Services this Weekend:

Advent communion 10am Sunday
A said service of holy communion for Advent 4 

Crib Service 4pm Sunday
An all-age nativity in the style of worship for everyone, come dressed as your favourite nativity character! 

Midnight Mass 11.15pm Sunday
A traditional first communion of Christmas with carols

Christmas Day communion 10am Monday
An all-age communion for Christmas day 

Our Sunday service on 31st December will be a said service of Holy Communion. Please note there will be no pew sheet email this week.

Please note over the holiday period on 25th December and 1st January there will be no Monday morning prayer. There will be no Wednesday communion on 27th December or 3rd January. We shall look forward to seeing you all in the new year!  

Volunteers Needed
Volunteers needed to make teas after the service on 31st December. Please let Nick know if you are able to help: church@standrewseg.co.uk

Alpha
Have you ever wondered if there is more to life? Alpha is a course to find out more about Christianity, to think about what Christians believe. You don’t have to have a faith, and you can bring all those nagging questions you aren’t sure about. We can’t promise to answer them all, but we can promise an interesting evening with food, chat and a chance to discuss the deeper questions of life. If you would like to find out more and are interested in coming along, or in helping, chat to Rev Jo for more info. Our next course will be starting in January 2024. 

Tots Time
Tots time is our new Tots group for babies toddlers and their carers. We will be breaking now for Christmas, our dates for 2024 are: 11th and 25th Jan, 8th and 22nd Feb, 7th and 21st March. Pop in any time from 8.45 am, finishing around 10.15am.

Time to Pray 2024
As we start the new year, we invite you to join us to pray together for our mission and witness for 2024.  The first Saturday in the month will be a time to come together to pray and to listen to God as we think about what God is calling us to be and do as a church, within our parish and also beyond to the new estate.

We will meet in church at 9.30 on the following dates: 6th January, 3rd February, 2nd March. There will be coffee and pastries available after the time of prayer. Sue Masters, susanmasters@skycom

Donations
Should you wish to give online to support the work of the church, the link below or the QR code will take you directly to the page. It is a secure way of supporting the churches ministry. Thank you for your ongoing support. Nick Tooby.

https://givealittle.co/campaigns/eef64318-0a22-4db7-8d81-0ab3ccddf15d

Diary Dates	Time	Event
Sun 24th Dec	10.00am	Said Communion
	4.00pm	Crib Service
	11.15pm	Midnight Mass
Mon 25th Dec	10.00am	Christmas Day Communion
Sun 31st Dec	10.00am	Holy Communion by extension
Sat 6th Jan	9.30am	Time to Pray
Sun 7th Jan	8.00am	Said Communion
	10.00am	Worship 4 Everyone
Mon 8th Jan	9.30am	Morning Prayer
	7.30pm	PCC Meeting
Tues 9th Jan	11.00am	Bereavement Group
Weds 10th Jan	10.00am	Wednesday Communion
Thurs 11th Jan	8.45am	Tots Time

Please send notices for next week to Julie by Thursday, email administrator@standrews-eg.org.uk or call 07756 918847

Readings for 24th December 2023: 

The Fourth Sunday of Advent

Collect
Eternal God,
as Mary waited for the birth of your Son,
so we wait for his coming in glory;
bring us through the birth pangs of this present age
to see, with her, our great salvation
in Jesus Christ our Lord.

Post Communion
Heavenly Father,
who chose the Blessed Virgin Mary
to be the mother of the promised saviour:
fill us your servants with your grace,
that in all things we may embrace your holy will
and with her rejoice in your salvation;
through Jesus Christ our Lord.

First Reading: Romans 16:25-end

Final Doxology

25 Now to God who is able to strengthen you according to my gospel and the proclamation of Jesus Christ, according to the revelation of the mystery that was kept secret for long ages 26 but is now disclosed, and through the prophetic writings is made known to all the Gentiles, according to the command of the eternal God, to bring about the obedience of faith— 27 to the only wise God, through Jesus Christ, to whom be the glory for ever! Amen.

NRSVA (New Revised Standard Version, Anglicised)

Gospel Reading: Luke 1:26-38

The Birth of Jesus Foretold

26 In the sixth month the angel Gabriel was sent by God to a town in Galilee called Nazareth, 27 to a virgin engaged to a man whose name was Joseph, of the house of David. The virgin’s name was Mary. 28 And he came to her and said, ‘Greetings, favoured one! The Lord is with you.’ 29 But she was much perplexed by his words and pondered what sort of greeting this might be. 30 The angel said to her, ‘Do not be afraid, Mary, for you have found favour with God. 31 And now, you will conceive in your womb and bear a son, and you will name him Jesus. 32 He will be great, and will be called the Son of the Most High, and the Lord God will give to him the throne of his ancestor David. 33 He will reign over the house of Jacob for ever, and of his kingdom there will be no end.’ 34 Mary said to the angel, ‘How can this be, since I am a virgin?’ 35 The angel said to her, ‘The Holy Spirit will come upon you, and the power of the Most High will overshadow you; therefore the child to be born will be holy; he will be called Son of God. 36 And now, your relative Elizabeth in her old age has also conceived a son; and this is the sixth month for her who was said to be barren. 37 For nothing will be impossible with God.’ 38 Then Mary said, ‘Here am I, the servant of the Lord; let it be with me according to your word.’ Then the angel departed from her.

NRSVA (New Revised Standard Version, Anglicised)

Readings for 31st December 2023:

The First Sunday of Christmas

Collect
God in Trinity,
eternal unity of perfect love:
gather the nations to be one family,
and draw us into your holy life
through the birth of Emmanuel,
our Lord Jesus Christ.

Post Communion
Heavenly Father,
whose blessed Son shared at Nazareth the life of an earthly home:
help your Church to live as one family,
united in love and obedience,
and bring us all at last to our home in heaven;
through Jesus Christ our Lord.

First Reading: Galatians 4:4-7

4 But when the fullness of time had come, God sent his Son, born of a woman, born under the law, 5 in order to redeem those who were under the law, so that we might receive adoption as children. 6 And because you are children, God has sent the Spirit of his Son into our hearts, crying, ‘Abba! Father!’ 7 So you are no longer a slave but a child, and if a child then also an heir, through God.

NRSVA (New Revised Standard Version, Anglicised)

Gospel Reading: Luke 2:15-21

15 When the angels had left them and gone into heaven, the shepherds said to one another, ‘Let us go now to Bethlehem and see this thing that has taken place, which the Lord has made known to us.’ 16 So they went with haste and found Mary and Joseph, and the child lying in the manger. 17 When they saw this, they made known what had been told them about this child; 18 and all who heard it were amazed at what the shepherds told them. 19 But Mary treasured all these words and pondered them in her heart. 20 The shepherds returned, glorifying and praising God for all they had heard and seen, as it had been told them.

Jesus Is Named

21 After eight days had passed, it was time to circumcise the child; and he was called Jesus, the name given by the angel before he was conceived in the womb.

NRSVA (New Revised Standard Version, Anglicised)