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Sunday 8th  March       Lent 2

8.00am                 St.Mary’s 1662 Said Communion

                              Andy Norris/Sue Smith

9.15am                 St.Mary’s Morning Prayer

                              Hazel O’Sullivan

10.30am               St.Mary’s Church Alive Communion

                              Andy Norris

11.15am               St.Francis’ Morning Worship

                              Sue Smith

6.30pm                  St.Mary’s 1662 Merbeck Choral Communion

                              Andy Norris

Thurs 12th            St.Faith’s Communion   

                              Tim Watson/Erica Wilkie

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CORONAVIRUS & CHURCH WORSHIP

We’re guided to come to church worship and activities and to

continue as normal but please do not ‘shake hands’.

Current advice from Public Health England to the Church of England (5th March):  In places of worship there is no need to avoid other worshipers who are well or to change normal faith practices including taking wine from the communal chalice. Public Health England recommends that you should take usual infection prevention precautions, especially washing hands for 20 seconds.

TAKING COMMUNION   Don’t dip!

Contrary to advice from a number of years ago, we’re now told: ‘do not dip’ the bread in the chalice.  CofE guidance states that those taking communion are welcome to take communion as bread alone if they prefer.  Thank you for helping

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GROWING, FELLOWSHIP & EATING

Acts 2v46: They devoted themselves… to teaching, fellowship…

prayer…and ate together with glad and sincere hearts

LENT COURSE   ‘On The Third Day’

Starts this Weds 11th March in two groups in St.Francis’ Church; one group at 10.30am, the other from 7.30pm.  All are welcome,    Please contact Steve Dent on 07722 902 344 for info or email steve.dent@alverstoke.church

ADULT BAPTISM & CONFIRMATION 21st June

We look forward to welcoming our Bishop Christopher who is

penciled in to come to St.Mary’s on Sunday 21st June for a service at 3.00pm.   The service will include the opportunity for adult baptism and for Confirmation.  Folk from Lee-on-the-Solent St.Faith’s may join us too!   If you’d be interested then please have a word with Andy Norris.  Our Alpha course offers the ideal preparation – we hope to start a new course after Easter!

MOTHERS UNION Annual Service

You’re invited to the annual service of our Mothers’ Union branch on Tuesday 17th March at 1 or 2.00pm in St.Francis’ Church.

TABLE TOP GAMES & COMPANIONSHIP

This Thurs 12th March at 2.00pm in St.Francis’ Church, Clayhall.

SPRING PARISH WALK (& Lunch!)   18th April

Details at the back of St.Mary’s, led by Jane & Huw Jones.

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PARISH CENTRE REGENERATION

Sold Out!  Sea Shanties night.   Sorry!

Perhaps a bigger Parish Centre is needed?

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ALVERSTOKE PARISH APCM

The official AGM of the parish is to be held on Tuesday 21st April at 7.00pm in St.Mary’s Church. The Annual Parochial Church Meeting!  Elections for wardens, Parochial Church Council and Deanery Synod will be held in the context of reports, accounts and reflection from 2019; giving thanks for a very good year.

THE CHURCH ELECTORAL ROLL belong.

Or did you miss the renewal of the roll last year?

You can express ‘belonging’ to a local church through our ‘Church Electoral Roll’.  Regular worshippers are all welcome and encouraged to sign up.  It even gives you a vote at the annual meeting.  Membership lasts six years and was renewed for all last year when some of us missed signing up again!   So now is your chance!  Application Forms are at the back of church to be returned to The Parish Office.  In fact you can belong to more than one Electoral Roll and don’t even have to be an ‘anglican’ as it is about your church rather than the CofE!    Application closure date is Mon 6th April.   So sign up, you belong here!

CAN YOU WRITE AN INFORMAL REPORT?  

Do you lead or share in a church group?  Then reports up to A5 size of 2019 church life are sought at Parish Office by 6th April.

PCC, SYNOD & CHURCHWARDENS

Our thanks to those who are at the end of their term and have served us on PCC and Synod for the past three years: Graham Collins, Bill Lock, Peter Ford and Trish Kelly.   The elected term fo Gosport Deanery Synod also comes to an end this year and so we’re grateful to those who’ve served us there: Michael Lane,  Derek Thompson (to 2019), Margaret Poole, Susan Smith, Graham Hewitt and Debbie Thomas  .   We’re also grateful to Kathryn Clarke who has served for six very full years as Churchwarden.   Hence at our annual meeting we’ll be seeking four new PCC members, 5 Deanery Synod reps and a Churchwarden.  Could you serve on the PCC or Deanery Synod?    Nomination forms for these rolls can be found at the back of St.Mary’s.  The PCC meets on Tuesdays, bi-monthly from January

BRODRICK HALL BUILDING ‘MANAGER’

We’re indebted to Ken Greenwood for ‘caring’ for the Brodrick for over 30 years, but who has now ‘retired’.  If anyone could join our small committee in order to ‘keep an eye’ on the building (which is generally good now) then please have a word with Andy Norris.

NEW CHRISTIAN AID WEEK COORDINATOR?

On behalf of us all we’d like to thank Philippa Harrap and Peter Ford for having kindly coordinated our Christian Aid Week fundraising over the past few years, thank you.  They’ve enabled us to deliver the envelopes around the parish and raise a significant sum for those in need.  It’s now time to seek a new coordinator or pair – if this is something you might consider

exploring then please have a word with either Peter or Philippa, or Andy Norris, thanks. Christian Aid Week is 10th-16th May 2020.

FAIRTRADE FORTNIGHT   Visit Stall Today

Last Day to Order your fairtrade Easter Eggs through Peter and Julie Fieldsend, our parish Traidcraft reps – visit the stall for orders and provisions today. email: traidcraftstmarys@gmail.com

Don’t forget your daily: #LIVE LENT   (CofE website)

BISHOP’S LENT APPEAL 2020

‘Loving the Environment’ – please take a leaflet and gift envelope.

SCHOOL SUMMER HOLIDAY HUNGER Help!

Thank you to three folk who are willing to help, we just need a few more so we can provide a team for three days during one week in the summer holidays. To provide lunches for about 100 folk as part of TLG (Transforming Lives for Good) in partnership with the Bay House/Brune Park schools.  Please have a word with Andy N.

FOOD RUN for the HOMELESS

The Gosport Open Doors project for the homeless has been so successful that it is hoped to continue with a regular ‘drop in’ and by extending the original evening ‘Food Run’.  If you’d like to help at the food run then please contact Emma Anderton as she seeks to build a team, thank you.