13th December 2020 All Saints Church, Childwall
READ – John 1 v6-8 & 19-28 6 There was a man sent from God whose name was John. 7 He came as a witness to testify concerning that light, so that through him all might believe. 8 He himself was not the light; he came only as a witness to the light.
19 Now this was John’s testimony when the Jewish leaders in Jerusalem sent priests and Levites to ask him who he was. 20 He did not fail to confess, but confessed freely, ‘I am not the Messiah.’ 21 They asked him, ‘Then who are you? Are you Elijah?’ He said, ‘I am not.’ ‘Are you the Prophet?’ He answered, ‘No.’ 22 Finally they said, ‘Who are you? Give us an answer to take back to those who sent us. What do you say about yourself?’ 23 John replied in the words of Isaiah the prophet, ‘I am the voice of one calling in the wilderness, “Make straight the way for the Lord.”’ 24 Now the Pharisees who had been sent 25 questioned him, ‘Why then do you baptise if you are not the Messiah, nor Elijah, nor the Prophet?’ 26 ‘I baptise with water,’ John replied, ‘but among you stands one you do not know. 27 He is the one who comes after me, the straps of whose sandals I am not worthy to untie.’ 28 This all happened at Bethany on the other side of the Jordan, where John was baptising.
REFLECT: Who are you? What would your response be if someone asked you that question?
I suspect for all of us we would answer by talking about what defines us. We may say, I am a husband or a Mum or a brother or a wife a son or a daughter or a Grandparent for example. Equally though we may answer by talking about what we do. For example, I am a student an Engineer a teaching assistant a nurse or I am retired.
For John the Baptist when asked this question, he answers by saying who he isn’t because he was asked initially if he was the Messiah and then Elijah or one of the prophets. The Priests and Levites that were asking these questions of John the Baptist got frustrated in the end. They demand a response from him, “Give us an answer to take back to those who sent us” they say. “What do you say about yourself”? He replies by talking about the task that God has given him to complete. He quotes from Isaiah “I am the voice of one calling in the wilderness, “Make straight the way for the Lord.”
John believes that his task in life is not to talk about himself but to direct people to Jesus and to encourage them to be ready by repenting of their sins and being baptised. A public commitment to their faith and belief in the Messiah to come – Jesus!
John is bold and challenges the priests and Levites that have come to question him by saying directly to them, “But among you stands one you do not know”! For these learned men to hear John’s words would probably have made them angry. I hope as well though that some of them were receptive to what John was saying, and realised that they didn’t know everything.
RESPOND:
Sometimes in life we can be comfortable with what we know and believe and how we live. Spend a few moments thinking about how you would answer the question that John was asked, “Who are You”? Think about who and what you include in your answer. Do you talk about what you believe, your faith?
The challenge of John is one that is for all of us still today. Do you know Jesus? Do you believe that he is the Saviour of the world, the son of God? Can I encourage you to take some time to pause before God and to talk to him in prayer. Tell him how you feel, what your struggles and challenges are that you are facing.
Remember that God knows you and loves you and wants you to know him as well!
PRAY:
Heavenly Father, thank you that you loved this world so much that you sent your Son Jesus to be its Saviour. Help me at this time of Advent to know how much you love me and help me to follow you every day and to share your love with others. Through Jesus Christ our Lord. Amen.
Andrew Colmer (Vicar of All Saints, Childwall)
Dear Friends,
Church Services – Our church building will be open this Sunday 13thDecember for two morning services at 9.30am and 11am. Both services will be the same and will last about 30mins. Everyone attending will need to wrap up well as the church building will be cold. The heating will be on but the doors have to be open for ventilation and we are not sure how much difference the heating will make. If you choose to come please remember to wear a face mask. Our 9.30am Service will be filmed and then uploaded to our website hopefully by about 11am so that it can be viewed online. We are only able to use every other pew so we have limited space. We are not using a booking system but hopefully as previously when we were open, we will not need to turn anyone away.
Church Services Online – You can access our recorded services from church online every week on our Church website. www.allsaintschildwall.org.uk
Christmas Cards – Please can I ask you not to give out Christmas cards in church or leave any in church for other people to collect. The virus can be present on paper and cards and can potentially live for a fewdays. We have worked hard to keep our church building Covid-secure and we need to ensure that this continues by not allowing any possible risks into the building. All our service books and bibles and leaflets have all been removed to ensure that this is the case.
Rock Club Online Now!– Our youth and children’s worker Gypsey has developed online activities for Pebbles, Rock Club & Boulders. These can be accessed on our website: https://www.allsaintschildwall.org.uk/online-rock-club/
If you would like to be kept informed and receive specific emails detailing our Youth & Children’s Worship please can you let us know by emailing gypsey.allsaintschildwall@gmail.com
Evening Prayer every Sunday at 6pm – Every Sunday evening the Readers will be hosting a weekly service of Evening Prayer on Zoom at 6pm. Using the Zoom facility, the Readers will host Evening Prayer each Sunday at 6.00pm. The liturgy and the readings will all appear on the screen and there will be a short reflection on the New Testament passage which has been set for the day. Please join us. Garry Critchley
Meeting ID: 789 873 7449 Passcode: Newsman1
For further details please contact me at garry.critchley@gmail.com 0151 722 9643
Advance Notice – CHRISTINGLE AT HOME – Join us this Sunday, December the 13th at 4 pm for our Christingle at home service in aid of the Children’s Society. We will be creating our Chrisingles step-by-step during the Zoom service, so please do not prepare them beforehand. Here is a short video for parents to watch before the service if you would like to have an idea of how we will be putting these together on the night. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=fIl6SA01mg8
Join Zoom Christingle: Topic: All Saints Childwall, Christingle Service Time: Dec 13, 2020 16:00 PM
https://us04web.zoom.us/j/79794105809?pwd=SGMyN0VFUm0wa0xmTzdxNzEyVVFyZz09
Meeting ID: 797 9410 5809 Passcode: Hooray
Once our Christingles are ready, we will be able to join people all over the country worshipping God through the National Christingle Service. Donations to the Children’s Society can be made through our church’s online giving page https://thyg.uk/CUS046701
The light shines in the darkness and the darkness has not overcome it! (John 1:15)
Weekly News – If you are aware of anyone who is not receiving all the weekly news that we are sending out please ask them to send me their email address so I can add them to our master email list.
Advent Calendar – Link below for our Advent Calendar with daily reflections from members of All Saints.
Boys’ Brigade
75th anniversary badges
The Boys’ Brigade are celebrating 75 years at All Saints’ and, to mark this milestone,the guys have had a commemorative badge struck.
If you’d like to get hold
of one (…because it’s never too
early to think about Christmas
presents!), be sure to check
out the flyer or email the team:
35Liverpool@boys-brigade.org.uk
FREE money for All Saints Church when you shoponline
easyfundraising.org.uk is the UK’s leading charity online shopping website. It helps good causes raise money when people shop online for everyday items. The online retailers will donate a percentage of your purchase to All Saints Churchwithout you incurring any extra cost.
It just takes a minute to register and then each time you shop online simply login to easyfundraising and click on the link to your chosen retailer.
To register just follow the simple steps below
Go to www.easyfundraising.org.uk1. Click on ‘Find a cause’ and type in All Saints Church-Childwall.2. Fill out the quick form to register your details.3. Find the retailer you want to shop with.4. Click on Go Shopping to visit the retailer’s site 5. Shop as you normally would.6. Remember, save easyfundraising.org.uk as a favourite and next time you want to shop online simply log into your account, find your retailer and click Go Shopping. 7. The retailer’s donation will be show in your account within 30 days.
Thousands of retailers are signed up to donate to our cause when you shop online, e.g. Amazon, Tesco, Asda, Toys R Us, Debenhams, Argos, John Lewis, npower, BT, Dixons, Aviva, Thomas Cook, Virgin Media, Virgin Trains, Sky and many more ……..
| If you shop online regularly imagine how much money we could raiseat no extra cost to you! Please tell your friends and family. |
Access to church hall – If you are a key holder and need access to the church hall for resources or equipment for your organisation please will you speak to Peter Kefford and book your time in with him.
It would be helpful to do this on a Friday afternoon as our All Saints Playgroup will not be in again until Monday morning and we need to keep the building Covid secure. Thank you very much. Andrew
Thank you
Joan Mcclelland Stuart, Fiona and their families thank you all for your prayer support and practical help over many years. We also deeply appreciate the messages of sympathy, floral tributes and lovely meals we have received in recent weeks.
Weekly Prayer requests – If you would like other members of our church family to pray for you or a family member, please send me their names for this sheet, please ask permission from the person. Please pray for all those who are unwell at this time particularly praying for Bill Maitland.
Please pray for the bereaved family and friends of Alan McClelland who has sadly died.
All Saints Playgroup – Please support the work of All Saints Playgroup by purchasing a ‘Real Christmas Eve Box’ this year. the kits contain; The real message, goodies, reindeer food and a letter from Santa himself! They cost just £5:00 each. To order contact allsaintsplaygroup1@hotmail.co.uk. Or visit the playgroup facebook page https://www.facebook.com/All-Saints-Playgroup-107894217747755 for more information on this and other ways to get involved.
Parish Christmas Postcard – Thank you to all of you that have delivered our Church Christmas card this year to the roads of our parish.
Christmas Message – Patricia and John Britland Horne wish everyone a very happy Christmas and 2021. We support Guide Dogs for the Blind, so we hope you will excuse the lack of a Christmas card.
Daily Hope – free phoneline
This Advent and Christmas, in conjunction with the Church of England’s Comfort and Joy campaign, DailyHope will continue to offer all the national services as well as Comfort and Joy’s special reflections. In addition, BBC Songs of Praise’s Pam Rhodes offers listeners an introduction to some of her favourite carols; as well as a special festive series of ‘Christmas at Home on the Phone’.
Pastoral visiting – Current Government guidelines mean that we cannot visit people and go inside their homes or sit out in their gardens for a chat. Any face to face visiting will have to happen from the front gate, and with the colder and wetter weather will need to be brief so people don’t get cold. If you would value a chat or know anyone who would also appreciate a chat please let Helen or me know, our phone numbers and email addresses are at the bottom of this sheet, Thank You.
WEEKLY PRAYER MEETING – Weekly prayer meeting Thursday 6.30pm on Zoom. Why not join a group of us at All Saints that pray regularly. It lasts 40 minutes, you can pray, sit and listen or just contemplate.
Zoom Meeting: https://us04web.zoom.us/j/79853782379?pwd=NEloclhRVEJST3RFeUdUVEowSWJRUT09
Meeting ID: 798 5378 2379 Password: 7VUQh6 Aidan Holmes
Zoom Sunday coffee – Every Sunday 11.15am for 40 mins – remember to bring your own coffee!
Zoom Coffee – every Sunday at 11.15am Meeting ID: 842 767 1496 Password: 4allsaints
https://us04web.zoom.us/j/8427671496?pwd=K2dMMnlvTHpwTkxDNEV6bDYwQXBDQT09
With our prayers for you all at this time
Andrew Colmer – Vicar – Tel: 07305 842257 – vicar.allsaintschildwall@gmail.com
Helen Deegan – Curate – Tel: 07984 933467 – curate.allsaintschildwall@gmail.com
Gypsey Tait – Youth & Children’s Worker – Tel: 07961 793435 –gypsey.allsaintschildwall@gmail.com
Bill Forster – Associate Minister – william.forster1@btinternet.com
