Have you ever wondered what Christmas means? Felt that the Christmas story itself has got a bit lost in the run up to Christmas Day? Our vicar has created 8 daily reflections that take us from 17th to 24th December. Looking in common everyday places that we often find ourselves in before Christmas Day, we have the opportunity to reflect on God's love for us and learn more about why Jesus came to earth for us. Check out the videos on our Facebook page - a new one will go live at 6.00pm each evening, starting on Tuesday 17th December. You can also find them on St Mary's Church new YouTube channel! The first one can be found: https://youtu.be/ioNgjWYMRW4 So why not take a few minutes out? The time it takes to make and sip a cup of tea (maybe even have a biscuit/mince pie) and spend some time connecting with the reason for the season.
As Christmas approaches once again, many people celebrate the season as a time of happiness and fun and presents, and the chance to be with family members as we go around wishing everybody, “Happy Christmas!” However, for some, Christmas is not a particularly happy time. It seems to bring out in many of us a particular sadness and poignancy as we often remember loved ones who are no longer with us. There may be people who have meant so much to us who have died in the past year, or they have been gone for many years; regardless of the time scale, the memories can still be very powerful and painful. With this in mind, we would like to offer you a service of Thanksgiving and Commemoration for loved ones on Wednesday 18th December 2024 at 10.00am. A highlight of this service will be the opportunity of coming forward and lighting a candle as a mark of respect and love for the person concerned. If you would like to attend the service and light a candle, please let me know in advance the names of the people you wish to have recognised and I will be more than happy to read them out just before we begin lighting the candles. Please either send them to me via our Get in Touch page on this website, or you are welcome to write them on a piece of paper and pass them to me at church. I will add each name to the list. If you have any further questions please don’t hesitate to get in touch via our website’s Get in touch page or St Mary’s Church Facebook page. Thank you. Revd Robert Legge
We have a range of services throughout Advent and into Christmas - something for everyone! • The Christingle Coffee afternoon is on Saturday 7th December @ 2.00pm in our church hall. Families are very welcome and you can let us know that you're coming on our Facebook page. There'll be tea, coffee and cake as well as a chance for you and your children to make a Christingle that they can take home as a reminder of what they've learnt about Jesus' love for them and their family. A fun relaxed time for the whole family! • The Christingle Service is on Sunday 8th December @ 5.00pm in St Mary's Church. It's a family service and you are invited to bring along your Christingle to this special time when we remember God's love for us. • The Carol Service is on Wednesday 18th December in St Mary's Church @ 7.00pm. A time of song and worship, readings and prayers - a chance to listen and marvel again at the Christmas story. Afterwards, we'll have tea, coffee and mince pies! • The Christmas Eve Crib service is on Tuesday 24th December in St Mary's Church @ 2.00pm. This is a special time for children and families to gather and hear the retelling of the Christmas story and what it means for them. • There will be a Midnight Holy Communion service on Christmas Eve, Tuesday 24th December in St Mary's Church starting at 11.30pm and taking us past midnight into Christmas morning. Why not come along and join in the celebration of Jesus coming down to earth from heaven? There will be carols, prayers and readings as well as Holy Communion.• Everyone is invited to come and celebrate with us on Christmas Day, Wednesday 25th December! We will be having our Holy Communion service in the church at 10.00am, with carols, songs and prayers. Bring the whole family to celebrate the birth of Jesus that changed history. For more information about our services, why not check out our Facebook page? St. Mary's Church Blackpool | Blackpool | Facebook
It's coming up to that time of year when the weather turns and the leaves start to fall. Also, in farms up and down the country, the farmers are bringing the harvest home. Here at St Mary's Church, Blackpool, we are looking forward to holding our annual Harvest Thanksgiving celebration service to thank God for His provision of another harvest. Date: Sunday 6th OctoberTime: 10.00amVenue: St Mary's Church, Blackpool All are welcome. The food that is donated will be going to the foodbank at Holy Cross Church and to Streetlife - both charities helping the most vulnerable people in our community. We also have some special guests appearing - our little crocheted mice will be visiting! All donations will go to The Salvation Army in Blackpool, who bring the harvest bounty to those struggling in our community.
