SANTA MARGARITA CHURCH, MENORCA

NEWSLETTER – FEBRUARY 2025

For more information:

Email Carole Brayford at info@anglicanchurchmenorca.com Or talk to the Revd Paul.

NEWS FROM JANUARY 2025

The Blessing of the Animals – On the 17th there was the annual celebration of St. Antoni and Rev. Paul was there with Father Alberto from El Roser in Es Castell. Sadly the procession had to be cancelled because of the very cold and windy weather but the ceremony took place in front of Roser with the usual variety of animals brought forward for their annual blessing!

January Lunch – 15 January. 

Our first lunch of the New Year was at Itanou in Malbuger – 11 of us in total. 

Food Vouchers. Before Christmas Paul was able to deliver 90 x 15€ food vouchers to the Red Cross to be distributed to those in need, which could be redeemed at the grocery shop in Es Castell. Grateful thanks are due to Kathy Rossetti who did so much organisation to set this up. These vouchers were part funded from the proceeds of the Sunday coffee service over the past year (so you will know that your 1.50€ coffee donation each week goes to a good cause !! Thank you !).

Saturday 25 January - Ecumenical Prayer Service for the Week of Prayer for Christian Unity was at 17.00h at Santa Margarita with the Bishop of Menorca, Bishop Gerard present. Sadly Father Alberto who has always been so supportive and collaborative, was unable to attend because of illness. We are praying for his recovery.

A very enjoyable occasion with a good service and followed by wine and some excellent nibbles.

Archdeaconry Synod. This took place via Zoom on two days in the last week of January attended by Paul and our two Synod representatives. 

FEBRUARY

Rev. Canon Andrew Norman, our new Suffragan Bishop in the Diocese of Europe will be consecrated on 27 February at 11am in Canterbury Cathedral. His installation will be held on Sunday 2 March at Holy Trinity Cathedral, Gibraltar. The services will be live streamed. Please pray for him and his family as he takes up his new post.

Thursday 13 February. Paul will be in Mallorca chairing a meeting to fill the vacancy at Puerto Pollença. He will be away again on 23 February when The Rev. Louis Darrant (Area Dean for Southern Spain based in Malaga) has offered to act as locum.

Chaplaincy Council. The next meeting of the council will be on Tuesday 18 February 2025. Please do pray for the Council members and all their discussions.

Afternoon worship in the Ciutadella area normally takes place at the outdoor chapel in Cala’n Bosc on the last Sunday of summer months. Weather permitting the next service will be on Sunday 2 March 17.00.

MARCH AND FUTURE EVENTS 2025

Shrove Tuesday. This falls on Tuesday 4 March and there will be our Pancake lunch celebration at the church with the Rev. Paul as usual showing off his pancake tossing skills ! More details soon.

Lent 2025. Starts with Ash Wednesday on 5 March when there will be an Imposition of Ashes service – more details shortly. Our Lenten studies will probably begin on 12 March using the Diocesan Lenten series based upon the theme of the Trinity. It is intended to coincide with the 1700th anniversary of the Nicene Creed next year. The weekly Lenten studies will be followed by a simple soup and cheese lunch.

World Day of Prayer. This will be on Friday 7 March at 11am.

The Annual Church Meeting has been arranged for Sunday 23 March 2025 at about 12.30pm after the service. Please make a note of the date. It will be possible to attend on Zoom.

Electoral Roll – before 1st March. This year we are required to have a totally new Electoral Roll. Everyone who would like their name entered on the new Roll, whether they are on the current Roll or not, can apply for enrolment no later than Saturday 1st March 2025. Application forms are available at the back of the church and should be completed and returned (following the instructions on the reverse of the form). If you are not on island or cannot attend church then request a form from info@anglicanchurchmenorca.com.

Being on the Roll means that you can contribute to the development and way forward for our Chaplaincy through participation in the Annual Meetings and perhaps becoming a member of the Chaplaincy Council.

Chaplaincy Council (formerly the PCC) – join the team ! Have you considered joining the Council? If you are regular member at Santa Margarita, even if you are not resident, then do prayerfully consider seeking nomination. Meetings can be attended on Zoom. Your contribution will be very much valued. Discuss with Paul if you would like further details of how you can contribute. Nomination forms from info@anglicanchurchmenorca.com

GENERAL

Mission Giving to Peru. Following our previous support for two students, we continue to seek to identify additional students we can support in the current year.

Coffee after Sunday services. Liz and Kathy faithfully serve our coffee and tea after each of the services. Kathy would like to take a well-deserved break. Are you able to volunteer to help with this on a regular basis or from time to time? Please talk to Liz or to Paul.

All the coffee and biscuits are donated free to provide this service each week. However we do ask for a small donation of 1.50€ per cup of coffee each week – these donations are used to support a number of different aspects of chaplaincy life from aiding the needy with food, to the floral decorations in the church.

Members of the Chaplaincy Council are David Green, Church Warden, and Liz Astley, Carole Brayford, Colin Guanaria, Suzanne Hodges (treasurer), Heike Pieper, and Margaret and Trevor (the two Archdeaconry Synod representatives).

If anyone is willing to host a future social event – coffee morning, afternoon tea, or simple tapas that would be much appreciated.  Please let Carole know.  

If you would like to support the ministry of Santa Margarita, the Anglican Church in Menorca, then you can do so by clicking the Donate button below.

Your donation will be very gratefully received.