|
Thank you for your offerings last week of £1,554. Mass attendance was 744.
|
|
|
Sunday 2/10/16 |
Twenty-Seventh Sunday in Ordinary Time
6.00pm Reg Griffin RIP (K. Griffin)
9.15am Michael Feeney RIP (Feeney Family)
11.00am People of the Parish
|
|
Monday 3/10/16
|
Feria
9.30 Sr Helen Gallagher
|
|
Tuesday 4/10/16 |
St Francis of Assisi
9.30 Maureen Casey (G. Head)
|
|
Wednesday 5/10/16 |
Feria 9.05 Mass at St James’ School Year 5 – All Welcome Woctaw Jarubowicz (L. Jarubowicz)
|
|
Thursday 6/10/16 |
Feria
9.30 Welfare of Stephen Cushman
|
|
Friday 7/10/16 |
Our Lady of the Rosary CAFOD Harvest Fast Day 9.30 Gerard Whelan RIP (Howell Family)
|
|
Saturday 8/10/16 |
Vigil Mass
6.00pm Frank Donelan RIP (Donelan Family)
|
|
Sunday 9/10/16 |
Twenty-Eight Sunday in Ordinary Time – Harvest Fast Day
9.15am John Jagger RIP (Jagger Family)
11.00am People of the Parish
|
Confessions heard Saturday 5.00-5.45pm or by appointment.
Morning Prayer: Takes place Monday – Friday at 9.10am. All are welcome to attend.
Pondering the Word (Lectio Divina)
A quiet reflective look at the following Sunday’s Gospel. Mondays 11am - 12 noon, except for Bank Holidays, here in the Church. All welcome.
“Drop-In” – Evening Surgery
The next Surgery will take place on Tuesday 4th October 5pm – 8pm. Please call at 281a Crescent Drive. No appointments necessary.
Second Collections
Maintenance Fund
This weekend there will be a second collection for the Maintenance Fund.
CAFOD
Friday 7th October is the CAFOD Harvest Fast Day and the collection will take place the following weekend of 8th and 9th October. Please give what you can to help those in most need. Thank you.
Fr David Writes…
In my late thirties, I hit a wall in my life. What used to give me meaning and life somehow disappeared and I felt bereft. Nothing seemed to lift up my spirit. The compass which always gave me directions for some reason was not accessible anymore. Prayer became sterile and I knew that spiritually and emotionally, I felt burnt out. It frightened me. I was performing my ministry in an automatic mode. Nothing fed me. I knew that if I remained where I was – stuck, I was going to become resentful and bitter. I had seen people like that before and I was determined that I was not going to allow myself to become like that. So I remember going off on a directed retreat. The place was idyllic – a retreat house near an isolated beach. I remember on one of my solitary walks on a sunny autumn day, I stopped and sat down on the sand looking across the sea and was still. I remember closing my eyes and was transported to another place. An alien place – there was a lot of snow – it was freezing cold and I saw myself as a small seed beneath the frozen ground. I experienced myself trying to pierce through the snow for some air. But in vain. I struggled to break through but with no results. When I got tired of fighting and struggling, I felt that I had no longer energy to fight and had no option but come to a halt.
That was the moment, life emerged. However, very different then from what I had envisaged. Instead of upwards, it was going deeper and deeper in the snow. The roots were becoming stronger and larger. There was life beneath the snow! This continued to be until one day, I felt that it was time to start going upwards and I found myself easily breaking through the melting snow and becoming a huge tree where the birds could find shelter and I became a haven, a kind of respite for all sorts of birds to regain strength in order to continue on their journey. This image became a metaphor for me. It spoke to me of my need to retreat from my “normal” routine. I was lucky enough that I could do it. It also spoke to me that instead of fighting and struggling with it, I needed to surrender to whatever it was, and accept it as part of the transition that I was going through. It also helped me to realise that I needed to stop by going deeper into my psyche. Honouring the life within me to lead me. Then something stronger would emerge in time. In its own timing. This dream/insight helped me to decide to take a study sabbatical. It was very revealing that I ended up in Ottawa, Canada with -40 degree temperatures in their long winters, discerning my next step. I consider this time as a blessed time for me as it helped me to step into a very long and profound inward journey which eventually led me to the UK in 2003.
Today’s gospel with the parable of the mustard seed which is one of the smallest seeds of all becoming a huge Mulberry tree, triggered my memory of that experience in 2001. Like Habakkuk in the first reading, I know what it means to cry out to God in distress – “How long, Yahweh, am I to cry for help while you will not listen;” and then Yahweh responded by saying “…. For the vision is for its appointed time, it hastens towards its end and it will not lie, although it may take some time, wait for it, for come it certainly will before too long……..but the upright will live thorough faithfulness”. In our moments of distress and not knowing, we also find ourselves struggling and maybe also taking it against God. We want instant solutions and results. We can’t wait. Through my experience in different crises in my life I have learnt that timing is of the utmost importance. There is a timing and I needed to be patient waiting for the right time to emerge and break through the snow. When the snow started to melt. Nature has a lot to teach us.
This particular experience also taught me about faith. Faith is believing in the unknowing. If we are certain, then that is not called Faith but Fact. Faith is in believing when nothing makes sense. It is holding on when you are being thrown and battered against the rocks. When you are experiencing rock bottom and surrender. At this stage, the ego understands its position in the scheme of things, “we are useless servants; we have done no more than our duty”. It is the moment that we realise who we truly are. Some life experiences totally teach us that we definitely not masters in complete control of life. That is the moment that faith even as small as a mustard seed, can lead us through. I think the realisation that we don’t need to get it right completely liberates us. Let us pray today like the apostles and say "Increase our faith” especially when we are feeling that we are underneath the frozen ground. May we experience the reassurance that these existential moments are but part and parcel of growth. May we allow ourselves to be surprised by what is in store for us once we wait patiently and faithfully.
Blessing of Pets – St Francis of Assisi Feast Day
In anticipation of the Feast of St Francis of Assisi on Tuesday 4 October, we are planning to hold a blessing of pets at Church on Sunday 2 October at 3pm. St Francis of Assisi (1181-1226) was the patron saint of ecologists, florists and poets. Please bring along your pets to the Church Garden at 3pm.
Eucharist Adoration – 7th October
Eucharist Adoration will take place on 1st Friday of each month, starting on Friday 7th October from 7.30 pm – 9pm. This Devotion to the Eucharist outside of the Mass will be a time of silent prayer, quiet music and conclude with Benediction. Everyone is welcome for all or part of this time of prayer before the Blessed Sacrament.
All Souls – Mass for our Deceased – 2 November
For all those families who have lost a family member in the last year, a special Mass will be held on All Souls Day Wednesday 2 November in the evening at 8pm. All parishioners are most welcome to attend. This Mass will be in addition to the 9.30 Mass and hopefully those at work will get a chance to come in the evening.
Extraordinary Ministers of Holy Communion and Readers – 12th November
The annual day of recollection for Extraordinary Ministers of Holy Communion and Readers for the South East area will take place at Bishop Thomas Grant School, Belltrees Grove, Streatham, SW16 2HY on Saturday, 12th November. The theme for the day is ‘Encountering God’s Mercy in the Eucharist’. The day will start at 11 am and finish with a Mass said by the Bishop Rt Revd Patrick Lynch. Please contact the Parish Office and let us know if you plan to attend.
Children’s Liturgy
If your child is 3 years old or above, they are welcome to join us for Liturgy sessions at the 9.15 am Sunday Mass each week.
Confirmation 2017
Calling all Year 9 and above students who wish to be confirmed next year. There is a “Come and See” meeting on Monday 7th November at 8.00pm in the church. This meeting is for candidates and their parents. At the end of the meeting, packs will be distributed ready for enrolment into the programme which starts with a kick off day on Saturday 19th November. If you intend to come to the meeting on the 7th, please let the parish office know by phone or email: parish.office@stjamespettswood.org.uk. We look forward to meeting you all. The Catechists.
Come and sing.....
at the Parish Music Workshop to be held in the Community Centre on Sunday 16th October, 2 - 4pm.
Ably led by Elizabeth Atkinson of St James' School, this workshop will be focussed on learning new hymns, refreshing old ones and most importantly making music together as a parish in a relaxed and social environment. Do come along and, in the words of the Carpenters, 'Sing, Sing a Song!'. Everyone welcome, children as well as adults. Refreshments provided.
Please take The Pilgrim home
The Pilgrim is circulated by the Diocese to every parish every month and you are encouraged to take a copy home FREE OF CHARGE! It usually has interesting news about what is going on in other parts of our Diocese and occasionally there is even an article about St James’.
Parish Groups
Pastoral Council- 20th October
The Parish Pastoral council are keen to communicate with parishioners. We have set aside half an hour before each meeting from 7.30–8.00 pm for you to come along to the community Centre bringing suggestions, ideas, questions, topics for discussion, issues or concerns. Even if you are just curious to see what goes on, please do visit within that half-hour. We will provide slips of paper for those visiting to jot down anything they wish the PPC to know. Feel free to include any feedback about the experience of coming along or observations about the process.
Thank you to the various parishioners that have visited so far. We appreciate your input and interest. Do feel free to come along again or encourage others to take the step.
The next Parish Pastoral Council 20th October 2016 and parishioners are welcome from 7.30–8.00pm.
Pastoral Care Team – 12th October
The next meeting of the Pastoral Care Team will be on Wednesday, 12th October at the Parish Office at 7.00pm.
Those who are happy to help us in this new and important ministry in the parish are more than welcome to attend.
We would like to invite those people who have skills in pastoral ministry, bereavement issues, with listening skills, group facilitation and counselling skills, hospital ministry etc. to consider becoming part of a team of pastoral carers by sharing their skills with the parish. This is an open invitation for those who would like to make a difference in the life of the parish. Please speak to Fr David if you have the appropriate skills and experience, or alternatively, if you would like to receive counselling training.
Evangelisation Pillar:
Growing in Faith
Three events to round off the “Year of Mercy” at St James’. Please join us in the Community Centre if you can. You would be most welcome.
Tuesday 11th October, 8 pm – Group Discusssion
“The Patience of Mercy” Matthew 13: 24-30, 36-43.
Wednesday 9th November 8pm – Group Discussion
“Mercy and New Life” John 11: 1-45.
Wednesday 30th November 8pm – Guest Speaker – Geoff Wheaton, “Contemplating Mercy through Art and Scripture” (more details to follow).
Youth of the Parish
Christ The King Youth Day – 19th November
The Catholic Youth Ministry Christ the King Youth Day will take place on Saturday 19th November here at St James’ from 12.00pm-5.30pm and will be followed by a Youth Mass at 6.00pm. There will be activites throughout the day and refreshments will be provided. This event is open to all young people across the Bromley Deanery in school years 7 and above.
Justice & Peace Group
Bromley Foodbank
The foodbank needs a number of food items so if you could help provide some of these, that would be hugely appreciated.
They have run out of jars of pasta sauce. They are also very low on custard, rice puddings and tinned fruit, and ‘cold’ meat (ham, spam etc.) ‘hot’ meat (i.e. tinned meat that can be heated to form the basis of a hot meal) and tinned vergetables. Please don’t donate pasta, beans or soup as they have too much of those.
Thanks again to all parishioners who donate these vital items.
Friends of St James’
The Friends of St James’ would like to welcome and encourage all members to attend the AGM in the Church Hall on Sunday 16th October at 10.30 am following the 9.15 am Mass.
At this meeting we would like to review the year’s activities and elect a committee for the Friends of St James’ with nominations for different roles. We look forward to seeing you
Parent & Toddler Group
A Parent & Toddler Group meets every Friday during term time in the Community Centre from 1.30 – 3pm. Parents with babies from 0 up to age 5 are welcome to attend. Do come along and enjoy the companionship and the fun. Refreshments provided.
DAD & Me
The next meeting of Dad & Me will be held at the Community Centre on Saturday 15 October at 10.00–11.30 am.
Plant a Rose for a Loved One
In November, we will be planting roses in memory of the deceased along the Church wall. If you would like to have a rose planted for a family member, please let us know. The charge is £10 to cover the costs and there will be a total of 35 roses available. If you wish to purchase a rose, please put the money in an envelope with the details of the person to be remembered as well as your own contact details. Envelopes can be dropped off at the Parish Office.
Cleaning the Church – Help Needed
We are still looking for helpers for Church Cleaning in addition to those on the rota below. Please let us know if you are able to help even if you have just one hour to spare for this important job, either during the week or at the weekend we would be most grateful. We will draw up a list for the coming weeks, so do please offer an hour of your time if you can. Many thanks in advance.
Church Cleaning Rota
08 October – Readers
15 October – Altar Servers
22 October – A. Haylock, A. Crosland, G. MacManus
29 October – O. Clutton, M. Mathews, R. Blanco
Church and Hall Bookings - 2017 Calendar Dates
As we begin preparing the 2017 diary, please could you let the Parish Office know the dates of parish events/meetings relating to either the Church or the Community Centre. Thank you.
Petts Wood Playgroup for Children with Special Needs
Would you be interested in volunteering to support our children with Special Needs? Would you be able to offer certain sessions regularly but with flexibility to cover in emergency? The work is term time only 9.30am–12.30pm but with some flexibility.
Would you be interested in acting as escort on our mini-bus? The group needs someone on Thursday lunchtime 12.15–1.15 pm. There is a small remuneration available. Come and see the group at Christ Church on Willett Way during a session or phone 01689 830822 or 01689 872053 (out of hours).
Jobs Available
Bishop Challoner School is looking to recruit a Creche Assistant for hours 3.15pm to 6.00 pm Monday to Friday term time only. Closing date is 6th October. Please contact the school office on 020 8460 3546 or www.bishopchallonerschool.com.
St James’ RC Primary School – Open Day Wednesday 23rd November
The Open Day will take place on Wednesday 23rd November at 9.30–10.30 am. It is not necessary to book a place, parents are invited to turn up at the appointed time. Supplementary Information Forms will be distributed at this event. Please contact the school directly for any further information.
Reminder for Parents – Food & Drink should not be brought into the church for consumption during Mass. Thank you for your co-operation.