NEWS & VIEWS

Today, called Sexagesima in older calendars, eight weeks before Easter, we continue the ‘pre-Lent’ season. In the Gospel we hear some simple to understand instructions for our lives from Jesus. May God give us the grace to strive first for his kingdom. Then, Jesus promises, the necessities of earthly life will be given to us as well – so we should try not to worry about them.

WEEKLY SERVICES Until the beginning of Lent, the only weekday Mass will be on Thursday at 10am and there will be no public Evening Prayer on Sundays.

NEW DIRECTOR OF MUSIC The Vicar and Church Council are delighted to announce the appointment of Barry Hopwood as our new Director of Music. We are supremely grateful to John Cox for staying on in the role (after retiring) to see us through Covid and pending the new appointment: We will miss his leading of the musical elements of our worship but also look forward to a ‘new chapter’ as Barry - who has lent his voice to the choir over the last few months – takes over from March.

FR GARETH is on leave for the rest of this week: Any urgent matters should be raised with a Churchwarden.

PALM CROSSES Could you please bring any Palm Crosses you may have to church before Ash Wednesday (22 February this year) so that - in keeping with tradition - they can be burned to ash for use on our foreheads on that day.

MMU QUIZ EVENING There will a quiz evening at St Margaret’s at 7.30pm on Saturday 25 March and St Mary’s (and St Luke’s) folk are specially invited. Further details to follow.

REGULAR GIVING We rely on the people who worship at St Mary’s to cover the costs associated with our church. Financial giving to fund the ministry of the Church is part of being a Christian and an essential part of our commitment to our faith. Please, if you don’t already, would you consider giving a regular amount each month? We are really struggling to make ends meet! No amount is too small. Using our parish giving plan is easy and you are in full control (and Margaret Quinney will be pleased to help you if needed).

NEW YOUTH CHOIR The Royal School of Church Music in Essex and East London (RSCM-EEL) has set up a youth training choir - The Elvers - for which 35 choristers have signed up. Go to tinyurl.com/elverschoir for more information. They will be singing Choral Evensong, with the Romford based Wykeham Chamber Choir, in St Paul’s Cathedral on Bank Holiday Monday 1 May at 5pm .

WALSINGHAM We would like to gauge if there is any interest in a parish pilgrimage to Walsingham in September this year (no dates yet confirmed). It would be Monday-Thursday. If this is something you would be interested in, please put your name on the list at the back of church. We need a minimum of 12 people to make it viable.

TURKEY/SYRIA EARTHQUAKE We are supporting the Tearfund (a Christian charity) appeal for the disaster fund set up to deliver aid to those affected by this devasting earthquake. If you would like to donate to the fund, please use the card machine in church [select Earthquake Appeal], or put cash/cheques (payable to St Mary’s Ilford PCC) in the box at the back of church, or follow the link here: https://givi.ng/klbt.

INTERCESSION

OF YOUR CHARITY, PLEASE PRAY FOR

the sick, distressed and bereaved
John & Joan Cassidy, Richard Holland, Lucy Ball, Amberly Crediton, Kathy Valentine, Margaret Harding, Mel Taylor, Bernard Street, Muriel Masters, Keith Holland, Helen Johnson, Joe & Sally Cox, Kay Higgins, Edward, Peter Decker, Doris Collom, Matthew, Jacqui & Leslie Haigh; Barbara Hope

the recently departed

Dave Collom, Doreen Barclay, Art Okungbower

those whose anniversaries of death fall this week

Monday

Lilian Leggatt, Mary Moore

Wednesday

Bill Clarke, Hyacinth Dash

Thursday

Queenie English

Saturday

Ethel Hunt

please pray especially for

those affected by the earthquake in Turkey and Syria

ORDER OF SERVICE