Churches September 2021
St Helen's Church
Sunday Services:
10am Holy Communion
St Helen's Church Sunday Services:
St Helen's Church is still out of use following the incident in June.
We are very grateful to Ian Pagan for enabling us to use Longhorsley Mission for worship.
This will take place on Sundays at the usual time of 10am at The Mission.
You are reminded that you must not attend if you have any of the symptoms of Covid-19. Please remember to comply with social distancing rules and wear a face covering.
There are no other services or meetings in St Helen’s until further notice.
PCC Meeting
The next meeting of the PCC is 15th September 6pm at the Vicarage.
St Helen's Team
Vicar Audrey McCartan 708806
Website www.achurchnearyou.com
Wardens David Pringle 788283
Stephen Gibson 788711
Treasurer David Pringle 788283
Secretary Stephen Gibson 788711
Brinkburn Partnership of Catholic Parishes
St Thomas Catholic Church
Every Monday and Thursday ~ Mass at 12noon
Every Sunday ~ Mass at 11:15am.
To book a place please phone or email Frank Walker 01670 514849 francis_edward_walker@hotmail.co.uk
Please comply with social distancing rules and wear face coverings.
Contact Fr Shaun Purdy 01670 812 200 longhorsley.stthomas@rcdhn.org.uk
Website: www.stthomaslonghorsley.com
Mission Free Church
Sunday morning services continue at the Mission at 11am.
No further services are planned at present.
Please remember to comply with social distancing rules and wear a face covering.
You are reminded that you must not attend if you have any of the symptoms of Covid-19.
Contact Ian Pagan 788263 idpagan@waitrose.com
Website: www.longhorsleymission.org.uk
Thought for the Month
On July 20th 2021 the International Olympic Committee approved a change in the Olympic Motto adding the word Together to Faster, Higher, Stronger. In Latin it now reads Citius, Altus, Fortuis - Communiter. After the games were postponed due to COVID it was a relief for the athletes finally to be able to come together and compete. There were some touching scenes as competitors congratulated each other on their performance and few medalists were left without praise from rivals.
John Donne, the poet, said “No man is an island, Entire of itself; Every man is a piece of the continent, A part of the main.” We have certainly come to understand this over the last year. I am sure we have all felt the loss of the simple human need to be together with others to talk, eat, laugh, play, listen and discuss.
In the Garden of Eden it was usual for God to walk with Adam, together, in the cool of the day. I am sure that these times were precious to both parties. It presents to us a picture of fellowship and communion that was lost when Adam and Eve disobeyed and sinned. We still suffer from that loss in our world today. Job realised in his own suffering that he was cut off from God and yearned for someone to be able to bring him close to God.
There is no arbiter between us, who might lay his hand on us both. Job c9 v33.
The good news of the gospel is that the Lord Jesus has done exactly what Job longed for. Being God as well as Man he is able to restore that lost fellowship. The Apostle Peter says in his letter:
For Christ also suffered once for sins, the righteous for the unrighteous, that he might bring us to God, 1 Peter c3 v18
The Apostle John was able to say, “our fellowship is with the father and with His Son Jesus Christ,” 1 John c1 v3
By dying on the Cross Jesus enables us not only to be forgiven for our sins but also to be restored to perfect communion with the God who made us and understands us more than anyone else can. That is something to be glad about and one of the greatest reasons to come to Jesus prayerfully seeking forgiveness, restoration and acceptance into God’s family.
But to all who did receive him, who believed in his name, he gave the right to become children of God, John c1 v12
Ian Neilly, Longhorsley Mission.