| The Parish Church of St James |  |
| St. James's Road, Hampton Hill, TW12 1DQ (Parish Office 020 8941 6003) | |
| PAST EVENTS AT St. JAMES'S IN THE 1880s | |
| Section Contents: Go to the PAST EVENTS AT St. JAMES'S Home Page to see all the events |
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Churchings - 1885 January
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"There seems to be an idea that the offering which is directed to be made by a woman when she is churched, is a fee to the clergyman. Now this is a great mistake. It is a thank offering given to God, and it is used for His service or for His poor. |
For the future the offerings will be received in a locked up alms dish, which will only be opened at intervals, and the contents handed over to the married Women’s Club. As the offerings will be in secret, let each one give as she can afford unto the Lord." Source: The Hampton Hill Parish Magazine - 1885 January In Christian tradition churching of women was the ceremony wherein a blessing was given to mothers after recovery from childbirth. The ceremony included thanksgiving for the woman's survival of childbirth, and was performed even when the child had been stillborn, or died unbaptized. The basis for the ceremony is Leviticus 12 2:8, where women are declared unclean after birth. It was formerly regarded as unlucky for a woman to leave her house to go out at all after confinement till she went to be churched. |
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