Easter 3 News

A very warm welcome to any new readers, and to visitors and newcomers to St Michael's. A special welcome and thanks to Fr Derek, our celebrant this morning. Fr Paul, who is ministering at Perry Street today, will kindly be saying Mass for us on Thursday at 10.30 am. 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.

Offers of food and help are still most welcome as we prepare for our Coronation Big Lunch after Mass on Sunday, 7th May. Come along anyway! – but do sign up on the list in the narthex, and/or speak to Alison, if you are able and willing to cook or assist.

The Princess Project – a local organisation supporting (mainly single) mums and families – is seeking volunteers. Its founder, Emma Tanner, writes:

“Do you have a heart for mums, especially those for whom life is tricky? We are currently recruiting volunteers to join our existing Hub teams in Maidstone and Medway, and to be part of exciting new teams in Tonbridge and Sheerness where we plan to open Hubs in September.

We are also looking for Christian women of all ages with parenting experience who would like to pray for and support mums one-to-one through our Mum2Mum befriending service - our next befriender training course starts on May 27th. To find out more, or to request a role description and application form, please see our website Volunteer | The Princess Project, or contact our office on 01622 230713 / email hello@princessproject.co.uk. We’d love to hear from you!”

Forward in Faith Members! Could you show the St Michael's flag at St Alban's, Holborn, (Brooke Street, London EC1N 7RD) for the Forward in Faith Festival on 20th May, 12 noon-4pm? Mass of the Holy Spirit with high quality music, hot buffet lunch with wine, some challenging input at the meeting, and Benediction at the end - charge, just £10 per person for what promises to be a spiritual shot in the arm, as well as a chance to catch up, do some networking and hear some stimulating speeches. Bookings, by 28th April, to: admin.assistant@forwardinfaith.com.

Paperwork for the APCM on 30th April? Much paperwork – including the Agenda, the Minutes of the last APCM, the Trustees' Report, and individual copies of several reports including those of the Tower and the Mothers' Union - is available in the narthex for advance consultation. The list of those present at the 2022 APCM seems to lack some names; Eleanor will be grateful for corrections to this or to any other element of the minutes.

Nomination forms for churchwardens and new PCC members are also in the narthex. Nominations can be accepted at the annual meeting itself, but it does help greatly if we know in advance who is willing to serve. Could God be calling YOU, or someone you know, to stand for election?

Also in the narthex are some helpful and informative FREE leaflets about the Christian life and the sacraments. We sometimes need to explain something (Confession? Anointing?) to an enquirer and realise that, as Catholic Anglicans, we take such things so much for granted that explaining proves difficult. Our narthex should be a place where enquirers and explainers alike can go for instruction and help.

From Our Tower:

Kent County Association: Maidstone, Kent, St Michael and All Angels

Sunday, 16 April 2023 (6–1–24 in C)

1280 Spliced Surprise Major (5m)

384 Rutland; 256 Cambridge, Yorkshire; 192 Lincolnshire (N), Superlative; 27 com.

  1. Mike Birkbeck
  2. Karen Lebon
  3. Jacqueline Barlow
  4. Mark Elvers
  5. Paul Barton
  6. Rod Lebon
  7. Elizabeth Barnes
  8. Neil Jones (C)

250th together: 1 & 8.
200th as C in this tower.

In thanksgiving for the life of Margaret Jones (Maggie), d.12/4/23, mother of the conductor. R.I.P.

Could you pass this sheet on to someone else who might like to see it?

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