Services This Week
Dear All,
Services this week are taking place in person or via livestream through our YouTube Channel. Please find gathering times and service sheet links below:
Friday 23 February
10.30am - BCP Holy Communion (Revd Dr Mark Scarlata)
Sunday 25 February / Second Sunday of Lent
11am - Holy Communion
Sermon: ‘Freedom from Pride & Listlessness: Taking Up Our Cross’
Service Sheet: Here
Other news:
Volunteer Rota: In addition to the sign-up sheet in church, we are making it easier to volunteer by attaching an online rota with the weekly email here. (N.B. There will be an initial delay before access is granted to the form, in order that only church members can see and edit it.) Please do consider if you are able to help out in any of the ways listed – we are particularly in need of regular volunteers to set-up tea and coffee and stay a little longer after each service to wash-up/leave away. If you have any queries please speak to Peter on Sunday. Many thanks!
Lenten Reading Groups: We will be running reading groups in the church throughout Lent and warmly encourage you to join one. Currently we have one meeting on Sunday afternoon, one on Monday evening, and one (as part of Scriptorium) on Tuesday & Wednesday lunchtimes. We will be working through Rowan Williams’ new book Passions of the Soul, which can be purchased from here. Questions for guiding discussion on each of the book’s chapters can be viewed here.
Giving: As always we are grateful for all of your gifts! Offerings may still be given during this time via a basket collection during live services, Standing Orders, or one time bank transfer, via BACS (Sort Code: 20-17-19 / Account Number: 30851477 / Account Name: St Edwards Church). There is now also a SumUp machine by the door of the church, for those of you who wish to give contactlessly: Simply power on, enter the amount you wish to give on the screen, and then tap your card.
Exciting Holiness (Friday 23 February):
Honoured as one of the first Christian martyrs, Polycarp had been Bishop of Smyrna on the Aegean coast of Asia Minor for over forty years when the persecution of Christians began. He was arrested and given the option to renounce his faith and so save his life. His response was: ‘I have been Christ’s servant for eighty-six years and he has done me no harm. Can I now blaspheme my King and my Saviour?’ He was immediately burnt at the stake. His remains were gathered together and buried outside the city; thus began the practice of celebrating the eucharist over his burial place on the anniversary of his death, a practice which also grew over the martyrs’ tombs in the Roman catacombs. Polycarp died in the year 155.
Almighty God, who gave to your servant Polycarp boldness to confess the name of our Saviour Jesus Christ before the rulers of this world and courage to die for his faith: grant that we also may be ready to give an answer for the faith that is in us and to suffer gladly for the sake of our Lord Jesus Christ, who is alive and reigns with you, in the unity of the Holy Spirit, one God, now and for ever. Amen.
