Today we begin the season of Advent, A season of contemplation and repentance, with the expectation of the arrival of Our Lord at Christmas. Our 10 o'clock service opened with the Matin Responsory. The words are adapted from the first responsory of Advent Sunday in the early medieval rite, and the setting is by Palestrina.Sung unaccompanied it provided a sense of the urgency of the message of the imminent arrival of the Messiah. The service reflected this with reading from Isiah and from St Mark's gospel. In the sermon Father Stephen, with the help of the children put together the Advent wreath for the church and taught us the meaning of each of the candles, for Abraham, the Prophets especially Isiah, St John the Baptist, and St Mary our Lady. There was coffee after the service.

In the afternoon we had our annual Advent wreath making and tea. We gathered in the Church Hall and thanks to Anwyl and Margery we had a wonderful choice of different greenery to use in the construction of the wreaths. When every one had finished the wreaths were placed on the central table and one candle of each was lit, and Father Stephen blessed them Then we had a lovely tea, many thanks to Deirdre and Shirley  for wielding the tea pots an washing up!!