Passionate?

Passionate?

Are you passionate? I hope so! God is - and he calls us to be passionate too. God loves you passionately, and over the next couple of weeks we shall recall that as we focus on the death of Jesus on the cross. We are now in Passion-tide - the time when we remember the passion of Christ. The cross shows you and I how much he loves us.

As we remember the passion of God, how passionate does it make you to worship him, and share his love?

Easter Services

It is exciting that Easter will soon be here. Here are the service times - do join us and invite friends and family:

Maundy Th

 7:30pm Lord’s Supper Communion

Good Fri

 9:30am Walk of Witness - Meet at St Francis & walk to Stopsley

 11am United Service at Stopsley Baptist

 1:30pm ‘Around the Cross’ (at StTs)

Sat 4th

 7:30pm Easter Light Service

Easter Day

  6am Sunrise Service - Meet at StT

 8:30am Easter Communion

 9:15am Easter Breakfast

 10am Easter Parish Communion

 11:30am Easter Praise Service

 6:30pm Easter Songs of Praise 

Easter Mon

 8:30am Depart StT on Pilgrimage to  St Albans Abbey 

 1pm-ish Meet outside Abbey for Service

  

Prayer Meetings

Join us to pray! Our next prayer meeting is on Tuesday 24th March at 10am, and Sunday 12th April at 5pm. 

Don’t Forget - Clocks Change March 28/29th

Clocks go forward at 1am on Sunday March 29th. Don’t be late for church!

Lunch Date Invite!

Fancy a lunch date with some beautiful people? Wed 1st April at 12:30pm. Sign up in the porch or via the Parish Office.

Vicar - 25 Years as a ‘Priest’

This summer David Alexander reaches 25 years since his ordination as presbyter (commonly called ‘priest’). He has been invited, alongside others who are reaching a similar milestone, to a special Evensong at St Albans Abbey, where he was ordained. This is on Wednesday 29th April at 5pm. The congregations have been invited to join him at St Albans Abbey for this service - so please plan to come along. You never know, you might be able to swap him for a better model! Could you email him on vicar@stopsleyparish.org.uk if you can attend - RSVP!

Geoff Fletcher - Stewardship Advisor

Many members of the Church met Geoff when he visited our church as Stewardship Advisor and some have met him at Diocesan events. He was also a good friend of David and Jane,  since their curacy days in Barnet where he was the Churchwarden. Sadly, shortly after his retirement he was diagnosed with cancer and has recently died. There will be a special service to remember Geoff on Saturday 28th March at St Albans Abbey at 4pm to which all are welcome.

Thank you for Flowers!

‘Thank you so much for the beautiful flowers (presented at the AGM). Your kindness and thoughtfulness is much appreciated.’ Jane Alexander

New Bishop of Hertford Announced

The wait for the announcement of the next Bishop of Hertford ended on 5th March with the news of the Revd Canon Dr Michael Beasley’s nomination. He will be consecrated on 14th May in Westminster Abbey and welcomed to the Diocese in June. Canon Beasley is currently Director of Mission in the Diocese of Oxford, leading a team of 28 in their combined Mission and Ministry Department. In that role, which he has held for the last five years, he has been instrumental in helping the diocese to develop a holistic vision for mission that “sees ministry in the service of mission, and evangelism and social action as two sides of one missional coin. Oxford is a large, populous diocese containing a wide range of contexts. It’s not amenable to initiatives or to approaches that are top down or one size fits all.”

Easter Pilgrimage

Easter Monday Pilgrimage 2015 Theme: ‘Be Refreshed’. People, young and old, walk to the Abbey from across the diocese to meet and gather together in the cathedral every Easter Monday. Join them on 6th April from 2.00pm after, weather permitting, the customary picnics on the Abbey Orchard. The service begins at 3.00pm. Track the pilgrims’ progress on Twitter #emp2015

Environment Conference

From the St Albans Diocese Environment Officer, details of an environment conference in the Cathedral on Saturday April 25 2015.  Early booking is essential and Helen is happy to take enquiries in connection with this. Please contact the Parish Office for more details or Helen Hutchison, St Albans Diocese Environment Officer - environment@stalbans.anglican.org 01727 869645

Songs of Praise in Hightown

June 6th - High Town Methodist Church Luton:  Come along and enjoy an evening of wonderful hymn singing in this lovely Church, with its superb acoustics and great organ! To add to the evening we are hoping to form an 'All Churches Male Voice Choir' and will be looking for Tenor and Bass voices to provide 4 part harmony. If you are interested please contact Ralph Ford on 01582 414643 or e-mail ralphford1@btinternet.com Rehearsals will be held at High Town on Monday or Tuesday evenings.

Stainer’s Crucifixion

With choir, soloists & hymns for congregation. Organist: Roy Meek. All are welcome to join us for a meditation on the Passion. Palm Sunday 29^th March at 3 pm. St. Augustine’s Church, Icknield Way.

Deadline for Copy for Newsheet

Send any information for the newsheet by Wednesday 5pm.

Interesting Quote:

“Let things true be preferred to things false, things eternal to things momentary, things useful to things agreeable.” Lucius Caelius Lactantius

DATES FOR THE DIARY

• Wed 1 April, 12:30pm Parish Lunch
• Sat 4 April, 10-Noon Coffee Morning

WEEKLY EVENTS @ StTs:

Sunday Morning Services Rolling Worship

8:30am Communion 9:30am Breakfast

10am Communion 11am Coffee Time

11:30am Informal service

Sunday Evening Worship 6:30pm 

Midweek Communion Wed, 9:45am

Community Eve Tues 6:30pm Cafe Bible Study Tue 8pm

Morning Prayers, 9:15am Mon, Tues & Thurs 

Counselling, Wed afternoon (by appointment)

Parish Office Mon -Thurs, 10am-Noon

Baby & Toddler Group Mon 10-11:30am

Homeless Soup Kitchen  Mon 6:30pm

Sewing Group Tue 1pm

Christian Meditation Wed 6:45pm

Scrabble Thurs 10am

Tent Project - weekly social, Thur 2pm

Choir Fri 6:30pm Music Group Fri 7:30pm

CAN WE HELP?

We would love to help! To contact our Vicar, Pastoral Worker, Care Team, Wardens, Counsellor or Administrator please contact the Parish Office.  01582 729194 office@stopsleyparish.org.uk

• Visitor? Welcome! Please say hello!
• Loop Please switch your hearing aid to ‘T’. 
• Safeguarding concerns contact: 
  Judi Kingham 619432, David Alexander 729194
• Photos are sometimes taken in services.
• Join our Congregation Roll and Giving Scheme.
• Gluten-free and/or Non-Alcoholic communion available via special cards near entrance.

• Children’s Play Corner available for children 

• Lending Library of books and CDs in the Foyer.

_____________________________________

PLEASE PRAY FOR

Unwell: Elizabeth, Ray, Pat, Teresa, Elizabeth Sexton, Joyce Warren, Dick Ward, Mike Clark, Sr Maire Hayes, Paul Hughes

Long-term Needs:  Brian Gorham, Julie Windsor, Evelyn, Joyce Burgess, Elizabeth, Alan, Sadie Oliver 

Those grieving for:  Ronald Hampton, Marion Estdale, Geoff Fletcher, Evelyn, Connie Adams, Pauline Woollard