THIS SUNDAY - Pentecost

Readings: Acts 2.1-21 ; 1 Corinthians 12.3b-13 ; John 20.19-23

0800            Holy Communion  Reflection: David
0920-0930  Pre-service prayer in St John's Chapel
0945            Holy Communion  Sermon: David
1200            Baptism of Toby Miles Fitzwater

NEXT SUNDAY - Trinity Sunday

Readings: Isaiah 40.12-17, 27-end; 2 Corinthians 13.11-end; Matthew 28.16-20

0800            Holy Communion  Reflection: Adrian
0920-0930  Pre-service prayer in St John's Chapel
0945            Holy Communion  Sermon: Adrian

WEEKDAY SERVICES

Monday 12 May
1230            Funeral of Gwen Taylor in church

Tuesday 13 May
1145            Funeral of Ian Pool in church

Wednesday 14 May – Matthias the Apostle
0900            Holy Communion

Thursday 15 May
1000            Holy Communion

Saturday 17 May
1230            Wedding of Christopher Howells and Catherine Godfrey

DIARY and NOTICES

If you would like to advertise a church event on our website or publish a rota or programme, please send information to the church office for forwarding.

Tuesday 13 May
2000            Finance and Fabric Committee meet in the church hall

Thursday 15 May
1400            Thursday Afternoon Bible Study Group meets at the URC

Thank you to Rosa Kaye for flowers in church this Sunday in memory of her friend Gwen Taylor whose funeral takes place this Monday.

Revised liturgy for Ordinary Time at 9.45 Service.  Next week, we begin a new season in the church year that continues until Advent. The staff have produced a revised version of the service booklet using some different prayers, a fuller version of the creed and a shorter musical setting (was used in St Giles’ until about 6 years ago) for the sung parts during the Eucharistic prayer. We pray that these changes might be helpful for our worship together during the coming weeks.

Start!  Are you wondering how to begin a relationship with God? Or would you like a refresher course on the basics of the Christian faith? Do you have a friend/colleague who wants to explore the faith but wouldn’t want to come to church? Some have found faith, others have had their faith strengthened and others have used Start! to explore their questions and doubts. Adrian will be running the 4th Start! course on 6 Wednesday evenings commencing 18 June. More details are on the red card in the centre of church.

Planned Giving Renewal - we are delighted to announce that as a result of our Planned Giving Renewal, pledges have increased by over £10,000. With tax relief, this represents a significant step towards balancing our finances for the coming year. We thank God for such a generous response and for all that each of you gives to the Kingdom of God in Ickenham. Please continue to pray for our financial situation as we work through difficult times. Please also pray for wisdom and care in the use of all our resources. We plan to have a short liturgy of thanksgiving and praise in the Church Hall after the 9.45 service today. You are all invited to come to this and to enjoy refreshments with us. Yours in Christ, David.

Standing Order Offertory Cards – from next Sunday small laminated cards will be available to place in the offertory bag. If you give by standing order and wish to use one of the cards as a token of your offering, please take one as you enter church and place it in the offertory bag.

Art For Rukiga – don’t forget to visit the exhibition and the auction at the URC this week. The exhibition will be open on Wednesday 14^th 6-8pm, Thursday 15^th 2-8pm and Friday 16^th 2-8pm, with the auction taking place on Saturday 17^th from 10am-12.30pm.

Hazel Screen would like to thank everyone for their generous sponsorship of her recent London Marathon run. With gift aid, she has been able to send off a cheque to the Cystic Fibrosis Trust for  over £2,000. Her torn calf muscle is mending well.

Fair Trade Petition – Hillingdon Fair Trade Steering Group are encouraging the London Borough of Hillingdon to become a Fair Trade Borough. A petition to the Council in support of Fair Trade is available in the centre of the church for you to sign.

BibleLands Visit to the Holy Land – BibleLands is arranging a trip to the Holy Land from 10-19 October this year at a cost of around £895. The trip will be lead by our regional representative Richard Jones who spoke at our Family Service on 2 March. If you are interested in joining the trip and would like further details and the full itinerary, please contact Stephanie in the church office.

Bring and Share Box – do you have any unwanted camera or computer printer consumables (or anything similar) that are no longer of any use to you? As from today, a box will be available in the church porch for you to donate items that others might be able to use. Do take anything from the box that you can use, and make a donation to church funds in return if you wish.    

January 2008 newsletter from Jane and Adrian Shutt - Copies of Jane and Adrian’s January email from Kisiizi, Uganda, is available - click HERE for a copy (0.5Mb file - broadband recommended) and will also be in the church porch for all to see. If you would like a copy emailed to you each time, please let Anne or Mike Whitlam know (678169). All the Shutt's previous newsletters are also available via the 'Downloads' link on the home page.

Some reminders

Gift Aid envelopes - please use the yellow envelopes in the pews if you are a tax payer and would like to gift-aid your offertory gift. All sections on the envelope must be completed in order for the church to be able to claim an additional 28p for every £1 you give. Thank you for your support.

Waste Paper and Magazines – a reminder that Christian Aid benefits by £000’s annually from the designated Council bins at St Martin’s Approach car park in Ruislip. Please decide to periodically deposit yours there!

St Paul's Cathedral Passes - St Giles' has four reusable passes that enable free entrance to the cathedral. If you would like to borrow one or more, please contact Brenda Baxter.

Don't forget that we still want your family news to incorporate in the news sheet each week. If you have something you would like to share with us all at St Giles', maybe a special anniversary, family celebration, or other news such as a special achievement, please let Stephanie White have the details by email (office@stgileschurch.co.uk) or phone (the church office details are on the contact page) or in writing via the 'W' pigeonhole or the external mailbox next to the west door.

Mobile Phone Recycling - Please continue to leave any unwanted phones in the box in the porch.

Stewardship Envelopes - a reminder that it would assist the sides people if you could remember to fill in the 'amount' section on the front of the envelope each week before placing in the collection.

Befriending Team - are you interested in becoming a member of the Befriending Team - No rota involved - members of the team assist the Sidesmen and Wardens in welcoming newcomers. Please take an information sheet from the centre of the church about this important role which ensures the welcome in our church is maintained. Please sign the list if you would like to join the team, also stating the service you usually attend.

Calling all First Aiders!  If you hold a current First Aid certificate and would be willing to be called upon if a need arose on a Sunday morning during a service or Junior Church, please speak to either of our Church Wardens – Brenda Baxter (636803) or David Millen (637932).   If willing, your name would go on a list kept by the Church Wardens.  This would not however, involve being on a rota.

The deadline for entries for the news sheet each week is generally 10am on Thursday morning.

DATES FOR YOUR DIARY - 2008