With the end of Lent and the celebration of our Risen Lord fast approaching, here are our Easter service times for you to make a note of and hopefully come and join us – all are welcome!
Palm Sunday 24th March 10.30am Sung Mass with distribution of Palm Crosses
Maundy Thusday 28th March 7.30pm Mass of the Lord’s Supper with footwashing and Watch until 9.30pm
Good Friday 29th March 1.00pm Stations of the Cross, 2.00pm Liturgy of the Day
Easter Sunday 31st March 10.30am Easter Ceremonies and Sung Mass
Luke 22:20 In the same way, after the supper he took the cup, saying, “This cup is the new covenant in my blood, which is poured out for you.
Psalm 33:20-22 We wait in hope for the Lord; he is our help and our shield. In him our hearts rejoice, for we trust in his holy name. May your unfailing love be with us, Lord, even as we put our hope in you.
We join with the nation, and indeed, the world, in mourning the loss our beloved Queen Elizabeth II, head of the Church of England, and diginified inspirational monarch. Stockport MBC have chosen St. Peter’s Square as the site of a Memorial Garden for people to lay flowers in remembrance of Her Majesty, so we at St. Peter’s Church will ensure the church is open as often as possible for those visiting to pause and light a candle, say a prayer, or find a moment of peace. There will also be light refreshments available, and the toilets of course.
The opening hours are planned as follows from Mon 12th September:
Mon, Tues, Weds and Fri , Sat 12 noon – 1.30pm and 5pm – 6.30pm
Thursday 15th Sept 5pm – 6.30pm
We will now also open on Sunday at 7.45pm as the nation comes together in a minute of silence at 8pm.
Now that most of our vulnerable members of the congregation have had their jabs, we have decided to open for the ‘normal’ socially distanced services on Sundays.
Mass starts 10.30am from Sunday 19th February
Masks must be worn unless you have an exemption, and hand sanitiser is available near the door. We are continuing to use the side entrance (opposite the Polish shop) instead of the tower doors whilst restrictions are still in place.
“Behold, the Lamb of God, who takes away the sin of the world!”
John 1:29
At this most unusual of Christmases we are keen to continue worship for as long as we can here in St. Peter’s. At time of writing (21st Dec) the following services will be going ahead. All are welcome…
Services
Christmas Eve
12.00pm – 1.30pm Church open for private prayer and the shop.
12.30pm Vigil Mass
Christmas Day
10.30am Sung Mass of the Nativity
Sunday 27th December
First Sunday of Christmas “The Holy Family” 10.30am Sung Mass
Guidelines
Entrance is via the side door, and hand sanitser is available on entry. Please wear a face covering unless exempt. Please sit 2 metres apart from others unless in your household or bubble. Hymns are included in our services but no singing – just enjoy the tune! The Sacrement will be offered in one kind only – the Host, and not the Wine; and must be received in your hands. If anyone does not wish to receive, that is fine, and you may stay in your place, or come forward for a Blessing during the Communion. All are very welcome…
During this latest lockdown we are still open for private prayer on Tuesdays and Fridays from 12pm to 1.30pm. Light a candle and take some peaceful time out.
The toilets are also open.
John 1:5 – The light shines in the darkness, and the darkness has not overcome it.
Despite appearances otherwise, we are still open for services and prayer with Covid-19 precautions:
Wednesday 29th July 12.00 – 1.30pm – peaceful reflection/prayer
Friday 31st July 12.00 – 1.30pm – 12.30pm Mass
Sunday 2nd August 10.30am Mass
Tuesday 4th August – 12.00 – 1.30pm – peaceful reflection/prayer
Tower Repair Update
Repairs were attempted from a very impressive ‘Cherry Picker’ but sadly it was just too short! The base had to rest on the sturdy ground outside of the graveyard, meaning that the arm wasn’t able to reach far enough to enable safe access. It was however, tantalisingly colse enough to obtain some informative pictures of the damage – not good.
We are now awaiting the arrival of an even more impressive ‘Cherry Picker’ from Bradford, which is cheaper than scaffolding! All being well, the emergency repairs will be carried out then. It is hoped that a large project to restore the tower and increase the use of the church in the local community will be under way in the near future.
Matthew 16:18And I tell you, you are Peter, and on this rock I will build my church, and the gates of hell shall not prevail against it.
We will be reopening for prayer first of all, and then Mass from Friday 10th July:
Friday 3rd July – 12-1pm private prayer
Friday 10th July – 12.30pm Mass
Sunday 12th July – 10.30am Mass 5th Sundy after Trinity
Following this we will continue with normal Mass times – Friday 12.30pm, Sunday 10.30am and Holy Days 12.30pm. The toilet and cafe area are still undergoing refurbishment but the toilets are fully functional and availalble! Please use the side door as the tower entrance needs some repairs and is fenced off. We look forward to welcoming back friends old and new.
Come, let us sing unto the Lord:
let us make a joyful noise to the rock of our salvation.
Let us come before his presence with thanksgiving,
and make a joyful noise unto him with psalms.
For the Lord is a great God,
and a great King above all gods.
In his hand are the deep places of the earth:
the strength of the hills is his also.
The sea is his, and he made it:
and his hands formed the dry land.
Come, let us worship and bow down:
let us kneel before the Lord our maker.
Psalm 95 extract verses 1-6
This year is of course like no other, and the Feast of Corpus Christi has to be celebrated without partaking in the Eucharist within church. In this short devotional video on the theme of Corpus Christi (below), the Bishop of Fulham speaks powerfully of the vital role the Blessed Sacrament has in our spiritual lives. The film is a joint initiative between The Society and the Church Union and was made in accordance with the Government guidelines in place during the pandemic. It is the final film in a series of eight such films, covering the themes of Holy Week, Easter, Our Lady, Pentecost, praying for the dead and, now, Corpus Christi.
READ MARK, learn and inwardly digest
Chester Cathedral would like to invite you to join in with a course for 12 weeks at 1.10 -2pm on Wednesdays starting on 13 May and concluding on 5 August.
Clergy from around the diocese, including Bishop Keith Sinclair will talk about sections of Mark’s gospel each week and will take us through the whole gospel.
There are two ways you can join in
You can join the sessions live on Wednesdays at 1.10pm on Zoom and ask questions of the speaker. If you would like an invitation to be present please contact deansoffice@chestercathedral.com, with READ MARK in the subject line, and you will be sent the link to enable you to connect for 1.10pm.
You will find it helpful to bring a version of Mark’s gospel for the session.
The speakers are following the sections from here, and some will use the material whilst others may refer to it. You may wish to read it beforehand or afterwards or simply listen to the speakers.
We look forward to joining with you in, ‘READING MARK, learn and inwardly digest’ this summer.
Update from St. Peter’s
Although many churches will be opening for private prayer this week, we unfortunately will not be able to at the moment. This is because the kitchen and toilet areas are being upgraded to provide much better facilities for everyone when we do reopen. We’ll keep you posted on works and any plans to reopen. In the meantime, we have a list of online resources you may find helpful.
Thy Kingdom Come is a global prayer movement that invites Christians around the world to pray between Ascension Day (21 May) and Pentecost (31 May) for more people to come to know Jesus.
Praying for people to come to know the love, hope and peace found in Christ is at the heart of Thy Kingdom Come.
Daily Prayer for Thy Kingdom Come is a great way to set up regular, daily patterns of prayer to hold these people in prayer – whether you are doing so on your own, as a household, or joining with a small group or as a church virtually.
The resource is available in a range of offline and free online formats:
The booklet – in full-colour and complete with services, psalms and readings – is available now from Church House Publishing for just £1.99 with Free UK Delivery when you order online (with bulk discounts on 10s and 50s).
The free app for iOS and Android – containing audio for Morning, Evening, Day and Night Prayer from the booklet for all 11 days. The app has been updated with 2020 Sunday psalms and readings and a new feature that allows you to set reminders for any or all the services at times that suit you.
A podcast featuring all eight hours of the Daily Prayer for Thy Kingdom Come audio is also launching soon.
Smart speaker – from Thursday 21 May (Ascension Day), you can also get Alexa and Google Home to ‘Ask the Church of England for today’s Thy Kingdom Come’ to hear a short service of Prayer During the Day (before 7pm) and Night Prayer (after 7pm) throughout the 11 days.
Watch a special Thy Kingdom Come Pentecost Service with the Archbishop of Canterbury and a range of other contributors from 9am on Sunday 31st May here.
More new resources from Thy Kingdom Come
Due to the current Coronavirus pandemic, Thy Kingdom Come is going to look slightly different this year.
The Rt Revd Mark Tanner has been named by Downing Street as the next Bishop of Chester, succeeding the Rt Revd Dr Peter Forster who retired in September 2019. Bishop Mark is currently the Bishop of Berwick in the Diocese of Newcastle.
“It will be hard to say goodbye to the North East,” he says, “however, Lindsay and I are really excited to return to Chester where I was ordained, and both of our children were born.”
We warmly welcome Bishop Mark and wish him and his family a happy and fulfilling time here with us in Chester.
Life may not be as it was, and everyone’s experience of this ‘new normal’ will be very different, but it is important to remember that whilst God is with us we are never truly alone. With thoughts turning to how we will manage life after lockdown, the theme of Hope features prominently in this post’s notices.
Big Picnic For Hope – Lockdown V E Day Celebrations
The Big Picnic for Hope is an opportunity for your household to be part of a virtual get together, to help honour heroes past and present. If you are alone or pat of a busy household, everyone can take part by having their own V E Day picnic indoors or on your balcony/garden. Original Wartime recipes you may want to try can be found here. See the dedicated website for more information – http://bigpicnicforhope.com/
V E Day Celebrations – Stockport War MemorialRecapture the spirit of hope from these Stopfordians on VE Day
Free Daily Hope PhoneLine
Daily Hope offers music, prayers and reflections as well as full worship services from the Church of England at the end of a telephone line.
The line – which is available 24 hours a day on 0800 804 8044 – has been set up particularly with those unable to join online church services during the period of restrictions in mind.
“With many in our country on lockdown, it’s important that we support those who are feeling lonely and isolated, whatever age they are.”
A section called Hymn Line offers callers a small selection of hymns, updated daily. An option entitled ‘Hymns We Love’, provides a hymn and reflection and is based on an initiative by the Connections group.
If you know anywhere that you can display one of the posters for this free phone line, please download, print and display.
Latest news from Bishop Keith
Dear Friends
As the global impact of the pandemic worsens whatever good news that comes from some sense that the strategy in the UK is working, we are now into the next phase of wondering if any relaxation of the lockdown is possible without putting still more people at risk.
That will present us with new challenges, especially if there is any possibility of our church buildings being opened again even for limited use any time soon.
A question of concern for me this week, is how we are going to be sustained, especially as I know a number of clergy are already exhausted, and there is clear anxiety around many people in our communities of the risks attached to any relaxation.
Do listen to Archdeacon Mike’s video on the Good Shepherd and what he says about Psalm 23 and rest.
In this letter, I would like us to think about rest and “sabbath”, the weekly moment for rest and renewal in order for work to be sustained in the other 6 days.
You might ask: “How in such a time as this, do you actually rest?”
Maybe you are surprised that in this time of so-called enforced rest, many are experiencing exhaustion! If you work from home, when do you stop working? If your work is actually running the home, including supervising the homeschooling of children, when do you actually rest? As one week of lockdown goes into another, we can forget what day of the week it is, and one day can be very much like any other!
But you might also be asking “rest”? How can you not rest if you cannot go out, visit, go to your place of work, or do anything that previously you would have been free to do? “I’m fed up with rest, give me back my work”. If that is you, I pray you will find “work” which will balance the enforced rest, and lead to a renewed fulfillment that will alleviate some of the frustration.
In the readings this week in Morning Prayer one was Exodus 20, the chapter of the Bible which includes the 10 commandments, including the 4th commandment about the sabbath day which is all about rest (assuming you are working the other six days, see Exodus 20: 8-11).
And this means for now a key part of what God designed for a good life to be enjoyed as a weekly rhythm of grace has virtually disappeared.
In Exodus, the 4th commandment stands there as a pivot, the very sabbath enabling us to look at our relationship with God and to check whether in our lives there are other Gods before him, any kind of idolatry or abuse of his name AND to check out our relationship with others, our parents, our spouse, our neighbours and see if there is any hatred, lying, stealing, or coveting going on.
The sabbath as originally given was like a weekly health check, not in a gym, but in the presence of God, and not in isolation but together.
So, how in this time, with this lockdown, do we have sabbath? How do we establish boundaries where there are no boundaries? And if you think “Well, chance would be a fine thing?”, maybe you are working all the hours in hospital or in a care home, or in an essential service, getting food to the supermarket, how can you experience any kind of rhythm of grace, which enables you to keep going, and get real good rest?
I think the answer to the question may be found in the asking of it.
What I mean is, if we realise that God intends our lives to have a balance of rest and work and ask him how we are to find that balance now, even in the asking we give God the space to answer.
And if that answer cannot include meeting in our special place of worship, then can we let him show us how those boundaries and spaces can be created in our own homes?
Maybe allowing a meeting around a table to include a space for prayer and hearing the Bible; maybe resolving to have one day or part of a day when the computer or the phone will be switched off; maybe if we are on our own agreeing with just one or two with whom we can relax to pray on a call together; maybe extending the walk to follow Jesus words about looking at the birds and the flowers.
Isaiah spoke about remembering God’s promise “Your ancient ruins shall be rebuilt, you shall raise up the foundations of many generations: you shall be called the repairer of the breach, the restorerof streets to live in” (Is 58:12). A great text if we are anywhere near coming out of lockdown. The key to receiving this promise is in the next verse:
“If you call the sabbath a delight …. Then you shall take delight in the Lord and I will make you ride on the heights of the earth” (Is 58:13,14)
There are simple things we can do. We can pray at 8.00pm on a Sunday night and light a candle in the window. We can go outside at 8.00pm each Thursday to say thank you to those in the NHS, I have found this simple act to be such a blessing to me!
The lockdown may be relaxed it may not. We do not know for how long this will go on. We will continue to pray for the world and the leaders of the world. We will remember that whatever we are enduring, our brothers and sisters in places where there is no NHS, no work, no self- isolation are suffering and also need us to keep going.
In whatever way our work is continuing and with whatever new work we are being asked to engage, may we find ways to experience on our own and together rhythms of grace which allow the Lord to give us rest and be restored so that however we work, we can, in his promise, be those who rebuild and restore.
With love in Christ
+Keith
Archdeacon Mike Gilbertson has produced a short reflection on John and Psalm 23, reminding us of God’s presence in these times and the truth that underlines the Christian faith….
Archdeacon Mike Gilbertson reflects on John & psalm 23
A Closing Prayer
We’ll conclude this post with a beautiful prayer which speaks of hope in the light of God:
