QuizAid in Saint Martin’s Church on Saturday, 11 November 2017, by Brian Ridsdale
Quiz participants at Saint Martin’s Church, Chandler’s Ford cheered to hear that the UK Government will double the money they raised for Christian Aid’s Christmas appeal. On Saturday 11th November, 120 guests participated in a quiz with ploughman’s supper at St Martin’s Church. [Read more…] about Quiz Doubles Money for Christian Aid
I was walking along Park Road in Chandler’s Ford earlier in November and overheard a conversation between a mother and her son she’d just picked up from school. The mother told the son that they would put up their Christmas tree that evening. It was another example for me – along with the constant Christmas TV adverts, the endless playing of Christmas music and the Christmas goods in the shops and the Christmas decorations that are pretty much everywhere – that the Christmas festivities seem to start earlier and earlier each year! [Read more…] about Christmas – What’s So Special?
When did you last experience the Christmas Nativity story? No, not hear the story, experience it.
We’re probably all familiar with the story: Mary and Joseph, Donkeys, Bethlehem, “no room at the inn”, manger, shepherds, angels, and all. But what does it all mean and – more pertinently – why is it still important and relevant 2000 years later?
This year, Eastleigh Baptist Church will be seeking to answer this question with the Nativity Experience on Saturday 18th and Sunday 19th November – planned to coincide with and complement the Christmas light switch-on in the town centre. [Read more…] about The Nativity Experience, 18th and 19th November
Yesterday morning, a few of us from Chandler’s Ford Today attended the unique ribbon-less re-opening ceremony of the Dovetail Centre at the Methodist Church. It was a warm and friendly place as usual, buzzing with excitement.
It was certainly a day of celebration, and also a day of reflection on the problem of loneliness in our community, and how we could all reach out to support one another. [Read more…] about Re-opening of the Dovetail Centre: to Engage and Share, and Fight Loneliness
In the past few weeks I met some friends at the newly refurbished Dovetail Centre at the Methodist Church a few times.
The place is bright, spacious, modern, and welcoming. It’s accessible to all, and I particularly like the much improved lighting. (I felt a bit dazzled at the beginning as I was sensitive to light due to short-sightedness, but soon got used to it.)
[Read more…] about Transformation: Dovetail Centre and Dovetail Centre Café
A few weeks ago, I went to the Gift Day at the Dovetail Centre of the Chandler’s Ford Methodist Church. The purpose of the day was to raise fund to refurbish Dovetail Centre, one of the most popular community centres in the heart of Chandler’s Ford.
It was a happy morning. We were sitting at the delightful Dovetail Centre, chatting to old and new friends, and were all excited about the new project. [Read more…] about Refurbishment for a Modern and Contemporary Dovetail Centre at the Methodist Church
In the 1980s there were no fancy coffee shops in Chandler’s Ford. It wasn’t common for supermarkets to offer you ‘free’ coffee either. Many young mothers found themselves isolated at home with young children, and elderly people were struggling to meet someone for a friendly chat.
One person saw that acute problem in Chandler’s Ford and decided to do something about it, to change for the better.
Her name is Jane Archer. She has run the Coffee Room based at the Dovetail Centre at the Methodist Church on Winchester Road for 37 years. Many babies who had played at the Coffee Room have grown up to become parents themselves. [Read more…] about Jane Archer – A Simple Vision, and 37 Years Leading The Coffee Room at Dovetail Centre
The Eastleigh Basics Bank have been serving the local community for nearly 6 years – providing much needed food to those families suffering short-term hardship. We were set up by the churches of Eastleigh and continue to operate on a purely voluntary basis from our shop premises in the town centre.
[Read more…] about Urgent Storage Needs – Eastleigh Basics Bank
In a few days Christians all over the world will celebrate Easter. Already the shops are full of a variety of Easter cards, many of which are decorated with beautiful pictures of eggs, bunnies, churches and spring flowers. I offer you instead this lovely photograph of St Martin in the Woods with its lovely Daffodils in the church garden. [Read more…] about Easter Message 2017 by Reverend Christine Whitehead
I attended the Festival of Nine Lessons and Carols in St. Boniface (CofE) Church this evening. The church was packed. Superbly directed by Dr. Hugh Benham, the carol service certainly defines Christmas musically for Chandler’s Ford.
(If you missed the carol service this year, try not to miss it next year. Trust me, you won’t regret it.) [Read more…] about Review: Festival of Nine Lessons and Carols at St. Boniface Church 2016
So, as the old saying goes, “Christmas is upon us and the goose is getting fat” and, to stay in Dickensian vogue, “Bah, Humbug!” Sorry, but I had to get that off my chest! Seriously, I do find Christmas hugely stressful and have often wished that it would simply go away.
As a Clergyman I find that it is a time of high workload, with many additional pressures (as is also the case for so many in the retail trades). [Read more…] about Some Christmas Thoughts
At 6.30 pm on Sunday 27 November 2016, St. Boniface Church Choir will be leading a special service of music and readings for Advent Sunday.
Advent Sunday is the first Sunday in the church’s year, and the beginning of the lead-up to Christmas. [Read more…] about Advent Sunday at St Boniface Church: Sunday 27 November 2016
I have a note in my diary for Thursday 5th May 2016 indicating that is Ascension Day.
This day easily goes without noticing, in fact many diaries don’t even recall it. It’s not one of those major events in the Christian calendar like Christmas or Easter, however it is worth just considering what this day signifies.
Let’s just go back a couple of thousand years. [Read more…] about Mission Impossible Accomplished
Got questions about life? Is there more to life than this?
Alpha is aimed at those wanting to explore more about the basics of Christian faith – looking at the big questions about life, God and Jesus. [Read more…] about Where can you Join an Alpha Course in Chandler’s Ford?
Last year I shared my Easter with you. I’m going to share my day with you again.
I’m having a nasty cold so it was a struggle in the morning. I missed the church today, but my neighbours later told me the Parish church was packed.
Who said Christianity is on the wane? I never believe it.
At Chandler’s ford Methodist Church, the Easter breakfast was prepared by the men this morning. [Read more…] about Easter 2016: Family and Chocolate
The Friends of St. Anne’s Hospital, Liuli, is a charity that was set up 21 years ago to support the work of and send donated goods to a hospital in a remote area of Tanzania.
In that time 20 containers have been packed and dispatched from Chandler’s Ford via Southampton Docks. [Read more…] about The Friends of St. Anne’s Hospital, Liuli
You know what it’s like, a bank holiday weekend’s coming up, so how are you going to amuse yourself?
Are you into conspiracy theories?
Maybe you like a thriller, action, international intrigue, even a little of the supernatural.
Easter has it all! [Read more…] about Easter Message 2016
The Passion of Christ: Sunday 20 March (Palm Sunday) 2016 at 6.30pm – a selection of readings, hymns, and anthems sung by St. Boniface Choir.
Easter Praise: Sunday 27 March (Easter Day) 2016 at 6.30pm – readings, hymns and an anthem for Easter Sunday evening. [Read more…] about Easter at the Parish Church of Chandler’s Ford
“She wrapped him in strips of cloth and laid him in a manger.” Luke 2 v 7
Last year, for the first time in nearly 25 years, we did not have the joy of watching a family dog open his Christmas present.
Our retrievers were clumsy animals, but [Read more…] about Christmas Unwrapped – Christmas Message from Churches Together in Chandler’s Ford
A warm welcome to everyone to the Festival of Nine Lessons and Carols in St. Boniface (CofE) Church in Hursley Road on Sunday 20 December at 6.30pm.
The service is designed to last about an hour, and includes most of the best-known carols for the congregation and choir to sing, plus five short pieces for choir only, and the traditional Christmas readings. [Read more…] about The Nine Lessons and Carols Service at St. Boniface Church: Sunday 20 December 2015
