St Michael’s Church
A TIME TO REMEMBER
In November the church celebrates All Saints’ and the next day All Souls’ - the commemoration of the Faithful Departed. There will be an
opportunity for anyone who has lost someone they love either recently or long ago to remember them especially in a simple service at St Mary’s East Bergholt at 3.30pm on Sunday 2nd November. There will be three ways for remembering. A bowl will be placed at the back of both St Mary’s and St Michael’s Brantham from Sunday 18th October and removed after the morning service on Sunday 2nd November. Please write the names of those you remember before God on a piece of paper and place it in the bowl.
During the All Souls’ service in East Bergholt a bowl with all the names will be brought up and placed gently on the altar at the beginning of the service.
Secondly there will be an opportunity to light a candle during the service. Thirdly the names of those on our records who have died during the last year will be read aloud.
Please accept this invitation to the All Souls’ service, a special time of remembering.
Harvest Festival: Refreshments will be served in the church from 2.00 – 4.30. Do come and see the decorations.
Remembrance Day Service - Sunday 9th November 10.45am
Christmas Bazaar: 11.00 – 2.00 in the church on Saturday 6th December.
The Lord be with you.
revsteph3@vodafoneemail.co.uk Tel 392646
Stephne van der Toorn (Rev Mrs)
Holy Family Catholic Church
Ipswich Road, Brantham
Priest in Charge: Fr Michael Ryan
180 Hawthorn Drive
Ipswich, IP2 0QQ
Tel: 01473 684963
Fax: 01473 602362
Email: stmarks@iaconnect.co.uk
Sunday Holy Mass 9.00
Sun 19th Oct World Mission Day
Sun 2nd Nov All Saints
Sun 9th Nov Remembrance Sunday
Sun 23rd Nov Christ the King (Youth Sunday)
Saints, their cults and lives are part and parcel of Catholicism.
Pre-eminent amongst these is the mother of Jesus, known to Catholics as Our Lady or the Blessed Virgin, and to Anglicans as St Mary. Of the 500 or so medieval and earlier churches in Suffolk roughly one third are dedicated to St Mary, slightly less than a sixth to All Saints and an eighth to St Peter or SS Peter and Paul together. The remainder comprise a variety of Christian personages, including St John the Baptist and St Margaret. The medieval folk loved their saints and many are still honoured in the church’s calendar today. There is plenty of current and good literature about the saints who are inspirational to ordinary Christians. England may soon have a new saint if the cause of John Henry Newman, a great C19th Anglican and subsequent RC cardinal, comes to fruition.
Diary
Sun 12th Oct Parish Confirmation at St Marks
Sat. 15th Nov Autumn Bazaar at St Mark’s.
Sun 14th Dec Senior Parishioners Lunch St Marks Hall
All welcome to attend Holy Family services- not necessary to be a
Catholic. Enquiries about the Catholic Faith are always welcome. Please contact the Presbytery above or a local person who is a Catholic.
Brantham Methodist Church
Gravel Pit Lane, Brantham
Minister: Rev Ian Gardner
34 Medway Road
Ipswich, IP3 0QH
Tel: 01473 431832
Email: ig.gardner@ntlworld.com
The services of Marriage, Baptism and Funerals can be arranged by contacting the Minister.
Sunday 5th October-Mr Colin Westren Sunday 12th October-Revd. Peggy Heim
Sunday 19th October-Mr Mike Castle Sunday 26th October-Revd. Gardner (HC)
Sunday 2nd Nov-Mr David Welbourn Sunday 9th Nov-Remembrance Sunday
Sunday 16th Nov-Mr Paul Finch Sunday 23rd Nov-Rev. Gardner (HC)
Sunday 30th Nov-Mrs Mary Dixon HC=Holy Communion, Start Time 11.00am
Dear Friends,
I wonder how many of you have, like me, been enthralled by the Olympics. As one who has never been much good at anything in the sporting world, I never cease to be amazed by the skills displayed by athletes in the Olympics and the Paralympics. I admire the skill, determination and discipline displayed by the competitors. Of course, only a few win the medals and even fewer become “The Champion”.
Is this relevant thinking for a Christian? Well the apostle Paul did, when he wrote to the Christians at Corinth with the following words ‘I didn’t just want to talk about it; I wanted to be in on it! You’ve all been to the stadium and seen the athletes race. Everyone runs; one wins. Run to win. All good athletes train hard. They do it for a gold medal that tarnishes and fades. You’re after one that is gold eternally.
I don’t know about you, but I’m running hard for the finish line. I’m giving it everything I’ve got. No sloppy living for me! I’m staying alert and in tip top condition.’
1 Cor. 9: 23 - 27 (The Message)
Maybe we too need to reflect on how we train for the Christian life so we are fit to claim the reward that awaits us in heaven – eternal life with our Lord – the greatest prize we could ask for and available to us all. It’s not limited to only a small percentage of people but to all who confess the Lord Jesus as Lord and Saviour for them. How about you? Would you like to find out more – then why not come along to the Methodist Chapel, where we’d be very happy to talk with you.
From your minister and friend Ian Gardner
