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Welcome to Old Saint Martin's Old St Martin’s, or St Martin’s-in-the-Cornmarket, Worcester, is a City Centre Parish Church which for many years has stood firmly in the Catholic tradition within the Church of England. At the heart of our life and worship is the celebration of the Eucharist…the great Thanksgiving for all that God our Creator has done for us through the life, death and resurrection of Jesus Christ, which are recalled and made present as we do what Jesus commanded us to do at the Last Supper; and this is the service which, whenever it is celebrated, re-forms a congregation as the People of God. We know it also as the Mass, the celebration from which we are ‘sent out’ in the power of the Holy Spirit to work for the Kingdom of love for whose coming all Christians pray in the Lord’s Prayer; and so the Mass is celebrated here not only on Sundays, but on four weekdays as well. We believe that it is our calling to offer the Mass in a way which speaks of the wonder of a God who is beyond human words, and yet makes Himself present in the Person of Jesus Christ, ‘who lives today in bread and wine’. Vestments, music, incense, the stained glass and the statues which remind us of the ‘great company of witnesses’ surrounding us, these encourage us to use all our God-given senses to ‘worship the Lord in the beauty of holiness’ (words inscribed over the arch in front of the High Altar). But we also believe that because God took human flesh in the person of Jesus (the ‘Incarnation’) we must be concerned with and for the real world around us. That is why we are currently exploring the possibility of improving and renewing the approaches to the Church and its surroundings, as well as our Parish Room, in order to strengthen our witness within the local community. This exploration is going on as a major new commercial development takes place just a short distance from the Church; the recent installation of a new ring of ten bells, on which we hope that many young people will learn to ring, is already helping to put us ‘on the map’ In the meantime we seek to be a welcoming congregation, ready to involve newcomers in the life of the Church, or to ‘take their time’ to feel at home with us; no one will look askance at you for not knowing all the intricacies of genuflections and signs of the Cross! These are not easy times for those seeking to sustain the Catholic tradition within the Church of England; yet the strength of Anglicanism lies in an honest and creative living with diversity. So at Old St Martin’s we are not ashamed to emphasise the forms of worship and the disciplines which are built upon the sacraments, the ‘outward and visible signs of an inward and spiritual grace’ (Book of Common Prayer Catechism)…the water of baptism, the bread and wine of the Eucharist, the oil of healing, the spoken word of absolution in the Sacrament of Reconciliation. It should be noted that Resolutions ‘A’ and ‘B’, relating to the ministry of ordained women in Parish Churches, are currently in force. For some years St Martin’s has been part of the ‘Worcester City Parish’ with All Saints, Worcester and St George’s Barbourne. However, this arrangement is being discontinued, so that ‘Old St Martin’s with St Swithun’s and St Paul’s’ will be a separate parish when the legal process is completed. (It’s worth noting that St Paul’s was the parish served in the 1920s by the famous Fr Studdert Kennedy (‘Woodbine Willie’), who would surely approve of our desire to serve the local community more effectively). Technically, the parish is in ‘vacancy’, although it is served by a non-stipendiary Associate Priest, Fr Andrew Greany, who combines his ministry at St Martin’s with the post of Chaplain at the near-by Laslett’s Almshouses. 
A special weekend for Old St. Martin's
Healing services and laying on of hands Following up on some of the issues which were discussed at the away day, Fr. Andrew's sermon on Sunday 15 January will be on the Church's Ministry of Healing, and that in future, once a month, there will be laying-on of hands with prayer for healing at one of the weekday Masses Epiphanytide 2012 Dear Friends, Ministry of Healing: I’m offering some thoughts on this topic at the Sung Mass on January 15th (copies of this sermon will be available); and at the 10.30am Mass on the Wednesday following (18th) there will be laying-on of hands and anointing for those who would like this ministry for themselves, or with prayer on behalf of another. This should be seen as a very natural part of our church life, and will be offered at one weekday Mass every month, as announced. Week of Prayer for Christian Unity: This runs from Wednesday 18th January to Wednesday 25th; the special intention for each day links with the Week of Prayer. On Sunday 22nd we welcome as our preacher Mary Speechley, from the Society of Friends, and I shall be going the same day to preach at the United Reformed Church in Albany Terrace. At 6.30pm that day there will be an ecumenical service in the Cathedral; the preacher is the RC Archbishop of Birmingham. Candlemas: This year February 2nd falls on a Thursday, when we have 11am Mass in the Chapel at Laslett’s. This service will take place as usual, with blessing and distribution of candles. As a result, I’ve decided that it would be better this year to have our celebration of this lovely festival in OSM on the previous Sunday, January 29th, as suggested in the Common Worship lectionary. We shall have the usual Candlemas ceremonies, and the preacher will be Fr Paul Tongue. Christian Giving Review: ‘…let every man…deliberately dedicate to God a certain measure of each year’s income, to be set apart as soon as he receives it, and no longer accounted as his own’. Not the words of the Diocesan Stewardship Adviser, but of Henry Wilberforce writing in the 1830s under the influence of Tractarianism. From February 5th-26th we shall be putting particular focus on the scriptural and theological basis for Christian Giving; there will be a simple form for everyone to fill in and return, covering the giving of time, skills and prayer as well as money. (e.g. Church watching rota!) Lent programme I hope that we shall consider making as much use as we can of two particular opportunities this Lent (Ash Wednesday is February 22nd): Stations of the Cross on Fridays: Feb.24, March 2, 9, 16, 23, 30 11.15 in Old St Martin’s 6.30pm in St George’s RC Members of our two congregations are welcome at either Church. Fr Paul Tongue, Fr Robert Jones and I will share the leading of this devotion in OSM Lent reflections on Tuesdays at 12.30pm, after Noon Mass • February 28, March 13, 27: Bible Studies, to be led by me, on the Significance of the Death of Jesus. St Mark 8.31-38, St John 3.14-21, St John 12.20-33 • March 6: to be arranged • March 20: Fr Paul Tongue will lead a session based on some of Fr Geoffrey Studdert Kennedy’s poems. Recent weeks have brought us some sadness with the decision of three well-established members of our congregation to join the Ordinariate. Let us continue to pray faithfully for one another as members of Christ’s universal Church and seek the guidance of the Holy Spirit in all things. With my prayers: Fr Andrew Sermons Recent sermons are available from the links below. A more complete set can be found on the Sermons page. Epiphany 2, 2012: The Church's Ministry of Healing - (Fr. Andrew Greany) Advent 3, 2011 - (Fr. Andrew Greany) Advent 2, 2011 - (Fr. Andrew Greany) Advent 1, 2011 - (Fr. Andrew Greany) Christ the King, 2011 - (Fr. Andrew Greany) Last after Trinity, 2011 - (Fr. Andrew Greany) Harvest, 2011 - (Fr. Andrew Greany) 2nd after Trinity, 2011 - "I am gentle and lowly in heart" (Fr. Andrew Greany) Lent 1 - "if you are the Son of God..." (Fr. Paul Tongue) Weekly notices Items for the pewsheet Items for next week's pewsheet should be given or e-mailed to the Parish Office by Thursday morning at the latest. Click here for a printable version of this week's pewsheet Hall available for hire Our hall at St. Swithun's Institute, The Trinity, is available to hire and has some vacancies during day and evening. Kitchen facilities if needed. If you need a venue in the centre of Worcester for meetings, community functions, dance lessons, fitness classes, musical or similar events - regular or occasional - please ring Brian on 01905 25952 Mon to Friday, mornings, for more information. Click here for further details and photos. |
Click here for a printable pew sheet including this week's service and notices. Friday, 27 JanuaryFeria 12.00: Mass Intention: The People of Afghanistan Saturday, 28 January St Thomas Aquinas 12.00: Mass Intention: Thanksgiving for the new bells Sunday, 29 January PRESENTATION OF CHRIST IN THE TEMPLE (CANDLEMASS) 09.45: Sung Mass 11.45: Holy Communion at the Chapel of St. Lawrence, Laslett’s Almshouses Tuesday, 31 January St John Bosco 12.00: Mass Intention: Bishop John Wednesday, 1 February Feria 10.30: Mass Intention: The European Union Thursday, 2 February CANDLEMASS 11.00: Mass at St. Lawrence, Laslett's Almshouses Intention: Thanksgiving for Jesus our Light Friday, 3 February Feria (First Friday) 12.00: Mass Intention: Amnesty International Saturday, 4 February St Gilbert of Sempringham 12.00: Mass Intention: Our Servers Sunday, 5 February PRESENTATION OF CHRIST IN THE TEMPLE 09.45: Solemn Mass with Candlemas Ceremonies and Procession 16.00: Solemn Evensong and Benediction Tuesday, 7 February Feria (Monthly Requiem) 12.00: Mass Intention: The Departed  Visit our Liturgical Calendar page for full details of all forthcoming services. Sunday February 5th Sermon at Sung Mass introducing our Christian Giving Review (concludes on Lent 1, February 26th) Lent Programme I hope that we shall consider making as much use as we can of two particular opportunities this Lent (Ash Wednesday is February 22nd): Stations of the Cross on Fridays: Feb.24, March 2, 9, 16, 23, 30 11.15 in Old St Martin’s 6.30pm in St George’s RC Members of our two congregations are welcome at either Church. Fr Paul Tongue, Fr Robert Jones and I will share the leading of this devotion in OSM Lent reflections on Tuesdays at 12.30pm, after Noon Mass • February 28, March 13, 27: Bible Studies, to be led by me, on the Significance of the Death of Jesus. St Mark 8.31-38, St John 3.14-21, St John 12.20-33 • March 6: to be arranged • March 20: Fr Paul Tongue will lead a session based on some of Fr Geoffrey Studdert Kennedy’s poems. Sunday March 18th Address at Sung Mass by the General Secretary of the Papua New Guinea Church Partnership: Film and presentation afterwards Tuesday May 15th Presentation at 12.30pm on the Calcutta Cathedral Relief Service Sunday May 20th Preacher at Sung Mass: The Rt Revd Jonathan Baker, Bishop of Ebbsfleet and Assistant Bishop of Worcester |
