Latest News from the Rector
Dear Church Family (updated 27.11.20)
This week I printed our family Christmas cards, bought a first present and ate my first mince pie - all before Advent Sunday! This week seems to have been almost entirely taken up with planning for Christmas services and events so I thought it might be helpful to say something about what is in the pipeline. Details may change as we take account of the constantly shifting landscape of Covid restrictions, of course, but we are planning three main Christmas services - all online:
· Sunday 20 December at 10.30 am - an online Carol Service from All Saints with readings, Christmas carols and drama.
· Christmas Eve at 4.00 pm - an online Christingle service, also from All Saints.
· Christmas Day at 10.30 am - celebrating our Saviour’s birth. This service will be repeated on Sunday 27 December at 10.30 am.
Churches can reopen along similar lines to the pre-November restrictions so we are proposing to have a Midnight Communion service on Christmas Eve. Places will be strictly limited. We are planning to install a life-sized nativity scene in the lobby of St Andrew’s that will light up Huntington Road. We are producing cards for delivery to as many homes in the parish as we can manage. Outdoor carol singing is allowed so we plan to sing the Christmas story around the parish. Messy Church Advent bags are being distributed this week. I’ll stop there…
Private Prayer - Saturday 28 November at All Saints
All Saints will be open for individual prayer on Saturday between 10.00 am and 12.00 noon. Please remember your mask.
Daily Prayer for the Nation
The archbishops’ call to pray for the nation continues until 6 December. Please join in with our livestreamed Daily Prayer Monday - Saturday at 12.00 noon via the church Facebook page if you can, either live at 12.00 noon or on catch-up. The new Daily Prayer sheet is here.
Advent Sunday Worship - Sunday 29 November at 10.30 am
The 10.30 livestreamed service will be led by Dan Thomas from the wood beside St Andrew’s. Check out the church Facebook page for Dan’s midweek Forest Reflections. You may want to have your own Advent wreath or candle ready to use in Daily Prayer and Sunday Worship. The Sunday Supplement is here.
After-Church Coffee and Chat - Sunday at 11.30 am
Hosted by Dot Bevington via Zoom. Remember to use the new link is
https://zoom.us/j/94760956686?pwd=L3pUWGpnb3lIdGxXS0x1RmhKbjJoZz09
Meeting ID: 947 6095 6686 Passcode: Coffee
Memorial Service - Advent Sunday 29 November at 4.00 pm
A simple online memorial service for the bereaved livestreamed via the church Facebook page. There will be a moment to light a candle at home in memory of your loved ones. Coronavirus restrictions have been particularly hard on those who have been bereaved this year. Please pray for the people who have asked for names and photographs to be included.
Alpha online - Wednesday 2 December at 7.30 pm
Please continue to pray for Alpha online. This week’s session will focus on How Can I Have Faith?
Holy Communion - Sunday 6 December at 4.00 pm at St Andrew’s
Our simple 30-minute Communion service will resume once the current restrictions have been eased next week. Please contact the church office to book a place for Sunday 6 November. Please remember to bring your mask.
Parish Prayer - Sunday 6 December at 6.30 pm
Chris Park and Dan Thomas will lead online Parish Prayer for Advent. Check next week’s bulletin for the Zoom link.
Kidz Klub - Tuesday 8 December
Kidz Klub is back! The Huntington Primary School bubble will meet on Tuesday 8 December for a special circus-themed night with the chance to learn some circus skills for themselves.
Advent Challenge 2020
If you're on Instagram you might want to get involved with our daily Advent challenge starting on 1st December. It is primarily for young people but anyone can get involved. Follow us here: standrews.youth
Besom - Toys and Christmas Hampers
As in previous years, we will be collecting new and unused toys, games and books to be passed through Besom to local families this Christmas. Due to the quarantine requirements, donations will need to be in during the coming week. Please bring your donations to the church office at St Andrew’s on Thursday 3 or Friday 4 December between 10.00 am - 1.00 pm, or on Sunday 6 December 3.00 - 4.00 pm. Thank you for helping us spread a little more love and joy in our community at this special time of year.
If you were planning to put together a Besom Christmas hamper there is still time. The last date for delivering hampers to the Besom office on Huntington Road is Monday 7 December. The Besom team have been in touch to ask us to quarantine our hampers for 72 hours before delivering them. Please use the link below to complete an online form. Besom will then be in touch with information about a family or individual in need. http://www.thebesominyork.co.uk/christmas/?fbclid=IwAR3WitEtTjWhPesCWmXBs3Gbya0R87CC0gYtLfiyeygd1U2GpKEkjPNEzms
York Foodbank
Foodbank donations can be left in the boxes outside Liz Barker’s (1 Burn Estate) and Janet Stephen’s (36 Southdown Rd) houses. Toiletries and Christmas items would be particularly welcome. Items for Christmas should be received this week, please.
Reason for the Season
Lynn Balding got in touch to say, “Last week I was saying my morning prayers when I got a message to make Christmas trees and on them write the message, ‘Jesus is the reason for the season.’ On the reverse, ‘Love, hope, faith, health, and happiness’. My message was to share this with others.” Lynn intends to make laminated Christmas trees and hang them outside her house with an invitation to take one. She hopes that other members of All Saints and St Andrew’s Church might like to make trees of their own and do something similar.
Zoom Training
If you would like to know more about how to use Zoom, either for your personal benefit or to help with hosting online church activities, please email James Simister james@huntingtonparish.org.uk
James will run training sessions on Zoom at a mutually convenient time.
Giving Online
A reminder that you can support All Saints and St Andrew’s through our online donation page or via the church Facebook page (click Shop Now!) or the church website https://allsaintsstandrews.wixsite.com/church If you are a UK taxpayer, please confirm that you would like to reclaim Gift Aid on your donation. This will add 25p to every £1 you give.
God bless
Ian
FAITH LINK
Copies of the recent Faith Link magazines can be found here:
