Hexham Abbey News. Volunteers Congregation Staff. Christmas Services at the Abbey. THIS SUNDAY: A Messy Christingle. Conservation Notes

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1 Christmas Services at the Abbey COMMUNITY CAROL SERVICE Thursday 21st December, 11am Relaxed Christmas carols in the Abbey followed by refreshments. CHILDREN S CAROL SERVICE Saturday 23rd December, 3pm A selection of favourite carols. 17th December NINE LESSONS AND CAROLS Saturday 23rd December, 2017 TICKETED: A few tickets still available. CHILDREN S CRIB SERVICE Sunday 24th December, 3pm TICKETED: None left, waiting list available. NINE LESSONS AND CAROLS Sunday 24th December, TICKETED: None left, waiting list available. MIDNIGHT COMMUNION OF THE NATIVITY Sunday 24th December, 11.30pm FESTIVE FAMILY CHRISTMAS DAY EUCHARIST Monday 25th December, 10am Volunteers Congregation Staff Hexham Abbey News HOLY COMMUNION FOR CHRISTMAS DAY Monday 25th December, 8.30am ST STEPHEN S DAY HOLY COMMUNION Tuesday 26th December, 12.00pm THIS SUNDAY: A Messy Christingle Sunday 17th December, 3pm Come along for a special Messy Church gathering with candles, oranges and sweeties! Other activities will remind us what the Christingle symbolises: The candle shows us that Jesus is the light of the world ; the red ribbon around the Christingle reminds us of God s love being like a circle that goes on forever and the sweeties stuck into the Christingle show God s goodness to us. All of these ideas will be explored in this festive family celebration for everyone to enjoy, and everyone will get to make their own Christingle to light up the Abbey with candles and song. Conservation Notes A bit of a mystery: These strange objects have come to light in the Treasury. Made of thin sheet steel or iron (they re rusty!) there is no obvious way to fill the top part that looks like it should be a tank. There is a rather crude little clip on the bottom which has nothing to latch onto. The main stem appears to have two channels, one to the tank at the top and one down the back with access by the clip at the top. Does anyone have a clue as to what they were for? No prizes other than the kudos of being right if you can come up with a plausible suggestion! Chris Britton Comfort ye my people: Handel's Messiah uses many lines from Isaiah Chapter 40. You ll see these in the display case in the North Nave aisle. Tom Kelsey

2 Who s Who This week we meet two new members to the Abbey team! Saffronn and Lucy are going to be working together looking after lettings in the Priory buildings as well as organising events. We welcome them warmly and wish them all the best in their new roles and look forward to all of their exciting projects for Do say hello if you see them around Saffronn Scott What is your name and how long have you been involved with the Abbey? Hi, I m Saffronn and I m very new to the team here, in fact just 1 month into my new role. What do you do in the Abbey? I have the role as Business Administrator, although I m sure you will see me in many different areas of the Abbey helping out. What did you want to be when you were little? I always wanted to be on the stage, although there s still time yet ;-) When you re not working, what do you like to do in your spare time? Spare time. What s that? I have 3 children at home so no spare time for me, although I do love a good book to read. If you could only eat one meal for the rest of your life, what would it be? Pizza is my most favourite food ever. What is your favourite book or film? Grease is definitely top of my film list. Where is your favourite place in the world and why? I think Benidorm, we had lots of family holidays there when I was growing up. Tell us a little-known fact about yourself: I m a big Disney fan! Lucy Orton What is your name and how long have you been involved with the Abbey? Lucy Orton, 2 weeks! What do you do in the Abbey? I am the newly appointed Lettings and Events Manager so I will become your go to woman for anything going on in the Priory Buildings and events in the Abbey. Can you describe a typical day in your life? I am not sure two weeks is long enough to describe a typical day here at the Abbey. However, I can tell you with certainty it will always start with a coffee from the Refectory café! When you re not working, what do you like to do in your spare time? Having just left the Tyneside Cinema I like to see as many films as I can. I also love to get crafty and have tried to hand make most of my Christmas presents. In fact, I have just finished needle felting a highland cow brooch, which I am very proud of indeed! What is your greatest accomplishment? Did I mention that highland cow? What is your favourite book or film? One of my favourite films has to be Hunt for the Wilderpeople, which I think everyone should go and watch immediately for a feel good 2 hours. It is also set in New Zealand, somewhere I dream of visiting. What's the most daring thing you've ever done? I hitchhiked from Newcastle to Croatia for charity when at Cardiff University. It was quite terrifying looking back but I did get to ride in the back of a lorry cab and see lots of German Motorway Service Stations. Not many people can say they ve carried an oversized foam thumb around Europe!

3 Upcoming Events CAROLS Monday 18th December, 7pm Invitation from Rev Andrew Patterson, Hospital Chaplain, to join in Christmas Carol Singing in Hexham General Hospital. WELCOME YULE Tuesday 19th December, 7.30pm Trinity Methodist Church Hall Hexham-based chamber choir Antiphon will be supporting West Northumberland Food Bank with a pre-christmas concert; good music and good company. Tickets: 10 from Cogito Books, Hexham and at the door. All proceeds to boost WNFB s work over the Christmas season. FORUM CINEMA SHOWS LITTLE TOWN OF BETHLEHEM Tuesday 19th December, 8pm This award-winning documentary captures the story of three men born into violence who now risk everything to find a path to peace through non-violent resistance. This film offers a model for conflict resolution that reaches far beyond the Holy Land. Nibbles in the cafe from 7pm, as well as a stall selling Palestinian produce. Tickets 8 on or call ST JOSEPH S MIDDLE SCHOOL PRESENTS ADVENT SERVICE OF LIGHT Wednesday, 20th December 2017, 7pm The staff and children of St. Joseph s would like to invite the local community to gather with them at school to celebrate and reflect upon the season of Advent. After the service, there will be refreshments available. CHRISTIAN MEDITATION in the Abbey will re-start on Monday 8th January, Monday 8th January will include some teaching on the practice of meditation within the Christian tradition. (Info: bridget.hewitt@btopenworld.com ) #GodWithUs on the Christmas Journey To accompany you on your Christmas journey, the Church of England has digital and paper support ready for you. The Abbey Shop is selling the Archbishop of Canterbury s Advent and Christmas booklet which includes a thought for every week of Advent and then for every day of the Christmas season. Highly recommended. If you prefer to receive things on your electronic device, you can sign up on the Church of England website or text GodWithUs to And remember, if you are tweeting about Posada or our Christmas Service, use the hashtag #GodWithUs which helps to spread the word. Crib Service Casting Call Casting Call for shepherds, wise men, all the host of heaven and so on Please do spread the word that we need participants for our annual trip to Bethlehem. It s fine to turn up on the day itself [at 2:15pm on Christmas Eve, please], but there is a core of characters we d like to have in place - please speak to Matthew if you can tread the boards... NB Additional tickets are now available for family of cast members, so don t worry if you haven t yet been able to get one! Again, please speak to the Executive Producer [Matthew]. Congregation News NEXT WEEK S PEW SHEET Double issue to cover December 24th and December 31st. FAREWELL TO JANE We are sad to say good bye to Jane as she leaves her post at the end of the year. However, there is a chance to say thank you and farewell properly to her on Sunday 14th January, after the 10am service. Any contributions to her leaving gift go to the Parish Office where you will also find a book to sign with a little message from you to her. SUPPORT CRISIS Thank you for your support. The donation point for Crisis (charity supporting homeless ) in the Slype (inside old porch, Beaumont Street entrance) ends on Tuesday, 19th December please no more items after that!

4 Sunday 17th December Third Sunday of Advent 8.30am Holy Communion President & Preacher Matthew Hunter 10.00am Parish Eucharist Readings Isaiah 61:1-4.8-end; John 1: President Preacher Matthew Hunter Rosemarie Herdman Intercessor Barbara Rowarth Kyrie Peruvian Motet Poston Jesus Christ the apple tree Sanctus & Agnus Dei Charpentier Mass in C Organ Couperin Offertoire sur les Grands Jeux Hymns A Messy Christingle Choral Evensong Readings Malachi 3:1-4; 4 Philippians 4:4-7 Officiant & Preacher Keith Lombard Responses Ayleward Anthem Sirett Thou shalt know him when he comes Canticles Purcell in E minor Organ Byrd Fantasia in C Psalm 27: 1-12 Hymns (omit v2) Abbey Services for the week beginning Monday 18th December 9.00am Morning Prayer and 5.00pm Evening Prayer (unless Choral Evensong) Monday 18th Dec 7.00pm Hexham Middle School Carol Service Matthew Hunter Tuesday 19th Dec 12.00pm 7.30pm Holy Communion Nigel Warner Queen Elizabeth High School Carol Service Matthew Hunter Wednesday 20th Dec 10.15am Holy Communion Mary Warner Tots Praise Thursday 21st Dec 11.00am 2.15pm Holy Communion Chris Simmons Prayer Group (Elizabeth Fish tel ) Community Carol Service Hexham First School Carol Service Matthew Hunter Saturday 23rd Dec 12.30pm Marriage of Joe Speed & Suzanne Forster Matthew Hunter Children s Carols Nine Lessons and Carols Sunday 24th December Fourth Sunday of Advent/Christmas Eve Joint Parish Eucharist Readings 2 Samuel 7:1-11; Luke 1:26-38 President Preacher Frank Dexter TBC Intercessor TBC Children s Crib Service & Matthew Hunter Nine Lessons and Carols 11.30pm Midnight Communion of the Nativity & Matthew Hunter For Your Prayers We pray for those who are unwell or who have asked for our prayers: Edna O Neil, Sheila Jackson, Yvonne Roberts, Doreen Beniams, Peter Barclay, Christopher Brown. We pray for those who have died and all those who mourn: Elizabeth Grande. Contact the Parish Office: /admin@hexhamabbey.org.uk

5 Available from the Hexham Abbey Gift Shop