Church has been alive with Nativity plays over these last couple of weeks! If you've happened to walk past Holy Trinity at any point during the school day you will probably have heard the sound of the children rehearsing or performing. I think some of the teachers may feel as if they live here, but we've loved having them in the building and listening to their wonderful singing. Between Meole and Coleham (at Holy Trinity, Belle Vue) I think we've hosted 14 nativities. Each one has, in some way, told the story of God's amazing love for us in sending Jesus to be born as one of us. Emmanuel.
Each of these plays has been slightly different…and some have very cleverly re-told the story in a modern setting. I loved Year 6 Claudia Winkleman introducing the 'Traitors not Narrators' earlier this week. We may have heard the story of 'Love come down' hundreds of time, but the amazing thing is that God's Word is living and active and always has something new to say to us. Luke 2 tells us that, 'Mary treasured up all these things and pondered them in her heart.' May we be those who ponder these things in our hearts this Christmas…and my prayer for us all is that amidst the busy-ness of the season, we allow the truth of the Incarnation to speak to us afresh this year.
And if you feel you've missed out on a Nativity this year, then 'Do not be afraid!' 11am, this Sunday, 14th December, sees our annual all age scratch nativity. Come dressed as a nativity character or borrow one of ours. Everyone is invited to step into the story because this truth is for all of us. It is 'good news that will cause great joy for all people.'
Grace and Peace
Fi Iddon, Associate Vicar
This Sunday, 14th December, we'll be continuing to use the LICC's 'Small Wonder' series in our morning services. At 9am, and CTK our speaker will be Charles Ruxton, with Ian Budd speaking at HTBV. 11am, of course, sees our All Age Nativity. In the evening, Anne Roberts will be speaking as we continue our journey through Advent. Trinity Youth will be meeting at 6.30pm upstairs in the Trinity Centre for the final time this term.
Church Advent Prayer Calendar
I don't know if you've had a chance to look at our Church Advent Calendar yet, but it's been a real blessing to me each morning. Thank you so much to all those who have been involved. Each day, from 1st December until Christmas Eve, we'll be publishing a short video on social media (Facebook and Instagram) and on our website. Each clip tells part of the story of the birth of Jesus and ends with an invitation to pray. Our hope is that we as church family will feel happy to share this (if we are those who 'do' social media, or to send the website link to those who don't) and encourage others to 'try praying' this Advent.
Click here for the website version of our Advent Prayer Calendar
A big thank you...
…to all of those who have wonderfully knitted, crocheted and sewn hearts! These are now outside church, on the Meole Estate, Radbrook and Sweetlake, with a tag advertising our Christmas services. An amazing team effort from the crafters, the welcome assistants (who made and cut the tags) and the youth (who tied the tags)! Let's pray that these encourage many people to join us over the season.
Carol Singing
This week we've got some wonderful opportunities for Carol Singing across the parish. We'll be on the Green on the Meole Estate on Monday at 5.30pm, followed by a Lantern procession to the Brooklands. On Tuesday we'll be at Sweelake, also at 5.30pm. And on Monday 22nd we'll be joining our friends in Belle Vue at the Prince of Wales pub at 6pm for family friendly carols, and 7.30pm for a pub 'singalong'. Please do see the website for more information on all of these events.
Click here to view our Christmas web page
Carols by Candlelight
Sunday 21st sees two of our biggest services of the year, with Carols by Candlelight at 4.30 and 7pm. Research tells us that one in three people would accept an invitation to church if it were offered, so why not take some invitations from the back of church and give them to people who might like to come along.
Christmas Eve and Christmas Day
All our services over the next few weeks are on the website, but don't forget Crib Services on Christmas Eve at 3.30pm and 5pm, Midnight Communion at 11.30pm…and then our usual 9am, 10.30am (CTK) and 11am on Christmas morning.
And our usual reminder that the Sunday after Christmas is always a joint service. So we'll be joining together as congregations at 10.30am at Holy Trinity, Meole Brace, on Sunday 28th December.
And finally
If you are coming to the 11am service on Christmas Day and will have two (or more!) people in the car and have space for others and wouldn't mind giving a lift to those who would like to come to Church on Christmas Day before the Soul Purpose Christmas lunch, then please do drop Fi a quick email. Equally, we could do with a few people (again in pairs) who wouldn't mind doing a quick 'collect the guests' post 11am before they head home for their own lunches. We have an unprecedented number of guests needing lifts this year!
Trinity Life
The new edition of Trinity Life is available at the back of Church and online - do grab a copy for more information about what's coming up in the life of our church.
Trinity Life
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