THE EPIPHANY OF THE LORD
The Revelation of Christ to the World
1st Reading: Isaiah 60:1-6 2nd Reading: St Paul to the Ephesians 3:2-3. 5-6 Gospel: Matthew 2:1-12
MASS INTENTIONS FOR WEEK 4- 12 Jan 2020
Sat 4 Jan 6.00pm Girish Praha RIP (Violet Prabhu & Family)
Sun 5 Jan 8.30am Stella Mendes RIP (Sylvia Coutinho)
Epiphany 10.30am Dorothy Speed & Maureen Fitzpatrick (Carol Anderson)
Mon 6 Jan 9.30am Exposition of the Blessed Sacrament
10.00am Bridie, Michael & Brendan Houlihan RIP (Eileen Sheehan)
Tues 7 Jan 7.00pm Joe D’Souza RIP (Alex & Dahlia Fernandes)
7.30pm Exposition + Our Lady & St Pio Prayer Group
Wed 8 Jan 9.30pm Exposition of the Blessed Sacrament
10.00am Mae & Tim Monihan RIP (Eileen Sheehan)
Thurs 9 Jan 9.00am Mass or Eucharistic Service
Fri 10 Jan 9.30am Exposition of the Blessed Sacrament
10.00 am Intentions of Eileen & Family (Eileen Sheehan)
Sat 11 Jan 9.00am Christmas Mass: Bernie King (Maureen Fitzpatrick)
6.00pm John & Joy Hubbard RIP (Kathy Fogarty)
Sun 12 Jan 8.30am Intentions of the Coyne Family (Jim Connolly)
10.30am Christiana Anim RIP (Ben & Barbara Asaam)
Reconciliation Times: Sat 9.30am (after Mass) and Sat 5.30pm (before Mass)
Prayers for the Sick: Tony Laws, David Latimer, David Brailsford, Colin Anderson, Joe Reape, Giulio Venturi, Anne Newton, Bridie Cripps, Ray Blackman, Peggy Whiteside and for all those with ongoing poor health.
OFFERTORY CHRISTMAS: Gift Aid £1864.00. Loose £1515.97. Total £3379.97.
OFFERTORY 29TH December: Gift Aid £498.40. Loose £293.99. Total £792.39.
ST JOHN FISHER QUIZ NIGHT (FOR CHURCH FUNDS): Saturday 8 February 2020,
7-11pm in the hall. Tables of 6 – £8 per person. Raffle and quizzes. Licensed bar and bring your own nibbles. Tickets to be available after Sunday masses or contact Anny Hyde on 07973 656 166.
VOLUNTEER TYPISTS REQUIRED: We urgently need 1 or 2 typists to assist with producing the newsletter. Commitment is only around 1-2 hours once a month. Proficiency with word and access to a pc are all that is required. If interested, please contact Ruth Powers on ruthmac18@gmail.com or the parish office. Many thanks.
CHURCH CLEANING – A big THANK YOU to the small group of parishioners who give up their free time to help keep our church clean. The rota for 2020 is now available for collection from the cupboard. More volunteers are needed to either join an existing group or make up a new one. Each group cleans once every six weeks. Another group of three or four people, would mean a change to once every eight weeks. If you are able to help, please ring Carole Hughes on 020 8303 90703.
CHURCH FLOWERS – Thank you to everyone for their kind comments about the floral decorations in the church. Also, a particular thanks for those who donated towards the costs and a reminder that if you would like to contribute, there is a box in the wall at the end of the church.
OUR PARISH, OUR NEEDS, OUR RESPONSIBILITY – PLANNED GIVING APPEAL
‘For which of you, desiring to build a tower, does not first sit down and count the cost, whether he has enough to complete it?’ – Luke 14:28
Last week our parish embarked on a Planned Giving appeal. Over the coming weeks we ask all parishioners to take this opportunity to prayerfully reflect on their commitment to our parish. Everyone should consider giving something, mindful of their blessings and circumstances.
Today you will hear more about Planned Giving and Stewardship, including why our parish needs financial help to cover our costs. Please take an appeal newsletter.
Our goal is to receive an informed decision from everyone in the parish. Next weekend we shall ask all parishioners to complete a promise card – this will enable our parish to plan ahead with confidence for the future.
If you have any questions, there will be volunteers available after Mass today.
Thank you – John Rayer
AS WE BEGIN THIS NEW YEAR LET ME LOOK FORWARD AND WISH YOU AND YOUR FAMILIES EVERY BLESSING AND LOOK BACK TO THE YEAR PAST AND THANK EVERYONE WHO HAS GIVEN SO MUCH TO THE PARISH:
To the parish council, and to all the groups and activity that they lead or coordinate – including our AIC, our M.C. and altar servers, the teams for baptism, first holy communion, confirmation, and children’s liturgies, our hard working finance team, our gift aid organiser, our premises committee; our offertory collection counters, our welcome teams at masses, our coffee morning organisers, our events committee, the SVP team, the liturgy committee, our newsletter team, the representatives for diocesan and national charities, our hall staff, our meeting point helpers, the church care team, the flower arrangers, the crib and Easter garden builder, the Christmas tree team, the organists, the choir and their leader, our Eucharistic ministers, shop staff and sacristans, the parish secretary, our readers, the parish registers keeper, the safeguarding team and the person who runs our website and offers other technical support, and indeed everyone who has taken part in our parish activity and helped to carry our mission forward.
On behalf of the whole parish I say a big thank you to you all. And again, a more personal thank you from me for all your Christmas cards, gifts and good wishes AND for your generous Christmas Offering, traditionally your gift to your priest. Fr Doug
stjohnfisherbexley.org 