We are a local ecumenical partnership involving:
Logo_of_the_Church_of_England.svgDIOCESE OF WINCHESTER 620px-The_Methodist_Church_logo.svgSOUTHAMPTON DISTRICT A4WWESSEX PROVINCE
Safeguarding those at risk:
To find our policies on Safeguarding Children and Vulnerable Adults please click here;
Our primary Safeguarding contact:  safeguarding@stfrancis-valleypark.org.uk
 
Happening this week at
St. Francis’.
Our “Duty Churchwarden” until
24th March is Andy Grove
Duty Warden from 25th – 31st March is Alison Rhodes
Note:
St Francis’ School Breakfast Club (7.30 a.m. – 9.00 a.m.) &
St Francis’ After School Club (3.15 p.m. – 6.00 p.m.)
held each weekday in School Terms.
Saturday 23rd March:
9.00 a.m.: Church Maintenance Workday: Volunteers to paint welcome.
Sunday 24th March:
THIRD SUNDAY OF LENT 
8.45 a.m.:  Said Holy Communion (Rev’d. Dr. Sarah McClelland);
10.00 a.m.: Parish Communion  (Rev’d Dr. Sarah McClelland;
4.00 p.m.: Messy Church (Messy Church Team).
Monday 25th March:
Tuesday 26th March:
8.00 a.m. – 8.30 a.m.:  Morning Prayers for the Church and Community (Rev’d. Dr. Sarah McClelland): Chapel (Entry via Office Door).
Wednesday 27th March:
09.00 a.m. – 12.00 noon:  St. Francis’ Rendezvous Community Café: Large Meeting Room; All members of the Community most welcome.
Thursday 28th March:
10.00 a.m. – 12.00 noon: Church-based House Group; Large Meeting Room;
11.00 a.m. – 12.30 p.m.:  Lenten Study Group on Prayer: Vicarage.
Friday 29th March:
11.30 a.m – 2.30 p.m.:  Test Valley ‘Live at Home Scheme’ Social Club: Large Meeting Room.
Saturday 30th March:
09.00 a.m.:  Men’s ‘team’ to prepare Mothering Sunday Posies: Large Meeting Room; All menfolk most welcome.
Sunday 24th March:
FOURTH SUNDAY OF LENT
MOTHERING SUNDAY
8.45 a.m.:  Said Holy Communion (Rev’d. Dr. Sarah McClelland);
09.50 a.m.:  Coffee and Croissants for Mothering Sunday;
10.00 a.m.: All-Age Worship – Café style:  (Alison Rhodes and Elliot Grove).

Join us as we mark the penitential season of Lent
(which commenced on Wednesday 6th March
and lasts for 40-days).

During Lent we individually and collectively express our desire to turn back to God in repentance and faith.

Services each Sunday;  Prayers on Tuesday morning;
Lenten Study in Church and in small groups.

All most welcome.

MOTHERING SUNDAY
– Sunday 31st March

 

Join us as we give thanks for Mothers, Mother-figures
& Mother Church.
Posies of Spring Flowers distributed at each Service.
Worship at 8.45 a.m. (Said Holy Communion) and
10.00 a.m. (All-age Worship Café-style

MESSY CHURCH
messy church

Craft, Activities, Afternoon Tea, Celebration.

The fun way to do church
for all the family.
Next Session
Sunday 24th March:
Theme:
“Where I belong”

Click this link to find out More:

 ST FRANCIS’ RENDEZVOUS
COMMUNITY CAFE

Café Open every Wednesday
9.00 a.m. – 12.00 noon.
All members of the Community of all ages most welcome.
Creche with toys and games for children.
Community Information Point for Local Community, Health
and Benefits Information.

More:

MEN’S BREAKFAST

Join us for a
“Full English”,
fellowship and
Thought for the Day

Next Breakfast:
Saturday 9th March
8.15 a.m. for 8.30 a.m.

All menfolk most welcome.

Glitter and Glue

glitter ad glueCreative commons acknowledged

Glitter and Glue is an hour of
craft,  messy play, stories and
songs for  the under fives
and their parents/carers.
Glitter and Glue is held monthly in term-time –
all pre-school children and
their parents / carers are welcome.
Next Session:
Friday 12th April
10.00 a.m. – 11.00 a.m.
More:
INFORMATION:

St Francis’ Church in action: 
To find out more about what else we are doing through the coming year please look at our Parish Calendar and Weekly Notices pages.
What were we doing in 2017?  
To read about the Ministry, Mission and Witness we undertook, and how we used the Financial Resources gifted to us in 2017, please click on St Francis Annual Report 2017
What are our strategic plans for Ministry and Mission in the coming months?  
To read our latest Parish Mission Action Plan (pMAP) please click on:
St Francis Valley Park – pMap 2017 – 2020 – v 2-2,
together with the latest revision of our aims and objectives:  St Francis Valley Park – pMap 2017 – 2020 – v 2-2-1 – Action Plan Revision November 2017
and Lay Leadership Matrix of which Church Council member leads on which topics:
St Francis Valley Park – pMap 2017 – 2020 – v 2-2-1 – Leadership Matrix – Revised Nov 2017.
Data Protection: 
To read our Data Protection Policies please click here.  Please let the Parish Office know if you no longer wish us to hold your information.
To contact us:
For our contact details please click here.   

Some of our Home Groups develop their studies around the central theme of our Sunday worship and study.
Our teaching theme this week focusses on:

Extended Lent Study: Prayer –
Listening: Hearing the voice of God

Readings:   

  • 1 Samuel, Ch. 3, vs. 1 – 10;
  • John, Ch. 10, vs. 1 – 10.

Hearing the voice of God? Is that really possible?

Yes!  The Bible is full of examples of God speaking to his people, from God’s call of Eli in our old testament reading, to Jesus’ assurance that those of us who follow Him will be able to recognise his voice (John, Ch. 10, vs. 3 and 4) and onto the promptings of the Spirit in Acts that guided Paul and his friends on their missionary journeys (for a few examples, look up Acts, Ch. 13, vs. 2; Acts, Ch. 16, vs.: 6, 7 and 10 and Acts, Ch. 27, vs. 23).

And it’s the experience of many of us that we sense God speaking today… when we find time to be still.  Hearing from God really is our daily bread because it nourishes us, assuring us that God is with us and loves us.

So… how do we hear Him?

God has an infinite number of ways of communicating with us – but as he knows each of us intimately, he knows what will work for us as individuals.  He speaks to encourage and build us up, consistent with his character– so any condemning voices aren’t from Him!  It’s good to take a leap of faith and act on what we hear or sense – but also to check it with other wise Christians and use our God given common sense.

The commonest way to hear God is through the Bible (see Psalm 119, vs. 105).  As we read and ask God to speak, we will find words stick out for us and speak into our circumstances.  In addition, people describe having a sense of hearing God a bit like intuition or that feeling of dejâ-vu; maybe a thought that is persistent and a bit different to usual (Isaiah, Ch. 30, vs. 21). God speaks through spiritual gifts of prophecy, and words of knowledge, wisdom and discernment (1 Corinthians, Ch. 12, vs. 7 – 10). He also speaks through nature (Psalm 19, vs. 1), the advice of others (Ephesians, Ch. 4, vs. 15), and even a donkey (2 Peter, Ch. 2, vs. 16)!

Try reading a passage in the Bible (for example, Psalm 27, Mark, Ch. 4, vs. 35 – 41 or Romans, Ch. 12, vs. 1 – 8) slowly, several times over, asking God to speak and lingering over what stands out for you at this time. Trust that God is speaking… do you need to act on it?

Don’t forget that God speaks in love, consistent with his nature.  It’s helpful to keep a journal of anything you think God might have been saying to you – as you check back, you will become more confident that it actually was God speaking to you!

Sarah.

Please click here to go to all of the available Study Material for this Lenten Study on Prayer
Please note:
The Minister’s day off is Friday.  For emergencies please contact the Duty Warden or Parish office on that day.
General Data Protection Regulations (GDPR):  The new data protection regulations, relating to the holding, management and use of personal data by organisations came into force on Friday 25th May.  St Francis’ Church takes its responsibilities under GDPR very seriously.  You can read our Data Privacy Notice here.  If you are a member of St Francis’ Church, or wish to remain in close contact with us, you may give us consent to hold, manage and use your personal data by downloading a Full Data Consent Form 2018 – 27-04-18 and completing and e-mailing it to us at <sfvp91@btconnect.com>.