January News and Notices
- St Bart's Parish Office
- Dec 29, 2025
- 7 min read
Updated: Dec 30, 2025
Epiphany Season | Baptism of Christ | Week of Prayer for Christian Unity
As we step into January, the Church invites us to keep celebrating. Christmas joy continues through the Sundays of Epiphany, right up to Candlemas, the Presentation of Christ in the Temple.
Epiphany means manifestation: Christ revealed. In the Western tradition, we remember the magi, the “wise men from the east,” coming to worship Jesus, a sign that he is not only for one people but for all nations. In the Eastern tradition, Epiphany shines light on Jesus’ baptism, when the heavens opened and the Father named him as the beloved Son; and it is followed by the wedding at Cana, where Jesus “first manifested his glory.”
This is a season for mission and unity too: we pray for the Church’s witness across the world, we mark the Conversion of St Paul, apostle to the Gentiles, and we share in the Week of Prayer for Christian Unity.
As we begin a new year, we give thanks for all God has carried us through: our worship offered, friendships strengthened, service given, and grace found even in hard days. And we look ahead with hope: the light that has come into the world is still shining, and God’s mercies are new each morning. Great is his faithfulness!
January Sunday Services at a glance
Sunday 4th January - The Epiphany*
8am Eucharist
9am Bubble Church
10am Sung Eucharist with Junior Church and Crèche
Sunday 11th January - The Baptism of Christ
8am Eucharist
10am Sung Eucharist with Junior Church and Crèche
Sunday 18th January - The Second Sunday of Epiphany
8am Eucharist
9am Bubble Church
10am Sung Eucharist with Junior Church and Crèche
Sunday 25th January - The Conversion of St Paul**
8am Eucharist
10am Sung Eucharist with Junior Church and Crèche
Sunday 1st February - The Presentation of Christ in the Temple (Candlemas)***
8am Eucharist
9am Bubble Church
10am Sung Eucharist with Junior Church and Crèche
* Transferred from the 6th January
** Festival celebrated in lieu of The Third Sunday of Epiphany
*** Transferred from 2nd February
Looking Back over 2025
As 2025 comes to an end, here are a few photos from the past year in our parish. They’re a small snapshot of worship, friendship, service, and celebration. Thank you to everyone who has shared in the life of our church this year.
January Worship Highlights
The Epiphany: We celebrate the revealing of Christ to the nations, as the Magi are drawn by the star to worship the newborn King, the light of God made known to the whole world. In the service, the Three Wise Men are brought to the crib.
The Baptism of Christ: We rejoice that Jesus is baptised in the Jordan, anointed by the Spirit and declared God’s beloved Son, and we are reminded of our own baptismal calling to live as God’s children. This service contains the Thanksgiving for Baptism during which we are sprinkled with water from the font.
Candlemas (The Presentation of Christ in the Temple): We remember Mary and Joseph presenting Jesus in the Temple, where Simeon and Anna recognise him as the light for all people, and we look ahead to the costly love that will lead him to the cross. In the service, candles are blessed and we have a procession into church.
Week of Prayer for Christian Unity
The Week of Prayer for Christian Unity is traditionally observed from the 18th to the 25th January, concluding with the Conversion of St Paul.
This year's theme is "One Body, One Spirit".
Paul’s epistles stress the importance of unity within the Church, urging us to live lives worthy of our calling with humility, gentleness, patience and love (Ephesians 4:1-3). Ephesians 4:4 summarises the teachings of Paul about unity, emphasising here, too, that the followers of Christ represent ‘one body and one Spirit’, united in a single hope.
Prayers for unity will be said at St Bart's at Evening Prayer during this time.
There will also be an eccumenical service with our sisters and brothers in the Roman Catholic Church, the Methodists, and the United Reformed Church.
Service for the Week of Prayer for Christian Unity
Thursday 22nd January
10am
St John's Killingworth
Postage Stamps
Sheena is collecting used postage stamps to raise funds for Parkinson's UK. If you have saved your stamps, please pass them straight to Sheena, who will send them off to the Charity. They accept First and Second class stamps, Foreign stamps, First day covers, Presentation packs and Stamp Albums. Please cut used stamps off envelopes, or tear them carefully, leaving a border. The stamps are sold in bulk to stamp dealers, who then sell the better specimens to stamp collectors. Non valuable stamps can be sold for crafting, paper recycling or used in artistic projects.
Mother's Union Hearts and Angels Project
At the request of the Marie Curie Hospice for knitted hearts and angels, a group of willing knitters from St Bart's Mothers' Union (MU), the St Bart's Craft Group and a knitting group in Gosforth produced 60 hearts and 40 angels. These are offered to children and adults using their services and in need of their care. Roz Glenn of St Bart's MU, who co-ordinated the project, kindly delivered the items to the Hospice in time for Christmas, where they were gratefully received by Katy Francis, their Chaplain.
Spotlight is a monthly informal gathering where we can look in depth at areas of scripture, theology, faith or church life. It will be delivered in a similar fashion to the 'We Believe' Lent course.
Our next Spotlight evening will be focussing on the Gospel of St Luke.
Bubble Church continues to inspire and entertain our young families (and the helpers of all ages). Bubble Church runs on the first and third Sunday of the month at 9am (coffee and croissants served from 8:45am!)
Even if you regularly attend, please do sign up. It really helps us to prepare.
Remember our fun and informal Junior Church and Crèche run alongside our 10am Service, so children are very welcome to stay for that too, or come along on a week when Bubble Church isn't running.
Sunday 4th January, 9am
Sunday 18th January, 9am
Changes to contacts at St Mary Magdalene
From January to May, the St Bart's Parish Office will be handling the incoming calls and emails for St Mary Magdalene.
Exploring Baptism
Exploring Baptism is short session for parents/carers to explore Baptism in the Church of England for their children.
This session will explore and explain Baptism in the Church of England at St Bart's.
The session will include:
What Baptism services there are
What it all means
Choosing godparents
Christian life
Answering your questions
There will be refreshments and a crèche for youngsters.
This is essential information for anyone considering or preparing for Baptism.
REMINDERS
Are you new to church?
Thinking of coming along for the first time? Just go for it!
We know it can feel intimidating not knowing what to do or where to go, but here you’ll find a warm welcome on the door and someone ready to help with everything you need. Our main Sunday services are at 8am (quiet) and 10am (with music), with midweek Holy Communion on Tuesdays at 6:30pm and Wednesdays at 10am, and daily prayer at 9am and 5:30pm. Plus the church is often open for you to sit and pray during the day.
Children are always welcome: we have Junior Church and a crèche at the 10am service, plus Bubble Church for toddlers and young children. We’re fully accessible, and everything in our services is explained; there’s no need to worry about when to sit, stand, or join in, and a friendly neighbour will always be glad to help.
Regularly hearing God's word, praying, praising, and receiving communion will change your life for the better. And we'd love to welcome you.
Giving to St Bart's
Please consider a one-off or regular donation to St Bart's through the Parish Giving Scheme.
The Parish Giving Scheme (PGS) is a secure and simple way of giving to St Bart’s. It works by making a Direct Debit from your bank account which is then passed on to us. You can also opt to add Gift Aid which PGS claims on our behalf, at no extra cost to you, passing an additional 25% to us automatically.
There is also an option give regularly, and to automatically increase your gift annually. PGS will write to you and advise you of the new amount in advance, so you can choose to add more or to decrease the amount if you wish. If the majority of our planned givers were to opt for this, it would have a huge, positive impact on our finances.
Find out more by clicking the button below.
Morning and Evening Prayer
The Daily Offices (Morning and Evening Prayer) are the Church’s ancient pattern of prayer that punctuates the day with praise, intercession, and reflection on Scripture. From the earliest centuries, Christians gathered at set hours to pray on behalf of all creation and for the salvation of the world, with morning and evening soon becoming the principal times of prayer.
This tradition continues at St Bart's.
9am Morning Prayer
5:30pm Evening Prayer
These services weave together psalms, Bible readings, and prayers in a rhythm that unites individuals, congregations, and religious communities across time and place.
Whether prayed alone or together with others, the Offices give shape to the day, ensuring that, echoing George Herbert’s words: “seven whole days, not one in seven” are given to the praise of God and the forming of God’s people through word and prayer.
Come along and try it.
NB There are usually no services on Fridays.
Easy Fundraising
Easy Fundraising is a website which gives the church (or any charitable cause) free money. Businesses like Tesco, Argos, and Marks and Spencer pay Easy Fundraising a small commission when they direct you to their website to spend money. They forward that money onto us.
For example, if you buy your groceries online from Morrisons, go to Easy Fundraising first, and click on Morrisons. Then when you checkout, Morrisons gives us £1.30 as a thank you. You will need to make an account and select St Bartholomew's as your cause.
It may sound complicated, but once it's set up it's free money for the church!
Reminder: Home Communions
There are some permanently housebound members of our congregation who are taken Holy Communion to their home. This is bread (and wine) which has been consecrated by a priest at church, and then taken by a member of the Home Communion team to be distributed at home or hospital.
But this is not just available to those who cannot come to church at all. If you have been unwell or for any reason unable to attend for a couple of weeks, get in touch! We will visit you and bring you the sacrament.
Also, if you are unwell, or would like to be added to our prayer list, please tell us. Do not assume we know!