NEWS & VIEWS

Today we celebrate our Patronal Festival – anticipating the birthday of Our Lady, the Blessed Virgin Mary, our patron – to whom our church is dedicated. The Old Testament reading prophesies the birth to her of Our Lord in Bethlehem and the psalm prefigures her in her heavenly splendour. The Gospel relates her cousin Elizabeth’s prophetic ‘blessed are you among women’ and recounts Mary’s joyful song - ‘My soul magnifies the Lord’. As we worship God today, we also revivify our devotion to Mary, that astounding young woman whose willing acceptance of her destiny changed human history for all time.

A WARM WELCOME to Bishop Guli, the 12th Bishop of Chelmsford, on her first visit to Ilford; to The Deputy Mayor of Redbridge, Cllr Saira Jamil; to Fr Leigh Daynes, Assistant Curate in Becontree South Team Ministry, on his second visit here; and to all our visitors.

SPONSORED WALK On Saturday Nicky Tann is to walk 50km (31 miles) along the Thames Path in aid of Dementia UK. She would welcome sponsors via justgiving.com/nickytannThamesPath23 and adds “I will also accept cash donations and prayers for my poor feet!”

ILFORD MMU BBQ Our Mission and Ministry Unit (MMU) is hosting a FREE BBQ after Mass on Sunday 17 September from 12.15pm in the grounds of St Margaret’s Church, Balfour Road, Ilford, IG1 4HZ. This is an opportunity for the congregations of our 3 churches (St Mary’s, St Margaret’s, and St Luke’s) to get to know each other better over food and drinks. All are welcome!

SIM CARDS Fr Gareth has a number of Vodafone SIM cards with 6 months’ free unlimited data, calls and SMS. These are intended for those struggling to pay mobile phone bills. If you would like one, please speak to Fr Gareth in confidence - when he is back from leave - and he will be able discreetly to issue one to you.

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.

ILFORD COMMUNITY GROCERY for £5 a year anyone can fill their grocery basket twice a week for £4 each time at City Gates, 25-29 Clements Road, between 9.30 and 4.30 Monday-Friday. The quality of the food available is very good and free support courses are on offer at the same venue. Details at communitygrocery.org.uk/ilford or from 020 3422 6511. There are flyers at the back of church.

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, Sally Cox, Matthew, Jacqui & Leslie Haigh, Bibi Bacchus, Eddie Burns, Fr Michael,
David Weller, Jacob Hope, Fr Elwin Cockett, Brenda Fitter, Katharine & Edward Lewis; Fr Christopher

the recently departed 

Eric Murphy

those whose anniversaries of death fall this week

Sunday

Susan Mason

Tuesday

Eric Bennett

Thursday

Virginija Grigoraitiene

Saturday

William Cull

please pray especially for

Our bishop and diocese

ORDER OF SERVICE