CHURCH MAGAZINE (APRIL 2014)
From the Vicar
They say, as you get older, time seems to speed up, certainly, as I remember it, time at school seemed to go much slower, particularly if it was double English looking at Milton or Chaucer on a sunny afternoon. Nowadays days just rush by and it's time to write another letter for the Parish Magazine and not only that it's now the April magazine and we are about to celebrate Holy Week and Easter, it only seems five minutes since it was Christmas.
Despite being a quite demanding time of the year, both for clergy and laity, Holy Week and Easter are the most wonderful and rewarding parts of the Church calendar. I haven't looked back to check but I have the feeling that every year I use this letter to encourage as many of you as possible to enter into the keeping of Holy Week as a prelude to celebrating Easter. I would go as far as to say that unless you have kept Holy Week celebrating Easter makes no real sense; you can't truly stand with Our Lord in the Easter Garden unless you were also with him on the road to Jerusalem on Palm Sunday, in the Upper Room with him on Maundy Thursday and at the foot of the Cross with him on Good Friday. It is one of the fundamental truths of Christianity that it is a way of life - lived with Christ and fellow Christians - not a solitary activity or something you do on Sunday morning.
Keeping Holy Week can be demanding both mentally and spiritually. During one week we are asked to enter a world of optimism which seems to be dashed; an intimate meal which ends in betrayal; we witness a rigged trial and mob justice ending in terrible suffering and a gruesome death and are asked to consider people who show every human frailty. Yet out of all this God brings resurrection and new life and hope and it is also with that that we are invited to join in on Easter Day. I hope that each one of you will take the opportunity that you are given in this Parish to follow the steps of Our Lord through Holy Week so that on Easter Day your Alleluias will indeed come from the heart.
Before we get to Holy Week, because Easter is so late this year we will be holding the Annual Parochial Church Meeting on Monday 7th April at 7.45pm in the Annexe. This is an opportunity to review the last year in the Parish and to elect Churchwardens and members of the Parochial Church Council, do make a note of the date in your diaries.
Wishing you all every Blessing for Holy Week
And a truly joyful Easter
Your Priest and Vicar
Fr Nicholas Davis
P.S. in case anybody does not know why the date of Easter can vary so much each year it is all to do with the Moon. Easter Day is the first Sunday after the first Full Moon after the Spring or Vernal Equinox. This year the Equinox falls on Thursday March 20th the next Full Moon is Tuesday April 15th and so Easter Day is Sunday April 20th.
CHURCH APCM
Don't forget, this will be the All Saints Annexe on Monday 7th April at 745pm
ART EXHIBITION
The Art Exhibition is nearly with us again, and this will be held at All Saints Church, with a preview evening on Thursday 1st May and will run until Monday 5th May
CHRISTIAN AID
As in previous years, we will not be doing house to house collections, but envelopes will be available in church, but there will be various in store colections at the Co-op at Fiveways and Abbotts Road and also a street collection in the town centre, if anyone can help
SUNDAY READINGS
Revised Common Lectionary:- Year A
Sung Eucharist Sung Evensong
6th April PASSION SUNDAY
All Age Eucharist Psalm 30
Ezekiel 37: 1 - 14 Lamentations 3: 19 - 33
John 11: 1 - 45 Matthew 20: 17 - 34
13th April PALM SUNDAY
Palm Gospel Matthew 21: 1 - 11
Isaiah 50: 4 - 9a Psalm 80
Philippians 2: 5 - 11 Isaiah 5: 1 - 7
Passion according
to Matthew Matthew 21: 33 - 46
17th April MAUNDY THURSDAY
Exodus 12: 1 - 4 & 11 - 14
I Corinthians 11: 23 - 26
John 13: 1 - 17 & 31b - 35
18th April GOOD FRIDAY
Isaiah 52: 13 - 53: 12
Hebrews 4: 14 - 16 & 5: 7 - 9
The Passion according to John
19th April HOLY SATURDAY / EASTER DAY
Genesis 1: 1- 2:4a
Exodus 14: 10 - 31 & 15: 20 - 21
Isaiah 55: 1 - 11
Romans 6: 3 - 11
Matthew 28: 1 - 10
20th April EASTER DAY
Acts 10: 34 - 43 Psalm 105
Colossians 3: 1 - 4 Song of Solomon 3: 2
& 8: 6 - 7
John 20: 1 - 18 Revelation 1: 12 - 18
27th April THE SECOND SUNDAY EASTER (Low Sunday)
Acts 2: 14a & 22 - 32 Psalm 30: 1 - 5
I Peter 1: 3 - 9 Daniel 6: 1 - 23
John 20: 19 - 31 Mark 15: 46 - 16: end
NOTES FOR YOUR DIARY
1st Feria in Lent 9.30am Eucharist at S. Cedd's
7.45pm Lent Group Meeting in the Annexe
3rd Feria in Lent 10.00am Eucharist at All Saints'
6th PASSION SUNDAY
8.00 Eucharist at All Saints'
10.00am Parish All Age Eucharist at S. Cedd's
6.30pm Sung Evensong at All Saints'
7th ANNUAL PAROCHIAL CHURCH MEETING
7.45pm in the Annexe
8th Feria in Lent 9.30am Eucharist at S. Cedd's
7.45pm Lent Group Meeting in the Annexe
10th Feria in Lent 10.00am Eucharist at All Saints'
13th PALM SUNDAY
8.00 Eucharist at All Saints'
10.00am Procession of Palms
& Parish Sung Eucharist at All Saints'
6.30pm Sung Evensong at All Saints'
14th Monday in Holy Week
7.45pm Eucharist of Reconciliation at All Saints'
15th Tuesday in Holy Week
9.30am Eucharist at S. Cedd's
16th Wednesday in Holy Week
9.30am Stations of the Cross and Eucharist at All Saints'
THE TRIDUUM (THE THREE DAYS)
17th MAUNDY THURSDAY
11.00am Eucharist of the Chrism
at Chelmsford Cathedral
7.45pm Parish Sung Eucharist of the Last Supper
Followed by watch until 10.00pm
18th GOOD FRIDAY
10.00am Stations of the Cross beginning at S. Cedd's
2.00pm Liturgy of the Passion at All Saints'
19th HOLY SATURDAY / EASTER
7.45pm Lighting of the Easter fire, vigil
and First Solemn Eucharist of Easter (with incense)
20th EASTER DAY
8.00 Eucharist at All Saints'
10.00am Parish Sung Eucharist at All Saints'
6.30pm Sung Evensong at All Saints'
22nd TUESDAY IN EASTER WEEK
9.30am Eucharist at S. Cedd's
24th THURSDAY IN EASTER WEEK
10.00am Eucharist at All Saints'
27th THE SECOND SUNDAY OF EASTER (Low Sunday)
8.00 Eucharist at All Saints'
10.00am Parish Sung Eucharist at All Saints'
6.30pm Sung Evensong at All Saints'
29th S. Catherine of Siena, V. & Dr. Patron of Europe
9.30am Eucharist at S. Cedd's
