Parish Newsletter

 

 

Live Streaming – We’re Almost There!

After so many hurdles, delays and obstacles, we are almost there: all the tekkie stuff is now in place and early tests suggest it’s working fine. But now we have to decide how we want to use it and when. The company running it (and for many other parishes in the Diocese) have sent us an instruction manual and are offering an on-line tutorial for us. Do we have any parishioners who’d like to help me on this one?

 

Parish Renewal: Where Are We Up To?

Lots turned up for the Catering and Welcome Open Meetings last Wednesday for which enormous thanks. Some good, positive feedback after both meetings: we welcome all feedback, both positive and negative, needless to say!

 

Catering: we rarely need to meet as a group, just to have your name on the list for when we need some in-house catering, which might be just a plate of sandwiches and a cake, or a full-blown meal. Think you might be able to help out, on a very occasional basis? Send your name in, we’ll bite your arm off.

 

Welcomers: really beginning to come together now, teams of six or eight for the two Sunday Morning Masses starting to form. The two Evening Masses already have good welcomers, but we do need to put both on a more formal basis for times when anyone’s away or can’t come for whatever. Rowton’s in hand, and Sunday Evening will be when Mr Reebok returns from his little gad and gallivant up at the Open…

 

Gardening Group: Next two sessions are Saturday 29^th July and Tuesday 1^st August, both at 4.00 pm. Just come along if you’d like to be part of this happy team. No great gardening expertise expected!

 

Look out for Volunteer Notice Boards in the Church Porch very soon and…

 

YOUTH! That’s our next focus, our youngsters, the Church of tomorrow and…

 

Werbie Welcome Wednesdays

A new initiative. Don’t you love that alliteration, everyone?

[No, not particularly. Ed]

 

Peter Meredith Reaches His Century!

Bernice writes: “On Friday 4^th August, the 12.15 pm Mass will be in Thanksgiving for Peter as he celebrates his 100^th birthday. Fr Bede OSB, our great friend from Ampleforth, will be joining us and Concelebrating. We extend the invitation to all St Werburgh's parishioners who have so enriched Peter's life and welcomed him into the family of God.”

Thanks, Peter and Bernice, for all you both do for us!

 

Synod Document: Open Parish Meeting on 31^st July

Do please have a good look at the Synod Agenda Document, on our parish website. It sets out the themes to be discussed in the international Synod of Bishops in October. It makes for fascinating reading. Do please read as much of it as you can, and come along on Monday 31^st July, 7.00 pm, if you’d like to be part of a Parish Discussion. This week the Synod Delegates were named: from England and Wales, it’s Archbishop John Wilson (Southwark), Bishop Marcus Stock (Leeds), Bishop Nick Hudson (Auxiliary in Westminster), Professor Anna Rowlands (Durham University) and Rev Timothy Radcliffe OP, from Blackfriars, Oxford.

 

On the Free Table – For One More Week Only!

• More of the A3 paper, blank one side and old newsletters the other.
• Good selection of religious books – a few left.
• Covid Tester Kits. Sadly, Covid is still with us, and if you’d like a Tester Kit, please help yourself.

Donations for any of the above, if you’d like to make one, for Caritas, please, in the bowl.

 

Children’s Liturgy at 10.45 Mass

Finishing now and starting up again on Sunday 10^th September. Big vote of thanks to the Team who organise this, and if you’d like to join them, please let any of them (or FP) know.

 

Support the Primary School – Vote at Tesco

StW&StC Primary School is bidding for up to £1,500 from a Tesco Community Grant. The project is our Gardening and Wellbeing Club. Voting is open now in these Tesco stores: Chester Pepper St; Chester Delamere St; Chester Sealand Road CH1; Chester Weston Grove; Chester Broughton. Voting closes at the end of September. Customers vote using tokens at the check-out each time they shop.

 

Summer Clergy Moves

Two moves in our Deanery: farewell to Fr Emeka from St Clare’s, taking on the new responsibility of three Runcorn Parishes (Palace Fields, Murdishaw and Castlefields), now grouped together as The Parish of the Divine Saviour. In his place, we welcome Fr Bernard Forshaw. Farewell also to Fr Humphrey, leaving the Ellesmere Port Pastoral Area to move up the Wirral to Christ the King, Bromborough. Welcome to Fr Bernard, and all best wishes to Frs Emeka and Fr Humphrey, with grateful thanks to all they have done for our Deanery.

 

Mass Diary for 2024

Next year’s Diary opens the first weekend in September, as soon as I’m back from hols. Then you can send me all your requests for 2024. Never too soon to get those important Mass dates!

 

Eucharistic Ministers September Review Meetings

• Tuesday 12^th at 11.00 am
• Wed 13^th at 2.00 pm
• Tuesday 19^th at 7.00 pm
• Thursday 21^st at 10.00 am.

 

Next Year’s First Sacraments Programme

If you have a child who will be in Year 3 or above in September who does not attend our Catholic Primary School, please contact Fr Paul preferably by email. The classes begin in November with First Forgiveness in January and First Holy Communions in May. The closing date for enrolment is Sunday 3^rd September 2023. (NB, if you think you’ve already sent names in, please send them again so we are 100% certain we have not missed anyone)

 

FP’s Holiday Dates

I shall be away from Friday 18^th August to Friday 1^st September, sadly not in Italy this year but staying in England. Grateful thanks to Denise, Fr Neill and Fr Colin, who will be minding the shop. Not long to go!

 

Photo of the Week: Lutheran Church in Norway

At Ulvik, a small village at the top of Hardangerfjord. Built in 1711, the altarpiece, depicting the Deposition from the Cross, was painted in 1876. Mange takk, Tony, Pat and Joe Baxter! (As they say in German).