All churches, including ours are adopting the following precautions during the coronavirus outbreak;

• There will only be one kind of communion – the consecrated bread.
• The Peace  will not be shared by shaking hands, but by using sign language.
• The collection plate will not be passed around.
• People will be encouraged to remain standing for Holy Communion, rather than by touching and kneeling at the rail.
• Please could everyone be conscious of their own hygiene and continue to follow official advice.

Thank you.

Great news! The new boiler is up and running and all services on as usual! Church should be lovely and warm! See the calendar.

LENT

LENT is a time when we look to strengthen our spiritual muscles by a more focussed discipline that we may grow in gratitude, faith, and love.  Three aspects of Christian discipline which have a special prominence in lent are prayer, fasting and giving.  Jesus teaches us that all are to be done joyfully, quietly and without boasting.

PRAYER – we are invited to give more time to prayer.  As a focus for our prayers this Lent everyone is encouraged to read through St John’s gospel – using the bishop’s bible challenge leaflets or following the prompts on the church FB page.  You will be able to prepare for Easter by reading and prayerfully reflecting on the whole of the gospel over the 6 weeks leading up to Easter.

FASTING – has in some ways never been more important than today when most of us can have what we want, when we want it.  It is important to practise saying no to ourselves by abstaining from some of what we enjoy for a season.  Feasting is more meaningful after a season of fasting.  And we can fast from things other than food – e.g., from social media.

GIVING – We are to think of others and address their needs during Lent.  This Lent we are collecting items for the ‘bank’ at Clayton Baptist Church.  Items for mothers and babies are always in demand, including nappies and milk powder.  But also needed are household items, clothes, shoes, toiletries, foodstuffs, etc for those ex-prisoners, ex-homeless, ex-broken relationships who are starting out with absolutely nothing.  PLEASE could you bring something to contribute each week that you come to church this Lent?

SPECIAL MIDWEEK SERVICES DURING LENT

Thursdays 7:30pm Holy Communion
(finishing before 8am)

Friday 11am* Scriptural Stations of the Cross
(approx. 40 minutes following Jesus’ journey to Calvary)
*10am instead on 27^th March

LENT GROUPS
Looking together at passages from St John’s Gospel
Sunday morning at Altham Church 10:45am
Monday, Tuesday, Wednesday evenings in homes around the parish
Wednesday morning 11:15am in the vicarage or church, followed by soup and roll.
All welcome.

OTHER NEWS

SUNDAY NIGHT TAKE-AWAY

Within the mix of services available at All Saints’ we lack an informal worship service aimed at teens and adults rather than at children.

We are now introducing a monthly Sunday evening service called ‘Sunday Night Takeaway’.  It will feature contemporary worship, lead by a band, prayer, and a short talk.  Afterwards there will be drinks and pizza.

We especially hope that this service will appeal to those who ‘grow out’ of Friday Praise.  All those confirmed in the last few years will receive a personal invitation.  We also hope that it will offer all of us the opportunity to complement the more structured, liturgical approach of Sunday mornings with a more informal style of worship.

Do come and support the band and this new service as it gets off the ground.

The first one will be on March 29^th at 6:30pm

ADVANCED NOTICE

Clayton Fest 2020

Picnic on the park Saturday 20^th June 2020

12 noon – 4pm

Organised by the churches of Clayton-le-Moors

Musical entertainments

Side shows and activities

Children’s races

Tea, coffee and cake available

All welcome – bring a picni

PLEASE make a note of the date in your diary.

PLEASE let Toby or Barbara Anderson know if you could help as a volunteer – we are looking for marshals, people to help with refreshments, etc, etc.

PARENTS AND CHILDREN please look out for the poster competition coming out through primary schools this half-term.

We are looking to create a list of people who can help during this Coronavirus outbreak. This could be by phoning those who are alone; shopping for hose who cannot get out or being part of a rota that helps to keep the church open at specific times for individuals to have time for private pray. If you can help, please let Toby or Sara know. Thank you

In addition, this Lent we are asking Parishioners to bring items that can help stock Clayton Baptist Church mother and baby bank and the other banks of stores held there to support those in need. Nappies and baby milk are always in demand. Clothes, towels, even shoes, pots & pans etc. We all have unused items that could be a blessing to someone else.

You can bring the items to church at one of the times it is open  and we will ensure they are taken to the Baptist Church.

Thank you.