Sunday catch-up for Advent Sunday

Estates evangelism

To a snowy Derbyshire for the national estates evangelism conference with an inspiring address by the Archbishop of York this evening 

 

The key verse today was from Isaiah 61: 'the spirit of the sovereign Lord was upon me because the Lord has anointed me to bring Good News to the poor. He has sent me to bind up the brokenhearted, to proclaim freedom for the captives and release from the darkness for the prisoners, to proclaim the year of the lord's favour'

You can watch the Archbishop's address here

 

Beer and theology

Great to be invited to 'Beer and Theology' at the Angel, the pub with the best view in London, to talk about the church's relationship with working class people, drawing upon my article: https://www.psephizo.com/lif.../where-are-the-working-class/

 

 

Advent comes

  

Tomorrow is the first Sunday of Advent and we have Advent Family Services at St Anne's (9.30am) and St James (11am).Everyone welcome.

The light shines in the darkness.

Bermondsey Weekly Message

O come all ye faithful

 A great night last night for Wednesday Night Church - our Christmas Dinner (with all the trimmings) followed by the first carols of the season. O come all ye faithful.

Sunday Catch-Up

Bermondsey Weekly Message

The Queen's speech

 

After eleven years on the Church of England's General Synod I was ready to step down but it did feel strange not being there yesterday for the inaugural meeting of the new synod.

 

Every five years the newly elected Synod is opened by the Queen. There is a service in Westminster Abbey and then afterwards the Queen addresses the General Synod in the main assembly room in Church House.

 

Yesterday Prince Edward stood in for her and read her speeech to synod members. 

 

Once again she articulated her own deep faith.

 

She told Synod: 'None of us can slow the passage of time; and while we often focus on all that has changed in the intervening years, much remains unchanged, including the Gospel of Christ and his teachings.'

 

She went on to say: 'The list of tasks facing that first General Synod may sound familiar to many of you: Christian education; Christian unity; the better distribution of the ordained ministry to the needs of the population. But one stands out supreme: “to bring the people of this country to the knowledge and the love of God”.

 

And she concluded her speech, as she always does, with a prayer: 

 

'At the beginning of this new Synod, my prayer is that the Lord’s blessing may be upon you as you embark on your deliberations; and that you will find inspiration in the joyous words of the hymn you sang this morning: O Comforter, draw near, within my heart appear, and kindle it, thy holy flame bestowing.'

Sunday catch-up

Remembrance Sunday

 Good to be at the War Memorial in Old Jamaica Rd for an Act of Remembrance and wreath laying, with good military and civic representation, for the hundreth anniversary of the inauguration of the memorial #lestweforget2021

 

 

Remembrance video

Another chance to view our Bermondsey Community Remembrance video from 2020 

Armistice (2)

 

This is the kind of mayor I like: non-political, wears a red robe, friendly to everyone.

 

This year's Southwark Mayor is wonderfully suited to the role of first citizen of the borough. 

 

Here he is meeting Belgium class from St James's School, at the Bermondsey and Rotherhithe Armistice service held at the war memorial today.

 

Belgium Class loved meeting Councillor Barrie. He showed them the Bermondsey Chain of Office (from the old Metropolitan Borough of Bermondsey, worn on special Bermondsey occasions) and they were fascinated by the Ceremonial Mace. He let them touch it and feel how heavy it was and then he taught them how to spell M-A-C-E - all before the service had started. 

 

Thanks Cllr Barrie for all you do for the people of Southwark and for the time you gave to our children today.

Armistice Day

 

A busy Armistice Day today.

First up, was a visit to the assembly at Compass School, our local secondary school.

The whole school were present, there were some great contributions from the students, an act of remembrance, and I had the chance to speak about Bermondsey in wartime and share the prayer that they prayed each night in the air raid shelter that was the churchj crypt 'defend us from all perils and dangers of this night.'

Next up was St James's School's armistice service in the church and this was followed by the main Bermondsey and Rotherhithe armistice day service at the War Memorial in West Lane, with a really good turnout from community organisations from across the borough.

Sunday catch-up

Tulips

 It was good to plant tulip bulbs after church today, as last year, part of the greener Bermondsey project.

Remember, remember

 

Is she right?

 Britain's strictest head just got put in internet detention. Do you agree with her?

 

Autumn morning, Southwark Park

 

The Queen's speech

 Wise words from Her Majesty

Sunday Catch Up