What's on at S. Helen's

Link to main calendar

Banns, Baptism and Wedding Arrangements can be made in church on
      any Monday evening at 6.15pm.
      No appointments are necessary

Fr McTeer is available to bring the Blessed Sacrament to the sick and
dying at any time of the day and night

S. Helen's Luncheon Club

We have launched a major new service to the community in the Parish Centre. On the
second Tuesday of the month we are serving a meal to the elderly who will be picked up by bus, have coffee on arrival, take part in a Mass celebrated in the Centre
and enjoy a good lunch and some entertainment before returning home.

We have started with 12 members but hope that this will grow if we can secure funding for a paid cook. It may also help us to hold the club weekly

Christingle Service
16th December 2007

Last night, Sunday 16th December, 2007 a packed church thoroughly enjoyed the annual Christingle Service for the children of the parish. Beginning with prayers and a carol the Thanksgiving was led by one of the young members of St. Helen's church. Children from the cubs, scouts and guides then read, with feeling, passion and understanding, the story of the Nativity. What followed may loosely be described as a search and rescue mission as all the children were tasked with finding the figures of the crib which had been hidden around the interior of the church. Great excitement and exuberance and rightly so. It was, perhaps, just as well that all of this excitement was followed by a carol and prayers led by some of the children. Finally,

before the Blessing, all the children lined up in the aisles, each was given a Christingle, the lights of the church were put out and the candles of the Christingle were lit creating a peaceful, wonderful scene.

                   20th December 2007

Packed once again, and mainly lit by candles, the church was a wonderful setting for this year's celebration of Christmas as the congregation enjoyed the singing of many traditional carols accompanied, not only by the stirring music of the Ferryhill Brass Band, but also by Mr Phillip Hall, the church organist.

Traditional Christmas poems were also read including the poem, " Twas the Night before Christmas" written by Clement Clark Moore or was it, perhaps, Henry Livingstone as both have support for having written it. Its effect was, however, to redefine our image of Christmas and Santa Claus because prior to its publication St. Nicholas, the patron saint of children, had never been associated with a sleigh and reindeer.

With a reading of the birth of Jesus from S. Luke, the saying of the Lord's prayer and the singing of, " The Twelve Days of Christmas" conducted, if that is the right word, by Fr. McTeer, the service ended with feelings of joy, gladness and happiness by all present.

Dedication of the Snowdon Memorial Window
23rd December 2007

Today, during Mass, the new church window, the Snowdon Memorial Window was dedicated by Fr McTeer. Designed by Mr. Sep Waugh FMGP and showing Joseph, Mary and the infant, Jesus it was donated by Miss Sally Snowdon in memory of her sister, Betty, who died in 2005 having been a regular communicant at St. Helen's for many years.

Christmas Eve Midnight Mass

With the church wonderfully lit by candlelight a congregation of young and old, regulars and newcomers, celebrated a traditional Christmas Mass and its emphasis on the true meaning of Christmas. With readings from the prophet Isaiah, the letter of St. Paul to Titus and from the gospel according to St Luke, with prayers and carols as well as the the short canticle, in Latin, the Missa De Angelis (...... Benedictus qui venit in nomine Domini - Blessed is he who cometh in the name of the Lord) sung by the choir, there was a tangible feeling of peace and tranquility.

December