Each year we are given the opportunity to step back from the routines and busyness of life and spend some time in reflecting on our faith as we prepare for our celebration of Easter. The season of Lentencourages us to give up some things and create some space to enable us to be aware of God and his love for us. We hope you will find a way to join with us in the Parish as we ‘Watch and Pray’ and seek the restorative love of God in our lives...Click the Download button to open the full newsletter in your browser ...
Follow the Star – join the Song in Fratton!This year the Church of England is inviting us all to ‘Follow the Star and join the song’ as we prepare to celebrate ChristmasIn Fratton at St Mary’s Church we will be inviting a variety of local schools and groups and the wider community to come and join the song with us. We will be hosting a great variety of Carol Services and Christmas Events. There is almost one very day of December upt o Christmas Day (our own version of an Advent calendar!)There will be gatherings of local schools (as well as Parish clergy sharing in celebrations in other local schools); Veterans Groups; the Portsmouth Music Hub; Portsmouth Choral Union; Royal Marine School of Music (with 2 concerts) and the News.Father Bob, Vicar of St Mary’s says :Each year we enjoy the variety of ways in which we hear and see the Christmas story retold, and the enjoyment all who come have in signing the carols. This year we are aware of the challenges being faced by many in our world both at a global, local and personal level and we hope our celebrations will help to bring some comfort, hope and peace into our lives. We hope may will want to come and ‘join the song!’The highlights are Mon Dec 4th 7pm District Scout Christingle – some 500 Explorers, Scouts, Cubs. Beavers, Squirrels, leaders and families will gather to celebrate the Christmas story and think about how they can bring light into darkness.Fri Dec 8th 5.30pm The News Christingle – local celebrities; schools and the whole community come and enjoy exploring the story of the Christingle and show how each of us holding a light can change the darkness around us.Sat Dec 9th 6pm Our Parish Choir will be singing for the Lord Mayor and Lady Mayoress at the Guildhall to support their Appeal for the yearThurs Dec 14th/ Fri 15th 7.30pm Royal Marine School of Music Christmas ConcertFri Dec 15th Noon The Comfort and Joy Carol Sing In – local agencies and those they work with gather to enjoy singing some carols and thinking about what Christmas means to them. As part of this the Gift Vouchers that have been donated will be distributed t the agencies to share with those on the margins at Christmas.Tues Dec 19th 6pm come and join the choir and members of the congregation as we spend an hour singing carols around the local streets Fri Dec 22nd 7pm The Traditional service of 9 Lessons and Carols led by our Choir – followed by Sherry and Mince Pies.Sun Dec 24th 5pm Our young families and choir will share the Nativity Story with everyone 11.30pm The Midnight Mass will be celebrated as we sing with joy at the birth of Jesus Mon Dec 25th 10am A service for Christmas day when we will give thanks for the greatest present that has been given ..
You are invited to join us (and Christians across the county) as we mark the season by following the Star and preparing to sing with joy at the light, life, and peace Jesus brings. Click the Download button to read the newsletter.
The SUN will be shining for a whole week on November 16th -22nd, as a giant illuminated art installation comes to St Mary’s Church!For the first time ‘SUN’, an ambitious and unique experience created from a collaboration between astrophysicists and artists, will be seen on the south coast. You can see visit the SUN at St Mary’s Church, Fratton Road, Portsmouth, PO1 5PA on the 16th from 7.30-9.00pm, and on the 17th- 22nd between 5.00pm-9.00pmUsing data from NASA’s Solar Dynamic Observatory, leading UK solar astrophysicist Professor Robert Walsh and artist Alex Rinsler came together to create the breathtaking 7-metre floating model of the Sun. This, combined with an original soundscape from electroacoustic composer Ebe Oke, will provide visitors to St Mary’s with an opportunity to wonder at the beauty of our universe It has been brought to Portsmouth by St Mary’s Church in partnership with Fratton Big Local and will be part of the 8th annual Festival of Light. This year’s much-loved Lantern Parade is on Friday Nov 17th, leaving the Victory Business Centre at 7pm, and processing down Fratton Road, being lead by the Batala Portsmouth samba band, who will also be playing Under the SUN at 8.15pm.This is just one of the free events and family-friendly science talks happening under the SUN at St Mary’s Church during the installation. Others include:* “Save Money, Save the Planet” – Day time Saturday 18th* Living with our very own star – talk by Professor Walsh – evening Saturday 18th* SOLAR: Live music under the SUN - Sunday 19th* Yoga under the SUN - Monday 20th* Dance under the SUN - Wednesday 22nd There is no charge to see the SUN but there will be opportunities to make donations to help support future projects in and for the community of Fratton.Professor Walsh from the University of Central Lancashire, who will be attending the event, said: “You see a full representation of the sun with no computer generation. We like people to walk under SUN and experience the ‘wow’ factor.“SUN was premiered in Autumn 2019 before lockdown, but the team have only started to take the installation on tour in 2022. We see SUN as a vehicle for people to explore and learn something new about their place in space and the connection to our closest star.’This is not the first time St Mary’s has been home to a spectacular light installation. Over the last two years, the church has become a venue for bright new exhibitions including Where There is Light, an immersive experience reflecting on the refugee experience; Ship of the Gods, a projected tour through a mythical ship and maritime history; and another extraterrestrial exhibit in the Museum of the Moon.Commenting on this, Father Bob, Vicar of St Mary’s and Chair of Fratton Big Local, said:‘After the amazing Museum of the Moon last year and the thousands of people who came to experience it, we are delighted that this year we have been able to welcome SUN. It has never been seen on the south coast and we are looking forward to welcoming the local community and beyond to come and enjoy the stunning installation in a beautiful space.’To find out more about SUN visit https://www.facebook.com/profile.php?id=61551611827904 or (from Mnday 6th) https://www.portseaparish.co.uk/event/sun/,