Focus on St Leonard’s

Sheep are lost in Marston Green!! In this month of December, all around the village in shops, businesses, public buildings and in windows sheep can be seen and found as we begin our Nativity Trail – find the lost sheep around Marston Green and fill in the spaces on the sheets which will be available. When you think you have found all the sheep and their names – each sheep has a name on it – put your name and contact details on the sheet and post it into the boxes in the library or vicarage porch. The sheep will, all being well, find their way to the stable in time for the Nativity Service at 4.00pm on Christmas Eve.

The sheep will have been  blessed, before they make their way around the village, at our 10.00am service on Advent Sunday, November 29.

Throughout Advent we have three Advent Lunches on Tuesdays at 12.30pm, the first of which will be Tuesday December 1 in the Elmdon Lounge. Everyone is welcome to come and share food and fellowship together. The monthly Parish Lunches have raised more than £1,000 for church funds. We are grateful for all who have cooked and served the meals and those who have attended.

On Sunday December 6 we have our MESSY CHURCH to begin our Christingle celebrations at 4.15pm with the service in church taking place at 5.00pm. All are welcome to come and learn about Christingles  and  to make one to take home. We are thrilled Jaguar Land Rover has given us a grant to help with Messy Church afternoons. Dates for your 2016 diary:- Messy Church on February 7 (Lent and Pancakes), March 25 (Good Friday 10am), July 17, August 26 (outing), September 25 (harvest) and December 4 (Advent and Christingle)

On Sunday, December 20 at our 10.00am service we will be joined by the choir singers from Marston Green Infant Academy. This will be a wonderful start to a day of Christmas celebrations which end with Carols by Candlelight at 6.00pm when, with the church lit by candle light, we hear the Christmas story and sing carols together.

Carols around the Tree takes place on Tuesday, December 22 at 7.00pm in the Garden of memory when we gather together around the lit tree and sing well known carols.

On Christmas Eve we are very excited about all the sheep finding their way back to the stable for the 4.00pm Nativity Service when families of all ages are welcome to come and join around the stable.

Our Midnight Mass starts at 11.30pm as we move into Christmas Day when we have a service at 9.30am which is for all the family.

on Sunday December 27 we have one service only at 10.00am which will be a short communion service and we begin the New Year on Sunday, January 3 with ou friends from the Baptist Free Church as we join together at the church in Land Lane.

 

 

 

books for Christmas stockings?

A newly published children’s book, Merlyn’s Dragon, by local author Patricia Raymer was launched at St Leonard’s Christmas Craft & Gift Fair last month.

This book which is aimed at 7-11 year olds, as well as Pat’s previously published book of poems, Brummagem Pride & Other Poems, are available by calling her on 770 2987. Both books would make ideal stocking fillers.

Marston Green & District Lions Club

  In December the Lions will be escorting Father Christmas around Marston Green and Chelmsley Wood. They would welcome any additional elves (helpers). Last year they were joined by Central Search & Rescue on the wettest night, and as a thank you a share of the proceeds of that night was donated to them. Members will be out weekday evenings from Monday 7^th to Tuesdays 15^th inclusive and the afternoons of December 12 and 13. If you would like to help or are a local organisation who could help by providing volunteers please contact the Sleigh Master Simon 07792 047546 or 0121 681 4269.

 The prospective LEOs (Age 14-18) are looking forward to joining the team and seeing the results of their hard work helping to renovate the sleigh. They also continue to help those in need. If you are a young person, or know of a young person that might be interested in joining our prospective LEO Club, please contact Lions Christine 07800 719 758 or Mick 07791 865 828

Our Folk —Peter Seazell

A large congregation attended the funeral service in St Leonard’s of Peter Seazell of Elmdon Lane, who died on November 3 aged 66.

He led an extraordinary life which included travelling to more than 50 countries, many of them more than once. His travels began when he took a peripatetic teaching post in the Falkland Islands for three years establishing long lasting friendships which caused him to return for a visit with his family in 1991.

After leaving the Falklands, Peter set off with a friend to travel the length of the Americas, through Canada, Iceland and back to England. During that epic journey he was put in jail in Argentina as the authorities thought him to be a spy and was terrorised by a bear in Canada.

On his return home he took up a lecturing post at Solihull College where he met Debbie who he married in 1982 and they had two daughters, Rowan and Katie. But the travel bug returned when Peter through his job of  training and recruiting students worldwide meant he travelled to numerous countries including West Africa where he forged deep relations with the education system in the Gambia to where he returned on at least 20 occasions.

He was awarded a Gambia passport and was given the title and responsibility of Honorary Consul to the Gambia in Birmingham and representatives from that country attended his funeral.

Peter had a great love of flying and after having gained his pilots licence became involved in the ATC.

In Marston Green he became a school governor and in retirement took on the role of a parish councillor. He played a major role in the WWI Commemoration services last year and the research which went into a booklet relating to those from the community who lost their lives in the First World War.

He will be sadly missed by Bickenhill and Marston GReen Parish Council and his family and many firends.

 

Diary for December

December at St Leonard’s

 1          Tuesday          12.30pm          Advent Lunch

2          Wednesday     10.30am          Midweek Service

6          Sunday             4.15pm          Messy Church

7          Monday             2.30pm          Ladies’ Fellowship Christmas

Celebration

8          Tuesday          12.30pm          Advent Lunch

9          Wednesday     10.30am          Midweek Service

15        Tuesday          12.30pm                      Advent Lunch

7.00pm          Scout Carol Service

16        Wednesday     10.30am          Midweek Service

17        Thursday         11.30am          Day Centre carol singing

18        Friday              10.00am          Marston Green Junior School

Service

20        Sunday           10.00am          Marston Green Infants Choir

singing at service

6.00pm          Carol Service

22        Tuesday            7.00pm          Carols Around the Tree, Garden

of Memory

23        Wednesday     10.30am          Midweek Service

24       CHRISTMAS EVE

4.00pm          Nativity Play

11.30pm          Midnight Communion

25        CHRISTMAS DAY

9.30am          Holy Communion

January

3          Sunday           10.15am         United Service, Baptist Free Church