nearly standing room only

Easter day at at Rochford at the 9.30 service we were nearly standing room only. Still a way to go before that happens and the building doesn't hold hundreds,  but the church felt full, the singing was good as was the atmosphere.
Stoke Bliss at 11.15 wasn't quite as full, but still a good number.

Now we move on to the new pattern of services which means this sunday we're 8.30 Prayer Book Communion at Eastham and 10.00 All Age family Service at Stoke Bliss.

Palm Sunday Holy Week & Easter

Services for Palm Sunday Holy Week & Easter are

• 17 April Palm Sunday 

9.30 Communion at Eastham
6.30 Evening Worship at Hanley Childe

• 21 April Maundy Thursday

7.30pm Communion at Eastham

• 22 April Good Friday

10.00am to 12.00 Children's Activity Session at Stanford Village Hall leading into
12.00 All Age Family Service at Stanford (led by Bishop John)
2.00 to 3.00 An hour at the Cross - Readings, hymns, prayers and Silence at Hanley Childe

• 24 April Easter Day

9.30 Communion at Rochford
11.15 Communion at Stoke Bliss

What's happening for Mothering Sunday

This Sunday, 4th in Lent is Mothering Sunday. At Stoke Bliss we're holding an All Age Family Service at 9.30a.m.  There'll be flowers for children to distribute and a  treasure hunt.


For those for whom "All Age" doesn't hit the spot, there'll be an 8.30a.m.  Holy C0ommunion service at Kyre.

What do you eat?

A generation or so ago our staple diet was meat and two veg. Over the years we’ve discovered other dishes that give sustenance, pizza, stir fry, chicken tikka masala, chow mein...

Similar changes have happened with what nourishes us spiritually. A generation ago it was Book of Common Prayer, either Matins or Communion, and the King James Version of the bible.  Now there’s Common Worship, Iona Services, Spring Harvest, Taizé.... 

At a recent meeting of the PCCs we thought about whether the current “menu” of worship we offer is adequate. The current pattern is a communion service using modern language as the main (often only) service in the churches on a Sunday.  The PCCs asked for a greater variety and number of services and asked the churchwardens to come up with a rota.  After discussion the wardens came up with the following pattern which will be introduced from the beginning of May.

	1st Sunday	2nd Sunday	3rd Sunday	4th Sunday	5th Sunday
8.30 am	Traditional language Holy Communion Eastham	Traditional language Holy Communion Kyre	Traditional language Holy Communion Stoke Bliss	Traditional language Holy Communion Rochford
10.00 am	All Age Family Worship Stoke Bliss	All Age Family Worship Hanley William	All Age Family Worship  Eastham	Contemporary  language Holy Communion  Hanley William	Contemporary  language Holy Communion   Kyre
3.30 pm		All Age Family Worship Rochford (winter)	Contemporary  language Evening Worship Hanley Childe (winter)
6.30 pm		All Age Family Worship Rochford (summer)	Contemporary  language Evening Worship Hanley Childe (summer)

 

This pattern will be reviewed at the end of the year. There is nothing too exotic in the menu being offered and we hope it provides sustenance!

"It's not for you"

Those were the words as I was handed a gift on sunday. It's not for you, it's for your puppy. 

It's not just me that locals have gone out of their way to welcome.

What can be done at short notice

        

I had a conversation the day before yesterday about what we could do to support Fairtrade Fortnight.
In that time we've organised a venue, arranged for someone to do refreshments, arranged for a variety of fair trade goods to be on sale....


All we need is for people to turn up.

Meeting the 20%

I think I read or heard somewhere some research that was done. It showed that 60% of couples getting married think the best place to do so is a church. However only 40% do! The churches for whatever reason are missing out - and so are the couples who get married elsewhere.

To try and improve the situation, on Sunday 27 February we'll be at a wedding fayre at Cadmore Lodge, Tenbury.   From being at other wedding fayres in the past it promises to be an enjoyable occasion.

If anyone knows where the research comes from do let me know. I hope I haven't just dreamed it up.