What's On
SERVICES
8am at Holy Cross.
9.30am at Holy Cross.
11.15am at Holy Cross - Currently Suspended
The pattern of services and covid precautions will be kept under review and any change in information will be reported in the weekly pewsheet. At the present time the main morning service will be kept at 9.30am. This is so that it fits in with the rota if we have to reinstate the 11.15 and to enable the clergy to help out in other churches in the North Down Team Ministry.
10.30 New Way at Memorial Hall - 1st and 3rd Sundays only
Out latest Notice Sheet including Services for the week is here
COP 26 follow up meeting 6th December
There will be a follow-up 'COP26 or Cop out?' event on the 5th December at 6 pm, and the two speakers have kindly agreed to join us to bring their reflections on the outcome of the Cop26 summit. There will then be a short Q&A followed by some group discussion in break out rooms, brainstorming further plans/actions in our local community.
It will be a virtual and ticketed event - so please book your space via Eventbrite. See link here
If you are unable to use Eventbrite, please send an email here giving the names of the proposed participants; don't worry if there is a bit of a delayed response - we will get back to you.
CAROLS ON THE GREEN - Wednesday 15th December
Carols on the Green Wednesday 15th December at 7.30pm with the Salvation Army – followed by soup and roll at the Methodist Church. If the weather is bad Carols on the Green will take place at Holy Cross Church
MIXED BLESSINGS - Thursday 16th December
Mixed Blessings presents an evening of festive music including Benjamin Britten’s A Ceremony of Carols, with harpist Hannah Runting, on Thursday 16th December, 8pm at Holy Cross Church, Bearsted. Doors open at 7.30pm for a glass of wine and mince pie. Tickets £10 (pre-booked only): 07545 413330; Email
CAROL SERVICE - Sunday 19th December
The Carol Service at Holy Cross Church on Sunday 19th December will take place at the new time of 5.30pm please make a note of this.
CHRISTMAS SERVICES
Details of all Christmas Services at Bearsted are here.
CHURCH CHRISTMAS FAYRE 4TH DECEMBER 10:00-14:00 AT HOLY CROSS
As previously written, we are putting on the annual Christmas Fayre within church. We can’t do it without your help. We need your help to make it the successful event it usually is. Please could we ask for your help to:
a) Volunteer for an hour to help man a stall. A sheet will be at the back of the church for you to fill in.
b) Donate a tombola gift. Anything from a tin of sweets to a bottle of wine/hand cream etc.
c) And we need someone to be Santa for an hour. There will be no contact with the children as Santa will be on the balcony looking down. Ho h oho from afar!
Donations of Jams, Marmalade and Chutney would be greatly appreciated to sell on the Produce stall at the Christmas Fayre please. Marmalade is always very popular and widely requested. Jams and chutneys can be left in a bag with a contact number in the box in the church porch. Arrangements will be made for cakes to be delivered nearer the time or on the day.
We are also seeking items for our Tombola stall at the Christmas Fayre.
If you can donate any small items, please leave in the box at back of church marked "Tombola items" or give personally to Peter Richardson.
Your support is appreciated as always!
Finally, please let family and friends know the opening times.
HOLY CROSS/NEW WAY ECO IDEAS HUB
See our new page for information and slides from New Way talk on 17th October.
TODDLER GROUP
The Toddler Group has restarted. Karen Hill has taken over the running of the group. She used to attend the sessions with her children and has recently been doing cleaning at Holy Cross. It was lovely to have the toddlers back in church. We do need some extra help with teas and coffees. Please speak to John if you are interested.
Groups run Tuesday morning 9.45-11.45am and Thursday 9.45-11.45am
CHURCH MAGAZINE
It is with regret that the magazine will not be produced this month or next month because of deadlines. So far we have been unsuccessful in finding a new Editor and unless someone comes forward in the next month we will not be able to carry on with the magazine. If you could help out with this please email or speak to the vicar 01622 737135 or email
Being Editor is a relatively simple task there is no typing of articles or setting out of articles onto the pages. The main task is to receive copy and to let the printers know which page to put items on.
On-line, New Way & Morning Prayer.
Mark Pavey continues to produce online services for the team each Sunday morning at 10.00 am - see details below. They will be no on-line services throughout August.
"Zoom Morning Prayer" 9.00am Monday to Thursday each week, continues. A simple 20 minute service with music, Scripture reading, reflection and prayer. This Week's Topic is "Thy Kingdom Come" all are welcome. See "Links" Section below for log in details.
Join us this Sunday using the links:
For 10.00 am On-Line Service (Not in August):
Facebook
https://www.facebook.com/northdownschurches
Youtube
https://www.youtube.com/channel/UC4KnCwLrj4ACApkv_UEyXvg
They are first streamed at 10am on Sunday and remain available after being lived streamed to be watched at a convenient time.
To Join the Zoom "Zoom Morning Prayer" 9.00am Monday to Thursday each week:
Click here and enter Meeting ID & Passcode (624122) between 8.45-9.00am.
Notice Sheet for 5th December.
Notice Sheet for 28th November.
Services each Sunday until further notice:
8.00am Eucharist Holy Cross
9.30am Eucharist Holy Cross
11.15am Eucharist Holy Cross - currently Suspended
New Way Services 10.30am at Memorial Hall 1st and 3rd Sunday of the month.
Daily Prayers will continue to be offered by the Rector in Holy Cross at the usual weekday time of 9.15am.
The Church is open for private prayer while socially distancing, please follow the instructions displayed.
We will regularly update our Pew Sheet / Notice Sheet on this page so please revisit each week for an update.
Sunday Mornings
As well as the On-line service (not in August) mentioned above which are available after being live streamed consider.
1. Radio. BBC Radio 4, Sunday Worship at 8.10am, Radio 3, Choral Evensong, Sunday 3pm,, Weds 3.30pm. The BBC can be accessed at anytime for recordings of these services.
2. TV. BBC 1 Songs of Praise Sunday 1.15pm.
3. Internet, search All Souls, Langham Place,London and St James,Muswell Hill, London for recordings of services and talks. Take care esp of content, you can always check something out with vicar. Please email office if you come across good internet resources.
4. Do more of personal devotions – pray and read the bible. Also read other Christian books.
NOTICES
WAR MEMORIAL BIOGRAPHIES
The original computer files for the WW2 Biographies for the War Memorials at Holy Cross and St Mary’s have been lost. One or more volunteers are needed to retype from printed hard copies so that they are readily available. If you can undertake this task it does not have to be done immediately.
Please email the office if you are interested.
SAMARA'S AID APPEAL - MEDICAL CENTRE SYRIA
Help save lives in Syria by donating towards life saving equipment
March 21
Samara’s team is in the process of opening a new medical centre in Syria in the middle of the Covid crisis. Dependable medical services are urgently needed in this poor area, and especially those which can be accessed free of charge by the poorest and most vulnerable.
Samara is raising funds to support this essential and life saving medical service now the building work is almost complete. Samara has recently got quotes for the following items which she would like to buy to equip and run the new medical centre emergency room and high dependency unit:
2 ventilators - £5,500 each,
6 – 8 patient monitors - £3,500 each
10 -12 syringe pumps - £540 each
This medical centre will be the first step towards enabling a larger Grace Hospital to be built through allowing a smaller, more manageable service first. It will run on a not for profit basis.
Please donate to help buy this life saving medical equipment by visiting MEDICAL AID: SYRIA — SAMARA'S AID APPEAL
Please continue to pray for Samara’s team in Syria led by Dr A who are making and continue to make such a difference to lives in Syria.
For more information on Samaras other current projects include an building long term Grace Hospital , running an outreach centre for orphans and widows with a food bank and children’s safespace, educational support programme, running livelihood courses for widows & farming local land to grow wheat visit here
FUND RAISING COMMITTEE
The Fund Raising Committee for the Holy Cross Church Bearsted, under the logo ‘Raise the Roof’, would like to bring you up to date with news of our fund raising activities.Since October 2017 we have held numerous events, including: quiz evenings, a murder mystery evening, a weekend flower festival, an ecumenical music hall evening with churches from Bearsted and the wider community, and 3 Christmas Fayres. We have received generous gift donations from various local concerts, and from the Bearsted and Thurnham Summer Fayre Committee.
Our fund raising efforts are as a direct result of the recent Quinquennial Report which highlighted the need to have our roof repaired. The repairs are extensive and costs will reflect this. Therefore in addition to our efforts, we are approaching Charitable Trusts to seek financial support. At the time of going to press, we have been successful in being voted a Grant donation from The Cobtree
Trust. Their Grant of £10,000 plus an offer of £10,000 as an interest free loan is a tremendous start.
We have so far raised £21,396.00 and this is due to the wonderful support given to all the above events by the People of Bearsted and the surrounding communities. This is also due to the commitment and sheer hard work of all those involved in organising and volunteering their time and energies to making the above events happen. Thank you.
CHURCH OFFICE – WEDNESDAY EVENINGS
Please note that for an experimental time the Parish Office will be discontinued on a Wednesday
Evening. The office is open as usual Monday mornings and Thursday all day.
SAMARA AID APPEAL
Latest update can be found here
HOMEGROUPS Homegroups at Holy Cross continue to meet regularly providing an opportunity to enquire about and discuss our faith and also to meet socially in an informal setting.
These are the groups, some are temporarily suspended at the moment:-
- Every Thursday afternoon - Les Smith (8 members)
- Every Monday evening - Julie Osborn (7 members)
- Every Tuesday evening - Andy Haines (10 members)
- Every Tuesday evening - Richard Sutch (6 members)
- Every other Thursday evening - Sandra Brabyn (9 members)
- Every Wednesday morning (ladies group) - Diana Sandford (11 members)
- Every other Thursday evening - Juliet Mee (9 members)
All these groups welcome new members. If you are interested in joining a group post Covid-19 please contact
Sandra Brabyn 01622 630500