This morning we met at 10 am for a Parish Eucharist, on a fine chilly October morning. It is half term so the Sunday School were not in session. Father Roger was the celebrant, and we were delighted to welcome Rev Martha, our Rural Dean to the service and she gave us a short homily. In this address she talked about the wonderful history of our church, and urged us to be generous in our loving and giving, not just of money (although it is always gratefully received) but giving of ourselves in support of the mision of the church, encouraging each other and of new Christians, as we want our church to still be thriving in 500 years! She was followed by Janet Harland who gave us some sobering figures on the cost of running our church, prepared by Kim and Gary our treasurers. It costs about 1000 pounds a week to keep our church going, so every little helps towards that total! Kim and Garry would like to encourage everyone to join the parish giving scheme which is run by the church, and uses a direct debit to pay directly to St Mary's every week even if you cannot attend. A second way of helping is described above the Easy Giving system, where by when you use on line retailers they will give a donation to the church, with on line shopping on the rise this looks like a good source of support, which doesnt cost you anything!

The choir sang 'Teach me Oh Lord' in the setting by Attwood as the anthem, and a communion hymn, 'All for Jesus' a most appropriate set of words after our considerations of the church finances.

There was coffee after the service in the rooms.

Some notices for this week

We will be having a Christmas Draw as we did last year, tickets will be distributed with the November parish magazine, please do try to sell them to your friends and family, there are some lovely prizes!

Our Christmas Market will be held on the 4th of December from11am to 2 pm. There will be stalls of books gifts, and plants, and in addition we are offering food in the Parish Rooms, following the Christmas Market theme we will be preparing Wurst, Kartoffelpuffer mit apel sause (potato pancakes with apple sauce) Raclette (cheese on toast) with or without peppers and mushrooms, you can have a glass of gluhwien, or non alcoholic spiced apple juice, if you would prefer something simpler we will also have Caffee mit lebkuken (coffee with German Christmas Biscuits) So a pleasant morning in store with Christmas shopping and a festive German lunch! We hope to see you all there!

We are also running a Christmas Tree decorating competition, but we are asking for a decorated miniature tree!! You can sign up for the competition and get all the details in the church.

2 Timothy 3:14- 4:5

A readiing from the second letter of Paul to Timothy.

Continue in what you have learned and firmly believed, 

knowing from whom you learned it, 

and how from childhood you have known the sacred writings 

that are able to instruct you for salvation 

through faith in Christ Jesus. 

All scripture is inspired by God 

and is useful for teaching,

for reproof, for correction, and for training in righteousness, 

so that everyone who belongs to God may be proficient, 

equipped for every good work.

In the presence of God and of Christ Jesus, 

who is to judge the living and the dead, 

#and in view of his appearing and his kingdom, 

I solemnly urge you: 

proclaim the message; 

be persistent whether the time is favorable or unfavorable; 

convince, rebuke, and encourage, 

with the utmost patience in teaching. 

For the time is coming when people will not put up with sound doctrine, 

but having itching ears, 

they will accumulate for themselves teachers to suit their own desires, 

and will turn away from listening to the truth 

and wander away to myths. 

As for you, always be sober, endure suffering, 

do the work of an evangelist, carry out your ministry fully.

Hear the gospel of our Lord Jesus Christ according to John.