“A voice of one calling in the wilderness, ‘Prepare the way for the Lord, make straight paths for him. 5 Every valley shall be filled in, every mountain and hill made low. The crooked roads shall become straight, the rough ways smooth. 6 And all people will see God’s salvation.’” Luke 3 : 4 - 6Readings this week Malachi 3 : 1 - 4; Philippians 1 : 3 - 11; Luke 3 : 1 - 6Thought for this weekAre your preparations under way this year? Are you making plans to meet up with family and mark the celebration? Christmas is a wonderful time, yet for many a challenging time. The prophets of the Bible spoke the truth of our world, and told of the promise of Jesus, looking ahead to His salvation and new life.So often the prophets highlight the aspects of our lives that are hard. It is difficult to look at the news these days. It is hard to think about the state of the world and those who suffer. What have we come to? Yet Jesus was born into all of this, because He loves us. Advent shows us the realities of today. The call of John in the wilderness, to put right all that is wrong, for our faith to be revived. To expect Jesus in our daily lives. To look hopefully for His coming now and in the future. The prophets were raised by the Father to point us back to the Lord’s ways. His heart for the world.We are called to hear the prophets’ cry. To look to the greater things. To know this world is not all that there is. Today we light candles for peace. Peace that comes in our lives, through us, often in small ways. Can we be makers of God’s peace today? Rev PaulPrayer for this weekHoly and loving God, we have dwelt in darkness and preferred it to the light; we have been proud of our accomplishments and despaired over our shortcomings. Smooth down the mountains of our pride, and lift up the valleys of our doubts. Open a path in the wilderness of our lives that we might find our way to you again. Refine us and prepare us once again for life in your kingdom.Hear our prayer, O Lord. Amen.~ from First Sunday of Advent Prayers and Litanies, posted on the Ministry Matters website. www.ministrymatters.com/Almighty God, as your kingdom dawns, turn us from the darkness of sin to the light of holiness, that we may be ready to meet you in our Lord and Saviour, Jesus Christ.People to pray forFor peace and stability in SyriaFor our Christmas outreach
The following services will be available via the St Ed's Facebook page or by attendance (as stated below). Sunday 8th December 8:00am Holy Communion (at St Ed’s)Sunday 8th December 9:30am Mustard Tree– informal service for families and children. (at St Ed’s)Sunday 8th December 10:30 am Holy Communion (at Ringland Village Hall)Sunday 8th December 11:15 am Service of the word (at St Ed’s)Sunday 8th December 11:15 am Online Sunday service (previously recorded service) Monday 9th December 9.00 am Year 4’s in church (at St Ed’s)Monday 9th December 5.00 pm Evening prayers (at St Ed’s)Tuesday 10th December 10:00 am til 12 noon Community Café with activities for tots (at St Ed’s),Tuesday 10th December 6:00 pm Rspace (at St Ed’s)Wednesday 11th December 9.00 am Year 3’s in church (at St Ed’s)Wednesday 11th December 10:30 am Holy Communion (at St Peter’s)Wednesday 11th December 5:00 pm Evening Prayer (at St Ed’s)Thursday 12th December 8.30am Church caretaking team (at St Ed’s )Thursday 12th December 7.00pm Compline with meditation (at St Ed’s and livestream) Friday 13th December 9:30 am to12.00 noon Arts and Craft Group , - bring anything – art or craft - you fancy doing and coffee and tea are provided. (at Trinity church)Friday 13th December 2:00 pm Langley pre-prep carol service (at St Ed’sSaturday 14th December 1.00pm Memorial service for Tony Dryden (at St Ed’s) Also Sunday 15th December, At St Ed’s 9:30 am Mustard Tree, 11:15 am Holy Communion. 3pm Bereavement Service , Plus online 11:15am Informal Service. For on-line services, watch live if you are able --- or join later on 'catch up'.Everyone welcome.AdditionallyRingland: future services/events for Ringland St Peter’s: December 8th 10:30 am Holy Communion (at Ringland Village Hall)December 24th 6:30 pm Carol service December 25th 10:30 am Christmas morning informal communionChristmas services there are posters and fliers in St Eds advertising theseBereavement service at 3.00pm on Sunday 15th December. Please include the name of your loved one on the sheet at the back of church if you would like their name to be read out.Christingle making will be from 12.30pm on Sunday 22nd December in St Ed's. Please come along and bring your friends. It is always a jolly time!Tony Dryden’s service will be a thanksgiving celebration of Tony’s life on Saturday 14th December at 1.00pm at St Ed’s. Our prayers are with Tony’s family.Postage stamps Robert Cooper collects used stamps for the MS Society. If you have any from your Christmas cards, there is an envelope in the St Ed's vestry.
He told them this parable: “Look at the fig tree and all the trees. When they sprout leaves, you can see for yourselves and know that summer is near. Even so, when you see these things happening, you know that the kingdom of God is near. Luke 21 : 29 - 31Readings this week Jeremiah 33 : 14 - 16; 1 Thessalonians 3 : 9 to end; Luke 21 : 25 - 36Thought for this week - AdventAdvent means we are waiting for something, we are to expect something good and up-lifting to make us feel better. And why not? We struggle so, and we only want peace, security and even a little happiness. We dream of it— like a lost treasure in an empty desert.Then, in the very dying of the Autumn Season, along comes Advent with candles, prayers, songs and promises of new possibilities. And, all tingling with excitement and expectancy, we are seduced into hoping once again.Oh—thank God for Advent— and its perennial promise— pointing to a light which never dies.Edwina Gateley, Soul Whispers (2015)Prayer for this weekAlmighty God, give us grace to cast away the works of darkness and to put on the armour of light, now in the time of this mortal life, in which your Son Jesus Christ came to us in great humility; that on the last day, when he shall come again in his glorious majesty to judge the living and the dead, we may rise to the life immortal; through him who is alive and reigns with you, in the unity of the Holy Spirit, one God, now and for ever. AmenAlmighty God, as your kingdom dawns, turn us from the darkness of sin to the light of holiness, that we may be ready to meet you in our Lord and Saviour, Jesus Christ. AmenPeople to pray forFor the ceasefire between Lebanon and IsraelFor our school visits this week
The following services will be available via the St Ed's Facebook page or by attendance (as stated below). Sunday 1st December 9:30am Mustard Tree– informal service for families and children. (at St Ed’s)Sunday 1st December 11:15 am Holy Communion for Advent (at St Ed’s)Sunday 1st December 4:00 pm Garden Church (at St Peter’s)Monday 2nd December 9.00 am Year 5’s in church (at St Ed’s)Monday 2nd December 5.00 pm Evening prayers (at St Ed’s)Tuesday 3rd December 10:00 am til 12 noon Community Café with activities for tots (at St Ed’s),Tuesday 3rd December 2:00 pm Nightingale Nursery (at St Ed’sTuesday 3rd December 6:00 pm Rspace (at St Ed’s)Wednesday 4th December 10:30 am Holy Communion (at St Ed’s)Wednesday 4th December 5:00 pm Evening Prayer (at St Ed’s)Thursday 5th December 8.30am Church caretaking team (at St Ed’s )Thursday 5th December 7.00pm Compline with meditation (at St Ed’s and livestream) Friday 6th December 9:00 am Year 6’s in church (at St Ed’s)Friday 6th December 9:30 am to12.00 noon Arts and Craft Group , - bring anything – art or craft - you fancy doing and coffee and tea are provided. (at Trinity church)Saturday 7th December Ringland village Christmas FairAlso Sunday 8th December, At St Ed’s 8 am Holy Communion, 9:30 am Mustard Tree, 11:15 am Service of the word. , Plus online 11:15am Informal Service. Also in Ringland Village Hall 10:30 am Holy CommunionFor on-line services, watch live if you are able --- or join later on 'catch up'.Everyone welcome.AdditionallyRingland: future services/events for Ringland St Peter’s: December 1st 4:00 pm Garden Church (at St Peter’s)December 8th 10:30am Holy Communion (at Ringland Village Hall)St Ed's Christmas Fair thank you to everyone who contributed and worked hard to make the Fair a success. Garden Church at St Peter’s Ringland Sun 1st December 4.00pm An Informal All Age Gathering with firepits, lights, nibbles, drinks, worship with the Garden Folk Band and a warm welcome.Tony Dryden’s service will be a thanksgiving celebration of Tony’s life on Saturday 14th December at St Ed’s at 1pm. Our prayers are with Jane and the family.Bibles for Junior School we are buying Bibles for the Year 3’s who are coming to St Ed’s on 11th December. If you would like to donate for this there is an envelope in the vestry in St Eds.Bereavement service at 3.00pm on Sunday 15th December. Please include the name of your loved one on the sheet at the back of church if you would like their name to be read out.Christingle making will be from 12.30pm on Sunday 22nd December in St Ed's. We will also have soup. Please come along if you would like to. It is always a jolly time!
