Thursday 28 December 2023

Dear Sisters and Brothers in Christ,

I hope you are able to enjoy time with family and friends over this Christmas period. It was a real joy to be able to see some of you on Christmas Eve and Christmas Day and I was very thankful to God that I was well enough to take those services. I am grateful to Archana for taking the Christingle service and to David for all his hard work over these last few weeks while I have been unwell. Thank you to so many of you for you kind wishes, prayers and Christmas greetings, cards and gifts.

I know that many people are away, but if you are around, I hope to see you this Sunday, 31st December, as we continue to celebrate Christmastide and look ahead to the new year. (Please note that there will be NO Junior Church or crèche on Sunday. This will resume again on Sunday 7th January).

Sunday 7th January, Epiphany
Do come along on 7th January for our celebration of Epiphany, as we remember the journey of the Magi to find the Christ child.

Lectio Divina
A group of us meet on Thursday morning, 10.30am - 11.15am, via zoom: the meeting includes silent reflection on a short Bible passage, with opportunity to share our thoughts at the end. Those who participate in this find it both strengthens and nourishes each one of us in our own faith and also deepens community as we learn from one another. If you have never tried this, perhaps you might want to join us and make this a new discipline for this coming year. Let me know if you would like to participate and I will send you the zoom link.

Looking ahead...

Open Forum on House Groups
After the service on 21st January, 11.30am, we will have an Open Forum on house groups (which was postponed from early December due to me being unwell). I will present a proposal for starting up house groups again at St Ursula's. The Council and I have worked on this proposal. There will be opportunity to discuss this and ask questions. Everyone is welcome.

Ecumenical Service at the Münster
On Sunday 28th January, the annual ecumenical service will be held at the Münster (There will be no service at St Ursula's). Do please come along to this special service.

I hope that you will all have a very happy New Year. Let us pray for the life and worship, ministry and mission of our church as we look to the year ahead.

None of us know what lies ahead, but the one thing we can be confident of in our personal lives and in our life together is that the light of Christ is with us and before us.

Jesus said: 'I am the light of the world. Whoever follows me will never walk in darkness but will have the light of life.' (John 8:12)

With love in Christ,
Helen