ST. MARK’S NOTES FOR DECEMBER 2025 AND JANUARY 2026
We, at St Marks, have had another year full of wonderful events; including a concert, Pimm’s & Hymns, two afternoon teddy bear picnics, Harvest Festival, Wear It Pink Celebration, and two new events; a summer BBQ, (which was a great success and will now be added to our yearly social events,) and Ride and Stride, for the Historic Churches Trust. Many of these events were in support of various charities and raised several hundred pounds for local and national charities. Plus, two of our church members who independently did sponsored events raising significant amounts of money for charities; as John mentioned in last month’s edition.
We also held a wonderful Licensing Service for Dave and Carol, by Bishop Karen, a great time of celebration.
Our links with St Marks School continues to grow and flourish and we had our first baptism, in four years, with a local family being welcomed into the church family at St Marks.
A truly wonderful year of events at the ‘Party Church.’
The reordering of the church and meeting room continues resulting in the meeting room now being warm and very welcoming.
On November 9th, we held our Service of Remembrance, in the morning. Several of us then joined the Town Remembrance Service in the afternoon, when, as a town, we came together to reflect on and to honour the many service people who ‘gave their tomorrow for our today.’
Sadly, we have also said a fond farewell to some dear friends and members of our church family, sharing some tears, a smile, and a little laughter as we celebrated their life. As I write, we are preparing for Mary Dennis’ funeral on Monday the 24th of November, and for further details of Marion Booth’s funeral.
We have our St Marks Christmas Dinner on Monday 15th December (details and a sign-up sheet in church) a time of great celebration. A big thank you to Uta for organising this event once again.
Advent is here, and we now set our hearts, prayers, and worship to a time of preparation for God’s wonderful gift to us, his Son, our Savour. During Advent there are several events in town and our church services, a time for us to gather together as part of the Swanage and Studland Team in our preparation for Christmas.
Our big event will be our wonderful Carols by Candlelight, at 4:30pm on Christmas Eve, when we welcome familiar faces, local children, and parents to this very special Christmas service.
We also hope to welcome several visitors, to one of our Christmas services, with a smile and perhaps a mince pie and hot drink!
In January, we will be hosting, once again, the Team Epiphany Carol Service on Sunday 4th January at 6:30pm, which, of course, will be followed by some warming and festive refreshments, in true St Marks style!
We are already planning our many social events for 2026 and hopefully welcoming some new faces from the local Herston community to join us at St Marks.
I pray, that over this time of Advent, you will have time to pause and ask the Holy Spirit to help you enter that first Christmas with delight, wonder and a sense of Peace, to fully rejoice that this is news of great joy, for all people, everywhere.
I would like to leave you with a reading from the start of St John’s Gospel: (John 1: 1-4,9,14a)
In the beginning was the Word, and the Word was with God, and the Word was God.
He was in the beginning with God.
All things came into being through him, and without him not one thing came into being.
What has come into being in him was life, and the life was the light of all people….
The true light, which enlightens everyone, was coming into the world….
And the Word became flesh and lived among us.
Although a little early, as I write this in mid-November, may we wish you all a ‘Blessed and Joyful Merry Christmas and a very Happy New Year’
May God Bless and Keep You
Anne Roper
Church Warden