21st January 2021
Sunday Bulletin and reading sheet for 24th January 2021
The Bulletin for Sunday 24th January is now available to download, read and print out at the "at home resources" page of the church website. Also the Reading Sheet and the links you need to view the live feed video of the Eucharist on 24th January at 10am. Go HERE.
To book a place for the 8AM or 10AM service this weekend, please send an email to bookings@stgeorges.church or call the Parish Office on 023 9225 8079. Let us know which service you would like to book for, the names of the people attending and a contact number. For services in Church, please remember to bring a face covering.
A couple of other reminders below:
Public Worship - The Bishop has confirmed that churches can remain open for the purpose of public worship. Our risk assessment has been updated to reflect the changing situation. Please continue to observe the protocols that we have had in place throughout the pandemic, making sure that you put your mask on before you enter the church, have your temperature taken, sanitise your hands, and observe the two-metre rule where possible.
As you leave the church, leave your service book on your seat so that it can be removed and quarantined, and leave the building quickly and in an orderly fashion. Do not congregate at the back of the church for a chat. Let us do all we can to keep each other as safe as possible. Please do not enter the church for any reason other than public worship. If it is necessary to come into the church for the purpose of essential maintenance then please let me or the wardens know, so that it can be recorded should it be needed for the purpose of track and trace. Thank you for your understanding.
Scams and Tricksters - We have been warned by the Diocese that Churches and their congregations are being targeted by fraudsters, so please be alert. The latest scam is an email, purportedly from the Vicar or some other trusted Church Official, asking the recipient to contribute to a secret and discreet gift collection for a church member by purchasing Amazon Vouchers, and sending the voucher codes in reply.
Any genuine St George's Church fundraising activity will have appeared in the Sunday Bulletin, you can view both current and past copies on the church website HERE
If you get a text offering a COVID vaccine with a link to follow, beware, this may also be a scam.
Never expose bank or credit card details in response to an email or on the telephone to anyone who has called you, and be suspicious if they suggest you call back - you can still get caught out. Never open an email attachment from an unexpected, suspicious or unknown source.
If in any doubt forward emails, or describe and detail any other approaches (e.g., by telephone/text) to: webmaster@stgeorges.church and we will advise if it is a scam. Do this before doing anything else!
Best wishes,
Alex
Parish Administrator
13th December 2020
Announcement
Dear Friends
It was announced today that Bishop Christopher is to retire as Bishop of Portsmouth in April 2021. Bishop Christopher has been a wonderful Diocesan Bishop for the past 10 years. I am sure that you will want to join me in praying for him, and for his wife Sally, and wishing them every blessing in their retirement in Somerset.
The announcement, is, as follows:
‘THE Rt Rev Christopher Foster today announced that he is to retire as Bishop of Portsmouth.
Bishop Christopher, who is 67, had delayed his resignation to lead the Church of England’s Diocese of Portsmouth through the Covid pandemic. He will now step down as bishop in April 2021.
He made the announcement on the same day as his wife, the Canon Sally Davenport, told worshippers at Holy Trinity and St Columba Churches in Fareham that she was also to resign as their Team Rector. The couple will retire together and live in Somerset.
“It has been a privilege to serve as bishop in this diocese for over a decade,” he said. “Because we are a small diocese with a family feel, our clergy and lay people have been able to collaborate effectively and respond quickly to changing circumstances – as the past year has shown.
“Over the past 10 years, I have seen courage, generosity and resourcefulness as our congregations have faithfully shared God’s love, through prayer, worship and serving others. I look forward to working with those fellow disciples over the coming months to continue discovering what the post-Covid Church will look like as we renew our commitment to respond collaboratively in changing times.
“It may seem surprising that I should make this announcement just before Christmas, but the timing means that the period that the Diocese of Portsmouth will be without a diocesan bishop will be as short as possible.
“Thank you to all those who have prayed for us and worked alongside us over the past 10 years, in the churches and communities of south-east Hampshire and the Isle of Wight. Sally and I will be sorry to leave so many valued friends and colleagues.”
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Please also pray for those who will be tasked with discerning a new Bishop to serve in our diocese.
I am also delighted to confirm that David Cain has accepted our offer to become our new Director of Music and Organist (to replace Rod who retires at the end of this year). David, who works at the Diocesan office and, until recently, was organist at St Mary’s in Porchester, may be known to some of you.
Love and prayers
Fr Colin
Welcome to the web site for St George’s Church and its Parish magazine, St George’s News.
This is the world’s longest running Parish Magazine on the Internet - we were the first parish magazine on the web, our On-Line edition started in February 1996. You will find many interesting articles here on a wide variety of subjects. If you want a copy of the printed version, you can subscribe here.
St George’s Church welcomes visitors. During more normal times, the Church is open from 9.30am until 3pm. (mornings only during school holidays). At the moment the Church is closed. See the calendar for details.
You can attend our Sunday services at 8am and 10am and the mid-week Eucharist at 10am on Wednesdays; however prior booking is required as numbers are restricted. See HERE. Most services also transmitted live on YouTube. Sunday School and Sunday School Baby & Toddler Group, (9.45am in the hall during term times) are cancelled at the moment.
SAFEGUARDING. To contact the Parish Safeguarding Officer email
safeguarding@stgeorges.church
St George’s Church Waterlooville adopts and follows the House of Bishop’s ‘Promoting a Safer Church’ policy. For more detailed information click HERE
Scams and Tricksters - We have been warned by the Diocese that Churches and their congregations are being targeted by fraudsters, so please be alert. The latest scam is an email, purportedly from the Vicar or some other trusted Church Official, asking the recipient to contribute to a secret and discreet gift collection for a church member by purchasing Amazon Vouchers, and sending the voucher codes in reply.
Any church fundraising activity will have appeared in the Sunday Bulletin, you can view both current and past copies on the church website HERE.
If you get a text offering a COVID vaccine with a link to follow, beware, this may also be a scam.
Never expose bank or credit card details in response to an email or on the telephone to anyone who has called you, and be suspicious if they suggest you call back - you can still get caught out. Never open an email attachment from an unexpected, suspicious or unknown source.
If in any doubt forward emails, or describe and detail any other approaches (e.g., by telephone/text) to: webmaster@stgeorges.church and we will advise if it is a scam. Do this before doing anything else!
