Covid-19 Communications
During the current situation, the quickest way for us to contact you is by email. If you haven’t received any email letters from us, please contact the church office because you may not be on our database. We will aim to post important info on the church front door, to our website and Facebook page, we also have a team calling those in our church family who we know are not on email – if you know of specific people please do share the information. You can contact the office by email office@smch.org.uk
An outdoor trail for families with children age 0-4yrs. 29th April - 1st May. This self-directed trail explores the church grounds and gardens. Enjoy some fresh air and exercise as you follow the caterpillar along his week-long adventure through his favourite foods and hiding places. Book now:![]()
smch.org.uk/calendar
Toddler Praise is back and we can't wait to see you. Book now! 🌳🐻☀️![]()
We are so excited to announce the relaunch of Toddler Praise for children 0-4 years and their parent/carer. We will be holding outdoor Toddler Praise sessions in the gardens of St. Mark's on alternate Sunday afternoons at 4pm (starting April 18th). We will be exploring stories from the bible through songs, games and interactive activities.![]()
To meet current guidelines and ensure social distancing we can only have 10 families attend each session, so spaces are very limited. We are asking families to commit to attending for the whole term, 6 sessions in all, to keep bubbles consistent. More information, including dates and times, are on the event sign up page: stmarks.churchsuite.co.uk/embed/events/mfkda5wr
Unfortunately, we are having technical difficulties with live streaming our 9am Holy Communion today. We will record the service and it will be uploaded to YouTube later today.
I join with the rest of the United Kingdom and the Commonwealth in mourning the loss of His Royal Highness Prince Philip, The Duke of Edinburgh, and give thanks to God for his extraordinary life of dedicated service. Prince Philip continually demonstrated his unfailing support and unstinting loyalty to Her Majesty The Queen for 73 years.![]()
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He consistently put the interests of others ahead of his own and, in so doing, provided an outstanding example of Christian service. During his naval career, in which he served with distinction in the Second World War, he won the respect of his peers as an outstanding officer.![]()
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On the occasions when I met him, I was always struck by his obvious joy at life, his enquiring mind and his ability to communicate to people from every background and walk of life. He was a master at putting people at their ease and making them feel special.![]()
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The legacy he leaves is enormous. The Duke of Edinburgh's Award, which he founded in 1956, has inspired generations of young people to help others and instilled in them a vision for citizenship and a desire to serve their communities. His work with countless charities and organisations reflected his wide- ranging, global interests in topics including wildlife, sport, design, engineering and inter-faith dialogue.![]()
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In his powerful advocacy for conservation his was a prophetic voice for over half a century, as he brought people from around the world to a new concern and commitment to action for the future of our planet.![]()
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As we recover and rebuild after the terrible trial of the coronavirus pandemic, we will need fortitude and a deep sense of commitment to serving others. Throughout his life Prince Philip displayed those qualities in abundance, and I pray that we can take inspiration from his example.![]()
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I also join many people in giving thanks for the marriage of Her Majesty the Queen and Prince Philip, and for their children, grandchildren and great-grandchildren. Theirs was a marriage grounded in friendship and mutual respect and sustained by shared faith in Christ.![]()
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I pray that God will comfort Her Majesty and the rest of the Royal Family at this time. May His Royal Highness rest in peace and rise in glory.
At this moment of loss and sadness, please join us to pause and pray for the Queen and the Royal Family. We have a book of condolences at St Mark’s which you can add to if you wish. If you don’t want to come into church, please email office@smch.org.uk with your tribute. 🙏🏻A prayer on the death of HRH The Duke of Edinburgh:
