“Growing together in Christ”

© Copyright, Christ Church, Blacklands and  St. Andrew, Hastings Parochial Church Council. 2011 to 2024.  No part of this web-site may be copied by any means,  or added to any data feed, without  express permission.

Registered Charity Number 1210772

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

General News and Notes

Don’t Forget

The clocks go back 1 hour at 2:00 a.m., on the last Sunday in October. This year the clocks go back on 27th October, but you don’t need to wait up until 2:00 a.m., put them back before bedtime.

Goody an extra hour in bed.

The deadline for the November edition is Noon WEDNESDAY 23rd October

If you have articles or items of interest for the newsletter, please ring Debbie Dann on 01424-717004 or email to debbie@dann-home.me.uk

The advertisers pay for most of the cost of the paper copies of the newsletter so we do not charge for it, however we are not able to endorse or guarantee the service they give. If you would like to make a contribution to the cost of the newsletter please place it in the box at the back of the Church.

The paper newsletter is printed by Plastica. For all printing needs please contact print@plasticapools.net

Women’s Fellowship

At the last meeting Barbara Hayman was presented with a bouquet of flowers from the members of the Fellowship to celebrate her 90th birthday.

For our next meeting on Monday, 14th October, we welcome Felicity Bullock who brings her excellent photographs of the countryside to illustrate her talk ‘A Walk on the Wild Side’.

The Autumn Lunch outing is on Monday, 28th October, when we take a coach to ‘The Moorings’ Restaurant at Pevensey Bay for their three-course lunch with a huge choice menu. We will meet outside the Church at 11:00 a.m., for a prompt departure by 11:15 a.m. There are seats available on the coach, so anyone who wants to join us, please contact Helen Gossling. The cost is £15.00 to cover lunch, tea or coffee, gratuities & raffle on coach.

Meetings start at 2:30 p.m. Entrance fee is £2.00 including tea & raffle.

Helen Gossling Tel:01424 423124

Tea ‘N’ Chat

We will meet on Mondays 7th and 21st October, starting at 2:00 p.m.

Please try to support this friendly group or at least come and give us a try. We really laugh a lot.

For more information contact 01424 717004

First Sunday Walks

Church Together and Loaf Project invite everyone to join in some more walks.

Sunday 6th October, starting at 2:30 p.m., Brede and beyond. Meeting at Brede Parish Church to explore the area nearby.

Sunday 3rd November, starting at 2:00 p.m. Battle Great Wood and beyond. Meet at Great Wood car park Marley Lane.

Sunday School

We are making a slight change to Sunday school this term:

1st Sunday of the month there will be no Sunday school in the hall.

2nd, 4th and 5th Sundays there will be traditional Bible based Sunday school

3rd Sunday there will be cake baking

All children are welcome to come to our friendly little group

Harvest Celebrations

Harvest Supper: Please join us on Saturday 5th October at 6.30 p.m., for our Harvest Supper. There will be delicious food and good fellowship. Children are welcome to come free of charge. For catering purposes entry by ticket only at £5 each from Helen Gossling. If anyone needs transport on the night please see a member of the PCC. Join us for an evening of fellowship and some fun.


Harvest Festival: Our Harvest Festival service is on Sunday 6th October at 10:30, conducted by Rev. Canon John Fletcher.


Harvest Gifts: Harvest gifts of tinned and package food items, will this year be given to the ‘Seaview Project’ in St Leonards for their work among disadvantaged people.

Parish Group

The recent meeting of the Blacklands Parish Group was the Annual General Meeting. The group has enjoyed another very successful year and has retained a membership of 45. Average attendance at meetings has been 35. A varied range of speakers addressed the group at the monthly meetings and a full programme of speakers and demonstrations has been arranged for the 2013/14 programme.

All officers and committee members were re-elected and we all look forward to the programme ahead.

The AGM was followed by a short quiz where many members were introduced to dingbats!

The next meeting is on 21st October when we will have a talk and demonstration of “Traditional Trug Making”.

FoodBank News

Hi Everyone,


Since my last update the foodbank has got even busier and our stock of food is rapidly diminishing. In August we fed 446 people (228 adults and 158 children) and distributed 2,974kg of food and received 2,209kg, which means we gave out 765kg more than we took in! Since we launched last April we have fed a total of 3,447 people and more than a third of that total have been fed since May this year.


Apart from baked beans and pasta of which our stocks are more than adequate we are short of everything on our shopping lists and we are frequently purchasing milk, juice, sugar, meat, fish, tinned vegetables and fruit from our funds.


Please could you let everyone know that our stocks are seriously low and appeal for more food to restore our depleted shelves.


Thanking you all once again for your continued generosity.


Pete Houlton

foodbank Administrator


The Thank You Page

May I say a very big thank you to all my friends in church, The Fellowship, Tea ‘N’ Chat for thinking of me, and many kind thoughts. I am very slowly getting a little use back on my legs, but they tell me it will be very slow. I am fine in myself and missing you all very much. I hear a lot of news from Pam Fletcher. She comes to see me often, and also Margaret Turner comes to give me Communion.

Much love and God bless you all.

Peggy (Nessling)


New Altar Cloth.

A few months ago, our Family Altar cloth was badly damaged and could not be used again.

A neighbour of Paul Allen kindly offered to make a new altar cloth. New material was purchased and taken to Mrs Brenda Clarke, who carefully took off the lovely lace edging from the damaged cloth and resewed it onto the new material. The new altar cloth was put on the Family Altar for the Heritage days, and it really looked lovely. A special “Thank you” to Brenda for her kindness to our church, and may the new cloth grace our church for many years to come.

Linda Burrows.


Excellent news about one of our advertisers.

Jean W. had her chimney swept by Steve of SG Fireplace Services and it was done in record time and not a speck of soot to be found after.

Thanks Steve and good luck as autumn is almost here. You could be busy.

In fact Colin and I have had experience or know others who have used our advertisers and have been pleased with the work they have provided.

Debbie Dann.


I would like to thank everyone who prayed for me during the time of my operation at the Conquest Hospital. Also to all the lovely people who sent me flowers, cards with good wishes, made phone calls and sent text messages, all of which helped me through this difficult time.

Thank you all so very much.

Sheila Schofield.


Great news. June Sears had agreed to arrange the Easter Lily Fund next year. Many thanks June.

Canon John Heritage Days