The Revd Canon Roger Smith
150 Southwood Drive
Accrington
BB5 2TU
October 2019
Dear Friends
You will notice that we have some new Crib Figures and they are lovely.They will form the Nativity scene in a very central spot beneath the High Altar.
This will provide a focus for everyone who comes into Church during the Christmas period and rightly so.
It will also provide Christmas Communicants with a definite focus for The Christ Child will be central to our Eucharists whereby we can welcome him into our hearts,prayers and lives as we break the Bread and share the Cup of Life.
We start off in Advent which is a time of penitence and reflection just as if we are dusting and cleaning ready for the arrival of the King of Glory and as we get to the Birth, we hope to be prepared and ready so that we can open our hearts in joy and thanksgiving and say with Christina Rosetti
What can I give Him, poor as I am?
If I were a shepherd, I would bring a lamb;
If I were a Wise man, I would do my part;
Yet what I can I give him: give my heart.
Yours in Christ
Roger
The great Advent Antiphons reflect the longing for the Messiah to COME!...why not start your days from 17th to the 23rd December with each one....you will find traces of the hymn O Come O Come Emanuel amidst them
December 17
O Wisdom of our God Most High,
guiding creation with power and love:
come to teach us the path of knowledge!
December 18
O Leader of the House of Israel,
giver of the Law to Moses on Sinai:
come to rescue us with your mighty power!
December 19
O Root of Jesse’s stem,
sign of God’s love for all his people:
come to save us without delay!
December 20
O Key of David,
opening the gates of God’s eternal Kingdom:
come and free the prisoners of darkness!
December 21
O Radiant Dawn,
splendour of eternal light, sun of justice:
come and shine on those who dwell in darkness and in the
shadow of death.
December 22
O King of all nations and keystone of the Church:
come and save man, whom you formed from the dust!
December 23
O Emmanuel, our King and Giver of Law:
come to save us, Lord our God!
“O Holy Night” by John Sullivan Dwight (based on the French text from Placide Cappeau’s Cantique de Noel)
O holy night! The stars are brightly shining,
It is the night of our dear Saviour's birth.
Long lay the world in sin and error pining,
'Til He appear'd and the soul felt its worth.
A thrill of hope, the weary world rejoices,
For yonder breaks a new and glorious morn.
Fall on your knees! O hear the angel voices!
O night divine, O night when Christ was born;
O night divine, O night, O night Divine…
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and finally and most importantly as your Priest I pray for you all –
May the blessing of joy abide within you; May the blessing of peace rest upon you; May the blessing of love flow out through you; May all the blessings of the Lord be yours at Christmas and in the new year Amen
“I stopped believing in Santa Claus when I was six. Mother took me to see him in a department store, and he asked for my autograph.”– Shirley Temple
Services
8th December - Carol Service 7.30 p.m. No Service at 11.00 a.m.
22nd December NO SERVICE
24th December – Midnight Communion 11.30 p.m.
12th January – 11.00 a.m. Holy Communion
26th January – 11.00 a.m. Holy Communion
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Readings
12th January - Acts 10 v34-43 Nick Millward. Intercessions
Elizabeth Leeming
26th January – 1 Cor 1 v10-18 Wendy Leeming. Intercessions
Veronica Millward
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Holy Matrimony
23rd November – Thomas Christopher Harry Chadwick/India Grace Fiona Chick
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Confirmation
24th November – Daniel and Caroline Hughes
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Funeral
14th November – Dr. Norman Myers CMG
Our sympathy goes to the family
The 3 stages of man: He believes in Santa Claus. He doesn't believe in Santa Claus. He is Santa Claus.
“There is always some madness in love. But there is also always some reason in madness” Friedrich Nietzsche
Readings
10th November - Rom 8 v21-end Nick Millward
Intercessions John Alpe
24th November - Col 1 v11-20 Elizabeth Leeming
Intercessions William Leeming
Slaidburn Village Hall
Autumn Craft Fair
Sunday 10th November 10.30 a.m. – 4.00 p.m.
Gifts for Christmas
Home made refreshments
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Friends of Slaidburn School
Race Night
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School contact – 01200 446664
St Michael Whitewell
To download Stewardship Questionnaire please CLICK HERE
To download Bankers Order Form please CLICK HERE
Dear Friends
I looked at the buffet table on the Patronal Festival and I thought how generous people in the parish had been....the cakes, the goose, the cheese, the sandwiches and sausage rolls....."this is a congregation that wants to see its Church “grow and thrive", I thought, and all of you know in your hearts that I am right.
As Parish Priest, part of my task is the channel, that just as a shepherd guides his flock into the best pathways and pastures, that is why I want to see St Michaels adopt a Stewardship Programme with Planned Giving.
Planned giving which is generous, can help the parish to budget just as we all try to budget for our daily household and living expenses, and I am asking you all to take part in the Giving Programme as from Advent Sunday, which means that we can all give by various means, which are regular Standing Orders from our Banks or by regular giving via an Envelope Scheme.
By adopting this scheme known as GIFT AID we can also make it possible for visitors to the Church (and there are many!) to make a one off donation which gets us help from the Tax Man....for example if I give £4 a week (say) my gift becomes £4 +£1 from the Tax Man, and if Mrs L visits St Michaels whilst staying at The Inn and gives £5 using a Gift Aid envelope, it immediately becomes £1.25 as if by magic, without Mrs L doing more that filling in 3 lines on the back of the envelope.
Therefore, I am asking the Church Council to adopt this scheme as the new church Year begins.
Also as part of the Stewardship Scheme, I am putting out a questionnaire asking if any of you would like to do more to help the worship and ministry in the parish.....ie reading lessons...welcoming people as they arrive....making coffee after the service....cleaning the church.....leading prayers....visiting those who are bereaved or who cant get to church anymore......taking Communion to the housebound......offering your house for a study group during Lent.......etc etc.
Above all this Advent, we need to pray for the success of this venture and feel that we are all involved in taking the parish one more step along the Christian Way....so please look at the enclosed literature and return the pledge sheet which is completely confidential to the Stewardship Recorder.
Let’s go for this together and put St Michaels on a financial footing that is as generous as the Buffet table at the festival of St Michael our Patron Saint.
Yours in the Love of Christ
Roger.
Parish Priest.