Dear friends,
In this Sunday’s first reading, the Lord approves King Solomon’s desire above all else to be wise and discerning – and to put this discernment at the service of God’s people. We validly ask for many things when we pray – but might we too, like Solomon, petition the Lord first for ‘an understanding mind… [to] discern between good and evil… [and] to discern what is right‘? And may this, and all our petitions, be for the greater glory of God, and for the good of all His children: let us pray, therefore, with the heart of Christ, and the mind of the Church.
We reiterate our thanks to all who supported last Saturday’s summer barbecue – which raised a very impressive £1,134.50 for parish funds!
After Mass this Sunday, we are invited to celebrate Olga Clifford’s 92nd birthday, with a slice of Linzertorte, and a glass of Buck’s Fizz.
This Sunday is likewise the final opportunity to contribute to this month’s charity appeal, in aid of ALMA (the Angola-London-Mozambique Association): please use a Gift Aid envelope, and the basket in church.
We extend our sincere condolences, and the assurance of our prayers, to the family of the late Erma Fernandes, who sadly died last Saturday. Details of Erma’s funeral service to follow.
The deadline to pay for seats reserved on the coach to Walsingham for the Pilgrimage for Healing and Renewal (on Bank Holiday Monday, 31 August) is next Sunday, 2 August: these cost £30/£5, and can also be paid for online.
One of the most important roles in our parish is that of the Parish Safeguarding Officer, who coordinates our local Safeguarding activities – and is also our liaison with the diocesan Safeguarding authorities. In succession to Joanna Service, who has worked very hard over several years to bring on the quality of our Safeguarding provision leaps and bounds, we are now delighted to welcome Mayuri Patel into this role. Mayuri works as a qualified Counsellor, specialist pharmacist and therapist. She is your first port of call for Safeguarding queries, or to discuss any Safeguarding concerns in respect of children and vulnerable adults: however, Safeguarding remains the responsibility of all – to ensure that our parish is a place of safety and welcome for everyone.
There is the possibility of disruption to the live-stream of Morning Prayer next week on Tuesday, 28 July – as our electrician continues to make improvements in church; and our conservators will now be restoring the church doors next week (in this ninetieth anniversary year).
Likewise included with this mailing are an invitation to celebrate The Assumption at St Luke, Uxbridge Road; and details of a service of Pontifical Choral Evensong (with a Procession of the Relics of St Cuthbert), for the Feast of their Translation, at St Cuthbert, Philbeach Gardens.
Your decrees are wonderful indeed; / therefore my soul obeys them,
Fr Richard