December 23 Newsletter
A Message from Derek Bish, our Church Treasurer
Jesus said: "Give back to God what is God's" (Matthew 22:21). Please take some time to review you regular giving and consider if you can increase it for 2024. All Saints is as much affected by inflation as everyone and is hugely dependent upon the generous giving of our church family to maintain the building and the work of the church here in Earls Barton. If you would like to know more about the Parish Giving Scheme, please contact Derek Bish at: treasurer.earlsbarton@outlook.com
A Message from Revd Jenny Bland, our Vicar and Priest at All Saints Earls Barton
Slowing Down
Why is it that time seems to gather pace rapidly in December? There never seems to be quite enough hours in the day to get everything done, and then you blink and Christmas has come and gone!? Its shocking right! Anyone? Hello?… Just me?
I thought that was just the case for church leaders, but of course it’s not.
I’ve been learning recently just how many parents feel overwhelmed by Christmas. The time pressures, yes, but also the expectations from family members, colleagues, themselves even, as well as the financial pressure and even the social media pressure—I mean, are you really a family or couple if you haven’t got a matching Christmas jumper or PJ photo on IG!? (NB - yes of course you are!).
For these reasons (and more), our theme, focus and intention at All Saints this Advent and Christmas is to slow down. To take a stand against the manufactured pressure, pace or ‘you haven’t got enough presents or food’ messages, to see them for what they are and to avoid, resist or consider them more carefully before being hurried into action.
In slowing down, we want to be more intentional and careful to notice the season of Advent and Christmas, to experience it mindfully, to commit to living in a way which invites God in, not squashes God out. Because no offence to the lovely presents, to the adverts that make us weep or even the gorgeous lights - Christmas is all about making space for God, making space for the crib if you will, and peering into it once again to see this tiny baby who comes to save us, to slow us down, to show us how to live. "What a claim!”, you might say. Well, let’s give it time this year, time to ponder, experience, evaluate even and see what God shows to us.
May the love, joy, hope and peace of Christ be with you and your friends and family this December and always.
A prayer you might like to pray: Dear God, whether we speak daily or annually or never, I’m here and I’m open. Will you help me to experience you in new ways this Advent and Christmas? Stop me, slow me, and show me who you are, that I may wholeheartedly worship the Christ this Christmas. Amen.
What’s on at All Saints Church?
Midweek Worship Every Wednesday - 9:30am Holy Communion
On the first Wednesday of the month there is a short service of Holy Communion in the Church Hall at 3pm followed by refreshments - all welcome!
Sunday Services
10th - 10am Holy Communion
17th - 10am Holy Communion, 6pm Lessons and Carols (with refreshments afterwards)
24th - (no morning service), 4pm Crib Service (come dressed up to perform in the nativity or find something at church), 7:15 Carols On The Square, 11pm Midnight Mass
25th - 10am Christmas Celebration with Holy Communion
Everyone is welcome to join us for services no matter what you believe. We warmly welcome children - especially those who chat, shout and wiggle! Refreshments are served after every Sunday morning service in the Church Hall (except for Christmas Day). For Christingle, everything you need will be provided for you—do bring any financial donations you can for The Children’s Society, thank you!
December Events (Lots and Lots)
9th & 10th - Christmas Tree/Nativity Festival in All Saints Church. Saturday 9th the Hall has Christmas Stalls from 10am-1pm and the church display is on 10am until 4pm. There are also puppet shows in church at 11am and 2pm. On Sunday the 10th the church display runs 12pm - 4pm with a puppet show at 2pm.
9th - Amicorum Winter Concert from 7:30pm
11th - The Albion Christmas band play for us in church (tickets online only, doors 6:45 for 7:30 start). Also ‘Pints of View’ takes place at the Old Swan from 8pm in the back room, all welcome!
17th – 6 pm Lessons and Carols
24th – 4pm Nativity Service, 7.15pm Carols on the Square, 11.00pm Midnight Mass
25th _10.00am Christmas Celebration
Please pray for…
Eloise and Jake who are getting married this month! Please also pray for those you know who are stressed or burnt out, and finally please continue to pray for peace across the world and know we are with you as you do this. Our new Diocesan Bishop, +Debbie Sellin, she will be installed at Peterborough Cathedral in spring time 2024. Please also pray for all those who grieve in this season of remembrance.
A Message from Catherine Johnson
Advent Carol Service Sunday 3rd December 6pm, All Saints Church, Earls Barton. Come and join us for a short service with Advent hymns and readings to celebrate the Season of Advent.
All Saints Church Annual Christmas Festival Event
We are holding our annual Christmas festival weekend on December 9th/10th.
Please support this event by giving generously in any of the following ways:
Donate tombola items and food items for the raffle hampers: boxes will be in church during November for donations
Donate cakes for refreshments over the weekend - contact Amanda Mayne
Donate your time - we will need volunteers across the weekend to act as stewards etc - contact Helen Winrow
So, the events planned so far are:
Sat 10am - 4pm -in the church - Christmas Festival with Nativity themed displays
Sat 10am - 1pm - in the hall - Christmas Market with a variety of traders stalls
Sat afternoon (time to be confirmed) - in the hall - Yukes of Earl playing Christmas tunes - plus refreshments - we hope
Sat 7.30pm - in the church - Christmas Concert by Amicorum
Sunday noon - 4pm - in the church - Christmas Festival with Nativity themed displays
So, if you have time, please volunteer to help out, if you can bake, please volunteer cakes, if you can donate items for the tombola, or food items for the raffle hampers you can contribute in that way.
The whole event can be a fantastic way for us to come together as a church family and reach out into our community, so please help in ways that you feel able.
Monday 11th December - evening in the church - Concert by the Albion Band - volunteers needed to act as stewards and man the bar
Fairtrade Café & Secondhand Booksale Saturday 2nd December with The Daylight Centre 10 - 1 Keep popping in to see our new stock…lots of tasty fairly produced groceries & beautifully ethical gifts & cards. Enjoy chatting, browsing our products, & fresh coffee & yummy homemade cakes… Everyone welcome!
Then on Sunday 3rd December, we're open from 3-5pm as part of EB's first ever Christmas Market so do pop in and see us then. Our shop will be open through till Saturday 23rd December and then we'll close over the new year, reopening on Saturday 6th January.
Please note that at our January cafe (13th) we'll be sharing our space with Ellen the Wildlife Trust.
Email: nicky_smithseb@yahoo.co.uk 07812 686944
A message from Helen Winrow, Churchwarden.
The members of the Floral Society will be decorating the inside of the church again this year – so, many thanks to them. We are going to try to reduce the number of blocks of floral foam used, as each one is the equivalent of 10 plastic bags. We will also be reusing artificial foliage found in a cupboard this summer. Rest assured reducing plastic use is high on our priority list. Enjoy the decorations!
All Saints Communal Christmas card 2023 - this year we're revisiting the 'green' idea of just writing one card to the All Saints family and then giving the money you save to one of our chosen charities, Tearfund. The charity benefits, we'll all have a little more time to enjoy Advent and we save lots of paper & card being used. We'll have a board in church to pin up your communal card and then whether you give cash or card donation, could you write how much you've donated on the list next to the board ( no need to write your name) as that way our hardworking treasurer Derek will know how much is being donated to charity! Thanks so much, Chad, Juliet, Geoff & Nicola
Prayer Shawls and Baby Knitting
As the nights get darker and the weather colder, your thoughts may turn to knitting. If you or someone you know would like to knit for our Church projects, I have wool and patterns, and if you need them knitting needles, for Prayer Shawls, given to Baptism Candidates, so please contact me. I also have wool and patterns for baby clothes for tiny babies in the Barratt Maternity Home Prem Unit and also the Kettering Hospital Baby Unit. You won’t believe how tiny they are! I have also given them to families in the village who are so grateful to have baby clothes that fit their tiny babies.
As a project, I would like to encourage some of our shawl knitters to knit ‘Rainbow Shawls’ for babies born to parents who have lost a baby through stillbirth or miscarriage. I have an example to show and Helen Winrow, one of our Churchwardens, is working on one as well.
Perhaps you can’t knit, but want to help with these projects? It costs just a £5.00 donation to buy the wool to knit a shawl and £2.50 to buy enough soft baby wool to knit a tiny cardigan and hat. I will be very pleased to receive donations.
Jill Timms. Tel 01604 810051 or email at jill.timms@btinternet.com
Outreach from our Church Family to those in Need
A Gift for The Baby Basics Project
This project supports mothers in this County/Country who have nothing for their babies. It is the difference between these mothers, who love their babies so much, being able to take their babies home and care for them.
We support the Baby Basics Initiative and would like to ask for certain donations from our church family in a Project of a ‘Gift for the Baby at Christmas Time’. If you could give a gift for the Christ Child, if he was born on earth this Christmas time could you consider the following? There is a bassinette under the table as you enter church to give these donations. If you need any help or support, please ask Charlotte Nobbs or Jill Timms in church. Here are some ideas:-
· Hand knitted cardigans, hat, mittens and bootees in a 0-to-3-month size – Jill Timms has a pattern and wool for you to use. If you would like to see some Jill has some that Sharron Bond has made
· Baby grows (new born and 0 to 3 months)
· New born clothing
· Coats and jackets
· Baby shampoo
· Baby bath
· Baby toothpaste
· Baby toothbrushes
· Breast pads
· Shampoo and Conditioner for mothers
· Baby soft toys /comforters
· Socks
· New born and 1st size nappies
Cakes/biscuits/fruit/chocolate
We would love to send some cakes/biscuits/fruit/chocolates for the staff at Earls Barton Primary School week beginning 11th December with a card congratulating them on their success in their Ofsted result and our appreciation of all they do for our village’s children. It is wonderful if different members take part in this as it is a whole church response. If you would like to organise this, or with someone else, we take enough for about 80 staff (this includes support staff and volunteers, as well as teachers). Please let Charlotte know.
Request from Ms Lally, Head Teacher of Earls Barton Primary School, for 1:1 support for pupils who need it.
Ms Lally wrote in ‘Barton Today’ that she would love some 1 to 1 help with pupils who could do with a little extra support. It would be wonderful if some members of our church could give a couple of hours a week to help. The school will provide training and organise the DBS process (please ask if you don’t know what this is). Again, if you want to volunteer, please let Charlotte know.
Are you Tech Savy and would like to increase your skills?
An invitation for anyone who is Tech Savy and would like to learn about using the new light system in All Saints Church, Earls Barton! The spotlights can be set up to suit all kinds of services and events and are controlled wirelessly. The facility allows the creation of atmospheres using colours, direction and intensity, so there is a degree of artistic licence involved.
If you are interested in learning more about this role, please contact David Timms on warden2.earlsbarton@outlook.com This is a voluntary post, but could add to the CV of a suitable candidate.