Dear Friends,Christmas and EpiphanyIt was good to see so many of you at the Christmas services. The years come and go but the message of the Nativity of Our Lord Jesus Christ is eternal. It is in that spirit that I wish you all a very happy and peaceful New Year. We don’t know what this year will bring for either ourselves, or our families, or our nation and the world. But we can take comfort from the day we observe every year at the beginning of the year-Christ’s manifestation to the world, or The Epiphany. The Christmas season is not yet over, because we keep the feast of The Epiphany of The Lord on Sunday, 7th January. 

On Christmas Day we celebrated the birth of Jesus in Bethlehem a “City of Judah.” Now we are about the celebrate what has been called the Christmas of the Gentiles; the moment when Jesus Christ was revealed to the world, as represented by the three wise men. This is a major feast in its own right and we should not fail to attend the Eucharist on that day. It contains a hope that the light of Christ the Prince of Peace has shone on this world, a light which, for those who follow it, will bring salvation and hope. In other words, for those who wish to seek and find Christ, there are enough signs and pointers of which the Wise Men availed themselves and responded. Let’s pray that we will likewise respond and that the whole world will come to seek the incarnate and glorified Lord, who holds the truth to meet the world’s needs.

January can be a difficult month for many-some feel a sense of anti-climax after Christmas and the weather can restrict outside activities. Others, however, are glad to get “back to normal” after the festivities and detect the gradually lengthening days. So, what are some good things from which we will benefit this month?

Reasons to be happy in JanuaryFirst our new service booklet is now in use, having been introduced just before Christmas. I am very pleased with it and I hope it will be a real support to us in our worshipping life. The services, especially the two Eucharists, make provision for a certain amount of variation, so that the priest can make use of some of the texts which the Church of England has provided for priests to use at their discretion. So at a few points worshippers are reminded to expect some words to be used which are not printed, or advised that other words will sometimes be substituted for those which are written. For Evensong, too, we now have a simple, clear procession through the service without the duplications and multiple options found in the Prayer Book.

Secondly, with some generous help from the Knepp estate, our compost area in the Churchyard has now been cleared. If you are removing items from the churchyard such as Christmas wreaths or other floral tributes, we ask now that you would either take the items home or place them in the appropriate bins sited at the church gates.

Family ServicesThe PCC had a long discussion about the Family Services at its November meeting. We decided to continue with the Family Services until the March Family service on 10th March, and then review. Please let me know what you think about the Family Services now that they have been running again for a year. 

Lent and Easter

Easter is early this year, so Lent begins early. Please make a note in your diaries of the Lent Groups. In the Andrew Hall as in recent years, they will be the three Thursdays, 22 February, 7th March, and 21st March. More details will be forthcoming!

Your friend and parish priestChris