WEEKLY NOTICES FOR SATURDAY 25 JULY

Upcoming Services

See ‘Online Worship Resources’ below for the usual links to Sunday’s Bible readings.

The reader at tomorrow’s 9:30am Eucharist will be Larry Culliford, and the intercessions will be led by Mary Evans.

August Magazine

The new magazine for next month can be read online here. Printed copies will available from the back of church from tomorrow and from the other usual distribution points in due course.

Steyning’s Biggest Picnic is back!

Steyning Downland Scheme invite everyone including families and children to come and join them at the Big Picnic THIS AFTERNOON, 24 July from midday until 3:30pm. The outdoor programme of activities and games for all ages will include a tractor and trailer ride and a fun dog show. Children go FREE! Tickets for adults £3 online, £5 if you pay on arrival. Click here to sign up for the lower price.

Hear the Archdeacon Preach Tomorrow at Ashurst

The Archdeacon of Chichester, the Venerable Dr Tom Carpenter will be the preacher at Sung Evensong to celebrate the Festival of St James over at Ashurst at 4pm tomorrow, 28 July. Following a tradition dating back to mediaeval times, refreshments after the service will include servings of ‘St James’s Ale’ (as well as wine, soft drinks and nibbles) in the churchyard at Ashurst where you can admire its wildflowers. All are welcome. You can park on the grass verge between the church and the school, or outside the school if you’re happy to walk down.

Reflections Next Sunday

Next Sunday’s theme for our monthly informal and quiet service of music, prayer and reflection for the first Sunday of the month is Gathering up the fragments – ‘And all of them ate and were filled; and they took up the broken pieces left over, seven baskets full. Matthew 15:37. These services run for between 40 and 45 minutes. All are welcome.

Summer Holidays for Families and Children – Volunteers Needed

Gary is still looking for volunteers to help with the family-fun holiday activity mornings at the Penfold Hall in August. We are currently short of offers especially for the opening session on 3 August but helpers are also needed on 6, 10 and 13 August. Assistance s needed from 9:45am to 12.15pm. No prior experience is needed for this particular role.

Also, for the painting sessions, Gary is looking for anyone with any spare old shirts that can be used as cover-alls.

This Monday evening (27 July) there will be the last session of the Board Games Café before the summer break, so why not join Gary for an evening of fun (from 6pm to 9pm but stay as long as you like). Board games are provided but feel free to bring your own if you wish.

Little Stars finished for the summer and will resume for the Monday 24 and Thursday 27 August sessions (when it will be back to normal apart from being off for Bank Holiday Monday on 31 August).

Children’s church will resume on Sunday 6th September

Red Bucket Appeal – Last Day

This weekend is your last opportunity to donate in cash into our Red Bucket towards the Disasters Emergency Committee (DEC) special appeal for recovery and relief operations following the earthquakes in Venezuela. Your gifts will be channelled through Christian Aid, one of the 15 constituent charities of DEC. If you are a tax payer and wish to add Gift Aid to your donation, please complete one of the blue envelopes (your name is sufficient if we already have your address in our records) before adding it to the bucket. Alternatively, you can tap the church contactless donation point on a Sunday morning whenever the red (rather than blue) display mentions the red bucket appeal.

Thank you to everyone who donated towards our previous Red Bucket appeal to be used by the charity, the Friends of the Holy Land. A total of £1,995, topped-up to £2,500 after Gift Aid and a rounding donation from the PCC Away Giving Fund will be used to support families suffering from trauma on the Palestinian West Bank. Look for the Pastoral Letter from Fr Fadi and a report from the weekend in the August magazine. If you missed his interview on 5 July, you can watch it here on our YouTube channel, or find it on our Sermons page.

Last Sunday in the Vicarage Garden

Thanks to everyone who helped by preparing nibbles, serving and with setting up and taking down the gazebos last Saturday. It was good for everyone to have a chance to meet Beth, our new Office Manager and to socialise in a relaxed setting.

Fill the FSW Basket!

Jason Palmer from the FSW Fundraising Team has written to express ‘heartfelt thanks for an amazing donation of £1,107.60’ raised through the Jazz Vespers fundraising concert on 4 July. These monies will directly support your local practitioner, Michelle – in her work with families in the area.

And now that the summer holidays have begun our diocesan charity, Family Support Work will be facing increased demand for food to support their families. Anything you can give will be very much appreciated – especially any tins of  meat and fish, tinned tomatoes, rice and pasta, tea and coffee and other dry groceries.  Our basket for contributions is in the porch on Sunday mornings, or by the war memorial, to the far side of the font, during the week.

Lunchtime Concerts  

As we near the end of our series of Tuesday lunchtime concerts there are two remaining:

These begin at 12:30pm and run for 30 minutes, and are free to enter with a voluntary retiring collection towards church building and improvement projects.

Click here to find out about forthcoming weekend concerts from this autumn onwards.

Pick Your Own Fruit

Fruit on the Vicarage apple and plum trees is starting to ripen. The apple tree at the bottom of the Vicarage drive will have some fruit ready in the coming week. If you would like some, please feel free to come and pick but ring the Vicarage doorbell first. (Don’t worry if there is no answer; just go ahead but please try to avoid Fridays as it’s the Vicar’s day off.)

NB An apple is ready when it releases from the branch when you twist it. Note that windfalls from this tree are generally not good. The plum tree is nearer the Cottage but some plums will be out of reach. Remember to bring your own bags.

Authorised Lay Ministry

In the Diocese of Chichester, the Authorised Lay Ministry (‘ALM’) training programme offers flexible, skills‐based formation for lay people called to serve in public ministry within their local church. Next academic year, starting this September there is the opportunity to learn with other lay people in up to twelve study areas, known as ‘electives’. These include: Children’s Ministry, Creation/Eco Church, Pastoral Ministry, Preaching, Traditional Music in Worship and Worship & Liturgy. For the full list and application process click here. Applications are now open and close on 12 Augustfor a September 2026 start. Those applying need the support of their incumbent and are nominated by the PCC. There is a small charge for those of pre-retirement age, except for those who are unwaged, but this fee can be paid for from church funds. If you are interested in finding out more, please speak to Fr Mark, or to Judie Thomson who has undergone this training.

In Memory of David Boyle and Martin Toomey

The Downland Scheme crowd-funding campaign in memory of David and Martin has so far raised over 40 per cent of its target to enable those who can no longer walk up to the Downs to access this beautiful landscape, with a new bench and a new mobility vehicle suitable for some of the hill paths. To find out more, please click here.

Wednesday Coffee

Our friendly coffee mornings continue without a break during August. Anyone is welcome to join us at the Penfold Hall on any Wednesday morning between 10am and 11:30am for real coffee or tea, conversation and big smiles. If you are willing to help, please speak to a member of the team.

Midweek Eucharist with Prayers for Healing

All are welcome to our peaceful midweek service which takes place in the chancel of St Andrew’s & St Cuthman’s at 11:30am every Wednesday. The next service with prayers for healing will take place this coming Wednesday, 29 July (the fifth and final Wednesday of the month).

Good Grief Café

The sessions take place every second Friday afternoon from 2pm until 4pm in the Penfold Hall, with the next session scheduled for Friday, 14 August. Those who have experienced any sort of loss are welcome to join us for tea or coffee, biscuits and a listening ear. Come to talk and share, or just listen. For more information, please ring 01903 813276 or, if you prefer, you can email care@steyningparishchurch.org

Free Food – Three Times a Week!

Steyning Community Fridge now holds three sessions each week, including Sunday mornings so feel free to pop down to the Cottage after the 9:30am service to pick up some fresh food that is close to or has just passed its best‑before date but is still good to eat. Opening times are as follows:

Monday evenings from 6pm to 7pm
Thursday mornings from 10am to 11am
Sunday mornings from 10:45 to 11:45am.

Click here to send an email to the organisers. Donations to help with transport costs are always welcome.

Intercessions for Healing

Please contact the Parish Office (or on 01903 813276) if anyone you know should be added (with their consent) to our public intercessions. To contact or update our Prayer Group, please write to prayer@steyningparishchurch.org

ONLINE WORSHIP RESOURCES

The readings for tomorrow morning (Eighth Sunday after Trinity, Proper 12) are as follows: 1 Kings 3:5‑12; Psalm 119:129‑136; Romans 8:26‑39; Matthew 13:31‑33,44‑52.

The lections appointed for St James the Apostle, to be celebrated tomorrow afternoon are: Psalm 126; Jeremiah 45:1‑5; Matthew 20:20‑28.

The Church of England continues to provide a videoed, pre‑recorded service, available every Sunday at 9am. These services tend to last between 30 and 50 minutes.

Services continue to be streamed live from our Cathedral. The text of each service, including hymns and readings, is usually available as a PDF on the same page.

FOR YOUR PRAYERS

Holy Baptism

Tanaka Amara Aoife Evans-Clarke (Ashurst, 12 July)
Innis Gloria June Gue (Steyning, 26 July)
Avari Loretta Louise Norman (Ashurst, 26 July)

Holy Matrimony

Fraser Sheath & Millie Aiton (Steyning, 11 July)
Matt Griffiths and Alex Durrant (Ashurst, 25 July)
Stephen Balfour and Olivia Middleton (Steyning, 25 July)

Recently Departed

Jill Maureen McDonald, John Ernest Brown, Brenda Wadman, Peter Stedman.

Year’s Mind

Rosemary Le Tissier, Marilyn Judith Robertson-Aikman, Janice Elizabeth Ann (‘Jan’) Beale, Moya Beavan, Roger Alfred Burgess, Stephen Dennis Nightingale, Andrew Michael Ruedi Baird, Doug Mitchell.