Liz’s Letter 01/12/2024

Dear All

Advent
An Advent Prayer guide is available for every household. We also have a
book this year for all the Junior Church children. Included in the Advent Prayer guide are a daily reading for you to reflect on and pray into, a list of names of the church family to pray for each day and, at the back, for those who like to be creative there are resources for a Jesse Tree. We know some couples like their own book so please do ask if you would like an additional copy.

Nativity Family
Our Nativity family are available to go on a posada again this year. If you would like to have the family for a week you will be committing to taking them out and about, taking some photos and sending this photos by Saturday lunchtime to admin@plumeavenuechurch.org.uk before returning the family on the Sunday. Please do let me know if you would like to have the family for a week.

Christmas Nativity Trail
This takes place on Sunday 8th December (next Sunday) in the afternoon. The trail is for the community as well as church families and is a joint venture with Prettygate Baptist Church. We need help with welcoming, refreshments and crafts for the afternoon. If you can help, please sign up in the foyer.
We will be putting the goody bags together on Wednesday – if you can help please let me know and we can sort out the best time to get them done.
Christmas Gifts for Social Services – Sunday 8th December 2024
Sheila writes “We have once again been asked to support the young adults in Colchester who are no longer in care, but are in supported living accommodation. These young people have no family to turn to and have to live on a very limited budget. Most are still in education so they receive benefits from social services from which they have to pay for their flat, food, energy bills and travel to college. Mentors are on hand to teach them skills they need to survive on their own, like budgeting and how to apply for jobs.
Day to day life for these young people is often very stressful as they try to cope on their own in an adult world. Basic food, clothes and toiletries are all they can afford.
To make this a special time of year for these people in our town, we have been asked to give biscuits, chocolates, toiletries, gloves, scarves, jewellery or any other gift you feel they would appreciate. Please do not wrap the gifts so that each present can be allocated to the appropriate person. A roll of wrapping paper would be most welcome.”

Community Christmas Cards
The Christmas cards have been sorted into roads (thank you to Kathy and Robin for doing this). Please do consider taking a bundle and delivering them. It would be so good to have all the cards delivered – it is the main way of letting the community know what is happening over Christmas as well as sending a Christmas message to them. 

Ladies Day
Next Saturday is our Ladies Day at Assington Hall. All those attending should have received an e-mail this week with the final details. Please do speak to me if you didn’t receive the e-mail.

Colchester Foodbank Reverse Advent Calendar
Will you bring festive cheer to vulnerable people this year?
Last December, Colchester Foodbank gave out 900 Christmas parcels to people experiencing extreme hardship in the local community.
All you need to do is get a box and fill it with festive food!
• Selection box
• Biscuits
• Instant hot chocolate
• Gravy
• Savoury Biscuits
• Nibbles
• Chocolate
• Tinned ham
• Pickles
• Custard
• Tin openers
• Puddings
• Treats
• Tinned Salmon
NB No homemade produce nor anything containing alcohol please.
Bring your box to church by 8th December and we will deliver these to the Foodbank. If you are not able to fill a box, please do bring the contributions you are able to give to church and these can be combined with others to make complete hampers.

This week
There will be prayer meetings on Wednesday morning and Saturday morning at 9.30 am. The Tuesday evening Bible Study homegroup will also be meeting. Zoom details for these will be e-mailed early in the week.

With love and blessings.