St Hilda's Annual Report for 2014

This is our Annual report for 2014.

As you will see it's been another busy and sociable year, including the arrival of the new vicar, Paul Bagshaw, and a Confirmation at which 7 people were confirmed as members of the Church of England.

(This does not include the finance report.)

Seeing clearly in Lent

My Ash Wednesday sermon was one sentence:

Lent is a time to see clearly.

(Alright, I padded it a bit, but not much.)

It was suggested by reading a poem by Jean  M. Watt in Janet Morley's book the heart's time: a poem a day for Lent and Easter.

Lent 

Lent is a tree without blossom, without leaf,
Barer than blackthorn in its winter sleep,
All unadorned. Unlike Christmas which decrees
The setting-up, the dressing-up of trees,
lent is a taking down, a stripping bare,
A starkness after all has been withdrawn
Of surplus and superfluous,
Leaving no hiding-place, only an emptiness
Between black branches, a most precious space
Before the leaf, before the time of flowers,
Lest we should see only the leaf, the flower,
lest we should miss the stars.

In the quiet mornings through Lent, and in other ways, this will be a bit of a theme: learning to look for and at Jesus  with clear (or, at least, clearer) eyes.

Note:
Janet Morley's book is available from all good booksellers  (as they used to say).

But on a quick search I was unable to discover much at all about Jean M Watt, though this poem has been appreciated and used by several  others.

Women's World Day of Prayer

Women's World day of Prayer

March 6th 

2.00pm at St George's Church, Cullercoats

and

7.30pm at Cullercoats Methodist Church

Boundary Road

All welcome

Valentine Coffee Morning

You are cordially invited to a 

Valentine Coffee Morning

on

Saturday February 14th

10.00am to 12noon

in St Hilda's hall

Tickets £1 (coffee and biscuit)

There will also be a raffle and a home produce stall

Christian Aid Lunches

As St Hilda's has done for several years, we will be hosting

Christian Aid Lunches

from 12.00 noon each Tuesday

during Lent. 

You are warmly invited to join us for some home made soup and a roll on

• February 24th
• March 3rd
• March 10th
• March 17th, and
• March 24th.

Encountering Jesus in Lent

Encountering Jesus

There will be four Quiet Saturdays in Lent on the theme of encountering Jesus.

These will provide an opportunity for members and anyone who cares to join us to deepen faith, personally and together and, if desired, to explore new patterns of prayer and devotion.

There will be a progression through the four Saturdays. However you are welcome to come as many as you can or wish to.

The themes will be:

• 28 February: Calling disciples: Support, community
• 7 March Meeting outsiders: Openness, change
• 14 March Addressing enemies: Trust, risk, assurance
• 28 March Approaching the cross: Power, violence, subversion

The days will begin at 9.30am and conclude at 12.30pm, with the opportunity to bring lunch and to eat together afterwards.

These will be linked with Study Groups held in the vicarage on Wednesdays. If  you'd like to join us you would be very welcome - no need to book, though if you'd like more details feel free to email St Hilda: st.hildamarden@gmail.com