The Week Ahead at Holy Trinity – January 26th
Sunday January 26th at 9:30am we offer our Parish Mass. This is a Sung Mass with Incense and traditional Music.
At 3pm there will be a United Service in St Mark’s Church in Ramsgate and the preacher will be the Bishop of Dover.
Next Sunday February 2nd is the Feast of Candlemas. The Presentation of Christ in the Temple. Special Parish Mass and blessing of Candles at 9:30am. Also, a special School Liturgy on Monday at Holy Trinity School at 10am for Candlemas.
Candlemas is a traditional Christian festival that commemorates the ritual purification of Mary forty days after the birth of her son Jesus. On this day, Christians remember the presentation of Jesus in the Temple. Forty days after the birth of a Jewish boy, it was the custom to take him to the temple in Jerusalem to be presented to God by his thankful parents.
While they were in the Temple, Mary also attended the Purification ceremony which was another custom. After the birth of their children, all Jewish mothers were supposed to go to the Temple for this ceremony. Mary did her duty cheerfully. She teaches us to be humble and obedient as she was. A holy old priest of the Temple named Simeon learned from God that the Infant Jesus was truly the Saviour. He held Mary’s Son Jesus in his arms with joy and awe. “My own eyes are looking at my salvation,” he exclaimed. God allowed him recognize Jesus as the Saviour and Simeon put his trust in the little Child.
Imagine what Mary and Joseph were thinking. Then, inspired by God, Simeon told Mary that she would have to suffer very much. He was talking about the terrible pain our Blessed Mother would feel when Jesus died on the cross.
In pre-Christian times, this day was known as the ‘Feast of Lights’ and celebrated the increase strength of the life-giving sun as winter gave way to spring.
The PCC will meet at The Rectory on Tuesday February 4th at 6pm.
CAN YOU HELP? Maureen Ballard has been organising and serving Coffee and Tea with refreshments after each Sunday Mass for over ten years, not to mention serving refreshments at our open coffee morning every Friday. Maureen feels it is time to slow down and take a rest from this weekly duty. Are you interested in this vital ministry of welcome? We are putting together a new rota, and of course the more names on the rota, the fewer Sundays and Friday slots there are to do. In other words, the more the merrier! See the Rota in Hall for details.
Don’t forget that Ash Wednesday is 26th February. This marks the beginning of Lent. We offer Mass with Imposition of Ashes at Noon (said) and a Sung Mass with Imposition of Ashes at 6:00pm.
OUR 2020 LENT COURSE – CHRIST AND THE CHOCOLATERIE . Have you ever considered doing a Lent Course? This year we have a Lent course with a difference! We will meet every Tuesday at The Rectory from 7:00pm. March 3rd – 31st. The course is not just book based but uses the film “Chocolat”. The Course has five group sessions on the themes of giving up, acceptance and change. Each includes from the film, group discussion questions, and meditations.
WORLD DAY OF PRAYER. On Friday March 6th at 2pm we shall be hosting the Ramsgate World Day of Prayer for all Christians across the town. Everyone is welcome to come and pray. The World Day of Prayer is run under the motto “Informed Prayer and Prayerful Action,” and is celebrated annually in over 170 countries on the first Friday in March. This year the theme is “Rise, Take up your Mat and Walk” and has been put together by Christians from Zimbabwe.
We are in desperate need of new altar linens for all the altars in Holy Trinity. The existing linens are worn and almost threadbare. Can you help? Cost is around £150 for the large high altar and Lady chapel. All gifts gratefully received.