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29 September 2019
We held our Eucharist in celebration of Harvest this morning at 10 am. We transferred our Family Service from next week to this Sunday so that everyone could take part in the celebration! The service included the traditional harvest hymns, and followed the Family Service pattern, including a poem about the good things of the earth read by members of the Sunday School. The prayers were also lead by young members of the congregation. Gifts of produce were bought to the altar for distribution in the village tomorrow.

The Choir sang 'How Manifold are thy Works by J Barnby as the anthem.
The church was beautifully decorated with flowers and produce for the occasion.

There was coffee after the service.

Don't forget to join us on Sunday 20th October at 3 pm for our concert of piano music by Tom Cooper, followed by tea!
On Sunday November the 3rd at 6 pm there will be a Eucharist of Remembrance at which the setting of the Requiem by Gabriel Faure  will be sung liturgically. All are welcome to come and remember those souls now at rest.




































This evening the Harvest Supper was held in the Parish Hall. The assembled company were served a fantastic meal of  cold meats, ham and turkey, salads, green and potato, followed by apple pie and cheese and biscuits. A magnificent spread!
During the meal each table attempted the picture Quiz, and following a cup of coffee, we were entertained with a mixture of singing and readings for Harvest. Lesley told us about the history of harvest suppers, ably assisted by  Michael and Gloria who demonstrated the traditional drinking game 'Turn the cup over' more difficult than it seems!! Mike Allissone read a fantastic poem bemoaning the changes in our church services, and Janet read 'the Church Mouse' by John Betjemen. Between these items the singers, Elizabeth, Janet, Val, Gloria, Lesley and Hilary accompanied by Beryl on the piano, sang a mixture of folk songs and 2 Flanders and Swan pieces, 'The Gasman Cometh' and 'The Hippopotamus Song' The audience joined in with the choruses. The last two items were 'The Last Rose of Summer' and 'Crossing the Barr'. In the latter piece, Hilary also accompanied the singers on the flute.

A very enjoyable evening, many thanks to all who worked so hard to make it such a success!









23 September 2019
This morning we met at 10 am for our Eucharist celebration. The long spell of fine weather had broken and there was heavy rain all morning. Autumn has arrived, and as we are now well into Trinity we are looking forward to Harvest next weekend.
This Sunday our Parish Eucharist was celebrated by Father Stephen, and he spoke in his sermon about the parable of the manager who mismanaged his masters property, found in St Luke. In this story the manager, in order to gain favour with the Master's debtors, reduces the amounts they owe. Jesus says the master commends the manager for his shrewd actions. This is a problematic story appearing to recommend behaving dishonestly, however Father Stephen pointed out that we do not know if the tone of this story was intended to be critical as we only have the words, also there is some suggestion that in translation the meaning of the words has been altered, and it may have been intended to suggest the managers behaviour left him  in a more perilous state, welcomed into eternal tents, rather than homes, and by implication a temporary rather than permanent reward.
The message that those who are faithful in small things can be trusted in large matters and that no one can serve 2 masters is perhaps easier to understand.

The Choir sang 'A New Commandment'  in the setting by Peter Nardonne as the anthem.

There was coffee after the service.

Don't forget, next weekend we have our Harvest Festival, there are still a few tickets left for the Harvest Supper on Saturday night, please see the Church Wardens.
Also coming up the Concert by Tom Copper on the 20th October
Faure's Requiem will be sung liturgically in a Eucharist for the departed on Sunday 3rd of November in the evening.

a visitor at the vicarage gate!



Autumn flowers
 
  


15 September 2019
On a glorious sunny early autumn morning we met at 10 am for Sung Mattins. Father Stephen took the service and the choir are now back in session, and this morning we were joined  by members of the Junior Choir.
The Psalm set for the day was Psalm 14, and among the canticles, the Choir sang the Benedictus in C major by C V Stanford. The readings were from Isaiah and St Luke, and Father Stephen picked up the theme from the Gospel of the 2 parables of the lost sheep and the widows mite. He pointed out that St Luke often records parables with the same message, in this case the completeness of Gods love, but in each story the protagonist is either a man or a woman. The shepherd, a despised profession in New Testament times, shows care and love for all his sheep and searches out the one that is lost, and the Widow searches for the smallest coin, which to her is of great value. So God searches us out and includes us in his Kingdom even when we are lost.

The Anthem was 'Lord for thy Tender Mercy Sake' by Farrrent.

We remembered in our prayers, especially today, Battle of Britain Sunday, all who keep our nation safe.

Preparations are going ahead for Harvest: On Saturday morning the 27th of September, decorating of the Church from 9:30. On Saturday Evening Harvest Supper, tickets from the Church Wardens, and on Sunday 28th our 10 am service will be a Eucharist of Celebration of Harvest.

Our very good Friend Tom Cooper will give us another recital of piano music on the afternoon of Sunday 20th of October, followed by Tea, all welcome there will be a retiring collection.







10 September 2019
This morning are Eucharist a celebration of St Mary our Patron. There are many feast days associated with St Mary Our Lady, this is the feast celebrating her birth, and we take the opportunity to honour the mother of Our Lord to whom our lovely church is dedicated.

Our Hymns reflected the theme, and as the Choir are now back in session we had an anthem Ave Maria, in the setting by Elgar.

Father Roger gave the sermon, and he told us about the few biblical references to Mary, and some of the traditions about her that have become accepted over the centuries, and some adopted by the church as doctrine. What ever the background of some of these beliefs, we acknowledge and celebrate our Patron as the Mother of Our Lord.

The sunday school is now back in session, and the children and helpers joined us for the communion and the final prayers and hymn.

Tickets are now available from the Church Wardens for our Harvest Supper on the 28th of September.







Service Times

First Sunday in the Month:
08:00am Holy Communion
10:00am Family Service

Second Sunday in the Month
08:00am Holy Communion
10:00am Parish Eucharist

Third Sunday in the Month
08:00am Holy Communion
10:00am Sung Matins

Fourth Sunday in the Month
08:00am Holy Communion
10:00am Parish Eucharist

Variations can be found in the Parish Magazine or the Calendar at the bottom of this page.

Useful links


Here are some links to resources you may find helpful:


  1. St Mary's Facebook page
  2. Chichester Cathedral will be live streaming services. For the Eucharist and order of service Click here before 10:00am Sunday and follow the instructions.
  3. The BBC Daily Service is available here.
  4. Prayer for today.
  5. The C of E youtube channel.
  6. Hearing You is a new phone help line launched by the Diocese of Chichester in partnership with Together in Sussex in response to the impact that Covid 19 has had on Just about the whole community. It aims to provide pastoral support and a listening ear to the recently bereaved and people directly affected by the COVID-19 outbreak.
  7. COVID-19 advice from the Diocese of Chichester here.

Please note that St Mary's are not responsible for the contents of external links

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