Events

Past Events

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Christmas Tree Festival 2007

From 4th to 9th December 2007, we held our third Decorated Christmas Tree Festival in church. Once again St Thomas’s delighted visitors with an amazing variety of natural and hand crafted trees each with a theme. Some were thought provoking, some interactive and most were spectacularly beautiful or simply amazing - all seeking to convey the Christmas message of goodwill. Our visitors’ book recorded the enthusiasm of people for this event, “Wow!”, “fabulous display”, “it gave us laughter and tears”, “a truly wonderful way to start the Christmas Season”, “hope it takes place next year”.

There were 83 trees in this year’s display, and admission to see the trees was free.

The church was open most days from 10:00am to 6:00pm for viewing with live musical performances at intervals throughout each day and refreshments.

Wiltshire Historic Churches Trust: Sponsored Ride and Stride (otherwise known as The Great Cycle Ride) - 8th September 2007

On Saturday 8 September Team St Thomas, which consisted of 20 riders of all ages, set out to raise money for the Trust and for St Thomas's (both benefit as the total sum raised is divided in half). The total number of churches visited was 93 although, of course, many had several visits.So far we have raised just over £530 but this sum will increase when we have added in other sums donated but which are not included on the main sponsorship sheets.

This is a great result and a HUGE thank you is owed to all who took part. Watch this space for the final result due shortly.

St Thom’s Youth Club go South East in search of dry land… Youth Group Camping weekend June 2007

Somewhere in the deepest, darkest kingdom of Kentshire, a weary but intrepid band of 18 adventurers from St Thom’s Youth Group descended from a train. Their mission was to establish a base in a conveniently placed campsite, from where they could launch many extraordinary and daring adventures to conquer the elements and make peace with the local population!! Some of whom attacked shortly upon arrival (but STYCS outflanked them to discover they were quite companionable once fed). Along the way they would encounter many dangerous trials: torrential rainstorms and fierce floods, neck-deep muddy bogs, crossing flooded valleys by sailing boat or canoe, ascending sheer cliff-faces by their finger nails, fighting some mean-looking targets with bow and arrow, consuming endless barbequed food, having to do some serious quantities of washing-up, enduring their companions’ smelly socks and the endless demands of their battle-weary leaders.

One poor leader was reported to have said: “It was a tough mission, with the odds stacked against us, but someone had to do it. Was it a success? Well, we counted them all out, and we counted them all back!! …all 15 of them, er no 17? …uhmm how many were there?

A big thank you to all the people at St Thomas’s who supported our fundraising efforts we had a great time and want to do it all over again next year (possibly in the Maldives)!

Outing to Wintershall June 2007

On a very wet Friday at the end of June, eight members of our congregation journeyed to Surrey to see an open air play entitled 'The Life of Christ'. The setting is the Wintershall Estate, near Guildford, an area of rolling grass and woodland where one or two professional actors and around 200 players of all ages from the local area, together recreate the Gospel stories from the Annunciation to the Resurrection. Rain or shine, the play goes ahead and the huge audience - adults of all ages, school, church and small family groups - follows the action from place to place, gradually becoming part of the story and entering into the mystery of the message of the Gospels. To be able to enjoy such a memorable and moving experience is indeed a privilege and we hope that in 2008 we will be able to encourage others to join in, what is in reality, a pilgrimage. Anyone who would like to know more should visit www.wintershall-estate.com.

Bellringing Competition - 16th June 2007

St Thomas's bellringers represented the Salisbury Branch in the Diocesan Guild 6-bell Annual Striking Competition on Saturday 16th June at Motcombe, near Shaftesbury. In total there were eleven teams in the competition. Each team was allowed to ring a practice piece for 5 minutes and then had to ring for a "test piece" which lasted a maxmium of 5 minutes.

St Thomas's team rang Plain Bob Doubles coming second (17 faults) to Swanage (14 faults). The St Thomas's team was Margaret Romano (Conductor) Pat Donaldson, Jonathan Plows, Elizabeth Champion, Richard and Greta Harvey.

Our congratulations to them on this fine effort.

Iona visit, May 2007

In late May 2007 12 members of the congregation visited to Iona. They stayed for a week in accommodation at the Abbey. The journey involved most modes of transport (taxi, aeroplane, bus, trian, ship) and took approximately 12 hours. They all looked forward to life in community in both work and worship and hoped to share and exchange ideas with the other visitors.

From the Rev'd David Linaker:

"Like all pilgrimages, our journey to Iona had two key ingredients: the place and the people. Iona's focus on living in community forced us to look carefully at ourselves and to be generous in living with one another. The setting gently encouraged this. The beauty of the place, the weight of its history and the generosity of the resident community and one's fellow guests all contributed to a rich mix. As the Iona liturgy says: It is a wonderful thing to live together in harmony."

From Sally Vaughan:

Long journeys should have a brilliant ending and ours to Iona certainly did. Blue West Highland seas and skies;a beckoning Abbey offering spiritual and bodily food; a large and varied group of people with whom to sing, worship, clean floors, wash dishes and walk over springy turf; the sound of corncrakes and the sight of puffins landing within a few feet of visitors and, as icing on the cake, Fingal's Cave (the geography not the music); all this and a rest from the hustle of normal life. The long journey home was different but, as ever, good to be back at St Thomas's.

"Surely this set of photos requires a Caption Competition?"

26th May, Choir Coffee Morning and Music While you Munch

Many thanks to all who supported the Choir Coffee Morning which raised a total of just over £200. This money will go towards the Choir Funds and the new church piano.

Christmas Tree Festival 2006

The proceeds from the 2006 Festival were divided between a local charity, Children's Chance and the disabled access needed for St Thomas's House.

In 2005 – the money was divided into 3 shares for the Salisbury Women's Refuge, Alabaré Christian Care Centre and the Salisbury Trust for the Homeless.