Happy New Year!

I hope you had a great Christmas. I meant to post most of these before Christmas and then things got a little busy! So here's some retrospective Christmas for you.

I like that people know me well enough here at MM+B that my lying on the floor taking pictures of the tree, or my getting in the way at the Christmas lunch taking photos of the roast potatoes is not a surprise to anyone.

Finally, here's a little something for you to enjoy. I don't know about you, but I'm feeling a little stale after Christmas. It's hard to motivate yourself when all you want to do is hibernate. Or is that just me? I listened to this song this morning however while I checked the office emails, and it felt like a icy-clean January fresh-breath-of-air and now I feel more like getting on.


Hope you have a good week!

Mary
Church Office

Productive Fridays are my favourite

Hope you're having a good week and are not suffering too much from several days so cold as to not really be believed and now this miserable rain. Anyway, I have some photos from this week to make you feel better. 

This was dawn over the Mistley Churchyard on Thursday. I think it was about -5 at the time, but look how pretty it was. So worth it.

Here's a bit of Christmas cheer. Woolly Christmas (which was, allegedly, so successful that it is on next year's Christmas list) and the Mistley Buggy Clubbers decorating the tree. They've done it beautifully.

And finally, for all those who aren't coming up to Bradfield this week:

He looks like a jaunty spy. 

I've got some more festive photos lined up, and please, if you take pictures at events and on walks and when you make a great cake, send them in. It's good to share. Sesame Street taught me that.

Mary

Church Office

Nearly-St.-Lucia-photos

That's right. I always intended to post these mid-week. Or not. Given our average Friday in the office, I'm surprised that I've ever intended to try and write these posts then. Oh well.

In case you weren't there, this is what the Benefice Advent Light service looked like at Mistley.

And this was Paul and Pollie's wedding from a few weeks back.

Have a good week and stay warm.

Mary
Church Office

Last week's photos...a bit late!

Finally, I found time to put these together. Easily the best photos of last week. Click on them to have a proper look. Messy Church was great. Come along next time, if you weren't there!

I've got some good ones ready for the next few weeks. But I'm not against putting up several. So keep sending them. Have a happy snow-day!

Mary
Church Office

Happy thanksgiving!

The weekly photo competition (of which I shall be an entirely biased judge) starts here, and has, in fact, already been won this week. It wasn't hard. I love thanksgiving. I love a nifty t-shirt. I'm a fan of Ruby. The win was inevitable.

Have a good week!

Mary 

Church Office

New life!

St. Mary and St. Michael, Mistley with Manningtree

At this chilly, bare-branched time of year, there is rarely talk of new life. The snowdrops seem a little far away right now, not to mention the daffodils. This blog, however, is having a Lion, the Witch and Wardrobe epiphany: it has been always winter, but now it's nearly Christmas. Welcome to the newly revamped Manningtree Benefice Blog!

We're in the midst of changing our website, but while we do, we can't do a lot with it! Therefore, our sadly neglected blog  which has languished, unused and unloved for too long, has a new lease of life. Please do check here for news and events coming up. What's more, our general service pattern and our special Christmas services, and more besides, are all available on the tabs at the top of the page.

St. Lawrence, Bradfield

We're also on facebook. Search for 'Manningtree Benefice' and like us for updates and more. We're needy like that.

That's it, for now. Stay warm and look forward to the snowdrops.

Mary
Church Office

Christmas 2010

Dear Friends,

Advent is a season of expectation and preparation, as the Church prepares to celebrate the coming of Christ into the world, which traditionally both looks back to the first coming of Christ and looks forward to the second coming or return of Christ.

As Christmas Eve approaches, the mood changes from longing and expectation to joy and recognition. The song of the Church changes from ‘Maranatha’ - ‘Our Lord, come’ (1 Corinthians 16:22) to ‘Christ is born today’ with alleluias and glorias ringing out through the church’s worship and liturgy.

As we wait with, and through, the familiar characters in the gospel stories, just as Christ was formed in Mary so let us reflect on Christ being formed in our lives, coming again to us, to be born again in us this Christmas time. 

Maranatha! Our Lord, come! 

Revd. Chris Hills