December 2017
Priest in Charge:
The Revd Mary-Lou Toop
01743 851375
Assistant Priest:
Canon Robert Parsons
01939 291494
Curate:
The Revd Hannah Lins
07736 012011 Website: www.severnloopparishes.org.uk
Lay Pastoral Minister: Keep in the loop with what’s
Mrs Joyce Jagger happening in your churches.
01743 236517
Children’s Workshops
These are planned for Saturday 2nd December at Bomere Heath and Saturday 9th December at Bicton. Thank you for all the milk bottles - there are enough of those now. But if you could produce jam jars with lids, they would be gratefully received.
Christmas Coffee Morning
Beam House, Little Ensdon by kind invitation of the Holbrook family.
Saturday 2nd December 10.30 am to 12.30 pm.
Stalls including Christmas produce and preserves,China, Bags,
Bring and Buy, Aroma coffee and more. Christmas raffle.
£3.00 includes coffee and mince pies or festive biscuits.
Proceeds in aid of Montford and Shrawardine Churches.
Comedy, Cake and Carols
This is an event to take your friends to! Liz Babbs is described as “Creative Innovator, Communicator &Comedienne”. Tuesday 5th December is the date, 7.30 pm is the time, and Knockin Assembly Rooms is the place. We are promised Cakes, mince pies and hot mulled punch. All are welcome and it is free, though donations towards costs will not be refused.
A Concert of Christmas Music
The Phoenix Singers of Shrewsbury come to Leaton Church for this celebration in music and readings. It is on Thursday 7th December at 8.00 pm. Refreshments follow. Tickets are £5.00 from Pat Hall (01939 290637) or Robert Parsons.
Blue Christmas?
From the middle of November, shops, media and advertising try to convince us that Christmas is magical, full of joy and fulfilment.
Cares are banished and laughing children reinforce the message that sadness and anxiety have no place in the festivities.
But what if we’re feeling blue, bereaved, lost and sad? What if we would just like to draw close to the heart of Christmas, in quietness?
New for 2017: Blue Christmas Service
Sunday 10th December at 3.00 pm
The Mission Church, Bomere Heath
Readings, candles, some quiet and gentle carols, not too long.
Sacred space in all the hurly burly.
You are invited . . .
Bicton Coffee Morning
This month the Coffee Morning includes decorating the church for Christmas. Come from 10.30 am on Thursday 14th December.
Nativity Walk
Monday 18th December in Bomere Heath. This year the walk takes a different direction. We start at the Presbyterian Church at 4.15 pm and finish at the Village Hall. People of all ages enjoy this annual preparation for Christmas, walking in heart and mind to Bethlehem with Mary, Joseph, and a real donkey, who is also called Joseph.
Christmas Services
Look carefully on the back page for dates and times of our Christmas services.
Advent Quiet Day
“Journeying towards Bethlehem” -
Enjoy a day of quiet contemplation
and worship in the beautiful
Shropshire countryside.
Saturday 9th December
from 9.30 am to 4.00 pm.
It is at the AMICA Centre,
Ightfield SY13 4NU.
Suggested donation of £10.00 includes light lunch and refreshments.
Book at or 01948 890610.
Come follow Christ in the footsteps of St Chad
The Bishop of Lichfield’s call to us all contains
the three themes pictured here.
In the Severn Loop we have been working
out how to develop them in our communities.
Churchwardens have identified several things
to inspire our church life in the coming months.
For example there is to be Quiet Day on Tuesday 20th March.
At our United Fifth Sunday Service on 29th April we welcome The Revd George Fisher. There will be lunch and an afternoon programme focusing on our God-given gifts.
Did you notice the new “strapline” at the bottom of the front page, giving a local focus to the Bishop’s call? What do you think?
Sunday and Christmas Services Readings
3rd December - 1st Sunday of Advent
Albrighton 9.15 am Holy Communion Isaiah 64.1-9
Bicton 11.00 am Holy Communion Mark 13.24-37
Bomere Heath 9.00 am Morning Prayer
Fitz 9.30 am Holy Communion
Leaton 10.45 am Holy Communion
Montford 11.00 am Morning Prayer
Shrawardine 9.30 am Matins
10th December - 2nd Sunday of Advent
Bicton 11.00 am Family Service Isaiah 40 1-11
Bomere Heath 9.00 am Holy Communion Mark 1.1-8
3.00 pm Blue Christmas Service
Fitz 9.30 am Matins
Leaton 10.45 am Matins
Montford 9.30 am Holy Communion
Shrawardine 11.00 am Holy Communion
17th December - 3rd Sunday of Advent
Albrighton 9.15 am Holy Communion Isaiah 61.1-4, 8-11
Bicton 6.30 am Carol Service John 1.6-8, 19-28
Bomere Heath 9.00 am Morning Prayer
Fitz 9.30 am Holy Communion Different readings
Leaton 6.30 pm Ecumenical Carol Service for Carol Services
Montford 4.00 pm Carol Service
Shrawardine 7.00 pm Carol Service
Friday 22nd December
Fitz 6.30 pm Carol Service
24th December - 4th Sunday of Advent - Christmas Eve
Bicton 4.00 pm Crib Service
9.00 pm Christmas Communion Romans 16.25-27
Bomere Heath 9.00 pm Holy Communion Luke 1.26-38
Leaton 4.00 pm Crib Service
Leaton 11.30 pm Midnight Communion
Montford 5.30 pm Christmas Communion and Nativity
25th December - Christmas Day
Albrighton 9.30 am Christmas Communion As above
Bomere Heath 10.30 am Christmas Communion
Fitz 10.30 am Christmas Communion
Shrawardine 9.00 am Christmas Communion
31st December - 1st Sunday of Christmas Galatians 4.4-7
Leaton 10.30 am United Eucharist Luke 2.15-21
Looking ahead
Loop Prayer Meeting
The next Prayer meeting is on Tuesday 9th January at 7.30 pm at the home of Robin and Chris Oake, “Mamre” the last bungalow in Bicton Lane.
Panto
The Annual Pantomime in Montford Parish Hall is to be on Friday and Saturday, 19th and 20th January.
Lent
We begin Lent on Ash Wednesday, 14th February, with a Communion service at Bicton Church at 11.30 am. There will be a light lunch to follow - soup and cake. There may be an ecumenical service later in the day in Bomere Heath.
Keep your ear to the ground to find out about Lent Groups, weekly compline, and Holy Week events.
St Chad
Bishop Michael enjoys walking, as our first Bishop, St Chad did. He is planning to walk from Shrewsbury to Lichfield in the week leading up to St Chad’s Day, 2nd March. You will have the opportunity to take part in some of the journey. He has asked curates to join him for the whole event.
The annual diocesan service celebrating St Chad is at the Cathedral on Saturday morning, 3rd March.