UNWRAP CHRISTMAS

An Advent course in three sessions exploring the original history of Jesus’ birth — with videos filmed in the Holy Land, and reflection questions at different levels. Our modern Christmas celebrations can obscure the significance of the original event. Some even doubt its rootedness in real history. With this three-part series, filmed on location in the Holy Land, we will discover the facts, see the places and be given many new insights to discuss and reflect on. Guided by Dr Peter Walker—a Bible teacher, academic theologian and expert on the history of the Holy Land—we will travel over three weeks from Nazareth to Bethlehem. We will see the likely site of Jesus’ childhood home, the shepherds’ fields below Bethlehem (known by the young David 1000 years earlier), and finally arrive into Manger Square to discover the traditional site of Jesus’ birth. 

This will be held on Zoom at 7pm on Tuesdays 6th, 13th and 20th December.

TO JOIN CLICK ON THE BUTTON OPPOSITE

Church of England Daily Prayer (Morning and Evening)
Cancelled this Monday - next service on 5th December at 6:45 for 7pm


The Benefice is currently in Vacancy.

For general enquiries, please contact the Rural Dean,
the Revd Marian Toyne: marian.toyne63@gmail.com
For specific parish enquiries, see the contact details on www.achurchnearyou.com

A Church Near You

Getting married? Marrying in church is personal, meaningful and spiritual just as you want it to be. Churches are special and unique places to get married in - the prayers, promises and the whole service of celebration become part of your marriage, on the day itself and beyond.

This Weeks Message from Revd Annabel
27th November 2022, Advent Sunday.


'Advent'

I wonder if you’re beginning to be aware of Christmas starting to loom in the distance? The TV ads are already sounding tinkling bells, and Christmas fair season seems to have started in earnest. It seems very early to me, but this Sunday in the church we’ll be marking Advent Sunday, the first Sunday in the church year, where we begin to turn our thoughts and prayers towards Christmas as well.

We’ll start to think about all the events that happened that lead up to that first Christmas day. We’ll remember the prophecies that were made long before, about the coming of a Messiah who would offer the hope of a new way of life to the world. Then we will begin to think about the journey that Mary made from her encounter with Gabriel, through the days of her pregnancy before that visit to Bethlehem. We’ll remember her amazing acceptance and trust of God, and her visit to her cousin Elizabeth. We’ll think about the joy of the two women meeting, each carrying a very special baby that between them would change the world. We’ll also remember the events involving John’s father Zechariah, and Joseph’s own encounter with God, speaking to him in his dreams, in the months leading up to Jesus’ birth.

A month seems hardly long enough to think about all that happened ahead of that first Christmas! But I hope that our services throughout Advent will help you to feel at least a little more prepared for the joy of Christ coming among us this Christmas!


A Prayer for this Week

O Lord our God,
make us watchful and keep us faithful
as we await the coming of your Son our Lord;
that, when he shall appear,
he may not find us sleeping in sin
but active in his service
and joyful in his praise;
through Jesus Christ our Lord.

Amen

The Church of England, ministering to the people of Brookenby, Claxby, Croxby, Kirmond le Mire, Normanby le Wold,
North Willingham, Stainton le Vale, Tealby, Thoresway and Walesby in the Lincolnshire Wolds.

Our churches


St Mary, Walesby

Old Church, Walesby

All Saints, Tealby

St Mary, Thoresway

St Michael & All Angels, Brookenby

St Andrew, Stainton le Vale

St Thomas The Apostle, North Willingham

St Peter, Normanby le Wold

St Martin, Kirmond le Mire

All Saints, Croxby

St Mary, Claxby

Our Group's Mission, Beliefs and Prayer

Our mission and vision

The Walesby Group, set into the north western edge of the Lincolnshire Wolds, consists of 10 parishes, 10 worshipping communities and 11 church buildings. With a population of around 2100 we are a benefice of very small communities, living in the vast open spaces of this Area of Outstanding Natural Beauty. As worshipping communities we aim to grow ourselves in our faith and discipleship, support and engage with our local communities and bring new people to Christ.

We are blessed with beautiful buildings and faithful commitment from our congregations. As the group continues to integrate together, we are being enabled to offer a variety of worship and outreach styles. Lay ministry and leadership is key to all we offer, and encouraged as we endeavour to open the Kingdom and its values to all.

What we believe

The Christian faith is focused on the life and teachings of Jesus Christ. We also believe his death achieved something very special: the opportunity to reconnect with the God that we might believe in but might sometimes feel remote from.

We believe that Jesus was not just a human being but, in some way that we cannot fully understand, God as well. We believe in God the Father, the creator of the entire universe, and the Holy Spirit, who is the way we can experience Jesus today. Not three gods but one, who together are described as the ‘Trinity’ – a description not so much of philosophy but of the relationship at the heart of God.

In the most famous Christian prayer we pray ‘Our Father…’ This creator God wants a relationship with us, for us to be his children and to give us, as Jesus says, ‘life in all its fulness’ (John 10.10).

A Prayer for our Work in the Walesby Group of Parishes


God of Mission
Who alone brings growth to your Church
Empower us with your Holy Spirit:
Giving vision to our planning
Wisdom to our actions
And power to our witness
So that our church may grow:
In spiritual and prayerful commitment to you
In numbers
And through loving service to our local communities
Through Jesus Christ our Lord.

Amen