December 2025 / January 2026 - E-Magazine
- The Team at Yate Parish
- 19 minutes ago
- 10 min read
Please click below for a printable copy of the magazine:
Active waiting on God!
I don’t know about you, but I am not naturally always very patient! I sometimes want to ‘fast forward’ life and get to what I want to happen. But life isn’t like that and much of our life is spent waiting. So I have been thinking recently about waiting on God. Advent is a time of waiting as we look towards celebrating Christmas. Yet even as we celebrate Christmas and then Epiphany, we are still waiting for the coming of God’s kingdom which is already here yet not fully here. So as Christians we are always waiting and praying for the full coming of God’s kingdom. As a parish, we are waiting for a new team to be formed with a new team rector and team vicar. In our lives there always seem to be things we are waiting for. As we move through life these things evolve from waiting to grow up, waiting to settle down and have a family, waiting for new job opportunities, waiting for retirement and so on. Waiting can be hard and challenging especially as we wait for important news. So, how do we wait well before God?
There are many references to waiting in the bible which suggests that waiting on God is active not passive, something that we do with expectant hope and trust in God. It isn’t doing nothing or being idle. The psalmists write a lot about waiting. We are encouraged to ‘wait for the Lord; be strong, and let your heart take courage, wait for the Lord! (Psalm 27: 14). This is waiting with an active trust in God. It is a positive waiting with courage. In several psalms we read about waiting with hope in God: ‘I wait for the Lord, my soul waits, and in his word, I hope’ (Psalm 130:3) and ‘For God alone, O my soul, wait in silence, for my hope is from him.’ (Psalm 62:5) I think waiting on God means actively exercising trust in God and looking to him with a firm hope, actively growing in our faith. It means trusting in God’s purposes for us which may not always be what we think we want or need. It means being faithful to God as we wait and pray, knowing that he is at work in our lives.
So perhaps we need to think of these times of waiting as times when God is at work preparing us for his purposes for us, and |
hard though it can be, the waiting may be for our good. In Isaiah 40:31 we read that ‘those who wait for the Lord shall renew their strength’, which speaks to me of God renewing those who wait for him. Times of waiting can be times of spiritual growth when God is shaping and preparing us for new seasons. Bishop Neil spoke recently of the importance of stopping to be still and wait on God in prayer during busy lives – especially as we move towards the business of Christmas with Tree Fest 2025, Carols and Christmas services!
Advent is both a time of waiting and a time of preparation, not just the practical preparations for Christmas but the spiritual discipline of preparing ourselves to welcome the birth of Jesus Christ and looking further ahead to meet him face to face as we also think about the end times. Times of vacancy in the life of a parish can be times of preparation as God works to prepare us for a new season and that preparation often means getting things in better order for the future. A lot of that work has been done in Yate parish, and I hope and pray God will work through us all to do more to achieve the good foundations that a new rector and new vicar can build on to take us forward. Times of vacancy can also be times when God prompts us to use our gifts in new ways so that we can all move forward in ministry in the church and in our community and I would love to see new ‘vocations’ emerging during this time of waiting.
I don’t think waiting means we stop acting. In the vacancy we are still at work seeking to follow Christ and obey him so that God’s kingdom can grow in Yate. We will not put all decisions on hold but rather seek to follow God’s leading as we wait, actively working to ‘make Jesus visible’ in Yate.
As we wait through Advent, I pray we will all know God preparing us for the joy of Christmas and as we celebrate Epiphany and look forward into 2026, may God be at work to prepare us for all he has in store for us. And in our waiting may we grow in trust and hope in God who is at work in us for our good. Amen Revd Sue Gent
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Our new Team Rector
The Acting Bishop of Bristol, the Rt Rev'd Neil Warwick, is
delighted to announce that the Rev Peter Huxtable from the
Diocese of Southwell and Nottingham, is to be the new Team Rector of Yate. Peter will be joining us in the New Year, with a licensing date to be confirmed. Please pray for him and his family as they prepare to move.
Peter is married to Ruth, and they have 3 children in their twenties, Kate, Will and Emma. Peter will be leaving the dual
role he’s held for nearly 5 years as Mission Priest for Woven
St Martha’s Broxtowe in Nottingham, alongside a wider
Diocesan role as Bishop’s Advisor for Urban and Estates
mission. Ruth is a maths teacher for Notts health-related
education team. Previously Peter served incumbencies in
Stapleford and Bestwood, as well as being Area Dean.
Peter originates from Berkshire and Ruth from Somerset, but they’ve lived most of their married life in Nottingham, with a stint in Kidderminster for Peter’s curacy. Peter worked in office management and then software development before being
selected for ordination and training at St John’s College,
Nottingham.
Peter says: “We are very much looking forward to moving to Yate, to making our home here and meeting everyone. We love both the feel of the town and the countryside around, and we really enjoyed meeting people from across the churches on the visit day. I am very excited by the opportunity to be Team
Rector and build on all the good things happening on the ground. I pray that, with God’s help, I can bring some joy and refreshment to the churches, to make a meaningful contribution into the ministry team, so under God as congregations we can grow in number and heart across all ages, and increase the
opportunities for the churches to play a full part in the life of the town and villages.”
Peter and Ruth enjoy walking, exploring places, tea shops, country pubs, trips away in the caravan, going to the cinema, shows and sports events. Peter loves making music, including songwriting and recording. He’s a keen follower of England cricket, the tennis tours, and sport in general. They are looking forward to being in more touching distance of some of their family in South Wales and the Southwest, and the opportunity to put down fresh roots and make new friends as they make the move to Yate.
Services throughout the Parish
Sunday 7th December 2nd Sunday of Advent — Purple Isaiah 11.1-10 Romans 15.4-13 Matthew 3.1-12 St Mary 8.15am Communion 10.30am All Age Worship 6.30pm 630 Praise
St Nix 9.30am Communion
St James 11.00am Communion
St Peter 4.00pm Evening Worship (Book of Common Prayer)
Sunday 14th December 3rd Sunday of Advent — Purple Isaiah 35.1-10 James 5.7-10 Matthew 11.2-11
St Mary 8.15am Communion 10.30am Communion 6.30pm Carol Service
St Nix 9.30am Morning Worship
St James 11.00am Morning Worship
St Peter 4.00pm Carol Service
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Sunday 21st December 4th Sunday of Advent — Purple Isaiah 7.10-16 Romans 1.1-7 Matthew 1.18-25
St Mary 8.15am Communion 10.30am Morning Worship 6.30pm 630 Praise Contemporary Carol Service St Nix 9.30am Communion St James 11.00am Communion St Peter 4.00pm Evening Worship (Book of Common Prayer)
Thursday 25th December Christmas Day—Gold/White Isaiah 9: 2-7, Titus 2: 11-14 and Luke 2: 1-14 [15-20]
St Mary’s 10.30am Christmas Celebration Service St Nix 10.30am Family Christmas Communion
Sunday 28th December 1st Sunday of Christmas - White Isaiah 63.7-9 Hebrews 2.10-18 Matthew 2.13-23
St Mary 6.30pm 630 Praise St Nix 10.30am Parish Communion
Christmas Services in the Parish See page13
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Sunday 4th January 2nd Sunday of Christmas/Epiphany - Gold/White Isaiah 60.1–6 Ephesians 3.1–12 Matthew 2.1–12
St Mary 8.15am Communion 10.30am All Age Worship 6.30pm 630 Praise
St Nix 9.30am Communion
St James 11.00am Communion
St Peter 4.00pm Evening Worship (Book of Common Prayer)
Sunday 11th January 1st Sunday of Epiphany - Gold/White Isaiah 42.1–9 Acts 10.34–43 Matthew 3.13–end
St Mary 8.15am Communion 10.30am Communion 6.30pm 630 Praise
St Nix 9.30am Morning Worship
St James 11.00am Morning Worship
St Peter 4.00pm Communion (Book of Common Prayer) |
Sunday 18th January 2nd Sunday of Epiphany - White Isaiah 49.1–7 1 Corinthians 1.1–9 John 1.29–42
St Mary 8.15am Communion 10.30am Morning Worship 6.30pm 630 Praise
St Nix 9.30am Communion
St James 11.00am Communion
St Peter 4.00pm Evening Worship (Book of Common Prayer)
Sunday 25th January 3rd Sunday of Epiphany - White Jeremiah 1.4–10 Acts 9.1–22 Matthew 19.27–end
St Mary 8.15am Communion 10.30am Communion 6.30pm 630 Praise
St Nix 9.30am Morning Worship
St James 11.00am Morning Worship St Peter 4.00pm Communion (Book of Common Prayer)
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Mothers’ Union Yate December/January 2026
At the beginning of November, I’m sure many of you listened to stories or sermons about being ‘saints’ by following Jesus and putting our Christian faith into action. So, okay, we do our best to be kind, to be generous and compassionate, but do you wish you could do more?
I want you to know that by becoming part of the amazing worldwide Christian Organisation that is Mothers’ Union, many opportunities will open up for you to become involved in projects that involve practical action, demonstrating our love for God and for one another.
This month we continue our campaign against Domestic Abuse with a display in St Mary’s Church - ‘Behind Closed Doors’. Nobody knows what goes on behind closed doors, we hope that there is love and peace, especially at Christmas. However, we know that this isn’t always the case. As Mothers’ Union we pray for those who are trapped in difficult and unhappy situations and we provide practical help for those in need.
Visit our Yate Branch Christmas Tree and display, find out about how you could become one of our valued members, or supporters, by talking to anyone wearing the MU badge or visiting our website: You will be warmly welcomed to any of our meetings!
At Christmas may you be blessed with peace and light with love and prayers
December Meeting at St Mary’s on 18th December at 2pm for Carols and Christmas treats amongst the trees.
January Meeting at St Mary’s on 15th January promptly at 2pm AGM. Find out about the year ahead- 2026 - the 150th Anniversary of Mothers’ Union
For more information about Mothers’ Union please contact Jacky on 07501 670265 or jackyfredrickson@gmail.com Website: www.muyate.org.uk
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Parish Prayer Link.
I have been having problems with setting up a distribution group to send out the prayer link. If you do wish to continue to receive it, please contact me on jen4ch@gmail.com
I will do my best to get it out to you. Maybe it is time I called it a day?? Thank you. Jenny Carter. |
Tree Fest 2025 schedule
Monday 1st December 2.30pm – 4.30pm enjoy a delicious afternoon tea served in St Peter’s church, along with seasonal music and bell ringing
Saturday 6th December 10.30am – 3.30pm come and see the decorated church & trees, enjoy a hot drink and mince pie or soup & roll lunch, along with a variety of musical interludes at St Mary’s….11.30am Tribal Fantasy, 12.30pm The Loud Crowd (Yate & Sodbury Community Choir), 1.30pm Tuti Fluti, 2.30pm Sodbury Vale Musical Comedy Club. Children’s craft corner available all day.
Saturday 6th December 12 noon till 2pm Christmas Fayre at St James, Westerleigh, many stalls including cakes, tombola, Christmas decorations, refreshments and a visit from Santa Claus.
Saturday 6th December 6.30 for 7pm fantastic evening concert by The Rock Choir at St Nix, Abbotswood. Tickets £7, including a glass of mulled wine & mince pie, available from St Nix Office on 01454 324712 or online via st.nicholas.abbotswood@hotmail.co.uk
Monday 22nd December from 7pm carols on the Westerleigh village green around the Christmas tree – in the event of rain gather in the New Inn.
The team wish to thank everyone for their support in making this event a great success.
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There will be a churches together in Yate and Chipping Sodbury service on 25th January 2026 at 6.30pm for the week of Christian Unity.
The location will be confirmed closer to the date. |
Friends of Kingsgate Park in conjunction with Yate Town Council invite you to Carols in Kingsgate Park on Friday 5th December beginning at 6pm. Bring your singing voice and a torch.
Meet by the workshop by the Elmwood entrance off Sundridge Park. Enjoy mince pies and mulled wine at the end.
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Readings for Morning and Evening Prayer The Table below has the readings for Morning and Evening prayer. Prayer books are available from the Parish Office. |
Weekly at St Mary’s
Thursday Communion at 10.00am
Compline @8pm
Before the lockdown happened, we had recorded the saying of Compline. We ask that each evening at 8pm we light a candle in our window and pray together for our nation using the words of the Compline service - it takes just over 5 minutes.
Visit the parish website and click on the recordings to listen; you will find the words of the service there too.
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