Sunday 12th December 11am-12noon - Community Carols - informal gathering for families of all ages to sing some favourites for Christmas together and do some Christmas activities. There will be prayer for healing at the end of the carols and prayers for our community will be spoken from our community prayer book. Booklets on Christmas available at this event. This will be at St. Mark's United Reformed Church, Oatlands Road, Woodhouse Park, Wythenshawe Manchester M22 6AH
Tuesday 14th December 7.45-9pm Service of Light - annual memorial service to mark the lives of loved ones who have died - a gentle service with readings, played music and the opportunity to light candles. We are working with James Bradley & Sons Funeral Directors in Woodhouse Park for this. Everyone is welcome for the service, hot drinks and mince pies afterwards. You can also let us have the names of your loved ones who will be read aloud during the service. The service will be approx 45mins with refreshments following. This will be at St. Mark's United Reformed Church, Oatlands Road, Woodhouse Park, Wythenshawe Manchester M22 6AH
Saturday 18th December 1-4pm Christmas Wrapping - bring your christmas presents to Swan Walk at the civic centre near the supermarket and we'll wrap them for you - free - along with other churches together in Wythenshawe. There will also be a Christmas Prayer Tree for you to let us know your prayers and we will pop them on the tree whilst you have your gifts wrapped. It was a huge success the last couple of years when we have run it as a joint venture. Hope to see you there. This will be at Wythenshawe Civic Centre in the walkway between Asda supermarket and Iceland! Hope to see you soon.
Saturday 25th December 10.30am-11.15am Christmas Day Celebration with mince pies, carols and prayers for happiness and peace for the world.
Some breaking news!
We are doing some number-crunching, heart searching and number-crunching in our church in Wythenshawe.
Next year, in 2011, if finances and feasibility studies and project plans permit, then we hope to relocate very close by our current site on Oatlands Road in Woodhouse Park and relaunch our church with a new focus on relationships - with people and our environment. We are exploring several strands to develop: nourishing food, nurturing imagination, natural living and healing relationships. We are making new links, putting out feelers with local schools, businesses and charities and will see what comes.
Get in touch here by leaving a comment below if you would like to partner with us, share ideas about how we can work together or with your own prayers.
Prayer: God of waiting - come with us into the strange waiting which is called Advent before Christmas.
Give us ears to listen for you in the busyness and shopping frenzy.
Give us eyes to notice where there is not much love or caring going on so we can do some.
Give us squashy hearts so that we can be flexible and welcoming as a individuals - ready to welcome new people whenever we can.
Give us enough food for our tables and our community to share.
Give us enough money to pay the bills and give some away.
Give us enough coats and clothes to keep warm and to offer to people not warm enough in the snow and cold temperatures.
Help us get ready for Christmas differently this year - a bit slower, a bit less fancy, a bit more friendly and peace-fully.
Amen
