Thoughts from The Vicarage with Advent, an invite and a prayer
Greetings on a very chilly morning! Pease find dates, thoughts and a short prayer below with Pews News attached.
Come along to either All Saints or St Michael & All Angels this Sunday. You will be welcome. We are a Church family committed to welcoming all those who come as God’s precious and beloved child, whatever their age or race, sexuality or experience, background or confidence in Church. We only become the Church God is calling us to be when everybody is made welcome and everybody is free to contribute and join in.
Christ The King is celebrated this Sunday – the festival is a recent addition to the church calendar. Pope Pius XI instituted it in 1925 – which is like 5 minutes ago in church time! He did this in response to issues he was facing in the church. After World War 1 there was growing secularism. The Church was facing a huge crisis of faith and many people left the Church (both Catholic & Protestant) in Europe in the wake of the war. The men had left for war and they didn’t come back; and the women left the church and God. This context led the Pope to establish Christ the King Sunday as a reminder of Jesus’ power and authority above all else.
At the 10.30 service in Lambourn, Ruth Honey will become ‘official’ as she is sworn in as Churchwarden.
Advent gatherings begin this coming week. We will be using ‘Embracing Humanity’ by Isabelle Hamley. Copies are £9 and are available from me. All are welcome to come along for thought, discussion and a cuppa!
The dates of the Advent Gatherings will be:
- Mondays at 2pm at Mellors Cottage, 2 Walkers Lane. November 25th, December 2nd, 9th and 16th.
- Wednesdays at 3.30pm at The Vicarage, 4 Newbury Street. November 27th, December 4th, 11th and 18th.
Upcoming December dates:
- Dec 8th 4pm Christingle @ Eastbury
- Dec 15th 6pm Carol Service @ East Garston with refreshments
- Dec 17th 6.30pm Jingle & Mingle @ Lambourn with refreshments
- Dec 18th 6.30pm Carol singing with refreshments
- Dec 20th 3pm Dress up Nativity @ Lambourn refreshments
- Dec 22nd 6pm Carol Service @ Lambourn
- Dec 23rd 6.30 Carol singing refreshments
- Dec 24th 4pm Crib service @ Eastbury
- Dec 24th 4pm Christingle @ Lambourn
- Dec 24th 11pm Midnight Mass @ Lambourn
- Dec 25th 9am Christmas Day Communion @ East Garston
- Dec 25th 10.30 Christmas Day Communion @ Eastbury
- Dec 25th 10.30 Christmas Day Communion @ Lambourn
And finally, if you have been affected by the news over the last 10 days, or have anything you’d like to talk about related to safeguarding, either recent or in the past, you can talk to Julie, Christine or Doug, Jenny or Emma or someone in the diocese, and I promise we will listen. We take all information shared with us very seriously and it is never too late to report and seek help. When we talk about a safeguarding culture, we mean one where everyone in each parish, everyone, has the right to be safe, protected and heard. Where we have failed in the past, we pray for the strength and courage to get this right in the future. If you would prefer you can ring the safeguarding team at Oxford Diocese on 01865 208295 or email safeguarding@oxford.anglican.org, Monday to Thursday, 9am to 5pm and Friday, 9am to 4.30pm. Anyone who comes forward to disclose abuse can expect the the highest quality of support & response from the Parish Safeguarding Officers, myself and Christine or the diocesan safeguarding team.
And very finally, a prayer:
Give us, Lord, patience to wait upon your direction for our lives,
but also determination to do your will,
to live out your love,
to reveal your kingdom.
May passion for your gospel animate our hearts,
as we seek the wellbeing of those downtrodden by us, or others.
Amen
God bless,
Julie