East Loveden Church and Parish News December 2019 & January 2020 The East Loveden Group

Covering Ancaster, Greylees, , , Rauceby, Welby and Wilsford Rector The Rev’d Georgie Machell www.eastlovedenchurches.co.uk

Copy for February Church News by January 15th at the latest please to: [email protected]

CONTACTS FOR THE RECTORY

All enquiries, including baptisms and weddings, please contact: The Rev’d Georgie Machell Tel: 01400 230722 or email to: [email protected]

If anyone is unable to attend church and would like Holy Communion at home, or if anyone feels they would like a visit from a member of the Ministry team please contact Rev’d Georgie. Useful Contacts

Diocesan Safeguarding Team 01522 504068

Diocesan DBS Administrator 01522 504050

Lincolnshire County Adult care

01522 782155 CSC Enquiries 8am-6pm Mon-Fri

01522 552055 Minicom 9am-6pm Mon-Fri

01522 782224 Carers 8am-6pm Mon-Fri

01522 782333 Emergency out of hours County Children’s Social Care

8am - 6pm Monday - Friday

Please call our Customer Service Centre on 01522 782111

Out of Hours Emergency Monday to Thursday from 5pm to 8:45am and on Fridays from 4:45pm all the way through to 8:45 am on Mondays with a 24-hour service on Bank Holidays please call 01522 782333 NSPCC (for adults concerned about a child) 0808 800 5000

ChildLine (for children and young people) 0800 1111

Action on Elder Abuse helpline 0808 808 8141

24-hour National Domestic Violence Helpline 0808 2000 247

NAPAC (support and advice to adult survivors of childhood abuse) 0808 801 0331

Stop It Now (preventing child sexual abuse) 0808 1000 900

Cruse (bereavement helpline) 0808 808 1677

Survivors of Bereavement by Suicide (SoBS) (Lincoln branch) 07580 358419

Lucy Faithfull Foundation 0808 1000 900

YoungMinds Parent Helpline 0808 802 5544

Nomad Lincoln (homelessness) 01522 883703 CAROLS AROUND THE PARISH

St Andrew’s, Kelby Sun 8th Dec 15:30 On the Green, Welby Wed 11th Dec 18:00 The Railway, Ancaster Fri 13th Dec 19:00 St Mary’s, Wilsford Sun 15th Dec 09:30 Morning Prayer with Carols St Michael’s, Heydour Sun 15th Dec 16:00 St Peter’s, Rauceby Sun 15th Dec 18:00 The Bustard, Rauceby Thu 19th Dec 19:00 The Houblon Arms, Fri 20th Dec 17:00 St Martin’s, Ancaster Sat 21st Dec 16:00 St Bartholemew’s, Welby Sun 22nd Dec 16:00 St Mary’s, Wilsford Tue 24th Dec 16:00 Crib Service St Martin’s, Ancaster Tue 24th Dec 23:30 Midnight Mass CHRISTMAS REFLECTION “And behold, the star that they had seen at its rising preceded them, until it came and stopped over the place where the child was.” (Matthew 2:9)

It is interesting to observe how differently families and faith communities deal with the “Three Kings” in their Nativity scenes. Some place the figurines right there at the manger, along with the baby Jesus, as soon as Advent begins, while others keep them hidden away until the Feast of the Epiphany, usually held in January, and only then allow their nativity scenes to be complete. These varying customs reflect the differing attitudes people have about Christmas, a point that came home to me on December 26 last year, when I was at a gathering and wished somebody a Merry Christmas only to be told I was too late! I did not mind the response because it gave me the opportunity to remind people that Christmas is a season and not just a day and, unlike the secular “holiday” season that seems to be starting earlier each year, the true Christmas season only begins December 25. The Magi are good symbols for the fact that Christmas is a journey. Their legend has them travelling from an unknown foreign land to seek the Christ-child, a pilgrimage that would have likely taken months if not years. They followed a star, which to our GPS-enabled sensibilities might not seem like the most reliable way to find a particular home! But there is meaning in that star, for these Magi trusted in God enough to set out on the journey without understanding their destination. Each of us is engaged in the same journey as the Magi. We too are beckoned by God and given no detailed road map, and the only thing we know for sure is that our task is to seek the Christ. The Magi succeeded not so much because they found Him (for He will always be found!), but rather because they had the good sense to recognise God when they did. As we come to the close of another Christmas season, my prayer for each of us is that we, like the Magi, will be blessed with the good sense to recognise Christ when we find him. May God bless you and the star you follow during the coming year. May it lead you away from the comfortable and predictable and deeper into your own heart. And, along the way, may you find joyful companion- ship in God and others. May you have a blessed Christmas season. Rev Georgie Machell BENEFICE PRAYER Heavenly Father As we put our trust in you, send Your Holy Spirit to bring vision to our planning, and guidance and direction for the future of our churches. May we be the salt and light to this place as we embrace our diversity and work together in unity to make disciples of all people, through Jesus Christ our Lord. Amen.

WEDNESDAY MORNING HOME GROUP The weekly Bible Study group meets during term time at 10.15am, venue, courtesy of Elizabeth and Henry. Please ring 01400 230969 for further details.

PRAYER for DECEMBER Heavenly Father We pray that You will help us to focus on the real meaning of Christmas - Christ with us. May the sparkling lights and flickering candles remind us that Jesus is the Light of the World and His presence with us is the greatest gift of all. Amen PRAYER for JANUARY Eternal God The years come and go, each with their joys and sorrows, memories and hopes. We pray that You will guide us throughout this New Year. May we look to You for strength, comfort and hope to see us through each new day, resting in the knowledge of Your everlasting love. We pray in Jesus' name. Amen

FROM THE REGISTERS

BAPTISMS

Ancaster Logan Lewis Kettle 24th Nov

FUNERALS Welby James Watson 8th Nov

Please remember them in your prayers

FIVE WAYS TO ‘GET THE BEST OUT OF CHRISTMAS’

That time is nearly upon us, and it’ll creep up quickly. Here are five suggestions for making the best of our celebration of the birth of Jesus. 1. Look forward It is so easy to see the very important concerns about food, cards, presents and parties overshadow the most important. Could you deliberately build in some time each day or each week during Advent to stop, calm yourself, and refocus? A Strange Christmas by Krish Kandiah is a great little book to help us prepare. 2. Look around No doubt there will be some extra church activities going on over Christmas, but did you know that research has shown that 20% of people in Britain would be grateful for an opportunity to think about who Jesus is? We have so often be- lieved the lie that no-one is interested in our faith. So, seek the seekers, and in- vite them to something. Who do you know who is likely to be keen to find out more? 3. Look outwards Deuteronomy 26 contains the instructions for celebrating the Jewish Harvest Fes- tival, but built into the chapter are encouragements to remember the foreigners, widows and orphans in the land in their celebrations. Is there anyone you might include in your festivities, who might otherwise go without? 4. Look again Part of Christmas is the repetition of readings, prayers and carols that we have been using since ‘the year dot’. Could you address the familiarisation by choosing to think more deeply about the words we’re using? Ask the Holy Spirit to give you one new insight into the Christmas story this year, or take maybe just one line from a carol and let it dwell in your thoughts and prayers. 5. Look up When all the presents are wrapped and the sprouts peeled, take some time to reconnect with the wonder of it all, which can so easily get lost among the mun- dane. The God of the Universe, the King of Kings and Lord above all Lords stepped down into our world in the shape of a new-born baby so that we might know God and share the eternity of heaven, feasting at his table! Wow! What a tragedy if we miss that!

Words prepared by the diocesan Mission Team. Don’t forget to look out for #FollowTheStar, the ‘national Advent and Christmas campaign’ with accompanying resources offered by the Church of . PCSOs Ancaster PCSO Barbara Mooney 07973 847 679 , Kelby, Rauceby & Wilsford PCSO Colin Ironmonger 07973 845 622 PCSO Patrick Welby-Everard 07973 846 992 Heydour & Rural South PCSO Stuart Bowden number unknown at the moment Please note that Police mobiles are not manned 24 hours a day. In emergency continue to ring 999 or to report crime and less urgent matters dial 101.

1ST WILSFORD BROWNIES Meet in Wilsford Village Hall on Monday evenings during school term time. For more information please contact http://www.girlguiding.org.uk click on Get Involved, or phone free 08001 695 901. Leaders needed, for more information please also contact the above. AROUND THE PARISHES ANCASTER ST MARTIN’S CHURCH CHRISTMAS TREE DISPLAY FRIDAY 20TH DECEMBER 10am – 4pm & SATURDAY 21ST DECEMBER 1-4pm Refreshments will be available. Usual coffee morning January 18th in Ancaster village hall’s annexe 10.30 to noon

KELBY Please join us for our Carol Service on Sun 8th December at 15:30 WILSFORD Work has now started on the repair to the North Aisle roof of the church. Good news! Fundraising towards the re-covering of the South Aisle roof continues with our Christmas Raffle. First prize: Christmas Hamper: plus other useful seasonal gifts. Tickets now on sale at Wilsford Post Office/Shop. Raffle to be drawn there at 11.00 a.m. on Saturday 14th December. (Thanks to Mike and Sally and thanks to all for support)

CHRISTMAS EVE FAMILY CRIB SERVICE IN WILSFORD CHURCH at 4 p.m. All ages welcome to this popular traditional family celebration of Christmas in Wilsford Church at 4 p.m. on Tuesday 24th December. HAPPY CHRISTMAS EVERYONE!

The staff and children at Rauceby Church of England Primary School wish to thank everyone involved with the school for their support over the past year and wish everyone a very Merry Christmas and a happy and prosperous New Year. EAST LOVEDEN BENEFICE SERVICE ROTA - JANUARY

Ancaster Heydour Kelby Rauceby Welby Wilsford Notes

Morning Holy Com- Holy Com- 5th Jan Prayer munion munion Christmas 2 11:00 09:00 09:30 Mid-week 8th Jan Holy Com-

Wednesday munion 09:30 12th Jan Morning Holy Com- Holy Com- Baptism of Prayer munion munion the Lord 09:30 09:30 11:00 Holy Com- Morning Morning 19th Jan munion Prayer Prayer Epiphany 2 09:30 11:00 09:30 Holy Com- Morning 26th Jan munion Prayer Epiphany 3 09:30 11:00 EAST LOVEDEN BENEFICE SERVICE ROTA - DECEMBER

Ancaster Heydour Kelby Rauceby Welby Wilsford Notes Morning Holy Com- Holy Com- 1st Dec Prayer munion munion Advent 1 11:00 09:00 09:30 Morning Carol Ser- Holy Com- 8th Dec Prayer vice munion Advent 2 09:30 15:30 11:00

11th Dec Mid-week Wednesday 09:30 Holy Communion Carol Ser- Morning 15th Dec Carol Service vice Prayer Advent 3 18:00 16:00 09:30 21st Sat Carol Ser- 22nd Dec Carols See notes vice Advent 4 Ancaster 16:00 16:00

Tuesday Midnight Crib Service

24th Dec Mass 23:30 16:00 Group Holy Wednesday Communion 25th Dec 10:00 Group Holy 29th Dec Communion Christmas 1 10:00