Thought of the Week - 13th March 2024


Psalm 120:1

Hello everyone. We hope you’ve had a good week.

This Saturday morning, 16th March, it’s spring cleaning day St Mary’s. Can you help? There are two time slots: 9am for high level cleaning and 10.30am for those preferring the lower levels. Please RSVP to Mark Puddy for 9am and June Knox for 10.30am.

The Annual Parochial Church Meeting will be on Sunday 14th April after the 9.45 service in St Mary’s where we will be reviewing the activities of our churches for the year 2023. If you aren’t on the Parish Electoral Role and would like to be, please complete a form, available at the back of church or online and return it to the Parish Office by Sunday 24th March.

On Palm Sunday at 7pm in St Mary’s, ‘Twyford Singers’ will be performing extracts from Vivaldi’s Gloria and Rutter’s Gloria. Tickets are £12 and can be purchased in advance here or from Patsy Roynon or on the evening at the door.

Finally, this Sunday, 17th March, is St Patrick’s Day. We wish all of our Irish sisters and brothers a happy day.

May God bless you and your loved ones in the week ahead.

With our love and prayers from the Parish Ministry Team.


Good News for this Week

ST PATRICK – PATRON SAINT OF IRELAND

Saint Patrick was a fifth-century Romano-British Christian missionary and bishop in Ireland. He is venerated as a saint in the Catholic Church, the Lutheran Church, the Church of Ireland (part of the Anglican Communion), and in the Eastern Orthodox Church.

According to Patrick's autobiographical ‘Confessio’, when he was about sixteen, he was captured by Irish pirates from his home in Britain and taken as a slave to Ireland. He lived there for six years as an animal herder before escaping and returning to his family. Patrick studied in Europe principally at Auxerre. Saint Germanus of Auxerre, a bishop of the Western Church, ordained him to the priesthood. Acting on a vision, Patrick returned to Ireland as a Christian missionary. According to tradition, Patrick was the first bishop of Armagh and Primate of Ireland and is credited with bringing Christianity to Ireland. By the seventh century, he had already come to be revered as the patron saint of Ireland.

Legend credits Patrick with teaching the Irish about the doctrine of the Holy Trinity by showing people the shamrock, a three-leafed plant, using it to illustrate three persons in one God.

Patrick is said to be buried at Down Cathedral in Downpatrick, County Down, alongside Saint Brigid and Saint Columba. His feast day is observed on 17 March, the supposed date of his death.

‘Saint Patrick's Breastplate’ is an Old Irish prayer of protection attributed to Saint Patrick. An abbreviated version is below.

‘I bind to myself today,

the strong power of the invocation of the Trinity,

the faith of the Trinity in Unity, the Creator of the elements.


I bind to myself today,

the power of the Incarnation of Christ, with that of his Baptism; 

the power of the Crucifixion with that of his Burial;

the power of the Resurrection, with the Ascension;

the power of the coming of the Sentence of Judgement. […]


I bind to myself today,

the power of God to guide me, 

the might of God to uphold me, 

the wisdom of God to teach me,

the eye of God to watch over me, 

the ear of God to hear me, 

the word of God to give me speech, 

the hand of God to protect me, 

the way of God to prevent me, 

the shield of God to shelter me,

the host of God to defend me, 

against the snares of demons, 

against the temptations of vices, 

against the lures of nature, 

against every man who desires injury to me, 

whether far or near, with few or with many.


I have set around me all these powers, against every hostile savage power directed against my body and my soul.

Christ, protect me today […]

Christ with me, Christ before me, Christ behind me,

Christ within me, Christ beneath me, Christ above me,

Christ at my right, Christ at my left. […]

Christ in the heart of everyone who thinks of me,

Christ in the mouth of everyone who speaks to me,

Christ in the eye of everyone who sees me,

Christ in the ear of everyone who hears me.

I bind to myself today,

the strong power of an invocation of the Trinity,

the faith of the Trinity in Unity, the Creator of the Elements.

Salvation is the Lord's, Salvation is Christ's.

May thy salvation, Lord, be always with us! Amen.’


Bible Readings: Sunday 17th March 2024

8am Holy Communion & 9.45am Morning Worship

Isaiah 52: 7-10

Mark 14: 53-72


IN YOUR PRAYERS THIS WEEK

  • God's peace and justice in Ukraine, Israel and Gaza, Myanmar, Sudan, Ethiopia, and all worn torn places of the world
  • the bereaved, thinking of the family and friends of Georgia Floate
  • those who are sick, in mind, body or spirit
  • the lonely, the anxious, the homeless and hungry
  • the preparations for our Parish Easter Services
  • the staff at the surgery
  • the residents and staff of the Mount Care Home
  • the children and staff of our Parish schools

Our Next Services



 17th March  24th March 28th March 
 Fifth Sunday of LentPalm SundayMaundy Thursday
    
St Mary's 8am Holy Communion 

9.45am Morning Worship
8am Holy Communion 

9.45am Holy Communion
 7pm Contemplative Service
    
St Peter's  10.30am Holy Communion  
    
St Paul's   

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