CHRISTMAS

“For a child has been born for us; authority rests upon his shoulders; and he is named Wonderful Counsellor, Mighty God, Everlasting Father, Prince of Peace”.

(Isaiah 9.6)


THE COLLECT FOR THE FIRST SUNDAY OF EPIPHANY

Eternal Father,

who at the baptism of Jesus

revealed him to be your Son,

anointing him with the Holy Spirit:

grant to us, who are born again by water and the Spirit,

that we may be faithful to our calling as your adopted children;

through Jesus Christ your Son our Lord,

who is alive and reigns with you,

in the unity of the Holy Spirit,

one God, now and for ever.



Sunday, 10th January – THE BAPTISM OF CHRIST (THE FIRST SUNDAY OF EPIPHANY)


Monday, 11th January – Mary Slessor, missionary in West Africa, 1915


Tuesday, 12th January – Aelred of Hexham, Abbot of Rievaulx, 1167


Wednesday, 13th January – Hilary, Bishop of Poitiers, 367


Thursday, 14th January – Feria


Friday, 15th January – Feria


Saturday, 16th January – Feria


www.excitingholiness.org/first-edition is an excellent online resource containing short biographies of the saints, as well as prayers and readings for their day.




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Holy Communion for the The First Sunday of Advent, 2020, celebrated at St Mary’s, Steeple Ashton


Prayers of Intercession for Advent


… and some favourite hymns for this day …

Awake, awake: fling off the night

Come, thou long-expected Jesus

Hark! A herald voice is calling

Hills of the north, rejoice

Lo, he comes with clouds descending

O come, O come, Emmanuel










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Your financial support to the Benefice is vital … and greatly appreciated … please see Supporting the Church

Happy New Year to all who visit our website !


The Christmas crib in the south porch, St Mary’s, Steeple Ashton



Our services for the month of January are as follows:

Sunday, 3rd January, THE EPIPHANY (transferred from 6th January)
9.15am Said Holy Communion, with sermon (Common Worship, Order One – modern language) at St Nicholas’, North Bradley – incense will be used at this service
11am Said Holy Communion, with sermon (Common Worship, Order Two – “BCP”) at St Mary’s, Steeple Ashton

 

Sunday, 10th January, THE BAPTISM OF CHRIST (THE FIRST SUNDAY OF EPIPHANY)
8am Said Holy Communion, with sermon (Common Worship, Order Two – “BCP”) at St Mary’s, Steeple Ashton
10.30am Christingle Service, at St Mary’s, Steeple Ashton
11am Said Holy Communion, with sermon (Common Worship, Order One – modern language) at St Thomas’, Southwick

 

Sunday, 17th January, THE SECOND SUNDAY OF EPIPHANY
9.15am Said Holy Communion, with sermon (Common Worship, Order One – modern language) at St Nicholas’, North Bradley
11am Said Holy Communion, with sermon (Common Worship, Order One – modern language) at St Mary’s, Steeple Ashton

 

Sunday, 24th January, THE THIRD SUNDAY OF EPIPHANY
8am Said Holy Communion, with sermon (Common Worship, Order Two – “BCP”) at St Mary’s, Steeple Ashton
11am Said Holy Communion, with sermon (Common Worship, Order One – modern language) at St Thomas’, Southwick

 

Sunday, 31st January, THE PRESENTATION OF CHRIST IN THE TEMPLE (transferred from 2nd February)
11am Said Benefice Holy Communion, with sermon (Common Worship, Order One – modern language) at St Mary’s, Steeple Ashton

 

On account of the Coronavirus (COVID-19) special provisions are in place for our services, including those for the administration of Holy Communion.
Please note that the wearing of face coverings in church by all who attend worship and, in general, by all those who attend church when there may be others present is mandatory.

 

Individual Prayer in our churches the week of Sunday, 10th January 
The Stafford Chapel at St Nicholas’, North Bradley, is open for individual prayer on Tuesday and Friday between 10.30am and 12.30pm.

St Thomas’, Southwick, is open for individual prayer on Wednesday between 10.30am and 12.30pm.

The Lady Chapel at St Mary’s, Steeple Ashton, is open for individual prayer on Saturday and Sunday between 2 and 4pm.
 

Morning Prayer will be said remotely this week, Monday – Thursday at 9.30am.

 

To join us on Zoom please use the following links:

for Monday:

Meeting ID: 812 3910 9214      Passcode: 810664

for Tuesday:

Meeting ID: 815 5343 0513      Passcode: 367908

for Wednesday:

Meeting ID: 839 1768 3402      Passcode: 120858

for Thursday:

Meeting ID: 818 9556 6776      Passcode: 489885

 
“We lift up in prayer the people of our Benefice each morning; please let us know if you would like us to include in our prayers any particular person or cause.”
 
Worship at home
An excellent range of resources can be found at: www.churchofengland.org/more/media-centre/church-online
From our own Diocese, you can find at www.salisburycathedral.org.uk daily reflections
and much streamed material, including, on Sundays, a Service of Words and Music
(often on the Cathedral YouTube channel).
Also do look at Bishop Andrew’s vlog (by searching for Andrew Rumsey on YouTube), and the reflections available at www.sarum.ac.uk
 
Daily HOPE
The Church of England has launched a free national phone line as a simple new way to bring worship and prayer into people’s homes while our church buildings are closed.  …
Dial in to listen to daily services of prayers and reflections.
The service is available 24 hours a day.
 
 
 
Daily Hope is just a phone call away



Samaritan’s Purse Operation Christmas Child

Pack a Shoebox!


Send Good News And Great Joy Around The World



Thank you for preparing and bringing to St Nicholas’ or St Thomas’ your gift-filled Shoebox.


The Shoeboxes were blessed at Holy Communion at St Nicholas’ on Sunday, 6th December, and at Holy Communion at St Thomas’ on Sunday, 13th December.

We look forward to telling you where they are to be sent!


Do visit samaritans-purse.org.uk for further details, and for alternative ways of giving if you are unable to give a gift-filled shoebox.