In the past 18 months we have all experienced some difficult times – some of us more than others, but during the days of the curfews, lockdowns and restrictions it seemed more than a little unusual to contemplate a Festival of Thanksgiving at All Saints Anglican Church Algarve in Almancil.
But All Saints knew that God had been with them every step of the way, guarding and guiding, refining and redirecting their skills and talents and shaping them into the Church that they are today.
So now, in the Autumn of 2021, when they would usually be asking everyone to join them for Harvest Festival, they instead invited everyone to join them for a Festival of Thanksgiving. A festival to give thanks for all the good and great things that have happened over the past year.
At the very top of the “give thanks” list was their new home. “The Church in the Park”, which is located within the beautiful Jardim das Comunidades in Almancil and which the local Freguesia in the town have very generously given them permission to use for worship and fellowship.
So last Sunday on a gorgeous sunny morning at 10.30am, All Saints Anglican Church Algarve welcomed the Congregation, their family and friends to a special service of Thanksgiving. The congregation were still masked and socially distanced but the church was full of joyful noise and singing.
Of course, at this time of year – the time of Harvest – All Saints were still mindful of their tradition to bring dried groceries and tinned food to Church to be distributed by ASCA to the needy of the Parish.
“Today was a service of great joy and thanks” said Jenny Wills, Chair of the Council of All Saints, “as a geographically wide spread Congregation we were finally able to be together in-person and as a live stream for those at home, and give thanks for all that God has provided for us this past year. Looking ahead this is going to be a wonderful space to celebrate Advent and Christmas, and we invite everyone to come and join us and share our joy.”
All Saints Anglican Church in the Park meets every Sunday at 10.30am for Worship and at 10.30 on Wednesday for Bible Study and Morning Prayer.
For details about services, times and directions to The Church in the Park, All Saints Anglican Church Algarve, Almancil:
Website : www.allsaintalgarve.church
Facebook : www.facebook.com/allsaintsalgarve/
Telephone : (+351) 932 841 943
Email : secretary@allsaintsalgarve.church
