Partnership Walk from Ramsbury to Marlborough along the River Kennet

2018-05-02T23:11:52+01:00

Easter eve (Easter Saturday) 31 Mar 2018

Most of the way is on footpaths/bridleways.  Some on quiet minor roads.  Two short (300 yds) sections on the Ramsbury/Marlborough road, where there is no footpath. Appropriate footwear is essential – wellies, trainers or walking boots.  There are a few short sections which are muddy and, if wet, will be very slippery and will require care. Bring warm clothes and waterproofs.  The full walk is 7 1/2 miles.  Bus fares between approx £5 and £8.50. Short option – 3 ½ miles to Axford.  Then either the 15.23 bus (service 48A) to Marlborough or 15.49 (service 48) to Swindon (or taxi share).

Please let the walk leader know in advance if you would like to join the walk, and if you would like to be included in a sandwich lunch at the Red Lion (extra cost – to be confirmed).

Organiser and walk leader (c/o PCC Christ with St Mary’s, Swindon) – Daniel Pitt  Swindon (01793) 521732 Mob   07834 704350 fdpitt@yahoo.co.uk

 

Walk from Ramsbury to Marlborough along the River Kennet 

  •  10.30   Meet at Swindon Bus Station
  • 10.40   Thamesdown Service 46 bus to Ramsbury
  • 11.22   Bus arrives at The Bell in Ramsbury
  • 11.30   Depart The Bell on foot.  3 1/2 miles to Axford
  • 13.15   Arrive The Red Lion, Axford.
  • 14.30   Depart The Red Lion on foot (short option as below).
  • 15.30   Arrive St John the Baptist church (11th Century) Mildenhall.
  • 16.00  Depart St John the Baptist on foot for Marlborough
  • 17.00  Arrive Marlborough (Castle and Ball)
  • 17.55  Depart Marlborough Service 48 bus
  • 18.49   Arrive Swindon Bus Station

(Alternative buses Thamesdown Service 80 or Salisbury Red, X5.  NB – need Wiltshire Day Rover for X5).

 

Partnership Walk from Ramsbury to Marlborough along the River Kennet2018-05-02T23:11:52+01:00

Application for renovation works to the Organ

2018-05-02T23:12:09+01:00

As part of our continuing renewal work this year, we intend to make extensive repairs to the church roof and organ as well as repair the South Transept window,improve  exterior lighting and make repairs to St Mary’s church.

The major works to the organ require us to obtain a faculty – effectively permission from the Diocese to carry out the work.

As part of this, we are required to advertise the scope and nature of the works for a period of not less than 28 days to allow public objections to be heard by the Dicoese.

You can download the notice on the link below or view it on the church noticeboards. Full details of who to apply to are provided on the notice, The expiry date for objections is 17th April 2018

Organ works Notice_2018_03_18

Application for renovation works to the Organ2018-05-02T23:12:09+01:00

Partnership Lent Course – Romans For Today

2018-03-30T21:13:47+01:00

 Five reflections during Lent 2018 for the Old Town Partnership of Churches from Wednesday 21st Feb until Wednesday 21st March, Swindon 7.30pm – 9.15pm.Led by the Revd Dr David Wenham.
Romans is arguably the most influential letter the world has ever. The great theologian Karl Barth called it ‘the clearest gospel of all’, but for many readers it is anything but clear. In our time together we will hope to unlock its profound and wonderful teaching, and to see how relevant it is to today’s church and world.

 

If you missed it – Listen again to Week 1. Wed 21st Feb What’s Romans all about, and why it is important to us? (chapters 1 and 15, also a look at chapters 9-11)

If you missed it Listen again to Week 2. Wed 28th Feb What’s wrong with the world? Diagnosing the human problem (chapters 1-3:20)

Week 3. Weds 7th Mar Amazing grace: making sense of the cross (chapters 3:21-5)

If you missed it listen again to Week 4. Weds 14th Mar New life for humanity and all creation (chapters 6-8)

Week 5. Wed 21st Mar Being a Christian in the real world (chapters 12-15)

Partnership Lent Course – Romans For Today2018-03-30T21:13:47+01:00

Report on The Partnership Messy Church Initiative 2018

2018-03-25T14:54:18+01:00

Messy Church continues to do well. Recently we have had numbers of 77 and 80 attendees, although our numbers where low for January (it was a particularly wet and windy day), we had 37 on that occasion.

Our recent themes include creation, the greatest party ever, and Christmas.

We have around 30 dedicated volunteers many of whom come each month. This is less than half the volunteers we had when we started and would always welcome new volunteers.

One great achievement is that since September two of our older attendees have actually become volunteers. This really is something to be pleased about.

  • Our Messy Church must be doing something good if they want to volunteer.
  • It is good for the children who attend to see older children volunteer and taking part.
  • Lucy Moore, who set up the Messy Church organisation, has said that getting teenagers, older attendees, to volunteer is one way to keep them within the church rather than drifting away.

The Messy Church core team meets regularly to coordinate themes and discuss any problems or concerns. As always we would ask you to pray for the work we are doing.

Messy Church Services.

Over the past couple of weeks we have taken Messy Church to our regular church services. This came out of the report that Matthew Vatcher presented to this council last year, when you asked us to present something on Messy to each of the churches.

So far we have been to Immanuel and Christ Church, we will be visiting Bath Road in a couple of weeks time. Both services have gone really well with the congregations happy to get involved with activities and songs, and I hope, learning a little bit more about Messy Church.

I would like to thank the churches for their welcome and their enthusiasm.

David Howell.

We would ask this council to accept a proposal that we have for David Howell to be a chaplain to Messy Church.

The background to this is that when Messy Church started we had ministerial support and involvement from Trudy Wigley. Since Trudy left we have had little or no ministerial input. Norma McKemey was meant to take on this role but she soon had to give it up to concentrate on the Four O’Clock service.

Last year David came along to see what happened at Messy Church and was very impressed with what we where doing. Since then he has attended every Messy Church and our core team meetings. The core team believe that Messy Church needs regular ministerial input, someone who knows what is happening in Messy Church and can relate that back to partnership clergy. We also think it is good to have someone recognisable at Messy Church acting as chaplain to both the congregation and the volunteers. It is important to us that we are seen as being part of the partnership and have your support.

You can find out more about Messy Church on our Website http://messychurcholdtown.co.uk/   or Facebook Page https://www.facebook.com/messychurcholdtown/

 

Report on The Partnership Messy Church Initiative 20182018-03-25T14:54:18+01:00

Listen to Tanya Orr – the Executive Director of Willows

2018-03-14T16:49:59+00:00

Sunday the 11th February is our first Mission Giving Sunday for 2018 and we collect for the work of the Willows Counselling Service and Swindon Youth for Christ.

Our sermon was given by Tanya Orr – the Executive director of the Willows Counselling service in Swindon

Listen to Tanya Orr – the Executive Director of Willows2018-03-14T16:49:59+00:00

SWINDON MUSIC FESTIVAL BACK IN CHRIST CHURCH!

2018-03-25T14:53:04+01:00

After the completion of the reordering work inside Christ Church, the 109th Swindon Music Festival returns there on Friday 16th March at 6.30pm with the church organ classes.  Each organist will play two contrasting pieces and then the adjudicator will make comments on their performances.

Following the organ classes is one class for adult novice solo singers.

The evening will be rounded off with adult choir classes.   In the church choir class, starting at around 8.35pm, St. Sampson’s Church Choir, Cricklade will be singing the hymn “I come with joy” to the tune St. Botolph and “Ubi Caritas”  by Ola Gjeilo.  Christ Church Choir will be singing the hymn “ There’s a Wideness in God’s Mercy” to the tune Corvedale and  John Rutter’s “For the Beauty of the Earth”.

The evening will conclude with the adult choirs class.  This will include the Swindon Gilbert and Sullivan Society singing “The Long Day Closes” and also “Hail Poetry” from their forthcoming performance of “The Pirates of Penzance”, which is at the Arts Centre from 17-21st  April.  The adjudicator for the Friday evening will be Christopher Daly, who has been a general adjudicator for music festivals since 2004 and is a member of the Friends of Cathedral Music.

The Festival continues on Saturday 17th  March and from  Monday 19th to Saturday 24th  in the Arts Centre in Devizes Road, Old Town.  A trio from the Partnership of Churches will be performing at 7.45pm on Friday 23rd, and there will be lots of solo performances on Saturday 24th  March.

The Festival deserves a much bigger audience – this year it celebrates 109 years of supporting music in Swindon.  Previous participants have included Diana Dors in the past, and Jamie Cullum, Sarah Covey and Polly Leech who are all forging current musical careers.  Previous adjudicators have included David Willcocks (1950, 1951 and 1955), Isobel Baillie (1966) and composers such as Armstrong Gibbs (1928, 1934), Edgar Bainton (1929), Sydney Northcote (1961)  and Eric Thiman (1973).

There is such a wide variety of music that there will be something for everyone during the eight days.  We really need to support the young talent – and the older competitors like support too!  At a previous year’s final concert the adjudicator said several performances would have graced the West End stage – so come and hear future stars. She also commended our exceptional teachers.  And we are so lucky to have a world class pianist in Paul Turner who is such an expert and also so kind to everyone including nervous novice singers.

Please do come along to support your Partnership singers.  There will be a small charge for listening.  The detailed programme, price £3, will be available from Christ Church from 16th  March, or from Holmes Music, Brian Taylor Music and the Arts Centre,  and also on the website  http://www.swindonmusicfestival.co.uk.

SWINDON MUSIC FESTIVAL BACK IN CHRIST CHURCH!2018-03-25T14:53:04+01:00
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