A Christmas Story
An old shoe cobbler once dreamed on Christmas Eve that Jesus would come to visit him the next day. The dream was so real that he was convinced it would come true. So he awoke and anxiously awaited Jesus’ arrival. An old man was his first visitor, seeking shelter from the winter cold. As the cobbler talked with him he noticed the holes in the old man’s shoes, so he reached up on the shelf and got him a new pair of shoes, before sending him on his way. Then a hungry old woman came in, and when he discovered she hadn’t eaten in days, he gave her a meal before sending her on her way. Still Jesus hadn’t come. Then he heard a little boy crying out in front of his shop. He went out, discovered the boy was lost, so put on his coat and led the boy home to his parents. As dusk came and it was time to lock up, he cried out, “Oh Lord Jesus, why didn’t you come?” And then in a moment of silence he seemed to hear a voice saying: “Oh shoe cobbler, lift up your heart! I kept my word. Three times I knocked at your friendly door. Three times you welcomed me beautifully. I was the man with the bruised feet. I was the woman you gave something to eat. I was the lost boy out on the street.” Jesus had come. The cobbler simply hadn’t realised it.
May the Lord open our eyes and hearts anew this Christmas to recognise and respond to His coming. May He bless each of you and your families with a very Happy Christmas and a Peaceful New Year.
Christmas Eve @ St Michael’s, Cumnor
4pm Christingle
At 4pm on Christmas Eve we’re holding our annual Christingle service in aid of the Children’s Society, and exploring the meaning of Christmas using oranges, candles, ribbon and sweets!
11pm Midnight Communion
Christmas Day @ St Michael’s, Cumnor
8am Holy Communion (1662)
10:30am Christmas Celebration
Join us at 10:30am on Christmas Morning for our all-age Christmas Celebration.
Christmas Day @ St Andrew’s in Dean Court Community Centre
10am Christmas Service
Boxing Day
No Service – join with Oxford Diocese Church at Home
Sunday 2nd January
St Michael’s
10:30am Holy Communion
4:30pm Taizé Service
St Andrew’s
11:30am Morning Worship (coffee etc from 11.15)
Online worship
The Midnight Communion service in St Michael’s will be live-streamed via our website at:
https://cumnor.org/christmas-livestream-2021/
The service will remain available to watch online afterwards and is our online worship for Christmas Day.
To give our tech team a rest on January 2nd, there will be no live-stream from the parish that day.
COVID update
There is no need to book for any of our Christmas Services.
Masks are compulsory in church, unless you have a valid exemption, and we ask that you please keep them on when singing too, unless you are in the choir!
If you are feeling unwell or test positive then please stay at home.
Please will all those leading, preaching or on duty take a Lateral Flow test before coming along to Church.
Let’s keep protecting each other!
Taizé Service
This months Taizé songs and readings are also available online at: https://cumnor.org/taize-service-december-2021/
From January 2nd, the Taizé service will be held in St Michael’s at the earlier time of 4:30pm.
Sad news
Many of you will remember Phil and Sonya Doragh. Sonya was the parish’s youth worker for several years and her husband Phil trained as a youth worker while they were here. They made an immense impact on the young people – many of whom are now active members of churches in the towns and cities where they have settled and are bringing up their own children.
Sonja trained for ministry after leaving here, and has been a priest in the Diocese of Liverpool for a good many years. Friends were delighted when they were able to adopt three boys ten years or so ago. Earlier this week, she posted on Facebook tragic news that one of them, Harry, had died very suddenly. They are understandably devastated. Please remember them in your prayers.
More sad news
Also this week we heard that Tony Bradley died peacefully after a long and hard struggle with progressive pulmonary fibrosis. Our thoughts and prayers are with Kathleen. Tony’s funeral will be held on Monday 10th January, at 12:30pm in St Michael’s.
Rosemary Spivey’s Funeral
We also heard the sad news this week that Rosemary Spivey had died. She passed away suddenly but peacefully and her funeral is on Thursday 30th December in St Michael’s. The service will be live-streamed at Funeral of Rosemary Spivey – Thursday 30th December at 11am
January Worship Services and Events
St Andrews in the Dean Court Community Centre
2/1 11:30am Morning Worship
9/1 11:30am Holy Communion
16/1 11:30am Morning Worship
23/1 11:30am Morning Worship
30/1 11:30am Morning Worship
St Mary’s
23/1 3:30pm Hymns and Cake
St Michael’s
2/1 10:30am Holy Communion
4:30pm Taizé Service
9/1 10:30am Morning Worship
16/1 8am Holy Communion (1662)
10:30am Morning Worship
23/1 10:30am Big Story Sunday
30/1 10:30am Morning Worship with speaker from Good News for Everyone (formerly The Gideons)
St Michael’s remains open for private prayer every Monday and Friday, from 9am-5pm.
Christmas Reading
John 1:1-14
In the beginning was the Word, and the Word was with God, and the Word was God. 2 He was with God in the beginning. 3 Through him all things were made; without him nothing was made that has been made. 4 In him was life, and that life was the light of all mankind. 5 The light shines in the darkness, and the darkness has not overcome it.
6 There was a man sent from God whose name was John. 7 He came as a witness to testify concerning that light, so that through him all might believe. 8 He himself was not the light; he came only as a witness to the light.
9 The true light that gives light to everyone was coming into the world. 10 He was in the world, and though the world was made through him, the world did not recognise him. 11 He came to that which was his own, but his own did not receive him. 12 Yet to all who did receive him, to those who believed in his name, he gave the right to become children of God— 13 children born not of natural descent, nor of human decision or a husband’s will, but born of God.
14 The Word became flesh and made his dwelling among us. We have seen his glory, the glory of the one and only Son, who came from the Father, full of grace and truth.
Epiphany Reading
Matthew 2:1-12
After Jesus was born in Bethlehem in Judea, during the time of King Herod, Magi from the east came to Jerusalem 2 and asked, “Where is the one who has been born king of the Jews? We saw his star when it rose and have come to worship him.”
3 When King Herod heard this he was disturbed, and all Jerusalem with him. 4 When he had called together all the people’s chief priests and teachers of the law, he asked them where the Messiah was to be born. 5 “In Bethlehem in Judea,” they replied, “for this is what the prophet has written:
6 “‘But you, Bethlehem, in the land of Judah,
are by no means least among the rulers of Judah;
for out of you will come a ruler
who will shepherd my people Israel.’”
7 Then Herod called the Magi secretly and found out from them the exact time the star had appeared. 8 He sent them to Bethlehem and said, “Go and search carefully for the child. As soon as you find him, report to me, so that I too may go and worship him.”
9 After they had heard the king, they went on their way, and the star they had seen when it rose went ahead of them until it stopped over the place where the child was. 10 When they saw the star, they were overjoyed. 11 On coming to the house, they saw the child with his mother Mary, and they bowed down and worshiped him. Then they opened their treasures and presented him with gifts of gold, frankincense and myrrh. 12 And having been warned in a dream not to go back to Herod, they returned to their country by another route.
Prayers
Collect for Christmas Day
Lord Jesus Christ,
your birth at Bethlehem
draws us to kneel in wonder at heaven touching earth:
accept our heartfelt praise as we worship you,
our Saviour and our eternal God.
Amen.
Collect for January 2nd
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.
Amen.
Please Pray For…
- All those who have been bereaved recently including Phil and Sonya Doragh and family, and the families of Rosemary Spivey, Tony Bradley and Linda Bowers.
- Our local schools, as staff and pupils enjoy a well-earned Christmas break.
- Those affected by COVID and especially those suffering from Long-COVID.
- Our CMS mission partner Bia.
- The rebuilding work at St Andrews.
- Our Christmas outreach plans.
- Everyone who leads worship, preaches or teaches in our parish.
Contacts
St Michael’s Parish Office
1, Abingdon Road,
Cumnor
OX29QN
01865 861541
office@cumnor.org
The Parish Office email and answerphone are being checked regularly or please get directly in touch with Jonathan.
Jonathan Widdess
Vicar
The Vicarage,
1, Abingdon Road
Cumnor
OX29QN
01865 863702
vicar@cumnor.org
Kate Elliott
Safeguarding Officer
07782 350491