Notices for Sunday 23 February
2ND SUNDAY BEFORE LENT
Readings
Genesis 2.4b-9, 15-end; Revelation 4; Luke 8.22–25
MORNING PRAYER
Morning Prayer and is live-streamed at 9am each morning (Mon-Thu) from www.stpetersleck.org or www.facebook.com/southcheltenham
You can also join in person as follows:
- Mon – Pip & Jim’s,
- Tue – St. Christopher’s
- Wed – Emmanuel
- Thu – St. Peter’s Cottages
Daily Prayer App
If you have a mobile, then you may wish to download the Daily Prayer app (available from Daily Prayer), which will have the services and readings for the day.
Live Streams
www.stpetersleck.org or www.facebook.com/stpetersleckhampton
CALENDAR of events
Click here to see upcoming events
OFFERTORY
We do not take a collection at St. Peter’s during the service, but you can make a donation using the card machine, which is facing you as you come in, or by using the basket if cash.
REST IN PEACE
Please let Revd Gary know if there is anyone who has died recently so that prayers can be said for them and their families.
PRAYERS
Please let Revd Gary know of anyone who has died recently or who needs prayer at this time. See church website also:
https://stpetersleck.org/for-our-prayers/
A PRAYER FOR ALL THOSE WHO ARE VICTIMS OR SURVIVORS OF ABUSE
Tender God, Look with mercy on all who have experienced profound harm and any for whom faith is associated with hurt and damage. Bless those for whom recent events have stirred up memories and emotions that evoke grief and woundedness.
Send your Spirit on your church, that it may be wiser and more rigorous even as it is sadder and humbler. Guide your church to cherish all your children, that in your Son’s broken body we may see not only sorrow but also your everlasting faithfulness to us. Amen.
PRAYERS FOR PEACE
Please pray for peace in the Holy Land and a de-escalation of tensions, and an end to war in Ukraine and Gaza.
God of peace, in this time of sorrow and reflection, we come to you with heavy hearts for the lives lost and the pain endured. Be with those who mourn, with those who live in fear, with those longing for justice and safety. May your peace dwell where there is brokenness. Amen.
Click to donate to Christian Aid’s Gaza appeal: https://caid.org.uk/BBW
*ELECTORAL ROLL RENEWAL*
This year the Electoral Roll is due to be completely renewed and a fresh application has to be made. If you regard yourself as a regular worshipper at St Peter’s, I encourage you to add your name. Being on the Roll is a sign that you regard yourself as a full member of the church. The Roll ought to be an accurate reflection of the size of the congregation, and this is useful for a variety of purposes. Another function is to give the Parish Office names and addresses to contact (subject to data protection) for urgent or important notices. So it could be to your advantage to be included.
Parishioners who were on the previous Roll will receive application forms by email or can download the form from the website (this can be completed and returned electronically). For those who do not have email, we will post or deliver a form to you. Anyone applying for the first time may collect a form from a tray at the back of the church or access one from the website.
When completed the form can be sent by email or hard copy to the Parish Office or left in the box marked ‘ELECTORAL ROLL APPLICATIONS’. The closing date for all applications is: Sunday 13th April.
Revd Gary.
LITTLE PEBBLES
Little Pebbles, for babies, pre-schoolers and their carers, meets every Tuesday from 10-11.30am during term-time in the Cottages.
JUNIOR CHURCH
Children – pre-schoolers and juniors – There are things to do in the children’s area each week in church.
Please see the Junior Church webpages for information and online activities: https://stpetersleck.org/mesmerize/groups-at-st-peters/junior-church/
The next First Sunday service is Lent Temptations at 10am on 2-Mar.
SOUTH CHELTENHAM YOUTH
Please contact Abbie, our Youth Worker, at abbie@southcheltyouth.org.uk for more info or go to www.southcheltyouth.org.uk.
CCP FOOD COLLECTIONS
Many thanks to everyone who continues to donate to CCP. The weight of donations for the Hamper Scamper was 32.4kg bringing the grand total of donations to CCP for 2024 to 881.9kg! Donations can be left in the church porch.
Please contact Gilly via email: gilly_whittingham@btinternet.com if you would like to arrange a home collection.
If you prefer you can donate directly here.
CHRISTMAS SHOEBOX APPEAL – RESULTS
This year, Link to Hope delivered an amazing 25,633 shoeboxes to people in desperate need. To see a first-hand account and some eye-opening photographs, visit www.linktohope.co.uk/shoebox-appeal-delivery-diary-2024/. Thanks to all who contributed at St Peter’s.
LLHS MEMBERS’ MEETING
Tue 25th Feb, 7.30pm at St Peter’s Church
Members will bring research and items of interest to share with the society. Always and interesting evening. For more info, please contact Sue Marlow on 01242 581661
CRAFT GROUP
Every Wednesday, 10-12 in the Cottages
All are welcome to join, even if just for a ‘cuppa’ and a chat.
ECO CHURCH NOTICES
Click here for this month’s green/eco tips as well as local events and information below:
Sustainable Shopping
Click here for ideas of how to be more eco when shopping for food or clothes.
Climate Emergency Declaration
Click here or see the Eco Noticeboard in the Cottages to see the PCC’s declaration.
Sea Turtle Conservation
Florence Skinner is trying to raise £3000 to help save sea turtles. For more details, please go to: https://www.justgiving.com/crowdfunding/florrie-skinner-1?utm_term=QMwDGKKdY.
Churchyard Maintenance
Please contact Brad via the Parish Office if you can spare an hour or two every so often, to help with grass cutting and other jobs.
Carbon Fast for Lent
See www.stpetersleck.org/lent-resources/#carbon-fast to learn more about taking part.
FRIDAY LUNCH WITH FRIENDS
Fri 28th Feb, 12.30-2pm,
at 1 Vineries Close
Come and join us for a light lunch.
All are welcome! Sally & Peter Marlow.
SKITTLES EVENING
Mon 17th Mar, 7.00pm, Somerset Arms
The Men’s and Ladies’ groups are meeting to play skittles and enjoy a buffet afterwards (gluten/meat-free options available). All are welcome to come along. The price is £10 per person (covers buffet and alley). Please contact John Laurence for payment details on 07717 222687 or john.laurence.chelt@gmail.com
COMMUNITY & OTHER NOTICES
All the notices in this newsletter along with other items of interest, are shown on the website. Do have a look at the online Noticeboard to see what else is going on!
SAFEGUARDING TRAINING
“Speak up for people who cannot speak for themselves. Protect the rights of all who are helpless.” (Proverbs 31.8)
Let us be reminded that we ALL have a duty as Christians to protect those who are vulnerable. As part of that protection it is important that everyone involved in the life of St Peter’s has
- an awareness of safeguarding issues
- knows what to do if you think someone may be vulnerable
If you are involved in running any activity at St Peter’s you should undertake Basic training as a minimum. This is available via the Church of England’s Safeguarding Training Portal: https://safeguardingtraining.cofeportal.org/
If you do not have online access to or are more comfortable with a face-to-face course, please let me know.
For further information about Safeguarding and DBS checks, see the Safeguarding section of the website. Thank you. Liz Johnson
TEAM NEWS
LENT TALK
Weds 12th March, 7pm at Pip & Jim’s Church
This year’s South Cheltenham Team Lent Talk will be given by Rev Dr Carlton Turner.
Carlton is someone Rev Ruth frequently turns to spiritually and intellectually for guidance. He is the Deputy Director of Research at the Queen’s Foundation and is currently a Psychology/Theology Cross-Training Fellow with the University of Birmingham and the John Templeton Foundation – working on the intersection between Psychology and theology. He wrote the accompaniment to last year’s Archbishop’s Lent book, available here. Carlton draws on a wealth of experience in mission, Island theology, justice and loving God in good times and bad. He is a fantastic, relaxed and inspiring speaker. More details in due course, but please put the date in your diaries.
EMMANUEL NETWORK CHURCH
Since 2021, Cheltenham Network Church (CNC) and Emmanuel Church have been working in partnership, sharing a vision for mission and discipleship across Cheltenham. CNC, a Bishop’s Mission has gathered people from across the town with a focus on outreach and networks, while Emmanuel has served as a neighbourhood church, rooted in its local area.
Through prayer and discernment, we’ve recognised the need for a clearer identity that reflects our unity while honouring both expressions of church. To help us move forward together, we are adopting a shared name: ‘Emmanuel Network Church’.
This name captures our vision of being both a neighbourhood church and a network of hope, making it clearer who we are as we seek to help people encounter Jesus. We’ll transition gradually, updating our communications, signage, and online presence, with full implementation by Easter 2025.
Thank you for your prayers and support as we step into this next season together.
Revd Sarah
CONFIRMATION
There will be a service of Confirmation at St. Peter’s at 4pm on Sun 22nd June 2025 with Bishop Rachel.
If you are not yet confirmed and would like to explore/chat about this, then please speak me so I can get an idea of numbers for the preceding Confirmation course, which will begin on 30th April at 7.30pm in the church cottages. There will also be a (separate) course arranged for younger people; more info on both to follow shortly.
Revd Gary
HONARARY CANON
It is good to announce that Bishop Rachel has invited Rev Gary to be an honorary canon of the Cathedral. Gary has served as a Link Officer for our international partnerships in India for 10 years and, more recently, for 5 years as Area Dean for Cheltenham. He will be installed as a canon on Wed 2nd April at the Cathedral during the 5.30pm Evensong.