Share the Light is a resource for Advent, Christmas and beyond from the Christian Mission Society. Your church community is invited to join with Christians across the country taking time this Advent and Christmas to connect with people in mission around the world who are Sharing the Light of Jesus. Go to www.cms_uk.org/advent to download the Share the Light resources, which include service ideas and outreach and follow-up materials and learn more about adding a little “mission spice” to your Christmas party this year.

Readings from Bishop Stephen Cottrell and Paperless Christmas

Bishop Stephen Cottrell has written a selection of free Christmas readings for the period from 18-31 December, which are available on the Advent Resources pages of our website. Stephen offers a distinct approach to the Christmas story.

Paperless Christmas, the Christmas story as you've never seen it before, is back this year. A joint venture between the Bible Reading Fellowship (BRF) and the Jerusalem Trust, the nine short videos called 'On the Road with Mary and Joseph' give the traditional nativity story an inventive, contemporary twist. Angels drive yellow vans, the shepherds travel in pick-up trucks and the wise men are leather-clad biker. This unique approach has been used very successfully with classroom and church groups, and the accompanying discussion material is easily adaptable for use with both children and adults.

Churches offered help from international mission teams during the 2012 Games

More Than Gold are now offering help to churches reaching out to their communities during the 2012 Games with one of the many international mission teams coming to the UK. The teams of between five and 20 members offer churches help with children’s clubs, street outreach, running a big screen Community Festival, sports clinics and more.

This could be a great resource for your church; many will have special skills in the area of sports mission, creative arts, holiday clubs, working with youth and practical. They will also be ready to take part in church services and bring the perspectives of their own nation.

The teams will be in the UK from June to September 2012. All the anticipated 3,000 people involved will receive a detailed briefing and full training on cultural issues. Find out more at www.morethangold.org.uk/mission

Resources released to help churches welcome 2012 with prayer

Churches planning to mark the arrival of 2012 with prayer now have a range of free resources, ‘Shine for the New Year’, to help them including service outlines and written prayers. A call for churches to pray at some time between 31 December and 8 January has come from all the main denominations, through This is through More Than Gold, the agency set up to help them make the most of the 2012 Games.

The help available, by way of free downloads from the More Than Gold website, includes outlines for New Year, Epiphany and all age services that all have their focus on praying for the opportunities and challenges of the coming year. There are also a list of prayer topics, set prayers and creative ideas for a prayer meeting.

The resources can be accessed at morethangold.org.uk/shine-new-year

Education Sunday 2012

Student protests and the debate around Higher Education funding highlight a fundamental question – what is education for? Our time in education is not simply about preparing us for the workplace; it is also about the development of the whole person and finding ways to use our newly acquired skills and knowledge in the service of others. Learnng and Serving is the theme for next year's Education Sunday on February 5 - the resources which draw on the lectionary readings are now available at www.cte.org.uk

Education Sunday is a national day of prayer and celebration for everyone involved in the world of education. For more than 100 years there has been an annual recognition of the day in England and Wales (traditionally on the ninth Sunday before Easter). The resources are designed to be used on or around Education Sunday, or on any other day during the year, such as the start or end of the academic year. You can use these resources in your church, in local schools, colleges and universities and in other places of learning.

New ecumenical York Course for Lent 2012 now available

‘Handing on the Torch – Sacred words for a secular world’ is a five-session ecumenical discussion course for groups or individual study, comprising booklet, CD/ audiotape and transcript.

Archbishop Sentamu, Clifford Longley JP (Roman Catholic writer and broadcaster) and Rachel Lampard (Methodist Adviser on political and social issues) are among the distinguished contributors to the new Lent course CD from York Courses. Dr David Hope introduces the course and Bishop Graham Cray provides the thoughtful closing reflections on the CD. Canon John Young has written the course booklet, and each of the five sessions offers a good selection of stimulating questions aimed at engaging every group member.

Go to www.yorkcourses.co.uk for more information.

Free resources for 'The Iron Lady'

There are free official resources for the movie 'The Iron Lady', which arrives in cinemas on 6 January 2012 available at www.damaris.org/theironlady, to help churches to think and talk about the big themes.

'The Iron Lady' tells the compelling story of Margaret Thatcher, a woman who broke through the barriers of gender and class to be heard in a male-dominated world. It is a surprising and intimate portrait of an extraordinary and complex woman whose legacy still polarises opinion to this day. The Iron Lady also offers the chance to think more deeply about questions that affect us all. The film delves into some of life's most challenging topics: overcoming prejudice; balancing family and career; making a mark; coping with change; celebrating achievement and dealing with regret.

These free official resources are designed to help people think through these themes, and what the Bible has to say about them. The best way to use these resources is to arrange a group outing to see The Iron Lady and then meet afterwards. The free resource contains everything that's needed to organise an event around The Iron Lady such as posters and invitations, recipe suggestions for food and drinks, and questions to help you get the conversation going. There are even clips from the film and special videos to remind groups of key scenes available on a free DVD.

All Saints’ Church Wraxall seeks a dedicated person to care for their beautiful Grade 1 listed church with friendly congregation. Duties include opening and closing the church and parish room (daily), preparing for and assisting with services, caring for church property, welcoming visitors. The successful applicant should be prepared to work an average of ten hours per week and be flexible with time management. Verger duties at weddings and funerals are paid a separate set fee.

Please contact the parish office Ph: 01275 852442 or either of the churchwardens Eileen Ph: 01275 856597 or Bob Ph: 01275 851501 for job description and application form.

Closing date is Friday 6 January 2012.

Spirituality and Art - a pilgrimage to Florence

From 10-16 October 2012, Revd Jane Eastell, Diocesan Adviser in Spirituality, will lead a pilgrimage to Florence on the theme Spirituality and Art - the divine art of Fra Angelico. It will be a chance to see and reflect on the frescoes and paintings of the Dominican Fra Angelico of the fifteenth century.

"In medieval thought, the noblest aim of painting was the portrayal of individual events in the life of Christ, leading one to meditate on the divine mysteries", says Jane. "Fra Angelico’s frescoes at San Marco, Florence are highly regarded examples. Vasari, a sixteenth century Italian painter and historian, described Angelico as a ‘truly Angelic father’, but there is much more to him than that!" she adds.

This pilgrimage is open not only to people in Bath & Wells but also those from surrounding dioceses. Download the pilgrimage flyer. Closing date for booking is 15 Jan 2012.

Employers' Liability Tracing Office need parish information

All churches in the UK have until 31 March 2012 to provide information needed by the new Employers’ Liability Tracing Office (ELTO).

ELTO is the new independent organisation responsible for holding records of all employers’ liability insurance policies. These records allow employees who have been injured or made ill by their jobs to trace their employers’ liability insurers with the aim of seeking compensation.

As part of the process to set up the new ELTO database, all churches with employees are required to inform their employers’ liability insurer of their employers’ reference number (ERN). This number is issued to a church by HM Revenue and Customs and is sometimes known as Employer PAYE Reference and appears on forms such as P45s, P60s and P11Ds.

If a church has been exempted from holding an ERN, its insurer will need to know this too. Once insurers have collected the information from their faith customers, they will pass the data to ELTO to use as part of the new national database.

John Coates, Direct Insurance Services Director at Ecclesiastical, said:

“The majority of churches will not have an ERN because they will either have no direct employees or each employee is paid less than £503 per month. Even if a church does not have an ERN number, we still need to record this fact and advise ELTO.

So that we can update the database, we need notification from each church of its exemption or its ERN number by 31 March 2012. If a church has purchased a new policy from us since 1 August 2011, there will be no need to contact us as we will already have this information.”

Ecclesiastical has set up three ways in which the churches can submit their details. These are:

• Online by completing a short form at www.ecclesiastical.com/churchmatters/elto

• By email to ern@ecclesiastical.com

• By phone, leaving a recorded message on an automated system on 0845 601 5671

Ecclesiastical’s Parishguard and Hallguard insurance policies both include employers’ liability insurance unless a church has opted not to include the cover as part of its policy. For more information, church trustees and staff can contact ELTO by phone at 0845 165 2805 or send an email to enquiries@elto.org.uk

A Christmas Near You

You may have seen the launch of www.achristmasnearyou.com recently with Jo Brand as its ambassador. If you still need to update your parish details then please do so.

Heating oil theft

The cost of heating oil has increased significantly resulting in more thefts of oil from both domestic and commercial properties. Many churches are being targeted, so it is essential to ensure you take every step to safeguard your tank.

Further guidance from EIG can be found here.

A Rocha UK expediation to Kenya 5-20 May 2012

Applications are invited for a two-week stay in Kenya. This will involve working alongside scientists to collect environmental data, assisting with local conservation work, and will include a two-day "safari" into Tsavo East which contains most of East Africa's wild animals. On another day off it will be possible to snorkle in a marine National Park. Accommodation will be at Mwamba, the base of A Rocha Kenya, which is similar to a field studies centre in the UK, but it has a beach on the Indian Ocean: see www.arocha.org

In contrast with commercial safaris this expedition will give a chance to see the country from inside, living and working alongside Africans and any surplus from the expedition will go to A Rocha Kenya.

The expedition will be jointly led by David Agassiz, a retired Anglican priest/ entomologist who has lived and worked in Kenya, together with Colin Jackson, Conservation and Science Director of A Rocha Kenya.

The cost will be approx £900 per person which includes board and keep, together with local travel and fees for entering National Parks. Participants will need to make their own arrangements to fly to Kenya. The number of places is limited to 12 and a deposit of £100 is required by 1 February 2012.

Watamu is more than 250km from the Somali border and there is no increased security concern in the light of recent incidents.

For further information contact Revd Dr David Agassiz agassiz@btinternet.com or Ph: 01934 620486.