St Peter de Merton Church

🎉Welcome to the launch of our latest fundraising project.

After many years of use, our existing bell sallies (ropes to the layperson) have become worn – time to replace them so we can keep the bells ringing!🔔 We expect the total to be around £800 and if we raise more than required, the surplus will be carried over to our next project (renewing and updating the church lighting). More to follow.

💸This is a link to our online donation page which is fully secure: https://givealittle.co/…/e7b60588-3b31-4781-a19b-5d823633df…

Choose from a £3, £5, £10 or a monetary value of your choice – all donations will be warmly received. Watch out for the new sallies to be installed and blessed at some point soon.😇

✝️Following the death of HRH Prince Philiip, The Duke of Edinburgh, a Service of Thanksgiving to celebrate the life and work of His Royal Highness in the presence of Helen Nellis – HM The Lord-Lieutenant of Bedfordshire and Eric Masih – the new High Sheriff of Bedfordshire; will be held at St Paul’s Church, Bedford on Friday 16th April at 5:00pm

🎥The service will be live-streamed on YouTube and an edited version will be on YouTube thereafter. Please join us to pay our respects here: https://youtu.be/u2pGGiBRcw0

👀Attached is the official press release from Helen Nellis – inviting the people of the County of Bedfordshire to join together virtually.

😇There is also an online County Book of Condolence which is available at: https://forms.office.com/pages/responsepage.aspx…

Into your hands, O Lord,

we humbly entrust our brother Philip, Duke of Edinburgh.

In this life you embraced him with your tender love,

and opened to him the gate of heaven.

The old order has passed away,

as you welcome him into paradise,

where there will be no sorrow, no weeping nor pain,

but the fullness of peace and joy

with your Son and the Holy Spirit for ever and ever.

Amen

We also join together in this prayer from the Church of England

As we move forwards to Easter, we warmly invite you to a special Good Friday Service on 2nd April at 10:30am via Zoom. Based on a series of Reflections from the Bible passage John 19 and the ingredients of hot cross buns. The service is being organised and led by our Curate: Rev’d Rachel Simons.

Please email us for the the Zoom link: stpetersbedford@googlemail.com

Please see below the 4A Public Notice Form for the request from Royal Corps of Signals Association for Plaque celebrating 100 years of the Regiment to be placed in St Peter’s Church as associated as their church and the Rector being the County Chaplain for the Royal British Legion.

The Notice also gives details of whom to submit an objection to: The Diocesan Registrar – by Wednesday 28th April 2021.

Please see below the 4A Public Notice Form for the removal and disposal of remaining pews, benches and pew frontals from the north and south aisles and south nave pew frontal to improve accessibility.

The Notice also gives details of whom to submit an objection to: The Diocesan Registrar – by Wednesday 28th April 2021.

Our APCMs are almost here and this year will be held over Zoom on Sunday 11th April 2021 from 11:15am. Please email stpetersbedford@googlemail.com for the Zoom link to attend.

✝️Tomorrow (Saturday 27th February) Captain Sir Tom Moore’s funeral will take place attended by his close relatives.

Church bell towers who can participate will toll a single bell 100 times in commemoration. St Peter’s will be one of many participating at lunchtime.🔔

🙏Rest eternal grant unto him, O Lord: and let light perpetual shine upon him. May his soul, and all the souls of the faithful departed, rest in peace and rise in glory. Amen 😇

Covid-19 is still with us and we must all play our part in keeping ourselves, family, friends and neighbours safe.

One of the main ways is correctly wearing a face mask or covering.

This poster from the World Health Organization shows us the do’s and don’ts.

We must all do our part. God bless!

These friezes were hand-painted by Marion Swift, a member of the congregation of St Peter’s, for the Children’s Corner. Even though the church has had limited opening and visiting, we wanted them to be seen. Marion has painted several more for different events and festivals of the church year, which will be posted at the relevant times.