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THREE PARISHES NEWSLETTER DECEMBER 2015 Dear Friends Are you ready yet? Is a question that is often asked at this time of the year, but what are people really asking? Are you ready for Christmas? Have you brought and wrapped all your presents? Have you written and posted your cards? Have you stuffed your turkey and brought countless bottles of wine or boxes of chocolate and pealed all the sprouts? Have you highlighted in the TV guide all the films you want to watch? Are you ready for Christmas? The period of time leading up to Christmas is known as Advent. We have calendars, advent candles and advent rings to help us count down to that special day, but they are also there to encourage us to take a moment each day to think about what it is we are really getting ready for. Yes, we are getting ready for our celebration of Christmas, but sometimes our busyness can be so overwhelming that Christmas arrives and we discover that we’re not ready to celebrate the birth of Jesus. The most incredible, transformative and mysterious event that ever happened; the moment in time when heaven touched earth and God became man and entered this world as a baby. On Advent Sunday at services across our three churches families were given a little booklet called Love Life Live Advent, which is full of ideas for families to do together in the build up to Christmas to help them make room for the manger. Ideas like, saving your pennies through advent to give to a charity of your choice, or making a Christmas card to give to someone you wouldn’t normally give, to spending a few moments praying for those in need or thinking about heaven touching earth through the birth of Jesus and what that means for us. Young or old, taking a few moments each day in the run up to Christmas is something we can all do to help us to prepare to celebrate the birth of our Lord Jesus Christ as if it was for the first time. To help in your preparations why not come along to one of our many services through out December where we will be celebrating Christmas. There are numerous opportunities from our Christingle services, carol services to midnight Communions – to which everyone is welcome. Please see the poster later in the magazine for details of our services.
My prayer for us all is that this advent we will all take 5 minutes every day in the build up to Christmas to think about what it is we are celebrating, and more importantly who it is and what that might mean for us. I wish you all a very happy Christmas and look forward to celebrating Christmas with you. Blessings,
Daile
Come and Celebrate Christmas..... with the church in Saltford, Corston and Newton St Loe Sunday 6th December: 9.30am Family Service with Nativity (St Mary’s Saltford) 11.15am Christingle (Holy Trinity NSL) 4.00pm Christingle (All Saints Corston) Sunday 13th December: 2.00pm Carols in the Barn (Newton Farm Shop) 4.00pm Christingle (St Marys Saltford) 6.30pm Service of Nine lessons and Carols (All Saints Corston) Saturday 19th December: 5.00pm Village Nativity (All Saints Corston)
Christmas Craft Afternoon for school age children
Tuesday 22nd December 2015 2-‐ 5pm St Mary’s Church Hall, Saltford
An afternoon of games, crafts, stories, singing a short carol service and a family tea to help us get ready for Christmas
Please contact: Parish office 01225 872275 or email [email protected]
to register for a place.
Sunday 20th December: 5.00pm Crib Service (St Mary’s Saltford) 11.15pm Midnight Communion (St Mary’s Saltford) 11.15pm Midnight Communion (All Saints Corston) Christmas Day: 9.30am A Christmas Celebration (Holy Trinity NSL) 10.30am A Christmas Celebration (All Saints Corston) 11.00am A Christmas Celebration (St Mary’s Saltford) A Note about our Benefice Pattern of Services: You will notice that this edition contains both the rota for our services in December and January. The reason for this is to share with the three churches our new pattern of worship which will start in January 2016. We hope it will ensure everyone is informed of our new pattern. Our Benefice committee and PCCs have been discussing the need for a new pattern of services and have agreed to trial this new pattern for about 6 months. One of our aims is the creation of opportunities where we can experience worship and friendship together across our three churches. We had a lovely Benefice wide service for All Souls in November called, “A Time to Remember,” and we want to build upon this model of worship. Our next opportunity to worship together will be January 31st 2016 at 10am in Saltford. There will be two services for you to attend. At 10am in the church we will have a service of Holy Communion and simultaneously at 10am in St Marys Church Hall there will be a Café Church. At the end of each service both congregations will come together for a blessing. For those who have never experienced Café Church, it is an informal opportunity for people of all ages to worship together over refreshments and often a good starting place for people new to church. Parish Registers SALTFORD Funerals 22nd October: John Bryan Stone CORSTON Funerals 15th October: Joan Nichols Internment of Ashes 22nd October: Doreen Barnes
Parish Roundabout
Holy Communion at Home or a Visit: If anyone is unable to get to church and would like either Holy Communion at Home or just a visit, please contact the Parish Office. Copydate for the next newsletter is 10th December at the latest. Please deliver all copy to the Parish Office. If you produce it on a computer it would be a great help if you would please email it to: [email protected] Transport: for transport to a service in the benefice, please ring the Parish Office. The Less Able: if anyone needs assistance to fully share in a church service please ring the Parish Office. A Time to Remember: During the All Saints/All Souls period the people of the combined benefice were given the opportunity to pray for their dear departed at Saltford Parish Church. Called A Time to Remember, we were given a chance to hear our loved ones names read out and to plant a lighted candle to their memory in a sandy garden provided in church. The Church was packed and a list of 150 names was read out. The Rector, Daile Wilshere conducted a celebratory service of readings, hymns and preached a sermon on the departed. There followed a wonderful poem (author unknown) titled ‘What is Dying’ which suggested that although they had gone from our sight, other eyes were welcoming them saying ‘here they come’. Caroline, who lost her 99 year old mum this year, was very moved by the service and was pleased to see two pews of people from Corston. We both feel that we should have more joint series in the three churches when the occasion is right. This event was very well attended and a good start was made to our getting together more often.
Caroline & Fred Bovett Children’s Society: A big thank you to all box-‐holders for generosity and steadfastness. I have enjoyed meeting you all during the process of counting all the box contents. Sadly, I find I can’t continue with this work due to ill health. If anyone could help by doing this worthwhile job, I can give a handover and continued advice. Please contact me if you are interested.
Anne Mallard Tel: 01225 874317 ☩
St Mary’s Saltford www.stmaryssaltford.org.uk The Parish Office, St Mary’s Church Hall, High St., Saltford, BS31 3EL Tel: 01225 872275 Email: [email protected] Churchwardens: Dave Faulkner 01225 874133 John Norris 01225 872750
Circle of Friends : The next meeting is on Thursday 5th November, when we welcome Sue and Richard Winkworth to show us a mixed selection of audio visuals -‐ informative and amusing. This will be in the Church Hall starting at 7.30pm. Please sign the list in the porch if you wish to come. Contact Hilary Smedley 873179 for more information. Theatre Trips : THE GLENN MILLER STORY at the Bristol Hippodrome on Wednesday 24th February 2016 at 2.30 pm. Tickets are £30.00 to be paid by 18th December 2015. Contact Olive Wilkinson on 873965 for further details Coffeeshop: this is now on Friday Mornings at the Hinton Close meeting room from 10.00am to 11.30am. Evening Praise – the Carol Service replaces Evening Praise on the third Sunday of December (20th)
HOUSE GROUPS IN SALTFORD
Tues Evenings: 18 High Street, 7.45pm Contact: Ken Plant Tel. 01225 872904
Wed Evenings: 14 Golf Club Lane, 7.45pm
Contact: Sue & Robin Dixon Tel. 01225 359014
Wed Evenings: 5 Vernon Close, 8.00pm Contact: Julia & John Norris Tel. 01225 872750
Mens’ House Groups (meet monthly)
2nd Tuesday of the month at 7.30pm for 8.00pm
Contact: John Norris Tel. 01225 872750 or Dave Faulkner Tel. 01225 874133
2nd Wednesday of the month at 7.30pm Contact: Robin Dixon 01225 359014
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All Saints, Corston www.allsaintscorston.org.uk Parish Office Tel:01225 872275 Churchwardens: Jane Jones 01225 873475 Liz Acton 01225 873955 Christmas at Corston: All the Christmas Services will appear on the last sheet at the back of the newsletter – please note that our Christingle service is at 4.00pm on December 6th after which the Buzz Club will serve tea. On Wednesday December 16th at 6.30pm it’s “Singalong with Emily” -‐ our informal carols in church. Last year the earlier time of 6.30pm proved popular so we are doing the same this time and we will serve coffee and mince pies afterwards. On Saturday 19 December our nativity play will take place in church again followed by refreshments. All these events do add to the build up to Christmas so do come and join us. Operation Christmas Child 2015:
This year, Buzz Club families were able to send 47 shoeboxes to Operation Christmas Child. As in previous years, all the items we collected throughout the year to go in the boxes were spread over the church and each child (younger ones accompanied by an adult) chose a box for a boy or girl of a specific age and filled it with suitable things. Since 2002 when we first started sending filled shoeboxes, we have sent well over 600! We are so grateful for the many villagers who have supported the cause by contributing items to go in the boxes, filling their own box to send with ours or by giving us money towards the carriage. It is such a worthwhile, practical way of giving children who have nothing, a special present of their own this Christmas. Thank you.
Vikki Hurst and Liz Acton PS We have a knitting pattern for children’s Beanie hats supplied by Operation Christmas Child. If anyone would like to start knitting for next year’s shoe boxes please ask Vikki or Liz for a pattern.
Holy Trinity, Newton St Loe www.holytrinitynsl.org.uk Parish Office Tel: 01225 872275 Churchwardens: Rosemary Denning 01225 872617 Ian Tadd 01225 426489 December Dates: 6th December -‐ Christingle at 11.15 12th December -‐ Evening concert in Newton Church at 6.30 p.m. by Children of the Bristol School of Performing Arts including traditional carols for the congregation . 13th December -‐ Carols in the Newton Farm Shop Bar at 2.p.m. Christmas 20th December -‐ Carol Service at 3.30pm with Choir. Please note a change to the Christmas Day service now at 9.30 a.m.
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How Do You Pray? Moses, Elijah and John knew how to pray in words. They also knew how to pray in silent inactivity when they were anxious. The Scriptures give us other examples, too: Isaiah, anxious for the future on the death of Uzziah, Ezekiel, among exiles, could imagine little future, Habakkuk, full of confusion and questions says, “I will stand at my watch…..and see what God will say to me”, the Psalmists, many times, speak of meditating in various situations. That word ‘meditate’ worries many Christians and they turn away from it. The problem is, that meditation has been ‘abused’ in some quarters and often explained in terms that are not helpful to our ears. It has become a fashionable activity promoted and encouraged for the purposes of self-‐improvement. This is not Christian prayer of any sort! The people named above would have been appalled by the idea! The purpose, of what many Christians are happy to call meditation, is to cooperate with God in detaching ourselves from all ideas, activities and thoughts that occupy our attention, so that it may more easily be turned to God alone. This can only ever be a good thing. Indeed, could anything be better? We do not need to be anxious to do it, nor do we look for any ‘rewards’ from doing it. Interestingly, the NIV uses the word ‘meditate’ in Genesis 24 v 63 with the footnote, “the meaning of the Hebrew for this word is uncertain”. How very, very helpful that is! “Uncertain”; you can’t pin it down. It’s beyond what we can explain and possibly beyond what we can understand, too. But with God, it will be very sure and certain. To meditate, in the Scriptural sense, is to throw ourselves with all our uncertainty onto God and to trust God to do what God wants to do….. with the time we spend with God. Prayer is a precious privilege, granted by our gracious God and we are talking about it. Let us pray.
Ken Plant ☩
Advance Notice: Please put these dates in your diary! The Annual 3 Villages Coffee Morning in aid of Cancer charities will be held in Saltford Hall on Monday February 15th 2016 at 10:15 a.m. until 11:30 a.m. The Annual Soup and Cheese lunch in aid of Christian Aid will be held in Saltford Hall on Thursday March 3rd at 12 noon until 2 p.m.
New Harmony Ladies' Choir Bristol performing their
Christmas Concert with
Oldland Brass, at
Keynsham Victoria Methodist Church on Sat 12th Dec 7.30. It promises to have nostalgia and sparkle -‐ come and join us! Retiring Collection."
A Pastoral Letter from the Bishop of Bath & Wells Dear Brothers and Sisters, Jane and I have recently become grandparents for the first time and there is something very precious and wonderful about new life. This year there is a new baby in our family. And as Christmas approaches, we all find ourselves thinking about the image of baby Jesus lying in the manger. Our mind’s eye paints a picture of an infant asleep in a stable. We might imagine his crying or laughter as he reacts to those around him; a tiny little figure in a fragile world. From the moment of his birth, Jesus is responding to those around him, longing to hear their voice. In Jesus, God comes to us as an infant: approachable, pure, and eager for us to come close to him. As a child Jesus reaches out, arms outstretched eager for a response. Thirty three years later those same arms would reach out on the cross, outstretched and open to the world in love and forgiveness. As we enjoy Christmas with our friends and family let’s be reminded of this image. Let’s pray for God’s blessing and peace for all those in troubled parts of the world and pray they hear God’s call and respond with love. Let us also pray for God’s peace and blessing to fill our own lives and the lives of those around us. Amidst all the noise and distraction of Christmas let’s find a moment to be still and listen again to the call of Jesus. The Christmas message is as loud and clear today as any baby’s cry: Jesus, the
Saviour of the World, is here and he’s yearning to hear our voice. May we respond by saying: ‘O Come to us, abide with us, Our Lord Emmanuel.’ With warm best wishes,
+Peter Bath & Wells
DECEMBER 2015 DIARY
3rd Thursday 9.00am Morning Prayer, Corston 7.30pm Circle of Friends 4th Friday 10.00am Coffee Shop, Hinton Close Meeting Room 10.15am Prayer Meeting, 4 Roundmoor Close 7.00pm Choir Practice 5th Saturday 10.30am Village Market, Corston Village Hall 6th Sunday 9.30am Family Service, Nativity Play, Saltford 11.15am Teen Church, Saltford 11.15am Christingle Service, Newton St Loe 4.00pm Christingle Service, Corston 7th Monday 9.00am Morning Prayer, Local Ministry Group, Marksbury 8th Tuesday 7.30pm Prayer Meeting, 24 Anson Close 9th Wednesday 12 noon Christmas Soup & Pudding Lunch, Corston 10th Thursday 9.00am Morning Prayer, Corston 11th Friday 10.00am Coffee Shop, Hinton Close Meeting Room 7.00pm Choir Practice 12th Saturday 6.30pm Concert by Children of the Bristol School of Performing Arts, to include traditional carols, Newton St Loe
13th Sunday 11.15am Family Service, Christingle, Newton St Loe 2.00pm Christmas Carols in the Barn, Newton Farm Shop 4.00pm Christingle Service, Saltford 6.30pm Service of Nine Lessons & Carols, Corston 14th Monday 9.00am Morning Prayer, Local Ministry Group, Marksbury 15th Tuesday 6.30pm Prayer Meeting, 433 Bath Road 16th Wednesday 6.30pm “Sing along with Emily” – informal carols, Corston Church 17th Thursday 9.00am Morning Prayer, Corston 18th Friday 10.00am Coffee Shop, Hinton Close Meeting Room 7.00pm Choir Practice 19th Saturday 5.00pm Village Nativity, Corston 20th Sunday 11.15am Teen Church, Saltford 11.15am Christmas Family Worship, Corston 3.30pm Carols by Candlelight, Newton St Loe 6.30pm Carol Service, Saltford 21st Monday 9.00am Morning Prayer, Local Ministry Group, Marksbury 24th Thursday -‐ Christmas Eve 9.00am Morning Prayer, Corston 5.00pm Blessing of the Crib, Saltford 11.15pm Midnight Communion, Saltford 11.15pm Midnight Communion, Corston 25th Friday -‐ Christmas Day 9.30am A Christmas Celebration, Newton St Loe 10.30am A Christmas Celebration, Corston 11.00am A Christmas Celebration, Saltford 31st Thursday 9.00am Morning Prayer, Corston
