Photos from Christmas Day

Each year we hold a party on Christmas Day after mass. Invitations go out to anyone who would otherwise be on their own for Christmas and would rather not be, and they are treated to lunch with all the trimmings, entertainment in the afternoon and tea before they go home. Here are a few photos from this year's party.

The organisers:
during the party, the vicar chatting to guests:
mince pies are served!

St Laurence Christmas card

The lovely cover design courtesy of the artist David J Hetland.

100 years of Scouting at St Laurence's

10th Lewisham South (St Laurence, Catford) Scout Group was founded by the Revd Fenton, curate of St Laurence in 1908, and was one of the first groups to be founded. Recently they celebrated their centenary here with a special service during which members were invited to stand and renew their Scout promises and dedicate their flags.

Harvest Festival

While we sang "We plough the fields and scatter", people of all ages brought their gifts up to the altar:



On a wet and windy day, we have just celebrated Harvest Festival and welcomed people back as part of the national 'Back to Church Sunday' (although people are welcome back any other Sunday too, of course!).

Our harvest gifts are going to LEWCAS, a charity which works with asylum seekers, providing them with food and other support. A collection was also taken for WaterAid, which works to provide people with clean drinking water, and the Manna Society which works with the homeless near Waterloo.

Peter preached on today's gospel reading, reminding us to consider the ways our needs are met, and provided us with plenty to think about in his story about 'stone soup'!

Today's Gospel: Matthew 6: 25-33
Jesus said: 'That is why I am telling you not to worry about your life and what you are to eat, nor about your body and how you are to clothe it. Surely life means more than food, and the body more than clothing! Look at the birds in the sky. They do not sow or reap or gather into barns; yet your heavenly Father feeds them. Are you not worth much more than they are? Can any of you, for all his worrying, add one single cubit to his span of life? And why worry about clothing? Think of the flowers growing in the fields; they never have to work or spin; yet I assure you that not even Solomon in all his regalia was robed like one of these. Now if that is how God clothes the grass in the field which is there today and thrown into the furnace tomorrow, will he not much more look after you, you men of little faith? So do not worry, do not say, "What are we to eat? What are we to drink? How are we to be clothed?" It is the pagans who set there hearts on all these things. Your heavenly Father knows you need them all. Set your hearts on his kingdom first, and on his righteousness, and all these other things will be given you as well.

Sue's ordination photos

Here they are!

Sue's Ordination!

Sue was ordained deacon at a lovely service at Holy Trinity, Eltham which also happens to be where she starts her new post this week, and if Blogger decides to allow me to upload some photos, I'll post them on here!

New network for Rushey Green

View my page on Rushey Green Herald

Sue's last day

Here's a view of the unsung heroes at St Laurence's, preparing one of our now-legendary parish lunches to say goodbye to Sue Charles, who left us this Sunday as she prepares for ordination to the diaconate next week.

And here is Sue ("speech, speech" they cried!) receiving her leaving gifts from the congregation. We'll miss you, Sue!

(Thanks, as usual to our 'roving reporter', John who remembers to bring his camera to these occasions.)

Our new Director of Music

This term we welcome Huw Morgan as Director of Music, having already been organist with us for the past two years. That didn't seem to put him off, so he decided to stay!! Before joining us, Huw was Director of Music at All Saints, Blackheath and at St John the Evangelist, Hyde Park. His recent commission by Southwark Cathedral for a festival anthem was performed last month at the cathedral to celebrate the 600th anniversary of the death of the poet John Gower (read about it in this month's Bridge, folks!).
Choral services resume this Sunday, with mass at 10am and our monthly treat of choral evensong at 6pm.

Meanwhile, Andrew may be up to other things musically, but he is still a member of the congregation here, so thanks for everything, Andrew!

Holiday season

For the remainder of August, until the choir returns on 7 September, Sunday services are 8am (said mass) and 10am (sung mass).
During the week, said mass at 7.30pm on Tuesdays, and at 10.30am on Wednesdays (followed by coffee).
The next healing mass will be on Tuesday 2 September at 7.30pm.

The parish barbeque takes place on Saturday 23rd, so you need to buy tickets this Sunday if you haven't done already!

Happy Birthday to us!

It was a great day here yesterday, with super music from our choir, visiting singers and orchestra and an inspiring sermon from our visiting preacher, Pfarrer Manfred Richter (who had heard about the elusive English Summer and was therefore pleasantly surprised!).

Summer at last!

Phew, it is hot in here!

I'm just running off this Sunday's service sheets and notices. This week we are celebrating our church's 40th birthday on its present site! We have a visiting preacher from our twin town of Charlottenburg, Berlin plus our choir (their last service before the summer break) and an orchestra. We're just putting out the fans in church now to keep us all cool during all the excitement ....

In the evening we say goodbye to Matthew Rushton who has completed his four weeks placement with us. He will be preaching at evening prayer as his last task here before heading back to Oxford. Many thanks, Matthew - I'll miss having you around in the office!

Free concert tomorrow!

The second in our series of coffee break organ recitals takes place tomorrow morning at 11am, for around 30 to 40 minutes, followed by coffee and biscuits.

This month's organist is Michael Bonaventure of All Saints', Blackheath.

All recitals are free, with a retiring collection for the church choir's organ fund.

You can see the full list at www.organrecitals.com

Pass the mop ...

We sprang quite a bad leak in the Coffee Bar kitchen during the heavy rain :( Investigations are ongoing into where the water is getting in...
On a lighter note, the boys (and girls) in blue from the Safer Neighbourhood Team came to borrow a cup of sugar while they were at a meeting elsewhere in the building. Well, it made me smile, anyway!

Long time, no blog!

Apart from periods of extreme busyness I was struck down, nay, felled be some sort of a virus earlier in the year, leaving me feeling out of sorts for nearly three months. That meant that I missed most of Lent and all of Easter here. Fortunately, John was on hand with his camera for the Easter celebrations, including:

Bishop Christopher at the Easter Vigil













Confirmations














Blessing the Easter Garden













and not forgetting the chocolate Easter eggs!

The beginning of Lent

I usually post from home, however my computer is currently out of action, so I apologise for the lack of posts recently. I can assure you we are all still here!

Remember to have your pancakes tonight(!), as Lent starts this Wednesday (Ash Wednesday) with sung mass at 8pm with imposition of ashes (or said mass with hymns at 10.30am if you're a daytime person).

We have a special weekly Lent housegroup and visiting preachers each Sunday, so I'll add the details when I'm next in the office. If you are local, details of everything are on our noticeboards, so do come and have a look.

Meanwhile, in the centre, the main hall and kitchen are having a facelift this week and the painters are hard at work preparing and undercoating. The other rooms are in use as usual, and I'm looking forward to the parish office being painted! (but not looking forward to moving all the stuff ...)