Following the Government's announcement last evening regarding lock down, the Parochial Church Council are considering its position on church buildings being open for worship. While this decision is being made and our risk assessments reviewed, the scheduled service of Holy Communion at St Peter Cookley on Wednesday 6th January at 10.00am has been cancelled. Please check our website daily for more up to date information.
URGENT NOTICE: THE SERVICE AT ST PETER UPPER ARLEY SCHEDULED FOR SUNDAY 3RD JANUARY 2021 HAS BEEN CANCELLED DUE TO HIGH RISK OF FALLS DUE TO ICE ON ROAD AND PATH. APOLOGIES FOR THIS BUT WE DO HAVE SERVICES AT ST PETER COOKEY, ST MARY AND ALL SAINTS AND ST BARNABAS. STAY SAFE.
Weekly Bulletin 17th December 2020
Dear Church Family,
I hope this finds you all well. This week's reflection takes the form of a prayer - "O God, I Need Thee" by Howard Thurman. As we near the end of our Advent journey and prepare to celebrate the birth of the Christ Child, may we find in Him hope and patience as the Kidderminster Ismere Team prepares for change.
“O God, I Need Thee”
I Need Thy Sense of Time Always I have an underlying anxiety about things. Sometimes I am in a hurry to achieve my ends And am completely without patience. It is hard for me To realize that some growth is slow, That all processes are not swift. I cannot always discriminate Between what takes time to develop and what can be rushed, Because my sense of time is dulled. I measure things in terms of happenings. O to understand the meaning of perspective That I may do all things with a profound sense of leisure—of time.
I Need Thy Sense of Order The confusion of the details of living Is sometimes overwhelming. The little things Keep getting in my way providing ready-made Excuses for failure to do and be What I know I ought to do and be. Much time is spent on things that are not very important While significant things are put into an insignificant place In my scheme of order. I must unscramble my affairs So that my life will become order. O God, I need Thy sense of order.
I Need Thy Sense of the Future Teach me to know that life is ever On the side of the future. Keep alive in me the forward look, the high hope, The onward surge. Let me not be frozen Either by the past or the present. Grant me, O patient Father, Thy sense of the future Without which all life would sicken and die.
Services offered by Kidderminster Ismere week commencing 20th December 2020
Sunday 20th December
Holy Communion at 09:30 at St Oswald
Holy Communion at 09:30 at St Barnabas
Holy Communion at 11.00 at St Peter, Cookley
Holy Communion at 11.00 at St Mary and All Saints
Wednesday 23rd December No Communion
Christmas Eve Streamed First Eucharist of Christmas on our Facebook page and YouTube Channel from 20:00
Christmas Day
Holy Communion at 10:00 at St Peter Cookley
Holy Communion at 10:00 at St John, Wolverley
Morning Prayer at 10:00 at Holy Trinity, Trimpley
Holy Communion at 10:00 at St Mary and All Saints
Sunday 27th December Holy Communion at 11:00 at St Mary and All Saints
Sunday 3rd January 2021
Holy Communion at 09:30 at St Peter, Cookley
Holy Communion at 09:30 at St Barnabas
Holy Communion at 11:00 at St Mary and All Saints
Holy Communion at 11:00 at St Peter, Upper Arley
Please remember if you are going to attend one of our services that you will need to wear a face mask covering your nose and mouth, that you need to sanitise your hands on entry to and exit from the building, that we will require your contact details for ‘track and trace’ and that you have a responsibility to maintain social distancing. If you have any symptoms of the virus -
then please get a test and self-isolate at home.
Notices:
St Mary's Christmas Card Exchange
Regrettably at St Mary's we will be unable to exchange Christmas cards in church this year, as has been our normal practice in previous years due to the Covid-19 situation. Perhaps you might like to donate the money you would have spent on cards for church friends to a charity, particularly one supporting those hardest hit by the crisis. Or we could hold a charity collection when we are all able to gather once more.
Calling All Quizzers!
Would you like to support Holy Trinity Church's Relief Fund, have the fun of a paper quiz that you can do from the comfort of your armchair and be in with a chance of winning one of two prizes? The prize for the most correct answers is £30 cash but even if you get all the wrong answers you could still win a £20 Gift token as each quiz sheet has a lucky number and it could be yours!
To be sent a Quiz, please contact Sue Thompson:
01562 752389, or Email her: thompsue12@aol.com
……and give her your name and address.
For a suggested minimum donation of £2, she will send you all the information you need to take part (sorry, no answer sheet!) including how to donate (cash, cheque or Bank transfer). Thanks for reading and we hope you will take part.
St Barnabas Crib Service
This year we are not able to hold our normal Crib Service so on Christmas Eve from 3 pm till 4 pm the Church will be open for those who wish to come visit the crib, light a candle read the children’s prayers from St Catherine's which we have put up around the church.
Wishing you all a Peaceful and Blessed Christmas
Rev Bridget and Barrie
Franche Community Carols
Members of three local churches have collaborated to produce a Community Carol Service which will be available on YouTube from 16:00 on Sunday 20th December. All are invited to “sit back, sing, relax, grab a mince pie and be part of this wonderful community!” Please follow either of the following links to view their promotional videos: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=3oyKariQ7M0 or https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=bLB8Vltia0E
The new parish website is now live. Please visit it and get used to using it as our main source of information for those with web access.
The website address is http://www.ismere.co.uk/
Links for online resources this week: Live on Facebook https://www.facebook.com/kidderminsterismere/
or an hour later on YouTube https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCRIq-JrV2EpIuX9waF-toyg
The Church of England has a phone line resource called Daily Hope 0800 804 8044 so if you would like a change from online you could use the telephone line instead or as well.
Please do share these resources with anyone you are in touch with, especially those without email. Equally, if you know of anyone who does have an email address who wishes to receive these bulletins, please encourage them to contact me in the Parish Office and I will happily add them
