Parish Church of St Luke Holmes Chapel
Come to Christ, Love to Learn, Learn to Love!Sunday 7th March: 3rd of Lent
Services of communal worship in St Luke’s church are still suspended until further notice during the virus pandemic – see COVID-19 update.
We are continuing to worship together through Zoom (as set out below) and also St Luke’s church will be open for individual private prayer on Wednesday and Sunday mornings from about 9am until midday.
Please note: you must wear a face covering and comply with the social-distancing and other COVID-19 precautions posted on the notices whilst in the church for any purpose.
The Bible readings for today are:
- 1 Samuel 24:3-13
- Psalm 142
Our vicar, Canon Rob McLaren, has recorded a short video address, another in his series about the life and development of David as a leader based on the 1st book of Samuel.
You may want to view this latest address to help prepare for our worship by Zoom which starts at 10.30am.
Note: if you have missed earlier videos in the series, you can find them here.
Please join the Zoom session from 10.25am so that the service can start at 10.30am using Rob’s ID and passcode*.
11.15am: after service catch-up organised by Jean McLaren: we can’t get together in the church hall after Church but we can still chat informally in small groups with our own refreshments in this Zoom session – why not give it a try?
*Note: joining details for all our Zoom sessions have been circulated to those on our email list. Please contact secy@stlukesholmeschapel.uk with your phone number if you are local to St Luke’s and would like to join in.
COVID-19 Restrictions – St Luke’s
After careful consideration, we have reluctantly decided to suspend all services of communal worship in St Luke’s church, Holmes Chapel until further notice but our regular worship through Zoom will continue.
This step follows the National lockdown: Stay at Home conditions announced by the PM on 4th Jan in view of the rapid rise of coronavirus cases nationally, and the precautions needed to protect everyone entering church, especially the clinically vulnerable.
Next Zoom Quiz – Sat 13th March 8pm
St Luke's ZOOM Quiz!! Sat 13th March - 8pm Our popular, light hearted Zoom quiz returns again on Saturday evening 13th March starting at 8pm. Martin and Carole Elliott are organising the quiz again - as usual it will last for about an hour and include something for...
2021 Church Electoral Roll Revision
The 2021 revision for additions and other changes to be made to the Church Electoral Roll will start on Sunday 14th March and finish on Sunday 18th April.
The revised Roll will then be published from 25th April, ready for the APCM, this year on Sunday 9th May.
St Luke’s e-Magazine published again
St Luke’s Church e-Magazine, is now available again with most of the usual content of the printed version, now including local adverts. We needed to stop production and distribution of the printed version again after Cheshire East (and thus Holmes Chapel) became subject to the latest Government Tier 4 (Stay at Home) COVID-19 restrictions.
March 2021 Letter
Lent started on Ash Wednesday 17th February. For Christians, observing Lent is very different in lockdown.
Before lockdown, Lent might be about choosing which of our many freedoms to choose to limit. During lockdown, our choices are much more limited anyway. Since our freedom is severely curtailed by our cooperation with the authorities in seeking to limit the spread of the virus, there is much less scope for choosing to give things up………..
So instead let’s focus on another much needed purpose for Lent. The seven weeks of Lent are most useful for establishing good self-disciplines.
The coming week: 8th – 14th March: the Lent season
See the suggested prayer and study resources opposite to use during Lent to help us focus on fellow Christians in other parts of the world.
In order to keep everyone safe during the virus pandemic, until further notice we will not be holding any services of communal worship in St Luke’s church – see COVID-19 update above.
We will continue our worship through ZOOM (as set out below), and St Luke’s church will be opened on Wednesday and Sunday mornings from about 9am until midday for individual private prayer.
Please note: whilst inside church for any purpose, you must wear a face covering, complete the Track and Trace sheet, and observe all of the hand-sanitising, social distancing and other requirements on the notices inside the church.
Monday 8th
7.30pm – Church Council Meeting: ZOOM* – agenda here
Monday 8th – Wednesday 10th March: ZOOM*
9.00am (daily) – short service of Morning Prayer by ZOOM*, led by our vicar Rob
Wednesday, 10th March: St Luke’s church
Sadly, it isn’t possible to hold any service in the church today – see COVID-19 update – but the church will be opened for individual private prayer from about 9am until midday.
Please note: you must wear a face covering and comply with the above COVID-19 precautions whilst in the church for any purpose.
Thursday 11th March: ZOOM*
9.30am – Prayer Meeting by ZOOM* led by Rob and Tim
Saturday 13th March: St Luke’s ZOOM* Quiz
8.00pm: another light-hearted quiz to test our general knowledge
Sunday 14th March – Lent 4: Mothering Sunday
No service in St Luke’s church today – see COVID-19 update above.
The church will be opened for individual private prayer from about 9am until midday.
Please note: you must wear a face covering and comply with the above COVID-19 precautions whilst in the church for any purpose.
10.30 am – service of Morning Worship by ZOOM* conducted by Rob
11.15 am: ZOOM* catch up for an informal chat in small groups with other Church members; hosted again today by Jean McLaren on her usual ID and passcode.
*Note: Everyone on our email circulation list has received the ZOOM login details. If you are local to Holmes Chapel and district and would like to join one of our Zoom sessions, please let us know by email with your contact details to secy@stlukesholmeschapel.uk .
A worldwide focus during Lent
Tearfund is a Christian charity that partners with churches in more than 50 of the world’s poorest countries. They seek to tackle poverty through sustainable development, responding to disasters, and challenging injustice. Their free Lent booklet can be ordered from tearfund.org and is called: ‘A story to live by – prayers, poems and reflections to encourage and inspire you this Lent.
Christian Aid is an organisation of many partnerships including churches, and seeks amongst many aims to ‘help families facing poverty and injustice around the world’. They have a monthly prayer diary, downloadable from their website.
Barnabas Fund is a Christian charity providing aid and hope for the persecuted church, and information/advocacy on their behalf. Their monthly prayer diary with recent prayer requests is available to download from their website: barnabasfund.org. Their ‘Praying for the persecuted church’ booklet is particularly helpful if you wish to be more aware of the significant persecution endured by Christians in 42 countries of the world, one for each day of Lent.
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A gentle Lenten journey for 2021
This Lent the Diocese of Chester, led by the diocesan Environment Forum, is inviting you to join in with a Lenten journey. Leading the way are 40 individuals from around our diocese who will each reflect on God’s word and God’s world. They will delve into scripture and share inspiring personal stories about the small ways in which they are moved to cherish the gift of life.
Bible Readings: 8th -14th March
Mon. 8th Mar: Psalms 98,99; Jeremiah 11:1-17; John 7:37-52
Tues. 9th Mar: Psalm 106; Jeremiah 11:18-12:6; John 7:53-8:11
Wed. 10th Mar: Psalms 110, 11, 112; Jeremiah 13:1-11; John 8:12-30
Thurs. 11th Mar: Psalms 113,115; Jeremiah 14; John 8:31-47
Fri. 12th Mar: Psalm 22; Jeremiah 15:10-end; John 8:48-end
Sat. 13th Mar: Psalms 120,121,122; Jeremiah 16:10-17:4; John 9:1-17
Sun. 14th Mar: Exodus 2: 1-10, Psalm 34:11-20, Colossians 3:12-17
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.
Praying Together – Lent and Passiontide
The Collect for Ash Wednesday:
Almighty and everlasting God,
You hate nothing that you have made
And forgive the sins of all those who are penitent:
Create and make in us new and contrite hearts
That we, worthily lamenting our sins
And acknowledging our wretchedness,
May receive from you, the God of all mercy,
Perfect remission and forgiveness;
Through Jesus Christ our Lord. Amen.
Climate change: traditional knowledge and modern solutions
One of our parishioners has notified us about this interesting free illustrated talk at 6pm on Friday 12th March to help widen our horizons during the continuing lock-down.
In this event, photographer Kiliii Yüyan illuminates stories of the Arctic and human communities connected to the land.
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 –...
Genesis update – January 2021
Genesis returns on Sunday 10th January, again at 9.45am- 10.15am. We are very excited about seeing everyone again on our Zoom account: (the Genesis Zoom access details have already been sent by email to parents.) We have planned a programme of meetings through to Easter Sunday.
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.