The Vicarage
Wotton-under-Edge
01453 842175
My Dear Friends,
Remembrance Sunday has been kept with the
placing of wreaths, the silence and the act of Remembrance; we’ve had the first
frosts of winter leaving the early morning garden with a white crispness and
now we are on the headlong dash into Christmas. But there is time to stop and
reflect, to discover afresh something of the depth of Christmas which goes well
beyond the tree, the lights and the tinsel.
We enter this period of reflection and preparation full of hope as our worship celebrates the light that is coming into the world, Jesus Christ. On Advent Sunday, 30th November, we will have had our traditional candlelit services, these are quickly followed by the ever popular Services of 9 Carols and Lessons and the Christingle Services.
I find the symbolism of the Christingle to
be very powerful, the orange to represent not just the world but the whole of
God’s creation, a creation that God said was good but which we, through our
inhumanity and greed seem set on destroying. The red ribbon, a sign of Christ’s
blood which was shed for us all on the cross; his death and resurrection to
restore in us a right relationship with God. Then there are the fruits which
represent both the four seasons or the fruits of the earth, and the fruit of
God’s Spirit, love, joy, peace, patience, kindness, generosity, faithfulness,
gentleness and self control.
Finally in the top of the Christingle
orange a lighted candle, the sign of Christ, the light of the world. This light
should continue to burn in our hearts and our homes right through Christmas as
a reminder of those wonderful words we hear from St John’s Gospel
In
the beginning was the Word, and the Word was with God, and the Word was God. He
was in the beginning with God. All things came into being through him, and
without him not one thing came into being. What has come into being in him was
life, and the life was the light of all people. The light shines in the
darkness, and the darkness did not overcome it.
The light of Christ is so needed in our
world today, a world that for many can seem a dark place indeed. It is my
prayer that the Christlight may burn in the homes of our communities this
Christmas as a sign to the world that Christ is alive, that his light does
burn, that no matter how bad things may seem to be the darkness will never
succeed.
May the light of Christ shine in your home
this Christmas time.
In conclusion may I wish you all a very happy and joyous Christmas
and extend a warm welcome to you to join us for worship in any of our churches
Yours in Christ’s service,
Rob Axford
Vicar’s Voice
Christmas CommunionChristmas is one of the great festivals
of the Christian
Year and a time when all
confirmed members of the church should
seek to take communion. If you are unable
through health or other reasons to
get to church over Christmas and would
like to receive communion at home
then we will
be pleased to arrange this for you.
Please do contact us so that a
suitable date and time can be
arranged. (Revd Rob & Revd Chris Axford
842175)
Ministry of Reconciliation (formerly known as confession) If anyone wishes to avail themselves
of this ministry / sacrament as part of their preparation for Christmas then please do speak to either Revd Rob or Revd Chris and
we will
be pleased to see you.
Epiphany:the Feast of the Epiphany falls on 6th
January and celebrates the
manifestation of Christ to the gentiles and marks the arrival
of the Wise Men. This year we will keep the celebration
with a special service at St Mary’s Wotton which will include the blessing of
chalk so that we may all take some chalk with us and write the blessing on our
doorposts. During the service offerings of Gold,
Frankincense and Myrrh will be made with the use of a small amount
of incense. Do join us for this wonderful
celebration which will be followed
by drinks at the Vicarage.
Chris and I would like to take this opportunity to wish you all a very blessed and peaceful Christmas.
With our prayers and very best wishes to you all.
A Celebration of the Saints
We keep a variety of Saints Days at St Mary’s with an evening Eucharist with incense, the celebrations having become known as “Sanctity and Smoke”. Sadly attendance at these services has recently declined, I am therefore trying to revitalise them as I believe it to be very important that we celebrate the heritage of our saints. In 2009 we will be having a different selection of evening Eucharists mixing traditional Prayer Book with Common Worship but all including the use of incense as a way touching our senses and offering our prayers. The evening Eucharists will be:
Epiphany Tuesday, 6th January – Common Worship Eucharist with hymns and the Blessing of Chalk, a solemn procession to the Vicarage followed by a party. Incense is used at this service as part of the gifts of the wise men with Gold and Myrrh.
Candlemas Monday, 2nd February – BCP Communion
Annunciation of our Lord Wednesday, 25th March – Common Worship with a particular welcome to the Mother’s Union
St George Thursday, 23rd April – BCP Communion
Ascension Day Thursday, 21st May
8.00 am Common Worship Eucharist followed by breakfast in the Vicarage – no incense.
7.30 pm - BCP Communion
The Visitation of Our Lady Monday 1st June – as celebrated in 2008 and in line with the rest of Christendom (transferred from 31st May which is Pentecost Sunday) BCP Communion
Corpus Christ (Ozleworth) Thursday, 11th June – Common Worship Eucharist with procession and hymns
Transfiguration Thursday, 6th August - Common Worship
The Blessed Virgin Mary Saturday, 15th August - BCP Communion
St Michael and all Angels Tuesday, 29th September - Common Worship