Harvest Festival details

Harvest Festival October 11th.

 

There will be two Harvest Festival services.
Sunday at  11:00am,  you do not need to book to attend this service .
Sunday at 2:00pm Family Praise – please book via Eventbrite here.  Only book one ticket per family (not per individual).
The services will also be streamed on line as usual.
As always, food for the foodbank would be greatly appreciated, as would donations for the Bishop’s Harvest Appeal which this year is supporting Tearfund and Friends of the Holy Land.  Details are in the poster attached. Leaflet_for_Harvest_Appeal_2020
You can bring donations to church or give electronically via give a little

Thank you for your support.

“Bringing God’s love into the heart of the community”

 

School admission – faith criteria

School admissions – faith criteria
If you have a child who will be starting at school in 2021 or 2022 and will be claiming church attendance in support of your application then please read on!
Applicants for 2021:
Obviously it has not been possible for parents to attend public worship since mid-March. For Applicants for places in 2021 parental attendance at worship between Sept 2019 and March 2020 will be assessed and in giving my reference I will simply assume that you would have maintained the same pattern of attendance through to August.
Applicants for 2022:
Criteria are based on parental attendance at worship from September to August in the year* prior to application, the period now starting. However, until church is fully re-opened, without restricted numbers, we will not be able to assess attendance. I will make a clear announcement when church is fully re-opened and when we are again able to assess attendance. Again attendance over the part of year that church is fully open will be reckoned as having been the pattern for the whole year.
Joining on-line services does not get taken into account.
If you want your church attendance to be taken in account you must complete a supplementary form, available from each school or from the relevant school website. Supplementary forms for All Saints and for St James should be returned direct to the school (who will forward them to me or the relevant minister). Supplementary forms for St Christopher’s will need to be brought to me on a date to be announced.
I hope this helps
Toby Webber, Vicar
*Two years in the case of admissions to St Christopher’s

Prayer for Strength and Wisdom

For Strength and Wisdom

Thank you, Lord, for being there for me and allowing me to cry out to you in my times of need. It is amazing to me that the Lord of the Universe would take time to listen to me and to care about what I say. God, there are things happening around me right now that I do not understand. Some of these things make me feel weak, helpless and afraid. Even in the midst of this, I know that you are the Lord. I know that the situation is in Your hand, and I trust You. I beseech you for strength and for wisdom that I would be able to endure this situation and be able to handle it in a way that would bring glory to Your name. In Jesus name. Amen

Prayer for union with creation

A prayer for union with creation

Father, we praise you with all your creatures.
They came forth from your all-powerful hand;
they are yours, filled with your presence and your tender love.
Praise be to you!

Son of God, Jesus,
through you all things were made.
You were formed in the womb of Mary our Mother,
you became part of this earth,
and you gazed upon this world with human eyes.
Today you are alive in every creature
in your risen glory.
Praise be to you!

Holy Spirit, by your light
you guide this world towards the Father’s love
and accompany creation as it groans in travail.
You also dwell in our hearts
and you inspire us to do what is good.
Praise be to you!

True Lord, wondrous community of infinite love,
teach us to contemplate you
in the beauty of the universe,
for all things speak of you.
Awaken our praise and thankfulness
for every being that you have made.
Give us the grace to feel profoundly joined
to everything that is.

God of love, show us our place in this world
as channels of your love
for all the creatures of this earth,
for not one of them is forgotten in your sight.
Enlighten those who possess power and money
that they may avoid the sin of indifference,
that they may love the common good, advance the weak,
and care for this world in which we live.
The poor and the earth are crying out.
O Lord, seize us with your power and light,
help us to protect all life,
to prepare for a better future,
for the coming of your Kingdom
of justice, peace, love and beauty.
Praise be to you!
Amen.

‘A Christian prayer for union with creation’ was published in Pope Francis’ encyclical, Laudato Si’.

Revd Toby’s September Newsletter

 

September 2020

Dear friends

Another month has come and gone and we now approach autumn.  In many ways early autumn is a lovely time of year – that time of mists and mellow fruitfulness! – but of course it also points us to short days, long nights and eventually winter.  The schools are back for the new year and it is lovely to hear the full sound of children on the playground again after the long period in which only a few children were present.  We keep our schools, pupils and teachers very much in our prayers as they get going again, not least that everyone keeps safe.

It is good that since my last letter, Hyndburn has been released from the extra restrictions.  There are still cases occurring locally, though, so it remains essential that we all continue to follow the guidance.

Attendance at church services has gradually been increasing and in recent weeks All Saints’ has been at or near ‘capacity’ for the number of separate individuals or households who can safely be in church together. The time has come to very gradually increase the number of services so that those who wish can come to worship in church and yet remain safe.

At Altham worship will continue to be weekly at 9:30, with all-age worship on the second Sunday of each month.

At All Saints’ we will continue to have a Communion service at 11am each Sunday.  For now we are still unable to sing together, but gradually the pre-recorded music will be replaced by live music with small numbers of the choir or worship group singing.  We have been very well supported by the recordings that Chris and family have made throughout lockdown, but it will be lovely to have some live music-making going on in church.

Wednesday Communion at 10am will also return from this coming Wednesday 9th September.

And on the second Sunday of each month there will be a family service at 2pm – this will last half an hour and is aimed at those with children.  Pre-booking is essential for this service via this link  https://www.eventbrite.co.uk/e/family-praise-tickets-118443861779

 

Now that autumn is here and the nights are drawing in, it might be the perfect time to take part in something new.  I’d like to invite you to join with others in taking part in the Bible Course.  Sessions will take place via Zoom on Thursday evenings beginning on 24th September at 7:30pm.  There will be a total of 8 sessions with a break over half term.  Each week will include two videos to watch, a time of discussion and a time for personal reflection.  In between each session there will be a reading to read each day.  The course is fun, interesting and doesn’t assume prior knowledge.  It will help anyone get a better overview of the bible and get used to reading its different parts and working out what it means for us today.  Please just let me know if you’ll be joining so that I can make sure you get a handbook.  Sometime next year, when things are hopefully back to a greater degree of normality, we will offer this as a face to face course for those who can’t, or would rather not, do this online.

This month sees Peter Dillon begin his training and formation for ordained ministry (three years part-time) – congratulations Peter on being called to this by God’s church.  As was the case when Lesley was training, Peter will remain in our benefice for most of the time but will be off on other placements from time to time.  As you will expect, he will have an increasing role ‘up front’.  I know that you will give him your support and your prayers at this special time.  And please remember Revd Jane, who is settled very well at Whalley, Sabden and Pendleton.  Restrictions mean that we can’t attend her ordination to the priesthood at Michaelmas, but we keep her in prayers at such a special moment in her life.

Harvest

Looking ahead, it may be helpful to know that harvest festival will be on 11th October.  I hope we’ll be able to make a bumper collection of food for our local food bank, and a generous financial response to the bishop’s harvest appeal.  We’ll make sure there is an opportunity for any not coming to church services to drop off either kind of gifts.  More details in next month’s letter.  And if you can help with items sooner than that they are always appreciated and can be dropped off at the Baptist Church on Sparth Road.

The long-delayed 2020 Annual Meetings will also take place during October.  All Saints’ will be held on Tuesday 13th October at 7:30pm.  Altham St James’ will be held on Sunday 18th at 9:30am.

This week I led worship with the new Year 7 pupils at St Christopher’s and introduced them to the school prayer – which is a very famous prayer written by St Ignatius of Loyala.  You probably know it.  I asked them to think about it before inviting them to join in saying the words as they ask a lot of us.  I commend them to you as we leave the summer and head into an uncertain autumn.  Words of commitment to Christ in this and every season of life.

Teach us, good Lord,
to serve you as you deserve,
to give and not to count the cost,
to fight and not to heed the wounds,
to toil and not to seek for rest,
to labour and not to ask for any reward,
save that of knowing that we do your will.  Amen.

God bless you and keep safe.

Yours in Christ

Toby

 

Revd