Weekly Newsletter, Sunday 24th September, 2023

Dear friends,

I hope you are well. Firstly, I’d like to thank everybody who helped, served and supported the recent Open Gardens event in Basildon last weekend. Despite the awful weather at the beginning of the afternoon, it was on the whole a very successful event and lots of fun too!

This weekend we celebrate Harvest Festivals across our churches and we have a wide variety of activities going on. Firstly we’ll have a Harvest Holy Communion service at Ashampstead at 8.30am. Next there will be a 10am Family service with bacon butties at Basildon. We shall round off the weekend with a Harvest Evensong service at Aldworth, followed by apple pies and cider too - so a full Sunday of celebrations thanking the Lord for his goodness towards us. Please do come and join us.

At Harvest time we are always pleased to receive special donations of dry, long life and tinned foods, so that we can pass them on directly to refuge centres around our villages. Please either bring your gifts in advance of the services and leave them in the church, or bring your donations with you on Sunday and we’ll gratefully distribute them next week to well deserving centres local to us.

‘

Love and blessings,

Grant

A special gift for Jen’s ordination

(2 weeks left to give)

Our curate Jen Green will be ordained to the priesthood on 18th October at a very special service at St. Stephen’s, Upper Basildon at 4pm by the Bishop of Reading - (please do come if you are free!).

We have organised a gift for her which is a silver home communion set which she will be able to use in her ministry throughout her life. It symbolises the work and role of a priest in sharing and celebrating God’s special meal with his people.

If you would like to make a contribution towards the cost of this lovely gift, we would be gladly welcome contributions using the button below. Thank you so much.

SERVICEs THIS WEEKend

Featured
Holy Communion @ Ashampstead 8.30am
Nov 24
Holy Communion @ Ashampstead 8.30am

We gather at 8.30am for a short said communion service using the words of the wonderful Book of Common Prayer. The service will include a short sermon, and plenty of time to pray, reflect and encounter God in this wonderful place. What a brilliant way to begin a Sunday - especially as there is coffee and biscuits served afterwards.

Bacon Butty Sunday @ Basildon
Nov 24
Bacon Butty Sunday @ Basildon

We join together for a short interactive family worship service. Lots of fun! Action songs, Bible readings, dressing up, toys and we finish with yummy refreshments. Bacon butties, posh omelettes, pastries and much more.Lots of Holy Chaos. Come join the fun.

6pm Evensong @ Aldworth
Nov 24
6pm Evensong @ Aldworth

St Mary's

This is a fabulous way to round off the weekend. We gather together in the atmospheric St. Mary’s Aldworth to pray and worship together using the traditional and powerful words of Evensong from the Book of Common Prayer. We have a small community choir to help us sing God’s praise. There is a short sermon with prayers and psalms. If you are looking for a spiritual encounter with the Lord in the comfort of a traditional service - this is for you.

Upcoming in the villages

Featured
Post Office @ St Stephens
Nov 22
Basildon
Basildon
Post Office @ St Stephens
Basildon
Basildon

Post Office in the church centre at Basildon. Most Post Office services available plus local free range eggs, and books.

Basildon
Basildon
Café St. Stephen's
Nov 25
upcoming, cafe, Basildon
upcoming, cafe, Basildon
Café St. Stephen's
upcoming, cafe, Basildon
upcoming, cafe, Basildon

St. Stephen’s Cafe is open weekly on Monday mornings. It runs alongside the community post office at St. Stephen’s church. Various groups help to run and support it as we raise funds for various causes. Come along and join us for lovely hot drinks, freshly made homemade cakes and a good catch up with friends.

upcoming, cafe, Basildon
upcoming, cafe, Basildon
Post Office @ St. Stephen's
Nov 25
Post Office @ St. Stephen's

Post Office operates each Monday 10am - 12noon.

Tiddlers Group
Nov 28
children, play, social
children, play, social
Tiddlers Group
children, play, social
children, play, social

Our weekly play session for babies and toddlers meets on Thursday mornings in St Stephen’s Upper Basildon during term time. We start at 9.30 and it’s a wonderful time for the little ones and their carers to come together for play, craft and yummy snacks too finishing at 11am.

children, play, social
children, play, social
Post Office @ St Stephens
Nov 29
Basildon
Basildon
Post Office @ St Stephens
Basildon
Basildon

Post Office in the church centre at Basildon. Most Post Office services available plus local free range eggs, and books.

Basildon
Basildon
Café St. Stephen's
Dec 2
upcoming, cafe, Basildon
upcoming, cafe, Basildon
Café St. Stephen's
upcoming, cafe, Basildon
upcoming, cafe, Basildon

St. Stephen’s Cafe is open weekly on Monday mornings. It runs alongside the community post office at St. Stephen’s church. Various groups help to run and support it as we raise funds for various causes. Come along and join us for lovely hot drinks, freshly made homemade cakes and a good catch up with friends.

upcoming, cafe, Basildon
upcoming, cafe, Basildon
Post Office @ St. Stephen's
Dec 2
Post Office @ St. Stephen's

Post Office operates each Monday 10am - 12noon.

Tiddlers Group
Dec 5
children, play, social
children, play, social
Tiddlers Group
children, play, social
children, play, social

Our weekly play session for babies and toddlers meets on Thursday mornings in St Stephen’s Upper Basildon during term time. We start at 9.30 and it’s a wonderful time for the little ones and their carers to come together for play, craft and yummy snacks too finishing at 11am.

children, play, social
children, play, social
Café St. Stephen's
Dec 9
upcoming, cafe, Basildon
upcoming, cafe, Basildon
Café St. Stephen's
upcoming, cafe, Basildon
upcoming, cafe, Basildon

St. Stephen’s Cafe is open weekly on Monday mornings. It runs alongside the community post office at St. Stephen’s church. Various groups help to run and support it as we raise funds for various causes. Come along and join us for lovely hot drinks, freshly made homemade cakes and a good catch up with friends.

upcoming, cafe, Basildon
upcoming, cafe, Basildon
Post Office @ St. Stephen's
Dec 9
Post Office @ St. Stephen's

Post Office operates each Monday 10am - 12noon.

See all upcoming events on our website

Services next Sunday 1St OCTOBER

Join us next weekend:
10am Nativity Service @ Basildon
Dec 24
Basildon, christmas, next week
10am Nativity Service @ Basildon
Basildon, christmas, next week

The Christmas Story for all the Family. Everybody is encouraged to come dressed as a Nativity character (or anything else!). There will be cracking carols, lots of celebration and lots to eat and drink! Come and join us as we celebrate Christmas in style.

Basildon, christmas, next week
Family Crib Service @ Ashampstead 4PM
Dec 24
Ashampstead, christmas, next week
Family Crib Service @ Ashampstead 4PM
Ashampstead, christmas, next week

In our new style crib service we will gather together and re-tell the greatest story every told! We will sing some wonderful carols and encourage full family participation. Come dressed as a bible character. Yes tea-towels are mandatory! - or come as any of your favourite superhero’s - perhaps there will be a Batman instead of a shepherd this year? Who knows? Bring your friends and family and neighbours for what promises to be a fantastic way to enter into Christmas!

Ashampstead, christmas, next week

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