Category: Saint George’s latest news

Sunday 13th November, 3pm at St Wilfrid’s Church.

Parents are invited to enrol their children in our First Holy Communion Programme for 2022/3. Application forms to join the programme are available at the back of the church and on the Parish Website. There will be an            introductory meeting for parents and children on October 21^st at 6.30pm in St Wilfrid’s Church Hall, with a view to starting lessons in November.  Please ensure you attend if your child will be wanting to take part in this programme.  Please contact Annette  07839571916, [email protected] or Teresa 07951082592, [email protected] for more information.

Hailsham Methodist are thinking of providing a session once a week to offer warmth and a hot drink to anyone local who needs it given the cost of living rise.  Hailsham Parish Church are looking along similar lines and wondered if our church was doing anything.   So what do we think?

Las Posadas -A Journey Towards Christmas

Would you like to join us on a special journey of Advent Preparation? This year we are adapting the Mexican tradition of Las Pasados which we would like to invite all ages, young and old, to enjoy.

In Mexico “Las Posadas” is celebrated during Advent when villagers carry figures of Mary, Joseph and the donkey from house to house in a re-enactment of their search for lodging in Bethlehem.  The figures are accepted in a different home every night until Christmas Eve, when they are taken to the local church and the baby Jesus is put in the crib in the Nativity Scene.

We have adapted this tradition so that you can now offer to give a home to our own Posada family (small figures of Mary, Joseph and the donkey), who will be looking for “lodging” during Advent. The journey begins on the first Sunday of Advent and will end when the Posadas figures are brought back to the Church in time for our Christmas Masses. One family will take the nativity figures home from church, welcome them into their home with simple prayers and find a place to display them. The next day this family will pack up the figures and travel to a neighbour, who has also agreed to go on this journey with Mary and Joseph.

An important aspect of Las Posadas is to remind us how important we are to each other as a community and to appreciate the kindness of friends and strangers. The giving and the receiving of a little hospitality with families you may not know is an important part of this process. When it is your turn to welcome Mary and Joseph, you and your family will receive the figures at the same time as you welcome the family who has had them for the day before you. They will arrange a time to come to your home and lead the prayers and they will leave the figures with you. You will provide light refreshments (tea, coffee, biscuits…maybe a mince pie). On the following day, you will travel to the next family’s home and this time your family will lead the prayers. You will therefore need to be able to set aside an hour on 2 separate days (once to receive the figures in your home and once to travel with the figures to the next home)

If your family would like to host the Posada family for a night as a reminder of what Christmas is really all about, please add your name to the sign- up sheet at the back of the church before Sunday November 20^th.

We hope you had a Lovely birthday and break away with your family.

Christmas cards are on sale at the back of St. George’s Church.

Can you help with Tea and Coffee after mass one Sunday a month? Speak to Sandra.

“Retrouvaille” is a programme for healing marriages, even when couples are separated, going through divorce, or are divorced. It is never too late when both are willing to try.  Couples work together to learn a better way to relate and live. The virtual programme commences on 13 – 16 October 2022.  Call or text + 44 788 7296983/+44 797 3380443 – email [email protected] or visit www.retrouvaille.org.uk

all 11-19 youth along with their parents/carers are invited to attend our launch event at St George’s Hall Polegate 4pm Sunday 9th October.  More info please speak Anette, Angela, Teresa, Mary B, Mary O, or Sandra after mass.  Or call/text Sandra on 07791 627368.

Last Sunday’s Harvest Masses were extremely successful, donations to the foodbank were generous Eastbourne

confirmed 62.9kilos being received and Hailsham a good haul so far that will be collected w/c10th Oct. 

Please Note: St George’s has a basket for ongoing weekly donations and St Wilfrid’s will continue to collect up to 9th October.  The demands on this local charity to feed those in need are at there highest.

Our Cafod fundraising so far has raised over £320.  St George parishioners’ charity breakfast was delicious and donations were generous.  St Wilfrid’s sale of fresh produce was also extremely fruitful with promises of more payments this week.  Our thanks to all those who gave their time to plan these fundraisers and helped with  baking, donating fresh foods,  serving and selling on the day.  And of course those who attended and bought.

We still have more opportunities to maximise the Parish Harvest support to CAFOD with Next Friday’s Harvest Fast Day (7th October) there  will be a retiring collection next Sunday after mass.  Please collect an envelope.