Parish Church of St Luke Holmes Chapel
Come to Christ, Love to Learn, Learn to Love!Sunday November 29th: Advent Sunday
The Bible readings today are:
- Mark 13:24ff
- 1 Corinthians 1:3-9
Our vicar, Canon Rob McLaren, has recorded a short video address for the start of the Advent season, centred on our Lord’s teaching about the second coming in today’s reading from St Mark’s Gospel.
There is no communal worship in St Luke’s church today during the additional national restrictions now in force to prevent the spread of coronavirus. However, the church will be open today for individual private prayer from around 9am to midday.
Please observe all hand-sanitising, face-covering and social distancing requirements whilst inside the church for any purpose.
10.30am: our vicar Rob will lead our regular service of Morning Prayer via Zoom.
Please login at 10.25am on Rob’s Zoom ID 856 031 5150; password 902272.
11.15am: Zoom catch up for an informal chat in small groups with other Church members; hosted today again by Rob’s wife, Jean McLaren.
The joining details for this Zoom session have been sent to all our parishioners with email addresses. If you are local to Holmes Chapel and would like to join in, please let us know by email: secy@stlukesholmeschapel.uk
Public Notice – Faculty Application
PUBLIC NOTICE Application for Faculty
NOTICE IS GIVEN that we are applying to the Consistory Court of the diocese for permission to carry out the following: Removal of the current pipe organ and casing in St Luke’s church from its current position in the centre of the West Gallery, and its replacement in the same position with the pipe organ and casing from Heswall Church of the Good Shepherd, after cleaning and refurbishment…….
COVID-19 Restrictions
New National Tier Restrictions from 2nd December 2020 Resumption of Limited Communal Worship in St Luke’s Church New Government guidance published on 23rd Nov. sets out the local restriction tier system that will be in place from Wednesday 2nd December, including what...
Remembrance in Holmes Chapel 2020
Due to the current coronavirus restrictions, sadly the usual Remembrance Sunday Parade through the village couldn't take place. However, there was a socially distanced, wreath laying ceremony at the cenotaph in St Luke's churchyard, for a small number of invited...
Church Electoral Roll
The 2020 annual revision of the Church Electoral Roll has been completed and published for the delayed APCM on 25th October. There are now 189 listed on the Roll.
The coming week
From Wednesday 2nd Dec we can resume limited communal worship in St Luke’s church, under the new Tier 2: (High Risk) Government designation for Cheshire East.
WEDNESDAY – 10.30 am our vicar Rob will preside at a restricted service of Holy Communion
To keep everyone safe, you must wear a face covering whilst in church and complete the Track and Trace sheet. Please also observe the hand-sanitising, social distancing and other requirements on the notices whilst inside the church for any purpose.
The Bible readings for Monday 30th Nov. – Sunday 6th December are posted alongside
Our weekday worship services through Zoom continue:
9am Monday, Tuesday and Wednesday: Zoom short Morning Prayer service – led by our vicar Rob on his Zoom ID 856 031 5150; password 902272.
9.30am Thursday: Zoom Intercessions – led by our vicar Rob on his Zoom ID.
- Our Prayersheet to help in our personal worship can be viewed below – we are using it in our Morning Prayer services. You can also download a copy here suitable for printing.
- Printed copies of the December Parish Magazine are now available from the Print Room in Church Walk at still only 50p a copy!!
- e-Magazine: the October edition is still available here
Bible Readings: 30th November - 6th December
Mon. 30th Nov. Psalms 3, 4; Isaiah 42:18-25; Revelation 19:1-21
Tues.1st Dec. Psalms 5, 6; Isaiah 43:1-13; Revelation 20:1-15
Wed. 2nd Dec. Psalm 7; Isaiah 43:14-28; Revelation 21:1-8
Thurs.3rd Dec. Psalms 15,16; Isaiah 44:1-8; Revelation 21:9-21
Fri. 4th Dec. Psalms 17,19; Isaiah 44:9-23; Revelation 21:22-22:5
Sat. 5th Dec. Psalm 20; Isaiah 44:24-45:13; Revelation 22:6-21
Sun. 6th Dec. Mark 1:1-8; 2 Peter 3:8-15
Praying Together from All Saints to Advent
We meet in the presence of God
who knows our needs,
hears our cries,
feels our pain, and heals our wounds.
Praying Together – when sickness is near
you can view or download this whole prayersheet here
God of compassion,
be close to those who are ill, afraid or in isolation.
In their loneliness, be their consolation;
in their anxiety, be their hope;
in their darkness, be their light;
through him who suffered alone on the cross, but reigns with you in glory,
Jesus Christ our Lord. Amen.
Merciful God,
we entrust to your tender care those who are ill or in pain,
knowing that whenever danger threatens your everlasting arms are there to hold them safe.
Comfort and heal them, and restore them to health and strength; through Jesus Christ our Lord.
Amen.
For hospital staff and medical researchers
Gracious God,
give skill, sympathy and resilience to all who are caring for the sick,
and your wisdom to those searching for a cure. Strengthen them with your Spirit,
that through their work many will be restored to health;
through Jesus Christ our Lord.
Amen.
From one who is ill or isolated
O God, help me to trust you,
help me to know that you are with me, help me to believe that nothing can separate me from your love
revealed in Jesus Christ our Lord.
Amen.
Towards normality? Your views on worship again in church
The recent relaxation of the official virus restrictions to allow some limited services to start in churches under carefully controlled conditions is very welcome but poses real problems in small churches like St Luke’s. To guide discussion at the July meeting of the Church Council about how and when to resume the limited church services now permitted, we consulted our congregations through a short questionnaire. Read more for some of the statistics and findings which led to the PCC deciding to resume limited services in St Luke’s on a trial basis in August.
Daily Hope Line 0800 804 8044
Daily Hope offers music, prayers and reflections as well as full worship services from the Church of England at the end of a telephone line. A Church of England initiative in partnership with CONNECTIONS at Holy Trinity Claygate, and Faith in Later Life The line –...
Well-being and the COVID-19 pandemic
The coronavirus (COVID-19) crisis means life has changed for all of us. It may cause us to feel anxious, stressed, worried, sad, bored, lonely, or frustrated.
If you’re finding things hard emotionally right now, you’re not alone.
Beatitudes for a global pandemic
We are sharing this video to help us remain hopeful and focus on what matters and those affected during the global pandemic.
Sailing the South Pacific during lock-down
Sailing the South Pacific - with Carole and Martin Elliott - a holiday cruise of a life-time blown off-course by the corona virus emergency We were so overwhelmed by people being concerned for our safe return from holiday this March that we decided we ought to let you...
The virus and Easter
A poem by By Kristi Bothur
Twas late in ‘19 when the virus began, Bringing chaos and fear to all people, each land.
People were sick, hospitals full, Doctors overwhelmed, no one in school.
As winter gave way to the promise of spring, The virus raged on, touching peasant and king.
People hid in their homes from the enemy unseen, They YouTubed and Zoomed, social-distanced, and cleaned.
April approached and churches were closed, “There won’t be an Easter,” the world supposed.
“There won’t be church services, and egg hunts are out, No reason for new dresses when we can’t go about.”
Announcements
November 2020 letter
November is a useful month. It can be a depressing month if our mind is taken up with darkening nights and the downsides of the approaching Winter season. But it can be a useful month if we spend our darker days and longer evenings remembering inspiring people and times. That is the design of November which our forbears have left us, in order to help us.
Church Electoral Roll
The 2020 annual revision of the Church Electoral Roll has been completed and published for the delayed APCM on 25th October. There are now 189 listed on the Roll.
Pastoral letter – November 3rd 2020
We write because the latest announcements of the authorities mean there will be no services in church for the next four weeks (and maybe more!). This is disappointing news as our regular 9am Sunday and 10.30 Wednesday small services had been going well. People were positive. Numbers were averaging 30 on Sundays and 20 on Wednesdays. We have made the most of our window of opportunity since the end of July, and thank you for your responsible participation. We will write again when we are able to re-open church services in church.
Mothers’ Union – April 2020 Report
MU report - April 2020 Well, what a strange year! Our AGM meeting usually is in March to coincide with the financial year, but this year both Dorothy and I were going to be away for that meeting so we planned it for April. Little did we know that April wasn't going...
Genesis Update – 2nd May 2020
As you know, because of the public health restrictions, Church services and Genesis are now suspended and the church and hall buildings are now closed until further notice. We thought you would like to know what is going on using Zoom to keep our CHurch fellowship together and also to have some links to prayers and resources you can use in your families.