team Letter, February 2022

by | Feb 16, 2022 | Team Letter

Dear Friends

This Sunday, being the third Sunday of the month, is our ‘Team Sunday’. I do hope that you are finding it helpful to see the different clergy moving around our team churches and leading worship. Speaking of which, Lent is fast approaching and begins this year on Ash Wednesday, 2 March. You would be very welcome to attend our Team Communion Service at St.Mary’s at 7.30 p.m. that evening which will include the opportunity to receive the sign of the cross in ash upon your forehead. This service will also be open to members of other churches in West Warrington. If you cannot attend the evening service, then you would be very welcome to attend the regular midweek communion service at St.Mary’s at 10am that day, which again will include the opportunity for ‘ashing’. Please bring a mask if you are coming to either service.
During Lent itself, there will be a number of different courses being run across our churches which will be open to everyone in the team:

‘Cry for Hope’. A 5 week course on Sunday evenings at 6 pm on Zoom which will explore what life is like for Palestinian Christians and how we might respond to their plight. Cry for Hope in Lent: A new series | Sabeel-Kairos Please register with Sabeel-Kairos.

Iif you would like to take part for the session between 6-6.30 p.m. followed by an hour for discussion together afterwards (Zoom details below). Contact Jeremy for further details revjeremytear@gmail.com.

https://us02web.zoom.us/j/81094300851?pwd=SVBEM0NwU3FWTWhMeWpFa3ZMU0NUQT09

Meeting ID: 810 9430 0851 Passcode: 838533

Making Space for God. Tuesday afternoons at the Oaks, 1.45 to 3.15pm beginning 8th March Not a traditional Bible study! Instead, we’ll spend a little time listening to and reflecting on a Bible passage, before the majority of the time is given for people to respond creatively in any way they want to the passage: whether with art or poetry or song writing or something else. Contact Sarah for further details revsarahpep@sky.com.

Difference Course. Thursdays 7:30pm from 10th March for 5 weeks on Zoom. Difference is a course that explores what it means to follow Jesus in a complex and divided world, seeing transformation through everyday encounters. Finding hope beyond division and difference through renewing our minds and relationships in Jesus Christ. Contact Martin for further details martinthevicar@btinternet.com.

https://us02web.zoom.us/j/83256267809

Meeting ID: 832 5626 7809

Building Blocks: living out the kingdom. Thursday nights, 7-8pm at St Philip’s, starts 3rd March – looking at good foundations for our walk with Jesus. Contact Sarah for further details revsarahpep@sky.com.

I am really pleased that we are able to offer such a diverse choice of topics for Lent this year and I do encourage you to get in contact with Martin, Sarah or myself if you would like to come along to one of these courses.

Looking ahead to Holy Week, there will be this year the usual Churches Together Good Friday service at 12 noon at Honiton Square on Friday 15 April. Details of other services for Holy Week will be in my next letter.

Finally, I wanted to take this opportunity to thank all of those who have been involved with our Team Befriending Scheme, which we started during lockdown to offer a listening ear to members of our communities. The Scheme has now come to end but I did want to say a particular thankyou to Heather Copperwheat who has most efficiently administered the scheme on our behalf.

With my prayers and best wishes.

Jeremy Tear

Pioneer Team Rector