What a great time we had together as a church family on Sunday! For some, a quiet service of Communion, followed by coffee and croissants; for others, an All-Age Worship service, followed by a glass of wine and some savouries; for others a beautiful service of Evensong.  It’s all here in the Itchen Valley!

Presentation to Sarah Hunt

This was the day when we were honouring Sarah Hunt after her many years serving as churchwarden of St John’s, Itchen Abbas.

People came from across the whole parish to be part of this joyful occasion and to give heartfelt thanks for all that Sarah has given to the life of the church—and indeed to the wider community. We have all benefited so much from seeing Sarah’s smile at the door, from tasting her culinary delights, or from receiving her words of wisdom and encouragement. “Thank you, Sarah!”

We are glad for Sarah that she is now set free from the heavier side of a warden’s responsibilities, but rejoice that she is still very much one of the many “helpful people” that she has gathered around her. So St John’s will continue to be a much-loved church and a warm and welcoming community.

Sarah was presented with some flowers and with a generous amount of M&S vouchers, and she has written the following by a way of a response:

I’m enormously grateful to all the kind and appreciative people who have contributed to the superbly generous mixture of M&S gift vouchers which I was given today.  I won’t know myself spending time in M&S without the normal rushing in and out, it will be luxurious knowing that I can spend and spend without feeling guilty and I’ll enjoy every moment of this unexpected largesse.Thank you to everyone, for that lovely mixture of friendship and affection which we enjoyed during and after the All Age service today, my gratitude is overflowing. Sarah

Looking ahead