Recent Events

Holiday in Wales

St Winifreds is an ideal place to spend a holiday. It stands right on the sea front at Rhos-on-Sea, very near Llandudno. The house is large, light and comfortable, the staff friendly and helpful, and the town centre is just a few steps away along a level pavement. Most important of all, the food is very good indeed.

So the 22 of us who arrived on Monday 10th May for a mid-week break were very happy, and we were soon enjoying everything that this beautiful part of North Wales has to offer. We went up the Great Orme, some by tram and others by cable car. We all explored Bodnant Gardens, some went to the Mountain Zoo while others visited Conway Castle, and the more scientifically minded went into Electric Mountain.

We all went on the Mountain Railway right to the top of Snowdon - where we were snowed on! It was a fantastic experience, starting out in clear weather and finding ourselves in a blizzard at the top. It was a stark reminder of how quickly weather conditions change in the mountains. Fortunately there is a new visitor centre at the top so only the most intrepid (foolhardy?) had to walk to the summit. Amazingly, when we returned to sea level we were able to enjoy cream teas in the sunshine looking across the Menai Straits to the snow covered hills.

Some of us went to a Male Voice Choir Concert, some visited St Asaph Cathedral, most people enjoyed shopping and everyone had a thoroughly good time. St Winifred’s is somewhere we shall certainly want to visit again, and we have only scratched the surface of all that North Wales has to offer.

Band Concert

The Watford Band gave another splendid performance at their concert in Christ Church on 15th May. Unfortunately there had been a mix up over the advertising and not many people seemed to know about it. But those who were there enjoyed a programme of music designed to appeal to all tastes and played with great accomplishment. The next concert by the Band will be on Saturday 25th September. Don't miss it.

Family Fun Day

Bank Holiday Monday dawned cold and damp. But the weather did not discourage members of our two congregations. They were up bright and early preparing for the 'Family Fun Day' at St Mark's Church.

 

 

When 11 o'clock arrived so did hundreds of local people, determined to enjoy themselves on the coconut shy, the bouncy castle, the 'tea cups' and all the other sideshows that had been set up.

Whenever it rained - and the showers were only brief - people piled into the church for refreshments and to look at the stalls. The tombola was as popular as ever, and so were the stalls set up by church organisations and local community groups.

But it was Jo Jingles who stole the show with a series of music and movement events for our smallest visitors, which their parents seemed to enjoy as much as the children did.

As soon as the sun came out again people returned to the car park for dog obedience demonstrations by Watford All Breeds Dog Training Club, and the amazing dancing dogs of the 'Splash Club'.

Out in the grounds The Guides provided hot dogs and doughnuts, while inside the church Ploughman's Lunches were served. All to quickly it was 3 o'clock and another thoroughly enjoyable 'Fun Day' had come to an end.

 

Christmas Events

We have enjoyed Christmas here at Christ Church and St Mark's. There was a great deal of Carol Singing. For the first time the local Homebase store invited us to sing carols there. We joined forces with other churches in the area to bring the Christmas message to shoppers at ASDA-Walmart in word and song. On another lovely snowy night we went round the local streets with lanterns singing and handing out invitations to church services.

The Crib Service was well attended. Children of all ages enjoyed building the Nativity Scene. The figures we use are all homemade, little puppets on sticks that stand in empty food cans.

 

 

 

 

 

Our Carol Services were truly joyful occasions too, as were the services on Christmas Day in both our buildings.

Now we look forward to what God has in store for us in 2010. We know it will be both challenging and exciting.

Good Fun for All

Sunday afternoon, 4th October, Christ Church Hall. The sound of laughter. What's going on? It's an indoor games afternoon. There are lots of people of all ages, thoroughly enjoying themselves as they play good, old fashioned games together.

There's Snakes and Ladders, Halma (we haven't seen that for ages!), Chess, Monopoly and all kinds of board games. The competition and rivalry is intense.

Every now and again the room re-echoes to the sound of the Giant Jenga blocks tumbling to the floor as someone tries an over-ambitious move. There are intricate games best suited to little fingers.

After a break for refreshments (wonderful cakes!) everyone - except the group that can't be enticed away from the Monopoly Board - assembles for the 'Chocolate Game'. That's the one where, if you throw a dice and it comes up '6', you dress up in hat, scarf and gloves and attack a bar of chocolate with knife and fork.

Excitement, frustration and laughter in equal proportions! Then back to the board games until, all too quickly, it's time to go.

This was certainly a good idea. So much so that we shall be doing something similar around Christmas time. Don't miss it!

A Creative Day

When they visited Christ Church a while ago members of the Diocesan Advisory Committee (the group that oversees our church buildings) commented that the entrance was rather 'unwelcoming'.

'Why not put a bright wall hanging that will catch the eye and draw people in?' they asked. It seemed a good idea. The Church Council asked a designer to try to fulfill an impossible brief.

'Design us something that we can put together in the course of a one day workshop,' they said.'And make it something that literally anyone can join in making!' they added

It was a tall order. The space to be covered was almost 4 metres by 2½ meters. But undaunted, designer Liz Lewis came up with an abstract design that met the criteria, and on 3rd October she ran the workshop.

 

By 10.15am a number of people were chalking patterns on fabric that had largely been donated by church members, using templates that Liz had prepared in advance. Soon Sue was hemming them on her machine. At one point it looked as though she was making a wedding dress! By early afternoon the finished pieces of material were being placed on the background and by 5pm the finished hanging was ceremonially carried down the church and fixed into position.

 

 

 

It may not be perfectly executed, but in just eight hours a group of people with little or no experience of making such a thing had created, under Liz's watchful eye, a wall hanging that certainly brightens up what, until now, has been a very drab corner of the building.

 

Here's what it looks like, hanging over the recently completed sidesmen's table, which was made from wood recovered from the pews which had to be removed from the side aisles of the church when the new heating system was installed last Christmas.

Both table and wall hanging are excellent examples of recycling. Congratulations to everyone who helped make them.

 

Watford Band Concert

On Saturday 3rd October the Band, under the direction of Richard Graves, gave another concert in Christ Church. This time they were joined by the Watford Girls' Grammar School Junior Choir, conductor Alison Carr.

Entitled 'Movie Night at the Proms' it gave the Band the chance to shine as they played theme tunes from films featured on the big screen as well as TV.

The girls were in fine form, singing selections from popular musicals ('My Fair Lady' and 'Les Miserables') and light entertainment (including Eric Clapton's 'Tears in Heaven').

The evening drew towards its end with the now traditional 'Last Night at the Proms' menu - Henry Wood's 'Fantasia on British Sea Songs', Parry's 'Jerusalem', Elgar's 'Pomp and Circumstance March Number One, with the audience joining in with great enthusiasm.

Finally, the Girls' Choir joined the Band and soloist Amy Cross in performing 'Time to Say Goodbye'.

 

'Harebreaks Happening'

Our two congregations were joined by members of St Helen's Roman Catholic Church, North Watford Methodist Church and Leavesden Road Baptist Church in staging a grand social event on Dell Side, a piece of open land in the heart of the Harebreaks Estate. Its aim was to draw people closer together, so we also invited the Harebreaks Residents Association and Watford Community Housing Trust to get involved.

The day dawned bright, and soon a fairground had been erected, marquees had been set up, stalls set out and refreshments prepared.

Hundreds of people from the estate came to find out what was going on and all seemed to enjoy it. We received requests to do something similar again and will be inviting all who took part to meet to ask the question 'What next?'

The most important lesson learned is that what would be impossible for one organisation to mount is perfectly possible when we all work together!

To see some photos of the event, click here.

 

Kwa Mkono Celebration

At Christ Church on Saturday 4th July people from many parts of the UK gathered for a celebration of Kwa Mkono Hostel, starting with a Midday Eucharist followed by lunch. They saw a presentation about the hostel, the children and the work going on there at present. There then was the launch of Kwa Mkono's Disabled Children's Trust (the new charity to support the work of the hostel).
At 4pm, Mother Philippa of the Community of the Sacred Passion closed the Festival with prayers.

Cream Teas for Hospice

It was a wonderfully sunny afternoon when, on Tuesday 16th June, people gathered in St Mark's Church garden to enjoy a cream tea and raise money for Watford Peace Hospice. A cream tea involves a cup of tea, of course, accompanied by scones liberally coated with butter, jam, cream and strawberries. For several hours beforehand people had been working hard making everything ready.

But to raise extra money people had been asked to bring gifts for a stall. The tables groaned under the weight of a great many things, from photo frames and cosmetics to potatoes and onions, and from scarves and jewelry to pottery and confectionary. All this was auctioned by our Vicar.

After two short hours everyone left, appetites more than satisfied. And the Peace Hospice will benefit to the tune of £168. A most enjoyable social occasion supporting a thoroughly worthwhile local project. Thank you to everyone who took part.

 

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