Happy New Year

Wishing everyone a very Happy and Peaceful New Year. 

I hope it will be a truly blessed and joyful 2014 

 in the Winterborne Valley and Milton Abbas Benefice.

 

Alan

Christmas 2013

Alan seems a little alarmed by the donkey.

We had two lovely children's services on Christmas Eve - in Winterborne Whitechurch and Winterborne Stickland. Alan would like to thank everyone (- including the music group and Awesome cakers) who made the services such a success. 

Those of you who tramped through the woods to St Catherine's Chapel on Christmas Eve were not disappointed. There was a wonderful atmosphere with the music and the candle light. Many thanks to the singers for all their hard work.

Christmas Services at a church near you.

Merry Christmas from the Diocese of Salisbury

In the Diocese of Salisbury this last year:

64,000 people attended services on Christmas Eve and Christmas Day and tens of thousands more at Christmas services throughout December.

In our 452 parishes, there is a Christian presence in every community.

Over 2,000 people were baptised and 691 were confirmed (494 aged under 20).

150 examples or experiments in parishes with new forms of ministry for mission – including  70 Open the Book in schools; 44 with Messy Church;  20 Cafe Churches; 11 Breakfast Churches; 7 Pub Theology Groups; 5 benefices piloting Energising Local Ministry; and 2 Missional Communities.

42,000 children and young people attend 195 Church Schools and Academies.

Ofsted identified 90% of our Schools and Academies as ’good’ or ‘outstanding’.

We have 2,000 Church School Governors.

There are 370 licensed clergy, more than 20 years ago. They include 52 Curates in training posts.

We have 22 students in colleges and courses training for ordained ministry.

Our highly committed lay people include 871 Churchwardens, 882 PCC Secretaries and Treasurers, 202 Licensed Lay Ministers, 1,006 Lay Pastoral Assistants and 34,525 on parish church Electoral Rolls.

Thank you, and please forward our thanks and good wishes for Christmas and the new year to others in your church. We are all serving the God who comes among us in Jesus Christ renewing the hope of the world. 

May the joy of the angels,

the eagerness of the shepherds,

the perseverance of the wise men,

the obedience of Joseph and Mary,

and the peace of the Christ child

be yours this Christmas.

+Nicholas Sarum

Crisis and Winterborne Houghton

Well Done

Winterborne Houghton!

The Candlelit Carol service proved to be very popular and St Andrew's Church looked beautiful in the candle light.

 

The amount raised at the village carol service on December 19th for the charity 'Crisis at Christmas' was £106.77

23rd Dec - Now increased to £128!

Sincere thanks to all who donated.

For further information about the charity click here

Church Services this Sunday at a church near you.

Church Services in the Benefice

Sunday 22^nd  December

 

W. Whitechurch  09.00  Holy Communion (said service)

                            Book of Common Prayer - Traditional

                            Rev’d Alan

Milton Abbas     10.30 Sung Eucharist

                            Holy Communion

                            Rev’d Alan

 Milton Abbey     18.00  Abbey Carols

W. Stickland      11.00 Carols and Coffee

                            Rev’d Jimmy

A flavour of Christmas at Cup and Cake

 Winterborne Whitechurch's Cup and Cake ended the year with a Christmas flavour. It is brilliant to see that the parish rooms prove to be such an excellent venue for the coffee mornings on Wednesday mornings. This week it was buzzing with people. Unfortunately this was the last Cup and Cake until Wednesday 8th January but do come along then, and enjoy some conversation with excellent tea, coffee and cakes available.
Thank you to all the Cup and Cakers - we really appreciate your hard work!