The Quiver Christmas 1 December 29 2024
Jesus, at the age of twelve, becomes a bar mitzvah, a ‘son of the Commandment’. In other words he takes responsibility for his own identity as an adult Jew. Uniquely, Luke gives us a picture of Jesus growing and maturing. In this scene he stays behind in Jerusalem whilst his parents lose track of him, thinking he is among their group of travellers. His questions and knowledge astound those who hear him. His words to his parents – ‘did you not know that I must be in my Father’s house’ – point to his unique relationship with his heavenly Father.
SERVICE TODAY
We welcome Rev Robert Prance & Canon John Williams today
9.30am United Benefice Communion at Wimborne St Giles
Carols: 7 12 23 10 8 (v1 All, 2 Men/Ladies, 3 Men/All, 4 Ladies/Men, 5, All)
Seasonal Refreshments will be served after the service
Give praise and thanks to God and pray for his help and healing:
The housebound: Gerry & Pat Cope Geoff Phillips
Those in need : Hayley Loader Katherine Woodland Zachary Jackson Sylvia Gray Frank Russell Gill Lee Andrew Sawyer Michael Goold Hilary & Guy Cherry Thick Jax Sharp Jim Bolton Sue Day Clifford House Tereasa Harrison Sheila & Jerry Laker Gary Snelling Becky Gates Martin Instone Diana & Ian Mashford Ken Wise Tim Bastable Alice Dolan Marion Challener Donovan Docherty Fiona Armstrong Pearl Dickinson Jean Elliott
For those who have died
THIS WEEK
Monday Pray for the Church, especially in places of conflict
Tuesday Pray for refugees & asylum seekers
Wednesday The Naming & Circumcision of Jesus [Luke 2.15-22]
Pray for year ahead
Thursday Pray for the Church in Russia
Friday Pray for the Holy Land, for peace with justice & reconciliation
Saturday 6.00pm Organ Extravaganza at Wimborne St Giles
Pray for families with young children
SERVICE FOR NEXT SUNDAY – EPIPHANY
9.30am Breakfast Church at Gussage All Saints Village Hall
9.30am Service of the Word at Woodlands
11.00am High Mass at Wimborne St Giles
6.00pm Evensong at Cranborne
Isaiah 60.1-6 Ephesians 3.1-12 Matthew 2.1-12
There is a basket available at the back of church for the Charity of the Month. During November, December & January this will be for The Salisbury – Sudan Medical Link who fund the training of clinical officers, nurses, midwives and other staff as well as purchasing and distributing primary health care kits. It is now possible to donate online; www.bit.ly/DQchofm. Choose the amount and add Gift Aid. Donations by 31.1.25, - Thank you.
Woodlands Church will be open on Sundays, Wednesdays and Saturdays
during the winter months.
Thank you to everyone who decorated our churches for Christmas.
Organ Extravaganza, Wimborne St Giles Church, Saturday, January 4th, 6pm A concert of light music. Refreshments, raffle. £10 at the door
Christmas Charitable Collections: The collection at last Sunday’s Benefice Carol Service raised £266 for Lewis Manning Hospice Care. Carols in the Churchyard at Cranborne on Christmas Eve raised £689.83 for The Salvation Army’s Christmas Appeal for the Homeless. (This includes £144.77 collected during the Pub Carols.). Thank you.
For reflection at New Year
I said to the man who stood at the Gate of the Year, ‘Give me a light that I may tread safely into the unknown.’ And he replied. ‘Go out into the darkness, and put your hand into the Hand of God. That shall be to you better than light, and safer than a known way.’
Louise Haskins (1875-1958), quoted by King George VI in his Christmas Broadcast, 1939.
COLLECT
Almighty God,
who wonderfully created us in your own image
and yet more wonderfully restored us
through your Son Jesus Christ:
grant that, as he came to share in our humanity,
so we may share the life of his divinity;
who is alive and reigns with you,
in the unity of the Holy Spirit,
one God, now and for ever.
FIRST READING 1 Samuel 2.18-20, 26
Samuel was ministering before the Lord, a boy wearing a linen ephod. 19 His mother used to make for him a little robe and take it to him each year when she went up with her husband to offer the yearly sacrifice. Then Eli would bless Elkanah and his wife and say, “May the Lord repay you with children by this woman for the loan that she made to the Lord,” and then they would return to their home.
Now the boy Samuel continued to grow both in stature and in favour with the Lord and with the people.
PSALM 148:1-6
1 Alleluia.
Praise the Lord from the heavens; ♦
praise him in the heights.
2 Praise him, all you his angels; ♦
praise him, all his host.
3 Praise him, sun and moon; ♦
praise him, all you stars of light.
4 Praise him, heaven of heavens, ♦
and you waters above the heavens.
5 Let them praise the name of the Lord, ♦
for he commanded and they were created
6 He made them fast for ever and ever; ♦
he gave them a law which shall not pass away.
SECOND READING Colossians 3.12-17
As God’s chosen ones, holy and beloved, clothe yourselves with compassion, kindness, humility, meekness, and patience. Bear with one another and, if anyone has a complaint against another, forgive each other; just as the Lord has forgiven you, so you also must forgive. Above all, clothe yourselves with love, which binds everything together in perfect harmony. And let the peace of Christ rule in your hearts, to which indeed you were called in one body. And be thankful. Let the word of Christ dwell in you richly; teach and admonish one another in all wisdom; and with gratitude in your hearts sing psalms, hymns, and spiritual songs to God. And whatever you do, in word or deed, do everything in the name of the Lord Jesus, giving thanks to God the Father through him.
GOSPEL Luke 2.41-end
Every year his parents went to Jerusalem for the festival of the Passover. And when he was twelve years old, they went up as usual for the festival. When the festival was ended and they started to return, the boy Jesus stayed behind in Jerusalem, but his parents were unaware of this. Assuming that he was in the group of travellers, they went a day’s journey. Then they started to look for him among their relatives and friends. When they did not find him, they returned to Jerusalem to search for him. After three days they found him in the temple, sitting among the teachers, listening to them and asking them questions. And all who heard him were amazed at his understanding and his answers. When his parents saw him they were astonished, and his mother said to him, “Child, why have you treated us like this? Your father and I have been anxiously looking for you.” He said to them, “Why were you searching for me? Did you not know that I must be in my Father’s house?” But they did not understand what he said to them. Then he went down with them and came to Nazareth and was obedient to them, and his mother treasured all these things in her heart.
And Jesus increased in wisdom and in years and in divine and human favour.
POST COMMUNION
Heavenly Father,
whose blessed Son shared at Nazareth the life of an earthly home:
help your Church to live as one family,
united in love and obedience,
and bring us all at last to our home in heaven;
through Jesus Christ our Lord.
Copyright © Knowlton Circle Benefice 2022
