Link to our church facebook page

____________________________________________________________________________

Parish Safeguarding Arrangements

Our parish of Mellor: St Mary is committed to safeguarding children, young people and adults from harm. We follow the House of Bishops guidance and policies and have our own Parish Safeguarding Officer (PSO). Our Diocese of Blackburn’s safeguarding pages contain vital links and information including contacts for the Diocesan Safeguarding Advisor who advises our PSO. If you are concerned that a child or adult has been harmed or may be at risk of harm please contact the PSO Marilyn Watson on 01254 812853 or the Diocesan Safeguarding Advisor Cath Smith on 07711485170 or email catherine.smith@blackburn.anglican.org .

If you have immediate concerns about the safety of someone, please contact the police and your local authority’s children or adult social care services.

Please follow this link to view our

SAFEGUARDING POLICY

____________________________________________________________________________

Light Reflections...The Gospel

“Let your light shine...” (Matthew 5.16)

The Assistant Priest’s Reflection.

‘Unto us a child is born, unto us a Son is given’.

As I am writing this reflection out of my window I can see the first snowy day of the year; everything is covered in a blanket of shimmering white. A quiet reminder that Winter is not too far away.

As we begin our journey through Advent, we begin a time of expectancy and waiting for the coming birth of our Lord Jesus. During Advent and Christmas, when we face the long dark nights of Winter, we are reminded that Jesus the Light of the World has come among us, and no matter how dark or troubled the world may seem, the darkness can never overcome the light. What amazes me is that the darker it gets, the brighter the light shines.

But behind all of these things, we need to think about who Jesus is and why he came to be one of us. Jesus was, and is, not only God’s Son, but God-God with us. Emmanuel. He chose to identify with us, to walk and share with us, experience and ultimately die for us so that we could be reconciled to God. If we can get our hearts around this, then how should we respond? This isn’t an easy question to answer, but one to think about as we travel through the season of Advent and Christmas.

Perhaps we could try and spend more time reading our Bible and in prayer each day through the Advent season. As the cold and dark nights begin to bite perhaps we could try and think of those around us for whom Christmas will be a difficult time; those who are unwell, lonely or bereaved.

As Christ’s followers we are each called to be a people of hope, who reflect Christ’s light in the world, as the closing words of the baptism service reminds us:

‘God has delivered us from darkness and has given us a place with the saints in light. You have received the light of Christ; walk in this light all the days of your life. Shine as a light in the world, to the glory of God the Father’.

I do hope that you will take time to join us in one or more of our Christmas services in the three churches of our Benefice. On behalf of our Benefice, may I wish you and your families the love of Christ, His Peace and Goodwill this Advent and Christmas season and a new year of blessings.

All my thoughts and prayers, Reverend Barbara.

New Beginnings

This week I watched the preview of the John Lewis advert for Christmas in the app. (Sad, I know!) It is all about buying the right gift in that tinselly way big stores go about these things. But we all know that our Christmas doesn’t depend upon buying everyone the right thing. There is more to Christmas than presents. As you read this, we’re beginning the season of Advent when we wait for the birth of our saviour.

In Isaiah the prophet says: ‘Behold I’m doing a new thing; do you not perceive it?’ (Isaiah 43:19) It was to bring hope to people as they faced the fall of Jerusalem during his lifetime, but we Christians think of it as foretelling the change that Jesus brings. The people of Israel thought the end had come, but God says that it is just the beginning.

Waiting for change is never easy, whether it is moving up in school or finding a new job or house. In the New Year which approaches we will say goodbye to Karen as she moves on and we will find a new vicar for our benefice. But we must remember that: Behold! God is doing a new thing. It isn’t an end but a beginning. However much we will miss her.

God always asks us to use our waiting time carefully. Whether that is our practise of Advent or our planning for the new future of the benefice. Each year the Diocese produces a booklet of bible study notes to take us through Advent together. It’s available in print and by email. It is also on the fruitful app along with many other resources. There is a lot to help us.

https://fruitful.faith/get-the-app

In our press there is so much depressing talk about the end of the Church of England and there is change here in our benefice. It’s so tempting to think we’re finished, never to return. But really, we’re waiting for a new beginning. When it comes to our future it is important we get hold of the right gift. Not some tinselly item from  a department store but that relationship with Jesus that he offers us. It’s worth far more than anything money can possibly buy and is available to us all and we don’t even need to have an app for it. We just need to pick up our bibles and pray.

Merry Christmas, Pam Daunton