We are looking forward to a wonderful celebration of Advent and Christmas at St John's. As well as the services listed, we have our normal daily services and the Sunday masses at 10.30am will be filled with the music and anticipation of the season.
In all that we do at this time of year we feel the extraordinary love of God reach out to us. It is all there at the start of John's Gospel: the Word became Flesh. Come and hear the story at St John's.
With warm best wishes, Father Brendan Clover
In Advent we traditionally reflect on The Four Last Things - Death, Judgement, Heaven and Hell - but also look forward in hope and anticipation to the coming of Christ as Saviour as a human being, God with us. These two elements of solemn contemplation and joyful expectation are both essential to the proper understanding of a good Advent.
'Come, thou redeemer of the earth, And manifest thy Virgin-birth: Let every age adoring fall; Such birth befits the Lord of all.'
Sunday 3 December
ADVENT SUNDAY
Today we begin a new Church Year and begin again to explore the depth that this has to offer.
10.30am Solemn Mass
5.30pm 'From darkness to light' - Music and Readings for Advent Sunday with Henbury Singers and friends, directed by Andrew Kirk
Saturday 9 December
7.30pm Clevedon Choral Society Christmas Concert: Charpentier’s 'Messe de Minuit pour Noël' and music by Gustav Holst and others
Sunday 10 December
2ND SUNDAY OF ADVENT
We hear Isaiah proclaim that in the kingdom 'the wolf shall lie down with the lamb, the leopard shall lie down with the kid', and John the Baptist calls his listeners to repentance.
10.30am Solemn Mass
5.30pm Evening Prayer and Benediction with Advent devotion
Wednesday 13 December
7pm Carols by Candlelight at All Saints Weston-super-Mare
Saturday 16 December
10am-12.30pm Advent Quiet Morning
10am Mass followed by three talks on Prayer by Fr Brendan at 10.45am, 11.15am, 11.45am
12.15pm Benediction
Sunday 17 December
3RD SUNDAY OF ADVENT
The prophet Isaiah looks forward to the time when, 'the ransomed of the Lord shall come to Zion with singing', whilst John the Baptist hears in prison of the great thing that Jesus is doing.
10.30am Solemn Mass
5.30pm Lessons and Carols for Christmas
Sunday 24 December
4TH SUNDAY OF ADVENT
On the 4th Sunday of Advent, the response of Mary is the focus of our attention, with Isaiah’s prophecy that 'the young woman is with child and shall bear a son, and shall name him Immanuel', and Matthew‘s gospel tells of the annunciation to Joseph, Mary was found to be with child from the Holy Spirit.
10.30am Solemn Mass
4pm Christingle Family Service
At Christmas, God comes among us - not in power, or in eloquence, but as a new-born, dependent upon human love and care for his survival. The great preacher Lancelot Andrewes called Jesus, The Word without a word, because the swaddled baby in the manger is also the power which has brought everything into being. Because God emptied himself out to become human, human beings are forever brought back into close intimacy with God.
'O sweet Child of Bethlehem, grant that we may share with all our hearts in this profound mystery of Christmas. Put into the hearts of men and women this peace for which they sometimes seek so desperately and which you alone can give to them. Help them to know one another better, and to live as brothers and sisters, children of the same Father. Reveal to them also your beauty, holiness and purity. Awake in their hearts love and gratitude for your infinite goodness. Join them all together in your love. And give us your heavenly peace.'
Prayer of Pope John XXIII
Sunday 24 December
CHRISTMAS EVE
When peaceful silence lay over all, and the night in its swift course was half spent: down from the heavens, from the royal throne, leapt your all powerful Word.
11pm Midnight Mass of the Nativity of the Lord
Monday 25 December
CHRISTMAS DAY
Yea, Lord, we greet thee, born this happy morning!
10.30am Family Christmas Mass
Tuesday 26 - Saturday 30 December
Mass at the usual times
Sunday 31 December
2ND SUNDAY OF CHRISTMAS
10.30am Solemn Mass
5.30pm Evening Prayer and Benediction
Epiphany is ‘a showing’. It is associated with light, with the idea of being illuminated with an astonishing truth which changes life for ever. First, Jesus is recognised as a King and worshipped by the Magi, who follow the light of a star to his dwelling place. Second, Jesus is himself baptised in the river Jordan and the ‘heavens tear apart’ as he is recognised by God himself as his Son, the Beloved. Third, at the wedding in Cana, Galilee, Jesus shows his abundant and generous power, changing water into wine at the wedding feast to which he comes as a guest.
'We honour this holy day, adorned with three miracles: today the star led the Magi to the manger; today water was turned into wine for the wedding: Today Christ desired to be baptised in the Jordan, that he might save us all. This is the day the Lord has made; let us rejoice and be glad in it. Alleluia.'
Sunday 7 January
THE EPIPHANY OF THE LORD
10.30am Solemn Mass
