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Gutters cleared Gold Hill Business Park Contact Darren on 077883 76752 Child Okeford – DT11 8HF Or [email protected] Paul Corbett “Your Local Handyman” Any job considered Telephone: Guttering (cleared or replaced) 07960 712778 •UPVC fascias and soffits •Patios 01258 860804 •Fencing •Property maintenance •Small building works •Repointing Ham Down Woodland Burial Ground A beautiful and peaceful place to be laid to rest Greenhaven overlooking Hambledon Hill LANDSCAPES Bere Marsh Farm, Shillingstone, Blandford, Dorset Tel: 01258 860284 “Professional quality landscaping for all budgets” email: [email protected] www.hamdown-greenburial.co.uk Dave Bennett ALEC ANGELL Tel: 01258 861490 PAINTER & DECORATOR EXTERIOR and INTERIOR Garden Design : Walling : Decking Work done with Care and Pride Paving :Planting : Lighting : Irrigation Estimates free Advice and Consultation Contact 01258-860812 or 0788 1911434 www.greenhavenlandscapes.co.uk 3 RECTOR’S RAMBLINGS “Oh I wish it could be Christmas every day” sang Wizzard (and by the time you read this no doubt the radio will already be belting it out). Given the rise in attendance at Christmas service a Bishop has suggested that churches should replicate the “Christmas effect” through the year. He suggests that the high-quality music, greater formality, reserve and sense of mystery appeal to a wider audience than the more “feelings” orientated service we hold on normal Sundays. I’m always up for a discussion about why people do and do not come to church and I am always intrigued about what brings a whole load of people I’ve never seen before through the doors of our churches at Christmas. Is part of the “Christmas effect” the familiarity of the music, and that we are somehow tapping into a sense of romance and nostalgia about our world? In a world where everything seems so uncertain, so fixed in tracks that seem to be leading to destruction, to reconnect with a story and a place that has stood for millennia on the one hand and centuries on the other gives huge comfort. I’m not going to knock that. But Christianity has a bit more grit to it than that. Jesus was born into a world of uncertainty even then. He was born to a couple without family support, he was a refugee in a foreign country by the time he was 2 and lived his adult life in an occupied country. I’m really glad that we do have days in our lives like Christmas when we can hopefully take a step back from the pressures of everyday life and if that puts church on the calendar that’s great too. But it can’t be Christmas every day, and church is different for the changing times and seasons. Yes, there are services that are more about feelings, but there are also quieter services with beautiful music, and times for reflection. Through it all we worship a God of majesty and power, who also chose to be born human in stable. Connecting majesty to domesticity is our greatest strength. Happy Christmas Rev’d Lydia CURATES CORNER This will be my first Christmas spent in the Okeford Benefice and I am very much looking forward to it. There is a lot happening in all of the benefice churches during Advent and during Christmas. My diary is becoming filled up with dates for our benefice church and school Christmas services as Advent approaches. There are going to be plenty of opportunities for you to come along to one of the many services and to share in not only the worship but the very warm welcome and fellowship that awaits you there, it really would be good to see you. To keep up to date with all that is going on please do make use of our benefice website www.okefordbenefice.org. I have always loved Advent and Christmas. I was very blessed to come from a family who loved it as much as I do. Dad used to fill the house at least once with billows of smoke as he overcooked chestnuts! We had a tradition of an open house and our home was often filled with family and friends. It’s a tradition that I have maintained, hospitality has always formed an important part of my own ministry. There is something very special about that time of waiting for Christmas night and the most incredible gift that God gave us, His own Son, Immanuel; God with us. It’s a time made even more special when it is shared with others. Both Chris and I are looking forward to sharing this time of year with our Dorset family, our new church family and with you. Rev’d Karen 4 ALTERNATIVE ADVENT CALENDAR Across the benefice from 1st December we are supporting the Blandford Food Bank by having an alternative Advent calendar. In Okeford Fitzpaine, Child Okeford and Shillingstone churches you will find 24 boxes. Please could you donate food items suitable for the food bank. Perhaps you could pledge to do this every day, perhaps when you are passing after visiting the village shop, maybe encourage your children to think about the real meaning of giving through Advent (not just getting chocolate each day in a calendar!). Please support this venture and show how much our villages care about those in need. NB – the boxes probably won’t look as pretty as those in the picture… OKEFORD BENEFICE POSADA Posada is a Spanish word that means 'inn’ and is also the title for a Mexican Advent celebration in which two young people dressed as Mary and Joseph travelled from house to house in their village to proclaim the imminent arrival of Jesus and request that the new-born baby be given a room. The idea has been updated so that nativity figures travel around the village from place to place, staying at a different house every night, and finally taking their place in the church crib at the Crib Service on Christmas Eve, ready to celebrate the birth of Jesus Christ on Christmas day. It would be lovely to find lots of people willing to give Mary and joseph a room for the night. Mary and Joseph's journey through the village reminds us that we need to make room for Jesus in our lives, homes and communities. They can sit on the sofa to listen to a story, sit up at the table during meal times, and even be put to bed in the spare room. They travel with a candle to light and a prayer to say. We would love to see pictures of their adventures too. If you would like to take part, please contact: Okeford Fitzpaine - Rev’d Karen – [email protected] Shillingstone - Rev’d Lydia - [email protected] Child Okeford – Abi Rudd - [email protected] CRIB SERVICE ON CHRISTMAS EVE You are warmly invited to the Crib Service on Christmas Eve at 6pm at Child Okeford Church. As usual there will be an interactive retelling of the Christmas story, so please do come dressed up as a character from the story. If we could have some Roman soldiers, donkeys, sheep as well as the usual shepherds, kings and angels that would be great! 5 CHURCH CALENDAR FOR DECEMBER SIDESMEN READER SUNDAY 2nd DECEMBER – FIRST SUNDAY OF ADVENT 9.00am Parish Communion (said) – Shillingstone (Rev L Cook & Rev K Wilson) (Jeremiah 33:14-16; 1 Thessalonians 3:9-13; Luke 21:25-36) 10.00am Matins – Okeford Fitzpaine (Rev K Wilson) (Psalm 25:1-9; Jeremiah 33:14-16; Luke 21:25-36) 10.30am Patronal Communion – Child Okeford (Rev L Cook) (Mrs J Housley Mrs L Crichton (Isaiah 61:1-3; 1 Timothy 6:6-11; Mark 10:13-16) (Mrs V Beech Eucharistic Assistant: Mrs W Billington Intercessor: Mrs R Allen Wednesday 5th December: 10.30am Holy Communion – Millbrook House SUNDAY 9th DECEMBER – SECOND SUNDAY OF ADVENT 9.00am Parish Communion – Hammoon (Rev L Cook & Rev K Wilson) (Malachi 3:1-4; Philippians 1:3-11; Luke 3:1-6) 10.00am Parish Communion – Okeford Fitzpaine (Rev L Cook & Mr C Wilson) (Malachi 3:1-4; Philippians 1:3-11; Luke 3:1-6) 10.30am Messy Church – Child Okeford (Messy Team & Rev K Wilson) (Luke 3:1-6) 3.30pm Evensong – Shillingstone (Rev K Wilson & Mr C Wilson) (Benedictus; Malachi 3:1-4; Luke 3:1-6) SUNDAY 16th DECEMBER – THIRD SUNDAY OF ADVENT 9.00am Parish Communion (said) – Shillingstone (Rev L Cook) (Zephaniah 3:14-20; Philippians 4:4-7; Luke 3:7-18) 5.00pm Carol Service – Shillingstone (Mr M Riley): 6.30pm Carol Service – Child Okeford (Rev L Cook) (Mr K Allen (Mr S Baird 6.30pm Carol Service – Okeford Fitzpaine (Rev K Wilson) Wednesday 19th December: 10.30am Prayer and Praise – Millbrook House SUNDAY 23rd DECEMBER – FOURTH SUNDAY OF ADVENT 10.00am Parish Communion – Okeford Fitzpaine (Rev L Cook) (Micah 5:2-5a; Hebs 10:5-10; Luke 1:39-45) 5.00pm Carol Service – Hammoon (Rev K Wilson) 6.30pm Carol Service – Manston (Rev L Cook) 24th DECEMBER – CHRISTMAS EVE 3.30pm Crib Service – Shillingstone (Rev L Cook) 4.30pm Crib Service – Shillingstone (Rev K Wilson) 4.30pm Crib Service – Okeford Fitzpaine (Rev L Cook) 6.00pm Crib Service – Child Okeford (Rev L Cook) 11.30pm Midnight Communion – Child Okeford (Mr K Allen