Our livestream Christingle service is on Christmas Eve at 3.30pm via the St Ed’s Facebook page.A wonderful team have put together bags with all you need to make a Christingle at home, instructions and the service sheet so you can join in online (unless you've already booked to come to church). If you are able, please collect your bag from the porch at St. Edmund's Church Taverham - it will be open from 9am to 4pm. There are bags for a single, 2 or 4 Christingles.If you are unable to pick up a bag this newsitem includes the Christingle service sheet to help you join in with the service. You may also like to have a candle ready so you can light it when the Christingles are lit during the service.During the final Carol collecting candles will be given out to support the work of The Children’s Society. These are also in the bags – these and envelopes can be returned to St Ed's up to Sunday 30th January 2022.If you are joining online you can also donate to the Children’s Society by visiting their website here (web address is https://www.childrenssociety.org.uk/ incase link fails)Happy Christmas,
At that time Mary got ready and hurried to a town in the hill country of Judea, where she entered Zechariah’s home and greeted Elizabeth. When Elizabeth heard Mary’s greeting, the baby leaped in her womb, and Elizabeth was filled with the Holy Spirit. Luke 1 : 39 - 41Reading for this week : Luke 1 : 39 - 45Thought for the weekWe are all experiencing many encounters during this week, preparing for the celebration of Jesus’ birth. Some encounters were planned. Some were hoped for, others just happened. In our Gospel reading we hear of Mary coming to visit, and to stay, with Elizabeth. Both are carrying a child. Each of them has been called to participate in the unfolding story of salvation. Their very human meeting takes place within the world – changing encounter between humanity and the grace of God.In our Thursday livestream this week Rachel said, “There is deep love between these two women, and great respect for one another. But it goes even deeper than that, as something happens in the connection between the babies they are carrying. Jesus asks to be born in us, in each and every day. In each and every circumstance. To grow within us. To transform us by His love. To guide us into new ways of life, and to make His Kingdom known through us”. In all our encounters this week. In the haste and busyness, let’s set out to see the face of Jesus. To know the depth of His love at this time.Rev PaulPrayers for this weekIn this Advent of expectation draw us together in unity, that our praise and worship might echo in these walls and also through our lives.In this Advent of expectation draw us together in mission, that the hope within might be the song we sing, and the melody of our lives.In this Advent of expectation draw us together in service, that the path we follow might lead us from a stable to a glimpse of eternity.John Birch, 2016, Faith and WorshipEternal God, as Mary waited for the birth of your Son,so we wait for His coming in glory;bring us through the birth pangs of this present ageto see, with her, our great salvationin Jesus Christ our Lord,Amen
The following services will be available via the St Ed's Facebook page or by attendance (as stated below):Sunday 19th December 9:30am Mustard Tree Nativity – informal service for families and children. (at St Ed’s)Sunday 19th December 10:00am – 3:00pm Nativity display (at St Peter’s) daily until Thursday 23rd DecSunday 19th December 11:15 am Traditional Sunday Service, Holy Communion (at St Ed’s)Sunday 19th December 2:00 pm Baptism (at St Ed’s)Sunday 19th December 7:00 pm Carol service (livestream)Monday 20th December 5.00pm Monday prayers (at St Ed’s)Tuesday 21st December 10:00 am Tiny Tunes (music for all young people) (at St Ed’s), refreshments10am til12 noonTuesday 21st December 6:00 pm Rspace (at St Ed’s)Wednesday 22nd December 10:30 am Holy Communion (at St Ed’s)Wednesday 22nd December 2:00 pm Christingle Bag making (at St Ed’s)Thursday 23rd December 2:00pm Funeral (at St Peter’s)Thursday 23rd December 7.00pm Reflection in church with Compline (at St Ed’s also part of this service will be livestreamed each week.)Friday 24th December, Christmas Eve 3:00 pm Christingle Service (livestream)Friday 24th December, Christmas Eve 6:30 pm Contemplative Christingle Service (at St Ed’s)Friday 24th December, Christmas Eve 6:30 pm Carol Service (at St Peter’s) Friday 24th December, Christmas Eve 11:30pm Midnight Communion (at St Ed’s )Saturday 25th December, Christmas Day 10 am Holy Communion (at St Ed’s)Saturday 25th December, Christmas Day 11 am Holy Communion (at St Peter’s)Also Sunday 26th December at St Ed’s, 8am Holy Communion, 9.30am Mustard Tree, 11.15am service of the word with carolsAdditionally at 8am daily (daily except Wednesday and Sunday) we will be posting a ‘Daily bitesize prayer’ on the St Ed's Facebook pageFor on-line services, watch live if you are able --- or join later on 'catch up'.Everyone welcome.AdditionallyRingland: future services at St Peter’s: Christmas Eve Carol service with Taverham Band 6.30pmChristmas Day service at 11amChristmas services are on the noticeboard at the back of church also as a separate page on the website.Thank you! To everyone who has worked so hard and help to decorate our churches ready for the Christmas celebration. They both look amazing.Nativity Displays at Ringland this week on Sunday, Monday, Tuesday and Wednesday is a display of 40 Nativity sets at St Peter’s, Ringland – an opportunity to reflect on the coming of Jesus’ light and hope in the world during the busyness of these days. Everyone is welcome to come and see the displays. 10.00am to 3.00pm each day.Livestream Carols we will be having a livestream Carol service at 7.00pm on Sunday 19th December through our Facebook page. Please join in if you are able to, (maybe share with others at home?) as we gather to celebrate the joy of Jesus’ birth.Christingle bag making we will be putting together bags from 2.00pm on Wednesday 22nd December for the livestream Christingle service on Christmas Eve. All help is greatly appreciated!
The people were waiting expectantly and were all wondering in their hearts if John might possibly be the Messiah. John answered them all “I baptize you with water. But one who is more powerful than I will come, the straps of whose sandals I am not worthy to untie. He will baptize you with the Holy Spirit and fire”. Luke 3 : 15 - 16Reading for this week : Luke 3 : 7 - 18Thought for the weekAs we continue our journey through Advent, amidst the pre – Christmas rush, we have the gift of God’s Word to us in the Bible, to nourish us, sustain us, challenge us and guide us back to Jesus, who is always the Way, the Truth and the Life.This week we focus on the ministry of John, the forerunner and preparer for Jesus. John was known as the Baptiser, yet he could also be known as ‘the dismantler’, because this is what he did. He came to dismantle the Jewish people’s pre – conceptions and assumptions built up over time. Those beliefs and ways of living that had become so much a part of who they were and how they saw themselves, and particularly how much they had taken for granted in the sheer, undeserved grace of the Lord.It is good for us to do the same. To return again to the sheer wonder and outrageous generosity of the Lord in sending Jesus. To hear His word to us, and rely on God’s Word, His love and forgiveness, to sustain us as completely as asking for our daily bread.And to allow the Holy Spirit to dismantle our thoughts and lives, so we may live, share and be filled with the wonder and Light of Jesus, the Good News. Rev PaulPrayer for this weekGod of Salvation, Wake us up Lord! The night is nearly over. Let us make our Advent journey. Move us from our lives Of greed and selfishness, From our globalised world Of inequality and exploitation, To your kingdom Of righteousness and mercy. To a transformed world, Where peace is built on understanding not weapons, The poor are empowered to live their lives to the full, Businesses are built on need not greed And your Creation is nurtured not abused. Wake us up Lord! Let us live as people of the light. Amen. Sue Cooper/CAFOD
