During morning worship on 19 June, certificates were presented to a group of our folk who shared in the CORE Skills course over the winter. The aim of CORE is to extend and develop key skills for children’s ministry. Phil Ray, Children’s and Youth Development Officer for URC Wessex Synod, led the course and presented […]
Wessex Synod Day at Fawley – Photos
Despite some heavy rainshowers, everyone agreed that the Wessex Synod Day was a great success. Crowds of people of all ages came from churches throughout Wessex Synod to enjoy a relaxing, fun day at Fawley Hill Estate, the home of Sir William and Lady McAlpine. A colourful display of bunting from all the participating churches. […]
A Room with a View…
The goldfinches are back on our seed-hopper. We can see them from our patio window. They are a joy to behold, with their bright red faces and a vivid yellow flash on their black wings. As this window faces west, I can sometimes pause to contemplate the glow of the setting sun. Useful things, windows. […]
Pilots Anniversary Preparations
Our Pilots group has been busy in recent weeks studying the different decades in preparation for their anniversary celebrations. The photos show Pilots wrestling with the Rubik’s cube and other 1980s puzzles, and visiting Milestones Museum in Basingstoke to learn about the past. On Sunday 3rd July 2011 Pilots will hold a special 75th Anniversary […]
Nails in the Fence
There once was a young boy who had a bad temper. His father gave him a bag of nails and told him that every time he lost his temper he must hammer a nail into the back of the fence. The first day the boy had driven 37 nails into the fence. Over the next […]
Easter Morning
Easter Morning: A Reflection from the Pre-School Group There were no lights on in the church and the cross was bare. People wandered in, young and old to add their single flower to the cross; Easter was too late this year for daffodils and so we brought what we could find or buy, tulips and […]
Our First Palm Sunday
Palm Sunday: Some Reflections from the Pre-School Group… A small group of people had come up with the idea of a procession, and the turn-out was bigger than I had expected. Bee had cut some long palm branches down from her garden and brought them for us all to carry. We gathered together to share […]
The Sign of the Cross (1)
This Easter Sunday, many people attending our morning service responded to the invitation to decorate a rough-hewn wooden cross with individual flowers of their choice. The result was rewarding. The combined colours of twenty or more varieties included bluebells, camellias, daffodils, forget-me-nots, heathers, lilies, narcissus, pansies, polyanthus, roses, tulips and violets. A very splendid and […]
Cream Tea for Japan
A charity cream tea was held at our church on Palm Sunday to raise money for British Red Cross workers helping in the worst hit areas of Japan. A prime mover behind the event was Rumi Payne, who has been a member of our church for many years. Rumi was born in the Tokyo suburbs, […]
Birdsong
“God is everything that is good, as I see, and the goodness which everything has, is God.” – Julian of Norwich Spring was slow to arrive this year, but when it finally came I’m convinced I heard it. You see, there were no green shoots: it had been so cold. The woods had no carpet […]