The past week has been a very special one for the Christian community in Petts Wood.  The Week of Accompanied Prayer engendered a wonderful atmosphere around the church, from dawn until dusk and many people from all our churches were actively involved.  Some 60 of us were privileged to meet our prayer guide each day and my sense is that we have all been greatly enriched in our spiritual lives.  Doreen Hairs writes:

‘Many thanks to all those who contributed to the WAP - Participants, Guides, Welcomers, Hosts, Providers of Meals, cakes and accommodation, and all who supported the Week in so many ways. We thank God for the gifts of the Week, particularly in drawing closer together with people of other churches in Petts Wood.  We pray that the effects of the Week will continue to bless our lives.’

There will be some follow up, but for the present a huge debt of thanks is due to Doreen and Chris Hairs for masterminding the whole project. It took many months of organisation and ran without a hitch!  We thank them both for their ‘service to the communion of the Church’ - enabling so many other people to come closer to God and building up the church, the Body of Christ.

Today (Sunday) is mid-Lent in Lent and Mothering Sunday.  Fairtrade Goods on Sale after all Masses – please buy something!

This afternoon - Festival Chorus at 2.30pm and Holy Week Choir at 4.30pm.  Please buy your tickets (£5 from the repository shop at back of church) for the performance of Faure’s Requiem here on Sunday 24^th at 7.30pm.  It will be a lovely concert and singers from all our churches are involved.

We are really fortunate that the programme will also include items by Dominique Wong-Min (piano’) and Tim Wells (‘cello).  Don’t miss this concert, which will be supporting Bromley Borough Foodbank.

We welcome our uniformed groups to Parade Mass (11 am). 3^rd PW Guides are looking for new leaders/helpers, Thursdays 7pm-8.30pm.  Please contact Julia Crudgington if you might be able to help.  This is urgent- please respond!

Mass attendances last Sunday were 647. Sunday 17^th March - Lent 5.  Second Collection for the Maintenance and Refurbishment Fund.
Sunday  10/3/13	Fourth Sunday in Lent (C) 6pm – Deceased members of Fenner family 9.15am – People of the Parish 11am – Olive Cosgrave RIP (Cosgrave family)
Monday 11/3/13	Feria of Lent 9.30am – John & Teresa Lynch RIP (Mrs Jackson)
Tuesday 12/3/13	Feria of Lent 9.30am – Edith Mary George RIP (D George & family)
Wednesday 13/3/13	Feria of Lent 9.30am – Maggie May O’Connor RIP
Thursday 14/3/13	Feria of Lent 9.30am – Frank O’Leary RIP (Mrs O’Leary)
Friday 15/3/13	Feria of Lent 9.30am – The O’Connor family RIP
Sunday  17/3/13	Fifth Sunday in Lent (C) 6pm – Elizabeth Pottier RIP (J McArthur) 9.15am – People of the Parish 11am – Welfare of Tom Benson (Mr & Mrs Benson)

THIS WEEK

Monday:

Finance Committee in the Meeting Room at 10.30am.

Tuesday:

Lectio Divina (on today’s gospel).  1.30pm opposite in Southborough Baptist and repeated at 8pm at Christ Church, Willett Way.  Do come along and hear what God might be saying to you through the scriptures.  (Each session lasts one hour followed by refreshments.)

Journey in Faith, 7.45pm in the Meeting Room

Wednesday:

Parish Fund Raising Meeting, 8pm in the hall. This important meeting is for as many of you who are willing and able to be involved in our fundraising activities.  We are developing a parish strategy for the next 18 months or so.  Many parishioners have been invited but the meeting is open to ALL (ends by 9.15 pm). PLEASE COME!!

Saturday:

First Communion classes, 4.30pm.

St. Patrick’s Social from 7pm.  Sold out!

LENT PENITENTIAL SERVICE

Thursday March 21^st at 7.30pm. Everyone is encouraged to make their confession before Easter (with priests from the deanery) and receive Christ’s wonderful Easter gift of absolution - the forgiveness of sins.  Do think about this even if you have let confession ‘slip’ – just think of today’s gospel!

Holy Week and Easter duties

If you are on a rota please sign up TODAY if possible so that all services are covered. (Lists on table in porch.)

‘Come, Mother God’

a poem for Mothering Sunday by John Harvey (Iona Community)

Come, Mother God:

come as an enfolding nurturing presence,

come as steadfast love

to hold us.

Come, Father God:

come as an enabling, strengthening force,

come as tough love

to let us go.

Come, Parent God:

come as friend and comforter

healing our wounds,

walking our way.

Come as wounded healer

to make us whole.

Every blessing, Fr Bryan.