Notices for this week 17th January

An introduction to Sister Helen Julian, our preacher today, who will be with us throughout Holy Week 2010
Helen Julian has been a member of the Community of St Francis since 1985.  She is presently in her second term as Minister Provincial, and has previously served the community as Novice Guardian, and Guardian of the house at Compton Durville in Somerset, where she is still based. Before joining CSF Helen lived in Dundee, where she worked as a librarian in the public library service and worshipped at the Cathedral. She trained in Newcastle-upon-Tyne, and it was while travelling between there and her family home in Edinburgh that she first saw the Franciscan friary at Alnmouth. It was during visits there that she discovered her vocation to be a Franciscan sister. Helen is a writer, with three books published by BRF, and is also a regular contributor to 'New Daylight', one of BRF’s sets of bible reading notes.She is also a black belt (second dan) in aikido, a Japanese martial art, though not presently practising. For the last five years Helen has been a member of the committee of On Fire Mission, the Anglican Catholic Charismatic organisation which runs an annual conference at High Leigh. She says: "I'm looking forward to meeting the people of St Joseph’s."
Please welcome Helen Julian and take the opportunity to chat with her after today's Eucharist.

'LIMITless' Years 3-6 - 4th Sunday of the Month. Limit has been going for a long time now and it is for people in High school. LIMITless will be open from 4-6pm every fourth Sunday for people in Junior school, years 3-6. It will be a youth club for people of this age who come to St Joseph’s and for their friends. For it to work however, we need your help for a few hours each month. LIMITless will only be a success with your help! Speak to Chris or Steve for more details

Take note: Special services coming up
On Sunday January 31st, Bishop Pete will be with us for our 10am Confirmation Service on the Feast of Candlemas, at which Roxanne, Laura and Sarah will be confirmed. Two weeks later at 10am on Sunday February 14th the Rev Neil Evans, Director of Professional Development for the London Diocese, is visiting to preach and commission Hilary Knight as a Commissioned Minister for Music for St Joseph's. These are both very special events for our church's life and for the individual Christians involved. Please do your best to come along and offer your support.
The season of Lent begins on Wednesday February 17th with two opportunities for worship, Eucharists at 10am and 8pm.

Stations of the Cross in Lent
During Sunday evenings in Lent (which begins on February 17th this year), we hold a very special reflective worship service of Stations of the Cross, which finishes with a short time of praise and benediction, celebrating the presence of Christ among us in the sacrament. It starts at 7pm and lasts an hour. In recent years different church members and groups have taken responsibility for leading each of the six services and there’s been lots of God-given creativity displayed, sometimes with a specific theme or focus to our worship. If you would like to offer a Sunday evening this Lent, please speak to Simon. Thank you. 

Locking up the Dovetail Centre and church
Would everyone who is responsible for locking up after church services or Dovetail activities please ensure that all lights and the Dovetail heating are turned off before you leave. Recently there have been incidences of the heating in particular being left on. As we are trying to keep all our bills as low as possible at the moment, everyone’s
co-operation in this would be appreciated. Thank you, Sue Church.

'Beauty from Ashes' conference
Does God still heal today? A conference for renewal and refreshment with guest speaker Jennifer Rees Larcombe, run by On Fire: Mission through Word & Sacrament, 26th-29th April 2010 at High Leigh Conference Centre. Lively Spirit-filled worship, daily Eucharist and sacramental ministry, workshops. Leaflets with more details in the centre.

Lighthouse Leaders and Helpers Meeting - NEW DATE MONDAY 1ST FEB 7.30PM
If you are a lighthouse leader or helper please come along to the meeting on the 1st February. Please let me know if you can or can’t come. Chris

SING Evaluation Meeting - Tuesday 9th Feb 7.30pm
The summer seems along time ago- especially in this weather- but it would be great for all who were part of the SING 09 team to join together for a meeting to discuss what we thought of it and how we can make next year even better! Please let Chris or Sue know if you CAN or CAN'T come. Thank you.

Church Cleaning
We have a very small group of dedicated people who faithfully clean the church and Dovetail centre week by week. It would be great if a few more people could join the team and go on the rota. Everyone benefits from a clean church and centre! All we are asking is for a couple of hours commitment on a Saturday once every four weeks. Please speak to me for more details. Thank you, June Chick.

Open meeting for local residents this Wednesday
You are invited to an open meeting for residents and members of voluntary & community groups in Greenford, Northolt and Perivale this Wednesday 20th January, 2pm to 3.30pm at Viking Community Centre, Radcliffe Way, Northolt. It is an opportunity for you to have your say about what you think would make Greenford, Northolt and Perivale ’a good and satisfying area in which to live and work’  and to receive updates on key issues affecting our neighbourhoods. The agenda will include Services for older people, a Youth Steering Group update, an Integrated Care Organisation (ICO) consultation and exclusive results from the Ealing Residents Survey. For more information contact Halima or Dan on 020 8280 2287 or email dan@ealingcvs.org.uk

Friday Youth Drop-In Needs You!
The Drop-In cannot open if we do not have enough adults. So we are asking people to sign up on the rota in the Dovetail Centre to help for a night in the tuck shop. Come along, volunteer your time and find out what youth work is about. No upper age limit!! Chris Hill

A Prayer for the Epiphany Season

Eternal Lord, our beginning and our end:
bring us with the whole creation to your glory,
hidden through past ages and made known
in Jesus Christ our Lord. Amen.