Diocesan Pastoral Plan: -Further to the appeal made on the First Sunday of Advent, and the request to respond to the invitation which has been made through the ‘postcards’ you are encouraged to reply this weekend! One side of the card has the question ‘How can I be involved?’ followed by two sentences and a question: ‘There’s an opportunity here …..’ ‘A challenge will be ……………’ ‘I have a question……….’ Your responses are important for moving the discussion forward for our meeting on Sunday 25th January, as Fr. Chris Bergin makes his rounds of the existing parishes to address the changes as we move towards the nine existing parishes of the Epsom Deanery becoming one by the summer of 2026. Although the Pastoral Plan is light on the detail of how we go about fostering the Mission of the Church, this is because it leaves space for individual communities to decide on what their particular priorities are and how best to achieve them.
From SPUC as at October 2025 - The Bill will now pass to the House of Lords for further debate and scrutiny. It is entirely in the Lords’ power to substantially amend and even to reject the Bill. This Bill is not safe, and we must campaign for them to throw it out. The Bill is now at the Committee stage and will be discussed in the Lords Chamber on the following Fridays: 14 November 21 November 5 December 12 December 9 January 16 January 23 January 30 January 6 February 27 February 13 March 20 March 27 March 24 April Please send letters to Peer asking them to oppose the Bill.” Please use the link:- Fight the Leadbeater bill - SPUC
Charity Christmas Cards Various charities, one of which is, ‘Aid to the Church in Need’ (a charity which particularly supports the persecuted Church) produce beautiful Christmas cards, with both Greek icons and Renaissance images of the Nativity, which are available for you to purchase in the narthex / lobby/ church porch. Purchasing their cards supports the persecuted Church and reminds all of us, that it is the Christmas Season into which we will be entering after Advent. P.S. when buying stamps for your Christmas cards, do ask for the ‘Christmas stamps’ in doing so, others, over-hearing your request, will be reminded of the reason for the season. Christmas cards & cribs This weekend, 29th November and next, 6th December, the parish ‘Christmas’ repository will be selling items in the parish hall after the Masses. If you don’t have a Christmas crib for the family this would be an opportunity to buy one to use as a ‘centre piece’ at home, perhaps adding figures to it, year by year. Your purchases will support the work of ‘Aid to the Church in Need’, their work in the Holy Land and those parts of the world where the Church is supressed.