We reach the last Sunday of Easter tide, and the last Sunday of May. A beautiful day, and a celebration of the Eucharist at 10:00am. Father Stephen was the Celebrant, and the Easter alleluias were sung for the last time this year. In his sermon Father Stephen pointed out that next Thursday we shall celebrate the Ascension of Christ to his father in Heaven, and how he promised to send us the Holy Spirit to comfort us until his coming again.
The choir sang 'The day draws on with golden light' translated from the Latin by Thomas Alexander Lacey, setting by Edward C Bairstow (1874-1946) based on an Angers Church Melody.
Coffee was served after the service.
Thursday, Ascension Day, there will be a sung Eucharist at 7:30 pm, do come along to the service and share in the feast which completes Easter tide and looks forward to Pentecost and the arrival of the Holy Spirit.

On a beautiful early summer's morning we met at 10:00am for Mattins. The sunlight streamed through the Church windows, as we sang Hymns, Canticles and Psalms. Our readings, from the King James version included the story of Noah's Ark coming to rest at the end of the flood, and St John's gospel recounting Jesus words ' I am the way the truth and the light' In his sermon father Stephen picked up the story of the Flood and God's continued patience with the wilful and disobedient human race! Baptism themes are part of the Noah story, we have our sins washed away as we enter Christianity, but we constantly fail to live up to our promises, we have the assurance that God will forgive and the through his Resurrection Jesus shows the way to his Father's house.
For the Anthem, the Choir sang 'A Claire Benediction' by John Rutter.

After the service there was a Baptism, Roxy Rose was welcomed into the family of the Church

This Sunday, the fourth Sunday after Easter is known as 'Good Shepherd Sunday' This is because the Gospel for this Sunday is John 10,1-10, in which Jesus addresses the Pharisees, describing himself as the Shepherd of the sheep. Father Stephen told us in his sermon about the role of the clergy as Shepherd of the flock of souls in their charge. This image of the priest as Shepherd goes back as far as Aaron in Exodus, and is continued today with Bishops and Archbishops carrying a Crosier, shaped like a shepherds crook. We too must shepherd our resources, and offer them up to God so that he may use our talents for his work.
The Choir sang a setting of the 23 psalm, 'Brother James Air'. There was coffee after the service.

On the recent trip to the Ordination in Southern Turkey, we saw many sheep being moved to different pasture by their shepherds, which made this week's service particularly relevant, Her are some pictures of those sheep!!

In Turkey, Sheep have priority and cars just have to wait!

There will be an evening of pictures and stories from the trip to the Ordination in the Church Hall, all are welcome to come and hear all about it. Date to be arranged, but most likely a Thursday in June, look out for more details soon!!

The first Sunday in May we make our Rogation Walk. Traditionally a Rogation Walk should be around the boundary of the Parish, but we have refined this to include the Church Farm Barns, The Churchyard, and the Vicarage meadow. We started in Church, and set off through the kissing gate to the Barns, where we had a reading from Genesis and a blessing of the farm. We then proceeded to the new church yard extension. In the field next door, from which the churchyard extension was taken, some of the dairy cows were grazing, here we read, prayed, sang and blessed the land and animals. We then walked to the garden of Scantlings and read, sang and blessed the garden and gardeners. We then proceeded through the gap in the hedge to the Vicarage meadow, where some horses were paddocked, more readings, blessings and the final verses of 'All things Bright and Beautiful' We then crosses the Vicarage garden to re-enter the Church once more. Final Hymns and prayers completed our Rogation service, which was followed by coffee.








The collection from the Organ concert has risen to a marvellous £750!

On Thursday next there will be the first meeting of the new PCC. The Agenda for this meeting is as follows

This Sunday, although it was the fourth Sunday in the month we had as our 10:00am service, Matins. As Easter Sunday fell on a third Sunday, our Matins was transferred. The service included psalms and hymns, and the Lessons were read from the King James version of the Bible.
Included in our prayers were the group of people from St Marys who had gone to Turkey to the Ordination of our friend Brother Aho, who spent some time in at Chichester University and became friends with several people at Sidlesham. He was Ordained in his Monastery in Turkey last Saturday and was celebrating his first Eucharist, as Father Aho, on this Sunday morning. Some pictures from the trip are included below.









On Sunday Afternoon we were treated to a wonderful concert of Organ music from Daniel Phillips. This was followed by tea and was a great success, over 50 people came to the concert and over £600 was raised for the New Annex project. Many thanks to Daniel for giving his time and talent so generously.