Free of charge
NUMBER 109
Parish news from north of Petersfield to the Isle of Wight
JUNE 2012
Charity worker finds out A new way of training
the difference we make our lay ministers
CHURCHES
SHARE THE
SPIRIT OF
OLYMPICS
My Faith: page 12
IT will be the sporting
and cultural highlight of
the summer – and our
churches are poised to
get involved.
The London Olympics 2012
will be watched by eight million
people live, and billions more
worldwide. More than 10,000 athletes will compete in 26 sports
over 19 days in July and August.
Our churches are planning
Olympic-themed holiday clubs, special services and sporting
events, using the
enthusiasm for the
Games to help share
more about God.
And
before
the
Games start, 8,000 inspirational people will
carry the Olympic torch
around the UK. It will travel 8,000
miles in 70 days – and Portsmouth
is one of 66 locations for a special
evening celebration as the torch
passes through the city.
Sydney Dean MBE, from St
Barnabas Church, Swanmore, is
one of those who will carry the
torch. The 86-year-old will jog
through Boscombe, just outside
Bournemouth on July 14 after he
was nominated by city councillors
Therese Evans and Frank Pearson
for his charity work.
After 40 years in the Navy, he
has devoted his retirement to raising money for good causes. He
has organised balls for the Mayor
of Winchester’s charities for the
past nine years, re-launched the
Swanmore Fete to raise
money for the village’s
holiday club and
helped the Paterson
Centre to be built
next to the church.
“It will be a wonderful honour to
carry the torch,” he
said. “I like the charity work because I
think I enjoying
organising things.”
And Therese Evans said:
“Sydney is ‘Mr Swanmore’ and
has raised thousands of pounds for
local and national charities. I cannot think of a more deserving person to carry the Olympic flame.”
The Torch Relay will also pass
Reader ministry: pages 8-9
through Totland Bay, Yarmouth,
Newport and Cowes on July 14,
then go the next day via Fareham
and Gosport to Portsmouth. It will
even be visible on the Gosport
Ferry just before 6pm that day. It
will be carried via central
Portsmouth to the evening celebration on Southsea Common.
Church leaders hope to provide a ‘quiet zone’ on Southsea
Common for those who need time
out from the celebrations, for
prayer ministry, and to act as a
base for Street Pastors, who will
be on duty. Around 20,000 people
are expected to turn out for the
event, from 4pm on July 15.
They also hope to provide
musicians for the Praise Bus
which is following the Torch
Relay from Land’s End, and to
take part in a Prayer Relay in
which church leaders hand a baton
to the next venue hosting the
Olympic Flame. After the
Southsea Common celebration,
there will be worship at St Jude’s,
Southsea, from 8pm.
The next day sees the Olympic
flame leave Portsmouth and head
for Petersfield in its journey
Sydney Dean gets into training for the Torch Relay
towards the Olympic Stadium.
Portsmouth, on July 5, St Mary
Once the Olympics start, there Magdalen Sheet, on July 22, St
will be a variety of other activities. Jude’s, Southsea, on August 11,
The annual Denmead Activities and Holy Trinity, Fareham on a
and Bible School (DABS) holiday date to be confirmed.
club will have an Olympic theme
Organiser Chris Cox said: “The
when it meets from August 14-17. team with the highest score wins a
Their theme is ‘Champions!’ and prize but we will also give out
they’ll teach children how Jesus individual prizes for fair play,
‘ran the race’ for God. Find out encouragement, perseverance and
more on www.allsaintsdenmead teamwork. The focus is on fun but
learning sporting values such as
hampshire.org.uk/dabs.
And the Christian organisation winning with humility, losing with
Spirit in Sport, based at St Jude’s, dignity, teamwork and fair play.”
And Clare Wood, from St
Southsea, will run Olympicthemed sports events at churches Cuthbert’s in Copnor, will be part
from June until August. Congreg- of the team of dancers involved in
ations will be urged to invite chil- the Opening Ceremony at the
dren from local schools – and their Olympic Stadium on July 27. Read
more about her on page 12.
parents – to join team games.
For details of Olympics activiThey’ll be at the Church of the
Good Shepherd, Crookhorn, on ties and resources for your church,
June 15, St Peter’s, Titchfield on see www.portsmouth.anglican.
June 26, St Mary’s and St Faith’s, org/olympics.