On Thursday 9th September, Bishop Rose will be visiting the Canterbury Deanery. She has a full programme of visits to various activities in the Deanery that day ending with an open meeting in the Chapel of Canterbury Christ Church University, North Holmes Road, CT1 1QU at 7:30pm at which she will be answering questions from participants about the life of the Diocese and Deanery.
As part of our gradual and careful return to normal, we will be restarting our mid-week 10.15am Communion service and the Acorn Café from Wednesday 25th August. Do join us if you’d like to.
Robert and Angela will be serving tea and coffee in the church hall after Sunday morning’s Sung Eucharist service. Do join us if you feel comfortable doing so.
Ride & Stride is the sponsored bike ride or walk in which people all over England walk or cycle between churches, exploring and enjoying the countryside from Cornwall to Northumberland. The money they raise helps to save historic churches, chapels and meeting houses for future generations by helping to fund urgent repairs and the installation of modern facilities.
The next Ride and Stride will take place on 11 September 2021, from 10.00 am to 6.00 pm, and you can be part of it. Participants plan their own routes, and seek sponsorship for riding, cycling, walking, or manning the church. After the event the money is collected and divided between churches in need of repair, by your own choice and by the Friends of Kent Churches, the area organiser. More information and forms you will find on https://www.kentrideandstride.co.uk/ .
It’s been wonderful to hear our bells calling us to worship again in recent weeks after nearly 18 months of silence.
Perhaps you’ve thought about taking something new up after lockdown – have you considered bell ringing? If you’re interested in finding out more you will find the Tower Captain and Secretary’s contact details on the Church Website.
For us to teach you to ring would mean a commitment from you for our Monday evening practices and the teaching to handle a bell could take up to 6 months. However, the more practice you put in the quicker you will learn!
Anyone can learn to ring so why not make it a family activity. We are happy to teach anyone from the age of 11 upwards.
During August our Monday evening practices will take place on alternate weeks: 2nd, 16th, and 30th from 7.30–8.30pm. Those wishing to attend must book a place in advance with Jane Huxley so that we can keep to a safe number.
A Working Party is being arranged for Saturday 7th August to clear the gutter around the church. If you could help we will be starting at 10am.
SATURDAY 14th AUGUST 2.30 P.M.
To enjoy nature without getting lost in it, and to raise money for Christian Aid, we have organised a guided Saturday afternoon walk through Blean Woods. The walk should last approximately one and a half to two hours depending on energy levels.
The meeting point will be the Blean Woods Nature Reserve car park, off Rough Common Road, at 2.30. For those coming by public transport, the Triangle and Number 4 buses stop by the Rough Common roundabout on the A 290, from which a short stroll takes you to the car park.
There is no need to book in advance. But please consider making a donation to Christian Aid (£5 minimum?) in cash on completion of the walk, or online at https://www.justgiving.com/fundraising/canterburychristianaidfundraising
On 1st July members of the Canterbury Christian Aid group, from churches all over the city and the surrounding villages, will walk for six hours (10am to 4pm) in the High Street, carrying water cans, in solidarity with all those who walk long distances to collect water. To sponsor this event, please go to https://www.justgiving.com/fundraising/canterburychristianaidfundraising
On 27th July three members of the group, John Ward (St Mary Bredin), Lucy Bryan (St Peter’s Methodist Church) and Brian McHenry (St Dunstan’s, St Mildred’s and St Peter’s Canterbury), will walk the Elham Valley Way from Hythe to Canterbury (22.5 miles). To sponsor this event please go to https://www.justgiving.com/fundraising/ealhamvalleywalk
Unfortunately, revised guidance issued by government this week has limited the number of singers who are allowed to sing together inside to a maximum of six. Consequently, members of our choir, despite singing safely distanced for several weeks now, are having to take it in turn to sing. So much for moving forwards out of lockdown; hopefully this rule will be overturned soon.
Christian Aid Week
The Canterbury group invite you to a Zoom service on Sunday 9th May at 630 pm.
Lord Rowan Williams, the former Archbishop of Canterbury, the Chair of Christian Aid, will give an address during the service.
Please book your place at the service by emailing brian@mchenry.co.uk
What are YOU going to do for Christian Aid week?
In previous years members of St Stephen’s have raised £2000 through door-to-door collections – mostly in small change. We can’t do that this year, but the need has not gone away – remember Rose, the Kenyan grandmother who has to walk miles each day for water because the dam near her house is too small?
We have already raised over £600 by donations from the congregation to our Lent Appeal: Christian Aid week (10th–16th May) is when we go beyond that group, reminding other well-meaning people of the need and getting their help.
We can’t go door to door, but we can reach out in other ways:
Let us know what you plan to do at pewsnews@ststephenscanterbury.net and we can publicise it for you in our weekly mailing; also if you need someone to help with your idea we can let people know that too.