Holy Trinity and St Augustine of Canterbury

Extracts from Newsletter for February 2003

It is nearly a month since we said ‘Farewell ‘to our Parish Priest, Father John Taylor. Sister Margaret drove him up to his retirement home and a couple of parishioners followed with his personal possessions. His twin brother, Father Bertram, was there to greet him. Though twins, they were separated by their work for most of their lives. Father John spent most of his priestly life in Nigeria. He was not even able to come home for his parents’ funeral. He certainly paid a heavy price for the love of the Church in Africa. We in Baldock were fortunate to have had such a gentle, caring priest. Some people are gifted with great love and gentleness for people. Father John was one such person.

We wish Father John true peace and happiness in his retirement.

His address is: St Winefride’s House, Low Moor Road, Bispham, Blackpool FY2 OPA.

Father Michael Lee.

Parish Affairs Before he left, Father John put the following arrangements in place, which were agreed with Westminster Diocese.

In the interim period and until such time as a new parish priest is appointed for Baldock, several people will be responsible for the running of the parish:

Ÿ Sister Margaret Liturgy

Ÿ John Blanchfield Financial / Secretarial

Ÿ Liz & Bob Eversden Premises

Ÿ Margaret Darby Child Protection

We must of course all continue to do our part in helping to run the Parish, but these people in particular need our support and prayers. If you have any questions or issues, they should be contacted in the first instance.

Fr Michael Lee will be celebrating Mass at 10 am each weekday at the Convent, to which all are welcome. Weekend Masses will be covered by supply priests. We thank Fr Michael and the other clergy for their unfailing support and help.

We continue to pray for our new parish priest, yet to be appointed, and trust in God for our future!

We, as a Parish, are hoping to join in the Diocese with this programme of spiritual renewal, which our Cardinal is strongly recommending and promoting. Someone will be speaking at all masses this weekend (1st & 2nd Feb) to explain what this will mean for the Parish. You are also asked to take the information leaflet which will give outline details of what is involved.

Some of you have already attended deanery meetings at London Colney and at JHN School regarding this programme. If you are one of those people, or if you were not present, but would very much like to be involved in the implementation and running of ‘At Your Word, Lord’, you are warmly invited to a meeting in the Church on Monday 24th February at 7.45 pm. At this meeting we hope to take the next important steps in the ‘Renew’ process. We need your help and your prayers. Thank you!

Women’s World Day of Prayer - This year’s service will be held on Friday 7th March at 7.30 pm at St Mary’s Church. All (women and men!) are warmly invited to this unusual service, held around the world on this day.

Farewell is bid to Rev John Stone, Rector of St Mary’s church this weekend (1st - 2nd Feb). We thank him for his service to the Christians of Baldock over many years, and pray for him and his wife Dilys as they move to their new parish in Chester. We are all invited to Choral Evensong on Sunday 2nd Feb at 6.30 pm at St Mary’s, with refreshments available afterwards.

KISS WEEK This Annual Appeal will take place at all Masses on the weekend of 8th/9th February. A student from The John Henry Newman School will be speaking to you about the work in Uganda which you can help to fund. Please lend your support. Thank you.

FAMILY QUIZ NIGHT St John’s School PA Friday 28th Feb, 7 pm at the School. Tickets £1 per person. Adults’ & Children’s Bar.

Maximum of 8 per team to be a mixture of adults & children – N.B. You will need some children on your team to answer some of the questions!

THE MILLIONHEIRS Music with a Christian Message In Concert at Knights Templar School, Baldock, on Sat 8th February.

A simple meal at 7 pm followed by the Concert at 8 pm. Tickets for Meal & Concert @ £7. Tickets for Concert only @ £3.

Available from Ruth Matta (Tel: 674776), Rosy Palmer (Tel: 683064) or Jenny Jones (Tel: 686055).

Also available from the Christian Bookshop in Station Road, Letchworth.

200 Club - Please pick up a form and support this important fund-raiser for our Church. For ease you can even arrange to pay by Standing Order each month. Without more support this scheme will die!

Tea & Coffee Rota - 10.30 am Mass - We have appealed in the past for more volunteers and they are slow in coming forward. The more people join the rota, the less frequently you will have to take a turn. It makes sense!

PLEASE HELP! Thank you in advance!

Lent Groups Ecumenical Lent study groups will be held this year as usual. The subject is Seeing and Praying - The Meaning of Christian Discipleship. Please sign up for this worthwhile Lenten exercise when the poster goes up during the coming month.

Church Cleaners Please note that there is a new rota on the notice board for dates through to March!

Thanks to Bob and Liz Eversden for their tireless efforts in improving the rooms in the old presbytery, which have recently been re-carpeted.

Thanks again to Bernie Wrighton for her fund-raising efforts with the Christmas Hamper Raffle, which raised £148.25 net.

Ascent Group Parish Projects

Thanks to all of you who have generously donated to the various projects, which are ongoing! Do continue to support these appeals.

Ÿ Ed-Aid Leaflets are available if any schools, businesses or groups wish to participate. Donations still required and very welcome.

Ÿ World In Sight Nearly 300 people have been given the gift of sight through your donations of your old spectacles! Baldock Library now have a box for these and some opticians are also participating.

Ÿ Bottle Appeal Please continue to fill up the bottle at the back of the church with coins. Last year we sent £389.30 to the Fatima Mission in Zimbabwe. The need is great and the situation there is desperate. Do take a moment to look at the display at the back of the Church, which will show you what your donations have helped to achieve.

If you would like to join the Ascent Group please ask Mary Brown (repository) for more information. There are leaflets on the CTS book rack. Meeting dates for the coming weeks are: 6th, 20th Feb, 6th, 20th March and every fortnight thereafter. We meet after the 10 am Mass at the Convent. A warm welcome is extended to the ‘mature parishioner’!!