Sunday 12th November 2017
Remembrance Sunday
A PRAYER FOR REMEMBRANCE SUNDAY
They shall grow not old,
as we that are left grow old;
age shall not weary them,
nor the years condemn.
At the going down of the sun and in the morning,
we will remember them. Amen
Today
8.00am Holy Communion
10.00am Remembrance Sunday Service
10.54am Act of Remembrance
At the War Memorial
4.00pm Church at 4
Diary – Week Commencing Sunday 12th November
Monday 13th November
The Parish Office will be closed today
8.30am Morning Prayer – Church
10.00am Bible Study – 11 St John Road
Tuesday 14th November
8.30am Morning Prayer – Church
6.00pm Clergy Surgery
Wednesday 15th November
8.30am Morning Prayer – Parish Office
Thursday 16th November
8.30am Morning Prayer – Church
12.30pm Ladies who Lunch – Waggon & Horses
7.30pm Choir Practice – Church
7.30pm Swindon Churches Together
Filling Station – Joan & Neil
Friday 17th November
8.45am Morning Prayer – Prospect Hospice
7.00pm Bellringers Practice – Church
7.00pm 115 Club
Saturday 18th November
9.30am Healing on the Streets – Ellendune Centre
Dates for your diary
Christmas Ladies Who Lunch
Ladies who Lunch Christmas lunch is on Monday 18th December at 12.30pm at the Baker’s, Badbury
Sunday 19th November 2017
2nd Sunday before Advent
8.00am Holy Communion
Preacher: Teresa Townsend
Sidespeople: John & Iris Smith
10.00am Parish Communion
Preacher: Teresa Townsend
Intercessions:Mark Tubey
Reading: 1 Thessalonians 5: 1-11
Reader: Cheryl Hawkins
Gospel: Matthew 25: 14-30
Servers: Gillian Pitter and Louise Sampson
Sidespeople: Lillian Wicks and Jean Leo
4.00pm Church at 4
Led by: Joan Orman
TODAY – Remembrance Sunday 10am
We will be welcoming young people from the local uniformed organisations and their leaders and families to the service today, as well as members of Discovery Church who are joining us– please do make them feel welcome and arrive early enough to be seated!
Birthdays
Happy Birthday to Colin Gill, Alan McMeeking and Belinda Hatherall on their birthdays during the coming week.
Floodlighting
The Church will be floodlit on Friday 10th November by Lorraine Rowsell in memory of her husband, Ronald Rowsell on his birthday; on Monday 13th November by Jean Lawton in memory of her husband Edward Lawton.
Vacancy Update
Although over 300 people downloaded the information pack, we have received no applications for the post of Vicar of Wroughton and Wichelstowe. We are obviously very disappointed by this, but we have not lost hope! The Archdeacon has told us that recruitment is currently a major challenge both in the Bristol Diocese and nationally.
So, what happens next? The PCC met on Tuesday to discuss and agree a way forward.
First, we are setting aside Saturday 2nd December as a day of prayer, to ask God to lead the right person to us. The church building will be open from 8am to 3pm, and you are warmly invited to come and spend some time (long or short) in prayer. If you are not able to be there in person, we would be delighted if you would join in this day by praying at home. A prayer guide will be available to support you in this.
Second, we are reviewing the information pack and job advert to see if any changes are needed.
Third, we will be re-advertising the role again in January with the hope of conducting interviews in February. We hope that the beginning of a new year will be a better time to attract candidates looking for new challenges.
We will keep you up to date with developments. In the meantime, please continue to pray. If you have any questions, please do not hesitate to ask Nick Orman or Paul Woolley.
Stewardship Update
We now have around half of the pledge cards returned-
If you have not yet got round to filling yours in, please do return it soon or ask for another if it has been mislaid. Thank you for your generosity.
Please also consider signing up for the Parish Giving Scheme if you currently give by standing order– it will mean very little change for you, but will save the church many hours in admin.
Youth Group
Our monthly youth small group meets on the first Sunday of the month 6.30-8.30pm in the Parish Hall– if you know anyone between 11 and 18 who might enjoy meeting for fun, food and space to think about important questions then do talk to Ruth Orman or Nicola for more info.
Ladies who Lunch
Thursday 16th November at 12.30pm at The Waggon and Horses, Beckhampton.
Please let Veronica know if you are going on 812746 or by email verongar@aol.com on the previous Sunday please
Christmas Knitting Angels and Stars
As our yarn bombing was such a success last Christmas we thought we would repeat it again this year. So it is time to start knitting again. Please make more of the angels we made last year, or if you can find a pattern we would like to add some stars this year. If you don’t knit well why not try making stars from fabric, as long as they are not too big and are stiff enough to look good when we put them out. Any questions to Barbara.
An evening of Dickens and Christmas
Three special evenings have been organised in connection with Lion Hudson’s publication of Dr Keith Hooper’s new book on Charles Dickens. Celebrating the author’s connection with Christmas, there will be readings from his best known works, and insights into the author’s work and life. Entertaining and informative, the events are as follows:
Thursday 16th November 6.00- 8.00p.m Mustard Seed Bookshop, Marlborough SN8 1BE (01672) 511611
Tuesday 21st November 7.00- 8.30p.m Central Library, Swindon SN1 1QG (01793) 466454 (£10.00 includes copy of the book) Wednesday 6th December 7.30 – 9.00p.m Malmesbury Abbey, Wiltshire SN16 9BA (01666) 824331 (£3.00) Tickets are available in advance (recommended) or on the door.
Advent Reflections
These will be held in church on Monday evenings from 6.30– 7.15pm beginning on 4th December and will focus on the four songs found in the gospels around the story of Jesus’ birth.
CHURCH IN THE WIDER WORLD
Tearfund
Over the next two months we shall be asking for your prayers for the work of Tearfund (The Evangelical Alliance Relief Fund). Their aims:
We’re Christians committed to following Jesus where the need is greatest. God has called us to serve those living in poverty, regardless of race, gender, nationality or religious belief.
We know the gospel has the power to transform lives and heal communities, we see this truth in our work every day. God isn’t giving up on the poor, neither are we.
Tearfund is working in many countries alongside local groups to alleviate poverty and suffering. Please pray:
- For their workers in areas of conflict such as Syria, Afghanistan, Darfur and the Democratic Republic of Congo who are providing shelter, food and emergency supplies.
- For those helping to build peace in areas such as Nigeria.
- For the staff at headquarters to have wisdom and discernment in distributing funds and people where they are most needed.
Knitting for Mission to Seafarers
Thanks again to all our keen knitters. I have received a letter from The Mission to Seafarers thanking us for the knitware I sent in September and last week I was able to send off another batch of 22 hats and 21 scarves to the charity. Also thanks to those who have donated wool – there is a good selection in the white boxes on the bench by the choir vestry together with patterns, so please help yourselves if you want to get started on a hat, scarf or gloves. Completed items should be put in one of these boxes. As the weather gets colder and the nights draw in this is an ideal time to get those needles busy. For further information talk to Janet Henderson (525856).
This week please also pray for:-
- Tearfund
- The Residents of Weirside Avenue and East Wichel Way
- Healing on the Streets
- We commend to God’s care and keeping those who have died recently especially Trevor Davies. We pray for all who mourn the loss of loved ones.