Advent & Christmas Welcoming
We look forward to welcoming many visitors over our regular and special Advent & Christmas services, and could do with more help welcoming, stewarding and serving refreshments. If you can help at any of them, please speak to Tina who is organising the lists and rotas.

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Epiphany Meal - The Epiphany Meal will take place on Sunday 5th January after the 1030 Mass. The cost is £10 for a 3 course meal (vegetarian option available.) Please see Sue or Celia for tickets - admission by ticket only.

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Scripture Study in 2025 – On the final Saturday of each month from January 2025, we will offer an hour of “Bible & Bacon” studying the Scriptures together after the Healing Mass at 1030am, over free hot drinks and bacon rolls (with veggie alternatives!)

Personal Bibles - Thanks to all who have placed orders for the new translations. The first batch of hardback bibles have now arrived and can be collected and paid for: the current publication date for the paperback is December 19th.
 

Lectionary Sponsorship - We have had an overwhelming response to our request for sponsorship of the new books used at Mass from Advent! Please could all those who have pledged sponsorship anonymously write to the Rector (in confidence) so that we can start to arrange payments. Thank you all very much.
 

Lost Property will be kept in church for three weeks, placed in a box each Sunda morning to collect or via contact with the parish office. After this it will be disposed of.

Christmas Carol Singing! We are invited on Saturday 14th to join in carol singing in Hastings from 2-4pm, as part of Shine Your Light 2024 (shineyourlight.org.uk). Please speak to Howard or the Rector if you’d like to join us. We’ll also be singing
carols at the Christmas Sale on Saturday 7th at 11am! Plus of course, around the piano in church on Sunday 15th at 6pm too! Lots of chances to share our joy and celebrate together.
 

Christmas Quiz – Friday 13th December at 7pm! See the poster for full details and spread the word! Snacks, soups, raffle and a chance to be crowned quiz champions! Speak to Tina to book tickets.

Christmas Hamper Raffle Tickets are now on sale at the back of church, to be drawn on the Fourth Sunday of Advent (December 22nd) Huge thanks to everyone who has donated so generously with raffle prizes

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Christian Initiation – Following the new directions from the Diocesan Bishop, adult baptism and confirmations will happen in Eastertide (next year from 20th April 2025). Preparation will be run from January 2025: several people have already expressed an interest, if you’d like to know more please speak to the Rector. Everyone to be confirmed will need a sponsor from the congregation to pray for them and guide them through the process – if this is something you think you could
do, please let the Rector know.

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Christ Church Men’s Group & Women’s Group - The Fishers of Men & The Magdalenas
This coming week will see the launch of two new groups at Christ Church: ‘The Magdalenas’ women’s group, and ‘The Fisher’s of Men’ – a men’s group. These are being run by Jane Hart & Harry Walsgrove respectively.

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They are social groups, with a distinct Christian ethos that will be open to people from both the congregation and the community, as a space for socialising, discussion, trips & activities: we hope it will allow people from the community especially to join the Christ Church family and explore the Faith in a more informal setting as they get to know members of Christ Church.

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The first meetings will be after Advent Coffee at 11.30am on Wednesday 4th for the Magdalenas & after the 6.30pm Mass on Saturday 7th for the Fishers of Men.
 

Please support these new groups with your prayers, your ideas - and your presence!​​​

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Community Audit
For the past few months, a group has been engaged in trying to find out how Christ Church can do more to engage with and help the needs of the local community. The final stage of this is to take questions to as many people as possible over the next few weeks, outside of the church and congregation

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To achieve this we'd be very grateful if you could fill the questionnaire in as fully as possible, so that we can get the best possible idea of how we might do more to place Christ Church at the heart of our community once more. This will all feed into a report that will help both with establishing a Mission Action Plan to be launched next year, and applications for external funding to support work in the community.

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The link to the questionnaire is available HERE (opens a lightbox) , or via this link HERE (opens a page). Thank you.

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Cosy Crypt continues to run on Thursdays 10am – 4pm offering drinks, snacks and chat in a warm and welcoming environment.​
 

​Daily Mass is offered every day of the week at Christ Church, a quieter service lasting around 20 minutes – 1030am on Tuesdays, Wednesdays & Saturdays; 7pm on Mondays, Thursday and Fridays.

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The Daily Offices: Morning & Evening Prayer are offered during the week all are welcome to start or end the day in prayer lasting around 20 minutes. Morning Prayer is now at 8.30am.

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Foodbank Support for Surviving the Streets - Every Sunday there is a collection box for items for the foodbank operated in our courtyard by our partners at Surviving the Streets. Please give generously.

 

Advent Concerts – We are very lucky to be the base for so much high-quality music at Christ Church, including from our partners in the Hastings Philharmonic Choir and Orchestra. There are  performances during Advent as we prepare for Christmas including Handel’s Messiah at 7pm on Saturday 7th December, and a Christmas Gala on Saturday 21st December.

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Regular Confession (Sacrament of Reconciliation) – There is a priest in the confessional after every Saturday Mass at 11am.The practice of regular sacramental confession is a wonderful and liberating gift of God to His Church, and all are strongly urged to make use of it. If you’ve not done so before, but would like to, please speak to the Rector.
 

‘The Damascus Runners’ – Our social walking group meets on Fridays opposite Bonjour on the seafront at 11am. It’s a gentle wander along the seafront and then coffee afterwards. Everyone is welcome to join us

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​​​The readings for Sundays, Solemnities & Major Feasts until Advent are published at the back of church, in the newsletter and on this website HERE. This should ensure easier preparation before Mass, and allow those who wish to bring their bibles to read along to do so in church. Please speak to Fr Thomas if you’d like any advice on which Bibles or Bible apps to use.

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Saturday Masses

Except when there are Feast Days, the Saturday Mass is offered as a Memorial of the BVM. Those with a particular devotion to Our Lady are especially encouraged to attend Mass on these days
 

• On the Third Saturday of the Month, Mass of the Holy House at Walsingham will be offered for all members of the Cell of Our Lady of Walsingham. This will be followed by coffee for the Cell – all members are asked to make attending this a priority. Anyone interested in joining the Cell or learning more should speak to the Rector or the Cell Secretary, Julie Gidlow.

• On the Final Saturday of the Month, the Ministries of Healing are offered during the Mass: the Laying on of Hands and Anointing with the Oil of the Sick.

Please remember that any of the clergy are always available by appointment for
pastoral conversations or for the Sacrament of Reconciliation (Confession)

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150th Anniversary Celebrations 2025

The main week of our celebrations will be from Sunday 11th May - Sunday 18th May 2025, with major services & events on those two days - do please mark it in your diaries!

 

We are also putting together a programme across the year including visiting preachers, special services, social events and open days. Work is ongoing over the summer, and it will be published  shortly.

You can contact the coordinating and planning group via 150@christchurchstleonards.co.uk.