Nottingham City Centre Church Group

Parish Notices - Week beginning Sunday 7th March 2010

The Third Sunday of Lent

Lent groups
A series of Lent discussion meetings will continue on Tuesday 9th March in the St Peter’s coffee room. Tea and coffee from 7pm will be followed by a brief Bible reflection and a ‘hunger supper’, followed by a talk by Peter Bartlett (Professor of Mental Health Law and Chair of the Mental Disability Advocacy Centre). All are welcome.  Details of future sessions, and Christopher Harrison’s ‘Father Fred’ meditations for Lent, can be found on the parish website (www.nottinghamchurches.org).

Thursday Lent Groups
A series of Lent groups will continue at 12 noon on Thursday 11th March in the St James’s Room at St Peter’s (following the service of Holy Communion).  All are welcome to attend.

Skittles Evening with Supper
Thursday 11th March 2010, 7.15pm at The Embankment Social Club. Please sign up on the sheet at the back of church.  (Event Organised by The Friends of St Mary’s).

The second Thursday Bible study group will be held on the 11th March, 7.30pm at the Mitchell’s (23 Park Valley).  All are welcome.

Bible Society Spring Meeting – Friday 19th March, 7pm at St Andrew’s with Castlegate, Goldsmith Street.

Palm Sunday Children’s event
It is intended to hold a children’s event in the St Peter’s coffee room on Palm Sunday, 28th March, during the morning service. Anyone who can help with this is asked to contact Christopher Harrison.  If you have children, grandchildren, nieces and nephews etc - bring them along!

Easter Saturday Pilgrimage
The annual pilgrimage from the parish to the pilgrims’ chapel in Southwell Minster will take place on Saturday 3rd of April. Some morning and evening prayers are used, the countryside enjoyed, along with a packed lunch at a picturesque spot. All are welcome to join in for the whole or part of the distance. For more information and encouragement, please phone John Burr.

Parish Electoral Roll
The Electoral Roll is now being revised in preparation of the Parish AGM. There is a list of all current members on display within the Church. If your name is not there & you are eligible for membership, please complete an application form. You can get a form from either a Church Warden or from the Parish Office.

Parish Magazine
Please note that there are a few mistakes in the diary section of this month’s Nottinghaminfaith:
Monday 29th March at St Peter’s – Said Communion service at 7.30pm.
Wednesday 31st March at St Peter’s – Holy Communion with Haydn’s Seven Last Words for string quartet, 7.30pm
Thursday 1st April at St Peter’s (Maundy Thursday) – Choral Eucharist, 7.30pm.
Sunday 4th April at St Mary’s (Easter Day) – Holy Communion, 8.15am.

Proposed new clergy post
Following discussions with diocesan staff and Nottingham Trent University, it has been agreed to advertise for a new clergy post for this parish, for a priest who will be half-time associate chaplain at Nottingham Trent University and half time in this parish.  The post will be based at All Saints, and it is expected that the person appointed will focus especially on that area, while being part of the wider parish team.  NTU are looking for a person who will specialise in spiritual health, and it is hoped that the person appointed will have experience in mental health issues too. The advertisement for the post has just been placed in Church Times, and the closing date for applications is 19th March.

Armorel Young is setting out on April 6th to cycle the 330 miles from Nottingham to Paris in aid of the St Peter’s Organ Appeal. You can sponsor her online at www.justgiving.com/armorelyoung or by picking up a sponsorship form in church.

Contact the Elderly Charity
We are looking for people who are willing to host a small, informal tea party once or twice a year for up to 6 elderly people who are isolated in their homes and don’t get out very often.
Contact the Elderly is a national charity which sets up small local groups and aims to hold a monthly tea party in the homes of different volunteer hosts on a Sunday 3-5pm.  Volunteer drivers pick up the group members and return them home at 5 o’clock.  The members really enjoy getting out and meeting people – they also enjoy dressing up and feeling special.  It is also rewarding for the hosts and drivers!
We are always looking for volunteer hosts.  You don’t need to be a good cook – just willing to open your home and heart for up to 6 elderly people and provide tea and cake for a couple of hours, once or maybe twice a year.  If you are interested or know someone who may be, give Ros Clarke a ring on 07952923468 for more information.  Please note: your home will need easy access and a downstairs toilet.

Visitors to our Churches
If you would like to give a donation and you are a taxpayer, please use a Gift Aid Envelope. Either put the envelope in the collection plate or hand it to a steward. This allows us to reclaim tax. Thank you.