Dear friends,

Holy Week this year is almost a full month later than last year. Given the weather that we have experienced recently, it is perhaps just as well.

On Palm Sunday, April 9^th, I am hopeful that the weather will again allow us to begin our worship at 9.30am with a Palm Procession. Those who wish, are invited to congregate in the school grounds at about 9.15am to enable us to begin the short walk up to church at 9.30am. This give us plenty of time to enable our church service to begin at its normal time of 9.45am.
Last year many of the youngsters ‘dressed’ for the occasion – which added to the spectacle – and it would be nice if we could do this again.

On Good Friday morning we will have our usual Childrens’ Activity between 10am and 11am. In the past we have focussed on the Stations of the Cross which the children have made.
This year I would like to do something similar, and if we get sufficient numbers, to also construct an Easter Garden. Adults and children are very welcome to join us – it is always a very enjoyable and rewarding time.

The Service of Light is on Easter Eve, Saturday 15th at 6.30pm when we bring into church our ‘new’ Easter Candle. Please try and support this Service as we renew our Baptismal Vows.

We celebrate the resurrection of our Lord Jesus Christ on Easter Day – a day of joy, good news, joyful liturgy and a sure and certain hope of the glory that is yet to be revealed.

With every blessing,

Graham

This Month's Readings

April 2nd 5th Sunday of Lent                        Hebrews 5:5-10                        John 12:20-33

April 9th Palm Sunday                                  Psalm 118:19-24                       Mark 11:1-11

April 16th Easter Day                                   Acts 10:34-43                           Mark 16:1-8

April 23rd 2nd Sunday of Easter                    Acts 4:32-35                             John 20:19-31

April 30th 3rd Sunday of Easter                     Acts 3:12-19                             Luke 24:36b-48

May 7th 4th Sunday of Easter                       Acts 4:5-12                               John 10:11-18

April Services

Passion Sunday                       9.45am Holy Communion
2nd April                                 3pm Evensong

Thursday 6th April                10.00am Holy Communion

Friday 7th April                     2.00pm St Thomas School Service

HOLY WEEK begins

Palm Sunday                          9.30am Procession of Palms
9th April                                 9.45am Holy Communion

Maundy Thursday               10.00am Holy Communion
13th April                              7.30pm Holy Communion followed by Vigil until 10pm

Good Friday                         10.00am Children’s Activity Service
14th April                              2.00pm The Last Hour – a meditative service

Easter Eve                             6.30pm Service of Light and Renewal of Baptismal Vows
15th April

Easter Day                            9.45am Holy Communion
16th April

HOLY WEEK ends

Thursday 20th April           10.00am Holy Communion

2nd Sunday of Easter          9.45am Holy Communion
23rd April                            3pm Evensong

Thursday 27th April          10.00am Holy Communion

3rd Sunday of Easter          9.45am Holy Communion
30th April                            3pm Evensong

Thursday 4th May             10.00am Holy Communion

4th Sunday of Easter          9.45am Holy Communion
7th May                               3pm Evensong

Slide Show

Last month we managed to secure an additional event to our social calendar - a special showing of some of the best photographic slides from the many photographers in clubs throughout Great Britain.

This was held in our school hall on Monday 13th February and was one of only three showings in the whole of the Lancashire and Cheshire region.

The show, put on for us by members of Rochdale & District Camera Club, contained some magnificent nature photography, spectacular landscapes and some stunning environmental portraits - in fact something for everyone.

Such was the success of the evening that we hope to be able to show next year’s winning slides here on Monday 22nd January 2007 - make a note of the date in your diary.

Annual Church Meeting

Will all those whose names are on the Electoral Roll and any other interested parties please note that the Annual Church Meeting for St Thomas’ Church, Newhey, will be held on Thursday 27th April in the day school at 7.30pm.

In recent years this important meeting has been held in church after the morning Service but this year we have decided to see if holding it down in school and on a week night might be beneficial.

The first item on the agenda will be the election of our two Churchwardens and their team of Sidesmen for the coming year. This will be followed by the financial report and then reports from all the various groups and organisations within the church. Please try and attend if you can.

Most importantly, if we are to produce an annual report booklet, please let John Smith have your reports before the 9th April by email or on disc.

Holy Week

Holy Week commences on Palm Sunday when, weather permitting we hope to meet outside the school and walk up to church - you may remember that last year many of the youngsters dressed up for the occasion.

Then on Maundy Thursday as well as our normal 10am Thursday morning Communion Service, there is to be another at 7.30pm followed by a Vigil until 10pm.

On Good Friday we have a Childrens Activity Service at 10am and a Last Hour meditative Service at 2pm..

A Service of Light and Renewal of Baptism Vows is at 6.30pm on Saturday and the week finishes with the 9.45am Communion Service on Easter Day.

Please try and attend as many of these Services as you can.

Fellowship Group

Will all members please note that the Fellowship Group’s next meeting is being held on the 2nd Wednesday of the month. This meeting is being held at the home of Joyce and Ted Taylor, 34 Haugh Lane, on Wednesday 12th April commencing at 2.30pm.

Our visiting speaker will be from the Fire Service to give a talk on ‘Safety in the Home’ - further details can be obtained from Joyce

Mrs Rothwell Retires

Mrs Rothwell has worked at our school serving dinners for almost 20 years and she recently decided that it was time to retire, put her feet up and be served!

The children and staff in school gave her flowers and a gift voucher to spend and Bronwen Jackson and Lois Black from Facilities Management came and presented her with flowers, wine and a photo frame.

Susan told everyone that she had enjoyed her time working with the children of Newhey at St Thomas’ - the school she herself attended as a pupil.

Everybody at St Thomas’ School wishes her a long and happy retirement, and we are sure she will wonder how she ever found the time to come to work!

Family Service

You may remember in last month’s magazine Graham suggested that we regularly hold a Family Service using a new, child friendly and easier to follow, service book.

Graham produced the new booklet and the first Service using this new format was on the 26th March when we celebrated Mothering Sunday.

The children and their families took an active part in the Service and the Sunday School children sang and ‘signed’ to a song.

At the end of the Service the children distributed flowers and cards to all the mothers present in church.

This new format seemed to go extremely well and will be repeated in the future.

Burns' Night

It seems a long time since the end of January when we celebrated Burns’ Night.

Unfortunately the report and pictures were never published - so better late than never.......

The evening opened with some Scottish dancing with instructions given by an extremely patient caller!

Then at 9pm our MC, Garth Fell introduced the piper, Ian Crossley, who entered the room leading Frank Jackson, the bearer of the haggis.

Teresa Rook then read a couple of poems by Burns before the toasts. The first to the Ladies was given by John Smith and the reply to the Gentlemen by Noleen Adshead. The Loyal Toast and the Celtic Grace were given by our Vicar, Graham, before everyone settled down to a potato pie supper.

Our thanks go to the main organisers of the evening, Jennifer and Stuart Barker.

Parish Prayers

Bible Sentence
When we were Baptised into Christ Jesus, we were baptised into his death, so that, as Christ was raised from the dead by the Father's glory, we also might walk in newness of life.
Romans 6:3-4

Our Prayers

Easter Holidays

O Lord, who conquered over the power of death.
Grant that Easter will be not only a holiday to the people of our parish.
But a time to think of the great sacrifice you made for them and how on Easter Day you appeared to
the disciples in your risen power.
May Easter joy upraise, those who are seeking rest and change from their daily toil and help them to
find the fortification they need.
May they hear again the Easter bible story and may it come to abide in their hearts to deepen their faith
so that they can look beond this holiday to things eternal.

Parish Concerns

Be with our children who are on holiday from school and keep them from harm
May Easter joy heal any quarrels between family and colleagues
May those who are ignorant of the love of Christ find his risen life

Wider Concerns

Protect from danger all who travel on holiday by land, or air, or water and bring them safely to their destination
Give your church the power to proclaim the truth of Christ’s resurrection in the world today
Heal our imperfections and divisions