Thoughts from The Vicarage with a new Festival, a visitor, Pews News and dates to note
Greetings as Mr Vicarage and I return from leave – albeit with a slight delay!
Over the next two weeks we are warmly welcoming Elizabeth Shanahan, an ordinand from Ripon College, Cuddesdon. Please help to make her feel at home amongst us as she experiences life in rural parishes – she will be with us on Sunday at both St James & St Michael & All Angels and out and about with me and others during the week.
This Sunday we celebrate a brand new festival: the Feast of Christ in Creation, approved by General Synod in July. So this festival is too recent to be in our lectionaries. It will fall on the first Sunday of September each year.
Drawing on the beginning of John’s Gospel, the Festival invites us all to focus our response to creation on the person of Christ. “In the beginning was the Word and the Word was with God and the Word was God… Through him all things were made.”
It is an ecumenical festival meaning we will be sharing it with our brothers and sisters from around the world, most notably those from the Eastern Orthodox churches who have been celebrating this feast since the 5th Century! We look forward to welcoming you at either service this Sunday.
And as the Festival of Creation in Christ approaches let us pray for God’s wisdom and will in our efforts to be worthy care takers of creation.
With every blessing,
Julie
DATES
- September 10th 1.10 – Organ recital St Nicolas Church Newbury Stephen Holmes
- September 12th 5.30 – Live screening of The Last Night of The Proms SMAA
- September 26th 7.30 – Concert with soprano Tamsin Slatter with talented local singers
- October 17th – Eco Themed Film Night St Michael & All Angels
- December 4th – Christmas Fair St Michael & All Angels
- December 16th – Jingle & Mingle St Michael & All Angels
- December 19th – Family film event with screening of the “Muppet Christmas Carol”