Welcome

St. Helen's Church, set at the heart of the market town of Ashby de la Zouch, Leicestershire, is an historic and attractive 15th century building. It is open daily from 9am until 5pm, giving plenty of opportunity to explore its wonderful history and splendid interior, with a variety of church guides, written and via 'phone app to help you. On Wednesday and Saturday mornings our helpful volunteers will be on hand, and our Heritage Centre will have exhibitions for you to enjoy, and the opportunity for a sit down with a cuppa.
At other times you may wish to sit quietly, to rest and reflect. Or you could join us at one of our weekly services or frequent fellowship and community events.

On Saturday mornings our St Helen's Community Heritage Centre is interactive! Games to play, art to do, and coffee and cake to help it all along.

Coming up:

The Posada: In Advent we remember Mary and Joseph travelling from Nazareth to Bethlehem. We're replicating their journey by having a beautifully knitted Mary and Joseph travel around our congregation staying with a household for 24 hours before moving on to their next host. Follow their journey on our St Helen's Facebook page - St Helen's Church Ashby de la Zouch

Compline for Advent:
5^th, 12^th & 19^th  December at 8.30pm in the Rectory Chapel
Compline is a quiet, contemplative service, originally the last office brothers in a monastery would pray before retiring to bed.  In the busy weeks of December our Compline services will provide an oasis of prayer, reflection and silence in which we can focus on the promised return to earth of our Saviour Jesus Christ.  These Compline services, which last about half an hour, will take place at the Rectory, in the upstairs chapel which Revd Mary has created.  Everyone is most welcome.  Just come along, ready to be still.

Pomander Making - an event for children to make a lovely orange pomander to take home
Saturday 15^th December
10 a.m. to 12 noon
Costs £1 per child
in our Community Heritage Centre

Photography Exhibition NOW ON
Ashby Photography Club's fabulous exhibition of photos of the church, and in particular our bell-ringers, is in the Community Heritage Centre. Come along on Wednesday and Saturday mornings, 10.30am to 1.30pm. 

16^th December:        
            Christingle                          3.00pm                - a magical, engaging service for children of all ages
 
23^rd December:        
            Christmas Carol Service     6.30pm               - the Christmas story told through readings and beautiful              & refreshments in the Heritage Centre            music
           
Christmas Eve:                                                         
           Children’s Carols                 5.00pm               - a loud, lively, joyful re-enactment of the nativity story with                                                                                       lots of congregational participation.
                                                                                      Come dressed as a character from the nativity.
                                                                                      Prize for the best adult’s Christmas jumper.
                                                                                      A wonderful time for all the family.
            Communion                        11.30pm             - our first Christmas celebration of Holy Communion at                                                                                       midnight: peaceful, stirring, inspiring.
 
Christmas Day:
            All Age Communion            10.30am            - a service for all ages. Feel free to bring along one of your                                                                                       Christmas presents to show us!

Carols in the Care Homes this year will be on Wednesday 19^th December – Join us if you can for this annual event. We will start at Westwood nursing home at 5.30pm, followed by Fern Leigh 6.00ish and Ashby Court at 6.30pm. There will be festive refreshments afterwards at the Community Heritage Centre. All very welcome –all ages- join in at any point during the evening. 

Brunch on Sunday - What could be nicer than having someone cook you a bacon butty on a Sunday morning? Just come along on the first Sunday of each month from 9.15 for brunch in our Community Heritage Centre. It can be preceded by an 08:30 communion, or followed by All-Age Worship at 10.30. Or just come for brunch! Our next one is January 6^th

Food & food for thought ...

Our Soul Food group is on the second Monday of the month, 7.30pm to 9.30pm, until April 2019, in the St Helen's Community Heritage Centre. The group for young adults begins with a meal, and then a chance to explore topics. Each month of the current series they are looking at one of the Fruits of the Spirit -  love, joy, peace, patience, kindness, goodness, faithfulness, gentleness, and self-control 

Heritage Talks
The next of our popular monthly heritage talks is The Archaeology of the English Civil War in Leicestershire, on Monday 7^th January 2019, when Peter Liddle, makes a welcome return visit to talk about recent archaeological work which has revealed evidence of the Civil War sieges at Leicester and Ashby de la Zouch.
7.30pm in the St Helen's Community Heritage Centre
£3 including light refreshments