Dear all,

*Switch to a new e-mail newsletter format **– last chance to be switched over to the new email format. You will need to be in touch if you haven’t already otherwise you will cease to receive these email newsletters from December.*

Advent is nearly upon us and that makes this Sunday - Stir Up Sunday! Those of you brought up with the tradition of making Christmas puddings this 5th week before Christmas will have perhaps heard of it. It was the day when families would make the pud, stir in all the ingredients, sometimes with everyone in the household having a stir, and then wrap it up and let it “age” before enjoying it on Christmas Day. However, that tradition grew out of the even older words of the Book of Common Prayer which has, as the collect for this Sunday before Advent begins:

*Stir up, we beseech thee, O Lord, the wills of thy faithful people; that they, plenteously bringing forth the fruit of good works, may of thee be plenteously rewarded; through Jesus Christ our Lord. Amen.*

We still have this wonderful prayer after communion this week. (Although interestingly we lose the beseeching as it is translated into modern language, you’ll have to try and spot it on Sunday and perhaps do the beseeching with tone of voice rather than the spoken word!)

I love the thought of being stirred up at this point in the year – as we look toward Advent and the preparations for Christmas. Sometimes we can forget that this season is about preparing ourselves as much as it is preparing for the hospitality and the generosity of the season. But this prayer isn’t about preparing ourselves in a penitential way it is about being excited, inspired, moved – stirred, to act for God. To grow fruit of God’s kingdom, to work and act in ways that bless others and glorify God – it is a wonderfully outward looking prayer. Perhaps we might translate it thus:

*“Dear God help us be alive for you! Move us from apathy so that we may make a difference in this world. That we may make your difference in this world. And in doing so, may we find blessing. Amen”*

I pray that you might feel the stirring of the Spirit this Sunday and that we may as a whole church be fruitful this Advent.

*News and Upcoming Events*

*Work on the Mill Road bridge bus gateway – has begun. *For more information as to the impact of this work and the bus gateway visit: https://www.cambridgeshire.gov.uk/news/work-to-begin-on-mill-road-bridge-bus...

*Sunday 1st December – putting up Christmas Decorations *Next Sunday after the service we will be decorating the church ready for Mill Road Winter Fair and Christmas. Please consider grabbing a cup of tea and staying for an extra half hour or so after the service to help decorate together. The more the merrier – many hands make light work – and all the rest!

*Monday 2nd December – 11.30am - Funeral Service for Doreen Jackson at St Philip’s Church*

*Friday 6th December – 10.30am – Funeral Service for Margaret Squires at St Philip’s Church*

*Saturday 7th December – Mill Road Winter Fair *We will once more be a fabulous choir venue with even more choirs than last year signed up to perform. If you can help host on the day there will be a sign-up sheet at church over the next few weeks. We will also be singing carols outside Co-op at 3.45pm in conjunction with St Martin’s church – come and join in to swell the song and spread the joy!

*Wednesday 11th December – 6.30pm – Carols at the Abbey *Cambridge United are once more hosting a carol service at the stadium. More information is available here: https://www.cambridgeunited.com/news/date-set-carols-cledara-abbey-stadium including how to purchase tickets (all proceeds to the Cambridge United Foundation).

*Christmas Services:*

Mon 16th December - 6pm Blue Christmas - *A service for those who find it hard to celebrate this time of year*

Sun 22nd December - 6pm Carol Service – *A service of traditional carols and readings*

Tues 24th December - 4pm Crib Service - *A dress up and join in nativity service*

11.30pm - Midnight Communion - *A quiet and reflective service to welcome in Christmas Day*

Wed 25th December - 10.30am Christmas Day Communion - *An All Age celebration of the birth of Jesus*

*Warm Spaces will also be open on Christmas Day (Wednesday 25th - 2.30-4pm) please let Ruth know if you would like to drop in so we can make sure there are enough festive treats for everyone!*

*Opportunities*

Would you be willing to help support teachers as they bring pupils from St Philip’s School to and from the church? Staff are often looking for extra help to walk with the children and if you are about in the day time and would be able to help it would be lovely to have some more church volunteers at school. Let me know if you can help.

Would you like to sign up to the CamCAN newsletter? Cambridge Christian Action Network exist to serve Christian organisations and churches in the Greater Cambridge area as they work to bring social change and improve people’s lives. If you’d like to know more please visit Home - Cambridge Christian Action Network https://www.camcan.org.uk/

*Eco-Bite – our new green “nugget” each week: *

Did you know that *every year in the UK we throw away enough wrapping paper to circle the globe nine times! *Why not try adding a little personal flair to your gifts this year and re-use an old magazine, comic book or newspaper to wrap up your presents. It’s recyclable, it saves money and you can personalise it for the gift receiver!

*Last Week’s sermon*

Last week’s sermon: sermon 17.11.24.mp3 http://sermons.stphilipschurch.org.uk/2024-11-17%20-%20Ruth%20-%20c.mp3

If you missed any previous sermons, or would like a second listen you can find them here:

The link to our sermon archive: St Philip's sermon archive http://sermons.stphilipschurch.org.uk/

*Prayers *

If any of you have specific prayers you would like us to include in this newsletter do please get in touch.

*Gilberty Chamunorwa – *please pray for Jojo, Petina, Ceasar and Albert’s dad - he is in hospital with a kidney infection. Please pray for his healing and for peace for the whole family as they worry about him.

*Doreen Jackson – *As you will have read above, Doreen’s funeral will take place at 11.30am on Monday 2nd December at St Philip’s Church. Please pray for Doreen’s family as they plan for the service and that they would know God’s love and peace in their sadness.

*Garry Holland* – Please pray for Garry who has recently been diagnosed with terminal cancer. We hold him and Pam, and all the family, up to God and ask that they know they are loved and held by both God and their community.

*Please pray for our Mission Partner this month:*

*The Leprosy Mission* – Leprosy can affect anyone. But the biggest impact is on people living in poverty or marginalised from society. These are the people The Leprosy Mission support. Everything they do is focused on their mission to break the chains of leprosy and empower people to attain healing, dignity and life in all its fullness. They have three main goals: to end the transmission of leprosy. To reduce the likelihood of people with leprosy being disabled after diagnosis. To partner with human rights organisations and people affected by leprosy to end the stigma associated with the disease.

*Services this week 24th -30th Nov*

*Sunday: Christ the King Sunday (last before Advent)*

*10.30am – Holy Communion with Explorers – *In our service this week we will be exploring Christ the King through the readings from Revelation 1:4b-8 and John 18:33-37.

If you can't attend church in person you can always use this Zoom link:

meeting ID: 976 3739 9129 and Passcode: 330714

https://us02web.zoom.us/j/97637399129?pwd=TGhKWWxOcWF1S242aVhrWDlJdUkxZz09

*Wednesday:*

*12noon - Reflective Holy Communion *A quiet time to help find space and peace in the middle of the week.

*Regular Weekly Prayers to join:*

*Monday & Friday 8.30pm – Compline on zoom *

Meeting ID: 836 5965 9953 Passcode: 749968 https://us02web.zoom.us/j/83659659953?pwd=btP5AjGMu1s-dE_2W9T0MMFqnnPKSS.1

*Wednesdays 7.00-7.30pm - Weekly Prayers on zoom*: - (Monthly in person – next in person prayer *18th December*)

Meeting ID: 852 1105 2733 Password: 397987

https://us02web.zoom.us/j/85211052733?pwd=OE52bm9NS1RtQVQ0ZytTc0xBZnVsUT09

*Regular Weekly small groups:*

*Thursdays 7.30pm – Bible study group at church*

*Saturdays 8.15am - Morning Bible Discussion and Prayer on zoom*:

Meeting ID: 143 338 655 Password: 824271

https://us02web.zoom.us/j/143338655?pwd=L1JJTFZJNU9EaFZjaUFjQzVlalpMZz09

With love and prayers

Ruth

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Blessings Ruth

*Revd Ruth Barry* *Vicar, St Philip's Church, Cambridge*

185 Mill Road, Cambridge, CB1 3AN 01223 318315 vicar@stphilipschurch.org.uk *My day off is Tuesday*