'For to us a child is born, to us a son is given, and the government will be on his shoulders. And he will be called Wonderful Counsellor, Mighty God, Everlasting Father, Prince of Peace.' Isaiah 9:6
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Church Office Closure for Christmas:
The Church Office will close on Wednesday 23rd December. We will return to work on Monday 4th January 2021.
Private Prayers: Please note that private prayers on a Wednesday will not be operating again until Wednesday 6th January 2021. We are so thankful for the group of volunteers that have opened the church and manned it for us so that we could share some private time with God.
Covid-19
MK University Hospital is inviting all local people aged 80 or over to have a Covid-19 vaccination. If this is you, please call 01908 997878 to book your vaccination - please pass this message to anybody you know who is 80+.
In addition, a new walkthrough Covid-19 Testing Centre has opened at Bletchley Library. It is an appointment-only site for those who live in this area and have symptoms.
Services at St Mary's Bletchley over Christmas and New Year
CHRIST-Mas Jumpers and Celebration
Friday 18th December, 7.30pm
St Mary's Bletchley Youtube Channel
Calling all youth and young adults!
We're doing a session of Christmas thoughts and worship and some other fun interactive bits too.
Wear your Christmas jumper, make some popcorn, bring a warm drink and don't forget to tune in!
Premieres on our Youtube channel at
7.30pm this evening.
Watch along with us!
10am
Sunday 20th December
Connect with us on our Facebook page for a special service for Christmas. There will be some carols to sing and a talk from a special guest, J. John, International evangelist, speaker and author. This service will also feature guest appearances from David Suchet, Cliff Richard and others. Suitable for the whole family. Why not invite people to watch along with you?
We will be opening up Zoom, for about 30 minutes, after the online service to provide an opportunity for prayer and for a chat - similar to the time that would normally happen at the end of a service if we were in the church building.
The details of how to log in will be shown near the end of the service so don't switch off straight away! So make sure you have pen and paper handy, or pause or rewind the video.
If you have updated to the latest version of Zoom (5.4.3) then, when you log in, you should be able to choose if you wish to join a chat group or a group for prayer. If not, a member of the St Mary's Team will be able to allocate you to a room after you have logged in.
A time to come together and sing some of the favourite carols of St Mary's Bletchley, with readings in between. Just go to our Facebook page and connect - and sing out loud!
Wednesday 23rd December, 10am
Zoom Service
To connect to the Wednesday service please use these login details: ID 816 7767 0947
Passcode 581881
4pm
Christmas Eve
A Zoom Christingle from our homes - followed by a time of tea and biscuits!
Even with everything going on in the world we knew we had to find a way for a Christingle service to happen!
We will provide everything you need to make your own Christingles at home - an orange per child, red ribbon, cocktail sticks, sweets, candles and raisins.
Just book a screen place for your family (not for each person), collect your Christingle bag from us at a time and place to be announced, and connect with us on Zoom.
Book at https://smbchristingle2020.eventbrite.co.uk
10am
Christmas Day
A short service broadcast on our Facebook page to celebrate the birth of Jesus: featuring carols, jokes and maybe a few surprises!
No Service on Sunday 27th December 2020
Everyone at St Mary’s will be taking a well-deserved rest
New Year's Day Zoom Service:
Friday 1st January 2021 at 10am
Join us for a service to start the New Year. ID 814 8770 3056
Passcode 375479
To log in use these details:
ID 816 7767 0947
Passcode 581881
Word and Spirit:
Let's Talk About Mental Health
A Zoom panel discussion chatting about Mental Health and how it impacts our faiths and lives.
The panel will be made up of Diane Young (qualified counsellor), Chris Hermes (retired GP), Steve Snook (part of the pastoral team) and Robin Gandy (someone who has wrestled with their mental health).
This session will be a deep and honest conversation around Mental Health, so please be aware that some of the material may act as a trigger. There will be a space for questions and dialogue, so please do join in.
24/7 PRAYER WEEK:
To everyone who has been praying across our week of 24/7 virtual prayer, many thanks. The take up has been very encouraging and what a powerhouse this has been for St Mary’s Church and us as individuals. So thank you and let’s keep on praying regularly as we move into 2021. A number of pictures and words have been shared over the week which is so exciting:-
That God has heard;
That God is reminding us how prophetic insight continues to keep on giving and renewing us;
That God is reconnecting with us by clearing space in our lives, replacing the old with a new and brighter future;
That God is in the process of resuscitating us through the power of the Holy Spirit providing us with new spaces for the Holy Spirit to work as He ushers in a fresh wave of the Holy Spirit;
That the Spirit is creaking and groaning like icebergs moving and cracking and we are about to see these icebergs break up causing a huge tidal wave of the Holy Spirit around us but that we aren’t to worry as He is our anchor and the future is bright;
Isaiah Ch 50:19 (please read the verse)- God is in the process of restoring a right fear of Him;
That God is sowing new seed from the old apple seeds from which fresh trees will grow bearing much fruit exposing the old core in the process; and
That God is replacing old damaged cables with new modern high powered cables thus reconnecting and restoring the power of Gods glory and power for the 21st Century.
Please forward any ‘pictures’ or ‘words’ from God to me (michaelwittle49@gmail.com) so that we can all weigh them up as we move into 2021 and onwards. Mike Wittle
Financial Giving to St Mary's Church
Thank you to everyone who has given financially through this year of 2020. We had a 'Faith Budget' as usual and have met the financial needs fully, so please be encouraged that in a year which has been difficult for everybody, we at SMB have managed to provide financially for all that God longed for us to achieve.
For 2021 we have just agreed as a PCC (that is the governing body of the church) another 'Faith Budget'! It can only be fulfilled if we as God's called people can give in a prayerful, sacrificial and organised way. Please consider joining the 'Parish Giving Scheme' (https://www.parishgivingscheme.org.uk/for-donors/) as this for many is the most tax-efficient and organised way that the Diocese is suggesting. Please put your giving to prayer. It may be that you have to lower your giving because of employment/or other issues or it may remain the same or it may be that you can raise your giving because others are finding times more complex. Just recently we have seen a slight dip in ongoing giving which we believe is because of Covid-19.
In Jesus' own words form Acts 20: 35b "It is more blessed to give than to receive". Many of us have realised and experienced that there is more joy in giving than receiving. Not just in terms of money but in all kinds of ways of giving. However, to give financially is a wonderful privilege and a joyful part of our lives of worship. God calls us to give to the level that is right for our particular situation - not more and not less, and so we can have a deep peace about this in our lives and witness.
As the year closes and a new year is near, please join Kim and I in praying about our financial giving to SMB.
As I close may I say thank you again for all the wonderful sacrificial giving here at SMB in this extraordinary year.
David Rev David McDougall
Rector of St Mary's Bletchley
St Joseph's, Newton Leys
St Joseph's, Newton Leys, is the pioneer church linked to St Mary's in our parish. It is headed by Rev Ben Thorpe and is currently continuing online. You can follow what they are doing on Facebook here.
A service provide by Oxford Diocese
Giving To St Mary's
In these times when we are unable to meet in the Church building together, your donations are just as important to us as they have always been. Your offerings mean we can continue to serve our community both practically and spiritually, worship, and connect with each other and maintain our buildings ready for when we can open again.
Virtual Church is a real blessing, but it does mean physically making your offering interesting if you make your offering via the collection plate. The Parish Giving Scheme (PGS) has responded to this need and it is now possible to sign up to the scheme over the phone. Please call them on 0333 002 1271, remembering to have to hand St Mary’s Bletchley Parish Code which is 270627709 and know that we are in the Diocese of Oxford. If you would like further information you can have a look on their website https://www.parishgivingscheme.org.uk/for-donors/
Or if you would prefer to make a one-off donation then please email me and I can tell you how to do this. nicky.whitmore@stmarysbletchley.org
Thank you.
