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5th May 2024
LATEST NEWS
Welcome to our services on the sixth Sunday of Easter.
If you would like special prayers said at any service for yourself, your family and friends or just for those difficult times in life that we all encounter from time to time, please do not hesitate to ask before or during any service. Names will be kept confidential unless you wish for them to be disclosed during the prayers. There are also prayer cards on the table at the rear of church that can be deposited in the box provided.
ECO CHURCH
On world Earth Day, 22nd April 2024, Pope Francis spoke out and urged us all to take responsibility for our common home. In his address, Pope Francis reminded everyone of our duty to protect the planet and safeguard peace. Whilst we now have many monetary riches, we have done Little to protect the planet.
Pope Francis also commented in his address on the link between environmental problems and the conflicts raging in the world. There is also a link between environmental disasters and human trafficking. People who are desperate to escape disasters as refugees become vulnerable to human trafficking.
Reminding us all that we are caretakers of our common home, Pope Francis said we have let it fall into ruin. He called for individuals communities and governments to care about nature.
Let’s remember God’s love for all that he created and do our bit, however small, to protect our world.
NEWS FROM OUR LOCAL PRIMARY SCHOOL
The school will be performing in St John’s Church at 2pm on 2nd May 24. We hope that many of our congregation will support this event. The children have been working very hard rehearsing their songs ready for this concert.
Each term, the school focuses on a Christian value. Last term it was forgiveness. This term it is compassion. Julia will be leading a collective worship in May using the parable of the good Samaritan.
We are keen that our Church and the school should be connected, so we will continue to bring the school News. We hope that soon we will be able to start sharing prayers, so that they can pray for us and we can pray for them.
SPECIAL NOTICES
· April Spring Clean - Please sort out any sellable White Elephants for the Table-top Sale on May Day Bank Holiday Monday, 6th May with Tea and Coffee and Home-made cakes. 10.30am to 12 noon in Church Hall, Beaudesert Lane. (Small furniture items welcome) Free Entry
· The next Bible study and prayer group meeting will take place on 7th May 2024 at the home of Mike and Ali Owen at 7.00 pm. We look forward to seeing you there.
· Ascension Morning service at 7am in St. Nicholas’ churchyard (or church if raining) followed by light breakfast in the Church Hall.
· Henley Churches Together – May meeting of ‘Time out with God’ – 12.30pm Thursday 9th May at Methodist Church, High Street. 12.30 reflection, prayers and fellowship followed by light lunch refreshment. Everyone Welcome
· Memory Lane Café in the Henley in Arden Parish Hall (adjacent to St. Nicholas’ Church) lots of homemade cakes plus tea and coffee on Tuesday 14th May 2024 join us for a time of friendship, fun and a good chat. Drop in anytime from 2pm to 4pm. Disabled access and car park.
PASTORAL CARE TEAM - A member of the team will be available at the 10am Services at St. John’s Church to greet newcomers and provide support and help to our parishioners. In particular please let us know of any concerns that you may have about congregation members past or present who are no longer able to attend church.
COST OF LIVING CRISIS - The Warm Space at the Baptist Church Hall- fellowship and refreshment 10am - 12.00noon every Saturday. Why not bring a friend? Volunteers welcome too of course!
Please note that the new Community Fridge is installed and ready at the Methodist Chapel in the High Street. We would welcome as many donations as possible please.
Check with the library before coming down to use the facility.
Next Sunday’s Services – 12th May 2024 Easter 7
St. John’s Church – Henley in Arden
8:00am Communion
10.00am Morning Worship
St. Mary’s Church – Ullenhall
6.00 pm Communion
21st April 2024
LATEST NEWS
Today we welcome Rev. Fritha Middlemiss who will lead our 8.00am communion service.
If you would like special prayers said at any service for yourself, your family and friends or just for those difficult times in life that we all encounter from time to time, please do not hesitate to ask before or during any service. Names will be kept confidential unless you wish for them to be disclosed during the prayers. There are also prayer cards on the table at the rear of church that can be deposited in the box provided.
ECO CHURCH
As a result of the Earth Day organisation, landmark environmental laws have been passed particularly in the USA, hundreds of millions of trees have been planted, 7 billion green grants have been issued to schools, 15 million cleanup volunteers have been created to name some of their successes.
For the Earth Day 2024, the theme is planet versus plastics, demanding a 60% reduction in the production of ALL plastics by 2040. Plastics are a danger to humanity and all living creatures. Earthday.org is demanding the rapid phasing out of all single use plastics and demanding a UN treaty on plastic pollution particularly in the fashion trade.
Locally to us, there is a cleanup at Warwick University organised by the Energy and Sustainability team. Across the UK, there are a number of events to support this initiative.
More information is available at https//www.earthday.org/campaign/cleanup
SPECIAL NOTICES
· PCC Meeting Tuesday 23rd April – to be held at St. Mary’s Church, Ullenhall.
· Memory Lane Café in the Henley in Arden Parish Hall (adjacent to St. Nicholas’ Church) lots of homemade cakes plus tea and coffee on Tuesday 23rd April 2024 join us for a time of friendship, fun and a good chat. Drop in anytime from 2pm to 4pm. Disabled access and car park.
· The Way – An evening of prayer, reflection and refreshment on Wednesday 24th April at 7pm. Led by Reverend James Holden at Claverdon Church Centre and based upon the Stations of the Cross. Admission FREE. Please Call Gill Evans on 01926 842690 or email leycroft@btinternet.com to reserve your place. See Overleaf for More Details
· Save the date - Concert by our local Church of England Primary school on Thursday 2nd May at 2pm in St John's Church, Henley.
Come and hear our local primary school children singing worship songs they will learn with the support of iSingPop - a charity that gives children the chance to learn and perform songs for a fun filled concert in local churches.
Let's reward their efforts by attending their short concert and encouraging them in their singing!
· Save the date – Ullenhall Breakfast & Parish Ramble on Sunday 5th May starting at 9:00am at St. Mary’s Church followed by a relatively easy walk around the village.
· April Spring Clean - Please sort out any sellable White Elephants for the Table-top Sale on May Day Bank Holiday Monday, 6th May with Tea and Coffee and Home-made cakes. 10.30am to 12 noon in Church Hall, Beaudesert Lane. (Small furniture items welcome) Free Entry
· The next Bible study and prayer group meeting will take place on 7th May 2024 at the home of Mike and Ali Owen at 7.00 pm. We look forward to seeing you there
· Henley Churches Together – May meeting of ‘Time out with God’ – 12.30pm Thursday 9th May at Methodist Church, High Street. 12.30 reflection, prayers and fellowship followed by light lunch refreshment. Everyone Welcome
PASTORAL CARE TEAM - A member of the team will be available at the 10am Services at St. John’s Church to greet newcomers and provide support and help to our parishioners. In particular please let us know of any concerns that you may have about congregation members past or present who are no longer able to attend church.
COST OF LIVING CRISIS - The Warm Space at the Baptist Church Hall- fellowship and refreshment 10am - 12.00noon every Saturday. Why not bring a friend? Volunteers welcome too of course!
Please note that the new Community Fridge is installed and ready at the Methodist Chapel in the High Street. We would welcome as many donations as possible please.
Check with the library before coming down to use the facility.
Next Sunday’s Services – 28th April 2024 – Easter 5
St. John’s Church – Henley in Arden
8:00am Communion
10.00am Morning Worship
St. Mary’s Church – Ullenhall
6.00 pm Evening Worship
14th April 2024
LATEST NEWS
Today we welcome Canon Rev. Jim Canning who will lead our St. John’s Church Holy Communion services at 8.00am and 10.00am.
If you would like special prayers said at any service for yourself, your family and friends or just for those difficult times in life that we all encounter from time to time, please do not hesitate to ask before or during any service. Names will be kept confidential unless you wish for them to be disclosed during the prayers. There are also prayer cards on the table at the rear of church that can be deposited in the box provided.
ECO CHURCH
National Gardening Day was founded by Cool Springs Press (a leading publisher of best-selling gardening books) in 2018 to celebrate the hobby of gardening and to encourage gardeners to share their knowledge.
This annual event celebrates all aspects of gardening, from growing fruits and vegetables to planting flowers and creating beautiful outdoor spaces. It is an opportunity to inspire people to get their hands dirty, get outdoors, and enjoy the beauty and benefits of nature.
To celebrate National Gardening Day, people worldwide participate in various events and activities, including community clean-up efforts, educational programs, and gardening workshops. These events are designed to promote gardening and encourage people of all ages and backgrounds to get involved and start planting.
Gardening has been a popular pastime for thousands of years, with evidence of gardens dating back to ancient civilizations such as Egypt, Babylon, and Persia. Here are some Fun Facts: -
· The earliest known decorative gardens go back to Ancient Egypt.
· In the 17th century, the demand for tulip bulbs was worth more than gold.
· Vanilla flavouring comes from the pod of an orchid.
· The titan arum’s flower is the world’s largest unbranched flower reaching up to 15 feet tall.
· Peaches, pears, apricots, quinces, strawberries, and apples are members of the rose family.
· A sunflower contains 1000 to 2000 individual seeds.
SPECIAL NOTICES
· PCC Meeting Tuesday 23rd April – to be held at St. Mary’s Church, Ullenhall.
· Memory Lane Café in the Henley in Arden Parish Hall (adjacent to St. Nicholas’ Church) lots of homemade cakes plus tea and coffee on Tuesday 23rd April 2024 join us for a time of friendship, fun and a good chat. Drop in anytime from 2pm to 4pm. Disabled access and car park.
· The Way – An evening of prayer, reflection and refreshment on Wednesday 24th April at 7pm. Led by Reverend James Holden at Claverdon Church Centre and based upon the Stations of the Cross. Admission FREE. Please Call Gill Evans on 01926 842690 or email leycroft@btinternet.com to reserve your place. See Overleaf for More Details
· Save the date - Concert by our local Church of England Primary school on Thursday 2nd May at 2pm in St John's Church, Henley.
Come and hear our local primary school children singing worship songs they will learn with the support of iSingPop - a charity that gives children the chance to learn and perform songs for a fun filled concert in local churches.
Let's reward their efforts by attending their short concert and encouraging them in their singing!
· Save the date – Ullenhall Breakfast & Parish Ramble on Sunday 5th May starting at 9:00am at St. Mary’s Church followed by a relatively easy walk around the village.
· April Spring Clean - Please sort out any sellable White Elephants for the Table-top Sale on May Day Bank Holiday Monday, 6th May with Tea and Coffee and Home-made cakes. 10.30am to 12 noon in Church Hall, Beaudesert Lane. (Small furniture items welcome) Free Entry
· Henley Churches Together – May meeting of ‘Time out with God’ – 12.30pm Thursday 9th May at Methodist Church, High Street. 12.30 reflection, prayers and fellowship followed by light lunch refreshment. Everyone Welcome
PASTORAL CARE TEAM - A member of the team will be available at the 10am Services at St. John’s Church to greet newcomers and provide support and help to our parishioners. In particular please let us know of any concerns that you may have about congregation members past or present who are no longer able to attend church.
COST OF LIVING CRISIS - The Warm Space at the Baptist Church Hall- fellowship and refreshment 10am - 12.00noon every Saturday. Why not bring a friend? Volunteers welcome too of course!
Please note that the new Community Fridge is installed and ready at the Methodist Chapel in the High Street. We would welcome as many donations as possible please.
Check with the library before coming down to use the facility.
Next Sunday’s Services – 21st April 2024 – Easter 4
St. John’s Church – Henley in Arden
8:00am Communion
10.00am Morning Worship
St. Mary’s Church – Ullenhall
6.00 pm Holy Communion
24th March 2024
LATEST NEWS
If you would like special prayers said at any service for yourself, your family and friends or just for those difficult times in life that we all encounter from time to time, please do not hesitate to ask before or during any service. Names will be kept confidential unless you wish for them to be disclosed during the prayers. There are also prayer cards on the table at the rear of church that can be deposited in the box provided.
ECO CHURCH
We are all aware of the facts of the climate crisis: the never-ending news stories of fires, floods and disasters; the constant breaking of temperature records; the sequence of rain and storms. In the face of all this, many of us feel powerless. We might blame bigger forces - powerful multi-national companies that hold the purse strings of political action; countries with populations and economies that dwarf our own. “Whatever I do, it will make no difference,” is a common refrain. But is it a Christian one?
China is indeed a massive economy, but the average Chinese citizen does not have the carbon footprint that most of us do. They are manufacturing the vast majority of our clothing, phones, car components and white goods for us. However, they are far ahead of us in the manufacture of renewable technologies. India is also a growing economy, keen to bring its people out of poverty. Our moral duty must surely be to help them leap-frog fossil fuels, to address poverty using clean energy.
We might say “whatever we do will make no difference.” In the end it has to be about integrity. Firstly, national integrity. We led the world into the Industrial Revolution, so surely we should be leading the transition to a new, healthy and harmonious world? We are already far behind many other nations in getting new technological concepts to market.
And then personal integrity. Perhaps Gandhi’s greatest saying was, “be the change you want to see in the world,” or more accurately: “We but mirror the world. If we could change ourselves, the tendencies in the world would also change. As a man changes his own nature, so does the attitude of the world change towards him.”
The challenge for all of us is to avoid being selfishly selective about the changes we make. For example, flying abroad regularly whilst being assiduous in recycling habits isn’t enough! In the end our duty is quite simple: for each of us to acknowledge our carbon footprint and then to take responsibility for it.
SPECIAL NOTICES
· Easter Feast – early notice of our forthcoming Easter Family Fun Feast with food, crafts and games on Tuesday 2nd April, 5pm—6:30pm in the Church Hall. Everyone Welcome.
· Lent Appeal letters have been sent out. This year our charity is Christian Aid and their project in Burundi. Please return your donation at the latest by Easter Sunday.
· Memory Lane Café in the Henley in Arden Parish Hall (adjacent to St. Nicholas’ Church) lots of homemade cakes plus tea and coffee on Tuesday 26th March 2024 join us for a time of friendship, fun and a good chat. Drop in anytime from 2pm to 4pm. Disabled access and car park.
· Save the date - Concert by our local Church of England Primary school on Thursday 2nd May at 2pm in St John's Church, Henley.
Come and hear our local primary school children singing worship songs they will learn with the support of iSingPop - a charity that gives children the chance to learn and perform songs for a fun filled concert in local churches.
Let's reward their efforts by attending their short concert and encouraging them in their singing!
· Save the date – Ullenhall Breakfast & Parish Ramble on Sunday 5th May starting at 9:00am at St. Mary’s Church followed by a relatively easy walk around the village.
PASTORAL CARE TEAM - A member of the team will be available at the 10am Services at St. John’s Church to greet newcomers and provide support and help to our parishioners. In particular please let us know of any concerns that you may have about congregation members past or present who are no longer able to attend church.
COST OF LIVING CRISIS - The Warm Space at the Baptist Church Hall- fellowship and refreshment 10am - 12.00noon every Saturday. Why not bring a friend? Volunteers welcome too of course!
Please note that the new Community Fridge is installed and ready at the Methodist Chapel in the High Street. We would welcome as many donations as possible please.
Check with the library before coming down to use the facility.
Next Sunday’s Services – 31st March 2024 – Easter Sunday
St. John’s Church – Henley in Arden
No 8:00am Communion
9:30am Holy Communion Led by Rev’d James Holden
St. Mary’s Church – Ullenhall
9:00am Holy Communion
17th March 2024
LATEST NEWS
Welcome back to St. John’s Church on this the 5th Sunday of Lent (Passiontide). Today we Revd. Su McClellan who will lead our 8.00am and 10.00am Communion Services.
If you would like special prayers said at any service for yourself, your family and friends or just for those difficult times in life that we all encounter from time to time, please do not hesitate to ask before or during any service. Names will be kept confidential unless you wish for them to be disclosed during the prayers. There are also prayer cards on the table at the rear of church that can be deposited in the box provided.
ECO CHURCH
International women’s day is celebrated all over the world on 8 March every year. This day is about championing women’s rights and highlighting their struggles. It challenges a variety of issues. One example of a charity that is campaigning for the protection of nature, is Friends of the Earth. They use International Women’s Day as a chance to celebrate the incredible women in their network that advocate for equality in environmental issues. The impacts of the climate and ecological crisis affect women disproportionately. One example is that 61% of those who died in the cyclone in Myanmar in 2008 were women. Friends of the Earth is empowering women in communities all over the world. Helping to create a more caring world that prioritizes well-being, cooperation and sustainability over profit. With the support of charities like Friends of the Earth, Women are literally leading the way to save our planet.
SPECIAL NOTICES
· Lent Course Churches Together – Thursday 21st March. The third and final session in the Church Hall Beaudesert Lane 10.45am tea, coffee light refreshments 11.00am Course starts. All welcome!
· Easter Feast – early notice of our forthcoming Easter Family Fun Feast with food, crafts and games on Tuesday 2nd April, 5pm—6:30pm in the Church Hall. Everyone Welcome.
· Lent Appeal letters have been sent out. This year our charity is Christian Aid and their project in Burundi. Please return your donation at the latest by Easter Sunday.
· Memory Lane Café in the Henley in Arden Parish Hall (adjacent to St. Nicholas’ Church) lots of homemade cakes plus tea and coffee on Tuesday 26th March 2024 join us for a time of friendship, fun and a good chat. Drop in anytime from 2pm to 4pm. Disabled access and car park.
· Save the date - Concert by our local Church of England Primary school on Thursday 2nd May at 2pm in St John's Church, Henley.
Come and hear our local primary school children singing worship songs they will learn with the support of iSingPop - a charity that gives children the chance to learn and perform songs for a fun filled concert in local churches.
Let's reward their efforts by attending their short concert and encouraging them in their singing!
PASTORAL CARE TEAM - A member of the team will be available at the 10am Services at St. John’s Church to greet newcomers and provide support and help to our parishioners. In particular please let us know of any concerns that you may have about congregation members past or present who are no longer able to attend church.
COST OF LIVING CRISIS - The Warm Space at the Baptist Church Hall- fellowship and refreshment 10am - 12.00noon every Saturday. Why not bring a friend? Volunteers welcome too of course!
Please note that the new Community Fridge is installed and ready at the Methodist Chapel in the High Street. We would welcome as many donations as possible please.
Check with the library before coming down to use the facility.
Next Sunday’s services – 24th March 2024 Lent 6- Palm Sunday
St. John’s Church – Henley in Arden
8.00am Holy Communion.
10.00am Holy Communion
St. Mary’s Church – Ullenhall 6.00pm Evening Worship
3rd March 2024
LATEST NEWS
Welcome to our services on this the third Sunday of Lent. Our 8.00am Communion Service will be led by Revd. James Holden.
If you would like special prayers said at any service for yourself, your family and friends or just for those difficult times in life that we all encounter from time to time, please do not hesitate to ask before or during any service. Names will be kept confidential unless you wish for them to be disclosed during the prayers. There are also prayer cards on the table at the rear of church that can be deposited in the box provided.
ECO CHURCH
During Lent we can adopt new habits that are an expression of our faith and show our care for creation and attempt to live healthy, eco friendly and sustainable lives. Lent is an opportunity to reflect and perhaps give up something that brings benefits to nature and address climate change. A Rocha suggests picking one or two options and sticking to those rather than taking on too many that we won't stick to. Try these:
1. Switch off digital - In our leisure time, explore technology free times or areas of the house, switching to airplane mode for the first hour of the day or the last hour at night. Try switch off Sundays - a whole day free of phones etc.
2. Consider our food purchases. Buy local and buy with welfare standards in mind. This may mean spending a bit more money but food production is costly and we need to support out farmers.
3. Try a plant based meal once a week. It takes 2,350 litres of water to produce one 150g beef burger! The equivalent to 30 baths or a five hour shower.
More next week
SPECIAL NOTICES
· Lent Appeal letters have been sent out. This year our charity is Christian Aid and their project in Burundi. Please return your donation at the latest by Easter Sunday.
· Memory Lane Café in the Henley in Arden Parish Hall (adjacent to St. Nicholas’ Church) lots of homemade cakes plus tea and coffee on Tuesday 13th March 2024 join us for a time of friendship, fun and a good chat. Drop in anytime from 2pm to 4pm. Disabled access and car park.
· Mothering Sunday – early notice of our special morning family fun thanksgiving service for all ‘Mother Figures’ on Sunday 10th March at 10.00 am in the Parish Hall. After breakfast refreshments on arrival there will be singing, bible stories and children’s craft activities!
PASTORAL CARE TEAM - A member of the team will be available at the 10am Services at St. Nicholas’ Church to greet newcomers and provide support and help to our parishioners. In particular please let us know of any concerns that you may have about congregation members past or present who are no longer able to attend church.
COST OF LIVING CRISIS - The Warm Space at the Baptist Church Hall- fellowship and refreshment 10am - 12.00noon every Saturday. Why not bring a friend? Volunteers welcome too of course!
Please note that the new Community Fridge is installed and ready at the Methodist Chapel in the High Street. We would welcome as many donations as possible please.
Check with the library before coming down to use the facility.
Next Sunday’s services – 10th March 2024
St. Nicholas’ Church – Henley in Arden
8.00am Holy Communion.
Parish Church hall (opposite St. Nicholas’ Church)
10.00am “All-age Mothering Sunday Service”
St. Mary’s Church – Ullenhall 6.00pm Evening Worship
25th February 2024
LATEST NEWS
Welcome to our services on this the second Sunday of Lent.
If you would like special prayers said at any service for yourself, your family and friends or just for those difficult times in life that we all encounter from time to time, please do not hesitate to ask before or during any service. Names will be kept confidential unless you wish for them to be disclosed during the prayers. There are also prayer cards on the table at the rear of church that can be deposited in the box provided.
ECO CHURCH
Now we are in lent, this 40 day period before Easter is for many a time for fasting, reflection and preparation. But Lent can also be an opportunity to give something up to benefit nature or to take action to help address climate change.
As Christians we want to see the poorer countries be more successful with their harvests and crops and experience less extreme weather events. Sadly those countries across the world least able to protect themselves are most vulnerable to climate change. So we can reflect on the impact of our behaviour on the planet.
Here are some changes of behaviour to consider during Lent that could help the environment.
1. Go plastic free - it’s hard to become totally plastic free, but we can all make it a goal to reduce our use of plastic.
2. Become zero waste - slowly reduce food waste each week. For example, look at the weekly food shop and consider which items could be bought differently, creating less waste. Or spend a bit more on locally produced, loose fruit and veg and use them wisely.
More ideas for helping the environment during Lent to follow next week.
SPECIAL NOTICES
· Lent Appeal letters have been sent out. This year our charity is Christian Aid and their project in Burundi. Please complete and return your donation at the latest by Easter Sunday.
· Memory Lane Café in the Henley in Arden Parish Hall (adjacent to St. Nicholas’ Church) lots of homemade cakes plus tea and coffee on Tuesday 27th February 2024 join us for a time of friendship, fun and a good chat. Drop in anytime from 2pm to 4pm. Disabled access and car park.
· World Day of Prayer - 2.00pm on 1st March 2024 at St. Peter’s Church Wootton Wawen. This is an ‘interfaith’ event devised by the Christian Women of Palestine.
All welcome!
· Mothering Sunday – early notice of our special morning thanksgiving on Sunday 10th March at 9.30 am in the Parish Hall. A treat for mum and lots of fun for all the family with tea, coffee and light breakfast refreshments!
PASTORAL CARE TEAM - A member of the team will be available at the 10am Services at St. Nicholas’ Church to greet newcomers and provide support and help to our parishioners. In particular please let us know of any concerns that you may have about congregation members past or present who are no longer able to attend church.
COST OF LIVING CRISIS - The Warm Space at the Baptist Church Hall- fellowship and refreshment 10am - 12.00noon every Saturday. Why not bring a friend? Volunteers welcome too of course!
Please note that the new Community Fridge is installed and ready at the Methodist Chapel in the High Street. We would welcome as many donations as possible please.
Check with the library before coming down to use the facility.
Next Sunday’s services – 3rd March 2024
St. Nicholas’ Church – Henley in Arden
8.00am Holy Communion and 10.00am Morning Worship
St. Mary’s Church – Ullenhall 6.00pm Evening Worship
News from Henley in Arden Church of England Primary School
Here is some news about what school has been doing recently. Just before Christmas the whole school attended a Christmas service in St Nicholas Church. The church was full with every seat taken. It was a happy time with lots of carol singing!
More recently children from years one and two visited all the churches in Henley. They looked at their similarities and differences. The children really enjoyed seeing the inside of all our lovely churches and studying their particular features.
Each of the nine schools in the multi-Academy trust took part in a diversity in Christianity art project with each school designing and making a cross influenced by a diverse country from around the world. This was the opportunity for children to understand about different countries and their cultures. The display at our local church was fantastic. See picture below.
Last weekend we were treated to some amazing cakes that the children had made for a Valentine’s theme sale. These were enjoyed at the Warm Space at the Baptist church on Saturday morning.
There will be more news from our local Church of England school each month as we look forward to more involvement. (see also below)
11th February 2024
LATEST NEWS
Welcome to our services on this the Sunday before Lent. Today Rev. Canon Jim Canning will lead Holy Communion at 8.00 and 10.00am. We also welcome Batanai Padya to speak at our 10am Service at St. Nicholas’, Henley and 6pm Service at St. Mary’s, Ullenhall to introduce our Lent Appeal for the work of Christian Aid.
If you would like special prayers said at any service for yourself, your family and friends or just for those difficult times in life that we all encounter from time to time, please do not hesitate to ask before or during any service. Names will be kept confidential unless you wish for them to be disclosed during the prayers. There are also prayer cards on the table at the rear of church that can be deposited in the box provided.
ECO CHURCH
Stratford on Avon and Warwick District Councils recently launched a new service to recycle used coffee pods. This recycling service supports the Council’s aims to reduce waste, increase recycling and save resources by giving materials a second life. Residents can recycle their plastic or aluminium coffee pods at home by signing up for free, on the podback website.
They will be sent rolls of podback recycling bags along with instructions. Filled bags of used coffee pods can then be put out alongside or on top of the waste, recycling, or gardening waste containers on the scheduled collection day. This is another way that we can avoid unnecessary landfill. Pods are sent to specialist recycling plants and transformed into new products.
More information is available at www.stratford.gov.uk/podback or you can sign up for the ‘podback’ service at www.podback.org
SPECIAL NOTICES
· Coffee Morning – A big THANK YOU to all the helpers and supporter of the recent Coffee Morning held in aid of St. Basil’s. £745 was raised for the important work carried out by this wonderful Charity.
· Memory Lane Café in the Henley in Arden Parish Hall (adjacent to St. Nicholas’ Church) lots of homemade cakes plus tea and coffee on Tuesday 13th February 2024 join us for a time of friendship, fun and a good chat. Drop in anytime from 2pm to 4pm. Disabled access and car park.
· Ash Wednesday, 14th February 6.00pm evening service in St. Nicholas’ Church with imposition of ashes. United Henley and Ullenhall Service.
PASTORAL CARE TEAM - A member of the team will be available at the 10am Services at St. Nicholas’ Church to greet newcomers and provide support and help to our parishioners.
COST OF LIVING CRISIS - The Warm Space at the Baptist Church Hall- fellowship and refreshment 10am - 12.00noon every Saturday. Why not bring a friend? Volunteers welcome too of course!
Please note that the new Community Fridge is installed and ready at the Methodist Chapel in the High Street. We would welcome as many donations as possible please.
Check with the library before coming down to use the facility.
Next Sunday’s services – 18th February 2024 – Lent 1
St. Nicholas’ Church – Henley in Arden
8.00am Communion and 10.00am Morning Worship
St. Mary’s Church – Ullenhall 6.00pm Holy Communion
2nd February 2024
LATEST NEWS
Welcome to our service this second Sunday before Lent.
If you would like special prayers said at any service for yourself, your family and friends or just for those difficult times in life that we all encounter from time to time, please do not hesitate to ask before or during any service. Names will be kept confidential unless you wish for them to be disclosed during the prayers. There are also prayer cards on the table at the rear of church that can be deposited in the box provided.
ECO CHURCH
Stratford on Avon and Warwick District Councils recently launched a new service to recycle used coffee pods. This recycling service supports the Council’s aims to reduce waste, increase recycling and save resources by giving materials a second life Residents can recycle their plastic or aluminium coffee pods at home by signing up for free, on the podback website.
They will be sent rolls of podback recycling bags along with instructions. Filled bags of used coffee pods can then be put out along side or on top of the waste, recycling, or gardening waste containers on the scheduled collection day. This is another way that we can avoid unnecessary landfill. Pods are sent to specialist recycling plants and transformed into new products. More information is available at www.stratford.gov.uk/podback or you can sign up for the ‘podback’ service at www.podback.org
SPECIAL NOTICES
· Coffee Morning and Bring & Buy Sale on Saturday 3rd February 10.30am to 12noon in Church Hall in aid of St. Basil's. There is list at back of St. Nicholas’ and St. John’s Churches with usual requests, Home-made cakes, Raffle prize and items for Bring and Buy table.
· Time Out with God on Thursday 8th February 12:30pm in the Baptist Church.
· Memory Lane Café in the Henley in Arden Parish Hall (adjacent to St. Nicholas’ Church) lots of homemade cakes plus tea and coffee on Tuesday 13th February 2024 join us for a time of friendship, fun and a good chat. Drop in anytime from 2pm to 4pm. Disabled access and car park.
· Ash Wednesday, 14th February 6.00pm evening service in St. Nicholas’ Church with imposition of ashes. United Henley and Ullenhall Service.
PASTORAL CARE TEAM - A member of the team will be available at the 10am Services at St. Nicholas’ Church to greet newcomers and provide support and help to our parishioners.
COST OF LIVING CRISIS - The Warm Space at the Baptist Church Hall- fellowship and refreshment 10am - 12.00noon every Saturday. Why not bring a friend? Volunteers welcome too of course!
Please note that the new Community Fridge is installed and ready at the Methodist Chapel in the High Street. We would welcome as many donations as possible please.
Check with the library before coming down to use the facility.
Next Sunday’s services – 11th February the Sunday before Lent
St. Nicholas’ Church – Henley in Arden
8.00am and 10.00am Holy Communion
St. Mary’s Church – Ullenhall 6.00pm Evening worship
21st January 2024
LATEST NEWS
Welcome to our services on the third Sunday of Epiphany.
If you would like special prayers said at any service for yourself, your family and friends or just for those difficult times in life that we all encounter from time to time, please do not hesitate to ask before or during any service. Names will be kept confidential unless you wish for them
to be disclosed during the prayers. There are also prayer cards on the table at the rear of church that can be deposited in the box provided.
ECO CHURCH
Free home heat loss surveys. Would you like to have your house surveyed to see where heat is escaping and wasting money? In January, for one week only, the Joint Parish Council and Henley Climate Action are offering free surveys of their homes to Henley residents. They are hoping to survey a variety of different types of property. Just email hca.heat.loss@gmail.com or phone John or Penny Scott on 01564 792251. There is likely to be a lot of interest, so register early although they have confirmed that this exercise will be repeated again.
SPECIAL NOTICES
· Memory Lane Café in the Henley in Arden Parish Hall (adjacent to St. Nicholas’ Church) sandwiches, homemade cakes plus tea and coffee on Tuesday 23rd January 2024 join us for a time of friendship, fun and a good chat. Drop in anytime from 2pm to 4pm. Disabled access and car park.
· Alpha Course in Claverdon Church Centre – I am pleased to say that Claverdon Church have invited us to take part in their upcoming ‘Alpha Course’ which starts on January 17th, 2024. If you are interested in this or know anyone who might be please see details on the printed notice at the back of Church and in the notice board outside.
· Coffee Morning in aid of St. Basils Homeless Charity – Friday 2nd February between 10.30 am and 12.00noon in the Parish Hall, Beaudesert Lane.
PASTORAL CARE TEAM - A member of the team will be available at the 10am Services at St. Nicholas’ Church to greet newcomers and provide support and help to our parishioners.
COST OF LIVING CRISIS - The Warm Space at the Baptist Church Hall- fellowship and refreshment 10am - 12.00noon every Saturday. Why not bring a friend? Volunteers welcome too of course!
Please note that the new Community Fridge is installed and ready at the Methodist Chapel in the High Street. We would welcome as many donations as possible please.
Check with the library before coming down to use the facility.
Next Sunday’s services – Candlemas – 28th January 2024
St. Nicholas’ Church – Henley in Arden
8.00am Holy Communion and 10.00am morning Worship (St. Basils Speaker).
6.00pm Ullenhall /Henley Ecumenical Service in St. Nicholas’ Church (St. Basils speaker)
Refreshments5.30 pm in Parish room before service.
St. Mary’s Church – Ullenhall No service in St. Mary’s – see Henley Candlemas above
7th January 2024
LATEST NEWS
On this Epiphany Sunday we have 8.00am Communion and 10.00am Sunday Morning Worship in St. Nicholas Church.
If you would like special prayers said at any service for yourself, your family and friends or just for those difficult times in life that we all encounter from time to time, please do not hesitate to ask before or during any service. Names will be kept confidential unless you wish for them to be disclosed during the prayers. There are also prayer cards on the table at the rear of church that can be deposited in the box provided.
ECO CHURCH
After the festivities are over, remember to take your real Christmas tree to the household waste recycling centre and place in the green waste skip.
These can be shredded into chippings or composted. If chopped up small enough these can be added into the green waste bins or put out next to the bin for collection for the first Collection on 8/ 9 January 24. A potted Christmas tree can be planted in the garden to give it a new lease of life ready for use it again next year! Or you can leave it in your garden to biodegrade. In 2 to 3 years. Simply chop up this tree into sticks and stack out-of-the-way, in any part of your garden.
SPECIAL NOTICES
· Memory Lane Café in the Henley in Arden Parish Hall (adjacent to St. Nicholas’ Church) sandwiches, homemade cakes plus tea and coffee on Tuesday 9th January 2024 join us for a time of friendship, fun and a good chat. Drop in anytime from 2pm to 4pm. Disabled access and car park.
· Henley Churches Together – Time out with God 12.30 pm Thursday 11th January 2024 at The Methodist Church, High Street, Henley in Arden. Reflection, prayer and fellowship followed by light refreshments.
· Flower arranging rota – Andrea and Ginny are looking for volunteers to place flowers in the two altar vases on a two-week rota basis. The new rota will be issued in December ready for a fresh start from January 2024. If can possibly help us out, please contact Andrea on 07798726366 or Ginny on 01564794308.
· Alpha Course in Claverdon Church Centre – I am pleased to say that Claverdon Church have invited us to take part in their upcoming ‘Alpha Course’ which starts on January 17th, 2024. If you are interested in this or know anyone who might be please see details on the printed notice at the back of Church and in the notice board outside.
PASTORAL CARE TEAM - A member of the team will be available at the 10am Services at St. Nicholas’ Church to greet newcomers and provide support and help to our parishioners.
COST OF LIVING CRISIS - The Warm Space at the Baptist Church Hall- fellowship and refreshment 10am - 12.00noon every Saturday. Why not bring a friend? Volunteers welcome too of course!
Please note that the new Community Fridge is installed and ready at the Methodist Chapel in the High Street. We would welcome as many donations as possible please.
Check with the library before coming down to use the facility.
Following Sunday’s services – Epiphany 2 14th January 2024
St. Nicholas’ Church – Henley in Arden
8.00am and 10.00am Holy Communion led by Revd. James Martin
St. Mary’s Church – Ullenhall
6.00pm Sunday evening worship led by Alan Greathead
17th December 2023
LATEST NEWS
We continue with our Advent themes with Communion led by Rev. Fritha Middlemiss at 8.00am. We also have Sunday Morning Worship in St. Nicholas Church 10.00am and ‘United Nine Lessons and Carols’ at 6.00pm in St. John’s Church.
If you would like special prayers said at any service for yourself, your family and friends or just for those difficult times in life that we all encounter from time to time, please do not hesitate to ask before or during any service. Names will be kept confidential unless you wish for them to be disclosed during the prayers. There are also prayer cards on the table at the rear of church that can be deposited in the box provided.
ECO CHURCH
Stuck for Christmas gift ideas? There are a range of charity gifts available that support the world’s most vulnerable people and also provide a gift for your loved one. There are a number of charity sites offering these Christmas gifts - here are a few suggestions:- Worldvision.org.uk - Offering seedlings for a tree nursery, mosquito nets and toys for a children’s centre Actionaid.org.uk – offering the opportunity to buy an animal gift such as a Beehive kit, piglet or a goat for a farming family in Burundi, East Africa Oxfam.org.uk - where are you can buy clean water, renewable energy or an emergency response kit Shop.savethechildren.org.uk - Offer a range of virtual gifts that help the lives of children across the world such as a school bag kit, winter clothes for a child and mosquito nets These gifts can be personalized with a printed card or an E card for the recipient together with your message as the giver. These virtual gifts are unique and make a big difference across the world. Also don’t forget to sign the Church family Christmas card which is on the back wall of St John’s church and in St Nicholas’s during our church services.
SPECIAL NOTICES
· Christmas Tree Festival. This year the festival will close on 23rd December
· Bible study and prayer group - The next meeting of this home group will take place on Tuesday 2nd January at 7 pm at the home of Mike and Ali Owen, 5 Bear Lane, Henley. Everyone welcome, just turn up!
· Flower arranging rota – Andrea and Ginny are looking for volunteers to place flowers in the two altar vases on a two-week rota basis. The new rota will be issued in December ready for a fresh start from January 2024. If can possibly help us out, please contact Andrea on 07798726366 or Ginny on 01564794308.
· Alpha Course in Claverdon Church Centre – I am pleased to say that Claverdon Church have invited us to take part in their upcoming ‘Alpha Course’ which starts on January 17th, 2024. If you are interested in this or know anyone who might be please see details on the printed notice at the back of Church and in the notice board outside.
· Henley Churches Together - The Advent Course will be held in the Baptist Church on Thursday morning 21st December. Refreshments at 10:30am course 11am start.
· Choir with no name – once again we are collecting for this very worthy cause. Please see Annie Davies or place your donation in the bucket provided at the back of church.
PASTORAL CARE TEAM - A member of the team will be available at the 10am Services at St. John’s Church to greet newcomers and provide support and help to our parishioners.
COST OF LIVING CRISIS - The Warm Space at the Baptist Church Hall- fellowship and refreshment 10am - 12.00noon every Saturday. Why not bring a friend? Volunteers welcome too of course!
Please note that the new Community Fridge is installed and ready at the Methodist Chapel in the High Street. We would welcome as many donations as possible please.
Check with the library before coming down to use the facility.
CHRISTMAS CHURCH SERVICES
All Christmas Eve and Christmas Day Henley Services in St. John’s Church
Sunday 24th December Christmas Eve - 5.00pm Christmas Crib Service
11.00pm Midnight Communion
Monday 25th December Christmas Day
10.00am Christmas Morning Communion - led by Rev. Archdeacon Tim Cockell
Ullenhall Church
10.00am Christmas Morning Communion led by Rev. James Holden
NB** 31st December there will be one service only which will be a United Service for Henley and Ullenhall Congregations to be held at 10.00am in St. Mary’s Church, Ullenhall
10th December 2023
LATEST NEWS
Today we welcome Revd. David Hall who will lead our 8.00am and 10.00am services of Holy Communion. This evening Alan Greathead will lead evening worship at St. Mary of the Virgin church in Ullenhall at 6.00pm.
If you would like special prayers said at any service for yourself, your family and friends or just for those difficult times in life that we all encounter from time to time, please do not hesitate to ask before or during any service. Names will be kept confidential unless you wish for them to be disclosed during the prayers. There are also prayer cards on the table at the rear of church that can be deposited in the box provided.
ECO CHURCH
The average person in the UK receives 17 Christmas cards, which is a lovely caring thing to do, but is not great for planet earth. We chop down one tree to make 3,000 Christmas cards. we can do our bit in saving the trees this year by buying recycled Christmas cards, which are sold in many places.
Alternatively, try up-cycling your old cards? This is easy to do with some imagination and some recycled card. Cut out a bold design to stick on folded recycled card, or do a collage of old Christmas card designs. And don't forget to tuck away the Christmas cards you get this year for next year's designs.
This year we are using the Communal Christmas card for church members to send messages and Christmas wishes to church family members as an alternative to sending individual Christmas cards. This card is in St John's except for the times of our services in St Nicholas' Church.
SPECIAL NOTICES
· Memory Lane Café in the Henley in Arden Parish Hall (adjacent to St. Nicholas’ Church) sandwiches, homemade cakes plus tea and coffee on Tuesday 12th December join us for Christmas carols and bible readings plus plenty of Christmas cheer. Drop in anytime from 2pm to 4pm. Disabled access and car park.
· Christmas Tree Festival. This year the festival will remain open from 11.00am until 4pm every day In St. John’s Church until 23rd December.
· Flower arranging rota – Andrea and Ginny are looking for volunteers to place flowers in the two altar vases on a two-week rota basis. The new rota will be issued in December ready for a fresh start from January 2024. If can possibly help us out, please contact Andrea on 07798726366 or Ginny on 01564794308.
· Alpha Course in Claverdon Church Centre – I am pleased to say that Claverdon Church have invited us to take part in their upcoming ‘Alpha Course’ which starts on January 17th, 2024. If you are interested in this or know anyone who might be please see details on the printed notice at the back of Church and in the notice board outside.
· Henley Churches Together - The Advent Course will be held in the Baptist Church on Thursday mornings 14th & 21st December. Refreshments at 10:30am course 11am start.
· Church cleaning – we are looking for someone to partner Julia Cross following the retirement of Carsina Goodman to whom we extend our grateful thanks after many years of faithful service.
· Choir with no name – once again we are collecting for this very worthy cause. Please see Annie Davies or place your donation in the bucket provided at the back of church.
PASTORAL CARE TEAM - A member of the team will be available at the 10am Services at St. John’s Church to greet newcomers and provide support and help to our parishioners.
COST OF LIVING CRISIS - The Warm Space at the Baptist Church Hall- fellowship and refreshment 10am - 12.00noon every Saturday. Why not bring a friend? Volunteers welcome too of course!
Please note that the new Community Fridge is installed and ready at the Methodist Chapel in the High Street. We would welcome as many donations as possible please.
Check with the library before coming down to use the facility.
NEXT SUNDAY CHURCH SERVICES
Sunday 17th December- 3rd Sunday of Advent Morning services only in St. Nicholas Church
8.00 am Communion: 10.00am Sunday worship
6.00pm United 9 Lessons and Carols service at St. John’s Church – Ullenhall congregation warmly invited along
3rd December 2023
LATEST NEWS
Welcome to St. Nicholas’ Church. Today on Advent Sunday we have our usual 8.00am Communion service and out 10.00am Morning Worship. This evening we have a special Advent ecumenical service at 6.00pm also at St. Nicholas’ Church. This will be followed by tea/coffee and light refreshments in the Parish Hall. Participants from the local Baptist, Methodist and Catholic Churches will be taking an active part in the service.
If you would like special prayers said at any service for yourself, your family and friends or just for those difficult times in life that we all encounter from time to time, please do not hesitate to ask before or during any service. Names will be kept confidential unless you wish for them to be disclosed during the prayers. There are also prayer cards on the table at the rear of church that can be deposited in the box provided.
ECO CHURCH
The UK produces a staggering additional 3 million tonnes of waste at Christmas and fills 100 million bin bags every year! Landfill produces high levels of methane gas and CO2, as rubbish rots in the ground, causing global warming.
8 million Christmas trees are purchased each year in the UK, although real trees have a much lower carbon footprint than artificial trees, they still contribute to a staggering amount of landfill waste. Even more worrying is that 14 per cent of plastic trees are discarded each year.
Try buying a living potted tree this year that you can water and later put in your garden after Christmas and use for years to come. If you do have to dispose of a real tree – do it properly, via the council’s recycling services.
SPECIAL NOTICES
· Bible, study and prayer group. The next meeting of the new Bible study and prayer group will take place on December 5th at 7.00pm in the home of Mike and Ali Owen, no 5 Bear Lane. Everyone welcome. Just turn up.
· Memory Lane Café in the Henley in Arden Parish Hall (adjacent to St. Nicholas’ Church) sandwiches, homemade cakes plus tea and coffee on Tuesday 12th December join us for Christmas carols and bible readings plus plenty of Christmas cheer. Drop in anytime from 2pm to 4pm. Disabled access and car park.
· Christmas Tree Festival. This year the festival will remain open from 11.00am until 4pm every day In St. John’s Church until 23rd December.
· Carols by Candlelight - 10th December at 3.00pm in the Church Hall. - an afternoon of lovely Christmas music by Songbirds, an all-female singing group. Tea and coffee provided, please bring and share mince pies. Entrance fee towards church funds.
· Flower arranging rota – Andrea and Ginny are looking for volunteers to place flowers in the two altar vases on a two-week rota basis. The new rota will be issued in December ready for a fresh start from January 2024. If can possibly help us out, please contact Andrea on 07798726366 or Ginny on 01564794308.
· Alpha Course in Claverdon Church Centre – I am pleased to say that Claverdon Church have invited us to take part in their upcoming ‘Alpha Course’ which starts on January 17th, 2024. If you are interested in this or know anyone who might be please see details on the printed notice at the back of Church and in the notice board outside.
· TOY DONATION TO BIRMINGHAM CITY MISSION - This year we hope to support this mission which supports children from deprived families by distributing Christmas Gifts. Please bring along your donations to either 10am Advent Morning Service or 6pm Special Advent Service on 3rd December. Please see sheet at the back of Church and further information is available from Amanda Lopes.
· Henley Churches Together - The Advent Course will be held in the Baptist Church on Thursday mornings 7th, 14th & 21st December. Refreshments at 10:30am course 11am start.
· Church cleaning – we are looking for someone to partner Julia Cross following the retirement of Carsina Goodman to whom we extend our grateful thanks after many years of faithful service.
· Choir with no name – once again we are collecting for this very worthy cause. Please see Annie Davies or place your donation in the bucket provided at the back of church.
PASTORAL CARE TEAM - A member of the team will be available at the 10am Services at St. John’s Church to greet newcomers and provide support and help to our parishioners.
COST OF LIVING CRISIS - The Warm Space at the Baptist Church Hall- fellowship and refreshment 10am - 12.00noon every Saturday. Why not bring a friend? Volunteers welcome too of course!
Please note that the new Community Fridge is installed and ready at the Methodist Chapel in the High Street. We would welcome as many donations as possible please.
Check with the library before coming down to use the facility.
NEXT SUNDAY CHURCH SERVICES
Sunday 10th December-2nd Sunday of Sunday All services in St. Nicholas Church
8.00 am Communion: 10.00am Sunday worship
6.00pm Sunday evening prayer at St. Mary of the Virgin Church, Ullenhall
All welcome please come along.
26th November 2023
LATEST NEWS
Welcome to our first of many winter services in St. Nicholas’ Church. Today we are pleased to welcome Elaine Field, our new high bailiff and all the members of The Court Leet and their guests. The hall is open for use of toilets during the service and afterwards a warm welcome to enjoy refreshments in The Guild Hall is extended to all attending today.
If you would like special prayers said at any service for yourself, your family and friends or just for those difficult times in life that we all encounter from time to time, please do not hesitate to ask before or during any service. Names will be kept confidential unless you wish for them to be disclosed during the prayers. There are also prayer cards on the table at the rear of church that can be deposited in the box provided.
ECO CHURCH
As we are buying cards, wrapping paper gift labels think about avoiding items with glitter, gold and silver foil as these are not recyclable. Use as little sticking tape as possible and remove when unwrapping parcels so the paper can be recycled. This year we will be using a communal Christmas card again for church members to send messages and Christmas wishes to church family members as an alternative to sending individual Christmas cards. If you would like to take up the option the Christmas card will initially be at the back of St John’s church, but will also be in St Nicholas Church to coincide with our services there.
SPECIAL NOTICES
· Memory Lane Café in the Henley in Arden Parish Hall (adjacent to St. Nicholas’ Church) live entertainment and homemade cakes plus tea and coffee on Tuesday 28th November. On 12th December the choir will join us for Christmas carols and bible readings plus plenty of good cheer. Drop in anytime from 2pm to 4pm. Disabled access and car park.
· Christmas Tree Festival. This year the festival will remain open from 11.00am until 4pm every day In St. John’s Church until 23rd December.
· Carols by Candlelight - 10th December at 3.00 pm in the Church Hall. - an afternoon of lovely Christmas music by Songbirds, an all-female singing group. Tea and coffee provided, please bring and share mince pies. Entrance fee towards church funds.
· Flower arranging rota – Andrea and Ginny are looking for volunteers to place flowers in the two altar vases on a two-week rota basis. The new rota will be issued in December ready for a fresh start from January 2024. If can possibly help us out, please contact Andrea on 07798726366 or Ginny on 01564794308.
· Alpha Course in Claverdon Church Centre – I am pleased to say that Claverdon Church have invited us to take part in their upcoming ‘Alpha Course’ which starts on January 17th, 2024. If you are interested in this or know anyone who might be please see details on the printed notice at the back of Church and in the notice board outside.
TOY DONATION TO BIRMINGHAM CITY MISSION - This year we hope to support this mission which supports children from deprived families by distributing Christmas Gifts. Please bring along your donations to either 10am Advent Morning Service or 6pm Special Advent Service on 3rd December. Please see sheet at the back of Church and further information is available from Amanda Lopes.
OTHER EVENTS
· Henley Churches Together - The Advent Course will be held in the Baptist Church on Thursday mornings 7th, 14th & 21st December. Refreshments at 10:30am course 11am start.
· Church cleaning – we are looking for someone to partner Julia Cross following the retirement of Carsina Goodman to whom we extend our grateful thanks after many years of faithful service.
· Choir with no name – once again we are collecting for this very worthy cause. Please see Annie Davies or place your donation in the bucket provided at the back of church.
PASTORAL CARE TEAM - A member of the team will be available at the 10am Services at St. John’s Church to greet newcomers and provide support and help to our parishioners.
COST OF LIVING CRISIS - The Warm Space at the Baptist Church Hall- fellowship and refreshment 10am - 12.00noon every Saturday. Why not bring a friend? Volunteers welcome too of course!
Please note that the new Community Fridge is installed and ready at the Methodist Chapel in the High Street. We would welcome as many donations as possible please.
Check with the library before coming down to use the facility.
NEXT SUNDAY CHURCH SERVICES
Sunday 3rd December-Advent Sunday All services in St. Nicholas Church
8.00 am Communion: 10.00am Advent Sunday worship
6.00pm a special Henley Churches Together Ecumenical Advent Service to which Ullenhall congregation are also warmly invited.
All welcome, please come along.
19th November 2023
LATEST NEWS
Welcome to our first of many winter services in St. Nicholas’ Church. Today we are pleased to welcome Revd. James Holden who will lead our 8.00am and 10.00am Communion Services. The hall is open for use of toilets and for a warm welcome to coffee, tea and biscuits after the service.
If you would like special prayers said at any service for yourself, your family and friends or just for those difficult times in life that we all encounter from time to time, please do not hesitate to ask before or during any service. Names will be kept confidential unless you wish for them to be disclosed during the prayers. There are also prayer cards on the table at the rear of church that can be deposited in the box provided.
ECO CHURCH
5 winners of the global Earthshot prize, the biggest environmental prize on the planet, were announced on 7th November, each one receiving £1 each. This prize has existed for 3 years and rewards amazingly ambitious, courageous and ingenuous projects that will protect, regenerate and restore nature for future generations. This year has been no exception in terms of the creativity and brilliance of the unique, new practical solutions in the competition. Each one has been developed to create a healthy world in the face of the enormous crisis faced by our planet. All the 15 finalists are leading the way in the battle against climate change. Each of the 5 worthy prizewinners will use the prize money to scale up and accelerate their creative, ground breaking ideas, to make a global difference for the future. This prize is a reason for hope and optimism and living proof that their are solutions to fix our climate, our oceans, protect and restore nature, clean our air and build a waste free world. Thank God for the skill, imagination and incredible work of the people that care and are motivated enough to lead the way in our world.
SPECIAL NOTICES
· Memory Lane Café in the Henley in Arden Parish Hall (adjacent to St. Nicholas’ Church) live entertainment and homemade cakes plus tea and coffee on Tuesday 28th November. On 12th December the choir will join us for Christmas carols and bible readings plus plenty of good cheer. Drop in anytime from 2pm to 4pm. Disabled access and car park.
· Christmas Tree Festival will open at 11.00 am on Saturday 25th November to coincide with the Christmas lights event in Henley in Arden. This year the festival will remain open from 11.00am until 4pm every day until 23rd December
· Save the date - Following the success of their concert in June, the Songbirds will be back to entertain us again on Sunday 10th December at 3 pm in the church hall. Please save the date … more details to follow.
· Flower arranging rota – Andrea and Ginny are looking for volunteers to place flowers in the two altar vases on a two-week rota basis. The new rota will be issued in December ready for a fresh start from January 2024. If can possibly help us out, please contact Andrea on 07798726366 or Ginny on 01564794308.
· Alpha Course in Claverdon Church Centre – I am pleased to say that Claverdon Church have invited us to take part in their upcoming ‘Alpha Course’ which starts on January 17th, 2024. If you are interested in this or know anyone who might be please see details on the printed notice at the back of Church and in the notice board outside.
TOY DONATION TO BIRMINGHAM CITY MISSION - This year we hope to support this mission which supports children from deprived families by distributing Christmas Gifts. Please bring along your donations to either 10am Advent Morning Service or 6pm Special Advent Service on 3rd December. Please see sheet at the back of Church and further information is available from Amanda Lopes.
· Henley Churches Together - The Advent Course will be held in the Baptist Church on Thursday mornings 7th, 14th & 21st December. Refreshments at 10:30am course 11am start.
· Church cleaning – we are looking for someone to partner Julia Cross following the retirement of Carsina Goodman to whom we extend our grateful thanks after many years of faithful service.
· Choir with no name – once again we are collecting for this very worthy cause. Please see Annie Davies or place your donation in the bucket provided at the back of church.
PASTORAL CARE TEAM - A member of the team will be available at the 10am Services at St. John’s Church to greet newcomers and provide support and help to our parishioners.
COST OF LIVING CRISIS - The Warm Space at the Baptist Church Hall- fellowship and refreshment 10am - 12.00noon every Saturday. Why not bring a friend? Volunteers welcome too of course!
Please note that the new Community Fridge is installed and ready at the Methodist Chapel in the High Street. We would welcome as many donations as possible please.
Check with the library before coming down to use the facility.
NEXT SUNDAY CHURCH SERVICES
Sunday 26th November 8.00am
8.00 am Communion in St. Nicholas Church: 11.00am Christ the King &Court Leet Service
All welcome please come along.
6.00pm Evening worship at St. Mary’s Church Ullenhall
12th November 2023
LATEST NEWS
Welcome to our services today on Remembrance Sunday
If you would like special prayers said at any service for yourself, your family and friends or just for those difficult times in life that we all encounter from time to time, please do not hesitate to ask before or during any service. Names will be kept confidential unless you wish for them to be disclosed during the prayers. There are also prayer cards on the table at the rear of church that can be deposited in the box provided.
ECO CHURCH
Don’t let your clutter go to waste! Did you know that you can turn your unwanted stuff into donations for Macmillan Cancer Support? Macmillan are proud partners of Recycling For Good Causes, raising vital funds to support people with cancer by recycling or giving unwanted or broken items a new lease of life. We can reduce clutter, stop things going to landfill and raise much-needed donations. It’s easy - here are 3 steps:
1. Call 0800 633 5323 or visit Recycling for Good Causes for a free recycling sack with instructions, delivered to your door.
2. Gather your unwanted items/clutter and fill your sack with 10kg of items. This includes jewellery including costume/broken items, bank notes and coins, watches (any age /condition, broken or working), Stamps, mobile phones, gadgets, cameras in any condition.
3. Schedule a collection. Recycling for Good Causes will collect sort, recycle and resell items, donating any profits to Macmillan. So you can have a good clear out and make some money for a worthy charity.
SPECIAL NOTICES
· Memory Lane Café in the Henley in Arden Parish Hall (adjacent to St. Nicholas’ Church) live entertainment and homemade cakes plus tea and coffee on Tuesday 14th and 28th November. Drop in anytime from 2pm to 4pm. Disabled access and car park.
· Litter picks around Henley in Arden – more to come later in the year
· Save the date - Following the success of their concert in June, the Songbirds will be back to entertain us again on Sunday 10th December at 3 pm in the church hall. Please save the date … more details to follow.
· Flower arranging rota – Andrea and Ginny are looking for volunteers to place flowers in the two altar vases on a two-week rota basis. The new rota will be issued in December ready for a fresh start from January 2024. If can possibly help us out, please contact Andrea on 07798726366 or Ginny on 01564794308.
· Alpha Course in Claverdon Church Centre – I am pleased to say that Claverdon Church have invited us to take part in their upcoming ‘Alpha Course’ which starts on January 17th, 2024. If you are interested in this or know anyone who might be please see details on the printed notice at the back of Church and in the notice board outside.
TOY DONATION TO BIRMINGHAM CITY MISSION - This year we hope to support this mission which supports children from deprived families by distributing Christmas Gifts. Please bring along your donations to either 10am Advent Morning Service or 6pm Special Advent Service on 3rd December. Please see sheet at the back of Church and further information is available from Amanda Lopes.
· Henley Churches Together - The Advent Course will be held in the Baptist Church on Thursday mornings 7th, 14th & 21st December. Refreshments at 10:30am course 11am start.
· Church cleaning – we are looking for someone to partner Julia Cross following the retirement of Carsina Goodman to whom we extend our grateful thanks after many years of faithful service.
· Choir with no name – once again we are collecting for this very worthy cause. Please see Annie Davies or place your donation in the bucket provided at the back of church.
PASTORAL CARE TEAM - A member of the team will be available at the 10am Services at St. John’s Church to greet newcomers and provide support and help to our parishioners.
COST OF LIVING CRISIS - The Warm Space at the Baptist Church Hall- fellowship and refreshment 10am - 12.00noon every Saturday. Why not bring a friend? Volunteers welcome too of course!
Please note that the new Community Fridge is installed and ready at the Methodist Chapel in the High Street. We would welcome as many donations as possible please.
Check with the library before coming down to use the facility.
NEXT SUNDAY CHURCH SERVICES
Sunday 19th November – Last Sunday in Trinity
8.00 am and 10.00 am Holy Communion Service in St. John’s Church, Henley
6.00pm Evening worship at St. Mary’s Church Ullenhall
5th November 2023
LATEST NEWS
Welcome to our services today on what is known as Suffering Sunday relating in particular to all persecuted Christians.
If you would like special prayers said at any service for yourself, your family and friends or just for those difficult times in life that we all encounter from time to time, please do not hesitate to ask before or during any service. Names will be kept confidential unless you wish for them to be disclosed during the prayers. There are also prayer cards on the table at the rear of church that can be deposited in the box provided.
ECO CHURCH
Now that Halloween celebrations are over it is time to clear up and think about saving all of that potential wastage Here are some ways to ensure that pumpkin waste is reduced: any of the soft inner carved out can often be fed to pigs so why not contact a local farm and offer to drop yours round?
Remember to put the empty pumpkin shell in the food caddy or use the shell as a caddy to collect food scraps, ready for collection. Remember that plastic pumpkins are not biodegradable or compostable , and are a waste of precious resources. Clean them for re-use next year if you can.
SPECIAL NOTICES
- Henley Churches Together - ‘Time out with God’ will be held at the Methodist Church at 12.30pm on Thursday 9th November
- Memory Lane Café in the Henley in Arden Parish Hall (adjacent to St. Nicholas’ Church) live entertainment and homemade cakes plus tea and coffee on Tuesday 14th and 28th November. Drop in anytime from 2pm to 4pm. Disabled access and car park.
- Litter picks around Henley in Arden – more to come later in the year
- Save the date - Following the success of their concert in June, the Songbirds will be back to entertain us again on Sunday 10th December at 3 pm in the church hall. Please save the date … more details to follow.
- Remembrance Sunday 12th November – there will not be a parade in Henley this year but the standards will be presented as usual during the special service which this year will begin at 10.45 prompt in St. John’s Church
PASTORAL CARE TEAM - A member of the team will be available at the 10am Services at St. John’s Church to greet newcomers and provide support and help to our parishioners.
COST OF LIVING CRISIS - The Warm Space at the Baptist Church Hall- fellowship and refreshment 10am - 12.00noon every Saturday. Why not bring a friend? Volunteers welcome too of course!
Please note that the new Community Fridge is installed and ready at the Methodist Chapel in the High Street. We would welcome as many donations as possible please.
Check with the library before coming down to use the facility.
NEXT SUNDAY CHURCH SERVICES
Sunday 12th November – Remembrance Sunday
8.00 am Communion and 10.45am Remembrance Service in St. John’s Church, Henley
9.30am remembrance Service at Ullenhall village War Memorial
6.00pm Communion at St. Mary’s Church Ullenhall
29th October 2023
LATEST NEWS
Welcome to our service in which we commemorate All Souls Day.
If you would like special prayers said at any service for yourself, your family and friends or just for those difficult times in life that we all encounter from time to time, please do not hesitate to ask before or during any service. Names will be kept confidential unless you wish for them to be disclosed during the prayers. There are also prayer cards on the table at the rear of church that can be deposited in the box provided.
ECO CHURCH
With Halloween approaching we may be tempted to purchase a pumpkin for carving or decoration. Did you know … Every year in the UK, 18,000 tonnes of pumpkins are thrown away at Halloween. We don’t want to spoil your children’s fun but If you buy one it should be eaten!! Here are some ways to ensure that pumpkin waste is reduced:
Don’t carve a pumpkin at all if you’re not planning to eat it. Instead, by a vegetable you are likely to eat such as a turnip or a butternut squash, which do not require as much water as a pumpkin to grow. If you do buy a pumpkin, eat the flesh by hollowing out the pumpkin to create a thin shell. This way all the edible flesh can be extracted. The seeds can be eaten too. Remember to put the empty pumpkin shell in the food caddy or use the shell as a caddy to collect food scraps, ready for collection. Do not be tempted to buy a plastic pumpkin, as they don’t biodegrade or compost, and are a waste of precious resources.
SPECIAL NOTICES
Henley Churches Together - ‘Time out with God’ will be held at the Methodist Church at 12.30pm on Thursday 9th November
Memory Lane Café in the Henley in Arden Parish Hall (adjacent to St. Nicholas’ Church) live entertainment and homemade cakes plus tea and coffee on Tuesday 14th and 28th November. Drop in anytime from 2pm to 4pm. Disabled access and car park.
Litter picks around Henley in Arden – more to come later in the yea
Save the date - Following the success of their concert in June, the Songbirds will be back to entertain us again on Sunday 10th December at 3 pm in the church hall. Please save the date … more details to follow.
PASTORAL CARE TEAM - A member of the team will be available at the 10am Services at St. John’s Church to greet newcomers and provide support and help to our parishioners.
COST OF LIVING CRISIS - The Warm Space at the Baptist Church Hall- fellowship and refreshment 10am - 12.00noon every Saturday. Why not bring a friend? Volunteers welcome too of course!
Please note that the new Community Fridge is installed and ready at the Methodist Chapel in the High Street. We would welcome as many donations as possible please.
Check with the library before coming down to use the facility.
NEXT SUNDAY CHURCH SERVICES
Sunday 5th November – Trinity 22
8.00 am Communion and 10.00am Sunday worship in St. John’s Church, Henley
6.00 pm Sunday evening worship at St. Mary’s Church Ullenhall
22nd October 2023
LATEST NEWS
This Sunday we welcome back Revd. James Holden who will lead 8.00am Holy Communion Service in St. John’s Church.
If you would like special prayers said at any service for yourself, your family and friends or just for those difficult times in life that we all encounter from time to time, please do not hesitate to ask before or during any service. Names will be kept confidential unless you wish for them to be disclosed during the prayers. There are also prayer cards on the table at the rear of church that can be deposited in the box provided.
ECO CHURCH
More information about what happens to your food waste The combined Warwick and Stratford household food waste is treated at Severn Trent Green Power’s Coleshill anaerobic digestion facility. This process involves specialist bacteria, that break down organic matter such as food waste. This produces Biogas. The Coleshill facility can treat up to 50,000 tonnes of household and commercial food waste each year which is enough to generate 2.4 Megawatts of electricity. Biogas is either converted to electricity, or exported to the national electricity grid or further treated and exported to the National gas grid, supplying homes and businesses with renewable energy. In addition, the process creates a nutrient rich liquid bio fertiliser, used by farmers to grow fruit and vegetables. The forecast food wastage tonnage for this contract means that Warwickshire residents will be powering the equivalent of 1,024 homes a year with green energy. This is also the equivalent of 8,997 tonnes of carbon not emitted to the atmosphere compared to the same
amount of food waste going into landfill. Great news!
SPECIAL NOTICES
Memory Lane Café in the Henley in Arden Parish Hall (adjacent to St. Nicholas’ Church) live entertainment and homemade cakes plus tea and coffee on Tuesday 24th October. Drop in anytime from 2pm to 4pm. Disabled access and car park.
Litter picks around Henley in Arden – more to come later in the yea
Save the date - Following the success of their concert in June, the Songbirds will be back to entertain us again on Sunday 10th December at 3 pm in the church hall. Please save the date … more details to follow.
PCC Meeting – the next PCC meeting will be at 7.30pm on Wednesday 25th October in the Parish Office at Henley
All Souls services 29th October – 10.00am at St. John’s and 6.00pm at St. Mary’s Ullenhall
Please hand in or send details of those whom you would wish to be included in our special prayers. Henley – Julia Cross, Daphne jones or by email to malcolmrobertaldridge@gmail.com
Ullenhall to Eileen Evason or by email to Malcolm as above.
PASTORAL CARE TEAM - A member of the team will be available at the 10am Services at St. John’s Church to greet newcomers and provide support and help to our parishioners.
COST OF LIVING CRISIS - The Warm Space at the Baptist Church Hall- fellowship and refreshment 10am - 12.00noon every Saturday. Why not bring a friend? Volunteers welcome too of course!
Please note that the new Community Fridge is installed and ready at the Methodist Chapel in the High Street. We would welcome as many donations as possible please.
Check with the library before coming down to use the facility.
NEXT SUNDAY CHURCH SERVICES
Sunday 29th October –Sunday Services -All Souls Sunday
8.00 am Holy Communion and 10.00am Sunday worship in St. John’s Church, Henley
6.00 pm Sunday evening worship at St. Mary’s Church Ullenhal
15th October 2023
LATEST NEWS
Our visiting priest for 8.00am and 10.00am Holy Communion Services at St. John’s Church is Revd. Clive Hicks. Alan Greathead will lead 6.00pm evening worship at Ullenhall.
If you would like special prayers said at any service for yourself, your family and friends or just for those difficult times in life that we all encounter from time to time, please do not hesitate to ask before or during any service. Names will be kept confidential unless you wish for them to be disclosed during the prayers. There are also prayer cards on the table at the rear of church that can be deposited in the box provided.
ECO CHURCH
More information about what happens to your food waste The combined Warwick and Stratford household food waste is treated at Severn Trent
Green Power’s Coleshill anaerobic digestion facility. This process involves specialist bacteria, that break down organic matter such as food waste. This produces Biogas. The Coleshill facility can treat up to 50,000 tonnes of household and commercial food waste each year which is enough to generate 2.4 Megawatts of electricity. Biogas is either converted to electricity, or exported to the national electricity grid or further treated and exported to the National gas grid, supplying homes and businesses with renewable energy. In addition, the process creates a nutrient rich liquid bio fertiliser, used by farmers to grow fruit and vegetables. The forecast food wastage tonnage for this contract means that Warwickshire residents will be powering the equivalent of 1,024 homes a year with green energy. This is also the equivalent of 8,997 tonnes of carbon not emitted to the atmosphere compared to the same amount of food waste going into landfill. Great news!
SPECIAL NOTICES
Memory Lane Café in the Henley in Arden Parish Hall (adjacent to St. Nicholas’ Church) live entertainment and homemade cakes plus tea and coffee on Tuesday 10th October. Drop in anytime from 2pm to 4pm. Disabled access and car park.
Time out with God – our next meeting will be held at The Parish Hall, adj. to St Nicholas’ Church at 12.30pm on Thursday 12th October. Please join us for ecumenical fellowship, prayers and refreshments. All welcome.
New Worshipping Community – ‘Taster Day’ organized by the Coventry Diocese. This is on Saturday 21st October at St. John’s Church, Westwood CV4 8GN (see Diocese website)
Litter picks around Henley in Arden – more to come later in the year
Save the date - Following the success of their concert in June, the Songbirds will be back to entertain us again on Sunday 10th December at 3 pm in the church hall. Please save the date … more details to follow.
PCC Meeting – the next PCC meeting will be at 7.30pm on Wednesday 25th October in the Parish Office at Henley
All Souls services 29th October – 10.00am at St. John’s and 6.00pm at St. Mary’s Ullenhall
Please hand in or send details of those whom you would wish to be included in our special prayers. Henley–by hand to Julia Cross, Daphne Jones, Ali Owen or by email to:-malcolmrobertaldridge@gmail.com
Ullenhall Church by hand to Eileen Evason or by email to Malcolm as above.
PASTORAL CARE TEAM
A member of the team will be available at the 10am Services at St. John’s Church to greet newcomers and provide support and help to our parishioners.
COST OF LIVING CRISIS
The Warm Space at the Baptist Church Hall- fellowship and
refreshment 10am - 12.00noon every Saturday. Why not bring a friend? Volunteers welcome too of course!
Please note that the new Community Fridge is installed and ready at the Methodist Chapel in the High Street. We would welcome as many donations as possible please.
Check with the library before coming down to use the facility.
NEXT SUNDAY CHURCH SERVICES
Sunday 22nd October –Sunday Services 20th Sunday of Trinity
8.00 am Holy Communion and 10.00 Morning Worship in St. John’s Church, Henley
6.00 pm Sunday evening worship at St. Mary’s Church Ullenhall
8th October 2023
LATEST NEWS
Our visiting priest for 8.00am Holy Communion Service at St. John’s Church is Revd. James Martin.
If you would like special prayers said at any service for yourself, your family and friends or just for those difficult times in life that we all encounter from time to time, please do not hesitate to ask before or during any service. Names will be kept confidential unless you wish for them to be disclosed during the prayers. There are also prayer cards on the table at the rear of church that can be deposited in the box provided.
ECO CHURCH
Ever wondered what happens to your food waste? Taken from Ullenhall’s village magazine - here is the answer.
Changes to Stratford on Avon District Council rubbish and recycling collections introduced on 1st August 2022 have been hailed as a success with figures, showing a reduction in the amount of rubbish being disposed of and residents recycling more than 2/3 of all household waste collected in the District.
In the first year of operation, figures show that 68% of the District’s rubbish has been recycled and 26% less residual waste was collected.
Great news for us all and makes the weekly caddy collection worthwhile. More information next week!
SPECIAL NOTICES
Memory Lane Café in the Henley in Arden Parish Hall (adjacent to St. Nicholas’ Church) live entertainment and homemade cakes plus tea and coffee on Tuesday 10th October. Drop in anytime from 2pm to 4pm. Disabled access and car park.
Time out with God – our next meeting will be held at The Parish Hall, adj. to St Nicholas’ Church at 12.30pm on Thursday 12th October. Please join us for ecumenical fellowship, prayers and refreshments. All welcome.
New Worshipping Community – ‘Taster Day’ organized by the Coventry Diocese. This is on Saturday 21st October at St. John’s Church, Westwood CV4 8GN (see Diocese website)
Litter picks around Henley in Arden – more to come later in the year
PASTORAL CARE TEAM
A member of the team will be available at the 10am Services at St. John’s Church to greet newcomers and provide support and help to our parishioners.
COST OF LIVING CRISIS
The Warm Space at the Baptist Church Hall- fellowship and refreshment 10am - 12.00noon every Saturday. Why not bring a friend? Volunteers welcome too of course!
Please note that the new Community Fridge is installed and ready at the Methodist Chapel in the High Street. We would welcome as many donations as possible please.
Check with the library before coming down to use the facility.
NEXT SUNDAY CHURCH SERVICES
Sunday 15th October –Sunday Services 19th Sunday of Trinity
8.00 am and 10.00am Holy Communion in St. John’s Church, Henley
6.00 pm Sunday evening worship at St. Mary’s Church Ullenhall
24th September 2023
LATEST NEWS
Regrettably we have not yet made any progress with recruiting a new Rector for our Joint Parish but are in throes of discussing a fresh and more innovatory approach to our advertising with the Diocese.
If you would like special prayers said at any service for yourself, your family and friends or just for those difficult times in life that we all encounter from time to time, please do not hesitate to ask before or during any service. Names will be kept confidential unless you wish for them to be disclosed during the prayers. There are also prayer cards on the table at the rear of church that can be deposited in the box provided.
ECO CHURCH
The 15 finalists for the ‘Earthshot’ prize have been announced and this year they include two British entries. This is great news for the planet and for Britain.
The ‘Earthshot’ prize was launched by Prince William in 2020 to find and scale up the most innovative solutions to the world’s greatest environmental challenges. This is the most prestigious environmental award on the planet. The prizes of £1m each, are given to the winner of 5 categories. Winners are selected on the basis of their ability to scale up their environmental solutions.
The two British finalists are helping to solve some of the world’s biggest challenges. The first finalist is in the waste free category. This finalist has developed sustainable fabric dyes that reduce the wasted water by three quarters and the toxic chemicals that are used in the dying process by two thirds. The fashion industry across the world uses a shocking 5 trillion litres of water every year and over 70 toxic chemicals, which are released into rivers and seas.
The second British finalist, in the clean air category, is creating car tyres that produce less dust into the environment. Normal car tyres produce 1.5 KG of dust particles in their lifetime. Multiply that by four tyres, on 1.5 billion cars on the planet, and that’s a lot of dust! This company is creating sustainable and environmentally friendly tyres, that have a longer life and produce less harmful dust.
Winners will be announced on 7 November 2023.
SPECIAL NOTICES
Memory Lane Café in the Henley in Arden Parish Hall (adjacent to St. Nicholas’ Church) live entertainment and homemade cakes plus tea and coffee on Tuesday 26th September. Drop in anytime from 2pm to 4pm. Disabled access and car park.
Ullenhall Church Harvest Supper and Quiz – two course hot meal and room raffle Saturday 30th September 7.00pm in The Ullenhall Village Hall- See advertisement for tickets etc in this month’s magazine.
New Group - It is proposed to set up a local Bible study and prayer group. This will be an opportunity for us to gather in a home setting to consider a Bible passage together and to pray. This has been under consideration for some time, but now feels like the right time.
Initially to be held in Ali and Mike Owen’s house in Bear Lane, and depending on interest, may need to move to another location or more groups might be needed.
In order to establish interest, there are lists at the back of Church. One for the first group which is meeting shortly (in October) and one for those who would like to consider being part of a group at a later stage but would like to express interest now.
The format of each session will be a structured meeting using specific study material, led by each time. There will be a Bible passage for discussion followed by time of prayer. We hope that this initiative will be a time for spiritual nourishment and fellowship, and many will be interested.
New Worshipping Community – ‘Taster Day’ organized by the Coventry Diocese. This is on Saturday 21st October at St. John’s Church, Westwood CV4 8GN (see Diocese website)
Litter picks around Henley in Arden – more to come later in the year
PASTORAL CARE TEAM - A member of the team will be available at the 10am Services at St. John’s Church to greet newcomers and provide support and help to our parishioners.
COST OF LIVING CRISIS - The Warm Space at the Baptist Church Hall- fellowship and refreshment 10am - 12.00noon every Saturday. Why not bring a friend? Volunteers welcome too of course!
Please note that the new Community Fridge is installed and ready at the Methodist Chapel in the High Street. We would welcome as many donations as possible please.
Check with the library before coming down to use the facility.
NEXT SUNDAY CHURCH SERVICES
Sunday 1st October – Harvest Sunday Services 16th Sunday of Trinity
8.00 am Holy Communion and 10.00am Harvest Sunday worship in St. John’s Church, Henley
6.00 pm Harvest Sunday worship at St. Mary’s Church Ullenhall
10th September 2023
LATEST NEWS
We welcome Revd. Steve Tash who will be leading our 8.00am service of Holy Communion at St. John’s Church Henley in Arden.
If you would like special prayers said at any service for yourself, your family and friends or just for those difficult times in life that we all encounter from time to time, please do not hesitate to ask before or during any service. Names will be kept confidential unless you wish for them to be disclosed during the prayers. There are also prayer cards on the table at the rear of church that can be deposited in the box provided.
ECO CHURCH
This week we pray a blessing for God’s beautiful world, as taken from the Green Christian organisation.
May our loving God who created the world and all that is in it, inspire us to delight in our beautiful home, and to live in wonder, peace and joy.
May our loving God keep our hearts turned to loving our neighbours and to respecting the creation we share.
May our merciful God help us to live this week in goodness and hope,
And fill us with God’s peace. Amen
The link Below directs us to a guide where we can learn about the season and how to celebrate. More information can be found at https://seasonofcreation.org.uk/
SPECIAL NOTICES
Memorial service for Jo Ross – 1.30pm Tuesday 12th September at St. John’s Church. Please avoid St. Nicholas car park if possible.
‘Time out with God – Ecumenical fellowship, prayers and refreshments in the Baptist Church Hall, High Street, Henley in Arden at 12.30 pm on Thursday 14th September. ALL WELCOME
Memory Lane Café in the Henley in Arden Parish Hall (adjacent to St. Nicholas’ Church) live entertainment and homemade cakes plus tea and coffee on Tuesdays 12th and 26th September. Drop in anytime from 2pm to 4pm. Disabled access and car park.
Ullenhall Church Harvest Supper and Quiz – two course hot meal and room raffle Saturday 30th September 7.00pm in The Ullenhall Village Hall- See advertisement for tickets etc in this month’s magazine.
New Group - It is proposed to set up a local Bible study and prayer group. This will be an opportunity for us to gather in a home setting to consider a Bible passage together and to pray. This has been under consideration for some time, but now feels like the right time.
Initially to be held in Ali and Mike Owen’s house in Bear Lane, and depending on interest, may need to move to another location or more groups might be needed.
In order to establish interest, there are lists at the back of Church. One for the first group which is meeting shortly (in October) and one for those who would like to consider being part of a group at a later stage but would like to express interest now.
The format of each session will be a structured meeting using specific study material, led by each time. There will be a Bible passage for discussion followed by time of prayer. We hope that this initiative will be a time for spiritual nourishment and fellowship, and many will be interested.
New Worshipping Community – ‘Taster Day’ organized by the Coventry Diocese. This is on Saturday 21st October at St. John’s Church, Westwood CV4 8GN (see Diocese website)
Litter picks around Henley in Arden – more to come later in the year
PASTORAL CARE TEAM
A member of the team will be available at the 10am Services at St. John’s Church to greet newcomers and provide support and help to our parishioners.
COST OF LIVING CRISIS
The Warm Space at the Baptist Church Hall- fellowship and refreshment 10am - 12.00noon every Saturday. Why not bring a friend? Volunteers welcome too of course!
Please note that the new Community Fridge is installed and ready at the Methodist Chapel in the High Street. We would welcome as many donations as possible please.
Check with the library before coming down to use the facility.
NEXT SUNDAY CHURCH SERVICES
Sunday 17thSeptember – 14th Sunday of Trinity 8.00 am and 10.00am Holy Communion in St. John’s Church, Henley
6.00 pm Sunday worship at St. Mary’s Church Ullenhall
3rd September 2023
LATEST NEWS
We would like to thank all of our church members and our local community who kindly gave their time and donations to make our Annual Church Fayre a thoroughly enjoyable and successful event on August bank holiday Monday.
We also would like to thank Annie Davies and her musician colleagues for the fund raising concert that she organised and performed in last Sunday in St. John’s Church raising substantial funds in aid of ‘the Choir with No Name” who are some of the homeless on the streets of Birmingham.
If you would like special prayers said at any service for yourself, your family and friends or just for those difficult times in life that we all encounter from time to time, please do not hesitate to ask before or during any service. Names will be kept confidential unless you wish for them to be disclosed during the prayers. There are also prayer cards on the table at the rear of church that can be deposited in the box provided.
ECO CHURCH
Friday, 1st September is the start of the annual season of creation which runs until 4th October, the feast of Saint Francis of Assisi the patron saint of ecology; beloved by many Christian denominations. In 2007 The world council of churches invited churches to observe a “time for creation” through prayer and action. Since then this annual event has united the Christian family in a worldwide celebration of prayer and action to protect our common home.
As Christians from around the globe we share a common call to care for creation. We are co-creatures and part of all that God has made. Our well-being is interwoven with the well-being of the Earth.
This year’s theme is “let justice and peace flow”. This is a time to reflect and pray for the state of God’s world and the need for healing. Through prayer and practical advocacy, plus the sustainable actions that many Christian organizations will take during this time, the plan is that there will be renewed ecumenical unity and care for our common home, as we journey together in communion, as the people of God.
The link Below directs us to a guide where we can learn about the season and how to celebrate. More information can be found at https://seasonofcreation.org.uk/
SPECIAL NOTICES
‘Time out with God – Ecumenical fellowship, prayers and refreshments in the Baptist Church Hall, High Street, Henley in Arden at 12.30 pm on Thursday 14th September. ALL WELCOME
Memory Lane Café in the Henley in Arden Parish Hall (adjacent to St. Nicholas’ Church) live entertainment and homemade cakes plus tea and coffee on Tuesdays 12th and 26th September. Drop in anytime from 2pm to 4pm. Disabled access and car park.
Ullenhall Church Harvest Supper and Quiz – two course hot meal and room raffle Saturday 30th September 7.00pm in The Ullenhall Village Hall- See advertisement for tickets etc in this month’s magazine.
New Group - It is proposed to set up a local Bible study and prayer group. This will be an opportunity for us to gather in a home setting to consider a Bible passage together and to pray. This has been under consideration for some time, but now feels like the right time.
Initially to be held in Ali and Mike Owen’s house in Bear Lane, and depending on interest, may need to move to another location or more groups might be needed.
In order to establish interest, there are lists at the back of Church. One for the first group which is meeting shortly (in October) and one for those who would like to consider being part of a group at a later stage but would like to express interest now.
The format of each session will be a structured meeting using specific study material, led by each time. There will be a Bible passage for discussion followed by time of prayer. We hope that this initiative will be a time for spiritual nourishment and fellowship, and many will be interested.
New Worshipping Community – ‘Taster Day’ organized by the Coventry Diocese. This is on Saturday 21st October at St. John’s Church, Westwood CV4 8GN (see Diocese website)
Litter picks around Henley in Arden – more to come later in the year
PASTORAL CARE TEAM
A member of the team will be available at the 10am Services at St. John’s Church to greet newcomers and provide support and help to our parishioners.
COST OF LIVING CRISIS - The Warm Space at the Baptist Church Hall- fellowship and refreshment 10am - 12.00noon every Saturday. Why not bring a friend? Volunteers welcome too of course!
Please note that the new Community Fridge is installed and ready at the Methodist Chapel in the High Street. We would welcome as many donations as possible please.
Check with the library before coming down to use the facility.
NEXT SUNDAY CHURCH SERVICES
Sunday 10thSeptember – 14th Sunday of Trinity 8.00 am Communion and 10.00am Morning Worship in St. John’s Church, Henley
6.00 pm Sunday worship at St. Mary’s Church Ullenhall
20th August 2023
LATEST NEWS
If you would like special prayers said for yourself, your family and friends or just for those difficult times in life that we all encounter from time to time, please do not hesitate to ask before or during any service. Names will be kept confidential unless you wish for them to be disclosed during the prayers. There are also prayer cards on the table at the rear of church that can be deposited in the box provided.
ECO CHURCH
Waste free picnics
Summer is generally the time when we enjoy a picnic. Here are some tips to avoid waste:
Avoiding plastic.
Pack sandwiches in a reusable container or use kitchen roll/greaseproof paper that can be composted
Buy large packets of biscuits, crisps and fruit and put in a reusable container
Eat fruit snacks because the leftovers are easier to compost
Take drinks in reusable bottles
Never use plastic cutlery. Take cutlery that can be washed or use the bamboo variety
Avoiding waste
Never use foil or clingfilm
Never use individual items that have been packed and wrapped in plastic such as cheese, fruit, biscuits
Never use throwaway bottles, cartons or foil pouches.
SPECIAL NOTICES
PCC Meeting Tuesday 22nd August 7.30 pm – Parish Office adj. St. Nicholas Church
Annie Davies ‘Bowing out Concert’ in St. John’s Church– Sunday 27th August 3.00pm -5.00pm – tickets for this event are FREE but please text Annie 07957 813393 or put your name on the list at the back of church to book your place. There will be an opportunity to make donations which will go to ‘The Choir with No Name’.
Annual Henley Church Fayre – Monday 28th August 12.00 noon – 4pm. Please put donated items for sale inside St. John’s church at the back. We can arrange collection of ‘as good as new’ items of clothing. Don’t forget to sign up if you can bake a cake or cakes for the Cake Stall please.
Time out with God – Ecumenical fellowship, prayers and refreshments in the Baptist Church Hall, High Street, Henley in Arden at 12.30 pm on Thursday 14th September. ALL WELCOME
Memory Lane Café in the Henley in Arden Parish Hall (adjacent to St. Nicholas’ Church) live entertainment and homemade cakes plus tea and coffee on Tuesdays 12th and 26th September. Drop in anytime from 2pm to 4pm. Disabled access and car park.
Ullenhall Church Harvest Supper and Quiz – two course hot meal and room raffle Saturday 30th September 7.00pm in The Ullenhall Village Hall- See advertisement for tickets etc in this month’s magazine.
New Group - It is proposed to set up a local Bible study and prayer group. This will be an opportunity for us to gather in a home setting to consider a Bible passage together and to pray. This has been under consideration for some time, but now feels like the right time.
Initially to be held in Ali and Mike Owen’s house in Bear Lane, and depending on interest, may need to move to another location or more groups might be needed.
In order to establish interest, there are lists at the back of Church. One for the first group which is meeting shortly (in October) and one for those who would like to consider being part of a group at a later stage but would like to express interest now.
The format of each session will be a structured meeting using specific study material, led by each time. There will be a Bible passage for discussion followed by time of prayer. We hope that this initiative will be a time for spiritual nourishment and fellowship, and many will be interested.
New Worshipping Community – ‘Taster Day’ organized by the Coventry Diocese. This is on Saturday 21st October at St. John’s Church, Westwood CV4 8GN (see Diocese website)
Litter Picking around Henley in Arden – more to come later in the year
PASTORAL CARE TEAM
A member of the team will be available at the 10am Services at St. John’s Church to greet newcomers and provide support and help to our parishioners.
COST OF LIVING CRISIS
The Warm Space at the Baptist Church Hall- fellowship and refreshment 10am - 12.00noon every Saturday. Why not bring a friend? Volunteers welcome too of course!
Please note that the new Community Fridge is installed and ready at the Methodist Chapel in the High Street. The only thing holding us back is the need for volunteers to work some shifts during library opening hours and of course donations of fresh food either refrigerated or green grocery items for the larder shelves. Please check with the library before coming down to use the facility.
NEXT SUNDAY CHURCH SERVICES
Sunday 27th August – 12th Sunday of Trinity 8.00 am Communion and 10.00am Morning Worship in St. John’s Church, Henley
6.00 pm Sunday worship at St. Mary’s Church Ullenhall
13th August 2023
LATEST NEWS
If you would like special prayers said for yourself, your family and friends or just for those difficult times in life that we all encounter from time to time, please do not hesitate to ask before or during any service. Names will be kept confidential unless you wish for them to be disclosed during the prayers. There are also prayer cards on the table at the rear of church that can be deposited in the box provided.
ECO CHURCH
Green Christian
When thinking about buying food, Green Christian suggest, adopting the word LOAF.
This stands for: -
Locally produced - as Christians we believe that God created the Earth and its seasons.
There is a time and a season for everything, and we have moral choices to make in what we eat and when we eat it.
Organically Grown - we have a duty to care for the soil and water on which we depend. Millions of creatures live in our soil and we should protect them.
Animal Friendly- making purchases of food that has not involved the abuse of animals. We have responsibilities from God to look after our animals - Luke 12 v6. We need to nurture our food and not abuse it.
Fairly traded - we are called to act justly and not exploit the poor. Our neighbour is everyone, anywhere in the world. Farmers and producers, overseas, and in the UK deserve a fair price for their produce.
It’s worth remembering LOAF when we are out shopping, so we can make good purchases that align with our Christian faith.
SPECIAL NOTICES
Annie Davies ‘Bowing out Concert’ in St. John’s Church– Sunday 27th August 3.00pm -5.00pm – tickets for this event are FREE but please text Annie 07957 813393 or put your name on the list at the back of church to book your place. There will be an opportunity to make donations which will go to ‘The Choir with No Name’.
Annual Henley Church Fayre – Monday 28th August 12.00 noon – 4pm. Please put donated items for sale inside St. John’s church at the back. We can arrange collection of ‘as good as new’ items of clothing. Don’t forget to sign up if you can bake a cake or cakes for the Cake Stall please.
New Group - It is proposed to set up a local Bible study and prayer group. This will be an opportunity for us to gather in a home setting to consider a Bible passage together and to pray. This has been under consideration for some time, but now feels like the right time.
Initially to be held in Ali and Mike Owen’s house in Bear Lane, and depending on interest, may need to move to another location or more groups might be needed.
In order to establish interest, there are lists at the back of Church. One for the first group which is meeting shortly (in October) and one for those who would like to consider being part of a group at a later stage but would like to express interest now.
The format of each session will be a structured meeting using specific study material, led by each time. There will be a Bible passage for discussion followed by time of prayer. We hope that this initiative will be a time for spiritual nourishment and fellowship, and many will be interested.
New Worshipping Community – ‘Taster Day’ organized by the Coventry Diocese. This is on Saturday 21st October at St. John’s Church, Westwood CV4 8GN (see Diocese website)
Litter picks around Henley in Arden – more to come later in the year
PASTORAL CARE TEAM
A member of the team will be available at the 10am Services at St. John’s Church to greet newcomers and provide support and help to our parishioners.
COST OF LIVING CRISIS
The Warm Space at the Baptist Church Hall- fellowship and refreshment 10am - 12.00noon every Saturday. Why not bring a friend? Volunteers welcome too of course!
Please note that the new Community Fridge is installed and ready at the Methodist Chapel in the High Street. The only thing holding us back is the need for volunteers to work some shifts during library opening hours and of course donations of fresh food either refrigerated or green grocery items for the larder shelves. Please check with the library before coming down to use the facility.
NEXT SUNDAY CHURCH SERVICES
Sunday 20th August – 11th Sunday of Trinity 8.00 am Communion and 10.00am Morning Worship in St. John’s Church, Henley
6.00 pm Evening Communion at St. Mary’s Church Ullenhall
6th August 2023
LATEST NEWS
Following further liaison and communication with our diocese it has been decided to readvertise our vacancy for a Rector with a view to giving more time for interested candidates to apply. In the meantime we shall continue to operate a full schedule of services as normal availing ourselves from time to time of the benefit of visiting priests to broaden our vision whilst relying upon our own worship team to anchor our faith in the traditions of our joint Parish.
ECO CHURCH
Green Christian exist to share green insights with Christians and to share Christian insights into the wider green movement. Green Christian was formed in 1981, but since then the ecological crisis has continued and deepened.
This organisation seeks to help us all live gently on the Earth, encouraging one another in our discipleship, which accepts our impact on God’s creation as a whole.
Their vision statement reads: -
“We affirm belief in God as the creator of all things, and in Jesus Christ, as our Lord, looking to the Holy Spirit for guidance through the Scriptures, and seeking to hear Him in the challenges of the present time. “
Their arms are - to offer insights into ecology and the environment to Christian people and churches, and to offer Christian insights into the green movement.
This organisation has a lot to share with us and there will be more from them in the weeks ahead.
SPECIAL NOTICES
All Ullenhall Services moving back to St. Mary’s Church as from Sunday 6th August
‘Time out with God’ - our next gathering will take place at the Methodist Chapel, High Street Henley in Arden on Thursday 10th August at 12.30 pm including light refreshments.
Annie Davies ‘Bowing out Concert’ in St. John’s Church– Sunday 27th August 3.00pm -5.00pm – tickets for this event are FREE but please text Annie 07957 813393 to book your place. There will be an opportunity to make donations which will go to ‘The Choir with No Name’.
Annual Henley Church Fayre – Monday 28th August 12.00 noon – 4pm. Please put donated items for sale inside St. John’s church at the back. We can arrange collection of ‘as good as new’ items of clothing. Don’t forget to sign up if you can bake a cake or cakes for the Cake Stall please.
Sidesman required - we still need one more sidesman to join the rota for the 10.00am service. Duties occur approximately once every six weeks. Our sidesmen are the first point of contact for those entering the church for worship. If you would like to be involved with this important work then please contact Rob Kingscott 01564 793416
NEW GROUP
It is proposed to set up a local Bible study and prayer group. This will be an opportunity for us to gather in a home setting to consider a Bible passage together and to pray. This has been under consideration for some time, but now feels like the right time. -
Initially to be held in Ali and Mike Owen’s house in Bear Lane, and depending on interest, may need to move to another location or more groups might be needed.
In order to establish interest, there are lists at the back of Church. One for the first group which is meeting shortly (in October) and one for those who would like to consider being part of a group at a later stage but would like to express interest now.
The format of each session will be a structured meeting using specific study material, led by each time. There will be a Bible passage for discussion followed by time of prayer. We hope that this initiative will be a time for spiritual nourishment and fellowship, and many will be interested.
NEW WORSHIPPING COMMUNITY
‘Taster Day’ organized by the Coventry Diocese. This is on Saturday 21st October at St. John’s Church, Westwood CV4 8GN (see Diocese website)
Litter picks around Henley in Arden – more to come later in the year
PASTORAL CARE TEAM
A member of the team will be available at the 10am Services at St. John’s Church to greet newcomers and provide support and help to our parishioners.
COST OF LIVING CRISIS
The Warm Space at the Baptist Church Hall- fellowship and refreshment 10am - 12.00noon every Saturday. Why not bring a friend? Volunteers welcome too of course!
Please note that the new Community Fridge is installed and ready at the Methodist Chapel in the High Street. The only thing holding us back is the need for volunteers to work some shifts during library opening hours and of course donations of fresh food either refrigerated or green grocery items for the larder shelves. Please check with the library before coming down to use the facility.
NEXT SUNDAY CHURCH SERVICES
Sunday 13th August – 10th Sunday of Trinity 8.00 am and 10.00am Holy Communion in St. John’s Church, Henley
6.00 pm Evening worship at St. Mary’s Church Ullenhall
30th July 2023
LATEST NEWS
Following further liaison and communication with our diocese it has been decided to re-advertise our vacancy for a Rector with a view to giving more time for interested candidates to apply. In the meantime we shall continue to operate a full schedule of services as normal availing ourselves from time to time of the benefit of visiting priests to broaden our vision whilst relying upon our own worship team to anchor our faith in the traditions of our joint Parish.
ECO CHURCH
We are in the middle of plastic free July which is a global movement bringing millions of people together to be part of the solution to plastic pollution. The goal is to have cleaner streets, plastic free oceans and less rubbish generally. Means we have to choose to use less plastic.
Wimbledon has just finished and this year there were many made on and off court changes in place to help reduce plastic waste. On court reusable bottles and cups were in use for the players. Strawberries and cream were sold in cardboard punnets rather than plastic. 58,000 used tennis balls are sold after the tournament finished, so these are not wasted.
Also interesting to note is that in the competitors restaurant, where 3.3 tonnes of bananas are consumed during the fortnight, even the peels are used - either fermented down into a drink which is good for gut health or added to banana muffins.
SPECIAL NOTICES
All Ullenhall Services moving back to St. Mary’s Church as from Sunday 6th August
‘Time out with God’ - our next gathering will take place at the Methodist Chapel, High Street Henley in Arden on Thursday 10th August at 12.30 pm including light refreshments.
Annie Davies ‘Bowing out Concert’ – Sunday 27th August 3.00pm -5.00pm
in St. John’s Church – tickets for this event are FREE but please text Annie 07957 813393 to book your place. There will be an opportunity to make donations which will go to ‘The Choir with No Name’.
Annual Henley Church Fayre – Monday 28th August 12.00 noon – 4pm. Please put donated items for sale inside St. John’s church at the back. We can arrange collection of ‘as good as new’ items of clothing. Don’t forget to sign up if you can bake a cake or cakes for the Cake Stall please.
Sidesman required - we still need one more sidesman to join the rota for the 10.00am service. Duties occur approximately once every six weeks. Our sidesmen are the first point of contact for those entering the church for worship. If you would like to be involved with this important work then please contact Rob Kingscott 01564 793416
New Worshipping Community –‘Taster day’ organized by the Coventry Diocese. This is on Saturday 21st October at St. John’s Church, Westwood CV4 8GN (see Diocese website)
Litter picks around Henley in Arden – more to come later in the year
PASTORAL CARE TEAM
A member of the team will be available at the 10am Services at St. John’s Church to greet newcomers and provide support and help to our parishioners.
COST OF LIVING CRISIS
The Warm Space at the Baptist Church Hall- fellowship and refreshment 10am - 12.00noon every Saturday. Why not bring a friend? Volunteers welcome too of course!
Please note that the new Community Fridge is installed and ready at the Methodist Chapel in the High Street. The only thing holding us back is the need for volunteers to work some shifts during library opening hours and of course donations of fresh food either refrigerated or green grocery items for the larder shelves. Please check with the library before coming down to use the facility.
NEXT SUNDAY CHURCH SERVICES
Sunday 6th August – 9th Sunday of Trinity 8.00 am Communion and 10.00 am Morning Worship at St. John’s Church, Henley
6.00 pm Evening worship at St. Mary’s Church Ullenhall
23rd July 2023
LATEST NEWS
Following further liaison and communication with our diocese it has been decided to re-advertise our vacancy for a Rector with a view to giving more time for interested candidates to apply. In the meantime we shall continue to operate a full schedule of services as normal availing ourselves from time to time of the benefit of visiting priests to broaden our vision whilst relying upon our own worship team to anchor our faith in the traditions of our joint Parish.
ECO CHURCH
We are in the middle of plastic free July which is a global movement bringing millions of people together to be part of the solution to plastic pollution. The goal is to have cleaner streets, plastic free oceans and less rubbish generally. Means we have to choose to use less plastic.
Wimbledon has just finished and this year there were many made on and off court changes in place to help reduce plastic waste. On court reusable bottles and cups were in use for the players. Strawberries and cream were sold in cardboard punnets rather than plastic. 58,000 used tennis balls are sold after the tournament finished, so these are not wasted.
Also interesting to note is that in the competitors restaurant, where 3.3 tonnes of bananas are consumed during the fortnight, even the peels are used - either fermented down into a drink which is good for gut health or added to banana muffins.
SPECIAL NOTICES
All Ullenhall Services now held in The Old Chapel, Chapel Lane through to end July.
Memory Lane Café – Tues 25th July- 2.00pm back at the Parish Hall, Beaudesert Lane,
Annual Henley Church Fayre – Monday 28th August 12.00 noon – 4pm. Please put donated items for sale inside St. John’s church at the back. We can arrange collection of ‘as good as new’ items of clothing. Don’t forget to sign up if you can bake a cake or cakes for the Cake Stall please.
Litter pick around Henley in Arden – more to come later in the year
PASTORAL CARE TEAM
A member of the team will be available at the 10am Services at St. John’s Church to greet newcomers and provide support and help to our parishioners.
COST OF LIVING CRISIS
The Warm Space at the Baptist Church Hall- fellowship and refreshment 10am - 12.00noon every Saturday. Why not bring a friend? Volunteers welcome too of course!
Please note that the new Community Fridge is installed and ready at the Methodist Chapel in the High Street. The only thing holding us back is the need for volunteers to work some shifts during library opening hours and of course donations of fresh food either refrigerated or green grocery items for the larder shelves. Please check with the library before coming down to use the facility.
NEXT SUNDAY CHURCH SERVICES
Sunday 30th July – 8th Sunday of Trinity 8.00 am Communion and 10.00 am Morning Worship at St. John’s Church, Henley
6.00 pm Evening worship at The Old Chapel, Ullenhall
16th July 2023
LATEST NEWS
Following further liaison and communication with our diocese it has been decided to readvertise our vacancy for a Rector with a view to giving more time for interested candidates to apply. In the meantime we shall continue to operate a full schedule of services as normal availing ourselves from time to time of the benefit of visiting priests to broaden our vision whilst relying upon our own worship team to anchor our faith in the traditions of our joint Parish.
ECO CHURCH
Join millions of people reducing their plastic waste. Plastic free July is a global movement that helps millions of people be part of the solution to plastic pollution so we can have cleaner streets, oceans, and beautiful communities. We can be part of this by choosing to refuse single-use plastics.
This movement has inspired over 120 million participants in 177 countries. Making a small change will collectively make a massive difference to our communities. You can choose to refuse single-use plastics in July (and beyond!). Best of all, being part of Plastic Free July will help you to find great alternatives that can become new habits forever.
Start with reducing cling film usage. Cling film takes two years to biodegrade and is often unrecyclable due to being contaminated with food waste. Instead use lunchboxes/ Tupperware which are airtight so they’ll stop your sandwiches from going stale and whilst still plastic, they’re completely reusable. As for food leftovers, these can also be stored in containers which are airtight and can be used again.
More tips coming throughout July!
SPECIAL NOTICES
All Ullenhall Services now held in The Old Chapel, Chapel Lane through to end July.
Memory Lane Café – Tues 25th July- 2.00pm back at the Parish Hall, Beaudesert Lane,
Annual Henley Church Fayre – Monday 28th August 12.00 noon – 4pm. Please put donated items for sale inside St. John’s church at the back. Don’t forget to sign up if you can bake a cake or cakes for the Cake Stall please.
Litter pick around Henley in Arden – more to come later in the year
PASTORAL CARE TEAM
A member of the team will be available at the 10am Services at St. John’s Church to greet newcomers and provide support and help to our parishioners.
COST OF LIVING CRISIS
The Warm Space at the Baptist Church Hall- fellowship and refreshment 10am - 12.00noon every Saturday. Why not bring a friend? Volunteers welcome too of course!
Please note that the new Community Fridge is installed and ready at the Methodist Chapel in the High Street. The only thing holding us back is the need for volunteers to work some shifts during library opening hours and of course donations of fresh food either refrigerated or green grocery items for the larder shelves. Please check with the library before coming down to use the facility.
NEXT SUNDAY CHURCH SERVICES
Sunday 23rd July – 7th Sunday of Trinity 8.00 am Communion and 10.00 am Morning Worship at St. John’s Church, Henley
6.00 pm Evening worship at The Old Chapel, Ullenhall
9th July 2023
LATEST NEWS
Following further liaison and communication with our diocese it has been decided to re-advertise our vacancy for a Rector with a view to giving more time for interested candidates to apply. In the meantime we shall continue to operate a full schedule of services as normal availing ourselves from time to time of the benefit of visiting priests to broaden our vision whilst relying upon our own worship team to anchor our faith in the traditions of our joint Parish.
ECO CHURCH
The climate crisis can feel overwhelming and may put us off doing anything on a small scale, but generating a big impact always starts with implementing the smallest changes. Living a sustainable lifestyle isn’t as challenging as it may feel sometimes. Although there might have to be new habits, our carbon footprints can shrink with a bit of time and effort. Anyone can improve their green values by making small changes.
Start by switching to eco-friendly soaps, washing up liquids and detergents that are free from any harmful chemicals or pollutants. Always opt for a reusable shopping bags at the supermarket or better still take bags with you.
Save water - this is already a limited resource that we take for granted. Rather than switching on the hose every time we water our plants or using a sprinkler system, use water collected in the garden via a water butt which stores rain water runoff or use water collected from our washing up bowls and from our showers/baths. And always switch the tap off when brushing teeth!
SPECIAL NOTICES
All Ullenhall Services now held in The Old Chapel, Chapel Lane through to end July.
Memory Lane Café – Tues 11th July- 2.00pm at the Baptist Church Hall, High Street. This is for one session only and we return to our usual venue at the Parish hall on 25th July
Litter pick around Henley in Arden - The first St Johns Litter Pick will be on Saturday July 8th, starting at 11am. We will be meeting outside St Johns. Please sign up on the list at the back of church, if you wish to take part. All equipment will be provided.
PASTORAL CARE TEAM
A member of the team will be available at the 10am Services at St. John’s Church to greet newcomers and provide support and help to our parishioners.
COST OF LIVING CRISIS
The Warm Space at the Baptist Church Hall- fellowship and refreshment 10am - 12.00 noon every Saturday. Why not bring a friend? Volunteers welcome too of course!
Please note that the new Community Fridge is installed and ready at the Methodist Chapel in the High Street. The only thing holding us back is the need for volunteers to work some shifts during library opening hours and of course donations of fresh food either refrigerated or green grocery items for the larder shelves.
You can start donating now in library hours. If you would like to volunteer help or have any other queries please speak to Cilla Pudney.
NEXT SUNDAY CHURCH SERVICES
Sunday 16th July – 6th Sunday of Trinity 8.00 am Holy Communion and 10.00 am Holy Communion at St. John’s Church, Henley
6.00 pm Evening worship at The Old Chapel, Ullenhall
2nd July 2023
LATEST NEWS
This morning we welcome Revd.Steve Tash who will lead our 8.00am Prayerbook Communion service at St. John’s Church.
The next three weeks will see us getting increasingly involved in the hopeful selection of our new Rector but of course this may take some time to bring into effect and there is no guarantee that an appointment will be made. Please continue to pray for us during this period especially that we and all the potential candidates may be guided in truth and love by the Holy Spirit.
ECO CHURCH
The climate crisis can feel overwhelming and may put us off doing anything on a small scale, but generating a big impact always starts with implementing the smallest changes. Living a sustainable lifestyle isn’t as challenging as it may feel sometimes. Although there might have to be new habits, our carbon footprints can shrink with a bit of time and effort. Anyone can improve their green values by making small changes.
Start by switching to eco-friendly soaps, washing up liquids and detergents that are free from any harmful chemicals or pollutants. Always opt for a reusable shopping bags at the supermarket or better still take bags with you.
Save water - this is already a limited resource that we take for granted. Rather than switching on the hose every time we water our plants or using a sprinkler system, use water collected in the garden via a water butt which stores rain water runoff or use water collected from our washing up bowls and from our showers/baths. And always switch the tap off when brushing teeth!
SPECIAL NOTICES
All Ullenhall Services now held in The Old Chapel, Chapel Lane through to end July.
Memory Lane Café – Tues 11th July- 2.00pm at the Baptist Church Hall, High Street
Litter pick around Henley in Arden - The first St Johns Litter Pick will be on Saturday July 8th, starting at 11am. We will be meeting outside St Johns. Please sign up on the list at the back of church, if you wish to take part. All equipment will be provided.
PASTORAL CARE TEAM
A member of the team will be available at the 10am Services at St. John’s Church to greet newcomers and provide support and help to our parishioners.
COST OF LIVING CRISIS
The Warm Space at the Baptist Church Hall- fellowship and refreshment 10am - 12.00noon every Saturday. Why not bring a friend? Volunteers welcome too of course!
Please note that the new Community Fridge is installed and ready at the Methodist Chapel in the High Street. The only thing holding us back is the need for volunteers to work some shifts during library opening hours and of course donations of fresh food either refrigerated or green grocery items for the larder shelves.
You can start donating now in library hours. If you would like to volunteer help or have any other queries please speak to Cilla Pudney.
NEXT SUNDAY CHURCH SERVICES
Sunday 9th July – 5th Sunday of Trinity
8.00 am Prayerbook Communion and 10.00 am morning Worship at St. John’s Church, Henley
6.00 pm Prayerbook Communion at The Old Chapel, Ullenhall
25th June 2023
This week is the feast of St. John the Baptist, our patron saint.
The next three weeks will see us getting increasingly involved in the hopeful selection of our new Rector but of course this may take some time to bring into effect and there is no guarantee that an appointment will be made. Please continue to pray for us during this period especially that we and all the potential candidates may be guided in truth and love by the Holy Spirit.
ECO CHURCH
You may be aware that the Swifts are back in Henley for a brief few months. Some of you may have swifts nesting in your roof. Swifts only land to nest which they do in their fourth year. We can already hear the characteristic screaming parties of the non-breeding birds patrolling the skies.
The swift hotspots in Henley are in the north – Cherry Orchard/ Rose Avenue, in the centre along the High Street/ School Lane and in the south- Arden Road and Meadow Road. There are weekly Swift awareness walks throughout June and July meeting at Henley medical Centre at 7:30pm. Dates are 26th June, 4th July, 13th July 18 July 2023, unless it’s raining in which case the swifts don’t fly.
SPECIAL NOTICES
All Ullenhall Services now held in The Old Chapel, Chapel Lane through to end July.
Memory Lane Café – Tues 27th June- 2.00pm at the Parish Hall, Beaudesert Lane
Litter pick around Henley in Arden - The first St Johns Litter Pick will be on Saturday July 8th, starting at 11am. We will be meeting outside St Johns. Please sign up on the list at the back of church, if you wish to take part. All equipment will be provided.
PASTORAL CARE TEAM
A member of the team will be available at the 10am Services at St. John’s Church to greet newcomers and provide support and help to our parishioners.
COST OF LIVING CRISIS
The Warm Space at the Baptist Church Hall- fellowship and refreshment 10am - 12.00noon every Saturday. Why not bring a friend? Volunteers welcome too of course!
Please note that the new Community Fridge is installed and ready at the Methodist Chapel in the High Street. The only thing holding us back is the need for volunteers to work some shifts during library opening hours and of course donations of fresh food either refrigerated or green grocery items for the larder shelves.
You can start donating from 9.30am next Tuesday27th June. If you would like to volunteer help or have any other queries please speak to Cilla Pudney.
NEXT SUNDAY CHURCH SERVICES
Sunday 2nd July – 4th Sunday of Trinity
8.00 am Prayerbook Communion and 10.00 am morning Worship at St. John’s Church, Henley
6.00 pm Evening worship at The Old Chapel, Ullenhall
Readings: Genesis 22:1-14 Matthew 10:40-42 (learning to be channels of God’s grace)
11th July 2023
ECO CHURCH
Monday 5th June was the. 50th anniversary of World Environment day. This day highlights the urgent challenges associated with plastic pollution. It was established by the United Nations General assembly in 1972 and over the past five decades has grown to be one of the largest global platforms for environmental outreach.
Over 430 million tonnes of plastic are produced annually, two thirds of which are short-lived products that soon become waste. The UN environment program that established World Environment day has a mission to end plastic pollution for the sake of the planet’s health, our health and for the prosperity of our planet. Systematic change is needed to stop the flow of plastic waste ending up in the environment.
The world is waking up to the problem and governments industry and stakeholders are starting to act. There are numerous community driven solutions to reduce plastic pollution such as beach clean ups in Mumbai, to cloth bag sewing workshops in Ghana and zero plastic waste concerts in Atlanta. Locally we are all being asked to get involved in activities such as clean a beach or clean a river and shop sustainably, choosing food with no plastic packaging, buying local products and refilling containers, to reduce our plastic waste and the effect on the environment.
SPECIAL NOTICES
All Ullenhall Services now held in The Old Chapel, Chapel Lane through to end July.
Memory Lane Café – Tues 13th June- 2.00pm at the Parish Hall, Beaudesert Lane.
Summer Concert by ‘Songbirds’ 16th June at 7.00pm in the Parish Hall – an all-female group offering light music. A ‘bring and share’ supper during the interval. Entrance fee towards church funds.
Armed Forces Service Saturday 24th June at St. John’s Church
Patronal Service 25th June 10.00am at St. John’s Church Henley in Arden
PASTORAL CARE TEAM
A member of the team will be available at the 10am Services at St. John’s Church to greet newcomers and provide support and help to our parishioners.
COST OF LIVING CRISIS
The Warm Space at the Baptist Church Hall- fellowship and refreshment 10am - 12.00noon every Saturday. Why not bring a friend? Volunteers welcome too of course!.
NEXT SUNDAY CHURCH SERVICES
Sunday 18th June – 2nd Sunday of Trinity
8.00 am Prayerbook Communion and 10.00 am Holy Communion at St. John’s Church, Henley
6.00 pm Prayerbook Communion at The Old Chapel, Ullenhall
Readings: Exodus 19: 2-8a; Matthew 9:35-10:8, (9-23)
4th June 2023
ECO CHURCH
The gardens at Chelsea Flower show this year, had one thing in common. They all included plants that can withstand dryer conditions. It has been officially recognised that climate change presents us with the challenge of gardening with less water. With less rain in the forecast it is wise to choose to plant according to our growing conditions.
We can chose plants to cope with these conditions such as Ceanothus, Euphorbia Characias (subsp.wulfenii) and Sedum Spectabile.
Other suggestions from Chelsea are as follows: - Plant any silver leaved, less hardy, sun lovers in April so they establish their roots well before winter arrives, plant small specimens so that they get used to their growing environment gradually as they develop, adding organic matter to the soil before planting, to improve both water availability and drainage, but do not add fertiliser, as this can encourage too much lush growth which may flop in summer, require extra watering, and be affected by frost in the winter and using mulches to retain moisture in the soil.
We may be tempted to get the hose or sprinkler out but with limited water supplies to come, ALWAYS recycle water first such as placing a bucket in the shower or emptying the bath water/ washing up water over plants. Plants love the soap and food deposits in the water!
More advice is available at - https://www.rhs.org.uk/garden-design/drought-resistant-gardening
SPECIAL NOTICES
All Ullenhall Services now held in The Old Chapel, Chapel Lane through to end July.
Corpus Christi Service 8th June at 7.30pm in Parish Hall – followed by ‘bring and share’ supper. Please sign up at the back of church if you would like to attend and if you would like to attend and/or bring food. (List of food requirements at the back of church)
Ullenhall Church Fete 10th June from 12.00 noon onwards at Ullenhall Village Hall and grounds. Live music, Dog Show, refreshments, and many stalls.
Memory Lane Café – Tues 13th June- 2.00pm at the Parish Hall, Beaudesert Lane.
Summer Concert by ‘Songbirds’ 16th June at 7.00pm in the Parish Hall – an all-female group offering light music. A ‘bring and share’ supper during the interval. Entrance fee towards church funds.
Patronal Service 25th June 10.00am at St. John’s Church Henley in Arden
PASTORAL CARE TEAM
A member of the team will be available at the 10am Services at St. John’s Church to greet newcomers and provide support and help to our parishioners.
COST OF LIVING CRISIS
The Warm Space at the Baptist Church Hall- fellowship and refreshment 10am - 12.00noon every Saturday. Why not bring a friend? Volunteers welcome too of course!.
NEXT SUNDAY CHURCH SERVICES
Sunday 11th June – 1st Sunday of Trinity
8.00 am Communion and 10.00 am Morning Worship at St. John’s Church, Henley
6.00 pm Evening Service at The Old Chapel, Ullenhall
Readings: Genesis 12: 1-9 – Matthew 9:9-13, 18-26
28th May 2023
ECO CHURCH
22 May 2023 was World Bee day. This day has been set aside to raise awareness of the importance of pollinators, their contribution to sustainable development and the threats they face. There is a call for global action to protect bees 🐝 from pesticides and monoculture production.
Bees and other pollinators such as butterflies , bats and hummingbirds are increasingly under threat from human activities. At present the rates of extinction of species of bees are 100 to 1000 times higher than normal, due to human impacts.
Pollination is a fundamental process for the survival of our ecosystems. Nearly 90% of the world’s wild flowering species depend entirely, or at least in part, on animal pollination along with more than 75% of the worlds’ food crops and 35% of global agricultural land. Not only to pollinators contribute directly to food security but they are key to conserving biodiversity. They are essential to our food production.
Here are a few ideas of what we can do individually to look after our bee population: - plant a diverse set of native plants which flower at different times of the year, buy raw honey from local farmers, avoid pesticides, fungicides and herbicides in our gardens, sponsor a hive, make a water fountain by leaving a bowl of water outside.
SPECIAL NOTICES
Corpus Christi Service 8th June at 7pm in Parish Hall – followed by ‘bring and share’ supper. Please sign up at the back of church if you would like to attend and if you would like to attend and/or bring food. (List of food requirements at the back of church)
Ullenhall Church Fete 10th June from 12.00 noon onwards at Ullenhall Village Hall and grounds. Live music, Dog Show, refreshments, and many stalls.
Summer Concert by ‘Songbirds’ 16th June at 7.00pm in the Parish Hall – an all-female group offering light music. A ‘bring and share’ supper during the interval. Entrance fee towards church funds.
Patronal Service 25th June 10.00am at St. John’s Church Henley in Arden
PASTORAL CARE TEAM
A member of the team will be available at the 10am Services at St. John’s Church to greet newcomers and provide support and help to our parishioners.
THY KINGDOM COME
(Full text on www.thykingdomcome.global) is a global ecumenical prayer movement that invites Christians around the world to pray from Ascension to Pentecost for more people to come to know Jesus. Every person, household and church are encouraged to pray during the 11 days in their own way.
It is our hope & prayer, that those who have not yet heard the Good News of Jesus Christ and His love for the world, will hear it for themselves and respond and follow Him. Specifically, we again invite each and every Christian across the globe to pray that God’s Spirit might work in the lives of 5 people who have not responded with their ‘Yes’ to God’s call. Archbishop Justin Welby.
NEXT SUNDAY CHURCH SERVICES
Sunday 4th June – Trinity Sunday
8.00 am Communion and 10.00 am Morning Worship at St. John’s Church, Henley
6.00 pm Evening Service at St. Mary’s Church, Ullenhall
Readings: Isiah 40: 25-31 – Matthew 28: 16-20
21st May 2023
ECO CHURCH
We continue in Christian Aid week which runs from the 14th to 20 May. This year the focus is on funding farmers to grow pigeon peas. This initiative can benefit farmers in Malawi who are battling the effects of climate change with rising temperatures, droughts and cyclones ruining crops year after year. Food is so scarce that one in three children have stunted growth.
Pigeon peas are a food that can be farmed in the harshest conditions and offer a ray of hope because they can be made into baked goods to be sold which can transform families’ futures. With Christian Aid’s help in training and supporting cooperatives farmers can earn a fair price at market. A gift of £5.00 plus can turn families dreams into reality, helping them to buy seeds, equipment and have training for drought proof agriculture. Please give generously.
If you can pay on line at https://www.christianaid.org.uk If you wish to make a cash donation please hand and envelope to Julia Cross who will sure it gets to Christian Aid along with other contributions.
SPECIAL NOTICES
· Memory Lane Café – Tuesday 23rd May at the Parish Hall, Beaudesert Lane
· PCC meeting (Henley & Ullenhall) 23rd May 7.30pm in Parish Office
· Ullenhall Community Thanksgiving Service 10.30am at St. Mary’s Church followed by light refreshments.
· Ullenhall Church Fete 10th June from 12.00 noon onwards – further details to follow
PASTORAL CARE TEAM
A member of the team will be available at the 10am Services at St. John’s Church to greet newcomers and provide support and help to our parishioners.
THY KINGDOM COME
(Full text on www.thykingdomcome.global) is a global ecumenical prayer movement that invites Christians around the world to pray from Ascension to Pentecost for more people to come to know Jesus. Every person, household and church are encouraged to pray during the 11 days in their own way.
It is our hope & prayer, that those who have not yet heard the Good News of Jesus Christ and His love for the world, will hear it for themselves and respond and follow Him. Specifically, we again invite each and every Christian across the globe to pray that God’s Spirit might work in the lives of 5 people who have not responded with their ‘Yes’ to God’s call. Archbishop Justin Welby.
NEXT SUNDAY CHURCH SERVICES
Sunday 28th May – Pentecost
8.00 am Communion and 10.00 am Holy Communion at St. John’s Church, Henley
6.00 pm Evening Service at St. Mary’s Church, Ullenhall
Readings: Acts 2: 1-12 – John 7: 37-44
14th May 2023
ECO CHURCH
We remember the content of last week’s Angel requesting that we don’t mow lawns in May! Thank you.
We are now in Christian Aid week which runs from the 14th to 20 May. This year the focus is on funding farmers to grow pigeon peas. This initiative can benefit farmers in Malawi who are battling the effects of climate change with rising temperatures, droughts and cyclones ruining crops year after year. Food is so scarce that one in three children have stunted growth.
Pigeon peas are a food that can be farmed in the harshest conditions and offer a ray of hope because they can be made into baked goods to be sold which can transform families’ futures. With Christian Aid’s help in training and supporting cooperatives farmers can earn a fair price at market. A gift of £5.00 plus can turn families dreams into reality, helping them to buy seeds, equipment and have training for drought proof agriculture. Please give generously.
If you can pay on line at https://www.christianaid.org.uk If you wish to make a cash donation please hand and envelope to Julia Cross who will sure it gets to Christian Aid along with other contributions.
SPECIAL NOTICES
· Ascension Day service in St. Nicholas’ Churchyard at 7.00am on Thursday 18th May followed by a light breakfast in The Parish Hall – There will also be a short Ascension Day Service at 7.00pm in St. Nicholas Church. (We hope that all will attend for breakfast but it will be most helpful if you could let Cilla know in advance please.)
· Memory Lane Café – Tuesday 23rd May at the Parish Hall, Beaudesert Lane
PASTORAL CARE TEAM
A member of the team will be available at the 10am Services at St. John’s Church to greet newcomers and provide support and help to our parishioners.
THY KINGDOM COME
(Full text on www.thykingdomcome.global) is a global ecumenical prayer movement that invites Christians around the world to pray from Ascension to Pentecost for more people to come to know Jesus. Every person, household and church are encouraged to pray during the 11 days in their own way. It is our hope & prayer, that those who have not yet heard the Good News of Jesus Christ and His love for the world, will hear it for themselves and respond and follow Him. Specifically, we again invite each and every Christian across the globe to pray that God’s Spirit might work in the lives of 5 people who have not responded with their ‘Yes’ to God’s call. Archbishop Justin Welby.
NEXT SUNDAY CHURCH SERVICES
Sunday 21st May – Sunday after Ascension
8.00 am Communion and 10.00 am Morning Worship (next 10.00am Communion is 28th May Pentecost) at St. John’s Church, Henley
6.00 pm Evening Service at St. Mary’s Church, Ullenhall
Readings: Acts 1: 1-11 – Luke 24: 44-53
7th May 2023
ECO CHURCH
“No Mo May “is the annual campaign across the UK which calls on all garden owners and green space managers not to mow their lawn or grass at all during May in a bid to give mother nature a much-needed boost. Sir David Attenborough is backing this campaign and has made a plea for us to delay mowing to help wildlife flourish.
This is because at this time of year, insects and wildflowers use lawns to breed, pollinate and otherwise maintain a healthy ecosystem. Shredding the grass by mowing interferes with all this because it kills off lots of insects that are essential, and increasingly threatened, parts of our ecosystem. Sir David has said that delaying mowing until mid -July allows birds and insects to complete their breeding cycles and flowers to set their seeds.
Please hold off on the mowing!
SPECIAL NOTICES
· King Charles III Coronation Commemorative Services on Sunday 7th May
o Henley Service 11.00am at St. John’s Church followed by light refreshments in The Guildhall.
o Ullenhall Service 6.00pm at St. Mary’s Church
· Time out with God - Thursday 11th May at 12.30pm at Henley Methodist Church
· Ullenhall Parish Ramble Sunday 14th May starting from St. Mary’s Church - light breakfast at 8.30am; walk commences 9.15am
· Ascension Day service in St. Nicholas’ Churchyard at 7.00am on Thursday 18th May followed by a light breakfast in The Parish Hall - we hope that all will attend for breakfast but it will be most helpful if you could let Cilla know in advance please.
LENT APPEAL
We are pleased to say that this year’s lent appeal raised the sum of £1,050 which will be forwarded on to CORD.
PASTORAL CARE TEAM
A member of the team will be available at the 10am Services at St. John’s Church to greet newcomers and provide support and help to our parishioners.
THY KINGDOM COME
(Full text on website thykingdomcome.global) is a global ecumenical prayer movement that invites Christians around the world to pray from Ascension to Pentecost for more people to come to know Jesus. Every person, household and church are encouraged to pray during the 11 days in their own way. It is our hope & prayer, that those who have not yet heard the Good News of Jesus Christ and His love for the world, will hear it for themselves and respond and follow Him. Specifically, we again invite each and every Christian across the globe to pray that God’s Spirit might work in the lives of 5 people who have not responded with their ‘Yes’ to God’s call. Archbishop Justin Welby
NEXT SUNDAY CHURCH SERVICES
Sunday 14th May – Rogation Sunday 8.00 am Communion and 10.00 am Morning Worship
at St. John’s Church, Henley
6.00 pm Evening Service at St. Mary’s Church, Ullenhall
Readings: Romans 8: 18-25: Mark 4 :26-32
30th April 2023
ECO CHURCH
Pesticides and chemical weed killers contain toxic chemicals that affect not only the targeted pests and weeds, but also the surrounding environment. Weedkillers containing Glyphosate should be avoided at all costs. Pesticides and weed killers leach into groundwater supplies, pollute soil and create an unsafe environment for delicate species like bees and butterflies, which play an important part in our ecosystem. Some can even impact human health.
If you have a weed problem, consider pulling the weeds by hand rather than spraying with toxic chemicals. alternatively leave weeds to thrive to support the health and population of bumblebees. Beware organic weed killers as they may contain "better" ingredients but still come in a plastic container that harms the environment. As an alternative, use vinegar as a weed killer combined with salt and /or liquid soap. Just add the solution to a spray bottle and target the offending weed directly. Boiled water is also effective but it kills everything it comes in contact with so beware!
SPECIAL NOTICES
· Henley and Ullenhall Churches Annual Meeting on Wednesday 3rd May at St. John’s Church
· King Charles III Coronation Commemorative Services on Sunday 7th May
o Henley Service 11.00am at St. John’s Church followed by light refreshments in The Guildhall.
o Ullenhall Service 6.00pm at St. Mary’s Church
· Ullenhall Parish Ramble Sunday 14th May starting from St. Mary’s Church - light breakfast at 8.30am; walk commences 9.15am
· Ascension Day service in St. Nicholas’ Churchyard at 7.00am on Thursday 18th May followed by a light breakfast in The Parish Hall
PASTORAL CARE TEAM
A member of the team will be available at the 10am Services at St. John’s Church to greet newcomers and provide support and help to our parishioners.
COST OF LIVING CRISIS
The Warm Space at the Baptist Church Hall is from 10am - 12.00noon every Saturday. Please support this Henley Churches Together initiative.
Please note also that the Community Fridge will be opening soon at The Methodist Church.
SUNDAY CHURCH SERVICES
Sunday 7th May – Easter 5 Coronation: 1 Kings 1 vs. 32-40 Ephesians 3 vs. 14-21
8:00am Communion & 11:00am Special Coronation Service at St. John’s Church, Henley
6.00 pm Evening Coronation Service at St. Mary’s Church, Ullenhall
23rd April 2023
ECO CHURCH
Many of us don’t have the space for a large vegetable garden but if we have a sunny windowsill we can grow herbs. Purchasing herbs from a shop usually means we are buying them in hard plastic containers which aren't eco-friendly. Growing our own herbs will help to avoid purchasing single use plastic, but is fun thing and saves money too! Herbs to grow indoors include parsley, thyme, chives, catnip, mint, basil, chamomile and many more.
SPECIAL NOTICES
· Memory Lane Café at 2pm on Tuesday 25th April at the Parish Hall, Beaudesert Lane.
· Henley and Ullenhall PCC meeting on 25th April at 7.30pm at The Parish Hall Beaudesert Lane.
· Henley and Ullenhall Churches Annual Meeting on Wednesday 3rd May at St. John’s Church
· Coronation Commemorative Services on Sunday 7th May
o Henley Service 11.00am at St. John’s Church followed by light refreshments in The Guildhall.
o Ullenhall Service 6.00pm at St. Mary’s Church
· Ullenhall Parish Ramble Sunday 14th May starting from St. Mary’s Church - light breakfast 8.30am walk commences 9.15am
· Ascension Day service in St. Nicholas’ Churchyard at 7.00am on Thursday 18th May followed by a light breakfast in The Parish Hall
PASTORAL CARE TEAM
A member of the team will be available at the 10am Services at St. John’s Church to greet newcomers and provide support and help to our parishioners.
COST OF LIVING CRISIS
The Warm Hub at the Baptist Church hall is from 10am - 12.00noon every Saturday. Please support this Henley Churches Together initiative.
Please note also that the Community Fridge will be opening soon at The Methodist Church.
SUNDAY CHURCH SERVICES
Sunday 30th April - Easter 4: Acts 2 vs. 42-47: John 10 vs. 1-10
8:00am Communion & 10:00am Sunday Worship at St. John’s Church, Henley
6.00 pm Evening Prayer at St. Mary’s Church, Ullenhall
16th April 2023
ECO CHURCH
Lord God, help us to maintain a reverent attitude towards nature which is threatened from all sides. Help us to find a way to restore what we have destroyed and to save what we left. This is the world that God gave to us and all mankind for the glory of God, the Creator. Help us Lord, to do our part to stop further decline and to help our planet by making good choices in the way we live our lives. We pray that as individuals and that people everywhere will become more caring towards the environment in which we live and that the politicians, planners and those with the power will develop a deep and serious concern for the environmental crisis, before it’s too late.
This we ask in Jesus' name.
Amen.
SPECIAL NOTICES
· Henley Arts4All 2023 - Mon 17th - Sun 23rd April Inclusive - A quantity of free tickets is available for those who'd like to attend but are feeling the cost of living pinch'.
Contact info@henleyarts4all.co.uk for more information.
· Memory Lane Café at 2pm on Tuesday 25th April at the Parish Hall, Beaudesert Lane.
· Henley and Ullenhall PCC meeting on 25th April at 7.30pm at The Parish Hall Beaudesert Lane.
· Henley and Ullenhall Churches Annual Meeting Wednesday 3rd May at St. John’s Church
· Coronation Services Sunday 7th May
Henley Coronation Service 11.00am at St. John’s Church followed by light refreshments in The Guildhall
Ullenhall Coronation Service 6.00pm at St. Mary’s Church
· Ullenhall Parish Ramble Sunday 14th May starting from St. Mary’s Church - light breakfast 8.30 walk commences 9.15
· Ascension Day service in St. Nicholas’ Churchyard at 7.00am on Thursday 18th May followed by a light breakfast in The Parish Hall
COST OF LIVING CRISIS
The Warm Space at the Baptist Church hall is from 10am - 12.00noon every Saturday. Please support us and bring a friend along as well. Volunteer helpers welcome of course!.
Please note also that the Community Fridge will be opening soon at The Methodist Church.
SUNDAY CHURCH SERVICES
Sunday 23rd April - Easter 3 Zephaniah 3: vs. 14-20: Luke 24: vs. 13-35
8:00am Communion & 10:00am Sunday Worship at St. John’s Church, Henley
6.00 pm Evening Prayer at St. Mary’s Church, Ullenhall
9th April 2023
ECO CHURCH
A sure sign that Spring is on its way is the welcome emergence of dandelions. These flowers are an important source of food for wildlife. When bees, butterflies and other pollinators emerge in early spring it’s a tricky time for them, as few flowers are in bloom and they depend on dandelions as an early source of pollen and nectar. These plants are NOT weeds they are herbs, so please leave them to bloom and don’t destroy them.
SPECIAL NOTICES
• Memory Lane Café on Tuesday 11th April at the Parish Hall, Beaudesert Lane, Henley-in-Arden at 2pm
• Henley Churches Together ‘Time out with God’ Thursday 13th April at The Parish Hall Beaudesert Lane at 12.30pm
• Henley and Ullenhall PCC meeting on 25th April at 7.30pm at The Parish Hall Beaudesert Lane.
• Henley and Ullenhall Churches Annual Meeting Wednesday 3rd May at The Parish Hall, Beaudesert Lane
• Ascension Day service in St. Nicholas’ Churchyard at 7.00am on 18th May
COST OF LIVING CRISIS
The Warm Hub at the Baptist Church hall is from 10am - 12.00 noon every Saturday.
Please support this Henley Churches Together initiative.
Please note also that the Community Fridge will be opening soon at The Methodist Church.
SUNDAY CHURCH SERVICES
Sunday 16th April - Easter 2: 1 Peter 1: vs.3-9 : John 20 vs.19-31
8:00am Communion & 10:00am Sunday Worship at St. John’s Church, Henley
6.00 pm Evening Prayer at St. Mary’s Church, Ullenhall
2nd April 2023
ECO CHURCH
A sure sign that Spring is on its way is the welcome emergence of dandelions. These flowers are an important source of food for wildlife. When bees, butterflies and other pollinators emerge in early spring it’s a tricky time for them, as few flowers are in bloom and they depend on dandelions as an early source of pollen and nectar. These plants are NOT weeds they are herbs, so please leave them to bloom and don’t destroy them.
HOLY WEEK AND EASTER SERVICES
Wednesday 5th April
(Please note corrected time) - 7.00pm - Ecumenical ‘Stations of the Cross’ at Our Lady of The Wayside Church, Wootton Wawen
Maundy Thursday 6th April
7.30pm - Maundy Thursday Holy Communion at St. John’s Church Revd. James Holden
Good Friday 7th April
10.00am - Ecumenical Service at the Market Cross
10.30am - Reflections at The Baptist Church, Henley
2.00pm - Service at St. John’s Church, Henley
7.00pm - Service at St. Mary’s Church, Ullenhall
Easter Eve Saturday
8th April 8.00pm - ‘Lighting of The Easter Candle’ at St John’s Church
Easter Sunday
9th April 8.00am Holy Communion at St. John’s Church
10.00am Family Service and Holy Communion led by the Revd. Archdeacon Barry Dugmore
9.00 am Holy Communion at St. Mary’s Church, Ullenhall led by Revd. James Holden
SUNDAY CHURCH SERVICES
Sunday 9th April
‘Easter Sunday’ Colossians 3 vs.1-4 : John 20 vs. 1-18
8:00am Communion & 10:00am Family Communion at St. John’s Church, Henley
9.00am Holy Communion at St. Mary’s Church, Ullenhall
26th March 2023
HOLY WEEK AND EASTER SERVICES
Wednesday 5th April 7.30pm - Ecumenical ‘Stations of the Cross’ at Our Lady of The Wayside Church, Wootton Wawen
Maundy Thurs 6th April 7.30pm - Maundy Thursday Holy Communion at St. John’s Church Revd. James Holden
Good Friday 7th April 10.00am - Ecumenical Service at the Market Cross
10.30am - Reflections at The Baptist Church, Henley
2.00pm - Service at St. John’s Church, Henley
7.00pm - Service at St. Mary’s Church, Ullenhall
Easter Eve Sat 8th April 8.00pm - ‘Lighting of The Easter Candle’ at St John’s Church
Easter Sunday 9th April 8.00am Holy Communion at St. John’s Church
10.00am Family Service and Holy Communion led by the Revd. Archdeacon Barry Dugmore
9.00 am Holy Communion at St. Mary’s Church, Ullenhall led by Revd. James Holden
THIS WEEK
Today we welcome the return of Sue McClellan who will be leading both services of Holy Communion at 8.00am and 10.00am.
Holy Week is rapidly approaching and a list of services and events is set out in this week’s ‘Angel’. We hope that you will join us in experiencing the revelatory and dramatic events of the final days of Jesus’ life and his joyous resurrection at Easter.
Whilst writing I am very pleased to say that there will be Maundy Thursday Communion this year on Thursday 6th April and that Rev’d James Holden will lead the service which will be at 7.30 pm in St. John’s Church.
Prayer for the interregnum of the Parish of Beaudesert with Henley and Ullenhall (to be said during intercessions).
Almighty and everlasting God as we travel together through this period of interregnum we thank you for your everlasting love for us. Give us strength to accept this time of change and send us the Holy Spirit to fill our hearts with encouragement and hope for the future. We ask that you will help us to share responsibilities growing in faith and love with one another. We look forward to the appointment of a new Rector and believe you will send us a priest best suited to your disciples in this parish and who will encourage many to join with us on our journey of faith. Amen
ECO CHURCH
Springtime is here and it is a joy to see the emergence of new life in all aspects of nature especially hedgehogs. There will be a reminder sheet at the back of church with loads of tips on how to look after these wonderful creatures and give them a chance to thrive and continue as valued species in our eco-system.
SPECIAL NOTICES
Lent Appeal we hope that you will be in a position to return your Lent Appeal envelopes between now and Good Friday if possible.
· Churches Together Lent Course - the last session will be held on 30th March in The Baptist Church at 10.30am for coffee/tea - course starts 11:00am
· Memory Lane Café on Tuesday 28th March at the Parish Hall, Beaudesert Lane, Henley-in-Arden at 2pm
COST OF LIVING CRISIS
The Warm Hub at the Baptist church hall is from 10am - 12.00noon every Saturday. Please support this Henley Churches Together initiative.
SUNDAY CHURCH SERVICES
Sunday 2nd April - ‘Palm Sunday’ Isiah 50 vs.4-9 : Matthew 21 vs. 1-12
8:00am Communion & 10:00am morning Worship at St. John’s Church, Henley
Evening Prayer Service 6:00pm at St. Mary’s Church, Ullenhall
CONTACT DETAILS
Rector of the Parish: Vacancy
Parish Office Number: 07563-818651 Daphne Jones
Parish E-mail: henleychurch@gmail.com
Church Website: www.henleyullenhall.church
19th March 2023
MOTHERING SUNDAY
Today is Mothering Sunday and hopefully we have enough bunches of daffodils that there will be some for every mother here today plus a bunch for those who can’t attend for one reason or another. We are looking forward to seeing more children than usual today as well and the children’s choir will perform two songs for us.
Whilst writing I am very pleased to say that there will be Maundy Thursday Communion this year on Thursday 6th April and that Rev’d James Holden will lead the service which will be at 7.30 pm in St. John’s Church.
Prayer for the interregnum of the Benefice of Beaudesert with Henley and Ullenhall (to be said during intercessions).
Almighty and everlasting God as we travel together through this period of interregnum we thank you for your everlasting love for us. Give us strength to accept this time of change and send us the Holy Spirit to fill our hearts with encouragement and hope for the future. We ask that you will help us to share responsibilities growing in faith and love with one another. We look forward to the appointment of a new Rector and believe you will send us a priest best suited to your disciples in this parish and who will encourage many to join with us on our journey of faith.
Amen
ECO CHURCH
From 13th to 19th March 2023 is Compost Week UK. This initiative seeks to raise awareness and spread the joy of all things “compost”. Did you know that compost has been used to improve the soil quality in farming for over 12,000 years?
Food waste is a real problem. Brits throw away an estimated 4.5 million tonnes of food and drink each year. That’s a huge problem for the planet as food that is sent to landfill releases the greenhouse gas, methane. This gas is a major contributor to global warming. So it’s vital to avoid sending food to landfill as far as possible. Planning food purchases is a good way to avoid waste. Also saving freezing your leftovers.
However composting has a vital role in reducing the amount of food we send to landfill. Composting kitchen waste in Henley is easy as we have a weekly food caddy collection by the council. So there’s no excuse to send food waste to landfill. Or how about creating a compost bin in your garden? There is plenty of advice on this available on line.
COST OF LIVING CRISIS
The Warm Hub at the Baptist church hall is from 10am - 12.00noon every Saturday. Please support this Henley Churches Together initiative in whichever way you can. Just a quick reminder to everyone that whether or not you shop at Co-op in
Henley, there is a collection basket there to support the Food Bank in Stratford upon Avon
SPECIAL NOTICES
• Churches Together Lent Course - the last session will be held on 30th March in The Baptist Church at 10.30am for coffee/tea - course starts 11:00am
• Memory Lane Café on Tuesday 28th March at the Parish Hall, Beaudesert Lane, Henley-in-Arden at 2pm
LENT APPEAL
We hope everyone has received the ‘Lent Appeal Letter’ asking for contributions towards CORD and their work in The Mekong region
of S.E. Asia. Please think and pray about this and if you are able to make a donation please forward this in the Lent Appeal Envelope as requested in your letter.
SUNDAY CHURCH SERVICES
Sunday 26th March - ‘5th Sunday of Lent’ Ezekiel 37 vs. 1—14 & John 11 vs. 21-45
8:00am Communion & 10:00am Holy Communion at St. John’s Church, Henley
Evening Prayer Service 6:00pm at St. Mary’s Church, Ullenhall
CONTACT DETAILS
Rector of the Parish: Vacancy
Parish Office Number: 07563-818651 Daphne Jones
Parish E-mail: henleychurch@gmail.com
Church Website: www.henleyullenhall.church
5th March 2023
Welcome to our services in Henley-in-Arden and Ullenhall on this 2nd Sunday of Lent.
Prayer for the interregnum of the Benefice of Beaudesert with Henley and Ullenhall (to be said during intercessions).
Almighty and everlasting God as we travel together through this period of interregnum we thank you for your everlasting love for us. Give us strength to accept this time of change and send us the Holy Spirit to fill our hearts with encouragement and hope for the future. We ask that you will help us to share responsibilities growing in faith and love with one another. We look forward to the appointment of a new Rector and believe you will send us a priest best suited to your disciples in this parish and who will encourage many to join with us on our journey of faith. Amen
LENT APPEAL
We hope everyone has received the ‘Lent Appeal Letter’ asking for contributions towards CORD and their work in Africa and other deprived areas. Please think and pray about this and if you are able to make a donation please forward this as requested in the letter.
ECO CHURCH
Fairtrade Fortnight 2023 is taking place from this week - 27 February until 12 March 2023. This fairtrade Fortnight is designed to raise the profile of the Fairtrade foundation and an opportunity to spread simple message.
The message is: -
‘make a small switch to Fairtrade products and you will be supporting producers and protecting the future of some of the most loved food and the planet’
Did you know that coffee, bananas and chocolate could soon be more difficult to purchase? Climate change is making crops like these harder to grow. Combined with the deeply unfair trade, communities growing these crops are being pushed to the brink. Choosing more Fairtrade products means extra income, power and support for those projects.
Choose the products with the Fairtrade logo and take a look at what else you can do by visiting - https://www.fairtrade.net/
COST OF LIVING CRISIS
The Warm Hub at the Baptist church hall is from 10am - 12.30pm every Saturday.
Just a quick reminder to everyone that whether or not you shop at Co-op in Henley, there is a collection basket there to support the Food Bank in Stratford upon Avon
SPECIAL NOTICES
· Churches Together Lent Course - this will be held over the remaining 2 sessions on Thursdays 16th and 30th March in The Baptist Church at 10.30am for coffee/tea - course starts 11:00am
· The funeral service of Carole Holt will be held on Tuesday 7th March with a service at 1:00pm at Mappleborough Green Church followed by Redditch Crematorium at 2:00pm. A wake will be held afterwards at Studley Sports Centre, Abbeyfields Drive, Mappleborough Green. Carole requested that people do not wear black
· Memory Lane Café on Tuesday 14th March at the Parish Hall, Beaudesert Lane, Henley-in-Arden at 2pm.
· Special Mothering Sunday Service on 19th March at 10:00am in St. John’s Church
SUNDAY CHURCH SERVICES
Sunday 12th March -‘3rd Sunday of Lent’ Exodus 17 vs. 1:7 and John 4 vs. 5:14
8:00am Communion & 10:00am Morning Worship at St. John’s Church, Henley
Evening Prayer Service 6:00pm at St. Mary’s Church, Ullenhall
CONTACT DETAILS
Rector of the Parish: Vacancy
Parish Office Number: 07563-818651 Daphne Jones
Parish E-mail: henleychurch@gmail.com
Church Website: www.henleyullenhall.church
12th February 2023
Welcome to our Churches
This week we welcome Revd. Phil Hanson who will lead our 8.00am Communion Service.
Prayer for the interregnum of the Benefice of Beaudesert with Henley and Ullenhall (to be said during intercessions).
Almighty and everlasting God as we travel together through this period of interregnum we thank you for your everlasting love for us. Give us strength to accept this time of change and send us the Holy Spirit to fill our hearts with encouragement and hope for the future. We ask that you will help us to share responsibilities growing in faith and love with one another. We look forward to the appointment of a new Rector and believe you will send us a priest best suited to your disciples in this parish and who will encourage many to join with us on our journey of faith. Amen
SPECIAL NOTICES
• Tuesday 14th February 2.00pm ‘Memory Lane Café’ in the Parish Church Hall
• Tuesday 21st February ‘PCC Meeting 7.30pm in The Parish Room
• Wednesday 22nd February 7.30 pm ‘Ash Wednesday Service’ at St. John’s Church.
We are fortunate to have James Holden to lead a special service of Communion
and imposition of ashes. There is also the opportunity to attend a 10.00 am Ash
Wednesday service at St. Peter’s Church, Wootton Wawen.
• Friday 3rd March 2.00pm ‘World day of Prayer’ at St. Benedict’s Roman Catholic Church Wootton Wawen
ECO CHURCH
SUNDAY CHURCH SERVICES
Sunday 19th February - Sunday Before Lent’ Matthew Ch.17 vs. 1-9 ‘The Transfiguration’
8am Communion & 10am Holy Communion at St. John’s, Henley. Evening worship service 6.00pm at St. Mary’s, Ullenhall
COST OF LIVING CRISIS
The Warm Hub at the Baptist church hall is from 10am - 12.30pm every
Saturday. This was set up and is run by Henley Churches Together in
response to the cost of living crisis. Its purpose is to offer a warm and
welcoming place for people of any age in which to spend time away from
the stress of the rising cost of living or who feel isolated.
HUMANITARIAN CRISIS IN TURKEY & SYRIA
As we are all aware a most devasting natural disaster has ravaged many
towns in Turkey and parts of Northern Syria too.
There are many fundraising and support charities and we are all encouraged
to support these especially where it is certain that 100% of the donations
are going direct to aid the official front line recovery efforts.
In addition let us all keep the inhabitants of both countries and the
emergency services and aid workers involved foremost in our prayers.
CONTACT DETAILS
Rector of the Parish: Vacancy
Parish Office Number: 07563-818651 Daphne Jones
Parish E-mail: henleychurch@gmail.com
Church Website: www.henleyullenhall.church
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29th January 2023
This week we are celebrating Candlemas at St. John’s Church in our morning services and then again in a candlelit ecumenical service at 6.00pm at St. Nicholas Church. This is also a joint service with the congregation of St. Mary’s Church Ullenhall. Prayer for the interregnum of the Benefice of Beaudesert with Henley and Ullenhall (to be said during intercessions). Almighty and everlasting God as we travel together through this period of interregnum we thank you for your everlasting love for us. Give us strength to accept this time of
change and send us the Holy Spirit to fill our hearts with encouragement and hope for the future. We ask that you will help us to share responsibilities growing in faith and love with one another. We look forward to the appointment of a new Rector and believe you will send us a priest best suited to your disciples in this parish and who will encourage many to join with us on our journey of faith. Amen
SPECIAL NOTICES
• Saturday 28th January 10:30 to 12 noon—’St. Basil’s Coffee Morning’ including Bring
& Buy in the Church Hall
• Wednesday 8th February 7.30pm ‘Standing Committee’ at 11, Yew Tree Gardens
• Thursday 9th February 12.30pm ‘Time out with God’ in the Parish Church Hall -an
ecumenical gathering of reflection, prayer and fellowship followed by refreshments.
• Tuesday 14th February 2.00pm ‘Memory Lane Café’ in the Parish Church Hall
• Tuesday 21st February ‘PCC Meeting 7.30pm in The Parish Room
• Friday 3rd March 2.00pm ‘World day of Prayer’ at St. Benedict’s Roman Catholic Church Wootton Wawen
ST. BASILS CHARITY
This year will mark the 50th anniversary of the inception of Saint Basils’ in Birmingham working with younger people, aged 16-25 many of whom are homeless. Nearly 30,000 young people are facing homelessness this winter Here is James a story. He went to live at Saint Basils just over one year ago after leaving foster care as he had just turned 18. James told his support worker that he was interested in serving the community as a police officer. Subsequently they helped James explore what opportunities might be available to him and supported
him through the application and assessment process as well as trying to boost his morale and confidence. James has now been offered a three year apprenticeship with the police learning on the job as a police officer whilst also doing additional training with Staffordshire University. James states that coming to Saint basils helped him improve his life skills and he joined the youth voice which helped him
with confidence and support. “I am really now proud to have got a job. Furthermore, I have recently moved out of Saint basils and am settling in well into a new flat in Sutton Coldfield. Thanks to everyone who have supported me at this time” It is interesting to record that since supporting Saint basils, the good people of Henley have donated over £10,000 to this most worthy charity. Graham Hindley—Wider Church Group
ECO CHURCH
Remember to recycle your batteries and your empty blister packs in the boxes at the back of church.
Printer cartridges can be recycled at our local Household waste recycling centre. Tesco also take used cartridges and give clubcard points in return. Some charities take them also see - www.printercartridgerecycling.co.uk Small steps can make a big difference.
SUNDAY CHURCH SERVICES
Next Sunday 5th February: ‘3rd Sunday Before Lent’ True righteousness 8am Communion & 10am Morning Worship at St. John’s, Henley. Evening worship service 6.00pm at St. Mary’s, Ullenhall
COST OF LIVING CRISIS
The Warm Hub at the Baptist church hall is from 10-12.30 every Saturday. This was set up and is run by Henley Churches Together in response to the cost of living crisis. Its purpose is to offer a warm and welcoming place for people of any age in which to spend time away from the stress of the rising cost of living or who feel isolated. It offers a warm welcome, support and friendship. Hot drinks & biscuits are
free, there is an area for children to play, and information is available about where to find help. More Volunteers are needed to keep making this available every Saturday so, if you are able to help please see Cilla or Julia.
CONTACT DETAILS
Rector of the Parish: Vacancy
Parish Office Number: 07563-818651 Daphne Jones
Parish E-mail: henleychurch@gmail.com
Church Website: www.henleyullenhall.church
22nd January 2023
This week we welcome the Reverend Clive Hicks who will preside at 8am Communion Service. Julia Cross will lead the service 10am Service at St. John’s and St. Mary’s Ullenhall this evening. She will be joined by Judith Cox who will preach. The ‘Week of Prayer for Christian Unity’ lasts until 25th January and we shall continue to pray for our fellow Christians throughout the world.
Prayer for the interregnum of the Benefice of Beaudesert with Henley and Ullenhall (to be said during intercessions).
Almighty and everlasting God as we travel together through this period of interregnum we thank you for your everlasting love for us. Give us strength to accept this time of change and send us the Holy Spirit to fill our hearts with encouragement and hope for the future. We ask that you will help us to share responsibilities growing in faith and love with one another. We look forward to the appointment of a new Rector and believe you will send us a priest best suited to your disciples in this parish and who will encourage many to join with us on our journey of faith.
Amen
NOTICES
• The funeral of Ken Dale will be held at 10.30am on Tuesday 24th January in St John’s Church
• Dorothy Houghton’s funeral will be held in St. Nicholas church at 2.00pm on Tuesday 24th January. Please come on foot if possible as this clashes with ‘Memory Lane’ and parking will be in short supply
• Tuesday 2.00pm Memory Lane Café will be held in the Parish Hall
• Saturday 28thJanuary 10:30 to 12 noon—St. Basil’s Coffee Morning including Bring & Buy in the Church Hall
• Don’t miss our very special Ecumenical Candlemas Service at 6pm on Sunday 29th January in St. Nicholas’ Church. Members of Ullenhall Church are warmly invited to this. (please note there will be no service in Ullenhall Church that night)
1. Turn down the heat by 1 degree can save energy and make a saving for our pockets. Remember to keep rooms at the right temperature to be comfortable which is 18 degrees.
2. Keep all internal doors closed
3. Keep all blinds and curtains closed
4. Heat the rooms you are using and shut down thermostats on radiators not in use.
5. Invest in a heated blanket for your bed or a heated throw for use when
sitting. This keeps you warm at a fraction of the cost ( 3 pence per hour)
6. See if you can switch your energy provider to a green - energy supplier so
when you use energy, you can be sure that renewable energy is being
created.
ECO CHURCH
We’ve seen some pretty cold temperatures this week and we need to use the central heating to keep us warm. This may be making us
anxious in terms of cost and the impact on climate change. Here’s a reminder of the tips we gave out last year on our Eco church update in
the Angel. These may come in handy whilst it’s really cold.
CONTACT DETAILS
Rector of the Parish: Vacancy
Parish Office Number: 07563-818651 Daphne Jones
Parish E-mail: henleychurch@gmail.com
Church Website: www.henleyullenhall.church
COST OF LIVING CRISIS
We hope you will continue to support the ‘Churches Together’ Warm Hub in the
Baptist Church between 10.00am and 12.30pm every Saturday. Why not pop in!
SUNDAY CHURCH SERVICES
Next Sunday:
Candlemas - 8am Communion & 10am Morning Worship at St. John’s, Henley
and a special Ecumenical Candlemas Service at St. Nicholas’ 6.00pm No service at St. Mary’s, Ullenhall
Forthcoming Service Themes:
29th Jan ‘Candlemas’ The presentation of Christ
5th Feb ‘3rd Sunday Before Lent’ True righteousness
12th Feb ‘2nd Sunday Before Lent’ Spirit of the Commandments
15th January 2023
This week we welcome Su McClellan as our visiting priest who leads both 8.00am and 10.00am Communion services.
May I remind you that the ‘Week of Prayer for Christian Unity’ begins on Wednesday 18th January and that there is a prayer for this on our opposite inside page.
Prayer for the interregnum of the Benefice of Beaudesert with Henley and Ullenhall (to be said during intercessions).
Almighty and everlasting God as we travel together through this period of interregnum we thank you for your everlasting love for us. Give us strength to accept this time of change and send us the Holy Spirit to fill our hearts with encouragement and hope for the future. We ask that you will help us to share responsibilities growing in faith and love with one another. We look forward to the appointment of a new Rector and believe you will send us a priest best suited to your disciples in this parish and who will encourage many to join with us on our journey of faith.
Amen
Notices
• Sunday 22nd January we have a speaker from St. Basil’s to tell us about their work at 10am Service at St. John’s Church
• Reminder about Dorothy Houghton’s funeral in St. Nicholas at 2.00pm on Tuesday 24th January. Please come on foot if possible as this clashes with ‘Memory Lane’ and parking will be in short supply
• Saturday 28th January 10:30 to 12 noon—St. Basil’s Coffee Morning including Bring & Buy in the Church Hall
• Early notice of our very special Ecumenical Candlemas Service at 6pm on Sunday 29th January in St. Nicholas’ Church.
Members of Ullenhall Church are warmly invited to this service
Eco Church
As we recently reported, we have recently achieved the Silver award under the the Eco Church programme. This means we have made a specific commitment and implemented a specific set of positive actions to make a difference, as part of our church responsibility to respond to the climate crisis.
So why are we signed up to the Eco church programme? We are part of the growing group of churches that are focussed on celebrating God‘s creation gift of creation and beginning to grasp the mission of imperative for creation care. A Rocha UK, which operates the Eco church programme, reached a landmark of 5000 registered churches in May 2022 and there are now over 2,000 awarded churches, including ours. 30 churches have achieved the Gold award, which is a challenging achievement and something that we aspire to achieve when possible. The gravity and urgency of the climate challenge requires all of us to do more to care for God’s creation. We can all do a bit, however small. Starting next week we will revisit some of the suggestions we made on the Angel weekly sheet from 2022, as a reminder. Julia Cross
Contact Details
Rector of the Parish: Vacancy
Parish Office Number: 07563-818651 Daphne Jones
Parish E-mail: henleychurch@gmail.com
Church Website: www.henleyullenhall.church
Cost of Living Crisis
We are hoping for special support at the ‘Churches Together’ Warm Hub in the Baptist Church between 10.00am and 12.30 pm on Saturday 21st January which falls in ‘The week of prayer for Christian Unity’.
Why not pop in!
Sunday Church Services
Next Sunday:
‘Epiphany 3’ 22nd January 2023: 8am Communion & 10am
Morning Worship at St. John’s, Henley and 6.00pm Evening Prayer at St. Mary’s, Ullenhall
Forthcoming Service Themes:
22nd Jan ‘Epiphany 3’ Jesus begins to preach
29th Jan ‘Candlemas’ The presentation of Christ
5thFeb ‘3rd Sunday Before Lent’ True righteousness
12thFeb ‘2nd Sunday Before Lent’ Spirit of the Commandments
25th December 2022
Dear Friends,
Thank you!
Over the last few weeks I have attended a number of Farewell Dos, and I would like to thank everyone who has wished me well in my retirement. I enjoyed a drink with the Court Leet after their Annual Service, and pizza with The Royal British Legion at their Christmas Get Together. The children at our Primary School gave me ‘Three Cheers’ and a lovely book full of messages. Ullenhall put on a fine Farewell Do after the ‘9 Lessons & Carols’ on 11th December. The following Sunday, Henley did the same, although the proceedings were hijacked by an extraordinary intervention by my son, Richard, who took to the pulpit to address the ‘vicar’! What a chip off the old block! And then the celebrations were completed with a wonderful Town Dinner in the Church Hall on 21st December, courtesy of the Westmacotts. Along the way I have been humbled by the receiving of many gifts, but the most treasured gifts have been your good wishes. It has tickled me how so many people have said they will miss me, even though they don’t come to church! Did I get something wrong, or did I get something right! So, it is indeed Farewell, as I give back the leadership of the church to the local team until my successor is appointed. The Bishop of Coventry has very kindly agreed that I should be licenced to take weddings and funerals in the area from day One of retirement. So, you may well still see me around, but please note that I will be a retired clergyman, and not the Rector.
Thank you for everyone who has donated to the ‘Palianytsia’ Ukrainian Charity. I was able to send a further £566 during this last week. This means that during 2022 we have been instrumental in sending £8,000 to them. Well done!
Eco Church
(REPEAT) Here are some more eco-friendly suggestions for your Christmas celebrations.
1. Go cracker free or make your own and put a home-made treat inside for an extra special gift for each person. Crackers can be made using empty toilet rolls and wrapping paper, tying the ends with ribbon.
2. Make sure all your Christmas lights/ when buying new lights, ensure they are LED to minimise energy use and have outdoor lights on a timer so that they are turned on after dark and switched off at bedtime.
3. Try to avoid Sellotape when wrapping presents which can hinder recycling and reusing paper. Try to wrap your gifts avoiding tape include using fabric or gift bags, and raffia or string or ribbon to tie presents.
4. Plan your Christmas meals realistically to avoid food waste and use seasonal fruit and veg to minimise the air miles and carbon footprint.
5. Make your own gift tags, using recycled parts from cards from last year or seasonal shapes from magazines/ coloured card.
6. Prepare recipes for leftover chicken / turkey and seasonal vegetables. And you can make soup out of almost anything.
Church Sunday Services:
Christmas Day: 8 & 10 am St. John’s, Henley, 9 am St. Mary’s, Ullenhall
Next Sunday 10 am St. John’s, Henley, 6 pm St. Mary’s, Ullenhall
Service themes during the next few weeks
25th December - The Lord is here!
1st January - The arrival of the shepherds.
8th January -The arrival of the Magi.
15th January - Jesus calls his first disciples.
From the Registers:
We give thanks to God for the life of Sheila Thomas.
Contact details
Church website: www.henleyullenhall.church
Parish Office (open on Thursdays): 07563818651 henleychurch@gmail.com
Stay safe,
John Ganjavi
18th December 2022
Dear Friends,
Ukraine
I have been given a further £175 for our Ukrainian friends. I will be sending this on towards the end of the week. If you wish to add to it, please donate via the Rectory or directly to myself.
Dates for the diary:
Today - 10 am ‘9 Lessons & Carols’ in St. John’s, followed by refreshments and ‘Farewell to John’ in the Church Hall 11.30 am – 1 pm.
Tuesday - 7 pm Carol Singing around Ullenhall, starting at the centre of the village (Village Cross).
Thursday - 12.30 pm funeral of Sheila Thomas at Robin Hood Crematorium.
Christmas Eve
5 pm Candlelit Children’s Crib Service in St. John’s, Henley
11 pm Midnight Holy Communion in St. John’s, Henley
Christmas Day
8 am Holy Communion & Carols in St. John’s, Henley
9 am Holy Communion in St. Mary’s, Ullenhall
10 am Family Communion in St. John’s, Henley
Service themes during the next few weeks:
18th December - The birth of Jesus Christ.
25th December - The Lord is here!
1st January - The arrival of the shepherds.
8th January - The arrival of the Magi.
Eco Church
Here are some more eco-friendly suggestions for your Christmas celebrations.
1. Go cracker free or make your own and put a home-made treat inside for an extra special gift for each person. Crackers can be made using empty toilet rolls and wrapping paper, tying the ends with ribbon.
2. Make sure all your Christmas lights/ when buying new lights, ensure they are LED to minimise energy use and have outdoor lights on a timer so that they are turned on after dark and switched off at bedtime.
3. Try to avoid Sellotape when wrapping presents which can hinder recycling and reusing paper. Try to wrap your gifts avoiding tape include using fabric or gift bags, and raffia or string or ribbon to tie presents.
4. Plan your Christmas meals realistically to avoid food waste and use seasonal fruit and veg to minimise the air miles and carbon footprint.
5. Make your own gift tags, using recycled parts from cards from last year or seasonal shapes from magazines/ coloured card.
6. Prepare recipes for leftover chicken / turkey and seasonal vegetables. And you can make soup out of almost anything.
Church Sunday Services:
Today: 8 & 10 am St. John’s, Henley,
Next Sunday 8 & 10 am St. John’s, Henley, 9 am St. Mary’s, Ullenhall
From the Registers:
We give thanks to God for the lives of John Karle and Keith Davis.
Contact details:
Rev’d John Ganjavi, The Rectory, Beaudesert Lane, Henley in Arden, B95 5JY.
Mobile: 07753 619 789
Email:johnganjavi@btinternet.com
Church website: www.henleyullenhall.church
Parish Office (open on Thursdays): 07563818651 henleychurch@gmail.com
Stay safe,
John Ganjavi
11th December 2022
Dear Friends,
THE CHOIR WITH NO NAME
Thank you to all who have given donations for ‘THE CHOIR WITH NO NAME’ that works with the homeless, and those at the edge of society, providing them with comfort, joy and fun through music. £400 was raised. This coincided with a charity scheme that would double the contribution if we gave by a certain date. It was also possible to giftaid the donation. Therefore our £400 turned into £900! Brilliant!
During the last few weeks I have been given a further £400 for the Ukrainian Charity we have been supporting. The money has been forwarded to them.
Dates for the diary:
Today - 4 pm ‘9 Lessons & Carols’ at St. Mary’s, Ullenhall, followed by refreshments and ‘Farewell to John’.
Tuesday - 2 pm Memory Lane Café Carols in the Church Hall.
Wednesday - 1.30 pm Primary School Christingle in St. John’s.
4 pm Funeral of Keith Davis in St. John’s.
Thursday - 9 am – 1 pm High School Christmas Assemblies in St. John’s.
10.30 for 11 am Part 3 of Advent Course in the Baptist Church.
Next Sunday - 10 am ‘9 Lessons & Carols’ in St. John’s, followed by refreshments and ‘Farewell to John’ in the Church Hall 11.30 am – 1 pm.
Eco Church
Here are some eco friendly gift suggestions to help in achieving a greener Christmas.
1. Give experiences rather than “things” such as theatre tokens, cinema vouchers, go Ape experience or afternoon tea vouchers.
2. Many of us already have everything we need, so why not give a virtual gift to support projects in the UK or around the world. There are a number of charities that provide digital charity gifts to give your friends or loved ones that can be personalised but they also transform lives, fight poverty or provide essentials to those in desperate need. Christian aid, Oxfam, world vision, and UNICEF are all examples of charities, which offered meaningful gifts.
3. Buy gifts that grow such as trees. Trees can be purchased to provide support for families in rural Africa. Tree Aid provide gifts that grow but also help our planet, tackle poverty and the effects of climate change, all at the same time. Or you can dedicate a tree to someone through the national forest adopt a tree scheme or via the Woodland Trust tree dedication scheme
4. If you give toiletries, look out for those that are eco-friendly and contain no palm oil. Shampoo bars, solid soap, and other toiletries sold without plastic packaging. Make thoughtful gifts.
5. When buying chocolate at this time of year, check for the fair trade mark to ensure producers have received a living wage.
6. Phone a friend, with many people being more isolated than usual in these times a visit or a phone calls can make all the difference.
7. Enjoy nature this Christmas. Take a walk and spend time noticing God’s wonderful creation.
Church Sunday Services:
Today: 8 & 10 am St. John’s, Henley,
4 pm St. Mary’s, Ullenhall (9 Lessons & Carols).
Next Sunday 8 & 10 am St. John’s, Henley, (10 am: 9 Lessons & Carols)
6 pm St. Mary’s, Ullenhall
Service themes during the next few weeks
11th December - Jesus sets out his credentials as the Saviour.
18th December - The birth of Jesus Christ.
25th December - The Lord is here!
From the Registers:
We welcome through Baptism Alice Louise Atherley.
We offer wedding congratulations to Steve & Jane Wilkes (Puopolo).
We give thanks to God for the lives of Bob Currie, Simon Lewis and Brenda Hicks.
Contact details
Rev’d John Ganjavi, The Rectory, Beaudesert Lane, Henley in Arden, B95 5JY.
Mobile: 07753 619 789
Email:johnganjavi@btinternet.com
Church website: www.henleyullenhall.church
Parish Office (open on Thursdays)
Mobile: 07563 818651
Email: henleychurch@gmail.com
Stay safe,
John Ganjavi
4th December 2022
Dear Friends,
THE CHOIR WITH NO NAME
Today is the deadline for donations towards ‘THE CHOIR WITH NO NAME’ works with the homeless, and those at the edge of society, providing them with comfort, joy and fun through music.
Volunteers
We need volunteers to read at the Henley Service of ‘9 Lessons & Carols’, 10 am on Sunday 18th December. Names to John, please.
Dates for the diary:
Until Saturday 10/12 11am – 4pm Christmas Tree Festival begins in St. John’s
Sunday 4/12 - 12.30 pm Baptism of Alice Louise Atherley in St. Mary’s
3 pm WI Carols in St. Mary’s
3.30 pm ‘Blue Christmas’ event in the Baptist Church, especially for those who have been recently bereaved.
Monday 5th - 12 - 1.30 pm Funeral of Bob Currie in St. John’s
Tuesday 6th - 12 - 11.30 am Funeral of Simon Lewis in St. John’s
Wednesday 7th - 12 - 10 am Wednesday Thinkers meet at Graham’s
Thursday 8th - 2 - 10.30 for 11 am Advent Course at Baptist Church.
Friday 9th - 12 - 2.15 pm Funeral of Brenda Hicks in St. Nicholas’.
Saturday 10th - 12 - 2 pm Wedding of Steve Wilkes & Jane Puopolo at St. Nicholas’
Eco Church
As part of our support for eco -friendly activities, there is now a Christmas card at the back of church for congregation members to sign, to express Christmas wishes and blessings. This is the greener alternate to sending individual cards which use manufactured paper, needing intensive energy and as most end up in landfill, they also release greenhouse gas.
Better still this is a hand-made card created by the Sunday club members. It’s a beautiful card, imaginatively decorated and we are grateful for their artistic efforts.
Please make use of this and help to save trees, energy and carbon emissions.
Remember to buy a real Christmas tree in a pot that can be kept outside until next Christmas.
More green Christmas gift ideas - how about a magazine subscription which will last all year or make homemade preserves or baked treats.
More gift ideas next week.
Church Sunday Services
Today (4th December): 8 & 10 am St. John’s, Henley, 6 pm St. Mary’s, Ullenhall.
Next Sunday (11th December) 8 & 10 am St. John’s, Henley, 4 pm St. Mary’s, Ullenhall (9 Lessons & Carols).
Service themes during the next few weeks
4th December - Getting ready to welcome the Saviour.
11th December - Jesus sets out his credentials as the Saviour.
18th December - The birth of Jesus Christ.
25th December - The Lord is here!
Stay safe,
John Ganjavi
27th November 2022
Dear Friends,
Shoebox Appeal
Well done all who joined in! 109 boxes were filled and sent. The Parish Church gave £545 towards costs of delivery around the world.
Congratulations
Congratulations to Adrian, Sharon & Phil who were Confirmed last Sunday at Coventry Cathedral.
Dates for the diary:
Today 27/11 - 12.30 pm Baptism of Stanley George Richardson in St. Nic’s
Tuesday 29/11 - Organ Tuner in Henley and Ullenhall
Wednesday 30/11 - 7.30 pm Archdeacon Tim meets the Standing Committee
Thursday 1/12 - 10.30 for 11 Advent Course at the Baptist Church
Saturday 3/12 - 9.30 am – 12.30 pm Cost of Living Crisis Meeting in the Baptist Church Hall (more details on the back sheet)
Saturday 3/12 - 11am – 4pm Christmas Tree Festival begins in St. John’s
Sunday 4/12 - 12.30 pm Baptism of Alice Louise Atherley in St. Mary’s
Monday 5/12 - 1.30 pm Funeral of Bob Currie in St. John’s
Tuesday 6/12 - 11.30 am Funeral of Simon Lewis in St. John’s
Eco Church
As we prepare for Christmas, with its inevitable challenges on our pockets and the environment, here are a few suggestions for a greener and more eco-friendly Christmas, including how to reduce waste and give ethical gifts.
1. Avoid Christmas cards and wrapping paper with foil or glitter, as they cannot be recycled with paper and card.
2. Go cracker free either make your own and put in a home-made treat inside or wrap a small extra gift for one person at the table.
3. Avoid balloons for this and all celebrations as they are a source of plastic pollution and dangerous for small children and animals.
4. Christmas decorations make a great gift that can be enjoyed every year. The way there are plenty of ethical options or make your own.
5. Make your own greetings cards. Using seasonal photographs you have taken or pictures from magazines or your own artwork.
Cost of Living Crisis
“Cost of living crisis: A community information & coffee morning is to take place on Saturday 3 December 9.30-12.30 in the Baptist church hall. There will be a representative from Act on Energy offering information and advice, and also information about other relevant sources of help. It is proposed that the Baptist Church hall will offer a “Warm Hub” weekly on Saturday mornings as from 3 December. Please encourage anyone you know who may be interested in attending, or volunteering to help on 3rd or subsequent Saturdays. For more information and offers of help please see Elaine Field or Cilla.”
Church Sunday Services
Today
8 & 10 am St. John’s, Henley
6 pm St. Nicholas’, Beaudesert
Next Sunday 8 & 10 am St. John’s, Henley, 6 pm St. Mary’s, Ullenhall
Today is Advent Sunday, and there will be an ecumenical candlelit Service in St. Nicholas’ starting at 6 pm. Refreshments will be served in the Church Hall prior to the Service, from 5 pm onwards.
Service themes during the next few weeks
27th November - Advent
04th December - Getting ready to welcome the Saviour.
11th December - Jesus sets out his credentials as the Saviour.
18th December - The birth of Jesus Christ.
The Choir With No Name
Last call for donations towards ‘THE CHOIR WITH NO NAME’ works with the homeless, and those at the edge of society, providing them with comfort, joy and fun through music. Deadline next Sunday.
Stay safe,
John Ganjavi
20th November 2022
Dear Friends,
Eco Church
Congratulations to our Eco Church Team and all the congregation. We have just gained our Silver Award as a church.
Baptism & Confirmation
There will be a Baptism & Confirmation Service in Coventry Cathedral today, starting at 4 pm. Please support our three candidates – Philip Bishop, Adrian Field and Sharon Marlow.
THE CHOIR WITH NO NAME
‘THE CHOIR WITH NO NAME’ works with the homeless, and those at the edge of society, providing them with comfort, joy and fun through music. Rehearsals and food go together as they prepare for performances. Let’s help the Birmingham branch providing each one with the Christmas gift of a food voucher. Please put your cash donation in an envelope marked ‘No Name Choir’ and place it on the Church Plate or pop it round to the Rectory. Deadline 4th December.
Advent Sunday
Next Sunday is Advent Sunday, and there will be an ecumenical candlelit Service in St. Nicholas’ starting at 6 pm. Refreshments will be served in the Church Hall prior to the Service, from 5 pm onwards.
Advent Course
An Ecumenical Advent Course will take place in the Baptist Church on the 1st, 8th and 15th of December 10.30am refreshments 11.00 start.
Christmas Tree Festival
The Christmas tree festival open from 11.00am Saturday December 3rd to 10th open each day 11.00 am - 4 pm. Free glass of mulled wine available during the day in St. John’s Church on Saturday 4th December. Any volunteers to act as stewards to contact Ginny.
Cost of Living Crisis
A community information & coffee morning is to take place on Saturday 3 December 9.30-12.30 in the Baptist church hall.
Eco Church
As winter approaches we will be relying on our central heating to keep us warm. As far as heating is concerned, being green is about using less energy. There are a few things we can do to help reduce the emissions caused by our central heating.
- Turning down our heating by just a single degree can save energy and make a financial saving to us. A comfortable room temperature is 18 degrees centigrade.
- Keep all internal doors and curtains/blinds closed.
- Heat only the rooms you are using and turn the thermostats down on radiators in rooms not in use.
- Only turn the heating on when you are home rather than setting a timer for your heating to come on when you are out.
- Invest in a heated blanket to keep you warm rather than heating the room. These cost as little as 3p an hour even on the highest setting.
- Bleed all radiators as trapped air can make radiators less efficient.
- Consider switching to a green-energy supplier. These companies match the amount of electricity we take from the national supply with the same amount of renewable energy.
Church Sunday Services
Today
8 & 10.30 am St. John’s, Henley, 6 pm St. Mary’s, Ullenhall.
Next Sunday
8 am & 10 am St. John’s Henley, & 6 pm St. Nicholas’, Beaudesert.
Service themes during the next few weeks
20th November - Christ the King (10.30 am Court Leet Service.)
27th November - Advent
4th December - Getting ready to welcome the Saviour.
11th December - Jesus sets out his credentials as the Saviour.
From the Registers
We welcome through Baptism Samuel Alexander Cox.
Stay safe,
John Ganjavi
13th November 2022
Dear Friends,
“Cost of living crisis: A community information & coffee morning is to take place on Saturday 3 December 9.30-12.30 in the Baptist church hall where there will be representatives from agencies offering community support and financial advice, and leaflets about relevant sources of help. Please encourage anyone you know who may be interested in attending or volunteering to help. For more information please see Elaine Field or Cilla.”
‘THE CHOIR WITH NO NAME’ works with the homeless, and those at the edge of society, providing them with comfort, joy and fun through music. Rehearsals and food go together as they prepare for performances. Let’s help the Birmingham branch (which has 45 members) by providing each one with the Christmas gift of a Greggs food voucher. Please put your cash donation in an envelope marked ‘No Name Choir’ and place it on the Church Plate or pop it round to the Rectory. Deadline 4th December.
This week:
Today: 12.30 pm, baptism of Samuel Alexander Cox in St. Nicholas’.
Tuesday: 1.30 – 2.30 pm Venture Academy visiting St. John’s.
2.30 pm The Worship Group meet at the Rectory.
Wednesday: 11.30am to 12.30 pm Venture Academy visiting St. John’s.
7.30 pm PCC Meeting with Archdeacon Barry in the Parish Room.
Next Sunday: 10.30 am Court Leet Service in St. John’s.
4 pm Baptism & Confirmation Service at the Cathedral.
Confirmation Service
The next Confirmation Service is at Coventry Cathedral, 4 pm on Sunday 20th November. We have three candidates: Philip Bishop, Adrian Field and Sharon Marlow.
Eco Church
The United Nations climate change conference (COP27) is currently in progress in Egypt until 18 November 2022. The parties of the UN framework are faced with the rising global temperature, the growing energy crisis, record greenhouse gas emissions and increasing extreme weather events. Cop 27 seeks renewed solidarity between countries to deliver on the landmark Paris agreement. During this time we pray for God’s blessing on these talks, as all countries present and agree their plans to reduce carbon emissions and finance support for the developing countries affected by climate change.
PS Early notice - as last year, this year there will be a communal Christmas card for the congregation to sign at the back of church as part of our eco friendly approach to Christmas cards.
Church Sunday
Services During October there will be regular Sunday church Services as follows: 8 am & 10 am St. John’s Henley, & 6 pm St. Mary’s, Ullenhall.
Service themes during the next few weeks
13th November - Remembrance Sunday
20th November - Christ the King (10.30 am Court Leet Service.)
27th November - Advent
4th December - Getting ready to welcome the Saviour.
Advance Notice: 27th November is Advent Sunday, and there will be an ecumenical candlelit Service in St. Nicholas’ starting at 6 pm. Refreshments will be served in the Church Hall prior to the Service, from 5 pm onwards.
From the Registers
We give thanks to God for the life of Geoff Haimes.
Stay safe,
John Ganjavi
6th November 2022
Dear Friends,
The Shoebox Appeal is when we fill a colourful shoebox with children’s gifts, and then they are given as Christmas gifts to some of the neediest children around the world. Once more, Amy Bailitis is heading up this appeal, and she has already had well over 100 people interested. (129 to date!) As a church we pay for their delivery around the world. With money left over from last year, and donations already given this year, we now only need £221 to meet this need.
(Filled shoeboxes will be brought to church next Saturday.)
This week:
Monday: The Organists meet at Andrew’s, 11 am.
The Pastoral Care Group meet, 2 pm at the Rectory.
Tuesday: 2 pm, Memory Lane Café in the Church Hall.
Wednesday: The Court Leet AGM starts 7.30 pm in the Guildhall.
Thursday: 11 am Act of Remembrance at the Ardenhurst Memorial.
12.30 pm Time out with God in the Church Hall.
Friday: 11 am Act of Remembrance at the Market Cross.
Saturday: Shoebox collection in St. John’s, 10 am – 12 noon.
Sunday: 12.30 pm, baptism of Samuel Alexander Cox in St. Nicholas’.
Confirmation Service
The next Confirmation Service is at Coventry Cathedral, 4 pm on Sunday 20th November. We have three candidates: Philip Bishop, Adrian Field and Sharon Marlow.
Sad News
It is with sadness that I inform you that Bob Currie passed away in the early hours of last Sunday morning. Our thoughts and prayers are with his daughter, Sonia, as arrangements are made for his funeral.
Eco Church
Remember to watch what you eat! Food production takes up a lot of resources and energy. The effort going into meat production is well documented, and we are all encouraged to lessen our intake. We all also know about the merits of fruit and vegetables, but watch out for the following: Choose products that use minimal packaging. Choose products that have been grown closer to home. Whenever possible, eat food that is in season. And shop locally, if you can!
Cost of Living
“Cost of living crisis: A community information & coffee morning is to take place on Saturday 3 December 9.30-12.30 in the Baptist church hall where there will be representatives from agencies offering community support and financial advice, and leaflets about relevant sources of help. Please encourage anyone you know who may be interested in attending or volunteering to help. For more information please see Elaine Field or Cilla.”
Services
Church Sunday Services During October there will be regular Sunday church Services as follows: 8 am & 10 am St. John’s Henley, & 6 pm St. Mary’s, Ullenhall.
Service themes during the next few weeks
6th November - Jesus’ teaching on life beyond death.
13th November - Remembrance Sunday
20th November - Christ the King (10.30 am Court Leet Service.)
27th November - Advent
New website address: Following the combining of Henley and Ullenhall Parishes, we have a new address for our church website. It is www.henleyullenhall.church I will be working on the content in the next few weeks to make sure it reflects Henley and Ullenhall.
Stay safe,
John Ganjavi
30th October 2022
Dear Friends,
The Shoebox Appeal is when we fill a colourful shoebox with children’s gifts, and then they are given as Christmas gifts to some of the neediest children around the world. Once more, Amy Bailitis is heading up this appeal, and she has already had well over 100 people interested. As a church we pay for their delivery around the world. With money left over from last year, we now only need £162 to meet this need.
Church Sunday Services
During October there will be regular Sunday church Services as follows: 8 am & 10 am St. John’s Henley, & 6 pm St. Mary’s, Ullenhall.
During the next seven days:
Today - 12.30 pm Baptism of Louis John Sedgwick in St. Nicholas’.
Wednesday - 10 am The ‘Wednesday Thinkers’ meet at 112a, High Street.
Advance Notices:
Monday 7th November, the Pastoral Care Group meet, 2 pm at the Rectory.
Wednesday 9th November, the Court Leet AGM starts 7.30 pm in the Guildhall.
Thursday 10th November, 11 am Act of Remembrance at the Ardenhurst Memorial.
Thursday 11th November, 11 am Act of Remembrance at the Market Cross.
Confirmation Service
The next Confirmation Service is at Coventry Cathedral, 4 pm on Sunday 20th November. We have three candidates: Philip Bishop, Adrian Field and Sharon Marlow.
Eco Church
Eco Church With Halloween approaching we are often tempted to purchase a pumpkin, but sadly these are often discarded after. In fact every year 18,000 tonnes of pumpkins are thrown away in the UK after Halloween. Thinking about the water and resources needed to grow these, that’s an awful waste! Pumpkins are for eating and not just for use at Halloween. Here is a list of ways to use / reuse pumpkins:
1. Don’t carve a pumpkin at all. This is the most environmentally friendly action we can take.
2. Instead, try buying a vegetable you are likely to eat such as turnips or butternut squash. These are available now, cheaper to buy and just as nutritious.
3. If you buy a pumpkin, please eat it! When carving out the flesh, cut as much out of the pumpkin as possible. This makes a better glow and provides more flesh to eat.
4. Pumpkins are extremely versatile and there are many ways they can be eaten. They make great soup, great pie filling and can be used to make pumpkin bread. They can be baked in the oven with the seeds scooped out and the hollow filled with meat, rice or other vegetables. And you can eat the seeds too .... simply roast them.
5. Once your pumpkin has done its job, use the shell as a temporary caddy to collect food waste for composting.
6. Then simply place the pumpkin in the green caddy for the weekly food waste collection.
7. Never buy plastic pumpkins ☹️. They don’t biodegrade or compost and their manufacture is a waste of resources.
Service themes during the next few weeks
30th October - The key to God’s blessings. (All Souls Day.)
6th November - Jesus’ teaching on life beyond death.
13th November- Remembrance Sunday
20th November- Christ the King (10.30 am Court Leet Service.)
Stay safe,
John Ganjavi
23rd October 2022
Dear Friends,
Next Sunday, 30th October, we shall be marking All Souls Day – a time to remember our much loved departed family and friends. Is there someone you wish us to remember? Send their name to me via johnganjavi@btinternet.com or through the letterbox at the Rectory by Wednesday 26th October. Please include your name, their name, and the connection between you. During the Services we will light a candle for them and mention them by name in the Prayers.
Thank you from Stratford Foodbank – Henley and Ullenhall donated over 100 kg of goods, for which the Foodbank is very grateful.
The Shoebox Appeal is when we fill a colourful shoebox with children’s gifts, and then they are given as Christmas gifts to some of the neediest children around the world. Once more, Amy Bailitis is heading up this appeal, hoping to fill 100 boxes. As a church we pay for their delivery around the world. With money left over from last year, we now only need £157 to meet this need.
Church Sunday Services During October there will be regular Sunday church Services as follows: 8 am & 10 am St. John’s Henley, & 6 pm St. Mary’s, Ullenhall.
During the next seven days:
Sunday 30th - 10 am Sunday Club in St. John’s
12.30 pm Baptism of Louis John Sedgwick in St. Nicholas’.
Eco Church Food waste is a huge environmental issue. Wasting food means wasting the energy and water resources used to produce and transport it. Wasted food that ends up in landfill produces the potent green house gas methane, which contributes to global warming.
Here are some ideas to avoid food waste:
1. Plan your meals, make a shopping list and stick to it
2. Be choosy about brands and don’t be tempted by buy one get one free. It’s only worth having the free item if it will be used
3. Store food in the right place such as potatoes in a dark cupboard
4. Make good use of the freezer to save leftovers
5. Be inventive with leftovers - simple recipes are available online or eat leftover food from your evening meal as a lunch the following day
Service themes during the next few weeks
23rd Oct - Whose prayers does God answer?
30th Oct - The key to God’s blessings. (All Souls Day.)
6th Nov - Jesus’ teaching on life beyond death.
13th Nov - Remembrance Sunday
And finally…Our Treasurer, Graham, would like to thank everyone who has responded to his letter of 15th September, and he reminds anyone who still wishes to respond to do so before the end of October. Thank you.
Stay safe,
John Ganjavi
16th October 2022
Dear Friends,
Prayers for wellbeing and healing: On Sunday 23rd October, at the morning Services in St. John’s, there will be an opportunity to receive the laying on of hands and anointing as we pray for our wellbeing and healing.
We might have a concern about our own wellbeing, or the wellbeing of someone we know. More specifically, our focus might be on a particular health issue. In our prayers we ask for God’s involvement in our lives. Whilst we would all love miracle cures, our deeper prayer is that God may be clearly with us and helping us to face our time of need. The ‘laying on of hands and anointing with oil’ gives a tangible expression to our prayers, especially when words alone might not seem adequate.
All Souls Day
On Sunday 30th October we shall be marking All Souls Day – a time to remember our much loved departed family and friends. Is there someone you wish us to remember? Send their name to me via johnganjavi@btinternet.com or through the letterbox at the Rectory by Wednesday 26th October. Please include your name, their name, and the connection between you. During the Services we will light a candle for them and mention them by name in the Prayers.
Shoebox Appeal
The Shoebox Appeal is when we fill a colourful shoebox with children’s gifts, and then they are given as Christmas gifts to some of the neediest children around the world. Once more, Amy Bailitis is heading up this appeal, hoping to fill 100 boxes. As a church we pay for their delivery around the world. With money left over from last year, we now only need £157 to meet this need.
Eco Church
Now available free on the table at the back of church is a colourful booklet called "A Pledge for the Planet” This booklet has been created by a volunteer group called Henley Climate Action. This has been developed with the aim of helping us all to take action to get to grips with the fast-dawning changes to Earth's climate and what this may mean for us as individuals.
The booklet contains a checklist for actions you may already take or can pledge to take to reduce our carbon footprint, which is the measure of our responsibility for global warming. There are some simple actions that are positive and practical we can all do to make a real contribution to reduce carbon emissions and also some larger commitments such as giving up flying. Scoring 40 points or more in the checklist, or committing to 10 points of new actions will earn you a pledge badge. Wearing a badge helps to start a conversation and spread the word about climate action. So pick up a booklet and see what you can do to make a difference.
Church Sunday Services
During October there will be regular Sunday church Services as follows: 8 am & 10 am St. John’s Henley, & 6 pm St. Mary’s, Ullenhall. (The Ullenhall 6 pm Service on 16th October will be a Harvest Festival Service in the Old Chapel.)
During the week:
Thursday
9.30 am Primary School Harvest Festival in St. John’s
7.30 pm Deanery Synod Meeting in St. Nicholas’.
On Thursday 20th October there will be a Deanery Synod Meeting in St. Nicholas’, Beaudesert, starting at 7.30 pm. The Guest Speaker will be Revd Clive Hicks and he will speak on the subject of "Being a Healthy Church". Everyone welcome.
Service themes during the next few weeks:
16th October - The reward of faith. (Ullenhall: Harvest)
23rd October - The Parable of the Pharisee & Tax Collector.
30th October - The key to God’s blessings. (All Souls Day.)
6th November - Jesus’ teaching on life beyond death.
And finally…
Our Treasurer, Graham, would like to thank everyone who has responded to his letter of 15th September, and he reminds anyone who still wishes to respond to do so before the end of October. Thank you.
Stay safe,
John Ganjavi
9th October 2022
Dear Friends,
Stratford Foodbank Our Harvest Offerings this year are to support the Stratford Foodbank that also covers our area. If you wish to give gifts at any other time, their address is: Foodbank Warehouse & Distribution Centre, Fred Winter Centre, 41 Guild St, Stratford upon Avon, CV37 6QY. They are open to receive gifts on Mondays & Wednesdays 2-4 pm, and Saturdays 9.30-11.30 am.
CORD Today we welcome our Guest Speaker from the charity CORD – Christian Outreach, Relief & Development. CORD is a local charity with a global reach.
Prayers for wellbeing and healing On Sunday 23rd October, at the 10 am Service in St. John’s, there will be an opportunity to receive the laying on of hands and anointing as we pray for our wellbeing and healing. Listen out for notices on this matter, and contact me (John Ganjavi) if you want more information.
On Sunday 30th October we shall be marking All Souls Day – a time to remember our much loved departed family and friends. Is there someone you wish us to remember? Send their name to me via johnganjavi@btinternet.com or through the letterbox at the Rectory by Wednesday 26th October. Please include your name, their name, and the connection between you. During the Services we will light a candle for them and mention them by name in the Prayers.
(It’s almost time to launch this year’s Shoebox Appeal!)
Eco Church Did you know that your daily cuppa may be contributing to the plastic problem?
Many teabags contain a plastic called polypropylene which is used as a seal. When we make a drink of tea, billions of plastic particles leach out into our drinks and then into our bodies. The presence of plastic also means that teabags don’t fully decompose in our composts, and instead they contaminate our soil and food waste. The best options are to switch to loose -leaf tea made in a tea pot or in a reusable filter. Or use a brand of tea bags that use organic, sustainably produced ingredients and zero plastic.
Church Sunday Services During October there will be regular Sunday church Services as follows: 8 am St. Nicholas’, Beaudesert, 10 am St. John’s Henley, & 6 pm St. Mary’s, Ullenhall. (The Ullenhall 6 pm Service on 16th October will be a Harvest Festival Service in the Old Chapel.)
During the week:
Monday - 2 pm Pastoral Care Group Meeting at the Rectory.
Thursday 12.30 pm Time out with God – Prayer & Fellowship at the Baptist
Church Hall
Saturday - 7.30 pm Ullenhall Harvest Supper at the Village Hall.
Advance Notice: On Thursday 20th October there will be a Deanery Synod Meeting in St. Nicholas’, Beaudesert, starting at 7.30 pm. The Guest Speaker will be Revd Clive Hicks and he will speak on the subject of "Being a Healthy Church". Everyone welcome.
Service themes during the next few weeks:
9th October - The work of the charity CORD
16th October - The reward of faith. (Ullenhall: Harvest)
23rd October - The Parable of the Pharisee & Tax Collector.
30th October - The key to God’s blessings. (All Souls Day.)
Stay safe,
John Ganjavi
18th September 2022
Dear Friends,
The Book of Condolence will be in St. John’s until the end of Monday. The Union flag on St. John’s tower should be hoisted to full mast at 8 am on Tuesday morning. We are looking for a volunteer to raise the flag.
We are grateful to the bell ringers in Henley and Ullenhall for enabling us mark the significant moments of this time of national mourning in the traditional way.
Next Sunday, 25th September, there will be a party in the Church Hall for a number of our Henley congregation who have significant birthdays this year. This event is being organised by Julia Cross, and there are lists at the back of St. John’s to let you know what is needed. Please sign up if you can help.
Harvest Festival
The Henley Harvest Festival will be in a fortnight’s time on Sunday 2nd October. We will be supporting the Stratford Foodbank. Lists of suggested donations will be circulated next week.
Eco Church
A single load of washing can release more than 700,000 microfibres. These are released when items of clothing made from synthetic materials rub together in the drum of a washing machine. During the wash, tiny particles of plastic yarn break off and are washed away in the water. As these are too small to be caught by filters in our washing machines or at the sewage works, they enter rivers and seas. Many of these are toxic to the animals that unwittingly consume them and they are now in the food chain. Acrylic releases the most fibres, followed by polyester then polyester/cotton.
We can do our bit to reduce these micro plastics as follows:
1. Invested in a wash laundry bag for use in the washing machine to catches micro plastics.
2. Swap clothes to natural fabrics
3. Wash clothes less frequently
4. Fill washing machines to capacity to reduce the friction, so fewer fibres are shed
5. Wash at cool temperatures and avoid using the tumble dryer
6. When investing in a new machine, buy one with a built in microplastic filter
Church Sunday Services
During September there will be regular Sunday church Services as follows:
8 am St. Nicholas’, Beaudesert, 10 am St. John’s Henley, & 6 pm St. Mary’s, Ullenhall.
Service themes during the next few weeks
18th September - The price and the prize of serving God.
25th September - The price and prize of hearing God’s voice.
2nd October - Harvest Festival (Henley)
9th October - The work of the charity CORD
From the Registers:
We welcome, through baptism, Georgie and Maizie Lee.
Stay safe,
John Ganjavi
11th September 2022
Dear Friends,
It is with great sadness that we note the death of Queen Elizabeth II. There will be a Book of Condolence in St. John’s from 12 noon on Sunday onwards. In due course we will celebrate Her Majesty’s extraordinary sense of service and faithfulness.
The Wednesday Thinkers This coming Wednesday will be the last midweek Service of Holy Communion. It has been decided that in the future there will be a house-group meeting instead of the midweek Service. Initially these meetings will be on the first Wednesday of the month.
The first meeting, therefore, will be on Wednesday 5th October, and it will last no more than an hour. The venue will be Graham Hindley’s home, Mandalay (112a High Street), behind the yellow door. The format will be a time of prayer, followed by discussion on any topic, and then a short time of fellowship over a cup of tea.
To start with, this new venture will take place over the winter months, when it is most costly and wasteful to heat the whole church. So as one door closes, another opens; if you think you would like to come, please give Graham your name in advance so that adequate preparation can be made.
Visit to Coventry Cathedral: If you put your name down to go to Coventry Cathedral on Sunday 18th September, please note that the coach will be leaving the Market Cross at 1.30 pm. £10 (handed to Graham Hindley) will secure your place on the coach.
During this week:
Wednesday: 10 am Holy Communion at St. John’s.
7.30 pm PCC Meeting at the Rectory.
Eco Church
It makes sense to focus on using less energy and water at present. The great news in these times of concerns about water supplies is that washing machines use less water than washing by hand.
But our washing machines, dishwashers and tumble dryers are responsible for a fifth of the energy used in our homes. Here are some tips for using our washing machines that will save energy and keep costs down:
1. Wash at lower temperatures- 30C. 70% of energy costs of using a washing machine is heating the water so keep it cool!
2. Pick detergents that work at lower temperatures. Not all do!
3. Fill the machine - but leave enough room in the top to put your hand in vertically at the top.
4. If your clothes aren’t dirty - skip the wash
5. Don’t overdo the detergent- measure it and use as per the instructions.
Church Sunday Services
During September there will be regular Sunday church Services as follows:
8 am St. Nicholas’, Beaudesert, 10 am St. John’s Henley, & 6 pm St. Mary’s, Ullenhall.
Service themes during the next few weeks
11th September - The price and the prize of repentance.
18th September - The price and the prize of serving God.
25th September - The price and prize of hearing God’s voice.
2nd October - Harvest Festival (Henley)
From the Registers:
We offer wedding congratulations to Oscar & Grace Metcalf (Sharp) and Richard & Annabel Johnson (Drewett).
Stay safe,
John Ganjavi
4th September 2022
Dear Friends,
What a great Fayre we had last Monday! Good weather, great atmosphere, over 60 volunteers, ducks galore…and £8,500 was raised for church funds! A huge congratulations to Graham Hindley and his merry band of 62 helpers!
Visit to Coventry Cathedral If you put your name down to go to Coventry Cathedral on Sunday 18th September, please note that the coach will be leaving the Market Cross at 1.30 pm. £10 (handed to Graham Hindley) will secure your place on the coach.
St. Nicholas’ churchyard A new booklet outlining the latest rules and regulations governing the churchyard is now available at the back of St. John’s and St. Nicholas’.
During this week:
Wednesday: 10 am Holy Communion at St. John’s.
Thursday: 12.30 pm Time out with God ecumenical prayer meeting and fellowship at the Methodist Church.
2 pm Pastoral Care Group Meeting at the Rectory
4 pm Worship Group Meeting at the Rectory.
Saturday: Coffee Morning and Bring & Buy in the garden of 114, High Street, 1030 am – 12 noon, in aid of Church Charities.
11 am Wedding of Oscar Metcalf & Grace Sharp at St. Nicholas’.
1 pm Wedding of Richard Johnson & Annabel Drewett at St. Nicholas’.
Sunday: 12.30 pm Baptisms of Maize & Georgie Lee at St. Nicholas’.
The Guildhall will be open for special tours from 2.30 – 4.30 pm. (And therefore more will visit St. John’s!)
Eco Church
The rising energy bills are worrying and whilst we are enjoying some warm sunshine, it is worth thinking about what we can do to help keep costs down. Here are a few ideas we can do in our homes:
1. Remember to switch off all appliances when they are not in use. Avoid “phantom load” where appliances that are left plugged in to the socket eg overnight continue to use electricity.
2. Descale the kettle - kettles are one of our most intensive energy guzzlers. Limescale builds up on the element causing the kettle to use even more energy. To descale a kettle simply unplug and fill the kettle with a mixture of half white wine vinegar and half water. Let it soak for an hour or so then boil to the satisfying sound of lime scale fizzing to nothing. Cool, rinse well and boil fresh water.
3. Boil less water - The average household boils a kettle four times a day but often with more water than is required. Only boiling what you need could save as much as £50 per year. If you are replacing your kettle, check the minimum fill. Some will boil just a cup or 0.275 Litres. Over a year, that represents a lot of unnecessary boiling. More ideas next week and as we are going to be issuing more hints and tips ahead of winter, these will be on the eco notice board in the North Aisle for reference.
Church Sunday Services
During August there will be regular Sunday church Services as follows:
8 am St. Nicholas’, Beaudesert, 10 am St. John’s Henley, & 6 pm St. Mary’s, Ullenhall.
Service themes during the next few week:
4th September - The price and the prize of discipleship.
11th September - The price and the prize of repentance.
18th September - The price and the prize of serving God.
25th September - The price and prize of hearing God’s voice.
From the Registers:
We welcome, through Baptism, Bella Lisa Ashton.
Stay safe,
John Ganjavi
28th August 2022
Dear Friends,
All hands on deck! Henley Church Fayre, 12 noon to 4 pm on Bank Holiday Monday, 29th August
Visit to Coventry Cathedral If you put your name down to go to Coventry Cathedral on Sunday 18th September, please note that the coach will be leaving the Market Cross at 1.30 pm. £10 (handed to Graham Hindley) will secure your place on the coach.
St. Nicholas’ churchyard A new leaflet outlining the latest rules and regulations governing the churchyard is now available at the back of St. John’s and St. Nicholas’.
During this week:
Today: 12.30 pm Baptism of Bella Ashton at St.Mary’s.
Wednesday: 10 am Holy Communion at St. John’s.
Advance notices:
Saturday 10th September: Coffee Morning and Bring & Buy in the garden of 114, High Street, 1030 am – 12 noon, in aid of Church Charities.
Sunday 11th September: The Guildhall will be open for special tours from 2.30 – 4.30 pm. (And therefore more will visit St. John’s!)
Church Sunday Services
During August there will be regular Sunday church Services as follows:
8 am St. Nicholas’, Beaudesert, 10 am St. John’s Henley, & 6 pm St. Mary’s, Ullenhall.
Eco Church The Environment Agency has now declared drought status in the West Midlands. The recent rainfall has not made an impact on river and reservoir levels and hasn’t can made up for many months of below average rainfall. Plus the recent heatwave has put our water supply under additional pressure. We all need to save water and to treat it as a precious resource. Here is a reminder of ways to use water sparingly and save water at home:
1. Keep your shower to 4 minutes - this saves on heating costs and water
2. Only put the dishwasher on when it’s full
3. Turn the tap off when brushing your teeth. Running tap wastes 6 litres a minute.
4. Fill the washing machine to capacity and make sure there is a full load - washing machines use on average 60 litres per cycle
5. Use the eco mode on both your dishwasher and washing machine - setting your washing machine to 30 degrees uses 57% less electricity
6. Reuse water wherever possible- for example using a bowl or jug to collect water when rinsing or boiling vegetables, using washing up water/ collecting bath and shower water for use in gardens
7. Use a watering can to water plants. NEVER use a hose pipe or sprinkler. These use between 500 and 1,000 litres per hour!!!
A consequence of climate change is reduced rainfall and water shortages. So we must all adapt and make changes to the way we use water. Remember to share these tips with your friends and neighbours too!
Service themes during the next few weeks
28th August - The price and the prize of humility.
4th September - The price and the prize of discipleship.
11th September - The price and the prize of repentance.
18th September - The price and the prize of serving God.
From the Registers:
We welcome, through baptism, Samuel Joseph Gilligan.
Stay safe,
John Ganjavi
21st August 2022
Dear Friends,
Henley Church Fayre, 12 noon to 4 pm on Bank Holiday Monday, 29th August. Please donate items for sale by putting them in the box at the back of St. John’s. And please sign up to bake a cake for the Cake Stall!
Visit to Coventry Cathedral Last call for the visit to Coventry Cathedral on Sunday 18th September
The plan would be to leave early afternoon, have a tour and then Evensong will be at 4 pm. If you wish to join in, please sign up at the back of church. We will then sort out transport.
St. Nicholas’ churchyard Recently there have been comments made in the town regarding the rules and regulations for the churchyard. Each diocese publishes its own version of the national regulations, and so we are required to abide by those printed on the Coventry Diocese website. Having said that, I have always been lenient for a period of time after a burial to allow families to do whatever helps them to grieve. In almost all cases, families eventually fall in line with the regulations and make sure that all plots are in keeping with the general order of the churchyard. Unfortunately sometimes this does not happen, and certain regulations need to be enforced. This is the situation at the moment, and I am having to address these matters as sensitively as I can both for the families concerned, and everyone else who has an interest in the churchyard. More information to follow!
Eco Church As thoughts turn to the seasonal changes and darker evenings, a good option for making a positive impact on the environment is to change to LED (Light emitting diodes ) lightbulbs in your lights and lamps. LED lightbulbs save energy, last longer than regular bulbs, and in many cases, can even provide more light in a cleaner tone.
As LED lights have a longer life span, this means lower carbon emissions. LED Lights last up to six times longer than other types of lights, reducing the requirement for frequent replacements. This results in using fewer lights required to produce light and hence fewer resources are needed for manufacturing processes, packaging materials, and transportation. LED lights are up to 80% more efficient than traditional lighting such as fluorescent and incandescent lights. 95% of the energy in LEDs is converted into light and only 5% is wasted as heat. . And since LEDs have also come down in price drastically, they have a considerable positive effect on the environment and your wallet.
During this week:
Today 12.30 pm Baptism of Samuel Joseph Gilligan.
Wednesday 10 am Holy Communion in St. John’s
Church Sunday Services
During August there will be regular Sunday church Services as follows:
8 am St. Nicholas’, Beaudesert,
10 am St. John’s Henley,
& 6 pm St. Mary’s, Ullenhall
Service themes during the next few weeks
21st Aug The price and the prize of compassion.
28th Aug The price and the prize of humility.
4th Sept The price and the prize of discipleship.
11th Sept The price and the prize of repentance.
From the Registers:
We offer wedding congratulations to Nathan & Victoria Murphy (Farley-Wood).
Stay safe,
John Ganjavi
14th August 2022
Dear Friends,
During this week:
Today - 12.30 pm Baptism of Mia-Mae Grummett in St. Nicholas’.
Monday - 2 pm Pastoral Care Group Meeting at the Rectory.
4 pm Readers’ Meeting at the Rectory.
Wednesday - 10 am Holy Communion in St. John’s
Saturday - 1.30 pm Wedding of Nathan Murphy & Victoria Farley-Wood.
Next Sunday 12.30 pm Baptism of Samuel Joseph Gilligan.
Visit to Coventry Cathedral
From time to time Coventry Cathedral invites the churches in a deanery to come and have a tour of the cathedral, followed by a Service of Evensong. The Alcester Deanery’s invitation is for Sunday 18th September. The plan would be to leave early afternoon, have a tour and then Evensong will be at 4 pm. If you wish to join in, please sign up at the back of church. We will then sort out transport.
(A deanery is a group of local parishes. The Alcester deanery stretches from Norton Lindsey in the east to Sambourne in the west, and from us in the north to Salford Priors in the south. The deanery covers the population centres of Alcester, Studley, Bidford and Henley as well as many villages – over 30 churches in total.)
Church Sunday Services
During August there will be regular Sunday church Services as follows:
8 am St. Nicholas’, Beaudesert, 10 am St. John’s Henley, & 6 pm St. Mary’s, Ullenhall
Service themes during the next few weeks:
14th August - The price and the prize of reconciliation.
21st August - The price and the prize of compassion.
28th August - The price and the prize of humility.
From the Registers:
We offer wedding congratulations to Steven & Mandy Bickford (Stone).
Eco Church
We’ve been experiencing some very dry and sunny weather lately. Although not everyone enjoys the heat, there are some things we can do whilst it is warm that are good for the environment as follows:
1. Enjoy the natural light. Using less artificial light saves electricity and natural light also has a number of health benefits.
2. Open the windows of the car rather than using the air conditioning. And certainly don’t start the engine before starting your journey to cool the car down in advance.
3. Try eating a more varied diet such eating less meat and more salads, which use less energy to make.
4. Get outside - spending more time in nature has a positive effect on our wellbeing. During this hot weather it’s best to go out early in the morning or in the evening.
5. Watch less Television - spending time indoors may be safer in extreme heat but it’s better for our mental wellbeing to be outdoors, even in the shade. And watching less TV saves energy.
6. Be conscious of water usage. Remember with less rain we need to take care of our water supply. Taking shorter showers, collect water when running the tap to get the hot water and reuse bath/shower water on the garden.
7. Refill and reuse water bottles to take out. Never buy bottled water.
8. Now is a good time to declutter our homes. Assess what you have and decide if you need it. Donate any unwanted clothes and household goods to the church fete c/o box at the back of church.
Henley Church Fayre
12 noon to 4 pm on Bank Holiday Monday, 29th August.
Please donate items for sale by putting them in the box at the back of St. John’s. And please sign up to bake a cake for the Cake Stall!
Stay safe,
John Ganjavi
7th August 2022
Dear Friends,
During this week:
Today - 12.30 pm Wedding of William Scott & Bethany Ward in St. Nicholas’
Wednesday - 10 am Holy Communion in St. John’s
Thursday - 12.30 pm Time out with God in St. John’s
Friday - 10 am Baptisms of Chloe & Demi Sargeant in St. Nicholas’
Saturday - 1.30 pm Wedding of Steven Bickford & Mandy Stone in St. Nicholas’
Next Sunday - 12.30 pm Baptism of Mia-Mae Grummett in St. Nicholas’
Visit to Coventry Cathedral
From time to time Coventry Cathedral invites the churches in a deanery to come and have a tour of the cathedral, followed by a Service of Evensong. The Alcester Deanery’s invitation is for Sunday 18th September. The plan would be to leave early afternoon, have a tour and then Evensong will be at 4 pm. If you wish to join in, please sign up at the back of church. We will then sort out transport.
(A deanery is a group of local parishes. The Alcester deanery stretches from Norton Lindsey in the east to Sambourne in the west, and from us in the north to Salford Priors in the south. The deanery covers the population centres of Alcester, Studley, Bidford and Henley as well as many villages – over 30 churches in total.)
Henley Church Fayre
Henley Church Fayre, 12 noon to 4 pm on Bank Holiday Monday, 29th August.
Please donate items for sale by putting them in the box at the back of St. John’s. And please sign up to bake a cake for the Cake Stall!
Eco Church
Here in Henley, from 1st August 2022 we have a new arrangement for our bin collections. Whilst the new collection schedule will be confusing initially, the introduction of a new weekly food waste collection from our doorsteps is a marvelous initiative to support all households in the fight against waste.
This new initiative is designed to help us recycle more and reduce household waste. These new kitchen caddys and the external waste bins will take all food waste such as peelings, raw and cooked food and leftovers. We may fear the use of these bins from a hygiene perspective, but there are a number of reasons why we need to make an impact on food waste. This is a good start, so let’s embrace this!
Ideally we should always be trying not to waste food. Did you know that 70% of all food that is thrown away in the UK is from our homes? This is bad news because not only is the food itself wasted, but it’s also a waste of the precious resources which went into making it. Everyone has a role to play by changing our habits about food. More information next week.
Church Sunday Services
During August there will be regular Sunday church Services as follows:
8 am St. Nicholas’, Beaudesert,
10 am St. John’s Henley,
& 6 pm St. Mary’s, Ullenhall
Service themes during the next few weeks
7th August - The price and the prize of faith.
14th August - The price and the prize of reconciliation.
21st August - The price and the prize of compassion.
28th August - The price and the prize of humility.
From the Registers:
We welcome, through baptism, Ronnie Evans.
We give thanks to God for the life of Sally Harfield.
Stay safe,
John Ganjavi
31st July 2022
Dear Friends,
Church Sunday Services
During July there will be regular Sunday church Services as follows:
8 am St. Nicholas’, Beaudesert,
10 am St. John’s Henley,
& 6 pm The Old Chapel, Ullenhall
During this week:
Wednesday 10 am Holy Communion in St. John’s
Thursday 10.30 am Funeral of Sally Harfield in St. John’s
Next Sunday 12.30 pm Wedding of William Scott & Bethany Ward in St. Nicholas’.
Lammas Tuesday, 2nd August, is the Feast of Lammas (Loaf-mass), and it marks the start of the harvest season. In pre-Christian days the Feast was called Lughnasa (pronounced Loonaza). In those days it was so important that the harvest should be brought in that warring factions would call a truce so that men could return to their villages and work the fields. We see an echo of this in the conflict between Russia and Ukraine, and the recent agreement to ship the grain out of Odesa. The Christian Feast of Lammas also reminds us to give gifts to God at the start of the harvest, and not just at the end. In other words, we are reminded to honour God by giving him the choicest of gifts rather than just what is left over. This principle applies to all areas of our lives.
Fun & Recycling!
The Henley Church Summer Fayre is on Bank Holiday Monday 29th August, and it will give us an opportunity to move a mountain of items from one home to another lease of life! If you have any items that you no longer need, but someone else might love to have, please place them in the box at the back of St. John’s. The box is usually kept under the table.
Eco Church
Did you know that all your electrical appliances use electricity when they are plugged into the socket, even when they are switched off. This is called “phantom load”. Our appliances such as televisions, computers, toasters, lamps and more will use electricity when left plugged in to the socket. It’s estimated that this could be up to 10% of our electricity usage each month. Here are a few of the worst offenders:
1. Televisions - even when switched off, modern TVs continue to consume electricity so make sure to unplug them.
2. Computers - if you leave your computer or laptop plugged in to charge overnight you could be wasting a significant chunk of electricity even when it’s off. This is because the power cord will continue to draw energy even if it’s not in use.
3. Mobile phones - leaving phones plugged in to charge overnight is a bad idea because even at when the phone is at full power, the phone will continue to draw electricity and increase the electricity bill.
4. Microwaves and coffee makers - these don’t draw as much power as other appliances but they will continue to use electricity for their digital display even when not in use.
5. Lamps - even when switched off, lamps will draw electricity if left plugged into a socket.
All these provide us with modern day convenience as we rely on them heavily but beware the waste of power needed to generate these devices and the financial cost associated with leaving them plugged in when not in use.
Service themes during the next few weeks
31st July - The Parable of the Rich Fool.
7th August - The price and the prize of faith.
14th August - The price and the prize of reconciliation.
21st August - The price and the prize of compassion.
From the Registers:
We offer wedding congratulations to Kris & Harriet Deeley (Halsey).
Stay safe,
John Ganjavi
24th July 2022
Dear Friends,
What do you think?
At our recent PCC Meeting we started thinking through what’s good, and what can be improved, in our church life. We also considered a variety of opportunities for the future. I am also aware that similar conversations are taking place amongst the rest of the congregations in Henley and Ullenhall. This is a fertile time when we can allow our imagination to run freely! Some ideas can be acted upon immediately, whilst others will take time.
In order to encourage you to carry on thinking, praying and dreaming, let me introduce you to two titles: Communion Christians and Kingdom Christians. Communion Christians find their identity in gathering together; they focus on church Services, social events and smaller gatherings for study, prayer and fellowship. Kingdom Christians find their identity in what they do in the world as they work within their communities and country; they focus is on transformative activities through which they would want to bring about godly change in the world. No doubt we all find our place somewhere on the spectrum between these two titles. Where should we position ourselves as a church on this spectrum? Where are we, and where would we like to be? Yours comments, please!
During this week:
Tuesday - Standing Committee Meeting, 7.30 pm at the Rectory.
Wednesday - Holy Communion, 10 am in St. John’s
Friday - The Wedding of Kris Deeley & Harriet Halsey, 1.30 pm in St. John’s
Fun & Recycling!
The Henley Church Summer Fayre is on Bank Holiday Monday 29th August, and it will give us an opportunity to move a mountain of items from one home to another lease of life! If you have any items that you no longer need, but someone else might love to have, please place them in the box at the back of St. John’s. The box is usually kept under the table.
Eco Church
Each year there is an initiative called plastic free July launched by the Plastic Free Foundation. We are now in the middle of July so whilst the challenge for having a plastic free month has nearly passed, we can still make simple actions to reduce our personal plastic footprint. It’s hard not to use single use plastic, for example we don’t always get a choice in how food is packaged, but we can all take some simple steps below:
1. Never buy bottled water but a refillable water container
2. Never buy a takeaway coffee in a disposable cup but take your own reusable cup
3. Re-use shopping bags or better still purchase a fabric bag. ‘Bags for life’ are not bags for life as at the end of their use they go to landfill.
4. Swap liquid soap for bar soaps
5. Use reusable razors not plastic disposable ones
6. Say no to cotton buds!
7. Buy less of everything reduces the need to create new products
8. Avoid pre packaged foods and buy loose food
All our plastic choices are important. Good luck with this challenge!
Service themes during the next few weeks
24th July - Jesus’ teaching on prayer.
31st July - The Parable of the Rich Fool.
7th August - The price and the prize of faith.
14th August - The price and the prize of reconciliation.
From the Registers:
We give thanks to God for the lives of Wendy Wilmott and Brenda Walker.
Stay safe,
John Ganjavi
17th July 2022
Dear Friends,
Fun & Recycling!
The Ullenhall Fete, The Primary School Fete, and St. John’s Summer Fayre. These are times when we enjoy browsing through the stalls, having a go at a game, trying our luck, having food & drink, and buying a bargain. Fetes, Fayres and Jumble Sales are perennially popular, and they are more welcome now than ever.
These days there is so much talk about recycling, upcycling, buying pre-loved items, avoiding waste. The classic Jumble Sale has been serving these purposes for years. Our next opportunity to enjoy such an event is the August Bank Holiday Monday (29/8). The Henley Church Summer Fayre (and its extraordinary Duck Race) will give us an opportunity to enjoy each other’s company – and to move a mountain of items from one home to another lease of life! If you have any items tat you no longer need, but someone else might love to have, please place them in the box at the back of St. John’s. The box is usually kept under the table.
Services in special places
During July – September the 8 am Sunday Holy Communion Service will be held in St. Nicholas’, Beaudesert. And in July the 6 pm Sunday Service in Ullenhall will be at the Old Chapel. Come and benefit from the spiritual atmosphere of these ancient places of worship.
Ukraine Fundraising
Just to let you know, so far I have been able to send £7,000 to a Charity in Ukraine. I have just received some photos which I can pass on to anyone interested. Funds are still needed. Have a word with me. Thanks!
Eco Church
Whilst we are in the grip of a heat wave currently we will all be trying to keep our gardens alive and our plants well. Our water is a precious resource and with no prospect of rain in the forecast, we need to be use our water sparingly.
Here are some more tips for saving water in our gardens:.
1. Always water in the morning and at the roots not on the foliage. Watering in the evening encourages slugs and other pests.
2. Use wood chip as a mulch to prevent the ground from drying out. Water is trapped below the mulch and keeps plants moist.
3. Install a water butt to catch rain water. Plants prefer rain water to the purified water out of our taps
4. Use a watering can to water plants.
5. NEVER use a hose pipe or sprinkler. These use between 500 and 1,000 litres per hour!!!
6. Leave your lawn to grow shaggy. The longer the grass, the deeper the roots which can access water below them
7. REUSE, REUSE, REUSE water from the house, from the washing up and the bath or shower.
Remember to share these tips with your friends and neighbours too!
Service themes during the next few weeks:
17th July - Making time to be with Jesus.
24th July - Jesus’ teaching on prayer.
31st July - The Parable of the Rich Fool.
Stay safe,
John Ganjavi
10th July 2022
Dear Friends,
Events this week:
Monday
2 pm Pastoral Care Group Meeting at the Rectory
Tuesday
2 pm Memory Lane in the Church Hall
Wednesday
10 am Holy Communion in St. John’s
7.30 pm PCC Meeting at St. Mary’s, Ullenhall
Thursday
12.30 pm Time out with God in the Baptist Church Hall
Friday
12 noon – 3 pm Primary School Fete
Saturday
3 pm Licencing of Church Wardens at Shottery Parish Church
Time out with God
Time out with God is a monthly opportunity to get together as members of all the churches in Henley & Ullenhall for half an hour of prayer, followed by a light lunch.
These meetings rotate between the Baptist Church, Methodist Church and St. John’s. The leadership of these meetings is shared between the local ministers, and each one brings their own style to the gathering. Do come along and enjoy the fellowship.
Services in special places
During July – September the 8 am Sunday Holy Communion Service will be held in St. Nicholas’, Beaudesert. And in July the 6 pm Sunday Service in Ullenhall will be at the Old Chapel. Come and benefit from the spiritual atmosphere of these ancient places of worship.
Eco Church
As part of our Church's commitment to supporting recycling projects, we now have a new purpose built box in church for the collection of used household batteries, such as the AA and AAA, that we all use. Please bring these to church and place them in the new wooden box at the back of church. Once it is full we will arrange to take the contents to the local recycling facility.
Also please continue to bring your empty blister packs and place them in the other box at the back of church. These can include anything medical such as painkillers or indigestion tablets. But please don't put anything other than empty blister packs in the box. We have had miscellaneous foil and sweet wrappers added to the box and we have to remove them as they are not fit for this recycling scheme.
Service themes during the next few weeks:
10th July - Love your neighbour as yourself?
17th July - Making time to be with Jesus.
24th July - Jesus’ teaching on prayer.
31st July - The Parable of the Rich Fool.
From the Registers:
We offer Confirmation congratulations to Harvey & Ellis Bishop and Neelam Hall-Annison.
Stay safe,
John Ganjavi
3rd July 2022
Dear Friends,
Our Church Primary School As an academy, our school offers a broad and balanced curriculum within a stimulating and exciting learning environment. Our dedicated staff encourage independence, personal responsibility and good citizenship, all of which is underpinned by our Christian values and ethos. We warmly welcome visitors and would encourage you to come and see for yourselves what a wonderful school this is.
Whilst the purpose of our school is to educate children according to Christian principles, we welcome all members of our community. We embrace members of all faiths or no faith and are committed to putting our school at the heart of the community.
In all Church of England Schools an OFSTED inspection is complemented by a visit from the SIAMS inspector (Statutory Inspection of Anglican and Methodist Schools).
Our most recent SIAMS inspection was in 2016. The overall judgement for the inspection was Good in all categories and relates to our distinctiveness and effectiveness as a Church school.
Our Primary School Fete is this Friday, 8th July, 12 noon to 3 pm. Come along and enjoy the event!
Services in St. Nicholas’
During July – September the 8 am Sunday Holy Communion Service will be held in St. Nicholas’. Come and benefit from the spiritual atmosphere of this ancient place of worship.
Service themes during the next few weeks
3rd July - We are all on a mission!
10th July - Love your neighbour as yourself?
17th July - Making time to be with Jesus.
24th July - Jesus’ teaching on prayer.
31st July - The Parable of the Rich Fool.
Events this week:
Wednesday: 10 am Holy Communion in St. John’s
Thursday: 7 pm Confirmation & Communion Service at Studley
Friday: 12 noon – 3 pm Primary School Fete
Stay safe,
John Ganjavi
26th June 2022
Dear Friends,
Future opportunities
This week the PCC Standing Committee will be meeting to start planning the rest of the church’s year. To find out who is on the PCC and which members form the Standing Committee, please check out the poster at the back of church. And don’t forget to feed your thoughts into the planning. We are seeking to identify the areas of church life we are good at, areas that need developing, and new areas that we should be considering. Pray, think, communicate!
Eco Church
Recent research shows that the average household can use 142 litres per person per day. The average family of four in the UK could use more than 500 litres each day. As our water is a precious resource, here are a few tips to help us reduce our consumption:
1. Taking a shorter cooler shower has been shown to have number of health benefits including boosting mood. This will also reduce your water use, your heating bill and carbon footprint.
2. Try to reuse water in the kitchen such as using a bowl or jug to collect the water used to rinse and cook vegetables.
3.Keep a jug of water in the fridge to avoid running the cold tap until it’s cold enough to drink.
4. Use the same mug or glass to drink out of all day to reduce the washing up. The less pots and pans you use for cooking, the less water needed to wash up.
Next week ... more ideas for saving water in the garden
Service themes during the next few weeks
26th June - Being shaped into the image of Christ.
3rd July - We are all on a mission!
10th July - Love your neighbour as yourself?
17th July - Making time to be with Jesus.
Events this week:
Tuesday: 7.30 pm Standing Committee Meeting at the Rectory
Wednesday: 10 am Holy Communion in St. John’s
From the Registers:
We give thanks to God for the lives of Stanley Bullard and Graham Pearce.
Stay safe,
John Ganjavi
19th June 2022
Dear Friends,
Future Opportunities
Last Monday we had the first PCC Meeting of the combined parish of Beaudesert, Henley in Arden and Ullenhall. It was a historic occasion, as well as being very practical and useful. In PCC Meetings we deal with the immediate as well as looking to the future. And this is where we need your help! Over the past months we have updated our Vision Statement – setting out the kind of church we are…and want to be. We now need to take things further. There are things we are good at, and there are areas of church life that need attention. What do you see as our strengths and weaknesses? Also, what opportunities do you see for now and the future? How might our church grow in numbers and, especially, how might we grow in our commitment to God, each other and the community? Get your prayer pads and thinking caps on and share your thoughts with PCC members!
Eco Church
It may feel like we have a lot of water in the UK but it can’t be taken for granted. We are now using nearly twice as much water as we were 60 years ago! Saving water is about living more sustainably and adapting to climate change which saves time, money and protects the planet. Did you know that 20% of a typical heating bill is associated with water for showers /baths and the hot water tap. Using less water means reducing the carbon omissions caused by transporting water to and from the home and less treatment needed before it’s used. Making small changes such as turning the tap off when brushing teeth or swapping a bath for a shower will save money and energy and protect the environment. Or try collecting water from the bath/ shower for use on the garden. More next week ...
Service themes during the next few weeks
19th June - Father’s Day/Patronal Sunday
26th June - Being shaped into the image of Christ.
3rd July - We are all on a mission!
10th July - Love your neighbour as yourself?
Events this week:
Monday: 11 am Funeral of S. Bullard in St. Nicholas’
Tuesday: 12.30 pm Funeral of G. Pearce in St. John’s
4.30 pm Lay Readers’ Meeting at the Rectory
Wednesday: 10 am Holy Communion in St. John’s
Saturday: 10.30 am Armed Forces Day Service in St. John’s
From the Registers:
We offer wedding congratulations to Nick & Sarah Reeves (Pullin).
We give thanks to God for the life of John Rulon-Miller.
Stay safe,
John Ganjavi
12th June 2022
Dear Friends,
Today we note the 40th Anniversary of the Falklands War. The Falklands Flag includes the strapline: Desire for Right – a most appropriate statement for today which also happens to be Tax Justice Day.
Well done to Graham Hindley for organising a most enjoyable Jubilee Concert last weekend. £750 was raised for Church Funds.
News from the Stratford Foodbank:
For the first four months of the year each month we have fed more than 300 people - some months as many as 350. The vouchers issued by Citizens Advice South Warwickshire have doubled on 2021 and the vouchers issued by Stratford District Council have increased by 25%. We anticipate this trend to continue as the cost of living increases really take hold.
From the Registers:
We offer wedding congratulations to Adam & Annabelle Bateman (Duggan).
Events this week:
Monday: - 2 pm Pastoral Care Meeting at the Rectory
7.30 pm PCC Meeting at St. Mary’s, Ullenhall
Thursday: - 2 pm Memorial Service for J Rulon-Miller at St. Nicholas’
Saturday: - 3 pm Wedding of Nick Reeves & Sarah Pullin in St. Nicholas’
Eco Church Wash Your Clothes Less! Synthetic material sheds microplastics in the washing machine, which find their way to the ocean. The ocean floor holds over 14 million tonnes of microplastics. This number is increasing with textiles contributing 500,000 tonnes yearly. 16% of the microplastics released into the oceans come from washing these synthetic clothes. The toxic fibres degrade ecosystems and are ingested by sea life and eventually mammals, including humans.
Over washing your clothes at high temperatures will also affect their quality over time. It’s also a great waste of water and energy from your washing machine. Also, be sure to only buy non-toxic detergents and avoid the use/overuse of tumble dryers.
Service themes during the next few weeks:
12th June - 40th Anniversary of the Falklands War
19th June - Father’s Day/Patronal Sunday
26th June - Being shaped into the image of Christ.
3rd July - We are all on a mission!
Finally, as mentioned last Sunday, I intend to retire on 31st December, this year.
Stay safe,
John Ganjavi
5th June 2022
Dear Friends,
Eco Church At this time of year we are all more active in the garden and allotments. If you are purchasing compost remember to switch to peat free.
Peat is an organic material found in wetlands such as swamps and bogs. Left in its natural state, it great does a great job of absorbing carbon. As well as being home to rare species of wildlife. But digging it up releases greenhouse gas!
Next time to are buying compost, check the label and buy peat free. It could save as much as 25kg of carbon for each large bag. Or of course you could make your own compost.
Well done to everyone who supported the Charity Tea last Sunday. £400 was raised for WaterAid.
Also, thank you to Anne Rumbles for leading the Parish Ramble.
There will be a ‘Time out with God’ prayer and refreshments meeting at the Methodist Church, 12.30 pm this Thursday.
Service themes during the next few weeks:
5th June - Platinum Jubilee
12th June - 40th Anniversary of the Falklands War
19th June - Father’s Day/Patronal Sunday
26th June - Being shaped into the image of Christ
From the Registers:
We give thanks to God for the life of Susie Latham.
Stay safe,
John Ganjavi
29th May 2022
Dear Friends,
Eco Church Today the focus of our 10 am Service is the environment, and our stewardship of the planet. This time of the year is called Rogationtide, and traditionally it’s the time when we pray for God to bless this year’s sowing, growing and harvesting.
Walk & Charity Tea There will be a Parish Ramble Today, starting at 2 pm at the Church Hall. There will also be Teas served in the Church Hall between 3 & 5 pm in aid of Water Aid.
The Jubilee This year we will be celebrating Her Majesty the Queen’s platinum Jubilee. Amongst various celebrations in the town, there will be a very patriotic and enjoyable organ concert in St. John’s, on the evening of Saturday 4th June. Tickets are on sale now!
On Sunday 5th June the 10 am Service will be a special Service marking her Majesty the Queen’s Platinum Jubilee. This is a good time to invite friends to join us in church.
Eco Church Food packaging and plastic wrappers on goods is a major source of landfill. The plastic on our wrapped up broccoli and other vegetables is ending up in the sea where it is mistaken for food by marine life, with fatal results. The average plastic bag can take as long as 1000 years to break down.
Always buy loose fruit and veggies wherever possible. Some supermarkets are now selling unwrapped veggies and there is no difference in terms of shelf life.
Plastic free food is not always an option but we can take a range of plastic for recycling. The Co- op in Henley has a bin at the entrance for the following ; - Crisp packets, sweet wrappers, plastic film, pet food pouches and plastic bags.
Hopefully this means we don't send so much plastic to landfill. Great news for the planet.
Susie Latham’s funeral will be in St. John’s, 11.30 am on Tuesday 31st May.
Service themes during the next few weeks
29th May - Eco Church Service
5th June - Platinum Jubilee
12th June - 40th Anniversary of the Falklands War
19th June - Father’s Day/Patronal Sunday
26th June - Being shaped into the image of Christ.
Stay safe,
John Ganjavi
22nd May 2022
Dear Friends,
Ascension Day
This year Ascension Day is on Thursday 26th May. We hope to have a 7am Service on the Mount, and a 7.30 pm Service in St. Nicholas’ to mark this important Festival. Please make every effort to join in!
Eco Church On 29th May the 10 am Service will be an Eco Church Service when we will be focusing again on our stewardship of the planet.
Walk & Charity Tea There will be a Parish Ramble on Sunday 29th May, starting at 2 pm at the Church Hall. There will also be Teas served in the Church Hall between 3 & 5 pm in aid of Water Aid.
The Jubilee This year we will be celebrating Her Majesty the Queen’s platinum Jubilee. Amongst various celebrations in the town, there will be a very patriotic and enjoyable organ concert in St. John’s, on the evening of Saturday 4th June. Put it in your diaries! Tickets are on sale now!
The merging of parishes As of 1st June 2022 The two parishes of Ullenhall and Henley will be merging officially to become one parish. The new parish will be the Parish of ‘Beaudesert, Henley in Arden and Ullenhall’. Whilst this is mainly an administrative matter, it is hoped that Henley and Ullenhall congregations will be more aware and supportive of each other. There will now be just one PCC to lead both congregations, with fifteen members – three of which will be from Ullenhall. And so we welcome Eileen Evason, Irene Grimes and Derek Jones from Ullenhall onto the PCC. Let us pray that this merger will be a good step forward in developing the ministry of both congregations.
Eco Church
Thank you to those who have added some text as an update to their personal pledge on the eco news noticeboard. For those that haven’t had the chance to update their yet, please let us know your progress (if any or if not what are the barriers?)
Looking at the updates will help us to see what a difference we are making to improve our personal carbon footprints. But If you haven’t added a personal pledge yet please do ... there are plenty of ideas available on the weekly Angel sheets.
On another matter ... we are still in the Asparagus season. The taste of spring and a picture of green beauty. The tips are amazing when cooked quickly but the trimmed ends are also great for soup stocks. Get the British variety while you can ... it doesn’t hang around after May and we don’t want the imported variety ( this has purple tips)!
Finally a reminder of the Eco church service on 29th May at 10.00 am when we will be celebrating our God given earth and hearing about God’s love for us as we act as stewards.
Service themes during the next few weeks
22nd May - Jesus promises the Holy Spirit
29th May - Eco Church Service
5th June - Platinum Jubilee
12th June - 40th Anniversary of the Falklands War
19th June - Father’s Day
From the Registers
We congratulate Elaine Field and Martin Smyth on their Confirmation.
Stay safe,
John Ganjavi
15th May 2022
Dear Friends,
Confirmation Service There will be a Confirmation Service for the area this Thursday, 19th May, at Claverdon Parish Church, starting at 7 pm. Please pray for all Confirmation Candidates, including Elaine Field.
Ascension Day This year Ascension Day is on Thursday 26th May. We hope to have a 7am Service on the Mount, and a 7.30 pm Service in St. Nicholas’ to mark this important Festival. Please make every effort to join in!
Eco Church On 29th May the 10 am Service will be an Eco Church Service when we will be focusing again on our stewardship of the planet.
Walk & Charity Tea There will be a Parish Ramble on Sunday 29th May, starting at 2 pm at the Church Hall. There will also be Teas served in the Church Hall between 3 & 5 pm in aid of Water Aid.
The Jubilee This year we will be celebrating Her Majesty the Queen’s platinum Jubilee. Amongst various celebrations in the town, there will be a very patriotic and enjoyable organ concert in St. John’s, on the evening of Saturday 4th June. Put it in your diaries! Tickets are on sale now!
Eco Church: (repeat) When we started our eco church initiative we asked for church members to make individual pledges to help improve their personal carbon footprint and make a difference to the climate crisis.
Thank you to everyone that has added a pledge to the eco church noticeboard. It’s now time to declare if you have achieved your pledges. Please add an update to your pledge on the noticeboard as to whether the pledge has been achieved and how (rather than a yes or no) and if it hasn’t been achieved indicate when you plan to achieve the pledge.
We will use these responses to indicate our progress in changing our attitudes and behaviours.
If you haven’t already pledged to take action on climate change there’s plenty of space to add any new ones.
Service themes during the next few weeks
15th May - To love one another is a Commandment.
22nd May - Jesus promises the Holy Spirit
29th May - Eco Church Service
5th June - Platinum Jubilee
12th June - 40th Anniversary of the Falklands War
19th June - Father’s Day
Stay safe,
John Ganjavi
8th May 2022
Dear Friends,
Annual Meeting Thank you to everyone who attended our Annual Parish Church Meeting. Jo Lopes and Helene Power were re-elected as our Church Wardens. All the sidesmen, as seen on the list at the back of church, were elected to their roll. The PCC membership for 2022/23 will be: Malcolm Aldridge, Julia Cross, John Ganjavi, Jo Garstang (Safeguarding Officer), Nick Haycock, Graham Hindley, Daphne Jones, Jo Lopes, Heidi Murfin, Helene Power and Sheila Roy.
Time out with God 12.30 pm in St. John’s this Thursday 12th May: Come and enjoy a half hour ecumenical time of prayer, followed by refreshments.
Civic Service On 15th May the 10 am Service will be the annual Civic Service. This is an occasion when the JPC and the Court Leet invite representatives of various aspects of our town’s life to join them in church. This is an important Service and we need to give it our strong support through our attendance.
Ascension Day This year Ascension Day is on Thursday 26th May. We hope to have a 7am Service on the Mount, and a 7.30 pm Service in St. Nicholas’ to mark this important Festival. Please make every effort to join in!
Eco Church On 29th May the 10 am Service will be an Eco Church Service when we will be focusing again on our stewardship of the planet.
Walk & Charity Tea There will be a Parish Ramble on Sunday 29th May, starting at 2 pm at the Church Hall. There will also be Teas served in the Church Hall between 3 & 5 pm in aid of Water Aid.
The Jubilee This year we will be celebrating Her Majesty the Queen’s platinum Jubilee. Amongst various celebrations in the town, there will be a very patriotic and enjoyable organ concert in St. John’s, on the evening of Saturday 4th June. Put it in your diaries! Tickets are on sale now!
Eco Church: When we started our eco church initiative we asked for church members to make individual pledges to help improve their personal carbon footprint and make a difference to the climate crisis.
Thank you to everyone that has added a pledge to the eco church noticeboard. It’s now time to declare if you have achieved your pledges. Please add an update to your pledge on the noticeboard as to whether the pledge has been achieved and how (rather than a yes or no) and if it hasn’t been achieved indicate when you plan to achieve the pledge.
We will use these responses to indicate our progress in changing our attitudes and behaviours.
If you haven’t already pledged to take action on climate change there’s plenty of space to add any new ones.
Service themes during the next few weeks
8th May Jesus, the giver of eternal life.
15th May To love one another is a Commandment.
22nd May Jesus promises the Holy Spirit
29th May Eco Church Service
There is no Wednesday Holy Communion this week.
From the Registers:
We welcome, through baptism, Elaine Field.
We give thanks to God for the life of John Styler.
Stay safe,
John Ganjavi
1st May 2022
Dear Friends,
Water Aid
Thank you to everyone who has contributed to this Lent’s Water Aid Appeal. We have received direct donations amounting to £1150 which gives us a total of £1550 when adding the Lent Tea takings.
Annual Meeting
The Annual Parish Church Meeting will be held in St. John’s, 7.30 pm this Wednesday 4th May. Please do your best to attend this important meeting when we take stock of our church life, and look to the future. Also it is the meeting when we elect our Church Wardens, Sidesmen and PCC members.
Civic Service
On 15th May the 10 am Service will be the annual Civic Service. This is an occasion when the JPC and the Court Leet invite representatives of various aspects of our town’s life to join them in church. This is an important Service and we need to give it our strong support through our attendance.
Ascension Day
This year Ascension Day is on Thursday 26th May. We hope to have a 7am Service on the Mount, and a 7.30 pm Service in St. Nicholas’ to mark this important Festival. Please make every effort to join in!
Eco Church
On 29th May the 10 am Service will be an Eco Church Service when we will be focusing again on our stewardship of the planet.
The Jubilee
This year we will be celebrating Her Majesty the Queen’s platinum Jubilee. Amongst various celebrations in the town, there will be a very patriotic and enjoyable organ concert in St. John’s, on the evening of Saturday 4th June. Put it in your diaries! Tickets are on sale now!
Eco Church
With all our energy bills increasing, now is a good time to try and be more energy efficient. This is good for the planet and our wallets. Cooking is a big culprit in terms of our energy footprint so here are a few considerations that might help us use less energy:
* Always use a saucepan lid when cooking on the hob. Lids trap heat and shorten cooking times
* Make use of residual heat to cook. For example turning off the heat just before food is cooked and letting the existing heat finish off the cooking process. Great for rice and boiled eggs!
* Preheating ovens is important but most will heat up in 10 minutes and won’t need the prescribed 30 minutes
* Break the habit of opening the oven door to check on food. Every time the door opens it loses heat and has to work harder to get heat back.
Hopefully the warm weather will see us eating more salads and cold food which will keep us away from the cooker!
Service themes during the next few weeks
1st May The global appeal of the Gospel.
8th May Jesus, the giver of eternal life.
15th May To love one another is a Commandment.
22nd May Jesus promises the Holy Spirit
29th May Eco Church Service
Stay safe,
John Ganjavi
24th April 2022
Dear Friends,
The Annual Parish Church Meeting will be held in St. John’s, 7.30 pm on Wednesday 4th May. Please do your best to attend this important meeting when we take stock of our church life, and look to the future. Also it is the meeting when we elect our Church Wardens, Sidesmen and PCC members.
Eco Church: With all our energy bills increasing, now is a good time to try and be more energy efficient. This is good for the planet and our wallets. Cooking is a big culprit in terms of our energy footprint so here are a few considerations that might help us use less energy :
* Always use a saucepan lid when cooking on the hob. Lids trap heat and shorten cooking times
* Make use of residual heat to cook. For example turning off the heat just before food is cooked and letting the existing heat finish off the cooking process. Great for rice and boiled eggs!
* Preheating ovens is important but most will heat up in 10 minutes and won’t need the prescribed 30 minutes
* Break the habit of opening the oven door to check on food. Every time the door opens it loses heat and has to work harder to get heat back.
Hopefully the warm weather will see us eating more salads and cold food which will keep us away from the cooker!
There will be no Wednesday Holy Communion this week.
Service themes during the next few weeks
24th April - The journey from doubt to faith
1st May - The global appeal of the Gospel.
8th May - Jesus, the giver of eternal life.
15th May - To love one another is a Commandment.
Stay safe,
John Ganjavi
17th April 2022
Dear Friends,
Lent Appeal
Thank you for supporting WaterAid this Lent. If you still have a donations envelope, please hand it in latest by next Sunday.
Lent Tea
Well done to everyone who contributed to the success of the Lent Tea last Sunday. Over £400 was raised for WaterAid.
Advance Notice
The Annual Parish Church Meeting will be held in St. John’s, 7.30 pm on Wednesday 4th May. Please do your best to attend this important meeting when we take stock of our church life, and look to the future. Also it is the meeting when we elect our Church Wardens, Sidesmen and PCC members.
Eco Church: Our Lent Appeal for WaterAid reminds us of how precious our water resources are. Water scarcity is becoming an increasing problem for our planet with climate change, so we all need to do our bit to look after it. We can take simple steps to conserve water and reduce our own consumption. Try these ideas:
* Turn off the tap whilst brushing your teeth
* Time your shower to last 5 minutes or less
* Collect the water from your shower while it heats up for use in the garden ( or collect all your bath and shower water!)
*. Collect rainwater for use in your gardens
* Water gardens early in the morning before the sun becomes hot as your plants will absorb water without excess loss through evaporation.
Service themes during the next few weeks
17th April Easter Day
24th April The journey from doubt to faith
1st May The global appeal of the Gospel.
8th May Jesus, the giver of eternal life.
Stay safe,
John Ganjavi
10th April 2022
Dear Friends,
Lent Appeal
WaterAid are an international not-for-profit, determined to make clean water, decent toilets and good hygiene normal for everyone, everywhere within a generation.
Since 1981, they have directly reached 28 million people with clean water; 28 million with decent toilets; and 26 million with good hygiene.
Only by tackling these three essentials in ways that last can people change their lives for good. With their supporters and partners, WarerAid will change millions of lives for the better.
There is a lot of information about WaterAid on the Church website Eco Page (www.henleychurch.co.uk)
Please hand in your donations by the end of Easter Day. Thank you.
Lent Tea
There will be a Lent Tea in the Church Hall, 3-5 pm today in aid of WaterAid.
Holy Week in our Parish Churches
Wednesday - 10 am Holy Communion
Maundy Thursday - 7.30 pm Holy Communion in St. Nicholas’
Good Friday - 10 am 20 minute Service at the Market Cross
2 pm Good Friday Service in St. John’s
7 pm Good Friday Service in St. Mary’s, Ullenhall
Holy Saturday - 8 pm Easter Light Ceremony in St. John’s
Eco Church
Our changing climate makes life harder for the world’s poorest who are already struggling to access clean water. The climate crisis is a water crisis as more floods pollute fragile water supplies and longer droughts dry up vital springs.
Having access to clean water, decent toilets and good hygiene changes lives for ever. But we need to act now in the face of climate change.
So let’s get behind this years Lent Appeal and give generously to WaterAid. You Will be making a big difference to many lives.
Service themes during the next few weeks
10th April - Palm Sunday
17th April - Easter Day
24th April - The journey from doubt to faith
1st May - The global appeal of the Gospel.
From the Registers
We welcome, through Baptism, Sebastian Michael Phillips and Erin Rose Phillips.
Advance Notice
The Annual Parish Church Meeting will be held in St. John’s, 7.30 pm on Wednesday 4th May.
Stay safe,
John Ganjavi
3rd April 2022
Dear Friends,
Support for Ukraine
Thank you very much for supporting the Ukrainian project I shared with you. Henley and Ullenhall raised £800 which helped the fundraising effort meet its target. All the donations have been sent to the volunteer workers. (This is on top of the £250 we sent to the Red Cross Ukrainian Appeal.)
You may have seen the news that Henley Methodist Church is wanting to be a Ukrainian Refugee Support Centre for the area. I am finding out more information about this plan, and I will keep you posted.
Lent Appeal
In our modern world it is shocking to know that 771 million people don't have clean water close to home. 1.7 billion people don't have a decent toilet of their own. 90% of all natural disasters around the world are water-related. WaterAid is a highly regarded Charity that is seeking to address these problems.
There is a lot of information about WaterAid on the Church website Eco Page (www.henleychurch.co.uk)
Please collect your letter about supporting our Lent Project from the back of church.
Lent Tea
There will be a Lent Tea in the Church Hall, 3-5 pm next Sunday 10th April in aid of WaterAid. Please sign up at the back of church if you can provide a cake or volunteer to help. And put the event in your diary!
Confirmation
There will be a Confirmation Service at Claverdon Parish Church 7 pm on Thursday 19th May. We already have three candidates. Anyone else interested?
Eco Church
Many of us will be taking medication of all kinds including every day painkillers. They come in in plastic blister packs and if we don't recycle these they go to landfill and become part of the plastic problem. Now a company called Terracycle can recycle them and convert them into garden furniture, planters, kids’ playgrounds and even 'ping pong' tables. We can all make a difference and contribute to this recycling activity. Please bring your EMPTY blister packs to St John's Church and they will be taken to a collection point for recycling. Bring as many as you can including your family, friends and neighbours’ blister packs. There will be a box at back of Church during our Sunday services starting on Sunday 10th April (Palm Sunday). Start collecting now and let's fill the box in the first week!!
Another Eco tip this week - Don't cut or dig up your dandelions! Leave them for the Bees - they need them for pollen and nectar at this time of year.
Service themes during the next few weeks
3rd April - Passion Sunday
10th April - Palm Sunday
17th April - Easter Day
24th April - The journey from doubt to faith
Holy Week Services
Wednesday - 10 am Holy Communion
Maundy Thursday - 7.30 pm Holy Communion in St. Nicholas’
Good Friday:
10 am 20 minute Service at the Market Cross
2 pm Good Friday Service in St. John’s
Holy Saturday - 8 pm Easter Light Ceremony in St. John’s
Stay safe,
John Ganjavi
27th March 2022
Dear Friends,
Support for Ukraine
Thank you to everyone who has responded to the many needs arising out of this terrible conflict. Don’t forget, if you wish to make a donation directly to people who are in Ukraine, I have contact via my nephew with a couple who are working hard to move essential goods purchased in the west of the country to the east. Any donations will be sent immediately to them. Also, I have been speaking to Luke & Tania Fryer in Ullenhall who will soon be hosting two Ukrainian mums and their young daughters. One need will be socializing and helping them become familiar with people and places in the area. If this is something you can help with, please let me know.
Lent Course
Our three part Lent Course on Salvation as come to an end. Four sets of notes are available on the table at the back of church.
Brian Jackson
Brian’s funeral will take place in St. John’s 11 am this Monday 28th March. Please arrive early as we expect a packed church.
Daily Bible Reading
A few of us subscribe to ‘New Daylight’ – a small book published three times a year which gives a short Bible Reading and commentary for each day of the year. Samples are on the table at the back of church. If you wish to subscribe, have a word with Ginny Matheou – 794308.
Confirmation
There will be a Confirmation Service at Claverdon Parish Church 7 pm on Thursday 19th May. We already have three candidates. Anyone else interested?
Eco Church
As energy rates are due to increase it makes more sense than ever to focus on our energy usage. Here are some quick wins to reduce the energy we use.
1. Turn the thermostat down by one degree can cut bills. The recommended comfortable indoor temperature is 18 degrees and 21 for rooms we sit in.
2. Only switch it on when you need it.
3. Hot water needs a lot of electricity or gas so we are encouraged to take shorter showers, but how about slighter cooler ones?
4. Turn off all lights, switches and appliances at the wall when not in use. Little changes all help save money and our planet … more next week.
Service themes during the next few weeks
27th March - Does unconditional love work? (Mothering Sunday)
3rd April - Passion Sunday
10th April - Palm Sunday
17th April - Easter Day
Stay safe
John Ganjavi
20th March 2022
Dear Friends,
Support for Ukraine
The war in Ukraine continues to mobilise us to action. There are two main ways we are being invited to help. First of all we are being asked to donate items and money. The donations of items needs to be very specific – a specific contact asking for specific items. To this end, Jenny Page-Evans (30, Castle Close) is collecting good quality bedding, blankets and warm clothes. For cash donations, there are many ways being advertised, but if you haven’t access to these ways, or you want to make a simple cash donation, you can put your gift in a clearly marked envelope and put it through the Rectory letterbox or place it on the Church Plate on Sundays. We will add your donation to the £250 we have already set aside from Church Funds and send all donations to the cause. The second way we can help is by sponsoring/hosting refugees. This is more complicated because the best place for refugees is where there are good transport links as well as nearby Ukrainian communities. Potential hosts need to be vetted and plans need to be in place for a minimum of six months. Having said that, opening our homes to refugees is commendable, and if anyone wishes to look further into this form of support, please let me know so that we can support you. Finally, Ukraine will need support for quite some time, and we are looking into fundraising activities post-Easter. Ideas welcome.
Lent Course
Our three part Lent Course on Salvation continues this Tuesday, 7.15 for 7.30 pm start in St. John’s. If you missed the last two Tuesday’s meeting, there are notes on the table at the back of church.
Brian Jackson
Brian’s funeral will take place in St. John’s 11 am on Monday 28th March. Please arrive early as we expect a packed church.
Mothering Sunday
Next Sunday is Mothering Sunday. Due to restricted activity in Sunday Club and our Church School, the Service will be low key, but flowers will be available for distribution and mums will be celebrated!
Eco Church:
This week we feature the World Wildlife Fund (WWF) which is the world’s leading independent conservation organisation. Their mission is to create a world where people and wildlife can thrive together. To achieve this mission, they are finding ways to help transform the future for the world’s wildlife, rivers, forests and seas; pushing for a reduction in carbon emissions that will avoid catastrophic climate change; and pressing for measures to help people live sustainably, within the means of our one planet. They calculate that we have 12 years to limit global warming to a maximum of 1.5C and avoid climate breakdown. There are lots of ways we can help including animal adoption to save both the animal and their home, our home, protect and restore wild places across the world. You can adopt as a gift for another or make a personal choice of iconic animal from turtle to tiger. Or join as a member which can make a big difference to the complex challenges as, with our support they can tackle the environmental issues and we can help them achieve their mission. More details and how to join at www.wwf.org.uk
Church Services
We hold regular Sunday Services in St. John’s, normally at 8 am & 10 am every Sunday, as well as a midweek Service, 10 am every Wednesday. You would be most welcome.
Service themes during the next few weeks:
20th March - Happiness through holiness.
27th March - Does unconditional love work? (Mothering Sunday)
3rd April - Passion Sunday
10th April - Palm Sunday
17th April - Easter Day
Daily Bible Reading
A few of us subscribe to ‘New Daylight’ – a small book published three times a year which gives a short Bible Reading and commentary for each day of the year. Samples are on the table at the back of church. If you wish to subscribe, have a word with Ginny Matheou – 794308.
John Ganjavi
13th March 2022
Dear Friends,
Lent Course
Our three part Lent Course on Salvation continues this Tuesday, 7.15 for 7.30 pm start in St. John’s. If you missed last Tuesday’s meeting, there are notes on the table at the back of church.
Lent Charity Project
In our modern world it is shocking to know that 771 million people don't have clean water close to home. 1.7 billion people don't have a decent toilet of their own. 90% of all natural disasters around the world are water-related. WaterAid is a highly regarded Charity that is seeking to address these problems.
Let’s do our part this Lent in furthering the work of this important Charity. Please start thinking about what you might be able to give. Details of how to give will be available very soon. Thank you.
Daily Bible Reading
A few of us subscribe to ‘New Daylight’ – a small book published three times a year which gives a short Bible Reading and commentary for each day of the year. Samples are on the table at the back of church. If you wish to subscribe, have a word with Ginny Matheou – 794308.
Volunteers, please:
• One more PCC member
• Two more sidesmen for the 10 am Sunday Service
Eco Church Each week we are providing tips and ideas to increase our awareness of how we can all live more sustainably. We can’t solve the climate Crisis single handedly but every little green habit we adopt individually makes a difference and they all add up. Changing our habits to favour our environment is our collective responsibility. But it can also be fun and it make us feel good. One great place to start is to spend 5 minutes on the World Wide Fund for Nature website answering questions about our lifestyles to measure our personal carbon footprint and learn more about ways we can all make a difference at wwf.org.uk. This generates a score on which to base planned improvements to reduce our personal footprints. The website is also very informative on climate change- more next week.
Service themes during the next few weeks
13th Mar A new way of relating to God.
20th Mar Happiness through holiness.
27th Mar Does unconditional love work?
A Very Advance Notice!
This year we will be celebrating Her Majesty the Queen’s platinum Jubilee. Amongst various celebrations in the town, there will be a very patriotic and enjoyable organ concert in St. John’s, on the evening of Saturday 4th June. Put it in your diaries!
John Ganjavi
6th March 2022
Dear Friends,
We will start this Tuesday, 8th March, and continue on the 15th & 22nd – yes, just three sessions! We will meet in St. John’s. Coffee will be served at 7.15pm for a 7.30pm start. The topic will be Salvation – what is it, how does it affect me, and how does it happen? Sign up at the back of church if you hope to attend. (For those who think three sessions are not enough, we may well run a further three after Easter!
Lent Charity Project
In our modern world it is shocking to know that 771 million people don't have clean water close to home. 1.7 billion people don't have a decent toilet of their own. 90% of all natural disasters around the world are water-related.
Since 1981 and across 28 countries, Wateraid has reached 28 million people with clean water, 29 million people with decent toilets, and 26 million people with good hygiene. There is so much more to do! Let’s do our part this Lent in furthering the work of this important Charity. Please start thinking about what you might be able to give. Details of how to give will be available very soon. Thank you.
Volunteers, please:
• Two more PCC members
• Two more sidesmen for the 10 am Sunday Service
• One volunteer to join our Church Primary School as a governor.
Eco Church Fairtrade Fortnight which ends on 6th March. This global movement aims to secure better prices and safe working conditions, environmental protection and fair trade for farmers across the world. The theme of this year’s Fairtrade Fortnight is the climate crisis which is deemed to be the biggest threat to the livelihoods of millions of small scale farmers. As climate change continues to escalate, we shoppers can do our bit by making simple swaps to items with the Fairtrade logo. Our local co op sells a range of Fairtrade staples (as do other supermarkets) or you can visit their website for all their own label products https://www.fairtrade.net/product so it’s easy to make a difference by supporting sustainable farming and the farmers helping to save the planet.
Service themes during the next few weeks
6th March - Jesus leads us into the wilderness.
13th March - A new way of relating to God.
20th March - Happiness through holiness.
27th March - Does unconditional love work?
A very Advance Notice!
This year we will be celebrating Her Majesty the Queen’s platinum Jubilee. Amongst various celebrations in the town, there will be a very patriotic and enjoyable organ concert in St. John’s, on the evening of Saturday 4th June. Put it in your diaries!
John Ganjavi
27th February 2022
Dear Friends,
Lent begins this Wednesday! Make the most of the 40 days of discipline, and show your intention by attending a Service of Holy Communion in St. John’s – 10am and 7.30pm.
Lent Course We are back to Tuesday evenings! We will start on 8th March, and continue on the 15th & 22nd – yes, just three sessions! We will meet in St. John’s. Coffee will be served at 7.15pm for a 7.30pm start. The topic will be Salvation – what is it, how does it affect me, and how does it happen? Sign up at the back of church if you hope to attend. (For those who think three sessions are not enough, we may well run a further three after Easter!
Our Vision: Have you had a chance to read our church’s Vision Statement? (There are still some copies at the back of church.) Any comments?
Making it happen: The PCC is elected every year at the Annual Meeting in April. The PCC sets the church’s programme in order to make its vision a reality. Would you like to be on the PCC?
The present PCC Members are: Malcolm Aldridge, Julia Cross, John Ganjavi, Jo Garstang, Graham Hindley, Daphne Jones, Jo Lopes, Ginny Matheou, Heidi Murfin, Helene Power, and Barbara Warmington. We hope to increase the PCC size to twelve members. Barbara and Ginny are stepping down from their duties this April, and so there are three vacancies in total. Interested?
A welcome at the door The sidesmen get the church ready for Services, welcome us as we arrive, help out during the Service, and tidy up afterwards. We are very grateful to our present sidesmen. We need a few more volunteers for the 10 am Sunday Service.
ECO Church Fairtrade Fortnight began on 21st February 22 and is shining a spot light on farmers tackling climate change. Farmers around the world are already facing the effects of the climate crisis. Their crops are susceptible to changes in rainfall, cold weather and storms plus the impact of the pandemic. Fairtrade farmers are supported to find ways to adjust to the climate crisis and to make good choices to increase their yields.
Buying Fairtrade products is a great way to help farmers and do good for the planet. The Co op sells a great range wine, coffee and chocolate. Of you could make a donation to support the work of the Fairtrade Foundation.
Church Services
Service themes during the next few weeks
27th Feb The Transfiguration.
(We welcome a Guest Speaker from WaterAid.)
6th Mar Jesus leads us into the wilderness.
13th Mar A new way of relating to God.
20th Mar Happiness through holiness.
27th Mar Does unconditional love work?
A very Advance Notice!
This year we will be celebrating Her Majesty the Queen’s platinum Jubilee. Amongst various celebrations in the town, there will be a very patriotic and enjoyable organ concert in St. John’s, on the evening of Saturday 4th June. Put it in your diaries!
Stay safe,
John Ganjavi
20th February 2022
Dear Friends,
Our Vision: Have you had a chance to read our church’s Vision Statement? (There are still some copies at the back of church.) Any comments?
Making it happen: The PCC is elected every year at the Annual Meeting in April. The PCC sets the church’s programme in order to make its vision a reality. Would you like to be on the PCC?
The present PCC Members are: Malcolm Aldridge, Julia Cross, John Ganjavi, Jo Garstang, Graham Hindley, Daphne Jones, Jo Lopes, Ginny Matheou, Heidi Murfin, Helene Power, and Barbara Warmington. We hope to increase the PCC size to twelve members. Barbara and Ginny are stepping down from their duties this April, and so there are three vacancies in total. Interested?
A welcome at the door The sidesmen get the church ready for Services, welcome us as we arrive, help out during the Service, and tidy up afterwards. We are very grateful to our present sidesmen. We need a few more volunteers for the 10 am Sunday Service.
Lent Course We are back to Tuesday evenings! We will start on 8th March, and continue on the 15th & 22nd – yes, just three sessions! We will meet in St. John’s. Coffee will be served at 7.15pm for a 7.30pm start. The topic will be Salvation – what is it, how does it affect me, and how does it happen? Sign up at the back of church if you hope to attend. (For those who think three sessions are not enough, we may well run a further three after Easter!
ECO Church For foodie February ...
Eating less meat and more vegetables is a great way to do your bit for the planet. It’s ok to eat animal products but just try to eat less of them. Maybe try going meat free for 2 days per week or eating meat in the evenings only. But it’s important to set a goal that works for you and that you can stick to.
Some good plant based meals include tray roasted vegetables, vegetable casseroles and pasta based dishes. All of which are quick and easy and can be jazzed up with a tin of chopped tomatoes or chickpeas! Or for convenience, buy ready made veggie sausages and burgers. The planet will thank you and often these are more healthy options too.
Service themes during the next few weeks
20th Feb - Jesus’ teaching on love and mercy.
27th Feb - The Transfiguration.
(27/2 We welcome a Guest Speaker from WaterAid to talk about this year’s Lent Project.)
A Very Advance Notice!
This year we will be celebrating Her Majesty the Queen’s platinum Jubilee. Amongst various celebrations in the town, there will be a very patriotic and enjoyable organ concert in St. John’s, on the evening of Saturday 4th June. Put it in your diaries!
Stay safe,
John Ganjavi
13th February 2022
Dear Friends,
Worship, JESUS, spirituality, open, friendly, caring, inclusive, influence, mission… These are some of the words you will find in our vision for St. John’s. The PCC has recently revised this Vision Statement, first introduced in 2012. It spells out what we think we are about. Pick up a copy from the back of church. Tell us what you think!
What is the PCC? The PCC (Parochial Church Council) is the annually elected group who guide and manage the life of our church. The elections take place at the Annual Church Meeting which normally takes place on the last Wednesday in April. We are looking for a new recruits! Interested? Photos of the present team are at the back of church. Why not approach a PCC member to find out more! Yes, this could be your time to step up!
A welcome at the door The sidesmen get the church ready for Services, welcome us as we arrive, help out during the Service, and tidy up afterwards. We are very grateful to our present sidesmen. We need a few more volunteers for the 10 am Sunday Service.
Lent Course There has been a request that the Lent Course moves from Tuesday evenings to Thursday evenings (7.30 pm on 10th, 17th, 24th & 31st March). Please let me know if this change is a problem for you.
ECO Church As Christians we need to have a conscience about our food choices. I recently visited Castle Nurseries (other nurseries are available! ) It was a joyful sightseeing their super range of colourful loose vegetables with no plastic wrapping in sight! They also say where the veg are from so it’s easy to buy local produce. Much of their vegetables are from Evesham. Just down the road. There are many reasons to support our local farmers by buying local produce. It saves on air miles and unwrapped veg saves plastic too. So it’s good for the planet. And it’s a great way to show our Christian concern for our farming neighbours.
Service themes during the next few weeks
13th Feb - Blessings and Curses. How do they work?
20th Feb - Jesus’ teaching on love and mercy.
27th Feb - The Transfiguration.
A very Advance Notice!
This year we will be celebrating Her Majesty the Queen’s platinum Jubilee. Amongst various celebrations in the town, there will be a very patriotic and enjoyable organ concert in St. John’s, on the evening of Saturday 4th June. Put it in your diaries!
Stay safe,
John Ganjavi
6th February 2022
Dear Friends,
Charities: Well done to everyone who organized and supported the St. Basil’s Coffee Morning. £580 was raised to help the young homeless in the Midlands.
I received a comment about issuing our charity bank details for those who want to give but haven’t got cash on them, or a chequebook. The church’s charity account is “St. John's PCC mission + charity account”, Sort Code 30-98-26, and Account Number 59032568. You may wish to consider setting up a Standing Order for this account. If you would rather give towards a particular Charity that we support, simply add their name as a reference.
Worship, JESUS, spirituality, open, friendly, caring, inclusive, influence, mission… These are some of the words you will find in our vision for St. John’s. The PCC has recently revised this Vision Statement, first introduced in 2012. It spells out what we think we are about. Pick up a copy from the back of church. Tell us what you think!
What is the PCC? The PCC (Parochial Church Council) is the annually elected group who guide and manage the life of our church. The elections take place at the Annual Church Meeting which normally takes place on the last Wednesday in April. We are looking for a new recruits! Interested? Photos of the present team are at the back of church. Why not approach a PCC member to find out more! Yes, this could be your time to step up!
ECO Church
Did you know that 1/3 of all food produced is either lost or wasted? To cut down on waste, plan ahead and buy only the food you know you will use. Take advantage of every edible part of the food you purchase for example broccoli stalks are great in soups. Measure portion sizes of all food before cooking and be creative with leftovers. Finally remember to compost all in edible remnants in a green bin so it can be made into compost. If you don’t have a green bin we will buddy you up with someone that has. Talk to Julia Cross or Robin Rumbles.
Service themes during the next few weeks
6th Feb - What does discipleship mean?
13th Feb - Blessings and Curses. How do they work?
20th Feb - Jesus’ teaching on love and mercy.
27th Feb - The Transfiguration.
A Very Advance Notice!
This year we will be celebrating Her Majesty the Queen’s platinum Jubilee. Amongst various celebrations in the town, there will be a very patriotic and enjoyable organ concert in St. John’s, on the evening of Saturday 4th June. Put it in your diaries!
Stay safe,
John Ganjavi
30th January 2022
Dear Friends,
Candlemas is the 40th day of Christmas. We recall the last story of Jesus’ infancy when Joseph and Mary take him to the Temple in Jerusalem to be dedicated. We shall have a candlelit Service in St. Nicholas’ today, starting at 6 pm. This is a very special and atmospheric Service. Come along!
Lent 2022 This year Lent begins on Ash Wednesday, 2nd March. Thank you for your responses, so far, about holding a Lent Course in St. John’s. At the moment, the preferred time is 7.30pm on Tuesdays. A number of suggestions have been made regarding subjects to be covered. One suggestion is that we go through one of St. Paul’s Epistles. Another suggestion is that we look again at a few landmark Gospel passages such as the Beatitudes and the Lord’s Prayer. What do you think? Does the suggested time suit you? Any other ideas for content?
What is the PCC? The PCC (Parochial Church Council) is the annually elected group who guide and manage the life of our church. The elections take place at the Annual Church Meeting which normally takes place on the last Wednesday in April. We are looking for a new recruits! Interested? Photos of the present team are at the back of church. Why not approach a PCC member to find out more! Yes, this could be your time to step up!
ECO Church: More on plastic use ... it is predicted that by 2050 the sea could contain more plastic in the sea than fish! Plastic is a constant presence in our lives and we have to change our mindset and habits to turn this round. Some more things we can all do is to stop using plastic toothbrushes which take 500 years to biodegrade! Instead buy ones made of bamboo. There is also a bamboo electric toothbrush available. Also replace plastic cotton buds with ones made of bamboo. And buy wooden pegs not plastic. All our little changes make a big difference. More ideas next week.
Service themes during the next few weeks
30th Jan - Candlemas
6th Feb - What does discipleship mean?
13th Feb - Blessings and Curses. How do they work?
20th Feb - Jesus’ teaching on love and mercy.
27th Feb - The Transfiguration.
A very Advance Notice!
This year we will be celebrating Her Majesty the Queen’s platinum Jubilee. Amongst various celebrations in the town, there will be a very patriotic and enjoyable organ concert in St. John’s, on the evening of Saturday 4th June. Put it in your diaries!
Stay safe,
John Ganjavi
23rd January 2022
Dear Friends,
St. Basil’s work with young people aged 16-25 who are homeless or at risk of homelessness. Each year they help over 4,000 young people in the Midlands, and house over 1,500 in their 44 supported accommodation schemes, some of which include their young children too. Every penny raised is spent on support services working with vulnerable young people to help them gain the necessary skills to be independent, successful and have the best possible start in life.
This Saturday, 29th January, 10.30 am – 12 noon: There will be a Coffee Morning in the Church Hall, Beaudesert Lane in aid of St. Basil’s.
Candlemas is the 40th day of Christmas. We recall the last story of Jesus’ infancy when Joseph and Mary take him to the Temple in Jerusalem to be dedicated. We shall have a candlelit Service in St. Nicholas’, starting at 6 pm, next Sunday to mark Candlemas. This is a very special and atmospheric Service. Come along!
Lent 2022 This year Lent begins on Ash Wednesday, 2nd March. Despite the unknown course of COVID restrictions, it is highly likely that we will be able to hold a Lent Course in St. John’s. Please let me know if there are particular subjects you would like us to cover. In previous years we have held these meetings on Tuesday mornings or Tuesday evenings. What time would suit you? Please let me know.
ECO Church: With only 13% of plastic produced being recycled on a global level and huge quantities swirling in our oceans we need to do our bit to stop adding to this problem. Some immediate steps are to stop buying bottled water, say NO to a plastic bag when out shopping and always take a useable bag with you and stop using cling film and use alternative such as beeswax food wraps or reusable silicone lids. Small steps make a difference. More details on the Eco Noticeboard.
Service themes during the next few weeks
23rd Jan - Jesus claims to be the Messiah.
30th Jan - Candlemas
6th Feb - What does discipleship mean?
13th Feb - Blessings and Curses. How do they work?
20th Feb - Jesus’ teaching on love and mercy.
27th Feb - The Transfiguration.
A very Advance Notice!
This year we will be celebrating Her Majesty the Queen’s platinum Jubilee. Amongst various celebrations in the town, there will be a very patriotic and enjoyable organ concert in St. John’s, on the evening of Saturday 4th June. Put it in your diaries!
Stay safe,
John Ganjavi
16th January 2022
Dear Friends,
Charities
I am quite sure each of us has our own favourite charities, and maybe you already have arrangements in place to support them. If not, then a convenient way to support a wide range of charities, both local and international, is to set up a Standing Order for our dedicated ‘Missions & Charities’ Account. All monies in this account are distributed annually amongst our chosen charities. This year, the main charities are St. Basil’s work amongst young homeless, Water Aid, Lifespace that supports local youth, and CORD that addresses international issues of freedom and justice. The Account details are: ‘St. John’s PCC Mission & Charity Account’, Sort Code is 30-98-26 and the Account Number is 59032568.
Lent 2022
This year Lent begins on Ash Wednesday, 2nd March. Despite the unknown course of COVID restrictions, it is highly likely that we will be able to hold a Lent Course in St. John’s. Please let me know if there are particular subjects you would like us to cover. In previous years we have held these meetings on Tuesday mornings or Tuesday evenings. What time would suit you? Please let me know.
Prayers for Christian Unity 19-25 January 2022
The Henley Methodist Church warmly invites you to ‘drop in’ for a short time of reflection, prayer and fellowship at any time between 2pm and 4pm on Saturday 22nd January 2022. The kettle will be on for hot drinks with home-made cakes and biscuits!
Eco Church
Did you know that 12 million tonnes of plastic are poured into the ocean every year? One easy solution to help is to recycle every piece of plastic we can. (Please see the Eco Notice board for other helpful hints.)
Church Services
We hold regular Sunday Services in St. John’s, normally at 8 am & 10 am every Sunday, as well as a midweek Service, 10 am every Wednesday. You would be most welcome.
Service Themes During Epiphany
16th Jan - Jesus’ power to transform.
23rd Jan - Jesus claims to be the Messiah.
30th Jan - Candlemas
Advance Notices
Saturday 29th January, 10.30 am – 12 noon: There will be a Coffee Morning in the Church Hall, Beaudesert Lane in aid of St. Basil’s (work amongst the homeless.)
Sunday 30th January: We shall have a candlelit Service in St. Nicholas’, starting at 6 pm, to mark Candlemas.
Stay safe,
John Ganjavi
9th January 2022
Dear Friends,
As a new year gets underway, we have been looking ahead to what Charities we might support in 2022. You might be aware that we have a dedicated Missions & Charities Account through which we give to a number of causes each year. If you wish to set up a Standing Order, the account details are: ‘St. John’s PCC Mission & Charity Account’, Sort Code is 30-98-26 and the Account Number is 59032568. In 2022 our main focus will be on the following Charities:
During Lent our focus will be on Water Aid. The aim of this charity is to help people around the world to get out of poverty by providing them with clean water, decent toilets and good hygiene. We have arranged a Guest Speaker for Sunday 27th February.
St. Basil’s supports work amongst the young homeless in Birmingham and the surrounding area.
Lifespace is a local Charity, based in Stratford upon Avon, supporting young people at difficult times in their lives – helping them to reduce stress, build resilience and achieve more.
Cord is an international charity working to make peace a reality in places where people don’t have the freedom to exercise their rights. Its headquarters are based in Coventry.
Eco Church: Thank you to the 31 people who signed the Community Christmas Card. It only saved a little bit of paper, but hopefully the Choir with no Name benefited as well. Later this month we are going to post on the North Aisle Noticeboard the ‘Eco Tips of the Month’ together with recipes based on local, in season and Tradefair ingredients.
Service themes during Epiphany
9th Jan - Jesus’ first public engagement.
16th Jan - Jesus’ power to transform.
23rd Jan - Jesus claims to be the Messiah.
(Also: Guest Speaker from St. Basil’s in Birmingham regarding work with the homeless.)
30th Jan - Candlemas
Advance Notices
Saturday 29th January, 10.30 am – 12 noon: There will be a Coffee Morning in the Church Hall, Beaudesert Lane in aid of St. Basil’s (work amongst the homeless.)#
Sunday 30th January: We shall have a candlelit Service in St. Nicholas’, starting at 6 pm, to mark Candlemas.
Stay safe,
John Ganjavi
Christmas 2021
Dear Friends,
Advent passes and Christmas arrives. I would like to say a heartfelt thanks to all who have so generously supported our Charities in the last few weeks. We supported ‘Operation Christmas Child’, the WI’s Shoebox Appeal for the homeless, the ‘Choir with No Name’ work with the homeless in Birmingham, and the Children’s Society. Well done everyone!
Thank you to Malcolm Aldridge and all who contributed to the Christmas Tree Festival.
Thank you to our Choir and their guests who sang so well at the candlelit 9 Lessons & Carols.
Thank you to the Westmacotts for squeezing a little Christmas Tree into St. John’s! Thank you to Will Haycock who helped decorate the Tree. Thank you to all our Flower Arrangers for the lovely displays.
And thank you to the Corrie family for supplying us with hay for the manger!
Service themes during Christmas & Epiphany
26th Dec - Joy to the World!
2nd Jan - The Epiphany. The Wise Men arrive.
9th Jan - Jesus’ first public engagement.
16th Jan - Jesus’ power to transform.
23rd Jan - Jesus claims to be the Messiah.
(Also: Guest Speaker from St.Basil’s in Birmingham regarding work with the homeless.)
30th Jan - Candlemas
Advance Notices
Saturday 29th January, 10.30 am – 12 noon: There will be a Coffee Morning in the Church Hall, Beaudesert Lane in aid of St. Basil’s (work amongst the homeless.)
Sunday 30th January: We shall have a candlelit Service in St. Nicholas’, starting at 6 pm, to mark Candlemas.
Stay safe,
John Ganjavi
19th December 2021
Dear Friends,
ECO CHURCH
Do you send Christmas cards to church members? How about using the communal card as displayed in the North Aisle? Then give the saved cost to charity.
(It cuts down on paper use as well!)
STOP PRESS! We have achieved our Eco Bronze Award!
Henley Advent Calendar Windows
Each day in December, until Christmas Eve, some decorated windows will be lit up on the High Street and around Town. Join in the fun of spotting new windows! Pick up a leaflet from the back of church to find the addresses to visit each day. Lights up 5 pm
Thank you for supporting ‘The Choir With No Name’ and its work amongst the homeless in Birmingham. We hit our target! 45 people will each get a £10 food voucher, with our best wishes.
Our final charitable act of 2021 will be supporting the Children’s Society by donating the Collection at the 5pm Christmas Eve Children’s Crib Service.
Service themes during Advent & Christmas
19th Dec - Preparing with Mary
26th Dec - Joy to the World!
2nd Jan - The Epiphany
9th Jan - Jesus’ first public engagement
Advance Notices
We hope that all Christmas Services will go ahead as usual. (Masks to be worn, please, at all major Services.)
Christmas Eve: 5pm Children’s Crib Service, 11pm Midnight Communion
Christmas Day: 8am Holy Communion, 10am Family Communion
Boxing Day: 10am Morning Worship (No 8am Service)
There will be no midweek Communion on 29th December.
Stay safe,
John Ganjavi
12th December 2021
Dear Friends,
Tuesday 14th December the Memory Lane Café will hold an informal Carol Service in the Church Hall, starting at 2 pm, followed by refreshments. Carers, family and friends will be most welcome.
Sunday 19th December - Candlelit 9 Lessons & Carols Service in St. John’s, starting at 6 pm.
Henley Advent Calendar Windows
Each day in December, until Christmas Eve, some decorated windows will be lit up on the High Street and around Town. Join in the fun of spotting new windows! Pick up a leaflet from the back of church to find the addresses to visit each day. Lights up 5 pm each day.
‘THE CHOIR WITH NO NAME’ works with the homeless, and those at the edge of society, providing them with comfort, joy and fun through music. Rehearsals and food go together as they prepare for performances. Let’s help the Birmingham branch (which has 45 members) by providing each one with the Christmas gift of a Greggs food voucher. Please put your cash donation in an envelope marked ‘No Name Choir’ and place it on the Church Plate or pop it round to the Rectory. Deadline 15/12.
Eco Church
Do you send Christmas cards to church members? How about using the communal card as displayed in the North Aisle? Then give the saved cost to charity. (It cuts down on paper use as well!)
Service themes during Advent
12th Dec Receiving really good news!
19th Dec Preparing with Mary.
26th Dec Joy to the World!
We hope that all Christmas Services will go ahead as usual. (Masks to be worn, please, at all major Services.)
Stay safe,
John Ganjavi
5th December 2021
Dear Friends,
Henley Advent Calendar Windows
Each day in December, until Christmas Eve, some decorated windows will be lit up on the High Street and around Town. Join in the fun of spotting new windows! Pick up a leaflet from the back of church to find the addresses to visit each day. Lights up 5 pm each day.
St. John’s Christmas Tree Festival has started (4th December), and continues each day 11 am – 4 pm. until 11th December. Come and enjoy a church full of festive cheer! (And pick up some ideas for your own tree.)
‘THE CHOIR WITH NO NAME’ works with the homeless, and those at the edge of society, providing them with comfort, joy and fun through music. Rehearsals and food go together as they prepare for performances. Let’s help the Birmingham branch (which has 45 members) by providing each one with the Christmas gift of a Greggs food voucher. Please put your cash donation in an envelope marked ‘No Name Choir’ and place it on the Church Plate or pop it round to the Rectory. Deadline 15/12.
Eco Church
Do you send Christmas cards to church members? How about using the communal card as displayed in the North Aisle? Then give the saved cost to charity. (It cuts down on paper use as well!)
Service themes during Advent
5th Dec Getting spiritually ready for Christmas.
12th Dec Receiving really good news!
19th Dec Preparing with Mary.
26th Dec Joy to the World!
Advance Notices
Tuesday 14th December the Memory Lane Café will hold an informal Carol Service in the Church Hall, starting at 2 pm, followed by refreshments. Carers, family and friends will be most welcome.
Sunday 19th December - Candlelit 9 Lessons & Carols Service in St. John’s, starting at 6 pm.
We hope that all Christmas Services will go ahead as usual. (Masks to be worn, please, at all major Services.)
Stay safe,
John Ganjavi
28th November 2021
Dear Friends,
Advent Sunday Special! As well as the morning Services, there will be a candlelit Service in St. Nicholas’, starting at 6 pm. (Masks required.)
Henley Advent Calendar Windows: Each day in December, until Christmas Eve, some decorated windows will be lit up on the High Street and around Town. Join in the fun of spotting new windows. Want to add your window to the list? Want a map of where to find the windows. Contact Annie Davies at annie@anniedavies.com or the library.
St. John’s Christmas Tree Festival starts this Saturday, 4th December, and continues each day 11 am – 4 pm. until 11th December. Come and enjoy a church full of festive cheer! (And pick up some ideas for your own tree.)
‘THE CHOIR WITH NO NAME’ works with the homeless, and those at the edge of society, providing them with comfort, joy and fun through music. Rehearsals and food go together as they prepare for performances. Let’s help the Birmingham branch (which has 45 members) by providing each one with the Christmas gift of a Greggs food voucher. Please put your cash donation in an envelope marked ‘No Name Choir’ and place it on the Church Plate or pop it round to the Rectory. Deadline 15/12.
ECO CHURCH Practical ideas for reducing our carbon footprint can be found on the North Aisle Noticeboard. For example: Do you send Christmas cards to church members? How about putting a card on the North Aisle board, addressed to everyone in church! Then give the saved cost to charity. (It cuts down on paper use as well!)
Advance Notices
Tuesday 14th December the Memory Lane Café will hold an informal Carol Service in the Church Hall, starting at 2 pm, followed by refreshments. Carers, family and friends will be most welcome.
Sunday 19th December - Candlelit 9 Lessons & Carols Service in St. John’s, starting at 6 pm.
We hope that all Christmas Services will go ahead as usual. (Masks to be worn, please, at all major Services.)
Stay safe,
John Ganjavi
21st November 2021
Dear Friends,
Charity
Let’s support the WI collection in aid of homeless men and women in Birmingham. You can place your gift in the box at the back of church: Socks, Underwear, Hat, Gloves, Comb/Brush, Toothbrush/Paste, Lip Balm, Baby Wipes/Hygiene Wipes, Deodorants/Body Sprays, Tissues, Shower Gel, Soap, Sanitary Items, Shampoo, Hand Cream, Hand-warmers, Chocolate, Sweets, Mints, Biscuits, Bottle of Water, etc. Deadline 30/11.
‘The Choir with No Name’ works with the homeless, and those at the edge of society, providing them with comfort, joy and fun through music. Rehearsals and food go together as they prepare for performances. Let’s help the Birmingham branch (which has 45 members) by providing each one with the Christmas gift of a Greggs food voucher. Please put your cash donation in an envelope marked ‘No Name Choir’ and place it on the Church Plate or pop it round to the Rectory. Deadline 15/12.
Eco Church
Practical ideas for reducing our carbon footprint can be found on the North Aisle Noticeboard. For example: The television uses energy whilst on standby; switch it off when not in use.
Advent approaches!
Next Sunday, 28th November, is Advent Sunday, and as well as the morning Services, there will be a candlelit Service in St. Nicholas’, starting at 6 pm.
Join in with the fun of the HENLEY ADVENT CALENDAR. Each day in December (until Christmas Eve) some decorated windows will be lit up on the High Street and around town. Join the fun of spotting new windows each day! Do you want to add your window to the list? Do you want a map of where to look for the windows? Contact Annie Davies (annie@anniedavies.com) or the library.
Stay safe,
John Ganjavi
14th November 2021
Dear Friends,
Forthcoming Services
Next Sunday 21st November the main morning Service will start at 11 am, and it will be the annual Court Leet Service. Please come and support this town tradition.
28th November is Advent Sunday, and as well as the morning Services, there will be a candlelit Service in St. Nicholas’, starting at 6 pm.
Eco Church
Practical ideas for reducing our carbon footprint can be found on the North Aisle Noticeboard. For example: 29% of all carbon emissions comes from transportation, so eat local and eat in season.
Charity
Well done to all who have contributed to the Shoebox Appeal. Over a hundred boxes full of gifts for some of the poorest children in the world have been donated and we, as a Parish Church, have raised enough funds to pay for the £5 per box shipping costs. That’s over £500!
Stay safe,
John Ganjavi
7th November 2021
Dear Friends,
Forthcoming Services
On Thursday 11th November there will be a short open air Service at the War Memorial in the grounds of the old Ardenhurst School/Warwickshire College.
On Sunday 14th November the main town Remembrance Service will be in St. John’s, starting at 10.45 am
On Sunday 21st November the main morning Service will start at 11 am, and it will be the annual Court Leet Service. Please come and support this town tradition.
Eco Church
Pray for a successful COP26 Conference. Practical ideas for reducing our carbon footprint can be found on the North Aisle Noticeboard. For example: Don’t store too many photos in the iCloud, and empty your email sent & bin boxes regularly. Storing these things takes up energy.
Charity
The Shoe-box Appeal enables us to send a box full of gifts to some of the poorest children in the world. UPDATE: Over 100 boxes are being filled! Let’s play our part by covering the shipping costs: £465 received; £50 to go!
Stay safe,
John Ganjavi
31st October 2021
Dear Friends,
Eco Church
We have registered to be an Eco Church – to reduce our carbon footprint. Practical ideas can be found on the North Aisle Noticeboard. For example: Only boil the kettle when you are ready to use it, and don’t over fill it.
Charity
The Shoe-box Appeal enables us to send a box full of gifts to some of the poorest children in the world. UPDATE: So far we have handed out 87 boxes for people to fill. It costs £5 to ship each box abroad. Can you help? Please contact me if you can! UPDATE: £210 received; £225 to go!
COVID Advice
Just in case you fall ill, make sure you have plenty of paracetamol, a supply of easy to make meals, your regular prescriptions are not running low, and you know who to call if you need assistance with shopping. And remember, we are here to help.
Stay safe,
John Ganjavi
24th October 2021
Dear Friends,
Thank you for your good wishes as I recover from Covid. My isolation ends on Friday 22nd October and I look forward to being back in circulation.
On Sunday 31st October we shall be marking All Souls Day – a time to remember our much loved departed family and friends. Is there someone you wish us to remember? Send their name to me via johnganjavi@btinternet.com or through the letterbox at the Rectory by Wednesday 27th October. Please include your name, their name, and the connection between you. During the Services we will light a candle for them and mention them by name in the Prayers.
We are involved in the national Eco Church scheme. This is a scheme to help us care for our environment. If you want some practical ideas, pop into St. John’s and check out the Eco Church Noticeboard in the North Aisle.
We are busy supporting Operation Christmas Child at the moment. Through this project, some of the poorest children in the world will receive a ‘shoe-box-ful’ of goodies and a Christian good news message. Many in the town have joined in. Our part is to cover shipping costs which is £5 per box. Please contact me if you wish to help.
Stay safe,
John Ganjavi
10th October 2021
Dear Friends,
I hope you are keeping well. It was lovely to see the church decorated for Harvest last Sunday, and we had a good collection of food for Stratford Foodbank. We now look ahead to this Sunday when our 10 am Service will be about the Climate and our responsibilities towards the natural world. The following week we will be welcoming Sunday Club back to church after an absence of nearly two years! It will be interesting to see how the children have grown up in this time! Looking even further ahead, yes, to Christmas, this year we will be supporting ‘Operation Christmas Child’ which is organised by a Charity called Samaritan’s Purse. The idea is that we fill a shoebox with presents, hygiene products and educational equipment and then they are sent to children throughout the world who are in greatest need. This project was suggested to me by Amy Bailitis and we have already had almost a hundred enquiries! Each shoebox costs £5 to ship, and it would be great if we, as a congregation, could contribute to this cost. If you are interested, please send a cash donation to the Rectory in an envelope clearly marked as ‘Christmas Child’.
Stay safe,
John Ganjavi
3rd October 2021
Dear Friends,
I hope you are keeping well. A shortage of some products in our shops and closed petrol stations distract us from the Pandemic. People are now more concerned about whether they will be eating turkey at Christmas than whether they will be ill or not. Funny old world! The good news is that the booster jab is now being rolled out. I took my father for his vaccination in deepest Birmingham last Tuesday. Within our own congregation Sylvia Kaines has caught the virus, but she is thankfully on the mend now. Rough though the experience has been, Chris and Sylvia are very grateful to the vaccination programme.
In church, this week we will be increasing our singing to four hymns. As mentioned last week, this Sunday’s 10 am Service will be our Harvest Festival. Once more, we will be supporting Stratford Foodbank through our donations. As well as the usual non-perishable contributions (and cash donations) the Foodbank has requested: WASHING UP LIQUID, SHAMPOO, WASHING POWDER, DOG FOOD, BAGS FOR LIFE, DEODORANT, SHAVING FOAM and TOILET ROLLS.
We miss seeing our Sunday Club children in church, but I am pleased to say that after a recent Leaders’ Meeting we are planning their return in the near future. We will advertise this activity in advance in case it affects anyone’s attendance plans.
Stay safe,
John Ganjavi
26th September 2021
Dear Friends,
I hope you are keeping well. As predicted, the weather turned nice as the school term started! A bit of sunshine brightens us up and the world looks like a good place. There seems to be two focuses for the pandemic: One focus is the start of the booster jabs rollout. I will be taking my father to have his booster vaccination on Tuesday. We all know that the double-jab becomes less effective after six months, and so these third jabs are very welcome and will restore our confidence. The other focus is on children and youth and the offer of a first jab to the over twelves. Of course, at our church primary school we are looking after the under twelves. While the sun shines, the children can enjoy a greater freedom outdoors, but indoors restrictions still apply. The Education Department has suggested that Staff Meetings should not happen face to face but rather they should happen via the internet. Similarly our Governors’ Meetings will sadly continue courtesy of Microsoft and modern technology. I can assure you, it’s not the same as meeting face to face! Meanwhile, I am hoping to have a meeting with our Sunday Club Leaders to catch up on the children’s wellbeing. Thankfully this meeting will be face to face.
Next Sunday’s 10 am Service will be our Harvest Festival. Despite the restrictions I am sure we will enjoy our harvest hymns. Once more, we will be supporting Stratford Foodbank through our donations. As well as the usual non-perishable contributions (and cash donations) the Foodbank has requested: WASHING UP LIQUID, SHAMPOO, WASHING POWDER, DOG FOOD, BAGS FOR LIFE, DEODORANT, SHAVING FOAM and TOILET ROLLS.
Stay safe,
John Ganjavi
19th September 2021
Dear Friends,
I hope you are keeping well. No doubt we have all been listening to the Prime Minister as he sets out plans to combat COVID during the autumn and winter. I, for one, will be much more comfortable once we’ve had the booster jab. At the present moment the rector of Alcester is off work with COVID and if feeling very rough with it. Also, the bishop of Coventry has contracted COVID and we have been asked to pray for his speedy recovery. Both of them have been double-jabbed.
We held a PCC Meeting on Tuesday and we reviewed our recent easing of restrictions in church. Everyone felt that the new procedures have been well received as we continue to act responsibly and with caution. It was decided to go slightly further in the following ways:
- Make the wearing of masks optional at the 8 am Sunday Service as of this Sunday. (Similar to what is happening at the Wednesday Communion.)
- Restore full sidesman’s duties at the Sunday Service from the beginning of October.
- Increase hymn singing at the 10 am Sunday Service to four hymns.
- Re-introduce church literature at the back of church for the benefit of casual visitors.
We had a long discussion about the use of masks at the 10 am Sunday Service, but we decided that for the moment we would maintain all safety measures ie hand sanitising on arrival, mask wearing and social distancing at this main Service. We hope that this cautious approach will continue to reassure us all and encourage attendance.
Stay safe,
John Ganjavi
12th September 2021
Dear Friends,
I hope you are keeping well. It was lovely to see many church members at the Service last Monday for Shelia Nicholson. In the Service I referred to the formidable ‘Hobbins Sisters’ – Jean, Joyce, Shelia and Sylvia – and that inspired Ginny Matheou to find some photographs from past Coffee Mornings that were held in her garden, showing the sisters sat round a table. We miss these social occasions, and we look forward to their return.
We will be holding a PCC meeting soon and we will be thinking about arrangements between now and the end of the year. No doubt our decisions will baffle some as some events go ahead and others don’t. For example on Remembrance Sunday I hope to welcome as many as possible in church provided they wear masks, but I doubt very much if the Christmas Bazaar will go ahead…unless we can guarantee glorious weather and outdoor stalls.
In the past few weeks I have conducted nine baptisms, and there are four more booked in. We miss our Sunday Club activities but at least the children are being spiritually catered for through our church school. Last Tuesday I hope the children enjoyed my first video assembly of the term on the subject of ‘Trust’.
Finally, another subject that the PCC will need to address is Mission. All churches have been invited to consider local plans through which we can continue to be an effective spiritual presence in the parish and hopefully increase our membership. If you have any ideas on this important matter, please let me know.
Stay safe,
John Ganjavi
5th September 2021
Dear Friends,
I hope you are keeping well. On Monday the Church Hall and surroundings were the scene for our Church Fayre. There was a wonderful atmosphere as many people enjoyed the traditional experience of the event. Masterminded by Graham Hindley, who was assisted by forty four volunteers, the Fayre raised a staggering amount of £6,100 – this includes a £1,800 contribution from the Duck Race. Well done everyone!
Today I had a Henley Churches Together meeting. Our Baptist and Methodist friends are in a very similar position to us, holding Services with social distancing and masks. We considered what we might be able to do together between now and the end of the year, but sadly we concluded that unless things take a dramatic turn for the better we shall have to wait until next year before we can meet together.
Last Sunday we highlighted the need to support Afghan refugees. Although we can’t be sure where they will eventually settle, a number of refugee families will be staying in the area. The best way to support them is by contributing financially to the local ‘Welcome Here’ charity. The link to their funding page is:
https://www.justgiving.com/crowdfunding/welcomehereafghanistanrefugeeappeal
Please remember that a Thanksgiving Service for Shelia Nicholson will take place in St. Nicholas’ on Monday 6th September, starting at 11.30 am. I hope many will attend.
Stay safe,
John Ganjavi
29th August 2021
Dear Friends,
I hope you are keeping well. It’s good to see some sunshine, and the forecast is promising for the Church Fayre on Monday. The Fayre will start around the Church Hall down Beaudesert Lane at 12 noon, and go on until 4 pm.
In the past few days I have conducted two weddings at St. Nicholas’. Both have been well-attended and joyful occasions with a mixture of comical and serious moments. For example, in both weddings the brides kissed their new husbands only to transfer much of their lipstick onto their partners’ lips.
In September we will be having another PCC when we will consider how the easing of restrictions in our Services has been received, and what further easing might be appropriate. It is very difficult to gauge the national situation. Statistics are showing a trend in the wrong direction, but then we are told that this is in line with expectations. Let us all pray for wisdom.
Finally, a Thanksgiving Service for Shelia Nicholson will take place in St. Nicholas’ on Monday 6th September, starting at 11.30 am. I hope many will attend.
Stay safe,
John Ganjavi
22nd August 2021
Dear Friends,
I hope you are keeping well. Sadly I have to let you know that Shelia Nicholson passed away last Saturday. Shelia has served Henley and St. John’s very faithfully over many years. We thank God for her.
Church life continues to go well with well-attended Services (given the circumstances), and there is a buzz about the place as we prepare for the Church Fayre on Bank Holiday Monday, 30th August, 12 noon to 4 pm.
In the next few days I will be conducting two weddings and a baptism. For these occasions there is no social distancing, but masks need to be worn. I am glad that in baptism Services I can now hold the babies as I baptise them. In previous months I have had to throw water at them from a distance!
News about the pandemic has lessened as the headlines are dominated by what is happening in Afghanistan. Nevertheless, the virus is still very much with us. Let’s hope that there is more good medical news to come as we look ahead and consider plans for the autumn.
Stay safe,
John Ganjavi
15th August 2021
Dear Friends,
I hope you are keeping well. I am pleased to say that the re-introduction of familiar elements of our Church Services have been well-received with the involvement of the congregation in sidesmen duties, Lesson Reading, Prayers and Preaching. Singing hymns again has also been very welcome. We continue being vigilant regarding safety measures, and it is good to see people’s confidence in the balance we have struck between restrictions and freedoms. Baptisms and weddings are keeping me very busy, and I also congratulate Malcolm Aldridge and his team of volunteers in starting up ‘Memory Lane Café’ in the Church Hall last Tuesday (for those facing the challenge of memory loss, and their helpers). Looking ahead, the Church Fayre is getting closer and is something to look forward to – Bank Holiday Monday 30th August, 12 noon – 4 pm around the Church Hall. On this subject, Nevenka encourages us to get baking for the cake stall (these can be delivered to the Church Hall on the Monday morning).
Having said this, I do want to say something about risk assessment. We all receive a lot of information every day regarding the COVID threat, and a lot of it is confusing. Each one of us has to sift through the news and make decisions about our routines and behaviour. As a result, we might come to views that are not shared or understood by others. For example, I often hear, “Why can’t we do … when we already do …”. The answer is that sometimes we are faced with a number of options where all of them carry the same level of risk. Let’s say that we have ten options, each one carrying a 10% risk. I consider it wholly reasonable to say that we will take up three of the options because they matter the most to us, but we will pass on the other seven. In old language it’s about not pushing your luck.
Stay safe,
John Ganjavi
8th August 2021
Dear Friends,
I hope you are keeping well. First of all, following on from last week’s news, I am pleased to say that Mike Eager is home from hospital and he and Nicky continue to recover at home.
The changes to our Services have now been implemented and have been well-received. We now have a sidesman on the door to greet you at the 10 am Sunday Service, volunteers reading the Lessons, and the Prayer Leading and Preaching rotas are resumed as well. Most significantly, the reintroduction of hymn singing, albeit with masks on, has been very welcome. The Common Cup has been made available for those who wish to partake, and a handful of people have welcomed the opportunity to receive the wine of Communion. Of all the changes introduced, the use of the Common Cup is the most debateable. Having offered it in Ullenhall, there was no take-up which may be an interesting reflection on the churchmanship of the two parishes.
Talking about two parishes, a very significant development has taken place during the last few weeks. Both the Henley and Ullenhall PCCs have unanimously agreed to start the process by which we will become one parish. In practice this is more of an administrative move, but it also shows a very good relationship between the two churches which will lead to an increased awareness and support of each other. The process will take many months, but at least we have made a good start.
Finally, during the next few weeks we will be considering the way we communicate amongst ourselves and also with the wider parish. These pandemic months have made us develop new ways of keeping in touch, and we need to now consider the best way of continuing to do this. For those of you who are not on the internet, there will only be minor changes (if any), but those who have access to electronic communication will need to be contacted to gauge the level of their skills! When I hand somebody a letter, I know they have received it, but when I send a message via the internet…I live by faith.
Stay safe,
John Ganjavi
1st August 2021
Dear Friends,
I hope you are keeping well. We now get ready to venture into August with all the changes to our church Services mentioned last week now in place. So far, the changes we have introduced have been well-received. I do, however, need to strike a note of caution. With their permission I wish to tell you about Mike & Nicky Eager. Mike & Nicky’s daughter is an NHS frontline A & E physio, and out of respect for her work mum and dad have carefully followed all guidelines. Also, Nicky cares for her elderly mother – another reason to be cautious.
Unfortunately, both Mike & Nicky have now caught the virus, and they are bewildered as to how this may have happened. Both of them have been double-jabbed but that has not prevented Mike having to be hospitalised in order to build up his oxygen levels. Mike & Nicky want us to be aware of their situation because they are concerned about the too relaxed attitude of some to the present COVID dangers. I am sure that you will agree with me that this warning is timely, and we will proceed with caution.
On a brighter note, the baptisms and weddings season is now in full swing and it is good to be able to welcome people to church again for such happy occasions. I am grateful to the couples and families for understanding the need to sanitise and wear masks and, so far, these requirements have not diminished the joy of the occasions.
Stay safe,
John Ganjavi
25th July 2021
Dear Friends,
I hope you are keeping well. The government has removed all legal restrictions, and it is up to every business and organisation to set their own rules and guidelines. The Church of England has issued a statement, strongly urging caution, and suggesting that nothing is changed until the end of August. Nevertheless, the demand for change is strong. Our PCC met last Tuesday (before the Church of England statement) and agreed a number of changes which, I believe, show a balanced respect between the wishes of the congregation and the advice of the Church of England. Here is what has been agreed:
- St. John’s and St. Nicholas’ will be open every day, unsupervised. There will be a hand sanitising station at the back of church. A prominent Notice will ask visitors to use the hand sanitiser, but the wearing of masks will be optional outside of Service times.
- There will be no literature available at the back of the church apart from the Guidebook.
- The safeguarding measures of hand sanitisation, social distancing and mask wearing will continue as at present for the 8 am and 10 am Sunday Services.
- The votive prayer candles will be available again in the Sanctuary.
- The Sidesmen/Lesson Readers/Prayer Leaders/Preachers rotas will be reinstated from 1st August.
- The limit on Choir members attending will be increased to eight, with two extra seats in the Sanctuary. The Choir will still be required to wear masks when singing.
- From 1st August there will be two hymns at the 10 am Sunday Service plus any musical item offered by the Choir.
- A decision regarding the use of the Collection Plate has been deferred until the September PCC Meeting.
- The Sharing of the Peace will still be in the form of waving at each other.
- Special Services to mark the resumption of normal life will not take place until the medical situation in the country is much safer.
- There will be no refreshments served in church for the time being.
- The church toilets will remain closed for the time being.
- At the 10 am monthly Sunday Holy Communion Service, there will be no change to the procedure apart from the re-introduction of the words when giving and receiving the consecrated bread.
- At the 8 am Sunday Holy Communion Service, the congregation will be invited to kneel at the Altar rail to receive their Communion whilst still maintaining social distance. The receiving of the consecrated wine from the Common Cup will be optional.
- At the 10 am Wednesday Holy Communion Service, the congregation will be expected to use the hand sanitiser and sit socially distanced, but the wearing of masks will be optional. Also, similar to the 8 am Sunday Service, the congregation will be invited to kneel at the Altar rail to receive their Communion whilst still maintaining social distance. The receiving of the consecrated wine from the Common Cup will be optional.
Please continue to share your views with me as we feel our way forward.
Stay safe,
John Ganjavi
18th July 2021
Dear Friends,
I hope you are keeping well. We managed to get away for a few days last week, courtesy of a friend who kindly lent us their holiday lodge near Weymouth. On the Tuesday evening I still had to go online and chair a school governors’ meeting. It was very odd to be in a meeting about local matters and then to walk out of the room at the end and look across to Portland! Such is the peculiar business of the internet allowing us to work from anywhere in the world.
Well, the Prime Minister has made his statement about what will happen next Monday. Since then, local government and businesses have had to decide what they will do from Monday onwards. I understand that a government committee will be meeting this week to decide guidelines for places of worship. As soon as they are published, the national Church of England committee will meet to see how the guidelines affect us. I expressed my personal views to some last week about how we might ease restrictions locally, but I must say that I am hearing of a lot of unease in local churches, suggesting that we might have to be more cautious than anticipated. Those who have already restarted coming to church want to have less restrictions. Those who as yet haven’t returned are even less inclined to return if matters are eased. And then there are those who want no restrictions at all. The Prime Minister has suggested that safety measures should be a matter of personal choice. I can’t help but think that the statement reflects his character rather than the scientific data. So, be warned: caution and patience and vigilance remain the themes of our times.
Please continue to share your views with me as we feel our way forward.
Stay safe,
John Ganjavi
11th July 2021
Dear Friends,
I hope you are well. We now know that all restrictions will be lifted on 19th July. It looks like this will apply to church life as well. Some will see this as very welcome and overdue news whilst others will be wary of this development. Many places are now being asked to use their own judgment as to what safety requirements they will be insisting on. In particular, indoor venues where anyone can visit are concerned about what safety measures they should still keep in place. I had a letter from a local Crematorium asking the clergy for advice, and views about our expectations. We are heading for a confusing time.
Where does all this leave us? 19th July is not a day when we can celebrate the ending of COVID. Therefore, we can’t put the bunting up and organise celebratory events yet. What will happen is that we will start lifting restrictions, and eventually everyone will feel able to return to church – church as we knew it. But what do we do on Sunday 25th July? Do we abandon restricted seating? Do we start singing hymns? What about sanitisation and masks? Then, what about the common cup in Communion Services? What about refreshments in church? I guess I am asking you for your advice!
This is where I am at: Let’s open our churches again all week, without supervision. I suggest sanitising our hands is optional. Let’s sit where we wish, with no limit on numbers. Let’s sing hymns again. Let’s have lay involvement in the Services. Let’s receive the bread of Communion at the altar rail in the normal fashion. But let’s still wear masks in church. Let’s refrain from the common cup of Communion, or possibly make it optional. And let’s not reintroduce refreshments in church yet. My hope is to find a way forward that satisfies those keen on having no restrictions, and those who need reassurance that church attendance will continue to be safe. What do you think?
Stay safe,
John Ganjavi
4th July 2021
Dear Friends,
I hope you are well. We are now well past the previous Lockdown Liberation date (21/6) and heading towards the next one (19/7). As Elaine rightly reminds me, it is not only what the government says but what each individual interprets as safe that will affect attendance. Our church attendance figures are going up, but as well as some who have not attended since the very first lockdown, there are a handful of members who have not yet returned to church this time round even though they have attended during the past year. The good news is that spiritual support continues to be available to all. There are still no guidelines forthcoming from the Church of England, but when Lockdown restrictions do finally lift, please don’t expect a mad dash to normality. Second guessing what might come, we will reintroduce all the things we have missed step by step.
Thank you for your support for St. John’s, especially the support you are giving to one another.
Stay safe,
John Ganjavi
P.S. My July Blog is now on the website
27th June 2021
Dear Friends,
Is it me, or are the days getting shorter! Yes, we have passed the Summer Solstice. This makes me look ahead and wonder what the autumn and Christmas arrangements will be like. Let’s hope that our fight against this virus continues to go well. To use a footballing analogy, on 21st June we thought the 90 minutes were up, and by 19th July the Extra Time should also be over. And we certainly don’t want a penalty shoot-out! These deadline dates are necessary for businesses to plan ahead, but they mess around with our heads. I find myself starting to think about all the things I would like to do once the restrictions are over, and that kind of thinking makes me restless. Let’s pray for patience and wisdom for us all.
I have been asking for your comments about church life once restrictions are over. You are all being very slow to respond! The general view, so far, is that we look forward to the return of what was normal. We miss the social side of church life, and we miss singing. As far as your instructions to me, I was amused after one Service when one person said to me how much they had appreciated receiving more input from me, and the next person suggested I should have a Sunday off every week! I have heard that you like the YouTube videos I have been producing (search on YouTube for ‘Church Service Henley in Arden’), but you also like the written Services because you can refer back to them once you have heard the sermon. The letters that go out to those without internet have been well-received and could well be a way of serving those who can’t get to church in the future. I understand everything that you have said, so far, and therefore I have asked God to make every month a five Sunday month with every week being ten days long. He hasn’t come back to me yet.
Keep those ideas flowing! In the meantime, during next week I will be sending you a letter from Robin Rumbles explaining what it means for us to be an Eco Church.
Stay safe,
John Ganjavi
20th June 2021
Dear Friends,
I hope you are keeping well. We now know that the present restrictions will continue until 19th July. The publishing of any such dates, while necessary for businesses to plan their work, causes speculation, expectation and often exasperation. It is easy to get preoccupied with a date rather than the real issue of the pandemic. So, how are we doing? We are told that the pandemic is on the rise, especially amongst the young, but it may have peaked in recent days. Hospital admissions are rising, but the number of those who are critically ill remains low. There is always a fear that, the longer the pandemic continues, there is a chance of yet another variant, but at the same time we are told that our scientists are getting good at adapting the vaccines to meet the new challenges. We hear that the present imported home testing kits are no good, but at the same time we have British companies with top quality products waiting to receive authorisation. Finally, holidays abroad this year are unlikely, but vaccine passports may change all that. Weighing all this news up, each one of us will may our own subjective judgment.
Regarding church life, all present restrictions need to stay in place until at least 19th July. I am in touch with a baptism family and a wedding couple, offering imaginative indoors/outdoors possibilities during July but their main problem is with their party venues. Whilst they can have an unlimited number of guests, the real situation is that they can only have as many as the venue can accommodate socially distanced. This, of course, applies to church buildings as well. Let’s hope that August will be better.
Talking of August, we hope to have a Fete on Bank Holiday Monday, 30th August. Within the programme we hope to have an exhibition in St. Nicholas’ of any artwork produced locally during Lockdown. Annie Davies is in charge of this project. Please get in touch with Annie, or myself, if you have something to offer!
Stay safe,
John Ganjavi
13th June 2021
Dear Friends,
I hope you are well. I have just read about an Italian woman who has woken up after ten months in a coma. That means she has been out for the count since last August. I wonder what she is making of our world situation. I guess she would be amazed by the progress with finding a vaccine and delivering it. But she might also be surprised that we have had a second and third wave of the virus. I think this lady would legitimately want to know that happened to all the precautions, restrictions and sanitisation. Almost everybody I have spoken to recently is fed up and wants no delay beyond 21st June for the lifting of all restrictions. The unfortunate situation is that the complete lifting of restrictions may well get delayed because…we haven’t had enough restrictions. We will have to break the news to our recovering coma patient that not everybody has been strict enough, and not everybody has obeyed the rules. Even as I write this I can hear your responses, ‘Well, I have kept the rules.’ ‘No, John, the real problem is…’ This only proves to me that we are all interpreters of the law and life. It has ever been thus since Adam was a lad! Meanwhile, I have a wedding couple due to get married on 3rd July, and a baptism family waiting for a Service on 17th July. We are living in an anxious phase.
It’s good to see quite a few of you on Sundays. This Sunday I hope six choir members will don their masks and sing us a hymn.
Stay safe,
John Ganjavi
6th June 2021
Dear Friends,
I hope you are well. The month of June arrives and the debate over what will happen in 21st June hots up. As we cope with news of Indian, Vietnamese and Nepalese variants we get encouraging statistics regarding vaccinations. If you, like myself, are finding it difficult to predict the next few weeks, spare a thought for our baptism families and weddings couples. Anxious times!
We now enter the long season of Trinity that will go on for around twenty weeks. Let’s hope there is good and decisive news by the end of the season!
Thank you for reading my Annual Report (given last week) and checking the church accounts. I repeat my request that you let me know your thoughts about what has been good/challenging/comforting/difficult about the least year regarding church life so that I might be able to give some pointers about how we will develop church life for the future. Thank you.
Stay safe,
John Ganjavi
(Please also have a read of my June Blog on our website!)
30th May 2021
This week, our Latest News takes the form of my Annual Report. I hope you will read it carefully!
Rector’s Annual Report – May 2021
Sunday, 15th March 2020 marked the last day of normal Services before the COVID 19 pandemic Lockdown. On the following Sunday, Mothering Sunday, our church doors were open for anyone who wanted to come in and collect a Service Sheet and some flowers. And then we had to close until Sunday 12th July 2020.
In the days leading up to Mothering Sunday it seemed that news and guidance changed every day, but some sort of Lockdown began to look inevitable. Quickly we had to establish lines of communication, finding out who had internet access and who had not. Email addresses had to be checked and updated. It was very fortunate that prior to Lockdown our church website had been up and running. Therefore, we were able to immediately respond to the crisis by uploading news and a Service for Mothering Sunday as well as sending a Service Sheet to those who were not on the internet. I am grateful to Robin and Anne Rumbles who volunteered to deliver around twenty weekly letters and Service Sheets around the parish. Little did they know that the job would still be theirs over a year later! I am also grateful to Phil Cox, our Website Manager, for working with me to develop the way we present items on the website.
Having seen our efforts online, Nigel, from Mayswood Garage, asked me if I could help him produce a promotional video. I think Nigel thought I had skills which in fact I didn’t have! Anyway, the video was produced and I learnt more filming skills along the way that fed into better online presentations.
Apart from the weekly Service video, I have been producing a monthly School Assembly video as well as a monthly Henley Express video. No, Hollywood hasn’t been in touch.
As well as delivering spiritual care through Services, Pastoral Care has been of paramount importance. I am grateful to the members of our Pastoral Care Group, Daphne Jones, Malcolm Aldridge, Mike & Jenni Bleby and Cilla Pudney who agreed to be in regular contact with the whole congregation. One pastoral matter which I wish to highlight is the situation with Brian Jackson. Brian’s contribution to Henley over the years is incalculable. At the beginning of the pandemic Brian was still seen around town, brooming Beaudesert Lane and attending Services in his usual joyful manner. Sadly, his increasing problems due to Alzheimer’s disease has meant that he has had to go to a care home in Alcester permanently.
By mid July we were able to re-open our church buildings, albeit under many restrictions. Guidelines had to be understood and adapted to our circumstances. Sanitisation products had to be procured. Volunteers kindly stepped forward to steward St. John’s so that we could open for a few hours on Wednesdays and Saturdays. Our first Sunday back was 12th July when twenty eight people attended a short said Service. By the beginning of September we were able to resume Wednesday Communions, and the attendance at the two Sunday Services had climbed to over fifty. The delivering of Service Sheets through letterboxes and online, however, continued and have done so to this date.
Apart from a few weeks in November, weekly Services continued through to 3rd January 2021. A Remembrance Service was held in the Jubilee Garden, but the main concern was how to celebrate Christmas together. It was decided to go ahead with the usual Christmas morning Services, but the Christmas Eve Services had to be modified. The Christmas Eve Midnight Communion went ahead by ‘Ticket Only’, but the biggest challenge was what to do instead of the Christmas Eve 5 pm Crib Service. Plans for an alternative had actually started in September. The idea was to produce a very special half hour video that would go onto YouTube. I am pleased to say that with the help of many people a most memorable Christmas video was produced which went on to have over 1,600 viewings.
The next challenge was how to celebrate Easter 2021. A successful ecumenical Good Friday Service took place in St. Nicholas’ churchyard, and a 9 am Easter morning Communion was attended by thirty five worshippers.
Regular Service were resumed from the beginning of May, including an Ascension Day 7 am Service on the Mount.
As you can imagine, baptisms and weddings have been severely affected by restrictions. No baptisms were conducted in 2020, and the first baptism of 2021 took place on 9th May. I have kept in touch with families who wish, at some stage, to hold a Baptism Service for their child, and a number of baptisms have been booked in for later this year. Similarly, no weddings took place in 2020. Again, I have kept in touch with all brides and grooms as plans have changed, and changed again over the months. (I did, however, go across to Hagley parish Church in December to conduct the wedding of Ben & Abbie Tillman.) The first wedding on 2021 is due to take place on 18th June.
In 2020 there were twenty three funerals. In 2021 there have been eleven funerals to date. Since the beginning of 2020 we have had to say farewell to the following members of our congregation: Pam Ford, Mary Halliwell, Barbara Sunderland, Philip Tillman and Peter Wale.
I am very grateful to you all for your continued support for St. John’s. Due to the hard work of our Treasurer, Graham Hindley, almost all of us have moved to Standing Orders, and quite a few of us have joined the new Parish Giving Scheme. This has meant that despite a big loss of income from Hall rentals and Social events we have stayed, in the immortal words of the late Alec Halliwell who was a previous Treasurer, ‘solvent’. In fact I am very grateful indeed to Graham Hindley for his tireless work to maintain our property and finances during this pandemic.
Apart from the demands of parish life, since September 2020 I have taken on the Chair of Governors at our Church of England Primary School. I am very impressed by the dedication of all the school staff in navigating a way through the pandemic. Their work has been, and continues to be, most impressive. Governors’ Meetings have been taking place via Microsoft Teams. I look forward to a face to face meeting in July. Looking ahead, we do need more people to volunteer as governors. Please let me know if you are interested and need more information.
As ever, I am grateful to Jo & Helene, our churchwardens, Malcolm and Warwick (now Emeritus), our Readers, all the PCC, our organists, Jon, Andrew and Peter, and to you for keeping our church community together over these trying months. I hope I am not wrong is assuming that all elected officers are happy to be re-elected. Having said that, Pam Hayes, our Safeguarding Officer will be stepping down soon as the Hayes family have purchased a property in Swanage. Pam reports that during the pandemic months there have been no safeguarding concerns to report. As restrictions ease, our ongoing Safeguarding training will resume.
What will the future hold? I look forward to holding ‘unrestricted’ Services! I look forward to the restarting of Sunday Club. A few church members have helped us join the ‘Eco-Church’ scheme, and I look forward to seeing their work develop under the leadership of Robin Rumbles. Graham Hindley will be selling ducks soon for the annual Duck Race on 30th August! In many ways we look forward to the return of things we were enjoying back in 2019. At the same time, we do need to reflect on all that has happened since – to consider how we have maintained church life, what has been appreciated and what has been difficult, what we should continue doing and what we should be starting to do. I welcome your thoughts.
John Ganjavi
23rd May 2021
Dear Friends,
I hope you are well. Are you benefiting from the recent easing of restrictions? I had a Governors’ Meeting for our Primary School and the teachers are saying that one of their problems at the moment is pressure from some parents for the school to lift some of its restrictions. The view is that because restrictions have eased in the home and on the High Street, then restrictions should be eased everywhere. This is not the case. The Department for Education has told schools to keep everything as it has been until the end of term. This is the same as the instruction we have from the Coventry Diocese to keep all restrictions in place until the next easing. It is not always easy to understand what is permissible and what is sensible.
In my last letter I mentioned Annual Parish Church Meetings. In the light of responses I have received I think the best way forward would be for me to send a Report and the Church Accounts to you in the next few days, and deal with any questions or comments as they arise, and then I will round things off in church on Sunday 30th May.
Thank you to everyone who has supported Christian Aid over the last few weeks. I am pleased to say that £450 has been raised with many donations being gift-aided.
Thank you for your support, patience and care.
Stay safe,
John Ganjavi
16th May 2021
Dear Friends,
I hope you are well. Last Sunday I conducted the first baptism in eighteen months. The parents of the nine month old baby said that they were happy for me to hold the baby at the point of baptism, but I had to tell them that I was not allowed to do that. So, we followed Church of England guidelines and the dad held the baby close to the font. I then threw water at them from a distance (three times, of course). The baby and her dad were drenched – not very ethereal, but effective!
The church Services continue to go well with similar numbers to the previous week attending. There is a sense in the air that restrictions relating to Services will now be gradually lifted, but the Church of England has just informed us that nothing will change before 21st June. The only concession that I have been able to introduce is that we now can use the usual Service leaflets/booklets rather than using shorter versions.
This is the time for Annual Parochial Church Meetings. These meetings (in which we look at the annual Accounts as well as reviewing church life in general and conducting any necessary elections) need to take place by the end of May. Please let me know by Wednesday 19/5 if you wish to be involved with the Meeting. The number of participants will affect the way we set up the Meeting.
Well, that’s all for the moment apart from reminding you that I would appreciate your comments about the nature of church life in the future. What lessons have we learnt over the past months? What has worked, and what have we missed? Are there suggestions about how we might adapt the way we do things in the future? Please let me know.
Stay safe and take care,
John Ganjavi
9th May 2021
Dear Friends,
I hope you are well. It was great to see some of you in church on Sunday and Wednesday. There were 9 at the 8 am, 35 at the 10 am and 7 at the midweek Service. I am very much aware, however, that quite a few of you are choosing to not attend until life gets safer. Whether attending or not, this is a good time to think about the experience of Church during the pandemic. What has been challenging? What has been appreciated? What have you missed, and what has been welcome? At some stage life will return to normal – whether the old normal or the new normal. At that time we will want to develop our church life so that it incorporates good things we have learnt. Also we will want to emphasise aspects of church life that we have found to be important. And then there is communication: It would be good to know what has worked for you so that in the future we can all be better equipped to keep in touch with one another. The Bishop of Coventry’s favourite phrase at the moment is ‘re-imagining the Church’. Have your say!
Thursday is Ascension Day. It would be good if you could join me on the Mount for our usual 7 am short Act of Worship (an opportunity to belt out some hymns!). Sadly there will be no breakfast to follow this year.
Stay safe and take care,
John Ganjavi
P.S. Here is a reminder of the Notice about supporting Christian Aid:
In previous years during May we have supported Christian Aid. It is important that we do what we can to still support our favoured Charities. To this end, there will be a Collection Plate at the back of St. John’s for the next two Sundays and Wednesdays specifically for donations towards Christian Aid. If it is more convenient for you, you can drop a donation through the letterbox at Ginny Matheou’s house (114, High Street) or at the Rectory. Thank you for your support.
2nd May 2021
Dear Friends,
I hope you are well. I am pleased to say that our church will be open from this Sunday for our usual 8 & 10 am Services. Also, our 10 am Wednesday Communions will also start up again from 5th May. As I am sure you are aware, all previous safety practices still apply.
There will be no change to the weekly routine of sending out the news and Service via emails, church website, Henley Matters, YouTube and post.
Baptisms, weddings, and a few church socials are being tentatively put in the diary, but who knows under what circumstances these events might happen. We have been promised more news on 17th May regarding restrictions that may apply to later on in the year. Optimism and caution seem to be progressing hand in hand!
In previous years during May we have supported Christian Aid. It is important that we do what we can to still support our favoured Charities. To this end, there will be a Collection Plate at the back of St. John’s for the next three Sundays specifically for donations towards Christian Aid. Thank you for your support.
Take care, stay safe, and I will see some of you on Sunday!
John Ganjavi
25th April 2021
Dear Friends,
I hope you are well. I am looking forward to opening our churches again on Sunday 2nd May. All the usual safety guidelines will still apply to those who attend. Of course I shall continue providing a Service online and through letterboxes. Thanks again to Robin & Anne Rumbles for delivering the post and to Phil Cox for helping with our website and YouTube. We won’t have the church organ playing until later on in May as it is having its blower refurbished. (That’s the motor that pushes air up the pipes.) By the time we get permission to sing in church again maybe we will all need refurbished blowers!
The end of April is going to be a special time for Warwick Rogers. As you all know, Warwick is our senior Reader (Preacher and Service Taker). What you might not know is that Warwick was licenced as a Reader 38 years ago, and he has decided now to go Emeritus. Being an Emeritus Reader means that you are kind of retired but you can still preach and take Services up to six times a year without any associated bureaucracy. Well done, Warwick, and thank you for all your wonderful contribution to the life of the churches in Henley, Ullenhall and beyond. I will certainly take up the offer of six sermons a year! And here’s an amusing story about Warwick’s unique style of preaching: When my three children were young, they used to enjoy listening to Warwick’s sermons…or should I say ‘watching’ the sermons. They used to score Warwick’s sermons, with each hand gesture having a certain points value. Another favourite pastime was to see Warwick’s pulpit antics in cricketing terms. You can imagine their excitement as fours and sixes were declared, and occasionally a batsman was given out (although Warwick rarely points the finger at the congregation)! As it happens, they claim not to remember any of my preaching. Well done, Warwick!
Meanwhile, take care and stay safe,
John Ganjavi
18th April 2021
Dear Friends,
I hope you are well. In my letter, last week, I mentioned how not all of life is on hold during lockdown. Little did I know that our Royal Family would have to cope with such a huge upheaval as the death of the Duke of Edinburgh. The days still come and go, and the journey of life continues. Births and deaths still occur along with all that happens in-between. We offer her Majesty the Queen, and her family, our sincere condolences and hope that they all get ample support even in these difficult circumstances.
Talking about support for others, I would like to thank those of you who supported the Lent Appeal as we raised funds for Lifespace. I am pleased to say that £1,000 was raised. A very good effort and much appreciated.
My daughter, Zoe, and her family visited us this week. My two grandchildren aged four and seven are fully aware of ‘the virus’. They are aware of many restrictions as mum and dad repeatedly apply the hand sanitiser. Nevertheless, both grandchildren instinctively got very close and wanted to make contact with us. I mention this so that we can appreciate the challenges facing school staff as Easter holidays end. Let us support teachers and all school staff in whatever ways we can.
I have been asked why the churches are still locked despite shops and pubs opening. Let’s hope that the data in the next few weeks reassure us and that we can hold Services in our churches again from the beginning of May (two whole weeks before pubs and restaurants allow us back into their buildings).
Meanwhile, take care and stay safe,
John Ganjavi
11th April 2021
Dear Friends,
I hope you are well. I am pleased to say that we had a very good turn-out for the ecumenical Good Friday Service in St. Nicholas’ churchyard. The four readings were delivered by representatives of the Methodist, Baptist, Roman Catholic and Ullenhall Parish churches. The weather held and all went well. On Easter Day the 9 am Service in Henley had a congregation of thirty six, and the 11 am Service in Ullenhall was attended by twenty people. Many, understandably, stayed away for health reasons but all were remembered in the Services. The churches were decorated with Easter flowers and our organists played a medley of Easter hymns before and after the Services. When recording the YouTube Services (check out ‘Church Service Henley in Arden’) I have to keep to a script, so it was quite liberating to be able to preach without notes again.
With the roll-out of the vaccination programme it seems that the over fifties are more confident in getting out more whilst younger church members, especially those with families, are still reluctant to join larger gatherings. Partly to compensate for this Sunday Club children received Easter Books to help them enjoy the season.
Although we have all had to adjust to restrictions and adopt a less frenetic lifestyle, life still continues and opportunities as well as problems arise. We face short-term and long-term decisions which are more demanding than usual as we can’t get about and share our thoughts face to face with experts and friends. Let us make sure we hold each other in our prayers, and offer practical help wherever we can.
Meanwhile, take care and stay safe,
John Ganjavi
4th April 2021
Dear Friends,
I hope you are well. I was wondering whether this Easter would be colder than last Christmas, but then I remembered that Christmas 2020 was officially a white one as it snowed in east Yorkshire. There you are – things are getting better! We continue to watch pandemic troubles in Europe with unease, but thankfully the hospitalisation and death rates here are falling all the time. May the trend be our friend.
A good number have indicated that they will be in church for Easter Day, but still many feel safer at home. I want to assure you all that we will be one in spirit as we celebrate the Feast.
The hope remains that we will resume our weekly Services from the beginning of May. I appreciate the difficult judgement-call many of us have to make regarding attendance. We will move forward carefully, and we will look forward to the day when we can enjoy each other’s company again risk-free!
Happy Easter, Stay Safe, and keep in touch,
John Ganjavi
28th March 2021
Hello!
I hope you are well. We approach the most important week in the Church’s calendar, and I wish you all a good Holy Week and Easter. My own journey through Lent has been very interesting, spiritually, as I have focussed on an overlooked dimension to the ministry of Jesus and the purpose of the cross. Maybe you have detected this in my ‘Thoughts for the Day’. More clues this week. I am tempted to offer a prize to whoever can summarise the line I have been taking! There’s a challenge! Have you been following the Services? It isn’t easy to concentrate all the time. In a recent diocesan zoom meeting the worship leader requested that someone should read out Psalm 121. The bishop replied, ‘Yes, I will read Psalm 55.’
I have sent most of you a Service leaflet for Good Friday. (Don’t worry if you haven’t received one. There will be more handed out on Good Friday itself.) If you are planning to attend the Service, 10 am on Good Friday in St. Nicholas’ churchyard, please bring the leaflet with you. Otherwise, please use them at home. Why not sing the hymns as well while no-one is listening!
On Easter Day we shall be having a 9 am said Service of Holy Communion in St. John’s. If you are hoping to attend, but haven’t been in touch, please let me know as soon as possible. (I need to know if I have to arrange a ‘second sitting’.)
During Lent I have been looking at the different religions in the world. I was particularly struck by the Zoroastrian belief that life is about spreading happiness through generosity. This leads me to remind you about our Lent Project:
This Lent once more we will be supporting the local Charity – Lifespace. Based in Stratford upon Avon, Lifespace works with individual young people, with families and with schools, colleges, community groups and agencies in Warwickshire. Lifespace provides one to one mentoring for children and young people to reduce distress, build resilience and enable them to achieve more. The pressures on young people during this pandemic have been widely reported. At the very start of the troubles Lifespace moved its resources and support systems online, and they have been busier than ever. I commend their work to you.
You can post your donation either to the Rectory, or to our Treasurer Graham Hindley’s address, 112a, High Street, Henley in Arden, B95 5BS. Cheques should be made payable to ‘St. John’s PCC M+C Account’. If you prefer to pay by BACS the Sort Code is 30-98-26 and the Account Number is 59032568. Every donation, large or small, is much appreciated.
Thank you for all your faithfulness as we continue living under restrictions. Let’s look forward to better days. Meanwhile, have a good finale to Lent and ‘Happy Easter’ when it comes.
John Ganjavi
21st March 2021
Hello!
I hope you are well. The Spring Equinox arrives, and the brighter days lift our spirits. Easter draws near, although we still have two weeks of Lent to go. Yesterday I joined in with the weekly diocesan Lent Course on prayer. The subject was ‘centring prayer’ as part of silent prayer. The speaker encouraged us to appreciate the present moment as the past is gone and the future is fantasy. Hmm. I know what he meant. It is easy to be stuck in the past or preoccupied with the future to the point on not enjoying the blessing of the present moment. Having said that, both the past and the future are real. The past is hopefully full of precious times, and the trail of our life can help us understand who we are. The future can be full of promise that has a beneficial effect on the here and now. One year on from the first lockdown the whole nation is thinking back to the past twelve months and looking ahead to the rest of the year. For me, enjoying the blessing of the present moment involves being able to deal with the past and the future. Hey, this is turning into a sermon!
The PCC has been thinking through plans for Easter and beyond. It is very difficult to balance caution and optimism, and every day more news arrives to jolt the scales. (For example, we heard yesterday that Henley School (High School) has had to close until 29th March because of a virus outbreak.) Please be forgiving and understanding if the agreed plans are not your choice, but I am pleased to announce the following:
- Each year there is an Open Air Good Friday Service in Henley. We can’t hold this in the High Street this year but this 20 minute ecumenical Service will take place in St. Nicholas’ churchyard, Beaudesert Lane.
- On Easter Day instead of the 8 & 10 am Services there will be a 9 am said Service in St. John’s for those who wish to receive their Easter Communion. We can accommodate up to 50, socially distanced. If you arrive and the church is already full, there will be a ‘second sitting’ on offer. (I need to be in Ullenhall for 11 am.) It would be helpful if you could let me know asap if you hope to attend so that I can have some idea of numbers.
- Provided there is no adverse news, we will be re-opening St. John’s for regular Sunday and Wednesday Services from the beginning of May.
- On 13th May (Ascension Day) we shall have our 7 am short Service on the Mount, but no breakfast or evening Service.
Thank you.
Stay safe and keep in touch,
John Ganjavi
14th March 2021
Hello!
I hope you are well. The first significant date on the road to ‘normality’ has come and gone. Our schools have re-opened. I had a zoom meeting on Wednesday regarding the Henley Primary School finances, and it was an opportunity to find out how the re-opening of school had gone. So far, so good, although apparently it was a bit of a shock for Staff to see so many children in school again! Also, people in Care Homes can now have actual contact with one visitor. This must be so welcome by many. A recent visitor to Stratford upon Avon told me that at the weekend there were so many people walking around that it seemed they had forgotten there is a pandemic ongoing. I guess this is why our Chief Medical Officer is sending our stern messages about the need to be cautious. And caution is the word we are using regarding re-opening our churches. A decision will be made during this coming week about plans for Easter and April/May. Meanwhile you will be interested to know that Baptism and Wedding enquiries for late June onwards are rising.
Stay safe and keep in touch,
John Ganjavi
7th March 2021
Hello!
I hope you are well. Well, I had my vaccination last Saturday – the Oxford variety. I noticed that the volunteer steward on the door had a name label. I noted their name. As I went in, there was another volunteer...with a name label. I noted their name, and wondered if they were related to the first volunteer. I then sat down opposite yet another volunteer, and read their name label. ‘My goodness me’, I thought to myself, ‘So many volunteers from the same family – the Marshall family’. Then I realised…
On Wednesday I had a zoom meeting with the local clergy. We discussed plans for Easter in the light of the new government roadmap. The reaction is very mixed. Some will be staying closed whilst some will open. And some are considering holding open air Services. Could someone please give me an accurate weather forecast for the first weekend in April! Watch out for more news next week.
In the meantime, stay safe and enjoy Spring,
John Ganjavi
P.S. My March Blog is now available on our website.
28th February 2021
Hello!
I hope you are well. I am due to have my vaccination this weekend so maybe next week’s letter will be in Chinese! Humour keeps us going in hard times. And there was plenty to make me laugh last night on the diocesan Lent Course, courtesy of the joys of Zoom. The subject was ‘Imaginative Praying’ but we ended up with a one hour session on ‘Silent Prayer’ because the Speaker had forgotten to set the correct volume level on her computer. I spent most of the hour with my head in my laptop trying hard to catch the gist of what she was saying. The other thing that amused me was that 150 people were due to join in, 116 actually did, and when we were invited to join smaller groups in ‘Chat Rooms’, only half of us did. All this reminds me that there is nothing like the real thing. Having said that, I did manage to follow the course and I will be joining in again next week.
We now have a roadmap to recovery. This is a cause for optimism, even though each step is dependent on everything going to plan. Next Wednesday I hope to have another Zoom meeting with local clergy (with high volume levels!) to discuss the implication for our Services, especially as Easter approaches. It is frustrating that we have to wait another week before we have some clarity, but they say that patience is a virtue.
Hoping that you are all being suitably virtuous, thank you and stay safe,
John Ganjavi
21st February 2021
Hello!
I hope you are well. We approach the first Sunday in Lent, and I hope you have been able to ease your way into some Lenten discipline. I know this is not easy as days and weeks merge into a kind of sameness. Nevertheless, I hope you have been able to consider the Lent Course and the Lent Appeal which I emailed you about a few days ago.
It is part of my job to always look ahead so that we can plan for any forthcoming important events. Of course my thoughts are very much on Good Friday and Easter. When we first went into this recent Lockdown I was fairly sure that restrictions would be eased in advance of Easter to give us the confidence to re-open our churches. Sadly the mood is fairly negative in ecclesiastical circles. On Monday I listened to a twenty minute video from the Bishop of Coventry urging us to err on the side of caution. My fellow local clergy are assuming no open churches until after Easter, and this sentiment was echoed in a recent Henley PCC meeting. Having said that, we will review matters mid-March, and who knows what the mood will be by then.
In conversation with our local Methodist and Baptist ministers I have been thinking about an open air Good Friday Service across in St. Nicholas’ Churchyard. There might, or might not, be an appetite for this. So much is uncertain at the moment but open air Services might be a first step back to meeting for worship.
And now for something different! If some of you would like to write a short message, or simply say ‘hello’ to the rest of the congregation, I would be very pleased to add those messages to the ‘Latest News’. Also, our website has a Gallery where we can see photos of our church activities. How about sending in a photo of yourself with a cheery smile and a wave! We can add these photos to the Gallery. I already have a few photos of the Sunday Club children sent in, and they will be displayed soon.
Thank you and stay safe,
John
14th February 2021
Hello!
I hope you are well. I am sure that many of you have received your vaccination. I await my call-up. Arguments continue as to who should be prioritized in our own country and how we might help the world to be vaccinated. We also debate the possibility of summer holidays. This pandemic has so vividly reminded us of our inter-connectedness. We can’t be safe until all are safe.
Wednesday is Ash Wednesday heralding the start of Lent. Lent is an old English word meaning Spring. That’s a nice thought as we freeze from another ‘Beast from the East’. Lent is also a reminder that Easter is on its way and we need to do our annual preparations. I went onto a bakery website (as one does) and to my surprise they are not taking any more orders for Easter simnel cakes. Too many people have already pre-ordered. That’s one way of preparing for Easter! Well, I hope our spiritual preparations go well. Whilst we can’t meet up to support one another, maybe we can be aware of each other as we read our Bibles, pray and respond to the needs of others. Next week I hope to let you know if there is a specific charity we wish to support as a Lent Project.
Thank you and stay safe,
John Ganjavi
7th February 2021
Hello!
I hope you are well. Are you managing to keep up with events? It was very sad to hear of Captain Sir Tom’s death. Elaine and I stood on our doorstep and applauded him, 6 pm on Wednesday. But are things getting better or worse? The vaccination programme continues to fill us with hope, and then the spread of the South African mutation dampens our spirits. We wonder why we can’t shut our borders whilst at the same time we are itching to move about more freely. These difficulties feed into church life. At the beginning of this recent Lockdown a few local churches chose to stay open, but at a clergy meeting yesterday I heard that they have all closed. I do hope we can be in our churches for Easter but my fellow clergy don’t all share my enthusiasm. On a brighter note on Monday I joined in with a ‘Henley Churches Together’ zoom meeting in which we welcomed our new Baptist Minister – Gwen Millns. We are very much hoping that we can have an outdoor ecumenical gathering on Good Friday, possibly in St. Nicholas’ churchyard, but we shall have to wait and see. Well, let’s stay optimistic and hope that ‘Tomorrow will be a good day’.
Thank you and stay safe,
John Ganjavi
31st January 2021
Hello!
I hope you are well. We have now heard from our Prime Minister that the present Lockdown will most probably be eased early March. This gives us the hope that we can open our churches again in the lead up to Easter. We will plan for this mid-February.
Last Wednesday I joined a three & a half hour diocesan Conference via Zoom. The subject was a recent publication titled ‘Living in Love and Faith’ and it covers the issues of human identity and sexuality. About a hundred and sixty clergy participated. After an hour we were invited to divide up into smaller groups to discuss various matters. This means that groups of us were placed in small Zoom Chat Rooms. Well, this my chance to sign out and deal with one or two pressing matters. Towards the end of the conference I decided it was safe to re-join. What I hadn’t realized was that by re-joining I would be put in the very last Chat Room…which happened to consist of the Bishop of Coventry and the organizing Team! To begin with I thought they couldn’t see me until the bishop said, ‘Hello John! How lovely to see you!’ It was a good job that I knew them all quite well and we had a happy conversation about a sorts of things! All good fun!
Meanwhile, using Microsoft Teams technology (as opposed to Zoom) I am due to chair the next Henley C of E Primary School Governors’ Meeting next week. Being Chair of Governors has been quite an education for me and I must pay tribute to all the school staff for the way they are dealing with the stresses and strains of the present situation.
Well, I hope you are all managing to navigate your ways through these testing days.
Thank you and stay safe,
John Ganjavi
24th January 2021
Hello!
I hope you are well. A new President takes Office in USA. We wish him well, and no doubt some of his decisions will affect us all. In the meantime, more local matters preoccupy us. The COVID 19 statistics for our area do not make good reading. Please do all you can to support all essential workers who have to continue in their duties. In particular, I call to mind all who run our schools and nurseries as well as, of course, the NHS.
Sadly our church building will now remain closed until the end of the present Lockdown. I hope that what is provided online and through the letterbox will sustain us until we meet again! We will review this situation mid-February. As you now know, our weekly Service is advertised on Henley Matters, and is available on YouTube. If you find the Service helpful then please encourage friends and family to access it as well. If you are not sure of the YouTube address for each Service, I suggest you simply type Church Service Henley in Arden and then the Sunday’s date eg 24th January 2021 in the YouTube search engine.
Thank you and stay safe,
John Ganjavi
17th January 2021
Hello!
I hope you are well. It is encouraging to hear of members of the congregation who have been vaccinated. We have to bear in mind, however, that there is a time lapse between inoculation and immunity and even then all precautions still have to be observed. We continue to live in highly dangerous and confusing times. The Chief Medical Officer tells us it will be getting worse, and the Chief Scientific Officer tells us we may well have peaked. No doubt the truth lies somewhere in the middle. Maybe we have peaked in terms of numbers of infections but the hospitalization and mortality rates will take a little longer to peak. We have all become experts in Risk Assessment and Statistics!
The Bishop of Coventry sends clergy regular videos of himself bringing us the latest news. He says that the majority of churches in the diocese are closed. I also hear that more local churches have chosen to close for the time being. We shall review our situation next Wednesday.
In the meantime, we have developed the format of our online Church Service. The Home Worshipping page will give you the choice of listening to the whole Service via a home-grown video (about 20 minutes long) and/or reading through the Service as before. I record the video using my camera’s videoing facility, and then I edit it using a basic programme on my computer. What I am getting round to saying is that I am at the mercy of the auto-focus setting so apologies if my face is occasionally blurred! I fully sympathise with my intelligent camera as it occasionally decides to focus on something other than the Rector. There will still be two hymns chosen each week.
Thank you and stay safe,
John Ganjavi
10th January 2021
Hello!
I hope you are well. These are testing times for us all. Let’s hope that the vaccination programme begins to have an effect soon. My father who is 98 years old and lives in Solihull has just had his second jab of the Pfizer vaccine. My daughter, Zoe, who works for the NHS will receive her first jab next week. Please let me know if you have received, or are about to receive, the vaccine. It would be very good to know what’s happening locally.
Going back to my father, after his second jab the nurse was very determined to explain that all previous precautions must still be in place for him. Being vaccinated is fantastic but we all still need to sanitise, use masks and keep 2 metres away from others. On the subject of masks, it is important that we upgrade the defence given to us by our face coverings. Although not headline news yet, the government is beginning to talk about the importance of quality face masks. At the beginning of the pandemic there were very few options, and some individuals did a great job in providing many with at least some form of face covering. This got us into the habit of using masks, but maybe now is the time to search out what is known as N95 quality masks. I, personally, use a re-usable mask manufactured by a firm called Versarien but check the market for yourselves. If you need further help on this matter, please let me know.
As you may have heard, I have closed our churches for a fortnight as a precaution and as a signal about the seriousness of our situation. This decision was not taken lightly and it will be reviewed on 20th January. In the meantime I hope you will find strength in our weekly Service that is distributed via letters and our church website.
Thank you and stay safe,
John Ganjavi
3rd January 2021
Hello!
A very Happy New Year to you! Let’s hope that 2021 will be a very good year for everyone. Sadly we have had to move to Tier 4 due to the surge in hospital admissions. Let’s hope the benefits are rapid. Church Services are not affected by being in Tier 4, therefore we shall continue as usual.
Before the 12 days of Christmas are over, once more I would like to thank all who contributed to some very special events. Thank you to everyone involved in the Christmas Video. As I write, the video has had 1,434 views on YouTube. I have also handed out DVD discs for those who have requested one. (These are still available.) Thank you to Jon Lucas and Julia Cross who provided the music for a truly magical midnight Communion. Again, thank you to Jon and his daughter Rachel for ‘Silent Night’ at the 10 am Christmas Morning Communion. Thank you to our Flower Arrangers, and to Ginny for keeping the flowers watered! Thank you again to Will Haycock and my better half, Elaine, for decorating the church Christmas Tree. And well done to Malcolm & Ruth Aldridge and their helpers for organizing Christmas Lunches for thirty seven grateful recipients. Also my continued thanks to Robin & Anne Rumbles for delivering the weekly letters around town and thank you to Phil Cox for managing our Church Website.
Happy New Year!
John Ganjavi
Christmas 2020
Hello!
I hope you are keeping well and that Christmas will still be a joyful time for you despite all the restrictions. We heard about a strange virus in China back in February, and who would have thought it would have such an impact on the world. Despite all the obvious stresses and strains there have been some good consequences for me. Not being able to be in touch in the usual ways with people nearby prompted me to get in touch with people far away, including some whom I had not been in touch with for a very long time. As a result, old friendships have found a new lease of life. Also, I have been so impressed with a number of people in our congregation and town who have gone way beyond the call of duty to care for others. I hope that in the coming days we can all find a moment to be thankful for people’s kindness and all God’s mercies.
In order to compensate for the lack of a big Christmas Eve Crib Service we have produced a 27 minute video which is accessible on the internet via YouTube:
Wishing you a Merry Christmas and a Happy New Year,
John Ganjavi
20th December 2020
Hello!
I hope you are keeping well. Before we look ahead to Christmas I would like to thank the following church members for producing around 120 items in the recent Virtual Bring & Buy, raising £500 which will be divided equally between the charities we support and church funds : Lillian Bishop, Jenni Bleby, Hilary Cumberland, Ray Holding, Paul & Glenda Kershaw, Ginny Matheou, Mary Oubridge , Ali Owen, Cilla Pudney, Elizabeth Quinn, Robin Rumbles, Barbara Warmington and Gill Williams. What a great effort and result! Well done!
Now, let me remind you that:
- The Midnight Communion is as good as sold out. There are only two places remaining.
- Christmas Morning Services will be as usual at 8 am & 10 am, and we hope that numbers attending will be manageable.
- There will be the usual Sunday Services on 27/12 at 8 am & 10 am.
- The Wednesday Communions will continue throughout the Season.
WATCH OUT FOR NEWS ON 22nd DECEMBER! WE WILL BE RELEASING THE YOUTUBE LINK FOR OUR SPECIAL CHRISTMAS VIDEO!
There will be another Latest News & Service that will be distributed between Sunday and Christmas Eve.
Thank you.
Keep in touch and please continue to stay safe,
John Ganjavi
13th December 2020
Hello!
I hope you are keeping well. On Wednesday the Tiers we are in are up for review. Who knows what will happen! Any changes will affect our personal arrangements, but the effect on Church plans will be minimal in that Services will go ahead under the now familiar restrictions. These are my observations:
- Sadly we can’t gather socially, indoors or outdoors, for carol singing. We are permitted to have an outdoors Carol Service but it is difficult to know where we could hold such an event safely. Please let me know if you have an inspirational ideas for Henley, but in the meantime you might like to join me at the Ullenhall Village Hall Car Park, 7 pm this Thursday 17th December for an outdoors Carol Service.
- A half hour video is being put together for YouTube viewing from 22/12 onwards incorporating most of the elements of the 5 pm Christmas Eve Service. More details to follow.
- Tickets for the Midnight Communion are going fast. Please let friends and neighbours know that attendance is strictly by ticket only, and to contact me asap if a ticket is requested.
- Christmas Morning Services will be as usual at 8 am & 10 am, and we hope that numbers attending will be manageable.
- There will be the usual Sunday Services on 27/12 at 8 am & 10 am.
- The Wednesday Communions will continue throughout the Season.
- There will be one Christmas Website Service/Hand-delivered Service covering Christmas Day and 27/12.
Under the umbrella of Henley Churches Together, Malcolm Aldridge is planning to deliver up to 30 Christmas Lunches in lieu of the Christmas Day Community Lunch. You can help via cash donations and providing up to 36 Christmas Crackers. There will be collection boxes for cash and crackers at the back of church at every Service.
Finally, I am very pleased to say that despite all difficulties we have managed to support various Charities as a church in the following way during 2020:
St. Basil’s - £1170 Sightsavers - £750
WaterAid - £750 LifeSpace - £1500
Leprosy Mission - £200 Children’s Society - £500
Birmingham City Mission - £305 Stratford Foodbank - Food donations
Thank you.
Keep in touch and please continue to stay safe,
John Ganjavi
6th December 2020
Hello!
I hope you are keeping well. The lockdown is over and we are now in Tier 3. This means that whilst safety has to be paramount, churches can re-open and our Sunday and Wednesday Services will resume.
Advent continues and plans for Christmas develop. I have had many requests for tickets for the Midnight Communion, so be quick to book your place if you wish to attend! I am wondering whether we should have similar plans for the Christmas morning Services.
Under the umbrella of Henley Churches Together, Malcolm Aldridge is planning to deliver up to 30 Christmas Lunches in lieu of the Christmas Day Community Lunch. You can help via cash donations and providing up to 36 Christmas Crackers. There will be collection boxes for cash and crackers at the back of church at every Service.
On Wednesday I sent you the updated Virtual Bring & Buy menu, with purchasing instructions. This is the final call so place your orders!
Thank you.
Keep in touch and please continue to stay safe,
John Ganjavi
29th November 2020
Hello!
I hope you are keeping well. We now know that for reasons best known to political wizards and scientific shamans the present lockdown will end on Wednesday. As I write, we await to find out what tier we will be in. Understandably thoughts are focused on Christmas, but first may I offer you a cheery ‘Happy Advent’! As yet I haven’t received any comment from the Church of England but I assume we will be opening up our churches for Sunday 6th December and onwards. (We can’t open on Wednesday 2/12 as I already have a funeral booked for that morning.) Let’s plan on opening on Sunday 6/12, unless we hear otherwise. All the usual safety arrangements will apply.
On Tuesday, 1st December, at 6 pm the Henley Christmas lights will be switched on. There will be no ceremony but we will ring the church bells at that time.
Next week we shall think through what we can do to celebrate Christmas in Henley ie outdoor carol singing and Christmas morning Services. In the meantime please note that the Midnight Communion will be by ticket only. Therefore, if you wish to attend please let me know as soon as possible. It will be first come, first served.
Thank you.
Keep in touch and please continue to stay safe,
John Ganjavi
P.S. You should have received the Virtual Bring & Buy menu again on Thursday, with purchasing instructions. This has proved very popular and our bakers and makers are keen to receive further orders!
22nd November 2020
Hello!
I hope you are keeping well. I would like to thank those of you who contributed towards the Birmingham City Mission Christmas Toy appeal. I am pleased to say that £250 has been sent from Henley as well as £155 from Ullenhall. It is so important that we continue supporting Charities as they are all suffering from lack of fundraising.
There has been a great response to the Virtual Bring & Buy cake and produce sale. I enclose a list of what is on offer and instructions if you wish to make a purchase. Enjoy!
As we approach the end of the Church’s liturgical cycle (Next Sunday we start afresh with Advent Sunday) I would like to thank you for your support and faithfulness. The Church’s year enables us to journey well through the months, giving expression to our hopes and fears. Thankfully hope springs eternal!
Thank you.
Keep in touch and please continue to stay safe,
John Ganjavi
15th November 2020
Hello!
I hope you are keeping well. I am pleased to say that Remembrance Sunday was duly marked with open air Services in Henley and Ullenhall. In Henley, thirty gathered in the Jubilee Garden next to St. John’s with another forty standing in Beaudesert Lane. In Ullenhall fifty five gathered around the Village Cross. On Armistice Day the two minutes silence was marked at 11 am around the Henley Market Cross with people in the High Street showing respectful, socially distanced, honour. I am glad to say that all vehicles stopped as well.
This weekend our focus is on the Birmingham City Mission Christmas Toy appeal. Please give a financial donation either by Bank Transfer to our church account (reference it: BCM) or drop a cash donation through the Rectory letterbox. If you are planning to support this charity, please do so by the end of this Sunday 15th November.
Thank you.
Keep in touch and please continue to stay safe,
John Ganjavi
8th November 2020
Hello!
Oh dear, here we go again. A new form of lockdown begins and churches have to close again. This has provoked archbishops and bishops to send letters and to record video messages. In amongst the disappointments they are encouraging us all to use this time to pray more. This reminds me of the Pope’s call for all Christians to say the Lord’s Prayer earlier in the year. Both then and now I have to say ‘amen’ to more prayer, but I also have to be clear why I am praying more. There is a temptation to see this kind of praying as the mass lobbying of God. Our prayers can often be caricaturised as saying, ‘Please, God, do something.’ Understandable as this might be, it is always better to pray, ‘Please God, what can I do?’ As Isaiah said a long time ago, ‘Here I am, Lord, Send me.’ I have no doubt that, although disappointing, we will cope with present restrictions. I am far more concerned about those who will be losing their livelihoods in the next few days, and those who are anxious about receiving adequate medical care. So, yes indeed; let us all pray more.
Despite there being no church Services, Remembrance Sunday will be marked by a short Service in the Jubilee Garden which will also include wreath laying in St. John’s. The Service will start at 10.45 am and finish soon after 11 am. Numbers attending in the Garden are restricted, and the local Royal British Legion have a list of who will be attending. Everyone else can stand in Beaudesert Lane, socially distanced. After the Service, St. John’s will be open until 11.30 am for anyone who might want to lay a personal cross at the War Memorials.
We will still be supporting The Birmingham City Mission Christmas Toy appeal. Please give a financial donation either by Bank Transfer to our church account (reference it: BCM) or drop a cash donation through the Rectory letterbox. If you are planning to support this charity, please do so by Sunday 15th November.
And now for a Bizarre Bazaar! In the absence of our Christmas Bazaar we are planning to have a Virtual Bring & Buy. The idea is that some of us will offer to bake or make something and then we will find buyers for these products. The products will be collected and delivered by a few saints. To focus our thoughts a list of suggestions has been prepared: Marmalade, Christmas Cake, Fruit Cake (1 lb), Apple & Tomato Chutney, other chutney (please name), Apple pie or Crumble, Fudge, Lemon Drizzle, Chocolate Cake, Mince Pies, Shortbread, Victoria Sponge, Chocolate Brownies, Fairy Cakes, Pavlova, Coffee Cake.
If you would like to make something, whether it is on the list or not, then could you please contact Ginny on 01564 794308 by 13th November. We will collate the information and then see who would like to buy something. Please don’t bake anything until Ginny has contacted you!
Keep in touch and please continue to stay safe,
Thank you,
John Ganjavi
1st November 2020
Hello!
I hope you are all keeping safe and well. It felt quite cold this morning whilst walking the dog – cold, grey and damp. That is how I would describe the day if I were a ‘glass half empty’ kind of person. Instead I would like to say that the walk was joyously seasonal. That’s better!
There are five Sundays this November and, apart from 22/11, they all have special themes.
1/11: All Saints/All Souls. We remember the departed with thankfulness and pray that the remembrance of them will bring comfort and inspiration. At the 10 am Service six choir members will sing the hymn ‘For all the Saints’. This is the first time the choir will have sung in church under present restrictions. They will be positioned 2 metres apart in the chancel and sanctuary. Church rules say that the choir members don’t need to wear masks whilst singing if they are so located, but as this is their first time back, and to reassure everyone, they have been asked to sing with masks on.
8/11: Remembrance Sunday: There will be Services in St. John’s at 8 am & 9.30 am. The short RBL Service will take place in the Jubilee Garden at 10.45 am.
15/11: There will be a retiring cash collection for Birmingham City Mission’s Christmas Toys project. Please see the ‘P.S.’ note below.
29/11: Advent Sunday: The liturgical year begins all over again with the renewing of faith and hope.
I bring you greetings from Rev’d Audrey Simpson, our Methodist Minister. And I understand that our Baptist friends may well be getting a new part-time minister soon.
Keep in touch and please continue to stay safe,
Thank you,
John Ganjavi
Reminder: Toys for Birmingham City Mission: We normally collect these mid November ie Sunday 15th . However, this year BCM have set up a Toy Account and are asking for cash donations with which they will buy toys to distribute around Christmas. This is the safest way to make sure this project goes ahead this year. Therefore, we shall have a collection for them on 15/11 and send them the money as one amount. If you have our church’s bank details and prefer to organize a donation via bank transfer then please do this before 15/11 with a reference stating BCM.
25th October 2020
Hello!
I hope you are keeping well. There are lots of efforts going on to simplify the restriction rules in these challenging days. I thought I had understood the rules until I had to deal with two real situations. First of all, a couple of staff at our Primary School tested positive for COVID. Two year groups had to be sent home to self-isolate. This affects two of our church families. I began to wonder what this meant for them. Do they all need to be tested? Do they all need to isolate themselves? The answer is that the child sent home must be isolated but no tests are needed and no-one else need isolate unless the child develops symptoms. The duration of the isolation is 14 days since the last contact with the infected person.
The second situation relates to singing in church. We know that congregations are not allowed to sing. Choirs, however, can sing in church. But how many can be in the Choir and do they have to wear masks? The answers are that the size of the choir is determined by the location in church where they will be singing and, no, they don’t need to wear a mask while singing. But what if the congregation is small and, therefore, properly distanced? Can they act as though they were a choir? You see, nothing is straightforward! I do, however, feel that the present mood takes us in the direction of being more cautious than rules require.
All Souls: Don’t forget, if you want someone remembered in church next Sunday you will need to let me know by Wednesday.
Toys for Birmingham City Mission: We normally collect these mid November ie Sunday 15th . However, this year BCM have set up a Toy Account and are asking for cash donations with which they will buy toys to distribute around Christmas. This is the safest way to make sure this project goes ahead this year. Therefore, we shall have a collection for them on 15/11 and send them the money as one amount. If you have our church’s bank details and prefer to organize a donation via bank transfer then please do this before 15/11 with a reference stating BCM.
Keep in touch and please continue to stay safe,
Thank you,
John Ganjavi
P.S. On a pastoral matter, as mentioned in church last week, Brian Jackson has moved from Henley into a Care Home in Alcester with a view to eventually moving to a Care Home in Dorchester in order to be nearer his daughter. What a sad loss for our town.
18th October 2020
Hello!
I hope you are keeping well. Last Saturday the new wall hanging in St. Nicholas’ was dedicated to mark the church’s 850th anniversary. It was a very enjoyable occasion and congratulations again to those who made it happen.
Last Tuesday I attended our C of E Primary School Governors’ Meeting via the internet. It was very good to hear how all the staff are working so hard to give the children a good educational experience. Attendance levels are just below 95%. During the meeting I was elected Chair which means I will have to peddle fast to catch up with all the latest information regarding schooling. At the moment there are eight governors, and Glenda Kershaw and I are known as Foundation Governors with particular interest in the link between church and school.
We are living through uncertain times and we can’t be sure if and when a government announcement might affect our plans. But we have to plan assuming that the present arrangements will continue. To this end we will mark All Saints/All Souls Day on Sunday 1st November. As in previous years if you wish to have a loved one remembered with a candle lit for them on the altar and their name mentioned in the prayers then please let me know by Wednesday 28th October. I will need their name and their connection to you.
8th November is Remembrance Sunday. The RBL ceremony starting in the Jubilee Garden at 10.45 am will be very restricted in numbers. Therefore as well as the 8 am Communion there will be a short Service of Remembrance in St. John’s starting at 9.30 am for you, the regular congregation.
We all miss the hymns in our 10 am Services. Whilst there are no plans to introduce any further congregational participation at the moment I am pleased to say that most of the Choir are willing to sing the occasional hymn under all the guidelines set out by the Church of England. We are actively seeking to find the best way to introduce this.
Keep in touch and please continue to stay safe,
Thank you,
John Ganjavi
11th October 2020
Hello!
I hope you are keeping well. Last weekend we celebrated our Harvest Festival. The urge to sing was irresistible and so we found a way of ‘ploughing the fields and scattering’. The majority response was that it was great to hear singing in church whilst some felt uneasy. We will be thinking about how to include music in our Services from time to time in a safe way but sadly I don’t think it will be a weekly occurrence. The COVID news is not good at the moment and I guess we all want to err on the side of caution.
2020 was going to be the year we celebrated the 850th anniversary of St. Nicholas’. Instead we shall have to celebrate the 851st year! Nevertheless, one project has gone ahead in an amazing way. This Saturday (10th October) we will be dedicating a wall-hanging in St. Nicholas’ that portrays the life of the town and church. This large and impressive hanging has been carefully and lovingly created by a team of talented volunteers over the past few months. There will be viewing opportunities in the coming week but don’t despair as we will be able to enjoy it properly once our celebration plans are reinstated next year.
Looking ahead to more special Services, Next week I will give details about how we shall remember our loved ones on All Saints Day (1st November). Then we have Remembrance Sunday on 8th November. Parades have been banned for the moment so the RBL will be inviting 30 to gather in the Jubilee Garden for a short Service. From there, wreaths will still be laid in St. John’s. I am afraid that anyone else wanting to join in will have to stand, socially distanced, in Beaudesert Lane.
It’s never too early to think of Christmas! There will be Christmas lights in Henley but no public carol singing. We hope to take our ‘9 Lessons & Carols’ down the High Street so that a small choir can sing in the open air. The 5 pm Christmas Eve Crib Service will have to be pre-recorded for YouTube, and the midnight Communion may well have to be a ticket only Service. Christmas morning Services should go ahead as usual. What do you think?
Keep in touch and please continue to stay safe,
Thank you,
John Ganjavi
4th October 2020
Hello!
I hope you are keeping well. Last week Elaine and I were fortunate enough to spend a few days just outside Weymouth at a friend’s holiday lodge. From our accommodation we could see Portland Harbour and seven cruise ships all lined up with nowhere to go. On one of the days we chose to visit Durdle Door. It was a midweek, windy, grey day and so we thought there wouldn’t be many people about. Wrong! Wherever we went it was very difficult to maintain social distancing. As in Henley, people sanitise and wear masks but very few have any idea what 2 metres looks like.
This week I met up with a few of the Henley Christmas Lights Committee. Sadly there can’t be any open air carol singing or switching on ceremony this year but at least there will be lights. They are planning a major fundraising event for November – a sponsored walk which will be the equivalent of walking from Henley to Bethlehem! People will be invited to walk a sponsored distance corresponding to some of the 3414 miles route. The Committee invited me to walk the equivalent of the English Channel. I think they think I can walk on water! I already have a certain sinking feeling.
Keep in touch and please continue to stay safe,
Thank you,
John Ganjavi
P.S. Don’t forget to look up my October Blog!
27th September 2020
Hello!
I hope you are keeping well. As we slowly head towards October we start thinking about Harvest Festivals. So much of life has changed over the years but there is an enduring fondness for Harvest traditions. To this end if you wish to bring food items to church, we will take them to the Stratford Foodbank for you. Of course, we can’t receive items in the usual way! Instead I request that any items given should be in a carrier bag and brought to church during opening hours between now and 4th October (Wednesdays & Saturdays 10 am – 12 noon and Sundays during the 8am & 10 am Services) and left by the table at the back of church. Sadly we can’t accept perishable items, so please bear in mind the following list which sets out the items most needed at the moment by Stratford Foodbank:
- Tinned Meat Meals - Minced Beef/Curry/Chilli/Chicken in Sauce/ Irish Stew/Beef Casserole
- Tinned Meat - Ham/Spam/Corned Beef/Hotdogs
- Tinned Pies - Meat and Vegetarian
- Tinned Pasta Meals - Spaghetti Bolognese/Ravioli/Mac Cheese
- Instant Mash/Tinned Potatoes
- Chocolate Treats
- Deodorant/Shaving Foam/Razors
- Tinned Fruit
- Angel Delight/Sponge Puddings
- Tinned Rice Pudding/ Custard
- Savoury Snacks - Crackers/Rice Cakes/Oat Cakes/Bread Sticks/Cheese
- Thins/Nuts/Crisp Breads
- Dried/Powdered Milk Small Sizes
- Washing Powder/Liquid
Thank you for your support, and I hope you are able to enjoy the wonders of Autumn and Harvest.
Keep in touch and please continue to be alert and stay safe,
Thank you,
John Ganjavi
20th September 2020
Hello!
I hope you are keeping well. Last Saturday I conducted a wedding at Preston Bagot Parish Church. It was a lovely occasion with thirty masked attendees. The bride was suitably late, only to find out on arrival that all the bouquets had been left at home. The Maid of Honour jumped to the rescue and drove off to collect them as the house was only five minutes away. What she hadn’t bargained for was that she would get stuck behind a shepherd moving his flock of sheep from one field to another! As the only wedding I’ve conducted this season I was delighted that it was so memorable!
In the meantime our church services continue to attract good congregations, and there is still room for a few more. Next Sunday I will provide guidance about how we might support the Stratford Foodbank this Harvest – what to bring, where and how.
Keep in touch and please continue to be alert and stay safe,
Thank you,
John Ganjavi
P.S. There will be no Wednesday Holy Communion this week (23/9). Back to normal the following week.
13th September 2020
Hello!
I hope you are keeping well. Our Prime Minister has re-appeared, flanked by his advisers, to warn us that cases are in the rise and some restrictions are having to be re-introduced. The headline statement was that there should be no gatherings of more than six people anywhere. The Church of England asked for clarification and apparently church Services are exempt. Therefore we shall continue with our Services whilst taking all necessary precautions. My personal observation is that whilst most people are wearing masks and using hand sanitisers there doesn’t seem to be much social distancing going on. So I will have to say, ‘Keep your distance!’ in a polite kind of a way!
Our church school term has started well and I have recorded my first video Assembly with a guest appearance of Lottie the dog. I somehow think that she will be a regular contributor to the monthly Assemblies.
Thank you to those of you who have made helpful suggestions about imminent special Services. We will do our best to mark Harvest and All Souls Day. I am also in conversation with the Royal British Legion regarding Remembrance Sunday. Planning for Christmas, however, continues to be a challenge so please continue to share any bright ideas that might come to mind.
Keep in touch and please continue to be alert and stay safe,
Thank you,
John Ganjavi
6th September 2020
Hello!
I hope you are keeping well. The weather feels decidedly autumnal as the children return to school. I was at a pre-term meeting in our Church Primary School last Tuesday and I am impressed with the dedication of the staff. We are fortunate in our part of Warwickshire that infection rates are low but news from other parts of the country remind us to remain vigilant.
We have now resumed our Wednesday 10 am Communion Services. Eleven attended last Wednesday and this provides a quiet and short Service for those who want to attend church but need to avoid Sundays. Please do share with me any comments, encouragements or anxieties you may have.
We will be continuing to have St. John’s open for Private Prayer on Wednesdays, after the Service until 12 noon and 10 am – 12 noon on Saturdays. We don’t get many visitors, but we are providing a much appreciated oasis for those who do pop in. I am grateful to our volunteers who supervise these times.
Although life is far from normal. Legally we have to have an Annual Parochial Church Meeting. This will take place in St. John’s, 7.30 pm on Wednesday 16th September. For once I have to say, “Don’t feel obliged to attend”!
Don’t forget to look up my September Blog on this website! It leads into the Thought for the Day.
Keep in touch and please continue to be alert and stay safe,
Thank you,
John Ganjavi
30th August 2020
Hello!
I hope you are keeping well. Monday is a Bank Holiday! Funny how some things don’t sound that great anymore, but well done to those of you who are still finding ways to do special things on special days.
This week we brace ourselves for the re-opening of our schools. I will be spending a couple of hours on Tuesday morning in our Church Primary School, helping the Staff prepare for a new term. Let’s hope that all goes well.
Numbers continue to increase at our 10 am Sunday Service. I understand, however, that there are a few who would like to attend but would prefer a Service where there will be more space, and hence a guaranteed seat. The 8 am Sunday Communion provides such an opportunity. In similar fashion I will be restarting the 10 am Wednesday Communion Service as of this week ie 2nd September. This is simply to provide an opportunity for those who wish to attend to be able to have a choice. I fully understand that there will still be some who would prefer not to attend for health reasons. As promised, the present arrangement of providing a weekly Service for all will continue.
Keep in touch and please continue to be alert and stay safe,
Thank you,
John Ganjavi
23rd August 2020
Hello!
I hope you are keeping well. Our church life continues along its weird and wonderful way. Last Sunday there were 11 at the 8 am and 32 at the 10 am Service. In amongst the congregation there were a few who were venturing out to church for the first time since lockdown restrictions were eased. I understand that there will be even more of us this Sunday. So let me clarify something: There is no upper limit to how many can attend church. We are simply restricted by the number we can seat in a socially distanced way. Also, bearing in mind that family members can sit next to each other, I reckon we could accommodate around 45. I am not suggesting that people should attend (!). I recognize that the arguments for and against are finely balanced. I am simply saying that between the 8 am and 10 am Services we can accommodate quite a few. Please let me know if you are planning to attend for the first time in a while.
Keep in touch and please continue to be alert and stay safe,
Thank you,
John Ganjavi
16th August 2020
Hello!
I hope you are keeping well. Last Sunday we re-introduced the 8 am Holy Communion. Thirteen attended, and then there were thirty two at the 10 am Service. Some of you who have been in the habit of attending church during the past year, but who have not attended recently, will have received a separate letter from me through the post this week. I have sent this separate letter to make sure the contents are treated differently from the weekly news. Basically, it’s all about needing your insights as we plan ahead.
Guidelines and rules continue to arrive and confuse! Just as the Church of England has decided that those leading worship needn’t wear masks, the crematoria have decided ministers do need to wear them. Thank goodness there are now new anti-viral masks in the market that are more comfortable. I am reminded of the Venetian masks with their long beaks that were used to house potpourri to counteract the….never mind!
I had a couple of zoom meetings with the Court Leet during the week. We were just about quorate as many members struggle to cope with the technology.
Please remember our church Primary School in your prayers as plans are drawn up for September onwards. Very sadly we lost a key staff member, Claire Robinson, who died very suddenly from an aneurysm at the age of 44. Claire was a very capable member of staff and will be missed as a friend and colleague.
Keep in touch and please continue to be alert and stay safe,
Thank you,
John Ganjavi
9th August 2020
Hello!
I hope you are keeping well. I am sure we are all following the news and trying to guess how this pandemic is going to affect our autumn and winter. We mustn’t lose sight of the fact that very important medical advances are working their way through the system that will hopefully bring us effective treatments and preventions.
I think these are the days when we need to try things and see what’s possible, particularly in terms of church life. The 10 am Services are going well and attendance was 30 last Sunday. As of this Sunday we shall also have the 8 am Holy Communion. We have an opportunity to see how best we can provide such Services and work out safe logistics. I am not suggesting that everybody should attend, but if you feel the need to come to church then you have a choice. Simply bring your mask, and we will do the rest. Please share your observations, and if there are any other issues you wish to comment on, please do.
Keep in touch and please continue to be alert, stay safe,
Thank you,
John Ganjavi
P.S. I hope you are aware of the programme for VJ Day – next Saturday. Please get in touch if you need any information.
2nd August 2020
Hello!
I hope you are keeping well. We are now in a new routine with St. John’s opening for Private Prayer on Wednesdays and Saturdays 10 – 12 and on Sundays for a short 10 am Service. The next development could be the re-introduction of an 8 am Sunday Morning Communion. Please let me know if this is something you would welcome.
At a recent Zoom meeting of local clergy I found out that our neighbouring churches have all introduced similar Church Opening arrangements. Will this way forward sustain us for the months to come? I am in conversation with the Chair of the Royal British Legion regarding plans for VJ Day and Remembrance Sunday. But what about Christmas! Any imaginative suggestions, bearing in mind that without a vaccine we will most probably be living under similar restrictions? It’s never too early to plan ahead!
Keep in touch and please continue to be alert, stay safe,
Thank you,
John Ganjavi
26th July 2020
Hello!
I hope you are keeping well. Are you up to date with government guidelines? Do you know who can meet, where and with how many? It’s bewildering! I understand that Warwickshire is a relatively safe place to be, nevertheless words like ‘caution’ and ‘prudence’ still sound apt.
Last Sunday we had a Communion Service in St. John’s. Twenty eight of us received our Communion (bread only) following all Church of England guidelines. This meant that the congregation used hand sanitizer as they arrived, they sat in designated places, and they were encouraged to wear masks. (I wore a mask when it came to giving Communion.) No hymns were sung but we had all the expected ingredients of a Service. Communion was given at the chancel step with recipients coming forward one by one, remaining standing, and returning via the north aisle.
The Service worked well but I recognize that many still do not think it is the right time yet for them to participate. This is very understandable and Services and News will continue to be shared via the post and church website. Wherever and however we worship, let us remember each other and be one in spirit.
St. John’s continues to be open for Private Prayer 10 am – 12 noon on Wednesdays and Saturdays, and I am grateful to the volunteer stewards who are making this possible.
Keep in touch and please continue to be alert, stay safe,
Thank you,
John Ganjavi
STOP PRESS: The Church of England has just announced it strongly advises the wearing of face masks during church Services.
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