Notices 1st to 8th December 2013

SUNDAY First Sunday of Advent	1st	8.00 am 10.00 am  1.00 pm	Holy Communion Baptism Service with Seekers in the Upper Hall Christmas Origami at the Bishops House to 4.00 pm with local expert, Nick Robinson. Free event! No experience needed & paper provided.
MONDAY	2nd	10.00 am 10.30 am 12.30 pm    6.00 pm	Reminder : Please come and collect your group’s Christmas Tree  (to 12 noon) M.U. - Diocesan Advent Service at Rotherham Minster, S60 1PW (N.B. Not now at Doncaster as indicated on last week’s  notice sheet) “Sunny Days” post natal support in MP with Sarah McLean. Rainbows in UH (Liz is still interested to hear from people who can help please)
TUESDAY	3rd	10.00 am 2.30 pm 6.15 pm 7.30 pm 8.00 pm	Holy Communion Service in the Meeting Place followed by The Advent Course, week 2, with fellowship.  Please see Murray for details – everyone welcome! TLC in the Meeting Place   Brownies in the Upper Hall Guides  in the Upper Hall Contemplative Prayer in the Old Vestry
WEDNESDAY	4th	10.00 am  10.30 am  6.00 pm  7.30 pm 7.30 pm 8.00 pm	Peekaboo for Parents, Carers, Babies and Toddlers in the Nave & Meeting Place Care4You Team Meeting with Lynne Ashmore in the Old Vestry Last Yoga for this year with Yolande Swift in the Upper Hall “Questions!  Questions!” with Murray in the Meeting Place (Last of 8 meetings) W.I. Meeting in the Old Vestry Tai Chi with Gary Shaw in the Upper Hall
THURSDAY	5th	10.00 am    3 – 4 pm   6.30 pm   7.30 pm	Weight Watchers in the Upper Hall St Paul’s Chairobics in the Meeting Place – new members welcome! Weight Watchers in the Upper Hall Thursday Prayer Group in the Meeting Place
FRIDAY	6th	10.00 am    7.30 pm	M.U. Coffee Morning at Sheffield Cathedral – until 12 noon Worship Group rehearsal in the Old Vestry
SATURDAY	7th	12 noon	Senior church members’ Christmas Lunch in the Nave and Meeting Place (by invitation) followed by carols
SUNDAY   2nd Sunday of Advent	8th	8.00 am 10.00 am    6.00 pm	Holy Communion Holy Communion with Seekers upstairs Focus Service in the Nave and Meeting Place (arrive 6.00 pm for a 7.00 pm start)

A WARM WELCOME to the family and friends of A who is being baptised at St Paul’s today.

FROM MURRAY 

What a fantastic weekend it was!  I was delighted that so many people came to see the Christmas trees last Saturday.  There was a brilliant atmosphere and it was good to be working with Norton Lees WI and Friends of Talbot School again.  The one thing which was missing was a bit of music as people came in to admire the decoration and buy books, crafts, cakes and jams; but Mark and his dancing demonstration supplied the music and made everything go with a swing!  Thank you to everyone who worked so hard to make the day such a huge success.

At the service on Sunday it was a great delight to have Bishop Steven with us.  His manner is so gracious and encouraging, everyone I have spoken to was really impressed and a few have been able to share with friends and neighbours something of the inspiration they found in the service.  I think we still have Bishop Steven’s sermon and that it is going to go onto our church website, so even if you missed it live, you can get a feel of what he said. 

We were also celebrating our 136^th anniversary as a church and I was so impressed by the way Bishop Steven put on his mitre to cut the cake and involved the Seekers in blowing out the candle.  My one sadness was that there were not more at the service, but we will just have to invite people again next time he comes!

THIS YEAR’S ADVENT COURSE on Tuesdays 3rd and 10^th December following H.C. at 10.00 am.  Please see Murray if you’d like to know more.

ST. PAULS M.U.  Please join us, and members from our Deanery, and some of our Peekaboo & Sunny Days families, for a pre-Christmas carol service next week on Wed 11^th Dec at 2.00 pm followed by refreshments. Everyone welcome!

BELL RINGERS urgently needed to perform carols outside the Bistro at Hollythorpe shops. Please see Jacqui a.s.a.p.

COMING SOON! - CHRISTINGLE MESSY CHURCH at 10 am on Saturday 14^th December. A morning for families with children, including art and craft activities, a short creative worship and a light lunch. A contribution of £1.00 per person is invited to cover the cost of materials and food. Please phone 2551945 for further information, or

• if you can help please let Ann know
• we’d like 3 volunteers to make veggie cottage pies – please see Ann

CHRISTMAS DATES:

·        Carol Singing at the Bishops’ House with mince pies & wine – 2.00 pm Sunday  15^th December

Contact ‘Friends of Bishops House’ on 2557701

·        Carols at the Cross Scythes

7.30 pm Thursday 19^th December

·        Church Carol Service

6.00 pm Sunday 22^nd December

·        Children’s Event at the Cross Scythes – 3.00 pm Monday  23^rd December (Fancy Dress Nativity)

·        Family Carols at St Paul’s

6.00 pm Tuesday 24th December

·        Midnight Communion

11.30 pm Tuesday 24th December

·        Christmas Day Family Communion

10.00 am Wednesday 25th December

CAROL SERVICES IN CARE HOMES   Norton Lees Hall: Thurs 12^th Dec & Holmwood: Tues 17^th Dec, both start at 2.00 pm

ADVENT AND CHRISTMAS RESOURCES FROM CLC

Advent calendars, candles and books, charity Christmas cards, calendars, diaries, baubles, nativities.... and PLENTY of ideas and offers for all ages are all available from CLC. Thank you for shopping with us and keeping a Christian witness on the high street. You can also shop online with CLC.

Go to clcbookshops.com/christmas  But there is a much better selection at the bookshop. By the way, we also now have a used book and Bible section from just 25p and there is a fast turnover of stock. CLC Bookshops, 103 West Street, SHEFFIELD S1 4EQ 2812136 E: sheffield@clcbookshops.com

POPPY APPEAL Thanks to all who donated - £34.79 was collected by St Paul’s church members & community groups.

CHRISTMAS TREE FESTIVAL AND FAYRE Thank you so much all those people who planned and organised the day, baked buns or knitted or sewed, and also to everyone who supported us.  It was a hugely successful event and the total raised for the fabric fund is about £900, so with a further generous donation of £100 at the Autumn Memorial Service, we are well on our way to being able to repair more of the worst damaged church windows on the North side of church! Thank you everyone!

(To make room for the busy services in church during the Christmas season, we are asking groups to please collect their trees and decorations this Monday morning, or at other times by arrangement if you’re not a key holder.)

RAINBOWS AND GUIDES   Please contact Liz Scott if you are interested in helping out for an hour a week with Rainbows on Monday evenings at 6.00 pm.  Guides are also in need of helpers – please contact Karen Stevenson if you are free from 7.30 pm to 9.00 pm on Tuesday evenings. Either leader can be contacted through the Centre Office on 2550144. You would be well supported by experienced members of our uniformed organisations, and the valuable gift of your time would be of great benefit to the young people of Norton Lees. Thank you

NEWS OF OUR COMMUNITY

BISHOPS BISTRO & COFFEE HOUSE   Please support your local coffee house and bistro at 5 Lees Hall Avenue, near the post office and Co-op. See the flyers in church for opening times and special offers.

“A TWIST IN THE TALE”  – The story of the 1^st Christmas, at Gleadless Valley Methodist Church on Fri 13^th De at 7.00 pm. Tickets £1 each or £2.50 for a family are available from Robert Firth. The price of your ticket includes party food.

From Murray

We brought our Cubs up to church on Monday evening to see the Christmas trees.  I then got them acting out the Christmas story which was great fun and I was quite impressed with their knowledge of the bible!