27th Nov 2021

My Dear Friends, Advent is a time when we look forward and back at the same time. We look back in our liturgical readings during this season to mark the desire of the Israelite people in looking with expectant hope for the coming of their promised Messiah. We immerse ourselves in the writings of the prophets and we look to the preparations that ushered in the birth of our Christ in the accounts of the Evangelists.

We also look forward in hope in this Advent season. We know that Christ will come again in glory for he has promised this. And so to prepare ourselves for that moment to come we are to grow in holiness each day so that we may be blameless in God’s sight when the Son of Man (Our Lord Jesus) comes again to judge the world.

We can do this by greater prayerfulness, by fasting and little acts of penance which we offer up to Him. By greater participation in the worship of the Church and attendance at Mass. By making our sacramental Confession before the Feast of Christmas. How will you prepare?

THIS WEEK AT SAINT MARTIN’S

SUNDAY - 28th November 2021 8.00 am Low Mass (According to the B.C.P./English Missal)

10.00 am Parish Mass for the First Sunday in Advent

TUESDAY 7.00 pm Low Mass

WEDNESDAY 11.45 am Eucharistic Adoration 12.15 pm Low Mass

THURSDAY 10.00 am Low Mass

FRIDAY 10.00 am Low Mass (English Missal / B.C.P.)

SATURDAY 10.00 am Low Mass

SUNDAY- 5th December 2021 8.00 am Low Mass (According to the B.C.P./English Missal)

10.00 am Parish Mass for the Second Sunday in Advent

THIS WEEK’S SUNDAY MASS WILL BE BROADCAST.

TO TUNE IN VIA FACEBOOK TO JOIN IN OUR WORSHIP PLEASE OPEN THE FACEBOOK APP ON YOUR PHONE OR DEVICE AND SEARCH FOR:

“St Martin’s Parish Church, Fenny Stratford."

TEA AND COFFEE IS SERVED AFTER MASS ON SUNDAYS - DO JOIN US FOR FELLOWSHIP.

COULD YOU TAKE A TURN AT SERVING TEAS AND COFFEES AFTER SUNDAY MASS? At the present time we have a real shortage of volunteers. We are down to around three people who find themselves doing this continuously. Could we have some more volunteers please?

HOW WE RECEIVE HOLY COMMUNION DURING THE PARISH MASS. We have returned to using the Communion rails for Holy Communion. However, to maintain a safe distancing, we invite four people at a time to come forward and kneel at the altar rail. As soon as you have received, please make room for those behind you. If then you then would like to receive from the chalice, remain kneeling at the altar rails.

IF YOU WISH TO MAKE A DONATION TOWARDS THE COST OF THE ONGOING CHURCH REPAIRS.

CHEQUES CAN BE MADE PAYABLE TO:

Saint Martin’s P. C. C. No. 1 A/c

MANY THANKS IN ADVANCE FOR YOUR CONTINUED GENEROSITY.

PLEASE REMEMBER- If you have any prayer requests or Mass intentions you would like me to offer at Mass or if would like someone added to our parish prayer list of the Sick or Departed.

My contact details are as follows:

Telephone: 01908 372825

Email: victorbullock@talktalk.net

I am also available in person during Surgery Hour on Saturday’s in Church between 10.30am - 11.30am.

THE SACRAMENT OF CONFESSION AND RECONCILIATION is also available at this time.

Please continue to remember the following in your prayers:

In this season of Advent, for a holy reflection on our preparations for meeting Our Lord face to face as we meditate on His second coming and on our leaving this world.

For a Holy and Pastoral man to be appointed soon as our new Bishop in succession to Bishop Jonathan Goodall.

For the Monastic Community of the House of Initia Nova as it meets in Convocation this week.

For those at school, college or University, that they may be kept safe and well.

That we may be able to raise the necessary funds to complete the program of repairs on the Church building.

That society may remain open and for a continued drop in the rate of Covid infections and in the number of hospitalised victims.

For the continued rapid dissemination of the Vaccines for Covid 19 and for all working for this end.

For those who work, particularly those who have families or other dependents.

For the Government as they continue to rebuild after these very difficult months.

For peace to reign within our homes and amongst one another.

For the elderly, housebound and those living in residential and nursing homes.

For our Ambulance Service and for our other Emergency Service Staff and for Milton Keynes Hospital and all who work there.

For Father Victor, Father Ian and Father John and for all parish clergy as they seek to continue to make present in our midst the Sacrifice of the Holy Mass, the other Sacraments of Christ and offer continuing Pastoral care.

For the Monastic Community of the House of Initia Nova of the Order of Saint Benedict as it seeks a new home. For it’s Abbot, Michael-John Austin, for the community and for those new to its life.

For the Sick:

For Rosalio Eluna, Susan Carter, Pam Wilderspin, Amie Reed, Paul Ward, Jean Holden, Peter White, Roger D’Elia, Norman Kent, Denis & Yvonne Simpson, David Lingham, Sandra Walduck, Eugenius Yung and Doris Weatherley.

For the Departed:

For all the recently departed and for all those who have died of Covid 19.

We pray too for Keith Stanley, Betty Pollard, Freda Corden, Olive Dunmore, Douglas Mutch, George Morris, James Sellars, Grace Funnell and all whose whose Year’s Mind occurs at this time.

Rest eternal grant unto them, O Lord.

And let Light Perpetual shine upon them.

God keep you all.

Father Victor (Dom Cuthbert OSB)