November 25
All Saints Church,
Earls Barton
Remembering with Thanksgiving through November
By Rev Jenny Bland
Before the waiting and joy of Advent and Christmas (don’t let the shops fool you to thinking it’s already here!), November gives us a month of reflection and remembering. In the church and our community, we pause to give thanks for loved ones who have gone before us, for the Saints who have shaped our faith and lives and then of course on Remembrance Sunday, we remember those who have given their lives in the world wars.
But All Saints’ Day also reminds us that holiness isn’t only found in our stained-glass windows, but in everyday people who have lived and loved well. I wonder if you have a ‘saint’ in your life, perhaps this is the month to tell them how grateful you are for them? There are of course for many of us, ‘saints’ and ‘souls’ who have gone before us into the heavenly realms, and in the life of the church we mark a day particularly to remember and thank God for them. At All Saints Church, you are very welcome to join us in this by coming along to our drop-in event. More information is below but it’s the 2nd November 4-5:30pm.
Later in the month we have Remembrance Sunday too where in our usual tradition we will gather at the War Memorial to honour those who gave their lives from Earls Barton in WW1 and WW2 as well as pray for those who continue to serve for the pursuit of justice and peace. I have to say, our time of silence followed by the ‘Last Post’ always speaks deeply to the heart and is so moving. This year we continue to remember with solemn gratitude the courage of those who served, and we pray for peace in our world today, something we have been praying for weekly if not daily for a long time.
So this month, there is a lot of opportunity for remembering and another season where we’re invited to go a bit slower ahead of December which can often feel like a quite a busy and full month! I’m now on maternity leave for the year but hopefully I’ll see you around the village with our new family member soon. Church is buzzing with just as many events and services so do come and visit or come and worship and see how God may speak to you in this beautiful month of remembering, pausing, offering thanks and seeking to live well.
A prayer you might like to pray: Loving God, thank you this month for those who are saints for me, for souls who I love and miss and soldiers and service people who have given so much. Bless and protect me, my family and this village as we seek to be people who long for justice and promote peace. Amen.
Our Services this Month
Every Day
We are open every day 10am - 4pm* for everyone in our parish to make use of their parish church. So pop in, have a look around, make time to pray, read from the Bible or enjoy a pit stop with your little ones as they play with the toys. We’re open for you.
*Subject to occasional offices (weddings, funerals, baptisms) and special events/circumstances.
Midweek Worship
Every Wednesday - 9:30am Holy Communion.
On the first Wednesday of the month there is a short service of Holy Communion in the Church Hall at 3pm followed by refreshments - everyone is welcome, we often have new people joining us.
November Sunday Services
2nd - 9am Holy Communion, 10am All Together, 4 – 5.30pm All Souls Event: Remembering with Thanksgiving (drop-in event where you can light a candle, write a loved ones name on our memorial tree and participate in prayers every 20 minutes. Spend as little or as long in the quiet and low-lit church, suitable for all ages.).
6pm Evensong
9th - 10am Holy Communion (short service), 10.45am Remembrance service at the War Memorial. *Please note there is no civil service in the Church this year.
16th - 10am Holy Communion with JaM (Safeguarding Sunday)
23rd - 10am Sticky Holy Communion (Christ the King)
30th - 10am Holy Communion (Advent 1)
Everyone is welcome to join us for our services, and we warmly encourage children. JaM is our ‘Jesus and Me’ group for children that runs in the Church Hall if they’d like to attend or they are welcome to stay in the service. We have an area with books and toys for families and a toilet a short walk away in our Hall. Refreshments follow most 10am services in the Church Hall and again, everyone is welcome!
Auction of Promises
Promise Auction: Has been cancelled for Nov 8th. Thank you to those who did offer a promise, we may have another go in the new year when things might be less busy.
Two messages from Derek, Our Treasurer
The Harvest Supper was attended by 35 adults and young people who were treated to a wonderful selection of Mediterranean dishes. Enormous thanks goes to Noelle & Chad who generously gave their time preparing, cooking and serving the food. As a result the evening raised £493 for church funds. Our Harvest Festival in church also raised £167 in donations for the Daylight Centre.
A reminder that we have now launched a fundraising campaign to raise up to £10,000 a year to enable us to continue to employ Sarah Howes as our Children's and Youth worker. We currently have funds that will last through until September 2026. If you don't already have one, there are leaflets in church that explain how to contribute which include giving monthly, or making a one-off donation - both specifically for this work. If you have any questions about this please contact our Treasurer, Derek Bish at treasurer.earlsbarton@outlook.com or on 07543400385.
A message from Nicola Smith
Fairtrade Fortnight may be over – but fairtrade is for the whole year round! And millions of tea workers in India, Kenya and Sri Lanka still face poverty pay, unsafe conditions, and climate breakdown. We need a new law to hold companies accountable and protect the people behind our brew. Let’s make sure more of the 10 million cups we drink each day are fair! Keep the pressure on. Keep signing. Keep buying fairtrade.
https://bit.ly/4nw2xk0 (we have paper petition in our shop)
A message from Catherine, our choir director
Christmas is coming and All Saints choir needs YOU,
Come into the choir stalls, get out of your pew!
We'll sing lots of carols, traditional and new;
This is your invitation... and those around you too.
If you would like to join regular choir members in helping to lead our annual service of Lessons and Carols (Sunday 14th December at 6pm), we will be starting rehearsals on Friday 31st October. We meet in the church from 5 - 6pm every Friday, and all are welcome. For further information please speak to Catherine Johnson or any of the choir members. We look forward to seeing you!
This Month’s Events
Patchwork Exhibition on November 1st
All Saints Church 10am til 4pm.
In aid of music therapy for Lawrence's care Farm residents.
Tea, coffee and cakes in the church too.
Admission £2 per adult and £5 per family.
7th November - Friends of All Saints presents
Medieval music songs and stories with ‘de Mowbray’s Musicke’ - doors
6pm, concert at 7:30pm - come and see the instruments and hear some
history from 6:30pm. Tickets £10 from Jeyes, on the door or online from
‘wegottickets’ see poster for details and QR code link.
FAIRTRADE CAFÉ & SECONDHAND BOOKSALE on
SATURDAY 8TH November 10 – 1pm
We will be joined by our EB WI who will selling crafts & cakes as well as a table for children to make Christmas decorations....Enjoy chatting, browsing our products & secondhand books, & fresh coffee & yummy homemade cakes…
Everyone welcome!
07812 686944 nicky_smithseb@yahoo.co.uk
The Tearfund Big Quiz Night 2025 is on its way…
and you’re invited!
Saturday November 22nd @7.30pm
All Saints Church Hall
We welcome teams of up to 6 people & ask for a suggested donation of £5 minimum per person – we’re raising funds for Tearfund’s fantastic development work with some of the world’s most disadvantaged people.
Please book in even if you don’t have a team, as we will work that out on the night, we’d love to have you come along!
Contact us soon to book: 07812 686944 or email nicky_smithseb@yahoo.co.uk & we’ll send the link to our Tearfund JustGiving page for your donation
Please bring your own drinks and we supply glasses, nibbles and all you need for the quiz…… you just supply some answers! Hundreds of communities across the UK took part last year, thousands of people got involved. Don’t miss out as this is your chance to gather friends & family together in teams of up to 6 people for an evening of poverty-busting, community- building fun. See you there! Martin, Sandra, Nicola & Phil
Next Month’s Events
Songs of the Season - Earls Barton Music
Tickets are now available online for 'Songs of the Season', our winter concerts, on Thursday 4th December and Friday 5th December at All Saints Church, EB.
Tickets are priced £10 adults and £5 children and are available to buy online from ticketsource:
https://www.ticketsource.co.uk/earlsbartonmusic/songs-of-the-season/e-lebxdk
Tickets will also be available to buy from Jeyes on The Square
All Saints Christmas Bazaar on 6th December
10am til 1pm in the Church Hall.
Stalls are £10 each. Lee's Butchers are doing a BBQ. Tea, coffee and cakes will be available. We would like to collect items for a tombola and offers of cakes would be appreciated.
Amicorum Christmas Concert
Saturday, 6th December in All Saints Church.
An evening of Christmas music including A Ceremony of Carols by Benjamin Britten with
harpist, Holly-Alice Morton and traditional carols and songs. Doors open at 6.30pm with the concert starting at 7pm.
For more details visit the What’s On page or https://www.amicorumsingers.co.uk/events-2
Christingle Service
Sunday 7th December 10am service
Join us to celebrate this year’s Christingle and help show vulnerable children they are not alone this Christmas
In aid of the Children’s Society
Lessons & Carols
Sunday 14th December 6pm
A traditional Service of Lessons and Carols. Do join us for mulled wine and mince pies in Church after the service. Everyone Welcome