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Church Report February 2017
~ Christmas at All Saints, Kingston Seymour ~
Advent started quietly, we lit the first Advent candle at 8.30 Communion on the first Sunday; the second Sunday was different, our very busy family Christingle service. The Christingles made after school on Friday were given out, with lighted candles, by the children (with great concentration!) to the congregation after theyd explained the orange represents the world, the red ribbon Christs blood to show how much God loves us and the fruits and sweets, the good things we enjoy.
As Richard Simmons of Yew Tree Farm is this years President we welcomed the North Somerset Agricultural Society for their Carol Service by candlelight in the beautifully decorated Church. Wonderful singing, farmers reading the Christmas story, and a full Church made this a very special occasion.
The following week North Somerset Young Farmers joined us as they do every year for our Carol Service. Our thanks to David and Robert, our organists, and choir for all their hard work leading the singing and to all the readers. Refreshments afterwards were enjoyed by everyone; a lovely, friendly atmosphere.
This year Crib Service was written by Georgia, James, Bethany and Alicia with a little help from Sylvia Stokes. The freshness children bring to the story each year, and the hard work children and their parents put into the costumes make sure the Church is packed. At the end of Midnight Mass we sing Yea, Lord, we greet Thee born this happy morning and Christmas is once more.
A huge thank you to everyone who helped make another wonderful Kingston Christmas; Warren and Avril for preparing and leading all the services, the Crib figure and star makers, the Christmas tree provider and decorators, flower arrangers, candelabra organizers, candle lighters and changers, bell ringers, choir, organists, children, refreshments people, anyone Ive forgotten to thank, and everyone who attended a service.
Sue Thomas and Jackie Wright
*****
December 2016- January 2017 From Sue Thomas and Jackie Wright
At the beginning of November we celebrated being All Saints, our Patronal Festival falls on All Saints’ Day, and this year we were able to have two chances at celebrations. The Team Service for the five churches in the Yatton Moor Team was held at Kingston, the combined choir made singing easy, the children made everyone smile when they came through the door as different animals, complete with masks and noises. It was a lovely morning with no one in a hurry to leave after coffee and lots of chat. The following Sunday was Family Service and another opportunity to celebrate being All Saints, this time with a baptism. Georgia and Briony brought their little cousin Thea Louise to be christened and she looked absolutely gorgeous in gown made from her mummy’s wedding dress.
We’ve had an Open Meeting to share feedback from the comments gathered regarding the Toilet and Amenity Project. Many positive and helpful suggestions have been made and the concerns raised by the bell ringers addressed. In the new year we can plan the next step. It’s a big project and important to be thorough.
There’s been a marvellous response to the Operation Christmas Child Shoe Box Appeal this year. 110 boxes have been delivered to the collection centre at Weston where they will be checked and sealed before transporting to an Eastern European country. It’s a wonderful amount, the highest number to date, and I am hugely grateful for so much support. From all the children. who for this year at least will receive some kind of Christmas gift, thank you. The website Samaritan’s Purse gives details of how the scheme works and has short clips of film showing some children receiving their boxes – but have a box of tissues handy!
The Friends Murder Mystery Evening on 19th November was fantastic; we have amazing writing /acting talent in Kingston. A bevy of chefs produced a mouth -watering three course meal. I believe Mary Berrys new challenge show is the Community Custard Cup for the village which produces the most delicious array of puds; sure Kingston will win!
Doreen has been under the weather recently and had a spell in hospital, we send our love to her, to Gerald, and to all of you, unknown to us maybe, but who are having your own battles to face in different ways.
*****
We lit the first Advent candle in our Advent ring at 11 am Holy Communion on Sunday, 29th November. The anticipation of Advent! Do we open a window on the tinselled calendar each morning and enjoy the chocolate or use the lovely words and pictures of the Words for Advent and prepare for the coming of the Christ child?
Sweets and fruits won at the Christingle Family service on December 6th. The Christingle, an orange that represents the world, around the middle a red ribbon that represents the blood and love of Christ, four cocktail sticks to represent the 4 seasons with sweets and fruits on them and finally the white candle held firmly in the orange representing Jesus, the light of the world. The children came to the altar to each collect a lit Christingle and some of the older ones carried them carefully to each member of the congregation so that we could hold them alight to join in the Christingle song.
December also brought sadness at the death of Richard Wait, village postman for 27 years, and celebration of his life in Church before burial here. We send our love to the family and welcomed some of them to our Christmas morning service.
A very large group of old and young members of Flower Guild met at Tyntesfield on Dec 2nd and noted the extravagant Victorian Christmas decorations (Sue Hyde will tell you about the lunch!) Then Sue led all members of the guild in decorating the Church; some spent several days there, a huge commitment at a very busy family time. The result was an amazing display, shiny greenery, feathers, ribbons, swags, berries, lights. The candelabra with 194 candles and a huge Christmas tree completed the beautiful setting for Christmas services. Thank you to everyone who helped and made the busy working atmosphere so joyful.
Friday, 18th December brought the annual well supported Carol Service with North Somerset Young Farmers; its good to welcome them each year. Thanks to David, Anna, Robert and the choir for beautiful music and to everyone who read a lesson.
Friends of the Church held their Carols in the Close on the 20th. Again well supported, an enjoyable event with good mulled wine and mince pies; thanks to the Friends for their hard work and to Margaret Hawks for playing the piano.
This followed a rehearsal for the Crib Service when the microphones played up. Last year the heating, this year the sound system! Bryan (Jackie says) got in touch on Monday with Bristol Sound System and Kevin Dimond appeared. We had to borrow an amplifier for the crib and Christmas services. Huge thanks to Kevin and to Bryan; they spent many hours over three days in a cold Church in Christmas week. The Crib Service was delightful; the best ever as always! Each year the children manage to bring freshness and wonder to the story. Our thanks to Cheryl, Susie and other young mums who adapted, produced, rehearsed, directed, dressed the cast of hundreds (well, 18 actually).
All the candles in Church and the final one in the Advent ring were lit for Midnight Mass. A beautiful service, well attended. Thanks to Susie for playing the piano for the service on Christmas morning
Candlemas, the traditional Christian service to commemorate the ritual purification of Mary and the presentation of Christ to God in the Temple forty days after His birth, will be celebrated with a Team Service at All Saints on Sunday, 31st January at 10am. (Please note 10 not the usual 11am as it is a team service) Do come and meet other members of the team over coffee and cake afterwards.
God bless and a Happy New Year to you all, Bryan and Jackie