We are approaching the end of Advent and the time is drawing near when we will greet God in human form – Jesus, born into poverty in an occupied land, part of a family forced to flee as refugees into another country, a baby who grew up to offer us the light of God’s love then, now and through all time.
Craig Nobbs, Licensed Lay Minister in the parish, has created a series of Advent Reflections which you can listen to here.
Here are all our Christmas services over the next few weeks. Please do join us whenever you can.
If you are not familiar with church services, don’t worry. There are easy-to-follow service booklets or the words are all on a screen (at St Mark’s), and please don’t hesitate to ask if you have any questions.
Please do make yourself known to the vicar and other members of the congregation and please be assured, you are most welcome, whatever your beliefs.
Come and join us at any of our Christmas services.
Friday 9th Dec at 6pm – Carols by Candlelight
Sunday 11th Dec at 11am – Christingle Service
Wednesday 21st Dec at 6pm – Longest night (when Christmas hurts)
Saturday 24th Dec at 5.30pm – Crib Service (especially for youngsters, come dressed as your favourite nativity character)
Sunday 25th Dec at 11am – Christmas Communion Service for all ages
Sunday 4th Dec at 4pm – Seekers Carol Service (Family-friendly carol service)
Sunday 11th Dec at 6pm – Candlelight Carol Service
Saturday 24th Dec at 3pm – Crib Service (especially for youngsters, come dressed as your favourite nativity character)
Saturday 24th Dec at 11.30pm – Midnight Mass
Sunday 25th Dec at 9.30am – Christmas Communion Service for all ages
Sunday 18th Dec at 6pm – Candlelit Carol Service
Tuesday 20th Dec at 6pm – Carol Singing under the lit tree at St George’s (inside if wet)
Saturday 24th Dec at 3pm – Crib Service for Toddlers
Saturday 24th Dec at 5.30pm – Crib and Christingle Service for all ages
Saturday 24th Dec at 11.30pm – Midnight Mass
Sunday 25th Dec at 10am – Christmas Communion Service for all ages
The December and January magazine is out now, bringing you up-to-date with news and events in the parish, plus seasonal reflections and prayer, sources of help over the winter, and information on local groups and businesses.
There is a list of services over Christmas – please do join us – the background to Epiphany, Christingles, a Snowman Drive, events and lots more. Click on the link to download it below.
And don’t forget to let us have your news and articles. This is your magazine!
Wishing you a joyful Christmas and a blessed 2023.
Come to our family service on Sunday, December 4th at 4pm at St John’s, and help us create an Advent wreath, and sing Christmas carols.
All ages are welcome at the service – not just families with children – and we need your help to create the wreath. There will be carols and prayers and it will be followed by sandwiches and cakes (see the picture below…)
Come to our Christmas Craft Market this Saturday, November 19th, 10am-2pm, at St Mark’s.
Lots of amazing handmade gifts and cards for Christmas and a chance for children to meet Father Christmas. Plus there is a lucky dip. Win a prize! Live music, free entry, refreshments, and a lovely atmosphere.
Huge thanks to the lovely Magikats in Farnham for sponsoring us. They provide tutoring for children and teenagers in Farnham and are at St George’s every Tuesday afternoon. Check them out.
See you there!
If you have young children, a Crib Service on Christmas Eve is a lovely way to celebrate the story of Christmas.
Children are encouraged to dress up as members of the nativity for these services which are interactive – lots for your children to take part in.
There will be a service for toddlers at 3pm at St George’s, Badshot Lea – a short and sweet retelling of the nativity story.
There will a Crib service for youngsters – infant and lower junior age – at St John’s, Hale, at 3pm, and then at St George’s, Badshot Lea, and St Mark’s, Upper Hale, at 5.30pm. There will even be a live donkey at St Mark’s!
Come and join us for this delightful celebration.
This Saturday, 18th December, we will be holding our Christmas Market at St Mark’s, from 10am-2pm, with loads of great stalls, Father Christmas in his grotto, refreshments, live music and lots of Christmas cheer! What’s more, there will be a Christmas Fayre and Christmas Tree Festival across the road at the Hale Community Centre, with more stalls, family fun activities, a live Nativity with real animals, live music, refreshments and a Hale’s Angels Scavenger Hunt between the centre and St Mark’s.
We are putting Covid measures in place to keep everyone as safe as possible, and ask that you wear masks inside.
Come and join us and have a Happy Hale Christmas!
The season of goodwill isn’t good for everyone. Sometimes it is a struggle, particularly perhaps if we have lost someone, or if it brings back bad memories. Sometimes we are lonely or living in circumstances that mean that it feels hard to celebrate. Sometimes we just want a break from the relentless commercialisation and pressure of Christmas.
Every year we hold a quiet, reflective service for anyone who finds Christmas hard, or just wants to stop for a moment and rest. This year it is on Wednesday, December 22, at 6.30pm, at St Mark’s Church. All welcome (please wear masks).
It’s Advent and time for the latest magazine from the parish, full of Advent, Christmas and New Year events.
There are services – of course – a Christmas community market complete with Hale’s Angels, Father Christmas and a Christmas Tree Festival, carol concerts, not one but two Christingles, A Journey to Bethlehem, a panto, Messy Church… plus news, opinions and ideas. Download it now!
As well as our carol services, a Christingle and our Journey to Bethlehem this month, we have special Christmas services on Christmas Eve at all three churches and you can also see in Christmas with Midnight Mass at St John’s and St George’s, and celebrate with us on Christmas morning.
The Christmas Eve services are ideal for all the family, and we even have a special service for toddlers at St George’s. At St Mark’s you will be able to meet a live donkey!
There are four ‘Crib Services’ where the Christmas story is retold with angels, shepherds, Kings, Mary, Joseph and Baby Jesus. Children are encouraged to dress as any members of the story.
The services are:
3pm: Toddler Crib Service at St George’s
3pm: Crib Service at St John’s
5.30pm: Crib Service at St George’s
5.30pm: Crib Service at St Mark’s
Then see in Christmas at Midnight Mass:
11.30pm at St George’s
11.30pm at St John’s
On Christmas morning join us for a service:
9.30am at St John’s
10am at St George’s
11am at St Mark’s
We wish you all a blessed Christmas.
The Parish of Badshot Lea and Hale 