Royston Parish Church (Herts)

Royston Parish Church News - Sunday 4th January 2026

2026-01-04 Notice sheet.pdf Download

ROYSTON PARISH CHURCH - where all are welcome and God's love is shared

You can download the paper copy of our news sheet from the link at the side of this page.

If you would like regular copies of the Notice Sheet emailed to you please email the parish office at admin@roystonparishchurch.org.uk.

Diary

Saturday 3rd January 2026

10:00-11:30 1:30 Church Café (Tea / Coffee / Hot Chocolate only £2 - Free Biscuits)

Sunday 4th January

09:00 - 09:45 Communion Service that is quiet and reflective

10:30 - 11:40 Communion Service with music/choir, children's groups/toy area, followed by refreshments

18:30-19:30 Taizé Service of Meditation

Tuesday 6th January

09:00 - 09:30 Morning Prayer (incorporating prayer requests that have been left in church)

Wednesday 7th January

11:00-11:25 Communion Service that is quiet and reflective followed by refreshments

13:00-15:30 Knit and Natter

18:00-19:15 Chorister Practice

18:30-20:00 Choir Practice

19:00-21:00 Men's Group at Wetherspoons (turn up at any time, all men are welcome)

Thursday 8th January 2026

08:00-10:00 Energy Audit

09:00-11:00 Tots in Church

13:00-15:00 Church Cleaning

19:00-21:00 Bell Ringers Practice

Saturday 10th January 2026

10:00-11:30 1:30 Church Café (Tea / Coffee / Hot Chocolate only £2 - Free Biscuits)

Sunday 11th January

09:00 - 09:45 Communion Service that is quiet and reflective

10:30 - 11:40 Communion Service with music/choir, children's groups/toy area, followed by refreshments

10:30-11:30 Baptism Service

Dates for the Diary/Upcoming Events

UPCOMING EVENTS :There are a number of events coming up over the next few months to look forward to.

9th February 2026 - The work of Guy Stagg, a local author , the event being organised byBow Books

14th February - Church Quiz

18th April - Cheese and wine evening

2nd & 4th May - Book Fayre

19th June - Hymns and PIMM’s

20th June - Concert

Intercessions

We pray for all Christians worldwide:

For all Christians in Japan, North Korea, South Korea
Therfield & Kelshall Parishes: Revd. Carol Newnham
For the work of our mission partners: United Society Partners in the Gospel (USPG)

We pray for the community of Royston:

For our local health centres
For all who volunteer and make use of the local Baby and Toddler Groups

We pray for our world and ECO projects:

We pray for the farmers who have grown the food that we have eaten over Christmas, that they may follow sustainable practices

We pray for the sick and suffering:

Lee Cockerill
Pat Pritchard
Jackson Herbert
Maria Turi
Chris Christou
Paul & Pat Tidey
Mike Brown
Marion
Val Brown
Angie & Ken Rushall
Paula Walker
Keith & Elaine Edwards
Peter Coates
Emma & Phil Heath
Peter Foster
Gwen Simmons
Tibor Pollerman
Laura O'nyamul (On-Ya-Mul)
Keith and Elaine Edwards

We pray for those who have died in the faith of Christ:
Deceased Bereaved
Carol Grimsey Terry Grimsey, family and friends
Ernie Peacock Ann, family and friends
Harry McDonald Ruth, family and friends

We pray for those whose anniversaries fall at this time:
Joe McDonald

EPIPHANY HOUSE BLESSINGS: Reverends Jaime and Steven will be available to come to the outside of your house to pray and chalk a blessing. If you would like at your house, please contact Jaime on [email protected] or phone 01763 243145 option 3.

BEDS & HERTS BIKE ‘N HIKE Another successful year for the Beds & Herts Historic Churches Bike ’n Hike which took place in September, 13 participants with their many supporters raised a total of £ 1,743 which was allocated £ 1,030 to Beds & Herts Historic Churches Trust (50% + Gift Aid) and £ 713 (50%) to our parish funds. Many thanks to the participants and their sponsors.

FLOODING IN VIETNAM. The recent storms in South East Asia have affected Vietnam as badly as has been reported in other neighbouring countries. Our link Church in Vietnam is in a position to bring relief aid to those affected. We will shortly be sending our regular gift from our Missions budget so, if you would like to add to it, please see John Fidler.

AN EVENING WITH JOHN STAGG - LOCAL AUTHOR Bow Books are delighted to welcome local author Guy Stagg to Royston Parish Church, where he will discuss his award-winning non-fiction books, The Crossway and The World Within, illustrated with slides. Tickets £5 per person (includes first drink free) available from Bow Books. Please see leaflet for more information.

CHRISTMAS CARDS: As in previous years, we have a board in the South wall for us to write one Christmas card for the whole church family so that everyone is included and we lessen our impact upon the environment at the same time. Please do read the various greetings and messages from members of our church family.

BUBBLE WRAP: If anyone has any spare bubble wrap, we would be very grateful of it. When the baubles get packed away on Candlemas, it will be very useful to protect the glass baubles. Please leave in box under the preserves, and we will pick it up. Thank you

SUNDAY READING SHEET 28th December 2025 1st Sunday of Christmas

A Reading from the Prophecy of Isaiah

I will recount the gracious deeds of the Lord, the praiseworthy acts of the Lord,
because of all that the Lord has done for us, and the great favour to the house of Israel
that he has shown them according to his mercy, according to the abundance of his steadfast love. For he said, ‘Surely they are my people, children who will not deal falsely’;
and he became their saviour in all their distress. It was no messenger or angel but his presence that saved them; in his love and in his pity he redeemed them; he lifted them up and carried them all the days of old. Isaiah 63:7-9

A Reading from the Letter to the Hebrews

It was fitting that God, for whom and through whom all things exist, in bringing many children to glory, should make the pioneer of their salvation perfect through sufferings. For the one who sanctifies and those who are sanctified all have one Father. For this reason Jesus is not ashamed to call them brothers and sisters, saying,

‘I will proclaim your name to my brothers and sisters, in the midst of the congregation I will praise you.’ And again, ‘I will put my trust in him.’ And again, ‘Here am I and the children whom God has given me.’ Since, therefore, the children share flesh and blood, he himself likewise shared the same things, so that through death he might destroy the one who has the power of death, that is, the devil, and free those who all their lives were held in slavery by the fear of death. For it is clear that he did not come to help angels, but the descendants of Abraham. Therefore he had to become like his brothers and sisters in every respect, so that he might be a merciful and faithful high priest in the service of God, to make a sacrifice of atonement for the sins of the people. Because he himself was tested by what he suffered, he is able to help those who are being tested. Hebrews 2:10-18

GOSPEL

Now after they had left, an angel of the Lord appeared to Joseph in a dream and said, ‘Get up, take the child and his mother, and flee to Egypt, and remain there until I tell you; for Herod is about to search for the child, to destroy him.’ Then Joseph got up, took the child and his mother by night, and went to Egypt, and remained there until the death of Herod. This was to fulfil what had been spoken by the Lord through the prophet, ‘Out of Egypt I have called my son.’

When Herod saw that he had been tricked by the wise men, he was infuriated, and he sent and killed all the children in and around Bethlehem who were two years old or under, according to the time that he had learned from the wise men. Then was fulfilled what had been spoken through the prophet Jeremiah:

‘A voice was heard in Ramah,
wailing and loud lamentation,
Rachel weeping for her children;
she refused to be consoled, because they are no more.’

When Herod died, an angel of the Lord suddenly appeared in a dream to Joseph in Egypt and said, ‘Get up, take the child and his mother, and go to the land of Israel, for those who were seeking the child’s life are dead.’ Then Joseph got up, took the child and his mother, and went to the land of Israel. But when he heard that Archelaus was ruling over Judea in place of his father Herod, he was afraid to go there. And after being warned in a dream, he went away to the district of Galilee. There he made his home in a town called Nazareth, so that what had been spoken through the prophets might be fulfilled, ‘He will be called a Nazorean.’ Matthew 2:13-23

STAFF TEAM

Vicar: Revd Steven Sivyer (rest day MONDAY)

Telephone no. 01763 580242

Email: [email protected]

Curate: Jaime Roberts (rest day FRIDAY)

Telephone: 01763 580241

Email: [email protected]

Assistant Priest: The Reverend John Fidler

Telephone no. 01763 241886

Email: [email protected]

Reader: Emma Sivyer

Telephone no. 07851 688610