Dear Friends Happy New Year – as we journey through 2026 together, I pray that we will see lots of opportunities to be together, having fun together and acknowledging the joy in our lives. May we support each other through the trials that will come our way too. The Bible verse for this year is:- I can do all things through Christ who strengthens me – Philippians 4:13. This verse will be available as a fridge magnet again from next Sunday 11th January 2026 at the back of church to collect. This Sunday is Epiphany Sunday and as before I give you the Epiphany blessing, using chalk (at the back of St James) to mark the lintel of your front door as follows:- 20 + C + M + B + 26 The Magi, Caspar, Melchior and Balthazar (C M B) Followed the star of God’s Son who became human two thousand (20) And twenty-six (26) years ago. May Christ bless our home and remain with us throughout the New Year. Amen Visit, O Lord, this home with the gladness of your presence. Bless all who live or visit here with the gift of your love; and grant that we may show your love to each other and to all whose lives we touch. May we grow in grace and in the knowledge and love of you; guide, comfort and strengthen us in peace, O Jesus Christ, now and forever. Amen. Every blessing for 2026. Alison
Happy New Year my friends Over Advent (Dec 1st to 24th Dec) we did an Advent Study Course called ‘Joy to the World’. We looked at the many things that bring us JOY during the approach to Christmas. We also acknowledged that for many, Christmas can be difficult for so many different reasons. As Christians, we are called to have faith, hope, love with joy as we move through our time in this world. Faith in the story of Christmas and also, as promised, faith in all the promises that God has made to us through the Bible and through the life and death of Jesus Christ. We are called to believe that Jesus died for us so that our sins will be forgiven and we will have eternal life, a life after this life that we see, where we will be with God and will be his people. We are called to Hope that the promises of Jesus are true and that God’s plan includes us all. We are to understand that each day can be filled with Hope as each day is a new day and a gift from God. We are called to love each other and all those that Jesus loves, which is everyone we meet, and also all those that we care for. Love does not necessarily mean romantic love, but the love that cares for all, as our hearts grow bigger we find that we have a place for all those we are called to serve and be with and also all those in need across the world, who are our brothers and sisters – even if we have never met them. And JOY – well, I think we have to make a conscious effort to find JOY in our every day. Maybe as we move through this New Year of 2026 that is our question we will need to keep asking ourselves. What brings me Joy? Is it in the simple things of life, maybe that walk?, a particular person?, eating boiled eggs? A sunset? A sunrise? The different seasons we experience? Etc. I have made a New Year’s promise to myself that I will search out and see the Joy in every day and I will not let someone else, or a difficult situation steal my Joy. Now I know that I cannot do this on my own. Life will throw me difficult things as it will you, but I am hoping to hold on to this Year’s promise….. To see Joy in my every day And the way I can do this? I can do all things through Christ who strengthens me. Philippians 4:13 With the help of God. This is going to be our Benefice Bible verse for this year – you will find it on magnets again at the back of church that you can put onto your fridge and learn it, hold onto it and call God into all those difficult situations you will face and hold on to this simple sentence to give you strength. I can do all things through Christ who strengthens me. Philippians 4:13 This January we will be running the Alpha Course again, which is an opportunity for people to come together, over an initial period of 6 weeks, to learn more about, ’Who Jesus is’ and to be able to ask all those niggling questions about faith and God they would like to. It is a chance to make new friends, to journey with people who have similar questions to yourself, and we always try to have fun together along the way. Dates for your diary:- 21st Jan, 28th Jan, 4th Feb, 18th Feb, 25th Feb, 4th March They all take place in our house, The Rectory, 1 Dovedale, High Wych, CM21 0DT. Just drop me an e-mail: revajacksonhwge@outlook.com or ring me on:0783 366 7707 if you would like to come. If you do you will bring me great JOY as we explore the Story of God and the story of Us together. As you read this I wish you a Merry Christmas and a JOY filled New Year. May God be with you in that whisper in your ear, may he bless you and protect you and may you always find those moments of JOY in your every day. Your Priest Alison
Dear FriendsI 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
Dear FriendsWell, Christmas is definitely coming…….And I hope there are some lovely events that you are looking forward to.This week we have, in our family, celebrated birthdays. And now the birthdays are over the Christmas tree is going up…The Star is once again outside the Rectory as we wait with joyful expectation for the coming of Jesus. So, over the next two weeks there will be a proliferation of tea towels being used for shepherds and Inn keepers and Joseph’s….. not to mention tinsel as we head towards ‘Light Up High Wych’ once again with tinsel and fairy lights and joyful singing.Our advent study this year is ‘Joy to the World’ and I realise that you may have to make a conscious effort to find joy and not let other people or the news or difficult circumstances steal your joy. Jesus is coming – and we have hope – hope for a world that at times seems hopeless. We must not forget those who in our world are dealing with the outcomes of natural disasters, war and famine – please use the Welcome sheet to help you with your prayers, and you can always join us on Tuesday mornings where we bring our world, and our community into the presence of God, in prayer.As we move towards Christmas I hope you will find joy in all our Christmas services.This Sunday we have our 9.30 am communion service at St James.Followed by our communion service and Christmas preparations at St Mary’s, Gilston at 11.15 am (decorating the Christmas tree).And then in the afternoon we can gather at 3.45 pm at St James for the ‘Light up High Wych’ ceremony and then our wonderful outdoor carol service which starts at 4.00 pm.This joyful time of being together and singing together, hearing the Christmas story once again will be followed by a lovely community time of mulled wine, mince pies and, if you are a child, I believe that Father Christmas will be making an appearance.Also, as a first we are gathering the men of our Community together for a Men’s Christmas meal at the Plume of Feathers, Gilston on Tuesday 16th December 7.00 for 7.30 pm. Please let Paul (my husband) know if this is something you would like to be included in at thegoodjack@gmail.com .I look forward to seeing you at one of our lovely services and I attach the full list of all our Christmas services across the Benefice today for you to stick on your family notice board. Come along, have some fun, meet with old friends, make some new ones and journey together as we Welcome Jesus into our midst once again.Every blessingAlison
