Past Events: 2024
December
Christmas Eve Tuesday 24th December
Crib Service – On Christmas Eve we were delighted to welcome families and friends to our crib service. It was led thy Revd. Sarah Rachel and together we retold the story of the First Christmas. Children, who wanted to, dressed up and together we recreated the Nativity story. As the figures were placed in our stable by the altar, the children shared in building up their own version. We sang carols and closed our service when everyone gathered round the manger and we sang “Away in a Manger’. Sweets were shared before everyone went on their way to hang up their stockings and celebrate Christmas.
Christmas Communion – Members of the congregation and other people in our community joined together to celebrate the first Communion of Christmas.
Sunday 15th December
Today St.Aidan’s and St. Laurence joined together for a Carols by Candlelight Service at St.Aidan’s Church.
The service was well supported and the congregation enjoyed carols, readings and reflections.
After the service everyone went into the hall for refreshments which included mulled wine, mince pies, cakes and chocolates.
Memory Tree
Stibbards have kindly donated a Christmas tree which has been placed in the lady chapel as our Memory Tree for someone loved, someone remembered.
People have taken tags, written the name of those they wish to remember and then tied the tags to our Memory Tree.
Sunday 8th December – Christmas gifts
Thank you to everyone who left gifts around the font.
It was lovely to see all the presents for the women and children at the Refuge. I am sure they will be gratefully appreciated.
Thank you to our Church Warden Jackie for delivering the gifts too.
Sunday 8th December – Christingle Service
Today we held our all age Christingle Service. We began by playing Christingle Ninja. Then we learnt about Jesus’ love and the meaning of the different parts of the Christingle. Next we made our own Christingle and formed a circle around the church before lighting our candles and singing the Christingle song:
The Christingle begins with an orange
Telling us of the world God made
By the fruits of the earth in their seasons
We can see the love of God displayed.
Sing Christingle, sing Chrstingle,
Sing Christingle it’s the light of Christ
Thursday 5th December
BasOp Christmas Concert – A Festive Feast of Music
Thank you to everyone who supported the BasOp Christmas Concert.
A very enjoyable evening was had by all and a donation of £360 was made to St.Aidan’s.
November
Today our uniformed organisations joined us in a Parade Service to carry out our act of Remembrance.
Derek read the fourth verse of ‘For the fallen’ (The Ode) by Robert Laurence Binyon.
They shall grow not old, as we that are left grow old:
Age shall not weary them, nor the years condemn.
At the going down of the sun and in the morning
We will remember them.
Then our organist Josie played the Last Post before and after our 2 minutes silence.
The National Anthem was sung and our uniformed organisations paraded out with their flags.
Saturday 2nd November 3pm
Today St.Aidan’s Church and St. Laurence Church joined together for their ‘In Loving Memory’ Service.
It was a service to remember those we love and see no more.
Saturday 2nd November
Sue and Gary hosted a Coffee Morning where everyone enjoyed a cup of tea or coffee, cakes and biscuits. There was also a raffle and a bring and buy table.
Sue and Gary would like to thank all who supported them .
Together we raised £75.
October
Sunday 6th October 2024
St.Aidan’s celebrated Harvest by holding a Parade and Family service with the uniformed organisations.
Our church was decorated beautifully by our flower arranging team.
Thank you for all your donations of food which have been given to Harp, Southend’s homeless charity. Harvest Water Aid collection was £200.
September
Saturday 28th September
Reverend Sarah Rachell’s Priesting
This morning at 10.30am in St.Andrews Church Chelmsford, Reverend Sarah Rachell had her Priesting Service.
This was followed by refreshments back at St. Aidan’s Church hall.
Freda, our Church Warden, presented Reverend Sarah with some flowers to congratulate her.
Sunday 8th September – Reverend Barry Johnson’s last day at St.Aidan’s
Today we gave our thanks to Barry for all that he has done to support and guide us during our interregnum. He will be greatly missed by us all. And YES we had cake!
Wednesday 4th September
The Licensing and Installation
of the
Reverend Carolyn Madanat
Revd. Carolyn was presented with: the keys to the church, water for baptism, oil for healing, a large bible, a copy of the Book of Common Prayer, bread and wine and a Chelmsford holding cross.
August
Saturday 31st August – Sandra & Robert’s Wedding
Sunday 25th August
Barrie Barnes Memorial Cricket Match
St.Aidan’s XI Cricket Team played Westcliff XI Cricket Team at Chalkwell Park, winning with a score of 153 for 0.
Westcliff batted first and lost 3 quick wickets, before a big stand between Off(43) and Mortimer(46). After a good knock of 27 by Mackay wickets fell steadily and Westcliff were finally dismissed for 153 off 32.3 overs. St.Aidan’s used 7 bowlers and the wickets were shared around with the pick being McArthur with 5 overs 3 for 12. After tea St.Aidan’s opened with Cannell and Powell. Powell retired after scoring 52, St.Aidan’s continued scoring freely and Cannell retired after scoring 50, Lucas and Britton completed the task in 20.3 overs.
July
Tuesday 23rd July
Admission of Church Wardens and the
Archdeacon’s Charge
A service was held tonight at St.George’s Church, Rushbottom Lane, Thundersley for retiring Church warden Karen and the admission of our Church Wardens Freda and Jackie. The Archdeacon of Southend, Ven. Mike Power, thanked Karen for her service particularly through the interregnum and then prayed for the admitted Church Wardens, Freda and Jackie.
Saturday 20th July
Freda, Robert and Sandra would like to thank everyone who attended their Afternoon Tea. People were served with tea, Proseco, cakes and scones with strawberry jam and cream. There was also a raffle with many prizes. An amazing total of £220 was raised for church funds.
Friday 19th July
Fairways School Prom
The Year 6 children from the school next door to our church, Fairways Primary School held their Prom in our Church hall on Friday 19th July.
Look at the fantastic decorations the PTA provided.
Sunday 14th July
We invited our Baptismal families to celebrate the end of the school term and the start of the summer holiday with a bar-b-que in the church garden.
Our families enjoyed garden games, ate barbecued sausages, crisps and cakes and made an England flag for the evenings final football match of England vs Spain.
Fun and fellowship was enjoyed by all.
June
Saturday 29th June
Sue and Gary hosted a Coffee Morning where everyone enjoyed a cup of tea or coffee, cakes and biscuits. There was also a raffle and a bring and buy table.
Sue and Gary would like to thank all who supported them . Together we raised £95.
March
Easter Sunday
Thank you to Diane, Karen, Sue, Shirley and Freda for the
beautiful floral arrangements in church for our Easter celebrations.
Good Friday – Friday 29th March
On Good Friday morning our Baptismal families came together to make some Easter Crafts.
We had refreshments including hot cross buns and Cadbury’s cream eggs.
Good Friday – We worked together to build an Easter garden.
Look at our step by step photos below.
Our finished
Easter Garden
Lent Course
Every Thursday we met as Revd. Sarah Rachell led our Lent course ‘Christ and the Chocolaterie.
Christ and the Chocolaterie is an original, innovative Lent course written by Hilary Brand for small groups or individuals, inspired by the film Chocolat starring Juliette Binoche. It suggests clips from the film, group discussion questions, exercises and meditations, and relevant Bible passages for a powerful aid to Lenten reflection. It also includes appendices on the curious history of chocolate, the unfair economics of chocolate and ideas for a chocolate feast. Twenty-one years since it was first published, Hilary has updated the course for this new edition, which still has so much to inspire those who read and discuss it, on what it means to be human and the power of change.
Sunday 24th March
Palm Sunday
Bishop Adam Atkinson led our worship of Holy Communion at our Palm Sunday Service today.
Sunday 10th March
Mothering Sunday
Parade Service
Today we had our parade service for Mothering Sunday. The children gave their mums a bunch of flowers to thank them for all they do. We also thought about all the mums who were no longer with us and we lit a candle for them.
Sunday 3rd March
Tea, cake and crafts
Today our Baptismal families were invited for tea and cake.
The children made gifts for their mums and had a lovely time playing together.
January
Sunday 28th January
The Presentation of Christ in the Temple.
The Rt. Revd. Tim Stevens led our worship of Holy Communion today.
Tim started his journey as a Curate in East London. He then moved on to be Team Rector of St. Nicholas on Canvey Island, Archdeacon of West Ham, Bishop of Dunwich and finally Bishop of Leicester.
He retired in 2015.
Sunday 7th January
Tea and Cake
Baptismal families were invited for tea and cake to celebrate the start of the new year and to give us all an opportunity to get to know each other better. We had a lovely time together chatting and the children loved playing together. Thank you to the families that attended.