St Matthew's RedhillNewsletter
ST MATTHEW’S PARISH CHURCH REDHILL
NEWSLETTER FOR SUNDAY 29th MARCH 2026
Through worship and outreach, God’s love is revealed in the community it serves. Together, we navigate and explore the fullness of life offered to us through Christ. Whether strong in the faith or filled with questions and doubts, all can find space here with God. Based on the teaching of Jesus, St Matthew’s is an open, inclusive, and growing church. Please contact any member of the staff or welcome teams to get involved in the life of the church.
You can use this link to sign up to receive the newsletter via email.
This week at St Matthew’s
Sunday 29th March (Palm Sunday)
8 am Holy Communion
10 am Parish Eucharist (please go to the church hall for the start of the service if you are able to do so)
Hymns: All glory, laud, and honour; There is a green hill far away (CR); My song is love unknown (CR); And now, O Father, mindful of the love; Ride on, ride on in majesty!
Anthem: Hosanna to the Son of David - Arthur Hutchings (1906-1989)
Voluntary: 'Valet will ich dir geben' - BWV735 - J S Bach (1685-1750)
Improving Church Accessibility
We are pleased to welcome Rev. Pru Dulley to some of our services. Pru is sharing her expertise to help us identify and improve accessibility throughout the church for those with mobility issues.
We are incredibly grateful for her time and guidance as we work to make our space more welcoming for everyone.
The church hall will be closed all week for the Electrical Inspection
Monday 30th March
8:30 am Morning Prayer
9 am – 3 pm Foodbank
9:30 am Craft Group in the vestry
7:30 pm Stations of the Cross
Tuesday 31st March
8:30 am Morning Prayer
7:30 pm Meditation & Compline
Wednesday 1st April
8:30 am Morning Prayer
10 am Said Holy Communion (The feast of the Annunciation)
11 am – 3 pm Foodbank
Thursday 2nd April
8:30 am Morning Prayer
9 am Gardening Group
7:30 pm Maundy Thursday Eucharist including foot washing and stripping the altar.
9 pm – midnight Vigil (see sign up sheet)
Friday 3rd April
No Foodbank today
10 am Good Friday Project (see below)
2 pm Good Friday Liturgy
Saturday 4th April
8:30 am Morning Prayer
9 am – 1 pm Church flower arrangers in church
Sunday 5th April (Easter Sunday)
8 am Holy Communion
10 am Parish Eucharist (no
NB
There is no
Dates for your diary
17th May Annual Parochial Church Meeting after the 10 am service
Enthusiastic People Needed
Are
you an expert at cotton wool sheep?' Do you make a pretty impressive
crown? If YES, then Junior Church is for you! We are looking for
fun, upbeat
What is the Church Electoral Roll?
In simple terms, a Church Electoral Roll is a local church’s official register of its members. Think of it like a membership list or a "voter registration" list specifically for a particular parish.
Why does it matter?
Being on the roll gives you a say in how your local church is run. You can vote at the Annual Parochial Church Meeting (APCM). You can have a say in who sits on the Church Council (PCC) or even stand for election yourself. It allows you to weigh in on big local decisions, like how church funds are spent or the future direction of the parish.
Who can join?
Generally, to be on the roll, you need to meet a few simple criteria:
- Age: You usually need to be 16 or older.
- Connection: You either live in the parish or have regularly attended worship there for at least six months.
- Faith: You need to be a baptised member of the Church of England (or a church in communion with it).
Why bother signing up?
While anyone is welcome to attend a church service, being on the roll is a way of saying, "I belong here, and I want to help shape this community." It doesn't cost anything, and it doesn't mean you have to do extra work—it just ensures your voice is counted.
The Electoral Roll is revised annually before the Annual Church Meeting. This year’s meeting is on Sunday 17th May, and additions to the roll need to be made by April 19th.
Please speak to Angie Baker (Electoral Roll Officer) if you would like to join the Electoral Roll or make changes (e.g., change of address). Application forms are available at the back of the church.
Good Friday Project: 3rd April at 10 am
Booking is now open for this year’s Good Friday Project. This service is suitable for families of all ages. There will be a variety of activity stations to reflect on the story of Good Friday, followed by a short service. Booking is essential for this – book online here
Rev Anna's contact details - Day Off on FRIDAY
Email here or 01737 511495 / 07960 088613
Parish Administrator Julia Elfred: email or phone 01737 249066
If you would like to include any notices in the weekly newsletter please contact: Tracey Jennings – email or phone 01737 760590 by Wednesdays 10 am
Rev Anna will be on a mini sabbatical from 6th April – 6th May. She will be out of contact during this time. Pastoral arrangements will be listed in next week’s newsletter.
Pastoral Care And Pastoral Support - If you need any help at all please do contact any member of the Staff Team - we are always ready to do what we can to help.
Rev. Anna (Vicar) As above or
Anne Currie (Reader) email here or
Julie Knight (Reader) email here
Rev. Anna is going over the edge
Literally. To raise the much-needed funds for our West Wall, she’s abseiling 170 meters down the side of the Spinnaker Tower on April 25th. It’s a feat that sits somewhere between "supremely inspired" and "genuinely terrifying."
If she’s brave enough to make the descent, we hope you’re bold enough to donate. Let’s make sure her leap of faith pays off.
You can sponsor her using the card machine in church, or online here.