0940 The Litany (Book of Common Prayer text)
1000 Holy Communion (Nave Altar)
(NB There is no lunchtime Eucharist on Ash Wednesday this year.)
2000 Sung Eucharist with the Ash Wednesday ceremonies:
the Liturgy of Penitence and the Imposition of Ashes.

At the 0800 Eucharist
Course of sermons on 'Mother Church,' based on the first verse of the hymn 'The Church's one foundation.'

There are usually special arrangements for the Fourth Sunday in Lent, and this year is no exception. The modern Lectionary provision will be used at 0800, but the traditional 'Refreshment Sunday' readings will be used at the Sung Eucharist. There are special arrangements later in the day:
1100
All-age service of Christian Praise for Mothering Sunday.
[Further details nearer the time on the Weekly Notes]
1830
Choral Evensong and Recital
Choir of Emanuel School, Clapham
Director of Music: Jonathan Holmes.
The canticles will be sung to Stanford in G (one of his most splendid settings), and the anthem is Stanford's 'For lo, I raise up', a towering work with words from the prophecy of Habakkuk about human conflict and God's providence.

The Recital includes:
Rejoice in the Lamb - Britten
Hymn to St Cecilia - Britten
Missa Brevis - Kodaly

The visit from Emanuel School last year was greatly appreciated, and it will be good to welcome the young singers once again to St Mary's.

Tuesday 1000 Holy Communion
Wednesday 1200 Stations of the Cross
except on 24 March, when there will be the Vigil Eucharist of Lady Day (The Annunciation to Our Lady)
Friday 1200 Holy Communion starting on 5 March

The Wednesday 'Stations' are intended to offer the chance of a Lenten devotional activity to those who may be attending the Coffee Mornings or the Lent Lunches. The Friday Eucharist was introduced a year or two ago. Friday is the traditional Day when Lenten observance is concentrated on the Passion of Christ, and at the Friday Eucharist we shall be reading the Passion according to St Mark in serialform over the five Fridays.

This is a new feature, and judging by the initial reaction it seems to be a popular one. In some ways the pattern is akin to that of the former Lenten Evenings, which are now discontinued, but the whole morning need not be taken as a complete package, though some of course will wish to do so.

The Eucharist will be celebrated at 1000, and then there will be a break for coffee and conversation.

Then at 1100 there will be a discussion group led by the Reverend Dr Patrick Miller on the general topic of 'Objections to Christian Belief.' Click here for the dates and details.

There will be a Lent Course at the Tuesday House Group at 68 Castle Avenue, led by Iain McKillop, and entitled 'With Christ in Gethsemane.' It is a series of reflections and discussion studies based on Christ's prayers in Gethsemane.

1 - 2 March The Olivepress
The place of Gethsemane in the Path to Calvary
2 - 9 March 'Abba, Father.. Yet not my will but yours.'
Gethsemane in the Synoptic Gospels. What can we learn by comparing the accounts?
3 - 16 March 'For this reason I sanctify myself.'
The High Priestly Prayer (St John 17). What does the writer want us to know about Christ through the Gethsemane prayer?
4 - 23 March 'You gave them to me.my prayer is not that you take them out of the world.'
What does this prayer say about the disciples' life with Christ? The meaning of discipleship.
5 - 30 March 'To make you known.. that the world may believe.'
What does the prayer say about us and our relationship with Christ?
6 - 6 April Tuesday in Holy Week. Holy Week Agape based on The Cup.
'I in you, and you in me.' Reflections on what it means to be 'participators in the Body of Christ' after all that we have been thinking about together through Lent.

Also on Tuesday evenings at 2000 there will be a series of talks and discussion on the general theme of bringing the Christian message into various environments:

The External Affairs Committee chooses our charities for Lent and Christmas (and sometimes on other occasions), and The Shooting Star Trust is this year's choice. Lent boxes are available as usual, and there will be three Lent Lunches this year, and details of these are given below.

About the Project

The Shooting Star Trust was established in 1995 in order to help children who are not expected to live beyond early adulthood. Twenty-seven children's hospices have already been opened across the country, with several others in the planning stages. Within the catchment area to be served by the new local Shooting Star Hospice for Children, which is the western half of London and north Surrey, there are over 1000 sick children who at present have to travel miles to obtain the care and support that a children's hospice can provide.

The specific aims are to:

• Build, equip and run a children's hospice; it will open in The Avenue, Hampton, in the summer of 2004.
• Generate the funds necessary for the capital programme and the on-going revenue.
• Provide the following services, free of charge:
• Respite breaks, averaging a week's duration;
• Post diagnosis support and counselling;
• Terminal care;
• Bereavement Counselling and support;
• Advocacy to facilitate access to other services;
• Support for the whole family.

These will be held in the Church Hall from 1215 to 1345 on
Wednesday, 17 March
Wednesday, 24 March
Wednesday, 31 March
Price: £2.50. There will be a Raffle and/or Bring-and-Buy.

Handel - Dixit Dominus
Charpentier - Messe de Minuit.
(Further details on posters and handbills and in Ewell Parish News.)

Click here to see what we have to offer.

from the Parish Office.
(Telephone: 020-8393-2643 or E-mail).