I’d like to describe in more detail how we will be ‘doing church’ together once a month—seeking to use to the full the versatile premises of St John’s, Itchen Abbas.

On such ‘hub’ Sundays our mornings will look like this:

08.15    Time of quiet reflection & prayer

08.30    A ‘said’ service of Holy Communion

09.05    Break for coffee and croissants

09.15    A short talk on the Communion service’s Epistle or Gospel reading, followed by some discussion

09.30    Time to depart or for more coffee!

10.00    All Age Worship service (45 mins)

There are several reasons for doing this:

• We hope this offers something for everybody—both those who prefer a more reflective or traditional service and those who prefer something more lively and contemporary.
• It may enable there to be some ‘cross-over’ between these two groups: we may find ourselves meeting people in the ‘interval’ who are attending the other service.
• The coffee and croissants mean that people may decide to make this their ‘breakfast’—willing to stay in church longer or to arrive earlier so they can share this ‘breakfast’ time with others in the church family.

In all these ways I hope we will be creating a warm and inviting place to which many in our community will feel they come and find friendship and support—as well as learning more about the truth and beauty of Christ.

“Welcome one another as Christ has welcomed you” (Paul in Romans 15:7)

So, if you can, do please join us at some point in the morning of Sunday 6 November and be part of this new venture of faith and witness in the Valley.

With love and prayers

Revd Peter