Royston Parish Church (Herts)

Royston Parish Church News - Sunday 14th December 2025

2025-12-19 notice sheet.pdf Download

ROYSTON PARISH CHURCH - where all are welcome and God's love is shared

You can download the paper copy of our news sheet from the link at the side of this page.

If you would like regular copies of the Notice Sheet emailed to you please email the parish office at admin@roystonparishchurch.org.uk.

Diary

Thursday 18th December

09:00-11:00 Tots in Church

11:30-21:00 KJAR Christmas Service set up followed by service

Friday 19th December

09:00 - 10:00 Set up for Icknield Walk School Christmas Service

10:00-11:30 Icknield Walk Christmas Service

Saturday 20th December

10:00-11:30 1:30 Church Café (Tea / Coffee / Hot Chocolate only £2 - Free Biscuits)

14:00-16:00 Royston Town Band Concert

Sunday 21st December

09:00 - 09:45 Communion Service that is quiet and reflective

10:30 - 11:40 Communion Service with music/choir, children's groups/toy area, followed by refreshments

15:00-17:00 Choir Practice

17:00-18:15 Traditional Christmas Carol Service

Monday 22nd December

17:00-17:45 Blue Christmas Service

Tuesday 23rd December

09:00 - 09:30 Morning Prayer (incorporating prayer requests that have been left in church)

Wednesday 24th December

09:00-12:00 Decorating the church with Christmas flowers

14:30-15:30 Crib Service 1
16:00-17:00 Crib Service 2
23:00 Midnight Mass

Thursday 25th December - CHRISTMAS DAY

10:00-11;)) Christmas Day Family Communion Service

Sunday 28th December

09:00 - 09:45 Communion Service in traditional language (BCP)

10:30 - 11:40 Communion Service with music/choir, children's groups/toy area, followed by refreshments

Dates for the Diary/Upcoming Events

UPCOMING EVENTS :There are a number of events coming up over the next few months to look forward to.

9th February 2026 - The work of Guy Stagg, a local author , the event being organised byBow Books

14th February - Church Quiz

18th April - Cheese and wine evening

2nd & 4th May - Book Fayre

19th June - Hymns and PIMM’s

20th June - Concert

Intercessions

We pray for all Christians worldwide:

For all Christians in Hong Kong, Taiwan, and the Mainland of China
For all who are worship at Royston Methodist Church: Revd. Charity
For the work of our mission partners: Serving in Mission (SIM)

We pray for the community of Royston:

For our local health centres
For all who volunteer and make use of our local Foodbank

We pray for our world and ECO projects:

As we shop for Christmas food, we pray that we may choose sustainable items, low food miles and avoid waste.

We pray for the sick and suffering:

Lee Cockerill
Pat Pritchard
Jackson Herbert
Maria Turi
Chris Christou
Paul & Pat Tidey
Mike Brown
Marion
Val Brown
Angie & Ken Rushall
Paula Walker
Keith & Elaine Edwards
Peter Coates
Emma & Phil Heath
Peter Foster
Gwen Simmons
Tibor Pollerman
Laura O'nyamul (On-Ya-Mul)

We pray for those who have died in the faith of Christ:
Deceased Bereaved
Olive Watson Lisa Watson-Wilde, family and friends
Carol Grimsey Terry Grimsey, family and friends

We pray for those whose anniversaries fall at this time:
Ronald Brooks Margaret Dunsford F. John Smith Michael Saunders

NOTICES

PLEASE NOTE: There is no 11 am Wednesday Communion on the 24th and 31st December.

EPIPHANY HOUSE BLESSINGS: Reverends Jaime and Steven will be available to come to the outside of your house to pray and chalk a blessing. If you would like at your house, please contact Jaime on [email protected] or phone 01763 243145 option 3.

BEDS & HERTS BIKE ‘N HIKE Another successful year for the Beds & Herts Historic Churches Bike ’n Hike which took place in September, 13 participants with their many supporters raised a total of £ 1,743 which was allocated £ 1,030 to Beds & Herts Historic Churches Trust (50% + Gift Aid) and £ 713 (50%) to our parish funds. Many thanks to the participants and their sponsors.

FLOODING IN VIETNAM. The recent storms in South East Asia have affected Vietnam as badly as has been reported in other neighbouring countries. Our link Church in Vietnam is in a position to bring relief aid to those affected. We will shortly be sending our regular gift from our Missions budget so, if you would like to add to it, please see John Fidler.

AN EVENING WITH JOHN STAGG - LOCAL AUTHOR Bow Books are delighted to welcome local author Guy Stagg to Royston Parish Church, where he will discuss his award-winning non-fiction books, The Crossway and The World Within, illustrated with slides. Tickets £5 per person (includes first drink free) available from Bow Books. Please see leaflet for more information.

CHRISTMAS CARDS: As in previous years, we have a board in the South wall for us to write one Christmas card for the whole church family so that everyone is included and we lessen our impact upon the environment at the same time. Please do read the various greetings and messages from members of our church family.

BUBBLE WRAP: If anyone has any spare bubble wrap, we would be very grateful of it. When the baubles get packed away on Candlemas, it will be very useful to protect the glass baubles. Please leave in box under the preserves, and we will pick it up. Thank you

CHURCH HOSPITALITY: Thank you to everyone who signed up to be in church during Advent to meet people who come into church to write a message and place it on the tree and to offer a drink or soup.

CHRISTMAS RAFFLE TICKETS ARE NOW ON SALE. They'll be available after church services (with the exception of the Remembrance Sunday morning service), Saturday Coffee, and during events at the end of November. Tickets are £1 each, prizes include Christmas Hampers, and all proceeds go to church funds.

SUNDAY READING SHEET 21st December 2025 4th Sunday of Advent

A Reading from the Prophecy of Isaiah

Again the Lord spoke to Ahaz, saying, Ask a sign of the Lord your God; let it be deep as Sheol or high as heaven. But Ahaz said, I will not ask, and I will not put the Lord to the test. Then Isaiah said: ‘Hear then, O house of David! Is it too little for you to weary mortals, that you weary my God also? Therefore the Lord himself will give you a sign. Look, the young woman is with child and shall bear a son, and shall name him Immanuel. He shall eat curds and honey by the time he knows how to refuse the evil and choose the good. For before the child knows how to refuse the evil and choose the good, the land before whose two kings you are in dread will be deserted. Isaiah 7:10-16

GOSPEL

Now the birth of Jesus the Messiah took place in this way. When his mother Mary had been engaged to Joseph, but before they lived together, she was found to be with child from the Holy Spirit. Her husband Joseph, being a righteous man and unwilling to expose her to public disgrace, planned to dismiss her quietly. But just when he had resolved to do this, an angel of the Lord appeared to him in a dream and said, ‘Joseph, son of David, do not be afraid to take Mary as your wife, for the child conceived in her is from the Holy Spirit. She will bear a son, and you are to name him Jesus, for he will save his people from their sins.’ All this took place to fulfil what had been spoken by the Lord through the prophet:

‘Look, the virgin shall conceive and bear a son,
and they shall name him Emmanuel’,

which means, ‘God is with us.’ When Joseph awoke from sleep, he did as the angel of the Lord commanded him; he took her as his wife, but had no marital relations with her until she had borne a son; and he named him Jesus. Matthew 1:18-25

STAFF TEAM

Vicar: Revd Steven Sivyer (rest day MONDAY)

Telephone no. 01763 580242

Email: [email protected]

Curate: Jaime Roberts (rest day FRIDAY)

Telephone: 01763 580241

Email: [email protected]

Assistant Priest: The Reverend John Fidler

Telephone no. 01763 241886

Email: [email protected]

Reader: Emma Sivyer

Telephone no. 07851 688610