PLEASE PRAY for peace in our world. Thank God that the word was made flesh and came to dwell among us, full of grace and truth. John 1:14. Help us to know that with confidence and to walk with Jesus every day.

READ THE GOOD NEWS – Matthew 1: 18-end – 23 “The virgin will conceive and give birth to a son, and they will call him Immanuel” (which means “God with us”).

PRAYER AND WORSHIP IN THE COMING WEEK

Monday 23rd December
09.30am Morning Prayer, Christ Church

CHRISTMAS EVE – Tuesday 24th December
09.30am Morning Prayer, St Mary’s
1.30pm Holy Communion, Greenacres
4.00pm Crib Service, St James’
11.30pm Midnight Communion, St Bart’s

CHRISTMAS DAY – Wednesday 25th December
09.30am Holy Communion, St Bart’s
09.30am Holy Communion, St James’
10.00am Holy Communion, Christ Church
11.15am Holy Communion, St Mary’s

Thursday 26th December
2.00pm Holy Communion, Helme Hall

NEXT SUNDAY 29th December
09.30am St Bart’s, PARISH COMMUNION

Come and celebrate Christmas as a Parish – going forward together to bring the love of God to Meltham, Meltham Mills, Wilshaw and Helme, and out into the wider world.

Pop-up Nativity and Carol Service @ St Bart’s #Meltham – Sun 22 Dec – 4pm.
Join us for our Pop-Up Nativity where everyone can join in and take part!
Kids can dress up in their favourite nativity costumes. We’ll be needing Shepherds, Kings, Angels, Stars, Animals, Marys, Josephs etc. Oh, and of course not forgetting Baby Jesus! Adults can wear their best Christmas jumpers!

‘The Greatest Journey’ is a fun nativity retracing the steps of the journeys of Mary, Joseph, the Shepherds and the 3 Kings requiring full participation from everyone to help them on their way.

More info can be found here:
https://www.facebook.com/events/772500266494718/

All our special Christmas services are listed on the Parish Facebook page. You can view the details using this link (you don’t need to be a facebook user to see them)
https://www.facebook.com/pg/MelthamParish/events/

If you are a facebook user, please help us to ‘spread the good news’ by sharing the events, or even going into them and and inviting your facebook friends and family.

Join us at Helme Church for our Christingle Service to help get you in the mood for Christmas.

An atmospheric and joyful occasion for all ages on Saturday 21st December – 4pm. Christingle is a candle-lit, festive celebration that’s perfect for bringing families and communities together.

The celebration is named after the Christingles that are lit during the celebration. Christingles are made from an orange decorated with red tape, sweets and a candle.

The event will support the Children’s Society working to help children and young people in the darkest situations imaginable. Join over one million people sharing the light of Christingle.

Last year more than 6,000 celebrations raised almost £1.3 million to light up the lives of children and young people between the ages of 10 and 18.

Further details can be found here:
https://www.facebook.com/events/1177257389330244/

All our special Christmas services are listed on the Parish Facebook page. You can view the details using this link (you don’t need to be a facebook user to see them)
https://www.facebook.com/pg/MelthamParish/events/

If you are a facebook user, please help us to ‘spread the good news’ by sharing the events, or even going into them and and inviting your facebook friends and family.

PLEASE PRAY for everyone in #Meltham and the wider world as they prepare for Christmas – that they will feel the hope and excitement of the season beyond the hype and pressure for materialism.

READ THE GOOD NEWS – Matthew 11: 2-11 – Jesus answered, “Go tell John what you have heard and seen: The blind can see. The crippled can walk. People with leprosy are healed. The deaf can hear. The dead are brought back to life. And the Good News is being told to the poor. Great blessings belong to those who don’t have a problem accepting me.”

PRAYER AND WORSHIP IN THE COMING WEEK

Monday 16th December
9.30am Morning Prayer, Christ Church

Tuesday 17th December
9.30am Morning Prayer, St Mary’s

Wednesday 18th December
09.00am Holy Communion, St Bart’s
10.00am Meltham Churches Together Prayers for the Community, St Bart’s

Saturday 21st December
4.00pm CHRISTINGLE at Christ Church, Helme.
Everybody warmly invited to join us.

NEXT SUNDAY 22nd December
CHRISTMAS JUMPER SUNDAY – Don’t forget to wear yours!
09.30am St Bart’s, Holy Communion
09.30am St James’, Holy Communion
11.15am St Mary’s, Holy Communion
11.15am Christ Church, Service of the Word
4.00pm St Bart’s Pop-Up Navity and Carols. Anyone can join in!
Kids dress up as your favourite Nativity Character, Aduts in your best Christmas Jumper – ALL WELCOME!
6.30pm St James’ Carol Service

OTHER DATES FOR YOUR DIARY
Wednesday 18th December
6.30pm CAROL SINGING AT MORRISONS FOR CHRISTIAN AID. All welcome
Friday 20th December
10.30am-12 noon St Bart’s, Coffee and Chat.

Join us at Wilshaw Church for the the first of our #Meltham Parish Carol Services.

Sunday 15th December @ 6pm

ALL WELCOME.

Further details can be found here:
https://www.facebook.com/events/613697202732929/

All our special Christmas services are listed on the Parish Facebook page. You can view the details using this link (you don’t need to be a facebook user to see them)
https://www.facebook.com/pg/MelthamParish/events/

If you are a facebook user, please help us to ‘spread the good news’ by sharing the events, or even going into them and and inviting your facebook friends and family.

Carols in the Pub! – Waggon & Horses, Meltham – Tonight (Sat 14th Dec) from 8pm.

https://www.facebook.com/events/2503985299867818/

Join us around the piano for a warm, cosy and fun night by the fire singing all your favourite carols and hearing the Christmas story……
all whilst enjoying your favourite tipple!

A GREAT COMBO

CHRISTMAS SERVICES in the Parish of #Meltham.

The countdown to Christmas has begun! Over the next 2 weeks we have a wide variety of Christmas Services – Carol Services, Nativitiy, Christingle, Crib Service, Midnight Mass, even Carols in the Pub – something for everyone! Come, join the festivities as we celebrate the birth of Jesus!

All our special events are listed on the Parish Facebook page. You can view the details using this link (you don’t need to be a facebook user to see them)
https://www.facebook.com/pg/MelthamParish/events/

If you are a facebook user, please help us to ‘spread the good news’ by sharing the events, or even going into them and and inviting your facebook friends and family.

SAT 14th Dec – 8:00pm: Carols in the Pub @ Waggon and Horses Meltham.
SUN 15th Dec – 6:00pm: Carol Service @ St Mary’s Wilshaw.
SAT 21st Dec – 4:00pm: Christingle Service @ Christ Church, Helme.
SUN 22nd Dec- 4:00pm: Pop-Up Community Nativity with Carols @ St Bartholomew’s Meltham.
SUN 22nd Dec – 6:30pm: Carol Service @ St James’ Meltham Mills.

CHRISTMAS EVE
4:00pm: Crib Service @ St James’ Meltham Mills.
11:30pm: Midnight Communion @ St Bartholomew’s Meltham

CHRISTMAS DAY SERVICES
9:30am: St Bartholomew’s Meltham
9:30am: St James’ Meltham Mills
10:00am: Christ Church, Helme
11:15am: St Mary’s Wilshaw

PLEASE PRAY for peace and understanding in our Parish, in our Diocese, across the United Kingdom and around the world. In this week where political differences will be at the fore, help us not to be swayed from God’s message of unconditional love for others.

READ THE GOOD NEWS – Matthew 3: 1-12 – Make way for the King of Kings and let him into your life.

PRAYER AND WORSHIP IN THE COMING WEEK

Monday 9th December
9.30am Morning Prayer, Christ Church

Tuesday 10th December
9.30am Morning Prayer, St Mary’s
1.30pm Songs of Praise, Greenacres

Wednesday 11th December
09.00am Holy Communion, St Bart’s
10.00am Meltham Churches Together Prayers for the Community, St Bart’s

NEXT SUNDAY 15th December
09.30am St Bart’s, Holy Communion
09.30am St James’, Service of the Word
11.15am St Mary’s, Service of the Word
11.15am Christ Church, Holy Communion

6.00pm St Mary’s CAROL SERVICE OTHER DATES FOR YOUR DIARY

Wednesday 11th December
OASIS Quiet Day, St James’
10.00am to 3.00pm (or any time inbetween), come and pause a while in the presence of God (bring a packed lunch if staying all day).

Friday 13th December
10.30am-12 noon St Bart’s, Coffee and Chat.
7.30pm- 9.00pm HD9 Club – Wilshaw – Christmas Party.

Saturday 14th December
8.00pm CAROLS IN THE PUB – Waggon and Horses, Meltham.