Trinity 12 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 Matthias, 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.
Confirmation: It's not unusual for adults who missed out on Confirmation when they were younger to decide that the time has now come to take this important step in their Christian lives. If you are one of these, please speak to Fr Paul – there will be a Confirmation class that you can join in September.
Why do we….? Fr Paul will soon be providing a chance to discover more, or refresh our memories, about what we believe and how it is expressed and embodied in what we do in church. If you might like to be part of a group exploring this aspect of our faith, please speak to Fr Paul about it. If you are thinking of becoming a server, please speak to him about that, too – we need more servers!
Saturday, September 9th, 10 am – 4 pm, is a Heritage Open Day. We want our local community – and visitors from further afield – to enjoy the lovely Angel Windows in this listed building, and, God willing, to get a sense of the beauty of holiness as St Michael's tries to show it. We need volunteers to bake cakes/biscuits, make tea and coffee, welcome visitors and act as stewards, answer questions, and sign-in the Ride and Stride participants – including Catherine - who will be doing their sponsored walk or cycle-ride on the same day in aid of the Friends of Kent Churches. This is a precious opportunity to develop our community links and to encourage more people to get to know St Michael's - and what it stands for. Please sign the green list of helpers at the back of church!
Ride & Stride on September 9th will number Catherine among its Riders. Please look for the yellow form at the back of church if you would like to sponsor her. Her Riding (around as many participating churches as she can on the day) will benefit the Friends of Kent Churches, but there is a welcome rake-off for her parish church as well. Do give Catherine your support (yellow form at back of church).
Also on September 9th: Wendy of The Wendy House is planning a Princesses' Tea in the Vestry Hall. There will be a small charge - but as there will also be a free children's activity in church, September 9th will be a good day to invite friends with children to come and explore St Michael's!
Looking further ahead: St Michael's pre-Christmas Fair will take place on December 2nd. Please book the date now, and speak to Sara (07837 919761) with ideas and offers of help. Don't hang back if you are new to St Michael's – every idea, every offer of help is welcomed and appreciated!
Renewed thanks to all involved in redecorating the Vestry Hall, whose combined efforts are producing most encouraging results. It isn't too late to offer further help – please speak to Paul or Martyn.
Safeguarding for the young and vulnerable is an important area of our church life. PCC members in particular have the duty of ensuring that our diocesan safeguarding policy is carried out, and that everyone is encouraged to contribute to a culture that supports it. PCC members, your safeguarding certificates last for 3 years – might you need to renew one? If in any doubt, speak to Katja. But we shouldn't leave it just to the PCC – the brief online courses entitled Basic Awareness and Foundations (each one takes about 90 mins to do) can be found at https://www.canterburydiocese.org/safeguarding-training/ and are open to everyone interested. Why not open an account and explore?
From our Tower: Kent County Association: Maidstone, Kent, St Michael and All Angels
Sunday, 20 August 2023 in 43m (6–1–24 in C)
1280 Uxbridge Surprise Major
- Lucy Harvey
- Rona Joiner
- Jacqueline Barlow
- Paul Barton
- Ashley Chaloner
- Mark Elvers
- Pam Thomas
- Neil Jones (C)
Rung on the Commemoration of William and Catherine Booth, founders of the Salvation Army, 1912 and 1890.
Readers' list for September (Thank you to all our readers! please try to make an arrangement with another reader if unable to read on the day listed)
Sunday September 3 OT Paul Jones NT Mike Trout
Sunday September 10 OT Eta/Zangi NT William Danes-Volkov
Sunday September 17 OT Catherine Garland NT Eleanor Relle
Sunday September 24 OT Ralph Baldock NT Katja Svarts
Could you pass on this sheet to someone else who might like to see it?