Parish Newsletter

Liturgical

 

Isaiah 49, 3-6; Psalm 39; I Corinthians 1, 1-13; John 1, 18-22

Saturday 6.00 pm: Rowton Methodists: Mary Dillon (L.D., Queensland, Australia)

Sunday 9.00 am: St Werburgh’s: Paul Lawton – Birthday Remembrance

Sunday 10.45 am: St Werburgh’s: Maureen Scargill (L.D.)

Sunday 6.00 pm: St Werburgh’s: Maureen Wilkinson (L.D.)

 

Monday 16^th January: Ferial: Hebrews 5, 1-10; Psalm 109; Mark 2, 18-22

12.15 pm: St Werburgh’s: Kathleen Woodbury (Birthday Remembrance)

1.10 pm: University Chapel: University Mass – All Welcome

 

Tuesday 17^th January: St Anthony of Egypt: Hebrews 6, 10-20; Psalm 110; Mark 2, 23-28

10.00 am: St Werburgh’s: Bill Butcher (Anniversary)

2.00 pm: Blacon: Funeral Service for Richard Formby, late of Grosvenor Manor N.H.

 

Wednesday 18^th January: Ferial: I Samuel 17, 32-51; Psalm 143; Mark 3, 1-6

11.30 am: St Werburgh’s: Requiem Mass for Sheila Wright, late of Kingsway

 

Thursday 19^th January: Ferial: Hebrews 7,25 - 8,6; Psalm 39; Mark 3, 7-12

11.00 am: St Werburgh’s: Peggy Richardson

 

Friday 20^th January: Ferial: Hebrews 8, 6-13; Psalm 84; Mark 3, 13-19

12.15 pm: St Werburgh’s: Michelle Mayers, née Byrne (L.D.)

1.05 pm High School: Weekly Voluntary Mass

 

Saturday 21^st January: St Agnes: Hebrews 9, 2-14; Psalm 46; Mark 3, 20-21

10.00 am: HMP Berwyn: Mass for Prisoners, Staff and Visitors

10.30 – 12.00 noon: St Werburgh’s: Confessions

12.00 noon: St Werburgh’s: Service for Week of Prayer for Christian Unity – All welcome!

3.00 pm: Chester Cathedral: Churches Together in Cheshire Service for Week of Prayer

6.00 pm: Rowton Methodists: Kathleen Smyth (L.D.)

 

SUNDAY 22^nd JANUARY 2023: THIRD SUNDAY IN ORDINARY TIME (YEAR A)

Isaiah 8,23 – 9,3; Psalm 26; I Corinthians 1, 10-17; Matthew 4, 12-23

Saturday 6.00 pm: Rowton Methodists: Kathleen Smyth (L.D.)

Sunday 9.00 am: St Werburgh’s: Albert and Sheila Norman (Anniversary & Birthday Remembrance)

Sunday 10.45 am: St Werburgh’s: Joan Hall (100^th Birthday Thanksgiving)

Sunday 6.00 pm: St Werburgh’s: Jo and Jerry McCann (Anniversaries)

Sunday 7.00 pm: Christleton Methodists: Service for the end of the Week of Prayer – all welcome.

 

PRAYER INTENTIONS

Your prayers are asked for the following who are sick: Kath Stanton, Brian Boardman Jnr, James Convey, Bill Hackett, Laura Chadwick, Stuart Clark, Keith Hayes, Ruth O’Kane, and Kevin Maguire and for all the sick of the Parish; and for those who have died recently, especially Sheila Wright, Richard Formby and Margaret Laird; and for those whose anniversaries occur about this time: Jane Butcher, Mary Smith, Barbara Stoppard, Beatrice Holding, Rose Hughes, Gerard Melia, George Kirby, Kath Lewis, Ellen Milner, Winifred Larkin, Maureen Hodges, Bridget Murphy, Mary Moran, Agnes Martin, Michael Kimpton, Alethea Griffin, John Beatty, Jerry McCann, Veronica Clyne, Brida Stanton, Eric Roberts, Marion Dowdall, Rocky Donnelly, Jo McCann, Patrick Nicholson, Christine Andrews, Sheila Norman, David Roberts, Mary Rowlands, Gwynneth Power, Constance Ridgway, Kathleen O’Brien, Beryl Deacon, William Walsh, Lee-Anne Stigling. May They Rest in Peace.

 

Parish events

 

New Readers Training and Recruitment

Delighted to be back to two Readers on Sunday Mornings, doubling everyone’s opportunity of reading. Many of you indicated an interest in joining the rota on the recent Parish Renewal Recruitment Drive: so, there will be a training session for our new readers, on Tues 24th January, at 7.00 pm for an hour, in the church. If there is anyone else who’d like to volunteer for this important ministry then drop an email to marian.mccarthy@btinternet.com, and do please come along to this session and see what you think!

 

Confirmation 2023: Wednesday May 10^th

The Chester Parishes take it in turns to organise Confirmation: one year it’s St Theresa’s and St Columba’s, the other year it’s St Werburgh’s, St Clare’s and St Francis. This year it’s our turn. We will be running the programme, but the final Sacrament of Confirmation with Bishop Mark will be at St Francis on Wednesday 10^th May, 7.00 pm. Classes will be here at St Werburgh’s. on Wednesday evenings, starting 1^st March. The Launch Meeting (for Candidates and at least one parent) is Monday 20^th February. Minimum Age: second year High School (Year 8). No maximum, and always delighted to hear from Adults who weren’t confirmed as youngsters but would like to be now. They will have separate classes. Flyers at back of church with full details, so get those names in, everyone!

 

Would You Like to be a Confirmation Catechist?

A number of our excellent team now feel it’s time to stand down and make room for younger folk. We do thank them, in some cases for many years of faithful service – and their wish to stand down is very much in the spirit of our Parish Renewal Programme, about which you’ll be hearing a lot more in the coming weeks. So, would anyone like to join the Confirmation Catechists Team? It only commits you for one year, not for life! If interested, please let FP know, and there’s an Open Meeting for potential new recruits on Wednesday 1^st February at 7.00 pm in the House.

 

First Holy Communion Preparation

Our Parish Group (children not at the Catholic Primary) meet on Tuesday 17^th at 6.30 pm, children in Church and parents in House. This is their final meeting before First Forgiveness on Saturday 28^th so please make sure the children have completed as far as page 12 in their books and have learnt the Act of Contrition on page 18. Finally, if any parishioners would like to be a Prayer Sponsor for one of our youngsters, then please email Louise Robertshaw on robertshaw499@btinternet.com, or see her in church. Many thanks, everyone.

 

Chester Catenians Annual Fish and Chip Supper

Many thanks to everyone who turned up on Friday night to make this event such a success. Over 130 came along, and over £700 was raised for the Catenians’ charities, meaning they’ve raised £1,800 so far this year. Congratulations to Fr Neill (Catenian President) and all the Brothers on an excellent evening. 130 Fish and Chip Suppers! It meant 2.00 am in the kitchen for me, of course, but they all felt I’d got the batter just right, and the chips were to die for. I’m here to serve…

 

Liturgy Group Meeting on Wednesday

7.00 pm, please, in the House, to start the planning for Lent and Easter. Help!!!!

 

Shrewsbury Lourdes Hospitality: Next Meeting

19^th January 2023 at 7.30 pm. This will be a zoom meeting. Please register your attendance and make any requests for the password, apologies or submit items for the agenda: text/call 07541-249-267 or secretary@teamshrewsbury.co.uk 

 

Crib Collection for Diocesan Children’s Society

Final Total Next Week: Many thanks, everyone!

 

Children’s Liturgy Has Started Again at 10.45 Mass

For children 4-8, please. Parents may come with their children, especially initially: but we’d prefer if you dropped them off and picked them up again afterwards, as they’re much better behaved when you’re not there!! (Cheek!) Many thanks, CL Team!

 

Friday Morning Live-Streaming Meeting

We sat down with the Diocesan Architect and installation team, to look at what we need to present to Historic Churches Commission for their consent. Running a cable through from the Office to the back of church is no easy task – these Victorian Presbyteries and Churches weren’t built with the internet in mind! But we’re hopeful it can be done, and that HCC will approve. Watch this space!

 

Week of Prayer for Christian Unity: 16/21 Jan

Each weekday, we are once again visiting the churches of the Christleton and Waverton Churches Together for a time of Prayer together and a cup of tea afterwards. 12.00 noon each day: Monday 16^th: Waverton Evangelical, Eggbridge Lane

• Tuesday 17^th: Rowton Methodists
• Wednesday 18^th: St Peter’s Waverton
• Thursday 19^th: Christleton Methodists
• Friday 20^th: St James Christleton
• Saturday 21^st: St Werburgh’s

Then Saturday afternoon, we are all invited to the Cathedral for the county-wide Churches Together in Cheshire Service, with our Church Leaders, 3.00 pm.

Sunday evening, 22^nd, we gather at Christleton Methodists for our Christleton Churches Together Service, with our own Music Group.

 

New Diocesan Year Books and Ordos for 2023

New supply of Ordos has arrived – they’re going fast!

 

Diocesan Day for Chester Catechists – 4^th Feb

The Diocesan Mission for Catechesis team is organising a day for all catechists (Baptismal, First Holy Communion, Confirmation, RCIA, Marriage Prep, the lot) for all the Chester Parishes, to introduce themselves and explain how they might be able to support our individual work. Saturday 4^th February, 10.00-5.00 pm, St Columba’s Parish Hall. Get the date in your Diaries, everyone!

 

Repository Re-Opens Sunday 29^th January

Paula and Bernice send love from Blackpool.

 

Photo of the Week: I Thought It Was Censored!

A photo I took legal action to suppress… The Altar Servers Christmas Treat 2019, a visit to the Panto. And who did the Dame have to get up on stage?  (I’ll kill that Eugene Deponeo!)