From the Curate…

Clergy

Well, it has been quite a week and now ends with the celebration of the Patronal Festival of St Barnabas – whose name literally means ‘son of encouragement’. Encouragement is something we all need. I was trained to give constructive criticism to a work colleague by means of the ‘soft sandwich’. Words of encouragement – then the criticism – followed by more words of encouragement.

However, current corporate thinking is that in order for anyone to hear any words of criticism and change that the person giving those words must have encouraged their employee with seven pieces of praise.

Clearly, encouragement is important and this week I have been able to reflect as I approached my Ordination to the Priesthood all those who have supported and encouraged me along the way. There are too many to name in full but I will just mention two.

The first is Lizzie – my wonderful steadfast and beautiful wife. Lizzie signed up and has been on the adventure of our married life with its ups and downs. She has encouraged me at times and also sat in silence in my pain (sometimes when we share our hurt we are not looking for advice or a quick fix – rather just someone to sit with us in our pain). The second is Paul Voke. Paul was my mentor as part of the Barnabas (Encouragers) Team at my first Church. Paul helped me grow in my ministry with wise words of encouragement – a true Saint.

Let us this week try to build each other up with words of encouragement,

Steve

Crisis with Cleaning @ St. Nicholas!

Pewsheets

We have now reached a crisis point with the cleaning at St Nicholas’ Church, Worth. There are too few volunteers to clean the church and toilets – which means that some weeks it is not being done.

Can you offer an hour or so once a month to either clean a small area of the church or the toilet block ?

Please complete the form below if you could help ! Thank you

 

← Back

Thank you for your response. ✨

 

CONGRATULATIONS Revd Steve Burston !

Clergy, Special Services

On Wednesday 3rd June, five candidates including our Steve were priested in a moving service by the Bishop of Lewes at St Mary, Horsham.  Steve says thank you very much to those who went to support him and who have sent him cards.

Here are some of the photos taken by the Diocese of Chichester:

From the Associate Vicar…

Clergy

Trinity Sunday is upon us. A final Sunday of wearing white before we enter the weeks of green as we move into “Ordinary Time”.

To set the tone for the next twenty odd weeks of the Church’s year we are invited to engage in the many ways God interacts with us – the many ways in which we experience God. God as giver of life, God who sustains us, God who transforms us!

Plenty of food for thought for the next few weeks.

This year, the next few weeks aren’t quite so ordinary for our parish. Steve will be ordained priest next week on Wednesday and will celebrate his first Eucharist on Thursday at St Nicholas’. We wish him well for this exciting week and next step in his ministry.

Next Sunday we will also be celebrating St Barnabas’ Patronal Festival with a Parish Eucharist. It’s a special one as well – 60 years of serving the community in Pound Hill. At the service we will conclude our anniversary appeal and give thanks for the many gifts we have received. There is still time to pledge – up until the service – if you haven’t done so already. Cheques should be made out to Worth PCC. Please also join us for the Big Lunch after the service to which we would like you to also invite your neighbours to share in our celebrations.

Hopefully we can gain in confidence that in God we find a place where we are able to flourish. A confidence worth sharing with those we meet.

James

Pewsheet for 24th May 2015 – Pentecost

Pewsheets

Click here to see this week’s pewsheet.

Tip: If this, or any other, PDF document opens at too large a size, here’s what you do:

  1. Open Adobe Reader, for example, by opening a *.pdf document you have on your computer.
  2. From the Edit menu, click Preferences.
  3. With Page Display selected in the left hand list of Categories, on the right hand side of the window, choose a Page Layout and Zoom level that suits you, for example Single Page and Fit Page as shown here:Preferences
  4. Now any time you open a PDF, it will open at this zoom level.

The Rector Writes…

Clergy

Today the Great 50 days of Easter conclude with the Feast of Pentecost (or Whitsun in the traditional language of the Book of Common Prayer). The final layer of the Easter mystery is revealed.

This is the day when the Church celebrates the fulfilling of Jesus’ promise to send the Holy Spirit to strengthen and guide us in undertaking the Great Commission given as he ascended into heaven (to “make disciples of all nations, baptising them in the name of the Father and of the Son and of the Holy Spirit”). It is, therefore, significant that our Diocesan Bishop has chosen this day to launch a new Diocesan Strategy. What better day to pray that the gifts of the Spirit will flow through our efforts to live out the challenge of re-envisioning ministry, promoting growth (spiritual and numerical) and serving the common good?

But it doesn’t stop there: the gift of the Spirit is something each baptised Christian receives, and along with it the Great Commission. As the alleluias cease, the Easter Greeting is no longer used, the Paschal candle is extinguished and we enter Ordinary Time (with its familiar “green” liturgical colour) we are also reminded that this gift is precisely to enable us to live out our vocation in the “ordinary” situations of daily life.

We have been empowered to witness to the Good News in a way that blesses those around us. You will have received a copy of the Strategy, a prayer card and a copy of Luke’s Gospel. If you have not read a whole gospel through in a while, why not take the opportunity to do so this week. It might prompt you to join members of the clergy team who will be hosting a Bible study after Morning Prayer throughout June (9 to 9.30, Mon-Sat).

Blessings, Anthony