Sunday 18^th December - Advent 4

Carol Service weekend.
Come and join and sing.
Bring your neighbours.
Alleluia the heating is working
again in St Mary’s!

There are still streets who have not had Christmas Cards delivered. Streatley and Goring churches please check the list or folders there. Thank you.

The Collect

The prayer for the week

God our redeemer,
who prepared the Blessed Virgin Mary
to be the mother of your Son:
grant that, as she looked for his coming as our saviour,
so we may be ready to greet him
when he comes again as our judge;
who is alive and reigns with you,
in the unity of the Holy Spirit,
one God, now and for ever.

Readings for this Sunday: Romans 1: 1-7, Ps. 80: 1-8, 18-20 and Matt. 1: 18-end.

This Sunday:

8:00am      BCP Holy Communion at St Thomas’
9:30am      Good News service at St Thomas’
11:15am    Traditional Carol service at St Mary’s
11:15am    Good News service with Carols at St Andrew’s
3:00pm      Wild Church Christmas in the Canterbury Room

Traditional Carol Service at St Thomas’

A reminder that this year that due to the timing of the Football world cup final, St Thomas’ Carol Service will be taking place this Saturday, 17th December, at 4pm.
Mince pies and mulled wine will be served in the Canterbury Room after the service.

Christmas Wild Church

18th December, 3pm in the Canterbury Room
Football finals and Christmas crafts will be the arena for faith conversations on Sunday afternoon. Contact Jo for details.

Plan for a more Sustainable Christmas

What costly steps will you take to enable other life to flourish and survive?
Please pray for final days of the COP15 on Biodiversity, this year’s other big international environmental summit, that is being held in Canada until 19 December.

And closer to home click here for 12 suggestions of how to have a greener Christmas from A Rocha.

Warm space volunteers

We are seeing if we can have the Canterbury Room open on Monday mornings as a warm drop-in venue for the next few months. Could you offer to help? Please speak to Ben or a member of the ministry team.

New Year, New Hospitality?

We have a band of people who are on a rota for unlocking St Thomas’ each morning and locking it again in the evening. They do this for a week every 6 to 8 weeks. Would you consider joining them and incorporating a walk past the church into your daily routine? Please speak to Ben or e-mail officeofgsandss@yahoo.com if you might be able to help.

Copies of Pathways, the quarterly Diocesan magazine

The new edition of Pathways is now available. We used to collect this from Wallingford but now it needs to be picked up from All Saints' Youth & Community Hall in Didcot on a weekday morning between 9am and 12:30pm. If you would be willing to help with collection from this new venue please e-mail officeofgsandss@yahoo.com. Thank you.

Bereavement Course

Please think who you could invite to join this very supportive group, a 4 week small group course, on Sunday afternoons beginning in January 2023 in the Canterbury Room at St Thomas’ Church.

We are so fortunate to be able to offer this, but need people committed and signed up in time for it to be prepared. In order to register or for more information please contact the church office (vicarofgsandss@yahoo.com or 01491 875651).

Diary for the coming week

Monday 19th December
11:30am Funeral at St Andrew's

Wednesday 21st December
10:30am    BCP Holy Communion at St Thomas’
The readings will be Zeph. 3. 14-18, Ps. 33. 1-4, 11-12, 20-end and Luke 1. 39-45.

Christmas Eve
10:30am    Christmas at the Crib at St Thomas’
4:00pm      Carols at the Crib at St Andrew’s
6:00pm      Carols in the Rectory Gardens, Goring
11:15pm    Christmas Night Holy Communion at St Thomas’
11:15pm    Christmas Night Holy Communion at St Mary’s

Christmas Day
10:30am    Christmas Day Family Communion at all three churches

n.b. The monthly Calendar for December is now available.

Daily readings for the coming week

Monday am:	Ps 146	Isa. 52.13-53.end	2 Pet. 1. 1-15	pm: Ps 57	Matt. 19. 1-12
Tuesday am:	Ps 46	Isa. ch. 54	2 Pet. 1.16-2.3	pm: Ps 4	Matt. 19. 13-15
Wednesday am:	Ps 121	Isa. ch. 55	2 Pet. 2. 4-end	pm: Ps 84	Matt. 19. 16-end
Thursday am:	Ps 124	Isa. 56. 1-8	2 Pet. ch. 3	pm: Ps 48	Matt. 23. 1-12
Friday am:	Ps 130	Isa. 63. 1-6	2 John	pm: Ps 89. 1-37	Matt. 23. 13-28
Saturday am:	Ps 45	Isa. ch. 58	3 John	pm: Ps 85	Rev. 1.1-8

Sunday 18th December - Advent 4

Carol Service weekend. Come and join and sing. Bring your neighbours. Alleluia the heating is working again in St Mary’s!