WEEKLY NOTICES FOR SATURDAY 18 JULY

Upcoming Services

Sunday, 19 July: The Seventh Sunday after Trinity
8am Holy Communion 9:30am Music Group Eucharist 6pm Choral Evensong	Fr Peter Fr Mark Fr Mark
Wednesday, 22 July (Mary Magdalene)
11:30am Said Eucharist of the Day	Fr Peter
Next Sunday, 26 July: The Eighth Sunday after Trinity
8am Holy Communion 9:30am Sung Eucharist 4pm Sung Evensong at Ashurst	Fr Mark Canon Paul  Fr Mark / Archdeacon Tom

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 Maureen Jones and Milly and Rosie Collins. The intercessions will be led by Vivien Coates with additional prayers from the children.

Choral Evensong

Evensong tomorrow evening will be sung to the setting by William Smith (1603-1645) of Durham. The canticles will be sung to the setting in C by Charles Villiers Stanford (1852‑1924). The anthem will be ‘Thee will I love, my God and King’ by Cecil Armstrong Gibbs (1889-1960). This service usually lasts for around 45 minutes and do feel free to join us, and perhaps tell any friends who enjoy our choral services.

Red Bucket Appeal following the Earthquake

The Disasters Emergency Committee (DEC) has launched a special appeal for recovery and relief operations following the earthquakes in Venezuela. Over this and next weekend, we will continue our red bucket appeal and our 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. If you prefer to pay from a banking app or online banking, please send an email to treasurer@steyningparishchurch.org

You can click here for more information about the appeal – or to donate direct to Christian Aid.

Invitation to the Vicarage Garden 

You can sign-up here (if you have not already done so) you would like to join us for drinks after church in the Vicarage garden after the 9:30am service tomorrow, Sunday 19 July.

Soft drinks, sparkling wine and nibbles will be served until around midday.

Hear the Archdeacon Preach in Ashurst next Sunday

The new 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 next Sunday, 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 beautiful churchyard at Ashurst, weather permitting. Please save the date in your diaries and join us for this special annual service, and perhaps invite a friend. All are welcome.

Help Needed

We are still seeking helpful volunteers in the short-term to unlock and lock the Penfold Church Hall after some occasional one-off bookings, especially on Saturdays). If you might be in a position to assist, please either speak to a churchwarden, or send an email to the Parish Office, and we will provide more information.

Action for Healing and Peace in the Holy Land

Thank you to everyone who donated towards our previous Red Bucket appeal to be used by the charity, the Friends of the Holy Land for its work in and around the parishes of Fr Fadi Diab who visited us over the first weekend of this month. At total of £1,995 was raised which becomes £2,419 with the addition of Gift Aid. This will be rounded-up to a donation of £2,500 altogether. These donations will be used for trauma support, organised by the local churches of the Holy Land, for children and adults affected by the continuing fear and violence.

Fr Fadi was present at General Synod last week to see a motion passed which agreed to ‘hear’ a voices from Palestinian Christians included a document which he has co-author, and known as “Kairos II”, and to take action accordingly. Click here to see the Church Times report of the debate.

Those who heard Fr Fadi speak may be interested to take part in a Webinar about the Crisis in the West Bank organised by the Just Peace Coalition, a new grouping comprising 18 churches and Christian organisations working together on a Just Peace for the Holy Land which has been endorsed by the Archbishop of York and Christian Aid.

This is free and will take place this coming Tuesday, 21 July from 7pm for one hour. Those interested can sign up here.

The speaker, Dalia Qumsieh who will talk about the crisis with Israeli settlements and settler violence in Beit Sahour, the largely Christian town at the site associated with the announcement of the birth of Jesus, where the shepherds heard the message ‘Glory to God in the highest heaven. Peace on earth to everyone who pleases God.’ (Luke 2:14).

If you missed the interview with Fr Fadi, you can watch it here on our YouTube channel, or find it on our Sermons page.

Fill the FSW Basket!

As the summer holidays approach 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 particularly 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 and by the war memorial during the week.

The final total raised for our FSW fundraising concert on 4 July raised was £1,107. Thank you!

Lunchtime Concerts  

We are now halfway through our series of Tuesday lunchtime concerts. These concerts 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.

21 July 28 July 4 August

Cantatrice Sing Out Sister Tredici Wind Ensemble

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

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 August for 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 £5,805 towards its target of £14,000 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.

July Magazine

The current magazine can be read online here. Printed copies are available from the back of church and from the other usual distribution points including the Post Office and Penfold Hall.

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 service with prayers for healing will take place on 29 July, the fifth and final Wednesday of the month.

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.

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

Children’s Church

Meetings of Children’s Church will continue in September.

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.

Board Games Fun

Two board games Café events take place 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 (in the New Revised Standard Version translation), for the Seventh Sunday after Trinity (in Year A, Proper 11) are: Wisdom of Solomon 12:13,16‑19 or Isaiah 44:6‑8; Psalm 86:11‑17; Romans 8:12‑25; and Matthew 13:24‑30,36‑43.

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)

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

Vivienne Powell, Lilian Gallagher, Leah Marie Johnstone, Ivy  Saunders, Joyce Margaret Honer, Monica Mason, Ronald Tudor, Wray Woodrow, Robin Andrew Hall, Betty Ash, Rosemary Le Tissier, Marilyn Judith Robertson-Aikman, Janice Elizabeth Ann Beale