Greetings and Happy New Year when it comes!
At a time of ongoing joy and celebration I trust that you’ve been well and that the joy of Christmas has touched you, however your heart is beating at this time. If you have lost someone over these last few weeks please be assured you are in our thoughts and prayers daily at Morning Prayer and Compline.
As Epiphany is celebrated, Kings/wise women/men arrive at the crib this week – having travelled from afar – well, in Lambourn that’s the length of the church! The crib and decorations stay in church for the whole of the season because all of it is Christmas, all of it is cause for joy – right up to Candlemas which we will celebrate on January 30th in St Michael & All Angels.
And as we celebrate that the light of the world has come to those who walked in darkness we will be holding a Christingle Service in St Michael & All Angels this coming Sunday January 2nd at 4.00pm. It will be an ideal service for families with small children and in fact all generations in the family so please encourage those you know to come along. The service is normally about 40 minutes max in length and you will be able to go home with your very own Christingle! There is always a collection for The Childrens’ Society who provide such excellent support for children in need.
It seems only a short time ago that the small band of Carol Singers from the Valley raised the sum of £341.00 in total over the three nights in aid of The Children’s Society, and this is on its way to the society along with boxholder donations. If you have a Children’s Society Box please pass it to Brian Fletcher for counting and payment to the society. Well done all!
Talking of money if you are able so to do – please may I ask you to consider gifting a weekly/monthly/ occasional gift to one of our churches. Thank you very much to all those who already do so!
One way in which you may donate is to join the Parish Giving Scheme, which is paid by donors via Direct Debit, please see details on www.parishgivingscheme.org.uk. Application forms are available in each of the churches simply ask! For other methods of regular giving please please have a quiet confidential word with your Treasurer, Brian Fletcher of Lambourn, Rowland Cobbold of East Garston and Nick Blackwell of Eastbury who will be most pleased to assist you. All donations may be gift aided as well which is worth an extra 25% at no cost to you! So £10 becomes £12.50 🙂 Thank you very much.
This Sunday 2nd January we will bless the church doors at St Michael & All Angels and St James. And last but not least we will bless All Saints on Sunday 9th January. At each service chalk will be blessed and you are invited to take it back to you own home and bless it! In so doing it is an invitation for Jesus to be a daily guest in our home, in our comings and goings, our conversations, our work and play, in our joys and sorrows. One way of doing this is to use chalk blessed during the Epiphany liturgy and write above the home’s entrance 20 + C + M + B + 22 To assist you I have attached an Epiphany blessing sheet. There will also be laminated sheets on church for you to borrow and return after use. Alternatively, I would be delighted to come along and bless your home – once again simply ask!
The Epiphany season continues the theme of Christmas, that God is here among us and continues to Candlemas during which the wise men see the face of God in Jesus Christ. The ministry of Jesus begins at his baptism in the Jordan. He turns water into wine at a wedding to highlight the new thing God has done – and then we remember his presentation in the Temple as a child, when Anna and Simeon rejoice at his birth and warn Mary about the shadow of the cross over his future. Jesus is being shown to the world, a gift given to us and for us.
Finally, I am sharing the words of our Bishop Olivia shared to her flock following the death of Archbishop Desmond Tutu . . .
“Tutu was one of the moral and spiritual giants of our age,” says Bishop Olivia this morning. “Passionate for justice and rooted in the Christ he knew and loved, he was a humble and fearless warrior for what is right and true. Millions have reason to be thankful for his life. Desmond – we will miss the twinkle in your eye and the dance in your step. May you rest in peace.”
With many thanks for all the delightful cards and kindness to Keith and I over this Christmas season,
With every blessing for the New Year and any celebrations you may be having
Julie