Advent 3: some words that can be sung to the tune of ‘Angel voices ever singing’: Advent candles tell their story as we watch and pray, longing for the Day of Glory, ’Come, Lord, soon,’ we say. Pain and sorrow, tears and sadness, changed for gladness on that Day.John the Baptist, by his preaching and by water poured, brought to those who heard his teaching news of hope restored: ‘Keep your vision strong and steady, and be ready for the Lord.’And the alternative collect prayer for this Advent Sunday: God for whom we watch and wait, you sent John the Baptist to prepare the way of your Son: give us courage to speak the truth, to hunger for justice, and to suffer for the cause of right, with Jesus Christ our Lord. Amen.Christmas Coffee Morning & Christmas Fayre Thanks to all who helped in anyway at or came along to these events at St Andrew’s and St Thomas’s, and helped them to go so well! Really appreciated! SERVICESSUNDAY 14th DecemberSt Andrew's: 10.00 am Parade & Toy Service with donations of unwrapped toys for children / gifts for teenagers which will go to support the work of SWACA.St Thomas': 10.00 am Morning Prayer and Toy Service with donations of unwrapped toys for children / gifts for teenagers which will go to support the work of SWACA. St James': 11.15 am Morning Prayer with donations of unwrapped toys for children (ages 4-8 especially needed please) which will be collected by the Maghull Lions and distributed locallySt Peter's: 11.15 Morning Prayer with donations of unwrapped toys for children / gifts for teenagers which will go to support the work of SWACA St Peter's: 4.00 pm Church for All: Family Christmas Quiz AND 6 -7.30pm Church 4 Teens. All welcome!Tuesday 16th DecemberSt Peter's: 6.00 pm Community Carols with Hudson Primary School choir & festive refreshments - turkey rolls, pigs in blankets, stuffing etc. etc. All welcome!Wednesday 17th DecemberSt Andrew’s: 10.30am Team Holy Communion Service (in church hall due to ongoing heating situation) followed by a visit from a class from St Andrew’s school to sing their Christmas songs to us during coffee after the serviceSUNDAY 21st DecemberSt Andrew's: 10.00 am Holy Communion (in church hall due to ongoing heating situation) AND 4.00 pm Carol Service (in Parish Hall)St Thomas': 10.00 am Carol ServiceSt James': 11.15 am Knitted Nativity and Holy CommunionSt Peter's: 11.15 Holy Communion AND 4.00 pm Church for All: Nativity, Carols & Christmas jumpersBible Readings Sunday 14th December: Toy services preacher's choice Sunday 21st December: Isaiah 7:10-16 Matthew 1:18-end Christmas Eve: Preacher's choice Christmas Day: John 1:1-14 Sunday 28th December Team Service: preacher's choiceTEAM PRAYERSTeam Prayers will now be taking place ahead of our monthly team service on the 4th Sunday of each month at whichever church is hosting that month’s service, at 9.45am. So the next one will be at St James' on Sunday 28th December at 9.45am. All welcome.We’re also going to be intentional now about having a short informal time of prayer at each church before the Sunday services each week - so the person leading the service will pray with others who are there for 10 mins or so half an hour before the start of the service, so 9.40 ahead of 10am services and 10.55 ahead of 11.15am services. Everyone is very welcome to join in with this. St James usually has a time of individual prayer and reflection helped by two worship songs from about 5 minutes before the actual start of the service. News Carol ServicesSt Peter's 16th December (see above)Next Sunday, 21st December. 10am at St Thomas Melling, 11.15am at St James (the Knitted Nativity) and 4pm at St Andrew’s Maghull (though in the Parish Hall across the road from the church). Do come along and join us and bring friends and family with you as we sing our favourite carols, hear the Bible readings and celebrate the wonder and joy of Christmas and the birth of Jesus.Parish Giving Scheme The new system is now available to access. Should you at any time require information, please contact your parish representative, or contact PGS directly by Post: 76 Kingsholm Road, Gloucester, GL1 3BD; Phone: 0333 002 1260 or1271; Email: info@parishgiving.org.uk; Website: https://www.parishgiving.org.uk/Weekly Giving Envelopes at St Andrew’s Church: For anyone who has Weekly Envelopes and is near to requiring a new box for 2026 please let Geoff Walker know 0151 526 5366 / 07724881207 Thank You.St Andrew’s Heating Just a quick note to say that while efforts to get everything needed in place to replace our broken boiler continue and the colder weather really starts to kick in now, services are going to temporarily move into the church hall which can be heated still! We are working hard to get the boiler replaced and situation resolved as soon as we possibly can.Children’s Society Collection Boxes For those at St Andrew’s with these, its the time of year to bring them in to church to give to Jim Entwistle. Thank you.Stamps A request from St Thomas’ for your used stamps, as they are collecting them to support training guide dogs. Please do pass any you have in to your church, and the clergy will ensure they get to St Thomas’. Thank you.Request for Wool Donations - also stuffing material for toys & pillowsWool donations for our craft and chat group wld be very gratefully received! Whether whole or part balls of wool, any colour etc. Also, at the moment, donations of stuffing material for toys & pillows would be much appreciated. If you are able to drop off to the craft & chat group between 12.30 and 2pm on Thursdays at St James’ Church Green Lane, that would be great, but collection can easily be arranged. Please contact Pat Dunbar by text message on 07795147109 or email at patcol@blueyonder.co.uk Thank you! WEEKLY EVENTSCraft and Chat: every Thursday 12.30pm until 2pm at St James in the fellowship room. Knitting, crocheting or any craft, you are assured of a very warm welcome so please do come and join us. please note that this will have a break for Christmas and New Year after the session on Thursday 11th December (on as normal that day, but not on 18th December). PatHot lunch, tea and cakes every Thursday afternoon at Melling Tithebarn……12.00pm to 2.00pm. A plate for donations will be available. You are assured of a very warm welcome so please do come and join us.MONTHLY EVENTSSt Peter's Tea and Scones: everyone is welcome to join us for tea and scones on the first Friday in every month from 2pm-3pm. The next one is on Friday 6th February. Expect lots of friendly chats and live music by our resident Michael with his keyboard. Prayer & Worship - monthly get together Each month we are going to be gathering for a time of prayer & worship together at St James Church, Green Lane. This will be a relaxed and informal time, but led and with songs, reflection on passages of scripture, pointers / themes for prayer etc. This is following on from the Prayer Course that a number of us did through Lent & Easter time, but is absolutely open to everyone, not just those who came to that course. The next of these will be on Wednesday 14th January, 7.30pm and we would be delighted to see you there. Please do speak to Rev. Simon or Claire Sherman for any further information.Bereavement Support: at St Andrew’s Church. Further enquiries, and if there are any particular requests for bereavement support, from anywhere across our 4 parishes, please contact St Andrew’s Parish Office 0151 531 8972. Other noticesBulletin items for inclusion Please send an email to revsimonelliott76@gmail.com stating ‘for bulletin’ in the email ‘subject’ box / email title by midday Thursday of the week you’d like items included.Foodbank: the Foodbank is based at St George's United Reformed Church on Northway opposite Iceland, on Tuesdays 10.00am-12.00 noon.Tins, packet foods and toiletries are always useful. They will gratefully receive donations from 10-12 on Tuesdays at St George’s URC on Northway (easiest access is via the car park on Larchwood Avenue). Alternatively please do drop any donations off before Tuesday on the vicarage doorstep at 23 Green Link. Thank you.CONTACT DETAILSPlease contact us…If you know anyone who would like to receive this emailIf there is anyone who needs prayer If you know anyone who needs a phone call Contact details:Revd. Ian Hopkins 07914 505437 or ianfee100@gmail.com Revd. Simon Elliott 07919 464348 or revsimonelliott76@gmail.com
The Community Craft and Chat group began meeting 6 weeks before lockdown and although we weren't always able to meet during lockdown...people kept busy knitting and crocheting. What a blessing that has been. We have made hearts for hope which have been sent to ITU units and to the bereavement ward at Wigan Royal infirmary. We have also posted these hearts to the bereaved families of those whose funeral we have conducted. We have had some lovely letters of thanks. Blankets small and large, hats for premature babies all are still needed and we can provide patterns for these too. Please see below for other ideas of items that are needed. We have also made fish and chip jumper and hat sets which we sent to Uganda to help the “Warm baby project”. This project still needs fish and chip jumper sets and also baby jumpers or cardigans age 6 months plus. If you feel you can help there is a knitting pattern for Fish and Chip Babies to download on the right. We have also been able to send 6" granny squares (and other items) to a charity that makes up blankets and takes them with other items to Ukraine.If you can't print a pattern or knit here are some other ideas that don't really need a pattern and if you need some help to get started ask in church or join us on a Thursday! PLEASE NOTE: no meeting on 10th October thoughKnit or crochet scarves of varying lengths: your choice of stitch, style and colour!Knit blankets for prem babies approximately 12" or 24" square (garter or stocking stitch is fine, colour[s] unimportant). If you crochet them please use a tight double crochet stitch so babies can't stick their fingers through the spaces.Knit bonding squares for prem babies approximately 5" square (garter or stocking stitch is fine, colour[s] unimportant). Make in pairs: one is worn inside her bra by the mother, one is with the baby then they are swapped over.Knit cannula sleeves for prem babies: knit 26 stitches and 36 rows with 4mm needles or similar to make a rectangle approximately 10cm x 7cm (or 4" x 2 3/4") (garter or stocking stitch is fine, colour[s] unimportant) then sew up the sides leaving the ends open to form a tube (but they aren't needed at the moment so try something else please!!)Knit or crochet a 40" square blanket for patients who are terminally ill using any stitch or pattern, in one piece or with a number sewn together (preferably in cheerful colours)Crochet (or knit) a 12" square of any design or colours for a comfort blanket for people with dementia (no need for twiddly bits).Crochet (or knit) a 6" square of any design or colours to be made up into blanketsKnit or crochet hearts for terminally ill patients and bereaved families: there are lots of free patterns and tutorials online, try and make them about 3" wide. Use the Get in touch CONTACT FORM on St James pages on A Church Near You if you need a pattern from church.( Image by <a href="https://pixabay.com/users/SweetMellowChill-8503012/?utm_source=link-attribution&utm_medium=referral&utm_campaign=image&utm_content=3423091">SweetMellowChill</a> from <a href="https://pixabay.com/?utm_source=link-attribution&utm_medium=referral&utm_campaign=image&utm_content=3423091">Pixabay</a>)
The local Foodbank based at St George's URC on Northway opposite Iceland on 14th December 2021 * Please see 'Latest News' for a guide to what the Foodbank is short of but all donations are gratefully received. * To donate goods - you can drop off donations at St George's Church on Tuesdays 10-12 * You might want to offer a street collection point -let people know you are willing to take donations to the Foodbank informally via your street networks- WhatsApp, phone etc - put a plastic box out for donations at a set time on a set day. Remember the Foodbank needs toiletries as well as food.Then take your box to St George's Church on Tuesday between 10am and noon.* We still have contact with the Trussell Trust South Sefton foodbank which covers Bootle, Litherland and Netherton. They are always short of stock so when Maghull doesn't need our donations, they will be sent to South Sefton.Aintree Foodbank is still open and also independent: see Hope Community Church webpage
