Parish Newsletter

Liturgical

Isaiah 60, 1-6; Psalm 71; Ephesians 3, 2-6; Matthew 2, 1-12

Saturday 6.00 pm: Rowton Methodists: Eileen Jones RIP

Sunday 9.00 am: St Werburgh’s: Pat and Dot Williams (Anniversaries, 2005 and 2014)

Sunday 10.45 am: St Werburgh’s: Anne Elizabeth Teague (Anniversary)

Sunday 6.00 pm: St Werburgh’s: Intentions of Gerry Tighe

 

Monday 8^th January: The Baptism of the Lord: Isaiah 55, 1-11; Psalm Isaiah 12; I John 5, 1-9

12.15 pm: St Werburgh’s: Helen Cadden

1.10 pm: University Chapel – Weekly University Mass. All welcome.

 

Tuesday 9^th January: Ferial: I Samuel 1, 9-20; Psalm I Samuel 2; Mark 1, 21-28

12.15 pm: St Werburgh’s: Noreen Brennan

 

Wednesday 10^th January: Ferial: I Samuel 3, 1-20; Psalm 39; Mark 1, 29-39

12.15 pm: St Werburgh’s: Special Intention

 

Thursday 11^th January: Ferial: I Samuel 4, 1-11; Psalm 43; Mark 1, 40-45

10.30 am: Tattenhall Monthly House Mass – please contact FP for venue.

12.15 pm: St Werburgh’s: Ita and Theresa Hanney

 

Friday 12^th January: I Samuel 8, 4-22; Psalm 88; Mark 2, 1-12

11.20 am: Blacon: Funeral Service for Joyce Casey, late of Westminster Park

12.15 pm: St Werburgh’s: Mary Regan

1.05: High School: Weekly Class Mass

 

Saturday 13^th January: Ferial: I Samuel 9,1 – 10,1; Psalm 20; Mark 2, 13-17

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

10.30 am – 12.00 noon: St Werburgh’s: Confessions

12.30 noon: St Werburgh’s: Baptism of Isaac James Kellacher

6.00 pm: Rowton Methodists: Donal and Mary O’Shea (Anniversaries)

 

SUNDAY 14^th JANUARY 2024: SECOND SUNDAY IN ORDINARY TIME (YEAR B)

I Samuel 3, 3-19; Psalm 39; I Corinthians 6, 13-20; John 1, 35-42

Saturday 6.00 pm: Rowton Methodists: Donal and Mary O’Shea (Anniversaries)

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

Sunday 10.45 am: St Werburgh’s: Patricia Twohig (Anniversary)

Sunday 6.00 pm: St Werburgh’s: John Gornall (Birthday Remembrance)

 

Prayer Intentions

Your prayers are asked for the following who are sick: Wendy O’Brien, Jimmy McCahy, 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 Peter McCabe, Felicity Hughes, Barbara Dolan, Brian Haslam, Kevin Smyth and Joyce Casey; and for all those whose anniversaries occur about this time: George Griffiths, Mary Le Gallez, Bridget Cullen, Arthur Barlow, Winifred Collins, Amelia Sanders, Richard Baxter, William Banks, Joan Roberts, Keith Ferguson, Patricia Pickering, Barbara McNay. Neil Roddy John Conroy, William Lucas, Jane Molloy, Norah Douglas, Patrick Kavanagh, Thomas Lynch, Pat Williams, William Wright, Dorothy Costello, Gordon Ierston, Anthony Cooney, Maria Przeworski, Bernard Bamford, Kathleen Kennedy, Sarah Murphy, Joseph Lohinski, Helen Moreton, Basil Patterson, Kathleen O’Connell, Bette Cummings, Lilian Catherall, Grace Moore, Celine Little, Catherine Pate, Maurice Shanley, Miep Clarke, Colin Churchill, Margaret Harris, Graham Jones, Kenneth Jervis, Gioacchino Izzo, Jim Colley, Daniel Fisher, Malcolm Crowther, Lawrence McNay and Helen Jones, Ann Blythin, Hilary Sprague.  RIP.

 

Parish Information and Contacts

Live Streaming Link: www.churchservices.tv/stwerburghchester.

SVP: svpchester@gmail.com     Countess of Chester Chaplaincy: 01244 364543.

St Werburgh’s is part of the Diocese of Shrewsbury: Registered Charity No 234025.

Safeguarding: safeguarding@stwerburghchester.co.uk Liz Aiello: 07813743723 and Chris Proudfoot: 07711495070

 

Parish events

The Parish Family – The Family of Prayer

Like all families, we have had our fair share of illness and bereavement over the Christmas Season. We were all saddened to hear on Thursday of the death of Peter McCabe after a long illness, the last six weeks in the Countess. Peter and Maureen have been wonderful parishioners here, ever since they joined us some years ago. Our love and sympathy go to Maureen and the family at this sad time. On the good side, delighted to report that Gerry is now out of hospital (as of Friday) and building up his strength at home. Please keep Peter Meredith in your prayers, taken ill on Friday, and receiving excellent care (as of Saturday morning) from Hospital at Home. A worrying time for Bernice, as she’s given 110% to caring for Gerry over last week. Keep those prayers going, everyone, for those you know about and those you don’t. The power of prayer is unstoppable.

 

Forthcoming Funerals in Church

• Brian Haslam – Monday 15^th January, 2.00 pm
• Felicity Hughes - Friday 19^th  January, 12.00 noon
• Peter McCabe – Tuesday 23^rd January, 10.45 am
• Kevin Smyth – Tuesday 23^rd January, 1.30 pm

May They All Rest in Peace.

 

Altar Servers Christmas Treat

Great to take twenty of our Altar Servers out for a Christmas Meal on Wednesday Evening at Artezzan Restaurant in Pepper Street. They looked after us excellently and can be strongly recommended. James and Samantha have been doing a first-class job at looking after our Servers during Gerry’s absence, as they did on Wednesday night.

 

Christmastide Ends Monday 8^th January. So…

• Last chance for contributing to the Children’s Society Crib Collection today.
• Taking down Decorations and putting away the crib – Wednesday 10^th at 10.00 am. Do come and join us – many hands will make light work. Then we can pop into Welcome Wednesday for a cup of coffee!

 

2024 Year Books and Ordo: £5 each.

 

Crib Offerings for the Diocesan Children’s Society

Please don’t forget your Crib Offerings which go to the Diocesan Children’s Society, now part of Caritas.

 

Welcomers: New Rota Now Out for Next 3 Months

New Rota on the table at the back of Church, so please sign up for January, February and March.

 

Church Heating

A bit cold last Sunday Morning? I found out why after 10.45 Mass: half the radiators had been switched off! Whoever’s doing this, I do wish they wouldn’t.

 

Children’s Liturgy at 10.45 Mass

Starting up again on Sunday 7^th January..

 

Website Group

Our four tekkies – Brian, Pete, Chris and James – have been working hard over the holiday period, sourcing a new website company to handle the infrastructure. Confident they’ve found one now – well done, chaps! So, shortly, we’ll be looking to renew the entire content of the website, asking each Parish Group to create their own page and be responsible for its content, text and pictures.

You have been warned!

 

A New Year of Welcome Wednesdays Starts 10/1!

And a new programme! We have a varied plan of activities for the weeks ahead, including guest speakers, arts and crafts and board games. Our knit and natterers and our crochet chatterers will be putting their talents to good use making blankets and vests for a baby charity. We would be grateful for any donations of spare wool and needles - better still come and join us! Donations of dominoes, cards and board games would be welcome too. If any Werbies would like to introduce  a hobby to our Welcome Wednesday Friends, please let Lyn, Pat, Bernice or Marian know. Hope to see you there, 10.00- 12 noon.

 

Forthcoming Meetings Parish First Sacraments Group

Tuesday 9^th January at 6.30 pm at Church - A meeting for parents and children. The final class for the children before they make their First Forgiveness, so attendance is vital. The children will need their preparation books and pencil cases. Monday 15^th January at 7:00 pm in St Werburgh’s and St Columba’s School Meeting for all Parents: The Sacrament of Forgiveness.

 

Chester Catenian Circle Fish & Chip Supper

Friday 12^th January, St Columba`s Hall  7.00 pm. Cost £10. Raffle in aid of SVP & Emmaus Village. Music by Anthony Hunt, Guitar. Tickets available from Fr Neill.

 

Renewal of our Sick List

Each January, we like to look afresh at our Sick List, to make sure there are no names that do not need to be there. If you have requested a name there, we’d be most grateful for any update.

 

Front Garden Rose Bed

The roses have never done well there, a combination of the shade and the large tree roots. So, our fantastic Gardening Group is proposing taking the roses out and replacing them with shrubs and herbaceous. Would anyone object?

 

University Masses Re-Start This Monday

8^th January, 1.10, University Chapel. All welcome!

CathSoc begins again Sunday night, 7^th January, 7.00 pm, with a “Welcome Back Pizza Evening!”

Students – do come and join us.

Week of Prayer for Christian Unity

As usual, we’ll be marking this with a Prayer Service each day at 12.00 noon, going round the six churches of Christleton and Waverton Churches Together:

• Monday 15^th Jan: Waverton Evangelical Fellowship
• Tuesday 16^th Jan: St James, Christleton
• Wednesday 17^th Jan: Rowton Methodists
• Thursday 18^th Jan: St Peter’s Waverton
• Friday 19^th Jan: Christleton Methodists
• Saturday 20^th Jan: St Werburgh’s

Everyone Welcome – see you all there!

Please take a flyer from the back of church. 

 

Tattenhall House Masses

First House Mass of 2024 will be Thursday 11^th January, 10.30 am. Please email FP for address.

 

January Day-By-Day and Sacred Heart Messenger

Both on the News-Stand: £1 each.

 

Photo of the Week: High School Prayer Table

The Advent Candle placed on the Year Seven Prayer Table. Thanks, Tina, for sending it in!