13th April 2023
Carbon Footprint Calculator
As part of the Eco Church award which we are working towards, St George’s is inviting you to use a Carbon footprint calculator to see what your impact is on the environment and to give suggestions to reduce it. These are a few we’ve found, you may like to use a different one. Do let us know how you get on! We don’t need to know the results, but we’d be delighted to hear from those who have engaged with this.
Many thanks in advance
The Eco Church Group.
This one is free, secure and gives results without the need to give your email address. Quite detailed info needed though.
https://www.carbonfootprint.com/calculator.aspx
A nice, quick, easy calculator but it needs an email address to get the results and you effectively sign up for newsletters but can unsubscribe at any point.
https://footprint.wwf.org.uk/#/questionnaire
Secure, comprehensive, asks you for an email address if you want to but you get a summarised report anyway. Offers good ways to reduce your carbon footprint which are personalised to your answers. This is the best in our opinion!
https://carbon-calculator.climatehero.me/?source=GoogleKeywords&gclid=CjwKCAiAxvGfBhB-EiwAMPakqibqdzpzexkCOpIvlRq2QyDR1dVuIeGvgJ4qZRRUJWRCbuHyleLNuBoCeEIQAvD_BwE
Scams and Tricksters - We have been warned by the Diocese that Churches and their congregations are being targeted by fraudsters, so please be alert. The latest scam is an email, purportedly from the Vicar or some other trusted Church Official, asking the recipient to contribute to a secret and discreet gift collection for a church member by purchasing Amazon Vouchers, and sending the voucher codes in reply.
Any church fundraising activity will have appeared in the Sunday Bulletin, you can view both current and past copies on the church website HERE.
There are people who have lost huge sums of money by being scammed by someone purporting to be the Police, or from a Bank, saying perhaps that an account has been compromised and persuading the withdrawal of cash or transfer of funds to another account. Never withdraw cash or transfer money on instructions of any ‘Officials’ or your Bank. They will be fraudsters who are persuasive and creating a sense of urgency. Remember you have done nothing to cause an account to be comprised, so it is the Bank’s problem not yours! So stop, allow time for some calm thought, and before doing anything contact us for advice.
There have been scam emails going around purportedly from NHS about COVID vaccinations and vaccination status. You will never be asked to pay for a vaccine or to establish your vaccination status. The NHS will never ask for Bank or Card details, PIN numbers or passwords, or for documents to prove your identity.
Never expose bank or credit card details in response to an email or on the telephone to anyone who has called you, and be suspicious if they suggest you call back - you can still get caught out. Under no circumstances ever give your PIN number to anyone else - even to your bank. Never open an email attachment from an unexpected, suspicious or unknown source.
If in any doubt forward emails, or describe and detail any other approaches (e.g., by telephone/text) to: webmaster@stgeorges.church and we will advise if it is a scam. Do this before doing anything else!
19th April 2024
Bulletin and Reading Sheet for Sunday 21st April
The Bulletin and Reading Sheet for Sunday 21st April 2024 are now available to download, read and print out HERE.
My grateful thanks again to Jo Horner for piecing together the bulletin for me this week.
APCM - This week is our APCM.
After the 10AM eucharist we will have a break in church for some refreshments and then proceed with the meeting.
This is a very important day in the year at St George's. Please do stay for the meeting if at all possible.
After the APCM we will retire to the hall for our Parish lunch. Please bring your own drink. There will be tea and coffee available.
If you can donate a raffle prize that would be great. We will have a donation basket. Funds raised from the raffle will be used to contribute towards the running of our church.
Every blessing
Chris
28th March 2024
Thank you and goodbye
Dear all at St George’s,
As most of you know, today is my last day as the administrator at St George’s. I am going on to pastures new next month and would like to thank you all very much for the appreciation and kindness you have shown me during my time here.
I would like to thank Fr Colin and Chris for giving me the opportunity back in March 2020 and for being so understanding during the pandemic situation due to my family circumstances. It has been great working with you. Also thanks to Revd Liz, Fr Charles, Revd Sandra & Fr Tyrone for the times we worked together. Special thanks to John Johnson for all his computer/photocopier technical help!
I am sad to leave but excited for the new challenge, and hope that our paths might cross again somehow in the future.
Take care all.
With my very best wishes
Alex
Alex Holmes (Mrs)
Parish Administrator
23rd March 2024
Fr Malcolm Ferrier
Former Vicar of St George’s, Fr Malcolm Ferrier, died on 14th March. The best place for further information is the website of the church he attended: https://www.stgeorgeswarminster.co.uk/bulletin
16th March 2024
Fr Colin
I would like to provide you with a brief update regarding Fr Colin.
You will know that I recently announced his return to ministry. Following some further discussions between Fr Colin and I, it is evident we need to take this rather more slowly than we anticipated.
Therefore, Fr Colin will be taking some more time to continue his treatment as, we hope and pray, he returns to health before he next presides at St Georges. The position has been further complicated by the fact that his father is now receiving end of life care.
He thanks you for your continued prayers and good wishes and I will keep you updated as and when I can.
Chris Gadd
Churchwarden
11th February 2024
Fr Colin
Herewith the message I read at both services this morning.
As many will know, Fr Colin has been undergoing some treatment associated with his mental health for some months now.
This is, I am pleased to say, beginning to bear fruit.
The key message I would like to announce this morning is that Fr Colin will be coming back.
I am liaising with him (and the Diocese with the relevant agencies) to work on his phased return to St George’s. Fr Colin (and we) will need to take this very steadily and it may only amount to one or two Sundays a month initially. We will focus only on a return to his celebrating Mass to start with and not all the other day to day pastoral and other administrative requirements associated with his wider ministry.
I will keep you updated and in the meantime convey Fr Colin’s thanks for all the kind words and messages he has received, and for your prayers.
Speaking to people after the services, I can clarify that we do not yet have a date for Fr Colin’s first service back. More discussions are taking place this week following which I will update again.
Please continue to hold Fr Colin in prayer.
Kind regards
Chris
Churchwarden
