Weekly Updates - St. Mary Magdalene Westoning

Weekly Update for the First Sunday of Advent (30 November 2025)

HAPPY NEW YEAR AND STOP PRESS! 60 minutes with God will be taking place on Monday 1 December 2025 at the parish church of St Mary Magdalene Westoning at 7:30pm. All are welcome to come along either for the full 60 minutes or any time you can spare to pray for our benefice, our parishes and churches and our friends, families and ourselves. Don't worry if you don't feel comfortable praying aloud in a group - God hears the prayers of our hearts and no-one will put any pressure on you to say a word if you'd rather not. I haven't lost the plot - this week marks the first Sunday of the new church year as we enter the season of Advent looking ahead to Christmas. Advent is a season which is all too easy to let slip by in the business of preparing for Christmas. But we do so at our peril. Advent not only looks forward to the celebration of Christ's birth, but also focuses our thoughts on when Christ will come again to set in place God's rule for the rest of eternity. When He does come, we must be ready to meet with Him and give an account of our lives. Advent is the time to take stock and consider if we are living our lives in the way Christ taught us to. If we are not, then now is the time to make the changes. No-one knows when Christ will come again - that's been conjectured over the millennia. So the message is - be ready NOW! And as we celebrate Christmas with the joy of God's gift of His Son, we look ahead to when we will meet with Him in person. If anyone would like to talk through any of the themes of Advent or Christmas, or faith in general, please do contact Father Mark or Reverend Steve who will be delighted to talk and pray with you.

Weekly Update for Christ the King (23 November 2025)

Today we celebrate the last Sunday of the Church of England calendar - known as Christ the King. Next Sunday, we move into a season of penitence as we prepare ourselves not only to celebrate Christmas but also to meet with Jesus face to face when He returns in glory. This Sunday, we have two services at 09:30, a service of Holy Communion at Harlington and a service of Morning Prayer at Tingrith. Then, at 11am we have our popular All Age service at Westoning. And don't forget to come along and lend your support to the church stall and caro9l singing at the Christmas Light Switch on.

Weekly Update for the second Sunday before Advent (16 November 2025)

As the end of the church year draws near (next Sunday is the final Sunday of the church's year and is called Christ the King. This week, we have our usual Sunday service at 11:00 where we will be celebrating Holy Communion. Do come along where you will receive a warm welcome! The events for the week are also on the website - do please take a look and come along to support any of the events you feel you may enjoy. Don't forget, if you can't get to our Sunday communion, we do have a midweek at St Mary's Harlington beginning at 10 o'clock on Wednesdays. Look out for a card through your door (if you live in Westoning) which will detail all the services happening in the run up to and over Christmas.

Weekly Update for Remembrance Sunday (9 November 2025)

As this week is Remembrance Sunday, some of our services are slightly different. At Harlington, the Act of Remembrance begins at the war memorial at the crossroads, assembling from 10:40 when the procession moves off from Harlington Lower School. At 11:00am the two minutes silence is observed followed by the laying of wreaths and then an invitation into church for a shortened act of worship. At Westoning, we begin in church at 10:50am with the reading of names and the two minute silence and then a service of Holy Communion. We gather at the War Memorial by Westoning Lower School at 12:30pm for an act of remembrance with the laying of wreaths by the community. Next weekend we have the Craft Fayre at Westoning Village Hall - please do come along and support the independent traders who have items for sale. Tea, coffee and cake as always are on offer! There are a number of opportunities to show generosity through various collections taking place - these are detailed on the sheet - please do consider if you are able to assist.

Weekly Update for All Saints Day (2 November 2025)

News of what's happening around the benefice

Weekly Update for Bible Sunday (26 October 2025)

This week's services at each of our three churches and advance notice of what's to come. Please do take particular note of the In Loving Memory services taking place next week and let the named contacts for Westoning or Harlington know if you'd like a loved one's name to be included. For Tingrith, please let Reverend Steve know by Saturday 1 November at revstevefarmer@gmail.com. As Christmas approaches, there are appeals happening - do please support these if you're able. And finally, we do collect in all three of our churches for foodbank - so many rely on this as their source of food so do please contribute if you can.

Weekly Update for the eighteenth Sunday after Trinity (19 October 2025)

New from around the benefice

Weekly Update for Seventeenth Sunday after Trinity (12 October 2025)

New from around the benefice. Do come along to the Harvest Praise on Sunday at 5pm in St Mary Magdalene Church Westoning

Weekly Update for the sixteenth Sunday after Trinity

Last week, we enjoyed two great Harvest Festival events at Westoning and Tingrith churches. On Sunday (5th), we have the final harvest service for this year at Harlington, St Mary's. This will be followed by a bring and share brunch. If you haven't yet had the opportunity to come and give thanks to God for his provision, please do consider joining us on Sunday morning at Harlington. Next Sunday, at 5pm in St Mary Magdalene church Westoning, we have a Harvest Praise event led by the Quintet Choir - where music and readings relating to Harvest feature. No charge - do join us!

Weekly Update for the fifteenth Sunday after Trinity - 28 September 2025

News of what's happening around the three churches this Sunday and the week ahead. DONT FORGET THERE'S A MCMILLAN COFFEE MORNING HOSTED BY THE CRAFT AND SEWING BEE GROUP AT WESTONING VILLAGE HALL ON SATURDAY 27 SEPTEMBER 2025. DO COME ALONG TO ENJOY A CUP OF TEA (OR COFFEE) A PIECE OF CAKE, MEET UP WITH FRIENDS AND SHOW YOUR SUPPORT FOR A FANTASTIC CHARITY.