Newsletter 11th April 2021

 Second Sunday of Easter,

11^th April, 2021

‘Reach out your hand and put it in my side. Do not doubt but believe’. John 20.27

Alleluia! Christ is risen. He is risen indeed. Allelulia!

We continue to celebrate the Easter season and we hope you can join us either in church or by watching our 10am service on Facebook or You Tube.

Collect

Risen Christ,

for whom no door is locked, no entrance barred:

open the doors of our hearts,

that we may seek the good of others

and walk the joyful road of sacrifice and peace,

to the praise of God the Father.

Readings

Acts 4.32-35, Psalm 133, 1 John 1.1 - 2.2,
John 20.19-31   

Prince Philip – may he rest in peace

It is a sadness this week to hear about the death of Prince Philip. Bishop Martin writes: ‘Our thoughts and prayers are with Her Majesty the Queen and with her family, on hearing the news of the death of the Duke of Edinburgh.

Beyond the love and commitment of marriage and family life, Prince Philip has been a remarkable consort in his commitment for nearly 7 decades to the demands of public life – a rock of support in good times and bad.

Let us now give thanks for his steadfast love of the Queen, their family and the nation that he served with pride.

May God grant to him rest and peace and a share in the glory of eternal life’. +Martin

An area has been created in the side chapel for memorial prayers for Prince Philip and to light a candle.  The church is open each day 9am to 5pm. We are unable to use a book of condolences at this time for health reasons. However you can light a candle or sign a book of condolences online. You can light an online candle here

You can sign the online condolence book here

Sunday Zoom Coffee Time!

For those joining us at home on Sunday, when the 10am live stream of the service finishes you have ten minutes to make yourself a cuppa and join us for a Zoom coffee time.  Join Zoom Meeting

JOIN COFFEE TIME HERE

Meeting ID: 846 7654 6296

Passcode: 281524

We are delighted that Sea Lights returns to the hall Sunday 18^th April. Please contact Daisy to book your place.

cogssundayschool10@gmail.com

Children’s Lamb Trail

Children’s entrance forms are on top of the piano. Plus, can you spot the animal in the porch and the shepherd who is protecting the sheep?

Tony’s Sabbatical

Canon Tony is taking a three month sabbatical from the Good Shepherd starting from 1^st April. This is to concentrate on his work with SEAN International. We look forward to welcoming Tony back in July, and we thank him for all the work he has put into our Zoom services during lockdown.

Bob’s Cards for Sale

In the church hall car park, after each 10am service.

I will be selling various cards from my car boot, socially distancing and masks to be worn.

All proceeds to The Church of the Good Shepherd.

Keep off the grass

Please keep off the grass in front of the church (not the car park). It has been reseeded.

Christian Aid Week

A date for your diary - Saturday May 15th- Takeaway Afternoon Tea in aid of Christian Aid. Watch this space for more details of how to order your box of delights. Maybe you can begin to plan with friends a socially distanced gathering in an outside space where you can enjoy your afternoon tea together.

Please let Jill Charlish know if you would like to help in anyway during Christian Aid week this year (May 10th-16th). Jill Charlish.

Bible Art John 20.19-31   

I was thinking how this episode is the diametric opposite to the split second before somebody dies suddenly, one moment all is well and the next moment it goes horribly wrong. Here we have the disciples gathered together in the 'horribly wrong' state, in the split second before Jesus appears amongst them. 

The Gospel says that the door was locked because they were afraid of what the authorities might do to them, they must have been terrified; they probably had not slept at all, they may have eaten little, and I have drawn them dishevelled because they were young and distraught and might not even have changed their clothes.

Fear of what might happen to them was probably not their only fear ... many people live in a state of fear after someone they love has died, especially if it happens without warning. So these disciples are in shock, they have not known where to turn for comfort because the man they trusted above all to help them has been horribly killed. People might say that life was cheaper then, but that does not mean that the effect of someone's death upon those who loved them was any different to the effect of the sudden death of a loved one on us now. 

So that was the first half of the split second ...then comes the second half when Jesus appears amongst them and says 'Peace be with you!' This is the Lord's peace, so you can imagine that the fear, shock and horror would be instantly lifted from them, bringing them true healing, so that they could listen to what Jesus was saying and remember his words.

This is the split second between terrified despair and the revelation of God's redemptive plan beginning for those disciples.

Revd Jess

APCM – revised date

We have had to move back the date for the APCM to allow more time for the finalising of reports. The new date is now Tuesday 4^th May, 7.30pm on Zoom. Full notices are in the church porch.

 Electoral Roll

Rescheduled Annual Revision of COGS Electoral Roll
Tuesday, 23rd March until Monday, 19th April

During this period, those already on the COGS electoral roll can check their details and submit revisions if necessary — change of address, change of name, etc. Email me (GeoffHolme@yahoo.co.uk) if you wish to check your currently-held details.

People not currently on the COGS electoral roll who wish to be and who qualify should fill in an application form — available from the Vicarage or from me (16 Fowey Close) — and return it by Monday, 19th April at the latest. This will allow them to vote at the APCM.

(After the end of the revision period there is a period of 14 days — Tuesday, 20th April to Monday, 3rd May — when any errors or omissions can be corrected, but no new applicants can be added until after the APCM.) Geoff Holme (COGS Electoral Roll Office)

And finally…

Here’s one of the lovely miniature Easter gardens made by the children at our Good Friday outdoor family service.

My hours as Associate Vicar are half time and my

working days are Tuesday, Wednesday, Friday and also Sunday mornings. Please do get in contact if you need any prayer or support. Blessings and prayers for

you this Easter season.

Revd Jane Email: bartlett.jane@ntlworld.com. Tel: 079355 38085.

HOW TO BOOK FOR SERVICES

How to book for next week’s service,

18^th April, 10am

This is the TryBooking link for booking places

https://www.trybooking.co.uk/ZTF

• Click on the link then follow the instructions. Booking will be open from Monday to Thursday for the following Sunday.
• If you are not on the internet and cannot book on-line, please phone the office (01273 440202) between Monday and Thursday and Sue or Jenny will book you in.
• You will only be able to book one Sunday at a time. This is to prevent the same people booking every week, as it may be that more people than we can accommodate wish to come to the

service. Once the service is full, if you have been unsuccessful and would like to attend the following Sunday, please tell the office immediately (email or phone) and you will be given a priority place ahead of the Monday to Thursday booking times

• 23 places will be offered (additional places are reserved each week for our welcomer, reader, intercessor, musician, sacristan and livestream technician). It may be that there are still places left after the booking times of Monday to Thursday. In this case anyone can book a place on Friday/ Saturday.

Services this

Week

Sunday, 11^th April

8am – Holy Communion in church

10am – Parish Communion in church

With Revd Peter

Please book for the 10am. This service will be live streamed onto our Facebook and You Tube channel.

You Tube page CLICK HERE

Church Facebook page CLICK HERE

Tuesday, 13^th April

9.30am - Informal Holy Communion

With Revd Jane (in church, no need to book).

Thursday, 15^th April

7pm Celtic Evening Prayer on

Zoom

Click here LINK  

Meeting ID: 835 3982 3953 Password: 589147

Friday 16^th April

8am – Meditation with Morning

Prayer on Zoom

Meeting ID: 513293120

(No password is needed )  Click here LINK

Evening Prayer

This is said at 5.30pm from St Marys via Zoom on Monday and Wednesday, at 5.30pm. If

you want to attend contact Canon Ann for the

link. Email: annwaizeneker@gmail.com