You can download the full latest newsletter here.

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Please note change of date:
Garden Party/Cream Tea at the Rectory 28th August 2022 drop in between 2 and 4pm

Please let Alison know if you would be able to make a few scones or a cake

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Note: Alison and Stephen will be on annual leave from 3rd – 19th September. If you have any concerns during that time please speak to Lawrence or Chris, our Churchwardens.

Study/Home groups

Small groups are an important part of any church community. They are places where people can build relationships, grow in faith, and receive care and support. They are safe spaces to ask questions and to share together.

We are starting a daytime study group that will be based at St Francis Church initially, meeting on a Monday afternoon from 2-4pm. Our first meeting will be a social gathering on Monday 3^rd October. Please do come along if you are interested in joining the group.

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HARVEST FESTIVAL

Sunday 25^th September 2022

We are pleased to announce that David Chappell has arranged for a visiting speaker for our Harvest Service. Brother Hugh will be joining us from Hilfield Priory, and we look forward to welcoming him. 

David writes:

Hilfield is a Franciscan Priory in Dorset, where the community who run it practise their vows of Poverty, Chastity and Obedience; and are committed to sustainable living and the “ministry of hospitality”. The Priory is a retreat centre set in beautiful countryside, and was the first Church to be awarded the Gold Eco-church standard. It has one of the finest remaining wildflower meadows in Britain”.

Brother Hugh will probably tell you that it was easy for them, as they already wear second hand clothes, and share everything in common! I think you will find it a remarkable and inspiring story.

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PCC Vision Morning

The PCC, along with a few other church members who have leadership roles, met together for a morning recently to start to think about what God’s plan and purpose might be for his Church here as we come out of Covid. We know that so much has changed over the past few years, and that we can’t simply go back to doing what we have always done.

I began by asking people to think about a time in the life of the church that held memories for them, an occasion or a time that felt special, and it was good to hear those stories.

We went on to think about the things that we do well, and our list included giving generously; volunteering in the community; effective governance; one off events such as the Christmas Tree and Flower Festivals; and much more, which was really encouraging.

It was also important for us to look at the things that we do less well – attracting and keeping families; outreach; intergenerational worship; discipleship; pastoral care and nurture of older people; prayer.

We finished with an exercise called ‘The Angel of the Church’ in which we used pictures of angels as a way of exploring our identity as a church (who we are) and our Vocation (what God is calling us to do).

This morning was just the first step in journeying in to all that God has planned for us and for the communities that we are called to serve.

We were left with a few things to consider further:

• The need for us to pray together for the life of the church and the local community
• The need to develop discipleship through home/study groups, the first of which is starting in October.
• The need to review our worship pattern in order to explore possibilities for All Age/multigenerational worship
• The need to review and develop provision of pastoral care.

Please do let me know any thoughts you might have. Alison