Dear friends,
This Sunday’s readings speak about our responsibilities towards one another, as members together of the Church, the Body of Christ – and as brothers and sisters in the family of God. We are to support and encourage one another, particularly in situations of sadness and stress; but we are also to hold one another to account, and to remind one another of God’s high standards, together becoming the best we can be.
The funeral of the late Phil Edwards will take place in church today (Thursday), at 11am: it can also be viewed online, here. The flowers before the altar this Sunday are given in his memory: may he rest in peace. (Phil’s ashes will then be laid to rest in the memorial garden after Mass on Sunday, 13 September.)
Legislation to permit assisted suicide is to be reintroduced to Parliament: the Terminally Ill Adults (End of Life) Bill will have its Second Reading and vote in the House of Commons on Friday, 11 September: please complete and return to your MP one of the postcards available in church, opposing this move – for the sake of the vulnerable who might thereby be left feeling pressured into ending their own lives; for the sake of those health and social care staff whose consciences would be left without protection, and instead to urge for proper funding of palliative care.
Thank you for your donations last month, in support of Médecins sans Frontières (MSF), totalling £681.70 (+Gift Aid): our chosen charity this month will be Macmillan Cancer Support – for whom, of course, we will also be raising money at the Coffee Morning on Saturday, 12 September (11am-4pm, in the Hall). Donations can be made during the Coffee Morning (cash, or contactless); or by using one of the Gift Aid envelopes in church, or online, here. (Volunteers are also kindly requested to help set up the Hall, on Friday 11 at 6pm.) Please invite your family and friends: fliers are available in church!
Two-thirds of the way through the calendar year, Average Sunday Attendance (ASA) has decreased marginally (over the past two months) – to 58 (59 [Jan – Jun]); and Usual Sunday Attendance (USA) has increasedmarginally, to 53 (52): please make every effort to attend Mass every week, on Saturday evening, or on Sunday morning.
We will celebrate our Patronal Festival (in honour of Our Lady of Walsingham) on Sunday, 27 September – when our guest preacher and principal celebrant will be the Rt Rev’d Tony Robinson, Emeritus Bishop of Wakefield. This Mass will include Sprinkling with Walsingham well water, and will be followed by a bring-and-share parish lunch in the Hall: please let Denise know what you can bring, to share. (There will be a planning meeting to discuss this parish lunch, in the Hall after Mass this coming Sunday.)
Next week on Tuesday, 8 September (Our Lady’s birthday!) Morning Prayer will be said at the earlier time of 9am; and Evening Prayer (5.45pm), Rosary (6pm) and Mass (6.30pm) will be celebrated by our friend Fr Ross Brooks, the Vicar of St Matthew Willesden – who is travelling specially to be with us, in the absence of Fr Richard and Fr Mike, who have duties elsewhere: please support these liturgies, to welcome Fr Ross and to acknowledge his kindness towards us.
We are invited to celebrate the fortieth anniversary of priestly ordination of Fr Paul Reece, the Rector of Little Stanmore, on Monday, 28 September at 7.30pm; and Fr Hector invites anyone who is interested, to take part in a workshop for musicians and readers at Mass (10am-4.15pm: please bring a packed lunch), at All Saints’ RC Church on Saturday, 3 October (further details from Fr Richard).
And please note, finally, that The Travellers’ Rest will cease trading after dinner on Thursday, 10 September: it is not yet clear whether alternative provision will be made after this date.
Come, let us ring out our joy to the Lord,
Fr Richard