Advent 2
TODAY
8.00am HOLY COMMUNION in Church
10.00am CHRISTMAS POP UP NATIVITY
in Church and on YouTube
NEXT WEEK
Tuesday 10th December – 9.00 am Morning Prayer – Church
Thursday 12th December – 9.00 am Morning Prayer – Church
Thursday 12th December – 1.00 pm Wedding Service for William Hanwell and Sarah Large
SUNDAY 15th DECEMBER 2024
Advent 3
8.00am HOLY COMMUNION in Church
Preacher: Revd Barbara Abrey
Reading: Zephaniah 3. 14-20
Sidespersons: David & Lynda Pell
10.00am HOLY COMMUNION in Church and on YouTube
Preacher: Revd Barbara Abrey
Intercessor: Andrew Francis
Reading: Zephaniah 3. 14-20
Reader: Lilllian Wicks
Altar Servers: Andy Bissex & Andrew Kirk
Sidespersons: Tony & Julia Edmonds
6.00pm CHRISTMAS CAROLS AND READINGS in Church
Live streaming the 10am service
The 10am service will be live streamed on You Tube. Please visit our YouTube Channel on https://www.youtube.com/@WroughtonWichelstoweParChurch (or search for Wroughton and Wichelstowe Parish church) and press the ‘subscribe’ button.
Small Groups
If you would like to join a small group, please contact the leaders of the groups below and find out where there is space. We would love to have everyone involved in a small group.
| 22 Kellsboro Avenue | Mondays 10am-11.30 | Lillian Wicks & Louise Bessent |
| 12 Artis Avenue | Tuesdays at 7.30pm | Carolyn Kirk |
| Church Hall | Alternate Tuesday evenings | Nick & Joan Orman – During Advent we will meet weekly. |
| The Vicarage | Wednesday evenings during term time. | Karen Harrison |
| Church Hall | Saturday men’s breakfast | Mike Mason |
‘Sunday Club’ dates
Our Sunday morning group for primary school aged children takes place in the Vicarage during the 10am service, usually on the 1st and 3rd Sundays. Future dates are:
Date Adults – lead/support Date Adults – lead/support
1/12 Joan / Helen 2/3 Phill / Karen F
15/12 Karen H / Lynn 16/3 Barbara / Carolyn
5/1 Karen H / Miriam 6/4 Karen H / Lynn
19/1 Tracy / Beth 20/4 Easter Sunday – No session
2/2 Hannah / Holly
16/2 Joan / Helena T
Christmas reflections
This year we’re recommending the book ‘Women of the Nativity – An Advent and Christmas journey in nine stories’ by Paula Gooder. Each story is seven or eight pages long and is a piece of creative writing, backed by Paula Gooder’s work as a biblical scholar. We hope that they might help us to see the very familiar stories of Christmas through fresh eyes, perhaps noticing things that we hadn’t spotted before. Each one is accompanied by some questions for reflection or discussion and several of our small groups will using these. The stories will also be covered by our Sunday morning readings, so they will complement the messages from our preachers. The book is available for £10 from Church House Publishing (www.chpublishing.co.uk) and all good online bookshops. If online shopping isn’t your thing and you’d like us to order a copy on your behalf, then please speak to Janet in the church office.
Instant Nativity 8th December
It’s dressing-up time again! As you were all such good actors last year, we’re having another instant nativity play at our 10am morning worship service on 8th December. There’s no rehearsal, just join in as the character of your choice (multiple Marys, Josephs etc can be accommodated….). We’re encouraging as many people as possible, of any age, to come dressed up. This can be as elaborate or simple as you’d like; a string of tinsel can be turned into an angel halo, dressing gowns and tea towels are great for shepherds or with a cushion under your coat you could turn yourself into a pregnant Mary and keep yourself warm too! Karen Harrison
Church Flower Guild
Are you interested in getting involved in arranging the Church flowers?
We are looking for more volunteers to help on a monthly basis. We are a friendly group and you would be working within a team. If you are interested please contact Margaret Hurst on 01793 814290.
Here Comes Christmas
Thanks to everyone who helped in any way on Saturday. Those who came along and those who provided food. All your help contributed to a successful morning.
Community Christmas Card
The children at ‘Here Comes Christmas’ helped to make us a Community Christmas Card for this year. The card is now in Church so that you can send greetings to your friends without spending money on cards or postage. Any money you have saved can be donated to The Children’s Society in the box provided.
Christingle Help
As usual we will hold our Christingle services at 3pm and 5pm on Christmas Eve. There will be Christingle making in the morning, but we also need some help to put on our ‘drama’. There will be no rehearsals or learning of lines but we do need people to be cast members. If you feel you could help please speak to Barbara.
Carol Singing in Wroughton
Members of the church choir and other singing friends are going to sing carols at Lansdowne Hill Care Home and Banks Place on the afternoon of Wednesday 18th December. We will meet at Lansdowne Hill, Wharf Rd, SN4 9LF at 2.10pm, sing some carols, have refreshments and the chance to chat with residents before moving on to Banks Place, Moormead Rd,SN4 9BY to start singing there at 3.30. We will leave at about 4.30. Carols sheets and music will be provided. If you would like to join us please contact Janet Henderson on 01793 525856 or singingjan@icloud.com or speak to me at church. Thank you.
Churchyard Hedgehog (& Wildlife!) Camera
Wroughton is one of five areas in Wiltshire which is piloting a National Hedgehog Monitoring Programme, and our churchyard was asked to take part. A camera was installed in late September, in the upper churchyard, and operated continuously for 30 days, capturing images of any animal that entered the field of view. The footage from the camera has been uploaded to a dedicated online platform called ‘MammalWeb’ where volunteers are helping to identify the animals in the images.
The photos you see here are examples of what was found – muntjac and roe deer, badgers, foxes and squirrels- it’s joyous to think all this wildlife is meandering around our lovely churchyard while we’re asleep! You’ll note that there are no photographs of hedgehogs …… but don’t despair – this was only a first look at the footage. I’ll update you once all the images are reviewed.
We were one of 30 locations in Wroughton to have a camera – and the programme runs for 3 years, so next autumn the camera will be back…….. to capture nature & biodiversity on our doorstep! Eco Church Group
Eco Church – Lifestyle Survey Results
Back in February we asked you to take part in an environmental lifestyle survey. Apologies for the long wait…… but we have now collated the results, which you can see by clicking on the link here: (The results will also be available to see in church for the next 2 or 3 weeks, for those who can’t use the link)
It’s a long list but an encouraging one. Do have a look and see all the ways in which our church members are caring for creation in many small ways – thank you to all those who responded, and for all you do to live an eco-friendly lifestyle. The Eco-Church Group will be using your responses to suggest activities that might help us all to care better for God’s Creation.
Wildflowers of Wroughton – Calendars 2025
Following the success of last year’s calendar, 2025 contains twelve new colour photographs of flowers from around the parish – including four orchids.
Available as a Wall Calendar £9.00
Desk Calender £7.00
Produced by Wroughton Monthly’s wildlife writer Boz.
They can be bought at the Parish Church, Country Market or directly from Dr Keith Hooper.
07884 108434 Home delivery available.
Funerals
We commend to God’s care and keeping those who have died, Simon Dubber, Susan Barrett and
Elizabeth Boulton. We pray for all those who mourn the loss of a loved one.
| The Parish Office, Priors Hill, Wroughton, SN4 0RT – 01793 812050 office@wroughton.com
Open Monday, Wednesday, Thursday, Friday 9am to 1.30pm Revd Phill Harrison – Vicar 01793 812301 vicar@wroughton.com Church Twitter Account – @WroughtonWichel Find us on Facebook – Wroughton and Wichelstowe Parish Church Please follow us for all the latest updates from Wroughton & Wichelstowe Parish Church. |
CHRISTMAS SERVICES
Wroughton & Wichelstowe Parish Church
Sunday 8th December
10am Pop up Nativity
Sunday 15th December –
Christmas Carols and Readings
6pm Join us for our Christmas Carols and Readings
Christmas Eve – Christingle Service
3pm and 5pm
Join us at either 3pm or 5pm in church for our popular Christingle Service. We will be singing carols, hearing the Christmas story,
having fun and lighting our Christingles. Car parking is limited, so please walk up the hill if you can!
Christmas Eve
8am A quiet Holy Communion service using traditional language
11:30pm Midnight Holy Communion Service
Christmas Day
10am All-age Holy Communion
For more information please email or phone the church office:01793 812050 or
