Services and Events 2015
(All held at St Thomas à Becket’s church unless otherwise stated)
Sunday mornings in Advent (30 November, 7, 14, 21 December)
8am Holy Communion
9.45am Parish Eucharist
Sunday evenings in Advent
30 November 4.00pm Advent Carols & Readings
7 December 5.00pm Celtic Evening Prayer
14 December 4.00pm Christingle
21 December 6.30pm Compline
Weekdays in Advent
Morning Prayer 9.20am Monday-Thursday & Saturday (8.30am Friday)
Evening Prayer 5.20pm Monday-Thursday (4.30pm Friday)
Tuesdays 7.00pm Eucharist
Wednesdays 10.00am Holy Communion
Wednesdays 9.00pm Compline
Carol Services
Sunday 7 December 6.00pm Carols in Hotham Park
Monday 15 December 7.30pm Carols at The Bear Inn
Thursday 18 December 9.15am Rose Green Infants
Thursday 18 December 7.30pm Chichester Voices Choir Concert, “A Light in the Stable”
Friday 19 December 10.00am Rose Green Juniors
Friday 19 December 6.00pm Carols around Rose Green Christmas Tree
Sunday 28 December 4.00pm Christmas Carols
Christmas
Christmas Eve 5.00pm Crib Service
Christmas Eve 11.30pm Midnight Mass
Christmas Day 8.00am Holy Communion
Christmas Day 9.45am Family Eucharist
Sunday 28 December – The Holy Innocents
8am Holy Communion
9.45am Family Eucharist
4.00pm Christmas Carols
Monday 29 December – The Martyrdom of Thomas à Becket
4.00pm The Eucharist followed by refreshments
Wednesday 31 December – New Year’s Eve
7.30pm Supper party at the Vicarage
11.30pm Ringing-in of the New Year
Sunday 4 January – The Epiphany
9.45am Parish Eucharist
Sunday 11 January – Baptism of Christ
5.00pm Informal Worship
Sunday 25 January – Feast of Conversion of St. Paul
9.45am Family Eucharist with Sunday School Play
Advent & Christmas 2014 – Vicar’s Message
The season of Advent is a time of watching and waiting, preparing for the coming of Christ. His coming points us to the past, present and future: in His birth at Bethlehem, in our hearts and lives today, in judgement and glory at the end of time.
Advent is also the beginning of the Church’s year, so a fresh call to prayer is timely. I would like to suggest people try one or two resources to help us to “pray without ceasing” (1 Thessalonians 5: 17). The modern liturgy of the Church of England, Common Worship, offers the volume Daily Prayer with orders for Morning and Evening Prayer, Prayer during the Day, Night Prayer, the Psalms and all manner of changes to reflect seasons and saints. There is also a volume, Reflections for Daily Prayer, which has a very abridged version of Daily Prayer plus a short reflection on one of the Bible readings set for the day. Both are available from Church House Publishing. Both are used in our own church at Morning and Evening Prayer, but can be used alone at home, as well as in a group, to form a community of watchful prayer – watchful for the signs of Christ’s Kingdom and so ready to move in His direction. You might like to experiment in a group this Advent by coming to Compline (Night Prayer) at 9.00pm on Wednesday, our prayers shining as little lights in the darkness as we prepare to welcome the Word made flesh, the One whom the darkness did not overcome.
God bless you and yours this expectant Advent and joyful Christmas.
Mark Eminson – Vicar