Easter News
Easter greetings and a very warm welcome to any new readers, and to visitors and newcomers to St Michael's. A special welcome to Fr Paul, our celebrant this morning, whose kind and generous ministry to us during Holy Week we all deeply appreciate. If you are new to St Michael's, do join us for tea or coffee in the Vestry Hall after the service, so that we can welcome you properly.
Alleluia! Christ is risen!
He is risen indeed! Alleluia!
From Easter until Pentecost, instead of concluding Mass with the Angelus, we use the Regina Coeli:
Joy to thee, O Queen of Heaven! Alleluia.
He whom thou wast meet to bear, Alleluia,
As He promis’d, hath arisen; Alleluia.
Pour for us to Him thy prayer; Alleluia.
V Rejoice and be glad, O Virgin Mary, Alleluia!
R For the Lord is risen indeed, Alleluia!
From our Tower
Kent County Association Maidstone, Kent St Michael and All Angels
Sunday, 26 March 2023 in 40m (6–1–24 in C)
1272 Cambridge Surprise Minor
- Philip Jarvis
- Jacqueline Barlow
- Emma Jarvis
- Mark Elvers
- Pam Thomas
- Neil Jones (C)
Rung on the Day of Harriet Monsell, founder of the Community of St John the Baptist.
1st quarter on new hip: 2.
(Please, ringers, accept the editor's apologies for having to defer the inclusion of several recent peals; you have been so active that it's hard to keep up!)
Our APCM takes place after Mass on April 30th. Cause for thanksgiving: a member of our congregation is willing to succeed James as Safeguarding Officer. Now please keep praying about our need for a new Churchwarden – preferably two, as the workload is really too heavy for one person, but is manageable, and even interesting, for two people plus perhaps one or two deputies. Could God be calling you, or someone you know, to serve our parish in this important way? St Michael's has always been good at teamwork; let's have an active, committed team to prepare for the coming of a new priest. Please pray that the right priest will respond to our advertisement, and pray also for our parish and all its office-bearers, present and future.
Today (Easter Day) we are receiving the Oils (oil for the sick, oil of catechumens, oil of chrism) consecrated by Bishop Norman at the Chrism Mass in Canterbury Cathedral on Tuesday in Holy Week. Bishop Norman preached an illuminating sermon, focusing on the significance of anointing – not least in the forthcoming Coronation service. At the end of the Mass, the Archbishop of Canterbury delivered a resounding tribute to him, particularly commending his pastoral dedication to his widespread flock.
Warmest thanks to those who gave their time - and, in some cases, their vegetation – to decorate our church for Easter. Do linger and say a prayer at the Easter Garden, lovingly created once again by Lynn and Alan.
Thanks, too, to all who have contributed in other ways to the beauty of our worship and the building up of our family life: our sound engineer, our musicians, our servers, our readers, our gardeners, those who have cleaned and polished, those who meet and greet, those who have produced our coffee and cakes….. So often, as Bishop Norman once observed, the importance of these jobs is recognised only when they are not done. Thank you, everyone. Remember: additional helpers are always welcome!
Could you pass on this sheet to someone else who might like to see it?