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Dec - Jan 2017
Issue 3 number 3
‘Feliz Navidad!’
The Revd Dr Charles Miller
W
e often measure the milestones in our lives by Christmases. ‘There was that
Christmas when...’ ‘Oh, d’you remember the Christmas that...’ ‘Of course that
Christmas Dad/Mum/Gran was still with us...’ Often that’s what makes Christmas emotionally hard, so that the longer we live, the more Christmas provokes feelings of
loss and absence rather than presence and sharing. At the same time positive experiences
decorate our memories, and whether trivial or profound they are part of the accumulation of
memories by which ‘who I am’ hangs on the succession of Christmases like a bauble hangs
from a fir tree branch.
The Editors
Andrew Colborne
Alexandra Green
Louise Heffernan
Sheila Hills
Silvia Joinson
David Pope
Carol Worthington
Copy for next issue to
Parish Office or via
email by 5th of
preceding month
E-mail:
StHelensWindow
@gmail.com
Parish Office:
St Helen’s Court,
Abingdon.
OX14 5BS
Tel: 01235 520144
The Window is available to
download from the
Churches’ websites on the
back page
This year is my tenth Christmas as the Team Rector of Abingdon. I don’t recall much about
the first Christmas in 2006 except the feeling of relief, for my ministry here came after a very
hard, sometimes desperate, period in my life both professionally and personally. With the
celebration of Christmas that year came, of course, a ground-swell of feelings—the accumulation of Christmases past—some of which I felt but most of which were beyond explicit
retrieval. All of that I carried into the midnight Mass then home again where only my dog
(did she know it was our first Christmas here?—I’ve always wondered) awaited my return.
The next morning, after duties were done, I travelled a bit to join my family for company,
tasty food, a sharing of simple presents, and a well-deserved rest. The rest I needed was
physical, sure: all the hours on my feet leading services, preaching, greeting—it’s exhausting. But that Christmas and the other days of Christmastide that followed were the occasion
of a deeper rest. I mean by that the sense of having found in Abingdon a place to stop and put
down roots, a place of repose, a place where I could re-connect with God, with others, with
my calling, with the positive energy and experiences that make life.
That, after all, is what Christmas is about. It’s not just a celebration, it’s an experience. ‘In
Him was life, and that life was the light of men’ (St John 1.4)—we hear those words every
Christmas Eve. It was time for me to experience again that life.
Throughout that first Christmas the words of José Feliciaño’s song, ‘Feliz Navidad’ (‘Happy
Christmas’), recorded by the ‘three tenors’ and popular in Manhattan where I had been living, constantly ran through my head:
Feliz Navidad, feliz Navidad, feliz Navidad, próspero ano y felicidad!
(Merry Christmas, a prosperous year and happiness!)
I remember walking back to the Rectory after the midnight Mass under a bright winter moon.
With my shoes off, I lit a candle in the sitting room, sat down, and sipped a bit of sherry from
a glass put out for Fr Christmas by the fireplace. (I ate one of the Christmas cookies for the
reindeer too, I confess). ‘Feliz Navidad...’—I kept hearing. ‘Yes’, I was glad to be able to say
to myself, ‘despite all the travail and heartache of the past few years, I can see a future now.
God has been there all the time, quietly leading me here...Emmanuel, God with us, God with
me. It is a happy Christmas!’
And that’s what I wish to you: feliz Navidad, and a happy New Year!
2
Dec 2016 - Jan 2017
This month, The Window...
In this month’s The Window . . . we celebrate
Christmas by looking at some of the many customs associated with the season, both sacred and
secular. Details of all the services and other
events over Christmas are included – there is
something for everyone.
All those involved in the production of The Window will have a well-deserved break in January.
The February edition will include a report of the
important schools ministry initiative in Abingdon.
News from the Parish
St Michael’s in Print
After several months of work, our anniversary book has finally gone to the
printers! We’ve called it As it was in the beginning, is now….and various
bits in between. It contains history, photographs, anecdotes and reminiscences of the last 150 years and a copy can be yours for just £6.50. We
plan to ‘launch’ it at St Michael’s after mass on Sunday 4th December.
Please stay for refreshments and buy a copy... or two. We have 150 to sell
and they would make unique Christmas gifts for your nearest and dearest!
Goodbye...
On November 6 we said goodbye and Godspeed to John and Valerie
Coombs, who have been members of St Helen’s congregation for
five years since John’s retirement from full-time ministry. Both
John and Valerie have been active members of the parish family,
John presiding and preaching at the Sunday eucharists, and Valerie
as PCC secretary for a time. They are moving to Thatcham to be
nearer their family. We wish them a long and healthy continuing
retirement.
Solution to November’s Crossword by Ian Miles
Christmas Cards
Abingdon Scouts and Guides will deliver your
Christmas Cards to
Abingdon, Radley
and Shippon for
only 25p/card.
There is a collection box by the Parish Office, and the
last date for collection is noon on
Monday 12 December.
Dec 2016 - Jan 2017
3
Dr Francesca Elloway – Church Mission Society Mission Partner
Jean Hercus
It hardly seems possible that St Michael’s has been
one of Francesca’s Link Churches for over 20 years.
First contact was made when her brother, Julian, was
choirmaster here. Since then we have been privileged
to welcome her to Abingdon on several occasions,
when she has spoken to us
about her life in The Democratic Republic of
Congo, formerly Zaire and
before that The Belgian
Congo.
As the Congo is French speaking all Francesca’s
teaching has to be in French, so she too has been on a
steep learning curve over the years.
In recognition of her sterling work Francesca was
awarded an OBE for Medical Services in the Queen’s
Honours List in December
2008.
As a Link Church for Francesca, St Michael receives
regular Link letters from her
which describe Francesca’s
work, her life and the community she works with in
Aru. Her accounts bring the
work alive for us, explaining
the rewards and challenges of
developing health care in DRC.
Francesca is both a Doctor
of Physics and a Doctor of
Medicine. She has led an
extremely interesting and
adventurous life during her
time in Africa and has
worked energetically and diligently to improve the
health of the people of Aru and the surrounding region. She holds steadfastly to her Christian values and As a church, St Michael’s is happy to donate to Francesca’s valuable work each year and members of the
beliefs, working alongside Church leaders and their
church feel privileged to have had the opportunity to
congregations and the local community. Within the
community and beyond she has trained both men and know her personally.
women to begin their journey to qualify as nurses.
Francesca is planning a visit to the UK in the summer
Having recognised the serious need for an understand- of 2017 and we very much look forward to welcoming
her again.
ing of palliative care, Francesca has introduced an
initiative to promote its tremendous values and is finding the response truly rewarding.
1066 and all that (episode 5)
After the Battle of Hastings the English leaders, the
northern earls, the Archbishop of Canterbury and
others, met in London to decide what to do next.
They chose Edgar, a young relative of Edward the
Confessor as king.
Meanwhile William of Normandy continued his
march through Kent and eventually reached London. He was not prepared to storm the bridge and
instead marched along the southern bank of the
Thames until he reached Wallingford. Wigod, the
local lord, welcomed him and he also had a visit
from the Archbishop of Canterbury. Having crossed
the river at Wallingford William continued along
the Icknield Way and met up with the English leaders at Berkhampstead. They submitted to him and he continued on his way to London. He was crowned in Westminster Abbey on Christmas Day, the second coronation
in a year of three kings.
Silvia Joinson.
4
Dec 2016 - Jan 2017
Wassailing and mumming
Andrew Colborne
Following Carol Worthington’s enlightening article about Halloween in last month’s The Window,
we now try to demystify two other seasonal customs where Christian mores have become intertwined with ancient rituals and practices, namely
wassailing and mumming.
So fair to be seen
Love and joy come to you
And to your wassail too,
And God bless you and send you,
A happy New Year
The word wassail derives from the Anglo-Saxon The orchard-visiting wassail takes place in ciderwaes pu hael meaning
producing areas of Eng’be in good health’ and
land, and involves drinkthe tradition of wassailing and singing to the
ing is practised in two
health of the trees – that
forms. The housethey may thrive and provisiting wassail is carduce a good harvest. The
ried out by people going
purpose is to awaken the
from door to door, offerapple trees and drive off
ing a drink from the
evil spirits. As well as
wassail bowl in exanointing the trees with
change for gifts. Origiwassail from the ‘Clayen
nally, the hot wassail
cup’ the ceremony indrink was made from
volves processing from
mulled ale, curdled
orchard to orchard creatcream, eggs, roasted
ing a terrible racket by
apples, spices and sugar.
singing, shouting, bangApparently, Jesus Coling pots and pans, hitting
lege, Oxford has a silver
the trees with sticks, and
wassail bowl that can
even firing off shotguns!
hold 10 gallons! (One
This ancient tradition is
wonders at the logistics
still alive and well – as is
of going door to door
the cider industry, of
with this…). Although
course.
this form of wassailing
Caldecott Meadow (at
still exists in some parts
the back of the South
of northern England and
The Mummers Play; graphic by Mollie Wicken.
Abingdon Children’s
Scotland, it has largely
Courtesy of Abingdon Traditional Morris Dancers.
Centre) and its recently
been replaced by the
planted fruit trees have
more familiar carolling, and the toast is associbeen
the
venue
for
the
Abingdon
Community
ated with Christmas rather than twelfth night,
Wassail
at
the
end
of
January
for
the last couple
New Year’s Eve and/or ye olde ‘Twelvey Night’
of
years.
With
food,
mulled
apple
juice and morof the pre-Gregorian calendar (i.e. 17th January).
ris dancing, families are encouraged to come
Perhaps this tradition explains the origin of the
along and make lots of noise to awaken the new
16th century carol ‘We Wish You a Merry
life in the trees.
Christmas’, whence the wealthy folks of the community gave treats such as ‘figgy pudding’ to car- The curious custom of mumming (deriving from
‘face mask’ or ‘disguise’) provides folks with the
olers on Christmas Eve. Another popular carol
opportunity to dress up and put on a play with a
goes like this:
silly plot. It is usually performed around ChristHere we come a-wassailing
mastide in pubs and other public places. The conAmong the leaves so green
tent of the play, which is intended to portray the
Here we come a-wassailing
eternal struggle between good and evil, varies but
Dec 2016 - Jan 2017
5
Wassailing and mumming
A Cider-based Wassail
usually features a hero (often St George or other
type of George) and a villain who engage in com- 4 pints of dry cider
½ teaspoon ground
bat and the defeated party is attended and revived 6 small cooking apples
cardamom or 4 seeds
by a doctor figure.
½ oz root ginger, peeled 8 oz granulated sugar
Our local mummers play (performed by Abingdon
Traditional Morris) is a typical example. The
narrator (Father Christmas) introduces a swaggering King George who is challenged and slain by
the Bold Slasher. The Magical Doctor is summoned to revive him and in the ensuing fight the
slasher is defeated, only to be brought back to life
by Mrs Finney. After a verse of ‘mystic doggerel’
the mummers circle around singing that well
known carol mentioned above, before collecting
money for a charitable cause from the assembled
company and moving on to re-enact the performance elsewhere.
6 cloves
1 blade mace
½ small nutmeg, grated
½ teaspoon ground
coriander
2 lemons
½ pt water
2 egg yolks
Demerara sugar
Bruise the ginger with a hammer, put it into a large
pan with the spices and white sugar. Finely grate the
rinds of the lemons and add this and water to the spice
mix. Bring these ingredients to the boil and simmer
them for five minutes. Squeeze the lemons, add the
juice to the spices plus the cider, and heat the mixture
slowly. Put the egg yolks into a bowl and gradually
beat in half a pint of the hot, but not boiling, liquid
(this should make a good froth). When the rest is
almost at boiling point whisk it and pour into the
So, if you are now totally confused we suggest
basin. Meanwhile core the apples and put them in a
you keep your eyes and ears open for a perform- roasting tin, fill the centres with Demerara sugar and
ance near you this yuletide. You won’t be disap- bake them in a moderately hot oven about 190 ºC /
pointed and the proceedings are said to bring good 375 ºF / Gas Mark 5 for approximately 20 minutes.
luck to performers and on-lookers alike!
Put them into the wassail.
Cheers and Merry Christmas!!!
Islip, another St Nicholas
Silvia Joinson
In the winter when fields are muddy we
often walk round villages. Exploring
Islip we came across St Nicholas (they
have an ‘h’) church open and were
warmly welcomed. We were struck by
the beautiful glass doors at the west end
by the tower. Besides St Nicholas they
also depict scenes associated with Edward the Confessor who was born in
Islip in 1004. The designer of the glass,
Nicholas Mynheer also did the beautiful
new windows in Abingdon School
Chapel.
At the top the hands of God give his
blessing. At the bottom is Christ surrounded by children and behind them a
holly tree associated with Christmas and
St Nicholastide. (December 6th). On the
left hand side St Nicholas gives bags of
gold to 3 young women to save them
from slavery. Above that St Nicholas is
shown calming a storm, saving the sailors and becoming the patron saint of
sailors. At the top he is seen offering
Islip Church to God. On the right hand
side St Edward gives his gold ring to a
poor traveller, and then carries a crippled man on his back to the altar. At
the top he offers Westminster Abbey
to God. In his will Edward the Confessor gave ‘ye little towne of Islippe,
wherin I was born ‘ to the Abbey. The
Dean and Chapter still own the living.
Walking round the village we enjoyed
views across the Ray valley, with a
suitable seat to admire it. We also noticed a footpath called ‘The Confessors
Way’ to explore in the summer. Islip,
like Abingdon, was a royalist outpost
during the Civil War when King
Charles I had his headquarters in Oxford. It too changed hands several
times and probably lost any old glass
to Cromwell. We ended up in The Red
Lion where the St Helen’s sidesmen
once had their skittles nights.
6
Dec 2016 - Jan 2017
Christmas comes but once a year!
Carol Worthington
When does Christmas start for you? Maybe hearing
the treble solo ‘Once in Royal David’s City’ at the
start of the Festival of Nine Lessons and Carols?
Maybe the ritual of hanging up stockings with little
ones? Maybe joining in with the buzz of excited anticipation at the family Christingle and Crib services
on Christmas Eve?
For me, it starts when I hear the beginning of the collect for Christmas Night at the midnight service:
Eternal God,
who made this most holy night
to shine with the brightness of your one true light:
bring us, who have known the revelation of that light
on earth,
to see the radiance of your heavenly glory;
Have you ever wondered
why we celebrate Christmas
on December 25th? It
seems very strange that
people would have
been expected to travel
for a census during the
winter; surely shepherds would have
brought their sheep
into shelter at this time
of year, and not be out
tending them at night.
celebrations throughout the year. An important winter
festival was that of Saturnalia, which took place
around the winter equinox, when the sun was at its
lowest ebb. The Roman emperor Aurelian (AD270275), a worshipper of the sun god Mithras, declared
December 25th to be the date for observing the birthday of the sun. The ‘new-born’ sun was often represented in Mithraism by the image of an infant. It was
easy to transfer rituals of feasting, lighting of fires,
candles and lamps, and exchanging presents, from one
festival to another without drawing attention to specifically Christian worship, at a time when Christians
were still being persecuted.
Later, under the Emperor Constantine, Christianity
became a religion recognised by the state, and was
declared the only state religion by the emperor Theodosius in 380 AD; thus the previous pagan rituals were
adopted into the
Christian Festival,
and became part of
the Christian tradition.
Nowadays, many
shops begin to market
Christmas goods as
soon as the summer
holiday season is
over, but this was not
the case in the past,
when the only activity
undertaken before
December was the
making of the Christmas pudding, traditionally on the Sunday ‘next before Advent’ (now celebrated
as ‘Christ the King). This was known as ‘stir up Sunday’ because of the collect:
Early Christians didn’t
celebrate Jesus’ birthday at all; of the four
Gospels, neither Mark
nor John has anything
to say about the birth
of the infant Christ. By the
end of the 3rd century, however, the church decided
that, although Jesus had been born in human form, he
was also divine, so it became customary to celebrate
Stir up, we beseech thee, O Lord,
his birth. By then, however, the date had been forgotThe wills of thy faithful people
ten, so it was worked out quite simply: it was believed
That they, plenteously bringing forth the fruit of good
that the conception of Christ had occurred at the spring
works,
equinox, then reckoned to be on the 25th March. Nine
May of thee be plenteously rewarded:
months on gave a nativity date of 25th December.
The early Christians lived within the bounds of the
Roman Empire, which held a wide range of pagan
Christmas puddings were derived from a mediaeval
‘porridge’ made from beef and mutton, dried fruit,
Dec 2016 - Jan 2017
7
Christmas comes but once a year!
continued
wine and spices; they were more like soup and were
eaten mostly as a fasting meal during Advent. In Tudor times they were thickened by the addition of egg
and breadcrumbs and became more like a pudding. By
Victorian times, they were much as they are today,
captured so evocatively by Charles Dickens’ description of the Cratchit
family Christmas
dinner in ‘A Christmas Carol’.
Like Christmas puddings, mince pies
were also initially
made of a meat and
spice mixture; these
were made in an oval
shape to depict the
manger where Christ
was born, with the
top representing his
swaddling clothes. In
later times, the meat
in both was replaced by beef suet. Both pies and puddings were considered so decadent by Oliver Cromwell’s Puritan regime, that they were banned – but
then, so was Christmas itself!
Other mediaeval traditions deriving from pagan origins are the decorating the house with holly, ivy and
mistletoe; these were prized as evergreens because
they did not appear to die off in the winter. For Christians, the prickly holly leaves represent the crown of
thorns, the berries, Jesus’ blood. The clinging nature
of ivy reminds us that we constantly need the support
of God. Mistletoe was used in worship by the ancient
Druids, and represented good luck in Norse mythology. In York Minster, a ‘Mistletoe Service’ used to be
held at Christmas, where wrongdoers could come to be
pardoned. Fir Christmas trees are a much later, Victorian addition.
Yule logs are now usually represented by a decorated
chocolate sponge cake, but used to consist of a whole
tree, cut down and brought into the house and lit on
Christmas Eve, carefully fed into the fire throughout
the twelve days; any not burnt was carefully hidden
away and used to light the next year’s log.
Why 12 days? The ancient discrepancy between the
Julian(Roman) and the Gregorian (Pope Gregory) cal-
endars was finally cleared up by a government bill in
Britain in 1752, resulting in September 2nd being followed by September 14th; at the same time, the official start to the year became January 1st instead of
March 25th as previously. Some communities, including the Eastern Orthodox Church in Russia, still celebrate ‘Old Christmas’
by the Julian calendar,
which equates with
the Gregorian January
6th, conveniently coinciding with Epiphany, when Jesus was
revealed to the Gentiles through the visit
of the Magi. We commonly think of them
as the ‘Three Kings’,
but nowhere in the
Gospels is this number given; only the
three gifts are recorded: gold, frankincense and myrrh. It is thought
likely that they were astrologers who had observed a
heavenly phenomenon, but the exact nature of the
‘Star in the East’ remains a mystery.
A comet would have been very visible and probably
noticed by Herod’s court, even though astrology was
forbidden to the Jews. The most likely explanation
seems to be an event, at around the right time, first
analysed by the German astronomer Johannes Kepler
in 1603. This was a triple conjunction involving the
closeness of the planets Jupiter (King of the gods) and
Saturn (representing Palestine and justice) in the constellation of Pisces (zodiac sign thought to represent
the Jews). Hence this unusual conjunction could have
been taken to forecast the coming of a Jewish Messiah…
Lord God
the bright splendour whom the nations seek:
may we who with the wise men have been drawn by
your light
discern the glory of your presence in your Son
the Word made flesh, Jesus Christ our Lord.
8
Dec 2016 - Jan 2017
What’s on in the Parish
Devotional
Sunday 4 December
Faith Forum
9:15 – Parish Centre at St Helen’s
One Lord, One Faith, Four Gospels?
Luke - for with God, nothing will be impossible
Breakfast bar from 9:00
No Faith Forum in January
Tuesday 6 December
Mothers’ Union
Advent Carol Service
10:30 – Parish Centre at St Helen’s
Tuesday 6 & 13 December
Advent Labyrinth Walks
11:00-12:00 and 19:00-20:00
St Michael’s Church
Walk the Labyrinth or simply enjoy the sacred
space. A short prayer will be said at the beginning
and end of each session, but feel free to come and
go as you please. Enter through the porch on the
south side of the church.
Wednesday 7 December
Pilgrim Course
19.00 – St Nicolas’ Church
Looking at the Ten Commandments
How should Christians behave and live?
Tuesday 13 December
Desiring Life Reading Group
14:30 – Parish Centre at St Helen’s
From Body. Biblical Spirituality for the whole
person by Paula Gooder ‘The Body of Christ’
Contact Susan Scott 522960
Tuesday 3 January
Mothers’ Union
Celebrating Faith through Matthew
The Revd Dr Charles Miller
10:30 – Parish Centre at St Helen’s
Wednesday 25 January
Dedication Festival Mass
19.30 – St Michael’s Church
preacher: The Bishop of Dorchester.
Wednesday 18 January
Alpha Launch Event
Speaker: Anne Wafula Strike MBE
Vision to see, Faith to believe, Courage to do
details and tickets from
www.abingdonalpha.org
18 - 25 January
Week of Prayer for Christian Unity
please see www.church-in-abingdon.org.uk
for events
Musical
Friday 6 January 2017
St Peter’s Chorale in Concert
Choir of St Peter’s Lutheran College,
Brisbane, Australia
19:00 – St Helen’s Church
Retiring collection for the Trust for the
Development of St Helen’s Church
Social
Thursdays 1 & 15 December
Back to 35 over 50's Club
1 Dec - Carswell School
15 Dec - Christmas Social
19 Jan - Community Police Officers
Opens at 10:00 for 10.30 -11.30 at 35 Ock Street
Coffee, cake and fellowship for the ‘over-50s’.
35 Ock St closes on 21 Dec and opens 4 Jan.
Thurs 1 & 8 December only
Circle Dancing
11:00-12:00 – St Michael’s
Traditional folk dancing and modern steps in
a circle to a variety of music
Sunday 4 December
St Nicolas’ Christmas Lunch
12:30 for 13:00 at the Cosener’s House,
Abbey Close, Abingdon.
Dec 2016 - Jan 2017
Friday 16 December
Local Produce & Craft Sale
11:00 – 13:00 St Nicolas’ Church
Monday 2 January
Christian Aid New Year Walk
starting from Peachcroft Christian Centre at 10.00
Come and take part or please sponsor
participants.
Sunday 15 January
St Michael’s Christmas Lunch
at The White Horse, Ock St
from 12 noon. 2 courses £12.99
Please sign up by 30 Nov. to secure your place.
Jenni Collins 200650
Saturday 21 January
Winter Warmer
Soup & Ploughman’s lunch
12.00-14.00 Parish Centre at St Helen’s
£5 per head.
A leaflet detailing Christmas events
and services in the Parish is available
to view and to download from
www.sthelens-abingdon.org.uk
Advent & Christmas
Now until 12 December
Cards for Good Causes
10:00-16:00 at St Nicolas’ Church,
open Monday-Saturday
Sale of Charity Christmas Cards
Friday 16 December
Carol Singing in the Market Place
10.00-11.00 during the Farmers’ Market
organised by the Church in Abingdon
collecting for the 2016 Christian Aid Christmas
Appeal. Please come and join in.
Saturday, 17 December
Baby & Toddler Christmas Celebration
10.30-12 noon – St Helen’s Church
Bring your little ones dressed as angels or
shepherds and join in with our Nativity Play.
Free Event with music and
refreshments to follow.
9
Sunday 18 December
Carol Service
18:00 – St Nicolas’ Church
Celebrate Christmas with traditional
readings and music
Friday 23 December
Carols by Candlelight
19:30 – St Helen’s Church
music and readings for Christmas by candlelight
Saturday 24 December
Christmas Eve Crib Service
15:00 – St Michael’s Church
Hear the Christmas story and help us build our
Christmas crib. Families with young children
especially welcome
Saturday 24 December
Christmas Eve Crib Service
16:00 – St Nicolas’ Church
Help us assemble our Christmas crib.
Families with young children
especially welcome
Saturday 24 December
Christingle Service
16:30 – St Helen’s Church
A service for all families. Receive your
‘Christ light’ and help raise funds for
The Children’s Society.
Very popular (doors open 15:45)
Saturday 24 December
Carol Service
18:00 – St Michael’s Church.
Celebrate Christmas with traditional
readings and music
Sunday 8 January
Epiphany Service
16:00 – St Helen’s Church
Music and readings to celebrate Epiphany
Followed by Epiphany Tea in the South Aisle
All families welcome, especially those with
children baptized at St Helen’s
If you would like anything included in this Diary,
please contact the editors through the email on the
front page
10
Dec 2016 - Jan 2017
Christmas Services
at St Michael’s
Christmas Eve 15.00
Crib Service
Christmas Eve 18.00
Carols and Readings
Christmas Eve 23.30
Midnight Mass
Christmas Day 10.00
Sung Mass
Christmas Services
at St Helen’s
Friday 23 Dec 19.30
Carols by Candlelight
Christmas Eve 16.30
Christingle Service
Christmas Eve 23.30
First Eucharist of Christmas
Christmas Day 08.00
Holy Communion (1662) with Hymns
Christmas Services
at St Nicolas’
Sunday 4 Dec 17.30
Patronal Evensong for St Nicolas’ Day
Christmas Day 10.30
Sung Eucharist, all-age service
Sunday 8 Jan 16.00
A Service of Carols and readings
for Epiphany.
Sunday 18 Dec 18.00
Carols and Readings
Christmas Eve 16.00
Crib Service
Christmas Eve 23.30
Midnight Communion
Christmas Day 10.00
Holy Communion
A leaflet detailing Christmas
events and services in the Parish
is available to view and to
download from
www.sthelens-abingdon.org.uk
Dec 2016 - Jan 2017
11
Christmas Crackers - by Rod Hunt
Each answer is a double-worded name, place or well-known expression where each
word begins with the letter C. e.g Songs sung at Yuletide – Christmas Carols
1
2
3
4
5
6
7
8
9
10
11
12
13
14
15
16
17
18
19
20
21
22
23
24
25
26
27
28
29
30
31
32
33
34
35
36
37
38
39
40
41
42
43
44
45
His trademark – a bowler hat, cane and funny walk
Building in which Thomas Beckett was murdered
Ooh la la! Dance celebrated by Offenbach or Degas
Transport up and down a mountain
Cornish poet (d. 2003)
Prolific writer from Tyne and Wear - Kate Mulholland et al
30th President of the USA
Gabriel Bonheur. Who? French couturier
Kids’ game where fingers are all strung up
Item of furniture for an unprincipled starlet
Onomatopoeic sound of a horse
Working class in garb and attitude
Smart-assed footwear from Holland
Principal sailor in charge of The Endeavour and The Resolution
Fowl alarm clock
Home for down-and-outs, and place to sleep rough
Drapes that are irresistible to the acting profession
A fishy Cape in the Bay of Maine
Play by G.B. Shaw about an emperor and an empress
Limy, chalky substance?
Associate him with Santa Maria, Nina and Pinto
The element C becomes a paper facsimile
Where one finds Letters to the Editor
Pretty Wiltshire village – funny place for a racing circuit!
An exhausting solution to pollution
Point from where two or three axes intersect at right angles
Holiday boat on the river
Associate him with The Twist and ‘let’s twist again’
Time piece on a railway train, perhaps?
Where a prisoner awaits execution
Seductive French actress with Sophia Loren-like qualities
Places like Canterbury, Chester, York, Salisbury, Hereford etc
I’m a fully paid-up member, Comrade and Brother!
Payment by plastic
Come dancing - a Latin-American one!
Drink invented by Doctor Pemberton in the 1880s
Sounds like a sociable vehicle – actually it’s a perk!
A direction in which a crash is inevitable
Quickly! Quickly!
‘I’m only too aware of my station in life.’
Mexican dish with meat
Issue that attracts widespread and passionate attention
A cheesy dwelling for a troglodyte
Runner in the 1954 5000 metres, narrowly beating Vladimir Kuts
Bring money, take away goods
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12
Services in December 2016 and January 2017
Divine Service at St Helen’s Church, West St Helen’s St
Holy Communion 1662
Sung Eucharist
Morning Prayer
Evening Prayer
Junior Church
Morning Praise
Wednesday Church
08.00
10.30
09.10
17.10
10.30
09.15
10.30
Sundays in December (January at St Nicolas’)
Every Sunday with Junior Church
Monday to Friday (except Dec 26 - Jan 2)
Monday to Friday (except Dec 26 - Jan 2)
Sundays – starts in Church
Sunday 11 Dec and Sunday 10 January
Wednesdays (except 28 Dec), Holy Communion
in the Parish Centre followed by refreshments.
Divine Service at St Nicolas’ Church, Market Place
Holy Communion 1662
Festival Evensong
Morning Prayer
Holy Communion
08.00
17.30
11.15
11.15
Sundays in January (December at St Helen’s)
Sunday 4 Dec. Patronal Festival
First Sunday in the month
2nd and 4th Sundays with Junior Church
25 Dec
3rd Sunday Service
Family Communion
10.00 Holy Communion for Christmas Day
11.15 Dec 18 & Jan 15
11.15 January 29 2017
Junior Church
11.15 2nd and 4th Sundays
Nourishment in Christ 19.00 Thursday 5 January
Divine Service at St Michael’s, Park Road
Family Mass
Sung Mass
25 Dec
Thursday Mass
Said Mass
09.30 First Sunday of the month
09.30 Every Sunday
10.00 Christmas Day Mass
12.30 Every Thursday (except 29 Dec) followed by a
light lunch
19.30 Wednesdays 7 & 14 Dec
Tuesdays 20 Dec, 3, 10, 17, 24 Jan
Sunday Evening Services
17.30 at St Helen’s Church
4 Dec
11 Dec
18 Dec
25 Dec
1 Jan
8 Jan
15 Jan
22 Jan
No evening service
Taizé
Choral Evensong
No evening service
No evening service
Epiphany Service 4.00pm
Sung Evensong
Service of Wholeness and
Healing
29 Jan Winchester Service
see pp 8 -10 for
Christmas Events
and Services
Advent Labyrinth Walks
At St Michael’s Church
Tuesdays 6 & 13 December
11-12.00 and 19-20.00
An opportunity to walk the beautiful
labyrinth as a time of reflection and
preparation for Christmas. Beginning
and ending with a
short time of prayer.
The services and events listed here are correct at the time of going to press – please consult the weekly Pewsheets or
Newsletter if in doubt, or see the online version of The Window on the websites below.
To arrange baptisms, weddings and funerals contact the Parish Office.
Clergy are available in the Parish Office between 19.00 - 20.00 on Wednesdays.
Please call the office to book an appointment.
Team Rector: The Revd Dr Charles Miller
Team Vicar: The Revd Paul Smith
Associate Priest: The Revd Dr Jane Baun
Associate Priest: The Revd Mary Williamson
Directors of Music: Chris Fletcher-Campbell (St H),
Glynne Butt, Graham Howell (St M)
Parish Administrator: Mrs Jenny Balshaw
Parish Office: St Helen’s Court, Abingdon, OX14 5BS
01235 520144
Normal opening hours 10.00 to 13.00 weekdays, except Thursdays - closed
E-mail: [email protected]
www.sthelens-abingdon.org.uk www.stmichaels-abingdon.org.uk www.stnicolasabingdon.org.uk