Welcome to St. Stephens in February…

Our services are currently held at the Chantry Hall, Chantry Road Norwich (next to the Assembly Rooms) NR2  1QZ, whilst our church restoration takes place.

Our weekly Sunday services are at  10.00am with our original service pattern using Common Worship 11.30am an All-age Worship service with worship songs, teaching, prayer and ministry time, with provision for children and at 4pm ‘Gathering’ a time of worship, fellowship and friendship.

• February 5

10.00am: Service of the Word (3rd before Lent)

Readings: Isaiah 40: 21-end & Mark 1: 29-39

11.30am: Beginning with coffee at 11am…  All-age Worship –  with worship songs, teaching, prayer and ministry-time and  provision for children.  Service finishes at 12.30pm. Looking at the Acts of the Apostles ch. 5 -Apostle

4.00pm: Gathering – an informal time for worship, fellowship and friendship

• February 12

10.00am:    Holy Communion (2nd before Lent)

Readings: Proverbs 8: 1, 22-31 & John 1: 1-14

11.30am: Beginning with coffee at 11am…  All-age Worship –  with worship songs, teaching, prayer and ministry-time and  provision for children.  Service finishes at 12.30pm. Looking at the book of Acts ch.6- Pastor

4.00pm: Gathering – an informal time for worship, fellowship and friendship

• February 19

10.00am: Morning Prayer with Healing (next before Lent)

Readings: 2 Kings 2:1-12 & Mark 9: 2-9

11.30am:  Beginning with coffee at 11am…  All-age Worship –  with worship songs, teaching, prayer and ministry-time and  provision for children.  Service finishes at 12.30pm. Looking at the book of Acts ch.7 – Prophet.

4.00pm:  Gathering – an informal time for worship, fellowship and friendship

• February 26

10.00am    Holy Communion (1st of Lent)

Readings: Genesis 9: 8-17 & Mark 1: 9-15

11.30am:   Beginning with coffee at 11am…  All-age Worship –  with worship songs, teaching, prayer and ministry-time and  provision for children.  Service finishes at 12.30pm. Looking at the book of Acts ch.8 – Evangelist.

4pm: Gathering – an informal time for worship, fellowship and friendship

OTHER EVENTS AND ACTIVITIES… 

Our office telephone number is now: 07887 472 678

Men’s and Women’s Prayer Breakfasts continue on the first Saturday of the month – February 4th. Both groups meet at 8.00am. Men’s group at St. Edmund’s, Fishergate ( new HQ of  ’Call to Prayer’) . Women’s group at 12, The Crescent, Norwich. Further details from:07887 472 678 or  e mail: ststephensnorwich@googlemail.com

 Thursday Lunchtime Bible Study. The Bible Study continuing studying St. John’s gospel. Meeting at 9, Kingsley Road, Norwich, from 12 noon for 12.30 start. Continuing with John’s Gospel and for Lent will follow the York Course.Further details from: 07887 472 678 or e mail: ststephensnorwich@googlemail.com   

Tuesday Evening Fellowship group  meet at 25, Newmarket Road  from 7.45 – 9.30. Looking at  ’Life Shapes’. Contact: mhutton@paston.co.uk  

Wednesday Evening Fellowship group meet from 7.3o studying The Acts of the Apostles at varying venues. Contact: david.hares@gmail.com

Thursday evening fellowship group meet at 9, St. Stephens Square, from 7.30-9.30pm studying Ephesians. Contact: 07887 472 678 or e mail: ststephensnorwich@googlemail.com for more information.  

The Tuesday Coffee Group meets from 10.00am at Wilkinsons, on St. Stephen’s Street, Norwich. All welcome for coffee and chat. More details on 07887 472 678 or email: ststephensnorwich@googlemail.com

Building Update….

There are pictures of the installation of underfloor heating  in recent news….

• Each month St. Stephen’s has a charity which benefits from St. Stephen’s giving. The February charity is YMCA Norwich

The Freedom in Christ Discipleship Course – this 13 week course continues on:

Wednesday mornings 10am -12noon at 9, Kingsley Road, Norwich & Wednesday evenings 6.30pm – 9.30pm at 12, The Crescent, Chapelfield Road, Norwich.

For futher details contact our office 07887 472 678 or email: ststephensnorwich@googlemail.com 

Diocesan event :  Bishop’s Day of Prayer Saturday 18 February   

Please come to a Coffee Morning & Bring and Buy Sale” in aid of St. Stephen’s Restoration

This is being held on Saturday 25th February at 12, The Crescent, Chapelfield Road, Norwich, NR2 1SA from 10am – 12noon.

A new monthly prayer meeting for all St.Stephen’s congregations starting this month. Madeline Light writes…..

“Prayer underpins all that we are and all that we do at St Stephen’s. Intercessory prayer continues throughout the week, by ourselves, in groups, on Sundays before the first service and in services.

 A number of us feel that it would be good to have an opportunity for as many as possible in the Church to get together, once a month.  Fixing a day and a time is always going to be difficult.  However, in the first instance and in the hope that this will suit the majority of people, we have gone for a Tuesday evening (specifically, the last Tuesday in the month) from 7.45 (prompt) to 8.45 (prompt – unless we get carried away …), to be followed by a cup of tea/coffee for those who can stay and chat, finishing perhaps by 9.30.”

The first meeting will be at “Call to Prayer”, St. Edmund’s, Fishergate, NR3 1SE, on Tuesday 28th February at 7.45pm. Further details from the church office: 07887 472 678.

Forthcoming event…….

Location map of Chantry Hall, Chantry Rd., Norwich, NR2 1QZ

In October 2009 St. Stephen’s congregation had to move out of St. Stephen’s Church for major structural repairs – this is the story of what’s been happening …

May 2009 … the chancel of the church (altar end) cracked from floor to ceiling making the East wall (adjacent to M&S) unstable

October 2009… the congregation moved out and services are held in Chantry Hall (next to the Assembly Rooms)

November & December 2009… restoration work commences … the church is protected and the East window removed … an archaeological dig takes place prior to restoration work

January, February & March 2010… deep excavations to place concrete blocks under foundations

April, May & June 2010… concrete piles are put in – some up to 18m deep to stabilize the church. Crack stops ‘moving’ after 1 year

July & August 2010… mending the crack begins and ‘tying’ the walls together

September & October 2010… securing ties are put into the wall at the top of the crack just under the roof & inside the church

November & December 2010...  new doorway is made from the ‘old’ vestry to the chancel and a floor laid

January, February, March & April 2011… – the new toilet area begins to take shape and clear glazing of the East window prior to re-installation of stained glass the exterior scaffolding is removed and repaired stonework cleaned

May, June, July & August 2011…    (photos L to R) doorway emerging, plastering and window replacement at the East (altar) end

and…. new floor with underfloor heating at the altar end

Winter 2011

The reredos and nave ledgers are  re-installed

… and ground works commence for underfloor heating

What’s going to happen next?

… the stained glass in the East window will be put back

…the altar and office will be re-instated and alterations will take place including new toilets and new church floor

…installing new heating

and… re-opening in 2012