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11/12/2020
"Come and see" 
proclaimed the Woman at the Well in John 4

This Christmas we can all invite many people to 'Come and See' who Jesus is - it may be the very easiest Christmas in terms of access for unchurched people  - because it will all be online!

Those big old church doors won't be a barrier this year - because they won't be open!

Who could you invite? Write a list. Pray for everyone on that list. Then invite them specifically to one of our online opportunities.

It may be the Zoom Christingle or the Facebook Quiz or the Crazy Christmas Morning Facebook Service or something else we are doing!

Try to match your invitation to the person/couple/family.

Christina is doing a great job on the publicity front - so do look and see what's happening in the next two weeks and then be intentional about inviting people to 'Come and See' this Christmas.

Meanwhile please pray for our staff team as we get everything ready for these wonderful 'come and see' opportunities.

David

Rev David McDougall
Rector of St Mary’s Bletchley
Important Contact Information
 
For Pastoral Support and Help:
07434 984909
For the Church Office:
office@stmarysbletchley.org
Our Facebook Page:
www.facebook.com/stmarysbletchley
Click on the image above to go to an interactive PDF
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.

10am Sunday Service

Our service will start at 10am
and will be available at www.facebook.com/stmarysbletchley

 
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.

Here are some links to the Zoom Help Centre if you need it:
General help
How to join a meeting
How to update to the latest version of Zoom
This week's SMBKids will be a part of the Sunday service. Go to www.facebook.com/stmarysbletchley at 10am.

This week we are learning about John the Baptist.

This week the craft is to make a small Advent candle ring.
You will need:
  • Playdoh/Salt Dough/Plasticine
  • tealight candle
  • 4 birthday candles
  • leaves/twigs to decorate if you want
Here are some activities to do at home:
Here is a video all about John the Baptist

 
Here is a song especially for Advent

 
Supporting our Community this Christmas
 
St. Mary's is working with 10 local schools to bring hope to their families struggling for Christmas. Let us all as Church family, if we are able, help to spread the Light of Christ.

Thank you all for the wondrous amount of gifts coming into the Community Centre. 
From Tuesday 15th to Saturday 19th December there will be an hour window to drop off any food donations for the Christmas hampers between 1pm and 2pm. At the St. Mary's Community Centre.

How else can you help
  • Monday 14th December allocating the presents to the family boxes from 12pm to 4pm.
  • Last-minute shoppers on Monday 21st December. To buy any missing items.
  • Delivery drivers for hampers on 23rd December for an hour between 2pm and 6pm. 
  • Wednesday 23rd December - two people to support the food project between 3 pm and 5.30pm.
  • Wednesday 23rd December two cleaners at 6pm to sweep, hoover and mop.
  • Saturday 3rd January, three volunteers to work alongside Maryann for the Community Centre food collection between 1.30pm to 4.30pm. 
Please think about adding to your trolley a few extra items over the next few weeks to help provide a family with some support over Christmas.

Are you able to donate: 

  • Boxed stuffing 
  • Gravy granules 
  • Cranberry sauce 
  • Mince pies
  • Chocolate log
  • Chocolate coins
  • Christmas biscuits
Or you can make a financial contribution to the fresh produce we will be buying on the 23rd December. Email finance@stmarysbletchley.org for more information.
Keep praying!

Thank you for all your help. Let's work together to bring some light and joy to struggling families this Christmas.

X Maryann
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.
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