SVB
Outlook December 2018-January 2019
The magazine of the churches of The Sodbury Vale Benefice: Chipping Sodbury, Old Sodbury, www.svbcofe.org.uk Little Sodbury and Horton. 1 1
Our Team
The Rector
Associate Priest
Assistant Priest
The Revd. Canon David Bowers 01454 313159, rector@svbcofe.org.uk
The Revd. Peter Fewings 07795206590 ptfewings@gmail.com
The Revd. David Powe 01454 777745
Day off Monday
Work Days Tues, Wed, Thur & Sun
Churchwardens St John’s, Chipping Sodbury
St James’ Horton
Joy Gibson 01454 319288
Tina Hildick-Smith 01454 320380
Jane Jones-Williams 01454 324970
Richard Needs 01454 329890
St Adeline’s, Little Sodbury
St John’s, Old Sodbury
Linda Hurst 01454 319183
Vacancy Safeguarding Nominated Person
Administrators
Hannah Saunders 07515 915976
Michelle Jenkins, Trish Gailey and helpers
Hcsaunders.hone@talk21.com
Advertising
Contact Hannah if you have a concern about suspected abuse of a child or a vulnerable adult
Volunteer required
Published by The Sodbury Vale Benefice, Church Office, St John’s Church Centre, Wickwar Road, Chipping Sodbury, BS37 6BQ, 01454 325160, office@svbcofe.org.uk, Open in school term time, Mon - Tue - Thu mornings 9.00 - 12.00. Editor - Michael Stephenson outlook@svbcofe.org.uk
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A word from David Dear Friends
Could you be a School Governor? We have vacancies for two foundation governors at Horton C of E School. Foundation governors represent the church on the governing body and particularly support and encourage the Christian ethos of the school, as well as helping to make general management decisions and to work in partnership with the head teacher and the fellow governors. There are usually about 6 meetings a year and you would also be asked to serve on a sub-committee. Ideally we would like to appoint both of these positions from within our benefice. If you are interested and would like to find out more please have a word with the Rector, Canon David Bowers.
A group from our benefice spent 10 days in October on a pilgrimage to the Holy Land, an amazing experience for all of us. A key location to visit on such a trip is, of course, Bethlehem, nowadays a Palestinian town in the West Bank which is surrounded by an imposing security wall with access in and out controlled by military checkpoints. The local people live under considerable restrictions and sadly the Christian presence in Bethlehem has declined dramatically from 85% of the population in 1948 to under 16% today. The birthplace of the Prince of Peace has become a visible reminder of the tensions in the Holy Land. Against this background we found it a very moving place to visit and, after experiencing the very crowded Church of the Nativity, I enjoyed the simplicity and peace of the Franciscan Church of St Catherine next door. The tensions which are evident in Bethlehem and throughout Israel and Palestine are part of the troubles of a world that is often broken and divided, a world where peace for many people remains a distant dream. It is into such a world that Jesus, the Prince of Peace, was born in humble circumstances to share our human life. The Christmas story is not a piece of sentimental escapism but a powerful statement of hope for all people. At the heart of the events we celebrate is the love of God for all people, as St John says in his Gospel: “For God so loved the world that he gave his only Son.� In Jesus there is hope for all people. As we once again rejoice in the story of the Nativity, we warmly invite you to come and join us in our Christmas services and to hear again of these amazing events in Bethlehem 2,000 years ago. Judith joins me and our team of clergy and readers in wishing you all a very happy Christmas and a peaceful New Year. David Bowers 3
Market
Cross
Baptisms: We welcomed into the Church: Harry James Cole, 16 September at St John the Baptist, Chipping Sodbury William George Halsten Cambers, 16 September at St John the Baptist, Chipping Sodbury Maisie Sophia Cragg, 7 October at St John the Baptist, Old Sodbury Cecily Iris Mary Howells, 7 October at St John the Baptist, Chipping Sodbury Sylvie Rose Howells, 7 October at St John the Baptist, Chipping Sodbury Ziggy William Harris, 7 October at St John the Baptist, Chipping Sodbury Pip Maximus Luddington-Reeves, 28 October at St James the Elder, Horton
Funerals: We extend our sympathy to the families and friends of: Vera Sandham 19 October at Chipping Sodbury Churchyard
New Archdeacon of Gloucester Bishop Rachel has announced the appointment of a new Archdeacon of Gloucester and Residentiary Canon of Gloucester Cathedral. The Revd. Hilary Dawson will come to us from Devon, where she is currently a Rector of a Mission Community. She is married to Richard and they have two grown up children, Michael and Eleanor. Hilary will start her role in January 2019 and is looking forward to getting started.
“I am delighted to be coming to the Diocese of Hilary was born and brought up in Devon and was a Gloucester and teacher for 18 years. She trained for ministry with South West Ministry Training and was awarded an MA in Biblical getting to know all Studies from Exeter University. the people and In her spare time Hilary likes to spend time with her family places of the and friends as well as travelling, walking, reading, quilting diocese. I am and playing the piano. inspired by the Hilary will be licensed and installed on Sunday 27 Life vision and January 2019 at 3pm. More details will follow soon, but look forward to us all are welcome to attend. growing together� 4
Quiz Fun The Children’s Society Annual Box Collection 2018/19 Just to give my box holders some prior notice I will be visiting you during the months of January/February to collect your boxes in order to carry out this years ‘count’.
Thank you to everyone who came along and supported the Autumn Quiz on the 5th October. We raised £240 which should enable us to sort out some much needed outside storage at the Centre. A welcome drink provided brain lubrication and much fun was had as the quiz teams discussed their answers, more wine “£240 raised for flowed, and half way through the some outside evening we storage” stopped for a delicious ploughman’s supper. Many thanks also to Revd David for reading the questions,
New box holders are always welcome; please give me a ring if you would like me to deliver a box to you. Hilary Hurley 01454 311515
Thank you to everyone for your support.
Michelle, Trish and Madeleine
Carols for Christmas
Full details of all our Christmas Services, including Carols and Christingle are on the back cover
A programme of Carols and Christmas songs with the opportunity to join in the singing of some old favourite carols.
Yate Choral Society present a Christmas Concert Tuesday 11th December at 7:30pm in Chipping Sodbury Town Hall Tickets £8.00 Contact 01454 31307 or 314779, Chipping Sodbury Tourist Information Centre, or any choir member
Yate Choral Society raised over £1100 for B.U.S.T. at our last concert 5
St James Mead School A Children’s prayer Dear God, Thank you for the food we eat, Thank you for the friends we meet, Thank you for the birds that sing, Thank you for the school we have, Thank you for who we are. Thank you for everything. Amen A prayer from Lila J and Sophie B.
F. WOODRUFF Local Family Cremation and Funeral Directors 24 Hour Service 2 High Street, Winterbourne Tel: (01454) 773776 118-120 Station Road,Yate Tel: (01454) 320005 192 Badminton Road. Coalpit Heath email:info@funerals.uk.net Private Chapels of Rest at Coalpit Heath & Yate
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Be still and know ..... “we need to be still for some time each day to be ourselves”
Be still — if only! In the midst of our busy everyday lives we seem to have little- if any time to be still. There are so many calls on our time, so many people relying on us — and even if we do get a moment to ourselves the phone is always buzzing or endless emails calling for our attention. Yet, we all know we need to be still for some time each day — to be ourselves — to find direction and reflect on where we are coming from. And we ignore our need at our peril. God calls each one of us by name to enter deeper into the unique and precious relationship which is His gift to us — to take time to be still and know His loving presence with us — to open ourselves to the calming, healing power of His Spirit, to receive the foretaste of that new life which leads to the fullness of joy in His presence. All we have to do is stop and give Him time each day to listen to His voice in the silence, and feel His love enfolding and energising us. Some of us are finding that to meet in a small group at regular intervals to be still together, to be guided by a few words with a short resume of their application — greatly helps us in making that vital daily time and learning to be still and give God space to draw us closer to Him.
If you would like to join us — To find out more, just phone Hilary Holder on 01454-327118 or Pauline Green on 01454-311936.
We meet once a fortnight at 3.0pm on a Tuesday in one of our homes We meditate for about three quarters of an hour Then we have a cup of tea together - a time to share and to enjoy each other’s company
You will be very welcome. (The group is part of a nationwide Christian organization called The Fellowship of Meditation. We use their Bible-based material in our meditation. Some of us belong to the Fellowship, but it is not necessary to join the Fellowship to be a member of the group)
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Travelling Light – Part 2: Christmas in a Faraway Land Christmases spent in a foreign culture can be quite memorable. And when the climate is tropical – though relatively cool – there are other adjustments to be made. And so it was with my first Christmas in Laos. Not least was the carol-singing adventure that we embarked on early in the evening of Christmas Eve. I had borrowed the team Land Rover from Lao National Radio (where I was working as a VSO volunteer). Loading it with young people from the youth group, we set off from the church for our first stop at a church member's home. We did not get far before I became aware we had a problem with wobbly steering. Inspection revealed that one of the front wheels was about to fall off. Mechanics had changed the brake pads but had not finished their job! With the wheel nuts tightened, we continued on our way, first to one house then another. We crisscrossed the city without any consideration for where we had just come from, or where we were going next. Often after singing carols we were invited inside for refreshments before continuing on to the next venue. By 10pm I felt sure that we would soon be packing it in because there was a big Christmas Day programme in one of the large cinemas in town at 9am the next morning. Midnight came and went, and I was beginning to get edgy. Finally, at about 2am we arrived at what proved to be our last port of call. Would they still be waiting up for us? It was the house of Panya Touby Lyfoung, the 'king' of Touby Lyfoung the Hmong people and their chief representative in the Lao government. He was also known to be a Christian and some of his children were in the youth group. Yes, they were expecting us, and they gave us a good meal before we left for home and bed. Amazingly, just a few hours later, everyone was fired up and ready to go! Another Christmas, the MAF plane flew my studio assistant, Nyaj, and me up to a Christian Hmong village in the mountains with our projector and movies, and a portable generator. There, we set up our large screen in a large natural theatre on the hillside. Under the stars it was quite cold. The hillside was packed with hundreds of Hmong people, many of whom had walked a day or two just to see the spectacle. Overhead, giant B52s silently traversed the night sky, going to or from their bombing missions. It was quite surreal. Back in Vientiane our recording studio played an active part in supporting special Christmas events by producing a version of Pilgrim's Progress for stage. Bible School students, most of them Hmong or Khmu, would act out the scenes, lip-synching with the audio soundtrack that played via loudspeakers. It worked brilliantly. Villagers
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who watched were quite mystified, however, as they saw non-Lao actors speaking such perfect and entertaining Lao. By late 1973 I struck up a friendship with Hennie, the Dutch missionary who had recently arrived on the field. At first, it had not been so easy to get acquainted thanks to her rather controlling housemate, but now she had gone home things began to blossom. At the end of October each year was the That Luang Fair, an international trade fair that also included plenty of amusements, including a (not-so) big wheel. One evening, Hennie and I met up at the Lao Christian bookstall then slipped away to try our hand at the Big Wheel. It was a hoot. Although the wheel was not made for people our size, we sat in our chair together. As it swung forward we found our feet were within touching distance of the chair below. That was our first date. Sadly, Hennie was to spend Christmas with a Dutch friend, Corrie. in Thailand. Before she left, she came to put up some Christmas decorations in my flat, just a few doors away from hers. I was touched, but she took off before I could thank her. Christmas suddenly seemed empty and she was not due back till New Year. Amazingly, she returned two days early, which was a great surprise. We found that our feelings were mutual, and we couldn't wait to see each other again. After going through the hoops of mission protocol for marriages on the field we were finally able to plan for a June wedding. Despite many obstacles it all came together, even though we had to arrange everything ourselves. We found a bridesmaid, Corrie, and flowers in season (purple chrysanthemums, although this was a bad colour according to our Lao friends). For legal reasons, we had to go to Thailand for a civil wedding and then have a church wedding back in Laos. My parents were unable to come, but, unbeknown to us, Hennie’s mother arrived just as we were about to leave by train The Christmas Play for Bangkok for the civil wedding. My parents came for Christmas 1974. It proved to be our last in Laos. With Hennie four months pregnant we played Mary and Joseph in the Christmas play at the International Church. It was memorable… Frank Gray To be continued.... This is adapted from Frank Gray’s book ‘Close to the Listener: Adventures in Broadcasting in Asia’ (2018).
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Blessing Our Churches and Community A few weeks ago a group of us met together at the PCC awayday. There were workshops where we discussed various ways of reaching out to our communities with the love of Christ. I have been reading a book called ‘Rediscovering The Ministry Of Blessing’ by Russ Parker which I would thoroughly recommend. He says that for churches to grow in any way there must be unity. In the garden of Gethsemane Jesus prayed for the unity of his disciples. Unity is a mighty resource for the power of God to change lives. I understood from this that for our churches to “for our churches to grow we must be working together. We all have grow we must be our individual lives to lead so physically working working together.” together as a group is impossible but we can be united through our daily prayer times when we can all pray and bless people, our churches and community. Russ says that in Psalm 133 David shows the effects of unity and all its accompanying blessings. Throughout the Bible, blessings are pronounced from God as well as many of the Old Testament characters and writers of the New Testament. We tend to think that only ministers can bless people but Russ says that the Bible teaches us that we do not have by right of our being human the sole capacity to pronounce blessings but that we do have a commission to bless under the guidance and authority of God. It is God who blesses and who is the power behind all our blessings of others. 1Peter 2:9 ‘But you are a chosen people, a royal priesthood, a holy nation, a people belonging to God, that you may declare the praises of him who called you out of darkness into his wonderful light.’ As God’s chosen people, he wants us to bless others in the name of the Lord Jesus Christ, we stand between the holiness of God and the needs of the community. He calls us to give his blessings to the people we serve. I hope that we will become a community of people who bless. To do this, I believe as a church community, we must first build up our own church and personal relationship with God. On the page opposite is a blessing, speak out this in your daily prayers, visualising the church and expecting God to work great things. Remember to thank God when you see signs of his blessing. If you are interested in learning more about the blessing ministry another good book is ‘The Grace Outpouring’ By Roy Godwin & Dave Roberts. Karen Hunter
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A Church Blessing We bless our church with the blessings of God so that it becomes the church the Lord has called it to be. We bless our church with an increase in knowing the presence of God. We bless our church with release and renewal in the Holy Spirit. We bless our church with a new found love and liberty in Jesus Christ. We bless our church with God’s protection. We bless our church with a new power to share the good news in our community.
Benefice Pilgrimage to the Holy Land Reflections by Frank Gray
‘An unforgettable experience’
‘An unforgettable experience’ is how many described it. Twenty-five of us, ably led by our rector David Bowers, returned home late on October 18. The day had begun in Tiberias as we left our hotel overlooking the Sea of Galilee, and headed for the Jordan River where, standing with our feet in the water, we sang and renewed our baptismal vows in a short but meaningful ceremony. Two hours later and we were dipping our toes in the Mediterranean in Caesarea before catching our flight home. Memories abound, and highlights were quite varied as participants reflected on what the pilgrimage had meant for them, personally. Most moving for many was the simple service of communion that David led us in, overlooking Galilee, and just within walking distance of the Church of the Loaves and Fishes where Jesus fed the 5000 and Capurnaum where Jesus lived. The ruins of the village are still very clearly marked out, and the houses and streets where Jesus walked.
” Memories abound”
Jerusalem is a city on a hill – many hills in fact. The Garden of Gethsemane was our very first site, at the foot of the Mount of Olives – amazingly tranquil amidst the bustle of traffic - with a view across the Kidron valley to the Dome of the Rock and the old city. We stood on the site believed to be that of the High Priest’s house where Jesus was tried and where Peter made his denial. 11
The ongoing conflict between Jews and Palestinians was very troubling as we felt for ourselves some of the heartaches. The Western Wall and Holocaust Museum brought home the historical background and the tragedy suffered by the Jewish people. The most popular sites – the Church of the Holy Sepulchre and Church of Nativity (in Bethlehem) – were very overcrowded with tourists from all parts. By contrast many of us enjoyed the quiet reflection to be found at the Pool of Bethesda and the Garden Tomb – and the Shepherd’s Field overlooking Bethlehem. The Mount of the Beatitudes also conveyed a quiet beauty and reverence. We walked where Jesus walked. The countryside we saw was largely unchanged since his time. The deserts of the south are still stark and barren. Nazareth Village took us back to life in Jesus’ time as we met shepherds and simple folk working as carpenters and weavers or gathering olives. The visit was rounded off with a good lunch of food typical of Bible times. Other highlights included the Stations of the Cross in Jerusalem, the boat ride on the Sea of Galilee, Mount “The whole Tabor and the Basilica of the Transfiguration, the site experience brought where Jesus is believed to have made breakfast for his disciples on the Galilean shore, the mountain fortress us closer to our of Masada, and the Qumran caves where the highly Lord Jesus” significant discovery of the Dead Sea Scrolls was made in the 1950s. The Dead Sea gave us some fun, too, as we floated in the salt-laden water. Food was great. Fellowship with one another was very meaningful as we got to know each other better. The whole experience opened up new depths of understanding of the scriptures and brought us closer to our Lord Jesus. 12
Homecoming The crunch of gravel in the driveway. The rush of dogs up the hallway. There’s little better than coming home.
“There’s little better than coming home”
For me, Horton has always been home. I remember the excitement at the end of every school term and the start of each university holiday, waiting to go home. Even now I’m married and live in another city, I still look forward to coming home to Horton. Home is one of those places where your ‘soul sits down’ or, as Chris Rea says, it’s like getting your ‘feet on holy ground’. While I was growing up in Horton, however, I learned about an even greater homecoming. The homecoming at the heart of the Christian faith. Christianity wasn’t something I thought much about as a child. It seemed like those Roman ruins along the A46: ancient, distant and irrelevant to modern life. If God existed, he was a bit “at its heart, Christianity is a like the Father Christmas figure we could go and see in Yate Shopping Centre: an old man who rewarded you homecoming” for being good and whom adults didn’t take too seriously. When I began attending a little Bible study group at boarding school, though, I came to realise that at its heart, Christianity is a homecoming. In the parable of the Prodigal Son, Jesus describes us as children who’ve run away from home. We’ve left the warm, generous love of God and instead lived life on our own terms. Naturally, none of us enjoy the reality or relevance of God being ‘Our Father’, even though I was taught to pray it at a young age. However, God doesn’t sit on a cloud with his arms crossed and a frown on his face. He’s not like the speed camera on Old Sodbury Hill waiting to catch us out. No, the belief of Christians is that in Jesus, God has walked into our world. As one carol puts it: ‘Veiled in flesh the Godhead see Hail the incarnate Deity Pleased as man with man to dwell Jesus, our Emmanuel’ Put simply, Jesus left his home in heaven to bring us home to God. Coming to know God as Father is the real ‘holy ground’ homecoming. It’s a homecoming that lasts longer than the Christmas holidays; a homecoming that isn’t tinged with nostalgia that sometimes home isn’t as great as we’d hoped; a homecoming that doesn’t end when work and life pressures start again. 13
St Augustine once said of God, ‘our souls are restless until they find rest in you’. I came to find that was wonderfully true. So I’m grateful for Horton always being home. I’m grateful for seasons marked by the sound of shooting from Upper Chalkley in Autumn, carol services at Christmas, the clatter of hunting hooves in January, the excitement of the Mop Fair in Spring and the hum of combine harvesters on summer evenings, not to mention many coffees at Waitrose in recent years! I couldn’t have wished for a better place to grow up or a kinder community for my Mum to live in still. Yes, I’m grateful for Horton being home. But as a Christian I’m even more grateful for that other home: the relationship I have with God as my Father, through faith in his Son, and the hope of heaven as my ultimate homecoming in the future. Frankie Knight
Frankie Knight grew up in the Chipping Sodbury benefice. She now lives in Oxford with her husband, Joel, who’s a curate in the Church of England. Her mother, Tina HildickSmith, is one of the Church Wardens of Horton Church.
Giving or Receiving Which brings more joy to a person’s heart? Possibly for an adult, it is the giving? Maybe for the child it is the receiving? A mother may say “Won’t Jill love this Giving: doll?” when wrapping up the gift. Jack may say “Won’t Mum love this silk scarf?” on secretly finding a quiet Christina Rossetti (1830-94), poet and hymn moment to make up the parcel. To be honest we enjoy writer, sums up our giving the excitement of both giving and receiving. in the following words in I am reminded of the words in the offertory priestly her well-loved hymn prayer in the Eucharist “In the bleak midwinter” Fruit of the earth and work of human hands : it will become our spiritual food “What can I give Him, poor as I am? Fruit of the vine and work of human hands : it If I were a shepherd …. , will become out spiritual drink If I were a wise man …. , Fruit of our labours and work of human hands : Yet what I can I give Him it will become our spiritual offering
Give my heart.”
(These words are rarely used today, and when they were used were often only said quietly by the priest) We give: God returns – in full measure David Webster 14
Christmas is coming: Follow the Star Thousands of Christmas services and events will be taking place in churches all over the country in the run up to Christmas. We can make our church a star church simply by displaying a star prominently. The bigger and more visible the better with possible illumination for night time. Friday 21st December will be the night of stars. Archbishop Welby and John Sentamu said “For many of us Photo by Burak K from Pexels Christmas brings up so many emotions, memories and expectations. We have one nativity story, but it seems like we all have very different Christmases. For you it might be a time of joy and togetherness or perhaps it might all be about planning and “to do” lists. Many others can find it a sad and lonely time – nagged by the feeling that your Christmas is not like those ‘perfect’ ones we see in the media. But Follow the Star doesn’t ask you to be perfect. It says come just as you are to take the life changing Christmas journey”. Follow the Star takes us through 12 days of Christmas and gets us to think of the Christmas behind the headlines and to look at the life changing fact “we all have that God so loved the world He sent very different Jesus into the Christmases” world as a tiny baby to be in the world with us and to give his life for us.
“Christmas brings up so many emotions, memories and expectations”
The website www.churchofengland.org/followthestar will give you more information. Notes are available from the website to subscribe to so that you can receive an email. 15
Bible Quandary – Advice needed Does any Outlook reader have an answer to a problem that occasionally bothers me – or perhaps has a similar concern?
Photo by Jonathan Simcoe on Unsplash
It’s what to do with old Bibles I have acquired over the years. These are mainly much battered King James versions which are not in a fit condition to be donated to a worthy cause. If they were any other book I would just put them in the recycling bin, but they deserve to be treated with more respect.
I once heard that Jewish holy books are sometimes buried with a particularly respected scholar but I don’t know of any comparable Christian custom. While waiting for an answer in the next edition of Outlook I shall now be able to start working my way through the top shelf of my bookcase – the only place to keep the Bible according to my Sunday School teacher. Obviously, the family Bible stays, as does those given to me as Sunday School prizes, also Peter’s, his mother’s, my mother’s and father’s church prizes. My father’s service Bible has to stay, as does the New English Bible, much annotated IN INK by my sister when she was doing her A levels, and my IRSV is regularly used so it can’t go. In the end, the only one without personal memories seems to be the one belonging to an uncle who died without children, but then…..what if this is the last tangible reminder of his life – perhaps I’d better keep that one too. Then to the prayer books, all with similar reasons to keep! Christine Stephens
Photo by John-Mark Smith from Pexels
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Regular Weekly Events Monday
7.30pm
Bell Ringers’ Practice CS
Church Tower, Chipping Sodbury
Tuesday
8.30am
Morning Prayer
Church Centre, Upper Room,Chipping Sodbury
9.15pm
Stor'k'ies
St John's Church, Chipping Sodbury
8.30am
Morning Prayer
St John’s, Chipping Sodbury
730pm
Bell Ringer’s Practice Horton
St James’, Horton
8.30am
Morning Prayer
St John’s, Chipping Sodbury
10.00am
Holy Communion
St John’s, Chipping Sodbury
7.00pm
Benefice Choir Practice
St John’s, Chipping Sodbury
8.30am
Morning Prayer
St John’s, Chipping Sodbury
Wednesday
Thursday
Friday
Note: No Morning Prayers on Bank Holidays
Dates for your Diary 16th Feb
10.00am
Wedding Preparation Day
Church Centre, Chipping Sodbury
If you don’t see your event in the list above please let me know, once it is on this calendar other people can put it on theirs! All times are subject to change look out for further details closer to the date. Michelle 01454 325160 office@svbcofe.org.uk
Front Cover - Collage of St John’s Old Copy Deadline Please send all copy for the next issue to the Church Office by Monday
January14th
Sodbury Collage Photos by Michael Stephenson and Frank Gray
Why not put a collage of photos of your church together and send them in electronically to be used on future Front Covers of Outlook or send a set of pictures and I will make up a collage? 17
Calendar December 2018
Tue
4th
9.30am 11.15am 11.15am 6.00pm 9.15am
Thurs
6th
3.00pm 10.00am
Meditation Meeting Holy Communion
Ring 327118 St John’s, C/S
Coffee Shop Parish Communion Holy Communion Family Service Evensong Mothers Union Christmas Lunch
Church Centre, C/S St John’s, C/S St James’, Horton St John’s, O/S St Adeline’s, L/S TBA
Sun 2nd First Sunday of Advent
Family Communion Mattins Family Communion Evensong {BCP} Storkies
St John’s, C/S St James’, Horton St John’s, O/S St Adeline’s, L/S Special event
Mon
10th
10.45am 9.30am 11.15am 11.15am 6.00pm 12.30pm
Tues
11th
9.15am
Storkies
St John’s, CS
Wed
12th
7.00pm
Carols with Ale
St James’, Horton
Thurs
13th
10.00am
Holy Communion
St John’s C/S
18th
10.45am 9.30am 11.15am 6.00pm 6.00pm 9.15am
Coffee Shop Family Communion Holy Communion {BCP} Carol Service Evensong {BCP} Storkies
Church Centre C/S St John’s, C/S St John’s, O/S St James’, Horton St Adeline’s, L/S St John’s, CS
Thurs
20th
2.00pm 3.00pm 10.00am
Tea and Chat Meditation Meeting Holy Communion
Church Centre, C/S Ring 327118 St John’s C/S
Fri
21st
10.45am 7.00pm
Coffee Shop Carol Service
Church Centre C/S St Adeline’s, L/S
9.30am 11.15am 5.00pm 7.00pm 3.00pm 3.00pm 4.30pm 8.00pm 11.30pm 9.30am 11.30am 10.00am
Parish Communion Holy Communion{CW) Carol Service Carol Service Crib Service Christingle Christingle Christmas Communion Christmas Communion Family Communion Family Communion Holy Communion
St John’s, C/S St James’ Horton St John’s O/S St John’s, C/S St John’s, O/S St John’s, C/S St John’s, C/S St James’ Horton St John’s C/S St John’s C/S St John’s O/S St John’s C/S
10.45am 10.30am
Coffee Shop Benefice Communion
Church Centre C/S St Adeline’s L/S
Sun 9th Second Sunday of Advent
Sun 16th Third Sunday of Advent Tues
Sun 23rd Fourth Sunday of Advent
Mon 24th Christmas Eve
Tues 25th Christmas Day Thurs
27th 30th
Sun First Sunday of Christmas
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Calendar January 2019 Thurs
3rd
Sun 6th Epiphany
10.00am
Holy Communion
St John’s, C/S
10.45am
Coffee Shop
Church Centre, C/S
8.00am
Holy Communion
St John’s, C/S
9.30am
St John’s Praise
St John’s, C/S
11.15am
Mattins
St James’, Horton
11.15am
Family Communion
St John’s, O/S
6.00pm
Evensong {BCP}
St Adeline’s, L/S
Mon
8th
2.00pm
Mothers Union
Church Centre, CS
Tue
8th
9.15am
Storkies
Special event
Thurs
10th
10.00am
Holy Communion
St John’s, C/S
10.45am
Coffee Shop
Church Centre, C/S
9.30am
Parish Communion
St John’s, C/S
11.15am
Holy Communion
St James’, Horton
11.15am
Family Service
St John’s, O/S
6.00pm
Evensong
St Adeline’s, L/S
Sun 13th The Baptism of Christ
Tues
15th
9.15am
Storkies
St John’s, CS
Thurs
17th
10.00am
Holy Communion
St John’s C/S
10.45am
Coffee Shop
Church Centre C/S
9.30am
Family Communion
St John’s, C/S
11.15am
Morning Prayer
St James’, Horton
11.15am
Holy Communion {BCP}
St John’s, O/S
6.00pm
Evensong {BCP}
St Adeline’s, L/S
Sun 20th Third Sunday of Epiphany
Tues
22nd
9.15am
Storkies
St John’s, CS
Thurs
24th
10.00am
Holy Communion
St John’s C/S
10.45am
Coffee Shop
Church Centre C/S
9.30am
Parish Communion
St John’s, C/S
11.15am
Holy Communion{CW)
St James’ Horton
11.15am
Morning Praise
St John’s O/S
6.00pm
Holy Communion
St Adeline’s, L/S
Sun 27th Fourth Sunday of Epiphany
Tues
29th
9.15am
Storkies
St John’s, CS
Thurs
31st
10.00am
Holy Communion
St John’s C/S
10.45am
Coffee Shop
Church Centre C/S
19
Benefice Christmas Services Wed 12th
7.00pm
Carols with Ale, St James’ the Elder, Horton (Tickets £10 from Tina Hildick-Smith 01454 320380)
16th
6.00pm
Carol Service
St James’ the Elder, Horton
Friday 21st
Sun
7.00pm
Carol Service
St Adeline’s, Little Sodbury
Sun
23rd
5.00m
Carol Service
St John’s, Old Sodbury
Sun
23rd
7.00pm
Carol Service
St John’s, Chipping Sodbury
Christmas Eve 24th December: 3.00pm
Crib Service
St John’s, Old Sodbury
3.00pm
Christingle
St John’s, Chipping Sodbury
4.30pm
Christingle
St John’s, Chipping Sodbury
8.00pm
Christmas Communion
St James’ the Elder, Horton
11.30pm
Midnight Service
St John’s, Chipping Sodbury
Christmas Day 25th December: 9.30am
Family Communion
St John’s, Chipping Sodbury
11.15am
Family Communion
St John’s, Old Sodbury
Sunday 30th December 10.30am
Benefice Communion
St Adeline’s, Little Sodbury
Jimmy Rocks, our CMS Partner from Brazil, will be the speaker at this service
Glory to God in the Highest and on earth peace, goodwill toward men. Luke 2:14 This magazine is brought to you Free by the four churches of the Sodbury Vale Benefice. If you would like to make a small donation towards printing costs which are 65p a copy that would be most welcome. Thank you. 20