This weekend’s Bible readings: Isaiah 60:1-6 (p 746) and Luke 2:21-38 (p 1028)Thank you: Many thanks to all who gave of their time and talents to make our Advent and Christmas services so special this year. It was a joy to welcome so many into our churches and share the message of the coming of our Saviour Jesus Christ.We thank our musicians, readers, those who decorated our churches with Christmas trees, flowers, decorations and nativity scenes, those who produced service orders, refreshment servers, service leaders, candle lighters, welcomers, wardens and church cleaners. Thank you everyone.As the decorations come down: Please remember that the Sacombe folk collect this year’s Christmas cards to be recycled for next year. If you’re happy for yours to be used for this, please let one of the Sacombe people have them.FOSM Quiz Night 27th January: The Friends of St Mary’s will not be putting up posters this year for its annual quiz night – it’s nearly sold out before the publicity has started! If you haven’t booked yet and you’d like to come, please speak to Caroline.Little Angels - helpers needed: Little Angels, our carer and toddler group in St Mary’s on Friday mornings between 9 and 11 is becoming more and more popular and we need some more helpers! All that’s required is to help with refreshments and help putting out and away the children’s equipment (it’s not heavy!). There will be a rota so it doesn’t mean every week. Please contact Basma if you can help.Kisiizi Hospital knitted vests: Thank you to those who provided boxes. Another 6 boxes of knitted blankets & baby clothes have been sent to Kisiizi this week.There are 3 bags of knitted vests in the wool basket near the font in St Mary’s. They need finishing off with crochet work round the neck. If you can help, please take a bag.Christmas Crackers & Carols round the Tree: These two events raised between them £928 for Carers in Herts. Thank you to all who supported either event.Website: Our benefice website is on the www.achurchnearyou.com platform. The benefice page can be reached via this link: https://www.achurchnearyou.com/benefice/32-240BF/. The forward from https://ubsms.org.uk should point to that page.Services for the next few weeksMidweek services each week:Tuesdays, 9.30am Holy Communion (BCP), St Catherine'sWednesdays, 9.30am Morning worship & Bible study, St Mary'sSunday services:31st December 10.30am Morning worship, St Catherine's7th January 8.00am Ante communion, St Mary's10.30am Morning worship, All Saints6.00pm All Saints@6, All Saints14th January 10.30am Holy communion, St Mary's6.00pm All Saints@6, All Saints21st January 8.00am Holy communion, St Mary's10.30am Holy communion, All Saints6.00pm All Saints@6, All Saints28th January 10.30am All age worship, St Mary's6.00pm Choral evensong, St Mary's
Next week’s notices: There will be no notices sheet next weekend. All the information about Christmas services etc are included in this one. We wish everyone a wonderful Christmas, and look forward to seeing you at one or more of our special services.This weekend’s Bible readings: 1 Thessalonians 5:16-24 (p 1188) and John 1:6-8, 19-28 (p 1063) Sunday morning service: This Sunday morning’s 10.30 service in All Saints will be a said service of Holy Communion. The Little Munden carol service will be at 6.00.Midweek Music at St Mary's: This month's concert is on Wednesday 20th December at 12.30, when Marion and Michael will be entertaining you with seasonal music on the piano and organ.They will also be introducing Naomi Boot (known to some of you as Jenny and Jo's daughter!), who is a mezzo soprano studying at the Royal College of Music. She will sing two Christmas songs for us.Do come and support the performers if you can. Even at this busy time of year, treat yourself to 30 minutes of peace to recharge those batteries! Entry is free, and refreshments are served from 11.30am.Christingle preparation in St Marys, 23rd December, 2pm: Please let John know if you can help with this. All are welcome!Sending greetings across the benefice: In All Saints church during December there will be a little Christmas tree with some shiny stars . You can write your Christmas greetings to one another on these and hang them on the tree, giving a donation for the Foodbank.In St Mary’s, the Christmas post box is once more in use. Please remember to collect any cards there for you, as well as using it to leave cards for any other benefice members.Advent appeal for the Foodbank: Another order of almost £1,000 was delivered to the food bank on Monday. It included some Christmas treats: chocolate biscuits, Christmas puddings, seasonal snacks etc.Our Advent appeal is once more to support this important work. Special envelopes are available in St Mary’s; please put your donation in one of those if it’s going in the Standon collection bags. In All Saints and St Catherine’s, the entire offering at the carol services will go to the appeal. Alternatively, bank transfers can be made to any of our church bank accounts, using the reference ‘Appeal’ or ‘FB’.Little Angels - helpers needed: Little Angels, our carer and toddler group in St Mary’s on Friday mornings between 9 and 11 is becoming more and more popular and we need some more helpers! All that’s required is to help with refreshments and help putting out and away the children’s equipment (it’s not heavy!). There will be a rota so it doesn’t mean every week. Please contact Basma if you can help.Carols round the tree, Wednesday at 6.30 pm: Carols round the tree in Standon High Street will be led this year by our community choir, Standon Sing. We will be providing refreshments in St Mary’s afterwards, as usual. All are welcome.Website: Our benefice website is on the www.achurchnearyou.com platform.The benefice page can be reached via this link: https://www.achurchnearyou.com/benefice/32-240BF/. The forward from https://ubsms.org.uk should point to that page.Services for the next few weeksMidweek services each week:Tuesdays, 9.30am Holy Communion (BCP), St Catherine'sWednesdays, 9.30am Morning worship & Bible study, St Mary'sPlease note there will be no midweek services on 26th or 27th December.Sunday services:17th December 8.00am Holy communion, St Mary's10.30am Holy communion (said service), All Saints6.00pm Carol service, All Saints24th December There will be no morning service - please see the list of Christmas services below31st December 10.30am Morning worship, St Catherine's7th January 8.00am Ante communion, St Mary's10.30am Morning worship, All Saints14th January 10.30am Holy communion, St Mary's6.00pm All Saints@6, All Saints21st January 8.00am Holy communion, St Mary's10.30am Holy communion, All Saints6.00pm All Saints@6, All Saints
This weekend’s Bible readings: Isaiah 40:1-11 (p 723) and Mark 1:1-8 (p 1002)Sunday morning service: There has been a little confusion about this weekend’s services. The 10.30 communion service will be in St Mary’s, not in All Saints. We apologise for the typo in the Dane End Village News.Christmas Crackers 14th December: Once again, our benefice choir will be performing along with the Standon Sing Community choir and the Rib Singers in a concert of Christmas music, on 14th December in St Mary’s. Entry will be free, but there will be a retiring collection for Carers in Hertfordshire. FOSM will be selling mulled wine and soft drinks in the interval.Christingle preparation in St Marys, 23rd December, 2pm: Please let John know if you can help with this. All are welcome!Sending greetings across the benefice: In All Saints church during December there will be a little Christmas tree with some shiny stars . You can write your Christmas greetings to one another on these and hang them on the tree, giving a donation for the Foodbank.In St Mary’s, the Christmas post box is once more in use. Please remember to collect any cards there for you, as well as using it to leave cards for any other benefice members.Christmas trees from Sacombe Green: Once again, Christmas trees are available at SG12 0JQ, from 9.00 am until 4.00 pm on Saturday and Sunday, this weekend only. Proceeds will go to St Catherine’s or to Herts Community Foundation, as the purchaser chooses.Advent appeal for the Foodbank: Another order of almost £1,000 will be delivered to the food bank on Monday. It includes some Christmas treats: chocolate biscuits, Christmas puddings, seasonal snacks etc.Our Advent appeal is once more to support this important work. Special envelopes are available in St Mary’s; please put your donation in one of those if it’s going in the Standon collection bags. In All Saints and St Catherine’s, the entire offering at the carol services will go to the appeal. Alternatively, bank transfers can be made to any of our church bank accounts, using the reference ‘Appeal’ or ‘FB’.Little Angels - helpers needed: Little Angels, our carer and toddler group in St Mary’s on Friday mornings between 9 and 11 is becoming more and more popular and we need some more helpers! All that’s required is to help with refreshments and help putting out and away the children’s equipment (it’s not heavy!). There will be a rota so it doesn’t mean every week. Please contact Basma if you can help.Lifts to and from church: A handful of our church family members would be grateful for a lift to enable them to attend our Christmas services. In some cases, ill health or recent surgery has limited mobility; in others driving in the dark is an issue. If you would be willing to offer a lift to someone on a one-off basis, please speak to Caroline.Kisiizi Hospital parcels: Thank you to everyone who knits for Kisiizi hospital. We are now in need of boxes. Those that hold 5 reams of A4 paper are ideal. If you can help, please leave them in St Mary’s church.EHCCA Evensong 30th December: EHCCA is planning to sing Choral Evensong at St Albans Cathedral on Saturday 30th December at 5pm. All are welcome to attend.Website: Our benefice website is on the www.achurchnearyou.com platform.The benefice page can be reached via this link: https://www.achurchnearyou.com/benefice/32-240BF/. The forward from https://ubsms.org.uk should point to that page.Services for the next few weeksMidweek services each week:Tuesdays, 9.30am Holy Communion (BCP), St Catherine'sWednesdays, 9.30am Morning worship & Bible study, St Mary'sPlease note there will be no midweek services on 26th or 27th December.Sunday services:10th December 10.30am Holy communion, St Mary's6.00pm All Saints@6, All Saints17th December 8.00am Holy communion, St Mary's10.30am Holy communion (said service), All Saints6.00pm Carol service, All Saints24th December There will be no morning service - please see the list of Christmas services below31st December 10.30am Morning worship, St Catherine's7th January 8.00am Ante communion, St Mary's10.30am Morning worship, All Saints14th January 10.30am Holy communion, St Mary's6.00pm All Saints@6, All Saints
This weekend’s Bible readings: James 5:1-8 (p1216) and Matthew 25 :31-46 (p995)Advent service: Our annual service of readings and music for Advent will take place this weekend, on Sunday at 6.00 pm in St Mary’s. Please join us if you can, to reflect on this time of waiting and anticipation as we hear the ancient prophecies and listen to the benefice choir as they lead our worship.Christmas Crackers 14th December: Once again, our benefice choir will be performing along with the Standon Sing Community choir and the Rib Singers in a concert of Christmas music, on 14th December in St Mary’s. Entry will be free, but there will be a retiring collection for Carers in Hertfordshire. FOSM will be selling mulled wine and soft drinks in the interval.Christingle preparation in St Marys, 23rd December, 2pm: Please let John know if you can help with this. All are welcome!Sending greetings across the benefice: In All Saints church during December there will be a little Christmas tree with some shiny stars . You can write your Christmas greetings to one another on these and hang them on the tree, giving a donation for the Foodbank.In St Mary’s, the Christmas post box is once more in use. Please remember to collect any cards there for you, as well as using it to leave cards for any other benefice members.Thank you from the Foodbank: We have had an email from Gemma who runs the Buntingford Foodbank, thanking us for our support. She is delivering more and more food packages each week, and is expecting it to get even busier towards Christmas. We have been making sure she has plenty of items for children’s packed lunches, and will be contributing to the Christmas hampers she will be putting together in the next few weeks.Kisiizi Hospital parcels: Thank you to everyone who knits for Kisiizi hospital. We are now in need of boxes. Those that hold 5 reams of A4 paper are ideal. If you can help, please leave them in St Mary’s church.EHCCA Evensong 30th December: EHCCA is planning to sing Choral Evensong at St Albans Cathedral on Saturday 30th December at 5pm. All are welcome to attend.Website: Our benefice website is on the www.achurchnearyou.com platform.The benefice page can be reached via this link: https://www.achurchnearyou.com/benefice/32-240BF/. The forward from https://ubsms.org.uk should point to that page.Services for the next few weeksMidweek services each week:Tuesdays, 9.30am Holy Communion (BCP), St Catherine'sWednesdays, 9.30am Morning worship & Bible study, St Mary'sPlease note there will be no midweek services on 26th or 27th December.Sunday services:3rd December 8.00am Holy communion, St Mary's10.30am Morning worship, All Saints6.00pm Advent service, St Mary's10th December 10.30am Holy communion, St Mary's6.00pm All Saints@6, All Saints17th December 8.00am Holy communion, St Mary's10.30am Holy communion (said service), All Saints6.00pm Carol service, All Saints24th December There will be no morning service - please see the list of Christmas services below31st December 10.30am Morning worship, St Catherine's7th January 8.00am Ante communion, St Mary's10.30am Morning worship, All Saints
