The Feast of the Epiphany, 7th January, 2024, Cycle B
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 Feast of the Epiphany, 7th January 2024. Cycle B
FAITH IN FOCUS: BEARING GIFTS
It’s not too late to bring our gifts to honour the baby of Bethlehem. The wise men came bearing gold, frankincense and myrrh. And if we want to celebrate Epiphany then it must be with more than prayers and songs. We must bring our gifts too.
Today we ask God to accept our gold. This is more than money. It is all that we hold dear and precious in life. We bring our health and thank God for it, however frail it may sometimes be. We bring our family and loved ones, those who mean more than gold to us. And as we do so, we ask God to accept our gift of rededication. For today we recognise that all our gold was actually God’s first.
We bring the frankincense of our lives. Frankincense is one of life’s sweeteners, the perfume or aromatic odour that makes our atmosphere more pleasant. What gifts has God given to us that allow us to make life fresher and brighter for others? Are there talents and gifts that we can use to better effect than we have been doing? Do I have a good voice, a creative vision, a skill with my hands? Epiphany is an invitation to use the frankincense of our talents to the fullest.
And then, of course, we bring our myrrh. Myrrh is the gum resin or ointment that is used for the knocks of life, and none of us can escape these. As we offer our ups and downs to God by the patience with which we endure them, we also remember our own healing role in the lives of others. On Epiphany we pledge ourselves once more to use our listening ear, to extend the hand of comfort, to speak those words of encouragement rather than just think them. Today it becomes clear that the gifts we bring to God are the same ones that he has first given to us. We return them along with the bread and wine that come from his hand, so that he may transform them all into something that brings new life.
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ENTRANCE ANTIPHON: Behold the Lord, the Mighty One, has come; and the kingship is in his grasp, and power and dominion.
RESPONSE TO THE PSALM: All nations shall fall prostrate before you, O Lord.
GOSPEL ACCLAIMATION: 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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Priests Retirement Fund: There will be a second collection over the weekend of 20th/21st January. Thank you for your continued support.
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 10.30 & 11.00. All are welcome.
Last Weeks’ Offertory Collection amounted to £494.11p. Ark Collection (Big Card) amounted to £43. Collection for our visiting seminarian Emmanuel taken after 9.30am Mass on Sunday was £220. Thank you for your continued generosity in these difficult times.
There will be a second collection for Emmanuel this Saturday, 6th January.
Mass Intentions If you would like to have a Mass said for your own or someone else’s intentions please fill in one of the Mass offering envelopes at the back of Church, place a donation in it & put it through the presbytery letterbox. Thank you.
Mass Intention Requests; Please give at least three week’s notice for your Mass intention as we are receiving a large number of requests for particular dates.
Children's Liturgy – takes place during the 9.30am Mass. All are most welcome.
In Memoriam: Please pray for the soul of Philomena Fletcher who has died recently. Funeral details will follow. Please keep Philomena’s family and all those parishioners and friends who have died, in your prayers and may they and all the faithful departed rest in the peace of Christ.
Wirral Foodbank Appeal: Please help support your Foodbank with food & funds. All items urgently needed are listed on the notice board at the back of church. Please continue to support this as much as you can in these difficult times.
Your donations at the Crib during the Christmas Season are for Caritas Shrewsbury who offer care and support to refugees and needy families and individuals on the Wirral and throughout the Diocese.
Caritas Shrewsbury Impact Report 2022-2023: Impact Report which can be seen on website https://www.caritasshrewsbury.org.uk/about/impact-reports/
Sunday Morning Teas will be restarting as soon as possible. We are looking for volunteers from St John’s and St Luke’s to form a rota system. If you are interested, please contact Noelene Evans on 645 6055. To date Noelene has 2 volunteers.
St Anne’s Over 55’s Club will restart on Tuesday, 9th January at 12.30pm in Lourdes Hall. All most welcome.
Fr Mario's Appeal - How to help: The easiest way to contribute to parish funds is via the collection plate - cash or cheques (made payable to St John's New Ferry) are equally acceptable. If you are a tax payer and have an existing Gift Aid declaration and envelopes, please use these so that tax can be claimed back. Bank transfers: Lloyds Bank, sort code 30-15-52, account no. 54641168, in the name of St John's New Ferry. Please use your name as a reference so that Gift Aid can be claimed if possible. Or contact Carol on 07808 975011.
Lourdes Hospitality Update Further to the recent AGM, the officers have been meeting monthly to discuss the issues raised and future plans. A face-to-face meeting for all members will be held on Saturday 20th January 2024 (venue and time to be confirmed). In the meantime, if you have any questions for us, please send an email to secretary@teamshrewsbury.co.uk Clare Marchmont, Secretary, Shrewsbury Lourdes Hospitality.
A vacancy has arisen for a Parish Secretary at the parish of Holy Cross, Our Lady & St Paul, Birkenhead. Hours: 12 per week, to be spread over Tuesday to Friday mornings (flexible). hourly rate: £11 to £13 depending on experience. For further details please see the Diocesan Website https://www.dioceseofshrewsbury.org/latest-vacancies/ Applications in the form of a CV and covering letter should be sent to Pauline McCulloch recruitment@dioceseofshrewsbury.org Closing date: 15 January 2024.
To celebrate his birthday Fr Mario was presented with a personalised birthday cake from all parishioners wishing him a Happy Birthday for the 1st January.
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ST JOHN’S MASS INTENTIONS
Saturday 6th 10.00am Cenacle Mass
10.30am Devotions – Rosary, Divine Mercy & Divine Praises
5.00pm Ted & Shaun Corrigan RIP
The Feast of the Epiphany 7th 9.30am Alf Shipman Annv. RIP
7.30pm Prayer Meeting
Monday The Baptism of the Lord 8th 9.15am Rosemary Lee RIP
Tuesday 9th 9.15am Decd Rel/Fnds Moore Family
Wednesday 10th 9.15am Holy Souls
Thursday 11th 7.00pm MASS AT ST ANNE’S ONLY
Friday 12th 9.15am Dec’d Members Dunion Family
Saturday 13th 10.30am Devotions – Rosary, Divine Mercy & Divine Praises
5.00pm Mary Hedges-Ellock RIP
The Second Sunday in Ordinary Time 14th 9.30am Pauline Oxton 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 6th 6.30pm Tony McCluskey RIP
The Feast of the Epiphany 7th 11.00am Dec’d Members of Price Family
Monday 8th 12 Noon UCM
Tuesday 9th 12 Noon Mary Vesey RIP
Wednesday 10th 12 Noon Ints.Doran & Byrne Families
Thursday 11th 7.00pm MASS AT ST ANNE’S ONLY Ints Jean Murray
Friday 12th 12 Noon Ints. Pat & Phil McCarthy
Saturday 13th 6.30pm Wilfred White Bday Remb
The Second Sunday in Ordinary Time 14th 11.00am Ints. of Piccarivo Family
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Pope Francis' Intentions for January: "We pray that educators may be credible witnesses, teaching fraternity rather than competition and helping the youngest and most vulnerable above all."
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