Dear All

Firstly, may I wish you all a happy and joyful Christmas and a peaceful new year!  It is my practice is to give the equivalent cost of individual parish congregation cards to a Christian charity- which this year will be Friends of the Holy Land.

Secondly, please look at the image of a painting below. Judith will be talking about this painting in her sermon tomorrow and she asked us to please spend a couple of minutes with it: What strikes you about it? What do you like?What seems unusual? How would you describe the atmosphere of the picture?

Thirdly, it has been a joy to host the Advent group again this year, as we have explored the four traditional themes of the Advent candles: Patriarchs, Prophets, John the Baptist and Mary the Mother of Jesus, using the Bible scholar Paula Gooder’s book “The meaning is in the waiting”.

Waiting is something we find ourselves doing all the time- whether its waiting for the kettle to boil for a cup of tea, waiting for an appointment or waiting for some family news. 

What has been striking in our group is the discovery that throughout Scripture there is also a lot of waiting- specifically for the fulfilment of the promises of God – and we too can learn how to wait joyfully and also fully present, knowing that God is with us in the waiting. And at Christmas we celebrate that it is in Jesus Christ- represented by the fifth candle on Christmas Day- that the fulfilment of the Scriptural waiting is perfectly found, both then and now and when He comes again.

So as you wait for a phone call from a dear friend, for family to arrive, for the meat to cook or a myriad of other things, it is my prayer that in your waiting you may discover that God waits WITH you in joy and in sorrow and indeed waits FOR you to come near in prayer and worship. O come let us adore Him- Christ the Lord!

A Christmas Blessing

May the joy of the angels,

the eagerness of the shepherds,

the perseverance of the wise men,

the obedience of Joseph and Mary,

and the peace of the Christ-child

be yours this Christmas and always.

Amen.

SUNDAY’S BIBLE READINGS

Micah 5:2-5a

Hebrews 10:5-10

Luke 1:39-45

THIS WEEK

Sun 22nd  Advent 4  Mary Mother of Jesus

8am Holy Communion (traditional language)

10am Parish Communion

6pm  Village Carol Service including Marnhull Community Choir- followed by refreshments 

Mon 23rd 

3pm Carols at Ivers

Tues 24th Christmas Eve

4pm Family Crib Service

11pm Midnight Holy Communion

Weds 25th Christmas Day

8am Holy Communion

10am Family Christmas Holy Communion

Please note Revd Gaenor is on leave 26th Dec- 4th Jan inclusive and Revd Angus on leave 6th-14th Jan inclusive

Judith is away for January. 

NEXT WEEK

Bible Readings 

1 Samuel 2:18-20,26

Colossians 3:12-17

Luke 2:41-end 

Sun 29th Christmas 1

8am Holy Communion

10am Service of the Word

Weds 1st Jan 2025 

11am New Year Holy Communion 

LOOKING AHEAD

Sun 5th  Epiphany 

Sun 12th Baptism of Christ

10am Covenant Service at the Methodist Church

Thurs 16th & 30th 

7-8.30 pm New church singing group/choir. If you are interested in joining, contact [email protected]

Sat 18th- 25th Week of Prayer for Christian Unity

Sun 2nd Feb Candlemas

4pm Family Christingle Service 

Weds 5th Feb

11amMonthly Holy Communion

Sat 8th

7pm Pilgrim Praise @ Shillingstone 

Sun 16th 

10am Parish Communion. Revd Angus’ last service- followed by Bring and Share lunch 

OTHER NEWS

• A very BIG thank you to our bellringers, flower team, musicians and EVERYONE involved with our special services this year!
• Our Christmas offering- Carol Service, Christmas Eve and Christmas Day Services- will be divided between our 3 charities: Vale Pantry, Prison Fellowship and The Bible Society.
• We are looking to start a new regular Bible study home group in the new year. Please let Revd Gaenor know if you are interested.

PRAYERS

• Please pray for the Church, especially in places of conflict
• Pray for the Holy Land- for peace with justice and reconciliation: see www.friendsoftheholyland.org.uk
• Pray for refugees, asylum seekers and those who are homeless- for safety and hope
• Pray for families with young children- for joy and faith 
• Please pray for all in or from our parish who are currently ill in body, mind or spirit- for healing and wholeness

CONTACT US

Rector Revd Gaenor Hockey    

01258 821605 [email protected] 

Part time: Sunday, Wednesday and Friday 

Assistant Curate Revd Angus Mayhew 07788100885 [email protected]

Shared curacy: Marnhull and Gillingham Team  

Full time. Rest day: Monday

Licensed Lay Minister Judith Male 07852780517 [email protected]

Churchwarden Barrie Jenks 

01258 821604  [email protected]

Church is open daily:  9am – 4.30pm

ONLINE

Parish: www.stgregorysmarnhull.org.uk

Facebook/stgregschurch and musicatstgregs

Diocese:  www.salisbury.anglican.org