Vocations Day

Being called by God doesn’t always lead to ordained ministry. There are so many ways to live out your faith in the life and mission of the church and wider community. If you feel God’s calling you to be or do something, then you might find an answer at the Diocese of Leicester’s forthcoming Vocations Day.

Exploring Calling For Everyone is the chance to think about how God calls us to live out our faith, to recognise our gifts, and to meet others from across the diocese serving their church and communities in a variety of ways.
Seminars throughout the day include caring for our buildings, leading worship, working with children and young people, helping others to deepen their faith, pastoral care, sharing faith, social action and caring for creation.

Revd Liz Rawlings, diocesan Discipleship and Vocations Enabler, says: “We are each called to be ‘salt and light’ in the world, to be bearers of the grace of God in the places and among the people we find ourselves.
“This day gives us the space to reflect on the opportunities and gifts we have to do this, a place where we can be inspired by others who are living their faith in a myriad of different ways and the opportunity to explore how God may be guiding us in our own unique calling.”

Exploring Calling For Everyone takes place on Saturday 10 February, 10am to 3pm, at St Martins House, Leicester.
Click here for more information

Thank You Jeff

Jeff Harrison recently made the difficult decision to step down from his role as Server at St Leonard’s Church. Jeff has served at the altar for fifty-one years and has been instrumental in preserving the tradition of our 8am Book of Common Prayer service throughout this time. He first felt the call to this ministry after experiencing the touch of God at Holy Communion and he has always sought to bring a reverence and holiness to these services. He will certainly be a difficult act to follow.

The PCC wanted to thank him for his dedication and, in recognition of this, Colin Resch recently presented him with a special Long Service Award.

St Leonard’s Angel Festival

St Leonard’s Angel Festival was a great success with a constant flow of visitors over the three days – including over 100 schoolchildren from St Leonard’s Primary School who excitedly searched for their angels and were treated to the story of the Angel Gabriel visiting Mary.

Our thanks to St Leonard’s Primary School and very many others for making paper angels. To all those who have lent their angels and to all those who have given their time, talents and skills in displaying the angels.

The result has been breathtaking and has created a spiritual presence that is difficult to describe in words and impossible to photograph.
It is truly a case of “You had to be here”

Adding lustre to this sense of presence was the work of our artists;

  • Cathy Schou (Angel Wings – in the porch)
  • Erica Middleton (Angel Mother – by the pulpit)
  • John Middleton (Music composed for the event)
  • Michelle Holmes (Gabriel icon – south door)
  • Maggie Moreland (Felt Angels – pulpit window)
  • Hilary Fairbairn (Gabriel – Sanctuary)
  • Janet Lee (Archangel – (south wall)

Our thanks also go to the musicians for the evening of Angels and Light . To Steve Delaforce, Rob Newton and John and Dorothy Pipet. To Jennifer De Hever for her wonderful solo and to Hilary for her marvellous ‘Shepherd’ monologue.

Over the three days of the festival a total of £600 was raised – of which £300 has been sent to Cancer Research UK with the balance going to church funds for which we thank everyone.

Jazz Carols

Our Jazz Choir and a 5 piece Jazz band assembled themselves at St Leonard’s Church, Swithland on 13th December to lead a Service of Nine Lessons and Carols embracing a variety of musical genres including Jazz, Rhumba, Reggae, and Rock. The church was full and it was a delight to see faces old and new! After the Service there was much chat, mingled in between sips of mulled wine and mouthfuls of traditional mince pies. A lot of fun was had  and total of £225 was raised for the benefit of The Children’s Society.
Very well done Choir, Band and all the people in the ‘back office’ supporting and laying on hospitality!

Our final wedding of 2023

Congratulations to Michael and Beth-Anna, married at St Leonard’s on Saturday. May you have many happy years together as husband and wife.

This was our final wedding of 2023 at St Leonard’s and it was such a joyous occasion with a church full of family and friends supporting them as they made their marriage vows. There was a lot of joy shared along with some laughter and a few tears were shed too. The service was led by our Acting Rector, Revd Colin Resch and the organist was Mr Paul Wilcox.

Goodbye Year 6

This morning (13th July) we met together in St Leonard’s Church to say goodbye this year’s Year 6 cohort. During the service memories of their time at school were shared along with their hopes and dreams for the future.

Pictured here are seven of this year’s leavers: Vincent, Isaac, Austin, Archie, Freya, Ariana and Freya. Sadly Emily couldn’t be with us.

Congratulations to all of you for completing your primary education. We know you will do well in the years ahead.

Spring Walk – just around the corner

Just a reminder that the Spring Walk around Swithland Woods will take place on Monday 22nd May. We will meet at the Roecliffe Road car park at 10.30 am. There is a £2 charge for the car park and the machine does not give change. As usual our walk will be led by Jerry and there will be a couple of stops for prayer and meditation. After the walk we make our way to St Leonard’s for soup and a roll. The weather will be wonderful!

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