March Church Services

March 1st    Eucharist @ 8am

March 8th    Eucharist @11am

March 15th    Eucharist @11am

March 22nd    MOTHERING SUNDAY SERVICE @11am

NOVEMBER VILLAGE EVENTS - INCLUDING BONFIRE NIGHT

Tuesday 5^th November: GUY FAWKES NIGHT! Parade of Guys, Fireworks, Bonfire. From 6.30pm Five Bells

Sunday 10^th November: REMEMBRANCE SUNDAY: Ceremony and Service.  

10.45 am War Memorial, followed by short service in Church.

Saturday 16^th November: VILLAGE BARN DANCE following on the huge success of last year.  Callers and musicians from the Wyld Band.  Bring and Share Finger Food Buffet Supper.  Great fun for dancers and non-dancers alike. £5 on the door; proceeds to The Friends of St Candida. Details from Briony (01297 489546).   7 for 7.30 pm Village Hall

Monday 25^th November: WHITCHURCH FILM SOCIETY, showing The Eagle Huntress. 6.45 pm Village Hall 

Concert this Sunday the 7th of July

The Alice Dilke Memorial Concert

SIMON WATTERTON (PIANO) AND ANNA CASHELL (VIOLIN) 

Debussy: Violin Sonata

Beethoven: Piano sonata in E Op.109

Brahms: Violin Sonata in G

Tickets on the door - £10, to include interval Tea and Cake

Sunday 7th of July at 3pm

The Church of St Candida and Holy Cross, Whitchurch Canonicorum

Short and Sweet Stir up Sunday (25th Nov)

Sunday 25th November

SHORT & SWEET CHILDREN’S SERVICE 

- a jolly get-together for children, their parents and anyone who just enjoys it! 

Making traditional Christmas Puddings on Stir Up Sunday – please bring a wooden spoon.  

11 am Church

Concert March 22nd

We are thrilled to be hosting a welcome return visit of CANTAMUS, our brilliant West Dorset Choir, at the church of St Candida and Holy Cross in Whitchurch Canonicorum on Thursday 22nd March at 7.15 pm.

The programme, ‘Lift up your voice!’, is a celebration of the very best song writing from across the centuries with a thoughtful, uplifting Lenten theme.

The concert begins with the rousing ‘Insanae et vanae curae’ by Haydn, followed by exquisite pieces by Palestrina, Byrd and Gibbons. Two of the Tenebrae responsorial motets by Victoria take listeners to the heart of the Lent season, with the story of Christ’s betrayal by Judas, and this mood continues with Purcell’s moving ‘Hear my prayer’. The first half ends with ‘Jehovah, quam multi sunt hostes mei’, also by Purcell.

After the interval, the programme moves into the 18^th century with ‘Domine Jesu Christe’ from Mozart’s Requiem, then through the 19^th with songs by Mendelssohn and Rossini. There are two anthems by the English organist and composer Bairstow, pieces from the 20^th century by Richard Lloyd and Patrick Hadley and finally – bringing the audience right up to date – ‘De virgine Maria’, written in 2014 by Carl Rütti. 

Tickets (on the door), to include an interval glass of wine, are £10 (£8 for Friends of St Candida).

We hope you will join us for what is sure to be a wonderful evening.

NB:  There is limited parking at the church (best to get there early) but additional space is available at Berehayes Holiday Cottages, just east of the War Memorial. Wherever you park, please ensure you do not block access or other cars and, if in the lane, please make sure there is room for tractors, the milk tanker and emergency vehicles to pass.

Reminder of coming events

Sunday 11^th March: SHORT & SWEET FAMILY SERVICE FOR MOTHERING SUNDAY: A jolly, half hour get-together for children, their parents and anyone who just enjoys it! The children will be making posies and everyone will be decorating a heart tree for their Mothers. Stories and refreshments. 11am, Church

Sunday 11^th March: MOTHERING SUNDAY LUNCH – special menu available (and bookings) from Pat/Stacey on 01297 489262. Five Bells from 12 noon

Thursday 22^nd March: CANTAMUS IN CONCERT. Our fine local choir present their Spring programme, “Lift up your voice”, a celebration of sacred music with pieces from Victoria and Purcell to Mozart, Mendelssohn with Rossini and much in between. £10 on the door, to include an interval glass of wine. 7.15 pm Church

Palm Sunday 25^th March: ANNUAL PROCESSION through the village to the Church, for Palm Sunday service, led by the Ryall Donkeys (weather and temperament permitting!). 10.45 am, Five Bells

Monday 26^th March: WHITCHURCH FILM SOCIETY. showing  Amadeus. 6.45 pm Village Hall

Palm Sunday Procession

Palm Sunday 25th March:

ANNUAL PROCESSION through the village to the Church, led by the Ryall Donkeys (weather and temperament permitting!).

10.45 am, Five Bells

Coming soon.........

SUNDAY 25TH FEBRUARY: CHORAL EVENSONG with the Whitchurch Occasional Choir, directed by John Bain. The service will be led by the Rev. John Eade. Details to follow. 6 pm, Church

MONDAY 26TH FEBRUARY: WHITCHURCH FILM SOCIETY is showing LaLaLand, the multi-award winning movie. 7 pm, Village Hall

Do you have time to lend a hand?

The Guild of St Candida looks after the cleaning of the Church and needs to replace
two members who have retired recently. An hour or so every couple of months is all
that is asked. If you would like to help, please call Tricia Fry (01297 489082).

Other Odd Jobs in and around the Church crop up from time to time and, if you could
be available every now and again, please call Sue (01297 489375), who will be
delighted to hear from you.

Entertainment....February 4th

A reminder that Bowjangles! will be performing their exciting new show - Excalibow!-  at the Village Hall in Whitchurch Canonicorum on Sunday 4th February at 3 pm.

'BOWJANGLES ARE A STRING QUARTET WHO CAN REALLY PLAY. THEY DANCE WHILST THEY PLAY. THEY SING WHILST THEY PLAY. THEY LEAP, TUMBLE, JUGGLE AND JOKE WHILST THEY PLAY...'

Due to demand - we expect to be sold-out, as we were last time - we are now taking advance bookings for this event. For reservations please email Cynthia Bain - cbain7@gmail.com or call 01297 489629. 

Two members of the band studied at the Purcell School and the concert is promoted jointly by the Whitchurch Purcellians and The Friends of St Candida.

We do hope you will join us - you will love it!

Christmas At The Church

Dear Friends

We hope you will join us to celebrate Christmas in the Church:

Thursday 21st December: CAROLS BY CANDLELIGHT - The traditional service of Lessons and Carols for Choir and Congregation, with the Whitchurch Occasional Choir, directed by John Bain. Mince pies and mulled wine to follow. 7 PM

Children are especially welcome to lead the singing of Away in a Manger, so please encourage them to come!

NB:There is limited parking at the church (best to get there early) but additional space is available at Berehayes Holiday Cottages, The Five Bells and the Village Hall. Wherever you park, please ensure you do not block access or other cars and, if in the lane, please make sure there is room for tractors, the milk tanker and emergency vehicles to pass.

Sunday 24th December: CANDLELIT MIDNIGHT MASS for Christmas Eve. 11 pm

Monday 25th December: EUCHARIST FOR CHRISTMAS DAY at Stanton St Gabriel. 9.30 am

Happy Christmas to you all!

What a view......

What a fabulous view of the Marshwood Vale taken from the top of the Church tower by Barry Welch.

Free Exchange Cafe 3rd of Sept

The popular Free Exchange Café is open next Sunday, 3rd of September from 10.30 to 12 noon, in the Church at Whitchurch Canonicorum -   and then on the first Sunday of every month until November. 

Enjoy freshly-brewed coffee, tea, croissants and pastries straight from the oven. Catch up with friends and neighbours, or browse the Sunday papers. Come for ten minutes or stay for an hour. 

Ros will be hosting the Children's Corner

The Free Exchange Table is open, too. Bring something you no longer need, take something away if you like it or both or neither - whichever you choose, no money changes hands. Plants and Produce are always welcome. 

There's no charge for the Cafe (but feel free to leave a donation).

We hope to see you on Sunday.

Childrens corner pictures of Noahs Arc

Lots of children's toys and books in the Church for visitors to use whilst visiting our beautiful historic church

Huge Thank you to all who came to the open day.....

Thank you to everyone that came and supported the Welcome to Whitchurch church/garden open day.

Over 170 people enjoyed wondering around the 7 gardens followed by visiting the church to see the history boards and sample some lovely refreshments.

Followed by over 60 people enjoying the choral evensong later in the evening.

And, a note for your diary - more music in the church at Whitchurch:

Sunday 27th August at 6 pm: CHORAL EVENSONG

Saturday 23rd September at 7 pm: THE GIBBINS FAMILY IN CONCERT: Three generations play an eclectic range of music on a variety of instruments. Tickets £10 from 01297 489375. 

Sunday 12th November at 3pm: DIVERTIMENTO IN CONCERT: The popular Trio returns to play Beethoven, Smetana and more. Tickets £10 on the door. 

Choral evensong 25th of June 6pm

THIS SUNDAY, 25TH JUNE, AT 6 PM

CHORAL EVENSONG  at

ST CANDIDA AND HOLY CROSS

WHITCHURCH CANONICORUM

Introit: Ave Verum Corpus (Mozart)

Preces and Responses: Smith

Canticles: Stanford in B Flat

Anthem: Blessed be the God and Father (Wesley)

Rev. Stephen Skinner and Rev. Ian Luckraft will lead the Service

The Whitchurch Occasional Choir, directed by John Bain

Organist: Peter Lea-Cox

The Churches' Ministry of Healing

by Revd Stephen Skinner, Golden Cap Team Rector

Our Team Council and Whitchurch P.C.C. have decided to introduce a monthly Healing Service starting after Easter. Before commencing this Service we feel that it would be helpful to write about this area of Christian worship and ministry. I have had involvement in prayers for healing since my days as a Curate in Chatham and found it to be a very inspirational experience – both for myself and for those for whom I have prayed. At the same time, I am well aware that it can be controversial – not least because of what I regard as some of the abuses of certain practitioners. I was Diocesan Healing Adviser for 10 years in the Carlisle Diocese, so can offer some advice arising from much experience!

The basic starting point for Christian Healing lies in the ministry of Jesus. We read in Luke Chapter 4 that “the people brought to Jesus all who had various kinds of sickness, and laying his hands on each one, he healed them”. The Gospels have many stories of Jesus healing people, from lameness, blindness, dumbness, fevers, psychological disorders and even death itself! Sometimes we are given the story in considerable depth – such as in John Chapter 9: “The Man born Blind”. In such fuller stories we often discover that Jesus not only healed people physically but also perhaps emotionally, relationally and spiritually.

This observation leads me to one of my key beliefs about Healing – that it is in the ideal of God’s purposes designed to be ‘holistic’. In other words, it is to bring about a restoration of the person to health in its fuller sense. One of the reasons that many are unhappy about healing as practised by Christian Ministers is because of sensationalist stories of someone’s physical healing, which later appears to be only temporary, under the pressure of the moment. Actually when I pray for someone at, for example, a Healing Service, I prefer to invite them to say what they want us to pray for – and stress that it could be for healing in a relationship, from a bad memory or healing forgiveness in relationship to God. This broader emphasis is much more healthy; consonant with Jesus’ practice.

Another point to make about Jesus healing style is that it was rarely sensationalist. He often prayed in a low key way, in relative privacy, in people’s homes or quiet places. Afterwards Jesus often urged them not to tell anyone else about what has happened! Clearly he didn’t encourage the crowds to adulate him as a great Faith Healer. So I conduct healing prayers in a gentle, relaxed and unpressured manner. God is the healer, not me, so the outcome of our prayers lies within His underlying purposes. The Healing Services that we will commence in April at Whitchurch will inspire a spiritual atmosphere in which God’s Spirit will be invited to operate. So if you attend it should feel peaceful; despite, we hope, a powerful sense of Christ being present with us.

Revd Sue Langdon will be conducting these Healing Services, along with Win Maynard. Sue will write further on this topic in March’s issue.

(Editor: Originally written for the February 2010 Golden Cap Team Magazine.)