This morning at our Parish Eucharist, we celebrated the dedication of our Church. St Mary our Lady was founded and dedicated in the 13 century, and there has been continuous Christian worship here ever since, truly a cause for celebration! The service included an anthem by the choir 'Glorious and Powerful God, by CV Stanford. In his sermon Father Stephen reflected on the generations who have had custody of our Church, and pointed out to the young people present that this was their future responsibility!

We are pleased to report that the Off Centre Concert last week raised £355 for the New Parish Rooms project, many thanks to all who took part and made donations.

Next weekend please do come to the service to mark All Souls day on Saturday at 6:00pm, when the Faure Requiem will be performed as part of the liturgy. On Sunday afternoon we have a concert of saxophone music from Fresalca   at 3:00pm followed by tea!

If you would like to join us on Advent Sunday afternoon in the Church Hall to make an Advent Ring, please sign the list at the back of the church so that we can order the materials and arrange the tea!! The cost this year is £12:50, payable to the Church Wardens or on the afternoon.

Our Beautiful Church

 

Autumn has arrived with wet and windy weather to greet us as we come together for Matins this morning. Father Stephen took the service which was well attended. The readings, from the King James version included the story of Jacob wrestling with the angel, and from St Luke's Gospel the story of the widow and the unjust Judge. Father Stephen talked about Jacob and his experience of struggling with the angel, also using the Hymn by Charles Wesley (350 NEH) to illustrate how this story relates to the coming of Christ,and his transforming effect in our lives. The Choir sang 'Oh Lord increase our faith' By Henry Loosemore as the anthem.

The flowers of Autumn

In the evening we had a splendid concert of a real mixture of music from Off Centre, with several solo items included. They sang some old and new sacred music and also some modern standards. It was a performance of real enthusiasm and greatly enjoyed by the audience. Many thanks to all who took part, and for those who organised and served the interval refreshments.Total raised will be posted as soon as it is known.


Events on the Horizon include;

Saturday 2nd of November at 6pm there will be a service for All Souls Day. As has become the tradition this will include a performance of the Faure Requiem performed liturgically with in the service. If you would like to sing in the choir for this service, please come along to a rehearsal on Saturday 26th October at 10:am, or at 3pm on the day for a run through followed by a cup of tea in the Church Hall, or contact one of the Church Wardens through this site for more details.

Sunday 3rd November at 3:00pm an afternoon concert of music by the Fresalca Saxophone Quartet.They will play a mixture of Gershwin, Mozart, and Cole Porter! This will include tea. Retiring collection for the new Parish Rooms Project.

Slightly further off we are looking towards the Season of Advent with our Advent ring or 'wreath' making afternoon. December 1st from 2:30 to 5:30 also including tea. A list at the back of the Church can be signed if you would like to join us, we need numbers to ensure we have enough materials and enough tea!!

We came together today for our Parish Eucharist on a rather cold and rainy morning, quite a contrast from last week.The Church was still looking glorious with the harvest festival decorations. Father Roger celebrated the Eucharist, and preached on the gospel from St Luke, the story of the 10 Lepers, of which one, the Samaritan, came back to thank Jesus and praise God. Father Roger pointed out that this story underlined that we must guard against prejudice against those who are different from us.

The Choir sang 'Ave Verum' set by W.A. Mozart. and at the end of the service we said goodbye, for the moment, to Father Roger who will be helping out in other local parishes over the next few weeks. Father Stephen will be back among us next week.







Dont forget the Concert next Sunday evening at 7:00pm when Off Centre will be singing for us. There will be drinks in the interval, and a retiring collection for the New Parish Rooms project.

The first Sunday of October and we celebrated Harvest Festival at both the Parish Eucharist and at a special evening service which was combined with Sidlesham Primary School.

At our Eucharist in the morning, which was a Family Service, we arrived to find the Church had been transformed by the flower arrangers with a most beautiful array of flowers and fruits and vegetables. The Sunday School told us about the original Jewish festival of Harvest Festival, how pilgrims would carry bunches of Palm, Willow and Myrtle leaves in their left had and a citrus fruit in their right as they came  to worship. We bring the bread and wine to the table every Sunday in remembrance of Jesus death and Resurrection, and the cross is the sign of our faith. The children bought these gifts to the alter, and during the offertory hymn, more donations were received by Father Roger.
During the communion the Choir sang 'Look at the World' by John Rutter.









At the evening service of thanksgiving for Harvest, Father Roger talked about the significance of bread as a symbol, of the difficult process of making bread. The Children from the school sang for us, and the choir sang a psalm. More donations were kindly received starting with donations from a Farmer, a Grower and a Gardener. We sang 'We Plough the fields and scatter' at both services! 

The Farmer's Gift

The Grower's Gift

The Gardener's Gift

Our Harvest Window