Welcome to the Parish Church of St Peter & St Paul
St Osyth Church, Church Square, St Osyth, Clacton on Sea, Essex, Co16 8NU Charity No. 249505 (St Osyth PCC)
St Osyth Parish Church is a beautiful building which lies in the centre of the village. Whether you are a member of a congregation or a visitor, or just passing and drawn by spiritual need we hope you will find our Church a welcoming and uplifting place to be. You will not be visiting a museum but a lively centre of worship and music. It is a happy, special place and we hope you will join us both in worship and in the many activities that are organised here at St Peter and St Paul. You are very welcome at any of our services and we trust you will find peace, joy and friendship within our inclusive and enthusiastic Church family.
Services for February 2025
Thursday 13th February 2025
10am Holy Communion Service led by Rev’d. Sharon Guest
Sunday 16th February 2025 – 3rd Sunday before Lent
11am A Non Eucharistic Service led by Captain Mike Milne
Sunday Club
Refreshments will be served in the Church room after the Service
Thursday 20th February 2025
10am Holy Communion Service led by Rev’d. Sharon Guest
Sunday 23rd February 2025 – 2nd Sunday before Lent
11am Holy Communion Service led by Rev’d, Sharon Guest
Sunday Club
Refreshments will be served in the Church room after the Service
Thursday 27th February 2025
10am Holy Communion Service led by Rev’d. Sharon Guest
Church Address:
St Osyth Parish Church, Church Square, St Osyth, Clacton on Sea, Essex, CO16 8NU
Reg Charity No: 249505
Vicar:
Rev’d. Sharon Guest
01255 235700
Email: sharonguest07@btinternet.com
For all General Enquiries, Baptisms, Weddings and Funerals please contact Rev’d. Sharon Guest.
Rev’d. Sharon will be having a rest day on Fridays, if you do contact her on this day she will get back to you as soon as possible.
Churchwarden:
Tony Page
07730956414
Email:churchwarden@stosythparishchurch.co.uk
PCC Secretary
Belinda Liddle
Email: pccsecretary@stosythparishchurch.co.uk
Administrator
Emma Charnock
Email: info@stosythparishchurch.co.uk
Children’s Ministry
Dianne Pile
01255 820843
Church Music and Choir
Fiona Bodmer
Bell Ringing
Helen Bridgman
07966 014511
helen.bridgman@bridgman-consulting.co.uk
Parish Magazine
Michelle Morris
Pastoral Lead
Dianne Pile 01255 820843
Flowers
Brenda Lord 01255 820458
Church Notices
WELCOME
We are very pleased to Welcome the Reverend Sharon Guest and her husband Reverend Ernie Guest to St.Osyth and to our new Priory Benefice. We hope that they will both be very happy here. Rev’d. Sharon will be taking regular Services in the Parish Church, so please do join us.
Rev’d. Sharon was Installed and Inducted into our Parish on Tuesday 21st January. The service was lovely and the Church was full. It was lovely to give Rev’d. Sharon such a warm welcome.
We would also like to Thank everyone that helped in the run up and with the service, especially those who arranged flowers, made cakes and bakes, who organised and served the refreshments and all those who helped to tidy away after.
Your help is very much appreciated, however big or small.
Rev’d. Sharon will be leading the Thursday Service at St.Osyth every week and will be leading the Sunday services in all the Parishes in the Priory Benefice regularly. Please check the top of this page for regular service updates.
THE CHURCH CHRISTMAS FAYRE
The Church Christmas Fayre opened with the Bell Ringers, led by Tower Captain Helen Bridgman, working hard to give us a merry display on the 6 Bells in the Tower. Many thanks all of you for coming in.
We had 25 Stalls laid out in the Church by 8 volunteers. Nine Stalls were raising money directly for the Church & fifteen Commercial Stalls had local people selling their products, including one enterprising teenager. The Church looked really colourful & there was a fantastic Community atmosphere.
Goods on sale included Bric-a-brac; laser printed wood & plastic items; cosmetics; wax melts; handbags; jewellery; hair accessories; (with local honey as a bonus) as well as crocheted & knitted items. With Mulled Wine & mince pies, tea & coffee to boost you up, accompanied by delicious cakes your morning was almost superb. If we add to that the Bottle & Children’s Tombola’s as well as the chance to take tasty savoury or scrumptious cakes home for a treat your day was complete.
The wonderful Christmas Raffle organised by Lois & Nicole was full of bumper prizes to take home if your ticket won.
There was a chance for quiet reflection to remember your loved ones by writing an inscription on a Christmas Angel & making a donation to the Church. Jenny & Peter will be in the Church Room every Saturday morning until Christmas if you would like to write your own messages. Also take time to walk through Church Square & see the beautiful fir tree festooned with Christmas Angels.
Father Christmas visited us during the morning with his Elf & enjoyed chatting to a lot of the children.
The approximate total taken at the Fayre was over £3000. There are still donations being received & the amounts paid using the Sumup machines to be added. I will give you a total as soon as I can.
Many thanks to everyone for their hard work including the clearing up team, of 8 volunteers, who got the Church cleaned & all chairs, bibles & hymn books back in their proper place.
We are very lucky to have so many willing people to help at the events that we put on.
My final thanks goes to St Osyth villagers & people in the wider Tendring area for coming in & spending their money & having fun.
Sunny Bissenden
Church Floor Restoration
After years of behind the scenes work the Church floor has now been restored to its original pine colour. It has made a big change to the Church. We would like to thank everyone that helped to move the furniture, chairs and equipment before and after the restoration. Two special thanks to Sonia for all her hard work to make sure this happened! And to Ray Crosier who replaced 816 chair leg protectors and installed replacement pine blocks on the floor.
Pictures below of Before and After.
Administration of the Communion Sacraments from 22nd September 2024
Information from the Revd. Canon Laurie Bond (Area Dean):
Bishop Guli (Diocesan Bishop) sent an “Ad Clerum” message out a few weeks ago, saying that we must revert to using the chalice and patten separately and end the general practice of intinction.
Below I have copied some instructions from the Church of England website, which, in a longer way, repeat the same message.
When distributing communion, we should therefore:
- Distribute the bread to each individual (gluten free where requested)
- Distribute the wine via the chalice
Communicants may decide that they only wish to receive the bread and not use the chalice, at which point they could return to their seat after receiving the bread.
Communicants must not intinct their wafers.
The intinction of wafers by the priest should not continue.
Remembrance Service – THANK YOU
A BIG thank you to all those who attended the Remembrance Service on 10th November 2024. Over 240 people attended, a special mention to all those who helped and supported the service.
The collection raised £583.66 which will be donated to the Royal British Legion Poppy Appeal.
Tony Page
A Great Result!
Very many thanks to Anne Witten, the team of ladies and Danny Wright who with the many people who attended raised £402.00 for the Salvation Army Food Bank.
As many of you know village residents support the Food Bank on a weekly basis, but it was brought to our notice that demand is such that the Salvation Army are having to buy food. A request was made, would we consider raising much needed funds and this we did on the 9th March. It was a really enjoyable morning for us all and so good that we were supporting the Salvation Army.
THE SALVATION ARMY FOOD BANK
Please do keep donating items in 2025 for the Clacton Food Bank. You can leave them just inside the Church, by the right hand pillar, during the times when it is open. All donations are always gratefully received, but please make a note of their specific requests below.
The Salvation Army says that they are still seeing increasing numbers at the food bank. From the Trussell Trust website, items most needed in Clacton now are:
Tinned fruit; Tinned & pkt Custard; Long Life Milk; UHT Fruit Juice; Instant Mash; Tinned Sponge Puddings; Small Jar/Packet Instant Coffee; Hot Chocolate Powder
THE PARISH GIVING SCHEME
We signed up to the Parish Giving Scheme (PGS) a good few years ago and many of our congregation give through this scheme. It is free for the church as the diocese covers the admin costs. It is a simple and secure way for our church to receive gifts and donations at services, by monthly, quarterly or annually by Direct Debit. You can give anonymously if you prefer.
If you are a UK tax payer, gift aid of 25% will be added to your giving. Win-win!
It is simple to change the amount you give too. We have PGS packs available.
Just ask Tony, Sonia or Chris!
You can visit https://www.parishgiving.org.uk/donors/find-your-parish/st-osyth-st-peter-st-paul-clacton-on-sea/
or
Scan the QR code opposite which will direct you to the Parish Giving website.
Sum Up Machine.
We now have Sum Up machines in Church! You can now donate and pay for items in Church by card.
PASTORAL CARE
If you are interested in developing your pastoral care skills you may be attracted to the Part 1 Pastoral Care Course, which could lead you to becoming an Authorised Pastoral Assistant in the Diocese. More details, a contact and how to apply can be found on the information sheet at the back of the church.
Pastoral Team – looking after – the needs of our church family
Please talk to Dianne Pile (or phone 820843) about anyone who is sick, would like communion in their own home or just a visit which she will organise. Dianne is also sending cards to church members on behalf of the church.
Pew Sheet Diary and Notices
Please contact Emma, Church Administrator regarding the Diary and Notices. Please email: info@stosythparishchurch.co.uk as required, also copying in Sonia, email: sonia.grantham@me.com by latest Wednesday 5pm.
Pew Sheet prayers: Please also let Chris and Sonia know of anyone who can be taken off or be added to the list.
LOCKING OF THE CHURCH
Please note that from 29th October 2024 the church will be locked at 1.30pm on Sundays and 3.30pm Monday – Saturday.
POP IN
Do Pop In to Church on a Saturday morning between 10-11.30am.
for refreshments and good company in the warm Church Room .
If you would like to help with the refreshments that would be wonderful.
Just come along and tell us or phone Anne 01255 821661
All enquiries please contact Rev’d. Sharon Guest. Tel: 01255 235700. If she is unavailable, please contact the Church Warden, Mr Tony Page. Tel: 07730956414, email: churchwarden@stosythparishchurch.co.uk
For Pew Sheet Notices and Diary entries please contact Emma Charnock by Wednesday 5pm – email: info@stosythparishchurch.co.uk
For Admin please contact Mrs Emma Charnock – email: info@stosythparishchurch.co.uk
PCC Secretary – pccsecretary@stosythparishchurch.co.uk
Safeguarding – contact Tony Page – churchwarden@stosythparishchurch.co.uk
Church Outreach – Parish Welcome Pack Anyone moved in near you?
Has anyone moved in near you? If so, there is a supply of the packs available at the back of the church for you to deliver. Please add the date, your name and the address of the recipient in the book provided so we have a record. You might like to also pop a Toosey News through their letter box too if there are spares on the table. Or better still why not knock on the door and take the opportunity to introduce yourself to your new neighbours.
