St Mary’s Advent Trail Edition

Learn About the 2021 Advent Trail & More Updates

St Mary’s December newsletter provides details of this years, advent trail and a Christmas message. It also, of course, has the usual listings of services (and they look forward to welcoming you for their Christmas Services in both the Old Church & St Mary’s), and contacts.

Christmas Message from Revd Heather Wilcox

It’s that time of year, when we are bombarded with Christmas advertising, but one advert in particular has caught my attention, probably because it has generated the most complaints in 2021 so far, the Tesco’s advert.

It begins with a lady standing outside a Tesco’s store being asked, ‘Do you need a little help’ and she responds, ‘Don’t worry my love, this year, nothings stopping me.’ Queens ‘Don’t stop me now’ providing the soundtrack to the advert.

Don’t Stop Me Now

The gist of course is that nothing is going to stop us from celebrating Christmas. If the lights go out, we will light a row of Christmas puddings instead and party on; if Santa’s grotto closes as we reach it, we will bribe the elves with mince pies and when Santa faces quarantine, of course he is already double vaccinated, nothing is going to get in the way of us celebrating Christmas just as we want to in 2021, unlike 2020 when plans had to be changed at the last minute.

2000 Years Ago

2000 years ago, nothing was going to stop Gods plan either. Mary was reluctant at first, to be the mother of the Son of God … when the angel spoke to her, she said,

‘How will this be, since I am a virgin.’

As the angel continued to speak Mary responded,

‘I am the Lord’s servant, let it be to me as you have commanded.’

Nothing was going to stop God’s plan.

After Mary it was Joseph who needed a little convincing to stand alongside Mary and not break off their engagement. An angel had to appear to him in a dream and reassure him that everything Mary had said was true, the child she would bear was really going to be the Son of God, conceived by the Holy Spirit.

And one thing is certain when a baby decides it is time to make an appearance, nothing is going to stop it, even if there was no room in Bethlehem! And so, on that first Christmas night, Jesus is born in a stable, laid in a manger and worshipped by shepherds.

God’s unstoppable plan, God with us. Immanuel

Our plans may or may not change, but we worship an unstoppable God of love, who is always with us, as we celebrate Christmas this year, let us put Jesus at the heart of all that we do.

Happy Christmas and May God bless you.

Reverend Heather

Advent Trail

The West Bergholt Village Advent Windows Trail is back for 2021! A huge thank you to everyone who has volunteered to decorate a window featuring a scene from the nativity story.

The first window will be revealed on Wednesday 8th December and then a window each day until Monday 20th December. The revealed windows will be lit between 4 pm and 7 pm each day up to & including Christmas Eve.

You can download a copy of the map & list of windows from St Mary’s website from 6th December.