The Sixth Sunday of Easter
Bible readings: Acts 17:22-31 and John 14.15–21
Gospel Reading [NRSVA] Jesus the Way to the Father
The Promise of the Holy Spirit
‘If you love me, you will keep my commandments. And I will ask the Father, and he will give you another Advocate, to be with you for ever. This is the Spirit of truth, whom the world cannot receive, because it neither sees him nor knows him. You know him, because he abides with you, and he will be in you.
‘I will not leave you orphaned; I am coming to you. In a little while the world will no longer see me, but you will see me; because I live, you also will live. On that day you will know that I am in my Father, and you in me, and I in you. They who have my commandments and keep them are those who love me; and those who love me will be loved by my Father, and I will love them and reveal myself to them.’
Updates…
Please send all information for the newsletter/blog/website by Wed 13th May noon to Keno at admin@penleecluster.org.uk.
CLUSTER INFORMATION & EVENTS
Celtic Morning Prayer – Each weekday morning on zoom 8:00am – 8:30am. Please email Keno for zoom details.
Psalm Prayer Group – Every Thursday at 11:15am we read, pray and meditate on a Psalm. Come and join us at St Mary’s. Next session on Thursday 14th May. Josie
Meditation Group – Every Friday a Meditation group meets at St Mary’s church at 10:30am. This is a welcoming and supportive space for everyone in the community. Vicky
Christian Meditation and Contemplative Prayer – Last Monday of the month at St Mary’s at 5:30pm. We look forward to being together in silent worship. Vicky
Little Lights Group at St Peter’s church on Wednesdays 9.30am-10.30am, and at St Mary’s Church on Thursdays 1.30pm-2.30pm. Please share with anyone you know who has children aged 0-3 years. Many thanks. Jenny
Julian Prayer Group – The Julian Group meets at 6:00pm at St. Pol de Leon church on the first Sunday of the month, and online via zoom other Sundays. If you would like to attend, please email Mel at mlevesconte@hotmail.co.uk for zoom details.
Prayer Requests – If you are concerned about someone and would like their name included in the Prayer Request Group’s weekly prayer list, please do email Mel by 7:00pm on Tuesday evenings.
If you would like to join the group and could spend a little time each week praying the list in your personal prayer time, please do contact Mel at mlevesconte@hotmail.co.uk who will add you to the circulation list. Information is not shared and members’ names are not circulated within or outside the group.
Sunday May10th at 11am there will be a short Fisherman’s Memorial Service at the Fisherman Statue on Newlyn Green. With refreshments in St.Peter’s Church after.
If raining the service will be held in St. Peter’s Church.
Breakfast and well-being group
Our new Breakfast and well-being group for parents and carers starts on Monday 11th May at St Mary’s. Please let Jenny know if you are coming to this so we know numbers. The group will share breakfast, have craft activities and also have a faith-related activity. This first meeting coincides with Christian Aid week (10th -16th May). Christian Aid Week is a powerful moment to come together and raise funds that fight global poverty and injustice. We will be thinking about people locally and globally who need support to overcome poverty and injustice. Look out for our ‘planting’ prayers activity as a result and during the week, plant a prayer for justice.
The Breakfast and Well Being group will mean that we are offering a continuation of fellowship, support and community for families previously supported through the Rainbow Project.
Sustainable Sunday
Sunday 24th May at St Mary’s church. 2:30-4:30pm. St Mary’s Act on Poverty group together with Family Worker Jenny are holding the next Sustainable Sunday event on Sunday 24th May. This event will also have a Messy Church Pentecost Activity for families to take part in. Any contributions for refreshments gratefully received. Please list ingredients used so we are allergy aware. Please spread the word about this, come along and bring a friend! Jenny
NightChurch
NightChurch reopened on April 29th, following a pause for development and team training. We welcomed familiar and new folk introducing a new evening rhythm to the Wednesday sessions: welcome and connection, sharing a meal around the bigger table, evening reflection followed by a community workshop.
Each week we will explore a theme through reflection and creative workshops. We began with the theme of Peace, drawing on Jesus’ words to his friends peace be with you in John 20. In this passage, Jesus says “peace be with you” not once, twice but three times because he knows what his friends need in that moment. This peace is not about everything suddenly being resolved and it does not undo what has happened. Rather, it speaks of a deeper assurance: a sense of not being alone, of a presence with us, a peace that meets us where we are.
Twenty five of us around the bigger table enjoyed homity pie and salad prepared by the NightChurch chef, we then gathered in the candlelit chapel for the evening reflection followed by a creative workshop in the cafe. Throughout the evening there were noticeable moments “it was very special in many ways. We give God the praise and glory and continue to pray for our guests and for our sharing of God’s love.”
Please continue to pray for NightChurch as we nurture a sense of belonging and offer spaces for spiritual nourishment with the invitation to simply come and see. We look forward to journeying together in the weeks ahead as we continue to gather, share, and reflect. Victoria
Send a sheep!
Did you know there are 1277 days from birth to nursery? The ‘1277 Make Them Count‘ group support church toddler groups throughout the country with resources and prayer. https://1277.org.uk/
June is the national month of prayer for toddler groups. Resources for this month are focussed on Jesus, the Good Shepherd, and each toddler group is encouraged to send a sheep to a central address. All the sheep (with the toddler group name attached) will be taken to parliament on June 1st by members of 1277, where there will be a reception for invited toddler group leaders, MPs and others to highlight the role of these groups.
Could you donate a sheep? (Not a live or life size one!😂) The sheep can be handmade (knitted, sewn, crocheted etc) or bought secondhand or new and not fragile as it will be posted.
If you’d like to send a sheep, please let Jenny know. If we get enough sheep, the groups can choose which to send, and will keep the rest for activities in June! Any sheep need to get to Jenny by Sunday May 24th please. Many thanks, Baaaa! Jenny
Message from Family Worker Molly Blewett
As it comes to the end of the rainbow project, I’ve been reflecting on where it all began back in 2013 when Sian approached me in my pop-up shop and shared her vision for soft play. That moment gave me the opportunity, as a young parent to Mason, to bring my ideas to life. Without her support and guidance, none of it would have been possible and I will be forever grateful.
Fast forward to 2022 when I was appointed Family worker for The Rainbow Project. Over the years, I’ve had the absolute privilege of working with hundreds of families! Offering support, guidance & advocacy. Alongside holiday clubs which I have helped run since 2014 for children to experience activities they would not be able to do due to low income / lack of transport at home.
One of the most rewarding aspects of working with my families has been witnessing the growth of each individual: seeing confidence build, mental health improve, and achievements reached.
There have been many moments I will always carry with me:
Being trusted as a birthing partner.
Being invited to a graduation where only two tickets were available.
Supporting individuals through mental health crises and their recovery.
Helping people move into education and work placements.
Being there for each individual without judgement and helping them achieve their goals and dreams with praise and encouragement.
Most recently one of my girls running the London marathon for Georgia’s Voice.
This project has been a lifeline for so many.
Feedback from a member of The Rainbow Project:
“It’s helped a lot with my anxiety and stress and massively with my depression. If it wasn’t for the rainbow project, I’d be in a much darker spot than I am now.”
Penzance is a deeply community oriented place, where people come together to support one another, stand up for what matters, and offer what they can even when they have very little. I feel incredibly proud to have been part of this community and to have met so many kind hearted people through this project.
A massive thank you to those who have supported The Rainbow Project and holiday clubs through time & donations.
I truly hope this kind of work continues to be recognised once Jacky begins her journey. I also hope the strong relationships built with local families over the years will continue to grow through a shared commitment to ‘Reaching out Together’. Molly
Celebration of Music & Arts Festival Week 17 – 24 May
Concerts and Daytime Events at the Catholic Church in Rosevean Road, Penzance. Please get your own copy of the poster leaflet and enjoy concerts and varied talks. This only happens every 2 years and it’s a great cultural event. Season tickets available getting you one free ticket concert. Do be part of it!
Concerts at 7:30pm
Monday 18th May – The Marian Consort
Tuesday 19th May – Celtic Fiddlers
Wednesday 20th May – Organ Recital by Peter Stevens
Thursday 21st May – Passion for the Piano: Stella Pendrous
Friday 22nd May – Mousehole Male Voice Choir
Saturday 23rd May – A Celebration of Buxtehude
https://www.penzancecatholicchurch.org/festival
Christian Aid Week, from 10-16 May 2026, sees supporters from all over the UK come together to find different ways of raising funds and awareness for the work of the organisation’s local partners, empowering communities around the world to find practical and sustainable ways out of poverty. This year, Christian Aid is shining a light on the devastating reality of urban poverty in Kenya, sharing stories of people like Fridah, for whom it’s a daily struggle to feed their children: with secure jobs hard to find, and most people earning less than a dollar a day to cover school costs, rent and water, some days there isn’t enough for a meal. But with tools, seeds and specialist training, families are learning how to make the most of small spaces to grow a steady supply of fresh vegetables to cook and sell. They are working with Christian Aid’s partner, Beacon of Hope – a faith-based NGO – on projects such as Imarisha Kilimo – which means “strengthen agriculture” in Swahili. The aim is to tackle food insecurity by providing training and practical support to set up climate-smart, small space urban farms. For further information, see the Christian Aid website: https://caw.christianaid.org.uk/
Taizé at Pentecost
High Street Methodist Church – Sunday 31st May. Come along to a Taizé service for Pentecost at High Street Methodist Church on Sunday 31st May at 2.30pm to celebrate God’s unending generosity with praise, worship and prayers of thankfulness. Followed by refreshments and fellowship.
