Trinity 15 25th September 2022 Hello Everyone, We have now closed the condolence ‘book’ for the Queen RIP. We laid it on the altar during the service on Wednesday. It attracted 203 entries and will now be sent to Buckingham Palace. A copy has been made and will be available in church until Remembrance-tide and thereafter will be deposited in the county archive. I managed to record the bells as they rang last Sunday. It is ONLY at the death of the Sovereign when they are rung with full muffles and with the tenor tolling in the background. You can listen to the them here: https://www.youtube.com/shorts/b6_pN8xmWac Thank you to all who helped make our ‘ Heritage ‘Week’ programme so successful. We had 86 visitors. Thank you so much to Stuart for his tours, Chris and Sarah for organising bell-ringing and all the stewards. Everyone who visited was delighted to have made the effort to come. All the Northfield Video’s of the ‘pop-up drama’ from last year are now in the Northfield Revealed section of the web-site and available on YouTube. I used the Mrs Windows and Mrs Doors one for the basis of my exterior tour. View here: https://www.youtube.com/playlist?list=PLp2iU6m84kyFKyP4iOHtyVRKoM-BWTqhq The Diocese has given us a month’s loan of a Payaz Giving Station to make card donations to church much easier. Do give it a try! We have now ordered one for church. It was great to have it for heritage week and also for the baptism service last Sunday. We have taken over £300 on it so far! 100 Club prize draw number 09 took place at the Black Horse Tues 13 Sept. The winners have been congratulated. First prize Chris Andrew £20 number 91; second prize Jennie King £15 number 78; third prize  £10 Liz Whitworth number 66. General updates about the 100 Club during 2022 can be seen by clicking the link :- https://www.dropbox.com/sh/vv5cms6o9jq0zfn/AAAZWnPRvxVaY1jJo2r2jZB6a?dl=0 The Science and Faith Project continues: Many people hold the view that science has ‘killed’ God, so making the Christian faith irrelevant. This event series will address many of the questions which emerge from this view and highlight not only the ways in which science and the Christian faith are compatible but the important insights that the Christian faith has into contemporary scientific and cultural issues scienceandfaith.co.uk The next talk is on ‘My mental health and spirituality’ With mental health professional and theologian Rev Prof John Swinton  on Thursday 29th September at The Novotel, Broad Street, Birmingham. There will be light refreshments from 7.00pm. The talk will start at 7.30pm. The lecture will also be live-streamed. Book now at https://scienceandfaith.co.uk From Fr Cecil Rogerson, priest Our Lady & St. Brigid’s writes: The week beginning the 9th October is PRISONS WEEK. We will be holding an Ecumenical service at 16:00 Sunday the 9th October, at Our Lady & St. Brigid’s. If you know of anybody who has a member of their family in prison, or who themselves have been in prison, please tell them about this service and invite them to come to it – all safeguarding agreements being in order. Please keep this initiative in your prayers. Our Harvest Thanksgiving Service will be at 9.30am on Sunday 9th October. It will be an all-age service and there will NOT be a Sunday School Service that morning. There will be the opportunity to donate ‘tins and packets’ which will go to local foodbanks as well as money for Christian Aid’s appeal for relief in East Africa as the drought there continues and millions of lives are at risk. Your donations go a long way - £15 could provide seeds and farming tools for one household; - £30 could buy hygiene kits to provide clean drinking water for 6 households of 5. Smaller ones pile up too! MOTHERS' UNION SPOTS (Society for the Protection of Traditional Skills) - is returns this Monday 10am - 2pm and will focus on Card Making.   Anyone is welcome to come along and make cards - either for yourself or for sale for church funds.  All materials are provided but you are very welcome to bring along your own.   Refreshments and soup lunch will be available.  You are welcome to pop in for half an hour or stay for the whole 4!  £2.00 entrance to include light refreshments. Soup lunch is an additional £1.50. FORTHCOMING FUNDRAISING EVENTS: * CAR BOOT SALE Saturday 8th October 9am - 12noon  - if you are able to help set up the car boot on the Friday and/or help at the sale please let Rowena know.  We also need items for sale - these can be left in the Pastoral Centre.  Thank you. * ORGAN RECITAL: Saturday 15th October 11.30am - 12.15pm in church. Marcus Huxley, former Director of Music at Birmingham Cathedral, will be giving a short recital including some ‘royal’ music to commemorate the life of the Queen. Retiring Collection * CRAFT FAYRE We are holding a Christmas Craft Fayre on Saturday 29th October.  If you would like to book a table, or know someone who may be interested - please contact Rowena - rowena.nicholls@sky.com * CHRISTMAS FAYRE Saturday 19th November - yes - just 2 months away - but we need to start planning!  We need people to help manage a stall  and help will be needed in decorating the Pastoral Centre on Thursday 17th, setting up on the fayre on Friday 18th and from 9am on the Saturday.   If you can help in any way please let Rowena know.   We also need items for the stall - tombola, gift bags, Christmas items, good bric@brac - any donations can be left in the Pastoral Centre marked Christmas Fayre.   Thank you. * NATIVITY FESTIVAL c 24th – 30th November in church. We plan to ‘fill’ the church with Nativity Sets and open to the public and schools. If you have a set you would like to loan us please could you get it out and take a photo and send it to me. We are hoping various organisations will also make some. Janice and I have started on a set made of Pom-Poms and an after school club is thinking of one made of clay. If you’d like to make one do let me know. This will be a fund raiser for the church fabric (probably further roof and ceiling repairs) and also for our Link Dioceses in Malawi. Bishop David’s retirement is on  18th October 2022. Bishop David’s final Service, including the laying down of the Birmingham Crosier, will take place at Birmingham Cathedral, St Philip's, with invited guests. This service will be live streamed by the Cathedral. It can be watched live on the Cathedral’s YouTube channel. It will be on 18th October at 6pm. The Rt Revd Anne Hollinghurst, Bishop of Aston, Suffragan Bishop, will be authorised by the Archbishop of Canterbury as Commissary Bishop during this vacancy, continuing her episcopal ministry and oversight of the diocese and her role as Bishop of Aston. All churches are being asked to include the following in their notices regarding the ‘National survivor survey to inform Church's safeguarding work.’ This is a vital (click here) national survey  to understand how victims and survivors would like to be involved in the development and implementation of a Church of England survivor engagement framework. This framework will set out how victims and survivors of abuse will inform the Church’s work to develop and improve safeguarding.   The anonymous survey will be closing soon and is open to any victim or survivor who would like to engage with the Church to inform its work. Also, over the next few months all church volunteers who haven’t done any church safeguarding training in the past 3 years will be given the opportunity to do a short session either on-line or in person. It includes really helpful guidance about what to do should anyone approach you with concerns. Eco Tip: This Thursday is the International Day of Awareness on Food Loss and Waste Reduction. Here is a prayer (and may it prompt us to action.) God our Father, give us the grace and reverence to stop wasting food. Help us to buy what we need, and savour all our food as we consume it. And may we commit ourselves to finding ways to feed those who are hungry. Amen Finally, I’m delighted to report the safe arrival of Baby Freya Mycroft Weight 4.305 kg. She is doing well but not yet made an appearance at the Sunday School Service with brothers Alex and Thomas and dad Richard! Blessings, Canon Janet For your prayers: Home Communions this week Hilda Sanson Those who are ill Peter Valentine: still in hospital. Little change in recent months. Pete Coyne: latest scan revealed that things are stable. We hope and pray it continues that way. Frances O'Meara: daughter of Margaret Hughes and sister of Lesley Holliday (who played at our recent concert) Her cancer has returned & pray for everything to go well with the chemo. Those who have died James Robert Henry Deykin, known as Bob: father of Denise Carr Margaret Ann Kinahani: funeral in church on Monday 26th September at 12 noon Matthew Timms: wife of Holly and a father of one of our 2021 baptism families June Faith Borthwick: funeral Tuesday 11th Oct at 1pm at Lodge Hill  Community News  Northfield Community Partnership (NCP) Hub is open Monday-Friday 9am-5pm for any advice or support: 0121 411 2157 email info@northfieldcommunity.org or just drop in at the NCP Hub, 693 Bristol Road South, Northfield, B31 2JT Marvel at the moon, suspended in the nave of Lichfield Cathedral (easily accessible on the train from Northfield). The stunning art installation is seven metres in diameter, featuring NASA imagery of the lunar surface. See it shine, accompanied by a surround sound composition created by BAFTA and Ivor Novello award-winning composer Dan Jones. For opening times and booking information see Lichfield Cathedral's website:  https://www.lichfield-cathedral.org/what-s-on/moon Noah's Star, a local charity that raises funds to support families with sick and premature babies, is holding a Family Fun Day on Saturday 1st October, 12-3pm at Moseley Cricket Club. Bouncy Castle, traditional games, face painting, arts and crafts, family entertainment and more!. St Bart’s Local Pantry is open to anyone within a 3 mile radius of Allen's Cross Community Centre. Join and spend £5 a week to get £15 worth of shopping - top brands for less. Cash only. Open every Friday 12.30-2pm & Saturday 12.30-2pm. To become a member, sign up online at: https://your-local-pantry.force.com/s/member-sign-up The membership list is nearly up to capacity so don’t delay! Even if you don’t use the pantry, delicious money-saving recipes are posted regularly on their Facebook page @StBartsLocalPantry.northfield SERVICES AND MEETINGS COMING UP Saturdays Church Open 10 – 12noon 24th Sept 5pm Wedding of Andrew Oldknow and Joan Smith In church Sundays  8.30am Sunday School Service 9.30am Holy Communion 4pm Wild Church (2nd October) In the Pastoral Centre – please pre-book so we know numbers https://www.eventbrite.co.uk/e/170206735929 bookings close at 2pm on the Saturday before. In church by zoom and zoom-phone https://us02web.zoom.us/j/84533030134 Meeting ID: 845 3303 0134 In the Churchyard Mondays 10am – 2pm SPOTS (26th September) 12noon Funeral (26th September) 5pm Evening Prayer by zoom 7pm Fabric Committee (26th September) In Pastoral Centre – see above In church https://us02web.zoom.us/j/89992167638 Meeting ID 89992167638 In Pastoral Centre Tuesdays 10.30am Gridiron ‘Coffee’ 5pm Evening Prayer by zoom Continuing to meet at The Black Horse https://us02web.zoom.us/j/89992167638 Meeting ID 89992167638 Wednesdays 10am Holy Communion 4.30 – 5.15pm Bible Study on coming Sunday’s readings by zoom 8.30pm Compline In church and by Conference Call 0117 463 6922 Code 1139# https://us02web.zoom.us/j/89992167638 Meeting ID 89992167638 Use above phone number Thursdays 3.15pm Larry’s (after school club 11+) In Pastoral Centre Fridays 7.30 – 9pm Bell Ringing Practice In church Also - You can Phone a Service 24 hours a day! freephone 0800 804 8044 for Daily Hope offers music, prayers and reflections as well as full worship services from the Church of England. And to hear one of the St Laurence Ministers preaching: 0121 270 4690 These are changed after the services on Sundays and Wednesdays (usually by early evening) Peter Chapman is now making Sunday and Wednesday sermons available as Podcasts: via: Spotify at https://open.spotify.com/show/16wZUENutAJSTu5a4nPDde Apple at  https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/sermons-from-st-laurence-church-northfield/id1603832487 and on other Podcast players the generic address is https://feeds.buzzsprout.com/1915174.rss ALSO there is now a player for the sermon podcasts at the foot of the 'Worship' page on the Church web site which allows the sermons to be played directly from that page. CONTACT DETAILS PARISH OFFICE Lorraine Freeman (Parish Administrator) Lorraine is working in the office Mon, Tues, Thurs, Fri most weeks enquiries@saintlaurence.info (note this changed in October 2021) ?0121 475 1518 RECTOR Canon Janet Chapman Not available this week Wed from 1pm – Fri 1pm janet.rectory@gmail.com ? 0121 477 3111 ASSISTANT CURATE Revd Theresa Morton Day off: Friday theresa.curate@gmail.com ? 07557472096 READER Janice Wones Day off: Friday janice.wones@talktalk.net ? 0121 459 7417 Church Website: www.stlaurencenorthfield.org Twitter: @stlaurenceb31 Rector: @janetchapman5 Facebook www.facebook.com/StLaurenceChurchNorthfield YouTube https://www.youtube.com/c/stlaurencenorthfield Safeguarding is everybody’s responsibility. If you need to contact someone regarding a church safeguarding concern (adults or children), please call our Parish Safeguarding Co-ordinator, Rowena Nicholls, on 07724 170448. If you have an urgent concern for the safety of yourself or someone else, call 999. Sadly, some people have been abused by someone from a church. “Safe Spaces” is a free, independent support service providing a confidential personal and safe space for anyone who has been abused by someone from a church or as a result of their relationship with the Church of England, the Catholic Church in England and Wales, or the Church in Wales. Although funded by the churches it is run by the independent charity, Victim Support. If you have been affected, however long ago, they can provide you with support. You do not have need to have told the police or the church authorities. Your information will not be shared without your consent unless you or someone else is in danger. Telephone 0300 303 1056 for more information. St Laurence Church Northfield is Registered Charity 1132975