Pew Sheet for 4 September

12^TH SUNDAY AFTER TRINITY

Readings
Deuteronomy 30.15–end; Philemon 1–21, 8–16; Luke 14.25–33

Sunday Services

Thanks to the hard work of local volunteers, St Stephen’s Church is open every day of the week from around 9am until early evening or dusk. Please feel free to come inside the Church and spend some time of reflection, quiet or prayer.

We would also be delighted to see you at one of our services, with a chance to enjoy refreshments together afterwards.

Sunday Mass this month is on Sunday 4 September and Sunday 18 September starting at 10am – all are very welcome!
Our next Wednesday Mass will be on
Wednesday 14 September at 10:30am

We serve Refreshments in the Meeting Room after all services, please do join us!

Services during the week

Said Communion 2^nd Wednesdays 10.30 (followed by coffee in the meeting room)
Morning Prayer Daily livestream at 9.00 (weekdays)
You can join Morning Prayer online at: http://www.stpetersleck.org and via Facebook at: http://www.facebook.com/pipandjims. You can attend in person at P&J on Mondays, at St Christopher’s on Tuesdays and at St Peter’s on Thursdays.
Daily Hope a free phone line of hymns, reflections and prayers is still available on 0800 804 8044.

For Your Prayers

For all who work in the NHS, and essential workers
For all residents in care homes including Jean Haigh and Gary Hiscock
For all who are unwell including, Shirley, Joy, Gordon, Daphne, Christine, Polly and Mary Jackson.
Those who have died.

PRAY FOR UKRAINE

You can also donate to the DEC humanitarian appeal at:

https://www.dec.org.uk/appeal/ukraine-humanitarian-appeal
or call 0370 60 60 900

PRAY FOR AFGHANISTAN

Please pray for peace and protection for the Afghan people who are facing great uncertainty and the threat of serious human rights abuses. Pray also for all who remain, for courage and protection. You can find more resources here: www.christianaid.org.uk/pray/prayer-afghanistan

To donate to the DEC emergency appeal, go to:

https://www.christianaid.org.uk/appeals/emergencies/afghanistan-crisis-appeal
or call 0370 60 60 610

NOTICES

PARISH DIARY

Sat 1 Oct Harvest Supper – details to follow
Sat 29 Oct 2-4pm Autumn Fair

MIDWEEK COMMUNION SERVICES across the South Cheltenham Team

Week 1: Wednesday 12noon at Pip and Jim’s
Week 2: Wednesday 10.30 at St Stephen’s
Week 3: Tuesday 10.30 at St Christopher’s
Week 4: Wednesday 10.30 at St Peter’s
Week 5: No service

The next Midweek service will be on Wed 7th Sep at Pip and Jim’s and the following week’s is on Wed 14th Sep at St Stephen’s.

COFFEE & CRAFT AFTERNOONS

start on Thurs 8th and 22nd Sept, 2-4pm
in the Meeting Room. Bring your knitting or sewing or just come for a
chat. All welcome.

SOCIAL COMMITTEE

We would like to revive the social committee. If anyone would be interested in being part of it, please speak to Sue and Jacqui for more information.

Cheltenham Elim Food Bank

To see which items are most needed at the moment, go to www.cheltenham.foodbank.org.uk.
Please place any donations in the Green box next to the font.

HERITAGE OPEN DAYS

St Christopher’s, Warden Hill GL51 3DD. Sat 10th Sept, 2-5 pm. A 1960s building with ten splendid Thomas Denny stained glass windows based on the parables. A Comper window, and two newly-etched Nicholas Mynheer windows. Hourly talks about the windows, self-guided tour of windows with leaflets and stewards available to assist. The lightest ring of bells in a church in the world. Bell-ringing during the afternoon. Refreshments – tea and cake.

‘Learning to Listen’ Days/ Evenings

The next South Cheltenham Team Quiet Day is on
Thur 15 Sept at St Peter’s Cottages, 10am-3pm. Further details are on the poster at the back of church or on the St Peter’s website. To book, email St Peter’s Parish Office at parishofficeleck@gmail.com, or call/leave a message on 01242 513647.

All around us we see changing understandings of human identity, changing
patterns in relationships and families, changing sexual attitudes and activity.
What does it mean for followers of Jesus to walk in love, faith and holiness
today? The LLF course is a great opportunity to explore these subjects in a safe and encouraging environment, and will be running for 5 weeks on a Monday evening, 7.30-9pm, at St. Christopher’s beginning on 3rd October. Please email Liz Johnson know if you would like to attend:
parishofficeleck@gmail.com or you call/leave a message on 01242 513647. You can find out more about LLF by copying the following link into your browser: https://youtu.be/g7A3wt0jqZM.

SUPPORT ALPHA IN PRAYER

Alpha is a series of interactive sessions that tackle some of life’s big questions and explore the basics of the Christian faith. It is designed primarily for people who aren’t churchgoers and attracts a diverse range of guests, including people of different ages and backgrounds, all with differing viewpoints. South Cheltenham churches are running Alpha on Tuesday evenings for 9 weeks at Emmanuel starting on Tuesday 20th September.

If you are interested in supporting Alpha and are not part of the team or bringing a friend along this term we would love to encourage you to support the course in prayer. Paul and Jenny Youde are hosting Alpha prayer support group at 7.30pm in their home on Tuesday 20th September. Further dates are still to be finalised, but please do email Paul paul.youde@yahoo.co.uk to join. Please pray for the guests, hosts and speakers as we make final preparations in the lead up to our Alpha course.

For more information about Alpha please get in touch with Robert Atkin at rob@cnc.church or find out more at www.southcheltenham.church/alpha

MEMORY CAFÉ at Pip and Jim’s

Pip & Jims are holding a Memory Café on the 2nd and 4th Monday of the month from 2-4pm. The Café will provide a space for social contact over a cuppa and a piece of cake and is aimed at people suffering from memory loss and at their friends and carers. For further information or to offer help please speak to Peter Cottingham: info@pipandjims.org.uk(info@pipandjims.org.uk or 01242 522658).