St John the Evangelist
128 Bebington Road, New Ferry, CH62 5BJ
Diocese of Shrewsbury (reg. charity 234025)
Parish Priest: Fr Bernard Forshaw Deacon: Revd Michael Daly Phone: 0151 645 3314
Email: stjohntheevangelist@gmail.com Websites: www.stjohnevang.co.uk www.lpa24.org
The Second Sunday in Ordinary Time 17th January, 2021 Cycle B
WORD OF GOD “Rabbi, where do you live?” they asked. “Come and see,” he replied. So they went with him and saw where he lived, and stayed with him the rest of that day. (John 1:38-39)
WORD FOR TODAY God never stops calling us. It’s not as if he called us when we were younger and has now moved on to someone else. Every day, through so many different events and circumstances God dares us to go beyond our comfort zone in showing we are his disciples.
Wirral Foodbank: needs your help and support more than ever, Full details of how to donate to Wirral Foodbank can be found at htpps/wirralfoodbank.org.uk/give-help People who need emergency food and support at this time can contact the Wirral Emergency Food Hub on 0151 666 5050. During these Covid times please do not bring any food donations into the Church.
The Parish Newsletter & the Wednesday Word, which is a helpful reflection on next Sunday’s readings, are presently available as you leave Church (via the front side door). Please take a copy for yourself and anyone from your street or neighbourhood who would appreciate receiving information about St John’s Parish at this time.
If you have a notice for the bulletin please email it to the parish email address or put it through the presbytery letter box by 12 noon on Thursdays. Many thanks.
FAITH IN FOCUS: SELECTIVE HEARING Every time Tom ate his favourite meal, his wife’s dumpling stew, he got a pain in his foot later that night. He went to the doctor and found out that the stew was causing him to have gout. When he returned home his wife asked what the doctor had said, and Tom replied, “He said I’m going to have gout three times a week.” Sometimes we only hear what we want to hear. Eli and his family had long since stopped listening to what God was telling him, and in today’s reading God decides to bypass Eli and turn his attention to Samuel, the young boy. At least Samuel was alert: Speak, Lord; your servant is listening. This week and next week we’re going to see in the gospels how Jesus began calling people to be his disciples and inviting them to come and see what he wanted of them. And what he wanted of them was that they should change and embrace his teaching. Today we see that change reflected in a change of name for Simon: he is from now on to be known as Cephas (Peter) which means a rock. If we’re not careful we can miss the point of these biblical stories about the calling of Samuel and the calling of the disciples. We can end up thinking that it’s all about events that happened long ago. But it’s not. The truth is that God never stops calling. Not only is God calling people to serve him today, but he’s still calling you and me. God doesn’t pick us out to become Christians when we are young and then simply put our names in the book. God calls us every single day to go beyond where we were yesterday in serving him. God uses people and events around us to speak to our hearts, to call out to us, to dare us to give more of ourselves that we might hitherto have been prepared to give. God’s call is not static but dynamic. He’s always looking for more from us and his call is fresh every morning. Taking part in worship is an outward sign that we are prepared to be spoken to by God and are ready to listen to what is asked of us. To be a disciple of Jesus means to be continually listening out for God’s voice (like Samuel) in the sights and sounds that are woven through our lives. Otherwise, we may end up just hearing what we want to hear. And that’s the road that leads to gout!
|
Second Sunday in Ordinary Time
|
17th |
5.00pm 9.30am 11.00am |
Des Capper RIP Harry Spencer RIP For Christian Unity |
|
|
Monday
|
18th |
|
|
|
|
Tuesday
|
19th |
9.15am |
Teresa Young RIP |
|
|
Wednesday
|
20th |
9.15am |
Ints Mona Heaney |
|
|
Thursday
|
21st
|
9.15am |
B Kenny RIP |
|
|
Friday
|
22nd |
|
||
|
Saturday
|
23rd |
|
|
|
|
Third Sunday in Ordinary Time
|
24th |
5.00pm 9.30am 11.00am |
Dorothy Turnbull RIP Ints Bill & Norah Martin For our Sick and Retired Priests |
|
Exposition of the Blessed Sacrament- Saturdays from 10.30-11.30 in Church. Please feel free to come along for the whole hour, 30 mins or just 10 mins. A Rosary will be prayed for all parish/ family/ individual needs and intentions at 11.10am. Please join us in person or pray the Rosary at the same time from your home.
Public Worship; Thankfully public Masses continue in our churches despite the many Covid 19 regulations of our time. You must still book in for weekend Masses using the pink form (available from the front of the Church) or by sending an email to stjohntheevangelist@gmail.com. Please remember social distancing at all times inside and outside the church, face coverings must be worn inside the church and please continue to use the hand sanitiser on entering and leaving. Please do not come to church if you are feeling unwell or have any Covid 19 symptoms.
Church Cleaning- Tuesday’s after 9.15am Mass. Please stay behind if you can lend a hand with this essential task in these Covid 19 times. Many hands make light the work!
It is important, particularly in these lockdown days that we all stay in touch with one another by phone, email, zoom or doorstep contact. If anyone is in need of material or spiritual help please do not hesitate to get in touch by phone 0151 645 3314/0151 645 3996 or email stjohntheevangelist@gmail.com
Please keep all our Catholic schools in your thoughts and prayers in these challenging days. Fr Bernard recognises that these are not easy days for our school staff, children or parents but prays that working together, we will be able to support and enhance the education of all our children.
Baptisms, First Communions, Weddings …. There is now a considerable backlog ….. we hope and pray that we may be able to proceed with these before too long.
Prayers for the Sick- please pray for the sick, housebound and all those self-isolating in our parish. If anyone is in need of a visit/ phone call, please do let us know, via parish email -phone 0151 645 3314 .
In Memorium: Please pray for those who have died as a result of Covid 19 in our Merseyside hospitals . Please remember too all those whose anniversaries occur about this time. May they and all the faithful departed rest in peace.
Christian Unity Week. 18th Jan – 25th Jan
Sadly we won’t be able to have our usual services in our Bebington Churches this week because of Covid 19. That doesn’t stop us of course from praying for our fellow Christians in Bebington and New Ferry. You can also download the Churches Together in England materials for this week, for your personal prayer and reflection.
Thinking about becoming a Catholic- recently, people have started to reflect upon the bigger questions of life, and explore their faith. If you have been thinking about becoming a Catholic please get in touch either by phone or email.
Thank you for Last Weekend’s Offertory Collection of £328.00p. Please note that a basket is now on the table at the back of Church for your Offertory Donations when you come into Church …please always make cheques payable to St John’s New Ferry. You can also push offertory envelopes/donations through the presbytery letterbox or take out a standing order .Your giving to St John’s Parish is very much needed and appreciated.
Retired Priest Fund- Special Collection Because of the current circumstances we will not take a retiring collection today. But if you would like to contribute to this fund, which helps meet the future needs of our sick and retired priests, please put your donation in an envelope, clearly marked for this purpose, through the presbytery letter box by the 31st January. If you wish to Gift Aid your donation, please make your donation Online. To donate Online please go to www.dioceseofshrewsbury.org/retired-priests-fund An electronic version of a leaflet about the Fund is available at www.dioceseofshrewsbury.org/retired-priests-fund and this also explains how you can donate to the Fund by Standing Order or Cheque and how to Gift Aid donations made using these methods.
St John the Evangelist
128 Bebington Road, New Ferry, CH62 5BJ
Diocese of Shrewsbury
(reg. charity 234025)
Parish Priest: Fr Bernard
Forshaw
Deacon:
Revd Michael Daly
Phone:
0151 645 3314
Email: stjohntheevangelist@gmail.com Websites: www.stjohnevang.co.uk www.lpa24.org
The Baptism
of the Lord 10th January, 2021
Cycle B
WORD OF GOD
Listen to me and you will have good things to eat and rich food to
enjoy. Pay attention, come to me; listen and your soul will live. (Isaiah
55:2-3)
WORDS FOR WORSHIP
Let us pray for baptised Christians of all denominations that we may
bear witness to our faith in Christ and may be formed by the Holy Spirit into
one body of believers. Lord, in your merciful love: Hear and grant our prayer.
Let us pray for those families who will bring their children for baptism during
this coming year, that they may find support from our community in their task
of handing on their faith to their children. Lord, in your merciful… Let us
pray for our world, for those whose lives are disrupted by violence and
oppression, for those who are denied basic freedoms and for those who do not
have enough food and drink to remain alive. Lord, in your merciful… Let us pray
for our parish and local community, for the sick, the lonely and the dying, for
those who are finding the economic situation difficult to cope with, and for
those who feel unloved and unwanted. Lord, in your merciful…
Wirral Foodbank: needs
your help and support more than ever, Full details of how to donate to
Wirral Foodbank can be found at
htpps/wirralfoodbank.org.uk/give-help People who need emergency food and support at this time can
contact the Wirral Emergency Food Hub on 0151 666 5050.
During these Covid times please do not bring any food donations into
the Church.
The Parish Newsletter & the
Wednesday Word, which is a helpful
reflection on next Sunday’s
readings, are presently available as you leave Church (via the front side
door). Please take a copy for yourself and anyone from your street or neighbourhood
who would appreciate receiving information about St John’s Parish at this time.
If
you have a notice for the bulletin please email it to the parish email address
or put it through the presbytery letter box
by 12
noon on Thursdays. Many thanks.
FAITH IN FOCUS: BAPTISM RING?
If a man or woman wears a ring on their finger it’s often a sign that
they are married. It’s a way of reminding themselves and others that they’ve
committed themselves to another person totally and forever. But just wearing
the ring doesn’t make them married; nor does it automatically make them
faithful. It’s a sign or symbol of their commitment. If they’re to be faithful
to each other then they have to live out their commitment day in day out.
The same is true of baptism. Baptism is a sacramental sign that we have
been given salvation in Christ. But just being baptised doesn’t mean we’re
“saved”. Our baptism has to be a genuine sign, like the ring. We have to live
out our baptism rather than simply acting as though it was something that was
over and done with one Sunday in church long ago.
There’s a difference between a wedding and a marriage. You can get a wedding
planner to help you make your big day go well but you can’t get a marriage
planner. That’s because a wedding only lasts a day but a marriage lasts a
lifetime and needs working at day after day.
Perhaps we could say that a “Christening” takes a day but a baptism
takes a lifetime. Christians need to work at their baptism just like a married
couple need to work at their marriage. When a person is
baptised by being fully immersed in water, what we are witnessing is essentially
a type of funeral. We are saying that this man or woman in going down into the
tomb with Christ and rising again to new life. The old person that they used to
be is now dead and buried, and they are taking on a new life in Christ. So
when we celebrate the Baptism of the Lord we are reminded that every day brings
a fresh opportunity for us to work on our own baptism: to offer God the best we
have (to be priests), to speak out about the values of God’s kingdom (to be
prophets) and to protect and enhance the creation that God has gifted us with
(to be kings and queens). Baptism is not a step that some adults can take. For
those of us who have already taken it, today’s feast is an occasion for
thanksgiving and recommitment.
|
The Baptism of The Lord |
10th |
5.00pm 9.30am 11.00am |
Thomas Thompson RIP Ints Kathleen Parr St Luke’s Parish |
|
|
Monday |
11th |
|
|
|
|
Tuesday |
12th |
9.15am 7.00pm |
Betty Brabander RIP Novena |
|
|
Wednesday |
13th |
9.15am 1.00pm |
Ted Bevan RIP Funeral Service Terry Pearson |
|
|
Thursday |
14th |
9.15am |
Patrick Kelly RIP |
|
|
Friday |
15th |
|
||
|
Saturday |
16th |
|
|
|
|
Second Sunday in Ordinary Time |
17th |
5.00pm 9.30am 11.00am |
Des Capper RIP Harry Spencer RIP For Christian Unity |
|
Exposition of the Blessed Sacrament- Saturday from 10.30-11.30 in the main Church.
As part of this a Rosary will be prayed for all parish/ family/ individual
needs and intentions in church at 11.10am. Please join us in person or pray the
Rosary at the same time from your home.
The
Monthly Novena to Our Lady of Perpetual Succour
– will be held on Tuesday at 7pm in
Church. All most welcome. This is a special time of quiet prayer and
reflection. If you have not been before I recommend you attend as I am sure you
will find comfort and peac
e in these times.
Please
keep all our local Catholic schools in your thoughts and prayers in these
challenging days. Fr Bernard recognises that these are not easy days for our
school staff, children or parents but prays that working together, we will be
able to support and enhance the education of all our children. Let Christ’s light
shine in love for one another. (Pope Francis)
Public Worship; Thankfully public Masses continue in our churches
despite the many Covid 19 regulations of our time. Please find enclosed with
this newsletter Bishop Marks Pastoral Letter on “Public Worship and Public
Responsibility”. You must still book in for
weekend Masses using the pink form (available from the front of the Church) or
by sending an email to
stjohntheevangelist@gmail.com. Please remember social distancing at all times
inside and outside the church, face coverings must be worn inside the church
and please continue to use the hand sanitiser on entering and leaving. Please
do not come to church if you are feeling unwell or have any Covid 19 symptoms.
It is important, particularly at the start of a new year
and in these wintery conditions that we all stay in touch with one another by
phone, email, zoom or doorstep contact. If anyone is in need of material or
spiritual help please do not hesitate to
get in touch by phone 0151 645 3314/0151
645 3996 or email stjohntheevangelist@gmail.com
Baptisms, First Communions, Weddings …. There is now a
considerable backlog ….. we hope and pray that we may be able to proceed with
these before too long.
Prayers
for the Sick-
please remember
our sick and housebound parishioners in your daily prayers. If anyone is in
need of a visit / Holy Communion, please do let us know, via parish email /
phone 0151 645 3314 especially if they are in our Wirral hospitals or at St
John’s Hospice.
In Memorium: Please pray for the repose of
the soul of Terry Pearson whose Funeral Service, conducted by Fr Paschal, is
here at St John’s on Wednesday at 1pm. May he and all the faithful departed
rest in peace.
Thinking
about becoming a Catholic-
recently, people have started to reflect upon the bigger
questions of life, and explore their faith. If you have been thinking about
becoming a Catholic please get in touch either by phone or email.
Thank you for Last Weekend’s Offertory Collection
of £451.25p. Please note that a basket is now on the table at the back of
Church for your Offertory Donations when you come into Church …please always make cheques payable to St John’s New Ferry.
You can also push offertory envelopes/donations through the presbytery letterbox
or take out a standing order
(further info on this from
Carol Dalziel or from Mike Russell at the Curial Offices Tel 0151 652 9855)
Your giving to St John’s Parish is
very much needed and appreciated.
Fr Bernard thanks you for your generous
Christmas offerings and for the numerous cards and gifts he has received all of
which are very much appreciated. He also thanks all the members of St John’s
Parish for their prayers, help and support in the challenging year of 2020 and
prays that 2021 will be a better and healthier year for everyone. If you have
some spare time and would like to help
in our parish in any way this coming year please do let Fr Bernard know. Many
hands make light the work!
128 Bebington Road, New Ferry, CH62 5BJ
Diocese of Shrewsbury
(reg. charity 234025)
Parish Priest: Fr Bernard
Forshaw
Deacon:
Revd Michael Daly
Phone:
0151 645 3314
Email: stjohntheevangelist@gmail.com Websites: www.stjohnevang.co.uk www.lpa24.org
The Second
Sunday After Christmas 3rd January, 2021 Cycle B
A Prayer for Refugees
Almighty and merciful God, whose son became a
refugee, and had no place to call his own;
Look with mercy on those who today are fleeing
from danger, homeless and hungry.
Bless those who work to bring them relief;
inspire generosity and compassion in all our hearts; and guide the nations of
the world towards that day when all will rejoice in your kingdom of justice and
peace. We make our prayer through Christ our Lord, Amen.
In the New Year
may you all be blessed with all the good things God has to give.
Wirral Foodbank: needs
your help and support more than ever, Full details of how to donate to
Wirral Foodbank can be found at
htpps/wirralfoodbank.org.uk/give-help People who need emergency food and support at this time can
contact the Wirral Emergency Food Hub on 0151 666 5050.
During these Covid times please do not bring any food donations into
the Church.
The Parish Newsletter & the
Wednesday Word, which is a helpful
reflection on next Sunday’s
readings, are presently available as you leave Church (via the front side
door). Please take a copy for yourself and anyone from your street or neighbourhood
who would appreciate receiving information about St John’s Parish at this time.
If
you have a notice for the bulletin please email it to the parish email address
or put it through the presbytery letter box
by 12
noon on Thursdays. Many thanks.
Extract taken from Seasons of the Word by Fr Denis
McBride CssR
In today’s gospel we hear the magnificent Prologue
to St John’s Gospel: how in the beginning there was the Word through whom all
things came to be. When John comes to
speak about Jesus you notice how he goes back beyond the time of Jesus’ birth
and conception to the very beginning of time itself. He sees Jesus as the Word that was with God,
the Word that was God, this Word was
not only at the beginning – it made the
beginning for all creation. The Word of
God worked. It was not just an empty word decorating the air – it was a Word
that had power to make the beginning of the world.
At Christmas we celebrate the great mystery of
God among us. This is very difficult to
grasp: that God gave himself away in the person of Jesus, that he chose to
reveal himself in the reality of the life and death of Jesus. This is a unique story in the history of
religions. We believe that our main resource
for understanding God is the person of his Son, Jesus. In Jesus we have everything there is to know
about God.
At
Christmas we celebrate the humility of God who came among us himself. We celebrate the love that waits for an
answer. We know that if our words fail, the Word of God never fails. It has power still. That is why we pray before communion “Lord, I
am not worthy to enter under your roof, but only say the word and my soul shall be healed”. We pray that God will
speak his Word again in us. That just as
he made the beginning through his Word, he will make a new beginning in
us.
In this Eucharist we pray that the Word will grow in us; that it will
influence all our own words so that we will be as good as our word. For this to be done, the Word of God and our
own word will become one. And our own
word will then work.
|
Second Sunday After Christmas |
3rd |
5.00pm 9.30am 11.00am |
Molly & Ted Harrison RIP John O’Shea RIP St Luke’s Parish |
|
|
Monday |
4th |
9.15am |
Teresa Young RIP |
|
|
Tuesday |
5th |
7.00pm |
Ella Shirks RIP |
|
|
Epiphany of The Lord |
6th |
10.00am |
Ints Sister Brigid Kelly |
|
|
Thursday |
7th |
12 noon |
Funeral Mass Ted Bevan |
|
|
Friday |
8th |
10.30am |
Funeral Mass Peter Merity |
|
|
Saturday |
9th |
|
|
|
|
The Baptism of The Lord |
10th |
5.00pm 9.30am 11.00am |
Thomas Thompson RIP Ints Kathleen Parr St Luke’s Parish |
|
Feast of the Epiphany:
there will be two Masses at St John’s to celebrate the
Feast Tuesday
5th January at
7.00pm
Wednesday 6th January at 10.00am There will also be a 12 noon Mass on Wednesday at St Anne’s.
Exposition of the Blessed Sacrament- resumes next Saturday from 10.30-11.30 in the
main Church. As part of this from next Saturday onwards a Rosary will be prayed
for all parish/ family/ individual needs and intentions in church at 11.10am.
Please join us in person or pray the Rosary at the same time from your home.
Resumption of Public Worship; Thankfully despite the many Covid
19 regulations of our time, public Masses have now resumed on Sunday’s and
Weekday’s and we look forward to welcoming everyone back to our Churches in
this Christmas Season. Our Weekend Masses remain
at the usual times . You must still book in for
weekend Masses using the pink form (available from the front of the Church) or
by sending an email to
stjohntheevangelist@gmail.com. Social distancing still applies
and face coverings must be worn. Please do not come to Church if you feel
unwell or have any Covid 19 symptoms.
It is important, particularly at this time of year that we
all stay in touch with one another by phone, email, zoom or doorstep contact.
If anyone is in need of material or spiritual help please do get in touch by
phone 0151 645 314/0151
645 3996 or email stjohntheevangelist@gmail.com
Baptisms, First Communions, Weddings …. There is now a
considerable backlog ….. we hope and pray that we may be able to proceed with
these before too long.
Thinking about becoming
a Catholic-
recently, people have started to reflect upon the
bigger questions of life, and explore their faith. If you have been thinking
about becoming a Catholic please get in touch either by phone or email, as our
time of preparation is set to begin shortly.
Prayers
for the Sick-
please remember
our sick and housebound parishioners in your daily prayers. If anyone is in
need of a visit / Holy Communion, please do let us know, via parish email /
phone especially if they are in our Wirral hospitals or at St John’s Hospice.
In Memorium: Please pray for the repose of
the soul of Ted Bevan whose Funeral Mass will be at St John’s this Thursday at 12noon and for
Peter Merity whose Funeral Mass will be at St John’s this Friday at 10.30am. May their souls and the souls of
all the faithful departed rest in peace.
The Monthly Novena to
Our Lady of Perpetual Succour
– will be held next
Tuesday 12th January at 7pm in Church. All most welcome. This
is a special time of quiet prayer and reflection. If you have not been before I
recommend you attend as I am sure you will find comfort and peace in these
times.
Thank you for Last Weekend’s Offertory Collection
of £250.00p. Please note that a basket is now on the table at the back of
Church for your Offertory Donations when you come into Church …please always make cheques payable to St John’s New Ferry.
You can also push offertory envelopes/donations through the presbytery letterbox
or take out a standing order
(further info on this from
Carol Dalziel or from Mike Russell at the Curial Offices Tel 0151 652 9855)
Your giving to St John’s Parish in these challenging times is very much
needed and appreciated.
Caritas at Christmas Appeal
2020:
raised £223.78p for. Thank you for your
continued generosity in these difficult times.
THE BIG CARD
raised £67.38p for the Wirral Ark charity.
Fr Bernard thanks you for your
generous Christmas offerings and for the numerous cards and gifts he has
received all of which are very much appreciated. He also thanks all the members
of St John’s Parish for their prayers, help and support in the challenging year
of 2020 and prays that 2021 will be a better and healthier year for everyone.
The Holy Family, 27th December, 2020 Cycle B
26/12/2020
St John the Evangelist
128 Bebington Road, New Ferry, CH62 5BJ
Diocese of Shrewsbury
(reg. charity 234025)
Parish Priest: Fr Bernard
Forshaw
Deacon:
Revd Michael Daly
Phone:
0151 645 3314
Email: stjohntheevangelist@gmail.com Websites: www.stjohnevang.co.uk www.lpa24.org
The Holy
Family, 27th December, 2020 Cycle B
Let us pray for the families of our community that eachmember may value the others so that, in an atmosphere of mutual respect and
trust, all may feel esteemed and loved.
Let us pray for the family of nations throughout the world
that peace may reign in places that are ravaged by civil and religious dissent,
by war, violence and tyranny.
Let us pray for those, like the Holy Family, who are forced
to become refugees and asylum seekers due to the harshness of conditions in
their own country.
Let us pray for those who do not know the love of a family,
particularly
for orphans,
and for those who are separated from their families due to working away from
home, serving abroad or spending time in prison.
Wirral Foodbank: needs
your help and support more than ever, Full details of how to donate to
Wirral Foodbank can be found at
htpps/wirralfoodbank.org.uk/give-help People who need emergency food and support at this time can
contact the Wirral Emergency Food Hub on 0151 666 5050.
During these Covid times please do not bring any food donations into
the Church.
Thinking about becoming
a Catholic-
recently, people have started to reflect upon the
bigger questions of life, and explore their faith. If you have been thinking
about becoming a Catholic please get in touch either by phone or email, as our
time of preparation is set to begin shortly.
The Parish Newsletter & the
Wednesday Word, which is a helpful
reflection on next Sunday’s
readings, are presently available as you leave Church (via the front side
door). Please take a copy for yourself and anyone from your street or neighbourhood
who would appreciate receiving information about St John’s Parish at this time.
If you have a notice for the bulletin please email
it to the parish email address or put it through the presbytery letter box
by
12 noon on Thursdays. Many thanks.
FAITH IN
FOCUS: WE ARE FAMILY
From the corner of the farmhouse kitchen the mouse
looked on as the farmer’s wife opened a small box. To his horror the mouse saw
that it was a mouse-trap! So he went straight outside to the cow and asked her
to help him with the trap. “It doesn’t really affect me” said the cow. So the
mouse went to the chicken to ask for her help. But she said she wasn’t worried
by it either. Even the pig was unmoved by the mouse’s pleas.
In the middle of the night the
trap snapped shut and the farmer’s wife came downstairs to see what had
happened. The mouse wasn’t in it. Instead a poisonous snake had been caught by
the tail and it lashed out, biting her on the leg. The doctor came and said it
would take a long time for her to be well again. She needed building up with
lots of chicken soup. So the farmer killed the chicken to make the soup.
When the friends and neighbours
came round to sit with his wife they needed feeding so he butchered the pig and
had ham sandwiches on hand for anyone who felt peckish. But unfortunately his
wife got worse and after a few weeks she died. So the cow had to be slaughtered
to provide food for the reception after the funeral. The whole household was
brought down simply because it failed to concern itself with the smallest of
its members: the mouse.
The Holy Family was destined to
concern itself with the faults and failings of many. In fact, its ultimate
destiny was to take on the sins of the world as Jesus hung on the cross of
Calvary. Other people’s problems are not their own business; they’re ours too.
We belong to so many different levels of families: our nuclear family at home;
our extended family with grandparents, aunts, uncles, cousins etc; the family
that is our local area; our nation; the worldwide family of humanity and the
family of believers that is the Church.
The feast of the Holy Family
shows us that we all belong to each other because we all belong to God. And any
problem that one of our family members might have is ours too. Even if it’s
only the mouse!
|
Feast of the Holy Family |
27th |
5.00pm 9.30am 11.00am |
NO EVENING MASS Charles Reynolds RIP For Our Family & Friends |
|
|
Monday |
28th |
10.00am |
William & Eileen Kealey RIP |
|
|
Tuesday |
29th |
10.00am |
Hugh Gourley |
|
|
Wednesday |
30th |
|
||
|
Thursday |
31st |
7.00pm |
For all who have died in 2020 parishioners and all who |
|
|
Friday Mary the Mother of God |
1st |
10.00am |
St John’s and St Luke’s Parish |
|
|
Saturday |
2nd |
|
|
|
|
Second Sunday After Christmas |
3rd |
5.00pm 9.30am 11.00am |
Molly & Ted Harrison RIP John O’Shea RIP St Luke’s Parish |
|
Resumption of Public Worship; Thankfully despite the many Covid
19 regulations of our time, public Masses have now resumed on Sunday’s and
Weekday’s and we look forward to welcoming everyone back to our Churches in
this Christmas Season. Our Weekend Masses remain
at the usual times . You must still book in for
weekend Masses using the pink form (available from the front of the Church) or
by sending an email to
stjohntheevangelist@gmail.com. Social distancing still applies
and face coverings must be worn. Please do not come to Church if you feel
unwell or have any Covid 19 symptoms.
It is important, particularly at this time of year that we
all stay in touch with one another by phone, email, zoom or doorstep contact.
If anyone is in need of material or spiritual help please do get in touch by
phone 0151 645 314/0151
645 3996 or email stjohntheevangelist@gmail.com
Prayers
for the Sick-
please remember
our sick and housebound parishioners in your daily prayers. If anyone is in
need of a visit / Holy Communion, please do let us know, via parish email /
phone especially if they are in our Wirral hospitals or at St John’s Hospice.
In Memorium: Please pray for the repose of the soul of Ted
Bevan whose Funeral Mass will be at St
John’s on
Thursday
7th January at 12noon
and for Peter Merity whose Funeral Mass will be at
St John’s on
Friday
8th January at 10.30am.
May their souls and the souls of all the faithful
departed rest in peace.
New Year: There will be two Masses
celebrated at St John’s to mark the Feast of Mary the Mother of
God. On New Year’s Eve (i.e. this Thursday) at 7pm Fr Bernard will offer a Mass for
all those who have died in our parish in 2020 and all those who have been
affected in any way by COVID 19. This will be followed by a time of Adoration
before the Blessed Sacrament. On
New Year’s Day Fr Paschal will offer a Mass at 10.00am for
the intentions of everyone in St John’s & St Luke’s Parish.
Next
Weekend
is the Second Sunday of Christmas with Masses at the
usual times, Saturday 5pm and Sunday 9.30am.
Feast of the Epiphany:
there will be two Masses at St John’s to celebrate the
Feast Tuesday
5th January at
7.00pm
Wednesday 6th January at 10.00am
Thank you for Last Weekend’s Offertory Collection
of £772.02p. Please note that a basket is now on the table at the back of
Church for your Offertory Donations when you come into Church for private
prayer/a visit……….please always make cheques payable to
St John’s New Ferry.You can also push offertory envelopes/donations
through the presbytery letterbox or take out a standing order
You can also push offertory envelopes/donations
through the presbytery letterbox or take out a standing order
(further info on this from Carol Dalziel or from Mike Russell at the
Curial Offices Tel 0151 652 9855)
Your giving to St John’s Parish
in these challenging times is very much needed and appreciated.
Fr Bernard thanks
you for your generous Christmas offerings and for the numerous cards and gifts
he has received all of which are very much appreciated. He also thanks all the
members of St John’s Parish for their prayers, help and support in the
challenging year of 2020 and prays that 2021 will be a better and healthier
year for everyone.
Our Schools are on holiday now until the 4th January: We wish
all the children and staff a safe and restful holiday after a difficult and
trying term.
Caritas at Christmas Appeal
2020:
Caritas would like to
provide food and gifts to those most in need in the Shrewsbury Diocese this
Christmas. A box for your loose change is on the table at the back of church
and will remain there until after Masses this weekend. Please be generous.
THE BIG CARD
is still on the table at the back of church. Please
write your Christmas message at asuggested minimum
donation of £1.
All proceeds will go towards the work of The Ark. Please support this
very good cause and thank you for your support over the years.
suggested minimum
donation of £1.
All proceeds will go towards the work of The Ark. Please support this
very good cause and thank you for your support over the years.
St John the Evangelist
128 Bebington Road, New Ferry, CH62 5BJ
Diocese of Shrewsbury
(reg. charity 234025)
Parish Priest: Fr Bernard
Forshaw
Deacon:
Revd Michael Daly
Phone:
0151 645 3314
Email: stjohntheevangelist@gmail.com Websites: www.stjohnevang.co.uk www.lpa24.org
The Fourth Sunday
of Advent, 20th December, 2020 Cycle B
THE CHRISTMAS CANDLE
Lord, I light this candle at
Christmas for myself and those who are dear to me. May its flame be a reminder
of the way you light up my days and warm my heart. May its fire burn away my
pride, my selfishness, and all that keeps me from you. As I celebrate the birth
of your Son, who came into the family of Nazareth, I pray to you for my own
family and friends, both living and dead. Keep them in your loveand let them
feel your powerful presence. I leave this candle now as a token of the service
I want to give you. May it continue to burn in all my thoughts, words and deeds
today and for ever. Amen
.
Wirral Foodbank: needs
your help and support more than ever, Full details of how to donate to
Wirral Foodbank can be found at
htpps/wirralfoodbank.org.uk/give-help People who need emergency food and support at this time can
contact the Wirral Emergency Food Hub on 0151 666 5050.
During these Covid times please do not bring any food donations into
the Church.
Thinking about becoming
a Catholic-
recently, people have started to reflect upon the
bigger questions of life, and explore their faith. If you have been thinking
about becoming a Catholic please get in touch either by phone or email, as our
time of preparation is set to begin shortly.
Wirral Scout & Guide
Christmas Post
will look a
little different this year as they launch a free online eCard service. To find
out more visit
The Parish Newsletter & the
Wednesday Word, which is a helpful
reflection on next Sunday’s
readings, are presently available as you leave Church (via the front side
door). Please take a copy for yourself and anyone from your street or neighbourhood
who would appreciate receiving information about St John’s Parish at this time.
If you have a notice for the bulletin please email
it to the parish email address or put it through the presbytery letter box
by
12 noon on Thursdays. Many thanks.
FAITH IN
FOCUS: RECEIVING GIFTS
Tom’s parents had told him that when
he graduated from university they would buy him a second-hand car. In the weeks
before his results came through he went with his father to look at what the
dealers had to offer and they decided on the right model. The day of his
results came. He’d passed with flying colours. A few days later when he came
home he expected to find the car waiting on the driveway, but instead his
father congratulated him and gave him a small package. The package contained a
bible and Tom was so furious that he threw the bible down and stormed out. A
week later his father died and Tom came home to be with his mother. In his
father’s room he came across the bible and as he leafed through it he saw a
cheque that his father had made out to him for the exact amount that the car
would have cost. The gift had been there all along but he had been unaware of
it.
The
Christmas story is a bit like Tom’s experience. It’s not that God didn’t care
about humanity until that first Christmas when Jesus took flesh as the child of
Bethlehem. God has loved us from eternity and never ceases to do so. In fact,
if God stopped loving us for even one second we would cease to exist, for we
are held in being by the power of God’s love and compassion. Yet when Christ
came among us it was to show us that God loved us so much that he wanted us to
be with him eternally. It took the Christ-event for the world to be able to
refocus on its relationship with its creator.
When the
angel appeared to Mary it was this all-pervading love of God that was at work
again. In fact the angel’s first words to Mary were, “Hail, highly favoured
Mary”. When we say the Hail Mary we translate this as “full of grace” but the
Greek really means someone who has had favour heaped upon her. The birth of
Jesus began with Mary being reminded how much she was gifted by God.
The
challenge of this Christmas is for us to be aware of this grace. What we
celebrate is the birth of God’s own Son and the fact that although we might not
always recognise God’s gifts, they are always there for us.
|
The Fourth Sunday of Advent Cycle B |
20th |
5.00pm 9.30am 11.00am |
Brother Martin Fitzgerald Family RIP Fr Paschal’s Intentions |
|
|
Monday |
21st |
9.15am |
Barbara Forshaw 2nd Anv |
|
|
Tuesday |
22nd |
9.15am |
Des Capper RIP |
|
|
Wednesday |
23rd |
No Mass/Service |
|
|
|
Thursday Christmas Eve Vigil Mass
|
24th |
5.30pm 7.30pm |
For Poor, Sick & Needy Seamus Reavey RIP |
|
|
Friday The Nativity of the Lord |
25th |
9.30am
11.00am |
For those who have died since last Christmas For Bishop Mark & for the Diocese |
|
|
Saturday Feast of St Stephen |
26th |
12 Noon |
For Our Altar Servers |
|
|
Feast of the Holy Family |
27th |
5.00pm 9.30am 11.00am |
NO EVENING MASS Charles Reynolds RIP For Our Family & Friends |
|
Exposition and Confessions Christmas Eve
from 10.00am to 11.00am.
Resumption of Public Worship; Thankfully despite the many Covid
19 regulations of our time, public Masses have now resumed on Sunday’s and
Weekday’s and we look forward to welcoming everyone back to our Churches in
these days of Advent and Christmas. Our Weekend Masses
remain at the usual times of Sat 5pm & Sun 9.30am with Fr Paschal also
resuming celebrating a Mass on Sunday’s at 11.00am. You must still book
in for weekend Masses using the pink form (available from the front of the Church)
or by sending an email to
You must still book
in for weekend Masses using the pink form (available from the front of the Church)
or by sending an email to
stjohntheevangelist@gmail.com. Social distancing still applies
and face coverings must be worn. Please do not come to Church if you feel
unwell, have any Covid 19 symptoms or have been told to self- isolate.
Christmas
Masses at St John’s:
There will be four Masses celebrated in St John’s
Church to mark the Feast of Christmas. Masses on
Christmas Eve will be at 5.30pm and 7.30pm and on Christmas Day at 9.30am and 11.00am. The 5.30pm Mass on
Christmas Eve is already fully booked
but there is still capacity at
the other three Masses. Remember at none of our Masses can we exceed our Covid
number
of 70 units and to satisfy track and trace requirements you must book in for
Christmas Mass either by using one of the white booking forms at the front of
the Church or online by
10am on Tuesday 22nd December at the very latest. All bookings will
be confirmed by email or phone.
Next Saturday:
St
Stephen’s Day : Mass for our Altar Servers at 12noon
As
customary our Altar Servers will gather to renew their promises at this
socially distanced Mass. Parents and Parishioners are encouraged to come along
and pray for and support our wonderful Altar Servers. There will be a meeting
for all our Altar Servers and their parents in Church on Monday at 6.30pm.
(Fr Bernard is very
sorry that our Altar Servers have not been able to be part of our weekend/
Christmas Masses since last March owing to COVID 19 regulations)
Feast of the Holy Family: Next
weekend the Church celebrates the Feast of the Holy Family of Jesus. Mary and
Joseph please note there will no evening Mass at St
John’s next Saturday
: Masses on
Sunday at the usual times of 9.30am and 11.00am.
It is important, particularly at this time of year that we all
stay in touch with one another by phone, email, zoom or doorstep contact. If
anyone is in need of material or spiritual help please do get in touch by phone
0151 645 314/0151
645 3996 or email stjohntheevangelist@gmail.com
Prayers
for the Sick-
please remember our sick and
housebound
parishioners in your daily prayers. If anyone is in need of a visit / Holy
Communion, please do let us know, via parish email / phone especially if they are
in our Wirral hospitals or at St John’s Hospice.
In Memorium: Many
thanks to all who came to Teresa Young’s Rosary and Funeral Mass last week. In
these Covid 19 circumstances, it was a fitting tribute to a fine lady and Ernie
and family are so grateful for your prayers, cards and support. Ted Bevan’s Funeral Mass will be celebrated
at St John’s on Thursday 7th January at 12 noon. May they and all
the faithful departed rest in peace.
Please note: A Mass will be celebrated in
Church in honour of Mary the Mother of God,
on New Year’s Eve, Thursday 31st
December at 7pm
for all those who have died in 2020 in our local parishes and those who have
died or have been affected in any way by COVID 19. All most welcome
Christmas Day Lunch
Sadly this year we will not be able to gather
as usual at Christ Church Community Centre, Higher Bebington, but we would
still like to provide festive food and a Christmas Day greeting to anyone we
would welcome this. If you or anyone you
know would appreciate a doorstep visit and/or some food, please let us know at Christchurch Parish Office
608 4429
or
parishoffice@christchurchhigherbebington.org.uk or
Reverend Mike Leach 609 0493
or mgloach@gmail.com
Thank you for Last Weekend’s Offertory
Collection of £382.50p. Please note that
a basket is now on the table at the back of Church for your Offertory Donations
when you come into Church for private prayer/a visit……….please always make cheques payable to St John’s New Ferry. You can
also push offertory envelopes/donations through the presbytery letterbox or
take out a standing order
(further info on this from
Carol Dalziel or from Mike Russell at the Curial Offices Tel 0151 652 9855)
Your giving to St John’s Parish in these challenging times is very much
needed and appreciated.
Caritas at Christmas Appeal 2020: Caritas would like to provide food and gifts to those
most in need in the Shrewsbury Diocese this Christmas. A box for your loose
change is on the table at the back of church and will remain there throughout
the Season of Advent. Please be generous.
THE BIG CARD
will be on the table at the back of church. Please
write your Christmas message at a
suggested minimum
donation of £1.
All proceeds will go towards the work of The Ark. Please support this very
good cause and thank you for your support over the years.
Advent Resources for 2020-Shrewsbury
Youth Mission Team
Activities for Advent: A booklet of
activities to take you through the 4 weeks of Advent and enter into the themes
of hope, love, joy and peace. Any activities you don’t get through during
Advent, you can use to keep you busy over the Christmas holidays!
Advent ‘Give’ List: Ideas
for Advent/Christmas gifts where the real gift is your time and love.
How to enter into Advent:
Simple ideas to live this season well.
Advent ‘Carry’
Challenge:
A call to live out the Advent message of carrying the Good
News.
Advent ‘Give’ List: Ideas
for Advent/Christmas gifts where the real gift is your time and love.
How to enter into Advent:
Simple ideas to live this season well.
Advent ‘Carry’
Challenge:
A call to live out the Advent message of carrying the Good
News.
The
Great Advent Crib Build!
A booklet to take you through the 4 weeks of Advent, building the Nativity scene piece
by piece. Will you school take part? Please go to website for more details:
Shrewsbury Youth Mission Team [mailto:
youth@dioceseofshrewsbury.org
St John the Evangelist
128 Bebington Road, New Ferry, CH62 5BJ
Diocese of Shrewsbury (reg. charity 234025)
Parish Priest: Fr Bernard Forshaw Deacon: Revd Michael Daly Phone: 0151 645 3314
Email: stjohntheevangelist@gmail.com Websites: http://www.stjohnevang.co.uk http://www.lpa24.org
The Third Sunday of Advent, 13th December, 2020 Cycle B
Advent is concerned with that very connection between memory and hope which is so necessary to man. Advent’s intention is to awaken the most profound and basic emotional memory within us, namely the memory of the God who became a child. This is a healing memory; it brings hope. The purpose of the Church’s year is continually to rehearse her great history of memories, to awaken the heart’s memory so that it can discern the star of hope….
Wirral Foodbank: needs your help and support more than ever, Full details of how to donate to Wirral Foodbank can be found at htpps/wirralfoodbank.org.uk/give-help People who need emergency food and support at this time can contact the Wirral Emergency Food Hub on 0151 666 5050. During these Covid times please do not bring any food donations into the Church.
Thinking about becoming a Catholic- recently, people have started to reflect upon the bigger questions of life, and explore their faith. If you have been thinking about becoming a Catholic please get in touch either by phone or email, as our time of preparation is set to begin shortly.
Wirral Scout & Guide Christmas Post will look a little different this year as they launch a free online eCard service. To find out more visit http://www.wirralcharitypost.org
The Parish Newsletter & the Wednesday Word, which is a helpful reflection on next Sunday’s readings, are presently available as you leave Church (via the front side door). Please take a copy for yourself and anyone from your street or neighbourhood who would appreciate receiving information about St John’s Parish at this time.
If you have a notice for the bulletin please email it to the parish email address or put it through the presbytery letter box by 12 noon on Thursdays. Many thanks.
FAITH IN FOCUS:POINTING BEYOND THE OBVIOUS
The BBC Sports Personality of the Year has broken with tradition and decided to award a prize for someone who has won no sporting achievement. The award goes to the best back-room person, the best supporting act. So technically it could go to a caddie, to someone who paints the lines on the pitch, someone who drives the swimmers to the pool or someone who washes the kit.
It’s good to recognise that it’s OK to be Number Two. That’s because these people all make it possible for their friends to be Number One.
John the Baptist would have been in the reckoning for this year’s award. The whole purpose of his life was to play second fiddle to his cousin, Jesus. His preaching and his ministry pointed to someone whose shoes he wasn’t even worthy to undo. He was a witness to someone greater than himself. Yet his own work prepared the way for the Lamb of God.
John the Baptist knew who he wasn’t. He made it clear that he was not the Messiah. He also knew who he was. When they asked him who he was he could have built himself up: a great prophet, a wonder-preacher etc. But he simply said that he was a voice. Voices come and go, and some of them are never heard. Jesus is described as the “Word”, the “message” of God that has existed from all eternity the fullness of God’s plan for humanity. But John says he is simply a passing voice that points to the “Word”.
In the run-up to Christmas we are challenged as Christians. And our challenge is to be the voice of our time that points to something and someone that the world might not see. We are called to be witnesses to Jesus Christ, the Son of God. And in particular we are called to bear witness to the fact that behind all the shallow glossiness of the season and the one-dimensional celebration of indulgence there lies a reality that shocks some and thrills others: our God has taken flesh and become one of us so that he might teach us how be like him. This is what we prepare for during Advent and celebrate at Christmas. And while we do so we point beyond the obvious to someone and something that only faith can see.
The Third Sunday of Advent
Cycle B 13th 5.00pm
9.30am
11.00am St John’s Parishioners
Teresa Young RIP
St Luke’s Parish
Monday 14th 6.30pm Rosary for Teresa Young
Tuesday 15th 12 Noon Funeral Mass –
Teresa Young
Wednesday 16th
Thursday 17th 9.15am Edward Kelly RIP
Friday 18th
Saturday 19th 10.00am
10.30am-11.30am Ints Carmel Group
Exposition
The Fourth Sunday of Advent
Cycle B 20th 5.00pm
9.30am
11.00am Brother Martin
Fitzgerald Family RIP
St Luke’s Parish
“Come Home for Christmas”: Exposition of the Blessed Sacrament and an opportunity for socially distanced individual Confession in Church with Fr Bernard & Fr Paschal next Saturday from 10.30am to 11.30am.
Resumption of Public Worship; Thankfully despite the many Covid 19 regulations of our time, public Masses have now resumed on Sunday’s and Weekday’s and we look forward to welcoming everyone back to our Churches in these days of Advent and Christmas. Our Weekend Masses remain at the usual times of Sat 5pm & Sun 9.30am with Fr Paschal also resuming celebrating a Mass on Sunday’s at 11.00am. You must still book in for weekend Masses using the pink form (available from the front of the Church) or by sending an email to stjohntheevangelist@gmail.com. Social distancing still applies and face coverings must be worn. Please do not come to Church if you feel unwell, have any Covid 19 symptoms or have been told to self- isolate.
Christmas Masses at St John’s : There will be four Masses celebrated in St John’s Church to mark the Feast of Christmas. Masses on Christmas Eve will be at 5.30pm and 7.30pm and on Christmas Day at 9.30am and 11.00am. The 5.30pm Mass on Christmas Eve is already fully booked but there is still capacity at the other three Masses. Remember at none of our Masses can we exceed our Covid number of 70 units and to satisfy track and trace requirements you must book in for Christmas Mass either by using one of the white booking forms at the front of the Church or online by 10am on Tuesday 22nd December at the very latest. All bookings will be confirmed by email or phone
It is important, particularly at this time of year that we all stay in touch with one another by phone, email, zoom or doorstep contact. If anyone is in need of material or spiritual help please do get in touch by phone 0151 645 314/0151 645 3996 or email stjohntheevangelist@gmail.com
Prayers for the Sick- please remember our sick and housebound parishioners in your daily prayers. If anyone is in need of a visit / Holy Communion, please do let us know, via parish email / phone especially if they are in our Wirral hospitals or at St John’s Hospice.
In Memorium: Please pray for the repose of the soul of Teresa Young who died recently. A Rosary will be prayed for Teresa in Church on Monday at 6.30pm. All welcome. Teresa’s Funeral Mass is on Tuesday at 12 noon which will be followed by burial in Plymyard Cemetery. We are also praying for the repose of the soul of Ted Bevan whose Funeral details have not yet been finalised but hopefully the Funeral Mass will be before Christmas. May these good parishioners and all the Faithful Departed rest in peace.
Christmas Day Lunch Sadly this year we will not be able to gather as usual at Christ Church Community Centre, Higher Bebington, but we would still like to provide festive food and a Christmas Day greeting to anyone we would welcome this. If you or anyone you know would appreciate a doorstep visit and/or some food, please let us know at Christchurch Parish Office 608 4429 or parishoffice@christchurchhigherbebington.org.uk or Reverend Mike Leach 609 0493 or mgloach@gmail.com
Thank you for Last Weekend’s Offertory Collection of £595.92p.Please note that a basket is now on the table at the back of Church for your Offertory Donations when you come into Church for private prayer/a visit……….please
always make cheques payable to St John’s New Ferry. You can also push offertory envelopes/donations through the presbytery letterbox or take out a standing order (further info on this from Carol Dalziel or from Mike Russell at the Curial Offices Tel 0151 652 9855) Your giving to St John’s Parish in these challenging times is very much needed and appreciated.
Missio: Thank you for emptying your Red Mission Boxes and bringing their contents to Church this Autumn. £250 has recently been sent from St John’s to Missio
Caritas at Christmas Appeal 2020: Caritas would like to provide food and gifts to those most in need in the Shrewsbury Diocese this Christmas. A box for your loose change is on the table at the back of church and will remain there throughout the Season of Advent. Please be generous.
THE BIG CARD will be on the table at the back of church. Please write your Christmas message at a suggested minimum donation of £1. All proceeds will go towards the work of The Ark. Please support this very good cause and thank you for your support over the years.
In the Beginning …….. a Liturgy for Advent from St Michael & All Angels Church Woodchurch this Thursday 17th December at 7pm. Please join us via http://www.churchservicetv/woodchurch for an evening of Advent scripture readings, poetry and music
Advent Resources for 2020-Shrewsbury Youth Mission Team Activities for Advent: A booklet of activities to take you through the 4 weeks of Advent and enter into the themes of hope, love, joy and peace. Any activities you don’t get through during Advent, you can use to keep you busy over the Christmas holidays!
Advent ‘Give’ List: Ideas for Advent/Christmas gifts where the real gift is your time and love.
How to enter into Advent:
Simple ideas to live this season well.
Advent ‘Carry’ Challenge: A call to live out the Advent message of carrying the Good News.
The Great Advent Crib Build! A booklet to take you through the 4 weeks of Advent, building the Nativity scene piece by piece. Will you school take part? Please go to website for more details: Shrewsbury Youth Mission Team [mailto: youth@dioceseofshrewsbury.org
St John the Evangelist
128 Bebington Road, New Ferry, CH62 5BJ
Diocese of Shrewsbury (reg. charity 234025)
Parish Priest: Fr Bernard Forshaw Deacon: Revd Michael Daly Phone: 0151 645 3314
Email: stjohntheevangelist@gmail.com Websites: http://www.stjohnevang.co.uk http://www.lpa24.org
The Second Sunday of Advent, 6th December, 2020 Cycle B
Advent is concerned with that very connection between memory and hope which is so necessary to man. Advent’s intention is to awaken the most profound and basic emotional memory within us, namely the memory of the God who became a child. This is a healing memory; it brings hope. The purpose of the Church’s year is continually to rehearse her great history of memories, to awaken the heart’s memory so that it can discern the star of hope….
Wirral Foodbank: needs your help and support more than ever, Full details of how to donate to Wirral Foodbank can be found at htpps/wirralfoodbank.org.uk/give-help People who need emergency food and support at this time can contact the Wirral Emergency Food Hub on 0151 666 5050. During these Covid times please do not bring any food donations into the Church.
Thinking about becoming a Catholic- recently, people have started to reflect upon the bigger questions of life, and explore their faith. If you have been thinking about becoming a Catholic please get in touch either by phone or email, as our time of preparation is set to begin shortly.
Wirral Scout & Guide Christmas Post will look a little different this year as they launch a free online eCard service. To find out more visit http://www.wirralcharitypost.org
The Parish Newsletter & the Wednesday Word, which is a helpful reflection on next Sunday’s readings, are presently available as you leave Church (via the front side door). Please take a copy for yourself and anyone from your street or neighbourhood who would appreciate receiving information about St John’s Parish at this time.
If you have a notice for the bulletin please email it to the parish email address or put it through the presbytery letter box by 12 noon on Thursdays. Many thanks.
FAITH IN FOCUS: RAISED VOICES
It’s so hard to hear yourself think in December. The TV screams at us through adverts that are desperate to get us to buy their products. Cosy Christmas fireside scenes, talking reindeers, food and drink, comfortable sofas, the must-have gifts: this is dangled before us as the epitome of what Christmas is all about. And when we think that we’ll have a nice quiet read, the papers are packed with full-page adverts reminding us of what we’ve already seen for sale on TV!
There are other voices trying to get through to us in the lead-up to Christmas. One of them is Isaiah’s. Today he tells us that our time of being enslaved is over. We have been set free and have been offered the greatest Christmas present of all: sharing the life of God’s Son.
But Isaiah’s voice clashes with the other sounds of Christmas because he tells us that if we want to go beyond the tinsel and baubles then we have to do some personal spadework. If we really want to experience the true meaning of Christmas, then we have to make sure we’re not just drifting along with the Christmas crowd but instead are keeping ourselves focussed on the reason for our feast. And this means fine-tuning the way we live, resetting our spiritual compasses and going out to meet our God who is coming.
Advent is not a mini-Lent but it is a time to remember that repentance, turning back to God, is a Christian constant. “Here is your God” says Isaiah. And our God still comes to us today and everyday. Advent challenges us to find God’s face in the ordinary events of our daily existence. And if there are aspects of our lives that prevent us from seeing this face, then Advent asks us to make changes.
When God comes it is not to point a finger but to lend a hand. The God we ask into our Advent lives is not the vengeful judge but the loving saviour. God always comes to set us free not to condemn us. But, of course, if we are genuinely to welcome Jesus into our lives this Advent and Christmas, then we have to know what we need to be set free from. Otherwise we might as well join just join the shopping queue.
The Second Sunday of Advent
Cycle B 6th 5.00pm
9.30am
11.00am Brenda Shanahan
Elizabeth, Terence & John Robinson RIP
St Luke’s Parish
Monday 7th
The Immaculate Conception of the Blessed Virgin Mary 8th 9.15am
7.30pm Fr Frank Rice RIP
Novena
Wednesday 9th
Thursday 10th 12 Noon Funeral Mass-Ted Welch
Friday 11th
Saturday 12th 10.30am-11.30am Exposition
The Third Sunday of Advent
Cycle B 13th 5.00pm
9.30am
11.00am St John’s Parishioners
Teresa Young RIP
St Luke’s Parish
During the Season of Advent there will be Exposition of the Blessed Sacrament in Church and an opportunity for the Sacrament of Reconciliation/Confession in the Day Chapel each Saturday morning from 10.30am to 11.30am.
Resumption of Public Worship; Thankfully despite the many Covid 19 regulations of our time, public Masses have now resumed on Sunday’s and Weekday’s and we look forward to welcoming everyone back to our Churches in these days of Advent and Christmas. Our Weekend Masses remain at the usual times of Sat 5pm & Sun 9.30am with Fr Paschal also resuming celebrating a Mass on Sunday’s at 11.00am. You must still book in for weekend Masses using the pink form (available from the front of the Church) or by sending an email to stjohntheevangelist@gmail.com. Social distancing still applies and face coverings must be worn. Please do not come to Church if you feel unwell, have any Covid 19 symptoms or have been told to self- isolate.
Christmas Masses at St John’s : As stated in last week’s newsletter, with Fr Paschal’s help there will be four Masses celebrated in St John’s Church (for St John’s and St Luke’s parishioners) to mark the Feast of Christmas. Masses on Christmas Eve will be at 5.30pm and 7.30pm and on Christmas Day at 9.30am and 11.00am. So although numbers will be limited to our registered Covid number of 70 units for each Mass, there is plenty of
capacity and choice for all. Please note to satisfy track and trace requirements and to ensure we don’t exceed our capacity number at any Mass you must book in for Christmas Mass either by using one of the white forms (now available from the front of the Church) or online as soon as possible and certainly before 10am on Tuesday 22nd December. Bookings are on a first come/first served basis and all bookings will be confirmed by email or phone.
Children’s Crib Service: We are looking into the possibility of holding this (as in previous years)……..as the bulletin goes to press parishes are awaiting further guidance from the Diocesan Health and Safety Officer etc.
It is important, particularly at this time of year that we all stay in touch with one another by phone, email, zoom or doorstep contact. If anyone is in need of material or spiritual help please do get in touch by phone 0151 645 314/0151 645 3996 or email stjohntheevangelist@gmail.com
Novena to Our Lady of Perpetual Succour: The Monthly Novena to Our Lady will be celebrated in Church at 7.30pm this Tuesday………….the Feast of the Immaculate Conception (please note the time change this month to allow time for workmen to finish work in Church)
St John’s SVP continue to keep in touch with all their clients from the Parish and the local community by phone, email, doorstep visits. If you know of anyone in the Parish, perhaps living alone, who would appreciate such contact in these challenging times please get in touch with Steve Bell our SVP President via our parish phone number/ parish email address which you can find at the top of page 1 of this bulletin.
Prayers for the Sick- please remember our sick and housebound parishioners in your daily prayers. If anyone is in need of a visit / Holy Communion, please do let us know, via parish email / phone especially if they are in our Wirral hospitals or at St John’s Hospice.
In Memorium: Please pray for the repose of the soul of Ted Welch whose Funeral Mass is to be held at St John’s on Thursday at 12noon. It is with great sadness that we also report the death of Teresa Young such a stalwart of St John’s Parish who died on Wednesday in Arrowe Park Hospital. Teresa will be greatly missed by one and all not least by her dear family and most of all by her husband
Ernie. Teresa’s Funeral Mass will be held at St John’s on Tuesday 15th December at 12 noon. We also pray for the repose of the soul of Ted Bevan who sadly died as a result of a road traffic accident in Kings Lane/Broadway during the past week. Our deepest sympathy again to his dear wife and family. May these good parishioners and all the Faithful Departed rest in peace. (what a week!)
Christmas Day Lunch Sadly this year we will not be able to gather as usual at Christ Church Community Centre, Higher Bebington, but we would still like to provide festive food and a Christmas Day greeting to anyone we would welcome this. If you or anyone you know would appreciate a doorstep visit and/or some food, please let us know at Christchurch Parish Office 608 4429 or parishoffice@christchurchhigherbebington.org.uk or Reverend Mike Leach 609 0493 or mgloach@gmail.com
Thank you for Last Weekend’s Offertory Collection .Please note that a basket is now on the table at the back of Church for your Offertory Donations when you come into Church for private prayer/a visit……….please always make cheques payable to St John’s New Ferry. You can also push offertory envelopes/donations through the presbytery letterbox or take out a standing order (further info on this from Carol Dalziel or from Mike Russell at the Curial Offices Tel 0151 652 9855) Your giving to St John’s Parish in these challenging times is very much needed and appreciated.
Caritas at Christmas Appeal 2020: Caritas would like to provide food and gifts to those most in need in the Shrewsbury Diocese this Christmas. A box for your loose change is on the table at the back of church and will remain there throughout the Season of Advent. Please be generous.
Advent Resources for 2020-Shrewsbury Youth Mission Team Activities for Advent: A booklet of activities to take you through the 4 weeks of Advent and enter into the themes of hope, love, joy and peace. Any activities you don’t get through during Advent, you can use to keep you busy over the Christmas holidays!
Advent ‘Give’ List: Ideas for Advent/Christmas gifts where the real gift is your time and love.
How to enter into Advent:
Simple ideas to live this season well.
Advent ‘Carry’ Challenge: A call to live out the Advent message of carrying the Good News.
The Great Advent Crib Build! A booklet to take you through the 4 weeks of Advent, building the Nativity scene piece by piece. Will you school take part? Please go to website for more details: Shrewsbury Youth Mission Team [mailto: youth@dioceseofshrewsbury.org
St John the Evangelist
128 Bebington Road, New Ferry, CH62 5BJ
Diocese of Shrewsbury (reg. charity 234025)
Parish Priest: Fr Bernard Forshaw Deacon: Revd Michael Daly Phone: 0151 645 3314
Email: stjohntheevangelist@gmail.com Websites: http://www.stjohnevang.co.uk http://www.lpa24.org
The First Sunday of Advent, 29th November, 2020 Cycle B
Advent is concerned with that very connection between memory and hope which is so necessary to man. Advent’s intention is to awaken the most profound and basic emotional memory within us, namely the memory of the God who became a child. This is a healing memory; it brings hope. The purpose of the Church’s year is continually to rehearse her great history of memories, to awaken the heart’s memory so that it can discern the star of hope….
Wirral Foodbank: needs your help and support more than ever, Full details of how to donate to Wirral Foodbank can be found at htpps/wirralfoodbank.org.uk/give-help People who need emergency food and support at this time can contact the Wirral Emergency Food Hub on 0151 666 5050. During these Covid times please do not bring any food donations into the Church.
Thinking about becoming a Catholic- recently, people have started to reflect upon the bigger questions of life, and explore their faith. If you have been thinking about becoming a Catholic please get in touch either by phone or email, as our time of preparation is set to begin shortly.
Wirral Scout & Guide Christmas Post will look a little different this year as they launch a free online eCard service. To find out more visit http://www.wirralcharitypost.org
The Parish Newsletter & the Wednesday Word, which is a helpful reflection on next Sunday’s readings, are presently available as you leave Church (via the front side door). Please take a copy for yourself and anyone from your street or neighbourhood who would appreciate receiving information about St John’s Parish at this time.
If you have a notice for the bulletin please email it to the parish email address or put it through the presbytery letter box by 12 noon on Thursdays. Many thanks.
FAITH IN FOCUS: COME ON DOWN!
As we begin our Advent season today, in preparation for the coming of Christ, Isaiah makes an urgent plea to God. He uses the same catch-phrase as the TV programme “The Price is Right” by saying to God “Come on down, tear the heavens open”.
Whenever we celebrate Advent we are involved on three levels: past, present and future. And at each level we make that same plea: Come on down!
We look to the past, to history. We recall that the Jewish people were waiting for a Messiah who would lead them to political and religious freedom. In this setting we see Mary and Joseph and we witness the birth of Jesus in the stable at Bethlehem.
We look to the present, to today. Jesus has not stopped coming to us in our day to day lives. He comes and speaks to us in the word of God, in the sacraments we celebrate, in the faces of those who bear God’s impression both in need and in joy.
We also look to the future. Christ will come again in glory when the plan of God is finally fulfilled. This coming will usher in the end of the world and all will be revealed for what it truly is.
So Advent is wake-up time. It’s the four-week season when we look for the ways in which Jesus comes to visit us. It’s easy to get caught up in an Advent that is just a pale religious reflection of the world’s commercial season. It’s easy to get stuck simply on the level of the past and start getting nostalgic and gooey about the trappings of Christmas, getting no further than the crib, the angels and the star. Yet if we are to celebrate the liturgy of Advent then we have to engage on all three levels. Yes, we do remember the past events of Bethlehem. But our Advent and Christmas celebrations are imbued with the need to be alert and awake to the Christ who challenges us daily in our interaction with others, the same Christ who will come again to judge us on the way we responded to his invitation to love. And we know that we are really capturing the spirit of the season if, like Isaiah, we can say and mean it when we ask God to “Come on down!”
The First Sunday of Advent
Cycle B 29th
5.00pm
9.30am
11.00am Fam/Fnds Margaret McLoughlin RIP
Teresa McLean RIP
St Luke’s Parish
Monday 30th
Tuesday 1st
Wednesday 2nd
Thursday 3rd 9.15am All Migrants & Refugees
Friday 4th
Saturday 5th 10.30am-11.30am Exposition
The Second Sunday of Advent
Cycle B 6th 5.00pm
9.30am
11.00am Brenda Shanahan
Elizabeth, Terence & John Robinson RIP
St Luke’s Parish
During the Season of Advent there will be Exposition of the Blessed Sacrament in Church and an opportunity for the Sacrament of Reconciliation/Confession in the Day Chapel each Saturday morning from 10.30am to 11.30am. This Sunday 29th November and on Tuesday 1st December St John’s Church will be open for private prayer before the Blessed Sacrament from 9.00am -10.00am. All our welcome to come and pray about the present Covid 19 situation and for all our Parish needs and intentions
Resumption of Public Worship: Thankfully despite the many Covid 19 regulations of our time Public Masses can resume from the end of the latest lockdown ie this coming Wednesday 2nd December. So there will be Mass on Thursday morning at 9.15am and Masses next Weekend (which you will need to book in for) at the usual times of Saturday 5.00pm and Sunday 9.30am . Fr Paschal will also resume celebrating a Mass on Sunday’s at 11.00am. Christmas Mass Times will be in next week’s bulletin as will details of how you can book for your Christmas Mass. With Fr Paschal’s help there will be four Masses celebrated in St John’s Church (for St John’s and St Luke’s Parishioners) to mark the Feast of Christmas (2 Masses on Christmas Eve & 2 Masses on Christmas Day) . So although numbers will be limited to our registered COVID number of 70 units for each Mass there is plenty of capacity and choice for all. Please note that to satisfy Track and Trace requirements and to ensure we don’t succeed our capacity number at any Mass you must book in for Christmas Mass: No booking =no entry I’m afraid. Look out for the white forms available from Church or online from the end of the week.
It is important, particularly at this time of year that we all stay in touch with one another by phone, email, zoom or doorstep contact. If anyone is in need of material or spiritual help please do get in touch by phone 0151 645 3314/0151 645 3996 or email stjohntheevangelist@gmail.com
The Parish Pastoral Team will be meeting (via Zoom) during the coming week to discuss our Advent and Christmas programme etc in these challenging times. Any thoughts or suggestions please to Fr Bernard, Wilf Humphreys or Carol Dalziel.
St John’s School: Fr Bernard and Mrs. Mullins will lead a virtual Advent Assembly for our Junior Children on Monday morning. Fr Bernard will bless the school’s Advent wreath and every child will receive an Advent calendar. Parents and grandparents are asked to encourage the children to follow this calendar at home as well as at school in the coming weeks
St John’s SVP continue to keep in touch with all their clients from the Parish and the local community by phone, email, doorstep visits. If you know of anyone in the Parish, perhaps living alone, who would appreciate such contact in these challenging times please get in touch with Steve Bell our SVP President via our parish phone number/ parish email address which you can find at the top of page 1 of this bulletin.
Prayers for the Sick- please remember our sick and housebound parishioners in your daily prayers. If anyone is in need of a visit / Holy Communion, please do let us know, via parish email / phone especially if they are in our Wirral hospitals or at St John’s Hospice.
In Memorium: Please pray for the repose of the soul of Ted Welch who died recently and whose Funeral Mass will be held at St John’s on Thursday, 10th December at 12 noon and also Charles Reynolds whose funeral details will follow. May they and all the faithful departed rest in peace.
Prayer for healing for all who have suffered abuse: Bishop Mark will lead a Holy Hour to be live streamed from Shrewsbury Cathedral this First Sunday of Advent from 4.30pm -5.30pm to pray for the healing of all who have suffered abuse in the Church and in Society. If you wish to join Bishop Mark in this prayer you can follow the link from the Diocesan website or from Church Services.
Christmas Day Lunch Sadly this year we will not be able to gather as usual at Christ Church Community Centre, Higher Bebington, but we would still like
to provide festive food and a Christmas Day greeting to anyone we would welcome this. If you or anyone you know would appreciate a doorstep visit and/or some food, please let us know at Christchurch Parish Office 608 4429 or
parishoffice@christchurchhigherbebington.org.uk or Reverend Mike Leach 609 0493 or
mgloach@gmail.com
Thank you for Last Weekend’s Offertory Collection of £265.15p. Please note that a basket is now on the table at the back of Church for your Offertory Donations when you come into Church for private prayer/a visit……….please always make cheques payable to St John’s New Ferry. You can also push offertory envelopes/donations through the presbytery letterbox or take out a standing order (further info on this from Carol Dalziel or from Mike Russell at the Curial Offices Tel 0151 652 9855) Your giving to St John’s Parish in these challenging times is very much needed and appreciated.
Caritas at Christmas Appeal 2020: Caritas would like to provide food and gifts to those most in need in the Shrewsbury Diocese this Christmas. A box for your loose change is on the table at the back of church and will remain there throughout the Season of Advent. Please be generous.
Advent Resources for 2020-Shrewsbury Youth Mission Team Activities for Advent: A booklet of activities to take you through the 4 weeks of Advent and enter into the themes of hope, love, joy and peace. Any activities you don’t get through during Advent, you can use to keep you busy over the Christmas holidays!
Advent ‘Give’ List: Ideas for Advent/Christmas gifts where the real gift is your time and love.
How to enter into Advent:
Simple ideas to live this season well.
Advent ‘Carry’ Challenge: A call to live out the Advent message of carrying the Good News.
The Great Advent Crib Build! A booklet to take you through the 4 weeks of Advent, building the Nativity scene piece by piece. Will you school take part? Please go to website for more details: Shrewsbury Youth Mission Team [mailto: youth@dioceseofshrewsbury.org
St John the Evangelist
128 Bebington Road, New Ferry, CH62 5BJ
Diocese of Shrewsbury (reg. charity 234025)
Parish Priest: Fr Bernard Forshaw Deacon: Revd Michael Daly Phone: 0151 645 3314
Email: stjohntheevangelist@gmail.com Websites: http://www.stjohnevang.co.uk http://www.lpa24.org
Our Lord Jesus Christ, King of the Universe, 22nd November, 2020 Cycle A
The last Sunday in the liturgical year is designated as the Festival of Christ the King or the Reign of Christ. This is not an ancient festival like Easter or Christmas. In fact, it is less than a century old. It was first called by Pope Pius XI in 1925. Europe was in chaos. Inflation was rampant, and colonialism was at its worst. The seeds of evil that were to produce the terror of the Holocaust and World War II were being planted. Against all this chaos and evil, the Pope established the Festival of Christ the King to declare that Jesus Christ is king. He is the goal of all human history, the joy of all who hear, and the fulfilment of our aspirations. (Wiley Stephens)
Wirral Foodbank: needs your help and support more than ever, Full details of how to donate to Wirral Foodbank can be found at htpps/wirralfoodbank.org.uk/give-help People who need emergency food and support at this time can contact the Wirral Emergency Food Hub on 0151 666 5050. During these Covid times please do not bring any food donations into the Church.
The Parish Newsletter & the Wednesday Word, which is a helpful reflection on next Sunday’s readings, are presently available as you leave Church (via the front side door). Please take a copy for yourself and anyone from your street or neighbourhood who would appreciate receiving information about St John’s Parish at this time.
If you have a notice for the bulletin please email it to the parish email address or put it through the presbytery letter box by 12 noon on Thursdays. Many thanks.
FAITH IN FOCUS: LOOKING THE OTHER WAY
You don’t get to heaven by not committing sin. You get to heaven only by doing good. Or, more correctly, you get to heaven by allowing the Holy Spirit to work through you in building up the kingdom of God.
Today’s gospel presents us with a challenging picture. If we never visit the sick, the homeless and those in prison then we show that we don’t care for Jesus. If we watch the TV images of people who are starving or who are victims of famine, flood and earthquake and then simply turn the channel over then we are turning our backs on Christ.
Traditional language used to speak about two types of sin: commission and omission. Commission is when we do something wrong. Omission is when we do something wrong by not doing anything. Yet today’s society makes it very easy for us to commit sins of omission without feeling guilty. When we see homeless people we can easily say that it is up to our government to sort the situation out. When we hear that our prisons are full to bursting it has become natural for us to think that someone else should be concerned with visiting the prisoners and with ensuring that their conditions are humane.
On a more local level we find ourselves turning a blind eye to things that happen on our own streets because we prefer a quiet life, despite the fact that people are suffering as a result. And in a recent report it was shown that people in Britain are the least likely in all of Europe to come to someone’s aid if they are experiencing difficulty on the street.
Jesus gives us a solemn warning. Whenever we fail to act to help those in any kind of need we fail to show our love for him, for the face of the person in distress is really the face of Christ. And the consequences of this failure and omission last well beyond our short lifespan. They are eternal.
Our Lord Jesus Christ, King of the Universe 22nd Rels/Fnds McAllister Fam RIP
Gerry Topping RIP
St Luke’s Parish
Monday 23rd
Tuesday 24th All Souls in Purgatory
Wednesday 25th
Thursday 26th 12.30pm Funeral Mass –
Marie Powell
Friday 27th
Saturday 28th
First Sunday of Advent
Cycle B 29th Fam/Fnds Margaret McLoughlin RIP
Teresa McLean RIP
St Luke’s Parish
Fr Bernard will celebrate all the above Masses on the days indicated above privately here at St John’s.
Lockdown 2 continues : Although sadly there can be no public Masses (except for Funeral’s) at this time happily Churches can remain open for private prayer and reflection with all the necessary COVID 19 safety measures in place. St John’s Church will be open at the following times this week Sunday : 9.00am -10.00am Tuesday; 9.00am – 10.00am Saturday: 10.30am -11.30am On Saturday Fr Bernard will be available for the Sacrament of Reconciliation /Confession (socially distanced of course in the Day Chapel) and he will bless the Advent wreath at 11.30am at the end of the Time of Prayer. Please come along to these Times of Prayer to pray with your fellow parishioners and with Fr Bernard/light a candle for loved ones living and dead. If anyone is in need of material/spiritual support please do get in touch by emailing stjohntheevangelist@gmail.com or phone 0151 645 3314/ 0151 645 3996
It is important, particularly at this time of year that we all stay in touch with one another by phone, email, zoom or doorstep contact. If anyone is in need of material or spiritual help please do get in touch by phone 0151 645 3314/0151 645 3996 or email stjohntheevangelist@gmail.com
Christmas 2020: The Parish Pastoral Team will be meeting (probably via Zoom) in the 1st week of Advent/1st week of December to discuss arrangements for how we can celebrate Christmas as a Parish this year. We don’t know just yet what restrictions will be in place after 2nd December but we will explore all avenues open to us. Keep praying for God’s blessing upon our Advent & Christmas Masses/Services etc here at St John’s, which will of course also incorporate St Luke’s Parish.
St John’s SVP continue to keep in touch with all their clients from the Parish and the local community by phone, email, doorstep visits. If you know of anyone in the Parish, perhaps living alone, who would appreciate such contact in these challenging times please get in touch with Steve Bell our SVP President via our parish phone number/ parish email address which you can find at the top of page 1 of this bulletin.
Prayers for the Sick- please remember our sick and housebound parishioners in your daily prayers. If anyone is in need of a visit / Holy Communion, please do let us know, via parish email / phone especially if they are in our Wirral hospitals or at St John’s Hospice.
In Memorium: Please pray for the repose of the soul of Anthony Creaney who died recently and whose Funeral Service, led by Fr Bernard, will be held at Landican Crematorium on Monday 23rd November at 12.30pm. Also please pray the repose of the soul of Marie Powell whose Funeral Mass will be celebrated in Church on Thursday 26th November at 12.30pm. May they and all the faithful departed rest in peace.
Thinking about becoming a Catholic- recently, people have started to reflect upon the bigger questions of life, and explore their faith. If you have been thinking about becoming a Catholic please get in touch either by phone or email, as our time of preparation is set to begin shortly.
Christmas Day Lunch Sadly this year we will not be able to gather as usual at Christ Church Community Centre, Higher Bebington, but we would still like
to provide festive food and a Christmas Day greeting to anyone we would welcome this. If you or anyone you know would appreciate a doorstep visit and/or some food, please let us know at Christchurch Parish Office 608 4429 or
parishoffice@christchurchhigherbebington.org.uk or Reverend Mike Leach 609 0493 or
mgloach@gmail.com
Wirral Scout & Guide Christmas Post will look a little different this year as they launch a free online eCard service. To find out more visit http://www.wirralcharitypost.org
Thank you for Last Weekend’s Offertory Collection of £233.00p. Please note that a basket is now on the table at the back of Church for your Offertory Donations when you come into Church for private prayer/a visit……….please always make cheques payable to St John’s New Ferry. You can also push offertory envelopes/donations through the presbytery letterbox or take out a standing order (further info on this from Carol Dalziel or from Mike Russell at the Curial Offices Tel 0151 652 9855) Your giving to St John’s Parish in these challenging times is very much needed and appreciated.
Advent Resources for 2020-Shrewsbury Youth Mission Team Activities for Advent: A booklet of activities to take you through the 4 weeks of Advent and enter into the themes of hope, love, joy and peace. Any activities you don’t get through during Advent, you can use to keep you busy over the Christmas holidays!
Advent ‘Give’ List: Ideas for Advent/Christmas gifts where the real gift is your time and love.
How to enter into Advent:
Simple ideas to live this season well.
Advent ‘Carry’ Challenge: A call to live out the Advent message of carrying the Good News.
The Great Advent Crib Build! A booklet to take you through the 4 weeks of Advent, building the Nativity scene piece by piece. Will you school take part? Please go to website for more details: Shrewsbury Youth Mission Team [mailto: youth@dioceseofshrewsbury.org
St John the Evangelist
128 Bebington Road, New Ferry, CH62 5BJ
Diocese of Shrewsbury (reg. charity 234025)
Parish Priest: Fr Bernard Forshaw Deacon: Revd Michael Daly Phone: 0151 645 3314
Email: stjohntheevangelist@gmail.com Websites: http://www.stjohnevang.co.uk http://www.lpa24.org
Thirty Third Sunday in Ordinary Time, 15th November, 2020 Cycle A
WORD OF GOD
To one he gave five talents, to another two, to a third one; each in proportion to his ability. (Matthew 25:15)
The Parish Newsletter & the Wednesday Word, which is a helpful reflection on next Sunday’s readings, are presently available as you leave Church (via the front side door). Please take a copy for yourself and anyone from your street or neighbourhood who would appreciate receiving information about St John’s Parish at this time.
If you have a notice for the bulletin please email it to the parish email address or put it through the presbytery letter box by 12 noon on Thursdays. Many thanks.
FAITH IN FOCUS: INTEREST RATES
Imagine being given 20 years’ salary in one go and simply putting it in a sock under your bed. That’s what happens in today’s gospel when the master gives five talents, three talents and one talent to his servants. A talent was a coin that was worth almost 20 years pay for a servant or a labourer, so the first servant actually got 100 years’ salary and the second got 60 years’ in advance.
Of course, the man who got 20 years’ pay simply went and buried it in the ground. He knew his master was a demanding man and he was scared to use his talent in case he ended up making a loss.
What excuse do we make for not using the talents that God has given to us? Many people say that God really has given them nothing special to do in their lives. They simply exist and one day they’ll die. But today’s gospel clearly shows that everyone has been given some role by God and every baptised Christian has been called to spread the good news of Jesus Christ.
Other people are quick to compare themselves to others. They say they are not as good as So-and-So and what’s the point of their stepping forward when others are “more talented”? Yet God does not judge us in comparison with others and what they may or may not be capable of doing. God knows what we are capable of, and he expects us only to respond in the fullest way we can. Perhaps the saddest people are those who have convinced themselves that God is asking too much of them, like the soprano who turned down the request to sing in the choir because the weekly practice clashed with her favourite soap opera on TV.
God expects us to bring a return on the talents he has given us, and this means more than simply going through the motions. It means taking risks, it means stretching ourselves for the sake of the gospel, and it means putting our whole hearts into practising our faith.
So if God were to ask you today what you have done with talents that you were given, would you know what your talents are and would you be able to show how you have been cooperating with the Holy Spirit to try and make them grow?
Thirty Third Sunday in Ord Time 15th Ints Frank Morris
Kitty Petts RIP
St Luke’s Parish
Monday 16th
Tuesday 17th Rels/Fnds McDyre & Kennedy Families RIP
Wednesday 18th
Thursday 19th Joe Moore Annv RIP
Friday 20th
Saturday 21st
Our Lord Jesus Christ, King of the Universe 22nddd Rels/Fnds McAllister Fam RIP
Gerry Topping RIP
St Luke’s Parish
Fr Bernard will celebrate all the above Masses on the days indicated above privately here at St John’s.
Today is the Fourth World Day of Prayer for the Poor…………..Pope Francis has chosen the theme “Stretch Forth your Hands to the Poor”. In these challenging times there are several ways in which we can support the poorer members of our community
Lockdown 2: By now you will all be aware that a state of National Lockdown came into force at 00.01am on Thursday 5th November and lasts until Wednesday 2nd December. The Regulations prohibiting all gatherings for Communal Worship in Churches and other religious buildings were placed into law last Wednesday. The only exceptions being Funeral Masses & Services within the limitations of numbers provided in Government Guidance for Places of Worship. Happily churches can remain open as places of prayer and reflection with all the necessary Covid 19 safety measures in place. So from this weekend I will open St John’s Church at the following times. Sunday’s from 9.00am to 10.00am and Tuesday’s again from 9.00am to 10.00am. (Opening times at St Anne’s = Sunday’s from 10.45am to 11.45am Wednesday’s and Friday’s from 11.00am to 12 noon)
It is important, particularly at this time of year, that we all stay in touch with one another by phone, email, zoom or doorstep contact. If anyone is in need of material or spiritual help please do get in touch by phone 0151 645 3314/0151 645 3996 or email stjohntheevangelist@gmail.com
Wirral Foodbank: needs your help and support more than ever, Full details of how to donate to Wirral Foodbank can be found at htpps/wirralfoodbank.org.uk/give-help. People who need emergency food and support at this time can contact the Wirral Emergency Food Hub on 0151 666 5050. During these Covid times please do not bring any food donations into the Church.
St John’s SVP continue to keep in touch with all their clients from the Parish and the local community by phone, email, doorstep visits. If you know of anyone in the Parish, perhaps living alone, who would appreciate such contact in these challenging times please get in touch with Steve Bell our SVP President via our parish phone number/ parish email address which you can find at the top of page 1 of this bulletin.
Prayers for the Sick- please remember our sick and housebound parishioners in your daily prayers. If anyone is in need of a visit / Holy Communion, please do let us know, via parish email / phone especially if they are in our Wirral hospitals or at St John’s Hospice.
In Memorium : Please pray for the repose of the soul of Anthony Creaney who died on the 2nd November and whose Funeral Service led by Fr Bernard will be held at Landican Crematorium on Monday 23rd November at 12.30pm. Also please pray the repose of the soul of Marie Powell from Bromborough Pool who died on 7th November. In recent times those of you who come to weekday Mass will remember Marie for her faithful attendance aged 93years accompanied by her push along walking frame. Marie’s Funeral Mass will be celebrated in Church on Thursday 26th November at 12.30pm. May they and all the faithful departed rest in peace.
Thinking about becoming a Catholic- recently, people have started to reflect upon the bigger questions of life, and explore their faith. If you have been thinking about becoming a Catholic please get in touch either by phone or email, as our time of preparation is set to begin shortly.
Thank you for Last Weekend’s Offertory Collection. Please note that a basket is now on the table at the back of Church for your Offertory Donations when you come into Church for private prayer/a visit……….please always make cheques payable to St John’s New Ferry. You can also push offertory envelopes/donations through the presbytery letterbox or take out a standing order (further info on this from Carol Dalziel or from Mike Russell at the Curial Offices Tel 0151 652 9855) Your giving to St John’s Parish in these challenging times is very much needed and appreciated.
