We have arranged a weekend visit to the Mother House of the Community of the Resurrection, Mirfield next summer: Friday 9 June to Sunday 11 June (Trinity Sunday).  The Mirfield Fathers are the Patrons of Attleborough Church.

The brethren of the Community of the Resurrection follow a routine of daily prayer and worship.  The Community undertakes charitable work at home and overseas, including pastoral, evangelistic, literary and educational work.  Their life is structured around the pattern of those recorded in the Acts of the Apostles: 'They continued steadfastly in the Apostles' teaching and fellowship, in the breaking of the bread and in the prayers.  The company of those who believed were of one heart and one soul, and no one said that any of these things which he possessed was his own, but they held everything in common.'

We’ll join in worship in the Community Church, share meals and fellowship together, enjoy some free time in the beautiful Yorkshire countryside and have the chance to rest in God’s presence with men who have consecrated their lives to His service.  Accommodation will be in single rooms (with shared bathrooms) in the Retreat House in the monastery grounds, and all meals are included in the cost, which is £94 per person.

We will probably travel by train unless numbers suggest otherwise.  The list for you to sign up to take part in this visit is now available in the church.  A non-refundable £20 deposit must be submitted to the Parish Office by Sunday 15 January 2017.  All are welcome and invited!  Get in touch for more information.

Our traditional Lunch will be served as usual in St Mary's Church Hall on Christmas Day.  Anyone who would otherwise be alone and would like to eat a delicious lunch in friendly company will be welcome.  Please make your friends and neighbours aware of this invitation.

Lifts are available and guests arrive at around 11am for a drink of sherry or mulled wine and nibbles.  There will be some carol singing before lunch is served at about 12.30pm.  Then comes some light entertainment - games or quizzes - until we watch the Queen's broadcast at 3pm.  After this we have a cup of tea and a mince pie and guests go home at about 3.30pm.

There is no charge for the meal but donations are invited for St Martin's Housing Trust in Norwich.

Anyone who would like to attend this Christmas Day Lunch as a guest is asked to ring Dorothy Woolliscroft on 01953 456211.  If there is no reply, please leave a CLEAR message with your phone number and she will get back to you.

We shall need volunteers to meet and greet, to serve drinks and chat to guests, or to wash up during the morning.  Helpers are welcome to have lunch with us.  We shall also require drivers to bring guests to the Hall at about 11am and/or to take them back home at 3.30pm.  Please contact Dorothy on 456211.

The Holy Sacrament of Christ’s Body and Blood is kept (the church word is ‘reserved’) in a cupboard called an aumbry, near the altar under the tower.  The Sacrament is reserved so it can be taken to the housebound, sick and dying, and so it can be a focus for the prayer and devotion of the Faithful.

The ancient custom of Christians has been to keep a lamp burning in front of the aumbry to mark it out, to give honour to the Sacrament and to remind us of the Presence of Christ, the ‘true light who enlightens everyone’.   This lamp burns all the time except on Good Friday and Easter Eve, when the aumbry is empty.

At the end of the 8am Eucharist this morning, the Rector blessed a new lamp which has been bought for St Mary's using money given in memory of the late Herbert Bart, who died last December.  It's a beautiful gift: a light to burn, like a lighthouse, showing the way to the Risen Lord.