Welcome to our APCM Service.
Join Zoom Meeting
https://us02web.zoom.us/j/83556211775?pwd=dXp6NE9nMW1lTTNVUmdYa2dBVElHQT09
Meeting ID: 835 5621 1775
Passcode: 489409
We meet in the name of the Father,
and of the Son,
and of the Holy Spirit.
Amen.
Opening Prayer
Heavenly Father,
pour down your Spirit upon us and your whole church.
Grant us a new vision of your glory,
a new experience of your power,
a new faithfulness to your word,
a new consecration to your service,
that through our renewed witness your holy name may be glorified
and your kingdom advanced
through Jesus Christ our Lord. Amen
Song: Light of the World https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=-MmRGSEG2LM
Almighty God,
to whom all hearts are open,
all desires known,
and from whom no secrets are hidden:
cleanse the thoughts of our hearts
by the inspiration of your Holy Spirit,
that we may perfectly love you,
and worthily magnify your holy name;
through Christ our Lord.
Amen.
Saying Sorry to God:
Father God you have promised to hear us when we call to you.
Lord, we confess our sins
Keep your promise and forgive us, we pray.
For the times when we have hurt others through the words we have said,
Lord we confess our sins.
Keep your promise and forgive us, we pray.
For the times when our actions have been harmful and not loving,
Lord we confess our sins.
Keep your promise and forgive us, we pray.
For the times when we have forgotten you and ignored your commands,
Lord we confess our sins.
Keep your promise and forgive us, we pray.
May the God of grace,
who loves all that he has made,
and in Christ welcomes home all who come to him,
heal your brokenness,
forgive you your sins
and return you to a life of justice, mercy and simplicity.
Through Jesus Christ our Lord. Amen.
Song: God’s love is Big https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=-IFSTnFMN0g
Annual Parish Church Meeting
Apologies
Minutes of APCM for 2019 on Oct 2020 and matters arising
Reports
Electoral Roll report
Our current electoral roll is 33, the same as last year. Of those, 22 live inside the parish and 11 live outside the parish.
Secretary’s report of PCC activities
Finance (appointment of independent external examiner)
Elections to:
Electoral Roll Officer : John Franks
PCC: Keith Gibson
Welcomers (sidespeople) John Franks and Rob Tebbatts
Bible Reading Acts 4:5-12
5 The next day the Jewish leaders, the elders, and the teachers of the Law gathered in Jerusalem. 6 They met with the High Priest Annas and with Caiaphas, John, Alexander, and the others who belonged to the High Priest's family. 7 They made the apostles stand before them and asked them, “How did you do this? What power do you have or whose name did you use?”
8 Peter, full of the Holy Spirit, answered them, “Leaders of the people and elders: 9 if we are being questioned today about the good deed done to the lame man and how he was healed, 10 then you should all know, and all the people of Israel should know, that this man stands here before you completely well through the power of the name of Jesus Christ of Nazareth—whom you crucified and whom God raised from death. 11 Jesus is the one of whom the scripture says,
‘The stone that you the builders despised
turned out to be the most important of all.’
12 Salvation is to be found through him alone; in all the world there is no one else whom God has given who can save us.”
This is the word of the Lord
Thanks be to God
Song: Bind us together https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=VuhIBLp5aHM
Bible Reading: John 10:11-18
11 “I am the good shepherd, who is willing to die for the sheep. 12 When the hired man, who is not a shepherd and does not own the sheep, sees a wolf coming, he leaves the sheep and runs away; so the wolf snatches the sheep and scatters them. 13 The hired man runs away because he is only a hired man and does not care about the sheep. 14-15 I am the good shepherd. As the Father knows me and I know the Father, in the same way I know my sheep and they know me. And I am willing to die for them. 16 There are other sheep which belong to me that are not in this sheep pen. I must bring them, too; they will listen to my voice, and they will become[a] one flock with one shepherd.
17 “The Father loves me because I am willing to give up my life, in order that I may receive it back again. 18 No one takes my life away from me. I give it up of my own free will. I have the right to give it up, and I have the right to take it back. This is what my Father has commanded me to do.”
Minister’s report:
Firstly we need to look back and say “Thank you”
Thank you to God for everything that we received. In what has been a very difficult year, there are still many things to thank God for.
I wonder if we could stop right now and just shout out what some of them are to each other?
We need to say “thank you” to everyone who makes all the things happen that we do as part of our church’s ministry.
So there are formal “thank you”s in the report (available on line or in the building) but please let’s just stop and give ourselves a huge round of applause.
Foodbank, youth club, children’s groups, Stay and Play and GLU; all the work that goes into running a church whether it’s PCC or admin (thank you to Stacy); cleaning or repairing our buildings; supporting and welcoming each other.
We are a team and a family together here and everyone’s contribution is valued.
These things are all part of our overarching vision- that we grow as a multicultural church where we experience God’s love.
Our vision for the next 5 years is to grow as a multicultural church
where we experience God’s love,
express his love in action
and share his love with the people of
Stoke Aldermoor, New Century Park
and beyond!
There are some very obvious challenges up ahead.
We are still living with COVID and need to work out how to meet together safely, continue to learn, support and worship together.
We’re taking steps in that direction – so restarting groups with restrictions and outside as much as possible.
We need to encourage outside groups who use our church to come back safely too- as we depend on their rent to make much of our ministry happen.
Whilst our new building is great- the portacabins are rapidly deteriorating and we need to get on with getting the redevelopment done.
All this is stuff to maintain who we are; returning us to what we’ve done in the past.
But the biggest challenge is to raise our eyes to the future.
When I look at our vision statement – it says we want to know God’s love, we want to grow (in numbers and maturity), share God’s love here in our community and far away as well.
Know, grow, share both near and far away.
How are we going to do that?
It’s the purpose of the PCC to work out the steps that we take as individuals and as a church. Today isn’t the day for planning those steps but to reflect on what our readings tell us about God’s purpose for us.
If we start with the gospel reading, we have the familiar picture of Jesus as the Good Shepherd. We know this picture- but we need to dwell on it again.
As we face up to the challenges of just getting back to where we were before- never mind looking to the future, we might feel overwhelmed or weary or excited!
So spending time with our Good Shepherd is so important. We’re not doing life on our own. We’re not “doing church” as just a community of people together.
We are led by our Good Shepherd who knows us, guides us, has rescued us from sin and death- because he was prepared to die for us.
Perhaps it very appropriate that we are in the Easter season. The first disciples celebrated that Jesus had come alive again but not yet been sent out with the Holy Spirit at Pentecost. There was a period of time when they met together, learnt together, as they got ready for the work ahead.
I think we are probably in a recovery phase- a bit like that!
However, we do have a vision ahead of us.
Peter in the upper room probably had no idea what he would be doing weeks or months later but in our Acts reading we see what the transformed Peter and John looked like.
They weren’t hiding but were out in the public eye.
They weren’t afraid of the authorities but were speaking up when they were questioned.
They weren’t doubting but were seeing God work powerfully through them.
And they were sure that this was all because Jesus was alive and they were filled with the Spirit.
As we approach this next phase of recovery and restoration for St Catherine’s, I pray that we would catch this vision- God can do great things through us.
The Creed:
Let us declare our faith in God.
We believe in God the Father,
from whom every family
in heaven and on earth is named.
We believe in God the Son,
who lives in our hearts through faith,
and fills us with his love.
We believe in God the Holy Spirit,
who strengthens us
with power from on high.
We believe in one God;
Father, Son and Holy Spirit. Amen.
Our Prayers Led by Julie
The Peace
The peace of the Lord be always with you
and also with you.
Let us offer one another a sign of peace.
Song: Lord I lift your name on high https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=COQ6cni_TG8
Holy Communion
The Lord is here
His Spirit is with us.
Lift up your hearts.
We lift them to the Lord.
Let us give thanks to the Lord our God.
It is right to give thanks and praise.
It is right to praise you, Father, Lord of all creation;
in your love you made us for yourself.
When we turned away you did not reject us,
but came to meet us in your Son.
You embraced us as your children
and welcomed us to sit and eat with you.
In Christ you shared our life
that we might live in him and he in us.
He opened his arms of love upon the cross
and made for all the perfect sacrifice for sin.
On the night he was betrayed,
at supper with his friends he took bread, and gave you thanks;
he broke it and gave it to them, saying:
Take, eat; this is my body which is given for you; do this in remembrance of me.
Father, we do this in remembrance of him:
his body is the bread of life.
At the end of supper, taking the cup of wine,
he gave you thanks, and said:
Drink this, all of you;
this is my blood of the new covenant,
which is shed for you for the forgiveness of sins; do this in remembrance of me.
Father, we do this in remembrance of him: his blood is shed for all.
As we proclaim his death and celebrate his rising in glory,
send your Holy Spirit that this bread and this wine
may be to us the body and blood of your dear Son.
As we eat and drink these holy gifts
make us one in Christ, our risen Lord.
With your whole Church throughout the world, we offer you this sacrifice of praise
and lift our voice to join the eternal song of heaven:
Holy, holy, holy Lord,
God of power and might,
Heaven and earth are full of your glory.
Hosanna in the highest.
Our Father in heaven,
hallowed be your name,
your kingdom come,
your will be done,
on earth as in heaven.
Give us today our daily bread.
Forgive us our sins
as we forgive those who sin against us.
Lead us not into temptation
but deliver us from evil.
For the kingdom, the power,
and the glory are yours
now and for ever.
Amen.
We break this bread to share in the body of Christ.
Though we are many we are one body because we all share in one bread.
Jesus, Lamb of God
have mercy on us.
Jesus bearer of our sins,
have mercy on us.
Jesus, redeemer of the world,
grant us peace.
Draw near with faith.
Receive the body of our Lord Jesus Christ
which he gave for you,
and his blood which he shed for you.
Eat and drink
in remembrance that he died for you,
and feed on him in your hearts
by faith with thanksgiving.
Song during Communion
O Praise the Name https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=MYdGxKkAwlM
Prayer of Spiritual Communion
Thanks be to you, Lord Jesus Christ,
for all the benefits you have given me,
for all the pains and insults you have borne for me.
Since I cannot now receive you sacramentally,
I ask you to come spiritually into my heart.
O most merciful redeemer, friend and brother,
may I know you more clearly,
love you more dearly,
and follow you more nearly, day by day. Amen
The Blessing
The peace of God,
which passes all understanding,
keep your hearts and minds
in the knowledge and love of God,
and of his Son Jesus Christ our Lord;
and the blessing of God almighty,
the Father, the Son, and the Holy Spirit,
be among you and remain with you always.
Amen.
Final Song: My God is able https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=m2MoUW78Auk
Notices
Birthdays
The Dismissal
Go in peace to love and serve the Lord.
In the name of Christ. Amen.
https://us02web.zoom.us/j/83556211775?pwd=dXp6NE9nMW1lTTNVUmdYa2dBVElHQT09
Meeting ID: 835 5621 1775
Passcode: 489409
We meet in the name of the Father,
and of the Son,
and of the Holy Spirit.
Amen.
Opening Prayer
Heavenly Father,
pour down your Spirit upon us and your whole church.
Grant us a new vision of your glory,
a new experience of your power,
a new faithfulness to your word,
a new consecration to your service,
that through our renewed witness your holy name may be glorified
and your kingdom advanced
through Jesus Christ our Lord. Amen
Vestry Meeting
- Election of Clerk: Melisa Waithera
- Previous Minutes
- Appointment of Churchwardens: Antoinette Nyandwi Pauline Machokoto
Song: Light of the World https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=-MmRGSEG2LM
Almighty God,
to whom all hearts are open,
all desires known,
and from whom no secrets are hidden:
cleanse the thoughts of our hearts
by the inspiration of your Holy Spirit,
that we may perfectly love you,
and worthily magnify your holy name;
through Christ our Lord.
Amen.
Saying Sorry to God:
Father God you have promised to hear us when we call to you.
Lord, we confess our sins
Keep your promise and forgive us, we pray.
For the times when we have hurt others through the words we have said,
Lord we confess our sins.
Keep your promise and forgive us, we pray.
For the times when our actions have been harmful and not loving,
Lord we confess our sins.
Keep your promise and forgive us, we pray.
For the times when we have forgotten you and ignored your commands,
Lord we confess our sins.
Keep your promise and forgive us, we pray.
May the God of grace,
who loves all that he has made,
and in Christ welcomes home all who come to him,
heal your brokenness,
forgive you your sins
and return you to a life of justice, mercy and simplicity.
Through Jesus Christ our Lord. Amen.
Song: God’s love is Big https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=-IFSTnFMN0g
Annual Parish Church Meeting
Apologies
Minutes of APCM for 2019 on Oct 2020 and matters arising
Reports
Electoral Roll report
Our current electoral roll is 33, the same as last year. Of those, 22 live inside the parish and 11 live outside the parish.
Secretary’s report of PCC activities
Finance (appointment of independent external examiner)
Elections to:
Electoral Roll Officer : John Franks
PCC: Keith Gibson
Welcomers (sidespeople) John Franks and Rob Tebbatts
Bible Reading Acts 4:5-12
5 The next day the Jewish leaders, the elders, and the teachers of the Law gathered in Jerusalem. 6 They met with the High Priest Annas and with Caiaphas, John, Alexander, and the others who belonged to the High Priest's family. 7 They made the apostles stand before them and asked them, “How did you do this? What power do you have or whose name did you use?”
8 Peter, full of the Holy Spirit, answered them, “Leaders of the people and elders: 9 if we are being questioned today about the good deed done to the lame man and how he was healed, 10 then you should all know, and all the people of Israel should know, that this man stands here before you completely well through the power of the name of Jesus Christ of Nazareth—whom you crucified and whom God raised from death. 11 Jesus is the one of whom the scripture says,
‘The stone that you the builders despised
turned out to be the most important of all.’
12 Salvation is to be found through him alone; in all the world there is no one else whom God has given who can save us.”
This is the word of the Lord
Thanks be to God
Song: Bind us together https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=VuhIBLp5aHM
Bible Reading: John 10:11-18
11 “I am the good shepherd, who is willing to die for the sheep. 12 When the hired man, who is not a shepherd and does not own the sheep, sees a wolf coming, he leaves the sheep and runs away; so the wolf snatches the sheep and scatters them. 13 The hired man runs away because he is only a hired man and does not care about the sheep. 14-15 I am the good shepherd. As the Father knows me and I know the Father, in the same way I know my sheep and they know me. And I am willing to die for them. 16 There are other sheep which belong to me that are not in this sheep pen. I must bring them, too; they will listen to my voice, and they will become[a] one flock with one shepherd.
17 “The Father loves me because I am willing to give up my life, in order that I may receive it back again. 18 No one takes my life away from me. I give it up of my own free will. I have the right to give it up, and I have the right to take it back. This is what my Father has commanded me to do.”
Minister’s report:
Firstly we need to look back and say “Thank you”
Thank you to God for everything that we received. In what has been a very difficult year, there are still many things to thank God for.
I wonder if we could stop right now and just shout out what some of them are to each other?
We need to say “thank you” to everyone who makes all the things happen that we do as part of our church’s ministry.
So there are formal “thank you”s in the report (available on line or in the building) but please let’s just stop and give ourselves a huge round of applause.
Foodbank, youth club, children’s groups, Stay and Play and GLU; all the work that goes into running a church whether it’s PCC or admin (thank you to Stacy); cleaning or repairing our buildings; supporting and welcoming each other.
We are a team and a family together here and everyone’s contribution is valued.
These things are all part of our overarching vision- that we grow as a multicultural church where we experience God’s love.
Our vision for the next 5 years is to grow as a multicultural church
where we experience God’s love,
express his love in action
and share his love with the people of
Stoke Aldermoor, New Century Park
and beyond!
There are some very obvious challenges up ahead.
We are still living with COVID and need to work out how to meet together safely, continue to learn, support and worship together.
We’re taking steps in that direction – so restarting groups with restrictions and outside as much as possible.
We need to encourage outside groups who use our church to come back safely too- as we depend on their rent to make much of our ministry happen.
Whilst our new building is great- the portacabins are rapidly deteriorating and we need to get on with getting the redevelopment done.
All this is stuff to maintain who we are; returning us to what we’ve done in the past.
But the biggest challenge is to raise our eyes to the future.
When I look at our vision statement – it says we want to know God’s love, we want to grow (in numbers and maturity), share God’s love here in our community and far away as well.
Know, grow, share both near and far away.
How are we going to do that?
It’s the purpose of the PCC to work out the steps that we take as individuals and as a church. Today isn’t the day for planning those steps but to reflect on what our readings tell us about God’s purpose for us.
If we start with the gospel reading, we have the familiar picture of Jesus as the Good Shepherd. We know this picture- but we need to dwell on it again.
As we face up to the challenges of just getting back to where we were before- never mind looking to the future, we might feel overwhelmed or weary or excited!
So spending time with our Good Shepherd is so important. We’re not doing life on our own. We’re not “doing church” as just a community of people together.
We are led by our Good Shepherd who knows us, guides us, has rescued us from sin and death- because he was prepared to die for us.
Perhaps it very appropriate that we are in the Easter season. The first disciples celebrated that Jesus had come alive again but not yet been sent out with the Holy Spirit at Pentecost. There was a period of time when they met together, learnt together, as they got ready for the work ahead.
I think we are probably in a recovery phase- a bit like that!
However, we do have a vision ahead of us.
Peter in the upper room probably had no idea what he would be doing weeks or months later but in our Acts reading we see what the transformed Peter and John looked like.
They weren’t hiding but were out in the public eye.
They weren’t afraid of the authorities but were speaking up when they were questioned.
They weren’t doubting but were seeing God work powerfully through them.
And they were sure that this was all because Jesus was alive and they were filled with the Spirit.
As we approach this next phase of recovery and restoration for St Catherine’s, I pray that we would catch this vision- God can do great things through us.
The Creed:
Let us declare our faith in God.
We believe in God the Father,
from whom every family
in heaven and on earth is named.
We believe in God the Son,
who lives in our hearts through faith,
and fills us with his love.
We believe in God the Holy Spirit,
who strengthens us
with power from on high.
We believe in one God;
Father, Son and Holy Spirit. Amen.
Our Prayers Led by Julie
The Peace
The peace of the Lord be always with you
and also with you.
Let us offer one another a sign of peace.
Song: Lord I lift your name on high https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=COQ6cni_TG8
Holy Communion
The Lord is here
His Spirit is with us.
Lift up your hearts.
We lift them to the Lord.
Let us give thanks to the Lord our God.
It is right to give thanks and praise.
It is right to praise you, Father, Lord of all creation;
in your love you made us for yourself.
When we turned away you did not reject us,
but came to meet us in your Son.
You embraced us as your children
and welcomed us to sit and eat with you.
In Christ you shared our life
that we might live in him and he in us.
He opened his arms of love upon the cross
and made for all the perfect sacrifice for sin.
On the night he was betrayed,
at supper with his friends he took bread, and gave you thanks;
he broke it and gave it to them, saying:
Take, eat; this is my body which is given for you; do this in remembrance of me.
Father, we do this in remembrance of him:
his body is the bread of life.
At the end of supper, taking the cup of wine,
he gave you thanks, and said:
Drink this, all of you;
this is my blood of the new covenant,
which is shed for you for the forgiveness of sins; do this in remembrance of me.
Father, we do this in remembrance of him: his blood is shed for all.
As we proclaim his death and celebrate his rising in glory,
send your Holy Spirit that this bread and this wine
may be to us the body and blood of your dear Son.
As we eat and drink these holy gifts
make us one in Christ, our risen Lord.
With your whole Church throughout the world, we offer you this sacrifice of praise
and lift our voice to join the eternal song of heaven:
Holy, holy, holy Lord,
God of power and might,
Heaven and earth are full of your glory.
Hosanna in the highest.
Our Father in heaven,
hallowed be your name,
your kingdom come,
your will be done,
on earth as in heaven.
Give us today our daily bread.
Forgive us our sins
as we forgive those who sin against us.
Lead us not into temptation
but deliver us from evil.
For the kingdom, the power,
and the glory are yours
now and for ever.
Amen.
We break this bread to share in the body of Christ.
Though we are many we are one body because we all share in one bread.
Jesus, Lamb of God
have mercy on us.
Jesus bearer of our sins,
have mercy on us.
Jesus, redeemer of the world,
grant us peace.
Draw near with faith.
Receive the body of our Lord Jesus Christ
which he gave for you,
and his blood which he shed for you.
Eat and drink
in remembrance that he died for you,
and feed on him in your hearts
by faith with thanksgiving.
Song during Communion
O Praise the Name https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=MYdGxKkAwlM
Prayer of Spiritual Communion
Thanks be to you, Lord Jesus Christ,
for all the benefits you have given me,
for all the pains and insults you have borne for me.
Since I cannot now receive you sacramentally,
I ask you to come spiritually into my heart.
O most merciful redeemer, friend and brother,
may I know you more clearly,
love you more dearly,
and follow you more nearly, day by day. Amen
The Blessing
The peace of God,
which passes all understanding,
keep your hearts and minds
in the knowledge and love of God,
and of his Son Jesus Christ our Lord;
and the blessing of God almighty,
the Father, the Son, and the Holy Spirit,
be among you and remain with you always.
Amen.
Final Song: My God is able https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=m2MoUW78Auk
Notices
Birthdays
The Dismissal
Go in peace to love and serve the Lord.
In the name of Christ. Amen.