The Parish Church of St Peter

The other four parishes in our Mare Way Group are already involved in fundraising to support the Christians in Magomero, Malawi, who are trying to build a new church via the charity MACS (Malawi Assoication for Christian Support). The PCC in Barton feel it would be good if we as a church could help with this fundraising, so have agreed that our Easter Sunday collections will go to this cause. The connection to this project is through the parish of Haslingfield, where Bishop Mackenzie was a curate some 150 years ago before going to Malawi as a missionary. He was also Chaplain at Gonville and Caius College, which also supports the charity.

Our Lenten Soup and Roll lunch will take place on saturday February 25th, to raise money for WaterAid. This charity helps to bring clean water and sanitation to developing countries. There is no charge for the lunch but donations are invited. We will also support WaterAid by collecting jars of coins during Lent.

On Saturday February 18th we will hold our Annual Jumble Sale in the School and Village Hall. We will need lots of helpers please, in the morning to sort and set up from 10am, and again in the afternoon from 2.15pm to sell. Please let Hugh or Meta Greenfield know if you are able to assist.

… and a Happy New Year to you, your family and all your friends.

Your local team of Ministers: Ruth, Brian and Paul (Barton); David, Chris, Catherine and Gladys (Haslingfield); Jennie, Derek, Callie and Peter (Harlton and The Eversdens); and Michael, wish you all a very Blessed and Happy 2012.

All our Churches are open for private and public prayer, worship or just to visit, during daylight hours each and every day.

We now have a stock of handmade cards which we can use when anyone in our congregation is ill and these will be kept in the church vestry. Please let us know when a card is needed and we can ensure that it is delivered.

In our churches from this week we will have the Advent ring of five coloured candles, and will light one each week on our countdown to Christ's coming. Advent candles are purple and rose-coloured. Purple is the historic liturgical colour for three of the four Sundays in Advent: once the colour associated with royalty, it symbolises Christ as the Prince of Peace. Rose is the colour for the third Sunday of Advent, known as Gaudete Sunday from the Latin word for "rejoice". Gaudete Sunday anticipates the joy of the Christmas celebration, so its colour is a mixture of the Advent purple and Christmas white. Then at midgnight on Christmas Eve we light the central white candle, the "Christ Candle" celebrating the birth day of Jesus.