This weekend sees the first Sunday of Advent when Christians anticipate and remember the birth of Jesus.
Advent is a time of quiet contemplation and prayer for four weeks before the festival of Christmas itself. It has its own hymns and carols such as O Come Emanuel, which reflect this beautiful time.
Christmas, at the end of December is the most joyous season as we all know and love, with feast and song as the news of Jesus’s birth brings hope and light!
This December, we are delighted to offer worship and activities to reflect both Advent and Christmas in all our villages in the Langtons and Welham Benefices.
We have produced a Christmas card with all the details. The card will be delivered to the parishioners of St Peter’s Church this weekend, but for friends further afield, there is a PDF to download below, with all the services listed, along with a Christmas message from our Lay Incumbent, Maxine Johnson.
We hope you can join us for some of the services but also wish our friends and followers here who live further away, a very peaceful Advent season and a joyful Christmas when it comes. Thank you 🙏
Remembrance Sunday and Armistice Day are as important this year as ever, as we remember everyone who has sacrificed so much in continued difficult times, but especially this year, the ongoing war in Ukraine and now the dreadful violence in Israel, Gaza and the wider dangers.
Remembrance Sunday service for the Langton villages
Remembrance Service: Sunday 12th November, 10.30am, St Peter’s Church, Church Langton
The service will take place in St Peter’s Church in Church Langton, starting at 10.30am and lasts for about an hour. The service will be lead by Rev Martin Hathaway and Lay Incubment, Maxine Johnson, with contributions from our church members from Tur and Thorpe Langton.
The collection taken at the service in St Peter’s will support the Royal British Legion’s Poppy Appeal.
Act of Remembrance and Two-Minute Silence: 11am
The Act of Remembrance and two-minute silence at 11am take place inside the church as part of the Remembrance Service, when the names of our local war dead are read and the wreaths for the Langton villages are blessed.
Laying of wreaths at the War Memorial: 11:45 – 12noon
After the service in church, the congregation will process from the church to the village green where where the wreath for Church Langton will be laid on the War Memorial.
The wreaths from our sister villages will be returned and laid at their village memorials separately.
We hope you can join us for the service in St Peter’s and the laying of the wreath at the village green.
“When you go home, tell them of us and say For your tomorrow, we gave our today.”
A Night of Remembrance and Community at St. Peter’s in Church Langton
Last night, despite the rain, members of the community gathered at St. Peter’s Church in Church Langton, for the All Souls service. It was a moving evening filled with the warmth of shared memories and the promise of eternal hope. The event brought people together to remember their loved ones, whose names were read aloud and for whom prayers were offered.
In the midst of the hushed, reverent atmosphere, attendees were invited to light candles in memory of their dearly departed. The soft glow of these candles illuminated the hearts of those in attendance, providing a tangible connection between the living and the departed, a symbol of the enduring love that transcends the boundaries of life and death.
Candles for our loved ones
The address given by Reverend Martin Hathaway. He spoke of Jesus’s promise, one that brings comfort and solace to those dealing with loss. “In my Father’s house are many mansions,” he quoted, drawing from the Bible’s Gospel of John. These words offer the reassurance that there is a place prepared in heaven for all of us, where we will one day be reunited with our loved ones. It’s a promise that provides comfort and hope during moments of grief.
The service reached its conclusion with the hymn ‘Praise my soul, the King of Heaven.’ As the congregation joined in song, the power of communal worship and shared faith became palpable.
After the service, attendees gathered for a time of fellowship over coffee and biscuits. This opportunity to share stories and console one another served as a reminder of the strength that comes from coming together as a community. It is in these moments of shared grief and mutual support that we find solace and healing.
St Peter’s Prayer Tree
Additionally, attendees had the chance to explore the newly installed Prayer Tree, a symbol of hope and inter-generational connection. The tree is adorned with paper leaves that contain prayers, contributed by Year 4 students from the church school. These heartfelt wishes hang from the branches, the children’s collective aspirations and desires.
The Prayer Tree is a testament to the enduring power of prayer and the unity that it brings. Congregation members and visitors are encouraged to add their own prayers to the tree, either in person or by sending them to the church. As the tree continues to grow with new leaves, it becomes a living testament to the shared faith and hope that binds the community together.
The Prayer Tree
In conclusion, the All Souls service at St. Peter’s in Church Langton was a night of remembrance, faith, and community. Despite the rain, the warmth of shared memories and the promise of Jesus’s words on ‘many mansions’ provided comfort and solace to those in attendance. In moments of grief and loss, coming together as a community and offering prayers for our loved ones is a powerful reminder that love endures and transcends the boundaries of life and death.
Jesus’ words of comfort
Let not your heart be troubled: ye believe in God, believe also in me.
2 In my Father’s house are many mansions: if it were not so, I would have told you. I go to prepare a place for you.
St Peter's Church, Church Langton 