NEWS & VIEWS

Today is the last Sunday of Advent, and this year a whole week before Christmas. Our attention turns to the Blessed Virgin Mary this week: The collect and prayer after communion honour her and the fourth Advent Candle represents her. Our Offertory hymn recounts how a humble young woman, filled with God’s grace, willingly accepted the task of bearing Jesus, God incarnate, and changed history in doing so.

TRADITIONAL CAROL SERVICE Our service of Readings and Carols by Candlelight is at 5pm today and will be followed by hot roast pork and stuffing rolls with mulled drinks.  This is a beautiful, atmospheric service for everyone and really puts us in the Christmas mood. Please do come along and bring your friends and family. The heating will be on!

CHRISTMAS EVE Midnight Mass by candlelight will begin at 11pm on Christmas Eve (and finish by 12.15) and include the procession of the Bambino to the Crib. This is the principal Mass of Christmas and we warmly encourage everyone to join in this great celebration of the birth of Christ our Lord.

CHRISTMAS DAY At 10am there will be a simple Sung Mass with carols and the blessing of the Crib.

ADVENT This is the season of the Church’s year when we prepare for the great festival of Christmas. The scripture readings and liturgical themes turn to the subject of the end times, when Christ will come again (his second Advent) to restore all things and take his people to himself in the Kingdom prepared for us. The seven Great Antiphons (“Advent O’s”), well-known from the hymn O come, O come Emmanuel, traditionally each used before and after the Magnificat during Evening Prayer, continue until Friday.

ADVENT AT ST MARY’S On Thursday during our weekly Adoration of the Blessed Sacrament, Seminarian Marcel Firth will lead us in a special devotion based on the themes of waiting, expecting and hoping.

WELCOMERS We are looking volunteers to be welcomers at Mass on Sundays. This is an important ministry of hospitality, but something we sadly lost during the pandemic. It involves being in church 15 minutes before Mass to welcome those coming into church and handing them a service sheet, assisting those who are new, and being generally warm and friendly! With enough help, this would only be once every 3 or 4 weeks for any one person. We need to get this together urgently, so please speak to Fr Gareth ASAP.

PARISH SHARE If you haven’t already, please take home and read the leaflet explaining the new Parish Share system for the diocese. Each parish in the diocese is expected to pay its share - the leaflet explains what the money is used for. Next year, St Mary’s is being asked to pay £50,000 - nearly £959 per week. This is one of the lower amounts being asked of the parishes in this area, but nevertheless it is our largest single annual expense.

CHURCH FINANCES We rely on the people who worship at St Mary’s to cover the costs associated with our church. Financial giving to fund the ministry of the Church is part of being a Christian and an essential part of our commitment to our faith. Please, if you don’t already, would you consider giving a regular amount each month? We are really struggling to make ends meet! No amount is too small. Using our parish giving plan is easy and you are in full control (and Margaret Quinney will be pleased to help you if needed).

INTERCESSION

OF YOUR CHARITY, PLEASE PRAY FOR

the sick, distressed and bereaved
John & Joan Cassidy, Richard Holland, Lucy Ball, Amberly Crediton, Kathy Valentine, Margaret Harding, Mel Taylor, Bernard Street, Muriel Masters, Fr Oliver Coss, Keith Holland, Helen Johnson, Joe & Sally Cox, Kay Higgins, Peter Decker, Joy Bewick, Doris Nisbet; Susanne Jones, Renate Arnold

the recently departed

Christine Jupp, Gloria Erasmus, Rachel Baker, John Bewick

those whose anniversaries of death fall this week

Sunday

Thomas Smith, Anne Fairweather, Ernest Okungbowa, Queenie Dike, Arthur Horne Jr

Monday

Clare Atkins, Anthony Cassidy

Tuesday

Jeannette Knight

Wednesday

John Gathercole, Michael Carney, Betty Osborne

Thursday

Clara Smith, Percy Smith

Friday

Harry Wicks

Saturday

Henry Avery

please pray especially for

the lonely

ORDER OF SERVICE