Mud & Friendship - The story of Leesfield Parish Boundary Walks to 2015

Liz Dent's parish boundary book "Mud & Friendship"

Read the article in today's Oldham Evening Chronicle

http://www.oldham-chronicle.co.uk/news-features/8/news-headlines/96361/liz-gets-busy-on-her-book-of-walks

To purchase the book visit St Thomas Leesfield Church, West St, Lees, donate online at https://mydonate.bt.com/fundraisers/lizdent1 or contact Liz directly on 0161 627 4515

Dates for your diary

Wed Jan 27^th           Textile Collection at St. Thomas’ Leesfield School 9am

Sat Feb 6^th                Coffee Morning 40 Thomas St 10.30am till noon

Wed Feb 10^th           Ash Wednesday Holy Communion St Thomas 7.30pm

                                    followed by Ladies of Leesfield meeting 52 Spring Lane

Fri Feb 12^th               Minion’s Valentine’s Party   6.30pm-8.30pm in St. Thomas’ School

Mon Feb 29^th           Standing Committee Vicarage 7pm

Sun  Mar 6^th             Mothering Sunday  All Age services?

Mon Mar  7^th           St Thomas DCC 7pm in church

Wed Mar 9^th            St Agnes  DCC 8pm   school hall

Sun Mar 13^th            Deanery service - Stations of the Cross led by Bp David 4pm

                                    Venue to be confirmed

Mon Mar 14^th          PCC  St Thomas 7pm

Thurs Mar 17^th        Ladies group Dementia Awareness session 7.30pm library

Sun  Mar 20^th           Palm Sunday –usual time services

Thurs Mar 24^th        Maundy Thursday 7.30pm St Thomas

Fri  Mar 25^th             Good Friday  10.30am  St Thomas followed by open air in Lees

                                   at 12.30

Sat Mar 26^th             Easter Vigil St Agnes  7.30pm

Sun Mar 27^th            Easter Day   Usual service times at both churches

Leesfield Parish January 24th 2016

From today you can pick up a bargain at the church stall run by Harvest Queen Amy Jakeman and her retinue.  There will be books, toys and household goods. Please support these young people!

Today at 3pm Churches Together service for the Week of Christian Unity at Springhead Congregational Church. It would be good to have some people there from our parish.

Your church needs you! Why not use the New Year as a time to start doing something extra for church? It is too easy to expect things to just happen, for others to do them. We particularly need more people to read and do the prayers at both churches – help is available if you are unsure. The flower rota at St Agnes has spaces, the flower arrangers at St Thomas would welcome more volunteers, the coffee rota at St Agnes needs filling in too. Please don’t think that because people do a job there is no space for you.

Please think carefully about whether you could give to church by standing order. This is a simpler way to give than remembering to bring collection, and it gives church a clearer idea of what funds we have available. Failing that, could you take planned giving envelopes? If you are a tax payer, would you be willing to gift aid your donations- so the church gets money back from the tax man? Please ask Liz Dent or Edith for forms, or the wardens for planned giving envelopes.

St. Thomas’ Leesfield Eco Committee have their next textile collection on Wednesday 27th January, so if you fancy a clear out of clothes, shoes, handbags, etc please bag up and bring along for 9am.  If you need your bags collecting please contact Karen Jakeman.

The Ultimate Minion’s Valentine’s party is coming to St. Thomas’ Leesfield on Friday 12th February 6:30pm-8:30pm.   So come along in fancy dress and be entertained by Mimi Minion and friends; music, dancing and silly games.  Don’t delay buy your ticket now, only £5 including food, drink and photograph with your Minion friend.  Tickets are available from Mrs Jakeman.  This will be a children only disco and parents are requested to drop off their children for a 6:30pm start and pick them up promptly at 8:30pm.  Thank You.

Magazine  articles to paulmdent@gmail.com) please

Items for the newsletter to Edith by Wednesday eve please.

DATES FOR YOUR DIARY

Mon Jan 18^th            PCC  St Thomas 7pm

Thurs Jan 21^st          Ladies of Leesfield meet 7.30pm 83 Spring Lane

Wed Jan 27^th           Textile Collection at St. Thomas’ Leesfield School 9am

Sat Feb 6^th                Coffee Morning 40 Thomas St 10.30am till noon

Wed Feb 10^th           Ash Wednesday Holy Communion St Thomas 7.30pm

                                    followed by Ladies of Leesfield meeting 52 Spring Lane

Fri Feb 12^th               Minion’s Valentine’s Party   6.30pm-8.30pm in St. Thomas’ School

Mon Feb 29^th           Standing Committee Vicarage 7pm

Sun  Mar 6^th             Mothering Sunday  All Age services?

Mon Mar  7^th           St Thomas DCC 7pm in church

Wed Mar 9^th            St Agnes  DCC 8pm   school hall

Mon Mar 14^th          PCC  St Thomas 7pm

Sun  Mar 20^th           Palm Sunday –usual time services

Thurs Mar 24^th        Maundy Thursday 7.30pm St Thomas

Fri  Mar 25^th             Good Friday  9.30am  St Thomas followed by open air in Lees

Sat Mar 26^th             Easter Vigil St Agnes  7.30pm

Sun Mar 27^th            Easter Day   Usual service times at both churches

Please Note              Confirmation service will be July 24^th  which is later than usual, and after the end of the school term. The date is given to us by the diocese.

Leesfield Parish January 17th 2016

PCC meets, Monday 18^th 7pm St Thomas

Thursday 21^st  Ladies of Leesfield   Coffee evening at 83 Spring Lane 7.30pm

We are close to signing the contract for the development work at the back of church. The work will probably begin in early April, and so there will inevitably be some disruption…… things not in the usual places etc. Please be patient – it will be worth it!

Your church needs you! Why not use the New Year as a time to start doing something extra for church? It is too easy to expect things to just happen, for others to do them. We particularly need more people to read and do the prayers at both churches – help is available if you are unsure. The flower rota at St Agnes has spaces, the flower arrangers at St Thomas would welcome more volunteers, the coffee rota at St Agnes needs filling in too.

We plan to continue to admit children from years 4 and 5 to communion before confirmation – at the service on Easter Day. This will be the third year we have done this.

Preparation sessions will need to begin fairly soon as Easter is early this year. If you are interested please let Edith or the Sunday school leaders know as soon as possible. Further information is available.

St. Thomas’ Leesfield Eco Committee have their next textile collection on Wednesday 27th January, so if you fancy a clear out of clothes, shoes, handbags, etc please bag up and bring along for 9am.  If you need your bags collecting please contact Karen Jakeman.

The Ultimate Minion’s Valentine’s party is coming to St. Thomas’ Leesfield on Friday 12th February 6:30pm-8:30pm.   So come along in fancy dress and be entertained by Mimi Minion and friends; music, dancing and silly games.  Don’t delay buy your ticket now, only £5 including food, drink and photograph with your Minion friend.  Tickets are available from Mrs Jakeman.  This will be a children only disco and parents are requested to drop off their children for a 6:30pm start and pick them up promptly at 8:30pm.  Thank You.

From next Sunday 24^th January, you can pick up a bargain at the church stall run by Harvest Queen Amy Jakeman and her retinue.  There will be books, toys and household goods.

Magazine  articles to paulmdent@gmail.com) please

Items for the newsletter to Edith by Wednesday eve please.

DATES FOR YOUR DIARY

Mon Jan 11^th     DCC St Thomas 7pm  St Thomas

Wed Jan 13^th     DCC St Agnes     8pm St Agnes

Sat Jan 16^th       10am  clearing the back room at St Thomas Church

Mon Jan 18^th     PCC  St Thomas 7pm

Thurs Jan 21^st   Ladies of Leesfield meet 7.30pm 83 Spring Lane

Sat Feb 6^th        Coffee Morning 40 Thomas St 10.30am till noon

Wed Feb 10^th    Ash Wednesday Holy Communion St Thomas 7.30pm

                              followed by Ladies of Leesfield meeting 52 Spring Lane

Mon Feb 29^th  Standing Committee Vicarage 7pm

Sun  Mar 6^th        Mothering Sunday  All Age services?

Mon Mar  7^th      St Thomas DCC 7pm in church

Wed Mar 9^th       St Agnes  DCC 8pm   school hall

Mon Mar 14^th   PCC  St Thomas 7pm

Sun  Mar 20^th    Palm Sunday –usual time services

Thurs Mar 24^th   Maundy Thursday 7.30pm St Thomas

Fri  Mar 25^th       Good Friday  9.30am  St Thomas followed by open air in Lees

Sat Mar 26^th       Easter Vigil St Agnes  7.30pm

Sun Mar 27^th      Easter Day   Usual service times at both churches

Leesfield Parish January 10th 2016

Thank you to everyone who helped makes both of our churches so beautiful for Christmas.

Many thanks to all who came Carol Singing around Lees before Christmas, especially the children. We all had a really good time and took Christmas out to many people who don't get to Church. The amount collected was £84.89 which was added to loose collections in Church to give a total of £117.33 in aid of the Booth Centre for homeless people. As usual, we are collecting surplus hats, gloves and scarves to take to the Centre so if you have anything to give please put it in the boxes at the back of both Churches.

The church DCC meetings take place this week. These are open meetings, and all adults are welcome to come along to discuss or raise issues concerning their church. These meetings are followed (usually the next week) by the PCC meeting which is attended by elected members only.

St Thomas DCC Monday 11^th 7pm (in church)

St Agnes     DCC Wednesday 13^th at 8pm (school hall)

Advance notice PCC January 18^th 7pm in St Thomas Church

We are about to sign the contract for the development work at the back of St Thomas. It is now urgent that we clear the back room so the work can begin. Please come along next Saturday morning – Jan 16^th – at 10am  if you have things that need clearing/putting in the new storage under the tower. Anything left we will assume isn’t wanted! Please also come along if you are able to help with the moving of “stuff” – some of which is heavy.

We plan to continue to admit children from years 4 and 5 to communion before confirmation – at the service on Easter Day. This will be the third year we have done this.

Preparation sessions will need to begin fairly soon as Easter is early this year. If you are interested please let Edith or the Sunday school leaders know as soon as possible. Further information is available.

Magazine  articles to paulmdent@gmail.com) please

Items for the newsletter to Edith by Wednesday eve please.