Happy New Year 2020!

The Mothers' Union have started fund raising for a project entitled "END PERIOD POVERTY".  

Period Poverty can make girls who want to go to school unable to attend because they do not have the products to help them get through the day. This continues to perpetuate a lack of access to education and homelessness.

Bath Deanery MU members decided to start fundraising for 'Pads and Pants' to support period poverty in 2 schools, St Marks' and Threeways for a 6 month trial. This will provide supplies short term to give time for promised Government funding to be clarified/made available.

At St Stephen's we’re hoping to 'kick this off' by providing (small) pancakes after the service on Sunday Feb 23rd (nearest to Pancake day) and invite cash donations.  See more information on the green bar below.   PLEASE SUPPORT US!

CHURCH and COMMUNITY NEWS​​​​​​​​​​​​

• Belonging here. We have regular information about what’s going on at both churches via e-alerts. If you don’t get these and would like to, please let us know! There’s usually one a week, maybe two.

• Annual pilgrimage to the Anglican Shrine at Walsingham, by coach from Bath on Sun 26  – Tues 30 July. The Shrine is a beautiful and peaceful place, offering excellent and very welcoming accommodation. The programme includes uplifting services, full and varied breakfasts & suppers, and snacks. For more information helen_lees47@yahoo.co.u

• St Stephen's Gardens

The SS Multi-Award winning Gardens Team always needs new participants. Please help keep our grounds and surrounds in their beautiful state. carltonporterb@gmail.com  

Meeings take place from 10:00 - 12:00 with a break for coffee and cakes.  Dates for the next garden working party meetings are as follows. first meeting of 2020: 28th March, 25th Apr il, 30th May,27th June, 25th July (judging month), 30th August, 27th September, 31st October, last meeting of 2020: 28th November,, 

• St. Stephen’s Church Eco group – are looking for new members to help improve our environmental impact. Please contact Kathy on kathyannebeadle@gmail.com or 07957 345198 for more information and to get involved.  See our Eco Church page: https://ststephensbath.org.uk/news/-/gods-glorious-creation_91/​​​​​​​

• Parish Weekend Away. Is 17-19 October. Please make it a date, these weekends are so valuable as we spend time together and enjoy each other’s company away from Bath.

• Sun 23rd Feb – PANCAKES after SS service. Donations for MU new project welcome. 

• World Day of Prayer focused on Zimbabwe, Fri 6^th March at 2pm at URC Larkhall, BA1 6NO, all welcome.

• Uncorking a Good Vintage – Releasing the potential of older people in our churches. Thurs 12^th March All Saints Centre Weston, BA1 4BX. Registration 9.15am – 1pm.

• One Good Friday is a Bath passion play that will be performed in Parade Gardens on Good Friday, 10th April at 1200 and 1530 . Please bring friends and family to see it, it’s a massive project and worthy of our support.

• Music at Wells Cathedral. Please use this link to find out more about the beautiful music being offered in Wells Cathedral​​​​​​​http://www.wellscathedral.org.uk/music-the-choir/music-in-wells

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• Goodwill Children’s Homes South India. Thank you for your donations last year. We raised £3,330, £658 of which from sales from the Crypt. Whole used cards requested, and only a couple of your most beautiful Christmas cards please.​​​​​​​

CHURCH AND COMMUNITY: REGULAR MONTHLY EVENTS 

• Lansdown Friendship Club

This is taking place at St Stephen's Centre on the first Friday every month 2:00 – 3.30 pm, and is especially suited for anyone experiencing memory difficulties. All welcome with an accompanying family, friend or carer. NEXT MEETING IS ON FRIDAY 6th MARCH 2:00 - 3:30 pm. lansdownfc@ststephensbath.org.uk   We are very grateful to Roper Rhodes, the Allen Lane Foundation and Wessex Water for their financial support.

See the web page on this site Dementia Friendly Church for more information:

https://ststephensbath.org.uk/news/-/dementia-friendly-church_93/​​​​​​​

PRAYER REQUESTS

• Prayer is the foundation of being church. St Stephen’s Mondays 8.45am, Saturday 9.30-10am. St Mary’s 8.10am and 9am Tuesdays,.  Meditation recommences on Thursday 13th February 6:30 p.m. at BVM.  

Please pray for:

• Climate Change

B&NES council has declared a climate emergency and has voted to make our city carbon neutral by 2030. We will pray how our churches can support this. 

See our Eco Church page on this website: https://ststephensbath.org.uk/news/-/gods-glorious-creation_91/

• Chaplaincies

Please pray for the chaplaincy of Debbie at Send-a-Cow.

• Pray for those associated with us training to be priests

Please remember to pray for Jane Hoe, in her first year of training for the ministry, and for Andrew Avramenko, who will join us as curate in June, and their families.

• Community Houses of Prayer

These groups meet once a month on a Tuesday at 19:45.  Meetings take place within the various Bath communities to pray for Bath and the area represented.  The event is organised by Bath Christian Action Network andmore information is available on www.bathchurches.org.uk    Click on preceding web link for more information.