Anyone passing Christ church the other day might have been surprised to note that we had 3 different flags flying within the space of 24 hours.

The serial sequence was as follows, with a brief explanation:

• Australia  (last night to midday 26th January) celebrating Australia Day, marking the anniversary of the 1788 arrival of the First Fleet of British Ships at Port Jackson, New South Wales, and the raising of the Flag of Great Britain at Sydney Cove by Governor Arthur Phillip.
• India (mid day to this evening) celebrating Republic Day when they became self governing and published their constitution
• Shetland  (this evening) in celebration of Lerwick Up Helly Aa , a Viking fire festival, reinvented in the 1880’s.

We are proud to celebrate the diversity of our church family and visitors to our community – our use of flags reflects this. All are welcome at Christ Church

The steadfast love of the Lord never ceases

His mercies never come to an end.

They are new every morning

Great is your faithfulness.

Lamentations 3.22 & 23

Dear Friends

Thank you so much for all your encouragement with the Football Fans in Training course I have been participating in at Swindon Town run by our Football in the Community team over the last 3 months; quite simply one of the best things I have been involved with in my life! It has felt like a 12 week retreat in so many ways.
Tonight was a wonderful celebration. The group of 30 of us have lost together 43.8 stones! Each of us were set a target to lose between 5-10% of our body weight.
​I was very honoured to win the prize for the highest percentage of body weight lost, 18.4% ​and for the most centimetres lost around the chest 18.5 cms. Overall I have lost over 21/2 stone and now weigh 11 stone 9 lbs! The challenge obviously is maintaining this weight. Many moving conversations and I was thrilled to hear virtually the whole group will be coming with their families to the Swindon Town Carol service next Thursday 6.30pm to celebrate! There will be a lot of publicity locally.

We will be playing the Manchester City football fans in training at the Etihad in February/March. Also we have been invited to help mentor the next course which begins at the end of January

Very specially I travelled tonight to the gym with Gary and Jo, I married them at Christ Church in August 2001, they are having a marriage thanksgiving at the same time in 2017.

As I said in my speech tonight I couldn’t have done this without the support of the 30 guys and the excellent leadership of Shane, Jon and Louise who have taught us all a great deal. Thank you each of you for all of your support to Nicola and I . Nicola jokes that I am now less weight than before I first knew her 33 years ago!!! Anyone like to join me for a run tomorrow and my first Pilates class at our Christ church Community centre?

Simon

We are planning to once again support Operation Christmas Child’s Shoebox Appeal.  Please can you begin to gather items of stationery, toys, toiletries, sweets (not chocolate) and other suitable small personal items ready to bring to church on the first three Sundays in November (a list of suitable items can be found at www.samaritans-purse.org.uk or at the back of church) when we hope to be able to pack a good number of shoeboxes to send around the world to make a difference to children’s lives.  We have kindly had a donation of some 50 empty shoeboxes and it would be great to fill them all! If you don’t have a shoebox then please bring your gifts to church and we will pack them for you.

It costs just £3 to transport each gift box across the world so if you can – please include £3 towards this.

Thank you on behalf of Operation Christmas Child and all the happy children you will help this Christmas.

Watch a short film about the excellent work of this charity

I decided some time ago to do a head shave to stand alongside a very brave lady who lost her hair to chemotherapy whilst suffering from breast cancer – the beautiful Katie. Her hair is now back but she  was so courageous when it was gone I felt I needed to do this for her and others like her. I also lost both of my parents to cancer when they were in their 50s – where I am now – so I want to dedicate this crazy act to their memory!

You can sponsor me easily on line here: https://bravetheshave.org.uk/shavers/carol-simmons/

If you are not a Internet kind of person then catch me one Sunday soon.

The date it will be done is Sunday 8^th November at lunchtime in the Community Centre @ Christ Church.  To watch there will be an admission charge unless you have already sponsored me.  (For causes I believe in I am ruthless…)  My girls will be on the door with collection buckets…for money, not my hair.

COME ON, SPONSOR ME. I love my hair so I want AT LEAST £1000 for this. We can do it!!!!