Posada at the Benefice Leaders' Meeting

As the Benefice leaders grappled with difficult problems - the donkey spotted the biscuits!

 

 

 

1st December 2015

 

Little Donkey travelling onwards on that dusty road.

Donkey loved following the Winterborne – He could cool his hooves and quench his hooves.

Visiting Stickland Church we met the Ladies of “Women Alive” and listened to their discussion on the Holy Spirit of God.

A rest on the bench outside the Church allowed us to admire the newly tended flower bed.

Did the Benefice leaders notice the donkey eating the biscuits?

Then Donkey was loaded into the back of a motability car and we were taken safely up the hill to Milton Abbas, and the Cottage on the top of the Hill.

(Donkey didn’t Poo in the car!!!!!!)

A welcoming light in the window welcomed us to our new Posada.

After supper we joined the Benefice Leadership Meeting – then home for a photo shoot and bed.

Warm and cosy!

 

2^nd December 2015

 

Porridge for breakfast we are promised then onwards and downwards to Winterborne Whitechurch.

Watch out - the donkey might be a little lively with (porridge) oats for breakfast! 

Posada Day 2 - update

Blandford Choral Society singing carols to them at our rehearsal last night. Mary, Joseph and the donkey were very popular with the singers.

Richard and Karen

Posada Day 1 and 2 - News Update

DAY 2: Mary, Joseph and the donkey have made it to W.Stickland and Richard and Karen have settled them in. Richard says

'The guests have just been taken to their rooms and are getting ready to join us for something to eat before going singing. I think they're happy with the accommodation, particularly the donkey who has a room to himself.'

DAY 1: There was some concern that the donkey was not going to be fit enough for the long journey to  Bethlehem. He sat through  out the whole of the church service in Turnworth on Sunday

Posada - Making room for Jesus this Christmas

 

What is Posada?

 Posada is an old Mexican tradition where young people dressed as Mary and Joseph travelled from house to house asking for a room for the night and telling people about the imminent arrival of Jesus in the weeks leading up to Christmas. On Christmas Eve they would visit the local church to re-enact the nativity and place figures of Mary and Joseph in a crib.

 Modern day Posada uses nativity figures of Mary and Joseph who travel from place to place. This gives each ‘host’ the chance to create their own celebration in their home or place in the community, worshipping and reaching out to their communities with the real message of Christmas, making room for Jesus in their lives.

 
Our Benefice has chosen to engage with Posada this year. Will you get be a host to Mary and Joseph for a night? Their journey begins on the first day of Advent - Sunday 29th November.

 What is involved?

 
All you need to do is add your name to the Journey Rota by contacting Harriet on MAWVoffice@btinternet.com for a night that will suit you to ‘host’ Mary & Joseph. Another person from our community will make arrangements to bring the figures to your place at a time to suit both of you.
 
For the evening you ‘host’ Mary & Joseph you can choose to do what ever you like. Why not invite friends and family to sing carols and to talk about the meaning of Christmas? Or just place them where you can see them so you are able to focus for a moment on the Nativity. After all – Christmas begins with the Nativity!
 
The next day you need to take Mary & Joseph to the next host on the Journey Rota. You might like to place a small surprise note or gift in Mary and Joseph’s travel box, for their next Posada hosts.

It’s as simple as that.
 
We hope you will enjoy taking part.

Harriet, Emily, Sue and Alan

Christmas trees already?

Charity  Christmas Tree Festival

 

St James Church

Milton Abbas

 

Saturday 12 December 2015 until 6 January 2016

Family Carol Service - Sat. 12 at 5.00 pm

Mulled wine & mince pies

 

Please do join us and make this sparkling event which

 introduces the true spirit of Christmas 

to the village and our visitors.

The theme this year is 'Ancient Trades or Crafts'. Tree height between 3 ft and 5 ft either real or artificial. Decoration will take place on Wednesday 9, Thursday 10 and Friday 11 any time from 9.30 am - 7.00 pm. If you would like to put lights on your tree please bring an extension lead.

 

This is an opportunity for people to show the theme in an imaginative and festive way and be part of a unique mixture of heritage, community expression and fun. During the festival the public will be invited to wander through the forest of decorated trees and soak up the festive atmosphere. 

The event is being jointly organised by the PCC and Unity-Joy Dale, and the funds raised will be donated to charity. We are looking for families, individuals and organisations to support the event by decorating a tree in the church. There will be a charge of £5 to cover the cost of electricity used during the festival. If you would like to contribute please contact Unity on 01258 88024001258 880240 or unityjoy4@aol.com  to register your tree, preferably before November 15.

 

Warm wishes

Unity-Joy Dale

unityjoy4@aol.com

A Confirmation service to remember

 Saturday 7th November was the date set for Richard, Heather and Mercedes to be confirmed  at
Salisbury Cathedral during the Baptism and Confirmation service in All Saintstide. Friends and family arrived for a rehearsal and in time to see the Cathedral 'glowing' from the setting sun. We were given a very warm welcome by the Dean and then candidates and their sponsors started their rehearsal while the rest of us went off for tea, a viewing of the Magna Carta and a little explanation about the service and what would be happening. We then all met up again and there was an expectant buzz about the place.
The service began in darkness and with a reading from Isaiah 43:1-3a,6b-7. We all sang the Taize chant 'Veni sancta Spiritus' as Genesis1:1-3 was read. It was all very atmospheric. After the candidates for baptism and confirmation were presented, they moved to the magnificent font where the baptisms took place. Everyone then moved on towards the spire crossing where those to be confirmed were presented to one of the three bishops.The congregation was encouraged to move through the cathedral with the clergy and candidates.

At the end of the service the west end doors were opened and everyone followed the Bishops outside onto the steps of the cathedral. The night was clear and dry and there were distant fireworks exploding into the sky. Here we were able to group with all the people who had come to support from the Benefice - what a great turn out!

I think everyone would agree it had been a wonderful service.

 

 One added bonus - Alan and I, Richard and Tina - were some of the last to leave through the open West Doors - it was awesome to stand in the empty cathedral!

 



Link To Hope Christmas Boxes!

Link to hope Christmas boxes

166 boxes!!

On Tuesday the South Aisle in St James was a hive of activity with people filling, packing and wrapping the shoe boxes that will be sent to deprived families in the Eastern Bloc.

A huge ‘thank you’ to all those generous people who responded to our pleas for toys for children, hats and gloves to keep people warm and treats for everyone. Thanks too your donations of money that enables the charity to deliver the gifts.

Well done to everyone involved

Paula K

 







'Nigella' of the kitchen (Paula K checking the soup for lunch)

 

 ---  From this to this  ---

 

Alan learning the ropes!




All ready to go!

 

Read more about Link to Hope HERE