Farewell

After ten years as vicar of St James and St Anne's in Bermondsey I have stepped down from that role and this will be my last blog post as BermondseyVicar.

Here is my new place of work, Trinity House, off Borough High Street, the offices of the Diocese of Southwark.

I am now the Dean of Estates Ministry for the Diocese of Southwark with a particular brief to encourage and strengthen the church's ministry on local authority estates right across south London and east Surrey.

Bermondsey has been a great place to live and minister and it will always have a special place in our hearts. Moving on is never easy but there always comes the moment that that is exactly what God is calling us to do.

To all readers of the BermondseyVicar blog over the last ten years I say: thank you for reading, farewell and God bless.

 Bring to the people of the estates of our Diocese, O Lord, your love, joy and grace. We pray this in the name of your Son, our Saviour, Jesus Christ. Amen.

Happy New Year

 

The message of angels

 'But the angel said to them, “Do not be afraid. I bring you good news that will cause great joy for all the people.  Today in the town of David a Saviour has been born to you; he is the Messiah, the Lord. This will be a sign to you: You will find a baby wrapped in cloths and lying in a manger.”

 

 

Parish Tour

 

St Luke's, West Norwood

Moving on in the New Year to a new job after 33 years of parish ministry I went on a visit today with my friend Mark of the five parishes in which I have served.

 

St Peter's, St Helier

 

In chronological order they are St Luke's, West Norwood (1989-1994); St Peter's, St Helier (1994-2001); Holy Trinity, Redhill (2001-2012), St James, Bermondsey (2012-2022) and St Anne's, Bermondsey (2012-2012).

 

Holy Trinity, Redhill

 

 The photographs are of the buildings, each memorable in their own way, but even more memorable to me are the people of each parish and the people of the congregations in each parish, who are especially dear to us.

 

As the hymn says:

'How good is the God we adore!

Our faithful, unchangeable friend:

his love is as great as his pow'r

and knows neither knows measure nor end.

 

St James, Bermondsey

 

St Anne's, Bermondsey

Carols by Candlelight

If you can't get to a carol service in person, take a look at our Bermondsey Community Carol Service. Featuring soloist Jay Britton, Councillor Eliza Mann, Neil Coyle MP, Russel Dryden, Karen Willis Headteacher of St James' Primary School, the St James and Anne's Singers, Simon Dyer of FA Albin's and more.

Farewell

 Thanks to Southwark News for this article about my farewell

You can read the online version of their story here

Joy to the world

Lovely end of term service for St James's School today in church. Here they are singing 'Joy to the World

 

And here in 4 Kenya with their Virgin Mary Medley

 

This was my last school service and the children said 'goodbye' to me and one of the children from the Junior Faith Committee prayed this prayer which was very special:

The great invitation

  

You are warmly invited this Christmas to St James or St Anne's:

 

 

Nativity, 3 lions style

 The nativity story performed to the tune of 'Three Lions' by Baddiel, Skinner and The Lightning Seeds. Speak Life's Nate Morgan Locke plays all the characters in front of a green screen. Is it coming home for England in the 2022 World Cup?

Remembering in Rotherhithe

 Once again the Albins service of remembrance was a special time of remembrance and thanksgiving

 

Sunday catch-up

The last sermon from vicar Gary Jenkins before he moves to take up his new rolev of Dean of Estates Ministry with the Diocese of Southwark:

 

Farewell photos

 Some lovely photos from our farewell party (yesterday). Thank you Pat

Archdeacon Jonathan

 

Sir Simon Hughes

 

Sam Adofo, Director of the Salmon Youth Centre

Former councillor, Eliza Mann

 

 

Pastor Danny from Rhema Church

Former placement student, Delorine

Ordinand in training  Michael

Fond farewells

 

What a great team to work with and what a great send off they gave us today, our last Sunday at St James & St Anne, Bermondsey. 

I've been deluged with gifts and kind words and the church bells rang for us all afternoon. 

How we shall miss them and what a privilege it has been to be a shepherd of this particular flock. 

In my last sermon I took a World Cup theme ('God Brings On a Substitute') returning to the passage from Isaiah 53 that was shared with me the night I became a Christian, which was for me like entering another world, my wardrobe into Narnia. 

If just a few people in Bermondsey have discovered a little more of the 'unsearachable riches of Christ' it has all been worthwhile. May God be praised.

 

Brother pastors: Fayia and Danny pastor the two churches that share our buildings

Bermondsey Weekly Message Farewell

Our first Bermondsey Daily Message was in March 2020 at the beginning of the pandemic, here, for the time being is our final one:

Sunday catch up

Bermondsey Weekly Message

St Augustine's report back

It was good to have the mission team from St Augustine's College (where they are training to be ordanied ministers) with us today at St James. 

 

On November 5th they spent the day at the Blue, chatting to local people, finding out what they are thankful for about Bermondsey and finding out their prayer needs.

 

Today they reported back to us and they led the prayers in our service, praying for the people of Bermondsey.

When God saved the king