Christmas Fair | Mothers' Union | Christmas Cards | Monday Club | People's Kitchen: Christmas Gift Bags | Fairtrade & Preserve Stall | Bubble Church | Psalms Reminder | Fr Ben, Annual Leave |
Christmas Fair
We welcome any good quality items for our fair: Gifts, bottles of wine or spirits, toiletries, books, clothing and accessories, pre-loved homeware items. See Chris Gravell for more info. Thank you!
Mothers Union Walk of Witness
On 25th November, the Mother’s Union will be taking a walk of witness to stand against gender based violence and abuse. This will start at the gates of Church at 11am and end in Forest Hall (Outside Greggs) with a three minute silence. Everyone is welcome to join, and your participation would be greatly appreciated.
Christmas Cards
We are very grateful that local artist Catherine Johnson has allowed us to use a beautiful winter scene of our church—painted by her—as a Christmas Card. These have been printed and will be available to buy very soon!
Monday Club
The next meeting will be held on Mon 20th November at 1pm, with a talk on Remembering North East Department Stores by Graham Soult. New members and guests always welcome to just turn up, or speak to a committee member (see board in the Hall).
People’s Kitchen Christmas Gift Bags
The Mothers' Union are calling on your generosity so we can purchase the items requested to fill the bags. A box has been placed at the back of church for your donations. Please note this is separate to the ongoing collection of food for the People’s Kitchen. Thank you in anticipation.
Could donations please be made by 30th November.
Fairtrade & Preserve stall
Will be held this week (19th November) in the hall after the 10am Eucharist.
Bubble Church
On 21st January, we will be launching Bubble Church. A new informal service aimed at young children and their families—especially those who do not currently have a connection to the Church. We are looking for volunteers to help in various different ways: Welcoming, serving refreshments, helping with sound and video, puppeteering (!) and service leading. Fr Ben, Fr Mark and Louise went to a training day and it is simple, fun and will really appeal to the little ones. Please let us know if you are interested or if you have any questions.
Reminder Psalms
We have reintroduced the psalm as part of the lectionary readings for the Eucharist. The psalms in the lectionary are responsorial; they have a refrain which is said by the reader, and repeated by all. The reader continues with the verses, and after every two, the refrain is repeated. When there is a choir at the Eucharist, the refrain and the verse will be sung. When there is no choir, it will be said.
Fr Ben annual leave
Fr Ben will be away 19th November – 1st December. We will welcome Fr Michael Douglass on the two Wednesdays he is away.
Those who have asked for our prayers
Les & Avis H
Neil T
Mandy M
Jean Q
Joan M
Diane A
and a little girl and her family.
Rest in Peace
Edna Tock
Terry Weelands
Year’s Mind
Ada Murray
Sunday 19th November
Second Sunday before Advent
8am: Holy Communion
10am: Sung Eucharist
Monday 20th November
9.30am: Morning Prayer (St Andrew's Chapel)
1.00pm Monday Club (Church Hall)
Tuesday 21st November
9.30am: Morning Prayer (St Andrew's Chapel)
Wednesday 22nd November
9.30am: Morning Prayer (St Andrew's Chapel)
10.00 Eucharist (with Fr Michael Douglass)
Thursday 23rd November
9.30am: Morning Prayer (St Andrew's Chapel)
1.00pm: Craft Club (Church Hall)
Friday 24th November
9.30am: Morning Prayer (St Andrew's Chapel)
12.15pm: Lunch Club (Church Hall)
5.30pm: Choir practice
Saturday 25th November
9.30am: Morning Prayer (St Andrew's Chapel)
Sunday 26th November:
Christ the King
8am: Holy Communion
10am: Sung Eucharist
Sunday 19th November 2023
2nd Sunday before Advent
Collect
Heavenly Father,
whose blessed Son was revealed to destroy the works of the devil
and to make us the children of God and heirs of eternal life:
grant that we, having this hope,
may purify ourselves even as he is pure;
that when he shall appear in power and great glory
we may be made like him in his eternal and glorious kingdom;
where he is alive and reigns with you,
in the unity of the Holy Spirit,
one God, now and for ever.
Zephaniah 1.7, 12–end
7 Be silent before the Lord God!
For the day of the Lord is at hand; the Lord has prepared a sacrifice,
he has consecrated his guests.
12 At that time I will search Jerusalem with lamps,
and I will punish the people who rest complacently on their dregs,
those who say in their hearts, The Lord will not do good,
nor will he do harm.
13 Their wealth shall be plundered,
and their houses laid waste. Though they build houses,
they shall not inhabit them; though they plant vineyards,
they shall not drink wine from them.
14 14 The great day of the Lord is near,
near and hastening fast; the sound of the day of the Lord is bitter,
the warrior cries aloud there.
15 That day will be a day of wrath,
a day of distress and anguish, a day of ruin and devastation,
a day of darkness and gloom, a day of clouds and thick darkness,
16 a day of trumpet blast and battle cry against the fortified cities
and against the lofty battlements.
17 I will bring such distress upon people
that they shall walk like the blind;
because they have sinned against the Lord, their blood shall be poured out like dust,
and their flesh like dung.
18 Neither their silver nor their gold
will be able to save them
on the day of the Lords wrath; in the fire of his passion
the whole earth shall be consumed; for a full, a terrible end
he will make of all the inhabitants of the earth.
Psalm 90.1–8
1 Lord, you have been our refuge
from one generation to another.
2 Before the mountains were brought forth,
or the earth and the world were formed,
from everlasting to everlasting you are God.
3 You turn us back to dust and say:
Turn back, O children of earth.
4 For a thousand years in your sight are but as yesterday,
which passes like a watch in the night.
5 You sweep them away like a dream;
they fade away suddenly like the grass.
6 In the morning it is green and flourishes;
in the evening it is dried up and withered.
7 For we consume away in your displeasure;
we are afraid at your wrathful indignation.
8 You have set our misdeeds before you
and our secret sins in the light of your countenance.
1 Thessalonians 5.1–11
5 Now concerning the times and the seasons, brothers and sisters, you do not need to have anything written to you.
2 For you yourselves know very well that the day of the Lord will come like a thief in the night.
3 When they say, There is peace and security, then sudden destruction will come upon them, as labour pains come upon a pregnant woman, and there will be no escape!
4 But you, beloved, are not in darkness, for that day to surprise you like a thief;
5 for you are all children of light and children of the day; we are not of the night or of darkness.
6 So then, let us not fall asleep as others do, but let us keep awake and be sober;
7 for those who sleep sleep at night, and those who are drunk get drunk at night.
8 But since we belong to the day, let us be sober, and put on the breastplate of faith and love, and for a helmet the hope of salvation.
9 For God has destined us not for wrath but for obtaining salvation through our Lord Jesus Christ,
10 who died for us, so that whether we are awake or asleep we may live with him.
11 Therefore encourage one another and build up each other, as indeed you are doing.
Matthew 25.14–30
14 For it is as if a man, going on a journey, summoned his slaves and entrusted his property to them;
15 to one he gave five talents, to another two, to another one, to each according to his ability. Then he went away.
16 The one who had received the five talents went off at once and traded with them, and made five more talents.
17 In the same way, the one who had the two talents made two more talents.
18 But the one who had received the one talent went off and dug a hole in the ground and hid his masters money.
19 After a long time the master of those slaves came and settled accounts with them.
20 Then the one who had received the five talents came forward, bringing five more talents, saying, Master, you handed over to me five talents; see, I have made five more talents.
21 His master said to him, Well done, good and trustworthy slave; you have been trustworthy in a few things, I will put you in charge of many things; enter into the joy of your master.
22 And the one with the two talents also came forward, saying, Master, you handed over to me two talents; see, I have made two more talents.
23 His master said to him, Well done, good and trustworthy slave; you have been trustworthy in a few things, I will put you in charge of many things; enter into the joy of your master.
24 Then the one who had received the one talent also came forward, saying, Master, I knew that you were a harsh man, reaping where you did not sow, and gathering where you did not scatter seed;
25 so I was afraid, and I went and hid your talent in the ground. Here you have what is yours.
26 But his master replied, You wicked and lazy slave! You knew, did you, that I reap where I did not sow, and gather where I did not scatter?
27 Then you ought to have invested my money with the bankers, and on my return I would have received what was my own with interest.
28 So take the talent from him, and give it to the one with the ten talents.
29 For to all those who have, more will be given, and they will have an abundance; but from those who have nothing, even what they have will be taken away.
30 As for this worthless slave, throw him into the outer darkness, where there will be weeping and gnashing of teeth.
Post Communion
Gracious Lord,
in this holy sacrament
you give substance to our hope:
bring us at the last
to that fullness of life for which we long;
through Jesus Christ our Saviour.