St. Stephen's Church, Winsham |
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Rector's E-Letter-29th November 2023
Dear all
If it wasn't for the cold air and the shop displays, it seems scarcely
believable that Christmas is just around the corner again. And as
much as the die hard traditionalists amongst us might want to delay the
inevitable, it is coming to you too now! We had Stir-up Sunday
last weekend, and those of you with us at Thorncombe may have had a go
at stirring our Christmas cake mixture! It is now cooked and in
storage and we will share it with you all at Epiphany! As I type
another cake is cooling (our personal one), and the house smells
wonderfully of fruit, spice and brandy...
This Sunday is Advent Sunday, and the start of the official 'count down'
to Christmas. And so also starts what I sometimes refer to as the
freight train of services and events shoehorned into December. We
can feel overwhelmed by it all or simply under pressure to meet
self-imposed expectations of the festive season; thinking about
presents, decorations, food; a seemingly endless to do list which can
make Advent feel like a month of practical preparation to arrive at a
day of our own imagination and invention.
We need to be careful that in the midst of it all we don't lose sight of
the real present - not a re-visited past but a re-discovered presence
leading to a newly understood future.
Advent is about preparation, yes. But it is also about waiting.
It is about the discipline of waiting patiently and spiritually for
something both expected and unexpected. It is paradoxically about
waiting for something that has already happened - and therefore about
receiving that joy in a renewed way. Above all it is about
creating the space for that new presence to take root. Ironically
the very space that we can so hurriedly fill in with our panicked
preparations. It is not about us - it is about God.
A came across this poem in the introduction to an Advent theology book
recently which beautifully illustrates the wonder of the waiting.
During Advent this year, when it all feels a bit much, take a 'time out'
breathing the air as a 'staircase for silence':
Kneeling
Moments of great calm,
Services and Events for Advent & Christmas 2023
Please see the information on this link for all the Advent and Christmas
services and events happening across the Benefice this year.
Advent & Christmas in the Two Shires
Benefice - News - Two Shires Benefice - A Church Near You
Our regular parish worship also continues as usual, and is as set out
below for the next two weeks
SERVICES COMING UP this week and next
Advent Sunday - 3rd December
8am - Holy Communion (BCP); Forde Abbey
10am - Holy Communion; St Stephen's, Winsham
10:30am - Emmaus; St John's, Tatworth. Cafe gathering from 1030,
worship from 11am.
4:30pm - Outdoor Carols and Christmas Lights switch-on; St John's,
Tatworth
Sunday 10th December (Advent 2)
8am - Holy Communion (BCP); St Stephen's, Winsham
10am - Morning Worship; St Mary's, Thorncombe
10.30am - Holy Communion; St Michael & All Angels, Chaffcombe
Tuesday 12th December
6.30pm - Carol Service; St Mary's, Thorncombe
Wednesday 13th December
11am - Holy Communion; St John's, Tatworth
CHOIRS OF ANGELS!
4pm on 3rd December - St Stephen's, Winsham. September Singers are
presenting an Advent Concert in the church. This is a local choir
led by our very own Pamela Everitt (Chaffcombe). All Welcome!
1:45pm (or thereabouts) on Monday 4th December - St John's, Tatworth.
Alison Hawes (Chaffcombe) is leading her choir in St John's Church for
those who are attending the Parish Council Christmas lunch earlier.
All welcome to the church to hear the choir sing, which should be
starting at about 1:45pm.
CHRISTMAS COFFEE MORNING
There is a Christmas Coffee Morning in St John's on Saturday 9th December
- 10am to 12pm; all welcome.
WILD CHURCH
Wild Church meets at St John's on Saturday 2nd December at 3pm.
This is our Christmas special and we will be decorating the Wild Church
Christmas Tree! We will be inside for this session - so we will be
nice and warm and dry!
ADVENT COURSE - 2pm on 7th, 14th and 21st of December.
I am running a short Advent Course here in the vicarage on Thursdays in
Advent at 2pm. The theme is 'The meaning is in the waiting'.
Each session is bible focused and will last about an hour.
PRAYERS
Pastoral:
Please hold in your prayers all you know who are struggling in any way,
in body, mind or spirit. We are asked to pray by name for:
A Collect for Advent Sunday:
O Lord our God,
Amen.
Blessings
Philip
The Reverend Philip Butcher
Rector - Two Shires Benefice
(Tatworth, Thorncombe, Winsham, Chaffcombe & Cricket Malherbie)
The Vicarage
3 Home Farm
Tatworth
Chard
TA20 2SH
01460 221286
PASTORAL EMAILS - please to:
twoshiresrector@gmail.com
HOME PRAYER & WORSHIP:
https://twoshires.wordpress.com
Rest Days - Mondays (Tuesdays
where following a bank holiday)
For non-urgent enquiries please
allow up to a week for responses.
Mornings are best times for phone
contact!
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THE TWO SHIRES BENEFICE
Ministry Team
Rector:
Rev. Philip Butcher,
The
Rectory, 3 Home Farm,
Tatworth
TA20 4SH
Tel: 01460 221286
e-mail: twoshiresrector@gmail.com Day off: Monday
Associate Rector: Rev. Michelle Butcher-as above. E-mail:revmichelle22@gmail.com
Asst. priest:
Rev. Judith Abbot,
‘Brayton’,
Wreath Green,
Tatworth
TA20 2SN
Tel:
01460 220689
Readers:
Mrs
Mary Dewar,
11 Watermead,
Tatworth
TA20 2QN
Tel: 01460 221268
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The history of St Stephen's Church-dating from the 13th Century-Click HERE