Barnes in Common

the magazine of Churches Together in Barnes
March/April 2005

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Baptist Church   |   Holy Trinity   |   Methodist Church
St Mary's   |   St Michael's   |   St Osmund's

Baptist Church

The fellowship's response to the new BiC format has been positive – although this has not as yet been translated into an increase in circulation. Still, it's early days. I hope those of you who chose The Lion, the Witch and the Wardrobe for your Lent study have found it both insightful and enjoyable. For those interested in continuing their Christian study (and fellowship) we are planning to run another Alpha Course beginning in May (Tuesdays, 2.30 – 3.45?). Details will be finalised and in circulation after Easter.

At the beginning of February we held our annual Fellowship Meal in the church. The evening being exactly as described – a shared meal, an opportunity to fellowship together and then a celebration of The Lord's Supper to end the evening.

On Friday 4th March we host the evening service for the Women's World Day of Prayer.

Please see For Your Diary' for Holy Week and Easter services.

Our Annual Church Meeting takes place towards the end of April and then on 7th May it's time once again for the Bible Society Action Group Spring Meeting, to be held as usual at East Sheen Baptist Church. Further details will circulated to the churches nearer the time.

A happy Christ-filled Easter to you all.

Graham Pulham

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Holy Trinity

In his Imitation of Christ Thomas a Kempis wrote: "Jesus has many lovers of his heavenly kingdom, but few bearers of his cross." We shall not know what real happiness is until we can start to lose ourselves for the sake of Christ.

The traditional ways of doing this in Lent are Fasting, Almsgiving, Prayer, Confession and Bible Reading.

St. Francis de Sales wrote:

"One who is bent on fasting considers himself holy on this account even though his heart is full of bitterness. He fears to moisten his tongue with wine or even water, yet does not hesitate to drink deep of his neighbour's blood by criticism and gossip.
Another considers himself holy because he recites a great number of prayers each day, even though he follows this up by saying mean, proud and harmful things to those about him.
Another cheerfully opens his purse to give alms to the poor, yet he will not pay his debts until forced to by the law."

The point is not of course that these practices are wrong or unhelpful in themselves, but they must be seen in the whole context of our life and relationship with God and with other people.

Godfrey Holdstock

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Methodist Church

Our Redevelopment Scheme (see A New Beginning) continues to dominate our outlook. For one thing redevelopment means we are now worshipping in the austere surroundings of our Church Hall, where an artistic member of our congregation has created an ecclesiastical touch in the form of an attractive imitation stain glass window. For another we are obliged to worship Mammon to some degree because raising money and spending it currently absorbs much time and energy.

Early in the New Year we had a spectacular fund raising event. Through the good offices of one of our young musical members, Isobel Davies, a group from York University put on a concert at nearby Southlands College. The event was remarkable for the variety of musical talent displayed and the range of instruments played. Never has money been extracted so pleasurably.

Very recently we have been saddened by the death of one of our number, Poppy Chapman, a long serving and much loved local preacher. We hope an obituary will appear in a future issue.

Looking forward, we do not intend to present Satan with the easy target of idle hands. Our centenary falls next year, and some of us are already busy planning and preparing. We have decided on a publication telling the story of our church and, more tentatively, a number of celebratory events (of which more later).

Edward Jones

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St Mary's

During Lent a number of the clergy of the Barnes Team will be giving lectures on topics that interest them. These will be on Wednesday evenings from 23rd February onwards from 8pm.

On 23rd February at St Mary's Church, the Reverend Paul Holland will talk about "The Desert Fathers". On 2nd March at Holy Trinity Church the Rev'd Ross Collins will talk about "Globalization". On 9th March at St Mary's Church the Rev'd Judith Roberts will talk about "Suffering" and the final lecture will be given by The Rev'd Godfrey Holdstock on 6th March at St Michael's Church when he will be talking about "The Rosary".

Each session will consist of a talk lasting 30-40 minutes followed by questions and refreshments. In arranging this series we tried at first to find a series based around a common theme. In the end, we decided to talk about topics that we knew at least something about. Hence the very varied selection of lectures. We hope, however, that the passion we feel about these subjects will be communicated to those who attend and that the evenings will give you a bit more insight into how your clergy's minds work.

Ross Collins

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St Michael's Church

It was a real pleasure to host at St Michael's the Churches Together in Barnes Local Ecumenical Covenant Renewal Service. This service is always a significant reminder of what we as the local churches have committed ourselves to. One phrase from the Covenant stayed in my mind: "To do together all that we can and not do apart what we can do together." In this way we are "To venture together in work and witness for Christ." Our Lent reading groups are part of that witness.

This year two books are being read: The Lion, the Witch and the Wardrobe, by C.S. Lewis and The Power of Small Choices by Hilary Brand.

One of the delights of being at St Michael's is the close link with Paddock School. The school looks after those children with severe learning difficulties. It is extremely moving talking with them about their faith. One young student was invited up into the pulpit and asked what he would want to share as he stood there. He quickly replied, "that God cares for us". Here was a preacher in the making.

We had a lovely celebration of Candlemas which this year incorporated the start of our stewardship campaign.

Paul Holland

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St Osmundl's Church

The New Year brought remembrance and prayer for the victims of the Indian Ocean tsunami, and their families, who had suffered through the terrible devastation on St Stephen's Day.

In the run up to Christmas there was a full programme – we dispatched the proceeds from the Parish Bazaar to Father Dan Cashman for the missionary work he had initiated in Tanzania.

At school the Infants provided a moving preparation for Christmas in their Nativity play ; the Juniors came to church for their Carol Service, all singing Adeste fideles as finale, yes, in Latin! The school choir was in evidence at the Wetland carols.

The parish Carol Concert followed its customary enjoyable form under Fergus O'Kelly, with welcome participation by representatives from the other churches. And there was the surprise appearance of Bishop Howard Tripp for a final blessing.

Christmas Day brought large numbers to the churches, over 800 of the faithful came to celebrate the Mass of Christ's birth – they do know it's Christmas.

There was Mass on February 4th to mark one hundred years since the Sisters, who had arrived from France, had their first classes in the Convent School at 45 Church Road.

Goodness gracious me, 'tis Lent already – more of that in the next issue.

Fiona Keen and Father Logan

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