Dear Friends,

St Cyril was bishop in Jerusalem from c350-351 AD until 386 AD. His catechetical lectures have been called “one of the most precious treasures of Christian antiquity.”

He spoke to the newly baptized about the mysteries of into which they were initiated. His lectures are an example of “mystagogical catecheses”: mystagogy is what allows Christians to enter more deeply into the Mystery of Christianity by understanding the spiritual meaning of word and sacrament. In Cyril’s time candidates for baptism were called photizomenoi, which means “candidates for illumination.”

This is part of what he had to say to them about Pentecost:
“And there appeared unto them cloven tongues like as of fire, and it sat upon each of them; and they were all filled with the Holy Spirit (Acts 2:3-4). They partook of fire, not of burning but of saving fire; of fire which consumes the thorns of sins, but gives luster to the soul. This is now coming upon you also, and that to strip away and consume your sins which are like thorns, and to brighten yet more that precious possession of your souls, and to give you grace; for He gave it then to the Apostles. And He sat upon them in the form of fiery tongues, that they might crown themselves with new and spiritual diadems by fiery tongues upon their heads. A fiery sword barred of old the gates of Paradise; a fiery tongue which brought salvation restored the gift.”

With love and my prayers,

James

Sunday and weekday Services

Our weekly service times are:
Sunday 10:00am Eucharist
Tuesday 10:00am Morning Prayer (BCP)
Thursday 10:30am Holy Communion (BCP)
New Regular Services:
2nd Sunday of the month 6:30pm Evening Praise – an informal service
4th Sunday of the month 6:30pm Choral Evensong

The weekly online service is now a livestream of our Sunday Morning Eucharist Service. The link for the livestream page is https://stmarymagdalene.church/livestream-service/ the Service for the coming Sunday is listed on this page on a Friday. The page includes a video that will go live at approximately 9:55am on Sunday, it also has the words to the hymns, collects and readings and has a downloadable service booklet. It will continue to be made available to those who, for whatever reason, are unable to attend church.

Peter Lamb

Catherine and Susannah would like to thank everyone for their kindness, support and love following the death of Peter.

Thank you also to those that were able to attend Peter’s funeral on Monday 29th April. It was lovely, and a great tribute to have so many in the congregation.

Singing Group

Several of us have been meeting on Tuesdays at 7:30pm to run a trial of the singing group that was announced last year. If you are interested in joining us for an informal singing session, please feel free to join us. Every Tuesday, 7:30pm. Please see Ann Rolland for more details.

Lunchtime Concerts

Marion and Michael Smith presented the May Lunchtime Recital to quite a good sized audience. A few of the concert goers were in Michael’s choir “The Windmill Singers” from the 1980s. Marion and Michael played piano duets of songs from the shows and also, Michael played the organ.

At 12:30 on Wednesday 12th June, Margaret Green, Soprano, will sing to us with our good friend Roddy Elmer accompanying her on the piano. Do come along if you can.

We have received the sad news that David Lewiston-Sharp, a talented pianist and composer, who was due to perform at our July concert has died.

Jonathan Marten has arranged a memorial concert, In Memoriam, for 10th July at 7:30pm in Church. It will be a combination of live and recorded performances. More details are on our website: https://stmarymagdalene.church/whats-on/coffee-and-concerts/
Please keep the date free and come along.

A Celebration Concert with Chris Royall

Community Café

Free, warm, welcoming, safe.

Every Tuesday, we open the choir vestry for anyone and everyone as a free, warm, welcoming, and safe place to be for a couple of hours. Cups of tea or coffee will be provided along with the opportunity for somewhere warm to meet others in a friendly and safe space.
Every week, following on from the Community Café, at 3:30 pm…

Rekindling

Tuesday’s at 3:30pm – 4:30pm following on from the Community Café

Short, weekly Bible study sessions, exploring themes that encourage us to develop our relationship with God, a ‘Rekindling’.

Opening the Church on Saturdays

Our church is a valuable resource for people in our community to take some time out of their daily lives to reflect and connect with God. Not everyone is available on Sunday mornings and some just want a few minutes to pause and be still. We are hoping to make our church available for private prayer on Saturdays and are looking for volunteers who can give a couple of hours of their time. A minimum of two people will need to be always present. Names will be added to a rota, so the more people who are available to help us, the less often you will be called upon.

If you are able to help with this, please see Alison Reeve.

Save the Date

You may have noticed that there was no Parish Feast in January this year. That’s because we have decided to hold a Summer Ball at the golf club on Saturday 20th July to celebrate our Patronal Festival. There will be a meal and dancing to a live jazz band. Do keep this date in mind. It will be a lovely evening I’m sure.

Judy

Not one, not two, but eighteen nineteen twenty and growing!

Something to dip in and out of or play while ironing or relaxing! Instead of a single video, this week we have a playlist on our YouTube channel containing twenty videos with lyrics. Four have been shared in the emails before, a few of the others at Rekindling, while others you may have heard elsewhere. Hopefully there will be one, two, or more(!) that strike a chord with you, the words, the tune, or a combination of the two. There’s a variety of styles included so perhaps one day something upbeat works, another something quieter, more reflective resonates with you. Any feedback is welcome.

All have great words that I encourage you to be active participants in rather than passive bystanders.

Here’s a link to the playlist: https://www.youtube.com/playlist?list=PLOS511gUMPpV2F1Lk-vDW5x9_UE_t_bVG

Pilgrimage to Greece 2025

In the past it was always our custom to go to Launde Abbey one year and a pilgrimage elsewhere the next. Instead of going to Launde Abbey again, we are considering a pilgrimage to Greece for 2025 which includes St Paul’s time in Greece as well as some sightseeing of the ancient wonders of Greece including Athens and Delphi. Because this is likely to be expensive, about £3,000, we have deferred this to 2025 to give time to save, there is a monthly savings scheme now available. I have already had expressions of interest from about 12 people and, if you think you would like to come, please speak to me for more details.

If you have not been on a pilgrimage with us before they are great fun, and serious too, help us all to get to know each other better and make us the family we are. Do give it a thought.
A PDF of the Pilgrimage schedule is available on our website here.

Michael

A Great Read

Are you someone who likes to have a ‘Summer Read’, a book you take away with you for reading whilst on holiday, whether that’s a paperback, ebook, or an audio book? Perhaps you’re an avid book reader anyway, perhaps you prefer an audio book. Perhaps you’re not, but like to listen to the radio?

Whether this is you, or not as the case may be, what I really, really, want to suggest, recommend, implore you to read (do you get the impression I feel this might be important?!!) is a book that was published in January this year. It is called ‘Practicing the Way’ by John Mark Comer, a book about becoming an apprentice of Jesus. Eminently readable and understandable, and equally easy to follow as an audio book.
The book is available as a paperback, ebook, or audio book.

If you go here: https://www.penguinrandomhouse.com/books/673402/practicing-the-way-by-john-mark-comer/ you can read an excerpt, listen to a sample and read the reviews from, amongst others, Tish Harrison Warren, Anglican priest and author of Liturgy of the Ordinary and Prayer in the Night, and Nicky Gumbel, pioneer of Alpha.

If you’re interested in finding out a bit more about Practicing the Way, there’s a website, here: https://www.practicingtheway.org/

Do consider reading it, in whichever format, and come with open hearts and minds to receive the goodness contained within it.

Ladychapel Memorial book

Every week we remember the anniversaries of death for different people. Their names are taken from two Memorial Books we keep. One for those whose ashes are interred in the Memorial Garden and a second, in the Lady Chapel, for people we wish to be remembered on a certain date (usually their death).

If you would like the name of someone to be remembered in the Ladychapel Memorial Book please speak to Maureen Rew, the cost is £25.

Donate

Would you like to donate towards the work of St Mary Magdalene? If so, this QR code will take you to our donations page where you can choose the amount you wish to donate. Or simply click on this link: https://stmarymagdalene.church/product/open-donation/

Dates for your diary

June
Sat 1st 7pm: Concert Gisela Meyer
Sun 9th 6:30pm: Evening Praise!
Wed 12th 11:30am: Coffee and Cake followed by a Lunchtime Concert
Sun 23rd 6:30pm: Choral Evensong
Wed 26th 7:30pm: PCC Meeting
Sat 29th 4:00pm: Ordination of our Curate Michael Aylmer at St Paul’s

July
Wed 10th 7:30am: Evening Recital ‘In Memoriam’
Sun 14th 6:30pm: Evening Praise!
Wed 17th 7:00pm: Celebration Concert with Chris Royall & friends
Sat 20th 7:00pm Parish Feast
Sun 21st 10:00am Patronal Festival
Sun 28th 6:30pm: Choral Evensong