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The parish’s weekly newsletter and also Mass sheet with the Sunday readings is available on the parish website. Please read on to hear about exciting new initiatives for the parish and wider community in this Covid era…
Our Guardian Angel Network. Since the outbreak of the Coronavirus and the ensuing lockdown, the parish has worked hard to develop a system to help to support the housebound and those who are self-isolating, and anyone in the parish or wider community who may need help. The parish has instituted a Guardian Angel Team who are there to pray for you (run by Robert & Maureen Burrows), speak to you on the telephone and make sure that you remain connected and reassured in these difficult times (run by Natalie Horner), and a dedicated team who are available to help with any errands (trips to the shops, pharmacy, etc), run by Neil & Emily Turbitt. Zsuzsanna, the parish’s Outreach Coordinator, is overseeing this whole service and coordinating this response, linking the parish’s efforts with the Council’s services, the Food Club, and other external groups. If you need any help, please do not hesitate to phone Zsuzsanna on 0742 723 0032, or phone Fr Philip on 01524 32493.
Same ministries, new ways. The Parish has certainly not closed down; quite the opposite. We are working hard to continue all the same services and ministries that have always taken place, and reaching out to new people, albeit in new ways. Our parish Facebook has become a platform for four groups: Children’s Corner (run by Joanne Garnock-Jones and team); Prayer Ministry (run by Lisa Valente-Osborne); Forever Amen music ministry (run by Emily Boyd); and, Liturgy of the Word (run by Leigh-Ann Higgins). In addition, the leadership and strategic teams of the parish continue to meet on Zoom to plan a way ahead, and our choir is having its first Zoom Choir Practice on Tuesday. Though we are all physically distant from each other, we need not be socially distant. St Joseph’s continues to beat as the heartbeat of this community, and we hope to reach out to anyone and everyone who needs our help, and bring into the fold anyone who feels isolated and afraid at this time. Please do not hesitate to contact Zsuzsanna if you would like to be involved or if you have any bright ideas.
Collection. At the Offertory, we offer up the fruits of our work to the Lord. As part of that offering, it is customary to make a financial contribution to the ongoing costs of running the parish. With the temporary cessation of public Masses, the church has no income to keep it going for when everyone returns. Please continue to use the Mass Offering envelopes, and either keep them for now or post them through the Presbytery door, or you can use the ‘RC Diocese of Lancaster’ Just Giving Page, being sure to assign your contribution to ‘St Joseph’s Church Lancaster’. Or, you can phone Fr Philip for BACS details, or send a cheque made out to ‘St Joseph’s’ to Fr Philip. Likewise, any Lenten alms for Burkino Faso can be posted into the house. On behalf of the parish, Fr Philip would like to thank everyone for their generosity.