Welcome.

St Thomas’ Church is part of a group of 4 churches served by our Rector and a small team of clergy. Each church has one or more church wardens, together with a group of volunteers who work within the church and the wider community. We also have a youth congregation which meets on Thursday evenings in the Rectory.

We invite you to share in our worship, friendship and activities. We believe that people of all ages can join in and benefit from the opportunities for Christian discipleship and fellowship made possible in this parish.

If you are not a church-goer, or if you haven't been to church for some time, come and try it for yourself, you may be pleasantly surprised. You will certainly be joining people who feel that church gives enrichment to their lives. We assure you of a warm welcome.

Sundays in April 2025

Welcome to our services in April and the wonderful festival of Easter – walking with our Lord on his journey to the cross and life beyond. There are a variety of ways with engaging with these momentous events:

On Palm Sunday,13^th April, we remember Jesus’ triumphant entry into Jerusalem, with two walks of witness, the first Starting at 9.30am from Pulverbatch Church to The Knapp; the second starting at 2pm from the playground at Caradoc in Hanwood to St Thomas' Church, where Easter Gardens will be received.

Also on Palm Sunday,13^th April there will be a reading of the Passion at 11am, in both Longden and Hanwood – a powerful reminder of the drama of Holy Week.

Messy Church will be on Good Friday 18^th April from 11am-12.30pm in Longden Village Hall – including First Communion for our Messy Church families.

The last action of the Passion of Christ will be activities centred on the Stations of the Cross from 2-3pm on Good Friday. These will be set up for anyone to drop in and engage on a personal level with the last hours of Jesus – suitable for families with primary age children and above.

Easter Sunday 20^th April dawn celebration at 5.40am at The Knapp followed by bacon butties – a great way to start our celebrations. Then services as shown.

Do you wish to mark Lent in some way and make a difference to someone less fortunate than yourself?

Join others for a Lent lunch on Sundays during Lent: Secure Your Place by telephone or email. All lunches start at 1 pm. See 'What's on' for venues.

A Message from Sue Jones about the Foodbank

At the Ash Wednesday service, we heard from Isaiah how the Lord heals us and answers our calls for help when we share our bread with the hungry (Isaiah 58, 1-12). Perhaps Lent would be a good time to focus on the needs of those who are currently struggling to afford enough food. Could your household donate one needed item for the Foodbank every week during Lent? These items currently are:

Long-life semi-skimmed milk, tinned meat, cereals, pasta sauces, jam, tins of fruit, custard, biscuits, toilet rolls, cleaning products, and men and women’s deodorants.

There are collection points in Annscroft and Longden churches, as well as in the Longden Village Stores. Or call me (Sue Jones) on 07880912805 and I’ll come and collect from you. You can also donate money (cash, cheque or BACS: Rea Valley Foodbank, sort code 51-61-06, acct 76841804, with your email as Reference).

LIVING HOPE

This Lent we are encouraged to put down deep roots of hope by connecting with God who is with us at all times.

Living Hope offers us the opportunity to deepen our hope in God and be part of what God is doing to bring hope in the world.

The readings and reflections explore how we can have hope in times of frustration or uncertainty; the hope found in joining with others; the invitation to notice signs of hope around us; the courage to face reality and pursue a hopeful future; and the ways God transforms death into life at Easter.

The book of daily reflections can be bought on line at Wild Bright Hope - The Big Church Read for £9.99.

IF THIS LENT YOU WOULD LIKE TO TAKE PART IN A WEEKLY ONLINE DISCUSSION GROUP USING THE

RESOURCES FOR LIVING HOPE PLEASE LET GRAHAM KNOW.

Upcoming events

Sunday 27th April

11:00am -

Morning Worship

Thursday 1st May

10:00am -

Holy Communion, Longden

Sunday 4th May

11:00am -

Holy Communion and APCM

Sunday 11th May

11:00am -

Morning Worship

On the third Sunday at Hanwood at 4.30pm we've introduced a new service – Songs of Praise. This is an informal service in which people are asked to choose their favourite hymn and say why they have chosen it.
We also have reading(s) from the Bible, a short reflection and prayers. The service lasts about 45 minutes. Refreshments are provided after the service.

Do come and sing along with us. If you'd like to sing a particular hymn, please get in touch with our curate Freddie Strong who'd love to hear from you. revfreddiestrong@gmail.com

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