November E-Magazine 2024

Please click below for a printable copy of the magazine:

For I have called you by name... Isaiah 43 v1

On October 14th I was licensed by the Bishop to serve in the Yate and Fromeside Benefice and as a Military Chaplain. Here is an insight into what I do as a Military Chaplain, and how that all began.

Well, God really does work in mysterious ways. If you had said to me just over ten years ago: ‘Wanda you will become a priest! Oh, and then as part of that you will be signed up to the military,’ I would have just laughed!

When I was training at Trinity College in Bristol I had the opportunity to

become an Army Chaplain Cadet in Wales with the UOTC’s (University

Officers in Training).

I got my fitness up to scratch and

enjoyed weekends away all over Wales, serving both the officers in training and the military staff that trained them. I absolutely loved it; with my slightly warped sense of

humour I fitted in quite well!

This placement unfortunately ended abruptly when Covid struck, but by this time I was hooked and investigated

becoming an Army reservist, alongside my parish ministry.

Instead, I chose to serve with the ACF Army Cadet Services – still commissioned by Royal Army Chaplains Department (RAChD) – and I get to wear an official uniform!

Alongside this I work at Corsham MOD and will soon join 21 Signals at Colerne Barracks as their Chaplain. It is an utter

privilege to serve the military in this way. Corsham is Tri

services (Army, Navy and RAF) and Colerne is Army.

Each day I work there, I have no idea what I will face. I do things that are expected of a priest and am just about to take two Remembrance Services. We are also planning for a

Christmas Carol Service, where I will lead and preach. A big part of my job is to work under the radar, as well as all the

official things. So, if someone in uniform wants to speak with me about something personal or official, I am happy to listen in complete confidentiality, unless of course there is a

safeguarding issue.

Working closely with the welfare team we look after members of the military in whatever ways are needed. I have taken

Military Weddings and Funerals and now have a Baptism to

organise.

I do join in the Personal Training, doubtless much to the amusement of the personnel. I have been told I bring an air

of serenity to the place - until they put a racket in my hand!

I feel honoured to be able to serve the military, and nothing

excites me more than being able to bring God into a

conversation.

Alongside my Parish Ministry, Military Chaplaincy works very well.

Revd Captain Wanda Morris

Sunday 10th November

Remembrance Day Services at St Mary’s,

St Nix and St James begin at 10am.

‘Thank You’ from Ian and Ruth

We would like to express our heartfelt thanks to you all for the wonderful send-off that you gave us at the end of September. It was a very special weekend for both of us and, while the

occasion was tinged with some sadness marking the end of an era, the overwhelming spirit of the occasion was joy and

gladness for the good years we have had together and the things we have done in the service of God’s mission in this

Parish.

We were also very moved by your generosity towards us.

Having previously arranged gifts of Bristol Blue Glass for

curates and Team Vicars who have left, Ian was secretly hoping to receive a piece of Bristol Blue Glass by which to remember you all. However, we could never have imagined such a

beautiful piece as the one presented to us, and the incredible artistic skill displayed by Chris Ainslie who engraved it. As you can see on the photograph (on the front cover) it includes

engravings of each of the four churches with a cypher in the middle based on Ian’s initials. Thank you so much for such a beautiful gift.

Thank you also for the exceedingly generous cheque and for the Ministry Team’s gift of Rublev’s icon which Hywel rightly stated is Ian’s favourite and will have a special place in our new home. There are going to be quite a few expenses in setting up a new home so the financial gift will be very helpful.

We will eventually be moving to Guildford where we have

family and friends nearby. The house we shall be moving to

is currently undergoing renovations which have unfortunately been delayed, so you may still see us wandering around Yate for a while. When we get there, we will be approximately

half-way between Heathrow and Gatwick, so if you have an early flight from either airport and need somewhere to stay the night before then please get in touch (our mobile numbers

remain the same).

With our love and thanks

Ian and Ruth

Where is God?

Where is God?

“God is everywhere, just look!”

But where? In a Church, in the Holy Book?

Begin your search in the depths of your heart,

Explore your feelings, that’s where you should start.

Ask for direction, and see where it could lead,

This clarity may be what you need.

Hold your faith, the encounter will come,

Faith fortified, heart beating like a drum.

Widen your search, take the time to look around,

And with focused eyes,

He will be found.

By Bekah Hopkins — August 2024

Services throughout the Parish

Sunday 3rd November

4th Sunday before Advent—Gold/White

Isaiah 25.6-9 Revelation 21.1-6a John 11.32-44

St Mary

8.15am Communion

10.30am All Age Service

6.30pm All Souls Service

St Nix

9.30am Communion

St James

11.00am Communion

4.00pm All Souls Service

St Peter

4.00pm All Souls Service

Sunday 10th November—Remembrance Sunday

3rd Sunday before Advent—Red/Green

Jonah 3.1-5,10 Hebrews 9.24-end Mark 1.14-20

St Mary

8.15am Communion

10.00am Remembrance Day Service

6.30pm 630 Praise

St Nix

10.00am Remembrance Day Service

St James

10.00am Remembrance Day Service

St Peter

4.00pm Act of Remembrance

Communion

(Book of Common Prayer)

Sunday 17th November

2nd Sunday before Advent—Red/Green

Daniel 12.1-3 Hebrews 10.11-25 Mark 13.1-8

St Mary

8.15am Communion

10.30am Morning Worship

6.30pm 630 Praise

St Nix

9.30am Communion

St James

11.00am Communion

St Peter

4.00pm Evening Worship

(Book of Common Prayer)

Sunday 24th November

Sunday before Advent—Red/White

Daniel 7.9-10,13-14 Revelation 1.4b-8 John 18.33-37

St Mary

8.15am Communion

10.30am Communion

6.30pm 630 Praise

St Nix

9.30am Morning Worship

St James

11.00am Morning Worship

St Peter

4.00pm Communion

(Book of Common Prayer)

Note the new service times for all four churches.

St Nix Gift Service

Sunday December 8th @ 9.30am.

On Sunday December 8th at our 9.30am

service we will be collecting gifts for the Marmalade Trust in Bristol who are making up to 250 hampers for their volunteers to distribute to isolated and vulnerable older

people living alone in the area.

They have asked for donations of either

Terry’s chocolate oranges

and/or

Crossword / Puzzle books (large print please).

Tree Festival Prayer

The tree with its open branches ready to

welcome

The green everlasting

The decorations lovingly placed

The twinkling lights to guide our way

We pray that the Tree Festival will be a place of welcome to all

A place, in the hustle and bustle to stop, enjoy, laugh, talk, reflect

A time to remind ourselves ‘what is Christmas!’ What does it mean to us?

We pray that your presence will be felt and that this church may provide a place of community and love.

Amen

By Claire Hayward, 2024

Christmas Tree Festival

at St Mary’s Church

As I write this article about the

Christmas Tree Festival we are

enjoying some welcome days of

long-overdue autumn sunshine, the great British weather affording us one last treat before winter sets in, when our thoughts and plans for the forthcoming season of

Advent begin in earnest.

But it’s only a few weeks until our festival opening evening, so you need to know what is going on during the festival in order to keep those all-important dates free.

We are pleased to welcome back our friends from Apollo Wind Band who will headline our opening evening concert on Friday 29th November, performing a mixture of traditional and

seasonal numbers. Come along to enjoy the music and be among the first to view the wonderful trees, each one

individually decorated and complemented by a variety of

displays echoing this year’s festival theme of ‘Christmas is…?’. Tickets £7 for adults, including a glass of wine or

soft drink and nibbles. Children under 16 free.

What’s on during the festival?

The festival will be open to the public from 10.30am to 3.30pm on Saturday 30th November and Saturday 7th

December with a wide variety of musical interludes by local groups on both days (full details available via Yate Parish

website). Refreshments will be available throughout the day including a light lunch of homemade soup and roll or hot dogs.

A crafting table offering activities for all ages will be available on both Saturdays and is always a very popular stop-off!

The church will be open to the public throughout the week of the festival, although access may be restricted at certain times. More details are available via Yate Parish website or by

calling the Parish Office on 01454 313105.

The tree festival is just one way in which our church

community reaches out to the wider community of Yate and

beyond during this special time of year. Since its inception nine years ago the festival’s aim and focus has always been to

involve and engage with as wide a cross-section of the local

community as possible, helping to bring them the true meaning and message of Christmas. The festival is a wonderful

opportunity for fun, for music and dance and for meeting with friends old and new; it is also for reflecting and remembering those no longer able to join us at this time. Please put the dates in your diary and come and experience the sights and sounds of Christmas with us at St Mary’s – we make a wonderful cuppa and mince pie!

Fundraising during the festival will be shared 50/50 between

* St Mary’s Church Refurbishment Projects – ensuring its

use for and by the wider community may continue for many years to come

* Yate Foodbank – supporting their ongoing work in

providing much-needed day-to-day support for local

individuals and families in times of financial crisis.

Daytime entry to our festival is FREE, but throughout the

festival there will be an opportunity to donate towards our

fundraising, financially and by bringing much-needed items

for Yate Foodbank to our collection point at St Mary’s (a list of the most needed items will be available nearer the time).

The festival has grown each year and is a fantastic opportunity for individuals, organisations and local businesses to be part of a Christmas celebration and community event whilst raising funds for local good causes. We are always on the lookout for new sponsors.

It is very simple to get involved. Please contact the parish office at parishoffice@yateparish.org or call 01454 313105.

Prepare for Christmas in Westerleigh

· Wreaths

We are taking bookings for our two wreath-making workshops led by Di Coslett. These will take place on Friday and Saturday 22nd and 23rd November, from 10am till around midday. The price is held at £12pp and includes all materials and

refreshments.

To book a place at one of these sessions, or to order a wreath, please call Kathryn (01454 318157).

· Yule logs

Kathryn will be making gluten-free chocolate Yule logs to order, for delivery before 15th December for you to freeze. Unfortunately costs have risen significantly since these were originally offered, and our price this year is £15.

· Christmas Fair

The Christmas Fair will take place in St James on Saturday

30th November from midday till 3pm.

Winter service time at St Peter’s

St. Peter’s Church Wapley has been called the Church on the Hill because on a good day there is a spectacular view down to the River Severn. We are fortunate that the Parish Council looks after the graveyard where biodiversity is valued. For

generations people have come to this church throughout the year and the small current congregation continue this tradition. We follow the seasons: once the clocks change in the autumn our services take place at 4.00pm and in the Spring when the clocks change again the service time moves back to 6.30pm. The only exception to this rule is the Sunrise Easter Service held outside the church. Anyone who would like to join us is welcome.

PROJECT PRAYERS NOVEMBER 2024

Women’s Empowerment and Equality

Mothers’ Union have recently launched a new campaign calling for Women’s Literacy to be given a high priority in the world. The government is committed to the promotion of the

education of girls, but the number of women in the world who are illiterate, for many reasons, is staggering.

Mothers’ Union Literacy and Numeracy Projects in the world, particularly in Burundi, one of the poorest countries, have proved life changing, empowering women to become leaders and have an equal standing in their families and communities. This leads to a reduction in Domestic Abuse and Violence against women, particularly in communities where this is

inherent.

Find out more about the campaign ‘EMPOWER HER LITERACY’ at

mothersunion.org/empowerherliteracy

As ever, our 16 days of Activism against gender-based violence and domestic abuse begin on 25th

November, with a Global Day of Action on 30th November. Watch out for more information about how you could get

involved.

A Prayer

May our championing of women’s equality and

empowerment provide women with the means to lift themselves up in their communities, highlighting God’s restoration of human dignity in relationships, based on love and justice, not domination. Amen

Jacky Fredrickson

MUDP Bristol

07501670265

ARUK Eco-Tips for November

Green your home. Combat climate change and reduce heating costs by identifying and sealing drafts around your home. Find the gaps that let the cold air in and warm air out (think

keyholes, letterboxes, cracks around the edges or bottoms of windows and doors, loft hatches, floorboards, etc.) and fix these gaps using the correct materials and online

tutorials. Additionally, place foil or radiator panels to

reflect heat into your room. Pray for those who might be

experiencing the cold this winter

Find out more about The Connection and Those Vicar Blokes on our website at yateparish,org under the heading Explore our Faith

Morning prayer in Yate Parish

Do you find prayer a little difficult? Would you like some inspiration? Go to the Yate Parish Facebook page to join in Morning Prayer led by our ministry team. You can watch live at 7.30am Monday to Saturday, or watch at any time later in the day. Many people have found it a great start to their day.

Weekly at St Mary’s

Thursday Communion at 10.00am

Compline @8pm

Before the lockdown happened, we had recorded the saying of Compline. We ask that each evening at 8pm we light a candle in our window and pray together for our nation using the words of the Compline service - it takes just over 5 minutes.

Visit the parish website and click on the recordings to listen; you will find the words of the service there too.