Events List Navigation
June 2024
Heritage Workshop – St Mary’s Church’s Celebration of Music and Heritage
As part of St Mary’s Church’s Celebration of Music and Heritage, we’re holding a series of heritage workshops for local schools. These provide an opportunity to teach people about the organ, how it works, as well as the variety of sounds we can make with it and the methods of doing so. This session will be the only one open to the general public, so do come along for an informative and fun experience!
Music Foundation Concert Series – Geoffrey Morgan
As part of St Mary’s Church’s Celebration of Music and Heritage, the next Music Foundation Organ Recital will be given by Geoffrey Morgan. Geoffrey was a former Assistant Organist at Westminster Abbey and Visiting Professor of Organ at Yale University, and is currently the organist at Christchurch Priory. His recital will include music by Bach, Mozart, Franck and others. Entry is free, with a retiring collection in aid of the Music Foundation, which supports young people in Portsmouth by providing…
Mo’Jive Tea Dance – Celebration of Music and Heritage
As part of St Mary’s Church’s Celebration of Music and Heritage, we are hosting an afternoon of dance and music, inspired by late Victorian dance halls. The afternoon will include a beginner’s jive class, an afternoon tea, and, of course, lots of dancing! To book tickets (£7.50 per person), please go to our Eventbrite page.
Celebrating Christ’s Presence: 5th Sunday after Trinity – 30th June 2024 – St Mary’s Church Portsea
To watch our livestream, you can go to our Facebook page or our YouTube channel. To follow along, you can find the order of service here. If you would like to sing along, you can find the hymn sheet here. You can find our notices for the week here.
Strawberry Tea with Music and Tower Opening
To conclude our Celebration of Music and Heritage, come and enjoy an afternoon of music, strawberry tea, and (hopefully) sun. The church tower will also be open (according to T&Cs, please see below) for the public to climb, and see a stunning view of Portsmouth’s landscape. Strawberry Tea will be served from 2pm. If you would like to attend, tickets cost £4, and are available in church or by booking with either 02392 822 990 or officeassistant@portseaparish.co.uk. Special thanks to…
July 2024
Celebrating Christ’s Presence: 6th Sunday after Trinity – 7th July 2024 – St Mary’s Church Portsea
To watch our livestream, you can go to our Facebook page or our YouTube channel. To follow along, you can find the order of service here. If you would like to sing along, you can find the hymn sheet here. You can find our notices for the week here.
Celebrating Christ’s Presence: 7th Sunday after Trinity – 14th July 2024 – St Mary’s Church Portsea
To watch our livestream, you can go to our Facebook page or our YouTube channel. To follow along, you can find the order of service here. If you would like to sing along, you can find the hymn sheet here. You can find our notices for the week here.
Celebrating Christ’s Presence: 8th Sunday After Trinity – 21st July 2024 – St Mary’s Church Portsea
To watch our livestream, you can go to our Facebook page or our YouTube channel. To follow along, you can find the order of service here. If you would like to sing along, you can find the hymn sheet here. You can find our notices for the week here.
St Mary’s Picnic Lunch and Rounders
After our 10am church service, bring your picnics, blankets, drinks and trainers as we join together for a Parish picnic, followed by a fun (and optional) game of rounders in the churchyard. Please note that children must be accompanied by an adult.
Young Musicians Annual Music Foundation Concert
Join us for our Annual Music Foundation Concert, an opportunity for our local young musicians to demonstrate the extraordinary skills they’ve been developing. This concert is FREE, with the option to make donations towards St Mary’s Music Foundation, a charity which supports the musical development of local children.
‘Once a Sea’ Photo Submissions
Wanted: Photo Memories of St Mary’s Church, Fratton As part of the Portsmouth We Shine Light Festival (stay tuned for more details this November), and in partnership with Fratton Together, Anna Heinrich & Leon Palmer have been commissioned to make a new artwork called ‘Once a Sea’. Anna & Leon are hoping to work with and use a variety of community photographs of St Mary’s Church, especially those of special, memorable, or important occasions at, or memories of, the church.…
Sports Summer Activities at St Mary’s
For those aged 6-12, looking for something to do this summer, we are offering FREE sports activities on Thursdays (25th July; 1st, 22nd, 29th August). A chance to be social, have fun, and stay healthy, activities will include games such as football, rounders, & dodgeball. Please note, parents MUST stay for the duration of the morning.
Parish Skittles Night
Join us for another instalment in our annual Skittles Night competitions! Alongside getting involved in a fun activity (and attempting to beat the clergy), this event is always a great chance to have a chat with other members of the parish. Tickets include a basket meal and cost £10 for adults or £5 for those under 18 – please go to either of our two churches to purchase one, or contact officeassistant@portseaparish.co.uk or 02392 822 990.
St Faith’s Coffee Morning for Eco Church
Join us for tea, coffee, and/or cake as we come together both to spend time with one another and to raise funds for A Rocha, a Christian charity committed to protecting the environment and encouraging other churches to join them.
Celebrating Christ’s Presence: 9th Sunday After Trinity – 28th July 2024 – St Mary’s Church Portsea
To watch our livestream, you can go to our Facebook page or our YouTube channel. To follow along, you can find the order of service here. You can find our notices for the week here.
August 2024
Celebrating Christ’s Presence: 10th Sunday after Trinity – 4th August 2024 – St Marys Church Portsea
To watch our livestream, you can go to our Facebook page or our YouTube channel. To follow along, you can find the order of service here. If you would like to sing along, you can find the hymn sheet here. You can find our notices for the week here.
Celebrating Christ’s Presence: 11th Sunday after Trinity – 11th August 2024 – St Marys Church Portsea
To watch our livestream, you can go to our Facebook page or our YouTube channel. To follow along, you can find the order of service here. If you would like to sing along, you can find the hymn sheet here. You can find our notices for the week here.
The Feast of the Assumption & Patronal Festival
Join us as we celebrate the Assumption of St Mary, our patron saint. We will be holding a patronal mass, with guest preacher Fr Hugo Deadman (St Michael’s and All Angels Church, Paulsgrove), followed by refreshments and a chance to chat afterwards You can find our livestream of this service on our Facebook page or our YouTube livestream. To follow along you can find the order of service here.
Parish Mass in the Churchyard, with a ‘Derby’, Music and Tower Opening
To mark our patronal festival, we will be holding our church service outside in the churchyard (weather permitting). After this service, we will be spending time together as a community – music will be provided by Victory Brass from 12:30pm, the Tower will be open to climb from 2-4pm (with the last climb at 3:30pm), and the St Mary’s Derby will be taking place (place minor bets on our giant wooden horses). Bring a picnic lunch and join us for…
Celebrating Christ’s Presence: 13th Sunday after Trinity – 25th August – St Mary’s Church Portsea
To watch our livestream, you can go to our Facebook page or our YouTube channel. To follow along, you can find the order of service here. If you would like to sing along, you can find the hymn sheet here. You can find our notices for the week here.
September 2024
Celebrating Christs Presence: 14th Sunday after Trinity – 1st September 2024 – St Mary’s Portsea
To watch our livestream, you can go to our Facebook page or our YouTube channel. To follow along, you can find the order of service here. If you would like to sing along, you can find the hymn sheet here. You can find our notices for the week here.
Celebrating Christs Presence: 15th Sunday after Trinity – 8th September 2024 – St Mary’s Portsea
To watch our livestream, you can go to our Facebook page or our YouTube channel. To follow along, you can find the order of service here. If you would like to sing along, you can find the hymn sheet here. You can find our notices for the week here.
Fairtrade Service
This year Fairtrade is celebrating thirty years of the Fairtrade Mark in Britain, and Portsmouth is celebrating 25 years of being a Fairtrade city. To celebrate this and mark the beginning of the Fairtrade Fortnight, we will be hosting a special service with Cllr Hugh Mason as the guest speaker, followed by Fairtrade refreshments.
Tower Opening
We will once again be opening St Mary’s Tower for the general public to climb. As well as providing an insight into the inside of this tower and its iconic bells, this 206-step journey provides stunning views across Portsmouth. The last climb will be at 3.30pm. Terms and Conditions: • Children must be accompanied by an adult at all times. • No children under the age of 5 years or under 1m tall are allowed to climb the tower. •…
Celebrating Christs Presence: 16th Sunday after Trinity – 15th September 2024 – St Mary’s Portsea
To watch our livestream, you can go to our Facebook page or our YouTube channel. If you would like to sing along, you can find the hymn sheet here. You can find our notices for the week here. To follow along, you can find the order of service here.
Fratton Family Festival
Join Fratton Together in celebrating the local Fratton community, with a collection of stalls, refreshments, music, children’s rides, activities, a picnic area, and more – all in St Mary’s Churchyard! This is a great event for families, with no entry free (although donations are allowed) and no alcohol. For more information, please email events@frattontogether.org Acts appearing on the music stage include: Cadency, Mary Red, Re-Veal, Young Pine, Fleeting Hearts and Not So Clever.
Celebrating Christs Presence: 17th Sunday after Trinity – 22nd September 2024 – St Mary’s Portsea
To watch our livestream, you can go to our Facebook page or our YouTube channel. To follow along, you can find the order of service here. If you would like to sing along, you can find the hymn sheet here. You can find our notices for the week here.
Messy Harvest
Join us as we celebrate Harvest with a series of FREE fun activities designed for young families that reflect on the world God has created, its beauty, and the food that we enjoy. We will also be considering how we can help care for the world and fairly share its gifts with others. There is no need to book, just turn up!
Harvest Thanksgiving & BBQ
Join us next Sunday as we celebrate God’s gift of the world and its fruits, as well as reflect on how we can be grateful for these blessings and share them with others. We encourage you to bring donations of non-perishable food which can be passed out to those in need in our local community, through the Roberts Centre. Following the service, we will be holding a parish BBQ as we take part in Portsmouth’s Citywide Harvest celebrations. Please book…
October 2024
Celebrating Christ’s Presence: 19th Sunday after Trinity – 6th October 2024 – St Mary’s Portsea
To watch our livestream, you can go to our Facebook page or our YouTube channel. To follow along, you can find the order of service here. If you would like to sing along, you can find the hymn sheet here. You can find our notices for the week here.
St Faith’s Patronal Mass
A celebration of the life of the Church of St Faith’s and the community it serves, with guest preacher Revd Julie Jackson (assistant priest of St Luke’s Southsea, and Messy Church Co-Ordinator & Find My Voice Co-lead for the Parish).
Organ Recital by Chris Milburn
Join us for a less ‘traditional’ Organ Recital given by Chris Milburn, former parishioner & chorister who frequently practiced on our organ when he was younger. Since then he has gone on to have a varied career, including sourcing the Compton Theatre Organ in Titchfield Festival Theatre – an instrument remarkable for its additional percussion, bells & whistles. Entry to this concert is free, with a retiring collection in aid of the Music Foundation, supporting the musical education of young…
Celebrating Christ’s Presence: 20th Sunday after Trinity – 13th October 2024 – St Mary’s Portsea
To watch our livestream, you can go to our Facebook page or our YouTube channel. To follow along, you can find the order of service here. If you would like to sing along, you can find the hymn sheet here. You can find our notices for the week here.
Celebrating Christ’s Presence – 21st Sunday after Trinity – 20th October 2024 – St Mary’s Portsea
To watch our livestream, you can go to our Facebook page or our YouTube channel. To follow along, you can find the order of service here. If you would like to sing along, you can find the hymn sheet here. You can find our notices for the week here.
St Mary’s 2024 Autumn Fair
Come along to St Mary’s Autumn Fair! This year, as well as our usual selection of stalls offering bric-a-brac, books, and cakes; there will also be Christmas stall to get you prepared for the upcoming season, and a variety of international snacks alongside our refreshments.
November 2024
Commemoration of the Faithful
As we mark All Souls, join us for our Commemorations of the Faithfully departed – a time to remember and pray for, by name, those who we have loved and who have died. There will be three services to mark this occasion. On November 2nd at 6pm at St Mary’s, the choir will also be singing Faure’s Requiem. Then there will be a service at St Faith’s, at 9:30am, on November 5th; and finally another service, again at St Mary’s,…
Celebrating Christ’s Presence: 4th Sunday before Advent – 3rd November 2024 – St Mary’s Portsea
To watch our livestream, you can go to our Facebook page or our YouTube channel. To follow along, you can find the order of service here. If you would like to sing along, you can find the hymn sheet here. You can find our notices for the week here.
Organ Recital by Philip Drew and David Hansell
Join us this Friday for the last in our concert series for 2024, with a recital of organ duets played by Philip Drew and David Hansell. Entry is FREE, with a retiring collection in aid of the Music Foundation – the church’s associated charity which supports young people in Fratton with musical education and opportunities. This concert has a diverse and exciting mixture of music – showcasing the organ with duets that bring out the character and tonality of the…
Celebrating Christ’s Presence: Remembrance Sunday – 10th November 2024 – St Mary’s Portsea
Mark Remembrance Sunday with us as we hold an Act of Remembrance during our mass. To watch our livestream, you can go to our Facebook page or our YouTube channel. To follow along, you can find the order of service here. You can find our notices for the week here.
Celebrating Christ’s Presence: 2nd Sunday Before Advent – 17th November 2024 – St Mary’s Portsea
To watch our livestream, you can go to our Facebook page or our YouTube channel. To follow along, you can find the order of service here. If you would like to sing along, you can find the hymn sheet here. You can find our notices for the week here.
Portsmouth Choral Union: Haydn’s The Creation
Come and experience the awe-inspiring performance of Haydn’s The Creation at St Mary’s Church, performed by the Portsmouth Choral Union! Tickets cost £18 for adults or £2.50, and can be bought on the door by card payment only or online at the Portsmouth Choral Union’s website.
Once a Sea
Join us for another art installation in St Mary’s Church, developed by Heinrich & Palmer who previously brought us the Ship of Gods. Created specifically for St Mary’s Church, Once A Sea reflects back to 35 million years ago when Portsmouth was covered by sea, in part inspired by the flints which make up the outside of the church. The exhibition combines archival imagery, high-speed film, microscopy, and 3D laser scans of the church to create a millennia-spanning, awe-inspiring projection.…
December 2024
Music and Readings for Advent
As we mark the beginning of Advent, when we prepare for the birth of Christ, join us for a service of Advent music, performed by candlelight. You can watch the livestream of the event on our Facebook page or our YouTube channel.
Celebrating Christ’s Presence: 2nd Sunday of Advent – 8th December 2024 – St Mary’s Portsea
To watch our livestream, you can go to our Facebook page or our YouTube channel. To follow along, you can find the order of service here. If you would like to sing along, you can find the hymn sheet here. You can find our notices for the week here.
The PCU’s Carols and Christmas Music
Join the Portsmouth Choral Union (PCU) for their family-friendly celebration of Christmas. Interspersed with audience carols, join the PCU, Castle Primary School Choir, and St Mary’s Church’s organ in performances of traditional carols and festive music. Pieces to be performed include ‘Carol of the Bells’, ‘The Light Will Lead Me’, and two carols written by current choir members. Tickets cost £18 for adults or £2.50 for children and students, and can be bought in advance on the PCU’s website, or…
Celebrating Christ’s Presence: 3rd Sunday of Advent – 15th December 2024 – St Mary’s Portsea
To watch our livestream, you can go to our Facebook page or our YouTube channel. To follow along, you can find the order of service here. If you would like to sing along, you can find the hymn sheet here. You can find our notices for the week here.
Carol Singing
You are invited to join us in traditional carol singing around some local streets. Meet us outside the church at 6pm, and make sure to wrap up warm!
Churches Homeless Action Carols
A celebration of Christmas and the distribution of vouchers collected via local churches and groups to agencies who will be supporting those in need over the Christmas season. A chance for us to share a ‘gift’ with others.
Celebrating Christ’s Presence: 4th Sunday in Advent – 22nd December 2024 – St Mary’s Portsea
To watch our livestream, you can go to our Facebook page or our YouTube channel. To follow along, you can find the order of service here. If you would like to sing along, you can find the hymn sheet here. You can find our notices for the week here.
9 Lessons and Carols
A traditional telling of the Christmas Story through readings and carols sung by the congregation and choir. The service will be followed by sherry and mince pies. You can watch this service livestreamed online, either on our Facebook page or our YouTube channel.