Page 3 - BR December 2023

December 2023 December 2023

THE PARISHES of BERE REGIS and AFFPUDDLE

with TURNERSPUDDLE

Our Our Mission:
Vision: To encourage awareness of the
To make presence of God through worship
Christ’s music and the arts;
love To encourage everyone in the
known in Christian faith through example,
the world learning and spiritual growth;
today and To make our churches open and
to live out welcoming to all, and supportive
his of those in need;
teaching
To challenge injustice at home and
abroad and to balance our care
for the environment.

LETTER FROM OUR ASSOCIATE PRIEST

Well, it’s the middle of November – that came around very suddenly -and here I
am writing for the December magazine having not even bought Christmas cards
yet, let alone presents for the grandchildren. Don’t get me wrong, I love
Christmas, the nativity story, the hope that a new baby brings, the happy smiley
faces, but it doesn’t actually happen until nearly the end of December, there are
four weeks of preparing before then still to come.
The time of waiting is called Advent and traditionally decorations and trees
wouldn’t go up until after the fourth Sunday of Advent, this year that’s Christmas
Eve, maybe that’s a little late even for me! We also have quite a few family
birthdays in December, mine included, sometimes it’s hard to even buy a card! In
our house we keep the tree and decorations up until twelfth night and the crib
and cards stay out until Candlemas, the 2 February, which is when the Christmas
nd
season actually ends in the church calendar. In the shops there is no sign that
Christmas has actually happened after January 1 , except in the sales.
st
Whilst I do love Christmas it also comes with its challenges. Every Christmas, when
decorating our tree, I bring out a little Angel that takes pride of place near the
top. She’s not very big, she’s not especially spectacular, but she is very special –
to me. She was given to me by a very dear friend nearly 50 years ago when we

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