Open Church

As in previous years, we will be trying to keep the church open to visitors during the summer months.  So with effect from Tuesday 17 June until the end of August, the church will be open from 11.30 am to 2.30 pm on Tuesdays and Wednesdays, and from 11 am to 1 pm on Thursdays.  Throughout these times we need to have two people on duty to show people round and answer any questions.  If you are able to give some time to helping with this, please speak to Margaret Ross.

Volunteering for ScotsCare

ScotsCare is looking for more volunteers for the Blether Buddy Befriending service, which helps to improve the wellbeing of isolated Scots living in and around London through regular home visits, outings in the community or weekly telephone calls.

If you can spare 1 or 2 hours a week or fortnight, please contact Louise Davies on 020 7240 3718 or louise.davies@scotscare.com.

Sunday School Bicentenary Sunday 22 June at 11.15 am

This year sees the bicentenary of our Sunday School, one of the oldest in the Church of Scotland.  Current teachers and pupils of the Sunday School are planning a special service to celebrate the bicentenary.

We hope that as many former teachers and pupils as possible will be able to join us for the service, and we are also asking for people to send in to the Church Secretary their memories of their time in the Sunday School, together with any photographs they may have.  These will be included in a display which will be mounted in the hall.  We are researching the history of the Sunday School, and will be including details of the history in the display and the service.

A flier containing all this information was included with the recent issue of The Chronicle, which goes to all current members and to many former members, but we would ask you all to ensure that anyone you know who has been part of our Sunday School but may not see the magazine, gets the information about the service, and about the request for memories and photographs.  Contributions are beginning to come in, but we need lots more to make a stunning display.

There may be further celebrations later in the year: watch this space!

Service of Thanksgiving Saturday 14 June – 11.30 am

This service is being held to remember and give thanks for those friends, family and loved ones whom we have loved and lost and who now dwell in light celestial.  They are part of the great Communion of Saints and are at peace (Hebrews 12: 1).

During the service we will remember each by name and give thanks for all that made them special, and there will also be an opportunity to light a candle in memory of a loved one.  If you would like to include any family member, friend or loved one please give details to the Church Secretary.

After the service there will be light refreshments in the church hall.

Fifth Hugh Price Hughes Lecture

Marking the centenary of the outbreak of the First World War, this year’s series of lectures held at Hinde Street Methodist Church, W1, is on the theme “Responding to Conflict”.  

The fifth lecture is at 7.30 pm on Tuesday 10 June, when Professor John Hull, Queen’s Foundation for Ecumenical Theological Education, Birmingham, will speak on ‘Without conflict, no growth or change’.

Admission is free and all are welcome.

Pentecost – Sunday 8 June

Churches Together in Westminster are once again organising an ecumenical service for Pentecost to be held on the evening of Sunday 8 June at 5 pm at Grosvenor Chapel, 24 South Audley Street, W1K 2PA.

As usual, the evening service here will be cancelled to enable members to attend the ecumenical service.

Faith Matters Question Time

This event, on the subject “Pope Francis’ Vision for the Catholic Church: what does it mean for us?” will take place on Wednesday 4 June from 7 – 8.30 pm at Farm Street Church Hall, 114 Mount Street, London W1K 3AH.  Further details are available on the Farm Street Church website.

Volunteering at The Passage

The Passage, a homelessness charity based in Victoria, is currently recruiting new volunteers to join its Fundraising Team.  They raise about £2m each year through voluntary income but hope to expand their support in a number of key areas in the coming year.  For details of this and other volunteering opportunities with The Passage, please see the volunteering page on their website.