Trinity 5 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 Paul, our celebrant this morning, who will also kindly be saying Mass for us on Thursday at 10.30 am. If you are new to St Michael's, do join us in the Vestry Hall after the service, so that we can welcome you properly.

Jubilee School are holding their end-of-year service in our church on Tuesday, 11th July. Can we all please gather up books and pile up kneelers after Mass so that the pews are clear for the visitors?

A diary date for next month – Richborough Festival at St Albans. Join this annual day of fellowship and celebration on Saturday 5th August 2023, with Mass in the Cathedral at noon and then bring your own picnic for lunch in Bishop Norman's garden.

In further Richborough news…

Bishop Norman will lead a pilgrimage to the Shrine of Our Lady of Walsingham from Friday 8th – Sunday 10th September 2023.To book, please contact the Shrine accommodation office on 01328 820239, indicating when you book that this is for the Richborough Family Pilgrimage. If you couldn't join this August's pilgrimage, here's a fresh opportunity!

Or, further afield….

Bishop Norman and Canon Adrian Ling are planning a pilgrimage to the Holy Land from 13th to 22nd November 2024. Further details on https://richborough.org.uk/forthcoming-events/pilgrimage-to-the-holy-land/. Please note that the 2023 pilgrimage booked up very quickly, and it would be wise to book, and start budgeting, now. Bishop Norman is an inspiring pilgrimage leader and you can expect a wonderful experience.

Confirmation? If you have not yet been confirmed, or if you have a local godchild who ought to be thinking about Confirmation, Fr Paul will be happy to hear from you. We hope that Bishop Norman may be able to fit in a visit to St Michael's before he retires, and a Confirmation would make the occasion extra-special for everyone. At Synod last week, the Bishop of Dover described a recent Confirmation in a rural benefice where a significant number of candidates had come forward because “they were looking for something more.” Do you fall into that category, or do you know someone who might?

On Saturday, 15th July, between 11 am and 2.30 pm, a formal event, attended by the Mayor and organised by Fant Wildlife Group, will celebrate the fact that Fant Wildlife Area has achieved the prestigious status of Statutory Local Nature Reserve. Those of us who live locally will want to congratulate those responsible for this very pleasing development, as the Wildlife Area is a valuable resource for local residents as well as a precious piece of habitat.

An opportunity for this autumn? Canterbury Diocese is running an eight-session “Deepening Discipleship” course which will take place on Wednesday evenings via Zoom, beginning on 27th September – thus participants will not be faced with cold and tiring journeys in the evenings. This course encourages participants to reflect on, and develop, their Christian life, and it also provides a starting-point for anyone who is exploring the possibility of undertaking lay ministry. Applications close on September 13th. Visit Deepening Discipleship - Diocese of Canterbury (canterburydiocese.org) for further information and an application form. (Could God be calling you to serve St Michael's as a lay minister?)

The PCC is eager to improve the state of our Halls. By way of a first step, surfaces in the Vestry Hall will be washed down and made good in preparation for re-painting, beginning at 9 am on Friday 28th and Saturday 29th July. If you could give some help on either or both of those days (even just for an hour or two), please speak to Martyn or Paul.

“Creativity Unwrapped” is the theme for this year's Heritage Open Day, which takes place on September 9th. As usual, this Day will coincide with Ride and Stride, the splendid sponsored walking and cycling event that takes place each year in aid of the Friends of Kent Churches, in which Catherine has already volunteered to be a Rider. This is an occasion on which we can welcome interested visitors into our Grade 2 Listed church. Have you any creative ideas, and can you offer help on the day? And can you put some money aside to sponsor Catherine?

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