St Thomas's Church, St Anne's-on-the-Sea

St Thomas's Church, St Anne's-on-the-Sea, Lancashire, FY8 1JL, United Kingdom.

Proclaiming the love of Jesus in our community.

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Thought for the week

Our Licensed Lay Minister Elizabeth O'Connor has been supplying short meditations each week, available on our Downloads page.

Below is the most recent.

Thought for the week by Licensed Lay Minister Elizabeth O’Connor

2021-06-17

Kindness

What a difference a kind word or action makes. The effect of such a word, smile, or generous action cannot be underestimated. It’s not just the fact of doing such kindness that is important, but the thought behind it and often the effect (known or unknown) – what it means to the people concerned.

If we take a few minutes I am sure that we can remember times when we had the benefit of the kindness of someone and realise what it meant to us. An encouraging word or phone call when we were feeling low, or an unexpected gift, for instance. You know the sort of thing. We have seen many examples in the last few months.

It is so easy to be critical and judgemental these days. There is a real temptation to accuse and blame. We see it with the litigation culture that’s around, not to mention the demand for performance targets. We can so easily judge and find fault with someone rather than encourage. Let’s be honest, none of us are perfect are we? Yet God loves us and shows abundant kindness in our life if we think about it. He gives us the gift of life.

May we trust and know that loving kindness and reflect it in our daily lives.

A man who desires to help others by counsel or deed will refrain from dwelling on men’s faults, and will speak but sparingly of human weakness.

Baruch Spinoza

God of work and rest and pleasure,
grant that what we do this week may be for us
an offering rather than a burden;
and for those we serve, may it be the help they need.
A New Zealand Prayer Book

Unable to access technology?

Even if individuals don’t have a computer or tablet, most people will have some sort of phone. The Church of England has the ‘Daily Hope Line.’ The line – which is available 24 hours a day on 0800 804 8044 – has been set up particularly with those unable to join online church services during the period of restrictions in mind. Daily Hope offers music, prayers and reflections as well as full worship services from the Church of England at the end of a telephone line.

If you know someone without access to technology, they may be interested in this facility.

Form of Prayer March to June

This new prayer resource Form of Prayer March to June is also available on our Downloads page.

A FORM OF PRAYER FOR SUNDAYS AND HOLY DAYS APRIL TO JUNE

Almighty God,
to whom all hearts are open,
all desires known,
and from whom no secrets are hidden:
cleanse the thoughts of my heart by the inspiration of your Holy Spirit,
that I may perfectly love you,
and worthily magnify your holy name;
through Christ our Lord.
Amen.

The Easter Anthems (4^th April to 23^rd May)

1	Christ our passover has been sacrificed for us: so let us celebrate the feast,
2	not with the old leaven of corruption and wickedness: but with the unleavened bread of sincerity and truth.
3	Christ once raised from the dead dies no more: death has no more dominion over him.
4	In dying he died to sin once for all: in living he lives to God.
5	See yourselves therefore as dead to sin: and alive to God in Jesus Christ our Lord.
6	Christ has been raised from the dead: the first-fruits of those who sleep.
7	For as by man came death: by man has come also the resurrection of the dead;
8	for as in Adam all die: even so in Christ shall all be made alive.
	Glory to the Father and to the Son and to the Holy Spirit; as it was in the beginning is now and shall be for ever. Amen.

Gloria in Excelsis

Glory to God in the highest,
and peace to his people on earth.
Lord God, heavenly King,
almighty God and Father,
we worship you, we give you thanks,
we praise you for your glory.
Lord Jesus Christ, only Son of the Father,
Lord God, Lamb of God,
you take away the sin of the world:
have mercy on us;
you are seated at the right hand of the Father:
receive our prayer.
For you alone are the Holy One,
you alone are the Lord,
you alone are the Most High, Jesus Christ,
with the Holy Spirit,
in the glory of God the Father.
Amen.

The psalm and reading for the day or
one of the readings from the weekly sheet.

Easter Day

Psalm 118 verses 14-24

John Chap.20:1-10 or 1-18

11^th April Easter 2

Psalm 133. John 20:19-29

18^th April Easter 3

Psalm 4. Luke24 verses 36 b to 48

25^th April Easter 4

Psalm 23. John 10:11-18

2^nd May Easter 5

Psalm 22 verses 25 to end. John 15 verses 1-8

9^th May Easter 6

Psalm 98. John 15 verses 9-17

13^th May Ascension Day

Psalm 93. Acts 1:6-11

16^th May Easter 7

Psalm 1. John 17 verses 6-19

23^rd May Pentecost

Psalm 104 verses 26 to end. Acts 2:1-13

30^th May Trinity Sunday

Psalm 29. John 3 verses 1-17

6^th June Trinity 1

Psalm 130. Mark 3 verses 20 to end

13^th June Trinity 2

Psalm 92:1-8. Mark 4: 26-34

20^th June Trinity 3

Psalm 107: 23-32. Mark 4:35-41

27^th June Trinity 4

Psalm 30. Mark 5:21 to end.

Prayers

4^th April to 23^rd May

Risen Christ,
You filled your disciples with boldness
and fresh hope:
strengthen us to proclaim your risen life
and fill us with your peace to the glory
of God the Father. Amen.

Ascension

Grant, we pray, almighty God,
that as we believe your only-begotten Son our Lord Jesus Christ
to have ascended into the heavens,
so we in heart and mind may also ascend
and with him continually dwell;
who is alive and reigns with you,
in the unity of the Holy Spirit,
one God, now and for ever. Amen.

Pentecost

God, who as at this time
taught the hearts of your faithful people
by sending to them the light of your Holy Spirit:
grant us by the same Spirit
to have a right judgement in all thing
and evermore to rejoice in his holy comfort;
through the merits of Christ Jesus our Saviour,
who is alive and reigns with you,
in the unity of the Holy Spirit,
one God, now and for ever. Amen.

Trinity

Almighty and everlasting God,
you have given us your servants grace,
by the confession of a true faith,
to acknowledge the glory of the eternal Trinity
and in the power of the divine majesty
to worship the Unity
keep us steadfast in this faith,
that we may evermore be defended from all adversities;
through Jesus Christ your Son our Lord,
who is alive and reigns with you,
in the unity of the Holy Spirit,
one God, now and for ever. Amen.

Other Sundays

Almighty and everlasting God,
we thank you that you have brought us safely
to the beginning of this week.
Keep us from falling into sin
or running into danger,
order us in all our doings
and guide us to do always
what is righteous in your sight;
through Jesus Christ our Lord.

Amen.

Your own prayers and the Lord’s Prayer

The Grace

Annual Parochial Church Meeting 2021

Our Annual Parochial Church Meeting was held on Sunday 30th May 2021 after Morning Worship. Accounts, reports and other documents presented at the Meeting may be found on our Downloads page.

If anyone would prefer Microsoft Word versions of the reports, please email the website manager Show email address

I will praise you, O Lord, among the nations;
I will sing of you among the peoples.

For great is your love, higher than the heavens;
your faithfulness reaches to the skies.

Be exalted, O God, above the heavens;
and let your glory be over all the earth.

Psalm 108:3-5