Shepherd's Watch Winter 2016

Shepherd’s Watch The magazine for and by the people of the Good Shepherd www.goodshepherdbrighton.org.uk

December 2016

The Year of the Bible. pg 4 One Solitary Life. Pg 5 Pastoral Care Group –Update– pg6 A New Year Resolution? Pg 8 Are we being served? Family- pg 9 Christmas Quiz. pg 13 When words fail. Pg 18 Social Activities – Round-up A big thank you—Hellen’s shelter. Pg 22 Bellringing. Pg 25

60p

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Vicar

Revd. Felix Mascarenhas The Vicarage, 272 Dyke Road Brighton BN1 5AE Tel (01273) 882987 vicar@goodshepherdbrighton.org.uk

Deacon

Reader

Helen Rawlings 6 Beacon Hill Ovingdean, Brighton BN2 7BN Tel 07967695753 hrawlings@sky.com

Michael Miller 68 Ainsworth Avenue, Ovingdean, Brighton BN2 7BG Tel (01273) 240287 michael.miller@tiscali.co.uk

Churchwardens David Stevens: 2 Shirley Road, Hove, BN3 6NN, Tel (01273) 555197; desandpms@yahoo.com Christine James: 22 Ranelagh Villas, Hove BN3 6HE Tel 01273.724802, cpjh22@googlemail.com

Parish Office The Parish Office is open on Wednesday and Friday mornings from 9.30 to 10.30. The Parish Office telephone number is (01273) 553747

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Joy, Light and Wonder as we Worship and Serve during Christmas.

Light shines all around us and warmth is experienced in spite of the long and cold winter nights and it is Christmas that makes the miracle. This season somehow transforms darkness into light and this is particularly so, for those who live in faith.

Did you have shocks, surprises and sudden dilemmas in your life?

One of the intriguing readings in the context of this joyful season is when Joseph adopts Jesus as his son. The passage from Matthew says: "Joseph, son of David, do not be afraid to take Mary home as your wife, because she has conceived what is in her by the Holy Spirit". All seemed contrary to his plans!

Each one of us will have one's own experiences, of changes for better or for worse. Even the world political scenes can drastically change and at times many of us are left shocked with the unfolding of certain events. Such jaw-dropping situations occur in every aspect of life and we are left to wonder, asking ourselves how and why.

Mary and Joseph too had such surprises and difficult situations. At times they made choices that were totally contrary to their logic and tradition. But they faced those challenges with faith in God. The Christmas readings offer us courage to walk undisturbed in our daily lives when marked by such events. What seemed unwanted and unexpected, ends with great joy!

Having journeyed together last year wondering "God's mercy", we begin now the "Year of the Bible". The Christmas story is one of the most loved on one hand and also one that makes us wonder on the other. At times there is no logic nor are there answers to our questions.

And yet, in this season of joy, it is our eyes and hearts of faith that help us to "adopt" the changing scenes in our life.

I pray that in this "Year of the Bible" your faith radiates through your presence, wherever you serve and worship and make you and others stronger in faith.

Merry Christmas!

Fr Felix While every effort is made to ensure all information in Shepherd’s Watch is correct, neither the Parochial Church Council nor the individual contributors can be held responsible or accept liability for any errors and/or omissions.

The PCC does not endorse the companies, products and services that appear in Shepherd’s Watch.

Responsibility for any loss, damage or distress resulting from the use of or reliance on any information in Shepherd’s Watch, however caused, is disclaimed by the Parochial Church Council.

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Focus on the Bible throughout 2017 Diocese of Chichester to celebrate a “Year of the Bible” The Bishop of Chichester, Dr Martin Warner, has announced that 2017 will be the “Year of the Bible” across the Diocese of Chichester. (Listen to Bishop Martin speaking about the Year of Mercy and the Year of the Bible in a Youtube video published today here) Clergy, congregations, chaplains, church schools and students will be challenged to examine the importance of the books of the Bible in daily life and contemporary culture. “2016, the second year of our diocesan strategy, has been the Year of Mercy. Our third year, 2017, will be the Year of the Bible. I hope it will be as challenging and as thoughtprovoking for service of neighbour and as devotionally formative as the Year of Mercy has been," said Dr Warner today.

The Bishop has set up a working party to produce resources for parishes and schools to grapple with the subject. A range of ideas and initiatives are being planned for people of all ages. Visiting scholars will look at the bible in politics, science, the media and scholarship in a series of lectures across Sussex.

A special Lent Course is being produced through which church goers will be challenged to get to know their bibles better and to understand the origin and purpose of key biblical texts.

"The Christian faith flows out of the holy Scriptures as the definitive guide to God's love. But the Bible is not a dusty rule book; it comes in a rich wrapping of centuries of Christian experience and interpretation.

We need to know it better and allow the experience of our own generation to be viewed through its rich message of hope, peace and joy for all people," added Dr Warner.

The Bishop of Lewes, Richard Jackson, Chair of the Strategy Working Party, said he was looking forward to 2017 and to all that the Year of

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the Bible promised: "Our goal is to encourage individual Christians to engage with the Bible as part of their discipleship and to look closely at how these texts feature in their spiritual life."

Plans for the year will be unveiled at a meeting of the Chichester Diocesan Synod next month. The Year of the Bible will run from Advent Sunday (27 November 2016) and last for one year.

(courtesy, The Chichester Diocesan bulletin) &&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&& One solitary life He was born in an obscure village The child of a peasant woman He grew up in another obscure village Where he worked in a carpenter shop Until he was thirty He never wrote a book He never held an office He never went to college He never visited a big city He never travelled more than two hundred miles From the place where he was born He did none of the things Usually associated with greatness He had no credentials but himself He was only thirty three His friends ran away One of them denied him He was turned over to his enemies And went through the mockery of a trial

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He was nailed to a cross between two thieves While dying, his executioners gambled for his clothing The only property he had on earth When he was dead He was laid in a borrowed grave Through the pity of a friend Nineteen centuries have come and gone And today Jesus is the central figure of the human race And the leader of mankind's progress All the armies that have ever marched All the navies that have ever sailed All the parliaments that have ever sat All the kings that ever reigned put together Have not affected the life of mankind on earth As powerfully as that one solitary life &&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&& Pastoral Care Group Update Recently our group met, and it seemed a good idea to remind the church of our purpose and endeavours .As has always been the case, our primary aim is to share the love of God by caring for the more vulnerable members of the Church family through visits, phone calls, cards sent especially at times of illness or bereavements and through our prayer support. We feel it is of utmost importance to try to keep in touch with the housebound, so that no one slips through the network of relationships within our community. We readily acknowledge that other church members also care for their friends ,but it is useful to have a small team who can focus its attention on those most vulnerable in our midst.

Our team consists of six people . We value our partnership with Felix, Helen and Michael, with whom we work closely , and as a group meet

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about three times a year. Our discussions extend beyond immediate issues of visits and contacts ,to thinking about things such as the role of prayer for others in its various forms, such as the weekly Listening – Prayer ministry in the chapel after church, the use of the prayer board, the Intercession list ,and the prayer chain which welcomes prayer requests for urgent needs of anyone wanting extra support .

One of our team ,Joan Fraser, has had a long association with Age U.K. and is able to give Information and contact numbers relating to the many services offered ,including house clearances! Also, I have shared with the group my own experience of a charity which provides an excellent befriending service for those who may be lonely at home. It is called Time to Talk Befriending. Leaflets have been placed at the back of the church. One current matter of need is a volunteer who would be willing to be a transport coordinator, responsible for holding a list of those needing a lift to church services and a list of those willing to give a lift occasionally. Any volunteers?

The Pastoral team hopes that there will be a gradual growth of alertness and awareness within our congregation, that, as we are all members of one another in the body of Christ, we are all responsible for looking out for the welfare of each other ,and truly caring for one another..Do we notice if someone is missing from our worship services?

Do we follow that up in some way? How is the newly bereaved member coping? Could we go to sit with someone new who is on their own and show them the order of service?

Love is only genuine if it expresses itself in service and action. This is what our Pastoral group is endeavouring to do. Indeed, what it is all about.

For comments, questions, or to become involved, please contact Margy Weir

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A New Year's Resolution ?

In the September magazine we read that Advent 2016 will begin the Year of the Bible. Every parish will be encouraged to "...have a plan in place for Christian growth and nurture" . It is hoped that we will all engage with the Bible in more meaningful and personal ways. So a number of stimulating programmes are being planned for the new year to get us involved.

One very simple step forward is to ask ourselves now how much time do we individually give to regular daily reading of God's Word? Probably not much, if any.

But the Bible is a light for our path , food for our souls, comfort in sorrow ,strength for our journey , guide in perplexities, and much more. Why do we tend to neglect this incredible resource?

Recognising that we all need support in study of the Bible, Bible Reading Fellowship, (BRF) has produced a range of very helpful daily Bible reading notes for all ages and abilities covering various themes and written by respected Christian authors.

Some of us in the church subscribe to these quarterly notes and find them accessible, relevant and challenging. Why not join us ? A good resolution for the new year? For more information, see the website. www.brf.org.u or contact Margy Weir margaret.a.weir@hotmail.co.uk

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Are we being served? – Family ‘Families are the cells which make up the body of society. If the cells are unhealthy and undernourished, or at worse cancerous and growing haphazard and out of control, in the end the body succumbs’ – Mr Justice Sir Paul Coleridge, April 2008.

‘Start children off on the way they should go, and even when they are old they will not turn from it’ Proverbs 22:6 ~O~ As observed in my chosen quotations, the role of the ‘family’ cannot be over-emphasised. Sir Paul, a former High Court Judge, who spent years presiding over cases of divorce, children in care and family, is a supporter of marriage and believes that ‘almost all society’s ills can be traced directly to the collapse of family life’.

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Historically the definition of family was based on heterosexual marriage and links to biological children. It concerned groups of individuals who share ties of blood, marriage, or adoption; a group residing together and consisting of parents, children, and other relatives by blood or marriage. Blood ties establish a lasting bond and the sharing of blood gives people a unique identity as a family which establishes its own exclusivity.

Brenda Almond, Professor of Philosophy (University of Hull) has argued that the liberal establishment’s onslaught on the family is the most profoundly tragic mistake of our age. Among other things, while acknowledging the generally accepted view, that all families are not perfect and that many children are brought up wonderfully in lone-parent households, she had this to say: ‘The family has a significance that goes way beyond the practicalities of day-to-day existence. From the very beginning it has also given a special meaning to our notions of past, present and future. Human beings could have regarded themselves as isolated individuals whose meaningless lives were snuffed out and forgotten after a brief span. Instead – a hugely important factor in driving social development – we have always tended to see ourselves as part of a great chain of existence, binding us to our forebears and to generations yet unborn.

“To forget your ancestors is to be a brook without a source, a tree without a root,’ says the old Chinese proverb. That undoubtedly reflects one of our deepest human instincts. In Britain, G.K. Chesterton summed it up strikingly more than 100 years ago when he described the family as “this frail cord, flung from the forgotten hills of yesterday to the invisible mountains of tomorrow”.

‘Today, in western societies – and especially in the English-speaking world – we think we know better. Forget the wisdom of the ages. Forget our deep-rooted instincts. Forget precepts that have governed every society in every era of history. The importance of the ‘traditional family’ is

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being challenged as never before. The idea has taken root that human families can be constructed in any way people want. The message is that biology counts for nothing.

‘Biological mothers don’t matter to their children. Biological fathers don’t matter either. All that matters is what adults want – and children must adapt to it, whether they like it or not’.

In today’s society many groups of people are now classified as ‘family’, for a variety of reasons and it has been suggested that some of them see the ‘traditional family’ as a barrier to the social engineering they hope to accomplish.

Not long ago, the sanctity of ‘marriage’ the belief that children need the stability of the two-parent family and the undesirability of cohabitation and divorce were seen as the norm, espoused by politicians, promoted by churches and accepted by the public. But although it was mooted that the Government would advance the well-documented proposition that marriage was more likely to create a stable upbringing for children, this argument was not advanced.

In considering ‘This cowardly about-turn on marriage’, inter alia, Stephen Glover said: ‘There are good arguments against politicians indulging in moral exhortation. In the first place we have, or used to have, churchmen whose natural province this was expected to be. Until quite recently our bishops spoke out against divorce and even sex before marriage. In such a world, it behoved the politicians to try to get on with running the country and entrust matters of personal morality to the professionals.

Glover also pointed out that clergymen, with a few notable exceptions, no longer fulfil this role – so there is a moral vacuum now filled by the progressive intelligentsia that is seeking to reshape society around the

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unrestrained gratification of adult sexual desire under the banners of ‘liberation’, ‘equality’ and ‘rights’. ~O~ Clearly our earliest recollections will be of our family background which will influence the way we develop. For centuries it has been accepted that what is called the ‘traditional family’ – where a man and a woman have been joined together in wedlock as a demonstration of their commitment to one another and for the procreation of children – has been the best way of advancing family interests especially those of children.

Despite this, there has been an ongoing onslaught on the traditional family and the ‘bond of family’ has been systematically eroded and marriage actively discouraged. While other countries encouraged settled relationships through tax breaks, successive Governments removed every incentive to marriage and promoted single parenthood with a tax and benefits system that discriminated against couples. As a result, today increasing numbers of women produce children, in some cases by several men – to take advantage of the welfare system – where increasing numbers of children are fatherless – where the rights of children to receive ‘paternal’ and ‘maternal’ influences in their upbringing are being over-ridden to satisfy personal interests.

So are we benefiting from the gross distortion of what constitutes ‘family values’? Or are we simply fuelling political ambitions aimed at destroying the Church and status quo? ~O~ Much more could be written. For example, the record of social services in relation to children could be examined or care of the elderly – whose circumstances become more precarious as the integrity of family relationships deteriorate. We might consider what sort of society we have become, when ‘abortion’ is seen as a form of birth control and indulge television programmes that send couples to have sex in a box in front of live audiences? Hasn’t it been noticed that sex education, for ever younger children, has led to increased promiscuity? Why aren’t we

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teaching children the realities of life; why are we creating false expectations by dumbing down education? The list is endless.

Charles Dickens gave a new meaning to Christmas when he wrote A Christmas Carol. The story is one of Christian redemption, first and foremost. A rich, self-absorbed Scrooge is given a chance to redeem himself by witnessing what a real family is, full of love, caring and kindness. By so doing he learns the benefit of the family and that his lowly clerk (Bob Cratchit), although materially poor, is much richer than he is.

Christmas provides a time for healing, renewed strength and redemption. It also provides an opportunity to reflect on where today’s society is going.

Neil Kelly

&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&& The Christmas Quiz It’s Quiz time again! Yes, I have found time to devise one for 2016.

Although I think most of the clues are pretty easy, most of you will probably disagree. But it will keep your little grey cells in tiptop condition over the Christmas period – and possibly those of your family and friends too.

The quizzes will be on sale at £1 each from the day of the Christmas Fayre (Saturday 3 December) until Christmas Eve and you have until Thursday 5 January to get your answers to me.

The prizes this year come in liquid form and include a bottle for the person getting the least number of answers correct.

I hope you’ll enjoy competing.

Pat Hunter

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When words fail The opening session of Deacon Helen’s stimulating and thoughtful Autumn Study Group began with a look at paintings depicting aspects of the Nativity story. Several participants remarked on the vivid realism of the paintings, set squarely in the period of each artist. Particularly striking was a Bruegel, set in 16th century Netherlands. Here one saw the Holy Family arriving in a snowcovered Bethlehem crowded with a clamouring mass of people gathering to record their names for the Emperor’s census.

There are good reasons why such renowned artists set their religious paintings in contemporary settings. The Bible is a book for all times, and some events and circumstances are more readily presented and understood in the context of the artist’s own world. Moreover, many passages in the Bible convey religious truths in the form of stories; and some may be categorised as myths or legends. There is no right or wrong way of depicting such events. It is the understanding conveyed by the image and its interpretation that is of most importance.

Throughout the long history of Christianity the Church has used symbols or pictures to represent what is otherwise impossible to encounter or envisage in any real sense (e.g. the Holy Spirit in the form of a dove). Icons, which are a closed book to many in Western Europe, convey a deep spirituality in their highly stylised paintings. The actions involved in completing an Icon are often referred to as “writing an Icon” This follows from the deep regard for each individual picture, and the reverence given to each process involved in its making .Every stage in the work must comply with strict rules as to colour, design and materials. It is a studied and highly controlled process, akin to the illustrated manuscripts produced in the middle ages. Thus Icons could be said to bear their own ‘words’, and in the hands of worshippers become objects of contemplation and veneration.

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Words are often said to be our masters, and as such may curtail us from freedom of thought; whereas paintings and Icons release our wandering thoughts and instincts from the limitations of words. Words are the shorthand for describing ideas, actions, thoughts and real things. As such they are immensely helpful. Nevertheless, they do often fail us by obscuring a deeper understanding.

A child’s first words are seldom forgotten by loving parents, and without words the world would be a strange and lonely place. However, as we grow old there is a tendency to be less reliant on words (perhaps we have forgotten them) and we become more thoughtful and introspective. In essence words are not so different from numbers. Like symbols they assist in identifying things: but to identify something is not the same as revealing its true nature. Try to look at an Icon or something familiar – perhaps a tree or a flower. Next remove from your mind the word “tree” or “flower” (not easy, but keep trying). Then look again and you will discover so much more.

Writing this article has brought to mind the last couplets of Wordsworth’s Ode on Intimations of Immortality: Thanks to the human heart by which we live Thanks to its tenderness, its joys and fears, To me the meanest flower that blows can give Thoughts that do often lie too deep for tears.

I feel sure that the poet would not complain if, just once, I substitute “words” for “tears”.

David Nissen

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Social Round-up, October to December 2016 On Saturday 8 October the harvest festival barn dance took place. There was a lot of dancing interspersed with food and drink!

The band and the caller were superb, giving clear instructions so a majority of folk knew which way they were supposed to be facing at any given time! Just for good measure we threw a quiz into the mix. Pat Hunter came up with some fiendishly difficult riddles and questions.

Still, it was good practice for the Christmas quiz! A good time was had by all.

A bonfire night party was held on Saturday 5 November. As usual it was a very popular event both within the church and the community with about 80 people in attendance. We started off with a huge bonfire, fireworks and sparklers in the vicarage garden before coming into the hall for food. The social committee prepared baked potatoes, baked beans and sausages with a veggie option available too. Everyone had a good time and there were many compliments about the sausages!

The Carols Round the Tree service took place on the 4 December, there were approximately 160 adults and 55 or so children in attendance. Numerous people

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thronged in to admire the beauty of the church made even more so, with the 30 Christmas trees set up and decorated by a variety of groups and individuals. It has to be appreciated that some even nonChristian groups brought in their trees to create a sense of community and welcome for all in the church.

Starting with an afternoon of entertainment by classical and choral singers and bell ringers alike the social committee served up teas and coffees. After the service mulled wine and mince pies were served.

There is just one more event from the social committee before another year draws to a close. 9 Lessons and Carols followed by yet more mulled wine and mince pies on Sunday 18 December at 5pm.

We are fortunate to have a large space at the back of the church besides our church hall with the green open grounds around. All of this gives us the opportunity to look at the church building and its surroundings as a centre of activities. And what a joy to serve and help socialize with all, irrespective of their creed.

I would like to thank all of the social committee; Brenda, Hannah, Pat, Patricia and Twizzle. They all work very hard. Special thanks also go to Sheena, who though she isn't an official member of the committee is always on hand to help out. We are always looking for new members, many hands make light work. If you think that you would like to help out, even if you can only commit to a couple of events a year we would welcome you with open arms. We work hard but we also laugh a lot too!

Louise Hotchkiss

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A Big Thank You from Hellen’s Shelter Just in case anyone reading this is in any doubt, our 2016 international charity ‘Hellen’s Shelter’ is not a fund for me to build a summer house in the garden. Based in Lira Uganda it is a shelter for women and children who are victims of domestic and cultural as well as the long running civil war. It is run by retired Ugandan police superintendant Hellen Alyek and it was whilst we were both still serving that we met when in 1997 at the International Association of Women Police (IAWP) annual training conference in Dallas Texas. Hellen had won a scholarship to attend the conference on the basis of her creating the Ugandan Police Family Protection Unit. She spoke at the conference about Female Genital Mutilation (FGM) and I can tell you we all had our mouths open and our legs crossed!

She also spoke about her wish to start a shelter for abused women and children in order to keep them safe from further harm. It was a few years later with the help of her international police friends that her idea came to fruition and I have been lucky enough to visit the shelter, first in 2006, when, with some other IAWP members we performed an ‘official’ opening and again the following year when myself and an American friend, Terrie Swann, negotiated protocols for the shelter with other NGO’s including ‘Save the Children’ who had been leaving children at the shelter with no funding to help feed and clothe them. In 2006 there was a sea of blue tarpaulin surrounding the shelter housing thousands of displaced persons (a fraction of the estimated 1.7 million total) who had left the countryside for the relative safety of the towns fleeing Joseph Kony’s Lord’s Resistance Army (LRA). Kony had abducted an estimated 500,000 children, some as young as seven, to fight in his army. Horrible atrocities have been perpetrated in order to deter escapers (lips ears

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and noses and limbs hacked off) and many of the children have permanent physical as well as mental scars. especially seeing their parents murdered in front of them or even being forced to commit the murders themselves.

In early 2007 the International War Crimes Tribunal issued an arrest warrant for Kony and he moved across the border into southern Sudan.

So by the time I visited that year many of the abducted children were making their way back to their towns and villages usually to find their homes destroyed and their parents gone, either murdered or in IDP camps.

As a consequence of this there were now thousands of orphaned children living on the streets swelling the numbers of the night commuters (children who “commute� into the relative safety of the towns at night to avoid rebel abductions). These children scavenge, take on adult labouring jobs and work in the sex trade to obtain money for food, putting them at risk of contracting AIDs and the girls of becoming pregnant. A further knock on effect was that Save the Children and the other charities and NGOs, all working hard to gather up these vulnerable children and reunite them with their families, were becoming overwhelmed by the sheer numbers. This explains why they had left children at the shelter without any resources but Hellen lives on a meagre pension relying heavily on outside financial help, in fact we had arrived to find both water and electricity turned off due to unpaid bills. So our arrival was timely in that we were able to pay her bills and make sure the other NGOs understood her financial situation.

I returned again with a small team in 2012 and enough cash in a money belt to purchase a vehicle. When we changed the money into Ugandan shillings we needed a rucksack to carry it and for a short time we were millionaires. The team consisted of my niece Emily, Tamara and Chinwe, two ladies from British Transport Police who had both trained to teach English as a foreign language, my cousin Sonia and her husband Carlo. Sonia had wondered whether Carlo would be wel-

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come amongst our all-female party. It transpired that he was invaluable in negotiating the purchase of the vehicle; in fact we wouldn’t have managed without him and the Mitsubishi Pajero was Christened Carlo in his honour. The BTP ladies were very popular with every hand shooting up when they asked who would like English lessons. At the time of our visit there were 16 young girls, more than half of whom had their own babies, mostly through rape or defilement. Hellen calls them baby-mothers.

One big change between these trips was to the state of the roads. In 2007 there seemed to be more pot holes than road but in the intervening years these had all been filled in and the journey to the north was much easier. There is a theory that the Commonwealth Conference being held in Uganda and visit by its head, the Queen, was the reason behind such a profound effect on the road but I must say I was very grateful for it. The 2007 trip became scary when after 2 blown tyres and many hours of pothole dodging slow driving trying to avoid another we ended up driving in the pitch dark. Hellen, who had met us in Kampala, was visibly worried because of bandits or worse still the LRA! Our later, 2012 trip felt safer and was consequently more relaxed and enjoyable; though 56 year old Kony is still at large, just over the border, in spite of international efforts to catch him.

The Red Cross and Save the Children continue to bring street children, mostly girls, to the shelter and whilst there in 2012 the police brought in a 13 year old girl rescued from traffickers; she had been destined for the UK as a house slave. The intention is for the girls, and occasionally boys, to stay until family can be found to take them in. This isn’t always possible and Hellen herself has ‘adopted’ many children and seeks sponsors to get them into school; this way they can obtain work and become self sufficient adults. Their show of gratitude is the most humbling experience imaginable.

Deacon Helen

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Bellringing Listen for the bells over Christmas – we ring them for the Carol Service (6pm on Sunday 18 December), for Midnight Mass late in the evening on Christmas Eve and on Christmas morning which this year falls on a Sunday. Of course, we’ll also be ringing on the Sundays in December and on most Sundays during the year.

In January we’d like to start teaching another couple of people to ring the bells. It is very much a one-to-one procedure to begin with but, as soon as you can handle a bell by yourself, you will learn to ring with the band and, in about 3 months time, you will be ready to ring with us on Sunday mornings. We do need new ringers – of whatever age – so, if you would like to join us, please contact me on 01273 555954 (email : pandrhunter@gmail.com ) and we’ll arrange for you to come and have a go.

All members of the Good Shepherd band wish you a very happy Christmas and many blessings in 2017.

Pat Hunter, Tower Captain

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Every year our church , as a commuNity, picks three charities to support.

Would you like to join us in this project?

Our Charities for this year:

Hellen’s Shelter, Uganda (International)

Alzheimer’s Society (National)

Seaford DSSNSG (Local)

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The Little Lambs (Parents and Toddler Group) Meets on Wednesday in Church Hall from 1.30 - 3pm. Contact: Melissa Mason 078 7678 2085 masonsalome@gmail.com ==============

Brownies

7-10 years

Meet on Tuesday evening in the Church Hall.

Please contact Tessa Pacey yeti97@ntlworld.com (01273) 551298; 07880690708

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Mothers’ Union Winter Calendar Saturday 7th January 9am Corporate Communion Tuesday 12th January 12.30pm Talk Time hosted by Sue Bottani at 58 Maldon Road, Brighton. Followed by snack lunch Saturday 4th February 9am Corporate Communion Thursday 9th February 12.30pm Talk Time hosted by Sheryl Siegler at 1 Elrington Road, Hove. Followed by snack lunch Thursday 23rd February 7.30pm AGM and Bring and Buy at 7 The Paddock, Hove Monday 27th February 9.10am til 9.45am Wave of Prayer ------------------------------------------------------------------------Due to the generosity of our members we have been able to send £200 to the Mothers’ Union Harvest Appeal. This has been mainly made up from proceeds at our lunchtime meetings.

Many thanks.

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CALENDAR OF OUR SERVICES: Or Regular Services: 8am, Holy Communion 10.15am, Parish Eucharist On the third Sunday of each month there is a single Family Eucharist in Church at 10.15 5pm, Evening Service. Please check on our web-site.

(Eucharist on Thursday at 10.30am followed by Coffee and on Saturday at 9am) December 2016 5th : Tea Club, 1.30pm 3rd : Christmas Fayre, 11am to 2pm, in the Hall 4th: Christmas Tree Festival, 2 to 6 pm, in the church 7th: Guild of Servants of the sanctuary: Ofice and Benediction, 8pm 13th: B&H J Girls School Carol Concert, 4pm 12th :Lancing Prep School Carol Concert, 4pm 14th & 15th:Stanford School, Carol Concert, 2pm 17th : Brighton Voices in Concert, 4pm 18th: Christingle, during 10.15 service. Candlelit Carol Service, 5pm followed by mince pies & mulled wine 24th : Christmas eve, Crib Service, 6pm 24th : Midnight Mass, 11.30pm 25th :Eucharist, 8am and Family Eucharist, 10.15am January 2017 1st: New Year’s day: Eucharist, 10.15 8th: EPIPHANY February 2017 6th: Lunch Club, 12.30pm 12th: Healing Service, during the Eucharist of 10.15 19th: Brownies’ Sunday, Eucharist at 10.15 26th: First Holy Communion during the Family Eucharist

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Our Service Times Sunday Worship 8am Holy Communion 10:15 Sung Eucharist 6.30pm: check on the web *On the 3rd Sunday of each month this will be a Family Eucharist to which children are particularly welcome.

Weekday Eucharist Thursday:10:30am Saturday: 9am =====================

Magazine Contributions to the magazine are welcome.

Please leave copy at the back of Church by 15th of every Feb., May, Aug. and Nov. or e-mail daisy.kendall21@gmail.com or to The Vicar —————————————Tea Club Meets on the first Monday of the month at 1.30pm. We welcome all who are 50 years plus, and would like some company. Just come along. Tel. Sheena on 07932591172 or sheenarichardson7@icloud. com

December 2016

Hall Bookings: Tel. Sheena on 07932591172 or sheenarichardson7@icloud.com

Choir Choir practice: Sunday morning at 9. All are welcome. Please contact: Derek Froud (681007)

Flowers If you would like to donate an arrangement in memory of someone or help with the flower arranging, please contact church office 882987.

Stewardship Secretary David Nissen 1 Shirley Road, Hove, BN3 6NN Tel (01273) 554183 dnissen@btinternet.com

Bell Ringing Ringing practice every Tuesday evening in the Tower. New ringers are always welcome. Please contact Pat Hunter (555954)

Notice-boards Information (lists and posters) for the notice boards may be placed in the tray in the church porch windowsill or contact Martin Cruttenden (505225).