Dear friends,
At Mass on this coming penultimate Sunday of the season of Easter, we hear in our first reading of the death of the protomartyr St Stephen, witnessed by St Paul. Stephen died with three words on his lips – declaring first God’s heavenly glory; next, placing his trust in the risen Christ, and finally praying God’s mercy for his murderers. All three are key dimensions to our own Christian practice – namely, faith in our Saviour, hope in God’s glory and love for our neighbours, even those who do us wrong.
Please note that there will be no morning Mass on Saturday (31 May), to allow those who wish to to attend the Fulham Festival at Southwark Cathedral: please gather in church for Morning Prayer at 9am. (Saturday evening’s services are unaffected.)
This Sunday, we need to know final numbers for our parish outing to The Friars, Aylesford on Saturday, 21 June (in case we need to revise the size of the coach): please therefore sign up ASAP, and pay £20/£5 to secure your seat.
On Friday, 11 July at 7pm we will host Refugee Tales – “an evening of many voices”, drawing attention to the lives of refugees and those seeking asylum, including conversation, music and drama. A large group of walkers will stay in the church and Hall overnight, before continuing their journey across London. Please see the attached flier, for further information.
Thank you for donations this past month, in aid of Mary’s Meals, totalling £745 (+ Gift Aid). ‘Mary’s Meals would like to thank everyone in the parish for their wonderful generosity when we visited recently. Donations of £745 will enable Mary’s Meals to feed 39 children one good meal every school day for a whole year. Thank you so much for your support, and please continue to pray for the work of Mary’s Meals. God bless you all.’
Our external giving in June will be in support of Tariro UK – Hope for Youth in Zimbabwe, whose founder, Fr Nicolas Stebbing CR, will be our guest preacher a week on Sunday, 8 June (Pentecost). Tariro is a small charity which funds projects to support young people orphaned by HIV-AIDS, until they are independent, confident and able to effect positive change for themselves and others. Unlike larger charities, 98.3% of the money Tariro receives is spent directly on their beneficiaries – from paying school fees, to purchasing groceries, to providing counselling, to setting up sustainable smallholdings.
Please find also herewith attached a flier for the forthcoming Stanmore Choral Society concert in church on Saturday, 28 June (Vigil Mass as usual at 6pm, but in the Blessed Sacrament Chapel; no public Evening Prayer) – and the May newsletter from Bereavement Care.
There is also an invitation from our friends at St Andrew, Kingsbury to a fish fry fundraiser on Friday, 27 June – with details on the poster of how to book.
And please note that the date of our summer barbecue has moved, to Saturday, 16 August: there will also be another, short planning meeting after Mass on Sunday, 22 June – with tickets on sale soon (£12.50/£5), and raffle prizes now requested.
Having heard you speak, most holy God, may we heed your command, and confidently follow your Son, knowing that he is with us always, to the end of the age,
Fr Richard