The Feast of The Epiphany, 5th January, 2025. Cycle C
St John the Evangelist
128 Bebington Road,
New Ferry, CH62 5BJ
Diocese of Shrewsbury (reg. charity 234025)
Parish Priest: Fr Mario Ashuikeka
Deacon: Revd Michael Daly Phone: 0151 645 3314
Email stjohntheevangelist@gmail.com Websites http://www.stjohntheevangelistnewferry.com
The Epiphany of the Lord Sunday 5th January 2025, Cycle C
FAITH IN FOCUS:TAKING THE TREE DOWN
Did you have a Christmas tree? And, if so, how long did you keep it up? Just until Boxing Day or did you leave it for the whole 12 days of Christmas?
Epiphany has become associated with the end of the Christmas season, with vacuuming up all the pine needles from the carpet, carefully storing the lights and decorations back in the loft and finding a safe place for wrapping paper that will come in handy next year.
Yet the feast of Epiphany isn’t really about endings. It’s about beginnings. The word “epiphany” is from the Greek word that means “showing/display/manifestation”. When the wise men arrive from distant parts with their gifts for Jesus, the gospel is letting us know that the glory of God, in the baby, is being acknowledged by people from the ends of the known earth. God’s glory is being made manifest.
We can easily fall into the old trap of thinking that this feast is about the past, about events that happened 2,000 years ago. Of course, that’s only part of the picture. All feasts are about today, not just the past. But how are we to understand Epiphany?
Quite simply, each of us today is being called to be an “epiphany” for the world. By celebrating this feast we ask God to unite us with Jesus, as shining examples of Christ’s love for the world. We ask that we may be so close to Jesus that we become stars leading others to get to know God’s Son.
So the feast of the Epiphany, like all feasts, looks to the future. When the baby was born in Bethlehem, God revealed his eternal plan of salvation and showed us how to live so that we might enjoy everlasting life. Jesus is the light of the world and by following him humanity is able to be refashioned and renewed in God’s image. This too is our future. Are we prepared to live in a way that brings light to others? To “display” the type of God we have? To let people see God’s glory?
In a nutshell, are we ready not only to celebrate the Epiphany in church but also to “be” an epiphany of God in the world?
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ENTRANCE ANTIPHON: Behold, the Lord, the Mighty One , has come; and kingship is in his grasp, and power and dominion.
RESPONSE TO THE PSALM: All nations shall fall prostrate before you, O Lord.
GOSPEL ACCLAMATION: Alleluia, alleluia! We saw his star as it rose and have come to do the Lord homage. Alleluia!
COMMUNION ANTIPHON: We have seen his star in the east, and have come with gifts to adore the Lord.
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Devotions/Adoration: Saturday Morning Devotions will be prayed in Church (the Rosary, Divine Mercy & Divine Praises) from 10:30am-11:30am. Fr Mario will be available for the Sacrament of Reconciliation between 11.00am- 11.30am. From now on all morning services will take place in St Anne’s house and from Monday 28th October at St John’s Monday and Friday Masses will be held in the Day Chapel, Tuesday and Wednesday Masses will remain in the main Church.
Last Weeks’ Offertory Collection:
Christmas offering - amounted to £1,197.00p.
Caritas Retiring collection - £535.33
Usual offertory collection - £602.82
Many thanks for your continued support. Sincere thanks for the further anonymous donations received towards the Boiler Fund.
Over 55’s Group – will meet on Tuesday 7th January at 12.30pm at St Anne’s Parish Hall. Speaker: James Tyrell. All welcome.
Further to the recent Boiler appeal, a separate bank account has now been set up specifically to ‘ring fence’ contributions to the new boiler fund. Please make cheques payable to St John’s New Ferry and write 29001/NFJ/DU on the reverse. Cash donations should be placed in an envelope with 29001/BNFJ/DU written on the outside.
Bookings for the reception & Celebration of Sacraments: Baptism, Holy Communion, Confirmation & Wedding, Please enquire & arrange for these through the parish emails / Secretaries of St. Anne’s & St. John’s. Also contact the Parish Priest/ Administrator through 0151-645-3314 You can also get in touch with Carol Dalziel on 7808975011 or Ann Murray on 07745490279 regarding general parish queries.
SJE’s Parish Safeguarding Officer is Celia Daly, who can be contacted on 0151-645 9256 on all safeguarding matters.
Mass Intentions If you would like to have a Mass said for your own or someone else’s intentions , fill in one of the Mass offering envelopes at the back of Church, place a donation in it & put it through the Presbytery letterbox. Please give at least three weeks’ notice as we are receiving a large number of requests for particular dates and days.
In Memoriam: Please pray for the repose of the soul of Nigel Salisbury who died recently. Funeral Mass to be held at St John’s on Wednesday, 8th January at 2pm followed by Landican at 3.30pm. Please continue to pray for the repose of the soul of Marguerite Long who also died recently. Funeral Mass to be held at St John’s on Wednesday 15th January at 10.30am followed by Landican at 12.Noon. Please continue to pray for the repose of the soul of Kenny Daly (Deacon Mike’s brother) who died recently. Also pray for Joan Elizabeth Clark who died on 23rd December. Funeral Mass at St John’s on Monday 13th January at 9.15am followed by Cremation at Landican Crematorium 10:30 a.m. Please keep Marguerite’s, Nigel’s, Kenny’s and Joan’s families in your prayers. May Marguerite, Nigel, Kenny and Joan, and all the faithful departed, rest in the peace of Christ.
Children's Liturgy – takes place during the 9.30am Mass. All are most welcome.
Sunday Morning Teas continue on the first Sunday of each month. Come along for tea/coffee & biscuits whilst enjoying a chat. The next date is this SUNDAY 5th January 2025.
Wirral Foodbank Appeal: Please help to support our local Foodbank as much as you can with both food & funds. All items urgently needed are listed on the notice board at the back of church.
CCTV CAMERA SYSTEM: has been installed inside and outside the church, to the rear door of the church and also to the front door of the presbytery. The system is to safeguard all our parishioners and the church and presbytery buildings.
THE BIG CARD- Thank you for your support of the Ark via the Big Card. Thanks to a donation from funds raised by the monthly Sunday Tea and Coffee mornings, we will be able to send a cheque for £100 to the Ark.
WORDS FOR WORSHIP: Lord Jesus, you are the daystar that brings light to our darkness: Lord, have mercy. Lord, have mercy.
Christ Jesus, you are the wisdom of those who seek to know God: Christ, have mercy. Christ, have mercy.
Lord Jesus, you are the glory of God made visible: Lord, have mercy. Lord, have mercy. By his coming among us, may almighty God have mercy on us, forgive us our sins and bring us to everlasting life. Amen.
EPIPHANY: The idyllic scene of the wise men coming from the ends of the earth to worship the child is a sign of the universal nature of Epiphany’s revelation from God. But it is also a fact that the Lord Jesus loves to reveal himself to those who dare to take the bleak side of the hill with him. Epiphany, tranquil though it may be, points the way to Calvary. (Elizabeth Fuller)
Your talent is God’s gift to you. What you do with it is your gift back to God. (Leo Buscaglia)
Christmas is a time to celebrate God’s gifting of Himself through His Son Jesus Christ — Love-gifting. This gifting is to teach us about His love, and how to cherish Christmas. Your gifts, kind messages and good wishes to me are all expressions of God’s Love-gifting. Huge thank you, all of you, for such great love, kindness and support. You are my joy and crown. May the birth of Christ increase His love, grace, peace and joy in you all. Merry Christmas, and grace-filled New Year. Fr Mario. Pax
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Saturday 4th 10.00am Cenacle Mass
10.30am Devotions – Rosary, Divine Mercy & Divine Praises
5.00pm Brannon & Kenny Families
The Epiphany of the Lord 5th 9.30am Dec’d Rels & Fnds of Armstrong Family
7.30pm Prayer Meeting
Monday 6th 9.15am Paul Reavey RIP
Tuesday 7th 9.15am Luciana Sadri Bday Rem
7.00pm Novena
Wednesday 8th 2.00pm Funeral Mass – Nigel Salisbury
Thursday 9th NO MASS
Friday 10th 9.15am Simon Mitchell RIP
Saturday 11th 10.30am Devotions – Rosary, Divine Mercy & Divine Praises
5.00pm Ints Joan Turner
The Baptism of the Lord 12th 9.30am Michael Coughlan Senior RIP
3.00pm Benediction
7.30pm Prayer Meeting
Weekend Masses - Please note that the Blessed Sacrament will be exposed immediately before each Mass. Please use this as a time for prayer & quiet devotion. Please enter the church quietly & remain so. Thank you.
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ST ANNE’S WEEKLY MASS INTENTIONS
Saturday 4th 6.30pm John & Ann Tishe Christmas & New Year Blessings
The Epiphany of the Lord 5th 11.00am Tom McGenity RIP
Monday 6th 12 noon Christopher Thomas & Julie Boyle
Tuesday 7th 12 noon Ward & Breda Dempsey
Wednesday 8th 12 noon MASS AT ST ANNE’S ONLY
Lewis Doyle 6th Anniv RIP
Thursday 9th NO MASS
Friday 10th 12 noon Patricia Marror RIP
Saturday 11th 6.30pm Sylvia & Jim Sullivan In Memorial
The Baptism of the Lord 12th 11.00am Jones & McGlone Families
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Pope Francis’s Prayer Intentions for January 2025
Let us pray for migrants, refugees, and those affected by war, that their right to an education, which is necessary to build a better world, might always be respected.
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