All-age Christmas Festival
Nativity Service

Led by the Revd Lucy Brierley

ORDER OF SERVICE

The Church is fitted with a loop system.  The words of hymns and songs, and Bible readings etc are displayed on the screen. Bibles and hymn books in standard and large print are also available from the Welcomers.  As the Service is live streamed you (and / or your family) could be on camera as efforts are made to help those watching at home to feel a part of the worshipping congregation in the Church.  If you have any concerns regarding this, please speak to an Elder or Welcomer.

Welcome and Notices

Call to worship

Hymn – Come on and celebrate
          – Heaven invites you to a party

Prayers and The Lord’s Prayer

Lighting of the Advent Candles

Singing Group – ’Adore’

The Nativity
Includes hymns – Angels from the realms of glory (R&S 163 ) and Little Donkey

Hymn – See him lying on a bed of straw (R&S 151)

Prayers for others and Offering Prayer

Children’s Singing Group – ’Sing we the song of Emmanuel’

Hymn – Come and join the celebration (R&S 166)

Blessing & The Grace

NEWS AND FORTHCOMING EVENTS

You are invited to stay for refreshments after the Service if you wish. They will be served in the Forum and in the Sanctuary.  Please do stay if you can to enjoy a time to meet and talk with each other.

Christmas cards with details of the Services Please take away the spare ones to give to your friends and relatives and invite them to come to the remaining Services with you.

Christian Aid Christmas Appeal.  This runs from today until Sunday 1^st January and the focus is on Malawi and the work of a local Christian Aid partner teaching people how to farm in a way which helps get crops through times of drought, and nourishes them at no cost.  Hotter temperatures, drought, destructive downpours and floods are playing havoc with the growing seasons, causing food shortages in Malawi.
There are several different ways to donate:
1. The Dona card machine in the Forum
2. Via the Church website – www.wokingurc.org.uk
3. By using one of the envelopes for cash or cheques in the Forum
4. By sending a cheque (payable to Woking URC but write ‘Christian Aid’ on the back) to the Church or directly to the Church Treasurer
5. Paying directly to the Church’s bank account (details on ‘Giving to the Church’ section on the website)

Heathside parking permits. Free parking every Sunday from 8.30am to 1pm.  Ask a Welcomers for one to display in your car.

The Traidcraft Stall will be open today after the Service for all those ‘last minute’ items and cards, and to place orders.

If you would like to donate to the work of the Church this can be done in a variety of ways as described on the “Giving to the Church” page of the website. For one-off gifts, there is a direct link to the Dona online page from the “Give Online” button on the Home page, and the contactless device in the Forum is also
available.  There is a plate at the back of the Church and an offering bag under the Dona device in the Forum for anyone wishing to make a cash donation.

Leading Worship elsewhere.  Andrew Gibb is at Elstead URC this morning.

Financial clams.  Please submit 2022 claims/invoices to Jen Dickson / Chris Temple early this week and at the very latest by Thursday 29th December.  For late December claims / invoices (including invoices relating to 2022 but not invoiced until Jan 2023) please submit as early as possible in the New Year.

The Church Administrator will be on leave from tomorrow (19th) Emails will be monitored intermittently over the Christmas break.  As the week goes on other members of staff will be taking leave.  The office will be closed between Christmas Day and 3rd January.  If you are unable to reach anyone and need help urgently please contact one of your pastoral Elders.

WEEKLY CALENDAR

Please note that changes to the calendar will be announced in church or via email.

WEEKLY	CALENDAR
TODAY	5.00pm Youth Group and others going to see Wintershall Nativity Play.
MONDAY	Boys’ and Girls’ Brigade groups not meeting during school holidays.  Meetings will resume on 16th January.
TUESDAY	9.30am All-age Prayers for Children and Young People in person (not on Zoom)
WEDNESDAY	Baby & Toddler Group not meeting during school holidays.  Will resume on 11th January.
THURSDAY	Prayers for help and healing not meeting on 22nd or 29th December.  Will resume on 5th January.
FRIDAY
SATURDAY Christmas Eve	3.00 pm Crib Service beginning outside with the arrival of Mary on a donkey.  This Service will not be live streamed.  Car Parking charges apply in Heathside but no restrictions in most side roads near the Church.
NEXT SUNDAY Christmas Day	10.00am N.B. change to regular time All-age Family Service Free parking in Heathside carpark all day, no need to display permits, Collection point for food and other items for the York Road Project and Your Sanctuary (Refuges) open every Sunday.  Please do not bring any perishable items of those with short dates this week as delivery will not be until early January.
UP-COMING	Sunday 1st January at 10.30am—Morning Worship led by the Revd David Netherwood. January Communion with Induction of Elders on 8th January when we will also begin our new Worship series – Reasons to Believe. Thursday 12th January, Zoom session 1 – How on earth did we get here?