THE PARISH MAGAZINE IS AVAILABLE ELECTRONICALLY, PLEASE CONTACT THE PARISH OFFICE OR SPEAK TO YOUR DISTRIBUTOR TO GET YOUR COPY VIA EMAIL St Helen’s, Bilton-in-Ainsty St John the Baptist, Healaugh St John the Baptist, Hessay All Saints, Moor Monkton All Saints, Wighill READINGS AND PSALMS FOR DECEMBER AND JANUARY YEAR A These are the readings taken from the Church Lectionary and are suggested as read on the following Sundays. They may be changed depending on the theme of the service. Sunday 1st December Isaiah 2:1-5 • Psalm 122 • Romans 13:11-14 • Matthew 24:36-44 Sunday 8thDecember Isaiah 11:1-10 • Psalm 72:1-7, 18-19 • Romans 15:4-13 • Matthew 3:1-12 Sunday 15th December Isaiah 35:1-10 • Psalm 146:5-10 or Luke 1:46b-55 • James 5:7-10 • Matthew 11:2-11 Sunday 22nd December Isaiah 7:10-16 • Psalm 80:1-7, 17-19 • Romans 1:1-7 • Matthew 1:18-25 Sunday 29th December Isaiah 63:7-9 • Psalm 148 • Hebrews 2:10-18 • Matthew 2:13-23 Sunday 5th January Jeremiah 31:7-14 or Sirach 24:1-12 • Psalm 147:12-20 or Wisdom of Solomon 10:15- 21 • Ephesians 1:3-14 • John 1:(1-9), 10-18 Sunday 12th January Isaiah 42:1-9 • Psalm 29 • Acts 10:34-43 • Matthew 3:13-17 Sunday 19th January Isaiah 49:1-7 • Psalm 40:1-11 • 1 Corinthians 1:1-9 • John 1:29-42 Sunday 26th January Isaiah 9:1-4 • Psalm 27:1, 4-9 • 1 Corinthians 1:10-18 • Matthew 4:12-23 1 CONTENTS Parish Letter 3 To All the Saints of the Diocese of York 5 Christenings 6 Wedding Blessings 8 Light a Candle this Christmas 9 “For is in giving that we receive” 11 Community Events in the Parish 13 RAYC and Loft 14 Special Events for Young People 15 Renew 17 Alpha 18 From the Registers 19 Survive to Thrive 20 Magazine News 21 Community News 21 Hessay Posada 26 A Church Near You 26 A Space for Prayer 27 Live Nativity Rehearsals 27 Yorkuleles 28 Kids Corner 29 St Mary’s Church of England Primary School 30 Nativities 32 Marston Moor Probus Club 34 Rainbows 35 Brownies 36 Classified adverts 36 Contacts 43 Events and Services in December 44 2 PARISH LETTER What to buy someone for Christmas? … and why I may not buy as many presents this year! I am sure, like me, you often hear the phrase at this time of year. “Well, I don’t know what to get him or her!” The giving of gifts at Christmas is important but it is so hard when we live in a society where we seem to have everything we need. Our gift-giving is often a chore, we scurry around ‘on-line’ or in the shops thinking ‘what on earth should I get them!’ Sometimes we just get caught up in the moment and buy something entirely inappropriate or wrong, that eventually will be added to the growing pile of junk destroying our planet, … I’ve certainly done that in the past. Our gift-giving can also become somewhat of a transaction. We feel obliged because ‘we always have and they always do’. Sometimes gifts are given without any thought. “Well we always buy them a bottle of their favourite tipple”. Or “I’ve just slipped the usual £10 note into their card”. There is that saying “It’s the thought that counts!” but this saying doesn’t say how much thought gets us over the line for our present to be a true gift. So, what do you give to someone who has everything, or seems not to need another ornament on the mantelpiece, socks in the drawer or bottle in the cupboard? If we look at this from another perspective … What would we give God as a gift? Does a God of everything need anything? …. the answer is YES Our God, of unconditional love, longs for our gift of love. How do we know this? Well that is what Christmas is all about. “For God so loved the world that he gave his only Son, so that everyone who believes in him may not perish but may have eternal life.” John 3:16 3 When we show love to God and others it doesn’t change how much God loves us, but it does please God. Each and every gift we give this Christmas is a true gift if given with love and when we share love, we please God. We could take this further by cutting out completely the risk of an unnecessary gift and go straight for an unconditional act of loving kindness. Or maybe that’s too hard and a £10 note slipped into a card is enough! It’s not the ‘thought that counts’ it’s the ‘love that counts’. We wish you all a joyful, blessed Christmas. May you all be filled and share with others the gift of God’s love. In Christ Richard PS – This Christmas Our Christmas services this year offer something for everyone. From the quite and contemplative to carol singing in every village. This year we have introduced a Midnight Mass at All Saints, Wighill (24th Dec at 11.30pm) , this evocative service is extra special and worth the late night! All Saints, Wighill will also be hosting the Ainsty Choir for their annual carol service (which was re- introduced last year). The season of Advent and Christmas will begin on Friday 29th as we try something new and invite you all to “Light a Candle for Christmas” (see page 9 for more details). At Hessay, weather permitting, I am sure that we will enjoy a Christmas procession from the Chapel to the Church as part of our Nativity and Carol service. Something to enjoy as a village and a Parish. Everything about Christmas has a special feel and some services form a regular part of what we are and do. The Nativity and Christingle on Christmas Eve at All Saints, Moor Monkton is always important and popular. Do come along. Christmas would also not be Christmas without our Live Nativity at St John the Baptist, Healaugh and this again returns on the 23rd and 24th December. 4 Our Christmas celebrations will culminate in a 10.30am Christmas Day service for the whole parish, at St Helen’s, Bilton. A wonderful time to celebrate the birth of Christ, together as a parish-wide family. I also make a promise that, unlike last year when we were a bit overwhelmed with the number of people coming, this service will be kept to an hour (although we may have some festive refreshments at the end). This means we can all get home and enjoy our Christmas Lunches! Finally, over the Christmas period, Radio York are following what we are getting up to. Each week I will be recording what is going on in our Parish for broadcast, which I think will happen on their Sunday Morning show! Lucy, Myself, Churchwardens and all those in our Church family look forward to welcoming one another and you to our Churches over the festive season. See page 44 for service details TO THE SAINTS OF THE DIOCESE OF YORK Introducing chaplaincy life? Where are our Mustard Seed opportunities to grow? Is our giving realistic and is it truly a prayerful You’ll already response to God’s goodness? know all about Our goals aren’t just about special our Diocese’s initiatives. But we are about to move goals, I’m sure! forward with a new focused venture in mission called Mustard Seed, and we’re applying for national funding to extend — Reaching people we currently its reach. Mustard Seed faces the fact that in don’t, moving to growth both in places of deprivation (of finance, numbers and in discipleship, health, opportunity and more) a very and establishing sustainable small proportion of people have giving based on a vision for contact with the church or join in its mission. life. Mustard Seed will have two main Let’s remember, these goals came out actions. The first is to run Stepping of a big consultation exercise across the Up — equipping people to show and Diocese. We can all engage with them, share the love of Christ in their whoever and wherever we are. Let’s communities. There’ll be a one-year ask: Who isn’t part of our parish or mission apprentice scheme, with some 5 people going on to Stepping Up Two, Initially we are concentrating on the a local leadership programme. urban areas of our Diocese, but it The second action is to would be wonderful to see the have Ambassadors — people with a experience of Stepping Up extending connection to places with deprivation, to our smaller communities where we but based elsewhere, encouraging an know there is deprivation, though it’s interchange of prayer, energy and often less easy to see. giving. It’s early days and it will be next year The intention is that we shall before we know whether we will get see Community Hubs — places that the full funding we are applying for. offer welcome and practical support, Please pray for Mustard Seed, and for combined with opportunities to people to find welcome, hope, joy and explore and develop faith, and where fresh purpose through a living Jesus is at the heart of everything that relationship with Jesus. happens. + Paul Whitby CHRISTENINGS This year, across the Parish, it has been a joy to see so many Christenings taking place.