Don’t you know how loved you are? Dear Friends, Yesterday I came from another school Christmas service. Reception class sang ‘Twinkle, twinkle little star…’ and even my Christmas hardened clerical heart softened…It been a long term for our two primary schools – but an Ofsted officially ‘GOOD’ one! Both schools had inspections this term and both were recognised for offering a really good education to their pupils. In no small part this is due to the able leadership of Mark at Birdham CE Primary and Nick at West Wittering CE Primary. But I know both Headteachers would want to recognise that their schools are good because of the able and committed teaching and support staff.
Contemporary culture can fixate on the impact leadership has on any organisation’s success. Increasingly, the church is recognising its importance. However, just as with our schools, the effectiveness of our churches in living out their calling to proclaim the good news of Jesus Christ has as much to do with all the many, many dedicated and generous souls who share in the work of building God’s kingdom.

SUNDAY SERVICES – 18 DECEMBER
Sunday Services 18 December, 8am BCP at St Peter & St Paul Church, West Wittering, 10am One Church Family at St Peter & St Paul, West Wittering, 11am Common Worship with Holy Communion & Hymns at St Nicholas Church, Itchenor, Advent services 18 December, Nine Lessons and Carols from 4pm to 5pm, St Peter & St Paul Church, West Wittering

The sun shall not strike you by day, nor the moon by night Ps 121. I‘ve been blessed to spend two nights away with the Franciscans at their community in Hillfield, Dorset. For me it’s such a privilege to be able to pause parish life and share in their daily pattern of prayer and praise – parish priests rarely get to worship themselves. My day begins there, as it does at home, with 30/40mins silent prayer and then I join the community for morning prayer at 7.30am. As I walked to the chapel, the moon was still up and nearly full and its light caught the frost covered Dorset hills and they shimmered. As we prayed the psalms we said the verse from Ps. 147 ‘His word runs swiftly…he scatters the hoarfrost like ashes’. In that moment God’s word really came alive!

Harbour Churches Sunday services – 11 December, 8am BCP at St Peter & St Paul Church, West Wittering, 8am BCP at St Nicholas Church, Itchenor, 9am Littles + bacon butties at St Peter & St Paul Church, West Wittering, 10am One Church Family at St James, Birdham, 6pm Evening Prayer at St Peter & St Paul Church, West Wittering.

Sunday Services – 4 December, 8am BCP @ St Peter & St Paul Church, West Wittering, 10am One Church Family @ St Peter & St Paul Church, Birdham, 11am Common Worship with Holy Communion & Hymns @ St Nicholas Church, Itchenor, 4pm to 4.30pm Christingle Celebration @ St Peter & St Paul, West Wittering

Harbour Churches foodbank donations. We would like to thank you for all of your generous donations to the Chichester foodbank that you have already made. This Christmas we wanted to extend our donations places so that we can collect more food for people in need. Good news – we now have seven confirmed places where people can donate food to Chichester foodbank. 

Chichester District Foodbank is seeking to recruit a Local Mobilisation and Campaigns Manager. The role is part time, fixed as a three-year contract. More about Chichester District Foodbank

Itchenor Society is accepting donations for Ukrainian refugees at St Nicholas church Itchenor on 17 & 18 May.