Dear Friends
On Sunday we celebrate the feast of Christ the King, the following Sunday is Advent Sunday when we begin a new Church year and begin to look forward to the birth of Christ our Saviour. The feast of Christ the King is relatively recent, proclaimed in 1925 by Pope Pius XI to remind the world of Christ Kingship over all of creation. He did it because he saw an increasing secularisation and wanted to make a statement about the importance of faith and our own faith journeys. Like many good ideas it’s only good if you do something about it. Proclaiming a new Sunday feast is useless if we don’t run with the idea and do something about developing our faith.
Over the Summer months I have written a short Advent guide, huge thanks to Hayley who typed everything out and the Diocese of Bangor, North Wales for allowing me to use some of their material. It’s called Advent landscape. There is a reading, thought and prayer for every day of Advent – do take a copy, it’s free. I hope it will help enrich your Advent journey this year and make Christmas even more meaningful.
Simon
Ps Don’t forget our Advent Carol service on Sunday 1 December at 6pm. It will be a service of music, scripture, poetry and hymns to help reflect on God goodness in the birth of the child Jesus. Still need some more readers,drop me an email to volunteer
Dear Friends
Last Saturday the Very Rev’d Dr David Hoyle was installed as Dean of Westminster Abbey at a suitably grand service. Bishop Sarah was there and said the following prayer which I feel is very appropriate for us all at this present time:
Guide we beseech thee, O Lord, all those to whom is committed the care of this nation; and grant to them at this time special gifts of wisdom and understanding, of counsel and strength; that they may consider all matters calmly in their deliberations, and act wisely and with compassion, upholding what is right, abhorring what is wrong, and performing that which is just, so that in all things thy will may be done; for the sake of Jesus Christ Our Lord. Amen
With every blessing
Mother Eileen