This week's prayer:
God for whom we watch and wait, you sent John the Baptist to prepare the way of your Son: give us courage to speak the truth, to hunger for justice, and to suffer for the cause of right, with Jesus Christ our Lord. Amen.
SERVICES
SUNDAY 15th December
St Andrew's: 10.00 am Holy Communion
St Thomas': 10.00 am Holy Communion
St James': 11.15 am Holy Communion
St Peter's: 11.15 Holy Communion AND 4.00 pm Church for All: Christmas movie week
Tuesday 17th December
St Andrew's: Maghull Wind Orchestra Christmas Concert at 7.30pm. Tickets are £5 (pay on the door). There will also be festive refreshments and a Christmas raffle.
Wednesday 18th December
St Andrew's: 10.30am Team Holy Communion
Thursday 19th December: St Peter’s: 6pm Community Carols with the children from Hudson School & their staff & families - come & join us for a Christmas singalong, & seasonal refreshments, including turkey rolls etc!
ALSO on Thursday 19th at 6pm: at St George’s URC Church, Maghull (opposite Iceland): a ‘Blue Christmas’ Service, a quieter & more reflective service particularly for those who find celebrating Christmas a bit difficult due to bereavement or any other reason, followed by tea / coffee.
SUNDAY 22nd December
St Andrew's: 10.00 am Morning Prayer AND 4pm Carol Service
St Thomas': 10.00 am Carol Service
St James': 11.15 am Holy Communion with the knitted nativity service
St Peter's: 11.15 Holy Communion AND 4.00 pm Church for All: nativity plus Christmas jumpers and carols
Bible Readings
Sunday 15th December Zephaniah 3:14-end, Luke 3:7-18
Sunday 22nd December Micah 5:2-5a, Luke 1:39-45
TEAM PRAYERS
Team Prayers will now be taking place ahead of our monthly team service on the 4th Sunday of each month at whichever church is hosting that month’s service, at 9.45am. So the next one will be at St James Sunday 29th December at 9.55am. All welcome.
We’re also going to be intentional now about having a short informal time of prayer at each church before the Sunday services each week - so the person leading the service will pray with others who are there for 10 mins or so half an hour before the start of the service, so 9.40 ahead of 10am services and 10.55 ahead of 11.15am services. Everyone is very welcome to join in with this. St James usually has a time of individual prayer and reflection helped by two worship songs from about 5 minutes before the actual start of the service.
News
Church 4 All Advent and Christmas Time
Details on the services and events page - all welcome 4pm Sundays at St Peter’s Moorhey Road unless stated otherwise. Do let us know if you'd like any more information.
The Children’s Society Box Collection
The headquarters have asked that we arrange to open the boxes and send the money to them. If possible could you please bring your box into church for us and hand to a warden if we are not there.
Our telephone number is 526 8035 if you need to arrange for your box to be collected from you.
This will be our last year in charge of this as we hand over to new volunteers to take over from us in 2025. Thank you for your continued support Chris and John Barnett.
Request for Wool Donations - also stuffing material for toys & pillows
Wool donations for our craft and chat group would be very gratefully received! Whether whole or part balls of wool, any colour etc. Also, at the moment, donations of stuffing material for toys & pillows would be much appreciated. If you are able to drop off to the craft & chat group between 12.30 and 2pm on Thursdays at St James’ Church Green Lane, that would be great, but collection can easily be arranged. Please contact Pat Dunbar by text message on 07795147109 or email at [email protected] Thank you!
And an advance date for your diaries:
The Blessings Course: ‘Discovering blessing, mission and the presence of God together’
This will run for seven weeks on a Saturday morning,
11.00 – 12.15 at St James Church, Green Lane
The first session will be on Saturday 11th January – you don’t have to have been to the taster session to come along!
If you would like to join us, please contact Claire Sherman: [email protected] or call 07427 616030
WEEKLY EVENTS
Craft and Chat: every Thursday 12.30pm until 2pm at St James in the fellowship room. Knitting, crocheting or any craft, you are assured of a very warm welcome so please do come and join us. This is now having a Christmas and New Year break, and we will be meeting again on Thursday 9th January. Pat
Hot lunch, tea and cakes every Thursday afternoon at Melling Tithebarn……12.00pm to 2.00pm. A plate for donations will be available. You are assured of a very warm welcome so please do come and join us.
Bible Study: After our Bible Course through October and November, this will now take a break through Advent and Christmas, and begin again on Thursday evenings in January - date to be confirmed.
MONTHLY EVENTS
St Peter's Tea and Scones: everyone is welcome to join us for tea and scones on the first Friday in every month from 2pm-3pm, the next one will be Friday 3rd January. Expect lots of friendly chats and live music by our resident Michael with his keyboard.
Bereavement Support: at St Andrew’s Church. Further enquiries, and if there are any particular requests for bereavement support, from anywhere across our 4 parishes, please contact St Andrew’s Parish Office 0151 531 8972.
Other notices
Foodbank: the Foodbank is based at St George's United Reformed Church on Northway opposite Iceland, on Tuesdays 10.00am-12.00 noon.
Tins, packet foods and toiletries are always useful. They will gratefully receive donations from 10-12 on Tuesdays at St George’s URC on Northway (easiest access is via the car park on Larchwood Avenue). Alternatively please do drop any donations off before Tuesday on the vicarage doorstep at 23 Green Link. Thank you.
CONTACT DETAILS
Please contact us…
If you know anyone who would like to receive this email
If there is anyone who needs prayer
If you know anyone who needs a phone call
Contact details:
Revd. Ian Hopkins 07914 505437 or [email protected]
Revd. Simon Elliott 07919 464348 or [email protected]