Thank you

 Hi All

Many thanks for the gift of a Japanese Acer, Gift Voucher and all your kind wishes on my retirement as Church Warden.

I will always hold in my heart fond memories of the years spent, especially during Interregnum, working with the many volunteers, who help to keep the church running. 

So many people give to the church in both time and monetary donations and I am glad that my term in office went some way in contributing to this worthwhile cause.

I would also like to take this opportunity of thanking my wife Hilary, who has helped me a great deal over my term in office.  I would also like to thank Denise for stepping forward and wish her all the best for her term in office, working alongside John.

Brian

All Souls service

 All Souls Service will be held on Sunday 1st November at 4pm.

This a service to remember our loved ones who have died.

Revd Lyn is taking some time off. Please let me know if you wish to have the name of a loved one read at that service, please.

Also as numbers of people who can attend church are once again restricted, priority will be given to those who have lost a loved one over the last year. If you wish to attend, please let me and I will inform if there are any places left. Places will be allocated on a first come first, first-served  basis

My contact details are

01706 558744

07962576457

csteel58@hotmail.com.

Thank you.

Harvest Festival

As we will not be able to hold a formal Harvest Festival this year donations for the Oldham Food Bank will be accepted throughout November.  (and beyond)

If you are not able to get to church or otherwise not able to make a donation you can make financial donations direct to the food bank either by bank transfer or by post.

Oldham food bank, The Three Crowns Centre, 1-3 Manchester Street, Oldham, OL1 1LE.
bank account details:
Co-Operative Bank, Sort Code 08-92-99, Account Number 65562075

PETS

Sergio is settling well into the Steel household. He loves to explore the nooks and crannies of my bungalow. Archie is delighted with him but I am not sure Sergio is appreciative of the many kisses and cuddles he gives him. Sergio is learning to scarper if Archie approaches him, darting under my bed where Archie can't reach him. 

Sergio likes to explore the washing machine, 

has mastered sitting on top of his scratching post. He sits there as if he is the King of the castle, which of course he is!

He loves to sit in his toy box. 

and his favourite place to sleep is across the back of the sofa.

On Friday evening I visited Louise, my daughter. Sergio and Lee my son-in-law spent most of the evening lay sprawled across the sofa, chilling, just as boys do.

Sergio brightens our day and brings joy into our lives.

Thank you, God, for our pets.

Revd Christine Steel

 

Coming to Church

New guidance on Church attendance has come from the Diocese.  From today there will not be any further invitations to attend as the Church must be available to all.  If you wish to attend you should call the Vicarage on 0161 620 5981 and places will be allocated on a first come first served basis.

 Exciting.

People get excited about all manner of things

Earlier this week the last two Boeing 747's (Jumbo jets), operated by a well-known airline taxied for the last time before going into retirement. The reporter could hardly contain his excitement as he reported on the final journey of these two epic planes. His colleagues remarked they had never seen him so excited about a story that he was covering. I couldn’t but help smile along with this reporter.

There has been a new addition to the Steel Household, meet Sergio. Nothing to do with the footballer or the Golfer, we just thought the name suited him. The joy and excitement were written all over Archie’s face when he first held him yesterday.

 I have two more very excited grandchildren in Bradford who can’t wait to give him a cuddle. However, Sergio was less than excited when he learnt he was going to live in a Priest’s household!

There was so much joy and excitement leading up to my Priesting last Sunday. And today that joy and excitement was very much evident in those around me as I lead my first mass. I am excited to be serving my Curacy at St John the Baptist, Hey and am even more excited to see what God has in store for me over these next few years.

What about you? Are you excited about what God might have in store for you?

Revd Chris.

Rev'd Christine's (Chris's) First Eucahrist

The Service can be found here

Congratulations on what we imagine is the most stressful service that it is possible to Preside at, well done!

 

Ordination of Christine

 

Rev'd Christine with Bishop Mark last Sunday

Mavis's Funeral

I do hope and pray that many of the over 40 people who viewed the 2 posts on here were able to join in with the live stream this afternoon.  

Those of us who would have wanted to be present were ably represented by members of our congregation that were able attend in person.

Mavis's Funeral

 The link I posted yesterday only works on a desktop or laptop.  For a tablet device you need an App, find it here

A small change

I am a fan of BBC Radio 4 and regularly listen to it in the car. Last week I was listening to a programme called rethink. In it, a panel of experts were asked about what they personally had done differently during the lockdown. One had almost become addicted to a certain bar of chocolate. As a result, she is now trying to get rid of those extra chocolatey pounds. Two others admitted to perhaps drinking a little more alcohol than is wise. Someone else said they no longer took the countryside around them for granted and was getting out and about more.

Listening to what the panel was saying led me to think about what I had done differently during lockdown. I could really identify with some of what was said. I will leave you to guess which ones of the above it might be!

Without a doubt, the coronavirus has changed all of our lives. Some changes are beyond our control, some are life-changing and some changes have had a more positive outcome than others.   

I once heard a sermon which spoke about the small changes we could make to our prayer life. The one that stuck in my mind is saying the Lord’s prayer. The congregation were challenged to say the Lord’s prayer every single day. Not difficult you may think, it doesn’t take long to say. Yet how often do we pause to consider the meaning of those familiar phrases?

The Lord's prayer forms a pattern of prayer for every Christian and for myself is a template around which I build my personal prayers. So, this week why don’t we make a habit of saying the Lord’s prayer daily. Take time to think of the importance of what we are saying. Maybe a particular word or phrase will jump out and challenge us. Saying the Lord's prayer daily maybe a simple change but I am sure our lives will be enriched through gaining a better understanding of this prayer.

 

Mavis Farrand's Funeral

The link to the live stream from Oldham Crematorium at 1.30 pm on Tuesday is here.  You do not have to sign in, choose the "join anonymously" option if you wish.

Sunday Worship

 Click here for This week's Sunday Worship

Ordination of Priests

Rev'd Chris is being Ordained Priest on 4th October in a private service at Oldham Parish Church.  You can watch the service on a live stream on Facebook from 2pm; link here.  You do not need to be on Facebook to watch the stream.

October Hymns

 The list of Hymns the Choir will be singing can be found here