1. religion and spirituality
2. christianity
3. catholicism

Crofton Parish Diary
March
Mon 23 8-8.20am
Mon 23 7.15pm
Wed 25 9.45am
Wed 25 7.30pm
Thurs 26 10.30am
Thur 26 6.30pm
Thurs 26 7.30-9pm
Fri 27 3.30pm
Sat 28 7.30am
Sat 28 12-1.15pm
Sun 29 4.30-6pm
Mon 30 7.30-8pm
Tues 31 7.30-8pm
Morning Prayer (and every weekday morning)
PCC meeting
CAFE, coffee and friendship for all
Lent Course ‘Hearing God’ (5), led by the Methodist Church
Holy Communion
Prayer meeting for the persecuted church
Beacon youth group, school years 10-13
FLAME youth group (school years 7-9)
Men’s early morning prayer group (every 2nd & 4th Sat)
Lent Lunches all welcome.
Kate and John’s leaving tea party, sign up on list in foyer
Holy Week Service of Compline led by Kate
Holy Week Taize Service led by Gary
Church vestry
Oak Room
Oak Room
Meth Ch, BH Lane
WELCOME, we are a church of nine congregations, committed to supporting each
The Foster Room
other and to learning and working together to serve God where we are.
In addition to congregations meeting on Sunday, the Haven congregation meet for Holy
Communion on Thursday 26th in the Foster Room, next door to Holy Rood Church.
Willow Room
Centre
Centre
Willow Room
Oak Room
Centre
Holy Rood Church
St Edmund’s Church
April
Wed 1 10.30am
Daytime Pastorate, speaker Colin Prestidge, ‘Getting ready
Messy Church, for all families with children
Holy Week Celtic Style Service led by Steve
Maundy Thursday Holy Communion
Good Friday churches together open air service
St Edmund’s open for private prayer and reflection
Meditation, The Hour at the Cross
Sunrise Service, Hill Head Beach, breakfast served after
BCP Easter Holy Communion
The Easter Story in words and music
Easter Holy Communion
Causeway Easter Praise
Cup of Tea & Company, bereavement support group
Stephen’s Licensing at Bath Abbey (Coach leaves HR 10am)
Who Let the Dads Out? activity morning for dads & children.
Welcome Evening for anyone new to the church
Kate’s Licensing Service, sign up list in foyer
Ignite Gathering for young people in school years 7 to 13
CONGREGATIONS MEETING THIS WEEK
22 March (Lent 5) )
St Edmund’s
9.30am: Morning Service, Leader/Preacher: John Beavan (Reader)
Bible readings: Hebrews 5:5-10 and John 12:20-33
Holy Rood
Oak Room
for Easter’. Coffee from 9.45am.
Wed 1 3.30-6pm
Wed 1 7.30-8pm
Thurs 2 7.30pm
Fri 3 11am
12-2pm
2-3pm
Easter Sun 6am
8am
10am
10.30am
6.30pm
Tues 14 2-3.30pm
Wed 15 7.30pm
Sat 18 10-11.30am
Tues 21 7.30-9pm
Thur 23 6.45pm
Sat 25 7.30-9.30pm
Sunday 22 March 2015
9.30am: Morning Praise
Leader: Kate Macfarlane (Curate) Preacher: Steve Marsh (Curate)
Church and Centre
‘Following Christ - Losing Life to Save it’ Bible reading: John 12:20-33
Holy Rood Church
11.10am: Holy Communion
Holy Rood Church
Leader/Preacher: Steve Marsh (Curate)
Stubbington Green
St Edmund’s Church
St Edmund’s Church
(Salterns car park)
St Edmund’s Church
St Edmund’s Church
Holy Rood Church
Holy Rood Church
Main hall
Main hall
Donny’s cafe
Hart Plain Church
Church Centre
Bible readings: Hebrews 5:5-10 and John 12:20-33
6.30pm Prayer and Praise
Leader: Kate Macfarlane (Curate) Preacher: Steve Marsh (Curate)
2nd in our series on adverts in contemporary culture: ’And now for a Commercial Break’
Thursday 26 March, 10.30am, Holy Communion
led by Colin Prestidge in the Foster Room
We are so pleased to welcome new people to any of our congregations - please introduce
yourself to a steward or church member so we can get to know you. On Sundays, after the
9.30am service, there is a welcome and information table in the main hall where you can chat to
someone and find out more about church life here.
Our congregations are encouraged to see giving as part of our worship, this is often planned
giving by standing order or envelope, and there is opportunity also to make an offering when
congregations meet. Please use the Gift Aid envelopes where possible.
OUR VISION IS: TO BE A RESOURCING CHURCH – TO BE INTENTIONAL DISCIPLES - TO DO CHURCH IN DIFFERENT WAYS
Services on 29 March, Palm Sunday
St. Edmund’s: 9.30am Holy Communion Leader/Preacher: Beryl Stares
Holy Rood: 9.30am Morning Praise Leader: Colin Prestidge Preacher Roger Collinson
6.30pm Prayer & Praise Leader: Colin Prestidge Preacher: Laura Macfarlane
Holy Rood Church, Gosport Road, Stubbington, Hants, PO14 2AS Telephone 01329 661154
Email: office@croftonparish.org.uk www.croftonparish.org.uk
Vicar: Vacancy Curates: Revd Colin Prestidge, Revd Kate Macfarlane & Revd Steve Marsh Ministers: every member
If you are a hearing aid user and would like to make use of the hearing loop, please switch your aid to T position
and sit in one of the central pews marked with the loop symbol.
For information & prayer, 22 March 2015
To our dear church family - thank you so much for the generous gifts you gave us for our
farewell and for making the whole of last weekend so memorable, full of emotion and such
kind thoughts. We feel truly blessed and sent on our way with such love and good favour thank you. We treasured our final weekend together as a family at the Vicarage, home of so
many happy memories for the six of us and of course shared with many of you. It’s been
hard saying goodbye but we’re reminded that we remain part of the one greater church
family, so we look forward to seeing some of you at the licensing. Thank you for taking us
into your lives, your hearts and your prayers, it’s been a privilege and a joy. The Lord bless
you and keep you. With our love, Stephen & Diane.
Please see the lovely card from Stephen & Diane in Holy Rood today, St Edmund’s next Sunday
There are some great photos of Saturday’s party, and the service on Sunday
morning, on the Holy Rood Facebook page and Twitter feed. If you’ve been
hesitating over getting started with social media maybe this is the time to do it!
There will now be a coach trip to Bath for Stephen’s licensing on 15 April and there may be one
seat left, so contact the office if you are interested. There will also be a reserve list if you wish
to add your name to that. The coach will leave Holy Rood at 10am and be back 11pm-ish. Bath
Abbey are laying on light refreshments before the service. Cost should be under £20.
PASTORAL LETTER Stephen has written personally to everyone who is on our church members
list, so please collect your letter from the foyer today. If you are a regular attender at Holy Rood
or St Edmund’s but aren’t on the list please take one of the spare copies.
There is a sign up list in the foyer for Kate and John’s, leaving tea party on Sunday 29
March in the main hall. Please sign up as soon as possible if you are coming, and indicate what
food you are bringing. Contributions towards a gift for Kate, in recognition of her faithful service
to this parish, to be put in a marked envelope and handed to wardens, or church office, or put in
the offering.
Kate and John’s last Sunday at Crofton will be Easter Sunday. Kate’s licensing as Vicar at Hart
Plain Church is on Thursday 23rd April, 6.45pm. Please sign the list in the foyer by Easter Sunday
if you would like to go as Hart Plain need to know numbers. Parking is limited at the church.
Come and join us in the Holy Rood Easter Choir—last chance today.
We are singing two songs at the Easter Sunday morning service and all abilities of
singers welcome. Rehearsals are each Sunday 11.15am -12.15pm in the Maple Room.
Any questions, please call us on 01329 667984. Andrew and Sarah Anderson.
Listening for Life: 4 week course, equipping you to
make a difference through good listening skills. Thursdays
16, 23 and 30 April & 7 May, 7.30-10pm at Holy Trinity
Church, Gosport. Cost £10. Leaflets/ booking forms on the stand in the foyer.
Sat 25 April, 11am to 4pm, Central London - CSW’s national conference ‘Pursue Justice’,
speaking out for religious freedom. All welcome to attend this inspiring day of excellent
speakers, real life testimonies and latest news from the frontlines. Get your free ticket at
www.csw.org.uk/conference
Easter Lilies and Spring flowers for
Holy Rood and St Edmund’s. To
remember a loved one with an Easter
lily, please take a slip and envelope from
the back of church, fill in the slip and
return in the envelope with £1 for each
person you wish to remember in this
way. Names will be displayed on a memorial list
from Easter Sunday. The closing date is 25 March.
Crofton Parish are looking to appoint a
Children and Families Support Worker.
This is a temporary, paid role of 7 hours a week,
term time, for a total of 40 weeks. The majority of
the time will be spent assisting with the leadership
of Little Fish. To find out more, contact Beth
Yeandle, Karyl Lewis or Jim Nolan.
Thank you to everyone who
donated to Tearfund on 8
March. An amazing £466.65
was raised. Tearfund is now appealing for prayer
for the people of Vanuatu, hit by the cyclone.
Please pray for their partner TEAR New Zealand
where the relief effort is being coordinated, that
God will help them reach the people in greatest
need and provide basic resources of water,
medicine and shelter— a major undertaking, as
Vanuatu is scattered over 65 small islands. For
more information go to ‘give’ via the website:
www.tearfund.org/en/latest/vanuatu#resources
Stan Horsley will be staying temporarily at
Blackbrook Care home, Fareham - please could
anyone help with lifts so he can continue to
worship at the 9.30am service on 5, 12 & 19
April? If you can help please contact Carolyn
Terry, 01329 664336
For all those going to the Fairthorne Manor
weekend or Soul Survivor, please make sure all
payments reach Carolyn Terry by Sun 29 March.
Erica Wilkie is standing down as PCC Secretary and we
need a volunteer to take on this important role. Contact
the office for more info, full training & support given.
Photocopying – a reminder that all copying done
in the office must be recorded in the book. The
church pays for every copy made and recently
there have been some discrepancies. Music and
children’s/youth copying should be recorded under
the correct code, and all colour copying authorised
through the church office.
Please pray for …..
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•
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Sarah, responding to medication but pray for
further improvement.
The family of Rhoda’s friend Pauline, who
died last week. Thank you for prayers in her
final weeks.
Charlotte and Mark, after the birth of twins, a
boy and a girl. Pray that both babies will do well
and be able to come home soon.
Pauline, recovering following a fall.
Baby Sofia, in hospital.
Jim and the family after the death of Chris
Berridge last weekend.
•
Dave, currently in The Rowans. Please pray for
relief from abdominal pain and peace for
Dave’s wife, Cathy.
•
Jim, on the mend after serious stomach bug,
pray for complete healing. Jim and Evelyn
arrive back in UK today from the Philippines.
•
Deanery Cycle of prayer: today all parishes
are praying for the parish of St John’s Locks
Heath, Vicar Charles Sugden and the staff
team. They give thanks for God’s faithfulness
over the last PCC year; for the ministry of Russ
Parker and the healing services over the last
year. Please pray especially for their annual
church meeting on 19 April; the journey over
the coming year to refresh their church vision.
•
In our community cycle of prayer we pray for
residents of Gosport Road, Newgate Lane,
Albert Road and Woodcot Lane.
All prayer requests to the church office please, 01329 661154
or office@croftonparish.org.uk
VACANCY PRAYER FOCUS
Please pray for our church wardens Jim Nolan and
Karyl Lewis as they pick up the reins after Stephen’s
departure, and for all those taking up new
responsibilities as the vacancy begins.
The Bishop’s LENT APPEAL this year supports
the Bethlehem Arab Society for Rehabilitation
(BASR) and local mental health charities. Use the
special envelopes in the church to make a
donation. If you are collecting at home, please
bring your jars in on Easter Sunday. Thank you.
WELCOME EVENING - save the date! Anyone
who is new to Holy Rood or St Edmund’s is invited to a
welcome evening at Donny’s cafe in the village on
Tues 21 April, 7.30-9pm, for drinks, cake, chat and a
general introduction to church life in this parish. Sign
up on the list in the foyer or contact the church office
to book.