Category Archives: Church

Church Matters Oct 2017


– Keith Browne It is the season for Harvest Services in our Churches. By the time you read this many will have already been held – some will be yet to come. I have vivid memories of Harvest Festivals as a child.

I was brought up in West London in the 1950s. There was still an air of post-war austerity – with very few luxuries around. My mother took my brother and I along to a Baptist Church each Sunday. The church interior was an austere space with minimal ornamentation. There was almost no colour – the small illuminated red cross in the light above the pulpit being the only bright spot. The abiding impression is that the church, in general, was a solemn place. I can’t even remember whether there were any decorations at Christmas. I think that in later years there was a small Christmas tree placed on a platform above the side pews. Continue reading →

Thanksgiving for our animals


Thanksgiving service for our animals
Celebrating God’s care and concern for creation
Sunday 24th September 10am
St Sampson’s Church, South Hill

This will be a short informal service followed by coffee, tea, juice and the best cake ever.

Our lives are enriched by our animals. They bring us many blessings and they play a big part in our lives, giving us joy, companionship, livelihood and sustenance.
You are invited to bring your well behaved: dog, cat, rabbit, parrot, stick insect, sheep, horse or chicken, whatever, to give thanks for the part they play in your life.

Bring a photo of your pet past or present.

Who was St Sampson?


Recently our church received a beautiful quilted banner from South Hill Piece Makers of St Sampson, the patron Saint of our Church, but who was he? Why is this church dedicated to him? We know a few things basis in historical fact.

Of all the so-called ‘Cornish’ saints, Sampson is the only one for whom there appears to be documentary evidence written at the time he was alive: there is a reference to a bishop, probably our St Sampson signing his name with other bishops who attended a church council in Paris in 562. Sampson also has the distinction of being the only ‘Cornish’ saint whose biography, was written less than 200 years after his death.

Sampson was the son of a noble family from South Wales, born in the early 500s. He was regarded as a miraculous child because he was born when his parents had long given up hope of having a child and was named after the Biblical Samson in the book of Judges.  He was educated in a monastery at Llantwit Major where he eventually became ordained. Continue reading →

St Sampson’s Day


The piece makers of South Hill have kindly given St Sampson’s Church a wonderful quilt showing St Sampson.  This will be gratefully received during the service on Sunday 23rd July  at 11.15.  and will be hung for all to see.  Come and learn a bit more about who St Sampson was and what relevance he has today.

Raising Funds for St Sampson’s


St Sampson’s Church are contacting architects to draw up plans for our renovations and improvements to the building and we are also looking at many funding options.

Did you know that whenever you buy anything online – from your weekly shop to your annual holiday – you could be collecting free donations for St Sampson’s Church, South Hill?

There are over 3,000 shops and sites on board ready to make a donation, including Amazon, John Lewis, Aviva, the trainline and Tesco – it doesn’t cost you a penny extra

It’s as easy as 1, 2, 3… 

1. Head to https://www.easyfundraising.org.uk/causes/stsampsonschurch/ and join for free.

2. Every time you shop online, go to easyfundraising first to find the site you want and start shopping.

3. After you’ve checked out, that retailer will make a donation to your good cause for no extra cost whatsoever.

There are no catches or hidden charges and St Sampson’s Church, South Hill, Cornwall will be really grateful for your donations to help with the ongoing upkeep of this beautiful church.

Thank you for your support.

 

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We stand with Manchester


We are all shocked about the bombing in Manchester and although it may seem far away from our rural corner of Cornwall, some of us may have friends or relatives who are affected, or feel a deep need to respond in some way to the horror. St Sampson’s church is open and there is a prayer corner where you can spend some quiet time remembering the victims and their families and offering thanks for those involved in helping in the aftermath. The Bishop of Manchester states “in our grief we call on God to strengthen us to resist evil”.

For the next week there is an international prayer movement “Thy Kingdom Come”, which encourages people to pray for those searching for faith. Sometimes it is a shocking event which makes us question all sorts of things. The Church is open for you.

Church Matters – March 2017


Many years ago my wife Pam and I decided that it was time to move to a bigger house. We lived in Windlesham, a village in Surrey that served the commuter belt into London and the technology centres of the Thames Valley. Windlesham is a good village to live in, and so we determined that in moving from our 3 bedroom end of terrace home we would look for a detached 4 bedroom property in the same area. The larger and detached house would provide a sound base for the start of a family.

At the time we hadn’t long been Christians, attaching ourselves to the local Church of England church, but I do remember praying to God about the move. Almost since the time of becoming Christians my business career had taken off, and so from a financial viewpoint we could just about stretch to a detached property in the village. And so to my mind the perfect property came up – a 4 bedroom detached house, complete with equipped kitchen, downstairs study, mock but tasteful Georgian pillars at the front-door, ensuite bathroom and double garage. It was also on the same housing development to where we currently lived – just a little bit more up-market and in keeping with our (alright, my) sense of rising status.

Our offer for the property was accepted and the usual train of estate agent and solicitor events put into place. The necessary paid-for structural survey of the new house was completed and we were pleasantly sailing towards completion. Then it happened – the sellers pulled out. I was somewhat dumbstruck, firstly that the sellers had allowed us to go so far down the line (at our expense) before pulling out, and secondly that it seemed that God was with us on this one – it was the perfect house – surely that was the plan, and now it was in tatters. What’s going on God!!? Continue reading →

Church History


We have some amazing history right in our midst. St Sampson’s Church is a grade one listed building and contains many hidden gems. Some are visible and many are recorded in the history books. One of the factors making St Sampson’s significant, is that the area in which the present church stands may have been one of the earliest centres of Christian worship in Cornwall. It is a place of spiritual focus, with a Christian community believed to have been worshiping here for over a thousand years. It is also a place with much historical interest and it still draws people through its doors enveloping them in that special serene embrace, which many people experience. Take some time out to experience it for yourself. The church is unlocked during daylight hours. Have a wander around the grounds and inside the church, below are some things to look out for.

Continue reading →