A REFLECTION FROM REV SUE SHERIFF
What an exciting week it’s been!
We wrapped church up on Saturday… had a final service there on Sunday… and the builders arrived right on time on Monday morning!
By the end of the day the old glass porch had gone and the overhead pipes in the North Transept were down. Wednesday we had a very warm welcome at Sir John Hunt Homes and on Saturday at 5.30pm we will be setting up in the church hall for the service on Sunday morning at 10am.
Being Lent, both in daily readings and in the Sunday lectionary, I keep coming across the readings of the 40 years that God’s people spent wandering in the desert as they headed for the promised land.
Everything started so positively but it wasn’t long until some of the inconveniences started to get to people and they started moaning to poor old Moses…
I am absolutely sure that won’t be what happens at St Oswald’s. Everybody has been so good at pulling together and making short work of any jobs that have needed doing in anticipation of the start of the building work in church and I know that’s how we will continue.
The important lesson from those years wandering in the wilderness was the reminder that God was faithful and could be trusted whatever happens.
We have already begun to learn that lesson.
We stepped out in faith in undertaking this project.
We had enough funds to finally get started on work that had dominated PCC meetings for many, many years.
So we stepped out in faith and God provided.
Thank you to all those who have already given so generously and those who have made pledges for the future, including increasing their regular givings.
Thank you too to those who put together grant bids.
We are now in a far more comfortable position and are even able to consider some of the work that we thought would be beyond our reach – maybe not quite yet affording the ‘icing on the cake’ but certainly we can afford some of the jam in the middle!
Thank you… and thank God.
God is good!
Yours in Christ …
Sue Sheriff
Rev Canon – Vicar of St Oswald’s
t. 01904 633261 / m. 07521 778195
e. vicar@stoswalds.church
The Vicarage, 1 Fulford Park, YO10 4QE
(not available on a Friday)
WHAT’S HAPPENING AT ST OSWALD’S
Act justly, love mercy, walk humbly with God
+ Our regular Sunday services take place in the Church Hall
+ Our regular Wednesday 10am services take place in the Main Lounge, Sir John Hunt Memorial Homes, Fulford Road
+ Toilets in the church hall to the right of the entrance hall plus an accessible toilet
+ Fair Trade Stall in the church hall usually on the 4th Sunday in the month
SUNDAY 8 MARCH
IN THE CHURCH HALL
10.00AM MORNING WORSHIP SERVICE
Service Sheet: click here
Music words: click here
See links to music videos at the end of this email
Bible Reading: Exodus 17: 1-7, John 4: 7-30
MONDAY 9 MARCH
IN THE CHURCH HALL
10AM MORNING PRAYER
1.30PM TABLE TENNIS IN THE CHURCH HALL
including a refreshments break!
Come along and give it a try – everyone welcome!
Contact: Keith Hood
TUESDAY 10 MARCH
10AM-12NOON IN THE CHURCH HALL
COMMUNITY CAFE & BABY CAFE
All babies & parents very welome! No specific activities planned … just a time to relax together
Everyone is invited and this group often involves quite a few people who don’t usually go to house groups, but enjoy coming together to learn more about our faith and what it can mean in our lives today. We meet at 12.30pm for soup and a roll, and then begin our discussions at 1pm. We aim to end at about 2pm, and people are welcome to slip away then, but we often overrun slightly to 2.15pm to give us time to pray and to clear up. This year we will be looking at the book ‘The Things He Carried’ by Stephen Cottrell.
ALSO Thursday 12 March Lent course meeting
at 7.30pm at 5 Broadway West
Contact Andrew Wilson or Caroline Moore
WEDNESDAY 11 MARCH
10AM HOLY COMMUNION
MAIN LOUNGE, SIR JOHN HUNT MEMORIAL HOMES
(Book of Common Prayer)
Park on Main Street or in the church car park and walk straight down to the Hunt Homes main gates and to the lounge which is striaght ahead.
10AM-12NOON IN THE CHURCH HALL
COMMUNITY CAFE
THURSDAY 12 MARCH
9.30-11.30AM IN THE CHURCH HALL
ST OSWALD’S TOTS
REMINDER
SATURDAY 21 MARCH, 9.30AM-12.30PM
GREAT BIG SPRING CLEAN!
We are having a Great Big Spring Clean, lots of people needed, in the church gardens.
We need people with cars to go to the dump, people to garden, people to lift things out of the garage. so we can sort the contents and decide what to dispose of, keep, mend or fix. Drill needed. Coffee and cake will be provided. Bring a picnic lunch to eat in the garden together. Pippa Ensor, m. 07949 844395
Tuesday 28 April Annual Parochial Church Meeting: That might seem a long way away but there are lots of reports to be collected in, new people are given the opportunity to join our electoral roll, and we start looking ahead to important church elections. This year we have five places to fill on our Parochial Church Council. Two of the current members of the PCC who are up for re-election this year have decided to step down after several years of dedicated service and we are very grateful to them … and two of the current members have said they are willing to stand again. Even if they are successful we will still need another three members so, if you would be interested in joining the PCC, do please talk to somebody about what is involved – you get to have a say in all the exciting things that are going on at the moment, and help to discern God’s plans for us in the future – plus we have more fun than you might imagine! Sue Sheriff
REMINDER
ST OSWALD’S CHURCH WHATSAPP GROUP
If you would like to join either of these, please contact Pippa Ensor,
e. [email protected], m. 07949 844395
Peter reflects on his recent visit to Yangon, marking ten years since the Mission’s relaunch in Myanmar. Despite the country’s economic collapse and deepening poverty, MtS volunteers continue teaching English and computer skills to seafarers and their families, offering hope and support in extraordinary circumstances – you can read Peter’s blog here
The Mission to Seafarers provides help and support to the 1.89 million crewman and women who face danger every day to keep our global economy afloat. The link person at St Oswald’s is Wendy Henwood – do chat with her to find out more.
CHURCH SERVICES RADIO/ONLINE
SUNDAYS
WEEKDAYS
> 10.45AM – BBC RADIO 4EXTRA DAILY SERVICE
REMINDER
For one week in March, thousands of people from households, schools and communities across the country will take part in the UK’s biggest people-powered investigation into household plastic waste. By counting every piece of plastic packaging we throw away, together we’ll uncover the true scale of the UK’s plastics crisis and call on the government to do more about it.
Will you join us? To take part, click HERE
Sign up and you will get a tick sheet and told what to count and how to submit data.
In previous years, The Big Plastic Count has revealed that most of our plastic isn’t actually recycled… The majority is burned in the UK, and the rest is sent overseas or to landfill. Burning plastic waste is a big problem – it fuels the climate crisis, pollutes the air, and harms the health of our communities – especially those hit hardest by inequality. So what better way to make this year count than by joining the UK’s biggest people-powered investigation into plastic waste? Together, we’ll call for a fair future that’s free from the impacts of the plastics crisis.
HELPING LOCAL PEOPLE IN CRISIS.
The foodbank relies on your goodwill and support.
DONATING FOOD
+There is a York Food Bank collection box at the back of the Church Hall+
Single Most Urgently needed Item (please): Cleaning Sprays
We are running low of (please): Tinned Fruit, Tinned Meat / Fish, UHT Milk / Powdered Milk, Sugar, Sponge Puddings (not refrigerated), Instant Mash Potato, Long Life Juice and Squash,
We are funning low of non-food (please): Toilet Roll, Cleaning Sprays, Carrier Bags, Shaving Foam / Razors, Ladies and Mens Deodorant, Laundry Detergent, Shampoo
We are well stocked in (thank you!): Baked Beans, Nappies size 1 and 2, Tinned Spaghetti
Unfortunately they are unable to accept (sorry): Out of Date (Past best before date) or opened items, Chilled/Frozen Products, Homemade Items (notably Jam), Baby Formula Milk, Medical Items (tablets, medicines, medical incontinence pads, Fortisip Bottles), Alcoholic Drinks
+There is also a local Foodshare collection box in the Church Hall entrance+
REMINDER
ST OSWALD’S CHURCH HALL RECYCLING HUB
What can you recycle there?
Cables, biscuit & tea packaging and candle waste
in the bins under the table in the hall foyer.
Clean cans, foil + tablet blister packs (all in bags)
in the Christian Aid bin on the right
Contact Pippa Ensor,
e. [email protected], m. 07949 844395
SOFT PLASTIC: We don’t recycle this but Aldi & the Co-op do!
TOOTHPASTE TUBES & TETRA PACKS: Can now be kerbside recycled in York iin plastics/cans bin
What will we be singing on Sunday at 10am?
MP1086 Light of the world
MP201 Guide me O Thou great Jehovah
MP37 As the deer pants for the water
MP806 Beauty for brokenness
BUILDING ON THE GENEROSITY OF GENERATIONS BEFORE US
For information about the planned work, click HERE
WAYS IN WHICH YOU CAN DONATE
