Advent Sunday News

Priest-in-Charge Fr John Ainslie (revjohnainslie@gmail.com; 01628 629827)

A very warm welcome to any new readers, and to visitors and newcomers to St Michael's. If you are new to St Michael's, do join us for refreshments in the Vestry Hall after the service so we can welcome you properly.

PRAYER REQUEST SLIPS are available at the back of church if you want to request prayer for yourself, for someone else or for a particular situation.

SERVICES THIS WEEK: Thursday said Mass at 10.30, Saturday Mass of Our Lady 10.30, both followed by refreshments. Next Sunday Second Sunday of Advent: Sung Mass 10.30.

DATES FOR YOUR DIARY:

Saturday 7th December: Mass of our Lady in Advent 10.30am followed by refreshments.

Saturday 14th December: Advent Quiet Morning 10am – 1pm with Mass at 12.30. An opportunity to pause for some quiet time in church amidst the rush and bustle of preparations for Christmas.

Sunday 22nd December: Traditional Service of Carols and Readings with augmented choir, 4pm, followed by mulled wine / non-alcoholic equivalent and mince pies. All Welcome.

Christmas Eve: Crib Service at 4pm, All Welcome, especially families.

Midnight Mass: 11.30pm on Christmas Eve.

Christmas Morning: Sung Mass at 10.30am

“A Christmas Miscellany” – Seasonal Music and Readings, St Andrews Church, Friday 6th December 7.30pm. Retiring collection for the Heart of Kent Hospice and St Andrews church.

ADVENT READING: Advent, along with Lent, is a time when we are encouraged to do some extra reading, prayer and contemplation in preparation for the coming celebration – in the case of Advent, the celebration of the Incarnation of God in Christ at Bethlehem which we celebrate at Christmas. To encourage and assist with this…..

I have put a collection of booklets, daily prayers and readings for Advent, and other Advent books at Back of Church for you to take home, borrow, and use during this Advent season.

FOR OUR PRAYERS: We pray for regularity and discipline in personal prayer and study through this season of Advent, that we would arrive at the Crib of Jesus at Christmas fully ready to worship and adore our Lord and Maker, our Saviour and our Redeemer. We pray for continuing efforts towards peace in the world, and we pray for Sudan, a place of great suffering which doesn’t always hit the headlines. We pray for, and give thanks for, those who bring care, shelter and food to the needy and the homeless in our town of Maidstone, especially Maidstone Homeless Care and Making A Difference Maidstone. We pray for the Heart of Kent Hospice and all involved in hospice and palliative care.

We pray for those in need, and especially Paul Jones, Glynis Reynolds, Yvonne Young, Jessica O’Sullivan, Lindsay Wheeler, Martyn Nash, Fran, Ellie Tomlinson, Sara Dray, Robert Hill, Michael, Alan, Beryl Haigh, David Green and Terry Barnard.

We pray for the recently departed. We remember those who have faithfully served God in this Church in previous generations, and we pray for those whose year’s mind occurs this week: Thomas David Barlow, Dorothy Bagnall, Sefton Eates.

FROM THE BELLTOWER: Friday, 22 November 2024 1272 Cambridge Surprise Minor 1 Susan Clements 2 Charlotte Elvers 3 Jacqueline Barlow 4 Mark Elvers 5 Kath White 6 Neil Jones (C)

With best wishes to Terry Barnard.