Christmas 2020

comfort and joy for web

Getting ready for Christmas!
Get these dates and times in your diaries, further details to follow

Nine Carols with readings 20 December at 4:00pm
Zoom service for people to join from the comfort of their homes, with candles, familiar carols to sing and the story of Jesus' birth. Carols recorded by the combined St Barnabas and All Saints choirs and friends.  Details to follow.

Christingle Service
Christmas Eve, 3.00pm: - a zoom service for all the family! Including making a Christingle at home and what all the different parts mean, with carols to sing. More details to follow nearer the time.

Midnight Mass
Christmas Eve, 11.30pm: - All Saints Church live-streamed on zoom. Welcoming the Christ-child with joy and thanksgiving!

Christmas Day Eucharist
Christmas Day, 10.00am: - St Barnabas Church live-streamed on zoom.

New Year's Eve
Early evening: A service to say farewell to 2020 and welcome in the New Year - St Barnabas Church and / or live-streamed on zoom.


baby jesus pebble

Create ‘Baby Jesus’ pebbles to spread Comfort and Joy
BY FRIDAY 27 NOVEMBER!
Full instructions to download here

An idea for what to do – or do your own thing!
What you need:
• Rocks or pebbles (can be flat) washed and dried and more ... see instructions here

ROCKS (PEBBLES) CAN BE COLLECTED FROM THE BOX OUTSIDE THE CHURCH NOW

  • ALL SAINTS: BY THE MAIN DOUBLE-DOOR ENTRANCE UNDER THE COVERED WALKWAY
  • ST BARNABAS: AT THE TOP OF THE STEPS BY THE MAIN DOUBLE DOORS

Here are some  examples of words to use:

  • Unto us a child is born (Isaiah 9.6)
  • Peace and joy at Christmas
  • Love from baby Jesus
  • Hope came into the world at Christmas

PLEASE RETURN PAINTED PEBBLES TO ONE OF THE ABOVE BOXES BY FRIDAY 27 NOVEMBER!

Christmas lunch hampers for families in crisis - please help
PURLEY & KENLEY CHURCHES TOGETHER will be giving Aldi supermarket vouchers to 100 local families in crisis so that they can buy food for a Christmas meal. These vouchers cannot be used for alcohol, the lottery or tobacco.
PAKCT won't be collecting toys but will be making a financial donation to local children’s centres for them to spend on the children they care for.
They are hoping to raise £7,500 for these projects so if you would like to contribute please either send a cheque payable to Purley Food Hub with ‘Christmas Projects’ written on the reverse (post to Joanna Walker, Purley Food Hub, c/o Purley Baptist Church, Banstead Road, CR8 3EA) or donate  at www.give.net/20333146. Please specify ‘Christmas Projects’ in the reference box.

Any questions, please contact Jean Ludlow on 07546 635295 / christmasprojects@pfoodhub.org.uk

Christian Aid at Christmas
Christian Aid is focusing on the Climate Crisis in Ethiopia:
 • On 29th November, the 1st Sunday in Advent, sing in hope with Carols for Caid -singing or sharing 'When out of poverty born' along with a thought-provoking Advent or Christmas sermon by Dr Paula Gooder
• Listen to Dr Rowan Williams on 22nd December in a pre-recorded sermon. To help combat the climate crisis, Charity Gifts are available, including cocoa saplings for £9 with downloadable gift cards at www.charity-gifts.christianaid.org.ukComfort and Joy

 Comfort and Joy is the Church of England’s Christmas theme for this year, read the full booklet below

Comfort and Joy holds together the hope that Christmas will bring joy and celebration after a uniquely difficult year with an acknowledgement that – for those who have lost loved ones or livelihoods, or who are potentially still not able to be together with loved ones – it may be the Church’s role, both nationally and locally, to provide consolation, rather than assume everyone will be ready to join in jubilation. We also have to anticipate there may be further spikes.

This Christmas the Church will need, in the words of St Paul in Romans 12.15, to ‘Rejoice with those who rejoice; weep with those who weep’. We will aim to celebrate where we can together in one place – but also embrace a wider community that wants to join in the celebration but may not be physically able – or emotionally ready – to do so. We hope that Comfort and Joy will enable us to build a campaign that both enables us to reconnect with the rich and joyous traditions of the past and to offer God’s consoling love in the present. 
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