St Nicholas Parish Church, Fleetwood. Week beginning 19th December 2021
We seek to be a church that lives by faith, is known by love and is a voice of hope
to the community we serve.
FACECOVERINGS ARE AGAIN MANDATORY IN CHURCH
Sunday 19th December
8.30 am Holy Communion in Church
9.30 am Worship via Zoom
10.45 am Holy Communion in Church Sidespersons – Jillian & Dorothy: Reader - Margaret
4.00 pm Nine Lessons and Carols in Church
Monday 20th December
7.00 pm Nine Lessons and Carols via Zoom – phone the Vicarage for the usual link to join
Tuesday 21st December
2.00 pm Holy Communion in Church
Thursday 23rd December
10.00 am Community Christmas Coffee Morning in the Jubilee Room
Friday Christmas Eve
4.00 pm Crib Service in Church
11.30 pm Midnight Eucharist
Saturday Christmas Day
10.45 am Family Communion
10.45 am Holy Communion in Church Sidespersons – Margaret & Ruth: Reader - Joy
Christmas, but what does it mean? It might be hard to believe now Christmas is so big, but for centuries the Church paid little attention to the stories of Jesus’ birth. There was more focus on his death and his rising from the dead, or on how he was one person of the Holy Trinity. There were some who liked the stories about the ‘three kings’ because they thought it made kings sound more important, with some kind of divine authority. It was Saint Francis who turned our attention to the Christmas story again - particularity to St Luke’s account. He wanted to show ordinary people that God had come to be with us. One Christmas he just set up a scene in a cave with animals, people and a manger and led the congregation out from church after the service to see it. He did not need words to say, “This is how God comes to you.” Our hope is that through the readings and carols this coming week, through our being together breaking bread and drinking wine, we, those who we care for and those who join us, would know afresh that this is how God comes to us. When the days are short and the nights long, when our spirits are low and it’s cold, there is a deep need to find hope for a new year and for life itself. May Emmanuel, God with us, be that hope.
O sweet Child of Bethlehem, grant that we may share with all our hearts in this profound mystery of Christmas. Put into the hearts of each one of us this peace for which we sometimes seek so desperately and which you alone can give to us. Help us to know one another better, and to live as brothers and sisters, children of the same Father. Reveal to us your beauty, holiness, and purity. Awaken in our hearts love and gratitude for your infinite goodness. Join us all together in your love. And give us your heavenly peace. Amen.
Mother’s Union - Happy Christmas and a Peaceful New Year to you all. Our next meeting will be the Annual General Meeting on Thursday February 3rd. Annual Subscriptions of £26.00 are now due in January; payments please to Susan Burrell.
100 Club: Winners last week were Harold Dadson, Sue Dell, and Barbara Quirk
Weekly envelopes – Massive big thanks to all who donate weekly via the envelope scheme. We rely on your regular giving to fund the work of St Nic’s. Your new envelopes are at the back of church for 2022.
Please remember in your prayers – Fr Ron, Jane, Jeanette, Heather, Michael, Alan Fleming, Eddie Gillon, Edna & Gillian King. And also, the family of Lynne Cheetham whose funeral will take place in the new year.