Notices
Car Boot Sale
A huge thank you to Julie Gordon and those who assisted with the car boot sale. It was a lovely day and a great success. Julie would like to run some more of these but to do so requires more help.
Please speak to Julie or one of the Churchwardens if you are willing to offer assistance.
Annual Parochial Church Meeting (APCM)
Sunday 25th May after the 11.00 am service
This is the equivalent of the Annual General Meeting of a charity. It is a chance to hear reports and to ask questions of the church leadership or to raise issues about which you have interest or concern. Please see the separate notice about the electoral roll.
Churchyard clear up – Wednesday 21st May 10.00 am
Please will you offer a few hours to help with this? Bring your own gloves and secateurs if you have them. There are many different jobs. Every hour any of you can offer is a help. Thanks Ian S and Lin L-P
The new Church rota and refreshments rota
These are being compiled for June, July, August. Please could you email Fiona Austin secretary@stbarnabasbromborough.org with dates when you are unavailable. Fiona needs this information by 19 May thank you. If you would like to be added to the rota to read, welcome, pray, make refreshments please also contact Fiona, all help gratefully received.
Link with St Barnabas Church Limassol
Some of you will remember Edna who worshipped with us when her sister in Bromborough was dying. We have been praying for our brothers and sisters there and for Revd Debra who is fairly new to the parish. Edna is keen to share their news and for them to pray for them as we do their parish and to try to develop this link at little. I don’t know where or how this will grow. I know that talking and sharing with others can benefit all parties and I see from their website (and from talking to Revd Debra as I have done) that they share many of the aspirations that we do. I am looking for someone who could 1. Receive Edna’s emails/newsletters and post them in church 2. Select items with me to publicise for our prayers. 3. To develop communications by email with St Barnabas Limassol. You can look on their website at stbarnabas-cyprus.com
New PCC members
There will be a significant number of vacancies on the PCC this year. Is God calling you into this important role in the life of our church? Not sure? Talk to me or to Ian, Ian, Thelma or Helene or anyone else who is a member. – Jenny G
Chat & Craft
Fridays from 9:30-12.00 noon in the Centre. A weekly ‘chat & craft’ session which is open to all. Just turn up or speak to Heather, Gill or Kay for more information.
The Church at the Summer Fair on Saturday 14th June 2025
Is there a plan for the church’s fundraising at the Summer Fair? Who is in charge? Do let me know and I will join in. Jenny
Bible study on Wednesdays from 1pm
At the Rectory (but not on the 21st May)
We are not a secret society, but a group open to all. No expertise expected. Capacity to laugh, listen, talk a bit, drink tea or coffee or water and eat biscuits essential. Each session stands alone so you can drop in on us. This week we will go back to Luke for a while.
Dates for your diary
- Sunday 25th May Annual Parochial Church Meeting after the 11.00 am service. All welcome.
- Thursday 29th May 10.00 am Little Church Holiday Club. Help needed.
Please speak to Jenny Hope. - Thursday 29th May 7.00 pm Ascension Day Service in Church
- Saturday 30th May 2.00 pm Cream Tea at St David’s URC – tickets £5.00 from Judith 0784526683
About The Electoral Roll
Every six years each parish across the whole of the Church of England (cofe) revises their ‘Electoral Roll.’ This work is usually completed by the Electoral Roll Secretary (Ros Wood at St Barnabas) with assistance from other members of the laity as appropriate.
- Anyone who is over 16, baptised (into any denomination), sees themselves as part of the Church of England and lives in the parish can be on the electoral roll.
- You can also be on the roll if you have been baptised, are a member of the cofe and worshipped at in our case St Barnabas habitually (I would say at least once per month) and live outside the parish boundary.
- If none of that sounds like you, we have a few of you who belong to churches not in Communion with the C of E. However, you do believe in the Holy Trinity ‘belong’ also to the cofe by worshipping at St Barnabas regularly. You can be on the electoral roll too.
You do not have to be confirmed to be on the electoral roll.
Why would you want to be on it?
From an official point of view, it means that you can vote for members of the PCC and for Churchwardens and on any other matters that come to the APCM. It means you can serve on the PCC or Deanery Synod or on Diocesan synod or even stand for General Synod. The number on it determines how many PCC members we can elect and how many deanery synod reps we are entitled to have. Sadly we have dropped below 100 and so need to reduce our PCC elected members by 3. This should happen naturally and does not require resignations.
At a local level, we also use the ER form to ask questions that enable us to comply with Data Protection. I also use it if I want to phone or email you. I can if you have said it is ok. Obviously if you have not filled in a form, I cannot email or phone, visit your home or you in hospital.
Why are you writing this now Jenny?
I try very hard to stay out of the laity elections. I am not on your electoral roll nor can I be once ordained into the Church of England. I am however concerned at the number of people who are not on the roll this time. There is no one from Messy Church other than those who attend other services. Those who are unable to attend public worship but who we visit and include as part of our membership are not on the roll. I worry about their lack of inclusion. But I am also worried about those who worship regularly and who have chosen to opt out of the electoral roll. I wonder, what has led you to that decision?
The electoral roll has to close two weeks before the APCM. No amendments can be made now until after the APCM. At that point there will be an opportunity to gather up those who still wish to be counted. Please assist those at home and those who are unsure. The roll is also used as one of the main ways in which the size of our churches is measured and the success or otherwise of the Rector!
For our prayers
The prayer list is now listed separately here
The Rector Jenny can be contacted at rector@stbarnabasbromborough.org or via her mobile 07806608219
Please send notices for inclusion in the Newsletter to newsletter@stbarnabasbromborough.org by Wednesday at 4pm. Both Ros and I have access to this address so please don’t send lots of extra emails. Please put the date you wish it to be included in the subject of the email.