The third Sunday of Advent

Sung Eucharist for the third Sunday of Advent

Today at 10.00 am · Watch the service · View the order of service

Other services

Messy Christingle
Today at 4.00 pm

Said Eucharist
This Wednesday 17 December at 10.00 am

Sung Eucharist for the fourth Sunday of Advent
Next Sunday 21 December at 10.00 am · Watch the service · View the order of service

Festival of Lessons and Carols
Next Sunday 21 December at 7.00 pm · Watch the service · View the order of service


Advent and Christmas at St Mary's

  • December 7, 6.00 pm: Advent Carol Service, ‘The one who is to come…’
  • December 13, 7.00 pm: Svitoch Ukrainian Choir, an Advent concert
  • December 14, 4.00 pm: Messy Christingle: Messy Church for Christmas, with a short Christingle service
  • December 18, 6.00 pm: The Longest Night: a chance to reflect and remember 
  • December 19, 7.00 pm: Carol Singalong in the Brown Cow with Altofts and Normanton Brass Band
  • December 21, 7.00 pm: Festival of Lessons and Carols
  • Christmas Eve, 5.00 pm: Crib Service
  • Christmas Eve, 11.30 pm: Midnight Mass

Bible discussion group

Due to clashes with other Christmas and Advent activities, the Bible Discussion Group will take a break in December. It will restart on Friday 9 January, 6.00 pm until 7.00 pm as usual.

The Leeds South & East Food Bank: What's Needed in December

The Leeds South & East Food Bank continues to be in urgent need of donations of food to help feed those in most need. In particular at the moment they are asking for UHT milkbiscuitscustardcooking sauces and tinned or packet mashed potatoes.

If you are able, you can donate by picking one of these items up in your weekly shop and dropping it in the box at the back of the church. You can find other ways to help, including donating money or your time, on their website at wkrk.uk/fbd. If you need the help of a foodbank yourself, see wkrk.uk/fbh.

Messy Christingle

Today at 4.00 pm
St Mary's Church Whitkirk Community Centre

Messy Church does Christingle! Come along today at 4.00 pm for snacks, games, and Christmas crafts, including the chance to build a Christingle. Followed by a short Christingle service in the church, featuring Rev’d Claire’s now-legendary giant Christingle!

The Longest Night

This Thursday 18 December at 6.00 pm
St Mary's Church, Whitkirk

Christmas is not always an easy time. If you have lost a loved one, are struggling with illness or depression, are far from home, or are dealing with any other kind of uncertainty or sadness, the enforced jollity can feel very hard. If this speaks to you, or if you think it may speak to someone you know, our ‘Longest Night’ service may be just what you need. A service without words, this offers a chance to be still amid the busyness, to pray, to reflect, perhaps even to dare to hope. There will be a chance to light a candle and to leave a prayer or the name of a loved-one on a memorial Christmas tree. All very welcome. The service operates on a drop-in basis – come at any time between 6pm and 7pm and stay as long as you need.

Sanctuary

This Thursday 18 December at 7.00 pm
St Mary's Church, Whitkirk

We had to postpone last week’s scheduled ‘Sanctuary’ service due to illness. It will now take place this week, on Thursday at 7.00 pm. This will be a special service for Advent, reflecting on the so-called ‘O Antiphons’. Want to find out more? Why not come along? It’s a service of peace and reflection. It will follow directly on from the end of the Longest Night service.

Carols at the Brown Cow

This Friday 19 December at 7.00 pm
The Brown Cow

Looking for some traditional jolly Christmas fun? Join members of the church choir and congregation and Altofts and Normanton Brass Band at the Brown Cow for lots of fun with traditional carols for all to sing along with. Approximately 7.00 pm until 7.30 pm and 7.45 pm until 8.15 pm.


The Church family

For your prayers

The sick

  • David
  • Katie
  • Lesley
  • Tom
  • Caroline
  • Stephen
  • Pat
  • Jean
  • Joan
  • Fran and family
  • Dennis
  • Dominic
  • Christine

Those in long-term care

  • Ginny
  • Virginia
  • Margaret

Recently died

  • Terry Foster
  • Rose Hanlon
  • Sheila Thompson

Anniversary of death

  • Alice and Tommy Richardson
  • Norman Beveridge
  • Eric Watson
  • Shirley Eastwood
  • Julie Kelly
  • Maud Taylor