NEWS & VIEWS

Easter is in two weeks’ time and today we enter Passiontide. In our Gospel we hear Jesus reflecting deeply on his imminent death. He explains why he  should not nor will not avoid it, whilst continuing to remind his hearers that he will rise again. He uses a metaphor:  Just as a grain of wheat dies and yet ‘bears much fruit’, when he is ‘lifted up from the earth’ he will ‘draw all people’ to himself. But we are not passive recipients: ‘Whoever serves me must follow me’. ‘Whoever serves me, the Father will honour.’

TODAY, the Fifth Sunday of Lent, begins the season of Passiontide and is sometimes called Passion Sunday: Our thoughts and devotions turn more towards the Cross and Passion of Jesus as Holy Week, approaches. Jewelled crosses, statues and some images are veiled to help us to concentrate all the more on the great essentials of Christ’s work of redemption.

LENT COURSE Our weekly Lent course on the Sacraments finishes on Wednesday at 7.45pm the Community Hall, but it is not too late to join in.

HOLY WEEK Begins next Sunday, Palm Sunday. Please ensure you have a copy of our Lent, Holy Week and Easter leaflet, which lists our services during Holy Week and the Easter Triduum - the pinnacle of the Christian year.

PASSION GOSPEL This year we plan to have the Passion Gospel on Palm Sunday read by members of the congregation taking roles of the evangelist and the characters in the narrative. If you would like to take part please meet in the Resurrection Chapel after Mass today for a short rehearsal.

BAPTISM & CONFIRMATION Please pray for our candidates David, Jade, Joshua, Mandy, Masiej, Natalia, Ross and Virette as they prepare to receive the Rites of Christian Initiation at Easter and Pentecost.

WE STILL NEED YOU! A friendly greeting and welcome on arrival at the door can be very reassuring to people at an unfamiliar church for the first time who may be feeling a little uneasy; and it’s nice for regulars too. We need some more welcomers to help with this important (but not onerous) ministry. It means arriving at least 15 minutes before the start of Sunday Mass, but with enough people on the rota (that we intend to produce) each one would not be called upon often. Please tell Keith Jeffery (keith@stmarysilford.org.uk) if you can help in this way.

PARISH SAFEGUARDING OFFICER (PSO) The PCC has appointed Nicky Tann as PSO in succession to Clare Cox. Nicky will work with the Vicar and PCC to ensure the highest standards of safeguarding are met and kept across our community and that any concerns are dealt with according to national Church of England policy.

LENT BOXES to take away are available at the back of church. These are for Lenten alms for the Additional Curates Society. The ACS helps less well-off parishes to afford a curate. They have helped us in the past and we hope they may do so in the future. Online donations at additionalcurates.co.uk/support-us/.

THURSDAY MASS is our principal weekday service. We begin at 9.30am with silent prayer before the Blessed Sacrament and Mass follows at 10am. Then we have coffee/tea and catch-up in the Community Hall. Why not make attending this ‘Holy Hour’ part of your Lenten discipline?

REGULAR GIVING Giving to fund the ministry of the Church is an essential part of our Christian faith. Please, if you don’t already, would you consider giving a regular amount? No amount is too small. Using our parish giving scheme is easy and you are in full control. One-off donations can be made using the Parish Giving Scheme, or with the card machine at the back of church, or by putting cash/cheques in the offering plate. Cheques should be made payable to St Mary’s Ilford PCC.

INTERCESSION

OF YOUR CHARITY, PLEASE PRAY

for the sick, distressed and bereaved
Joan Cassidy, Richard Holland, Lucy Ball, Amberly Crediton, Kathy Valentine, Margaret Harding, Mel Taylor, Bernard Street, Keith Holland, Matthew, Leslie Haigh, Bibi Bacchus, Fr Elwin Cockett, Jeanmarie Morton, Alastair Ogilvie, Paul Zmak, Dawn Roberts, Caroline & Hugo Furzland, Margaret Quinney, HM The King, Tim Holliday, Terry & Sylvia West, Judy; Eddie Burns, Augustus K

for the recently departed 

 Peter Rowley

for those whose anniversaries of death fall this week

Sunday

Florence Turner, Bernard Cassidy, Rhoda Statham, Glyn Jenkins

Monday

William Jackson, Hilda Row

Tuesday

John Dipper, Alfred Taylor

Wednesday

Martha Holmes

Thursday

Percy Hill

Friday

Nellie Garner

Saturday

Agnes Lilley, Florence Hearn, Francis Smith, Kenneth Doughlin

please pray especially for

peace in Gaza and Ukraine

ORDERS OF SERVICE