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ST. MARY'S MATTERS
The youth doing an epic job volunteering at The Branch
Dear Friends
This week we find out what the youth have been up to during lockdown, receive a huge thank you from our mission partners, find out about some great opportunities for craft and connection and Ursula recommends a book for those approaching retirement.

Praying that wherever you are you know the enormity of the Father's love for you.

See what great love the Father has lavished on us, that we should be called children of God! And that is what we are!

1 John 3:1

Sundays

 

Easter Day, Sunday 4th April, 10.30am
Family Service in church

 

Other Sundays until further notice

Each Sunday we'll be posting a Virtual Sunday video on our website and YouTube channel.
 

Thursday Services

We'll keep you posted...

Prayer meetings

 

Setting a Watch

Continues daily at 6am and 6pm, via Zoom (link below)

Building to Serve Prayer Meeting

Continues every Monday at 12.15, via Zoom

Lectio Divina

12 noon every weekday via Zoom (link below)

WELLBEING PACKS: PEACE

This week's wellbeing pack is themed around "peace" and includes a taster from a new project from Chipping Norton Theatre showcasing local photos from down the years, as well as lots of craft ideas.
Virtual Wellbeing packs

YOUTH ESCAPE ROOM AND MURDER MYSTERY

We’ve had some interesting socials with the young people in the past couple of weeks. Friday before last we did an online escape room, as a group we worked together to aid the great Sherlock Holmes in uncovering the mystery around a missing widow. Following the clues we systematically moved onto the next stage in the mystery, eventually resulting in a positive result. This was great fun despite taking longer than anticipated to complete, but a win’s a win and we all had a great time.

Last Friday we joined with the youth from Evenlode Vale Church along with their youth leader, Mark, and dressed up in full costume for an 80’s themed Murder Mystery! Mark and I ‘hosted’ the party as two Miami Vice Police Detectives, everyone else had an individual character for them to play. There were some brilliant acting performances and costumes, as well as some bodacious use of 80’s slang.

These events were so great in being able to hang out socially together, we’ll definitely do more in the future with the hope we can do these in person as well.

-Joel

THANK YOU FROM OUR MISSION PARTNERS
New banners for the chapel at Long Lartin prison
It's always a real treat to be able to bless our mission partners by sending on the gifts that you've all contributed to. Each year St. Mary's gives 10% of its unrestricted voluntary income to mission partners at home and overseas.

Here are some of the thank you messages we received this year from our mission partners: 
 

Long Lartin Prison

"These banners will certainly enhance our worshipping experience. I can only reiterate that our department is overwhelmed by your thoughtfulness and generosity."

Innovista

"Dear James and everyone at St. Mary's. We are so thankful for you all and for the support you give each year for leaders living in hard-to-reach places."
 

Great Lakes Outreach

"Yeeeeehaaaaaah!!!

THANKS SO MUCH! that’s just wonderful. We’re on good form here in Bath and the troops in Burundi are firing on all cylinders!

Do pass on my thanks to all involved in the decision."

(I think he was happy!)

If you'd like to read more about our mission partners and find out who they all are the please click below.
Our Mission Partners

A PLACE TO REMEMBER
There will be many folk who have been touched by grief over this past year - Those who have lost loved ones, family and friends, and have been unable to mark their passing in the ways that we would have liked.  Then there are those who have lost their jobs, livelihoods and hope for their future as well as many of us who have felt the grief of others.

Although our church building was eventually able to open for private prayer on some days, we have felt keenly the absence of the support of the gathered community.

The clergy also regret that we have not been able to be with you in the normal way of visits and funeral care.

As the restrictions hopefully begin to ease later in the Spring, St Mary’s Church would like to offer everyone the opportunity to have a place and a time to remember.

In addition to the church building being open on Wednesdays and Sundays for private prayer, we would like to offer you a place to come and maybe light a candle, sit in peace, or have a quiet chat with one of the team who will be available to listen to your concerns.

We are setting aside time on Wednesdays, between 2pm and 3pm.

You will be very welcome.

EASTER CREATE AT HOME
All Saints' Churchill and St. Andrew's Kingham invite you to "Easter Create @ Home":
  • Live demos of a variety of Easter decorations for your home with Christine Ramsey.
  • Janet Hayes will talk on the theme of ‘Hope’ and the work of her charity Rafiki Thabo Foundation (one of our mission partners).
Wednesday 31st March 7.30pm on Zoom.

All welcome!

Book a place to receive a zoom link with Sally Salter sally.m.salter@btinternet.com

SATURDAY CRAFTING
Following the success of our last "Saturday Crafting" we'll be running another one tomorrow (Saturday 20th March) at 10.30am.

The idea is to have a relaxed morning in good company. We'll be having a go at some of the crafts in the wellbeing packs but if you don't feel very crafty we'd still love to see you for a chat and a cuppa!

This time we’ll be making macramé keyrings. Whether older or younger, well known to the church family or still feeling new, you’d be so welcome.

(Source your own materials from home or collect from the church porch.)

Topic: Saturday craft-along
Time: Mar 20, 2021 10:30 AM London

Join Zoom Meeting
https://us02web.zoom.us/j/83508689368?pwd=R1ZSN0JNSWE5S0wwUjgyS2Z5anI0Zz09

Meeting ID: 835 0868 9368
Passcode: 383864

WE'RE RECRUITING!

Are you passionate about transforming the church to engage in a digital era?

St Mary’s Chipping Norton is looking for a creative and motivated Design and Communications Officer (Part-time, 10-14hrs/week).

  • to join our supportive team at an exciting time of new opportunity for the church;
  • to help us to use different media to further our mission to Live IN God’s Love and to Live OUT God’s love;
  • to develop both internal and external communications;
  • to help us to establish a more solid digital foundation for our ministries.

Please click on the links below to download a Role Description and Application Form 

Applications to be returned to:

St Mary's Church Office, Church Street, Chipping Norton, OX7 5NT, Telephone:  01608 646202. Email:  emily.oshea@stmaryscnorton.com

Click here for Role Description

Click here to download Application form

Shareable job advert

LECTIO DIVINA
We'd like to offer the opportunity, for anyone who would like to join us online, to pause at midday of every weekday in Lent and engage in 15 minutes of Lectio Divina. We'll listen to a passage of Scripture being read slowly two or three times, taking note of any specific words or phrases that God spotlights to us as being particularly relevant to our lives in that moment. 

Do join us as often as you would like. There’ll always be someone leading a session, Mondays to Fridays from Ash Wednesday (17th February) up to the Easter weekend itself.

Topic:  Lectio Divina
Time: 12:00 PM London
        
Join Zoom Meeting
https://us02web.zoom.us/j/84954482956?pwd=MU9TNVZ5cUthRFI0Zm9aaGwwUHJwdz09

Meeting ID: 849 5448 2956
Passcode: 134711

SETTING A WATCH
We'll be continuing to meet to pray via Zoom at 6am and 6pm daily for Building to Serve, as well as our world, nation, community, church and each other.

Topic: 'Setting a Watch' prayer time

Join Zoom Meeting
https://zoom.us/j/98265036092?pwd=VEZqNEl5K0t2T1NYU1k0OXBkV0NIUT09

Meeting ID: 982 6503 6092
Passcode: SetAWatch

Find your local number: https://zoom.us/u/a1VRI10kA

RESOURCE OF THE WEEK
The Contented Life by Robert Atwell, the Bishop of Exeter.

Written in response to a direct challenge from older church members, who usually make up the biggest majority in any congregation. Why, they asked, was there always so much for the young; what was there for them? This book explores the spirituality of growing older and the gifts that wait to be discovered. Wisdom, humour and honesty are essential for these transitional decades, and this short book offers all three in plenty. The author's background in Benedictine life, with its profound understanding of what makes for a balanced and rich life, flavours a book of timeless value.

Ursula says, "It is a gentle, reflective and real book about living the later years of our life well. A good friend sent Roger and I his copy when we had been thinking about retirement. It also touches on the more difficult subjects of grief and regret along the way."
 
The Contented Life
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What's happening soon?

Connect Café Tue 9th Dec The Branch, Market Place More info
Minis Wed 10th Dec The Branch, Market Place More info
Thursday Worship Thu 11th Dec Parish Rooms More info
View the full calendar