Pray for the Bishop

Dear friends,

Bishop Steven Croft (the Bishop of Oxford) revealed in a letter to clergy this week that he was briefly hospitalised with Covid a week before Christmas, and is still taking things rather slowly. Let us add our prayers to those of his family, and see if their weight can hasten his recuperation and recovery. In our own team area and networks Covid appears to now be popping up in older Primary age children, as well as the fit and vaccinated “out and about”.  We continue to wear masks in church services, but, as nationally cases are falling, look forward to the day when these can be removed again.

Worship Services for Sunday 23rd January.

9.30am Holy Communion at St John’s Stoke Row, led by Revd John Blair.

11am Holy Communion at Checkendon Church. Led by Revd Kevin Davies with hymns, and a short sermon.

6.30pm-7pm. Together at Home. A short online evening service with Revd Kevin.  Zoom numbers 636 645 195 and passcode 000162. Music, prayers, and a word from Mark’s gospel.

Other service options for elsewhere in the Team can be found on the Langtree Team Ministry Churches website.

You can support Checkendon church and  Stoke Row churches via dedicated and secure online card donation pages. Just click on the link. It is very secure. There is a new option to set your donation to be monthly rather than one off. There is also an option to Gift Aid your donation. Please do this if you can as your church can then reclaim the income tax you have paid on your donation. Checkendon Church in particular now needs your urgent help. Thank you!

Pray for Unity, and celebrate the Light.

Today sees the start of the annual week of prayer for Christian Unity. As we move through the season of the Epiphany, the focus is upon the revelation of the good news of Jesus to the whole world. The diversity in Christian expression and practice across the globe should not blind us to the unique hope of our shared faith; the birth of a baby, one child, at a single point in time and space. This is something we can all agree upon, whether Coptic, Catholic, Protestant or Pentecostal.

Your Rector, Revd Canon Kevin Davies.