Parish Church of St Luke Holmes Chapel
Serving Christ in our local community
Coming week at St Luke’s
Sunday 28th May: Pentecost
readings: Acts 2: 1-13; John 20: 19-23
9.00 am – Holy Communion in church – traditional service in contemporary language with hymns
10.00 am – Genesis meets in the Church Hall
10.30 am – Morning Worship in church – less formal, “no books” service with songs and hymns – followed by tea/coffee in the Church Hall
Tuesday 30th
9.00 am – Morning Prayer – short form with readings and prayer by Zoom (Rob’s account*)
Wednesday 31st May
9.00 am – Morning Prayer – short form with readings and prayer by Zoom (Rob’s Account*)
10.30 am – Midweek Morning Worship in church – a short, unsung service
7.30 pm – 9pm – St Luke’s Community Choir meets in the Church Hall
*note: if you are local to Holmes Chapel and would like to join in one of our regular short services (30 mins) of Morning Prayer, please email comms@stlkhc.uk and we will send you the Zoom login details.
Sunday 4th June: Trinity
readings: 2 Corinthians 13: 11-14; Matthew 28: 16-20
9.00 am – Holy Communion in church – traditional service in contemporary language with hymns
10.00 am – Genesis meets in the Church Hall
10.30 am – Morning Worship in church – less formal, “no books” service with songs and hymns – followed by tea/coffee in the Church Hall
April 2023 letter
One of the difficult things about living on earth, I find, is that we are surrounded by groups and individuals competing against one another, but we don’t know who will win……..
The season of Easter is the time when it became clearer whose is the victory in the conflict between God and the evil one, Satan. The big issues were resolved in the human struggle with sin and death. The winner became obvious……….
March 2023 letter
I’m writing about donkeys. This Palm Sunday we hope to have a donkey with us. It’s a good way to help us take to heart what happened with Jesus on the first Palm Sunday. He rode into Jerusalem on a donkey. But why?
This was not a very cool thing to do…..unless you knew your Old Testament. But Jesus is not interested in military conquest and he had a non-violent approach to changing the world. So he rode into the city on a donkey.
Church Council 2023-2024
See the PCC page for details of the the new Church Council for the coming year following appointments made at the Annual Church meetings on 14th May and the first Council meeting on 15th May.
Traidcraft plc in administration
On the 20th Jan. it was announced that Traidcraft plc (the company from which we bought the fairtrade goods sold from the monthly stall at St Luke’s) was going into administration and ceasing trading.
Earthquake appeal
The devastation and casualties of the terrible earthquakes in Syria and Turkey continue to increase and relief aid and support for the injured and survivors are still urgently needed.
Thank you to everyone who has already given to the relief efforts in Turkey and Syria by whatever means. The Earthquake Appeal bucket at the back of church for cash donations has raised over £400 for Barnabas Aid which has local links to help affected Christian communities in remote areas and the Community Choir has donated £100 to the British Red Cross relief efforts.
Genesis update – Jan 2023
Thank you for all your support and encouragement with the Christmas services which were so well received.
Genesis meets on Sundays normally at 10am in the Church Hall continuing until 10.45am. We then join the congregation in the church service to share our learning with them, for prayers, a short sermon and for singing. The service finishes around 11.15am so we can all leave together to enjoy fellowship over a drink and biscuit back in the Church Hall.
The Spring term programme up to Easter is shown below.
MU Epiphany service 2023
It was lovely to see about 28 members, including several from Sandbach Heath and Brereton, turn up on a very cold, snowy day for our Epiphany service and party on Wed 18th Jan.
Canon Rob conducted a Communion Service for us, and reminded us of the importance of Epiphany. After the service he enrolled his mother, Margaret McLaren, as a member of
the Mothers’ Union.
Nativity Service 2022
A big thank you to our 18 children from Genesis for bringing the Nativity to life for us and for helping us focus on the true meaning of Christmas in our service in St Luke’s church last December.
Church Flowers 2023
Many thanks to everyone who helped decorate St Luke's church with flowers again this Christmas. The new 2023 rota for the altar flowers is now in the church porch for people to sign up when they are able to help. If you are interested in helping and would like to know...
Praying Together in the Easter Season
O God, make speed to save us;
O Lord, make haste to help us.
Let your ways be known on earth,
Your saving power among the nations.
In your resurrection, O Christ,
Let heaven and earth rejoice. Alleluia.
Risen Christ,
You filled your disciples with boldness
And with fresh hope:
Strengthen us to proclaim your risen life
And fill us with your peace,
To the glory of God the Father. Amen.
Praying Together
When sickness is near:
you can view or download this 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.
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.
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.
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.