Dear Friends,
Its been quite a week! We were (just) able to go ahead with the Lenten talk at Hoveton on Tuesday evening before the snow began to close in as we were returning home. By the next day travel was not advised resulting in the cancellation of the parish Masses on Wednesday and Friday mornings. We also spread the news that the deanery Lenten Station Mass at St George’s was cancelled as were the services to mark the Women’s World Day of Prayer.
It looks likely that Norfolk will escape any further snow; in fact our corner seems to have missed the worst of it and was not touched by Storm Emma. However we were in the front line when it came to the artic wind from Siberia which seemed to get in everywhere. Let’s hope that spring is just round the corner!
Father James
The Senior Citizens Group (NW) meets on Monday 5th at its regular time of 11am. when there will be the usual morning activities followed by lunch. In the afternoon North Norfolk Productions will give a talk entitled Memories of North Walsham”: more information from Teresa Butler on 01692 405007.
Support Cambodia’s ‘Soups, Slides & Crafts’ event is next Saturday, 10th March in the parish hall from 11.30am – 2.30 pm. Homemade soup lunch will be provided (bacon rolls extra!), with a slide show on the recent Trustee visit. Cambodia crafts will be on sale. Tickets £3 from Katie.
The 3rd and final Session of Fr James’ Lent Course will be held at Aylsham on Tuesday 13th March at 7.00pm. It is entitled: ‘ The Passion story according to St Mark and St John’. To enable as many as possible to get to there could those who drive please be available to give lifts, and to those who are not driving, don’t be shy to request a lift.
Next Sunday, Mothering Sunday, there will be a Family Mass at the Sacred Heart at 11am. Children take major roles in the liturgy.
An update from CAFOD on the “Power to be Campaign” – Thank you for your support, CAFOD received over 31,600 signed cards (and still counting). The good new is that the World Bank will stop their support for oil and gas exploration and production after 2019. This is a significant shift in policy! Still time to sign the petition on line if you haven’t already done so at cafod.org.uk/powertobe
If you are already or would like to be a CAFOD MP correspondent and receive email updates from CAFOD about the campaigns you need to go online and sign up to cafod.org.uk/mpc There are cards with more information about being an MP correspondent at the back of each church.
Stations of the Cross are held throughout Lent at North Walsham on Friday’s at 12noon and at Aylsham Fridays after Mass/Service of the Word; at St Helen’s they are on Good Friday commencing at 7.00pm.
Lent Lunches in North Walsham take place each Thursday of Lent at St Benet’s Hall at 12.30pm. At Aylsham: St John of the Cross – Tues 27th February. Emmanuel Church, Cawston Rd – Wed. 7th March. The Quakers, Red Lion Street – Thur. 15th March and Aylsham Parish Church, Market Place – Wednesday 21st March.
We pray for our sick parishioners, including Barbara Appleton, Margaret Wynes, Peter Walmesly, Mary Carr and Linda Dawson.
We pray for Betty Allain and Michael Fogarty who died last week; we remember their families and friends at this time. We pray also for those whose anniversaries occur this week including: Margaret (Peggy) Forder, Joan Elsmore, Leslie Hammond, Jim Bowden, Shaun Tusting, Patrick Shiell and Agatha Semak.
May they rest in peace.
Living Simply Theme for Lent: Fast, Pray and Give
This week’s suggestion: Take home the CAFOD Lent Prayer Card and use it every day.
