Parish of Bishopstoke

Dear Friends One of the first ways we can tell that Christmas is coming is that everywhere you look there are Christmas adverts. With Christmas adverts comes controversy – whether it’s the sausage roll nativity or the strange monster under the bed, the Christmas adverts are a normal topic of conversation at this time of year. Marks and Spencer had based their advertising around Paddington Bear. I have yet to see the movie but everyone I know who been says how heart-warmingl

Our Saturday morning cafés this year have raised a total of £2169 for the work of the church, including St Mary’s lighting, and for various outreach projects. Thank you very much to everyone who has contributed cakes and donated raffle and tombola prizes. Special thanks to the team who have helped make the mornings run so smoothly and to all ‘Café’ supporters. In 2018 we will be holding 11 monthly cafés, and the first one will be on 20 January from 10 am – 12.30 pm. Do c

Sheila Sebborn and all members of PHF thank everyone who came to our 40th Anniversary Service. It was a wonderful afternoon, full of love and celebration. We would like to thank Joy Sebborn, our speaker, who helped us understand how to walk alongside bereaved parents. Our thanks also go to Richard for his ongoing support and for playing the keyboard for our service, to Derek Cottrill and Debbie Thrower for joining us, and to everyone else who helped to make it such a speci

The Community of Hopeweavers will be holding their Advent quiet events at St Mary’s this year. This is a great opportunity for creative reflection and stillness in the midst of a season so often busy with Christmas preparations. There will be a Quiet Evening on Friday 8 December from 7.30 - 9.30 pm and a Quiet Morning on Saturday 9 December from 10 am - 12.30 pm, followed by space to share our packed lunches (optional). The sessions will include the Hopeweavers craft areas

Dear Friends October 31 marked the 500th Anniversary of the Reformation – well, the 500th anniversary of Luther posting his 95 Theses on the door of the Castle Church in Wittenberg. The Reformation that spread through Europe was a much longer and complex response to aspects of the Roman Catholic Church at the time, and the English Reformation, whilst connected, was a rather different response – and a few years later. I commented to someone a few months ago that I hadn’t yet

Prayer Healing Fellowship would like to thank everyone who supported our MacMillan afternoon on 29 September. We are so thrilled with the final result of £461.51. I would like to thank the members who helped in getting ready for the event, manning the stalls and clearing up afterwards. Your loyalty, support and love are very much appreciated.