Month: February 2010

For those who drive to church, Bow Street will be closed to traffic and parking in Russel Street and the surrounding area will be suspended all day on Sunday 21 February because the BAFTA Awards are taking place at 5.30pm in the Royal Opera House, Covent Garden.

The Westminster traffic wardens are very vigilant so please be careful where you park.  A parking fine costs £60 if you pay within 14 days, and £120 thereafter.

Last week’s retiring offerings in support of the Disasters Emergency Committee appeal for the Haiti earthquake raised a total of £625.80.

Thank you all for your generosity.

Lunches have now resumed after the Christmas break.  These form a valuable part of our Sunday fellowship as a gathered congregation and are greatly appreciated by members and visitors alike.

We are always looking for more volunteers to provide lunches, so please consider helping in this way.  The rota up to the summer break is on the noticeboard behind the tea bar, so why not get your diary out and sign up today.

For further information about what is required, please speak to the Lunch Convenor, Sheilah Fletcher.

There will be a meeting of the congregation in the hall on Sunday 31 January after coffee but before lunch.  The purpose of the meeting is to put to the congregation the changes required in order for the church to be registered as a charity.

Please make every effort to be present for this important meeting.

There will be no lunches served on Sunday 27 December and Sunday 3 January.
Lunches will resume on Sunday 10 January, when the price will be £2 per person, children free of charge.

The latest edition of The Chronicle is now available.
This edition celebrates the centenary of our current building and includes colour photographs of many our special events.
Don’t forget to collect your copy.
The Chronicle is distributed free to members of the congregation. However, contributions towards the cost of production (£1 per copy) would be most welcome and should be sent to:
Mrs E Somerville
Magazine Treasurer
Crown Court Church of Scotland
Russell Street
London WC2B 5EZ

Please make cheques payable to “Crown Court Church Magazine Fund”

Tuesday 8 December
6-7pm Carols for Christian Aid in Trafalgar Square (under the Christmas Tree)
Come and help us sing and collect money for this good cause – your help will be particularly needed this year as we have a change from our usual weekend date and some people may be unable to attend. We also hope that as many as possible of our usual supporters from St Columba’s, Bloomsbury Central Baptist Church and the American Church will be able to come along. So please do your best to come if you possibly can and swell the glad sound or shake a can and swell the collection for Christian Aid.

Sunday 13 December
11.15am – All-age worship
6.30pm – Evening service

Friday 18 December
7.30pm Choir Carol Concert with audience participation and seasonal refreshments in the interval.

Sunday 20 December
11.15am – Morning service with baptism
6.30pm – Service of Nine Lessons and Carols

Christmas Eve
11.30pm Watchnight Service

Christmas Day
11.15am Christmas Day service with communion

Our celebrations to mark the centenary of the present building came to an end with the Service of Thanksgiving on Sunday 29 November at which the Moderator of the General Assembly of the Church of Scotland, the Right Reverend William Hewitt, was the preacher.
We have had many wonderful events: the Burns Supper in February, the Centenary Ball and Edinburgh to London cycle ride in June, the picnic in Hyde Park in July, the Flower Festival in September, the Calvin Lecture in October, and finally the Christmas Market and Thanksgiving Service in November. And during July and August we lived through the refurbishment of the toilets and the hall floor – a trial at the time, but very much worth it in the end!
None of this would have been possible without a great deal of hard work by many people. So our thanks must go to everyone who contributed in any way to the success of the year: to everyone who gave money to the Appeal; raised money in a variety of different ways; helped to organise the various events; grew flowers, begged or borrowed greenery; created floral displays; helped with stewarding; baked cakes, made jam, served lunches and teas, served at the stalls at the Flower Festival and the Christmas Market; and helped in a myriad of ways, seen and unseen, to make our centenary year a year to remember – a real Crown Court triumph!

Christmas cards, 2010 desk calendars and tote bags are available for sale at the welcome desk in the hall. The calendar shows pictures of the various events of our centenary year and the Christmas card reminds us of our wonderful flower festival. Be sure to buy yours now while stocks last!

The celebrations to mark the centenary of the present building culminate at the Centenary Thanksgiving Service at 11.15am on Sunday 29 November.
We are delighted that the Moderator of the General Assembly of the Church of Scotland, the Right Reverend William Hewitt, has agreed to preach the sermon at the service, and will also dedicate the new pulpit fall commissioned by the Kirk Session to mark the centenary. This white fall, which will be used at baptism and communion services, has been designed and executed by Janet Dowswell. The choir will sing a special anthem commissioned for the centenary, composed by Charlotte Hill.
The service will be followed by lunch in the hall, at which there will be an opportunity to meet the Moderator.
This will be a joyous occasion for all and we hope that as many members and friends as possible will be able to be present at the service.