9th July 2020

St Michael & St Wulfad Church, Stone

and St Saviour Church, Aston

Sunday 12 July 2020

 

 

The Parable of the Sower

(Matthew 13: 1-9, 18-23)

Church is now open for worship

 

We are delighted that our churches are now open again for worship. At St Michael’s we will enter church through the main door and exit through the south door. Seating will be in the central body of the church.

 

All services will be a Said Communion, with just bread being distributed. You will be asked to stand, not kneel, at the altar and follow a one-way system. There will be no singing and no service sheets, but all the words you need will be projected onto the screen.

 

Please sanitise your hands as you enter church and maintain social distancing at all times. We are not yet able to serve refreshments after the service, but toilet facilities are available.

 

Sunday Services

8am and 10.45am St Michael & St Wulfad, 9.15am St Saviour

Sunday afternoon Prayervia Zoom/telephone 4pm and 5pm

Thursday communionSt Michael & St Wulfad 10.30am

 

Regular Giving

To minimise the handling of cash, could you consider making regular donations to the church via standing order from your bank? If you are able or would prefer to do this, please contact John Baddeley who will forward the relevant form to you. John can be contacted on 01785 815397, or email johnandpat@allaboutimage.netThank you!

 

Please do not hesitate to contact us should you need to.

Revd Preb Ian Cardinal 01785 812747    Dennis Abbott 01785 814134                         

Revd Alison Hudson 07725 467246      Fr John Cotterill 07734 815838

Stone with Aston Sunday afternoon prayers by telephone

Not all of ushas access to the internet, or will be coming out of lockdown so we will continue to offer a short service of Daily Prayer on a Sunday afternoon that you can join with via a telephone call.

I apologise to those who have tried to join and not been able to get through, please do try again as Zoom does experience some glitches! The Meeting ID and Password will be the same each week.

This service takes place on Sundays at 4pm for Stone and

5pm for Aston, but please feel free to phone in at whichever time suits you best. You do not need a computer for this - just a telephone. The instructions are as follows:

Just before 4pm or 5pm on Sunday phone one of these numbers (the cost should be the same as a normal phone call):

0131 460 1196or 0203 481 5237

• enter the meeting ID on your telephone keypad-
  
  897 6759 5340
• you will be asked for a participant number - just enter #
• enter the password which is 928354

We will welcome everyone who has phoned in and we will all be able to hear each other speak. We will then say prayers together. The service will last about 15 minutes. The order of service is enclosed with this newsletter so you will need to have that to hand when you ring.

If you have internet access, you can join the meeting via the following ‘Zoom’ link using the above meeting ID and password

https://us02web.zoom.us/j/89767595340?pwd=aWt0VjRQUlpGeHkvMHVLbHdla3dZdz09

 

Readings for Sunday 12 July

Genesis 25: 19-end                Psalm 119: 105-112    

Romans 8: 1-11                      Matthew 13: 1-9, 18-23

            Sundays gospel is the parable of the sower. I dare say there have been lots of seeds sown during this past 3 or four months. Many of us will have had little else to do but tend our gardens.  One aspect not covered by Jesus's parable is what happened to me a few years ago as I was planting spring onions; I slipped with the packet in my hand and lost the seeds everywhere on the garden. Of course, with them being so small, and black as well, I couldn't recover them. The few that landed in the good soil did grow, and out of them I had one decent sized spring onion which I donated to harvest festival! Jesus, of course, wouldn't have had that happen to Him, He was steadfast and sure when he distributed the Word to those with ears.

You may be aware that we have a Facebook page for church and since lockdown, three months or so ago,  there have been 25  requests to join our group, some from church members who wanted to keep in touch and some from "outsiders " seeking God through our social media presence.  That equates to 16% of the 156  members joining in the last three months. If ever there was a case for praying that they do not fall among the rocky ground, or get eaten by the birds, now is the time for doing it.            

Dennis Abbott

 

The Collect for Sunday

Almighty God,

send down upon your Church the riches of your Spirit,

and kindle in all who minister the gospel

your countless gifts of grace;

through Jesus Christ our Lord. Amen

Prayers

Let us pray to God,

that he will bring to fruition all that he desires

for his creation.

Father, Lord of creation, in your mercy, hear us.

 

You have created the universe by your eternal Word,

and have blessed humankind in making us

stewards of the earth.

We pray for your world,

that we may share and conserve its resources,

and live in reverence for the creation

and in harmony with one another.

Father, Lord of creation, in your mercy, hear us.

 

You have given the human race a rich land,

a land of streams and springs,

wheat and barley,

vines and oil and honey.

We have made by sin a world of suffering and sorrow.

We pray for those who bear the weight of affliction,

that they may come to share the life of wholeness and plenty.

Father, Lord of creation, in your mercy, hear us.

 

In Christ you call us to a new way of life,

loving our neighbours before ourselves.

Help us to treat with care and respect the world as it is

as we live in hope and anticipation of the world

as it will be

when your kingdom comes and your will is done.

Father, Lord of creation, in your mercy, hear us.

 

 

 

 

Deal tenderly with all for whom life is full of struggle. Be with those who are sick, in body, mind or spirit.

Give them strength and patience in their suffering, peace in their heart and a knowledge of your loving care for them.

Father, Lord of creation, in your mercy, hear us.

 

We pray for those who mourn the passing of a loved one, particularly the family and friends of Janet Hyde, Mary Townsend, Gren Deakin. Walk with them in their grief and give to them the assurances of your promise of eternal life for all those who believe in you.

Father, Lord of creation, in your mercy, hear us.

 

Thank you for those, living and departed,

who have shown a true respect for your creation and modelled a lifestyle that respects your precious world.

Help us to follow in their footsteps, as we tread lightly, travel wisely and shop ethically.

Father, Lord of creation, in your mercy, hear us.

 

We await the day when, with them, we see you face to face,

where all is made new in Christ our Lord.

 

Merciful Father,

accept these prayers

for the sake of your Son

our Saviour Jesus Christ.

Amen.

 

 

Our weekly prayers of intercession

Please pray for the sick in the benefice:

Elsie Richardson, Vera Tomkinson,

Neil & Pat Wynne, Gary Kelsall, John Richardson,

Peter Bowler, Catherine Ritchie, James Astle,

Miles Brain, John & Ann Shuttleworth, Margaret Wright, Molly Wright, Norman Latham, Mary Leigh, Gillian Wright,

Carl Hartley, John Hargreaves, Pauline Bevans, Val Morris, Alan Holmes

 

For the recently departed, remembering their families and friends:

Janet Hyde, Mary Townsend, Gren Deakin

 

And those whose year’s mind falls in this month:

Elizabeth E. Furness 1985                  Thomas Christopher Maskrey 1984

Sally Elizabeth Marsden 1986            Brenda Margaret Brown 1987

Adah Mary Annora Brown 1994        Constance Marie Wright 1994

William Robinson 1974                      John Hilary Newton 1994

Doris Milborough Garratt 1964         Ierne Ruth Ecclestone 1999

Frederick William Robinson 1999      Eric Sims 1995

Keith Ronald Palmer 2000                 Anne (Nancy) Gunn 2000

Marie Catherine Spilsbury 2001        Barrie Sims 2002

Alan Thomas 2006                             Selwyn Robins 2009

Sarah Elizabeth Scotton 2009            Dorothy Barnes 2010

Mary Elizabeth Dyke 2010                 Millicent Emily Goodall 1957

Sam Potts 2012                                  Joan Betty Astle 2015

Vera (Kate) Shaw 2016                      Sarah Jayne Wright 2017

 

Eternal rest grant unto them, O Lord, and let perpetual light shine upon them. May the souls of all the faithful departed, through the mercy of God, both rest in peace and rise in glory. Amen

 

If you would like any names to be added to this list, please email rector.stone@gmail.comor ring Revd Ian Cardinal on 01785 812747

St Michael & St Wulfad and St Saviour Church

 

 

Cycle of Prayer for our benefice

 

Week 1

Church St, The Coppice Estate, George Rd, Hempbutts, High St, Mill St, Morrisons, Crown St, Joules Court, St Michaels Close, Lichfield St, businesses in High St and Mill St

 

Week 2

Priory Estate, Abbey St, Lichfield Rd, Grange Rd, Millwalk, Shepley Close, Redlands, Brookfield Court, Pingle Lane, Ridgeway, Flax Croft, Westover Drive, Parkhouse Drive, Old Rectory Road, Claremont Close, Cedar Park, Parkway, Aston Lodge Park, Aston

 

Week 3

Stone Golf Club, Stone Cricket Club, Community Fire Station, Trent Clinic, Doctors Surgeries, Dental Surgeries, Pharmacies and all the staff, St Michaels First School, Pirehill First School, Manor Rise, Walton Priory, The Moorings, Summerfield Court, Autumn House

 

Week 4

Walton Grange, Stafford Rd, Stafford Close, Stonehouse Hotel, Stone Business Park, Aldi, Farms within the parish, Eccleshall Rd, Cherryfields Estate, Walton Way, Walton Community Centre, Whitemill Lane and Air Ministry Estate

 

Week 5

Pirehill Lane, Beacon Rise and environs, Longhope Rd, Fillybrooks, Residents on A34, Udell Grange, Anwyl Homes, Sweepers Ave, Blundell Drive and environs, Common Lane, Crestwood Drive, Foxwood Close, Tilling Drive Estate