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St Mary’s News – The Touch Wood Edition

St Mary’s News –Touch Wood for Good Luck

Happy Easter

This month’s news starts with Revd Anne’s (farewell) themed on the call for good luck – “Touch Wood”.  Following this, you can find out about events including:

… the usual listings of services & contacts.

Message from Rev Anne Mason

‘Touch wood’

“April showers bring May flowers” 🥀 is a saying we may have heard, and it is usually true. The wet, dreary weather we tend to experience in early spring gives way to a beautiful array of flowers in vibrant colours as time passes. The flowers bloom, or vegetables and trees bear fruit later in the season, because of the rain that falls on them – or in very dry periods the water that we give them.

This familiar saying reminds me of a Bible verse that says:

“Yet what we suffer now is nothing compared to the glory He (Jesus) will reveal to us later.” (Romans 8:18)

Time to Reflect

Last year my husband, Tim, and I both experienced illness and subsequent surgery, but thankfully not at the same time so we were able to support and care for one another during our recovery times.  We are both now very well and have reflected on the deep peace of Jesus that we felt throughout this time.  Jesus didn’t promise us that we wouldn’t go through difficult times, but he did promise us that he would always be with us.

Touch Wood for Good Luck

Touch Wood

Another phrase that I hear at times is ‘touch wood’, when someone might be hoping for some good luck, or to avoid tempting fate.  Of course, common sense tells us that a piece of wood can’t have any influence on our lives.  But it reminds me that Jesus died on a wooden cross and he can influence our lives in a good way if we follow him and learn from his ways.

As we prepare our Easter celebrations it is good to remember the path of suffering that Jesus took on our behalf.  He faced an unfair trial, was beaten, humiliated, and finally nailed to a wooden cross.  On the day we call Good Friday he died; he was laid in a tomb for three days.

He rose from the dead

Then on the day we celebrate as Easter Day he rose from the dead and showed himself to more than 500 people to prove that he had overcome death and was alive!

So next time you are about to say ‘touch wood’, can I encourage you to pause and give thanks to Jesus instead for giving his life sacrificially for each one of us, so that we can know his love and peace in this world and for all eternity.

Reverend Anne Mason

Events & Services

Easter Day Celebration service—9.30am on 20 April

Join us for an all-age Easter Celebration service with a shortened Communion, an Easter Egg hunt, and refreshments after the service. All are very welcome!

Sun 27 April—6 Parishes Service—Retirement of Revd Anne Mason

Revd Anne Mason

There will be a special united Parishes service on Sunday 27 April to mark the retirement of Revd Anne Mason from her role as Associate Priest. The service will take place on Sunday 27 April at St John’s Church Great Horkesley at 10.30am and all are welcome to attend.

We are hugely grateful for Anne’s ministry with us over the past six years, during which time she has often taken our communion services here at St Mary’s, as well as conducting weddings, baptisms and funerals in the six parishes.

We are of course sad that she’s retiring but the good news is that she and her husband are remaining in Great Horkesley and plan to stay involved in the life of the six parishes, after taking a well earned break.

Holy Week—Experience Easter Trail

Throughout Holy Week, there were will be an ‘Experience Easter’ trail across the King’s Ridge Parishes, where daily from 10am-4pm, a different prayer space relating to the events of Holy Week will appear in a different church as follows:

  • Mon 14 April—Mount Bures Church
  • Tues 15 April—Little Horkesley Church
  • Weds 16 April—Boxted Church
  • Thurs 17 April—All Saints, Gt Horkesley
  • Fri 18 April—St Mary’s, West Bergholt
  • Sat 19 April—Wormingford Church

Lent Lunches in April

The Lent soup lunches are continuing in April, with the money raised going to the Utugi Children’s Home in Kenya. Dates and venues are as follows, all at 12 noon-1.30pm:

  • Tuesday 1 April—Mount Bures Church
  • Tuesday 8 April—St Mary’s, West Bergholt

Zoom Compline for Lent

Join us on Zoom for quiet prayer and reflection at 9.30pm on Thursdays in Lent on 3 & 10 April. Meeting ID 828 9012 8517 , passcode 093408.

Sunday & Easter Services

6 April9:30 amHoly Communion & 5pm Taize service
13 April9:30 amPalm Sunday Messy Church & 5pm Evening Worship service
17 April8:00 pmMaundy Thursday Agape Meal at St John’s Great Horkesley
18 April10:00 amGood Friday Meditation service
20 April9:30 amEaster Day Celebration Service, with shortened Communion
27 April10:30 amUnited celebration at St John’s, Great Horkesley

Our Team at St Mary’s