Opening of the joyslide

 Opening remarks by St James vicar, Gary Jenkins

Prayer of dedication and thanksgiving by Acting Archdeacon, 

Jonathan Sedgwick

The Mayor cuts the ribbon

First customer

Presentation by St James churchwarden, Pat O'Connor to Fergus Carr, the architect

Group photo, including the three patrons of the project

St Anne's warden, Mavis: her mum was the lady who gave out the mats for the original slide

The Archdeacon, the architect and the architect's dad all try the slide

A great day. Thank you, Lord.

And here is today's Bermondsey Weekly Message:

The God of joy

Plant arrivals

The plants  have arrived, just in time for tomorrow's official opening of the Joyslide. 

The plants are a reference to Ada Salter's efforts to 'beautify Bermondsey' with hundreds of plants and trees. 

Ada was present at the opening of the orginal slide a hundred years ago in 1921 (see below)

Church assembly for St James's School

Outdoor service

It was great to have an Outdoor service on Sunday in St James's Churchyard. 

We could sing! 

And we could hear the Good News of the Good Shepherd who gave his life for the sheep.

Today's service

Outdoor service

We are all set for tomorrow's  United Open Air Service in St James Churchyard at 11am, with musicians from both churches involved and the good news is that EVERYONE will be allowed to sing. All welcome.

 

Congratulations Jane

 To Norwich with the other area deans yesterday to see our excellent former archdeacon, Jane, made a bishop. Congratulations and many prayers for her as she starts her new ministry

Bermondsey Weekly Message

The sign of victory has been plastered all over a Bermondsey Estate. 

Church Assembly

This week's service

Bermondsey Weekly Message 5

Church assembly

Remembering Grenfell

 On the fourth anniversary of the Grenfell Tower tragedy, St James's bells were tolled 72 times, one for each person who died:

Manze's

A curacy is a time of firsts. Your first funeral. Your first baptism. Your first wedding. And then, for a Bermondsey curate, your first visit to Manze's and your first pie and mash.... 

A great London tradition - pie and mash, complete with 'liquor' in Manze's famous shop in Tower Bridge Road, Bermondsey.

Today's service

Come on, England

 The Kirby Estate has become famous for the amazing way they decorate their estate in support of the nation team, now in their best effort ever, a magnificent display of community action, 400 flags, taking three days to put up, proudly show their support for England. 

Bermondsey Weekly Message

Fast forgiveness

You say something daft or even wicked when you're a teenager and ten years later it comes back to haunt you. You say you're sorry but can you be forgiven? Can the slate ever be wiped clean?

Whether our culture can do that, whether the media can do that, whether the England and Wales Cricket Board can do that for Ollie Robinson, one thing is certain and that is: God's forgiveness is fast, final, and complete - whoever you are and whatever you have done - thanks to the blood of Jesus.

 

As British culture becomes ever more censorious and unforgiving, the radical transforming power of God's forgiving love shines ever brighter. 

 

That was the point I was trying to make in our recent Bermondsey Daily Message, 'Don't get cancelled, get forgiven.' Do have a look at it if you haven't seen it:

 

Church assembly

Today's service

Bermondsey Weekly Message