NEWS & VIEWS

Today we celebrate the festival of Christ the Universal King. The Gospel tells of the two criminals crucified alongside Jesus, one of whom, admitting both his guilt and our Lord’s innocence, asks ‘Jesus, remember me when you come into your kingdom’. Jesus replies, ‘today you will be with me in Paradise.’ This gives us hope and assurance that - even though we are sinners - Christ is merciful, and when turn to him in faith and love, he forgives us and welcomes us into his Kingdom.

CHRIST THE KING Today, the last Sunday of the Church year, we celebrate Christ’s universal kingship with this beautiful festival. At the end of Mass, we shall receive Christ’s sacramental blessing with Benediction of the Blessed Sacrament.

JOHN and CLARE COX are moving to York, where they will be nearer much of their family. We will say a formal and fond goodbye to them next Sunday. We shall miss them very much indeed - as friends and members of our church family, but also because of the many offices they adeptly fulfil for the running of the church and our worship. We wish them good health and every happiness in their new home. From next Sunday and for the time being, Ian Boakes, who has previously deputised for John, will be our organist for most services, whilst we seek to recruit a permanent Director of Music. Please pray that a suitable candidate will come forward.

ADVENT AT ST MARY’S Next Sunday Advent begins. This is the season at the beginning of the church year when we prepare for the great festival of Christmas, and the scriptures and liturgical themes turn us to thinking about the end times, when Christ will come again (the second Advent) to restore all things and take his people to himself in the Kingdom prepared for us. On Thursdays during Mass, Seminarian Marcel Firth will give a short homily on the Gospel reading for the day.

ADDITIONAL CURATES SOCIETY RAFFLE

ACS helps fund assistant priests for less well-off parishes and has helped St Mary’s in the past - and we hope may do so again in the future. There will be a raffle in aid of them after Mass next Sunday, Advent Sunday. Tickets will be £1 each and obtainable from Hilary Hardwick.

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 (and Margaret Quinney will be pleased to help you if needed). 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, Muriel Masters, Keith Holland, Sally Cox, Matthew, Leslie Haigh, Bibi Bacchus, Fr Michael, Fr Elwin Cockett, the Noory family, Jeanmarie Morton; Fr Christopher, Barbara Hope

for the recently departed 

Angela Appiah

for those whose anniversaries of death fall this week

Sunday

Blanche Forge, Adam Semjan, Frank Martin, Lois Martin, Margaret Ogilvie

Monday

Ralph Colgate

Wednesday

George Dawkin, Amy Hampshire, Hilda Matthews

Thursday

Jack Quinney, Anne Foster, Maud West

Friday

Phoebe Colgate, Ted Ord

Saturday

Ray Lambkin, James Mason

please pray especially for

peace in the Holy Land

ORDER OF SERVICE