Dear Friends,
Today we celebrate the Feast of the Baptism of the Lord and we will hear the alternative readings for Year C. The Gospel gives a dramatic and public revelation (epiphany) of who Jesus is: ‘You are my Son, the beloved. The baptism of Jesus is not for the forgiveness of sin but a proclamation of his identity. This is also true of our baptism: it is a revelation that the baptised is now a beloved son or daughter on whom God’s favour rests.
Father James
This Sunday there will be a retiring collection for the White Flower Appeal made by the Society for the Protection of the Unborn Child.
The next session of Journey in Faith is today, Sunday, at 5 pm in the presbytery.
On Sunday afternoon, 20th January, at 3.00pm, we shall host an important ecumenical event in North Walsham. All the churches in the town will formally sign a covenant promising to work together and support each other. It is some years since this last took place and it sends out a positive message about the good relations between the churches in the town.
The Senior Citizens Group (NW) will meet on Monday 14th for their usual weekly activities. In the afternoon there will be a quiz.
If you have been considering attending our group’s weekly meetings in 2019, do come along and join us. We are a friendly bunch of currently around 16 people and would extend a warm welcome to anyone who would like to come along. If you would like more information about the group and what we get up to, please don’t hesitate to contact Teresa Butler on 01692 405007 or 07901 830327
The Bible Group meets again on Friday 25th January at 2.30pm in the parish hall. Any newcomers will be very welcome.
There will be NO Coffee Drop-in at St Helen’s in January. The next one will be on Wednesday 6th February.
Cromer Foodbank and Norwich Foodbank. Please continue to donate food every week throughout the year. There is a list on the notice boards each month of what the Foodbanks particularly need that month together with their letter of thanks.
The annual visit to Cambodia. Four members of the parish, Katie, Bob, Fran and Jan from St John of the Cross, will be making their annual visit to Cambodia, leaving next Monday 14th. During their time there visiting various parts of the country, they will visit our twinned parish of Svay Sisophon. They go with our prayers and best wishes to Fr Greg and the parishioners of St Francis Xavier.
Items for the newsletter. If you have details on any forthcoming events taking place in our three communities or news from around the diocese that could be publicised in the weekly bulletin, or, if enough to make up a ‘parish diary’, please post these items to the office email address or hand them in on paper. The email address is: sacredheart@computer-assist.net
We pray for all our sick parishioners, including Deacon Ron O’Toole, Mary Johnson, Joe Seely, Maria Wilby and Nicholas Elphinstone.
We pray for Tony Seaborne who died recently. His Funeral Mass will take place at Aylsham on Friday, 25th January at 10 am. We remember his family and friends at this time. We also pray for all those whose anniversaries occur at this time including: Ben Bianco, Kathleen Holdstock, Romano Pagani, Dorothy Henderson, Rosemary Semple, Joana Auckland and Henry Newsham.
May they rest in peace.
