Dear Friends in Christ,

This time of year is all about change. The old year is out, the new has come. Some of us will be glad to be in a new year, others will be sad. Nostalgia for recent events may be tangible, as may be a sense of relief that a difficult year is over.

Alongside this are the January blues. After the anticipation of Christmas with all the glitter that seems to accompany it, we now get to January, with typically the real bout of cold weather, very unwell bank accounts, and a sense of losing that sparkle as all things Christmas are packed away again. And there’s the feeling of a long wait until the next moment of joy, the advent of spring, holidays, longer days. 

But what’s the reality for us? We’re not immune from any of the above, but we know that the rejoicing simply begins at Christmas. The removal of the sparkly allure of the season doesn’t remove the actual joy of the love and freedom of God made incarnate through Jesus. That’s the bedrock for us, even when the world around us is at its greyest, and there’s much to be anxious about in this new year-but Gods love is infinite, vast and always with us, no matter what the externals may indicate .

Amen

Sunday 12th January: Baptism of Christ

Readings

Isaiah 43: 1 – 7; Acts 8: 14 – 17; Luke 3: 15 – 17, 21 – 22.

8.00am – Holy Communion  – All Saints

10.00am – Holy Communion – St. Marys 

10.30am – Messy Muddy Church – All Saints 

The Week Ahead

Monday 13th January

Tiny Tots – 10.30am to 12noon 

Beavers – 6.30pm – All Saints Community Hall

Tuesday 14th January

Music for Toddlers – 10.30am – St Mary’s Parish Room 

Wednesday 15th January

Morning Celtic Prayers – 9.00am All Saints Church 

Benefice Bible Book Club  2pm – 3.30pm St. Mary’s Parish Room

Thursday 16^th January

Holy Communion – 10.00am. St. Mary’s Church

Cubs – 6,30pm. All Saints Community Hall

Scouts – 8.00pm. All Saints Community Hall

Friday 17^th January

Living After Loss – 11am-12.noon St. Mary’s Parish Room

Saturday 18^th January

Saturday Lunches – 12noon. St. Mary’s Church

 

Next Sunday

Sunday 19th January: Second Sunday of Epiphany

Readings

Isaiah 62: 1 – 5;1 Corinthians 12: 1 – 11; John 2: 1 – 11

 

10.00am     Holy Communion – St. Marys

10.30am      Holy Communion – All Saints

6.30pm       Epiphany Carols – St. Marys

 

May the grace of our Lord Jesus Christ, the love of God and the fellowship of the Holy Spirit be with us all evermore. Amen

 

Blessings

 

Fr Kester de Oliveira