Ambassador December 2020/January 2021
Total Page:16
File Type:pdf, Size:1020Kb
Ambassador December 2020 & January 2021 Parish magazine of the Roughton Benefice - comprising Roughton, Bessingham, Felbrigg, Sustead, Metton and Hanworth with Gunton www.roughtonbenefice.uk 45p 1 Who's Who in our Benefice Rector: Vacant Prayer Group Co-ordinator [Patron: The Bishop of Norwich] Helen Mortimer 01263 511132 Mothers Union Assistant Rural Dean Simone Hume 01263 711346 The Revd Will Warren Ambassador Newsletter: The Old Vicarage, 42 Cromwell Road, Cromer NR27 0BE Please Email copy to [email protected] Readers General Enquires 01263 511132 None Advertising Manager required Bessingham Editor Contact: Nina Chapman 01263 577782 Peter Raynor 01263 821487 [now under the guidance of the Diocesan [email protected] Churches Trust] Website manager Churchwardens Ron Mortimer 01263 511132 [email protected] Felbrigg Mary Llewellyn 01263 513072 Safeguarding Officer for Child and Hilary Kirkland 01263 514380 Vulnerable Adults: To be advised Hanworth with Gunton Alternatively: Richard Harbord 01263 768732 Sue Brice 07958 377079 Metton [None] The Bishop’s Adviser for Safeguarding Roughton Roughton Church School Helen Mortimer 01263 511132 Church member Governor Dave Wiltshire 01263 768104 David Wiltshire 01263 768104 Rector Vacant Sustead — Priscilla McDougall 01263 577247 Clerk to the School Governors Glenn Davenport 01263 768877 Donald Mayes 01263 761392 Hon Assistant Minister Robert Brown Trust - Trustees Revd Stephen J G Seamer Helen Mortimer 01263 511132 Please contact Mr. Seamer for David Wiltshire 01263 768104 information in the first instance for Baptisms, Weddings or Funerals. Dorothy Kendall 01263 822681 Telephone: 01263 768125 Clerk to the Trustees Maureen Wells 01263 768106 2 The Churchwardens of the Benefice have been asked to provide a Advent & Christmas Text Dear readers, The celebrations of Christmas gives us a break when we can ready ourselves to face a new year with fresh vigour. With the end of one year and the start of another, where better to go in search of a Bible reading than the ‘Book of Revelation’? Not only is it the last part of the Bible but it also intends to sum up everything that has gone before it. The book is a worthy preparation for the cycle of readings starting in the New Year. Revelation means that God is continually revealing Himself and His purpose, especially in the birth and the coming of our Lord. We know things from our own senses yet the revelation of new truths continually surprises us. It is then that we realise how limited is our understanding of the world – God is always prodding us forward. In the ardour of youth we are energetically critical of the older generation – now many of us in the church community come under that description so we too must be prepared to be judged. Given the present state of the world that is not a comfortable position to be in yet we are able to pass on God’s holy word and hopefully that will lead to salvation. Happy celebrations! Richard ooooooOOOOOOOoooooo Felbrigg’s thoughts for Advent Sunday 29th November is Advent Sunday, and we were due to celebrate it at Felbrigg church, but that was prevented by the lockdown. But Advent is not just for Sundays - it is a time to prepare for Christmas – to remember how Jesus came into this world – and also to prepare for his promised second coming to make all things new. It maybe a busy time or a time of quiet – even silence – it has been said “Silence is not a gap to be filled – it is the greatest of all preparations.” Let’s use this silence by reading the Bible passages for each week and asking God to whisper to us. I read recently “The God who is silent does not answer all our questions – He does not instantly solve all our problems. He does not come as we’re expecting – He does not give us what we’re looking for – He gives us what we need” (Extract from Image of the Invisible by Amy Scott-Robinson) We hope you will join us on Christmas day for Family Service at Felbrigg – 10.30 Mary Llewellyn 3 St Peter & St Paul Sustead In these challenging times our Church continues to keep the village connected and to provide an unchanging presence. We all found it difficult to have a church closed which hitherto was always open and welcomed all passers by for peace, thoughtfulness and prayer so it was with great pleasure we were able to open again for services on October 4th and November 1st respectively when we were joined by worshippers from the Benefice and from our village. Our team of volunteers Covid cleaned the church thoroughly and social distancing was marked within alongside all other efforts to ensure our visitors were all safe. Though we were unable to sing we still had the music of the hymns played on the organ for us to hear and follow through the service. What we missed though was the friendly chats and coffee of former times after the service. However we all hope that this will be able to happen again in future safer times. Our next service will be on December the 6th when we hope to see all our friends again after what will have been a second time of extra care. We were delighted to see many visitors on September 12th when we took part in the Annual Sponsored Cycle ride round the churches which raises much needed funds, and was well supported despite the present difficulties. Sustead Church took the decision to open on that occasion for visiting, after once again a thorough clean from the team, and we were rewarded by the many cyclists who were keen to look in, and also by visits from a number of village residents who were so happy they could go inside again, even if it was a fleeting chance. Many thanks again to the team of volunteers who cleaned and stewarded the church so it could be open for visits with this event. We were sorry that due to the events of late that we will have to continue to remain closed, but visitors are welcome to walk around the churchyard and enjoy the peaceful views, the wild areas and the beautiful exterior of the Church itself which is steeped in the history of our quiet rural village. Glenn Davenport (Churchwarden) 4 The Advent wreath The Advent wreath is a visual aid to our preparation to celebrate the fact that Jesus (God’s only Son) was born of a virgin to come and live with us on this earth. There are four candles around the wreath, and a large one in the centre. The first candle is lit on the first Sunday of Advent, which this year is 29th November. It goes right back to the first book of the Bible when we remember the patriarchs, the first people God called to follow Him. Abraham was and old man when God called him to leave his comfortable life in Ur, and start on a long journey to where? He didn’t know, but he went in faith. We also remember his son Isaac, and his son Jacob, later renamed Israel. The next Sunday in advent we light the second candle, remembering the prophets of old. You will find their stories in the middle to the end of the Old Testament. Isaiah foretold the birth of Jesus 600 years before it happened. The third week the candle is lit to remember John the Baptist, so we’re now early on in the New Testament. John was a bit odd, he lived in the desert and ate locusts and honey. He was a cousin of Jesus, and had been sent to prepare the way for Jesus telling people to repent of their sins. He started to baptize people in the Jordan river, and one day, Jesus came to be baptised too, in preparation for his ministry. The fourth week we remember Jesus’ earthly mother, Mary, and all the joys and sorrows that she went through, what an amazing woman. She was only young when she agreed to do God’s will. The wreath looks lovely with the four candles alight, but even better when we light the large one in the middle on Jesus’ birthday. Ann Smith from Roughton is making our Advent wreath, and it will be at Sustead’s th th service on 6 December, Roughton’s carol service on the 13 , Hanworth’s communion service on the 20th and Christmas morning at Felbrigg. The Bible is the most amazing book containing 66 books, covering absolutely everything you can think of, and is as relevant today as it was when it was compiled. What is so reassuring is that God never called anybody rich or famous to help him in his work here on earth, in fact some of them were quite the opposite. There were murderers and deceivers, all sorts, but God forgives everyone, even me! And he will change your life. Helen Mortimer 5 Weekly Readings As a church we follow the lectionary of the Church of England. For the coming month the readings are: 6 December Second Sunday of Advent Reading 1 Isaiah 40:1-11 Psalm 85:1-2,8-13 Reading 2 1 Corinthians 1:3-9 Gospel Mark 13:24-37 13 December Third Sunday of Advent Reading 1 Isaiah 61:1-4,8-11 Psalm 126 Reading 2 1 Thessalonians 5:16-24 Gospel John 1:6-8,19-28 20 December Fourth Sunday of Advent Reading 1 2 Samuel 7:1-11,16 Psalm Canticle Magnificat CCP 37 Reading 2 Romans 16:25-27 Gospel Luke 1:26-38 25 December Christmas Day Reading 1 Isaiah 52:7-10 Psalm 98 Reading 2 Hebrews 1:1-4, [5-12] Gospel John 1:1-14 27 December First Sunday after Christmas Reading 1 Isaiah 61:10-62:3 Psalm 148 Reading 2 Galations 4:4-7 Gospel Luke 2:15-21 If you want to follow the readings as we use them you can find them in the NRSV (The New Revised Standard version) of the Bible.