Advent Sunday
News From St Michael's, Advent Sunday 2022
A warm welcome to any new readers, and to visitors and newcomers to St Michael's, as we keep this first Sunday of the Church's year – Advent Sunday. Advent is a season in its own right - a time of expectation and hope, with its own opportunities and challenges:
“Yea, let us each our hearts prepare
For Christ to come and enter there.”
A special welcome to our celebrant Fr Paul, who will also kindly celebrate Mass for us on Thursday at 10.30 am. If you are new to St Michael's, please join us for tea or coffee in the Vestry Hall after Mass, so that we can welcome you properly.
James Taylor writes: “Thank you all so very much for the cards, your prayers and your very kind and loving words. We are so grateful to you all.” We continue to pray for his granny-in-law Francesca and for all the family.
Vacancy News: Fr Richard Bolton, formerly of Holy Trinity, Winchmore Hill, has applied to become our parish priest and will be coming to Maidstone for interview on December 7th. The timetable for the day has yet to be announced from the Archdeacon's office, but it will certainly include an opportunity for parishioners to meet him, and for him to meet parishioners. Alas, the 7th is a working day – but please watch this space and see if you might be available when it matters. Everyone needs to feel that the “fit” is right! And please keep Fr Richard, the appointment process, and all concerned in it, in your prayers.
The Mothers' Union Advent service, planned for the 7th, will now take place on the 14th.
Our Coffee Morning (10th December, 10.30 am - 1 pm) needs publicity and support from everyone. Spread the word, and see what you can contribute to make it a success!
The Garden Working Party meets on December 3^rd^, 9.30am – 12 noon. Warmest thanks to all who give time and energy to make our church look welcoming, inside and out.
On our Advent Wreath (Thank you, Jessica!), we can “light up” the themes that unfold at the Sunday Masses of Advent – part of our joyful and solemn preparation for Christmas. Jessica will be glad of help with the trees and other decorations on the 14th.
St Andrew's, Deal, one of our neighbour Resolution parishes, celebrates its patronal festival on Wednesday 30th with Mass at 7.30 pm. Everyone is invited.
Our Heating (yes, we now have some!): Many thanks to Nelly and Martyn for their efforts in locating our gas man (who had moved), and being on the spot when he came to service the boiler. Nelly is one of very many PCC treasurers who have applied for a grant to help their churches with heating costs. Not surprisingly (despite a horribly complicated form), there has been a flood of applications, not all of which will succeed, but the diocese will notify the lucky parishes in the near future.
From Our Tower:
Kent County Association: Maidstone, Kent, St Michael and All Angels
Sunday, 13 November 2022 in 41m (6–1–24 in C)
1263 Stedman Triples
1Philip Jarvis
2Kath White
3Jacqueline Barlow
4Janice Byrne
5Paul Barton
6Pam Thomas
7Neil Jones (C)
8Mark Elvers
Rung half-muffled for Remembrance Sunday.
"We will remember them."
Sunday, 20 November 2022 in 43m (6–1–24 in C)
1312 Spliced Surprise Major (4m)
416 Cambridge; 320 Superlative; 288 each of London and Bristol; 32 com.
1Philip Jarvis
2Mike Birkbeck
3Jacqueline Barlow
4Mark Elvers
5Janice Byrne
6Rupert Cheeseman
7Pam Thomas
8Neil Jones (C)Rung on the Feast of Christ the King.
Remembering David O'Sullivan, 22/11/2019, R.I.P..
Advent Sunday 2022 Hymns NEH 1, 10, 6, 9
FIRST READING Isaiah 2.1-5
The word that Isaiah son of Amoz saw concerning Judah and Jerusalem.
In days to come the mountain of the Lord’s house shall be established as the highest of the mountains, and shall be raised above the hills; all the nations shall stream to it. Many peoples shall come and say, ‘Come, let us go up to the mountain of the Lord, to the house of the God of Jacob; that he may teach us his ways and that we may walk in his paths.’
For out of Zion shall go forth instruction, and the word of the Lord from Jerusalem. He shall judge between the nations, and shall arbitrate for many peoples; they shall beat their swords into ploughshares, and their spears into pruning-hooks; nation shall not lift up sword against nation, neither shall they learn war any more.
O house of Jacob, come, let us walk in the light of the Lord!
RESPONSORIAL PSALM 122
Response: I rejoiced when I heard them say: Let us go to God’s house.
1. I rejoiced when I heard them say:
“Let us go to God’s house.”
And now our feet are standing:
within your gates, O Jerusalem. R.
2. Jerusalem is built as a city:
strongly compact.
It is there that the tribes go up;
the tribes of the Lord. R.
3. For the love of my brethren and friends;
I say, “Peace upon you!”
For the love of the house of the Lord:
I will ask for your good. R.
SECOND READING Romans 13.11-14
Besides this, you know what time it is, how it is now the moment for you to wake from sleep. For salvation is nearer to us now than when we became believers; the night is far gone, the day is near. Let us then lay aside the works of darkness and put on the armour of light; let us live honourably as in the day, not in revelling and drunkenness, not in debauchery and licentiousness, not in quarrelling and jealousy. Instead, put on the Lord Jesus Christ, and make no provision for the flesh, to gratify its desires.
GOSPEL Matthew 24.36-44
‘But about that day and hour no one knows, neither the angels of heaven, nor the Son, but only the Father. For as the days of Noah were, so will be the coming of the Son of Man. For as in those days before the flood they were eating and drinking, marrying and giving in marriage, until the day Noah entered the ark, and they knew nothing until the flood came and swept them all away, so too will be the coming of the Son of Man. Then two will be in the field; one will be taken and one will be left. Two women will be grinding meal together; one will be taken and one will be left. Keep awake therefore, for you do not know on what day your Lord is coming. But understand this: if the owner of the house had known in what part of the night the thief was coming, he would have stayed awake and would not have let his house be broken into. Therefore you also must be ready, for the Son of Man is coming at an unexpected hour.
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