Welcome to Advent

Tomorrow is Advent Sunday, the start of a new church year and a time of quiet reflection and joyful anticipation, a time of watching and waiting as we prepare for Christmas.

I love this time of year, as the nights grow longer and we turn inwards - locking our front doors to the night, closing our curtains and settling into the watchful dark hours of the evening. And in that inward turning we prepare ourselves not just for the busyness of Christmas but for the astonishing arrival of God in a mother's arms, a baby, tiny, warm, vulnerable, yet full of the promise of glory.

Advent calls us to slow down, to cultivate that inward focus and make room for Christ amidst the noise and distractions. It is an invitation to step away from the bright lights and jingly music that surround us everywhere, and prepare a quiet place, a place in our hearts for the Christ child.

It can be hard to find the time to stop and pay attention to God when we are very busy, but if we can manage it we will be richly rewarded - there is something about the contrast of Advent's quiet watchfulness with the energy of the secular Christmas season which makes it even more worthwhile. I find myself drawn to night time prayer during this season of short days so once again I invite you to join me in saying Compline during Advent, the church's service of Night Prayer.

I will be saying Compline at 9pm on facebook most nights in Advent - if you are on facebook you can join me on the St Aldhelm's facebook page. You can also find the service on the Church of England's Daily Prayer webpage. It doesn't take long and it is a lovely way to connect with God as the day comes to an end.

This year there will be a weekly Advent Reflection for our deanery, led our neighbour and friend Mthr Tina at St Peter's, Bounces Road N9 8JP. It will take place on Tuesdays at 7.30pm, both in person at St Peter's and on Zoom: Meeting ID: 821 5559 4338, Passcode: 418734.

This season, let us embrace the quiet power of waiting, allowing our hearts to be transformed as we wait for the light of Christ to shine in our lives and our world.

Readings this week

Isaiah 2.1-5: Ps 122: Romans 13.11-end: Matthew 24.36-44

Notices

Christmas Bazaar and Celebration This Saturday – please keep selling raffle tickets and get as many people as possible to come along.

Can you help at the foodbank? We need more help on Thursdays, sorting, bagging and carrying food in the morning and helping at the foodbank in the afternoon. If you can spare an hour please come along, even just for one session – no experience required.

Safeguarding Training If you would like to take part in Safeguarding Training, most of which you can do online in your own time, please contact Mthr Anna or Lorraine our Safeguarding Officer safeguarding@aldhelms.org.uk

Carols on the Green Saturday 13 December at Edmonton Green shopping centre – come and sing carols with other churches to bring Gospel joy to Christmas shoppers.

Dates for the diary

Saturday 6 Dec     11am-4pm Christmas Bazaar and celebration, followed by

5pm Vigil Mass by candlelight

Saturday 13 Dec    3pm Carols on the Green

Sunday 21 Dec      10am service followed by lunch

3pm Carol Service

Christmas Eve      11pm Midnight Mass (with incense)

Christmas Day      10 am All-age Eucharist

Sunday 4 Jan        Epiphany (with incense)

For your prayers

For our parish, please pray for all who live or work on Adlington Close; Bromley Road; Bulwer Road; Cheapside; Cheddington Road. This week we ask for your prayers for: a holy and blessed advent; our servers; our choir and musicians; and our readers and intercessors.