Wednesday, July 25, 2012

All Souls Church

On June 3, my husband and I attended the worship service at All Souls Church in Eastbourne. (Loving the Lord Jesus and Making Him Known). Everyone was very welcoming and friendly (as you wish they always would be at a church!) and if you would like to see their website it is here at www.allsoulseastbourne.com and you could even download the audio sermon from that date! "Don't Worry" was the the title of the sermon and don't worry, I am not going to preach it to you, but take my word for it, it was good and it is there for you, if you like. (You will hear me, I am one of those giggling, but only when it is expected of me, I promise!)
All Souls Church was completed in 1881 and it is a beautiful church along with a 83 foot tall campanile, which is a bell-tower for us Americans. You may read more about this building at this website http://www.achurchnearyou.com/all-souls-eastbourne/all-souls-church-a-short-history.html



Bombing in World War II destroyed the windows on this side and I hope you can read the explanation of these two stained glass windows that have replaced them. 







All Souls Church is a very beautiful church and I felt honored to be able to attend a worship service there along with my husband.  We asked if we could take some photos of the inside after the service had ended and we were thankfully given permission to do so.  The vicar said to us that it was a beautiful church but as he said this he gestured to the congregation happily chatting around him that the church was really the PEOPLE.

26 comments:

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    1. Dear Debra,
      It was beautiful, but not only that, the people who go there made it such a warm and welcoming place, truly "loving the Lord Jesus and making him known."

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  2. That's quite an unusual church. Beautiful as a building, but I have to be honest and say I find old churches so much more atmospheric. Perhaps one needs to be there and hear the service to appreciate it as a Church.
    Yes, I know I'm an old fuddy-duddy but I was born that way!! :-)

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    1. http://www.stmaryseastbourne.com/6.html

      Hey John!
      You are preaching to the choir about old English churches! As an American, you have no idea how much I love them and am amazed by them. St. Mary's in Old Town, Eastbourne is from the 12th century. When you go in through the door, you can see how many hands have touched the door and worn it away, and one must be careful of the stone steps also worn down by all the feet that have passed over the centuries. Atmospheric? Yes, I know just what you mean. I put the website up at the top there if you want to see it.

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  3. Like John, I find old churches tug a lot more at my hearstrings than new ones, but this one is very beautiful, and a church where there is some giggling to be expected during the sermon - well, that truly speaks for it!

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    1. Dear Meike,
      You would have been giggling along with me too, I am sure!
      And see my answer above to John about old churches!
      ;-)

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  4. What a beautiful church! Although we travelled to Eastbourne on many occasions when we lived in Kent, we never got to see this church. Most of our time was spent on the seaside. Clearly we missed a real gem! Thanks so much for sharing with us! xxoo

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    1. Dear Marie,
      All Souls is just steps away from the Arndale Centre!
      If you go to Marks & Spencer and go out the back entrance, you can see it from there, it's just across the way there on Susans Road, I think.
      We love the seaside too. Richard is going to do a guestpost on the seafront in Eastbourne, look out for it!
      Thanks so much for your comment! I love your blog! xx

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  5. Lovely building marvelous decoration. Many churches built in expanding middle class areas in the late 19th century brought in the very best architects of the day. Many were begun by rich women, for a variety of reasons, and the Duke of Wellington's great niece started this one!

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    1. I love when wealthy people do something good with their money and influence. One of the nice ladies at the church gave me a leaflet about Lady Victoria Wellesley and I was most impressed. The Victorians: I very much admire all that they accomplished.

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  6. The area around the alter looks very grand. I actually like these big Victorian churches, probably because that was what I was used to as a child. Our village church is 13th century, and you could fit it into the one I attended as a child many times over.

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    1. Dear Tracey,
      We have attended this church before but most of the front was covered in scaffolding, it took years to restore all that you see. See my answer to Scriptor Senex about the old churches in England, but to be honest, I love all churches. The church I attended here in Georgia as a child, was just a tiny, white clapboard 4 room building and it was beautiful.

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  7. That's a beautiful church, Kay. And how nice that you were allowed to take photos inside. I would do the same. I like those big churches, but my favourites are the really small, quaint ones. They just seem so much more intimate.

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    1. I love all the churches. Being American, we really don't have a lot of really old ones, so see my answer to Scriptor Senex above!

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  8. Hi Kay, Wow - what an incredibly beautiful church! My first thought was how solid looking it is. Quite often when we are visiting another city, we try to check out the churches as well. Many times I have been struck dumb with their beauty and atmosphere. Thanks for sharing this one with us.

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    1. Dear Jane,
      Glad you liked this church as much as we did! I was thankful that we were actually able to attend a service there.

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  9. A lovely place to worship, and i'm glad to hear the Good News is still preached there, and the people appear to be living it, too.

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    1. Yes, Mimi, I wish you could have been with us. If you get a chance, you can listen to the same sermon that we heard!

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  10. I love all the stained glass. When I was in Zurich, I passed by those Chagall stained glass windows I told you about months ago and I thought of you. I forgot my camera charger (probably because I packed for all 4 of us in 24 hours!) so I don't have any photos from my trip to Switzerland. You have no idea how much that breaks my heart....

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    1. That's okay, I saw those Chagall windows on the internet, and perhaps you can take photos the next time you are there!
      I know you had to be there urgently for the family for a very sad reason, so if I were you, I would feel proud for getting two little ones ready so quickly!
      Take care and hope you are staying cool.

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  11. Had time allowed Kay, we would have liked to have taken you and Rick to a church not far from here. You might like to google it under ' St Michael and All Angels Berwick East Sussex 14 February 2004'.

    The 'local faces' help to make it special.

    The latest DLWP Italian Job exhibition has been in quite a few local and national papers.

    Henry

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  12. Dear Henry,
    I would LOVE to see St. Michael and All Angels in Berwick. I looked at that from 14 Feb, 2004 and the photos are great, but I want to see it in person! I love how they used "local faces" and even a Sussex trug! (I think that is the right spelling.)
    Now, was that bus hanging off the roof when I was there and I just didn't see it? Or was it put on there after we left? Surely, I couldn't have missed something like that?

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  13. Impressive Church and so many great details. Like that glass cross very much.

    Hope you have a blessed weekend:-)

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    1. Thank you so much for your comment.
      Hope you have a great weekend too! :-)

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  14. What a beautiful church, Kay. I also love going into other churches on my travels, and if it's permitted, take photos of the wonderful interiors. Have a lovely week.

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    1. Thanks so much for your comment. It's not only church photos that I take on travels but also right here at my church and the Monastery in our county! HA, you would think I was a proper photographer or something!Hope you have a great week too! And please don't let me miss the post that you will surely do about Tom Cruise! :-)

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