Morning Service for the Seventh Sunday of Easter 2024 – The Sunday after the Ascension
This morning’s Gospel reading was the beginning of the end of John’s farewell discourse by Jesus to his disciples, the long soliloquy preparing them for his death and for his glorification, and their future. In the speech Jesus deals with his relationship to God and his relationship to the disciples and their relationship to the world.
Morning Service for the Sixth Sunday of Easter 2024
We celebrate the Ascension on Thursday, so it is logical that we hear some more of Jesus’s parting words to his disciples as written by John in the context of the last Supper. These words are very personal, they are words from a teacher to his pupils, from a master to his disciples, from a Lord to his people. At least that is how they begin.
Morning Service for the Fifth Sunday of Easter 2024
The story of the Ethiopian eunuch meeting with Philip on the road from Jerusalem to Gaza is an extraordinary one. The story reveals a surprising amount of detail concerning the eunuch. It tells us that he is a man held in esteem, he has charge of his nation’s Treasury, but although he has servants, at least a driver for his carriage, he is himself still under authority.
Morning Service for the Fourth Sunday of Easter 2024
The image of the Shepherd is an old one, and perhaps one that’s not terribly relevant to our modern age when the nearest most of us gets to a sheep is leg of lamb with mint source. But the image is a powerful one still – and it was one Jesus made full use of – and it’s hard to beat on a day like today when we have a baptism.
Morning Service for the Third Sunday of Easter 2024
“If a dead man is raised to life, all men spring up in astonishment. Yet every day one that had no being is born, and no man wonders, though it is plain to all, without doubt, that it is a greater thing for that to be created which was without being than for that which had being to be restored. Because the dry rod of Aaron budded, all men were in astonishment; every day a tree is produced from the dry earth, … and no man wonders … Five thousand men were filled with five loaves; every day the grains of seed that are sown are multiplied in a fullness of ears, and no man wonders.
Magazine letter May 2024
May 26th is Trinity Sunday, not a festival many will be marking I fear. It lacks the fairy lights of Christmas or the chocolate of Easter. But in its way it is a significant day, marking the contribution of Christianity to mankind’s understanding of the nature of God; not a topic now of general conversation, but it was not always so.
Summer break
The benefice baby and toddler group has now stopped for the summer holidays. Our first meet up after the holidays will be on Wednesdy 10th September between 10 – 11.30am. Coffee Morning. There is no coffee morning during August. The next Coffee morning will be held on Monday 16th September between 10-11.30am. Knit and Natter. […]
Rectory Bring and Share lunch
The lunch will take place at The Rectory in Otterbourne on Sunday 14th July from 12.30pm. Everyone in the benefice is invited to join us. If you come along please bring something that can be shared.
5th Sunday service
The Benefice service this Sunday, 30th June, will take place at Hursley. The service will begin at 11 am.
Knit and Natter
A reminder that our next meeting is on Wednesday 26th June from 2.30-4 pm in St. Matthew’s Church Room. Even if you don’t knit but like to natter, you will receive a warm welcome. Why not come and see?
Otterbourne Summer Festival 2024
This year, the festival will be held on Sunday 23rd June from 12 noon until 3pm on the recreation ground in Otterbourne. We are currently asking for donations of bottles for the bottle tombola please. If you feel able to help with these, please leave them at the back of St. Matthew’s Church for collection. […]
Knit and Natter
All are welcome to come along to this freindly gathering. We meet on the last Wednesday of every month. Our next meeting is on Wednesday 26th June from 2.30-4 pm in St. Matthew’s Church Room. Even if you don’t knit but like to natter, you will receive a warm welcome. Why not come and see?
CHO Tots
The new benefice baby and toddler group is now up and running. We meet every Wednesday during term time from 10-11.30 am in St. Matthew’s Church Room. Babies and toddlers with parents, grandparents or carers are all welcome to come and join us. The group provides an opportunity for children to play and learn to […]
Magazine letter April 2024
‘Then they went out and ran from the tomb, for terror and bewilderment had seized them. And they said nothing to anyone, because they were afraid.’ Mark 16.1-8. So ends the Gospel of Mark, to many a short and unsatisfying end to the Gospel – the Greek even ends on a preposition (very bad Greek!). Several other later endings were added by other hands but Mark’s true account ends here with the women too afraid to speak of what they saw.
Morning Service for the Second Sunday of Easter 2024
We are soon to celebrate the gift of the Spirit. The birthday of the church. The church follows the order of things as given by the writer of the Acts of the Apostles and places the coming of the Holy Spirit 49 days after the Resurrection.
Morning Service for Easter Day 2024
Easter is about conversion – one thing becoming another – or if you prefer, transformation. A tomb with a body becomes empty; women coming in sadness leave in awe and wonder, the language is just that of the transfiguration, when the true nature of Jesus was revealed; women not allowed to speak in public become the vital messengers of new life; a frightened, defeated community of disciples become the body of Christ sharing their resurrection faith with the while world; and, of course, the most central of all transformations, Jesus dead now Jesus risen.
Morning Service for Palm Sunday 2024
We heard this morning Mark’s account of what has become known as the Ttriumphal Entry into Jerusalem. In it we hear that Jesus rode into Jerusalem after giving his disciples detailed instructions on where to find a colt for him to use. This arrival into Jerusalem is to be no casual affair, Jesus has been walking to Jerusalem ever since his transfiguration on the mountain to the north of Israel.
Morning Service for Lent 5 2023
It is General Election time!! Exaggerations and half truths abound. Political parties promise a better world, as well as criticising their opponents.
Deanery Synod Ideas fayre
The Fayre will be held on Saturday 13th April from 2-4pm at St.Paul’s Church, Winchester, SO22 5AB. The aim of the Fayre is to give people inspiration for what can be done in our own parishes, and to link with others to exchange ideas and use local expertise. Anyone who is interested is invited to […]
CHO Tots
W are excited to announce that we will be holding a new benefice baby and toddler group, starting on Wednedsday 17th April in St. Matthew’s Church Room. The group welcomes all parents, grandparents or carers with babies and toddlers. It is a chance for your children to play and learn to socialise whilst you have […]