From the Parish Registers

Celebrated at All Saints'

7 October Ian Hillman from Holy Trinity
Monique Hillman from Holy Trinity

Holly Pearce from St. Mary's, Langford

Bethan Gomersall from All Saints'
Emma Jervis from All Saints'
Abigail Mills from All Saints'

Annabel Worle from St. Michael's

All Saints'

Christ Church, Redhill

Holy Trinity

St Michael's

All Saints'

Christ Church, Redhill

St Michael's

Funerals & Commitals

All Saints'
14 October Evelyn Anne Collins, aged 83
23 October Cynthia Wilson, aged 85

Christ Church, Redhill

Holy Trinity
6 October Patrick Rowland William Parsons, aged 71

St Michael's

Burial of Ashes
All Saints'

South Bristol Crematorium

Weston Crematorium

Dear friends,

As one year ends, another begins The Roman god Janus is always pictured with two heads, which is why the first month of the year is named after him. So what are your feelings as you look back over the past year and forwards to the new one? For us the past year has had moments of both joy and pain. There was the joy of Katherine's wedding, and our 40th anniversary, and my very
unexpected and unwelcome spell in hospital with a broken thigh. Such vagaries of life explain why Kipling's "If" has so often been voted England's best-loved poem.

The Christmas story is a yearly reminder that, for all of us, life has its ups and downs. Can you imagine what it must have been like for Mary and Joseph to have been forced to leave the safety and security of their home as she was about to give birth, and
journey to a place where there were neither the comforts of home nor the company of friends? Their faith and perseverance were rewarded by the kindness of a stranger, and the safe birth of a beautiful baby boy. To cap it all, they had the joy of the visits by the
shepherds and wise men but, at the very moment when all seemed to be looking up, the pendulum swung again, as the malevolent despot Herod sent his soldiers to kill their baby, and they had to make a swift exit to foreign parts until the all-clear was given.

Their story echoes the plight of so many of the millions of migrants fleeing the horrors of the wars in the Middle East. It equally clearly puts our joys and sorrows into context, and shows us how hugely privileged we are to live in such comfort and security.

It strikes me as deeply significant that Christmas Day is followed, one week later, by New Year's Day. As we reflect upon this evidence of God's love for his world, seen in the birth of the baby Jesus, we are challenged to make our New Year resolutions.

I know I need to lose weight, but I hope I can do slightly better, when making this New Year's resolutions, than simply saying to myself 'I will go on a diet and try to take more exercise when my leg is healed'. I have mentioned before my Ghanaian friend, who urged us to have "An Attitude of Gratitude". As we look back on 2015, and forward to 2016, can we be more like the innkeeper who, though he didn't know it at the time, acted in such a way that made it possible for God's good purposes to become a reality in the world? God knows, the world needs a new injection of hope and peace.

I mentioned last month that we have booked the beautiful Brunel Manor for an Away Weekend in February Leaflets outlining the whole programme, and containing a booking form, are at the back of each church, or available from the Church Office.

This weekend is a great opportunity to get away from the pressures of our everyday lives, to enjoy good company and good food in a very attractive setting (Brunel thought the spot so glorious he built his home there), and to think about what is important in our
own lives, and the life of the church.

As light relief, Wine Master Matthew Hemming, Andrew's son, will be doing a wine tasting on the Saturday evening, and helping us to reflect on the importance of wine in the Bible and the Christian faith.

Do please join us if you can, and give us a call if you have any questions..

United Benefice Services
The United Service at 10am on Sunday 6 December in Holy Trinity will celebrate Bible Sunday. In addition to learning more about what is often called "The greatest story ever told", we will be dedicating Holy Trinity's new Lectern Bible.

The United Service at 10am on 3 January will be at Christ Church. As well as being Epiphany Sunday, when we celebrate the Arrival of the Three Kings, we shall include the prayers to renew our Covenant with Christ at the beginning of the New Year.

We hope you can join us. Please share transport where you can, and if you would like a lift please contact the Church Office.

We are delighted that the Revd David Heslop is moving into the benefice, following his marriage to Katie Stocker on 28 November. David has been greatly involved in training clergy and lay people during his ministry in the Midlands, and more recently as a member of staff at Sarum College in Salisbury, so he is an ideal person to lead our Away Weekend. He will also be taking our Midnight Communion at All Saints'. We welcome him most warmly.

We will also be welcoming Charlotte Pike, who will be joining us for a month's placement in January. Though a member of St Paul's, Weston-super-Mare, Charlotte was confirmed in All Saint's on 1st November 2013 in what was a very important moment in her spiritual journey. Two years on, she is preparing to go to Selection Conference in the hope of being selected for ordination into the full-time ministry.

As part of that process, Charlotte will be with us every Sunday and Tuesday in January to share in our worship, and to shadow Andrew and me as we go about our work. If you see Charlotte, please give her a warm welcome.

This year we are doing rather more to celebrate the beginning of the new Church Year than just lighting our Advent Rings in the morning services. We have planned a sequence of Readings, Music and Reflections at 3pm in All Saints, to last about an hour. We hope people will find this a helpful antidote to all the shopping and card writing.

Ruth and the girls join me in wishing you all a joyous Christmas and every blessing in 2016,
Nicholas Maddock