Notices Christmas at St. Gabriel’s TAG - Toddlers and God Our Christian based Toddler Group for the 0-5s and their parents and carers meets on Fridays 10.00-11.30am. We have a lively session of play, refreshments, Bible stories, crafts, songs and prayers. St. Gabriel’s There is no charge to come in. news Coffee, hot chocolate and teas are available to purchase in Christmas Fair the café, and there is squash for the little ones. Saturday 3rd December 4-7pm Why not drop in and meet us? Christingle MONTHLY NEWSLETTER | ST. GABRIEL’S CHURCH, POPLEY | NOVEMBER 2016 - ISSUE 3 th Hope Café Sunday 11 December 5pm Serving our tasty barista style coffees, Candlelit Carols speciality teas and delicious hot Church Events Sunday 18th December 6pm chocolate, all for only £1! Living a Life Filled Nov 4th – Ladies Breakfast We have a soft play area for the little Nativity ones and fantastic company and chat for With Thankfulness Nov 5th – Men’s Breakfast free! Christmas Eve 4pm At St. Gabriel’s we are committed to taking part in Midnight Communion Nov 13th – Remembrance Day Hope Café is open every Tuesday and Wednesday Operation Christmas Child each year. morning from 10am until 12 noon. Christmas Eve 11.30pm A small shoebox can have a big impact. Nov 18th – Messy Church What goes into the box is fun, but Nov 24th – MU Families First what comes out of it is eternal. Upcoming Events th Nov 26 – Caribbean Evening Be a part of changing children’s lives December at St. Gabriel’s th all over the world in Jesus’ name Nov 27 – Advent Sunday We have many special events and services at St. Gabriel’s over Christmas. through the power of a simple gift You can get weekly updates of all the with Operation Christmas Child. Check out our website, app and Facebook page for more details! events on at St. Gabriel’s sent straight to your inbox. Just subscribe to ‘Dates for Simply fill a shoebox with all kinds of goodies. Your Diary’ on the website CONTACT US The shoeboxes are then sent to needy children all over the www.stgabrielspopley.net world. [email protected] The joy on their faces tells the story. Or just ‘tap the app’, search for www.stgabrielspopley.net ‘St. Gabriel’s Church, Popley’ on either Apple or Android 01256 463024 www.samaritans-purse.org.uk St. Gabriel’s Church, Tewkesbury Close, Popley, Basingstoke, RG24 9DU All About Advent Welcome to St. Gabriel’s Advent is a season observed in many Western In November we welcome Christian churches as a time of expectant waiting and preparation for the celebration of the Nativity Dear Friends David and Courtney as they bring of Jesus at Christmas. Aria-Rose for Baptism. Advent is the beginning of the liturgical year and starts on the fourth Sunday before Christmas, the Sunday nearest to St. Andrew’s Day (30 November). Therefore welcome one another as Christ Practices associated with Advent include keeping an has welcomed you, for the glory of God. Advent calendar, lighting an Advent wreath, praying Romans 15:7 We are a fellowship of believers seeking to show the love of an Advent daily devotional, and setting up Christmas Christ to Popley, Limes Park and Rooksdown through prayer and decorations. action in the power of God’s Holy Spirit. Loving God, Therefore the Lord Welcoming You It may well be that by the time you read this the ashes Community is a vital part of what it is to be human. himself will give you a sign: of Bonfire Night will have cooled and all the fireworks I’m not talking just about the social gatherings like will have been set off, except maybe for that big one Bonfire Night which are usually such great fun! It’s the The virgin will be with child you’re saving for New Year’s Eve! I remember Bonfire sense of community that takes pride in its Night as a boy in Manchester as a time of wonderful surroundings, which cares for the vulnerable individual community. For weeks beforehand the boys in the whether old or young, rich or poor, which takes the and will give birth to a son, neighbourhood would all be out every spare moment time to smile, to greet, to look in on someone. In fact gathering bits of wood (or anything else that would it’s the community that God created us to be a part of, and will call him Immanuel. burn) and piling it onto the bonfire in the field near and to take part in! Unless we all buy in to this idea of where we lived. Competition for “penny for the guy” community it will never be as it should and that (Isaiah 7:14) would be fierce among the children as we scrabbled diminishes all of us! for the best pitch – usually outside the pub! As a Christian I firmly believe that we at St Gabriel’s On Bonfire night we’d rush home from school to get are called to be a people that reflect the nature and changed and gather around the pile of wood and stuff. character of Jesus to our community. Jesus was the As it was lit and the flames reached hungrily into the Master of caring and sharing, listening and talking with Four Sundays and candles cool of the November evening air, fireworks of every those among whom he lived and worked each day. I Advent wreaths are used in homes or churches to mark the passage colour shape and size would crackle and flare, lighting hope that His example and desire today for true of the season. the faces of adults and children alike with their bright, community is what forms the heart of our vision for The first advent candle is that of hope. eerie colours. our church and for Popley. If this is what you are The second Sunday concerns Christ’s birth in so this candle is We’d share ‘hard as rock’ treacle toffee, toffee apples looking for in a community we would love to welcome you any time you want to drop in. called Bethlehem. and potatoes baked to charcoal in the intense heat at The third Sunday is celebrated with rose-coloured vestments and the the edge of the bonfire. As the bonfire died down we I hope and pray that you have a funtastic and safe rose candle is called joy children would wander home to bed and the grown bonfire night, shared with family and friends and one ups would sit around the glowing red embers that in future years will evoke pleasant and powerful The fourth Sunday relates to the annunciation of Christ’s birth, so the swapping tall stories and drinking warm, flat beer! memories for you. candle is known as the Angel’s candle. bonfire and firework smoke and the lingering smell of Yours in Christ Where an advent wreath includes a fifth candle, it is known as expended gunpowder. For me Bonfire Night conjures the Christ candle and lit during the Christmas Eve service. up very pleasant, powerful and evocative memories. Arthur Vicar, St Gabriel’s, Popley. .