Weekly Update – 16th February
Update for Sunday 16th February 2025
Morning Prayer is held every weekday morning 8.30am in our Chapel
Sunday 16th February – 3rd Sunday before Lent
This week the readings are 1 Corinthians 15: 12-20 and Luke 6: 17-26
At 8am we gather for a traditional BCP Communion Service Revd. Emma will lead and preside and Revd. Buffy will preach.
At 10am we gather for a Holy Communion with groups for Kids and Youth at Ten. Revd. Emma will lead and preside, and Buffy will preach. This service will be live streamed. All are welcome to stay for refreshments served in our church hall after.
Sunday 23rd February – 2nd Sunday before Lent
The readings for this week are Revelation 4 and Luke 8: 22-25
At 8am we gather for a traditional BCP Communion Service Revd. Buffy will lead and preside and Peter Mitchell, our Licensed Lay Minister (Reader), will preach.
At 10 am we gather for Morning Worship with Mission Focus. Revd. Emma will lead, and Peter Mitchell, our Licensed Lay Minister (Reader), will preach. There are no groups for our young people and children. All are welcome to stay for refreshments served in our church hall after.
Monday 17th February 2pm - Sanctuary Guild AGM
The Sanctuary Guild AGM is in The Heath Room at 2pm on Monday 17th February and members of the clergy and congregation, with Flower Club members are invited to attend. Tea and refreshments will be served afterwards. Sarah Shepherd
Monday 24th February – Friday 28th February
The parish office will be closed due to Karen Rose being on annual leave.
Saturday 1st March 9am - Inspire
The INSPIRE Group will be meeting for brunch at Southwick Tearooms, 9am-11am. Please do join us for a delicious range of food choices. If you’d like to come along, please speak to Revd. Buffy, Sophie or Katherine, or confirm in the WhatsApp Group. Due to the size of the venue we are limited to 15 people, but we hope to see you there. Katherine, Revd. Buffy and Sophie
SAVE THE DATE 12th APRIL 2025
We are excited to announce that this year we will be hosting the Royal Marine Association Band on Saturday 12th April. Tickets will be £15 each. This is an exciting opportunity for us to welcome this prestigious band of musicians to the church. Please put the date in your diary and look out for an announcement soon about tickets sales.
Tina Cottam-Concert Coordinator
Mission Partner Updates
Please check out the mission noticeboard, in our welcome area in church, as we have a wonderful newsletter in from Alan, Lexi, Joshua, Caleb and Micah working with CMS in Cambodia updating us on all their news and listing things we can be praying for.
Waterlooville Food Bank
As Easter approaches, the food bank ask that no Easter Eggs are donated but they would be grateful for donations of chocolate selection packs, (mini eggs, or mini creme eggs, chocolate bunnies) hot cross buns, (please ensure a long date on them) etc. and all the usual essentials. Please continue to support this good cause. Items can be placed in the box at the back of the church, which are then taken to the food bank on a regular basis.
Lent 2025
Lent begins this year on Wednesday 5th March. The day before we will mark Shrove Tuesday with a BIG Pancake Party in church – more details on this will yet follow.
Then at 7pm on Ash Wednesday we will hold a Holy Communion and Imposition of Ashes service, to which all are very welcome. If you have previous Palm crosses at home, you are welcome to return these to church and leave in the Vicars’ pigeonhole, or hand in at the office by Friday 28th Feb. These will be burnt to create the ashes ready for this year’s Imposition.
During Lent itself, the staff team are recommending this year’s Bible Reading Fellowship book, ‘The Whole Easter Story – why the cross is good news for all creation’ written by Jo Swinney. Jo Swinney works for A Rocha International. A Rocha means ‘The Rock’ (Jesus). A Rocha is a Christian nature conversation charity working all around the world to care for God’s creation. A Rocha also runs Eco Church – an award programme encouraging green/eco living in churches and communities. As a church, we have a bronze award and are working on our silver status. Jo’s book explores the profound meaning of Easter beyond our own personal relationship with God. Jo acknowledges that the Christian faith is not just about our own growth, purpose and spirituality. There is no doubt that each of us has a place in the Easter story, but what happened on the cross is not just a story of me and Jesus – rather it is far deeper and wider than that.
Through Lent, Jo explores the broader impact of the Easter story on God’s relationship with creation. Through Bible readings, reflections and stories from A Rocha’s global conservation efforts, discover that the cross transforms not just own connection with Jesus, but also our relationships with each other, with creation and our world. The death and resurrection of Jesus changes everything!
There are four main sections to the book – each with ten days – so forty days in total, read Mon-Sat with a rest on Sundays. This book can be read individually or in a Home/Study Group (at the back of the book there is a six-week group discussion guide). We will also be exploring this book in our Sunday teaching each week, at both our 8am and 10am services, picking up on key themes.
So, we commend this book this Lent. You can purchase your own copy from our welcome area. They are £8 each - monies can be place in an envelope and left in our church wall safe, behind the font. Or you can order with Eden: www.eden.co.uk
Good Friday Lent Soup Lunch - Friday 18th April
We are now planning our Lent Lunch of soup, bread, cheese and hot cross buns on Good Friday at 12noon. This is a fundraising activity, with a suggested donation of £5 per person (or £10 per family)
The great news is we now have two people who have offered to co-ordinate the event for us!
Thank you to those who have already offered help, we need a few more volunteers to put up tables/chairs, serve and wash-up on the day and a few more people to make soups at home and bring them on Good Friday. If you feel you can help, please contact Karen in the parish office on 02392 268757 or parish.admin@allsaintsdenmead.org.uk
Holiday Club 2025
Holiday Club will run from Tuesday 4th - Friday 8th August 9:30-3:30pm each day with a Celebration service on Sunday the 10th at 10am. Please note that during this time the church, church hall and its grounds will be closed for general access.
The theme is Explorers – The Greatest Journey. We hope to welcome up to 90 children (school years R – Yr 6) from across our community to explore the greatest story ever told. This year’s theme will take children on an interactive journey across deserts, mountains, and seas as they uncover hidden treasures and learn about the incredible love and hope found in Jesus. It’s a unique opportunity to make a lasting impact on the lives of children and families in our community—and we need YOUR help to make it happen!
We’re Looking for Volunteers to Join the Team!
Whether you can spare a few hours, a few days, or the whole week, there’s a role for everyone:
- Group Leaders: Could you empower children in year 5 and 6? Guide the children through games, crafts, and activities.
- Group Helpers: Support the group leader and help children craft and discover the message for each day’s story.
- Refreshments Team: Fuel the adventurers with snacks and smiles.
- Decorating Crew: Before the event could you help bring our explorer theme to life with vibrant, creative decor.
- Prayer Support: Uplift this ministry and all involved as we prepare and deliver the program - a special prayer diary will be out soon to help guide your prayers.
Your involvement—no matter how big or small—could be the spark that helps a child encounter God’s love for the first time. If you feel prompted to step into this exciting ministry, please contact Revd. Buffy, Lesley Handy, Mags Waters, Peter Markham or Lewis Jones on holidayclub@allsaintsdenmead.org.uk or phone/message Lewis on 07780 981235. Support and resources will be provided to ensure you feel confident and equipped!
Let’s work together to make this year’s Holiday Club an unforgettable journey of fun, faith, and discovery. Thank you for prayerfully considering how you can be part of this life-changing week. Lewis Jones, Youth and Families Community Leader
Contacts
Karen Rose Parish Administrator. 023 9226 8757 parish.admin@allsaintsdenmead.org.uk
Revd. Emma Racklyeft Vicar. 023 9226 2647 vicar@allsaintsdenmead.org.uk
Revd. Buffy Langdown Curate. 07747 819918 curate@allsaintsdenmead.org.uk
Lewis Jones Youth & Families Community Leader. 07780 981235 youth@allsaintsdenmead.org.uk
Peter Mitchell Licensed Lay Minister (Reader) peter.mitchell@allsaintsdenmead.org.uk
Amanda Hillyard Churchwarden. 07808 198827
Mike Gaskin Churchwarden. 07734 325284