January 2025 Newsletter
All Saints Church Earls Barton
News Sheet January 2025
Rooted and Grounded in Joy
Revd Jenny Bland
Happy New Year to all in our village! As January unfolds, we often hear talk of “new beginnings”, “resolutions” and “fresh starts”, but in the Christian journey, freshness, renewal, starting again is our bread and butter as those who are continually inviting Jesus to be born again in us. The birth of Christ wasn’t just one event or moment to celebrate—it’s an event or moment that transforms how we live every day. Jesus’ arrival shows us about God’s care, God’s presence with us which is relevant for kings and shepherds alike. May you find this year that this is a truth and joy that lasts, even as we pack away decorations and turn the calendar page.
At All Saints, this year begins with an exciting focus on how we live out that joy by loving one another as Christ loves us. As a church, we’re exploring the ‘Living in Love and Faith’ materials, which encourage us to deepen our understanding of what it means to live as a diverse and inclusive community of faith. These discussions will help us celebrate the richness of God’s creation in every person—no matter their background, experiences, or gifts.
Diversity is not a buzzword; it’s a glimpse of heaven, where people from every nation, tribe, and tongue are gathered together. This is why, as a church, we are committed to being a place where everyone feels welcomed, valued, and able to share in God’s abundant love.
As we journey together through January, let’s keep the light of Christmas burning in our hearts. Let’s look for ways to show kindness, build understanding, and reflect the inclusive love of Jesus in Earls Barton.
If you’re curious about our ‘Living in Love and Faith’ journey or just looking for a place to belong, come and visit us or try a service—we’d love to welcome you and help you explore life’s biggest and best questions.
A prayer you might like to pray: Loving God, as we step into this new year, help us to carry the joy of Christmas in our hearts. Teach us to love as You love and to celebrate the diversity of Your creation. Help us to look more like your son, Jesus, every day. Amen.
What’s on at All Saints Church?
Every Day
We are open every day 10am - 4pm* for everyone in our parish to make use of their parish church. So pop in, have a look around, make time to pray, read from the Bible or enjoy a pit stop with your little ones as they play with the toys. We’re open for you.
*Subject to occasional offices (weddings, funerals, baptisms) and special events/circumstances.
Midweek Worship
Monday - Wednesday in term time, 8:35 Morning Prayer (common worship) in Church.
Every Wednesday - 9:30am Holy Communion (except 1st January)
Hall Holy Communion resumes again on the First Wednesday of February (5th)
January Sunday Services
5th - 9am Holy Communion, 10am All Together, 6pm Evensong
12th - 10am Holy Communion with JaM, children’s group
19th - 10am Holy Communion (starting to explore Living in Love and Faith), with JaM
26th - 10am Holy Communion (continuing to explore Living in Love and Faith), with JaM
Everyone is welcome to join us for our services and we warmly encourage children. We have an area with books and toys for families and a toilet a short walk away in our Church Hall. Refreshments are served and friendship and fellowship encouraged after every Sunday 10am service in the Church Hall.
Other events in January
5th - All Saints Youth Group 7 - 8.30pm, contact Sarah Howes on howes_africa@yahoo.com for location details
11th – Fairtrade Coffee Morning, 10am to 1pm, the Church Hall
12th - All Saints Youth Group 7 - 8.30pm, contact Sarah as above
13th - Pints of View @ The Stag
19th – Session 1 of 2 ‘Living in Love and Faith’ Church Hall, 2-4pm. The Upper Room (young people’s group) - 7 to 8.30pm at All Saints Church
26th - Session 2 of 2 ‘Living in Love and Faith’ Church Hall, 2-4pm. All Saints Youth Group 7 - 8.30pm, Young Adults Meet up (contact Rev Jenny)
Every Friday during term time – Youth Drop In – 3.15 to 4.30pm at All Saints Church.
A message from Simon Elvin
EBPS (the Primary School)
Several of us regularly go in to the School to help with individual reading practice. The school hugely appreciates it and we all enjoy it! If you think you could spare a couple of hours one afternoon a week and would like to support our mission to the school, please have a word with Simon, who can tell you a bit more about it to see if it would suit you.
Thanks,
Simon
A message from Charlotte Nobbs
Experience Christmas and Nativity Puppet Shows
A big thank you to all who hosted and contributed to the welcome of about 275 school and uniform group children to our focus to share the Christmas story in an interactive and fun way. We had some who came on repeat visits, others who came with their teachers, parents, or grandparents for just one visit. It was a joy to see our church sharing the story with the next generation, and giving plenty of space to wonder, to imagine, to make and create, to be a part of the story. Not only did this happen through school visits, but through Sarah’s welcome of uniform groups on two evenings. They came because of Sarah’s focused invitation, sharing fliers and advertisements. The church was full of fun, making Christmas tree decorations, icing cakes, scratch art and making bracelets, alongside the story telling.
Sarah, Simon, and Jenny were in school speaking to all the children in Key Stage 1 and Key Stage 2 in Advent assemblies, thinking about preparing our hearts for Jesus. Reception classes got to see the Nativity story told through puppets.
Thank you to Hannah and Adam who were the very able puppeteers for our two Nativity Puppet shows during the Community open day on Saturday 7th December. We had two good gatherings of family groups – Grandparents, parents, grandchildren, children, babes in arms and toddlers at these performances. All of them visited the Experience Christmas scenes, and many stayed for all the wonderful craft activities set up in tables along the nave by Sarah – I am not sure how many baby Jesus manager cupcakes were made – but they were very popular! We had some remarkable conversations with families we had never met, as well as those familiar.
It was wonderful to see the Experience team at work, sharing the story in our service on 8th December. Some of the children who had taken part in previous visits were able to join the adult leaders in telling the story (particular thanks to Saxon). This is particularly significant when many children do not grow up knowing the Nativity story and yet we have children in our community who know it well and can teach those around them.
What next? The school has agreed that they would like to send a couple of year groups to Experience Easter, and Simon is liaising with EB Primary School to establish dates. They have asked for an All Saints team to share assemblies this term to come, and would like us to run a Happiness Club. This is super exciting!
If you would like to contribute to sending in some biscuits (left over from Christmas?)to the staff in the New Year, please drop them in the box under the table as you come into All Saints. Thank you to all of you who wrote beautiful notes that we taped to Rolos for the staff – they were very touched by our personal messages of encouragement.
Jesus and Me (JaM)
We are so privileged to have young families come to our church on Sundays and it has been a joy that they have a JaM home to be part of. From November, we have been running JaM every Sunday, apart from the All Together Service and during holiday times. Every family is encouraged to feel welcome to join their child in JaM and to learn with them, as we would love the learning together to overflow into home life in the week after. If a parent or grandparent would like for their child to attend JaM without their accompaniment, that is fine, but we need to ensure that registration forms for each child has been filled in by their adult and handed to the leader (Sarah, Charlotte or Suzanne).
All Together Services
Our hope in these services is that value is given to all ages, whether you are 104 or 4 years old. We shape these services so that we can practise sharing our faith with each other, and learn from each other, listening carefully and growing together as a whole family of God. No one is an expert – rather everyone is a learner. Always there are a variety of ways to engage with the reading for the day and what God might be saying to us, whether it is through touch (like playdoh), or sight (like looking at images), through movement (like dance), through having space (like being outside or just quietly reflecting whilst music is played), through conversation and I wonder questions.
This team meets once a month to shape this service – and it is such fun (Thank you Team!) – If you would like to join us (Sherrelea, Nicola, Suzanne and I) for the next planning meeting, it is on Monday 27th January at 7:30pm for the All Together Service on Sunday 2nd February. Do let Charlotte know if you want to come.
B1BS & BOBS (Barton First Babies and Barton Older Babies)
It has been a joy to be part of our ecumenical partnership with the Methodist church to run our Toddler group. Thank you to our core team (Angela, Jackie and Sarah) for their commitment to this group and to those from All Saints who have joined us to be part of the welcome.
On the whole we have about 5-8 family groups and have developed some good relationships. We are honoured to have both parents and grandparents coming with their children and grandchildren, and we have found that everyone is welcoming of each other. All the families join in with our story at the end of the session, with songs and lots of wiggles. Over the last half term we have been sharing the story of the Nativity, and into next term we are going to explore what treasure Jesus brings.
We would love for volunteers to come and help us with the welcome and hospitality – Please speak to Jackie or I if you are free on any Tuesdays 2-3:30pm.
New Year’s Idea for Grandparents and Parents
The most likely reason an adult will be a Christian is because they grew up in a Christian family. What a Christian family means for each of us is different. Perhaps it means more than anything, doing things together and having fun, with Jesus being part of it where you can.
Why not talk to your grandchildren or children about what they really care about – and see if in some way you can work together to make a difference to that cause. Here are some ideas:
Maybe make cakes to raise money for a donkey sanctuary if your children care about animals.
Maybe go on a litter pick if they are concerned about creation.
Maybe sort through your wardrobe and see if they can be used by someone else if your child is interested by fashion
Do share anything that you do as families that builds on your children’s passions that you do together. A child who grows up knowing that they can make a difference in our world by expressing their faith in practical action is likely to be confident to be like this into adulthood.
Fairtrade news Jan 2025
Wishing Everyone a very Happy New Year full of joy, hope, peace & love! We’ve had very busy Christmas season and enjoyed being part of various events, like the EB Christmas Market, where we had lots of people discovering our little shop & our stall & were very honoured to be visited by Santa of course. And we look forward to do our little bit to make 2025 an even fairer one for EVERYONE!
Christmas & New Year break - We’ll be closed over Christmas & New Year giving our volunteers a well-earned break & enabling us to sort our stock. We will then reopen for our cafe on January 11th so look forward to seeing you then.
So please join us for our first cafe morning of 2025…
FAIRTRADE CAFÉ & BOOKSALE on SATURDAY 11th January as we also have one of our MEND & REPAIR CAFES - bring along your fabric & small electrical repairs. We will also be focusing on how you can help with the RSPB’S BIG GARDEN BIRD WATCH! So come & join us to find out more. And of course we’ll also have lots of beautifully ethical groceries, artisan gifts & cards in stock to help you make good choices in this new year. Enjoy chatting, browsing our products & secondhand books, & fresh coffee & yummy homemade cakes… Everyone welcome!
Email: nicky_smithseb@yahoo.co.uk 07812 686944
Our next Women’s Breakfast is on Saturday 1st February 8.30 in the church hall
Everyone welcome whether you’re new to our breakfasts or have been lots of times before…
We start with continental style breakfast, (including bacon rolls…) with plenty of time to chat followed by the talk from around 9am and we’re usually finished by around 10am, so it’s a really great way to start your Saturday. We ask for a contribution towards costs of around £7.
This time our speakers Rebecca& Andrew will be talking about 'The Earls Barton Tree Project,' so hope you can join us!
To help us with the catering arrangements & to let us know any dietary requirements, just let one of us know beforehand if you’d like to attend & if you need any more information. Nicola on 07812 686944 or Sandra on 07979 961902 or Glynis on 07919 952736.