Christmas shopping – easy on the Market Hill

Yes, it’s that time of year again! Before you trek into town and struggle with the crowds, take a look inside St Mary’s Shop on the Market Hill. It’s crammed with a delightful assortment of goods for family and friends of all ages: Advent calendars; beautiful cards for Christmas and many other occasions; stationery and gift-wrap; toys, books and puzzles; 2010 diaries and calendars, with a new St Mary’s calendar, priced at £4.99, featuring some stunning photography by Rita James (November sunrise pictured left). Carefully chosen for quality and value for money, this little shop has an amazing selection of stock.

Shop open: Monday/Tuesday/Thursday/Friday/Saturday, 10.00 am to 4.00 pm and Wednesday 10.00 am to 1.00 pm until Christmas.

On the road …

After rashly saying to Tony Waller that I would help to run an Emmaus group, I began at the Wednesday evening slot with a course on prayer, followed by one about the Bible (the whole Bible in five sessions!), and now we are midway through What is church? Emmaus is about sharing one’s ideas on these topics with others in the group in the light of well-chosen passages, mainly from the Bible. We also pray together and attempt some thought-provoking tasks (e.g. writing a letter of advice to someone new to the church). Homework keeps us on our toes between sessions! The name Emmaus comes from St Luke’s Gospel, when two disciples travelling along the Emmaus road after Christ’s death are met by a stranger who explains to them the meaning of Jesus’s life and death. Although they do not at first realise that it is Jesus himself, they later say to each other, Did not our hearts burn within us while He talked with us by the way? If, as the course continues, we can gently warm our hearts by meeting together in the presence of Jesus, I am sure we shall be on the right road.

If you’d like to join a group (Wednesday mornings or evenings), contact John Davis (01394 383617) or Tony Waller (01394 386786)

John Davis