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We pray for all those who are coming for baptism or getting married in the Parish

To arrange any service please do contact either Jo in the Parish Office on 0151 525 4002 or Revd Fiona on 07941652488.

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Pray with us ​

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Do they know it’s Lent…?

Lent, is an imitation of Jesus Christ, who spent 40 days fasting in the desert as he prepared for the world’s first evangelization. Jesus didn’t need to do that. He lacked nothing. He didn’t need to prepare himself for the proclamation of the kingdom. He’s God. He’s all-powerful and all-knowing. Unlike you and me, he didn’t need to purify himself of sins, because he is sinless.

So why did he do it?

He did it so we would know how to do it! 

Don’t let your Lent be wasted. Don’t let it be less than it can be — or less than God wants it to be. It’s there in our year so that we’ll seize the grace God is offering us.

You do it, and I’ll do it, too.

Let’s make a space for our Lenten prayer, Lenten sacrifice, Lenten giving.

Scott Hahn - adapted

 

Over the Great City

Over the great city,

Where the wind rustles through the parks and gardens,

In the air, the high clouds brooding,

In the lines of street perspective, the lamps, the traffic

The pavements and the innumerable feet upon them

I Am: make no mistake  - do not be deluded

Think not because I do not appear at first glance

because the centuries have gone by and

there is no assured tidings of me – that therefore I am not there

Think not because all goes its own way that

therefore I do not go my own way through all.

The fixed bent of hurrying faces in the street-

each turned towards its own light, seeing no other

-yet I am the light towards which they all look.

The toil of so many hands to such multifarious ends,

yet my hand knows the touch and twining of them all.

All come to me at last

There is no love like mine;

For all other love takes one and not another;

And other love is pain, 

but this is joy eternal.

Edward Carpenter

 

 

Modern Beatitudes

Blessed are they who doubt. Those who aren’t sure,

who can still be surprised.

 

Blessed are those who have nothing to offer.

 

Blessed are they who can’t fall apart

because they keep it together for everyone else.

 

Blessed are the meek, blessed are the ones who never take a break,

the ones for whom life is hard,

for Jesus chose to surround himself with people like them.

 

Blessed is everyone who has ever forgiven me,

when I didn’t deserve it.

 

Blessed are the merciful,

for they totally get it.

Nadia Bolz-Weber - adapted

 

Lent is…

A starkness after all has been withdrawn

Of surplus and superfluous,

Leaving no hiding place, only an emptiness

Between black branches, a most precious space

Before the leaf, before the time of flowers,

Lest we should see only the leaf, the flower,

 

Lest we should miss the stars.

Jean M. Watt -adapted

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Jean's email address       revjflood@hotmail.com

Fiona's email                        revpennie@gmail.com

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Bible Study Group

Are you free on Wednesday evenings from 7:30 till 9.00? If so, then why not join our Bible Study Group which meets each week at this time in either St Nathanael's or the Old Grammar School in the grounds of St Mary’s Church? If you want to delve more deeply into God’s word and thereby grow in faith, or, if you simply enjoy a good discussion and a sharing of views, then this is for you. There are about ten of us at the moment and we come from a wide variety of backgrounds and experience. The discussion is so lively and interesting that, although we set off on a clear path, we often lose the original thread and wander off course because the topic is so wide-ranging and so challenging. However, we all sense that this is the way God wants us to go. We may wander off the pathway but, because it’s the way God wants us to go, the result is very rewarding and very positive. We include some prayers and one or two choruses / hymns and we generally leave feeling  uplifted and blessed. You don’t need any previous Bible knowledge and the course is designed so that you can fit in and join it at any point. Why not give it a try: you might surprise yourself?  If you are interested in joining a group please get in touch with Rev Fiona 07941652488 or Rev Eddie  07787177328.

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In other news

The 'Friends of the Historic Parish of Walton' has been launched.

If you would like to hear about events and other news please do sign up to become a friend. You can do this by email, friendsofwaltonparish@outlook.com or come to St Mary's or the Parish office sometime to say hello!

There is a membership cost of £5 per year for an individual, £10 for a family, £15 for an organisation or company. 

The AGM will be on Thursday 26th May 7.30pm in the Old Grammar School

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The Whatsapp Prayer Group is continuing.  If you would like to join us please do get in touch on 07942652488 for the link.

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Revd Jean Flood is leading a small group of us in prayer both via email and as a Whatsapp Group.

This is this week's prayer. If you would like to join us then please email either Jean or myself

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