The Parish of Christ Church, Lancaster
A vibrant inclusive worshipping community
Sunday 8th December 2019
All are warmly welcomed to Christ Church today, whether you’re with us for the first time or regular worshippers. We hope that within our worship everyone – regardless of age – will have a moment of highlight. This might be the music or a line from a hymn, something from the Bible readings or prayers or sermon. It might simply be worshipping in fellowship with other people. Please join us for refreshments after the 10:30 service.
Useful things to know about us:
- This building is fitted with an induction loop system – please put your hearing aid to the ‘T’ position.
- Magnifying sheets are available – please ask a steward.
- If you prefer not to receive the communion wine, please just return to your seat after receiving the bread.
- Mums are very welcome to breast feed babies anywhere in the church where they feel comfortable. Likewise babies can be bottle-fed anywhere. There is a baby-change area at the back of the church
- Please keep a time of quiet before the service starts to draw us closer to God before our worship.
Please remember in your prayers:
Those who are ill: Olive Niccolls, Youngblood McCray, Len Fletcher, Ernie Wilson, Pat Brooks, Freya de Lysle, Bill and Ivy Buckley, Mark Tower
RIP Amelia Spruyt, , Allan Downs, Stephen Johnson, Dennis Howell, Tony Angus, Sheila Kelly, Reg Boss, John Millburn, Tony Guénault, Kristine Boss, Eileen Finnigan
Thought for the week
Our true worth does not consist in what human beings think of us. What we really are consists in what God knows us to be. St John Berchmans SJ
Action for the week
As your Christmas cards arrive, remember to save your stamps for recycling in our box for RNIB
Sunday 8th December Advent 2
8.30 am – Said Eucharist: Fr Gary Bowness
10.30 am Parish Eucharist: Fr Gary Bowness followed by study group
Tuesday
2:15 pm Mirth and Moaning (Hall)
Wednesday
5.30 pm Silent Meditation
6.00 pm Evening Prayer
Friday
9.30 am Said Eucharist
10.30 am Eucharist at Dolphinlee House
Sunday 15th December Advent 3
8.30 am – Said Eucharist:
10.30 am Parish Eucharist, with Nativity Play and Toy Service, followed by study group
CONFIRMATION/PATRONAL FESTIVAL
Congratulations to all our newly Confirmed members, Emilee Briddon, George Cookson, Jessica Fish, Millie Higgins, Ellie Mitchell, Cole Morgan, Reuben Pearce, George Pedder, Oscar Richings, Toby Slinger, Adrian Wright. Please continue to pray for them all. Many thanks to all who came to support them, and who helped to make the Confirmation Service on our Patronal Festival such a very special occasion.
DATES FOR YOUR DIARY
10th December: Mirth and Moaning meets again at 2:15 in the Hall. Please contact Jacqueline to know more about this group for those in pain of any kind.
15th December: Next Sunday our 10:30 Eucharist will include our wonderful Children’s Church Nativity Play. It is also our Toy Service – please bring along new or good quality used toys that can be given to families in need who will otherwise have little to give their children this Christmas. It helps if you can gift-wrap them, but please label them to indicate the age group, etc., for which they would be most suitable.
22nd December: Parish Eucharist and Christingle Service at 10:30. Please take a candle [box], fill up and return at or before that service, in aid of the Children’s Society.
Full details of all our Christmas services are on the separate sheet: please take a copy home with you to share with family, friends and neighbours!
LONSDALE SCOUTS CHRISTMAS POST
The Lonsdale Scouts are again offering delivery of Christmas cards to the local area by Christmas Eve at the latest for only 35 pence per stamp. Please post your stamped cards in the box at the back of church, where you can find full details of the areas covered.
CHRISTMAS GREETINGS TO CHRIST CHURCH
Why not send just a single card to all your friends at Christ Church (which we’ll attach to a board at the back of church), and then donate what you would have spent on individual cards to the Roof Fund?
NIGHT SHELTER – HELP PLEASE!
Our Night Shelter for homeless people is already very busy with exceptionally high numbers of guests. Warm socks/scarves, instant hot chocolate drink, tinned rice pudding, etc., very welcome. Thank you.
CHRIST CHURCH TIDDLERS’ GROUP
Please think about coming to help us start up our Tiddlers’ Group again in January. If you think you could offer a couple of hours on a Friday morning (10 or 10:30 until 12 noon) to set the toys up/put them away, to make tea and coffee, and/or to sit and play with the children or chat to the Mums, Dads and carers, and would like to be part of a rota, please contact Jane Lippitt after the service. Thank you.
Readings Sunday 8th December 2019
Isaiah 11.1-10
A shoot shall come out from the stock of Jesse, and a branch shall grow out of his roots. The spirit of the Lord shall rest on him, the spirit of wisdom and understanding, the spirit of counsel and might, the spirit of knowledge and the fear of the Lord. His delight shall be in the fear of the Lord. He shall not judge by what his eyes see, or decide by what his ears hear; but with righteousness he shall judge the poor, and decide with equity for the meek of the earth; he shall strike the earth with the rod of his mouth, and with the breath of his lips he shall kill the wicked. Righteousness shall be the belt around his waist, and faithfulness the belt around his loins. The wolf shall live with the lamb, the leopard shall lie down with the kid, the calf and the lion and the fatling together, and a little child shall lead them. The cow and the bear shall graze, their young shall lie down together; and the lion shall eat straw like the ox. The nursing child shall play over the hole of the asp, and the weaned child shall put its hand on the adder’s den. They will not hurt or destroy on all my holy mountain; for the earth will be full of the knowledge of the Lord as the waters cover the sea. On that day the root of Jesse shall stand as a signal to the peoples; the nations shall inquire of him, and his dwelling shall be glorious.
Romans 15.4-13
For whatever was written in former days was written for our instruction, so that by steadfastness and by the encouragement of the scriptures we might have hope. May the God of steadfastness and encouragement grant you to live in harmony with one another, in accordance with Christ Jesus, so that together you may with one voice glorify the God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ. Welcome one another, therefore, just as Christ has welcomed you, for the glory of God. For I tell you that Christ has become a servant of the circumcised on behalf of the truth of God in order that he might confirm the promises given to the patriarchs,and in order that the Gentiles might glorify God for his mercy. As it is written, ‘Therefore I will confess you among the Gentiles, and sing praises to your name’; and again he says, ‘Rejoice, O Gentiles, with his people’; and again, ‘Praise the Lord, all you Gentiles, and let all the peoples praise him’; and again Isaiah says ‘The root of Jesse shall come, the one who rises to rule the Gentiles; in him the Gentiles shall hope.’ May the God of hope fill you with all joy and peace in believing, so that you may abound in hope by the power of the Holy Spirit.
Matthew 3.1-12
In those days John the Baptist appeared in the wilderness of Judea, proclaiming,‘Repent, for the kingdom of heaven has come near.’ This is the one of whom the prophet Isaiah spoke when he said, ‘The voice of one crying out in the wilderness: “Prepare the way of the Lord, make his paths straight.” ’ Now John wore clothing of camel’s hair with a leather belt around his waist, and his food was locusts and wild honey. Then the people of Jerusalem and all Judea were going out to him, and all the region along the Jordan, and they were baptized by him in the river Jordan, confessing their sins. But when he saw many Pharisees and Sadducees coming for baptism, he said to them, ‘You brood of vipers! Who warned you to flee from the wrath to come? Bear fruit worthy of repentance. Do not presume to say to yourselves, “We have Abraham as our ancestor”; for I tell you, God is able from these stones to raise up children to Abraham. Even now the axe is lying at the root of the trees; every tree therefore that does not bear good fruit is cut down and thrown into the fire. ‘I baptize you with water for repentance, but one who is more powerful than I is coming after me; I am not worthy to carry his sandals. He will baptize you with the Holy Spirit and fire. His winnowing-fork is in his hand, and he will clear his threshing-floor and will gather his wheat into the granary; but the chaff he will burn with unquenchable fire.’
EUCHARISTS: Sundays: 8:30, 10:30, 6 pm (1st Sunday); Fridays: 9:30 am
Key contacts:
Vicar: Vacant
Please contact one of the Churchwardens or Canon Brenda Harding – details below.
Associate Priest: Canon Brenda Harding 66071
Lay Reader: Dr Pat Allen 39552.
Churchwarden: Dr Paul Thompson 34949
Churchwarden: Mrs Jacqueline Stamper64083 churchwarden@christchurchlancaster.org.uk
Parish Safeguarding Officer: Ms Jane Lippitt 07930 979503 safeguarding@christchurchlancaster.org.uk
Children’s Church: Mrs Liz Mills 67005
Nightshelter Co-ordinator: Ms Jan Norbury 07547 717 060 coordinator.nightshelter@gmail.com
Hall Bookings hallchristchurch@btinternet.com
07980 351855Christ Church School Ms Emma Simpson 60955