I wish I could bottle up all the joy that was experienced this week and give you all a bottle each!
We welcomed 500 children and 100 adults to Church on Thursday for the three Pantivity performances. I was truly blessed to be on the door saying goodbye with a high five to each child. The children said things like “that was awesome” and “I loved being here.” My favourite response was from a child on Thursday evening. I asked her, what was the best bit about it, and she said “the part when baby Jesus was born.”
Yes! She grasped the reason for it all – the birth of Jesus. Amidst the puns, the slapstick, the puppets, and the music, the greatest message was received loud and clear – God’s son Jesus was born.
Tonight (Saturday 7th December) we have another great event in Church – a ‘Christmas Cracker’ concert with Thornton Cleveleys Brass Band. It starts at 7:30 PM. It costs £7.50, payable on the night.
Tomorrow we’re looking forward to welcoming Rev Steve Haskett and Lisa Haskett to our services, to give us an update on the work of the Life Association in India.
However, before we get any further into our news and events, I must share with you some important but sad news…
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Mrs Barbara Sillis
Mrs Barbara Sillis died yesterday morning. She died peacefully. Her sons Andrew and Nigel are most grateful to all of their mother’s friends at church for your friendship, support, visits and prayers.
Barbara has been a faithful follower of the Lord Jesus and an equally faithful servant. The people of Christ Church Thornton have meant so much to her (and her late husband Fr. Keith) throughout her life. So many years of her service were spent as the branch leader of the Mothers’ Union. I know the news of her death will affect many people who have been inspired to follow and serve the Lord through Barbara’s ministry.
Once the details of her funeral are known I will let everyone know, however it is anticipated it will be some time away yet. Please do pray for Andrew, Nigel, and their families. And please do join me in giving thanks for her life…
Almighty God and heavenly father, we praise and thank you for the life, faith and service of your child Barbara. We thank you for the heavenly hope you have given us, through the death and resurrection of your Son, the hope that assures us Barbara is with the Good Shepherd – her Saviour Christ Jesus. Please surround Andrew and Nigel and their families with your comfort, peace, and presence, with the sure and certain hope of the resurrection to eternal life. May she rest in peace and rise in glory, Amen.
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Sunday Services
The services and activities on Sunday 8th December are:
- 9:00 AM Traditional (The Book of Common Prayer) Service of Holy Communion (with refreshments afterwards)
- 10:00 AM Meadows Books open (until 10:45 AM)
- 11:00 AM Contemporary Communion Service (livestreamed with refreshments afterwards)
- 12:15 PM Meadows Books’ open (until 12:45 PM)
- 5:00 PM – Treehouse Family Worship (with refreshments)
- 6:00 PM – Sanctuary Youth Club
- 6:00 PM Meadows Books open (until 6:15 PM)
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Watching Online, Bible Reading and Order of Service
Our livestream can be viewed on our YouTube channel here and our Facebook channel here. In our services we will be looking at the following Bible reading: Revelation 21.1-2 (Church Bible page 1039). The 11:00 AM order of service is available here.
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Looking ahead…
Some special Christmas services to be aware of…
Sunday 22nd December
- Traditional Carol Service at 10:00 AM
- Nativity Service at 5:00 PM
- Mulled wine and mince pies at 6:00 PM
- Contemporary Carol Service at 7:00 PM
Tuesday 24th December (Christmas Eve)
- Christingle Service at 3:00 PM
- Midnight Communion Service at 11:30 PM
Wednesday 25th December (Christmas Day)
- Christmas Morning Service at 10:00 AM
- Community Chistmas Dinner at 1:00 PM
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Advent Daily Devotions
For each day during Advent (starting tomorrow) there is a daily devotion to read and reflect on. Download the Fruitful app to read, watch, or listen. Click here to download the Fruitful App for Android and click here to download for Apple. Or, you can click here to see the booklet as a PDF. You can also access most of the content of the app through the fruitful website: www.fruitful.faith
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Prayer for Growth and Renewal
Every Tuesday evening in the Community Centre Hall is an opportunity to come together to pray for growth and renewal. It’s from 7:45 PM to 8:30 PM. A hot drink on arrival, a short video and then a time of prayer. Why not come along and join in?
The Diocese of Blackburn have put together a prayer for growth and renewal, which you’ll start to see included in our Sunday services…
God of Mission, who alone brings growth to your church, send your Holy Spirit to give vision to our planning, wisdom to our actions, joy to our worship, and power to our witness. Help our church to grow in numbers, in spiritual commitment to you, and in service to our local community, through Jesus Christ our Lord. Amen.
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Carols at Blackpool Tower
An organisation in Blackpool called Refreshment UK are running a special celebration of carols at the Tower. It’s on Tuesday 10th December from 7:30 PM to 9:30 PM. Favourite carols will be accompanied by the band from the Salvation Army at Blackpool Citadel. For more information and tickets please click on this link here.
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Christmas Day Dinner Planning Meeting
The second planning meeting for the Christmas Day Community Dinner is taking place on Thursday 12th December at 7:30 PM in the Community Centre Hall.
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School Christingle Services
We’re looking forward to welcoming back hundreds of children to Church on Friday 13th December for two Christingle Services (for the school children and their staff only).
Because these span across the morning and afternoon, the usual activities which meet in Church will not be able to take place. Therefore there will be no Pilgrim’s Rest and no Chat & Craft on Friday 13th December. Please do spread the word to those who would usually attend but do not receive this email.
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News from Alan Hogarth in Kenya
Reverend Alan Hogarth (member of the 9:00 AM congregation) and his wife Susan have been in Kenya all through 2024. Alan has been teaching the bible in a theological college and has been training pastors and visiting churches to encourage them in their ministry. Just recently he preached at an outdoor graduation ceremony. You can see a video of it here. Please do continue to pray for Alan and Susan. A few days ago Alan sent this email update…
Good morning from a warm and sunny Thika,
Just a quick email to bring you up to date with our final few weeks here in Kenya. We are both keeping well and looking forward to being back in England and seeing many of you over the next couple of months. We have just held a very successful weekend away with the staff here at college, which was very productive in terms of re-arranging college life after we leave. We also climbed a mountain together and visited a beautiful waterfall. There was one incident where one of the locals, who runs the local pub, tried to tell us that we had to pay him to use the footpath. The argument got quite heated but he eventually backed down. We were self-catering so all the food was prepared by the Kenyan including a bbq where we bought a goat. I have some interesting photos!
I am preaching at Kagwe Parish (Mount Kenya South) this Sunday on John 1:1-14, and then from the 17th to the 20th I am leading the Bible Studies at the Diocesan Youth Conference on Colossians. Before that we are taking a trip to Tanzania to renew our visas as they expire on the 20th December and we are busy preparing the Academic calendar for 2025.
College breaks for Christmas on the 21st December and I am preaching at Kware parish (Thika Diocese) on Christmas Day, our final official appointment here in Kenya. After the new year we are taking a short holiday before returning home.
Dr. Munyua (Principal) wants me to run one of the college courses, which is called Continuous Bible Reading, virtually. The course is 3 terms and is a course that begins at Genesis and takes the students all the way through the Bible to Revelation. Each study will last between 30 to 60 minutes. I’m thinking of recording it so students can play catch up if their internet connections fail (which often happens). For the technical people out there I am assuming I can do that using OBS studio.
Thank you again for your support and prayers, and see you all soon.
Alan and Susan
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Playhouse Nativity
Each morning at Playhouse (for babies, toddlers and their parents/carers) from Monday 16th to Thursday 19th December there will be a pop-up nativity (for those who attend Playhouse). It’s from 10:00 AM to 11:00 AM in the Community Centre Hall.
Going on a special tour of the building, Banjo Bob, Lyrical Lauren, and Deputy Damian will be leading the cast of mini actors. The first stop will be the Pilgrim’s Rest. Will there be any water or snacks for the donkey? The next stop will be the bookshop. Will there be any room at the Inn? The next stop will be the Choir Vestry. Where are the shepherds? The final stop will be the Church, in preparation for the birth of a very special baby. Where are the angels?
Parents and carers are encouraged to bring costumes for themselves and their children!
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Festive Musical Lunches
You’re invited to the very popular (book early!) Festive Musical Lunches – with carrot & coriander soup, turkey sandwiches, yule log, and cheese and crackers. There’ll be Christmas crackers, carols, and the opportunity to join Banjo Bob to spin the wheel with his famous catchphrases: “round and round the wheel goes, where it stops nobody knows…once completed it must be deleted!”
Please please please BOOK here using this link rather than just tell someone you are coming.
They are on:
- Monday 16th December, 12:00 Noon.
- Tuesday 17th December, 12:00 Noon.
- Wednesday 18th December, 12:00 Noon.
- Thursday 19th December, 12:00 Noon.
The cost is £10 per person per lunch. If affordability is a problem, please don’t let that put you off. Have a chat with Damian or one of the team.
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Christmas Carol Services & Treehouse Nativity
Join us to sing your favourite carols at one of our Carol Services and the Treehouse Nativity on Sunday 22nd December:
- 10:00 AM Traditional Carols and Communion
- 5:00 PM Treehouse Nativity
- 6:00 PM Mince Pies and Mulled Wine
- 7:00 PM Contemporary Service of Lessons and Carols
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Orange & Chat!
Christingle Elves needed! This annual event to prepare the Christingles will be on Monday 23rd December from 2:30 PM to 4:30 PM in the Community Centre Hall. We’ll be getting all the components together. Various roles required, from bagging up sweets, to wrapping the oranges, to dropping a doughnut in each bag. Come along and have some fun.
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Christingle
An orange, some red ribbon, sweets on sticks and a glow stick. Somehow it all points to the birth of Jesus, the Light of the World. Come and join us for our Christingle service at 3:00 PM on Christmas Eve, Tuesday 24th December.
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Christmas Day Community Dinner 2024“Delicious Food, Friendship, Faith, and Joy”
We are looking forward to hosting a joy filled afternoon on Wednesday 25th December from 1:00 PM onwards in the Community Centre Hall. The meal is for anyone who might benefit from having company on Christmas Day. Enjoy a proper Christmas Dinner with all the trimmings, followed of course by pudding, cake, and cheese and biscuits! There will be a quiz and live music.
There is no charge for any of the food or the activities. God gave the generous gift of Jesus at the first Christmas. We believe in sharing the generous love of God with anyone who would like to receive it.
Booking is essential. Please sign up using this link here.
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Ladies Annual Winter Dinner Delicious food, convivial company, good fellowship and even better no washing up afterwards! It’s on Wednesday 22nd January 2025 at the Briardene Hotel in Cleveleys. Menus are available from Judith Murphy. The cost of the meal is £30 which includes gratuities. Please make your menu choice and hand in payment before Christmas.
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Bible Teaching Workshops
- 9:30 AM – 12:45 PM on Saturday 25th January Jonathan Lamb will be coming to Poulton to lead a bible teaching workshop on The Message of 2 Corinthians. For more details and to book click on this link here.
- 6:30 PM on Thursday 27th February at Singleton Lodge, Rev Andrew Sach will be speaking on the subject of “How is Christian faith still relevant in this modern scientific world?” This evening includes an evening meal and drinks and is ideal to invite a friend. For more details and to book click on this link here.
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2025 Treehouse Weekend Away – “Hallowed”
BOOKINGS ARE NOW OPEN!
At the Thornleigh Christian Hotel from Friday 31st October to Sunday 2nd November. You can book and pay for places for the weekend here. If you’d prefer to pay in instalments by bank transfer, you can find the bank details here.
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Giving to God
There are numerous ways to give to God and contribute to the mission and ministry of Christ Church:
- Bank transfer – details available here
- By dated giving envelopes (on request)
- By contactless machine at the back of Church (or sometimes positioned in the Pilgrim’s Rest or the Community Centre)
- Online giving – you can give online here
- You can give by text with a smartphone. Send a text to 07380 307 800 containing our keyword “CCTFY5”, followed by the word “give”, followed by the amount you wish to give. For example “CCTFY5 give £10” to give £10. Step by step instuctions here
- Cash in the collection plate (positioned on the font)
Bank transfer or standing order is the preferred method of giving as they do not have any processing fees attached. Tax payers can add Gift Aid to their gift. More information about this can be found on the website here.
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Diary of Activities and Services
Monday 9th December
- 9:00 AM to 9:30 AM – Morning Prayer in Church
- 10:00 AM to 12:00 Noon – Pilgrim’s Rest in the Chapel
- 10:00 AM to 11:00 AM – Playhouse (parent, baby and toddlers) in the Community Centre
- 10:00 AM to 1:00 PM – The Meadows Bookshop and Giftshop
- 10:00 AM to 1:00 PM – Food Pantry available (emergency food support)
- 12:00 Noon to 1:45 PM – Lyrics and Lunch in the Community Centre and Church
- 12:00 Noon to 1:00 PM – Quiet Hour in Church
- 2:30 PM to 4:30 PM – Bowl & Chat in the Community Centre
- 7:45 PM to 9:15 PM – Growth Group in the Community Centre
Tuesday 10th December
- 9:00 AM to 9:30 AM – Morning Prayer in Church
- 10:00 AM to 12:00 Noon – Pilgrim’s Rest in the Chapel
- 10:00 AM to 11:00 AM – Playhouse (parent, baby and toddlers) in the Community Centre
- 10:00 AM to 1:00 PM – The Meadows Bookshop and Giftshop
- 10:00 AM to 1:00 PM – Food Pantry available (emergency food support)
- 10:00 AM to 12:00 Noon – Craft & Chat in Church
- 12:00 Noon to 1:00 PM – Lunch in the Community Centre
- 7:45 PM to 8:30 PM – Prayer for Growth in the Community Centre
Wednesday 11th December
- 8:00 AM to 8:30 AM – Breakfast Club and Walking Bus to Royles Brook School in the Community Centre
- 8:00 AM to 10:30 AM – Fridaymen volunteers in the Churchyard and Church
- 9:00 AM to 9:30 AM – Morning Prayer in Church
- 10:00 AM to 12:00 Noon – Pilgrim’s Rest in the Chapel
- 10:00 AM to 11:00 AM – Playhouse (parent, baby and toddlers) in the Community Centre
- 10:00 AM to 1:00 PM – The Meadows Bookshop and Giftshop
- 10:00 AM to 1:00 PM – Food Pantry available (emergency food support)
- 10:00 AM to 10:45 AM – Wednesday Morning Growth Group in Church
- 11:15 AM to 12:00 Noon – Traditional (BCP) service of Holy Communion in Church
- 12:00 Noon to 1:00 PM – Lunches for Seniors in the Community Centre
- 12:00 Noon to 1:00 PM – Quiet Hour in Church
- 7:30 PM to 8:45 PM – Worship Team Rehearsal
Thursday 12th December
- 9:00 AM to 9:30 AM – Morning Prayer in the Bookshop
- 10:00 AM to 12:00 Noon – Pilgrim’s Rest in the Chapel
- 10:00 AM to 11:00 AM – Playhouse (parent, baby and toddlers) in the Community Centre
- 10:00 AM to 1:00 PM – The Meadows Bookshop and Giftshop
- 10:00 AM to 1:00 PM – Food Pantry available (emergency food support)
- 12:00 Noon to 1:45 PM – Lyrics and Lunch in the Community Centre
- 12:00 Noon to 1:00 PM – Quiet Hour in Church
- 2:30 PM to 4:30 PM – Bat & Chat in the Community Centre
- 7:30 PM to 8:30 PM – Christmas Day Dinner Planning Meeting in the Community Centre
Friday 13th December
- 8:00 AM to 10:30 AM – Fridaymen volunteers in the Churchyard and Church
- 9:00 AM to 9:30 AM – Morning Prayer in Church
- 10:00 AM to 12:00 Noon – Pilgrim’s Rest in the Chapel
- 10:00 AM to 1:00 PM – The Meadows Bookshop and Giftshop
- 10:00 AM to 1:00 PM – Food Pantry available (emergency food support)
- 10:00 AM to 11:00 AM – Thornton Primary School Christingle Service
- 12:00 Noon to 1:00 PM – Quiet Hour in Church
- 1:30 PM to 2:30 PM – Royles Brook Primary School Christingle Service
- 2:30 PM to 3:30 PM – Move and Chat in the Community Centre
Saturday 14th December
- 10:00 AM to 1:00 PM – The Meadows Bookshop and Giftshop
Sunday 15th December
- 9:00 AM – Traditional (The Book of Common Prayer) Service of Holy Communion (with refreshments afterwards)
- 10:00 AM – Meadows Books open (until 10:45 AM)
- 11:00 AM – Contemporary Communion Service (livestreamed and with refreshments afterwards)
- 12:15 PM – Meadows Books’ open (until 12:45 PM)
- 5:00 PM – Treehouse Family Worship (with refreshments)
- 6:00 PM – Meadows Books open (until 6:15 PM)
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Sermon Series
Here is an insight into what’s coming up in our services….
- Sunday 8th December (Advent 2)
- Theme: ‘The dwelling place of God is with man’
- Passage: Revelation 21
- With special guests Steve and Lisa Haskett presenting an update on the work of ‘The Life Association’
- Sunday 15th December (Advent 3)
- Theme: “I am coming soon”
- Passage: Revelation 22
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With blessings,
Damian
