We remember those with birthdays this week, especially John Pritchard (7th), Denis Corbett and Harry Rawlings (9th), Judith Greenburgh (11th), Andrew Sack and Sam Hillman (12th), and Janet Thorne and Sophie Shakeshaft (13th).
The church is open every morning between 10:00 a.m. and 12 noon, but to enable us to keep the church open in this way, we need more people to offer an hour one morning a week to be available in church. If you can help, please have a word with Jonathan Hodgson.
Gift Aid: If you are a taxpayer, please maximise your giving in the Offertory Plate by using the Gift Aid envelopes provided.
St Mary’s notices can be sent to the Parish Office at (info@stmarysmoseley.co.uk), or by phone: 0121 449 2243 (mornings) by 10:00 a.m. on Wednesday. Voicemail messages can be left at any time. Also see http://www.stmarysmoseley.co.uk.
St Anne’s notices can be sent to Revd Rosemary Donovan at info@st-annes-moseley.org.uk, or by phone: 0121 449 1071 by Thursday. Also see http://www.st-annes-moseley.org.uk.
St Mary’s has a loop system for the hard of hearing, in the centre block of seats. Turn your hearing aid to the “T” setting.
The details of the proposal for the United Benefice are displayed on the notice boards of both St Mary’s and St Anne’s until 22nd Jan for people to make any comments.
Grand Raffle: Tickets £1. Main prize, two tickets to Paris. Draw Friday 16 February. Please see John Carey or adult choir members.
Thank you to everyone who helped to clean and prepare our churches for Christmas, and those who generously contributed to St Mary’s Electricity Appeal.
A big thank you to everyone who helped to make Christmas Day Together such a happy and successful event.
I have been chastised, quite rightly, on two occasions for not updating the congregation and members of The Daffodil Club on its successful conclusion after two years. In two years the members of the club contributed nearly £10,000 to the Stonework Appeal. This was the target we set ourselves and it is a wonderful achievement. All members are to be congratulated on their individual and club success. The club required very little administration because almost every one was prompt on the payment schedule which they decided was best for them. It was a wonderful idea which was easily implemented and allowed over 70 members of the congregation to make a substantial contribution to the Stonework appeal. When The Daffodil Club concept was described to members of other churches it was taken up by them, so we can be proud of starting similar savings schemes in other churches.
John McKinleyThe choir very kindly brought back a gift for St Mary’s from Washington—a statuette of the Virgin and Child. Please come and see it in the Lady Chapel.
“He even makes the deaf to hear and the mute to speak.” The text for this year comes from South Africa and reflects on the suffering and death there caused by HIV/AIDS. For more information see Churches Together in Britain and Ireland’s website.
Churches Together in Moseley will be prayer walking during the week 15 - 22 January. More details to follow. All are invited to St Agnes for a joint service on 22 January at 11:00 a.m.
We hope everyone has been saving the stamps from all the extra Christmas mail. There are boxes at the back of both churches for them. Jenny will send stamps from St Anne’s to the Leprosy Mission whose work is described in the January edition of the Spire. Shirley will send stamps from St Mary’s to Guide Dogs for the Blind.
| Time | Service | Details |
|---|---|---|
| 8:00 a.m. | Holy Communion Order One traditional language, followed by Parish Breakfast | Preacher: The Revd Peter Hansell |
| 10:00 a.m. | Family Service | Led by The Revd Rosemary Donovan and Lis Sparrow |
| 11:15 a.m. | Choral Communion | Preacher: The Revd Joan Griffin |
| 6:30 p.m. | Evensong | Preacher: The Revd Peter Hansell |
| Time | Service | Details |
|---|---|---|
| 10:15 a.m. | Parish Communion | Preacher: The Revd Peter Hansell |
| 6:30 p.m. | Evensong | Preacher: The Revd Rosemary Donovan |
| Day | Morning Prayer | Holy Communion | Evening Prayer |
|---|---|---|---|
| Tuesday St Mary’s |
9:15 a.m. | 4:45 p.m. | |
| Wednesday St Anne’s |
9:15 a.m. | 4:45 p.m. | |
| Thursday St Anne’s |
9:15 a.m. | ||
| Friday | 9:15 p.m. St Anne’s |
4:45 p.m. St Mary’s |
| Day | Time | Details |
|---|---|---|
| Monday | 12:45 p.m. | St Anne’s Lunch Club: Contact Hilda Johnston: 604 5643 |
| 8:00 p.m. | St Mary’s Bell ringers | |
| Tuesday | 5:15 p.m. | St Mary’s Junior Choir |
| 7:30 p.m. | Prayer Group at 16 Paton Grove (resumes Tuesday 16 January) | |
| Wednesday | 10:30 a.m. - 12 noon | Coffee & Co at St Mary’s |
| 7:30 p.m. | Youth Group (resumes Wednesday 17 January) | |
| 8:00 p.m. | Wednesday Group meets at 16 Paton Grove | |
| Thursday | 4:00 p.m. | Children’s service at St Anne’s (resumes Thursday 18 January) |
| 7:30 p.m. | St Mary’s Singers | |
| Friday | 6:45 p.m. | St Mary’s robed choir |
| 7:30 p.m. | St Anne’s Choir | |
| Saturday | 10:30 a.m. - 12 noon | Coffee & Co at St Mary’s |
| Time | Service |
|---|---|
| 8:00 a.m. | Holy Communion Order Two |
| 10:00 a.m. | Parish Communion |
| 6:30 p.m. | Evensong |
| Time | Service |
|---|---|
| 10:15 a.m. | Family Service |
| 6:30 p.m. | Holy Communion |
| Date | Time | Details |
|---|---|---|
| Tue-9-Jan | 7:00 p.m. | Spire magazine meeting at St Anne’s Vicarage |
| Wed-10-Jan | 7:30 p.m. | St Mary’s Standing Committee meeting at 12 Woodrough Drive |
| Thu-11-Jan | 8:00 p.m. | Joint wardens’ meeting at 12 Woodrough Drive |
The feast of the Epiphany follows, and indeed marks, the end of the Christmas festival. It is an important feast day because it is a constant reminder to us that the Christian gospel is for all people of all time. The story of the Magi reveals the world outside Judaism breaking into the life of Jesus right at the very beginning. Our gospel set for today tells us of those so-called wise men seeking the new born King, offering their homage and presenting gifts. For me, however, the last words of the gospel reading are important, “they left for their own country by another road”. Of course we know there were particular reasons why they should have done this. But what about ourselves? As we have once again encountered the Christ child can we ever be the same again? And what about the people we have rubbed shoulders with over the Festival? Do they feel the same, or have we shown them another way, another road, for living?
Epiphany, above all else, speaks of mission, and it is a summons to the whole people of God. I pray that in this year, with all its new opportunities opening up before us, we will respond positively to that call.
O God, who by the leading of a star manifested your only Son to the peoples of the earth: mercifully grant that we, who know you now by faith, may at last behold your glory face to face; through Jesus Christ your Son our Lord, who is alive and reigns with you, in the unity of the Holy Spirit, one God, now and for ever.