Awake!
“you know the time, that the hour has come for you to wake from sleep. For salvation is nearer to us now than when we first believed. The night is far gone; the day is at hand. So then let us cast off the works of darkness and put on the armour of light.” Romans […]
Thankfulness
God is our refuge and strength, always ready to help in times of trouble. Psalm 46:1
Morning Service for Christ the King 2021
HYMN Rejoice the Lord is King 1 REJOICE, the Lord is King, Your Lord and King adore; Mortals, give thanks and sing, And triumph evermore: Refrain: Lift up your heart, lift up your voice; Rejoice, again I say, rejoice. 2 Jesus, the Saviour, reigns, The God of truth and love; When he had purged our […]
Morning Service for 2nd before Advent 2021 – Remembrance Sunday
HYMN Christ is the world’s true light NEH 494 – Nun danket 1. Christ is the world’s true light, Its Captain of salvation, The Daystar clear and bright Of every man and nation; New life, new hope awakes, Where’er men own his sway; Freedom her bondage breaks, And night is turned to day. 2. In […]
Christmas Carols at Winchester College
The beautiful Winchester College is the setting for a festive programme of close harmony carols, performed by Cantores Episcopi in the candlelit Chapel. Enjoy your favourite carols, mulled wine and mince pies in the ancient College Hall, and a glimpse of the treasures on Wednesday 15th December at 7.30pm. Tickets from £15 are available. Please […]
Remembrance
“Be strong and courageous. Do not be frightened, and do not be dismayed, for the LORD your God is with you wherever you go”. Joshua 1:9
Why we go to church
There is nothing like spending an hour or so on your knees, somewhere vast and empty, to put your life into some kind of larger perspective and make you feel suitably humble in the great scheme of things.
Morning Service for All Saints’ Sunday
HYMN Immortal, invisible God only wise NEH 377/AMR 372 – St Denio 1. Immortal, invisible, God only wise, In light inaccessible hid from our eyes, Most blessèd, most glorious, the Ancient of Days, Almighty, victorious, thy great name we praise. 2 Unresting, unhasting, and silent as light, nor wanting, nor wasting, thou rulest in might; […]
Wisdom
“Wisdom is a tree of life to those who embrace her; happy are those who hold her tightly.” Proverbs 3:18-35
Magazine letter November 2021
As I write, COP26 is soon to begin and humanity’s effect on the world’s climate system, and general ecosystem will be to the fore in news reports for a week or so.
Morning Service for the Last Sunday in Trinity
HYMN Thou whose almighty word – NEH466 – Moscow 1 THOU whose almighty word Chaos and darkness heard, And took their flight; Hear us, we humbly pray, And where the gospel day Sheds not its glorious ray Let there be light. 2 Thou who didst come to bring On thy redeeming wing Healing and sight, […]
Kindness
Morning Service for Trinity 19
Morning Service for Trinity 19 HYMN Ye servants of God NEH 476 – Paderbourne 1 YE servants of God, your Master proclaim, And publish abroad his wonderful name: The name all-victorious of Jesus extol: His kingdom is glorious, and rules over all. 2 God ruleth on high, almighty to save; And still he is nigh, […]
Churchwardens’ Challenge – Sat 13th Nov 21
In aid of St Matthew’s Otterbourne your churchwardens have challenged themselves to walk from Otterbourne War Memorial to Hursley’s Memorial, then on to Compton’s Memorial, which is on Shawford Down, before returning to St Matthew’s Otterbourne. A distance of around 10 miles.
Evening Song……
Psalm 139:6″Such knowledge is too wonderful for me, too lofty for me to attain.”
Morning Service for Trinity 17
HYMN Christ whose glory fills the skies NEH 234 – Ratisbon 1 Christ, whose glory fills the skies, Christ, the true, the only light, Sun of Righteousness, arise, Triumph o’er the shades of night; Dayspring from on high, be near; Daystar, in my heart appear. 2 Dark and cheerless is the morn Unaccompanied by thee; […]
Magazine letter for October 2021
“Thus says the LORD of hosts, the God of Israel, to all the exiles whom I have sent into exile from Jerusalem to Babylon: build houses and live in them; plant gardens and eat what they produce…. seek the welfare of the city where I have sent you into exile, and pray to the LORD on its behalf, for in its welfare you will find your welfare.”
Magazine letter for September 2021
As I write we seem to be returning, if not to ‘normal’, an imprecise word if ever there was one, but to something that is at least a fuller life, with more possibilities.
An Appreciation
Someone who attended the Jazz at St Matthew’s on Saturday evening had this to say :- “my original intention was to pay a courtesy visit but once I was in St Matthew’s all that changed, I thought the church magnificent, the backdrop and setting for the Band and the music itself was great. The atmosphere […]
Valuable day for the Benefice
Thank you to Kristin and walkers from Hursley for coming to Otterbourne to start the walk for the Ride+Stride event. Visitors from Holy Trinity Church, Weston cycled and drove to visit our benefice and were pleased to be able to look inside the churches and receive refreshments to help them on their way.