The Parish Office will be closed for sabbatical from Tuesday 14th January re-opening on Wednesday 4th March.
Please contact the Rector, Jonathan, by phone or text if you wish to arrange a funeral, wedding or baptism or in case of pastoral emergency.
His mobile number is 07538 011579 and email is rector@chichesterhabourchurches.org
Parenting Children Course starts January 2020
Being a parent is a great privilege but also a great challenge, and often we’re expected to master it without any support or training.
The truth is, most of us feel about ready to start parenting by the time our last one has flown the nest.
Jackie and I are parents of Nathan 29 and Amy 26, and we would totally recommend these 5 session Parenting Courses. Whether you feel all is going well or not, this course will be a great benefit. (no quibble money back guarantee 😉
We’re running the courses at the New St James Centre, Birdham.
The course for parenting the early years up to the end of primary is run on 5 consecutive Monday evenings 7.30 – 9.30pm starting on 13th January.
The courses only costs £10 for the 5 sessions !!
By clicking on this link you can see a short promotional video about the course.
For more details or to book your place, contact Alistair Ghinn akghinn@gmail.com or 07780 87583
The Book of the Season for ‘Epiphany’ is a true revelation!
THE TOUCHING TRUE STORY THAT WON THE HEARTS OF MILLIONS OF READERS AROUND THE WORLD!
The true story of an amazing friendship, the kind of friendship we all dream of – with God!
‘Mister God, This is Anna’
By Fynn
For more information speak to Rev Sarah on 07468 854864 or email assoc.vicarsarah@gmail.com.
Date for your diary – Book Club Breakfast
Saturday 22nd February, 8.30am, St James Centre
Share with others what you think about
Mister God, This is Anna
and what you may have learnt about yourself!
Liz Richardson and Elaine Leaver are organising a shipment of books for the new library at St Paul’s Secondary School, Bo.
The school has practically no books at all. They need reference books, dictionaries, atlases, bibles. Also novels for the children to read. Although they are teenagers, their reading level would be younger than their age. They are looking for classic novels.
If any of you have any suitable books we could send, we would be very grateful and please let
Liz Richardson lizrichardson27@talktalk.net or
Elaine Leaver leaverrookwood@hotmail.com know.
They will need the books before the end of February.
Towards 2020 and MORE…
We’re all familiar with a new year signalling the start of new things. Some of us are always going to be more invested in wider church initiatives than others but, as your Rector, it is my duty and joy (supported by the Leadership and Ministry Teams, Churchwardens and PCC) to commend Bishop Martin’s initiative for 2020 and beyond…
The most recent Diocesan Strategy has been up and running since 2015. The aim has been to foster an atmosphere where we all learn to know, love and follow Jesus.
The three goals set by Archbishop Rowan and adopted by us in 2015 provided a framework for our activity as we have sought to grow numerically and spiritually, re-imagine ministry and contribute to the common good. The resources at Church House, Hove have been fully employed encouraging parishes as they have worked to implement this vision in their own settings.
As the five-year period draws to a close, it is time to take stock and look forward to the next five years in our household of faith.The next phase of our strategy will build on that which has gone before, focussing more clearly on needs, challenges and opportunities that have come into focus as we have travelled together since 2015.
The theme of the next phase is ‘more’! We have made a start, but we need to be more effective in a number of areas if we are to be faithful in proclaiming the faith afresh to our generation.
The four mores are manifestations of the Nicene Creed conviction that the Church is to be one, holy, Catholic and apostolic. They are not the exclusive manifestation of these qualities, but they are areas in our life to which we need to give serious attention.
The four mores are: ‘More Open’, ‘More Converted’, ‘More Generous’, ‘More Engaged’.
So – in 2020, Harbour Churches of Birdham, Itchenor and West Wittering will seek to share the wider Diocesan vision to be ‘More Open’ :
We have a vision for congregations with age and other profiles reflecting the communities they serve. We want to see the church as a family of all ages, loving, serving, contributing and receiving together at a level appropriate for their age and maturity.
Collect
O God, who by the leading of a star manifested your only Son to the peoples of the earth; mercifully grant that we, who know you now by faith, may at last behold your glory face to face; through Jesus Christ your Son our Lord, who is alive and reigns with you, in the unity of the Holy Spirit, one God, now and for ever. Amen
We continue to pray for:
Clemmie and Robert Bowen-Colthurst
And those who have recently died and their loved ones:
Gordon Wright, Tony Johnson and Gerard
If you know of anyone who needs our prayers or would appreciate a visit, please let the Rector or the Parish Administrator know.
Should you wish to contact the Rector his mobile number is 07538 011579.
Services for this weekend
8.00 BCP Holy Communion at West Wittering and Itchenor
At Birdham (9.30) Eric Eyre’s sermon theme will be “Star Trek (Transformative worship)”. At West Wittering (10.00) Jonathan Swindells’ sermon theme will be “More Open” and at Itchenor the theme for Little Nick’s will be “The Three Kings”.
There will be Evensong at 6.00 at West Wittering
Sunday 5th January – Epiphany
Morning
Isaiah 60. 1-6; Ephesians 3. 1-12; Matthew 2. 1-12
BCP
2 Corinthians 8. 9; John 1. 14-18
Evensong
Isaiah 49. 1-13; John 4. 7-26
Sunday 12th January – Baptism of Christ
Morning
Isaiah 42. 1-9; Acts 10. 34-43; Matthew 3. 13-end
BCP
Romans 12. 1-5; Luke 2. 41-52
Dear Jonathan Swindells and all members of the congregation,
On behalf of Stop Domestic Abuse I would like to thank you for the beautiful Christmas gifts that were donated to the children in refuge this Christmas.
As you know, Christmas is a difficult time for our families and to be able to make it special with gifts, eases some of the stresses out client’s face. Your wonderful contributions will make a real difference to the lives of the clients we work with during this time and they have asked that we send you a huge thank you.
The support that we receive from people such as yourselves is crucial to the success of our organisation and allows us to provide a high-quality service to the families we help. I would like to take this opportunity again to thank you for all of your wonderful support.
Merry Christmas from everyone at Havant refuge and best wishes for the year ahead.
Tracy Talbot
Refuge Project Worker
Stop Domestic Abuse
On behalf of the Chichester Food Bank
THANK YOU SO MUCH
During the month of December you, the good people of the Harbour Churches Benefice, donated 139kg of food, toiletries and nappies.
That’s the same as an average fridge freezer weighs
(and as my poor car will tell you – that’s a lot of food!)
We will be putting the trolleys out again, in Birdham and West Wittering churches, on the first Sunday of every month beginning in February.
Once again, thank you for all your support
Rev Sarah
The first Rector’s Ramble led by Irene will be on Sunday 5th January starting 1-30 pm from the road outside West Wittering Church. The plan is to go around East Head again and keep away from mud and slippery paths.