The monthly e-newsletter from the Team Vicar of All Saints Whitstable, Rev Simon Tillotson
Visit our website for more info - www.allsaintswhitstable.org

Wednesday 25 November 2015

December and Christmas Newsletter 2015

Dear all

The month of December is nearly upon us and people are continuing to prepare themselves frantically for Christmas.

In the life of the church though we are in the Advent season from Sunday 29th November which is a time of preparation for the return of our Lord. It is a time to assess our lives afresh. Where are we in need of changing our lives so that we might lead holier lives closer to Christ and the path he asks us to follow?  
How can we better balance our lives so that we are not always swept along by the tide of consumerism and rush that so typifies our culture?

That said, the first event I wish to draw you attention to is a "busy" event with lots happening that is good and wholesome and I hope you will be able to come along to it. This poster says it all:



I do hope to see you there.

Then this Sunday 29th November we have our special 
ADVENT CAROL SERVICE at 4pm.

Please note that this is an Advent Carol service so the carols are Advent ones and not Christmas ones. Nonetheless, please do not let that put you off coming to what normally is a most uplifting event in the life of the church.

Oyster Singers Concert of Festive Songs

will be held in the All Saints Church on Tuesday 8th December at 7.30pm
The Oyster Singers  will be accompanied by Adrian Bawtree
Refreshments will be served during the  interval
Tickets costing £6 (free for school-age children)
are available by phoning : Kath 274802 or Greg 369095 - TICKETS ALSO AVAILABLE ON THE DOOR ON THE NIGHT OF THE CONCERT


FAMILY SERVICE
On Sunday 13th December at 10am we have our monthly Family Communion service. Attendance at these has been very encouraging over the last few months and this does obviously help the atmosphere too. I will be trying to explain how Advent links in with Christmas.

THANK YOU
May I take this opportunity of thanking all of you for your hard work with the Fireworks in November. It was a tremendously succesful occasion and I am very grateful to Christine and Phillip Williams and their team of helpers for all the hard work which went into it. 

BLOG
We have all been greatly shocked by the terrorist attacks in France and the generally very serious international situation. If you would like to read my reflections on this please read my latest installment from my blog at http://simonsblogallsaints.blogspot.co.uk/

SACRED SPACE TAKES PLACE ON 22nd DECEMBER
From past experience this is a wonderful time to attend as we have carols in the background so please put it in your diary now



Singing for Fun and Health takes place on Wednesday 16th December from 2.30pm to 4pm in the Church hall. It continues to go from strength to strength with a wonderful team of volunteers.


The new Film Club programme can be found at this link   http://www.allsaintswhitstablefilmclub.blogspot.co.uk/


CHRISTMAS SERVICES ARE AS FOLLOWS!
Please note that I am looking for helpers to make the Christingles as usual in the Church hall from 9am on Saturday 19th December. Please can you email me at tillotsons@gmail.com if you can assist



Wednesday 16th December  
7pm Carols around the Yew Tree.
Accompanied by Whitstable Brass
Wrap up warm and bring a torch and some money to give to the Homeless charity "Catching Lives" which is based in Canterbury.
This takes place just outside All Saints church main entrance and is followed by mince pies and mulled wine/soft drink in the Church hall afterwards. A wonderful Christmassy event suitable for all. Approximately 30 minutes of carol singing.
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Saturday 19th December
4pm Christingle service for children

Our annual and popular Christingle service for children and adults. Lasts about 40 minutes. Each child will be given a Christingle and an explanation will take place of what it symbolises. There will be an opportunity to give to the charity "The Children's Society" during the service. 

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Christmas Eve - Thursday 24th December

3pm and 4.15pm
Two identical Crib Services for children, one after the other. Please come to one or the other. During this service the crib is put together and we sing a lot of carols.  All welcome.
Each service lasts about 45 minutes.

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Christmas Eve - Thursday 24th December
11.15pm Midnight Communion, also known as Midnight Mass.
The service includes Holy Communion, a sermon, singing of carols, and usually concludes at about half past midnight
--
Christmas Day - Friday 25th December
8am Holy Communion for Christmas Day
10am Holy Communion for Christmas Day.
Two services, the latter of which has carols, as we celebrate Christmas Day. Please note there is no Sunday Club provision for children at either service though children are most welcome.
--

December 27th - First Sunday of Christmas
 8am Holy Communion (BCP) - Canon Chris Morgan-Jones
10am Sung Holy Communion - Rev Tony Crowe

6.30pm - Choral Evensong


MESSAGES FROM OTHER CHURCHES AND ORGANISATIONS




St Peter's Contemporary Theology Group
2016  Programme

The St Peter's Contemporary Theology Group is an ecumenical gathering that meets (usually) on the third Wednesday of each month from January to June at St Peter's Methodist Church, Canterbury.  The church is about 200 metres from the Westgate Towers, towards the city centre.  The nearest public car park is Pound LaneAll meetings start at 7.45 pm and finish promptly at 9.15 pm.

Our meetings are open to all who are interested in honest and lively discussions on contemporary themes in theology and religion.  Whatever your interests or viewpoint, you will be most welcome to join us.  There is a charge of £3 at the door to cover the expenses of our speakers and an honorarium.  A season ticket of £12 is also available, covering all the lectures (therefore two lectures are free), either at the door or by writing to Jane Gallagher at 193B Wincheap, Canterbury, CT1 3TP and enclosing a cheque made out to Contemporary Theology Group and a stamped addressed envelope.

Wednesday 20 January
Adrian Thatcher:  Honorary Professor, Department of Theology and Religion, University of Exeter, specialising in theologies of sexuality and gender, marriage and family, and biblical interpretation.
Redeeming gender: a theology of gender

Wednesday 17 February
Ian Hartlandformerly Senior Lecturer in Religious Studies at Canterbury Christ Church University and tutor in Christian doctrine at the South East Institute for Theological Education (SEITE).
 If Jesus saves, how does he do so?

Wednesday 16 March
Rachel Muers:  Senior Lecturer in Christian Studies, University of Leeds; author of Testimony: Quakerism and theological ethics and other works on theology and ethics. 
Knowing experimentally: themes in Quaker thought and practice

Wednesday 20 April
Heather Norton and Nicholas Papadopulos:  Heather Norton is a judge at Canterbury Crown Court, and Nicholas Papadopulos is Canon Treasurer at Canterbury Cathedral.
Freedom of Speech: Words without Consequences?  Law, theology, and the right to offend

Wednesday 18 May
Mark Oakley:  Chancellor of St Paul's Cathedral; visiting lecturer at King's College London; broadcaster and writer on spirituality, poetry and literature.
God – in the world as poetry is in the poem

Wednesday 22 June - please note that this is the fourth Wednesday of the month
N. T. (Tom) Wright: formerly Bishop of Durham; now Research Professor of New Testament and Early Christianity, University of St Andrews; frequent broadcaster and author of around 80 books.
'Cruciform Theocracy’? The Challenge of the Kingdom in Tomorrow’s World


For further details about any of these meetings please contact any of the following:

John Bown: 01227 764876, j.bown230@talktalk.net
Jane Gallagher: J.M.Gallagher@kent.ac.uk
Clare Nicholson: 01227 472188, cnicholson@john-lewis.com
Richard Llewellin: 01227 764645, rllewellin@clara.co.uk
Stephen Prickett: stephenprickett@stephenprickett.co.uk
Doreen Rosman: 01227 452242


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Cathy Brown
Fundraising Support Officer for Porchlight, is looking for people to help with collecting money in Whitstable (standing with a bucket in the street - not door to door) on Saturday 12th December. Contact her if you can assist

Porchlight18-19 Watling Street
Canterbury
Kent
CT1 2UA

T:  01227 813199

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Every good wish

Rev Simon Tillotson



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Location of Church - Click on picture!

All Saints Whitstable

All Saints Whitstable is a Church of England church in the Church Street area of Whitstable, between the railway station and the Thanet Way.
It has been in existence since at least the 12th century.
It is one of six churches that make up the Whitstable Team Ministry.
Church service times are 8am Holy Communion (BCP) and 10am Sung Communion on Sundays, with a Sunday Club for children.
A Family Communion takes place at 10am on the Second Sunday of each month where the children stay in church.
For more information on other services and general information please visit our main website which is www.allsaintswhitstable.com or email the Vicar Rev Simon Tillotson at tillotsons@gmail.com

The Holy Trinity by Andrei Rublev

The Holy Trinity by Andrei Rublev

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All Saints Church Monthly Newsletter

All Saints Church Monthly Newsletter

Location of church

Location of church
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