#506 A patron’s day
It’s a grey and grim time of year, with puddles in the churchyard enough to drown a mouse if he isn’t careful. (Don’t worry, I’m staying indoors.) At least it’s still warm and festive in church. I have seen the star is still up in the chancel. I’m told it’s to mark this Saturday’s “Interstellar” organ concert, but it does also make me think happy, Christmassy thoughts…
Fr Sam writes
The PCC met for the first time in 2026 this week. It was a slightly less packed agenda than last time, but we got a lot done and as always it is a pleasure to work with such an enthusiastic committee.
Among our plans for the future were our churches’ presence on social media, St Nicholas’ Church and its 50th anniversary year, and plans for musical work with children. More about that, I hope, very soon!
This Sunday: St Paul and his conversion
This Sunday is the St Paul’s patronal festival, as we celebrate the conversion of St Paul on the road to Damascus. That story, from the book of Acts, is our first reading. In our second we hear St Peter talking about the cost of Christian calling, and Jesus’ promise “the first will be last, and the last will be first”.
Image: Conversion of St Paul by Caravaggio
Services this Sunday
| 9.30am | St Paul’s | Parish Mass | Fr Sam Tanna-Korn |
| Organ prelude: Be thou faithful unto death (from “St Paul”) – Mendelssohn Anthem: Holy is the true light – Harris Voluntary: Processional – Mathias | |||
| 10am | Woosehill Church | Holy Communion | Revd Cara Smart |
| 11am | St Nicholas’s | Community Eucharist | Fr Sam Tanna-Korn |
Organ recital: The Stars of Night
This Saturday, 24 January, our organist Christopher Cipkin is giving an organ recital at St Paul’s inspired by an interstellar theme: very appropriate for the Epiphany season!
Come and hear music by Bach, Chilcott, Groom teVelde, Strauss, Zimmer and others. The recital is being given in aid of the St Paul’s organ maintenance fund and refreshments will be served in church after the service.
Evensong at Winchester Cathedral
The choir will be singing Evensong at Winchester Cathedral at 5.30 pm on Monday 16 February 2026 and would be delighted if members of the congregation would like to join them.
A coach will be leaving the Parish Rooms at 10.30am, returning at 7.45pm. Evensong isat 5.30pm. The cost will be £16, or £7.50 for children.
Please would you make payment, preferably by bank transfer, to: St Pauls Parish Room Trust, Sort Code 20-11-74, A/c No. 50764582, reference “Choir Winchester”.
If you prefer to pay by cheque or cash, you can either give it to Rhoda at church on a Sunday morning or put it through the Parish Room letter box marked with the above reference.
You can contact Rhoda at rhoda297@gmail.com.
Entry to the cathedral for Evensong free but at other times there is an entry fee of £14. Evensong is at 5.30pm.
Quiz Night
Saturday 7 February 6.30 for 6.45 in the Parish Rooms. Adults £15, students £10, family £45. Choice of: Fish/Chicken/Sausage/Veggie & chips. Bring your own drinks and glasses.
To book please contact Trish Gatland (trishgatland@hotmail.co.uk) or Alan Harrison (al_harrison@hotmail.co.uk). Payment by cash or BACS: Account Name PCC St Pauls, Sort Code: 20-11-74 Account no: 80683752. Ref: Quiz.
Help would be appreciated with setting up the hall at 5.30pm.
Drinks at Evensong
This year’s Evensong sermon series is on the Seven Deadly Sins. At Evensong we have drinks after the service, giving an opportunity to speak with the preacher and enjoy time together.
We need people who can help with providing the refreshments. A budget is provided but we need someone each time to get the drinks and food and serve.
Could you help? We need people to cover March 15, July 19, and November 15. Please get in touch with Lesley (lesley_ruddock@hotmail.co.uk) if you are able to help.
This week’s calendar: the angelic doctor
On Wednesday 28 January, the church celebrates the feast day of St Thomas Aquinas. St Thomas was the great theologian of the Middle Ages, creating systematic theology and engaging with thinkers of other religions and philosophies. He was also a hymnwriter and a poet, and is known as the Angelic Doctor.
St Thomas never finished his greatest work, the Summa Theologica. At the altar, celebrating Mass, he had a vision. After the vision, he said, “The end of my labors has come. All that I have written appears to be as so much straw after the things that have been revealed to me.”
