As December is approaching, we are nearing the season of Advent. This is a season of watchful waiting, which may be particularly pertinent in a world that continues to ask for an instant response.

At Hurst we will mark Advent, and of course Christmas, with a range of different services, more on which below. Members of the Hurst Foundation and others are all very welcome to join these occasions. We will also be producing a daily Advent reflection, which will be sent out to a mailing list which you are invited to join.

For now, though, I would like to wish you a peaceful Advent, and I hope to see you at any of the occasions below, or indeed at one of our College Christmas Carol services.

With all my best wishes,

Janneke

Advent reflections

Each day from 1st December until 15th December, we will send out an Advent reflection written by a member of the Hurst community. Please let me know if you would like to be added to the mailing list by emailing chaplain@hppc.co.uk

Advent service

On Advent Sunday 1 December, our traditional Advent Carol Service will take place in the Chapel at 5pm. It is a lovely, reflective occasion emphasising the light coming into the darkness of this season. You are warmly invited to join this service, preceded by mulled wine and mince pies in the Common Room from 4pm.

Christmas Eve services

There will be two services celebrating Christmas in the Chapel on 24 December, to which you and your families are warmly invited. At 4pm, there will be a family-friendly Crib service. At 11.30pm, there will be a Midnight Sung Eucharist, which is a more traditional service to celebrate this most holy night.

Christmas Toy Bank Appeal

We know that things are tight for many this year as a result of higher costs, and Holy Trinity with support from St Lawrence Hurstpierpoint and Hurst College are calling on people that are able to please buy a present for youngsters throughout the local area to take pressure off parents and guardians who would otherwise struggle to give their children a present this Christmas. We hope that you will join us in spreading some joy and love at this special time of year.  We will be collecting new, unopened and unwrapped toys/ books/ games to be gifted to children that need support in our area. See here for further information 

Prayer for Advent

Almighty God,

give us grace to cast away the works of darkness

and to put on the armour of light,

now in the time of this mortal life,

in which your Son Jesus Christ came to us in great humility;

that on the last day,

when he shall come again in his glorious majesty

   to judge the living and the dead,

we may rise to the life immortal;

through him who is alive and reigns with you,

in the unity of the Holy Spirit,

one God, now and for ever.