Our Lady of Lourdes & St Swithun's

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Ascent Group – Events 2021 Timetable

Dear Friends May you be blessed with a happy and hopeful New Year. Although we are still in the midst of illness and restrictions, there are signs of hope as vaccines begin to be rolled out. We thank God for the answers to prayers made right at the beginning of the pandemic, that vaccines would be developed quickly; and we continue to pray for those suffering and for an end to the global crisis.

ADoRE monthly sessions will continue online for the foreseable future, and we are encouraged by many positive reactions already to our 2021 programme plans – see below for information about the year and the January zoom meeting.

2020 has of course been an extraordinary year of challenges, but we praise and thank the Holy Spirit for inspiring and enabling us to respond by initiating new developments throughout the year, as summarised below.

We believe that in 2021, as we continue to worship the Lord ever more deeply, thanking Him for everything He is doing, we will see His glory shining ever more brightly and many more people experiencing Him at work in their lives.

Alastair and the Core Group

The Table below show all our activity for 2021 in general outline.

Please note that while we are under Covid restrictions all meetings will be via ZOOM online. Visit our website for registration and log on details each month.

Register NOW for our mini-retreat morning on Zoom and, through our worship at Mass, Adoration of the Blessed Sacrament, prophetic reflection, praise and inspiring talk, we will find out how the Lord is equipping us to share his Good News with the world through the “Baptism in the Holy Spirit” – His empowerment, which is a current of grace for the whole Church.

DateRegister by ZoomTopicGuest Speakers
January 23rd 2021 10ammini-retreat morning on Zoom  “God's Love” God loves you; He wants to be in a personal relationship with you and to give you a better life. Charles Whitehead, respected international speaker and author; former chair of International Catholic Charismatic Renewal Service.
February 27th 2021 10amZoom"Salvation". God sent his Son Jesus to give you new life through his death and resurrection. Jesus is your Lord and Saviour. Fr Paul Leonard, Parish Priest at Sacred Heart, Hook. Mass celebrant at Celebrate Southampton Conference.
March 27th 2021 10amZoom“New Life” Jesus came so that you could be given the source of new life, the Holy Spirit. Jenny Baker. Vice Chair of Renewal Services England; Celebrate conference co-ordinator and speaker; presenter of CaFE Catholic faith exploration DVDs.
April 24th 2021 10am
Zoom"Receiving God's Gift." To receive new life you must turn away from those things which block our relationship with God and accept Jesus as your Lord. Peter Hobbs, leader of Parish formation and confirmation courses.
May 22nd 2021 10amZoom"Praying for Baptism in the Holy Spirit." Surrender to the Lord and expect to receive the new life in the Holy Spirit.Fr Anthony Meredith, Vicar General of the Institute of Charity (the Rosminians) and former Chaplain to ADoRE.
June 26th 2021 10amZoom"Growth." Grow your Christian life in the Spirit through prayer, study, service and community. Carol Ann Harnett, independent trainer in forming adults as catechists. Formerly with the Maryvale Institute and School of the Annunciation.
July 24th 2021 10amZoomTransformation in Christ. The Holy Spirit is at work in you to change you and make you holier.Maria Heath, Chair of Charismatic Renewal Services England and a passionate speaker on making parishes more missionary.
August 21st: 2021 10amZoom “Gifts of the Holy Spirit." The Holy Spirit gives a variety of gifts to enable you to be Jesus to others. Special focus on charisms of Tongues and Miracles. Fr. Gareth Leyshon, working with the Sion Community to train parish missionaries.
September 18th 2021 10amZoom“Healing through the Holy Spirit." Special focus on the charisms of healing and deliverance. Geoff and Gina Poulter former directors of the Catholic Bible School with over 25 years healing ministry experience.
October 23rd 2021 10amZoom “Guidance of the Holy Spirit." Jesus promised the Spirit will guide you into all truth. Special focus on charisms of Wisdom, Prophecy and Discernment. Kristina Cooper, conference speaker and former editor of Good News Magazine .
November 27th 2021 10amZoom“Fruit of the Holy Spirit." As you give the Spirit more control of your life, he grows you to look like Jesus. Andrew Lawrence. Lead Elder of Harvest Church, Alton and part of the leadership team of Commission, an international family of churches.

Meeting Formats

Mini-retreat for spiritual renewal with Mass, Adoration, prophetic reflection, praise, inspiring talk and sharing. With guest speaker international Catholic renewal leader, author and speaker Charles Whitehead.
Topic:  see the table for list of monthly topics

Part of our 2021 programme: “ALIVE IN THE SPIRIT -filled with all the fullness of God.” We explore how the Holy Spirit inspires and empowers us to be missionary disciples.

TIMETABLE (approx)

10.00 Mass celebrated by Fr. Anthony Meredith,
followed by Adoration
10.50 Prophetic reflection
11.15 Praise and worship
11.30 Talk by Charles Whitehead
12.15 Prayer for renewal in the Holy Spirit
12.30 Testimony and Sharing in groups
13.00 Finish

Testimony from participant: “As always, the power of the Holy Spirit was not diminished by the fact that we could not be physically together. This is to me the most remarkable thing about Adore online. The event is well organised and presented.”

CLICK HERE FOR THE Adore 2021 Poster

CLICK HERE FOR THE ADORE WEBSITE:

 

Message from the Ascent Group due to Covid

Dear Ascent Group

As you are aware we have not met as a group in St Swithuns church hall  since February this year due to the restrictions imposed by  the Corona virus situation. The full year,2020, had been booked for meetings and outings and it is considered that we may be able to pick up on this programme in the next year, 2021. This of course would be dependent on any imposed restrictions due to the continuation of the virus then! An encouraging email from Paula Conrad (Our Southwark Region Vice President) is in part reproduced below.

‘Dear All – What a very long time it has been since we were all in touch.

I wonder how you have been coping with the lockdown.  I am endeavouring to put together a small Journal as it is important to keep everyone informed and united.
If you have anything of interest that you feel would make an interesting article for the winter Journal, I would be so happy to receive it.  During these months, people have been developing forgotten skills or neighbourliness or helping others in special ways.  Please do let me know of anything you feel others would like to hear about. (Contact Paula on Tel. 020 8653 5206)
Whether you have met or otherwise I Send you all my very best wishes and praying all will be well very soon. God be close to us all – Paula'”

Ascent Group – Events 2020 Timetable

Robert Steward and his wife Eileen are the joint leaders of the Ascent Group (Life Ascending) and it will be our 10th year as such in 2020.

There is printed blurb available on the Ascent Groups purpose but sufficient to say that it is a Catholic-Christian Fellowship Group for those in their later years for friendship, fellowship, interesting talks, outings and devotional readings, hymns and prayers. All of our group are pensioners and generally frequent daily mass attendees.

The Table below show all our activity for next year in general outline.

In Outline – For 2020 there is no meeting in January, meetings in the Church Hall for Feb. March and April on the 4th Monday of the month from 2-15pm.
In May an outing. In June and July meetings in the Church Hall. In August a garden tea party or an outing.
In September, October and November meetings in the Church Hall and in December a pre-Christmas lunch outing. Other outings may be arranged.

DateStarts atLocationTopicGuest Speakers
January 2020NO MEETINGS IN January 2020
February 24th Monday 20202:15pmSt Swithun's Church HallHampshire Search & Rescue – Different type of VolunteerTrevor Vidler [trevor.vidler@hantsar.org]- (Collection)
The first Ascent meeting this year 2020 will take place in the Church Hall on Monday February the 24th from 2-15pm. The guest speaker talk and presentation will be on the “Hampshire Search and Rescue”, a voluntary registered charity that assists the police and other agencies in searching for vulnerable missing persons. All welcome to attend this event.
March 23rd Monday 20202:15pmSt Swithun's Church HallSt John AmbulanceChristine Atkinson-County President Hants and Mrs Beverley Stotesbury OStJ Cert Ed –Training [christinepatkinson@gmail.com]- 07944 036478&– 01420 588328 (Collection)
April 27th Monday 2020
2:15pmSt Swithun's Church Hall(Portsmouth History -Talk TBDDr John Stedman, Portsmouth Library & Archives Service )
john.steadman@portsmouthcc.gov.uk- (Donation)
May 2020 - TBD2:15pmNo Hall Meeting –Trip to be arrangedProposed trip to TBDBus Hire £? – Entry per person £? Arrive for ?am (Lunch self funding)
June 22nd Monday 20202:15pmSt Swithun's Church HallThe Historic Knit Joyce Meader
Tel- 02380265625 - (Donation)
July 27th Monday 20202:15pmSt Swithun's Church HallSecond Talk- History of SouthamptonAndrew Negus
negusday@googlemail.com - (Donation)
August 2020 - TBD2:15pmNo Hall Meeting –August Tea to be arrangedGarden Party or Trip TBD (Collection for Church Funds)
September 28th Monday 20202:15pmSt Swithun's Church Hall‘Talk TBD’ –
October 26th Monday 20202:15pmSt Swithun's Church Hall‘Talk TBD’ –
November 23rd Monday 20202:15pmSt Swithun's Church Hall“Musical Entertainment” Norman & Dave Folk Guitar
02392 731578 (Donation for Lotus & Rowans )
December 2020 - TBD2:15pmNo Hall Meeting - Pre-Christmas Sunday Lunch“Pre-Christmas Sunday Carvery Lunch” Royal Beach Hotel 12-30 for 1pm

Meeting Formats

Meetings follow the pattern of starting with a hymn and the Ascent Group prayer and then a guest speaker on a topic that may be on an aspect of the Faith or an interesting subject or a Charity.
After tea, biscuits and question and answer time the speaker generally leaves and our meeting continues with our agenda topics, spiritual readings, prayers and final hymn.

 

St Swithun’s Parents and Toddlers Group 2020

Parents Toddlers Group

Look forward to seeing you next Tuesday 

Have you pre-school children? Why not come and join our happy Parent and Toddler Group which is held on Tuesday mornings (term time) from 9.15 to 11.15 am. Singing and playing for the children and a cup of tea for you the parent or carer. Look forward to seeing you on Tuesdays.

Baby and toddler groups are a great place to meet mums with children your child’s age, and your child can make new friends too. The groups are run by volunteers and provide a great play opportunity for you child and a chance for mums to make new friends too.

Location: St Swithun’s Church Hall

Date: Every Tuesday from 9:00am to 11:15am

 

Other Useful Information:

NetMums in Hampshire

Safeguarding in the Portsmouth Diocese – Read Here

Safeguarding Training – The Diocese requires ALL who work with children & young people to attend Safeguarding Training in order to fulfil their Ministry. They run regular courses for this. Contact Soraya on 02392 816396 or soraya@portsmouthdiocese.org.uk

Why Not come and join us

 

Ascent Group – A visit to the Southsea Group

A visit to the Southsea Group

The majority of our groups are far flung from each other. The Southsea/ Hampshire group definitely falls into this category. For many years they would link up with the Winchester group until Margaret Guppy finally closed the group and then Southsea were out on a limb.

Robert and Eileen Steward, the group leaders, invited me to visit St Swithun’s on 24 June to explain how Life Ascending began and perhaps give the members some ‘hot news’ and encouragement. That day the weather forecast suggested huge thunderstorms and torrential rain but thank God, all we got was some soft rain.

St Swithun’s (1908) is a beautiful Gothic style church and the old school building is now part of the parish. On arrival, I received a warmwelcome and was shown into the huge hall where 20 seats had been set out for our meeting. These soon filled up with enthusiastic members, smiling and ready to listen and participate. Robert suggested we sing ‘Holy, holy, holy Lord God Almighty’ followed by the Life Ascending prayer then the floor was mine. To trace back over 40 years and explain the growth of the movement, our involvement in the different International meetings, our celebrations and ways of promoting the movement under five different presidents, plus the increase and decrease of groups was certainly quite a task.

The Holy Spirit always works overtime at these moments and I could not believe the way my talk came together with few notes. The words of St. Luke [12 v11-13] “Do not worry about what you are to say, for the Holy Spirit will teach you at that moment, what you should say” are so true.

Elizabeth organised the tea, which had been laid out on crisp white cloths. All sorts of treats awaited us; not only fresh cream scones, topped with strawberries but two homemade cakes decorated with ‘Life Ascending’. The table was long enough for all 20 of us to sit down and relax before the group’s regular meeting took place. Molly read a prayer about lighting a candle, followed by Eileen reading about St Therese of Lisieux and Robert telling everyone about a proposed visit to the New Forest which included a cream tea. In no time he had a queue of members waiting to book their place on the mini-bus.

Nevin composed a lovely prayer to complete the afternoon, with everyone helping to clear up and then bidding farewell to their friends.
I was so pleased to meet everyone and sense the happiness the members enjoy at St Swithuns. The vibrancy of this group was inspirational and I returned home
with every hope for the future of our movement.

Paula Conrad – Editor

Life Ascending – A Catholic movement of the Church

Life Ascending is a Catholic movement for men and women in their middle and  later years. Life Ascending has three aims: Spirituality Friendship and Mission

Life Ascending welcomes all Christians and their friends of other faiths, who have that extra time to reflect, hope, to grow in faith and smile

Christ’s message in the Gospels is at the heart of the meeting and reveals new insights into all that Christ is saying to us at this stage of our lives. Sharing the Good News and our joys, concerns, experiences and activities can bring great happiness and peace of heart.

Here, within the parish group,  friendships develop as members pray and share various concerns and resolve them,  like untying a knot and then letting things go.   The time spent together is valuable and bears fruit as we find ways to help others, in the family, the Church and our local community.  Laughter and fun is key when we meet. It prevents the Life Ascendinmeeting becoming too, too serious and lifts the spirit.

Our Winter 2019 Journal is published

Our Winter Journal 2019 is now ready to be viewed as a pdf. Look at the publications page under Information. It is hoped that there is enough interest in the Journal for both members and non-members. So much depends on contributions of articles, prayers, anecdotes and more.

 

Robert Steward and his wife Eileen are the joint leaders of the Ascent Group (Life Ascending) and it will be our 10th year as such in 2020.

 

 


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