Pew Sheet 11th December 2011

St Dunstan’s Church, Monks Risborough
& St. Peter’s Chapel, Owlswick

Part of the Risborough Team Ministry

www.stdunstanschurch.com

Vicar – The Revd James Tomkins

01844 275944 (day off Tuesday)

jamestomkins@btinternet.com

The Rectory, Mill Lane, Monks Risborough, HP27 9JE

Welcome!

We hope you will enjoy worshipping here with us.

The Junior Church (10 o’clock Club) meet in the Church Hall before coming into Church for Communion.

Please join us for refreshments in the Church Hall immediately after the 10.00am service.  All are welcome. 

Today

Sunday 11th December 2011

3rd Sunday of Advent

On this third Sunday of Advent, we gather in hope and faith, preparing for the promised coming of Christ at Christmas and in the age to come. 

10.00am Parish Eucharist (Merbecke Setting)

Hymns

Introit: 527    
Psalm: 126  
Offertory: 259
Communion: 374, 168, 931
Recessional: 565

First Reading                Isaiah 61:1-4, 8-11

God promises justice and joy, restoration and renewal; the good news has already brought salvation, for it is God’s nature to fulfil the promise.
Second Reading           1 Thessalonians 5:16- 24

Guided by the Spirit, let us rejoice and give thanks for the good news of Jesus Christ and trust in his return, for God keeps promises.

Gospel Reading            John 1: 6-8, 19-28 Although John was not God’s promised Messiah, his baptism of repentance prepared the way for Jesus; yet the religious establishment failed to recognise either of them. 


11.30am   Owlswick Holy Communion

6.00pm   Choral Evensong

Readings:  Malachi 3: 1-4 & chapter 4

Philippians 4: 4-7

Hymns: 580, Psalm 68:1-8, 633, 314



Prayer for the week

O God, most high and most near, you send glad tidings to the lowly, you hide not your face from the poor; those who dwell in darkness you call into the light.  Take away our blindness, remove the hardness of our hearts, and form us into a humble people, that, at the advent of you Son, we may recognise him in our midst and find joy in his saving presence.  We ask this through our Lord Jesus Christ who lives and reigns with you in the unity of the Holy Spirit, God for ever and ever.

Your prayers are asked this week for:

•  For the leaders of the European nations as they seek to ease the financial crisis
•  For the people of Egypt and of Syria, as they seek freedom and justice
•  For those who have died in the recent violence in Afghanistan
•  For those whose homes and businesses have been damaged by the recent storms and wintry weather
•  For those who will be homeless and living in poverty this Christmas: that we may we show a true concern for their needs and that they too may rejoice at the coming of Christ.
• All teachers and lecturers and other staff in schools and colleges. Good parent-teacher relationships.
• International aid charities and those who collect and support them.
• Residents of Walnut Crescent (Longwick), Hinton Crossing (Bledlow)
• Those in need who are known in our parish:
• and also further afield for:
• Gordon Haynes; Christine; Deborah Ryley; Joan Male; Richard Irvine; Emma, Matt and Olivia; Sarah and Matt; Sally Maddox, Dewis Smith, Sylvia Jackson
• For the recently departed:   
•   Joan Pitcher, Dorothy Pine
• Those whose anniversary of death falls at this time particularly:  
•  Roy Faithfull, Joan Howard, Jason Travers, Ronald Faulkner, Lillian Thomas, Audrey Astley-Cooper

Please remember the charities that St Dunstan's supports, in particular this week:

Parents and Children Together (PACT), working to build and strengthen families in Berkshire, Buckinghamshire, Oxfordshire and across the UK and internationally. 

Notices

Christingle 2011 – wow!
Thank you to everyone who came along to help last Saturday at the Christingle making factory. In total 200 Christingles were made in record time. The service itself was attended by around 230 people and around £500 will have been raised for the work of the Children’s Society. Rosemary and James

Volunteer Needed
Bob Reece has decided to retire from handling the advertising for the Newsletter after over 30 years!  We are looking for someone to take his place.  The work is to send out invoices annually to about 40 advertisers – and gently chase them up – sometimes! 
Adverts are usually prepared by the advertisers but suggestions are often welcomed. Further details can be got from Bob Reece (01844 346297) or David Kemp (01844 344097)

Christmas Candlelight Concert, December 14th
The Chinnor Band will be performing a variety of seasonal music along with the opportunity to sing some carols.  Tickets £7 and include interval mince pie and drink.  Tickets Rosemary 344417 or David Shuttle

Carol Singing around the village, December 19th
Meeting at 6.30 pm at St. Dunstan’s everyone is invited to come carol singing around the village to help raise money for charity. Afterwards refreshments will be served. If you enjoy singing please come along – singers of all standards are welcome!

New choir director
I am delighted to announce that starting in the New Year we will be welcoming Diogo Cerdeira to the parish as choir director. We look forward to working with him as we build on the long standing musical tradition within the parish.

Advent reflection
Welcome to the 2011 Advent Calendar. For each day there is a reading, meditation and prayers based around Mary's journey to Bethlehem, from her meeting with the Angel to the first Christmas in Bethlehem. Please use the link below to subscribe to this site and to help you prepare yourself spiritually for Christmas. James
https://sites.google.com/site/adventsite2011/

Monks Monkeys, Thursdays (term time), 2 pm to 3 pm
Praise and play for the under fives plus parents/carers in the church hall. Each session includes ‘action’ songs, an interactive Bible story and short prayers. There is also some time for the children to play, adults to chat and refreshments to be served. On the 4th Thursday of the month we meet in the Church for an additional special craft activity. No need to book, just turn up on the day. If you would like more information please contact: Rev James Tomkins (01844) 275944; Sarah Fairall (01844) 344164; Sue Ingram (01844) 275287; Debbie Norie (01844) 345437; Ann Myers (01494) 488479

Applying for a Grant from Hody’s Charity
This was founded by a rector of St Dunstan’s Church, Monks Risborough in 1706, and added to by his successor Dr Quarles.  It provides grants for students in further or higher education or for apprentices who live in the parish or who are on the electoral roll.  Applicant must be <21 at the time of their first application and <25 years old on receipt of the last grant.  You can apply three times.  This is the time of year for applications.  Please call Rosemary if you would like to apply.  344417

End of year service
There will be a service of Evening Prayer on December 31st at 5pm to provide an opportunity to give thanks for the year that is about to pass and to ask for God’s blessing as we journey through 2012. James

The Next Couple of Weeks

Morning Prayer takes place on Monday (apart from Bank Holidays), Wednesday and Thursday at 8.45 at St. Dunstan’s

Sun 11th Dec	10.00 am  Parish Eucharist 11.30 am  Holy Communion, Owlswick             6.00 pm    Evensong
Mon 12th Dec	11.30 am Funeral service for Joan Pitcher
Wed 14th Dec	8.00 pm Concert (see notices)
Thurs 15th Dec	9.30 am Holy Communion 10.30 am School service 2.00 pm Monks Monkeys
Fri 16th Dec	9.30 am School service
Sat 17th Dec	Decoration of the church (am)
Sun 18th Dec	10.00am Parish Eucharist and Sunday School Christmas Party! 3.00 Carol service, Owlswick 6.00 pm  Nine lessons and Carols
Mon Dec 19th	6.30 pm Carol singing (see notices)
Wed Dec 21st	2.30 pm Friendship Group (hall)
Thurs 22nd Dec	9.30 am  Holy Communion
Sat 24th Dec	Christmas Eve 3.00 pm  Crib Service 6.00 pm   Village Carol Service 11.30 pm  Midnight Eucharist
Sun 25th Dec	Christmas Day 8.00 am  Holy Communion 10.00 am  All Age Family Eucharist