St Leonards December 2025 News

The last few months have been a time of loss and remembrance in Sherfield English. We have sadly lost some well-known faces from the village and they will be missed. We commemorated Remembrance Sunday thinking of those who have been in the military or civilian services, those who have been lost in the line of duty to their country, their family and especially to those they did not know. Our service at St Leonard's was by the community, in recognition of the community and the resilience with which we come together to share our commemorations. It was a special service as our Rector Squadron Leader James Pitkin received an MBE in the King's Birthday Honours list this year for his 25 years of dedication to RAF cadets and as their National Chaplain. We also heard about James Ralph Patterson, commemorated on our Roll of Honour dying in WWII but with no information until some serious historical researching by a few talented people revealed the connections to Sherfield English. The display of the soldiers, sailors and airmen along the A27, kindly installed by Eric Hounslow, reminded us of the fallen every time we passed by but let us be thankful for those still serving and keeping us safe. Now we rightly deserve to move towards more cheerful subjects as Advent Sunday is on 30th November which is the start of the Christian year and we retell the story of the baby Jesus. Our Christingle service, usually held on Advent Sunday, is now on 21st December, so if you want to use an orange,

a candle, red ribbon, cocktail sticks with sultanas or some sweets (dolly mixtures were boycotted a few years ago as considered too tricky to push onto cocktail sticks but my fellow Churchwarden started a revolt and they are now back on the menu!). It is all good fun, and you can use the candle should we have a power cut!

We have our Christmas coffee morning on Saturday 6th December, 10.30am -12pm, with knitted gifts, a Christmas hamper raffle as well as pre-loved items and books and most excitingly our bell ringers playing carols on handbells and maybe, like last year, we can have a go too. That afternoon we are privileged to host the Winchester Diocese Bell ringers for their carol service, having been cancelled from last year when we had a terrible storm. In hosting this event our Bell Captain, Martin Daniels, and the St Leonard's team of enthusiastic bell ringers are rightly rewarded for all their hard work throughout the year.

On 14th December at 6pm we are holding our carol service of lessons and carols so if you want to admire the decorations our flower arrangers extraordinaire are depicting the lovely carol The holly and the Ivy, heard the nativity story (you might have heard it before, but it is a good listen) and who knows what other treats you might witness too. We have our midnight communion at 8pm on Christmas Eve and on Christmas Day, well, it is always involves being joyful and rejoicing on Christmas morn! Christmas comes but once a year so do come and join us! Dates for diary for St Leonard’s are:

December

6th Christmas Coffee morning 10.30am - 12pm

7th 11am Holy Communion

14th 6pm Carol Service

21st 11am "Christingle" family service

24th 8pm Midnight communion

25th 11am Christmas Day family service

28th Morning Prayer

January 2026

4th Holy Communion

11th Morning Prayer

18th "Epiphany" family service

25th Morning Prayer

February

7th Coffee morning 10.30am - 12pm