Pew Sheet 1st and 8th January 2012

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.



On January 8th 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.

 

Sunday 1st January 2012

2nd Sunday of Christmas

8.00 am Holy Communion (BCP)

10.00 am All Age Family Eucharist
and Baptism of Andrew Huxford and Caroline Taylor

 

The words of the angels still echo in our ears: “Good news of great joy for all the people!” Come and rejoice with us, rejoice with Mary, rejoice with the angels, rejoice with the shepherds! Christ is born, and the whole world is born anew with him.

Hymns

Introit: 525
Gradual: 93 
Offertory: 588
Communion: 47, 182, 776
Recessional: 503

First Reading               Isaiah 61:10 – 62:3

Words of encouragement for a people whose failure sits heavy on their souls: they will be restored to joy and confidence, and be “a crown of beauty in the hand of the Lord”.

Gospel Reading            Luke 2: 15-21

Having received further confirmation from the shepherds as to God’s special purposes at work in their son, Mary and Joseph name him Jesus, the name given to them by the angel. 


6.00pm  Choral Evensong

Readings  Isaiah 35, Colossians 1:9-20

Hymns: 536, Psalm 132: 1-7, 409, 69

Prayer for the week


God our Father, in love you sent your Son that the world may have life: lead us to seek him among the outcast and to find him in those in need, for Jesus Christ’s sake.

Sunday 8th January 2012
Epiphany

As we join the wise men from the East at the cradle of Jesus, prepare to bring your own gifts to the infant king.  If you come with a rich abundance of joy, then so be it. If you come with a great burden of unhappiness, so be it.  Come just you are, in riches or poverty, and worship the king of unconditional love.  

10.00am Parish Eucharist   (Lane Setting)

Hymns

Introit: 724
Psalm: 29  
Offertory: 40
Communion: 326, 77, 938

Recessional: 85
First Reading                Isaiah 60: 1-6

One day all nations will acknowledge the light of God.  Mention of frankincense and gold echo today’s story of the wise men. 

 Second Reading           Ephesians 3:1-12

Paul explains his mission: to bring the riches of his ancient faith to a people who had previously been excluded from its scope.

 Gospel Reading            Matthew 2: 1-12

It is business as usual for Mary and Joseph and their infant child when some strangers arrive from the East with gifts fit for a king.


11.30 am   Owlswick Holy Communion

Ephesians 3:1-12; Matthew 2: 1-12

6.00pm   Choral Evensong (Baptism of Christ)

Readings: Isaiah 42: 1-9, Ephesians 2:1-10

Hymns 516, Psalm 46:1-7, 84, 70


Prayer for the week

God of salvation, in the river Jordan you bathed your Son Jesus in glory and revealed him as your obedient servant.  In spirit and in power rend the heavens and come down to us.  Strengthen us to acknowledge your Christ, that we who are reborn in his likeness may walk with him the path of obedience.  Grant this through Jesus Christ, your Word made flesh, who lives and reigns with you in the unity of the Holy Spirit, in the splendour of eternal light, God for ever and ever.

Your prayers are asked this week for:

• The political and military situations in North Korea, Syria, Afghanistan and other countries experiencing change or unrest
• The National Society, giving thanks for their long association with schools and their continued promotion of Christian Education
• The mission ministry and congregational life of St Mary’s Church (PR) and Holy Trinity Church (B)
• All nursery units within our schools for the firm foundations of good schooling
• Residents of Abbotts Way, Courtmoor Close (MR) Almond Way , Alscot Lane, Berryfield Road  and Berndene Rise (PR)
• Those in need who are known in our parish:
• and also further afield for:
• Gordon Haynes; Christine; Joan Male; Richard Irvine; Emma, Matt and Olivia; Sarah and Matt; Sally Maddox, Sylvia Jackson
• Those whose anniversary of death falls at this time particularly:  
•  (1/1/) Elizabeth Spittles, Shelagh Bartlett, Doug Crabbe, (8/1) Rotraut Campbell, Sheila Gibson, Doris Hill, Norman Roper

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

Tearfund, working in partnership with Christian agencies and churches worldwide to tackle the causes and effects of poverty.   

Notices

Thank you

Thank you to everyone who has helped to make the Christmas season such a special time. Many people have helped out with the additional services, bell ringing, singing in the choir, decorating both the inside and the outside of the church, providing refreshments and being involved in various other ways. Just fewer than 600 people attended the services on Christmas Eve and Christmas Day and 150 people attended the service of Nine Lessons and Carols the week before. Around £650 has been raised as a result of our special services and carol singing. May I wish you every blessing for the New Year. James

Christmas Decorations coming down, January 5th

The decorations /flower arrangements are coming down on Thursday 5th January 2012 at 10.15 a.m. as well as ladies a man or two would be helpful to get the tree down.

New choir director

I am delighted to announce that starting from January 11th 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.

Fellowship Group Jan 12th  Coffee Morning

There will be no evening meeting but Janet is hosting a coffee morning from 10.30 – noon at 6 Dovecote Close.

Bible Study Group – ‘The Apprentice’

‘The Apprentice’ is a course that covers the following themes: journeying; longing; believing; questioning and belonging. Following a short DVD, a series of questions will help us to explore and discuss these various topics. The next session will be held on Thursday January 12th from 8.00 to 9.30 at The Rectory. All are welcome. 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 1st Jan	8.00am  Holy Communion 10.00am  All Age Family Eucharist and Adult Baptisms 6.00pm Choral Evensong
Wed 4th Jan	No morning prayer
Thurs 5th Jan	9.30am  Healing and Holy Communion (Rev Jennifer Locke) 2.00pm Monks Monkeys restarts
Sun 8th Jan Epiphany	10.00am Parish Eucharist (Rev. David Wallace) 11.30am  Owlswick Holy Communion (Rev Donald Rydings) 6.00pm  Choral Evensong (Margaret Pitman)
Thurs 12th Jan	9.30am  Holy Communion 10.30am Fellowship Group Coffee Morning (see notices) 2.00pm  Monks Monkeys 8.00pm ‘The Apprentice’ house group at the Rectory (see notices)
Sun 15th Jan	10.00am  Parish Eucharist 6.00pm  Choral Evensong
Mon 16th Jan	8.00 pm PCC meeting (church hall)
Thurs 19th Jan	9.30am  Holy Communion 2.00pm  Monks Monkeys
Sun 22rd Jan	10.00am  Parish Eucharist, God in the life of...James Tomkins 3.00pm  Owlswick Choral Evensong