Prayer Cycle for December

No.120 December 2022

This month our special focus is on our keeping of the Season of Advent and our celebration of Christmas.

Please pray that:

  • those who come to Church especially over the Christmas period, or who come face to face with the joy of Christmas in concerts and plays, might be inspired to pause and think and let the Good News settle in their hearts and lives.

Please pray:

  • That all our Advent and Christmas Services will be joyful, giving glory to God.
  • All Saints Wokingham
  • For our journey through Christmas without access to the church because of the spaceforall works.
  • For the success of our new venture “The Christmas Experience” in The Cornerstone 22nd and 23rd December. 
  • St George’s, Owlsmoor,
  • Sunday 18th Dec 6.30pm, Carol Service.
  • 24th Dec 3pm and 4.30pm, Christmas Eve Nativities.
  • St John the Baptist, Crowthorne
  • Sunday 18th Dec 6pm NINE LESSONS AND CAROLS, a traditional carol service to warm the heart.
  • Saturday 24th Dec 3:30pm CRIB SERVICE, a fun, family friendly service for all
  • Saturday 24th Dec 11:30pm MIDNIGHT MASS, a traditional way to see in Christmas morning
  • Sunday 25th Dec 10am ALL AGE EUCHARIST, a service to remember what it’s all about
  • St Michael’s, Sandhurst
  • Sunday 11th December 4.15pm Christingle service,
  • Monday 19th December from 6-7pm Churches Together carol singing at The Meadows on
  • Tuesday 20th December from 6.30pm Carol singing in the streets around Sandhurst on
  • Thursday 22nd December from 8.15pm, Carol singing in Sandhurst pubs on
  • Sunday 18th and 24th December 7pm Carol Service  
  • St Mary the Virgin Winnersh
  • Saturday 17th December from 0900 hrs through to Sunday 18th 0900hrs at St. Marys Church Winnersh, Peter Lewis, ex Welsh Guards, will, with other musicians, performing a 24hr Carolathon in aid of the local Parish Churches. All welcome to go along and request a favourite carol to be played which can be accompanied by singing and the playing of any instrument of other instruments.
  • In the Deanery, please pray for:
  • Winnersh and Bearwood, St Sebastian’s and Ruscombe, Twyford and Hurst as they are in vacancy, and especially for those who are taking on extra responsibilities.
  • The churches of the whole Deanery as they try to support people through Christmas with pressures of the cost-of-living crisis.

Watchet Auf,

Advent.  Season when dual citizenship
holds us in awkward tension.
The world intent on spending Christmas
eats its way to oblivion after dinner.
The Kingdom sounds insistent warnings:
Repent, be ready, keep awake,
He comes.

Like some great fugue the themes entwine:
the Christmas carols demanding our attention
in shops and pubs bore their insistent way
through the noise of traffic
underneath, almost unheard,
the steady, solemn theme of Advent.

With growing complexity, slashing, blending,
rivals for our attention themes mingle and separate.
Pulling us with increasing urgency,
until in final resolution, the end attained
harmony rests in awful stillness, and
the child is born.

He comes, both Child and Judge.

Ann Lewin