2009 - an amazing year ahead

The highlight of the year is definitely going to be the opening of our new church building, the Chapel on the Hill, which will occur during the first months of 2009.

It's going to host a variety of services and events, from a club for people who want to learn English as a second language, to healing services, Taize style services and more.

There is office space as well as the main worship area, which will be available for hire: a unique and highly practical setting.

As for the main parish church, of course services will continue there with all vigour.

Please do join us at 10am on a Sunday morning if you haven't come before. We do our best to provide an environment that offers both fun and spiritual sustenance.

Two further notes: Father Robert will be on parental leave from 3rd January for three weeks, and Father John will also be on annual leave for a fortnight in January, so be patient if your enquiries to them are not answered as fast as you would hope.

Also, this blog probably won't be updated again for a while. Don't let that stop you coming to church!

Father Robert

Christmas services timetable

Over 2,500 people have come to worship at our church this year of one form or another.

Why not join us this Christmas?


Sunday 21st December 10am: Final Sunday of Advent, Guest preacher, Louise Vincer, who used to be an associate priest here.


Sunday 21st December, 4pm: Carol service, all your favourites as we tell the Christmas story. Gluwein and mince pies afterwards!


Christmas Eve: Wed 24th December, 4pm: Crib and Christingle service. See the donkey ride in to church, light the candle in the christingle, take a cracker home. Come dressed as a shepherd, an angel, or just as you are. (NB Arrive early if you want a seat as this service is really popular.)


Christmas Eve: Wed 24th December, carols from 11pm, service starts 11.30pm: Midnight Mass.


Magical, mysterious and awesome. Welcome in Christmas Day at this nighttime service.


Christmas Day: 10am. Bring your toys and sing to the new born Christ child.

More sadly, there's also a funeral happening in Church, on Monday 22nd December at 9.45am for Viretta Pink. This will also be a beautiful occasion.

And, as promised, another photo from the Chapel on the Hill, our soon-to-open new building. This time, it's me with Reverend Sheila, checking out the staircase leading to the worship space.
Father Robert

Chapel on the Hill coming (as is Christmas)

Each week, we'll be adding an image from our new Chapel on the Hill. This (to the left) is the restored stained glass window (and, I think, Father John's head at the bottom right!).

While it's a small space, it's quite high and will make a peaceful, beautiful place for worship.

Meanwhile, our Christmas Fayre at the parish church went well. Hundreds of people came, we made £3170, and I'm just finishing off the last of Paul Tapp's exceptional chocolate muffins as I type this into the blog. Thank you to all who helped, or attended.

This Sunday is an All age parade Sunday, when the prayers will be led by our little beavers (smaller than cubs or brownies.) Our guest preacher will be Jane Steen, who's the canon theologian at Southwark cathedral.

If you like music, come to Sainsbury's on Wednesday 17th between 6.30pm and 7.30pm and you'll hear us Carol singing . Join in, if you like!

Our formal carol service will be on Sunday 21st Dec at 4pm.

Father Robert

The Chapel on the Hill (and the Christmas Fayre)

The Chapel on the Hill is the new building opening up in our parish. New, but also old, because it's re-opening on the site of the old Christ Church building.

The big church with a huge spire that you can see from Forest Hill station: that's now 70% flats, but 30% worship space. We're now almost in: above you can see John going up the staircase and below Father Alan and Father John taking tape measurements to check on new fittings.

On the ground floor are various rooms that will be available for hire. Do you need an office? A room for a toddler group? A yoga centre? Above is a lovely worship space. Think about us and drop us an email.

But then there's also the usual stuff happening at Church.

Our big Christmas Fayre is this coming Saturday

Saturday 6th December 12pm-3pm.

See you there!

Fr Robert

PS The Fayre is at the parish church, not the Chapel on the Hill

Coming up, a healing service, a Christmas Fayre

This coming Sunday may only be November 30th in most people's calendar, but it is the first day of the Church's year! Advent Sunday.
We'll be lighting our advent candle in church, because now the wait begins in which we look forward to the entrance of God into the world at Christmas.

We'll also be holding a Healing Service at 4pm this Sunday.

Look out for our Christmas Fayre, on Saturday December 6th between 12pm and 3pm.
Come and pick up some fantastic bargains!

Fr Robert

Back from Walsingham

A party of 27 pilgrims, well, 28 if you include Tessa, a very young pilgrim, went from St George Christ Church St Paul up to Walsingham last weekend, and had a beautiful time.

To the right you see our group doing the Stations of the Cross and then further right, Pat and Sheila on the walk out towards the Slipper Chapel.

Going on pilgrimage is a very special time: it's not just a holiday, because the place and context lift all the conversations one has out into a deeper, more meaningful realm.

I'm sure all that went have returned refreshed and inspired in some way, even though Walsingham also contains some of the quirkier parts of the Anglican tradition. People this year were especially amused by the feet disappearing into the ceiling of the Ascension side chapel.

Wonderful, all the same.

Do join us this coming Sunday for our service celebrating "Christ the King": we'll have a 'bring and share' lunch afterwards: bring something very simple to share and we'll all chat.

Also, have the Christmas Fayre in your diaries: Sat 6th December.

Time to pick up some belting bargains in these tough times.

God bless,

Father Robert

At the going down of the sun...

Please join us for our Remembrance Day service this coming Sunday at 10am. (9th November).
It will be a beautiful occasion, with a silence at 11am, and in some senses chimes in with the theme of bringing the dead before God as we have done at All Saints and All Souls.

At our All Souls service, the Commemoration of the Faithful Departed, 130 people were present, remembering over 400 people, who were special to them. It was deeply moving as people came to light candles and the sight of the candles burning into the night, long after people had left the church, will remain will me for a long time.

Of course, at Remembrance Day, we especially remember those who have died in war, and this year, we'll be remembering what it was like to live through the Second World War through an interview with one of our parishioners, Bud, who was evacuated out of London when he was a boy.

Fr Robert

All Saints, All Souls, and recent events

On the right and the left are some photos from our youth weekend that took place in Kent between Friday and Sunday. There were 11 of us and 18 young people form three other local churches. A great time was had by all.




Meanwhile, back at Church, of course, there were very special, if more solemn services, marking the death of Angie Ackland.
Thank you to all who attended the Requiem Mass on Friday night or Angie's Funeral on Saturday morning.
They were beautiful services, and in all over 500 people attended, a mark of the love in which she was held.
Father John is now taking a few days leave.

Coming up we have two special services, All Saints on Sunday morning at 10am and All Souls, a thanksgiving and commemoration of the faithful departed on Monday 3rd November at 8pm.
Please do come early to the All Souls, if you want to get a seat. It's a chance to remember loved ones and light a candle and take some rosemary in their memory.


For a service more obviously filled with joy, some of you may wish to come to Patrick and Lucia's wedding this Saturday (1st) or the Deanery Confirmation where Eto and George from our Church will be confirmed: Tuesday 4th, 8pm at St Barts.


Fr Robert

Requiem mass and Angie's funeral

A requiem mass will be held for Angie on Friday evening (24th Oct) at 8pm. Bishop Christopher will preside at this.
Angie's body will remain in Church over night, and the funeral
will take place on Saturday 25th October, in the morning at 11.30am. The officiant will be Bruce Saunders, Canon Pastor at Southwark Cathedral who knew Angie well.
The family will be offering flowers. if you would like to make a donation
in her memory, they have requested that it be made to St Christopher's
where she received such care in the last few weeks of her life.
Everyone is welcome to both services.

Those away on the youth activity weekend will be offered the chance to attend the funeral. Special transport will be laid on for that.
Fr Robert

Harvest, thanks for God's creation

Here are photos from our Harvest display in the Baptistry.

That doesn't mean we aren't still using it as a living font: Sophie was baptised here last Sunday and Byron and Milena will be baptised there this Sunday (19th) at 2pm.

Also there will be a Service of Healing and Wholeness this Sunday at 4pm. This is a time of gentleness and peace when people are invited to offer themselves for prayer in this particular way.

Details of Angie's funeral service will be posted here as soon as they are available.

Fr Robert

Sad news

As many of you know, Angie, Father John's wife, died in the early hours of Saturday morning, at St Christopher's hospice. She had been ill for some months.

Angie was an amazing woman, who will be greatly missed, in many, many ways. Details of her funeral will be available in due course.

Fr Robert

Harvest coming

Last weekend saw 400 different people pass through the doors of St George Christ Church St Paul for one reason or other.

Some, like Nick and Sarah (left) came in to go through one of life's great moments themselves, in the presence of God.

We also had four people baptised on Sunday: Dejonte, George, Victoria and Andrew.

This was a very special service as people from different backgrounds and stages of life came together to be joined by baptism into the body of Christ.

Perhaps more sadly, early on Saturday morning, we also interred the ashes of Denis Moore in the garden of remembrance, but this too was an important service for a deeply loved member of the congregation.

This weekend sees our Harvest celebration.

On Saturday night, there's a Harvest supper. On Sunday morning, we've our All Age parade Harvest service.

It's going to be a great celebration of God's creation and all that's in it.

Please do join us: 10am on Sunday 12th.

A weekend of activities

This weekend, we'll start off with a moment of respect before we move on up to celebration.
At 11am on Saturday (4th), we'll be interring Denis Moore's ashes in the Memorial Garden. Denis, a former churchwarden and long time member of the congregation, died in the summer and is greatly missed by everyone.
Then, at 2pm, we gear up again for Nick and Sarah's wedding, which promises to be a fabulous occasion.
Moving on to Saturday, there are our normal Sunday services, but also a quadruple baptism at 2pm. Yes, four people coming forward: two are adults, two are babies, and it's going to be wonderful. The Christian community is made up of all sorts of people and this is how it will be on Sunday afternoon.

Further ahead, look out for our Harvest festival on Sunday 12th October.
A time to celebrate and remember the glories of God's creation and the struggle and responsibility of using it wisely.

Fr Robert

New term, new season, prayers heard

The middle of September sees things really begin to gel, as everyone is now back from their holidays.

Yesterday was spectacular: not one but three baptisms: Emily, Albert and Taylor. Emily and Albert were terrific, but the last baptism (Taylor's) I missed as I was running a labyrinth in Sainsbury's car park as part of the "Here Our Prayer" weekend (see below): (I'm sure it went well). It felt encouraging to feel the life and love around these children in a week where we've been dealing with death, with the funerals of Sue Simmons and Gladys Byron. Both were beautiful occasions, led by Father John, worthy of the special people we were remembering and entrusting to God's care.

Here Our Prayer

http://www.hereourprayer.webeden.co.uk/.

The Churches of Forest Hill and Sydenham got together to do all sorts of events last weekend, from the rosary in the Catholic church to a labyrinth in Holy Trinity, Sydenham. The labyrinth I was involved in was in Sainsbury's car park and passers by who got intrigued could come in or just stand at the side and ask questions. A labyrinth involves a person taking a literal journey around pathways, stopping off at stations on the way. At each station, through a physical act - playing with magnets and a compass, dropping a stone - they are encouraged to think through a reality for them: working out what is a 'false north', attracting them away from the 'true north' of a compass, that might pass to God. Or it could be any number of these things.

The number and quality of conversations I had with those passing by was great.

I also had the privilege of hosting Brother Hugh Tibbotts for the night, who came to join us for the weekend from the Franciscan community in Hilfield.

http://franciscans.org.uk/h-hilfield.html

Among other things, we discussed whether there was such a thing as a "new monasticism" and his delight at the way our weekend had embraced both free churches, Protestant denominations and catholics.

If you still want to get a flavour of Here Our Prayer, you could visit our Stitch and Bloom exhibition which will be up till the end of Monday, displaying the creativity and spirituality behind the visual in our church: vestments and flowers. And there's a session on Prayer in Jewish Life on Wednesday night: see the website.

Next week sees our Marriage Preparation Day, as we gather with the couples about to commit their lives to each other. That's on Saturday (20th September).

Otherwise, I look forward to seeing you on Sunday, for our usual service at 10am.

Fr Robert

Upcoming Events and Services

First, a reminder of times for two upcoming funerals.
Sue Simmons' funeral will take place in Church on Monday 8th September at 2pm, followed by the Committal at Honor Oak crematorium.
Gladys Byron's funeral will take place in Church on Thursday 11th September at 3pm.

And though they will be sad, they will also each be times for thanksgiving for their lives.

This weekend, from 1pm, there's a party in the vicarage hosted by John and Angie to thank the parish for their support at this time.
From2.45pm, there's an event in Blackheath, All Saints' church for youth (people 10-18). There's a multitude of activities, including football led by yours truly, but finishing with a service and then a picnic afterwards. It will be great.

The weekend after this, there's the great Here Our Prayer weekend for Forest Hill and Sydenham. (12th to 14th Sept) see www.hereourprayer.webeden.co.uk.

We will be having a special set of prayers in the morning on Saturday from 9.30am followed by a festival of flowers and vestments and how we use them during the Church Year: Stitch and Bloom.

Look out too for the chance to go up in a hot air balloon: only possible if you come to the All Age parade service on Sunday 14th at 10am.
That will also be the time for a double baptism: Albie and Emily, brother and sister.

Fr Robert

Grieving people

August is always a strange month for a parish church. So many people are away that the congregation often feels untypical. We've got newcomers who are just visiting, whilst the regulars are in Cornwall/ Florida/ France etc.
(As for me, I've been to a wet St Andrews in Scotland.)
And yet whilst the regulars will return in September, there are some who won't, in that it has been August when they have died.
Sue Simmonds and Gladys Byron are two of these.
To describe Sue as a pillar of the church would be true but also somehow not quite right. Sue was much too fun a person to be described as a pillar, and yet what she has done is remarkable. For many, many years, she led our cub pack; literally hundreds of children were guided by her over the years, and and she had an impact on other people in many, many ways. With good humour and great wisdom, she's been on the side of the angels for many years, looking out for people. As I looked out on the congregation last Sunday, I really felt her loss.
She's been away quite often anyway, because of her cancer, but there is something numbing about knowing that someone won't return.
Gladys too will be missed, making her entrance into church, accompanied by George. Unable to express herself because of her multiple strokes, she still carried something in her eyes that was very special.
Both their funerals will happen in the coming weeks: Sue's on 8th September at 2pm: Gladys' is yet to have a date.
And of course life will go on. The school term will start and there will be a bundle of activities, as there should be in a healthy community: Sue would have been the first to say that.
And yet, and yet... however great one's faith, death is hard to deal with.
We will miss them both greatly, even as we pray for them and their families.
Fr Robert.

Return from Taize... pilgrimages and events in the future

The small party of us (see right) who went to Taize are now returned after a fabulous week.

For those who don't know, Taize is a tiny village in Burgundy, France, where in the 1940s, a young Swiss man, Roger Schutz, set up home intending to start a small community of brothers, with a vision for greater unity among Christians and a life of simplicity and prayer.

Somehow his vision caught light and not only did the number of brothers eager to join him grow, but they also had increasing numbers of visitors.

By the 1960s, they had to build a new church to accommodate them all. (the stained glass, above left, is from the church: it was designed by Brother Eric.)

Today, though Brother Roger is now dead, there are around 100 brothers and they cater to tens of thousands of visitors each year: last week, as well as the four of us from Forest Hill, were 5,000 other young people from 61 different countries, all there to spend a week together.

To find out more, go to www.taize.fr.

For me, I'd been there before: it was the place where I first sensed a calling to be a priest, and it was magical to return, to somewhere both familiar and strange. Naomi and Claire had also been in previous years, though not for some time: for Trudi, it was her first visit.

I think we all found it both profound and incredibly enjoyable. Hopefully, others will come from Forest Hill again in the future. It's a simply incredible place, and one particularly worth capturing when in your younger days (i.e. under 30). There is an extraordinary combination of simplicity and depth in the way the community leads you to encounter God that is rarely found elsewhere.

If you can't wait for another summer to go round (or if you're feeling your age might be somewhat beyond thirtysomething), then why not consider another pilgrimage: to Walsingham, in November 2008. There's a party of us going for a weekend then, and it's one of the other incredible places of pilgrimage open to people who live in London. Instead of being 10 hours South of London, it's 2 and a half hours northeast: but a special place all the same. Or then, there's the trip to Oberammergau in 2010...

Closer to home, there have been weddings already at church this month and there are more to come, and looking ahead, there's an exciting ecumenical "Here Our Prayer" event on the weekend of Sept 12-14th (just over a month away).

See www.hereourprayer.webeden.co.uk for the main web page giving information.

You can also see the rather extraordinary thread on this subject at the web forum, se23.com.

http://www.se23.com/forum/showthread.php?tid=1019

Clearly, not everyone is sympathetic to Christians getting together to pray, but it already shows a lot of interest. All publicity is good publicity, someone once said.

And - of course - our Church remains open for the perhaps more mundane things, the weekly breaking of bread at the eucharist: for most, that's on Sundays, but we also have services on Tuesday mornings and Thursday evenings.

Beyond that, there's the future new church building (see Father John's post below).

Loads of people have already stated their preference for the name: come to Church on Sunday and you'll be able to have your two pennies worth. It'll be up and running soon enough.

Father Robert

Our Next New Church!

Look out for our new church opening this year on Church Rise Forest Hill. We are now searching for the best name for our new resource. Can you help us? Give us your comments on the 5 names we have selected for your views and opinions! See the New Church Comment Sheet in the lobby of the parish church.

Fr John

Pilgrimages and trips, Taize, Walsingham

As the gorgeous summer sun warms us all up, many people's thoughts turn to holidays. People from our congregation are currently in France, Portugal, Devon and Florida.

For four of us, though, our next holiday is more of a holiday as we go to Taize, the religious community in Eastern France to join 5,000 young people, all seeking God in the extraordinary community that exists there. There's a picture here, but you can find out more here: http://www.taize.fr/.

If that whets your appetite, but you're too late to sign up for that one, think about joining us for our parish pilgrimage to Walsingham. There's a great history from this parish of going to Walsingham: it is, after all, the place voted the most spiritual place in England and a place of pilgrimage for Henry VIII no less!

This is happening in November and will be a great weekend. There's something about that place that speaks to people of all spiritualities, even if it's traditionally Anglo Catholic. There's already 25 people signed up, both veterans and first timers.

Otherwise, there are the usual summer excitements of weddings in church to look forward to. Always a joyous occasion. God bless all the couples being married with us this summer.

Fr Robert

Healing service coming, picnic gone, and a day in the Sun

It's not too often that our Church appears in "The Sun" and generally that's the way we like it, but this morning's paper was an exception. Pedro and Karene's wedding was such an extraordinary story that it's not surprising someone picked up on it. Can you imagine giving birth only to get married three hours later?
If you want to know more, read on with this link:
http://www.thesun.co.uk/sol/homepage/woman/real_life/article1447133.ece

We had a great parish picnic yesterday, as the food ambled into rounders and football. Luke Cottrell (5) particularly impressed the talent scouts: look out for his mazy runs in the future, and after all, England has always lacked decent left-sided midfield players. Thanks especially to Ian Bainbridge for organising it.

And coming up this Sunday, as well as our usual Sunday eucharist, we have our healing service at 4pm in the afternoon. This is a quiet time for offering of one's self to God. There will be laying on of hands and anointing with oil. It's deeply peaceful and a time to reconnect one's whole mind, body and spirit and bring it before God.

Leaving school, getting confirmed, the parish picnic!

Can you remember when you first learned to ride a bike? Your first kiss? Your first bereavement?

We all experience changes in life. At St George Christ Church St Paul, we've experienced that in various ways in the last week.


First, we hosted the Big Year Six Event. If you're in Year Six, that means you're 11 years old and you're about to leave primary school (where you've been top dog) and go to secondary school, where once more you're very small fish in a very big pond. Of course, that carries with it worries as well as excitements.
Four classes of Year Sixes from local church schools got together last Tuesday and Wednesday to think about this. Partly, it was about learning new skills: see the photo on the right as they try out various circus activities.
Partly, it was about meeting people, just as they will come September. Partly, it was about thinking together with other children what their concerns are. There was a conference in the middle of the two days when they could ask a panel of secondary school children just what their experiences of being at secondary school were. It was a great event and we look to repeat it again next year.

Then on Sunday evening, we had a change of a completely different kind. Eight people, four at secondary school and four a bit older (the oldest in his fifties), were confirmed into the Church of England. One, Rob, was also baptised.

For all of them, their faith stories were different and unique to them. One had experienced church in Zambia, one in Greece's Orthodox church, one an Alpha course in Bromley! Yet all wanted a new commitment in themselves to the Christian faith and the Church.

Bishop Christopher came to confirm them just before he goes off with other bishops from all over the world to the Lambeth Conference.
The theme of his sermon was that family of God, and it really did feel that the family was extending on Sunday evening.

Look out this week for our parish picnic directly after the service on Sunday (i.e. midday). We'll be going to Mayow park. They'll be rounders-type games and food.

Summer time events

Thank you to everyone who participated in the summer fair, whether through running a stall, having their face painted, or just buying a raffle ticket.
We raised over £3000 and the community happily passed through our doors.
These events are partly about income: £3000 is a major boost to us in raising the money we need to run our church for a year. They are also a lot about welcome.
People are welcome to our Church.
Of course, we'd hope people are welcome any time, but sometimes it's easier to start by stepping through the door and throwing a coconut at the coconut shy than it is to come in on a Sunday morning.
So thank you and welcome.

As for other upcoming events, this afternoon, we have Joseph and Hope's baptism, which will be very special, and of course around the diocese ordinations are happening, a very special day for those involved.

On Friday, the A-men club are meeting for their annual wine tasting. That's at Father Robert's house from 7.30pm on Friday. In two weeks' time on Saturday, the young people will have their annual summer trip, this year to Thorpe Park, and then on the Sunday, we will be hosting a Confirmation.

Confirmation is where people, either at the cusp of adulthood, or adults themselves, commit themselves to faith in the Christian Church. It's a confirmation of baptismal vows made on our behalf when we were children, a commitment to journeying with the Christian community for our lives. That will be at 6pm on Sunday 13th July.

Fr Robert

Ordinary heroes

A lot of Christianity is the curious mix between ordinariness and miracle.
Listening to the radio today, I heard one of those moments. The parents of Jimmy Mizen, the 16 year old killed in South East London six weeks ago, gave a remarkable interview about their preparations for the funeral of their son.
(You can download it here:

http://www.bbc.co.uk/radio/podcasts/mayo/)
They showed a level of compassion, calm and love for their son without the bitter rancour that could easily have overwhelmed their lives.
As I listened, I realised I was listening to people who were saints. Not in the sense that they are perfect, but in the Christian sense of people who truly understand God's love and their own place in the world. And these are not saints in distant lands or times: we aren't talking about the 1500s or India or anything. These saints are here and now, walking the streets of South East London.
inspiring.

But look out for more church events:
Garden Fete is on Sat 28th June, 12 midday to 3pm.
This is an old-fashioned church fair in the best tradition. Bargains galore, activities and Caribbean food: fingers crossed for good weather.

We also have baptisms coming up both on the afternoon of the 22nd and of the 29th June and a confirmation on Sunday July 13th. It's wonderful to have people joining us in these seminal moments in people's lives.

Fr Robert


PS Father John is on annual leave at the moment and won't be back till Thursday 26th.
I'm also on annual leave from this coming Thursday (19th) until the Garden Fete.

Faith and works

This week, we've been considering heaven. More specifically, how one gets there.

Is it to do with works - what we do - or faith - what we believe?

Why this sudden question? it was inspired by our old friend, the lectionary. The lectionary readings for this week were Romans 3.22ff, allied to Matthew 7.21-29. Look them up if you're feeling keen.

Broadly speaking, Romans indicates it's about faith. Matthew 7.21 indicates that works and actions are significant too: you can't just say, "I'm a Christian". You need to live that perspective out. Faith and faith alone isn't quite enough...
(Discuss...)

But there's another question. Granted, we can't earn it: it's about grace, as Luther showed us: then how exactly does Christ save all humanity?
A lot (perhaps unbelievably) hinges on your translation of an obscure Greek word - "Hilasterion" - so we spent some time on that too. For a good commentary on this, see a fellow blogger:
http://theogeek.blogspot.com/2007/07/hilasterion-in-romans-325.html

On the one hand, this is esoteric scholar-speak; on the other hand, this is about considering how on earth God considers that we are good enough to join him in heaven.

If we take scripture seriously (and we do), then we have to consider what it might be saying. And ultimately, life and death are theological issues, as well as ones that shatter us and inspire us emotionally and in our relationships.

So even if we all had sore heads at the end of the service this morning, it's worth it every now and then. We need to think our faith as well as feel it.

Fr Robert

"This is my body..."

This Sunday is the feast of Corpus Christi.

What is it and where does it come from?

Well, the clue that it's a festival originating in the Roman Catholic Church is in the name: "Corpus Christi" is Latin for "Body of Christ".

And it's a festival where we have time and space to think about the eucharist.

In certain churches, like the one on the left, a blessed host will be processed around the local area in a solemn procession. This was definitely what happened when this feast day was first instituted by the Pope in the 13th Century.

It's part of a 'high' church practice and was definitely NOT what the Reformers thought was appropriate behaviour when they formed the Church of England in the 16th Century. In one of the 39 Articles (the basis for the Church of England, written under Queen Elizabeth I's reign, it specifies: "The Sacrament of the Lord's Supper was not by Christ's ordinance reserved, carried about, lifted up, or worshipped." (Article 37).

Others would acknowledge that this wasn't the essence of Christ's command: it doesn't mean it's pointless, though.

What I remember, irreligious though it may sound, is the advice of TV chef Ainsley Harriott on preparing meals for "Ready, Steady, Cook": "It should be a feast for the eyes as well as the stomach." If food is something we see as well as eat, can there not be a time when we simply view the blessed bread? We are still 'consuming' it, just in a different way.

Join us on Sunday, where Bishop Christopher will be presiding.

There won't be a procession like in the picture. There will be a time to meditate on the miracle of God's presence amongst us. And there will be a time to reconsider the institution of the eucharist, when Christ first blessed bread and uttered the words, "This is my body..."

Fr Robert

I baptise you...

"I baptise you, in the name of the Father and of the Son and of the Holy Spirit."

These words have been spoken throughout generation upon generation of Christians.

Baptism was a custom of the earliest Christians, just as it's what we do today.

And these words may have been spoken of you, when you were a baby, or maybe as an adult.

Baptism is about a lot of things, but perhaps most of all, it's the seal and sign of God's love for an individual coming into the world, an individual who is already part of the body of Christ.

I can't remember my baptism. I know it happened: it's in the records. In April 1975 in a church in South West London to be exact. But I can't remember it.

This Sunday (18th), for me, will be different, because it's when my own daughter (above!) will be baptised. I don't think I'm going to forget this one. I'll be very proud, I expect.

With infant baptism, it says almost as much about a family as it does about an individual baby, a family desiring this particular blessing on their child. It's one of many, many choices that parents make for their children: what they wear, when their bedtime is, what their bedroom will look like... it never ends. But this one is a special decision.

All are invited, as ever, for when this happens at the 10am service. Sainsbury's finest Cava will be served for everyone afterwards.

It's also "Trinity Sunday" in the Church's calendar. Time to think about what "Father, Son and Holy Spirit" actually mean. Why do we describe God in this way?

Father Robert

Cast your vote

It's election time and St George Christ Church St Paul's parish church will be just one of the venues that act as polling stations.
There's a greater cast of characters than usual in this year's mayoral election, so the whole thing's been entertaining at the least. And of course, it's important to use the right we have of being able to vote. People have fought for this right over the centuries.
yet with the voting in one hall, and the church next door, it makes me think about how the idea of 'voting' works with the Christian world.
On Sunday afternoon, two young children, Kian Lee and Adina, were baptised. This coming Sunday, there will be another little girl, Ava. In these cases, the parents who have brought them forward are casting a kind of vote of faith in the Church. They want their children to receive God's blessing in this particular way.
And we'll even sign them with a cross, but in oil on their forehead, rather than in ink on a voting form.
If you're thinking of having your children baptised, do come to see us between 10.30am and 11.30am on any Saturday morning, and we'd be more than willing to talk you through how it would work.
Fr Robert

Return from "Easter" holidays

The schools belatedly return from their Easter holidays today and that means that activity swings up again.
This Sunday, we'll be thinking about St George: St George is part of our name and it's fascinating to see how he has been appropriated over the years: is he purely an English saint or something more? Come along to find out.
This Sunday also sees the days of our "Annual Parochial General Meeting", where we review the year. It's been a fabulous year of great joys and also great sadnesses.
At this meeting, our 'officers' are appointed for the next year: an 'officer' in this context is someone formally serving on the PCC or such like, but so many people give so much for the church that it's churlish to see only this as significant. Creating beautiful flower displays, making coffee (and washing up) after the service, welcoming people as they enter, working in the charity shop, serving at the altar, reading aloud from the Bible, leading the intercessory prayers...
All these things are vital to the Church but don't involve being an 'officer' as such.
They do all, I suppose, relate to being a good Christian, however exactly you define that: it's certainly something for us all to aim for.
Fr Robert

Two weddings and a funeral

The life of a parish contains moments of great joy and moments of great sadness, often in close proximity to each other.

This weekend there will be great joy with not one but two weddings on Saturday, both couples having completed our marriage preparation course and having got a lot out of it. To be present at such a joyful occasion is always a privilege and a pleasure.

To be present at a funeral is also a privilege, but it is, of course, a different kind of occasion altogether. It is made more poignant when, like Geoff Florentine (left), whose funeral takes place on Thursday, the person was still relatively young when he died.

Geoff was for a time the church warden at St George's, and was a kind, composed, gentle man. He was a computer programmer of some distinction and bore up to his illness with a quiet dignity. Unfortunately, despite two bone marrow transplants, the cancer never left him and he died three weeks ago.

He will be greatly missed.

The funeral takes place on Thursday 3rd April at 11am in Church.

Fr Robert

Resurrection!

It was wonderful to be joined by so many people for our Holy Week services.
If you were one of them, whether you were baking Simnel cake or making masks at the Good Friday workshop, or seeing the Great Paschal candle get lit during the darkness on Saturday night, I hope you were touched, just as I was.
The next few weeks, on Sundays, we will be considering the outworkings of the Resurrection: okay, it happened, but what does it actually mean?
Meanwhile, there are other exciting lifestages to pass through. Baby Noah will be baptised on Sunday and Michael and Sal are getting married on Saturday.
More sadly, Geoff Florentine's funeral will be on Thursday April 3rd at 11am in Church. Geoff died a fortnight ago, after a long struggle with cancer. He will be greatly missed.
Fr Robert

There are 52 weeks in a year, there's only one Holy Week

This is the most important week of the Christian year.
This is when we remember the events of one extraordinary week, two thousand years ago, when a man who claimed to be closer to God than anyone else in human history entered the holiest city in the world to the sounds of acclaim, left carrying a cross for his own death, and then finally rose again, appearing to those who loved him most.
It's the story that means there is new life for us all, even in life's darkest moments; it means that that there will be a new life beyond this one, a new life that is lived in the Spirit. It's a life of which we get glimpses on this earth, but we will only know fully when we get there.
This is Easter.
Join us at any or all of our services.
We will hold a special meal with a eucharist called an "Agape" meal on Wednesday both at lunchtime (12.30) and in the evening (8.00). Here, we have a simple supper and over the course of that meal we also recall the events of the Last Supper, sharing bread and wine, blessed by a priest.
Then on "Maundy" Thursday, at 8pm, we remember the Last Supper again, in particular Jesus' action of washing his disciples' feet. The service finishes in complete silence, and people are welcome to stay in church, praying with Jesus, just as he asked his disciples to do in the Garden in Gethsemane.
On Good Friday, the Church is split into two. In one half, there are meditative readings and then a service of memory, including Veneration of the Cross, between 12 midday and 3pm.
In the other half, there's a children's activity workshop between 12.15pm and 3pm. Do come along.
On Holy Saturday, we have a service at 8pm in the evening, where we recall what happened when the women found the empty tomb. There are fireworks afterwards.
This moment is completed on Easter Day with a jubilant eucharist, celebrating Jesus bursting from the tomb. It's new life and life in all its fulness. That's at 10am. Come early as it's one of our most popular services. Afterwards there's an Easter egg hunt in the garden (Fairtrade!)
We look forward to seeing you there.

it will break your heart. It will lift your soul.

Fr Robert

Lent draws closer to Easter

Our Lent course is drawing to a close (the fifth and final week is this coming week) and we're contemplating with Jesus the approach of Holy Week.

You may have seen our church magazine, Steeple People. The front cover is a photo of the sculpture to the right, by the late Roy Ward, a member of our congregation.

We'll be thinking about the passion with a screening of Jesus Christ Superstar next Saturday (14th March) at 7.30pm and a discussion.

The same day, earlier, we're having our marriage Preparation Course for those getting married just after Easter.

It will be great.

And from there, we're coming to Palm Sunday and on...

Do join us.

It's a terrible tale but one that lifts you too.

It will break your heart and it will lift your soul.

Fr Robert

Mothering Sunday

This week, you can feel the first hints of spring. The sun is out, the daffodils are beginning to reappear and in the middle of our Lenten discipline, then there's a break, when we celebrate mothering and what it means.
For me, a lot of it is caught up in this picture called "Cuddle" from a local artist, Anita Klein.
There's an openness and an intensity in this cuddle, and it's a natural fit with the link between a mother and a child.
Yet that's not the only context for this kind of love. This kind of love - nurturing, open, intense - can occur in a range of contexts. We all know what it is to be mothered and it would be rare if the only person who we had received it from was our own mothers.
That doesn't mean we don't celebrate motherhood. And it certainly doesn't mean I won't be sending my mum a card on the day: that would be a major offence if I didn't!
Rather, it's time to celebrate this most wonderful, intense (even divine-like?) of loves, and to do that in Church.
It's always one of our most popular services. So arrive early on Sunday (for the main 10am service) to get your seat!
Fr Robert
PS Meantime, our Lent courses continue to run, of course. This week, we're discussing Prayer, even as we think about Confession from last week.

Lent continues

As Lent continues to draw us in, now is the time when it's harder to stick to that Lenten discipline which we began last week.
Our Lent course, Cleanse... Inspire... Perfect should help us some of the way there: it is full on Tuesdays at noon, Wednesday evenings and on Fridays at noon, but there are some spaces for the Tuesday evening slot.
This week, we'll be focussing on the Cleansing part through confession: this is largely in the context of private prayer and relationships, but could be in the context of confession to a priest.
We'll be thinking this through this week.
Fr Robert

Lent: Cleanse...Inspire...Perfect

We are now in the season of Lent, the Church's season of penitence in anticipation of the drama, tragedy and triumph of Holy Week culminating in Easter Sunday.
Lots of people give up things for Lent: I've given up television and am reaping the benefits. I have so much time! But I am missing the new series "Ashes to Ashes", not to mention "Dancing On Ice". Oh well, I'll just have to get the DVD. And the house is extraordinarily quiet, which is great.
Fr John is fasting on Fridays, and you'll have heard about his successes and failures with that one if you were in Church on Sunday.
We're also marking Lent at our Church with a Lent course called Cleanse... Inspire... Perfect, a Spiritual Detox.
Basically, we're often too busy to see the wood for the trees in our lives. This week, we'll be thinking about what are things that are important to us, things that we know we need to address, but things we don't actually do.
It's a course written by Fr John that draws on the Bible, the liturgy of the Church and the insights of human resources psychology.
It's going to be brilliant.
There are a few places left: Tuesday lunchtimes, Tuesday evenings, Wednesday evenings.

Then there's our art focussed Lent alternative on Friday lunchtimes.
More on that later.

Otherwise, services go on well. There was a wonderful baptism on Sunday for Ilana. Next week, do come at 10am on Sunday for our usual Sunday eucharist, and join us at any time throughout Lent.

Fr Robert

Candlemas and Lent

When Jesus was brought as a baby to the temple, that's what we celebrate at Candlemas.
It was the time of the remarkable response by Simeon, realising who he had seen, as he beheld the baby, "Now Lord, let your servant depart in peace."
On a personal level, my wife and my first child, Tessa, was born on Monday, so though I won't be at church for a couple of weeks, it will be a greatly resonant festival.

Then, by quirk of dates, Lent follows very soon. This season of penitence and abstinence is being marked by our "Spiritual Detox" lent course, "Inspire, cleanse, perfect". Specially written for this Church, it happens on Tuesday and Wednesday evenings and Tuesday lunchtimes. Do sign up.

For those with an artistic bent, we'll also be running concurrently a Lent programme with the Dulwich picture gallery on Fridays. A great way to explore that spiritual side.

Lent starts of course with services on Ash Wednesday, Feb 6th, both in the morning and in the evening.

Fr Robert

Look out, Lent not far away

Last week Sunday saw four services at our Church.
The 8am holy communion was a quite, gentle start to the day.
Then there was at 9am "Book of Common Prayer" matins, for those who like traditional language.
The final service of the morning was the sung eucharist at 10am. Here, we explored the names for Jesus given in John's Gospel (read up Chapter 1.29 to 42) if you are interested.
The special service was the 4pm Wholeness and Healing service, which we do from time to time. This is a service of deep stillness, where people may come forward for prayer in a particular way.

Next week, we celebrate the Conversion of St Paul (with especial passion because St Paul is one of the saints who gives his name to our rather lengthily monikered church!) An amazing moment in history.

Not far away is the start of Lent on Feb 6th (Ash Wednesday). Look out for details of our Lent programme.

Fr Robert

Healing service and Burns Night

A couple of 'extra's to our normal run of events.
First, there will be a healing service this Sunday (Sun 2oth Jan) at 4pm.
This will be a quiet, peaceful service in which people can receive prayer in a special way, prayer for their healing, however that might be.

Second, on Friday 25th Jan, the women's group and the men's group will be celebrating Burns Night jointly. Should be great fun.

Of course, people are always welcome to our main service, the eucharist at 10am on a Sunday morning.

Fr Robert

New Year and remembering Ruby

New Year comes and things start to swing back to normal. The school is back, work starts up again and by now you will have an inkling of whether you will keep up with your New year's Resolutions.
Here's something I would like to share with you that may inspire.

Ruby (on the right) died before Christmas but her funeral was only last Friday.
At funerals, sometimes family members pay tribute themselves: sometimes they leave it to the clergy.
In this case, Ruby's sister, Myrna, paid a short tribute: she had cared for Ruby in the final two years of her life, after Ruby suffered a stroke. I feel that what she had to say was absolutely extraordinary so (with her permission) I am sharing it with you now:
"On Tuesday 11th December, I sat with my sister Rubina for four hours. I did not realise it was my goodbye. She died the next morning.
do I truly praise and exalt the Lord above all, even if just with my being?
When I was given the task of helping with both my sisters, I was called on many occasions by various peoples of social services and hospitals.
In life, we don't know what to do; the path we are on changes radically, ends abruptly or is enveloped in darkness. At such times, how does God lead us? how does he show us the way?
One way God led me was through prayer. By sitting patiently and trusting, gradually feeling for the next step, a comment from a good friend, scriptures, sacrament, a word from a spiritual director - for me, the best spiritual director is life itself, because God teaches us and leads us the way we should go. My sister Ruby's total dependence and vulnerablility was hard to bear; she was such a free spirit.
She was unable to cope with such a situation but sometimes this vulnerability and complete dependence is also the mystery we call God.
My dear sister, lots of love till we meet again.
Good bye, Myrna."
Fare well, Ruby. One of several loved members of our congregation who died in 2007.
But then death is part of life.
Fr Robert

Happy New Year

We had wonderful Christmas celebrations this year, with more people attending than ever before: perhaps you joined us at one of the services, or even attended the Christmas lunch, put on for various old people in the parish community. At all the events, there was a wonderful spirit.
But now is the time to focus on 2008.
This will be an exciting time for this church as our new Chapel in the old Christ Church building comes on stream.
It may be as early as March, it may not be till June, but this space brings with it exciting new opportunities.
At the same time, the sadder events happen too: the first half of January has brought a cluster of funerals. People will gather to remember and honour loved ones, people who have been special in their life: the Christmas past will have been unbearable for many of these families. Our thoughts and prayers are with them.
It says something important about Church life too. Just as we are part of joy as at Christmas, we are part of grief. That is God's plan for his church, and we must try to fulfil it.
Fr Robert