Gift of life Service

To remember with thankfulness
loved ones who have died

Gift of Life Service,
4pm, Sunday 5th November 2023,
All Saints’ Church, Gobowen.

You and your family are warmly invited to join us to remember those we love. The names of those whose funeral was in the past two years will be read out.
Please let us know the names of any others you
would like to be read out in the service.

Harvest 2023

Join us to give thanks to God for our farmers, for this year’s harvest and for all his good gifts. If you feel able to contribute, we will be making a collection of non-perishable items in support of local foodbanks.

St Mary’s Church, Selattyn

Harvest Activity Service

Sunday 1st October, 9:30am

Harvest Thanksgiving Service with a meal afterwards

Tuesday 3rd October, 7:30pm
To book for the meal at the Docks, please contact Betty on 658876

All Saints’ Church, Gobowen

Harvest Activity Service followed by a Harvest Lunch

Sunday 15th October, 11am

Followed by a Harvest Lunch from 12:30pm in the Church Hall

[Harvest images of vegetables, cattle and wheat]

Women's Breakfast

You are welcome to join us at the Women's Breakfast on Saturday 24th June 2023. It is run jointly between All Saints' Gobowen, St Mary's Selattyn and Holy Trinity Oswestry, and will be held in the All Saints' Church Hall.

All women are welcome, for a Saturday morning with friends over breakfast at 9am, with a short talk from Barbara Leonard.

To book please visit tinyurl.com/wbsummer23

Coronation Events

Coronation Events

Thursday 4th – Friday 5th May 2023

St Mary’s “Flowers in Praise” & Church Café open.

St Mary’s church will be open 10am-4pm displaying a flower festival for the Coronation of King Charles III with a café serving refreshments.

Saturday 6th May 2023

A live streaming of the Coronation Service 
in Gobowen Church Hall.

St Mary’s Church open 10-4pm for quiet reflection and prayer (no café)

Sunday 7th May 2023

9:30am St Mary’s Selattyn Coronation Celebration Communion

11am All Saints’ Gobowen Coronation Celebration Communion

Monday 8th May 2023

Bring & Share Afternoon Tea for the Coronation in the Gobowen Church Hall at 3pm including a Coronation Quiz and live music.

Bible Overview Course

God's Big Picture

You are invited to join us for a short series giving an overview of the Bible’s story and of God’s great plan of grace from Genesis to Revelation. All the sessions will be in the church hall in Gobowen and will each be repeated in the daytime and evening. If you can’t make some of these dates, feel free to come to the ones you can manage.

Sessions on Thursdays April 20, 27, May 4, 11, 18, repeated at 1:30-2:30pm and 7-8pm in the church hall.

Easter 2023

Maundy Thursday Communion – 6th April

6pm, St Mary’s Selattyn.

Good Friday Family Easter Event – 7th April

A family activity service with crafts, songs and food.

11am-12pm, St Mary’s Selattyn. 4-5pm, All Saints’ Gobowen.

Good Friday Meditation – 7th April

2pm, St Mary’s Selattyn.

Easter Sunday All Age Celebration Communion – 9th April
9:30am, St Mary’s Selattyn and 11am, All Saints’ Gobowen.

Egyptian Adventure Holiday Club 2023

Egyptian Adventure Holiday Club 2023
Tuesday 21st - Friday 24th

and Sunday 26th February

You are invited to join us for a week of adventure, discover, games, drama, food, music, crafts and Bible stories for children in school years 1-6. Hosted at Holy Trinity Church Oswestry in partnership with All Saints’ Gobowen. Completely free holiday club at February half term: 9;30-11:50am Tuesday 21st-Friday 24th February and a celebration for all the family on Sunday 26th February.
To book those in school years 1-6:
https://holytrinitychurch.churchsuite.com/events/q2anjenq
To book those in school years 7-13 to come as junior leaders:
https://holytrinitychurch.churchsuite.com/events/vl9gbewu

Hope Explored

There are few emotions more powerful than hope. But these days, hope often feels hard to come by. Where can we find a hope that won’t disappoint us?

Hope Explored shows that Christianity is about real hope: a joyful expectation for the future, based on true events in the past, which changes everything about my present. Over three sessions this series explores the themes of hope, peace and purpose in the account of the life, death and resurrection of Jesus in Luke’s Gospel.

We will be hosting this excellent three-week course starting 8pm on 10th January 2023 at the Vicarage, Old Chirk Road, Gobowen. You would be very welcome to join us.

Christmas Services & Events

You are warmly invited to join us at any of our Christmas events or at our weekly services every Sunday at 11am.

Candlelit Carol Service

Sunday 18th Dec, 6pm, All Saints’ Church,

A traditional service of readings and carols.

Village Carol Singing

Tuesday 20th Dec, 6pm, Outside the Cross Foxes Pub

Families welcome. If wet, we’ll meet inside the Cross Foxes.

Christmas Eve Service

Saturday 24th Dec, 5pm, All Saints’ Church

A carol service for the whole family including lighting a Christingle in aid of the Children’s Society.

Christmas Day Services

Sunday 25th Dec, 10am, All Saints’ Church

Remembering Queen Elizabeth II

As our nation pauses to remember and to grieve, our prayers are most of all with the Royal Family and King Charles.

Our churches will be open for prayer during the time of mourning and I have some information to pass on to you about what is planned locally during the period of national mourning.
 

Almighty God, Father of all mercies and giver of all comfort: deal
graciously, we pray thee, with all those who mourn, the members of the
Royal Family, this Nation and all Nations of the Commonwealth, that
casting every care on you, we may know the comfort of your love;
through Jesus Christ our Lord. Amen.

 A service of Commemoration and Thanksgiving

Join us at 6pm on Sunday 18th September for a service of thanksgiving and prayer in All Saints’ Gobowen. On the eve of the funeral, local churches are invited to gather to pray and give thanks for her life. We will follow the official commemorative services including prayers, readings and hymns chosen for the occasion.

Pastoral Support

At this time of national mourning, we have many emotions and it is a natural time to look back over our lives and over the recent history of the reign of Elizabeth II. I’m very happy to talk with anyone if you would find it helpful. Many of you might find that conversations with friends and neighbours naturally turn towards the bigger questions of life. I am praying for all of us, that as we grieve and answer, many might be assured of the hope and life we know in Jesus to face grief, suffering and death. 

Jesus said, “I am the resurrection and the life. The one who believes in me will live, even though they die; and whoever lives by believing in me will never die. Do you believe this?” (John 11:25-26)

The Queen knew the Saviour and spoke of him as her “inspiration and anchor.” Mark Greene of the London Institute for Contemporary Christianity has written a warm and heartfelt reflection on her faith which is well worth a read. (https://licc.org.uk/resources/obituary-queen-elizabeth-ii-beacon-of-grace/)
 

Churches Open for Prayer

All Saints’ Gobowen open daily from 8am-6pm.
St Mary’s Selattyn open daily from 9am-5pm.
If you are a keyholder and would be able to help with opening and closing the buildings, please be in touch.
 

Floral Tributes 

If you would like to lay floral tributes, please remove cellophane or plastic wrapping and place them in the areas designated by the Parish council. In Selattyn, flowers may be laid by the sundial in the churchyard. In Gobowen, flowers may be laid in the area by the railings on Chirk Road. Please note: flowers will be removed on the day after the funeral.
 

Selattyn Show (Sat 10th September)

The Selattyn Show is going to continue and will include a time for prayer and reflection as we remember Queen Elizabeth II. A book of condolence will be available throughout.
It will be a good time to gather together as a community at this time of national grief. At times, access to the church may be limited for brief periods on the morning of Sat 10th. 
 

Services

Our services this week and next week will mark the occasion in our prayers, and this week we will conclude with the National Anthem.


With my prayers,
Steve