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Clergy letter
An Adventure in Space and Time
Anyone unaware of my passion for Doctor Who must have been locked in the
church sheds for the past three years and failed to spot my personalised
numberplate or the various related items in the Vicarage!
It’s been an exciting year for us fans, as the programme welcomed the first
female Doctor. I found myself thinking the other day for a science fantasy TV
show that’s been running for 55 years (and for the fans who have been on
board since the early years) it’s been a real adventure in space and time.
A couple of years ago I recorded a series for Manx Radio which we entitled “An
Advent Adventure.” It could very easily have had the additional “...in Space and
Time” affixed, because actually our journey through Advent, Christmas, and
Epiphany is a bit like an adventure in space and time.
For each of these seasons requires us to do a bit of time travelling – looking to
the past for the benefit of wisdom and experience; looking to the present, so
we’re in touch with reality and discovering the truth in the here and now; and
looking to the future, when we anticipate the coming of Christ at the end of
time as King.
They are “adventures” because we can’t get through them passively. We have
to get involved. And while we may not meet any Time Lords along the way, we
are most certainly bound for an encounter with the Lord of Time, for whom a
thousand years is like a day, who “inhabits eternity” according to Isaiah.
Advent calls us to prepare for the coming of Christ both at Christmas and in the
time to come, Christmas calls us to celebrate the first coming of Christ at
Bethlehem and look ahead to his glorious coming again, and Epiphany calls us
to share the good news of Jesus with everyone. None of it involves sitting next
to a fire with our feet up!
And all three distinct church seasons are definitely “bigger on the inside” – if
only we would find the time and the space to make the very most of them in the
middle of all our joyful celebration, decorating, gift-giving and receiving,
resolutions, and recovery!
As I wish everyone the most challenging of Advents, the holiest of Christmases
and the happiest of New Years, perhaps there’s a true blessing for us sci-fi fans
as well: the geeks shall inherit the earth!
David Guest
1
Barnes Green Centre
Church Road
Barnes SW13 9HE
6th Nov: Dr Charles Lee Anne Frank, Auschwitz
and the Holocaust
13th Nov: Glyn Wallis-Jones Literary London
20th Nov: Peter Burrows-Smith The Deer of Richmond Park
27th Nov: Jevan Chowdhury Moving Cities: All the
world's a stage -----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
---
4th Dec: Vicky McGrath Richmond: before and
after the railway
11th Dec: Katharina Guenther Francis Bacon: Portraits
from Photographs
18th Dec: Carols, Christmas
Poems & Mince Pies
Coffee from 10.30am
Talks begin at 11.00am
and last approximately 40 mins
All Welcome
2
Contents of
Interest
Clergy Letter 1 An Adventure in Space and Time
Christmas Angels 3 Advance Notice
Glass Door 5 Shelters at Christ Church & All Saints
Christmas Day lunch and tea 6 Would you like to be a guest or help?
Julian Meetings 7 Do you long for silence?
A Parish Quiet Day 8 Start of Advent
Cosmo’s War 8 Saturday 10 November
Home-Start 9 Talk on 25 November – do come
Christingle Service at All Saints 16 22nd December A tour of new American Embassy 17 25 from the Parish attended
Pilgrim Course 18 Dates for your diary
We need to talk about death 21 Does this appeal to you?
Mamma Mia Sing-along 23 A fun event for the whole Parish
What’s on …. FiSH talks 2
Remembrance Day Services 3
A Seasonal Soiree 4
NOV/DEC CALENDARS 10/11-14/15
CHRISTMAS SERVICES 12 - 13
Burns Night Dinner 19 Mothers’ Union Bring and Buy 20
and finally…
Songs & Stories 22
Registers 24
Christmas Angels –
Advance Notice! We are planning to support three local children’s and
young people’s charities as we did at Christmas last
year.
Crossroads - for young carers.
Refuge - helping those suffering domestic violence
Richmond Resettlement - helping young people who cannot live with
their families.
We aim to give vouchers to the young adults and teenagers. For children
aged 0 -10 years we will give presents so we'd be pleased to receive these
too. No need to wrap them as we will match the present to the child once
we have more details from the charities. We plan to gather everything in by
2 December. If you would like to contribute, please give your gifts to: St
Mary’s - Ginny Waterkeyn or Mary Abel, Christ Church - Karen Brown, All
Saints – Fr Alex Barrow. Thank you!
Karen Brown, Ginny Waterkeyn, Mary Abel, Revd Alex Barrow
3
Remembrance Day 11th November, 2018
10.55am Act of Remembrance
at Sheen Lane War Memorial with 2 minutes silence, trumpeter and music from
our parish choirs
(9.30am Sung Eucharist in all three churches,
after which processions will set off for Sheen Lane War Memorial)
Please do join with others from our neighbourhood in this community commemoration
3.00pm A short service of music (including the choir) poetry and readings at St Mary's to mark the 100th anniversary of the end of World War 1. All are welcome.
4
Glass Door night shelters at Christ Church and All Saints
The parish is hosting night shelters for Glass Door this winter at All Saints on
Wednesdays and Christ Church on Fridays. Last year we opened in January, this
will be a longer season starting in November, but both churches are in the
enviable position of having lots of volunteers. The volunteers are members of
our congregations and also our neighbours, word spreads and the offers come
in.
The shelters will operate as they did last year, but sadly the number of guests is
likely to increase, probably about 25 men and women each night. There is a
Glass Door caseworker based at the Vineyard Centre to help guests find work
and housing, and two Glass Door staff who stay overnight at the shelter and
serve breakfast. The volunteers welcome the guests and cook and serve the
evening meal. Some of the guests like to talk, others are too weary to do more
than eat and sleep. Before the meal the Glass Door leader gathers the
volunteers to offer guidance, the key message of which is respect for and by
guests and volunteers. This is followed by a short prayer of thanksgiving.
The seven churches offering hospitality have to be sure that they don’t all serve
the same dish. This calls for some creative thinking, but we have enough cooks
on our rotas to prevent lasagne (or whatever it is) fatigue. Waitrose and Cavan
Bakery have both been generous in their support for the shelters. Their staff
have volunteered, they have given us money for food as well as a month of
green tokens, and delicious unsold bread. These gifts mean that last year we
did not have to claim expenses for food from Glass Door which in turn means
that more of the money raised through the efforts of, for example, Alex Barrow,
who joined the Glass Door sleep out, and Francis Neal who ran the London
Marathon, is available to finance caseworkers, a hugely important role.
Thank you from the Volunteer Coordinators to everyone who is supporting the
night shelters, as Glass Door says ‘we couldn’t do it without you’.
Olwen Williamson, Kate Woodhouse (CC) and
Elizabeth Mends, Lucy Mayfield (AS)
5
6
Be still and know that I am God Psalm 46:10
Waiting on God in the Silence
Do you long for silence? To leave the world of words and noise and busyness
behind and fall into the silence of God for just a short time. To still your mind
and body and find refreshment and renewal.
The Julian Meetings for Silent Prayer (Julian Group) is a time of silent prayer in
the company of others. We sit on comfortable chairs, start with a short
sentence from scripture (or a spiritual writer), followed by half an hour of
silence, and end with the Grace. Followed by simple refreshments.
The meetings are monthly. From November we will be meeting on the third
Monday of the month, gathering in the St Mary’s Room at St Mary’s, starting at
6.00 p.m. and finishing by 7.00 p.m.
The next meeting is on Monday 19th November 2018, 6.00 p.m. at St Mary the
Virgin, Mortlake High Street. And the December meeting is on Monday 17th
December.
Do get in touch with me - [email protected] or 8878 3759 if
you would like to find out more, or just turn up.
Deirdre Munro
7
A Gold Medal for
Christ Church
Richmond Borough in Bloom awarded Christ Church
garden a gold medal.
Congratulations and thanks to all those who mow,
hoe, plant, weed and trim for much of the year,
A Parish Quiet Day for the start
of Advent
In preparation for the season of Advent we are holding a parish quiet day using
paintings as the basis for our meditation and reflection.
The annual quiet day is open to all in the parish and will be held in the hall at
Christ Church from 10am - 1pm on Saturday, 1st December
The season of Advent is supposed to be a time of quiet preparation and prayer
before the Christmas festival, but all too often we are too busy to make the
most of this important period of watching and waiting.
In "The Art of Watching and Waiting" we will look at some works of art as the
basis for the quiet day and there will be a short meditation on each before the
opportunity to spend time quietly to pray, read, walk, or think - the talks are a
springboard to however you might like to use the time helpfully. Our quiet days
don't mean we don't talk to each other! However, they do provide an
opportunity to take a breath, open ourselves up to God in prayerful response,
and enjoy a positive time of rest and refreshment.
Coffee and tea will be available throughout the morning and you are welcome
to bring a packed lunch so you can enjoy a chat and fellowship afterwards.
David Guest
8
COSMO'S WAR Many of you will have known the late Julia Rhys at Christ Church. Her
father Cosmo Clark became a Royal Academician, but in 1916, as a 17
year old Art Student, he joined the Middlesex Regiment and survived
the Somme. His letters home to his family (who were facing Zeppelin
raids in Chiswick) survive, and Bernard Adams has drawn on them to
produce a play.
This will be produced as a dramatised reading in Christ Church on
Saturday 10th November, 7.30pm
in memory of the ending of the First world War, with proceeds in aid of
the veteran's charity Combat Stress.
Tickets £10 at the door, £3 for under 18s.
Home-Start Richmond, Kingston and Hounslow is one of the charities the
parish has decided to support for the next three years. It is a family charity
giving a supportive start to struggling families with children in those critical
early years under the age of 5.
Volunteers visit families at home to offer emotional and practical support to
parents, guiding them through and building their resilience to the demands and
stresses that parenting brings. Ultimately helping to prevent family crisis and
breakdown. Volunteers undergo a rigorous training course, which is part of the
cost of about £1200 to support each family.
Rhonda Senior has been a Home-Start volunteer for about 3 years. She writes:
during that time, I've worked with three local families. I typically visit the family
in their home on a weekly basis. More often than not, there is no father figure
in the children's lives, and the mother generally has little no support from her
own family. The challenges of lone parenting are compounded by financial
strains, learning disabilities and on-going mental / physical health issues.
During my weekly visits, I often play with the children so the mother has time to
tend to other tasks, and/or chat with the mother and provide emotional
support through listening, encouragement and advice. I can genuinely say it
has been a true honour that each family has welcomed me into their lives. I
think they value the judgement-free befriending, as well as the consistency and
reliability of the visits. I highly recommend volunteering to any parent who has
a few hours per week to spare!
Talk by Claire Leonard from Home- Start Sunday 25 November at 12noon at St Mary’s
We are delighted that Claire Leonard will be coming to the parish to talk about the work of Home-Start. This will be a short talk, followed an
opportunity to hear about the work of Home-Start and ways in which we can help.
Previous talks in this Sunday morning slot from charities that the parish supports have been excellent, informative and interesting. Do please try
and come.
9
7
10
November Calendar
Thursday 1st 10.00am Songs and Stories at Christ Church
6.30pm Contemplative Prayer Group – 18 Deanhill Rd
Friday 2nd 2.00pm Mothers’ Union meeting at St Mary’s
Saturday 3rd 12.30pm Parish Circle Dancing at St Mary’s
Sunday 4th 4th Sunday before Advent 3.00pm Memorial Service at St Mary’s
Monday 5th 9.30pm Tiddlywinks at St Mary’s
Wednesday 7th 10.00am Songs and Stories at All Saints
8.00pm Finance and Property meeting
PM/AM Glass Door night shelter at All Saints
Thursday 8th 10.00am Songs and Stories at Christ Church
Friday 9th 11.00am Sheen Lane Day Centre Service
PM/AM Glass Door night shelter at Christ Church Saturday 10th 12.30pm Cursillo Diocesan Ultreya bring & share lunch
Sunday 11th 3rd Sunday before Advent Remembrance Sunday
9.30am Services at each church start
11.00am Service of Remembrance at War Memorial 3.00pm Service of music to mark WW1 centenary
at St Mary’s
5.00pm Memorial Service at Christ Church
Monday 12th 9.30am Tiddlywinks at St Mary’s
8.00pm Christ Church Consultative meet – Christ Church
Wednesday 14th 10.00am Songs and Stories at All Saints
10.45am Oxford House Service
8.00pm St Mary’s Consultative meet at St Mary’s
PM/AM Glass Door night shelter at All Saints
Thursday 15th 10.00am Songs and Stories at Christ Church
10.45am Alexander House Service
Friday 16th PM/AM Glass Door night shelter at Christ Church
Sunday 18th 2nd Sunday before Advent 6.00pm A Seasonal Soiree concert at All Saints
Monday 19th 9.30am Tiddlywinks at St Mary’s
6.00pm Julian Group meeting at St Mary’s
HALL AND ROOM BOOKINGS
Rooms are available for community groups, classes,
children’s parties and social functions, at all three churches
St Mary’s
Parish Office 8876 1630 [email protected]
Christ Church
Mireille Stanton 8876 7744 [email protected]
Community Hall
Deirdre Munro 8878 3759 [email protected]
Church and Vestry Rooms
All Saints
Peter Hayward 8878 9292 [email protected]
11
November Calendar
Wednesday 21st 10.00am Songs and Stories at All Saints
PM/AM Glass Door night shelter at All Saints
Thursday 22nd 10.00am Songs & Stories at Christ Church
Friday 23rd PM/AM Glass Door night shelter at Christ Church
Saturday 24th 10.30-12noon Mothers’ Union Coffee morning/Bring and Buy
at St Mary’s
Sunday 25th Sunday next before Advent
12 noon Mission Giving talk on Home-Start at St
Mary’s
Monday 26th 9.30pm Tiddlywinks at St Mary’s
Wednesday 28th 10.00am Songs and Stories and All Saints
8.00pm PCC meeting in All Saints Hall
PM/AM Glass Door night shelter at All Saints
Thursday 29th 10.00am Songs and Stories at Christ Church
Friday 30th PM/AM Glass Door night shelter at Christ Church
CHRISTMAS
ST MARY’S
Sunday, 23rd December: 6.30pm Carol Service by Candlelight
Monday, 24th December – Christmas Eve 5.00pm Children’s Crib Service 11.30pm Midnight Mass
Tuesday, 25th December – Christmas Day 8.00am Holy Communion (BCP) 10.00am Festival Eucharist with family friendly talk and activity
CHRIST CHURCH
Sunday, 23rd December 5.00pm Carol Service by candlelight followed by
mulled wine
Monday, 24th December – Christmas Eve 4.00pm Crib Service for all the family
11.30pm Midnight Communion
Tuesday, 25th December – Christmas Day 8.00am Holy Communion (BCP)
11.00am Family Service (bring along Christmas gifts you’d like to show)
12
SERVICES
ALL SAINTS
Sunday, 16th December
6.30pm Carol Service by Candlelight
Saturday, 22nd December
4.00pm Christingle Service – for all the family
Sunday, 23rd December 10.00am All Age Eucharist and Nativity Play
Monday, 24th December – Christmas Eve 11.30pm Midnight Mass
Tuesday, 25th December – Christmas Day 8.00am Said Eucharist 10.00am Christmas Day Festival Eucharist
with children’s procession to the crib (Note – no 12 noon Late Service)
13
CAROL SINGING
All Saints will be carol singing in their
area on:
Saturday, 15th December: meet at 4.00pm at Mortlake Station
Tuesday, 18 December: meet at church at 6.30pm
.
14
December Calendar
Saturday 1st 10-1.00pm Parish Quiet Day for Advent at Christ Church
12.30pm Parish Circle Dancing at St Mary’s
Sunday 2nd Advent 1
6.30pm Advent Carol Service at All Saints
Monday 3rd 9.30pm Tiddlywinks at St Mary’s
Wednesday 5th 10.00am Songs and Stories at All Saints
10.30am Alexander House Service
PM/AM Glass Door night shelter at All Saints
Thursday 6th 10.00am Songs and Stories at Christ Church
6.30pm Contemplative Prayer Group – 18 Deanhill Road
Friday 7th PM/AM Glass Door night shelter at Christ Church
Sunday 9th Advent 2
Monday 10th 9.30am Tiddlywinks at St Mary’s
Wednesday 12th 10.00am Songs and Stories at All Saints
PM/AM Glass Door night shelter at All Saints
Thursday 13th 10.00am Songs and Stories at Christ Church
Friday 14th 11.00am Sheen Lane Day Centre Service
2.00pm Mothers’ Union Communion and Carols at
St Mary’s
PM/AM Glass Door night shelter at Christ Church
Sunday 16th Advent 3
6.30pm Carols by candlelight at All Saints
Monday 17th 9.30am Tiddlywinks at St Mary’s
6.00pm Julian Group meeting at St Mary’s
Tuesday 18th 6.30pm All Saints carol singing in the streets
Wednesday 19th 10.00am Songs and Stories at All Saints
10,30am Alexander House Service
3.00pm Oxford House Service
PM/AM Glass Door night shelter at All Saints
Thursday 20th 10.00am Songs and Stories at Christ Church
Friday 21st PM/AM Glass Door night shelter at Christ Church
Saturday 22nd 4.00pm Christingle Service at All Saints
15
December Calendar
Sunday 23rd Advent 4
5.00pm Carols by Candelight at Christ Church
6.30pm Carols by candlelight at St Mary’s
Monday 24th 4.00pm Crib Service at Christ Church
5.00pm Crib Service at St Mary’s
11.30pm Midnight Mass at St Mary’s, Christ Church
and All Saints
Christmas Day
Tuesday 25th 12.30-4.00pm Parish Christmas Day lunch and tea at
St Mary’s
Friday 28th PM/AM Glass Door night shelter at Christ Church
Sunday 30th Christmas 1
For details of all Christmas Services
See pages 12 and 13
FiSH Lunchtime Concert
Come and join us for a light lunch with music
from Madeleine Warwick
at St Michael’s Community Centre,
Elm Bank Gardens, Barnes, SW13 ONX Call 8876 3336 for further details.
Friday 7th December - 12.30pm – 1.30pm
Donations to FiSH (suggested £5.00 to cover lunch costs)
16
Christingle Service at All Saints Saturday, 22nd December
at 4.00pm
Join us with your family and friends and enjoy this short and
informal service, proceeds of which go to the Children’s Society
The Christingle orange, decorated with dried fruits, sweets,
a red ribbon and a candle, is a traditional Advent symbol
that will be provided at the service.
Advent Carols at All Saints
Sunday 2nd December, 6.30pm
All Saints' Church, East Sheen Avenue, SW14 8AT
As you begin to prepare for Christmas, join us for a beautiful
service of readings, pieces of music sung by the choir, and
Advent carols - all followed by mulled wine and mince pies. We
hope to see you there, and do invite your friends and
neighbours too!
‘O come, O come, Emmanuel!’
On 3rd October
25 members of the parish attended the
guided walk around the new American embassy and newly reborn Battersea
Power Station with Pauline Lake, a blue badge guide. It was good to chat to
members of the three churches in the parish. Do join us on our next visit!
Mireille Stanton
17
#
FiSH your local voluntary
neighbourhood care scheme
Do you need help?
Can you help as a
volunteer or sponsor?
Call FiSH helpline
weekdays 9.00 - 12.00
on 8876 3414
visit: www.fishhelp.org.uk
18
We will be running the next six sessions of this popular course in early
2019, this time focusing on the Lord’s Prayer.
Dates for your diary are:
9th January at St Mary’s Rectory 170 Sheen Lane
16th January at 17 Sheen Gate Gardens
23rd January at 86 East Sheen Avenue
30th January at St Mary’s Rectory 170 Sheen Lane
6th February at 17 Sheen Gate Gardens
13th February at 86 East Sheen Avenue
The course runs on Wednesdays over 6 weeks starting at 8pm. All are
welcome and the course is suitable for anyone wanting to think more
deeply about their faith and for those considering Confirmation.
Sign up sheets will be available in the three churches.
More information from the clergy.
19
are holding a
Bring and Buy COFFEE MORNING
SATURDAY, 24th NOVEMBER
10.30am – 12 noon
St Mary’s Room St Mary the Virgin Church
Mortlake High Street, SW14 8JA
Come and enjoy a cup of tea/coffee, mince pies and a chat
Please come and support us and do not forget to bring with you any unwanted gifts.
Everyone Welcome
20
We Need to Talk about Death
We don’t talk about death despite Benjamin Franklin’s pronouncement of its
certainty, along with taxes. And we talk plenty about those.
No longer do people do their dying at home as was usual not so very long ago.
The process of dying is alien to most of us. And yet there will be very few of you
reading this who have not experienced the death of someone close to them – a
grandparent, parent, sibling, child, friend. Death is part of life but we push it
away, hide the process in hospitals, don’t talk about it, feel embarrassed.
If we don’t talk about death, if we don’t know about the process of dying, how
can we ready ourselves for that moment? For ourselves or for those closest to
us. How can we prepare ourselves for saying goodbye? For righting wrongs
maybe? How will our families know what we want at our funeral if we don’t plan
it? I need to let people know what hymns I’d like to be sung, and that I really,
really don’t want “I Did it My Way” played. Why shouldn’t my funeral be as
carefully planned as my wedding?
And no I don’t talk about death either. But I’ve been thinking about death and
reading about it. Recently I read With the End in Mind by Dr Kathryn Mannix, a
palliative care doctor. She writes movingly about the process of dying and of
the sometimes denial of patients and families in the face of the inevitable. I’d
always had a fear of dying, not death itself but dying. Her accounts of the
process, which follows a very similar pattern in the numerous people’s deaths
she describes, was very comforting.
There are safe places to share these conversations: Death Cafes, whose
objective is 'to increase awareness of death with a view to helping people
make the most of their (finite) lives'. https://deathcafe.com and Grave Talk
also an organised café space to talk about death, dying and funerals.
https://churchofenglandfunerals.org/gravetalk/
The Dying Matters website https://www.dyingmatters.org has helpful
information.
Let me know if talking about death appeals to you.
Deirdre Munro
21
22
For under 5s
Mondays from 9.30 - 11.00am with music and singing 10.40-
11.00am during term time at St Mary’s. Drop in for pre-school children
and their carers.
£3 per child – refreshments free.
All welcome
Songs and Stories
for pre-school children and carers
Wednesday at 10am at All Saints
(during term time)
Thursday at 10am at Christ Church
(during term time)
please contact:
Sarah McLaughlin [email protected]
(All Saints)
Brenda Morris - 8876 2037
(Christ Church)
Sheen Lane Centre
Wednesdays & Thursdays
10.30am – 12.30pm
Fridays
10.30am – 12.30pm
(not first Friday in the month)
Pop in and visit us
All Welcome
A date for your diaries.....
7pm on Saturday 9th February 2019
at All Saints Church
A fun event for the whole parish
Come in your best 1970s outfit, ready to sing
and dance to the music of Abba
Bring and share supper – 70s theme if possible
More details to follow
23
From the Registers
Baptisms:
2nd September: Emily Starr of Burdenshott Avenue
Nicholas Hinds of Westhay Gardens
7th October: James Taylor-Harris of Derby Road (Christ Church)
7th October: Edward Pratt of Worple Street (St Mary’s)
16th September: Jeremy Robinson of Gilpin Avenue
14th October: Beatrix Meehan of Palewell Park
21st October: Otto Stratton of Grosvenor Avenue (All Saints)
Weddings:
7th September: Rupert Maryniak and Caroline Priestley at
Christ Church
8th September: Richard Evans and Caroline Lewis at All Saints
27th October: Alexander Badeni and Alexandra McMillan at
Christ Church
Funerals:
3rd September: Jennifer Rhodes of Graemesdyke Avenue
19th October: Paul D’Aguilar of Sheen Gate Gardens
24
PARISH LINK
The next edition – covering January and February - will be in
church - Sunday, 13 January
If you have any items you would like included please
send to Anne Reeves by weekend of 4 January
email: [email protected]
or hard copy to the Parish Office
or speak to Kate Woodhouse (St Mary’s), Prudie Mennell (Christ
Church), Kathy Sheldon (All Saints) or a Churchwarden