This Week’s Notices
Notices for the week beginning Sunday 7 March 2021
In person services
These will resume from Palm Sunday (28 March) with the morning and evening services taking place in person and on YouTube from that day onwards. In person Wednesday Holy Communion services will re-start on 31 March and both Good Friday services will be taking place in person and on YouTube. To book seats at the Sunday morning and Good Friday services go to https://www.eventbrite.co.uk/e/in-person-and-on-line-services-tickets-117994810655. There is no need to book seats for other services.
Lent 2021
For details of what will be happening at St John’s for Lent please see here.
To be sent an email during Lent with the day’s act of kindness, send an email to webteam@stjohnsegham.com.
For the service sheet for the Midday Prayer for Lent see here.
Ladies’ Prayer Breakfast on Zoom – everyone welcome
13th March, 9.00 for 9.15. Elspeth Saville, from Laleham Parish Church will be speaking on the topic ‘Look to Jesus’, based on Hebrews 12, 1-3. Looking ahead to ‘the new normal’, how can the image of ‘running the race’ help us to keep going and what lessons can we take forward that will continue to strengthen us, build our church and witness to others? For details of the Zoom link see the St John’s closed Facebook page or contact the Church Office.
Church Electoral Roll
You are invited to join our Electoral Roll – if you haven’t already. It is the Church of England equivalent of saying: ‘I belong’. Please fill in the form on the link below and return it to Veronica Cresswell, Electoral Roll Officer by 28 March or contact the Church Office. https://stjohnsegham.com/wp-content/uploads/2020/09/electoral-roll.docx. All those on the Electoral Roll will be eligible to stand for PCC membership and to vote for those standing for this position at the APCM on Monday 19 April.
Prayer Diary
For details of the Prayer Diary for March 2021 see here.
Caring For God’s Creation
One of the Church of England’s commitments is that at a local and national level we should be Net Carbon Zero by 2030. Hence the Eco-Church team are defining a baseline for St John’s carbon footprint across a range of areas. Please help us by filling in the form here https://forms.gle/VWgm2DfzecQgFpXp8
to help us calculate the carbon footprint of everyone who comes to St John’s regarding their travel to church.
The 2021 Fairtrade Real Easter Egg range
This has moved online as supermarkets have failed to make space for the UK’s only egg which shares the Easter story. You can order direct from www.realeasteregg.co.uk. Other Fairtrade products are available from Traidcraft and can be ordered directly or via St John’s. More details are available at https://stjohnsegham.com/eco-church-2/fair-trade-at-st-johns/.
Easter Concert
The Kings Chamber Orchestra are putting on a free (donations welcome) special online Easter Concert at 7.30pm on Easter Saturday (3 April) called The Happy Prince. For more details go to https://www.kco.cool/easter-concert/ where the YouTube link will be published nearer the time.
Opportunity to Serve – Assistant Treasurer
Could you spend a few hours a week helping the finance team as assistant treasurer? While a finance background is helpful and would allow you take on a broader scope, the key element is focused on making sure we pay our bills and keeping track of incoming money, so is really no different to how most people manage their household finances. If this is something you could enjoy doing, as a first step please contact Chris Gray or Peter Gardner, or give your details to the church office.
Eco Challenge
In February we want to take a moment to reflect on our first formal success as a church, having submitted our application for an EcoChurch Bronze Award. While our focus is really on action, not awards, the awards do help ensure we address specific issues; provide a message to the world that we care by joining with the hundreds of other churches in the scheme; and remind us we have much to do (we have only covered 3/5 categories for Silver). At the same time, we are starting to focus on some major strategic matters such as meeting the Net Zero Carbon target – something which will require some radical changes.
For your Eco Act this month consider
- Are you taking steps on a personal level – did you sign up to the Creation Care program http://www.creationcare.org.uk, and is it making a difference in your life?
2. Could you join the EcoChurch team to help us get specific focus on an area – maybe in practical matters such as the environmental impact of our buildings, or more political areas such as in global engagement on environmental issues, or simply praying for our world? You don’t need to spend time on committees, there is work you can do with your voice, with your arms and legs, or on your knees! Contact us on stjohnseghamecochurch@ gmail.com
New Appointment
We are pleased to let you know that Judah Garrison has been appointed as the new Campus Development Manager. She will be starting in her new role on 1 March.
For information
A defibrillator has been fitted to the wall at the bottom of the stairs in the Easter Centre. Instructions as to how to use it are on the device.
First aid qualifications
Please contact the Church Office, if you haven’t already, if you have a current first aid qualification so that we can add you to the list for the church.
Date for the diary
The APCM will be taking place on the evening of Monday 19 April. More details to follow.
Bible Verse for 2021
For I am convinced that neither death nor life, neither angels nor demons, neither the present nor the future, nor any powers, neither height nor depth, nor anything else in all creation, will be able to separate us from the love of God that is in Christ Jesus our Lord.
Romans 8:38-39
Safeguarding Officer
The new safeguarding email for Lorna Jamison, the Safeguarding Officer for Children and Vulnerable Adults is safeguarding@stjohnsegham.com.
Hardship Fund
The Fund has been very generously supported and “thank you” to everyone who has donated to it. We have provided ongoing updates on the work of the Fund and here are some further areas of support that the church family’s generosity has enabled: postage for post cards being sent by Manorcroft School to their pupils, materials and support for a further Hope in Depression Course, a contribution towards a replacement boiler for a family who had no hot water and heating, food vouchers for families with limited resources, transport costs for a hospital visit, hampers and food vouchers for Christmas from CAP and Besom, the Christmas Kitchen, ongoing provision of snacks and drinks for NHS Staff, Easter eggs with the Easter Message for local children, contributing to facilities to enable a return home from hospital, helping a student overcome significant trauma. As previously requested, if you are aware of any individuals, families or services in our community that require financial support at this time, please do contact Lesley Pocock or the Church Office on office@stjohnsegham.com.
Zoom Coffee
At 11.30 on Sunday we get together on Zoom for coffee. The link is not published here but on our closed Facebook page, search for St Johns church Egham on Facebook. If you cannot find the link email webteam@stjohnsegham.com
Traidcraft
There are many different factors to consider when we make a decision where to buy something from, or even if to buy something at all. There are different fair trade organisations and models for ethical purchases and we have tried to lay out on the EcoChurch website some of those considerations and demystify the jargon. https://stjohnsegham.com/eco-church-2/.
Some suggestions for you to consider:
Good: Think about what you are buying – look at our website to understand better what some of the labels mean.
Better: If you have the choice between buying an item which is labelled as being ‘fair trade’ and one without such a label but is cheaper, consider if you can afford to buy the fair trade product or instead donate that money you save by buying the cheaper item to an organisation supporting social justice and development.
Best: Join the St John’s Traidcraft program – by buying this way you are directly supporting the producers through the Traidcraft organisation. In addition, you will save postage, we get a discount and shipping is more efficient. Take a look at the catalogue and choose a gift or food you need. Or consider a ‘subscription’ where every month you get your supply of sugar, coffee, raisins etc. Details at https://stjohnsegham.com/eco-church-2/fair-trade-at-st-johns/ or email traidcraftstjohnsegham@gmail.com for more information.