WEEKLY NOTICES FOR SATURDAY 18 APRIL

Upcoming Services

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

The readers at tomorrow’s 9:30am Music Group Eucharist will be Milly and Rosie Collins and the intercessions will be led by Vivien Coates.

Annual Meetings and Elections

Please join us for this year’s annual meetings which take place after the Music Group Eucharist tomorrow. These include the election of two churchwardens, four deanery synod members and to fill three vacancies on the Parochial Church Council. The electoral roll is now closed to new enrolments until after this year’s annual meetings.

Click here to see the formal notice of the meetings, including details of the elections; this notice can also be viewed in the church porch. Nomination forms may be downloaded from the Parish Resources website.

Choral Evensong Tomorrow

The canticles at Choral Evensong tomorrow evening will be sung to the setting in C by Charles Villiers Stanford (1852‑1924). The music for the responses is by William Smith (1603‑1645) of Durham. The anthem is the unaccompanied masterpiece Locus Iste (This place [was made by God]), composed in Vienna in 1869 by Anton Bruckner (1824-1896). All are welcome to this peaceful service which usually lasts for around 50 minutes.

Music with Music from Taizé

Come and relax at the next Candlelit Taizé service next Sunday evening at 6pm. Meditative chants, prayer and silence fostering a spirit of peace, reconciliation and faith. All are welcome – and perhaps invite a friend who would enjoy this service.

Study Events on Saturdays

This morning, 18 April (from 10:30am to midday): War and the Middle East Crisis

• The current war and the life of Christians in the Middle East and the Holy Land. You are invited to a talk by Roger Williamson followed by questions. Entry is free and donations will go towards the red bucket appeal described above.

Next Saturday, 25 April (from 10am until 3pm): Storrington Deanery Study Day

• Introducing the Gospel of St Matthew, led by Canon Dr Peter Sills (former Vice-Dean of Ely). A day of exploring who Matthew was and why he wrote the Gospel, his sources and the major themes, and Matthew’s picture of Jesus, at St Mary’s West Chiltington. Please bring your own lunch. Tea and coffee will be provided.

Red Bucket Collection

Tomorrow is the last Sunday of our red‑bucket collection for aid in the Middle East. The donations will be split between two Christian charities working in the Holy Land and surrounding areas: the current Christian Aid Middle East Humanitarian Appeal, and Friends of the Holy Land. Please give generously according to your means.

Steyning Festival 2026

The Steyning Festival takes place over the spring half-term holiday, from 22 to 31 May. Many of the events will be taking place in church and we are looking for volunteers to help oversee each event, including locking up the church at the end. This role is in addition to that of stewards which will be coordinated separately. If you are able to help or interested in finding out more, please speak to Christine Aubrey, or email her to express your interest. (For information about stewarding and volunteering at the Festival generally, please click here.)

Children’s Church

Meetings of Children’s Church continue on first and fourth Sundays. Children should join the congregation at the beginning of the service at 9:30am, then head over to the Penfold Hall for crafts, games, stories and worship before coming back into church for the final part of the Eucharist.

Concerts in Church

• Saturday, 2 May: the church will be filled with over 2,000 candles for a return visit from a Lumos string trio, this time playing settings of songs by the band Coldplay. Two one‑hour sittings, at 7pm and 9pm. Tickets from £22 (including booking fee).
• Saturday 6 June (at 7:30pm): Chanctonbury Chorus under its talented new Musical Director, Liz Kirkland, presents ‘Together We Sing!’ The concert features music by Oscar winner, Rachel Portman, Anton Bruckner, Morten Lauridsen, Gabriel Fauré, Randall Thompson and more. Tickets are £15 and are now available from Canon Nigel after most Sunday sung services. Click here to see more details of the concert.
• Saturday, 11 July (at 4:30pm): a return visit from the Kaleidoscope Singers under the direction of Zoe Peate. Details to follow.  

Little Stars!

Meetings continue in the Penfold Hall over the usual two sessions each week:

• Monday afternoons from 1pm to 2:45pm
• Thursday mornings from 9:30 to 11:30am.

There is no need to apply or book. Just turn up at the Penfold Hall with your children. Any enquiries can be directed to Gary on 07396 963996 or at families@steyningparishchurch.org.

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, 8 May. 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

Wednesday Coffee

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

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 midweek service with prayers for healing will take place on the final Wednesday of the month, 29 April.

Board Games Fun

There are now two board games Café events each month at the Penfold Hall. The afternoon session takes place every second Tuesday from 3:15pm until 5:15pm. The evening session takes place from 6pm to 9pm on the fourth Monday of each month. For more information speak to Gary or send him an email – or just turn up on the day. Come by yourself or invite a friend.

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 collect and shortened readings (Contemporary English Version) to be used at the Music Group Eucharist may be found here.

The full set of readings for the Principal Service for Easter 3 in Year A in the New Revised Standard Version translation are: Acts 2:14a,36‑41; Psalm 116:1‑3,10‑17; (1 Peter 1:17‑23); Luke 24:13‑35.

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

Roman and Oakley Acton (Steyning, 26 April)

Recently Departed

John Hicks, Daphne Parker, Millicent Eaton.

Year’s Mind

Frederick Towers, Alice Walford, Daisy Towers, Martin Toomey, Stanley Thames, Joy Turner, George James, Dennis Goldsmith, John Sear, John Grossmith Edlin, Daphne Florence Elliott, Bob Cann, Michelle Kerry (‘Shelley’) Thomson, Margaret Ettie Goodman, Roy Carmine Fontana Amerena, Ken Pinder, Michael (‘Mick’) Hodges, Pamela Hazell.