Pew Sheet 15th December 2013

St Dunstan’s Church, Monks Risborough
& St. Peter’s Chapel, Owlswick
Registered Charity Number: 1153869.

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

Churchwardens:
Sue Ingram 01844 275287 suemingram@hotmail.com 
Susanne Dodds 01844 342746 susanne@sunfire-uk.com

 

Welcome!

We hope you will enjoy worshipping here with us.

Coffee is served in the church hall after the 10am service.

The Junior Church (10 o’clock Club) are meeting in the Church Hall for their Christmas party today.

 

Sunday 15 December 2013

Third Sunday of Advent

“Strengthen your hearts, for the coming of the Lord is near” (James 5:8). As we continue to journey through this time of Advent, let us worship before him with thankful and expectant hearts.

10.00 am    Parish Eucharist with the Christening of Sebastian and Thea Shah

Hymns: 480, 631, 406, 405
Communion: 978, 634, 932

First Reading   Isaiah 35 v 1-10
Isaiah offers words of encouragement and reassurance to the people in exile, prophesying their triumphant return to Zion.

Second Reading     James 5 v 7-10
The writer urges the people not to judge one another, and to wait for the Lord’s coming with the same patience that the farmer exercised when waiting for the ripening of his crop.
 
Gospel     Matthew 11 v 2-11
John the Baptist, in prison, seeks reassurance as to Jesus’ identity. Jesus challenges the crowds concerning John and the work God called him to do.

6.00pm     Nine Lessons & Carol Service

Prayer for the Week
Almighty God, you sent your Son into a world where the wheat must be winnowed from the chaff and evil clings even to what is good. Let the fire of your Spirit purge us of greed and deceit, so that, purified, we may find our peace in you and you may delight in us. Grant this through him whose coming is certain, whose days draw near: your Son, our Lord Jesus Christ, who lives and reigns with you in the unity of the Holy Spirit, God for ever and ever. Amen

Your prayers are asked in the coming weeks for:

• The people of South Africa and the family of Nelson Mandela as the world mourns his death, that his legacy of forgiveness, reconciliation and equality may always be remembered and upheld.
• Refugees, especially for those who face the coming winter with insufficient food, clothing and shelter. For Medicins sans Frontiers and the often dangerous role of caring for the sick in war
• For those who live in Wheelwright Road and Perry Lane
• For the mission, ministry and congregational life of The Baptist Chapel in Speen
• Those in need who are known in our parish:
• And also further afield for:
  • Joan Male, Bill Male, Richard Irvine, Alastair, David Holding, Matt Elworthy, Uncle Frank
• The recently departed:
• Those whose anniversary of death falls at this time:
  • Lilian Thomas, Audrey Astley-Cooper, Peter Hoar

Please remember the charities that the parish supports:
Cruse Bereavement Care, supporting bereaved people and enabling anyone bereaved by death to understand their grief and cope with their loss. The organisation provides support and offers information, advice, education and training services. 

Notices

Safeguarding (children and vulnerable adults) officer required 
We are looking to find a person to be our Safeguarding Officer.  This involves making sure that any activities we carry out with children or vulnerable adults are done safely and in accordance with guidelines, for example, ensuring that everyone on the rota for Sunday School has been through the Disclosure and Barring procedure. It would also be helpful to find someone who could support the Safeguarding offer, taking on some of the basic administration and paperwork, keeping lists up to date and so on.  Susanne Dodds (342746) would be happy to discuss this with anyone who might be interested.

‘Serving’ at St. Dunstan’s
We need to recruit one or two more adults or children to help assist the priest at the altar, holding the red Gospel book and carrying the cross as part of the procession. Without obligation, if you think you might be interested please speak with James or Sheila

New Chalice and Paten
Following the theft last month we have received an anonymous donation to enable us to buy a new paten (small plate) and two new chalices. If you wish to make a contribution to the replacement of one of the chalices please can you let James know.

Wedding
Mr and Mrs Wade welcome friends and people from the parish to attend the wedding service of Katie and Adam on Monday 23 December at 14.30pm.

Help required for Christmas refreshments
In the weeks running up to Christmas we aim to provide drinks and refreshments for a variety of services and events. These all centre on mulled wine, mince pies and soft drinks. The details and approximate timing when the refreshments need to be served are below:
After the choir, church and community carol singing on December 16th (8.00 in the hall); During the interval of the Chinnor Silver Band concert on December 18th (8.45 in the church).
Please can you write your name on the sheet in the porch if you can help on any or all of these occasions. Many thanks, James.

St. Dunstan's Fellowship - Change of Date
Please note that the Coffee Morning will be on Wednesday 8th January 2014 (not Thursday) from 10.00am - 12.00 at the home of Janet Griffin, 6 Dovecote Close, Monks Risborough. (There will be no evening meeting during January). Thank you, Pam Scott.

Friendship Group
We meet in the church hall on the third Wednesday of the month at 2.30pm. The next meeting is Wednesday 18 December.

Carol Singing around the village
On Monday December 16th meeting at 6.30 pm at St. Dunstan’s everyone is invited to come carol singing around the village with the church choir to help raise money for charity. At about 8.00pm refreshments will be served. If you enjoy singing please come along – singers of all standards are welcome!

Candlelight Concert – December 18th at 8pm
Last year this was a sell-out and the Chinnor Silver Band have been invited back again to perform their wonderful festive music and to enable others to sing some carols. Tickets are £7.50 available from Pat Kimber (273942) or David Shuttle in the High Street in Princes Risborough. Complimentary glass of wine/soft drink and a mince pie

Coffee and Mince Pies at the Rectory
After the Parish Eucharist on Sunday December 29th everyone is welcome back to the Rectory for some mince pies and coffee. James and Ann

Alan and Michaela (Barnes)
Alan and Michaela are moving to 1 Kensington Road, Pakefield, Lowestoft, Suffolk, NR33 0HY Tel: 01502 512104 mobile: 07981505829. We wish them every blessing in their new home.

Fundraising for the Princes Centre:
M&S have kindly allowed The Princes Centre to do an
in-store fund raiser over four days in the run up to Christmas. The idea is to have volunteers at the end of each checkout offering to help pack customer's shopping; in return it is hoped that some loose change will be put in the strategically placed buckets! The Princes Centre is looking for volunteers to cover a two hour shift during the following days/periods: Saturday 21st Dec: 10.00 - 12.00, 12.00 - 14.00, 14.00 - 16.00; Sunday 22nd Dec: 10.00 - 2.00,
12.00 - 14,00, 14,00 - 16.00; Monday 23rd Dec: 08.00 - 10.00, 10.00 - 12.00, 12,00 - 14.00, 14.00 - 16.00; Tues 24th Dec: 08.00 - 10.00, 10.00 - 12.00, 12.00 - 14,00, 14.00 - 16.00. Anyone who is able to help should contact Kim at the Princes Centre 01844 345105, as she is co-ordinating the rota.

The Next Few Weeks 

Morning Prayer usually takes place on Mondays (except Bank Holidays), Wednesday and Thursday at 8.45 at St. Dunstan’s.

Mon 16th Dec	6.30pm Carol singing (see notices)
Wed 18th Dec	2.30pm Friendship Group (church hall) 8.00pm Chinnor Silver Band concert (see notices)
Thurs 19th Dec	9.30am Holy Communion 10.30am Monks Risborough School Service 2.00pm Monks Monkeys
Fri 20th Dec	9.30am Monks Risborough School Service
Sat 21st Dec	9.30am Decorating the Christmas Tree
Sun 22nd Dec	10.00am Parish Eucharist 3.00pm Owlswick Carol Service
Mon 23rd Dec	2.30pm Wedding of Katie Wade and Adam Boyden – all invited!
Tues 24th Dec Christmas Eve	3.00pm Crib Service 6.00pm Village Carol Service 11.30pm Midnight Eucharist
Wed 25th Dec Christmas Day	8.00am Holy Communion 10.00am All Age Family Eucharist
Thurs 26th Dec St. Stephen	9.30am Holy Communion
Sun 29th Dec	10.00am Parish Eucharist 6.00pm Choral Evensong
Tues 31st Dec	5.00pm Evening Prayer