Welcome to this week’s prayer hub for the fourth week of Advent. As we light the fourth candle of our Advent wreath we are reminded of LOVE. As we get ever closer to Christmas Day we are getting close to the Christ candle. When we light the central candle on Friday we will rejoice because in Christ hope, peace, joy and love come together in the person of Jesus ~ Emmanuel, God with us.John in his first letter, says, ‘God is Love.’ The former Bishop of Durham, David Jenkins, once said, ‘God is. And he is as he is in Jesus.’ As we prepare to celebrate the wonder of God with us in Jesus, let’s remind ourselves of the incredible, unconditional, self-sacrificing, cross shaped love with which God has poured out in Jesus.Sunday: Today we remember Mary and her trust in her loving God. As we worship today we pray that we may grow in love and trust like her, and share Christ in the world.Monday: Tonight sees the conjunction of the planets Jupiter and Saturn - the Christmas star which astronomers believe may be the star that led the Magi to Jesus. Take some time to pause and wonder at the enormity of God’s love for everyone that call us to worship and adore.Tuesday: Pray today for all those who feel unloved or unlovable and for all who feel alone.Wednesday: The outworking of love is seen in justice, compassion and grace. Pray for the leaders of the world that they may govern with God’s heart of love.Christmas Eve: Pray for our virtual Christingle service at 3.30pm today.Christmas Day: Joy to the world! The Lord has come. Let earth receive her King!Boxing Day: Christ is born, Christ is here, God is LOVE!!!!!!Attached is a sheet of the above in case you prefer to print a copy for reference
The livestreams are continuing with the following services being made available via the St Ed's Facebook page:Sunday 20th December 9:30 am Communion Rev Paul/Rev PhilSunday 20th December 11:15am (service sheet attached)Sunday 20th December evening 6.30pm Sunday Club CarolsTuesday 22nd December 10am Tiny Tunes (music for all young people)Wednesday 23rd December 10.30am Rev Paul/Rev PhilWednesday 23rd December 9pm Rachel’s Rectory RamblingsChristmas Eve 9am Reflection with prayers - Rev PaulChristmas Eve 3:30pm virtual Christingle service Christmas Eve Midnight Carols and prayers Rev Paul with RachelChristmas Day: Family communion service 10:30amWatch live if you are able --- or join later on 'catch up'.Everyone welcome.AdditionallyServices in church Sign up sheets are at the back of St Eds for our services on Christmas Day. The church will also be open each day for private prayer from Monday 20th.Wednesday 23rd 11am Carol singing at St Peter'sChristmas Day 9:30am Holy communion St Peter'sChristmas Day 10:30am Holy communion St Ed'sCare Homes Thank you so much to everyone for your kindness and generosity. The bags have been greatly appreciated by those who received them.Christian Aid Carols Many congratulations and thank you to everyone who took part in the Christian Aid livestream on Friday 18th. It was a wonderful and moving event, and for many our only chance to hear live Carols this year. There is a Christian Aid display at the back of church, together with envelopes that can be used for donations. These have details of where to return them. If you have friends, family or neighbours who would be interested in having an envelope, and have the chance to make a Christmas donation, please take an envelope for them. Nativity scenes display Sadly in the light of the Government’s announcements and the rising number of virus cases we have decided to postpone the Nativity scenes display until next year. We are disappointed, but our priority is to keep everyone safe.An Appeal We have launched an appeal for the money needed for St Peter’s for investigation works into the structure of the building, and for the annual payment for the roof alarm. Any help is very much appreciated after this difficult year. Further details of the appeal is available at St Ed’s. Paul and Rachel are having to isolate this week after contact with someone who has tested positive for Covid. We are all well (no symptoms). We will continue to isolate until Boxing Day, but will appear on various livestreams. We hope and pray you will all have a peace- filled and hopeful Christmas. The Lord bless you.
Sunday Club on 20th December 2020 at 6:30pm via the St Ed's Facebook page will be thinking about Christmas stars.Please see and print the file (1 page) attached to this item. The template will help you to join in with the activity.All welcome.
Christmas 2020Dear everyone,After this very strange and different year for our church family we want to send out best wishes to you at this special season of Christmas and also to take the opportunity to thank so many people who have helped to keep our church family together - especially our clergy, ministry team and ordinands led with such care by Paul, the music group and technical wizards. The ‘behind the scenes’ work of administration, finances, fund-raising, churchyard maintenance and cleaning have still continued without fuss and we know an amazing number of people have kept in contact with one another in a time when many have found it very difficult. As we look to 2021 we know that we will need to be very patient and still very careful for some time even when some of us have received the Covid 19 vaccine. It is expected that attendance at our services will continue to be for a limited number of people following the guidelines carefully for well into 2021. We have been watching the various trends of the virus through our community and are hoping that we may be able to have a reasonably normal set of services by Easter - regardless of vaccine uptake. We trust that we will continue to support each other through this time of transition with patience and understanding. As the body of Christ it is part of our role to shine as a beacon of light and hope in our wider community and to be seen as selflessly working for the good of all.We hope you will be able to join in the Christmas services either online or by attending church (sign-up sheets are available in church for all the services or you can contact us to book a place). The church will, of course, be open as usual for private prayer. We would like to ask that you do not leave Christmas cards in church as this will be a risk of infection. Please contact us if you need any help in getting them delivered locally. We are also happy to help with any other church queries.Happy Christmas!Sue Beevor and Sue Charnock, Churchwardens
