A Message from Fr Mike

Thank you, St George's, for your welcome to myself and Lynda. We have received gifts, cards and messages of welcome, and these are all appreciated as we move into a new parish and a new home. The Vicarage is now in Deanswood Drive and during the summer we hope to invite all Church members to visit us and see the new Vicarage. The phone number remains unchanged. It will take a little time for a pattern of services to emerge as we are now in the summer holidays, but the Wednesday morning Eucharist will continue, as will both Eucharists on Sundays. I hope to discuss introducing other services at September's PCC Meeting.

Visiting: Over the next few weeks I hope to visit as many Church members as possible, but it is likely that some people will be away during the school holidays. If it will help I am very happy to arrange a visiting time to avoid both holidays and work days. Please see me in Church or give me a ring at the Vicarage. These visits will be an opportunity for us to get to know each other.

Names: Please don't get hurt if I forget your name! Lynda and I will try hard to learn names of the congregation, but it will be very helpful if you keep repeating yours to us for the next few weeks.

- Fr Mike trained for the Ministry at Salisbury, and served as Curate at St John the Baptist, Locks Heath from 1979-83, then as Curate at All Saints, Ryde, Isle of Wight, from 1983-86. He then served as Priest at Holy Trinity and St Michael's, Ryde for ten years before returning to the mainland to take up the position of Parish Priest at St Alban's, West Leigh, Havant.

For ten years between 1979 and 1989 Fr Mike was producer and presenter of local religious programmes for the BBC. In 2002, he Chaired the group that organised the Family Fun Day and Diocesan Eucharist to celebrate the diocese's 75th anniversary.

On Friday 16th July, at 7.30.pm, the Collation and Induction of The Reverend Mike Sheffield as Vicar of the Parish Church of Saint George the Martyr, Waterlooville, took place at a Service conducted by The Right Reverend Doctor Kenneth Stevenson, Bishop of Portsmouth, in the presence of the Mayor of Havant, Clergy from neighbouring parishes, and representing the Roman Catholic and Baptist churches in Waterlooville, other invited guests and the congregation. The service included a Procession to the Shopping Precinct, where the Gospel was read by the Archdeacon in the centre of Waterlooville.

Please pray for all at St George's as we begin a new phase of ministry in Waterlooville.