Reading Circle

If you enjoy reading, come and join the Reading Circle at 7.30pm on the fourth Wednesday of every month at the Parish Centre.

• 23rd May: The Phantom of the Opera - Gaston Leroux
• 27th June: Hand Me Down World - Lloyd Jones
• 25th July: To Kill a Mockingbird - Harper Lee

Please contact Jill Batts [778155] if you have queries

Annual Parochial Church Meeting 22nd April 2012

The Annual Report, Financial Statements and Supplementary Reports for the year to 31st December 2011 may be viewed by clicking on the appropriate link below:

• Annual Report for 2011
• Financial Statements for 2011
• Supplementary Reports 2011

(You will require a PDF Reader to view these files)

Easter Services

Maundy Thurs
7.30pm - Eucharist of the Lord’s Supper with foot-washing, at St Andrew’s.


Good Friday 
10.15am - prayers at Sacred Heart, followed by Walk of Witness and service in Victoria Square.
12noon - Meditation in St Andrew’s, finishing at 1pm.
1pm - Quiet hour for personal prayer in St Andrew’s
2pm - Proclamation of the Cross, the Good Friday Liturgy, at St Andrew’s (this is the main service of the day, with the administration of Holy Communion)


Easter Day
In addition to all our normal morning service times, we have two
special acts of worship.
6.15am - at St Augustine's, Easter Morning Dawn Service followed by breakfast at 6.45am.
5pm -  Easter Praise at St Nicholas’

Sign the e-petition to bring back zero rate VAT on alterations to listed churches

We are urging Church members to sign an online petition calling on the Government to reconsider their proposal.

An unexpected provision of the Chancellor of the Exchequer's budget is that from 1st October 2012, 20% VAT is to be charged on alterations and improvements to listed church buildings. This will have a severe and adverse affect on PCC projects to improve buildings, including the basic necessities of kitchens and lavatories.

Already, the Bishop of London, Richard Chartres, on behalf of The Archbishop's Council; the Second Church Estates Commissioner, Tony Baldry MP; and the Chair of the Church Buildings Council, Anne Sloman have all written to the Chancellor of the Exchequer to ask for alteration and improvement works to churches to remain zero rated.

Sign the e-petition 

The Church Buildings Council have organised an e-petition to enable Church members to register their desire for church buildings to continue to be zero rated for VAT.We encourage everyone to sign the e-petition by 4th May.

The e-petition can be signed online now at: http://epetitions.direct.gov.uk/petitions/32229

Write to your MP 

In our diocese, Bishop John, Bishop David and Robert Higham will be writing to the MPs with constituencies in the Diocese of Worcester to ask for their support in keeping church buildings zero-rated for VAT. We would encourage individual church members to write to their MP with the request to keep listed church buildings zero-rated for alterations and improvements.

Please see also the Diocesan Website for further information about this.

Annual Electoral Roll Revision

All Church of England parishes maintain their own electoral roll of those entitled to vote at the Annual Parochial Church Meeting, and we are required by law to revise those each year. If you are already on the electoral roll, then you don't need to do anything to stay on it. If you are relatively new to the parish and not yet on the roll, we shall be revising it this month. There are forms available at the back of each church for new members to fill in and return. Forms must be returned to Ruth Smallwood, the Electoral Roll Officer, via the parish office, on or before Sunday 1st April. After April 1st, we are not allowed to add any new names to the roll until
after the date of the annual meeting.

Bishop John’s Lent Message

A shortened version of Bishop John’s Lent Message is available in our churches this weekend - or you can see the full version on the Diocesan website.
http://www.cofe-worcester.org.uk/news/news.php?i254

Reading Circle

If you enjoy reading, come and join the Reading Circle at 7.30pm on the fourth Wednesday of every month at the Parish Centre.
29th Feb: "The Moving Toyshop" - Edmund Crispin
28th Mar: "Gentlemen and Players" - Joanne Harris
25th Apr: " Pigeon English" - Stephen Feldman
Please contact Jill Batts [778155] if you have queries.

Women's World Day of Prayer - Friday 2nd March

Over 3 million people worldwide will be praying and worshipping during this annual day of prayer, using a form of service prepared by Christian women of Malaysia. The theme is Let Justice Prevail and although organised by women it is a day of prayer for everyone, so men are very welcome too.
Here in Droitwich our service is at St Andrew's, 10.30am, and David Owen is our speaker.
There are also services at 2pm in Elmley Lovett Church and at 7.30pm in Fernhill Heath Baptist Church to which you would be most welcome.

What does Easter mean to me?

Churches Together in Droitwich Spa invite you to a series of talks during Lent on Wednesdays, 7.30-9pm at the Methodist Church.

• 29 February: Revd Dr Fiona Haworth, Chaplain, Worcester University
• 7 March: Revd David Knight, Chaplain, St Richard’s Hospice
• 14 March: Archbishop Bernard Longley, Archbishop of Birmingham
• 21 March: Revd Margie Schutte, Chaplain, HM Prison, Hewell
• 28 March: Revd Andy Kelso, Chaplain, Worcester Warriors RFC

Everyone is welcome!