Transforming Church is the name of the process to discern the next vision and priorities for the Diocese, from 2020 and beyond. On 4 November 2020, the Right Revd Vivienne Faull, Bishop of Bristol, announced a new focus of work for the upcoming months, to shape the future the Diocese of Bristol.
The Wellbeing Journey is a new series to help churches and communities address the challenges of our times. Following the 2020 Covid-19 pandemic, local churches are in a unique place to lead communities on this holistic journey to physical, mental and spiritual wellbeing.
HOPE Together and KingsGate Church, Peterborough, have developed a video journey drawing on Kingsgate’s Wellbeing sermon series and the book ‘God’s Plan for Your Wellbeing’ by their lead pastor Dr Dave Smith. The videos are presented by Simon Thomas (Prime Video Sport/ Sky Sports/ Blue Peter) and Joanna Adeyinka-Burford (BBC, Channel 5, Nickelodeon), with contributions from leading experts in different fields.
We are delighted to let you know that the community centre team have been successfully awarded three grants. The first two grants are to be spent on our afternoon teas programme which provides a vital means of socialisation for older people and particularly those suffering with dementia. They have come from the Wiltshire and Swindon Sports Partnership and Green Square.
The final grant has come from emergency covid funding issued by the National Lottery Community Fund on behalf of the Government. This money is specifically to be spent on the running costs of the community centre. This helps to safeguard the work of our community centre and team in the year ahead.
Chris Smith & Jenny Hatter
Thank you for sticking with us and more importantly, families like Merima’s, throughout this challenging time. You are well and truly part of our global family, we couldn’t do it without you.
Emily Mullen
Supporter Relations – Send a Cow
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The Week of Prayer for Christian Unity in 2021 has been prepared by the Monastic Community of Grandchamp in Switzerland. The theme that was chosen, “Abide in my love and you shall bear much fruit”, is based on John 15:1-17 and expresses Grandchamp Community’s vocation to prayer, reconciliation and unity in the Church and the human family.
Each year, we choose a bible verse to focus on to provide us with hope and inspiration for the new year.
This year’s verse is from Peter
Blessed be the God
and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ!
By his great mercy he has given us a new birth
into a living hope through the resurrection
of Jesus Christ from the dead.
1 Peter 1 v 3
Download a printable version by clicking the button below
Dear Friends
Thank you for your prayers for us today. The PCC Covid response working group had a very positive and honest meeting this morning full of the Holy Spirit.
As a result, the decision was taken that Christ Church would remain open for personal prayer each day. With great reluctance the decision was also taken to close public worship at Christ Church and St Mary’s. This is with immediate effect from today onwards for the rest of January. This decision will be reviewed at our next working party meeting on Wednesday 27th January.
We will advertise these decisions as widely as possible from now onwards. I will be present with Jim in Christ Church from 9.30am on Sunday to explain what is happening and apologise to any people who turn up expecting a service.
We are delighted that, as in previous lockdowns, our Sunday service will be recorded and will be available on our CC website from Sunday morning. We are especially aware of the importance of supporting the National Health service and our GWH in all they are doing on our behalf.
We are also very aware of those from our Christian community who will be saddened by this decision that we have taken because they will miss not receiving Holy Communion and will miss the comfort of being together in public worship especially if they are suffering from anxiety or mental health challenges. We hope people will know that they are welcome to come and pray through the day. We will continue to do all we can with your help to keep people safe through our church cleaning and risk procedures.
Please be aware of our friendship support and prayers. Do be in touch directly at any time, so our Keeping in touch pastoral scheme can do all they can to support you practically and spiritually. Also this coming Wednesday we begin the online 8 session Wellbeing Journey course which has been highly recommended. Do contact me for further details.
If you have any questions or concerns about this communication, please contact me directly by phone or email. Please join me in praying for God’s blessing and guidance for all who those who live and work in our Old Town Swindon parish including our Old Town Partnership,
Thank you for all your support,
Every blessing,
Simon
The day when the victims of genocides the world over are especially remembered, Holocaust Memorial Day (HMD) takes place on Wednesday 27 January, and it will again be marked in Swindon.
HMD 2021 marks 76 years since the liberation of Auschwitz-Birkenau in 1945 and 2021 is also the 76th anniversary of V-E Day, the end of the Second World War.
Due to Covid19 restrictions, there will be no live ceremony by the Cenotaph. At 12 noon on Wednesday 27th January there will be a short ceremony via Zoom online for Swindon.
Attendance is by invitation only. Anyone with sincere and authentic interest in marking this day is welcome to join the online ceremony. To receive an invitation, link, and password, please contact matt@lowershawfarm.co.uk
Further information, and a more national perspective, about Holocaust Memorial Day, can be found on the internet, at www.hmd.org.uk
Whilst nothing will replace the joy, Alone at Christmas has given the lonely and isolated people who have attended the event for the last 4 years, we still wanted to do something special during this pandemic to give those alone a bit of light and joy this Christmas.
Alone at Christmas with a difference this year!
120 hampers ready to go and hopefully bring a little light and joy to those alone this Christmas.Those who we would normally be able to open our doors to on Christmas day when they have no one to spend Christmas with. This year we are unable to provide the cooked dinner, crackers and Christmas carols we normally would but we couldn’t let this year pass without showing we still care about them.
These hampers have been provided through the generosity of many members and businesses in our local community, so thank you to everyone for their donations of time, food and money which have made this possible. They are complete with a roast dinner ready meal as well as other goodies!
Also a big thank you to our team of drivers who made the deliveries yesterday
Chris & Jenny
Community Centre Development Team
The Church of England has provided many resources for the Christmas period. You can follow their Services online also.
This is what Christmas means to us
Our Services over the Christmas Holiday
Church online – a service from the Church of England.
31st December
Watch Eve Service 6.00pm
Holy communion led by Rev Canon Simon Stevenette and Kevin Penfold.
Our new Bible verse for 2021 1 Peter 1 verse 3
Blessed be the God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ!
By his great mercy he has given us a new birth Into a living hope Through the resurrection of Jesus Christ from the dead
How to watch our Services
Go to our You Tube Channel and watch all our online services.
Subscribe to our YouTube Channel
View our Christmas Services page for all our Live Streams & recordings
Watch our Blue Christmas Service
Join our Christmas Day Service Live stream
More than 1,300 members of our Community are remembered in our Rose Garden. Some are marked by plaques, others are not. When the garden was closed for further ashes burials in 2019, we opened a new Remembrance Garden to the South East of the Church. This is now in full use and provides a beautiful and peaceful place for visitors to remember their loved ones.
For some years now, it has become difficult to maintain the Rose Garden due to poor soil quality, old and diseased plants and self-seeded and relative-planted shrubs and flowers. This has led to the garden becoming unkept and neglected looking. Canon law forbids the disturbance of remains and thus major maintenance of the area has become an increasing problem.