We are a local ecumenical partnership involving:
Logo_of_the_Church_of_England.svgDIOCESE OF WINCHESTER 620px-The_Methodist_Church_logo.svg
SOUTHAMPTON DISTRICT		 A4WWESSEX PROVINCE
St Francis’, Valley Park is in “triple” Interregnum/Vacancy following the departure of our designated URC Minister in summer 2016, the retirement of our resident minister and Anglican Vicar at the end of June 2017 and the restationing of our Methodist Minister from mid-July 2018.  
However, we are very pleased to announce the appointment of The Revd. Dr. Sarah McClelland as Priest in Charge of Valley Park.  Sarah’s Licensing Service will be held at St Francis Church on  Sunday, 2nd December at 4.00 p.m.
We are also pleased to confirm that Rev’d Sue Keegan von Allmen will take up the position of Superintendent Minister of the Winchester, Eastleigh and Romsey Circuit of the Methodist Church in September.  Sue will be based at Chandler’s Ford Methodist Church and will be the Methodist Minister responsible for St. Francis’ Church.  Her special welcome service will be at Chandlers Ford Methodist Church on Sunday 2nd September at 6.30pm. 
And also during the autumn, Rev’d Mark Robinson will join the South West Hants Group of Churches of the United Reformed Church and will have particualr reponsibility for Kings Road URC and as URC minister at St Francis’ Church.
As we await the arrival of our new ministers it is very much business as usual, in so far as we are able.  Our Church is being led by our Churchwardens at present, with visiting Anglican, Methodist and URC Clergy leading Eucharistic worship, and lay leaders from among our Congregation leading other Services.  Please contact our Parish Office in the first instance if you need advice or information from us.
Scroll down this page to see what is happening at St Francis’ in the next few days and weeks …
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 new Data Privacy Notice, agreed by our Church Council on 9th May, 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>.
Happening this week at
St. Francis’.
Our “Duty Churchwarden” until
19th August is Steve Williams
Duty Warden from 20th August – 26th August is Alison Rhodes.
Note:
St Francis’ School Breakfast Club (7.30 a.m. – 9.00 a.m.) &
St Francis’ After School Club (3.30 p.m. – 6.00 p.m.)
held each weekday in School Terms.
Saturday 11th August:
Sunday 12th August:
ELEVENTH SUNDAY AFTER  TRINITY
8.45 a.m.:  Said Holy Communion (Rev’d Arthur Croad);
10.00 a.m.: Parish Communion (Rev’d Pam Goddard);
7.00 p.m.:  Informal Evening Worship (Christ Hill).
Monday 13th August:
9.00 a.m. – 1.00 p.m.:  NHS Group Meeting; Large Meeting Room.
Tuesday 14th August:
Wednesday 15th August:
Thursday 16th August:
10.00 a.m. – 12.00 noon:  Church-based House Group; Large Meeting Room;
2.15 p.m.: Holy Communion by Extension (Phil Watts); BrendonCare Knightwood Library.
Friday 17th August:

 
Saturday 18th August:
Sunday 19th August:
TWELFTH SUNDAY AFTER  TRINITY
8.45 a.m.:  Said Holy Communion (Rev’d Kelvin Taylor);
10.00 a.m.: Morning Worship (Dr. Ian Clarke and Peter Rhodes).

MESSY CHURCH
messy church

Craft, Activities, Afternoon Tea, Celebration.

The fun way to do church
for all the family.
Next Session:
Sunday 23rd September

(No Messy Church in August)

Click this link to find out More:

 ST FRANCIS’ RENDEZVOUS COMMUNITY INFORMATION CAFE

Café next Open:
 Wednesday 22nd August:
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 
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Join us for a “Full English”, fellowship and
Thought for the Day

Next Breakfast:
Saturday 8th September
8.15 a.m. for 8.30 a.m.

(No Men’s breakfast in August)
All Menfolk Welcome.

Glitter and Glue

glitter ad glue 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 carers are welcome.
Next Session:
Friday 7th September
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 click on the link: Copy of Church-planner-2017-V3.3.
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.
Safeguarding those at risk:
To find our policies on Safeguarding Children and Vulnerable Adults please click here;
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 focus for the first part of the Trinity Season is Christian Leadership:

11.  The Battle is the Lord’s

Here are some local notes for personal reflection.

Key Readings: 

  • 1 Samuel, Ch. 17, vs. 20 – 40; 
  • John, Ch. 6, vs. 41 – 51.

The Samuel reading must be one of the most well-known narratives in the Bible – the young shepherd-boy with God on his side conquers the aggressor.   And it’s good to be reminded of David’s roots before we go on in future weeks to explore his life as King.  Do read the whole chapter to be reminded of the full events  But there are important lessons here too, David’s words reminding us of God’s pre-eminence:-
– verse 37 – “The Lord who delivered me from the paw of the lion and the paw of the bear will deliver me from the hand of this Philistine.”
– verse 47 – “All those gathered here will know that it is not by sword or spear that the Lord saves; for the battle is the Lord’s, and he will give all … into our hands.”

When we face difficult times or challenging circumstances, holding these promises close and trusting in God for them will not only be an encouragement but we can expect, in God’s time, for them to be held.

And in following Jesus’ teachings, example & invitation to depend on him we are following in David’s footsteps of trusting God.  The John passage is one of the clearest narratives in the Gospels of Jesus’ claims to be God – the ‘I Am’ phrases referencing one of the Hebrew names for God.  As the Bread of Life he’s all we need to not just survive but live life to the full in this world – and the next.

  • Like David, what fears are we currently facing?
  • Do these promises help?
  • When do we adopt armour or strategies that mean we don’t face our fears in our own skin with the help from God?

It is a modern myth that if we want something badly enough we can do anything, but this shows we must place faith in God to achieve truly extraordinary feats.