Christmas Day 2016 It's quite a dull morning as we make our way into Portsmouth for our Christmas Morning service. The roads are quiet and in no way reflect the bumper to bumper traffic that existed only yesterday. The emptiness and quietness, and the absence of the secular gives us an opportunity to reflect on the reason for the season.......We were welcomed to worship with the singing of 'Christians Awake'.....Major Julian led our morning service where we were able to meet with friends and family from over 4 nationalities ......Julian presented our thoughts around the SURPRISE of Christmas.......God chose to send his Son to earth as a human being .......He chose a teenage girl to be the mother of his Son ....He was born in a Manger with animals....The Good News was given to simple shepherds.....God sent his Son to be our Saviour......Here in Portsmouth just over 40 people joined together to worship the new born King and to sing Happy Birthday Jesus.....'Yea Lord we greet Thee born this happy morning..........a Very Happy Christmas to you all wherever you are spending Christmas.

Christmas Carolling for the Big Collection 2016

Who says fundraising can't be fun? Carols in the Close and annual Golf Club Extravaganza

The infamous 12 days of Christmas at Lee on Solent Golf Club annual event for the Big Collection.....

PORTSMOUTH CIT. BAND AND LEE ON THE SOLENT GOLF CLUB MANNEQUIN...

A group of the band have played at the Lee on the Solent Golf Club Christmas do for the last few years. Every year they give us an amazing donation of food and money for our food bank and even give to our Christmas appeal as well. We are so grateful for what they give and we really enjoy playing for them. They are a fun bunch and this year as well as getting them to sing solos, dress up as nativity characters, and act out the 12 days of Christmas we had them take part in a mannequin challenge.........

This is an unofficial music video made by Joe Newman and Craig Bates for the corps carol service last night. It uses scenes from the film The Nativity Story. The track is by FourHymn and is from their new album This is Amazing grace which you can download from iTunes now

They shall come from the East they shall come from the West is a good description of the enormous movement that within the next week will take place, as people travel to all points of the compass to be with friends and family. As a church family soon to join the travelling population, we were welcomed on this 4th Sunday in Advent by the singing of ' O Little Town of Bethlehem'....Major Julian took as his theme ' Simeon's Song' a person who doesn't often appear as a major player in the Christmas scene......To the singing of 'Who is He in yonder stall' Gill French lit our 4th Advent candle a carol chosen by Bill and Diana Harmer ..........Today was also our Toy Service when Toys were given to be distributed to the 4 Salvation Army Social Centres in Portsmouth. These were received by Majors David and Gill Coates Social Service Directors in Portsmouth..... The Singing Company brought us a delightful song entitled ' Rainbow Christmas' with words ' Angel Light shining in the sky' and beautiful cascading harmonies.......The Songsters sang ...'O come to the place where the Holy Child is laid'. And for a moment we were separated from the secular side of Christmas and worshiped the Infant King.......Major Julian spoke of the promise that God had given to Simeon; the promise that he would not die until he had seen the Messiah.......Simeon trusted in God's promise and Waited......The Joy of 'Simeon's Song' was evident when seeing the Messiah he said "Sovereign Lord as you have promised you may now dismiss your servant in peace. for my eyes have seen your salvation."..........The Band brought our worship to a close playing the finale from Peter Graham's ' Shine as the Light'......Wonderful Counsellor.......The Light has come.....Wherever you might be in the world, a Very Happy Christmas from us all at Portsmouth Citadel.

Christmas Carol Service

Celebr8 Christmas

Scenes from today at our Messy Church with a very special nativity and lots of fun activities for our children and grown-ups too

We often associate Fog with Christmas Eve and Rudolph, but today Rudolph wasn't to be seen but my was it foggy as we journeyed into Portsmouth. Our call to worship detached us from The commercialisation of Christmas as the Band played ' Infant Holy infant Lowly'....The theme for this 3rd Sunday in Advent was the Angels Song so well introduced by the Cambridge Singers recording of the same 'Have you heard the news of the Angels singing'.......The Sumner family lit our Advent Candles and introduced our first Carol 'In the bleak mid winter' before Major Julian led our collective prayers. The Singing Company nearly had us swinging in the aisle with their captivating Christmas song as did the worship group who led us in the Carol 'Come and worship' in a true Western Style.....The music of Joy Webb is always so acceptable and the Songsters rendition of her Christmas song ' the Surprise' was a great blessing. Julian's thoughts centred around the the simple people to whom the Angels passed the message of the Birth of Jesus.....Shepherds who were the lower end of society. Sometimes despised, possibly quite smelly, but to them was given this amazing news.......John Rutter's music is synonymous with Christmas; the Band played for us his music to the words 'What sweeter Music'. Our Sunday worship was one of praise and adoration....Gloria in Excelsis Deo....Hallelujah.

Live Nativity 2016

We celebrated Christmas with a very special nativity which was enjoyed by children and adults from our community.

Timeline Photos

Thanks to all the children who came along and made a decoration to go on our tree today.