THE BENEFICE OF THE LOWER SWALE
United Parish of KIRKBY FLEETHAM with FENCOTE, LANGTON and SCRUTON
NEWSLETTER FOR DECEMBER 2015
SERVICES
DECEMBER 6th Advent 2 Purple
10.00 am KIRKBY FLEETHAM United Holy Communion Mr Garner
DECEMBER 13th Advent 3
9.30 SCRUTON Holy Communion
11.00 am FENCOTE Holy Communion
2.30 pm LANGTON Carol Service
Mr and Mrs Exelby
Mr Perkins
DECEMBER 20th Advent 4
11.00 pm KIRKBY FLEETHAM Carol Service
6.30 pm SCRUTON Carol Service
Mrs Calder and Mrs Lawther
DECEMBER 24th CHRISTMAS EVE
11.30 pm SCRUTON Midnight Eucharist
Mr and Mrs Clarke
DECEMBER 25th CHRISTMAS DAY
10.00 am KIRKBY FLEETHAM Family Service with Holy Communion
Mrs Kettlewell
DECEMBER 27th
9.30 am SCRUTON Holy Communion
11.00 am KIRKBY FLEETHAM Morning Prayer
Dr and Mrs Ewart
Mrs Garner
JANUARY 3rd 2016
10.00 am SCRUTON United Holy Communion
Mrs Elmer and Mrs Lawther
FROM THE RECTORY 01609 773346
Christmas Blessings:
Let’s go on a Journey!
A journey of faith and discovery awaits every one of us at this time of year. And it would seem that
the danger and trauma often involved in making a journey is still as sharp and potentially dangerous
even in today’s sophisticated world as it was for the Blessed Joseph and Mary! Travelling today is full
of risk! and sadly fear and trepidation has crept into our potential travelling plans as the world comes
under attack from others who do not value the sanctity of life and the freedom of movement which we
have become accustomed to. I seem to remember how Joseph and Mary at a very difficult time in
their personal lives were forced to make a journey by others. A journey which was to lead them both
into glory but also into great uncertainty. A journey filled with the joy of the Christmas story but also
a journey which had to take them away from family, from their home and eventually from their own
country in order to keep their child free from harm.
Many today are being compelled to go on a journey like that of Joseph and Mary, but this time it is
one which they are seeking to attempt in order to seek a better and safer life for their families.
Refugees have dominated the press for many months and we have been appalled at the struggles they
have had to undertake to seek to find just a glimpse of acceptance and welcome from the people they
seek to make their home with. Our Bishops have been encouraging us to seek to respond to this need
and I think we can do this but how best should we respond. The Inn was too full for the innkeeper to
take Mary and Joseph in that night but he did at least give them some temporary shelter. We can of
course do the same but is temporary shelter really what refugees are seeking? I think not! They want
the same as we have and rightly so, they want to be loved, accepted, be given a permanent home and
to be a valuable part of society. They don’t want to be treated as something temporary, an
inconvenience which might go away and not disturb us if we just encourage them to carry on
journeying somewhere else.
Our world is a very different one from the place where Jesus was born and the sense of welcome and
hospitality which was part of the society in which he lived is so far away from the individualized
society we now find ourselves in. We cannot open our homes to strangers, we cannot place our own
families at risk simply by taking people in, and even if we did! this would be temporary and
temporary is not what Refugees need. We need our government to use our resources effectively to
help in positive ways to keep people safe and to welcome them and to provide permanent solutions for
their well-being not temporary ones.
So my Christmas message is one of prayerful reflection: as we remember the journey of the Blessed
Joseph and Mary, let us also remember the current journeys of today’s refugees and to hold them all
in our prayers so that the Christmas Joy of peace and love for the world may truly be both ours and
theirs.
A very peaceful and love-filled Christmas to you all.
Clive
FROM THE REGISTERS
CHRISTENING
29th November at Kirkby Fleetham Sonny Daniel Wild
BURIALS
13th November at Fencote Jean Appleby
14th November at Kirkby Fleetham Jean Wilson
NOTICES
Advent Study Group; Clive will run these on the following four dates at The Rectory at7.30 pm:
Monday 30th November
Monday 7th December
Tuesday 15th December
Monday 21st December.
We will use the next set of materials from The Pilgrim Course
KIRKBY FLEETHAM
A cheque was sent off to Herriot Hospice Homecare for £103 after the November coffee morning in
the village hall. Thank you to all who helped to raise this money.
Please note there will be NO COFFEE MORNING in DECEMBER or JANUARY.
.
SCRUTON
£300 was collected for the Devon Donkey Sanctuary on 21st November. Many thanks to all who
contributed There will be no coffee morning in December
Village Christmas Card:- this year it will be organised by the Church. A card will be left at the back of
the church for all who would like to sign it. Please leave donations in the wall box on the left hand
side of the door. It will also be at SLED, The Christmas Market on November 28th and at the Cinema
Club. Donations will go toward the cost of roof repairs to the church.
If you have any notices for the newsletter, please contact Katherine Lawther (748287), or on
rjlawther@btinternet.com - I usually start typing during the third week of the month