Notices for the week of 28th November

The Collect for this Sunday: the first in Advent
Almighty God, give us grace to cast away the works of darkness
and to put on the armour of light,
now in the time of this mortal life,
in which Your Son Jesus Christ came to us in great humility;
that, on the last day,when He shall come again in His glorious majesty
to judge the living and the dead,
we may rise to the life immortal;
through Him who is alive and reigns with You
in the unity of the Holy Spirit, one God, now and for ever. Amen

Angels in church
You may have spotted the angels in the ceiling in the chapel.
These were made by congregation members during lockdown. We’ll be adding to them over advent and would like to display them on a bare tree branch. If anyone has something suitable please talk to Dee Hickman.

Family Together Time
Our next FTT is next Sunday 5^th Dec from 3-5pm.
As well as a range of activities for you and your children to enjoy, take the chance to make new friends, reunite with other villagers and have fun and enjoy a range of refreshments!
Keep an eye on our page on the St Mary’s church website: Family Together Time

Sunday School: this has restarted as "Live Wires". We hope to have it regularly on the 3rd & 4th Sundays of each month. So far just two people (Bronny Slowe & Alex Pearson) have offered to run this group – we must have more volunteers if this is to be sustainable.
Developing the work with children and young people is crucial if our church is serious about wanting to grow.
Please think and pray about whether you might be able to support the Children’s Work in this way. If you would like to join them on a rota basis or want to know more please contact Bronny, Alex or Cathy.

Advent 2021
The Archbishop of York, Stephen Cottrell's Advent book is highly recommended for the season of Advent. It is called: 'Music for Eternity: Meditations for Advent with Evelyn Underhill' by Robyn Wrigley-Carr. 'Full of rich warmth and encouragement, these Christian meditations will help you make the most of the Advent season and more able to connect with God at all times.'
There are copies to buy at £10.99 from the back of the church. If you would like a copy please contact Cathy Arnold. In addition for those who would like to discuss the book and share with others there will be a chance to join a group over four weeks during Advent on Thursday mornings starting on 25th November at 10.30am.Please contact Cathy Arnold or Jane Arnott if you are interested in joining the group or would like to know more.

Continuing need for Coronavirus precautions
As you will know, there has been a significant increase in cases of Covid-19, and we must remain on our guard if we are to be able to continue to come together for services.
Although wearing a face covering is not compulsory, in view of the worrying increase in cases of Covid-19 we are all encouraged to do so. Please continue to respect the need of many of our congregation to avoid close contact.
Communion (in one kind) continues to be distributed from a fixed position in the chancel, and you are invited to come forward to receive. If you find it easier to receive communion in your seat, please let a welcomer know when you arrive in church.

Bible readings for next Sunday:

Philippians 1:3-11
Luke 3:1-6

Hello and welcome to our church. If you are a new visitor, we have a page for you to get to know us and learn more about planning a visit.
Click here to see more.

Visitors click here.

Planning your Visit

A Warm Welcome

The following information is specifically for those planning a visit, so that you know, beforehand, what to expect on a Sunday morning.

Where and When

We meet at St.Mary's (details below) for our Sunday Service starting at 10am. When you arrive, you should be greeted by someone on our Welcome Team.

We serve tea, coffee and biscuits afterward. It is a great way to meet people, or simply take time to find your bearings. All refreshments are free.

Plan your journey:

Open Google Maps

Accessibility: There is wheelchair access, and a sound loop for anyone who needs it. Please let one of the Welcome Team know on your arrival and they will help you to get set up. There are disabled toilets in the main foyer.

Our Service

The main service begins at 10am with a warm welcome..
Visit our This Sunday page for more information

Children

Getting Connected

Small Groups

While Sundays are a great way to meet new people, it is often in smaller gatherings that you can really get to know someone. Being part of one of our small groups allows you to make new friends, share together and support each other. We have a variety of groups that meet throughout the week, some afternoons and some evenings. Check out Small Groups and see if there’s one that you could join, or we can put you in touch with a small group leader who will be more than happy to invite you along to their group.

Serving and Volunteering

If you want to get involved in the life of the church and help us make Sundays run smoothly, you can sign up to serve on a team.

Get in touch with us to plan your visit

If you would like to come and visit the church beforehand you are more than welcome! Get in touch and we can arrange a time that suits you.

Name:

Telephone:

Email Address:
Comments / Questions or anything you would like to say?

Next, we will contact you by email to say hello and help arrange anything necessary for your visit.

We hope that whoever you are, you will feel at home at our church.

Best Wishes