Family Communion for St Nicholas's Day: celebrant the Rev. Alastair Cutting, Archdeacon of Lewisham and Greenwich.
First Reading: Isaiah 61, 1-3.
Gospel: Mark 10. 13-16.

Although this day is in fact the first Sunday in Advent, it is also the Sunday nearest the Festival of St Nicholas, our patron saint, which falls on 6 December. This year, as well as our annual Patronal Festival, we are also celebrating the 70th anniversary of the consecration of the church, which took place on 5 December 1953. We are very grateful indeed to Alastair for stepping in to lead this service while we are awaiting our new Priest in Charge. Our St Nicholas is St Nicholas of Myra, the city (now in Turkey) where he was bishop in the 4th century AD. Few definite historical facts are known about him, but in later years he came to be venerated for his courage and resilience as well as his special concern for the vulnerable, including children, the poor and those facing arbitrary injustice.

Because of Nicholas's association with children, we traditionally collect gifts for a children's charity at the Patronal Festival. This year we are inviting presents of toys and games suitable for children, for Demelza House Children's Hospice. On account of hygiene concerns since the pandemic, we have to ask that these be new or nearly new and preferably still in their packaging, but not otherwise wrapped, so that the Hospice staff can easily see what they are.

The service will be followed by a buffet lunch starting at 12.00, to which all are welcome.