Announcements & Events – Sunday 23rd July (Seventh Sunday after Trinity)
St John the Divine Acklington, St James Shilbottle, St Lawrence Warkworth
Can’t quite believe we are at the end of the school year. Please do keep our year 6 leavers and their families in your prayers. Also, of course, their teachers and, in particular, Gary Parnaby (head at Shilbottle), Jonathan Booth (head at Warkworth) and Kevin Moloney (parishioner of Warkworth and head at Hipsburn).
Also for your prayers:
St James as it celebrates its patronal festival on Sunday (details below)
Abigail to be baptised Saturday at St Lawrence
Victoria and Kenneth to be married Saturday at St James
And our prayers and best wishes for Remley Mann (Acklington parishioner and Mailchimp Administrator) who has been accepted for Reader training.
New Service
The provision of services across the benefice has been under review since our first conference in September 2021. Various new initiatives have come from this, including Finding Peace, non-Eucharistic 1st Sundays at St James, Deanery Choral Evensongs, etc.
As things stand, Sunday attendance has shrunk rather than grown (we are by no means alone here) and we need to do all we can to reverse that trend.
When considering the options for enhancing what we currently offer at Warkworth, we have given careful consideration to the following:
we know that there are a number of previous regular church goers who, having relocated to Warkworth, are not attracted to the 9 am service
our demographic is ‘third age’ who, understandably, might be reluctant to get up early on a Sunday
in only offering an early morning service on Sunday, we offer little to those on holiday who might be of a mind to ‘explore’ on neutral territory
In the light of these discussions in September 2022, Warkworth PCC approved a 6 month trial of an additional service on the 1st Sunday of the month at 10.15 am at St Lawrence. This is a big step and is not without risk; however, we feel it is a risk worth taking. We decided not to implement the change at that point, as we felt it needed the endorsement of Warkworth’s new (2023) PCC. This was unanimously given at the June meeting and so we propose to begin the trial on Advent Sunday, 3rd December 2023 with a review at the June PCC in 2024.
From December the 9.00 am service at Warkworth on the first Sunday will be a said service of Holy Communion using the weekday (Thursday morning) format and lasting approximately 30 minutes. The 10.15 am service will be a streamlined version of Holy Communion with hymns and an extended time of reflection, lasting in total about 45 minutes.
Refreshments will be served in between the two services, so that the two congregations have the chance to come together as one and people don’t miss out on fellowship with dear friends, regardless of which service they choose to attend. This may be a challenge, but we’ll see how things go.
This new arrangement gives the choir and organist a Sunday morning off (unless they choose to play/sing with the music group we hope to form). This fits well with having the Deanery Evensong on the 1st Sunday, which our choir and organist occasionally support.
Please don’t hesitate to ask any questions if you are unsure of what your options are for worship, and if you feel you need something other than what we currently provide across the benefice, please do let us know.
The Acklington Pop-up Cafe is back on 22nd July!
All are welcome at our next pop-up cafe, on Saturday, 22nd July in Acklington Village Hall. Doors open from 11 am – 1 pm. Refreshments include light lunches, as well as the usual cakes, savouries and beverages.
The Festival of St James on Sunday 23rd July:
10 am Festival Eucharist – all are welcome3 pm Jimmy’s Mystery Churchyard Trail – suitable for all ages, free registration with a goodie bag for every participating child and spot prizes
4 pm Strawberry Tea in St James’ churchyard – produce stall, bumper raffle and good company; £4 adults, £2 children, with all money raised donated to HospiceCare North Northumberland and Shilbottle School
As part of St James’ tide: Colin will present an illustrated talk about W S Hicks, the architect of our fine church at Shilbottle on Monday 24th July, in St James at 7 pm. Colin will also be launching his new book ‘A Shilbottle Miscellany’ (cost £8). Shilbottle Local History Group members free, visitors £2 – a glass of wine will be available.
Churchyards
If you haven’t had a wander around recently at St James, St Johns or up at Beach Road, do take the time to do so. I think you will be pleasantly surprised by the transformation. Check the calendar here for the next work parties.
All our congregations (Sunday or weekday) would welcome new readers, intercessors, welcomers, refreshment helpers. Please do let me know if you need to be pointed in the right direction.
Why not give it a go … ?
Celtic Prayer every Wednesday at 9.30 am for about 25 mins
A small group meets at St John the Divine each Wednesday to pray together using material from the Northumbria Community. Please drop in; you will receive a warm welcome!
Adoration every Thursday at 5.30 pm for 25 mins
An opportunity for a time of silent prayer before the Blessed Sacrament preceded by The Litany (an ancient sequence of prayers) and concluding with a piece of music. Held at St Lawrence; we enter and leave in silence. This is a time of personal prayer and devotion.
Morning Prayer every Friday at 9 am for about 25 mins
A group from across the three parishes pray the Office of Morning Prayer together ‘on-line’ via Zoom. It is so good to begin the day in this way. It seems to set the tone for everything we do, exciting or mundane, routine or exceptional. It enables us to be God-centred rather than self-centred and gives time to be God-prompted about what this means for the daily diary. It is very easy to join us and you will be warmly welcomed. Contact Margaret Hobrough for more information 01665 711203 or find the link and QR code on the last page of the weekly notice (and via link below).
And don’t forget …
A Time to Pray at St Lawrence: Mon 9 am
BCP Holy Communion at St John the Divine: Tue 11.30 am
Holy Communion at St James: Wed 9.30 am
Holy Communion at St Lawrence: Thurs 9.30 am
BCP Holy Communion at St Lawrence: Sat 4 pm
Reverend Helen O’Sullivan
Acklington, Shilbottle and Warkworth
The Vicarage, Dial Place, Warkworth, NE65 0UR
01665 712002 aswvicarage@gmail.com
To join services and events by WHYPAY:
dial 0333 0164 757 room number 33203836# guest pin 3770#
N.B. the room is hosted 5 minutes before services or events begin
21/07
