Electoral Roll
This is the final reminder that our Electoral Roll (ER) will be closing for application this Sunday, 27th April. If you attend St Stephen's and consider yourself a member then please consider joining the ER. Joining the ER means you can stand for the PCC and vote should it be required at the AGM.

There are a few criteria that you need to meet.

• You must be baptised
• Over the age of 16
• Have regularly attended church during the last six months. (this means a minimum of once a month for the last six months.

Please click this link for full details and to apply. Any applications received after 27th April will be denied until after the AGM. 
 
Annual Meeting
Sunday 18th May at 6.30pm, followed by refreshments – this is an important meeting where we can see how the church is doing and David can share his thoughts for the coming months – as well as electing Churchwardens and PCC members. Do pop it in your diary!  The papers will be uploaded on our website two weeks before the meeting.  PLEASE NOTE THIS IS A CHANGE FROM THE ORIGINAL DATE.

Is this for you?  Elections to our Church Council
Nominations will open on Sunday 27th April and are invited for the following:
2 Churchwardens to serve for 1 year
3 PCC members to serve for 3 years
1 Deanery Synod member for 1 year
More information here.  Please think about whether you would like to stand or whether you might nominate someone who would like to stand. David is particularly keen to chat with anyone who feels a possible calling to be a churchwarden, as neither current churchwarden is able to stand again this year.
Queries to David Baylor or PCC Secretary Jane Maffett.
 
Sleeves Up Saturday
The next Sleeves Up Saturday is on 10th May from 10.00am to 12.30pm - you can drop in for any  length of time. We would welcome folks of any age to come and help - there are many and varied jobs in and around the church centre to suit anyone. Please sign up on the list so we have an idea of numbers.
 
Christian Aid Week
Soon we shall be learning about and raising funds for Christian Aid's work with Indigenous farmers in Guatemala, Central America, where the climate crisis is causing crops to fail and families are plunged into hunger and poverty.

Freedom Walk, Saturday 10th May from 12noon to 5pm, starting at St. Martin's-in-the-Fields, Trafalgar Square, and finishing at St. Paul's Cathedral at 5pm for Evensong. Sponsor us as we walk. This will be part of Sue Charlton's 70K in May challenge too. Let Sue know if you would like to join her, so we can all be registered as a team, travelling together. This will be a family friendly sponsored walk through the heart of the city - a 5 mile route stopping at iconic churches with stories and history. Family friendly activities are included with a comic and I-Spy game for kids.

On Sunday 11th May we're selling plants and seedlings as well as books. Please bring what you can of these as we set up for sales during Café.

On Sunday 18th May, there will be sales of Cakes, Jigsaws and Table top games at Café. Again - and donations of these will be most welcome on the day.

A Concert from Helen Vickery's Choir CORO is to be held on Sunday 18th May too, with tea to follow. 3pm. No charge, but donations to Christian Aid welcome

And if you'd like to help with delivery-only envelopes in your street that week, please let me know too. Sue Charlton 0970 8840 954.

Parish Prayer
These are the streets in our parish we are praying for this fortnight – please do pray for all who live there and for people to come to know Jesus.
St. Leonard’s Road
Denbigh Road
Amherst Avenue
Amherst Road
 
Prayer for the Week
Risen Christ,
for whom no door is locked, no entrance barred:
open the doors of our hearts,
that we may seek the good of others
and walk the joyful road of sacrifice and peace,
to the praise of God the Father. Amen.