News

Prayer for the Nation (throughout Feb)

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In the week that the number of COVID- related deaths in the UK exceeded 100,000, so both Archbishops are inviting everyone to call on God in Prayer for the Nation.

Starting on 1 February you are invited to set aside time every evening to pray, particularly at 6pm each day. 

The Archbishops issued this renewed call to prayer outlined in their most recent letter to clergy, released earlier this week. 
 
There will be a rolling seven day of themes for prayers, as follows:

  • Sunday – Family, friends and loved ones
  • Monday – Schools and colleges, children and young people 
  • Tuesday – Elderly, isolated and vulnerable 
  • Wednesday – Businesses, the workplace and economic wellbeing
  • Thursday – The NHS and other key workers
  • Friday – National and local governments 
  • Saturday – All who are grieving and all suffering with physical and mental ill-health.

Prayer resources, including new weekly prayers, daily biddings, family prayers and a prayer booklet (downloadable as a PDF) are all available by clicking here, whilst a range of video reflections from senior church leaders on YouTube praying for specific daily themes and also general ‘prayers for the nation can be viewed by clicking here.

Services Update (from Sunday 17th January)

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Dear All,

We will be live streaming to the St. James Facebook page at 10.30 each Sunday until local infection rates fall to a point where it is safe to meet together again. As always the service can be watched at any time.

The Zoom coffee and catch up will follow at 12 noon on the following link:

https://us04web.zoom.us/j/73169539003?pwd=RlFmQ21KanNibVJUQzNmZDBIZkJDQT09

Meeting ID: 731 6953 9003

Passcode: 8tbsn5

While we are continuing with the Wednesday morning Eucharist, numbers are deliberately being kept to a maximum of six. If you are not a regular then please contact me on 343013 if you would like to be included. Should we grow over the limit of six then I will be happy to offer additional services on a Monday or Friday.

What ever you do keep safe and keep smiling!

Fr. Jack

Young Bell Ringers Achievement

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CONGRATULATIONS! to three of our young ringers at St James, Barrow-in-Furness, and St Mary’s Dalton-in-Furness.

We are very proud to announce that Cameron Pollock, Jayden Milby, and Iwan Cotgreave have each been awarded the Lancashire Association Certificate of Proficiency for bell ringing, by exceeding the qualification standard for ringing ‘method’ change ringing (Plain Bob, Grandsire, and Stedman), conducting 2 courses of Plain Bob Minor, and successfully ringing one full peal (3 hours) or two quarter peals (50 minutes each).

I commend the dedication, ability, persistence, and skill of these young ringers who are bright and exciting prospects for the exercise in the future wherever their path takes them. They get on well together and motivate one another, and add a great dynamic to our practices.

It is worth noting that all three represented the Lancashire Association as part of the Lancashire Lads and Lasses (LLL) team that entered the Ringing World National Youth Contest in 2019 (Cameron and Jayden competed, Iwan was reserve). They achieved an incredible 6th place out of 18 teams in the rounds and call changes category (9th overall from 24 teams).

It is also worth noting that Cameron has now successfully completed 8 quarter peals in under 3 years; Iwan completed his 3 quarters in 9 months; and Jayden completed 3 quarter peals in just over 3 months period, including successfully organising and conducting a quarter peal (first as conductor) involving LLL ringers with average age under 15.

They have also been pivotal in our ability to ring for Sunday service and other special services over the last few years.

Regrettably Covid-19 intervened and interrupted learning practise Little Bob, Kent and Oxford, and prevented further quarter peals and a full peal during the summer of 2020, although Jayden has been learning Yorkshire, Cambridge and Bristol Surprise Major at home on his computer during lockdown/covid restrictions.

We look forward to resumption of ringing post-covid with the promise of fresh progress we can make.

Big Carol Sing – 6.15pm Sun 20 December

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The final countdown is on to Cumbria’s Big Carol Sing.

Across the county scores of people are set to take to their doorsteps to sing the carol Silent Night at 6.15pm this evening, Sunday 20 December.

The mass rendition will form part of a special Christmas programme to be presented by Richard Corrie on BBC Radio Cumbria from 6pm.

https://www.carlislediocese.org.uk/news/2020/12/16/countdown-cumbrias-big-carol-sing/

http://www.godforall.org.uk/cumbria-big-carol-sing/

ADVENT – Christmas Fair & Services

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St James Christmas Fair

Sadly we won’t be able to hold our Christmas Fair in its usual format, but just as in the Spring, there will be something happening virtually.

At the Fair, we’d normally have a raffle. Although we don’t have any printed tickets for you to sell to family, friends & neighbours we do have plenty of lovely prizes including whisky, wine, chocolates and a car valet set. So in the same spirit of generosity with which you responded in the Spring, please buy lots of tickets – Tickets will be £1 per strip, simply drop your details (name & contact address or phone number), cash or cheques through the door at 9 Prospect Road LA13 9AA or 66 Holker Street LA14 5RW – alternatively you can buy using our Paypal account stjameschurchbarrow@gmail.com quoting ‘raffle’ so that I know you want to buy tickets rather than simply making a donation. Or ask for tickets when we drop off your cakes! Our intention is to draw the raffle after the 10.30am service on 13th December.

In lieu of the cake stall Andy & Shelagh have been baking (real) cakes for the last couple of weeks, putting details out on Facebook and then delivering them (in a Covid-secure manner) on Sunday – I appreciate that not all of you are on Facebook, so in a rare moment of being organised we have decided in advance what we will be baking ready for delivery next Sunday 29 November.

All you have to do is email your order to ursula_minor@btinternet.com before Sunday morning, or message Shelagh on Facebook (or comment on the post when I put the photos online on Saturday evening (make sure you comment on the original post and not on any ‘shares’ as I may not see them) or ring me on 01229 834403 (evenings) and let me know which cakes you would like, where you would like them delivering to and if you’d prefer a 11.00am-12noon, 12-1pm or 1-2pm delivery slot. There’s no fixed price, all donations welcome. And if anyone else would like to bake we’d be very grateful.

  • Tea Loaf
  • Coffee, walnut & dark chocolate tray bake
  • Lemon Drizzle cake

Thank you for taking the time to read this and for your continued support of St James.

Worship

Worship returns this week.

Tomorrow (Sunday 29th November) Worship on Facebook from 10.00am, 

St. James open for Private Prayer from 10.30am

Wednesday 10.00am St. James

Thursday 10.00am St. Francis (Sunday on Thursday)

Sunday 6th Dec Advent 2 10.30am St. James

Looking Ahead

We are planning to stream a Carol Service to facebook and maybe a Children’s Crib Service.

Christmas Worship is looking like …

Midnight at St. James (we may need to ticket this)

Christmas Day at St. Francis Final details will follow later as there is also cover for the South Barrow team and St. Mary’s & St. John’s to allocate.