The Registers July 2016 to October 2016 Baptisms - William Wood. Oliver Mercer. Ayla Carpenter. Oscar Pullen. Weddings - Simon Shire and Claire O’Connell. Tom Goddings and Faith Gledhil Funerals - Mr Raymond Blunden. Mr Tommy Kris Knight. St James the Great - East Malling Warmly invites you all to a Baby and Toddlers Group Every Wednesday at 1.30pm In Church Lots of fun for all Children & Babies to school age Come along and catch up with Parents, Carers & Guardians. Singing & Dancing with Musical instruments, Refreshments & Parties, Stories & Puppets, Presents, Outings and lots lots more! Everyone is very Welcome! Your Special Christmas Services St. James the Great, East Malling. Sunday 4th December - Second Sunday of Advent 8am - Holy Communion 9.45am - Family Toy Service Tuesday 6th December 8pm - Healing Praise Thursday 8th December 9am - Holy Communion Friday 9th December 7pm - East Malling Women`s Institute Carol Service Sunday 11th December - Third Sunday of Advent 9.45am - Eucharist Thursday 15th December 9am - Holy Communion Sunday 18th December - Fourth Sunday of Advent 9.45am - Eucharist 4pm - Nine Lessons & Carols Monday 19th December 2.15pm - School Christmas Service Thursday 22nd December 9am - Holy Communion Saturday 24th December - Christmas Eve 4pm & 6pm - Christingle & Crib 11.30pm - Midnight Mass Sunday 25th December - Christmas Day 9.45am - Family Eucharist ‘Every good gift and every perfect gift is from above’ James 1:17 Brothers and sisters in Christ, arriving in a new benefice, especially one as different from my old benefice as this one is, always gives rise to what the Chinese would doubtless term interesting times. There are uncertainties and much tip-toeing around on all sides as we all get used to working with each other in the service of the gospel of Christ. That being said, it’s a privilege to come to you as your new Vicar and a humbling experience to be called to minister in a benefice that has so many capable people who have worked hard demonstrating their skills and talents looking after the benefice for the year or so you have been in interregnum. It’s a privilege as well to take over from someone like Fr. Jim who accompanied you on your journey of faith for so many years and left the benefice in such good condition and Fr. Derek who has been ‘minding the shop’ together with all the other retired clergy during the interregnum. Having looked at the lists of people who have roles in the three parishes I am acutely aware of how many people there must be to thank, far too many to name individually. So please take this short message as a ‘thank you’ to all of you, with a particular and personal ‘thank you’ to all of those who have worked tirelessly in their spare time re-decorating the Vicarage. I can assure you that Mrs Williams will make good her promise to bring you cake at the very earliest opportunity! I’m sure however that there are many of you wondering how things will change. It is after all the habit of new Vicars to change things and whilst Fr Jim and I might have been members of your long line of vicars who were police officers I’m sure that we will both have our own unique and perhaps ‘individual’ ways of doing things. Well, let me provide those of you for whom this is a worry with a small amount of reassurance, I would really like to get to know you, the benefice and the wider parishes before even thinking of changing anything. I hope you will see me out and about in the benefice and will feel confident enough to come and talk to me about your hopes, aspirations and even the little things that niggle all of us. I don’t have a monopoly on good ideas and I’m willing to ‘borrow with pride’ from each and every one of you, so come and talk or even come and dream! It is however only fair to warn you that I do have an agenda. That agenda is to spread the gospel of Jesus Christ to as many people as we possibly can. Everything that we do is subordinate to that one simple calling and it should be the lamp that lights the path to the decisions we make. There will be ‘interesting times’ ahead for all of us but together I am certain we can do great things in the service of Christ, and I look forward to accompanying each of you on our journey together into the future. Yours in Christ Fr Nick Williams The Diocese of Rochester The Church of St James the Great, East Malling VICAR CHURCH WARDENS The Rev`d Nick Williams David Chambers The Vicarage, 2 The Grange, 01732 842582 East Malling, ME19 6AH 01732 843282 Sue Payne [email protected] 01732 841585 ORGANIST & CHOIR DIRECTOR For Baptisms, Weddings and Belinda Hunter other arrangements with the Vicar, 01732 843319 Please contact the Parish Office:- 01732 843282 READER [email protected] Alan Bramley 01732 846800 SECRETARY to the PCC TREASURER to the PCC Sue Payne - 01732 841585 Michael Rogers - 01622 718375 The beneficiaries of the St. James the Great`s Christmas Market 2016 are “Starfish Malawi Charity” who set up schools and Medical Centres in the poorest parts of Africa. The St. James the Great`s Events Committee and PCC would like to thank everyone for their generosity and support and would like to wish you a Very Happy Christmas-time and a Peaceful New Year! Starters and Puds with - King Henry VIII The Friends of St. James the Great held another successful fundraising evening by way of `Starters and Puds’ with the very `true-to-life’ and all of 6ft-2 - ‘King Henry VIII’ It was the most `unique’ history lesson ever! And delivery by Henry VIII (Tony Harris) in such great timeless hilarity, you could`ve easily `lost your head` with laughter! Everyone agreed, It was a lovely way to share an evening with good friends, good food and a very good time being had by all. (Pictured right with 6ft 2` Henry VIII is East Malling`s very own 5ft 3` Mrs Pat Gill, who very kindly donated the photographs) Henry Tudor was born 28 June 1491 in Greenwich and died 28 January 1547 at Palace of Whitehall, London. He is buried in St. George`s Chapel, Windsor Castle, Windsor. King Henry VIII was King of England from 21 April 1509 until his death. Henry VIII married six times; Catherine of Aragon 1509-1533 then divorced. Anne Boleyn 1533-1536 she was executed. Jane Seymour 1536-1537 she died. Anne of Cleves 1540 divorced 6 months later. Kathryn Howard 1540-1542 she was executed. Katherine Parr 1543-1547 widowed. If you would like to hire Tony or for more information on the many historical and hysterical costumed talks to suit any occasion please contact : 07702 306670 or email [email protected] Fundraising helps to maintain and preserve St. James the Great Church. If you would like to join The Friends and be kept up-to-date with all our activities or would like some more information, please contact: Alan Bramley - 01732 846800 [email protected] St. James the Great www.stjames.eastmalling.net New Opening and Services Times St. James the Great is normally open to Visitors on Tuesdays & Thursdays 10am - 12noon From November to December & Tuesdays & Thursdays 10am - 12noon & 2pm - 4pm From March to October There are occasions when it is not possible for the Church to be open, therefore, please check with: Shaun Gurteen 01732 521831 Or the parish office 01732 843282 Service Times First Sunday in the month 9.45am - Family Service Second, Third & Fourth Sunday in the month 9.45am - Parish Eucharist - with Sunday School and Crèche First Sunday in the month 8.00am - Holy Communion - Book of Common Prayer (Provided a communion service is not planned for 9.45am that day) Wednesdays 1.30pm - Baby and Toddlers Group Thursdays 9.00am - Holy Communion When there is a Fifth Sunday in the month there is only one service within the Benefice of East Malling, Wateringbury & Teston. The service is always at 10.00am and rotates around the 3 parishes. For Baptisms, Weddings and other arrangements please contact the Parish Office at The Vicarage, t: 01732 843282 or [email protected] Available from the Church `A Guide to the Parish Church of St. James the Great.` by Canon Derek Carpenter. A Comprehensive Guide to the History and beautiful Architecture of the Church with Superb Photography. Available for just £2.50 CAROL SINGING 2016 The St. James the Great Church Choir will be Carol Singing in East Malling. We will be in Rocks Close, Vigor Close, Middle Mill and The Grange on Monday 19th December and Bradbourne Fields on Tuesday 20th December. As usual we will be collecting for - The Children`s Society on both occasions. We would be delighted and you would be very welcome to come along and join in with us and support us. Carol singing has been an East Malling tradition for more 40 years and we hope with your help to keep it going for many more! We in St. James the Great Choir wish you all a very Joyous and Happy Christmas-time! Do you enjoy singing? Could you sing in our St James` Church Choir? We practise every Friday at St James the Great church For more details please contact: Belinda 01732 843319 Bell ringing practice! The St. James the Great Campanologists (Bell Ringers) wish you all a very Peaceful and Happy Christmas-time! We practise every Thursday 8pm at St.