This Sunday @ St Michael’s
10:30am
Join us at 10:30am on Sunday morning in St Michael’s for Big Story Sunday. Jonathan will be leading as we explore the Feeding of the 5000 through songs, stories and prayers.
This service will also be live-streamed at https://cumnor.org/sunday-service-25th-July-2021/
This Sunday @ St Andrew’s
10am
Join us at 10am in St Andrew’s for Morning Worship. David Wenham will be leading and Chris Scruby will be preaching on Galatians 3: 1-14.
Reading and Collect
John 6: 1-21
1 Some time after this, Jesus crossed to the far shore of the Sea of Galilee (that is, the Sea of Tiberias), 2 and a great crowd of people followed him because they saw the signs he had performed by healing the sick. 3 Then Jesus went up on a mountainside and sat down with his disciples. 4 The Jewish Passover Festival was near. 5 When Jesus looked up and saw a great crowd coming toward him, he said to Philip, “Where shall we buy bread for these people to eat?” 6 He asked this only to test him, for he already had in mind what he was going to do. 7 Philip answered him, “It would take more than half a year’s wages to buy enough bread for each one to have a bite!” 8 Another of his disciples, Andrew, Simon Peter’s brother, spoke up, 9 “Here is a boy with five small barley loaves and two small fish, but how far will they go among so many?” 10 Jesus said, “Have the people sit down.” There was plenty of grass in that place, and they sat down (about five thousand men were there). 11 Jesus then took the loaves, gave thanks, and distributed to those who were seated as much as they wanted. He did the same with the fish. 12 When they had all had enough to eat, he said to his disciples, “Gather the pieces that are left over. Let nothing be wasted.” 13 So they gathered them and filled twelve baskets with the pieces of the five barley loaves left over by those who had eaten. 14 After the people saw the sign Jesus performed, they began to say, “Surely this is the Prophet who is to come into the world.” 15 Jesus, knowing that they intended to come and make him king by force, withdrew again to a mountain by himself. 16 When evening came, his disciples went down to the lake, 17 where they got into a boat and set off across the lake for Capernaum. By now it was dark, and Jesus had not yet joined them. 18 A strong wind was blowing and the waters grew rough. 19 When they had rowed about three or four miles, they saw Jesus approaching the boat, walking on the water; and they were frightened. 20 But he said to them, “It is I; don’t be afraid.” 21 Then they were willing to take him into the boat, and immediately the boat reached the shore where they were heading.
Collect for Eighth Sunday after Trinity
Almighty Lord and everlasting God,
we beseech you to direct, sanctify and govern
both our hearts and bodies
in the ways of your laws
and the works of your commandments;
that through your most mighty protection, both here and ever,
we may be preserved in body and soul;
through our Lord and Saviour Jesus Christ,
who is alive and reigns with you,
in the unity of the Holy Spirit,
one God, now and for ever.
Amen.
COVID precautions update
“In humility value others above yourselves, not looking to your own interests but each of you to the interests of the others.” Philippians 2:3b-4
The good news this week is that we are again able to SING indoors!
However as we head into the rest of July and August, we ask that you continue to remain at home if you are experiencing Covid symptoms, and use hand sanitiser when entering a church buildings. Masks will no longer be mandatory however we encourage you to wear them inside where others are present. We are aware that many of our community are still very anxious and therefore ask that, if you are able to, you continue to wear a mask during church services and particularly whilst singing indoors. Hand sanitiser will remain available at the door and when receiving Holy Communion.
There is no longer a capacity limit at St Michael’s, and we are looking forward to welcoming more people back into the church over the coming months however we ask that you continue to respect people’s personal space and choices over distancing and PPE.
You will no longer need to sign in when you arrive, although the QR codes will remain available for you to scan in should you want to.
We will be keeping services (and sermons!) short and the present arrangements for communion, with wafers being intincted with wine from the common cup using a pipette, and distributed at the chancel step will continue for the time being.
The choir are planning to return to active duty leading our singing from September once the local situation becomes clearer.
We will also bring back post-service refreshments at that time.
St Andrew’s
Along with other hygiene and safety measures, at St Andrew’s
- we will be encouraged (but not required) to continue to wear masks in church and to hand sanitize
- we will continue to observe some social distance from those not in our bubble, and for those who want or need it some seats will continue to be around 2 metres apart.
- we will be allowed to join in with the prerecorded hymns, but only singing through masks and not loudly! We will sing a hymn (To God be the glory) outdoors at the end of the service, weather permitting and no masks required.
- We will aim to keep our services and sermons rather short!
APCM results
On Sunday at the APCM we elected Claire Horsman to Deanery Synod for the next 2 years.
We also elected Karen Adamson, David Henderson-Slater, Roger Long and Jane Vlitos to PCC for the next 3 years.
Malcolm Taylor and Chris Evans stood down as Churchwardens, and there were no candidates to replace them. They remain in office until the Archdeacon’s Visitation in September, at which point we will go forward as a parish without Churchwardens. Should this be necessary the Churchwarden’s duties will be shared by the PCC and I, working together.
The papers, presentations and a recording of the meeting itself remain available online at https://cumnor.org/apcm2021/
Gravestones exhibition
The Bodleian Library has an exhibit of “Oxford Gravestones” which features two stones on loan from St Michael’s. It’s in Blackwell Hall in the Weston Library on Broad Street. Entrance is free and the exhibit will be up until September.
Apology re: last week’s newsletter
We want to apologise for an error we made in sending out last week’s newsletter. We accidentally sent it to some of the recipients directly instead of using the Blind Copy Function and so revealed your email addresses to the other recipients. Please accept our sincere apologies.
Taizé Service
The online Taizé service for July is still available. With readings, prayers and meditative sung worship, it’s the perfect way to find some peace and space in the stresses and strains of life.
https://cumnor.org/taize-service-july-2021/
Worship for Seniors
The July edition of our online series of Worship for Seniors is now available at https://cumnor.org/worship-for-seniors-july-2021/. William Cutting’s theme this month is “The Olympic Games”.
Worship for Seniors is a new, monthly series of devotional videos for seniors and those in care homes. Each episode lasts about 15 minutes.
Worship for Seniors is also available by phone on 01865 920993, and then choosing option 2 from the menu.
Zoom Weekly Prayer Meeting
**
Our weekly prayer meeting continues every Monday at 10am until the end of July. We will then take a break in August and resume in September.
**Join us as we gather together online to pray for one another, our families, friends and neighbours, our parish, our nation and the world.For more details on how to connect, see this web page.
Forthcoming Worship Services
St Andrew’s @ 10am
1/8 Morning Worship (John 6:1-21)
8/8 Holy Communion (Galatians 3: 26-47)
St Michael’s @ 8am
15/8 Holy Communion (1662) (Galatians 4:21-31)
St Michael’s @ 10.30am
1/8 Holy Communion (Galatians 3:26-4:7)
8/8 Morning Worship (Galatians 4: 8-20)
During the pandemic St Michael’s remains open for private prayer every Monday and Friday, 9am-5pm.
Please Pray For…
- To staff and pupils at our schools as they break up for the summer holidays
- Those affected by COVID locally.
- Our CMS mission partner Bia.
- The St Andrew’s Rebuilding Project.
- All those who remain anxious for their jobs or their future.
- Those who are homeless or struggling with food poverty.
- People to find a living faith in Jesus.
- Everyone who leads worship, preaches or teaches in our parish.
Contacts
Sarah Evans
Parish Administrator
St Michael’s Parish Office
1, Abingdon Road,
Cumnor
OX29QN
01865 861541
office@cumnor.org
Parish Office Hours: Mon-Thurs, 9am-1pm
Jonathan Widdess
Vicar
The Vicarage,
1, Abingdon Road
Cumnor
OX29QN
01865 861541
vicar@cumnor.org
Usual day off: Tuesday.
Kate Elliott
Safeguarding Officer
07782 350491