Who would want to pass over Passover?

Roast lamb, roast potatoes FOUR glasses of wine – a Passover feast indeed !  It seems strange to celebrate with such a feast in the middle of Lent:  traditionally a season of giving up and going without; but in actual fact all the themes  of the Easter  Season, its sorrows and its joys, are at Passover. Indeed the very cup of wine and bread which Jesus held as he proclaimed his famous words about his body being broken and his blood poured out were the Matzos bread and wine at the heart of the Passover feast .  From the times of the ancient Egyptians to the time of Jesus to the present day, Passover is an opportunity to come together to celebrate and be thankful . There is eating and singing and dancing –  and more eating –  who would want to pass over Passover?

 

Children and families this Easter

Children and families this Easter
We are planning activities and opportunities for children and families to engage with the Easter story this year.

Palm Sunday Service Sunday 9 April 10am Milton Chuch
After our Palm Sunday service, we will be gathering at Milton Village Hall for our Lent Lunch and children’s activities. There will be stories, making and sticking, as well as food, friends and fun.

Passover Supper: Wednesday 12 April 7pm
On the Wednesday of Holy Week, we will be back in Milton Village Hall for our Passover Supper.  This event is great for families, very interactive, and there are Easter Eggs to find and readings to be read by children and young people.

Good Friday: 14 April
On Good Friday we will have our family service in Milton church at 9.30, followed by hot cross buns.  After the service there is the opportunity to join in a leisurely walk across the countryside to Fifield for a picnic at 12noon.  Of course, you could just drive up and bring your picnic!

Mothering Sunday and Celebration of Christening Services!

On the 26th March, Mothering Sunday, we will be holding a special service where we will all take the opportunity to remember our own baptism, to give thanks for our godchildren and godparents and celebrate the blessings we have received from our Mothers and as Mothers.  There is much to celebrate.  Please join us and think about who you could invite along to this lovely service.

Services take place as follows:

9.30am Milton Church
11am Fifield Church
11am Shipton Church

Don’t forget the clocks go forwards on Mothering Sunday!

 

 

Lent 2017

Palm Cross

Lent is almost upon us, and this year we will be focusing on the Eucharist, how this meal connects us to our ancestors in the faith and Jesus and his disciples in the upper room, how this meal helps us to remember and contemplate Jesus as the bread of life. We will be using Pilgrim again, The Eucharist, and books will be available from the benefice centre. There will be groups on Thursday mornings, Wednesday evenings and Wednesday afternoons, so why not take the opportunity to explore this central part of our faith and come along. There will be Thursday morning and Wednesday evening groups meeting in the Benefice Centre so all are welcome to drop in.

Grace and peace,

Kate

 

Lent Groups for 2017 are running as follows:
Wednesday evenings on 8th, 15th, 22nd, 29th March and 5th April
7.30pm: venue rotates so please contact Kate or Anne

Wednesday afternoons on 8th, 15th, 22nd, 29th March and 5th April
3pm at Old Prebendal House, Shipton under Wychwood

Thursday mornings on 2nd, 16th March and 6th April
9.30am in the Benefice Centre, Milton under Wychwood

Lent Lunch on Sunday 9th April
12 noon in Milton Village Hall

Passover Supper on Wednesday 12th April
7pm at Milton Village Hall

 

Monthly Holy Communion around the Benefice: Day Centre

“It is a privilege to be given the Bishop’s permission to lead monthly short services of “home communion” to some members, usually 7 or 8, of the Wychwood Day Centre.  Commencing with prayers for sick members, and loved ones who need our thoughts, an abridged form of the Common Worship service is used, with a reading and some general prayers preceding distribution of pre-consecrated elements.  Those attending really appreciate this quiet half-hour together as most of them are unable to attend one of the Wychwood churches.”

“I know how much it means to most of them and an especial few who are unable to get out to church or may feel uncomfortable in doing so. It is bringing the church to ALL parts of our community and reaching those who may never go in to a church. I also know of some who have turned away from “religion” – because of their situation and have a perceived view that God has forgotten them or allowed “bad things” to happen. So, for them to be able to sit and not listen if they so wish, yet allowing your presence and words to surround them – can only be a positive thing and who knows what God’s word can accomplish without any help from ourselves!!”

Monthly visits to Tall Trees Care Home

“We really enjoy our monthly visits to Tall Trees Care Home to take a short service of Songs of Praise on a Monday afternoon. We use a brief set service and the readings and collect for the week so that the theme is topical and there is a good connection with what is going on in the wider church and our own benefice.

The residents are already gathered in the lounge anticipating our visit and obviously enjoy the opportunity to get together, welcome us as visitors and sing some well-known hymns. There are usually about 15 of us including at least one carer and the activities organiser.

We get a real blessing from leading the worship and chatting with the residents and each other (an opportunity we don’t often get in busy lives) before and after the service. One of the loveliest parts is when we all say the Lord’s Prayer together – something so well-known that we can all share whatever our state of health and memory.”

Residents and visitors at Tall Trees also enjoy Holy Communion on the third Monday of each month, brought to them by trained lay-people, so that they know that they are included in the Church Family.

 

Christmas in the Wychwoods – Come and join us

Thursday 15 December
7pm Carols by Candlelight Fifield

18 December Advent 4
4pm Carols by Candlelight Idbury
5pm Carols by Candlelight Milton
6pm Carols by Candlelight Shipton

Christmas Eve
4pm Crib and Christingle* Shipton
4pm Crib and Christingle* Milton
11pm Midnight Communion Shipton

Christmas Day
9.30am Christmas Communion Milton
11am Christmas Communion Shipton
11am Christmas Communion Fifield

New Year’s Day
10am United Benefice Communion Shipton

* come dressed as your favourite nativity character

Shoebox Sunday: The Wychwoods have shown the LOVE

 

A GREAT BIG THANK YOU!

Yes we did it!    We had 120 shoe boxes dedicated in Milton Parish Church this year!

This is our third year and year on year we are increasing the gift of our love to those who have little.   This year our boxes are going to Eastern Europe including Romania.

This year too we had the opportunity not only to give to the girls and boys; we were able to do a shoe box for a home and family, giving useful things to use in household.

This year was truly a community effort, with shoeboxes coming from Wychwood CE Primary School, members of the W.I. and the Day Centre too.

The shoe boxes started their journey on Tuesday 22 November.   We met Paul from Teams4U at the church with his big white van.   Despite the fact it was pouring with rain as we moved the boxes from the church to the van, there was certainly joy in our hearts knowing that somewhere out there a child or family was going to know the love of Christmas and that someone had taken such thought and care to choose the contents of their box.   Next year we will have a film showing your fantastic gifts being received…..I am so looking forward to seeing the happiness!

A great big THANK YOU to all who donated the wonderful gift of a shoe box, and to those who couldn’t do a shoe box but gave the gift of a cash donation.   We are truly grateful.

Wishing you all a Joyful Christmas and a  Peaceful and Prosperous New Year