Our Autumn Programme
churchadmin2018-09-30T09:33:26+01:00Please take a moment to read our programme of events and teaching covering the Autumn months.
A Prayer for the Holy Spirit’s Gift of Wisdom
churchadmin2018-09-17T19:11:53+01:00O Holy wisdom in part to me I pray;
The gift to see the entire picture with myself in it;
The meaning of the whole and the beauty of the parts;
The perfection of the end and the value of the process;
The contribution of the failures to the fullness of success;
The sharpness of conflict for the enriching of harmony;
The role of destruction in purifying creation;
The glory of dying for the finding of life;
For Christs sake who is both truth and love, Amen
Bishop Oliver Tomkins
Our Vision and Values
churchadmin2018-08-29T20:11:59+01:00Following our Church Strategic Review, our congregation and supporters were invited to suggest statements that encapsulate what we do at Christ Church.
A small group then met to examine the suggestions and has now made the proposals below, for our Vision and Mission statements.
These will be displayed in our written and electronic media to remind us of our common vision and help others to see what we seek to be.
Our proposed Vision Statement (what we strive to be)
To be Christ’s Church in the community
Mission Statements (how we achieve our mission)
By proclaiming Christ through teaching and example
By welcoming and serving all through hospitality
By encouraging people to find God through worship, faith and prayer
By providing a spiritual home and resources for the local community
By transforming Swindon and beyond with God’s hope and compassion
Values Statement (what qualities we will show)
We will do this with humility, grace and respect, listening prayerfully to God and our neighbour.
AUDITION NOTICE – OLD TOWN NATIVITY – THE JOURNEY – 9th DECEMBER 2018
churchadmin2018-08-05T00:43:44+01:002nd July and 10th July
This December there will be a huge public performance of the Nativity story that winds it way through the streets of Old Town, involving members of the Swindon community as actors, singers, production team members and much much more!
The Journey will tell this well trodden tale but with fresh contemporary eyes, presenting the difficulties and challenges that the whole community felt at having to shift their lives without warning and we are looking for actors to take part now!
Directed by Anna Friend, who led the successful Wroughton Passion Play in 2016, this will be an edgy and energetic version, taking the audience through many locations to finally arrive at the end of the journey and the beginning of the story of Jesus. It will be an exciting and invigorating process through rehearsal and then onto a performance which holds many challenges for the whole team.
Open to experienced actors and those that would like to be involved, the Journey team of Executive Producer Daphne Hardwick and Producer Juliet Webb alongside Director Anna Friend need to hear from you.
Auditions are coming up and we have TWO sessions that you can come along to.
The first session is on Monday 2nd July begins at 5pm and completes at 8.30pm.
The second is on Tuesday 10th July from 5pm once more. Both sessions will be held at Christ Church Old Town Swindon.
We are looking for those that can take on the principal roles of Mary and Joseph as well as some smaller speaking roles.
We are also looking for a huge company of actors who will contribute to the storytelling along the way, performing small vignettes to help the audience to understand all the perspectives of those taking part in this epic journey.
If you would like to be involved in any way as a performer or in production please get in touch and we will arrange which audition session you can come along to.
If you cannot make either session but would like to audition, please get in touch as we might be able to accommodate an alternative date.
Come and get involved in what will be a memorable and amazing event in your community.
Contact thejourneyswindon@gmail.com
Join the Journey
churchadmin2018-08-05T00:44:10+01:00
We are looking for participants to join in our telling of the Nativity on Sunday 9th December 2018. “The Journey” is an immersive, processional performance of the Nativity, enacted throughout Old Town in Swindon, produced by Revd. Daphne Hardwick, Anna Friend, who directed the very successful 2015 “The Passion” in Wroughton and Juliet Webb, Producer.
Audiences will experience Mary and Joseph’s journey from Nazareth to Bethlehem taking place around them. The story of this journey will be portrayed like you have never seen before; live, up-close and personal. Unfolding in the streets and populated by a cast of many, playing the story and recreating the ambience of the real journey, offering audiences the opportunity to bear witness to this incredible story.
Starting off outside Lethbridge Road School, providing the location for Nazareth, audiences will meet Mary, the teenage bride, betrothed to Joseph and mysteriously pregnant. She risks shame, heartbreak and a painful death. Revealed are Joseph’s innermost thoughts. How can he understand the nature of Mary’s pregnancy? How will he find the strength to stand by her? Now forced by an occupying power they must make an impossible journey together. Wood Street will play host to Bethlehem and a thronging Bazaar, where we meet lots of characters, flavours and the hubbub of an inundated city, where our exhausted travellers must seek shelter before coming to rest at Christ Church, which plays the role of the stable and Jesus’ birthplace.
There are lots of ways to be involved from marshalling, distributing programmes, choral singing, musicians, cast, extras and crew. There is the potential for further traders, stall holders and entertainers in our Bazaar.
Please contact Daphne or Juliet at libertyrockspr@gmail.com to register your interest in getting involved. You will receive an invitation to meet with the team and there will be various opportunities to attend meet-ups and rehearsals before December.
We are also seeking sponsors to feature in our programme and provide some of the infrastructure and materials for the performance. We welcome parishioners, Old Town residents, local business and organisations to join us
A message from your Gift Aid Secretary
churchadmin2018-10-26T16:16:02+01:00
It is now a couple of months since Brian Harris, chair of our Finance Committee, outlined our proposal to join the Parish Giving Scheme. There are a number of excellent reasons why we are encouraging all existing regular givers to sign up to the P.G.S. not the least of which is that it saves a significant amount of time and administration for myself as your Gift Aid secretary. If you missed Brian’s talk you can hear it again here https://www.christchurchswindon.co.uk/blog/2018/05/hear-about-our-new-parish-giving-scheme/ It lays out very clearly the benefits of the scheme and rather embarrasses me but all in a good cause!
A number of questions have arisen over the past few days which I hope can clarify some points for everyone.
Q. When I sign up to the PGS what happens if I want to make occasional donations – particularly to our Mission Giving days?
A. You still remain registered for Gift Aid in favour of Christ Church so your local donations will still be valued and counted as normal.
Q. Once I have completed the application form, what do I do with it?
A. First ensure that, if you are eligible for Gift Aid, (that is you pay UK tax equal or more than the amount of Gift aid claimed on your donations) you have ticked the allow GIFT AID tick box on the form. Then return it in the stamped addressed envelope provided (you can get one from the parish office if you don’t have one) directly to PGS. The address is also on the form.
Q. What happens next?
A. Once you have had a reply from PGS acknowledging your giving and telling you the first date that your new Direct debit will be taken. Then you should contact your bank to cancel your existing Standing order/Direct debit.
Q. Where can I get a PGS application form from so that I can start to regularly support the work of the church?
A. There are application packs at the back of the church or you can get them from Helen in the parish office or by contacting Stephen on the details below.
Q. I don’t really understand what I have to do. Can you help me?
A. I will be delighted to talk you through the form, the process and help you understand what it all means. You can telephone me (01793 341034 or email me s.grosvenor@gmail.com) and I can help.
There is no deadline to joining the PGS but many of its benefits derive from as many givers as possible taking it up so please do consider joining the many members of the church community who have already done so.
Thank you
Stephen Grosvenor
Gift Aid Secretary – Christ Church with St Mary’s Swindon
Notes from the latest Finance Group Meeting
churchadmin2018-05-31T11:38:28+01:00
The Christ Church Finance Group is chaired by Brian Harris and its members include Andrew Yeoward our Treasurer, Daniel Pitt PCC former Church warden and PCC member, Rev Canon Simon Stevenette, Vicar.
The group co-ordinates the day to day and strategic direction of our parish finances. They met on the 12th April 2018
Report on our Annual Parochial Church Meeting – A.P.C.M
churchadmin2018-08-05T00:44:35+01:00
Thank you for your support and prayers at the APCM last Sunday. Phil Mansfield’s excellent strategic review update is available on our church website, by email or in hard copy, please contact the parish Office. Pam Bridgeman and Jim D’Avila were elected as church Wardens. Please pray for them this Wednesday as they make their Declaration at the Archdeacon’s Visitation in Hullavington to officially become Church Wardens.
Sandie Rule and Nitin Shinde have been elected as Deputy Church Wardens. David Ratnam, Daniel Pitt, Sandie Rule and Ruth Awinyo have been voted on to PCC for a three-year term. At a meeting after the APCM our new PCC elected Pam Bridgeman as Lay Chair, co-opted Andrew Yeoward onto PCC as our new Treasurer, co-opted Brian Harris on to PCC for a one-year term as Chair of the Governance and Finance Committee, to provide some continuity for our new treasurer and elected Ruth Awinyo as our new PCC Secretary.
Please pray for our PCC as they prepare for their first meeting on Monday 21st May with an informal Holy Communion service beforehand.
Every blessing Simon
APCM – Update on our Strategy Review by Phil Mansfield
churchadmin2018-08-05T00:44:53+01:00
During our Annual Parochial Church Meeting last weekend we received an update from Phil Mansfield, a member of our St Mary’s congregation who has been helping us to review our thinking about our future. You can read his report on progress here APCM Strategic Review Summary
You can also read Phil’s intitial findings here: https://www.christchurchswindon.co.uk/blog/wp-content/uploads/2017/12/CC-Strategy-Review-2017.pdf
We also recently published our 2017 Annual Report – read it here: https://www.christchurchswindon.co.uk/blog/wp-content/uploads/2018/04/Final-Signed-Annual-Report-2017.pdf
A prayer
churchadmin2018-05-03T08:30:15+01:00God, our heavenly Father, make, we pray, the door of this church wide enough to welcome all who need human love and fellowship and a father’s care,
but narrow enough to shut out all envy, pride and lack of love.
Thomas Ken
A Message from Verity
churchadmin2018-05-02T23:11:36+01:00Dear Church Family!
I run the Virgin London Marathon whenever I can.
Usually, I hold several fundraising events well before the day and exceed the target….but this year it has not been feasible. However, I will have the month after the 22nd April to sell cakes, hold tea parties etc to raise final funds for The Children’s Society if I don’t make enough by the day. My target is £2,000!
If any of you would like to sponsor me I would be SO grateful! You can either donate online or sign a sponsorship form and give cash to Francis or myself. Tomorrow I am catering for Messy Church so I’m not sure I can make it along to Christchurch in the morning. Francis will be there all being well.
Finally, I would really value your prayers for all taking part next weekend …the weather is due to be pretty hot apparently …not what we have been accustomed to over the past few months. There will be over 38,000 runners, the majority of whom will be running for charity.
I am copying the link to my Fundraising Page, https://www.justgiving.com/Verity-Brooke18 and for those who cannot access it, I am copying the story I wrote a couple of weeks ago when I set up the page.
Thank you so much for reading this and God bless you all.
With much appreciation,
Verity
MY STORY
Over the years, I personally have been, and still am, involved with vulnerable and disadvantaged children and young adults having to deal with difficulties and traumas way beyond their years which an adult would find hard to cope with. I am passionate about trying to help improve the lives of such children, albeit it in my limited capacity, and I know that if I can raise funds for The Children’s Society, the money will be well used.
The Children’s Society writes “Children in this country are facing multiple problems that are leaving them overwhelmed. They feel alone, unloved and don’t know where to turn. By supporting The Children’s Society, you’re helping these children get the help they urgently need. Our supporters around the country fund our services, volunteer with us, and join our campaigns to show children and young people they are on their side. Together we make a real and positive difference to the lives of children in this country. With your support we can change the lives of even more.”
I appreciate that I am not giving you much time to donate, but thankfully this page will be open for a month after the Marathon has taken place, should you wish to donate after The Big Day!! There have been a few setbacks along the way which have made me wonder whether I would be able to run again, the last being a fall a few weeks ago where I broke bones in my hand! I hasten to add, I was not running and it was not in the snow or ice!! Just a local pothole in the dark!! But having seen and read about so many inspirational running friends of mine, training in all weathers and circumstances, I told myself to “Man UP! and give it my best shot, even if a tad undertrained, for an incredible charity.Last year, some of you may know I lost a very dear running buddy who made me promise not to give up running when she was gone, not least the London Marathon which I pulled out of last year when she was going through aggressive treatment. So this VLM 2018 I will be running the 26.2 miles for Jo in her memory. Amongst other things, Jo inspired me in my work with children and young adults and encouraged me to take up the baton so to speak in so many great causes.
Additionally, I will, as I have done in the past, dedicate each individual mile of the marathon to a very special person or persons, past or present, including my dear husband’s late brother Richard Maples who died unexpectedly last Christmas. (Richard always encouraged me in my marathon persuits and is greatly missed by us all). Each mile will be in their honour as they inspire me to get through the tough course. I will write their names down on a list and tick them off as I complete each mile (I jokingly said it was my Sainsbury’s list to a fellow runner in the 2016 VLM at the Start Line… he thought I was serious!). Some of the children and adults I have run with in their wheelchairs/racing buggies, some have passed on from this life to the next, some are still battling through many hardships…each and every one of them has made an impact on my life and when the going gets tough I know they will spur me on. (I hope to get photos of some of these dear folk in my gallery on this page). I could not do the marathon without them or without the support and encouragement of so many of you…I am blessed with an amazing family and incredible friends…something the children The Children’s Society are trying to help do not have.
If you are able to donate to this awesome charity I know they will be really grateful…as will I!!
Thank you all SO much for reading this!! You are all part of my marathon team!
Verity x
Annual Report for 2017
churchadmin2018-08-05T00:45:18+01:00You can read our Annual Report here. Final Signed Annual Report 2017
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