The 2024 St Ed's Christmas Eve service at 3:30 will also be livestreamed from the church.The service sheet is attached to this news item so you can join in fully with that service.The celebration is named after the Christingles that are lit during the service. Christingles are made from an orange decorated with red tape, sweets and a candle - join us to hear what each part symbolises. if you can make a christingle that is great but you do not need one to join in this celebration.All proceeds from these services will go to The Children’s Society and support its work helping vulnerable young people. All the family will enjoy this feast of candles and oranges as part of their preparation for Christmas.
Elizabeth gave a glad cry and exclaimed to Mary, “God has blessed you above all women, and your child is blessed. You are blessed because you believed that the Lord would do what he said.” Luke 1 : 42 & 45Readings this week Micah 5 : 2 – 5a; Hebrews 10 : 5 - 10; Luke 1 : 39 - 45Thought for this weekHow much of the birth of Jesus involves homes. Some homes like ours. Secure. Comfortable. Warm. Other homes that are makeshift. Basic. Desperate. Homes left behind for a time, to be returned to later. Others gratefully received as shelter, however rudimentary.Mary and Joseph, the shepherds, the wise men all left their homes for a time. Each was hard. For Mary and Joseph, a young couple, trying to make sense of their lives and their circumstances. The shepherds leaving their sheep, their watch in the fields. And the wise men. No one knows how long they were gone for or how far they travelled.And still Mary and Joseph, who had been through so much already, could not return, but find safety in Egypt.So in the birth of Jesus God the Word had left His home in heaven. This is the miracle of Christmas. God Himself come to be with us. To reveal His love, His complete and overwhelming commitment, and His passion for the world and for each of us. To call each of us home to Him. This is the wonder and the passion of Christmas. That Jesus came to be with us, is with us still, in the fullness of His sacrificial, redeeming love. Praise Him! Rev PaulPrayer for this weekWe light a candle, to push the darkness back. Back you go, we pray. But we must push with more than a prayer… …if we are to embody the love that does not know how to stop hoping; …if we are to find peace when the world has fractured into pieces. Christ-child, come. Bring your vulnerability, your fragility, your need, and the unexpected power of your presence deep in our souls. Holy one, besotted with creation, you refuse to retreat, but shine without ceasing into our lives. Your love doesn’t stand back; your love rolls up its sleeves. As we wait for you to be born again, may we seek to welcome you, even when we don’t recognise your face. To welcome you as we welcome the stranger.Christian Aid, Christmas 2024People to pray forFor those waiting for newsFor those with loved ones away for Christmas
The following services will be available via the St Ed's Facebook page or by attendance (as stated below). Sunday 22nd December 8:00am Holy Communion (at St Ed’s)Sunday 22nd December 9:30am Mustard Tree Nativity– informal service for families and children. (at St Ed’s)Sunday 22nd December 11:15 am Service of the word (at St Ed’s)Sunday 22nd December 11:15 am online Sunday service (livestream)Sunday 22nd December 12:30 pm Christingle making (at St Ed’s)Sunday 22nd December 6:30 pm Carol Service (at St Ed’s and livestream)Monday 23rd December 5.00 pm Evening prayers (at St Ed’s)Tuesday 24th December 3:30 pm Christingle Service (at St Ed’s and livestream)Tuesday 24th December 5:00 pm Christingle Service (at St Ed’s)Tuesday 24th December 6:30 pm Carol Service (at St Peter’s)Tuesday 24th December 11:00 pm Midnight Service (at St Ed’s)Wednesday 25th December 0:00 am Midnight Meditation (livestream)Wednesday 25th December 10.00 am Christmas day service (at St Ed’s)Wednesday 25th December 10.30 am Christmas morning informal communion (at St Peter’s)Sunday 29th December 9:30am Mustard Tree– informal service for families and children. (at St Ed’s)Sunday 29th December 11:15 am Holy Communion (at St Ed’s)There will be no livestream on 29th December.Tuesday 31st December 10:00 am til 12 noon Community Café with activities for tots (at St Ed’s),Wednesday 1st January 10:30 am Holy Communion (at St Eds)Thursday 2nd January 8.30am Church caretaking team (at St Ed’s )Also Sunday 5th January 2025, At St Ed’s, 9:30 am Mustard Tree, 11:15 am Holy Communion Plus online 11:15am Informal Service. Also at St Peter’s 4pm Garden ChurchFor on-line services, watch live if you are able --- or join later on 'catch up'.Everyone welcome.AdditionallyRingland: future services/events for Ringland St Peter’s: December 24th 6:30 pm Carol service at St Peter’sDecember 25th 10:30 am Christmas morning informal communion at St Peter’sJanuary 5th 4pm informal service at St Peter’sJanuary 12th 10:30 am Communion Service (at Ringland village Hall)Thank you to everyone who has helped to decorate the church for Christmas. The church looks great and really helps our Christmas celebration.Bibles for the Junior School have been given to the Year 3 children this week. They have been greatly appreciated and a number of parents have expressed their thanks already to St Ed’s.Thank you to everyone who has been involved with the schools’ visits and our ministry to over 800 children over the past three weeks. We have been an amazing team with many gifts. These times have been a real blessing.Christingle making will be from 12.30pm on Sunday 22nd December. Please come along. It is always a jolly time!Postage stamps Robert Cooper collects used stamps for the MS Society. If you have any from your Christmas cards, there is an envelope in the St Ed's vestry.Rev Paul and the whole ministry team would like to thank everyone for all their good wishes, prayers, support, kind words and gifts over the Christmas period. All your thoughtfulness has been very much appreciated.
John answered their questions by saying, “I baptize you with water; but someone is coming soon who is greater than I am—so much greater that I’m not even worthy to be his slave and untie the straps of his sandals. He will baptize you with the Holy Spirit and with fire. Luke 3 : 16Readings this week Zephaniah 3 : 14 - end; Philippians 4 : 4 - 7; Luke 3 : 7 - 18Thought for this weekIn our Gospel reading this week John the Baptist issues a stark message to the crowds who have come to find him. He stops them in their tracks, (‘you brood of vipers’), and tells them they cannot rely on belonging to God’s people, but need to repent more than anyone.This is hard to hear, just as the schools are holding their Carol services and nativity plays, wonderful festive cards are coming through our doors, and there is the anticipation of so much joy at Christmas.Yet Luke the Gospel writer points to this seeming clash at the end of the passage. He writes : ‘John used many such warnings as he announced the Good News to the people’. John has come to point towards Jesus, and the Good News is that through Jesus our lives are transformed and we are re – made. This is the radical, life – changing gift of new life through Jesus’ own sacrifice on the Cross that gives meaning and purpose to all the tinsel, lights and stars of Christmas.Can we use Advent to turn back to the Lord, put away any obstacles or hindrances, and truly turn to Jesus in humility and faith? The Lord forgives and heals. This is the Good News of Jesus. Rev PaulPrayer for this weekO Lord Jesus Christ, who at your first coming sent your messenger to prepare your way before you: grant that the ministers and stewards of your mysteries may likewise so prepare and make ready your way by turning the hearts of the disobedient to the wisdom of the just, that at your second coming to judge the world we may be found an acceptable people in your sight; for you are alive and reign with the Father in the unity of the Holy Spirit, one God, now and for ever. AmenGod for whom we watch and wait, you sent John the Baptist to prepare the way of your Son: give us courage to speak the truth, to hunger for justice, and to suffer for the cause of right, with Jesus Christ our Lord. AmenPeople to pray forFor all evangelists and speakers at this time
