Dear FriendsThis feels like the last week before all the excitement and extra services of Christmas 2024 and craziness begins, although we have already had our first Pop Up Nativity and we had a great Carol singing and homemade mince pies fest at Wednesday Welcome this week.I don’t know about you but Christmas seems to have crept up really quickly this year (always same date)😊😊. However, we cannot come to a full stop at Christmas. As a team we are still thinking about the year ahead in 2025. To give you as much notice as possible two things will be happening early in January…Messy Church and AlphaAt the back of church this Sunday you will find the sign up sheets for the teams for Messy Church in January (see note on Welcome Sheet).You will also see some flyers for the Alpha Course which will be running online again in January.Please promote these things amongst your families and friends and be thinking who you can ask to take part, attend etc.This Sunday we have a service of Communion at St James at 9.30 amWe also have a Communion service at St Mary’s at 11.15 am.Where I look forward to welcoming you.Don’t forget if you want to talk to me I am always available on the numbers below.Every blessingAlison
Dear AllLast week we celebrated Christ the King and I talked about the motifs of Jesus that can be found throughout the Bible and I have attached this if it will help you as you read your Bible.Advent will be celebrated in different ways tomorrow – at the first service BCP at 8.00 am we will be lighting Week 1 of the Advent Candle Wreath; at the second service at 9.30 am we will be starting with breakfast and then doing the Pop-Up Christmas Nativity – as we remember and tell the story of that very first Christmas and sing some Christmas Carols. You will also have the opportunity to donate Christmas food to the Pop Up shop as our Advent Challenge (see flyer).Later in the week you will also have the opportunity to take part in our Advent Bible Study on Wednesday 4th December at the Rectory from 7.30 pm.Advent is traditionally a season of self -reflection as we consider many things, I am very taken that at school the value they celebrate for December is compassion. My prayer for us all is that this will be a value we can look to this month. Compassion for each other, for those less fortunate than ourselves, compassion for our wider world – thinking deeply who we want to support this Christmas. Please remember that we are not sending each other Christmas cards this year but will have a large Christmas Card in church and are asking for donations to go to the Homeless Shelter in Bishop Stortford.Wishing you all joy, peace and hope as we journey through Advent together this year.Every blessingAlison
Dear AllIt suddenly feels like Christmas 2024 is hurtling towards us at a great pace.Next week will be the start of Advent – how can this be ? It only seems like 2 minutes since the Scarecrow Festival!!If you look at the attachment I have devised an Advent Challenge very like our Lent Challenge. I thought it would be a good idea if others who need our help will benefit by us celebrating the birth of our Saviour Lord Jesus Christ, please join me in helping the Pop-Up Shop this Advent if you are able to.I also want to draw your attention to the Advent Course for this year – which is called Travelling Light. We will have to do this over a three week period as the 4th Wednesday will be Christmas Day and I doubt you will have the time or the inclination to do this on Christmas Day.The first session is called – The Roads to Bethlehem – as we look at all the journeys people had to make.The second session is called – Moving on – Joyful and Fearful as we look at what happens after that curious night when Jesus was born.The third session is called – God comes to Us – what that meant then and for us now.I hope you will be able to join me ‘travelling light’ through Advent. We will meet at 7.30 pm at the Rectory – there is a sign up sheet at the back of church so that I know how much mulled wine to get as we allow ourselves time to think about the real reason for Christmas through all our busyness.There are still knitting patterns at the back of church if you would like to knit angels or ask a friend to knit some for us. At the moment, I have no idea how many are being knitted but we will need them for all the children who come to our Christingle services across the Benefice on Christmas Eve. The idea is that they receive an angel that will hang on their Christmas tree and remember that Christmas is not just about presents and chocolate. Our angels will go onto their Christmas trees for years to come and will hopefully create a special memory for them.Can I also draw your attention to the Quiz Night that is taking place at Gilston and Eastwick Village Hall, which is a fundraiser to raise the last amount of money we need for the tree work at St Botolph’s. We still have some places available and I know Peter has been pulling together a highly enjoyable set of questions as last time. Hope to see you there with your friends on Saturday 30th November 7.00 – 7.30 pm start.This weekend we have the 9.30 am service at St James which is a Communion serviceAnd we also have the Family Service taking place at St Botolph’s, Eastwick at 11.15 am – which will have the theme of ‘Preparing for Christmas’.I hope to see you over this weekend.Every blessing Alison
Dear AllThank you to all those who joined me in praying for peace in the church at our regular prayer meeting on Tuesday morning at 9.30 am. Next week will resume to being online.I hope you have been able to experience these prayer stations and that they have been helpful for you.It has been a difficult week for the Church of England that may ricochet among your friends and family for a few weeks.You may want to get up to speed with the findings of the Makin report so that you can talk with some knowledge if anyone asks you questions.Makin Report: Key findings and conclusions | Evangelicals NowIt is with sadness that I read this review and its findings and this is another instance that shows why we need our safeguarding practices to be strong and healthy.This weekend is Safeguarding Sunday, our services will change slightly and will create the opportunity to meet with Cath Sharples our Safeguarding Officer and myself and ask any questions that you are unclear about.We have 2 services this Sunday:-9.30 am communion at St James11.15 am St Mary’s, GilstonOnto Parish NewsA reminder that it is Lois Smith’s funeral at Parndon Wood Crematorium on Monday 18th November at 2.00 pm. All welcome to join the family.Also, we have now finalised the arrangements for the funeral and burial of Rita Bird. The funeral will take place on Wednesday 27th November at 11.30 am at St James Church followed by burial in the churchyard with her husband. All welcome to join the family.We have the opportunity to meet on Saturday morning for coffee and cake and learn how to ‘Light up High Wych’ with a demonstration of how to decorate your cone. As I understand it Cones can be collected or they will be dropped off for people.I trust your week is going well and I look forward to seeing you soon.Every blessingAlison
