Latest News From The Benefice
Advent Course
This year we are offering the chance to gather for an Advent study based on Paula Gooder’s book “Women of the Nativity”. An Advent and Christmas journey in nine stories.
We will focus on just four of the stories over four weeks beginning on Tuesday 18 November, then Monday 24 Nov, Tues 2nd and Tues December 7.30-8.45pm including coffee.
If you wish to purchase a copy of the book it is currently available on Amazon, Kindle for £10.99 or in paperback for £10.11. Other suppliers also available.
We look forward to sharing together in this way.
Rev Susan
Men’s Club - A New Men’s Group for the Benefice
Our benefice like many others has several groups for ladies in our congregation but at present we do not have a group just for men. This is about to change as Paul Gosling at St Martin’s is setting up a new Men’s Group which will be open to all the men across the benefice.
We are open to ideas about how this group will operate in regards to when it will meet, how often and what it will do but to get the ball rolling we are going to hold an initial meeting on Thursday 23rd October at The Queen’s Head (73 High
Street, Green Street Green, Orpington BR6 6BQ) at 6.30pm. At this meeting we will begin to formulate how the group will work.
This is an exciting new venture, and it gives an opportunity to form new relationships across the benefice as well as opportunities to live out our faith together with other men in the benefice.
An invitation email will be going out to all men in the benefice who are on our contact lists, and this will have further details about the Men’s Group.
For more information please contact Paul Gosling on 07803723145 or mensgroup@smasch.org
Rev Michael
My name is Richard Crowley. Part of my ministry is to go out regularly and feed the homeless on the streets bringing the Gospel and engaging in meaningful conversation.
It would really bless me if anyone has the following to donate:
Sleeping bags
Tents
Blankets
Gloves
Comfortable Shoes and socks
New Toothbrushes and toothpaste
Second-hand smartphones
And funding for food if possible.
Please call me, if you can help on 07986 469467
Flowers speak louder than words. Flowers can speak louder than words and evoke emotions and memories. From earliest times, worshippers have brought wild or garden flowers to their place of worship as an offering. They have used branches of trees and flowers to decorate their churches when celebrating weddings, new births, anniversaries or to commemorate the passing of a loved one. Today, at St Mary’s, a small team of flower lovers place two arrangements in the church every week to enhance the Sunday worship. During the week, the church may be visited by people wanting to see the names of their loved one in the Book of Remembrance so there is always an arrangement beside it. At times of national celebration such as the Coronation of King Charles III or Remembrance Sunday, we try to echo the occasion with our arrangements. Only during the penitential seasons of Advent and Lent are flowers not placed in church. Their absence enhances the sense of preparation and inward reflection of these seasons; their return at Christmas and Easter expresses the joy of the Festival. What about Harvest Festival? It may not be a major festival within the Church calendar but it is a time of thanksgiving for all the earth has given us, so flower arrangers make the most of the occasion and enjoy using fruits and vegetables as well as flowers to enhance the occasion. Flower arranging is fun! You could call it “disposable art” as, however fresh the flowers, they will eventually die - and then you can throw away your mistakes and start again with new ideas and fresh flowers! If you fancy trying your hand at flower arranging, call Jocelyn Wright on 07786 454811. No experience needed, but a pair of scissors and a willingness to have a go is all that’s needed. Jocelyn Wright
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