Please join us for this very important time in our faith and witness
Palm Sunday, 13th April, 9.45am, Holy Communion with the blessing of Palms, walk of witness to Evington village centre and back, and plenty of singing! We are delighted that the Right Reverend Saju Muthulaly, Bishop of Loughborough, will be presiding and preaching.
Monday 14th, Tuesday 15th, Wednesday 16th, Compline via Zoom only, 7pm, Zoom ID: 820 0369 6332 – please e-mail: office@stdenys.org.uk to request the password.
Maundy Thursday 17th, 10am, Holy Communion with foot washing and stripping of the altars. Refreshments at the back of the church will follow at the end, after a suitable pause. This will be the only service in church this day.
Good Friday 18th, 2pm, ‘The Last Hour’
Easter Day 20th, Alleluia, he is risen! 6am, Holy Communion Dawn service around the firepit in the church gardens (weather permitting!) If poor weather, the service will be held inside the church.
Easter Day 20th, He is risen indeed! 10am, Holy Communion for all in church followed by refreshments in the adjoining parish centre.
All are very welcome to any or all of our services!
and there was light!
To celebrate the completion of the installation of our brand new exterior lighting system at St. Denys, a Songs of Praise and Thanksgiving Service will be held in the church tomorrow, Saturday 12th April at 3pm. This will be followed by tea and cake in the adjoining parish centre!
All the hymns and songs sung during the service have been chosen by members of the congregation and some will briefly say what their choice means to them, before it is sung.
We are most grateful to all those who have sponsored each of the lights that now line the pathways around the church, greatly enhancing the safety of all who access the church and parish centre and contributing massively to a rather heart warming atmosphere.
All are welcome to attend. We wish to make this a big celebration. See you there!
A celebration of Jesus’ triumphant entry into Jerusalem on a donkey
On Palm Sunday, this coming Sunday, we are delighted to welcome the Right Reverend Saju Muthulaly, Bishop of Loughborough, to preside and preach at our Palm Sunday service of Holy Communion. The service, designed by our Pastoral Warden Kimberley, will include the blessing of Palms and a short walk of witness to Evington village centre, possibly singing a hymn, before returning to church to complete the service.
Bishop Saju will be accompanied informally, by the new diocesan Director of Racial Equality, Sophie Holder, who is visiting different churches and worshipping with their congregations to get to know people in the diocese as part of her new role.
Please note that this service will begin at the earlier than usual time of 9.45am.
Following the service, all are very welcome to stay and chat over tea, coffee and biscuits with Bishop Saju and Sophie in the adjoining Parish Centre.
Sarah, our Youth and Community Worker had worked for St. Denys for 6 years. Sadly, due to the uncertainty surrounding the forthcoming re-structuring of the Leicester diocese, affecting all churches within it, the PCC has not felt it possible to renew Sarah’s contract. Last Sunday 6th April, we therefore said goodbye to Sarah at the morning service. We express our sincere thanks for all the work she has done, many things of which would not have been possible without her, including the technology for services, Musical Toddlers, Youth Club and our current work in our local secondary schools.
Thank you so much Sarah, we are indebted to you. We wish you all the best for the future.
The Holy Communion service, with baptism, on Sunday 29th December at 10am, will be the final service at St. Denys for our Curate, Revd Mark Batchelor. He has worked extremely hard and served both the church and wider Evington community supremely well during the past three years that he has been serving his curacy. A former Leicester Geography teacher, and resident of Leicester for over thirty years, Mark will move to Scotland, to join his wife who is a doctor and build a new ministry there. St. Denys sincerely thanks Mark for all that he has done, his wisdom, guidance, pastoral care and friendliness for so many people. Just like our former Vicar, Revd Anthony Lees-Smith who left us last July, Mark will be very much missed. Evington’s loss is definitely the Scottish Isles gain! He goes on our way with our love and very best wishes.
All are welcome to any of our services to celebrate this most important period in our Christian faith, culminating in marking the birth of our Lord and Saviour, Jesus Christ on Christmas Day. We will be delighted to see you.
Sunday 1st, Advent Sunday, 10am, Holy Communion with refreshments afterwards in the hall
Sunday 8th, 2nd Sunday of Advent, 10am, Holy Communion with refreshments afterwards in the hall
Sunday 8th, 3pm, Christingle service for all the family
Sunday 15th, 10am, Holy Communion with refreshments afterwards in the hall
Sunday 15th, 3rd Sunday of Advent, 6pm, annual, traditional, candlelit service of 9 Lessons and Carols with a 30+ strong choir and organ!
Sunday 22nd, 4th Sunday of Advent, 10am, Holy Communion with refreshments afterwards in the hall
Tuesday 24th, Christmas Eve, 3pm, Crafty Church (craft based activities and songs) leading at 4pm into a Crib service.
Tuesday 24th, Christmas Eve, 11.15pm, candlelit ‘Midnight’ Holy Communion
Wednesday 25th, Christmas Day, 10am, Holy Communion for all the family.
Revd Anthony’s last service with us at St. Denys will be on Sunday 14th July at 10am. All are welcome to join us for worship then and to wish him, Wendy and their daughters what will prove to be an emotional goodbye. Do come and bring your family and friends!
On Saturday 27th July, a coach will leave St. Denys Church at 9am bound for Chester Cathedral, for Revd Anthony’s installation as Canon Missioner. This will take place at the end of Choral Evensong which begins at 4.15pm. So there will be time to enjoy yourself in the city before the service begins.
Seats are still available on the coach at the very reasonable price of £21 per person. The coach will leave Chester to return to St. Denys at 7.30pm. There will be a short convenience stop half way through the journeys to and from the city.
If you would like to join us, and for further information, please e-mail the church office in the first instance at: office@stdenys.org.uk stating your full name/s and a contact e-mail address or telephone number and you will be contacted as soon as possible. Many thanks.
Following the announcement of the Revd Anthony’s appointment as Canon Missioner to Chester Cathedral, with effect from 27th July, please click on the link below to view the statement issued by the Cathedral itself: https://chestercathedral.com/news/appointment-of-our-new-canon-missioner
It has been announced by the Diocese of Leicester that the Revd Anthony Lees-Smith is to leave St. Denys Church to take up the role of Canon Missioner at Chester Cathedral.
Revd Anthony’s last service at St. Denys Church will be on Sunday 14th July beginning at 10am, to which all are welcome.
Revd Anthony has served St. Denys Church and the wider parish superbly well over the last twelve years and has become a genuine friend to many. He shall be very much missed. Our loss is Chester Cathedral’s gain! We wish him and his family very best wishes as they embark upon this new chapter of their life and ministry. They go on their way with much love and blessings from us all.
A statement from Chester Cathedral will be posted to this site shortly.
The most important time in the Christian calendar! Please find details of our services for Holy Week and Easter below. Everyone is welcome to any or all of the services as we mark this most precious time of year.
Palm Sunday 24th March, 9.45am – Walk of Witness, Liturgy of the Palms, dramatized reading of the Passion story from the gospel of Mark, and Holy Communion.
Monday 25th March, 6pm – Compline, a quiet, reflective time of prayer and bible readings based on the Book of Common Prayer.
Tuesday 26th March, 7.30pm – ‘Passiontide’, a rarely heard choral work by local composer Simon Mold, with full choir drawn from across the city and county, including soloists from St. Denys and elsewhere, professional organ accompaniment and conducted by the composer himself. Featuring congregational hymns to sing! New, refreshingly beautiful music. Refreshments will be served in the parish centre after this service.
Wednesday 27th March, 6pm – Compline (see above)
Maundy Thursday 28th March, 10am – traditional, said Holy Communion based on the Book of Common Prayer (BCP.)
Maundy Thursday 28th March, 6pm – bring and share simple meal, with informal Holy Communion (representing the Last Supper of Jesus) and foot washing. Held in the parish centre next to the church.
Good Friday 29th March, 10am – 12noon – Activity morning filled with Easter activities, crafts, stories and refreshments. All welcome, including families and children.
Good Friday 29th March, 2pm – The Last Hour, a quiet time of reflection, prayer and hymns leading up to the time of the crucifixion of Jesus at 3pm. Deeply poignant.
Easter Day 31st March, 7am – He is risen indeed! Alleluia! Dawn service outside the church (weather permitting) in the Easter garden.
Easter Day 31st March, 10am – Holy Communion in church.
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