Church of St Chad & St Mark
A Diverse Christian Community in the Anglican Tradition
This Weeks Notices
This week’s service Sheet for the Fourth Sunday After Trinity is here
This weeks readings
Song of Solomon 2: 8-13
Romans 7: 15-25
Matthew 11: 16-19, 25-30
Holy Wisdom Of God
In this weeks gospel reading from St Matthew’s gospel Jesus refers to Holy Wisdom. This modern Icon by artist Betsy Porter draws upon the Eastern Orthodox tradition of Icons to Lady Wisdom. Betsy writes about her icon and says:
“Sophia, the personification of Holy Wisdom, appears in Proverbs 8 as present and assisting at the Creation, and in Proverbs 9:1-6 as a hostess who invites everyone to her feast. She has been much revered in eastern Orthodoxy. Churches and cathedrals, most famously Hagia Sophia in Constantinople-Byzantium-Istanbul, have been dedicated to her. More recently, she has been understood as a feminine image of God. Orthodox icons depict Sophia as a red-winged angel, enthroned as empress, the central figure in a large composition. Here I have developed the central figure as depicted in Scripture, hostess and priest at that wonderful banquet to which she graciously invites us all.”
Incense in Our Worship
Dont forget to vote in our new poll on our website on ‘How Often Should we Have Incense?’ Check out this great 90 second video for one passionately expressed perspective on the use of incense in churches.
Kate Moving On But Not Too Far!
We are sorry to hear that Kate Penman who has worked closely with us in our refugee ministry is changing her role at Hope Into Action and will no longer be focussing on refugee work. We will miss her but she’s staying in Wolverhampton and hopefully won’t be a stranger to the church! Kate said ‘I would like to take this opportunity to say how much I have loved and learnt from working alongside St Chad and St Mark. It has shown me ‘church’ in a new light where an open door is truly an open door and I have witnessed a sense of community unlike any other I have seen. For this I am very grateful. ‘ We’ve really enjoyed working with you too Kate! Stay in touch!
Update From Home Office on Substantive Interviews
The Home Office have begun again to call people for substanbtive interviews by video link from 30 June. If you are called to an interview please get in touch with Payam on 07494524179 if you are an Iranian or Kurdish convert or with Revd David Babbington 07931421017 if you are part of the Emmaus group to ensure that we have time to prepare a substantial supporting statement for your case. Full details of the latest information is available on the Right to Remain website use the google translate app in top left hand corner of page to translate to appropriayte language if required.
Happy Birthday To You!
We want to begin finding a way of marking Birthday celebrations that we used to do when we met as a community in church. Please send to Ray, Helen or Ash your birthday date if it is in the months of June, July or August.
Light A Candle In The Darkness
We have a candle lighting page on the website this week in both Farsi and English. Candle lighting is an important practice of prayer for many in our congregation and as we cannot be in church at this time we wanted to offer you the opportunity of praying this way online. Thanks to Ash especially for all his hard work on this. The candle lighting prayer page is here
Church Reopening ?
We are now allowed to open churches for Worship from Sunday 5th July. The Church of England guidelines on what is allowed can be read here . They do not allow for us to return to how we worshipped and gathered on Sundays before lockdown, so we will not be opening in the same way in the forseeable future. We are planning to continue and indeed develop our livestreaming on Sunday mornings and are looking at a Zoom Church for Sunday Evenings aswell. A fuller statement from our COVID 19 co-ordinating group of Ministers and Wardens outlining our plans will appear next week.
The last few months have been difficult and we all long to be back together. But we must do it safely and with concern for the most vulnerable in mind. As one of the gospel stories relates
One of the teachers of the law came and heard them debating. Noticing that Jesus had given
them a good answer, he asked him, “Of all the commandments, which is the most important?”
“The most important one,” answered Jesus, “is this: ‘Hear, O Israel: The Lord our God, the Lord is one. Love the Lord your God with all your heart and with all your soul and with all your mind and with all your strength.’ The second is this: ‘Love your neighbour as yourself.’ There is no commandment greater than these.” Mark 12: 28-31
Support Our Ministry
If you are able to consider giving to our church we have set up two ways for you to donate during lockdown.
1.We now have a JustGiving Website managed by the diocese which can be accessed here or
2. you can pay direct into our bank account by bank transfer the details are:
The Church of St Chad & St Mark
Sort Code: 30-99-83
A/C No 03829156
There is a very small percentage taken by Just Giving.
All your money goes to the church through a bank transfer
Data Problems?
If you have data or connection problems that are stopping you participating in our services and are in Home Office accommodation we can help with individual grants from City of Sanctuary please get in touch with Ray 07751155124 or Payam on 07494524179 if this is an issue for you.
Food Aid
If anyone is struggling to get food at this time please also get in touch we can arrange for a three day food package to be delivered to your accommodation within 24 hours please contact Ray 07751155124 or Ziba (Farsi Speaker) on 07506206169 if you need this.
Sunday Livestream
As with previous weeks we will be live streaming a service of Holy Communion from the church at 10.30 available on our Facebook page and on our website the links are
https://www.facebook.com/stchadstmark
Spiritual Communion Resources
You can use the Spiritual Communion Resources at anytime available in English and Farsi by clicking on the Icon below. Also as with last week a prayer for Spiritual Communion is in this weeks service sheet at the time when the sacrament is being shared in church. For more about Spiritual Communion check out the video we featured in an earlier version of the Church Notices. Ray also preached on Spiritual Communion at our service on Second Sunday after Trinity on 21st June. You can listen to it on the Livestream Page of the Website, video of 21st June beginning at 38.00
Children’s Church
Children’s Church resources for this weeks lectionary readings can be found at https://hodgehilljuniorchurch.wordpress.com/
After Church Meet Up
After the service from 12 noon we will have an after church gathering for an hour on Zoom bring your own tea or coffee, cake or biscuits
Zoom Meeting ID: 893 5214 9466
Password: 008249
Farsi Bible Study
At 2.30pm there will be a Farsi Bible Study and gathering on Zoom
For the Username and password, please message Payam on 07494524179.
Open Space – A Place of Welcome Online
Monday & Fridays at 11am
Meeting ID 846 2672 9620
Password 008252
Bible Study & Night Prayer
At 7.30pm every Thursday
Meeting ID: 871 5889 0118
Password: 024272
English Conversation Class
Saturday at 11am – 12noon
Meeting ID: 89458634042
Password: 299915
Songs of the Week
This weeks opening Playlist can be listened to at
Thanks to Fatemah for the suggestion for today’s Farsi Worship Song. Any suggestions for opening playlist welcome WhatsApp Ray on 07751155124 or email him at revdray@hotmail.co.uk
Scripture of the Week
“Love must be sincere. Hate what is evil; cling to what is good. Be devoted to one another in love. Honour one another above yourselves. Never be lacking in zeal, but keep your spiritual fervour, serving the Lord. Be joyful in hope, patient in affliction, faithful in prayer.”
Romans 12:9-12
Blessings
Ray 07751155124
Helen 07590365250
Payam 07494524179