Advent 2020
Latest news from the Parish of Goring by Sea.
3rd. December 2020.
Parish Office. Email: [email protected] Tel: 01903 709163
Some special Christmas activities and events to help us to prepare for Christmas.
Carols Around the Crib – A little more help needed
Thank you to all those who have given help with the preparation for this event. These Nativity silhouettes will be the background for this wonderful opportunity to sing carols – how we have missed singing. We will be singing many of our traditional Christmas carols lead by our parish musicians and singers. Please encourage your friends and family, particularly the children to follow our parish page on Facebook the week before Christmas to see the Christmas story unfold; and encourage them all to join us on Christmas Eve at 16.00.
We will be showing hospitality by serving hot chocolate and mince pies. Please can you donate a box or two of mince pies as a gift to your community? There will be a box in the porch for you to leave your donations. We also require a few more volunteers to act as stewards and to help with refreshments. Please let Janice j[email protected] or Gill ([email protected]) know if you can help.
Away in a Manger
Fr. Neill and his family have been busy painting stones like these. They
are for the children and the young at heart to take home and make him
safe, warm and comfy in a manger.
Baby Jesus stones will be blessed at the All Age Worship this Sunday
and be available to collect from the porch at St Mary’s Church.
We ask that those who take a Baby Jesus send us a picture of their
manger. [email protected]
After Christmas the stones should be returned to the sea with this
beautiful prayer. “ Dear Jesus, Thank you for coming into the world to love
me. Please live my life with me and fill me with your love and peace.
Amen ”
Family Support Work (FSW)
This year we will not be having a toy service at either of our churches. However we have heard from FSW in their most recent newsletter that they would welcome new books for children and donations of gift vouchers that can be given to older children, in addition to new toys for children aged 5 and over (but please no soft toys this year). We will put an additional box for books and toys (not wrapped please) in the porch at St Mary’s. Please hand gift vouchers to one of the wardens.
With regards to food the main needs prior to Christmas are for Christmas-specific food items (such as sharing boxes of chocolates or biscuits; family packs of crisps or snacks; Christmas puddings; stuffing; gravy; cranberry and bread sauce).
National Christingle Service.
"We warmly welcome you to our first ever National Christingle Service in partnership with the Church of England on Sunday 13th December at 9am. This will be streamed on the Church of England’s website, Facebook and YouTube channels and we’d love it if you tuned in to share the light with the whole country. The service will include a few words from HRH The Duchess of Gloucester, the Archbishop of Canterbury who will be lighting the Advent Candle, as well as our Vice-Chair of Trustees, the Bishop of Derby Libby Lane. We’ll also see a special performance from award winning number one soprano Joanna Forest, and join young people lighting the Christingles. It is set to be a magical event. Register your interest to receive information on how to watch online, join in with Christingle making and download the Order of Service on childrenssociety.org.uk"
Di & David Burt
News from Sharon Wilcox in Ecudaor
Sharon Wilcox continues to support the Orchid group with activities with WhatsApp for teaching and written guidelines for some who lack Internet access. This is a major issue as in Ecuador since April all schools have taught via the Internet. Sharon witnessed some kids sitting outside a café in the capital in order to get Internet reception. As with this country the poorest kids lack Internet access. No face-to-face teaching will happen before next February. Please pray for Sharon and the students to maintain their commitment to Sharon’s activities for them.
Alison Evans
This week’s services
Please register for all church services at the Parish Office. Face coverings should be worn in church at all services. The restrictions for Tier 2 reinforce the need for everyone (unless you have a duty i.e. sanitising the church or putting away equipment) to leave our churches as quickly as possible.
However remember you can enjoy conversations and fellowship outside or away from the church building.
09.00 Sunday. 6th. December. Said Eucharist – 2nd. Sunday of Advent. St Mary’s Church. (NB Common Worship not Book of Common Prayer - this week only).
10.30 Sunday 6th. December. All Age Worship: Theme: Advent. St Mary’s Church. (Also live streamed via Facebook)
10.00 Thursday (re-starting 10th December) . Said Eucharist. Common Worship. St Laurence’s Church.
Online services
10.00 Wednesday. Morning Prayer will be said via Zoom.
https://www.zoom.us Meeting ID: 955 2642 8233 Password: 386017
20.00 Tuesday and Friday. Compline / Night Prayer
Streamed on https://www.facebook.com/StMaryAndStLaurenceGoringBySea/
Christmas Services
16.00 and 18.00 Sunday. 20th December. Community Carol Service. St. Mary’s Church. 10.00 Thursday. 24thth. December. Christmas Eucharist. St Laurence’s Church 16.00 Thursday. 24th December. Carols Around the Crib. Molson Garden. (no booking required) 23.30 Thursday. 24th December. Midnight Mass. St. Mary’s Church.
10.00 Friday 25th. December. Christmas Eucharist. St Mary’s Church.
With the exception of Carols Around the Crib in the Molson Garden (no need to book for this) please book for the above Christmas services via the Parish Office.
Coffee Time - Thursday mornings at 11.30. Join Zoom Meeting
Please note the change of time from the 10th December onwards.
https://www.zoom.us Meeting ID: 949 5590 0058 Passcode: 847352
Pastoral visits
Please let Fr. Keith or the Wardens know if you have a personal pastoral concern or
may know of someone in need.
God Bless,
Gill, Janice, Ruth and Geoff.