Third Sunday of Advent, 13 December 2020

13th December 2020 Christ Church, Community, Mothers' Union, Parish News, Prayer, St Andrew's, Turton Moorland Team, Walmsley CofE School, Worship

Love and blessings to you

The Lord has done great things for us,

and we are glad indeed.

Psalm 126

Dear friends,

On this Third Sunday of Advent, as we light our third candle in the Advent Wreath, we reflect that God has a peaceful dream for the world, and we dream it too. We dream of a world where nations come together, where war is a memory, and we eat at one table. We know this peace cannot come while there is injustice, oppression, inequality.

So justice – the knowledge of the Lord – must be established throughout the world in order that all may live in peace.

Please take a look at the Walmsley Parish Newsletter. If you would like to receive the newsletter and all of the attachments via weekly email, please contact dawn@wampleyparish.org and ask to be added to the mailing list.

Our Walmsley Parish Prayers leaflet includes words and reflections from people you will know from our Parish and wider Team.

Please come and join us for a SERVICE OF HOLY COMMUNION this third Sunday of Advent, led by Reverend Carol Hayden, at Christ Church Walmsley: 9.30am, followed by an 11am SERVICE OF HOLY COMMUNION at St. Andrew’s, also led by Reverend Carol Hayden.

There will be a mid-week Service of Holy Communion on Wednesday 16 December at 11am led by Reverend Carol.

PLEASE COME INTO CHRIST CHURCH & TAKE A PEAK AT THE PAPER ANGELS over and next to the font ~ they are stunningly beautiful; thank you to Angie Foster & Team. ~ More information in this week’s Newsletter … and watch out for them in the online service this Sunday when Angie Foster gives the prayers of Intercession!

As always, thank you to those who take the time to respond to the news and resources.

And a request from Canon Peter for more photos or videos of Christmassy tableaux, or of local, interesting scenes for use in the online services. Please send them to him, thank you.

Please know that you continue to be in our thoughts and prayers.

Stay safe and keep well.
Love and blessings,

Reverend Carol Hayden, Iain Stewart – Church Warden, Angie Foster – Assistant Church Warden & Dawn Hitchen – Church Warden + Authorised Lay Minister for Pastoral Care

Outdoor Carols

The Government guidelines have said that we can sing outside. So: on Sunday 20th December at 3:00pm, we are inviting you to join us outside Christ Church Walmsley, where we can socially distance and sing some of our favourite carols around our beautiful (hopefully fully decorated) tree.

And, if you are passing the door of church, please remember to add a decoration, prayer, name of a loved one… Thank you those who have!

Comfort & Joy

A reminder to let Reverend Carol know if you would like a booklet for ‘Comfort and Joy’ – the Church of England’s 2020 Christmas campaign.

Please contact her on 01204 587150

Online Services

Turton Team Service

You can enjoy each Sunday’s TURTON MOORLAND TEAM ONLINE SERVICE led by Team Rector Canon Peter Reiss, HERE.

As in past weeks, accessing this link will enable you to watch a wonderful, recorded service (also on FaceBook) from 8am on Sunday morning.

Virtual Evening Prayer

Recorded in church and led this week by John Evans (Authorised Lay Minister for Worship) who also gives a reflection. Dawn Hitchen (Church Warden & ALM) reads from the Old Testament, and the New Testament reading is given by Adrian Golland. Those of you who usually attend Evensong at Christ Church Walmsley may wish to wait until 6.30pm for an element of ‘normality’, but this link is available to WATCH NOW.

“An Advent Symphony” – The Way Prepared

The third week of the Advent Symphony Course by Canon Peter Reiss is now available on the website (also see Resources below). This week we look at the world that Jesus lived in and what the four gospels tell us. Four different instruments all playing the “Jesus theme” but slightly differently to make a rich composition. Do get involved and let us know what you think.

Light a Virtual Candle

We want to continue to offer all the things we normally would, so we have developed a page on our team website with the altar as the backdrop and candles in rows that we hope people will dedicate in memory of their deceased loved ones this Advent. You can view these from the Team website homepage: https://turtonmoorlandteam.co.uk/

The candles will remain ‘virtually lit’ until January 2nd.

1. Each person can have a maximum of 3 candles but each candle should be in memory of a different person.
2. You can have two people named on one candle if they shared the same surname.
3. Your brief message should be a maximum of 50 characters.

There is no obligation to donate but we would be delighted if you wished to support us. A donation button is on our website.

Please have a look at our Light a Virtual Candle page if you would like to have a candle ‘virtually lit’ in memory of your loved one >>>

NEWS from Walmsley Parish Community

Please visit our Hall’s Facebook Page

Walmsley Parish Community Hall Manager Vacancy

Thank you to all who applied for the post advertised over the last few weeks. Confirmation next week on the appointment of a Walmsley Parish Community Hall Manager. Exciting times ahead…

Walmsley School Admissions 2021

Please see this update from the Chair of Governors.

Grub tub for Urban Outreach

Please do continue to remember those who rely on food donations. As a church we have supported Urban Outreach in a number of ways, including donating to the grub tubs in each church. When churches are closed, you can place your food donations in the grub tubs in our local supermarkets. Urban Outreach rely on the generosity of food donors to provide food parcels to those in need across the borough.

Thank you to those who have given recently.

For ‘CHRISTMAS DINNER ON JESUS’, they have put out a special and urgent request for people to provide bottles of SHLOER and CHRISTMAS PUDDINGS. Thank you.

Urban Outreach has a job vacancy for an ADULT SUPPORT TEAM LEADER.

We have been asked to help spread the word. The closing date and time for their receipt of applications is 12.00 noon on Friday 18^th December 2020. To find out more about Urban Outreach and how you can apply for this job, please go to: www.urbanoutreach.co.uk/vacancies

Other links of interest…

Here4U Magazine

Have you looked at the most recent edition of the wonderful Here4You magazine, which is delivered (free) through your door each month? Following a lovely, friendly chat with Marilyn Hart at Here4You, we sent some information about our churches across the Turton Moorland Team, and how we have tried to come together in various ways across the parishes keep folk feeling connected. Thank you to Marilyn for including the article …and to our lovely Frank M for suggesting in the first place that we get in touch with the magazine to share our message of HOPE.

Christmas Shopping Online

A reminder for you if you place orders through Amazon, as a registered charity, Walmsley Parish PCC has a link with Amazon Smile, which allows supporters to click this code: https://smile.amazon.co.uk/ch/1165756-0 to make Amazon purchases as normal, but 0.5% of the sale will go – at no cost to yourself – to Walmsley Parish (The Parochial Church Council Of The Ecclesiastical Parish Of Christ Church, Walmsley With St Andrews, Bromley Cross.)

Please help if you can when you shop at smile.amazon.co.uk

Songs of Praise – Young Chorister of the Year – Final

Thank you to Chris Foster for sending this link to the Songs of Praise – Young Chorister of the Year – Final. The Rev Kate Bottley presents the final of the very first joint Songs of Praise and Radio 2 Young Chorister of the Year competition. As it is the second Sunday of Advent, six of the best girl and boy choristers in the UK perform their chosen Christmas carols or songs for judges John Rutter, Laura Wright and Carl Jackson before one is crowned 2020 champion. The programme includes a performance of O Holy Night by Aled Jones, Katherine Jenkins and all the finalists. www.bbc.co.uk/iplayer/episode/m000q6qn via @bbciplayer

MOTHERS’ UNION Advent themed Thursday Prayers

Available HERE. Service sheet attached below. Please share with family, friends, churches etc. Thank you to everyone who has contributed to and supported the making of this month’s Thursday Prayers. We do hope you enjoy it. Thank you to Jenny Murphy for sharing this.

Bolton Music Service

Jane Dent has sent a link to a Bolton Music Service virtual performance of a beautiful Christmas song. Their daughter Rebecca is the one on the top row without a pink scarf… Jane Hampson posted it to her and it didn’t arrive in time!! Watch Here

When Just The Tide Went out

You may have seen this in the early days of ‘Lockdown’, when we were discouraged from even going outside and the roads were virtually traffic free (brilliant!) It was created by the Welsh comedian, Max Boyce, and entitled: ‘When Just The Tide Went out’. It is poignant, yet entertaining. Watch Here