Welcome to St Mary’s & St Anne’s Moseley Sunday 4 December 2011 – 2nd in Sunday Advent

Services this Sunday

8:00 a.m. – Holy Communion at St Mary’s

• Celebrant: Revd Jeremy Dussek
• 1st Reading: Isaiah 40:1-11
• Gospel: Mark 1:1-8

10:00 a.m. – Sung Eucharist at St Mary’s

• Celebrant: Revd Caroline George
• Preacher: Revd Jeremy Dussek
• 1st Reading: Isaiah 40:1-11
• Gospel: Mark 1:1-8
• Hymns: 98; Psalm: Centre of My Life; 209; 401
• Anthem How Beautiful Upon the Mountains

Sung Eucharist at St Anne’s 11:00 a.m.

• Celebrant & Preacher: Revd Jeremy Dussek
• 1st Reading: Isaiah 40:1-11
• Gospel: Mark 1:1-8

6:30 p.m. – Advent Trilogy III at St Mary’s

• Officiant: Revd Caroline George
• Special Service Sheet

Welcome

If you are here for the first time, please do introduce yourself to a sidesperson or priest. There is a loop system for the hard of hearing available in the nave at St Mary’s and in any part of the church at St Anne’s.

Receiving Communion

Baptised communicant members of any Church are welcome to receive Communion. If you would like to receive a blessing, please come forward holding your service leaflet.

Your Offering

A collection for the work of the church is usually taken during each service. Please use the Gift Aid envelope if you are a UK taxpayer. There will also be a collection from the parents in the children’s groups.

Mobile Phones

Please ensure phones are switched off as they interfere with the hearing loop and the PA system.

Contact details for the Vicar, Wardens & Admin.

• Church Office: 25 St Mary’s Row, B13 8HW
• Telephone: 0121 449 2243
• Email: This e-mail address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it

The Church Office will now open for enquiries at 11:00 a.m. on Mondays. This is to ensure quality time for planning and communication by the Ministry Team and Staff in the first part of the morning.

Parish Hall and Room Bookings

• Contact: Chrissy McAteer.
• Telephone: 0121 449 2243
• Email: This e-mail address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it

St Mary’s Junior Church & St Anne’s Children’s Groups

Children meet on most Sundays during term time.

Notices

Social Events Committee

After 4 years of outstanding service, Angela Brown is standing down as Chair of Social Events Group. Angela has been brilliant in leading us and will continue to support the group, but we need new people to lead the team who produce our excellent events. Could you join the team? 4 enjoyable meetings a year with an active team of helpers to plan events. Can you let Jeremy, Caroline or Lucy at the Office know if you’re interested in helping.

Moseley Chimes

The new edition of Chimes is now available online at www.moseleybenefice.org.uk

Christmas Fair – Thank You

Thank you to everyone who helped make the Christmas Fair such a success on Saturday; whether it was donating items to sell, setting up stalls on Friday evening, serving on Saturday or supporting the event, your contribution has helped to raise a very impressive £1522.17 so far. It was a real team effort so thank you.

We have a beautiful hand-crocheted blanked that we will continue to raffle for the next 2 weeks. Tickets will be available from St Anne’s on 4th December and St Mary’s on 11th December. All monies raised at the Christmas Fair go to the charities agreed by the PCCs as part of our external giving. Lists of these charities are on display in both churches. Thank you again, Angela Brown

Ringers’ Quiz Night – Thank you

Over a hundred people enjoyed the Bell Ringers’ Curry and Quiz Night held on Saturday 26 November. £1,167 was raised for the St Mary’s Bells Installation Fund. The Trustees thank all those involved in organising the event.

Future Events

Prayer Circle

Tuesday 6 December, 7:30 p.m., St Mary’s Church
At the next prayer Circle, we will focus on homelessness. Please bring a picture or item from your home and, if you can, a small gift for ANAWIM. If you have a copy of The Man Born to be a King by D Sayers, please tell Helen or Elisabeth as we will be reading from this play at the January Prayer Circle. Do join us, everyone is most welcome.

Autumn House Group Series

Wednesday 7 December, 7:30 p.m., 42 Pensby Close, B13 9JQ
Wrestling with Faith in the Modern World (A series of three discussion groups). Nibbles and refreshments will be provided. Please feel free to email if you have any questions or to confirm attendance. This e-mail address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it

Christmas Day Together Fundraising Coffee morning

Saturday 10 December, 10:00 a.m. – 12 noon
Please join us next Saturday at our coffee morning and grand raffle, to help raise funds for Christmas Day Together. This event will be at the home of Fred and Pat Burrows 17, Hayfield Road, Moseley B13 9GL. Please support this important event.

Prayer & Reflection

The Benefice prays for:

• Government & NGO’s in Durban for climate conference
• The Children’s Society launch of the ‘Make Runaways Safe’ campaign in Birmingham
• Tobias Middup, Alexander Ward, William King (Ardagh-Walter) and Bethany Davies & their parents
• Deacon Elliot Literko, Magomero, Malawi
• Residents of Dowells Close

Prayers are asked for:

Matthew and Hannah Davies, Leo Charles, Carl Warner, Nancy Alexander, Arthur Dudleston, Judith Eden, Vincent Nolan, Sheila Peers, Robbie Healy

We pray for the souls of:

Pamela Daly, Neil McQuaker

We celebrate the Birthdays of:

Nathan Light (7th), Helen Collett (9th).

Collect

Almighty God, give us grace to cast away the works of darkness and to put on the armour of light, now in the time of this mortal life, in which your Son Jesus Christ came to us in great humility; that on the last day, when he shall come again in his glorious majesty to judge the living and the dead, we may rise to the life immortal; through him who is alive and reigns with you, in the unity of the Holy Spirit, one God, now and for ever

The Meaning of Advent

by Ruth Tetlow

To some the nativity story is an historical event, while to others its significance is deeply symbolic – the coming of light into darkness, something we long to experience in the world and in our own lives. Advent is the time to think what it really means to us as Christians.

For many women, Advent is a favourite season because it is about waiting for the right time. This means waiting in darkness and unknowing, as well as in hope and anticipation. Women who sit by the bedsides of the sick or await the birth of a child, know this deep tension between anxiety and trustful waiting. We may feel the suffering of the world as well as of our loved ones, and we know what it is to prepare for a new beginning.

Muslims too revere Jesus and believe he was a prophet sent by God. The story of the birth of Isa/Jesus is found in the Qur’an, with interesting differences from the two versions in Luke and Matthew’s gospels. Muslims also have great respect for Maryam/Mary, the mother of Jesus and a whole chapter of the Qur’an bears her name.

You will also find pictures of Jesus in Hindu homes and shrines, and many Hindu children are brought up to love the nativity story as we do. For Hindus, Jesus is one who teaches by example, a light in our spiritual path. So Advent reminds us to take time, before Christmas, to think who Jesus is for us.

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