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Online Parish Communion Service for Sunday 27th Dec – 10:30am

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A joint Parish Communion service for the first Sunday of Christmas and the last Sunday of 2020. Today, you can join in the worship from the comfort of your own home – it is online only – there is no actual service at church. The online service is scheduled for 10:30am and can be found here: https://youtu.be/fLY42h9PgQM

Please note also there is no service at St Bartholomew’s on Wednesday 30th December.

A very happy Christmas and a wonderful New Year to you all.

Christmas Eve – Midnight Communion – Online livestream from 11:30pm

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You can join us in church or online for the Christmas Eve Midnight Communion from St Bartholomew’s – Meltham from 11:30pm.
https://youtu.be/cGwdk0a7ZZM

Please note however that capacity is reduced in our church buildings due to Covid restrictions. The usual social distancing and face coverings rules must be adhered to. We may have to restrict entry if the number of people attending exceeds capacity to as to ensure safe distancing.

Seasons Greetings to Meltham (and beyond) from St Bartholomew’s Choir

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Carol singers from St Bartholomew’s Choir sing the Meltham Carol.

We’ve all missed singing this year due to the pandemic, and especially this time of year when we would normally be having carol services and going out around #Meltham carol singing. Fortunately, we managed to get do a video last year whilst on our rounds of the Meltham carol – Tenderly Sleeping, so thought would share with everyone on t’internet.

Merry Christmas to everyone in Meltham and beyond.
Stay safe and lets hope and pray we will be back to some form of normality for next Christmas! Enjoy!
https://youtu.be/Bo1HvpfPbZI

Christmas Services – 2020

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Join us to celebrate the birth of Jesus this Christmas!

CHRISTMAS EVE:
4:00pm – Crib Service – St James’ Meltham Mills – NOW FULLY BOOKED  – PLEASE DO NOT ATTEND UNLESS YOU HAVE ALREADY BOOKED/ARRANGED YOUR PLACE.
11:30pm – Midnight Communion – St Bartholomew’s – Meltham (also available online via YouTube: https://youtu.be/cGwdk0a7ZZM

CHRISTMAS DAY:
9:00am – Holy Communion – St Bartholomew’s – Meltham
9:30am – Family Communion – St James’ – Meltham Mills
10:00am – Holy Communion – Christ Church, Helme
11:15am – Holy Communion – St Mary’s Wilshaw (on Zoom only – not in church)

SUNDAY 27th DECEMBER
Online Parish Communion via YouTube – no services in Church.

PLEASE NOTE – CAPACITY IS REDUCED IN OUR CHURCH BUILDINGS DUE TO COVID RESTRICTIONS.
THE USUAL SOCIAL DISTANCING AND FACE COVERINGS RULES APPLY. WE MAY HAVE TO RESTRICT ENTRY IF NUMBERS EXCEED CAPACITY TO ENSURE SAFE DISTANCING.

11am MCT PRAYERS 21st DECEMBER 2020

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Hello Everyone

MARY – A Lifetime of waiting

“Mary, Did You Know?” is the title of a Christmas song addressing Mary, mother of Jesus, with lyrics written by Mark Lowry in 1984, and music composed by Buddy Greene in 1991. It was originally recorded by Christian recording artist Michael English on his self-titled debut solo album in 1991.  It has since been recorded by many artists – more recently by The Pentatonics.   Many versions can be found on Youtube or itunes and you may like to reflect on the words as you listen to the song.

                                                                                                                                                                                                                                          Mary, did you know that your baby boy will one day walk on water?

Mary, did you know that your baby boy will save our sons and daughters?

Did you know that your baby boy has come to make you nw?

This child that you’ve delivered will soon deliver you.

Mary, did you know that your baby boy will give sight to a blind man?

Mary, did you know that your baby boy will calm a storm with His hand?

Did you know that your baby boy has walked where angels trod?

And when you kissed your little baby You’ve kissed the face of God.

Oh, Mary did you know? The blind will see, the deaf will hear, the dead will live again.

The lame will leap, the dumb will speak, the praises of the Lamb.

Mary, if you knew, how wonderful for you that he’d choose you to bring to us the King of Kings.

God bless you Mary.

Mary, did you know that your baby boy is Lord of all creation?

Mary, did you know that your baby boy will one day rule the nations?

Did you know that your baby boy is heaven’s perfect Lamb?

This sleeping child you’re holding Is the Great I Am.

Mary is called to a task of gargantuan proportions. Her initial fear gives way quickly into bewilderment “How can this be?” and then acceptance “Let it be to me according to your word”. Mary may at this point have  grasped the  life changing significance of her calling, which few of us do when we say that first tentative yes to god’s summoning. She would almost certainly, have, grasped the immediate significance of her own personal disgrace and exclusion from the community in which she lived and deserves our admiration for saying yes.

Luke 2. 22:34-35 – When the time came for the purification rites required by the Law of Moses, Joseph and Mary took him to Jerusalem to present him to the Lord. 34 Then Simeon blessed them and said to Mary, his mother: “This child is destined to cause the falling and rising of many in Israel, and to be a sign that will be spoken against, 35 so that the thoughts of many hearts will be revealed, and a sword will pierce your own soul too.”

The words of the song ask Mary if she knew of the events that were to happen around the ministry of Jesus.  From the time of presentation in the temple onwards, as Jesus’ ministry unfolds, we are assured that Mary would ponder them in her heart. Mary would spend her life waiting for the words Simeon spoke to her to come to pass.

A PRAYER FOR CHRISTMAS EVE

Lord Jesus, Light of the world,

0vercoming the darkness of fear and doubt.

As we celebrate your birth

In the company of Mary and Joseph,

may we begin to see the world emerging from

the shadows with new hope and joy.

As you chose the poor and lowly

the outcast and marginalised

to receive the Good News,

so may we worship you with the angels and shepherds

In the meekness of our hearts.

As we draw near to Bethlehem we pray for its people

that they will know the peace of the Child born in their midst

and may share with us and all people the joy of this Holy Night

NEXT PRAYERS FOR THE WEEK WILL BE 4TH JANUARY.

UNTIL THEN KEEP SAFE- KEEP PRAYING

WISHING YOU A HAPPY & JOY FILLED CHRISTMAS & WE PRAY FOR A GOOD NEW YEAR

Peter

In this together

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(A thank you letter)

Dear Richard Whiteley,

There’s only one thing certain in these uncertain times – it’s a time to pull together and support each other.

We hope you are staying safe during these uncertain times. We are incredibly grateful for your amazing donation of £4,510.24 through your virtual coffee morning and pop-up shop in Meltham. It’s a fantastic amount and we are so grateful that in times like these you have managed to continue fundraising.

With your help, we can continue to provide our members with the support they require during the pandemic.

Our amazing frontline workers are determined and committed to keeping our services running – providing advice, helping people find somewhere to live and supporting people with their health and wellbeing. A coordinated response will help more people, so we’re funding local groups and organisations through our emergency grants fund, helping us work together and meet the current needs of those experiencing homelessness across the UK.

We have been calling for governments to put in place robust support for people facing homelessness, and we have already begun to see some action. Governments in England and Wales have made clear to local councils that they should ensure everyone sleeping rough or in night shelters is given self-contained accommodation straight away. But we have much further to go to make sure that people facing homelessness are properly housed and provided with the support they need.

Thank you once again for your generosity, and please take care.

Best wishes,

Becky King

Community & Events Fundraising Team Manager