 Sundays Best - A Pick of the Readings Responsorial Psalm: Psalm 137 I thank you, Lord, with all my heart, you have heard the words of my mouth. Before the angels I will bless you. I will adore before your holy temple. Response: Before the angels I will bless you, O Lord. I thank you for your faithfulness and love which excel all we ever knew of you. On the day I called, you answered; you increased the strength of my soul. Response: Before the angels I will.... All earth’s kings shall thank you when they hear the words of your mouth. They shall sing of the Lord’s ways: “How great is the glory of the Lord!” Response: Before the angels I will.... You stretch out your hand and save me, your hand will do all things for me. Your love, O Lord, is eternal, discard not the work of your hand. Response: Before the angels I will.... **see full newsletter attachment below** 
| February Calendar Coffee Mornings: From 10.00am every Tuesday throughout February ) Services: Thur 14th Feb 9.30am Ss Cyril & Methodius Sun 17th Feb 9.30am Parish Mass Thu 21st Feb 9.30am Feria Sun 24th Feb 9.30am Parish Mass Thu 28th Feb 9.30am Feria Meetings: Mission Action Sub-Group Mon 18th Feb Parochial Church Council Mon 11th March Future Events Bishops Visit Wednesday 27th March Bishop Pete is visiting the Deanery between 10.30am & 2.30pm. The event will be hosted by Penistone St Johns but there will be an opportunity for all Parishes to make presentation of their work. Concerts WW2 Brass: Thur 5th September. Themed Concert to coincide with the start of the Second World War. Will also include a pictorial presentation. More details to follow. Xmas Brass: Thur 12th December. Usual mix of seasonal and contemporary music. Both concerts will feature Worsbrough Brass. | ||
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 On the evening of 24 December the Church’s celebration of Christmas begins. We have Midnight Mass at St Andrew’s at 11.30 pm and the following morning the Christmas Day Mass at St Peter’s at 10 am. For the Church, the season of Christmastide continues up to 13 January this year and ends on the Feast of the Baptism of the Lord. The most special days of this time are from Christmas Eve through to New Year’s Day, also called the Octave (eighth) day of Christmas. Just as with Easter, there are eight special days, simply because these times of year are so meaningful in the Church’s calendar.
Christmas celebrates the human birth of the Son of God, who was named Jesus. This fulfils God’s promise to be with his people and not to be distant from them or indifferent to their needs. God is with us and cares for us. For this reason the Christian faith always holds out hope for a new and better future. Even in our struggles we can become aware of the ways in which God is with us to inspire us and strengthen us and to fill our lives with his love. This does not bring the promise of an easy life, but it does hold out the prospect of countless blessings and the living hope of eternal life. We hope that you will have a joyful and peaceful Christmas and find time to be with family and friends as well as to get some well-earned rest. You are invited to come and join us too as we worship the God who is always with us.  An Advent Message from Fr Richard Not long to Christmas now! We are currently around the mid-point of Advent. There is much more to this time of year than just a countdown to Christmas. Advent is a season of its own in the Church’s year and is symbolised by the colour purple and by the coloured candles which are used for each Sunday during this time (three purple, one rose and a central white one for the coming of Christmas). During this time we can think about what it means to live in the expectation, not only of Christmas, but of the coming of Jesus Christ whose birth we are preparing to celebrate. The Advent candles represent: the Patriarchs who first led the people of Israel; the Prophets, who announced the coming of a Saviour; John the Baptist, who pointed Jesus out for other people and called them to prepare a way for him; and the Virgin Mary, who gave birth to the Son of God. So we can see that the birth of a Messiah was expected long before Jesus was born. When he came, not everyone was prepared for him and many did not accept him. Yet his life, death and resurrection brought change to the lives of so many and still does today. Those who live in the hope and expectation of knowing Jesus and the life he brings will not be disappointed. We need to prepare a way for him in our own lives though. This means turning away from the darkness of selfishness and cynicism. It means being prepared to grow in faith and in love for others. Christmas is an exciting time of year, but it can be a sad time also for many people. The Advent hope is that even in our sadness we can find our lives lit up by the presence of the Christ who was born in Bethlehem and who promised to be with us now and always. It is my own hope that many more people will find this special joy and the peace of knowing that we are loved unconditionally by the God who is always with us. Calendar for remainder of December Coffee Mornings: From 10.00am every Tuesday throughout December (except Christmas Day!) Services: Wed 19th Dec 12.00 noon Feria Thur 20th Dec 12.00 noon Feria Sun 23rd Dec 9.30am Parish Mass Christmas Eve Midnight Mass 11.30pm The Christmas Day Benefice Mass will be at St Peters at 10.00am Benefice Mass on 30th December will be at St Andrews at 10.00am. Social Activities: The Christmas Dinner was held this year at the Crown Inn on Monday 10th December. It included a raffle and quiz - great meal and great company. Thanks to Cath, Michael and the team for their hard work in helping make this an enjoyable evening. Worsbrough Brass once again gave a super performance in church on Thursday 13th December. The programme really put us in the Christmas spirit - thanks to all who supported this event. We look forward to our next concert hopefully in September next year.
View the slideshow below to catch up with our various projects and events to support and maintain the church. As I write this, we are already in that point of the Church’s year which is known as “Holy Week”. Although Christmas tends to be a bigger event in our country, for Christians this week is right at the heart of our faith. The main days are: Maundy Thursday, Good Friday, Holy Saturday and Easter Sunday. On the Thursday we remember the way in which Jesus gives us the example of loving service in the washing of his disciples’ feet. Even the Son of God did not consider himself too high and mighty to attend to people’s needs in a caring way. He also gave his disciples a “New Commandment” by which Christians promise to live by putting love at the centre of everything they do. Good Friday recalls the sacrifice Jesus made for the sake of truth and justice in the face of all opposition. If it were not for Easter and its message of new life, this Friday would be the bleakest of days.The first Easter began with an empty tomb and some very perplexed disciples. It was only later that they began to experience that Jesus was alive and that this was no mere figment of imagination. God is the giver of life and our human story does not end in death. Many who were sceptical about the message of the Resurrection came to believe as they experienced for themselves the life which could not be contained in a tomb. The stone was rolled away from the tomb not just for them but for us also. If we are open to the Easter message then it becomes a new beginning for us too; a source of hope and joy. So Happy Easter! Father Richard.
 NOTICES:
The next meeting of the PCC will be held on Monday 12th March 2018. Our coffee mornings continue to be held each Tuesday from 10.00am in the meeting area at the back of church. All are welcome to attend. Come along to meet your friends or make new ones. SERVICES: Thursday 1st March 9.15am - Stations of the Cross & Feria Sunday 4th March 9.30am - Parish Mass LATEST READINGS: First Reading: Genesis 22:1-2. 9-13.15-18 A reading from the book of Genesis. God put Abraham to the test. “Abraham, Abraham” he called. “Here I am” he replied. “Take your son,” God said “your only child Isaac, whom you love, and go to the land of Moriah.... Second Reading: Romans 8:31-34 A reading from the letter of St Paul to the Romans. With God on our side who can be against us? Since God did not spare his own Son, but gave him up to benefit us all, we may be certain, after such a gift, that he will not refuse anything he can give. Could anyone accuse those that God has chosen.... Gospel: Mark 9:2-10 A reading from the holy Gospel according to Mark. Jesus took with him Peter and James and John and led them up a high mountain where they could be alone by themselves. There in their presence he was transfigured: his clothes became dazzlingly white, whiter than any earthly bleacher could make them. Elijah appeared to them with Moses; and they were talking with Jesus. Then Peter spoke to Jesus.... |
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