St Andrew’s Church
Sandford on Thames
SUNDAYS IN DECEMBER 2016 Year A
Sunday 4th December
December 2016
PCC MEETING
Tuesday 6 December 7.30 in the Harris Room.
All welcome.
th
CHRISTMAS
Sunday 18 December:
6.30 Carol Service
Wednesday 21st December: Carol-singing in Vale House,
followed by carol-singing in the King’s Arms at about 7.45 p.m.
Christmas Eve:
4.0 Children’s nativity service
11.30 p.m. Midnight Mass
Christmas Day:
10.0 Christmas communion
th
BIBLE READING
meets fortnightly on Fridays
at 5.0 p.m. in Littlemore Church (vestry, left hand side door)
and will continue reading I and II Maccabees.
Last one before Christmas on Friday 2nd December.
Please pray
for those we know who are sick or in distress;
for those in care, including
Jo Bridge, Joan Inston, Tom Dalton and John Mattock;
for Enid, Anthony and all at Vale House;
and for the housebound, including Brenda Graham
Advent 2
10.0 Parish Communion
Isaiah 11.1-10 A prophecy of the coming of God’s Messiah (agent),
Son of David (Jesse;s son). On him God’s 7-fold spirit will rest –
wisdom etc. He will rule his people justly, caring for the poor.
Even the natural world will be transformed and made non-violent
in God’s future rule or kingdom.
Psalm 72.1-7 A prayer for good government and a promise of
God’s involvement.
Romans 15.4-13 God welcomes foreigners (like us Gentiles) into
his people – and so should we. God is a God of hope, giving us joy
in trusting and believing in him and so empowered by the Spirit.
Matthew 3.1-12 John the Baptist preparing the people for the
coming of Christ. Repent, for God’s rule is close.
6.30 p.m. Evening prayer
Sunday 11th December Advent 3
10.0 Parish Communion
Isaiah 35.1-10 Joyful proclamation of God’s coming to save and heal
us. Water in the wilderness.
Psalm 146 God saves – we want to praise.
James 5.7-10 Be patient as we wait for God’s coming. God is near.
Don’t grumble. We have examples of patience in suffering.
Matthew 11.2-11 John the Baptist in prison hears what Jesus is
doing. Jesus says John is more than a prophet. He is the
forerunner Malachi prophesied.
6.30 p.m. Evening Prayer
Sunday 18th December Advent 4
Isaish 7.10-16 A prophecy giving hope. A young woman will bear a
son, Emmanuel, a sign that God is with us.
Psalm 80.1-7 A prayer to the Good Shepherd: Restore us and we
shall be healed/saved.
Romans 1.1-7 Paul summarizes his message of Good News, promised
by the prophets. God’s Son, a son of David, our Risen Lord.
Matthew 1.18-25 The birth of Jesus echoes and fulfils today’s Old
Testament lesson: ‘Emmanuel’ is Hebrew for ‘God with us’.
6.30 p.m.
CAROL SERVICE
Saturday 24th December CHRISTMAS EVE
4.0 p.m. CHILDREN’S NATIVITY AND CAROL SERVICE.
11.30 p.m. MIDNIGHT MASS. Isaiah 9.2-7 and John 1.1-14
Sunday 25th December CHRISTMAS DAY
10.0 Parish Communion
Isaiah 52.7-10 How beautiful upon the mountains are the feet of him
who brings good news, who proclaims peace. God rules.
Hebrews 1.1-4 God now speaks to us through the Son, sacrificed for
us and now exalted.
Luke 2.8-16 The shepherd hear of the birth of Jesus and go to see.
6.30 p.m. Evening prayer
Sunday 1st January 2017 First Sunday after Christmas
approaching the Feast of the epiphany (6th)
10.0 Parish Communion
Isaiah 63.7-9 Praise God’s gracious deeds. He has become our
Saviour.
John 1.1-18 St John unfolds the mystery of the Incarnation
or Matthew 2.1-12 The Wise Ones come to worship Jesus.
6.30
Evening prayer
Ring out, wild bells, to the wild sky,
The flying cloud, the frosty light:
The year is dying in the night;
Ring out, wild bells, and let him die.
Ring out the old, ring in the new,
Ring, happy bells, across the snow:
The year is going, let him go;
Ring out the false, ring in the true.
Ring out the grief that saps the mind
For those that here we see no more;
Ring out the feud of rich and poor,
Ring in redress to all mankind.
Ring out a slowly dying cause,
And ancient forms of party strife;
Ring in the nobler modes of life,
With sweeter manners, purer laws.
Ring out the want, the care, the sin,
The faithless coldness of the times;
Ring out, ring out my mournful rhymes
But ring the fuller minstrel in.
Ring out false pride in place and blood,
The civic slander and the spite;
Ring in the love of truth and right,
Ring in the common love of good.
Ring out old shapes of foul disease;
Ring out the narrowing lust of gold;
Ring out the thousand wars of old,
Ring in the thousand years of peace.
Ring in the valiant man and free,
The larger heart, the kindlier hand;
Ring out the darkness of the land,
Ring in the Christ that is to be.
From In Memoriam by Alfred Tennyson