May 23 Newsletter
A Message from Derek Bish our Church Treasurer
Did you know that it costs just over £260 a day to maintain All Saints Church and its ministry and mission at the heart of Earls Barton? Our current budget shows a shortfall of almost 10% of that amount. So much of our income comes from regular or one-off donations by church members and visitors. If you are able to consider giving regularly, please contact Derek Bish at treasurer.earlsbarton@outlook.com
A message from Revd Jenny Bland, Our Vicar
A New King. For Christians, Easter isn’t just a day or a weekend, but a whole season! It’s a season of celebration and victory which runs from Easter Sunday (9th April this year), all the way to Pentecost, which this year will be celebrated on the 28th May.
Oftentimes in our Easter worship we refer to Jesus as King, and you may have heard Jesus being described as ‘the Lord of Lords and the King of Kings’ in our services, in scripture or sung worship.
There are many references to Jesus’ royal status and the kingdom which he rules in the Bible, you may remember Jesus’ words to Pontius Pilate as he was put on trial; ‘“My kingdom is not of this world. If my kingdom were of this world, my servants would have been fighting, that I might not be delivered over to the Jews. But my kingdom is not from the world.”’ (John 18:36).
God’s kingdom is not like our world, and actually, as we await Pentecost, we pray ‘thy kingdom come’ with even more vigour. This prayer seeks that our world becomes more like the kingdom of God, which means more in line with how God intended our world to be: where people know that they are loved beyond belief, of immense value, that they belong, and that they have the power to bring peace, to do justly and generously.
As King Charles III is anointed, blessed and consecrated King by the Archbishop of Canterbury, there will be people praying across the nation and the world that God will work through him as he leads and serves. As well as Head of the Nation and Head of the Commonwealth, King Charles will also be Defender of the Faith (and protector of the faiths) and Supreme Governor of the Church of England, the latter being a title going back to the rule of King Henry VIII. It is a significant moment in our history and the start of a new chapter in the life of our nation and our church. There is a distinctive holy calling to the role of monarch, so may God bless, equip and guide our new king as he lives to serve the king of kings, and that as he serves, he may seek and closer the kingdom of God here on earth.
Join us ahead of the coronation at All Saints Church for a vigil of prayer the night before the coronation: 5th May at 5pm.
A prayer you might like to pray: Blessed are you, Sovereign God and King of Kings, to you be glory and praise forever! From the rising of the sun to its setting your glory is proclaimed in all the world. You gave the Christ as a light to the nations, and through the anointing of his Spirit you established us as a royal priesthood. As Charles our King prepares for his coronation, enlighten his heart and strengthen his spirit, so that we, with him, may bear witness to your truth and proclaim your praise. Blessed be God, Father, Son and Holy Spirit.
Blessed be God for ever.
What’s on at All Saints Church?
Midweek Worship Every Wednesday - 9:30am Holy Communion and 8:30pm Compline (or Night Prayer). On the first Wednesday of the month there is a short service of Holy Communion in the Church Hall at 3pm followed by refreshments - everyone is welcome, we always have new people joining us.
Sunday Services in May
7th - 9am Holy Communion, 10am All Age Service celebrating the Coronation and featuring Baptisms. 6pm Evensong and 7pm refreshments for 7:30pm Prayer and Praise.
14th - 10am Holy Communion
21st - 10am Holy Communion
Pentecost 28th - 10am Holy Communion
Everyone is welcome to join us for our services and we warmly encourage children. We have an area with books and toys for families or JaM (Jesus and Me) our children’s group, runs on Sundays in term-time too. Refreshments are served after every Sunday service in the Church Hall.
May Events and Seasonal Services
5th - 5pm, a Vigil of Prayer ahead of the Coronation of King Charles III.
11th - 7pm a service to celebrate Eurovision: with a focus on Ukraine, diversity, inclusion and world music.
14th – 12.00 Shared Lunch – everyone invited – see below
18th - 7:30pm Ascension Day Service.
21st - 7-8:30pm - Youth Group for those in Earls Barton who are 10-16yr old and interested in exploring faith. Contact Sarah Howes for more information: howes_africa@yahoo.com
Please pray for…
King Charles III as he prepares for his Coronation on 6th May (join us for a prayer vigil 5pm on the 5th). Please also pray for Charles and Gabriella and Becky and Tim who are getting married this month and William and Edith who are being baptised.
Everyone is welcome to join us for our services and we warmly encourage children! We have an area with books and toys for families or JaM (Jesus and Me), our children’s group, runs on Sundays in term-time too. Refreshments are served after every Sunday service in the Church Hall.
Shared Lunch
This month’s Shared lunch will be on 14th May to which everyone is invited. It will be a time to meet and chat over a simple lunch. The idea is that you bring some food and drink - enough to feed you and your family - and we all just share in whatever arrives. Generally, cold food is easier to deal with - for example, quiches, sausage rolls, pizzas, salads, bread, cheese, nibbles plus cakes, fruit or simple puddings but bring what you like. The lunch starts at about 12pm after the usual refreshments. For more info please contact Derek & Margaret Bish – 01604 811539.
Open Church
We are trying to have our church open to visitors or those who wish to pray in a quiet space or light a candle over the Summer. To do this we need volunteers to be in church to welcome visitors. We aim to be open at the following times:
Wednesdays, Thursdays and Fridays 10.00 am to 12.00 and 2.00 to 4.00 pm and Saturdays 10.00 am to 12.00.
We are asking volunteers to do this once a month on a rota. If you can help, please contact Helen Winrow on 01604 811410.
Dates for your Diary
27th May: Charity Concert for the Ukrainian Appeal by Laars and Daria -
Accomplished Ukrainian musicians playing a variety of musical styles for all ages and all tastes!
Admission free - generous donations, please.
Refreshments to be sold from 6pm, music from 6.30pm
10th June:
Annual Plant Swap and Sale
10am to noon in the churchyard.
Start planting donations to bring along, swap, buy other plants, have some interesting horticultural conversations, plus yummy refreshments will be served in the hall at the Fairtrade Coffee Morning!
Save the date:
June 10th (evening in the church) :
Concert by Animato Singers performing the Faure Requiem. Profits to go to Cancer Research
Time and ticket sales to be confirmed in the June 2023 News Sheet.
Fairtrade News
We're Celebrating 10 Years of our EB Fairtrade shop this month!
Please join us for an: 'International Recipe Evening' at All Saints Church Hall 7.30pm on Saturday 20th May. We will be offering various internationally-themed main courses and puddings, plus salad and bread with a glass of wine/juice included for £15 per person (Children £7.50).
You will also have the chance to buy your favourite recipes plus take part in our raffle.
Tickets are available from our shop on Saturdays 10am to 1pm or contact Nicola on 07812 686944 or nicky_smithseb@yahoo.co.uk
Do contact us soon as these are usually very popular events and spaces are limited!
If anyone would love to cook something for this event or has a raffle prize they'd like to donate, please let me know.
Bellringers report
Coronation Ringing - I am delighted to report that we will be ringing all the bells for the start of the Coronation Party on the Square. This is such a special occasion that I have invited all our beginners to be part of the All Saints Ringing. We will be starting at 2.00pm and will ring until when the party starts at 3.00pm. A few weeks ago we started our celebration ringing with Josh's first Quarter peal which was dedicated to the King's Coronation. A first quarter Peal is a huge milestone for any ringer to achieve so we are all very pleased that Josh has been successful at his first attempt. We look forward to more of the band achieving this milestone in the coming months. If you would like to find out more about ringing in this Coronation year then please call me.
Andy Smith Tower Captain.
0754 131 2407
Safeguarding
I am Hayley Ball and I am the new Safeguarding Officer for our Church. I will be supported while ‘learning the ropes’ by Tricia who has retired from this very important role after 12 years of service. I will also be supported by Sandra Jordan and Jackie Elvin. There is a great deal to do for this role and I ask for the support of the Church Family to respond quickly when a request comes to you for any completed forms or information. This will make my tasks so much easier and ‘doable’.
Hayley safeguarding.earlsbarton@outlook.com
Cakes for Earls Barton Primary School Staff
Would you like to join in with our efforts to bless Earls Barton Primary School?
You do not need to be a child expert! We are sending in cakes, biscuits, chocolates, and even ice lollies (when it is hot!) to bless the staff with a card of appreciation for all they do to invest in our village’s children and families. We do this about four times a term so that they know we are praying for them and on side with them. If you would like to bake/buy for one of these occasions, please contact Charlotte Nobbs at charlottenobbs66@gmail.com or 07772816990.
Alternatively, our next occasion for cakes/biscuits will be the week before half term beginning Monday 22nd May, please bring a pack of biscuits with a label stuck on that says how much we appreciate what the school does for our children and we will take these all in that week. Please bring them by Sunday 21st May, and leave them in the box in the children’s area.