For the fourth year running, Parklands Community Church has organised Advent Windows in both the Flowerdown Park and Locking Parklands communities. Every evening from 1st to 24th December, a different home will unveil a Christmas-themed window display that will stay up until after Christmas. See if you can find all 48 windows!
You can pick up a hard copy of the maps at our Advent Service on 5th December, Parklands Pop-Up Cafe on 11th December, or at the Christmas Trail on 12th December.
Alternatively, you can download an electronic version of the maps here:
As Andy Williams sang – it’s the most wonderful time of the year – as we count down to Christmas Day when we celebrate the birth of Jesus. This Christmas, our theme reminds us that – for all of the other gifts we may give or receive this year – the greatest gift of all is Jesus, whom God gave to us all.
Having spent most of last December in lockdown, we have a number of ways to enjoy the festive season this year, suitable for all ages.
Wednesday 1st-Friday 24th December Advent Windows, various locations
For the fourth year running, Parklands Community Church has organised Advent Windows in both the Flowerdown Park and Locking Parklands communities. Every evening from 1st to 24th December, a different home will unveil a Christmas-themed window display that will stay up until after Christmas. See if you can find all 48 windows! Download the maps from the event’s news page (when posted nearer the 1st), or pick up a paper copy at any of our other Christmas events.
An advent window from 2020
Sunday 5th December, 11am-Noon Advent Service, Parklands Educate Together
As always, we will be holding our monthly gathering at Parklands Educate Together on the first Sunday of the month. There is an all-age mix of craft, singing, prayer and Bible stories from 11am, with refreshments available in the community room on arrival from 10.30am. In December, this will have an Advent theme.
Thursday 9th December Christmas Craft-Bombing, various locations
Some of you may remember crochet stars being hung on the fences at Parklands Educate Together or the Chamberlain Road MUGA last Christmas. This year, we will be hanging crafted Christmas presents up across Parklands on Thursday 9th December (weather permitting). Please feel free to help yourself to one.
Last year’s “Craft Bombing” at the Parklands Educate Together Primary School
Saturday 11th December, 10am-Noon Pop-Up Cafe, Parklands Educate Together
The Parklands Pop-Up Cafe returns to Parklands Educate Together on Saturday 11th December, from 10am til Noon. The monthly cafe offers a place for the community to meet up over a coffee and cake, with free Christmas-themed crafts available for children.
Sunday 12th December, 1-4pm Family Christmas Trail, Flowerdown Park
We are running a Family Christmas Trail on Sunday 12th December from 1-4pm. Hidden in safe, outdoor spaces across Flowerdown Park will be pictures of Christmas Presents, all of which will be numbered. You need to look for the Christmas Present picture that has your map number on it. If you want to take part, you must buy a trail map from Parklands Community Church before 11th December so enough prizes can be bought and enough maps printed.
We’re getting ready to bring some warmth and light to our communities this Hallowe’en with hot chocolate and glow sticks. Message us for more information.
It will have been 581 days since the last Pop-Up Café in March 2020, but on October 9th we will finally be able to open our doors again! Not only that, but they’re new doors, as we’ve moved to the Parklands Educate Together Primary School.
From 10am to noon, you can come along for a chance to meet up with old friends, make some new ones, enjoy a cup of coffee or tea and a yummy cake, and let the kids do a craft.
We’ve missed all of our regular faces over the past 18 months, and look forward to seeing you all again every month. As well as October 9th, we already have cafes booked in for November 13th and December 11th.
With Covid still lingering, we would ask that you wear a mask if you’re moving around the café, crafts will be distributed for children to do at their own tables, and card payments are now accepted and preferred.
As part of the regular four-weekly life of the church, the fourth Sunday of the month is designated as “Social Sunday” – a chance to spend time with one another and get to know each other, with everyone welcome. For this week’s Social Sunday (26th September), we’re taking a stroll at Weston Woods, meeting at the Worlebury Hill car park at 1.15pm. Come join us.
With Covid-19 still disrupting our plans, we won’t be able to be on the green again this Hallowe’en serving hot chocolate and sweets. It’s going to be very different for a lot of us this year, and some people may not be as comfortable opening their doors to Trick or Treaters as in previous years. To help with that, we’ve produced some posters which you can put in your windows or on your doors.
Join us on Saturday 16th November as we join with churches across the UK in hosting Tearfund’s The Big Quiz Night. In 2018, 500 churches and 23,000 people took part in the quiz, and this year we want to be a part of making it even bigger.
Entry is £4 per person or £20 for a team of six, and includes a free hot drink and doughnut. Other refreshments are available to buy on the night, or bring your own. Get your neighbours, friends and family together to form a team and let’s have some healthy competition! Who will be the winner?
Join our Facebook Event for the latest updates, and email claire.parklandscc@gmail.com to reserve your space.
Starting from this coming Thursday (30th May) and for the following eleven days we will be joining with churches across the world in praying Thy Kingdom Come. We will be sharing the theme of the day via our Facebook page, so please get involved and #Pledge2Pray your thoughts and prayers as part of this global prayer movement.
Whether you have joined in Thy Kingdom Come before or not, we invite you to take part this year – along with churches from over 65 different denominations in 114 countries around the world.
Why not come on down to our weekly gathering at The Radio Wing at 11am on Sunday morning and pick up a prayer journal, or download the Thy Kingdom Come daily prayer app from either the App Store or the Play Store.
Following on from the popularity of our Advent Calendar windows back in December, this week we’re launching Easter Egg trails in both Flowerdown and Parklands.
From 14-20 April, take a walk and find the Easter eggs displayed in the windows of the houses on the maps. Each egg contains a word (or two) for you to collect and work out a Bible verse.
Well it wasn’t raining when we set up… but it definitely was by the time we packed down! Thanks to everyone who came out today despite the rain – you definitely earned your chocolate and hot cross buns!
Parklands Community Church 