St Laurence Church, 173 Church Road, Northfield, B31 2LX Registered Charity 1132975 Hello Everyone, I can’t believe it is May and the Christian Aid Bunting is about to go up. In this pack you will find a Christian Aid envelope which you are welcome to return to church or send off directly yourself. Gerardine has also set up a “St Laurence fundraising page” and the link is on the e-notices https://envelope.christianaid.org.uk/envelope/st-laurence-church-northfield We’re also holding a plant sale in aid of Christian Aid after church on Sunday 12th June so please do get sowing seeds and taking cuttings. The end of May is looking very busy with Ascension Day, our slightly early celebrations of HM Queen’s Platinum Jubilee – see inside for the booklet about these. Please do try to support these events. The PCC has taken the decision to make face coverings optional but is it the right time to re-introduce sharing the common cup at Holy Communion? It is very difficult to know what to do for the best, especially in a church where the electricians are hard as work (which is great especially as there is a possibility we may be able to replace the heating soon) and we’ve had a further fall of plaster from the ceiling so can’t use either the north or south aisle at the moment. We can discuss these things at the APCM which is now on Sunday 22nd May during the 9.30am service. Papers are included in this p Please remember to bring them to the meeting. Good news is that, thanks to the Northfield Revealed Project, we now have a guidebook for Northfield with one for the church being written by Stuart Andrew. They are available in church. No formal charge but we are grateful for donations. Some of you will remember Canon John Barnett. He served a curacy here 1978-81. He will be returning to take the 10am service on Wednesday, 15th June. The ministry team will all be at the Bishop’s Triennial Conferece at Swanwick. It will Bishop David’s final one as he is retiring on 18th October 2022 after 16 years serving as our Bishop. During the Vacancy Bishop Anne (Bishop of Aston) will exercise episcopal oversight of the Diocese. Revd Theresa is preparing some adults for confirmation on Sunday 12th June at St Chad’s, Rubery. Most of them have had children baptised here in recent years and have maintained worshipping connections one way or another. Another is a recent bride. We pray for them. A big thank you to all who helped with flowers for Mothering Sunday and who helped decorate the church for Easter. Despite the challenges of the building work it did look really good. I spent my post-Easter Sunday off watching the Birmingham Half Marathon and it was great to see Liz Whitworth run past. I don’t plan to do it next year but I do plan to do some cheering at the Commonwealth Games as well as spending some of my annual leave as a Chaplain to the Games. I’ve just learn that Joan Fisher has had a fall and is in hospital. We send her love and prayers. Barbara Finch is also in a lot of pain as her feet and legs are still in a very bad way. She had a lovely birthday celebration this week and I was able to join the tea-party at Ash Grove. She sends her best wishes. I hope you enjoy this pack of information and find it helpful. The packs have been good to do over the past two years but this could well be the last one – but the PCC has heard me say that before! However, this is good point to say Thank You to the team of deliverers who have done a great job. Every blessing, Canon Janet 14th May 2022