We are a local ecumenical partnership involving:
Logo_of_the_Church_of_England.svg
DIOCESE OF WINCHESTER
(Deanery of Eastleigh)
 620px-The_Methodist_Church_logo.svg
SOUTHAMPTON DISTRICT
(Winchester, Eastleigh
and Romsey Circuit)
 A4WWESSEX SYNOD
(South West Hants Group)
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
Our Minister, Rev’d. Dr. Sarah McClelland reflected on her first impressions of our Church at our Annual Church Meeting on Sunday 7th April 2019.  Click on this link to hear her comments:
 
Happening this week at
St. Francis’.
Our “Duty Churchwarden” until 15th September is Geoff Roberts.
Duty Warden from 16th – 22th September 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 14th September:
08.30 a.m. – 9.45 a.m.: Men’s Breakfast: Large Meeting Room; All menfolk most welcome.
Sunday 15th September:
Thirteenth Sunday after Trinity
8.45 a.m.:  Said Holy Communion (Rev’d. Dr. Sarah McClelland);
10.00 a.m.: Morning Worship and Baptism (Rev’d. Dr. Sarah McClelland).
10.00 a.m.: Junior Church restarts after summer break;
6.00 p.m.: Informal Evening Worship.
Monday 16th September:
Tuesday 17th September:
8.00 a.m.- 8.30 a.m.: Morning Prayer (Northumbria Liturgy): Chapel (Please use Office Door entrance).
Wednesday 18th September:
09.00 a.m. – 12.00 noon:  St. Francis’ Rendezvous Community Café: Large Meeting Room; All members of the Community most welcome.
Thursday 19th September:
2.30 p.m.: Holy Communion by Extension (Geoff Roberts): BrendonCare Knightwood Library.
Friday 20th September:
12.00 noon – 2.00 p.m.: Test Valley Stay at Home Scheme Social Club and Café: Large Meeting Room.
Saturday 21st September:
9.30 a.m. – 2.00 p.m.: “Interesting Intercessions” Course run by Sally Dakin:  St. Martin in the Wood, Hiltingbury.
Sunday 22nd September:
Fourteenth Sunday after Trinity
8.45 a.m.:  Said Holy Communion (TBC);
10.00 a.m.: Parish Communion (Rev’d. Barry Jones)
4.00 p.m.: Messy Church (Messy Team).

MESSY CHURCH
messy church

Craft, Activities, Afternoon Tea, Celebration.

The fun way to do church
for all the family.
Next Session
Sunday 22nd September:
Theme:
“God loves a cheerful giver”

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 12th October
8.15 a.m. for 8.30 a.m.

NB:  This will be a Church Family Breakfast and will preceed a Garden Autumn Tidy Morning.

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 11th October
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 2018?  
To read about the Ministry, Mission and Witness we undertook, and how we used the Financial Resources gifted to us in 2018, please click on St Francis Annual Report 2018 – v1.0 Final  

Click Annual Review – 2018 – web version to see a pictorial review of our Church’s Ministry and collective life during 2018.
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:

New Beginnings:
God seeks us out.

Key Reading:  

  • Psalm 14;
  • Luke, Ch. 15, vs.: 1 – 10.

Luke 15: 1-10:   ‘Now the tax collectors and sinners were all gathering around to hear Jesus. But the Pharisees and the teachers of the law muttered, “This man welcomes sinners and eats with them.” Then Jesus told them this parable: “Suppose one of you has a hundred sheep and loses one of them. Doesn’t he leave the ninety-nine in the open country and go after the lost sheep until he finds it?  And when he finds it, he joyfully puts it on his shoulders and goes home. Then he calls his friends and neighbours together and says, ‘Rejoice with me; I have found my lost sheep.’ I tell you that in the same way there will be more rejoicing in heaven over one sinner who repents than over ninety-nine righteous persons who do not need to repent.”

“Or suppose a woman has ten silver coins and loses one. Doesn’t she light a lamp, sweep the house and search carefully until she finds it? And when she finds it, she calls her friends and neighbours together and says, ‘Rejoice with me; I have found my lost coin.’ In the same way, I tell you, there is rejoicing in the presence of the angels of God over one sinner who repents.”

For home groups and individual study:

  • Why did Jesus address this message to tax collectors and sinners?
  • Who are today’s equivalent of tax collectors and sinners?
  • Discuss the scenario Jesus gives of the sheep and shepherd. Does this sound like sensible farming practice?

‘There will be more rejoicing in heaven over one sinner who repents than over ninety-nine righteous persons who do not need to repent.’

This phrase doesn’t immediately resonate with today’s language. Spend some time rewriting it in ways we can understand today.

  • Can you suggest variations on the lost sheep and lost coin that might reflect life in Valley Park in 2019?

To repent just means to turn around, back towards God. Consider what ways you might want/ need to turn back to Him. (Human nature means we all tend to wander off in our own directions!)

The passage suggests that God is seeking us.

  • Are you aware of God ‘seeking’ you?
  • In what ways?
  • Are there ways you can find to help others realise that God is seeking them?

Decide one thing you can do this week to help someone draw a bit nearer to God.

Sarah.

Please click here to go to all of our 2019 Lenten Course Study Material on Prayer and for a selection of recent sermons and homilies on current study topics. 
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 2018.  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>.