Pentecost
Over the seven weeks since Easter Day we have had some marvellous accounts of Jesus making his appearance to the disciples after the Resurrection. In our first readings at Mass, we have had accounts of what the apostles did as they spread the Good News in the days of the early Church. What made this possible was what we are celebrating today, the Feast of Pentecost. The apostles are transformed dramatically. The hesitation and the uncertainty are gone and everything begins to fall into place. Full of courage, renewed by the Holy Spirit, they go out and proclaim the message of Jesus’ resurrection and his message of salvation. The Holy Spirit comes to us each day and the prayer below reminds us how it guides us in so may ways.
Prayer of the Holy Spirit
Holy Spirit come into our lives.
Open our ears: To hear what you are saying to us
In the things that happen to us
In the people we meet
Open our eyes: To see the needs of the people round us.
Open our hands: To do our work well, to help when help is needed.
Open our lips: To tell others the Good News of Jesus
To bring comfort, happiness and laughter to other people.
Open our minds: To discover new truth about You and the world
Open our hearts: To love you and our fellow men and women
As you have loved us in Jesus.
To you with our Father and the Son, one God, all honour and praise shall be given now and forever. Amen.
Missionary Appeal
Fr John Gerrard will be here next weekend to make an appeal.
“The Missionaries of Africa” a.k.a (The White Fathers), are an international team of priests, brothers and lay associates from Africa, Britain and many countries around the world. Any ministry which has a real relationship with Africa, no matter in what part of the world it may be , is considered by the Missionaries of Africa to be within the scope of the apostolate. Through parish work, building up small Christian communities, working with the media, involvement in justice and peace, agriculture, seminary training, education and social welfare the Missionaries of Africa aim to work in partnership with the Church in Africa … and above all else to help build up the leadership of the Churches.”
Confirmation Photographs
We congratulate the young people of our parish who were confirmed by Bishop John Sherington last Friday, Next Sunday, 16th June, the photographs will be available in the Parish Centre after the 12 Noon Mass.
Priests Training Fund
Thank you for your donations towards the Priests Training Fund. The collection amounted to £663.86.
Baptism Preparation
The next session for parents who wish to have their baby baptised will be on Sunday 7th July at 4pm in the Dominic Room. Application forms can be collected from the sacristy.
Meeting for Readers
All those who currently read at Mass and those who would like to start reading at Mass are invited along to a meeting on Wednesday at 8pm in the church.
Meeting for Eucharistic Ministers
There will be a meeting for Eucharistic Ministers on Tuesday 25th June at 8pm in the church.
New Altar Servers
We are blessed with excellent servers in our parish who give faithful service throughout the year, but we are always on the lookout for other parishioners who would like to join our ‘team’. The ministry of Altar Server is open to all – without limit of age or gender – who have received their First Holy Communion and demonstrate a wish to uphold the aims and objectives of the Guild of St Stephen.
If anyone, child or adult, male or female – in particular, those who have been part of this year’s First Holy Communion and Confirmation programmes – would be interested in becoming an Altar Server, they are invited to speak to Fr Colin or a Senior server to find out more and collect an application pack. Further information about the parish branch of the Guild can also be found on our website – www.groupspaces.com/annunciationservers – or by emailing annunciationserversteam@gmail.com. Application forms must be returned to the sacristy by Sunday 23rd June at the latest. Training sessions will be scheduled once the application deadline has passed.
Four:12 Lourdes Group
This summer, members of Four:12 will once again be giving up a week of their time to travel to Lourdes and volunteer as ‘Redcaps’ – the group of teenagers/young adults which supports the sick and elderly on the annual Westminster Diocesan Lourdes Pilgrimage. To subsidize the costs – which run into several hundreds of pounds per volunteer – the group will be holding some fundraising events and have also set up a Crowdfunding page. To sponsor the group, please visit www.justgiving.com/crowdfunding/four12lourdes2019. Details of fundraising events will be advertised in the TakeHomeNews in the coming weeks. Thank you for your support.
Day of Exposition
We will be having a Day of Exposition on Friday 21st June starting after the 9am Mass and concluding with Benediction at 6.30pm. This is just before we celebrate the Feast of Corpus Christi on Sunday 23rd June. Please sign up for a half-hour watching period on the sheet at the back of church.
Four:12 Quiz Night
The summer edition of Four:12’s Quiz Night will be on Friday 21st June. Doors open at 7pm in the Canon Smyth Parish Centre. Fish and chips will be served. For more information or to reserve a place, please speak to Arinze/Kenneth/Melvin or email four12.oak@gmail.com
Fire Wardens
Precision, the Health and Safety Organisation adopted by our diocese, has recommended that we have Fire Wardens at each Mass. They would be responsible for ensuring that everything is safe at each Mass, that aisles are clear of pushchairs and other obstructions and that in the event of a fire or other emergency, people are able to easily evacuate the church. They will be issued with luminous armbands so everybody knows who they are. If you would like to volunteer as a Fire Warden, please speak to me and we will sort out arrangements. Thank you.
Precision have made further recommendations relating to Health and Safety around the premises and these will be implemented in due course.
Walk to Church Weekend 22nd and 23rd June 2019
We would like to invite our Parishioners to join us in our annual Walk to Church Weekend on 22nd and 23rd of June. This year, aside from answering the call of our Holy Father Pope Francis Laudato Si by cutting down our carbon emission, we are organising a Health and Wellbeing campaign for our parishioners. We are working in partnership with the British Heart Foundation and the Stroke Association UK and we will provide FREE blood pressure and weight checks after each Mass service during this event. Free Information leaflets and fruits to take home will be available from our stand. outside the main entrance and children will receive reward stickers for walking to church.