Dear Friends

I am surrounded by paper as I write this – working out what I need to do for each of the Christmas services coming up. As an extra to those advertised we are carol singing in both the Plume of Feathers tomorrow evening – 18th December at 7.30 pm and also the Hand and Crown at 8.30 pm, if you want to join in.

We have already collected £300 so far for the Winter Night Shelter from our Outdoor Carol service at St James last Sunday, which is much needed and I am not sure yet how much we have raised from using our large Christmas card again this year.

I would like to draw your attention to the Christmas services which are still to happen (see flyer).

Also, we are making Christingles in the Rectory on Tuesday 23rd December at 10.00 am if you would like to come along to help. We have 200 to make. We can offer Christmas music and mince pies to make it more fun. For this we will need donations of oranges so if this is something you could help with can they be in church this Sunday (21st) or at the Rectory by Monday 22nd December. So far, I have had 10 donated but I am hopeful after last year’s generosity that we will get to 200. If everyone brought me a bag we should have enough.

If you have been knitting donkeys can you also bring them to church this Sunday so that we know how many we have to give away on Christmas Eve to the children.

This will be our final Advent Communion this Sunday at 9.30 am at St James and then we are into the Christmas services of Christmas Eve and Christmas Day. If you would like to read or do prayers at any of these services please let me know.

After the Christmas morning service I will be taking annual leave and will not be back at work until Saturday 3rd January 2026.

I wish you all a joyful, peaceful Christmas.

Happy New Year.

Alison