Advent at URC Mersey Synod: Week One
This is our weekly roundup of Advent stories from across the Mersey Synod. Here we can see God’s love for us displayed in many different ways through the work of our churches in their communities this Christmas.
A prayer to begin the season:
In this Advent of expectation
draw us together in unity,
that our praise and worship
might echo across our communities
and also through our lives.
In this Advent of expectation
draw us together in mission,
that the hope within
might be the song we sing,
and the melody of our lives.
In this Advent of expectation
draw us together in service,
that the path we follow
might lead us from a stable
to a glimpse of eternity.
Resource: Faith & Worship
Stories from our churches
St John’s URC Carol Singing in Forget Me Not Dementia Ward, Warrington Hospital
On 1st December some of the congregation from St John’s URC, Warrington and the lead Chaplain of Warrington Hospital, Suzanne, spent an hour singing Christmas Carols with the patients and family and staff of the Forget Me Not Dementia Ward in Warrington Hospital. The patients joined in as they were able and were in great voice. It was a joyful time of celebrating the coming birth of Christ through song.
Thanks to a Synod Small Mission Grant, St John’s URC were able to give each patient a Christmas bag which contained a small holding cross, chocolate coins, religious tree ornaments, a Christmas Story book, a Christmas pen, a battery tea light and a prayer card. There were enough bags left to allow the three chaplains to give them out to the patients they visited in the other wards leading up to Christmas. One of the aims of St John’s is to look outside of their building and engage with the local community, to take the Kingdom of God with them into the local community. This project showed God’s love and kindness in this particular way.
Community connections and Christmas stories at Uniting Church in Garden Lane
The local 8th Chester Scout Group Beaver Colony, along with some of their parents, were told the story of the first Christmas by Reverend Ceri Gardner. They also each made a Christmas decoration to take home.
Reverend Ceri and Church Secretary, Alan Johnson, were privileged to see several new Beavers invested into the group in a special ceremony in the church in front of some very proud parents. Phan Phang, one of the group leaders, said that they had been looking forward to coming and that it was extra special for them to be in the church.
The same Beaver Colony also took part in the Community Harvest Festival Celebrations at the church and brought along donations. Reverend Ceri took time to sit and talk with them and read them a short story. The Beavers afterwards said they’d had a' brilliant time’ and this led to them coming to the Christmas event.
Alan Johnson later took the donations from the Harvest event to West Cheshire Foodbank Depot and local charity Save the Family. Jessie Wickham, Voluntary Co-ordinator for the charity said: "Your donation of Harvest food means that we can stock our residents food shop on site, over the winter. She asked that her thanks be passed on to the church congregation and the 8th Chester Beavers.”
Christmas Messy Church at Christ Church Haydock URC
Christ Church Haydock URC had some lovely messages and pictures back from their Christmas Messy Church.
“Thank you so much for today my grandaughter Ivy had a lovely time at Messy Church 🎅🎄🎅 Brilliant” 💖
“Thanks for a gorgeous afternoon 🥰 just what we all needed. Honestly we all loved it and could see how much effort had gone into it 🥰 Thank you!!”