Magazine articles needed
The magazine editors are always looking for material for future editions. Please email any articles to or or put material in the folder at the back of the church.
Help keep St Mary’s clean!
If you would like to help clean the church on a regular basis please sign up on the rota. Thank you
Booking St Mary’s Space
Please contact Brian Jarrett if you are interested in booking this wonderful space for an activity such as an Arts Display, a show or a conference. For further information please contact Brian on or 07500159367 or 01233 638042.
Arts Trust Tickets
Tickets are available for all shows. Please call on 07548679199 or email:
Foodbank
Has asked for donations of tins of meat (i.e. corned beef) or meat based tin meals and long life milk.
Bishop’s Advent Appeal
Bishop Trevor’s Advent Justice appeal is raising funds to help with a co-ordinated response to the refugee crisis. Information can be found on the website www.justgiving.com/bishopsadventappeal2015 or on social media #adventjustice.
SUNDAY 27th DECEMBER Please note there is only ONE service on this day – Morning Prayer at 9.00 am led by Gavin Williams.
St Mary the Virgin
Ashford
Third Sunday of Advent
13th December 2015
Hymns and songs are on the screen1. / NEH 12 / On Jordan’s bank the Baptist’s cry
2. / AON 481 / O comfort my people
3. / CHE 804 / When John baptised by Jordan’s river
4. / AMNS 315 / Sing we the praises of the great forerunner
5. / AMNS 442 / Christ, when for us you were baptised
Anthem / Advent Message (Martin How)
Organ Voluntary / Prelude on ‘Veni Emannuel’ (Bairstow)
Collect:
God for whom we watch and wait, you sent John the Baptist to prepare the way of your Son: give us courage to speak the truth, to hunger for justice, and to suffer for the cause of right with Jesus Christ our Lord. Amen.
Reading: Philippians 4: 4 – 7 Ursula Peters
Gospel: Luke 3: 7 – 18
Intercessor: Vic Silver
Closing Prayer:
We give you thanks, O Lord, for these heavenly gifts; kindle in us the fire of your Spirit that when your Christ comes again we may shine as lights before his face; who is alive and reigns now and for ever. Amen
St Mary’s Diary
Third Sunday of Advent
Sunday 8.00 am BCP Holy Communion
13th led by Rev Dawn Stamper
10.00 am Family Communion
led by Rev Nick Pappadopolus
6.30 pm No evening service
Monday 10-12 Take a Break
14th 12.15 pm Monday Meditation
Tuesday 10-12 Coffee Morning, Craft and Art
15th 7.00 pm Highworth & Norton Knatchbull
Carol Service
Thursday 11.30 am Morning Prayer
17th led by Gavin Williams
9.30 am St Mary’s School Carol Service
2.00 pm Godinton School carol Service
7.00 pm Choir Practice
Saturday 10-12 Coffee Morning
19th 7.30 pm Ashford Choral Society Carols
Fourth Sunday of Advent
Sunday 8.00 am BCP Holy Communion
20th led by Tim Wilson
10.00 am Family Communion
led by Rev Colin Johnson
4.00 pm Service of Nine Lessons and Carols
led by Peter Newell
Monday 10-12 Take a Break
21st 12.15 pm Monday Meditation
Tuesday 10-12 Coffee Morning, Craft and Art
22nd 6.00 pm Christingle making
Thursday 4.00 pm Christingle Service
24th 11.30 pm Midnight Mass
led by the Bishop of Dover
Friday 8.00 am BCP Holy Communion
25th led by Rev Eve Lanchantin
10.00 am Family Communion
led by Rev Eve Lanchantin
Please pray
Your prayers for: Street Pastors, the homeless, our Mission link - the Church in Cameroon, Ashford Food Bank. The work of the Children’s Society and the work of The Living Well. Refugees all around the world and the work of the church to help them.
Sick: Steve John, Alice Jones, Jim Babbs, Sally-Ann Nash, Allan Foad, Rosalind and Brian Locking, Lizzie Hopthrow, David Tucker, Richard Simpson, Steve Apted. Kate and Andrew Terry, Jane Kelly, Margaret, Tom Barlow, Freddie Newing, Eric Cooney; Derek and David, Aiden Kelly, Barbara Burbidge.
Notices
Freewill and Gift Aid envelopes
These will be available for distribution on Sunday 13th and Sunday 20th December.
Christmas Flowers
There will be a plate at the back of the church for donations towards the flowers for decorating the church at Christmas.
Technical Help
If anyone (over 18) is interested in learning about the projector and sound system would they please see Aimee.
Christingles
Volunteers are needed to help make the Christingle on Tuesday 22nd December at 6pm in church. Please contact Sara Moore if you can help. Tel 01233 661363
A little notice to parents
Could parents please ensure that children do not run around, after communion, with whole grapes in their mouths as this could present a choking hazard.
Stamps
A reminder from Katie that the end of January is the last date for collecting stamps in Church.
Childrens Society
This year the amount collected in the boxes is £138.54. If anyone is interested Irena still has boxes available for the coming year.
Oft had the prophets in the time before thee
spoken in vision of the Daystar's coming;
but when he came, 'twas thou that didst proclaim him
Saviour of all mankind.
Final: AMNS 442
Christ, when for us you were baptized
God’s Spirit on you came,
as peaceful as a dove, and yet
as urgent as a flame.
God called you his belovèd Son,
called you his servant too;
his kingdom you were called to preach,
his holy will to do.
Straightway and steadfast until death
you then obeyed his call,
freely as Son of Man to serve,
and give your life for all.
Baptize us with your Spirit, Lord,
your cross on us be signed,
that likewise in God’s service we
may perfect freedom find.
Hymns for 13th December 2015
Entrance: NEH 12
On Jordan's bank the Baptist's cry
announces that the Lord is nigh;
come thou and hearken, for he brings
glad tidings from the King of kings.
Then cleansed be every Christian breast,
and furnished for so great a guest,
yea, let us each our hearts prepare
for Christ to come and enter there.
For thou art our salvation, Lord,
our refuge and our great reward;
without thy grace our souls must fade
and wither like a flower decayed.
Stretch forth thine hand to heal our sore,
and make us rise, to fall no more;
once more upon thy people shine,
and fill the world with love divine.
All praise, eternal Son, to thee,
whose advent sets thy people free;
whom with the Father we adore
and Spirit blest for evermore.
Advent Wreath – Candle lighting
NEH 10, verse 3;
Mary hail! Though afraid,
she believed, she obeyed.
In her womb, God is laid:
till the time expected,
nurtured and protected,
Ring, bells, ring, ring, ring!
Sing, choirs, sing, sing, sing!
When he comes,
when he comes,
who will make him welcome?
Gradual: AON 481
O comfort my people and calm all their fear,
and tell them the time of salvation draws near.
O tell them I come to remove all their shame.
Then they will forever give praise to my name.
Proclaim to the cities of Judah my Word:
that gentle yet strong is the hand of the Lord.
I rescue the captives, my people defend,
and bring them to justice and joy without end.
All mountains and hills shall become as a plain,
for vanished are mourning and hunger and pain.
And never again shall these war against you;
behold I come quickly to make all things new.
Offertory: CHE 804
When John baptised by Jordan’s river
in faith and hope the people came,
that John and Jordan might deliver
their troubled souls from sin and shame.
They came to seek a new beginning,
the human spirit’s ageless quest,
repentance, and an end of sinning,
renouncing ev’ry wrong confessed.
There as the Lord, baptised and praying,
rose from the stream, the sinless one,
a voice was heard from heaven, saying
‘This is my own beloved Son.’
There as the Father’s word was spoken,
not in the power of wind and flame,
but of his love and peace the token,
seen as a dove, the Spirit came.
O Son of Man, our nature sharing,
in whose obedience all are blest,
Saviour, our sins and sorrows bearing,
hear us and grant us this request:
Daily to grow, by grace defended,
filled with the Spirit from above;
in Christ baptised, beloved, befriended,
children of God in peace and love.
Communion: AMNS 315
Sing we the praises of the great forerunner,
tell forth the mighty wonders of his story:
so may his Master cleanse our lips and make them
fit to extol him.
Lo, God's high herald, swift from heaven descending,
gives to thy father tidings of thy coming,
telling thy name and all the tale of marvels
that shall befall thee.