#456: The Christmas Special!
Well my friends, here we are, with only 8 sleeps to go! Never fear, for your amazing roving reporter mouse has been studiously gathering up all the events going on from now until Christmas, and even into the New Year! I do hope you’re all up to date with Christmas shopping. I seem to be in a very strange and inexplicable pattern of getting in Christmas cheese and then, mysteriously, that same cheese keeps on vanishing. Very odd, very odd indeed…hiccup…not sure what’s going on at all. I suppose I also better wish you a calm and peaceful rest of Advent and a joyous Christmas when it comes!
This Sunday
We celebrate the 4th Sunday in Advent with the 9.30am parish mass at St Paul’s. Please note, there isn’t a J Club but the sermon is definitely suitable for all age. I’d say more but, spoilers! The organ music for this service will be:
Before
Jehan Titelouze – Magnificat quinti toni
Anthem
Sergei Rachmaninov – Bogoroditse Dyevo (Ave Maria)
After
Dietrich Buxtehude – Magnificat noni toni (BuxWV 205)
We also have a community mass at St Nick’s at 11am and there is a service at Woosehill at 10am.
Then in the evening it is 9 Lessons and Carols at St Paul’s, 6.15pm, which is always very special and perfect for getting yourself ready for Christmas. As usual, the 9.30am and 6.15pm at St Paul’s will be livestreamed and available to watch on YouTube.
Carol Singing this week
Our choir will be singing Christmas Carols at West Oak Care Home and Alexander Grange on Wednesday 18th at 6.30pm. It will be festive and lovely and if anyone would like to come along and sing too that would be really wonderful. If you could let Lesley or Louise know beforehand then that would be helpful as they’ll know to bring a carol book for you.
Then on Thurday 19th at 2pm, we will be Carol Singing in Wokingham Hospital. This year is the first time of doing so, which makes it extra special! Again, if anyone would like to come along and sing too, same as above – lovely, helpful, get in touch. It really would be great to have more of the congregation for all of these carol singing times.
Christmas Story Book
In the porch of St Paul’s there are some Christmas Story books for children, please do come in and take one for your children or grandchildren, or your neighbour, whoever might like one.
Coffee and Chat
This Friday, 20th, will be a Christmas Party at Coffee and Chat, in the parish rooms. There will be a buffet at 2pm followed by quiz, Christmas bingo, nativity story and chance to sing some carols. It sounds perfect! If you’d like to go along, please do, talk to someone you haven’t met before, and enjoy.
Coffee and Chat will also be carrying on over the Christmas and New Year time, so please put that in your diaries as chance to get together.
Christingles, Crib, Midnight and Christmas
All of the service details can be found here, Christmas Services | St Paul’s Parish
But as a reminder, we have 2 Christingle Services on Monday 23rd at 3pm and 5pm. They are usually on Christmas Eve, but because of being in a vacancy and needing to spread the services out, we’ve moved them to Monday. We will be making the Christingles on the morning of Saturday 21st, in the parish rooms, 9.30 to 11.30am. Refreshments whilst we work will be provided, so please do come along to help if you can. And if you’ve never made a Christingle before, instructions will also be provided, with the meaning explained on 23rd. A small team of us will also be making Christingles with Emmbrook Junior School this Wednesday and Thursday, so please do include this in your prayers.
Then, on Christmas Eve there is a Crib Service at Woosehill Church at 4pm. St Nick’s have the First Mass of Christmas at 9pm. And St Paul’s have Midnight Mass at 11pm, with Carol singing in church from 10.30pm. Midnight Mass will be livestreamed.
Which brings us, excitedly, to Christmas Day itself! At St Paul’s there will be 8am BCP Communion and at 9.30am a Joyful Family Eucharist.
Sunday 29th there is one service in the parish at St Paul’s at 9.30am.
Christmas Day Lunch – Link Visiting Scheme
Join Us for a Joyful Christmas Day Lunch
The Link Visiting Scheme is delighted to invite older people to our annual Christmas Day Lunch, a heartwarming event designed to bring hope and happiness to those who might otherwise spend the day alone. We understand that loneliness can be especially challenging during the festive season, and we want to ensure that everyone has the opportunity to celebrate in good company.
Our Christmas Day Lunch is open to older people who would like to join us for a delicious meal, festive cheer, and wonderful companionship. If you or someone you know would benefit from this event, signing up is easy. Simply visit our website at www.linkvisiting.org/christmas or call our office at 0118 9798019.
We also warmly welcome volunteers who can help make this day special. Whether you can assist with preparations, serve meals, offer transport or simply be a friendly face to chat with our guests, your support will make a significant difference. Volunteering with The Link Visiting Scheme is a rewarding experience, and we are always looking for compassionate individuals to join our team long-term. No experience necessary and is based on your availability.
Let’s come together to create a memorable Christmas filled with joy and connection. We look forward to celebrating with you!
For more information or to sign up, please visit www.linkvisiting.org/christmas or call 0118 9798019.
Do you know this man?
I wonder if any of you are eagle-eyed enough to recognise who from our congregation is impersonating Father Christmas?! There is a bottle of wine as a prize for the winner too! I have it on good authority he did his job very well and handed out a lot of presents to some lucky children last week. Who knows, St Paul’s today, North Pole tomorrow…?
2025!
Looking ahead to the start of next year, on Sunday 5th January we will be celebrating Epiphany with an All Together Mass at St Paul’s with St Nick’s too. Does that make it an All Together Together Mass, or ATTM for short?
And on 19th January at 6.15pm we will be having a Songs of Praise at 6.15pm, to celebrate having our new hymnbooks and extra choice of hymns. More details to follow, but for now, it’s a save the date.
Christmas Greetings
This is the last Bertie for this year, so all that remains is for Jane, Judi and I to wish you all a Very Merry Christmas and New Year. From the 3 of us to the 3 churches in the parish, may you know that in the excitement, in the longing, in the business, in the stillness, in the ordinary and in the extradordinary, God is there with us, this year and always. May you cradle the peace of the Christchild this Christmas.
