First year as Priest
On 22nd September we celebrated Fr Colin’s first year as our priest at St George’s. A barbecue had been planned for after the 10am service. Unfortunately due to heavy rain, this had to be transferred to the church hall - but I’m sure the hot dogs tasted just as nice!
Macmillan Coffee Morning
This year’s Macmillan coffee morning was held in the church on Friday 27th September. We served teas and coffees, cakes to eat there, cakes to take away, plus a large raffle. On Sunday morning we sold all remaining cakes raising a further £54. The final total, including donations came to £350.59.
Parish Outing to Milestones
Our Parish trip, on Saturday 28th September, took us to Milestones Museum, Basingstoke.
We met up for coffee in their cafe at 11am, then went our separate ways to explore, gathering again at lunchtime outside their Edwardian Alehouse, The Baverstock Arms, for a group photograph (see cover).
Milestones was officially opened in 2000 by HRH The Duke of Edinburgh and is jointly managed by Hampshire County Council and Basingstoke & Dean Borough Council.
Its buildings and streets were historically researched and created by skilled craftspeople, to produce an area of Victorian and 1930’s streets, shops, factories and houses. There are approximately 21,000 exhibits on display, including great steam engines, commercial and private vehicles, domestic appliances, bicycles, cameras, gramophones, wirelesses, toys, mangles (similar to that which I remember my mother using - very effective for sheets!), a stone hot water bottle, was just like the one I recently discovered lurking in the depths of our garage!
Sitting on the old style bus we explained to some surprised children how people used to hop on and off its back platform between bus stops if it slowed down sufficiently to do so - in the days long before ‘Health and Safety’.
A most interesting day full of memories and an excellent museum to visit.
Blessing of Animals
Canines large and small, together with their owners, arrived at St George’s for a Blessing of Animals Service on Saturday morning 5th October.
Two of our hymns - “All Creatures of our God and King” and “Make me a channel of your Peace” have connections to St Francis of Assisi, Patron Saint of Animals, the third was “All things Bright and Beautiful”.
During the service, Fr Colin blessed the animals, who were all very well behaved.
A lady named Julie had brought a lovely Sandy coloured dog called Jools who as a stray in Spain, was rescued by the charity Podencos In Need, Scotland, and was now looking for a new Forever Home.
Refreshments were served in the hall after the Service.
Harvest Festival Service
At our Harvest Festival on Sunday 6th October, donations of tins, jars and packets of food products, plus cleaning and toiletry items were laid in front of the Altar during the service. These were later delivered to Waterlooville Food Bank.
There was a Bring and Share lunch in the hall afterwards, with Harvest Quizzes and teas & coffees, and a Raffle which raised £60.
This massive shop was full of stock, with a vast range of goods on offer, clothes, furniture, electrical items, toys, books, DVDs, CDs, and just about anything else you could think of.
At the time of going to print, the shop is still open so a final result is awaited, but with takings of over £5,000 in the first week it looks on target for being a great success.
Letting in the Queue, the
‘Grand opening’ of the Church Shop
by Fr Colin
