Parish Newsletter

 

Parish Renewal Update: Sunday 4th June

The renewal roadmap (outlining the way forward) will be out shortly. Each month, we will have one target, and will also indicate the target for the month ahead, so that everyone can get their thinking caps on. For the month of June, we will be launching the housekeeping and gardening groups. If you’ve volunteered for any one of the areas listed below, you will be contacted within the next week. If you are already committed to one of these groups: thanks a thousand! Please keep doing it but be willing to welcome new wolunteers to your group. Banners in church: new group starting up.

• Church cleaning: new Rota coming out.
• Church Linen: can you help Bob our Laundryman?
• Church Decorating: new wolunteers wanted.
• Flowers: new wolunteers needed.
• Library: can you help Dominique the Librarian?
• Notice Boards in Church: new wolunteers wanted.
• Silver/Brass cleaning: can you help our Silver Team?
• Trips to skip/charity shops: new wolunteers wanted.
• House and Church Garden: new wolunteers needed to join the existing team, and a rota drawn up.

Not too late to wolunteer: all are welcome and there is a list at the back of Church.
Please, just add your name and contact.

North Wales Railways – Thursday 20th July

Third time lucky! Our first projected trip was scuppered by Covid; the second by the Queen’s Funeral. Now we try again! Thursday 20th July. A full itinerary is out this weekend, but there’s a sheet for you all to sign up on at the back of church for what will be a superb day out together. For those who booked last time (and your cheques were banked), the price will be held at £65. For newcomers, with the cost of everything going up, the cost is £72. We will be contacting everyone this week to ask if you’d like to go on the new trip or would like a refund. Meanwhile, if you could put your name on the sign-up sheet, that would be extremely helpful.

Helen Pile: Fundraising for Parkinson’s

She did it! All 34 miles of it. Not too late to boost her fundraising: email Helen for the just-giving link:
helenpile@icloud.com

Friday 30th June: 'Music for a Summer's Evening'

Chester Cathedral Nave Choir will be singing a concert of evening music at St Werburgh's, 30th June at 7.45 pm. Free entry. Retiring collection.

Chester’s Active Travel Festival – Father’s Day Sunday 18th June 11.00-16.00

Why not leave the car at home on this Sunday, and walk or cycle into Mass? You and your family can then enjoy the fun, entertainment and information at Chester’s first ever Active Travel Festival to be held in the Lower Castle Car Park CH1 2DN. We hope to encourage more people to see walking and cycling. See www.atfest.uk for much more details.

Friends of the Venerabile Visit – Lunch Here

The Friends are making a visit to Chester from Tuesday 13th to Friday 16th June. They’ll be here for 12.15 pm Mass on the Tuesday. Can we give a simple buffet lunch afterwards, for about 15? Do we have two new catering wolunteers who’d like to help out?

Church Florists

After many years of faithful service, Marie Broadhurst and Maureen McCabe have decided this is now the right time to pass Church Flowers on to new hands. A huge thanks to them both for all their work and commitment over such a long time. If you’d like to be part of the new team, do please sign up on the Renewal Sheets at the back of church.

National Gallery Exhibition – St Francis: 11th July

On until 30th July, it’s already attracting a lot of interest. nationalgalleryorg.uk/exhibitions/saint-francis-of-assisi. How about a parish trip down by train, mid-morning (when the prices come down), stroll down to Trafalgar Square, see the exhibition, meal somewhere and back early evening? Any takers? Sign up if interested and we’ll make a booking.

Chester Heritage Festival June 17th–28th

Ann Marie Curtis will give a power point presentation at 2.30 pm on Sunday 25th June, at St Werburgh’s, about Chester Lead Shot Tower, its owners and the people who worked there. She will also lead a walk around the Boughton area on Monday 26th June, starting at the Lead Shot Tower at 10.30. Anyone wanting to come must book through the Chester Heritage Festival 2023 website.

Tattenhall House Mass this coming Thursday

10.30 am. Out in the fields! Email FP for venue.

Hospital Mass Thursday 8th June 12.15 pm

Deacon Tony Nuttall, our lead Catholic Chaplain in the Hospital, writes: “Mass is celebrated every month in the Hospital Chapel, on the first Thursday. This month Fr Jinson Parish Priest of St Francis Church is joining us. This Mass is for all the staff, patients, patient families, volunteers and parishioners of our area. If you’re able to attend, we would love to welcome you to Holy Mass once a month in the COCH chapel. God bless, Deacon Tony.”

Christ and Creation: Four Talks & Discussions

Two super talks from Claire here at St Werburgh’s: the next two are in the Refectory (please note change of venue) at the Cathedral, on Wednesdays 14th and 21st June, both at 7.30 pm.

Many thanks for the recent SVP 2nd Collection

The SVP wants to say a huge thank you for your generosity on the last second collection. We have received a total of £1,300, which will rise to nearly £1,500 with the gift aid.

Website Renewal Preparing for New Developments

The expanded and enthusiastic web team (Brian, Pete, Chris and James) held a virtual meeting in cyberspace on Thursday evening to share technical know-how and consider ways to develop the site (and other Internet services) for the future. Thanks, all!

Photo of the Week: St Hywyn’s, Aberdaron

An extraordinary little 12th Century Celtic church in Gwynedd, where the poet R.S. Thomas was Vicar from 1967 to 1978. Well worth a visit! Many thanks to Michael from Mickle Trafford for sending it in. (See, it’s not just Freda from Frodsham who spends all her holidays in churches!)