To submit an article for SIGNPOST, please e-mail Shirley (Parish Administrative

Assistant) via office@stjohnshighbridge.org.uk or leave a message on 01278 780633

THIS MONTH’S

HIGHLIGHTS

Sat 3rd 10am Christian Aid AGM Sat 3rd 2pm Deanery Synod with Bishop Peter Sun 4th 5pm Blessing of light service for Candlemas Tues 13th 3.30pm Messy Pancakes Wed 14th Ash Wednesday Fridays in Lent 5.30pm Reflections around Stations of the cross

February heralds a shift from Christmas to Lent within a week. I do hope you may

consider coming along to the evening service on Sunday 4th as we give thanks for

the birth of Christ, whilst turning our minds to his love and affection for us on the

cross; it is a very significant moment in our Church Year. During Lent this year I

hope that many people will squeeze into the vicarage for discussions about

different aspects of worship. From these discussions will emerge sermons

throughout the season to help us think again about how and why we worship in

the way we do. But before all that, we have two food related events: A Valentine

Supper and Messy Pancakes. I love our church – it holds for us such variety and

contrast. Rev Preb Sharon

Rev Preb Sharon

This year we shall be exploring different elements of worship in a relaxed way throughout Lent at the Vicarage on Thursday evenings for an hour from 7-8pm. The discussions begin on Thursday 15th February

• The place of Prayer & Blessing

• The Place of Music

• The Place of the Statements of Faith

• The Place of Silence

• The Place of Confession and Forgiveness

• The Place of structure, fixed prayers and when the spirit leads

LENT GROUP

“MESSY PANCAKES” Continuing with our recent success on a number of Messy

Church Events we shall be welcoming families to a “Messy

Pancake” event on Tuesday 13th February at 3.30pm. The

afternoon will consist of one or two craft activities, lots of

pancakes with lots of different messy fillings, ending with

action songs and prayer. Anyone willing to help with the

event or by making pancakes to be brought to the hall

please speak to Shirley on 01278 780633.

SIGNPOST FEBRUARY

4th February 2nd Sunday before Lent Readings: Proverbs 8.1, 22-31; Colossians 1.15-20; John 1.1-14 Collect: Almighty God, give us reverence for all creation and respect for every person, that we may mirror your likeness in Jesus Christ our Lord. Post Communion: God our creator, by your gift the tree of life was set at the heart of the earthly paradise, and the bread of life at the heart of your Church: may we who have been nourished at your table on earth be transformed by the glory of the Saviour’s cross and enjoy the delights of eternity; through Jesus Christ our Lord. 11th February Sunday next before Lent Readings: 2 Kings 2.1-12; 2 Corinthians 4.3-6; Mark 9.2-9 Collect: Holy God, you know the disorder of our sinful lives: set straight our crooked hearts, and bend our wills to love your goodness and your glory in Jesus Christ our Lord. Post Communion: Holy God, we see your glory in the face of Jesus Christ: may we who are partakers at his table reflect his life in word and deed, that all the world may know his power to change and save. This we ask through Jesus Christ our Lord.

COLLECTS AND READINGS

18th February 1st Sunday of Lent Readings: Genesis 9.8-17; 1 Peter 3.18-end; Mark 1.9-15 Collect: Heavenly Father, your Son battled with the powers of darkness, and grew closer to you in the desert: help us to use these days to grow in wisdom and prayer that we may witness to your saving love in Jesus Christ our Lord. Post Communion: Lord God, you have renewed us with the living bread from heaven; by it you nourish our faith, increase our hope, and strengthen our love: teach us always to hunger for him who is the true and living bread, and enable us to live by every word that proceeds from out of your mouth; through Jesus Christ our Lord. 25th February 2nd Sunday of Lent Readings: Genesis 17.1-7, 15-16; Roman 4.13-end; Mark 8.31-end Collect: Almighty God, by the prayer and discipline of

Lent may we enter into the mystery of Christ’s sufferings, and by following in his Way come to share in his glory; through Jesus Christ our Lord.

Post Communion: Almighty God, you see that we have no power of ourselves to help ourselves: keep us both outwardly in our bodies, and inwardly in our souls; that we may be defended from all adversities which may happen to the body, and from all evil thoughts which may assault and hurt the soul; through Jesus Christ our Lord.

Post Communion: Saturday 24th February 10.30am-12.30pm.

A fun workshop on how to lead Sunday service intercessions

(prayers) will be led by Jonathon Philpot (Deanery Lay

Officer) in St Andrew’s Church, Cheddar, for anyone who’d

like to attend. We would love new volunteers who haven’t

done this before. We hope those already doing it will attend

for a ‘refresher’.

Please let Rev Sharon or Shirley know if you would like to

attend.

HAVE A GO!

SIGNPOST FEBRUARY

Tuesday – Saturday Morning Prayer at 8.000am (Please check with Rev Sharon)

Tuesday 10.00am Toddler Group – a morning of crafts, toys, singing and plenty of chatting for mums and carers

Wednesday 9.30am Communion in church, followed by fellowship, coffee and Food bank in the hall

Thursday 10.30am Little Angels – an hour of Christian action songs and story for pre-schooler

Missing Evensong? Why not go along to Mark at 5pm on the 3rd Sunday of the month.

Looking for a different style of worship? Try Creative Worship at St John’s on the 4th Sunday of the month

Please contact Rev Preb Sharon Crossman to discuss a wedding. Tel 789290

Please contact the Parish Office to book a baptism. Tel 780633

Deanery Synod with Bishop Peter

CANDLEMAS

REGULAR WEEKLY ACTIVITIES

REGULAR TEAM SERVICES

WEDDINGS & BANNS OF MARRIAGE

BAPTISMS

We are holding a special service for the

end of the Christmas Season on Sunday 4th

February 5pm at St John’s. The service will

be similar to the blessing of light service

that we hold on Holy Saturday. It is a

prayerful, moving end to one season as we

begin to look towards Lent.

Members of the PCC are invited to a special Deanery Synod

with Bishop Peter on Saturday 3rd February from 2pm at

Bagley Baptist Church. Anyone wishing to attend in addition

to PCC members please speak to Rev Sharon to see if we

have additional space available. If you are able to bake a

cake for the event you will also receive a place!

From the December/January Registers

Baptisms “May they grow in the faith into which they have been baptised” 2nd December Daisy Shepherd

Funerals “Rest eternal grant unto them O Lord”

7th December John Meaker (65)

13th December Jean Berry (78)

14th December Janet Farrow (78)

15th December John Norwood (86)

18th January Ruth Dyer (90)

19th January Walter Griffiths (87)

SIGNPOST FEBRUARY

Who’s Who at St John’s: Vicar: Rev Preb Sharon Crossman 789290 Associate Priest: Rev Tonya Nixon 793950

Churchwardens: Ian Chedzey 785367 Chris Perry 783753

CALENDAR FOR FEBRUARY Thurs 1st 10.30am Little Angels in hall

7.45pm LPA Meeting in Vicarage

Fri 2nd 7.30pm Pilgrim Course in vicarage

Sat 3rd 10.00am Christian Aid AGM

2.00pm Deanery Synod with Bishop Peter

Sun 4th 5.00pm Blessing of light service with incense for Candlemas

Tues 6th 10.00am Toddler Group in church hall

Wed 7th 9.30am Said Communion

10.00am Foodbank Listening Place in church hall

Thurs 8th 10.30am Little Angels in church hall

Fri 9th 7.30pm Pilgrim Course in vicarage

Sat 10th Noon Wedding & Baptism

Pre-Valentine Supper in church hall - CANCELLED

Sun 11th 11.00am Baptism Friends Meeting in church

Tues 13th 3.30pm “Messy Pancakes” in church hall

NO Toddler Group (Half term break)

Wed 14th ASH WEDNESDAY

9.30am Communion with imposition of ashes

10.00am Foodbank Listening Place in church hall

7.30pm Services for Ash Wednesday across the team TBC

Thurs 15th NO Little Angels (Half term break)

7.00pm Lent Discussion

Fri 16th 5.30pm Reflections around the Stations of the cross

Tues 20th 10.00am Toddler Group in church hall

Wed 21st 9.30am Said Communion

10.00am Foodbank Listening Place in church hall

Thurs 22nd 10.30am Little Angels in church hall

7.00pm Lent Discussion

Fri 23rd 5.30pm Reflections around the Stations of the cross

Tues 27th 10.00am Toddler Group in church hall

7.00pm Baptism Preparation in church hall

Wed 28th 9.30am Said Communion

10.00am Foodbank Listening Place in church hall

If you would like an event or date to be included in the March Signpost, please contact Shirley Vickery-Mills

(Parish Administrative Assistant) via the details stated at the start of the sheet, by Friday 16th February.

Office opening hours:

Tuesdays: 8am-12noon

Wednesdays: 8am-3.30pm

Fridays: 8am-12.30pm

Please ring before visiting

Tel 780633