Parish Newsletter

Welcome Wednesdays Wind Up…

A great end to the season on Wednesday with a party in the dining room, Bob Jones providing the music, and Mass in the back garden with over fifty friends and visitors. A truly joyful way to end this remarkable series of Welcome Wednesdays. The original idea came from Renewal Steering Group, not sure if it would work or not, meet a need or not… And the idea has absolutely flown. Huge thanks to Pat and Lyn who mastermind everything. Hope we’re all ready for a new season when September comes!

 

New Look Parish Council

Conscious that FP would be moving on some time, the PC wanted to be as flexible a structure as possible and not to tie Fr David’s hands in any way. He may want a much bigger PC or a much smaller one, elected or appointed, human or Martian, or no PC at all! Entirely his choice. So, we asked the existing ten members if they wanted to stay on for this new Interim PC: Cristina Dominte, Denise Jones and Gerry Tighe thought now was the right time to stand down, and we thank them hugely for all they have done for us. Tina Bainbridge, Lal Cook, Pat Floate, Marian McCarthy, Bernice Meredith, Steve Tierney and Lyn Williams were all willing to continue and become the new slimmed-down PC, its main task being the transition from one PP to another. Enormous thanks to them all. Marian is the new Chair, taking over from Lyn, and those two will be pivotal in the transition, our two Roman Consuls!

 

Two New Banners - and Third on Its way!

I hope you love our two new Banners as much as I do, proudly in  place this weekend: one celebrates our 150th and the Seven Sacraments, the other our 150th and our central concept of Community and “Welcome”. A third - Helen’s St Werburgh Goose Banner – is on its way. 
Thanks, Vera, Bernadette, Stella, Gladys and Helen! 

 

Free Table – And So the Great Chuck-Out Continues…

Almost all the Maths Books went, with just a few left for any budding Einsteins! Today the books are joined by lots of CD’s, including a number of excellent Box Sets of Operas. All needing a good home – just help yourselves.

 

Our 150th Anniversary: The Planning Goes On

Another excellent meeting last Thursday, despite Mommalat being on the roof of Milan Cathedral. (Don’t ask!) We looked back at the Shrewsbury and Holywell Pilgrimages, the Open Week of Faith, the refurbishment of old Parish Priest graves, and all our other wonderful ventures. And then forward to our great Anniversary Meal on Friday 12th September, our Parish Prayer Book and lots of other Autumn initiatives. Happy 150th, everyone!

 

Hiroshima & Nakasaki 80th Anniversary: Wed 6th Aug

8.00 pm on the Groves. All welcome to meet for readings, music and the dropping of flowers from the bridge. 

 

Donating to the Parish – Update

Our Card Reader/Contactless facility has now been installed at the back of church. This complements our online donations through the website and QR Code. We’ll shortly be adding a QR code to the Newsletter as well.

 

Last Call to book your place at our Thanksgiving Meal

On Friday 12th September, 7.00-9.00 pm at the High School. About 135 of the 150 places have been booked: the list will close Sunday August 10th. 
Please sign up at the back of Church or email : liturgy@stwerburghschester.co.uk

 

August Newsletters

I’m off on Hols on Monday 18th August so will be doing the Newsletters for Sundays 24th and 31st before I go. Items for these to me by Thursday 14th at the very latest, please. And generally, everyone: Thursday is deadline for all Newsletter entries. 

 

Our New 150th Anniversary Parish Prayer Book

In the Autumn, we plan to produce a prayer book to commemorate our 150th Anniversary.
Please send in your personal favourites to : Liturgy@stwerburghschester.co.uk.

 

Hospice Fundraising Update

£193.95 has come in this week, taking our total to 
£17,401.73. We cannot thank you all enough.

 

My Summer Holiday: Mon 18th Aug–Fri 5th Sept

Cleethorpes here I come!

 

Re-Laying the Garden Path

Good response to our request for recommendations for a good firm/contractor. Any more you know of? 

 

Next 150th Planning Meeting: Thurs 25th Sept 7.30

 

Second Parish Pilgrimage to Shrewsbury

Eighteen of us went down by train on Thursday, the usual lovely stroll through the town, coffee at the old Salop Royal Infirmary, Mass and lunch at the Cathedral, a guided tour and finishing the day with Stations and the 4.30 train back. A perfect day out.

 

St Werburgh’s & St Columba’s Primary School.

Mrs Oates, our much-loved Headteacher, is due to retire in December. Who could possibly replace her?
ctgonline.co.uk/jobs/6870b6a9473dd8927720524a

 

Day Chapel Conversion: The Celia Murphy Room

Our team, Lyn, Marian, Pat & Bernice, met the new Architect a fortnight ago. Now it’s full steam ahead!

 

Cabaret: Wednesday 13th August

2 extra tickets  for Cabaret snaped up immediately. Great to have you with us, Barbara and John! Final instructions coming out early next week: meanwhile  there are still a couple of outstanding train fares…

 

Repository Summer Closure: 27th July – 14th Sept

Our special Bookmarks celebrating the 150th Anniversary of St Werburgh's, priced at £1 each, will still be available on the Repository stand.

 

Summer Concert Saturday 9th August 7.30 pm

Our next concert here in church is “Music for a Summer Evening – Baritone, Piano and Organ” – by our good friends Henry Smith and Marcus Coleridge.

 

Names for First Holy Communions Parish Group

Year 3 and above and not at Catholic Primaries. We will take older children, but ideally, they should be Year 3. Closing date: Monday 1st September. 

 

Photo of the Week: St Hilda’s Church, Whitby

Beautifully decorated inside in the Neo-Gothic style. I was there last for my dear friend Fr William’s Ordination in 1994, now Chaplain at Hull University. Talking of Gothic, Whitby is also home to Dracula; and, in St Mary’s Church (C of E) one of the very few surviving Victorian Triple-Decker Pulpits.  
Forget Cleethorpes, I think I’ll go to Whitby…