Dear Friends,
Today is the Feast of All Saints. We celebrate the holy men and women who have triumphed over sin and temptation showing us how to be true disciples. In particular we recognise what God has done in the lives of frail human beings. When the Church celebrates saints she is celebrating what God has done for the numberless children who have been begotten in the love of the Father. And what God has done for the countless number of those we call saints God can do in love for each of us.
Parents of children who are of 1st Holy Communion age are asked to contact me so that they can be inscribed in the programme for 2015/6.
Father James
Quote: ‘ God calls us to be witnesses, not lawyers or judges’.
There is a retiring collection today for the St Edmunds Fund. This is a diocesan trust which makes grants to a wide range of groups and activities.
There will be no Senior Citizens’ Group meeting on Monday (2nd) as members will be attending the Requiem Mass for Ron Papendick at 11.30 am..
Your nominations for 3 new representatives (one for each of our churches) for the Pastoral Parish Council should now be returned to Fr James.
Operation “Christmas Child” (Samaritan’s Purse)
Completed shoeboxes: as explained in last week’s newsletter the dates for leaving the completed shoeboxes in the church for collection has been brought forward to this weekend owing to a shortage of collection drivers. In the event of any parishioners still needing to bring them to the church, boxes may be left on Monday or Tuesday but NO LATER please. You are asked to give a £3 “shipping” donation with each box to cover transportation, etc.
We had a good first session of the Journey in Faith last Sunday. All are welcome to come to the next session on Sunday 22nd November at 5pm.
A Support Cambodia RACE NIGHT will be held on Saturday 14th November at 7pm in the Parish Hall. Horses (£5) and jockeys (£3) will be on sale after Mass this weekend and next. So that we have an idea of numbers attending, admission will be by ticket: price £1 – available after Mass or from Bob and Katie on 01263 577784. Bring your friends for a really good night out with quality prizes and help disadvantaged communities in Cambodia at the same time.
A message from Kerry and Lauren (who are fundraising in order to attend the World Youth Day) “Hello everyone, we want to say again thank you for the donations you have given us for World Youth Day 2016. Another £300 has been sent off which is brilliant! Fundraising is still going on: we will be holding the Silent Auction next Sunday 8th November – so, please come prepared! On Sunday 22nd November face painting will be held at the back of the parish hall as well as a cake sale! And lastly on Friday 27th November from 5pm – 10pm the Polish community will be holding a Polish Evening for us! (A Poster is the back of the church) Tickets will be on sale soon! Thanks.
Kerry and Lauren Thorpe”.
We pray for those whose anniversaries occur at this time including: Anthony (Tony) Starmer, Cecil (Harry) Carr, Czeslaw Pelik, Helena Oakley, Ronald Chapman, Bernard Robb, Olive Fuller and Hester Armstrong.
May they rest in peace.
COMING HOME
Loving Father,
we pray for those baptised who no longer
or rarely attend Church:
that they will understand and experience in their hearts
that Christ is the source of unconditional
love and reconciliation.
We pray for everyone
who worships in our parish community,
that they may find the right words and means
to invite our absent brothers and sisters
to return to the practice of their faith.
