Category Archives: Announcements

The Kaki Tree Project

Commemorates the sufferings of the people of Hiroshima and Nagasaki, where atomic bombs were dropped on 6th and 9th August 1945. Ewan Anderson will speak about the Kaki Tree at 10.00am Mass on Sunday, to mark the anniversary of the bombs, and will show a drawing of the tree which survived the nuclear blast.

Real Treasure

Jesus is faced with a man who asks him to resolve a disagreement with his brother about an inheritance. Such family disputes can bring out the worst in people, and can be impossible to resolve. Jesus refuses to judge between the brothers; instead, he uses the request as an opportunity to teach his disciples. Where does our sense of security come from? If it comes from our wealth and possessions, it is a false security. As the Preacher reminds us in today’s First Reading, all that we own, all that we work for and all that we achieve in this life will be left behind at the moment of our death. Avarice can distort our priorities until wealth becomes a false god for us. The Lord urges us instead to make ourselves truly rich, by loving God and our neighbour. Our only true security comes from our trust in God’s promise of eternal life.

Serve the Lord with Gladness

A Day of Reflection for All Ministries. At Ushaw College, Saturday 28 September, 10.30am – 3.30pm. Led by Fr Mark Millward, Dean of the Benedict Partnership (n.b. this is a repeat of the day offered in May.) Registration and refreshments from 9.45am. Tea, Coffee and a light lunch will be provided. Booking is essential: contact Ciara or Fr Andrew if you wish to take part.

How to Pray

Jesus’ disciples ask him to teach them to pray. They have seen that prayer – time spent in silence, alone with his Father – is at the heart of Jesus’ own life. A distinctive prayer will be a mark of their own identity as Jesus’ disciples. The prayer that Jesus teaches them is simple, but striking. He tells his disciples to address God as ‘Father,’ in trust and simplicity, as he does himself. He tells them to ask God for what they need – daily bread – and to pray for forgiveness of their sins.

Jesus teaches his disciples, too, to be persistent in prayer. When we pray for what we need, we are expressing our absolute dependence on God; recognising that we receive everything we have as a gift from God, like young children who depend completely on their parents. We may feel discouraged when prayer seems to go unheard; we may even wonder if God hears us. But we should never be afraid to ask God for our needs, and we should always trust that our loving Father wishes to give us what is truly best for us.

Thank You

To those who supported the parish’s fund-raising effort at last week’s Gala. After all the expenses have been taken into account, we made £450 which shall be shared between St Cuthbert’s Hospice and Helping Hands. Having the church open as a peaceful haven was also appreciated by many of our visitors.

Making the Lord Welcome

Jesus visits the house of Martha and Mary, who, as we know from John’s Gospel, are dear friends. The two women make Jesus welcome, but Martha is so busy with serving the food that she becomes anxious and fretful, even falling out with her sister. Jesus gently reminds Martha that hospitality is not only about practical care for a guest. At that moment, what he needs is the loving welcome and attentive listening that Mary provides.

In the Church, we are called to practical service of our neighbour. There are many Marthas, who work tirelessly to meet the needs of others. But service begins with listening and reflection, in order to discern what our neighbour actually needs and wants, and what God is asking of us. To be true disciples of Christ, we need both Martha’s practical care for our neighbour and Mary’s spirit of listening and contemplation.

Sea Sunday

Today, the Church prays for all those who live and work at sea. Without them, we would not have most of the items we buy in the shops or online. There will be a retiring collection for the Apostleship of the Sea, the Church’s official maritime welfare agency, which provides both spiritual and practical support for seafarers. Please remember the work of the Apostleship of the Sea in your prayers, and support the collection generously. You can donate online at www.apostleshipofthesea.org.uk

In the year since Sea Sunday the parish has sent 94 woolly hats to the Apostleship of the Sea chaplaincy at Sunderland Docks. Many of the seaman who visit our shores are from southern Asia and are woefully unprepared for the rigours of the North Sea either in summer or winter. The hats are a token of our concern for them and a thank you for the work they do for us in terms of supplies.

Holy Island

This years pilgrimage to Holy Island with Churches Together in Elvet & Shincliffe takes place on Saturday 20th July. A coach will leave the student union building at Dunelm House at 9am arriving back at Durham in the early evening having returned via Seahouses. The fares remain £12.50 for adults and £10.00 for children. Please book early to avoid disappointment. More details are on the poster in the narthex where booking forms are also available.