Very Nearly Happy Christmas
Dear All Saints and St Marys
As Christmas draws closer, this weekend marks the turning point from Advent to Christmas. The weekend sees Carols around the Yew Tree (All Saints) and Carols by Candlelight (St Mary's) start to move us from Advent to Christmas. Schools have broken up for the holidays and many people are now traveling like the magi did across fields and mountains to be with family and friends. If you have people visiting then do extend our warmest invitation to our worship at Christmas to them as well as yourselves.
As we get ready for those final preparations I would like to share with you a poem I am fond of at this time of year from Malcolm Guite - O Emmanuel - I have always found it helpfully reflective on why we celebrate with Joy, Love and Hope this ChristmasO come, O come, and be our God-with-us
O long-sought With-ness for a world without,
O secret seed, O hidden spring of light.
Come to us Wisdom, come unspoken Name
Come Root, and Key, and King, and holy Flame,
O quickened little wick so tightly curled,
Be folded with us into time and place,
Unfold for us the mystery of grace
And make a womb of all this wounded world.
O heart of heaven beating in the earth,
O tiny hope within our hopelessness
Come to be born, to bear us to our birth,
To touch a dying world with new-made hands
And make these rags of time our swaddling bands
Services this Christmas are as below. Look forward to seeing you at both All Saints and St Marys.
Sunday 21st December10am - St Marys - Sung Holy Communion
10.30am - All Saints - Holy Communion with Carols
6.30pm - St Marys - Carols by Candlelight
Wednesday 24th December - Christmas Eve
4pm - Family Carols with Christingle -St Marys
7.30pm - Carols by Candlelight - All Saints
11.30pm - Midnight Mass - St Mary's
Thursday 25th December - Christmas Day
10.00am - Family Communion with Carols - St Marys
10.30am - All Age Communion with Carols - All Saints
Sunday 28th December
8.00am - Holy Communion - All Saints10.00am - Holy Communion with Carols - St Marys
10.30am - Cafe Church - All Saints
Blessings
Lizzie
Vicar of All Saints and St Marys Churches, Fishponds