We can claim the tax back from your donation if it's given in the Gift THE CHURCHES OF HEALEY,

RCHES OF HEALEY, MASHAM, NORTH STAINLEY,

Aid envelope. Please complete with your address, date and box ticked. WELL WITH SNAPE & WEST TANFIELD
Help us to receive this vital extra income. Thank you.
Second Sunday 8.00 a.m. Masham Holy Communion
LOOP SYSTEMS have been installed at Masham, Healey, North Stainley, Well and of Advent 9.30 a.m. West Tanfield Christingle
West Tanfield for the benefit of those who are hard of hearing. Please switch the 9th December 10.45 a.m. Masham Holy Communion
button on your hearing aid to the 'T' position. 10.45 a.m. Snape Holy Communion
4.00 p.m. Healey Christingle
WEBSITE for the Masham Group of Parishes: www.mashamparishes.org
Tuesday 11th 1.15 p.m. Masham Singing for Fun
BACON CHURCH – ST. MARY’S CHURCH, NORTH STAINLEY 2.30 p.m. Masham Pram Praise
Bacon rolls & real coffee
With a short time of prayer for the village Wednesday 12th 10.00 a.m. Masham Holy Communion
Thursdays 9.00 – 10.00 a.m. 2.00 p.m. Masham Women’s Institute Carol Service
20th December
Thursday 13th 6.00 p.m. Youth group in Masham Town Hall
INTRODUCTION TO THEOLOGY COURSE 7.30 p.m. Carols in the Pub Castle Arms, Snape
January-April 2019 - twelve weeks on a Tuesday evening at Ripon Community House.
Cost: £80. Third Sunday 9.15 a.m. Healey Holy Communion
How to Book: Email: charlie.scott@leeds.anglican.org or phone: 0113 353 0238 of Advent 10.30 a.m. West Tanfield United Carol Service at the
Ever wondered what theology means and how to study it? 16th December Methodist Church
Need some guidance on how to dig a bit deeper? 10.45 a.m. Well Holy Communion
This introductory course may well be for you. 4.00 p.m. North Stainley Carol Service
Topics covered include: Understanding the Bible, Study skills, Your own faith journey, 6.30 p.m. Masham United Carol Service in St
Exploring prayer and worship Mary’s Church, Masham
Whether you are just dipping your toe in the water or considering further training why not join
us Fourth Sunday 8.00 a.m. Masham Holy Communion
of Advent 10.45 a.m. West Tanfield Holy Communion
FOODBANK 23rd December 10.45 a.m. Masham Holy Communion
At the back of each church during Advent there will be a box for donations to the Ripon/Bedale 4.00 p.m. Healey Tea, Carols and decorating the
Foodbanks. Church
The following are items that are needed: 4.00 p.m. Snape Evensong
UHT Milk, Small bags (500g) Sugar, Tinned ready meals (stews etc),
Tinned potatoes, tinned vegetables (not peas), Tinned fruit, Christmas Eve 4.00 p.m. North Stainley Christingle Service
Small variety pack cereals, jams / marmalade, small jars coffee/packets of tea, December 24th 4.00 p.m. Masham Christingle Service
sponge puddings, biscuits, sweets, Rice/Pasta, tinned tomatoes 5.30 p.m. Well Crib Service
pasta sauce, tinned rice pudding, 11.30 p.m. Masham Midnight Mass
Essential toiletries (Loo rolls, tooth paste, shampoo, shower gel deodorent) 11.30 p.m. Snape Midnight Mass
Christmas treats (puddings, well dated cake, sauces etc)
Nothing containing alcohol nor home-made please. Christmas Day 8.00 a.m. Masham Holy Communion
Everything must have a good ‘sell by/best before’ date. December 25th 9.15 a.m. Healey Holy Communion
Offers of help with transporting the goods would be welcome – please contact David Cleeves 9.15 a.m. North Stainley Holy Communion
(01765 6789255). 10.45 a.m. Masham Holy Communion
10.45 a.m. Well Holy Communion
10.45 a.m. West Tanfield Holy Communion
REFLECTION Vigilance before God is a quality that we can so easily forget. As we cherish
the warmth of Christian common life, we reflect on the ground-laying preaching of John the
Baptist which is full of promise for what is to come, and pray to sense the historical reality of
Jesus’ coming to his great work.
Today we think of ‘The Prophets’ and reflect on the way the birth of the
Messiah was ‘foretold’.
God our Father, you spoke to the prophets of old of a Saviour who
would bring peace. You helped them to spread the joyful
message of his coming kingdom. Help us, as we
prepare to celebrate his birth, to share with those
around us the good news of your power and
love. We ask this through Jesus Christ, the Light
who is coming into the world.
All: Lord Jesus, Light of the world,
the prophets said you would bring peace
and save your people in trouble.
Give peace in our hearts at Christmastide,
and show all the world God’s love.
CHRISTINGLE
One of the enjoyable festivals of Christmas is the Christingle Service which is held in churches
and schools, often to raise money for the Children’s Society. A Christingle is an orange that is
a symbol of the world, with a hole cut in the top, into which a candle is placed, to represent
Jesus bringing light into the world. Four sticks are stuck into the orange representing the four
seasons (or possibly that the light of Jesus shines in all directions). Impaled on the sticks are
sweets and fruits – a reminder of the fruits of the earth – or the good things that are ours
through knowing Jesus. A red ribbon is tied around the orange representing the blood of Jesus
shed for the world.
Christmas Eve
4.00 p.m. St. Mary’s, Masham
4.00 p.m. St. Mary’s, North Stainley
CHRISTINGLE WORKING PARTY
Help is needed please to make the Christingles.
Saturday 22nd December 10.00 a.m. at the Vicarage
MASHAM: CAROLS AND TORCHLIGHT PROCESSION Saturday 22nd December.
Starts at Maple Creek Flats at 5.30 p.m. Finishes with refreshments in St Mary’s Church
and singing by St Mary’s Youth Choir and entertainment by the handbell ringers.
CAROL SERVICES
Sunday 16th 10.30 a.m. West Tanfield – united at the Methodist Chapel
Sunday 16th December 4.00 p.m. North Stainley with the school
Sunday 16th December 6.30 p.m. Masham
CAROLS IN THE PUB
Castle Arms, Snape – Thursday 13th December 7.30 p.m.
Black Swan, Fearby –Monday 17th December 7.30 p.m.
The Bruce Arms, West Tanfield – Tuesday 18th December 7.45 p.m.
We will sing some well known and popular carols,
there will be a couple of readings and a short prayer.
All are welcome to join us.
TEA AND CAROLS
St. Paul’s Church, Healey
Sunday 23rd December 4.00 p.m.
Join us for afternoon tea and carols and help to decorate the church for Christmas
Craft activities for children
All welcome
MASHAM SHEEP FAIR – help is needed with organising the stewards for the Flower Festiv-
al in the church. Becky Foster leads on this but would welcome assistance – if you are able to
help or would like more information please speak to Becky or the Vicar. Half of the proceeds
from the Flower Festival goes to the church, the other half to the Sheep Fair. Normally we
have about 1,000 visitors over the weekend so it is essential that the event is stewarded.
PHILIPPIANS 1: 3-11
I thank my God every time I remember you, constantly praying with joy in every one of my
prayers for all of you, because of your sharing in the gospel from the first day until now. I am
confident of this, that the one who began a good work among you will bring it to completion
by the day of Jesus Christ. It is right for me to think this way about all of you, because you
hold me in your heart, for all of you share in God’s grace with me, both in my imprisonment
and in the defence and confirmation of the gospel. For God is my witness, how I long for all of
you with the compassion of Christ Jesus. And this is my prayer, that your love may overflow
more and more with knowledge and full insight to help you to determine what is best, so that
on the day of Christ you may be pure and blameless, having produced the harvest of righteous -
ness that comes through Jesus Christ for the glory and praise of God.
LUKE 3: 1-6
In the fifteenth year of the reign of Emperor Tiberius, when Pontius Pilate was governor of
Judea, and Herod was ruler of Galilee, and his brother Philip ruler of the region of Ituraea and
Trachonitis, and Lysanias ruler of Abilene, during the high-priesthood of Annas and Caiaphas,
the word of God came to John son of Zechariah in the wilderness. He went into all the region
around the Jordan, proclaiming a baptism of repentance for the forgiveness of sins, as it is writ-
ten in the book of the words of the prophet Isaiah, ‘The voice of one crying out in the wilder-
ness:
“Prepare the way of the Lord, make his paths straight. Every valley shall be filled, and every
mountain and hill shall be made low, and the crooked shall be made straight, and the rough
ways made smooth; and all flesh shall see the salvation of God.” ’