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ST ANDREW’S CHURCH, GT ILFORD Bishop Jacob Memorial Church

Church of England Charity Registration No 1132483

Vicar: The Revd Canon Marie Segal

Curate: The Revd Hayley Morris

St Andrew’s offers welcome, friendship and care to everyone through the Good News of Jesus Christ.

FEBRUARY BULLETIN 2018

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VICAR’S LETTER

FEBRUARY 2018 Dear All On 14th February, St Valentine’s Day, we begin the period of Lent. In some ways, this seems quite appropriate, as during Lent we remember, consider and mediate on the greatest act of love that God showed for each of us. Lent leads us towards Easter and the death and resurrection of Jesus Christ, God’s Son. Valentine’s Day: Valentine was a priest or a bishop of Terni who was martyred at Rome under the Emperor Claudius. The connection of this celebration with lovers seems to be either as the traditional day in medieval belief when birds mated, or, more likely, as being linked with the pagan Lupercalia festival in Rome, which occurred on the Ides of February. For Christians, the day marks an acknowledgement of an all-loving God who blesses those who love one another, as Jesus implored his own disciples so to do. This year Ash Wednesday is on 14th February and we will be having an ecumenical Holy Communion service at St Andrew’s at 8 pm. Ash Wednesday is the first day of Lent. The name comes from the tradition of putting a small cross of ash on people’s forehead at Ash Wednesday church services. This is a sign of confession and helps people to remember that they rely on God for forgiveness from their sins. This is still done in some churches today. The ash sometimes comes from palm branches that were burned after the Palm Sunday service the previous year. Lent and Advent are periods of preparation and waiting for the two main festivals in the Christian calendars. Through the ecumenical course, prayer meetings and lent book, it is hoped that amongst the secular aspects of the

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season opportunities will be given for Christians to stop and pause and consider the reasons for the seasons. We will raise money throughout Lent to support the Bishop’s Lent appeal. It may be that as you consider giving something up for Lent (a very traditional practice) you could give the money you save to this appeal. Watch out for the poster advising where this money will go in 2018. I would ask you all to put these dates and events in your diary and give their attendance a high priority this year. God bless Revd Canon Marie Segal Vicar, St Andrew’s Church

Our text for 2017/2018: “He said to them, ‘The harvest is plentiful, but the labourers are few; therefore ask the Lord of the harvest to send out labourers

into his harvest.’”

Vicar: The Revd Canon Marie Segal 0208 554 9791 segal.marie@btinternet.com Normal day off – Friday

Curate: The Revd Hayley Morris 0208 518 5374 hayleyjm@yahoo.co.uk Normal day off - Saturday

Website: www.saintandrews.wordpress.com

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PRAYER DIARY “In everything, by prayer and supplication with thanksgiving, let your requests be made known to God. Philippians 4 v 6. Please pray especially for those listed below and for God’s World, particularly

thinking of all the war-torn areas currently in the news.

MONDAY: Lesley Williams, Vinita and Hermes James, Betty HJobbs, Robert Must, Jackie Gotts, Dorothy Green, Helen Bailey, Edgar Fleary, Iris Martin, Barry Shortte. TUESDAY: Sylvia and her family, Ben and Veronica Isaacs, Ian Husbands and his mum, Pamela Wood, Sharon Deeming, Lily Harris, John Enever, Jason and Barbara. WEDNESDAY: Jennifer Motley, Iris Robinson and her brother Eddie, Marion West, Cameron Williams, Rose Young, Cheryl Baker. THURSDAY: Hayley Morris’ ministry – school and church, Joyce Fuller, Gary and Ellen Harley and family, Barry Webster, Nancy Hudson, Neil, Michael Gotts, Sarah Oyston, PCC Members. FRIDAY: Marie and Lawrence Segal, Ian Manuel, Alex McLeman, Carol and Linus Louisy, Doreen Woods, Charline Gotts, Iris Freeman, Helen Kemp, Youth Church.

PRAYER AT THE CENTRE OF OUR CHRISTIAN LIFE Well,

that is the theory, but how much time do you really give to prayer? Prayer comes in many shapes and sizes but can be divided into two forms – individual or corporate prayer. Both forms are important and necessary for any Christian and both help each of us to communicate with God and grow in faith.

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If prayer is so important, why do we find it so hard? Have you noticed that as soon as you sit down to pray thoughts seem to cascade into your mind – shopping lists completed, phone calls to be made, worries that sneak in and distract.

Where is the time to communicate with God? To stop and listen, because be assured that the God of the universe wants to talk and spend time with you. Sometimes we find it easier if we are with others because we have all come together with a willingness to grow deeper in our relationship with God. We are able to support, encourage and praise together; there is a certain amount of accountability when we pray collectively. My prayer for St Andrew’s is that all of us grow deeper in our knowledge and love of God. That praying becomes as important as eating and as natural as breathing. If you would like to join a Prayer Group please speak to me or Revd Hayley. Revd Marie

NOTICES

Norman Harlow’s funeral will take place at 1.45 pm in church on Friday 9th

February followed by 3 pm at Forest Crematorium, Hainault.

MU Notices: Tribute Day – Saturday 17th

February, 10.00 am to 12 noon. Informal meeting with refreshments – Thursday 22

nd February at 8.00 pm.

Why not make this year a time of growing closer to God by joining a Life Group or Bible Study. Please speak to Revd Hayley for details.

The Evangelism for the Third Age Course is running on 5th

and 12th

February at 12 noon at Holy Trinity Church, Barkingside. A light lunch is provided. Please speak to Revd Marie for further details.

Don’t forget, if you can’t manage church on a Sunday, we have a weekly service of Holy Communion every Wednesday and on the fourth Saturday of the month a Family Worship Service from 4.30 to 5.30 pm, including Bible stories, activities and refreshments. This month it is on Saturday 24

th February and next month on

Saturday 24th

March.

January flowers were donated by Mike Spencer and Margaret Maqbool.

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LENT

Lent is the forty day period before Easter, excluding Sundays, which begins on Ash Wednesday (14th February 2018) and ends on Holy Saturday (the day before Easter Sunday, 1st April 2018). This year we will be offering a number of ways to keep Lent at St Andrew’s: 1 Lent Book: “Say it to God: In Search of Prayer”: The Archbishop of

Canterbury's Lent Book 2018 - Luigi Gioia. Paperback version £6.99 – please speak to Revd Marie if you would like a copy. Also available on Kindle.

2 Ash Wednesday, 14th February, Holy Communion Service at St Andrew’s at 8 pm.

3 Ecumenical Lent Course at Cranbrook Baptist Church, Tuesdays 20th and 27th February, 6th, 13th and 20th March at 8 pm.

4 Joint Prayer Evening with our Asian Congregation on Wednesday evenings from 7 pm, 21st and 28th February, 7th, 14th and 21st March.

5 Lent lunches on Sundays 25th February and 18th March. 6 Raising funds for the Bishop’s Lent appeal. 7 Holy Week evening Holy Communion services at 8 pm on Monday,

Tuesday and Wednesday. 8 Maundy Thursday, 29th March: 11 am Chrism Service at Chelmsford

Cathedral; Holy Communion Service at 8 pm at The Drive Methodist Church.

9 Holy Saturday, 31st March – Holy Communion Service at 10 am followed by the Big Clean and preparing the church for Easter.

10 Easter Sunday, 1st April.

Let’s stop now and individually consider what we will be doing this Lent and commit it to God, here in this place where we come together to worship Him. Remember it’s between you and God – no one else.

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FEBRUARY DATES

Sat 3rd

9.30 am Being good in schools St Mary, Loughton

Mon 5th

12.30 pm Evangelism for the 3rd

Age H.Trinity, B’side

6.30 pm Cranbrook Governors’ training South Woodford

Tues 6th

12 noon Chapter St Barnabas

Weds 7th 9.30 am Holy Communion/Coffee Shop Church

7.00 pm Street Pastors’ AGM Wanstead

Thurs 8th

12 noon FERM MMU Chadwell Heath

8.00 pm Standing & Finance Committee Vicarage

Fri 9th

9.30 am M.Prayer/Worship Committee Church

1.45 pm Norman Harlow’s Funeral and Church

3.00 pm Forest Crematorium Hainault

Monday 12th

to Friday 16th

February – Half Term

Weds 14th

Ash Wednesday

9.30 am Holy Communion/Coffee Shop Church

8.00 pm Holy Communion Church

Thurs 15th

Clergy Quiet Day Chelmsford

Saturday 17th

/Sunday 18th

– Guides’ Big Sleep – Church Hall

Sat 17th

10.00 am MU Tribute Day

Mon 19th

9.00 am Cranbrook School INSET School

Tues 20th

10.00 am Counter Terrorism Briefing St John Leyton

6.00 pm Bishop’s Council Chelmsford

8.00 pm Lent Course

Weds 21st

9.30 am Holy Communion/Coffee Shop Church

8.00 pm Asian Church Lent Prayer Mtg Church

7.45 pm Deanery Synod St Cedd

Thurs 22nd

8.00 pm MU Wilson Room

Sat 24th

11.00 am Community Coffee Morning Wilson Room

4.30 pm Family Worship Church

Sun 25th

Lent Lunch – Lent Appeal Hall

Tues 27th

8.00 pm Lent Course

Weds 28th

9.30 am Holy Communion/Coffee Shop Church

8.00 pm Asian Church Lent Prayer Mtg Church

1.00 pm Interfaith Ladies’ Wedding Workshop

Wilson Room

7.00 pm Clergy Supervision Vicarage

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Please see overleaf for regular services.

FEBRUARY SERVICES

Morning Prayer 9.00 am Monday, Tuesday, Thursday and Friday

Holy Communion 9.30 am Wednesday, followed by Coffee Shop

6.30 pm 3rd Sunday with prayer for healing (18th February) Family Worship

4.30 pm Fourth Saturday (24th February) Asian Worship

3.30 pm Sunday

DATE SERVICE READINGS

4th

February 2

nd Sunday before Lent

All Age – Christingle TBA

11th

February Sunday before Lent

Holy Communion (Dove) 2 Corinthians 4:3-6 Mark 9:2-9

14th

February Ash Wednesday

Holy Communion Joel 2:1-2, 12-17 Matthew 6:1-6, 16-21

18th

February 1

st Sunday of Lent

Holy Communion (Lent) Genesis 9:8-17 Mark 1:9-15

25th

February 2

nd Sunday of Lent

Holy Communion (Lent) Genesis 17:1-7 Mark 8:31-end

ENTRIES FOR MARCH BULLETIN SHOULD BE WITH

MARION PANK NO LATER THAN WEDNESDAY 21st

FEBRUARY 2018

(marionpank@outlook.com – 0208 270 0819)

St Andrew’s Church, Gt Ilford The Drive

Ilford, IG1 3PE