Diary

 

Saturday, 11th June

 

Saint Barnabas

 

Sung Mass at 10am

 

S Barnabas seems to have become a friend of S Paul, introducing him to the Apostles and generally supporting him in his “discussions” with the Jerusalem set of Christians.  Tradition suggests that he may have founded the Church on Cyprus, later to be martyred at Salamis; others suggest that he founded the diocese of Milan, becoming its first bishop; and Tertullian names him as the author of the Epistle to the Hebrews.

 

Thursday, 16th June

 

Gateshead Youth Orchestra Concert

 

Concert at 7.30pm

 

It is a pleasure to welcome the GYO here for their concert.  Tickets are available from Donna Saint or the Vicar - £5 (£3 concessions).

 

Thursday 23rd June


The Nativity of Saint John the Baptist

 

High Mass at 7.30pm

 

The actual day of this festival is 24th June; but we keep it here on the eve so people can attend the Patronal Festival at Grainger Street.  S John the Baptist is an intriguing figure with so many hints as to his life, but little firm evidence.  According to S Luke, he was a distant relative of Jesus, born as the result of miraculous intervention to the ageing Zechariah and Elizabeth. 

 

Relations between him and Jesus, or at least their respective followers, do not seem always to have been close; but we can be certain that S John influenced Christ’s ministry to some extent.  Some people think that he may have been attached, at least for a time, to the monastic community at Qumran.

 

Eventually, according to the Gospels, he was executed by King Herod against whom he had maintained sustained criticism.

 

S John’s Grainger St will be celebrating their Patronal Festival on Friday, 24th June at 7.30pm and it would be good if we could send a reasonable posse, as they did to S Matthew’s Day last year.

 

Wednesday, 29th June

 

Saints Peter and Paul

 

High Mass at 7.30pm

 

These “twin pillars” of the Church probably would not have seen it quite in that way at the time.  However, the synthesis of their perspectives has done much to shape the Church ever since – including her capacity for a good old ding-dong!

 

Sunday, 3rd July

 

Saint Thomas

 

High Mass at 10am; Sung Evensong at 6.30pm

 

Saint Thomas, one of the inner circle of Christ’s Twelve Apostles, is best remembered for his doubting.  Although his relics are now held to rest in Abruzzi, there is a very strong tradition associating him with the Church in India.  A number of ancient texts also bear his name.

 

The Vicar is away today and Canon Trimble has very kindly agreed to come and preside at the morning Mass (the PCCs agreed that when I am absent, such provision would be acceptable).

 

Saturday, 16th July

 

CHAT Shop AGM at the Hub, commencing at 11am

 

The CHAT Shop Trustees have spent a considerable amount of time reflecting on the past and possible ways into the future.  They intend to present a distilled version of this to the members of the four churches.  The AGM will start with a service and then proceed over (and with) lunch.

 

The work of the CHAT Shop has developed considerably over the past three years and there will need to be some adjustments if we are to meet the needs of the future.  We have become increasingly aware of the distance that has opened between the Trust and the constituent congregations and we have designed the AGM in the hope that folks from each of the churches will want to come along and find out where we have got to.

 

Invitations will be issued soon, please try to be present – and please respond to the invitations.

 

Monday, 25th July – Friday, 29th July

 

Parish Trip to Budapest