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Today at our churches

St Leodegar's Church

Today’s Morning Praise service was led by Revd Roger Pullen and focussed on Jesus appearing to two of his followers on the road to Emmaus. It was explained to us that calling Jesus the Lamb of God is a fitting title and we were reminded how Jesus came back to earth after Easter to prove that He is indeed God’s Son.

St Stephen's Church

Revd Roger Pullen led the Holy Communion service. He spoke about the scripture where Jesus appears to the disciples on the road to Emmaus. He talked about the fact that there were two types of kingdoms and powers in play at the time:

The Roman Emperor, seeing himself as a lion or a hawk and wanting to exercise control. He would be riding a war horse.

Jesus, on the other hand, is known as the Lamb of God. He has compassion and wants reconciliation rather than control. He entered Jerusalem on a donkey.

Sunday School was on today. The children made bookmarks. They had lots of fun.

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Easter weekend services

St Leodegar's Church

Easter Sunday

Naomi played for us after St Stephen’s Church with a great choice of worship songs. It was a wonderful service with a good, powerful message from Revd Roger Pullen. Freshly baked Easter biscuits from Chef Sue followed after the service.

St Stephen's Church

Hour at the Cross

The Hour at the Cross, led by Revd Wyn Jones was very moving. He looked at the Cross through the eyes of 3 characters: Caiaphas, Simon of Cyrene and the Roman Centurion in charge of the crucifixion. By giving background to the persons and some dramatisation, the passion story was made very real. Revd Anne Holderness then read the passion from John 18 and 19. Jesus laid down his life for us today. It is not just a story from the past, but very relevant to our lives today. Have you accepted Christ as your Saviour?

Easter Sunday

The Easter Sunday service was led by Revd Wyn Jones. His sermon was on the Resurrection of Christ. The members of the congregation dressed the cross with flowers.

The children had an Easter Egg hunt, they also made an Easter Garden.

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Hawthorn Grove Housing Estate Names

Out of curiosity I called in at the new build site, previously known as Lowlands, when it was a glasshouse nursery off the road between North Mundham and Hunston. As it is in sight of our church, and I had followed the planning application reports, I was interested in finding out what names had been applied to the roadways

Way back, when the Parish Council had been hearing applications, I had been asked to suggest names based on the history of our area. Delighted, I found that the entrance from the main road is called “Merricks” Way, which is taken from the family of that name farmers of a large estate based round Runcton Manor in the late 18th and early 19th century, of which a Richard, was a churchwarden at St Stephen’s Church.

The second family name is that of “Fairs”, a family at the other end of the social scale, led by the vicar’s coachman, but after emigration to Perth in Australia in the early 20th century his son, Jimmy born in North Mundham, had accidentally shot his sister dead when he was just 16 years old. He managed to join the army and fought on the Somme in France, but was killed while carrying out heroic colleague rescues from no man’s land. This surname is used several times.

The third name of historic note is “Moat”, based on the small stretch of remaining water evident from the Church estate history back in the 9th-ish century and is close to the southern rear of the housing site. Although I can’t claim any credit, another name is “Blackberry”. I wonder what names will be given to the second phase of housing roads due to be built next year behind Hawthorn Grove nearer to church year!

Have a look at the churches’ website at the bottom for more information about Stephen’s Church history.

David Coward

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Our joint service on 29 March 2026

Palm Sunday: Joint Service at St Stephen's Church

Revd Nigel Mason took today’s service, Palm Sunday. He pointed out that people called “Hosannah” to Jesus as he entered Jerusalem on the foal of a donkey. The word means “Save”. People were calling out to Jesus to save them! What were they asking Jesus to save them from then? What are we asking Jesus to save us from today?

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Our services on 22 March 2026

St Leodegar's Church

Revd Philip Meader took our service today. He gave a thoughtprovoking and engaging sermon – the raising of Lazarus after four days in the tomb is Jesus greatest miracle, but it is also the seventh sign in the Gospel of John, the sign with the greatest theological significance. Jesus’ raising of Lazarus prefigures our own bodily resurrection. Just as Jesus raises a shout at Lazarus tomb, he will descend from heaven with a shout, calling the dead to burst from their graves.

St Stephen's Church

How do you hear God’s voice? Today’s reading was about the Resurrection of Lazarus. Even after 4 days in the grave, he still heard Jesus’ voice when He called Lazarus from the grave. Revd Wyn Jones mentioned some of the ways in which we can hear God’s voice and challenged us to hear His voice in our own lives.

Little Gems looked at Zaccheus, who met Jesus up a tree! Jesus meets us where we are, and for Zaccheus that was up a tree!

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Remember St Stephen’s Church in your Will

During the month of March 2026, we’re taking some time to think about legacy — what we pass on, and how our faith can bless future generations. We’re joining the national Remember a Charity in Your Will campaign, which encourages people to consider leaving a gift to the causes that have shaped their lives.

Remember St Stephen's Church in your Will

Building a Future of Hope
Every generation faces its own challenges, and every generation needs places of hope. By leaving a gift to the church in your will, you help ensure that this community remains a beacon of light—offering welcome, worship, and practical care to those who will come after us. Your legacy can help the church continue to be a place where faith grows, friendships form, and hope is renewed.

A Future Built Together
St Stephen’s has always been more than a building — it’s a place where neighbours meet, friendships form, and support is found in times of need. By leaving a gift in your will, you help ensure that this shared heart of the community continues to thrive. Your generosity today can help keep local traditions alive, support new initiatives, and make sure the church remains a place of welcome for everyone in the years ahead.

Continuing Your Story of Faith
We each have a story of how God has worked in our lives through this church. By remembering the church in your will, your story becomes part of its future—supporting worship, mission, and care for generations to come. It’s a beautiful way to let your faith live on.

Support What Supports You
If the church has ever been a place you’ve attended an event, found help, or simply enjoyed being part of the community, consider leaving a gift in your will. It’s a meaningful way to strengthen the future of the place that strengthens so many.
(North Mundham Primary School is holding it’s Easter Service in St Stephen’s Church this week.)

A Gift That Keeps Giving
Many of us give faithfully week by week. A  legacy gift is simply an extension of that generosity—a way of ensuring that  the church you love continues to serve, comfort, and inspire long into the  future. Even a small gift can make a lasting difference.

Your Legacy, Your Community
You don’t have to be a regular churchgoer to appreciate what the church brings to local life. We host the Village Lunch  every month, providing friendship and belonging. By remembering the church in your will, you help ensure that support, welcome, and community activities  remain available to all.

Planting Seeds for Tomorrow
Our ministry today stands on seeds planted by others. By including the church in your will, you plant seeds for future generations—children yet unborn, families yet to walk through these doors, and communities yet to be reached with Christ’s love.

Keeping Community Spaces Alive
Many of the things that make our village feel like a community happen in and around the church. A legacy gift — even a modest one — helps protect these shared spaces so they can continue serving everyone.

A Legacy of Faith
Everything we enjoy in this church—its welcome, its worship, its witness—exists because generations before us chose to invest in God’s work. If this church has been a blessing in your life, prayerfully consider remembering it in your will, so that your faith can continue shaping lives long after you’ve gone.

A Gift That Stays Local
Our church hosts a social space in the  community through Café Connect. They provide drinks and home made cakes along  with a warm welcome. If these things matter to you, consider leaving a small  gift in your will to St Stephen’s Church to help keep them going for future  generations.

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