All are welcome to join us for this year’s Lent course, beginning on Wednesday 5th March at 10.00am in the Annexe. It will be led by Revd Emma Smith.
The course runs each Wednesday morning until 2nd April. Following Nick Fawcett’s group study, ‘Spot the Difference’, we will be exploring what makes the Christian life distinctive. Everything you need will be provided, refreshments will be served as we start.
For more details contact– revemmasmith@outlook.com Or, if you are really really curious about the idea behind the course, take a look here https://nickfawcett.uk/2021/03/07/spot-the-difference/ to read the course author’s introduction.
Boy Jesus is the title of a talk by Dr Joan Taylor, to be presented at St Mary’s church Wivenhoe on Saturday 8 March.
Dr Joan Taylor has been invited to talk about her latest book Boy Jesus. It is about to be launched in a week or so.
Joan is an authority in Bible exegesis (Kings College London) with great understanding of the first century Judean society in which Jesus grew up as a boy. Her talk is on Saturday 8 March at 5.00pm at St Mary’s church. Highly recommended
The talk is free. No need to book your place. There will be an opportunity to buy the book at the talk, for those who wish.
Veterans of this event will have been expecting the announcement – which usually comes in time to prepare for a last pre-Lent fling. And so it is this time. The set-up will be familiar, with Peter Kerr as our renowned QM and quiz compiler, so regulars will be all set for the table quiz, and maybe guessing what year-related questions he might have dreamt up this time…
The cost per person will be £7 and this includes free coffee or tea in the break plus helpings of scrumptious cake. Tables of 6 maximum, and you may bring your own glasses and drink of choice. Please keep the snacks within reason – there’s a lot of cake to get through!
Admission by payment on the door on the night but registration closes on 15 February! e-mail Marika on wivstmaryscom@gmail.com to register your team.
A new course of Bible study is about to launch on 3 February. Guided by Jonas Lammens and Revd Canon Erwin Lammens, it consists of two parts of five sessions each.
The course tackles ten big themes found in the Letter to the Romans which are key to understanding the Christian faith Take a look here for the details.
Epiphany is the Church feast that celebrates the arrival of the three Magi who came to worship the child Jesus shortly after his birth. It is traditionally celebrated on January 6th. The Church celebrates it on the Sunday between 2 and 8 January. Around the world it’s also known as Little Christmas, and in many places includes the exchanging of gifts.
In Italy children wait for Befana, usually portrayed as an old witch-like woman, to deliver their Christmas gifts in the night of 5th January, while Santa and St Nicholas do the same in other traditions, and again on different dates.
The Church of England has special blessings for this season:
May God the Father, who led the wise men by the shining of a star to find the Christ, the Light from light, lead you also in your pilgrimage to find the Lord. Amen.
Christ our Lord, to whom kings bowed down in worship and offered gifts, reveal to you his glory and pour upon you the riches of his grace; and the blessing … Amen
But there’s another blessing that is unique to Epiphany: that of the tradition of blessing houses. Perhaps you know about it. Or you may have noticed the appearance of puzzling number and letter codes, chalked on door frames around the town: 20+C+M+B+25!
The letters stand for the tradtional names of the three Magi: Caspar, Melchior, and Balthasar, book-ended by the year’s numbers. They also represent the Latin blessing “Christus mansionem benedicat,” which means “May Christ bless this house.” (though I cannot help thinking that the order of the ‘supposed’ names conveniently achieves that particular outcome!).
Be that as it may, there is a rather lovely ceremony connected with this tradition that could have accompanied this Epiphany Blessing as it was delivered in Wivenhoe this year. Because yes, our local Rector and associate Parish Priest might have been spotted, going round various addresses between 2-5pm on Sunday 5th January, to give the Epiphany Blessing by prior request! If your household received one, please let us know in the comments of your experience!
This year even bigger and better than last! Lighting up to coincide with the start of the Christmas Market on Thursday 5 December, at 6.00pm. At 8 Spring Lane.
stmaryswivenhoe 