Advent 3
The Third Sunday of Advent
God for whom we watch and wait
You sent John the Baptist to prepare the way of your Son; give us courage to speak the truth,
To hunger for justice,
And to suffer for the cause of right,
With Jesus Christ our Lord. Amen
Today
8.00am Holy Communion
10.00am Parish Communion
12.00noon Christening Service for Elodie Courtliff
4.00pm ‘Come along and Join in the Nativity’
The Church Hall, Priors Hill
6.00pm Christmas Carol Service
Diary – Week Commencing 15th December
Monday 16th December
8.30am Morning Prayer – Church
9.00am Morning Prayer – Chapel Deanery School
9.00am Wroughton Infants School – Church
10.00am Bible Study Group – 11 St John Road
Tuesday 17th December
The Church Office will be closed today
8.30am Morning Prayer – Church
12.00noon Christmas Ladies who Lunch – The Baker’s at Badbury
Wednesday 18th December
8.30am Morning Prayer – Church Hall
10.00am The Let’s Group – Community Room,
Deanery School
Thursday 19th December
8.30am Morning Prayer – Church
9.00am Wroughton Juniors School – Church
1.00pm Funeral Service for Constance Brown
7.30pm Choir Practice – Church
Filling Station – Neen & Chris
Friday 20th December
8.45am Morning Prayer – Prospect Hospice
7.00pm Bellringers Practice
Saturday 21st December
Dates for your diary 2019
Ladies who Lunch – Christmas Lunch
On Tuesday 17th December at The Baker’s at Badbury at 12.30pm. So far I have had 9 Menus . if there are any more please let me have them by the Sunday 15th December.
Menus on which to make your choices from Veronica, me or from the Baker’s at Badbury website.
Christmas dates for your diary
We will be holding a number of specifically ‘visitor friendly’ events this Christmas:
22nd December 2pm – Blue Christmas Service
in the Church Hall. Aimed at people who are finding Christmas difficult. Please come along yourself an also pray and think about who you might be able to invite.
Sunday 22nd December 2019
Advent 4
8.00am Holy Communion
Preacher: Mark Tubey
Sidespeople: Pat Lewis and Dee Vincent
10.00am Parish Communion
Preacher: Mark Tubey
Intercessions: Janet Henderson
Reading: Romans 1. 1-7
Reader: Helen Toomer
Gospel: Matthew 1. 18-25
Servers: Jean Ford and Petrina Kingsley
Sidespeople: Rose Humphries and Pat Herring
4.00pm Church at 4
Leader: Cheryl Hawkins
Floodlighting
The Church will be floodlit on Monday 16th December in memory of Christine Spooncer from her sisters, Pat & Ann. Missed so very much;
In memory of Bettine Rumming by Carol, Ted, Louise & Catherine. Thinking of you always Mum.
Christingle(s)
Christingle is something of a phenomenon on Christmas Eve in Wroughton and we welcome well over 800 people across two services (3pm and 5pm). If you’re able to help with Christingle making from 9am in church on 24th December then please let us know. Many hands make light work!
Defibrillator
Thanks to a kind donor, we now have a defibrillator (also known as AED) in the church for use in situations where someone is in cardiac arrest (a heart attack). Initially this is being kept on top of the safe in the vestry, where it will be accessible during services and other functions in the church. We ultimately plan to install it in the church porch, where it will be available for use by the wider community (it takes some time to get the necessary permissions…). Mark Tubey will be giving a short talk about when and how to use the AED at 9:15 on Sunday 22nd December, in church. Everyone welcome.
Church and Church Hall building work
Over the next two years we need to complete some significant building maintenance on both the church and the church hall. We’re delighted to be able to report that we recently received a donation of £40,000 towards the cost of some of this work. We are currently working with our architects to appoint a contractor to take care of the exterior and interior repairs to the church (note that these are repairs, not changes!). More details will follow in the first part of next year.
Christmas Day services
At its recent meeting, the PCC took the decision not to hold 8am or Church at 4 services on Christmas Day. Instead we will have a joint Holy Communion service at 10am, where the whole church family is invited to come and celebrate together.
A Christmas thought…
As we all know, times have changed. We can no longer expect people to come and worship on a Sunday out of a sense of duty, they need to know and experience the power of God in their own lives. This means that we need to reach out to them, wherever they are, and tell them our stories in ways that are meaningful and relevant to their lives. Most Christian mission therefore happens outside the church building. However, once a year the tables are turned. Once a year people come actively seeking us out. They come into our buildings to sing Christmas carols and to hear the story of Jesus. Please pray that they will find a warm welcome and encounter the wonder and mystery of God for themselves.
Community Christmas Card
The children at Church at 4 have made a card for us all to sign sending greetings to our friends in church. Please sign the card and put a donation for The Children’s Society in the box provided.
Carol singing in Wichelstowe
The Stowe church are planning a couple of informal carol singing events in Wichelstowe and wonder if there are people from our Church who would like to join them. It would be great to bless Wichelstowe together in partnership. The two events are
- Wednesday 18th December – at The Bayberry from 7:00pm with an opportunity to stay and join the Christmas pub quiz from 8:00pm.
- Friday 20th December early evening – on the patio area outside the co-op with refreshments.
All singers are welcome of any age, young or old. The desire to love people is more important than the ability to carry a tune!
Carol Singing at Prospect
This year’s carol-singing at the Prospect Hospice and local care homes will be on Wednesday 18th December starting at 2.00pm. The starting point is to be announced soon, but we will end up singing at Prospect at 4.00pm. Anyone welcome, carol sheets and/or music supplied.
Advent Reflections
If you’re looking for stillness and reflection in the busyness of the run up to Christmas, there are a few copies of daily Advent reflections from the christian charity ‘Embrace the Middle East’ on the church chest. Please help yourself to a copy – I’ve found these informative, thought-provoking and inspirational in the past. Alternatively, you can request a daily email version by signing up on their website: https://www.embraceme.org/sign-daily-advent-email-reflections
Helena
Children’s Society
Many thanks to all Children’s Society box holders, £290.84 has been raised from this year’s box opening. Carolyn Kirk
Pray and Bless Wroughton and Wichelstowe
There will be no ‘Pray and Bless’ meeting in December, we return in January.
This Wednesday is LET’S PRAY
Please join us or send us a Prayer Request via….
- Facebook – LET’S
Email – letsinspirecommunity@gmail.com
- Text or call – 07806227678
Please also tell others about this opportunity
Presents for the Filling Station
With the onset of winter, life gets even harder for those living on the streets. The Filling Station would welcome presents for the homeless men in Swindon, which they will distribute nearer Christmas. If you would like to donate something, please pass it to Margaret Penfound or Jack Gower. Suitable items are:
Boxer shorts, socks, gloves, hats, deodorant, baby wipes, toilet roll, Chocolate
They are not ignoring the homeless women, as other churches are being asked to provide for them!
Plastic Recycling
Wiltshire Air Ambulance are collecting some plastics that the council don’t take at present. We now have a box in the church hall kitchen where you can put clean BREAD BAGS, CRISP PACKETS AND BISCUIT WRAPPERS, which will then be taken to their collection point. The best time to drop them off would be on a Sunday afternoon when the hall is open for Church at 4, or any time you are going to a meeting in the hall.
Annual Pub Crawl
Everyone is welcome to come along to what has become a tradition on the Saturday before Christmas our annual pub crawl. This has dwindled from visiting every pub in Wroughton to going to two possibly three depending on how we feel! We start at the Brown Jack and continue to the White Hart and finish at the Carter’s. Bring along your friends and family. Times will be announced nearer the time.
Sally
Joyce Mwangi
has asked for help in raising £600 towards her daughter’s exams which she is taking in December. She is asking for our help and our prayers as she and her friends in Kenya no longer have the means to pay the fees.
If you can help please talk to Sally Parker.
This week please pray for:-
- Tearfund
- The 4 Let’s group that meet at the Deanery
- For Swindon Food Collective
- The Filling Station
- The family and friends of Elodie Courtliff who will be christened in Church today
- We commend to God’s care and keeping those who have died recently especially Christine Gosling, Constance Brown and Gordon Stratford. We pray for all who mourn the loss of loved ones.
The Parish Office, Priors Hill, Wroughton, SN4 0RT
Monday, Wednesday, Thursday, Friday 9am to 1.30pm
01793 812050. office@wroughton.com
Revd Phill Harrison – 01793 812301 vicar@wroughton.com
Church Twitter Account
We have Twitter @WroughtonWichel
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