Barnes in Common

the magazine of Churches Together in Barnes
November/December 2007

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Church News

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

Baptist Church

It may be some time back now but not too late I hope to thank all who helped make our harvest celebration and social such a fun and sumptuous affair.

The redecorated and recarpeted small room is now being used by the ladies for their Tuesday afternoon service. The room also provides space and privacy for counselling and prayer after services. Hopefully it won't be too long before we can begin the redecorating of the Church entrance hall which currently bears many a scar.

October saw the first of what initially will be monthly Saturday tea/coffee mornings at the church. The next one is sceduled for 3rd November 10.00am - 12.00 noon and all are welcome to sup and chat.

On Sunday 18th November we will be holding our annual Thanksgiving service. It's an occasion for the fellowship to offer special gifts of thanks to God for another year of faithful provision. Then on 20th we shall be hosting the annual Churches Together in Barnes Forum at 7.30pm.

November 25th is Advent Sunday and we will be beginning a new sermon series for our morning worship. We'll be working our way through Luke's Gospel. So if you would like to go a little deeper into God's word and broaden your understanding of who Jesus is, why he came and what it's got to do with you, here's the opportunity for you to find out. Come along and join us in our gospel voyage of discovery!

Graham Pulham

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Holy Trinity

Our first fund raising Concert was a great success. All the tickets were sold and we enjoyed an evening of high quality music and dance. An excellent buffet was provided by people of Holy Trinity and my thanks go to all who worked so hard to make the evening such a successful one.

We also launched our Stewardship Campaign and presented our goals within our Vision: "To be a haven in our community through which all may grow in love for God, self and one another". As part of our Vision we aim to continue building our links with Lowther School and the Castelnau Community Centre.

These two months are extraordinary in their contrast of joy and pathos. November is a time for remembering those who have gone before us whilst December sees us looking forward with exciting anticipation to celebrate heaven come down to earth through the Christmas Event. We are offering services to reflect all these things so do have a look at the Diary for more information.

Castelnau traders in North Barnes will be once again holding a special late night shopping evening during December. We hope to open Holy Trinity Church for carol singing and a warm welcome for tired shoppers. Of course, Space To Be will be open on the first Tuesday of both months for some 'time out' during this busy season - we look forward to seeing you there.

Jean Boulton-Reynolds

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Methodist Church

We were delighted to be invited at the end of September to share with St Mary's a celebratory Choral Evensong to commemorate the work of the Revd Charles Wesley, who was born 300 years ago.

During November the theme of the preaching at our morning services is due to be war and peace - beginning on the First Sunday when we expect to have a speaker from the armed services. These are difficult days for the forces, with the continuing work they are doing in Iraq and Afghanistan, so in the month when we remember those who have died in past conflicts it seems right to focus our thoughts and prayers on the Christian understanding of conflict.

From Advent Sunday - another First Sunday with the church open all day -until Christmas we will seek to prepare to celebrate the coming of Christ. This year we are hosting Cards for Good Causes, and you'll be able to buy these Christmas goods just inside our front door. We've taken this over from St Mary's this year, so we're hoping that the customers will come and find us!

The shorter days and longer nights at this time of year can be a little depressing, but as always the Church focuses on the light which shines in Christ - a source of joy to the world.

Roger Hutchings

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St Mary's

We were very fortunate to have a visit to St Mary's of the Bishop of Central Zambia, the Right Reverend Derek Kamukwamba. It gave us the opportunity to hear of the opportunities and challenges faced by one part of the Anglican Communion, where one priest can cover twenty-four congregations (and, frequently, be unpaid), yet where a congregation can multiply tenfold in just a few years. It was also interesting to hear of the diversity of theological opinion within the leadership of the Zambian Church, rather than of the rather uniform conservatism the media portrays. He joined us for a wonderful harvest lunch with 130 or so people enjoying a marvellous feast.

We will have our own Bishop of Southwark to preach at the annual Friends of St Mary's Choral Evensong on Sunday, November 4th at 6pm. Our Carol Service is on December 16th this year at 6pm and the annual Nativity Services take place, as ever, on Christmas Eve at 3.30 and 5pm.

Ross Collins

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St Michael's Church

Over the Autumn St Michael's has enjoyed a series of Harvest Festivals. Our doors have welcomed Barnes Primary School. Paddocks School our own St Michaels Nursery and the Pavilion School for infants. These are great occasions when the children display their writing, public speaking, singing and drama skills. The Bishop of Southwark preached and celebrated the Mass on our Patronal which was followed by a splendid party in the community centre.

Our new Centre is in great demand events range from Belly Dancing, Yoga, Pilates to music for toddlers. We now have our Wednesday lunch group in the Centre. This lunch group is open to anyone who would like to come along. We begin with the Mass in the Lady Chapel then move into the Centre. It is very lively group of people and there is always lots of laughter and a sense of fun.

On the final Sunday of every month in the evening at 6pm in the Lady Chapel we will be reflecting on "Healing the Planet" Each month a different theme will be taken from Water to Air and the service will involve all the senses.

Paul Holland

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St Osmund's Church

Judging by our experience here, there was a greater exodus than ever from Barnes this summer. No doubt families went off to find the promised sun which proved elusive in these parts.Over six weekends we had Father Romano with us again from the diocese of Gulu in Uganda. Come September, it was good to see everyone back, and the school year opened with mass for the grace of the Holy Spirit.

The Church asks us this year to think and pray on the theme "Home is a Holy Place". I sometimes wonder if time honoured christian practices are dying out - like visible signs of the faith in the house - a statue, icon or cross. Do we teach children the habit of grace before and after meals from their early years; do we say simple prayers with them, night and morning? There are so many helpful picture books available now for the early years. Praying is not soley a Sunday exercise or something we do at school. Speaking to 'our Father' reverently in prayer at home affirms that we are part of his family, he is there as guide and defender. It will help impress upon us the holiness of God's house when we visit him there on Sunday.

We have no less than three 'new years' with opportunity for a new heart - The School Year we've had; we shall observe on Advent Sunday a new year beginning for the Church calendar - these two quite apart from January 1st, whose good resolve so easily falls away.

Fiona Keen and Father Logan

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