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Welcome to Christ Church, Blacklands & St. Andrew, Laton Road, Hastings

And Also

History of a Hymn.

Come, Holy Ghost Our Souls Inspire.

In 1649, the reign of King Charles1of England came to a sudden and violent end- on the scaffold. But twenty-four years earlier it had begun at a coronation service full of colourful pageantry and ceremonial. And one of the churchmen officiating then was John Cosin, later Bishop of Durham, who had produced a hymn specially for the great occasion: a translation of a Latin work some eight centuries old. Long before hymns became a regular part of church services in English, Cosin’s version won its way into the 1662 Book of Common Prayer.

Come, holy Ghost, our souls inspire,

And lighten with celestial fire;

Thou the anointing Spirit art,

Who dost they sevenfold gifts impart:

Keep warm this winter!

Cold homes have a significant impact on people’s health. One of the best ways of keeping yourself well during winter is to stay warm. Keeping warm over the winter months can help prevent colds, flu or more serious health conditions such as heart attacks, strokes, pneumonia and depression. The chances of these problems are higher if you're vulnerable to cold-related illnesses because of one or more of the following:

•you're over 65

•you're on a low income (so can't afford heating)

•you have a long-term health condition such as heart, lung or kidney disease

•you are disabled.

Flu is a highly infectious illness that can spread rapidly. If you're at risk of complications from flu, you may be eligible for a free flu jab. Find out if you can get the flu jab for free on the NHS.

You may also be able to claim financial and practical help with heating your home. Grants available include the Warm Front Scheme, Winter Fuel Payments and Cold Weather Payments. The Warm Front Scheme offers grants for heating and insulation improvements up to £3,500 or up to £6,000 if your home needs oil central heating. To find out if you qualify, call a Warm Front advisor free on 0300 123 1234 (lines are open Monday to Friday from 8am-6pm and Saturdays from 9am-5pm) or visit the Warm Front website.

Winter Fuel Payments of up to £300 are available if you were born on or before July 5 1951.

To find out more about Winter Fuel Payments, call 08459 151515 (8.30am-4.30pm Monday to Friday, textphone 0845 601 5613)