Advance
Dates For Your 2006 Diary
Readings
for Sundays in January
Saints and Commemorations in January
Daily
prayer topics in January
Week
of Prayer for Christian Unity 2006
Local
Christian Unity Week Service
What’s on in January? |
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SUN |
1 |
CHRISTMAS 1 - THE NAMING OF JESUS (Note: there will be no 8.00 am service or Evensong today) |
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Wed |
4 |
St Mary’s Guild New Year Party. St Mary’s Court |
2.30 pm |
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Thu
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5 |
MU&OG. ‘At Home’ with Joyce Hore. (Note earlier start time) Ringers’ AGM at 2 Peaks Hill, Purley |
7.30 pm 7.30 pm |
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SUN |
8 |
THE EPIPHANY |
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SUN |
15 |
EPIPHANY 2 Baptisms |
11.30 am |
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Wed |
18 |
MU Corporate Eucharist at St Michael’s Week of Prayer for Christian Unity begins |
10.00 am |
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Thu |
19 |
MU&OG. ‘A Taste of Norway’ - talk with slides. The Centre |
7.30 pm |
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Fri |
20 |
PCC meeting. The Centre |
8.00 pm |
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Sat |
21 |
Peal of bells by visiting ringers |
3.00 pm |
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SUN |
22 |
EPIPHANY 3 Churches Together service for Christian Unity Week at All Saints, Hackbridge, followed by an Agape |
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Wed |
25 |
Licensing Service for Rev’d Justine Middlemiss |
8.00 pm |
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SUN |
29 |
CANDLEMASS |
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The Revd Patrick Grant conducts a mid-week Eucharist at St Michael’s Church, Milton Road, each Wednesday at 10.00 am.
Members of St Mary’s are most welcome to attend
Tuesday 28 February Annual Shrove Tuesday Pancake Party
Saturday 11 March A Coffee Morning ‘Plus’
Saturday 1 April A showing of the vintage silent film ‘King of Kings’
Full details of these events will follow nearer the time
Sunday 1 January
Naming of Jesus
Numbers 6 : 22-27, Page 1059
Galatians 4 : 4-7, Page 1060
Luke 2 : 15-21, Page 1061
Sunday 8 January
The Epiphany
Isaiah 60 : 1-6, Page 38
Ephesians 3 : 1-12, Page 40
Matthew 2 : 1-12, Page 41
Sunday 15 January
Epiphany 2
1 Samuel 3 : 1-10, Page 465
Revelation 5 : 1-10, Page 469
John 1 : 43-51, Page 470
Sunday 22 January
Epiphany 3
Genesis 14 : 17-20, Page 473
Revelation 19 : 6-10, Page 474
John 2 : 1-11, Page 475
Sunday 29 January
Candlemass
Malachi 3 : 1-5, Page 60
Hebrews 2 : 14-18, Page 63
Luke 2 : 22-40, Page 63
Every Sunday we pray for people living and working in two or three roads in the parish.
The roads in January will be:
Sunday 1 January
Northway
Clifford Avenue
Sunday 8 January
Southway
Darcy Avenue
Sunday 15 January
Eastway
Greenway
Grassway
Sunday 22 January
Rectory Lane
The Bridleway
Sunday 29 January
Plough Lane
Plough Lane Close
Sunday 1 January
8.00 am No Service
9.30 am Ven Kenneth Gibbons
Sunday 8 January
8.00 am Ven Dennis Ede
9.30 am Ven Dennis Ede
Sunday 15 January
8.00 am Ven Dennis Ede
9.30 am Ven Dennis Ede
11.30 am Ven Dennis Ede (Baptisms)
Sunday 22 January
8.00 am Canon Andrew Wilson
9.30 am Canon Martin Goodladd
…….. and thereafter Rev’d Justine Middlemiss!
Thank you, Heather, for keeping both this space and our pulpit full throughout the interregnum
The following choral items will be sung throughout the month:
Anthems and Canticles
Cornelius: Three Kings from Persian Lands
Sumsion in A
Dyson in F
Morley in Fauxbourdon
Mon 1 Basil the Great & Gregory of Nazianzus, Bishops, Teachers, 379 & 389
Tue 10 William Laud, Archbishop of Canterbury, 1645
Wed 11 Mary Slessor, Missionary in West Africa, 1915
Thu 12 Aelred of Hexham, Abbot of Rievaulx, 1167
Fri 13 Hilary, Bishop of Poitiers, Teacher, 367
Tue 17 Antony of Egypt, Hermit, Abbot, 346
Thu 19 Wulfstan, Bishop of Worcester, 1095
Fri 20 Richard Rolle of Hampole, Spiritual Writer, 1349
Sat 21 Agnes, Child Martyr at Rome, 304
Tue 24 Francis de Sales, Bishop of Geneva, Teacher, 1274
Wed 25 Conversion of St Paul
Thu 26 Timothy and Titus, Companions of Paul
Sat 28 Thomas Acquinas, Priest, Philosopher, Teacher, 1274
Mon 30 Charles, King and Martyr, 1649
Tue 31 John Bosco, Founder of the Salesian Teacher Order, 1888
Sun 1 Thanksgiving for a New Year and a new start
Mon 2 The work of the USPG around the world
Tue 3 Continued rehabilitation for the 2004 Tsunami victims
Wed 4 The people of New Orleans rebuilding their homes and lives
Thu 5 The continuation of ‘Make Poverty History’
Fri 6 Thanksgiving for the revelation of Christ to the world
Sat 7 That the Gospel may bring strength and hope to all in need
Sun 8 Thanksgiving for our baptism and church membership
Mon 9 The political will to bring peace and justice to our world
Tue 10 The leaders of the nations of the world
Wed 11 The Queen and all in authority under her
Thu 12 Forgiveness for our shortcomings and failings
Fri 13 Our homes and family members
Sat 14 All who are burdened by sickness or anxiety
Sun 15 Children being baptised today, their parents and godparents
Mon 16 Thanksgiving for the comfort and guidance of God’s word
Tue 17 All organisations promoting Christian Unity
Wed 18 Week of Prayer for Christian Unity beginning today
Thu 19 Thanksgiving for the diversity of the Anglican Communion
Fri 20 Our PCC Meeting tonight
Sat 21 Orthodox Churches in communion with the Patriarch of Constantinople
Sun 22 All churches in communion with the Bishop of Rome
Mon 23 All churches in dialogue with the Anglican Church
Tue 24 The Womens’ World Day of Prayer Conference being held today
Wed 25 Revd Justine Middlemiss on her induction as Priest in Charge of
St Mary’s, Beddington
Thu 26 Churches whose roots are in the protestant reformation
Fri 27 St Mary’s as we begin a new era in our church life
Sat 28 That we may share in the mission and saving work of Christ
Sun 29 That we may stand firm for justice and speak out for truth
Mon 30 Peace between Israel and Palestine
Tue 31 Our link diocese in Zimbabwe
Count to seventy-seven, slowly, and for each digit counted, pray for the strength to forgive someone who has wronged you: one practical step on the tough road to reconciliation, suggested by Churches Together in Britain and Ireland for the annual Week of Prayer for Christian Unity. The Churches in Ireland proposed the theme of reconciliation which will be followed by Churches throughout the world during the annual focus on unity in January 2006.
The Week of Prayer for Christian Unity is a worldwide movement of Christians of many denominations, languages, and great diversity of race and culture, who are engaged in praying and working for the unity of Christians in the service of the wider redemption, unity and peace of all peoples. Every year the dates are the same, 18 to 25 January, regardless of the days of the week. Praying for unity does not involve prayer for any specific schemes for unity. It is about being faithful to the prayer of Jesus Christ, as seen in John 17, 'that they may be one'.
The theme for 2006 is 'Where two or three are gathered in my name' from Matthew 18.20. The theme was chosen by the Churches of Ireland, at the request of the international committee, which represents Faith and Order of the World Council of Churches, and the Pontifical Council for Promoting Christian Unity.
The Assistant General Secretary of CTBI, the Revd Judith Maizel-Long said : ‘During the Week of Prayer for Christian Unity, tens of thousands of Christian people in cities, towns and villages throughout Britain and Ireland, in churches and other places, get together to meet and pray.’
Lord, teach us to pray as Jesus taught his disciples. As they were
united in their hearts, so may we be one in our faith, love and service.
May we celebrate difference, rejoice in diversity and willingly share
the riches of our patterns of prayer.
Allow our coming together in Jesus’ name to transform us to be one in
reality so that the world may believe in his abiding presence. Amen.
Churches Together in Beddington and Wallington
will be holding a Christian Unity Week Service
at All Saints, Hackbridge, at 6.30 pm on Sunday, 22 January.
The service will be, followed by an agape
The Licensing Service for the Rev’d Justine Middlemiss
as Priest in Charge of St Mary’s.
Wednesday, 25 January
2006 at 8.00 pm
Everyone is invited to join us in making this a very special occasion and welcoming Justine into the St Mary’s family
The Church of England is very much a geographical and territorial church, the basic units being the parish and the diocese. When a new priest takes up office in a parish, they are licensed by the Diocesan Bishop, or the Area Bishop on his behalf. In other words, they are given authority, and the Bishop’s blessing, to minister within a particular geographical area. A licensing ties together the local parish with the diocese and this is shown by the presence of Bishop, the Archdeacon and the Area Dean, as well as, in the case of St Mary’s, our Patron, Lady Nairne.
As well as being the legal way a priest is linked to a parish, a licensing is an opportunity to celebrate the life of the parish as it looks forward to a new chapter in its life.
Justine Middlemiss
Funerals 6 December Lawrence Meynell, aged 63 yrs
13 December Annie Lavender, aged 88 yrs
15 December Ernest Cheese, aged 76 years
16 December Enid Owen, aged 87 yrs
19 December Pat Ross, aged 88 yrs
Pat Ross, who died on 11 December had, with her husband George, been an active member of St Mary's for many years. In the 1970s she was secretary of the PCC. We remember her with affection and extend our sympathy to her family.
What is the state of faith in Britain today? According to a recent survey (BBC News 24) three-quarters of Britons think that the UK should retain its Christian ethos. Although only 17 per cent said they attend church regularly, 67 per cent described themselves as Christian. Support for Christian values also came from 69 per cent of Jews, almost half of Muslims, Sikhs and Hindus and 44 per cent of those with no faith. Clearly there is no widespread rejection of spiritual values, but still a definite interest in the 'big issues' of life.
This is confirmed by a survey of those with no religious affiliation in Coventry (cf Evangelism in a Spiritual Age, Church House Publishing). The respondents highlighted six particular 'big questions' to which they wanted answers:
- Destiny - what happens after we die?
- Purpose - why are we here?
- The universe - accident or design?
- Is there a God?
- What about the supernatural?
- Why is there so much suffering?
Generally people felt that traditional Christian responses were irrelevant to these questions. Therefore, re-establishing this link is one of the most important tasks facing the church today.
How do we encourage faith in those around us today? It requires an evangelistic approach that is rooted in building relationships, trust and example. This is reflected in the success of courses like Alpha, but it also applies individually. We need to listen to people's stories, in order to understand their questions and to find out what God is already doing in their lives. Lifestyle is crucial, as it is here that people see the reality of Jesus in us and our lives. We should also be prepared for our own faith to be challenged, as this is the way in which our faith will grow.
Rev Paul Hardingham
Good judgement comes from bad experience, and a lot of that comes from bad judgement.
1 January
Basil was most people's idea of the perfect diocesan bishop. He was a theologian of distinction, who as a monk devoted himself to much prayer and teaching. He leapt to the defence of the church from the persecution of the Arian emperor Valens, but also appreciated great secular literature of the time, gave away his inheritance to the poor, knew how to run a soup kitchen, and counted thieves and prostitutes among his converts. Not your everyday bishop!
Basil came from a distinguished and pious family, and he had the best education available at Caesarea, Constantinople and Athens. He decided to become a monk with Gregory of Nazianzus, and settled as a hermit near Neo-Caesarea. He became bishop of Caesarea in 370, with 50 suffragan bishops to look after. It was the time of the great Arian heresy, and Basil would come to be seen as one of the great champions of the Church, defending it from secular encroachments.
Basil loved his people – and was known for his generosity and care for the poor – both through food and medical care. He was a great preacher – preaching both morning and evening to vast congregations, and organising services of psalms before daybreak.
He was interested in monastic legislation, and to this day, nearly all monks and nuns of the Greek Church follow his rule. His emphasis was on community life, liturgical prayer, and manual work, rather than on solitary asceticism. His rule allowed for almsgiving, hospitals and guest-houses. Basil wrote some important works on the Holy Spirit.
He died at 49, worn out by austerities, hard work and disease. He was so loved that even strangers mourned his death, and in the centuries that followed, many artists painted pictures of him. His cult spread rapidly in the West, through Greek monks in Italy and through St Benedict admitting that his rule had been inspired by "our holy father Basil".
1 January
It is Matthew and Luke who tell the story of how the angel instructed that Mary's baby was to be named Jesus - a common name meaning 'saviour'. And it is probably no more than a delightful coincidence that the Church recalls the naming of Jesus on 1 January - seven days after 25 December. For in Jewish tradition, the male babies were circumcised and named on their eighth day of life.
For early Christians, the name of Jesus held a special significance. In Jewish tradition, names expressed aspects of personality. Jesus' name permeated his ministry, and it does so today: we are baptised in the name of Jesus (Acts 2:38), (Phil 2:9). All Christian prayer is through 'Jesus Christ our Lord', we are justified through the name of Jesus (1 Cor 6:11); and God the Father has given Jesus a name above all others
2006 marks the 70th birthday of SPAM – the much-loved canned
luncheon meat which took the world by storm in the 1930s and 40s.
It was back in 1936 that an American company, Geo A Hormel,
of Minnesota first created the tasty blend of chopped pork and ham. Having got
the recipe and the canning process right, they had a problem: what should they
call this new 'meat'?
It's said that the son of Geo Hormel, Jay Hormel, held a New
Year's party for the purpose of naming his 'baby'. Guests were entitled to one
drink for each name they came up with and, for the winner, a prize of $100. The
host said afterwards: 'by the fourth drink, people began to show some
imagination'.
The names suggested are now lost in the mists of history,
but the name SPAM was put forward by the brother of the Hormel vice-president –
and approved immediately. It was catchy enough for everyone to remember, and
perfectly summed up the contents of shoulder of pork and ham!
And so SPAM was introduced to America in 1937,
and to Britain in 1941. It was an immediate hit – it was such an inexpensive
meat that even poor families could afford it. SPAM even featured on the first
ever singing TV advert, to the tune of My Bonnie Lies Over the Ocean..
SPAM was highly nutritious and could be used cold in
sandwiches and salads, or hot in stews, pies and omelettes. The 'meat miracle'
as it was known, even helped Russia when Germany invaded. Nikita Kruschev once said: 'Without SPAM, we would not have been
able to feed our army.'
Today SPAM is still popular and sold in 50 countries throughout the world, with sales still growing. There are even SPAM fan clubs in both the USA and UK
The second day of a New Year’s diet is always easier than the first. By the second day you're off it. Jackie Gleason
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Every man's life lies within the present; for the past is spent and done with, and the future is uncertain. Marcus Aurelius Antoninus |