Trust an unknown future to a known God
Our 2024 Memory Verse
You see, at just the right time, when we were still powerless, Christ died for the ungodly. Very rarely will anyone die for a righteous person, though for a good person someone might possibly dare to die. But God demonstrates his own love for us in this: While we were still sinners, Christ died for us.
Romans 5:6-8, NIV
Thursday 19th December 2:30 p.m. – Funeral of Pam Reid – Weston Crematorium
Please pray for Mac and the family as they gather for Pam’s funeral. All are welcome. The whole service will be at the Crematorium.
Praying for Peace
St Nicholas’ Church will be open for prayer for peace in Ukraine and between Israel and Palestine/Gaza/Lebanon between 9:30 and 10:00 on Mondays 9th and 16th December, weather permitting. If in doubt phone Joy (625545).
It will not be open on the 23rd and 30th.
Christmas Appeal 2024
This year we would really like to bless the Clarkes and their ministry in Portugal. They have been our Crosslinks Mission Partners for some 9 or 10 years now and have faithfully visited us each year, when on leave, and kept in touch with their Crosslinks newsletters and their monthly email updates. Also they are always asking us what they can pray for and they now get our monthly Prayers and Reflections sheet which gives them our updates.
As you will know just over a year ago they started a church plant (CGC) in the middle of Coimbra to reach out with the gospel to those who live around there. They have never asked for anything except prayer but this year we decided to ask them and not surprisingly with a new church they still have a number of needs. These include: a lectern, a small table for the Lord’s Supper, a table for craft, money towards getting a website up and running, gospel tracts and church invites for Christmas events and various other sundries.
You can give by cash or cheque payable to Crosslinks and put this in the envelope provided. If you are able to Gift Aid take a form and add your details and put it in the envelope with your contribution. (You needn’t fill in the rest of the form re Communications.) PLEASE DO NOT POST the envelopes yourself. They will all be sent off together to Crosslinks at the beginning of January.
Jeff, on behalf of the Mission Team.
Green Church Giving Envelopes
As it’s now getting near the end of the year, Annabel is preparing next year’s weekly church giving envelopes. If you are already part of the scheme please look out this month for a new set for 2025. If you would like to start to use the envelopes, then please have a word with Annabel, as there are a few boxes spare. She sends her thanks to all who have been giving regularly in this way; it is a great help to be able to rely on regular income.
Buildings
Arthur and Martin have spent quite a few hours repairing a hard-to-fix leak in the St Nicholas Church toilets. Thanks to them we have a usable toilet for our busy Christmas programme. Meanwhile, Duncan has cleared a blockage outside the kitchen sink at St Barnabas and attended to a problem in the church hall in his own time. Thanks to him and all those who keep our churches clean and welcoming.
As we prepare to welcome schools and guests to our church this month, our visitors will not know their way round the building in case of an emergency. Our fire exits are the main entrance, the double doors under the church tower and the side door through the outer vestry. Please would you ensure that these exits are always accessible and nothing is blocking these evacuation routes. If you are running an event, please make sure you know how to unlock both the tower door and the two locks on the vestry door.
The St Nicholas Church heaters have been serviced but two of the heaters still cut out from time to time. The contractor has been asked to make a return visit. Please let Jim or Lynn know if you feel the cold.
Sound Quality During Service
Apologies from Caroline for the sound difficulties on zoom over the past few weeks. She has worked on the settings outside of the service and is hoping it is now sorted.
Mark adds, “ Caroline has actually spent several hours in Church with the WorleWind Band technical team to try to sort this out. As Rector, rather than husband, I would like to thank Caroline for her efforts on this as it is important to get it right.”
Stuck for a Christmas gift?
How about helping someone in need by giving an alternative gift? Check the mission/charity catalogues on the small table by the coffee table in St Nicholas’ Church or Google for a larger variety of catalogues.
Any Old Buttons?
If anyone has any old buttons please can they be donated to Caroline for a project at Windwhistle School. Thank you.
easyfundraising
If you shop online it is possible to raise funds for St Nicholas with St Barnabas. Thousands of brands are part of the scheme.
Check out this link:
https://www.easyfundraising.org.uk/causes/st-nicholas-with-st-barnabas-weston-super-mare
St Nicholas’ Church insurance claim
The loss adjustor has turned down our claim to make good the damp on the wall behind the refreshments table. Please pray that the loss adjustor will reconsider and give us a favourable decision.
Monday 9th December – 8:45 – Assemblies in Westhaven School
Please pray for the assemblies happening in Westhaven School
Wednesday 11th December 2 - 3 p.m. Uphill Village Academy Christmas Performance
Uphill Village Academy will be rehearsing in St Nicholas in the morning and performing to parents in the afternoon. Please pray for our interaction with the school and the parents, and give thanks for this opportunity.
Please let Mark know if you can help with refreshments from 1:30 onwards.
Friday 13th & Saturday 14th December 10 a.m. – 4 p.m. Christmas Tree Festival
Refreshments. Free.
Please pray for our interaction with all who come and that it will be well attended.
Tuesday 17th December – Estates Carol Walk
This starts at 4pm outside the Bournville shops and ends at St Barnabas at 5.15pm with refreshments. Please see the attached flyer.
Tuesday 17th December – Broadoak Carol Service in the evening
Broadoak will be rehearsing in the afternoon and performing in the evening. Please pray for our interaction with the school and the parents and give thanks for this opportunity.
Please let Mark know if you could help with refreshments from approximately 6:30 p.m. onwards.
Wednesday 18th December 8:55 a.m. – Assemblies in Windwhistle School
Wednesday 18th December – 2 p.m. – St Nicholas Church PreSchool
Some children from PreSchool will visit Church to hear about Christmas.
Saturday 4th January – Epiphany Banquet
Lynn will be in church on Sunday with a list and choices of food. The cost will be £10 again this year.
Tickets only for this social event due to catering.
Dates to note in the New Year
Wednesday 15th January - Coffee and Cake Evening with speaker Val Jeal, founder of the charity One25 from Bristol. Free admission.
Saturday 8th February - The Hiding Place.
Professional production in St Nicholas’ Church by Oddments Theatre Co., about a Dutch family during World War ll helping to rescue Jews.
Tickets in advance £10.00, Students £8.00 and on the door £12.00.
There will be flyers about these events and hopefully Hiding Place tickets available at the Christmas Tree Festival.
Can you help?
Oddments Theatre company, who are coming to St Nicholas’ Church on Saturday 8th February, need overnight accommodation locally as they are performing at Bristol Prison on Sunday 9th.
Please would anyone offer a bed and early breakfast to a performer? Please speak to Gail.
The Madeleys are off duty from lunchtime on 25th December. Mark will be resuming his duties on Thursday 2nd January. Please do not disturb during this time. Thank you.
Services
Sunday 8th December 10 a.m. – Morning Worship in St Nicholas live and by zoom
Second Sunday in Advent
Philippians 1:3-11 Luke 1:1-25
Wednesday 11th December 10:30 a.m. Morning Worship in St Barnabas live and by zoom
Wednesday before Advent 3
Luke 3:7-18
Sunday 15th December 10 a.m. – Holy Communion in St Nicholas live and by zoom
Third Sunday in Advent
Zephaniah 3:14-20 Luke 3:7-18
6 p.m. – Prayer Meeting in St Barnabas
Wednesday 18th December 10:30 a.m. – Carol Service in St Barnabas live and by zoom
Sunday 22nd December 10 a.m. – All Together Worship in St Nicholas live and by zoom
Fourth Sunday in Advent
Sunday 22nd December 6:30 p.m. – Traditional Carols and Readings by Candlelight
Tuesday 24th December 4 p.m. – Pop Up Nativity (Not available on zoom)
Please pray for this event as it brings in a good number of people from Messy Church and a lot of people who are not regular members of the congregation.
Tuesday 24th December 11:15 p.m. “Midnight” Communion (not available on zoom)
1 Samuel 7:1-16 Luke 1:67-79
Wednesday 25th December 9:00 a.m. – Quiet Book of Common Prayer Service in St Nicholas (Not available on zoom)
Isaiah 9:2-7 Luke 2:1-20
Wednesday 25th December 10 a.m. – Holy Communion in St Nicholas live and by zoom
Isaiah 9:2-7 Luke 2:1-20
Zoom https://us02web.zoom.us/j/86238212862?pwd=LTJyTjLsa8afsScC9bsDbJat5dboBz.1
Meeting ID 862 3821 2862 Passcode 148933
Sunday 29th December 10 a.m. – Informal Worship in St Nicholas live and by zoom
First Sunday of Christmas
1 Samuel 2:18-26 Luke 2:41-52
Wednesday 1st January – No service in St Barnabas
Sunday 5th January 10 a.m. – Holy Communion in St Nicholas live and by zoom
Epiphany (Epiphany actually falls on 6th January)
Isaiah 60:1-6 Matthew 2:1-12
The next Parish Update will be produced on Friday 3rd January.
Please pray for:
Barbara Brown
Rene Eaton
Malcolm and Edna Hunter
Ada Keeley
Paul and Barbara Lewis
The Madeleys - For plenty of quality time together over the Christmas period and a chance to rest and recuperate.
Stella Middleton
Gwen Purnell - Pray for Gwen who has had a mini stroke and the GP is visiting; also for her daughter Liz.
Mac Reid - Pray for Mac and the family – Pam’s funeral is on Thursday 19th December at the Crematorium.
Jo Scott
Peter and Val Tullett
Gill and David Willis
The Clarkes
Heather Johnstone - Pray for good visits to Heather’s remaining supporting churches, a happy and blessed Christmas and good travelling to South Africa in the New Year to visit her brother.
“V” in the Republic of China Taiwan
Please continue to pray for Alison Giblett, Anya and Pastor Valery, CMS mission partners, in Kiev. Please continue to pray for their safety, stamina and wisdom regarding use of time and resources. Pray for any Christmas outreach they may be doing and parcels they give out.
Contact Details
Mark’s contact details are mark@mibtravel.co.uk and 01934 620156.
IMPORTANT PLEASE NOTE
Mark asks us to use the above email address if we wish to contact him. He says, “People keep sending things to my gmail account, but that is only a backup and so things can get missed if sent there. Also please consider if you really do need to copy me into everything you send. Thank you.”
Our Church Wardens
Jim: 01934 644623 or loringjim@outlook.com
Lynn: 01934 813763 or lynnmarypack@gmail.com
The Pastoral Team
Pauline Farley 415401
Angela James 07792 133403
Barbara Lewis 07773 087439 (mobile preferred to landline 633655)
Joy Realff 625545
Parish Office
When Duncan is in the Parish Office it is usually at the following times:
Mondays and Wednesdays 09:00am - 2:00pm, Fridays 2:00 – 4:00pm.
If you need to telephone Duncan please use the following number, which is a temporary one - 07766 482850. The earlier landline is no longer operative.
If you are emailing Duncan please remember to use the new address - stnickswithstbs@gmail.com The earlier one is no longer checked.
Instagram and Facebook
Our churches have an Instagram account, which Rachel set up. The address is st.nicholas.with.st.barnabas (no capitals)
Our Facebook page can be accessed through this link: https://www.facebook.com/StNicksandStBs/
The flyer about the Estates Carol Walk is attached.