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Joy to the
world!
For 125 years we at St.
Andrew's have been serving God in the heart of our community. And
still, despite all its commercialism and superficial, artificial
glitter, we love Christmas. Because for Christians, Christmas is the
first step on a journey of hope, through the darkness of Good Friday
to the glorious resurrection light of Easter Day.
So this year,
we invite you to experience Christmas as it was meant to be. With
the original message of God’s love intact.
Whether you're a regular church goer, just
come occasionally, or haven't been in the last 2000 years, you'll be
very welcome.
Christmas
Eve 24 December
(Advent 4: normal services at 8
and 10am)
4.00pm Crib
Service
Bring the whole family
for this service gathered around the crib, looking forward to the
birth of Jesus on Christmas Day.
 11.30pm Blessing of the
Crib and the First Communion of Christmas
For many people this glorious service
captures the essence of Christmas. (Please note that incense is
used.)
Christmas
Day 25 December
8.00am Holy Communion
(said)
A
quiet, reflective start to Christmas.
10.00am Family
Communion
A Christmas
Communion service for the whole family, with the Archdeacon of
Taunton.
Sunday 31 December - Christmas
1
8.00am Holy Communion
(said)
A
quiet, reflective start to Sunday.
10.00am Local Ministry
Group service at Holy Trinity
We join
with our friends from St. Peter's, All Saints, and Holy Trinity
Churches for this combined service. No 10am service at St.
Andrew's
DOWNLOAD A .PDF VERSION OF OUR 2006 CHRISTMAS
LEAFLET
For the readings at our services please click here
and to see all of our events in December and January please look at
our calendar.
Welcome to our website
We hope that you will enjoy
looking around, and will come back often, as the site is
updated every week. Our aim is to capture the
spirit of St. Andrew's Church online - our faith, our
worship, our people, and our community.
Our church is first of all a
spiritual centre, a place where people can find God, be
nourished in their spiritual journey, and grow in their life
of faith. If you could come along to one of our services
your presence would be a joy to us and to
God.
If you have any questions or
suggestions please do contact us using the 'Get in
Touch' button. You will find all of our contact
details there, including access to a location map. We also
love to know a little more about our web guests, and would
really appreciate it if you could take a moment to sign our
Visitors'
Book.
Again, welcome and thank you
for visiting our
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The Child: Father of the
Man
A reflection by Katharine
Smith
for the First Sunday of
Christmas 2006 |
Gospel: Luke 2: 41 - 52
Now
every year his parents went to Jerusalem for the festival of the
Passover. And when he was twelve years old,
they went up as usual for the festival. When
the festival was ended and they started to return, the boy Jesus
stayed behind in Jerusalem, but his parents did not know it. Assuming that he was in the group of
travellers, they went a day’s journey. Then they started to look
for him among their relatives and friends.
When they did not find him, they returned to
Jerusalem to search for him. After three days
they found him in the temple, sitting among the teachers,
listening to them and asking them questions.
And all who heard him were amazed at his
understanding and his answers. When his
parents
saw him they were astonished; and his mother said to him, ‘Child,
why have you treated us like this? Look, your father and I have
been searching for you in great anxiety.’ He
said to them, ‘Why were you searching for me? Did you not know
that I must be in my Father’s house?’
But they did not understand what he said to
them. Then he went down with them and came to
Nazareth, and was obedient to them. His mother treasured all these
things in her heart.
And Jesus increased in wisdom and in
years,
and in divine and human favour.
I remember
that day well and I’ve often wondered what happened to the
boy. Now I know. He’s back again. Once more he’s
in the temple, questioning and challenging the elders, scribes and
Pharisees, attracting attention, amazement and speculation.
But not, I think, receiving the same universal approval.
He was only
twelve when I first saw him. We knew from his accent that he
was from the north but we assumed his parents were still in the city
after the Passover. It never occurred to us that he’d stayed
behind and they were frantically searching for
him.
We were
spellbound. Boys of that age can usually recite scripture,
they know the commandments and something of the history of our
people. But this boy was different. He knew so much
more. Even more astounding was the passion, the eagerness and
the depth of his interest. This was not a boy who wanted to be
a rabbi or a great scholar. This was a boy who had absorbed
knowledge of God into his very being and who reached out for more as
if his life depended on it.
He was
remarkable. I’ve often wondered what happened to him.
Now I know and I remember his name, recognise those searching,
piercing eyes and experience once again the power and passion of his
faith.
Jesus of
Nazareth who are you?
Prayer:
Lord Jesus,
the temple was your Father’s house, your home. Thank you for
inviting us to join you, as your brothers and sister, in your
Father’s kingdom. Give us the grace to accept that invitation
and to know the joy of belonging to your family.
During our interregnum
please join with all of us at St. Andrew's in praying this
'Vacancy Prayer':
Lord Jesus Christ, our friend and
saviour, you promised to be with us always, until the end of
time.
We thank you for being with those whose
vision led to the founding of St Andrew’s
Church.
We thank you for being with the men,
women and children who, since then, have filled the church
with prayer, praise and thanksgiving.
Be with us now as we live out today’s
chapter in the story of your people at St
Andrew’s.
Be with all those who carry the responsibility of
leadership in our parish life, especially Stephen and June,
our Wardens, and all members of our PCC. Help each of
us to play our part; to love and serve each other and, above
all, to serve you in the heart of this
community.
We pray for all involved in the process
of appointing a new incumbent and for the person you are
calling to join us.
Help us to face the future with faith
and courage; to keep alive the vision that brought this
church into being and to become the people you want us to
be.
Lord Jesus Christ, help us to trust in
your love and faithfulness and to serve you with joy and
thanksgiving now and always.
Amen. |
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