Wishing you all a very Happy Easter, He is Risen Indeed, Alleluia!
Many thanks to John Lambton for these wonderful photos:
Our Paschal Candle for 2018 painted by Thelma Steel
He is Risen indeed, Alleluia!
Be sure to join us in celebration this Easter Sunday!
Good Friday services 11am & 2pm at St Michael & All Angels, Houghton-le-Spring
This Good Friday, plan to come to church and rediscover the true meaning of the day with us with our powerful Stations of the Cross service. We gaze at 14 images of the journey Jesus takes from the Garden of Gethsemane, his walk to Calvary and his sealing in the tomb. We pray, sing and give thanks. Join us at 11am – all welcome, even if you haven’t been to church for ages or have never been before, we would love to see you, this is for you.
Then at 2pm we have our traditional service of the Liturgy of the Cross, a stripped back service where we focus on the meaning of the cross.
We are delighted to announce that Rector Sue has been appointed to be the new Archdeacon of the Gwent Valleys and Director of Mission in the Diocese of Monmouth (Church in Wales).
Exciting times lie ahead for Monmouth Diocese, with the introduction of the Reverend Canon Sue Pinnington MBE as Archdeacon of the Gwent Valleys and Diocesan Director of Mission.
Canon Sue joins us from the Diocese of Durham and brings with her a wealth of experience perfectly suited to take on the challenge of the newly created position.
Not at all daunted by ‘leading the way’, Sue, jokes: “My current parish has had a named Rector since 1131 – but I became the first woman Rector in 2008! As parish priests every role is new to us at the beginning.”
Currently Rector of the large parish of Houghton-le-Spring, Sue is excited by the combined role and is looking forward to using her extensive skills and experience to help more people encounter the love of God.
She explains: “If someone had said to me six months ago that I would be moving to South Wales to become an archdeacon I would not have believed them! But God calls us to serve and that’s the joy and challenge of ministry.”
But with her work with communities in the Durham Coalfields and in post-industrial Bradford, she can see parallels with the work that needs to be done in the Gwent Valleys and describes it “as feeling very much like home”.
Sue explains: “Mission needs to be shaped around these communities and it starts by listening well and building good relationships. I know I have a lot to learn, but I feel empowered by the Holy Spirit and excited about the challenges ahead.”
Sue has already held several senior positions within the Church of England and was awarded a MBE in 2010 for her work in leading a multi-million pound community project at Cottingley, West Yorkshire.
Bishop Richard, Bishop of Monmouth Diocese, says: “I am delighted to welcome Sue to the Diocese. This is a bold new venture for Monmouth as we create a new archdeaconry to focus on the mission and pastoral needs of the Gwent Valleys. I promised investment and I think Sue, with her skills and generous spirit will lead the way and help us secure necessary funding for projects to support the church and community. All the Bishop’s Staff are looking forward to working with Sue.”
It is hoped that Canon Pinnington will take up her new post at the start of July.
Journey with Jesus and the disciples to the cross and beyond
Holy Week gives us an opportunity each year to journey with Jesus and the disciples to the cross. If you only come along to Palm Sunday and then Easter Sunday you will totally miss the richness of this profoundly spiritual pilgrimage. As we journey, we will want to take in the sights, smells and sounds of first century Palestine. We will be helped to enter into the mystery of Christ’s passion by focusing on the senses in our services through the week at which the Reverend Bryony Taylor will be our preacher:
26th March Holy Monday Eucharist 7pm
Smell – ‘The house was filled with the fragrance of the perfume.’ John 12:3
27th March Holy Tuesday Eucharist 7pm
Sight – ‘And I, when I am lifted up from the earth, will draw all people to myself.’ John 12:32
28th March Holy Wednesday Eucharist 7pm
Taste – ‘It is the one to whom I give this piece of bread when I have dipped it in the dish.’ John 13:26
29th March Maundy Thursday Eucharist 7.30pm
Touch – ‘Then he poured water into a basin and began to wash the disciples’ feet and to wipe them with the towel that was tied around him.’ John 13:5
30th March Good Friday Stations of the Cross 11am; Liturgy of the Cross 2pm
31st March Holy Saturday Easter Vigil with lighting of the Paschal Candle 7pm
1st April Easter Sunday
Eucharist 8.30am
Parish Festival Eucharist with Baptism 10.00am
Festival Choral Evensong 6.00pm
Come to our moving service of readings and music for the Passiontide Season when we meditate on Christ’s suffering and death for the whole world. Sunday 18th March at 6.00pm.
Image by Jim LePage
We hope you can join us as we celebrate Mothering Sunday this week at our Parish Eucharist at 10.00am. Our Special Collection is for the Mothers’ Union Make a Mother’s Day Appeal. You might like to buy a gift in memory of your mother or for a mother you know from the Mothers’ Union website: http://www.makeamothersday.org/choose-a-gift
At our popular drop-in centre, Space4 in Houghton-le-Spring, Jorgie Carmichael, a volunteer trainer says:
“We are excited to be launching Wi-Fi Wednesdays at Space4. Every Wednesday we will be open between 12noon and 1pm to help you with any query about using the internet and technology. We know how frustrating it is to not have someone to just show you how to use technology, be it a laptop, smartphone or tablet like an iPad – we’re here to help. We can help you get an email address, help you if you’ve lost a password, show you how to use Facebook or to download an app. Someone we helped said that she felt like she ‘had wings’ after been shown how to skype and email her family abroad. Learning how to use technology can really give you a new lease of life and connect you with people all around the world.”
As part of Wi-Fi Wednesdays Space4 will be running a series of free courses (funded by Sunderland City Council) through the year including: Internet Safety, A Guide to Facebook, Fun with Photos, Family History and more.
You don’t need to have a computer or have any prior knowledge to attend (you can use one of ours) but feel free to bring your own laptop, smartphone or tablet with you.
The first course will be Internet Safety and will start on Wednesday 28th February at 10.00am-12noon at Space4 (under Houghton Library on Newbottle Street).
The course will be a free, fun and friendly guide to staying safe online:
28th February Week 1: Basic introduction to Internet Safety
7th March Week 2: Email and Passwords
14th March Week 3: Social Media safety
21st March Week 4: Online shopping and banking
Ring 0191 512 0676, email jorgiespace4@gmail.com, drop-in to Space4 or send us a message on Facebook to book your place. Places are limited so book now to avoid disappointment.
Notes for Editors
Space4 is a community project run by people from St Michael and All Angels Church and local volunteers that offers a safe space 5 days a week with one to one support, discreet groups, and community activities aiming to enable people to navigate life’s challenges for themselves.
Find us on the ground floor of Houghton Library, 74, Newbottle Street, Houghton-le-Spring, DH4 4GB.
https://space4hls.org/ Find us on Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/HoughtonSpace4/
Broken: a course about real life and real faith inspired by the BBC drama Broken starring Sean Bean
Join us at Space4 during Lent on Wednesdays at 2.30pm for a special course based on the BBC drama Broken written by our Curate Rev’d Bryony Taylor with Fr David Twomey and Mother Rebecca Tobin.
Come to as many sessions as you like – each session is stand-alone but connected. You do not have to have seen the BBC programme Broken to take part.
The sessions are:
21st February Beauty in the ordinary
28th February Loving the unlovable
7th March Guilt and shame
14th March Impossible Situations
21st March The power of Holy Communion
28th March Is the church still relevant and needed today?
Space4 is on the ground floor of Houghton Library on Newbottle Street, Houghton-le-Spring, DH4 4GB.
There is a sign up sheet at church for people to express interest – alternatively email Rev’d Bryony to book your place by clicking here.
Ashes to Go is returning to the Broadway in Houghton-le-Spring for the fourth year! This year Ash Wednesday falls in Half Term so we will be out offering the opportunity to be ‘ashed’ with a cross on the Broadway from 11am until 1pm in the centre of Houghton. The Parish Church will be open where all are invited to come and light a candle, pray, share a burden and ask for help to get closer to God at the beginning of Lent. Children and adults are welcome to come into church and find some space to be still.
On Ash Wednesday 14th February there will also be two services of Holy Communion – one at 10.00am and one at 7.00pm – all are welcome.
How will you get closer to God this Lent?
Here’s a video we made at a previous ‘Ashes to Go’ event:
Why Ash?
Life often gets messy and we end up hurting other people or ourselves. We do and say things we regret or we don’t do things that we should have. We all need the opportunity to acknowledge our sorrow for our mistakes, to say sorry and to be forgiven.
On Ash Wednesday, the Christian Church offers us that opportunity. By taking time, even if it’s just a few moments, to seek forgiveness from God and our fellow human beings, we can begin to wipe the slate clean, have a fresh start.
The ash cross on our forehead is a symbol of our sorrow and our desire to be forgiven.
Ash Wednesday is a day full of hope, because each one of us can find a new start in the love and forgiveness of God. Ash Wednesday is the start of the Christian journey towards Easter and the ultimate act of love: the death and resurrection of Jesus Christ.
We welcome you to join us on this journey: you never know it might change your life.
May God bless you and all those whom you love,
St Michael and All Angels Church
The Church of England in Houghton-le-Spring
“Draw near to God and he will draw near to you” – James 4:8, The Bible