For many years Swindon Town Community Trust run by Jon Holloway and Clive McGuire have developed an outstanding link with the community of Livingstone in Zambia. This has involved several visits sharing coaching and refereeing skills especially in local schools.

In the photo the coaches are Baia Soko, Patrick Kasoka, Fillard Bwalya and players Mwikisa Sinyama and Albert Siwakui.

Recently we have lost a number of plants from our new Garden of Reflection. Read the Adver article.

http://www.swindonadvertiser.co.uk/news/11137911.Vandals_rip_plants_from_Christ_Church_peace_garden/?ref=rss

Following a constant battle with one of the wettest winters for many years, Christ Church’s new Garden of Reflection is nearing completion. Thanks to the hard work and dedication of the ground work team of Rob Andrews and Connor Hurst who struggled with the elements to complete the work on time, the final hard landscaping has been finished. On days of torrential rain and driving wind, Rob and Connor could be found wheeling tons of top soil and barrows of concrete and sand up to the site.

The site of the new garden was, for many years, a rubbish and burning area for the burial ground but it was felt that the location, with its splendid view of the church and its quiet aspect, would make a fitting place of peace and reflection for those visiting the church and grounds. The garden was designed by Rachel Titcombe, who won our Garden design competition last year. Now that things have started to dry up, some planting is underway and we are beginning the process of cleaning up and patching up the damaged grass and verges to complete the work. Our thanks go to Rachel, Rob, Connor and to Ian Handy who directed and co-ordinated the work. The end result will be something we can all be proud of.

We are planning to put some benches in the garden and are inviting donations towards these and the completion of the planting in the garden. If you would like to make a donation or find out more about the garden then please contact Stephen Grosvenor on s.grosvenor@gmail.com or 07885 217077

See what Timberworks Europe say about their latest project – our community centre.

http://us2.campaign-archive2.com/?u=139098332fdfe28f439e47512&id=1a33b27707&e=c00b2bb20b

Partnership Confirmation Service: Sunday 18th May 10am at Bath Road Methodist Church. We are very much looking forward to our confirmation service. Is this something God is calling you to consider? Is there someone you know who might be interested in being confirmed in their faith ? Please pick up a flyer from the back of the church.

Financial giving:  If you are new to Christ Church you may not know that we don’t take collections during services but there is a plate available for offerings before and after each service. We encourage church members, wherever possible, to give via gift aid (if you are a tax payer) and via standing order through your bank. There is a leaflet explaining our vision, mission, challenge and the privilege of Christian giving, at the back of the church. For further information please contact Stephen Grosvenor (01793 341034 or s.grosvenor@gmail.com)  or Ian Walters (07774 518585 ianwalters21@sky.com)

Welcome Everybody

This is a very special day for Swindon, the Old Town Community and for the Old Town Partnership of Churches of which Christ Church was a founding member in 1969, the year our previous community centre was built.

 I love bridges because bridges connect people and places. While I am no engineer I am a passionate bridge builder which is why I am so excited about today. This building is like having a new bridge in Swindon.

The vision of Christ Church is to be at the heart of the Old Town community. We love welcoming people of all backgrounds and ages to meet on this site for a whole variety of activities.

This new community centre enables us to increase our hospitality and make more meetings and activities possible for which we are very grateful. For many years Ideas have been considered, now we have a physical building of which we can all be very proud.

As Swindon Town Football Club Chaplain I love teams. The best teams are the ones who work really well together. Today would not have been possible without a huge amount of team work.

As your Vicar I want to say thank-you to God and to all those people who have worked so hard to get us to this point. We are especially appreciative of the Borough Council for the 106 grant, to the Christ Church PCC for their considerable financial commitment, to the Grant bodies and individuals who have donated finance and gifts in kind. To the volunteers who have given so much time and expertise. You all know who you are but on your behalf can I especially thank Stephen Grosvenor, Mike Palmer and Daniel Pitt. Our architect Anthony Feltham-King, our builders Timberworks and our Community Centre Development Manager Chris Smith who have shared their expertise bringing us to this point and new beginning. Thank-you each of you.

Shortly we will have the official opening by a previous neighbour of the Vicarage , Nick Hewer !

You will then have the opportunity of looking at a specially commissioned painting ‘Christ church at the heart of Old Town’ by artist Laurie Plant.

Also the Garden of Reflection designed by Rachel Titcombe with the William Morris Memorial centrally placed. This is a work in progress.

We are delighted to have such imaginative, creative features central to our community centre. William Morris, as you know, was the first Editor of the Swindon Advertiser. Not all of us are journalists but each of us as human beings can tell stories and pass good news on. I am sure you would agree that today is truly a good news story for us all and for our fellow Swindonians who are not here. Please join with me in passing the good news on

The Community Centre @ Christ Church is truly a special place where hospitality, friendship and a warm welcome are guaranteed. Let’s resolve, whoever we are, as Community Centre team-mates to make its future a great success by continuing to work together.

It is a great joy to me to have our Bishop of Swindon the Right Reverend Lee Rayfield to pray a prayer of blessing for our new centre and our Swindon Community