Join Us for The 6 0’ Clock

Curious about Church but wary about stepping inside? The Six O’ Clock is a new, friendly way to meet people and learn about faith. No experience required! All welcome! Come alone or bring a friend or your family. Third Sunday of the month, starting on 20 February 2022. Email office@avonvalleychurches.org.uk if you would like to know more.

Front Page for Bishop Emily

Our little Girl Bishop has been making a big splash in the news, including 2 front covers!

Well done Emily. What a brilliant role model you are!

To find out about joining the choir or the chance to become the next Young Bishop, do email the AVC office: office@AvonValleyChurches.org.uk, or take a look at our website to discover our many other groups and activities: https://www.avonvalleychurches.org.uk/activity-info

#superproud #girlbishop #youngrolemodel #AVCNews #avonvalleychurches #avcreachingouttoall #avcfamilies

Hale Church Wins Eco Award!

Congratulations to St Mary’s Church in Hale for winning a Bronze Eco Church Award!

Pictured in this post with the Hale's Angels, St Mary's received the award from A Rocha UK for helping to address the climate crisis - by holding Snowdrop Services with an ecological focus, reducing the energy and water consumption at the church, carrying out a wildlife survey recording over 100 species, running a monthly Fairtrade stall at the local market and supporting Christian Aid in their global effort to lobby leaders to care for creation.

A huge well done to Bethan Davies, Eco Church Champion for St Mary’s Hale, the congregation at St Mary's, Woodgreen Community Shop, the organisers of Hale Food Market, Hale House and the Hampshire Fungus Recording Group.

#stmaryschurchhale #ecochurch #ecofriendly #ecoaward #ecoaware #arochauk #ClimateAction #avonvalleychurches #halevillage #newforest

Parish Vision Morning

Join us from 10am - 12pm on Sunday 30 January at St Mary’s Fordingbridge. During our Parish Vision Morning we will be looking ahead, praying and planning for the next months and years - revising our Parish Mission Action Plan. All welcome.

Click here to view the order of service for the Parish Vision Morning.

Click here to view the Revised Version of the 2019 pMAP (Parish Mission Action Plan) which will give you an idea of what we’ve been doing over the past few years.

New roles for Canon Gary

Canon Gary Philbrick has been appointed to two new roles. Many congratulations Gary! You can read all about it by clicking here.

Part-Time Administrator

A Part Time Parish Administrator is required for 20 hours per week in the busy Avon Valley Churches Office in the heart of Fordingbridge. AVC is a large CoE Parish in the Diocese of Winchester.

Excellent telephone, interpersonal and communication skills are essential, together with good secretarial skills and experience of Microsoft 365. Experience of Church and Church administration would be welcome.

The successful applicant will ideally work 4 hours per day Monday to Friday. Core times of 10.30am to 12 midday Monday to Friday, with 9am to 12 midday Thursday, are required with other hours being flexible.

Salary will be in the range £12 to £15 per hour dependent upon experience. Training will be given. References and successful DBS check will be required.

Please apply by using the Application Form and an accompanying CV by email FAO:

The Rector, Reverend Canon Gary Philbrick Tel: 01425 653163 Email: office@avonvalleychurches.org.uk.

Closing Date for Applications: Midnight Sunday 6th February 2022

Interview Date: Friday 11th February 2022

You may download a copy of these requirements, the application form and further information by clicking here:

Job Description

Application Form

Care Home Carol Singing

‘Carols with Love’ - Care Home Carol Singing

Come and support us singing carols outside the following care homes:

10.30am Tues 14 Dec Allenbrooke - Outside

2.30pm Tues 14 Dec Kings Court - Outside

2.30pm Mon 20 Dec Glynn Court - in Conservatory (windows open)

3.45pm Mon 20 Dec Fordingbridge Care Home - Outside

10am Weds 22 Dec Homebridge House - Outside or in Lobby

10am Thurs 23 Dec Carols around the Tree - Outside Gourmet Grocer

The residents are really looking forward to seeing and hearing us!

Please let the office know by phone or email if you are joining us (01425 653163/Office@AvonValleyChurches.org.uk).

Posada in a Campervan!

This year the Holy Family will be travelling around the AVC Parish in a VW campervan, stopping off at various places en route. See the calendar for anticipated venues, subject to Covid. Please come and see us if you can and tell others too!

AVC Christmas Services

Remembering AVC’s Remembrance Service 2021

To see these wonderful photographs of the Remembrance Service and procession in Fordingbridge last Sunday by our own Julie Mitchell Francis, in this week's Forest and Salisbury Journal, please click here:

https://www.salisburyjournal.co.uk/

Canon Gary Philbrick led the service, assisted by the Mayor, Cllr Edward Hale, and Members of the Fordingbridge British legion. Hyde Band provided the Last Post and Reveille, and accompanied the procession. Many uniformed organisations were well represented with wreaths laid by local youth groups.

Co-op Support for Avon Valley Community Matters

If you shop at the Co-op you can help support AV Community Matters for the next 12 months by visiting the Co-op website and clicking the ‘Select Now’ button under the heading ‘Support a Local Community Fund cause’.

For every £1 you spend on selected Co-op products and services, 2p goes into your membership account and double this amount is paid to support community organisations and local causes of your choice.

Children & Families Worker

This is a wonderful role engaging with families with young children. Our vision is that every child and young person has a safe and happy childhood, and the foundations they need to thrive. Your key role will be supporting and developing the services we already offer to our Children and Families. This includes our Messy Churches (2 groups) and Little Acorns playgroup, which are our existing children’s groups. You will also be instrumental and take the responsibility for helping set up Superstars, which is one of our strategic development projects. We are closely affiliated to the churches within the Parish of Avon Valley Churches but our outreach is targeted not only to those within the church community but to people of all faiths and none.

Please click below for full details and share with anyone who fits the part:

Children and Families Worker Job Spec

Children and Families Worker Application Form

Covid Practices: Worship in October/November

CAUTION - CONSIDERATION - CONSENT

There is now no central Church or Government advice on our Covid practices – we are on our own to decide!

As we enter into the next period we are moving cautiously towards the new Normal. Covid Rates are low in our part of Hampshire, and we would like them to remain so.

We continue to urge Caution in removing masks and distancing, Consideration for others’ wellbeing and feelings and not just our own, and Consent wherever possible, such as asking others whether they are OK with the removal of masks, or people sitting near them.

If you have symptoms of any kind you are requested not to come to Church.

For further details please refer to the leaflet.

Fairtrade Coffee Mornings are Back!

Fairtrade Coffee Mornings are back!

Please join us from 10.30am to 12pm on the last Friday of every month (except December when it’s the 2nd Friday) at St Boniface Woodgreen.

Come and meet old friends and new and discover the wide range of fairly-traded goods available from Traidcraft and others.

Coffee, tea, biscuits, chocolate and much more.

Dates for the rest of this year are:

24 September 2021

29 October 2021

26 November 2021 &

10 December.2021

Everyone welcome!

#fairtradecoffeemorning #fairtradecoffee #fairtrade #fairtradeproducts #avonvalleychurches #avcfamilies #avcreachingouttoall

CONSULTATION : Avon Valley Churches becoming one Parish

The four PCCs together with congregations voted to become a single parish with one PCC before Christmas. The consultation process has been progressing in the background and now everyone has the opportunity to view the Draft Pastoral Scheme drawn up by the Winchester Diocesan Mission and Pastoral Committee. Details of the Draft Scheme, a Glossary of Terms and the way in which representation can be made to the Church Commissioners can be found below :

• Draft Scheme

• Glossary of Terms

• Form P76 – how to make representation to Church Commissioners

Canon Gary talks to Bishop Dan

Canon Gary Philbrick, Area Dean of Christchurch, in conversation with the Rt Revd Dan Zoreka, Bishop of our Partner Diocese of Kinkiizi in South-Western Uganda.

BBC Films Easter in a Bag

BBC Films Delivery of Avon Valley Churches 1,000 Easter in a Bags!

This week 1,000 craft and gift-filled ‘Easter in a Bags’ were sent out to preschools, nurseries, schools, home school groups and indivduals in the Fordingbridge area by a 50-strong team of volunteers at Avon Valley Churches. Some were requested nationally and even internationally after a social media post went viral! Hearing of this good news, BBC South Today came to film the vast ocean of bags which filled St Mary’s Hall in Fordingbridge whilst finishing touches were added. Reporter Michele Cross interviewed Canon Gary Philbrick, Jo Heath and some of the volunteers, who have all been working hard to make this project happen, then accompanied a crew of drivers to deliver some of the bags to Fordingbridge Infant and Junior School. The BBC News item was aired 3 times today (link to follow).

The AVC team are so grateful to see their outreach projects recognised in this way, as well as those who have worked hard on all our lockdown outreach projects - Half Term & Christmas in a Bag, Cupcakes to Care Homes and Children, Easter in a Bag and, in partnership with The Cottage Loaf in Fordingbridge, even Hundreds of Hot Cross Buns to The Burgate School and Sixth Form which are being delivered on Maundy Thursday.

These outreach projects, which have also been purposefully planned to include and boost local businesses, have been funded by generous individuals within the Benefice through the AVP Youth & Community Trust. AVC’s Youth, Children and Families Development Worker, Jo Heath, who masterminded and coordinated a team of dedicated volunteers to make each project happen, said:  

“It has been a privilege to join together to prepare Easter in a Bag. A huge thank you to Gail in the office and the amazing team of volunteer helpers and drivers. We could not have done it without their commitment, enthusiasm and encouragement. It is our pleasure to offer these gifts to many of our local children and home educating families and we are delighted to invite them to join with us to celebrate this time of year in spite of the restrictions still in place.”

AVC is grateful to Gail Newell and Jackie Rowe, all our volunteers and drivers, First Response Training in Christchurch, 10th Christchurch (Mudeford) Sea Scouts, Christchurch Scouting and Sirius Business Services Ltd for donating bandages, Lidl GB for the Fairtrade Foundation chocolate lollipops, and Rainforest Alliance eggs, Jan Brian and Mary Adams for recycling all the cardboard and plastic and Allsorts Emporium in Fordingbridge for the last minute dash for glitter glue! Not forgetting the wonderful Jo Heath who has masterminded and coordinated all of the projects which have received such amazing responses. And of course thank you to BBC South Today - we very are excited to share our good news clip which accompanies this Press Release.

Reflecting on a year of Covid, Avon Valley Churches Canon Gary Philbrick said: “Whichever road each one of us has been on, this year is going to take a long while to process – we need to be kind to ourselves and those around us, to support others and to ask for help ourselves if we need it."

Death of HRH, Prince Philip, the Duke of Edinburgh

You will have heard the sad news of the death of HRH, Prince Philip, the Duke of Edinburgh. Where we have them, our flags are at half-mast, and bells will be rung muffled where possible. Books of Condolence: there will be a link to an on-line Book of Condolence, and a number of books in larger centres – to be announced. Parish Churches are urged not to open Books of Condolence, as there is nowhere to store them, and they will be destroyed. There are opportunities to light candles and write prayers in our open Churches. We are likely to arrange a special Service on the day before the Funeral, and to show the Funeral in Church for those who would like to gather for that occasion. Further details will be available over the coming days. Gary.

FareShare Larder is coming to Fordingbridge

The FareShare Larder is a membership scheme aimed at helping people make their money go further by reducing food shopping bills. FareShare is the UK’s longest running food redistribution charity. They were born out of the belief that no good food should go to waste, especially when people are going hungry. They work with national supermarkets and food producers together with local volunteers.

For a set weekly membership fee the local community can have access to a variety of tinned products as well as fresh fruit and vegetables and chilled items. Membership options are based on household size.

The FareShare Larder will be operating from Avonway Community Centre, Fordingbridge every Friday from 1.30pm to 3pm. For more information please click below for the information leaflet, or visit www.fareshare.org.uk

Link

• FareShare Larder Information Leaflet (Note: Location now updated, as above).

For an application form, please click below

• FareShare Larder Application Form

Tom Burden – our new Curate

Welcome to Tom Burden, our new Curate.

Tom, our Curate from summer 2021, is currently at Wycliffe Hall in Oxford in his final year of training. 

Wycliffe is a return to Oxford study for Tom after just over 25 years.  In the meantime, he has been a teacher, and then Headmaster of a couple of schools, most recently The Pilgrims’ in Winchester, the choir school of our Cathedral.

Tom was born and grew up on the Isle of Wight – he still thinks of Hampshire as ‘the mainland’.  He is a lifelong supporter (and season-ticket holder) of Southampton FC and a keen walker.

Tom very much enjoyed his work in schools but feels powerfully called to full-time ministry.  He is excited about the opportunity to serve in the Avon Valley and looks forward to getting to know you over, probably, a cup of tea.