St James The Great

​Old Milverton, Leamington Spa, Warwickshire




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Remembrance Sunday: please remember that the start time for this service is 10.45am. We will go out to the memorial so do come suitably wrapped up against the weather.


Dog Walkers’ Coffee in the churchyard will continue through the winter on the last Saturday morning of the month, but will be dependent to some extent on the weather, so we will not be including it in the ‘What’s On’ section or on the church noticeboards until next Spring.


Thank you to everyone who contributed items for the foodbank at our Harvest service last month. We collect items for the foodbank throughout the year, in the box at the back of church. At the moment, they are particularly short of small bottle of squash, biscuits, toothpaste, deodorants, shower gel, washing-up liquid, tinned vegetables, tinned rice pudding.


Readers, Intercessors and Stewards

Geoff will be working on the rota for the new year during the coming month: if you can let him or a churchwarden know of any dates when you will not be available for the January to April rota it would be very helpful.


Fund-raising for African Vision Malawi:Hamper Raffle

Our annual Christmas Hamper Raffle and cake sale will take place in the Parish Room on Sunday 1 st December after the morning service. This is our main fund-raising activity for the year and helps us to support our student James through university. Raffle tickets will cost £1 each and will be on sale each Sunday morning throughout this month. If you are able to bake a cake to bring along on the day, or provide an item to go into the hampers we would be very grateful: there will be a box at the back of church to collect your hamper items from the beginning of November.

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Christmas Shopping

Stuck for ideas? Don’t forget that we have a selection of St James’ gifts that make great stocking fillers:

Tea towels £7.00

Jot-a-notes £4.00

Note Cards £5.00 for pack of 10

All available at the back of church.



The final churchyard clearing morning of the year will be on Saturday 14 th December – come along and help to clear leaves from the churchyard.



Looking ahead to Christmas

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  • December 15th (Sun)        4.00pm Carols in the Churchyard
  • December 17th (Tues)       7.00pm Carol Service
  • December 22nd (Sun)        4.30 - 7.30pm Light a Candle Evening
  • Christmas Eve                   10.30am (Tues)Nativity Service
    •                                 11.00pm Holy Communion for Christmas Night
  • Christmas Day                   10.30 Holy Communion for all the family


Thought for the month: Lest we Forget

At a time when the world feels very insecure and the news is so full of harrowing images from places of conflict around our world, we come together on another Remembrance Sunday to remember the sacrifices made by many men and women so that we all might live in a world free of oppression.

Just as it is important to remember those who fought in two world wars, it’s a time to remember and give thanks for the sacrifices made by many others too: those who worked in essential industries at home or on the land for example. For me, Remembrance Day isn’t just about those world wars, but also about the ongoing folly of mankind, and our inability to learn from the past and to find a better way to live. It’s about the wives and husbands, parents and children who still wait at home while their loved ones serve overseas; it’s about those who return from conflict zones with life-changing injuries that will affect everything they do in the future; and it’s about trying to build a world where we learn to live with mutual respect and tolerance of one another.


Jesus encouraged and taught that we should love our neighbour as ourselves. As we once again remember the sacrifices made by so many – and still being made today – we give thanks for each individual action that helps to make our world a safer, more peaceful and more understanding place for all of mankind. As you wear your poppy this year, here are some thoughts that you might like to turn into prayer:

  • Look at your poppy: poppies are bright and cheerful flowers. Give thanks to God for the lives of those who have died in war, remembering all the joy they brought to families and friends, and all the good things they did for their home and their country.
  • Then look at the red petals: red reminds us of danger and harm. Ask God to be close to those who are still facing danger each day, to give courage to the armed forces, and compassion to all who help others.
  • Place your whole hand over the poppy: poppies are also fragile and need to be handled gently. God cares for those who are hurting and those who are sad. Ask God to comfort all who are grieving the loss of someone they love.
  • Finally place a finger on the centre of the poppy: ask God to help you play your part in working for peace in the world.



With love, Sue


Remind us Lord, lest we forget, of the debt we owe,

the life made possible through the death of others.

Help us to cherish and nurture the things they died for:

liberty, justice and peace,

so that their sacrifice will not have been in vain.

In a world still broken, may we strive always for peace,

working towards healing and harmony in all we do





Clergy

Revd. William Smith      316475      wms.smith@btinternet.com

Revd. Sue Fairhurst      735254       sue@fairhursts.me.uk


Churchwardens

Michael Rayner       831522

Jane Marshall         831680

Website & email

www.stjamesoldmilverton.co.uk       churchwardenstjames@outlook.co


​​​Parish News​