Royston Parish Church (Herts)

Royston Parish Church News - Sunday 23rd November 2025

2025-11-23 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

Thursday 20th November

09:00 - 11:00 Tots in Church Church

13:00 - 15:00 Cleaner

18:00 - 19:30 Fabric Committee

19:00 - 21:00 Bell Ringers Practice

Friday 21st November

09:00-17:00 Christmas Tree Arriving

Saturday 22nd November

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

Sunday 23rd November

09:00 - 09:45 Communion Service in traditional language (BCP)

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

15:00-17:00 Evening Praise Rehearsal (note amended time!)

17:00-18:00 Evening Praise

Monday 24th November

19:00-21:00 PCC Meeting

Tuesday 25th November

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

Wednesday 26th November

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

13:00 - 15:30 Knit and Natter (where all are welcome to meet and chat)

18:00 - 19:15 Chorister Practice

18:30 - 20:00 Choir Practice

Thursday 27th November

09:00-11:00 Tots in Church

19:00-21:00 Bell-ringers Practice

Friday 28th November

09:00-12:00 Christmas Greening

18:00 - 20:30 Town Christmas Tree Light up - refreshments

Saturday 29th November

10:00 - 16:00 Tree Lit up in Church; refreshments including mulled wine and mince pies

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

Sunday 30th November

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

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.

8th November 12.30 pm - Remembrance themed lunch time concert. Free entry, retiring collection in aid of Church Funds, refreshments available.

20th November 7 pm -Julian Prayer meeting at 11 Middle Drift

23rd November 5 pm - Evening Praise. An informal time of worship,. If you would like to take part of leading the singing or accompanying the songs, there will be rehearsal at 3 pm. Please contact [email protected] for advance copies of music.

11th December 7 pm -Julian Prayer meeting at 11 Middle Drift

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

Intercessions

We pray for all Christians worldwide:

For all Christians in East Timor (Timor Leste), Indonesia, Philippines
For all who are worship at Barley, Barkway and Reed Churches: Revd. Mark Bridgen
For the work of our mission partners: Leprosy Mission

We pray for the community of Royston:

For our local health centres
For all who work on our local Market Stalls

We pray for our world and ECO projects:

We give thanks for the benefits of trees during this National Tree Week (22-30 Nov 2025), marking the start of the winter tree planting season.

We pray for the sick and suffering:

Lee Cockerill
Pat Pritchard
Harry Sime
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
Annie Mulcahy

We pray for those whose anniversaries fall at this time:
Francis Charter

NOTICES

Christmas Jumper/Bauble Swap event: Please dig out your Christmas decorations early this year and give them a dust off and sort through. Royston Environmental Group will be in church with us on 28th and 29th November for their Christmas Jumper and Decoration swap. They will collect donations of seasonal clothing or tree decorations in advance or on the day. Simply exchange your donation for a swap token and take away something new to you. It may also be possible to "swap" something for a cash donation if you don't have any- thing to donate, depending on stock. If you fancy a different look this year, for yourself or for your tree, bring along your old seasonal clothing or tree decorations and swap them for something new to you. Make this Christmas green not white! You can swap decorations for socks, or a jumper for baubles. If you have donations of good quality, clean clothing or deco- rations you would like to have collected or drop off in advance, please contact [email protected] or 07968 006018 to arrange.

HELP WANTED! - The church will be open on Saturday 29th November for the switching on of our Christmas tree lights, with mulled wine and mince pies. If you're able to spare an hour to help serve refreshments, please sign up on the sheet at the back of
church. Thanks in advance from the Events Committee

HELP NEEDED PLEASE: We have Christmas Tree bits to bring down from the attic in the vestry on Saturday 15th November from 10 am. Richard Marias is coordinating this, but would be very grateful for some extra hands to make it a lot easier. If you can offer this help please contact Richard on 07533 669100. Thank you.

ALSO: Chris is looking for helpers to dress the Christmas Tree starting from Saturday 22nd November to Friday 28th November., ready for the light up on Saturday 29th. If you available to help from Monday 24th until Friday morning please contact Joanne for more information and times. Thank you.

CHRISTMAS RAFFLE - We will be having a Christmas raffle to raise money for church funds, and need donations of goods that will be used to make a selection of luxury Christmas food and drink hampers. Items need to be well within date, as the raffle will be drawn in December. Please can donations be left in the kitchen before Saturday 22nd November, as that's when the hampers will be assembled. Thanks in advance from the Events committee. We are planning on 3 hampers for the raffle, so please help as much as you can, to bring items in before 22 November. Thank you

CHRISTMAS RAFFLE TICKETS are now on sale. They'll be available after church services (with the exception of the Remembrance Sunday morning service), Saturday Coffee, and during events at the end of November. Tickets are £1 each, prizes include Christmas Hampers, and all proceeds go to church funds.

MINCE PIES- The Events committee is seeking donations of boxes of mince pies for events throughout Advent. Please make sure they have a good shelf life. They can be left in the kitchen. Many thanks.

PUMPKIN SOUP: Please return by Friday 28th November evening where the soup will be used to welcome visitors into the church. Thank you in anticipation!

IS CREATION CARE MISSION OR MISSION DRIFT? That is the theme for this year's London Institute for Contemporary Christianity’s John Stott London Lecture. We have an online ticket to the event which will be shown at The Vicarage. It is taking place on Thursday 20th November at 7pm. Please email Steven if you would like to watch this lecture with him.

PARENT AND CARER CHRISTMAS CRAFT NIGHT: Royston Parish Church - Monday December 1st at 7.30 pm Christmas crafts to make , mince pies , mulled wine and Christmas treats. come and join us. Book at: https://tickets.myiknowchurch.co.uk/gb/NzcwMi0yNQ/t or speak to Yvonne.

SUNDAY READING SHEET 23rd November 2025 CHRIST THE KING

A Reading from Paul’s Letter to the Colossians

May you be made strong with all the strength that comes from his glorious power, and may you be prepared to endure everything with patience, while joyfully giving thanks to the Father, who has enabled you to share in the inheritance of the saints in the light. He has rescued us from the power of darkness and transferred us into the kingdom of his beloved Son, in whom we have redemption, the forgiveness of sins. He is the image of the invisible God, the firstborn of all creation; for in him all things in heaven and on earth were created, things visible and invisible, whether thrones or dominions or rulers or powers—all things have been created through him and for him. He himself is before all things, and in him all things hold together. He is the head of the body, the church; he is the beginning, the firstborn from the dead, so that he might come to have first place in everything. For in him all the fullness of God was pleased to dwell, and through him God was pleased to reconcile to himself all things, whether on earth or in heaven, by making peace through the blood of his cross. Colossians 1:11-20

GOSPEL

When they came to the place that is called The Skull, they crucified Jesus there with the criminals, one on his right and one on his left. [[Then Jesus said, ‘Father, forgive them; for they do not know what they are doing.’]] And they cast lots to divide his clothing. And the people stood by, watching; but the leaders scoffed at him, saying, ‘He saved others; let him save himself if he is the Messiah of God, his chosen one!’ The soldiers also mocked him, coming up and offering him sour wine, and saying, ‘If you are the King of the Jews, save yourself!’ There was also an inscription over him, ‘This is the King of the Jews.’

One of the criminals who were hanged there kept deriding him and saying, ‘Are you not the Messiah? Save yourself and us!’ But the other rebuked him, saying, ‘Do you not fear God, since you are under the same sentence of condemnation? And we indeed have been condemned justly, for we are getting what we deserve for our deeds, but this man has done nothing wrong.’ Then he said, ‘Jesus, remember me when you come into your kingdom.’ He replied, ‘Truly I tell you, today you will be with me in Paradise.’

Luke 23:33-43

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 - On holiday until 3rd September