NEWS & VIEWS

Today Passiontide begins and Holy Week is just around the corner. Our Gospel recounts the gripping story of Jesus raising his friend Lazarus - who had been dead for four days - from the dead. The humanity of Jesus is emphasised - we are told that he was ‘greatly disturbed in spirit and deeply moved’ - yet also his divinity – he uses the miracle so that the people may believe that the Father sent him. The event is a very clear prefiguring of Christ’s resurrection and a powerful lesson that Jesus is ‘the resurrection and the life’ and those who believe in him, even though they die, will live.

PASSIONTIDE begins today on what was traditionally called Passion Sunday. The liturgical mood begins to turn more markedly towards Christ’s Passion and death as Holy Week approaches. Crosses, statues and some images are veiled to help us to concentrate on the great essentials of Christ’s work of redemption.

LENT Please do ensure you have a copy of the special Lent, Holy Week and Easter leaflet, which lists our services during this holy season, and check the list of services above. There is no Mass here tomorrow.

ILFORD COMMUNITY GROCERY for £5 a year anyone can fill their grocery basket twice a week for £4 each time. Opens Tuesday 28 March at City Gates, 25-29 Clements Road. Also there are free training courses at the same venue. Details at communitygrocery.org.uk/ilford or from 020 3422 6511.

MESSIAH Ilford’s St Alban’s Singers will perform excerpts from Handel’s great oratorio at St John’s Seven Kings at 7.30pm on Wednesday 12 April. Admission is free but a collection will be taken for The House of Hope (bahay-ng-pag-asa.org), a Philippines children’s charity. The choir, which rehearses at St John’s on Tuesday nights, is also recruiting singers. No experience necessary; membership is free! For more information contact stalbans.singers@gmail.com /
07984 338978 / 020 8550 5987.

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).

PILGRIMAGE TO WALSINGHAM We have booked twelve places for a pilgrimage to Our Lady’s Shrine at Walsingham (walsinghamanglican.org.uk) from Monday 15 - Thursday 18 April 2024. The total price - including full board and travel by coach - is estimated at £380 each. Please sign the list at the back of church if you would like to come, and secure your place with a £10 deposit. If you would like further information, please ask Hilary Hardwick.

TURKEY/SYRIA EARTHQUAKE Thank you to all who donated to our earthquake appeal. You raised £600 and this has now been sent to Tearfund, who in turn will send it to their church partner in Syria. The Church writes: On behalf of the people we serve, thank you. It has been humbling to see the quick and generous response from people like you to this tragedy. Your donation is a lifeline to people who have lost everything. Thank you, and please continue to pray for everyone affected by the earthquake across the region – as well as the ongoing impact of the conflict in Syria. Poverty is not God’s plan. You are.

INTERCESSION

OF YOUR CHARITY, PLEASE PRAY FOR

the sick, distressed and bereaved
John & Joan Cassidy, Richard Holland, Sam, 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, Matthew, Jacqui & Leslie Haigh, Bibi Bacchus, Awin, Margaret Hopwood; Barbara Hope

the recently departed

  Anna Matthews priest

those whose anniversaries of death fall this week

Sunday

Edwin Andrews, George Challenger

Monday

Eileen Row, Harry Price

Wednesday

Charles Thorne

Thursday

Florence Mills

Friday

Beryl Row

please pray especially for

persecuted Christians

ORDER OF SERVICE