Category: Saint George’s latest news

Thank you very much for the gifts and cards I have received for Christmas, they are all very much appreciated.  Wishing you all a Happy New Year.  Jackie
 

Day of Reflection for Ministers of the Word – Saturday 25      January 11am-4pm at St Wilfrid’s Parish Centre, Burgess Hill (no cost)

Led by Bishop Richard. The day will include talks on the Scriptures, the Lectionary and its use in the Liturgy, the Liturgy of the Word, and preparing to minister as a reader. There will be a time of Lectio Divina, and the day will conclude with the celebration of Mass. Register your place here https://www.abdiocese.org.uk/diocese/events

SAVE THE DATE – Saturday 20 September 2025 Festival of Hope

Celebrate the 60^th Anniversary of the Diocese and the Universal Jubilee Year with your family and friends this September. We pray that this inspirational and uplifting event will ignite a spiritual renewal in our own lives and across our communities. Put the date in your diary now, because tickets will be allocated to Parishes in the new year! The event is taking place at Ardingly South of England Event Centre, tickets will be free of charge, with talks and activities suitable for all ages.

Next breakfast is, Sun 26th January after St George’s 9am Mass.  All welcome.
 

Thurs 30th Jan is our next afternoon tea, 2-4pm.  For more info. please contact Joan on 07873390944.

Many thanks to everyone who donated to the Golden Ticket appeal to send homeless children to a pantomime this Christmas. We have been overwhelmed by your generosity. In total we raised £760, which means that 76 children can look forward to a festive treat this year. The distribution centre was also very grateful to receive your donations of clothing and winter essentials. Big thank you to all those who have contributed.

Our focus now moves on to how we can warm up the homeless to help them survive the harsh winter months ahead. Our efforts will now be concentrated on our Epiphany masses (4th and 5th January). In the same way that the Three Wise Men provided gifts to the newborn king we would like to present our offerings as an act of love to vulnerable people in our community. In particular we are looking for donations for their satellite food banks which feed around 800 people a week. Wanted items are; UHT Milk (Not Skimmed), Sugar, Coffee, Tea, Cereal, Tin Meats, Rice, Pasta, Soup, Baked Beans, Fresh Fruit and Vegetables and Treats. Many of these people do not have cooking facilities so they are also looking for Kettles, Toasters, Microwaves. Air Fryers, and Thermos Flasks. In addition we will also be collecting good quality second hand clothing and gifts for their charity shops. There will be a collection box for these items at the back of church and in St Wilfrid’s Hall for the Epiphany party on 4th January.

St Wilfrid’s, 15th Dec at 3pm:  Thank you to everyone who helped in anyway to make our Special Carol Service such a success.  Short, simple and enjoyable. It is a shame more of you didn’t attend, you surely missed a “Christmas Special”.  Then it was into our hall for mulled wine, mince pies and special biscuits.  Then the “Gift Bag Sale”, my goodness there were some very good prizes hidden in the bags!!. 

May we take this opportunity to say thank you to everyone who helps us in anyway to make these special occasions so special and successful.  In the New Year we would be very happy if more of you would volunteer to help us in someway.  Many of us are too old now to be of much help, we need more young people to help please.   “God loves a willing helper” and we all agree that we get a lot of fun helping out on the various events.  If you would like to help, please get in touch with Joan on 07873390944 or see me in the hall after Mass.  The proceeds of the bags will be equally divided between the children’s liturgy and the parish project, taking homeless children to the pantomime + treat.

There will be an Epiphany Party at St Wilfrid’s at 3pm on 4th January followed by a vigil mass at 5pm.  Tickets are now available at the back of church. They are free but we ask you to only take one if are definitely able to attend as numbers are   limited in the hall. Thank you.

Please wear a warm winter coat to church as we have a heating problem and not sure when it will be fixed.
 

St George’s had a weekend of wonderful preparation for Christmas.   The South Downs Singers performed a sell out concert on Saturday. The church was beautifully decorated and the singing was a fabulous range of sacred and seasonal music. Reviews were highly complimentary with Deacon John requesting a reprise of “Christmas Sanctus” to be incorporated into his homily on Christmas morning. Shirley and Marylou are happy to oblige!  On Monday evening we were honoured to host a Civic Carol Service on behalf of Polegate Town Council.  The Lord Lieutenant, High Sherriff, County and District Council Chairs, plus five Mayors and other dignitaries were in attendance and a warm welcome was extended to all. There was a beautifully prepared service of readings and favourite carols, Two local charities, First Responders and Linking Lives benefitted to donations amounting to £400.  In the hall a splendid buffet prepared by Sandra and her team awaited; table beautifully  decorated, candles glowing adding to a cosy and friendly ambience. The evening is best summed up by an email sent to thank us from Mayor Dan Dunbar. “Sincere thanks for making my vision of the carol service a reality. Without St George’s this would not have been possible.  People were blown away with the refreshments, the Lord Lieutenant saying it was one of the best he has seen.”