Dear friends,
This weekend we mark our Patronal Festival, in honour of Our Lady of Walsingham. At both Masses, we will celebrate the Liturgy of Sprinkling with Walsingham well water: the psalmist says, ‘My soul is thirsting for God, even for the living God‘ – and Christ replies, ‘Let anyone who is thirsty come to me and drink.’ This beautiful liturgy reminds us that Jesus promises us water that ‘will become in [us] a spring of water welling up to eternal life‘, and that he ‘[who] drinks of the water that [Christ] shall give him will never thirst‘. We come to Christ, and to his Blessed Mother, seeking thus spiritual refreshment, cleansing, healing and renewal.
Sunday is also UN World Peace Day, when the World Council of Churches has called all Christians to pray for peace, especially in the Holy Land. Archbishop Hosam Naoum, of Jerusalem, has written this prayer,
Gracious Father, whose blessed Son Jesus Christ came down from heaven to be the true bread which gives life to the world: in your mercy, provide for all those in Gaza and beyond who suffer from hunger and starvation, that they may be given both physical bread to nourish their bodies and heavenly bread to sustain their souls. By the power of your Spirit, bring a speedy end to this war, the release of all captives, care for the sick and wounded, comfort for those who have lost loved ones, and the opening of a pathway for a just and lasting peace, in the very homeland where your Son, our Lord Jesus Christ, ministered during his earthly life; who lives and reigns with you and the Holy Spirit, God, now and for ever. Amen.
After Mass on Sunday there will be a bring-and-share parish lunch. Volunteers are required to help set up the church on Friday after the 9.30am Mass, and to help set up the Hall on Saturday evening at 7pm. Your kind contributions of food can be dropped off at the Hall on Sunday from 9.45am.
As we reflect on last week’s parish conversation, and Mission Action Planning exercise, please see the attached stewardship letter, which invites us all to reflect prayerfully and carefully on our financial support for our parish’s ministry and mission.
Our brothers and sisters at All Saints’ RC Church, Kenton are running an Alpha Course on Wednesdays from 6.30 to 7.30pm. Alpha brings together people from all walks of life who are curious about faith. Each session starts with some time to eat, relax and get to know one another – and then covers a different topic of faith each week, either in a short talk or video. These episodes explore the big issues around faith, and unpack the basics of Christianity, addressing questions such as “Who is Jesus?”, “How can we have faith?” and “How does God guide us?” Each session concludes with small-group discussion, in an open and welcoming environment: all welcome.
Online donations to our Macmillan Coffee Morning (on Saturday, 4 October) can be made here.
Please sign up in church for our parish outing on Sunday, 12 October: we will depart from Harrow-on-the-Hill Station at 3.15pm, and take in afternoon tea (approx. £6.50pp) at St Martin-in-the-Fields’ Café in the Crypt, before joining in Choral Evensong at 5pm. We will return to Harrow-on-the-Hill around 6.30pm.
The next Youth Group outing will be to the Prehistoric Planet: Discovering Dinosaurs exhibition, on Saturday, 25 October. Places are limited: please sign up in church, and collect and return an application form, as well as £10pp to secure a place (this cost includes lunch, at McDonalds).
Please find attached details of an exhibition at St James, Garlickhythe – and details of an administrator vacancy in that parish.
And please note that I will be on annual leave next week, from Monday 22 – Monday 29 September. Please see the pew sheet for changes to the Mass times in my absence; and please see Fr Mike in case of pastoral need.
This Sunday’s incense is Chypre.
O blessed Mary, Mother of God, Our Lady of Walsingham, intercede for us,
Fr Richard