WELCOME TO ST MARY'S AND ALL SOULS
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This year we are donating to Welcare: In place of giving gifts this year, please donate to our Families in Crisis campaign. All donations will directly go towards tackling the increasing cost of living for the families we work with. Your financial donation will allow our staff to provide the right kind of support to the children and families we work with, and help them access essential items that they need. This could include Christmas gifts but also to help with the rising cost of energy, and with other essentials like supermarket vouchers, warm clothes, school shoes, a travel card, or even the cost of a man with a van to move a family out of unsuitable accommodation. Thank you so much for supporting our work in this way. Cheques payable to Welcare please . If you are able to Gift Aid your donation, this would add 25% and be greatly appreciated. Gift Aid forms are available. St Mary's and All Souls Services We will post any revisions to services here and on our Facebook and Twitter feeds: https://www.facebook.com/StMarysAndAllSouls |
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St Mary's and All Souls latest Newsletter |
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APCM 2022 Details and reports are available on the PCC page |
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Food Bank latest needs: Fruit Juice (long life) *PLEASE DON'T SEND US FROZEN OR CHILLED ITEMS AS WE DON'T HAVE THE CORRECT STORAGE FOR IT AND IT SPOILS BEFORE WE CAN DISTRIBUTE IT* Thank you!
Judith Simmonds will be taking the Parish contributions towards the end of the month so please drop your donations into our box in the porch before then.
Thank you. https://bromleyborough.foodbank.org.uk/give-help/donate-food/ |
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PCC Papers You can now download minutes and other PCC documents from the PCC page |
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Latest Reflections and Live Stream services |
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Our Network Page with |
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In need of help? Call |
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Here's the link to registering for help if you are in the highly vulnerable group: https://www.gov.uk/coronavirus-extremely-vulnerable
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Princess Royal Hospital www.pruh.kch.nhs.uk | |||
| Daily Hope - a free phone line of hymns, reflections and
prayers by the Church Of England 0800 804 8044 | |||
Messy Times
Christmas when I was young meant a chocolate advent calendar (something I still do today along with a traditional one), a very tall tinsel tree with gifts wrapped up under it and a Christmas stocking with small bars of chocolate, tangerines and other tiny trinkets– all of which would be opened and, if possible, eaten before breakfast. Often we would visit my ‘auntie’ near Portsmouth too which always felt like a long journey given the roads were very different back in the 60’s.
As I grew older (aged 10) and started to attend church and sing in the choir my focus changed. I still ate my way through the contents of the stocking before breakfast but I loved all of the services we associate with Christmas and the message they proclaimed. We rehearsed for many an hour to sing absolutely beautifully so it was very rewarding when the Carol service went well but it was also good fun when during the nativity play the donkey tripped over, the shepherds lost their sheep or Mary tipped the manger upside down. Christmas did not always go to plan – it could be messy.
This weekend (19 Nov) we launched Messy Church for the benefice. It was well attended and fun. It was even a little messy! We are now looking forward to Messy Christmas this month.
This made me think about how much planning I put into trying to have the ‘perfect’ Christmas. Maybe you are the same; we plan our meal, who we are going to invite, who we are visiting, what gifts we will take, how the services should run; yet what is really so important? Often I find that it is in the mess, the unplanned moments that the real message of Christmas shines through.
It is when the distant relative you’ve not seen for a year appears and is clearly struggling with losing one close to them, or you hear of an acquaintance who is finding it impossible to manage on their income to cover the cost of their food and heating for their young children, or you meet a neighbour who is alone and lonely.
These are the times when the true meaning of Christmas can break through. The love we show to those around us and further afield emulates the amazing love of God in sending his Son to the world that we all have the opportunity to spend eternity with him.
“16 For God so loved the world that he gave his one and only Son, that whoever believes in him shall not perish but have eternal life.17 For God did not send his Son into the world to condemn the world, but to save the world through him.” (John 3:16-17)
So this Christmas, whatever your plans, be ready for the unexpected, enjoy the messy times and share the amazing story of God’s love with all. I wish you all a joyful Christmas and a Happy and Peaceful New Year.
Reverend Susan