Stainglass window
Christmas 2011
3rd Dec Advent Party
12th Dec @ 2pm
Carol Service at Oak tree Court
16th Dec @ 2.30pm
Carol Service at Stratford Court
17th Dec @11am
Carol Singing outside Co-Op
18th Dec Nativity and Christingle Service and Carol Service
24th Dec @ 11pm (Service starts at 11.30pm
United Service at URC Etwall Rd
25th Dec @10am
Christmas Day Service
Dear Friends
Being a bumper edition- December and January- you are going to have a double helping of reflections.
What about no Christmas dinner; no sending cards; no buying or receiving of gifts- are you still happy? Let's carry on.......what about no Christmas tree or decorations; no Christmas TV; no singing of carols- is it getting tougher to manage? But there's more! What about no Jesus?
No Jesus? But that's what Christmas is all about I hear you cry- the time when we celebrate the coming of Jesus to be the Saviour of the world. BUT for a vast majority of our nation, Jesus is the one part of Christmas they manage to do without. True, the numbers of people going to Church does increase at Christmas if we are honest, Jesus has been pushed to the edge of Christmas by our secular society.
The challenge for me, you and indeed the Christian church is to lift our voices this Christmas, to make our presence known in our community and to communicate the true meaning of Christmas- How?
I can think of four ways to do this. First, today (6th December) we are thinking about the way in which we can give St Basil's and the Salvation Army, to help them feed the hungry, provide clothes for the poor, and provide shelter for the homeless in the city of Birmingham, and beyond because we are called to do so for "the least of these" (Matthew 25:40)
Second, we can pray, On Tuesday 15th December there will be an 'Open Space' at church for Advent Reflections from 10a.m.
Thirdly, there will be an opportunities to sing carols within the community, two at local retirement homes culminating with carols outside Sommerfield on the 19th December from 11 a.m.
Fourthly, we have the opportunity to invite family and friends to the Christingle/ Nativity service or the Carol service on Sunday 20th December. Not forgetting the Midnight Communion Service on Christmas Eve and the service on Christmas morning.
"The virgin will be with child and will give birth to a child, and they will call him Immanuel"- which means, "God is with us", May jesus be with you this Christmas time.
Firstly I would like to take the opportunity to wish you all a Happy and Peaceful New Year.
During January there are two things I would like to draw to your attention. The first is the Covenant service on Sunday 3rd January. The Covenant was a prominent theme in the Old Testament- God's covenant with Noah, Abraham, Israel, David and culminating in the New Covenant, foretold by the prophets and accomplished through the death and resurrection of Jesus Christ, recorded in the New Testament. It is an opportunity to renew our covenant with God, both individually and together as a church.
Secondly on Saturday 9th January the Deacons are having an Away Day to talk about and pray for the life of the church as we think about being good neighbours in our community. They will also spend time thinking about the challenges we face as Christians living in a multi-f-aith community
If you have any thoughts please come and speak to me or one of the Diaconate.
Every blessing
Paul