News and events for week beginning April 25th

Fr Paul has had his surgery, but will need to take at least two weeks off duty. Fr Paul is hoping to resume the Wednesday Mass on May 5th.

TODAY IS KNOWN AS GOOD SHEPHERD SUNDAY because, in each year of the liturgical cycle on this 4th Sunday, the Gospel is always taken from the 10th chapter of John where Jesus speaks of himself as the “good shepherd”. In today’s passage Jesus emphasizes the self-sacrificing element in his own life: “The good shepherd is one who lays down his life for his sheep.” He contrasts the good shepherd who owns the sheep to someone who is simply hired to look after them. The hired man thinks primarily of his own welfare and, if he sees a wolf coming, he takes off, leaving the sheep to be attacked and scattered in fear and terror. Jesus, on the other hand, will not be like a hired person: “I lay down my life for my sheep.” Perhaps he contrasts himself with those mercenary religious leaders among his own people – and to be found in every religious grouping – who do just what is expected of them but have no real commitment or sense of responsibility to those in their charge.

Weekday Worship. During the time Fr Paul is off duty following surgery, we are planning to offer Evening Prayer on Wednesdays at 6:00PM and Midday Prayer on Fridays at Noon. These services will be lay led and keep the momentum of Daily Prayer in our Parish Church.

On Sunday May 2nd The Archdeacon of Canterbury, The Venerable Jo Kelly-Moore will be the preacher at the 10:00AM Mass.

Ascension Day is May 13th. Sung Mass at Holy Trinity 7:00PM. It is hoped that this Mass can be a joint event with our friends from Deal joining us here at Holy Trinity.

The May Devotion – It is hoped that we can have our annual May Devotion to Our Lady on Sunday May 16th with the usual procession. Watch this space for full details.

May 30th is The Feast of the Most Holy Trinity. This is our Patronal Festival. Festival Mass at 10:00AM.

Our Annual Parish Meeting will now take place in Church on Sunday June 6th due to further Covid restrictions and the Bishop of Dover has extended the time by law until June 30th for all meetings to have taken place and election results notified to the Diocese. Is God calling you to stand for election to office by the congregation, to serve and commit to working to make our church a place of deep Christian and Catholic apostolic witness? Official forms for the election of Churchwardens and PCC are now in Church.

The Blessing of the Sea – Bank Holiday Weekend MAY 31st. We have been invited by our neighbours at St Augustine’s and St Ethelbert’s Roman Catholic Church to be part of their celebrations for The Blessing of the Sea at 2:00PM. Watch this space for further information.

CORPUS CHRISTI FESTIVAL 2021 It is hoped that our two parishes of Holy Trinity and St Andrew’s Deal will come together for the annual Corpus Christi Mass and Procession around the streets of Deal on Thursday June 3rd at 7:00PM. This is quite a spectacle and a wonderful way to honour Our Lord Jesus.

Taking our Stewardship seriously!

Many people give regularly to charity by direct debit or standing order, but it’s a far less common mechanism for giving in churches. Standing Orders are a simple yet effective way to give. You can easily create a Standing Order or amend an existing one by logging on to your online bank account, or contacting your bank, and following the Standing Order instructions. You can make a payment whenever you wish, tell your bank how much money to pay and when and cancel the Standing Order whenever you wish.

If you are able to give by regular Standing Order, it enables us to plan much more effectively for the future and it also helps your PCC to budget for the work of the Church with greater confidence. Please speak with our Treasurer or Wardens for advice or assistance. These are crucial days for us at Holy Trinity in terms of our financial health. Many Anglicans are reluctant to talk about money, and rarely do it. Stewardship is about more than asking for money. It helps people connect giving with their faith, seeing giving as a response to God’s generosity to us. It helps people understand that giving enables mission and ministry not only here but in the wider Church, rather than simply paying the bills and that they, and their gifts, are valued by the church.

Revision of the Electoral Roll

The electoral roll is revised annually. A notice announcing the revision of the roll should is displayed near the church door.

Who can be on the electoral roll?

To be on the electoral roll a person needs to have been baptised, be at least 16 years old and either:

• Living in the parish and a member of the Church of England or a Church in communion

with the Church of England

• Not resident in the parish but is a member of the Church of England (or a Church with

which the Church of England is in communion) and has regularly attended worship in the

parish during the six months prior to enrolment

• A member in good standing of a Church which subscribes to the doctrine of the Holy

Trinity and they are prepared to declare themselves a member of the Church of England,

having regularly attended worship during the six months prior to enrolment.