From the Vicar

I write this letter having just helped to arrange the funeral of another long standing member of the congregation to take place in All Saints’. The death of June Wynne on 16^th July 2014 was of a great sadness and our thoughts and prayers go out to Bill and the family at this sad time.

Although June’s spiritual roots lay in the Roman Catholic Church she found a home with us in the Parish of Shrub End and through her presence at the Eucharist and her support for parish activities she contributed whole heartedly to the life of the Parish. Her presence at funerals as a sides-person will also be sadly missed and until fairly recently she was very much part of the cleaning team at All Saints’.

I am sure we will all miss her presence in our midst, but we can give thanks for her faith and her service to others both within the Church community and also in her work over many years as a nurse.  

It hardly seems possible that we are now in August, the year is disappearing before our very eyes. During August it has been the tradition for many years now to join with other local congregations for Evensong and that will happen again this year. Also this year we will be joining a new congregation for one of those evenings as we have been invited by Fr. Patrick McEuen the new Vicar of Fingringhoe with East Donyland, Abberton and Langenhoe to visit them. We look forward to sharing our evening worship in that parish.      

August is the month of the principal celebration of the life of the Blessed Virgin Mary. The 15^th August has for centuries been the occasion of the Solemnity of her Assumption a day which marks her death and her entry into Heaven to take her rightful place by her son, our Lord, Jesus Christ.

Although this day is rightly dedicated to the Virgin Mary it is also a celebration for all of humanity, for you and for me, in that, it proclaims that through the death and resurrection of Our Lord  we all have a hope that there will be a place in heaven for us when we pass from this earth to God’s nearer presence. This is not a reward for being good, it is a gift from God and flows from our discipleship of Jesus Christ.

On the Solemnity of the Assumption we celebrate that humanity has indeed been reconciled with God, that which was lost at the fall has now been restored by God’s own will and action and for that we can but give thanks, for the hope it offers us personally and those we know and love.    

Wishing all of you who may be taking a well earned holiday this month, a happy and joyful time, and if you are at home then enjoy the beauty of an English summer in Essex.

Wishing you every blessin

Your Priest and Vicar

Fr Nicholas Davis

Sunday Readings : 2014

Revised Common Lectionary:- Year A

Sung Eucharist                                           Sung Evensong

3^rd August THE SEVENTH SUNDAY AFTER TRINITY   

All Age Eucharist                                        

Isaiah 55: 1 - 5                                              Evensong at Old Heath

Matthew 14: 13 - 21                                    

10^th August THE EIGHTH SUNDAY AFTER TRINITY

I Kings 19: 9 - 18                                         

Romans 10: 5 - 15                                       Evensong at Fingringhoe

Matthew 14: 22 - 33                                    

17^th August THE NINTH SUNDAY AFTER TRINITY

Isaiah 56: 1 & 6 – 8                                     Psalm 90

Romans 11: 1 – 2a & 29 - 32                     II Kings 4: 1 – 37

Matthew 15: 21 – 28                                   Acts 16: 1 - 15          

24^th August THE TENTH SUNDAY AFTER TRINITY

Isaiah 51: 1 - 6                                             

Romans 12: 1 - 8                                          Evensong at Lexden

Matthew 16:  13 – 20                                                         

31^st August THE ELEVENTH SUNDAY AFTER TRINITY

Jeremiah 15: 15 - 21                                               

Romans 12: 9 - 21                                       Evensong at Wivenhoe

Matthew 16: 21 – 28                                   

Notes for your Diary

3^rd        THE SEVENTH SUNDAY AFTER TRINITY

            8.00 Eucharist at All Saints’

           10.00am Parish All Age Eucharist at S. Cedd’s

            6.30pm Sung Evensong at S. Barnabas’ Old Heath

5^th        Feria 9.30am Eucharist at S. Cedd’s                   

            7.45pm Devotional Bible Study in the Annexe

7^th       Feria 10.00am Eucharist at All Saints’

10^th     THE EIGHTH SUNDAY AFTER TRINITY

            8.00 Eucharist at All Saints’

            10.00am Parish Sung Eucharist at All Saints’

             6.30pm Sung Evensong at S. Andrew’s Fingringhoe   

12^th      Feria 9.30am Eucharist at S. Cedd’s

14^th      S. Maximilian Kolbe, Pr & M

            10.00am Eucharist at All Saints’

17^th      THE NINTH SUNDAY AFTER TRINITY

             8.00 Eucharist at All Saints’

            10.00am Parish Sung Eucharist at All Saints’

             6.30pm  Sung Evensong at All Saints’

18^th      Standing Committee 7.45pm in the Annexe

19^th      Feria 9.30am Eucharist at S. Cedd’s

             7.45pm Bible Study in the Annexe

21^st       Feria 10.00am Eucharist at All Saints’

24^th      THE TENTH SUNDAY AFTER TRINITY

            8.00 Eucharist at All Saints’

            10.00am Parish Sung Eucharist at All Saints’

             8.30pm  Sung Evensong at S. Leonard’s Lexden

26^th      Feria 9.30am Eucharist at S. Cedd’s

28^th      S. Augustine, B & Dr

            10.00m Eucharist at All Saints’

31st     THE ELEVENTH SUNDAY AFTER TRINITY

            8.00 Eucharist at All Saints’

            10.00am Parish Sung Eucharist at All Saints’

             6.30pm  Sung Evensong at S. Mary’s Wivenhoe